〃What？〃 Pharaun demanded。 〃Where？ Get us there！〃
〃Say it； wretch；〃 Quenthel manded。
〃Dangling 。 。 。 Tower；〃 the dying matron mother replied； 〃Old； unused 。 。 。 dormant portal。 Poison 。 。 。 please 。 。 。〃
Ignoring Ssipriina's pleas； Quenthel turned to Pharaun and asked； 〃Could you activate it？〃
〃I'll damn well try；〃 Pharaun said。 〃Which way？〃
〃There 。 。 。〃 Ssipriina whispered； looking up。
Ryld followed her gaze to a see a large； stalactite…shaped building hanging above them； an inverted tower like many of the estates back in Menzoberranzan。 He groaned。
〃We don't have enough time to get there！〃 Pharaun cried。
〃Why not？〃 Q'arlynd Melarn said； floating up into the air to demonstrate。 〃We just levitate！〃
〃We can't all do that；〃 Pharaun replied desperately； 〃As I've pointed out a time or two today already； I am fresh out of transportive spells。〃
〃The battle captive gets left behind；〃 Quenthel said bluntly。 〃I'm sorry； but that's the way it has to be。〃
Danifae sank to her knees； her head bowed。 She seemed to accept her fate； but Ryld actually felt sorry for the drow。 As if to punctuate the lack of time； the stone beneath them shifted again。 Ryld left his feet to keep from losing his balance； and everyone else did； too； all except Valas and Danifae。
Q'arlynd shook his head。
〃I didn't know；〃 he said； shrugging。 〃Let's go。〃
〃Wait！〃 Halisstra said。 〃I can get us all there；〃 the priestess volunteered。
Pharaun and Quenthel both turned and looked at her。 〃You can？〃 the wizard asked。
〃Yes；〃 Halisstra said； nodding。 〃I dabble a bit in magic； myself。 Different from your style； but some things are the same。 Ryld says you're fond of using those dimensional doorways。 I can do that。〃
Pharaun motioned for her to hurry。
〃Open it into the main gallery；〃 Q'arlynd shouted to Halisstra； pointing upward。 〃Where I took you that time？〃
Another shock wave reverberated through the web street； causing it to buck wildly。 Danifae and Valas both went sprawling； nearly being tossed over the side。 The first spider was upon them； and Jeggred engaged it in a fight； levitating up to strike at its head。 Ryld peered around wildly as the spider reared up and snapped at the draegloth； causing the web street to buck again。
The biggest rumble yet whipped through the thoroughfare； and the stone began to shift and crack。
〃It's going to collapse！〃 Ryld shouted。
〃Priestess； open your doorway！〃 Pharaun yelled as another roiling tremor dislodged the side of the street only a few feet away from them。 〃We're going through now！〃
〃No！〃 screamed Ssipriina； holding the wand she'd used to defeat Khorrl in both of her hands； her feet splayed out beside her； trying to maintain her balance。
She mumbled something and aimed the beam at Halisstra。 The gray sliver of light struck the priestess in the leg and she buckled over in agony。
〃You're 。 。 。 going to 。。。 die with me；〃 the crazed matron mother said； turning the wand toward Quenthel。 〃No one 。 。 。 gets out 。 。 。 alive！〃
Quenthel couldn't flee； as she was hovering in the air。 She eyed the enraged drow across from her； licking her lips in desperation。
〃I think not！〃 Halisstra shouted； standing straight again。
Before Ssipriina could trigger the wand again； the priestess spun around； swinging her mace with both hands。 She struck the matron mother squarely in the face。 There was a loud thunderclap； and Ssipriina Zauvirr was driven back a dozen feet； her face a ruined mess of pulpy flesh and bone。
〃To the Abyss with you！〃 Halisstra screamed at Ssipriina Zauvirr's lifeless body。
Groaning and clutching at her leg； Halisstra wove a spell as the web street tilted again。 She was singing； her voice quavering over the roar of battle。 Ryld had never heard such a sound。 She held a single； perfect note； and a bluish…white doorway opened in the air before her。
〃Jeggred！ Let's go！〃 Quenthel called； moving toward the doorway。
The draegloth dropped his attacks on the spider and scampered backward。 When he reached the rest of them； he caught hold of Valas； while Halisstra helped Q'arlynd get a hold of Danifae。 Pha…raun launched himself through the opening。 Ryld followed the wizard to protect him from whatever might be on the other side； stepping through the magical frame just as the street gave way and tumbled into the darkness below him。 He hoped the others were right behind him。
TWENTY
The moment the doorway opened； Pharaun dived through it； hoping he was doing the right thing by trusting the children of House Melarn with his life。 For all the wizard knew； she could have picked that moment to exact her revenge upon the Menzoberranyr for all the injustices they'd inflicted upon her family； her home； and herself。 She certainly had a right to。
But the pathway didn't deposit the wizard into some scorching furnace or pit of doom。 It was a poshly decorated hall； but unfortunately the mage found himself facing a huge； slavering lizard with incredibly sharp teeth。 The being spotted him and advanced eagerly； eyeing the wizard as if he were its next meal。
Reacting quickly； the mage flung himself backward； out of the way of the thing； and willed a spell into being that created a series of floating balls of lightning。 As the lizard darted toward him； Pharaun directed the balls to engage the creature； sparking as they did so。 The beast jerked and backed away； but Pharaun was relentless； slamming all of the spheres of lightning into it。 After the fourth one； the creature sprawled to the ground。 It twitched a couple of times and lay still。
〃What in the Abyss is that？〃 Ryld asked； popping through the portal with Splitter up and ready。 〃Are we in the right place？〃
〃Fortunately； yes；〃 Pharaun replied； jumping up。 A shiver through the building caused him to stumble forward。 〃Unfortunately； Halisstra； having never been here before； must not have known about the guard animals inside。 Or else Q'arlynd forgot to warn us。〃
〃By the Dark Mother！〃 Danifae said； spying the beast as she leaped through into the cell。 She had her morning star up in an instant。 〃Is it dead？〃
〃I certainly hope so；〃 Valas said； following close behind。
The scout had his kukris in his hands； and he was looking at the dead lizard。 The hall shook again； and part of a wall collapsed； exposing the room to the city outside。 Everyone splayed their legs out to try and maintain their balance。
One by one； the rest of the team passed through the portal to join them。 Jeggred was the last one to clear the gate。
〃The whole city's falling；〃 the draegloth announced。 Halisstra let the doorway wink out once he was safely through。 〃The falling stonework must be making the entire cavern quake with its force。〃
The fiend sounded too matter…of…fact for the wizard's taste。
Halisstra's brother was casting a spell； one Pharaun didn't recognize。 He began to radiate an aura of divination magic…Pharaun's ring told him that much…as he looked around； almost as if he was sniffing something out。
〃The dormant portal is this way；〃 Q'arlynd said； leading the group out into a hallway。 〃Follow me。〃
The entourage followed the Melarn wizard through several passages； up a couple of staircases； and into a hallway that obviously hadn't been used in a long time。 Several times during the journey； the structure shook； but they were deeper rumbles； vibrating through the whole of the Underdark。
〃If this doesn't work 。 。 。〃 Quenthel began。
〃It'll work；〃 Pharaun cut her off。 〃I'll need a couple of moments to study it； but it will work。〃
〃You'd better hope so； wizard；〃 the high priestess muttered。
Q'arlynd led them all to the end of the passage and stopped before an open doorway at the end of it。
〃Its in there；〃 he said； 〃but it's magically sealed and warded with protective glyphs。 I have no way of getting through。〃
Pharaun knelt to study the opening。 The barrier between the hallway and the larger room beyond was invisible but solid。 Pharaun could see that it radiated some sort of magic and reported such。
〃If I had the proper type of magic at my disposal；〃 the Master of Sorcere said； 〃I'd be able to bring it down in mere seconds； but as it is； I can't do so until I've had a chance to rest and regroup。〃
〃Do you have another magical doorway at your disposal？〃 Quenthel asked Halisstra。
The priestess shook her head miserably； reaching out to steady herself against a wall as another rumble rocked the room and everyone in it。
〃Well； then； wizard； what are we going to do？〃 the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith asked。 〃We can't sit in here while you recharge your magical energies。〃
〃Quite true；〃 the mage replied。 〃Give me a moment。〃
〃Mizzrym； we don't have a moment！〃
As Pharaun studied their predicament； the building shook again； even more roughly。 Everyone was pitched to the floor； and behind them a large portion of the ceiling collapsed； with shards of stone showering down。
〃Thar is getting tiresome；〃 Quenthel plained； regaining her feet with a horrid scowl