nd a pinch of rust； and recited an incantation。 His half…barbered hair stood on end； and the air around him smelled of ozone。 A crackling blue…white spark appeared in the air before him； then shot down the aisle。
When it reached the patrol； the flickering point of radiance exploded； shooting flares of lightning in all directions。 Many of the callow young solnotdiers danced； burned； and fell； as they possessed neither the spiritual strength nor the protective talismans that might have minimized their innotjuries and kept them on their feet。 Unfortunately； the sizzling； jumping arcs of power struck a handful of vendors and shoppers as well。 Pharaun hadn't particularly wanted to harm nonbatants； but the aisle was simply too cramped。
The rest of the patrol began to pivot。 The captain from Melee…Magthere was smoking； blackened； and blistered； but if he was anything like Ryld； his burns weren't likely to slow him down。 Gelroos and the priestess looked as if the lightning hadn't even touched them。 The female was spinnotning around a hair faster than the other two； raising her baton。 Thanks to his silver ring； Pharaun could tell it was a spider wand； a weapon capable of entangling him in sticky webbing。
He had no intention of enduring that kind of humiliation。 He rattled off a string of magic words and thrust his arm out。 Five slivers of arcane force leaped from his fingertips； hurtled across the intervening space； and slammed into the cleric's torso。 She stumbled backward and collapsed。
A wiry male with deep…set eyes； and a trace of a scholar's stoop； Gelroos peered up the street and called； 〃Master Mizzrym！〃
〃So much for my ability to manufacture a nonmagical disguise；〃 Phanotraun answered； grinning； 〃but then we do know one another fairly well。〃
〃You're allowed to try to kill another Master of Sorcere；〃 said Gelroos。 〃That's entirely proper。 But you overstepped when you struck down these youths。 It was pointless and sloppy； and their mothers won't appreciate the waste。 They'll reward me for taking you down。〃
〃Does it help if I explain that all I do； I do to deliver Menzoberranzan from twin calamities？〃 Pharaun asked。
Gelroos raised his hands； preparing to conjure； and the remaining warnotriors charged。
〃Ah。 I thought not。〃
He too began to cast。
Gelroos pleted his spell a moment before Pharaun finished his。 Crashing and crunching； the surface of the lane spat stone in the air。 It was like a geyser； save for the fact that the chunks of rock didn't fall back to earth。 Instead； they shifted around one another and fitted together； formnoting a towering； massive； and vaguely drowlike form； like a heroic statue abandoned when the sculptor had barely begun。 Its footsteps shaking the ground； the creature lurched up the corridor between the stalls。
Pharaun was mildly impressed。 It wasn't easy to summon and control an essential spirit of the earth…nor easy to fend one off； either…but the manifestation didn't shake his concentration。 He continued his recitation without a flub； meanwhile floating up into the air to avoid； if only monotmentarily； the swords of the onrushing warriors。
He spoke the final syllable of the conjuration。 A dagger made of ice flew from his hand。 Gelroos dodged it； but the conjured blade exploded； pepnotpering its target with frozen shards。 One slashed open the mage's cheek and he stumbled； but Pharaun could tell he wasn't seriously hurt。
Below the Mizzrym； some of the warriors were readying their crossnotbows。 Others began to levitate。 By rushing him； they'd drawn even with the game merchant's tent； and Ryld burst from underneath it。 Half an hour earlier； he'd purchased a scimitar to use in this particular battle； but it was Splitter； rendered visible by his touch； that he currently clasped in his hands。 He must have decided that； since Gelroos had already called out Pharaun's name； it would be pointless to try to conceal his own identity。
The greatsword leaped back and forth； each stroke dropping a foe to the ground。 Bellowing for his minions to turn and face the new threat； Ryld's fellow instructor tried to shove his way toward him。
Stone； liquid as magma； flowed upward from the ground into the elemental's body。 Most of the rock served to grow the creature bigger and taller； but some of it accumulated in the palm of its hand； forming a spiky sphere that it no doubt intended to hurl at Pharaun。
The wizard snatched a tiny vial of water from one of his pockets。 Brannotdishing it； he chanted。 He felt the walls of the cosmos attenuating； and for a moment； sensed an infinite number of Pharaun s conjuring in adjacent realities； receding away from him like reflections in a mirror； growing subtly less and less like himself with each step。
A pulse of scarlet light struck him in the chest。 Gelroos must have connotjured it。 The blaze of pain was extraordinary。 Pharaun strained to plete the last word of power and final mystic pass without a fumble。
He wasn't sure he'd succeeded until a vacancy； a gap not in matter but in the medium that underlies it； opened under the elemental's feet。 The creature cocked back its arm to throw； and the animating force fell out of the body it had created for itself and down the hole。 The wound in the fabric of the world contracted and sealed itself。 Rumbling and thudding； the huge stone form fell apart。
Pharaun took stock of himself。 It didn't look as if the red light had done more than scrape and prick his skin。 He grinned down at Gelroos。
〃Not quite； colleague。〃
〃This time；〃 the younger wizard said through gritted teeth。
He started casting； and Pharaun did the same。
Force crackled around the outcast Mizzrym but failed to b