sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第52部分

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鈥渋　must　deliver　my　last　burden；鈥潯�the　creature　said。　鈥渢hen　the　bargain　is　done；　and　i　may　turn　to　retribution。鈥�

sabriel　blinked　again；　tears　streaming　down　her　face。　vision　slowly　came　back；　a　picture　woven　with　tears　and　the　first　rays　of　moonlight　streaming　through　the　shattered　wall；　a　picture　blurred　with　the　red　dust　of　pulverized　bricks。

all　sabriel鈥檚　senses　were　screaming　inside　her。

free　magic；　the　dead；　danger　all　around　。　。　。

the　creature　that　had　once　been　mogget　blazed　a　little　more　than　five　yards　away。　it　was　squatter　than　it　had　appeared　previously；　but　equally　misshapen；　a　lumpy　body　slowly　drifting　towards　her　atop　a　column　of　twisting；　whirling　energies。

a　soldier　suddenly　leapt　up　behind　it；　driving　a　sword　deep　into　its　back。　it　hardly　noticed；　but　the　man　screamed　and　burst　into　white　flames。

within　a　second；　he　was　consumed；　his　sword　a　molten　lump　of　metal；　scorching　the　thick　oak　planks　of　the　floor。

鈥渋　bring　you　abhorsen鈥檚　sword；鈥潯�the　creature　said；　dropping　a　long；　dimly　seen　object　to　one　　side。　鈥渁nd　the　bell　called　astarael。鈥�

that；　it　laid　carefully　down；　the　silver　glinting　momentarily　before　it　was　lowered　into　the　sea　of　dust。

鈥渆　forward；　abhorsen。　it　is　long　since　time　that　we　begun。鈥�

the　thing　laughed　then；　a　sound　like　a　match　igniting；　and　it　started　to　move　around　the　sarcophagus。

sabriel　loosened　the　ring　on　her　finger；　and　edged　away；　keeping　the　sarcophagus　between　them；　her　thoughts　racing。　kerrigor　was　very　near；　but　there　still　might　be　time　to　turn　this　creature　back　into　mogget；　and　plete　the　final　rites　。　。　。

鈥渟top！鈥�

the　word　was　like　a　foul　lick　across　the　face　by　a　reptilian　tongue；　but　there　was　power　behind　it。　sabriel　stood　still；　against　her　own　desire；　as　did　the　blazing　thing。　sabriel　tried　looking　past　it；　lidding　her　eyes　against　the　light；　trying　to　puzzle　out　what　was　happening　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall。　not　that　she　really　needed　to　see。

it　was　kerrigor。　the　soldiers　who鈥檇　barred　the　door　lay　dead　around　him；　pale　flesh　islands　about　a　sea　of　darkness。　he　had　no　shape　now；　　but　there　were　semi…human　features　in　the　great　ink…splash　of　his　presence。　eyes　of　white　fire；　and　a　yawning　mouth　that　was　lined　with　flickering　coals　of　a　red　as　dark　as　drying　blood。

鈥渁bhorsen　is　mine；鈥潯�croaked　kerrigor；　his　voice　deep　and　somehow　liquid；　as　if　his　words　came　bubbling　out　like　lava　mixed　with　spittle。

鈥測ou　will　leave　her　to　me。鈥�

the　mogget…thing　crackled；　and　moved　again；　white　sparks　falling　like　tiny　stars　in　its　wake。

鈥渋　have　waited　too　long　to　allow　my　revenge　to　be　taken　by　another！鈥潯�it　hissed；　ending　on　a　high…pitched　yowl　that　still　had　something　of　the　cat。　then　it　flew　at　kerrigor；　a　shining　electric　et　hurtling　into　the　darkness　of　his　body；　smashing　into　his　shadowy　substance　like　a　hammer　tenderizing　meat。

for　a　moment；　no　one　moved；　shocked　by　the　suddenness　of　the　attack。　then；　kerrigor鈥檚　dark　shape　slowly　recongealed；　long　tendrils　of　bitter　night　wrapping　around　his　brilliant　attacker；　choking　and　absorbing　it　with　the　implacable　voracity　of　an　octopus　strangling　a　brightshelled　turtle。

desperately；　sabriel　looked　around　for　touchstone　and　magistrix　greenwood。　brick　　dust　was　still　falling　slowly　through　the　moonlit　air；　like　some　deadly　rust…colored　gas；　the　bodies　lying　around　seemingly　victims　of　its　choking　poison。　but　they　had　been　struck　by　bricks；　or　wooden　splinters　from　the　smashing　of　the　pews。

sabriel　saw　the　magistrix　first；　lying　a　little　away；　curled　up　on　her　side。　anyone　else　might　have　thought　her　merely　unconscious；　but　sabriel　knew　she　was　dead；　struck　by　a　long；　stiletto…like　splinter　from　a　shattered　pew。　the　iron…hard　wood　had　driven　right　through　her。

she　knew　touchstone　was　alive鈥攁nd　there　he　was；　propped　up　against　a　pile　of　broken　masonry。　his　eyes　reflected　the　moonlight。

sabriel　walked　over　to　him；　stepping　between　the　bodies　and　the　rubble；　the　patches　of　freshly　spilled　blood　and　the　silent；　hopeless　wounded。

鈥渕y　leg　is　broken；鈥潯�touchstone　said；　his　mouth　showing　the　pain　of　it。　he　tilted　his　head　towards　the　gaping　hole　in　the　wall。　鈥渞un；　sabriel。　while　he鈥檚　busy。　run　south。　live　a　normal　life　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渋　can鈥檛；鈥潯�replied　sabriel　softly。　鈥渋　am　the　abhorsen。　besides；　how　could　you　run　with　me；　you　with　your　broken　leg？鈥�

鈥渟abriel　。　。　。鈥�

but　sabriel　had　already　turned　away。　she　picked　up　astarael；　practiced　hands　keeping　it　still。　but　there　was　no　need；　for　the　bell　was　choked　with　brick　dust；　its　voice　silent。　it　would　not　ring　true　until　cleaned；　with　patience；　magic　and　steady　nerves。　sabriel　stared　at　it　for　a　second；　then　gently　placed　it　back　down　on　the　floor。

her　father鈥檚　sword　was　only　a　few　paces　further　away。　she　picked　it　up；　and　watched　the　charter　marks　flow　along　the　blade。　this　time；　they　didn鈥檛　run　through　the　normal　inscription；　but　said：　鈥渢he　clayr　saw　me；　the　wallmaker　made　me；　the　king　quenched　me；　the　abhorsen　wields　me　so　that　no　dead　shall　walk　in　life。　for　this　is　not　their　path。鈥�

鈥渢his　is　not　their　path；鈥潯�whispered　sabriel。　she　took　up　the　guard　position；　and　looked　down　the　hall　to　the　writhing　hulk　of　darkness　that　was　kerrigor。

w　w　w/xiao　shu　otx　t



chapter　xxix

灏忚�础璽xt澶╁爞
kerrigor　seemed　to　have　finished　with　the　free　magic　thing　that　had　once　been　mogget。　his　great　cloud　of　darkness　was　plete　again；　with　no　sign　of　white　fire；　no　dazzling　brilliance　fighting　away　within。

he　was　remarkably　still；　and　sabriel　had　a　moment鈥檚　brief　hope　that　he　was　somehow　wounded。　then　the　awful　realization　came。

kerrigor　was　digesting；　like　a　glutton　after　an　overly　ambitious　meal。

sabriel　shuddered　at　the　thought；　bile　tainting　her　mouth。　not　that　her　end　was　likely　to　be　better。　both　she　and　touchstone　would　be　taken　alive；　and　kept　that　way；　till　they　pumped　out　their　life鈥檚　blood；　throats　yawning；　down　in　the　dark　of　the　reservoir　。　。　。

she　shook　her　head；　dispelling　that　image。

there　had　to　be　something　。　。　。　kerrigor　had　to　be　weaker；　so　far　from　the　old　kingdom　。　。　。

perhaps　weakened　more　than　her　charter　magic。　she　doubted　that　a　single　bell　could　sway　him；　but　two；　in　concert？　it　was　dark　in　the　hall；　save　for　the　moonlight　falling　through　the　shattered　wall　behind　her。　and　quiet。　even　the　wounded　were　slipping　away　in　silence；　their　cries　muted；　last　wishes　whispered。　they　kept　their　agony　close；　as　if　a　scream　might　attract　the　wrong　attention。　there　were　things　worse　than　death　in　the　hall　。　。　。

even　in　darkness；　the　form　of　kerrigor　was　darker　still。　sabriel　watched　him　carefully；　undoing　the　straps　that　held　saraneth　and　kibeth　with　her　left　hand。　she　sensed　other　dead　all　around；　but　none　entered　the　hall。

there　were　still　men　to　fight；　or　feast　upon。

what　went　on　in　the　hall　was　their　master鈥檚　business。

the　straps　came　undone。　kerrigor　didn鈥檛　move；　his　burning　eyes　closed；　his　fiery　mouth　shut。

in　one　quick　motion；　sabriel　sheathed　her　　sword；　and　drew　the　bells。

kerrigor　did　move　then。　swiftly；　his　dark　bulk　bounding　forward；　halving　the　gap　between　them。　he　grew　taller　too；　stretching　upwards　till　he　almost　reached　the　vaulted　ceiling。　his　eyes　opened　to　full；　raging；　flaming　fury；　and　he　spoke。

鈥渢oys；　abhorsen。　and　too　late。　much　too　late。鈥�

it　was　not　just　words　he　spoke；　but　power；　free　magic　power　that　froze　sabriel鈥檚　nerves；　caught　at　her　muscles。　desperately；　she　struggled　to　ring　the　bells；　but　her　wrists　were　locked　in　place　。　。　。

tantalizingly　slowly；　kerrigor　glided　forward；　till　he　was　a　mere　arm鈥檚　length　away；　towering　over　her　like　some　colossal　statue　of　rough…hewn　night；　his　breath　rolling　down　on　her　with　the　stench　of　a　thousand　abattoirs。

someone鈥攁　girl　quietly　coughing　out　her　last　breath　on　the　floor鈥攖ouched　sabriel鈥檚　ankle　with　a　light　caress。　a　small　spark　of　golden　charter　magic　came　from　that　dying　touch；　slowly　swelling　into　sabriel鈥檚　veins；　traveling　upwards；　warming　joints；　freeing　muscles。　at　last　it　reached　her　wrists　and　　hands鈥攁nd　the　bells　rang　out。

it　was　not　the　clear；　true　sound　it　should　be；　for　somehow　the　bulk　of　kerrigor　took　the　sound　in　and　warped　it鈥攂ut　it　had　an　effect。

kerrigor　slid　back；　and　was　diminished；　till　he　was　little　more　than　twice　sabriel鈥檚　height。

but　he　was　not　subject　to　sabriel鈥檚　will。

saraneth　had　not　bound　him；　and　kibeth　had　only　forced　him　back。

sabriel　rang　the　bells　again；　concentrating　on　the　difficult　counterpoint　between　them；　forcing　all　her　will　into　their　magic。　kerrigor　would　fall　under　her　domination；　he　would　walk　where　she　willed　。　。　。

and　for　a　second；　he　did。　not　into　death；　for　she　lacked　the　power；　but　into　his　original　body；　inside　the　broken　sarcophagus。　even　as　the　chime　of　the　bells　faded；　kerrigor　changed。

fiery　eyes　and　mouth　ran　into　each　other　like　molten　wax；　and　his　shadow…stuff　folded　into　a　narrow　column　of　smoke；　roaring　up　into　the　ceiling。　it　hovered　among　the　rafters　for　a　moment；　then　descended　with　a　hideous　scream；　straight　into　the　rogir…body鈥檚　open　mouth。

with　that　scream；　saraneth　and　kibeth　cracked；　shards　of　silver　falling　like　broken　stars；　　crashing　to　the　earth。　mahogany　handles　turned　to　dust；　drifting　through　sabriel鈥檚　fingers　like　smoke。

sabriel　stared　at　her　empty　hands　for　a　second；　still　feeling　the　harsh　imprint　of　bell…handles　。　。　。

then；　without　any　conscious　thought；　there　was　a　sword　hilt　in　her　hand　as　she　advanced　upon　the　sarcophagus。　but　before　she　could　see　into　it；　rogir　stood　up　and　looked　at　her鈥攍ooked　with　the　burning　fire…pit　eyes　of　kerrigor。

鈥渁n　inconvenience；鈥潯�he　said；　with　a　voice　that　was　only　marginally　more　human。　鈥渋　should　have　remembered　you　were　a　troublesome　brat。鈥�

sabriel　lunged　at　him；　sword　blowing　white　sparks　as　it　struck；　punching　through　his　chest　to　project　out　the　other　side。　but　kerrigor　only　laughed；　and　reached　down　till　he　held　the　blade　with　both　hands；　knuckles　pallid　against　the　silver…sparking　steel。　sabriel　tugged　at　the　sword；　but　it　would　not　e　free。

鈥渘o　sword　can　harm　me；鈥潯�kerrigor　said；　with　a　giggle　like　a　dying　man鈥檚　cough。　鈥渘ot　even　one　ma