cacb.thefarkingdoms-第53部分

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　the　rain　poured　out　of　the　heavens；　we　jammed　our　gear　into　our　packs；　quicklashed　them　to　the　asses；　and　fled。
　Deoce　and　I　stopped　at　the　top　of　the　crater。　We　turned　for　one　last　look　at　the　place　where　our　love　had　blossomed。　But　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　in　the　storm's　fury。　Janos　came　up　behind　us。　He　put　a　hand　on　each　of　us；　a　hand　of　fort。　The　three　of　us　stood　there　for　a　long　moment；　the　rain　beating　down　on　our　forlorn　figures。
　Then　he　said；　〃It　is　time　to　go；　my　friends。　e。〃　The　three　of　us　turned　and　stumbled　out　of　paradise。
　
　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　The　Wasteland
　WE　FLED　THE　valley　into　a　wasteland：　for　leagues　the　land　stretched；　flat　and　studded　with　rocks　and　flint　and　shale。　The　only　plants　we　saw　were　gray；　twisted　trees　that　reached　low　along　the　ground　like　old　men's　fingers。　We　saw　no　wildlife；　and　the　only　water　we　found　was　brackish　and　so　deep；　we　had　to　dig　for　hours　before　the　slightest　moisture　trickled　out。
　We　were　forced　to　wear　our　tattered　footwear　once　more；　and　all　too　soon　their　soles　were　cut　through。　We　wrapped　rags　around　our　feet　and　cut　canvas　socks　to　ease　the　burden　of　the　poor　beasts　who　bore　our　goods。　Cassini　must　now　have　rued　his　insistence　on　having　boots　made　before　we　entered　the　valley：　his　last　pair　wore　through　in　less　than　a　day；　and　there　was　nothing　to　make　new　ones　from。　Not　that　anyone　would　have　made　them　for　him　anyway…no　one　was　speaking　to　the　Evocator　beyond　the　necessities　of　duty。　Our　anger　grew　as　he　found　it　increasingly　hard　to　cast　his　spells　around　the　relict；　and　we　depended　more　and　more　on　navigating　by　the　sun　and　taking　star　readings　after　nightfall　for　the　next　day's　navigation。
　We　spoke　to　one　another　less　and　less；　and　then　through　sun…cracked　lips；　as　if　all　of　us　were　growing　to　hate　each　other。　At　least　there　was　no　conflict　between　Deoce　and　myself；　although　we　had　so　little　energy；　we　rarely　made　love。　There　were　mutter…ings　from　some　of　the　men；　especially　Lione；　about　the　privileges　of　the　rich；　and　how　I　was　doing　less　work　than　any　of　them。　They　chose　not　to　notice　that　I　had　made　myself　the　expedition's　cook…not　because　of　any　particular　talent　or　feeling　for　the　art；　but　simply　because　I　knew　the　truth　of　what　my　father　had　told　me　as　a　boy。　〃If　you　carve　yourself　the　largest　piece　of　the　pie；　you　must　also　have　done；　and　be　seen　to　have　done；　more　of　that　day's　labor　than　anyone　else。〃　Not　that　cooking　was　an　onerous　chore；　requiring　nothing　more　than　putting　water；　some　smashed　corn；　and　dried　vegetables　and　spices　in　a　pot　and　shredding　a　bit　of　dried　meat　into　the　〃soup。〃　No　one　…　yet　…　mentioned　killing　the　asses　for　food。
　Another　great　absence　we　noted　was　the　Watchers'。　I　did　not　know　whether　to　be　relieved；　fearful；　or　concerned　that　we　had　lost　our　way。　Even　though　we　did　not　know　whether　their　purpose　was　maleficent　or　benevolent；　we　had　grown　used　to　seeing　the　speck　on　the　horizon　or　mesa　top。
　Then　one　night　we　made　a　dry　camp；　mechanically　chewed　what　dinner　we　could　stomach；　and　tried　to　sleep；　each　man　curled　into　a　hip　hollow　he'd　dug。　I　lay　on　my　back；　with　my　hand　outstretched　to　touch　Deoce。　It　was　not　hot；　not　cold；　the　sky　was　very　clear　and　very　dark；　and　the　stars　seemed　especially　close。　Then　I　thought　it　grew　hazy；　as　if　a　sandstorm　was　rising；　but　I　did　not　move。　I　was　asleep；　and　I　dreamed。
　My　dreams　must　have　lasted　all　night；　because　when　I　woke；　I　felt　sore　in　every　muscle；　as　if　I　had　not　slept　at　all。　Deoce　seemed　just　as　tired：　there　were　dark　circles　under　her　eyes。　I　was　foolish　enough　to　mention　her　haggardness；　and　she　snapped　at　me；　then　apologized。　Everyone　in　the　party　looked　as　wrung　out　as　we　did。　Wordlessly；　we　all　began　reassembling　our　packs　for　the　day's　journey。　Janos　broke　our　stupor　suddenly　and　ordered　us　all　to　assemble　around　him。
　Without　preamble；　he　began；　〃Cassini；　I　dreamed　last　night。〃　I　expected　a　sarcastic　retort　from　the　Evocator；　but　Cassini　just　nodded；　as　if　he　knew　just　what　Janos　was　talking　about。
　〃I　think；〃　Greycloak　went　on；　〃that　all　of　us　did。　Am　I　correct？〃　Surprised　nods；　grunts；　agreement　from　all　of　us。　〃I　could　tell　you　my　dream　exactly；　but　we　cannot　waste　too　much　time　on　details。　In　short；　my　dream　told　me　that　this　region　we　are　marching　through；　this　blasted　heath；　es　not　from　the　gods；　but　from　something　else。　I　dreamed　that　this　was　once　a　fallow；　peaceful　land；　with　cities　and　towns；　even　greater　than　what　Cassini's　vision　told　him　of　the　river　and　the　land　beyond　the　Shore　People's　borders。　This　land　was　shattered；　and　destroyed。　Destroyed　in　but　one　week。　The　people　were　killed　or　driven　away；　I　do　not　remember　that　well。　The　water　sank　far　beneath　the　ground；　and　even　the　hills　and　mountains　were　crushed；　as　we　might　crush　an　anthill　beneath　a　boot。　Yes？　Is　my　dream　your　dream？　I　shall　let　our　Evocator　finish；　then。　What　caused　this　destruction？〃
　Cassini's　face　was　even　more　haunted　than　anyone's。　〃A　spell；〃　he　whispered。　〃A　spell　or　a　web　of　spells；　cast　by　Evocators　with　powers　far　beyond　those　I　could　even　dream　of；　far　beyond　the　sorcery　that　tore　down　Lycanth's　great　wall　or　the　Archons'　tempest　we　barely　survived。　Not　only　was　this　land　obliterated　between　the　setting　and　the　rising　of　the　sun；　but　enough　of　the　spell's　power　lingered　on；　so　that　this　land　shall　never　again　be　fruitful。〃
　Janos　asked；　〃Can　you　tell　us　where　this　spell　came　from？〃
　Cassini　shook　his　head。　〃Only　that　your　dream　was　right；　and　it　was　cast　by　men　。。。　or　by　creatures　who　once　were　men；　and　not　gods。〃
　〃From　th'　Far　Kingdoms；〃　one　of　the　men　muttered。　His　name　was　Sylv。　〃An'　we're　walkin'　down　their　throats　like　roebuck　follyin'　th'　net　trail　into　th'　killing　ring。〃
　〃No；〃　Cassini　said　flatly。　〃I　sensed　then；　and　still　do；　great　magic　from　the　east…from　where　our　talisman　shows　the　Far　Kingdoms　to　be。　But　this　is　not　from　that　direction　。。。　but　from　everywhere　。。。　and　nowhere。〃
　Janos　came　to　his　feet。　〃So　if　this　spell　yet　lingers　on　。。。　and　to　use　your　own　words　about　the　killing　floor；　Sylv；　we　had　best　move　ourselves　beyond　spear　reach；　even　if　that　spear　might　be　a　sorcerous　one。〃
　Quickly　spoken　by　both　of　them；　and　we　did　pack　quickly　and　continue　moving。　But　the　men's　fears　were　not　assuaged。　We　began　seeing　more　and　more　dark　looks；　looks　of　anger　and　fear　and　guilt；　looks　that　broke　away　when　one　of　the　four　expedition　leaders　noticed　them。　Janos　began　marching　close　to　the　two　asses　containing　our　water　supply；　and　Maeen　stayed　close　to　the　ones　with　our　treasure。　I　asked　Janos　if　there　could　be　a　mutiny；　and　he　told　me　no。　〃Not　yet；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　too　tired；　no　one　has　died；　and；　most　importantly；　none　of　them　see　a　place　to　flee　to。　The　most　likely　would　be　the　five　we　rescued　from　the　slavers；　since　their　homes　would　be　closer。　But　they　are　still　beaten　down　from　their　capture。　No。　No　one　will　murder　us　in　our　sleep。　Yet。〃
　The　next　day；　Cassini　lost　his　magic。　His　shouts　woke　me　just　at　dawn；　and　I　ran　to　him；　thinking　that　perhaps　a　desert　serpent　had　sought　him　for　warmth。　Cassini　was　sitting　with　the　cloak　he　used　for　his　bedding；　his　face　as　blank　and　terrified　as　an　infant　who's　had　his　first　nightmare　and　wakes　knowing　nothing　but　terror。
　〃I　。。。　I　do　not　have　my　spells；〃　he　said。　〃I　。。。　my　mind　is　wiped　clean！〃　He　could　barely　talk；　and　it　took　some　time　to　find　out　just　what　he　meant。　He'd　awakened　and　determined　to　cast　a　simple　spell　that　might　wipe　out　the　fleas　that　were　living　in　the　lining　of　his　cloak。　〃But　I　could　not。。。　cannot。。。　remember　the　gods　to　use　in　the　incantation；　or　the　incantations　themselves；　or　even　what　symbols　might　be　drawn　。。。　I　cannot；　in　fact；　remember　any　symbol　except　the　circle；　and　the　lowliest　dolt　knows　that　to　be　magical。〃
　〃Then　we　are　naked；〃　Maeen　said；　before　he　caught　himself。　I　do　not　think　that　anyone　else　heard　him；　but　they　did　not　need　to。　If　Cassini　had　lost　his　powers；　that　would　mean　all　the　little　spells；　from　those　that　meant　a　leak　in　our　waterskins　would　seal　itself　to　whatever　protective　words　he'd　cast　to　shield　us　from　outside　sorcery；　were　gone。　We　were　naked。　Even　worse　was　that；　without　the　words；　the　Watcher's　relict；　our　map；　was　useless。