tg.wizardfirstrule-第72部分

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came　thick　with　arrows；　the　Bird　Man　having　ordered　his　hunters　to　bring　down　the　shadows。　Every　one　went　true　and　found　its　mark；　but　they　simply　passed　through　the　shadow　things　as　if　they　were　whizzing　through　smoke。　Poison　tipped　arrows　were　flying　wildly　everywhere。　She　knew　that　if　one　even　nicked　her　or　Richard；　they　were　dead。　Now　she　had　to　dodge　the　arrows　as　well　as　the　shadows。　She　heard　another　whistle　past　her　ear　as　she　ducked　at　the　last　second。　One　skipped　in　the　mud　and　flew　past　her　leg。
　
　Richard　had　reached　the　boy；　but　couldn't　grab　the　stone。　All　he　was　able　to　do　was　frantically　strike　down　the　advancing　shadows。　He　couldn't　pause　to　try　for　the　stone
　
　Kahlan　was　still　a　long　way　off；　not　able　to　run　in　as　Richard　had；　cutting　through　them。　She　knew　that　if　she　inadvertently　touched　a　shadow；　she　was　dead。　There　were　so　many　materializing　around　her　the　very　air　was　like　a　gray　maze。　Richard　fought　around　the　boy　in　a　circle　that　got　smaller　all　the　time。　He　held　the　sword　in　both　hands；　swinging　it　wildly。　He　dared　not　slow　for　an　instant　or　they　would　close　over　him。　There　was　no　end　to　the　shadow　things。
　
　Kahlan　couldn't　make　any　headway。　The　shadows；　floating　past　her　from　all　around；　and　the　arrows　streaking　by；　cut　her　off　at　every　turn；　the　arrows　forcing　her　to　jump　back　just　as　she　went　for　an　opening。　She　knew　Richard　wouldn't　be　able　to　hold　out　much　longer。　Hard　as　he　fought；　he　was　falling　back　in　a　tighter　and　tighter　circle；　closer　to　the　boy。　She　was　their　only　chance；　and　she　wasn't　even　close。
　
　Another　arrow　zipped　past；　the　feather　flicking　her　hair。
　
　〃Stop　the　arrows！〃　she　yelled　angrily　at　the　Bird　Man。　〃Stop　shooting　the　arrows！　You're　going　to　kill　us！〃
　
　Frustrated；　he　recognized　her　plight　and　reluctantly　called　a　halt　to　the　archers。　But　then　they　all　drew　knives　and　quickly　advanced　on　the　shadows。　They　had　no　idea　what　they　were　up　against。　They　would　be　killed　to　the　last　man。
　
　〃No！〃　she　screamed；　shaking　her　fists。　〃If　you　touch　them　you　will　die！　Stay　back！〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　held　his　arm　up；　stopping　his　men。　She　knew　how　helpless　he　felt　as　he　watched　her　dart　back　among　the　shadows；　angling　slowly　closer　to　Richard　and　Siddin。
　
　She　heard　another　voice。　It　was　Toffalar；　yelling。
　
　〃Stop　them！　They　are　destroying　our　ancestors'　spirits！　Shoot　them　with　your　arrows！　Shoot　the　outsiders！〃
　
　Hesitantly；　looking　at　one　another；　the　archers　nocked　arrows　to　their　bows　once　again。　They　could　not　disobey　one　of　the　elders。
　
　〃Shoot　them！〃　he　yelled；　red…faced；　shaking　his　fist。　〃You　heard　me！　Shoot　them。〃
　
　They　brought　up　their　bows。　Kahlan　crouched；　preparing　to　try　to　jump　out　of　the　way　once　the　arrows　were　loosed。　The　Bird　Man　stepped　in　front　of　his　men；　holding　his　arm　out；　across　them；　countermanding　the　order。　There　were　words　she　couldn't　hear　between　him　and　Toffalar。　She　wasted　no　time；　and　took　the　opportunity　to　work　her　way　forward；　ducking　under　the　outstretched　arms　of　the　floating　shadow　things。
　
　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　she　caught　sight　of　Toffalar。　He　had　a　knife　and　was　running　toward　her。　She　dismissed　the　danger；　sooner　or　later　he　would　run　into　a　shadow　and　be　killed。　He　stopped　here　and　there　to　plead　with　the　shadow　things。　She　couldn't　hear　his　voice　above　the　wails。　The　next　time　she　looked　he　had　closed　most　of　the　distance。　It　was　unbelievable　that　he　hadn't　run　into　one。　Somehow　the　gaps　just　opened　for　him　as　he　ran　heedlessly；　recklessly；　for　her；　his　face　contorted　in　rage。　Still；　she　didn't　worry　that　he　could　make　it；　soon　he　had　to　touch　one；　and　would　be　dead。
　
　Kahlan　gained　the　rest　of　the　open　ground；　but　found　the　ring　of　shadows　around　Richard　and　Siddin　an　impenetrable　gray　wall。　There　was　no　opening。　She　dodged　right；　and　left；　trying　to　find　a　way　in；　but　couldn't　get　through。　She　was　so　close；　yet　so　far；　and　the　trap　was　closing　around　her；　too。　Several　times　she　barely　escaped　by　stepping　back　before　shadows　converged。　Richard　snatched　glimpses　to　see　where　she　was。　He　tried　to　fight　through　to　her　a　number　of　times；　but　was　forced　to　turn　to　the　other　side　to　keep　the　shadows　from　Siddin。
　
　With　a　start；　she　saw　the　knife　slashing　through　the　air。　Toffalar　had　reached　her。　Lost　in　hate；　he　screamed　things　she　couldn't　even　understand。　But　she　understood　the　knife；　what　he　intended。　He　intended　to　kill　her。　She　dodged　his　slash。　It　was　her　opening。
　
　And　then　she　made　a　mistake。
　
　She　started　to　reach　to　touch　Toffalar；　but　caught　sight　of　Richard　looking　toward　her。　She　faltered　at　the　thought　of　him　seeing　her　use　her　power。　She　hesitated；　and　let　Toffalar　have　the　instant　he　needed。　Richard　screamed　her　name　in　warning；　then　turned　to　fight　back　the　shadows　from　behind　him。
　
　Toffalar's　knife　came　up；　hitting　her　right　arm；　deflecting　off　the　bone。
　
　Shock　and　pain　ignited　her　rage。　Rage　at　her　own　stupidity。　She　did　not　miss　the　opening　a　second　time。　Her　left　hand　came　up　and　caught　Toffalar　by　the　throat。　She　felt　her　grip　shut　off　his　air　for　an　instant。　She　needed　only　to　touch　him；　grabbing　him　by　the　throat　was　a　reflex　of　her　rage；　not　her　power。
　
　Though　there　were　terrified　screams　and　shouts　ing　from　people　all　around；　and　the　horrifying　wails　from　the　shadows　Richard　was　destroying　wholesale；　her　mind　went　suddenly　quiet；　calm。　There　was　no　sound　in　her　head。　Only　silence。　The　silence　of　what　she　was　going　to　do。
　
　In　the　calm　spark　of　an　instant　that　to　her　twisted　for　an　eternity；　she　saw　the　look　of　fear　in　Toffalar's　eyes；　the　realization　of　his　fate。　She　saw　in　his　eyes　his　railing　against　that　end；　felt　his　muscles　beginning　to　tense；　to　fight　her；　his　hands　starting　the　ever　so　slow；　hopeless　journey　to　her　grip　at　his　throat。
　
　But　he　had　no　chance；　not　the　slightest　glimmer。　She　was　in　control　now。　Time　was　hers。　He　was　hers。　She　felt　no　pity。　No　remorse。　Only　deadly　calm。
　
　As　she　had　done　countless　times　before；　in　her　calm；　the　Mother　Confessor　relaxed　her　restraint。　Released　at　last；　her　power　slammed　into　Toffalar's　body。
　
　There　was　a　hard　impact　to　the　air；　thunder　with　no　sound。　Water　in　the　puddles　around　her　danced　and　flung　muddy　droplets　into　the　air。
　
　Toffalar's　eyes　went　wide。　The　muscles　of　his　face　went　slack。　His　mouth　fell　open。
　
　〃Mistress！〃　he　called　out　in　a　reverent　whisper。
　
　The　calm　expression　on　her　face　contorted　with　anger。　With　all　her　strength　she　shoved　Toffalar　backward；　at　the　ring　of　shadows　around　Richard　and　Siddin。　Arms　flung　in　the　air；　he　fell　into　the　shadows　and　screamed　at　the　contact　before　falling　to　the　mud。　Somehow；　the　contact　opened　a　brief；　small　gap　in　the　ring　of　shadows。　Without　hesitation　she　dove　for　it；　flinging　herself　through　an　instant　before　it　closed　behind　her。
　
　Kahlan　threw　herself　over　Siddin。
　
　〃Hurry！〃　Richard　yelled。
　
　Siddin　didn't　look　at　her；　his　face　was　fixed　on　the　shadows；　his　mouth　open；　all　his　muscles　locked。　She　tried　to　get　the　stone　from　his　tight　little　fist；　but　his　fingers　were　fastened　around　it　with　the　strength　of　his　fright。　She　snatched　the　pouch　from　his　other　hand。　Gripping　the　pouch　and　his　wrist　with　her　left　hand；　she　started　prying　his　little　fingers　off　the　stone　with　the　right；　begging　him　the　whole　time　to　let　go。　He　didn't　hear　her。　Blood　ran　down　her　arm　to　her　shaking　hand；　mixing　with　the　rain；　making　her　fingers　slippery。
　
　A　shadowy　hand　reached　for　her　face。　She　flinched　back。　The　sword　hissed　past　her　face；　through　the　shadow。　It　added　its　wail　to　the　others。　Siddin's　eyes　were　transfixed　on　the　shadows；　all　his　muscles　rigid。　Richard　was　right　over　her；　swinging　the　sword　in　weaving　patterns　all　around。　There　was　no　more　ground　to　give。　It　was　just　the　three　of　them　now。　Siddin's　slippery　fingers　wouldn't　open。
　
　Gritting　her　teeth　with　an　effort　that　sent　searing　pain　through　the　wound　in　her　right　arm；　she　finally　raked　the　stone　out　of　Siddin's　hand。　Because　of　the　blood　and　mud；　it　shot　from　her　fingers　like　a　melon　seed；　plopping　in　the　mud　by　her　knee。　Almost　instantly　her　hand　was　over　it；　snatching　it　back　up　in　a　scoopful　of　mud。　She　jammed　it　in　the　pouch　and　yanked　the　drawstring　closed。　Gasping；　she　looked　up。
　
　The　shadows　stopped。　She　could　hear　Richard's　heavy　breathing　as　he　continued　slashing　at　them。　Slowly；　at　first；　the　shadows　began　moving　back；　as　if　confused；　lost；　searching。　Then　they　dissolved　back　into　the　air；　retreating　to　the　underworld　whence　they　had　e。　In　a　moment；　they　were　gone。　Except　for　Toffalar's　body；　the　three　of　them　were　in　an　empty　expanse　of　mud。
　
　Kahlan；　rain　running　off　her　face；　took　Siddin　into　her　arms；　hugging　him　tight　against　her　as　he　began　crying。　1n　exhaustion；　Richard　closed　his　eyes　and　collapsed　to　his　knees；　sitting　back　on　his　heels。　His　head　hung　down　as　he　panted。
　
　〃Kahlan；　〃　Siddin　whimpered；　〃they　were　calling　my　name。　〃
　
　〃1　know；〃　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　kissing　it；　〃it's　all　right　now。　You　were　very　brave。　Brave　as　any　hunter。　〃
　
　He　hugged　his　arms　around　her　neck　as　she　forted　him。　She　felt　weak；　shaky。　They　had　almost　lost　their　lives；　to　save　a　single　one。　Something　she　had　told　him　the　Seeker　must　not　do；　yet　they　had　done　it　without　a　second　thought。　How　could　they　not　have　tried？　Having　Siddin's　arms　around　her　made　it　all　worth　it。　Richard　was　still　holding　the　sword　in　both　hands；　its　tip　sunk　in　the　mud。　She　reached　over　and　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder
　
　At　the　touch　of　her　hand；　his　head　instantly　snapped　up　and　the　sword　whipped　around　toward　her；　stopping　in　front　of　her　face。　Kahlan　jumped　with　surprise。　Fury　Et　Richard's　wide　eyes。
　
　〃Richard；〃　she　said；　startled；　〃it's　just　me。　It's　over。　I　didn't　mean　to　frighten　you。〃
　
　He　let　his　muscles　go　limp；　let　himself　fall　over　onto　his　side　in　the　mud。
　
　〃Sorry；〃　he　managed；　still　trying　to　catch　his　breath。　〃When　your　hand　touched　me　。　。　。　I　guess　I　thought　it　was　a　shadow。〃
　
　Legs　were　suddenly　all　about　them。　She　peered　up。　The　Bird　Man　was　there；　as　were　Savidlin　and　Weselan。　Weselan　was　sobbing　loudly。　Kahlan　stood　and　handed　her　son。　Weselan　passed　the　boy　to　her