srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第103节

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like　the　immensity　of　the　rocklit　cavern…like　the　continual；　adumbrated　weight　of　the　waterfall…like　the　echoes…like　the　deathless　stability　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir。　It　reduced　his　restless　consciousness　to　the　scale　of　mere　brief　flesh。
　It　was　the　smell　of　Earthpower。
　He　could　not　stand　it。　He　was　on　his　knees　before　it；　with　his　forehead　pressed　against　the　cold　stone　and　his　hands　clasped　over　the　back　of　his　neck。
　Then　he　heard　a　low；　flaring　noise　as　Elena　lit　the　Staff　of　Law。　Slowly；　he　raised　his　head。　The　sting　of　the　air　filled　his　eyes　with　tears；　but　he　blinked　at　them；　and　looked　about　him。
　He　was　in　a　tunnel　which　ran　straight　and　lightless　away　from　the　falls。　Down　its　center…out　of　the　distance　and　into　the　falls…flowed　a　small　stream　less　than　a　yard　wide。　Even　in　the　Staffs　blue　light；　the　fluid　of　this　stream　was　as　red　as　fresh　blood。　This　was　the　source　of　the　smell…the　source　of　Earthroot's　dangerous　potency。　He　could　see　its　concentrated　might。
　He　pushed　to　his　feet；　scrambled　toward　the　tunnel　wall；　he　wanted　to　get　as　far　as　possible　from　the　stream。　His　boots　slipped　on　the　black　stone　floor　as　if　it　were　glazed　with　ice。　He　had　to　struggle　to　keep　his　balance。　But　he　reached　the　wall；　pressed　himself　against　it。　Then　he　looked　toward　Elena。
　She　was　gazing　as　if　with　bated　breath　down　the　tunnel。　A　rapt；　exultant　expression　filled　her　face；　and　she　seemed　taller；　elevated　in　stature　by　her　grasp　on　the　Staff　of　Law…as　if　the　Staffs　flame　fed　a　fire　within　her；　a　blaze　like　a　vision　of　victory。　She　looked　like　a　priestess；　an　enactor　of　hallowed　and　effective　rites；　approaching　the　occult　ground　of　her　strength。　The　very　gaps　of　her　elsewhere　gaze　were　crowded　with　exalted　and　savage　possibilities。　They　made　Covenant　forget　the　unfortable　power　of　the　air；　forget　the　tears　which　ran　from　his　eyes　like　weeping；　and　step　forward　to　warn　her。
　At　once；　he　lost　his　footing；　barely　managed　to　avoid　a　fall。　Before　he　could　try　again；　he　heard　Amok　say；　〃e。　The　end　is　at　hand。〃　The　youth's
　speech　sounded　as　spectral　as　an　invocation　of　the　dead；　and　High　Lord　Elena　started　down　the　tunnel　in　answer　to　his　summons。　Quickly　Covenant　looked　around；　found　Bannor　behind　him。　He　caught　hold　of　Bannor's　arm　as　if　he　meant　to　demand；　Stop　her！　Don't　you　see　what　she's　going　to　do？　But　he　could　not　say　it；　he　had　made　a　bargain。　Instead；　he　thrust　away；　tried　to　hurry　after　Elena。
　He　could　find　no　purchase　for　his　feet。　His　boots　skidded　off　the　stone；　he　seemed　to　have　lost　his　sense　of　balance。　But　he　scrabbled　grimly　onward。　With　an　intense　effort　of　will；　he　relaxed　the　force　of　his　strides；　pushed　less　sharply　against　the　ground。　As　a　result；　he　gained　some　control　over　his　movements；　contrived　to　keep　pace　with　the　High　Lord。
　But　he　could　not　catch　her。　And　he　could　not　watch　where　she　was　going；　his　steps　required　too　much　concentration。　He　did　not　look　up　until　the　assailing　odor　took　a　leap　which　almost　reduced　him　to　his　knees　again。　Tears　flooded　his　eyes　so　heavily　that　they　felt　irretrievably　blurred；　bereft　of　focus。　But　the　smell　told　him　that　he　had　reached　the　spring　of　the　red　stream。
　Through　his　tears；　he　could　see　Elena's　flame　guttering。
　He　squeezed　the　water　out　of　his　eyes；　gained　a　moment　in　which　to　make　out　his　surroundings。　He　stood　behind　Elena　in　a　wider　cave　at　the　tunnel's　end。　Before　him；　set　into　the　black　stone　end…wall　like　an　exposed　lode…facet；　was　a　rough；　sloping　plane　of　wet　rock。　This　whole　plane　shimmered；　its　emanations　distorted　his　ineffectual　vision；　gave　him　the　impression　that　he　was　staring　at　a　mirage；　a　wavering　in　the　solid　stuff　of　existence。　It　confronted　him　like　a　porous　membrane　in　the　foundation　of　time　and　space。　From　top　to　bottom；　it　bled　moisture　which　dripped　down　the　slope；　collected　in　a　rude　trough；　and　flowed　away　along　the　center　of　the　tunnel。
　〃Behold；〃　Amok　said　quietly。　〃Behold　the　Blood　of　the　Earth。　Here　I　fulfill　the　purpose　of　my　creation。　I　am　the　Seventh　Ward　of　High　Lord　Kevin's　Lore。　The　power　to　which　I　am　the　way　and　the　door　is　here。〃
　As　he　spoke；　his　voice　deepened　and　emptied；　grew　older。　The　weary　burden　of　his　years　bent　his　shoulders。　When　he　continued；　he　seemed　conscious　of　a　need　for　haste；　a　need　to　speak　before　his　old　immunity　to　time　ran　out。
　〃High　Lord；　attend。　The　air　of　this　place　unbinds　me。　I　must　plete　my　purpose　now。〃
　〃Then　speak；　Amok；〃　she　replied。　〃I　hear　you。〃
　〃Ah；　hear；〃　said　Amok　in　a　sad；　musing　tone；　as　if　her　answer　had　dropped　him　into　a　reverie。　〃Where　is　the　good　of　hearing；　if　it　is　not　done　wisely？〃　Then　he　recollected　himself。　In　a　stronger　voice；　he　said；　〃But　hear；　then；　for　good　or　ill。　I　fulfill　the　law　of　my　creation。　My　maker　can　require　no　more　of　me。
　〃High　Lord；　behold　the　Blood　of　the　Earth。　This　is　the　passionate　and　essential　ichor　of　the　mountain　rock…the　Earthpower　which　raises　and　holds　peaks　high。　It　bleeds　here…perhaps　because　the　great　weight　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir　squeezes　it　from　the　dense　rock…or　perhaps　because　the　mountain　is　willing　to　lay　bare　its　heart's…blood　for　those　who　need　and　can　find　it。　Whatever　the　cause；　its　result　remains。　Any　soul　who　drinks　of　the　EarthBlood　gains　the　Power　of　mand。〃
　He　met　her　intense　gaze；　and　went　on；　〃This　Power　is　rare　and　potent…and　full　of　hazard。　Once　it　has　been　taken　in　from　the　Blood；　it　must　be　used　swiftly　…lest　its　strength　destroy　the　drinker。　And　none　can　endure　more　than　a　single　draft…no　mortal　thew　and　bone　can　endure　more　than　a　single　swallow　of　the　Blood。　It　is　too　rare　a　fluid　for　any　cup　of　flesh　to　hold。
　〃Yet　such　hazards　do　not　explain　why　High　Lord　Kevin　himself　did　not　essay　the　Power　of　mand。　For　this　Power　is　the　power　to　achieve　any　desired　act…to　issue　any　mand　to　the　stone　and　soil　and　grass　and　wood　and　water　and　flesh　of　life；　and　see　that　mand　fulfilled。　If　any　drinker　were　to　say　to　Melenkurion　Skyweir；　‘Crumble　and　fall；'　the　great　peaks　would　instantly　obey。　If　any　drinker　were　to　say　to　the　Fire…Lions　of　Mount　Thunder；　‘Leave　your　bare　slopes；　attack　and　lay　waste　Ridjeck　Thome；'
　they　would　at　once　strive　with　all　their　strength　to　obey。　This　Power　can　achieve　anything　which　lies　within　the　scope　of　the　manded。　Yet　High　Lord　Kevin　did　not　avail　himself　of　it。
　〃I　do　not　know　all　the　purposes　which　guided　his　heart　when　he　chose　to　leave　the　EarthBlood　untasted。　But　I　must　explain　if　I　can　the　deeper　hazards　of　the　Power　of　mand。〃
　Amok　spoke　in　a　tone　of　deepening；　spectral　hollowness；　and　Covenant　listened　desperately；　as　if　he　were　clinging　with　raw；　bruised　fingers　to　the　precipice　of　Amok's　words。　Hot　things　hammered　in　his　veins；　and　tears　like　rivulets　of　fire　ran　unstanchably　down　his　sweating　cheeks。　He　felt　that　he　was　suffocating　on　the　smell　of　EarthBlood。　His　ring　itched　horribly。　He　could　not　keep　his　balance；　his　footing　constantly　oozed　from　under　him。　Yet　his　perceptions　went　beyond　all　this。　His　flooded　senses　stretched　as　if　they　were　at　last　thrusting　their　heads　above　water。　As　Amok　spoke　of　deeper　hazards；　Covenant　became　aware　of　a　new　implication　in　the　cave。
　Through　the　brunt　of　the　Blood；　he　began　to　smell　something　wrong；　something　ill。　It　crept　insidiously　across　the　whelming　odor　like　an　oblique　defiance　which　seemed　to　succeed　in　spite　of　the　immense　force　which　it　opposed；　undercut；　betrayed。　But　he　could　not　locate　its　source。　Either　the　Power　of　mand　itself　was　in　some　way　false；　or　the　wrong　was　elsewhere；　making　itself　apparent　slowly　through　the　dense　air。　He　could　not　tell　which。
　No　one　else　appeared　to　notice　the　subtle　reek　of　ill。　After　a　short；　tired　pause；　Amok　continued　his　explication。
　〃The　first　of　these　hazards…first；　but　perhaps　not　foremost…is　the　one　great　limit　of　the　Power。　It　holds　no　sway　over　anything　which　is　not　a　natural　part　of　the　Earth's　creation。　Thus　it　is　not　possible　to　mand　the　Despiser　to　cease　his　warring。　It　is　not　possible　to　mand　his　death。　He　lived　before　the　arch　of　Time　was　forged…the　Power　cannot　pel　him。
　〃This　alone　might　have　given　Kevin　pause。　Perhaps　he　did　not　drink　of　the　Blood　because　he　could　not
　conceive　how　to　levy　any　mand　against　the　Despiser。　But　there　is　another　and　subtler　hazard。　Here　any　soul　with　the　courage　to　drink　may　give　a　mand…but　there　are　few　who　can　foresee　the　oute　of　what　they　have　enacted。　When　such　immeasurable　force　is　unleashed　upon　the　Earth；　any　acplishment　may　recoil　upon　its　acplisher。　If　a　drinker　were　to　mand　the　destruction　of　the　Illearth　Stone；　perhaps　the　Stone's　evil　would　survive　uncontained　to　blight　the　whole　Land。　Here　the　drinker　who　is　not　also　a　prophet　risks　self…betrayal。　Here　are　possibilities　of　Desecration　which　even　High　Lord　Kevin　in　his　despair　left　slumbering　and　untouched。〃
　The　stench　of　wrong　grew　in　Covenant's　nostrils；　but　still　he　could　not　identify　it。　And　he　could　not　concentrate　on　it；　he　had　a　question　which　he　fevered　to　ask　Amok。　But　the　tenebrous　atmosphere　clogged　his　throat；　stifled　him。
　While　Covenant　struggled　for　breath；　something　happened　to　Amok。　During　his　speech；　his　tone　had　bee　older　and　more　cadaverous。　And　now；　in　the　pause　after　his　last　sentence；　he　suddenly　lurched　as　if　some　tau