srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第94章

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the　song　wrapped　him　in　its　enchantments　and　preserved　him　from　all　care。
　And　he　felt　no　concern　when　he　realized　that　the　Warward　was　no　longer　behind　him。　Except　for　Lord　Callindrill；　Troy；　Amorine；　Hiltmark　Quaan；　and　two　Bloodguard；　Terrel　and　Morril；　he　was　alone。　But　he　was　not　anxious；　the　song　assuaged　him　with　peace　and　trust。　It　led　him　onward　and　still　onward　through　a　measureless　night　into　the　dawn　of　a　new　day。
　With　the　return　of　light；　he　found　that　he　was　moving　through　a　woodland　profuse　with　purple　and　white　orchids。　Their　soft；　pure　colors　fell　in　with　the　music　as　if　they　were　the　notes　Caerroil　Wildwood　sang。　They　folded　Mhoram　closely　in　the　consolation　of　the　melody。　With　a　wide；　unconscious　smile　he　let　himself　go　as　if　the　current　which　carried　him　were　an　anodyne　for　all　his　hurts。
　His　strange　speed　was　more　apparent　now。　Already　through　gaps　in　the　overhanging　foliage；　he　could　see　the　paired　spires　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir；　the　tallest　peaks　in　the　Westron　Mountains。　He　could　see　the　high；　sheer　plateau　of　Rivenrock　as　the　struggle　it　concealed　continued。　Eruptions　and　muffled　booms　came　echoing　from　the　depths　of　the　mountain；　and　red　bursts　of　force　struck　the　sky　at　irregular　intervals。　But　still　he　was　untouched。　His　speed；　his　exhilarating；　easy　swiftness；　filled　his　heart　with　gay　glee。　He　had　covered　thirty　or　forty　leagues　since　entering　the　Deep。　He　felt　ready　to　walk　that　way　forever。
　But　the　day　passed　with　the　same　timeless　evanescence　that　had　borne　him　through　the　night。　Soon　the　sun　was　close　to　setting；　yet　he　had　no　sense　of　duration；　no　weary　or　hungry　physical　impression　that　he　had　traveled　all　day。
　Then　the　song　changed　again。　Gradually；　it　no　longer　floated　him　forward。　The　end　of　his　wafting　filled　him　with　quiet　sadness；　but　he　accepted　it。　The　thunders　and　eruptions　of　Rivenrock　were　now　almost　due　southwest　of　him。　He　judged　that　he　and　his　panions　were　nearing　the　Black　River。
　The　song　led　him　straight　through　the　Forest　to　a　high　bald　hill　that　stood　up　out　of　the　woodland　like　a　wen　of　barrenness。　Beyond　it；　he　could　hear　a　rush　of　water…the　Black　River…but　the　hill　itself　caught　his　attention；　restored　some　measure　of　his　self…awareness。　The　soil　of　the　hill　was　pletely　lifeless；　as　if　in　past　ages　it　had　been　drenched　with　too　much　death　ever　to　bloom　again。　And　just　below　its　crown　on　the　near　side　stood　two　rigid　trees　like　sentinels；　witnesses；　ten　yards　or　more　apart。　They　were　as　dead　as　the　hill…blackened；　bereft　of　limbs　and　leaves；　sapless。　Each　dead　trunk　had　only　one　bough　left。　Fifty　feet　above　the　ground；　the　trees　reached　toward　each　other；　and　their　limbs　interwove　to　form　a　crossbar　between　them。
　This　was　Gallows　Howe；　the　ancient　slaying　place　of　the　Forestall。　Here；　according　to　the　legends　of　the　Land；　Caerroil　Wildwood　and　his　brethren　had　held　their　assizes　in　the　long…past　ages　when　the　One　Forest　still　struggled　for　survival。　Here　the　Ravers　who　had　e　within　the　Forestall'　grasp　had　been　executed。
　Now　moksha　Fleshharrower　hung　from　the　gibbet。　Black　fury　congested　his　face；　his　swollen　tongue　protruded　like　contempt　between　his　teeth；　and　his　eyes　stared　emptily。　A　rictus　of　hate　strained　and　stretched　all　his　muscles。　His　dying　frenzy　had　been　so
　extravagant　that　many　of　his　blood　vessels　had　ruptured；　staining　his　skin　with　dark　hemorrhages。
　As　Lord　Mhoram　gazed　upward　through　the　thickening　dusk；　he　felt　suddenly　tired　and　thirsty。　Several　moments　passed　before　he　noticed　that　Caerroil　Wildwood　was　nearby。　The　Forestal　stood　to　one　side　of　the　hill；　singing　quietly；　and　his　eyes　shone　with　a　red　and　silver　light。
　At　Mhoram's　side；　Warmark　Troy　stirred　as　if　he　were　awakening；　and　asked　dimly；　〃What　is　it？　What　do　you　see？〃
　Mhoram　had　to　swallow　several　times　before　he　could　find　his　voice。　〃It　is　Fleshharrower。　The　Forestal　has　slain　him。〃
　A　sharp　intensity　crossed　Troy's　face；　as　if　he　were　straining　to　see。　Then　he　smiled。　〃Thank　God。〃
　〃It　is　a　worthy　bargain；〃　Caerroil　Wildwood　sang。　〃I　know　that　I　cannot　slay　the　spirit　of　a　Raver。　But　it　is　a　great　satisfaction　to　kill　the　flesh。　He　is　garroted。〃　His　eyes　flared　redly　for　a　moment；　then　faded　toward　silver　again。　〃Therefore　do　not　think　that　I　have　rescinded　my　word。　Your　people　are　unharmed。　The　presence　of　so　many　faithless　mortals　disturbed　the　trees。　To　shorten　their　disfort；　I　have　sent　your　people　out　of　Garroting　Deep　to　the　north。　But　because　of　the　bargain；　and　the　price　yet　to　be　paid；　I　have　brought　you　hers。　Behold　the　retribution　of　the　Forest。〃
　Something　in　his　high　clear　voice　made　Mhoram　shudder。　But　he　remembered　himself　enough　to　ask；　〃What　has　bee　of　the　Raver's　Stone？〃
　〃It　was　a　great　evil；〃　the　Forestal　hummed　severely。　〃I　have　destroyed　it。〃
　Quietly；　Lord　Mhoram　nodded。　〃That　is　well。〃　Then　he　tried　to　focus　his　attention　on　the　matter　of　Caerroil　Wildwood's　price。　He　wanted　to　argue　that　Troy　should　not　be　held　to　the　bargain；　the　Warmark　had　not　understood　what　was　being　asked　of　him。　But　while　Mhoram　was　still　searching　for　words；　Terrel　distracted　him。　Silently；　the　Bloodguard　pointed　away　upriver。
　The　night　was　almost　plete；　only　open　starlight
　and　the　glow　of　Caerroil　Wildwood's　eyes　illumined　Gallows　Howe。　But　when　the　Lord　followed　Terrel's　indication；　he　saw　two　different　lights。　Far　in　the　distance；　Rivenrock's　fiery　holocaust　was　visible。　The　violence　there　seemed　to　be　approaching　its　climacteric。　The　fires　spouted　furiously；　and　dark　thunder　rolled　over　the　Deep　as　if　great　cliffs　were　cracking。　The　other　light　was　much　closer。　A　small；　grave；　white　gleam　shone　through　the　trees　between　Mhoram　and　the　river。　As　he　looked　at　it；　it　moved　out　of　sight　beyond　the　Howe。
　Someone　was　traveling　through　Garroting　Deep　along　the　Black　River。
　An　intuition　clutched　Lord　Mhoram；　and　at　once　he　found　he　was　afraid。　Glimpses　and　visions　which　he　had　forgotten　during　the　past　days；　returned　to　him。　Quickly；　he　turned　to　the　Forestal。　〃Who　es？　Have　you　made　other　bargains？〃
　〃If　I　have；〃　sang　the　Forestal；　〃they　are　no　concern　of　yours。　But　these　two　pass　on　sufferance。　They　have　not　spoken　to　me。　I　allow　them　because　the　light　they　bear　presents　no　peril　to　the　trees…and　because　they　hold　a　power　which　I　must　respect。　I　am　bound　by　the　Law　of　creation。〃
　〃Melenkurion！〃　Mhoram　breathed。　〃Creator　preserve　us！〃　Catching　hold　of　Troy's　arm；　he　started　up　the　bald　hill。　His　panions　hastened　after　him。　He　passed　the　gibbet；　gained　the　crest　of　the　Howe；　and　looked　down　beyond　it　at　the　river。
　Two　men　climbed　the　hill　toward　him　from　the　riverbank。　One　of　them　held　a　shining　stone　in　his　right　hand；　and　supported　his　rade　with　his　left　arm。　They　moved　painfully；　as　if　they　ascended　against　a　weight　of　barrenness。　When　they　were　near　the　hilltop；　in　full　view　of　all　Mhoram's　pany；　they　stopped。
　Slowly；　Bannor　held　up　the　orcrest　so　that　it　lighted　the　crest　of　the　Howe。　With　a　nod；　he　acknowledged　the　Lords。
　When　Thomas　Covenant　realized　that　all　the　people　on　the　hill　were　watching　him；　he　pushed　away　from　Bannor's　support；　stood　on　his　own。　The　exertion　cost　him　a　sharp　effort。　As　he　stood；　he　wavered　unsteadily。　In　the　orcrest　light；　his　forehead　gleamed　atrociously。　His　eyes　held　a　sightless　stare…a　stare　without　object；　and　yet　of　such　intensity　that　his　eyes　appeared　to　be　crossed；　as　if　he　were　so　conscious　of　his　own　duplicities　that　he　could　not　see　singly。　His　hands　clenched　each　other　against　his　chest。　But　then　a　fierce　blast　from　Rivenrock　struck　him；　and　he　almost　lost　his　balance。　He　was　forced　to　reach　his　halfhand　toward　Bannor。　The　movement　bared　his　left　fist。
　On　his　wedding　finger；　the　argent　ring　throbbed　hotly。
　
　
　PART　III
　The　Blood　of　the　Earth
　
　
　TWENTY…ONE：；　Lena's　Daughter
　
　
　TROY　had　called　Thomas　Covenant's　Unbelief　a　bluff。　But　Covenant　was　not　playing　a　mental　game。　He　was　a　leper。　He　was　fighting　for　his　life。
　Unbelief　was　his　only　defense　against　the　Land；　his　only　way　to　control　the　intensity；　the　potential　suicide；　of　his　response　to　the　Land。　He　felt　that　he　had　lost　every　other　form　of　self…protection。　And　without　self　protection　he　would　end　up