r even your god； to deflect us from our quest； Tzirik。〃
Tzirik's face clouded and he said； 〃You and your panions will not gainsay the will of Vhaeraun。 I refuse to permit it。〃
He crouched and raised his shield； snarling out the words of another divine spell。 Valas fired again； but his arrows only ricocheted from the priest's shield。 Tzirik finished his spell and placed his wounded hand on the ground。 A powerful tremor blasted through the stone and bludgeoned the Menzoberranyr； flinging them about like dolls and ripping open great cracks in the substance of the stone plain； crevices that led into absolute blackness below。
Valas staggered back and forth； trying to keep his balance as the stones cracked and buckled beneath him。 Danifae steadied herself and snapped off a shot with her crossbow that passed through the blades and struck Tzirik a ringing hit on the breastplate； but the bolt shivered into pieces on the priest's armor。
Quenthel managed a desperate； off…balance leap to keep from toppling into a gaping crevice beneath her。 She rolled awkwardly； and came up with a short iron rod in her hand。 The high priestess barked a mand word and discharged a white sphere of some magical； viscous substance at the priest； but Tzirik's seething blades ripped apart the viscid glob in a spray of gluey strands。
〃Get up； Halisstra；〃 Quenthel hissed。 〃Your sister priestesses need you！〃
The powerful tremors took Halisstra's feet out from under her the first time she tried to stand。 She shook her head and tried again。
My sisters need me？ she thought。 Strange； as our goddess apparently has no use for any of us who serve as her priestesses。 If Lolth chooses to turn her back on me； to spurn my faithfulness and devotion； then the least I can do is return the favor。
Throughout Halisstra's life she had willingly joined ranks with her worst enemies； her most bitter rivals； when something rose to threaten the absolute dominion over dark elf society she and her sister priestesses shared。 Staring off into the endless； empty expanse of the Demonweb Pits； she found that she would not take one single step in Lolth's name。
〃Let him do as he will；〃 she said to Quenthel。 〃Lolth has taught me not to care。 If we managed to preserve Lolth's very existence today； do you think she would be grateful？ If I tore my own heart out and laid it on the Spider Queen's altar； do you think she would be pleased by my sacrifice？〃
Bitter laughter welled up in her throat and Halisstra gave herself over to it； even as Tzirik's tremors subsided。 Her heart ached with a hurt that could rend the world in two； but she could not find a voice for it。
Quenthel stared at her in horror。
〃Blasphemy；〃 she managed to whisper。
The Mistress of Arach…Tinilith gathered up her whip and turned on Halisstra； but before she could strike； Tzirik struck with another spell； scouring the entire party with sheets of incandescent flames that raced back and forth across the stone plain like water sloshing on a plate。 Halisstra threw herself flat and cried out in pain。 The others cursed or cried out； scrabbling for cover that did not exist。
〃Leave me！〃 Tzirik manded from within his cage of whirling steel。
He stooped down and picked up his scroll； while the Menzoberranyr picked themselves up from the smoking stones。
Ryld rose slowly； his flesh seared at face and hands； and watched as the cleric started to cast his spell again。 The weapons master eyed the spinning blades surrounding the priest； and with the quickness of a big cat； he gathered up his legs and sprang into the barrier； crouching low into the tightest ball possible。 Droplets of blood splattered nearby as the whirling magical blades sparked and sliced against the weapons master's dwarven armor； drawing blood in a dozen places…but the Master of Melee…Magthere was through the barrier。
He staggered to his feet with an animal grunt of pain； Splitter gripped awkwardly in his slashed hands； but he managed to drive at Tzirik with the point of the greatsword。 Once again the cleric was forced to drop his scroll。 He parried the thrust with his shield and lashed back with his spiked mace。
Ryld avoided the blow only by leaping backward； so close to the whirling blades that sparks flew from his shoulders as the razors kissed his back。 He recovered and glided forward again； spinning his deadly sword and slashing quickly at the Jaelre cleric。
Valas； standing outside the whirling blades； reached up to the nine…pointed star token on his breast and touched it。 In the blink of an eye he vanished； reappearing inside the barrier behind Tzirik。 He dropped his bow and drew his kukris； but Tzirik surprised him。
Turning his back on Ryld； the strong cleric took three powerful strides and slammed his heavy shield into the Bregan D'aerthe even as Valas got his knives in hand。 With a roar of anger the Jaelre shoved Valas back into the curtain of deadly razors and sent the scout stumbling through； spinning and screaming as the blades sliced his flesh。
Ryld made Tzirik pay by darting forward to strike out with a full double…handed slash across the torso that spun the priest half around； but the cleric's plate armor held against the blow。 In response； Tzirik leaped in close to Ryld； inside the fighter's reach； and rained down a barrage of wicked blows with the spiked mace； driving the weapons master back。
Ryld gathered himself for another assault； but at that moment Quenthel hurled herself through the blades as well。 One sliced her calf deeply and sent her stumbling when she passed through； and she went to one knee with a gasp of pain； blocking Ryld。 Tzirik stepped back out of reach of the Baenre's whip； and quickly called out a spell。 Ryld froze in place as the cleric ensnared him； freezing his will and paralyzing his muscles。
Quick as a snake； Tzirik turned on Quenthel and hammered her to the ground even as she tried to stand on her injured leg。 Avoiding the hissing serpent heads； Tzirik kicked her whip back outside the curtain of blades； and turned to crush Ryld's skull while the weapons master was helpless before him。 The bronze mace drew back for the lethal blow…and Tzirik was sent reeling away from his intended victim； battered by a powerful blast of sound。
Halisstra； standing just on the other side of the blades； followed with a second bae'qeshel song and scoured the cleric again。 She would not fight for Lolth again； but she would fight for her panions； Ryld in particular。
〃Do not kill the priest；〃 she called to her panions。 〃We need him to bring us home！〃
〃What do you suggest； then？〃 Danifae snapped from beside her。 〃He seems intent on destroying us！〃
〃Indeed；〃 said Tzirik。
The Jaelre priest recovered from Halisstra's spells and lashed out with one of his own； calling down from the black skies above a column of crawling purple fire that blasted Halisstra and Danifae。 The cleric wheeled to confront Quenthel； who was just gathering herself to leap at his back。 He hefted his mace。
〃I take great pleasure in slaying clerics of the Spider Queen；〃 Tzirik said。 〃When you awake in Minauthkeep； I'll slay you again there。〃
He advanced on her； his cruel eyes alight as Quenthel hobbled awkwardly； seeking to dodge the inevitable blow。
Tzirik's breastplate simply vanished。 The cleric halted in consternation； and glanced down。 All other pieces of his full plate armor remained in place； but then…slowly…his arming coat vanished as well； revealing the smooth black flesh of his torso and chest。
〃What in the Masked Lord's name？〃 he muttered； and glanced up just in time to turn away from Danifae； who shot a bolt at his heart that instead caught the cleric's shield。 His mystification turned abruptly and instantly to pure terror。 〃No！〃 he screamed。 〃N…〃
Some unseen force ripped open Tzirik's bare chest and began to pluck the gory ribs one by one out of his jerking torso。 Blood and bits of bone splattered all around； yet the cleric impossibly kept to his feet as he was flensed alive before the astonished Menzoberranyr。
Halisstra； who had seen many terrible things at Lolth