Томас Рейд - Insurrection

Pharaun scrambled backward again, happy enough to let the broad-shouldered weapons master bear the brunt of the combat. Pharaun raised his wand for a third lightning strike, hoping that would fell the beast, but before he could activate the wand the spider snapped down at Ryld a third time, and the warrior's luck ran out.

The spider's mandibles closed tightly around the Master of Melee-Magthere, who grunted in pain and nearly lost his grip on Splitter. The creature hoisted him into the air, squeezing its captured prey tightly, trying to crush the life out him. Ryld arched his back in agony and began desperately hacking at the mandibles with his sword.

Pharaun hesitated to expend his magical bolts with Ryld in the way, and Valas likewise seemed at a loss, sighting down a drawn-back arrow but faltering. There was no clear shot. Even so, Jeggred continued to hew into the spider's flesh. The draegloth's arms were completely coated with sticky black fluid.

Why won't the blasted thing die? Pharaun thought in dismay.

He was tempted to jolt the creature despite the presence of his companions then he remembered his other wand. Reacting quickly, the wizard managed to fish the second item from inside his piwafwi just as the spider stumbled into both him and Valas. The scout went sprawling, rolling into a tumble several yards away, while Pharaun managed to avoid the worst of the blow by leaping out of the way at the last moment, aided by his magical boots.

Landing to one side, the wizard flicked the wand at the spider and uttered the trigger word, sending a host of glowing projectiles streaming from its tip directly at the spider's eyes. The five missiles swerved unerringly around Ryld and struck the creature's eyes in rapid succession. The great spider flinched away, opening its mandibles to chatter in pain, dropping Ryld in the process.

The weapons master fell limply toward the ground but somehow still retained consciousness enough to halt his own descent, drifting the last couple of feet to the pavement. The spider, meanwhile, reared up, its face a bloody mess, Jeggred still slashing at the top of its head.

There's no way it can withstand much more, the wizard thought.

«Finish it,» Quenthel said, pointing past the spider. «Kill it and be done with it.»

Pharaun could see the second spider coming their way, so he quickly discharged a second round of screaming projectiles from the wand. When they struck home, the spider finally collapsed in the middle of the street, nearly landing atop the still-prone Ryld. The creature didn't move, though its legs and mandibles spasmed awkwardly.

«Withdraw!» Quenthel demanded. «The other one is coming.»

Pharaun ran to help Valas get Ryld to his feet, and the trio scurried as fast as they could back into the alley. Jeggred leaped down from his perch atop the dead arachnid and joined them. They all reached the protection of the side street simultaneously, and Pharaun turned back to see what had become of the pair from House Melarn. Farther up the street, the wizard could see the magical emanations of Halisstra and Danifae. They were walking toward him as quickly as the limping drow could move.

«They're almost here,» Pharaun said, gesturing back to where he knew only he could see the two. «Keep still,» the Master of Sorcere warned. «It might sense vibrations.»

The two groups waited, apprehensive. Halisstra and Danifae stopped moving, pressing against the wall of the closest building as the second spider came closer. Pharaun slipped back into the shadows.

As the beast passed, Pharaun prepared to cast the spell he'd considered earlier, one that would bring about a heavy mist, should they need it, but they did not. As the giant arachnid moved off, the vibrations grew calmer. Pharaun stole another glance and saw that the two females were drawing closer.

«You would openly defy me?» Quenthel snarled, slapping a still-woozy Ryld across the cheek.

Jeggred rose up to his full height and moved to stand beside the high priestess, backing her while she meted out her discipline.

Ryld staggered back from the blow, and a trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't flinch from the high priestess's gaze.

«They aren't so expendable as you might think,» he said weakly but with his chin in the air. «Give them a chance to prove themselves before you abandon them. It might be you she's rushing back to aid next time.»

Jeggred growled and took a step forward, but Quenthel held up her hand in a signal for him to be still. The draegloth glowered at Ryld but obeyed his mistress.

«Your days of questioning my authority are nigh ended,» Quenthel said, turning to face both Ryld and Pharaun together. «When we get out of this city, there will be some changes. I am tired of this.»

As if to mimic the Mistress of the Academy's foul mood, the snakes of her whip began to shimmy back and forth, hissing in vexation.

«All I say is that you are too quick to dismiss them,» Ryld insisted. «They are more valuable than you give them credit for.»

«He's right,» Pharaun said, «Halisstra has demonstrated some resourcefulness. Don't discount them simply because they are not from Menzoberranzan.»

Quenthel scowled at the two of them in turn then drew in Valas with her gaze for good measure. Halisstra and Danifae reached their position, still invisible.

«I am sorry,» Halisstra said upon arriving, «but I could not abandon her. She still has a certain value to me.»

Quenthel snorted but waved her hand in dismissal, as though minimizing the entire episode.

«You are aware of the conditions under which you will be permitted to stay with us. Keep up, or fall behind. We will not suffer you to slow us down.»

She just doesn't want to let on how much we defy her, Pharaun realized. She's pretending that remaining and waiting was her own act of generosity. The wizard smirked to himself.

Halisstra let Danifae down and produced a wand from her belongings. She waved it over the battle captive's leg and murmured a phrase that the wizard didn't quite catch, but then he saw that the puncture wound had healed. The dark elf moved to Ryld to administer a similar healing effort to him, but Quenthel intervened.

«Where did you get that?» the high priestess demanded.

Halisstra started, not expecting such a venomous reaction to her charity.

«It's mine,» she began to explain. «I brought it—»

«Not anymore, it isn't. Give it to me,» Quenthel insisted.

Halisstra stared at the high priestess but made no move to hand over her magical trinket.

«If you don't want Jeggred to shred you to several pieces right now, hand that wand to me.»

Slowly, her eyes burning with anger, Halisstra passed the wand to Quenthel.

The Mistress of Arach-Tinilith examined the wand carefully, nodding in satisfaction. She turned and used it on Ryld herself. As the divine power of the wand flowed into the warrior, his worst injuries closed, though several small scratches and bruises remained. When she was satisfied with the weapons masters condition, she tucked the wand away in her own belongings.

«Now,» Quenthel said, turning her attention back on Halisstra, «we will have no more of this wasteful use of curing magic taking place. I will be the one who decides when and if a member of this group receives divine aid, is that clear?» Halisstra nodded.

«Do you have any mote magic secreted away that I should know about? Believe me, I will know if you do.»

Drisinil's daughter sighed and nodded. She produced an additional wand and handed it over.

«You cannot use that, though,» Halisstra mumbled. «It's arcane in nature. I also. . dabble in that sort of magic.»

«I see. Well, if it becomes necessary, you might get it back when you've proven your worth. Until then, I keep them both.»