精灵血脉四部曲-第138部分

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；　every　one。　Normally　it　was　this　very　force；　the　powerful　Academy；　that　exacted　punishment　on　an　individual　house　for　crimes　against　Menzoberranzan；　but　this　time　Triel　had　informed　her　charges　that　they　would　e　only　to　watch；　to　see　the　glory　of　Lloth　revealed。

　　　By　the　time　the　two　groups　joined　the　gathering　already　in　place　at　the　Clawrift；　their　numbers　had　swelled　five　times　over。　Nobles　and　soldiers　from　every　house　in　the　city　turned　out　to　watch　the　spectacle　as　soon　as　they　came　to　understand　that　House　Baenre　and　House　Oblodra　would　finish　this　struggle　once　and　for　all。

　　　When　they　arrived　before　the　front　gates　of　House　Oblodra；　the　Baenre　soldiers　formed　a　defensive　semicircle　behind　Matron　Baenre；　shielding　her；　not　from　K'yorl　and　the　Odran　family；　but　from　the　rest　of　the　gathering。　There　was　much　whispering；　drow　hands　flashed　frantically　in　heated　conversations；　and　the　fiends；　understanding　that　some　calamity　was　about　to　e；　whipped　into　a　frenzy；　swooping　across　the　Oblodran　pound；　even　exercising　their　returned　magic　with　an　occasional　bolt　of　blue…white　lightning　or　a　fireball。

　　　Matron　Baenre　let　the　display　continue　for　several　minutes；　realizing　the　terror　it　caused　within　the　doomed　pound。　She　wanted　to　savor　this　moment　above　all　others；　wanted　to　bask　in　the　smell　of　terror　emanating　from　the　pound　of　that　most　hated　family。

　　　Then　it　was　time　to　begin梠r　to　finish；　actually。　Baenre　knew　what　she　must　do。　She　had　seen　it　in　a　vision　during　the　ceremony　preceding　the　war；　and　despite　the　doubts　of　Mez'Barris　when　she　had　shared　it　with　her；　Baenre　held　faith　in　the　Spider　Queen；　held　faith　that　it　was　Lloth's　will　that　House　Oblodra　be　devoured。

　　　She　reached　under　her　robes　and　produced　a　piece　of　sulphur；　the　same　yellow　lump　the　avatar　had　given　her　to　allow　the　priestesses　to　open　the　gate　to　the　Abyss　in　the　small　room　at　the　back　of　the　Qu'ellarz'orl。　Baenre　thrust　her　hand　skyward；　and　up　into　the　air　she　floated。　There　came　a　great　crackling　explosion；　a　rumble　of　thunder。

　　　All　was　suddenly　silent；　all　eyes　turned　to　the　specter　of　Matron　Baenre；　hovering　twenty　feet　off　the　cavern　floor。

　　　Berg'inyon；　responsible　for　his　mother's　security；　looked　to　Sos'Umptu；　his　expression　sour。　He　thought　his　mother　was　terribly　vulnerable　up　there。

　　　Sos'Umptu　laughed　at　him。　He　was　not　a　priestess；　he　could　not　understand　that　Matron　Baenre　was　more　protected　at　that　moment　than　at　any　other　time　in　her　long　life。

　　　〃K'yorl　Odran！〃　Baenre　called；　and　her　voice　seemed　magnified；　like　the　voice　of　a　giant。



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　　　Locked　in　a　room　in　the　highest　level　of　the　tallest　stalagmite　mound　within　the　Oblodran　pound；　K'yorl　Odran　heard　Baenre's　call；　heard　it　clearly。　Her　hands　gripped　tight　on　her　throne's　carved　marble　arms。　She　squeezed　her　eyes　shut；　as　she　ordered　herself　to　concentrate。

　　　Now；　above　any　other　time；　K'yorl　needed　her　powers；　and　now；　for　the　first　time；　she　could　not　access　them！　Something　was　terribly　wrong；　she　knew；　and　though　she　believed　that　Lloth　must　somehow　be　behind　this；　she　sensed；　as　many　of　the　Spider　Queen's　priestesses　had　sensed　when　the　Time　of　Troubles　had　begun；　that　this　trouble　was　beyond　even　Lloth。

　　　The　problems　had　begun　soon　after　K'yorl　had　been　chased　back　to　her　house　by　the　loosed　tanar'ri。　She　and　her　daughters　had　gathered　to　formulate　an　attack　plan　to　drive　off　the　fiends。　As　always　with　the　efficient　Oblodran　meetings；　the　group　shared　its　thoughts　telepathically；　the　equivalent　of　holding　several　understandable　conversations　at　once。

　　　The　defense　plan　was　ing　together　well桲'yorl　grew　confident　that　the　tanar'ri　would　be　sent　back　to　their　own　plane　of　existence；　and　when　that　was　acplished；　she　and　her　family　could　go　and　properly　punish　Matron　Baenre　and　the　others。　Then　something　terrible　had　happened。　One　of　the　tanar'ri　had　thrown　forth　a　blast　of　lightning；　a　searing；　blinding　bolt　that　sent　a　crack　running　along　the　outer　wall　of　the　Oblodran　pound。　That　in　itself　was　not　so　bad；　the　pound；　like　all　the　houses　of　Menzoberranzan；　could　take　a　tremendous　amount　of　punishment；　but　what　the　blast；　what　the　return　of　magical　powers；　signified；　was　disastrous　to　the　Oblodrans。

　　　At　that　same　moment；　the　telepathic　conversation　had　abruptly　ended；　and　try　as　they　may；　the　nobles　of　the　doomed　house　could　not　begin　it　anew。

　　　K'yorl　was　as　intelligent　as　any　drow　in　Menzoberranzan。　Her　powers　of　concentration　were　unparalleled。　She　felt　the　psionic　strength　within　her　mind；　the　powers　that　allowed　her　to　walk　through　walls　or　yank　the　beating　heart　from　an　enemy's　chest。　They　were　there；　deep　in　her　mind；　but　she　could　not　bring　them　forth。　She　continued　to　blame　herself；　her　lack　of　concentration　in　the　face　of　disaster。　She　even　punched　herself　on　the　side　of　the　head；　as　if　that　physical　jarring　would　knock　out　some　magical　manifestation。

　　　Her　efforts　were　futile。　As　the　Time　of　Troubles　had　e　to　its　end；　as　the　tapestry　of　magic　in　the　Realms　had　rewoven；　many　rippling　side…effects　had　occurred。　Throughout　the　Realms；　dead　magic　zones　had　appeared；　areas　where　no　spells　would　function；　or；　even　worse；　where　no　spells　would　function　as　intended。　Another　of　those　side…effects　involved　psionic　powers；　the　magiclike　powers　of　the　mind。　The　strength　was　still　there；　as　K'yorl　sensed；　but　bringing　forth　that　strength　required　a　different　mental　route　than　before。

　　　The　illithids；　as　Methil　had　informed　Matron　Baenre；　had　already　discerned　that　route；　and　their　powers　were　functioning　nearly　as　pletely　as　before。　But　they　were　an　entire　race　of　psionicists；　and　a　race　possessed　of　munal　intelligence。　The　illithids　had　already　made　the　necessary　adjustments　to　accessing　their　psionic　powers；　but　K'yorl　Odran　and　her　once　powerful　family　had　not。

　　　So　the　matron　of　the　third　house　sat　in　the　darkness；　eyes　squeezed　tightly　shut；　concentrating。　She　heard　Baenre's　call；　knew　that　if　she　did　not　go　to　Baenre；　Baenre　would　soon　e　to　her。

　　　Given　time；　K'yorl　would　have　sorted　through　the　mental　puzzle。　Given　a　month；　perhaps；　she　would　have　begun　to　bring　forth　her　powers　once　more。

　　　K'yorl　didn't　have　a　month；　K'yorl　didn't　have　an　hour。



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　　　Matron　Baenre　felt　the　pulsing　magic　within　the　lump　of　sulphur；　an　inner　heat；　fast…building　in　intensity。　She　was　amazed　as　her　hand　shifted；　as　the　sulphur　implored　her　to　change　the　angle。

　　　Baenre　nodded。　She　understood　then　that　some　force　from　beyond　the　Material　Plane；　some　creature　of　the　Abyss；　and　perhaps　even　Lloth　herself；　was　guiding　the　movement。　Up　went　her　hand；　putting　the　pulsing　lump　in　line　with　the　top　level　of　the　highest　tower　in　the　Oblodran　pound。

　　　〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked。

　　　I　am　Errtu；　came　a　reply　in　her　mind。　Baenre　knew　the　name；　knew　the　creature　was　a　balor；　the　most　terrible　and　powerful　of　all　tanar'ri。　Lloth　had　armed　her　well！

　　　She　felt　the　pure　malice　of　the　connected　creature　building　within　the　sulphur；　felt　the　energy　growing　to　where　she　thought　the　lump　would　explode；　probably　bringing　Errtu　to　her　side。

　　　That　could　not　happen；　of　course；　though　she　did　not　know　it。

　　　It　was　the　power　of　the　artifact　itself　she　felt；　that　seemingly　innocuous　piece　of　sulphur；　imbued　with　the　magic　of　Lloth；　wielded　by　the　highest　priestess　of　the　Spider　Queen　in　all　of　Menzoberranzan。

　　　Purely　on　instinct；　Baenre　flattened　her　hand；　and　the　sulphur　sent　forth　a　line　of　glowing；　crackling　yellow　light。　It　struck　the　wall　high　on　the　Oblodran　tower；　the　very　wall　between　K'yorl　and　Baenre。　Lines　of　light　and　energy　encircled　the　stalagmite　mound；　crackling；　biting　into　the　stone；　stealing　the　integrity　of　the　place。

　　　The　sulphur　went　quiet　again；　its　bolt　of　seemingly　live　energy　freed；　but　Baenre　did　not　lower　her　hand　and　did　not　take　her　awestruck　stare　from　the　tower　wall。

　　　Neither　did　the　ten　thousand　dark　elves　that　stood　behind　her。　Neither　did　K'yorl　Odran；　who　could　suddenly　see　the　yellow　lines　of　destruction　as　they　ate　their　way　through　the　stone。

　　　All　in　the　city　gasped　as　one　as　the　tower's　top　exploded　into　dust　and　was　blown　away。

　　　There　sat　K'yorl；　still　atop　her　black　marble　throne；　suddenly　in　the　open；　staring　down　at　the　tremendous　gathering。

　　　Many　winged　tanar'ri　swooped　about　the　vulnerable　matron　mother；　but　they　did　not　approach　too　closely；　wisely　fearing　the　wrath　of　Errtu　should　they　steal　even　a　moment　of　his　fun。

　　　K'yorl；　always　proud　and　strong；　rose　from　her　throne　and　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　tower。　She　surveyed　the　gathering；　and　so　respectful　were　many　drow；　even　matron　mothers；　of　her　strange　powers；　that　they　turned　away　when　they　felt　her　scrutinizing　gaze　on　them；　as　though　she；　from　on　high；　was　deciding　who　she　would　punish　for　this　attack。

　　　Finally　K'yorl's　gaze　settled　on　Matron　Baenre；　who　did　not　flinch　and　did　not　turn　away。

　　　〃You　dare！〃　K'yorl　roared　down；　but　her　voice　seemed　small。

　　　〃You　dare！〃　Matron　Baenre　yelled　back；　the　power　of　her　voice　echoing　off　the　walls　of　the　cavern。　〃You　have　forsaken　the　Spider　Queen。〃

　　　〃To　the　Abyss　with　Lloth；　where　she　rightly　belongs！〃　stubborn　K'yorl　replied；　the　last　words　she　ever　spoke。

　　　Baenre　thrust　her　hand　higher　and　felt　the　next　manifestation　of　power；　the　opening　of　an　interplanar　gate。　No　yellow　light　came　forth；　no　visible　force　at　all；　but　K'yorl　felt　it　keenly。

　　　She　tried　to　call　out　in　protest；　but　could　say　nothing　beyond　a　whimper　and　a　gurgle　as　her　features　suddenly　twisted；　elongated。　She　tried　to　resist；　dug　her　heels　in；　and　concentrated　once　more　on　bringing　forth　her　powers。

　　　K'yorl　felt　her　skin　being　pulled　free　of　her　bones；　felt　her　entire　form　being　stretched　out　of　shape；　elongated；　as　the　sulphur　pulled　at　her　with　undeniable　strength。　Stubbornly　she　held　on　through　the　incredible　agony；　through　the　horrible　realization　of　her　doom。　She　opened　her　mouth；　wanting　to　utter　one　more　damning　curse；　but　all　that　came　out　was　her　tongue；　pulled　to　its　length　and　beyond。

　　　K'yorl　felt　her　entire　body　stretching　down　from　the　tower；　reaching　for　the　sulphur　and　the　gate。　She　should　have　been　a