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〃The mistress is right；〃 said Danifae。 〃I can feel it…or； rather； I can't feel her。〃
〃She might still be inside there；〃 the wizard said； knowing that he was taking his life in his own hands again by suggesting the possibility…even though he was sure each one of them had at least briefly considered it。 〃Her body might be； anyway。〃
No one said anything in response； but they did follow when Pharaun began the long walk to the fallen spider fortress。
As minutes dragged； the walk grew increasingly difficult。 Fatigue had long since made itself known； and though they occasionally stopped to eat and drink from the supplies that Valas had given each of them from his dimensional containers they were all hungry； thirsty； and ready to drop。 That； coupled with an increasing denseness in debris and intervening walls of stone； web； bricks； or steel； reduced their speed to a quarter of what they hoped for。
Still； the draegloth managed to get close to Pharaun's side。 The mage was reasonably confident that the defenses he already had running would prevent the half…demon from taking him down before he could defend himself； so he didn't stop and challenge the draegloth。
〃You would like it；〃 Jeggred whispered to Pharaun。 The draegloth's whisper was as loud as a drow's normal volume； but still no one seemed to have heard him。 〃If Lolth is dead in there and all we find is a skeleton； you'd be happy。 Admit it。〃
〃I admit nothing；〃 the Master of Sorcere replied。 〃As a matter of policy； actually。 Still； in this case I truly hope we don't find Lolth dead in there。 If I did； what would you care anyway； draegloth？ Would you run and tell your mistress on me？ Which of your two mistresses would you tell first？ Or would you even tell Quenthel at all？ Honestly； Jeggred； you're acting as if you expect never to see Menzoberranzan again。〃
〃Am I？〃 the draegloth asked。 He was fundamentally incapable of sarcasm。 〃How so？〃
〃You're ignoring the wishes of Quenthel Baenre…〃 the wizard stressed that House name…〃in favor of the whims of a servant。 Here； in the very heart of Lolth's power。〃
〃Danifae is a servant no longer；〃 the draegloth said。 〃I have seen many…〃
Fire。
The word formed in Pharaun's mind even as his skin blistered and his clothing threatened to catch。 The flames came at them in a wave； engulfing all five of them in blinding tongues of orange； red； and blue。 Pharaun could hear his defensive spells crackling to hold out the heat； and though he was still burned； he survived it。 Not all of the others were in as good shape； though； and Pharaun immediately searched his mind for a spell that would protect them all…and if not them all then Valas； Quenthel （she was the sister of the archmage； after all）； Danifae； and Jeggred 。。。 in that order。
He didn't have a chance to bring any spell to mind； though； before another wall of fire passed him； burning him even worse as it went。
Foul； coughing laughter echoed down from above； and Pharaun looked up to see a vicious tanar'ri hanging； by dint of at least some simple magic； in midair above them。 The thing was like some kind of mad； twisted bull； and it lacked feet。
Pharaun recognized it at once； even as he was conjuring a sphere of Weave energy around himself to protect him from certain spells。 The tanar'ri was a glabrezu； and it looked familiar。
〃The ice 。 。 。〃 Danifae suggested； her voice hissing through clenched teeth。
Danifae and Quenthel bore shiny patches on their black skin。 They had been burned worse than Pharaun but not quite enough to raise blisters。 Quenthel drew the healing wand and lost no time passing it over her own skin。
〃I had it trapped in ice；〃 said Pharaun； 〃and left it there。〃
The mage glanced quickly around for Valas； but the scout was nowhere to be seen。
〃Typical demon；〃 Quenthel mumbled。 〃Chewed its own legs off to get out of there。〃
Jeggred roared with rage。 Smoke rose from his singed fur in black…gray wisps。
〃You followed us all the way here； Belshazu？〃 the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith asked。 〃So we could kill you？〃
〃Quite the opposite；〃 said Jeggred's father。
Halisstra Melarn was flying。
Though that wasn't an entirely accurate description of what was happening to her； it was what all her senses told her。 Below her stretched an eternity of gray nothing punctuated by swirling storms of color and distant chunks of drifting； turning rock as big around as a mile and as small as a single drow。 Above her and to every side was precisely the same thing。
She had recently visited the Astral Plane with the party of Menzoberranyr and her former battle…captive； but that had been a very different experience。 At that time； under the care of a priest of Vhaeraun； she'd felt like a ghost being pulled along by a chain。 Through the power of Eilistraee； however； she was actually in the Astral； not projected there； and there was nothing anchoring her to the plane of her birth。
Halisstra Melarn felt more free than she'd ever felt before。 Her lips turned up into an unashamed smile； and her heart raced。 Her hair blew out behind her though there wasn't technically any wind。 Her body responded to a mere thought in the aether medium of the Astral Plane； and she soared and swooped like a darkenbeast at play。
The only restraint she felt was the need to keep close to her panions； Uluyara and Feliane。 Halisstra could see that the surface elf and the drow priestess were enjoying their flight through the Astral as much as she was； and both of them shared her smile。 Still； the gravity of the mission that brought them there was never far from their minds。
Halisstra had risked everything and lost everything to be there。 Ryld was surely dead； as dead as Ched Nasad； and any life she might ever have had in the Underdark was behind her。 Ahead was uncertainty but acceptance。 Ahead was risk but at least the potential for reward； where all she left behind was hopelessness。
〃There！〃 Uluyara called to her fellow travelers； breaking into Halisstra's thoughts。 〃Do you see？〃
Halisstra followed the other priestess's black…skinned finger； and found her body shifting in the 〃air〃 to begin flying in that same direction。 Uluyara was indicating a long line of dull black shadows； and Halisstra had to blink several times before she began to understand what she was seeing。 It was as if she were looking at a vast gray screen behind which； like actors in a shadow play； a line of drow were slowly drifting toward a mon goal。
〃Approach them slowly；〃 Feliane warned。 〃They may not even be able to sense our presence； but we don't know for sure； and there are so many of them。〃
〃Who are they？〃 Halisstra asked； though even as the last word left her mouth she realized what she was seeing。
〃The damned；〃 was Uluyara's whispered； heavy reply。
〃So many 。 。。〃 Halisstra whispered in the same stunned monotone。
〃All the drow who died while Lolth was silent； I would suppose；〃 said Feliane。 〃Where are they going？〃
〃Not to the Abyss；〃 Uluyara replied。
As they came closer and closer Halisstra couldn't help but pick ou