srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第84章

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　order　Borillar　down；　Hirebrands　were　not　fighters。　But　then　he　remembered　how　much　hope　Borillar　had　placed　in　Thomas　Covenant；　and　left　the　Hearthrall　alone。
　　　　Loerya　was　already　on　her　way　to　aid　the　defenses　of　the　tower；　keep　it　secure　so　that　the　Warward　would　be　able　to　reenter　Revelstone。　Trevor　had　gone　to　the　gates。　Only　Amatin　remained　to　see　the　danger　shining　in　Mhoram's　eyes。　She　held　him　briefly；　then　released　him；　muttering；　〃It　would　appear　that　the…Waynhim　have　made　the　same　decision。〃
　　　　Mhoram　spun　and　leaped　lightly　onto　Drinny's　back。　The　Ranyhyn　whinnied；　peals　of　pride　and　defiance　resounded　through　the　hall。　As　the　huge　gates　opened　outward　on　the　courtyard；　Mhoram　sent　Drinny　forward　at　a　canter。
　　　　The　Warward　started　into　motion　behind　him；　and　at　its　head　High　Lord　Mhoram　rode　out　to　war。
　　　　In　a　moment；　he　flashed　through　the　gates；　across　the　courtyard　between　steep　banks　of　sand　and　earth；　into　the　straight　tunnel　under　the　tower。　Drinny　stretched　jubilantly　under　him；　exalted　by　health　and　running　and　the　scent　of　battle。　As　Mhoram　passed　through　the　splintered　remains　of　the　outer　gates；　he　had　already　begun　to　outdistance　the　Warward。
　　　　Beyond　the　gates；　he　wheeled　Drinny　once；　gave　himself　an　instant　in　which　to　look　back　up　at　the　lofty　Keep。　He　saw　no　warriors　in　the　tower；　but　he　sensed　them　bristling　behind　the　fortifications　and　windows。　The　bluff　stone　of　the　tower；　with　Revelstone　rising　behind　it　like　the　prow　of　a　great　ship；　answered　his　gaze　in　granite　permanence　as　if　it　were　a　prophecy　by　the　old　Giants…a　cryptic　perception　that　victory　and　defeat　were　human　terms　which　had　no　meaning　in　the　language　of　mountains。
　　　　Then　the　riders　came　cantering　through　the　throat　of　the　tower；　and　Mhoram　turned　to　look　at　the　enemy。　For　the　first　time；　he　saw　samadhi's　army　from　ground　level。　It　stood　blackly　in　the　bleak　winterscape　around　him　like　a　garrote　into　which　he　had　prematurely　thrust　his　neck。　Briefly；　he　remembered　other　battles…Kiril　Threndor；　Doom's　Retreat；　Doriendor　Corishev…as　if　they　had　been　child's　play；　mere　shadows　cast　by　the　struggle　he　now　faced。　But　he　pushed　them　out　of　his　mind；　bent　his　attention　toward　the　movements　in　the　foothills　below　him。
　　　　As　the　sentry　had　said；　Revelstone's　attackers　were　pelting　furiously　back　toward　their　encampment。　It　was　only　a　few　hundred　yards　distant；　and　Mhoram　could　see　clearly　why　samadhi's　forces　had　been　recalled。　The　Giant…Raver　was　under　assault　by　a　tight　wedge　of　ten…　or　f　if　teenscore　Waynhim。
　　　　Satansfist　himself　was　not　their　target；　though　he　fought　against　them　personally　with　feral　blasts　of　green。　The　Waynhim　struck　against　the　undefended　rear　of　the　encampment　in　order　to　destroy　its　food　supplies。　They　had　already　incinerated　great　long　troughs　of　the　carrion　and　gore　on　which　Lord　Foul's　creatures　fed；　and　while　they　warded　off　the　scourge　of　Satansfist's　Stone　as　best　they　could；　they　assailed　other　stores；　flash…fired　huge　aggregations　of　hacked　dead　flesh　into　cinders。
　　　　Even　if　they　had　faced　the　Raver　alone；　they　would　have　had　no　chance　to　survive。　With　his　Giantish　strength　and　his　fragment　of　the　Illearth　Stone…with　the　support　of　the　Staff　of　Law…he　could　have　beaten　back　ten　or　fifteen　thousand　Waynhim。　And　he　had　an　army　to　help　him。　Hundreds　of　ur…viles　were　nearly　within　striking　distance；　thousands　of　other　creatures　converged　toward　the　fighting　from　all　directions。　The　Waynhim　had　scant　moments　of　life　left。
　　　　Yet　they　fought　on；　resisted　samadhi's　emerald　ill　with　surprising　success。　Like　the　ur…viles；　they　were　Demondim…spawn…masters　of　a　dark　and　potent　lore　which　no　Lord　had　ever　touched。　And　they　had　not　wasted　the　seven　and　forty　years　since　they　had　gone　into　hiding。　They　had　prepared　themselves　to　resist　Despite。　Yelping　rare　words　of　power；　gesturing　urgently；　they　shrugged　off　the　Raver's　blasts；　and　continued　to　destroy　every　trough　and　accumulation　of　food　they　could　reach。
　　　　All　this　High　Lord　Mhoram　took　in　almost　instantly。　The　raw　wind　hurt　his　face；　made　his　eyes　burn；　but　he　thrust　his　vision　through　the　blur　to　see。　And　he　saw　that；　because　of　the　Waynhim；　he　and　the　Warward　had　not　yet　been　noticed　by　Satansfist's　army。
　　　　〃Warmark；〃　he　snapped；　〃we　must　aid　the　Waynhim！　Give　the　mands。〃
　　　　Rapidly；　Quaan　barked　his　instructions　to　the　mounted　warriors　and　the　Hafts　of　the　four　unmounted　Howard　as　they　came　through　the　tunnel。　At　once；　a　hundred　riders　positioned　themselves　on　either　side　of　the　High　Lord。　The　remaining　two　hundred　fell　into　ranks　behind　him。　Without　breaking　stride；　the　unmounted　warriors　began　to　run。
　　　　Mhoram　touched　Drinny　and　started　at　a　slow　gallop　straight　down　through　the　foothills　toward　the　Raver。
　　　　Some　distant　parts　of　the　encampment　saw　the　riders　before　they　had　covered　a　third　of　the　distance。　Hoarse　cries　of　warning　sprang　up　on　all　sides；　ur…viles；　Cavewights；　Stone…made　creatures　which　had　not　already　been　ordered　to　the　Giant…Raver's　aid；　swept　like　a　ragged　tide　at　the　Warward。　But　the　confusion　around　the　Waynhim　prevented　Satansfist's　immediate　forces　from　hearing　the　alarm。　The　Raver　did　not　turn　his　head。　Revelstone's　counterattack　was　nearly　upon　him　before　he　saw　his　danger。
　　　　In　the　last　distance；　Warmark　Quaan　shouted　an　order；　and　the　riders　broke　into　full　gallop。　Mhoram　had　time　for　one　final　look　at　his　situation。　The　forces　around　samadhi　were　still　locked　in　their　concentration　on　the　Waynhim。　The　Raver's　reinforcements　were　long　moments　away。　If　Quaan's　warriors　could　hit　hard　enough；　break　through　toward　the　Waynhim　fast　enough；　the　unmounted　Howard　might　be　able　to　protect　their　rear　long　enough　for　them　to　strike　once　at　the　Raver　and　withdraw。
　　　　That　way；　some　of　the　warriors　might　survive　to　return　to　the　Keep。
　　　　Mhoram　sent　Drinny　forward　at　a　pace　which　put　him　among　the　first　riders　crashing　into　Satansfist's　unready　hordes。
　　　　They　impacted　with　a　shock　that　shook　the　High　Lord　in　his　seat。　Horses　plunged；　hacked　with　their　hooves。　Swords　were　brandished　like　metal　lightning。　Shrieks　of　surprised　pain　and　rage　shivered　the　air　as　disorganized　ranks　of　creatures　went　down　under　the　assault。　Heaving　their　mounts　forward；　the　warriors　cut　their　way　in　toward　the　Raver。
　　　　But　thousands　of　creatures　milled　between　them　and　Satansfist。　Though　the　hordes　were　in　confusion；　the'　sheer　weight　of　their　numbers　slowed　the　Warward's　charge。
　　　　Seeing　this；　Quaan　gave　new　orders。　On　his　mand；　the　warriors　flanking　Mhoram　turned　outward　on　either　side；　cleared　a　space　between　them　for　the　riders　behind　the　High　Lord。　These　Eoman　sprinted　forward。　When　they　reached　Mhoram；　he　called　up　the　power　of　his　staff。　Blue　fire　raged　ahead　of　him　like　the　point　of　a　lance；　piercing　the　wall　of　enemies　as　he　led　the　second　rush　of　riders　deeper　into　the　turmoil　of　the　Raver's　army。
　　　　For　a　moment；　he　thought　they　might　succeed。　The　warriors　with　him　hacked　their　way　swiftly　through　the　enemy。　And　ahead　of　them；　Satansfist　turned　from　the　Waynhim　to　meet　this　new　threat。　The　Raver　howled　orders　to　organize　his　army；　turned　his　forces　against　the　Warward；　surged　a　few　furious　strides　in　that　direction。　Mhoram　saw　the　distance　shorten。　He　wielded　his　Lords…fire　fiercely；　striving　to　reach　his　foe　before　the　impossible　numbers　of　the　enemy　broke　his　momentum。
　　　　But　then　the　riders　plowed　into　an　obstacle。　A　band　of　Cavewights　had　had　time　to　obey　the　Raver's　mands；　they　had　lined　themselves　across　the　path　of　the　Warward；　linked　their　strong　earth…delvers'　arms；　braced　themselves。　When　the　riders　plunged　forward；　they　crashed　into　the　creatures。
　　　　The　strength　of　the　Cavewights　was　so　great　that　their　line　held。　Horses　were　thrown　down。　Riders　tumbled　to　the　ground；　both　before　and　beyond　the　wall。　The　charge　of　the　Warward　was　turned　against　itself　as　the　horses　which　followed　stumbled　and　trampled　among　the　leaders。
　　　　Only　Mhoram　was　not　unhorsed。　At　the　last　instant；　Drinny　gathered　himself；　leaped；　he　hurdled　the　line　easily；　kicking　at　the　heads　of　the　Cavewights　as　he　passed。
　　　　With　the　riders　who　had　been　thrown　beyond　the　wall；　Mhoram　found　himself