df.therunelords-第97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！


　But　as　he　shouted；　the　effect　astonished　even　him。
　The　men　began　to　drop　to　their　knees；　grasping　in　pain　at　their　helmets。　The　walls　of　the　keep　behind　them　shuddered　and　vibrated；　dust　cascading　from　cracks　in　the　stone　as　if　the　walls　were　a　rug；　and　his　Voice　a　stick　that　beat　it。
　The　Wolf　Lord　had　endowments　of　Voice　from　thousands；　and　brawn　that　let　him　expel　air　with　incredible　force。　Yet　even　he　had　never　guessed　that　his　cry　might　carry　such　power。
　So　astonished　was　he　that　as　Raj　Ahten　shouted；　he　shaped　his　call；　lowering　the　tone　several　octaves　until　stone　and　gravel　chipped　away　from　the　wall。
　Then　he　shouted　anew；　increased　his　volume；　chipping　deeper　at　the　stone；　turning　his　voice　into　a　fey　weapon。
　It　was　written　in　Taif　that　the　Emir　Moussat　ibn　Hafir　once　had　his　warriors　raise　such　a　cry。　In　the　deserts　of　Dharmad；　the　brick　walls　of　the　city　of　Abanis　had　crumbled　under　such　a　sound；　letting　the　Emir　send　his　cavalry　through　the　rubble。
　But　then　the　sound　had　e　from　the　voices　of　a　thousand　trained　warriors；　crying　as　one；　and　the　city　walls　had　been　made　of　weak　adobe　brick。
　It　was　called　the　Death　Cry　of　Abanis；　a　sound　legend　said　could　rend　stone　much　as　certain　singers　could　train　themselves　to　shatter　crystal。
　Now；　Raj　Ahten　raised　such　a　shout　alone。
　The　effect　felt　gratifying。　Before　him；　warriors　dropped　as　if　clubbed；　many　falling　in　shock；　some　dropping　in　death。　Blood　poured　from　men's　ears　and　from　their　noses。
　Behind　them；　as　Raj　Ahten　reached　his　crescendo；　the　huge　stone　tower　of　the　Dedicates'　Keep　suddenly　cracked；　rending　nearly　from　top　to　bottom。
　Yet　the　tower　did　not　quite　crumble　or　fall。
　Raj　Ahten　raised　the　shout　again；　playing　his　voice　back　and　forth　over　the　stone；　experimenting　with　various　harmonic　frequencies；　until　he　struck　just　the　right　chord。
　This　time　the　tower　crumbled　like　magic；　falling　in　a　mighty　crash　that　pummeled　the　earth；　raising　a　cloud　of　dust。　Great　stones　dropped；　slamming　into　prostrate　defenders　who　had　guarded　the　tower's　steps。
　Raj　Ahten　turned；　looked　on　the　walls　of　Castle　Longmont。　In　places；　the　walls　of　the　castle　had　cracked。　The　Duke's　Keep　looked　as　if　artillery　had　struck　it；　blasting　off　huge　chunks　of　stone；　crumbling　a　windowsill；　toppling　gargoyles。
　Those　men　who　still　could　gazed　at　Raj　Ahten　in　horror。
　Defeated。　Longmont　lay　defeated。
　Raj　Ahten　stood；　gloating　in　his　power。　The　King　of　the　Earth　may　e；　he　thought；　but　I　am　mightier　than　the　earth。
　Everyone；　even　Raj　Ahten's　own　men；　watched　him　in　terror。　Among　his　Invincibles；　few　had　been　damaged　by　the　Death　Cry。　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles　each　had　a　minimum　of　five　endowments　of　staminaand；　apparently；　that　was　enough　for　them　to　withstand　the　destructive　power　of　his　Voice。
　But　many　moners　who　had　defended　the　walls　had　punctured　eardrums　or　had　lost　consciousness。
　In　the　moment　that　followed；　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles　finished　their　swordplay；　slaughtering　those　who　resisted；　dragging　those　who　surrendered　down　into　the　courtyard。
　When　the　defenders　of　Longmont　were　disarmed；　their　armor　taken；　fewer　than　four　hundred　men　remained。　To　Raj　Ahten's　pleasure；　the　others　had　all　died；　either　in　battle　or　from　his　shout。
　On　the　castle　walls；　the　salamanders　stood　a　moment；　gazing　longingly　at　the　prisoners。　But　with　the　battle　won　and　no　more　prey　to　be　had；　they　began　to　waver；　until　their　fiery　forms　became　a　mere　shimmering　heat；　and　were　gone　back　to　the　netherworld　from　whence　they　had　been　drawn。
　For　a　long　moment；　Raj　Ahten　merely　stood；　surveying　the　scene；　tasting　his　victory。
　He　addressed　the　survivors　simply。　〃I　need　information。　To　the　man　who　supplies　an　answer　first；　I'll　grant　life。　The　rest　of　you　shall　die。　Here　is　my　question：　Where　are　my　forcibles？〃
　To　their　credit；　most　of　the　knights　refused　to　answer。　Some　shouted　curses；　but　half　a　dozen　shouted　variations　of　〃Gone！　Orden　sent　them　away！〃
　Six　men　tried　to　purchase　their　lives。　Some　had　blood　trickling　from　ears。　Some　wept。　Some　were　young　men　who　had　never　faced　danger。　Others　were　family　men；　perhaps；　who　worried　for　the　welfare　of　wives　and　children。　Raj　Ahten　recognized　a　captain　who　had　been　made　a　Dedicate　just　days　before；　but　he　did　not　know　the　captain's　name。　One　silver…haired　old　fellow；　Raj　Ahten　imagined；　was　just　a　coward。
　Raj　Ahten　called　them　forward；　led　them　to　the　drawbridge　while　his　Invincibles　moved　in　for　the　slaughter。
　〃You　six　men；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃One　of　you　has　saved　your　life；　but　I　do　not　know　yet　who　among　you　shall　live。　Perhaps　one　shall　live；　perhaps　all。。。〃　He　knew　full　well　who　had　spoken　firstthe　old　coward。　But　he　dared　not　admit　it。　He　needed　them　all　to　answer；　needed　to　learn　if　his　source　spoke　truthfully。　〃So；　I　must　ask　you　another　question。　Where　did　he　send　my　forcibles？〃
　〃We　don't　know。　His　guards　rode　off　without　telling；〃　the　men　answered　in　unison。
　Two　men　had　been　slow　to　answer。　Raj　Ahten　lunged　forward　with　his　saber；　cut　them　down；　perhaps　with　too　much　enthusiasm。　He'd　feared　that　the　forcibles　would　be　gone；　that　this　attack　had　been　a　waste　of　his　time。
　〃The　odds　narrow；〃　he　whispered　viciously。　The　four　remaining　men　watched　in　terror。　Beads　of　sweat　formed　on　their　brows。　〃Tell　me；　when　did　the　forcibles　leave？〃
　Two　more　men　hesitated。　The　captain　said；　〃Just　after　Orden's　men　arrived。〃
　A　fourth　man　nodded　silent　agreement；　eyes　blazing；　being　suddenly　disheartened。　The　older　fellow；　the　coward。　He'd　been　too　late　to　speak；　he　knew。
　Raj　Ahten　slaughtered　two　more　men；　left　only　the　last　two　soldiers。　The　captain　still　wore　the　colors　of　Longmont。　Perhaps　the　man　would　make　a　valuable　spy。　The　older　coward　was　dressed　in　pigskins；　a　gamy　fellow　of　the　woods。　Raj　Ahten　suspected　that　he　did　not　really　know　his　answers　firsthand；　and　so　was　forced　to　merely　concur。
　〃Where　is　Gaborn　Orden？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。　The　man　in　pigskins　had　no　answer。　Raj　Ahten　could　see　it　in　his　face。
　〃He　rode　into　the　castle　at　dawn；　then　rode　out　again　just　after；〃　the　captain　of　Longmont　answered。
　From　the　castle；　the　last　agonized　cries　of　dying　prisoners　sounded；　the　grunting　and　screams。　The　old　man　in　pigskins　cringed；　knowing　he　would　be　next；　while　the　captain　sweated　heavily；　panting。
　The　captain　had　that　inward　gaze　that　men　of　conscience　get　when　doing　evil。　Raj　Ahten　did　not　trust　him　to　answer　another　question　honestly。　You　could　only　push　a　man　so　far。
　Raj　Ahten　stepped　forward；　slashed　the　old　fellow　who　wore　pigskins　in　half。
　He　considered　killing　the　captain　of　Longmont。　He　had　not　wanted　to　leave　any　witness　to　tell　the　secret　of　his　magic　powders；　or　to　reveal　his　battle　tactics。　It　would　be　a　small　matter　to　gut　the　fellow。
　Yet　the　captain　might　serve　a　greater　purpose。　By　telling　how　Raj　Ahten　had　destroyed　the　walls　of　Longmont　with　a　mere　battle　cry；　this　lone　survivor　would　spread　fear　across　the　kingdoms　of　the　North。
　All　the　Northern　castles；　all　the　proud　fortresses　that　had　stood　for　thousands　of　years　as　men　battled　the　Toth　and　the　nomen　and　each　otherall　were　useless　now。　Death　traps。
　The　men　of　the　North　should　know。　They　should　be　prepared　to　surrender。
　〃I'm　most　grateful；〃　Raj　Ahten　told　the　captain。　〃You've　won　your　life。　You　served　as　my　Dedicate　once。　Now　you　shall　serve　me　again。　I　want　you　to　tell　others　what　happened　here。　When　men　ask　how　you　survived　the　battle；　tell　them：　Raj　Ahten　left　me　to　testify　of　his　power。〃
　The　soldier　nodded　weakly。　His　legs　shook。　The　captain　wouldn't　be　able　to　stand　much　longer。　Raj　Ahten　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　asked　casually；　〃Do　you　have　a　family；　children？〃
　The　man　nodded；　burst　into　tears；　and　turned　away。
　〃What　is　your　name？〃
　〃Cedrick　Tempest；〃　the　young　man　cried。
　Raj　Ahten　smiled。　〃How　many　children；　Cedrick？〃
　〃Three。。。girls　and　a　boy。〃
　Raj　Ahten　nodded　appreciatively。　〃You　think　yourself　a　coward；　Cedrick　Tempest。　You　think　yourself　disloyal。　But　today；　you　were　loyal　to　your　children；　yes？　'Children　are　gems；　and　he　who　has　many　is　rich　indeed。'　You　will　live　for　them？〃
　Cedrick　nodded　vigorously。
　〃There　are　many　kinds　of　heroes；　many　forms　of　loyalty；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃Do　not　regret　your　decision。〃
　He　turned　to　walk　back　to　his　pavilion　on　the　hill；　stopped　to　clean　the　gore　from　the　blade　of　his　scimitar　on　a　dead　man's　cape。　He　considered　his　next　move。　His　forcibles　were　goneto　Mystarria；　perhaps；　or　any　of　a　hundred　keeps。　His　reinforcements　were　late。　An　army　was　marching　on　him。
　Yet　he　had　a　new　weapon；　one　that　might　yet　win　the　day；　beyond　all　hope　or　expectation。
　The　men　closest　to　Raj　Ahten　had　taken　great　damage　from　his　cry；　as　did　men　with　but　a　few　endowments　of　stamina。　Raj　Ahten　dared　not　use　his　weapon　too　near　his　own　men。　Which　meant　that　if　he　sought　to　kill　Gaborn　by　the　power　of　his　Voice；　he'd　have　to　stand　alone。
　A　few　small　flakes　of　snow　began　to　fall　from　the　leaden　skies；　swirling　at　his　feet。　He　had　not　noticed　how　cold　it　had　bee。
　He　studied　the　damage　to　Castle　Longmont　from　outside。　Cracks　had　broken　the　walls；　splitting　the　stone　in　numerous　places。　Massive　walls　of　black　stone　nearly　a　hundred　feet　tall　still　loomed　above　him。　The　foundation　stones　were　thirty　feet　thick；　fourteen　feet　wide；　twelve　feet　tall。　Each　stone　weighed　thousands　of　tons。　This　fortress　had　stood　for　centuries；　indomitable。　He'd　seen　the　wards　of　earth…binding　on　its　gates。
　His　flameweavers'　most　powerful　spells　could　hardly　pierce　the　walls。　His　catapults　hadn't　chipped　them。　Yet　his　voice　had　rent　some　of　the　massive　foundation　stones。
　Even　Raj　Ahten　marveled。　It　was　not　clear　yet　what　he　was　being。　He'd　taken　Castle　Sylvarresta　with　nothing　more　than　the　power　of　his　glamour。　Now　he　found　that　his　Voice　was　being　a　potent；　dazzling　weapon。
　In　his　realms　to　the　south；　Dedicates　died　from　moment　to　moment；　while　new　ones　were　recruited。　The　configuration　of　his　attributes　was　always　in　flux。　But　of　one　thing　he　felt　certain：　More　endowments　were　being　added　than　were　lost。　He　was　being　added　upon。　Being　the　Sum　of　All　Men。
　Perhaps　now　was　the　time　to　face　this　young　foolthe　Earth　King　and　his　armies。　Raj　Ahten　glowered。