srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第60章
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l Satansfist breaches the gates； the defenders of the tower will require aid。 And…stand warriors ready to cut loose the crosswalks from the Keep。〃
〃Yes； High Lord。〃 Quaan was a warrior and understood the necessity for such orders。 He returned Mhoram's grip firmly； like a clasp of farewell； then left the top of the tower。
〃Breach the gates？〃 Borillar gaped as if the mere suggestion amazed him。 〃How is it possible？〃
〃It is not possible；〃 Tohrm replied flatly。
〃Nevertheless we must prepare。〃 Mhoram braced his staff on the stone like a standard； and watched samadhi Sheol's approach。
No one spoke while the army marched forward。 It was already less than a hundred yards below the gates。 Except for the dead rumble of its myriad feet on the frozen ground； it moved in silence； as if it were stalking the Keep…or as if in spite of their driven hunger many of its creatures themselves dreaded what Satansfist meant to do。
Mhoram felt that he had only moments left。 He asked Amatin if she had seen either Trevor or Loerya。
〃No。'' Her whispered answer had an empty sound； like a recognition of abandonment。
Moments later； a flight of arrows thrummed from one of the upper levels of the tower。 They were invisible in the darkness； and Satansfist gave no sign that he knew they had been fired。 But the radiance of the Illearth Stone struck them into flame and knocked them down before they were within thirty feet of him。
Another flight； and another； had no effect except to light the front of the Raver's army； revealing in lurid green and orange the deadly aspect of its leaders。
Then samadhi halted。 On either side of him； the ur…viles trembled。 He coughed his orders。 The wedges tightened。 Snarling； the Cavewights and other creatures arranged themselves into formations； ready to charge。
Without haste or hesitation； the Giant…Raver clenched his fist； so that iridescent steam plumed upward from his fragment of the Stone。
Mhoram could feel the Stone's power mounting； radiating in tumid waves against his face。
Abruptly； a bolt of force lashed from the Stone and struck the ground directly before one of the loremasters。 The blast continued until the soil and rock caught fire； burned with green flames； crackled like firewood。 Then samadhi moved his bolt； drew it over the ground in a wide； slow arc toward the other loremaster。 His power left behind a groove that flamed and smoldered； flared and groaned in earthen agony。
When the arc was plete； it enclosed Satansfist from side to side…a half…circle of emerald coals standing in front of him like a harness anchored by the two ur…vile wedges。
Remembering the vortex of trepidation with which Fleshharrower had attacked the Warward at Doriendor Corishev； Mhoram strode across the tower and shouted up at the Keep； 〃Leave the battlements！ All but the warriors must take shelter！ Do not expose yourselves lest the sky itself assail you！〃 Then he returned to Lord Amatin's side。
Below him； the two great loremasters raised their staves and jabbed them into the ends of the arc。 At once； Demondim vitriol began to pulse wetly along the groove。 The green flames turned black； they bubbled； spattered； burst out of the arc as if Satansfist had tapped a vein of EarthBlood in the ground。
By the time Warmark Quaan had returned to the tower； Mhoram knew that samadhi was not summoning a vortex。 The Raver's exertion was like nothing he had ever seen before。 And it was slower than he had expected it to be。 Once the ur…viles had tied themselves to the arc； Satansfist started to work with his Stone。 From its incandescent core； he drew a fire that gushed to the ground and poured into the groove of the arc。 This force bined with the black fluid of the ur…viles to make a mixture of ghastly potency。 Soon black…green snake…tongues of lightning were flicking into the air from the whole length of the groove； and these bursts carried to the onlookers a gut…deep sense of violation； as if the rocky foundations of the foothills were under assault…as if the Despiser dared traduce even the necessary bones of the Earth。
Yet the power did nothing except grow。 Tongues of lightning leaped higher； joined together； became gradually but steadily more brilliant and wrong。 Their violence increased until Mhoram felt that the nerves of his skin and eyes could endure no more…and went on increasing。 When dawn began to bleed into the night at Satansfist's back； the individual tongues had merged into three continuous bolts striking without thunder into the deepest darkness of the clouds。
The High Lord's throat was too dry； he had to swallow roughly several times before he could muster enough moisture to speak。 〃Hear…thrall Tohrm''…still he almost gagged on the words…〃they will attack the gates。 This power will attack the gates。 Send any Gravelingases who will go to the aid of the stone。〃
Tohrm started at the sound of his name； then hurried away as if he were glad to remove himself from the baleful glare of the arc。
While gray daylight spread over the siege； the three unbroken bolts jumped and gibbered maniacally； raged at the silent clouds； drew closer to each other。 Behind them； the army began to howl as the pressure became more and more unendurable。
Lord Amatin dug her thin fingers into the flesh of Mhoram's arm。 Quaan had crossed his arms over his chest； and was straining against himself to keep from shouting。 Borillar's hands scrubbed fervidly over his features in an effort to erase the sensation of wrong。 His staff lay useless at his feet。 The High Lord prayed for them all and fought his dread。
Then； abruptly； the Raver whirled his Stone and； roaring； threw still more power into the arc。
The three great columns of lightning sprang together； became one。
The earth shook with thunder in answer to that single； prodigious bolt。 At once； the lightning vanished； though samadhi and the ur…viles did not withdraw their power from the arc。
The thunder continued； tremors jolted the ground。 In moments； the tower was trembling as if its foundations were about to crack open and swallow it。
Immensely； tortuously； the ground of the foothills began to shift。 It writhed； jerked； cracked； and through the cracks； stone shapes thrust upward。 To his horror； Mhoram saw the forms of humans and Giants and horses rip themselves out of the earth。 The forms were blunt； misshapen； insensate； they were articulated stone； the ancient fossilized remains of buried bodies。
The memory of Asuraka's cry from Revelwood echoed in Mhoram's ears： He resurrected the old death！
By hundreds and then thousands； the stone shapes heaved up out of the ground。 Amid the colossal thunder of the breaking earth； they thrust free of their millennia…long graves and lumbered blindly toward the gates of Revelstone。
〃Defend the tower！〃 Mhoram cried to Quaan。 〃But do not waste lives。 Amatin！ Fight here！ Flee if the tower falls。 I go to the gates。〃
But when he spun away from the parapet； he collided with Hearthrall Tohrm。 Tohrm caught hold of him； stopped him。 Yet in spite of the High Lord's urgency； a long moment passed before Tohrm could bring himself to speak。
At last； he wrenched out； 〃The tunnel is defended。〃
〃Who？〃 Mhoram snapped。
〃The Lord Trevor ordered all others away。 He and Trell Gravelingas support the gates。〃
〃Melenkurion！〃 Mhoram breathed。 〃Melenkurion abatha！〃 He turned back to the parapet。
Below him； the dead； voiceless shapes had almost reached the base of the tower。 Arrows flew at them from hundreds of bows； but the shafts glanced uselessly off the earthen forms and fell flaming to the ground without effect。
He hesitated； muttering to himself in extreme astonishment。 The breaking of the Law of Death had consequences beyond anything he had imagined。 Thousands of the gnarled shapes were already massed and marching； and at every moment thousands more struggled up from the ground； writhed into motion like lost souls and obeyed the mand of Sheol Satansfist's power。
But then the first shape set its hands on the gates； and High Lord Mhoram sprang forward。 Whirling his staff； he sent a blast down the
