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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　juncture　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　altogether　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　realized　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　desperation；　he　pulled　back　his　arm　to　throw　it。　Perhaps　the　illithidlich　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　this　was　how　mind　flayers　fed。　They　wormed　their　members　into　whatever　orifices　were　most　convenient　and　yanked　out　their　victim's　brain。
He　wondered　what　would　happen　when　Syrzan　subjected　his　dream　self　to　such　treatment。　Would　his　physical　body　perish；　or　would　it　survive　as　a　living　but　mindless　shell？
〃Didn't　you　like　my　story？〃　Pharaun　gasped。　The　lich's　grip　was　squeezing　the　breath　out　of　him。　〃You　seemed　quite　engrossed。　That　was　why　I　dared　to　hope　I　could　catch　you　by　surprise。〃
〃You　put　your　hands　on　me〃
The　mellifluous　voice　of　the　Prophet　was　roughening　into　an　ugly　bination　of　hisses　and　buzzes。　The　tentacles　squeezed　tighter
〃Technically；　these　aren't　my　hands；〃　Pharaun　said。　Goddess；　it　felt　as　if　his　skull　was　going　to　shatter　〃Since　this　is　all　imaginary。〃
〃You　will　tell　me　how　you　knew　which　charm　to　grab。〃
〃My　ring。　It　allows　me　to　see　and　interpret　patterns　of　magical　force。　No　wizard　should　be　without　one。〃
〃You　were　a　fool　to　try　to　thwart　me　here　in　my　private　world。　Don't　you　understand　that　inside　this　construct；　I'm　a。　god。〃
〃I'm　dead　regardless；〃　replied　Pharaun；　〃and　when　a　drow　knows　his　life　is　forfeit；　he　bends　his　thoughts　to　revenge。〃
〃But　you're　mistaken。〃　Syrzan　loosened　the　grip　of　the　tentacles　and　said；　〃I'm　not　going　to　kill　you。　That　would　be　wasteful。　As　you　observed；　my　objective　is　to　enslave　all　Menzoberranzan。　Certainly　you；　with　all　your　talents；　will　make　a　useful　thrall。　Had　you　not　manhandled　me；　your　bondage　might　have　been　relatively　light；　for　I　enjoy　the　society　of　other　mages。　Now　I'm　afraid　you　aren't　going　to　enjoy　it　in　the　slightest。〃
Pain　ripped　through　Pharaun's　head。　He　screamed。
　
C　h　a　p　t　e　r　　
T　　W　　E　　N　　T　　Y
〃Let　me　do　it；〃　Houndaer　growled。
His　scimitar　at　the　ready；　he　stalked　toward　Ryld。
The　Master　of　MeleeMagthere　tried　and　failed　to　rise。　As　a　student　at　the　Academy　and　in　all　the　years　since；　he'd　studied　techniques　for　transcending　pain；　but　he'd　never　felt　anything　parable　to　the　invisible　blow　the　undead　illithid　had　struck　him。　It　had　been　like　a　spear　driving　through　his　mind。
Syrzan　emerged　from　its　momentary　trance　and　said；　〃No。〃　Houndaer　turned。　〃No？〃　he　asked。　〃You　were　right　about　them。　Obviously。〃　〃And　I　trust；〃　said　the　lich；　its　mouth　tentacles　wriggling；　〃that　you'll　remember　whose　judgment　is　superior。　Now　that　they're　here；　however；　they　might　as　well　serve　our　cause　as　you　hoped　they　would。　It's　just　a　matter　of　reshaping　their　minds。〃
The　bard　lifted　an　eyebrow　and　asked；　〃Can　you　do　that？〃　〃Yes；〃　said　Syrzan；　〃but　not　instantaneously；　and　not　now。　I　need　my　strength　to　give　the　Call。〃
It　pulled　Pharaun's　silver　ring　off　the　unconscious　drow's　finger。
〃Lock　them　up　for　the　time　being；〃　the　alhoon　ordered。
〃All　right；〃　saidTsabrak。　〃I　hope　you're　going　to　fix　it　so　we　can　all　control　them。〃
He　too　advanced　on　Ryld。
The　weapons　master　struggled　once　again　to　rise。　Someone　lashed　him　over　the　head　with　the　flat　of　a　blade；　and　all　the　strength　spilled　out　of　him　like　wine　from　an　overturned　cup。
The　next　few　minutes　were　a　blur。　Houndaer；　Tsabrak；　the　bard；　and　another　renegade　carried　their　captives　to　a　cell。　It　had　the　same　grime　and　air　of　desolation　as　much　of　the　rest　of　the　castle；　but　someone；　exhibiting　a　proper　dark　elf's　sense　of　priorities；　had　gone　to　the　trouble　to　refurbish　the　locks　and　restraints。
The　rogues　divested　Ryld　of　his　cloak　and　armor；　then　chained　him　to　the　wall。　As　he'd　expected；　the　conspirators　took　more　elaborate　precautions　with　the　wizard；　even　though　Pharaun　had　suffered　a　violent　seizure　shortly　after　Syrzan　stunned　him；　had　apparently　passed　from　that　into　plete　unconsciousness；　and　showed　no　sign　of　rousing　any　time　soon。　In　addition　to　shackling　him；　the　rogues　locked　a　steel　bridle　around　his　head；　forcing　the　bit　into　his　mouth　to　keep　him　from　enunciating　words　of　power　or　anything　else。　They　inserted　his　forearms　into　the　two　ends　of　a　hinged　metal　tube；　a　sort　of　muff　or　double　glove　that　would　make　it　impossible　for　him　to　gesture　or　crook　his　fingers　into　a　cabalistic　sign。
By　the　time　they　finished；　Ryld's　strength　had　begun　to　return；　enough；　at　least；　to　permit　him　to　speak。
〃It'll　get　you；　too；〃　he　croaked。
Houndaer　turned；　scowling。　〃What？〃
〃The　lich。　It　doesn't　want　to　share　power。　It's　planning　to　turn　every　Menzoberranyr；　including　you；　into　its　mindslave。　That's　what　illithids　do。〃
〃Do　you　think　we　trust　the　beast？〃　the　Tuin'Tarl　sneered。　〃We're　not　idiots。　It'll　serve　its　purpose；　and　we'll　dispose　of　it。〃
〃So　you　intend；　but　what　if　Syrzan's　already　working　on　subjugating　you；　so　subtly　you　don't　even　know　it？　What　if；　when　the　time　es—〃
Houndaer　punched　his　former　teacher　in　the　mouth；　dashing　his　head　against　the　calcite　wall。
〃Shut　up；〃　the　noble　said。　〃You　fooled　me　once　and　made　me　look　like　an　imbecile。　It's　not　going　to　happen　again。〃
The　rogues　made　their　departure。　With　his　spidery　lower　body；　Tsabrak　had　to　squeeze　through　the　door。　The　last　one　out；　the　bard　gave　Ryld　a　wry　smile　and　a　shrug。　The　door　slammed　shut。
Ryl