df.therunelords-第28部分

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t；　grass　parting　as　if　some　great　veil　of　cloth　ripped。
　And　from　the　bushes　at　the　forest's　edge；　a　man　emerged；　a　black　form　stepping　from　the　shadows。　Gaborn　had　discerned　his　shape　moments　before；　had　seen　his　shadow　once　the　eyebright　was　administered；　but　had　never　guessed　at　the　creature's　true　appearance。
　For　this　was　no　mortal　man。　Rather　it　was　a　creature　of　dust；　formed　from　rich　black　soil。　Minuscule　specks　of　dirt　and　pebbles　clung　together；　molding　his　features。
　Gaborn　recognized　the　form。　Raj　Ahten　trod　toward　him。　Or；　more　accurately；　a　being　of　dust　in　the　form　of　Raj　Ahten　marched　from　the　woods；　plete　in　armor；　scowling　imperiously；　his　high　helm　spreading　wide　with　owl's　wings；　black　as　onyx。
　Immediately；　Gaborn　froze　in　terror；　wondering　what　this　manifestation　might　mean。　He　looked　to　Binnesman；　the　wizard　had　fallen　back　in　astonishment。
　The　creature　of　dust　stared　down　at　Gaborn；　a　slight　mocking　disdain　on　its　face。　In　the　gathering　shadows　of　the　wood；　it　might　have　seemed　human　to　a　casual　observer；　but　for　its　lack　of　color。　Every　eyelash；　every　fingernail；　every　feature　and　fiber　of　its　clothing　seemed　perfectly　formed。
　Then　the　earth　spoke。
　The　creature　of　dust　did　not　move　its　mouth。　Instead　the　words　seemed　to　e　from　all　around。　Its　voice　was　the　sound　of　wind　sighing　through　a　meadow　or　hissing　through　lonely　peaks。　The　groan　of　rocks　moving　through　a　stream；　or　tumbling　downhill。
　Gaborn　understood　none　of　it；　though　he　recognized　it　as　speech。　Beside　Gaborn；　Binnesman　listened　intently；　and　interpreted；　〃He　says　to　you；　Gaborn；　'You　would　speak　an　oath　to　me；　O　son　of　a　man？'　〃
　The　strange　sounds　continued；　and　Binnesman　thought　a　moment　before　he　added。　〃　'You　say　you　love　the　land。　But　would　you　honor　your　vows　to　me；　even　if　I　wore　the　face　of　an　enemy？'　〃
　Gaborn　looked　to　Binnesman　for　answer；　and　the　wizard　nodded；　urging　Gaborn　to　speak　to　the　earth　directly。
　Gaborn　had　never　seen　anything　like　this　creature；　had　never　heard　tales　of　it。　Earth　had　e　to　him；　choosing　a　form　that　Gaborn　could　see　and　prehend。　Some　men　claimed　to　look　into　fire　and　see　the　face　of　the　Power　behind　it；　but　it　often　seemed　to　Gaborn　that　fire　was　the　most　approachable　of　elements；　while　air　was　the　least。　Gaborn　had　never　heard　of　the　earth　manifesting　itself　in　this　way。
　〃I　do　love　the　land；〃　Gaborn　said　at　last。
　The　strange　clamor　of　faraway　noises　rose　again。　〃　'How　can　you　love　what　you　cannot　prehend？'　〃　Binnesman　interpreted。
　〃I　love　what　I　do　prehend；　and　suppose　I　would　love　the　rest；〃　Gaborn　tried　to　answer　truthfully。
　Earth　smiled；　mocking。　Boulders　rumbled。　Binnesman　said；　〃　'Someday　you　shall　prehend　me；　when　your　body　mingles　with　mine。　Do　you　fear　that　day？'　〃
　Death。　Earth　wanted　to　know　if　he　feared　death。
　〃Yes。〃　Gaborn　dared　not　lie。
　〃Then　you　cannot　love　me　fully；〃　Earth　whispered。　〃Will　you　aid　my　cause　despite　this？〃
　Raj　Ahten。　The　thing　looked　so　much　like　Raj　Ahten。　Gaborn　knew　what　Earth　desired　of　him。　Something　more　than　embracing　life。　Something　more　than　serving　man。　To　embrace　death　and　decay　and　the　totality　that　was　Earth。
　A　strangeness　showed　in　Earth's　dark　face；　emotions　not　human。　Gaborn　looked　into　those　eyes；　and　images　came　to　mind：　a　pasture　far　south　of　Bannisferre　where　white　stones　protruded　from　the　green　grass　like　teeth；　the　scenic　purple　mountains　of　Alcair　as　seen　in　the　distance　south　of　home。　But　there　was　morevast　crevasses　and　caverns　and　canyons　deep　beneath　the　ground；　places　he　had　never　seen。　Many…colored　soils　and　dark　rock　by　the　shapeless　ton；　so　deep　within　the　earth　that　no　man　could　hold　it　all；　no　man　could　begin　to　prehend　it。　Gems　and　mud　and　leaves　rotting　on　the　forest　floor　among　the　bones　of　men。　Smells　of　sulfur　and　ash　and　grass　and　blood。　Rivers　thrumming　and　tumbling　in　the　dark　places　of　the　world；　and　endless　seas　lying　over　the　face　of　the　earth　like　sweet　tears。
　You　cannot　know　me；　Earth　was　saying。　You　cannot　prehend　me。　You　see　only　surfaces。　Though　you　want　me　as　an　ally；　I　must　also　be　your　enemy。
　Painfully；　Gaborn　considered　each　word　of　the　vow；　wondering　if　he　could　keep　it。
　〃Why　would　you　want　me　to　take　this　vow？〃　Gaborn　asked。　〃What　does　it　mean；　to　never　harm　the　earth？　What　does　it　mean；　to　preserve　a　seed　of　humanity？〃
　This　time；　Binnesman　did　not　hesitate　when　he　translated　Earth's　answer；　which　came　more　as　a　sighing　of　wind　than　a　grumble。　〃You　will　not　seek　to　thwart　me；〃　Earth　said；　leaning　back　casually　against　the　bole　of　one　dark　tree　that　seemed　to　cup　him　like　a　hand。　〃You　will　seek　to　learn　my　will；　discern　how　best　to　serve　the　earth。〃
　〃In　what　capacity？〃　Gaborn　asked；　seeking　to　know　more　precisely　what　the　earth　wanted。
　Clamorous　noises。　Binnesman　frowned　thoughtfully　as　he　sought　for　words。。。〃As　you　cannot　prehend　me；〃　Earth　said；　〃I　cannot　prehend　you。　Yet　this　much　I　know：　You　love　your　people；　seek　their　welfare。　You　seek　to　save　men。〃
　〃There　was　a　time　when　Fire　loved　the　earth；　and　the　sun　drew　nearer　to　me。　That　time　is　no　more。　So　in　this　dark　season；　I　must　call　others　to　champion　my　cause。　I　ask　you　to　save　a　remnant　of　mankind。〃
　Gaborn's　heart　pounded。　〃Save　them　from　what？〃
　Hissing　rose　through　the　woods。　〃Fire。　All　of　nature　is　out　of　balance。　That　which　you　call　'the　First　Power'　has　long　been　withdrawn；　but　now　it　will　waken　and　sweep　over　the　world；　bringing　death。　It　is　in　Fire's　nature　to　seek　constantly　to　consume　and　grow。　It　shall　destroy　much。〃
　Gaborn　knew　enough　of　wizardry　to　know　that　while　all　Powers　bined　to　create　life；　the　alliance　of　Powers　was　uneasy；　and　different　Powers　favored　different　kinds　of　life。　Air　loved　birds；　while　Water　loved　fishes；　and　Earth　loved　plants　and　the　things　that　crept　upon　its　face。　Fire　seemed　to　love　only　serpents；　and　creatures　of　the　netherworld。　Earth　and　Water　were　powers　of　stability。　Air　and　Fire　were　unstable。　Earth　itself　was　a　protector；　and　bined　with　Water　to　protect　nature。
　Immediately；　Gaborn　reasoned；　I　am　a　Runelord；　Prince　of　Mystarriaa　nation　strong　in　water　magicswho　loves　the　land。　So　earth　seeks　to　make　an　ally　of　me。
　〃You　seek　my　service；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃and　only　a　fool　would　refuse　to　consider　your　offer。　You　want　me　to　save　someone；　and　this　I　would　do　gladly。　But　what　do　you　offer　in　return？〃
　Boulders　rumbled；　and　nearby　the　ground　vented　steam　as　Earth　laughed。　Yet　Binnesman　did　not　smile　as　he　translated；　〃　'I　ask　but　one　thing　of　you；　to　save　a　seed　of　humanity。　If　you　succeed；　the　deed　itself　shall　be　your　reward。　You　shall　save　those　you　deem　worthy　to　live。'　〃
　〃IfI　succeed？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　Lonely　wind　hissing　through　trees。　〃Once　there　were　toth　upon　the　land。　Once　there　were　duskins。。。At　the　end　of　this　dark　time；　mankind；　too；　may　bee　only　a　memory。〃
　Gaborn　felt　his　heart　nearly　freeze。　He'd　imagined　that　the　earth　wanted　him　to　help　save　the　people　of　Heredon　from　Raj　Ahten。　But　something　more　dangerous　than　a　war　between　two　nations　was　at　handsomething　more　devastating。
　〃What　is　going　to　happen？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　The　wind　hissed　as　Earth　spoke　softly。　Binnesman　merely　frowned　for　a　long　time；　then　answered　for　himself。　〃Gaborn；　I　can't　tell　you　what　the　earth　is　saying。　It　is　too　plex　to　interpret。　The　earth　does　not　itself　know　the　full　answer。　Only　the　Time　Lords　see　the　future；　but　even　for　the　earth；　the　answer　is　unclear。　Earth　senses　wide　destruction。　The　skies　will　be　black　with　smoke；　and　everything　will　burn。　The　sun　at　high　noon　will　shine　dimly；　as　red　as　blood。　Seas　will　be　choked　with　ash。。。Iit's　too　much　for　me　to　untangle；　too　much　to　answer。〃
　The　wizard　fell　silent　then；　and　Gaborn　saw　that　his　face　was　ashen；　as　if　trying　to　make　sense　of　Earth's　words　was　a　great　labor；　even　for　him。　Or　perhaps　the　things　he'd　learned　terrified　Binnesman　to　the　core；　so　that　he　could　speak　no　longer。
　Gaborn　did　not　understand　how　to　keep　the　vow。　Yet　no　matter　what　it　required；　he　had　to　take　it。　He　fell　to　his　knees　and　vowed；　〃I；　Gaborn　Val　Orden；　swear　to　you　that　I　will　never　harm　the　earth；　that　I　dedicate　myself　to　the　preservation　of　a　seed　of　humanity　in　the　dark　season　to　e。〃
　Gaborn's　whole　body　trembled。　The　man　of　dust　leaned　over　until　its　helm　almost　touched　Gaborn's　forehead。　The　sound　of　wind　whispered　in　Gaborn's　ears；　and　the　earth　rumbled　ominously。　Binnesman　croaked　the　words：　〃　'I　shall　hold　you　to　your　word；　though　in　time　you　curse　me。'　〃
　Earth　raised　two　fingers　of　dust；　the　forefinger　and　index　finger　of　its　left　hand；　to　Gaborn's　forehead；　and　there　traced　a　rune。
　When　it　finished；　Earth　stuck　the　two　fingers　to　Gaborn's　lips。
　Gaborn　opened　his　mouth。　Earth　placed　its　fingers　inside。　Gaborn　bit；　tasting　clean　soil　on　his　tongue。
　In　that　moment；　the　fine　filaments　of　hair　on　the　creature　of　dust　fell　away；　and　its　muscles　slackened；　until　a　pile　of　dust　sloughed　to　the　ground。
　Immediately；　the　suffocating　presence　of　earth　power　diminished。　Light　shone　thinly　still　through　the　trees；　and　Gaborn　breathed　deep。
　When　Binnesman　next　moved；　his　face　was　pale；　and　the　wizard　stared　at　the　mound　of　dust　in　awe。　Reaching　down；　he　respectfully　prodded　it　with　a　finger；　then　tasted　the　dirt。
　He　took　another　pinch　and　sprinkled　it　over　Gaborn's　left　shoulder；　then　his　right；　and　then　his　head；　chanting；　〃The　earth　heal；　the　earth　hide　you；　the　earth　make　you　its　own！
　〃Now；〃　Binnesman　whispered；　placing　his　hands　on　Gaborn's　shoulders；　〃Gaborn　Val　Orden；　I　name　you　Earthborn　indeed。　As　you　serve　the　land；　it　serves　you　in　return。〃
　Gaborn　still　smelled　rue　here　in　the　glade；　but　now　its　powerful　scent　only　made　his　nose　itch。　He　went　to　the　bush；　caressed　a　faded　yellow　flower；　pulled　a　few　leaves　from　branches。
　Gaborn　glanced　over；　saw　Binnesman　staring　at　him　with　something　like　awe　etched　into　his　features。
　When　Gaborn　had　taken　a　dozen　more　leaves；　Binnesman　grumbled。
　〃You　don't　need　enough　to　wipe　out　a　whole　village。　e　now；　time　is　short。〃
　The　wizard　rolled　the　rue　leaves　between　his　hands；　and　when　he　held　out　his　palm；　the　leaves　had　crumbled　to　powder。　Binnesman　took　a　pouch　from　around　his　own　neck；　put　the　crumbled　leaves　into　the　pouch；　and　placed　it　aroun