rj.eyeoftheworld-第174节

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ger。　Like　serpents　Balthamel's　arms　writhed　free；　his　gloved　hands　grasping　the　Green　Man's　head　as　though　he　would　wrench　it　off。　Flames　shot　up　where　those　hands　touched；　vines　withering；　leaves　falling。　The　Green　Man　bellowed　as　thick；　dark　smoke　poured　out　between　the　vines　of　his　body。　On　and　on　he　roared；　as　if　all　of　him　were　ing　out　of　his　mouth　with　the　smoke　that　billowed　between　his　lips。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　Balthamel　jerked　in　the　Green　Man's　grasp。　The　Forsaken's　hands　tried　to　push　him　away　instead　of　clutching　him。　One　gloved　hand　flung　wide　。。。　and　a　tiny　creeper　burst　through　the　black　leather。　A　fungus；　such　as　rings　trees　in　the　deep　shadows　of　the　forest；　ringed　his　arm；　sprang　from　nowhere　to　full…grown；　swelling　to　cover　the　length　of　it。　Balthamel　thrashed；　and　a　shoot　of　stinkweed　ripped　open　his　carapace；　lichens　dug　in　their　roots　and　split　tiny　cracks　across　the　leather　of　his　face；　nettles　broke　the　eyes　of　his　mask；　deathshead　mushrooms　tore　open　the　mouth。
　　　　　　　The　Green　Man　threw　the　Forsaken　down。　Balthamel　twisted　and　jerked　as　all　the　things　that　grew　in　the　dark　places；　all　the　things　with　spores；　all　the　things　that　loved　the　dank；　swelled　and　grew；　tore　cloth　and　leather　and　flesh…Was　it　flesh；　seen　in　that　brief　moment　of　verdant　rage？…to　tattered　shreds　and　covered　him　until　only　a　mound　remained；　indistinguishable　from　many　in　the　shaded　depths　of　the　green　forest；　and　the　mound　moved　no　more　than　they。
　　　　　　　With　a　groan　like　a　limb　breaking　under　too　great　a　weight；　the　Green　Man　crashed　to　the　ground。　Half　his　head　was　charred　black。　Tendrils　of　smoke　still　rose　from　him；　like　gray　creepers。　Burned　leaves　fell　from　his　arm　as　he　painfully　stretched　out　his　blackened　hand　to　gently　cup　an　acorn。
　　　　　　　The　earth　rumbled　as　an　oak　seedling　pushed　up　between　his　fingers。　The　Green　Man's　head　fell；　but　the　seedling　reached　for　the　sun；　straining。　Roots　shot　out　and　thickened；　delved　beneath　the　ground　and　rose　again；　thickened　more　as　they　sank。　The　trunk　broadened　and　stretched　upward；　bark　turning　gray　and　fissured　and　ancient。　Limbs　spread　and　grew　heavy；　as　big　as　arms；　as　big　as　men；　and　lifted　to　caress　the　sky；　thick　with　green　leaves；　dense　with　acorns。　The　massive　web　of　roots　turned　the　earth　like　plows　as　it　spread；　the　already　huge　trunk　shivered；　grew　wider；　round　as　a　house。　Stillness　came。　And　an　oak　that　could　have　stood　five　hundred　years　covered　the　spot　where　the　Green　Man　had　been；　marking　the　tomb　of　a　legend。　Nynaeve　lay　on　the　gnarled　roots；　grown　curved　to　her　shape；　to　make　a　bed　for　her　to　rest　upon。　The　wind　sighed　through　the　oak's　branches；　it　seemed　to　murmur　farewell。
　　　　　　　Even　Aginor　seemed　stunned。　Then　his　head　lifted；　cavernous　eyes　burning　with　hate。　〃Enough！　It　is　past　time　to　end　this！〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Forsaken；〃　Moiraine　said；　her　voice　as　cold　as　deep…winter　ice。　〃Past　time！〃
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai's　hand　rose；　and　the　ground　fell　away　beneath　Aginor's　feet。　Flame　roared　from　the　chasm；　whipped　to　a　frenzy　by　wind　howling　in　from　every　direction；　sucking　a　maelstrom　of　leaves　into　the　fire；　which　seemed　to　solidify　into　a　red…streaked　yellow　jelly　of　pure　heat。　In　the　middle　of　it　Aginor　stood；　his　feet　supported　only　by　air。　The　Forsaken　looked　startled；　but　then　he　smiled　and　took　a　step　forward。　It　was　a　slow　step；　as　if　the　fire　tried　to　root　him　to　the　spot；　but　he　took　it；　and　then　another。
　　　　　　　〃Run！〃　Moiraine　manded。　Her　face　was　white　with　strain。　〃All　of　you　run！〃　Aginor　stepped　across　the　air；　toward　the　edge　of　the　flames。
　　　　　　　Rand　was　aware　of　others　moving；　Mat　and　Perrin　dashing　away　at　the　edge　of　his　vision；　Loial's　long　legs　carrying　him　into　the　trees；　but　all　he　could　really　see　was　Egwene。　She　stood　there　rigid；　face　pale　and　eyes　closed。　It　was　not　fear　that　held　her；　he　realized。　She　was　trying　to；　throw　her　puny；　untrained　wielding　of　the　Power　against　the　Forsaken。
　　　　　　　Roughly　he　grabbed　her　arm　and　pulled　her　around　to　face　him。　〃Run！〃　he　shouted　at　her。　Her　eyes　opened；　staring　at　him；　angry　with　him　for　interfering；　liquid　with　hate　for　Aginor；　with　fear　of　the　Forsaken。　〃Run；〃　he　said；　pushing　her　toward　the　trees　hard　enough　to　start　her。　〃Run！〃　Once　started；　she　did　run。
　　　　　　　But　Aginor's　withered　face　turned　toward　him；　toward　the　running　Egwene　behind　him；　as　the　Forsaken　walked　through　the　flames；　as　if　what　the　Aes　Sedai　was　doing　did　not　concern　Aginor　at　all。　Toward　Egwene。
　　　　　　　〃Not　her！〃　Rand　shouted。　〃The　Light　burn　you；　not　her！〃　He　snatched　up　a　rock　and　threw　it；　meaning　to　draw　Aginor's　attention。　Halfway　to　the　Forsaken's　face；　the　stone　turned　to　a　handful　of　dust。
　　　　　　　He　hesitated　only　a　moment；　long　enough　to　glance　over　his　shoulder　and　see　that　Egwene　was　hidden　in　the　trees。　The　flames　still　surrounded　Aginor；　patches　of　his　cloak　smoldering；　but　he　walked　as　if　he　had　all　the　time　in　the　world；　and　the　fire's　rim　was　near。　Rand　turned　and　ran。　Behind　him　he　heard　Moiraine　begin　to　scream。

Chapter　51
Against　the　Shadow
　
　　　　　　　The　land　tended　upward　the　way　Rand　went；　but　fear　lent　his　legs　strength　and　they　ate　ground　in　long　strides；　tearing　his　way　through　flowering　bushes　and　tangles　of　wildrose；　scattering　petals；　not　caring　if　thorns　ripped　his　clothes　or　even　his　flesh。　Moiraine　had　stopped　screaming。　It　seemed　as　if　the　shrieks　had　gone　on　forever；　each　one　more　throat…wrenching　than　the　last；　but　he　knew　they　had　lasted　only　moments　altogether。　Moments　before　Aginor　would　be　on　his　trail。　He　knew　it　would　be　him　that　Aginor　followed。　He　had　seen　the　certainty　in　the　Forsaken's　hollow　eyes；　in　that　last　second　before　terror　whipped　his　feet　to　run。
　　　　　　　The　land　grew　ever　steeper；　but　he　scrambled　on；　pulling　himself　forward　by　handfuls　of　undergrowth；　rocks　and　dirt　and　leaves　spilling　down　the　slope　from　under　his　feet；　finally　crawling　on　hands　and　knees　when　the　slant　became　too　great。　Ahead；　above；　it　leveled　out　a　little。　Panting；　he　scrabbled　his　way　the　last　few　spans；　got　to　his　feet；　and　stopped；　wanting　to　howl　aloud。
　　　　　　　Ten　paces　in　front　of　him；　the　hilltop　dropped　away　sharply。　He　knew　what　he　would　see　before　he　reached　it；　but　he　took　the　steps　anyway；　each　heavier　than　the　one　before；　hoping　there　might　be　some　track；　a　goat　path；　anything。　At　the　edge　he　looked　down　a　sheer　hundred…foot　drop；　a　stone　wall　as　smooth　as　planed　timber。
　　　　　　　There　has　to　be　some　way。　I'll　go　back　and　find　a　way　around。　Go　back　and　…When　he　turned；　Aginor　was　there；　just　reaching　the　crest。　The　Forsaken　topped　the　hill　without　any　difficulty；　walking　up　the　steep　slope　as　if　it　were　level　ground。　Deep…sunken　eyes　burned　at　him　from　that　drawn　parchment　face；　somehow；　it　seemed　less　withered　than　before；　more　fleshed；　as　if　Aginor　had　fed　well　on　something。　Those　eyes　were　fixed　on　him；　yet　when　Aginor　spoke；　it　was　almost　to　himself。
　　　　　　　〃Ba'alzamon　will　give　rewards　beyond　mortal　dreaming　for　the　one　who　brings　you　to　Shayol　Ghul。　Yet　my　dreams　have　always　been　beyond　those　of　other　men；　and　I　left　mortality　behind　millennia　ago。　What　difference　if　you　serve　the　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark　alive　or　dead？　None；　to　the　spread　of　the　Shadow。　Why　should　I　share　power　with　you？　Why　should　I　bend　knee　to　you？　I；　who　faced　Lews　Therin　Telamon　in　the　Hall　of　the　Servants　itself。　I；　who　threw　my　might　against　the　Lord　of　the　Morning　and　met　him　stroke　for　stroke。　I　think　not。〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　mouth　dried　like　dust；　his　tongue　felt　as　shriveled　as　Aginor。　The　edge　of　the　precipice　grated　under　his　heels；　stone　falling　away。　He　did　not　dare　look　back；　but　he　heard　the　rocks　bounding　and　rebounding　from　the　sheer　wall；　just　as　his　body　would　if　he　moved　another　inch。　It　was　the　first　he　knew　that　he　had　been　backing　up；　away　from　the　Forsaken。　His　skin　crawled　until　he　thought　he　must　see　it　writhing　if　he　looked；　if　he　could　only　take　his　eyes　off　the　Forsaken。　There　has　to　be　some　way　to　get　away　from　him。　Some　way　to　escape！　There　has　to　be！　Some　way！
　　　　　　　Suddenly　he　felt　something；　saw　it；　though　he　knew　it　was　not　there　to　see。　A　glowing　rope　ran　off　from　Aginor；　behind　him；　white　like　sunlight　seen　through　the　purest　cloud；　heavier　than　a　blacksmith's　arm；　lighter　than　air；　connecting　the　Forsaken　to　something　distant　beyond　knowing；　something　within　the　touch　of　Rand's　hand。　The　rope　pulsed；　and　with　every　throb　Aginor　grew　stronger；　more　fully　fleshed；　a　man　as　tall　and　strong　as　himself；　a　man　harder　than　the　Warder；　more　deadly　than　the　Blight。　Yet　beside　that　shining　cord；　the　Forsaken　seemed　almost　not　to　exist。　The　cord　was　all。　It　hummed。　It　sang。　It　called　Rand's　soul。　One　bright　finger…strand　lifted　away；　drifted；　touched　him；　and　he　gasped。　Light　filled　him；　and　heat　that　should　have　burned　yet　only　warmed　as　if　it　took　the　chill　of　the　grave　from　his　bones。　The　strand　thickened。　I　have　to　get　away！
　　　　　　　〃No！〃　Aginor　shouted。　〃You　shall　not　have　it！　It　is　mine！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　did　not　move；　and　neither　did　the　Forsaken；　yet　they　fought　as　surely　as　if　they　grappled　in　the　dust。　Sweat　beaded　on　Aginor's　face；　no　longer　withered；　no　longer　old；　that　of　a　strong　man　in　his　prime。　Rand　pulsed　with　the　beating　in　the　cord；　like　the　heartbeat　of　the　world。　It　fil