df.therunelords-第75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！


es；　but　he　needed　none。　With　the　wits　of　twenty　men；　and　gifts　of　voice　from　fifteen；　Orden　could　chant　the　spells　as　well　as　the　best　of　them。
　A　weapon。　He　had　his　weapon。
　〃Captain　Stroecker；〃　Orden　said　softly。　〃You　and　I　and　Borenson　are　the　only　three　men　who　know　where　this　treasure　lies。　We　must　keep　it　that　way。　I　can't　risk　that　the　enemy　find　these。　I　can't　risk　that　you　get　captured。〃
　〃Agreed；〃　Stroecker　said　in　such　a　tone　that　Orden　realized　the　man　thought　Orden　wanted　him　to　make　the　ultimate　sacrifice。　In　a　moment；　Stroecker　would　disembowel　himself。
　〃Therefore；　Captain；〃　Orden　said；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　the　men　that　we　need　guards　to　take　a　great　treasure　back　to　Mystarria。　Choose　three　menyoung　family　men　with　childrento　acpany　you　as　guards。　Choose　them　carefully；　for　you　may　be　saving　their　lives。　Then　take　the　men　and　four　fast　horses；　and　fill　your　saddlebags　with　stones；　and　leave　here；　taking　every　effort　not　to　get　caught。〃
　〃Milord？〃　Stroecker　asked。
　〃You　heard　me　right。　A　war　will　be　fought　here　near　dawn。　I　expect　Raj　Ahten　to　throw　his　full　force　against　us。　He　anticipates　the　help　of　an　army　of　a　hundred　thousand；　and　Ido　not　know　what　allies　I　might　have。　If　this　castle　falls；　if　we　all　die；　it　will　be　your　duty　to　return　here　and　retrieve　the　treasure；　then　deliver　it　to　Mystarria。〃
　〃Milord；　have　you　considered　retreat？〃　Stroecker　asked。　One　of　the　dogs　stood；　pushed　its　muzzle　against　the　King's　thigh。　The　dog　seemed　hungry；　but　would　settle　for　affection。
　〃I　think　about　it　every　moment；〃　Orden　said；　〃but　my　son　is　missing　in　the　wilderness；　and；　so　far；　I　have　no　word　of　him。　Until　I　hear　word；　I　must　consider　that　Raj　Ahten　holds　him　prisoner　and　has　taken　an　endowmentor　that　he　is　dead。〃　Orden　took　a　deep　breath。　For　all　his　life；　he'd　sought　to　protect　and　nurture　his　son。　His　wife　had　borne　him　four　children。　Only　Gaborn　had　survived。　Yet　his　worry　for　Gaborn　was　but　one　of　a　multitude　of　pains。　His　voice　faltered　as　he　admitted；　〃And　I　have　sent　my　most　fearsome　warrior　to　kill　my　best　friend。　If　my　fears　prove　true；　Captain　Stroeckerif　the　worst　es　to　passI　won't　want　to　live　through　this　battle。　I'm　going　to　raise　my　sword　against　Raj　Ahten。　I'm　going　to　attack　him；　personally。　Either　he　will　die　or　I　will　die。　At　dawn　we　will　be　forming　a　serpent　ring。〃
　King　Orden　held　up　the　forcibles。
　Captain　Stroecker's　face　paled。　Creating　a　serpent　ring　was　a　dangerous　gambit。　With　these　forcibles；　Orden　could　take　an　endowment　of　metabolism　from　a　man；　who　would　then　take　an　endowment　from　another；　who　would　take　an　endowment　from　another；　so　that　each　man　became　one　in　a　long　line　of　vectors。　In　the　parlance　of　facilitators；　this　line　of　men　was　called　a　〃serpent；〃　for　the　man　at　the　head　of　the　chain　became　very　powerful；　deadly　as　a　poisoned　serpent；　and　should　he　be　destroyed；　should　the　serpent　be　beheaded；　the　next　man　in　line　would　arise；　hardly　diminished　in　power　from　the　first。
　But　if　a　man　took　too　many　endowments　of　metabolism；　it　was　sure　death。　He　might　bee　a　great　warrior　for　a　few　hours　or　days；　but　he　would　burn　himself　out　like　a　shooting　star。　Desperate　men　had　done　it　in　the　past；　at　times。　But　it　would　be　hard　to　find　twenty　able　fighters　willing　to　form　a　serpent；　to　throw　away　their　lives。
　So　Orden　offered　them　some　hope。　In　this　case；　last　of　all；　the　King　would　give　his　own　endowment　of　metabolism　to　the　last　man　in　the　serpent；　so　that　every　man　in　the　serpent　became　vectored　to　another。　Thus；　with　twenty　forcibles；　twenty　men　could　all　share　their　metabolism；　forming　a　pool　from　which　any　one　warrior　could　draw。　Since　Orden　had　the　most　endowments　and　the　greatest　skill　in　battle；　the　task　of　fighting　Raj　Ahten　would　fall　to　him。　He　would　volunteer　to　act　as　〃the　serpent's　head；〃　and　so　long　as　the　other　men　in　the　ring　remained　inert；　Orden　would　be　able　to　draw　upon　their　surplus　metabolism。　Many　of　Orden's　soldiers　had　metabolism　from　one　or　two　men。　So；　as　the　serpent's　head；　Orden　would　be　able　to　move　with　the　speed　of　thirty　or　forty　men。
　And　the　hope　that　Orden　offered　his　men　was　this：　that　if　he　himself　managed　to　survive　the　battle；　the　serpent　ring　would　remain　unbroken；　and　each　man　in　the　ring　would　thus　be　able　to　continue　his　life　with　some　degree　of　normalcy。
　But　still　it　was　a　dangerous　gambit。　If　any　other　man　in　the　ring　were　forced　into　battle；　that　man　might　well　draw　away　metabolism　that　Orden　needed　at　a　critical　moment；　sabotaging　Orden's　chances　in　the　fight。　Even　worse；　if　a　member　of　the　serpent　ring　were　slain；　Orden　might　find　himself　a　mere　vector　to　another　man；　might　suddenly　fall　in　battle；　unable　to　move。
　No；　if　anyone　died　in　this　battle；　it　would　best　be　the　serpent's　headOrden　himself。　For　if　Orden　died；　if　the　ring　broke；　then　the　burden　of。　metabolism　would　fall　to　the　person　who　had　granted　Orden　his　endowment。
　This　next　man　in　line　would　bee　the　new　serpent's　head。　And　he　could　continue　to　fight　Raj　Ahten's　forces；　spreading　destruction。
　Yet　even　if　Orden　won　his　battle　with　Raj　Ahten；　even　if　the　serpent　ring　remained　intact　today；　Orden　was　still　calling　upon　all　his　men　to　make　a　terrible　sacrifice。　For　at　some　time；　hopefully　on　some　distant　morning；　the　circle　would　break。　A　man　from　the　circle　would　die　in　some　battle；　or　would　fall　prey　to　illness。　When　that　happened；　all　other　vectors　would　fall　into　the　deep　slumber　of　those　who'd　given　metabolism；　with　the　exception　of　one　man；　the　new　serpent's　head；　doomed　to　age　and　die　in　a　matter　of　months。
　Regardless　of　how　the　battle　played　out　today；　every　man　in　the　ring　would　be　called　upon　to　sacrifice　some　portion　of　his　life。
　Knowing　all　this；　Orden　felt　gratified　when　his　captain　bent　low　at　the　waist；　smiling；　and　said；　〃I　would　be　pleased　to　serve　with　you；　if　you　would　have　me　in　this　ring。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Orden　said；　〃but　you'll　have　to　miss　this　opportunity　to　waste　your　life。　Duty　calls　you　elsewhere。〃
　Captain　Stroecker　turned　smartly　and　left　the　great　hall。　Orden　followed　him　out　to　gather　his　troops　for　battle。
　Already　his　captains　had　set　men　on　the　walls。　Artillerymen　had　pushed　the　catapults　out　from　beneath　the　protective　enclosures　in　the　towers　above　the　gates；　had　begun　firing；　testing　their　ranges　in　the　dark。　It　was　a　poor　time　for　such　tests；　but　Orden　did　not　know　if　they'd　ever　get　a　chance　to　test　the　catapults　in　daylight。
　At　that　moment；　a　horn　sounded　in　the　western　hills；　off　toward　the　road　from　Castle　Dreis。
　Orden　smiled　grimly。　So；　he　thought；　the　Earl　es　at　last；　hoping　for　a　share　of　the　treasure。
　
　Chapter　34
　THE　RUNNING　MAN
　　
　In　Khuram　it　is　said　that　a　running　man　with　a　knife　can　kill　two　thousand　men　in　a　single　night。　Borenson　worked　faster　than　that；　but　then　he　was　a　force　soldier；　and　he　carried　a　knife　in　each　hand。
　He　did　not　think　about　what　he　did；　did　not　watch　the　quivering　of　his　victims　or　listen　to　the　thrash　of　limbs　or　gurgle　of　blood。　For　most　of　the　night；　he　hurried　through　the　job　in　a　mindless　horror。
　Three　hours　after　he　entered　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　he　finished　the　deed。　It　was　inevitable　that　some　of　the　Dedicates　woke　and　fought　him。　It　was　inevitable　that　some　women　he　killed　were　beautiful；　and　some　men　were　young　and　should　have　had　full　lives　before　them。　It　was　inevitable　that　no　matter　how　hard　he　tried　to　block　the　memories　of　their　faces　from　his　mind；　moments　would　e　that　he　knew　he'd　never　forget：　a　blind　woman　clutching　at　his　surcoat；　begging　him　to　wait；　the　smile　of　a　drinking　panion　from　the　hunts；　Captain　Derrow；　who　bid　him　a　final　goodbye　with　a　knowing　wink。
　Halfway　through　the　deed；　Borenson　recognized　that　this　was　wanted　of　him；　that　Raj　Ahten　had　left　the　Dedicates　unguarded　knowing　they　would　be　killed。　He　had　no　passion　for　these　people；　valued　them　not　at　all。
　Let　friend　dispose　of　friend；　brother　raise　knife　against　brother。　Let　the　nations　of　the　North　be　torn　asunder。　That　was　what　Raj　Ahten　wanted；　and　Borenson　knew　that　even　as　he　slaughtered　these　innocents；　he　had　bee　a　tool　in　Raj　Ahten's　hand。
　Leaving　the　Dedicates　totally　unguarded　was　not　necessary。　Four　or　five　good　men　could　have　provided　some　protection。　Could　the　monster　take　such　delight　in　this？
　Borenson　felt　his　mind　tear　open　like　a　seeping　wound；　every　moment　became　a　pain。　Yet　it　was　his　duty　to　obey　his　lord　without　question。　His　duty　to　kill　these　people；　and　even　as　he　revolted　at　the　slaughter；　he　found　himself　wondering　time　and　time　again；　Have　I　killed　them　all？　Have　I　fulfilled　my　duty？　Is　this　all；　or　has　Raj　Ahten　hidden　some　of　them？
　For　if　he　could　not　reach　the　vectors　that　Raj　Ahten　had　taken；　Borenson　needed　to　kill　every　Dedicate　who　fed　Raj　Ahten's　power。
　Thus；　when　he　finally　unlocked　the　portcullis　to　the　keep；　blood　covered　Borenson　from　helm　to　boot。
　He　walked　into　Market　Street；　dropped　his　knives　to　the　pavement；　then　stood　for　a　long　time；　letting　rain　wash　over　his　face；　letting　it　wash　over　his　hands。　The　coldness　of　it　felt　good；　but　during　the　past　hours　the　blood　had　clotted　in　gobbets。　A　little　rainwater　would　not　wash　it　free。
　A　fey　mood　took　Borenson。　He　no　longer　wanted　to　be　a　soldier　for　Orden；　or　for　any　king。　His　helm　felt　too　constraining；　as　if　it　would　crush　his　head；　it　hurt　so。　He　threw　it　to　the　ground　so　that　it　rattled　and　clattered　as　it　rolled　along　the　paving　stones；　down　the　street。
　Then　he　walked　out　of　Castle　Sylvarresta。
　No　one　stopped　him。　Only　a　pitiful　guard　had　been　set。
　When　he　reached　the　city　gate；　the　young　fellow　on　guard　took　one　look　at　his　blood…covered　face　and　fell　back；　crying；　raising　his　index　finger　and　the　thumb　as　a　ward　against　ghosts。
　Borenson　shouted　a　cry　that　rang　from　the　walls；　then　ran　out　into　the　rain；　across　the　burned　fields　toward　the　distant　copse　where　he'd　hidden　his　horse。
　In　the　darkness　and　rain；　a　half…dozen　nomen　with　long　spears　made　the　mistake　of　jumping　him。　They　came　rushing　toward　him　in　a　little　vale；　leaping　from　the　blackened　earth　like　wild　things；　running　forward　with　their　longspears。
　Their　red　eyes　nearly　glowed　in　the　darkness；　and　their　thick　manes　made　them　look　somehow　wolfish。　They　snarled　and　lope