srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第66节

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he　stone！　And　the　others…Fleshharrower；　Satansfist…they　also　must　possess　fragments　of　the　Stone。　Do　you　hear；　Korik？〃
　〃I　hear；〃　Korik　replied。　〃The　High　Lord　will　be　warned。〃
　Lord　Hyrim　nodded。　The　pain　in　his　ribs　made　him　wince。　But　he　thrust　his　way　out　of　the　cell　into　the　howling　wind。　Korik；　Sill；　and　Tull　followed　at　once。
　Ahead　of　them；　Kinslaughterer　labored　in　an　ecstasy　of　power。　Though　it　was　still　some　distance　from　the　piers；　the　tsunami　towered　over　him；　dwarfed
　his　stolen　form。　Now　he　was　chanting　to　it；　invoking　it。　His　words　cut　through　the　tumult　of　the　storm。
　e；　Seal　
　Obey　me！　
　Raise　high！　
　crash　down！　
　Break　rock！
　break　stone：　
　crush　heart：　
　grind　soul：　
　rend　flesh：　
　crack　whole！　
　Eat　dead　
　for　bread！
　e；　Sea！　
　Obey　me！
　And　the　seas　answered；　piled　still　higher。　Now　the　wave's　crest　frothed　and　lashed　level　with　the　upper　ramparts　of　Coercri。
　The　Bloodguard　wished　to　attack　instantly；　but　Lord　Hyrim　held　them　back。　So　that　he　would　not　be　heard　by　Kinslaughterer；　he　mouthed　the　words；　〃I　must　strike　the　first　blow。〃　Then　he　moved　over　the　headrock　as　fast　as　his　damaged　chest　permitted。
　When　the　four　started　into　the　levee；　the　huge　wall　of　water　already　appeared　to　be　leaning　over　them。　Only　the　might　of　Kinslaughterer's　Stone　kept　it　erect。　As　they　approached；　he　was　too　consumed　by　the　spectacle　of　his　own　power　to　sense　them。　But　in　the　last　moment；　some　instinct　warned　him。　He　spun　suddenly；　found　Lord　Hyrim　within　a　few　yards　of　him。
　Roaring　savagely；　he　raised　his　glowing　fist　to　hurl　a　blast　at　the　Lord。
　But　while　the　Raver　cocked　his　arm；　Lord　Hyrim　leaped　the　last　distance　toward　him。　With　the　lashed　fragments　of　his　staff；　the　Lord　struck　upward。
　The　metal　heels　hit　Kinslaughterer's　hand　before　his　bolt　was　ready。
　The　two　powers　clashed　in　a　blaze　of　green　and
　blue。　Kinslaughterer's　greater　force　drove　his　might　like　lightning　down　the　length　of　Lord　Hyrim's　arms　into　his　head　and　body。　The　green　fire　burned　within　him；　burned　his　brain　and　heart。　When　the　flame　ceased；　he　collapsed。
　But　the　clash　scorched　Kinslaughterer's　hand；　and　its　recoil　knocked　his　arm　back。　He　lost　the　Stone。　It　fell；　rolled　away　from　him　across　the　headrock。
　At　once；　the　three　Bloodguard　sprang；　together　they　struck　the　Raver　with　all　their　strength。　And　in　that　assault　their　Vow　at　last　found　utterance。　The　GiantRaver　was　dead　before　his　form　fell　into　the　water。
　Yet　still　for　a　long　moment　the　Bloodguard　hurled　blows　at　him；　driven　by　the　excess　of　their　rage　and　abomination。　Then　the　splashing　of　saltwater　cooled　them；　and　they　perceived　that　the　storm　had　begun　to　fade。
　Without　the　pulsion　of　the　Stone；　the　wind　failed。　The　lightning　stopped。　After　a　few　last　rolls；　the　thunder　fell　away。
　The　tidal　wave　made　a　sound　like　an　avalanche　as　it　fell　backward　into　the　Sea。　Its　spray　wet　the　faces　of　the　Bloodguard；　and　its　waves　broke　over　their　thighs。　Then　it　was　gone。
　Together；　the　three　hastened　back　to　Lord　Hyrim。
　He　still　clung　to　life；　but　he　was　almost　at　an　end；　the　Raver's　blast　had　burned　him　deeply。　His　eye　sockets　were　empty；　and　from　between　his　hollow　lids　a　thin　green　smoke　rose　up　into　the　starlight。　As　Sill　lifted　him　into　a　sitting　position；　his　hands　groped　about　him　as　if　they　were　searching　for　his　staff；　and　he　said　weakly；　〃Do　not…do　not　touchtake…〃
　He　could　not　speak　it。　The　effort　burst　his　heart。　With　a　groan；　he　died　in　Sill's　arms。
　For　a　time；　the　Bloodguard　stood　over　him　in　silence；　gave　him　what　respect　they　could。　But　they　had　no　words　to　say。　Soon　Korik　went　and　took　up　Kinslaughterer's　fragment　of　the　Illearth　Stone。　Without　a　will　to　drive　it；　it　was　dull；　it　showed　only　fitful　gleams　in　its　core。　But　it　hurt　his　hand　with　a　deep　and　fiery　cold。　He　clenched　it　in　his　fist。
　〃We　will　take　it　to　the　High　Lord；〃　he　said。　〃Per
　haps　the　other　Ravers　have　such　power。　The　High　Lord　may　use　this　power　to　defeat　them。〃
　Sill　and　Tull　nodded。　In　the　ruin　of　the　mission；　there　was　no　other　hope　left　to　them。
　〃Then　we　sent　homeward　the　bodies　of　our　fallen　rades；〃　Tull　said　softly。　〃There　was　no　need　for　haste…we　knew　that　their　Ranyhyn　could　find　a　way　in　safety　north　of　the　Sarangrave。　And　when　that　task　was　done；　we　returned　to　the　five　who　stood　watch　at　the　lighthouse。　Two　of　them　Korik　charged　to　return　to　Lord's　Keep　with　all　possible　speed；　so　that　Revelstone　might　be　warned。　And　because　he　judged　that　the　war　had　already　begun…that　the　High　Lord　would　be　marching　in　the　South　Plains　with　the　WarwardI　was　charged；　and　Shull　and　Vale　with　me；　to　bear　these　tidings　southward；　the　way　I　have　e。　With　Sill　and　Doar；　Korik　undertook　the　burden　of　the　Illearth　Stone；　so　that　it　might　be　taken　in　safety　to　Revelstone　for　the　Lords。〃
　At　last　the　Bloodguard　fell　silent。　For　a　long　time；　Troy　sat　gazing　sightlessly　at　the　stone　before　him。　He　felt　deaf　and　numb…too　shocked　to　hear　the　low　breeze　blowing　around　Kevin's　Watch；　too　stunned　to　feel　the　chill　of　the　mountain　air。　Dead？　he　asked　silently。　All　dead？　But　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　felt　nothing。　In　him　there　was　a　pain　so　deep　that　he　was　not　conscious　of　it。
　But　in　time　he　recollected　himself　enough　to　raise　his　head；　look　over　at　Lord　Mhoram。　He　could　see　the　Lord　dimly。　His　forehead　was　tight　with　pain；　and　his　eyes　bled　tears。
　With　an　effort；　Troy　found　his　voice。　It　was　husky　with　emotion　as　he　asked；　〃Is　this　what　you　saw　last　night？　Is　this　it？〃
　〃No。〃　Mhoram's　reply　was　abrupt。　But　it　was　not　abrupt　with　anger；　it　was　abrupt　with　the　exertion　of　suppressing　his　sobs。　〃I　saw　Bloodguard　fighting　in　the　service　of　the　Despiser。〃
　There　was　a　long　and　heartrending　pause　before　Tull　said　through　his　teeth；　〃That　is　impossible。〃
　〃They　should　not　have　touched　the　Stone；〃　the　Lord　breathed　weakly。　〃They　should　not…！〃
　Troy　wanted　to　question　Mhoram；　ask　him　what　he　meant。　But　then　suddenly　he　realized　that　he　was　seeing　more　clearly。　His　fog　was　lifting。
　At　once；　he　rose　to　his　knees；　turned；　braced　his　chest　on　the　edge　of　the　parapet。　Instinctively；　he　tightened　his　sunglasses　on　his　face。
　Along　the　rim　of　the　eastern　horizon　dawn　had　already　begun。
　
　
　EIGHTEEN：　Dooms　Retreat
　
　IMMEDIATELY；　Troy　jumped　erect　to　face　the　sun。
　His　panions　stood　with　him　in　tense　silence；　as　if　they　intended　to　share　what　he　would　see。　But　he　knew　that　even　the　Bloodguard　could　not　match　his　mental　sight。　He　paid　no　attention　to　them。　All　his　awareness　was　consumed　by　the　gradual　revelations　of　the　dawn。
　At　first；　he　could　see　only　a　fading　gray　and　purple　blankness。　But　then　the　direct　rays　of　the　sun　caught　the　platform；　and　his　surroundings　began　to　lift　their　heads　out　of　the　mist。　Above　the　long　fall　into　shadow；　he　received　his　first　visual　sense　of　the　wide　open　air　in　which　Kevin's　Watch　stood　as　if　on　the　tip　of　a　dark　finger　accusing　the　heavens。　In　the　west；　across　a　distance　too　great　for　any　sight　but　his；　he　saw　sunlight　touch　the　thin　snowcaps　of　the　mountain　wedge　which　separated　the　South　Plains　from　Garroting　Deep。　And　as　the　sun　climbed　higher；　he　made　out　the　long　curve　of　peaks　running　south　and　then　west　from　the　valley　of　Mithil　Stonedown　to　Doom's　Retreat。
　Then　the　light　reached　down　to　the　hills　which　formed　the　eastern　border　of　the　Plains　between　Kevin's　Watch　and　Andelain。　Now　he　could　follow　the　whole　course　of　the　Mithil　River　northwest　and　then　north　until　it　joined　the　Black。　He　felt　strangely　elevated　and　mighty。　His　gaze　had　never　prehended　so　much　before；　and　he　understood　how　High　Lord　Kevin　must　have　felt。　Standing　on　the　Watch　was　like　being　on　the　pinnacle　of　the　Earth。
　But　the　sun　kept　rising。　Like　a　tide　of　illumination；　it　flooded　across　the　Plains；　washing　away　the　last　of　his　blindness。
　What　he　saw　staggered　him　where　he　stood。　Horror　filled　his　eyes　like　the　rush　of　an　avalanche。　It　was　worse　than　anything　he　could　have　imagined。
　He　made　out　the　Warward　first。　His　army　had　just　begun　to　march；　it　crept　south　along　the　mountain　wedge。　He　saw　it　as　hardly　more　than　a　smudge　in　the　foothills；　but　he　could　gauge　its　speed。　It　was　still　two　days　from　Doom's　Retreat。
　Hiltmark　Quaan's　force　was　closer　to　him；　and　farther　from　the　Retreat。　But　the　horsemen　were　moving　faster。　He　estimated　their　numbers　instinctively；　instantly；　he　knew　at　once　that　they　had　been　decimated。　More　than　a　third　of　the　two　hundred　Bloodguard　were　gone；　and　of　Quaan's　twelve　Eoward　less　than　six　remained。　They　hurried　raggedly；　almost　at　a　dead　rout。
　Raging　at　their　heels　came　a　vast　horde　of　kreshat　least　ten　thousand　of　the　savage　yellow　wolves。　The　mightiest　of　them；　the　most　powerful　two　thousand；　bore　black　riders…ur…viles。　The　ridden　kresh　ran　in　tight　wedges；　and　the　ur…vile　loremasters　at　the　wedge　tips　threw　torrents　of　dark　force　at　every　rider　who　fell　within　their　reach。
　In　an　effort　to　control　the　pace；　restrain　it　from　utter　flight；　Eoman　turned　at　intervals。　Twenty　or　forty　warriors　threw　themselves　together　at　the　yellow　wall　to　slow　the　charge　of　the　kresh。　Troy　could　see　flashes　of　blue　fire　in　these　sorties；　Callindrill　and　Verement　were　alive。　But　two　Lords　were　not