war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第104章

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its　arm　to　throw；　and　the　animating　force　fell　out　of　the　body　it　had　created　for　itself　and　down　the　hole。　The　wound　in　the　fabric　of　the　world　contracted　and　sealed　itself。　Rumbling　and　thudding；　the　huge　stone　form　fell　apart。
Pharaun　took　stock　of　himself。　It　didn't　look　as　if　the　red　light　had　done　more　than　scrape　and　prick　his　skin。　He　grinned　down　at　Gelroos。
〃Not　quite；　colleague。〃
〃This　time；〃　the　younger　wizard　said　through　gritted　teeth。
He　started　casting；　and　Pharaun　did　the　same。
Force　crackled　around　the　outcast　Mizzrym　but　failed　to　bite　into　his　flesh。　His　own　magic；　launched　from　the　same　round　little　mirror　he　used　to　check　his　appearance；　made　the　air　surrounding　Gelroos　tinkle　like　chiming　crystals。　The　junior　wizard　screamed；　and　in　the　blink　of　an　eye　he　was　transformed　into　an　inert　figure　made　of　cool；　smooth　glass。
Metal　rang　below　Pharaun's　feet。　He　looked　down。　Ryld　appeared　as　if　he　might　be　having　a　difficult　time　of　it；　but　a　conjured　barrage　of　ice；　flung　into　the　midst　of　the　surviving　students；　turned　the　tide。　Ryld　cut　down　his　fellow　Master　of　Melee…Magthere；　whirled　to　do　the　same　to　a　young　spearman；　and　the　fight　was　over。
Pharaun　surveyed　the　battlefield。　Though　burned　and　incapacitated；　some　of　the　warriors…in…training　were　still　alive；　but　that　was　all　right。　The　important　thing　had　always　been　to　murder　his　fellow　instructors。　That　was　what　would　impress　the　rogues。
He　floated　back　down　to　earth。　〃That　wasn't　too　difficult。　Looking　back；　it's　a　pity　we　didn't　slaughter　Greyanna　and　her　allies　in　the　same　fashion。〃
Ryld　grunted；　pulled　up　the　hem　of　a　fallen　fighter's　cloak；　and　wiped　the　blood　from　Splitter。
〃Can　you　shatter　Gelroos　before　we　decamp？〃　Pharaun　asked。　〃Othernotwise；　he'll　eventually　revert　to　flesh　and　blood。〃
〃If　you　like。〃　Ryld　hefted　his　blade。


C　h　a　p　t　e　r

F　I　F　T　E　E　N
Wrapped　in　a　plain；　dark　piwafwi；　the　cowl　drawn　over　her　head；　Quenthel　tramped　south　across　the　city。　The　experience　was　strange；　unique　in　her　personal　experience。　She　was　on　foot；　not　mounted　on　a　lizard　or　enthroned　on　a　floating　stone　disk。　She　was　alone；　not　acpanied　by　a　column　of　guards　and　servants；　and　most　strangely　of　all；　no　one　paid　her　any　real　attention。　Oh；　slaves　scurried　out　of　her　path；　and　males　ofnotfered　her　a　cursory　show　of　respect；　but　no　one　feared　her　or　cringed　in　awe　of　her。　Indeed；　she　herself　had　to　offer　obeisance　to　the　noble　fenotmales　she　encountered　along　the　way；　lest　their　soldiers　chastise　her　for　insolence。
It　was　galling；　unsettling；　and　somehow　tempting　as　well。　In　her　most　private　thoughts；　she'd　imagined　herself　simply　running　away　from　the　imnotplacable　foe　who　worked　so　assiduously　to　kill　her。　It　might　be　the　only　way　she　could　survive。　If　she　opted　to　flee　this　minute；　she　was　already　off　to　a　good　start。　She'd　managed　to　slip　away　from　Tier　Breche　with　no　one；　she　hoped；　the　wiser。
Flight　was　a　cowardly　notion；　though；　unworthy　of　a　Baenre；　and　it　annotgered　her　when　she　entertained　it　even　for　a　moment。　Until　the　attacks　began；　she　never　had　before。　She　turned　a　corner；　and　Qu'ellarz'orl；　came　into　view。　Her　destination　was　nigh；　and　she　focused　her　thoughts　on　the　task　at　hand。
Sneaking　away　from　the　Academy　had　been　a　little　plicated。　First；　she'd　had　to　surreptitiously　lay　hands　on　nondescript　outerwear　that　would　allow　her　to　pass　for　a　moner。　Such　a　piwafwi　certainly　hadn't　existed　among　her　own　garments；　all　of　which　were　costly　and　bejeweled；　but　she'd　found　it　among　the　effects　of　one　of　the　kitchen　staff。　After　disposnoting　of　the　cook　lest　the　missing　garment　be　reported；　she　had　to　exit　Arach…Tinilith　without　anyone　realizing　it　was　her；　including　her　own　watchful　sentries。　Finally；　she　needed　to　skulk　to　the　edge　of　the　plateau　and　float　down　to　the　cavern　floor　below　without　the　guards　at　the　top　of　the　staircase　noticing。
She'd　managed　it；　though；　and　she　was　confident　of　her　ability　to　sneak　back　into　the　Academy；　even　after　the　plateau　had　been　put　on　a　state　of　heightened　security。
A　road　ran　up　the　eminence　that　was　Qu'ellarz'orl　to　the　castles　of