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While no one bothered to draw closer to the wizard； all focused their attention on him。 Pharaun grinned in delight； pleased as ever by the attention。 He knotted his fists behind his back as if lecturing to novices at Sorcere； and began。
〃When we are ready； I will lead us along a path that skirts the Fringe…the borders of the Plane of Shadow。 We will travel quite swiftly； and minor inconveniences such as icy mountains； hungry monsters； and thick…headed humans won't trouble us in the least。 I expect a walk of ten to twelve hours to reach Mantol…Derith； provided that I do not bee lost and lead you all into some grisly demise in an uncivilized plane far from Faerun。〃
〃You fail to reassure me； Pharaun；〃 Ryld sighed。
〃Oh； I haven't ever gotten myself lost in the Shadow Deep； nor do I know of a wizard who has。 Of course； one would simply never hear from such an unfortunate fellow again； so perhaps a mishap in shadow walking might explain the disappearance of a young mage I knew…〃
〃Get to the point；〃 Quenthel snapped。
〃Oh； fine。 There are two important things to remember； then； for those of you challenged by the effort。 First； while we need fear no difficulties in this world while we walk； we gain no special protection from the hazards of the Plane of Shadow。 There are things in that place that will object to our passage if they happen upon us…I encountered one such creature the last time I traveled this way； and it was very nearly the last of my marvelous adventures。
〃Second； and most importantly； do not lose sight of me。 Stay close by and follow me diligently。 If you lose contact with me while we traverse the Plane of Shadow； you will likely wander its gloomy barrens for all eternity…or until something terrible devours you； which will probably happen rather soon。 My attention must remain on maintaining the spell and navigating the Fringe； so don't make it easy for me to misplace you； unless of course I don't like you； in which case please feel free to amble the Shadow Deep at will。〃
〃Will the lamias be able to follow us？〃 Ryld asked； his eye still on the passage leading back to the ruins above。
〃No； not unless they have a wizard as learned and charming as I； and he knows a spell that permits one to track shadow walkers； which I do not。〃 Pharaun smiled。 〃You will be able to shake the dust of the surface from your boots； friend Ryld。 Concern yourself no more with the perils of this place； and save your worry for what we might meet on the Fringe。〃 The wizard glanced around； and nodded to himself。 〃All right； then。 Take each other's hands…there's a good fellow； Jeggred； you can get everybody at once； can't you？…and be still while I cast the spell。〃
Pharaun raised his hands and muttered a series of arcane syllables； working his spell。
Halisstra stood between Danifae and Valas； their hands linked。 The great subterranean gallery grew somehow darker； if such a thing could be possible in an unlit room underground。 Drow could see quite well even in the darkest places； but it seemed to Halisstra as if some kind of murk hung in the air。 At first glance； it seemed that Pharaun had succeeded in little more than conjuring a gloom around the party； but as she studied her surroundings more closely； she realized that she was indeed no longer upon Faerun。 A preternatural chill gnawed at her exposed skin； radiating from the cold dust beneath her feet。 The high； rune…carved columns that lined the space were twisted caricatures that loomed bizarrely out over the chamber's open floor。
〃Strange；〃 she murmured。 〃I expected something 。 。 。 different。〃
〃This is the way of the shadow； dear lady；〃 Pharaun said。 His voice seemed flat and distant； despite the fact he stood no more than six feet from her。 〃This plane has no substance of its own。 It is made up of echoes from our own world； and other； stranger places。 We stand in the shadow of the ruins above； but they are not the same ruins we recently traversed。 The lamias and their minions do not exist here。 Now； remember； stay close； and do not lose sight of me。〃
The wizard set off along the passage leading back to the surface。 Halisstra blinked in surprise。 He took only one small step as he turned away from the party； but he was suddenly across the room； and a second step carried him perilously far down the corridor outside。 She hurried to keep him in sight； only to find that a single step caused the chamber to blur into darkness。 She stood so close to Pharaun that she had to restrain an impulse to back up a step； lest she throw herself even farther away。
The wizard smirked at her disfiture and said； 〃I am flattered by your attention； dear lady； but you need not stay quite so close。〃 He laughed softly。 〃Just step when I step； and you will pace me more easily。〃
He took several slow； measured strides； holding back a bit as the rest of the party caught the trick of it； and in a moment they all marched together along the dusty streets of Hlaungadath beneath a cold and starless sky。 Each step seemed to catapult Halisstra forty； perhaps fifty feet across the dim terrain。 The black shapes of ruined buildings leered and leaned from all sides； huddling down close over the streets as if to hem in the travelers； only to fade into dark blurs with each careful stride。
Outside the ruined walls； Pharaun paused a moment to check on the party。 He nodded toward the desert stretching to cold mountains in the west； and he began to march quickly； setting a rapid pace that belied his effete mannerisms and aversion to the toils of travel。 Finally able to stretch out her legs； Halisstra began to gain a sense of just how quickly they were moving。 In five minutes of walking they left the site of the Netherese city a league behind them； a dark blot on the dim breast of the sands。 In thirty minutes the mountains； nothing more than a distant fence of snowcapped peaks from Hlaungadath's streets； towered up over them like a rampart of night。 The shadow walk also made light of the most difficult terrain in their path。 Without hesitation Pharaun stepped out over a sheer ravine as if it simply did not exist。 The magic of his spell and the strange plane they traversed brought his foot down securely on the far side of the obstacle。 Climbing the long； rugged slopes leading up into the mountains was no more work than stepping from stone to stone across a stream。
〃Tell me； Pharaun；〃 Quenthel said after a time； 〃why did we crawl through miles of dangerous Underdark passages to reach Ched Nasad； when you might have used this spell to shorten our journey？〃
Halisstra could sense the ire hidden in the Baenre's voice； even through the murk and gloom of the Shadow Fringe。
〃Three reasons； fair Quenthel；〃 Pharaun replied； not taking his eyes from the unseen path he followed。 〃First； you did not ask me to do any such thing。 Second； the wizards of Ched Nasad arranged certain defenses against intrusions of this sort。 Finally； as I said before； the Fringe is a dangerous place。 I only suggested this after we all agreed that marching for months across the sun…blasted surface world presented an even less appealing prospect。〃