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〃You　call　me　pathetic？〃　Syrzan　sneered。　〃What　was　that　supposed　to　be？〃
If　you　were　wearing　the　ring　you　stole；　Pharaun　thought；　you'd　know；　but　I　doubt　it　would　fit　on　your　bloated　fingers。
The　alhoon　hoisted　him　off　the　ground；　then　wrapped　dry；　flaking　tentacles　around　his　head。
You　re　still　going　to　serve　me；　Syrzan　said　directly　into　the　mage's　mind；　holding　up　one　gnarled　finger　to　reveal　the　silver　ring。　When　I　devour　your　brain；　I'll　learn　all　your　secrets。
〃Perhaps　the　infusion　would　even　cure　your　stupidity；〃　Pharaun　wheezed；　〃but　I　fear　we'll　never　know。　Look　around。〃
The　lich　turned；　and　he　felt　it　jerk　with　surprise。
The　lens　of　illusion　he'd　formed　in　front　of　the　dais　made　Syrzan　look　exactly　like　a　certain　witty　Master　of　Sorcere；　and　Pharaun　himself　resemble　yet　another　humble　ore。　Once　the　Mizzrym　created　it；　he'd　willed　the　hand　of　ice　to　release　the　illithid's　head；　and　there　came　the　construct；　swooping　straight　at　its　originator。
Syrzan　threw　Pharaun　down　and　faced　its　creation。　No　doubt　if　left　unmolested；　it　could　have　averted　the　construct　somehow；　but　Pharaun　found　the　strength　for　one　more　spell。　His　labored　incantation　shattered　the　floor　of　the　dais；　staggering　the　alhoon　and　breaking　its　concentration。
The　huge　tentacles　scooped　Syrzan　up　and　conveyed　it　to　the　maw　behind　them；　whereupon　the　strangely　shaped　mouth　began　to　suck　and　chew。　The　alhoon's　own　magic　mangled　him　as　Pharaun's　never　had。　The　lich　faded　for　a　moment；　then　became　opaque　and　solid　again。　It　was　trying　to　shift　to　another　plane　of　existence　but　couldn't　focus　past　the　agony。
After　a　time；　the　enormous　head　blinked　out　of　existence。　Its　passing　dumped　inert　chunks　of　mummified　mind　flayer　on　the　floor。
Pharaun's　strength　began　to　trickle　back。　He　rummaged　through　the　alhoon's　stinking　remains　until　he　found　his　silver　ring；　then　turned　his　magic　on　the　renegades；　though　it　wasn't　really　necessary。　Ryld；　Welverin；　and　their　cohorts　already　had　the　upper　hand。
When　the　last　rogue　lay　dead；　the　entranced　Master　of　MeleeMagthere　sat　down　crosslegged　on　the　floor。　His　chin　drooped　down　onto　his　chest；　and　he　started　to　snore。　Silver　leg　rattling　as　if　a　blow　had　loosened　the　ponents；　Welverin　limped　over　to　check　him　and；　Pharaun　supposed；　tend　him　as　needed。
The　Mizzrym　thought　he　ought　to　take　a　look　as　well　but　when　he　tried　to　stand；　his　head　spun；　and　he　had　to　flop　back　down。
Triel　stood　on　the　balcony　gazing　down　at　the　city　below。　It　was　virtually　the　same　view　she'd　surveyed　on　the　night　of　the　slave　uprising；　the　burning　spectacle　that　showed　her　all　Menzoberranzan　was　in　turmoil。
The　fires　were　gone。　In　their　place；　cold　pools　of　standing　water　dotted　the　streets　and　hindered　traffic。　The　rain　had　flooded　cellars　and　dungeons　as　well；　and　it　would　take　time　to　get　rid　of　it。　No　one　had　anticipated　a　downpour；　not　with　miles　of　rock　between　the　City　of　Spiders　and　the　open　sky；　and　in　consequence；　no　builder　had　made　much　provision　for　drainage。
Someone　coughed　a　discreet　little　cough。　Triel　turned。　Standing　in　the　doorway；　Gromph　inclined　his　head。
〃Matron。〃
She　felt　a　thrill　of　pleasure—relief；　actually—at　the　sight　of　her　brother；　who'd　e　to　her　so　quickly　once　she'd　given　him　leave。　She　took　care　to　mask　the　feeling。
〃Archmage；〃　she　said。　〃Join　me。〃
〃Of　course。〃
Gromph　walked　somewhat　stiffly　toward　the　balustrade。
In　one　corner　of　the　terrace；　Jeggred　slouched　on　a　chair　too　small　for　him　and　gnawed　a　raw　haunch　of　rothe。　He　looked　entirely　engrossed　in　his　snack；　but　Triel　was　confident　he　was　watching　her　sibling's　progress。　That　was　his　task；　after　all；　to　ward　her　from　all　potential　enemies；　including　her　own　kin。　Especially　her　own　kin。
Gromph　looked　out　at　the　city's　domes　and　spires。　Some　had　lost　their　luminescence；　as　if　his　rain　had　washed　it　away；　and　many　had　flowed　and　twisted　in　the　fire's　embrace；　warping　the　spider　carvings　into　crippled　shapes　or　effacing　them　entirely。　The　wizard's　mouth　twisted。
〃It　could　have　been　worse；〃　Triel　said。　〃The　stoneworkers　can　repair　the　damage。〃
〃They　have　their　work　cut　out　for　them；　especially　without　slaves　to　help。〃
〃We　have　some。　A　few　undercreatures　declined　to　revolt　or　were　captured　instead　of　slain。　We'll　drive　them　hard　and　buy　and　capture　more。〃
〃Still；　does　anyone　remember　precisely　how　every　rampart　and　sculpture　looked？　Can　anyone　recreate　Menzoberranzan　exactly　as　it　was？　No。　We're　changed；　scarred；　and—〃
He　winced　and　rubbed　his　chest。
〃Five　me；〃　the　archmage　continued。　〃I　didn't　e　to　lament　but　to　perform　my　function　as　your　advisor；　to　share　my　thoughts　on　how　to　meet　the　challenges　to　e。〃
Triel　rested　her　hand　atop　the　cool；　polished　stone　of　the　rail　and　asked；　〃How　do　you　see　those　challenges？〃
〃It's　obvious；　isn't　it？　We've　just　experienced　what　promises　to　be　the　first　in　a　series　of　calamities。　By　dint　of　observing　you　in　bat；　every　Menzoberranyr　with　half　a　brain　now　knows　you　priestesses　have　lost　your　power。　Rest　assured；　no　matter　what　measures　the　Council　takes；　the　word　will　spread　beyond　our　borders。　Perhaps　some　escaped　thrall　is　proclaiming　it　even　now。　Soon；　one　or　another　enemy　will　march　on　us；or；　if　our　luck　is　really　bad；　they　might　all　unite　in　a　grand　alliance。〃
Triel　swallowed。　〃None　of　our　foes　dares　even　to　dream　of　taking　Menzoberranzan。〃
〃This　Syrzan　did。　When　its　kin；　and　others；　find　out　we've　lost　our　divine　magic；　a　significant　fraction　of　our　drow　warriors；　and　virtually　all　our　slave　troops；　it　may　inspire　them　to　optimism。　And　they're　not　even　the　greatest　threat。〃
〃We　ourselves　are；〃　Triel　sighed。
〃Exactly。　We　always　have　our　share　of　feuds　and　assassinations。　Occasionally　one　House　exterminates　another　outright；　and　that's　as　it　should　be。　It's　our　way；　it　makes　us　strong。　But　we　can't　endure　constant；　flagrant　warfare。　That　would　be　too　much　。　。　。　chaos。　It　would　tear　Menzoberranzan　to　shreds。　Up　to　now；　fear　of　the　Spider　Queen　and　her　clergy　has　kept　the　lid　on；　but　it　won't　anymore。〃　He　spat。　〃It's　a　pity　our　new　heroes　didn't　die　heroic　deaths　in　their　homeland's　defense。〃
〃You　refer　to　Quenthel　and　the　outcast　Mizzrym？〃
〃Who　else？　Do　you　imagine　them　any　less　ambitious　than　the　rest　of　us？　They　championed　the　established　order　yesterday；　but；　inspired　by　the　knowledge　that　many　would　rally　to　their　banners；　may　themselves　seek　to　topple　it　tomorrow。　Quenthel　may　try　to　seize　your　throne；　not　in　a　hundred　years　but　now。　Pharaun　may　strike　for　the　Robes　of　the　Archmage—by　the　Six　Hundred　and　Sixtysix　Layers；　he　all　but　did；　having　spent　no　effort　in　finding　me　before　scurrying　to　your　side。　What　a　disaster　that　would　be　Aside　from　any　personal　inconvenience　to　you　and　me；　the　city　in　its　weakened　state　can't　withstand　that　sort　of　disruption。〃
〃I　suppose　they　could　be　planning　just　that；〃　Triel　said；　frowning。　〃Perhaps　we　should　have　followed　through　and　at　least　killed　Master　Pharaun。〃
〃If　we　execute　one　of　the　saviors　of　Menzoberranzan—damn　his　miserable　little　hide—it　would　have　made　House　Baenre　look　frightened　and　weak。〃　The　archmage　smiled　a　crooked　smile。　〃Which　we　are；　at　the　moment；　but　we　don't　dare　give　the　appearance。〃
〃What；　then；　do　you　remend？〃
Below　the　balcony；　a　lizard　hissed　and　wheels　creaked　as　a　cart　rolled　by。
〃Use　them　in　a　way　that　simultaneously　benefits　us　and　neutralizes　the　threat　they　represent；〃　said　Gromph。　〃Surely　you　and　I　agree　that　the　present　situation　can't　continue。　We　must　find　a　way　to　restote　the　priesthood's　magic。〃
Triel　nodded；　looking　away　from　her　battered　city。
〃I　propose　that　as　a　first　step；〃　the　archmage　continued；　〃we　send　agents　to　another　city—likely　Ched　Nasad—to　find　out　if　their　divines　are　similarly　afflicted；　and　if　so；　whether　they　know　why。　You　can　assign　Quenthel　to　lead　the　expedition。　After　all；　it　concerns　ArachTinilith　perhaps　most　of　all。　I'll　be　delighted　to　loan　you　the　services　of　Master　Pharaun。　If　the　story　I　heard　was　correct；　that　weapons　master　friend　of　his　should　go　as　well；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　it'll　make　Pharaun　squirm。〃
〃Ched　Nasad　。。。〃　Triel　whispered。
〃The　three　of　them　ought　to　be　more　than　capable　of　surviving　a　trek　as　far　as　Ched　Nasad；〃　continued　Gromph；　〃and　they　can't　very