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The dagger was still in him； still in his heart； and Gromph lurched forward to sprawl on his stomach on the unforgiving floor of the Bazaar。 The ring fought second by second to keep his heart intact； to keep it beating； to keep his blood flowing； but it did nothing for the pain。 The archmage's vision blurred； and when he tried to reach behind him to pull the dagger out of his back he could only twitch his arm uselessly at his side。
The archmage was vaguely aware of heat； light； and the sound of crackling； a dull roar 。 。 。 fire。
He blinked。 His vision cleared enough to see a row of burning merchant's stalls and a thick column of smoke rising into the still； warming air。 Hovering in stark； spindly silhouette against the blinding orange flames was the figure of the lichdrow Dyrr。
Gromph coughed and felt something warm and thick trickle from his lips。 The dagger twitched in his back； and Gromph was afraid that it was Nimor； turning the blade； driving it deeper； or withdrawing it only to plunge it home again。
No； Nauzhror said into Gromph's confused； slowing mind。 It's the ring。 Don't move； Archmage。 Try not to move for a few seconds more。
Gromph looked up at the hovering lich and saw another black silhouette join him to hover far above the burning stalls。 The second silhouette had huge； semi…transparent wings traced with veins。
The dagger twitched again； and Gromph coughed more blood as it came free of his heart； only to knick his lung。
A few more seconds； Master； Nauzhror said。 Patience。
Gromph let that last word play in his mind。 He had no choice but to be patient。 To him； it felt as if the pain were actually pushing him down； driving him into the rock beneath him。
The two black figures started to grow against the roiling backdrop of uncontrolled fire。 They were ing for him。 They meant to end it。
The dagger slipped out of Gromph's back to clatter on the stone floor beside him。 He shuddered through a last spasm of pain and clenched his chest when his heart skipped a beat then started up again； strong and regular。 The archmage began to cast a spell。
Gromph rolled into a seated position as he cast； turning to face his enemies with fire reflected in his stolen eyes。 Nimor was closer； ing at him with his shadow dragon's claws； so Gromph directed the spell at him。 The archmage sent a rolling wave of blinding fire at the assassin； but Nimor stepped quickly to one side and was gone； sinking into the shadows like a rock slipping under the surface of Donigarten Lake。
The conjured fire flared past the spot where the assassin had been standing； burning nothing but empty air。
Gromph cringed。
It's all right； Archmage； Nauzhror said。
No； it's not； Gromph shot back at him。 I'm using too much fire against Nimor。
It's true… Prath began but stopped so abruptly Gromph was sure it was Nauzhror who silenced him…lucky for Prath。
The lichdrow stopped his advance and waved his hands in front of him。 Gromph tightened his grip on his staff； sighing as the last of the grievous wounds were closed forever by the magic of the ring。
A faint mist coalesced in the air in front of Dyrr； adding to itself one mote at a time until a wide； flat cloud of churning mist rolled out away from the lich and toward Gromph。
The archmage got to his feet and uttered the single triggering mand that activated another of his staff's array of powers。 Gromph couldn't see it； but thanks to the magic of the staff he was keenly aware of the confines of the invisible wall he'd conjured in front of him。
The cloud of…Gromph assumed…poisonous gas that Dyrr had conjured mixed with the smoke from the burning stalls； slowing it but not stopping it。 Gromph set the wall of magical force between himself and the cloud； and in a moment the mist began to spread along the flat surface of the wall； well away from the archmage。
Dyrr； obviously not surprised by Gromph's simple solution to the killing cloud； arced high into the air and flew over the wall of force。
The lich drew a wand from the folds of his piwafwi and stared at Gromph with a face devoid of emotion。
Gromph began to cast； judging the time necessary by the lich's flying speed。 Even when Dyrr accelerated； Gromph had the opportunity to finish the spell and step through the doorway he opened in the air next to him。 Like passing through an ordinary door； Gromph stepped out the other side having traveled a dozen yards across the burning Bazaar。 He watched the lich swoop down； swing his wand through the spot where Gromph had been standing； then e to rest on the ground growling in frustration。
Gromph dropped the wall of force and smiled。
The cloud of poisonous gas…Dyrr's own spell…burst through when the wall fell； and the lich only had time to look up before the mist engulfed him and he disappeared inside its black…and…green expanse。
Gromph took a deep breath and glanced down when the fire shield finally faded from him。 The spell he cast next was one of his most difficult。 He worked it carefully and reveled as its effects washed through him。 All at once he got the distinct impression that someone was behind him； and he knew that the spell was warning him。 No one was behind him yet； but someone would be。
Gromph spun in place then stepped back when Nimor appeared from the shadows； already bringing one black…taloned hand down at the archmage's face。 The tips of the claws passed within a finger's breadth of the archmage's nose。 Nimor let the surprise show in his eyes； and Gromph had to admit to himself at least that he was just as surprised。
The archmage skipped back several steps； and so did the assassin。 Nimor looked at Gromph with narrowed eyes that glowed in the smoky shadows of the burning Bazaar。 Gromph had a clear vision of Nimor stepping in then quickly to the left and slashing at his side…then Nimor did just that。 Gromph managed to step away again； and again the assassin was taken aback by the archmage's newfound reflexes。 What Nimor didn't know was that it wasn't reflexes but foresight。
Gromph reached into a pouch…an extradimensional space that held much more than it appeared capable of from the outside…and drew a weapon。 The duergar's battle…axe was heavy； and the weight and heft of it was unfamiliar to Gromph。 The archmage had been schooled in the use of a number of weapons； but the battle…axe was hardly his cup of tea。 It was unwieldy and unsubtle； almost more a tool than a weapon。 However； there was more to that particular axe than its blade and a handle。
He knew that Nimor was going to step back and give himself a chance to examine Gromph's weapon。 The archmage also expected that Nimor would move a few steps to one side in order to turn Gromph around and place himself between the half…dragon and the cloud that still concealed the lichdrow。 Gromph gave him the chance he wanted to study the axe but didn't oblige him with the superior position。
Archmage； Nauzhror said； are you certain？
Gromph assumed that the other mage was referring to the battle…axe； and the obvious fact that Gromph meant to actually fight the assassin with physical weapons。
Gromph sent back the answer； I know what I'm doing； at precisely the same moment that Nauzhror repeated； Archmage； are you certain？
Gromph realized he hadn't heard Nauzhror the first time。 It was the spell； showing him the future。
I see； Nauzhror replied and Gromph could feel that the other Baenre mage understood that Gromph had armed himself with perhaps the most potent weapon imaginable： the ability to perfectly anticipate every move of your opponent。
The voice came to his head for real： I see。
Gromph knew that Nimor was going to rush him in an attempt to push him back toward the cloud of poison gas； so the archmage stepped quickly to the side and circled。 Nimor took one step then stopped； eyeing Gromph。
The lich burst out of the cloud； trailing tendrils of toxic mist as he rose into the air。 He turned and faced the archmage。
〃Go ahead；〃 said the lichdrow with a leering； evil smile； 〃try to fight him with your stolen axe。 I'll enjoy watching Nimor shred you。〃
The half…dragon assassin smiled at that； and Gromph saw him ing in with one wild slash after another； a flurry of claws and kicks and head butts。 Gromph had no idea what to do。
In the instant that Nimor started to run toward him； Gromph realized that knowing what your opponent intended to do might not be enough。
Chapter Twenty…three
How could there be any sense to a world that existed； in a universe made of chaos？ In a place where the only rule was that there were no rules？
When they were there last； not very long ago； they walked enormous strands of spiderweb and saw nothing alive until they were beset upon by a horde of feral demons at the gates to a temple sealed by the face of Lolth herself。 There； a god tried to break through but couldn't。
Though they had been away from the Demonweb Pits for only a short time； much had changed。
The smooth expanse of the gigantic webs was pitted and worn。 Patches of what looked like rust went on for acres at a time。 In spots they had to climb or levitate up and down cliffs of crumbling webbing and traverse craters big enough to hold all of Menzoberranzan in their uneven bowls。
All around them was the stench of decay； so intense at times Pharaun Mizzrym thought he would suffocate。
The wizard had been walking for hours in uncharacteristic silence。 None of the drow or the draegloth mented aloud on the state of the Demonweb Pits。 It was too difficult to voice the palpable sense of despair the ruined place imbued in them all。 They stopped occasionally to rest； and minutes would go by where they didn't even look at each other。
Constantly on their guard for the plane's demonic inhabitants； at first they were all on a knife's edge； but as the hours dragged on and they saw nothing alive； let alone threatening； they soon began to relax。 That was when the despair deepened even further。
They walked on and on and finally came to Lolth's temple。 The once imposing； otherworldly structure stood in ruin； infected by the same decay as the universe…spanning web。 The obsidian stone had turned brown and was crumbled away in spots。 Huge columns of smoke rose from the interior。 Many of the great buttresses stood like shattered stumps； amputated by some inconceivable power。 The surrounding plazas were difficult to traverse； littered with boulders of carved stone and iron rusted and twisted out of shape。 Bones lay everywhere…the bones of millions stacked in great piles or scattered as if by the cruel winds alone。 The petrified spider…things they had marveled at before were gone； leaving holes in the floor of the plaza and along the buttresses as if they'd pulled up their feet from the stone and marched away。
The party traced the same path they had taken when in astral form and came once again to the entrance to the temple。 The great stone face was itself shattered； revealing glimpses of the visage of Lolth but only in tiny； enigmatic fragments。
The doors swung wide。
〃It was the gods；〃 Valas whispered； his voice echoing in a million tiny pings across the ruined plaza。
Vhaeraun； who had e to kill Lolth because of their own rash decision to lead one of his priests there； had been confronted by Selvetarm…Lolth's protector…at the temple gates。 Their duel was a sight that would be burned into Pharaun's memory if he lived to be ten thousand years old； and the contest had caused much damage； but。 。 。 。
〃Not this；〃 the Master of Sorcere said； his own voice echoing； though in not quite the same way。 〃This is different。 Older。〃
〃Older？〃 the draegloth asked； his eyes darting from rock to rock。
〃He's right；〃 said Danifae； who was crouching； holding the skull of something that might have been half drow； half bat。 〃These bones are dried and bleached； almost petrified。 The stone itself is crumbling to dust。 The webs are rotten and brittle。〃
〃This place was razed a century ago or more；〃 Pharaun said。
〃That's not possible；〃 Valas argued； staring up at the o