srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第96节

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　He　tried　to　clear　his　head　by　shaking　it。　Elena　winced　as　if　he　were　reminding　her　of　her　outburst。　He　made　a　placating　gesture　toward　her；　and　turned　to　confront　the　Bloodguard。　Intently；　he　scrutinized　the　blank　metal　of　their　faces；　searched　them　for　some　flicker　or　hue　of　duplicity；　ulterior　purpose；　which　would　verify　his　intuition。　But　their　ancient；　sleepless　eyes　seemed　to　conceal　nothing；　reveal　nothing。　He　felt　an　instant　of　panic　at　the　idea　that　he　might　be　wrong；　but　he　pushed　it　down；　and　asked　as　calmly　as　he　could；　〃Bannor；　how　old　are　you？〃
　〃We　are　the　Bloodguard；〃　Bannor　replied。　〃Our　Vow　was　sworn　in　the　youth　of　Kevin's　High　Lordship。〃
　〃Before　the　Desecration？〃
　〃Yes；　ur…Lord。〃
　〃Before　Kevin　found　out　that　Foul　was　really　an　enemy？〃
　〃Yes〃
　〃And　you　personally；　Bannor？　How　old　are　you？〃
　〃I　was　among　the　first　Haruchui　who　entered　the　Land。　I　shared　in　the　first　swearing　of　the　Vow。〃
　〃That　was　centuries　ago。〃　Covenant　paused　before　he　asked；　〃How　well　do　you　remember　Kevin？〃
　〃Step　softly；〃　Elena　cautioned。　〃Do　not　mock　the　Bloodguard。〃
　Bannor　did　not　acknowledge　her　concern。　He　answered　the　Unbeliever　inflexibly；　〃We　do　not　forget。〃
　〃I　suppose　not；〃　Covenant　sighed。　〃What　a　hell　of　a　way　to　live。〃　For　a　moment；　he　gazed　away　toward　the　mountain；　looking　for　courage。　Then；　with　sudden　harshness；　he　went　on；　〃You　knew　Kevin　when　he　made　his　Wards。　You　knew　him　and　you　remember。　You　were　with　him　when　he　gave　the　First　Ward　to　the　Giants。　You　were　with　him　when　he　hid　the　Second　in　those　bloody　catabs　under　Mount　Thunder。　How　many　times　did　you　e　here　with　him；　Bannor？〃
　The　Bloodguard　cocked　one　eyebrow　fractionally。　〃High　Lord　Kevin　made　no　sojourns　to　Rivenrock　or　Melenkurion　Skyweir。〃
　That　answer　rocked　Covenant。　〃None？〃　His　protest　burst　out　before　he　could　stop　it。　〃Are　you　telling　me　you've　never　been　here　before？〃
　〃We　are　the　first　Bloodguard　to　stand　on　Rivenrock；〃　Bannor　replied　flatly。
　〃Then　how…？　Wait。　Hold　on。〃　Covenant　stared　dizzily；　then　hit　his　forehead　with　the　heal　of　his　hand。　〃Right。　If　the　Ward　is　some　kind　of　natural　phenomenon…like　the　Illearth　Stone…if　it　isn't　something　he　put　here…Kevin　wouldn't　have　to　e　here　to　know　about　it。　Loric　or　somebody　could　have　told　him。　Loric　could　have　told　anybody。〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath　to　steady　himself。　‘But　everybody　who　might　have　known　about　it　died　in　the　Desecration。　Except　you。〃
　Bannor　blinked　at　Covenant　as　if　his　words　had　no　meaning。
　〃Listen　to　me；　Bannor；〃　he　went　on。　〃A　lot　of　things　are　finally　starting　to　make　sense。　You　reacted　strangely…when　Amok　turned　up　at　Revelstone　that　first　time。　You　reacted　strangely　when　he　turned　up　at
　Revelwood。　And　you　let　the　High　Lord　herself　follow　him　into　the　mountains　with　just　two　Bloodguard　to　protect　her。　Just　two；　Bannor！　And　when　we　end　up　stuck　here　on　this　godforsaken　rock；　Morin　has　the　actual　gall　to　apologize　for　Amok。　Hellfire！　Bannor；　you　should　have　at　least　told　the　High　Lord　what　you　know　about　this　Ward。　What　kind　of　loyal　do　you　think　you　are？〃
　Elena　cautioned　Covenant　again。　But　her　tone　had　changed；　his　thinking　intrigued　her。
　〃We　are　the　Bloodguard；〃　Bannor　said。　〃You　cannot　raise　doubt　against　us。　We　do　not　know　Amok's　intent。〃
　Covenant　heard　the　slight　stress　which　Bannor　placed　on　the　word　know。　To　his　own　surprise；　he　felt　a　sudden　desire　to　take　Bannor　at　his　word；　leave　what　the　Bloodguard　knew　alone。　But　he　forced　himself　to　ask；　〃Know；　Bannor？　How　can　you　not　know？　You've　trusted　him　too　much　for　that。〃
　Bannor　countered　as　he　had　previously；　〃We　do　not　trust　him。　The　High　Lord　chooses　to　follow　him。　We　do　not　ask　for　more。〃
　〃The　hell　you　don't。〃　His　effort　of　self…pulsion　made　him　brutal。　〃And　stop　giving　me　that　blank　look。　You　people　came　to　the　Land；　and　you　swore　a　Vow　to　protect　Kevin。　You　swore　to　preserve　him　or　at　least　give　your　lives　for　him　and　the　Lords　and　Revelstone　until　Time　itself　came　to　an　end　if　not　forever；　or　why　are　you　bereft　even　of　the　simple　decency　of　sleep？　But　that　poor　desperate　man　outsmarted　you。　He　actively　saved　you　when　he　destroyed　himself　and　everything　else　he　merely　believed　in。　So　there　you　were；　hanging　from　your　Vow　in　empty　space　as　if　all　the　reasons　in　the　world　had　suddenly　disappeared。
　〃And　then！　Then　you　get　a　second　chance　to　do　your　Vow　right　when　the　new　Lords　e　along。　But　what　happens？　Amok　turns　up　out　of　nowhere；　and　there's　a　war　on　against　Foul　himself…and　what　do　you　do？　You　let　this　creation　of　Kevin's　lead　the　High　Lord　away　as　if　it　were　safe　and　she　didn't　have　anything　better　to　do。
　〃Let　me　tell　you　something；　Bannor。　Maybe　you
　don't　positively　know　Amok。　You　must　have　learned　some　kind　of　distrust　from　Kevin。　But　you　sure　as。　hell　understand　what　Amok　is　doing。　And　you　approve！〃　The　abrupt　ferocity　of　his　own　yell　stopped　him　for　an　instant。　He　felt　shaken　by　the　moral　judgments　he　saw　in　Bannor。　Thickly；　he　continued；　〃Or　why　are　you　risking　her　for　the　sake　of　something　created　by　the　only　man　who　has　ever　succeeded　in　casting　doubt　on　your　incorruptibility？〃
　Without　warning；　Amok　appeared。　The　youth's　arrival　startled　Covenant；　but　he　took　it　as　a　sign　that　he　was　on　the　right　track。　With　a　heavy　sigh；　he　said；　〃Why　in　the　name　of　your　Vow　or　at　least　simple　friendship　didn't　you　tell　the　High　Lord　about　Amok　when　he　first　showed　up？〃
　Bannor's　gaze　did　not　waver。　In　his　familiar；　awkward；　atonal　inflection；　he　replied；　〃Ur…Lord；　we　have　seen　the　Desecration。　We　have　seen　the　fruit　of　perilous　lore。　Lore　is　not　knowledge。　Lore　is　a　weapon；　a　sword　or　spear。　The　Bloodguard　have　no　use　for　weapons。　Any　knife　may　turn　and　wound　the　hand　which　wields　it。　Yet　the　Lords　desire　lore。　They　do　work　of　value　with　it。　Therefore　we　do　not　resist　it；　though　we　do　not　touch　it　or　serve　it　or　save　it。
　〃High　Lord　Kevin　made　his　Wards　to　preserve　his　lore…and　to　lessen　the　peril　that　his　weapons　might　fall　into　unready　hands。　This　we　approve。　We　are　the　Bloodguard。　We　do　not　speak　of　lore。　We　speak　only　of　what　we　know。〃
　Covenant　could　not　go　on。　He　felt　that　he　had　already　multiplied　his　offenses　against　Bannor　too　much。　And　he　was　moved　by　what　Bannor　said；　despite　the　Bloodguard's　flat　tone。
　But　Elena　had　learned　enough　to　pursue　his　reasoning。　Her　voice　was　both　quiet　and　authoritative　as　she　said；　〃First　Mark…Bannor…the　Bloodguard　must　make　a　decision　now。　Hear　me。　I　am　Elena；　High　Lord　by　the　choice　of　the　Council。　This　is　a　question　of　loyalty。　Will　you　serve　dead　Kevin's　wisdom；　or　will　you　serve　me？　In　the　past；　you　have　served　two　causes；　the　dead　and　the　living。　You　have　served　both　well。　But　here　you　must　choose。　In　the　Land's　need；　there
　is　no　longer　any　middle　way。　There　will　be　blood　and　blame　upon　us　all　if　we　allow　Corruption　to　prevail。〃
　Slowly；　Bannor　turned　toward　the　First　Mark。　They　regarded　each　other　in　silence　for　a　long　moment。　Then　Morin　faced　the　High　Lord　with　a　magisterial　look　in　his　eyes。　〃High　Lord；〃　he　said；　〃we　do　not　know　the　name　of　the　Seventh　Ward's　power。　We　have　heard　many　names…some　false；　others　dead。　But　one　name　we　have　heard　only　uttered　in　whispers　by　High　Lord　Kevin　and　his　Council。
　〃'That　name　is　the　Power　of　mand。〃
　When　Amok　heard　the　name；　he　nodded　until　his　hair　seemed　to　dance　with　glee。
　
　TWENTY…FOUR：　Descent　to　Earthroot
　
　COVENANT　found　that　he　was　sweating。　Despite　the　chill　breeze；　his　forehead　was　damp。　Moisture　itched　in　his　beard；　and　cold　perspiration　ran　down　his　spine。　Morin's　submission　left　him　feeling　curiously　depleted。　For　a　moment；　he　looked　up　at　the　sun　as　if　to　ask　it　why　it　did　not　warm　him。
　Melenkurion's　spires　reached　into　the　morning　like　fingers　straining　to　bracket　the　sun。　Their　glaciered　tips　caught　the　light　brilliantly；　the　reflected　dazzle　made　Covenant's　eyes　water。　The　massive　stone　of　the　peaks　intimidated　him。　Blinking　rapidly；　he　forced　his　gaze　back　to　High　Lord　Elena。
　Through　his　sun　blindness；　he　seemed　to　see　only　her　brown；　blond…raddled　hair。　The　lighter　tresses　gleamed　as　if　they　were　burnished。　But　as　he　blinked；　his　vision　cleared。　He　made　out　her　face。　She　was　vivid　with　smiles。　A　new　thrill　of　life　lit　her　countenance　with　recovered　hope。　She　did　not　speak；　but　her　lips　formed　the　one　word；　Beloved。
　Covenant　felt　that　he　had　betrayed　her。
　Morin　and　Bannor　stood　almost　shoulder　to　shoulder　behind　her。　Nothing　in　the　alert　poise　of　their　balance；　or　in　the　relaxed　readiness　of　their　arms；　expressed　any　surprise　or　regret　at　the　decision　they　had　made。　Yet　Covenant　knew　they　had　fundamentally　alerted　the　character　of　their　service　to　the　Lords。　He　had　exacted　that　from　them。　He　wished　he　could　apologize　in　some　way　which　would　have　meaning　to　the　Bloodguard。
　But　there　was　nothing　he　could　say　to　them。　They　were　too　absolute　to　accept　any　gesture　of　contrition。　Their　solitary　munion　with　their　Vow　left　him　no　way　in　which　to　approach　them。　No　apology　was　sufficient。
　〃The　Power　of　mand；〃　he　breathed　weakly。　〃Have　mercy　on　me。〃　Unable　to　bear　the　sight　of　Elena's　relieved；　triumphant；　grateful　smile；　or　of　Amok's　grin；　he　turned　away　and　walked　wearily　out　across　the　plateau　toward　Rivenrock's　edge　as　if　his　feet