srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第68部分

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ished　like　metal　lightning。　Shrieks　of　surprised　pain　and　rage　shivered　the　air　as　disorganized　ranks　of　creatures　went　down　under　the　assault。　Heaving　their　mounts　forward；　the　warriors　cut　their　way　in　toward　the　Raver。
　　　　But　thousands　of　creatures　milled　between　them　and　Satansfist。　Though　the　hordes　were　in　confusion；　the'　sheer　weight　of　their　numbers　slowed　the　Warward's　charge。
　　　　Seeing　this；　Quaan　gave　new　orders。　On　his　mand；　the　warriors　flanking　Mhoram　turned　outward　on　either　side；　cleared　a　space　between　them　for　the　riders　behind　the　High　Lord。　These　Eoman　sprinted　forward。　When　they　reached　Mhoram；　he　called　up　the　power　of　his　staff。　Blue　fire　raged　ahead　of　him　like　the　point　of　a　lance；　piercing　the　wall　of　enemies　as　he　led　the　second　rush　of　riders　deeper　into　the　turmoil　of　the　Raver's　army。
　　　　For　a　moment；　he　thought　they　might　succeed。　The　warriors　with　him　hacked　their　way　swiftly　through　the　enemy。　And　ahead　of　them；　Satansfist　turned　from　the　Waynhim　to　meet　this　new　threat。　The　Raver　howled　orders　to　organize　his　army；　turned　his　forces　against　the　Warward；　surged　a　few　furious　strides　in　that　direction。　Mhoram　saw　the　distance　shorten。　He　wielded　his　Lords…fire　fiercely；　striving　to　reach　his　foe　before　the　impossible　numbers　of　the　enemy　broke　his　momentum。
　　　　But　then　the　riders　plowed　into　an　obstacle。　A　band　of　Cavewights　had　had　time　to　obey　the　Raver's　mands；　they　had　lined　themselves　across　the　path　of　the　Warward；　linked　their　strong　earth…delvers'　arms；　braced　themselves。　When　the　riders　plunged　forward；　they　crashed　into　the　creatures。
　　　　The　strength　of　the　Cavewights　was　so　great　that　their　line　held。　Horses　were　thrown　down。　Riders　tumbled　to　the　ground；　both　before　and　beyond　the　wall。　The　charge　of　the　Warward　was　turned　against　itself　as　the　horses　which　followed　stumbled　and　trampled　among　the　leaders。
　　　　Only　Mhoram　was　not　unhorsed。　At　the　last　instant；　Drinny　gathered　himself；　leaped；　he　hurdled　the　line　easily；　kicking　at　the　heads　of　the　Cavewights　as　he　passed。
　　　　With　the　riders　who　had　been　thrown　beyond　the　wall；　Mhoram　found　himself　faced　by　a　massing　wedge　of　ur…viles。
　　　　The　Cavewights　cut　him　off　from　the　Warward。　And　the　falling　of　the　horses　gave　samadhi's　creatures　a　chance　to　strike　back。　Before　Quaan　could　organize　any　kind　of　assault　on　the　Cavewights；　his　warriors　were　fighting　for　their　lives　where　they　stood。
　　　　Wheeling　Drinny；　Mhoram　saw　that　he　would　get　no　help　from　the　riders。　But　if　he　went　back　to　them；　fought　the　wall　himself；　the　ur…viles　would　have　time　to　plete　their　wedge；　they　would　have　the　riders　at　their　mercy。
　　　　At　once；　he　sent　the　warriors　with　him　to　attack　the　Cavewights。　Then　he　flung　himself　like　a　bolt　of　Lords…fire　at　the　ur…viles。
　　　　He　was　only　one　man　against　several　hundred　of　the　black；　roynish　creatures。　But　he　had　unlocked　the　secret　of　High　Lord　Kevin's　Lore；　he　had　learned　the　link　between　power　and　passion；　he　was　mightier　than　he　had　ever　been　before。　Using　all　the　force　his　staff　could　bear；　he　shattered　the　formation　like　a　battering　ram；　broke　and　scattered　ur…viles　like　rubble。　With　Drinny　pounding；　kicking；　slashing　under　him；　he　held　his　staff　in　both　hands；　whirled　it　about　him；　sent　vivid　blasts　blaring　like　the　blue　fury　of　the　cloud…damned　heavens；　shouting　in　a　rapture　of　rage　like　an　earthquake。　And　the　ur…viles　staggered　as　if　the　sky　had　fallen　on　them；　collapsed　as　if　the　ground　had　bucked　under　their　feet。　He　fired　his　way　through　them　like　a　titan；　and　did　not　stop　until　he　had　reached　the　bottom　of　a　low　hollow　in　the　hills。
　　　　There　he　spun；　and　discovered　that　he　had　pletely　lost　the　War…ward。　The　riders　had　been　thrown　back；　in　the　face　of　insuperable　odds；　Quaan　had　probably　taken　them　to　join　the　unmounted　warriors　so　that　they　could　bine　their　strength　in　an　effort　to　save　the　High　Lord。
　　　　On　the　opposite　rim　of　the　hollow；　Satansfist　stood　glaring　down　at　Mhoram。　He　held　his　Stone　cocked　to　strike；　and　the　mad　lust　of　the　Raver　was　in　his　Giantish　face。　But　he　turned　away　without　attacking；　disappeared　beyond　the　rim　as　if　he　had　decided　that　the　Waynhim　were　a　more　serious　threat　than　High　Lord　Mhoram。
　　　　〃Satansfist！〃　Mhoram　yelled。　〃Samadhi　Sheol！　Return　and　fight　me！　Are　you　craven；　that　you　dare　not　risk　a　challenge？〃
　　　　As　he　shouted；　he　hit　Drinny　with　his　heels；　launched　the　Ranyhyn　in　pursuit　of　Satansfist。　But　in　the　instant　that　his　attention　was　turned　upward；　the　surviving　ur…viles　rallied。　Instead　of　retreating　to　form　a　wedge；　they　flung　themselves　at　him。　He　could　not　swing　his　staff；　ravenous　black　hands　clutched　at　him；　clawed　his　arms；　caught　hold　of　his　robe。
　　　　Drinny　fought　back；　but　he　succeeded　only　in　pulling　himself　out　from　under　the　High　Lord。　Mhoram　lost　his　seat　and　went　down　under　a　pile　of　rabid　black　bodies。
　　　　Blood…red　Demondim　blades　flared　at　him。　But　before　any　of　the　eldritch　knives　could　bite　his　flesh；　he　mustered　an　eruption　of　force　which　blasted　the　ur…viles　away。　Instantly；　he　was　on　his　feet　again；　wielding　his　staff；　crushing　every　creature　that　came　near　him…searching　fervidly　for　his　mount。
　　　　The　Ranyhyn　was　already　gone；　driven　out　of　the　hollow。
　　　　Suddenly；　Mhoram　was　alone。　The　last　ur…viles　fled；　leaving　him　with　the　dead　and　dying。　In　their　place　came　a　fatal　silence　that　chilled　his　blood。　Either　the　fighting　had　ended；　or　the　livid　wind　carried　all　sounds　away；　he　could　hear　nothing　but　the　low　cruel　voice　of　Lord　Foul's　winter；　and　his　own　hoarse　respiration。
　　　　The　abrupt　absence　of　clamor　and　turmoil　kept　him　still　also。　He　wanted　to　shout　for　Quaan　but　could　not　raise　his　voice　through　the　horror　in　his　throat…wanted　to　whistle　for　Drinny；　but　could　not　bring　himself　to　break　the　awful　quietude。　He　was　too　astonished　with　dread。
　　　　The　next　instant；　he　realized　that　the　Raver　had　trapped　him。　He　sprang　into　a　run；　moving　away　from　the　Warward；　toward　the　Waynhim；　hoping　that　this　choice　would　take　the　trap　by　surprise。
　　　　It　was　too　plete　to　be　surprised。　Before　he　had　gone　a　dozen　yards；　creatures　burst　into　view　around　the　entire　rim　of　the　hollow。　Hundreds　of　them　let　him　see　them；　they　stood　leering　down　at　him；　pawing　the　ground　hungrily；　slavering　at　the　anticipated　taste　of　his　blood　and　bones。　The　wind　bore　their　throaty　lust　down　to　him　as　if　they　gave　tongue　to　the　animating　spirit　of　the　winter。
　　　　He　was　alone　against　them。
　　　　He　retreated　to　the　center　of　the　hollow；　hunted　swiftly　around　the　rim　for　some　gap　or　weakness　in　the　surrounding　horde。　He　found　none。　And　though　he　sent　his　perceptions　ranging　as　far　as　he　could　through　the　air；　he　discovered　no　sign　of　the　Warward；　if　the　warriors　were　still　alive；　still　fighting；　they　were　blocked　from　his　senses　by　the　solid　force　of　the　trap。
　　　　As　he　grasped　the　utterness　of　his　plight；　he　turned　inward；　retreated　into　himself　as　if　he　were　fleeing。　There　he　looked　the　end　of　all　his　hopes　and　all　his　Landservice　in　the　face；　and　found　that　its　scarred；　terrible　visage　no　longer　appalled　him。　He　was　a　fighter；　a　man　born　to　fight　for　the　Land。　As　long　as　something　for　which　he　could　fight　remained；　he　was　impervious　to　terror。　And　something　did　remain；　while　he　lived；　at　least　one　flame　of　love　for　the　Land　still　burned。　He　could　fight　for　that。
　　　　His　crooked　lips　stretched　into　an　extreme　and　perilous　grin；　hot；　serene　triumph　shone　in　his　eyes。　〃e；　then！〃　he　shouted。　〃If　your　master　is　too　much　a　coward　to　risk　himself　against　me；　then　e　for　me　yourselves！　I　do　not　wish　to　harm　you；　but　if　you　dare　me；　I　will　give　you　death！〃
　　　　Something　in　his　voice　halted　them　momentarily。　They　hesitated；　　moiling　uneasily。　But　almost　at　once　the　grip　of　their　malice　locked　like　jaws。　At　the　harsh　shout　of　a　mand；　they　started　down　toward　him　from　all　sides　like　an　avalanche。
　　　　He　did　not　wait　for　them。　He　swung　in　the　direction　Satansfist　had　taken；　intending　to　pursue　the　Raver　as　far　as　his　strength　would　carry　him。　But　some　instinct　or　intuition　tugged　him　at　the　last　instant；　deflected　him　to　one　side。　He　turned　and　met　that　part　of　the　avalanche　head…on。
　　　　Now　the　only　thing　which　limited　his　might　was　his　staff　itself。　That　wood　had　been　shaped　by　people　who　had　not　understood　Kevin's　Lore；　it　was　not　formed　to　bear　the　force　he　now　sent　blazing　through　it。　But　he　had　no　margin　for　caution。　He　made　the　staff　surpass　itself；　sent　it　bucking　and　crackling　with　power　to　rage　against　his　assailants。　His　flame　grew　incandescent；　furnace…hot；　in　brilliance　and　coruscation　it　sliced　through　his　foes　like　a　scythe　of　sun…fire。
　　　　In　moments；　their　sheer　numbers　filled　all　his　horizons；　blocked　everything　but　their　dark　assault　out　of　his　awareness。　He　saw　nothing　else；　felt　nothing　but　huge　waves　of　misshapen　fiends　that　sought　to　deluge　him；　knew　nothing　but　their　ravening　lust　for　blood　and　his　blue；　fiery　passion。　Though　they　threw　themselves　at　him　in　scores　and　hundreds；　he　met　them；　cut　them　down；　blasted　them　back。　Wading　through　their　corpses　as　if　they　were　the　very　sea　of　death；　he　fought　them　with　fury　in　his　veins；　indomitability　in　his　bones；　extravagant　triumph　in　his　eyes。
　　　　Yet　they　outweighed　him。　They　were　too　many。　Any　moment　now；　one　of　them　would　drive　a　sword　into　his　back；　and　he　would　be　finished。　Through　the　savage　clash　of　bat；　he　heard　a　high；　strange　cry　of　victory；　but　he　hardly　knew　that　he　had　made　it　himself。
　　　　Then；　unexpectedly；　he　glimpsed　the　light　of　a　fire　through　a　brief　gap　in　his　attackers。　It　disappeared　instantly；　vanished　as　if　it　had　never　happened。　But　he　had　recognized　it。　He　shouted　again　and　began　to　fight　toward　it。　Ignoring　the　danger　at　his　back；　he　reaped　a　break　in　the　avalanche　ahead。　There　he　saw　the　fire　again。
　　　　It　was　the　blaze　of　a　Hirebrand。
　　　　On　the　rim　of　the　hollow；　Hearthrall　Borillar　and　the　last　of　the　Waynhim　fought　together　against　Mhoram's　foes。　Borillar　used　his　flaming　staff　like　a　mace；　and　the　Waynhim　supported　him　with　their　own　powers。　Together　they　struggled　impossibly　to　rescue　the　High　Lord。
　　　　At　the　sight　of　them；　Mhoram　faltered；　he　could　see　immense　monsters　rising　up　to　smite　them；　and　their　peril　interrupted　h