l disappeared in a puff of dust and a brilliant light filled the chamber。 The dark elf in the doorway reeled and clutched blindly at the door frame。 She touched the slowly…dripping mass of glue and snatched her fingers away； leaving skin behind。
Quenthel started to read another scroll as the air around her stirred； blowing one direction then another。 Hot one second and cold the next； the gusts wafted countless smells； pleasant and foul alike。 She took it for a sign that the demon had drawn very close； and the vipers' warning connotfirmed it。
Still； she wanted to finish her lesser adversary off before the girl recovnotered her sight。 She pleted the spell； the exquisitely inked characters burning through the parchment like hot coals。
From the elbow down； the enemy female's left arm rippled and swelled； being an enormous black spider with green markings on its bristling back。 Still attached to the rest of her body； it lunged at her throat and plunged its mandibles in。
Quenthel spun around。 Mauve with golden spots； then white； then half red and half blue； the demon loomed over her。 Most of the time it looked flat； like a hole into some other luminous； turbulent universe； and an obnotserver had only its inconstant outline from which to infer its shape。 Over the course of a couple seconds； it seemed to bee an enormous crab claw； a wagon plete with driver； and a whirling dust devil。 The length of gallery behind it resembled a tunnel carved from melting rainbow…colored slush except for one little stretch。 That section appeared unchanged until Quenthel noticed that the carvings had flipped upside down。
The high priestess scrambled to her feet。 As she rooted in her bag for another scroll； her scourge dangled from her wrist。 The vipers writhed and twisted。
The chaos demon blinked from ochre to a pattern of black and white stripes； and from the form of a simple isosceles triangle to that of an ogre。 Its cry currently a mix of roaring and cawing； it swung its newly acquired club。
Quenthel caught the blow on her buckler。 To her surprise； she didn't feel the slightest shock； but the shield turned blue； changed from round to recnottangular； and became many times heavier than it had been before。
The unexpected weight dragged her down to the floor again。 Resemnotbling a cresting wave； the intruder flowed toward her。 She yanked； but her shield arm was caught somehow and wouldn't pull free of the straps。
Rippling from magenta to brown stippled with scarlet； the demon adnotvanced to within inches of her foot。 Quenthel's boot evaporated into wisps of vapor； and pain stabbed through the extremity。
Finally her hand jerked out of its restraints； and she flung herself backnotward； rolling； her mail whispering against the floor。
When she'd put sufficient distance between herself and her foe； she rose； then faltered。 For an instant； she couldn't locate the fiend； and her mind struggled to make sense of the scene before her。 Green and blue； shaped like an hourglass； the demon was gliding along the ceiling； not the floor。 It was still pursuing her。 The cursed thing was random in every respect save its doggedly murderous intent。
The entity's howl ceased for a moment； then resumed with a peal of childish laughter。 Quenthel snatched and unrolled a scroll； which abruptly turned into a rothe's jawbone。 The air took on a sooty tinge； and her next breath seared her lungs。
Choking； she stumbled back out of the cloud。 She could breathe； though the stinging heat in her throat and chest persisted。 She suspected that； had she inhaled any more of it； the taint might well have killed her。 As it was； it had incapacitated and possibly slain the vipers； who hung inert from the butt of the whip。
She tossed away the jawbone； grabbed another scroll； and started readnoting the powerful spell contained therein。 Shaped like some hybrid of dragon and wolf； the demon； back on the floor again； advanced without moving its legs。 Though colored the blue and gold of flame； it threw off a bitter chill that threatened to freeze the skin on her face and spoil her recitation with a stammer。
Quenthel thanked the goddess that her own education in Arach…Tinilith had taught her to transcend disfort。 She forced out the words in the proper manner； and a black blade； like a greatsword without a guard； hilt； or tang； shimmered into existence in front of her。
She smiled。 The floating weapon was a devastating magic known only to the priestesses of Lolth。 Quenthel had never seen any creature resist it。 Though the stone floor was still chilly against the sole of her bare foot； the ghastly cold had passed； and she stood her ground； the blade interposed between her and her pursuer。
〃Do you know what this is？〃 she asked it。 〃It can kill you。 It can kill anything。〃
Certain the demon could hear her thoughts； she sent it the words； Surnotrender and tell me who sent you； or I'll slice you to pieces。
Emitting a sweet scent she'd never encountered before； looking like a giant frog crudely chiseled from mica with rows of wicked fangs in its sparkling jaws； the chaos demon waddled forward。
Fine； the Baenre thought； be stupid。
Controlling the black blade with her thoughts； she bade it attack。 It hacked a long gash in the top of the frog head and knocked the demon down on its belly。 The edges of the wound burned with scarlet fire。
The intruder turned inky black while flowing into a shape that renotsembled two dozen hands growing on long； leafy stalks。 The stems stretchnoting and twisting； the creature grabbed for the sword。
Quenthel let the hands seize hold of it； and as she'd expected； the magnotically keen double edge cut them to pieces；