df.therunelords-第119章

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m。　But　who　would　be　at　its　head？
　Certainly　not　that　idiot　Dreis；　Orden　hoped。
　No。　It　had　to　be　Shostag。　Formidable；　venerable　in　his　own　crude　way。　A　fierce　warrior。
　Orden　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　observatory；　looked　down。
　The　Eyes　of　Tor　Loman　perched　on　the　edge　of　a　promontory；　and　on　the　west　edge；　huge　rocks　thrust　up　from　the　ground。　There；　Orden　thought。　I　will　hit　there。
　He　threw　himself　from　the　tower。　It　was　time　for　the　serpent　ring　to　break。　Now　let　Shostag　the　Axeman　earn　his　lands　and　title。　Let　Gaborn　live　to　inherit　his　birthright。
　And　let　me　return　to　the　arms　of　the　woman　I　love。
　With　so　many　endowments　of　metabolism；　Orden　seemed　to　fall　slowly；　almost　as　if　he　floated　to　his　death。
　　
　Chapter　53
　THE　FLUTTERING
　　
　A　pillar　of　fire　rose　into　the　far…off　skies　like　a　mushroom；　and　the　sound　of　thunder　rumbled　over　the　plain。
　Yet　Gaborn　felt　something　far　more　disturbingdistantly；　distantly　he　felt　a　single　heartbeat　flutter　and　fail。
　It　tore　him；　dismayed　him；　far　more　than　that　flash　of　light　or　the　groaning　of　the　earth。
　He　swayed　in　his　saddle；　whispered；　〃Father。〃
　Somehow；　somehow　Gaborn　feared　that　his　wish　to　strike　at　Raj　Ahten　had　caused　his　father's　death。
　It　had　not　been　the　will　of　the　earth　to　strike。　Gaborn　had　felt　no　pulsion　greater　than　his　own　anger。　Yet　he'd　given　the　mand。
　No；　Gaborn　thought。　I　don't　believe　it。　I　don't　believe　I　caused　it。　How　can　I　know　he's　dead　until　I've　seen　it？
　The　wizard　Binnesman　turned　to　Gaborn；　infinite　sadness　in　his　eye；　and　whispered；　〃You　called　for　your　father。　Is　he　gone；　then？〃
　〃I。。。don't　know；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Use　the　Earth　Sight。　Is　he　gone？〃
　Gaborn　felt　inside　himself；　tried　to　reach　out　to　his　father；　but　could　feel　nothing。　He　nodded。
　Binnesman　whispered　so　that　only　Gaborn　could　hear。　〃So　the　mantle　passes。　Until　now　you　have　been　but　a　prince。　Now　you　must　bee　a　king　in　deed。〃
　Gaborn　slumped　forward　in　his　saddle；　sick　to　his　heart。　〃What？　What　can　I　do？　How　can　I　stop　this？〃　Gaborn　asked。　〃If　I　am　Earth　King；　what　good　can　I　do？〃
　〃Much　good。　You　can　call　the　earth　to　your　aid；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃It　can　help　protect　you。　Hide　you。　You　only　need　to　learn　how　to　do　so。〃
　〃I　want　Raj　Ahten　dead；〃　Gaborn　said　blankly。
　〃The　earth　will　not　kill；〃　Binnesman　whispered。　〃Its　strength　lies　in　nurturing　life；　protecting。　And　Raj　Ahten　is　backed　by　other　Powers。　You　must　think；　Gaborn。　How　can　you　best　protect　your　people？　All　mankind　is　in　jeopardy；　not　just　these　few　at　Longmont。　Your　father　is　but　one　man；　and　I　fear　he　chose　to　place　himself　in　jeopardy。〃
　〃I　want　Raj　Ahten　dead！　Now！〃　Gaborn　shouted；　not　at　Binnesman；　but　to　the　earth　that　had　promised　to　protect　him。　Yet　he　knew　the　earth　was　not　at　fault。　Gaborn　had　felt　a　premonition　that　his　father　was　in　jeopardy。　Yet　he　had　not　heeded　that　warning；　had　not　pulled　his　father　from　Longmont。
　Gaborn　felt　ill　to　his　heart。
　He　was　twenty　miles　from　Longmont。　His　force　horse　could　cover　that　distance　in　less　than　half　an　hour。　But　if　he　did；　what　would　it　gain　him？　He'd　lose　his　life。
　He　considered　spurring　his　horse　on；　anyway。
　Beside　him；　Iome　seemed　to　read　his　thoughts。　She　touched　his　knee　with　her　hand。　〃Don't；〃　she　whispered。　〃Don't　go。〃
　Gaborn　looked　at　the　ground。　At　his　horse's　feet；　gray…green　grasshoppers　flew　up　in　fright；　fat　grasshoppers；　sluggish　at　the　end　of　the　autumn。
　〃Can　we　help　them　at　Longmont；　do　you　think？〃　Gaborn　asked　Binnesman。
　The　wizard　shrugged。　Worry　lined　his　face。　〃You　help　their　cause　even　now；　with　this　ruse。　But　do　you　mean；　can　you　defeat　Raj　Ahten？　Not　with　these　troops。　The　battle　goes　ill　for　Longmontas　it　would　for　you；　should　you　attack　too　soon。　Your　strength　lies　not　in　slaughter；　but　as　a　defender。　Let　your　men　kick　up　more　dust　as　they　walk。　Then　we　will　see　what　happens。。。〃
　They　rode　on　in　palpable　silence　for　two　long　minutes。　All　that　time；　Gaborn　felt　torn；　fey。　He　blamed　himself　for　his　father's　death；　for　the　death　of　Rowan；　for　the　deaths　of　all　the　Dedicates　at　Castle　Sylvarresta。　Such　a　toll；　such　a　heavy　price　the　world　was　paying　for　his　weakness。　For　he　felt　sure　that　if　he　were　stronger；　if　he　had　just　done　something　different；　turned　left　when　he'd　turned　right；　he　could　have　saved　them　all。
　A　strange　noise　began　to　rumble　across　the　plainsa　single　note；　a　cry　like　none　Gaborn　had　ever　heard　or　thought　to　imagine。　It　rolled　over　the　plains　like　a　distant　shout。
　Raj　Ahten's　death　cry！　he　thought。
　But　almost　immediately；　it　was　followed　by　another　such　cry；　echoing　over　the　heath。
　Binnesman's　mount　kicked　and　raised　its　ears；　just　as　heavy　wet　drops　of　sleet　began　to　splash　over　the　ground。　With　an　ache　in　his　heart；　Gaborn　watched　the　wizard　spur　his　horse　toward　Longmont；　and　wished　he　could　follow。
　〃e；　Gaborn；　bring　your　army！〃　Binnesman　shouted。　〃The　earth　is　in　pain！〃
　Then　he　sawthe　sleet　ahead　had　begun　to　fall　in　great　sheets　from　the　sky；　watering　the　heath。　No　far…seer　would　be　able　to　pierce　the　oning　deluge。　If　Gaborn's　ruse　had　not　worked　already；　it　could　have　no　further　effect。
　With　a　shout；　Gaborn　raised　his　fist；　called　the　charge。
　　
　Chapter　54
　SHOSTAG
　　
　Shostag　the　Axeman　hid　in　the　Duke's　cellars　when　he　felt　the　quickening。　A　sense　of　profound　energy　tingled　through　every　inch　of　his　skin；　and　he　leapt　into　action。
　So　Orden　had　died。　Shostag　wondered　how　it　had　happened。
　Shostag　had　outwitted　dozens　of　Runelords　in　his　short　life。　He　was　not　a　man　of　deep　understanding　or　broad　study；　but　he　kept　his　eyes　open；　reached　decisions　fast。　Most　people　assumed　that　because　fat　covered　his　bearlike　muscles；　he　was　also　dull…witted。　Not　so。
　As　he　clutched　his　huge　double…headed　axe；　he　raced　up　the　steps　and　burst　through　the　cellar　doors。　He　did　so　with　calculated　efficiency；　hitting　doors　no　more　quickly　than　if　he'd　run　full…tilt。　He　even　slipped　the　bar　from　a　door　as　he　exited；　so　the　door　burst　open　from　the　impact　of　his　blow。
　Then　he　raced　through　the　buttery　of　the　Duke's　kitchens；　out　the　kitchen　doors；　and　to　the　green　before　the　great　hall。
　Hundreds　of　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles　were　in　the　green；　battling　the　defenders　of　Longmont。　War　dogs　raced　among　them；　huge　mottled　gray　horrors　in　red　leather　masks。　Along　the　west　wall　he　saw　a　fiery　salamander；　and　along　all　the　walls　were　men；　burning　or　fallen　in　battle。
　A　few　of　Orden's　archers　along　the　north　castle　walls　were　firing　into　the　green；　for　his　men　were　faring　so　poorly　that　any　arrow　would　likely　strike　Raj　Ahten's　men　without　a　chance　of　hitting　a　defender。
　But　even　the　fastest　war　dog　or　Invincible　in　the　group　could　hardly　move　at　an　eighth　of　Shostag's　speed。　They　seemed　little　more　than　statues。　Here　in　the　green；　Shostag　could　see　no　sign　of　Raj　Ahten。
　Shostag　took　his　great　iron　axe　and　began　moving　through　the　crowd；　swinging　in　plex　arcs；　lopping　the　heads　off　of　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles　in　almost　a　casual　manner；　cleaving　dogs　in　two；　dodging　arrows　and　whatnot。
　He'd　hardly　murdered　two　hundred　of　the　bastards　when　he　spotted　a　swift　movement　at　the　gates。　Raj　Ahten　himself；　rushing　toward　him。
　The　Wolf　Lord　wore　no　helm；　but　bore　a　battle…axe　in　one　hand　and　a　scimitar　in　the　other。　Or　at　least　Shostag　imagined　it　was　the　Wolf　Lord。　His　face　shone　like　the　sun；　but　he　had　a　hideously　deformed　shoulder。　All　the　easier　to　fight　him；　Shostag　imagined。
　Raj　Ahten　took　one　look　at　Shostag；　smiled。　〃So；　King　Orden　is　dead；　and　you　think　you　are　next；　do　you？〃
　Shostag　jutted　his　chin；　and　spun　his　huge　axe　with　a　flourish。　〃You　know；　that　arm　would　look　better　if　I　hacked　off　the　rest　of　it　for　you。〃
　〃e　give　it　a　try；〃　Raj　Ahten　urged。　The　Wolf　Lord　was　studying　the　swath　of　corpses；　some　of　them　still　in　the　process　of　falling；　strewn　in　a　path　from　the　kitchens。
　With　a　start；　Raj　Ahten　dashed　left；　darted　up　the　narrow　road　to　some　lord's　manor；　away　from　Shostag。　As　he　sped　along　the　street；　he　slashed　the　throat　of　any　defender　within　reach；　shoved　his　own　men　from　his　path。
　Shostag　leapt　after　him。　He　saw　Raj　Ahten's　plan。
　Shostag　was　at　the　pinnacle　of　twenty　men；　each　vectoring　metabol