war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第35章

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ms　came　from　its　ruined　left　eye；　an　old　wound　that　had　evidently　festered　for　a　very　long　time。
　　　Pharaun　tried　to　swim　away　from　it；　but　the　rat…demon　was　faster。　It　whirled　in　the　water　and　brought　its　leathery　pink　tail　to　bear　on　the　wizard。　Pharaun　took　the　hit　with　a　grimace。　It　hurt。
　　　As　the　uridezu　twisted　around；　obviously　meaning　to　shred　Pharaun　with　its　ragged　claws；　the　Master　of　Sorcere　touched　his　steel　ring。　The　rapier　appeared　before　him；　and　Pharaun　set　it　against　the　demon　with　a　thought。　The　dancing　sword　scored　a　deep　slash；　and　the　uridezu's　attention…as　Pharaun　had　planned…was　drawn　entirely　to　defending　itself　against　the　magically　animated　blade。
　　　Content　to　let　the　rapier　keep　the　demon　busy；　Pharaun　kicked　away　from　the　duel；　pulling　his　hand　crossbow　and　a　quarrel　from　his　belt　at　the　same　time。　When　the　bolt　was　set　and　cocked；　Pharaun　called　on　the　power　of　his　brooch　to　levitate　quickly　up　and　out　of　the　lake。　The　second　his　face　broke　the　surface　he　coughed　out　lungfuls　of　fluid。　He　shot　into　the　air　a　dozen　feet　above　the　water　and　hung　there；　black　droplets　pattering　off　him　to　rain　back　down　onto　the　rippling　surface　of　the　Lake　of　Shadows。
　　　The　wizard　turned　his　attention　to　the　ship　of　chaos。　Never　had　the　vessel　seemed　so　aptly　named。　Quenthel　and　the　draegloth　fought　for　their　lives　against　the　rat…demon　boarding　party。　Before　Pharaun　could　get　the　whole　situation　sorted；　Jeggred　ripped　a　gash　in　the　belly　of　one　uridezu　that　was　deep　enough　to　spill　its　bowels　onto　the　deck。　It　crumpled　in　a　heap　of　steaming　entrails　at　the　blood…soaked　draegloth's　feet。
　　　Pharaun　counted　four　more　of　the　demons；　in　addition　to　Raashub。　The　captain　had　gathered　seven　of　his　kind。
　　　The　wizard　looked　down；　checking　on　the　progress　of　the　dancing　rapier。　The　animated　blade　slit　the　swimming　uridezu's　throat。　The　demon　shivered　then　went　limp　in　the　water；　slowly　floating　to　the　surface。　Its　scalding　blood　sent　coppery…smelling　steam　rising　into　the　air　below　the　hovering　mage。
　　　Pharaun　recalled　his　rapier。　Leveling　his　hand　crossbow；　he　looked　back　at　the　ship　of　chaos。　Quenthel　held　one　uridezu　at　bay　with　her　whip　while　another　rushed　her　from　behind。　Pharaun　couldn't　get　a　clear　shot；　so　he　paused；　and　that　was　all　the　time　it　took　for　the　uridezu　behind　her　to　bite　Quenthel　in　the　neck。
　　　Blood　welled　up　around　the　deep　wound；　and　the　high　priestess　gnashed　her　teeth　in　pain。　With　a　hard；　sharp　jerk　of　her　shoulder；　Quenthel　knocked　the　demon　away。　From　a　distance　it　was　difficult　for　Pharaun　to　see；　but　he　was　sure　the　uridezu　left　a　few　teeth　in　the　mistress's　neck。
　　　Movement　from　Jeggred　caught　Pharaun's　eye。　The　draegloth　advanced　on　Raashub。　A　wave　of　panic　coursed　through　the　Master　of　Sorcere。　Attack　or　no　attack；　they　needed　Raashub　to　pilot　the　ship。　Jeggred　had　been　itching　to　kill　the　captain　since　they'd　first　claimed　the　vessel；　and　the　boarding　action　was　excuse　enough　for　him　to　finally　make　good　on　his　many　threats。
　　　Pharaun；　fully　aware　of　the　irony　of　the　situation；　threw　a　spell　that　set　a　wall　of　invisible　force　between　the　uridezu　captain　and　the　advancing　draegloth。　Jeggred　hit　the　wall　hard；　setting　him　back　on　his　heels　for　a　moment。　Raashub　cowered　away　from　the　draegloth　then　started　to　sniff　the　air　in　front　of　him；　as　puzzled　by　his　unexplained；　last…second　reprieve　as　was　Jeggred。
　　　Quenthel　threw　an　elbow　at　the　uridezu　that　had　bitten　her；　but　the　demon　was　able　to　avoid　the　blow。　Quenthel's　attacks　were　spasmodic　and　haphazard；　and　Pharaun　knew　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　the　two　uridezu　she　faced　managed　to　kill　her。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　made　his　way　quickly　through　a　spell　and　sent　its　energy　flowing　out　from　him　to　the　uridezu　that　had　bitten　Quenthel。
　　　An　enormous；　disembodied　black　hand　faded　into　existence　from　the　thin　air；　and　Pharaun　took　control　over　it　with　a　thought。　The　uridezu　that　were　harrying　Quenthel　stepped　back　from　the　hand　but　too　slowly　for　the　demon　that　had　bitten　her。　The　hand　closed　around　the　creature　and　began　to　squeeze。
　　　Taking　stock　of　the　situation　again；　Pharaun　saw　that　Jeggred　had　moved　on　to　another　uridezu；　leaving　Raashub　to　grovel　behind　the　wall　of　force。
　　　The　wizard　had　only　to　will　the　spell…hand　to　squeeze　as　hard　as　it　could　and　he　could　leave　it　to　its　own　devices。　As　the　uridezu　trapped　in　the　hand　started　gasping　for　air；　Pharaun　tightened　his　finger　around　the　trigger　of　his　hand　crossbow　and　sent　the　bolt　whizzing　through　the　air。　The　missile　slammed　into　the　other　demon's　chest。　It　paused　and　turned　to　look　at　the　source　of　the　projectile。
　　　The　uridezu　in　the　hand　had　its　mouth　wide　open；　but　no　sound　came　out。　All　the　air　had　been　squeezed　from　its　lungs。　Pharaun　reloaded　his　hand　crossbow；　and　the　conjured　hand　squeezed　even　tighter。　The　demon's　eyes　bulged；　and　Pharaun　couldn't　help　but　watch。
　　　The　wizard　launched　another　bolt　at　the　demon　that　was　still　managing　to　dodge　the　high　priestess's　whip。　The　missile　slammed　home；　pushing　the　uridezu　toward　Quenthel。　The　rat…man　was　staggered　but　far　from　dead…which　was　more　than　Pharaun　could　say　for　the　creature　in　the　hand。　Its　body　bulged　past　the　breaking　point　then　burst　in　a　torrent　of　blood　and　tissue。　A　few　agonizing　seconds　later　and　it　was　dead。
　　　Pharaun　reloaded　his　hand　crossbow　again　and　watched　the　uridezu　his　last　bolt　had　pushed　toward　Quenthel。　The　high　priestess　advanced　quickly；　scourge　in　one　hand；　the　other　wrapped　into　a　tight　fist。
　　　The　Mistress　of　the　Academy　hit　the　uridezu　that　faced　her　so　hard　its　head　burst　into　several　large　pieces　that　fell　pletely　away　from　its　shoulders。　The　rat…demon's　glistening　gray…and…yellow　brain　came　free　and　went　skipping　out　across　the　still　surface　of　the　lake。　Pharaun　knew　that　her　strength　was　ing　from　a　magic　item；　and　he　made　a　mental　note　to　stop　being　surprised　by　feats　of　strength　from　the　priestess。
　　　Movement　and　light　from　below　him　caught　Pharaun's　attention。　The　uridezu　he'd　frozen　in　place　had　finally　managed　to　break　free；　and　it　was　moving　with　great　whips　of　its　ratlike　tail。　It　swam　up　and　toward　Pharaun；　who　was　still　hovering　and　dripping　above　the　water。
　　　Pharaun　cast　a　spell　that　let　him　push　the　advancing　demon　back　down　into　the　water。　The　Master　of　Sorcere　continued　pushing　until　the　uridezu　slipped　beneath　the　layer　of　silt。　He　pushed　harder　until　the　creature　finally　hit　the　rocky　lake　bed；　four　feet　under　the　drifting　sediment。　He　pressed；　crushing　the　monster　into　the　lake　bed。　He　could　feel　the　thing's　back　break　but　kept　pressing　still。
　　　
　　　Aliisza　held　her　breath　watching　the　drow　fight　off　the　uridezu。　The　rat…demons　weren't　necessarily　the　most　impressive　foes；　but　all　things　considered　the　dark　elves　made　a　fine　show　of　it。　Pharaun　was　especially　alluring；　hanging　in　midair　over　the　water；　so　wet　and　intense。　It　made　Aliisza　all　tingly。
　　　The　invisible　alu…fiend　drifted　in　the　air　over　the　regal　female　drow；　who　had　been　paralyzed　by　the　bite　of　the　uridezu　she'd　dispatched　in　a　messy　and　uncreative　way。
　　　Another　of　the　rat…demons　sway