srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第88章

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out　food　or　water　or　a　mount。
　He　leaned　against　the　unnatural　heat　of　the　wall　for　a　few　moments；　breathing　deeply　to　steady　himself。　Then　he　stood　up；　grasped　his　sense　of　direction　with　all　the　concentration　he　could　muster；　and　started　walking　straight　out　into　the　ruined　hall。
　His　progress　was　slow。　The　uncertainty　of　his　steps　made　him　stagger　repeatedly　away　from　a　true　westward　line。　But　he　corrected　the　variations　as　best　he　could；　and　kept　going。　Without　the　support　of　a　wall；　his　balance　grew　worse　at　every　stride。　Before　he　had　covered　thirty　yards；　the　floor　reeled　around　him；　and　he　dropped　to　his　knees。　He　had　to　clamp　his　throat　shut　to　keep　from　whimpering。
　When　he　regained　his　feet；　he　heard　quiet　laughter　…first　one　voice；　then　several。　It　had　a　cruel　sound；　as　if　it　were　directed　at　him。　It　resonated　slightly　off　the　walls；　so　that　he　could　not　locate　it；　but　it　seemed　to　e　from　somewhere　ahead。
　He　froze　where　he　stood。　Helplessly；　he　prayed　that　the　darkness　would　cover　him。
　But　a　voice　shattered　that　hope。　〃Look　here；　brothers；〃　it　said。　〃A　man…alone。〃　Its　utterance　was　awkward；　thick　with　slavering；　but　Troy　could　understand　it。　He　could　hear　the　malice　in　the　low　chorus　of　laughter　which　answered　it。
　Other　voices　spoke。
　〃A　man；　yes。　Slayer　take　him！〃
　〃Look。　Such　pretty　clothes。　An　enemy。〃
　〃Ha！　Look　again；　fool。　That　is　no　man。〃
　〃He　has　no　eyes。〃
　〃Is　it　an　ur…vile？〃
　〃No…a　man；　I　say。　A　man　with　no　eyes！　Here　is　some　sport；　brothers。〃

　All　the　voices　laughed　again。
　Troy　did　not　stop　to　wonder　how　the　speakers　could　see　him。　He　turned；　started　to　run　back　the　way　he　had　e。
　At　once；　they　gave　pursuit。　He　could　hear　the　slap　of　bare　feet　on　stone；　the　sharp　breathing。　They　overtook　him　swiftly。　Something　veered　close　to　him；　tripped　him。　As　he　fell；　the　running　feet　surrounded　him。
　〃Go　gently；　brothers。　No　quick　kill。　He　will　be　sport　for　us　all。〃
　〃Do　not　kill　him。〃
　〃Not　kill？　I　want　to　kill。　Kill　and　eat。〃
　〃The　Giant　will　want　this　one。〃
　〃After　we　sport。〃
　〃Why　tell　the　Giant；　brothers？　He　is　greedy。〃
　〃He　takes　our　meat。〃
　〃Keep　this　one　for　ourselves；　yes。〃
　〃Slayer　take　the　Giant。〃
　〃His　precious　ur…viles。　When　there　is　danger；　men　must　go　first。〃
　〃Yes！　Brothers；　we　will　eat　this　meat。〃
　Troy　heaved　himself　to　his　feet。　Through　the　rapid　chatter　of　the　voices；　he　heard；　go　first；　and　almost　fell　again。　If　these　creatures　were　the　first　of　Fleshharrower's　army　to　enter　the　masterplace…！　But　he　pushed　down　the　implications　of　that　thought；　and　snatched　out　his　sword。
　〃A　sword？　Ho　ho！〃
　〃Look；　brothers。　The　man　with　no　eyes　wants　to　play。〃
　〃Play！〃
　Troy　heard　the　lash　of　a　whip；　cord　flicked　around　his　wrist。　It　caught　and　jerked；　hauled　him　from　his　feet。　Strong　hands　took　his　sword。　Something　kicked　him　in　the　chest；　knocked　him　backward。　But　his　breastplate　protected　him。
　One　of　the　voices　cried；　〃Slayer！　My　foot！〃
　〃Fool！〃　came　the　answer。　There　was　laughter。
　〃Kill　him！〃
　A　metallic　weapon　clattered　against　his　breastplate；　fell　to　the　ground。　He　scrambled　for　it　in　the　dust；　but
　sudden　hands　shoved　him　away。　He'　recoiled　and　got　to　his　feet　again。
　He　heard　the　whistle　of　the　whip；　and　its　cord　lashed　at　his　ankles。　But　this　time　he　did　not　go　down。
　〃Do　not　kill　him　yet。　Where　is　the　sport？〃
　〃Make　him　play。〃
　〃Yes；　brothers。　Play。〃
　〃Play　for　us；　man　with　no　eyes〃
　The　whip　burned　around　his　neck。　He　staggered　under　the　blow。　The　bewildering　crossfire　of　voices　went　on。
　〃Play；　Slayer　take　you！〃
　〃Sport　for　us！〃
　〃Why　sport？　I　want　meat。　Blood…wet　meat。〃
　〃The　Giant　feeds　us　sand。〃
　〃Play；　I　say！　Are　you　blind；　man　with　no　eyes？　Does　the　sun　dazzle　you？〃
　This　gibe　was　met　with　loud　laughter。　But　Troy　stood　still　in　his　dismay。　The　sun？　he　thought　numbly。　Then　he　had　chosen　the　wrong　direction；　east　instead　of　west；　he　had　walked　right　into　these　creatures。　He　wanted　to　scream。　But　he　was　past　screaming。　He　could　feel　the　light　of　his　life　going　out。　His　hands　shook　as　he　tried　to　straighten　his　sunglasses。
　〃Dear　God；〃　he　groaned。
　Numbly；　as　if　he　did　not　know　what　he　was　doing；　he　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　gave　a　shrill　whistle。
　The　whip　coiled　around　his　waist　and　whirled　him　to　the　ground。
　〃Play！〃　the　voices　shouted　raggedly　together。
　But　when　he　stumbled　to　his　feet　again；　he　heard　。　the　sound　of　hooves。　And　a　moment　later；　Mehryl's　whinny　cut　through　the　gibbering　voices。　It　touched　Troy's　heart　like　the　call　of　a　trumpet。　He　jerked　up　；　his　head；　and　his　ears　searched；　trying　to　locate　the
　Ranyhyn。
　The　voices　changed　to　shouts　of　hunger　as　the　‘　hooves　charged。　〃Ranyhyn！〃　〃Kill　it！〃
　〃Meat！〃　Hands　grabbed　Troy。　He　grappled　with　a　fist　that
　held　a　knife。　But　then　the　noise　of　hooves　rushed　close　to　him。　An　impact　flung　his　assailant　away。　He　turned；　tried　to　leap　onto　Mehryl's　back。　But　he　only　put　himself　in　Mehryl's　path。　The　shoulder　of　the　Ranyhyn　struck　him；　knocked　him　down。
　Then　he　could　hear　bare　feet　leaping　to　the　attack。　The　whip　cracked；　knives　swished。　Mehryl　was　forced　away　from　him。　Hooves　skittered　on　the　stone　as　the　Ranyhyn　retreated。　Howling　triumphantly；　the　creatures　gave　chase。　The　sounds　receded。
　Troy　pushed　himself　to　his　feet。　His　heart　thudded　in　his　chest；　pain　throbbed　sharply　in　his　face。　The　noises　of　pursuit　seemed　to　indicate　that　he　was　being　left　alone。　But　he　did　not　move。　Concentrating　all　his　attention；　he　tried　to　hear　over　the　beat　of　his　pain。
　For　a　long　moment；　the　open　space　around　him　sounded　empty；　still。　He　waved　his　arms；　and　touched　nothing。
　But　then　he　heard　a　sharp　intake　of　breath。
　He　was　trembling　violently。　He　wanted　to　turn　and　run。　But　he　forced　himself　to　hold　his　ground。　He　concentrated；　bent　all　his　alertness　toward　the　sound。　In　the　distance；　the　other　creatures　had　lost　Mehryl。　They　were　returning；　he　could　hear　them。
　But　the　near　voice　hissed；　〃I　kill　you。　You　hurt　my　foot。　Slayer　take　them！　You　are　my　meat。〃
　Troy　could　sense　the　creature's　approach。　It　loomed　out　of　the　blankness　like　a　faint　pressure　on　his　face。　The　rasp　of　its　breathing　grew　louder。　With　every　step；　he　felt　its　ambience　more　acutely。
　The　tension　was　excruciating；　but　he　held　himself　still。　He　waited。　Interminable　time　passed。
　Suddenly；　he　felt　the　creature　bunching　to　spring。
　He　snatched　Manethrall　Rue's　cord　from　his　belt；　looped　it　around　the　neck　of　his　attacker；　and　jerked　as　the　creature　hit　him。　He　put　all　his　strength　into　the　pull。　The　creature's　leap　toppled　him；　but　he　clung　to　the　cord；　heaved　on　it。　The　creature　landed　on　top　of　him。　He　threw　his　weight　around；　got　himself　onto　the　creature。　He　kept　pulling。　Now　he　could　feel　the　limpness　of　the　body　under　him。　But　he　did　not　re
　lease　his　hold。　Straining　on　the　cord；　he　banged　the　creature's　head　repeatedly　against　the　stone。
　He　was　gasping　for　breath。　Dimly；　he　could　hear　the　other　creatures　charging　him。
　He　did　not　release　his　hold
　Then　power　crackled　through　the　air。　Flame　burst　around　him。　He　heard　shouts；　and　the　clash　of　swords。　Bowstrings　thrummed。　Creatures　screamed；　ran；　fell　heavily。
　A　moment　later；　hands　lifted　Troy。　Rue's　cord　was　taken　from　his　rigid　fingers。　First　Haft　Amorine　cried；　〃Warmark！　Warmark！　Praise　the　Creator；　you　are　safe！〃　She　was　weeping　with　relief。　People　moved　around　him。　He　heard　Lord　Mhoram　say；　〃My　friend；　you　have　led　us　a　merry　chase。　Without　Mehryl's　aid；　we　would　not　have　found　you　in　time。〃　The　voice　came　disembodied　out　of　the　blankness。
　At　first；　Troy　could　not　speak。　His　heart　struggled　through　a　crisis。　It　made　him　gasp　so　hard　that　he　could　barely　stand。　He　sounded　as　if　he　were　trying　to　sob。
　〃Warmark；〃　Amorine　said；　〃what　has　happened　to　you？〃
　〃Sun；〃　he　panted；　〃is…the　sun…shining？〃　The　effort　of　articulation　seemed　to　impale　his　heart。
　〃Warmark？　Ah；　Warmark！　What　has　been　done　to　you？〃
　〃The　sun！〃　he　retched　out。　He　was　desperate　to　insist；　but　he　could　only　stamp　his　foot　uselessly。
　〃The　sun　stands　overhead；〃　Mhoram　answered。　〃We　have　survived　the　vortex　and　its　creatures。　But　now　Fleshharrower's　army　enters　Doriendor　Corishev。　We　must　depart　swiftly。〃