srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第78章

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　They　dismounted。　Lord　Verement　held　his　staff　upright　on　the　ground　in　the　center　as　Mhoram　and　Callindrill　whirled　their　staffs　and　shouted　strange　invocations　through　the　noise　of　battle。　While　they　prepared；　Troy　fought　his　way　to　Quaan's　side；　told　him　what　Mhoram　had　said。　The　Hiltmark　accepted　it　without　pausing。　They　separated；　battled　away　toward　the　flanks　of　the　struggle；　spreading　the　mand。
　Troy　feared　that　Mhoram's　call　would　e　too　late。　The　power　of　ninetyscore　ur…viles　rapidly　organized　the　turbulent　kresh。　As　the　Eoward　gathered　themselves　to　flee；　the　ur…viles　wrenched　the　kresh　away　from　the　tearing　of　carcasses；　bunched　them　again　into　fighting　wedges；　and　hurled　them　at　the　warriors。
　In　that　instant；　'Lord　Mhoram　signaled　with　his　staff。
　The　riders　sent　their　horses　running　straight　toward　Doom's　Retreat。　They　seemed　to　rush　out　from　under　the　piled　spring　of　the　wolves。　Once　again；　the　trailing　warriors　crashed　to　the　ground　under　a　massive　breaker　of　kresh。　But　this　time　the　remaining　riders　did　not　fight　back。　They　gave　free　rein　to　the　fear　of　their　horses；　and　fled。
　The　suddenness　of　their　flight　opened　a　gap　between　them　and　the　wolves；　and　the　gap　widened　slowly　as　the　horses　at　last　found　release　for　all　their　accumulated　dread。　In　moments；　Troy　and　Quaan　with　the　last　three　Eoward　and　little　more　than　a　hundred　Bloodguard　flashed　by　on　either　side　of　Lord　Verement。　As　they　passed　him；　he　took　his　staff　from　where　he　had　planted　it　in　the　line　between　Mhoram　and　Callindrill；　caught　it　by　one　end　with　both　hands；　and　cocked　it　behind　his　head。
　Then　the　last　rider　had　crossed　the　line。
　Verement　swung　his　staff　and　struck　the　ground　of　the　line　with　all　his　might。
　Instantly；　a　shimmering　wall　of　force　sprang　up　between　Mhoram　and　Callindrill。　When　the　first　kresh　charged　it；　it　flared　into　brilliant　blue　flame；　and　hurled　them　back。
　Seeing　that　the　wall　held；　Lord　Mhoram　leaped　on…
　to　the　Ranyhyn；　and　sprinted　after　the　warriors。　Lord　Verement　followed　as　swiftly　as　his　sturdy　mustang　could　carry　him。　When　they　neared　Troy　and　Quaan；　Mhoram　shouted；　〃Make　haste！　The　forbidding　cannot　hold！　The　ur…viles　will　break　it！　Flee！〃
　The　warriors　needed　no　urging；　and　Quaan　dashed　after　them；　stridently　herding　them　toward　the　Retreat。　Troy　went　with　him。　For　a　moment；　Mhoram　and　Verement　were　right　behind　them。　But　suddenly　the　Lords　stopped。　At　the　same　time；　all　the　Bloodguard　wheeled　their　Ranyhyn；　and　pounded　back　toward　the　forbidding。
　Cursing　in　dismay；　Troy　turned　to　see　what　had　happened。
　Lord　Callindrill　was　on　the　ground　near　the　wall。　Several　badly　wounded　warriors　had　fallen　from　their　mounts　within　yards　of　the　blue　fire；　and　Callindrill　was　trying　to　help　them。　Rapidly；　he　tore　their　clothing　into　strips；　made　tourniquets　and　bandages。
　He　did　not　look　up　to　see　his　danger。
　Already　the　ur…viles　were　preparing　to　fight　the　wall。　They　sent　most　of　the　riderless　kresh　running　to　pass　around　the　ends　of　the　fire。　Three　ur…vile　wedges　moved　forward　to　attack。　The　rest　retreated　a　short　distance　and　began　re…forming　themselves　into　a　huge；　single　wedge。
　Troy　kicked　Mehryl　into　a　gallop；　and　joined　the　Bloodguard　following　Mhoram　and　Verement。
　Lord　Mhoram　was　twenty　vards　ahead　of　Troy；　but　he　could　not　reach　Callindrill　in　time。　The　three　ur…vile　wedges　near　the　fire　attacked。　They　did　not　try　to　break　the　Lords'　wall。　Instead；　the　loremasters　concentrated　all　their　power　in　one　place。　With　a　harsh　clang；　they　struck　their　iron　staves　together。　A　great　spew　of　liquid　force　gushed　from　the　impact；　splashed　into　the　forbidding　fire；　and　passed　through　it。
　In　black；　burning　gouts；　the　corrosive　fluid　dropped　toward　Callindrill。　It　fell　just　short　of　him；　did　not　touch　him。　But　it　hit　the　ground　with　a　concussion　that　flung　him　and　the　injured　warriors　into　the　air　like　limp　bundles。
　When　they　flopped　down　again；　they　lay　still。
　At　once；　the　three　wedges　hurried　aside；　and　the　new；　single；　massed　wedge　started　lumbering　toward　the　wall。
　Simultaneously；　the　first　kresh　rounded　both　ends　of　the　fire。
　The　next　instant；　Lord　Mhoram　threw　himself　from　his　Ranyhyn's　back；　landed　beside　Callindrill。　A　quick　glance　told　him　that　the　warriors　were　dead；　the　force　of　the　concussion　had　killed　them。　He　concentrated　on　Callindrill。　Touching　the　Lord's　chest　with　his　hands；　he　confirmed　what　his　eyes　told　him；　life　still　flickered　in　Callindrill；　but　his　heart　was　not　beating。
　Then　Troy　reached　Mhoram's　side；　and　the　Bloodguard　poised　themselves　to　defend　the　Lords。　On　horseback；　Verement　worked　at　the　wall　of　forbidding；　tightened'　it　against　the　assault　of　the　wedge。　But　it　could　not　withstand　fifteen　hundred　ur…viles。　The　wedge　moved　slowly；　but　it　was　hardly　twenty　yards　from　the　fire。　And　kresh　poured　around　the　ends　of　the　wall　now。　pelting　toward　the　Bloodguard　and　Lords。　The　Bloodguard　moved　out　to　meet　the　wolves；　but　a　hundred　Bloodguard　could　not　hold　back　five　thousand　kresh　for　long。
　〃Flee！〃　Mhoram　yelled。　〃Go！　Save　yourselves！　We　must　not　all　die　here！〃
　But　he　did　not　wait　to　observe　that　no　one　obeyed　him。　Instead；　he　bent　over　the　fallen　Lord　again。　Holding；　his　lower　lip　in　his　teeth；　he　massaged　Callindrill's　chest；　honing　to　renew　his　pulse。　But　his　heart　remained　motionless。
　Mhoram　drew　a　sudden　sharp　breath；　raised　his　fist；　and　hammered　once　with　all　his　might　on　Callindrill's　chest。
　The　blow　jolted　the　Lord's　heart。　It　lurched；　stumbled；　then　broke　into　a　limping　beat。
　Mhoram　shouted　for　Morril。　At　once；　the　Bloodguard　leaped　down　from　his　Ranyhyn；　caught　Callindrill　in　his　arms；　and　sprang　up　again。　Seeing　this；　Lord　Verement　broke　away　from　the　forbidding　wall；　started　back　toward　Doom's　Retreat。　Mhoram　and　Troy　mounted；　surged　away　from　the　wall　after　him。
　The　Bloodguard　followed　in　a　protective　ring　around　the　Lords。
　A　moment　later；　the　massed　ur…vile　wedge　hit　the　wall　and　tore　it。　Dark；　liquid　power　shredded　the　blue　flame；　ripped　it　into　fragments　and　scattered　it。　Instantly；　the　rest　of　the　kresh　flooded　after　the　escaping　Ranyhyn。　And　the　wolves　pouring　around　the　ends　of　the　wall　changed　direction　to　intercept　the　riders。
　But　the　Ranyhyn　outdistanced　them。　The　great　horses　of　Ra　pulled　past　Verement　and　thundered　toward　Doom's　Retreat。
　Ahead；　under　the　late　afternoon　shadow　of　the　cliffs；　Hiltmark　Quaan　was　urging　the　last　of　his　warriors　into　the　canyon。
　Maddened　by　the　escape　of　so　many　prey；　the　kresh　howled　with　rage；　and　…swung　to　converge　on　Lord　Verement。
　His　mustang　ran　hard　and　bravely。　But　it　was　already　exhausted；　slowly　the　kresh　gained　on　it。　Before　it　had　covered　half　the　distance　to　the　Retreat；　Troy　could　see　that　it　would　lose　the　race。
　He　called　for　help；　but　the　Bloodguard　did　not　respond。　Only　Thomin；　the　Bloodguard　personally　responsible　for　Verement；　remained　behind。　Incensed；　Troy　started　to　go　back　himself；　but　Mhoram　stopped　him　by　shouting；　〃There　is　no　need！〃
　Thomin　waited　until　the　last　possible　moment…until　the　kresh　were　raging　at　the　heels　of　the　mustang。　Then　he　pulled　the　Lord　onto　his　own　Ranyhyn；　and　carried　him　away　toward　the　Retreat。
　Almost　at　once；　the　mustang　fell　screaming　under　an　avalanche　of　wolves。
　For　an　instant；　the　haze　of　the　cliff　shadow　turned　sickly　red　in　Troy's　sight。　But　then　Mehryls'　taut　run　bore　him　beyond　the　scream；　took　him　straight　toward　the　gap　in　the　cliffs。　He　flashed　into　the　deeper　gloom　of　the　defile。　Except　for　the　slit　of　light　ahead；　he　could　see　nothing。　The　sharp　change　made　him　feel　that　he　was　foundering。　The　rumble　of　hooves　pounded　back　at　him　from　the　cliffs；　and　behind　the　echo　came　the　shrill　croaking　derision　of　the　ravens。　He　felt　waters　of　darkness　closing　over　his　head。　When　he　broke
　
　out　the　end　of　the　Retreat　into　the　dim；　late　light　of　day；　he　was　almost　dazzled　with　relief。
　As　he　passed；　First　Haft　Amorine　gave　a　piercing　shout；　and　thousands　of　warriors　dashed　away　from　the　cliffs　on　either　side　of　the　gap。　Despite　the　long　fatigue　which　radiated　from　them；　they　ran　with　precision；　took　positions；　formed　an　arc　over　the　end　of　the　canyon；　sealing　the　trap。

　Moments　later；　the　first　kre