srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第68部分

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few　fetid　flakes　were　visible　at　the　edges　of　the　firelight。　Triock　sat　cross…legged　opposite　him；　stared　at　him　out　of　the　smoldering　abomination　of　his　eyes。
　　　　In　the　air　before　Covenant　danced　faint　glaucous　gleams；　fragments　of　inaudible　song。　They　were　shrill　with　insistence：　flee！　flee！
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　He　tried　to　beat　off　the　clinging　hands　of　slumber。　〃What　are　they　doing？〃
　　　　〃Send　it　away；''　Triock　answered　in　a　voice　full　of　fear　and　loathing。　〃Rid　yourself　of　it。　He　cannot　claim　you　now。〃
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Covenant　lurched　to　his　feet　and　stood　trembling；　hardly　able　to　contain　the　panic　in　his　muscles。　〃What's　happening？〃
　　　　〃It　is　the　voice　of　a　Forestal。''　Triock　spoke　simply；　but　every　angle　of　his　inflection　expressed　execration。　He　jumped　erect　and　balanced　himself　as　if　he　meant　to　give　chase　when　Covenant　began　to　run。　〃Garroting　Deep　has　sent　Caer…Caveral　to　Morinmoss。　But　he　cannot　claim　you。　I　can〃…his　voice　shook…〃I　cannot　permit　it。〃
　　　　〃Claim？　Permit？〃　The　peril　gripping　Covenant's　heart　tightened　until　he　gasped。　Something　in　him　that　he　could　not　remember　urged　him　to　trust　the　gleams。　〃You　drugged　me！〃
　　　　〃So　that　you　would　not　escape！〃　White；　rigid　fear　clenched　Triock；　and　he　stammered　through　drawn　lips；　〃He　urges　you　to　destroy　me。　He　cannot　reach　far　from　Morinmoss；　but　he　urges…the　white　gold…！　Ah！〃　Abruptly；　his　voice　sharpened　into　a　shriek。　〃Do　not　toy　with　me！　I　cannot…！　Destroy　me　and　have　done！　I　cannot　endure　it！〃
　　　　The　cries　cut　through　Covenant's　own　dread。　His　distress　receded；　and　he　found　himself　grieving　for　the　Stonedownor。　Across　the　urging　of　the　gleams；　he　breathed　thickly；　〃Destroy　you？　Don't　you　know　that　you're　safe　from　me？　Don't　you　understand　that　I　haven't　got　one　godforsaken　idea　how　to　use　this…this　white　gold？　I　couldn't　hurt　you　if　that　were　my　heart's　sole　desire。〃
　　　　〃What？〃　Triock　howled。　〃Still？　Have　I　feared　you　for　nothing？〃
　　　　〃For　nothing；〃　groaned　Covenant。
　　　　Triock　gaped　bleakly　out　from　under　his　hood；　then　threw　back　his　head　and　began　to　laugh。　Mordant　glee　barked　through　his　teeth；　making　the　music　shiver　as　if　its　abhorrence　were　no　less　than　his。　〃Powerless！〃　he　laughed。　〃By　the　mirth　of　my　master！　Powerless！〃
　　　　Chuckling　savagely；　he　started　toward　Covenant。
　　　　At　once；　the　silent　song　rushed　gleaming　between　them。　But　Triock　advanced　against　the　lights。　〃Begone！〃　he　growled。　〃You　also　will　pay　for　your　part　in　this。''　With　a　deft　movement；　he　caught　one　spangle　in　each　fist。　Their　wailing　shimmered　in　the　air　as　he　crushed　them　between　his　fingers。
　　　　Ringing　like　broken　crystal；　the　rest　of　the　music　vanished。
　　　　Covenant　reeled　as　if　an　unseen　support　had　been　snatched　away。　He　flung　up　his　hands　against　Triock's　approach；　stumbled　backward。　But　the　man　did　not　touch　him。　Instead；　he　stamped　one　foot　on　the　hard　ground。　The　earth　bucked　under　Covenant；　stretched　him　at　Triock's　feet。
　　　　Then　Triock　threw　off　his　hood。　His　visage　was　littered　with　broken　possibilities；　wrecked　faiths　and　loves；　but　behind　his　features　his　skull　shone　with　pale　malice。　The　backs　of　his　eyes　were　as　black　as　night；　and　his　teeth　gaped　as　if　they　were　hungry　for　the　taste　of　flesh。　Leering　down　at　Covenant；　he　smirked；　〃No；　groveler。　I　will　not　strike　you　again。　The　time　for　masquerading　has　ended。　My　master　may　frown　upon　me　if　I　harm　you　now。〃
　　　　〃Master？〃　Covenant　croaked。
　　　　〃I　am　turiya　Raver；　also　called　Herem…and　Kinslaughterer…and　Triock。〃　He　laughed　again　grotesquely。　〃This　guise　has　served　me　well；　though　'Triock'　is　not　pleased。　Behold　me；　groveler！　I　need　no　longer　let　his　form　and　thoughts　disguise　me。　You　are　powerless。　Ah；　I　savor　that　jest！　So　now　I　permit　you　to　know　me　as　I　am。　It　was　I　who　slew　the　Giants　of　Seareach…I　who　slew　the　Unfettered　One　as　he　sought　to　warn　that　fool　Mhoram…I　who　have　captured　the　white　gold！　Brothers！　I　will　sit　upon　the　master's　right　hand　and　rule　the　universe！〃
　　　　As　he　gloated；　he　reached　into　his　cloak　and　drew　out　the　lomillialor　rod。　Brandishing　it　in　Covenant's　face；　he　barked；　〃Do　you　see　it？　High　Wood！　I　spit　on　it。　The　test　of　truth　is　not　a　match　for　me。〃　Then　he　gripped　it　between　his　hands　as　if　he　meant　to　break　it；　and　shouted　quick　cruel　words　over　it。　It　caught　fire；　blazed　for　an　instant　in　red　agony；　and　fell　into　cinders。
　　　　Gleefully；　the　Raver　snarled　at　Covenant；　〃Thus　I　signal　your　doom；　as　I　was　manded。　Breathe　swiftly；　groveler。　There　are　only　moments　left　to　you。〃
　　　　Covenant's　muscles　trembled　as　if　the　ground　still　pitched　under　him；　but　he　braced　himself；　struggled　to　his　feet。　He　felt　stunned　with　horror；　helpless。　Yet　in　the　back　of　his　mind　he　strained　to　find　an　escape。　〃The　ring；〃　he　panted。　〃Why　don't　you　just　take　the　ring？〃
　　　　A　black　response　leaped　in　Triock's　eyes。　〃Would　you　give　it　to　me？〃
　　　　〃No！〃　He　thought　desperately　that　if　he　could　goad　Triock　into　some　act　of　power；　Caer…Caveral's　glaucous　song　might　return　to　aid　him。
　　　　〃Then　I　will　tell　you；　groveler；　that　I　do　not　take　your　ring　because　the　mand　of　my　master　is　too　strong。　He　does　not　choose　that　I　should　have　such　power。　In　other　times；　he　did　not　bind　us　so　straitly；　and　we　were　free　to　work　his　will　in　our　several　ways。　But　he　claims…and…I　obey。〃
　　　　〃Try　to　take　it！〃　Covenant　panted。　〃Be　the　ruler　of　the　universe　yourself。　Why　should　he　have　it？〃
　　　　For　an　instant；　he　thought　he　saw　something　like　regret　in　Triock's　face。　But　the　Raver　only　snarled；　〃Because　the　Law　of　Death　has　been　broken；　and　he　is　not　alone。　There　are　eyes　of　pulsion　upon　me　even　now…eyes　which　may　not　be　defied。〃　His　leer　of　hunger　returned。　〃Perhaps　you　will　see　them　before　you　are　slain…before　my　brother　and　I　tear　your　living　heart　from　you　and　eat　it　in　your　last　sight。〃
　　　　He　laughed　harshly；　and　as　if　in　answer　the　darkness　around　the　campfire　grew　thicker。　The　night　blackened　like　an　accumulation　of　spite；　then　drew　taut　and　formed　discrete　figures　that　came　forward。　Covenant　heard　their　feet　rustling　over　the　cold　ground。　He　whirled；　and　found　himself　surrounded　by　ur…viles。
　　　　When　their　eyeless　faces　felt　his　stricken　stare；　they　hesitated　for　an　instant。　Their　wide；　drooling　nostrils　quivered　as　they　tasted　the　air　for　signs　of　power；　evidence　of　wild　magic。　Then　they　rushed　forward　and　overwhelmed　him。
　　　　Livid　red　blades　wheeled　above　him　like　the　shattering　of　the　heavens。　But　instead　of　stabbing　him；　they　pressed　flat　against　his　forehead。　Red　waves　of　horror　crashed　through　him。　He　screamed　once　and　went　limp　in　the　grasp　of　the　ur…viles。
　
　FIFTEEN　
　〃Lord　Mhoram's　Victory〃
　
　　　　The　exertion　of　hauling　the　dead　forms　from　the　ground　and　throwing　them　at　Revelstone　had　exhausted　samadhi　Satansfist；　drained　him　until　he　could　no　longer　sustain　that　expenditure　of　force。　He　had　seen　High　Lord's　Furl　torn　from　its　flagpole　atop　the　tower　by　his　Cavewights。　He　knew　he　had　met　at　least　part　of　his　master's　objective　in　this　assault。　While　his　forces　held　the　tower…while　tons　of　sand　blocked　the　inner　gates　of　the　Keep…while　winter　barrened　the　upland　plateau　above　Revelstone…the　Lords　and　all　their　people　were　doomed。　They　could　not　feed　themselves　within　those　stone　walls　indefinitely。　If　last　came　to　last；　the　Giant…Raver　knew　that　he　could　through　patience　alone　make　the　great　Keep　into　one　reeking　tomb　or　crypt。　He　let　his　dead　collapse　into　sand。
　　　　Yet　his　failure　to　burst　those　inner　gates　enraged　him；　made　him　pant　for　repense　even　though　he　lacked　the　strength　to　assail　the　walls　himself。　He　was　a　Raver；　insatiable　for　blood　despite　the　mortal　limits　of　the　Giantish　body　he　occupied。　And　other　things　pelled　him　also。　There　was　an　implacable　coercion　in　the　wind；　a　demand　which　brooked　no　failure；　however　partial　or　eventually　meaningless。
　　　　As　the　dead　fell　apart；　Satansfist　ordered　his　long…leashed　army　to　the　attack。
　　　　With　a　howl　that　shivered　the　air；　echoed　savagely　off　the　carven　walls；　beat　against　the　battlements　like　an　ululation　of　fangs　and　claws　and　hungry　blades；　the　Despiser's　hordes　charged。　They　swept　up　through　the　foothills　like　a　shrill　gray　flood　and　hurled　themselves　at　Revelstone。
　　　　Lord　Foul's　Stone…spawned　creatures　led　the　attack…not　because　they　were　effective　against　granite　walls　and　abutments；　but　because　they　were　expendable。　The　Raver's　army　included　twice　a　hundred　thousand　of　them；　and　more　arrived　every　day；　marching　to　battle　from　Foul's　Creche　through　the　Center　Plains。　So　samadhi　used　them　to　absorb　the　defense　of　the　Keep；　thus　protecting　his　Cavewights　and　ur…viles。　Thousands　of　perverted　creatures　fell　with　arrows；　spears；　javelins　jutting　from　them；　but　many　many　thousands　more　forged　ahead。　And　behind　them　came　the　forces　which　knew　how　to　damage　Revelstone。
　　　　In　moments；　the　charge　hit。　Rabid；　rockwise　Cavewights　found　crafty　holds　in　the　stone；　vaulted　themselves　up　onto　the　lowest　battlements　and　balconies。　Mighty　ur…vile　wedges　used　their　black　vitriol　to　wipe　clear　the　parapets　above　them；　then　pounced　upward　on　sturdy　wooden　ladders　brought　to　the　walls　by　other　creatures。　Within　a　short　time；　Revelstone　was　under　assault　all　along　its　south　and　north　faces。
　　　　But