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 cinders； and burning great black wounds in others。
In the searing light of the lightning ball； Halisstra saw something taller and lankier than the minotaurs； behind the front ranks； a demonic presence…no； several demons…driving the angry monsters on。 Huge black wings shrouded the things in shadow； and their dark horns glowed red with heat。
Roars and bellows filled the passage with rage； while the ring of steel on steel came so fast and hard that Halisstra could barely hear herself shout； 〃There are demons back there！〃
〃I see them；〃 Quenthel replied。 She fell back a couple of steps and seized Pharaun by the arm。 〃Can you dismiss them？〃
〃I have no such spell ready；〃 the wizard replied。 〃Besides； getting rid of the demons isn't going to get us out of this little imbroglio。 I think we…〃
〃I don't care what you think！〃 Quenthel screamed。 〃If you can't banish the demons； then bar the passage！〃
Pharaun grimaced； but he plied by beginning another spell。 Halisstra reloaded and searched for another clear shot。 Ryld crouched low and hamstrung a minotaur attacking him with an axe big enough to split an anvil； and gutted the creature with an upward draw cut across its belly。 Valas was upended by a flailing chain that yanked his feet out from under him。 The scout rolled away； narrowly escaping having his skull pulped。
One or more of the demons behind the battling minotaurs hurled a barrage of green； fiery bolts at the dark elves。 One dissipated against Quenthel's inborn resistance to magic； while two others burned Pharaun and Danifae with vitriolic fire。 Somehow the wizard managed to plete his spell。
What Halisstra assumed was some sort of invisible barrier forced most of the minotaurs and their demonic masters back； while a pair of the frontline fighters found themselves suddenly cut off from their allies。 While the main host of the bull creatures hurled themselves against Pharaun's invisible wall and tried vainly to batter their way through with their crude； clumsy weapons； the dark elves quickly cut down the minotaurs unfortunate enough to have been caught on the drow's side。
In a few moments the screams and impacts of the fight had died away to the dull； attenuated bellowing of the minotaurs on the other side of the wall； milling about and shaking their weapons in anger at the drow。 The minotaurs turned away all at once and darted back the way they'd e； running hard。 A dozen or more hulking carcasses remained scattered on the floor。
Ryld backed away carefully； helping Valas to his feet。 Jeggred stood panting； bleeding from a dozen small wounds。
〃How long will that wall hold？〃 Quenthel asked。
〃No more than a quarter of an hour；〃 Pharaun answered。 〃The demons can probably get through it if they wish； but I suspect that they're leading those minotaurs around through other tunnels to e at us from the other side。 May I suggest we remove ourselves from the vicinity before we find out how they mean to circumvent my barrier？〃
Quenthel scowled； grabbed her pack； and said； 〃Fine。 Let's go。〃
If it had been in his nature to show alarm by pacing back and forth across his sanctum； Gromph Baenre would have spent most of the previous hour doing so。 Instead； he peered into the great crystal ball that rested in the center of his scrying sanctum； confirming Pharaun's report。 How exactly had the Master of Sorcere worded it？
Felicitations； mighty Gromph。 It may interest you to learn that the army of Gracklstugh now marches on Menzoberranzan。 We continue on our course。 Good luck！
〃Arrogant popinjay；〃 Gromph muttered to himself。 The boy had no respect for his elders。
Before dashing off to the matron mothers in a panic； Gromph had of course decided to investigate Pharaun's report with his own careful scrying and study。 The milky orb revealed a fine scene for the archmage's eyes； a long column of marching duergar warriors winding through the Underdark。 Hug