war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第102章

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　to　gaze　out　at　the　sights　of　the　Bazaar。　A　moner　strode　by　carrying　a　clucking　chicken；　imported　from　the　Lands　of　Light；　in　a　box。　A　merchant　had　probably　promised　the　fellow　the　fowl　would　lay　for　years　to　e；　though　in　reality；　such　birds　rarely　thrived　in　the　Underdark。　A　portrait　painter　rendered　his　subject；　the　enchantments　in　the　brush　enabling　him　to　fill　the　canvas　with　astonnotishing　speed。　An　armorer　drove　a　rapier　through　a　bound；　gagged　kobold　to　demonstrate　the　sharpness　of　the　point。
Cowl　up；　mantle　drawn　close　around　him；　and　Splitter　hidden　by　the　charm　of　concealment　Pharaun　had　cast　on　it；　Ryld　loitered　across　the　way　in　a　tent　with　the　sides　folded　up。　There；　games　of　all　sorts　were　on　disnotplay。　The　hulking　swordsman　stood　pondering　a　sava　board；　where　he'd　set　up　a　problem　with　the　onyx　and　carnelian　pieces。
A　change　came　over　the　scene　beyond　the　doorway；　and　people　looked　to　the　north。　Some　started　to　squeeze　up　against　the　stalls；　clearing　the　center　of　the　lane。　A　ragged；　furtive…looking　moner　hurried　away　in　the　opposite　direction。
Ryld　sauntered　to　the　near　edge　of　the　tent；　glanced　where　everyone　else　was　peering；　then　gave　Pharaun　a　subtle　nod；　confirming　what　the　wizard　had　already　guessed。　A　patrol　was　headed　their　way。
Pharaun　wished　the　guards　could　have　waited　just　five　more　minutes；　but　alas；　he　would　have　to　go　to　work　before　the　barber　finished　with　him。　A　tragedy；　but　it　couldn't　be　helped。
A　moment　later　the　patrol　marched　by；　casting　stern　glances　hither　and　yon；　their　tread　silent　thanks　to　their　enchanted　boots。　In　at　least　nominal　mand　was　a　priestess　of　Arach…Tinilith　armed　with　a　polished　wooden　wand。　Assisting　her　were　a　teacher　from　Melee…Magthere　and　Gelroos　Zaphresz；　one　of　Pharaun's　junior　colleagues　in　Sorcere。　It　was　unfortunate。　Possessed　of　a　store　of　jokes　and　ical　ditties；　Gelroos　was　congenial　pany。　At　least　if　Pharaun　murdered　the　other　mage　today；　he　wouldn't　have　to　worry　about　Gelroos　trying　to　assassinate　him　tomorrow。
In　addition　to　its　officers；　the　patrol　consisted　of　a　number　of　warriors…in…training；　boys　whom　Ryld　had　almost　certainly　instructed　at　one　time　or　another。　Pharaun　wasn't　particularly　worried　about　them。　His　fellow　teachers　were　the　real　threat。
The　Master　of　Sorcere　waited　until　the　guards　had　marched　past　then；　surprising　the　barber；　he　tossed　aside　the　hair…sprinkled　cloth　covering　his　chest；　stood　up；　and　handed　the　craftsman　a　gold　coin；　a　princely　overnotpayment　for　his　services。　He　touched　a　finger　to　his　lips　in　wordless　exnotplanation　of　what　he　actually　wanted　to　buy。　He　picked　up　his　piwafwi；　whose　elegance　he'd　obscured　with　a　minor　illusion；　swirled　it　around　his　shoulders；　walked　to　the　doorway　of　the　stall；　and　peeked　out。
The　patrol　had　tramped　about　twenty　yards　down　the　lane。　Any　farther　and　they'd　turn　a　corner；　so　Pharaun　had　attained　as　much　separation　from　the　enemy　as　he　was　going　to　get。　He　draped　a　fold　of　silk　across　the　lower　half　of　his　face；　then　stepped　out　into　the　open；　brandished　a　glass　marble　and　a　pinch　of　rust；　and　recited　an　incantation。　His　half…barbered　hair　stood　on　end；　and　the　air　around　him　smelled　of　ozone。　A　crackling　blue…white　spark　appeared　in　the　air　before　him；　then　shot　down　the　aisle。
When　it　reached　the　patrol；　the　flickering　point　of　radiance　exploded；　shooting　flares　of　lightning　in　all　directions。　Many　of　the　callow　young　solnotdiers　danced；　burned；　and　fell；　as　they　possessed　neither　the　spiritual　strength　nor　the　protective　talismans　that　might　have　minimized　their　innotjuries　and　kept　them　on　their　feet。　Unfortunately；　the　sizzling；　jumping　arcs　of　power　struck　a　handful　of　vendors　and　shoppers　as　well。　Pharaun　hadn't　particularly　wanted　to　harm　nonbatants；　but　the　aisle　was　simply　too　cramped。
The　rest　of　the　patrol　began　to　pivot。　The　captain　from　Melee…Magthere　was　smoking；　blackened；　and　blistered；　but　if　he　was　anything　like　Ryld；　his　burns　weren't　likely　to　slow　him　down。　Gelroos　and　the　priestess　looked　as　if　the　lightning　hadn't　even　touched　them。　The　female　was　spinnotning　around　a　hair　faster　than　the　other　two