rj.eyeoftheworld-第196章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


direction；　sucking　a　maelstrom　of　leaves　into　the　fire；　which　seemed　to　solidify　into　a　red…streaked　yellow　jelly　of　pure　heat。　In　the　middle　of　it　Aginor　stood；　his　feet　supported　only　by　air。　The　Forsaken　looked　startled；　but　then　he　smiled　and　took　a　step　forward。　It　was　a　slow　step；　as　if　the　fire　tried　to　root　him　to　the　spot；　but　he　took　it；　and　then　another。
　　　　　　　〃Run！〃　Moiraine　manded。　Her　face　was　white　with　strain。　〃All　of　you　run！〃　Aginor　stepped　across　the　air；　toward　the　edge　of　the　flames。
　　　　　　　Rand　was　aware　of　others　moving；　Mat　and　Perrin　dashing　away　at　the　edge　of　his　vision；　Loial's　long　legs　carrying　him　into　the　trees；　but　all　he　could　really　see　was　Egwene。　She　stood　there　rigid；　face　pale　and　eyes　closed。　It　was　not　fear　that　held　her；　he　realized。　She　was　trying　to；　throw　her　puny；　untrained　wielding　of　the　Power　against　the　Forsaken。
　　　　　　　Roughly　he　grabbed　her　arm　and　pulled　her　around　to　face　him。　〃Run！〃　he　shouted　at　her。　Her　eyes　opened；　staring　at　him；　angry　with　him　for　interfering；　liquid　with　hate　for　Aginor；　with　fear　of　the　Forsaken。　〃Run；〃　he　said；　pushing　her　toward　the　trees　hard　enough　to　start　her。　〃Run！〃　Once　started；　she　did　run。
　　　　　　　But　Aginor's　withered　face　turned　toward　him；　toward　the　running　Egwene　behind　him；　as　the　Forsaken　walked　through　the　flames；　as　if　what　the　Aes　Sedai　was　doing　did　not　concern　Aginor　at　all。　Toward　Egwene。
　　　　　　　〃Not　her！〃　Rand　shouted。　〃The　Light　burn　you；　not　her！〃　He　snatched　up　a　rock　and　threw　it；　meaning　to　draw　Aginor's　attention。　Halfway　to　the　Forsaken's　face；　the　stone　turned　to　a　handful　of　dust。
　　　　　　　He　hesitated　only　a　moment；　long　enough　to　glance　over　his　shoulder　and　see　that　Egwene　was　hidden　in　the　trees。　The　flames　still　surrounded　Aginor；　patches　of　his　cloak　smoldering；　but　he　walked　as　if　he　had　all　the　time　in　the　world；　and　the　fire's　rim　was　near。　Rand　turned　and　ran。　Behind　him　he　heard　Moiraine　begin　to　scream。

Chapter　51
Against　the　Shadow
　
　　　　　　　The　land　tended　upward　the　way　Rand　went；　but　fear　lent　his　legs　strength　and　they　ate　ground　in　long　strides；　tearing　his　way　through　flowering　bushes　and　tangles　of　wildrose；　scattering　petals；　not　caring　if　thorns　ripped　his　clothes　or　even　his　flesh。　Moiraine　had　stopped　screaming。　It　seemed　as　if　the　shrieks　had　gone　on　forever；　each　one　more　throat…wrenching　than　the　last；　but　he　knew　they　had　lasted　only　moments　altogether。　Moments　before　Aginor　would　be　on　his　trail。　He　knew　it　would　be　him　that　Aginor　followed。　He　had　seen　the　certainty　in　the　Forsaken's　hollow　eyes；　in　that　last　second　before　terror　whipped　his　feet　to　run。
　　　　　　　The　land　grew　ever　steeper；　but　he　scrambled　on；　pulling　himself　forward　by　handfuls　of　undergrowth；　rocks　and　dirt　and　leaves　spilling　down　the　slope　from　under　his　feet；　finally　crawling　on　hands　and　knees　when　the　slant　became　too　great。　Ahead；　above；　it　leveled　out　a　little。　Panting；　he　scrabbled　his　way　the　last　few　spans；　got　to　his　feet；　and　stopped；　wanting　to　howl　aloud。
　　　　　　　Ten　paces　in　front　of　him；　the　hilltop　dropped　away　sharply。　He　knew　what　he　would　see　before　he　reached　it；　but　he　took　the　steps　anyway；　each　heavier　than　the　one　before；　hoping　there　might　be　some　track；　a　goat　path；　anything。　At　the　edge　he　looked　down　a　sheer　hundred…foot　drop；　a　stone　wall　as　smooth　as　planed　timber。
　　　　　　　There　has　to　be　some　way。　I'll　go　back　and　find　a　way　around。　Go　back　and　…When　he　turned；　Aginor　was　there；　just　reaching　the　crest。　The　Forsaken　topped　the　hill　without　any　difficulty；　walking　up　the　steep　slope　as　if　it　were　level　ground。　Deep…sunken　eyes　burned　at　him　from　that　drawn　parchment　face；　somehow；　it　seemed　less　withered　than　before；　more　fleshed；　as　if　Aginor　had　fed　well　on　something。　Those　eyes　were　fixed　on　him；　yet　when　Aginor　spoke；　it　was　almost　to　himself。
　　　　　　　〃Ba'alzamon　will　give　rewards　beyond　mortal　dreaming　for　the　one　who　brings　you　to　Shayol　Ghul。　Yet　my　dreams　have　always　been　beyond　those　of　other　men；　and　I　left　mortality　behind　millennia　ago。　What　difference　if　you　serve　the　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark　alive　or　dead？　None；　to　the　spread　of　the　Shadow。　Why　should　I　share　power　with　you？　Why　should　I　bend　knee　to　you？　I；　who　faced　Lews　Therin　Telamon　in　the　Hall　of　the　Servants　itself。　I；　who　threw　my　might　against　the　Lord　of　the　Morning　and　met　him　stroke　for　stroke。　I　think　not。〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　mouth　dried　like　dust；　his　tongue　felt　as　shriveled　as　Aginor。　The　edge　of　the　precipice　grated　under　his　heels；　stone　falling　away。　He　did　not　dare　look　back；　but　he　heard　the　rocks　bounding　and　rebounding　from　the　sheer　wall；　just　as　his　body　would　if　he　moved　another　inch。　It　was　the　first　he　knew　that　he　had　been　backing　up；　away　from　the　Forsaken。　His　skin　crawled　until　he　thought　he　must　see　it　writhing　if　he　looked；　if　he　could　only　take　his　eyes　off　the　Forsaken。　There　has　to　be　some　way　to　get　away　from　him。　Some　way　to　escape！　There　has　to　be！　Some　way！
　　　　　　　Suddenly　he　felt　something；　saw　it；　though　he　knew　it　was　not　there　to　see。　A　glowing　rope　ran　off　from　Aginor；　behind　him；　white　like　sunlight　seen　through　the　purest　cloud；　heavier　than　a　blacksmith's　arm；　lighter　than　air；　connecting　the　Forsaken　to　something　distant　beyond　knowing；　something　within　the　touch　of　Rand's　hand。　The　rope　pulsed；　and　with　every　throb　Aginor　grew　stronger；　more　fully　fleshed；　a　man　as　tall　and　strong　as　himself；　a　man　harder　than　the　Warder；　more　deadly　than　the　Blight。　Yet　beside　that　shining　cord；　the　Forsaken　seemed　almost　not　to　exist。　The　cord　was　all。　It　hummed。　It　sang。　It　called　Rand's　soul。　One　bright　finger…strand　lifted　away；　drifted；　touched　him；　and　he　gasped。　Light　filled　him；　and　heat　that　should　have　burned　yet　only　warmed　as　if　it　took　the　chill　of　the　grave　from　his　bones。　The　strand　thickened。　I　have　to　get　away！
　　　　　　　〃No！〃　Aginor　shouted。　〃You　shall　not　have　it！　It　is　mine！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　did　not　move；　and　neither　did　the　Forsaken；　yet　they　fought　as　surely　as　if　they　grappled　in　the　dust。　Sweat　beaded　on　Aginor's　face；　no　longer　withered；　no　longer　old；　that　of　a　strong　man　in　his　prime。　Rand　pulsed　with　the　beating　in　the　cord；　like　the　heartbeat　of　the　world。　It　filled　his　being。　Light　filled　his　mind；　till　only　a　corner　was　left　for　what　was　himself。　He　wrapped　the　void　around　that　nook；　sheltered　in　emptiness。　Away！〃Mine！〃　Aginor　cried。　〃Mine！〃
　　　　　　　Warmth　built　in　Rand；　the　warmth　of　the　sun；　the　radiance　of　the　sun；　bursting；　the　awful　radiance　of　light；　of　the　Light。　Away！
　　　　　　　〃Mine！〃　Flame　shot　from　Aginor's　mouth；　broke　through　his　eyes　like　spears　of　fire；　and　he　screamed。
　　　　　　　Away！
　　　　　　　And　Rand　was　no　longer　on　the　hilltop。　He　quivered　with　the　Light　that　suffused　him。　His　mind　would　not　work；　light　and　heat　blinded　it。　The　Light。　In　the　midst　of　the　void；　the　Light　blinded　his　mind；　stunned　him　with　awe。
　　　　　　　He　stood　in　a　broad　mountain　pass；　surrounded　by　jagged　black　peaks　like　the　teeth　of　the　Dark　One。　It　was　real；　he　was　there。　He　felt　the　rocks　under　his　boots；　the　icy　breeze　on　his　face。
　　　　　　　Battle　surrounded　him；　or　the　tail　end　of　battle。　Armored　men　on　armored　horses；　shining　steel　dusty　now；　slashed　and　stabbed　at　snarling　Trollocs　wielding　spiked　axes　and　scythe…like　swords。　Some　men　fought　afoot；　their　horses　down；　and　barded　horses　galloped　through　the　fight　with　empty　saddles。　Fades　moved　among　them　all；　night…black　cloaks　hanging　still　however　their　dark　mounts　galloped；　and　wherever　their　light…eating　swords　swung；　men　died。　Sound　beat　at　Rand；　beat　at　him　and　bounced　from　the　strangeness　that　had　him　by　the　throat。　The　clash　of　steel　against　steel；　the　panting　and　grunting　of　men　and　Trollocs　striving；　the　screams　of　men　and　Trollocs　dying。　Over　the　din；　banners　waved　in　dust…filled　air。　The　Black　Hawk　of　Fal　Dara；　the　White　Hart　of　Shienar；　others。　And　Trolloc　banners。　In　just　the　little　space　around　him　he　saw　the　horned　skull　of　the　Dha'vol；　the　blood…red　trident　of　the　Ko'bal；　the　iron　fist　of　the　Dhai'mon。
　　　　　　　Yet　it　was　indeed　the　tail　end　of　battle；　a　pausing；　as　humans　and　Trollocs　alike　fell　back　to　regroup。　None　seemed　to　notice　Rand　as　they　paid　a　few　last　strokes　and　broke　away；　galloping；　or　running　in　a　st