〃Go ahead；〃 said the lichdrow with a leering； evil smile； 〃try to fight him with your stolen axe。 I'll enjoy watching Nimor shred you。〃
The half…dragon assassin smiled at that； and Gromph saw him ing in with one wild slash after another； a flurry of claws and kicks and head butts。 Gromph had no idea what to do。
In the instant that Nimor started to run toward him； Gromph realized that knowing what your opponent intended to do might not be enough。
Chapter Twenty…three
How could there be any sense to a world that existed； in a universe made of chaos？ In a place where the only rule was that there were no rules？
When they were there last； not very long ago； they walked enormous strands of spiderweb and saw nothing alive until they were beset upon by a horde of feral demons at the gates to a temple sealed by the face of Lolth herself。 There； a god tried to break through but couldn't。
Though they had been away from the Demonweb Pits for only a short time； much had changed。
The smooth expanse of the gigantic webs was pitted and worn。 Patches of what looked like rust went on for acres at a time。 In spots they had to climb or levitate up and down cliffs of crumbling webbing and traverse craters big enough to hold all of Menzoberranzan in their uneven bowls。
All around them was the stench of decay； so intense at times Pharaun Mizzrym thought he would suffocate。
The wizard had been walking for hours in uncharacteristic silence。 None of the drow or the draegloth mented aloud on the state of the Demonweb Pits。 It was too difficult to voice the palpable sense of despair the ruined place imbued in them all。 They stopped occasionally to rest； and minutes would go by where they didn't even look at each other。
Constantly on their guard for the plane's demonic inhabitants； at first they were all on a knife's edge； but as the hours dragged on and they saw nothing alive； let alone threatening； they soon began to relax。 That was when the despair deepened even further。
They walked on and on and finally came to Lolth's temple。 The once imposing； otherworldly structure stood in ruin； infected by the same decay as the universe…spanning web。 The obsidian stone had turned brown and was crumbled away in spots。 Huge columns of smoke rose from the interior。 Many of the great buttresses stood like shattered stumps； amputated by some inconceivable power。 The surrounding plazas were difficult to traverse； littered with boulders of carved stone and iron rusted and twisted out of shape。 Bones lay everywhere…the bones of millions stacked in great piles or scattered as if by the cruel winds alone。 The petrified spider…things they had marveled at before were gone； leaving holes in the floor of the plaza and along the buttresses as if they'd pulled up their feet from the stone and marched away。
The party traced the same path they had taken when in astral form and came once again to the entrance to the temple。 The great stone face was itself shattered； revealing glimpses of the visage of Lolth but only in tiny； enigmatic fragments。
The doors swung wide。
〃It was the gods；〃 Valas whispered； his voice echoing in a million tiny pings across the ruined plaza。
Vhaeraun； who had e to kill Lolth because of their own rash decision to lead one of his priests there； had been confronted by Selvetarm…Lolth's protector…at the temple gates。 Their duel was a sight that would be burned into Pharaun's memory if he lived to be ten thousand years old； and the contest had caused much damage； but。 。 。 。
〃Not this；〃 the Master of Sorcere said； his own voice echoing； though in not quite the same way。 〃This is different。 Older。〃
〃Older？〃 the draegloth asked； his eyes darting from rock to rock。
〃He's right；〃 said Danifae； who was crouching； holding the skull of something that might have been half drow； half bat。 〃These bones are dried and bleached； almost petrified。 The stone itself is crumbling to dust。 The webs are rotten and brittle。〃
〃This place was razed a century ago or more；〃 Pharaun said。
〃That's not possible；〃 Valas argued； staring up at the open doors。 〃We were just here…right here； and the doors were sealed； and 。 。 。〃
The others didn't expect him to finish。
〃Lolth has left this place；〃 Quenthel said； her voice so quiet it barely managed to elicit an echo at all。
〃She has left the Demonweb Pits？〃 Danifae asked。 〃How could that be？〃
〃She has left the Abyss；〃 the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith said。 〃Can't you feel it？〃
Danifae shook her head； but her eyes answered in the affirmative。 The two females shared a long； knowing look that raised the hair on the back of Pharaun's neck。 He sensed similar reactions from Jeggred and Valas。
〃That's it then；〃 said the Bregan D'aerthe scout。 〃We have e here to find the goddess but instead we have found nothing。 Our mission is at an end。〃
Quenthel turned to glare at the scout； who returned it with a steady； even gaze。 The vipers that made up the high priestess's scourge writhed and spat； but Valas paid them no mind。
〃She isn't here；〃 Quenthel said； 〃but that doesn't mean she isn't。 。 。 somewhere。〃
The scout took a deep breath and let it out slowly； looking all around at the ruined temple。
〃So where is she？〃 he asked。 〃How much farther do we go？ Do we search the limitless multiverse for her； plane by plane； universe by universe？ She's a creature of the Demonweb Pits； and here we stand on the sixty…sixth layer of the gods…cursed Abyss and she's gone。 If you don't know where she's gone to…and she could be anywhere…and she won't tell you where she is； maybe we all have to accept the fact that she doesn't want to be found。〃
It was the most Pharaun had ever heard Valas say all at once； and the words made his heart sink。
〃He's right；〃 said the Master of Sorcere。
To his surprise； Quenthel nodded。 Danifae's eyes widened； and Jeggred growled low in his throat。 The draegloth moved slowly； in that fluid； stalking way of his； and went to stand next to the former battle…captive。
〃This is sacrilege；〃 Danifae whispered。 〃Heresy of the worst sort。〃
Quenthel turned to look at the other priestess and silently raised an eyebrow。
〃You presume to allow some…〃 Danifae turned to briefly glare at Valas… 〃male to speak for Lolth？ Does he decide the goddess's intentions now？〃
〃Do you？〃 Pharaun couldn't help but ask。
Surprisingly； Danifae smiled when she said； 〃Perhaps I do。 Certainly I have more claim to that right than Master Hune。 Capable a scout as he is； this is the business of priestesses now。〃
Quenthel stood a little straighter； though her shoulders still hunched。 Pharaun marveled at how old she looked。 The high priestess had aged decades in the past tenday； and exhaustion was plain in her heavy…lidded eyes and blunt temper。
Pharaun couldn't look at her； so he looked down at the floor of the plaza。 He scuffed his boot through brown…powdered stone。
〃I was wrong；〃 the Master of Sorcere said。 He could feel the others looking at him； could sense their surprise； but he didn't look up。 〃This didn't happen a century ago。 This place was destroyed 。 。 。 no； a battle was fought here； and it was fought a millennium past at least。 At least。〃
〃How can you say that； wizard？〃 asked the draegloth。 〃You were just here。 Weren't you？ Isn't this the same place Tzirik brought you？
Pharaun。 nodded and said； 〃It is indeed； Jeggred； but the fact remains that what we see all around us is an ancient ruin； the corpse of a battlefield that's lain cold for a thousand years or more。〃
〃We were only just here；〃 said Valas。
〃We aren't in the Underdark anymore； Master Hune；〃 said Pharaun。 〃Time might move very differently here； in fits and starts like distance in the Shadow Deep。 This could all be more illusion than real； the whim of Lolth or some other godly power。 It could be that we simply see a ruin where there is nothing； see a ruin where there is in fact an intact temple； or everything we see is real and made a millennium old by a power so vast that it can manipulate time and matter and the