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he halfling full in the chest； and activated the protective spell Gromph had cast on him。 The blue fire was replaced by a flash of red…orange that carried back along the path of the reflected spell。 The green shadow was replaced by the fully revealed form of the lichdrow Dyrr； who was no longer invisible。
The fire from the huecuva's defensive aura burned the lich； making Gromph smile。 He looked at the halfling and saw that Dietr was smoking； his dead flesh smoldering。 His face was twisted with agony。
〃Go；〃 Gromph manded。 〃Kill the lich。〃
Dyrr cast a spell on him； but Gromph's defenses proved capable of turning it away。 It made the archmage a little dizzy； and that was all。 Dietr staggered forward； reluctant but pelled to act。 He wasn't moving fast enough。
〃Kill the lich；〃 Gromph called after him； 〃and I'll send you home to your mother。〃
Dietr believed the lie and broke into a run。 Dyrr moved up to meet him and raked a clawed hand across the huecuva's face。 Red…orange fire flared at the touch； blowing blistering heat into the lichdrow's masked face。
Dyrr threw up an arm； but the damage had been done。 He roared； frustrated and angry。
Gromph was already working his next spell。 Before Dyrr could strike again； it took effect； and the lichdrow's arm stopped in mid…swipe。 Gromph hadn't quite expected the spell to work； but it had。 Dyrr was frozen。
〃Take me home！〃 the undead halfling shrieked。
He raked his own set of undead talons across Dyrr's sunken cheeks。 The frozen lichdrow growled at the pain and humiliation of the wound and was able to move again。
Taking advantage of Dyrr's misdirected rage at the huecuva； Gromph channeled the energy of a minor divination into a blast of arcane fire。 He sent the silvery light pouring over the lichdrow and had to close his own eyes against its brilliance。
Dyrr had been casting a spell…likely one that would have blasted Dietr to flinders…but the arcane fire took him full in the face。 His spell was ruined； and the lichdrow was burned again。
You're hurting him； Grendan said into Gromph's mind。
Dietr struck again； digging a deep furrow into the lichdrow's forearm。 Thick； dead blood oozed slowly from the wound。
The lichdrow looked at Gromph； and the archmage could see in his undead eyes that he was hurt； and hurt badly。 Gromph smiled； and…
Dietr exploded in a shower of black fire； dead flesh； and yellowed bones。
What's happening？ Nauzhror asked。
The sphere of magical energy that surrounded Gromph winked out…its magic spent…as the archmage realized that the black fire that had destroyed his huecuva hadn't e from Dyrr。
The lichdrow looked up into the air over the Bazaar； and Gromph followed his gaze。
Nimor Imphraezl hung suspended on batlike wings a dozen yards above the floor of the Bazaar。
Wings？ Gromph thought。
I knew he was no true drow； said Nauzhror。
〃Well；〃 Nimor said to the lich； his voice deeper； weightier than Gromph remembered； 〃seems you need me after all。〃
Chapter Eighteen
Ryld stood knee…deep in the freezing water of the cold swamp。 Jeggred was nowhere to be seen。 The constant noise made it hard to pick out the sound of the draegloth moving； The strange smells masked Jeggred's rancid breath。 The pinpoint stars and the odd patch of bioluminescence made it impossible to see the draegloth in the cold water and thick vegetation。 The faerie fire the strange swamp cat had cast on him had long since faded away。
He saw things moving in the water from time to time； mostly snakes； but no disturbances big enough to be the draegloth。 Something slid past his leg； but there was no sign on the slime…covered surface that anything had passed by。 It was definitely something alive； but it couldn't possibly be Jeggred。 It didn't touch him again； whatever it was。
Careful with each step； Ryld made his way across the swamp much more slowly than he'd hoped。 The thin coating of bright green algae that covered the water made it impossible for the weapons master to see his feet。 With each step his boot met some resistance： a rock； something soft； something that might have been alive； something that was solid and round like a quarterstaff…there were a lot of those…and something sharp like a dagger blade。
A bubble as big as Ryld's fist slowly expanded on the surface a few feet in front of him； sat there for a few seconds； then popped。 Ryld stopped and watched it and winced when the smell of the air that had been trapped in the bubble finally wafted past his nose。 The smell was reminiscent of the draegloth's horrid breath； but it was different enough that Ryld was sure that it wasn't Jeggred who'd sent up the bubble…and it wasn't the first such bubble he'd seen。
Ryld stepped forward； his foot again brushing past some hard object below the water。 He used a Melee…Magthere technique to slow his breathing and steady the shivering that threatened to slow his reaction time。 He could see his breath condensing in the air in front of him in puffs of white steam when he exhaled； the air cold enough to make his teeth sting when he inhaled。
An explosion of water doused his face and made him close his eyes。 The water was thick with slime and grainy bits of something…Ryld couldn't even guess what。 His eyes blazed with flashes of yellow light and pain that made his jaw tense。 Still； he brought his sword up in front of him and slashed twice at whatever it was that had splashed him。 His blade met no resistance。
From much farther below； a set of claws grabbed at his left thigh； punctured； then pulled down。 The claws dragged deep； ragged furrows in his skin； and Ryld could feel the heat of his own blood soaking his leg then cooling when it mixed with the cold water of the swamp。
Stepping back and stabbing down； Ryld tripped over something in the water that felt like a length of petrified rope。 Though he did his best to judge where the draegloth must have been to have clawed him like that； Splitter sank into the spongy ground under the water； never touching Jeggred。 Ryld fell backward until the water wrapped him in its fre