cacb.thefarkingdoms-第99部分

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mon　shrieked　from　frustrated　hunger；　but　they　were　powerless　against　the　golden　glow。　Then　the　flames　drew　in；　withering　into　decreasing　smallness　until　they　were　embers　。。。　and　winked　out。　Above　us；　the　demon　was　silent；　teeth　frozen　in　death's　grimace；　red　maw　still　and　turning　to　gray。　Janos；　now　a　great　thief　of　magic；　bounded　off　the　grate　when　he　reached　the　end。　But　before　we　could　rash　up　with　congratulations；　a　voice　large　enough　to　fill　that　vast　chamber　seared　the　air　with　its　fury。
　〃What　have　you　done；　Greycloak？〃　It　was　Mortacious。　The　sorcerer　had　wakened。　The　voice　boomed　again。　〃Wait　for　me；　little　wizard。　I'm　ing　to　you。〃
　Janos　did　not　wait；　nor　did　we。　We　ran　from　that　place　as　fast　as　we　could　into　the　cold　night。　We　raced　down　the　cobbled　road；　weapons　ready。　Behind　us　I　heard　an　explosion。　I　looked　back　and　saw　the　door　to　the　wizard's　palace　had　been　blown　away　by　some　powerful　force。　Through　that　smoking　portal　came　an　enormous　ball　of　fire　as　blue　as　the　flames　in　that　furnace。　The　ball　shot　jagged　lightning　and　exploded　the　pebbles　on　the　road　as　it　passed　over　them。　The　wizard's　voice　cracked　out　at　us　from　inside　that　fiery　ball。　〃Run；　little　wizard；　ran。〃　Laughter　followed；　cackling　and　crackling　at　our　backs。
　If　his　words　were　a　mand；　we　had　no　quarrel；　added　strength　surged；　and　I　ran　even　faster　than　before。　We　sped　down　the　avenue　they'd　marched　us　along；　past　the　one…eyed　dwellings；　with　dead　men　for　occupants。　Our　pace　began　to　slow　as　our　limbs　wearied　from　the　mad　pursuit。　Mortacious'　gleeful　laughter　grew　wilder　as　the　gap　narrowed。　The　fiery　ball　he　rode　cast　our　shadows　far　ahead　of　us；　and　oh；　how　we　ached　to　be　those　distant；　fleeing　shadows。　I　heard　Janos'　labored　breathing　beside　me；　he　seemed　to　stumble；　but　only　bent　to　scoop　up　a　pebble。　Then　he　was　gone　and　I　turned　back；　thinking　he'd　fallen。　Instead　he　was　standing　in　Mortacious'　path。　As　I　ran　to　his　side；　he　drew　his　sword　and　knocked　the　pebble　against　the　blade。　A　spark　leaped　from　the　ringing　metal。　He　struck　again；　and　this　time　the　spark　he　drew　was　longer…arcing　toward　the　fireball　that　raced　down　on　us。
　Mortacious　cried　out；　〃I　have　you；　little　wizard。〃　But　the　third　time　Janos　struck；　the　spark　exploded　off　the　blade。　As　it　arced　outward；　it　exploded　again　and　became　a　great　shower　of　jagged　stars　that　rained　across　the　path　of　our　hunter。　Then　they　were　falling　on　the　ball；　and　it　burst　apart　with　a　thunderclap；　hurling　Mortacious　from　its　center。　He　tumbled　end　over　end；　then　crashed　onto　the　road。
　The　wizard　was　still　for　a　moment；　his　robe　a　red　puddle　around　him。　If　it　had　been　a　moment　longer；　he　would　have　had　us；　because　we　were　about　to　charge　and　finish　him　off。　The　robe　jerked；　then　ballooned　into　immense　red　wings。　We　wheeled　and　ran　as　the　wings　carried　Mortacious　aloft；　and　he　loosed　a　howl　that　shattered　the　air　like　glass。　It　was　a　call　to　the　hunt；　and　as　we　sped　to　catch　our　rades；　the　call　was　answered。　Out　of　the　one…eyed　dwellings　poured　the　wizard's　slaves。　They　sniffed　our　living　blood　and　bounded　after　us。　We　rounded　the　last　turn　before　the　harbor　with　that　voiceless　wolf　pack　at　our　heels；　their　winged　master　soaring　overhead；　urging　them　on。　Our　rades　were　struggling　to　free　boats　to　carry　us　away。　But　they　stopped　when　they　saw　us　racing　down　the　hill　with　the　horror　at　our　backs。　It　was　too　late　to　do　anything　but　fight。
　I　heard　Sergeant　Maeen　bark　orders　as　Janos　and　I　plunged　into　their　ranks　to　momentary　safety；　and　I　felt　the　shock　as　our　friends　absorbed　the　fury　of　the　first　wave　and　drove　it　back。　We　formed　a　battle　line　across　one　of　the　docks；　forcing　our　enemies　to　attack　in　small　groups。　In　the　night　sky；　Mortacious　circled；　gathering　his　slaves　for　the　final　assault。　It　would　be　a　repeat　of　that　fight　in　the　chamber；　but　against　these　odds　there　was　no　hope　of　an　identical　result。　We　hauled　tar　barrels　out　of　a　caulking　barge　and　fired　the　docks　as　they　came　for　us。　It　was　a　fire　of　this　world；　not　the　next；　that　met　their　charge。　Fueled　by　tar　and　old；　dry　wood；　instead　of　spells；　it　became　a　fast…moving　inferno　that　rushed　down　on　them　like　a　raging　river。　It　burned　their　legs　from　under　them　and　melted　their　weapons　in　the　ashes　of　their　remains。　With　no　will　of　their　own　to　heed　pain's　warning；　they　continued　to　advance；　each　rank　waiting　in　patient　turn　for　the　others　to　be　hurled　against　our　fiery　shield　and　be　consumed。　Above　them；　Mortacious　cursed　their　ashes　and　called　more　of　his　warrior　slaves　to　take　their　place。
　The　shore　bristled　with　their　numbers；　and　still　more　hurried　down　the　road　to　them。　Mortacious　was　building　a　bridge　of　their　ashes　and　fire…burst　bones。　Soon　there　would　be　enough　for　them　to　scramble　across　and　take　us。　But　they　would　have　to　hurry；　for　this　fire　had　no　master　to　mand　it：　on　one　side　it　was　our　shield；　on　the　other　it　was　our　enemy　as　well；　feeding　on　the　dock　we　stood　on　and　driving　us　into　the　sea。　Mortacious　sent　men　into　the　water；　swimming　along　the　burning　dock　to　e　up　at　our　backs。　The　wizard　drifted　closer；　mocking　our　hopeless　folly　with　his　laughter。
　A　hand　reached　up　through　broken　boards　to　grasp　Janos'　foot　I　leaped　forward　with　a　shout　of　warning　and　cut　off　the　hand　with　my　sword。　Janos　saw　it；　flopping　on　the　dock。　Mortacious　cackled　and　swept　down　at　us。　Janos　plucked　up　the　writhing　hand；　pressed　his　sword　grip　against　the　twisting　fingers；　and　they　held　firm。　He　threw　the　blade　upward　with　all　his　might。　With　the　hand　gripped　hard　on　its　hilt；　the　sword　made　an　eerie　spear：　a　phantom　seemed　to　guide　it　as　it　hurtled　toward　Mortacious。　His　laughter　stopped　jn　midcackle　as　it　took　him　in　the　eye。　He　plummeted　out　of　the　sky；　howling　angry　pain；　and　splashed　into　the　water。　We　saw　him　sink　beneath　the　waves；　but　the　sight　gave　us　small　pleasure　as　we　turned　back　to　face　his　men。　They　were　scrambling　over　the　bridge　of　carnage　up　the　burning　dock。　We　knew　as　we　braced　ourselves　that　their　master　would　rise　from　the　sea　again　to　urge　them　on。
　I　made　peace　with　the　gods　who　formed　me　and　sent　a　last　thanks　to　Halab。　A　smoking　brute　plunged　out　of　the　fire；　and　I　raised　my　sword　to　meet　him。
　Then　the　fates　blew　in　from　the　sea　to　save　us。　The　deep；　clarion　voice　of　a　great　magic　bell　rang　across　the　waves。　The　tone　was　of　such　immensity；　all　other　sound　fled　as　it　rolled　over　us；　then　spread　to　fill　night's　dark　vault。　The　bell　sounded　again；　and　we　felt　peace　wash　over　us。　The　peace　was　a　melodious　blanket　that　smothered　the　fire。　It　was　a　clear；　ringing　song　even　dead　men　could　hear：　they　stopped；　turning　their　heads　to　listen。　As　the　last　echo　of　the　bell　crept　away；　Mortacious'　slaves　dropped　their　weapons；　wheeled；　and　shambled　away。
　Out　of　the　darkness　came　a　wondrous　ship；　with　glowing　sails　and　cheery　lanterns　dangling　all　along　the　sides。　It　was　more　graceful　than　any　ship　we　had　ever　seen；　and　it　sped　toward　us　on　enchanted　wings；　for　there　was　no　wind　to　fill　those　billowing　sails。　I　heard　Janos　gasp；　or　maybe　it　was　my　own　ragged　breath　of　surprise；　as　we　saw　the　crest　emblazoned　on　the　sails：　a　huge　coiled　serpent；　set　against　a　sunburst。
　As　the　ship　came　on；　a　graceful　swan　against　black　waters；　I　realized　all　we　had　faced　before　had　been　a　test；　and　Mortacious　had　been　the　greatest　test　of　all。　I　thanked　the　gods　we　had　passed　it。
　A　voice　called　to　us　from　the　deck。　〃Hail；　seekers。〃　The　voice　was　as　melodious　as　the　bell。　On　the　deck　I　saw　the　speaker：　a　handsome　man；　dressed　in　glittering　white。　He　called　out　again；　〃We　bring　greetings　。。。　from　the　Far　Kingdoms。〃
　Janos　gripped　my　arm　in　joy；　and　around　me　I　heard　the　men　cheer。　As　the　ship　dropped　boats　to　carry　us　away；　my　own　joy　overcame　all；　and　I　was　cheering　as　loudly　as　the　others。
　And　that　is　how　we　came　to　discover　the　Far　Kingdoms。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO
　The　Far　Kingdoms
　EXPECTATION　CAN　BE　a　fickle　goddess；　but　knowing　that　is　no　protection　once　she　fires　the　lights　of　her　shadow　show。　Promise　　is　her　most　alluring　plot；　the　more　she　keeps　it　dancing　just　ahead；　the　more　willingly　you　follow。　I　have　mourned　as　she　danced　away　entirely　at　the　end；　but　I　have　also　known　the　greatest　joy　when　she　relented　an