hand to pick up the corpse of a small spider…demon nearby。 It flung the corpse at Valas； catching the scout as he fished in his quiver for more arrows。 The impact staggered Valas； who stumbled and slipped down the side of the strand； cursing in several languages。
Ryld ran forward with Splitter held high； Quenthel at his side； while Halisstra and Danifae carefully tried to circle the beast to one side as best they could on the narrow strand； hoping to surround it on all sides。
Tzirik finished his spell and shouted out a deep； rolling word of power； creating a great whirling disk of spinning razors across the goristro's torso。 Blades bit and blood flew； but still the monster came on undeterred。
〃What will it take to stop this thing？〃 Halisstra called。 〃Does it have any weaknesses？〃
〃It's stupid；〃 Pharaun replied。 〃Barely sentient； really。 Don't meet it blow for blow。〃
The wizard gestured and struck the monster with a gleaming green ray of energy that chewed into the goristro's chest； while Tzirik moved in behind Ryld and Quenthel to help them against the monster。 The weapons master and the high priestess leaped and slashed at the creature's belly and torso； while dodging the ponderous blows of its enormous fists。 One glancing blow spun Quenthel to her hands and knees； but she managed to scramble out of the way before the creature could finish her off。
〃Noooot stuuuupiiiid！〃 roared the goristro。
It lifted one hoofed foot and stamped it down on the strand with such astonishing power that the whole miles…long cable thrummed like something alive。 The shock wave threw all of the drow into the air； yet the goristro had failed to anticipate the consequences of its mighty stomp； for the shock threw it into the air as well。 The monstrous demon landed awkwardly on its side and slid off the strand； catching itself by one arm dug into the upper surface。 It scrambled and kicked； its struggles shaking the strand even more。
Quenthel picked herself up from the trembling surface； and weaved her way past the brute's arm to look down at its face。 With a deliberate motion； she flicked her snake…headed whip at one of its beady eyes and destroyed the organ in a sickening burst of gore。 The goristro howled in agony and recoiled； losing its grip on the strand and tumbling down into the abyss。 Its bellows of rage continued for a long time； diminishing as it fell away from them。 She didn't bother to watch it fall。 Instead she turned to the rest of the pany。
〃Get up；〃 she snarled。 〃We're wasting time。〃
Halisstra picked herself up from the web and glanced around。 Valas scrambled back into view from his precarious position on the side of the strand。 Danifae climbed to her feet as well。 They followed after Quenthel as the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith set off again at once； moving at an impatient lope as she bounded down the strand。 Halisstra was too tired to keep up the pace for long； but she had even less energy for an argument with the single…minded priestess； and so she merely set her jaw and endured。
They reached the bottom…almost。
For some time they'd noticed converging strands drawing closer to their own； and Halisstra could see the reason why。 A great ring of webbing a dozen times thicker than any of the gray strands was suspended below them； binding the ends of the strands together。 Its circumference was so great that Halisstra could hardly describe a curve at all in the ring's vast arc。 In the center there was something…a titanic black structure or island of sorts hanging in the mighty web。 The drow paused； surveying the scene； until Valas broke the silence。
〃Is that it？〃 he said in a low voice。
〃The entrance to Lolth's domain；〃 Tzirik answered； 〃lies somewhere within that ring。〃
〃Are you sure？〃 asked Ryld。
〃I am；〃 Quenthel replied for the priest。
She didn't look aside or hesitate； but simply set off again at the same hard pace。
As the strand approached the central ring its steep pitch gradually flattened and thickened somewhat； and for the first time in seemingly endless hours and miles the pany found itself traversing something like level ground instead of picking their way down the sloping cable。 More demonic and spidery corpses appeared； some half…buried in the strand as if they'd fallen from the limitless heights above…which they most likely had。
The travelers reached the thick ring and crossed one more stretch of twisted webbing only to find that the structure in the center was some kind of immense stone temple； a baroque building of gleaming black obsidian miles in diameter。 Spiked stone buttresses soared across the bottomless space； linking the structure to the ring around it。 Vast dark plazas of smooth stone large enough to swallow cities surrounded the temple's flanks。 Without speaking； the pany picked their way over to one of the colossal flying buttresses and advanced toward their goal。
Halisstra found herself trembling； not with exhaustion； but with a bination of terror and ecstasy as she realized that she must soon withstand Lolth's scrutiny in the flesh。
I am worthy； she told herself。 I must be。
The demons that had plagued their progress through the webs didn't seem to care for the black temple。 In any event； no more of the monsters pursued the pany once they left the web behind them。 For a long time the dark elves simply walked onward； crossing the huge outer plaza； as the walls of the temple came closer and closer； revealing their dark details。
Quenthel oriented their march on a sharp…edged break in the cyclopean wall； a huge cleft that must have been the temple's portico。 From time to time they passed the strange； inanimate forms of large； spiderlike beings that seemed to be sculpted from fluid black stone。 Oddly enough； the petrified forms grew smaller and smaller the closer they came to the cleft。 Halisstra dismissed the mystery from her mind； concentrating only on the goal before her。
At last they reached the mouth of the temple； and looked upon its entrance。 A vast face confronted them； the face of a cruelly beautiful dark elf； her features calm and still as if in contemplation。 Perfect black stone barred the entrance from one side to the other； sculpted into the image of the Spider Queen's visage。 Only her half…lidded eyes showed any animation at all。 Gazing down blankly at the tiny supplicants below her； Lolth's eyes gleamed with a roiling； hellish glee focused entirely on whatever thoughts or processes lay behind them。
The pany stood gazing up in wonder and terror； and Quenthel prostrated herself before the image of her goddess。 Halisstra and Danifae joined her at once； groveling on the cold black stone。 Even the males dropped to the ground； lying on their faces and averting their eyes。 Tzirik； as a priest of Vhaeraun； settled for taking one knee and lowering his gaze respectfully。 He didn't serve the Queen of the Demonweb Pits； but he and others of his faith certainly recognized her divinity。
〃Great Queen！〃 called Quenthel。 〃We have e from Menzoberranzan to beseech you to restore your favor to your priestesses！ Our enemies encroach on your holy city and threaten your faithful with destruction。 We humbly beg you to instruct us in what we must do to find approval in your eyes。 Arm us with your holy might once more； and we will hunt your enemies until their blood fills the Underdark and their souls fill your belly！〃
The face did not respond。
Quenthel waited for a long time； still prostrate； then she licked her lips and uttered another prayer。 Halisstra and Danifae joined their pleading to hers； and they begged and pleaded with every prayer； every invocation； every catechism they had ever been taught； scraping and groveling at the temple door。 The males simply waited； still stretched out on the black stone。 After a time； Tzirik moved off a short distance and sat down with his back to the face； muning with his own god。 Halisstra ignored him and continued her supplications。
Still the face did not respond。
The three priestesses kept up their pleas for what must have been hours； but finally Quenthel pushed herself upright and gazed ful