〃I have only done as you manded； Masked Lord；〃 Tzirik said； standing slowly。
〃Tzirik；〃 Quenthel managed in a strangled voice； 〃what have you done？〃
〃He has opened a gate for me；〃 the being who could only be a god said； with a cruel smile on his face。 〃Do you not recognize the son of your own goddess； priestess of Lolth？〃
〃Vhaeraun；〃 Quenthel breathed。
The god folded his arms and drifted past the pany of Menzoberranyr to confront the perfect stone visage； giving the mortals no further thought。 He made a small shooing gesture with his left hand； and Halisstra； still huddled before the face； was violently hurled aside。 She flew spinning through the air and landed badly at least thirty yards away； tumbling to a halt on the fluted ebon stone of the plaza。
〃Dear Mother；〃 Vhaeraun said； addressing the face； 〃you were foolish to leave yourself in such a state。〃
The god spontaneously began to grow； his radiance increasing as he soared to a height taller than a storm giant； scaling himself to the task at hand。 He held out his hand； and from out of nowhere a black； gleaming sword made of shadows appeared in his grip； sized to his towering form。
A spearcast distant； Halisstra groaned and raised her eyes from the cold stone under her aching body。 The Menzoberranyr stood paralyzed by indecision。 Tzirik； on the other hand； watched smugly as Vhaeraun levitated upward to confront Lolth's gaze directly； blade in hand。 With careful deliberation； the Masked Lord drew back his sword of shadows； his mask twisting into a rictus of hatred。
And Vhaeraun hewed at the Face of Lolth with all his godly might。
The sound of Vhaeraun's sword hammering at the great stone barrier shook the entire plane。 Each blow set the great black fane at the web's center shuddering with the force of an earthquake； and from the center the reverberations pulsed through the immense gray cables that soared up into the endless night。 Even though each stroke knocked her back down to the cold flagstones； Halisstra managed to stumble over to the pany of Menzoberranyr； who； like her； staggered from side to side； trying to keep their balance in the face of Vhaeraun's assault。
Tzirik stood aside； still rapt with the glory of his god's presence； somehow able to ignore the damage the Masked Lord was wreaking as the shock waves passed through him with no effect。 At each blow； a tiny network of glowing green cracks in the Face of Lolth seemed to spread just a little wider。 Despite the incalculable force of each stroke of the god's blade； the visage of the Spider Queen seemed almost； but not quite； invulnerable to his assault。
The goddess does not respond； Halisstra thought in bleak amazement。 She doesn't care。
She fell to her hands and knees amid the rest of the pany； who ignored her； stupefied as they were by Vhaeraun's wrathful assault。 Ryld knelt behind Splitter； averting his eyes and stoically enduring the punishing blows。 Valas danced about in agitation； waving his arms； jerking his legs up and down like a spider on a pin。 The scout didn't know whether to watch； run； or hide； and seemed to be trying to do all three at once。 Pharaun levitated a foot or two above the ground to avoid the trembling impacts； shielding himself with some kind of spell as his eyes flicked from his panions to the god to Tzirik and back to Vhaeraun。 Danifae； crouched nearby him； rolled with easy grace； keeping her feet beneath her as she watched each blow with a fierce； measuring gaze。 Quenthel stood as stiffly as a statue； hammered by each tremor； her arms wrapped around her torso as if to hold in her distress。 She watched the scene with a sick fascination； incapable of anything more。
Pharaun managed to break himself free of his indecision。 He drifted close to Quenthel and seized her by the arm。
〃What's happening here？〃 the wizard shouted in her ear。 〃What is he doing？〃
The Baenre ground her teeth in frustration。
〃I don't know；〃 she admitted。 〃This is all wrong。 It's not the same。 There are no souls here。〃
〃What souls？〃 the wizard asked。 〃Should we interfere？〃
Both Ryld and Valas glanced up at that； their faces stricken。
〃He's a god；〃 Ryld managed to call out above the deafening clamor。 〃What do you propose we do？〃
〃Fine； then。 Do we stay and watch； or do we leave？ This doesn't seem to be a safe place to be；〃 Pharaun replied。
Another shock wave lashed through the pany； causing the wizard's spell shield to flare brightly。
〃I'm not sure we can leave； even if we want to；〃 Ryld said。 He jerked his head at Tzirik； who watched the scene with an expression of dark joy behind his mask。 〃Don't we need him？〃
〃Should we leave； even to save ourselves？〃 Valas added。 〃We would seem to be culpable for…this。〃 The scout shielded his eyes from the sight of Vhaeraun's efforts。 〃What happens when he breaches the temple？ Mistress； what will happen？ Is Lolth in there？〃
Quenthel let out a shriek of despair。
Danifae fell at Quenthel's feet and asked； 〃Mistress； have you been here？ Have you been here before？〃
〃I don't know！〃 the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith shouted。
She jerked her arm away from Pharaun and stormed over to Tzirik； weaving as the ground trembled underfoot。 She spun him away from the facade of the temple； tearing him away from the dark adoration of his god； and gripped the breastplate of his armor with her hands。
〃Why is he doing this？〃 she demanded。 〃What have you done； heretic？〃
Tzirik blinked and shook his head； his eyes behind his mask still full of the glory of his epiphany。
〃You do not know what you are witnessing； priestess of Lolth？〃 Tzirik said。 He laughed deeply。 〃You have the rare good fortune to be present at the destruction of your goddess。〃 He disentangled Quenthel's hands from his armor and took a step back； his voice rising in exultant glee。 〃You wish to know what is going on here； Lolthite？ I will tell you。 The Masked Lord is going to unseat your Spider Queen and overthrow her black tyranny forever！ Our people will finally be freed of her venomous influence； and you and the rest of your parasitic kind will be swept away as well！〃
Quenthel snarled in feral rage； 〃You will not live to see it！〃
Her whip sprang into her hand； and she drew her arm back to flay the triumph from Tzirik's face。 Before she'd even started her lash； Vhaeraun…a bowshot distant； his back to the pany as he chiseled and bludgeoned at the growing crack in the stone visage…waved his left hand without turning around。 From beneath Quenthel's feet a column of seething black magma exploded； hurling her dozens of feet into the air with bone…breaking force。 Tzirik； standing almost within arm's length； was untouched； but the rest of the pany scattered to avoid the hot； stone…shattering impacts of great round blobs of the molten rock。
The god didn't even break his hammerlike rhythm of blow after blow。 He struck again and again； even as Quenthel plummeted back down to the flagstones of the plaza； screaming as gobs of the infernal rock clung to her flesh and burned。 Valas and Ryld ran to her aid。 Danifae cringed； but kept her eyes on the god engaged in his assault。
Pharaun studied the scene； and shook his head。
〃This is insane；〃 he muttered。
He made a curious gesture with his hand and disappeared； teleporting away to some presumably safer locale。 Halisstra saw him leave； and stood staring for one long moment before another impact of Vhaeraun's sword threw her to the ground。 She lay there； defeated； while Quenthel thrashed and shrieked in agony nearby。
〃Ah；〃 breathed Vhaeraun。 The god backed away from the face； which was split by a glowing green scar from the center of the forehead straight down the bridge of the nose and across the lips to the cleft of the chin。 〃Mother； have you nothing to say even now？ Will you die in silence？〃
The face remained impassive； the roiling light in the introspective eyes unchanged； but once again something seemed to tear the very fabric of the cosmos with a horrible ripping sound。 A black gash appeared in the air near the face； and from it stepped another divine form。
Where Vhaeraun was lean and impossibly graceful； the newer was a thing of nightmare。 Half spider and half drow； it clutched an armory of swords and maces in its six thickly muscled arms； and each of its chitinous legs ended in a vicious pincerlike claw。 Its face； perversely enough； was that of a handsome drow male。
〃Depart； Masked One；〃 the spider…god manded in a tortured； burbling voice。 〃It is forbidden for you to intrude here。〃
〃Do not presume to stand between me and my destiny； Selvetarm；〃 Vhaeraun snarled。
The monstrous spider…god Selvetarm waited no longer； but darted forward with blinding speed； weaving his sextuple blades in an irresistible assault that might have dismembered a dozen giants in the space of two heartbeats。
Vhaeraun whirled aside； dancing through the storm of steel as if he chased Selvetarm's weapons instead of the other way around； parrying blows he found too inconvenient to elude and riposting with supernal grace。 When the gods' weapons met； thunderclaps shook the ground。
Halisstra pushed herself upright； gaping in amazement。 She might have stood transfixed at the scene indefinitely； but Ryld appeared at her elbow。
〃We need your healing songs；〃 he hissed。 〃Quenthel is badly burned。〃
What does it matter？ Halisstra wondered。
Still； she climbed to her feet and made her way over to the fallen priestess。 Quenthel writhed on the ground； hissing between her teeth as she strove unsuccessfully to master her pain。 Ignoring the impossible duel that raged back and forth between the two deities； Halisstra focused on the Baenre's injuries and managed to begin the discordant threnody of a bae'qeshel song。 She laid her hands on Quenthel's burns and wove as best she could； finding a momentary calm in the exercise of her talents for a tangible and immediate end。 Quenthel's thrashings eased； and in a moment she opened her eyes。 Her spells cast； Halisstra merely slumped down again and stared at the battling gods。
〃What do we do？〃 she whispered。 〃What can we possibly do？〃
〃Endure；〃 Ryld replied。 He gripped her arm with one iron hand and met her eyes。 〃Wait and watch。 Something will happen。〃
He looked back toward Vhaeraun and Selvetarm； too。
Valas rose from Quenthel's side and made his way over to Tzirik； crouching to keep his balance。
〃Tzirik！ What happens to this place； to us； if Vhaeraun defeats Selvetarm and destroys the face？ Can you get us out of here？〃
〃What happens to us does not matter；〃 answered the priest。
〃Maybe not to you； but it matters greatly to me；〃 Valas muttered。 〃Did you bring us here only to die； Tzirik？〃
〃I did not bring you here； mercenary； you brought me；〃 the priest replied； giving Valas only a fraction of his attention。 〃None but the Spider Queen's priestesses could get this close to her temple； not even the Masked Lord。 As to what happens when Vhaeraun defeats Selvetarm； well； we shall see。〃
He turned his full attention back to the dueling gods。