tg.wizardfirstrule-第55部分

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　He　knew　what　the　boundary　looked　like　from　when　he　had　been　close　to　it　with　Chase；　and　again　when　the　dark　thing　had　tried　to　pull　Kahlan　in。　He　knew　that　if　they　stepped　into　the　。　dark　wall；　there　would　be　no　return；　but　that　if　they　could　stay　in　the　green　glow　before　the　wall；　then　they　at　least　had　a　chance。
　
　Kahlan　stopped。　She　pushed　him　to　the　right。　She　was　close　to　the　wall。　Then　it　appeared　on　his　right。　They　centered　themselves　and　continued　forward；　finding　that　if　they　went　slowly；　carefully；　they　could　stay　between　the　walls；　walking　a　thin　line　of　life；　with　death　to　each　side。　Years　of　being　a　guide　were　of　no　help　to　him。　Richard　finally　stopped　trying　to　find　a　trace　of　the　trail；　and　let　himself　feel　the　force　of　the　walls　pressing　from　each　side；　let　the　pressure　be　his　guide。　It　was　slow　going；　with　no　sign　of　the　trail　in　sight；　no　view　of　the　hillside　around　them；　only　the　tight　world　of　the　luminous　green　light；　like　a　bubble　of　life　floating　helplessly　through　an　endless　sea　of　darkness　and　death。
　
　Mud　sucked　at　his　boots；　fear　at　his　mind。　Any　obstacle　they　encountered　had　to　be　crossed；　they　couldn't　go　around；　the　boundary　walls　dictated　where　they　went。　Sometimes　it　was　over　fallen　trees；　sometimes　over　boulders；　sometimes　through　washouts　where　they　had　to　use　exposed　roots　to　pull　themselves　up　the　other　side。　They　helped　each　other　silently；　giving　only　a　squeeze　of　the　hand　for　encouragement。　Never　was　there　more　than　a　step　or　two　to　either　side　of　their　way　that　didn't　bring　up　the　dark　walls。　Each　time　the　trail　turned；　the　dark　wall　appeared；　sometimes　several　times；　until　they　could　decipher　which　way　it　turned。　Each　time　the　wall　loomed　up；　they　pulled　back　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　each　time　it　scared　him　with　a　cold　jolt。
　
　Richard　realized　his　shoulders　ached。　The　tension　of　what　they　were　doing　was　making　his　muscles　tighten；　his　breathing　shallow。　He　relaxed；　took　a　deep　breath；　let　his　arms　hang　loose；　shook　his　wrists　to　ease　the　stress　away；　and　then　took　Kahlan's　hand　again。　He　smiled　down　at　her　face　lit　by　the　haunting　green　light。　She　smiled　back；　but　he　could　see　the　controlled　terror　in　her　eyes。　At　least；　he　thought；　the　bones　were　keeping　the　shadow　things　and　the　beasts　away　from　them；　and　nothing　appeared　beyond　the　walls　when　they　accidentally　encountered　them。
　
　Richard　could　almost　feel　his　will　to　live　draining　from　his　soul　with　each　careful　step。　Time　took　on　an　abstract　dimension；　holding　no　solid　meaning。　He　could　have　been　in　the　Narrows　for　hours；　or　days；　he　had　trouble　telling　anymore。　He　found　himself　wishing　only　for　peace；　for　it　to　be　over；　to　be　safe　again。　His　fear　was　beginning　to　dull　from　the　sheer　level　of　tension　he　had　maintained　as　they　probed　their　way　ahead。
　
　Movement　caught　his　attention：　He　looked　behind。　Shadow　things；　a　flush　of　green　light　around　each；　floated　in　a　line　between　the　walls；　close　at　their　backs；　following　the　two　of　them　down　the　path；　skimming　above　the　ground；　each　lifting　in　turn　to　pass　over　a　tree　trunk　that　lay　across　the　way。　Richard　and　Kahlan　stopped；　frozen；　watching。　The　shadows　didn't　stop。
　
　〃Lead　the　way；〃　he　whispered；　〃and　keep　hold　of　my　hand。　I'll　watch　them。〃
　
　He　could　see　that　her　shirt　was　soaked　with　sweat；　same　as　his；　even　though　it　wasn't　a　warm　night。　Without　so　much　as　a　nod；　she　started　off。　He　walked　backward；　his　back　to　hers；　his　eyes　to　the　shadows；　his　mind　in　a　panic。　Kahlan　went　as　fast　as　she　could；　having　to　stop　and　change　direction　several　times；　pulling　him　after　by　the　hand。
　
　She　stopped　again；　at　last　groping　her　way　to　the　right；　when　the　unseen　path　made　a　sharp　turn　down　the　hill。　Walking　backward　downhill　was　difficult；　he　stepped　carefully　to　avoid　falling。　The　shadows　followed　in　a　single　file；　turning　with　the　path。　Richard　resisted　his　urge　to　tell　Kahlan　to　go　faster；　as　he　didn't　want　her　to　make　a　mistake；　but　the　shadows　were　getting　closer
　
　It　would　only　be　a　matter　of　minutes　before　they　closed　the　distance；　before　they　were　on　him。
　
　Muscles　tense；　his　hand　gripped　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　He　debated　in　his　mind　whether　or　not　to　draw　it；　not　knowing　if　it　could　help　them；　or　if　it　would　bring　them　to　harm。　Even　if　the　sword　worked　against　the　shadows；　a　fight　in　the　confines　of　the　Narrows　would　be　a　big　risk；　at　best。　But　if　there　was　no　choice；　if　they　came　too　close；　he　would　have　to　use　the　sword。
　
　The　shadows　seemed　as　if　they　had　taken　on　faces。　Richard　tried　to　remember　if　they　had　faces　before；　but　couldn't。　His　fingers　gripped　the　hilt　of　the　sword　tighter　as　he　walked　backward；　Kahlan's　soft　hand　warm　in　his。　The　faces　appeared　sad；　gentle；　in　the　green　glow。　They　regarded　him　with　kind；　pleading　countenances。　The　raised　lettering　of　the　word　〃Truth〃　on　the　sword　seemed　to　burn　painfully　into　his　fingers　as　he　clutched　it　tighter。　Anger　seeped　from　the　sword；　searching　his　mind；　searching　for　his　own　anger；　but；　finding　only　fear　and　confusion；　the　anger　wilted。　The　forms　no　longer　gained　on　him；　but　paced　along；　keeping　him　pany　in　the　lonely　darkness。　Somehow；　they　made　him　feel　less　afraid；　less　tense。
　
　Their　whispers　calmed　him。　Richard's　hand　relaxed　on　the　sword　as　he　strained　to　make　out　the　words。　The　slow；　easy　smiles　reassured　him；　gentled　his　caution；　his　alarm；　making　him　want　to　hear　more；　to　understand　the　murmurs。　Green　light　around　the　faint　forms　shimmered　fortingly。　His　heart　pounded　with　the　need　for　rest；　for　peace；　for　their　pany。
　
　Like　the　shadows；　his　mind　drifted；　smoothly；　quietly；　gently。　Richard　thought　of　his　father；　longed　for　him。　He　remembered　joyful；　easy　times　with　him；　times　of　love；　sharing；　caring；　times　of　safety　when　nothing　threatened　him；　nothing　；frightened　him；　nothing　worried　him。　He　longed　for　those　times　again。　He　realized　that　that　was　what　the　whispers　were　saying；　that　it　could　be　like　that　again。　They　wanted　to　help　him　reach　that　place　again；　that　was　all。
　
　Small　warnings　burgeoned　deep　in　his　mind；　but　then　withered　and　were　gone。　His　hand　slipped　from　the　sword。
　
　He　had　been　so　wrong；　so　blind；　and　hadn't　been　able　to　see　it　before。　They　weren't　there　to　harm　him；　but　to　help　him　reach　the　peace　he　wanted。　It　wasn't　what　they　wanted；　but　what　he　wanted；　that's　what　they　offered　him。　They　wished　only　to　help　release　him　from　loneliness。　A　wistful　smile　spread　on　his　lips。　How　could　he　have　not　seen　it　before？　How　could　he　have　been　so　blind？　Whispers　like　sweet　music　washed　over　him　in　gentle　waves；　soothing　his　fears；　giving　him　soft　light　in　the　dark　places　of　his　mind。　He　stopped　walking　so　that　he　wouldn't　step　out　of　the　bathing　warmth　of　the　enchanting　murmurs；　the　breath　of　the　music。
　
　A　cold　hand　tugged　annoyingly　at　his；　trying　to　pull　him　on；　so　he　released　it。　It　went　without　objection；　to　bother　him　no　more。
　
　The　shadows　drifted　closer。　Richard　waited　for　them；　watched　their　gentle　faces；　listened　to　their　soft　whispers。　When　they　sighed　his　name　it　made　him　shudder　with　pleasure。　He　weled　them　as　they　came　around　in　a　forting　circle；　floating　closer；　their　hands　reaching　to　him　as　they　did　so。　Hands　lifted　to　his　face；　almost　touching　him；　seeking　to　caress　him。　He　looked　from　one　face　to　another；　meeting　the　eyes　of　his　saviors；　each　holding　his　gaze　in　turn；　each　whispering　a　promise　of　wonderment。
　
　A　hand　almost　brushed　his　face；　and　he　thought　he　felt　searing　pain；　but　wasn't　sure。　The　keeper　of　the　hand　promised　that　he　would　feel　pain　no　more；　after　he　joined　with　them。　He　wanted　to　speak；　to　ask　them　so　many　questions；　but　it　seemed　so　suddenly　unimportant；　so　trivial。　He　had　only　to　give　himself　over　to　their　care；　and　everything　would　be　all　right。　He　turned　to　each；　offering　himself　to　each；　waiting　to　be　taken。
　
　As　he　turned；　he　looked　for　Kahlan；　thinking　to　take　her　with　him；　to　share　the　peace　with　her。　Memories　of　her　flamed　into　his　mind；　distracting　his　attention　even　though　the　whispers　told　him　to　ignore　them。　He　scanned　the　hillside；　peering　off　into　the　dark　rubble。　Faint　light　tinged　the　sky；　morning　materializing。　Black　voids　of　the　trees　ahead　stood　against　the　pale　pink　sky；　he　was　almost　to　the　end　of　the　slide。　He　didn't　see　Kahlan　anywhere。　The　shadows　whispered　insistently　to　him；　calling　his　name。　Memories　of　Kahlan　blazed　brightly　into　his　mind。　Sudden　choking　fear　flamed　up　inside　him；　burning　the　whispers　in　his　mind　to　ash。
　
　〃Kahlan！〃　he　screamed
　
　There　was　no　answer。
　
　Dark　hands；　dead　hands；　reached　for　him。　The　faces　of　the　shadows　wavered　like　vapors　rising　from　boiling　poison。　Gnarled　voices　called　his　name。　He　took　a　step　back；　away　from　them；　confused。
　
　〃Kahlan！〃　he　screamed　again。
　
　Hands　reached　for　him；　bringing　searing　pain　even　though　they　did　not　touch　him。　Again　he　took　a　step　back；　away　from　them；　but　this　time　the　dark　wall　was　there；　at　his　back。　The　hands　extended　up；　to　push　at　him。　He　looked　around　for　Kahlan；　bewildered。　This　time　the　pain　brought　him　fully　awake。　Terror　raced　through　him　as　he　realized　where　he　was　and　what　was　happening。
　
　And　then　his　anger　exploded。
　
　Heat　of　rage　from　the　magic　surged　through　him　as　the　sword；　came　free；　sweeping　in　an　arc　at　the　shadows。　The　ones　caught　by　the　blade　flared　into　nothingness；　the　smoke　of　their　form　spinning；　as　if　caught　in　a　vortex　of　wind；　before　ing　apart　with　a　howl。　More　came　at　him。　The　sword　flashed　through　them；　and　still　more　came；　as　if　there　were　no　end　to　their　numbers。　As　he　cut　them　down　on　one　side；　the　ones　on　the　other　side　would　reach　for　him；　the　pain　of　their　near　touch　burning　into　him　before　he　turned　with　the　sword。　Richard　wondered　for　an　instant　what　it　would　feel　like　if　they　were　able　to　finally　touch　him；　if　he　would　feel　the　pain　or　simply　be　dead　in　that　moment。　He　stepped　away　from　the　wall；　slashing　with　the　sword　as　he　did　so。　He　took　another　step　forward；　cutting　furiously　as　he　moved；　the　blade　whistling　as　he　swung　it。
　
　Richard　stood；　feet　dug　in；　destroying　the　shadows　as　fast　as　they　came。　His　arms　ached；　his　back　hurt；　his　head　；pounded。　Sweat　poured　from　his　face。　He　was　exhausted。　With　nowhere　to　run；　h