gc.thewhiterose-第25部分

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　　　Not　too　scared　to　observe；　though。　After　the　manta　showed　us　its　bones　it　resumed　its　normal　form；　but　grew。　As　did　a　second　when　the　boundary　overtook　it。　Did　that　mean　a　mon　tendency　toward　growth　on　a　storm's　outward　pulse？
　　　The　storm　caught　our　windwhale；　which　was　the　slowest　getting　down。　Young　it　was；　but　conscientious　about　its　burden。　The　crackle　in　my　hair　peaked。　I　thought　my　nerves　would　betray　me　pletely。　A　glance　at　Tracker　convinced　me　we　were　going　to　have　a　major　case　of　panic。
　　　Goblin　or　One…Eye；　one；　decided　to　be　a　hero　and　stay　the　storm。　Might　as　well　have　ordered　the　sea　to　turn。　The　crash　and　roar　of　a　major　sorcery　vanished　in　the　rage　of　the　storm。
　　　There　was　an　instant　of　utter　stillness　when　the　boundary　reached　me。　Then　a　roar　out　of　hell。　The　winds　inside　were　ferocious。　I　thought　of　nothing　but　getting　down　and　hanging　on。　Around　me　gear　was　flying　about；　changing　shape　as　it　flew。　Then　I　spied　Goblin。　And　nearly　threw　up。
　　　Goblin　indeed。　His　head　had　swelled　ten　times　normal　size。　The　rest　of　him　looked　inside　out。　Around　him　swarmed　a　horde　of　the　parasites　that　live　on　a　windwhale's　back；　some　as　big　as　pigeons。
　　　Tracker　and　Toadkiller　Dog　were　worse。　The　mutt　had　bee　something　half　as　big　as　an　elephant；　fanged；　possessed　of　the　most　evil　eyes　I've　ever　seen。　He　looked　at　me　with　a　starved　lust　that　chilled　my　soul。　And　Tracker　had　bee　something　demonic；　vaguely　apelike　yet　certainly　much　more。　Both　looked　like　creatures　from　an　artist's　or　sorcerer's　nightmares。
　　　One…Eye　was　the　least　changed。　He　swelled；　but　remained　One…Eye。　Perhaps　he　is　well…rooted　in　the　world；　being　so　damned　old。　Near　as　I　can　tell；　he　is　pushing　a　hundred　fifty。
　　　The　thing　that　was　Toadkiller　Dog　crept　toward　me　with　teeth　bared　。　。　。　The　windwhale　touched　down。　Impact　sent　everyone　tumbling。　The　wind　screamed　around　us。　The　strange　lightning　hammered　earth　and　air。　The　landing　area　itself　was　in　a　protean　mood。　Rocks　crawled。　Trees　changed　shape。　The　animals　of　that　part　of　the　Plain　were　out　and　gamboling　in　revised　forms；　one…time　prey　turning　upon　predator。　The　horror　show　was　illuminated　by　a　shifting；　sometimes　ghastly　light。
　　　Then　the　vacuum　at　the　heart　of　the　storm　enveloped　us。　Everything　froze　in　the　form　it　had　at　the　last　instant。　Nothing　moved。　Tracker　and　Toadkiller　Dog　were　down　on　the　ground；　thrown　there　after　impact。　One…Eye　and　Goblin　faced　one　another；　in　the　first　phase　of　letting　their　feud　go　beyond　its　customary　gamesmanship。　The　other　windwhales　lay　nearby；　not　visibly　affected。　A　manta　plunged　out　of　the　color　above；　crashed。
　　　That　stasis　lasted　maybe　three　minutes。　In　the　stillness　sanity　returned。　Then　the　change　storm　began　to　collapse。
　　　The　devolution　of　the　storm　was　slower　than　its　growth。　But　saner；　too。　We　suffered　it　for　several　hours。　And　then　it　was　done。　And　our　sole　casualty　was　the　one　manta　that　had　crashed。　But　damn；　was　it　ever　a　shaking　experience。
　　　〃Damn　lucky；〃　I　told　the　others；　as　we　inventoried　our　possessions。　〃Lucky　we　weren't　all　killed。〃
　　　〃No　luck　to　it；　Croaker；〃　One…Eye　replied。　〃The　moment　these　monsters　saw　a　storm　ing　they　headed　for　safe　ground。　A　place　where　there　would　be　nothing　that　could　kill　us。　Or　them。〃
　　　Goblin　nodded。　They　were　doing　a　lot　of　agreeing　lately。　But　we　all　recalled　how　close　they　had　e　to　murder。
　　　I　asked；　〃What　did　I　look　like？　I　didn't　feel　any　change；　except　a　sort　of　nervous　turmoil。　Like　being　drunk；　drugged；　and　half…crazy　all　at　the　same　time。〃
　　　〃Looked　like　Croaker　to　me；〃　One…Eye　said。　〃Only　twice　as　ugly。〃
　　　〃And　dull；〃　Goblin　added。　〃You　made　the　most　inspiring　speech　about　the　glories　the　Black　pany　won　during　the　campaign　against　Chew。〃
　　　I　laughed。　〃e　on。〃
　　　〃Really。　You　were　just　Croaker。　Maybe　those　amulets　are　good　for　something。〃
　　　Tracker　was　going　over　his　weaponry。　Toadkiller　Dog　was　napping　near　his　feet。　I　pointed。　One…Eye　signed；　〃Didn't　see。〃
　　　Goblin　signed；　〃He　grew　up　and　got　claws。〃
　　　They　did　not　seem　concerned。　I　decided　I　should　not　be。　After　all；　the　whale　lice　were　the　nastiest　thing　after　the　mutt。
　　　The　windwhales　remained　grounded；　for　the　sun　was　rising。　Their　backs　assumed　the　dun　color　of　the　earth；　plete　with　sage…colored　patches；　and　we　waited　for　the　night。　The　mantas　nested　down　on　the　other　four　whales。　None　came　near　us。　You　get　the　feeling　humans　make　them　unfortable。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Four：THE　WIDE　WORLD
　　　
　　　They　never　tell　me　anything。　But　I　should　plain？　Secrecy　is　our　armor。　Need　to　know。　All　that　crap。　In　our　outfit　it　is　the　iron　rule　of　survival。
　　　Our　escort　was　not　along　just　to　help　us　break　out　of　the　Plain　of　Fear。　They　had　their　own　mission。　What　I　had　not　been　told　was　that　Whisper's　headquarters　was　to　be　attacked。
　　　Whisper　had　no　warning。　Our　panion　windwhales　dropped　away　slowly　as　the　edge　of　the　Plain　approached。　Their　mantas　dropped　with　them。　They　caught　favorable　winds　and　pulled　ahead。　We　climbed　higher；　into　the　pure　shivers　and　gasp　for　breaths。
　　　The　mantas　struck　first。　In　twos　and　threes　they　crossed　the　town　at　treelop　level；　loosing　their　bolts　into　Whisper's　quarters。　Rock　and　timbers　flew　like　the　dust　around　stamping　hooves。　Fires　broke　out。
　　　The　monsters　of　the　upper　air　rolled　in　behind　as　soldiers　and　civilians　hit　the　streets。　They　unleashed　bolts　of　their　own。　But　the　real　horror　was　their　tentacles。
　　　The　windwhales　gorged　upon　men　and　animals。　They　ripped　houses　and　fortifications　apart。　They　yanked　trees　out　by　their　roots。　And　they　pounded　away　at　Whisper　with　their　bolts。
　　　The　mantas；　meantime；　rose　a　thousand　feet　and　plunged　again；　in　their　pairs　and　threes；　this　time　to　strike　at　Whisper　as　she　responded。
　　　Her　response；　though　it　did　set　a　broad　patch　of　one　windwhale's　flank　gruesomely　aglow；　pinpointed　her　for　the　mantas。　They　slapped　her　around　good；　though　she　did　bring　one　down。
　　　We　passed　over；　the　flash　and　fires　illuminating　our　monster's　belly。　If　anyone　in　the　crucible　spotted　us；　I　doubt　they　guessed　we　were　going　on。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　detected　no　interest　in　anything　but　survival。
　　　It　continued　as　we　lost　sight　of　the　town。　Goblin　said　they　had　Whisper　on　the　run；　too　busy　saving　her　own　ass　to　help　her　men。
　　　〃Glad　they　never　pulled　any　of　this　crap　on　us；〃　I　said。
　　　〃It's　a　one…shot；〃　Goblin　countered。　〃Next　time　they'll　be　ready。〃
　　　〃I'd　have　thought　they'd　be　now；　because　of　Rust。〃
　　　〃Maybe　Whisper　has　an　ego　problem。〃
　　　No　maybe　about　it。　I　had　dealt　with　her。　It　was　her　weak　spot。　She　would　have　made　no　preparations　because　she　believed　we　feared　her　too　much。　She　was；　after　all；　the　most　brilliant　of　the　Taken。
　　　Our　mighty　steed　ploughed　the　night；　back　brushing　the　stars；　body　gurgling；　chugging；　humming。　I　began　to　feel　optimistic。
　　　At　dawn　we　dropped　into　a　canyon　in　the　Windy　Country；　another　big　desert。　Unlike　the　Plain；　though；　it　is　normal。　A　big　emptiness　where　the　wind　blows　all　the　time。　We　ate　and　slept。　When　night　fell　we　resumed　our　journey。
　　　We　left　the　desert　south　of　Lords；　turned　north　over　the　Forest　of　Cloud；　avoiding　settlements。　Beyond　the　Forest　of　Cloud；　though；　the　windwhale　descended。　And　we　were　on　our　own。
　　　I　wish　we　could　have　gone　the　whole　way　airborne。　But　that　was　as　far　as　Darling　and　the　windwhales　were　willing　to　risk。　Beyond　lay　heavily　inhabited　country。　We　could　not　hope　to　e　down　and　pass　the　daylight　hours　unseen。　So　from　there　on　we　would　travel　the　old…fashioned　way。
　　　The　free　city　of　Roses　was　about　fifteen　miles　away。
　　　Roses　has　been　free　throughout　history；　a　republican　plutocracy。　Even　the　Lady　did　not　see　fit　to　buck　tradition。　One　huge　battle　took　place　nearby；　during　the　northern　campaigns；　but　the　site　was　of　Rebel　choosing；　not　ours。　We　lost。　For　several　months　Roses　lost　its　independence。　Then　the　Lady's　victory　at　Charm　ended　Rebel　dominion。　All　in　all；　though　unaligned；　Roses　is　a　friend　of　the　Lady。
　　　Crafty　bitch。
　　　We　hiked。　Our　journey　was　an　all…day　affair。　Neither　I　nor　Goblin　nor　One…Eye　were　in　good　shape。　Too　much　loafing。　Getting　too　old。
　　　〃This　isn't　smart；〃　I　said　as　we　approached　a　gate　in　Roses'　pale　red　walls；　toward　sunset。　〃We've　all　been　here　before。　You　two　should　be　well…remembered；　what　with　having　robbed　half　the　citizens。〃
　　　〃Robbed？〃　One…Eye　protested。　〃Who　robbed？　。　。　。　〃
　　　〃Both　of　you　clowns。　Selling　those　damned　guaranteed…to…work　amulets　when　we　were　after　Raker。〃
　　　Raker　was　a　one…time　Rebel　general。　He　had　beaten　the　crap　out　of　the　Limper　farther　north；　then　the　pany；　with　a　little　help　from　Soulcatcher；　had　sucked　him　into　a　trap　in　Roses。　Both　Goblin　and　One…Eye　had　preyed　on　the　populace。　One…Eye　was　an　old　hand　at　that。　Back　when　we　were　in　the　south；　beyond　the　Sea　of　Torments；　he　had　been　involved　in　every　shady　scheme　he　could　find。　Most　of　his　ill…gotten　gains　he　soon　lost　at　cards。　He　is　the　world's　worst　cardplayer。
　　　You'd　think　by　one…fifty　he　would　learn　to　count　them。
　　　The　plan　was　for　us　to　lay　up　at　some　sleazy　no…questions…asked　inn。　Tracker　and　I　would　go　out　next　day　and　buy　a　wagon　and　team。　Then　we　would　head　out　the　way　we　had　e；　pick　up　what　gear　we　had　been　unable　to　carry；　and　circle　the　city　by　heading　north。
　　　That　was　the　plan。　Goblin　and　One…Eye　did　not　stick　to　it。
　　　Rule　Number　One　for　a　soldier：　Stick　to　the　mission。　The　mission　is　paramount。
　　　For　Goblin　and　One…Eye　all　rules　are　made　to　be　broken。　When　Tracker　and　I　returned；　with　Toadkiller　Dog　loafing　along　behind；　it　was　late　afternoon。　We　parked。　Tracker　stood　by　while　I　went　upstairs。
　　　No　Goblin。　No　One…Eye。
　　　The　proprietor　told　me　they　had　left　soon　after　I　had；　chattering　about　finding　some　women。
　　　My　fault。　I　was　in　charge。　I　should　have　foreseen　it。　It　had　been　a　long；　long；　long　time。　I　paid　for　another　two　nights；　just　in　case。　Then　I　turned　animals　and　wagon　over　to　the　hostler's　boy；　had　supper　with　a　silent　Tracker；　and　retreated　to　our　room　with　several　quarts　of　beer。　We　shared　it；　Tracker；　me；　and　Toadkiller　Dog。
　　　〃You　going　looking　for　them？〃　Tracker　asked。
　　　〃No。　If　they　haven't　e　back　in　two　days　or　pulled　the　roof　in　on　us；　we'll　go　ahead　without　them。　I　don't　want　to　be　seen　around　them。　The