tg.wizardfirstrule-第49章

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　〃Kahlan；　let　go　of　me！〃
　
　She　was　too　terrified　to　do　it。　She　clutched　him　tightly；　desperately；　panting　in　pain。　The　green　sheet　came　up　as　they　were　dragged　in。…　The　buzzing　was　loud　in　his　ears。
　
　〃Let　go！〃　he　yelled　again。
　
　He　tried　to　pry　her　hands　from　his　waist。　The　trees　of　the　bog　started　to　fade　into　darkness。　Richard　could　feel　the　pressure　of　the　wall。　He　couldn't　believe　how　strongly　she　held　him。　On　his　back；　sliding　across　the　ground；　he　tried　to　reach　behind　himself　to　pull　her　wrists　away　from　him；　but　could　not。　Their　only　chance　was　for　him　to　get　up。
　
　〃Kahlan！　You　have　to　let　go　or　we're　dead！　I　won't　let　them　get　you！　Trust　me！　Let　go！〃　He　didn't　know　if　he　was　telling　her　the　truth；　but　he　was　sure　it　was　their　only　chance。
　
　Her　head　pressed　against　his　stomach　as　she　clutched　his　body。　Kahlan　looked　up　at　him；　her　face　contorting　in　pain　as　the　black　thing　squeezed。　She　screamed；　then　let　go。
　
　In　a　blink　Richard　was　on　his　feet。　As　he　jumped　up；　the　dark　wall　materialized　abruptly　in　front　of　him。　His　father　reached　out。　He　unleashed　his　rage；　swinging　the　sword　with　every　fiber　of　violence　he　possessed。　The　blade　swept　through　the　barrier；　through　the　thing　he　knew　wasn't　his　father。　The　dark　shape　wailed；　exploding　into　a　cloud　of　nothingness。
　
　Kahlan's　feet　were　at　the　wall；　the　dark　thing　enfolded　tightly　around　her　legs；　pressing　and　pulling。　He　brought　the　sword　up。　Murderous　need　surged　through　him。
　
　〃Richard；　no！　It's　my　sister！〃　He　knew　it　wasn't；　just　as　it　wasn't　his　father。　He　gave　himself　over　pletely　to　the　hot　need　and　brought　the　sword　down　as　hard　as　he　could。　Again　it　swept　through　the　wall；　slashed　through　the　repulsive　thing　that　held　Kahlan。　There　was　a　confusion　of　flashes；　unearthly　wailing　and　keening。　Kahlan's　legs　were　free。　She　lay　sprawled　on　her　stomach。
　
　Without　looking　to　see　what　else　was　happening；　Richard　pushed　his　arm　under　her　waist　and　lifted　her　in　a　single　motion；　scooping　her　off　the　ground。　He　held　her　tight　against　himself　and　held　the　sword　toward　the　wall　as　he　retreated　from　the　boundary。　Backing　away　steadily；　he　watched　for　any　movement；　any　aggression。　They　left　the　green　light。
　
　He　kept　going　until　they　were　well　clear；　beyond　the　horses。　When　he　stopped　at　last　and　released　her；　Kahlan　turned　and　threw　her　arms　around　him；　shaking。　He　had　to　struggle　to　restrain　the　rage　that　urged　him　to　go　back　in　and　attack。　He　knew　he　would　have　to　put　the　sword　away　to　quell　the　anger；　the　need；　but　he　didn't　dare　to。
　
　〃The　others；　where　are　they？〃　she　asked　in　a　panic。　〃We　have　to　find　them。〃
　
　Kahlan　pushed　away　from　him　and　started　to　run　back。　Richard　snatched　her　by　the　wrist；　almost　yanking　her　from　her　feet。
　
　〃Stay　here！〃　he　yelled　far　more　angrily　than　required；　pushing　her　to　the　ground。
　
　Richard　found　Zedd　in　a　heap；　unconscious。　As　he　bent　to　the　old　man；　something　swept　out　in　a　rush　over　his　head。　His　anger　erupted。　He　spun　with　the　sword；　the　blade　sweeping　through　the　dark　form。　The　stump　reeled　back　into　the　boundary　with　a　shrill　screeching；　the　severed　part　vaporizing　in　midair。　Richard　picked　up　Zedd　with　one　arm；　threw　him　over　his　shoulder　like　a　sack　of　grain；　and　carried　him　to　Kahlan；　where　he　laid　him　gently　on　the　ground。　She　held　the　wizard's　head　in　her　lap；　inspecting　for　wounds。　Richard　ducked　low　as　he　ran　back；　but　the　expected　attack　didn't　e。　He　wished　it　would；　he　longed　for　the　fight；　hungered　to　strike。　He　found　Chase　jammed　partway　under　a　log。　Richard　seized　the　mail　and　pulled　him　over。　Blood　oozed　from　a　gash　on　the　side　of　Chase's　head。　Debris　was　stuck　to　the　wound。
　
　Richard's　mind　raced；　trying　to　think　what　to　do。　He　couldn't　lift　Chase　with　one　arm；　and　he　didn't　dare　to　put　the　sword　away。　He　did　know　he　didn't　want　Kahlan　to　e　help；　he　wanted　her　to　stay　safely　away。　Getting　a　good　grip　on　the　warden's　leather　tunic；　Richard　started　dragging　him。　The　slick　bog　weed　eased　the　effort　somewhat；　but　it　was　still　difficult；　because　he　had　to　go　around　several　fallen　trees。　Surprisingly；　nothing　attacked。　Maybe　he　had　hurt　it；　or　killed　it。　He　wondered　if　it　was　possible　to　kill　something　already　dead。　The　sword　had　magic。　Richard　wasn't　sure　what　it　was　capable　of；　he　wasn't　even　sure　if　the　things　in　the　boundary　were　dead。　He　finally　reached　Kahlan　and　Zedd；　and　dragged　Chase　close。　The　wizard　was　still　unconscious。
　
　Kahlan's　face　was　white　with　worry。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　
　Richard　scanned　around。　〃We　can't　stay　here；　and　we　can't　leave　them。　Let's　put　them　over　the　horses　and　get　out　of　here。　We'll　look　to　their　wounds　as　soon　as　we're　a　safe　distance　away。〃
　
　The　clouds　were　thicker　than　before；　and　mist　covered　everything　with　a　wet　sheen。　As　he　checked　in　every　direction；　Richard　put　the　sword　away　and　easily　lifted　Zedd　over　his　horse。　Chase　was　more　difficult。　He　was　big；　and　all　his　weapons　were　heavy。　Blood　throbbed　from　the　wound　on　the　side　of　his　forehead；　soaking　his　hair；　and　hanging　him　over　the　side　of　the　horse　made　it　bleed　more。　Richard　decided　he　couldn't　leave　it　untended。　He　quickly　retrieved　an　aum　leaf　and　a　strip　of　cloth　from　a　pack。　He　crumpled　the　leaf　to　make　it　seep　its　healing　fluid；　pressed　it　against　the　wound；　and　had　Kahlan　wrap　the　cloth　around　Chase's　head。　The　cloth　soaked　through　almost　immediately；　but　he　knew　the　aum　leaf　would　stop　the　bleeding　in　a　short　time。
　
　Richard　helped　Kahlan　up　onto　her　horse。　He　could　tell　that　her　legs　hurt　more　than　she　would　admit。　He　gave　her　the　reins　of　Zedd's　horse；　mounted　up；　took　Chase's　horse；　and　then　carefully　got　his　bearings。　He　knew　they　would　have　a　hard　time　finding　the　trail；　the　mist　was　getting　heavy；　visibility　limited。　There　seemed　to　be　ghosts　watching　from　the　shadows　in　every　direction。　He　didn't　know　if　he　should　lead　or　follow　Kahlan；　didn't　know　how　best　to　protect　her；　so　he　rode　beside　her。　Zedd　and　Chase　weren't　tied　down　and　could　easily　slip　off　the　horses；　so　they　had　to　take　it　slow。　The　dead　spruce　looked　the　same　in　every　direction；　and　they　couldn't　go　in　a　straight　line　because　they　had　to　cut　back　and　forth　around　fallen　trees。　Richard　spat　out　mosquitoes　that　kept　flying　into　his　mouth。
　
　The　sky　was　the　same　dark　steel　gray　everywhere；　there　was　no　chance　to　tell　where　the　sun　was；　to　get　oriented。　After　a　time；　Richard　wasn't　at　all　sure　they　were　going　in　the　right　direction；　it　seemed　they　should　have　reached　the　trail　already。　He　took　fixes　from　landmark　trees；　and　when　they　reached　each　one　he　would　pick　a　new　one　farther　ahead；　hoping　they　were　traveling　in　a　straight　line。　To　do　it　properly　he　knew　he　had　to　be　able　to　line　up　at　least　three　trees　to　make　sure　the　line　of　travel　was　straight；　but　he　couldn't　see　that　far　in　the　mist。　He　couldn't　be　sure　he　wasn't　leading　them　in　circles。　Even　if　he　was　going　in　a　straight　line；　he　wasn't　sure　the　direction　was　toward　the　trail。
　
　〃Are　you　sure　we're　going　the　right　way？〃　Kahlan　asked。　〃It　all　looks　the　same。〃
　
　〃No。　But　at　least　we　haven't　run　into　the　boundary。〃
　
　〃Do　you　think　we　should　stop　and　tend　to　them？〃
　
　〃We　don't　dare。　For　all　I　know　we　could　be　ten　feet　from　the　underworld。〃
　
　Kahlan　looked　around；　worried。　Richard　gave　thought　to　having　her　wait　with　the　other　two　while　he　went　ahead　and　scouted　for　the　trail；　but　dismissed　the　idea；　as　he　was　afraid　he　might　not　be　able　to　find　her　again。　They　had　to　stay　together。　He　started　to　wonder　what　they　would　do　if　they　couldn't　find　their　way　out　before　dark。　How　would　they　protect　themselves　against　the　heart　hounds？　If　there　were　enough　of　them；　even　the　sword　couldn't　hold　them　all　off　at　once。　Chase　had　said　they　had　to　get　to　the　swamp　before　nightfall。　He　hadn't　said　why；　or　how　the　swamp　could　protect　them。　The　brown　bog　weed　was　an　endless　sea　all　around；　with　hulks　of　trees　aground　in　it　everywhere。
　
　An　oak　appeared　off　to　their　left；　then　some　more；　some　with　leaves　shimmering　dark　green　and　wet　in　the　mist。　This　was　not　the　way　they　had　e　in。　Richard　turned　them　to　the　right　a　little；　following　the　edge　of　the　dead　bog；　hoping　it　would　lead