rh.conanthewarrior-第49章

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a　bat　has　flown　over　the　Mountains　of　the　Dead　and　drawn　your　image　in　blood　on　the　white　tiger's　hide　that　hangs　before　the　long　hut　where　sleep　the　Four　Brothers　of　the　Night。　The　great　serpents　coil　about　their　feet　and　the　stars　burn　like　fireflies　in　their　hair。〃
　　〃Why　have　the　gods　of　darkness　doomed　me　to　death？〃　growled　Conan。
　　Something…a　hand；　foot　or　talon；　he　could　not　tell　which；　thrust　out　from　the　fire　and　marked　swiftly　on　the　mold。　A　symbol　blazed　there；　marked　with　fire；　and　faded；　but　not　before　he　recognized　it。
　　〃You　dared　make　the　sign　which　only　a　priest　of　Jhebbal　Sag　dare　make。　Thunder　rumbled　through　the　black　Mountain　of　the　Dead　and　the　altar…hut　of　Gullah　was　thrown　down　by　a　wind　from　the　Gulf　of　Ghosts。　The　loon　which　is　messenger　to　the　Four　Brothers　of　the　Night　flew　swiftly　and　whispered　your　name　in　my　ear。　Your　race　is　run。　You　are　a　dead　man　already。　Your　head　will　hang　in　the　altar…hut　of　my　brother。　Your　body　will　be　eaten　by　the　black…winged；　sharp…beaked　Children　of　Jhil。〃
　　〃Who　the　devil　is　your　brother？〃　demanded　Conan。　His　sword　was　naked　in　his　hand；　and　he　was　subtly　loosening　the　ax　in　his　belt。
　　〃Zogar　Sag；　a　child　of　Jhebbal　Sag　who　still　visits　his　sacred　groves　at　times。　A　woman　of　Gwawela　slept　in　a　grove　holy　to　Jhebbal　Sag。　Her　babe　was　Zogar　Sag。　I　too　am　a　son　of　Jhebbal　Sag；　out　of　a　fire…being　from　a　far　realm。　Zogar　Sag　summoned　me　out　of　the　Misty　Lands。　With　incantations　and　sorcery　and　his　own　blood　he　materialized　me　in　the　flesh　of　his　own　planet。　We　are　one；　tied　together　by　invisible　threads。　His　thoughts　are　my　thoughts；　if　he　is　struck；　I　am　bruised。　If　I　am　cut；　he　bleeds。　But　I　have　talked　enough。　Soon　your　ghost　will　talk　with　the　ghosts　of　the　Dark　Land；　and　they　will　tell　you　of　the　old　gods　which　are　not　dead；　but　sleep　in　the　outer　abysses；　and　from　time　to　time　awake。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　what　you　look　like；〃　muttered　Conan；　working　his　ax　free；　〃you　who　leave　a　track　like　a　bird；　who　burn　like　a　flame　and　yet　speak　with　a　human　voice。〃
　　〃You　shall　see；〃　answered　the　voice　from　the　flame；　〃see；　and　carry　the　knowledge　with　you　into　the　Dark　Land。〃
　　The　flames　leaped　and　sank；　dwindling　and　dimming。　A　face　began　to　take　shadowy　form。　At　first　Conan　thought　it　was　Zogar　Sag　himself　who　stood　wrapped　in　green　fire。　But　the　face　was　higher　than　his　own；　and　there　was　a　demoniac　aspect　about　it…Conan　had　noted　various　abnormalities　about　Zogar　Sag's　features…an　obliqueness　of　the　eyes；　a　sharpness　of　the　ears；　a　wolfish　thinness　of　the　lips：　these　peculiarities　were　exaggerated　in　the　apparition　which　swayed　before　him。　The　eyes　were　red　as　coals　of　living　fire。
　　More　details　came　into　view：　a　slender　torso；　covered　with　snaky　scales；　which　was　yet　man…like　in　shape；　with　man　like　arms；　from　the　waist　upward；　below；　long　crane…like　legs　ended　in　splay；　three…toed　feet　like　those　of　huge　bird。　Along　the　monstrous　limbs　the　blue　fire　fluttered　and　ran。　He　saw　it　as　through　a　glistening　mist。
　　Then　suddenly　it　was　towering　over　him；　though　he　had　not　seen　it　move　toward　him。　A　long　arm；　which　for　the　first　time　he　noticed　was　armed　with　curving；　sickle…like　talons；　swung　high　and　swept　down　at　his　neck。　With　a　fierce　cry　he　broke　the　spell　and　bounded　aside；　hurling　his　ax。　The　demon　avoided　the　cast　with　an　unbelievably　quick　movement　of　its　narrow　head　and　was　on　him　again　with　a　hissing　rush　of　leaping　flames。　
　　But　fear　had　fought　for　it　when　it　slew　its　other　victims　and　Conan　was　not　afraid。　He　knew　that　any　being　clothed　in　material　flesh　can　be　slain　by　material　weapons；　however　grisly　its　form　may　be。
　　One　flailing　talon…armed　limb　knocked　his　helmet　from　his　head。　A　little　lower　and　it　would　have　decapitated　him。　But　fierce　joy　surged　through　him　as　his　savagely　driven　sword　sank　deep　in　the　monster's　groin。　He　bounded　backward　from　a　flailing　stroke；　tearing　his　sword　free　as　he　leaped。　The　talons　raked　his　breast；　ripping　through　mail…links　as　if　they　had　been　cloth。　But　his　return　spring　was　like　that　of　a　starving　wolf。　He　was　inside　the　lashing　arms　and　driving　his　sword　deep　in　the　monster's　belly…felt　the　arms　lock　about　him　and　the　talons　ripping　the　mail　from　his　back　as　they　sought　his　vitals…he　was　lapped　and　dazzled　by　blue　flame　that　was　chill　as　ice…then　he　had　torn　fiercely　away　from　the　weakening　arms　and　his　sword　cut　the　air　in　a　tremendous　swipe。
　　The　demon　staggered　and　fell　sprawling　sidewise；　its　head　hanging　only　by　a　shred　of　flesh。　The　fires　that　veiled　it　leaped　fiercely　upward；　now　red　as　gushing　blood；　hiding　the　figure　from　view。　A　scent　of　burning　flesh　filled　Conan's　nostrils。　Shaking　the　blood　and　sweat　from　his　eyes；　he　wheeled　and　ran　staggering　through　the　woods。　Blood　trickled　down　his　limbs。　Somewhere；　miles　to　the　south；　he　saw　the　faint　glow　of　flames　that　might　mark　a　burning　cabin。　Behind　him；　toward　the　road；　rose　a　distant　howling　that　spurred　him　to　greater　efforts。
　　
　　
　　　8。　　Conajohara　No　More
　　
　　There　had　been　fighting　on　Thunder　River；　fierce　fighting　before　the　walls　of　Velitrium；　ax　and　torch　had　been　plied　up　and　down　the　bank；　and　many　a　settler's　cabin　lay　in　ashes　before　the　painted　horde　was　rolled　back。
　　A　strange　quiet　followed　the　storm；　in　which　people　gathered　and　talked　in　hushed　voices；　and　men　with　red…stained　bandages　drank　their　ale　silently　in　the　taverns　along　the　river　bank。
　　There；　to　Conan　the　Cimmerian；　moodily　quaffing　from　a　great　wine…glass；　came　a　gaunt　forester　with　a　bandage　about　his　head　and　his　arm　in　a　sling。　He　was　the　one　survivor　of　Fort　Tuscelan。
　　〃You　went　with　the　soldiers　to　the　ruins　of　the　fort？〃
　　Conan　nodded。
　　〃I　wasn't　able；〃　murmured　the　other。　〃There　was　no　fighting？〃
　　〃The　Picts　had　fallen　back　across　Black　River。　Something　must　have　broken　their　nerve；　though　only　the　devil　who　made　them　knows　what。〃
　　The　woodsman　glanced　at　his　bandaged　arm　and　sighed。
　　〃They　say　there　were　no　bodies　worth　disposing　of。〃　
　　Conan　shook　his　head。　〃Ashes。　The　Picts　had　piled　them　in　the　fort　and　set　fire　to　the　fort　before　they　crossed　the　river。　Their　own　dead　and　the　men　of　Valannus。〃
　　〃Valannus　was　killed　among　the　last…in　the　hand…to…hand　fighting　when　they　broke　the　barriers。　They　tried　to　take　him　alive；　but　he　made　them　kill　him。　They　took　ten　of　the　rest　of　us　prisoners　when　we　were　so　weak　from　fighting　we　could　fight　no　more。　They　butchered　nine　of　us　then　and　there。　It　was　when　Zogar　Sag　died　that　I　got　my　chance　to　break　free　and　run　for　it。〃
　　〃Zogar　Sag's　dead？〃　ejaculated　Conan。
　　〃Aye。　I　saw　him　die　That's　why　the　Picts　didn't　press　the　fight　against　Velitrium　as　fiercely　as　they　did　against　the　fort。　It　was　strange。　He　took　no　wounds　in　battle。　He　was　dancing　among　the　slain；　waving　an　ax　with　which　he'd　just　brained　the　last　of　my　rades。　He　came　at　me；　howling　like　a　wolf…and　then　he　staggered　and　dropped　the　ax；　and　began　to　reel　in　a　circle　screaming　as　I　never　heard　a　man　or　beast　scream　before。　He　fell　between　me　and　the　fire　they'd　built　to　roast　me；　gaging　and　frothing　at　the　mouth；　and　all　at　once　he　went　rigid　and　the　Picts　shouted　that　he　was　dead。　It　was　during　the　confusion　that　I　slipped　my　cords　and　ran　for　the　woods。
　　〃I　saw　him　lying　in　the　firelight。　No　weapon　had　touched　him。　Yet　there　were　red　marks　like　the　wounds　of　a　sword　in　the　groin；　belly；　and　neck…the　last　as　if　his　head　had　been　almost　severed　from　his　body。　What　do　you　make　of　that？〃
　　Conan　made　no　reply；　and　the　forester；　aware　of　the　reticence　of　barbarians　on　certain　matters；　continued：　〃He　lived　by　magic；　and　somehow；　he　died　by　magic。　It　was　the　mystery　of　his　death　that　took　the　heart　out　of　the　Picts。　Not　a　man　who　saw　it　was　in　the　fighting　before　Velitrium。　They　hurried　back　across　Black　River。　Those　that　struck　Thunder　River　were　warriors　who　had　e　on　before　Zogar　Sag　died。　They　were　not　enough　to　take　the　city　by　themselves。
　　〃I　came　along　the　road；　behind　their　main　force；　and　I　know　none　followed　me　from　the　fort。　I　sneaked　through　their　lines　and　got　into　the　town。　You　brought　the　settlers　through　all　right；　but　their　women　and　children　got　into　Veli