s ribs popping back into place。
The ring； he thought again。
He almost wanted to laugh。 It was his own fault after all； for insisting on wearing that cursed ring。 He'd wanted to save his own life when he'd put it on； and it hadn't occurred to him then that all it would end up doing was keeping him alive in whatever blazing hell Dyrr had banished him to。
Gromph blinked his eyes open and found that he could actually see。 The light was still unfortably bright； but something had moved between the brightest part of it and himself。 The archmage blinked again； rubbed his eyes； and struggled to sit up。 His face was still wet with tears； and he was breathing hard…panting like a slave at hard labor。
〃Are you keerjaan？〃 a voice asked。
Gromph held out a hand； fending off the voice； and blinked some more。
It was all at once that he realized the thing that had e between him and the source of the light was a creature of some kind； and it was speaking to him。
〃Am I 。 。 。 ？〃 the archmage started to answer。
He paused； rubbed his eyes； and found himself concentrating on a spell he'd long ago made permanent。 It was a spell that allowed him to understand and be understood by anyone。
〃Are you all right？〃 the strange creature asked； and Gromph understood。
He looked up and saw that he was surrounded by tiny； drowlike creatures…drowlike in that they were roughly the same shape； with two arms； two legs； and a head。 There the similarity ended。 The creatures that surrounded him had pale skin that was almost pink。 Their hair was curly and an unsightly shade of brown…orange。 Their skin was spattered with tiny brown spots。 Plastered on their faces were the most childlike expressions of delighted curiosity。 They hovered around him in a circle； several feet off the plant…covered ground； each of them borne aloft on a set of short feathered wings of the most garish colors。
Most of them were naked； though some wore robes of flowing white silk； and a couple wore breeches and fine silk blouses。 They were no more than three feet tall。
〃By all the howling expanse of the Abyss； Dyrr；〃 Gromph murmured； curling his legs under him and resting his face in his hands； 〃where have you dropped me？〃
Words began to pop into his mind like soap bubbles bursting：
Halflings。
Spells。
Crushing 。。。
Crushing despair。
〃Damn you；〃 Gromph breathed； his body relaxing； his eyes drying； his mood lifting as if by magic。
It wasn't magic that was lifting it； he realized。 It was magic that sank it in the first pace。
〃Well played； traitor；〃 Gromph said； looking up into the bright blue sky of the 。 。 。 where was he？ The World Above？
〃Who are you talking to？〃 one of the winged halflings asked； tipping its head to one side like a confused pack lizard。
〃Where am I？〃 Gromph asked the strange creature。
The archmage； not waiting for an answer； stood； brushing soot； dust； and pieces of the odd； needle…like plant life from his piwafwi。 He leaned on his staff； but thanks to the ring he was feeling stronger with each breath。
〃You don't know where you are？〃 one of the winged halflings…a female…asked。
〃Tell me where I am； or I'll kill you and ask someone else；〃 Gromph growled。
The halflings reacted； maybe with fear…Gromph couldn't be sure。 They bobbed up and down and quivered。
〃Are you a cambion？〃 one of them asked。
〃I am a drow；〃 Gromph replied； 〃and I asked you a question。〃
The winged halflings all looked at each other。 Some smiled； some nodded…some smiled and nodded。
〃How did you get here？〃 the female asked。
〃I asked you a question；〃 Gromph repeated。
The female smiled at him； and Gromph had to squint from the brightness of her perfect white teeth。
〃How could you e here from 。 。 。 where did you e from？〃 one of the males said。
〃I am from Menzoberranzan；〃 replied Gromph。
〃Where's that？〃 asked another of the males。
〃The Underdark；〃 Gromph said； his crushing despair gone； being replaced by burning impatience。 〃Faerun 。 。 。 Toril？〃
〃Faerun；〃 one of the males gasped。 The others looked at him and he said； 〃I was from there。 From Luiren。 Faerun is a continent； and Toril is a world。 On the Prime。〃
The other winged halflings nodded and shrugged。
〃So；〃 the one who'd asked the question before repeated； 〃how could you e here from Menzoberranzan； the Underdark； Faerun； Toril； and not know where you are？〃
〃You're not even on the Prime anymore； drow；〃 said the halfling who'd claimed to be from Faerun。 Gromph could see contempt starting to manifest in that halfling's beady brown eyes。 〃You've e to the Green Fields； and you don't belong here。〃
〃That's all right；〃 Gromph said。 〃I'm not staying。〃
Looking over the vast landscape of gently rolling hills covered in a blanket of the tiny green； needle…like plants and punctuated with a scattering of rainbow…colored blossoms like delicate； paper…thin mushrooms； Gromph almost sank into despair again。
Dyrr had sent him far…sent him to another plane of existence altogether。
〃The Green Fields；〃 Gromph repeated。 〃Halfling Heaven。 。 。 。〃
Nauzhror； he thought； sending the name out into the Weave。 Grendan？ Can you hear me？
Nothing。
Gromph sighed。 It was going to take him a while to get home。
Chapter Fifteen
〃Oh； now； why the long face？〃 Aliisza purred。
Her hand slipped along Pharaun's waist； tickling him； but he didn't move。 She smiled and wrapped her arm around him； sliding her hand onto his back and moving closer and closer until her body pressed against his。 She was warm…almost hot； and she smelled good。 She felt better。
〃Your journey is barely beginning；〃 the alu…fiend whispered into his ear。 Her breath was so hot it nearly burned the side of his neck。 〃I almost envy you the sights you'll see； the things you'll experience。 You will be in the presence of your goddess soon enough。〃
〃Will I like what I see？〃 he asked。 〃Will the experience be a fulfilling one？ Will my goddess speak to me？〃
Aliisza stiffened； but just for a second； then she wrapped one leg around him and nestled in。 The force of her embrace turned them slightly in the air。 Pharaun glanced down at the ship of chaos and his panions； a hundred feet or more beneath them； oblivious to their presence there。
〃Those are all things you'll have to discover on your own；〃 she said。
〃Then how can you be sure it'll be something to envy？〃 he asked； his voice playful but forced； his attention returning to her。
〃I envy you the surprises；〃 she replied with a wink。
〃Have you been there？〃
〃To the Abyss？〃 she asked。 〃Not for a long time。〃
〃The Demonweb Pits？〃
The alu…fiend withdrew enough to look him in the eye； smiled； and said； 〃No； I've never been to the Demonweb Pits。 Have you？〃
Pharaun shook his head。 He could answer her but not when she was looking at him。 He leaned into her； and she squeezed him tighter。
〃I was there twice； I think；〃 he said into the soft warmth of her long neck。
〃You think？〃
〃It was a long time ago；〃 Pharaun replied； 〃and it might have been a dream。 There was the last time； when we were all there in astral form； but I thought you might have been there once in the flesh。 You're a demon。 You can go there and 。 。 。〃
Pharaun stopped talking。 He wasn't sure what he was trying to say。
〃Have you been to Menzoberranzan？〃 he asked instead。
Aliisza stiffened again and for a little bit longer； and he knew that she had。
〃Will there be a city for us to return to？〃 he asked。
Aliisza shrugged。 Pharaun could feel the gesture against his body。
〃Answer me；〃 he pressed。
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃or no。 It all depends on what you find in the Abyss and how soon Kaanyr and his new friends can break your matron mothers' backs。〃
Pharaun found himself laughing。 He was exhausted again。 The Lake of Shadows had a way of sapping his strength。
〃Honestly； Pharaun；〃 she said； 〃you ask me questions as if I'm some sort of fortune teller or oracle 。。。 or goddess。 I don't know what'll happen to you and your friends。 No one； not even your Spider Queen I think； can predict what will happen from minute to minute in the mad chaos of the Abyss。〃
Pharaun looked her in the eye and decided not to say the first few things that came into his mind。
〃Have you thought about my ing with you？〃 Aliisza asked。
〃Why would you help me pilot the ship？〃 he asked her； gently pushing her away。 〃We enjoy each other； but I can't imagine you're asking me to simply trust you。 I'll need an answer。〃
Aliisza resisted playfully and flicked the tip of her tongue against his cheek。
〃You're pretty；〃 she teased。
〃Not as pretty as you；〃 said Pharaun。 〃Answer me。 Why would you help me find Lolth and help Vhok and the duergar lay siege to Menzoberranzan at the same time？ You're the enemy…the consort of the enemy； at least…of the city I call home。 One might be tempted to choose sides。〃
〃Whatever for？〃 she asked。 〃When I'm with you； I like you best。 When I'm with Kaanyr； he is everything to me。 Either way； I'm amused。〃
Pharaun found himself laughing again。
〃I'll assume that's the best answer I'll ever get from you；〃 he said； 〃or any other tanar'ri。〃
Aliisza winked at him again。
As Pharaun let his hands explore her exquisite body； he said； 〃We should begin our lessons。 Quenthel and the others are anxious to get underway。〃
Aliisza responded to his touch with a sigh； then replied； 〃As soon as you wish； love。 You know how to get there from here？〃
〃Through the Shadow Deep；〃 he said。
The alu…fiend nodded and said； 〃From there to the Plain of Infinite Portals…the gateway to the Abyss。 There you'll need to find precisely the right entrance。 The place you seek…the Demonweb Pits…is the sixty…sixth layer。 There are guardians there and lost souls and things maybe even you can't imagine。 You might actually like the Abyss； and you might not。 Either way； it will change you。〃
Pharaun sighed。 She was probably right。
He really didn't want to go。
Who is responsible？ Quenthel asked。
Oh； Mistress； Mistress； K'Sothra answered。 Of the five vipers in her scourge； K'Sothra was the least intelligent； but Quenthel listened anyway。 Mistress； it was you。 You are responsible。 It's all your fault。
Quenthel closed her eyes。 The skin on her face felt tight； stretched too thin on her skull。 Her head hurt。 She touched the viper just below its head； and K'Sothra writhed playfully under her touch。
Was it really my fault？ the high priestess asked。 Could it be？
She drew her finger away from K'Sothra； found the next viper； and cupped her head in two fingers。
I came back when she sent me back and I served her as best I could； Quenthel sent to all five snakes。 I became the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith； and the worship of Lolth was never stronger。 Isn't that what she sent me back to do？
There was no answer。
What will bee of us all？ she asked Zinda。
The black…and…red…speckled snake twi