srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第70节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Flee！〃 Mhoram yelled。 〃Go！ Save yourselves！ We must not all die here！〃
But he did not wait to observe that no one obeyed him。 Instead； he bent over the fallen Lord again。 Holding； his lower lip in his teeth； he massaged Callindrill's chest； honing to renew his pulse。 But his heart remained motionless。
Mhoram drew a sudden sharp breath； raised his fist； and hammered once with all his might on Callindrill's chest。
The blow jolted the Lord's heart。 It lurched； stumbled； then broke into a limping beat。
Mhoram shouted for Morril。 At once； the Bloodguard leaped down from his Ranyhyn； caught Callindrill in his arms； and sprang up again。 Seeing this； Lord Verement broke away from the forbidding wall； started back toward Doom's Retreat。 Mhoram and Troy mounted； surged away from the wall after him。
The Bloodguard followed in a protective ring around the Lords。
A moment later； the massed ur…vile wedge hit the wall and tore it。 Dark； liquid power shredded the blue flame； ripped it into fragments and scattered it。 Instantly； the rest of the kresh flooded after the escaping Ranyhyn。 And the wolves pouring around the ends of the wall changed direction to intercept the riders。
But the Ranyhyn outdistanced them。 The great horses of Ra pulled past Verement and thundered toward Doom's Retreat。
Ahead； under the late afternoon shadow of the cliffs； Hiltmark Quaan was urging the last of his warriors into the canyon。
Maddened by the escape of so many prey； the kresh howled with rage； and …swung to converge on Lord Verement。
His mustang ran hard and bravely。 But it was already exhausted； slowly the kresh gained on it。 Before it had covered half the distance to the Retreat； Troy could see that it would lose the race。
He called for help； but the Bloodguard did not respond。 Only Thomin； the Bloodguard personally responsible for Verement； remained behind。 Incensed； Troy started to go back himself； but Mhoram stopped him by shouting； 〃There is no need！〃
Thomin waited until the last possible moment…until the kresh were raging at the heels of the mustang。 Then he pulled the Lord onto his own Ranyhyn； and carried him away toward the Retreat。
Almost at once； the mustang fell screaming under an avalanche of wolves。
For an instant； the haze of the cliff shadow turned sickly red in Troy's sight。 But then Mehryls' taut run bore him beyond the scream； took him straight toward the gap in the cliffs。 He flashed into the deeper gloom of the defile。 Except for the slit of light ahead； he could see nothing。 The sharp change made him feel that he was foundering。 The rumble of hooves pounded back at him from the cliffs； and behind the echo came the shrill croaking derision of the ravens。 He felt waters of darkness closing over his head。 When he broke
out the end of the Retreat into the dim； late light of day； he was almost dazzled with relief。
As he passed； First Haft Amorine gave a piercing shout； and thousands of warriors dashed away from the cliffs on either side of the gap。 Despite the long fatigue which radiated from them； they ran with precision； took positions； formed an arc over the end of the canyon； sealing the trap。
Moments later； the first kresh came howling out of the Retreat and sprang at them。 The whole arc of warriors staggered under the。 shock of impact。 But Amorine had eighteen Eoward and braced to meet the onslaught。 The arc gave ground。 but did not break。
With an effort； Troy brought himself under control。 Over to one side； he could hear Lord Verement barking； 〃Release me！ Am I a child； that I must be carried？〃 Troy grinned grimly； then drew Mehryl up behind the arc so that he would be ready to help his warriors if the wolves outweighed them。 He ached to see the oute of the trap； but the darkness of the Retreat foiled his sight。
Soon； however； he could hear the sounds of bat echoing out of the defile。 Over the noise of the embattled arc； he made out a sudden raw howl as the kresh in the Retreat found themselves attacked from above by twenty Eoward hidden in the canyon walls。 At first； the howl contained surprise and ferocity； but no fear； the wolves did not understand their danger。
The ur…viles were wiser。 Their mands cut stridently… through the rage of the wolves。 And soon the howling changed。 To their dismay； the kresh began to understand the glee of the ravens。 And the yammering of the ur…vile…； became fiercer； more desperate。 In the narrow defile； they could not make effective use of their fighting wedges； and without that focus of power； they were vulnerable to arrows and spears and rockfalls。 Caught in a seething； confused mass of wolves； the wedges began to collapse。
As the wedges crumbled。 fear and uncertainty penetrated the wolves' fury for blood。 In tattered bunches； the kresh broke away。 tried to flee through the canyon。 But the cramped panic of their numbers …only
hampered them； and made the ur…viles more vulnerable。 And death rained down on them through the jeering of the ravens。 In mad frenzy； wild to fight an enemy they could not reach； the kresh started to attack the ur…viles。
No wolves or ur…viles escaped。 When the battle was done； the entire vanguard of Fleshharrower's army lay dead in Doom's Retreat。
For one moment； a hush fell over the battleground； even the ravens were silent。 Then a hoarse cheer came echoing from the canyon。 The Eoward sealing the end of the Retreat responded loudly。 And the ravens began sailing down to the defile's floor； where they feasted on Demondim…spawn and kresh。
Slowly； Troy became aware that First Haft Amorine was at his side。 When he turned to her； he felt that he was grinning insanely； but even without his sunglasses he did not care。 〃Congratulations； Amorine；〃 he said。 〃You've done well。〃 The evening fog on his sight was already so bad that he had to ask her about casualties。
〃We have lost few warriors；〃 she replied with dour satisfaction。 〃Your battle plan is a good one。〃
But her praise only reminded him of the rest of Lord Foul's army； and of the ordeal still before the Warward。 He shook his head。 〃Not good enough。〃 But then； rather than explain what he meant； he said to her； 〃First Haft； give my thanks to the warriors。 Get them fed and settled for the night…there won't be any more fighting today。 When they're taken care of； we'll have a council。〃
Amorine's gaze showed that she did not understand his attitude； but she saluted without question； and moved away to carry out his orders。 His blank mist swallowed her at once。 Darkness blew about him as if it rode on the wind of the Warward's shouting。 He called for Ruel； and asked the Bloodguard to guide him to Lord Mhoram。
They found Mhoram beside a small campfire under the lee of the westward mountains。 He was tending Lord Callindrill。 Callindrill had regained consciousness； but his skin was as pale as alabaster； and he looked weak。 Mhoram cooked some broth over the
campfire； and massaged Callindrill while the broth heated。
Lord Callindrill greeted the Warmark faintly； and Troy replied with pleasure。 He was glad to see that Callindrill was not mortally injured； he was going to need the Lord。 He was going to need every help or power that he could find。
But he had other things to consider before he began to think about his need for help。 When he had assured himself that Lord Callindrill was on the way to recovery； he drew Mhoram away for a private talk。
He waited until they were beyond earshot of the Warward's camp。 Then he sighed wearily； 〃Mhoram； we're not finished。 We can't stop here。〃 Without transition； as if he had not changed subjects； he went on； 〃What are we going to do about Lord Verement？ One of us has got to tell him…about Shetra。 I'll do it if you want。 I probably deserve it。〃
〃I will do it；〃 Mhoram murmured distantly。
〃All right。〃 Troy felt acutely relieved to be free of that responsibility。 〃Now； what about this…what Tull told us？ I don't like the idea of telling everyone that that the mission…〃 He could not bring himself to say the words； The Giants are dead。 〃I don't think the warriors will survive what's ahead if they know what happened to the mission。 It's too much。 Having three Giants taken over by Ravers is bad enough。 And I'll have to tell them worse things than that myself。〃
Softly； Mhoram breathed； 〃They deserve to know the truth。〃
〃Deserve？〃 Troy's deep feeling of culpability flooded into anger。 〃What they deserve is victory。 By God； don't tell me what they deserve！ It's a little late for you to start worrying about what they know or don't know。 You've seen fit to keep secrets from me all along。 God knows how many horrors you still haven't told me。 Keep your mouth shut about this。〃
〃That choice was made by the Council。 No one person has the right to withhold knowledge from another。 No one is wise enough。〃 Mhoram spoke as if he were wrestling with himself。
〃It's too late for that。 If you want to talk about
rights…you don't have the right to destroy my army。〃
〃My friend； have you…have you suffered…has the withholding of knowledge harmed you？〃
〃How should I know？ Maybe if you had told me the truth…about Atiaran…we wouldn't be here now。 Maybe I would have been afraid of the risk。 You tell me if that's good ；or bad
