rh.conanthewarrior-第8章

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　　Valeria　realized　that　it　was　not　fear　alone　that　paralyzed　him。　Some　hellish　quality　of　that　throbbing　glow　had　robbed　him　of　his　power　to　think　and　act。　She　herself；　safely　above　the　scene；　felt　the　subtle　impact　of　a　nameless　emanation　that　was　a　threat　to　sanity。
　　The　horror　swept　toward　its　victim　and　he　moved　at　last；　but　only　to　drop　his　sword　and　sink　to　his　knees；　covering　his　eyes　with　his　hands。　Dumbly　he　awaited　the　stroke　of　the　blade　that　now　gleamed　in　the　apparition's　hand　as　it　reared　above　him　like　Death　triumphant　over　mankind。
　　Valeria　acted　according　to　the　first　impulse　of　her　wayward　nature。　With　one　tigerish　movement　she　was　over　the　balustrade　and　dropping　to　the　floor　behind　the　awful　shape。　It　wheeled　at　the　thud　of　her　soft　boots　on　the　floor；　but　even　as　it　turned；　her　keen　blade　lashed　down　and　a　fierce　exultation　swept　her　as　she　felt　the　edge　cleave　solid　flesh　and　mortal　bone。
　　The　apparition　cried　out　gurglingly　and　went　down；　severed　through　the　shoulder；　breastbone　and　spine；　and　as　it　fell　the　burning　skull　rolled　clear；　revealing　a　lank　mop　of　black　hair　and　a　dark　face　twisted　in　the　convulsions　of　death。　Beneath　the　horrific　masquerade　there　was　a　human　being；　a　man　similar　to　the　one　kneeling　supinely　on　the　floor。
　　The　latter　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　the　blow　and　the　cry；　and　now　he　glared　in　wild…eyes　amazement　at　the　whiteskinned　woman　who　stood　over　the　corpse　with　a　dripping　sword　in　her　hand。
　　He　staggered　up；　yammering　as　if　the　sight　had　almost　unseated　his　reason。　She　was　amazed　to　realize　that　she　understood　him。　He　was　gibbering　in　the　Stygian　tongue；　though　in　a　dialect　unfamiliar　to　her。
　　〃Who　are　you？　Whence　e　you？　What　do　you　in　Xuchotl？〃　Then　rushing　on；　without　waiting　for　her　to　reply：　〃But　you　are　a　friend…goddess　or　devil；　it　makes　no　difference！　You　have　slain　the　Burning　Skull！　It　was　but　a　man　beneath　it；　after　all！　We　deemed　it　a　demon　they　conjured　up　out　of　the　catabs！　Listen！〃
　　He　stopped　short　in　his　ravings　and　stiffened；　straining　his　ears　with　painful　intensity。　The　girl　heard　nothing。
　　〃We　must　hasten！〃　he　whispered。　〃They　are　west　of　the　Great　Hall！　They　may　be　all　around　us　here！　They　may　be　creeping　upon　us　even　now！〃
　　He　seized　her　wrist　in　a　convulsive　grasp　she　found　hard　to　break。
　　〃Whom　do　you　mean　by　'they？'〃　she　demanded。
　　He　stared　at　her　unprehendingly　for　an　instant；　as　if　he　found　her　ignorance　hard　to　understand。
　　〃They？〃　he　stammered　vaguely。　〃Why…why；　the　people　of　Xotalanc！　The　clan　of　the　man　you　slew。　They　who　dwell　by　the　eastern　gate。〃
　　〃You　mean　to　say　this　city　is　inhabited？〃　she　exclaimed。
　　〃Aye！　Aye！〃　He　was　writhing　in　the　impatience　of　apprehension。　〃e　away！　e　quick！　We　must　return　to　Tecuhltli！〃
　　〃Where　is　that？〃　she　demanded。
　　〃The　quarter　by　the　western　gate！〃　He　had　her　wrist　again　and　was　pulling　her　toward　the　door　through　which　he　had　first　e。　Great　beads　of　perspiration　dripped　from　his　dark　forehead；　and　his　eyes　blazed　with　terror。
　　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　she　growled；　flinging　off　his　hand。　〃Keep　your　hands　off　me；　or　I'll　split　your　skull。　What's　all　this　about？　Who　are　you？　Where　would　you　take　me？〃
　　He　took　a　firm　grip　on　himself；　casting　glances　to　all　sides；　and　began　speaking　so　fast　his　words　tripped　over　each　other。
　　〃My　name　is　Techotl。　I　am　of　Techultli。　I　and　this　man　who　lies　with　his　throat　cut　came　into　the　Halls　of　Silence　to　try　and　ambush　some　of　the　Xotalancas。　But　we　became　separated　and　I　returned　here　to　find　him　with　his　gullet　slit。　The　Burning　Skull　did　it；　I　know；　just　as　he　would　have　slain　me　had　you　not　killed　him。　But　perhaps　he　was　not　alone。　Others　may　be　stealing　from　Xotalanc！　The　gods　themselves　blench　at　the　fate　of　those　they　take　alive！〃
　　At　the　thought　he　shook　as　with　a　ague　and　his　dark　skin　grew　ashy。　Valeria　frowned　puzzledly　at　him。　She　sensed　intelligence　behind　this　rigmarole；　but　it　was　meaningless　to　her。
　　She　turned　toward　the　skull；　which　still　glowed　and　pulsed　on　the　floor；　and　was　reaching　a　booted　toe　tentatively　toward　it；　when　the　man　who　called　himself　Techotl　sprang　forward　with　a　cry。
　　〃Do　not　touch　it！　Do　not　even　look　at　it！　Madness　and　death　lurk　in　it。　The　wizards　of　Xotalanc　understand　its　secret…they　found　it　in　the　catabs；　where　lie　the　bones　of　terrible　kings　who　ruled　in　Xuchotl　in　the　black　centuries　of　the　past。　To　gaze　upon　it　freezes　the　blood　and　withers　the　brain　of　a　man　who　understands　not　its　mystery。　To　touch　it　causes　madness　and　destruction。〃
　　She　scowled　at　him　uncertainly。　He　was　not　a　reassuring　figure；　with　his　lean；　muscle…knotted　frame；　and　snaky　locks。　In　his　eyes；　behind　the　glow　of　terror；　lurked　a　weird　light　she　had　never　seen　in　the　eyes　of　a　man　wholly　sane。　Yet　he　seemed　sincere　in　his　protestations。
　　〃e！〃　he　begged；　reaching　for　her　hand；　and　then　recoiling　as　he　remembered　her　warning。　〃You　are　a　stranger。　How　you　came　here　I　do　not　know；　but　if　you　were　a　goddess　or　a　demon；　e　to　aid　Tecuhltli；　you　would　know　all　the　things　you　have　asked　me。　You　must　be　from　beyond　the　great　forest；　whence　our　ancestors　came。　But　you　are　our　friend；　or　you　would　not　have　slain　my　enemy。　e　quickly；　before　the　Xotalancas　find　us　and　slay　us！〃
　　From　his　repellent；　impassioned　face　she　glanced　to　the　sinister　skull；　smoldering　and　glowing　on　the　floor　near　the　dead　man。　It　was　like　a　skull　seen　in　a　dream；　undeniably　human；　yet　with　disturbing　distortions　and　malformations　of　contour　and　outline。　In　life　the　wearer　of　that　skull　must　have　presented　an　alien　and　monstrous　aspect。　Life？　It　seemed　to　possess　some　sort　of　life　of　its　own。　Its　jaws　yawned　at　her　and　snapped　together。　Its　radiance　grew　brighter；　more　vivid；　yet　the　impression　of　nightmare　grew　too；　it　was　a　dream；　all　life　was　a　dream…it　was　Techotl's　urgent　voice　which　snapped　Valeria　back　from　the　dim　gulfs　whither　she　was　drifting。
　　〃Do　not　look　at　the　skull！　Do　not　look　at　the　skull！〃　It　was　a　far　cry　from　across　unreckoned　voids。
　　Valeria　shook　herself　like　a　lion　shaking　his　mane。　Her　vision　cleared。　Techotl　was　chattering：　〃In　life　it　housed　the　awful　brain　of　a　king　of　magicians！　It　holds　still　the　life　and　fire　of　magic　drawn　from　outer　spaces！〃
　　With　a　curse　Valeria　leaped；　lithe　as　a　panther；　and　the　skull　crashed　to　flaming　bits　under　her　swinging　sword。　Somewhere　in　the　room；　or　in　the　void；　or　in　the　dim　reaches　of　her　consciousness；　an　inhuman　voice　cried　out　in　pain　and　rage。
　　Techotl's　hand　was　plucking　at　her　arm　and　he　was　gibbering：　〃You　have　broken　it！　You　have　destroyed　it！　Not　all　the　black　arts　of　Xotalanc　can　rebuild　it！　e　away！　e　away　quickly；　now！〃
　　〃But　I　can't　go；〃　she　protested。　〃I　have　a　friend　somewhere　near　by…〃
　　The　flare　of　his　eyes　cut　her　short　as　he　stared　past　her　with　an　expression　grown　ghastly。　She　wheeled　just　as　four　men　rushed　through　as　many　doors；　converging　on　the　pair　in　the　center　of　the　chamber。
　　They　were　like　the　others　she　had　seen；　the　same　knotted　muscles　bulging　on　otherwise　gaunt　limbs；　the　same　lank　blue…black　hair；　the　same　mad　glare　in　their　wild　eyes。　They　were　armed　and　clad　like　Techotl；　but　on　the　breast　of　each　was　painted　a　white　skull。
　　There　were　no　challenges　or　war　cries。　Like　blood…mad　tigers　the　men　of　Xotalanc　sprang　at　the　throats　of　their　enemies。　Techotl　met　them　with　the　fury　of　desperation；　ducked　the　swipe　of　a　wide…headed　blade；　and　grappled　with　the　wielder；　and　bore　him　to　the　floor　where　they　rolled　and　wrestled　in　murderous　silence。
　　The　other　three　swarmed　on　Valeria；　their　weird　eyes　red　as　the　eyes　of　mad　dogs。
　　She　killed　the　first　who　came　within　reach　before　he　could　strike　a　blow；　her　long　straight　blade　splitting　his　skull　even　as　his　own　sword　lifted　for　a　stroke。　She　side…stepped　a　thrust；　even　as　she　parried　a　slash。　Her　eyes　danced　and　her　lips　smiled　without　mercy。　Again　she　was　Valeria　of　the　Red　Brotherhood；　and　the　hum　of　her　steel　was　like　a　bridal　song　in　her　ears。
　　Her　sword　darted　past　a　blade　that　sought　to　parry；　and　sheathed　six　inches　of　its　point　in　a　leather…guarded　midriff。　The　man　gasped　agonizedly　and　went　to　his　knees；　but　his　tall　mate　l