srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第49节

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　place！〃
　Lord　Hyrim　climbed　wearily　to　his　feet。　〃At　Soaring　Woodhelven；　the　trap　was　plete　without　Llaura　and　Pietten。　They　were　an　arrogance…a　taunt　…unnecessary。〃　As　he　spoke；　his　breath　began　to　labor　in　his　chest。　The　muscles　of　his　neck　corded　with　the　strain　of　inhaling。
　The　Bloodguard；　too；　could　not　breathe　easily。
　In　moments；　Hyrim　fell　to　his　knees；　clutching　at　his　chest。　Lord　Shetra　gasped　at　the　effort　of　each　breath。
　The　rain　falling　on　the　river　seemed　to　make　no　sound。
　Then　Warhaft　Hoerkin　leaped　to　his　feet。　From　between　his　lips　came　a　low　moan　of　pain。　The　sound　was　terrible。　His　head　bent　back；　and　his　cry　rose　until　it　became　a　scream。
　It　was　the　same　scream　which　had　caused　the　Ranyhyn　to　panic。
　Korik　was　the　first　of　the　Bloodguard　to　recover　his
　strength。　At　once；　he　knocked　the　Warhaft　from　the
　raft。　　…
　Hoerkin　sank　like　a　stone。　The　voice　was　immediately　silent。
　Yet　the　thickness　of　the　air　only　increased。　It　tightened　around　the　mission　like　a　fist。
　Lord　Hyrim　struggled　to　his　feet。　To　Doar；　he　panted；　〃Did　you　put　out　his　fire？　Hoerkin's　fire？〃
　〃No；〃　Doar　said。　〃It　fell　when　we　laid　hands　upon　him。〃
　〃By　the　Seven！〃　Hyrim　said。　〃It　was　you！　The　Bloodguard！　Not　the　Ranyhyn。　This　ill　force　listens　to　you！…to　the　power　of　the　Vow！〃
　The　Bloodguard　had　no　answer。　The　Vow　was　not　something　which　could　be　concealed　or　denied。
　But　Lord　Shetra　was　surprised。　Her　strength　dropped　away　from　the　raft。
　At　Korik's　mand；　the　four　steersmen　took　up　their　poles；　and　thrust　the　raft　toward　the　north　bank　of　the　Course。　He　wished　to　meet　the　attack　on　land；　if　he　could。　He　made　the　steersmen　responsible　for　the　raft；　then　called　the　other　Bloodguard　to　the　defense　of　the　Lords。
　In　that　instant；　the　river　erupted。　Silently；　water　blasted　upward；　hurling　the　raft　into　the　air；　overturning　it。
　Behind　the　burst；　a　black　tentacle　flicked　out　of　the　water。　It　twisted；　coiled；　caught　Lord　Shetra。
　Most　of　the　Bloodguard　dove　clear　of　the　fall　of　the　raft。　But　Sill　and　Lord　Hyrim　were　directly　under　it。
　With　Pren　and　Tull；　Korik　swam　for　the　place　where　Lord　Shetra　had　been　taken。　But　the　dark　water　blinded　them；　they　could　see　nothing；　find　nothing。　The　river　seemed　to　have　no　bottom。
　Korik　made　his　decision。　The　mission　to　Seareach　was　in　his　hands。　In　a　tone　that　allowed　no　refusal；　he　ordered　the　Bloodguard　out　of　the　Course。
　Soon　he　stood　on　the　north　bank　in　the　fringe　of　the　jungle。　Most　of　the　other　Bloodguard　were　with　him。　Sill　and　Lord　Hyrim　had　preceded　them。　The　Lord　was　uninjured；　Sill　had　protected　him　from　the　raft。
　Downriver；　two　of　the　steersmen　were　tying　up　the　raft；　while　the　other　two　dove　for　the　pany's　supplies。
　There　was　no　sign　of　Cerrin　and　Lord　Shetra。
　Hyrim　was　coughing　severely…he　had　swallowed　some　of　the　rank　water…but　he　struggled　to　his　feet；　and　gasped；　〃Save　her！〃
　But　the　Bloodguard　made　no　move　to　obey。　The　mission　to　Seareach　was　in　their　hands。　And　they　knew　that　Cerrin　was　still　alive。　He　could　call　to　them　if　their　aid　would　be　worth　the　cost。
　〃I　tried；〃　Hyrim　panted。　〃But　I　cannot　swim。　Oh；　worthless！〃　A　convulsion　came　over　him。　He　threw　his　arms　wide。　and　cried　out　into　the　rain；　〃Shetra！〃　A　bolt　of　power　struck　from　his　staff　down　through　the　water　toward　the　river　bottom。　Then　he　collapsed　into　Sill's　arms。
　His　blast　seemed　to　have　an　effect。　The　river　around　the　point　of　Lord　Shetra's　disappearance　started　to　boil。　A　turmoil　in　the　water　sent　up　gouts　of　blood　and　hunks　of　black　flesh。　Steam　arose　from　the　current。　Deep　down　in　the　Defiles　Course；　a　flash　of　blue　was　briefly　visible。
　Then　a　noise　like　a　thunderclap　shook　the　ground。　The　river　hissed　like　a　torment。　And　the　thickness　of　the　air　broke。　It　was　swept　away　as　if　it　had　been　washed　off　the　Sarangrave。
　The　Bloodguard　knew　that　Cerrin　was　dead。
　Only　one　sign　came　back　from　Lord　Shetra's　struggle。　Porib　saw　it　first；　dove　into　the　river　to　retrieve　it。
　Silently；　he　put　it　into　Lord　Hyrims　hands…Lord　Shetra's　staff。　。
　Between　its　metal…shod　ends；　it　was　pletely　burned　and　brittle。　It　snapped　like　kindling　in　Hyrim's　grasp。
　The　Lord　pulled　away　from　Sill；　and　seated　himself　against　a　tree。　With　tears　running　openly　down　his　cheeks；　he　hugged　the　pieces　of　Shetra's　staff　to　his　chest。
　But　the　peril　was　not　ended。　For　the　sake　of　his　Vow；　Korik　said　to　the　Lord；　〃The　lurker　is　not　dead　It　has　only　been　cut　back　here。　We　must　go　on。〃
　〃Go？〃　Hyrim　said。　〃Go　on？　Shetra　is　dead。　How　can　I　go　on？　I　feared　from　the　first　that　your　Vow　was　a　voice　which　the　evil　in　the　Sarangrave　could　hear。　But　I　said　nothing。〃　There　was　bitterness　in　him。　〃I　believed　that　you　would　speak　of　it　if　my　fear　were　justified。〃
　Again　the　Bloodguard　had　no　answer。　They　had　not　known　beyond　doubt　or　possibility　of　error　that　the　lurker　was　alert　to　their　presence。　And　so　many　manifestations　of　power　were　not　what　they　appeared　to　be。　In　respect　for　the　Lord's　grief；　the　Bloodguard　left　him　alone　while　they　readied　the　raft　to　go　on　their　way。
　The　steersmen　had　been　able　to　salvage　the　poles　and　food；　most　of　the　clingor　and　the　lillianrill　rods；　but　none　of　the　clothes　or　blankets。　The　raft　itself　was　intact。
　Then　Korik　spoke　to　Runnik；　Pren；　and　Porib；　charged　them　to　bear　word　of　the　mission　to　High　Lord　Elena。　The　three　accepted　without　question；　but　waited　for　the　mission's　departure　before　starting　their　westward　trek。
　When　all　things　were　prepared；　Korik　and　Sill　lifted　Lord　Hyrim　between　them；　and　guided　him　like　a　child　down　the　bank　onto　the　raft。　He　appeared　to　be　unwell。　Perhaps　the　river　water　he　had　swallowed　was　sickening　him。　As　the　steersmen　thrust　the　raft　out　into　the　center　of　the　Defiles　Course；　he　murmured　to　himself；　〃This　is　not　the　end。　There　will　be　pain　and　death　to　humble　this。　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole；　you　are　a　coward。〃　Then　the　mission　was　gone。　Together；　Runnik；
　Pren；　and　Porib　started　into　the　jungle　of　Sarangrave　Flat。
　The　fire　had　died　down　to　coals；　and　without　its　light　Troy　could　see　nothing…nothing　to　counteract　the　images　of　death　and　grief　in　his　mind。　He　knew　that　there　were　questions　he　should　ask　Runnik；　but　in　the　darkness　they　did　not　seem　important。　He　was　dismayed　to　think　that　Shetra's　fall　had　taken　place　ten　days　ago；　it　felt　too　immediate　for　such　a　lapse　of　time。
　The　Lords　beside　him　sat　still；　as　if　they　were　stunned　or　melding；　and　Covenant　was　silent…too　moved　for　speech。　But　after　a　time　Elena　said　with　a　shudder　of　emotion　in　her　voice；　〃Ah；　Verement！　How　will　you　bear　it？〃　Her　eyes　were　only　visible　as　embers。　In　the　darkness　they　had　an　aspect　of　focus　and　unendurable　virulence。
　Softly；　Lord　Mhoram　sang：
　Death　is　passing　on　the　making　way　of　life　and　time　for　life。　Hate　dying　and　killing；　not　death。　Be　still；　heart：　make　no　expostulation。　Hold　peace　and　grief；　and　be　still。
　
　
　FIFTEEN：　Revelwood
　
　THE　High　Lord's　pany　reached　the　Loreraat　by　nightfall　of　the　sixth　day。　During　the　last　leagues；　the　road　worked　gradually　down　into　the　lowlands　of　Trothgard；　and　just　as　the　sun　started　to　dip　into　the　Westron　Mountains；　the　riders　entered　the　wide　Valley　of　Two　Rivers。
　There　the　Rill　and　Llurallin　came　together　in　a　broad　V；　joined　each　other　in　the　narrow　end　of　the　valley；　to　the　left　of　the　riders。　The　Llurallin　River；　which　flowed　almost　due　east　below　them；　arose　from　clear　springs　high　in　the　raw　rock　of　the　mountains　beyond　Guards　Gap；　and　had　a　power　of　purity　that　had　rendered　it　inviolate　to　all　the　blood　and　hacked　flesh　and　blasted　earth　which　had　ruined　Kurash　Plenethor。　Now；　generations　after　the　Desecration；　it　ran　with　the　same　crystal　taintlessness　which　had　given　it　its　ancient　name…the　Llurallin。
　Across　the　valley　was　the　Rill　River；　the　southern　boundary　of　Trothgard。　Like　the　Maerl；　the　Rill　had　been　greatly　improved　by　the　long　work　of　the　Lords；　and　the　water　which　flowed　from　the　Valley　of　Two　Rivers　no　longer　deserved　the　name　Gray。
　In　the　center　of　the　valley；　within　the　broad　middle　of　the　river　V；　was　Revelwood；　the　tree　city　of　the　Loresraat。
　It　was　an　immense　and　expansive　banyan。　Invoked　and　strengthened　by　the　new　knowledge　of　the　Second　Ward；　and　by　the　Staff　of　Law；　it　grew　to　the　height　of　a　mighty　oak；　sent　down　roots　as　thick　as　hawsers　from　boughs　as　broad　as　walkways…roots　which　formed　new　trunks　with　new　boughs　and　new　roots…and　spread　out　in　the　valley　until　the　central　core　of　the　first　tree　was　surrounded　by　six　others；　all　intergrown；　part　of　each　other；　the　fruit　of　one　seed。
　Once　these　seven　trunks　were　established；　the　shapers　of　the　tree　prevented　any　more　of　the　hanging　roots　from　reaching　the　ground；　and　instead　wove　the　thick　bundles　into　chambers　and　rooms…homes　and　places　of　study　for　the　students　and　teachers　of　the　Loresraat。　Three　of　the　outer　trees　had　been　similarly　woven　before　their　roots　found　the　soil；　and　so　now　their　trunks　contained　cavities　large　enough　for　meeting　halls　and　libraries。　On　the　sheltered　acres　of　ground　beneath　the　trees　were　gardens　and　practice　fields；　training　areas　for　the　students　of　both　Staff　and　Sword。　And　above　the　main　massive　limbs　of　the
　trees；　the　lesser　branches