srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第63部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Simultaneously；　the　first　kresh　rounded　both　ends　of　the　fire。
　The　next　instant；　Lord　Mhoram　threw　himself　from　his　Ranyhyn's　back；　landed　beside　Callindrill。　A　quick　glance　told　him　that　the　warriors　were　dead；　the　force　of　the　concussion　had　killed　them。　He　concentrated　on　Callindrill。　Touching　the　Lord's　chest　with　his　hands；　he　confirmed　what　his　eyes　told　him；　life　still　flickered　in　Callindrill；　but　his　heart　was　not　beating。
　Then　Troy　reached　Mhoram's　side；　and　the　Bloodguard　poised　themselves　to　defend　the　Lords。　On　horseback；　Verement　worked　at　the　wall　of　forbidding；　tightened'　it　against　the　assault　of　the　wedge。　But　it　could　not　withstand　fifteen　hundred　ur…viles。　The　wedge　moved　slowly；　but　it　was　hardly　twenty　yards　from　the　fire。　And　kresh　poured　around　the　ends　of　the　wall　now。　pelting　toward　the　Bloodguard　and　Lords。　The　Bloodguard　moved　out　to　meet　the　wolves；　but　a　hundred　Bloodguard　could　not　hold　back　five　thousand　kresh　for　long。
　〃Flee！〃　Mhoram　yelled。　〃Go！　Save　yourselves！　We　must　not　all　die　here！〃
　But　he　did　not　wait　to　observe　that　no　one　obeyed　him。　Instead；　he　bent　over　the　fallen　Lord　again。　Holding；　his　lower　lip　in　his　teeth；　he　massaged　Callindrill's　chest；　honing　to　renew　his　pulse。　But　his　heart　remained　motionless。
　Mhoram　drew　a　sudden　sharp　breath；　raised　his　fist；　and　hammered　once　with　all　his　might　on　Callindrill's　chest。
　The　blow　jolted　the　Lord's　heart。　It　lurched；　stumbled；　then　broke　into　a　limping　beat。
　Mhoram　shouted　for　Morril。　At　once；　the　Bloodguard　leaped　down　from　his　Ranyhyn；　caught　Callindrill　in　his　arms；　and　sprang　up　again。　Seeing　this；　Lord　Verement　broke　away　from　the　forbidding　wall；　started　back　toward　Doom's　Retreat。　Mhoram　and　Troy　mounted；　surged　away　from　the　wall　after　him。
　The　Bloodguard　followed　in　a　protective　ring　around　the　Lords。
　A　moment　later；　the　massed　ur…vile　wedge　hit　the　wall　and　tore　it。　Dark；　liquid　power　shredded　the　blue　flame；　ripped　it　into　fragments　and　scattered　it。　Instantly；　the　rest　of　the　kresh　flooded　after　the　escaping　Ranyhyn。　And　the　wolves　pouring　around　the　ends　of　the　wall　changed　direction　to　intercept　the　riders。
　But　the　Ranyhyn　outdistanced　them。　The　great　horses　of　Ra　pulled　past　Verement　and　thundered　toward　Doom's　Retreat。
　Ahead；　under　the　late　afternoon　shadow　of　the　cliffs；　Hiltmark　Quaan　was　urging　the　last　of　his　warriors　into　the　canyon。
　Maddened　by　the　escape　of　so　many　prey；　the　kresh　howled　with　rage；　and　…swung　to　converge　on　Lord　Verement。
　His　mustang　ran　hard　and　bravely。　But　it　was　already　exhausted；　slowly　the　kresh　gained　on　it。　Before　it　had　covered　half　the　distance　to　the　Retreat；　Troy　could　see　that　it　would　lose　the　race。
　He　called　for　help；　but　the　Bloodguard　did　not　respond。　Only　Thomin；　the　Bloodguard　personally　responsible　for　Verement；　remained　behind。　Incensed；　Troy　started　to　go　back　himself；　but　Mhoram　stopped　him　by　shouting；　〃There　is　no　need！〃
　Thomin　waited　until　the　last　possible　moment…until　the　kresh　were　raging　at　the　heels　of　the　mustang。　Then　he　pulled　the　Lord　onto　his　own　Ranyhyn；　and　carried　him　away　toward　the　Retreat。
　Almost　at　once；　the　mustang　fell　screaming　under　an　avalanche　of　wolves。
　For　an　instant；　the　haze　of　the　cliff　shadow　turned　sickly　red　in　Troy's　sight。　But　then　Mehryls'　taut　run　bore　him　beyond　the　scream；　took　him　straight　toward　the　gap　in　the　cliffs。　He　flashed　into　the　deeper　gloom　of　the　defile。　Except　for　the　slit　of　light　ahead；　he　could　see　nothing。　The　sharp　change　made　him　feel　that　he　was　foundering。　The　rumble　of　hooves　pounded　back　at　him　from　the　cliffs；　and　behind　the　echo　came　the　shrill　croaking　derision　of　the　ravens。　He　felt　waters　of　darkness　closing　over　his　head。　When　he　broke
　
　out　the　end　of　the　Retreat　into　the　dim；　late　light　of　day；　he　was　almost　dazzled　with　relief。
　As　he　passed；　First　Haft　Amorine　gave　a　piercing　shout；　and　thousands　of　warriors　dashed　away　from　the　cliffs　on　either　side　of　the　gap。　Despite　the　long　fatigue　which　radiated　from　them；　they　ran　with　precision；　took　positions；　formed　an　arc　over　the　end　of　the　canyon；　sealing　the　trap。

　Moments　later；　the　first　kresh　came　howling　out　of　the　Retreat　and　sprang　at　them。　The　whole　arc　of　warriors　staggered　under　the。　shock　of　impact。　But　Amorine　had　eighteen　Eoward　and　braced　to　meet　the　onslaught。　The　arc　gave　ground。　but　did　not　break。
　With　an　effort；　Troy　brought　himself　under　control。　Over　to　one　side；　he　could　hear　Lord　Verement　barking；　〃Release　me！　Am　I　a　child；　that　I　must　be　carried？〃　Troy　grinned　grimly；　then　drew　Mehryl　up　behind　the　arc　so　that　he　would　be　ready　to　help　his　warriors　if　the　wolves　outweighed　them。　He　ached　to　see　the　oute　of　the　trap；　but　the　darkness　of　the　Retreat　foiled　his　sight。
　Soon；　however；　he　could　hear　the　sounds　of　bat　echoing　out　of　the　defile。　Over　the　noise　of　the　embattled　arc；　he　made　out　a　sudden　raw　howl　as　the　kresh　in　the　Retreat　found　themselves　attacked　from　above　by　twenty　Eoward　hidden　in　the　canyon　walls。　At　first；　the　howl　contained　surprise　and　ferocity；　but　no　fear；　the　wolves　did　not　understand　their　danger。
　The　ur…viles　were　wiser。　Their　mands　cut　stridently…　through　the　rage　of　the　wolves。　And　soon　the　howling　changed。　To　their　dismay；　the　kresh　began　to　understand　the　glee　of　the　ravens。　And　the　yammering　of　the　ur…vile…；　became　fiercer；　more　desperate。　In　the　narrow　defile；　they　could　not　make　effective　use　of　their　fighting　wedges；　and　without　that　focus　of　power；　they　were　vulnerable　to　arrows　and　spears　and　rockfalls。　Caught　in　a　seething；　confused　mass　of　wolves；　the　wedges　began　to　collapse。
　As　the　wedges　crumbled。　fear　and　uncertainty　penetrated　the　wolves'　fury　for　blood。　In　tattered　bunches；　the　kresh　broke　away。　tried　to　flee　through　the　canyon。　But　the　cramped　panic　of　their　numbers　…only
　hampered　them；　and　made　the　ur…viles　more　vulnerable。　And　death　rained　down　on　them　through　the　jeering　of　the　ravens。　In　mad　frenzy；　wild　to　fight　an　enemy　they　could　not　reach；　the　kresh　started　to　attack　the　ur…viles。
　No　wolves　or　ur…viles　escaped。　When　the　battle　was　done；　the　entire　vanguard　of　Fleshharrower's　army　lay　dead　in　Doom's　Retreat。
　For　one　moment；　a　hush　fell　over　the　battleground；　even　the　ravens　were　silent。　Then　a　hoarse　cheer　came　echoing　from　the　canyon。　The　Eoward　sealing　the　end　of　the　Retreat　responded　loudly。　And　the　ravens　began　sailing　down　to　the　defile's　floor；　where　they　feasted　on　Demondim…spawn　and　kresh。
　Slowly；　Troy　became　aware　that　First　Haft　Amorine　was　at　his　side。　When　he　turned　to　her；　he　felt　that　he　was　grinning　insanely；　but　even　without　his　sunglasses　he　did　not　care。　〃Congratulations；　Amorine；〃　he　said。　〃You've　done　well。〃　The　evening　fog　on　his　sight　was　already　so　bad　that　he　had　to　ask　her　about　casualties。
　〃We　have　lost　few　warriors；〃　she　replied　with　dour　satisfaction。　〃Your　battle　plan　is　a　good　one。〃
　But　her　praise　only　reminded　him　of　the　rest　of　Lord　Foul's　army；　and　of　the　ordeal　still　before　the　Warward。　He　shook　his　head。　〃Not　good　enough。〃　But　then；　rather　than　explain　what　he　meant；　he　said　to　her；　〃First　Haft；　give　my　thanks　to　the　warriors。　Get　them　fed　and　settled　for　the　night…there　won't　be　any　more　fighting　today。　When　they're　taken　care　of；　we'll　have　a　council。〃
　Amorine's　gaze　showed　that　she　did　not　understand　his　attitude；　but　she　saluted　without　question；　and　moved　away　to　carry　out　his　orders。　His　blank　mist　swallowed　her　at　once。　Darkness　blew　about　him　as　if　it　rode　on　the　wind　of　the　Warward's　shouting。　He　called　for　Ruel；　and　asked　the　Bloodguard　to　guide　him　to　Lord　Mhoram。
　They　found　Mhoram　beside　a　small　campfire　under　the　lee　of　the　westward　mountains。　He　was　tending　Lord　Callindrill。　Callindrill　had　regained　consciousness；　but　his　skin　was　as　pale　as　alabaster；　and　he　looked　weak。　Mhoram　cooked　some　broth　over　the
　campfire；　and　massaged　Callindrill　while　the　broth　heated。
　Lord　Callindrill　greeted　the　Warmark　faintly；　and　Troy　replied　with　pleasure。　He　was　glad　to　see　that　Callindrill　was　not　mortally　injured；　he　was　going　to　need　the　Lord。　He　was　going　to　need　every　help　or　power　that　he　could　find。
　But　he　had　other　things　to　consider　before　he　began　to　think　about　his　need　for　help。　When　he　had　assured　himself　that　Lord　Callindrill　was　on　the　way　to　recovery；　he　drew　Mhoram　away　for　a　private　talk。
　He　waited　until　they　were　beyond　earshot　of　the　Warward's　camp。　Then　he　sighed　wearily；　〃Mhoram；　we're　not　finished。　We　can't　stop　here。〃　Without　transition；　as　if　he　had　not　changed　subjects；　he　went　on；　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　Lord　Verement？　One　of　us　has　got　to　tell　him…about　Shetra。　I'll　do　it　if　you　want。　I　probably　deserve　it。〃
　〃I　will　do　it；〃　Mhoram　murmured　distantly。
　〃All　right。〃　Troy　felt　acutely　relieved　to　be　free　of　that　responsibility。　〃Now；　what　about　this…what　Tull　told　us？　I　don't　like　the　idea　of　telling　everyone　that　that　the　mission…〃　He　could　not　bring　himself　to　say　the　words；　The　Giants　are　dead。　〃I　don't　think　the　warriors　will　survive　what's　ahead　if　they　know　what　happened　to　the　mission。　It's　too　much。　Having　three　Giants　taken　over　by　Ravers　is　bad　enough。　And　I'll　have　to　tell　them　worse　things　than　that　myself。〃
　Softly；　Mhoram　breathed；　〃They　deserve　to　know　the　truth。〃
　〃Deserve？〃　Troy's　deep　feeling　of　culpability　flooded　into　anger。　〃What　they　deserve　is　victory。　By　God；　don't　tell　me　what　they　deserve！　It's　a　little　late　for　you　to　start　worrying　about　what　they　know　or　don't　know。　You've　seen　fit　to　keep　secrets　from　me　all　along。　God　knows　how　many　horrors　you　still　haven't　told　me。　Keep　your　mouth　shut　about　this。〃
　〃That　choice　was　made　by　the　Council。　No　one　person　has　the　right　to　withhold　knowledge　from　another。　No　one　is　wise　enough。〃　Mhoram　spoke　as　if　he　were　wrestling　with　himself。
　〃It's　too　late　for　that。　If　you　want　to　talk　about
　rights…you　don't　have　the　right　to　destroy　my　army。〃
　〃My　friend；　have　you…have　you　suffered…has　the　withholding　of　knowledge　harmed　you？〃
　〃How　should　I　know？　Maybe　if　you　had　told　me　the　truth…about　Atiaran…we　wouldn't　be　here　now。　Maybe　I　would　have　been　afraid　of　the　risk。　You　tell　me　if　that's　good　；or　bad。〃　Then　his　anger　softened。　〃Mhoram；〃　he　pleaded；