srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第85章

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em　together　here。〃
　He　paused　to　look　over　the　warriors。　They　stood　squarely　before　him　with　expressions　colored　by　every　hue　of　grimness　and　fatigue　and　determination；　and　their　very　bones　seemed　to　radiate　mortality。　At　the　sight；　he　began　to　understand　Mhoram's　statement　that　they　deserved　to　know　the　truth；　they　were　serving　his　mands　with　their　souls。　Roughly；　he　went　on；　〃But　there's　one　more　thing。　Fleshharrower　may　be　planning　a　surprise　or　two　for　us。　Many　of　you　were　with　Hiltmark　Quaan　during　that　storm…you　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　That　Giant　has　power；　and　he
　intends　to　use　it。　We're　going　to　give　him　a　chance。　We're　going　to　be　a　target；　so　that　whatever　he　does　will　hit　us　instead　of　the　rest　of　the　Warward。　I　think　we　can　survive　it…if　we　do　things　right。　But　it's　not　going　to　be　easy。〃
　Abruptly；　he　turned　to　Amorine；　and　ordered　her　to　deploy　the　Eoward　in　strategic　positions　throughout　the　east　side　of　the　masterplace。　〃Make　sure　of　your　lines　of　retreat。　I　don't　want　people　getting　lost　in　this　maze　when　it's　time　for　us　to　pull　out。〃　Then　he　spoke　to　the　Bloodguard；　asked　them　to　scout　beyond　the　city　along　the　ridge。　〃I've　got　to　know　right　away　if　Fleshharrower　tries　to　surround　us。〃
　Terrel　nodded；　and　a　few　of　the　Bloodguard　rode　away。
　First　Haft　Amorine　took　her　Eoward　back　across　Doriendor　Corishev。　They　left　all　their　horses；　including　the　Ranyhyn；　at　the　west　gate　under　the　care　of　several　Bloodguard。
　Acpanied　by　the　rest　of　the　Bloodguard；　Troy　　and　the　two　Lords　made　their　way　on　foot　to　the　east　。：　wall。
　While　they　passed　through　the　ruins；　Lord　Mhoram　n　asked；　〃Warmark；　do　you　believe　that　Fleshharrower　…：　will　not　attempt　to　surround　us？　Why　would　he　do
　otherwise？〃'
　〃Instinct；〃　Troy　replied　curtly。　〃I　think　he'll　be　very　careful　to　let　us　escape　on　the　west　side。　You　heard　him　laughback　at　Doom's　Retreat…when　he　saw　where　we　were　going。　I　think　that　what　he　really　wants　is　to　trap　us　against　Garroting　Deep。　He's　a　Raver。　He　probably　thinks　the　idea　of　using　that　Forest　against　us　is　hilarious。〃
　Then　he　was　grateful　that　Mhoram　refrained　from　asking　him　what　his…　own　ideas　about　Garroting　Deep　were。　He　did　not　want　to　think　about　that。　Instead；　he　tried　to　concentrate　on　the　layout　of　the　city；　so　that　he　could　find　his　way　through　it　at　night　if　necessary。　But　his　heart　was　not　in　the　task。　Too　many　other　anxieties　occupied　him。
　When　he　reached　the　east　wall；　and　climbed　up　on　‘
　some　rubble　to　peer　over　it；　he　saw　Fleshharrower's　army。
　It　approached　like　a　great　discoloration；　a　dark　bruise；　on　the　pale　ground　of　the　Wastes。　Its　front　stretched　away　both　north　and　south　of　the　ruins。　It　was　less　than　a　league　away。
　And　it　was　immense　beyond　prehension。　Troy　could　not　imagine　how　Lord　Foul　had　been　able　to　create　such　an　army。
　It　came　forward　until　it　reached　the　foot　of　the　hill　upon　which　Doriendor　Corishev　stood。
　As　he　watched；　Troy　gripped　the　handle　of　his　sword　as　if　it　were　the　only　thing　that　kept　him　from　panic。　Several　times；　he　reached　up　to　adjust　the　sunglasses　he　no　lodger　possessed。　The　movement　was　like　an　involuntary　prayer　or　appeal。　But　neither　of　the　Lords　observed　him。　Their　faces　were　set　toward　Fleshharrower。
　Troy　almost　shouted　with　elation　when　the　GiantRaver　stopped　his　army　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。　The　halt　ran　through　his　hordes　like　a　shock；　as　if　the　force　which　drove　them　had　struck　a　wall。　The　wolves　smelled　prey；　they　sent　up　a　howl　of　frustration　at　the　halt。　Ur…viles　barked　furiously。　Warped　humans　groaned；　and　Cavewights　hopped　hungrily　from　foot　to　foot。　But　Fleshharrower's　mand　mastered　them　all。　They　spread　out　until　they　formed　a　ready　arc　around　the　entire　eastern　side　of　the　hill；　then　set　themselves　to　wait。
　When　he　was　satisfied　with　the　position　of　his　army；　the　Raver　took　a　few　steps　up　the　hill；　placed　his　fists　on　his　hips；　and　shouted　sardonically；　〃Lords！　Warriors！　I　know　you　hear　me！　Listen　to　my　words！　Surrender！　You　cannot　escape…you　are　ensnared　between　the　Desert　and　the　Deep。　I　can　eradicate　you　from　the　Earth　with　only　a　tenth　of　my　strength。　Surrender！　If　you　join　me；　I　may　be　merciful。〃　At　the　word　merciful；　a　yammer　of　protest　and　hunger　went　up　from　his　army。　He　waited　for　the　outcry　to　pass　before　he　continued：　〃If　not；　I　will　destroy　you！　I　will　burn　and　blast　your　homes。　I　will　make　Revelwood　a　charnal；　and　use　Revelstone　for　an　offal　ground。　I
　will　wreck　and　ravage　the　Land　until　Time　itself　breaks！　Hear　me　and　despair！　Surrender　or　die！〃
　At　this；　an　irresistible　impulse　caught　hold　of　the　Warmark；　frustration　and　rage　boiled　up　in　him。　Without　warning；　he　leaped　onto　the　wall。　He　braced　his　feet　to　steady　himself；　and　raised　his　fists　defiantly。　〃Fleshharrower！〃　he　shouted。　〃Vermin！　I　am　Warmark　Hile　Troy！　I　mand　here！　I　spit　in　your　face；　Raver！　You're　only　a　slave！　And　your　master　is　only　a　slave！　He's　a　slave　to　hunger；　and　he　gnaws　his　worthlessness　like　an　old　bone。　Go　back！　Leave　the　Land！　We're　free　people。　Despair　has　no　power　over　us。　But　I'll　teach　you　despair　if　you　dare　to　fight　me！〃
　Fleshharrower　snapped　an　order。　A　dozen　bowstrings　thrummed；　shafts　flew　past　Troy's　head　as　Ruel　snatched　him　down　from　the　wall。　Troy　stumbled　as　he　landed；　but　Ruel　upheld　him。　When　the　Warmark　regained　his　balance；　Mhoram　said；　〃You　took　a　grave　risk。　What　have　you　gained？〃
　〃I've　made　him　mad；〃　Troy　replied　unsteadily。　〃This　has　got　to　be　done　right；　and　I'm　going　to　do　it。　The　madder　he　gets；　the　better　off　we　are。〃
　〃Are　you　so　certain　of　what　he　will　do？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　Troy　felt　an　odd　confidence；　a　conviction
　that　he　would　not　be　proved　wrong　until　the　end。
　〃He's　already　doing　it　he's　stopped。　If　he's　mad
　enough；　he'll　attack　us　first　himself。　His　army　will　stay
　stopped。　That's　what　we　want。〃
　〃Then　I　believe　that　you　have　succeeded；〃　Lord　Callindrill　inserted　quietly。　He　was　gazing　over　the　wall　as　he　spoke。　Mhoram　and　Troy　joined　him；　and　saw　what　he　meant。
　Fleshharrower　had　retreated　until　there　was　a　flat　space　of　ground　between　himself　and　the　hill。　Around　him；　the　army　shifted。　Several　thousand　ur…viles　moved　to　form　wedges　with　their　loremasters　poised　on　both　sides　of　the　space。　There　they　waited　while　the　Giant…Raver　marked　out　a　wide　circle　in　the　dirt；　using　the　tip　of　one　of　the　loremaster's　staves。　Then　Fleshharrower　ordered　all　but　the　ur…viles　away　from　the　circle。
　When　the　space　was　cleared；　the　loremasters　began　their　work。
　Chanting　in　arhythmic　unison　like　a　mesmerized　chorus　of　dogs；　the　ur…viles　bent　their　might　forward；　into　the　hands　of　their　loremasters。　The　loremasters　thrust　the　points　of　their　staves　into　the　rim　of　Fleshharrower's　circle；　and　began　to　rock　the　irons　slowly　back　and　forth。
　A　low　buzzing　noise　became　audible。　The　ur…viles　were　singing　in　their　own　roynish　tongue；　and　their　song　made　the　flat；　hard　ground　vibrate。　Slowly；　the　buzz　scaled　upward；　as　if　a　swarm　of　huge；　mad　bees　were　emprisoned　in　the　dirt。　And　the　earth　in　the　circle　began　to　pulse　visibly。　A　change　like　an　increase　of　heat　came　over　the　rock　and　soil；　hot；　red　gleams　played　through　the　circle　erratically；　and　its　surface　seethed。　The　buzz　became　fiercer；　sharper。
　The　process　was　slow；　but　its　horrible　fascination　made　it　seem　swift　to　the　onlookers。　As　daylight　started　to　fall　out　of　the　stricken　sky；　the　buzz　replaced　it　like　a　cry　of　pain　from　the　ground　itself。　The　Raver's　circle　throbbed　and　boiled　as　if　the　dirt　within　it　were　molten。
　The　sound　tormented　Troy；　it　clawed　at　his　ears；　crawled　like　lice　over　his　flesh。　Sweat　slicked　his　eyeless　brows。　For　a　time；　he　feared　that　he　would　be　pelled　to　scream。　But　at　last　the　cry　scaled　past　the　range　of　his　senses。　He　was　able　to　turn　away；　rest　briefly。
　When　he　looked　back　toward　the　circle；　he　found　that　the　ur…viles　had　withdrawn　from　it。　Fleshharrower　stood　there　alone。　A　demonic　look　clenched　his　face　as　he　stared　into　the　hot；　red；　boiling　soil。
　In　his　hands；　he　held　one　of　the　loremasters。　It　gibbered　fearfully；　clung　to　its　stave；　but　it　could　not　break　his　grip。
　Laughing；　Flesbharrower　lifted　the　loremaster　over　his　head　and　hurled　it　into　the　circle。　As　it　hit　the　gro