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；　still　claiming　ignorance　of　Gromph's　whereabouts。　〃This　is　as　good　a　spot　as　any　to　spy　out　the　lay　of　the　land。　We're　below　some　of　the　smoke　but　still　high　enough　for　an　aerial　inspection。〃
Since　Gromph　was　still　either　unavailable　or　uninterested；　the　Mizzrym　was—with　obvious　relish—acting　in　the　Archmage’s　stead。　It　was　arguably　an　affront　to　House　Baenre　as　much　as　the　archmage；　but　Quenthel　had　given　the　order　anyway。　Until　her　brother　returned　or　the　crisis　abated；　she　needed　someone　to　speak　for　Sorcere；　and　she　was　sure　it　would　upset　Gromph　in　an　amusing　way　to　have　this　dandy　taking　his　place　for　so　important　a　task。　
She　halted；　and　her　minions　came　to　a　ragged；　jostling　stop　behind　her。　The　whip　vipers　reared　to　survey　the　cityscape　along　with　her。　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　Pharaun　smile　briefly　as　if　he　found　the　serpents'　behavior　ical。
〃There；〃　said　Quenthel；　pointing；　〃in　Manyfolk。　It　looks　as　if　House　Auvryndar　may　have　finished　exterminating　their　own　slaves；　but　a　mob　keeps　them　penned　within　their　walls。〃
〃I　see　it；　Blessed　Mother；〃　said　Malaggar　Faen　Tlabbar　from　the　step　behind　her。　The　First　Sword　of　MeleeMagthere　was　a　merrylooking；　roundfaced　boy　with　a　fondness　for　green　attire　and　emeralds。　〃With　your　permission；　that　might　be　a　good　place　to　start。　We'll　lift　the　siege　and　add　the　Auvryndar　to　our　own　army。〃
〃So　be　it；〃　Quenthel　said
The　residents　of　the　Academy　reached　the　floor　of　the　lower　cavern；　whereupon　the　instructors；　particularly　the　warriors　of　the　pyramid；　set　about　the　business　of　forming　the　scholars　into　squads；　with　swordsmen　and　spearman　protecting　the　spellcasters。　Then　they　had　to　arrange　the　units　into　some　semblance　of　a　marching　order。
Like　every　princess　of　a　great　House；　Quenthel　had　a　working　knowledge　of　military　matters；　and　she　watched　the　attempt　to　create　order　with　a　jaundiced　eye。
〃I　could　wish　for　a　proper　army；〃　she　muttered。
She　hadn't　meant　for　anyone　to　hear；　but　Pharaun　nodded。
〃I　understand　your　sentiments；　Mistress；　but　they're　all　we　have；　and　I'm　sure　that　if　we've　trained　them　properly；　we　have　a　chance。〃　He　coughed。　〃Against　the　thralls；　anyway。〃
〃Your　meaning？〃
〃The　greatest　danger　of　all　is　this　pall　of　smoke。　I　think　Syrzan；　for　all　its　cunning；　miscalculated。　If　the　mages　we　left　upstairs　don't　extinguish　the　flames；　we'll　all　suffocate；　female　and　male；　elf　and　ore　alike；　leaving　the　alhoon　a　necropolis　to　rule。　Still；　I　suppose　we　must　concentrate　on　our　task　and　not　fret　about　the　rest。〃
〃What　alhoon？〃　she　demanded。
He　hesitated。　〃It　really　is　a　long　story；　Mistress；　and　not　crucial　at　this　moment。〃
〃I　will　decide　what　is　crucial；　mage；〃　she　said。　〃Speak。〃
Before　Pharaun　could　begin　she　saw　the　First　Sword　approaching；　presumably　to　inform　her　that　the　pany　was　ready　to　set　forth。
As　they　started　to　march；　she　listened　to　the　mage's　tale　of　the　undead　mind　flayer　and　its　designs　for　Menzoberranzan。　There　was　more；　she　was　sure；　that　he　was　holding　back；　but　she　could　always　torture　it　out　of　him　later。
Along　the　way；　the　teachers　and　students　found　their　way　littered　with　mangled　dark　elf　corpses；　some　headless；　some　partially　devoured；　firelight　gilding　their　sightless　eyes。　The　rich　smell　of　blood　peted　with　the　acrid　foulness　of　the　smoke。
Or　course；　no　drow　objected　to　the　spectacle　of　violent　death；　but　the　ubiquity　of　the　ravaged　shapes；　bined　with　the　glare　of　the　flames　and　the　uncanny　sight　of　burning　stone；　made　it　seem　as　if　Menzoberranzan　itself　had　bee　a　sort　of　hell；　and　that　was；　for　Quenthel　at　least；　unsettling。
The　Mistress　of　ArachTinilith　thought　that　were　she　a　weaker　person；　she　might　have　felt　as　if　she　were　moving　through　a　nightmare；　or　interpreted　the　carnage　as　proof　positive　that　Lolth　had　turned　her　back　on　Menzoberranzan　for　good　and　all。　She　consoled　herself　with　the　thought　that　at　least　this　time　she　was　marching　against　an　enemy　she　could　see　and　smite。
Periodically　the　scholars　saw　small　groups　of　undercreatures　looting；　slaughtering　hapless　moners；　or　even　flinging　stones　and　arrows　at　the　column。　The　younger　students　sought　to　attack　the　thralls；　and　the　teachers　bellowed　at　them　to　desist。　The　Academy　had　to　act　as　a　unit　and　stick　to　a　plan　if　it　hoped　to　win　the　day。
Malaggar　raised　his　hand；　signaling　a　stop。
We're　close；　I　think；　he　reported　in　the　silent　drow　sign　language。
They　stood　in　place　until　a　flying　scout；　a　brother　of　the　pyramid　possessed　of　a　cloak　that　converted　into　batlike　wings；　swooped　down　and　gave　his　report。
Mistress；　Malaggar　signed；　may　I　suggest　that　ten　squads　keep　on　straight；　and　the　rest　of　us　circle　around　that　block　of　houses。　We'll　take　the　ores　from　two　sides。
Very　well；　Quenthel　replied　as　she　surveyed　her　army。　All　of　you　from　the　head　of　the　column　to　the　mouth　of　that　alley；　follow　me。　The　rest　of　you；　go　with　Master　Faen　Tlabbar。　Everyone；　quietly　as　you　can。
Hands　lifted　at　intervals　down　the　column　to　relay　the　orders　to　those　who　couldn't　see　her。
The　pany　divided；　then　Quenthel's　troops　crept　on；　toward　a　clamoring　mob　that　quite　possibly　outnumbered　them。　Fortunately；　the　slaves　hadn't　noticed　the　Academy's　arrival；　and　she　meant　to　take　full　advantage　of　their　ignorance。　She　quickly　arranged　her　troops　in　a　ragged　but　serviceable　formation；　then　bade　them　attack　as　one。
Power　howled　and　flashed；　burning；　blasting；　and　devouring　masses　of　goblins。　Darts　leaped　through　the　air　to　pierce　ores　and　bugbears。　Undercreatures　fell　by　the　score。
Yet　after　that　first　volley；　scores　remained；　and　they　flung　themselves　at　the　scholars　in　a　yammering　frenzy。　The　drow　hastily　abandoned　their　crossbows　for　swords　and　spears。　Hidden　behind　lines　of　warriors；　mages　and　priestesses　peered；　trying　to　see　what　was　going　on　in　the　midst　of　the　savage　melee　so　they　could　target　their　spells　without　harming　their　own　rades。
Quenthel　could　have　cowered　behind　her　own　rank　of　protectors—perhaps；　as　high　priestess　and　leader；　she　should　have—but　she　thought　it　might　stiffen　the　spines　of　the　first　and　secondyear　students　if　she　led　from　the　front；　and　in　any　case；　she　wanted　to　kill　up　close　and　see　the　pain　and　fear　in　her　victims'　faces。　Her　vipers　rearing　and　hissing；　she　shoved　her　way　to　the　front。
She　slew　several　goblinoids；　and　dazzling　yellow　light　flashed　and　crackled　around　her。　The　fire　magic　did　her　no　harm—her　mystical　defenses　held—but　several　of　the　folk　around　her；　drow　and　undercreature　alike；　shrieked　and　fell。
For　a　moment；　everyone；　every　survivor　in　the　immediate　vicinity；　was　stunned。　Then　ores　scrambled　forward　at　the　gaps　the　blaze　had　created　in　the　drow　line；　and　scholars　darted　forward　to　fill　them。　No　one　paid　any　heed　to　the　burned　rades　beneath　their　feet；　save　to　curse　them　if　she　tripped。
Quenthel　stepped　back；　letting　a　student　warrior　from　House　Despana　take　her　place；　then　cast　about；　seeking　the　source　of　the　burst　of　flame。　She　had　a　vague　sense　that　the　magic　had　plunged　down　from　above；　so　she　looked　there　first；　at　the　upper　stories　of　the　buildings　to　either　side。
She　blinked　in　surprise。　Like　true　arachnids；　driders　were　scutding　about　the　walls　and　rooflines。　Many　such　debased　creatures　retained　their　spellcasting　abilities；　and　one　of　them　must　have　conjured　the　fire。
Quenthel　had　no　idea　how　the　thralls　and　outcasts　could　have　conspired　together；　nor　did　she　have　time　to　stop　and　ponder　the　question。　She　had　to　stop　the　driders　before　they　destroyed　her　pany　from　above。　She　levitated　upward　through　the　smoky　air；　meanwhile　looking　about　for　the　mage　who'd　created　the　flame。
Barbed　arrows　and　bolts　of　light　streaked　at　her　from　all　directions。　She　shielded　her　face　with　a　fold　of　her　piwafwi；　and　the　missiles　rebounded　or　dissolved　when　they　encountered　her　layers　of　enchanted　protection。　The　impacts　stung　but　did　no　serious　damage。
When　she'd　ascended　to　their　level；　she　recognized　certain　snarling　faces　even　with　the　fangs；　driders　whom　she　herself　had　helped　to　make。　Perhaps　it　explained　why　they'd　throw　magic　at　her　despite　the　inevitable　damage　to　the　mob　of　ores。
She　quickly　unrolled　another　scroll　and　read　the　trigger　phrase　therein。　Blades　appeared；　floating　among　the　driders　in　front　of　h