Queen of the Demonweb Pits

The metal of its structure looked like brass, yet it shimmered with fleeting images as though it were somehow alive. The palace crouched above shattered temples and roofs, towering a hundred feet high. The jaws formed a ramp guarded by demons-a gateway into Lolth's private home.

Escalla leaned on her frost wand and stared at the mobile palace. 'Wow! Look at that place! Hoopy! Why leave the comforts of home when you can take them on campaign?'

Henry stared at the spider palace in awe. 'That's where she lives?'

'Looks like it. Part palace, and part war machine.'

'Yes.' Lying beneath Cinders's black pelt, the Justicar stared in calculation at his prey. 'That's where we have to be. We have to get into that palace, then find a way to ambush Lolth when she returns to the Abyss.'

Henry gnawed a thumb nail as he spoke. 'Will she return there? Why?'

'She has to. It's the source of her power,' Escalla replied. 'If she wants to recharge her magic, she has to go back home and suck up the ambiance.'

The Justicar kept his eyes upon the city ruins, thinking and planning. Escalla used him as a chair.

'All right, that metal spider is as big as a castle. If we get in, we should be able to hide out.'

Lolth's armies swarmed all over the roads and paths. The ruins moved subtly with hints of lurking shapes. Enid looked over the view and bit the end of one huge claw.

'So… how do we get in?'

'No problem!' Escalla gave a confident little pose. 'I change myself into a quasit or a little tanar'ri-thing. Everyone else gets in the portable hole, and I just fly straight through Lolth's front door! She'll be dead by lunchtime; we'll be home in time for tea!'

Enid gave a frown that wrinkled up her nose. 'Can we do that? Don't these creatures have the ability to detect good?'

'Why's that a problem?' asked Polk. 'It's Escalla.'

'I'm good, thank you very much!' She shot a glance at the Justicar. 'Damned good!'

Enid blinked. 'So that means we can't just sneak in?'

Goodness no. Benelux sounded stuffy and impatient. They will sense me. My energy signature is unique. And you certainly cannot kill a goddess with any weapon other than me!

Ignoring the conversation, the Justicar had Henry beside him. The two men were carefully studying the lay of the land-the flooded fields and the fallen walls. Henry pointed out a feature to the Justicar, and the big man nodded as he agreed. Enid, Polk, and Escalla eventually became interested, and all came over to watch the fun and inquire.

Escalla lounged silkily against the Justicar and raised one brow. 'Having fun?'

'There's a way in.' The Justicar traced a path with his finger that wended beneath fallen roofs and fields drowned neck deep in slime. 'We go through the fields by swimming-then cross the river where it laps the city wall. Through the breach and into the city. Then we can try to find a way aboard the palace.'

Enid lashed her tail in thought. 'What if there are monsters in the river?'

'Lolth's creatures are mostly spiders and fire creatures. Watch them. They try to avoid the water-all except the trolls.'

'Ah. Trolls.'

'We can take trolls.' The Justicar had no fear of mere claws, scales, and bone. 'Easiest if only one person makes the swim. I'll carry you in the portable hole until we get into the city. After that, we'll need the whole team.'

Sitting beside the furry bulk of Enid, Henry looked a little pale. 'Then after that-the Abyss?'

'The Abyss.'

The party froze, letting the fear of that dark place settle in their minds. Unperturbed, Escalla whirred up into the air and clapped her hands.

'Abyss? What's in a name? Any of you guys ever been to the Inn of No Return in Greyhawk?' The faerie whipped up enthusiasm. 'Ever had a bottomless cup of brew? Did the cup have a bottom? I hope to kiss a duck it did!' Escalla dismissed all their worries with a little wave of her hand. 'It's just hype! The kind of stuff Polk writes!'

The badger gave an indignant squawk. 'Hey!'

'Sorry, man. Motivational speech.' Strutting like a coach with a reluctant team, Escalla pounded Enid on one wing. 'Now the Abyss is just a place! Things live there-thousands of things. All right, most of those things are tanar'ri, and they like to eat people, but they live, they goof off, and snooze between meals. The Abyss is a world like any other-big ecology, wide open spaces, with cities and towns! We keep away from the towns, stick to the empty bits… it'll be a doddle!' The girl saw doubtful looks on Henry and Enid's faces. 'Hey, trust me! I'm a faerie! Cinders! Back me up here. You're a hell hound. What have you heard about the Abyss?'

Fun! The hell hound's big fangs gleamed. Nice hot lava, sulfur jets, hot fires! Dead things everywhere!

'And… and then there were all those other bits that were not life-threatening to the non-fireproof in any way at all!' Escalla hit Henry on the shoulder. 'So come on! We're the team! We're adventurers with heroism written in our eyes! The world is our oyster, and we like it raw!' Turning to face the ruins, Escalla posed in magnificent defiance. She stood with fists on her little hips, and murmured to the Justicar. 'Did they buy it?'

'No.'

'Sod it! Let's go.'

Escalla chased Polk, Henry, and Enid down into the portable hole. 'We should put a couch in here-maybe a real bed or two.' Polk she helped down with a boot in his tail. 'Come on! Time's wasting!'

Alone at last, Escalla put her arms about Jus's neck and buried her face against his cheek. He held her, eyes closed, loving the deceitful little creature heart and soul.

'It'll be all right. We can do it.'

'Sure we can.' Escalla held him tight. 'I love you.'

'I love you.'

Cinders love you, too! The dog grinned away, his tail wagging. Fun!

Hush, Cinders. Benelux sniffed importantly. This is a private moment. Be a good dog and be still.

With a dire glare for the interlopers, Escalla tugged her little chain-mail skirt straight.

'True love might be easier without the chorus of eavesdroppers!'

Eavesdropping? I never! Benelux bridled in indignation. That is an uncouth suggestion. Young lady, the only words I overheard were your continuous agreement. The sword sniffed. Very vigorous agreement!

'You know, one day you are going to get a crush on a big handsome broadsword, and then I am gonna go to town on you!' Escalla flicked the sword hilt with the tip of her finger. 'Now look after my betrothed, or I'll store something rancid at the bottom of your sheath.'

Jus kissed Escalla tenderly, and the little faerie did a swan dive down into the portable hole. The ranger folded up the hole and made it safe.

'Cinders?'

Faerie agrees! Funny!

'Very funny.' The Justicar lay flat, waited for a swarm of bat-winged severed heads to fly over the river, then slithered belly first into the mud of a flooded field. 'Eyes open. Let's go.'

From inside the portable hole, voices drifted up-Escalla scolding Polk for the twentieth time that day.

'Polk! What are you doing?'

'Updating the chronicles.' The badger sounded positively overjoyed. 'We're going to the Abyss! The pit of evil itself! Best place a hero could ever hope to carry the blade of the just and true! It's time to put in some illustrations!'