df.therunelords-第123章

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　He　surveyed　the　damage；　his　shock　and　horror　growing　more　profound。　He'd　never　seen　a　castle　so　destroyednot　in　a　matter　of　hours。
　〃How　is　it　that　you　survived？〃　Gaborn　asked　weakly。
　The　captain　shook　his　head；　as　if　searching　for　an　answer。　〃Raj　Ahten　took　some　of　us　prisoners。　Hekilled　the　others。　He　left　me　alive；　to　bear　witness。〃
　〃To　what？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　Tempest　pointed　numbly　at　the　towers。　〃His　flameweavers　struck　first。　They　summoned　creatures　from　the　netherworld　and　hit　the　castle　with　spells　that　burned　ironand　a　fireball　that　burst　in　the　air　above　the　gates；　tossing　men　about　like　sticks。
　〃But　that　was　not　the　worst　of　it；　for　then　Raj　Ahten　himself　came　and　shattered　the　castle's　foundations　with　the　cry　of　his　Voice。　He　killed　hundreds　more　of　us！
　〃I。。。my　helm　has　thick　leather　pads；　but　I　can't　hear　from　my　right　ear；　and　my　left　is　still　ringing。〃
　Gaborn　stared　at　the　castle；　numb。
　He'd　imagined　that　Raj　Ahten　had　brought　some　terrible　engines　to　bear　on　those　walls；　or　had　his　flameweavers　conjure　some　unspeakable　spell。
　He'd　seen　that　great　mushroom　of　fire　rise　in　the　air。　But　he'd　never　imagined　that　the　walls　could　crumble　from　a　mere　shout。
　The　soldiers　behind　him　had　spread　out；　were　slowly　riding　over　the　battleground；　to　seek　for　signs　of　life　among　the　ruins。
　〃Where　iswhere　can　I　find　my　father？〃
　Tempest　pointed　up　a　trail。　〃He　ran　that　way；　toward　Tor　Loman；　chasing　Raj　Ahten；　just　before　the　battle　menced。〃
　Gaborn　turned　his　horse；　but　Captain　Tempest　rushed　forward；　dropped　to　his　knees。　〃Forgive　me！〃　he　cried。
　〃For　what；　surviving？〃　Gaborn　asked。　Gaborn　himself　felt　the　guilt　of　those　who　live；　unaccountably；　while　all　around　them　die。　It　was　heavy　on　him　now。　〃I　not　only　forgive　you；　I　mend　you。〃
　He　let　his　horse　trot　over　the　snowfield　to　the　sound　of　Tempest's　sobbing　and　the　howls　of　wolves。
　The　rings　in　his　mail　rang　as　the　horse　broke　into　a　gallop；　and　Gaborn　rode　up　a　muddy　trail。　At　first　he　could　not　be　certain　he　headed　in　the　right　direction。　Snow　covered　the　trail；　and　he　could　discern　no　tracks。
　But　after　half　a　mile；　as　the　trail　moved　under　the　aspens；　he　saw　signs　in　the　mud　and　fallen　leavesthe　huge　strides　of　men　with　enormous　metabolism　racing　through　the　woods。　Tracks　ten　steps　across。
　After　that　the　trail　was　easy　to　follow。　The　path　to　Tor　Loman　had　been　well　maintained；　the　brush　cut　away。　It　made　for　an　easy；　almost　pleasant　ride。
　Along　the　path；　Gaborn　watched　for　sign　of　his　father；　but　found　none。
　At　last　he　reached　the　bare　peak　of　Tor　Loman；　found　the　meadow　with　the　Duke's　old　observatory　at　its　top。　The　snow　had　fallen　heavy　here；　stood　three　inches　deep；　and　Gaborn　found　Raj　Ahten's　fine　helm　lying　at　the　base　of　the　observatory。
　The　helm　itself　was　deeply　embossed；　with　intricate　silver　designs　like　braided　ropes　or　the　braided　fires　a　flameweaver　pulled　from　heaven。　These　ran　down　the　noseguard　and　over　the　eye　slots。　A　single　huge　diamond　fit　between　the　eyes。　Gaborn　took　it　as　a　prize　of　war；　tied　its　broken　strap　to　his　saddle；　careful　not　to　crush　the　white　owl's　wings　on　the　helm。
　As　he　tied　it；　he　sniffed　the　cold　air。　The　snow　had　cleansed　the　sky；　carried　away　most　of　the　scent；　yet　Gaborn　could　still　discern　the　odor　of　his　father's　heavy　samite　cape；　the　oil　he　used　to　protect　his　armor。　His　father　had　been　here。　Might　be　nearbyalive　and　wounded；　perhaps。
　Gaborn　climbed　the　observatory；　gazed　off　into　the　distance。　The　snow　had　stopped　falling　ten　minutes　ago；　so　he　could　see　fairly　well；　though　with　but　two　endowments　of　sight；　he　could　not　be　called　a　far…seer。　To　the　east；　Iome　and　her　people　pushed　across　the　heath；　ten　miles　back。　They　had　neared　the　Durkin　Hills　Road。
　In　the　distance　to　the　southwest；　at　Gaborn's　limit　of　vision；　Raj　Ahten's　troops　retreated　over　the　hills；　the　red　and　gold　of　their　colors　muted　by　distance。
　He　saw　men　stopping　on　their　horses；　gazing　back　toward　him。　Gaborn　imagined　that　some　far…seers　watched　him；　wondering　who　now　stood　on　the　Eyes　of　Tor　Loman。　Perhaps　even　Raj　Ahten　himself　watched。
　Gaborn　whispered；　〃I　reject　you；　Raj　Ahten。　I　will　destroy　you。〃　Gaborn　raised　a　fist　in　the　sign　of　challenge。　But　if　the　men　on　the　far　hill　made　any　gestures　of　their　own；　he　could　not　see。　They　merely　turned　their　mounts　and　galloped　over　the　crest　of　the　hill。
　Even　with　an　army；　Gaborn　realized；　I　couldn't　catch　Raj　Ahten　now。
　Yet　in　his　heart；　Gaborn　felt　some　relief。　He　loved　this　land；　as　his　father　had。　They　had　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　drive　Raj　Ahten　from　it；　keep　it　beautiful　and　free。　For　a　time；　perhaps；　they　had　succeeded。
　But　at　what　price？
　Gaborn　glanced　down　at　his　feet。　The　snow　had　fallen　after　Raj　Ahten's　descent。　Yet　the　scent　of　both　Gaborn's　father　and　the　Wolf　Lord　lingered　here。　The　metallic　tang　of　blood。
　So；　Gaborn　surmised；　Raj　Ahten　had　e　here；　had　seen　the　clouds　of　Gaborn's　passage；　the　distant　herds　of　cattle　and　soldiers　mingled　together；　had　fallen　for　the　ruse。
　That　gave　Gaborn　some　fort。　Raj　Ahten　could　be　fooled；　could　be　beaten。
　Gaborn　circled　the　tower；　tried　to　see　down　into　the　woods。　He　imagined　his　father　and　Raj　Ahten　struggling　on　the　tower；　until　at　last；　perhaps；　his　father　was　thrown　over。
　He　looked　down；　saw　what　he　dreaded：　at　the　base　of　the　observatory；　among　the　rocks；　a　hand　thrust　up；　dead　fingers　clutching　a　palm　full　of　snow。
　Gaborn　raced　down　the　winding　stairs；　found　his　father；　and　pulled　at　the　corpse；　shaking　it　to　clear　the　snow　off。
　What　he　saw　broke　his　heart。　For　on　his　father's　frozen　face　was　a　broad　smile。　Perhaps　in　death；　some　fleeting　memory　had　made　him　smile。　Or　perhaps　it　was　but　a　grimace　of　pain。　Yet　Gaborn　imagined　that　his　father　smiled　at　him；　as　if　to　congratulate　him　for　his　victory。
　　
　Chapter　57
　TODAY　I　AM　DEATH
　　
　Gaborn　had　already　ridden　ahead　when　Iome's　glamour　returned。　Iome　had　no　idea　how　Raj　Ahten's　vector　had　died；　felt　little　relief　at　the　woman's　passing。　Like　Iome；　the　woman　had　been　a　mere　tool　in　Raj　Ahten's　hand；　one　that　was　poorly　used。
　Yet　Iome's　beauty　returned。　She　felt　it　as　an　easing　of　her　heart；　a　return　of　her　confidence。　Like　a　flower　blossoming。
　Yet　it　was　not　the　unnatural　beauty　she'd　had　since　birth；　not　the　borrowed　glamour。　The　skin　on　her　hands　softened　and　lost　their　wrinkles。　The　blush　of　youth　returned　to　her　cheeks。　For　once　in　her　life；　for　the　first　time；　Iome　was　simply　herself；　without　benefit　of　endowments。
　It　was　enough。　She　wished　that　Gaborn　could　have　been　here　to　see；　but　he　had　ridden　ahead。
　Though　messengers　from　Longmont　had　told　Iome　what　to　expect　when　she　reached　the　castle；　had　said　that　Raj　Ahten　had　destroyed　it　with　a　shout；　nothing　they　said　could　have　prepared　her　for　the　ruin。
　She　rode　at　the　head　of　ten　thousand　people　from　out　of　Groverman　and　the　villages　round　about。　Many　of　the　women　had　already　turned　back；　heading　for　their　own　hearths；　their　own　homes。　Their　work　here　was　done。
　But　others　followed　Iome；　particularly　people　who'd　lived　in　Longmont；　who　had　e　to　see　what　was　left　of　their　homes。
　As　they　neared　the　ruined　castle；　saw　the　empty　fields　with　wolves　slinking　about　the　hedgerows；　many　women　and　children　began　crying　for　what　they'd　lost。
　They'd　deserted　their　homes　three　days　ago；　but　a　few　days　of　huddling　under　ragged　shelters　at　Groverman　had　shown　them　just　how　difficult　it　would　be　to　make　do　once　the　snows　fell。
　Certainly；　most　of　them　hoped　to　e　home；　to　rebuild。　But　in　hard　times；　with　war　approaching；　Iome's　people　could　not　rebuild　without　some　nearby　fortification。
　The　castle　was　nearly　ruined。　Huge　blocks　of　stone　that　had　lain　in　place　for　twelve　centuries　now　lay　cracked　and　shattered。
　Almost　subconsciously；　Iome　began　calculating　what　it　would　take　to　repair　the　fortress：　five　hundred　stonemasons　out　of　Eyremoth；　for　they　were　the　best。　Carters　to　drag　the　stones；　Frowth　giants　hired　out　of　Lonnock　to　place　them。　Men　to　dig　moats。　Lumberjacks　to　cut　trees。　Cooks　and　ironsmiths；　with　mortar；　chisels；　saws；　awls；　axes；　and。。。the　list　went　on　and　on。
　But　to　what　purpose？　If　Raj　Ahten　could　simply　shatter　th