cacb.thefarkingdoms-第70部分

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the　dust。　When　we　were　done；　he　explained：　the　wasteland　we　were　entering　was　magic…blasted。　This　was　where　we　would　be　most　likely　to　be　spotted。　Anyone　looking　for　us　by　sorcerous　means　would；　he　was　sure；　now　see　nothing　but　a　not　particularly　striking　sandstorm　or　just　a　succession　of　whirling　dust　devils。
　Maeen　had　a　question。　〃What；　sir；　if　some　of　the　Watchers　are　in　our　path？　Will　they　see　us？〃
　〃I　do　not　know；　Sergeant；〃　Janos　said。　〃I　am　certain　my　spell　will　blind　any　sorcerous　vision；　but　I　do　not　know　if　the　Watchers　are　physical　beings　or　not；　nor　even　how　they　'see。'　If　we　spot　any　of　them；　my　advice　is　to　make　the　asses　kneel；　and　cover　yourselves　and　them　with　your　robes。　Then　attempt　to　think　like　a　sand　dune。〃
　Another　question　came；　this　from　Hebrus；　our　music　teacher。　〃Sir　Greycloak；　have　you　still　no　idea　who　or　what　is　looking　for　us？　I　would　have　hoped　by　this　time　you　might　have　found　some　clues…just　as　I　can　tell　which　of　my　dullard　students　is　approaching　by　the　tuneless　way　he　thumps　his　lyre。〃
　Janos　shook　his　head。　〃I　still　don't　know。　Perhaps　one；　perhaps　many。　Of　course　the　Archons　of　Lycanth　are　our　enemies；　and　have　almost　certainly　set　out　wards。　Nisou　Symeon　of　Lycanth　can　well　afford　to　send　the　best　Evocators　after　us。　Perhaps；　even；　someone　from　Orissa。　Not　all　the　Evocators　in　our　city　accepted　the　change。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Mayhap　the　gods　themselves。　Or　the　wizards　of　the　Far　Kingdoms。〃
　〃I　thought　th'　Far　Kingdoms　was　holy；〃　Lione　said。　〃Not　holy；　mebbe；　but；　well；　like　I　grew　up　bein'　taught　th'　Evocators　was。　Good。　Wantin'　to　make　th'　world　better。　Helpin'　folk。〃
　〃So　the　tale　is　told；〃　Janos　said；　〃and　I　have　no　reason　to　doubt　it。　But　if　you　were　as　powerful　as　the　rulers　of　the　Far　Kingdoms；　would　you　not　post　the　finest　sentries　around　your　riches；　and　investigate　closely　any　who　approached　you？〃　Lione's　expression；　which　had　resembled　a　child　who's　about　to　be　told　fairies　do　not　live　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　changed；　and　his　relief　showed　plain。
　So　shielded；　we　set　out　across　the　blasted　land。　We　encountered　no　troubles　beyond　those　of　a　physical　nature。　The　creatures　of　the　pit；　now　that　we　were　aware　of　them；　were　no　threat；　and　I　was　pleased　at　our　progress。　I　found　myself　once　being　just　a　bit　jealous　of　Janos。　He　was　behaving　as　if　he　was　the　sole　mander　of　this　expedition。　I　stopped　myself　and　turned　my　mind　away…scolding　it　for　giving　in　to　fatigue。　This　belonged　to　none　of　us　yet　to　all　of　us。　If　he　preferred　to　walk　in　front；　he　had　at　least　as　much　right　as　I　did。　Possibly　more；　since　my　rank　was　hereditary　and　his；　even　though　it　was　lesser；　hard　earned。　The　mind；　when　tired；　falls　prey　to　many　such　dark　thoughts。
　Our　intent　had　been　to　make　a　stop　at　the　Rift　valley　and　rebuild　our　strength　for　a　few　days。　But　either　our　positioning　or　our　maps　were　in　error。　We　reached　the　area　of　low　rolling　hills　where　we　should　have　caught　sight　of　the　cleft；　but　saw　nothing。　We　checked　our　navigation；　both　against　the　stars　that　night；　and　the　sun's　position　in　the　morning；　and　even　recounted　the　knotted　strings　used　to　keep　track　of　the　number　of　paces　traveled　each　day。　We　should　have　been　within　a　dozen　spearcasts　of　our　friends。　But　there　was　nothing。　I　checked　the　map　I　had　made　on　our　Finding；　and　it　verified　our　locations。　But　there　was　simply　nothing　there。　Janos　and　I　agreed　we　must　be　south　of　the　valley。　We　chanced　two　days'　travel　to　the　north；　found　nothing；　and　returned　to　our　former　track。　The　men　were　displeased…both　Maeen　and　Lione　had　told　them　of　the　valley　and　its　pliant　women。　But　they　were　near　as　dedicated　as　Janos　and　I；　and　we　continued　on…with　no　more　than　wistful　thoughts　of　what　we'd　missed。
　But　then　all　thoughts　of　disappointment　dissolved　in　excitement　when　the　first　man　spotted　the　great　mountain　range。　The　Fist　of　the　Gods。　Even　I　felt　wonder　stir　when　I　saw　the　pass　between　the　〃thumb〃　and　〃forefinger〃　that　led　through　that　black　range。　But　caution　soon　overtook　wonder：　we　were　in　the　dangerous　territory；　doubly　so；　since　we　also　knew　the　city　of　Wahumwa　lay　in　front　of　us。　We　moved　most　carefully；　taking　as　long　as　four　hours　to　travel　a　single　league；　even　though　the　ground　was　fairly　open。　We　avoided　all　rains；　fearing　they　could　be　guarded　by　spells　or　men。
　I　called　a　halt　for　a　council　of　war　when　Janos　estimated　we　were　a　half　day's　travel　from　Wahumwa。　We　had　still　seen　no　sign　of　their　cavalry　or　scouts　or　even　citizens。　The　problem　was　that　the　treacherous　city　sat　athwart　the　only　approach　to　the　pass。　After　some　thought；　we　determined　to　get　as　close　to　the　city　as　possible　during　daylight；　then　go　to　ground。　We　would　wait　and　watch；　then　use　darkness　to　slip　around　the　city's　walls　and　into　the　mountains。　If　the　approach　was　that　tightly　patrolled　we　would　break　the　party　into　four　groups；　as　we'd　practiced；　and　each　group　would　have　an　entire　night　to　make　passage。　Janos　added　that　I　should　go　with　the　first　group；　and　set　up　a　forward　post。　He　would　go　back　and　forth　each　night；　and　guide　each　of　the　groups。　I　thought　again　of　my　egoism　back　in　the　wasteland　and　was　ashamed　to　have　allowed　jealousy　of　a　man　volunteering　to　shuttle　like　this　just　to　ensure　the　safety　of　others。
　We　journeyed　onward；　and　at　last　we　climbed　the　last　foothill。　Beyond　lay　Wahumwa；　Janos　said。　He　went　forward　with　Sergeant　Maeen。　Maeen　would　return　if　the　rest　of　us　needed　to　e　up。　He　should　have　been　back　within　minutes；　but　almost　an　entire　glass　passed。　I　could　wait　no　longer；　drawing　my　sword；　I　went　in　the　direction　they　had　taken；　dodging　from　cover　to　cover。　Perhaps　my　friends　had　been　captured。　I　came　out　of　a　thick　brush　and　saw　them。　They　stood　on　the　edge　of　a　crest；　in　plain　sight　of　any　one　in　the　valley…and　city…below。　I　feared　they　had　been　caught　in　a　spell。　I　hastened　forward；　not　sure　what　I　would　do　if　they　were　ensorcelled　and　turned　on　me。　I　came　closer…and　then　saw　what　had　paralyzed　them。
　〃That；〃　I　said；　incredulous；　〃is　Wahumwa？〃
　Both　men　spun…they'd　not　heard　me　approach；　and　Janos'　hand　was　on　his　sword　hilt。　They　relaxed　then。　〃It　is；〃　he　managed。
　〃Or　was；　anyway；〃　Maeen　put　in。
　There　was　a　city　below　us；　but　it　was　in　ruins；　its　great　wall　had　crumbled　in　many　places。　Trees　grew　up；　blocking　roads　both　inside　and　outside　the　city。　There　had　been　tall；　monolithic　buildings；　as　great　as　any　in　Lycanth；　inside　the　walls。　Time　and　the　weather　had　broken　them；　and　the　roofless　buildings　stretched　stone　fingers　at　the　heavens。
　I　started　to　stammer　questions；　but　Janos　just　shook　his　head；　very　grim。　〃There　was　a　spell　cast；〃　Janos　said；　almost　in　a　whisper。　〃A　Great　Spell；　indeed。　Call　the　men　up。　I　will。。。　I　must　enter　the　city。〃
　Sergeant　Maeen　recovered　and　ran　back　for　the　rest　of　the　party。　They；　too；　stood　in　amazement；　until　Janos　ordered　us　to　march　and　for　everyone　to　keep　his　weapon　ready。　We　went　through　the　gates　at　dusk。　Wahumwa　had　been　great　once…the　gates　themselves　were　iron…bound；　solid　marble　slabs；　now　broken　and　hanging　from　rusted　hinges。　The　cobblestones　themselves　were　monstrous；　the　size　of　a　charabanc。　Now；　grass；　low　bushes；　and　even　some　trees　grew　between　them。　The　buildings　would　have　been　lofty；　and　the　avenues　broad。　Now　。。。　nothing　but　ruins。　A　few　hundred　yards　more；　and　there　would　be　nothing　but　rubble。　Janos　led　the　way；　seeming　to　know　where　he　was　heading。　We　left　the　central　thoroughfare　and　went　up　an　overgrown　roadway；　toward　a　huge　shattered　building　on　a　hilltop。　Maeen　was　pale…he　knew；　and　I　sensed；　where　Janos　was　taking　us；　but　the　grip　on　his　blade　was　steady。
　We　entered　the　hall；　and　men　cried　out。　I　had　known　what　to　expect；　but　it　was　still　grisly。　The　chamber　was　full　of　the　bones　of　men；　lying　amid　the　rotten　ruins　of　furniture。　Skulls　were　broken；　and　the　bones　were　scattered；　with　not　a　single　skeleton　being　whole。　〃Vultures；　and　wild　dogs；　must　have　e　。　。　。　afterward；〃　Janos　said。　He　picked　up　a　leg　bone　and　showed　it　to　me。　It　had　been　neatly　split　open　by　a　gourmet　and　sucked　for　the　marrow。　〃But　no　wild　dog　can　do　this。〃　He　threw　the　bone　away；　and　it　clattered　on　stone。　〃As　I　said　on　the　hill　beyond；　a　Great　Spell　was　cast。　Cast　before　the　expedition　reached　the　city。〃
　〃Everyone　we　encountered；　everyone　we　lived　with；〃　Maeen　said　hoarsely；　〃was　。。。　what？〃
　Janos　shrugged。　〃Ghosts？　Demons；　even。　Perhaps　less　than　that；　perhaps　just　the　details　a　great　sorcerer　would　add　to　an　enchantment…like　an　artist　would　put　details　in　a　painting　to　convince　you　he　really　had　sat　at　a　banquet　of　the　gods。〃
　〃But　。。。　but　you've　th'　talent；〃　Maeen　managed。　〃How　could　they　hoodwink　you；　too？〃　Janos　had　no　answer　to　that；　either。　I　had　never　heard　of　wizardry　this　strong。　pared　to　this；　Orissa's　feat　of　magically　tearing　down　Lycanth's　wall　was　a　marketplace　curiosity。　To　first　make　more　than　a　thousand　hardbitten　soldiers　see　a　city　where　there　were　ruins　。。。　to　fill　those　ruins　with　people　and　animals　。。。　and　for　each　of　those　illusions　to　walk；　talk；　drink；　and　even　make　love　。。。　and　then；　in　a　night　of　blood；　to　kill　and　then　eat？　Especially　when　that　death　meal　was　nightmare；　not　illusion？　This　was　an　impossibility。　But　it　was。
　I　shuddered。　〃We　shall　not　sleep　in　this　city；　Janos；　nor　spend　any　more　minutes　than　it　takes　us　to　flee；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃We　are　leaving　immediately。　No　man　is　to　touch　anything　he　does　not　have　to；　nor　is　he　to　take　anything；　not　bone；　not　branch；　not　stone；　from　this　cursed　place。〃
　No　one　argued。　Trying　not　to　bolt　in　terror；　we　struck　straight　through　the　city　to　its　outer　gate；　to　where　the　road　began　climbing　to　the　pass　through　the　Fist　above　us。　None　of　us；　not　the　soldiers；　not　me；　not　Sergeant　Maeen；　nor　Janos　Greycloak；　dared　look　back。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　The　Disputed　Lands
　THE　PASS　THROUGH　the　Fist　of　the　Gods　was　nearly　as　smooth　as　it　had　looked　when　Janos　and　I　had　first　seen　it　from　many　leagues。　It　climbed　around　the　〃knuckle〃　of　the　forefinger；　into　the　heart　of　the　mountains。　As　before；　and　unlike　the　vision；　the　Fist　was　snowless。　Remembering　Janos　had　attempted　several　reconnaissance's　before；　when　the　second　expedition　was　wintering　below　in　Wahumwa；　I　asked　how　far　he　had　gotten　before