srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第78节

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　through　the　ruins　at　night　as　well　as　he。　And　the　Raver　would　not　have　left　ur…viles　behind。　They　were　too　valuable。　If　Troy　could　remember　his　former　skills…his　sense　of　ambience；　his　memory　for　terrain…he　would　be　able　to　navigate　the　city。
　He　would　have　to　rely　on　his　hearing　to　warn　him　of　enemies。
　He　began　by　sliding　his　sword　quietly　into　its　scabbard。　Then　he　started　groping　his　way　over　the　hot　sand。　He　needed　to　verify　where　he　was；　and　knew　only　one　way　to　do　it。
　Nearby；　his　hands　found　a　patch　of　ground　that　felt　burned。　The　dirt　which　stuck　to　his　fingers　reeked　of　attar。　And　in　the　patch；　he　located　Ruel's　twisted　body。　His　sense　of　touch　told　him　that　Ruel　was　badly　charred。　The　dark　bird　must　have　caught　fire　when　it
　died；　and　burned　away；　leaving　the　Bloodguard's　corpse　behind。
　The　touch　of　that　place　nauseated　him；　and　he　backed　away　from　it。　He　was　sweating　heavily。　Sweat　stung　his　burns。　The　night　was　hot；　sunset　had　brought　no　relief　to　the　ruins。　Folding　his　arms　over　his　stomach；　he　climbed　to　his　feet。
　Standing　unsteadily　in　the　open；　he　tried　to　clear　his　mind　of　Ruel　and　the　bird。　He　needed　to　remember　how　to　deal　with　blindness；　how　to　orient　himself　in　the　ruins。　But　he　could　not　determine　which　way　he　had　e　into　this　open　place。　Waving　his　arms　before　him；　he　went　in　search　of　a　wall。
　His　feet　distrusted　the　ground…he　could　not　put　them　down　securely…and　he　moved　awkwardly。　His　sense　of　balance　had　deserted　him。　His　face　felt　raw；　and　sweat　seared　his　eye　sockets。　But　he　clenched　his　concentration；　and　measured　the　distance。
　In　twenty　yards；　he　reached　a　wall。　He　touched　it　at　an　angle；　promptly　squared　himself　to　it；　then　moved　along　it。　He　needed　a　gap　which　would　permit　him　to　touch　both　sides　of　the　wall。　Any　discrepancy　in　temperature　between　the　sides　would　tell　him　his　directions。
　After　twenty　more　yards；　he　arrived　in　a　corner。　Turning　at　right　angles；　he…followed　this　new　wall。　He　kept　himself　parallel　to　it　by　brushing　the　stone　with　his　fingers。　Shortly；　he　stumbled　into　some　rubble；　and　found　an　entryway。
　The　wall　here　was　thick；　but　he　could　touch　its　opposite　sides　without　stretching　his　arms。　Both　sides　felt　very　warm；　but　he　thought　he　discerned　a　slightly　higher　temperature　on　the　side　facing　back　into　the　open　space。　That　direction　was　west；　he　reasoned；　the　afternoon　sun　would　have　heated　the　west　side　of　a　wall。
　Now　he　had　to　decide　which　way　to　go。
　If　he　went　east；　he　would　be　less　likely　to　meet　enemies。　Since　they　had　not　already　found　him；　they　might　be　past　him；　and　their　search　would　move　from　east　to　west　after　the　Warward。　But　if　any　chance　of
　help　from　his　friends　or　Mehryl　remained；　it　would　be　on　the　west　side。
　The　dilemma　seemed　to　have　no　solution。　He　found　himself　shaking　his　head　and　moaning　through　his　teeth。　At　once；　he　stuffed　his　throat　with　silence。　He　decided　to　move　west　toward　Mehryl。　The　added　risk　was　preferable　to　a　safe　escape　eastward…an　escape　which　would　leave　him　alone　in　the　Southron　Wastes；　without　food　or　water　or　a　mount。
　He　leaned　against　the　unnatural　heat　of　the　wall　for　a　few　moments；　breathing　deeply　to　steady　himself。　Then　he　stood　up；　grasped　his　sense　of　direction　with　all　the　concentration　he　could　muster；　and　started　walking　straight　out　into　the　ruined　hall。
　His　progress　was　slow。　The　uncertainty　of　his　steps　made　him　stagger　repeatedly　away　from　a　true　westward　line。　But　he　corrected　the　variations　as　best　he　could；　and　kept　going。　Without　the　support　of　a　wall；　his　balance　grew　worse　at　every　stride。　Before　he　had　covered　thirty　yards；　the　floor　reeled　around　him；　and　he　dropped　to　his　knees。　He　had　to　clamp　his　throat　shut　to　keep　from　whimpering。
　When　he　regained　his　feet；　he　heard　quiet　laughter　…first　one　voice；　then　several。　It　had　a　cruel　sound；　as　if　it　were　directed　at　him。　It　resonated　slightly　off　the　walls；　so　that　he　could　not　locate　it；　but　it　seemed　to　e　from　somewhere　ahead。
　He　froze　where　he　stood。　Helplessly；　he　prayed　that　the　darkness　would　cover　him。
　But　a　voice　shattered　that　hope。　〃Look　here；　brothers；〃　it　said。　〃A　man…alone。〃　Its　utterance　was　awkward；　thick　with　slavering；　but　Troy　could　understand　it。　He　could　hear　the　malice　in　the　low　chorus　of　laughter　which　answered　it。
　Other　voices　spoke。
　〃A　man；　yes。　Slayer　take　him！〃
　〃Look。　Such　pretty　clothes。　An　enemy。〃
　〃Ha！　Look　again；　fool。　That　is　no　man。〃
　〃He　has　no　eyes。〃
　〃Is　it　an　ur…vile？〃
　〃No…a　man；　I　say。　A　man　with　no　eyes！　Here　is　some　sport；　brothers。〃

　All　the　voices　laughed　again。
　Troy　did　not　stop　to　wonder　how　the　speakers　could　see　him。　He　turned；　started　to　run　back　the　way　he　had　e。
　At　once；　they　gave　pursuit。　He　could　hear　the　slap　of　bare　feet　on　stone；　the　sharp　breathing。　They　overtook　him　swiftly。　Something　veered　close　to　him；　tripped　him。　As　he　fell；　the　running　feet　surrounded　him。
　〃Go　gently；　brothers。　No　quick　kill。　He　will　be　sport　for　us　all。〃
　〃Do　not　kill　him。〃
　〃Not　kill？　I　want　to　kill。　Kill　and　eat。〃
　〃The　Giant　will　want　this　one。〃
　〃After　we　sport。〃
　〃Why　tell　the　Giant；　brothers？　He　is　greedy。〃
　〃He　takes　our　meat。〃
　〃Keep　this　one　for　ourselves；　yes。〃
　〃Slayer　take　the　Giant。〃
　〃His　precious　ur…viles。　When　there　is　danger；　men　must　go　first。〃
　〃Yes！　Brothers；　we　will　eat　this　meat。〃
　Troy　heaved　himself　to　his　feet。　Through　the　rapid　chatter　of　the　voices；　he　heard；　go　first；　and　almost　fell　again。　If　these　creatures　were　the　first　of　Fleshharrower's　army　to　enter　the　masterplace…！　But　he　pushed　down　the　implications　of　that　thought；　and　snatched　out　his　sword。
　〃A　sword？　Ho　ho！〃
　〃Look；　brothers。　The　man　with　no　eyes　wants　to　play。〃
　〃Play！〃
　Troy　heard　the　lash　of　a　whip；　cord　flicked　around　his　wrist。　It　caught　and　jerked；　hauled　him　from　his　feet。　Strong　hands　took　his　sword。　Something　kicked　him　in　the　chest；　knocked　him　backward。　But　his　breastplate　protected　him。
　One　of　the　voices　cried；　〃Slayer！　My　foot！〃
　〃Fool！〃　came　the　answer。　There　was　laughter。
　〃Kill　him！〃
　A　metallic　weapon　clattered　against　his　breastplate；　fell　to　the　ground。　He　scrambled　for　it　in　the　dust；　but
　sudden　hands　shoved　him　away。　He'　recoiled　and　got　to　his　feet　again。
　He　heard　the　whistle　of　the　whip；　and　its　cord　lashed　at　his　ankles。　But　this　time　he　did　not　go　down。
　〃Do　not　kill　him　yet。　Where　is　the　sport？〃
　〃Make　him　play。〃
　〃Yes；　brothers。　Play。〃
　〃Play　for　us；　man　with　no　eyes〃
　The　whip　burned　around　his　neck。　He　staggered　under　the　blow。　The　bewildering　crossfire　of　voices　went　on。
　〃Play；　Slayer　take　you！〃
　〃Sport　for　us！〃
　〃Why　sport？　I　want　meat。　Blood…wet　meat。〃
　〃The　Giant　feeds　us　sand。〃
　〃Play；　I　say！　Are　you　blind；　man　with　no　eyes？　Does　the　sun　dazzle　you？〃
　This　gibe　was　met　with　loud　laughter。　But　Troy　stood　still　in　his　dismay。　The　sun？　he　thought　numbly。　Then　he　had　chosen　the　wrong　direction；　east　instead　of　west；　he　had　walked　right　into　these　creatures。　He　wanted　to　scream。　But　he　was　past　screaming。　He　could　feel　the　light　of　his　life　going　out。　His　hands　shook　as　he　tried　to　straighten　his　sunglasses。
　〃Dear　God；〃　he　groaned。
　Numbly；　as　if　he　did　not　know　what　he　was　doing；　he　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　gave　a　shrill　whistle。
　The　whip　coiled　around　his　waist　and　whirled　him　to　the　ground。
　〃Play！〃　the　voices　shouted　raggedly　together。
　But　when　he　stumbled　to　his　feet　again；　he　heard　。　the　sound　of　hooves。　And　a　moment　later；　Mehryl's　whinny　cut　through　the　gibbering　voices。　It　touched　Troy's　heart　like　the　call　of　a　trumpet。　He　jerked　up　；　his　head；　and　his　ears　searched；　trying　to　locate　the
　Ranyhyn。
　The　voices　changed　to　shouts　of　hunger　as　the　‘　hooves　charged。　〃Ranyhyn！〃　〃Kill　it！〃
　〃Meat！〃　Hands　grabbed　Troy。　He　grappled　with　a　fist　that
　held　a　knife。　But　then　the　noise　of　hooves　rushed　close　to　him。　An　impact　flung　his　assailant　away。　He　turned；　tried　to　leap　onto　Mehryl's　back。　But　he　only　put　himself　in　Mehryl's　path。　The　shoulder　of　the　Ranyhyn　struck　him；　knocked　him　down。
　Then　he　could　hear　bare　feet　leaping　to　the　attack。　The　whip　cracked；　knives　swished。　Mehryl　was　forced　away　from　him。　Hooves　skittered　on　the　stone　as　the　Ranyhyn　retreated。　Howling　triumphantly；　the　creatures　gave　chase。　The　sounds　receded。
　Troy　pushed　himself　to　his　feet。　His　heart　thudded　in　his　chest；　pain　throbbed　sharply　in　his　face。　The　noises　of　pursuit　seemed　to　indicate　that　he　was　being　left　alone。　But　he　did　not　move。　Concentrating　all　his　attention；　he　tried　to　hear　over　the　beat　of　his　pain。
　For　a　long　moment；　the　open　space　around　him　sounded　empty；　still。　He　waved　his　arms；　and　touched　nothing。
　But　then　he　heard　a　sharp　intake　of　breath。
　He　was　trembling　violently。　He　wanted　to　turn　and　run。　But　he　forced　himself　to　hold　his　ground。　He　concentrated；　bent　all　his　alertness　toward　the　sound。　In　the　distance；　the　other　creatures　had　lost　Mehryl。　They　were　returning；　he　could　hear　them。
　But　the　near　voice　hissed；　〃I　kill　you。　You　hurt　my　foot。　Slayer　take　them！　You　are　my　meat。〃
　Troy　could　sense　the　creature's　approach。　It　loomed　out　of　the　blankness　like　a　faint　pressure　on　his　face。　The　rasp　of　its　breathing　grew　louder。　With　every