df.therunelords-第98部分

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　Perhaps　now　was　the　time　to　face　this　young　foolthe　Earth　King　and　his　armies。　Raj　Ahten　glowered。
　He　turned　and　gave　a　great　roar；　threw　his　voice　against　the　near　wall。　〃I　am　mightier　than　the　earth！〃
　Longmont　crackedthe　whole　southern　wall　shuddered。　Cedrick　Tempest　fell；　too；　running　from　the　gate；　clutching　his　helm；　curling　in　on　himself　when　he　could　run　no　more。
　To　Raj　Ahten's　dismay；　the　upper　half　of　the　Duke's　Keep　crumbled　to　the　left。　Some　of　his　men　screamed　within　the　castle　as　the　building　collapsed　on　them。　It　was　as　if　the　wards　of　earth　power　that　bound　the　castle　crumbled；　leaving　the　keep　in　ruin。
　At　the　same　time；　on　the　hill　behind　him；　Raj　Ahten　heard　a　branch　crack。
　He　turned；　glimpsed　the　great　oak　by　his　pavilion。　The　trunk　of　the　great　oak　snapped。。。and　half　of　the　tree　crashed　through　the　roof　of　his　Dedicates'　wagon。
　In　that　moment；　Raj　Ahten　felt　a　dozen　small　deaths；　the　dizzying　breathlessness　that　acpanied　the　loss　of　virtue。
　The　world　slowed　terrifyingly。　For　long　years；　Raj　Ahten　had　brought　his　wagon　with　him。　In　it　he　bore　Dervin　Feyl；　a　man　who　had　bequeathed　Raj　Ahten　an　endowment　of　metabolism　many　years　back；　had　bee　a　vector。
　Dervin　had　just　died；　along　with　the　Dedicate　who　vectored　glamour　to　Raj　Ahten；　and　several　other　minor　men。
　Raj　Ahten　marveled　at　his　sudden　sluggishness。　Did　my　Voice　smite　the　tree；　or　does　Earth　seek　to　punish　me？　he　wondered。
　Did　the　earth　strike　at　me？　He　had　no　way　to　answer　the　question。　Yet　it　mattered　a　great　deal。　The　wizard　Binnesman　had　cursed　him；　seemingly　with　no　effect。　Had　the　wizard's　curse　weakened　that　tree？
　Or　had　his　own　Voice　been　his　downfall？
　Such　a　small　blow。　Yet　so　profoundly　effective。
　Raj　Ahten　wondered；　but　at　that　moment；　it　no　longer　mattered。　Raj　Ahten；　despite　his　victory　at　Longmont；　stood　defeated。　Though　he　had　the　wit　and　grace　and　brawn　of　thousands；　without　his　speed　he'd　bee　a　〃warrior　of　unfortunate　proportion。〃　Even　a　mon　soldier；　some　boy　without　endowments；　might　be　able　to　slaughter　him。
　If　Gaborn　came　against　him　with　the　speed　of　even　five　men　and　endowments　of　stamina　from　another　five；　Raj　Ahten　could　not　prevail　against　him。
　Raj　Ahten　cast　his　eyes　about　in　desperation。　His　flameweavers　had　burned　themselves　out。　His　forcibles　were　gone。　The　salamanders　had　returned　to　the　netherworld；　and　would　not　be　summoned　easily　for　a　long　while。　His　arcane　explosive　powders　were　all　used　up。
　I　came　to　destroy　Orden　and　Sylvarresta；　he　thought；　and　that　much　I've　acplished。　But　in　doing　this；　I've　created　a　greater　enemy。
　It　was　time　to　flee　Longmont；　flee　Heredon　and　all　the　Kingdoms　of　Rofehavan　while　he　reconsidered　his　tactics。　At　this　moment；　despite　whatever　other　victories　his　men　might　win　here　in　the　North；　he　could　feel　the　Kingdoms　of　Rofehavan　all　slipping　from　his　grasp。
　Raj　Ahten　had　his　endowments；　thousands　upon　thousands　of　them。　But　his　mines　were　petering　out；　and　his　forcibles　were　in　the　hands　of　his　enemy。　Whatever　gifts　he　had　now；　the　young　king　might　soon　match。
　Raj　Ahten　felt　utterly　dismayed。
　The　snow　was　blowing。　The　first　snow　Raj　Ahten　would　see　this　winter。　In　a　few　weeks；　the　passes　in　the　mountains　would　be　blocked。
　He　could　continue　this　contest　later；　he　reasoned。　Shocked。　He　dreaded　the　thought　of　waiting　until　spring。
　He　shouted　orders　for　his　men　to　begin　the　retreat；　leaving　no　time　to　loot　the　castle。
　He　stood　for　several　long　minutes　as　his　soldiers　scrambled　to　obey；　pulling　down　pavilions；　harnessing　the　horses；　loading　wagons。
　The　Frowth　giants　emerged　from　the　castle；　bearing　corpses　of　defenders　in　their　paws　to　eat　on　the　way　home。　Along　the　western　hills；　wolves　howled　mournfully；　as　if　in　loss　at　the　sight　of　Longmont　in　ruins。
　Raj　Ahten's　counselor；　Feykaald；　shouted　in　a　high　voice；　〃Move；　you　sluggards！　Leave　the　dead！　You；　therehelp　load　those　wagons！〃
　The　snow　thickened。　In　moments　it　piled　two　inches　deep　at　Raj　Ahten's　feet。　He　only　stood；　gazing　at　Castle　Longmont。　He　wondered　how　he　had　failed　here；　considered　how　Jureem　had　betrayed　him　to　King　Orden。
　When　he　finished　musing；　Castle　Longmont　lay　dead。　No　fires　burned　in　it；　no　men　cried　out　in　pain。
　Cedrick　Tempest　wandered　before　the　gates；　the　lone　soldier　holding　his　bleeding　ear；　cursing　and　muttering　under　his　breath。　Perhaps　his　mind　had　gone。
　Raj　Ahten　took　a　horse；　considered　again　how　the　wizard　Binnesman　had　stolen　his；　and　rode　over　the　hills。
　　
　Chapter　56
　THE　GREETING
　　
　By　the　time　Gaborn　reached　Longmont；　the　land　lay　empty　of　troops；　the　ruins　of　the　castle　covered　beneath　a　layer　of　new…fallen　snow。
　Most　of　Gaborn's　army　was　still　far　behind。　Only　some　fifty　knights　rode　mounts　swift　enough　to　keep　up。　In　the　woods　to　the　west；　wolves　howled　forlornly；　their　voices　rising　and　falling　in　eerie　cadences。
　Binnesman　had　ridden　ahead；　rummaged　near　the　ruins　of　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　searching　among　the　rubble。
　Everywhere　lay　carnage　and　destructionwalls　and　towers　of　Longmont　in　ruin；　the　soldiers　of　Orden　crumpled　under　stone。　Only　a　dozen　or　so　of　Raj　Ahten's　troops　lay　dead　outside　the　castle；　riddled　with　arrows。
　Raj　Ahten　had　carried　off　a　great　victory　here；　a　mind…numbing　victory；　almost　unparalleled　in　any　chronicle　Gaborn　had　ever　read。　For　the　past　hour；　Gaborn　had　tried　to　deny　his　feelings；　his　suspicion　that　his　father　had　died。　Now　he　feared　the　worst。
　Only　one　warrior　stood　alive　on　the　battleground；　a　captain　who　wore　the　colors　of　Longmont。
　Gaborn　rode　up　to　him。　The　soldier's　face　was　pale；　his　eyes　full　of　horror。　Blood　dribbled　under　his　helmet　from　his　right　ear　and　had　crusted　in　the　dark　hair　of　his　sideburns。
　〃Captain　Tempest；〃　Gaborn　asked；　recalling　the　man's　name　from　earlier　in　the　day；　〃where　is　my　father；　King　Orden？〃
　〃Dead；　mi…milord；〃　the　captain　said；　then　sat　down　in　the　snow；　his　head　hanging。　〃They're　all　dead。〃
　Gaborn　had　expected　it。　Yet　the　news　punched　him。　He　put　one　hand　over　his　belly；　found　himself　breathing　hard。　I　was　no　help；　he　thought。　Everything　I've　done　has　been　in　vain。
　He　surveyed　the　damage；　his　shock　and　horror　growing　more　profound。　He'd　never　seen　a　castle　so　destroyednot　in　a　matter　of　hours。
　〃How　is　it　that　you　survived？〃　Gaborn　asked　weakly。
　The　captain　shook　his　head；　as　if　searching　for　an　answer。　〃Raj　Ahten　took　some　of　us　prisoners。　Hekilled　the　others。　He　left　me　alive；　to　bear　witness。〃
　〃To　what？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　Tempest　pointed　numbly　at　the　towers。　〃His　flameweavers　struck　first。　They　summoned　creatures　from　the　netherworld　and　hit　the　castle　with　spells　that　burned　ironand　a　fireball　that　burst　in　the　air　above　the　gates；　tossing　men　about　like　sticks。
　〃But　that　was　not　the　worst　of　it；　for　then　Raj　Ahten　himself　came　and　shattered　the　castle's　foundations　with　the　cry　of　his　Voice。　He　killed　hundreds　more　of　us！
　〃I。。。my　helm　has　thick　leather　pads；　but　I　can't　hear　from　my　right　ear；　and　my　left　is　still　ringing。〃
　Gaborn　stared　at　the　castle；　numb。
　He'd　imagined　that　Raj　Ahten　had　brought　some　terrible　engines　to　bear　on　those　walls；　or　had　his　flameweavers　conjure　some　unspeakable　spell。
　He'd　seen　that　great　mushroom　of　fire　rise　in　the　air。　But　he'd　never　imagined　that　the　walls　could　crumble　from　a　mere　shout。
　The　soldiers　behind　him　had　spread　out；　were　slowly　riding　over　the　battleground；　to　seek　for　signs　of　life　among　the　ruins。
　〃Where　iswhere　can　I　find　my　father？〃
　Tempest　pointed　up　a　trail。　〃He　ran　that　way；　toward　Tor　Loman；　chasing　Raj　Ahten；　just　before　the　battle　menced。〃
　Gaborn　turned　his　horse；　but　Captain　Tempest　rushed　forward；　dropped　to　his　knees。　〃Forgive　me！〃　he　cried。
　〃For　what；　surviving？〃　Gaborn　asked。　Gaborn　himself　felt　the　guilt　of　those　who　live；　unaccountably；　while　all　around　them　die。　It　was　heavy　on　him　now。　〃I　not　only　forgive　you；　I　mend　you。〃
　He　let　his　horse　trot　over　the　snowfield　to　the　sound　of　Tempest's　sobbing　and　the　howls　of　wolves。
　The　rings　in　his　mail　rang　as　the　horse　broke　into　a　gallop；　and　Gaborn　rode　up　a　muddy　trail。　At　first　he　could　not　be　certain　he　headed　in　the　right　direction。　Snow　covered　the　trail；　and　he　could　discern　no　tracks。
　But　after　half　a　mile；　as　the　trail　moved　under　the　aspens；　he　saw　signs　in　the　mud　and　fallen　leavesthe　huge　strides　of　men　with　enormous　metabolism　racing　through　the　woods。　Tracks　ten　steps　across。
　After　that　the　trail　was　easy　to　follow。　The　path　to　Tor　Loman　had　been　well　maintained；　the　brush　cut　away。　It　made　for　an　easy；　almost　pleasant　ride。
　Along　the　path；　Gaborn　watched　for　sign　of　his　father；　but　found　none。
　At　last　he　reached　the　bare　peak　of　Tor　Loman；　found　the　meadow　with　the　Duke's　old　observatory　at　its　top。　The　snow　had　fallen　heavy　here；　stood　three　inches　deep；　and　Gaborn　found　Raj　Ahten's　fine　helm　lying　at　the　base　of　the　observatory。
　The　helm　itself　was　deeply　embossed；　with　intricate　silver　designs　like　braided　ropes　or　the　braided　fires　a　flameweaver　pulled　from　heaven。　These　ran　down　the　noseguard　and　over　the　eye　slots。　A　single　huge　diamond　fit　between　the　eyes。　Gaborn　took　it　as　a　prize　of　war；　tied　its　broken　strap　to　his　saddle；　careful　not　to　crush　the　white　owl's　wings　on　the　helm。
　As　he　tied　it；　he　sniffed　the　cold　air。　The　snow　had　cleansed　the　sky；　carried　away　most　of　the　scent；　yet　Gaborn　could　still　discern　the　odor　of　his　father's　heavy　samite　cape；　the　oil　he　used　to　protect　his　armor。　His　father　had　been　here。　Might　be　nearbyalive　and　wounded；　perhaps。
　Gaborn　climbed　the　observatory；　gazed　off　into　the　distance。　The　snow　had　stopped　falling　ten　minutes　ago；　so　he　could　see　fairly　well；　though　with　but　two　endowments　of　sight；　he　could　not　be　called　a　far…seer。　To　the　east；　Iome　and　her　people　pushed　across　the　heath；　ten　miles　back。　They　had　neared　the　Durkin　Hills　Road。
　In　the　distance　to　the　southwest；　at　Gaborn's　limit　of　vision；　Raj　Ahten's　troops　retreated　over　the　hills；　the　red　and　gold　of　their　colors　muted　by　distance。
　He　saw　men　stopping　on　their　horses；　gazing　back　toward　him。　Gaborn　imagined　that　some　far…seers　watched　him；　wondering　who　now　stood　on　the　Eyes　of　Tor　Loman。　Perhaps　even　Raj　Ahten　himself　watc