At first Pharaun thought it a trick of his eyes, but Quenthel's words dispelled his misconception.
"Melarn," Quenthel said, her voice low. The whip serpents hissed and writhed in agitation.
Pharaun spared a glance behind him to see Danifae open her mouth as though to speak, but she said nothing. Shock showed in her expression, but she recovered quickly.
"It appears Lolth has provided a different victim for the sacrifice," she said.
Pharaun turned back to see Halisstra Melarn, accompanied by another drow female and a female surface elf, charging toward them across the rocky ground. Each wore armor and bore swords. The symbol on Halisstra's shield drew Pharaun's eye-an upright silver sword, around which swirled a silver ribbon.
He knew it to be the symbol of Eilistraee. He needed to see nothing else. Somehow, Halisstra had tracked them through the Demonweb Pits. And she had brought two allies with her,
presumably also priestesses of the same cursed goddess.
"She bears the symbol of Eilistraee, Mistress," Pharaun said, even as he called upon the power of his ring and took to the air.
"I am not blind, male," Quenthel barked.
"She thinks me her ally," Danifae said to Quenthel and backed off several paces. "I will cause her to doubt."
With that, Danifae shouted, "Mistress Melarn! To me! We will stop Quenthel Baenre together. In the Lady's name, to me!"
Quenthel frowned. The heads of her serpent whip alternated between looking at Danifae and looking at Halisstra.
In response to Danifae's words, Halisstra smiled and whirled a glowing blade above her head.
The other drow priestess sounded her horn again.
Jeggred answered with a roar.
Pharaun was as confused as the serpents. He did not know for certain whether Danifae was manipulating Halisstra or Quenthel or both. Like the pragmatist he was, he decided to err on the side of prudence and treat them all as his enemies.
With his mind made up, he chose his course quickly. Halisstra and Danifae might have been dangerous, but Jeggred was perhaps the most deadly opponent on the field.
Halisstra and the two other priestesses headed toward Quenthel. Jeggred charged in
Quenthel's direction too, but whether to attack his aunt or the priestesses, Pharaun could not be sure.
With a mental command, Pharaun flew the fist of force at Jeggred. The draegloth saw it coming and tried to dodge aside, but the fist caught him full force in the head and chest. The impact knocked the huge draegloth into a headlong tumble, and he lay on the earth unmoving,
apparently stunned.
Pharaun grinned. Sometimes his mastery of spellcraft surprised even him.
Danifae shot a glare up at Pharaun and backed farther away from Quenthel.
"Here, Halisstra!" Danifae said brandishing her morningstar.
As the three Eilistraeens charged, they called aloud to their goddess. Their prayers were as much song as chant.
Halisstra finished her prayer, and a black ray shot from her fingertips at Quenthel. The Baenre priestess sidestepped it, and it slammed into the rocks.
The other drow priestess completed her prayer, and a rosy aura surrounded her. The elf priestess targeted Pharaun with her spell. She pointed her finger, and a sphere of light blazed into being around him.
He gasped and threw his forearm over his face. The sudden illumination sent needles of pain into his eyes. Without opening them, he gritted out the words to a counterspell, and the welcome dimness of day in the Demonweb Pits returned.
He opened his eyes and saw only spots for a moment. Tears poured from his eyes, but he blinked them away. When he could again see, he located his magical fist-hovering over the stunned Jeggred-and sent it speeding for the elf priestess.
All three priestesses spread out as they ran. The fist moved to intercept the elf.
The elf aborted her charge and braced her tiny shield for the fist's impact.
But Pharaun did not cause it to strike her.
At his mental goading, the fist stopped before her, opened its fingers, and made to grab her.
She was fast, and her blade slashed into the conjuration, but the hand was inexorable.
Its huge fingers wrapped her up. Only her head was visible. Before she could scream for aid,
Pharaun caused the hand to squeeze.
The elf's mouth opened in a scream but she had no breath with which to utter it. Instead, she suffered in silence.
Pharaun turned to see Halisstra veer toward Quenthel.
"Aid us, Danifae," Halisstra shouted.
Danifae said, "Of course, Mistress," but made no move to help.
The other drow priestess, wielding a long bladed sword in two hands, came at Quenthel from the side opposite that of Halisstra, but she stopped when she glanced back and saw her comrade trapped in Pharaun's magical fist.
"Feliane!" she shouted.
The drow priestess located Pharaun in the air and sang a spell.
Pharaun flew toward her, drawing his wand of lightning and voicing his own spell.
She finished first.
A sword of magical force formed in the air to Pharaun's right, flying along beside him. It attacked the moment it appeared, striking at the mage's head.