cacb.thefarkingdoms-第95部分

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　I　did　not　want　to　give　him　any　gratification；　but　there　was　one　thing　I　had　to　confirm。　〃You　still　serve　Nisou　Symeon？〃
　Greif　laughed　that　foul　laugh　of　his　and　nodded　vigorously。　〃He　thinks　I　do　。。。　an'　I　take　his　silver　so　long's　his　wishes　match　mine。　Ain't　never　left　his　employ；　if　that's　th'　question；　an'　this　marks　th'　second　time　I've　snared　you。　Three　times；　if　y'　count　th'　time　I　cut　th'　guts　out'n　your　slave；　back　in　Lycanth；　tryin'　t'　get　y'r　relics　for　Symeon's　incants。〃
　Of　course　he'd　been　the　murderer　of　Eanes；　and　I　tried　to　make　myself　believe　I　would　avenge　that　death　and　put　his　spirit　to　rest　before　I；　too；　became　a　ghost。　Hope　flickered　but　dimly　in　my　chest。
　〃　'Course；〃　Greif　went　on；　〃mebbe　ye　c'd　question　who　m'　real　master　is；　since　Lord　Symeon's　sworn　obeisance　t'　th'　prince。〃
　Again；　my　intuition　had　been　confirmed。　The　thought　I'd　had　some　hours　ago　must　be　true：　Raveline　indeed　planned　to　turn　our　lands　into　slaughterhouses；　setting　each　against　each。
　〃How　did　he　。。。　and　you　。。。　get　to　Irayas？〃
　〃Lord　Symeon　ain't　here；〃　Greif　said。　〃He's　back　in　Lycanth　preparin'　matters　for　th'　move　against　Orissa。　He's　ne'er　been　t'　Irayas；　neither。　When　y'　have　a　lord　as　powerful　as　th'　prince；　man　don't　have　to　be　standin'　there　in　body　t'　kiss　his　ring。　Symeon's　been　servin'　him　f　r。。。　damned　if　I　know　how　long　for　cert；　since　he　ain't　exactly　my　bed　partner　an'　sharin'　secrets；　but　for　a　long　while；　I'm　guessin'。　I　on'y　found　out　'bout　th'　wheels　wi'in　wheels　couple；　three　months　ago。　As　t'　how　I　got　here？〃　Greif　looked　momentarily　troubled。　〃Can't　speak　on　that；　neither。　Lord　Symeon　gimme　orders　t'　serve　th'　man　I'd　see　when　I　woke；　e'en　i'　death　or　th'　fires'd　take　me；　put　a　spell　down；　an'　th'　next　thing　was　I　woke　here；　in　that　six…sided　castle　th'　prince　has；　out'n　th'　country。　Not　that　I'd　need　any　threats　hangin'　t'　obey　him。　I　know　real　power　when　I　sees　it　。。。　an'　what　he's　tasked　me　for；　I'd　be　likely　as　not　to　pay　to　do　as　a　priv'lege。〃
　He　rose　and　strolled　around　the　cell。　It　was　littered　with　instruments　of　pain：　ropes；　ringbolts；　lashes；　pincers；　fire；　water；　and　vises。　He　picked　up；　then　set　down；　first　one；　then　another。　〃Hard　tellin'　what　t'　start　with；〃　he　mused。　〃But　there's　been　enough　words。　Ain't　but　one　more　thing；　Antero；　my　friend；　my　prize〃…　his　voice　growing　thick　as　anticipation　and　passion　of　a　sort　rose　within　him。〃You　t'　think　on。　Y'　c'd　a'　had　it　all；　y'know。　If　y'd　but　bent　knee　t'　th'　prince　。。。　y'　could've　been　Lord　Symeon's　flunky　when　things　shake　out；　an'　y'　could'a　had　all　Orissa　bow　an'　scrape　afore　ye；　near　as　much　as　f'r　Symeon　himself。　But　y'　had　t'　let　th'　pride　show。　Y'll　be　regrettin'　that。　Now　。。。　an'　f'r　etern'ty　t'　e。　I　got　the　feel　th'　prince　ain't　plannin'　to　allow　you　th'　real　death。〃
　He　picked　up　a　scourge　and　ran　its　thongs　over　his　hand。　〃E'en　if　that's　what　y'll　be　beggin'　for；〃　he　hissed；　and　the　lash　came　down　on　me。
　There　is　no　point　in　soiling　these　pages　with　the　details　of　my　torture。　Those　who　wish　to　know　more　on　the　subject　are　advised　to　find　the　nearest　wineshop　to　any　prison　and　purchase　drink　for　a　warder　to　have　their　curiosity　satisfied。　Suffice　it　to　say　that　Greif　had　paid　close　attention　when　he　had　been　the　tormentors'　subject；　so　he　was　quite　skilled　hi　plying　the　various　instruments　of　agony。　There　are　only　four　things　to　note：　The　first　is　that　a　bond　is　formed　between　torturer　and　his　prey。　It　is　neither　sexual　nor　non…sexual；　and　I　am　not　sure　how　to　describe　it。　Others　I've　known　who　spent　a　longer　time　in　the　grasp　of　inquisitors　have　told　me　that　eventually　the　victim　bees　a　near…willing　slave　of　his　afflictor　as　his　soul　is　ground　away　by　the　endless　pain。　The　second　is　the　red　delectation　that　es　as　a　tittering　observer　to　pain。　This　feeling；　too；　is　plex；　partially　nerve　propelled　and　from　close　to　the　same　source　as　sex；　or　so　I'm　guessing；　but　more　from　the　challenge　to　preserve　a　bit　of　your　soul；　a　bit　of　your　own；　against　the　invader　and　his　fire　and　the　agony。　The　third　thing　I　learned　was　that　Greif's　desire　outran　his　performance。　A　skilled　torturer；　I　have　learned；　never　allows　his　victim　the　pleasure　and　relief　of　unconsciousness。　This　was　Greif's　greatest　error；　and　possibly　my　salvation。　Three　times　that　blessedness　washed　over　me　and　allowed　my　inner　being　to　rearmor　itself　for　Greif's　next　assault。　The　final　thing　was　the　most　valuable：　All　things　e　to　an　end　。。。　eventually。　As　did　that　day。　But　then　the　real　nightmare　began。
　I　recovered　consciousness　as　I　was　dragged　down　stone　steps；　half　carried　by　two　men。　In　front　of　me；　lighting　the　way　with　a　lantern；　was　Greif。　I　knew　him　by　the　scars　of　the　lash　on　his　back。　He　wore　naught　but　a　pair　of　black　breeches。　The　stairway　was　old；　and　I　could　see　white　niter　outlining　the　stones　around　us。　It　ended　abruptly　in　a　pool　of　water　where　a　small　boat。。。　the　black　boat　of　my　dream　。。。　was　moored。　I　was　slung　aboard；　and　Greif's　two　helpers　left；　with　never　a　word　being　spoken。　Greif　untied　the　boat；　stood　at　its　tiller；　and　a　current　caught　the　craft；　sending　us　rushing　into　and　down　a　tunnel　whose　roof　curved　but　a　foot　above　his　head。
　In　bare　minutes　we　were　swept　into　open　waters。　It　was　night；　and　there　was　no　moon；　no　stars。　We　were　moving　along　a　canal　that　seemed　familiar　to　me。　We　were　in　the　heart　of　Irayas；　but　I　saw　no　other　gondolas　or　watercraft。　I　was　neither　chained　nor　fettered　and　should　have　leaped　out　of　the　boat；　failing　that；　I　should　have　shouted　for　help。　But　I　could　do　neither。　I　suppose　I　was　ensorcelled；　although　it　is　equally　probable　I　was　simply　in　shock　from　the　abuse。　In　fact；　the　latter　is　more　probable；　because　events　were　as　vague　and　as　hallucinatory　now　as　they　had　been　before　in　the　dream。
　What　I　remember　from　that　passage　are　but　fragments。　We　traveled　at　a　speed　as　great　as　I　had　on　the　river　that　had　brought　us　down　from　the　mountains　when　we　entered　Gomalalee。　The　canal　entered　the　Serpent　River；　and　now　I　knew　we　were　powered　by　sorcery；　for　the　boat　flew　upriver　against　the　current；　without　aid　of　oars　or　sails。　As　we　passed　beyond　the　city's　outskirts；　I　saw　the　Holy　Mountain　on　my　right；　then　we　sped　past　it　into　the　range　beyond　the　Old　Ones'　peak。　I　next　remember　being　in　a　deep　gorge。　The　hissing　river　beside　the　boat's　gunwales　looked　as　if　it　were　no　longer　water；　but　a　dark；　thick；　oily　fluid。
　Greif　did　not　touch　the　tiller；　but　suddenly　the　craft　bore　sideways；　about　to　crash　into　the　rearing　cliff。　Instead　of　meeting　stone；　however；　a　cavern's　mouth　yawned；　a　cavern　the　river's　currents　had　carved　over　centuries。　Inside　the　cave　a　stone　dock　waited。　Greif　tied　up　the　boat；　clambered　out；　turned；　and　beckoned。　Every　piece　of　my　soul　that　remained　mine　fought；　but　I　followed；　stepping　awkwardly　across　the　boat's　thwarts　and　then　lunging　upward　to　the　slime…thick　dock　carved　from　the　living　stone。　My　feet　dragged　as　my　mind　screamed：　Strike　out。　You　can　not　go　up　those　stairs。　You　must　not。　But　I　did。
　Greif　took　one　of　the　torches　that　guttered　on　either　side　of　the　arched　passageway；　and　beckoned　once　more。　I　heard　the　baying　and　knew　what　was　above：　there　was　a　great；　ruined；　cursed　city　on　the　gorge's　plateau。　Far　above　me；　far　outside　this　river…dug　cavern；　in　the　city；　in　the　shattered　amphitheaters；　in　the　gods…hammered　stones；　the　creatures　sat　in　patient　rings。　Up　there　in　the　dark　of　the　moon　the　creatures　that　bayed　like　hounds　bore　no　semblance　to　anything　seen　on　this　earth。　The　thought　came　to　me　they　might　have　been　men；　once。　Men　who　had　struck　a　dark　bargain。
　I　followed　Greif。　My　mind；　moving　as　slowly　as　if　I　were　drugged；　told　me　no　victim　had　ever　e　back　down　these　steps；　and　desperately　tried　to　devise　a　strategy。　I　found　none。　The　thunder　of　a　great　drum　began。　We　entered　a　great　chamber；　with　its　arches　lifting　into　blackness。　I　heard　a　gong　resound；　and　as　Greif　turned　I　saw　that　wormlike　fire　writhe　brightly　in　his　dead　eye　socket。　I　heard　him　say　words　about　my　desire；　this　was　what　I　wanted；　this　was　my　weird；　and　he　laughed。　The　laugh　boomed　loud；　louder；　joined　by　the　baying　from　the　creatures　beyond；　laughter　of　joy　in　pain　and　death；　laughter　rising　to　cacophony；　and　Raveline　was　there。　Silence　dropped　across　the　chamber　and　above　among　the　damned　creatures　like　an　axe　blow。　Greif　became　a　statue；　and　considering　Raveline's　words；　I　believe　was　under　a　momentary　spell　of　paralysis。　The　prince　wore　bloodred　pantaloons　and　a　black；　full　tunic　with　gold　lace　showing　at　his　wrists　and　neck。　He　wore　an　ornate　dagger　on　a　belt。　He　might　have　been　dressed　for　a　casual　court　affair。
　〃So　we　reach　the　end；　Antero；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　calm。　〃Do　you　wish　to　know　your　doom？〃　I　said　nothing。　〃In　bare　moments；　I　shall　obliterate　your　physical　being。　Most　of　your　soul　will　be　scattered　to　the　winds　when　I　take　you　in　my　embrace。　But　you　will　be　more　than　just　a　hapless　wandering　ghost　like　your　brother　or　that　slave　this　brigand　killed。　I　shall　keep　a　part　of　you　in　my　own　soul；　and　it　shall　witness；　through　my　eyes；　the　great　changes　that　are　to　e　on　this　world。　Witness　them；　but　without　ever　being　able　to　do　more　than　scream　in　mute　horror　as　they　happen。〃
　〃An　honor；〃　I　said　sarcastically；　determined　to　at　least　die　with　a　bit　of　dignity。
　〃Not　at　all。　I　want　to　keep　a　fragment　of　you　close　as　a　reminder　of　failure；　and　a　caution　against　vainglory。〃
　〃It　would　hardly　appear　that　you　have　failed；〃　I　said。
　〃Quite　wrong。　My　failure　with　you　and　yours　has　taken　several　forms　over　the　decades。　Many　years　ago　I　sensed　the　presence　of　your　bloodline；　far　away　and　very　faintly。　I　paid　no　heed；　thinking；　like　most　Vacaanese；　that　the　doings　of　barbarians　beyond　our　kingdoms　were　meaningless。　But　then　I　felt　the　presence　more　strongly。　I　allowed　my　senses　to　follow　the　trail；　and　discovered　your　brother。〃
　His　words　jolted　me　fully　alert；　fully　awake。　I　do　not　quite　know　how　to　explain；　but　for　some　reason　one　sentence　of　the　dream　Greif　had　spoken　had　never　properly　impressed　itself　on　me：　。。。　This　is　what　your　brother　could　not　embrace　。。。　I　have　talked　about　this　with　savants；　and　have　heard　the　phenomenon　is　not　unmon：　that　a　man　may　suddenly　swear　everyone　ar