demon blinked his eyes and scowled； slowly straightening。
〃One problem at a time；〃 Ryld continued。 〃Do you have any magic that can keep the devils off our backs long enough for us to defeat the beholder？〃
The wizard answered； 〃No； they'd be among us in just a moment； and that would be a scene； wouldn't it？ The…wait a moment； I have an idea。 We won't keep out the devils。 In fact； we'll let them in。〃
Infernal power crackled and snapped in the room behind them。
〃That's the pit fiend destroying my wall；〃 Jezz said。 〃Explain quickly； Menzoberranyr。〃
Pharaun began chanting a spell； and weaving his hands in the arcane gestures necessary to shape and control his magic。
〃Do not resist；〃 he told the others。 〃Ah； there we go。 I've covered us all with a veil of illusion。 We're all devils now。〃
Ryld glanced down at himself and noted nothing different； but when he looked back up； he saw that he was standing in the middle of a pany of barbed devils。 He recoiled momentarily； and noticed the other devils flinching too。 Faintly； as though draped in a diaphanous gauze； he could see the natural forms of the other dark elves beneath their scaly exteriors。
〃I can see through this；〃 he warned。
〃Yes； but you're expecting it；〃 said the devil who stood where Pharaun had。 〃This should create no small amount of confusion for our foes； but we must move quickly。 We want the devils to e upon us while we're dealing with the beholder。〃
The wizard glided across the chamber； following the beholder； and the rest of the pany fell in behind him； hurrying after Pharaun as the howls of the pursuing devils rose in the corridor behind them。 They climbed a spiraling stair and found the beholder waiting for them in what seemed to be a large throne room。 The monster hesitated as the pany burst in； cloaked in their devilish guises。
〃The dark elves are not here；〃 the beholder rasped。 〃Search the rest of the tower。 They must be found！〃
〃I'm afraid you are mistaken；〃 Pharaun laughed； and he hurled a blast of lightning at the creature that charred a dinner plate sized patch of its chitinous hide。
At the same time； Valas fired a pair of arrows that sank into its armored body； while Ryld； Jeggred； and Danifae broke into a charge。
The creature recovered from its surprise with incredible alacrity； whirling to flay the attacking drow with its deadly rays and spells。 Jeggred was flung across the room with a telekinetic ray； while Danifae had to throw herself flat to avoid the incandescent green sweep of a disintegrating ray。 Ryld got three steps farther before no less than three of the monster's thin eyestalks whipped around； spotting him at once and lashing out with more spells。 A hail of incandescent bolts of energy streaked out to meet his charge； punching into his torso like the blows of a dwarven war…hammer。 Ryld grunted in pain； and stumbled to the hard floor。
At that moment； a flood of devils climbed up out of the staircase behind them； pouring into the room。 In the space of half a dozen heartbeats； the scene descended into plete chaos； as the devils thronged the room； some turning angry glares on the beholder； others simply halting in confusion； surprised to find so many of their fellows already in the room。
From the floor Danifae pointed up at the beholder and screeched； 〃The beholder is in league with the dark elves！ Slay it！ Eat its eyes！〃
The devils paused just long enough for the beholder to scour their front ranks with deadly spells； and they set upon it； flinging themselves at the monster。 Rock…hard talons clawed and gouged at the beholder； while devils exploded under bolts of white fire or crumbled into lifeless stone beneath the beholder's eye rays。
Ryld had been about to leap up and engage the monster again； but he caught Pharaun's cautioning gesture； and feigned injury。 The wizard's strategy was brilliant…let the beholder and the devils battle； and their foes might destroy each other。
〃Weak…minded fools！〃 the beholder hissed。 〃The dark elves have deceived you！〃
Still it wreaked terrible devastation with its spells and eye rays； trying to repel the devils' attack。 The stink of charred flesh and the eldritch sensation of deadly magic filled the air。
A palpable sense of wrong flitted across Ryld's heart； and a hulking pit fiend climbed into the room。 The mighty devil stood twice as tall as a drow； its torso rippling with muscle； its vast black wings mantling it like a cloak of ebon glory。 It took in the scene with a malignant； measuring gaze； and Ryld's heart sank as he realized that the powerful fiend was not in the least deceived by Pharaun's illusion。
With one absent gesture the huge devil conjured up a great； seething orb of black fire in its claw； and hurled the sinister blast at Pharaun。 The dark blot exploded in a tremendous explosion of evil flame that rocked the tower to its foundations； throwing Pharaun a dozen feet through the air and scorching him terribly as lesser devils and drow alike were sent flying like ninepins。
〃They are right here！〃 the creature bellowed in a voice like a roaring forge。 〃Destroy the dark elves！〃
The pit fiend started to call up another infernal blast； but Jeggred…still veiled in his devilish guise…hurled into the mighty fiend's flank； clawing and tearing with abandon。 The great devil roared in rage； staggering under the draegloth's assault。
〃Lolth's sweet chaos；〃 Ryld muttered。
Which was more dangerous； the beholder mage or the pit fiend？ The beholder still blasted any devil it saw； veiled drow or not； and most of the pit fiend's minions had fallen already。 The pit fiend hammered and slashed at Jeggred； who stood toe…to…toe with the infernal lord； giving as good as he got。
The weapons master glanced between the two enemies； hesitated only a moment； and decided。 Silently as an arrow whispering through the dark； Ryld scrambled up and leaped forward； aiming a tremendous cut at the beholder's round body。 The beholder mage spotted him at once and blasted a bolt of lightning in his direction； but he tumbled aside and kept ing。 Another eye fixed on him； and the beholder's drone took on a peculiarly horrid and deadly sound。 Rather than wait to find out what spell the monster could cast with that eye； Ryld altered his path and bounded into the air； reaching out to sever the tentacle cleanly with Splitter's gleaming blade。
The beholder's drone broke in a piercing shriek of pain。 The monster whirled to face Ryld with its jaws gaping； but the weapons master took careful aim and severed another waving eye before ducking down and scrambling beneath the bloated sphere of the hovering creature's body。 None of the beholder's eyes could see directly beneath its own bulk。
Dropping to one knee； Ryld shortened his grip on Splitter； and thrust the greatsword up into the chitinous underside of the monster。 Black thick gore streamed down the blade； and the huge monster shuddered and shrieked again。
〃Well done！〃 Jezz cried。
The Jaelre renegade menced to bark out arcane words； his hands weaving in mystical patterns。 He conjured up a seething missile of mystic acid that burned another eyestalk from the beholder's body as the monster rolled and twisted in agony。
Ryld yanked out his sword and rolled aside even as the beholder tried to crush him beneath its bulk； its jaws snapping at him。 He found himself looking directly at the front of its body； where its great central eye had once gazed out from an armored carapace。 The central eye was nothing but an empty socket。 An old lesson came to the weapons master's mind： a beholder that wished to learn magic had to blind itself in order to do so。
The lesser eyes flailed and twisted on their tentacles； trying to focus on Ryld。 The weapons master saw his opportunity and his target at the same moment。 With one swift bound he drove Splitter like a lance straight through the empty central socket and deep into the creature's alien brain。 With grim determination he sawed the greatsword in and out； side to side； while dark gore spurted and streamed from the awful wound。
The beholder gave one grea