srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第58部分

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oors　to　keep　out　the　Sea　in　storms。　But　most　of　the　doors　were　open。　They　led　into　workshops…high　chambers　where　the　Giants　formed　the　planks　and　hawsers　of　their　ships。　Like　the　meeting　halls　and　kitchens；　these　places　were　deserted。　But；　unlike　the　western　vineyards　and　fields；　the　workshops　had　not　been　abandoned　suddenly。　All　the　tools　hung　in　their　racks　on　the　walls；　the　tables　and　benches　were　free　of　work；　even　the　floors　were　clean。　The　Giants　laboring　there　had　taken　the　time　to
　put　their　shops　in　order　before　they　went　home　to　die。　　But　one　smaller　door　near　the　south　end　of　the　headrock　was　tightly　closed。　Lord　Hyrim　tried　to　open　it；　but　it　had　no　handle；　and　he　could　not　grip　the　smooth　stone。
　Korik　and　Tull　approached　it　together。　Forcing　their　fingers　into　one　crack　of　the　door；　they　heaved　at　it。　With　a　scraping　noise　like　a　gasp　of　pain；　it　swung　outward；　admitting　shadow　light　to　the　chamber　beyond。
　The　single　room　was　bare；　it　contained　nothing　but　a　low　bed　against　one　side　wall。　It　was　lightless；　and　the　air　in　it　smelled　stale。
　On　the　floor　against　the　back　wall　sat　a　Giant。
　Even　crouched　with　his　knees　drawn　up　before　him；　he　was　as　tall　as　the　Bloodguard。　His　staring　eyes　caught　the　light　and　gleamed。
　He　was　alive。　A　shallow　breath　stirred　his　chest；　and　a　thin　trail　of　saliva　ran　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth　into　his　grizzled　beard。
　But　he　made　no　move　as　the　four　entered　the　cell。　No　blink　or　flicker　of　his　eyes　acknowledged　them。
　Lord　Hyrim　rushed　toward　him　gladly；　then　stopped　when　he　saw　the　look　of　horror　on　the　Giant's　face。
　Korik　approached　the　Giant；　touched　one　of　the　bare　arms　which　gripped　his　knees。　The　Giant　was　not　cold；　he　was　not　another　Hoerkin。
　Korik　shook　the　Giant's　arm；　but　the　Giant　did　not　respond。　He　sat　gaping　blindly　out　the　doorway。　Korik　looked　a　question　at　the　Lord。　When　Hyrim　nodded；　Korik　struck　the　Giant　across　the　face。
　His　head　lurched　under　the　blow；　but　it　did　not　penetrate　him。　Without　blinking；　he　raised　his　head　again；　resumed　his　stare。　Korik　prepared　to　strike　again　with　more　force；　but　Lord　Hyrim　stopped　him。　〃Do　him　no　injury；　Korik。　He　is　closed　to　us。〃
　〃We　must　reach　him；〃　Korik　said。
　〃Yes；〃　said　Hyrim。　〃Yes；　we　must。〃　He　moved　close　to　the　Giant；　and　called；　〃Rockbrother！　Hear　me！　I　am　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole；　Lord　of　the　Council　of　Revelstone。　You　must　hear　me。　In　the　name　of　all　the　Unhomed…in　the　name　of　friendship　and　the　Land　…I　adjure　you　Open　your　ears　to　me！〃
　The　Giant　made　no　reply。　The　slow　rate　of　his　breathing　did　not　vary；　his　white　gaze　did　not　falter。
　Lord　Hyrim　stepped　back；　studied　the　Giant。　Then　he　said　to　Korik；　〃Free　one　of　his　hands。〃　He　rubbed　one　heel　of　his　staff；　and　when　he　took　his　hand　away　a　blue　flame　sprang　up　on　the　metal。　〃I　will　attempt　the　caamora…the　fire　of　grief。〃
　Korik　understood。　The　caamora　was　a　ritual　by　which　the　Giants　purged　themselves　of　grief　and　rage。　They　were　impervious　to　any　ordinary　fire；　but　the　flames　hurt　them；　and　they　used　that　pain　at　need　to　help　them　master　themselves。　Swiftly；　Korik　pried　the　Giant's　right　hand　loose　from　its　grip；　pulled　the　arm　back　so　that　its　hand　was　extended　toward　Lord　Hyrim。
　Moaning　softly；　〃Stone　and　Sea；　Rockbrother！　Stone　and　Sea！〃　the　Lord　increased　the　strength　of　his　Lordsfire。　He　placed　the　flame　directly　under　the　Giant's　hand；　enveloped　the　fingers　in　fire。
　At　first；　nothing　happened；　the　ritual　had　no　effect。　The　Giant's　fingers　hung　motionless　in　the　flame；　and　the　flame　did　not　consume　them。　But　then　they　twitched；　groped；　clenched。　The　Giant　pushed　his　hand　farther　into　the　fire；　though　his　fingers　were　writhing　in　pain。
　Abruptly；　he　drew　a　deep　shuddering　breath。　His　head　snapped　back；　thudded　against　the　wall；　dropped　forward　onto　his　knees。　Yet　still　he　did　not　withdraw　his　hand。　When　he　raised　his　head　again；　his　eyes　were　full　of　tears。
　Trembling；　panting；　he　pulled　back　his　hand。　It　was　undamaged。
　At　once；　Lord　Hyrim　extinguished　his　fire。　〃Rockbrother；〃　he　cried　softly。　〃Rockbrother。　Forgive　me。〃
　The　Giant　stared　at　his　hand。　Time　passed　as　he　became　slowly　aware　of　his　situation。　At　last　he　recognized　the　Lord　and　the　Bloodguard。　Suddenly　he　flinched；　jerked　both　hands　to　the　sides　of　his　head；　gasped；　〃Alive？〃　Before　Lord　Hyrim　could　answer；　he　went　on；　〃What　of　the　others？　My　people？〃
　Lord　Hyrim　clutched　his　staff　for　support。　〃All　dead。〃
　〃Ah！〃　the　Giant　groaned。　His　hands　dropped　to　his　knees；　and　he　leaned　his　head　back　against　the　wall。　〃Oh；　my　people！〃　The　tears　streamed　down　his　cheeks　like　blood。
　The　Lord　and　the　Bloodguard　watched　him　in　silence；　waited　for　him。　At　last　his　grief　eased；　and　his　tears　ceased。　When　he　brought　his　head　forward　from　the　wall；　he　murmured　as　if　in　defeat；　〃He　has　left　me　to　the　last。〃
　With　a　visible　effort；　Lord　Hyrim　forced　himself　to　ask；　〃Who　is　he？〃
　The　Giant　answered　in　misery；　〃He　came　soon…he　came　soon　after　we　had　learned　the　fate　of　the　three　brothers…the　brothers　of　one　birth…Damelon　Rockbrother's　omen　of　the　end。　This　spring…ah；　was　it　so　recent？　It　needs　more　time。　There　should　be　years　given　to　it。　There…ah；　my　people！　This　spring…this…we　knew　at　last　that　the　old　slumbering　ill　of　the　Sarangrave　was　awake。　We　thought　to　send　word　to　brave　Lord's　Keep…〃　For　a　moment；　he　choked　on　the　grief　in　his　throat。　〃Then　we　lost　the　brothers。　Lost　them。　We　arose　to　one　sunrise；　and　they　were　gone。
　〃We　did　not　send　to　the　Lords。　How　could　we　bear　to　tell　them　that　our　hope　was　lost？　No。　Rather；　we　searched。　From　the　Northron　Climbs　to　the　Spoiled　Plains　and　beyond；　we　searched。　We　searched　through　all　the　summer。　Nothing。　In　despair；　the　searchers　returned　to　The　Grieve；　Coercri；　last　home　of　the　Unhomed。
　〃Then　the　last　searcher　returned…Wavenhair　Haleall；　whose　womb　bore　the　three。　Because　she　was　their　mother；　she　searched　when　all　others　had　given　up　the　search；　and　she　was　the　last　to　return。　She　had　journeyed　to　the　Shattered　Hills　themselves。　She　called　all　the　people　together；　and　told　us　the　fate　of　the　three　before　she　died。　The　wounds　of　the　search…〃
　He　groaned　again。　〃Now　I　am　the　last。　Ah；　my　people！〃　As　he　cried　out；　he　moved；　shoved　himself　to　his　feet；　stood　erect　against　the　wall。　Towering　over　his　hearers；　he　put　back　his　head　and　began　to　sing　the　old　song　of　the　Unhomed。
　Now　we　are　Unhomed；　bereft　of　root　and　kith　and　kin。
　From　other　mysteries　of　delight；　we　set　our　sails　to　resail　our　track；　but　the　winds　of　life　blew　not　the　way　we　chose；　and　the　land　beyond　the　Sea　was　lost。
　It　was　long；　like　all　Giantish　songs。　But　he　sang　only　a　fragment　of　it。　Soon　he　fell　silent；　and　his　chin　dropped　to　his　breast。
　Again　Lord　Hyrim　asked；　〃Who　is　he？〃
　The　Giant　answered　by　resuming　his　tale。　〃Then　he　came。　Omen　of　the　end　and　Home　turned　to　misery　and　gall。　Then　we　knew　the　truth。　We　had　seen　it　before…in　lighter　times；　when　the　knowledge　might　have　been　of　some　use…but　we　had　denied　it。　We　had　seen　our　evil；　and　had　denied　it；　thinking　that　we　might　find　our　way　Home　and　escape　it。　Fools！　When　we　saw　him；　we　knew　the　truth。　Through　folly　and　withering　seed　and　passion　and　impatience　for　Home；　we　had　bee　the　thing　we　hate。　We　saw　the　truth　in　him。　Our　hearts　were　turned　to　ashes；　and　we　went　to　our　dwellings…these　small　rooms　which　we　called　homes　in　vain。〃
　〃Why　did　you　not　flee？〃
　〃Some　did…some　four　or　five　who　did　not　know　the　long　name　of　despair…or　did　not　hear　it。　Or　they　were　too　much　like　him　to　judge。　The　ill　of　the　Sarangrave　took　them…they…are　no　more。〃
　pelled　by　the　ancient　passion　of　the　Bloodguard；　Korik　asked；　〃Why　did　you　not　fight？〃
　〃We　had　bee　the　thing　we　hate。　We　are　better　dead。〃
　〃Nevertheless！〃　Korik　said。　〃Is　this　the　fealty　of　the　Giants？　Does　all　promised　faithfulness　e　to　this？　By　the　Vow；　Giant！　You　destroy　yourselves；　and　let　the　evil　live！　Even　Kevin　Landwaster　was　not　so　weak。〃
　In　his　emotion；　he　forgot　caution；　and　all　the　Bloodguard　were　taken　unaware。　The　sudden　voice　behind　them　was　cold　with　contempt；　it　cut　through
　them　like　a　gale　of　winter。　Turning；　they　found　that　another　Giant　stood　in　the　doorway。　He　was　much　younger　than　the　Giant　within；　but　he　resembled　the　older　Giant。　The　chief　difference　lay　in　the　contempt　that　filled　his　face；　raged　in　his　eyes；　twisted　his　mouth　as　if　he　were　about　to　spit。
　In　his　right　hand；　he　clenched　a　hot　green　stone。　It　blazed　with　an　emerald　strength　that　shone　through　his　fingers。　As　he　gripped　it；　it　steamed　thickly。
　He　stank　of　fresh　blood；　he　was　spattered　with　it　from　head　to　foot。　And　within　him；　clinging　to　his　bones；　was　a　powerful　presence　that　did　not　fit　his　form。　It　slavered　from　behind　his　eyes　with　a　great　force　of　malice　and　wrong。
　〃Hmm；〃　he　said　in　a　despising　tone；　〃a　Lord　and　three　Bloodguard。　I　am　pleased。　I　had　thought　that　my　friend　in　the　Sarangrave　would　take　all　like　you　but　I　see　I　shall　have　that　pleasure　myself。　Ah；　but　you　are　not　entirely　scatheless；　are　you？　Black　bees　you。　Did　you　lose　friends　to　my　friend？〃　He　laughed　with　a　grating　sound；　like　the　noise　of　boulders　being　crushed　together。
　Lord　Hyrim　stepped　forward；　planted　his　staff；　said　bravely；　〃e　no　closer；　turiya　Raver。　I　am　Hyrim；　Lord　of　the　Council　of　Revelstone。　Melenkurion　abatha！　Duroc　minas　mill　khabaal！　I　will　not　let　you　pass。〃
　The　Giant　winced　as　Lord　Hyrim　uttered　the　Words　of　power。　But　then　he　laughed　again。　〃Hah！　Little　Lord！　Is　that　the　limit　of　your　lore？　Can　you　e　no　closer　than　that　to　the　Seven　Words？　You　pronounce　them　badly。　But　I　must　admit…you　have　recognized　me。　I　am　turiya　Herem。　But　we　have　…new　names　now；　my　brothers　and　I。　There　is　Fleshharrower；　and　Satansfist。　And　I　am　named　Kinslaughterer。〃
　At　this；　the　older　Giant　groaned　heavily。　The　Raver　glanced　into　the　back　of　the　cell；　and　said　in　a　tone　of　satisfaction；　〃Ah；　there　he　is。　Little　Lord；　I　see　that　you　have　been　speaking　with　Sparlimb　Keelsetter。　Did　he　tell　you　that　he　is　my　father？　Father；　why　do　you　not　wele　your　son？〃
　The　Bloodguard　did　not　look　at　the　older　Giant。　But　they　heard　Keelsetter's　pain；　and　understood　it。　Something　within　the　Giant　was　breaking。　Suddenly；　he　gave　a　savage　roar。　Leaping　past　the　four；　he　attacked　Kin