rz.thehandofoberon-第25部分

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　Then　suddenly　I　was　out　of　it　and　Grayswandir　swung　free　in　my　hand　once　again；　the　fires　partly　diminished；　whether　by　contrast　with　the　reilluminated　prospect　or　for　some　other　reasons　I　did　not　know。
　Looking　about；　I　saw　that　Brand　was　approaching　the　Grand　Curve。　As　for　me；　I　was　working　my　way　toward　the　Second　Veil。　We　would　both　be　involved　in　the　strenuous　efforts　these　entailed　in　a　few　more　minutes。　The　Grand　Curve　is　more　difficult；　more　prolonged　than　the　Second　Veil；　however。　I　should　be　free　and　moving　more　quickly　again　before　he　worked　his　way　through　his　barrier。　Then　I　would　have　to　cross　the　damaged　area　another　time。　He　might　be　free　by　then；　but　he　would　be　moving　more　slowly　than　I　would；　for　he　would　be　into　the　area　where　the　going　bees　even　more　difficult。
　A　steady　static　arose　with　each　step　that　I　took；　and　a　tingling　sensation　permeated　my　entire　body。　The　sparks　rose　to　midthigh　as　I　moved。　It　was　like　striding　through　a　field　of　electric　wheat。　My　hair　was　at　least　partly　risen　by　then。　I　could　feel　its　stirring。　I　glanced　back　once　to　see　Fiona；　still　mounted；　unmoving；　watching。
　I　pressed　ahead　to　the　Second　Veil。
　Angles。。。　short；　sharp　turns。。。　The　force　rose　and　rose　against　me；　so　that　all　of　my　attention；　all　of　my　strength；　was　now　occupied　in　striving　against　it。　There　came　again　that　familiar　sense　of　timelessness；　as　though　this　was　all　I　had　ever　done；　all　that　I　ever　would　do。　And　will。。。　a　focusing　of　desire　to　such　an　intensity　that　everything　else　was　excluded。。。　Brand；　Fiona；　Amber；　my　own　identity。。。　The　sparks　rose　to　even　greater　heights　as　I　struggled；　turned；　labored；　each　step　requiring　more　effort　than　the　previous　one。
　I　pushed　through。　Right　into　the　black　area　again。
　Reflexively；　I　moved　Grayswandir　down　and　ahead　once　more。　Again；　the　grayness；　the　monochrome　fog；　cut　by　the　blue　of　my　blade　opening　the　way　before　me　like　a　surgical　incision。
　When　I　emerged　into　normal　light；　I　sought　Brand。　He　was　still　in　the　western　quadrant；　struggling　with　the　Grand　Curve；　about　two　thirds　of　the　way　through　it。　If　I　pushed　hard；　I　might　be　able　to　catch　him　just　as　he　was　ing　out　of　it。　I　threw　all　of　my　strength　into　moving　as　quickly　as　possible。
　As　I　made　it　to　the　north　end　of　the　Pattern　and　into　the　curve　leading　back；　it　struck　me　suddenly　what　I　was　about　to　do。
　I　was　rushing　to　spill　more　blood　upon　the　Pattern。
　If　it　came　to　a　simple　choice　between　further　damage　to　the　Pattern　and　Brand's　destroying　it　utterly；　then　I　knew　what　I　had　to　do。　Yet；　I　felt　there　had　to　be　another　way。　Yes。。。
　I　slowed　my　pace　just　a　trifle。　It　was　going　to　be　a　matter　of　timing；　his　passage　was　a　lot　rougher　than　mine　just　then；　so　I　had　an　edge　in　that　respect。　My　entire　new　strategy　involved　arranging　our　encounter　at　just　the　right　point。　Ironically；　at　that　moment；　I　recalled　Brand's　concern　for　his　rug。　The　problem　of　keeping　this　place　clean　was　a　lot　trickier；　though。
　He　was　nearing　the　end　of　the　Grand　Curve；　and　I　paced　him　while　calculating　the　distance　to　the　blackness。　I　had　decided　to　let　him　do　his　bleeding　over　the　area　which　had　already　been　damaged。　The　only　disadvantage　I　seemed　to　possess　was　that　I　would　be　situated　to　Brand's　right。　To　minimize　the　benefit　this　would　give　him　when　we　crossed　blades；　I　would　have　to　remain　somewhat　to　the　rear。
　Brand　struggled　and　advanced；　all　of　his　movements　in　slow　motion。　I　struggled　too；　but　not　as　hard。　I　kept　the　pace。　I　wondered　as　I　went；　about　the　Jewel；　about　the　affinity　we　had　shared　since　the　attunement。　I　could　feel　its　presence；　there　to　my　left　and　ahead；　even　though　I　could　not　see　it　now　upon　Brand's　breast。　Would　it　really　act　to　save　me　across　that　distance　should　Brand　gain　the　upper　hand　in　our　ing　conflict？　Feeling　its　presence；　I　could　almost　believe　that　it　would。　It　had　torn　me　from　one　assailant　and　found；　somehow；　within　my　mind；　a　traditional　place　of　safety　…　my　own　bed　…　and　had　transported　me　there。　Feeling　it　now；　almost　seeing　the　way　before　Brand　through　it；　I　felt　some　assurance　that　it　would　attempt　to　function　on　my　behalf　once　again。　Recalling　Fiona's　words；　however；　I　was　determined　not　to　rely　on　it。　Still；　I　considered　its　other　functions；　speculated　upon　my　ability　to　operate　it　without　contact。。。
　Brand　had　almost　pleted　the　Grand　Curve。　I　reached　out　from　some　level　of　my　being　and　made　contact　with　the　Jewel。　Laying　my　will　upon　it；　I　called　for　a　storm　of　the　red　tornado　variety　which　had　destroyed　Iago。　I　did　not　know　whether　I　could　control　that　particular　phenomenon　in　this　particular　place；　but　I　called　for　it　nevertheless　and　directed　it　toward　Brand。　Nothing　happened　immediately；　though　I　felt　the　Jewel　functioning　to　achieve　something。　Brand　came　to　the　end；　offered　a　final　exertion；　and　passed　from　the　Grand　Curve。
　I　was　right　there　behind　him。
　He　knew　it；　too　…　somehow。　His　blade　was　out　the　instant　the　pressure　was　off。　He　gained　a　couple　feet　faster　than　I　thought　he　could；　got　his　left　foot　ahead　of　him；　turned　his　body；　and　met　my　gaze　over　the　lines　of　our　blades。
　〃Damned　if　you　didn't　make　it。〃　he　said；　touching　the　tip　of　my　blade　with　his　own。　〃You　would　never　have　gotten　here　this　soon　if　it　weren't　for　the　bitch　on　the　horse；　though。〃
　〃Nice　way　to　talk　about　our　sister；〃　I　said；　feinting　and　watching　him　move　to　parry。
　We　were　hampered；　in　that　neither　of　us　could　lunge　without　departing　the　Pattern。　I　was　further　hampered　in　not　wanting　to　make　him　bleed；　yet。　I　faked　a　stop　thrust　and　he　drew　back；　sliding　his　left　foot　along　the　design　to　his　rear。　He　withdrew　his　right　then；　stamped　it；　and　tried　a　head　cut　without　preliminaries。　Damn　it！　I　parried　and　then　riposted　by　pure　reflex。　I　did　not　want　to　catch　him　with　the　chest　cut　I　had　thrown　back　at　him；　but　the　tip　of　Grayswandir　traced　an　arc　beneath　his　sternum。　I　heard　a　humming　in　the　air　above　us。　I　could　not　afford　to　take　my　eyes　off　Brand；　though。　He　glanced　downward　and　backed　some　more。　Good。　A　red　line　now　decorated　his　shirt　front　where　my　cut　had　taken　him。　So　far；　the　material　seemed　to　be　absorbing　it。　I　stamped；　feinted；　thrust；　parried；　stop　thrust；　bound；　and　unbound　…　everything　I　could　think　of　to　keep　him　retreating。　I　had　the　psychological　edge　on　him　in　that　I　had　the　greater　reach　and　we　both　knew　I　could　do　more　things　with　it；　more　quickly。　Brand　was　nearing　the　dark　area。　Just　a　few　more　paces。。。　I　heard　a　sound　like　a　single　bell　chime；　followed　by　a　great　roaring。　A　shadow　suddenly　fell　upon　us；　as　though　a　cloud　had　just　occluded　the　sun。
　Brand　glanced　up。　I　think　I　could　have　gotten　him　just　then；　but　he　was　still　a　couple　of　feet　too　far　from　the　target　area。
　He　recovered　immediately　and　glared　at　me。
　〃Damn　you；　Corwin！　That's　yours；　isn't　it？〃　he　cried；　and　then　he　attacked；　discarding　what　caution　he　still　possessed。
　Unfortunately；　I　was　in　a　bad　position；　as　I　had　been　edging　up　on　him；　preparing　to　press　him　the　rest　of　the　way　back。　I　was　exposed　and　slightly　off…balance。　Even　as　I　parried；　I　realized　it　would　not　be　sufficient；　and　I　twisted　and　fell　back。
　I　struggled　to　keep　my　feet　in　place　as　I　went　down。　I　caught　myself　with　my　right　elbow　and　my　left　hand。　I　cursed；　as　the　pain　was　too　much　and　my　elbow　slid　to　the　side；　dropping　me　to　my　right　shoulder。
　But　Brand's　thrust　had　gone　by　me；　and　within　blue　halos　my　feet　still　touched　the　line。　I　was　out　of　Brand's　reach　for　a　death　thrust；　though　he　could　still　hamstring　me。
　I　raised　my　right　arm；　still　clutching　Grayswandir；　before　me。　I　began　to　sit　up。　As　I　did；　I　saw　that　the　red　formation；　yellow　about　the　edges；　was　now　spinning　directly　above　Brand；　crackling　with　sparks　and　small　lightnings；　its　roar　now　changed　to　a　wailing。
　Brand　took　hold　of　his　blade　by　the　forte　and　raised　it　above　his　shoulder　like　a　spear；　pointed　in　my　direction。　I　knew　that　I　could　not　parry　it；　that　I　could　not　dodge　it。
　With　my　mind；　I　reached　out　to　the　Jewel　and　up　to　the　formation　in　the　sky。。。
　There　came　a　bright　flash　as　a　small　finger　of　lightning　reached　down　and　touched　his　blade。。。
　The　weapon　fell　from　his　hand　and　his　hand　flew　to　his　mouth。　With　his　left　hand；　he　clutched　at　the　Jewel　of　Judgment；　as　if　he　realized　what　I　was　doing　and　sought　to　nullify　it　by　covering　the　stone。　Sucking　his　fingers；　he　looked　upward；　all　of　the　anger　draining　from　his　face　to　be　replaced　by　a　look　of　fear　verging　on　terror。
　The　cone　was　beginning　to　descend。
　Turning　then；　he　stepped　onto　the　blackened　area；　faced　south；　raised　both　his　arms　and　cried　out　something　I　could　not　hear　above　the　wailing。
　The　cone　fell　toward　him；　but　he　seemed　to　grow　two…dimensional　as　it　approached。　His　outline　wavered。　He　began　to　shrink　…　but　it　did　not　seem　a　function　of　actual　size；　so　much　as　an　effect　of　distancing。　He　dwindled；　dwindled；　was　gone；　a　bare　instant　before　the　cone　licked　across　the　area　he　had　occupied。
　With　him　went　the　Jewel；　so　that　I　was　left　with　no　way　of　controlling　the　thing　above　me。　I　did　not　know　whether　it　was　better　to　maintain　a　low　profile　or　to　resume　a　normal　stance　on　the　Pattern。　I　decided　on　the　latter；　because　the　whirlwind　seemed　to　go　for　things　which　broke　the　normal　sequence。　I　got　back　into　a　sitting　position　and　edged　over　to　the　line。　Then　I　leaned　forward　into　a　crouch；　by　which　time　the　cone　began　to　rise。　The　wailing　retreated　down　the　scale　as　it　withdrew。　The　blue　fires　about　my　boots　had　subsided　pletely。　I　turned　and　looked　at　Fiona。　She　motioned　me　to　get　up　and　go　on。
　So　I　rose　slowly；　seeing　that　the　vortex　above　me　continued　to　dissipate　as　I　moved。　Advancing　upon　the　area　where　Brand　had　so　recently　stood；　I　once　again　used　Grayswandir　to　guide　me　through。　The　twisted　remains　of　Brand's　blade　lay　near　the　far　edge　of　the　dim　place。
　I　wished　there　were　some　easy　way　out　of　the　Pattern。　It　seemed　pointless　to　plete　it　now。　But　there　is　no　turning　back　once　you　have　set　foot　upon　it；　and　I　was　extremely　leery　of　trying　the　dark　route　out。　So　I　headed　on　toward　the　Grand　Curve。　To　what　place；　I　wondered；　had　Brand　taken　himself？　If　I　knew；　I　could　mand　the　Pattern　to　send　me　after　him；　once　I　reached　the　center。　Perhaps　F