tg.wizardfirstrule-第165节

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this　high　up　Richard　could　smell　the　acrid　fumes。　Scarlet　rose　steeply　into　the　air；　making　his　legs　press　against　her　as　she　lifted　them　higher；　then　she　rolled　into　a　sharp　bank　to　the　right。
　
　〃There　are　far　too　many；〃　she　called　back。
　
　Her　head　tilted　behind；　one　yellow　eye　peering　at　him。　Richard　pointed。
　
　〃Go　down　there；　behind　those　hills；　and　don't　let　them　see　us。〃
　
　Scarlet　climbed　with　strong　strokes。　When　they　were　higher　than　they　had　been　so　far；　she　glided　away　from　Fire　Spring。　She　swooped　down；　between　the　rocky　slopes；　threading　her　way　back　toward　where　Richard　had　told　her　to　land。　With　a　silent　flutter　of　wings；　she　gently　settled　on　the　ground　near　the　mouth　of　a　cave；　and　lowered　her　neck　so　he　could　climb　down。　Richard　knew　she　didn't　want　him　on　her　back　any　longer　than　necessary。
　
　Her　head　swung　around　toward　him；　her　eyes　angry；　impatient。　〃There　are　too　many　gars。　Darken　Rahl　knows　I　can't　fight　that　many；　that's　why　there　are　so　many　there…in　case　I　ever　found　my　egg。　You　said　you　would　think　of　a　plan。　What　is　it？〃
　
　Richard　glanced　over　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　The　Shadrin's　cave；　Kahlan　had　told　him。　〃We　need　a　diversion；　something　to　distract　them　while　we　get　the　egg。〃
　
　〃While　you　get　the　egg；〃　Scarlet　corrected；　with　a　little　flame　to　make　her　point。
　
　He　looked　over　at　the　cave　again。　〃One　of　my　friends　told　me　the　cave　goes　all　the　way　through；　to　where　the　egg　is。　Maybe　I　could　go　through；　snatch　the　egg；　and　bring　it　back。〃
　
　〃Get　going。〃
　
　〃Shouldn't　we　discuss　if　it's　a　good　idea？　Maybe　we　could　think　of　something　better。　I've　also　heard　there　might　be　something　in　the　cave。〃
　
　Scarlet　brought　her　angry　eye　closer　to　him。　〃Something　in　the　cave？〃　She　snaked　her　head　around　to　the　opening　and　sent　a　horrific　blast　of　fire　into　the　darkness。　Her　head　came　back。　〃Now　there's　nothing　in　the　cave。　Go　get　my　egg。〃
　
　The　cave　was　miles　long。　Richard　knew　the　fire　wouldn't　have　harmed　anything　farther　back。　He　also　knew　he　had　given　his　word。　Collecting　cane　reeds　growing　nearby；　he　bound　them　together　with　a　sinewy　vine　into　several　bundles。　He　held　one　bundle　up　to　Scarlet　as　she　watched　him
　
　〃Light　the　end　of　this　for　me？〃
　
　The　dragon　pursed　her　lips　and　blew　a　thin　stream　of　flame　across　the　end　of　the　cane　reeds。
　
　〃You　wait　here；〃　he　told　her。　〃Sometimes　it's　better　to　be　small　than　big。　I　won't　be　spotted　so　easily。　I'll　think　of　something；　and　get　the　egg；　and　bring　it　back　through　the　cave。　It's　a　long　way。　It　may　take　until　morning　before　I'm　back。　I　don't　know　how　close　the　gars　will　be　behind　me；　so　we　might　need　to　leave　in　a　hurry。　Stay　sharp；　all　right？〃　He　hooked　his　pack　over　a　spine　on　her　back。　〃Keep　this　for　me。　I　don't　want　to　carry　more　than　I　have　to。〃
　
　Richard　didn't　know　if　a　dragon　could　look　worried；　but　he　thought　she　did。
　
　〃Be　careful　with　the　egg？　It　will　hatch　soon；　but　if　the　shell　is　broken　now；　before　it　is　time　。　。　。〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　a　reassuring　smile。　〃Don't　worry；　Scarlet。　We're　going　to　get　it　back。〃
　
　She　waddled　to　the　cave　entrance　behind　him；　poking　her　head　in；　watching　him　disappear　inside。
　
　〃Richard　Cypher；〃　she　called　after　him；　her　voice　echoing；　〃if　you　try　to　run　away；　I'll　find　you；　and　if　you　e　back　without　the　egg；　you　will　wish　the　gars　had　killed　you；　because　I　will　cook　you　slow；　starting　at　your　feet。〃
　
　Richard　stared　back　at　the　hulk　filling　the　cave　entrance。　〃I　have　given　my　word。　If　the　gars　get　me；　I'll　try　to　kill　enough　of　them　so　you　can　get　the　egg　and　escape。〃
　
　Scarlet　grunted。　〃Try　not　to　let　that　happen。　I　still　want　to　eat　you　when　this　is　done。〃
　
　Richard　smiled　and　went　into　the　darkness。　The　blackness　swallowed　up　the　light　of　the　torch；　making　him　feel　as　if　he　were　walking　into　nothingness。　Only　a　small　spot　of　ground　before　him　was　lit。　As　he　went　on；　the　floor　of　the　cave　sloped　downward；　descending　into　cold；　still　air。　A　ceiling　of　rock　appeared；　and　walls；　as　the　way　narrowed　into　a　tunnel　that　snaked　deeper。　The　tunnel　opened　into　a　huge　room。　The　path　led　along　a　narrow　ledge　at　the　edge　of　a　still；　green　lake。　Flickering　torchlight　showed　a　jagged　ceiling　and　walls　of　smooth　stone。　The　ceiling　sloped　downward　as　he　went　into　a　wide；　low　passage。　He　had　to　bend　over　to　pass　through。　For　a　good　hour；　he　walked；　hunched　over；　his　neck　starting　to　hurt　from　holding　it　sideways。　Occasionally　he　pressed　the　torch　to　the　rock　ceiling　to　shed　its　ash　and　keep　it　burning　brightly。
　
　The　darkness　was　oppressive；　it　surrounded　him；　followed　him；　sucked　him　deeper；　calling　him　onward　with　unseen　sights。　Delicate；　colorful　formations　of　rock　grew　like　vegetation；　flowering　and　blossoming　from　solid　rock。　Sparkling　crystals　flashed　at　him　as　he　passed　with　the　torch；　its　flame　the　only　sound；　echoing　back　to　him　from　the　blackness。
　
　Richard　went　through　rooms　of　astounding　beauty。　Into　the　darkness　rose　immense　columns　of　rippled　stone；　some　ending　before　they　reached　their　destination；　with　mates　hanging　down　trying　to　meet　them　halfway。　Crystalline　sheets　flowed　over　the　walls　in　places；　like　melted　jewels。
　
　Some　passages　were　clefts　in　the　rock　he　had　to　squeeze　through；　others　holes　he　had　to　traverse　on　hands　and　knees。　The　air　had　an　odd…lack　of　smell。　This　was　a　place　of　perpetual　night；　no　light；　nothing　alive；　ever　touched　it。　As　he　walked　on　and　on；　warm　from　the　effort；　the　chill　of　the　air　made　steam　rise　from　his　skin。　When　he　held　the　torch　near　his　other　hand；　he　could　see　vapor　rise　from　each　finger；　like　life's　energy　draining　away。　Although　it　wasn't　frigid；　the　way　winter　was　frigid；　it　was　the　kind　of　cold　that　would　bleed　a　person　of　all　their　heat　if　they　stayed　here　long　enough。　A　slow　sucking　death。　Without　the　light　he　would　be　lost　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　This　was　a　place　that　could　kill　the　unwary；　or　the　unlucky。　Richard　checked　the　torch　and　extra　cane　reeds　often。
　
　Eternal　night　wore　on　slowly。　Richard's　legs　were　tired　from　the　constant　climbing　and　descending。　In　fact；　all　of　him　was　tired。　He　hoped　the　cave　would　end　soon；　it　seemed　he　had　walked　the　whole　night。　He　had　no　idea　of　time。
　
　The　rock　closed　around　him。　The　flat　shelf　of　the　roof　lowered　until　he　was　walking　hunched　over　again；　and　lowered　more　until　he　was　on　his　hands　and　knees；　the　ground　cold　and　wet　with　slimy　mud　that　smelled　of　rot。　It　was　the　first　thing　he　had　smelled　in　a　long　time。　His　hands　were　cold　with　the　wet；　stinking　mud。
　
　The　way　diminished　to　a　single　small　opening；　a　black　hole　in　the　torchlight。　Richard　didn't　like　how　small　it　looked。　Air　moaned　through　the　passage；　making　the　flame　flap　and　whip。　He　held　the　torch　into　the　hole；　but　could　see　nothing　but　blackness　beyond。　He　pulled　back　the　torch；　wondering　what　he　should　do。　It　was　an　awfully　small　hole；　flat　on　the　top　and　bottom；　and　he　had　no　idea　how　long　it　was；　or　what　was　through　on　the　other　side。　Air　was　ing　through；　so　it　must　lead　to　the　other　end　of　the　cave；　to　the　gars；　the　egg；　but　he　didn't　like　how　small　it　was。
　
　Richard　backed　away。；　There　might　be　other　routes　from　farther　back；　in　one　of　the　other　rooms；　but　how　much　time　could　he　waste　searching；　only　to　fail？　He　came　back　to　the　hole；　staring　at　it　with　rising　dread。
　
　Trying　not　to　think　about　his　fear；　he　took　off　the　sword；　held　it　with　the　spare　reeds　and　torch　out　ahead　of　himself；　and　pushed　into　the　hole。　He　was　immediately　frightened　of　the　way　the　rock　pressed　against　him；　top　and　bottom。　Arms　straight　out；　head　turned　sideways；　he　wriggled　his　way　in　deeper。　The　closeness　increased；　making　him　wiggle　and　snake　his　way；　inches　at　a　time。　Cold　stone　pressed　against　his　back　and　chest。　He　couldn't　take　a　deep　breath。　The　smoke　from　the　torch　burned　his　eyes。
　
　He　squeezed　deeper；　tighter。　He　rocked　his　shoulders　forward　and　back；　pulling　one　leg　a　few　inches；　then　the　other；　feeling　like　a　snake　trying　to　shed　its　skin。　The　torch　showed　only　blackness　ahead。　Anxiety　gripped　him。　Just　get　through；　he　told　himself；　just　push　ahead　and　get　through。
　
　With　the　toes　of　his　boots　braced　against　rock；　Richard　gave　himself　a　push　as　he　wiggled。　The　push　wedged　him　tight。　He　tried　to　push　again。　He　didn't　move。　Angry；　he　pushed　harder。　Still　he　didn't　move。　Panic　ignited　in　him。　He　was　stuck。　Rock　was　pressing　his　chest　and　back　together；　and　he　could　hardly　get　a　breath。　He　envisioned　the　mountain　of　rock　that　was　pressing　on　his　back；　unimaginable　weight　towering　above　him。　Fearful；　he　wiggled　and　squirmed；　trying　to　back　up；　but　couldn't。　He　tried　to　grasp　something　with　his　hands　to　get　leverage　to　push　back　against。　It　didn't　help。　He　was　stuck。　Panting；　he　couldn't　get　enough　breath。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　suffocating；　his　lungs　burning　for　air；　as　if　he　were　drowning；　unable　to　breathe。
　
　Tears　filled　his　eyes；　and　fear　gripped　his　throat。　His　toes　scraped　at　the　rock；　trying　to　move　him　one　way　or　the　other。　He　didn't　budge。　The　way　his　arms　were　pinned　ahead　of　him　reminded　him　of　the　way　Denna　had　kept　him　in　the　shackles。　Helpless。　Not　being　able　to　move　his　arms　made　it　worse。　Cold　sweat　covered　his　fa