e。 She's appeared to others in the same shape only smaller； but she was colosnotsal 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 sennotsation 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 front…most 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 sufnotfering 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 innotspection； 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 juncnotture 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 altonotgether 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 renotalized 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 desperanottion； he pulled back his arm to throw it。 Perhaps the illithid…lich 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 thi