m； he swung it awkwardly； but even so his charge looked formidable。
Nimor； seeing that he was cornered； did exactly what Gromph had expected him to。 He shadow walked。
But even as Nimor began to slip into the Plane of Shadow； a smirk on his lips； the contingency spell Gromph had woven into the prism was triggered。 It； in turn； triggered the prism's tertiary power； causing the prism to flare with a blinding flash of light。 For an instant； it was as if the sun of the World Above had been teleported into the cavern； bathing its walls in the most intense light Gromph had ever experienced。 Nimor screamed…a howl of anguish and a bellow of rage in one。 Then both the light and the sound of Nimor's voice winked out。
Gromph heard the swoosh of a blade through the air and the clang of metal against stone as Andzrel's battle…axe split the air where Nimor had been standing。 Unable to see； trying to blink away the aftereffects of the brilliant flash； Gromph patted the air around him with his hands。 His outstretched hands encountered only air。 Nimor seemed to have pleted his 〃escape〃 into the Shadow Plane。
〃Andzrel！〃 Gromph called。 〃Can you see？ Where's Nimor？〃
Someone moved closer to him。 A gnarled hand touched his arm。
〃I can't see very well。〃 Andzrel's voice came from right next to Gromph。 〃But my darkvision's starting to e back。 Nimor's gone。 What about you？〃
Gromph's eyes were streaming with tears。 He seemed to be having trouble seeing Andzrel…seeing anything。
〃I'm 。 。 。 still blind。 That flash of light seems to have had a greater effect on me than it did you…perhaps because the magic protecting Nimor recognized the spell inside the prism as mine and turned it back on me directly。 No matter。 It should be a simple matter to restore my sight；〃
Gromph touched a finger to each eye and cast a spell that should have dispelled his blindness…but though he felt the tingle of magic under his eyelids； his darkvision did not return。 He was as unable to see in the dark cavern as any creature from the Surface Realms。
And that worried him。 With Lolth's priestesses unable to contact their goddess； finding a restorative spell would be difficult。
〃So where is Nimor now？〃 Andzrel asked。
〃In the Plane of Shadow；〃 Gromph answered。 〃And you know what that means。〃
〃Actually； no； I don't；〃 Andzrel answered。 〃My apologies； Archmage。〃
Gromph chuckled and said； 〃It means he's stuck there。 In order to plete his shadow walk； Nimor needs either a patch of shadow…if you're in the World Above…or darkness to step into。 A deep patch of darkness。 That's something he isn't going to find any time soon； with a prism stuck to his hand that glows with the light of the sun。〃
〃Well that's one piece gone from the sava game；〃 Andzrel said in a satisfied voice。 〃What's next？〃
〃Back to Menzoberranzan；〃 Gromph said。 〃You lead； and I'll follow。〃
Gromph stood at the base of Narbondel； one hand on the natural pillar's cold stone。 It loomed large in Kyorli's eyes。 The rat peered up at the darkened pillar from her perch on Gromph's shoulder； whiskers tickling his ear。 Behind him； Gromph could hear Nauzhror muttering to himself。 The younger wizard had relinquished the archmage's robes to Gromph with great reluctance and had insisted on being present at the lighting ritual。 Like a spider； he sensed that Gromph had a weakness…even though he hadn't discovered what it was yet。
Turning to face the pillar； Gromph lifted both hands above his head。 As he chanted the words to his spell he felt a familiar； tingling rush of power flow into his hands。 When the magic reached its zenith； he slapped both of them against Narbondel； directing the magic into it。 The cold stone warmed under his palms and a faint crackling filled the air。 Like flames climbing a burning curtain； the magical heat and light slowly began to rise through Narbondel。 Gromph couldn't see it with his own eyes； but through Kyorli's he saw a muted version of it； a circle of light emitting sparks of every color from deepest red to brightest purple； rising slowly against black stone。 A beautiful sight…and one that would inspire hope in those who yet held the enemy at bay in the Dark Dominion； when they returned from the tunnels。
By memory； Gromph turned in the direction of House Agrach Dyrr。
〃Can you see that； lichdrow？〃 he whispered。 〃I've escaped your imprisonment。 Soon； I'll be ing for you。〃
Later； Gromph sat in his private office in Sorcere； drumming his fingers on the desk in front of him。 Kyorli sat on his shoulder； Gromph still needed the rat's eyes in order to see。 He had consumed a potion that should have restored his eyesight fully； but all he could see was a series of shadows and blurs。 Had it been a bination of his own permanency spell and the magic that protected Nimor that had wreaked such destruction？ With time and research； he would know the answers…but with two armies still hovering on the outskirts of Menzoberranzan； time was a luxury he didn't have。
A tickling at the back of his neck alerted him to the fact that someone was watching him…something that should have been impossible within the magically warded walls of his office。 It seemed to be ing from the axe he'd hung on the wall…the one his forgotten illithid visitor had left。 For a moment； Gromph wondered it the observer was one of the souls trapped within it； but when he bade Kyorli to turn and take a look； he saw no movement； no face in the axe blade。
As the archmage turned away from the axe； a familiar voice whispered at him from out of the thin air…the voice of the one drow Gromph had ensured would be able to penetrate the wards of his office…
Going to Lake of Shadows； Pharaun's voice whispered in his mind。 Aboleth said ship of chaos is sunk there with uridezu。 Will sail ship to Abyss and appeal to Lolth directly。
At twenty…five words； the message was precisely at the limit of the sending spell Pharaun had used to contact Gromph。 The archmage sat in silence； contemplating his reply。 It needed to be equally brief。 。 。 and informative。
〃Your mission is more urgent now。 We need Lolth。 Duergar and tanarukks besiege Menzoberranzan。 Lichdrow Dyrr is a traitor。〃 Gromph paused； then added in a wry voice； 〃An uridezu？ I wish you luck。〃
The sense of being watched vanished； leaving Gromph sitting alone in his office。 Slowly； he shook his head； wondering if that would be the last time he'd ever hear from Pharaun。
Chapter Twenty…seven
Uluyara listened in silence as Halisstra described what she had seen in Reverie。 When she finished； Uluyara whispered a brief prayer； then raised a hand reverently to the night sky。 Lowering it； she stared hard at Halisstra； her red eyes reflecting the moonlight。
〃Lost； all these years；〃 she said。 〃Our best scryers； joined in spell…song； could not find the Crescent Blade…and now a novice thinks she can succeed where they failed。〃
Halisstra； hearing a tone she didn't like in Uluyara's voice； bristled。
〃I'm only repeating what Seyll said；〃 she countered。 〃This was no hallucination。 I'm sure it was her spirit who spoke to me。 I think she was trying to tell me that I'm going to have to face down Quenthel Baenre in bat and that I'll need this Crescent Blade…whatever it is…to defeat her when I do。〃
Uluyara stared into Halisstra's eyes； as if weighing her words。
〃If this is an excuse to delay rejoining your former panions；〃 Uluyara said； 〃you might have picked something a little less dramatic than a search for the Crescent Blade。 I'd rather you were honest with me and simply tell me you're not ready yet。 If you've changed your mind； or are afraid…〃
〃Afraid？ How dare you！ I am the First Daughter of a noble House！〃 Halisstra spat。
Then she remembered who she was talking to…and remembered that her House was no more…and she threw herself onto the ground at Uluyara's feet。
〃My apologies； Dark Lady；〃 she whispered； tensing in expectation of the lash that would have immediately scoured her shoulders； had it been one of Lolth's high priestesses to whom she had spoken so boldly。 〃I was of a noble House and am not used to having my courage questioned。 I was taught； long ago； to cocoon my fear up tight and never let it unravel。 I assure you that I'm not afraid…and I'm not making this up。 I don't even know what the Crescent Blade is。 Please； enlighten me。〃
Uluyara sighed and said； 〃Rise； priestess。〃 When Halisstra had； she continued； 〃This past day has been a difficult one for both of us。 I was the one who first brought Breena up into the light。 She was like a daughter to me。 Her death 。 。 。〃
She paused to stare out into the darkened woods。 From the direction her eyes yearned toward came the sound of women singing； the voices of the three priestesses who were laying out Breena's corpse on a bier high above the forest floor where it would be washed by the tears of the moon。 The death song seemed to float on the breeze； acpanied by the clean scent of freshly fallen snow。
At last Uluyara tore her eyes away and began her story。
〃The Crescent Blade was forged centuries ago； after Eilistraee plucked a pebble from the heavens and tossed it down to the earth below。 By the time it struck the ground； it had grown to the size of a boulder and was glowing as brightly as a forge。 It was so hot that no one could approach it without a protective spell。 The boulder was weeping metal…moon metal； for that was where it came from。 If you look up at the moon； you can see a hole。 That is the spot from which Eilistraee plucked the stone。〃
Halisstra peered at the moon； which had just risen above the trees。 Its face was pocked with dozens of dark； circular holes。 She glanced from one to the next； wondering which was the one。
〃There；〃 Uluyara said； pointing。 〃The smaller hole within that larger； darker one。 See how what remains of the larger hole forms the shape of a crescent？〃
Halisstra closed one eye and sighted along Uluyara's arm； then nodded as she spotted it。
〃The moon metal shed by the boulder was collected and forged into a sword with a crescent…shaped blade；〃 Uluyara continued。 〃With each heating； with each hammer stroke against the anvil； with each quenching； enchantments were laid upon the blade。 It was made holy； giving it a keener edge against evil。 It was made quick as thought； allowing it to strike twice for each stroke of an enemy blade。 It was enchanted with moonlight； just as my own sword is； allowing it to pass through armor…or even stone…as easily as through flesh。 By the blessing of Eilistraee it can also fend off evil magic； casting a protective circle around the one who holds it。
〃The final enchantment laid upon the Crescent Blade；〃 Uluyara continued； 〃is perhaps the most powerful of all。 If the arm of the priestess wielding it is strong and her aim is true； the blade will sever the neck of any creature。〃
Uluyara paused； and her eyes bored deep into Halisstra's。
〃Any creature；〃 she repeated。 〃Be it a drow； a demon 。。。 or even a goddess。〃
All at once； Halisstra understood。
〃So that's what Seyll was trying to tell me；〃 she whispered。