mck.harpistinthewind-第25章

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nd　of　the　ancient　wizard；　perhaps；　scarred　as　it　was　with　vesta…horns。　He　went　towards　them　quietly；　his　mind　lulled　by　the　sense　of　the　wizard's　great　power；　and　by　his　kindness　to　Raederle。
　　　　　　　But　before　he　reached　them；　he　saw　the　wizard　break　off　mid…sentence　and　toss　the　crow　into　the　air。　He　cried　something　at　it　that　Morgon　did　not　understand。　Then　he　vanished。　Morgon；　his　breathing　dry；　quick；　saw　the　twilight　moving　down　Trader's　Road；　surely；　soundlessly；　a　wave　of　horsemen　the　color　of　the　evening　sky。　Before　he　could　move；　a　light　the　color　of　molten　gold　lit　the　archway　around　him。　The　wall　lurched；　stones；　murmuring；　undulating；　shrugged　off　a　blast　of　power　into　the　street　that　exploded　the　cobblestones　and　slammed　Morgon　to　his　knees。　He　pulled　himself　up　and　turned。　The　heart　of　the　city　was　in　flames。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　X
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　THE　　YMRIS　WARRIORS　　WERE　　ALREADY　struggling　to　close　the　main　gates　as　he　slipped　back　into　the　city。　The　hinges　groaned；　flaking　rust　as　the　slabs　of　oak　shuddered；　rising　out　of　the　ruts　they　had　rested　in　for　centuries。　Morgon　slapped　them　shut　with　a　thought　that　nearly　cost　him　his　life。　A　mind；　familiar；　deadly；　groped　at　the　flash　of　power；　gripped　him　across　the　distance。　The　dark　air　in　front　of　him　tore　apart　with　a　blue…white　seam；　so　quick　and　strangely　beautiful　that　he　could　only　stand　and　watch　it　Then　his　bones　seemed　to　fly　piecemeal　in　all　directions；　while　his　brain　burned　like　a　star。　He　felt　stone　behind　him；　dimly；　and　let　his　mind　flow　into　it；　grow　blank；　motionless。　The　power　slid　away。　He　gathered　his　bones　back　out　of　the　night　and　realized　vaguely　that　he　was　still　alive。　One　of　the　warriors；　his　face　bleeding；　pulled　him　off　the　ground。　The　other　man　was　dead。
　　　　　　　〃Lord。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　all　right。〃　He　flung　his　thoughts　out　of　the　fraction　of　time　he　stood　in。　When　the　next　flare　of　energy　raked　across　the　night；　he　stepped　away　from　it；　into　another　moment　near　the　burning　school。　People　were　running　down　the　streets　toward　the　main　gates：　guards；　armed　Ymris　warriors；　traders；　merchants；　and　fishermen　carrying　their　swords　with　a　fierce；　clumsy　determination。　Children　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　school　grounds；　transfixed　in　the　play　of　light；　their　faces　turning　red；　gold；　purple。　Then　the　wall　of　a　house　behind　them　shattered；　swept　an　arc　of　fiery　stones　toward　them。　They　scattered；　screaming。
　　　　　　　Morgon　gathered　a　memory　of　the　fabric　of　energy　out　of　his　thoughts；　fed　it　with　a　power　he　had　never　tapped　before。　He　let　it　build　through　him；　eating　at　all　his　thoughts　and　inner　movements　until　it　spat　away　from　him；　humming　a　high；　dangerous　language。　It　crackled　luminously　toward　the　source　of　power　within　the　walls；　disappeared　within　them；　but　it　did　not　detonate。　It　reappeared　before　it　struck；　shooting　back　at　Morgon　with　the　same　deadly　intensity。　He　stared　at　it　incredulously　for　a　split　second；　then　opened　his　mind　to　absorb　it　back。　It　imploded　into　darkness　within　him。　It　was　followed；　before　he　could　even　blink；　by　a　blast　of　light　and　fire　that　jarred　to　the　ground　floor　of　his　defenseless　mind。　It　flung　him　flat　on　the　cobblestones；　blinded；　gasping　for　air；　while　another　surge　of　energy　pounded　into　him。　He　let　his　awareness　flow　away　from　it；　down　into　the　cracks　between　the　stones；　into　the　dark；　silent　earth　beneath　them。　A　fragment　of　stone　blasted　to　pieces　near　him；　split　his　cheek；　but　he　did　not　feel　it。　His　body　anchored　to　earth；　he　began　to　draw　out　of　the　mute；　eyeless　living　things　in　it　a　silence　that　would　shelter　him。　From　moles　and　earthworms　and　tiny　snakes；　from　the　pale　roots　of　grass；　he　wove　a　stillness　into　his　mind。　When　he　rose　finally；　the　world　seemed　dark　around　him；　flecked　by　minute；　soundless　flashes　of　light。　He　moved　with　an　earthworm's　blind　instinct　into　darkness。
　　　　　　　The　mind…disguise　took　him　safely　across　the　grounds　into　the　school。　Fire　had　kindled　the　ancient　power　still　locked　within　the　stones；　cold；　brilliant　flames　swarmed　across　the　broken　walls；　eating　at　the　energy　in　the　heart　of　them。　Morgon；　his　mind　still　tapping　the　slow；　languageless　world　beneath　his　feet；　did　not　feel　the　dangerous　wash　of　fire　around　him。　A　wall　crumbled　as　he　passed　it；　the　stones　scattered　like　coals　across　his　shadow。　He　felt　only　a　distant　perturbation　in　the　earth；　as　if　it　had　shifted　slightly　in　some　point　deep　in　its　core。　Then　an　odd；　gentle　touch　in　his　mind　brought　his　thoughts　out　of　the　earth　to　follow　it　curiously。　He　broke　his　own　binding；　stood　blinking　in　the　tumult　of　sound　and　fire。　The　unexpected　touch　turned　imperative；　and　he　realized　that　the　room　he　had　walked　into　was　sliding　into　itself。　He　had　no　time　to　move；　he　shaped　his　mind　to　the　fiery　stones　thundering　toward　bun；　became　part　of　their　bulky　flow；　broke　with　them　and　crashed　into　a　filming　stillness。　He　dragged　his　shape　out　of　them　after　a　moment；　pieced　his　thoughts　back　together。　He　saw　Nun；　then；　elusive　in　the　shimmering　air；　watching　him。　She　said　nothing；　vanishing　almost　as　he　saw　her；　the　fiery　bowl　of　her　pipe　lingering　a　moment　alone　in　the　air。
　　　　　　　The　battle　raging　in　the　heart　of　the　school　was　rocking　the　ground。　He　picked　his　way　carefully　toward　it。　From　the　flare　of　light　through　the　jagged；　beautiful　windows；　he　knew　that　it　was　centered　where　it　had　begun：　in　the　great　circular　hall　that　still　echoed　the　cry　of　the　Founder's　name。　He　sensed　suddenly；　from　the　ease　with　which　power　was　deflected　away　from　the　hall；　that　the　battle　was　one…sided　as　yet。　The　Founder　was　toying　with　the　wizards；　using　their　lives　as　bait　to　lure　Morgon　to　him。　The　next　moment　gave　Morgon　proof　of　that。　He　felt　the　Founder's　mind　sweep　across　the　flames　like　a　black　beacon；　searching。　He　touched　Morgon's　mind　briefly：　a　familiar　sense　of　dangerous；　immense　power　yawned　before　him。　But　he　did　not　try　to　hold　Morgon。　His　mind　withdrew；　and　Morgon　heard　a　scream　that　made　his　blood　run　cold。　Aloil　was　being　wrestled　out　of　air　into　shape　not　far　from　him。　He　fought　the　dark　pull　over　his　mind　with　a　desperate；　furious　intensity；　but　he　could　not　free　himself。　His　shape　changed　again；　slowly。　Great　wind…twisted　limbs　pulled　from　his　shoulders；　his　desperate　face　blurred　behind　oak　bark；　a　dark　hollow　splitting　the　trunk　where　his　mouth　had　been。　Roots　forked　into　the　dead　ground；　his　hair　tangled　into　leafless　twigs。　A　living　oak　stood　on　the　grounds　where　nothing　had　grown　for　seven　centuries。　A　lightning　bolt　of　power　seared　toward　it；　to　sunder　it　to　the　roots。
　　　　　　　Morgon　flung　his　mind　open；　enpassed　it　before　it　struck　the　tree。　He　threw　it　back　at　Ghisteslwchlohm；　heard　one　of　the　walls　explode。　Then；　reaching　ruthlessly　into　the　Founder's　stronghold；　he　joined　their　minds；　as　they　had　been　joined　before　in　the　blackness　of　Erlenstar　Mountain。
　　　　　　　He　absorbed　the　power　that　battered　across　his　thoughts；　letting　it　burn　away　at　the　bottom　of　his　mind。　Slowly　his　hold　strengthened；　until　the　Founder's　mind　was　familiar　to　him　once　more；　as　if　it　lay　behind　his　own　eyes。　He　ignored　experiences；　impulses；　the　long　mysterious　history　of　the　Founder's　life；　concentrating　only　on　the　source　of　his　power；　to　drain　it　to　exhaustion。　He　sensed　the　moment　when　Ghisteslwchlohm　realized　what　he　was　doing；　in　the　raw；　frantic　pulses　of　energy　that　nearly　shook　him　loose　again　and　again；　until　he　forgot　he　possessed　anything　but　a　will　and　a　mind　at　war　with　itself。　The　power…play　stopped　finally。　He　drew　deeper；　ferreting　power　and　drawing　it　into　himself；　until　the　Founder　yielded　something　to　him　unexpectedly：　he　found　himself　absorbing　once　more　the　knowledge　of　the　land…law　of　Hed。
　　　　　　　His　hold　faltered；　broke　in　a　wave　of　fury　and　revulsion　at　the　irony。　A　chaotic　flare　of　rage　slapped　him　across　the　ground。　He　groped　dizzily　for　shelter；　but　his　mind　could　shape　nothing　but　fire。　The　power　broke　through　him　again；　sent　him　sprawling　across　burning　rock。　Someone　pulled　him　off；　the　wizards；　surrounding　him；　drew　Ghisteslwchlohm's　attention　with　a　swift；　fierce　barrage　that　shook　the　inner　buildings。　Talies；　beating　at　his　smoldering　tunic；　said　tersely；　〃Just　kill　him。〃　〃No。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　stubborn　farmer　from