srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第65节
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ied。 The wounds of the search…〃
He groaned again。 〃Now I am the last。 Ah； my people！〃 As he cried out； he moved； shoved himself to his feet； stood erect against the wall。 Towering over his hearers； he put back his head and began to sing the old song of the Unhomed。
Now we are Unhomed； bereft of root and kith and kin。
From other mysteries of delight； we set our sails to resail our track； but the winds of life blew not the way we chose； and the land beyond the Sea was lost。
It was long； like all Giantish songs。 But he sang only a fragment of it。 Soon he fell silent； and his chin dropped to his breast。
Again Lord Hyrim asked； 〃Who is he？〃
The Giant answered by resuming his tale。 〃Then he came。 Omen of the end and Home turned to misery and gall。 Then we knew the truth。 We had seen it before…in lighter times； when the knowledge might have been of some use…but we had denied it。 We had seen our evil； and had denied it； thinking that we might find our way Home and escape it。 Fools！ When we saw him； we knew the truth。 Through folly and withering seed and passion and impatience for Home； we had bee the thing we hate。 We saw the truth in him。 Our hearts were turned to ashes； and we went to our dwellings…these small rooms which we called homes in vain。〃
〃Why did you not flee？〃
〃Some did…some four or five who did not know the long name of despair…or did not hear it。 Or they were too much like him to judge。 The ill of the Sarangrave took them…they…are no more。〃
pelled by the ancient passion of the Bloodguard； Korik asked； 〃Why did you not fight？〃
〃We had bee the thing we hate。 We are better dead。〃
〃Nevertheless！〃 Korik said。 〃Is this the fealty of the Giants？ Does all promised faithfulness e to this？ By the Vow； Giant！ You destroy yourselves； and let the evil live！ Even Kevin Landwaster was not so weak。〃
In his emotion； he forgot caution； and all the Bloodguard were taken unaware。 The sudden voice behind them was cold with contempt； it cut through
them like a gale of winter。 Turning； they found that another Giant stood in the doorway。 He was much younger than the Giant within； but he resembled the older Giant。 The chief difference lay in the contempt that filled his face； raged in his eyes； twisted his mouth as if he were about to spit。
In his right hand； he clenched a hot green stone。 It blazed with an emerald strength that shone through his fingers。 As he gripped it； it steamed thickly。
He stank of fresh blood； he was spattered with it from head to foot。 And within him； clinging to his bones； was a powerful presence that did not fit his form。 It slavered from behind his eyes with a great force of malice and wrong。
〃Hmm；〃 he said in a despising tone； 〃a Lord and three Bloodguard。 I am pleased。 I had thought that my friend in the Sarangrave would take all like you but I see I shall have that pleasure myself。 Ah； but you are not entirely scatheless； are you？ Black bees you。 Did you lose friends to my friend？〃 He laughed with a grating sound； like the noise of boulders being crushed together。
Lord Hyrim stepped forward； planted his staff； said bravely； 〃e no closer； turiya Raver。 I am Hyrim； Lord of the Council of Revelstone。 Melenkurion abatha！ Duroc minas mill khabaal！ I will not let you pass。〃
The Giant winced as Lord Hyrim uttered the Words of power。 But then he laughed again。 〃Hah！ Little Lord！ Is that the limit of your lore？ Can you e no closer than that to the Seven Words？ You pronounce them badly。 But I must admit…you have recognized me。 I am turiya Herem。 But we have …new names now； my brothers and I。 There is Fleshharrower； and Satansfist。 And I am named Kinslaughterer。〃
At this； the older Giant groaned heavily。 The Raver glanced into the back of the cell； and said in a tone of satisfaction； 〃Ah； there he is。 Little Lord； I see that you have been speaking with Sparlimb Keelsetter。 Did he tell you that he is my father？ Father； why do you not wele your son？〃
The Bloodguard did not look at the older Giant。 But they heard Keelsetter's pain； and understood it。 Something within the Giant was breaking。 Suddenly； he gave a savage roar。 Leaping past the four； he attacked Kinslaughterer。
His fingers caught the Raver's throat。 He drove him back out of the doorway onto the headrock of the piers。
Kinslaughterer made no attempt to break his father's hold。 He resisted the impetus until his feet were braced。 Then he raised the green stone； moved it toward Keelsetter's forehead。
Both fist and stone passed through the older Giant's skull into his brain。
Keelsetter screamed。 His hands dropped； his body went limp。 He hung from the point of power which impaled his head。
Grinning ravenously； the Raver held his father there for a long moment。 Then he tightened his fist。 Deep emerald flashed； the stone blasted the front of Keelsetter's skull。 He fell dead； pouring blood over the headrock。
Kinslaughterer stamped his feet in the spreading pool。
He appeared oblivious to the four； but he was not。 As Korik and Tull started forward to attack him； he swung his arm； hurled a bolt of power at them。 It would have slain them before they reached the doorway； but Lord Hyrim lunged； thrust up his staff between them。 The end of his staff caught the bolt。 It detonated with such force that it broke the staff in two； and flung the four humans against the back of the cell。
The impact made them unconscious。
Thus even the Vow could not preserve the Bloodguard from the extremity of their need。
Korik was the first to reawaken。 Hearing returned before sight or touch； and he began to listen。 In his ears； the noise of the Sea grew； became violent。 But the sound was not the sound of waves in storm； it was more erratic； more vicious。 When his sight was
restored； he was surprised to find that he could see。 He had expected the darkness of clouds。
But early starlight shone through the doorway from a clear night sky。 Outside； the Sea thrashed and heaved across the piers and up the levee as if goaded by rowels。 And along the sky lightning leaped； followed by such thunder that he felt the bursting in his chest。 Through the spray a high wind howled。 And still the sky was clear。
There was a bayamo upon the Sea。
Then a different lightning struck upward into the heavens…a bolt as green as blazing emerald。 It came from the levee。 Looking through the darkness； Korik discerned the form of the Raver； Kinslaughterer。 He stood down in the levee； so close to the tide that the waves broke against his knees。 With his stone； he hurled green blasts into the sky； and shook his arms as if the windstorm were his to mand。
On the levee behind him were three dead forms the three Bloodguard whom Korik had sent to the northern end of the city。
For a time； Korik did not prehend what Kinslaughterer was doing。 But then he perceived that the seas out beyond the piers moved in consonance with Kinslaughterer's arms。 As the Giant…Raver waved and gestured； they heaved and reared and broke and piled themselves together。
Farther away； the situation was worse。 Slowly； with great pitchings and shudders； a massive wall of water rose out of the ocean。 Kinslaughterer's green lightning glared across the face of it as it mounted； tossed its crest higher and higher。 And as it grew； it moved toward the cliff。
The Raver was summoning a tsunami。
Korik turned to rouse his panions。
Sill and Tull were soon conscious and alert。 But Lord Hyrim lay still； and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth。 Swiftly； Sill ran his hands over the Lord's body； reported that Hyrim had several broken ribs； but no other injuries。 Together； Korik and Sill chafed his wrists； slapped his neck。 At last； his eyelids fluttered； and he awakened。
He was dazed。 At first； he could not grasp Korik's tidings。 But when he looked out into the night； he understood。 Already； the mounting tidal wave appeared half as high as the cliff； and its writhing had a dark； ill cast。 There was enough hatred concentrated in it to shatter The Grieve。 When Lord Hyrim turned from it； his face…was taut with terrible purpose。
He had to shout to make himself heard over the roar of waves and wind and thunder。 〃We must stop him！ He violates the Sea！ If he succeeds…if he bends the Sea to his will…the Law that preserves it will be broken。 It will serve the Despiser like another Raver！〃
Korik answered； 〃Yes！〃 There was a fury in the Bloodguard。 They would have disobeyed any other decision。
Yet Sill remembered caution enough to say； 〃He has the Illearth Stone。〃
〃No！〃 Lord Hyrim searched the floor for the pieces of his staff。 When he found them； he called for clingor。 Tull gave him a length of line。 He used it to lash the two pieces of his staff together； metal heels joined。 Clutching this unwieldly instrument； he said； 〃That is only a fragment of the Stone！ The Illearth Stone itself …is much larger！ But in our worst dreams we did not guess that the Despiser would dare cut pieces of the Stone for his servants。 His mastery of it must…must be very great。 Thus he is able to subdue Giants…the Ravers and the Stone together； the Stone empowering the Raver； and the Raver using the stone！ And the others…Fleshharrower； Satansfist…they also must possess fragments of the Stone。 Do
