srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第66部分

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　Numbly；　Troy　watched　Verement。　The　hawkish　Lord　did　not　look　like　a　man　in　search　of　relief。　He　threw　himself　up　and　down　in　the　tumbled　edges　of　the　defile；　kicked　his　way　through　the　shale　and　the　fleshless　bones　and　the　watchful　silence　of　the　ravens；　as　if　he　were　possessed。　And　he　was　exhausting　himself。　Already　his　stride　was　unsteady；　and　he　had　fallen　several　times。　Yet　he　had　covered　less　than　a　third　of　Doom's　Retreat　with　the　invisible　skein　of　his　fire。　But　some　power；　some　relentless　coercion　of　will；　kept　him　going。　Throughout　the　morning；　he　continued　his　weird　progress　along　the　canyon；　stopping　only　at　rare　moments　to　accept　water　and　treasureberries　from　Thomin。　By　midmorning；　he　was　half　done。
　Now；　however；　he　could　no　longer　keep　up　his　pace。　He　had　to　lean　on　Thomin　as　he　stumbled　up　into　the　rocks　and　down　again；　and　his　staff's　fire　guttered　and　smoked。　A　few　ravens　dropped　out　of　their　high　nests　and　sailed　around　him　as　if　to　see　how　much　longer　he　would　endure。　But　he　went　on；　the　force　which　blazed　in　him　did　not　waver。
　In　the　end；　he　was　pelled　to　leave　the　last　yards　of　the　Retreat　unwoven。　Thomin　pointed　out　to　him　the　rising　dust　of　Fleshharrower's　approach。　Shortly；　the　leading　wave　of　yellow　wolves　came　into　view。　Lord　Verement　dropped　his　task；　straightened　his　shoulders；　he　gave　Thomin　one　final　order。　Then　he　walked　out　of　Doom's　Retreat　to　meet　the　army　of　the　Despiser。
　The　wide　front　of　wolves　rushed　toward　him；　suddenly　eager　for　prey。　But　at　the　last　they　hesitated；　halted。　The　unflinching　challenge　of　his　stance　threw　them　into　confusion。　Though　they　snapped　and　snarled　fiercely；　they　did　not　attack。　They　encircled　the　two　men；　and　ran　howling　around　them　while　the　rest　of　the　army　made　its　approach。
　Fleshharrower's　army　marched　out　of　the　northeast　until　the　dark　line　of　it　filled　the　horizon；　and　the　tramping　of　its　myriad　feet　shook　the　ground。　The　Despiser's　hordes　seemed　to　cover　the　whole　Plains；　and　their　tremendous　numbers　dwarfed　Lord　Verement　like　an　ocean。　When　the　Giant　came　forward；　kicked　his　way　through　the　wolves　to　confront　the　Lord　and　the　Bloodguard；　his　size　alone　made　the　two　men　appear　puny　and　insignificant。
　But　when　the　Giant　was　within　ten　yards　of　him；　Verement　made　a　forbidding　gesture。　〃e　no　closer；　moksha　Raver！〃　he　shouted　hoarsely。　〃I　know　you；　Jehannum　Fleshharrower！　Go　back！　Back　to　the　evil　which　made　you。　I　deny　you　passage…I；　Verement　Shetra…mate；　Lord　of　the　Council　of　Revelstone！　You　may　not　pass　here！〃
　Fleshharrower　stopped。　〃Ah；　a　Lord；〃　he　said；　peering　down　at　Verement　as　if　the　Lord　were　too　tiny　to　be　seen　easily。　〃I　am　amazed。〃　His　face　was　twisted；　and　his　leer　gave　him　an　expression　of　acute　pain；　as　if　his　flesh　could　not　disguise　the　hurt　of　the　rabid　presence　within　it。　But　his　voice　seemed　to　suck　and　cling　in　the　air　like　quicksand。　It　held　only　derision　and　lust　as　he　continued；　〃Have　you　e　to　wele　me　to　the　slaughter　of　your　army？　But　of　course　you　know　it　is　too　small　to　be　called　an　army。　I　have　fought　and　followed　you　from　Andelain；　but　do　not　think　that　you　have　outwitted　me。　I　know　you　seek　to　meet　me　in　Doom's　Retreat　because　your　army　is　too　weak　to　fight　elsewhere。　Perhaps　you　have　e　to　surrender…to　join　me。〃
　〃You　speak　like　a　fool；〃　Verement　barked。　〃No　friend　of　the　Land　will　ever　surrender　to　you；　or　join　you。　Admit　the　truth；　and　go。　Go；　I　say！　Melenkurion　abatha！〃　Abruptly；　he　caught　his　staff　in　both　hands　and　raised　it　over　his　head。　〃Duroa　minas　mill
　khabaal！　With　all　the　names　of　the　Earthpower；　I　mand　you！　There　is　no　victory　for　the　Despiser　here！〃
　As　Verement　shouted　his　Words；　the　Raver　flinched。　To　defend　himself；　he　thrust　his　hand　into　his　leather　jerkin；　snatched　out　a　smooth　green　stone　that　filled　his　fist。　A　lambent　emerald　flame　played　in　its　depths；　and　it　steamed　like　boiling　ice。　He　clenched　it；　made　it　steam　more　viciously；　and　exclaimed；　〃Verement　Shetra…mate；　for　a　hundred　leagues　I　have　driven　two　Lords　before　me　like　ants！　Why　do　you　believe　that　you　can　resist　me　now？〃
　〃Because　you　have　killed　Shetra　my　wife！〃　the　Lord　cried　in　rage。　…〃Because　I　have　been　unworthy　of　her　all　my　life！　Because　I　do　not　fear　you；　Raver！　I　am　free　of　all　restraint！　No　fear　or　love　limits　my　strength！　I　match　you　hate　for　hate；　moksha　Raver！　Melenkurion　abatha！〃
　His　staff　whirled　about　his　head；　and　a　livid　blue　bolt　of　power　sprang　from　the　wood　at　Fleshharrower。　Simultaneously；　Thomin　rushed　forward　with　his　fingers　crooked　like　claws；　threw　himself　at　the　Giant's　throat。
　Fleshharrower　met　the　attack　easily；　disdainfully。　He　caught　Verement's　bolt　on　his　Stone　and　held　it　burning　there　like　a　censer。　Almost　at　once；　the　blue　flame　turned　deep　dazzling　green；　blazed　up　higher。　And　with　his　other　hand　the　Giant　dealt　Thomin　a　blow　which　sent　him　sprawling　behind　Verement。
　Then　Fleshharrower　flung　the　fire　back。
　The　Lord's　fury　never　winced。　Swinging　his　staff；　he　jabbed　its　metal　end　like　a　lance　into　the　gout　of　power。　Savage　cracking　noises　came　from　the　wood　as　it　bucked　and　bent…but　the　staff　held。　Verement　shouted　mighty　words　over　the　flame；　pelled　it　to　his　will　again。　Slowly　the　green　burned　blue　on　his　staff。　When　he　had　mastered　it；　he　hurled　it　again　at　the　Raver。
　Fleshharrower　began　to　laugh。　Verement's　attack；　multiplied　by　some　of　the　Giant's　own　power；　caught　on　the　Stone　as　if　the　green　rock　were　its　wick。　There
　it　grew　hungrily　until　the　column　of　emerald　fire　reached　high　into　the　air。
　Laughing；　the　Raver　shot　this　fire　toward　Verement。　It　splintered　his　staff；　flash…burned　the　pieces　to　cinders；　deluged　him。　But　then　the　flame　bent　itself　to　his　form；　gripped　him；　clung　and　crawled　all　over　him　like　a　corona。　His　arms　dropped；　his　head　fell　forward　until　his　chin　touched　his　chest；　his　eyes　closed；　he　hung　in　the　fire　as　if　he　had　been　nailed　there。
　Triumphantly；　Fleshharrower　cried；　〃Now；　Verement　Shetra…mate！　Where　is　your　defiance　now？〃　For　a　moment；　his　derision　scaled　upward；　echoed　off　the　cliffs。　Then　he　went　on：　〃Defeated；　I　see。　But　harken　to　me；　puppet。　It　may　be　that　I　will　let　you　live。　Of　course；　to　gain　life　you　must　change　your　allegiance。　Repeat　these　words…　‘I　worship　Lord　Foul　the　Despiser。　He　is　the　one　word　of　truth。'　〃
　Lord　Verement's　lips　remained　clamped　shut。　Within　the　paralyzing　fire；　his　cheek　muscles　bulged　as　he　set　his　jaws。
　〃Speak　it！〃　Fleshharrower　roared。　With　a　jerk　of　the　Stone；　he　tightened　the　corona　around　Verement。　A　gasp　of　agony　tore　the　Lord's　lips　apart。　He　began　to　speak。
　〃I…worship…〃
　He　went　no　further。　Behind　him；　Thomin　jumped　up　to　carry　out　his　last　duty。　With　one　kick；　the　Bloodguard　broke　Lord　Verement's　back。　Instantly；　the　Lord　fell　dead。
　Thomin's　face　was　taut　with　murder　as　he　sprang　again　at　Fleshharrower's　throat。
　This　time；　the　Bloodguard's　attack　was　so　swift　and　ruthless　that　it　broke　past　the　Raver's　defenses。　He　caught　Fleshharrower；　dug　his　fingers　into　the　Giant's　neck。　For　a　moment；　the　Giant　could　not　tear　him　away。　He　ground　his　fingers　into　that　thick　throat　with　such　passion　that　Fleshharrower　could　not　break　his　hold。
　But　then　the　Raver　brought　the　Stone　to　his　aid。　With　one　blast；　he　burned　Thomin's　bones　to　ash　with
　in　him。　The　Bloodguard　collapsed　in　a　heap　of　structureless　flesh。
　Then　for　a　time　Fleshharrower　seemed　to　go　mad。　Roaring　like　a　cataclysm；　he　jumped　and　stamped　on　Thomin's　form　until　the　Bloodguard's　bloody　remains　were　crushed　into　the　grass。　And　after　that；　he　sent　the　vast　hordes　of　his　wolves　howling　into　the　gullet　of　Doom's　Retreat。　Driven　by　his　fury；　they　ran　blindly　down　the　canyon；　and　hurtled　into　the　Word　of　Warning。
　The　first　wolf　to　touch　the　Word　triggered　it。　In　that　instant；　the　piled　rock　within　the　walls　seemed　to　blow　apart。　The　power　which　Verement　had　placed　there　threw　down　the　sloped　sides　of　the　defile。　A　deadly　rain　of　boulders　and　shale　fell　into　the　canyon；　crushing　thousands　of　wolves　so　swiftly　that　the　pack　had　time　for　only　one　yowl　of　terror。
　When　the　dust　blew　clear；　Fleshharrower　could　see　that　the　Retreat　was　now　blocked；　crowded　with　crumbled　rock　and　scree。　An　army　might　spend　days　struggling　through　the　rubble。
　The　setback　appeared　to　calm　him。　The　hunger　for　vengeance　did　not　leave　his　eyes；　but　his　voice　was　steady　as　he　shouted　his　mands。　He　called　forward　the　griffins。　Flying　heavily　with　ur…viles　on　their　backs；　they　went　into　the　Retreat　to　fight　Verement's　Word。　And　behind　them　Fleshharrower　sent　his　rock…wise　Cavewights　to　clear　the　way　for　the　rest　of　the　army。
　pelled　by　his　power；　the　creatures　worked　with　headlong　desperation。　Many　of　the　griffins　were　destroyed　because　they　flew　mindlessly　against　the　Word。　Scores　of　Cavewights　killed　each　other　in　their　frenzy　to　clear　the　debris　from　the　canyon　floor。　But　lore…wise　ur…viles　finally　tore　down　the　Word　of　Warning。　And　the　Cavewights　acplished　prodigious　feats。　Given　sufficient　time　and　numbers；　they　had　the　strength　and　skill　to　move　mountains。　Now　they　heaved　and　tore　at　the　rubble。　They　worked　through　the　night；　and　by　dawn　they　had　cleared　a　path　ten　yards　wide　down　the　center　of　the　Retreat。
　Holding　the　Stone　high；　Fleshharrower　led　his　army　through　the　canyon。　At　the　south　end　of　the　Retreat；
　he　found　the　Warward　gone。　The　last　of　his　enemies　…a　small　band　of　riders　including　two　Lords…were　galloping　away　out　of　reach。　He　howled　imprecations　after　them；　vowing　that　he　would　pursue　them　to　the　death。
　But　then　his　farseeing　Giantish　eyes　made　out　the　Warward；　seven　or　eight　leagues　beyond　the　riders。　He　marked　the　direction　of　their　march…saw　where　they　were　headed。　And　he　began　to　laugh　again。　Peals　of　sarcasm　and　triumph　echoed　off　the　blank　cliffs　of　Doom's　Retreat。
　The　Warward　marched　toward　Garroting　Deep。
　
　
　NINETEEN：　The　Ruins　of　the　Southron　Wastes
　
　BY　the　time　Warmark　Troy　rode　away　from　Doom's　Retreat　with　the　Lords　Mhoram　and　Callindrill　and　a　group　of　Bloodguard；　he　had　put　aside　his　enervation；　his　half…conscious　yearning　to　hide　his　head。　Gone；　too；　was　the　sense　of　horror　which　had　paralyzed　him　when　Lord　Verement　died。　He　had　pushed　these　things　down　during　the　dark　night；　while　Mhoram　and　Ca