cacb.thefarkingdoms-第86节
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panions of that night； but if this account is to be as honest as I have sworn； I must admit how thoroughly Mortacious had unmanned me。 I did not face the task ahead as a brave warrior； or as the hero of a stirring ode。 All along the way I felt the wizard's cold fingers needle my spine and heard his scornful laughter。 Despair was my constant enemy； every hulking shadow my final moment。 We were only three furtive little creatures； kin to all the dark things that scuttle； cousins of shame。
We moved along bleak corridors； past dark； empty rooms that reeked of pain； the doors to those rooms yawned open； eager to swallow us。 Some rooms were barred； and we heard the low moans of their occupants。 Near the entrance to the building； I smelled the sharpness of a familiar oil； and the scent of much…used leather。 Sergeant Maeen； bless his old soldier's senses； traced it quickly： it was the last room along the main corridor； just by the exit。 The room was unlocked； and Maeen cracked it open and disappeared inside。 He returned a moment later and managed a small grin through the web of fear。 It was an armory； he whispered； and with that small hope to light our way； we moved out into the chill night。
There was no sign of anyone about； although that did not ease our fear。 We circled the place； leaping from shadow to shadow until we came to the rear。 Across a wide； barren field； the great building with its smoking furnace beckoned。 We hugged every pebble for cover as we scurried to it。 The smell of the place was overpowering； and far overhead fiery sparks showered into a moonless night。 Why we hurried there； I dared not wonder； for any thought beyond the moment would be a black pit from which we would never escape。 Perhaps it was a god who pitied us； perhaps it was Janos' lifetime lover； Holy Reason； perhaps it was only the small blind guide that squeaks in the breast of all living things。 All I know is； we saw the building 。。。 and went。
After an eternity of terror； the building loomed up at us； a cliff face of polished stone that stretched deep into the night in either direction。 The only feature was the immense black eye of the arched entrance and the twin columns that supported the arch。 We stumbled onto the cobblestone road that served the entrance and grasped at the iron gates barring the way。 At that moment luck abandoned us with the drum of footsteps and the grind and shriek of heavily ladened wagons。 As we stood there； helpless orphans of fate； torchlights flared at the curve of the road。 Then a long procession ribboned out of the night in our direction。 We ducked behind one of the columns and prayed luck would relent and shield us from our enemies' probing eyes。
Our hiding place gave us a clear view of the procession's approach。 There were more than twenty large wagons； and instead of beasts to draw them； there were people laboring in chain and harness； men and women； barely covered in filthy rags。 Large men with whips moved among them； lashing anyone who faltered。 I jumped as the iron gates beside us suddenly rumbled into life； rolling open on oiled runners。 We huddled back into the column's slender shadow as whips cracked and the wagons moved through。 A charnel smell wafted over us as they moved past； and I saw with horror that the wagons were heaped with bodies。 There were some still living among them； for I saw movement and heard desperate pleas。
As the third wagon was dragged by us； one of the women faltered in her chains and fell to her knees。 Her rags were clotted with dried blood。 They came open as she fell； and I saw a gaping wound in her belly； and the glistening of entrails。 She looked up； and for a moment our eyes met； but hers were as blank as an oxen's。 A whip snaked out； cutting a bloody furrow in her cheek。 She did not show pain or emotion； but only rose dumbly to her feet and gripped the chain to labor on。
As the last wagon moved through； Janos hissed for us to follow。 We leaped on the back and clung there； struggling for a grip on gore…soaked wood。 The gates rumbled shut； and we were inside。 I looked back and saw with numb acceptance that there was no one to operate the gates。 Moments before the wagon was jerked around a turn； I spotted an odd shadow near one of the gate's huge hinges。 The bars there were bowed and twisted from some accident。 I risked my grip and nudged Janos； and he saw it； too： a gap just large enough for us to squeeze through。 We jolted along a dark passageway。 Somewhere in the wagon a man groaned ceaselessly； then I heard a child cry； and almost wept。 But the cry had stirred my anger and that anger pierced a hole in Mortacious' black sorcery。 It was only a small hole； a pinprick at best； but it was enough to allow a slender light of courage to peep through。 I still feared Mortacious： my flesh still flinched under his spell's cold net； but if he came upon us now； he would find a man…not a scuttling rodent。 A big door boomed open； and light flooded down the passage。 As we leaped from the back of the wagon； a wave of intense heat followed the light。 It seared the lungs and turned the roots of my hair into small； hot needles。 But I still had sense enough to catch Janos' signal： we ducked under the slow…moving wagon and used it as cover as we crawled the rest of the way on our hands and knees。
We were in a vast chamber of pain and death。 The floor and walls were mirror smooth and blazed with reflected light and heat。 The most ghastly scenes and demonic creatures decorated that surface and were granted lootion by black wizardry； so they swirled and flowed from place to place； making an obscene nightmare of fang and talon； rack and long； cracked bone and severed muscle。 One…third of that chamber was filled by a monstrous open furnace。 An unholy fire raged； with blue flames taller than a man shooting up to arc and curl and writhe like serpents driven mad by intruders in their nest。 The flames were stoked by huge bellows with great clanking chains that moved to an invisible will； with each stroke the bellows gathered in a torrent of shrieking air； with the other； it expelled the air as a howling wind。 An endless belt； such as would turn a carpenter's lathe； but as wide as a city lane and made of meshed metal； was suspended over the roaring fire； driven by thick…toothed gears manded by sorcery。 Far overhead； rising like a hollow mountain； was the great chimney。 Its interior was a gaping red maw； with long； white fangs nestled about its entrance。 It was a grotesque idol to a dark god； a demon master。 All we looked at…chamber； furnace； fire； belt； and chimney… was the engine of Mortacious' black powers。 We hid behind the wagon load of gore for more minutes than I now care to ponder； and watched what fed that awful engine； and what it produced。
The men with whips manded their ragged slaves to empty each wagon。 The corpses were slung on a bloody pile by the belt。 If any emerged from the wagon still alive； the whip men drew short swords from scabbards at their belts and corrected the error of stubborn life。 When the butcher's heap reached a certain size…I did not calculate their grisly measurement…the slaves were ordered to toss the bodies on the moving belt。 The flames leaped higher in hungry contemplation of their meal。 The bellows shrieked and howled in demon song。 I turned away as the first body crossed into the heart of the fire； but Janos bade me to turn back and witness Mortacious' evil。 The corpse leaped as if in agony when the blue flames arched to embrace dead flesh； it writhed and bent this way and that。 Then the body burst into flame； and sparks and black smoke rose up and filled the room with that wretched； greasy odor we smelled when we first arrived in this terrible city。 The smoke curled into a thick column； with sparks leaping and dancing about in its belly。 The column lifted up and up and was greeted by the chimney's red maw。 My stomach lurched as I saw the huge fangs had e to life； gnashing and clicking together in ghastly appetite。 I heard the obscene sound of a giant； invisible diner breaking fast； slurping and sucking with delight as the smoke； laden with a life's hot cinders； passed into the night。
Janos gave me a nudge； and my eyes jolted back to the belt； where I saw the corpse plete its hellish journey。 I heard Maeen gasp； as he took in what my own disbelieving eyes were witnessing。 Instead of a blackened mass of burned meat and bone； the corpse looked exactly as it had before。 In fact； the only marks on it were the bloody wounds it had suffered when it was still a man； with a life to win or lose。 But disbelief was followed by plete confoundment when the belt delivered the corpse to the other side。 As the body flopped to the floor； one of the whip men stepped up and gave it a mighty kick。 He kicked it again and again； as if death were not sufficient to satisfy revenge。 Then my mind screamed for some kindly god to deliver me from this place； as the corpse twitched into life。 Three more of the whip men joined the first； lashing at the man who had e back from death。 They tormented him to his feet。 He shambled about； a hulk given purpose in pain。 For the first time I saw him clearly。 Their victim had long； white…blond hair； matched by a still…longer beard of the same color。 I
