精灵血脉四部曲-第125部分

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　　　That　didn't　make　things　easier　for　Matron　Baenre。　If　the　other　houses　didn't　share　those　beliefs；　they　would　try　to　use　her　as　a　sacrifice　to　put　things　aright。　She　glanced　briefly　at　both　her　daughters。　Sos'Umptu　was　among　the　least　ambitious　drow　females　she　had　ever　known；　and　Baenre　didn't　fear　much　from　that　one。　Triel；　on　the　other　hand；　might　be　more　dangerous。　Though　she　always　seemed　content　with　her　life　as　matron　mistress　of　the　Academy；　a　position　of　no　minor　importance；　it　was　widely　accepted　that　Triel；　the　eldest　daughter；　would　one　day　rule　the　first　house。

　　　Triel　was　a　patient　one；　like　her　mother；　but；　like　her　mother；　she　was　also　calculating。　If　she　became　convinced　that　it　was　necessary　to　remove　her　mother　from　the　throne　of　House　Baenre；　that　such　an　act　would　restore　the　Baenre　name　and　reputation；　then　she　would　do　so　mercilessly。

　　　That　is　why　Matron　Baenre　had　recalled　her　from　the　Academy　to　a　meeting　and　had　located　that　meeting　within　the　chapel。　This　was　Sos'Umptu's　place；　Lloth's　place；　and　Triel　would　not　dare　strike　out　at　her　mother　here。

　　　〃I　plan　to　issue　a　call　from　the　Academy　that　no　house　shall　use　this　troubled　time　to　war　against　another；〃　Triel　offered；　breaking　the　virtual　silence梖or　none　of　the　Baenres　had　taken　note　of　the　hammering　and　groaning　from　the　slaves　working　on　the　curving　roof　a　mere　hundred　feet　away。　None　of　them　took　note　even　when　a　minotaur　casually　tossed　a　goblin　to　its　death；　for　no　better　reason　than　enjoyment。

　　　Matron　Baenre　took　a　deep　breath　and　considered　the　words；　and　the　meaning　behind　the　words。　Of　course　Triel　would　issue　such　a　plea。　The　Academy　was　perhaps　the　most　stabilizing　force　in　Menzoberranzan。　But　why　had　Triel　chosen　this　moment　to　tell　her　mother？　Why　not　just　wait　until　the　plea　was　presented　openly　and　to　all？

　　　Was　Triel　trying　to　reassure　her？　Matron　Baenre　wondered。　Or　was　she　merely　trying　to　put　her　off　her　guard？

　　　The　thoughts　circled　in　Matron　Baenre's　mind；　ran　about　and　collided　with　one　another；　leaving　her　in　a　trembling；　paranoid　fit。　Rationally；　she　understood　the　self…destructive　nature　of　trying　to　read　things　into　every　word；　of　trying　to　outguess　those　who　might　be　less　than　enemies；　who　might　even　be　allies。　But　Matron　Baenre　was　growing　desperate。　A　few　weeks　before；　she　had　been　at　the　pinnacle　of　her　power；　had　brought　the　city　together　beneath　her　in　readiness　for　a　massive　strike　at　the　dwarven　plex　of　Mithril　Hall；　near　the　surface。

　　　How　fast　it　had　been　taken　away；　as　fast　as　the　fall　of　a　stalactite　from　the　ceiling　of　the　cavern　above　her　treasured　chapel。

　　　She　wasn't　done　yet；　though。　Matron　Baenre　had　not　lived　through　more　than　two　thousand　years　to　give　up　now。　Damn　Triel；　if　she　was　indeed　plotting　to　take　the　throne。　Damn　them　all！

　　　The　matron　mother　clapped　her　hands　together　sharply；　and　both　her　daughters　started　with　surprise　as　a　bipedal；　man…sized　monstrosity　popped　into　view；　standing　right　before　them；　draped　in　tremendous　flowing　crimson　robes。　The　creature's　purplish　head　resembled　that　of　an　octopus；　except　that　only　four　skinny　tentacles　waved　from　the　perimeter　of　its　round；　many…toothed　orifice；　and　its　eyes　were　pupilless　and　milky　white。

　　　The　illithid；　or　mind　flayer；　was　not　unknown　to　the　Baenre　daughters。　Far　from　it；　El…Viddenvelp；　or　Methil；　as　he　was　monly　called；　was　Matron　Baenre's　advisor　and　had　been　at　her　side　for　many　years。　Recovered　from　their　startlement；　both　Sos'Umptu　and　Triel　turned　curious　stares　to　their　surprising　mother。

　　　My　greetings　to　you　Triel；　the　illithid　imparted　telepathically。　And；　of　course；　to　you；　Sos'Umptu；　in　this；　your　place。

　　　Both　daughters　nodded　and　conjured　similar　mental　replies；　knowing　that　Methil　would　catch　the　thoughts　as　clearly　as　if　they　had　spoken　them　aloud。

　　　〃Fools！〃　Matron　Baenre　shouted　at　both　of　them。　She　leaped　from　her　chair　and　spun　about；　her　withered　features　fierce。　〃How　are　we　to　survive　this　time　if　two　of　my　principle　manders　and　closest　advisors　are　such　fools？〃

　　　Sos'Umptu　was　beside　herself　with　shame；　wrought　of　confusion。　She　even　went　so　far　as　to　cover　her　face　with　the　wide　sleeve　of　her　thick　purple…and…black　robe。

　　　Triel；　more　worldly…wise　than　her　younger　sister；　initially　felt　the　same　shock；　but　quickly　came　to　understand　her　mother's　point。　〃The　illithid　has　not　lost　its　powers；〃　she　stated；　and　Sos'Umptu　peeked　curiously　from　above　her　arm。

　　　〃Not　at　all；〃　Matron　Baenre　agreed；　and　her　tone　was　not　happy。

　　　〃But　then　we　have　an　advantage；〃　Sos'Umptu　dared　to　speak。　〃For　Methil　is　loyal　enough；〃　she　said　bluntly。　There　was　no　use　in　masking　her　true　feelings　behind　words　of　half…truth；　for　the　illithid　would　read　her　mind　anyway。　〃And　he　is　the　only　one　of　his　kind　in　Menzoberranzan。〃

　　　〃But　not　the　only　one　who　uses　such　powers！〃　Matron　Baenre　roared　at　her；　causing　her　to　shrink　back　in　her　chair　once　more。

　　　〃K'yorl；〃　Triel　gasped。　〃If　Methil　has　use　of　his　powers。。。〃

　　　〃Then　so　do　the　Oblodrans；〃　Baenre　finished　grimly。

　　　They　exercise　their　powers　continually；　Methil　telepathically　confirmed　to　all　three。　The　highlights　of　House　Oblodra　would　not　be　winking　were　it　not　for　the　mental　mands　of　K'yorl's　coven。

　　　〃Can　we　be　certain　of　this？〃　Triel　asked；　for　there　seemed　no　definite　patterns　in　the　failing　of　magic；　just　a　chaotic　mess。　Perhaps　Methil　had　not　yet　been　affected；　or　did　not　even　know　that　he　had　been　affected。　And　perhaps　Oblodra's　faerie　fire　highlights；　though　different　in　creation　than　the　fires　glowing　about　the　other　houses；　were　caught　in　the　same　chaos。

　　　Psionic　powers　can　be　sensed　by　psionic　creatures；　Methil　assured　her。　The　third　house　teems　with　energy。

　　　〃And　K'yorl　gives　the　appearance　that　this　is　not　so；〃　Matron　Baenre　added　in　a　nasty　tone。

　　　〃She　wishes　to　attack　by　surprise；〃　Triel　reasoned。

　　　Matron　Baenre　nodded　grimly。

　　　〃What　of　Methil？〃　Sos'Umptu　offered　hopefully。　〃His　powers　are　great。〃

　　　〃Methil　is　more　than　a　match　for　K'yorl；〃　Matron　Baenre　assured　her　daughter；　though　Methil　was　silently　doing　the　same　thing；　imparting　a　sense　of　undeniable　confidence。　〃But　K'yorl　is　not　alone　among　the　Oblodrans　with　her　psionic　powers。〃

　　　〃How　many？〃　Triel　wanted　to　know；　to　which　Matron　Baenre　merely　shrugged。

　　　Many；　Methil's　thoughts　answered。

　　　Triel　was　thinking　it；　so　she　knew　that　Methil　was　hearing　it；　and　so　she　said　it　aloud；　suspiciously。　〃And　if　the　Oblodrans　do　e　against　us；　which　side　will　Methil　take？〃

　　　Matron　Baenre　was；　for　an　instant；　shocked　by　her　daughter's　boldness；　but　she　understood　that　Triel　had　little　choice　in　divulging　her　suspicions。

　　　〃And　will　he　bring　in　his　allies　from　the　illithid　cavern　not　far　away？〃　Triel　pressed。　〃Surely　if　a　hundred　illithids　came　to　our　side　in　this；　our　time　of　need。。。〃

　　　There　was　nothing　from　Methil；　not　a　hint　of　telepathic　munication；　and　that　was　answer　enough　for　the　Baenres。

　　　〃Our　problems　are　not　the　problems　of　the　mind　flayers；〃　Matron　Baenre　said。　It　was　true　enough；　and　she　knew　so。　She　had　tried　to　enlist　the　illithids　in　the　raid　on　Mithril　Hall；　promising　them　riches　and　a　secure　alliance；　but　the　motivations　of　the　otherworldly；　octopus…headed　creatures　were　not　the　same　as　those　of　the　dark　elves；　or　of　any　race　in　all　the　Underdark。　Those　motivations　remained　beyond　Matron　Baenre's　understanding；　despite　her　years　of　dealing　with　Methil。　The　most　she　could　get　from　the　illithids　for　her　important　raid　was　Methil　and　two　others　agreeing　to　go　along　in　exchange　for　a　hundred　kobolds　and　a　score　of　drow　males；　to　be　used　as　slaves　by　the　illithid　munity　in　their　small　cavern　city。

　　　There　was　little　else　to　say。　The　house　guards　were　positioned　at　full　readiness；　every　spare　drow　was　in　prayer　for　help　from　the　Spider　Queen。　House　Baenre　was　doing　everything　it　could　to　avert　disaster；　and　yet；　Matron　Baenre　did　not　believe　they　would　succeed。　K'yorl　had　e　to　her　unannounced　on　several　occasions；　had　gotten　past　her　magical　fence　and　past　the　many　magical　wards　set　about　the　plex。　The　matron　mother　of　House　Oblodra　had　done　so　only　to　taunt　Baenre；　and；　in　truth；　had　little　power　remaining　to　do　anything　more　than　that　by　the　time　her　image　was　revealed　to　Baenre。　But　what　might　K'yorl　acplish　with　those　magical　guards　down？　Baenre　had　to　wonder。　How　could　Matron　Baenre　resist　the　psionicist　without　countering　magic　of　her　own？

　　　Her　only　defense　seemed　to　be　Methil；　a　creature　she　neither　trusted　nor　understood。

　　　She　did　not　like　the　odds。



Chapter　8

MAGICAL　MANIFESTATIONS



　　　Guenhwyvar　knew　pain；　knew　agony　beyond　anything　the　panther　had　ever　felt。　But　more　than　that；　the　panther　knew　despair；　true　despair。　Guenhwyvar　was　a　creature　formed　of　magic；　the　manifestation　of　the　life…force　of　the　animal　known　on　Toril　as　the　panther。　The　very　spark　of　existence　within　the　great　panther　depended　on　magic；　as　did　the　conduit　that　allowed　Drizzt　and　the　others　before　him　to　bring　Guenhwyvar　to　the　Prime　Material　Plane。

　　　Now　that　magic　had　unraveled；　the　fabric　that　wove　the　universal　magic　into　a　mystical　and　predictable　pattern　was　torn。　The　panther　knew　despair。

　　　Guenhwyvar　heard　Drizzt's　continued　calling；　begging。　The　drow　knew　Guen　was　in　trouble；　his　voice　reflected　that　desperation。　In　his　heart；　so　connected　with　his　panther　panion；　Drizzt　Do'Urden　understood　that　Guenhwyvar　would　soon　be　lost　to　him　forever。

　　　The　chilling　thought　gave　the　panther　a　moment　of　renewed　hope　and　determination。　Guenhwyvar　focused　on　Drizzt；　conjured　an　image　of　the　pain　she　would　feel　if　she　could　never　again　return　to　her　beloved　master。　Growling　low　in　sheer　defiance；　the　panther　scraped　her　back　legs　so　forcefully　that　more　than　one　claw　hooked　on　the　smooth；　hard　surface　and　was　subsequently　yanked　out。

　　　The　pain　did　not　stop　the　panther；　not　when　Guenhwyvar　measured　it　against　the　reality　of　slipping　forward　into　those　flames；　of　falling　out　of　the　tunnel；　the　only　connection　to　the　material　world　and　Drizzt　Do'Urden。

　　　The　struggle　went　on　for　more　time　than　any　creature　should　have　resisted。　But　though　Guenhwyvar　had　not　s