fs.thesecondbookofswords-第27节

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　arrow。　Hubert　paused　for　a　moment；　to　throw　his　weight　on　the　crossbow；　cock　it；　and　set　the　trigger。
　　　You　had　to　hit　a　big　landwalker　right　in　the　open　mouth；　Ben　was　thinking；　or　in　the　tiny　target　of　its　eye；　to　do　yourself　any　good　even　with　a　crossbow　bolt。。。　and　now　already　he　could　hear　the　first　chiming　of　the　dragon。　It　was　out　of　sight　behind　hillocks；　but　no　longer　very　far　ahead。　It　had　to　be　ing　on　to　meet　them。
　　　Ben　scrambled　up　the　nearest　hillock　to　get　a　better　look。　Golok　had　climbed　another　mound；　some　twenty　five　or　thirty　meters　ahead；　and　from　its　top　he　was　already　talking　and　crooning　and　gesturing　to　the　monster。
　　　Not　the　same　dragon　I　saw　that　night；　thought　Ben；　this　one's　a　little　smaller。　Some　twenty　meters　beyond　Golok　it　had　paused；　leaning　with　one　of　its　forearms　on　a　mound　three　meters　high；　so　that　for　a　moment　it　made　a　parody　of　some　irate　proprietor　behind　a　counter。　It　was　angry　at　Golok　for　being　where　he　was；　it　was　probably　angered　by　his　mere　existence。　Ben　could　hear　the　anger　in　the　near…musical　chiming　of　its　voice。　So　far　it　did　not　appear　to　have　noticed　Ben；　or　any　of　the　others。　It　bowed　its　head　once　toward　Golok；　as　if　in　some　kind　of　formal　acknowledgement　of　his　existence；　and　then　without　further　warning　it　came　after　him　in　a　clumsy…looking　charge。　Fire　sighed　and　whistled　in　its　nostrils。
　　　People　near　Ben　were　scrambling　wildly　to　and　from　among　the　rocks。　Golok　abandoned　the　useless　position　of　his　mound　in　a　surprisingly　graceful　leap。　A　few　long　strides　and　he　had　scrambled　up　atop　another；　farther　from　the　people　and　the　dragon　and　a　little　closer　to　the　cliffs。　He　was　still　gesturing　and　singing；　and　something　in　his　method　took　effect。　The　dragon's　movements　slowed　abruptly；　the　charge　declining　into　a　mere　advance。　The　monkbird　was　flying　like　a　sparrow　round　the　dragon's　head；　as　if　trying　to　distract　it；　but　Dart　received　no　attention。
　　　Doon；　near　Ben's　elbow；　whispered　fiercely：　〃Indosuaros？〃
　　　The　wizard's　whispered　answer　was　just　as　taut。　〃We　must　use　no　magic　here；　if　we　can　possibly　avoid　it。　There　will　be　traces　of　our　passage；　if　we　do。〃
　　　Ben　could　sense　Doon's　indecision。　The　Baron　wanted　to　get　his　party　into　the　cave　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　if　possible　without　an　open　bat　against　the　dragon。　Yet　at　the　same　time　he　did　not　want　to　lose　Golok；　or　even　to　separate　from　him。
　　　Golok　made　yet　another　sideways　withdrawal；　leading　the　dragon　still　farther　out　of　their　indicated　path。　And　again　it　lurched　and　lunged　toward　him；　this　time　punctuating　its　advance　with　the　sideways　sweep　of　a　clawed　forelimb　against　a　mound。　Rocks　scattered；　flying　as　if　cast　by　some　giant's　sling。
　　　That　movement　was　enough　for　Mark。　His　longbow　twanged　at　a　range　of　no　more　than　twenty　meters。　The　straight　shaft；　driven；　Ben　knew；　by　a　thirty…kilo　pull；　struck　within　a　handsbreadth　of　the　moving　dragon's　right　eye。　The　arrowhead　broke　on　one　of　the　small　scales　there；　the　shaft　rebounded　like　a　twig。　The　dragon　paid　it　not　the　least　attention。
　　　Doon　was　whispering　again。　〃I　don't　want　to　lose　my　beastmaster　before　we　even　get　below。　We'll　need　him　there。　We've　got　to　save　him；　kill　the　dragon　if　we　must。〃
　　　And　if　we　can；　thought　Ben。　Still　the　creature　was　advancing；　in　fits　and　starts；　toward　Golok。　The　youth　with　his　best　efforts　was　managing　to　blunt　the　edge　of　its　wrath　for　seconds　at　a　time；　but　not　to　turn　it　away。　He　dodged；　retreated；　tried　to　stand　his　ground；　and　was　forced　back　again。
　　　Golok　was　gradually　being　driven　back　toward　the　edge　of　the　cliffs；　now　only　a　few　meters　behind　him。　Seven　other　people；　working　from　one　rock　shelter　to　the　next；　were　following　as　closely　as　they　dared。
　　　〃Go　over　the　edge；〃　Ben　called　to　him；　trying　to　make　his　voice　no　louder　than　was　necessary　for　the　youth　to　hear；　fearing　to　startle　the　beast　into　another　forward　rush。　〃Over　the　brink；　and　hang　on。　It　won't　see　you　then。　Maybe　it。。。〃
　　　Again；　abruptly；　the　dragon　charged　at　Golok；　this　time　with　a　thundering　full　roar。　The　subtle　nets　of　control；　woven　of　beast…master's　lore；　had　given　way　totally　at　last。
　　　Both　Mark　and　Hubert；　meanwhile；　had　maneuvered　away　from　Ben；　so　that　the　dragon　was　charging　more　or　less　in　their　direction　and　they　had　a　good　shot　at　the　roof　of　the　open　mouth。　Ben；　scrambling　forward　as　fast　as　he　could　toward　the　dragon's　flank　with　Dragonslicer　gripped　in　both　hands；　thought　that　even　so　the　chance　was　small　that　the　bowmen　could　hit　the　brain；　and　that　even　if　you　hit　the　brain　your　problems　with　a　landwalker　were　not　over　necessarily。。。　Already　Dragonslicer's　powers　had　awakened；　and　Ben　could　feel　the　Sword；　hear　it；　shrilling　as　he　ran。
　　　Golok　had　fallen；　scrambling；　near　the　brink。　Longbow　shaft　and　crossbow　bolt；　simultaneously；　entered　the　open　mouth　that　loomed　above　him。　There　was　an　explosion　of　fire　that　gutted　the　dragon's　left　cheek　outwards；　the　jolt　of　liquid　hell　that　was　to　have　been　projected　at　Golok　went　spewing　and　sizzling　away　instead；　some　of　it　over　the　cliff's　edge；　some　to　spill　upon　the　nearby　rocks。　One　of　the　missiles　had　burst　a　firegland　in　the　cheek。
　　　Ariane　was　yelling　bravely；　and　slinging　stones　at　the　dragon；　whether　accurately　or　not　made　no　difference　in　the　least。　The　two　wizards　were　sensibly　lying　low。
　　　Drooling　flame；　and　certainly　now　aware　of　pain；　the　monster　turned　toward　the　other　people　who　beset　it。　Doon；　scrambling　desperately　over　and　around　rocks；　behind　the　enemy　now；　struck　with　Wayfinder　at　one　of　its　hind　legs；　aiming　for　a　spot　where　there　should　be　a　tendon　beneath　the　scales。　The　heavy；　razor…edged　blade　rebounded　like　a　toy　sword　from　an　anvil。　The　dragon　did　not　see　or　feel　him。
　　　It　saw　Ben　though；　and　it　heard　him。　The　Sword　of　Heroes　was　in　his　hands；　making　its　shrill　sound；　and　now　he　felt　the　more…than…human　power　of　the　weapon　flow　into　his　arms。
　　　As　always；　the　great　damned　beasts　were　unpredictable。　At　the　last　moment　the　dragon　turned　again　away　from　Ben；　and　bent　to　pick　up　the　screaming　Golok　in　its　left　forelimb。　Ben　could　see　the　youth's　legs；　still　living；　kicking　wildly。　Ben　yielded　himself　to　Dragonslicer；　letting　the　force　of　it　in　his　hands　pull　him　forward　to　the　attack。　The　blow　struck　by　the　Sword　was　almost　too　swift　for　his　own　thought　to　follow　it；　and　it　took　off　cleanly　the　dragon's　right　paw　as　it　swiped　at　him。　The　severed　forelimb　thudded　like　an　armored　body　falling　to　the　ground；　the　iridescent　blood　gushing　out。
　　　The　Sword　of　Heroes　shrieked。
　　　Ben　got　one　more　close　look　at　Golok's　living　face。
　　　Dragonslicer　thrust　home　for　the　heart；　parting　hand…thick　scales　as　if　they　had　been　tender　leaves。　The　landwalker　stumbled　backward；　leaving　the　Sword　still　keening　in　Ben's　hand's。　The　treetrunk　legs　kicked　out　in　reflex；　hurling　stones　and　dust。　With　a　last　roar　that　ended　in　eruptive　bubbling；　the　beast　went　backward　over　the　cliff；　Golok　still　clutched　to　its　scaly　breast。
　　　Ben　had　time　to　scramble　forward　to　the　brink　and　watch　the　ending　of　the　fall。　The　two　bodies　did　not　separate　until　they　hit　the　water　and　the　rocks。
Chapter　10
　　　The　monkbird　screamed；　on　and　on。　To　Ben　it　seemed　to　have　been　screaming　for　days。　With　the　Sword　of　Heroes　still　dripping　dragon's　blood　in　his　right　hand；　he　clung　to　the　cliff…edge　rocks；　looking　down　a　hundred　meters　at　the　sullen　surge　and　smash　of　waves　below。　It　was　a　fine　day；　and　the　sea　wore　delicate　shadings　of　blue　and　green　over　most　of　its　vast　surface。　The　fall　on　rocks　had　pulped　the　huge　beast's　body　like　a　dropped　fruit；　but　the　waves　were　already　sorting　and　sifting　and　dispersing　the　organic　wreckage；　on　the　way　to　acplishing　a　tidy　disposal　of　it。　And　Golok's　body　had　already　disappeared　pletely。
　　　Mark　had　e　to　Ben's　side；　had　taken　him　by　the　left　arm；　was　pulling　him　back　from　the　brink。
　　　Doon　was　frothing　angry。　〃The　bird；　the　demon…damned　bird！〃　He　looked　up　at　Dart's　small；　frantic　shape　flying　not　far　above　his　head；　as　if　he　were　about　to　strike　at　it　with　his　Sword。　Dart's　voiceless　keening　mingled　with　the　racket　of　a　cloud　of　seabirds　that　had　been　startled　up　from　the　shoreline　rocks。　〃How　are　we　going　to　be　able　to　use　it　now？〃
　　　As　if　intentionally　answering　his　question；　it　came　down　suddenly；　down　in　an　abrupt　swoop　to　Ariane　standing　nearby。　Her　left　arm　was　extended　in　the　traditional　gesture　of　beast　masters　to　their　flying　pets。　Now；　with　its　fur　dark　brown　against　the　coils　of　her　red　hair；　the　monkbird　huddled　on　her　shoulder；　mourning　almost　silently　for　its　dead　master；　clinging　there　with　feet　and　wings　like　some　half…human　orphan。　Ariane　whispered　to　it　and　stroked　it。　When　Mitspieler　came　to　her　to　see　if　he　could　help；　she　sent　him　away　with　a　gentle　headshake；　and　continued　to　soothe　the　creature。
　　　Doon　observed　this　with　visible　relief。　〃Good　job；　Princess。　We　may　not　have　lost　much　here　after　all。〃　He　took　a　quick　glance　at　the　sky。　〃They　may　think　they've　lost　their　dragon　over　the　cliff　by　accident；　chasing　a　rabbit　or　some　such。　Anyway　we'll　have　e　and　gone；　if　we　do　the　job　right；　before　the　dragon's　missed。　Let