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was as strong as adamantine nonetheless。 Otherwise； it would have disintegrated under its own weight。 Far ahead； my perch fused at right angles with another such object； which connected with still others； the pattern spreading out to form； I suddenly realized； a spiderweb of insane plexity； huge enough to make a world。 If it was attached to anything； the anchor points were too distant for me to see。 Perhaps it just went on and on forever。〃
〃The Demonweb；〃 Syrzan said。
Pharaun surreptitiously examined his captor's talismans； using the magic in the silver ring； trying to figure out which one would allow an illithid to send a psionic 〃Call〃 to every ore and goblin in Menzoberranzan。
〃Very good；〃 the mage said。 〃I see you were paying attention when your teachers discoursed on the sundry planes of existence。 I was indeed exiled to that layer of the Abyss where Lolth holds sway。 I remembered hearing that the strands of the web were hollow and that much of the life of the place existed inside。 Well； I certainly couldn't see any source of food or water on the outside； let alone a portal to take me home； so； still dazed and sick from the clerics' attentions； I started crawling and searching for a means of entry。
〃Eventually； I might have found one； but I ran out of time。 The strand I was traversing began to tremble。 I peered about and saw her scuttling toward me。〃
〃Lolth？〃 Syrzan asked。
〃Who else？ Her priestesses say she travels her domain in a mobile iron fortress； but she must have left it behind that day。 I beheld the goddess herself in the guise of a spider as huge as the Great Mound of the Baenre。 She's appeared to others in the same shape only smaller； but she was colossal when she came for me。
〃I was terrified； but what was one to do about it？ Run？ Fight？ Either effort would have been equally absurd。 I exercised the only sensible option。 I huddled atop the thread and covered my eyes。
〃Alas； she denied me the forts of blindness。 Her will took hold of me and forced me to look up。 She was looming over me； staring down with a circle of luminous ruby orbs。
〃I felt as if her gaze was not merely piercing but dissolving me。 The sensation was intolerable； I wanted to die； and in a way； she granted my wish。
〃Her legs were immense； but they tapered to points at the ends； and； moving with a dainty precision； she used the two frontmost members to dissect me。 Did the process kill me？ I don't know。 By all rights； it should have； but if I lost my life； my spirit lingered in my divided flesh； still suffering the horror and pain。
〃My soul was conscious； too； of its own destruction。 Somehow； as the Spider Queen picked apart my flesh and bones； she was filleting my mind and spirit as well。 It irks me that I can't describe how it felt。 I hail from a race of torturers and spellcasters； but I still lack the vocabulary。 Suffice it to say； it wasn't pleasant。
〃In the end； every aspect of my self lay in pieces before her—for inspection； I realize now； though I was in too much agony and dread to work it out at the time。 When she'd looked her fill； she put me back together。〃
Still careful not to betray himself； keeping his mind focused on the story； Pharaun decided it was the triangle that would power the alhoon's Call。 The question then was what to do about it。 The real brooch hung on the chest of Syrzan's physical body； back in the material world。 The one inside his mind was a sort of echo。 An analogue。 Would depriving Syrzan of it acplish anything？
Pharaun continued； 〃Do you think she reconnected every subtle juncture of my intellect and spirit exactly as they'd been before？ Over the course of the next few years； I invested a fair amount of time brooding over that particular question； but it's unanswerable； so let it not detain us。
〃After the Mother of Lusts cobbled me together； she tossed me back to my native reality； back onto the altar； in fact； thus indicating she found me acceptable。 I imagine the clerics were disappointed。 I've never known an inquisitor to rejoice in a suspect's acquittal。
〃Perhaps they took a bit of solace in the discovery that I'd gone altogether mad。 They carted me back to my family； who strapped me to a bed and debated whether it wouldn't be more convenient all around to smother me with a pillow。 Sabal was my advocate and guard。 She couldn't afford to lose her staunchest ally。
〃Let's skip over all the raving and hallucinations； shall we？ Eventually my wits returned； and as I reflected on my experiences in the Abyss； I realized that while Lolth was infinitely dreadful and malign； she was transcendently beautiful as well。 I'd simply been too distraught to recognize it at the time。〃
The magic of both the ring and the brooch had acpanied the dreamers into the dream。 Otherwise； Pharaun wouldn't be able to see the triangle glowing。 So perhaps if he disposed of the talisman in this place； its counterpart in mundane reality would lose its enchantments。
Possibly not； also； but the Master of Sorcere felt he had to take a chance。 He doubted he'd get another。
〃Certainly she exemplified that supreme power to which all dark elves； particularly we wizards； aspire；〃 the drow rambled on。 〃I felt inspired that she was our patron。 She's worthy of us； as we are worthy of her。〃
〃She impressed you；〃 Syrzan said； its mouth tentacles wriggling； 〃as even the pettiest deity can overawe a mortal。 Still； you're a scholar of the mysteries。 You should know there are powers greater than Lolth； entities who； if they saw fit—〃
Pharaun snatched the triangular ivory brooch off the undead mind flayer's soiled and shabby robe and slammed it down on the convoluted parapet at the edge of the bridge。 The ornament didn't break。 In desperation； he pulled back his arm to throw it。 Perhaps the illithidlich would have difficulty retrieving it from the murky pool below。
A cold； rough hand grabbed him by the collar and wrenched him down。 He was powerless to resist。 In the reality Syrzan had created for itself； it was as strong as a titan。
The lich ripped the brooch from Pharaun's grasp and thrust it into a pocket。 It clutched the dark elf with both hands； leaned its head close； and wrapped its dry； flaking mouth tentacles over the mage's skull。 Pharaun knew this was how mind flayers fed。 They wormed their members into whatever orifices were most convenient and yanked out their victim's brain。
He wondered what would happen when Syrzan subjected his dream self to such treatment。 Would his physical body perish； or would it survive as a living but mindless shell？
〃Didn't you like my story？〃 Pharaun gasped。 The lich's grip was squeezing the breath out of him。 〃You seemed quite engrossed。 That was why I dared to hope I could catch you by surprise。〃
〃You put your hands on me〃
The mellifluous voice of the Prophet was roughening into an ugly bination of hisses and buzzes。 The tentacles squeezed tighter
〃Technically； these aren't my hands；〃 Pharaun said。 Goddess； it felt as if his skull was going to shatter 〃Since this is all imaginary。〃
〃You will tell me how you knew which charm to grab。〃
〃My ring。 It allows me to see and interpret patterns of magical force。 No wizard should be without one。〃
〃You were a fool to try to thwart me here in my private worl