Xora seduces the weaponsmaster of HouseTayel and learns of the imminent attack - she was unaware of how soon it was to occur. With this warning, and some information about attack paths, she returns to the house, where Velve and Zhe'raen sit in war council. Together they verify it; the attack will come in three days.
The next morning, MatronNemalzhi hold a war council. She gives the expected orders - but surprisingly puts Xora in charge of the temple, even going so far as to assign Nirl to be Xora's bodyguard, negating both Zarathustriel's usual claim on him and Zhe'raen's plan for him in the battle. Zarathustriel appears almost oblivious to this, full of self-doubt and depression.
During the two remaining days, Xora asks around about Zarathustriel's condition, but get only platitudes for answers. She and Zhaunil have a sort of reconciliation, but the mutual one-upmanship is still there.
Then comes the great day of the attack. Velve successfully deploys the trap he and Zhaunil worked out, and not only manages to delay the HouseMieron troops, causing an impromnitou orgy; he also manages to take the head of their matron! Thus divided, the forces of HouseTayel attack alone - and Zhe'raen counterattacks with glee, killing their weaponsmaster in a duel that is too short to be interesting.
A dark storm is rising. Ahriman concludes the deal he made with the devils by stealing the DevilSword and releasing it into the night sky, where a colossal demon prince appears to catch it. The sultry demon bitch inside remanifests, held tenderly in the arms of a devil that calls her mother. She then hovers above the battlefield, while he proceeds to wreak havoc and destruction below.
As previously agreed, Nirl is sent to fetch one of the ElfSlaves from Zhaunil, but Xora has a secret plan - if Zarathustriel cannot gather her wits and function as an effective priestess, she is to be sacrificed to Lolth! This plan never comes to be realized, however, since Zarathustriel awakens from her stupor and does the rituals with gusto. So much that Xora feels she can relax, expand her senses, and just offer herself to the goddess, as a channel to this world and a vessel through which to experience it. Never had she expected the results she got!
The battle goes our way. Velve and Zhe'raen score victories on their respective fronts, and the DevilSon blasts the forces of HouseTayel into smithereens. But as the front stabilizes, the DevilSon is dissatisfied. His contract specified an interesting battle - and this battle is not very interesting at all! He demands a duel. Zhe'raen is at first dutiful and says he must win the battle before indulging himself, but after asking Lolth for advice, he is filled with certainty and goes ahead with the fight. After scoring one very solid hit on the devil, he is overcome, however.
Xora, meanwhile, has been possessed by Lolth herself! As a vessel of the divine energy, she leaps straight through the walls of the castle and observes from the battlement, but comes to the help of her fallen champion. With a simple touch, she heals Zhe'raen fully, and the duel resumes. Meanwhile Nirl has followed Xora outside, not knowing that she is possessed, and is promptly caught by the DevilMother.
Lolth kills off all the lower creatures on this battlefield - all the goblins and slave troops - leaving only the drow to fight it out. She then retires into the compound once more. There, Sadrak is caught in a life-and-death struggle with HouseMieron assassins. As mighty as he is, his great strength is sorely tested by their blades and poisons. Zhaunil stands outside her apartment, confidently watching her creation fight for his life. Lolth arrives in the guise of Xora, and decides to test her - making her expectations true, for good and bad. But Zhaunil withstands the test - she is confident in Sadrak, and bolstered by her confidence he easily dispatches his enemies. Unknown to both of them, Ahriman is struck down by an assassin - but one of his apprentices saves the day by calling a chaos beast - that Sadrak then has to slay before his appalled mistress. Several precious works of art are twisted and ruined in the fight.
Xora would have liked to lead Lolth on towards Zarathustriel, to give her the religious experience of a lifetime, but Lolth is called outside when Zhe'raen once again falls before the DevilSon's blade. About to claim his soul, he is only stopped by the goddess herself - and even then, the DevilMother lays claim to Nirl - to which Lolth makes no comment. And then, as suddenly as she arrived, the goddess disappears. Xora is left with a comatose Zhe'raen bleeding from several stab wounds, and two devils, one who is holding Nirl. Recovering from her swoon, she still challenges the DevilMother, demanding the return of "her" boy and calling in supposed old favors. After some banter, the DevilMother agrees and leaves the boy - but warns Xora of the consequences of her actions. Xora orders Nirl into battle and proceeds with Zhe'raen to the temple for healing.
On to the other front. With a thought from Lolth, the forces of HouseMieron are brought to order - but not restored in ability. They make their belated attack, but are poorly led and coordinated. Though Velve is hard pressed, MatronNemalzhi has great success against them, and soon they are in full flight. Velve makes a great figure as he manages to sway the house troops holding the gate to close out their former employers, and the carnage is great. Proceeding to the fortress of HouseTayel, where he is joined first by Xora and the healed Zhe'raen, later by Ahriman and Zhaunil; they take great bounty, including three young priestesses of the house, who are now legally dead. Xora makes these into slaves, sending them to Zhaunil for safekeeping.
So ends the day of the great battle!