srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第105节

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g　words　of　flame。
　〃e！　I　have　tasted　the　EarthBlood！　You　must　obey　my　will。　The　walls　of　death　do　not　prevail。　Kevin　son　of　Loric！　e！〃
　No！　howled　Covenant；　No！　Don't！　But　even　his　inner　cry　was　swamped　by　a　great　voice　which　shivered　and　groaned　in　the　air　so　hugely　that　he　seemed　to　hear　it；　not　with　his　ears；　but　with　the　whole　surface　of　his　body。
　〃Fool！　Desist！〃　Staggering　waves　of　anguish　poured　from　the　voice。　〃Do　not　do　this！〃
　〃Kevin；　hear　me！〃　Elena　shouted　back　in　a　transported　tone。　〃You　cannot　refuse！　The　Blood　of　the　Earth　pels　you。　I　have　chosen　you　to　meet　my　mand。　Kevin；　e！〃
　The　great　voice　repeated；　〃Fool！　You　know　not　what　you　do！〃
　But　an　instant　later；　the　ambience　of　the　cave　changed　violently；　as　if　a　tomb　had　opened　into　it。　Breakers　of　agony　rolled　through　the　air。　Covenant　winced　at　every　surge。　He　braced　himself　where　he　knelt；　and　looked　up。
　The　specter　of　Kevin　Landwaster　stood　outlined　in　pale　light　before　Elena。
　He　dwarfed　her…dwarfed　the　cave　itself。　Monumentally　upright　and　desolate；　he　was　visible　through　the　stone　rather　than　within　the　cave。　He　towered　over　Elena　as　if　he　were　part　of　the　very　mountain　rock。　He　had　a　mouth　like　a　cut；　eyes　full　of　the　effects　of　Desecration；　and　on　his　forehead　was　a　bandage　which　seemed　to　cover　some　mortal　wound。　〃Release　me！〃　he　groaned。　〃I　have　done　harm　enough　for　one
　50111。〃
　　〃Then　serve　me！〃　she　cried　ecstatically　up　to　him。
　〃I　offer　you　a　mand　to　redeem　that　harm。　You
　are　Kevin　son　of　Loric；　the　waster　of　the　Land。　You
　have　known　despair　to　its　dregs　you　have　tasted　the
　full　cup　of　gall。　That　is　knowledge　and　strength　which　no　one　living　can　equal。
　〃High　Lord　Kevin；　I　mand　you　to　battle　and　defeat　Lord　Foul　the　Despiser！　Destroy　Fangthane！　By　the　Power　of　the　EarthBlood；　I　mand　you。〃
　The　specter　stared　aghast　at　her；　and　raised　his　fists　as　if　he　meant　to　strike　her。　〃Fool！〃　he　repeated　terribly。
　The　next　instant；　a　concussion　like　the　slamming　of　a　crypt　shook　the　cave。　One　last　pulse　of　anguish　pummeled　the　High　Lord's　party；　Elena's　flame　was　blown　out　like　a　weak　candle；　darkness　flooded　the　cave。
　Then　Kevin　was　gone。
　A　long　time　passed。　When　Covenant　regained　consciousness；　he　rested　wearily　for　a　while　on　his　hands　and　knees；　glad　of　the　darkness；　and　the　reduced　scale　of　the　cave；　and　the　specter's　absence。　But　eventually　he　remembered　Elena。　Pushing　himself　to　his　feet；　he　reached　toward　her　with　his　voice。　〃Elena？　e　on。　Elena？　Let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　At　first；　he　received　no　response。　Then　blue　fire　flared　as　Elena　lit　the　Staff。　She　was　sitting　like　a　wreck　on　the　floor。　When　she　turned　her　wan；　spent　face　toward　him；　he　saw　that　her　crisis　was　over。　All　her　exaltation　had　been　consumed　by　the　act　of　mand。　He　went　to　her；　helped　her　gently　to　her　feet。　〃e　on；〃　he　said　again。　〃Let's　go。〃
　She　shook　her　head　vaguely；　and　said　in　an　exhausted　voice；　〃He　called　me　a　fool。　What　have　I　done？〃
　〃I　hope　we　never　find　out。〃　A　rough　edge　of　sympathy　made　him　sound　harsh。　He　wanted　to　care　for　her；　and　did　not　know　how。　To　give　her　time　and　privacy　to　gather　her　strength；　he　stepped　away。　As　he　glanced　dully　around　the　cave；　he　noticed　Bannor；　noticed　the　faint　look　of　surprise　in　Bannor's　face。　Something　in　that　unfamiliar　expression　gave　Covenant　a　twist　of　apprehension。　It　seemed　to　be　directed　at　him。　He　probed　for　an　explanation　by　asking；　〃That　was　Kevin；　wasn't　it？〃
　Bannor　nodded；　the　speculative　surprise　remained　on　his　face。
　〃Well；　at　least　it　wasn't　that　beggar…　At　least　now　we　know　it　wasn't　Kevin　who　picked　me　for　this。〃
　Still　Bannor's　gaze　did　not　change。　It　made　Covenant　feel　unfortably　exposed；　as　if　there　were　something　indecent　about　himself　that　he　did　not　realize。
　Confused；　he　turned　back　to　the　High　Lord。
　Suddenly；　a　silent　blast　like　a　howl　of　stone　jolted　the　cave；　made　it　tremble　and　jump　like　an　earthquake。　Covenant　and　Elena　lost　their　footing；　slapped　against　the　floor。　Morin's　warning　shout　echoed　flatly：
　〃Kevin　returns！〃
　Then　the　buried　tomb　of　the　air　opened　again；　Kevin's　presence　resonated　against　Covenant's　skin。　But　this　time　the　specter　brought　with　him　a　ghastly　reek　of　rotten　flesh　and　attar；　and　in　the　background　of　his　presence　was　the　deep　rumble　of　rock　being　crushed。　When　Covenant　raised　his　head　from　the　bucking　floor；　he　saw　Kevin　within　the　stone　furiously　poised；　fists　cocked。　Hot　green　filled　the　orbs　of　his　eyes；　sent　rank　steam　curling　up　his　forehead；　and　he　dripped　with　emerald　light　as　if　he　had　just　struggled　out　of　a　quagmire。
　〃Fool！〃　he　cried　in　a　paroxysm　of　anguish。　〃Damned　betrayer！　You　have　broken　the　Law　of　Death　to　summon　me…you　have　unleashed　measureless　opportunities　for　evil　upon　the　Earth…and　the　Despiser　mastered　me　as　easily　as　if　I　were　a　child！　The　Illearth　Stone　consumes　me。　Fight；　fool！　I　am　manded　to　destroy　you！〃
　Roaring　like　a　multitude　of　fiends；　he　reached　down　and　clutched　at　Elena。
　She　did　not　move。　She　was　aghast；　frozen　by　the　result　of　her　great　dare。
　But　Morin　reacted　instantly。　Crying；　〃Kevin！　Hold！〃　he　sprang　to　her　aid。
　The　specter　seemed　to　hear　Morin…hear　and　recognize　who　he　was。　An　old　memory　touched　Kevin；　and　he　hesitated。　That　hesitation　gave　Morin　time　to　reach　Elena；　thrust　her　behind　him。　When　Kevin　threw　off　his　uncertainty；　his　fingers　closed　around　Morin　instead　of　the　High　Lord。
　He　gripped　the　Bloodguard　and　heaved　him　into　the　air。
　Kevin's　arm　passed　easily　through　the　rock；　but　Morin　could　not。　He　crashed　against　the　ceiling　with　tremendous　force。　The　impact　tore　him　from　Kevin's　grasp。　But　that　impact　was　sufficient。　The　First　Mark　fell　dead　like　a　broken　twig。
　The　sight　roused　Elena。　At　once；　she　realized　her　danger。　She　whirled　the　Staff　swiftly　about　her　head。　Its　flame　sprang　into　brilliance；　and　a　hot　blue　bolt　lashed　straight　at　Kevin。
　The　blast　struck　him　like　a　physical　blow；　drove　him　back　a　step　through　the　stone。　But　he　shrugged　off　its　effects。　With　a　deep　snarl　of　pain；　he　moved　forward；　snatched　at　her　again。
　Shouting　frantically；　〃Melenkurion　abatha！〃　she　met　his　attack　with　the　Staff。　Its　fiery　heel　seared　his　palm。
　Again　he　recoiled；　gripping　his　scorched　fingers　and　groaning。
　In　that　momentary　reprieve；　she　cried　strange　invocations　to　the　Staff；　and　swung　its　blaze　around　her　three　times；　surrounding　herself　with　a　shield　of　power。　When　the　specter　grabbed　for　her　once　more；　he　could　not　gain　a　hold　on　her。　He　squeezed　her　shield；　and　his　fingers　dripped　with　emerald　ill；　but　he　could　not　touch　her。　Whenever　he　dented　her　defense；　she　healed　it　with　the　Staff's　might。
　Yelling　in　frustration　and　pain；　he　changed　his　tactics。　He　reared　back；　clasped　his　fists　together；　and　hammered　them　at　the　floor　of　the　cave。　The　stone　jumped　fiercely。　The　lurch　knocked　Covenant　down；　threw　Bannor　against　the　opposite　wall。
　A　gasping　shudder　like　a　convulsion　of　torment　shot　through　the　mountain。　The　cave　walls　heaved；　rumblings　of　broken　stone。　filled　the　air；　power　blared。
　A　crack　appeared　in　the　floor　directly　under　Elena。　Even　before　she　was　aware　of　it；　it　started　to　open。　Then；　like　ravenous　jaws；　it　jerked　wide。
　High　Lord　Elena　dropped　into　the　chasm。
　Kevin　pounced　after　her；　and　vanished　from　sight。
　His　howls　echoed　out　of　the　cleft　like　the　shrieking　of　a　madman。
　But　even　as　they　disappeared；　their　battle　went　on。　Lords…fire　spouted　hotly　up　into　the　cave。　The　thunder　of　tortured　stone　pounded　along　the　tunnel；　and　the　cave　pitched　from　side　to　side　like　a　nausea　in　the　guts　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir。　In　his　horror；　Covenant　thought　that　the　whole　edifice　of　the　mountain　was　about　to　tumble。
　Then　he　was　snatched　to　his　feet；　hauled　erect　by　Bannor。　The　Bloodguard　gripped　him　with　pelling　fingers；　and　shouted　at　him　through　the　tumult；　〃Save　her！〃
　〃I　can't！〃　The　pain　of　his　reply　made　him　yell。　Bannor's　demand　rubbed　so　much　salt　into　the　wound　of　his　essential　futility　that　he　could　hardly　bear　it。　〃I　cannot！〃
　〃You　must！〃　Bannor's　grasp　allowed　no　alternatives。
　〃How？〃　Waving　his　empty　hands　in　Bannor's　face；　he　cried；　〃With　these？〃
　〃Yes！〃　The　Bloodguard　caught　Covenant's　left　hand；　forced　him　to　look　at　it。
　On　his　wedding　finger；　his　ring　throbbed　ferrule；　pulsed　with　power　and　light　like　a　potent　instrument　panting　to　be　used。
　For　an　instant；　he　gaped　at　the　argent　band　as　if　it　had　betrayed　him。　Then　forgetting　escape；　forgetting　himself；　forgetting　even　that　he　did　not　know　how　to　exert　wild　magic；　he　pulled　despairingly　away　from　Bannor　and　stumbled　toward　the　crevice。　Like　a　man　battering　himself　in　armless　impotence　against　a　blank　doom；　he　leaped　after　the　High　Lord。
　
　
　TWENTY…SIX：　Gallows　Howe
　
　BUT　be　failed　before　he　began。　He　did　not　know　how　to　brace　himself　for　the　kind　of　battle　which　raged　below　him。　As　he　passed　the　rim　of　the　crevice；　he　was　hit　by　a　blast　of　force　like　an　eruption　from　within　the　rift。　He　was　defenseless　against　it；。　it　snuffed　out　his　consciousness　like　a　frail　flame。
　Then　for　a　time　he　rolled　in　darkness…ran　in　a　blind；　caterwauling　void　which　pitched　and　broke　over　him　until　he　staggered　like　a　ship　with　sprung　timbers。　He　was　aware　of　nothing　bu