srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第117章

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　With　an　age…palsied　exertion；　Amok　thrust　himself　erect。　Tears　ran　through　the　wrinkled　lattice　of　his　cheeks　as　he　lifted　his　face　toward　the　roof　of　the　cave；　and　cried　in　a　stricken　voice；　〃Ah；　Kevin！　Life　is　sweet；　and　I　have　lived　so　short　a　time！　Must　I　pass　away？〃
　A　third　snapping　shuddered　him　like　an　answer　to　his　appeal。　He　stumbled　as　if　his　bones　were　falling　apart；　and　tumbled　into　the　trough。　In　one　swift　instant；　the　Blood　dissolved　his　flesh；　and　he　was　gone。
　Covenant　groaned　helplessly；　〃Amok！〃　Through　the　blur　of　his　own　ineffectual　tears；　he　gaped　at　the　red；　flowing　rill　of　EarthBlood。　Imbalance　poured　into　him　from　the　stone；　mounted　in　his　muscles　like　vertigo。　He　lost　all　sense　of　where　he　was。　To　steady　himself；　he　reached　out　to　grasp　Elena's　shoulder。
　Her　shoulder　was　so　hard　and　intense；　so　full　of　rigid　purpose；　that　it　felt　like　naked　bone　under　the　fabric　of　her　robe。　She　was　poised　on　the　verge　of　her　own　climax；　her　passion　was　tangible　to　his　touch。
　It　appalled　him。　Despite　the　dizziness　which　unanchored　his　mind；　he　located　the　source　of　the　nameless　reek　of　wrong。
　The　ill　was　in　Elena；　in　the　High　Lord　herself。
　She　seemed　unconscious　of　it。　In　a　tone　of　barely　controlled　excitement；　she　said；　〃Amok　is　gone…his　purpose　is　acplished。　Now　there　must　be　no　more　delay。　For　the　sake　of　all　the　Earth；　I　must　drink　and　mand。〃　To　Covenant's　ears；　she　sounded　rife　with　hungry　conclusions…so　packed　with　needs　and　duties　and　intents　that　she　was　about　to　shatter。
　The　realization　caught　him　like　a　damp　hand　on　the　back　of　his　neck；　forced　him　inwardly　to　his　knees。　When　she　stepped　out　of　his　grasp；　moved　toward　the　trough　of　Blood；　he　felt　that　she　had　torn　away　his　last　defense。　Elena！　he　wailed　silently；　Elena！　His　cries　were　cries　of　abjection。
　For　a　moment；　he　knelt　within　himself　as　if　he　were　in　the　grip　of　a　vision。　Dizzily；　he　saw　all　the　manifest　ways　in　which　he　was　responsible　for　Elena…all　the
　ways　in　which　he　had　caused　her　to　be　who　and　what　and　where　she　was。　His　duplicity　was　the　cause…his　violence；　his　futility；　his　need。　And　he　remembered　the　apocalypse　hidden　in　her　gaze。　That　was　the　ill。　It　made　him　shudder　in　anguish。　He　watched　her　through　his　blur　of　tears。　When　he　saw　her　bend　toward　the　trough；　all　of　him　leaped　up　in　defiance　of　the　slick　rock；　and　he　cried　out　hoarsely；　〃Elena！　Don't！　Don't　do　it！〃
　The　High　Lord　stopped。　But　she　did　not　turn。　The　whole　rigor　of　her　back　condensed　into　one　question：　Why？
　〃Don't　you　see　it？〃　he　gasped。　〃This　is　all　some　plot　of　Foul's。　We're　being　manipulated…you're　being　manipulated。　Something　terrible　is　going　to　happen。〃
　For　a　time；　she　remained　silent　while　he　ached。　Then；　in　a　tone　of　austere　conviction；　she　said；　〃I　cannot　let　pass　this　chance　to　serve　the　Land。　I　am　forewarned。　If　this　is　Fangthane's　best　ploy　to　defeat　us；　it　is　also　our　best　means　to　strike　at　him。　I　do　not　fear　to　measure　my　will　against　his。　And　I　hold　the　Staff　of　Law。　Have　you　not　learned　that　the　Staff　is　unsuited　to　his　hands？　He　would　not　have　delivered　it　to　us　if　it　were　in　any　way　adept　for　his　uses。　No。　The　Staff　warrants　me。　Lord　Foul　cannot　contrive　my　vision。〃
　〃Your　vision！〃　Covenant　extended　his　hands　in　pleading　toward　her。　〃Don't　you　see　what　that　is？　Don't　you　see　where　that　es　from？　It　es　from　me…from　that　unholy　bargain　I　made　with　the　Ranyhyn。　A　bargain　that　failed；　Elena！〃
　〃Yet　it　would　appear　that　you　bargained　better　than　you　knew。　The　Ranyhyn　kept　their　promise　they　gave　in　return　more　than　you　could　either　foresee　or　control。〃　Her　answer　seemed　to　block　his　throat；　and　into　his　silence　she　said；　〃What　has　altered　you；　Unbeliever？　Without　your　help；　we　would　not　have　gained　this　place。　On　Rivenrock　you　gave　aid　without　stint　or　price；　though　my　own　anger　imperiled　you。　Yet　now　you　delay　me。　Thomas　Covenant；　you　are　not　so　craven。〃
　〃Craven？　Hellfire！　I'm　a　bloody　coward！〃　Some　of
　his　rage　returned　to　him；　and　he　sputtered　through　the　sweat　and　tears　that　ran　into　his　mouth；　〃All　lepers　are　cowards。　We　have　to　be！〃
　At　last；　she　turned　toward　him；　faced　him　with　the　focus；　the　blazing　holocaust；　of　her　gaze。　Its　force　ripped　his　balance　away　from　him；　and　he　sprawled　in　fragments　on　the　stone。　But　he　pushed　himself　up　again。　Driven　by　his　fear　of　her　and　for　her；　he　dared　to　confront　her　power。　He　stood　tenuously；　and　abandoned　himself；　took　his　plunge。
　〃Manipulation；　Elena；〃　he　rasped。　〃Pin　talking　about　manipulation。　Do　you　understand　what　that　means？　It　means　using　people。　Twisting　them　to　suit　purposes　they　haven't　chosen　for　themselves。　Manipulation。　Not　Foul's…mine！　I've　been　manipulating　you；　using　you。　I　told　you　rd　made　another　bargain　but　I　didn't　tell　you　what　it　is。　I've　been　using　you　to　get　myself　off　the　hook。　I　promised　myself　that　I　would　do　everything　I　could　to　help　you　find　this　Ward。　And　in　return　I　promised　myself　that　I　would　do　everything　I　could　to　make　you　take　my　responsibility。　I　watched　you　and　helped　you　so　that　when　you　got　here　you　would　look　exactly　like　that…so　you　would　challenge　Foul　yourself　without　stopping　to　think　about　what　you're　doingso　that　whatever　happens　to　the　Land　would　be　your　fault　instead　of　mine。　So　that　I　could　escape！　Hell　and　blood；　Elena！　Do　yon　hear　me？　Foul　is　going　to　get　us　for　sure！〃
　She　seemed　to　hear　only　part　of　what　he　said。　She　bent　her　searing　focus　straight　into　him；　and　said；　〃Was　there　ever　a　time　when　you　loved　me？〃
　In　as　agony　of　protest；　he　half　screamed；　〃Of　course　I　loved　you！〃　Then　he　mastered　himself；　put　all　his　strength　back　into　his　appeal。　〃It　never　even　occurred　to　me　that　I　might　be　able　to　use　you　until　until　after　the　landslide。　When　I　began　to　understand　what　you're　capable　of。　I　loved　you　before　that。　I　love　you　now。　I'm　just　an　unconscionable　bastard；　and　I　used　you；　that's　all。　Now　I　regret　it。〃　With　all　the　resources　of　his　voice；　he　beseeched　her；　〃Elena；　please　don't　drink　that　stuff。　Forget　the　Power　of
　mand　and　go　back　to　Revelstone。　Let　the　Council　decide　what　to　do　about　all　this。〃
　But　the　way　in　which　her　gaze　left　his　face　and　burned　around　the　walls　of　the　cave　told　him　that　he　had　not　reached　her。　When　she　spoke；　she　only　confirmed　his　failure。
　〃I　would　be　unworthy　of　Lordship　if　I　failed　to　act　now。　Amok　offered　us　the　Seventh　Ward　because　he　perceived　that　the　Land's　urgent　need　surpassed　the　conditions　of　his　creation。　Fangthane　is　upon　the　Land　now…he　wages　war　now　Land　and　life　and　all　are　endangered　now。　While　any　power　or　weapon　lies　within　my　grasp；　I　will　not　permit　him！〃　Her　voice　softened　as　she　added；　〃And　if　you　have　loved　me；　how　can　I　fail　to　strive　for　your　escape？　You　need　not　have　bargained　in　secret。　I　love　you。　I　wish　to　serve　you。　Your　regret　only　strengthens　what　I　must　do。〃
　Swinging　back　toward　the　trough；　she　raised　the　Staff's　guttering　flame　high　over　her　head；　and　shouted　like　a　war　cry；　〃Melenkurion　abatha！　Ward　yourself　well；　Fangthane！　I　seek　to　destroy　you！〃
　Then　she　stooped　to　the　EarthBlood。
　Covenant　struggled　frantically　in　her　direction；　but　his　feet　scattered　out　from　under　him　again；　and　he　went　down　with　a　crash　like　a　shock　of　incapacity。　As　she　lowered　her　face　to　the　trough；　he　shouted；　〃That's　not　a　good　answer！　What　happens　to　the　Oath　of　Peace？〃
　But　his　cry　did　not　penetrate　her　exaltation。　Without　hesitation；　she　took　one　steady　sip　of　the　Blood；　and　swallowed　it。
　At　once；　she　leaped　to　her　feet；　stood　erect　and　rigid　as　if　she　were　possessed。　She　appeared　to　swell；　expand　like　a　distended　icon。　The　fire　of　the　Staff　ran　down　the　wood　to　her　hands。　Instantly；　her　whole　form　burst　into　flame。
　〃Elena！〃　Covenant　crawled　toward　her。　But　the　might　of　her　blue；　crackling　blaze　threw　him　back　like　a　hard　wind。　He　struck　the　tears　from　his　eyes　to　see　her　more　clearly。　Within　her　enveloping　fire；　she　was　unharmed　and　savage。
　While　the　flame　burned　about　her；　enfolded　her　from　head　to　foot　in　fiery　cerements；　she　raised　her　arms；　lifted　her　face。　For　one　fierce　moment　she　stood　motionless；　trapped　in　conflagration。　Then　she　spoke　as　if　she　were　uttering　words　of　flame。
　〃e！　I　have　tasted　the　EarthBlood！　You　must　obey　my　will。　The