with embers left from the fireball Pharaun had hurled at it； nosed through the deadly mists。 The dark elves drew their piwafwis close around them and held still； watching as the duergar stirred and broke from whatever shelters they'd managed to find from the acidic fog。
One of the gray dwarves pointed and shouted； and the others joined the clamor。 Turning sharply in the water； they slewed around the ship's bow and set off after Coalhewer's vanishing boat。
Good； signed Pharaun。 I was afraid they were using magic to follow us。 It seems that Master Coalhewer will render us one last service after all。
What do you think will happen when they catch him？ Ryld asked。
The duergar boats pulled out of earshot。
〃I suppose it depends on whether or not he can swim；〃 Halisstra said。
A long day's march later； pausing only long enough to allow Pharaun to finally craft a sending to pass news of Gracklstugh's army to Gromph； the pany came to the Labyrinth。 They emerged from winding； unexplored passageways into a series of miles…long natural tunnels interspersed with long； hewn ways and small； square chambers。 Coalhewer； his boat； and the pursuit from Gracklstugh they'd left twenty miles or more behind them。
The tunnels were black basalt； cold and sharp； the frozen remnants of great fires from the beginning of the world。 From time to time the party encountered great vertical rifts hundreds of feet high； where tunnels ended in blank walls with rough； perilous steps cut up or down to a different level where the path continued。 Whole sheets of the world's crust had sunk or fractured in places； shearing off the old lava tunnels and leaving behind vast； lightless chasms deep in the earth。 A few of these places were spanned by slender bridges of stone； or circled by crude paths hacked from the hard rock of the walls。 Everywhere they turned； more square passages and twisting； smooth…floored tunnels branched from their line of march； so that in the space of an hour Halisstra was forced to concede that she'd bee hopelessly lost。
〃I see why they call this place the Labyrinth；〃 she said softly； as the pany threaded its way along a narrow ledge overlooking another of the chasms。 〃This place is truly a maze。〃
〃It's worse than you think；〃 Valas replied from the front of the party。 He paused to examine the path ahead； and another of the ubiquitous openings on one side。 〃It's close to two hundred miles from north to south； and almost half that from east to west。 Most of it is exactly like this； a confusion of lava tubes and hand…cut tunnels with thousands of branching turns and twists。〃
〃How can you hope to find House Jaelre in all this？〃 Ryld asked。 〃Do you know this place so well that you've mastered it？〃
〃Mastered it？ Hardly。 You could spend a lifetime here and never see the whole thing； but I do know something of its ways。 Several well…traveled caravan routes exist along some of the straighter paths； though we're not near any of those。 Few travelers approach the Labyrinth from the east； as we have。〃 The scout stepped a little ahead and brushed his hand against the wall； near the place where the other tunnel opened up。 Old； strange symbols glowed with a greenish light beneath his fingertips。 〃Fortunately； the builders carved runes to identify their secret ways。 It's a code of markings that holds true throughout the Labyrinth。 I solved the puzzle when I last journeyed here。 We're not in tunnels I traveled before； but I think I know how to reach them from here。〃
〃You are a lad of many talents；〃 Pharaun observed。
〃Who carved these tunnels？〃 Halisstra asked。 〃If this place is as big as you say； it must have been a powerful realm in its day； but I can tell at a glance those marks aren't ours。 Nor are they duergar； illithid； or aboleth。〃
〃Minotaurs；〃 Valas replied。 〃I don't know how long ago their realm rose or fell； but there was a great kingdom of them here at some point in the past。〃
〃Minotaurs？〃 Quenthel sneered。 〃They're bestial savages。 They could hardly have the wits or the patience to undertake work of this scope； let alone build a great realm。〃
Valas shrugged and said； 〃That may be true now； but a thousand years ago； who knows？ I've found plenty of their artifacts and remains scattered through this region。 The horned skulls are quite distinctive。 My friends among House Jaelre told me that many minotaurs still roam the wild places and disused passages of the Labyrinth； including demonic beasts armed with powerful sorcery。 Their patrols skirmished with the monsters regularly。〃
〃One wonders whether we might at some point in our journey happen to pass through a realm filled with cheerful； civilized folk genuinely concerned for our well…being and eager to help us on our way；〃 Pharaun muttered。 〃I am beginning to think our fair city lies at the bottom of a barrel of venomous snakes。〃
〃If so； we're quicker； stronger； and more venomous than any other snake in the barrel；〃 Quenthel said with a smile。 〃e； let's continue。 If there are any minotaurs about； they would be well…advised not to show themselves where the children of Menzoberranzan choose to walk。〃
The pany continued on for several hours more through endless gloomy halls and contorted passages before calling a halt to rest and replenish their strength。 The stretch of the Labyrinth they wandered seemed to be quite deserted。 They found few signs that anything； even the mindless predatory creatures of the Underdark； had passed that way in many years。 The air was preternaturally still and silent。 Whenever their whispered conversation died away for a moment； the quiet of the place seemed to rush in upon them； pressing close with a strangely hostile quality； as if the very stone resented their presence。
After Valas and Ryld had been set to watch； the rest wrapped themselves in their piwafwis and made themselves as fortable as possible on the cold stone floor of the cavern。 Halisstra let her eyes fall half…closed and drifted off into a deep Reverie； dreaming about endless tunnels and strange old secrets buried in mold。 In her dream she thought she could make out a faint； distant rustling or whisper in the quiet； as if she might hear something more if only she moved a little ways off from the others； out into the darkness alone。 Despite the fact that the air was pletely still and motionless； she discerned the distant deep sighing of wind far off in the tunnels； a low moaning sound that tickled at the edge of her awareness； like something important she had forgotten。 Lolth's whispers sometimes came to one in that fashion； a sibilant sigh of wordless intent filling a priestess with knowledge of the demon queen's desires。
Hope and fear stirred in Halisstra's heart and she came closer to wakefulness。
What is your wish； Goddess？ she cried out in her mind。 Tell me how House Melarn might win your favor again。 Tell me how Ched Nasad might be made whole。 I will do anything you mand of me！
Faithless daughter； the wind whispered back to her。 Foolish weakling。
Horror jolted Halisstra from her Reverie and she sat up straight； her heart pounding。
Only a dream； she told herself。 I dreamed of what I wished to happen； and what I feared might e； but nothing more。 The Spider Queen has not spoken。 She has not condemned me。
Nearby； the others lay on the cold stone floor or sat wrapped deep in their own meditations； taking their rest； while a little distance away Ryld stood guard； a broad…shouldered shape motionless in the dark。 The daughter of House Melarn lowered her eyes and listened to the curious sound of the wind； surrounded in the darkness her people had made theirs。
〃Lolth does not speak；〃 she whispered。 〃I heard only the wind； nothing else。〃
Why has the Goddess abandoned us？ Why did she allow Ched Nasad to fall？ How did we incur her wrath？ Halisstra wondered。 Her eyes stung with bitter tears。 Were we unworthy of her？
The wind rose again； this time closer； louder。 It was not a whistling； or even a rushing sound。 It reminded her of the call of a deep…voiced horn far off； perhaps many horns； and it was growing。 Halisstra frowned； puzzled。 Was this some strange phenomenon of the Labyrinth； a rush of air through pipelike tunnels in the dark？ Such things were not unknown in other places of the Underdark。 In some cases the winds could scour a tunnel bare of life； they were so sudden and powerful。 This one muttered and babbled and thrummed as she listened； many great horns roaring at once…
Halisstra leaped to her feet。 Ryld stood staring back the way they had e； Splitter gleaming in his hand。
〃Do you hear them？〃 she called to Ryld。 〃The minotaurs are ing！〃
〃I thought it was the wind；〃 the fighter growled。 〃Rouse the others。〃
He sprinted down the passageway toward the approaching host； shouting for Valas to join him from his post in the other direction。 Halisstra snatched up her pack and shouldered it quickly； rousing the rest of the pany with shouts of alarm and the occasional quick kick for those who were slow to shake off their deep trances。
She readied her crossbow； loading a quarrel as she peered down the tunnel behind them。
The floor quivered beneath her feet。 Great footfalls as hard as rock came in a stamping rush； and deep bellows and snorts echoed and echoed again in a roiling cacophony that filled the passage。 Hot animal stink assaulted her nostrils； and she saw them…an onrushing mob of dozens of the hulking brutes； huge bull…headed monsters with shaggy pelts and massive hooves； clutching mighty axes and flails in their thickly muscled fists。
Before that storm Ryld and Valas skipped and darted like sparrows blown before a gale； battling furiously for their lives against the bloodthirsty savages。 Halisstra took aim quickly and shot one monster in the chest with her powerful crossbow； but the creature was so blood…maddened it simply ignored the bolt buried in its thick torso。 She laid in another quarrel as the bow's magic cocked it again； only to have her shot spoiled by Jeggred's rush into the fray。
〃Jeggred； you idiot； there are too many to fight！〃 she cried。
The draegloth ignored her and threw himself against the horde。 For a moment the half…demon's size and fury held up the minotaurs' charge； but over Jeggred's white…furred shoulders and the flashing blades of Ryld and Valas； Halisstra could make out dozens more of the hirsute monsters； fanged mouths bellowing challenges； eyes glowing red with rage。 Several had fallen before Splitter； Valas's curved knives； and Jeggred's talons； but battle…frenzied minotaurs shrugged off all but the most grievous of injuries； clawing over each other to get at the drow invaders。
Halisstra shifted to one side and shot again； while Danifae joined her with her own crossbow。 Quenthel danced just behind Jeggred； flicking her deadly scourge at monsters threatening to swarm over the draegloth； and Pharaun shouted an arcane word that hurled a bright globe of crackling energy into the midst of the minotaur ranks。 The sphere detonated with a clap of thunder and blasted bright arcs of lightning across the tunnel； charring some minotaurs into cinde