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She discovered that the place was in much better repair than it seemed from outside。 Her guards escorted her to a modest hall whose only furnishings were a large fire and an array of hunting trophies； mostly surface creatures Halisstra did not recognize。 She waited for a long time； growing hungrier and thirstier； but eventually a short； solidly built male of middle years appeared； his face covered in a ceremonial black veil。
〃Lucky me；〃 he said in a rich voice。 〃Twice in three days servants of the Spider Queen have called upon my home and asked for me by name。 I begin to wonder if Lolth wishes me to reconsider my devotion to the Masked Lord。〃
〃You are Tzirik？〃 Halisstra asked。
〃I am he；〃 the priest said； folding his arms and studying her。 〃And you must be Halisstra。〃
〃I am Halisstra Melarn； First Daughter of House Melarn； Second House of Ched Nasad。 I understand that my panions are here。〃
〃Indeed they are；〃 Tzirik said。 He offered a cold smile。 〃One thing at a time； though。 I see you wear the arms of a priestess of Eilistraee。 How did you e by them？〃
〃As I told your warriors； my pany was attacked by surface elves some distance away from here five days ago。 My panions escaped the attack； but I was captured and taken to a place called Elventree。 There； a female who called herself Seyll Auzkovyn called on me in my cell； and sought to indoctrinate me in the ways of Eilistraee。〃
〃A rather simpleminded notion；〃 Tzirik observed。 〃Continue； please。〃
〃I allowed her to believe I might be swayed；〃 Halisstra said。 〃She offered to take me to a rite they were to hold two nights ago out in the forest。 I found an opportunity to escape as we traveled to their ceremony。〃
She glanced down at the mail and weapons she wore。 The naivete of the female still surprised Halisstra。 Seyll had not seemed like a stupid drow； not by any stretch of the imagination； and yet she had fatally misjudged Halisstra。
〃In any event；〃 she finished； 〃I took the liberty of borrowing some things Seyll had no more use for； since the good people of Elventree confiscated my own weapons and armor。〃
〃And now you would like to be reunited with your rades？〃
〃Provided they're not dead or imprisoned； yes；〃 she replied。
〃Nothing like that；〃 said the priest。 〃They asked me to provide an unusual service for them； so I thought of something they could do for me by way of pensation for my time and trouble。 If they succeed； they should return in a day or two。 The question is； will you be here to greet them？〃
Halisstra narrowed her eyes and remained silent。 The high priest paced over by the fire and took a poker from a stand by the hearth。 He prodded at the crackling logs。
〃The rades who abandoned you to captivity among the surface folk told me a very unusual story；〃 said the priest。 〃Doubtless you're thinking to yourself； 'How can I know how much they told Tzirik？' You can't； of course； so the wisest thing to do would be to tell me everything。〃
〃My panions may not appreciate that when they return；〃 Halisstra said。
〃Your panions will never know you were here if you fail to satisfy my curiosity； Mistress Melarn；〃 Tzirik said。 He set down the poker； and lowered himself into a seat by the fire。 〃Now； why don't you start at the beginning？〃
Ryld crouched in the thick embrace of a deadly； acidic fog； trying hard not to draw breath despite the fact that he panted for air。 His skin burned as if liquid fire had been poured over his body； and ugly welts were already rising wherever his ebon skin was exposed to the air。 To stay where he was invited nothing less than a slow； agonizing death； but the vapors clung to his limbs like soft white hands； impeding his every movement。 The cursed beholder lurked somewhere in the chamber； but where？
A brilliant bolt of lightning illuminated the white murk； lashing out with a dozen crackling arcs as it plowed through the mist。 The weapons master threw himself aside and fell slowly to the floor； cushioned by the clinging mists； as a mighty thunderclap shook the stones of the chamber and rattled his teeth in his head。
〃Pharaun！〃 he shouted。 〃Where is the damned…？〃
He instantly regretted speaking； as needles of hot pain filled his nose and throat。
〃Against the east wall！〃 the wizard replied from some distance away。
The Master of Sorcere fell at once into another spell； rushing his words as he tried to cast as quickly as possible。 Meanwhile the beholder mage droned its horrid spell…song； muttering the black words of half a dozen incantations at once。 Lightning flashed again； followed by the whining shrieks of conjured missiles arrowing for their targets； and the cries； shouts； and curses of his panions。
Ryld finally reached the floor； where he found himself fetched up against one curving stone wall…the only landmark he could make out in the horrible mist。 Without pausing for thought； he scrabbled forward at the best speed he could； hoping to emerge from the acidic fog before it burned the flesh from his face。
Goddess； what a mess！ he thought； slashing and cleaving at the thick tendrils of fog with Splitter。
The beholder had been waiting for them to resort to magic to ascend the shaft； and it had scoured the pany with every spell at its mand。
〃The devils are ing up after us！〃 Jezz shouted from somewhere beyond the burning fog。 〃Finish this thing quickly so that we can get what we came for and leave！〃
Finish it quickly； Ryld thought with a grimace。 That's a novel idea。
He surged forward and suddenly found himself free of the deadly； clinging fog。 No one else stood nearby； though he could hear his panions battling in the mists behind him。
〃Damnation！〃 he muttered。
Clear of the unnatural fog； it was apparent that the whole floor of the tower had once been a royally appointed suite of rooms。 A thick red haze of dust on the floor might have once been a plush carpet； and the walls were finished in patterns of orange and gold tile to form the image of a surface forest with its normally green leaves for some reason rendered in reds； oranges； and yellows。 Ryld coughed； his eyes streaming from contact with the noxious fumes。 Evidently he'd blundered through an archway into a different chamber； but another doorway led out of the room on the far side。
〃Where in all the screaming hells am I？〃
Something screeched in rage ahead； and the room beyond the arch flared brightly with magical fire。 Ryld hefted Splitter and dashed into the next room； right into the middle of a fierce skirmish。
Danifae and Jezz battled against a pair of lean； scaly devils almost ten feet tall； horrible fiends with huge wings who fought with razor…sharp scourges and barbed tails that dripped with green venom。 Several lesser devils hissed and surged behind the two already in the room； pressing forward and looking for a chance to join the fight。
〃The devils are upon us！〃 Jezz cried。
The Jaelre fought with a curved knife in one hand； and a deadly white spell…flame wreathing the other。 One of the big devils sprang at Jezz and hammered its iron chains past the