df.therunelords-第14部分

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　The　size　of　the　beast　overwhelmed　him。　I　am　nothing　beside　it。　Nothing。　It　could　lift　me　like　a　pup。　The　beast's　huge　paws　were　each　almost　as　long　as　Gaborn's　body。　It　did　not　matter　that　Gaborn　was　a　Runelord。　Those　enormous　paws　could　smash　his　bones；　rake　through　his　muscles。
　The　silver　eyes　drew　near；　each　as　large　as　a　plate。　Not　the　throat；　Gaborn　realized。　It　was　too　far　for　a　lunge。　Don't　stab　the　throat。　The　eye。　The　huge　silver　eyes　were　not　protected　by　thick　pelt。
　The　creature　was　old；　its　face　scarred　beneath　the　fur。　One　of　the　ancients；　then；　that　had　e　over　the　northern　ice。　A　venerable　creature。　Gaborn　wished　he　knew　some　of　its　tongue；　had　some　way　to　bribe　it。
　The　Frowth　giant　knelt　forward；　sniffed；　and　its　eyes　drew　wide　in　surprise。
　Gaborn　pulled　his　saber　and　lunged；　ramming　the　blade　deep。　The　blade　twisted　when　it　hit　the　giant's　eye；　slid　behind　the　socket；　far　into　the　monster's　brain。　Gaborn　wrenched　his　saber　and　danced　aside；　slicing　as　he　pulled　free。　He　was　unprepared　for　the　volume　of　blood　that　gushed　from　the　wound。
　The　giant　lurched　back；　grabbing　its　eye。　Its　lower　jaw　went　slack　in　that　moment。　It　bolted　upright；　staggered　a　pace　to　the　left；　and　raised　its　muzzle　to　the　sky。
　Even　as　it　died；　the　giant　bellowed　in　warning。　A　thunderous　howl　shook　the　forest。
　And　all　around　Gaborn；　to　the　north；　south；　and　west；　giants　howled　in　answer。
　
　Chapter　5
　IN　THE　DEDICATES'　TOWER
　　
　Below　Castle　Sylvarresta　that　evening；　the　city　lay　quiet；　hushed。　Traders　from　the　South　had　e　in　unusually　large　numbers　throughout　the　daycaravans　bringing　valuable　spices　and　dyes；　ivory　and　cloth　from　Indhopal。
　Bright　silk　pavilions　decorated　the　greens　before　the　castle；　the　lanterns　within　the　tents　making　them　glow　like　multicolored　gemsjade；　emerald；　topaz；　and　sapphire。
　From　the　dark；　forbidding　stone　of　the　castle　walls；　it　seemed　a　beautiful　Yet　disfiting　sight。
　The　guards　on　the　wall　all　knew　that　the　〃spice　merchant〃　had　been　ransomed　too　quickly　that　day；　the　King's　outrageous　price　accepted　without　argument。　But　the　Southerners　could　not　be　happy　about　the　ransom。　Tempers　were　short。　Everyone　feared　the　Indhopalese　might　riot。
　But　with　caravans　of　pack　mules　and　horses　came　something　new　and　marvelous；　something　never　seen　in　all　the　centuries　merchants　had　traveled　from　Indhopal：
　Elephants。　Fourteen　white　elephants；　one　branded　with　runes　of　power。　The　elephants　wore　colorful　mats　made　of　silk　and　beads　and　gold　and　pearls　on　their　heads；　and　bore　decorative　reins　and　silk　pavilions　on　their　backs。
　Their　owner；　a　one…eyed　man　with　grizzled　beard；　said　he'd　brought　them　as　a　curiosity。　But　in　Castle　Sylvarresta　it　was　known　that　in　Indhopal　force　elephants　were　often　dressed　in　armor；　then　sent　to　ram　castle　gates。
　And　the　merchants　had　too　many　〃guards〃　hired　to　protect　the　caravans。　〃Ah；　yes；〃　the　merchants　would　say；　clasping　their　hands　beneath　their　chins　and　bowing。　〃The　hill　bandits　are　very　bad　this　year。　Almost　as　bad　as　the　reavers　in　the　mountains！〃
　Indeed　it　seemed　a　record　year　for　reavers。　Troops　of　them　had　harried　the　mountain　borders　to　the　south　in　Fleeds；　and　to　the　west　in　Orwynne。　Sylvarresta's　soldiers　had　even　discovered　tracks　in　the　Dunnwood　last　springthe　first　such　tracks　seen　in　thirty　years。
　So　the　people　of　Heredon　were　willing　to　overlook　the　hordes　of　guards　in　the　caravans；　and　few　but　King　Sylvarresta　and　his　troops　worried　about　elephants　in　their　midst。
　A　cool　wind　blew　in　after　sunset；　and　fog　began　roiling　off　the　river。　A　fog　that　wreathed　the　city　in　mist；　crept　to　the　parapets　of　the　Outer　Wall。
　No　moon　burned　in　the　sky。　Only　stars。　Bright　eternal　diadems　shining　in　the　fields　of　night。
　It　is　no　surprise　that　the　assassins　made　it　over　the　Outer　Wall　unobserved。　Perhaps　the　men　came　into　the　city　during　the　day；　acting　the　part　of　traders；　then　hid　in　some　dovecote　or　manor…house　stable。　Or　perhaps　in　their　escalade　the　men　took　advantage　of　the　way　wisps　of　fog　seemed　to　play　between　the　merlons　like　tendrils。
　Nor　was　it　a　surprise　when　a　lone　sentry　in　the　King's　Keep　spotted　shadowy　figures；　like　black　spiders；　scrambling　over　the　King's　Wall；　down　by　the　Butterwalk。
　The　King　had　set　extra　eyes　to　watch　that　direction。　Indeed；　eyes　watched　from　every　arrow　slit　along　each　tower。
　No；　it　was　no　surprise　that　the　assassins　attempted　an　escalade　that　night。　But　even　the　guards　felt　amazed　at　how　swiftly　the　assassins　came；　how　silent　and　deadly。
　Only　men　with　endowments　of　metabolism　could　move　so　fast；　so　swiftly　that　if　you　blinked；　you　almost　believed　you　hadn't　seen　them。　To　take　such　endowments　was　suicide：　an　endowment　of　metabolism　let　you　move　nearly　twice　as　fast　as　a　normal　man；　but　also　caused　you　to　age　at　twice　the　speed。
　Yet　as　the　King's　far…seer；　Sir　Millman；　watched　the　escalade；　he　suspected　that　some　of　those　assassins　were　moving　at　three　times　the　normal　human　rate。　Men　so　endowed　would　be　decrepit　in　ten　years；　dead　in　fifteen。
　And　only　men　with　inhuman　strength　could　climb　those　walls；　prying　with　toes　and　fingers　to　grip　at　cracks　in　the　stone。　Sir　Millman　couldn't　even　guess　how　many　endowments　of　brawn　each　assassin　had。
　Millman　had　been　watching　from　inside　the　King's　Tower。　With　endowments　of　sight　from　seven　men；　he　was　well　qualified　for　this　post。　Now　he　called　softly　at　the　door　to　the　King's　chamber；　〃Milord；　our　guests　have　arrived。〃
　King　Sylvarresta　had　been　sitting　in　his　father's　favorite　old　reading　chair；　his　back　to　the　wall；　studying　the　tome　of　Emir　Owatt　of　Tuulistan；　trying　to　decipher　which　of　Raj　Ahten's　battle　tactics　were　so　original　that　he'd　kill　to　keep　them　secret。
　Now　Sylvarresta　blew　out　his　lantern；　went　to　the　oriel；　and　gazed　out　a　clear　pane　in　the　stained…glass　window。　The　window　was　so　old　that　the　glass　was　all　wavy　and　distorted；　had　flowed　down　like　lumps　of　melted　butter。
　The　assassins　had　just　reached　the　final　defensive　wall　in　Castle　Sylvarresta；　the　wall　of　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　which　housed　those　people　who　had　granted　endowments　to　House　Sylvarresta；　for　the　use　of　the　King's　family　and　soldiers。
　So；　Raj　Ahten's　assassins　came　to　destroy　Sylvarresta's　Dedicates；　murder　those　whose　minds　and　strength　and　vitality　fed　the　King's　forces。
　It　was　a　vile　deed。　The　Dedicates　could　not　protect　themselves。　The　brilliant　young　men　who'd　given　endowments　of　wit　no　longer　knew　their　right　hands　from　their　left。　Those　who　had　granted　brawn　now　lay　like　babes；　too　weak　to　climb　from　their　beds。　It　was　craven　to　kill　Dedicates。　Yet；　sadly；　too　often　it　was　the　easiest　way　to　assail　a　Runelord。　By　murdering　those　who　constantly　fed　a　Runelord　strength　and　support；　one　deprived　the　lord　of　his　powers；　making　him　into　a　mon　man。
　As　the　attack　progressed；　Sylvarresta　barely　had　time　to　marshal　his　defenders。　Boiling　oil　had　been　lugged　up　to　the　wall…walk　shortly　after　dark。　Though　the　normal　plement　of　three　guards　marched　along　the　Parapet；　a　dozen　more　crouched　behind　the　battlements　out　of　sight。
　Still；　defenders　needed　to　be　warned。　Archers　manned　the　towers；　soldiers　hiding　in　the　city　needed　to　be　notified　so　that　they　could　cut　off　the　assassins'　escape。
　From　behind　his　stained…glass　window；　Sylvarresta　watched　the　assassins　reach　the　halfway　point　on　the　stone　wall　of　the　keep；　then　the　King　opened　the　window　and　blew　a　soft；　shrill　whistle。
　As　one；　his　soldiers　leapt　up　and　poured　oil　down　the　keep's　walls；　tossing　great　iron　cauldrons　over　as　they　emptied。　The　oil　did　not　have　the　desired　effect。　It　had　cooled　too　much　since　sunset；　and　though　the　assassins　cried　in　dismay　at　their　burns　and　some　plummeted　when　swept　from　the　walls　by　falling　cauldrons；　more　than　twenty　still　scrambled　up　the　walls；　swift　as　lizards。
　The　guards　atop　the　Dedicates'　Keep　drew　swords　and　pikes。　From　the　King's　Keep；　some　hundred　yards　distant；　archers　let　arrows　fly。　A　few　more　assassins　plummeted；　but　Raj　Ahten's　knights　were　frighteningly　swift；　terrifyingly　determined。
　King　Sylvarresta　had　imagined　the　assassins　would　run　when　they　met　resistance。　Instead　they　scurried　faster；　reaching　the　tops　of　the　parapet；　where　razor　wire　hindered　them。　Sylvarresta's　soldiers　hacked　at　the　assassins；　so　that　a　dozen　more　plummeted　from　the　keep's　tower。
　Still；　seven　assassins　won　the　top　of　the　tower；　where　their　incredible　skills　as　fighters　came　into　play。　The　assassins　moved　so　swiftly；　Sylvarresta's　men　could　not　well　defend　themselves。　Yet　four　more　assassins　got　cut　down；　while　a　dozen　defenders　were　slaughtered。
　The　three　remaining　assassins　hurtled　down　the　steps　into　the　Dedicates'　Keepjust　as　the　King's　pikemen　rushed　from　the　guardroom　beneath　the　portcullis。
　The　assassins　ignored　the　guards；　instead　leapt　to　the　iron　grate　that　covered　one　low　door　to　the　Dedicates'　Hall。　Though　the　door　was　barred　with　heavy　iron；　two　assassins　grabbed　a　bar　and　pulled；　ripping　it　from　the　wall；　dislodging　two…hundred…pound　stones　set　with　mortar。
　The　third　assassin　faced　the　pikemen；　ready　to　defend。
　But　these　pikemen　were　no　mon　soldiers。
　Captain　Derrow　and　Captain　Ault　came；　side　by　side；　holding　back　nothing。　Captain　Ault　stabbed　at　the　assassin's　head；　a　lightning　thrust。
　The　assassin　dodged；　his　own　short　sword　snaking　out；　biting　Ault's　gloved　hand。　The　assassin　was　a　dark　monster；　draped　in　robes　of　black；　a　man　whose　speed　astonished。　He　shifted　on　his　feet；　weaving　from　side　to　side　so　quickly　that　no　moner　could　have　landed　a　blow。　He　drew　a　second　knife；　his　hands　whirling　in　the　deadly　Dancing　Arms　style。
　In　that　second；　the　door　to　the　Dedicates'　Keep　screamed　as　if　in　agony。
　The　two　assassins　pulled　the　door　wide。　One　assassin　bolted　through　the　door。
　Captain　Derrow　swung　his　pike　as　if　it　were　an　axe。　An　assassin　by　the　door　took　a　firm　knock　to　the　head。
　The　assassin　guard　ducked。　Ault　anticipated　his　move　and　lunged。　Ault　slammed　the　pike　into　the　man's　chest；　then　lifted；　flinging　the　assassin　up　and　aside。
　Ault　tossed　away　the　pike；　drew　a　long　dagger；　and　bolted　into　the　Dedicates'　Keep。
　Inside；　Ault　found　that　the　last　assassin　had　already　slaughtered　two　guards　poste