cacb.thefarkingdoms-第98部分

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　〃The　solution　is　back　in　that　chamber；〃　Janos　said　after　a　few　moments。　〃If　we　pass　through　that　fire　as　living　men；　we　will　have　stolen　his　sorcery。　It　is　only　the　souls　of　the　dead　that　our　Lord　Mortacious　can　claim。〃　I　quaked　in　horror　of　his　logic；　but　fear　of　what　I　had　seen　drove　me　to　accept　his　reasoning。　〃There　is　still　one　great　danger　remaining；〃　Janos　said。　〃When　all　twenty　of　us　pass　through　that　fire　and　gather　at　the　other　side；　Mortacious　will　know　in　an　instant。　A　few…the　three　of　us；　for　instance…might　escape　unnoticed。　But　all　of　us　challenging　him　will　be　as　loud　a　jangle　to　his　senses　as　any　bell　that　has　ever　been　cast。〃
　Once　again　I　was　confronted　with　one　of　Janos'　peculiar　hesitations。　I　knew　my　friend's　imagination　had　raced　beyond　this　place　and　was　set　on　the　road　to　his　obsession。　The　Far　Kingdoms　were　calling　him　again；　a　wanton　song　that　tested　all　his　bonds。　But　this　was　no　time　for　doubt's　ungracious　mewlings；　whether　his　or　mine。
　〃The　only　way　to　get　to　that　furnace　is　to　kill　the　men　who　guard　it；〃　I　said；　using　reason　as　bait；　instead　of　emotion。　〃It　will　take　all　of　us　to　acplish　it。〃
　〃Even　then；〃　Maeen　broke　in；　〃the　odds　are　slender。　And　they　get　more　slender　still　once　we　reach　the　streets。〃
　Janos　nodded。　〃Let's　do　it　then；〃　he　said。　〃Besides；　I　am　weary　of　this　wizard。　He　marched　the　twenty　of　us　in　like　whipped　dogs。　But　now　it's　time　for　the　twenty　of　us　to　go　out；　and　we'll　do　it　as　fighting　men　。。。　as　soldiers。〃
　We　went　back　for　the　others。　It　was　difficult　to　reenter　Mortacious'　palace；　even　though　once　more　we　saw　no　guards。　Janos　told　the　men　what　to　expect；　and　I　was　amazed　no　one　balked　at　the　horror　to　e　or　questioned　what　we　had　seen。　Perhaps　being　in　this　city　of　dead　souls　inured　us　all　to　terror。　My　courage　revived　somewhat　when　we　stopped　in　the　armory　Maeen　had　found；　where　our　confiscated　weapons　were　held。　My　sword's　steel　was　reassuring；　although　I　wondered　how　effective　it　would　be　against　the　already　dead。
　If　panic　is　Fear's　sister；　it　was　she　gave　us　strength　that　night；　while　her　brother　fired　our　blood　lust。　We　fell　on　them　unawares；　those　poor　soulless　men　with　whips　and　short　swords　forged　only　to　cut　a　pliant　path　for　final　release。　They　were　silent　when　we　came　howling　into　the　chamber；　and　silent　they　remained　during　the　furious　fight。　We　cut　them　down　and　pierced　them　where　they　fell。　But　as　we　moved　on　to　reap　their　brothers；　they　rose　up　and　came　at　our　backs。　We　were　killing　men　who　were　dead　when　we　slew　them；　then　killing　them　again；　and　again。　We　cut　off　their　limbs；　but　they　still　had　teeth　to　bite；　and　the　lopped…off　arms；　attached　to　hands　that　still　gripped　swords；　snaked　across　the　floor　in　blind　search　for　us。　So　we　severed　every　joint；　chopped　off　every　head；　and　gutted　the　flopping　trunks　that　rolled　about　to　knock　us　from　our　feet。　We　were　twenty　butchers；　half…mad　with　fear；　wading　through　a　slaughterhouse　of　meat　no　man　could　eat；　grappling　with　poor　beasts　who　did　not　cry　out　when　we　maimed　them；　and　fought　with　only　the　wizard's　hate　to　hold　them　up。
　Finally；　we　were　done。　Our　clothes　were　blood…drenched　uniforms；　our　faces　gory　masks。　We　turned　away　from　the　demons　our　slaughter　had　conjured。　All　of　us　knew　the　blood　would　remain　even　if　we　bathed　in　whole　rivers　of　pure　water。　The　shame　was　undeserved；　but　fairness　is　a　great　stranger　to　life。　There　was　nothing　we　could　do　but　swallow　ugly　fate　and　get　on　with　it。
　The　furnace　waited；　and　above　the　furnace　was　the　demon　who　fed　on　souls。　Janos　stood　by　the　moving　belt　that　clanked　across　the　unholy　fires　that　roasted　those　souls　to　the　demon's　taste。　He　urged　us　to　hurry；　and　we　shambled　to　him　as　if　we　were　already　one　of　Mortacious'　slaves。　I　looked　across　the　great　belt　and　saw　the　blue　flames　leaping　through　the　grate；　and　I　heard　the　demon's　gnashing　teeth　above。　On　the　far　side　of　that　soul　conveyer；　Janos　said；　was　rescued　life；　on　this　side；　eternal　slavery。　He　said　he　would　go　first　to　prove　his　theory；　and　warned　that　we　must　follow　quickly；　for　he　sensed　the　wizard　was　wakening。　I　would　go　last；　he　said；　to　make　certain　the　pace　did　not　slacken。
　Then　cold；　cold　Reason　tapped　me　on　the　shoulder。　I　turned；　angered　by　his　unsummoned　presence；　and　asked　what　it　was　he　wanted。　But　I　saw　the　answer　in　the　hard　mirrors　of　Reason's　eyes。　Janos'　plan　was　sound　enough；　but　it　must　be　turned　from　tail　to　head；　for　if　Janos　was　wrong；　and　error　plucked　him　from　us；　we　would　all　be　helpless　before　the　wizard's　wrath。　I　must　go　first；　Reason　demanded；　and　Janos　last。。。　if　I　survived。　Then　the　mirrors　melted；　and　I　found　myself　gazing　into　Halab's　sad；　knowing　eyes。　He　whispered　words　of　courage　and　warmed　Reason's　chill　message　until　it　was　easier　to　hold。　Halab　stayed　with　me　as　I　went　to　Janos　and　stopped　him　as　he　was　about　to　mount　the　belt。　When　I　presented　my　logic；　Halab　grinned　in　encouragement。　Janos　argued；　but　at　last　he　admitted　I　was　right。　Rare　emotion　nearly　overcame　him。　I　saw　tears　well；　and　as　he　turned　to　hide　them；　saw　the　tremble　of　his　beard。　Then　he　embraced　me　and　whispered　that　I　was　the　only　one　who　had　believed　him　from　the　beginning。　He　called　me　friend　and　brother　and　thanked　me　for　my　faith。　I　let　him　keep　that　lie　as　my　gift；　knowing　that　when　he　put　it　in　the　chest　he　kept　to　hold　such　treasures；　my　gift　would　find　little　pany。　For　all　the　time　I　knew　Janos；　I　never　heard　him　call　another　man　or　woman　friend。　I　see　now　that　Janos　was　a　man　who　liked　but　never　loved；　save　once；　and　his　curse　robbed　that　of　any　value。　So　I　let　him　believe　the　lie　of　my　faith：　but　when　he　reached　out；　it　was　Halab's　hand　I　grasped；　and　when　he　led　me　to　the　clacking　belt；　it　was　Halab；　not　Janos；　who　whispered　my　redheaded　luck　would　confound　the　soul　eater。　Finally　it　was　Janos　who　stepped　away；　while　Halab　crouched　beside　me　as　the　conveyer　swept　me　toward　the　flames。
　I　was　hurled　into　a　heat　that　had　form　and　substance。　It　stole　the　air　before　I　could　breathe　it；　sapped　my　strength　before　I　could　gather　it。　The　heat　was　a　hammer　that　cracked　me　like　an　egg　with　its　first　blow；　with　its　second；　it　crushed　me　into　a　trembling　mass　that　knew　only　pain　and　fear。　Fire　spat　and　roared；　and　I　was　swept　into　a　tunnel　of　blue…flamed　serpents　that　struck　from　every　side。　I　felt　my　flesh　peel　away　so　the　flames　could　attack　naked　nerve；　and　when　they　were　ash；　the　wizard's　furnace　boiled　off　my　blood　and　cracked　my　bones　to　sear　the　marrow。　Everything　that　made　me；　even　my　screams；　was　slowly　consumed　by　that　fire。　At　last；　all　I　had　left　were　eyes　to　see　the　demon's　twitching　maw；　ears　to　hear　the　clatter　of　its　fangs；　and　a　mind　whose　only　thoughts　were　painful　present　and　fearful　future。　Then　Halab　leaned　over；　blocking　the　demon　from　view。　He　sang　a　song；　the　song　I　favored　most　as　a　child；　and　banished　all　the　sounds　I　dreaded。　He　stroked　my　tormented　body；　and　I　felt　bone　and　blood　and　flesh　reform。　Then　he　told　me　there　was　only　a　little　way　to　go　。。。　a　small　bit　of　pain　to　endure　。。。　and　we　were　done。　I　felt　a　great　easing；　and　a　familiar　sense　of　self　returned。　With　that　return　I　realized　my　soul　had　left　me　for　a　time。　We　gave　it　a　joyous　wele；　my　body　and　I。　A　moment　later；　I　leaped　off　the　belt；　as　strong　and　fresh　as　I　have　ever　been　in　my　life。　I　shouted　to　my　friends　across　the　great　fiery　expanse　to　hurry　to　me；　we　had　a　wizard　to　fight。
　Sergeant　Maeen　was　next；　then　the　others　came　one　by　one。　But　as　each　passed　through　the　furnace；　under　the　hungry　demon；　I　saw　no　sign　of　the　suffering　I　had　experienced：　they　lay　immobile；　as　if　in　peace。　Later　they　said　they'd　felt　the　same　torment　and　fears　as　I；　but　a　ghostly　presence　joined　them　on　the　belt；　easing　their　passage　and　curing　their　pain。　They　said　the　ghost　looked　much　like　me。　Then　it　was　Janos'　turn。　He　vaulted　onto　the　belt　and　rode　it　standing　up；　his　legs　braced　wide；　arms　crossed　on　his　chest　as　if　in　defiance。　But　I　saw　his　face　creased　with　deep　concentration　and　knew　brave　posturing　was　not　what　he　was　about　Suddenly；　his　whole　body　gave　off　a　golden　light。　The　blue　flames　stirred　higher　and　hotter；　and　the　demon　shrieked　from　frustrated　hunger；　but　they　were　powerless　against　the　g