lesh from his face。
Goddess； what a mess！ he thought； slashing and cleaving at the thick tendrils of fog with Splitter。
The beholder had been waiting for them to resort to magic to ascend the shaft； and it had scoured the pany with every spell at its mand。
〃The devils are ing up after us！〃 Jezz shouted from somewhere beyond the burning fog。 〃Finish this thing quickly so that we can get what we came for and leave！〃
Finish it quickly； Ryld thought with a grimace。 That's a novel idea。
He surged forward and suddenly found himself free of the deadly； clinging fog。 No one else stood nearby； though he could hear his panions battling in the mists behind him。
〃Damnation！〃 he muttered。
Clear of the unnatural fog； it was apparent that the whole floor of the tower had once been a royally appointed suite of rooms。 A thick red haze of dust on the floor might have once been a plush carpet； and the walls were finished in patterns of orange and gold tile to form the image of a surface forest with its normally green leaves for some reason rendered in reds； oranges； and yellows。 Ryld coughed； his eyes streaming from contact with the noxious fumes。 Evidently he'd blundered through an archway into a different chamber； but another doorway led out of the room on the far side。
〃Where in all the screaming hells am I？〃
Something screeched in rage ahead； and the room beyond the arch flared brightly with magical fire。 Ryld hefted Splitter and dashed into the next room； right into the middle of a fierce skirmish。
Danifae and Jezz battled against a pair of lean； scaly devils almost ten feet tall； horrible fiends with huge wings who fought with razor…sharp scourges and barbed tails that dripped with green venom。 Several lesser devils hissed and surged behind the two already in the room； pressing forward and looking for a chance to join the fight。
〃The devils are upon us！〃 Jezz cried。
The Jaelre fought with a curved knife in one hand； and a deadly white spell…flame wreathing the other。 One of the big devils sprang at Jezz and hammered its iron chains past the Jaelre's defenses； spinning the surface drow to the floor。 The creature stooped over the dazed Jaelre and reached for his throat。
Ryld glided forward； feinted high to bring the devil's weapon up to guard its face； and crouched low to take off its leg at the knee。 The huge fiend roared in pain and toppled； its wings fluttering awkwardly as black blood spurted from the horrible wound。 Ryld moved in close and reversed his grip on Splitter to finish the monster on the ground； but it replied with a flurry of slashing claws and snapping teeth； while lashing its barbed tail at him so quickly that only the stoutness of his dwarven breastplate saved him from being spitted on the wounded devil's sting。
Ryld parried furiously； battling for his life； as yet more devils…a group posed of man…sized creatures who were armed with knifelike barbs jutting from their scaly bodies…swarmed closer； their fanged faces twisted in hellish glee。
〃Dark elves to feast on！〃 they gloated。 〃Drow hearts to eat！〃
〃We've got to get out of here！〃 Danifae cried。 〃We can't hold them！〃
She whirled her morningstar with skill and strength； dueling the other big devil and a pair of the smaller ones who snatched at her from her flanks。
〃There's no place to go；〃 Ryld snapped。 〃The beholder's behind us！〃
He could feel deadly spells flying in the chamber behind him； the reverberations of thunderbolts and the soul…searing chill of slaying spells that made his flesh crawl。
This isn't working； he thought。 We're split in two； fighting two dangerous enemies。
They needed to regroup and focus on one foe or the other； or abandon the field all together and try again later。 Presuming； of course； that the denizens of Myth Drannor allowed them to retreat at all。 More than likely； they'd all die here； surrounded and overwhelmed by endless hordes of bloodthirsty demons。 Quenthel and Valas were likely dead already。
Enough； Ryld snarled to himself。 We didn't e all this way to be defeated here！
He redoubled his attack； stepped inside the big devil's reach； and drove Splitters point through the creature's scaly neck。 It flailed violently at him； but it was dying； and its convulsions gouged stone and clawed at the air instead of mauling Ryld。 The weapons master leaped over the creature's body to engage the smaller barbed devils already moving toward him。
Jezz rejoined the fray； pulling out a scroll from his belt and hurriedly reading off an abjuration that blasted several of the lesser devils back to whatever infernal realm they had crawled out of。
Two more instantly replaced their banished rades。
〃We have to move！〃 the Jaelre cried。 〃The beholder is our enemy。 The devils are just a distraction！〃
Ryld grimaced again。 If they tried to flee； they'd be pulled down from behind。 Still； he started backing his way toward the door leading to the beholder； praying that the creature was not in a position to see them。 He gave ground grudgingly； unwilling to blunder into another fight while one still raged。
To his surprise； one of the devils on the other side of the chamber dropped out of view； and another one shrieked as a serpent…headed scourge sank its fangs into the back of its neck。 Struggling through the ranks of the devils； Valas and Quenthel limped into sight。 The scout supported the badly injured priestess； warding her side with one of his kukris while she lashed and flailed with her deadly scourge。
Danifae and Ryld took advantage of the devils' momentary disadvantage to press home attacks against their immediate foes。 Quenthel slumped to one wall； fumbling with Halisstra's healing wand at her side； while Valas drew his second knife and darted into the fray； slashing and stabbing the devils from behind。
〃Hurry！〃 Quenthel gasped。 〃A pit fiend and a dozen more devils are just behind us。〃
Ryld cut down another of the barbed devils； while Danifae splattered the brains of a second across the chamber wall with a two…handed blow of her morningstar。 In the space of a few moments； the dark elves cleared the room of devils。 Jezz produced another scroll and quickly read off a spell； sealing the doorway behind Quenthel and Valas with a crackling sheet of sparking yellow energy。
〃That will only hold the creature for a moment；〃 he cautioned。
The Baenre looked around the chamber。 The fall in the shaft must have hurt her badly。 Blood caked the side of her head； and her eyes didn't seem to want to focus。 One arm hung limp at her side； but she held herself upright。
〃Where's the beholder；〃 she asked； 〃Pharaun； and Jeggred？〃
Ryld jerked his head at the archway behind him。 Another spell rumbled through the air。
〃Back there somewhere；〃 he said。 〃The beholder…〃
He was interrupted by the sudden； sickening awareness of an overwhelming presence approaching Jezz's barrier； something unseen that seemed to shake the very stones of the tower with its footfalls。
〃The pit fiend es；〃 Danifae reported； panting for breath； her eyes wide with alarm。
〃Go；〃 Quenthel said； waving them forward with her good arm。
Without another word； the dark elves scrambled for the other exit； plunging into the next room heedless of the spells that thundered and crawled in the space beyond。
Triel Baenre stood on a high bridge of House Baenre； gazing toward Narbondel。 The creeping ring of radiance that slowly climbed the mighty stone column marked the passage of time in Menzoberranzan。 The glow stood near the pillar's upper end； which meant that the day would soon be done。 Not for the first time it struck her as ironic that a race that had been driven from the world of light almost ten thousand years in the past would have the slightest use for marking the passage of days and nights in the manner of the surface folk； when the night was eternal and changeless in the Underdark； but it had proven somewhat useful over the years to remember the endless march of unseen days in the world above。 It helped in dealing with those who had more use for the