df.therunelords-第89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！


e　sought　solitude　beyond　Inkarra；　in　the　Isles　of　Illienne；　and　I　suppose　he　lives　there　still。〃
　All　this　flashed　through　Orden's　mind　as　his　sword　cleared　Raj　Ahten's　throat；　then　he　realized　he　had　swung　so　hard　that　the　blade　was　getting　away　from　him。　Pain　filled　his　arm　as　he　strained　muscles　and　pulled　tendons；　trying　to　hold　it。
　The　sword　flashed　away　into　a　bed　of　ferns　upon　the　knoll。
　He　had　no　other　weapon。　But　Raj　Ahten　still　sat；　frozen　in　horror　at　the　power　of　his　attack。　Orden　leapt；　kicking　at　Raj　Ahten's　head　with　all　his　might。
　He　wore　the　steel…toed　hoots　of　war；　each　with　a　heavy　bar　across　the　toe。　The　blow；　he　knew；　would　shatter　his　own　leg。　But　it　could　also　crush　Raj　Ahten's　skull。
　As　Orden　kicked；　Raj　Ahten　twisted　away。　Orden's　heel　struck　beneath　Raj　Ahten's　epaulets。
　A　ripping　pain　tore　through　Orden's　leg　as　every　bone　in　it　shattered；　a　pain　so　profound　it　wrung　a　cry　from　his　throat。
　Yet　if　I　ruin　myself；　Orden　thought；　then　I　ruin　Raj　Ahten。　Raj　Ahten's　shoulder　crumpled。　Orden　felt　the　bones　of　the　Wolf　Lord's　arm　snap；　followed　by　his　collarbones；　then　the　ribs　caving　in；　one　by　one；　snapping　like　twigs　beneath　his　heel。
　Raj　Ahten　screamed　like　one　dying。
　Orden　landed　on　Raj　Ahten's　shoulder；　and　sat　for　what　seemed　a　few　seconds；　gasping；　wondering　what　to　do　next。　He　rolled　off　the　Wolf　Lord；　to　see　if　the　man　had　died。
　To　his　astonishment；　Raj　Ahten　groaned　in　pain；　rolled　in　the　grass。　The　impression　of　Orden's　boot　lay　stamped　on　the　Wolf　Lord's　shoulder。
　The　scapula　had　caved　in。　Raj　Ahten's　right　arm　twisted　at　an　unnatural　angle。　The　flesh　of　his　shoulder　was　pushed　down　six　inches。
　Raj　Ahten　lay　in　the　grass；　eyes　glazed　with　pain。　Blood　frothed　from　his　mouth。　The　Wolf　Lord's　dark　eyes　and　chiseled　face　were　so　beautiful　in　that　moment；　Orden　marveled。　He'd　never　seen　the　Wolf　Lord　so　close；　in　all　his　glamour。　It　took　Orden's　breath　away。
　〃Serve　me；〃　Raj　Ahten　whispered　fervently。
　In　that　second；　Mendellas　Draken　Orden　was　swept　away　by　the　force　of　Raj　Ahten's　glamour；　and　wished　to　serve　him　with　his　whole　heart。
　Then　the　second　passed；　and　he　grew　frightened：　for　something　moved　beneath　Raj　Ahten's　armor；　the　shoulder　settled　and　swelled；　settled　once　again；　as　if　years　of　inflammation　and　healing　and　pain　all　rolled　into　one　infinite；　heart…stopping　moment。　The　shoulder　finally　grew　to　a　bulbous　hump。
　Orden　tried　to　roll　to　his　feet；　knowing　the　fight　was　not　over。
　Raj　Ahten　crawled　after　him；　grasped　Orden's　right　arm　by　the　wrist；　and　smashed　his　helm　into　Orden's　own　shoulder；　so　hard　that　the　helm　was　jarred　loose　from　Raj　Ahten's　head。
　Bones　shattered　all　along　Orden's　arm；　and　he　cried　out。　He　writhed　on　the　ground；　his　right　leg　a　ruin；　his　arm　and　shoulder　useless。
　Raj　Ahten　backed　away；　stood　gasping　for　breath。　〃It　is　a　shame；　King　Orden。　You　should　have　taken　more　stamina。　My　bones　are　already　fully　healed。　How　many　days　will　it　be　until　you　can　say　the　same？〃　He　kicked　hard；　snapping　Orden's　good　leg。　Orden　collapsed　to　the　ground；　on　his　hack。
　〃Where　are　my　forcibles？〃　Raj　Ahten　said　calmly。
　Orden　gave　no　answer。
　Raj　Ahten　kicked　King　Orden　in　the　face。
　Blood　spurted　from　Orden's　right　eye；　and　he　felt　it　hanging　against　his　cheek。　Orden　fell　to　the　ground　in　a　near　faint；　and　covered　his　face　with　his　good　hand。　Raj　Ahten　kicked　his　unprotected　ribs。　Something　tore　loose　inside；　and　Orden　began　coughing；　spewing　flecks　of　blood。
　〃I'll　kill　you！〃　King　Orden　spat。　〃I　swear　it！〃
　It　was　a　vain　threat。　Orden　couldn't　fight　back。　He　needed　to　die。　Needed　Raj　Ahten　to　kill　him　so　the　serpent　ring　would　break　and　another　warrior　could　fight　in　his　stead。
　King　Orden　began　to　cough；　he　could　hardly　breathe　in　air　so　thick；　so　liquid。　Raj　Ahten　kicked　his　ribs　again；　so　that　Orden　lay　gasping。
　Raj　Ahten　turned　and　scrambled　up　the　trail　fifty　yards；　through　dry　grass　filled　with　yellow　tansy；　to　the　base　of　the　Eyes　of　Tor　Loman。　A　stone　stair　spiraled　three　times　outside　the　circumference　of　the　tower。　Raj　Ahten　scrambled　up　it；　limping　painfully；　one　shoulder　five　inches　lower　than　the　other。　Though　his　face　looked　beautiful；　he　seemed　from　the　back　to　be　little　more　than　just　another　twisted　hunchback。　His　right　arm　hung　askew；　and　his　right　leg　might　have　healed；　but　it　looked　shorter　than　the　left。
　Orden　panted；　sweated　with　exertion；　tried　to　breathe　in　air　that　felt　thick　as　honey。　The　grass　near　his　head　smelled　so　rich；　he　wanted　to　lie　in　it　a　moment；　to　rest。
　On　the　heath；　Iome　and　Gaborn　rode　side　by　side　through　the　great　throng。　Gaborn　held　a　shield　high；　and　carried　one　of　the　Duke's　lances。　Tied　atop　it　was　a　bit　of　a　red　curtain　from　the　windows　of　the　Duke's　Keep。　A　white　circle　of　cloth　pinned　in　its　middle　would　make　it　look；　at　a　great　distance；　much　like　the　Orb　of　Internook。
　That　is；　it　would　appear　like　Internook's　colors　to　anyone　watching　twenty　miles　away。　Gaborn　suspected　Raj　Ahten's　far…seers　would　be　watching。　It　was　standard　tactics　during　any　siege　to　place　scouts　all　around　the　battle。
　For　the　past　half…hour；　Gaborn　had　been　busy　worrying　about　the　logistics　of　what　he　did：　trying　to　drive　a　couple　of　hundred　thousand　head　of　cattle　and　horses　across　the　plain　was　hard　work。　Even　the　experienced　drovers　and　horsemen　in　the　retinue　could　not　manage　the　task　easily。
　The　work　was　made　harder　by　inexperienced　boys　who　tried　desperately　to　help　but　who　tended　to　startle　the　cattle　at　every　turn。　Gaborn　feared　that　at　any　moment；　the　huge　herd　might　stampede　right　or　left；　tramping　the　women　and　children　who　bore　shields　in　a　great　line　before　the　herd；　as　if　they　were　warriors。
　Yet　as　he　watched　the　skies　above　Longmont；　fear　seized　Gaborn　even　more。　The　skies　looked　gray　overhead；　but　far　on　the　horizon　darkness　flashed　as　Raj　Ahten's　flameweavers　pulled　fire　from　the　heavens。
　Gaborn　feared　he　had　caused　it；　that　his　ruse　had　led　Raj　Ahten　to　hurry　his　attack　on　Longmont　rather　than　to　simply　drive　the　Wolf　Lord　off　in　terror；　as　Gaborn　had　hoped　to　do。
　As　he　rode；　words　began　to　form　in　his　mind；　a　half…remembered　spell　from　an　ancient　tome。　Though　he'd　never　fancied　himself　as　one　with　earth　powers；　now　he　found　himself　chanting；
　〃Earth　that　betrays　us；　on　the　wind；　bee　a　cloak　to　hide　us；　wrapped　within。　Dust　that　reveals　us；　in　the　sky；　Hide　our　numbers　from　the　predator's　eye。〃
　Gaborn　felt　shocked　that　such　a　spell　had　e　unbidden　to　his　mind。　Yet　at　that　moment；　he　recalled　the　spell；　and　it　felt　right　to　speak　it；　as　if　he　had　stumbled　upon　the　key　to　a　nearly　forgotten　door。
　The　earth　powers　are　growing　in　me；　he　realized。　He　did　not　yet　know　what　he　would　bee。
　He　worried　for　his　father；　and　as　he　did　so；　he　felt　the　man's　imminent　danger；　felt　danger　wrapped　around　him　like　grave　clothes。
　Gaborn　hoped　his　father　could　hold　out　through　the　attack。　He　raised　his　war　horn　to　his　lips；　blew　once；　and　all　around　him；　others　did　the　same。　Before　his　army；　the　marchers　began　singing　songs　of　war。
　Raj　Ahten　had　dozens　of　far…seers　in　his　retinue；　but　none　were　like　him；　none　had　so　many　endowments　of　sight。　Raj　Ahten　did　not　know　how　many　endowments　he　had；　but　he　knew　it　numbered　in　the　thousands。　He　could　discern　the　veins　in　a　fly's　wings　at　a　hundred　yards；　could　see　as　clearly　by　starlight　as　the　average　man　did　by　sunlight。　While　most　men　with　so　many　endowments　of　sight　would　have　gone　day…blind；　Raj　Ahten's　stamina　let　him　withstand　the　full　sun。
　It　took　nothing　to　spot　the　towering　cloud　to　the　east；　an　army　marching　on　him。
　As　he　made　his　way　up　the　tower；　Raj　Ahten　kept　searching　to　the　south　and　west　for　signs　of　Vishtimnu's　army；　signs　of　help。　With　his　heightened　metabolism；　it　seemed　he　scanned　the　horizon　for　many　long　minutes　for　sign　of　a　yellow　pennant　rising　through　the　forest　canopy；　or　the　glint　of　sunlight　on　metal；　the　dust　rising　from　the　march　of　many　feet；　or　the　color　that　mankind　had　no　name　forthe　hue　of　warm　bodies。
　But　there　are　limits　even　to　a　far…seer's　vision。　He　could　not　see　through　walls；　and　the　forest　canopy　off　to　the　west　was　wall　enough　that　it　could　have　hidden　many　armies。　Moreover；　a　moist　wind　from　the　south　blew　in　off　the　heath；　from　the　vast　fields　of　Fleeds；　which　were　thick　with　dust　and　pollen；　limiting　his　vision　to　thirty　or　forty　miles。
　He　stood　breathlessly；　for　a　long　moment。　He　did　not　worry　about　time。　With　so　many　endowments　of　metabolism；　he　could　not　have　been　six　seconds　searching　the　horizon　in　the　southwest　before　he　realized　he'd　see　nothing。　Vishtimnu's　army　was　too　far　away。
　He　turned　east；　felt　his　heart　freeze。　In　the　distance；　Binnesman's　horse　hurtled　across　the　plains。　Raj　Ahten　could　see　his　destination：　at　the　limit　of　vision；　the　golden　towers　of　Castle　Groverman　rose　from　the　plains　beside　a　river　of　silver。　And　before　the　castle　marched　an　army　the　likes　of　which　he　had　seldom　seen：　hundreds　of　thousands　of　men。
　A　line　of　spearmen　marched　in　front；　five　thousand　across；　and　sunlight　gleamed　on　their　shields　and　helms。　Behind　them　marched　bowmen　by　the　thousands；　and　knights　mounted　on　chargers。
　They　had　already　crossed　the　heath　a　distance　of　some　five　to　seven　miles　from　Castle　Groverman。　At　such　a　great　distance；　in　such　dirty　air；　he　could　not　see　them　clearly。　The　dry　dust　of　their　passage　obscured　their　numbers；　rose　from　their　feet　in　a　cloud　hundreds　of　feet　high。　It　looked　almost　like　the　smoke　of　a　range　fire。
　But　it　was　not　the　heat　of　a　fire　he　saw　beneath　that　dust。　He　saw　the　heat　of　life；　of　hundreds　of　thousands　of　living　bodies。
　Among　the　horde；　pennants　waved　in　dozens　of　colorsthe　green　banners　of　Lysle；　the　gray　of　North　Crowthen；　the　red　of　Internook。　He　saw　horns　among　the　crowd；　the　horned　helms　of　hundreds　of　thousands　of　warriorsthe　fierce　axemen　of　Internook。
　It　can't　be；　he　reasoned。　His　pyromancer　had　said　that　the　King　of　Internook　was　dead。　Perhaps；　Raj　Ahten's　troubled　mind　told　him；　but　Internook's　armies　are　marching。
　Raj　Ahten　stilled　his　breathing；　closed　his　eyes。　In　the　field　below；　rising　winds　hissed　through　the　trees；　but　distantly；　distantly；　beneath　the　sound　of　the　blood　rushing　through　hi