df.therunelords-第90部分

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　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　his　veins；　war　horns　pealed。　The　cries　of　thousands　of　voices　raised　in　war　song。
　All　the　armies　of　the　North；　he　realized；　gathering　against　him。　At　the　gates　of　Castle　Sylvarresta；　Orden's　messenger　had　said　King　Orden　planned　this　assault　for　weeks。　And　he'd　hinted　that　traitors　in　Raj　Ahten's　own　ranks　had　revealed　the　presence　of　the　forcibles　to　King　Orden。
　Raj　Ahten　had　rejected　the　tale；　never　considered　the　possibility　it　might　be　truefor　if　it　was　true；　it　portended　such　dire　consequences　for　this　invasion　that　Raj　Ahten　could　hardly　dare　ponder　them。
　If　it　was　true；　if　Orden　had　planned　this　raid　weeks　ago；　then　he　could　have　sent　for　aid；　he　could　have　summoned　the　kings　of　the　North　to　battle。
　Four　weeks　ago　Orden　had　set　march。　Four　weeks。　It　was　possible。　The　fierce　Warlord　of　Internook　could　have　marshaled　his　hordes；　sent　them　in　longboats　to　land　on　the　rocky　beaches　of　Lysle；　then　marched　them　here；　joining　with　Knights　Equitable　of　various　kingdoms。
　These　would　not　be　mon　soldiers。　These　would　not　be　men　who　trembled　at　the　sight　of　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles。
　Raj　Ahten　opened　his　eyes　again；　just　as　Binnesman's　horse　wheeled　to　join　the　procession；　taking　its　lead。
　〃The　new　King　of　the　Earth　is　ing；〃　the　old　wizard　had　said。　Now　Raj　Ahten　saw　the　truth。　This　Earth　Warden　would　join　his　enemies。　This　Earth　Warden　would　indeed　serve　a　king。　〃The　Earth　rejects　you。。。〃
　Raj　Ahten　felt　a　strange　terror　beginning　to　well　up　inside　him。　A　great　king　marched　at　the　head　of　that　army；　he　felt　sure。　The　wizard's　king。　The　king　his　pyromancer　had　warned　him　of。
　And　he　brought　an　army　Raj　Ahten　could　not　match。
　Even　as　he　watched；　a　marvelous　thing　happened：　at　that　very　moment；　the　great　cloud　of　dust　over　the　army　began　to　formtall　spires　of　dust　rose　hundreds　of　yards　into　the　air　like　the　points　of　a　crown；　and　a　face　took　form　in　the　roiling　dust；　a　stern　visage　of　a　cruel　man　with　death　in　his　eyes。
　The　Earth　King。
　I　came　here　to　hunt　him；　and　now　he　hunts　me；　Raj　Ahten　realized。
　Raj　Ahten　had　little　time　remaining。　He　needed　to　return　to　the　castle；　take　it　quickly；　win　back　his　forcibles　before　he　retreated。
　He　raced　down　the　stairs　of　Tor　Loman；　heart　pounding　in　terror。
　　
　Chapter　48
　FIRE
　　
　Raj　Ahten　raced　back　down　the　forest　trail；　leaping　rocks；　speeding　through　glens。　He　suspected　now　that　Longmont　held　no　treasure；　that　the　forcibles　had　moved。
　Everything　pointed　to　itOrden　practically　begging　for　execution。　The　man　was　obviously　joined　in　a　serpent。　To　kill　him　would　behead　the　serpent；　freeing　another　soldier　to　fight　with　almost　as　much　metabolism　as　Orden　now　carried。
　But　leaving　Orden　alive　and　incapacitated　kept　the　serpent　intact。　Raj　Ahten　had　only　to　find　warriors　dedicated　to　the　serpent；　slaughter　them　quickly；　and　cut　the　serpent　into　pieces。
　The　existence　of　a　serpent　seemed　evidence　that　the　forcibles　had　left　Longmont；　for　if　Orden　had　really　taken　hundreds　of　endowments；　he'd　not　have　relied　on　a　serpent　for　power。　He'd　have　garnered　greater　stamina。　But　the　man　was　too　easily　wounded；　too　slow　to　heal。
　No；　he　couldn't　have　taken　hundreds　of　endowments；　or　even　dozens。　He　didn't　have　the　people　here　to　serve　as　Dedicates。　So　he'd　moved　the　forcibles。　Probably　not　far。　People　who　hide　valuables　seldom　want　to　hide　them　far。　They　want　to　be　able　check　on　them　frequently。
　Yet　it　was　possible　Orden　had　given　them　to　another。
　All　morning；　Raj　Ahten　had　hesitated　to　attack　the　castle　for　some　reason　he　could　not　name。　Something　about　the　soldiers　on　the　walls　had　disturbed　him。　Now　he　realized　what　it　was：　Prince　Orden　wasn't　on　those　walls。　He'd　expected　father　and　son　to　fight　together；　as　in　the　old　songs；
　But　the　son　was　not　here。
　The　new　King　of　the　Earth　is　ing；　the　old　wizard　had　told　him。　But　the　wizard　had　not　emphasized　the　word　new。　〃I　see　hope　for　House　Orden；〃　the　wizard　had　said。
　Prince　Orden。　It　made　sense。　The　boy　had　earth　spells　protecting　him；　a　wizard　in　his　employ。　Gaborn　was　a　fighter。　Raj　Ahten　knew。　He'd　sent　Salim　to　kill　Gaborn　on　two　occasions；　in　an　effort　to　keep　Mystarria　from　uniting　with　a　more　defensible　realm。　Yet　the　assassin　had　failed。
　He　has　bested　me　at　every　turn；　slain　my　pyromancer；　evaded　me。
　So　Gaborn　now　has　the　forcibles；　Raj　Ahten　realized；　and　has　taken　endowments；　and　rides　at　the　head　of　the　advancing　army。　True；　Gaborn　hadn't　had　much　time　to　garner　endowments；　but　the　matter　could　be　easily　handled。　Orden　had　recaptured　Longmont　three　days　ago。　In　that　time；　a　dozen　faithful　soldiers　could　have　taken　endowments　on　Gaborn's　behalf；　preparing　themselves　to　act　as　vectors；　waiting　for　Gaborn　to　return　to　Castle　Groverman　to　collect　his　due。　The　new　Dedicates　might　be　secreted　in　Longmont　or　Groverman　or　any　of　half　a　dozen　castles　nearby。
　Raj　Ahten　had　used　the　same　tactic　on　occasions。　As　Raj　Ahten　raced　back　to　Longmont；　he　considered　all　these　things。　He　calculated　how　much　time　it　would　take　to　seize　Longmont；　destroy　the　forces　within；　and　search　for　his　treasure；　to　verify　his　guess。
　He　had　tricks　up　his　sleeves；　weapons　he'd　not　planned　to　employ　this　day。　He'd　not　wanted　to　reveal　his　full　strength　in　battle；　but　perhaps　it　would　be　necessary。
　He　considered　how　much　time　it　would　take　afterward　to　flee。　Groverman's　army　stood　twenty…five　miles　off。　Many　of　those　men　were　afoot。　If　every　soldier　had　an　endowment　of　metabolism　and　one　of　strength；　they　might　make　it　here　in　three　hours。
　Raj　Ahten　planned　to　be　gone　in　one。
　In　Castle　Longmont；　Captain　Cedrick　Tempest　worried　for　his　people；　worried　for　Orden；　worried　for　himself。　After　Orden　and　Raj　Ahten　had　raced　north；　both　armies　waited　expectantly　while　Raj　Ahten's　men　prepared　for　battle。
　The　giants　had　carried　whole　trees　of　oak　and　ash　to　the　slope　of　the　hillside；　as　if　to　make　a　bonfire；　and　there　the　flameweavers　had　stepped　inside；　turning　the　dead　trees　into　a　conflagration。
　For　long　minutes；　the　three　danced　within　the　fire；　letting　it　caress　their　naked　flesh；　each　of　them　walking　around　the　edge　of　the　bonfire；　drawing　magical　signs　in　the　air；　emblems　of　blue…glowing　fire　that　clung　in　the　smoke　as　if　they　hung　on　a　castle　wall。
　It　was　an　eerie；　mesmerizing　sight。
　Then　they　began　to　whirl　and　chant　in　an　odd　dance；　as　if　each　man　himself　were　synchronizing　with　the　flames；　dancing　with　the　flickering　lights　of　the　fire；　being　one　with　it。
　Thus　each　flameweaver　weaved　and　bobbed　and　cavorted；　and　began　to　sing　a　song　of　desire；　calling；　calling。
　It　was　one　of　the　flameweaver's　greatest　powersthat　of　summoning　fell　creatures　from　the　netherworld。　Tempest　had　heard　of　such　things；　but　few　men　ever　witnessed　a　Summoning。
　Here　and　there；　men　on　the　walls　began　drawing　symbols　of　protection；　vainly　muttering　half…remembered　spells。　Some　hedge　wizard　from　out　of　the　wild　began　to　draw　runes　in　the　air；　and　the　men　around　him　clustered　near　for　protection。
　Tempest　chewed　his　lip　nervously　as　the　wizards　gathered　their　powers。　Now；　in　the　bonfire；　the　walls　of　flame　thickened；　being　green　things　like　no　earthly　fire。　A　luminous　portal　was　forming。
　In　another　moment；　Tempest　saw　shapes　materialize　within　that　light…white　flaming　salamanders　from　the　netherworld；　bobbing　and　leaping；　not　wholly　formed。
　At　the　sight　of　those　creatures　summoned　into　the　flames；　Cedrick　Tempest　was　chilled　to　the　bone。　His　men　could　not　fight　such　monsters。　It　was　folly　to　stay　here；　folly　to　fight。
　A　cry　of　consternation　caught　in　Tempest's　throat。　Help。　We　need　help；　he　thought。
　He'd　hardly　thought　this；　when　he　spotted　a　blur　to　the　east　of　the　castle；　someone　rushing　over　the　downs；　returning　from　Tor　Loman。　He　hoped　it　was　King　Orden；　pleaded　to　the　Powers　that　Orden　had　returned　victorious。
　But　the　man　racing　over　the　downs　did　not　wear　Orden's　shimmering　cape　of　green　samite。　Raj　Ahten　raced　toward　them；　his　helm　gone。
　Tempest　wondered　if　Orden　had　even　caught　the　Wolf　Lord；　then　glanced　down　into　the　keep。　Shostag　the　Axeman　was　Orden's　second。　If　Orden　had　died；　then　Shostag　should　be　up；　should　be　the　new　head　of　the　serpent。　Tempest　saw　no　sign　of　the　burly　outlaw　down　in　the　keep。
　Perhaps　Orden　still　lived；　would　e　to　fight　in　their　behalf。
　Raj　Ahten　shouted　a　mand；　ordering　his　troops　to　prepare　for　battle。
　An　old　adage　said；　〃When　Runelords　battle；　it　is　the　moners　who　die。〃　It　was　true。　The　Dedicates　in　their　well…protected　keeps；　the　mon　archers；　the　farm　boys　skirmishing　for　their　livesall　would　fall　without　notice　before　a　Runelord's　wrath。
　All　his　life；　Cedrick　Tempest　had　sought　to　be　more　than　a　moner；　to　avoid　such　a　fate。　He'd　bee　a　force　soldier　at　the　age　of　twelve；　made　sergeant　at　sixteen；　captain　of　the　guard　at　twenty…two。　In　all　those　years；　he'd　grown　accustomed　to　feeling　the　strength　of　others　in　his　arms；　to　having　the　health　of　Dedicates　flowing　in　his　blood。
　Until　now。　He　stood　in　nominal　mand　of　Longmont；　struggling　to　marshal　his　forces　against　Raj　Ahten's　troops。　Yet　he　was　little　more　than　a　moner。　In　the　battle　for　Longmont；　most　of　his　Dedicates　had　been　slaughtered。　He　had　an　endowment　of　wit；　one　of　stamina；　one　of　grace。　Nothing　more。
　His　chain　mail　weighed　on　him　heavily；　and　his　warhammer　felt　clumsy　in　his　hand。
　The　winds　sweeping　from　the　south　chilled　him；　and　he　wondered　what　this　day　would　bring。　He　cowered　behind　the　battlements。　Certainly；　he　felt　death　in　the　air。
　Yet　for　the　moment　the　preparation　for　battle　stood　at　a　standstill。　The　soldiers　and　giants　and　dogs　of　Raj　Ahten　all　kept　beyond　bowshot。　For　several　more　long　minutes；　only　the　flameweavers　worked；　dancing；　twisting；　gyrating　in　the　heart　of　their　bonfire；　one　with　the　flames；　and　the　glowing　salamanders　took　clearer　form；　being　worms　of　white　light；　adding　their　own　magical　powers　to　those　of　the　flameweavers。
　Now；　in　the　center　of　the　great　fire；　the　flameweavers　stopped　their　wild　dance　and　raised　their　hands　to　the　sky　as　one。
　The　skies　went　black　as