rj.acrownofswords-第174节

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e！　No　one　may　e　here！　No　one！〃
　　　He　stopped　in　his　tracks。　That　spear　waited；　eager　to　seek　his　ribs　too。　〃Liah；　you　know　me；〃　he　said　softly。　〃You　know　me。　I'll　take　you　back　to　the　Maidens；　back　to　your　spear…sisters。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。
　　　Her　rage　melted　into　a　twisted　frown。　She　tilted　her　head　to　one　side。　〃Rand　al'Thor？〃　she　said　slowly。　Her　eyes　widened；　falling　to　the　dead　Trollocs；　and　a　look　of　horror　spread　across　her　face。　〃Rand　al'Thor；〃　she　whispered；　fumbling　the　black　veil　into　place　across　her　face　with　the　hand　that　held　her　spear。　〃The　Car'a'carn！〃　she　wailed。　And　fled。
　　　He　hobbled　after　her；　scrambling　over　piles　of　rubble　spread　across　the　street；　falling；　ripping　his　coat；　falling　again　and　nearly　ripping　it　off；　rolling　and　picking　himself　up　on　the　run。　The　weakness　of　his　body　was　distant；　and　the　pain　of　it；　but　even　floating　deep　in　the　Void；　he　could　only　push　that　body　so　hard。　Liah　vanished　into　the　night。　Around　the　next　black…shadowed　corner；　he　thought。
　　　He　limped　around　that　as　fast　as　he　could。　And　nearly　ran　into　four　black　mailed　Trollocs　and　a　Myrddraal；　inky　cloak　hanging　unnaturally　still　down　its　back　as　the　Fade　moved。　The　Trollocs　snarled　in　surprise；　yet　shock　lasted　less　than　a　heartbeat。　Hooked　spears　and　scythe…curved　swords　rose；　the　Myrddraal's　dead…black　blade　was　in　its　fist；　a　blade　that　gave　wounds　almost　as　deadly　as　Fain's　dagger。
　　　Rand　did　not　even　try　to　draw　the　heron…mark　sword　at　his　side。　Death　in　a　tattered　red　coat；　he　channeled；　and　a　sword　of　fire　was　in　his　hands；　pulsing　darkly　with　the　throb　of　saidin；　sweeping　an　eyeless　head　from　its　shoulders。　Simpler　to　have　destroyed　them　all　the　way　he　had　seen　the　Asha'man　kill　at　Dumai's　Wells；　but　changing　the　weaves　now；　trying　to　change；　might　take　a　fatal　moment。　Those　swords　could　kill　even　him。　He　danced　the　forms　in　a　darkness　lit　by　the　flame　in　his　hands；　shadows　flying　across　faces　above　him；　faces　with　wolves'　muzzles　and　goats'　faces　contorted　in　screams　as　his　fiery　blade　sliced　through　black　mail　and　the　flesh　beneath　as　if　they　were　water。　Trollocs　depended　on　numbers　and　overwhelming　ferocity；　facing　him；　and　that　sword　of　the　Power；　they　might　as　well　have　stood　stock…still；　unarmed。
　　　The　sword　vanished　from　his　hands。　Still　poised　at　the　end　of　the　form　called　Twisting　the　Wind；　he　stood　among　death。　The　last　Trolloc　to　fall　still　thrashed；　goat　horns　scraping　on　the　fragmented　pavement。　The　headless　Myrddraal　yet　flung　its　arms　about；　of　course；　booted　feet　scrabbling　wildly；　Halfmen　did　not　die　quickly；　even　headless。
　　　No　sooner　did　the　sword　disappear　than　silver　lightning　lanced　down　from　the　cloudless；　starry　sky。
　　　The　first　bolt　struck　with　a　deafening　roar　not　four　paces　away。　The　world　turned　white；　and　the　Void　collapsed。　The　ground　bounced　under　him　as　another　bolt　struck；　and　another。　He　had　not　realized　he　was　on　his　face　until　then。　The　air　crackled。　Dazed；　he　pushed　himself　up；　half　falling　as　he　ran　from　a　hail　of　lightning　that　ripped　the　street　apart　to　a　thunder　of　collapsing　buildings。　Straight　ahead　he　staggered；　not　caring　where；　so　long　as　it　was　away。
　　　Suddenly　his　head　cleared　enough　for　him　to　see　where　he　was；　reeling　across　a　vast　stone　floor　covered　with　tumbled　chunks　of　stone；　some　as　big　as　he。　Here　and　there；　dark　uneven　holes　gaped　in　the　floorstones。　All　around　rose　high　walls；　and　tier　upon　tier　of　deep　balconies　that　ran　all　the　way　around。　Only　a　small　portion　of　what　had　once　been　a　vast　roof　remained；　at　one　corner。　Stars　shone　bright　overhead。
　　　He　lurched　another　step；　and　the　floor　gave　way　beneath　him。　Desperately　he　flung　out　his　hands；　with　a　jolt；　the　right　hand　caught　hold　of　a　rough　edge。　He　dangled　into　pitch…blackness。　The　fall　beneath　his　boots　might　be　a　few　spans　into　a　basement；　or　a　mile　for　all　he　could　tell。　He　could　latch　bands　of　Air　to　the　jagged　rim　of　the　hole　above　his　head　to　help　pull　himself　out；　except。。。　Somehow；　Sammael　had　sensed　the　relatively　small　amount　of　saidin　used　in　the　sword。　There　had　been　a　delay　before　the　lightnings　struck；　but　he　could　not　say　how　long　he　had　taken　killing　the　Trollocs。　A　minute？　Seconds？
　　　With　a　heave；　he　swung　his　left　arm　up；　trying　to　catch　the　edge　of　the　hole。　Pain　no　longer　buffered　by　the　Void　stabbed　through　his　side　like　a　dagger　going　in。　Spots　danced　in　his　vision。　Worse；　his　right　hand　slipped　on　crumbling　stone；　and　he　could　feel　his　fingers　weakening。　He　was　going　to　have　to。。。
　　　A　hand　grabbed　his　right　wrist。　〃You　are　a　fool；〃　a　man's　deep　voice　said。　〃Count　yourself　lucky　I　don't　care　to　see　you　die　today。〃　The　hand　began　drawing　him　up。　〃Are　you　going　to　help？〃　the　voice　demanded。　〃I　don't　intend　to　carry　you　on　my　shoulders；　or　kill　Sammael　for　you。〃
　　　Shaking　off　his　shock；　Rand　reached　up　and　grabbed　the　rim　of　the　hole；　pulling　despite　the　agony　of　his　side。　Despite　the　agony；　he　managed　to　acquire　the　Void　again；　too；　and　seize　saidin。　He　did　not　channel；　but　he　wanted　to　be　ready。
　　　His　head　and　shoulders　came　above　the　floor；　and　he　could　see　the　other　man；　a　big　fellow　little　older　than　he；　with　hair　black　as　the　night　and　a　coat　black　as　an　Asha'man's。　Rand　had　never　seen　him　before。　At　least　he　was　not　one　of　the　Forsaken；　those　faces　he　knew。　He　thought　he　did；　anyway。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　demanded。
　　　Still　heaving；　the　man　barked　a　laugh。　〃Just　say　I'm　a　wanderer　passing　through。　Do　you　really　want　to　talk　now？〃
　　　Saving　his　breath；　Rand　struggled　upward；　getting　his　chest　over　the　lip；　his　waist。　Abruptly　he　realized　that　a　glow　bathed　the　floor　around　them　like　the　glow　of　a　full　moon。
　　　Twisting　to　look　over　his　shoulder；　he　saw　Mashadar。　Not　a　tendril；　but　a　shining　silver…gray　wave　rolling　out　of　one　of　the　balconies；　arching　over　their　heads。　Descending。
　　　Without　a　thought；　his　free　hand　rose；　and　balefire　shot　upward；　a　bar　of　liquid　white　fire　slicing　across　the　wave　sinking　toward　them。　Dimly　he　was　aware　of　another　bar　of　pale　solid　fire　rising　from　the　other　man's　hand　that　was　not　clasping　his；　a　bar　slashing　the　opposite　way　from　his。　The　two　touched。
　　　Head　ringing　like　a　struck　gong；　Rand　convulsed；　saidin　and　the　Void　shattering。　Everything　was　doubled　in　his　eyes；　the　balconies；　the　chunks　of　stone　lying　about　the　floor。　There　seemed　to　be　a　pair　of　the　other　man　overlapping　one　another；　each　clutching　his　head　between　two　hands。　Blinking；　Rand　searched　for　Mashadar。　The　wave　of　shining　mist　was　gone；　a　glow　remained　in　the　balconies　above；　but　dimming；　receding；　as　Rand's　eyes　began　to　clear。　Even　mindless　Mashadar　fled　balefire；　it　seemed。
　　　Unsteadily；　he　got　to　his　feet　and　offered　a　hand。　〃I　think　we　best　move　quickly。　What　happened　there？〃
　　　The　other　man　pushed　himself　up　with　a　grimace　at　Rand's　proffered　hand。　He　was　easily　as　tall　as　Rand；　rare　except　among　the　Aiel。　〃I　don't　know　what　happened；〃　he　snarled。　〃Run；　if　you　want　to　live。〃　He　suited　his　own　words　immediately；　dashing　toward　a　row　of　open　arches。　Not　in　the　nearest　wall。　Mashadar　had　e　from　that　one。
　　　Fumbling　for　the　Void；　Rand　limped　after　him　as　fast　as　he　could；　but　before　they　were　pletely　across　the　floor；　the　lightnings　fell　again；　a　storm　of　silver　arrows。　The　two　of　them　darted　through　the　archways　pursued　by　the　thunder　of　walls　and　floor　collapsing　behind　them；　by　clouds　of　dust　and　a　hail　of　stones。　Shoulders　hunched　and　an　arm　across　his　face；　Rand　ran　coughing　through　a　broad　room　where　trembling　arches　supported　the　ceiling　and　bits　of　stone　rained　down。
　　　He　burst　out　into　a　street　before　he　knew　it；　stumbling　three　steps　before　stopping。　The　pain　in　his　side　made　him　want　to　bend　over；　but　he　thought　his　legs　might　give　way　if　he　did。　His　wounded　foot　throbbed；　it　seemed　a　year　ago　that　that　red　wire　of　Fire　and　Air　had　stabbed　his　heel。　His　rescuer　stood　watching　him；　covered　with　dust　head　to　toe；　the　fellow　managed　to　look　a　king。
　　　〃Who　are　you？〃　Rand　asked　again。　〃One　of　Taim's　men？　Or　did　you　teach　yourself？　You　can　go　to　Caemlyn；　you　know；　to　the　Black　Tower。　You　don't　have　to　live　afraid　of　Aes　Sedai。〃　For　some　reason；　saying　that　made　him　frown；　he　could　not　understand　why。
　　　〃I　have　never　been　afraid　of　Aes　Sedai；〃　the　man　snapped；　then　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃You　probably　should　leave　here　now；　but　if　you　intend　to　stay　and　kill　Sammael；　you　had　better　try　thinking　like　him。　You　have　shown　you　can。　He　always　liked　destroying　a　man　in　sight　of　one　of　that　man's　triumphs；　if　he　could。　Lacking　that；　somewhere　the　man　had　marked　as　his　would　do。〃
　　　〃The　Waygate；〃　Rand　said　slowly。　If　he　could　be　said　to　have　marked　anything　in　Shadar　Logoth；　it　had　to　be　the　Waygate。　〃He's　waiting　near　the　Waygate。　And　he　has　traps　set。〃　Wards　as　well；　it　seemed；　like　those　in　Illian；　to　detect　a　man　channeling。　Sammael　had　planned　this　well。
　　　The　man　laughed　wryly。　〃You　can　find　the　way；　it　seems。　If　you're　led　by　the　hand。　Try　not　to　stumble。　A　great　many　plans　will　have　to　be　relaid　if　you　let　yourself　be　killed　now。〃　Turning；　he　started　across　the　street　for　an　alleyway　just　ahead　of　them。
　　　〃Wait；〃　Rand　called。　The　fellow　kept　on；　not　lo