war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第58部分

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Crying　out　in　desperation；　Faeryl　managed　to　plant　her　feet　and　arrest　her　helpless　stagger。　She　lashed　out　with　the　hammer　and　clipped　one　of　Umrae's　hands。　The　imitation　ghoul　snatched　it　back　and　gave　up　the　attack。　Instead；　she　began　to　circle。　Just　as　a　living　creature　would；　she　shook　her　battered　extremity　several　times　as　if　to　dislodge　the　pain；　then　lifted　it　back　on　guard。
Faeryl　turned　to　keep　the　foe　with　her　crushed；　half…flayed　head　in　view。　What　is　it　going　to　take　to　stop　this　thing？　the　ambassador　wondered。　Can　I　stop　it？
Yes；　curse　it！
When　she　was　a　child；　her　cousin　Merinid；　weapons　master　of　House　Zauvirr；　dead　these　many　years　since　her　mother　tired　of　him；　had　told　her　that　any　opponent　could　be　destroyed。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　finding　the　vulnerable　spot。
Umrae　lunged。　Once　again；　the　ambassador　snapped　out　the　folds　of　her　frail；　flapping　shield。　The　cloak　entangled　one　of　the　servant's　hands。　The　other　raked；　rasping　and　snagging；　across　Faeryl's　coat　of　fine　adamannottine　links。　The　winged　ghoul's　touch　sowed　cramping　sickness　in　its　wake；　but　the　claws　hadn't　quite　sheared　through　the　sturdy　mail；　and　the　sensanottion　only　lasted　an　instant。
Faeryl　swung　at　Umrae's　withered　chest　in　its　covering　of　filthy；　crumnotbling　cloth。　If　she　couldn't　slay　the　ghoul…thing　with　a　strike　to　the　head；　then　the　heart　must　be　the　vulnerable　spot；　just　as　with　a　vampire。　Or　at　least　she　hoped　so。
To　her　surprise；　Umrae　denied　her　the　chance　to　find　out　one　way　or　the　other。　It　looked　as　if　the　traitor　had　so　mitted　to　her　attack　that　she　would　find　it　impossible　to　defend　against　a　riposte。　Yet　she　interposed　her　withered　arm　to　take　the　shock　of　the　war　hammer；　then　stooped　to　claw　at　Faeryl's　unarmored　knee。
The　envoy　avoided　that　potentially　crippling　attack　with　a　fast　retreat；　meanwhile　ripping　the　cloak　away　from　her　foul…smelling　adversary。　The　garment　was　starting　to　look　more　like　a　bunch　of　ribbons　than　one　conotherent　piece　of　silk。　The　duelists　resumed　circling；　each　looking　for　an　opening。　Occasionnotally　Faeryl　let　the　tattered　piwafwi　slip　or　droop　out　of　line；　offering　an　innotvitation；　but　Umrae　proved　too　canny　to　attack　when　and　how　her　opponent　wished　her　to。
Faeryl　realized　she　was　panting　and　did　the　best　to　control　her　breathnoting。　She　wasn't　afraid…she　wasn't…but　she　was　impressed　with　her　sernotvant's　potion…induced　prowess。　Formidable　from　the　moment　she　imbibed　it；　Umrae　was　truly　getting　the　hang　of　her　borrowed　capabilities　as　the　battle　progressed。
While　still　maneuvering　and　keeping　an　eye　on　Umrae；　Faeryl　nevernottheless　entered　a　light　trance。　With　a　sense　that　was　neither　sight；　hearnoting；　nor　any　faculty　prehensible　to　those　who'd　never　pledged　her　service　to　a　deity；　she　reached　into　that　formless　yet　somehow　jagged　place　where　she　had　once　been　accustomed　to　touch　the　shadow　of　the　goddess。
The　presence　of　Lolth　had　absented　itself　from　the　meeting　ground；　leaving　a　vacancy　that　somehow　throbbed　like　a　diseased　tooth。　Still；　it　seemed　an　appropriate　domain　in　which　to　pray。
Dread　Queen　of　Spiders；　Faeryl　silently　began；　I　beg　you；　reveal　yournotself　to　me。　Restore　my　powers；　even　if　only　for　a　moment。　Has　Menzoberranzan　offended　you？　So　be　it；　but　I'm　not　one　of　her　daughters。　I'm　from　Ched　Nasad。　Make　me　as　I　was；　and　I'll　give　you　many　lives…a　slave　every　day　for　a　year。
Nothing　happened。
Umrae　sprang　in；　clawing。　Faeryl　jerked　the　part　of　her　spirit　that　had　groped　in　the　void　back　into　her　body。　Retreating；　she　blocked　the　undead　creature's　claws　with　her　cloak　and　struck　a　couple　blows　with　the　war　hammer。　She　didn't　withdraw　quickly　enough　to　take　herself　pletely　out　of　harm's　way；　nor　did　she　settle　into　a　strong　stance　and　swing　as　hard　as　she　could　have。　She　wanted　the　ghoul　to　feel　on　the　brink　of　overwhelming　her　opponent　and　keep　ing。　If　Umrae　grew　too　eager；　she　might　open　herself　up　for　an　effective　counterattack。
Umrae's　talons　whizzed　through　the　air；　tearing　scraps　from　the　shelternoting　cloak　until　it　was　the　size　of　a　ragged　hand　towel。　Unexpectedly；　the　spy　beat　her　riddled　wings；　hopped　in　close；　and　struck　at　Faeryl's　face。　The　noble　recoiled；　but　even　so　the　claws　streaked　past　a　fraction　of　an　inch　before　her　eyes；　so　close　she　could　feel　the　malignancy　inside　them　as　a　pulse　of　headache。
Still；　it　was　all　right；　because　she　thought　Umrae　was　finally　open。　She　sidestepped　and　swung　her　stone…headed　hammer　at　the　ghoul's　rib　cage…
…to　no　avail；　even　though　Faeryl　had　been　correct；　Umrae　couldn't　swing　her　hands　around　in　time　to　block　the　blow。　Instead；　she　took　annotother　stride；