war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第85章

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the　vipers'　warning　connotfirmed　it。
Still；　she　wanted　to　finish　her　lesser　adversary　off　before　the　girl　recovnotered　her　sight。　She　pleted　the　spell；　the　exquisitely　inked　characters　burning　through　the　parchment　like　hot　coals。
From　the　elbow　down；　the　enemy　female's　left　arm　rippled　and　swelled；　being　an　enormous　black　spider　with　green　markings　on　its　bristling　back。　Still　attached　to　the　rest　of　her　body；　it　lunged　at　her　throat　and　plunged　its　mandibles　in。
Quenthel　spun　around。　Mauve　with　golden　spots；　then　white；　then　half　red　and　half　blue；　the　demon　loomed　over　her。　Most　of　the　time　it　looked　flat；　like　a　hole　into　some　other　luminous；　turbulent　universe；　and　an　obnotserver　had　only　its　inconstant　outline　from　which　to　infer　its　shape。　Over　the　course　of　a　couple　seconds；　it　seemed　to　bee　an　enormous　crab　claw；　a　wagon　plete　with　driver；　and　a　whirling　dust　devil。　The　length　of　gallery　behind　it　resembled　a　tunnel　carved　from　melting　rainbow…colored　slush　except　for　one　little　stretch。　That　section　appeared　unchanged　until　Quenthel　noticed　that　the　carvings　had　flipped　upside　down。
The　high　priestess　scrambled　to　her　feet。　As　she　rooted　in　her　bag　for　another　scroll；　her　scourge　dangled　from　her　wrist。　The　vipers　writhed　and　twisted。
The　chaos　demon　blinked　from　ochre　to　a　pattern　of　black　and　white　stripes；　and　from　the　form　of　a　simple　isosceles　triangle　to　that　of　an　ogre。　Its　cry　currently　a　mix　of　roaring　and　cawing；　it　swung　its　newly　acquired　club。
Quenthel　caught　the　blow　on　her　buckler。　To　her　surprise；　she　didn't　feel　the　slightest　shock；　but　the　shield　turned　blue；　changed　from　round　to　recnottangular；　and　became　many　times　heavier　than　it　had　been　before。
The　unexpected　weight　dragged　her　down　to　the　floor　again。　Resemnotbling　a　cresting　wave；　the　intruder　flowed　toward　her。　She　yanked；　but　her　shield　arm　was　caught　somehow　and　wouldn't　pull　free　of　the　straps。
Rippling　from　magenta　to　brown　stippled　with　scarlet；　the　demon　adnotvanced　to　within　inches　of　her　foot。　Quenthel's　boot　evaporated　into　wisps　of　vapor；　and　pain　stabbed　through　the　extremity。
Finally　her　hand　jerked　out　of　its　restraints；　and　she　flung　herself　backnotward；　rolling；　her　mail　whispering　against　the　floor。
When　she'd　put　sufficient　distance　between　herself　and　her　foe；　she　rose；　then　faltered。　For　an　instant；　she　couldn't　locate　the　fiend；　and　her　mind　struggled　to　make　sense　of　the　scene　before　her。　Green　and　blue；　shaped　like　an　hourglass；　the　demon　was　gliding　along　the　ceiling；　not　the　floor。　It　was　still　pursuing　her。　The　cursed　thing　was　random　in　every　respect　save　its　doggedly　murderous　intent。
The　entity's　howl　ceased　for　a　moment；　then　resumed　with　a　peal　of　childish　laughter。　Quenthel　snatched　and　unrolled　a　scroll；　which　abruptly　turned　into　a　rothe's　jawbone。　The　air　took　on　a　sooty　tinge；　and　her　next　breath　seared　her　lungs。
Choking；　she　stumbled　back　out　of　the　cloud。　She　could　breathe；　though　the　stinging　heat　in　her　throat　and　chest　persisted。　She　suspected　that；　had　she　inhaled　any　more　of　it；　the　taint　might　well　have　killed　her。　As　it　was；　it　had　incapacitated　and　possibly　slain　the　vipers；　who　hung　inert　from　the　butt　of　the　whip。
She　tossed　away　the　jawbone；　grabbed　another　scroll；　and　started　readnoting　the　powerful　spell　contained　therein。　Shaped　like　some　hybrid　of　dragon　and　wolf；　the　demon；　back　on　the　floor　again；　advanced　without　moving　its　legs。　Though　colored　the　blue　and　gold　of　flame；　it　threw　off　a　bitter　chill　that　threatened　to　freeze　the　skin　on　her　face　and　spoil　her　recitation　with　a　stammer。
Quenthel　thanked　the　goddess　that　her　own　education　in　Arach…Tinilith　had　taught　her　to　transcend　disfort。　She　forced　out　the　words　in　the　proper　manner；　and　a　black　blade；　like　a　greatsword　without　a　guard；　hilt；　or　tang；　shimmered　into　existence　in　front　of　her。
She　smiled。　The　floating　weapon　was　a　devastating　magic　known　only　to　the　priestesses　of　Lolth。　Quenthel　had　never　seen　any　creature　resist　it。　Though　the　stone　floor　was　still　chilly　against　the　sole　of　her　bare　foot；　the　ghastly　cold　had　passed；　and　she　stood　her　ground；