srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第62部分

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　The　Warmark　did　not　bother　to　calculate　the　odds。　He　urged　Mehryl　ahead。　At　full　stretch；　the　Ranyhyn　raced　to　join　Quaan。
　When　they　saw　Troy　and　Lord　Mhoram；　the　warriors　gave　a　raw；　dry　cheer。　Quaan；　Callindrill；　and　Verement　dashed　out　toward　the　Warmark。　But　there　was　little　joy　in　their　reunion。　The　plight　of　the　Eoward　was　desperate。　When　he　drew　close　to　them；　Troy　saw　that　most　of　the　horses　were　virtually　prostrate　on　their　feet；　only　their　fear　of　the　wolves　kept　them　up　and　running。　And　the　warriors　were　in　no　better　condition。　They　had　ridden　for　days　without　proper　food　or　sleep。　None　of　them　lacked　injuries。　The　dust　of　the　Plains　clung　to　their　faces　and　clotted　their　wounds；　making　the　cuts　and　rents　look　like　premature　scars。　Troy　had　to　tear　his　aching　gaze　from　them　to　salute　the　Hiltmark。
　Through　the　thunder　of　the　hooves；　Quaan　shouted；　〃Hail；　Warmark！　Well　met！〃　As　Troy　swung　Mehryl　into　place　beside　him；　he　added；　〃Not　eight　days；　I　fear！〃
　〃Did　you　send　word　to　Amorine？〃　Troy　yelled。
　〃Yes！〃
　〃Then　it's　all　right！　Seven　will　be　enough！〃　He　clapped　the　Hiltmark's　shoulder；　then　slowed　Mehryl；　and　dropped　back　among　the　warriors。
　Immediately；　dust　and　fear　and　tension　swirled　around　him　like　the　hot　breath　of　the　kresh。　Now　he　could　hear　the　hunting　snarl　of　the　wolves；　and　the　roynish　barking　of　the　ur…viles。　He　felt　their　presence　as　if　they　were　his　fault…as　if　they　had　been　created　by　his　folly。　Yet　he　forced　himself　to　smile　at　his　warriors；　shout　encouragement　through　the　din。　He　could　not　afford　self…recrimination。　The　burden　of　saving　the　Warward　was　on　his　shoulders　now。
　Moments　later；　a　surge　ran　through　the　barking　mands　of　the　ur…viles。　Troy　guessed　that　the　pursuers　were　about　to　attempt　another　spurt。
　He　looked　ahead　quickly　toward　the　sheer　cliffs　of　Doom's　Retreat。　They　were　no　more　than　two　leagues　away。　There　the　western　tip　of　the　Southron　Range　swung　northward　to　meet　the　southeast　corner　of　the　mountain　wedge　which　separated　the　South　Plains　from　Garroting　Deep；　and　between　these　two　ranges　was　the　defile　of　Doom's　Retreat。　The　narrow　canyon
　lay　like　a　gash　through　the　rock；　and　its　crooked　length　provided　the　Land's　only　access　to　the　Wastes　and　the　Gray　Desert。
　Troy's　gaze　sprang　to　the　mouth　of　the　canyon。
　The　last　marching　Eoward　were　still　arriving　at　the　Retreat。
　If　they　were　not　given　more　time；　they　would　be　caught　outside　the　canyon　by　the　kresh。　Their　ambush　would　fail。
　The　Warmark　was　moving　too　swiftly　for　hesitation。　When　he　was　sure　that　the　Warward　had　been　Quaan's　riders；　he　pushed　Mehryl　ahead；　away　from　the　kresh；　and　caught　the　Hiltmarks'　attention　with　a　wave　of　his　arm。　Then　he　gave　Quaan　a　hand　signal　which　ordered　the　Eoward　to　turn　and　attack。
　Quaan　did　not　falter；　he　understood　the　need　for　the　order。　Despite　the　maimed　condition　of　his　mand；　he　sent　up　a　shrill；　piercing　whistle　which　drew　the　eyes　of　his　officers　toward　him。　With　hand　signals；　he　gave　the　Hafts　and　Warhafts　their　instructions。
　Almost　at　once；　the　riders　responded。　The　outer　Eoward　peeled　back；　and　the　warriors　in　the　center　tried　to　turn　where　they　were。　Frantically；　they　fought　their　horses　around　to　face　the　wolves。
　Disaster　struck　the　maneuver　immediately。　As　soon　as　the　riders　stopped　fleeing；　kresh　crashed　in　among　them。　The　whole　trailing　edge　of　Quaan's　mand　went　down　under　the　onslaught；　and　the　ur…vile　loremasters　whirled　their　iron　staves；　throwing　acid　power　gleefully　over　the　fallen　humans　and　horses。　The　screaming　of　the　horses　shot　through　the　tumult　of　snarls　and　cries。　Instantly；　a　wide　swath　of　gray…green　bracken　turned　blood…red。
　But　the　abrupt　profusion　of　corpses　broke　the　charge　of　the　kresh。　Their　leaders　stopped　to　kill　and　tear　and　eat；　and　this　threw　the。　following　wolves　into　confusion。　Only　the　ur…vile　wedges　drove　straight　ahead；　into　the　milling　heart　of　the　Eoward。
　Bloodguard　raced　to　the　aid　of　the　warriors。　The　three　Lords　threw　themselves　at　the　nearest　ur…viles。　Other　warriors　rallied　and　struck。　And　through　the
　center　of　the　fight　Warmark　Troy　charged　like　a　madman；　hacking　at　every　wolf　within　reach。
　For　a　time；　the　kresh　were　held。　The　warriors　fought　with　a　desperate　fury；　and　the　cool　Bloodguard　broke　wolves　in　all　directions。　Working　together；　the　Lords　blasted　one　ur…vile　wedge　apart；　then　another。　But　that　accounted　for　only　a　tenth　of　the　mounted　ur…viles。　The　others　regrouped；　began　to　restore　order；　coordination；　to　the　kresh。　Some　of　the　horses　lost　their　footing　on　the　slick　ground。　Others　went　out　of　control　with　fear；　threw　their　riders；　and　lost　themselves　in　futile　plunges　among　the　wolves。
　Troy　saw　that　if　any　of　the　warriors　were　to　survive　this　fight　they　would　have　to　flee　soon。
　He　battled　his　way　toward　the　Lords。　But　suddenly　a　whole　pack　of　kresh　swirled　about　him。　Mehryl　spun；　dodging　the　fangs　and　kicking。　Troy　fought　as　best　he　could；　but　Mehryl's　whirling　unbalanced　him。　Twice　he　almost　lost　his　seat。　A　wolf　leaped　up　at　him；　and　he　barely　saved　himself　by　jabbing　his　sword　into　its　belly。
　Then　Ruel　brought　other　Bloodguard　to　his　aid。　In　a　concerted　charge；　ten　of　them　hammered　into　the　pack；　shattered　it。　Troy　righted　himself；　tried　uselessly　to　straighten　his　missing　sunglasses；　then　cursed　himself　and　sent　Mehryl　toward　the　Lords　again。
　As　he　moved；　he　snapped　a　glance　at　the　Retreat。　The　last　of　the　marchers　were　just　disappearing　down　the　canyon。
　〃Do　something！〃　he　howled　when　he　neared　Lord　Mhoram。　〃We're　being　slaughtered！〃
　Mhoram　spun　and　shouted　to　Callindrill　and　Verement；　then　returned　to　the　Warmark。　〃On　my　signal！〃　he　yelled　over　the　din。　〃Flee　on　my　signal！〃　Without　waiting　for　a　reply；　he　pushed　his　Ranyhyn　into　a　gallop　and　dashed　toward　the　Retreat　with　the　other　Lords。
　In　a　hundred　yards；　they　separated。　Verement　stopped　directly　between　the　conflict　and　the　Retreat；　while　Mhoram　raced　straight　north　and　Callindrill　ran　south。　When　they　were　in　position；　they　formed　a　long　line　across　the　approach　to　Doom's　Retreat。
　They　dismounted。　Lord　Verement　held　his　staff　upright　on　the　ground　in　the　center　as　Mhoram　and　Callindrill　whirled　their　staffs　and　shouted　strange　invocations　through　the　noise　of　battle。　While　they　prepared；　Troy　fought　his　way　to　Quaan's　side；　told　him　what　Mhoram　had　said。　The　Hiltmark　accepted　it　without　pausing。　They　separated；　battled　away　toward　the　flanks　of　the　struggle；　spreading　the　mand。
　Troy　feared　that　Mhoram's　call　would　e　too　late。　The　power　of　ninetyscore　ur…viles　rapidly　organized　the　turbulent　kresh。　As　the　Eoward　gathered　themselves　to　flee；　the　ur…viles　wrenched　the　kresh　away　from　the　tearing　of　carcasses；　bunched　them　again　into　fighting　wedges；　and　hurled　them　at　the　warriors。
　In　that　instant；　'Lord　Mhoram　signaled　with　his　staff。
　The　riders　sent　their　horses　running　straight　toward　Doom's　Retreat。　They　seemed　to　rush　out　from　under　the　piled　spring　of　the　wolves。　Once　again；　the　trailing　warriors　crashed　to　the　ground　under　a　massive　breaker　of　kresh。　But　this　time　the　remaining　riders　did　not　fight　back。　They　gave　free　rein　to　the　fear　of　their　horses；　and　fled。
　The　suddenness　of　their　flight　opened　a　gap　between　them　and　the　wolves；　and　the　gap　widened　slowly　as　the　horses　at　last　found　release　for　all　their　accumulated　dread。　In　moments；　Troy　and　Quaan　with　the　last　three　Eoward　and　little　more　than　a　hundred　Bloodguard　flashed　by　on　either　side　of　Lord　Verement。　As　they　passed　him；　he　took　his　staff　from　where　he　had　planted　it　in　the　line　between　Mhoram　and　Callindrill；　caught　it　by　one　end　with　both　hands；　and　cocked　it　behind　his　head。
　Then　the　last　rider　had　crossed　the　line。
　Verement　swung　his　staff　and　struck　the　ground　of　the　line　with　all　his　might。
　Instantly；　a　shimmering　wall　of　force　sprang　up　between　Mhoram　and　Callindrill。　When　the　first　kresh　charged　it；　it　flared　into　brilliant　blue　flame；　and　hurled　them　back。
　Seeing　that　the　wall　held；　Lord　Mhoram　leaped　on…
　to　the　Ranyhyn；　and　sprinted　after　the　warriors。　Lord　Verement　followed　as　swiftly　as　his　sturdy　mustang　could　carry　him。　When　they　neared　Troy　and　Quaan；　Mhoram　shouted；　〃Make　haste！　The　forbidding　cannot　hold！　The　ur…viles　will　break　it！　Flee！〃
　The　warriors　needed　no　urging；　and　Quaan　dashed　after　them；　stridently　herding　them　toward　the　Retreat。　Troy　went　with　him。　For　a　moment；　Mhoram　and　Verement　were　right　behind　them。　But　suddenly　the　Lords　stopped。　At　the　same　time；　all　the　Bloodguard　wheeled　their　Ranyhyn；　and　pounded　back　toward　the　forbidding。
　Cursing　in　dismay；　Troy　turned　to　see　what　had　happened。
　Lord　Callindrill　was　on　the　ground　near　the　wall。　Several　badly　wounded　warriors　had　fallen　from　their　mounts　within　yards　of　the　blue　fire；　and　Callindrill　was　trying　to　help　them。　Rapidly；　he　tore　their　clothing　into　strips；　made　tourniquets　and　bandages。
　He　did　not　look　up　to　see　his　danger。
　Already　the　ur…viles　were　preparing　to　fight　the　wall。　They　sent　most　of　the　riderless　kresh　running　to　pass　around　the　ends　of　the　fire。　Three　ur…vile　wedges　moved　forward　to　attack。　The　rest　retreated　a　short　distance　and　began　re…forming　themselves　into　a　huge；　single　wedge。
　Troy　kicked　Mehryl　into　a　gallop；　and　joined　the　Bloodguard　following　Mhoram　and　Verement。
　Lord　Mhoram　was　twenty　vards　ahead　of　Troy；　but　he　could　not　reach　Callindrill　in　time。　The　three　ur…vile　wedges　near　the　fire　attacked。　They　did　not　try　to　break　the　Lords'　wall。　Instead；　the　loremasters　concentrated　all　their　power　in　one　place。　With　a　harsh　clang；　they　struck　their　iron　staves　together。　A　great　spew　of　liquid　force　gushed　from　the　impact；　splashed　into　the　forbidding　fire；　and　passed　through　it。
　In　black；　burning　gouts；　the　corrosive　fluid　dropped　toward　Callindrill。　It　fell　just　short　of　him；　did　not　touch　him。　But　it　hit　the　ground　with　a　concussion　that　flung　him　and　the　injured　warriors　into　the　air　like　limp　bundles。
　When　they　flopped　down　again；　they　lay　still。
　At　once；　the　three　wedges　hurried　aside；　and　the　new；　single；　massed　wedge　started　lumbering　toward　the　wall。
　Simultaneously；　the　first　kresh　rounded　both　ends　of　the　fire。
　The　next　instant；　Lord　Mhoram　threw　himself　from　his　Rany