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erhaps。 An incipient species。
〃We have placed ourselves in city after city；〃 Nimor said； 〃all across the Underdark。 We've been waiting。〃
〃And breeding；〃 Gromph said； 〃with shadow dragons？〃
Nimor's smile told Gromph how right Nauzhror had been。
〃It's over；〃 Dyrr said； and Gromph found it difficult to deny the finality in his voice。 〃All of it。〃
〃Not yet；〃 Gromph replied； and he started to cast a spell。
Nimor beat his batlike wings and shot up into the darkness。 Dyrr followed； more slowly； wrapping himself in additional protective spells。
Gromph finished his spell and held his hands together。 A line of blackness appeared between his palms and stretched to the length of a long sword blade。 The line was perfectly two…dimensional； a rift in the structure of the planes。
Lifting into the air； the Archmage of Menzoberranzan threw his hands apart； and the blade followed him up。 Using the force of his will； Gromph set the planar blade flying in front of him。 Choosing a target was simple。
Nimor has to die first； Prath suggested； though it was unnecessary。 The extent of his true abilities is the only unknown。
Gromph set the blade hurtling at the half…dragon assassin。 Nimor flew as fast as anything Gromph had ever seen fly； but the blade moved faster。 It cut into the assassin； and Nimor convulsed in pain。 What makes a blade sharp is the thinness of its edge。 The blade that Gromph conjured didn't actually have any thickness at all。 Being perfectly thin； it was perfectly sharp。 Anything that Nimor might have had on him to protect him from weapons would be of no consequence。
Blood pattered down over the floor of the Bazaar； and Nimor roared。 The sound rattled Gromph's eardrums； though he didn't hesitate to send the black blade at the assassin again…but it disappeared。
Gromph whirled in midair to face the lichdrow。 Dyrr held his staff in both hands。 Gromph assumed he'd used some aspect of the weapon's magic to dispel the blade
Disappointing； Nauzhror mented。 That was an impressive spell。 And effective。
Nimor wasn't flying quite as fast； and he was still bleeding。 Gromph had to keep his attention shifting back and forth between the assassin； the lich； and his own next spell； so he didn't actually see Nimor heal himself； but he did…enough to keep himself alive。
Gromph was nearly finished with his next incantation when Nimor blew darkness at him…it was the only way the wizard could think to describe it。 The assassin drew in a breath and exhaled a cone…shaped wave of roiling blackness。 Gromph tried to drop away from the darkness； but he couldn't。 The twisting void washed over the archmage。 It was as if all the warmth were drawn out of him。 He shivered； and his breath stopped in his throat。 His spell was ruined； cut off in mid…word； the Weave energy unraveling。
Part of the layers of defensive magic that he and the Masters of Sorcere had cloaked him in protected Gromph from the full extent of the freezing darkness's power。 If not； Gromph would have shriveled to a dead husk。
〃I was right；〃 Gromph said to Nimor； trying not to gasp。 〃It was a shadow dragon； wasn't it？〃
〃More than one shadow dragon； Archmage；〃 Nimor replied…and Gromph thought the assassin was trying not to gasp himself； 〃and more than one drow。〃
The half…dragon assassin drew a needle…thin rapier that glowed blue…white in the gloom of the abandoned Bazaar。
Caution； Archmage； Prath warned。
Gromph winced at the idiocy of his inexperienced nephew。 The archmage was always ready for anything…though he wasn't fast enough to dodge out of the way of the rapier as it slashed across his chest。
Nimor had disappeared from where he'd been hovering； several paces away and appeared right next to Gromph and a little above…perfectly in a blind spot。 All of that had happened in the precise same instant。
The assassin was gone again just as fast。
The slash in Gromph's chest burned； the wound crisp and jagged。 He looked down at the cut。 Frost lined the wound； and the blood that oozed from it was cold when it touched his skin。 Gromph shivered。
Something hit Gromph from behind； and he grunted and doubled over when the air was smashed out of his lungs。 It was a painful second or two before he was able to draw in another breath。 Dyrr had hit him with something…a spell or a weapon…from behind。
The spell didn't pass through all of your defenses； Archmage； Nauzhror told him。 If it had； you would have been disintegrated。
〃Good for me；〃 Gromph muttered under his breath； then he spoke the mand word that brought the defensive globe from the staff。
Circled again in protective magic； Gromph turned in the air； trying to catch sight of at least one of his foes。 He saw Nimor flying at him with that freezing rapier poised for another slash。 Behind the assassin and off to one side； the lichdrow was moving his free hand through the air； his fingers leaving streaks of crackling white light behind them。
Pain blazing in his chest and back； Gromph twisted in the air when a cone of twinkling white light shot forth from the lichdrow's extended hands； threatening to engulf him in a blast of freezing air and cutting ice。
The archmage managed to twist out of the way of the spell； but he lost sight of the assassin in the process。 Gromph braced himself for another icy slash from the rapier； but it didn't e。
The assassin had to dodge the cone of cold as well； Master； Prath said。
Gromph took advantage of the respite and drew two slim； platinum…bladed throwing daggers from a sheath in his right boot。 Even as he drew the knives up along the length of his body； he spoke the words of a spell that would enchant the weapons to a greater keenness。 The spell would make them fly truer as well； and farther； and he was sure they would pierce at least some of his target's magical defenses。
Gromph got his arm up to throw and finished the spell。 When he turned to find his target； the pain was gone。 The ring was working still； healing him almost as fast as the assassin and the lich could wound him。
A fraction of a heartb