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.Larikal finished first.A globe of sizzling black energy formed around her off hand, and she closed on him.He backstepped away from the doors and finished his own spell just as she lunged through the thresholdand reached forward to touch him.The magic of Gromph's spell transferred his soul into the gem at the end of the ocular's chain just asLarikal closed her hand over his wrist.With his essence in the gem that had become a magic jar not unlike the lichdrow's phylactery, the deathspell could not affect him.His soulless body would appear dead, though, so Larikal would surely believeshe'd slain him.Her guard would be down.Within the gem, Gromph possessed only one sensea visceral ability to detect nearby life-forces.Hesensed Larikal near him, no doubt bending over his apparently dead body.The magic of the spell allowed him to attempt, through sheer force of will, to displace a soul in a nearbyliving body and force it to take his place in the gem.He had taken a risk in casting it, but he needed to getthrough the wards quickly.Extending his consciousness, the archmage reached out for Larikal and sought her soul.He caught her by surprise.He sensed her alarm.She resisted his attempt, but he pressed, and pressed,fought through the resistance, and at last.Sensation returned to him.He was looking down at the body of a drow malehis transformed bodyand inhis hand he clutched the ocular, which sparkled softly, alight with Larikal's soul."Thank you, priestess," he said to the gem and was surprised to hear the feminine lilt in his voice.The spell allowed only the caster to displace other souls.Larikal could do nothing but stew inside thegem.She would be trapped until Gromph allowed her to escape.While occupying yet another new formespecially a female onew as disconcerting, Gromph retained all ofhis mental faculties, including his spellcasting ability.And he had full use of Larikal's stronger physique.That pleased him.It would assist him when he faced the golem.He spared a glance around and saw no one.The nearby Dyrr structures appeared empty.No doubtmost of the House was occupied with the defense of the walls.His smile of satisfaction vanished when the spell that had allowed him to change shape expired.Hissoulless body reverted back to its normal form.He was looking at his own face through Larikal Dyrr'seyes, staring at the vacant, stolen eyes of a Dyrr son.Gromph cursed.Prath too would have reverted back to his normal form, or soon would.Yasraena would be searching for him, if she wasn't already.He had little time.Moving quickly, he took the duergar axe from his belt and removed his robe, loaded with his spellcomponents, and his ring of regeneration.He donned the robe, the ring, belted the axe, and cast twospells on his soulless body.The first spell shrank his body to the size of his hand.The second turned itinvisible to normal sight, though he could still see it through his magically enhanced vision.Gromph darednot carry his body, which still held the tiny ocular gem, through the warded doorway for fear of triggeringthe wards with his Baenre flesh.Instead, he hid it off to the side of the door, in a crack in the stone of theportico.He would have to hope that it was overlooked.He turned andThe amulet on Larikal's bodyon his bodycaught his attention.He held it in his handit was electrum, withamethysts inset in a spiral.He knew it for what it wasa telepathic amulet.He took a moment to attune his consciousness to it.He knew he had succeeded when a voice herecognized sounded in his brain Larikal! Larikal!Gromph smiled.Larikal had not called out for aid because she had done so telepathically.Larikal, answer!Gromph knew he should have said nothing but he could not resist.Your daughter currently is indisposed, Yasraena, he projected.He felt consternation through the amulet.Gromph Baenre? Yasraena asked.You do not sound pleased to learn of my visit, he replied.The matron mother's mental voice leaked something akin to panic.Listen to me, Archmage.I know whyyou have come.But I have entered into a bargain with Triel.I am to destroy the phylactery myself.Gromph thought the words a poor lie.But even if they were true, the archmage was unbound by anysuch bargain.Triel had never mentioned it to him.But you do not know its location, Matron Mother.And even if you did, I would be concerned that theimpulse to see the lichdrow reincorporated would be too strong for even one of your iron will.I will bepleased to destroy it in your name.With that, Gromph terminated the connection.He knew Yasraena would be coming, so he took a deepbreath and stepped across the heavily warded temple threshold.The wards did not trigger.Gromphwould never know whether it was something Larikal wore or her very blood, but he did not care.Hewas in.From the dome above, Lolth stared down.The center aisle extended toward the apse, toward the blackaltar, behind which loomed the forbidding body of the spider.The golem was waiting.Yasraena rushed through the halls for the scrying chamber, heedless of the indignity of her pace.Shedared not communicate through the telepathic amulet for fear that Gromph Baenre would eavesdrop.In her mind, Esvena's voice sounded, Matron Mother! We are deceived.The image in the basin is notwhat it appeared to be
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