rj.thegreathunt-第54节

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？　Where　are　we；　Lord　Rand？〃　He　sank　to　his　knees；　wringing　his　hands；　but　his　eyes　still　darted。　〃What's　happened？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Rand　said　slowly。　〃I　was　hoping　it　was　a　dream；　but　。。。　Maybe　it　is　a　dream。〃　He　had　had　experience　of　dreams　that　were　not　dreams；　experience　he　wanted　neither　to　repeat　nor　to　remember。　He　stood　up　carefully。　Everything　stayed　as　it　was。
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　Loial　said。　He　was　studying　the　column；　and　he　did　not　appear　happy。　His　long　eyebrows　sagged　across　his　cheeks；　and　his　tufted　ears　seemed　to　have　wilted。　〃I　think　this　is　the　same　stone　we　went　to　sleep　beside　last　night。　I　think　I　know　what　it　is；　now。〃　For　once；　he　sounded　miserable　about　knowing。
　　　　　　　〃That's　。。。〃　No。　That　being　the　same　stone　was　no　more　crazy　than　what　he　could　see　around　him；　Mat　and　Perrin　and　the　Shienarans　gone；　and　everything　changed。　I　thought　I'd　escaped；　but　it's　started　again；　and　there's　no　such　thing　as　crazy　anymore。　Unless　I　am。　He　looked　at　Loial　and　Hurin。　They　were　not　acting　as　if　he　were　mad；　they　saw　it；　too。　Something　about　the　steps　caught　his　eye；　the　different　colors；　seven　rising　from　blue　to　red。　〃One　for　each　Ajah；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　〃No；　Lord　Rand；〃　Hurin　moaned。　〃No。　Aes　Sedai　would　not　do　this　to　us。　They　wouldn't！　I　walk　in　the　Light。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　all　do；　Hurin；〃　Rand　said。　〃The　Aes　Sedai　won't　hurt　you。〃　Unless　you　get　in　the　way。　Could　this　be　Moiraine's　doing　somehow？　〃Loial；　you　said　you　know　what　the　stone　is。　What　is　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　said　I　think　I　know；　Rand。　There　was　a　piece　of　an　old　book；　just　a　few　pages；　but　one　of　them　had　a　drawing　of　this　stone；　this　Stone〃　…　there　was　a　distinct　difference　in　the　way　he　said　it　that　marked　importance　…　〃or　one　very　like　it。　And　underneath；　it　said；　'From　Stone　to　Stone　run　the　lines　of　〃if；〃　between　the　worlds　that　might　be。〃'
　　　　　　　〃What　does　that　mean；　Loial？　It　doesn't　make　any　sense。〃
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　shook　his　massive　head　sadly。　〃It　was　only　a　few　pages。　Part　of　it　said　Aes　Sedai　in　the　Age　of　Legends；　some　of　those　who　could　Travel；　the　most　powerful　of　them；　could　use　these　Stones。　It　did　not　say　how；　but　I　think；　from　what　I　could　puzzle　out；　that　perhaps　those　Aes　Sedai　used　the　Stones　somehow　to　journey　to　those　worlds。〃　He　glanced　up　at　the　seared　trees　and　pulled　his　eyes　down　again　quickly；　as　he　did　not　want　to　think　about　what　lay　beyond　the　rim。　〃Yet　even　if　Aes　Sedai　can　use　them；　or　could；　we　had　no　Aes　Sedai　with　us　to　channel　the　Power；　so　I　don't　see　how　it　can　be。〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　skin　prickled。　Aes　Sedai　used　them。　In　the　Age　of　Legends；　when　there　were　male　Aes　Sedai。　He　had　a　vague　memory　of　the　void　closing　round　him　as　he　fell　asleep；　filled　with　that　uneasy　glow。　And　he　remembered　the　room　in　the　village；　and　the　light　he　had　reached　for　to　escape。　If　that　was　the　male　half　of　True　Source　。。。　No；　it　can't　be。　But　what　if　it　is？　Light；　I　was　wondering　whether　to　run　or　not；　and　all　the　time　it's　right　inside　my　head。　Maybe　I　brought　us　here。　He　did　not　want　to　think　about　it。　〃Worlds　that　might　be？　I　don't　understand；　Loial。〃
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　shrugged　massively；　and　uneasily。　〃Neither　do　I；　Rand。　Most　of　it　sounded　like　this。　'If　a　woman　go　left；　or　right；　does　Time's　flow　divide？　Does　the　Wheel　then　weave　two　Patterns？　A　thousand；　for　each　of　her　turnings？　As　many　as　the　stars？　Is　one　real；　the　others　merely　shadows　and　reflections？'　You　see；　it　was　not　very　clear。　Mainly　questions；　most　of　which　seemed　to　contradict　each　other。　And　there　just　wasn't　much　of　it。〃　He　went　back　to　staring　at　the　column；　but　he　looked　as　if　he　wished　it　would　go　away。　〃There　are　supposed　to　be　a　good　many　of　these　Stones；　scattered　all　over　the　world；　or　there　were；　once；　but　I　never　heard　of　anyone　finding　one。　I　never　heard　of　anyone　finding　anything　like　this　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Rand？〃　Now　on　his　feet；　Hurin　seemed　calmer；　but　he　clutched　his　coat　at　the　waist　with　both　hands；　his　face　urgent。　〃My　Lord　Rand；　you'll　get　us　back；　won't　you？　Back　where　we　belong？　I've　a　wife；　my　Lord；　and　children。　Melia'd　take　it　bad　enough；　me　dying；　but　if　she　doesn't　even　have　my　body　to　give　to　the　mother's　embrace；　she'll　grieve　to　the　end　of　her　days。　You　understand；　my　Lord。　I　can't　leave　her　not　knowing。　You'll　get　us　back。　And　if　I　die；　if　you　can't　take　her　my　body；　you'll　let　her　know；　so　she　has　that；　at　least。〃　He　was　no　longer　questioning　at　the　end。　A　note　of　confidence　had　crept　into　his　voice。
　　　　　　　Rand　opened　his　mouth　to　say　again　he　was　not　a　lord；　then　shut　it　without　speaking。　That　was　hardly　important　enough　to　mention；　now。　You　got　him　into　this。　He　wanted　to　deny　it；　but　he　knew　what　he　was；　knew　he　could　channel；　even　if　it　always　seemed　to　happen　all　by　itself。　Loial　said　Aes　Sedai　used　the　Stones；　and　that　meant　the　One　Power。　What　Loial　said　he　knew；　you　could　be　sure　of　…　the　Ogier　never　claimed　to　know　if　he　did　not　…　and　there　was　no　one　else　nearby　who　could　wield　the　Power。　You　got　him　into　it；　you　have　to　get　him　out。　You　have　to　try。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　do　my　best；　Hurin。〃　And　because　Hurin　was　Shienaran；　he　added；　〃By　my　House　and　honor。　A　shepherd's　House　and　a　shepherd's　honor；　but　I'll　make　them　do　as　well　as　a　lord's。〃
　　　　　　　Hurin　loosed　his　hold　on　his　coat。　The　confidence　reached　his　eyes；　too。　He　bowed　deeply。　〃Honor　to　serve；　my　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　Guilt　rippled　through　Rand。　He　thinks　you'll　see　him　home；　now；　because　Shienaran　lords　always　keep　their　word。　What　are　you　going　to　do；　Lord　Rand？　〃None　of　that；　Hurin。　There'll　be　no　bowing。　I'm　not　…　〃　Suddenly　he　knew　he　could　not　tell　the　man　again　that　he　was　not　a　lord。　All　that　was　holding　the　sniffer　together　was　his　belief　in　a　lord；　and　he　could　not　take　that　away；　not　now。　Not　here。　〃No　bowing；〃　he　finished　awkwardly。
　　　　　　　〃As　you　say；　Lord　Rand。〃　Hurin's　grin　was　almost　as　wide　as　when　Rand　first　met　him。
　　　　　　　Rand　cleared　his　throat。　〃Yes。　Well；　that's　what　I　say。〃
　　　　　　　They　were　both　watching　him；　Loial　curious；　Hurin　confident；　both　waiting　to　see　what　he　would　do。　I　brought　them　here。　I　must　have。　So　I　have　to　get　them　back。　And　that　means　。。。
　　　　　　　Drawing　a　deep　breath；　he　walked　across　the　white　paving　stones　to　the　symbol…covered　cylinder。　Small　lines　of　some　language　he　did　not　know　surrounded　each　symbol；　odd　letters　that　flowed　in　curves　and　spirals；　suddenly　turned　to　jagged　hooks　and　angles；　then　flowed　on。　At　least　it　was　not　Trolloc　script。　Reluctantly；　he　put　his　hands　on　the　column。　It　looked　like　any　dry；　polished　stone；　but　it　felt　curiously　slick；　like　oiled　metal。
　　　　　　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　formed　the　flame。　The　void　came　slowly；　hesitantly。　He　knew　his　own　fear　was　holding　it　back；　fear　of　what　he　was　trying。　As　fast　as　he　fed　fear　into　the　flame；　more　came。　I　can't　do　it。　Channel　the　Power。　I　don't　want　to。　Light；　there　has　to　be　another　way。　Grimly　he　forced　the　thoughts　to　stillness。　He　could　feel　sweat　beading　on　his　face。　Determinedly　he　kept　on；　pushing　his　fears　into　the　consuming　flame；　making　it　grow；　and　grow。　And　the　void　was　there。
　　　　　　　The　core　of　him　floated　in　emptiness。　He　could　see　the　light　…　saidin　…　even　with　his　eyes　closed；　feel　the　warmth　of　it；　surrounding　him；　surrounding　everything；　suffusing　everything。　It　wavered　like　a　candle　flame　seen　through　oiled　paper。　Rancid　oil。　Stinking　oil。
　　　　　　　He　reached　for　it　…　he　was　not　sure　how　he　reached；　but　it　was　something；　a　movement；　a　stretching　toward　the　light；　toward　saidin　…　and　caught　nothing；　as　if　running　his　hands　through　water。　It　felt　like　a　slimy　pond；　scum　floating　atop　clean　water　below；　but　he　could　not　scoop　up　any　of　the　water。　Time　and　again　it　trickled　through　his　fingers；　not　even　droplets　of　the　water　remaining；　only　the　slick　scum；　making　his　skin　crawl。
　　　　　　　Desperately；　he　tried　to　form　an　image　of　the　hollow　as　it　had　been；　with　Ingtar　and　the　lances　sleeping　by　their　horses；　with　Mat　and　Perrin；　and　the　Stone　lying　buried　except　for　one　end。　Outside　the　void　he　formed　it；　clinging　to　the　shell　of　emptiness　that　enclosed　him。　He　tried　to　link　the　image　with　the　light；　tried　to　force　them　together。　The　hollow　as　it　had　been；　and　he　and　Loial　and　Hurin　there　together。　His　head　hurt。　Together；　with　Mat　and　Perrin　and　the　Shienarans。　Burning；　in　his　head。　Together！
　　　　　　　The　void　shattered　into　a　thousand　razor　shards；　slicing　his　mind。
　　　　　　　Shuddering；　he　staggered　back；　wide…eyed。　His　hands　hurt　from　pressing　the　Stone；　and　his　arms　and　shoulders　quivered　with　aching；　his　stomach　lurched　from　the　feel　of　filth　covering　him；　and　his　head　。。。　He　tried　to　steady　his　breathing。　That　had　never　happened　before。　When　the　void　went；　it　went　like　a　pricked　bubble；　just　gone；　in　a　twinkling。　Never　broken　like　glass。　His　head　felt　numb；　as　if　the　thousand　slashes　had　happened　so　quickly　the　pain　had　not　yet　e。　But　every　cut　had　felt　as　real　as　if　done　with　a　knife。　He　touched　his　temple；　and　was　surprised　not　to　see　blood　on　his　fingers。
　　　　　　　Hurin　still　stood　there　watching　him；　still　confident。　If　anything；　the　sniffer　seemed　more　sure　by　the　minute。　Lord　Rand　was　doing　something。　That　was　what　lords　were　for。　They　protected　the　land　and　the　people　with　their　bodies　and　their　lives；　and　when　somethin