srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第101章

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oing　to　hit　us　here？〃
　The　wind　shifted　and　lapsed；　she　was　able　to　answer　normally。　〃Some　ill　has　been　performed。　The　Earth　has　been　assaulted。　We　feel　its　revulsion。　But　the　distance　is　very　great；　and　time　has　passed。　I　feel　no　peril　directed　toward　us。　Perhaps　the　Despiser　does　not　know　what　we　do。〃　In　the　next　breath；　her　voice　hardened。　〃But　he　has　used　the　Illearth　Stone。　Smell　the　air！　There　has　been　malice　at　work　in　the　Land〃
　Covenant　began　to　sense　what　she　meant。　Whatever　amassed　these　clouds　and　roiled　this　wind　was　not　the　impassive　natural　violence　of　a　storm。　The　air　seemed　to　carry　inaudible　shrieks　and　hints　of　rot；　as　if　it　were　blowing　through　the　aftermath　of　an　atrocity。　And　on　a　subliminal　level；　almost　indiscernible；　the　high　bluff　crags　seemed　to　be　shuddering。
　The　atmosphere　made　him　feel　a　need　for　haste。　But　though　her　face　was　set　in　grim　lines；　the　High　Lord　did　not　hurry。　She　finished　her　meal；　then　carefully　packed　the　food　and　graveling　away　before　calling　to　Myrha。　When　she　mounted；　she　summoned　Amok。
　He　appeared　before　her　almost　at　once；　and　gave　her　a　cheerful　bow。　After　acknowledging　him　with　a　nod；　she　asked　him　if　he　could　explain　the　ill　in　the　air。
　He　shook　his　head；　and　said；　〃High　Lord；　I　am　no　oracle。〃　But　his　eyes　revealed　his　sensitivity　to　the　atmosphere；　they　were　bright；　and　a　sharp　gleam　lurking　behind　them　showed　for　the　first　time　that　he　was　capable　of　anger。　A　moment　later；　however；　he　turned　his　face　away；　as　if　he　did　not　wish　to　expose　any　private　part　of　himself。　With　a　flourishing　gesture；　he　beckoned　for　the　High　Lord　to　follow　him。
　Covenant　swung　into　his　mount's　clingor　saddle；　and　tried　to　ignore　the　brooding　ambience　around　him。　But　he　could　not　resist　the　impression　that　the　ground　under　him　was　quivering。　Despite　all　his　recent　experience；　he　was　still　not　a　confident　rider…he　could　not　shed　his　nagging　distrust　of　horses…and　he　worried　that　he　might　fulfill　the　prophecy　of　his　height　fear　by　falling　off　his　mount。
　Fortunately；　he　was　spared　cliff　ledges　and　exposed　trails。　For　some　time；　Amok's　path　ran　along　the　spine　of　a　crooked　rift　between　looming　mountain　walls。　The　enclosed　valley　did　not　challenge　Covenant's　uncertain　horsemanship。　But　the　muffled　booming　in　the　air　continued　to　grow。　As　morning　passed；　the　sound　became　clearer；　echoed　like　brittle　groans　off　the　sheer　walls。
　Early　in　the　afternoon；　Amok　led　the　riders　around　a　final　bend。　Beyond　it；　they　found　an　immense　landslide。　Great；　scalloped　wounds　stood　opposite　each　other　high　in　the　walls；　and　the　jumbled　mass　of　rock　and　scree　which　had　fallen　from　both　sides　was　piled　up　several　hundred　feet　above　the　valley　floor。
　It　pletely　blocked　the　valley。
　This　was　the　source　of　the　detonations。　There　was　no　movement　in　the　huge　fall；　it　had　an　old　look；　as　if　its　formation　had　been　forgotten　long　ago　by　the　mountains。　But　tortured　creaks　and　cracks　came　from　within　it　as　if　its　bones　were　breaking。
　Amok　walked　forward；　but　the　riders　halted。　Morin　studied　the　blockage　for　a　moment；　then　said；　〃It　is　impassable。　It　breaks。　Perhaps　on　foot　we　might　attempt　it　at　its　edges。　But　the　weight　of　the　Ranyhyn　will　begin　a　new　fall。〃　Amok　reached　the　foot　of　the　slide；　and　beckoned；　but　Morin　said　absolutely；　〃We　must　find　another　passage。〃
　Covenant　looked　around　the　valley。　〃How　long　will　that　take？〃
　〃Two　days。　Perhaps　three。〃
　〃That　bad？　You　would　think　this　trip　wasn't　long　enough　already。　Are　you　sure　that　isn't　safe？　Amok　hasn't　made　any　mistakes　yet。〃
　〃We　are　the　Bloodguard；〃　Morin　said。
　And　Bannor　explained；　'This　fall　is　younger　than　Amok。〃
　〃Meaning　it　wasn't　here　when　he　learned　his　trail？　Damnation！〃　Covenant　muttered。　The　landslide　made　his　desire　for　haste　keener。
　Amok　came　back　to　them　with　a　shade　of　seriousness　in　his　face。　〃We　must　pass　here；〃　he　said　tolerantly；　as　if　he　were　explaining　something　to　a　recalcitrant　child。
　Morin　said；　〃The　way　is　unsafe。〃
　〃That　is　true；〃　Amok　replied。　〃There　is　no　other。〃　Turning　to　the　High　Lord；　he　repeated；　〃We　must　pass　here。〃
　While　her　panions　had　been　speaking；　Elena　had　gazed　speculatively　up　and　down　the　landfall。　When　Amok　addressed　her　directly；　she　nodded　her　head；　and　responded；　〃We　will。〃
　Morin　protested　impassively；　〃High　Lord〃
　〃I　have　chosen；〃　she　answered；　then　added；　〃It　may　be　that　the　Staff　of　Law　can　hold　the　fall　until　we　have　passed　it。〃
　Morin　accepted　this　with　an　emotionless。　nod。　He　took　his　mount　trotting　back　away　from　the　slide；　so　that　the　High　Lord　would　have　room　in　which　to　work。　Bannor　and　Covenant　followed。　After　a　moment；　Amok　joined　them。　The　four　men　watched　her　from　a　short　distance。
　She　made　no　plex　or　strenuous　preparations。　Raising　the　Staff；　she　sat　erect　and　tall　on　Myrha's　back　for　a　moment；　faced　the　slide。　From　Covenant's　point　of　view；　her　blue　robe　and　the　Ranyhyn's　glossy　coat　met　against　the　mottled　gray　background　of　scree　and　rubble。　She　and　Myrha　looked　small　in　the　deep　sheer　valley；　but　the　conjunction　of　their　colors　and　forms　gave　them　a　potent　iconic　appearance。　Then　she　moved。
　Singing　a　low　song；　she　advanced　to　the　foot　of　the　slide。　There　she　gripped　the　Staff　by　one　end；　and　lowered　the　other　to　the　ground。　It　appeared　to　pulse　as　she　rode　along　the　slide's　front；　drawing　a　line　in　the　dirt　parallel　to　the　fall。　She　walked　Myrha　to　one
　wall；　then　back　to　the　other。　Still　touching　the　ground　with　the　Staff；　she　returned　to　the　center。

　When　she　faced　the　slide　again；　she　lifted　the　Staff；　and　rapped　once　on　the　line　she　had　drawn。
　A　rippling　skein　of　verdigris　sparks　flowed　up　the　fall　from　her　line。　They　gleamed　like　interstices　of　power　on　every　line　or　bulge　of　rock　that　protruded　from　the　slope。　After　an　instant；　they　disappeared；　leaving　an　indefinite　smell　like　the　aroma　of　orchids　in　the　air。
　The　muffled　groaning　of　the　fall　faded　somewhat。
　〃e；〃　the　High　Lord　said。　〃We　must　climb　at　once。　This　Word　will　not　endure。〃
　Briskly；　Morin　and　Bannor　started　forward。　Amok　loped　beside　them。　He　easily　kept　pace　with　the　Ranyhyn。
　As　he　looked　upward；　Covenant　felt　nausea　like　a　presage　in　his　guts。　His　jaw　muscles　knotted　apprehensively。　But　he　slapped　his　mount　with　his　heels；　and　rode　at　the　moaning　fall。
　He　caught　up　with　the　Bloodguard。　They　took　positions　on　either　side　of　him；　followed　Elena　and　Amok　onto　the　slope。
　The　High　Lord's　party　angled　back　and　forth　up　the　slide。　Their　climbing　balanced　the　danger　of　delay　against　the　hazard　of　a　direct　attack　on　the　slope。　Covenant's　mustang　labored　strenuously；　and　its　struggles　contrasted　with　the　smooth　power　of　the　Ranyhyn。　Their　hooves　kicked　scuds　of　shale　and　scree　down　the　fail；　but　their　footing　was　secure；　confident。　There　were　…no　mishaps。　Before　long；　Covenant　stood　on　the　rounded　V　atop　the　slide。
　He　was　not　prepared　for　what　lay　beyond　the　blockage。　Automatically；　he　had　expected　the　south　end　of　the　valley　to　resemble　the　north。　But　from　the　ridge　of　the　landslide；　he　could　see　that　the　huge　scalloped　wounds　above　him　were　too　big　to　be　explained　by　the　slide　as　it　appeared　from　the　north。
　Somewhere　buried　directly　below　him；　the　valley　floor　plunged　dramatically。　The　two　avalanches　had　interred　a　precipice。　The　south　face　of　the　slide　was　three　or　four　times　longer　than　the　north。　Far　below
　him；　the　valley　widened　into　a　grassy　bottom　featured　by　stands　of　pine　and　a　stream　springing　from　one　of　the　walls。　But　to　reach　that　alluring　sight；　he　had　to　descend　more　than　a　thousand　feet　down　the　detonating　undulation　of　the　slide。
　He　swallowed　thickly。　〃Bloody　hell。　Can　you　hold　that？〃
　〃No；〃　Elena　said　bluntly。　〃But　what　I　have　done　will　steady　it。　And　I　can　take　other　action…if　the　need　arises。〃
　With　a　sharp　nod；　she　started　Amok　down　the　slope。
　Bannor　told　Covenant　to　stay　close　behind　him；　then　eased　his　Ranyhyn　over　the　edge　after　Amok。　For　a　moment；。　Covenant　felt　too　paralyzed　by　prophetic　trepidation　to　move。　His　dry；　constricted　throat　and　awkward　tongue　could　not　form　words。　Hellfire；　he　muttered　silently。　Hellfire。
　He　abandoned　himself；　pushed　his　mustang　after　Bannor。
　Part　of　him　knew　that　Morin　and　then　Elena　f