srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第80节

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at　she　would　be　ready　if　the　Colossus　awoke…and　so　that　she　could　destroy　it　if　it　did　not　awaken。　But　it　has　resisted　her。''　The　hardness　in　his　voice　sounded　almost　like　rage　at　Elena。　〃There　is　Earthpower　in　it　yet。
　　　　〃But　with　the　Staff　and　the　wild　magic；　she　will　be　capable。　She　will　throw　the　rubble　of　the　Colossus　from　its　cliff。　And　when　you　have　seen　that　no　ancient　bastion；　however　Earthpowerful　and　incorruptible；　can　stand　against　a　servant　of　the　master…then　Elena　Foul…wife　will　slay　you　where　you　kneel　in　your　despair。　She　will　slay　us　all。〃　With　a　jerk　of　his　head；　he　included　Bannor　and　Foamfollower。
　　　　In　horrific　unison；　the　Ravers　laughed。
　　　　Covenant　writhed　under　the　pressure　which　held　him。　〃How？〃
　　　　His　question　could　have　meant　many　things；　but　Triock　understood　him。　〃Because　the　Law　of　Death　has　been　broken！〃　he　rasped。　Fury　flamed　in　his　voice；　he　could　no　longer　contain　it。　He　watched　Elena　as　she　moved　gracefully　toward　the　Colossus；　preparing　herself　to　challenge　it；　and　his　voice　blared　after　her　as　if　he　were　striving　in　spite　of　her　coercion　to　find　some　way　to　restrain　her。　Clearly；　he　knew　how　he　was　being　pelled；　what　was　being　done　to　him；　and　the　knowledge　filled　him　with　torment。　〃Broken！〃　he　repeated；　almost　shouting。　〃When　she　employed　the　Power　of　mand　to　bring　Kevin　Landwaster　back　from　his　grave；　she　broke　the　Law　which　separates　life　from　death。　She　made　it　possible　for　the　master　to　call　her　back　in　her　turn…and　with　her　the　Staff　of　Law。　Therefore　she　is　his　servant。　And　in　her　hands；　the　Staff　serves　him…　though　he　would　not　use　it　himself；　lest　he　share　the　fate　of　Drool　Rockworm。　Thus　all　Law　is　warped　to　his　will！
　　　　〃Behold　her；　Thomas　Covenant！　She　is　unchanged。　Within　her　still　lives　the　spirit　of　the　daughter　of　Lena。　Even　as　she　readies　herself　for　this　destruction；　she　remembers　what　she　was　and　hates　what　she　is。〃　His　chest　heaved　as　if　he　were　strangling　on　bitterness。　〃That　is　the　master's　way。　She　is　resurrected　so　that　she　may　participate　in　the　ruin　of　the　Land…the　Land　she　loves！〃
　　　　He　no　longer　made　any　pretense　of　speaking　to　Covenant；　he　hurled　his　voice　at　Elena　as　if　his　tone　were　the　only　part　of　him　still　able　to　resist　her。　〃Elena　Foul…wife〃…he　uttered　the　name　with　horror…〃now　holds　the　white　gold。　She　is　more　the　master's　servant　than　any　Raver。　In　the　hands　of　turiya　or　moksha；　that　power　would　breed　rebellion。　With　wild　magic；　any　Raver　would　throw　down　the　master　if　he　could；　and　take　a　new　seat　in　the　thronehall　of　Ridjeck　Thome。　But　Elena　will　not　rebel。　She　will　not　use　the　wild　magic　to　free　herself。　She　has　been　manded　from　the　dead；　and　her　service　is　pure！〃
　　　　He　raged　the　word　pure　at　her　as　if　it　were　the　worst　affront　he　could　utter。　But　she　was　impervious　to　him；　secure　in　power　and　triumph。　She　only　smiled　faintly；　amused　by　his　ranting；　and　continued　to　make　her　preparations。
　　　　With　her　back　to　Covenant　and　Triock；　she　faced　the　monolith。　It　towered　over　her　as　if　it　were　about　to　fall　and　crush　her；　but　her　stance　admitted　to　no　possibility　of　danger。　With　the　Staff　and　the　ring；　she　was　superior　to　every　power　in　the　Land。　In　radiance　and　might；　she　raised　her　hands；　holding　up　the　Staff　of　Law　and　the　white　gold。　Her　sleeves　fell　from　her　arms。　Exulting　and　exalted；　she　began　to　sing　her　attack　on　the　Colossus　of　the　Fall。
　　　　Her　song　hurt　Covenant's　ears；　exacerbating　his　raw　helplessness。　He　could　not　bear　her　intent；　and　could　not　oppose　it；　her　interdict　kept　him　on　his　knees　like　fetters　of　humiliation。　Though　he　was　only　a　dozen　yards　from　her；　he　could　not　reach　her；　could　not　interfere　with　her　purpose。
　　　　His　thoughts　raced　madly；　scrambled　for　alternatives。　He　could　not　abide　the　destruction　of　the　Colossus。　He　had　to　find　another　answer。
　　　　〃Foamfollower！〃　he　croaked　in　desperation。　〃I　don't　know　what's　happening　to　you…I　don't　know　what's　being　done　to　you。　But　you've　got　to　fight　it！　You're　a　Giant！　You've　got　to　stop　her！　Try　to　stop　her！　Foamfollower！　Bannor！〃
　　　　The　Ravers　met　his　plea　with　sardonic　jeers；　and　Triock　rasped　without　taking　his　eyes　off　Elena；　〃You　are　a　fool；　Thomas　Covenant。　They　cannot　help　you。　They　are　too　strong　to　be　mastered…as　I　have　been　mastered…and　too　weak　to　be　masters。　Therefore　she　has　imprisoned　them　by　the　power　of　the　Staff。　The　Staff　crushes　all　resistance。　Thus　it　is　proven　that　Law　does　not　oppose　Despite。　We　are　all　mastered　beyond　redemption。〃
　　　　〃Not　you！〃　Covenant　responded　urgently。　He　fought　the　pressure　until　he　feared　his　lungs　would　break；　but　he　could　not　free　himself。　Without　his　ring；　he　felt　as　crippled　as　if　his　arms　had　been　amputated。　Without　it；　he　weighed　less　than　nothing　in　the　scales　of　the　Land's　fate。　〃Not　you！〃　he　gasped　again。　〃I　can　hear　you；　Triock！　You！　She　isn't　afraid　of　you…she　isn't　holding　you。　Triock！　Stop　her！〃
　　　　Again　the　Ravers　laughed。　But　this　time　Covenant　heard　the　strain　in　their　voices。　Heaving　against　his　captivity；　he　managed　to　wrench　his　head　around　far　enough　to　look　at　Whane　and　Lal。
　　　　They　still　stood　a　safe　distance　from　the　Colossus。　Neither　made　any　move　to　help　Covenant　or　oppose　Elena。　Both　went　on　chuckling　as　if　they　could　not　help　themselves。　Yet　their　exertion　was　unmistakable。　They　were　white…lipped　and　rigid；　beads　of　effort　ran　down　their　faces。　With　all　the　long　pride　of　their　people；　the　Ramen　were　struggling　to　break　free。
　　　　And　behind　them；　Foamfollower　and　Bannor　strove　for　freedom　also。　Somehow；　both　of　them　had　found　the　strength　to　move　slightly。　Foamfollower's　head　was　bowed；　and　he　clenched　his　face　with　one　hand　as　if　he　were　trying　to　alter　the　shape　of　his　skull。　Banner's　fingers　clawed　at　his　sides；　his　face　grew　taut；　baring　his　teeth。　Urgently；　desperately；　they　fought　Elena's　power。
　　　　Their　ordeal　felt　terrible　to　Covenant…terrible　and　hopeless。　Like　the　Ramen；　they　were　beyond　the　limits　of　what　they　could　do。　Pressure　mounted　in　them；　radiated　from　them。　It　was　so　acute　that　Covenant　feared　their　hearts　would　rupture。　And　they　had　no　chance　of　success。　The　power　of　the　Staff　increased　to　crush　every　extravagance　of　their　self…expenditure。
　　　　Their　futility　hurt　Covenant　more　than　his　own。　He　was　accustomed　to　impotence；　inured　to　it；　but　Bannor　and　Foamfollower　were　not。　The　stark　vision　of　their　defeat　almost　made　him　cry　out　in　anguish。　He　wanted　to　shout　to　them；　beg　them　to　stop　before　they　drove　themselves　soul…mad。
　　　　But　the　next　instant　a　surge　of　new　hope　shot　through　him　as　he　suddenly　understood　what　they　were　doing。　They　knew　they　could　not　escape；　were　not　trying　to　escape。　They　fought　toward　another　goal。　Elena　was　paying　no　attention　to　them；　she　concentrated　on　preparing　for　the　destruction　of　the　Colossus。　So　she　was　not　actively　exerting　herself　to　imprison　them。　She　had　simply　left　her　pulsion　in　the　air　and　turned　her　back。
　　　　Foamfollower　and　Bannor　were　drawing　on　this　pulsion；　using　it…using　it　up。　As　the　Giant　and　the　Bloodguard　strained　for　freedom；　strove　with　all　their　personal　might；　Triock　jerked　his　head　from　side　to　side；　quivered　in　a　fever　of　passion；　snapped　his　jaws　as　if　he　were　trying　to　tear　hunks　of　domination　out　of　the　air…and　began　to　move　toward　Elena。
　　　　The　Ravers　made　no　attempt　to　stop　him。　They　could　not；　the　struggles　of　the　Ramen　gave　them　no　leeway　in　which　to　act。
　　　　Triock　strained　as　he　moved　as　if　his　bones　were　being　torn　asunder；　and　he　quavered　imploringly　again　and　again；　〃Elena？　Elena？〃　But　he　moved；　he　advanced　step　by　step　toward　her。
　　　　Covenant　watched　him　in　an　agony　of　suspense。
　　　　Before　he　came　within　arm's　reach　of　her；　she　said　severely；　〃Stop。''
　　　　Swaying　in　a　gale　of　conflicting　demands；　Triock　halted。
　　　　〃If　you　resist　me　one　more　step；〃　she　grated；　〃I　will　tear　your　heart　from　your　pathetic　old　body　and　feed　it　to　Herem　and　Jehannum　while　you　observe　them　and　beg　me　to　let　you　die。〃
　　　　Triock　was　weeping　now；　shaking　with　importunate　sobs。　〃Elena？　Elena？〃
　　　　Without　even　glancing　at　him；　she　resumed　her　song。
　　　　But　the　next　instant；　something　snatched　at　her　attention；　spun　her　away　from　the　Colossus。　Her　face　pointed　lividly　toward　the　west。　Surprise　and　anger　contorted　her　features。　For　a　moment；　she　stared　in　speechless　indignation　at　the　intrusion。
　　　　Then　she　brandished　the　Staff　of　Law。　〃The　Lords　strike　back！〃　she　howled　furiously。　〃Samadhi　is　threatened！　They　dare！〃
　　　　Covenant　gaped　at　the　information；　at　her　knowledge　of　the　siege　of　Revelstone。　But　he　had　no　time　to　assimilate　it。
　　　　〃Foul's　blood！〃　she　raged。　〃Blast　them；　Raver！〃　Immense　forces　gathered　in　the　Staff；　mounting　to　be　hurled　across　the　distance　to　samadhi　Sheol's　aid。
　　　　For　that　instant；　she　neglected　her　pulsion　of　the　people　around　her。
　　　　The　blindness　lost　its　hold　on　Bannor　and　Foamfollower。　They　tottered；　lurched；　started　into　motion。　The　Ravers　tried　to　react；　but　could　not　move　quickly　enough　against　the　resistance　of　the　Ramen。
　　　　Covenant　felt　the　pressure　on　his　back　ease。　At　once；　he　rolled　out　from　under　it。　Springing　to　his　feet；　he　launched　himself　toward　Elena。
　　　　But　Triock　was　the　only　one　close　enough　to　her　to　take　advantage　of　her　l