n； then more； and he knew that eventually he would have to do something about the blackstone gigant and its cadre of animated statues in the heart of Menzoberranzan。
The lich isn't answering you； Master； Nauzhror said。 Perhaps he can't。 Perhaps he's more gigant now than lich。
What does that mean？ Prath asked。
It means； Gromph answered； that what a lich might be normally capable of； normally resistant to； may no longer apply。
Like what？ Prath asked。
Gromph and Nauzhror projected the same word at precisely the same time： Necromancy；
〃That's impossible；〃 Valas said。 〃It's the size of a castle。〃
Pharaun shrugged； nodding； looking up at the enormous wreck。
〃Bigger；〃 the Master of Sorcere replied； 〃but it walked。〃
The wreck was once a sphere of polished steel three hundred feet or more in diameter。 It lay amid the ruins of half a dozen smaller stone and web buildings； one side of it gone pletely。 On the whole it resembled a discarded eggshell； but in fact it had once been a walking fortress。 Pharaun tried to imagine the sight of the thing intact； standing on legs that were left bent and torn underneath its bulk。
〃Some kind of clockwork contraption；〃 Valas persisted； 〃that big 。。。 It would have to have been built by a 。 。 。〃
〃A god？〃 Pharaun finished for him； when he sensed Valas hesitating to draw the same conclusion。 〃Or in this case a goddess。 Why not？〃
〃What would you use something like that for？〃 asked Danifae。
〃War；〃 Jeggred offered； though there was enough of a lilt in his voice to make it almost sound like a question。 〃It's a war machine。〃
〃It's a fortress；〃 Quenthel said。 There was a finality； a certainty in her voice that made the others turn to look at her。 〃It's。。。 it was Lolth's own fortress。 It once resembled a clockwork spider； and from within Lolth herself could traverse the Demonweb Pits； protected and armed with weapons the likes of which no drow has yet imagined。〃
〃I think 。 。 。〃 Danifae said。 〃I think I remember reading something about that but always thought it a fantasy； a bit of harmless heresy to thrill the uninitiated。〃
〃You know this for sure？〃 Pharaun asked Quenthel； though he could see in her face that she had no doubts。
The high priestess looked the Master of Sorcere in the eye and said； 〃I've been inside it。 I've seen it move。 It was inside that spider fortress that I first came before the Spider Queen herself。〃
Pharaun turned from Quenthel's gaze to look at the massive wreck again。
〃She seldom left its confines；〃 Quenthel went on； her voice growing softer and softer as if she were receding over a great distance。 〃I don't think I ever saw her leave it； in fact； in all the years I。。。〃
Pharaun didn't turn back to look at the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith when he said； 〃We should go inside。 If Lolth never left that fortress； perhaps she's still in there。〃
〃She isn't there；〃 Quenthel said。
〃The mistress is right；〃 said Danifae。 〃I can feel it…or； rather； I can't feel her。〃
〃She might still be inside there；〃 the wizard said； knowing that he was taking his life in his own hands again by suggesting the possibility…even though he was sure each one of them had at least briefly considered it。 〃Her body might be； anyway。〃
No one said anything in response； but they did follow when Pharaun began the long walk to the fallen spider fortress。
As minutes dragged； the walk grew increasingly difficult。 Fatigue had long since made itself known； and though they occasionally stopped to eat and drink from the supplies that Valas had given each of them from his dimensional containers they were all hungry； thirsty； and ready to drop。 That； coupled with an increasing denseness in debris and intervening walls of stone； web； bricks； or steel； reduced their speed to a quarter of what they hoped for。
Still； the draegloth managed to get close to Pharaun's side。 The mage was reasonably confident that the defenses he already had running would prevent the half…demon from taking him down before he could defend himself； so he didn't stop and challenge the draegloth。
〃You would like it；〃 Jeggred whispered to Pharaun。 The draegloth's whisper was as loud as a drow's normal volume； but still no one seemed to have heard him。 〃If Lolth is dead in there and all we find is a skeleton； you'd be happy。 Admit it。〃
〃I admit nothing；〃 the Master of Sorcere replied。 〃As a matter of policy； actually。 Still； in this case I truly hope we don't find Lolth dead in there。 If I did； what would you care anyway； draegloth？ Would you run and tell your mistress on me？ Which of your two mistresses would you tell first？ Or would you even tell Quenthel at all？ Honestly； Jeggred； you're acting as if you expect never to see Menzoberranzan again。〃
〃Am I？〃 the draegloth asked。 He was fundamentally incapable of sarcasm。 〃How so？〃
〃You're ignoring the wishes of Quenthel Baenre…〃 the wizard stressed that House name…〃in favor of the whims of a servant。 Here； in the very heart of Lolth's power。〃
〃Danifae is a servant no longer；〃 the draegloth said。 〃I have seen many…〃
Fire。
The word formed in Pharaun's mind even as his skin blistered and his clothing threatened to catch。 The flames came at them in a wave； engulfing all five of them in blinding tongues of orange； red； and blue。 Pharaun could hear his defensive spells crackling to hold out the heat； and though he was still burned； he survived it。 Not all of the others were in as good shape； though； and Pharaun immediately searched his mind for a spell that would protect them all…and if not them all then Valas； Quenthel （she was the sister of the archmage； after all）； Danifae； and Jeggred 。。。 in that order。
He didn't have a chance to bring any spell to mind； though； before another wall of fire passed him； burning him even worse as it went。
Foul； coughing laughter echoed down from above； and Pharaun looked up to see a vicious tanar'ri hanging； by dint of at least some simple magic； in midair above them。 The thing was like some kind of mad； twisted bull； and it lacked feet。
Pharaun recognized it at once； even as he was conjuring a sphere of Weave energy around himself to protect him from certain spells。 The tanar'ri was a glabrezu； and it looked familiar。
〃The ice 。 。 。〃 Danifae suggested； her voice hissing through clenched teeth。
Danifae and Quenthel bore shiny patches on their black skin。 They had been burned worse than Pharaun but not quite enough to raise blisters。 Quenthel drew the healing wand and lost no time passing it over her own skin。
〃I had it trapped in ice；〃 said Pharaun； 〃and left it there。〃
The mage glanced quickly around for Valas； but the scout was nowhere to be seen。
〃Typical demon；〃 Quenthel mumbled。 〃Chewed its own legs off to get out of there。〃
Jeggred roared with rage。 Smoke rose from his singed fur in black…gray wisps。
〃You followed us all the way here； Belshazu？〃 the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith asked。 〃So we could kill you？〃
〃Quite the opposite；〃 said Jeggred's father。
Halisstra Melarn was flying。
Though that wasn't an entirely accurate description of what was happening to her； it was what all her senses told her。 Below her stretched an eternity of gray nothing punctuated by swirling storms of color and distant chunks of drifting； turning rock as big around as a mile and as small as a single drow。 Above her and to every side was precisely the same thing。
She had recently visited the Astral Plane with the party of Menzoberranyr and her former battle…captive； but that had been a very different experience。 At that time； under the care of a priest of Vhaeraun； she'd felt like a ghost being pulled along by a chain。 Through the power of Eilistraee； however； she was actually in the Astral； not projected there； and there was nothing anchoring her to the plane of her birth。
Halisstra Melarn felt more free than she'd ever felt before。 Her lips turned up into an unashamed smile； and her heart raced。 Her hair blew out behind her though there wasn't technically any wind。 Her body responded to a mere thought in the aether medium of the Astral Plane； and she soared and swooped like a darkenbeast at play。
The only restraint she felt was the need to keep close to her panions； Uluyara and Feliane。 Halisstra could see that the surface elf and the drow priestess were enjoying their flight through the Astral as much as she was； and both of them shared her smile。 Still； the gravity of the mission that brought them there was never far from their minds。
Halisstra had risked everything and lost everything to be there。 Ryld was surely dead； as dead as Ched Nasad； and any life she might ever have had in the Underdark was behind her。 Ahead was uncertainty but acceptance。 Ahead was risk but at least the potential for reward； where all she left behind was hopelessness。
〃There！〃 Uluyara called to her fellow travelers； breaking into Halisstra's thoughts。 〃Do you see？〃
Halisstra followed the other priestess's black…skinned finger； and found her body shifting in the 〃air〃 to begin f