nsity； their graceful lines； and the ornamentation sculpted about their walls。 Most of the carvings featured spiders and webs； scarcely surprising； Ryld supposed； in a realm where Lolth was the only deity anyone worshiped； and her clergy ruled in the temporal sense as well as the spiritual one。
For some reason； Ryld found the persistence of the motif vaguely opnotpressive； so he shifted his attention to other details。 If a drow had good eyes； he could make out the frigid depths of the lake called Donigarten at the narrow eastern end of the vault。 Cattle…like beasts called rothe and the goblin slaves who herded them lived on an island in the center of the lake。
And there was Narbondel itself； of course。 It was the only piece of un…worked stone remaining on the cavern floor； a thick； irregular column exnottending all the way to the ceiling。 At the start of every day； the Archmage of Menzoberranzan cast a spell into the base of it； heating it until the rock glowed。 Since the radiance rose through the stone at a constant rate； its progress enabled the residents of the city to tell the time。
In their way； the Master of Melee…Magthere supposed； he and Pharaun were； if nowhere near as grand a sight as the vista before them； at least a peculiar one by virtue of the contrasts between them。 With his slender build； graceful manner； foppish； elegant attire； and intricate coiffure； the Mizzrym mage epitomized what a sophisticated noble and wizard should be。 Ryld； on the other hand was an oddity。 He was huge for a member of his sex； bigger than many females； with a burly； broad…shouldered frame better suited to a brutish human than a dark elf。 He pounded his strangeness by wearing a dwarven breastplate and vambraces in preference to light； supple mail。 The armor sometimes caused others to eye him askance； but he'd found that it maximized his effectiveness as a warrior； and that； he'd always believed； was what really mattered。
Ryld and Pharaun walked to the edge of Tier Breche and sat down with their legs dangling over the sheer drop…off。 They were only a few yards from the head of the staircase that connected the Academy with the city below； and at the top of those steps； beside the twin pillars； a pair of sennottries…last…year students of Melee…Magthere…stood watch。 Ryld thought that he and Pharaun were distant enough for privacy if they kept their voices low。
Low； but not silent； curse it。 Ever the sensualist； the mage sat savoring the panorama below him； obviously prolonging his contemplation well past the point where Ryld's mouth had begun to tighten with impatience； and never mind that on the walk up； he'd admired the view himself。
〃We drow don't love one another； except in the carnal sense；〃 Pharaun remarked at last； 〃but I think one could almost love Menzoberranzan itself； don't you？ Or at least take a profound pride in it。〃
Ryld shrugged。 〃If you say so。〃
〃You sound less than rhapsodic。 Feeling morose again today？〃
〃I'm all right。 Better； at least； now that I see you still alive。〃
〃You assumed Gromph had executed me？ Does my offense seem so grievous； then？ Have you never annihilated a single specimen of our tender young cadets？〃
〃That depends on how you look at it；〃 Ryld replied。 〃bat training is inherently dangerous。 Accidents happen； but no one has ever questioned that they were accidents occurring during the course of Melee…Magthere's legitimate business。 The goddess knows； I never lost seven in a single hour； two of them from Houses with seats on the Council。 How does such a thing happen？〃
〃I needed seven assistants with a degree of magical expertise to help me perform the summoning ritual。 Had I called upon full…fledged wizards； they would have joined the experiment as equal partners。 They would have emerged from the ritual possessed of the same newly discovered secrets as myself； equally able to conjure and control the Sarthos demon。 Naturally I wished to avoid such a sharing； so I opted to use apprentices instead。〃
Pharaun grinned and continued； 〃In retrospect； I must admit that it may not have been a good idea。 The fiend didn't even require seven heartnotbeats to smash them all。〃
An updraft wafted past Ryld's face； carrying the constant murmur of the metropolis below。 He caught its scent as well； a plex odor made of cooking smoke； incense； perfume； the stink of unwashed thralls； and a thousand other things。
〃Why perform such a dangerous ritual in the first place？〃 he asked。
Pharaun smiled as if it was a silly question。 Perhaps it was。
〃To bee more powerful； of course；〃 the wizard answered。 〃At presnotent； I'm one of the thirty most puissant mages in the