srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第86部分

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appeal。　In　the　name　of　the　Land；　guide　us　to　the　Seventh　Ward。〃
　Her。　supplication　seemed　to　touch　him；　and　his　reply
　was　inordinately　grave。　〃High　Lord；　I　cannot。　I　am　as　I　was　made　to　be。　Should　I　make　the　attempt；　I　would　cease　to　exist。〃
　〃Then　teach　us　the　way；　so　that　we　may　follow　it　alone。〃
　Amok　shook　his　head。　〃Then　also　I　would　cease　to　exist。〃
　For　a　moment；　she　paused　as　if　she　were　defeated。　But　in　the　silence；　her　shoulders　straightened。　Abruptly；　she　lifted　the　Staff　of　Law；　held　it　horizontally　before　her　like　a　weapon。　〃Amok；〃　she　manded；　〃place　your　hands　upon　the　Staff。〃
　The　youth　looked　without　flinching　into　the　authority　of　her　face。　Slowly；　he　obeyed。　His　hands　rested　lightly　between　hers　on　the　rune…carved　wood。
　She　gave　a　high；　strange　cry。　At　once；　fire　blossomed　along　the　Staff；　viridian　flames　opened　from　all　the　wood。　The　blaze　swept　over　her　hands　and　Amok's；　it　intensified　as　if　it　were　feeding　on　their　fingers。　It　hummed　with　deep　power；　and　radiated　a　sharp　aroma　like　the　smell　of　duress。
　〃Kevin…born　Amok！〃　she　exclaimed　through　the　hum。　〃Way　and　door　to　the　Seventh　Ward！　By　the　power　of　the　Staff　of　Lawin　the　name　of　High　Lord　Kevin　son　of　Loric　who　made　you…I　adjure　you。　Tell　me　the　name　of　the　Seventh　Ward's　power！〃
　Covenant　felt　the　force　of　her　mand。　Though　it　was　not　leveled　at　him…though　he　was　not　touching　the　Staff…he　gagged　over　the　effort　to　utter　a　name　he　did　not　know。
　But　Amok　met　her　without　blinking；　and　his　voice　cut　clearly　through　the　flame　of　the　Staff。　〃No；　High　Lord。　I　am　impervious　to　pulsion。　You　cannot　touch　me。〃
　〃By　the　Seven！〃　she　shouted。　〃I　will　not　be　denied！〃　She　raged　as　if　she　were　using　fury　to　hold　back　a　scream。　〃Melenkurion　abatha！　Tell　me　the　name！〃
　〃No；〃　Amok　repeated。
　Savagely；　she　tore　the　Staff　out　of　his　hands。　Its　flame　gathered；　mounted；　then　sprang　loudly　into　the　sky　like　a　bolt　of　thunder。
　He　gave　a　shrug；　and　disappeared。
　For　a　long；　shocked　moment；　the　High　Lord　stood　frozen；　staring　at　Amok's　absence。　Then　a　shudder　ran　through　her；　and　she　turned　toward　Covenant　as　if　she　had　the　weight　of　a　mountain　on　her　shoulders。　Her　face　looked　like　a　wilderland。　She　took　two　tottering　steps；　and　stopped　to　brace　herself　on　the　Staff。　Her　gaze　was　blank；　all　her　force　was　focused　inward；　against　herself。
　〃Failed；〃　she　gasped。　〃Doomed。〃　Anguish　twisted　her　mouth。　〃I　have　doomed　the　Land〃
　Covenant　could　not　stand　the　sight。　Forgetting　all　his　issueless　thoughts；　he　hurried　to　say；　〃There's　got　to　be　something　else　we　can　do。〃
　She　replied　with　an　appalling　softness。　Tenderly；　almost　caressingly；　she　said；　〃Do　you　。believe　in　the　white　gold？　Can　you　use　it　to　meet　Amok's　condition？〃　Her　voice　had　a　sound　of　madness。　But　the　next　instant；　her　passion　flared　outward。　With　all　her　strength；　she　pounded　the　Staff　against　Rivenrock；　and　cried；　〃Then　do　so！〃
　The　power　she　unleashed　caused　a　wide　section　of　the　plateau　to　lurch　like　a　stricken　raft。　The　rock　bucked　and　plunged；　seamless　waves　of　force　rolled　through　it　from　the　Staff。
　The　heaving　knocked　Covenant　off　his　feet。　He　stumbled；　fell　toward　the　cleft。
　Almost　at　once；　Elena　regained　control　over　herself。　She　snatched　back　the　Staffs　power；　shouted　to　the　Bloodguard。　But　Bannor's　reflexes　were　swifter。　While　the　rock　still　pitched；　he　bounded　surefootedly　across　it　and　caught　Covenant's　arm。
　For　a　moment；　Covenant　was　too　stunned　to　do　anything　but　hang　limply　in　Bannor's　grip。　The　High　Lord's　violence　flooded　through　him；　sweeping　everything　else　out　of　his　awareness。　But　then　he　noticed　the　pain　of　Bannor's　grasp　on　his　arm。　He　could　feel　something　prophetic　in　the　ancient　strength　with　which　Bannor　clenched　him；　kept　him　alive。　The　Bloodguard　had　an　iron　grip；　surer　than　the　stone　of　Rivenrock。　When　he　heard　Elena　moan；　‘Beloved！　Have　I　harmed　you？〃　he　was　already　muttering　half　aloud；　〃Wait。　Hold　on。　I've　got　it。〃
　His　eyes　were　closed。　He　opened　them；　and　discovered　that　Bannor　was　holding　him　erect。　Elena　was　nearby；　she　flung　her　arms　around　him　and　hid　her　face　in　his　shoulder。　He　said；　〃I've　got　it。〃　She　ignored　him；　started　to　mumble　contrition　into　his　shoulder。　To　stop　her；　he　said　sharply；　〃Forget　it。　I　must　be　losing　my　mind。　I　should　have　figured　this　out　days　ago。〃
　Finally　she　heard　him。　She　released　him　and　stepped　back。　Her　ravaged　face　stiffened。　She　caught　her　breath　between　her　teeth；　pushed　a　hand　through　her　hair。　Slowly；　she　became　a　Lord　again。　Her　voice　was　unsteady　but　lucid　as　she　said；　〃What　have　you　learned？〃
　Bannor　released　Covenant　also；　and　the　Unbeliever　stood　wavering　on　his　own。　His　feet　distrusted　the　stone；　but　he　locked　his　knees；　and　tried　to　disregard　the　sensation。　The　problem　was　in　his　brain；　all　his　preconceptions　had　shifted。　He　wanted　to　speak　quickly；　ease　Elena's　urgent　distress。　But　he　had　missed　too　many　clues。　He　needed　to　approach　his　intuition　slowly；　so　that　he　could　pull　all　its　strands　together。
　He　tried　to　clear　his　head　by　shaking　it。　Elena　winced　as　if　he　were　reminding　her　of　her　outburst。　He　made　a　placating　gesture　toward　her；　and　turned　to　confront　the　Bloodguard。　Intently；　he　scrutinized　the　blank　metal　of　their　faces；　searched　them　for　some　flicker　or　hue　of　duplicity；　ulterior　purpose；　which　would　verify　his　intuition。　But　their　ancient；　sleepless　eyes　seemed　to　conceal　nothing；　reveal　nothing。　He　felt　an　instant　of　panic　at　the　idea　that　he　might　be　wrong；　but　he　pushed　it　down；　and　asked　as　calmly　as　he　could；　〃Bannor；　how　old　are　you？〃
　〃We　are　the　Bloodguard；〃　Bannor　replied。　〃Our　Vow　was　sworn　in　the　youth　of　Kevin's　High　Lordship。〃
　〃Before　the　Desecration？〃
　〃Yes；　ur…Lord。〃
　〃Before　Kevin　found　out　that　Foul　was　really　an　enemy？〃
　〃Yes〃
　〃And　you　personally；　Bannor？　How　old　are　you？〃
　〃I　was　among　the　first　Haruchui　who　entered　the　Land。　I　shared　in　the　first　swearing　of　the　Vow。〃
　〃That　was　centuries　ago。〃　Covenant　paused　before　he　asked；　〃How　well　do　you　remember　Kevin？〃
　〃Step　softly；〃　Elena　cautioned。　〃Do　not　mock　the　Bloodguard。〃
　Bannor　did　not　acknowledge　her　concern。　He　answered　the　Unbeliever　inflexibly；　〃We　do　not　forget。〃
　〃I　suppose　not；〃　Covenant　sighed。　〃What　a　hell　of　a　way　to　live。〃　For　a　moment；　he　gazed　away　toward　the　mountain；　looking　for　courage。　Then；　with　sudden　harshness；　he　went　on；　〃You　knew　Kevin　when　he　made　his　Wards。　You　knew　him　and　you　remember。　You　were　with　him　when　he　gave　the　First　Ward　to　the　Giants。　You　were　with　him　when　he　hid　the　Second　in　those　bloody　catabs　under　Mount　Thunder。　How　many　times　did　you　e　here　with　him；　Bannor？〃
　The　Bloodguard　cocked　one　eyebrow　fractionally。　〃High　Lord　Kevin　made　no　sojourns　to　Rivenrock　or　Melenkurion　Skyweir。〃
　That　answer　rocked　Covenant。　〃None？〃　His　protest　burst　out　before　he　could　stop　it。　〃Are　you　telling　me　you've　never　been　here　before？〃
　〃We　are　the　first　Bloodguard　to　stand　on　Rivenrock；〃　Bannor　replied　flatly。
　〃Then　how…？　Wait。　Hold　on。〃　Covenant　stared　dizzily；　then　hit　his　forehead　with　the　heal　of　his　hand。　〃Right。　If　the　Ward　is　some　kind　of　natural　phenomenon…like　the　Illearth　Stone…if　it　isn't　something　he　put　here…Kevin　wouldn't　have　to　e　here　to　know　about　it。　Loric　or　somebody　could　have　told　him。　Loric　could　have　told　anybody。〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath　to　steady　himself。　‘But　everybody　who　might　have　known　about　it　died　in　the　Desecration。　Except　you。〃
　Bannor　blinked　at　Covenant　as　if　his　words　had　no　meaning。
　〃Listen　to　me；　Bannor；〃　he　went　on。　〃A　lot　of　things　are　finally　starting　to　make　sense。　You　reacted　strangely…when　Amok　turned　up　at　Revelstone　that　first　time。　You　reacted　strangely　when　he　turned　up　at
　Revelwood。　And　you　let　the　High　Lord　herself　follow　him　into　the　mountains　with　just　two　Bloodguard　to　protect　her。　Just　two；　Bannor！　And　when　we　end　up　stuck　here　on　this　godforsaken　rock；　Morin　has　the　actual　gall　to　apologize　for　Amok。　Hellfire！　Bannor；　you　should　have　at　least　told　the　High　Lord　what　you　know　about　this　Ward。　What　kind　of　loyal　do　you　think　you　are？〃
　Elena　cautioned　Covenant　again。　But　her　tone　had　changed；　his　thinking　intrigued　her。
　〃We　are　the　Bloodguard；〃　Bannor　said。　〃You　cannot　raise　doubt　against　us。　We　do　not　know　Amok's　intent。〃
　Covenant　heard　the　slight　stress　which　Bannor　placed　on　the　word　know。　To　his　own　surprise；　he　felt　a　sudden　desire　to　take　Bannor　at　his　word；　leave　what　the　Bloodguard　knew　alone。　But　he　forced　himself　to　ask；　〃Know；　Bannor？　How　can　you　not　know？　You've　trusted　him　too　much　for　that。〃
　Bannor　countered　as　he　had　previously；　〃We　do　not　trust　him。　The　High　Lord　chooses　to　follow　him。　We　do　not　ask　for　more。〃
　〃The　hell　you　don't。〃　His　effort　of　self…pulsion　made　him　brutal。　〃And　stop　giving　me　that　blank　look。　You　people　came　to　the　Land；　and　you　swore　a　Vow　to　protect　Kevin。　You　swore　to　preserve　him　or　at　least　give　your　lives　for　him　and　the　Lords　and　Revelstone　until　Time　itself　came　to　an　end　if　not　forever；　or　why　are　you　bereft　even　of　the　simple　decency　of　sleep？　But　that　poor　desperate　man　outsmarted　you。　He　actively　saved　you　when　he　destroyed　himself　and　everything　else　he　merely　believed　in。　So　there　you　were；　hanging　from　your　Vow　in　empty　space　as　if　all　the　reasons　in　the　world　had　suddenly　disappeared。
　〃And　then！　Then　you　get　a　second　chance　to　do　your　Vow　right　when　the　new　Lords　e　along。　But　what　happens？　Amok　turns　up　out　of　nowhere；　and　there's　a　war　on　against　Foul　himself…and　what　do　you　do？　You　let　this　creation　of　Kevin's　lead　the　High　Lord　away　as　if　it　were　safe　and　she　didn't　have　anything　better　to　do。
　〃Let　me　tell　you　something；　Bannor。　Maybe　you
　don't　positively　know　Amok。　You　must　have　learned　some　kind　of　distrust　from　Kevin。　But　you　sure　as。　hell　understand　what　Amok　is　doing。　And　you　approve！〃　The　abrupt　ferocity　of　his　own　yell　stopped　him　for　an　instant。　He　felt　shaken　by　the　moral　judgments　he　saw　in　Bannor。　Thickly；　he　continued；　〃Or　why　are　you　risking　her　for　the　sake　of　something　created　by　the　only　man　who　has　ever　succeeded　in　casting　doubt　on　your　incorruptibility？〃
　Without　warning；　Amok　appeared。　The　youth's　arrival　startled　Covenant；　but　he　took　it　as　a　sign　that　he　was　on　the　right　track。　With　a　heavy　sigh；　he