srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第119章

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　〃How？〃　Waving　his　empty　hands　in　Bannor's　face；　he　cried；　〃With　these？〃
　〃Yes！〃　The　Bloodguard　caught　Covenant's　left　hand；　forced　him　to　look　at　it。
　On　his　wedding　finger；　his　ring　throbbed　ferrule；　pulsed　with　power　and　light　like　a　potent　instrument　panting　to　be　used。
　For　an　instant；　he　gaped　at　the　argent　band　as　if　it　had　betrayed　him。　Then　forgetting　escape；　forgetting　himself；　forgetting　even　that　he　did　not　know　how　to　exert　wild　magic；　he　pulled　despairingly　away　from　Bannor　and　stumbled　toward　the　crevice。　Like　a　man　battering　himself　in　armless　impotence　against　a　blank　doom；　he　leaped　after　the　High　Lord。
　
　
　TWENTY…SIX：　Gallows　Howe
　
　BUT　be　failed　before　he　began。　He　did　not　know　how　to　brace　himself　for　the　kind　of　battle　which　raged　below　him。　As　he　passed　the　rim　of　the　crevice；　he　was　hit　by　a　blast　of　force　like　an　eruption　from　within　the　rift。　He　was　defenseless　against　it；。　it　snuffed　out　his　consciousness　like　a　frail　flame。
　Then　for　a　time　he　rolled　in　darkness…ran　in　a　blind；　caterwauling　void　which　pitched　and　broke　over　him　until　he　staggered　like　a　ship　with　sprung　timbers。　He　was　aware　of　nothing　but　the　force　which　thrashed　him。　But　something　caught　his　hand；　anchored　him。　At　first　he　thought　that　the　grip　on　his　hand　was　Elena's…that　she　held　him　now　as　she　had　held　him　and　kept　him　during　the　night　after　his　summoning。　But　when　he　shook　clear　of　the　darkness；　he　saw　Bannor。　The　Bloodguard　was　pulling　him　out　of　the　crevice。
　That　sight…that　perception　of　his　failure…undid　him。　When　Bannor　set　him　on　his　feet；　he　stood　listing　amid　the　riot　of　battle…detonations；　deep；　groaning　creaks　of　tormented　stone；　loud　rockfalls…like　an　empty　hulk；　a　cargoes　hull　sucking　in　death　through　a　wound　below　its　waterline。　He　did　not　resist　or　question　as　Bannor　half　carried　him　from　the　cave　of　the　EarthBlood。
　The　tunnel　was　unlit　except　by　the　reflected　glares　of　bat；　but　Bannor　moved　surely　over　the　black　rock。　In　moments；　he　brought　his　shambling　charge　to　the　waterfall。　There　he　lifted　the　Unbeliever　in　his　arms；　and　bore　him　like　a　child　through　the　weight　of　the　falls。
　In　the　rocklight　of　Earthroot；　Bannor　moved　even
　more　urgently。'　He　hastened　to　the　waiting　boat；　installed　　Covenant　on　one　of　the　seats；　then　leaped　aboard　as　he　shoved　out　into　the　burnished　lake。　Without　hesitation；　he　began　to　recite　something　in　the　native　tongue　of　the　Haruchai。　Smoothly；　the　boat　made　its　way　among　the　cloistral　columns。
　But　his　efforts　did　not　carry　the　craft　far。　Within　a　few　hundred　yards；　its　prow　began　to　tug　against　its　intended　direction。　He　stopped　speaking；　and　at　once　the　boat　swung　off　to　one　side。　Gradually；　it　gained　speed。
　It　was　in　the　grip　of　a　current。　Standing　in　the　center　of　Covenant's　sightless　gaze；　Bannor　cocked　one　eyebrow　slightly；　as　if　he　perceived　an　ordeal　ahead。　For　long　moments；　he　waited　for　the　slow　increase　of　the　current　to　reveal　its　destination。
　Then　in　the　distance　he　saw　what　caused　the　current。　Far　ahead　of　the　craft；　rocklight　flared　along　a　line　in　the　lake　like　a　cleft　which　stretched　out　of　sight　on　both　sides。　Into　this　cleft　Earthroot　rushed　and　poured　in　silent　cataracts。
　He　reacted　with　smooth　efficiency；　as　if　he　had　been　preparing　for　this　test　throughout　the　long　centuries　of　his　service。　First　he　snatched　a　coil　of　clingor　from　his　pack；　with　it；　he　lashed　Covenant　to　the　boat。　In　answer　to　the　vague　question　in　Covenant's　face；　he　replied；　〃The　battle　of　Kevin　and　the　High　Lord　has　opened　a　crevice　in　the　floor　of　Earthroot。　We　must　ride　the　water　down；　and　seek　an　outlet…　below。〃　He　did　not　wait　for　a　response。　Turning；　he　braced　his　feet；　gripped　one　of　the　gilt　gunwales；　and　tore　it　loose。　With　this　long；　curved　piece　of　wood　balanced　in　his　hands　for　a　steering　pole；　he　swung　around　to　gauge　the　boat's　distance　from　the　cataract。
　The　hot　line　of　the　crevice　was　less　than　a　hundred　yards　away　now；　and　the　boat　slipped　rapidly　toward　it；　caught　in　the　mounting　suction。　But　Bannor　made　one　more　preparation。　Bending　toward　Covenant；　he　said　quietly；　〃Ur…Lord；　you　must　use　the　orcrest。〃　His　voice　echoed　with　authority　through　the　silence。
　Covenant　stared　at　him　without　prehension。
　〃You　must。　It　is　in　your　pocket。　Bring　it　out。〃
　For　a　moment；　Covenant　continued　to　stare。　But　at　last　the　Bloodguard's　mand　reached　through　his　numbness。　Slowly；　he　dug　into　his　pocket；　pulled　out　the　smooth　lucid　stone。　He　held　it　awkwardly　in　his　right　hand；　as　if　he　could　not　properly　grip　it　with　only　two　fingers　and　a　thumb。
　The　cataract　loomed　directly　before　the　boat　now；　but　Bannor　spoke　calmly；　firmly。　〃Hold　the　stone　in　your　left　hand。　Hold　it　above　your　head；　so　that　it　will　light　our　way。〃
　As　Covenant　placed　the　orcrest　in　contact　with　his　troubled　ring；　a　piercing　silver　light　burst　from　the　core　of　the　stone。　It　flared　along　the　gunwale　in　Bannor's　hands；　paled　the　surrounding　rocklight。　When　Covenant　numbly　raised　his　fist；　held　the　stone　up　like　a　torch；　the　Bloodguard　nodded　his　approval。　His　face　wore　a　look　of　satisfaction；　as　if　all　the　conditions　of　his　Vow　had　been　fulfilled。
　Then　the　prow　of　the　boat　dropped。　Bannor　and　Covenant　rode　the　torrent　of　Earthroot　into　the　dark　depths。
　The　water　boiled　and　heaved　wildly。　But　one　end　of　the　crevice　opened　into　other　caverns。　The　cataracts　turned　as　they　fell；　and　thrashed　through　the　crevice　as　if　it　were　an　immense　chute　or　channel。　By　the　orcrest　light；　Bannor　saw　in　time　which　way　the　water　poured。　He　poled　the　boat　so　that　it　shot　downward　along　the　torrent。
　　After　that；　the　craft　hurtled　down　the　frenetic　watercourse　in　a　long　nightmare　of　tumult；　jagged　rocks；　narrows；　sudden；　heart…stopping　falls；　close　death。　The　current　tumbled；　thundered；　raced　from　cavern　to　cavern　through　labyrinthian　gaps　and　tunnels　and　clefts　in　the　fathomless　bowels　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir。　Many　times　the　craft　disappeared　under　the　fierce　roil　of　the　rush；　but　each　time　its　potent　wood　capable　of　withstanding　Earthroot　bore　it　to　the　surface　again。　And　many　times　Bannor　and　Covenant　foundered　in　cascades　that　crashed　onto　them　from　above；　but　the　water　did　not　harm　them…either　it　had　lost　its　strength　in　the　fall；　or　it　was　already　diluted　by　other　buried　springs　and　lakes。
　Through　it　all；　Covenant　held　his　orcrest　high。　Some　last　unconscious　capacity　for　endurance　kept　his　forgers　locked　and　his　arm　raised。　And　the　stone's　unfaltering　fire　lighted　the　boat's　way；　so　that；　even　in　the　sharpest　hysteria　of　the　current；　Bannor　was　able　to　steer；　avoid　rocks　and　backwaters；　fend　around　curves…preserve　himself　and　the　Unbeliever。　The　torrent's　violence　soon　splintered　his　pole；　but　he　replaced　it　with　the　other　gunwale。　When　that　was　gone；　he　used　a　seat　board　as　a　rudder。
　Straining　and　undaunted；　he　brought　the　voyage　through　to　its　final　crisis。
　Without　warning；　the　boat　shot　down　a　huge　flow　into　a　cavern　that　showed　no　exit。　The　water　frothed　viciously；　seeking　release；　and　the　air　pressure　mounted；　became　more　savage　every　instant。　A　swift　eddy　caught　the　craft；　swung　it　around　and　under　the　massive　pour　of　water。
　Helplessly；　the　boat　was　driven　down。
　Bannor　clawed　his　way　to　Covenant。　He　wrapped　his　legs　around　Covenant's　waist；　snatched　the　orcrest　from　him。　Clutching　the　stone　as　if　to　sustain　himself　with　it；　Bannor　clamped　his　other　hand　over　Covenant's　nose　and　mouth。
　He　held　that　position　as　the　boat　sank。
　The　plunging　weight　of　water　thrust　them　straight　under。　Pressure　squeezed　them　until　Bannor's　eyes　pounded　in　their　sockets；　and　his　ears　yowled　as　if　they　were　about　to　rupture。　He　could　feel　Covenant　screaming　in　his　grasp。　But　he　held　his　grip　in　the　extremity　of　the　last　faithfulness…clung　to　the　bright　strength　of　the　orcrest　with　one　hand；　and　kept　Covenant　from　breathing　with　the　other。
　Then　they　were　sucked　into　a　side　tunnel；　an　outlet。　Immediately；　all　the　pressure　of　the　trapped　air　and　water　hurled　them　upward。　Covenant　went　limp；　Bannor's　lungs　burned。　But　he　retained　enough　alertness　to　swing　himself　upright　as　the　water　burst　free。　In　a　high；　arching　spout；　it　carried　the　two　men　into　the　cleft　of　Rivenrock；　and　sent　them　sh