srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第95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！


　〃Kevin　returns！〃
　Then　the　buried　tomb　of　the　air　opened　again；　Kevin's　presence　resonated　against　Covenant's　skin。　But　this　time　the　specter　brought　with　him　a　ghastly　reek　of　rotten　flesh　and　attar；　and　in　the　background　of　his　presence　was　the　deep　rumble　of　rock　being　crushed。　When　Covenant　raised　his　head　from　the　bucking　floor；　he　saw　Kevin　within　the　stone　furiously　poised；　fists　cocked。　Hot　green　filled　the　orbs　of　his　eyes；　sent　rank　steam　curling　up　his　forehead；　and　he　dripped　with　emerald　light　as　if　he　had　just　struggled　out　of　a　quagmire。
　〃Fool！〃　he　cried　in　a　paroxysm　of　anguish。　〃Damned　betrayer！　You　have　broken　the　Law　of　Death　to　summon　me…you　have　unleashed　measureless　opportunities　for　evil　upon　the　Earth…and　the　Despiser　mastered　me　as　easily　as　if　I　were　a　child！　The　Illearth　Stone　consumes　me。　Fight；　fool！　I　am　manded　to　destroy　you！〃
　Roaring　like　a　multitude　of　fiends；　he　reached　down　and　clutched　at　Elena。
　She　did　not　move。　She　was　aghast；　frozen　by　the　result　of　her　great　dare。
　But　Morin　reacted　instantly。　Crying；　〃Kevin！　Hold！〃　he　sprang　to　her　aid。
　The　specter　seemed　to　hear　Morin…hear　and　recognize　who　he　was。　An　old　memory　touched　Kevin；　and　he　hesitated。　That　hesitation　gave　Morin　time　to　reach　Elena；　thrust　her　behind　him。　When　Kevin　threw　off　his　uncertainty；　his　fingers　closed　around　Morin　instead　of　the　High　Lord。
　He　gripped　the　Bloodguard　and　heaved　him　into　the　air。
　Kevin's　arm　passed　easily　through　the　rock；　but　Morin　could　not。　He　crashed　against　the　ceiling　with　tremendous　force。　The　impact　tore　him　from　Kevin's　grasp。　But　that　impact　was　sufficient。　The　First　Mark　fell　dead　like　a　broken　twig。
　The　sight　roused　Elena。　At　once；　she　realized　her　danger。　She　whirled　the　Staff　swiftly　about　her　head。　Its　flame　sprang　into　brilliance；　and　a　hot　blue　bolt　lashed　straight　at　Kevin。
　The　blast　struck　him　like　a　physical　blow；　drove　him　back　a　step　through　the　stone。　But　he　shrugged　off　its　effects。　With　a　deep　snarl　of　pain；　he　moved　forward；　snatched　at　her　again。
　Shouting　frantically；　〃Melenkurion　abatha！〃　she　met　his　attack　with　the　Staff。　Its　fiery　heel　seared　his　palm。
　Again　he　recoiled；　gripping　his　scorched　fingers　and　groaning。
　In　that　momentary　reprieve；　she　cried　strange　invocations　to　the　Staff；　and　swung　its　blaze　around　her　three　times；　surrounding　herself　with　a　shield　of　power。　When　the　specter　grabbed　for　her　once　more；　he　could　not　gain　a　hold　on　her。　He　squeezed　her　shield；　and　his　fingers　dripped　with　emerald　ill；　but　he　could　not　touch　her。　Whenever　he　dented　her　defense；　she　healed　it　with　the　Staff's　might。
　Yelling　in　frustration　and　pain；　he　changed　his　tactics。　He　reared　back；　clasped　his　fists　together；　and　hammered　them　at　the　floor　of　the　cave。　The　stone　jumped　fiercely。　The　lurch　knocked　Covenant　down；　threw　Bannor　against　the　opposite　wall。
　A　gasping　shudder　like　a　convulsion　of　torment　shot　through　the　mountain。　The　cave　walls　heaved；　rumblings　of　broken　stone。　filled　the　air；　power　blared。
　A　crack　appeared　in　the　floor　directly　under　Elena。　Even　before　she　was　aware　of　it；　it　started　to　open。　Then；　like　ravenous　jaws；　it　jerked　wide。
　High　Lord　Elena　dropped　into　the　chasm。
　Kevin　pounced　after　her；　and　vanished　from　sight。
　His　howls　echoed　out　of　the　cleft　like　the　shrieking　of　a　madman。
　But　even　as　they　disappeared；　their　battle　went　on。　Lords…fire　spouted　hotly　up　into　the　cave。　The　thunder　of　tortured　stone　pounded　along　the　tunnel；　and　the　cave　pitched　from　side　to　side　like　a　nausea　in　the　guts　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir。　In　his　horror；　Covenant　thought　that　the　whole　edifice　of　the　mountain　was　about　to　tumble。
　Then　he　was　snatched　to　his　feet；　hauled　erect　by　Bannor。　The　Bloodguard　gripped　him　with　pelling　fingers；　and　shouted　at　him　through　the　tumult；　〃Save　her！〃
　〃I　can't！〃　The　pain　of　his　reply　made　him　yell。　Bannor's　demand　rubbed　so　much　salt　into　the　wound　of　his　essential　futility　that　he　could　hardly　bear　it。　〃I　cannot！〃
　〃You　must！〃　Bannor's　grasp　allowed　no　alternatives。
　〃How？〃　Waving　his　empty　hands　in　Bannor's　face；　he　cried；　〃With　these？〃
　〃Yes！〃　The　Bloodguard　caught　Covenant's　left　hand；　forced　him　to　look　at　it。
　On　his　wedding　finger；　his　ring　throbbed　ferrule；　pulsed　with　power　and　light　like　a　potent　instrument　panting　to　be　used。
　For　an　instant；　he　gaped　at　the　argent　band　as　if　it　had　betrayed　him。　Then　forgetting　escape；　forgetting　himself；　forgetting　even　that　he　did　not　know　how　to　exert　wild　magic；　he　pulled　despairingly　away　from　Bannor　and　stumbled　toward　the　crevice。　Like　a　man　battering　himself　in　armless　impotence　against　a　blank　doom；　he　leaped　after　the　High　Lord。
　
　
　TWENTY…SIX：　Gallows　Howe
　
　BUT　be　failed　before　he　began。　He　did　not　know　how　to　brace　himself　for　the　kind　of　battle　which　raged　below　him。　As　he　passed　the　rim　of　the　crevice；　he　was　hit　by　a　blast　of　force　like　an　eruption　from　within　the　rift。　He　was　defenseless　against　it；。　it　snuffed　out　his　consciousness　like　a　frail　flame。
　Then　for　a　time　he　rolled　in　darkness…ran　in　a　blind；　caterwauling　void　which　pitched　and　broke　over　him　until　he　staggered　like　a　ship　with　sprung　timbers。　He　was　aware　of　nothing　but　the　force　which　thrashed　him。　But　something　caught　his　hand；　anchored　him。　At　first　he　thought　that　the　grip　on　his　hand　was　Elena's…that　she　held　him　now　as　she　had　held　him　and　kept　him　during　the　night　after　his　summoning。　But　when　he　shook　clear　of　the　darkness；　he　saw　Bannor。　The　Bloodguard　was　pulling　him　out　of　the　crevice。
　That　sight…that　perception　of　his　failure…undid　him。　When　Bannor　set　him　on　his　feet；　he　stood　listing　amid　the　riot　of　battle…detonations；　deep；　groaning　creaks　of　tormented　stone；　loud　rockfalls…like　an　empty　hulk；　a　cargoes　hull　sucking　in　death　through　a　wound　below　its　waterline。　He　did　not　resist　or　question　as　Bannor　half　carried　him　from　the　cave　of　the　EarthBlood。
　The　tunnel　was　unlit　except　by　the　reflected　glares　of　bat；　but　Bannor　moved　surely　over　the　black　rock。　In　moments；　he　brought　his　shambling　charge　to　the　waterfall。　There　he　lifted　the　Unbeliever　in　his　arms；　and　bore　him　like　a　child　through　the　weight　of　the　falls。
　In　the　rocklight　of　Earthroot；　Bannor　moved　even
　more　urgently。'　He　hastened　to　the　waiting　boat；　installed　　Covenant　on　one　of　the　seats；　then　leaped　aboard　as　he　shoved　out　into　the　burnished　lake。　Without　hesitation；　he　began　to　recite　something　in　the　native　tongue　of　the　Haruchai。　Smoothly；　the　boat　made　its　way　among　the　cloistral　columns。
　But　his　efforts　did　not　carry　the　craft　far。　Within　a　few　hundred　yards；　its　prow　began　to　tug　against　its　intended　direction。　He　stopped　speaking；　and　at　once　the　boat　swung　off　to　one　side。　Gradually；　it　gained　speed。
　It　was　in　the　grip　of　a　current。　Standing　in　the　center　of　Covenant's　sightless　gaze；　Bannor　cocked　one　eyebrow　slightly；　as　if　he　perceived　an　ordeal　ahead。　For　long　moments；　he　waited　for　the　slow　increase　of　the　current　to　reveal　its　destination。
　Then　in　the　distance　he　saw　what　caused　the　current。　Far　ahead　of　the　craft；　rocklight　flared　along　a　line　in　the　lake　like　a　cleft　which　stretched　out　of　sight　on　both　sides。　Into　this　cleft　Earthroot　rushed　and　poured　in　silent　cataracts。
　He　reacted　with　smooth　efficiency；　as　if　he　had　been　preparing　for　this　test　throughout　the　long　centuries　of　his　service。　First　he　snatched　a　coil　of　clingor　from　his　pack；　with　it；　he　lashed　Covenant　to　the　boat。　In　answer　to　the　vague　question　in　Covenant's　face；　he　replied；　〃The　battle　of　Kevin　and　the　High　Lord　has　opened　a　crevice　in　the　floor　of　Earthroot。　We　must　ride　the　water　down；　and　seek　an　outlet…　below。〃　He　did　not　wait　for　a　response。　Turning；　he　braced　his　feet；　gripped　one　of　the　gilt　gunwales；　and　tore　it　loose。　With　this　long；　curved　piece　of　wood　balanced　in　his　hands　for　a　steering　pole；　he　swung　around　to　gauge　the　boat's　distance　from　the　cataract。
　The　hot　line　of　the　crevice　was　less　than　a　hundred　yards　away　now；　and　the　boat　slipped　rapidly　toward　it；　caught　in　the　mounting　suction。　But　Bannor　made　one　more　preparation。　Bending　toward　Covenant；　he　said　quietly；　〃Ur…Lord；　you　must　use　the　orcrest。〃　His　voice　echoed　with　authority　through　the　silence。
　Covenant　stared　at　him　without　prehension。
　〃You　must。　It　is　in　your　pocket。　Bring　it　out。〃
　For　a　moment；　Covenant　continued　to　stare。　But　at　last　the　Bloodguard's　mand　reached　through　his　numbness。　Slowly；　he　dug　into　his　pocket；　pulled　out　the　smooth　lucid　stone。　He　held　it　awkwardly　in　his　right　hand；　as　if　he　could　not　properly　grip　it　with　only　two　fingers　and　a　thumb。
　The　cataract　loomed　directly　before　the　boat　now；　but　Bannor　spoke　calmly；　firmly。　〃Hold　the　stone　in　your　left　hand。　Hold　it　above　your　head；　so　that　it　will　light　our　way。〃
　As　Covenant　placed　the　orcrest　in　contact　with　his　troubled　ring；　a　piercing　silver　light　burst　from　the　core　of　the　stone。　It　flared　along　the　gunwale　in　Bannor's　hands；　paled　the　surrounding　rocklight。　When　Covenant　numbly　raised　his　fist；　held　the　stone　up　like　a　torch；　the　Bloodguard　nodded　his　approval。　His　face　wore　a　look　of　satisfaction；　as　if　all　the　conditions　of　his　Vow　had　been　fulfilled。
　Then　the　prow　of　the　boat　dropped。　Bannor　and　Covenant　rode　the　torrent　of　Earthroot　into　the　dark　depths。
　The　water　boiled　and　heaved　wildly。　But　one　end　of　the　crevice　opened　into　other　caverns。　The　cataracts　turned　as　they　fell；　and　thrashed　through　the　crevice　as　if　it　were　an　immense　chute　or　channel。　By　the　orcrest　light；　Bannor　saw　in　time　which　way　the　water　poured。　He　poled　the　boat　so　that　it　shot　downward　along　the　torrent。
　　After　that；　the　craft　hurtled　down　the　frenetic　watercourse　in　a　long　nightmare　of　tumult；　jagged　rocks；　narrows；　sudden；　heart…stopping　falls；　close　death。　The　current　tumbled；　thundered；　raced　from　cavern　to　cavern　through　labyrinthian　gaps　and　tunnels　and　clefts　in　the　fathomless　bowels　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir。　Many　times　the　craft　disappeared　under　the　fierce　roil　of　the　rush；　but　each　time　its　potent　wood　capable　of　withstanding　Earthroot　bore　it　to　the　surface　again。　And　many　times　Bannor　and　Covenant　foundered　in　cascades　that　crashed　onto　them　from　above；　but　the　water　did　not　harm　them…eit