srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第53部分

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round；　igniting　invisible　contours　into　brilliance　and　then　quenching　them　again。　Mhoram　watched　it　in　stunned　silence　as　it　lit　the　Raver's　army　and　rushed　on　into　the　foothills　of　the　plateau。　Like　a　tsunami　of　malignant　scorn；　it　rolled　upward　and　broke　across　the　Keep。
　　　　People　screamed　when　they　saw　the　full　emerald　moon　leering　evilly　at　them　through　the　rift。　The　High　Lord　himself　flinched；　raised　his　staff　as　if　to　ward　off　a　nightmare。　For　a　horrific　moment　while　the　rift　moved；　Lord　Foul's　moon　dominated　the　clear；　starless　abysm　of　the　sky　like　an　incurable　wound；　a　maiming　of　the　very　Law　of　the　heavens。　Emerald　radiance　covered　everything；　drowned　every　heart　and　drenched　Revel…stone's　every　upraised　rock　in　the　tic；　green　defeat。
　　　　Then　the　rift　passed；　sick　light　slid　away　into　the　west。　Lord's　Keep　sank　like　a　broken　sea…cliff　into　irreparable　night。
　　　　〃Melenkurion！〃　Quaan　panted　as　if　he　were　suffocating。　〃Melenkurion！〃
　　　　Slowly；　Mhoram　realized　that　he　was　grimacing　like　a　cornered　madman。　But　while　the　darkness　crashed　and　echoed　around　him；　he　could　not　relax　his　features；　the　contortion　clung　to　his　face　like　the　grin　of　a　skull。　A　long；　taut　time　seemed　to　pass　before　he　thought　to　peer　through　the　night　at　Satansfist's　army。
　　　　When　at　last　he　pelled　himself　to　look；　he　saw　that　the　army　had　e　to　life。　It　sloughed　off　its　uneasy　repose　and　began　to　seethe；　bristling　in　the　darkness　like　reanimated　lust。
　　　　〃Ready　the　Warward；〃　he　said；　fighting　an　unwonted　tremor　in　his　rough　voice。　〃The　Raver　has　been　given　his　sign。　He　will　attack。〃
　　　　With　an　effort；　Warmark　Quaan　brought　himself　back　under　control　and　left　the　balcony；　shouting　orders　as　he　moved。
　　　　Mhoram　hugged　his　staff　to　his　chest　and　breathed　deeply；　heavily。　At　first；　the　air　shuddered　in　his　lungs；　and　he　could　not　pull　the　grimace　off　his　face。　But　slowly　he　untied　his　muscles；　turned　his　tension　into　other　channels。　His　thoughts　gathered　themselves　around　the　defense　of　the　Keep。
　　　　Calling　on　the　Hearthralls　and　the　other　Lords　to　join　him；　he　went　to　the　tower　to　watch　what　samadhi　Raver　was　doing。
　　　　There；　in　the　pany　of　the　two　shaken　sentries；　he　could　follow　the　Raver's　movements。　Satansfist　held　his　fragment　of　the　Illearth　Stone　blazing　aloft；　an　oriflamme　of　gelid　fire；　and　its　stark　green　illumination　revealed　him　clearly　as　he　moved　among　his　forces；　barking　orders　in　a　hoarse；　alien　tongue。　Without　haste　he　gathered　ur…viles　about　him　until　their　midnight　forms　spread　out　under　his　light　like　a　lake　of　black　water。　Then　he　forged　them　into　two　immense　wedges；　one　on　either　side　of　him；　with　their　tips　at　his　shoulders；　facing　Revelstone。　In　the　garish　Stone　light；　the　loremasters　looked　like　roynish；　pact　power；　fatal　and　eager。　Waves　of　other　creatures　fanned　out　beyond　them　on　either　side　as　they　began　to　approach　the　Keep。
　　　　Following　the　Raver's　fire；　they　moved　deliberately　straight　out　of　the　southeast　toward　the　knuckled　and　clenched　gates　at　the　base　of　the　watchtower。
　　　　High　Lord　Mhoram　tightened　his　grip　on　his　staff　and　tried　to　prepare　himself　for　whatever　might　happen。
　　　　At　his　back；　he　felt　Lord　Amatin　and　Hearthrall　Borillar　arrive；　followed　shortly　by　Tohrm　and　then　Quaan。　Without　taking　his　eyes　off　Satansfist's　approach；　the　Warmark　reported。
　　　　〃I　have　ordered　two　Howard　into　the　tower。　More　would　serve　no　purpose…they　would　block　each　other。　Half　are　archers。　They　are　good　warriors；''　he　added　unnecessarily；　as　if　to　reassure　himself；　〃and　all　their　Hafts　and　Warhafts　are　veterans　of　the　war　against　Fleshharrower。
　　　　''　The　archers　bear　lor…liarill　shafts。　They　will　begin　at　your　signal。''
　　　　Mhoram　nodded　his　approval。　〃Tell　half　the　archers　to　strike　when　the　Raver　enters　arrow　range。　Hold　the　rest　for　my　signal。〃
　　　　The　Warmark　turned　to　deliver　these　instructions；　but　Mhoram　abruptly　caught　his　arm。　A　chill　tightened　the　High　Lord's　scalp　as　he　said；　〃Place　more　archers　upon　the　battlements　above　the　court　of　the　Gilden。　If　by　some　great　ill　Satansfist　breaches　the　gates；　the　defenders　of　the　tower　will　require　aid。　And…stand　warriors　ready　to　cut　loose　the　crosswalks　from　the　Keep。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　High　Lord。〃　Quaan　was　a　warrior　and　understood　the　necessity　for　such　orders。　He　returned　Mhoram's　grip　firmly；　like　a　clasp　of　farewell；　then　left　the　top　of　the　tower。
　　　　〃Breach　the　gates？〃　Borillar　gaped　as　if　the　mere　suggestion　amazed　him。　〃How　is　it　possible？〃
　　　　〃It　is　not　possible；〃　Tohrm　replied　flatly。
　　　　〃Nevertheless　we　must　prepare。〃　Mhoram　braced　his　staff　on　the　stone　like　a　standard；　and　watched　samadhi　Sheol's　approach。
　　　　No　one　spoke　while　the　army　marched　forward。　It　was　already　less　than　a　hundred　yards　below　the　gates。　Except　for　the　dead　rumble　of　its　myriad　feet　on　the　frozen　ground；　it　moved　in　silence；　as　if　it　were　stalking　the　Keep…or　as　if　in　spite　of　their　driven　hunger　many　of　its　creatures　themselves　dreaded　what　Satansfist　meant　to　do。
　　　　Mhoram　felt　that　he　had　only　moments　left。　He　asked　Amatin　if　she　had　seen　either　Trevor　or　Loerya。
　　　　〃No。''　Her　whispered　answer　had　an　empty　sound；　like　a　recognition　of　abandonment。
　　　　Moments　later；　a　flight　of　arrows　thrummed　from　one　of　the　upper　levels　of　the　tower。　They　were　invisible　in　the　darkness；　and　Satansfist　gave　no　sign　that　he　knew　they　had　been　fired。　But　the　radiance　of　the　Illearth　Stone　struck　them　into　flame　and　knocked　them　down　before　they　were　within　thirty　feet　of　him。
　　　　Another　flight；　and　another；　had　no　effect　except　to　light　the　front　of　the　Raver's　army；　revealing　in　lurid　green　and　orange　the　deadly　aspect　of　its　leaders。
　　　　Then　samadhi　halted。　On　either　side　of　him；　the　ur…viles　trembled。　He　coughed　his　orders。　The　wedges　tightened。　Snarling；　the　Cavewights　and　other　creatures　arranged　themselves　into　formations；　ready　to　charge。
　　　　Without　haste　or　hesitation；　the　Giant…Raver　clenched　his　fist；　so　that　iridescent　steam　plumed　upward　from　his　fragment　of　the　Stone。
　　　　Mhoram　could　feel　the　Stone's　power　mounting；　radiating　in　tumid　waves　against　his　face。
　　　　Abruptly；　a　bolt　of　force　lashed　from　the　Stone　and　struck　the　ground　directly　before　one　of　the　loremasters。　The　blast　continued　until　the　soil　and　rock　caught　fire；　burned　with　green　flames；　crackled　like　firewood。　Then　samadhi　moved　his　bolt；　drew　it　over　the　ground　in　a　wide；　slow　arc　toward　the　other　loremaster。　His　power　left　behind　a　groove　that　flamed　and　smoldered；　flared　and　groaned　in　earthen　agony。
　　　　When　the　arc　was　plete；　it　enclosed　Satansfist　from　side　to　side…a　half…circle　of　emerald　coals　standing　in　front　of　him　like　a　harness　anchored　by　the　two　ur…vile　wedges。
　　　　Remembering　the　vortex　of　trepidation　with　which　Fleshharrower　had　attacked　the　Warward　at　Doriendor　Corishev；　Mhoram　strode　across　the　tower　and　shouted　up　at　the　Keep；　〃Leave　the　battlements！　All　but　the　warriors　must　take　shelter！　Do　not　expose　yourselves　lest　the　sky　itself　assail　you！〃　Then　he　returned　to　Lord　Amatin's　side。
　　　　Below　him；　the　two　great　loremasters　raised　their　staves　and　jabbed　them　into　the　ends　of　the　arc。　At　once；　Demondim　vitriol　began　to　pulse　wetly　along　the　groove。　The　green　flames　turned　black；　they　bubbled；　spattered；　burst　out　of　the　arc　as　if　Satansfist　had　tapped　a　vein　of　EarthBlood　in　the　ground。
　　　　By　the　time　Warmark　Quaan　had　returned　to　the　tower；　Mhoram　knew　that　samadhi　was　not　summoning　a　vortex。　The　Raver's　exertion　was　like　nothing　he　had　ever　seen　before。　And　it　was　slower　than　he　had　expected　it　to　be。　Once　the　ur…viles　had　tied　themselves　to　the　arc；　Satansfist　started　to　work　with　his　Stone。　From　its　incandescent　core；　he　drew　a　fire　that　gushed　to　the　ground　and　poured　into　the　groove　of　the　arc。　This　force　bined　with　the　black　fluid　of　the　ur…viles　to　make　a　mixture　of　ghastly　potency。　Soon　black…green　snake…tongues　of　lightning　were　flicking　into　the　air　from　the　whole　length　of　the　groove；　and　these　bursts　carried　to　the　onlookers　a　gut…deep　sense　of　violation；　as　if　the　rocky　foundations　of　the　foothills　were　under　assault…as　if　the　Despiser　dared　traduce　even　the　necessary　bones　of　the　Earth。
　　　　Yet　the　power　did　nothing　except　grow。　Tongues　of　lightning　leaped　higher；　joined　together；　became　gradually　but　steadily　more　brilliant　and　wrong。　Their　violence　increased　until　Mhoram　felt　that　the　nerves　of　his　skin　and　eyes　could　endure　no　more…and　went　on　increasing。　When　dawn　began　to　bleed　into　the　night　at　Satansfist's　back；　the　individual　tongues　had　merged　into　three　continuous　bolts　striking　without　thunder　into　the　deepest　darkness　of　the　clouds。
　　　　The　High　Lord's　throat　was　too　dry；　he　had　to　swallow　roughly　several　times　before　he　could　muster　enough　moisture　to　speak。　〃Hear…thrall　Tohrm''…still　he　almost　gagged　on　the　words…〃they　will　attack　the　gates。　This　power　will　attack　the　gates。　Send　any　Gravelingases　who　will　go　to　the　aid　of　the　stone。〃
　　　　Tohrm　started　at　the　sound　of　his　name；　then　hurried　away　as　if　he　were　glad　to　remove　himself　from　the　baleful　glare　of　the　arc。
　　　　While　gray　daylight　spread　over　the　siege；　the　three　unbroken　bolts　jumped　and　gibbered　maniacally；　raged　at　the　silent　clouds；　drew