cacb.thefarkingdoms-第47部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


must　use　the　talisman　as　little　as　possible；　if　I　am　correct。　We　do　not　wish　to　draw　any　attention　to　ourselves　now。〃
　I　personally　thought　it　to　be　too　late　and　hardly　coincidental　that　the　Watchers　appeared　on　a　hill　athwart　our　route　just　before　we　passed；　but　Janos'　caution　could　do　no　harm。　From　that　moment　we　exerted　even　greater　care　when　we　moved；　and　for　the　next　day　or　so　afterward；　tried　never　to　show　ourselves　on　the　meanest　skyline；　to　make　sure　we　crossed　any　stream　using　rocks　rather　than　leave　prints　in　the　muck　of　the　bank；　and　never　to　choose　the　natural　and　easiest　path。
　We　encountered　ruins。　The　first　was　a　circular　stone　fort。　It　had　not　been　abandoned；　but　had　fallen　by　storm…the　huge　timbered　gate　had　been　torn　away　and　lay　many　feet　from　the　entrance。　All　timbering；　whether　roofs　or　support　beams；　was　charred。　The　fort　had　been　put　to　the　torch　by　its　conquerors。　Now　I　understood　why　Janos　had　insisted　on　Cassini's　potential　importance…I　would　have　liked　to　have　known　whether　the　soldiers　who　held　the　post　were　taken　in　fair　battle　or　by　sorcery。　However；　since　neither　vines　nor　weeds　had　overgrown　the　outpost；　and　the　battle　looked　to　have　been　fought　many　years　ago；　I　felt　the　presence　of　a　wizard　on　that　grim　day。　At　least　it　was　clear　from　the　dimensions　of　portals　and　stairs　that　this　land　had　been　settled　by　people　of　human　size；　rather　than　giants。　We　did　not　use　the　ruins　for　shelter；　but　passed　on　quickly。
　That　fort　might　have　been　a　border　outpost；　since　the　ruins　became　more　mon。　I　asked　Janos　how　long　it　had　been　since　war　came　to　these　hills。　He　said　he　did　not　know　exactly；　but　he　thought　not　in　his　lifetime。　Outside　one　burned　village　we　heard　baying；　and　saw；　across　a　hill；　a　pack　of　dogs　chasing　a　multistriped　antelope。　The　dogs　were　of　many　varieties；　which　indicated　they　were　feral；　not　truly　wild。　A　farming　tribe；　such　as　these　people　would　have　been；　do　not　abandon　their　dogs　willingly。　Next　I　found；　just　inside　one　ravaged　hut；　a　small；　hand…carved　horse；　the　sort　of　thing　a　father　might　carve　for　his　son。　No　child　will　ever　abandon　a　plaything　unless　it　is　ruined…or　unless　he　is　dragged　away　from　it。　I　felt　soldiers　had　e　to　this　hamlet　and　taken　away　everything　of　value；　including　its　people。　No　one　had　time　to　flee；　unlike　our　friends　of　the　Rift。　The　Disputed　Lands；　if　we　had　indeed　entered　them；　were　well　named。
　We　slept　not　far　beyond　the　village　that　night；　and　were　wakened　by　the　sound　of　horses'　hooves。　We　shrank　down　against　the　ground；　hoping　we　were　invisible。　From　the　sound；　there　would　have　been　many　riders…Janos　flashed　the　fingers　of　one　hand　three　times。　I　thought　I　saw　plumed　helmets　against　the　night；　less　man　a　spearcast　away；　but　was　probably　deluding　myself。　The　next　morning；　when　we　cautiously　investigated；　there　were　no　droppings　or　prints　where　the　riders　had　passed。
　〃Now　the　Watchers　ride　in　groups；　like　half…pany　patrols；〃　Janos　said。　〃We　are　close。〃
　An　hour　or　so　later；　we　entered　a　thick　forest　whose　trees　climbed　far　overhead；　long　uncut。　We　lost　sight　of　the　sun　and　depended　on　our　pass　for　direction。　By　nightfall　we　were　still　in　the　depths　of　the　wilderness。　We　slept　uneasily。　Not　only　were　there　strange　sounds　from　unknown　creatures　hunting　or　being　hunted　in　the　blackness；　but　I　felt　closed　in　by　this；　the　first　real　jungle　I'd　been　in。　Once　I　heard　wing　beats　as　some　huge　night　bird　flew　overhead。　The　next　morning　we　ate　hastily　and　hurried　on；　forcing　our　way　through　the　vines　and　thick　brush。
　Quite　suddenly　the　forest　came　to　an　end。　We　stood　on　the　outskirts　of　a　great　plain；　a　rugged　plain　now　turning　brown　as　the　Month　of　Smokes　drew　near；　but　whose　grasses　earlier　would　have　been　as　yellow　as　mustard　in　bloom。　There　was　the　green　of　forests；　and　the　silver　of　running　waters。
　Beyond　was　the　mountain　range。　There　were　four　peaks　in　the　range；　and　a　fifth　that　twisted　like　a　huge　thumb。　We　had　reached　the　plain　that　stretched　to　the　Fist　of　the　Gods。　It　was　yet　too　early　for　snow；　and　we　appeared　closer　than　in　my　vision；　so　I　could　tell　there　were　striations　in　the　peaks　beyond　just　black　volcanic　rock。　But　by　all　that　is　holy；　I　thought；　we　had　found　the　Fist　of　the　Gods。　Beyond　lay　the　Far　Kingdoms。
　I　turned　to　Janos　as　he　looked　at　me。　Both　of　us　went　a　little　mad　for　the　next　few　moments：　mazed　shock；　imbecile　gape；　then　both　babbling；　neither　hearing　the　other。　
　Silence。
　〃We　found　it；〃　I　said。
　〃We　did。〃
　〃Did　you　really　believe　we　would？〃
　Neither　of　us　met　the　other's　gaze　or　made　an　answer…perhaps　there　had　been　too　much　sorcery　and　danger　and　disappointment　on　this　Finding　for　us　both　really　to　maintain　self…confidence。　Then　the　solemnity　was　broken　and　we　were　looning　around　like　a　pair　of　prize　fools。　Eventually　we　collected　ourselves。
　〃Damnation　and　ice；〃　I　said。　〃I　should　have　found　space　in　my　pack　for　a　flagon　to　celebrate。〃
　〃We　do　not　need　it；　Amalric；〃　Janos　said。　〃That　stream　up　ahead　will　taste　better　than　any　vintage。　We　can　make　camp　there；　and　I　estimate　we　are　no　more　than　three　or　four　honest　days'　travel　to　the　foot　of　the　pass。〃
　'Three　days　in　the　mountains　beyond　that；　perhaps；〃　I　murmured；　〃through　the　pass；　and　。。。〃
　〃And　the　Far　Kingdoms　will　lie　beneath　us；〃　Janos　finished。
　We　shouldered　our　gear　and　started　toward　that　stream。　I　could　have　flown　or　floated　the　distance。　No　longer　did　I　feel　where　the　wilderness's　thorns　had　snagged　my　skin　or　my　stubbed　toes　and　worn　soles。　We　had　done　it。　We　had　gone　where　no　Orissan　or　Lycanthian　had　ever　gone。　I　knew　in　that　moment　not　just　that　we　had　made　history；　but　we　had　changed　all　history　to　e。　Once　we　saw　the　Far　Kingdoms　on　the　far　side　of　that　pass；　and　if　we　returned　safely…which　I　was　certain　we　would…nothing　would　ever　be　the　same　again。
　I　noted　a　pair　of　Watchers　far　distant　to　the　side；　away　from　the　direction　we　would　travel　in；　but　paid　little　heed。
　We　were　less　than　a　dozen　yards　beyond　the　treeline　when　the　trumpet　blast　sounded。　From　a　copse　a　few　spearcasts　away　rode　three　horsemen。　Then　from　around　its　side　rode　another　twenty。　These　were　not　Watchers…we　could　hear　the　calloo　of　their　shouts…shouts　exactly　like　Orissan　hunters　yelp　when　the　boar　breaks　cover　and　they　couch　their　spears　and　go　after　it。　Nor　were　these　cavalrymen　dressed　in　the　immaculate　parade…ground　armor　of　the　Watchers；　but　instead　in　the　practical；　steel…reinforced　leather　of　earthly　soldiers。　I　saw　men　rise　up　in　their　stirrups；　drawing　bows。　Three　arrows　thudded　into　the　ground　just　yards　in　front　of　us；　and　we　turned　and　were　running。　We　darted　back　into　that　wilderness；　and　I　have　never　been　so　glad　to　see　brambles；　tangles；　vines；　and　strangling　bushes　as　in　that　moment。
　I　needed　no　guidance　from　Janos　now　to　think　like　a　startled　hare；　ground　squirrel；　hedgepig；　or　badger　being　run　by　hounds　or　hunters。　Behind　us；　as　we　tore　our　way　through　the　brush；　vines　trying　to　hold　us　back　as　if　we　were　in　a　small　child's　nightmare；　we　heard　horses　crashing　into　the　forest　fringes；　shouts；　orders；　and　mands。　Now　they　would　lose　time；　dismounting　and　following　us　afoot；　or　perhaps　going　back　out　and　riding　around　the　forest　to　lay　an　ambush。　Neither　course　mattered…the　two　of　us　could　hide　in　these　thickets　for　years；　until　they　brought　up　entire　armies　to　b　for　us。　And　we　could　outwait　them　here　in　these　woodlands；　which　were　now　as　precious　to　me　as　my　own　bedchamber　had　been　when　winter's　storms　roared。
　My　spirit　soared　and　sang。　We　had　seen　the　Fist　of　the　Gods。　Now　all　that　we　needed　to　do　was　lose　our　pursuers；　return　to　the　Rift；　and　then；　moving　with　great　cleverness；　reassay　the　journey。　Our　men　would　have　recovered　by　now；　and　Sergeant　Maeen　and　our　soldiers　were　more　than　able　to　stand　off　any　cavalry　patrol　we　were　unable　to　elude。
　There　was　nothing　that　could　stop　us。　We　would　enter　the　Far　Kingdoms　before　winter。
　Or　so　I　thought。　But　when　we　returned　to　the　Rift；　we　found　only　Deoce　and　Sergeant　Maeen　waiting。　The　others　had　abandoned　us。　Janos　and　I　had　traversed　the　foothills　and　the　rolling　country　without　real　incident。　There　had　been　patrols　on　the　land　looking　for　us。　All　of　them　were　posed　of　very　material；　very　real　soldiery。　They　were　petent；　Janos　assessed。　But　using　his　woodcraft　skills；　we　were　able　to　slip　past　them　easily。　Plus；　Janos　supposed；　they　were　seeking　a　much　larger　party…we　would　be　taken　as　the　party's　outriders　or　scouts。　We　refrained　from　using　the　talisman　for　a　back　plot；　instead　using　my　carefully　drawn　map　that　Janos　had　muttered　at　as　a　waste　of　time。
　Then；　safely　in　the　Rift；　I　felt　my　world　totter；　seeing　the　wreckage　that　bastard　Evocator　had　wrought。　No　one　said　anything　while　I　raged。　Janos　stalked　off；　black　faced；　toward　the　lake。
　I　found　control　and　asked　what　had　happened。　Just　two　days　after　Janos　and　I　had　left；　Sergeant　Maeen　had　fallen　ill。　Cassini　must　have　seen　that　as　his　chance。　That　night；　strange　smokes　and　colors　had　e　from　his　hut。
　The　next　dawn　he　had　announced；　somberly；　that　evil　had　struck　Janos　and　myself。　We　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　an　enemy。　He　was　not　even　sure　we　still　lived。
　I　cursed　Cassini　with　all　the　foul　oaths　I　could　think　of。　Then　I　said；　〃Deoce；　what　did　you　do？　I　am　sorry　he　brought　you　false　grief。〃
　Deoce　shook　her　head。　〃I　did　not　grieve；　Amalric。　I　knew　you　were　alive　and　unharmed。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃Believe　me　。。。　when　。。。　if　you　ever　pass　beyond　。。。　I　will　know。　I　will　know。〃
　I　did　not　ask　further。　〃So　after　Cassini　announced　his　lies？〃
　Deoce　had　tried　to　argue；　had　asked　Morning　Fog　to　cast　bones　to　confirm　her　own　feelings。　Morning　Fog　had　found　no　indication　we　had　e　to　harm。　But　neither　had　he　found　signs　of　our　well…being。　So；　Cassini　said；　the　party　must　immediately　retreat…　back　to　the　Pepper　Coast　。。。　and　then　Orissa。
　At　this　point　I　thought　Sergeant　Maeen；　who　was　nearly　recovered　from　his　bout　with　the　sickness；　would　burst　into　tears。　〃I　trained　them；〃　he　said　brokenly。　〃I　thought　I　knew　those　bastards。　I　thought　。。。　I　thought　they　would　stand　firm。〃
　They　did　not；　especially　when　Cassini　announced　that　his　spell　indicated　that　we　had　left　signs　。。。　signs　that　would　leave　a　trail　back　to　the　Rift　for　our　en