Chapter 9

Pharaun walked down the swarming, webbed streets. Melanie had elected to come with him, but Pharaun wasn't certain she knew anything helpful in regards to which school of magic kept a large collection of creatures for study. He was at least glad of the company. Walking alone would have left him without someone to bounce his ideas off of, even if she responded little.

She walked in front of him mostly so she wouldn't be left behind. The streets were packed with various sub creatures, and Pharaun couldn't wait until they reached the higher levels of the city.

He placed his slender hand on her waist to guide her to the nearest ramp. There were plenty of other ways in which he could have done it, but he immensely enjoyed watching her start to pull away surprised. She must have decided against it because she quickly suppressed her desire to move away and allowed him to continue, albeit uncomfortably.

Pharaun was never one for silences unless necessary, so as they walked up the ramp he broke it, as Melanie seemed unwilling to. "We should arrive at our destination in a matter of minutes now."

"Where are we going?" Something in her voice seemed a little strained, and Pharaun assumed that it was because of her now uncomfortable state.

"A wizardly institute called the Disciples of Phelthong. It's run by the Archmage Ildibane Nasadra, and is most likely to have the answers we seek, being not only the largest but wealthiest academy in Ched Nasad."

"You think it will have these choldriths that we're looking for," Melanie nodded, seemingly agreeing with his logic. "How are we getting in?"

Pharaun smiled, being quite proud of his plan he had developed since leaving the inn. "Why, we'll be using the most straightforward approach available to us. I propose that I pose as an interested, new member, and you will be my exotic, human servant."

He tried not to wince at his minute hesitation before saying servant, hoping that Melanie wouldn't notice or think anything of it. His plan would only work if she posed as a slave, but he had realized halfway into his explanation that that information would most likely anger the human woman. For the sake of her touchy human mindset it would be best if she was kept in the dark about the nature of her disguise.

A glance at Melanie's face was all he needed to she that she had noticed. Perhaps she wasn't a completely pathetic player on her own, but the only way she would enter the game of drow intrigue would be as a piece. She might have realized this too, because she suppressed her displeasure quickly and decided to not argue that point.

"Shouldn't we sneak in? We'll be seen interrogating the creatures if you pose as an interested member, and our interview won't be kept a secret for long." Melanie did nothing to hide her scepticism.

Pharaun acknowledged that these were fair arguments, but he was prepared. "The defences set up will most likely detect any type of arcane stealth we attempt, however careful we are, and mundane stealth is out of the question. Regardless, if the Wizardly institutes in Ched Nasad are like my Sorcere, the mages will be suspicious and extremely secretive, and it appears that with all the different schools and organizations of wizardly knowledge here that the local mages distrust each other even more than we do in Menzoberranzan."

"Well, I don't see how that adds credibility to your plan. If that's true, they won't even let you in."

"Apparently, they also enjoy a fierce competition for attracting new, useful members into their ranks for the power and prestige it provides. These associations would do anything to shift the balance of power in their favor. They'll be eager for a skilled mage seeking entrance into their school."

"I suppose this is something you would know about as a Master of Sorcere. How does one ask to join an academy?" Melanie asked with curiosity. Pharaun thought it amusing that she had so many questions, but it could easily become troublesome rather quickly in the future.

"It's quite simple. I'll remove my house insignia and ask someone at the front gates for a knowledgeable member to give us a tour. We'll listen to what amenities and responsibilities come with the association while waiting for him to show us any creatures they have stored for study. I can pass myself off as a houseless wizard with no ties to another school."

Melanie nodded in agreement, but Pharaun could see she had her doubts. "Are you going to use a fake name? I was under the impression that you're a pretty well known person in Menzoberranzan."

Pharaun laughed in amusement. "I'm flattered, but we are miles away from my home. I doubt they will recognize me even if I use my name."

"Even your last name? House Mizzrym is rather important." Pharaun was somewhat surprised that she persisted. After all, he knew his own house.

"My plan will work." Pharaun said with finality.

The pair travelled through the streets in silence the rest of the way to the Disciples of Phelthong. They bypassed several skirmishes and discontented looking sub creatures as they stayed on the finer streets. Pharaun looked with interest at the foreign vendors and their exotic wares. Once they arrived at the gates, Pharaun asked the guards for someone he could speak to about joining the fine establishment.

When the mage did come out to meet them, Pharaun made sure to do two things. First, he diminished the presence of Melanie. He didn't want her to draw attention to herself with her limited understanding of drow customs. Melanie wasn't something that Pharaun intended to share with other mages, or even tell other drow about. The more dependant she was only on him, the better.

Secondly, he emphasized the importance of his interest and area of speciality in the study of creatures. He would only join a school that had a large amount of creatures already available for his examination. When he discovered that the Disciples did not maintain such a zoo, he politely declined to take a tour.

The second school Pharaun visited was known as the Arcanist Conservatory. It was far from the most impressive of the academies, yet it also distanced itself from the least of its competition. Pharaun picked it on a hunch and had high hopes that he wouldn't have to walk across the swarming city again, unless it was towards his room at the inn. He could see that Melanie wasn't fond of following him based on his whims alone, but he would take no small satisfaction in her begrudging respect if this happened to be the school they sought.

Pharaun had to once again explain to the sentries at the front gates of the compound. As he explained Melanie off as his slave, he was glad she couldn't understand the drow language. While he doubted she would be too unrepairably upset after he talked her down afterwards, her ignorance would make his life easier.

A drow enchanter named Kraszmyl Claddath of House Claddath met them once they were allowed inside the compound. He was a short, surprisingly stocky fellow whose hair had begun to yellow and his teeth to deteriorate. Pharaun presented himself as a wizard of mediocre skills, and Kraszmyl appeared to be genuinely thrilled to escort the pair about the premises.

"I can't help but ask, Master Claddath, if the Conservatory maintains a collection of live specimens here within the premises?" Pharaun could see that Melanie disliked the small talk and meandering about the compound they had been doing for the last few minutes, and Pharaun couldn't help but to agree it was time to move things along. He spoke in drow. The less Melanie understood the less likely it was she could ruin their ruse.

"Well, the Arcane Conservatory does maintain the best menagerie of creatures from both the world Above and the Underdark. They're all properly housed and cared for of course, if that is what you were looking for."

"Oh, how very perfect!" Pharaun exclaimed with genuine excitement, which drew a slightly perturbed look from Melanie and possibly a small amount of amusement. "This just might be the place for me."

"Do you have a specific expertise in this area of study, Master Pharaun?"

"I had been studying the breeding effects of rothe for a merchant, but I now have interest in a new field. My curiosity has lead me to the study of chitines and choldriths," Pharaun lied effortlessly.

"Truly?" Kraszmyl had already lost interest in Pharaun's 'new' field of study, which wasn't surprising given the proposed topic. He wasn't deterred from leading them deeper into the conservatory however. "I can't imagine there is much of interest to study in the pitiful creatures."

"Not many realize it, but they are exceptionally fascinating." Pharaun tried to sound as excited as possible. "We drow only use them for hunting sport, but they have a unique culture and religious focus that is much like our own."

"Indeed," Master Claddath said stiffly and then continued with veiled disgust. "You're not one of those strange fellows who thinks we should stop hunting them, are you?"

Pharaun laughed. "Of course not," he said maintaining his amusement, "I merely seek to make the hunting a bit more of a challenge."

"There would certainly be value in that, if you can accomplish it," the guide said as he lead Pharaun and Melanie into a side wing of the compound containing countless cages, cells, and holding pens. Pharaun had never seen an accumulation of creatures such as this before, and was truly impressed for the first time on this small tour.

A glance at Melanie told him she was similarly impressed, but there seemed to be disgust brewing behind the awe. Pharaun assumed it must be from the less than pleasant odor, but, true to Kraszmyl's word, this was not only the most impressive collection but also one of the cleanest the mage had seen. Whatever her current problem was, it wasn't his concern.

"It is spectacular," Pharaun breathed returning his attention to his surroundings.

"As I said, Master Pharaun, but your reaction clearly demonstrates that you have never seen anything of the like before. Now, tell me, what is the real reason for your visit today?"

Kraszmyl's voice barely shifted in tone, but Pharaun didn't need that indication to know he had readied some kind of offensive magic. Melanie had already stepped back from them, reacting in a more favorable way than Pharaun would have thought the human capable.

Pharaun discreetly reached into one of the many pockets of his piwafwi, obtained a piece of glass, and turned examine the other wizard. Kraszmyl was shielded by a number of magical protections, but none of them were truly concerning to the Master of Sorcere. As Pharaun had thought, the wizard had a wand in hand that he had already used. It most likely wielded some sort of charming magic intended to convince Pharaun to answer the wizard's questions. Pharaun was able to resist it, of course, but it was obvious that Kraszmyl hadn't even bothered to use the wand on Melanie.

"This is how you greet every new, interested mage?" Pharaun asked, smiling.

Krasmyl's face shown with obvious surprise in the soft blue, magical lighting. He tucked his wand securely in the folds of his robe. "It is when mages appear seemingly out of nowhere with an interest in our affairs." The stout wizard quickly produced a second wand and aimed it at Pharaun. "You were even foolish enough to claim—"

Master Claddath sentence broke off, incomplete, as he turned to solid, dazzlingly clear glass. The clothes and accessories such as his piwafwi, wand, and enchanted trinkets he carried remained unaffected. Chuckling to himself, Pharaun pocketed the shard of glass he had used to implement the spell and began to remove all the enchantments from the statue as possible. Many were stuck in the glass, but Pharaun managed to remove both wands from his corpulent victim.

"Perhaps if you hadn't been rambling about my foolishness, you might have heard my spell," he said in common to the sparkling remains. Pharaun saw no reason to continue in his language as he didn't want to alienate the already horrified looking Melanie. He had realized quite some time ago that violence wasn't common where she came from, but she had had a much milder reaction to the beasts they had killed earlier. Perhaps she was off put by the fact that Kraszmyl had been a drow. Regardless, Melanie seemed to be a human ruled more or less by logic. If she needed to, she could be content with claiming self defense.

Pharaun decided to distract her from his action at least temporarily and remind her that they had been in danger. "Are you injured?"

Melanie's eyes snapped from Master Claddath and to Pharaun's features as she answered. "No. He didn't use the wand on me." Her voice was surprisingly strong given her shock at the events that had transpired.

Pharaun smiled at her lack of knowledge as to the intended effects of the wand. "Excellent. Now we need only move him."

He turned away from her and began the laborious process of moving Kraszmyl. He had been heavy in life, but as solid glass he was extraordinarily so. After watching Pharaun's struggles for a moment or two, Melanie joined in on the effort. She was stronger than Pharaun would have thought even with her injured shoulder. Besides being an immediately helpful quality, her strength promised at least a mildly toned body.

After they had moved the glass drow, Pharaun turned to Melanie. Did humans thank each other after a group effort? Pharaun smirked at the ridiculous idea of thanking Melanie. He wasn't about to degrade himself to human behavior with the multitude of other ways he could control her available to him.

"We'd best hurry," The Master of Sorcere urged before beginning to hastily search the aisles for the creature he sought. With so many creatures here it was doubtful that the room would remain unattended for long as the first year apprentices most likely tended the animals frequently.

"Your school doesn't have menagerie like this?" Melanie inquired offhandedly as she looked through the cages.

"Why would you say that?" Pharaun knew the reason already. After all he had done nothing to hide his awe, but the mage enjoyed asking when he could predict the response. It certainly gave an interesting insight on the speaker. He also couldn't help but smile at her use of 'your.' She hadn't meant it that way, but becoming Archmage was always his goal as it would be any Master of Sorcere's.

"You just seemed rather impressed."

"I could have been pretending to obtain favor with the tour guide," Pharaun suggested with an easy smile. He was never one for simply answering a question.

"I suppose, but if you were something clearly went wrong." The human muttered the last part, most likely forgetting about elven hearing.

Pharaun chuckled, "You are correct, however. The Academy in Menzoberranzan has nothing similar to this. Do you not find it awe inspiring?"

"I might find it more so in another situation."

At that moment seeing a few rather intriguing and large cages in the back but with no time to satisfy his curiosity, Pharaun replied, "Yes. It's truly a pity. I could spend tendays studying here."

Melanie just nodded. He had painted her as an intellectual type or as intellectual as humans ever are, but her lack of interest in studies did nothing to support that claim. It could be that she disliked animals since they made far from the most pleasant of subjects to work with. He supposed the matter would come to light later.

After searching through rows upon rows of the cages, they finally found what they sought. A solitary choldrith was curled up at the bottom of her cage with her arms bound in some kind of resin casts to prevent her from casting.

As Pharaun bent down to examine her, she glared up at him with the silvery white eyes of a humanoid. Her skin sickly shade of charcoal and lacked hair. The choldrith's humanoid mouth was framed by a diminutive pair of mandibles at the corners that were too small to be functional. Jutting from the sides of her head were elf-like ears so pronounced they vaguely resembled to be horns.

Pharaun, thankful to be multilingual, began to speak to the pitiful creature in Undercommon, "I have a proposition that may interest you." The choldrith said nothing, staring blankly at him. "I do know you can understand me, but I brought a few supplies just in case. After all, it's always a good thing to come prepared," he smiled.

The mage searched his pockets for a few items before producing a small clay ziggurat and a pinch of soot. In a few heartbeats, Pharaun wove a series of four spells. He used two on him so that he could speak and understand the choldrith's language and placed two identical spells on Melanie in case she had some useful input on the situation due to her claimed future knowledge.

"Answer my questions, and I will set you free," he tried again. The creature's silvery eyes widened with hope for the briefest of seconds, then narrowed in deep suspicion.

The little creature responded in a bizarre, clicking speech similar to a large spider. "Drow lie to us. All of you lie."

"Most of the time that is correct, but why would I lie to you now? I have nothing to gain by you remaining in this cage, and everything to gain by receiving answers to my inquiries."

Seeing doubt on the creature's face, Pharaun prepared to continue, but before he could Melanie intervened. "He tells the truth. We will set you free if you help us."

The pitiful creature merely stared distrustfully, so Pharaun added, "You have nothing to lose. You are surrounded by drow in one of our most prominent cities, and you have resin on your arms to prevent you from calling on Lolth. Although it's an unnecessary precaution as she has also forsaken you, hasn't she?"

The eyes of the choldrith went wide, and Pharaun knew his assumption to be true. "You know of the goddess?" the creature hissed.

"Of course. I am aiming to discover where she has gone." The wizard couldn't be certain, given her alien face, but he thought he perceived the choldrith's wretched version of a smile.

Pharaun was mildly irked as he realized this information could have probably already been shared if Quenthel had been more persuasive with the humans. Perhaps she had already extorted their complete use in private, but he doubted it as they continued to live. However, it was dangerous knowing the future. In fact, knowing it could very likely change its outcome. That was the only justification Pharaun could give for Quenthel's seemingly irrational actions. He could only watch and see if Quenthel was attempting to determine the outcome of their quest without actually knowing the specifics of how it would end.

"Then she does not love the dark elves more," the choldrith mumbled quietly to herself. "We have not been abandoned in favor of your kind."

"No, it seems her absence is spread amongst all her worshippers equally," Pharaun responded. "I am now interested in why that is."

"Lolth weaves her webs. She seals herself away for now but will return."

"What do you mean? How will she return? How could you possibly know this?" Pharaun knew he could have asked those questions a little more smoothly, but he wanted the creature to continue talking for as long as possible and didn't see the conversation progressing much farther.

"I will say no more, drow. Free me or not, I have fulfilled my end of our bargain."

"It seems you have," Pharaun acknowledged, "and I will set you free. However, how you manage to find your way home is not my concern."

Pharaun felt Melanie's disapproving stare as he opened the choldrith's cage and stepped back from the door. He ignored it. He wasn't about to cater to a human's whims, even if he wanted something from her. Besides, what was he to do? Bring the creature with them? The very idea was ludicrous.

The choldrith slowly approached the edge of her cage, wary of a trap of some kind. Pharaun gestured toward the exit with his palm open and up as he stepped back again. Melanie followed his example and similarly stepped back. Suddenly, the creature lunged from her cage and was halfway down the hall. Pharaun started to laugh, but managed to reign most of it in at Melanie's glare. How was it possible for humans to care so much about insignificant creatures?

Melanie voiced one of her many concerns, "How is she going to get that resin off her hands?"

Pharaun had been wondering that same thing. Unlike Melanie, he didn't care what became of the choldrith as she was no longer his problem, but curiosity couldn't be helped. "I'm sure she'll manage."

"We could have helped her." Melanie was becoming a little more daring around the mage, and Pharaun wasn't sure he liked it.

"She wouldn't have accepted anything we could have offered. We should be leaving, but first, I would like to examine some of those cages back there," Pharaun changed the subject.

"Why? Do you think they will help us?"

Pharaun stopped himself from laughing. The only thing those cages would help with was satisfying his curiosity. "We won't know until we look," the mage lied as he walked toward the larger cages he had seen earlier.

Unfortunately, most of the larger cages were empty, but there were a few worth looking at. Floating in one of the cages was a creature that Pharaun had never seen before with a grey, soft body similar to the brain matter of creatures Pharaun had dissected as an apprentice. The fascinatingly horrifying beast had many tentacles hanging limply beneath it, and the only indication that the beast was facing them was a beak protruding from what Pharaun assumed was the creature's face. He couldn't be certain, however, because it had no eyes that the mage could see. Pharaun suppressed his awe as he looked upon it for a few moments, not wanting to let Melanie catch on that he had no idea what it was.

The Master of Sorcere took the opportunity to observe Melanie as she also looked at the creature. It was clear that Melanie had no idea what it was either, as she seemed utterly repulsed by the thing.

Pharaun moved casually to the next cage without saying anything and found a familiar creature. There was a small, most likely adolescent, beholder, or eye tyrant, which was a mere two feet in diameter. The milky-white and scarred eyes indicated that the mages had properly blinded and disabled the beast. Even with that knowledge, Pharaun could not help but feel the slight creeping of dread beholders created.

He noted with amusement that he wasn't the only one feeling it either. Melanie stood farther back from this cage than she had the last, a likely subconscious action. Pharaun was surprised when Melanie spoke.

"Why is it blinded? It's already in a cage."

"It's blinded to prevent it from casting spells. It would be unfortunate if it managed to use magic to escape confinement."

"Oh."

Before Pharaun could reply, there was a crash like the shattering of glass followed by shouts and the twinkling of shards skidding across the stone floor. The mage found himself smiling.

"That would be Master Claddath, warning us that we are about to have company." Pharaun commented smugly.

"How are we getting out of here?" Melanie asked with no small amount of amusing anxiety.

Without bothering to answer the human, Pharaun created a blue extradimensional doorway. He pulled Melanie close to him as she stared in wonder at the magical doorway and stepped through it and outside the Arcanist Conservatory. The wizard couldn't help but be curious about the kinds of magical alarms his portal had set off as he allowed it to blink out of existence. He was holding Melanie as they floated between two layers of the webbed streets near one of the walls of the vast cavern.

"Aren't you concerned that you used your real name? They could find us," Melanie worried.

"Not at all. They will assume that I was merely participating in an attack from a rival institution. If anyone thinks to ask the sentries, we shall be famous," Pharaun chuckled. He noticed that his joke did nothing to ease Melanie's fears, but he wasn't terribly concerned. Humans always seemed to be afraid.

"We are heading back to the Serpent and Flame," Pharaun informed Melanie after drifting down to the street below.

"Lead the way," Melanie said in a rather unexcited voice. For being so cowardly, humans did seem to enjoy adventurous behavior.

The meandering stroll back to the inn was as pleasant as possible in the swarming streets. Pharaun wasn't oblivious to the small conversations of discontent among the dwellers of Ched Nasad or the whispers of all manners of fiendish armies lying in wait beyond the gates to attack the magnificent city. It seemed as though Lolth had abandoned the city to its fate, and Pharaun wasn't planning on staying long enough to witness whatever fate that may be.

Melanie was silent the entire time and so was Pharaun. Without party members to make sure the way was clear, Pharaun was left to scan the streets for danger by himself. The mage was no stranger to city streets and managed to avoid brewing confrontations and brawls, mostly by grabbing Melanie and levitating up or down to an adjacent street.

Pharaun ushered Melanie into their empty room in the inn. He had no intention of staying here alone with her, but didn't want her to hinder his movement through the city. Melanie stood near the center of the room staring at Pharaun somewhat awkwardly.

"I need a few spell components from the city for a spell Quenthel asked me to perform. It's a quite simple task, but it would be best that I resupply before our return trip anyway. I would recommend staying here and avoiding trouble until I return." Pharaun said hastily, grabbing a few odds and ends that might help him navigate the streets.

"I thought the others were getting supplies for the journey back." She walked to the side of the room near her pack, most likely due to her discomfort at being in the open.

"While I am certain that our friends Ryld and Valas can buy basic supplies such as food and the like, I would not burden them with the task of buying my personal spell components, nor would I trust them to know what I need."

Melanie seemed to understand the explanation completely for someone who had so little exposure to magic or casters. It seemed to give credit to her claim of having advanced knowledge of this dimension.

Melanie nodded in understanding. "When will you be back?"

"That depends on how long it takes me," Pharaun teased. "The merchants don't seem at their best, and the streets certainly aren't. However, I should be back before Ryld and the others return. I will see to your shoulder upon my return."

Melanie simply nodded again this time in gratitude and absent mindedly turned her attention to her pack, which Pharaun took as a cue to leave.

Once again, the streets were a mess to traverse, but Pharaun was safely managing. While he was making his way down a lane of stale cheese shops on his way to a more appropriate part of the marketplace for his needs, the mage suddenly heard a soft, feminine voice call his name.

-0-0-0-0-

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Just as a heads up, I decided not to put Pharaun's encounter with Aliisza in my story because I don't see any reason it would change from the way the original book had it. If you want to read it to refresh yourself on what happens, feel free. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own The War of the Spider Queen book series.