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war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第60部分
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did have an idea； but wasn't sure of it yet。 〃Let's move on。〃
Fifteen minutes later； a runner； dispatched from a squad stationed in the third leg of the spider； found Quenthel to report that one of her rades had gone mad。 Quenthel went to see for herself； half expecting more gouged eyes and bloody writing。
But the new dementia took a somewhat different form。 The victim had taken shelter； if that was the right word for it； in a small library devoted； for the most part； to musty treatises on warfare in all its aspects。 She sat on the floor in the corner defined by two tall sandstone bookshelves； rocking and whimpering to herself。
Quenthel stooped； jammed her fist under the girl's chin and forced up her head。
〃Rilrae Zolond！ What ails you？ What happened？〃
Rilrae's face was blank and seemingly devoid of prehension。 Tears flowed down her cheeks。 She smelled of mucus； and the breath snuffled in her nose。 She didn't answer Quenthel's question； just made a feeble； inefnotfectual effort to turn her face away。
The mistress sighed and let her go。 She'd seen cases like Rilrae before； generally in some dungeon or torture chamber。 The junior priestess had experienced something sufficiently unpleasant to drive her deep inside her own mind。 Had Quenthel still possessed her Lolth…granted powers； or been carrying the proper equipment； she might have been able to shake Rilrae out of her delirium； but as matters stood； the useless creature wouldn't be providing any information。 Annoyed； the mistress nearly vented her frustration by giving Rilrae a stroke from her whip； but she didn't want to appear rattled or upset in the eyes of her followers。
She led the patrol on and eventually found a suicide sprawled in the cornotridor with froth on her lips and an empty poison bottle still clutched in her hand。
One of the second…year students reeled from a doorway a few yards farnotther down。 Glaring and twitching； she unrolled a parchment； possibly one Quenthel herself had dispensed from the temple armory； and began shoutnoting the words。 The Baenre recognized the trigger phrase of a spell intended to summon a certain type of plague demon。
She snatched out her hand crossbow and pulled the trigger。 Others did the same。 The flurry of poisoned darts punctured the scroll and the novice as well。 She fell onto her back； cracking her head against the calcite floor。 The spell； still a syllable or two from activation； dissipated its power in a harmless sizzle of red light。
Quenthel reflected that a pattern was being clear。 Some power struck a female and more or less drove her mad。 She then separated herself from her panions； either making an excuse or just running off； the better to manifest her lunacy in one bizarre behavior or another。
It was odd that the girls' panions never even noticed the attack ocnotcurring； odd； too； that the demon assaulted only one member of a group and not all…or that it attacked any； given that the previous intruders had only attacked those lesser priestesses who attempted to hinder them。
The unseen demon's search pattern was equally peculiar。 The location and sequences of its attacks seemed to indicate that the being was bouncnoting erratically around from one end of the temple to the other。
〃Mistress；〃 said Yngoth； 〃I know what's happening。〃
〃As do I；〃 Quenthel said。 〃I've merely been confirming it。〃 She turned to Minolin。 〃Fey…Branche。〃
〃Yes？〃 Minolin asked。
〃You're in mand of these others。 You will all evacuate the temple。 Get the sane people out； and the mad ones； too； but only if you can do it quickly。〃
The Fey…Branche princess blinked。 〃Mistress； we believe in your aunotthority；〃 she said。 〃We're not afraid to stand with you。〃
〃I'm touched；〃 Quenthel sneered； 〃but this isn't a test。 I want you to
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〃Exalted Mother；〃 Jyslin said； 〃what's happening？ Which demon innotvaded the temple tonight？ The assassin？ Did it poison our sisters to make them go insane？〃
〃No；〃 the Baenre said； 〃not in the way you mean。〃
〃Then…〃
〃Go！〃 Quenthel raged。 〃Minolin； I told you to take them out of here。〃
〃Yes； Mistress！〃
The Fey…Branche hastily formed them up and led them away。 The cornotridor seemed very quiet once they'd disappeared。
〃Mistress；〃 said Hsiv； 〃was it wise to send them away？〃
〃You question my judgment？〃 Quenthel asked。
The viper flinched。 〃No！〃
〃You sought to protect me； so I'll let it go。 This time。 I dismissed the girls because they can't help me； and I'd like to have some underlings left when this nonsense is over。〃
〃They might have guarded you from another would…be mortal killer。〃
〃We can hope that if Minolin gets everyone out； there won't be any more。 Besides； why in the name of the Demonweb did I create you？〃
Greenish candlelight rippling on black scales； Yngoth reared and twisted around to look Quenthel in the face。
〃Mistress；〃 the viper hissed； 〃we are rebuked。 We'll keep watch。 What will you do？〃
〃Wait； and prepare myself。〃
She found a classroom possessed of a reasonably fortable instrucnottor's chair； the high limestone back carved into the stylized shape of a stubby…legged spider。 She sat down； laid the whip at her feet； removed a thin shaft of polished white bone from her pouch； and set it in her lap； holding it at either end。
Closing her eyes； she menced a breathing exercise。 Within a heartnotbeat or two； she slipped into a meditative trance。 She thought she would need the utmost clarity to contend with the night's demon； because Jyslin had guessed wrong。 The intruder didn't encapsulate the art of the assassin； nor the spirit of the drow race； for that matter。 It embodied the concept of evil。
The traitor elves of the World Above professed to hate evil。 In reality； Quenthel thought； they feared what they didn't understand。 Thanks to the tutelage of Lolth； the drow did； and having understood it； they emnotbraced it。
For evil； like chaos； was one of the fundamental forces of Creation； manifest in both the macrocosm of the wide world and the microcosm of the individual soul。 As chaos gave rise to possibility and imagination； so evil engendered strength and will。 It made sentient beings aspire to wealth and power。 It enabled them to subjugate； kill； rob； and deceive。 It allowed them to do whatever was required to better themselves with never a cripnotpling flicker of remorse。
Thus； evil was responsible for the existence of civilization and for every great deed any hero had ever performed。 Without it； the peoples of the world would live like animals。 It was amazing that so many races； blinded by false religions and philosophies； had lost sight of this self…evident truth。 In contrast； the dark elves had based a society on it； and that was one of the points of superiority that served to exalt them above all other races。
Paradoxically； though； a touch of the pure black heart of this darkest of all powers could be deadly； just as the highest expression of forting warmth was the fire that consumed。 Even folk who spent their lives in the adoration of evil generally had no real prehension of the endless burnnoting sea of it raging below and beyond the material world； and that was just as well。 Even a fleeting glimpse could convey secrets too huge and fearnotsome for the average mind。 Its touch could annihilate sanity and even identity。 The threat was sufficiently grave that the majority of spellcasters hesitated to regard the force directly。 They preferred to treat with evil at one remove； by dealing with the devils and undead that embodied it。
But it appeared that Quenthel's unknown enemy was the exception。 He'd dipped right into the virulent fountainhead and drawn forth a power that dwelled therein。
That demon was presently intangible； a creature of p
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