moon that would illuminate the darkness, reminding the drow that even at night the goddess still watched her children; and for the ground beneath their feet, which gave up its iron needed to forge the Dark Ladies' swords.
"Up from the earth, and into the flame," Halisstra sang, together with the other priestesses, "I temper my heart, in Eilistraee's name."
Though the evensong was a joyful one, it had an undercurrent of rage that night. Upon hearing of the death of a member of their faith at the hands of a yochlol, priestesses from all over the forest had gathered to pay tribute to the woman who had fallen. More priest-esses were still emerging from the forest to join in the circle. Clad in chain mail and bearing shields they sank down beside the others, sat cross-legged with drawn swords placed across their knees, and joined in the song.
When it was done, Uluyara rose and walked down the slope to the boulder. Placing her left hand on it, she raised the sword she held in her right hand to the heavens, invoking the goddess.
"Eilistraee, hear me," she cried. "Breena's death shall be avenged. We shall hunt down the servants of the Spider Queen and put them to the sword! Dark Maiden, give us strength."
As one, the seated priestesses raised their own swords and shouted, "By song and sword!"
Belatedly, Halisstra joined them, thrusting her own sword at the heavens. She glanced, nervously, at the priestesses on either side of her, worried that they might think her tardiness showed a lack of faith - or that they might cast a critical eye on the blade's missing tip. But they were caught up in the moment, sighting along their own blades at the sky above.
"Whether they try to run on the surface or hide in Lolth's dark depths, we shall hunt them down," Uluyara continued, the fire in her red eyes matching that of the setting sun. "We will have our ven-geance upon them and will dance in delight as they fall. Lady of the Dance, give us strength!"
Halisstra was ready.
"By song and sword!" she shouted, thrusting her songsword into the air at the same time the others did.
"We will tear through their web of lies and deceit and destroy all who prevent the dark children from claiming their rightful place in the light," Uluyara continued. "Lady Silverhair, give us strength!"
"By song and sword!" the priestesses replied.
Then, all at once, they stood, and Halisstra scrambled to join them.
"Lolth will be defeated!" Uluyara cried. The blade of her sword was glowing with a cold, white light. "Eilistraee, give us strength!"
"By song and sword!" the priestesses shouted, raising their swords a fourth and final time. Then, reversing their weapons, they drove them point-first into the ground and shouted, "Lolth must die!"
Halisstra had shouted the first response together with the other priestesses but was taken by surprise when they thrust their swords down, instead of up. A heartbeat behind the others, she thrust Seyll's songsword into the ground, forcing its blunted tip into the earth.
"Lolth must die!" she shouted - suddenly realizing that her voice was all alone in the abrupt silence.
She glanced up and found that all of them were staring at her - especially Uluyara. The high priestess had driven the point of her own sword not into the earth but into the boulder beside her. For a moment, the boulder reminded Halisstra of a slain spi-der, the red streaks of rust emulating blood. As Uluyara tossed back her hair, the silver radiance cast by the blade of her sword caught it, making it sparkle like moonlight. She beckoned Halis-stra forward.
Deciding after a moment's hesitation to leave the songsword in the ground where she'd thrust it, Halisstra approached the high priestess. Uluyara reached our for her hand, and when Halisstra gave it to her, she placed it on the hilt of the sword in the stone.
"This one holds a special place in Eilistraee's heart, though she has but recently renounced the Queen of Spiders," Uluyara told the others. "May the Lady of the Dance bless her and guide her sword well. Eilistraee give her strength."
Halisstra, her palm damp with nervous sweat, spoke the ritual response: "By song and sword."
As she said it, the sword she was holding quivered slightly. Then, seemingly of its own accord, it slid deeper into the stone. Halisstra, still holding its hilt, followed it down, pushing it into the boulder until its hilt struck the stone with a dull clank.