mck.harpistinthewind-第20章

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　　　　　　　She　nodded　tiredly；　without　ment；　and　changed　shape。　She　tucked　herself　under　his　ear；　and　he　stepped　onto　the　grounds　of　the　school。　No　trees　grew　anywhere　on　them；　the　grass　struggled　only　patchily　around　white　furrows　of　scorched　earth。　Shattered　stones　lay　where　they　had　fallen；　still　burning　deep　within　them　with　a　memory　of　power。　Nothing　had　been　touched　for　centuries。　Morgon　felt　it　as　he　drew　near　the　school　itself。　The　terrible　sense　of　destruction　hung　like　a　warning　over　the　wealth。　He　moved　quietly；　his　mind　open；　scenting；　into　the　silent　buildings。
　　　　　　　The　rooms　stank　with　a　familiar　name。　In　most；　he　found　bones　crushed　beneath　a　cairn　of　broken　walls。　Memories　of　hope　or　energy；　of　despair；　collected　about　him　like　wraiths。　He　began　to　sweat　lightly；　struck　by　shadows；　faint　and　fine　as　ancient　dust；　of　a　devastating；　hopeless　battle。　As　he　entered　a　great　circular　hall　in　the　center　of　the　buildings；　he　felt　the　reverberations　still　beating　within　the　walls　of　a　terrible　explosion　of　hatred　and　despair。　He　heard　the　crow　mutter　harshly　in　its　throat；　its　claws　were　prickling　his　shoulder。　He　picked　his　way　across　the　ceiling；　which　was　lying　in　pieces　on　the　floor；　toward　a　door　in　the　back　of　the　room。　The　door；　hanging　in　splinters　on　its　hinges；　opened　into　a　vast　library。　A　priceless　treasure　of　books　lay　torn　and　charred　on　the　floor。　Fire　had　raged　across　the　shelves；　leaving　little　more　than　the　backbones　and　skeletons　of　ancient　books　of　wizardry。　The　smell　of　burned　leather　still　hung　in　the　room；　as　if　nothing　had　moved　through　the　air　itself　in　seven　centuries。
　　　　　　　He　moved　through　empty　room　after　empty　room。　He　found　in　one　melted　pools　of　gold　and　silver；　precious　metals　and　shattered　jewels　the　students　had　worked　with；　in　another；　the　broken　bones　of　small　animals。　In　another；　he　found　beds。　The　bones　of　a　child　were　crouched　under　the　covers　of　one　of　them。　At　that　point；　he　turned　and　groped　through　the　torn　wall　back　into　the　evening。　But　the　air　was　filled　with　silent　cries；　and　the　earth　beneath　his　feet　was　dead。
　　　　　　　He　sat　down　on　a　pile　of　stone　blown　out　of　the　corner　of　the　building。　Down　the　barren　crest　of　the　hill；　the　maze　of　rooftops　spilled　toward　the　crumbling　walls。　They　were　all　of　timber。　He　saw　vividly　a　sheet　of　fire　spreading　across　the　entire　city；　burning　crops　and　orchards；　billowing　along　the　hike　edge　into　the　forests　under　the　hot　summer　sky；　with　no　hope　of　rain　for　months　to　quench　it。　He　dropped　his　face　against　his　fists；　whispered；　〃What　in　Hel's　name　do　I　think　I'm　doing　here？　He　destroyed　Lungold　once；　now　he　and　I　will　destroy　it　again。　The　wizards　haven't　e　back　here　to　challenge　him；　they've　e　back　to　die。〃
　　　　　　　The　crow　murmured　something。　He　stood　up　again；　gazing　at　the　huge；　ruined　mass　looming　darkly　against　the　translucent　wake　of　the　sunset。　Scenting　with　his　mind；　he　touched　only　memories。　Listening；　he　heard　only　the　echoes　of　a　name　cursed　silently　for　all　centuries。　His　shoulders　slumped。　〃If　they're　here；　they've　guarded　themselves　well。。。　I　don't　know　how　to　look　for　them。〃
　　　　　　　Raederle's　voice　broke　through　the　crow…mind　with　a　brief；　mental　ment。　He　turned　his　head；　met　the　black；　probing　eye。　〃All　right。　I　know　I　can　find　them。　I　can　see　through　their　illusions　and　break　their　bindings。　But；　Raederle。。。　they　are　great　wizards。　They　came　into　their　power　through　curiosity；　discipline；　integrity。。。　maybe　even　joy。　They　did　not　get　it　screaming　at　the　bottom　of　Erlenstar　Mountain。　They　never　meddled　with　land…law；　or　hunted　a　harpist　from　one　end　of　the　realm　to　the　other　to　kill　him。　They　may　need　me　to　fight　for　them　here；　but　I　wonder　if　they　will　trust　me。。。〃　The　crow　was　silent；　he　brushed　a　finger　down　its　breast。　〃I　know。　There　is　only　one　way　to　find　out。〃
　　　　　　　He　went　back　into　the　ruins。　This　time；　he　opened　himself　pletely　to　all　the　torment　of　the　destruction　and　the　lingering　memories　of　a　forgotten　peace。　His　mind；　like　a　faceted　jewel；　reflected　all　the　shades　of　lingering　power　…　from　cracked　stones；　from　an　untouched　page　out　of　a　spell　book；　from　various　ancient　instruments　he　found　near　the　dead：　rings；　strangely　carved　staffs；　crystals　with　light　frozen　in　them；　skeletons　of　winged　animals　he　could　not　name。　He　sorted　through　all　the　various　levels　of　power；　found　the　source　of　each。　Once；　tracing　a　smoldering　fire　to　its　bed　deep　in　a　pool　of　melted　iron；　he　detonated　it　accidentally　and　realized　the　iron　itself　had　been　some　crucible　of　knowledge。　The　blast　blew　the　crow　six　feet　in　the　air　and　shook　stones　down　from　the　ceiling。　He　had　melted　into　the　force　automatically；　not　fighting　it；　the　crow；　squawking　nervously；　watched　him　shape　himself　back　out　of　the　solid　stone　he　had　blown　himself　into。　He　took　it　into　his　hands　to　soothe　it；　marveling　at　the　intricacies　of　ancient　wizardry。　Everything　his　mind　touched　…　wood；　glass；　gold；　parchment；　bone　…　held　within　it　an　ember　of　power。　He　explored　patiently；　exhaustingly；　lighting　a　sliver　of　roof　beam　when　it　grew　too　dark　to　see。　Finally；　near　midnight；　when　the　crow　was　dozing　on　his　shoulder；　his　mind　strayed　across　the　face　of　a　door　that　did　not　exist。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　powerful　illusion；　he　had　looked　at　the　door　before　and　not　seen　through　it；　or　felt　an　urge　to　open　it。　It　was　of　thick　oak　and　iron；　barred　and　bolted。　He　would　have　to　pick　his　way　over　a　pile　of　broken　stone　and　charred　timber　to　open　it。　The　walls　were　crumbled　almost　to　the　ground　around　the　door；　it　seemed　bolted　against　nothing　but　the　battle…seared　ground　between　two　ruined　buildings。　But　it　had　been　created　out　of　a　living　power；　for　some　purpose。　He　clambered　over　the　rubble　to　reach　it　and　laid　his　hand　fiat　against　it。　Some　mind　barred　his　passage；　gave　him　a　feel　of　wood　grain　under　his　fingers。　He　paused　before　he　broke　it；　disturbed　once　more　by　the　ambiguity　of　his　own　great　power。　Then　he　walked　forward；　being；　for　a　breath；　worm…eaten　oak；　rusted　locks；　and　enpassing　the　power　that　bound　them　there。
　　　　　　　He　stepped　downward　abruptly　into　darkness。　Steps　that　lay　hidden　under　an　illusion　of　parched　ground　led　down　under　the　earth。　His　fire　wavered；　grew　smaller　and　smaller　until　he　realized　what　force　was　working　against　it。　He　held　the　flame　clear；　steady；　burning　out　of　fire　deep　in　his　mind。
　　　　　　　The　worn　stone　steps　sloped　sharply　down　a　narrow　passageway。　Gradually　they　levelled；　and　a　blank；　empty　face　of　darkness　loomed　beyond　Morgon's　shadow；　smelling　of　rotting　timbers　and　damp　stone。　He　let　his　brand　burn　brighter；　it　probed　feebly　at　the　vastness。　A　chill；　like　a　mountain　chill；　shivered　through　him。　The　crow　made　a　harsh　noise。　He　felt　it　begin　to　change　shape；　and　he　shook　his　head　quickly。　It　subsided　under　his　hand。　As　he　drew　the　fire　brighter　and　brighter；　searching　for　some　limit　to　the　darkness；　something　began　to　seep　into　his　thoughts。　He　sensed　a　power　very　near　him　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　a　vast；　underground　chasm。　Puzzling　over　it；　he　wondered　if　the　chasm　itself　were　an　illusion。
　　　　　　　He　drew　breath　softly　and　held　it。　Only　one　possibility　suggested　itself　to　him：　a　paradox　of　wizardry。　He　had　no　other　choice；　except　to　turn　and　leave。　He　dropped　his　torch　on　the　ground；　let　it　dwindle　into　blackness。　How　long　he　stood　wrestling　with　the　dark；　he　did　not　know。　The　more　he　strained　to　see；　the　more　he　realized　his　blindness。　He　lifted　his　hands　finally；　linked　them　across　his　eyes。　He　was　shivering　again；　the　darkness　seemed　to　squat　over　his　head　like　some　immense；　bulky　creature。　But　he　could　not　leave；　he　stood　silently；　stubbornly；　hoping　for　help。
　　　　　　　A　voice　said；　almost　next　to　him；　〃Night　is　not　something　to　endure　until　dawn。　It　is　an　element；　like　wind　or　fire。　Darkness　is　its　own　kingdom；　it　moves　to　its　own　laws　and　many　living　things　dwell　in　it。　You　are　trying　to　separate　your　mind　from　it。　That　is　futile。　Accept　the　strictures　of　darkness。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can't。〃　His　hands　had　dropped；　clenched；　he　waited；　very　still。
　　　　　　　〃Try。〃
　　　　　　　His　hands　tightened；　sweat　stung　his　eyes。　〃I　can　fight　the　Founder；　but　I　never　learned　from　him　how　to　fight　this。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　broke　through　my　illusion　as　if　it　scarce