八宝书库 > 科幻未来电子书 > war of the spider queen 1 dissolution >

第93部分

war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第93部分

小说: war of the spider queen 1 dissolution 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



; for the netherspirit plainly had her in its grasp。 Evidently she wasn't going to drop dead of an aneurysm or mit suicide; but no matter: she was doomed。 Her personality erased; consumed by the notpulsion to degrade and destroy; she was bound to provoke someone into killing her。
Then she broke the skinny white wand in two; unleashing a magic that thrust the netherspirit out of her。 Gromph; for all his knowledge; had never seen anything quite like it。 Taking on just a hint of palpable form; his agent fled the scene。
The Baenre wizard bolted up in his chair and threw his goblet; smashnoting it against the wall。 He cursed foully; and the malignancy in his words; hammering through the black lotus…scented air; made the greenish flames of the everlasting candles gutter。
Struggling for posure; he told himself it didn't matter。 He'd get her eventually。 He'd throw entity after entity at her until 。 。 。
But what had happened to the netherspirit? Constrained by Gromph's mand; it should have kept attacking until either it toppled the pillars of Quenthel's reason or she destroyed it。 Instead; it had run away。
The mistress's unfamiliar magic had broken the binding…so much was clear…but where had the creature gone? Back to its own world? Probably; but something…a slight acceleration of his heartbeat or a subtle prickling on the back of his neck; perhaps…made Gromph want to check。
The casement responded to his will。 Framed in that rectangular space; the netherspirit; still visible; perhaps as tangible as smoke; half flew; half bounded down one of the labyrinthine corridors of Sorcere。 A defensive ward activated; piercing the intruder with crisscrossing shafts of yellow light; but it tore itself free and charged on。 A blue…gowned master peered out the door of his sanctum; spotted the wraith; started to conjure; and the intruder stopped him with a sweep of a shadowy paw。 The blow didn't rock the wizard backward or leave a mark; but he fell like a block of stone。
Gromph surmised his erstwhile agent was ing after him。 Either it was angry over its forced servitude; or Quenthel had done more than merely dissolve his control。 She'd wrested it away from him and turned the entity into her own assassin。
Either way; the spirit represented a threat; and unfortunately; Gromph himself didn't know its full capabilities。 Still; he had no real reason for connotcern。 His magic was more than a match for any such entity; especially in his stronghold。
He watched the netherspirit flow through the black marble door of his office like water through a sieve。 It scrambled over the white bone desk and headed straight for the hidden access to his sanctum。 Magic crackled purple and blue around it; but it burst through。 It hurtled up the shaft。
Gromph smiled。 He had the creature where he wanted it; for he'd crenotated the passage with defense in mind。 Simply by focusing his will; he denotstroyed it。
The shaft wasn't made of matter。 Still; a metallic crashing and grinding sounded through the hole in the middle of the floor as the artificial space folded in on itself。 If the rebellious spirit screamed; its voice was lost among the din。
Gromph would have enjoyed hearing it squeal; but the important thing was that it was gone。 Most likely; the collapse had crushed it to nothing; but even if not; it had surely ejected it; maimed and disoriented; in some remote halfworld。 The crisis was over; and the archmage was left only with the annoyance of transporting himself in and out of his hidenotaway via spell until such time as he invested the six hours necessary to recreate the passage。
However; just to maintain the habit of caution that had balked a thounotsand enemies; he turned back to the window; then scowled。
The space still framed the spirit; and as far as Gromph could see; the shadowy thing was unharmed。 Darting and wheeling through curtains of pale phosphorescence; it was casting about in the bent spaces surrounding the stronghold。
Gromph didn't see how the creature could find him。 Nothing could locate a refuge hidden in a haze of scrambled time; not without the tenant in some way guiding it in。 Nonetheless; the wizard hurried into one of the protective golden pentacles adorning the marble floor。
An instant later; a different window burst inward; the casements flying from their hinges。 The spirit flowed through; in the process resuming the form it had worn before Gromph transformed it into the semblance of a kind of demon。 It somewhat resembled a wingless dragon with long; taurine horns sweeping from its head; which also possessed a single globular eye。 The Archmage couldn't actually see the orb…it was one with the inky shadow of the spirit's body…but he could feel its baleful regard。
Slightly anxious and uncertain; and all the angrier for it; Gromph shouted; 〃K'rarza'q! I named; summoned; and bound you; and I am your master。 By the Prince Who Dreams in the Heart of the Void and by the Word of Naratyr; I mand you to kneel!〃
The netherspirit released a humid stink that somehow conveyed the essence of scornful laughter; then it bounded forward。
Very well; Gromph thought; have it your way。
He thrust the

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 0

你可能喜欢的