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o Sorcere somehow； found his way into his study； and escaped the imprisonment spell。 But how？
Gromph stared at the golden bottle he held in his hand…one of his thought bottles。 The answer must be inside。
〃Masterrr；〃 the fire elemental said； drawing his attention。
Gromph looked up。
〃The Gracklstugh army； together with an army of tanarukk； arrre attacking Menzoberranzan；〃 the elemental announced； a tongue of bright red flame licking out of its mouth as it spoke。 〃The duerrrgar have set up a siege wall just inside Tier Breche and are attacking Sorcerrre。 At least one illithid was among their number…a sorrrcerer by the name of Sluuguth。 He had in his possession one of the amulets that contrrrols the jade spiders。 You defeated him。〃
That said； the fire elemental gave a roar of triumph as the invisible magical bonds that had held it fell away。 It disappeared as abruptly as a blown…out candle。
〃An illithid；〃 Gromph whispered。
That explained； then； why he held a thought bottle in his hand。 A tickle of memory returned。 He'd created the thing…and the bottle that matched it…for use in the event of his capture by a mind flayer。 His plan had been to offer it to the creature 。 。 。
There； the memory faded。
Shrugging； Gromph placed the bottle carefully in the drawer beside the other one and pushed the drawer shut。
〃Sorcere is under attack？〃 he muttered。 〃We'll see about that。〃
Gromph strode toward the balcony where two of his students stood。 They were Norulle； a fifth…year student who had used a hair…growth cantrip to cause a long； dwarflike beard to sprout from his chin…hardly an appropriate affectation； given whom they were fighting…and Prath； a first…year student who was still only in his thirties； and whose stocky build and bulging biceps should have caused his House to enroll him in Melee…Magthere； instead。 Both had their backs to the corridor down which Gromph hurried and were sheltering behind the ghostly image of a turtle shell the size of a table that hung in the air； just in front of the balcony。
Norulle flinched as a hail of arrows struck it； most of them exploding to splinters as the spell destroyed them。 One arrow； however； sparkled with arcane energy。 It pierced the magical barrier and snagged the sleeve of Prath's piwafwi。 Barely glancing at it； Prath yanked it free and cast it aside。 A moment later； a trickle of blood dripped from his hand。 He shook it away。
The boy should have been a soldier； indeed； Gromph thought。
From outside came the sounds of battle： the shouted orders of the duergar below； the creak…and…thump of catapults being winched and shot； the crackling； explosive hiss of magical energy； and the frantic chanting of mages； casting retaliatory spells from the balconies above and below。
〃Norulle； Prath…what's happening？〃 Gromph asked as he strode out onto the balcony。 〃Where are your instructors？〃
Norulle whirled around in surprise； a wand clutched in one hand。
〃Master！〃 he gasped。 〃You're here！〃
Diamond dust glittered in Norulle's hair and beard。 Someone had cast a powerful protective spell upon him。
It was Prath who answered Gromph's question； 〃Leandran's gone。 He was hit square on by magic fire。〃
He pointed at a spot farther along the balcony…a smoldering crater in the stone floor。 Through a hole at the center of it； Gromph could see the ground below。 Smaller craters； also still smoking； pitted the wall behind that spot like splash marks。 Each was ringed by a circle of frost。 The two students had obviously used a cold spell to extinguish the blaze。 Of Leandran； the school's Master of Abjurative Magic； there was no trace； save for the lingering stench of burned flesh。
A whistling sound drew Gromph's attention。 He glanced to the side just in time to see an enormous clay pot arc up toward Sorcere and strike the side of the stalagmite； several dozen paces away。 It broke against the stone； splashing liquid fire in all directions。 The fire poured down the stone； burning everything in its wake： stone walls； a decorative arch of wrought iron above the balcony； and the balcony itself。
Figures on the balcony scurried away from the rush of flame…one of them a little too slowly。 As some of the stuff poured down onto his piwafwi； his agonized screams filled the air。 They were cut off a moment later when the wrought…iron arch； weakened by the fire； collapsed with a loud squeal of metal。 Above the spot where it had been mounted； the wall continued to burn； and the flames soon ate a hole through the stone。
Gromph stared in the direction from which the pot of fire had e； at the protective barrier the duergar had erected。 It stood just in front of the tunnel that gave access to Tier Breche from the Dark Dominion。 The barrier appeared to be made of square…hewn lengths of fungus stem； stacked horizontally on top of each other； but had obviously been magically strengthened。 The lightning bolts that one of the mages on a balcony above fired down into them did little more than chip off tiny pieces of the fungus； and the hailstones raining down from the ice storm another mage had caused to materialize in the air just above the barrier were melting before they struck it。
Yet another mage of Sorcere sent a cloud of acid billowing down at the barrier。 The yellowish vapor swept over the fungus…log blockade and continued on down the tunnel beyond it。 The barrier remained intact； however； and clay pots continued to sail into the air from the catapults behind it； whistling through the air to blast the walls of Sorcere with alchemical flame。
It didn't look as though Arach…Tinilith was faring any better than Sorcere。 The walls of the spider…shaped temple were also dotted with gouts of white…hot flame； and the ground in front of the building was strewn with corpses。 Many were squat and bald…duergar…but many more were drow。 Dark elf soldiers had given their lives in defense of the cavern。 Of the priestesses； there was no sign。 Like their goddess； they had retreated behind walls of stone； leaving others to do the fighting。
Farther back in the cavern； the third building of the Academy…the pyramid…shaped warrior training school Melee…Magthere…remained unscathed。 The catapults could not reach that far； it seemed。
Norulle leaned over the balcony； directing his wand at the enemy。 Pea…sized gobs of fire erupted from its tip； enlarging as they streaked toward the siege fortifications below。 By the time they struck the fungus…log walls； they were several paces in diameter。 Yet even though each exploded with a roar that was audible even over the chaos of battle； the walls remained firm；
Gromph's eyes narrowed。 The seeming invulnerability of the wall he could understand…the duergar must have carried the lightweight； fungus…stem logs with them in preparation for their siege； then used a spell to turn them to stone once they were in place。 What he could not understand was why the duergar behind the walls were still able to work their catapults despite the searing heat of Norulle's fireballs and the cloud of acidic vapor that had swept over them。
He watched as one of the senior students appeared suddenly on the field of battle below； just in front of the duergar barrier； and cast a spell Gromph himself taught…the great shout。 A wave of noise crashed against the duergar positions； causing the logs that made up the fortification to visibly tremble。
But still the attack did not fatter。 Arrows erupted from slits in the wall； one of them striking the student through the belly just as he teleported away。
〃Master；〃 Prath shouted over the ringing in Gromph's ears； catching Gromph's attention at last。 〃Should we perhaps send a swarm of vermin against them？ Insects…or perhaps rats？
Gromph was about to ridicule that suggestion； but stopped。
〃 'Out of the mouths of novices；' 〃 he instead quoted； following the familiar saying with a chuckle。
Prath stared at him in confusion； a spark of hope in his eye。
〃Was that the right spell to suggest； Master？〃
〃No；〃 Gromph answered； 〃but it's given me an idea。 Continue the fight…and keep your head down。〃
Stepping back into the corridor down which he'd hurried a short time before； Gromph closed his eyes。 It took only a moment to locate Kyorli。 Pouring his awareness into his familiar； Gromph could feel legs swiftly running and whiskers twitching as they sniffed the stone across which the rat was running。
Kyorli； the archmage sent。 Where are you？
Running。 Running quick to Sorcere！ But the way is blocked。
Gromph was able； with a bit or concentration； to see through the rat's eyes。 Kyorli was running through a tunnel； weaving through a forest of moving feet。 The feet belonged to duergar； who were working in pairs； dragging away the bodies of their fellow soldiers。 Two duergar； carrying the corpse or a slain panion； ran into a side tunnel。
Kyorli； Gromph manded。 That tunnel。 Look inside。
Kyorli scurried to the tunnel mouth and peered in。 Seeing through her eyes； Gromph saw what he'd expected： a duergar wearing a gray； hooded mantle and carrying a staff set w