tg.stone of tears-第193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！


　
　Richard　came　forward　from　the　back　of　the　couch。　‘You！　You　wrote　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day？’
　
　Nathan　quoted　a　few　passages；　to　prove　his　intimate　knowledge。　‘I　gave　the　book　to　your　father；　to　give　to　you　when　you　were　old　enough　to　read。　You　were　just　born；　at　the　time。’
　
　‘You　were　there　with　the　Prelate？　She　didn’t　tell　me　that。’
　
　‘I　doubt　the　truth　occurred　to　her。　You　see；　Ann　doesn’t　have　the　power　to　get　into　the　Wizard’s　Keep　in　Aydindril。　I　helped　George　get　in；　so　he　could　get　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows。　They　have　some　very　interesting　books　of　prophecy　there。’
　
　Richard　stared　in　astonishment。　‘Seems　we　are　old　acquaintances；　then。’
　
　‘More　than　acquaintances；　Richard　Rahl。’　Nathan　gave　him　a　meaningful　look。　‘My　name　is　Nathan　Rahl。’
　
　Richard’s　mouth　dropped　open。　‘You　are　my　。。。　great…great…something…or…other？’
　
　Too　many　‘greats’　to　count。　I　am　nearly　a　thousand　years　old；　my　boy。’　He　waggled　a　finger　in　the　air。　‘I　have　had　an　interest　in　you　for　a　long　time。　You　are　in　the　prophecies。
　
　‘I　wrote　The　Adventures　of　Bonnie　Day　for　some　of　those　who　had　potential。　It　is　a　book　of　prophecy；　of　sorts。　A　primer　of　prophecy；　one　you　would　be　able　to　understand；　so　it　would　help　you。　It　did　help　you；　didn’t　it？’
　
　‘More　than　once；’　Richard　said；　still　having　trouble　keeping　his　jaw　up。
　
　‘Good。　I’m　pleased　then。　We　gave　the　book　to　a　few；　special　boys。　You　are　the　only　one　still　alive。　The　rest　died　in　‘inexplicable’　accidents。’
　
　Richard　finished　the　pear　while　he　thought。　He　definitely　didn’t　like　the　part　about　Subtractive　Magic。　‘So　can　you　help　me　with　using　my　power？’
　
　Think；　Richard。　The　Sisters　have　not　given　you　pain　with　the　collar；　have　they。’
　
　‘No。　But　they　will。’
　
　‘Fighting　the　last　war；　Richard。　What　did　Bonnie　Day　tell　the　Warwick　troops　guarding　the　moors？　That　the　enemy　would　not　e　the　same　way　as　they　had　before。　That　they　were　foolishly　wasting　their　energy　trying　to　fight　the　last　war。’　Nathan　lifted　an　eyebrow。　‘You　seem　to　have　missed　the　lesson。　Just　because　something　happened　to　you　before；　that　does　not　mean　it　will　happen　again。　Think　ahead；　Richard；　not　behind。’
　
　Richard　hesitated。　‘I　。。。　had　a　vision　in　one　of　the　towers。　A　vision　that　Sister　Verna　used　the　collar　to　hurt　me。’
　
　‘And　it　brought　the　anger　forth。’
　
　Richard　nodded。　‘I　called　the　magic　and　killed　her。’
　
　Nathan　gave　a　small；　disappointed　shake　of　his　head。　The　vision　was　your　own　mind　trying　to　tell　you　something；　trying　to　show　you　that　you　could　defend　yourself　if　they　did　that；　that　you　could　defeat　them。　It　was　your　gift　and　your　mind　working　together；　trying　to　help　you。　You　were　too　busy　fighting　the　last　war　to　heed　the　message。’
　
　Chagrined；　Richard　kept　his　mouth　shut。　He　had　worried　about　them　hurting　him；　to　the　exclusion　of　everything　else。　He　had　ignored　the　true　meaning　of　what　Kahlan　had　done；　because　he　had　been　so　afraid　of　the　past　ing　to　life　again。　Think　of　the　solution；　not　the　problem；　that　was　what　Zedd　had　taught　him。　He　had　been　blinded　to　the　future　by　the　past。
　
　‘I　see　what　you　mean；　Nathan；’　he　admitted。　‘What　did　you　mean　about　the　Sisters　not　giving　me　pain　with　the　collar？’
　
　‘Ann　knows　you　are　a　war　wizard；　I　told　her　before　you　were　born。　I　told　her　near　to　five　hundred　years　ago。　She　would　have　given　orders　to　the　Sisters。　Giving　pain　to　a　war　wizard　is　like　kicking　a　badger　on　his　rump。’
　
　‘You　mean　that　pain　is　somehow　the　secret　to　my　power？’
　
　‘No。　The　result　of　pain。　Anger。’　He　gestured　to　the　sword　at　Richard’s　hip。　‘You　use　the　sword　in　that　way。　Anger　calls　forth　the　magic。　Actually；　you　call　the　magic；　it　brings　you　anger；　and　so　the　magic　works。　Would　you　like　me　to　show　you　how　to　touch　your　Han？’
　
　Richard　scooted　forward。　‘Yes。　I　never　thought　I　would　say　that；　but　yes。　I　need　to　be　able　to　get　out　of　here。’
　
　‘Hold　up　your　palm。　Good。’　He　seemed　to　pull　an　aura　of　authority　around　himself。　‘Now；　lose　yourself　in　my　eyes。’
　
　Richard　stared　into　the　hooded；　deep；　dark；　azure　eyes。　The　gaze　drew　him　in。　Richard　felt　as　if　he　were　falling　up　into　the　clear；　blue　sky。　His　breath　came　in　ragged　pulls；　not　of　his　own　will。　He　felt　Nathan’s　manding　words　more　than　heard　them。
　
　‘Call　forth　the　anger；　Richard。　Call　forth　the　rage。　Call　forth　the　hate　and　fury。’　Richard　felt　it；　just　as　when　he　drew　the　sword；　as　he　felt　his　breath　being　drawn　for　him；　he　felt　the　anger　being　drawn。　‘Now；　feel　the　heat　of　that　rage。　Feel　the　flames　of　it。　Good。　Now　focus　those　feelings　in　the　palm　of　your　hand。’
　
　Richard　funneled　the　rage　of　the　magic　to　his　hand；　directed　its　flow；　feeling　its　force。　His　teeth　gritted　with　the　power　of　it。
　
　‘Look　in　your　hand；　Richard。　See　it　there。　See　what　you　are　feeling。’
　
　Richard’s　eyes　moved　slowly　to　his　hand。　A　ball　of　blue　and　yellow　fire　tumbled　slowly　above　his　outstretched　palm。　He　could　feel　the　energy　flowing　from　himself；　into　the　fire。　He　increased　the　flow　of　rage；　and　the　angry　ball　of　flame　grew。
　
　‘Now；　cast　the　rage；　the　hate；　the　anger；　the　fire；　at　the　hearth。’
　
　Richard　threw　his　hand　out。　The　slowly　tumbling　sphere　of　flame　stayed　with　his　hand。　He　looked　to　the　hearth；　focusing　the　rage　outward；　casting　it　away　from　himself。
　
　The　liquid　light　howled　as　it　streaked　to　the　hearth；　exploding　there　with　a　crack；　like　lightning。
　
　Nathan　smiled　with　pride。　That　is　how　it’s　done；　my　boy。　I　doubt　the　Sisters　could　teach　you　that　in　a　hundred　years。　You’re　a　natural。　No　doubt　about　it。　You　are　a　war　wizard。’
　
　‘But　Nathan；　I　didn’t　feel　my　Han。　I　didn’t　sense　anything　different。　All　I　felt　was　angry；　like　when　I　use　the　sword。　For　that　matter；　like　when　I　shut　my　finger　in　a　door。’
　
　Nathan　nodded　knowingly。　‘Of　course　not。　You　are　a　war　wizard。　Others　have　only　one　side　of　the　gift。　They　use　what　is　around　them；　the　air；　heat；　cold；　fire；　water；　whatever　they　need。
　
　‘War　wizards　aren’t　like　others。　They　instead　tap　the　core　of　power　within　themselves。　You　don’t　direct　your　Han；　you　direct　your　feelings。　The　Sisters　teach　the　‘how’　of　how　everything　is　done。　That　is　irrelevant　to　your　power。　For　you；　results　are　all　that　are　important；　because　you　draw　power　from　within。　That　is　why　the　Sisters　cannot　teach　you。’
　
　‘What　do　you　mean　that’s　why　they　cannot　teach　me？’
　
　‘Have　you　ever　seen　a　seamstress　miss　a　pincushion？　The　Sisters　want　you　to　watch　your　hand；　the　pin；　and　the　pincushion。　That’s　the　way　other　wizards　use　their　magic。　War　wizards　don’t　watch；　they　just　do。　Their　Han　acts　instinctively。’
　
　‘Was　that　。。。　wizard’s　fire？’
　
　Nathan　chuckled。　‘That　was　to　wizard’s　fire　what　an　annoyed　moth　is　to　an　enraged　bull。’
　
　Richard　tried　again；　but　the　fire　wouldn’t　e。　The　anger　wouldn’t　e。　He　could　draw　the　sword’s　anger；　but　it　wasn’t　the　same　kind　he　had　done　with　Nathan；　from　within　himself。
　
　‘It　won’t　work。　Why　can’t　I　do　it　again？’
　
　‘Because　I　was　helping　you；　showing　you　with　my　own　power　what　it’s　like。　You　are　not　yet　able　to　do　it　on　your　own。’
　
　‘Why？’
　
　Nathan　reached　over　and　tapped　Richard’s　head。　‘Because　it　must　e　from　in　here。　You　have　yet　to　accept　yourself；　who　you　are。　You　don’t　believe。　You　still　fight　who　you　are。　Until　you　accept　yourself；　until　you　believe；　you　won’t　be　able　to　call　forth　your　Han；　your　power；　except　in　great　anger。’
　
　‘What　of　the　headaches　that　came　from　my　gift？　The　Sisters　said　they　would　kill　me　without　the　collar。’
　
　‘The　Sisters　nibble　around　the　truth　as　if　it　were　gristle　in　a　piece　of　meat。　They　only　eat　it　if　they’re　starving。　They　want　us　prisoners　so　they　can　bring　us　to　their　ways。
　
　‘What　they　attempt　to　do　when　they　train　with　you　is　what　I　have　just　done。　The　headaches　are　dangerous；　but　only　if　a　young　wizard　is　left　alone　with　his　power。　When　you　had　the　headaches；　were　you　ever　able　to　make　them　go　away？’
　
　‘Yes。　Sometimes　when　I　concentrated　on　shooting　arrows；　or　when　something　inside　warned　me　of　danger；　or　when　I　was　angry　and　used　the　magic　of　the　sword；　then　they　went　away　for　a　time。’
　
　That’s　because　you　were　bringing　the　gift　into　harmony　with　your　mind。　The　only　thing　required　to　keep　the　gift　from　harming　you　is　a　bit　of　instruction　…　like　I　just　gave　you。
　
　Teaching　wizards　should　be　a　wizard’s　business。　For　a　wizard；　bringing　your　mind　into　harmony　with　your　gift　is　a　simple　matter；　because　it’s　the　male　gift　teaching　the　male　gift。　What　I　have　just　done　with　you　is　enough　to　keep　the　gift　from　harming　you　for　a　good　long　time　…　without　the　Rada’Han。
　
　‘In　the　future；　joining　with　a　wizard　will　take　you　the　next　step；　and　protect　you　until　you　reach　the　following　plain。　It’s　only　important　to　have　help　available　when　you　need　it。　The　Sisters　need　a　hundred　years　to　show　you　what　I　have　just　done。
　
　They　use　the　collar　as　an　excuse　to　take　us　prisoner　for　their　own　purposes。　They　have　their　own　ideas　about　the　training　of　wizards。　Their　idea　is　to　control　wizards。’
　
　‘Why？’
　
　They　think　wizards　are　responsible　for　all　the　evil　that　has　befallen　mankind；　and　if　they　collar　the　power；　control　it；　and　indoctrinate　it；　they　will　bring　the　light　of　their　theology　to　the　people。　They　are　zealots　who　believe　they　are　the　only　ones　who　know　the　true　way　to　eternal　reward　in　the　Creator’s　light。　They　feel　justified　in　using　any　means　to　gain　that　end。’
　
　‘You　mean　that　what　you　have　just　showed　me；　with　my　power；　is　enough　to　keep　the　gift　from　killing　me；　without　the　collar？’
　
　‘It’s　enough　to　keep　the　gift　from　killing　you；　but　it　would　take　many　more　lessons　to　teach　you　to　be　a　real　wizard。　All　I　have　done　is　to　hold　the　stallion’s　bit；　so　he　won’t　buck　you　off。　It　would　take　much　more　work　to　teach　you　to　ride　with　grace。’
　
　Richard　could　feel　the　muscles　in　his　face　draw　tight。　‘If　this　is　true；　then　they　are　kicking　the　rump　of　a　badger。　Thank　you；　for　helping　me。’　Richard　rubbed　his　fingers　together。　‘Nathan；　there　is　great　trouble　ing。