df.therunelords-第23部分

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　The　shaggy　Frowth　giants；　twenty　feet　tall　at　the　brow；　lumbered　forward　clumsily　in　their　chain　mail；　clutching　huge　ironbound　staves。　They　struggled　to　keep　from　crushing　Raj　Ahten's　swordsmen　in　their　advance。
　War　dogs　kept　pace　with　the　giants；　huge　beasts；　mastiffs　with　runes　branded　into　them。
　Bowmen　by　the　score。
　And　at　the　edge　of　the　forest；　black　shadows　flickered。　Furred　creatures　with　dark　manes　hissed　and　growled；　loping　forward　in　a　crouched　gait　on　clawed　knuckles；　each　bearing　an　enormous　spear。　〃Nomen！〃　someone　shouted。　〃Nomen　from　beyond　Inkarra！〃
　Nomen　to　scale　the　walls；　scampering　up　the　stone　like　monkeys。　Nomen　with　their　sharp　teeth　and　red　eyes。
　Iome　had　never　seen　onealive。　Only　once　had　she　seen　an　ancient；　shedding　pelt。　They　were　the　stuff　of　legend。
　Nomen。　No　wonder　Raj　Ahten's　army　traveled　by　day　only　through　the　woods；　attacked　only　at　night。
　It　was　all　show　of　course。　Raj　Ahten　appearing　in　his　glory　with　all　his　entourage。　The　power　of　his　army　was　astonishing；　his　wealth　enormous。
　You　see　me？　he　was　saying。　You　Northerners　squat　here　in　your　barren　kingdom；　never　knowing　how　impoverished　you　are。　Behold　the　Wolf　Lord　of　the　South。　Behold　my　wealth。
　But　Iome's　people　were　ready　for　battle。　She　saw　boys　and　old　men　shifting　on　the　castle　walls；　gripping　the　hafts　of　their　spears　tighter；　reaching　over　to　make　sure　that　the　arrows　placed　beside　them　lay　just　so。　Her　people　would　put　up　a　battle。　Perhaps　a　battle　that　would　be　sung　about　in　years　to　e。
　Just　then；　Iome's　father　finished　dressing；　grabbed　his　weapons；　and　came　bounding　up　the　steps　of　the　tower　behind　her。　His　Days；　an　elderly　scholar　with　white　hair；　hobbled　behind　as　fast　as　possible。
　Iome　was　not　prepared　for　the　change　in　her　father。　In　the　past　few　hours；　he'd　taken　sixty　endowments　from　his　people；　had　grown　much　in　power。　He　leapt　up　six　stairs　at　a　time；　even　while　bearing　his　arms；　wearing　full　armor。　He　moved　like　a　panther。
　When　he　reached　the　top　of　the　tower；　the　Frowth　giants　quit　drumming；　and　Raj　Ahten's　army　halted。　The　untrained　nomen　growled　and　hissed　in　the　distance；　as　if　eager　to　do　battle。
　Lord　Raj　Ahten　himself　gave　a　shout；　reigning　in　his　stallion；　and　such　was　the　power　of　his　callfor　he　bore　endowments　of　Voice　from　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　peoplethat　his　words　carried　clearly　even　this　high　on　the　citadel；　even　blowing　on　the　wind。　He　sounded　kindly　and　pleasant；　belying　the　threat　inherent　in　his　deeds。
　〃King　Sylvarresta；　people　of　Heredon；〃　Raj　Ahten　called；　his　voice　as　fair　as　the　tinkling　of　a　bell；　as　resonant　as　a　woodwind。　〃Let　us　be　friendsnot　batants。　I　bear　you　no　malice。　Look　at　my　army〃　He　spread　his　arms　wide。　〃You　cannot　defeat　it。　Look　at　me。　I　am　not　your　enemy。　Surely　you　will　not　force　me　to　squat　here　in　the　cold　tonight；　while　you　dine　beside　your　hearths？　Throw　open　your　gates。　I　will　be　your　lord；　and　you　will　be　my　people。〃
　His　voice　sounded　so　pleasant；　so　brimming　with　reason　and　gentleness；　that　had　she　been　on　the　walls；　Iome　would　have　found　it　hard　to　resist。
　Indeed；　in　that　moment；　she　heard　the　gears　to　the　main　portcullis　grind；　and　the　drawbridge　began　to　lower。
　Iome's　heart　pounded。　She　leaned　forward；　shouting　〃No！〃　astonished　that　some　of　her　fool　subjects；　overwhelmed　by　a　monster's　glamour　and　Voice；　were　doing　his　bidding。
　Beside　her；　King　Sylvarresta　also　shouted；　ordering　his　men　to　raise　the　bridge。　But　they　were　far　from　the　gates；　so　high　up。　The　sound　of　Orden's　shout　was　muffled　by　the　visor　on　his　helm。　He　pulled　it　up　to　call　more　clearly。
　In　keeping　with　her　own　feelings　of　anger；　down　at　the　gates；　Captain　Derrow　let　a　bolt　loose　at　the　Wolf　Lord。　Derrow's　bolt　flew　with　incredible　speed；　a　blur　of　black　iron　that　would　have　driven　through　any　other　man's　armor。
　But　the　speed　and　strength　of　Raj　Ahten　outmatched　him。　The　Runelord　simply　reached　up　and　caught　the　bolt　in　midair。
　Such　speed。　Raj　Ahten　had　done　the　unthinkable；　taking　so　many　endowments　of　metabolism。　Even　from　here；　she　saw　that　he　must　move　five　or　six　times　as　fast　as　a　mon　man。　Living　at　such　speed；　he'd　age　and　die　in　a　matter　of　years。　But　before　then；　he　might　well　conquer　the　world。
　〃Here　now；〃　he　called；　sounding　reasonable。　〃We'll　have　no　more　of　that。〃　Then　with　great　force；　with　a　sound　of　gentleness　that　slid　past　all　of　Iome's　defenses；　Raj　Ahten　manded；　〃Throw　down　your　weapons　and　your　armor。　Give　yourselves　to　me。〃
　Iome　leapt　to　her　feet；　found　herself　grasping　for　her　poniard；　ready　to　toss　it　over　the　walls。　Only　Gaborn's　hand；　which　reached　to　stop　her；　kept　her　from　dropping　the　weapon　over　the　wall。
　Immediately　she　regretted　it；　saw　how　foolish　it　had　been；　and　she　glanced　at　her　father；　afraid　at　how　angry　he　might　be。　She　saw　him　struggling；　struggling；　to　keep　from　tossing　his　own　warhammer　over　the　tower　wall。
　For　half　a　heartbeat　she　stood；　terrified　of　how　her　people　might　respond　to　Raj　Ahten's　voice　and　glamour；　fearing　that　those　closer　to　the　monster　would　be　fooled。
　With　a　shout；　as　if　in　celebration；　her　people　began　tossing　bows　and　weapons　over　castle　walls。　Swords　and　fouchards　clattered　on　the　stones　beside　the　moat；　along　with　helms　and　shields。　The　ballistas　on　the　south　wall　crashed　to　the　water；　raising　a　plume　of　spray。　From　here；　the　sound　of　her　people　cheering　was　almost　deafening；　as　if　Raj　Ahten　had　e　as　their　savior；　not　their　destroyer；　and　in　that　moment；　the　city　gates　opened　wide。
　Several　of　House　Sylvarresta's　most　loyal　soldiers　began　to　struggle；　hoping　to　close　the　gates。　Captain　Derrow　swung　his　steel　bow　as　a　weapon；　fending　off　townsmen。　A　few　warriors　with　great　heart　but　lesser　gifts　never　made　it　from　their　posts　at　the　walls。　As　soon　as　they　shouted　in　defiance；　those　standing　nearby　grabbed　them。　Brawls　broke　out。　Iome　saw　several　of　the　city　guards　get　tossed　over　the　walls　to　their　deaths。
　From　here；　Iome　could　not　see　the　beauty　of　Raj　Ahten's　face。　From　here；　surely　the　wind　diminished　the　sweetness　of　his　voice。
　From　here　on　the　castle　wall；　even　though　Iome　could　prehend　how　her　city　was　lost；　she　could　not　quite　believe　what　she　saw　with　her　own　eyes。
　She　was　stunned。　She　found　herself　shaken　more　than　she　could　have　imagined。
　The　drawbridge　came　down。　The　portcullis　lifted。　The　inner　gate　opened。
　Without　one　enemy　loss；　Castle　Sylvarresta　fell。
　Amid　cheers；　Raj　Ahten　rode　into　the　inner　court；　just　inside　the　great　wall；　while　Iome's　people　tossed　aside　the　carts　and　barrels　that　littered　the　area；　and　chickens　flew　up　out　of　the　Wolf　Lord's　path。
　How　could　I　have　been　so　blind？　Iome　wondered。　How　could　I　have　not　seen　the　danger？
　Only　moments　before；　Iome　had　hoped　that　her　father　and　King　Orden　would　be　able　to　withstand　Raj　Ahten。
　How　simpleminded　I　am。
　From　beside　her；　Iome's　father　shouted；　calling　across　the　distance；　calling　for　his　men　to　surrender。　He　did　not　want　to　watch　them　die。
　The　stiff　evening　wind　carried　away　his　words。
　In　shock；　Iome　glanced　at　her　father's　face；　saw　him　pale　and　shaken；　beaten；　beaten；　and　utterly　hopeless。
　My　father's　voice　is　as　dry　and　insubstantial　as　ash　blowing　in　the　wind；　Iome　thought。　He　is　nothing　before　Raj　Ahten。　We　are　all　nothing。　She'd　never　imagined　this。
　Raj　Ahten　leaned　forward　in　his　saddle；　moving　ever　so　lightly。　From　so　far　away；　his　face　was　no　larger　in　her　field　of　vision　than　a　sparkling　bit　of　quartz　sand　glittering　on　a　beach；　she　imagined　him　beautiful。　He　seemed　young。　He　seemed　fair。　He　wore　his　armor　more　lightly　than　another　man　might　wear　his　clothes；　and　Iome　watched　him　in　wonder。　It　was　rumored　that　he　had　endowments　of　brawn　from　thousands　of　men。　If　not　for　fear　of　breaking　his　bones；　he　could　leap　the　walls；　slice　through　an　armored　man　as　if　slicing　through　a　peach。
　In　battle　he　would　be　nearly　invincible。　With　his　endowments　of　witdrained　from　hundreds　of　sages　and　generalsno　swordsman　could　take　him　by　surprise。　His　endowments　of　metabolism　would　let　him　move　through　the　courtyard；　dodging　between　startled　guards；　an　unstoppable　blur。　With　enough　endowments　of　stamina；　he　could　withstand　almost　any　blow　in　battle。
　For　all　intents　and　purposes；　Raj　Ahten　was　no　longer　even　a　human。　He'd　bee　a　force　of　nature。
　One　intent　on　subduing　the　world。
　He　needed　no　army　to　back　him；　no　force　elephants　or　shaggy　Frowth　giants　to　batter　down　the　palace　gates。　No　nomen　to　scale　the　walls。　No　flameweavers　to　set　the　city's　roofs　aflame。
　They　were　all　minor　terrors；　distractions。　Like　the　ticks　that　infested　a　giant's　fur。
　〃We　can't　fight；〃　her　father　whispered。　〃Sweet　mercy；　we　can't　fight。〃
　Beside　her；　Gaborn's　breath　came　ragged；　and　he　moved　so　close　that　Iome　could　feel　the　warmth　of　him　beside　her　face。
　Iome　felt　disconnected　from　her　body　as　she　simply　watched　the　events　unfold　below。　People　were　running　to　the　courtyard；　trying　to　press　close　to　the　new　lord；　their　Lord；　who　would　destroy　them　all。
　Iome　feared　Raj　Ahten　as　she　feared　death；　yet　she　also　found　that　she　weled　him。　The　power　of　his　Voice　made　her　wele　him。
　Prince　Gaborn　Val　Orden　said　softly；　〃Your　people　don't　have　the　will　to　resist。　My　regrets　to　House　Sylvarrestato　your　father；　and　to　youfor　the　loss　of　your　kingdom。〃
　Thank　you；〃　Iome　said；　her　voice　weak；　far　away。
　Gaborn　turned　to　King　Sylvarresta。　〃My　lord；　is　there　anything　I　can…〃　Gaborn　was　looking　at　Iome。　Perhaps　he　hoped　to　take　her　from　here；　to　take　her　away。
　Iome's　father　turned　to　the　Prince；　still　in　shock。　〃Do？　You　are　but　a　boy？　What　could　you　possibly　do？〃
　Iome's　mind　raced。　She　wondered　if　Gaborn　could　help　her　escape。　But；　no；　she　couldn't　imagine　it。　Raj　Ahten　would　know　she　was　in　the　castle。　The　royals　were　marked。　If　Gaborn　tried　to　free　her；　Raj　Ahten　would　hunt　them　down。　The　most　Gaborn　might　acplish　would　be　to　save　himself。　Raj　Ahten　did　not　know　that　Prince　Orden　was　on　the　grounds。
　Apparently；　King　Sylvarresta　reached　the　same　conclusion。　〃If　you　can　make　it　from　the　castle；　give　my　regards　to　your　father。　Tell　him　I　regret　that　we　won't　hunt　together　again。　Perhaps　he　can　avenge　my　people。〃
　Her　father　reached　under　his　breastplate；　pulled　out