mck.harpistinthewind-第26部分

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ing　at　his　smoldering　tunic；　said　tersely；　〃Just　kill　him。〃　〃No。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　stubborn　farmer　from　Hed；　if　I　survive　this　battle　I　am　going　to　study　riddlery。〃　His　head　turned　suddenly。　〃There　is　fighting　in　the　city。　I　hear　death　cries。〃
　　　　　　　〃There's　an　army　of　shape…changers。　They　came　in　the　front　gate　while　we　were　watching　the　back。　I　saw　。。。　I　think　I　saw　Yrth。　Can　he　talk　to　crows？〃
　　　　　　　The　wizard　nodded。　〃Good。　He　must　be　fighting　with　the　traders。〃　He　helped　Morgon　to　his　feet。　The　earth　rocked　beneath　them；　sent　him　sprawling　to　the　ground　on　top　of　Morgon。　He　shifted　to　his　knees。　Morgon　rolled　wearily　to　his　feet　and　stood　gazing　at　the　shell　of　the　hall。　〃He's　weakening　in　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　is？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　going　in。〃　
　　　　　　　〃How？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'll　walk。　But　I　have　to　distract　his　attention。。。〃　He　thought　a　moment；　rubbing　a　burn　on　his　wrist。　His　mind；　scanning　the　grounds　carefully；　came　to　rest　in　the　ancient；　ruined　library；　with　its　hundreds　of　books　of　wizardry。　The　half…charred　pages　were　still　charged　with　power：　with　bindings　woven　into　their　locks；　with　unspoken　names；　with　the　energy　of　the　minds　that　had　scrawled　all　their　experiences　of　power　onto　the　pages。　He　woke　that　dormant　power；　gathered　threads　of　it　into　his　mind。　Its　chaos　nearly　overwhelmed　him　for　a　moment。　Speaking　aloud；　he　spun　a　weird　fabric　of　names；　words；　scraps　of　students'　grotesque　spells；　a　tumult　of　knowledge　and　power　that　formed　strange　shapes　in　the　flaring　lights。　Shadows；　stones　that　moved　and　spoke；　eyeless　birds　with　wings　the　colors　of　wizards'　fire；　shambling　forms　that　built　themselves　out　of　the　scorched　earth；　he　sent　marching　toward　Ghisteslwchlohm。　He　woke　the　wraiths　of　animals　killed　during　the　destruction：　bats；　crows；　weasels；　ferrets；　foxes；　shadowy　white　wolves；　they　swarmed　through　the　night　around　him；　seeking　their　lives　from　him　until　he　sent　them　to　the　source　of　power。　He　had　begun　to　work　the　roots　of　dead　trees　out　of　the　earth　when　the　vanguard　of　his　army　struck　the　Founder's　stronghold。　The　onslaught　of　fragments　of　power；　clumsy；　nearly　harmless；　yet　too　plex　to　ignore；　drew　the　Founder's　attention。　For　a　moment　there　was　another　lull；　during　which　the　wraith　of　a　wolf　whined　an　eerie　death　song。　Morgon　ran　noiselessly　toward　the　hall。　He　was　nearly　there　when　his　own　army　fled　back　out　of　the　hall；　running　around　him　and　over　him；　scattering　into　the　night　toward　the　city。
　　　　　　　Morgon　flung　his　thoughts　outward；　herding　the　strange；　misshapen　creatures　he　had　made　back　into　oblivion　before　they　terrorized　Lungold。　The　effort　of　finding　bats'　wraiths　and　shapes　made　out　of　clods　of　earth　drained　all　his　attention。　When　he　finished　finally；　his　mind　spun　again　with　names　and　words　he　had　had　to　take　back　into　himself。　He　filled　his　mind　with　fire；　dissolving　the　remnants　of　power　in　it；　drawing　from　its　strength　and　clarity。　He　realized　then；　his　heart　jumping；　that　he　stood　in　near…darkness。
　　　　　　　An　eerie　silence　lay　over　the　grounds。　Piles　of　broken　wall　still　blazed　red…hot　from　within；　but　the　night　was　undisturbed　over　the　school；　and　he　could　see　stars。　He　stood　listening；　but　the　only　fighting　he　heard　came　from　the　streets。　He　moved　again；　soundlessly；　entered　the　hall。
　　　　　　　It　was　black　and　silent　as　the　caves　of　Erlenstar　Mountain。　He　made　one　futile　attempt　to　batter　against　the　darkness　and　gave　up。　On　impulse；　he　shaped　the　sword　at　his　side　and　drew　it。　He　held　it　by　the　blade；　turned　the　eye　of　the　stars　to　the　darkness。　He　drew　fire　out　of　the　night　behind　nun；　kindied　it　in　the　stars。　A　red　light　split　across　the　dark；　showed　him　Ghisteslwchlohm。
　　　　　　　They　looked　at　one　another　silently。　The　Founder　seemed　gaunt　under　the　strange　light；　the　bones　pushing　out　under　his　skin。　He　voice　sounded　tired；　neither　threatening　nor　defeated。　He　said　curiously；　〃You　still　can't　see　in　the　dark。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'll　learn。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　must　eat　darkness。。。　You　are　a　riddle；　Morgon。　You　track　a　harpist　all　the　way　across　the　realm　to　kill　him　because　you　hated　his　harping；　but　you　won't　kill　me。　You　could　have；　while　you　held　my　mind；　but　you　didn't。　You　should　try　now。　But　you　won't。　Why？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　don't　want　me　dead。　Why？〃
　　　　　　　The　wizard　grunted。　〃A　riddle…game。。。　I　might　have　known。　How　did　you　survive　to　escape　from　me　that　day　on　Trader's　Road？　I　barely　escaped；　myself。〃
　　　　　　　Morgon　was　silent。　He　lowered　the　sword；　let　the　tip　rest　on　the　ground。　〃What　are　they？　The　shape…changers？　You　are　the　High　One。　You　should　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　were　a　legend　here　and　there；　a　fragment　of　poetry；　a　bit　of　wet　kelp　and　broken　shell。。。　a　strange　accusation　made　by　a　Ymris　prince；　until　you　left　your　land　to　find　me。　Now。。。　they　are　being　a　nightmare。　What　do　you　know　about　them？〃
　　　　　　　〃They're　ancient。　They　can　be　killed。　They　have　enormous　power；　but　they　rarely　use　it。　They're　killing　traders　and　warriors　in　the　streets　of　Lungold。　I　don't　know　what　in　Hel's　name　they　are。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　they　see　in　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Whatever　you　see；　I　assume。　You　will　answer　that　one　for　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Undoubtedly。　The　wise　man　knows　his　own　name。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　taunt　me。〃　The　tight　shivered　a　little　between　his　hands。　〃You　destroyed　Lungold　to　keep　my　name　from　me。　You　hid　all　knowledge　of　it；　you　kept　watch　over　the　College　at　Caithnard。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Spare　me　the　history　of　my　life。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　what　I　want　from　you。　Master　Ohm。　High　One。　Where　did　you　find　the　courage　to　assume　the　name　of　the　High　One？〃
　　　　　　　〃No　one　else　claimed　it〃
　　　　　　　〃Why？〃
　　　　　　　The　wizard　was　silent　a　moment。　〃You　could　force　answers　from　me；〃　he　said　at　length。　〃I　could　reach　out；　bind　the　minds　of　the　Lungold　wizards　again；　so　that　you　could　not　touch　me。　I　could　escape；　you　could　pursue　me。　You　could　escape；　I　could　pursue　you。　You　could　kill　me；　which　would　be　exhausting　work；　and　you　would　lose　your　most　powerful　protector。〃
　　　　　　　〃Protector；〃　He　dropped　the　syllables　like　three　dry　bones。
　　　　　　　〃I　do　want　you　alive。　Do　the　shape…changers？　listen　to　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't；〃　he　said　wearily；　〃even　try。　I'll　break　your　power　once　and　for　all。　Oddly　enough　I　don't　care　if　you　live　or　die。　At　least　you　make　sense　to　me；　which　is　more　than　I　can　say　for　the　shape…changers；　or。。。〃　He　stopped。　The　wizard　took　a　step　toward　him。
　　　　　　　〃Morgon；　you　have　looked　at　the　world　out　of　my　eyes　and　you　have　my　power。　The　more　you　touch　land…law；　the　more　men　will　remember　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　no　intention　of　meddling　with　land…law！　What　do　you　think　I　am？〃　
　　　　　　　〃You　have　already　started。〃
　　　　　　　Morgon　stared　at　him。　He　said　softly；　〃You　are　wrong。　I　have　not　even　begun　to　see　out　of　your　eyes。　What　in　Hel's　name　do　you　see　when　you　look　at　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃Morgon；　I　am　the　most　powerful　wizard　in　this　realm。　I　could　fight　for　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Something　frightened　you　that　day　on　Trader's　Road。　You　need　me　to　fight　for　you。　What　happened？　Did　you　see　the　limits　of　your　power　in　the　reflection　of　a　sea…green　eye？　They　want　me；　and　you　don't　want　to　yield　me　to　them。　But　you　are　not　so　sure　anymore　that　you　can　fight　an　army　of　seaweed。〃
　　　　　　　Ghisteslwchlohm　was　silent；　his　face　hollowed　with　a　scarlet　wash　of　shadows。　〃Can　you？〃　he　asked　softly。　〃Who　will　help　you？　The　High　One？〃　Then　Morgon　felt　the　sudden　stirring　of　his　mind；　a　wave　of　thought　enpassing　the　hall；　the　grounds；　seeking　out　the　minds　of　the　wizards；　to　shape　itself　to　them；　bind　them　once　again。　Morgon　raised　the　sword；　the　stars　kindled　a　blade　of　light　in　Ghisteslwchlohm's　eyes。　He　winced　away　from　it；　his　concentration　broken。　Then　his　hands　rose；　snarling　threads　of　light　between　his　fingers。　The　light　swept　back　into　the　stars　as　if　they　had　sucked　it　into　themselves。　Darkness　crouched　like　a　live　thing　within　the　hall；　barring　even　the　moonlight。　The　sword　grew　cold　in　Morgon's　grip。　The　coldness　welled　up　his　hands；　into　his　bones；　behind　his　eyes：　a　binding　numbing　his　movements；　his　thoughts。　His　own　awareness　of　it　only　strengthened　it；　struggling　to　move　only　bound　him　still。　So　he　yielded　to　it；　standing　motionless　in　the　night；　knowing　it　was　illusion；　and　that　the　acceptance　of　it；　like　the　acceptance　of　the　impossible；　was　th