srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第95部分

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id　not　regret　the　decision。　It　seemed　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　either　his　regret　or　his　volition；　he　simply　could　not　have　chosen　otherwise。　But　the　Land　had　many　reasons　for　regret…a　myriad　reasons；　one　for　every　life　which　had　been　lost；　one　for　every　day　which　had　been　added　to　the　winter；　because　he　had　not　given　himself　and　his　ring　into　Mhoram's　hands。　He　explained　what　he　had　done　so　that　Bannor　and　Foamfollower　at　least　would　not　be　able　to　reproach　him　for　dishonesty。
　　　　When　he　was　done；　he　looked　up　again。　Neither　Bannor　nor　Foamfollower　met　his　eyes　at　first；　in　their　separate　ways；　they　appeared　upset　by　what　they　had　heard。　But　finally　Bannor　returned　Covenant's　gaze　and　said　levelly；　〃A　costly　choice；　Unbeliever。　Costly。　Much　harm　might　have　been　averted…〃
　　　　Foamfollower　interrupted　him。　〃Costly！　Might！〃　A　fierce　grin　stretched　his　lips；　echoed　out　of　his　deep　eyes。　〃A　child　was　saved！　Covenant…my　friend…even　reduced　as　I　am；　I　can　hear　joy　in　such　a　choice。　Your　bravery…Stone　and　Sea！　It　astounds　me。〃
　　　　Bannor　was　not　swayed。　〃Call　it　bravery；　then。　It　is　costly　nonetheless。　The　Land　will　bleed　under　the　expense　for　many　years；　whatever　the　oute　of　your　purpose　in　Foul's　Creche。〃
　　　　Once　again；　Covenant　was　forced　to　say；　''I　know。''　He　knew　with　a　vividness　that　felt　terrible　to　him。　〃I　couldn't　do　anything　else。　And…and　I　wasn't　ready　then。　I'm　ready　now…readier。〃　I'll　never　be　ready；　he　thought。　It's　impossible　to　be　ready　for　this。　〃Maybe　I　can　do　something　now　that　I　couldn't　do　then。〃
　　　　Bannor　held　his　eyes　for　another　moment；　then　nodded　brusquely。　〃Will　you　go　now？〃　he　asked　without　expression。　〃Corruption　will　be　a　hunt　for　you。〃
　　　　Covenant　sighed；　and　pushed　himself　to　his　feet。　〃Yes。〃　He　did　not　want　to　leave　the　fort　of　the　Colossus。　〃Ready　or　not。　Let's　get　on　with　it。〃
　　　　He　walked　between　Bannor　and　Foamfollower；　and　they　took　him　up　the　last　of　the　hills　to　a　place　where　he　could　look　down　the　cliff　of　Landsdrop　to　the　Spoiled　Plains。
　　　　The　precipice　seemed　to　leap　out　from　behind　the　hill　as　if　it　had　been　hiding　in　ambush　for　Covenant…abruptly；　he　found　himself　looking　over　the　edge　and　down　two　thousand　feet…but　he　gripped　the　arms　of　his　friends　on　either　side　and　breathed　deeply　to　hold　back　his　vertigo。　After　a　moment；　the　suddenness　of　the　view　faded；　and　he　began　to　notice　details。
　　　　At　the　base　of　the　hill　on　his　right；　the　River　Landrider　swooped　downward　in　a　final　rush　to　pour　heavily　over　the　lip　of　Landsdrop。　The　tumult　of　its　roar　was　plex。　In　this　region；　the　cliff　broke　into　four　or　five　ragged　stairs；　so　that　the　waterfall　went　down　by　steps；　all　pounding　simultaneously；　unharmonically。　From　the　bottom　of　the　Fall；　it　angled　away　southeastward　into　the　perpetual　wasteland　of　the　Spoiled　Plains。
　　　　〃There；〃　said　Bannor；　〃there　begins　its　ordeal。　There　the　Landrider　bees　the　Ruinwash；　and　flows　polluted　toward　the　Sea。　It　is　a　murky　and　repelling　water；　unfit　for　use　by　any　but　its　own　unfit　denizens。　But　it　is　your　way　for　a　time。　It　will　provide　a　path　for　you　through　much　of　these　hazardous　Plains。　And　it　will　place　you　south　of　Kurash　Qwellinir。
　　　　〃You　know〃…he　nodded　to　Foamfollower…〃that　the　Spoiled　Plains　form　a　wide　deadland　around　the　promontory　of　Ridjeck　Thome；　where　Foul's　Creche　juts　into　the　Sea。　Within　that　deadland　lies　Kurash　Qwellinir；　the　Shattered　Hills。　Some　say　that　these　Hills　were　formed　by　the　breaking　of　a　mountain…others；　that　they　were　shaped　from　the　slag　and　refuse　of　Corruption's　war　caverns；　furnaces；　breeding　dens。　However　they　were　made；　they　are　a　maze　to　bewilder　the　approach　of　any　foe。　And　within　them　lies　Gorak　Krembal…Hotash　Slay。　From　Sea…cliff　to　Sea…cliff　about　the　promontory；　it　defends　Corruption's　seat　with　lava；　so　that　none　may　pass　that　way　to　gain　the　one　gateless　maw　of　the
　
　Creche。
　　　　〃Corruption's　creatures　make　their　way　to　and　from　Ridjeck　Thome　through　tunnels　which　open　in　secret　places　among　Kurash　Qwellinir。　But　it　is　in　my　heart　that　such　an　approach　will　not　avail　you。　I　do　not　doubt　that　a　Giant　may　find　a　tunnel　within　the　maze。　But　on　that　road　all　Corruption's　defending　armies　stand　before　you。　You　cannot　pass。
　　　　〃I　will　tell　you　of　a　passage　through　the　Shattered　Hills　on　their　southward　side。　The　narrowest　point　of　Hotash　Slay　is　there；　where　the　lava　pours　through　a　gash　in　the　cliff　into　the　Sea。　A　Giant　may　find　crossing　in　that　place。〃　He　spoke　as　if　he　were　discussing　a　convenient　path　among　mountains；　not　an　approach　to　the　Corrupter　of　the　Bloodguard。　〃In　that　way；　it　may　be　that　you　will　take　Ridjeck　Thome　by　surprise。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　absorbed　this　information；　and　nodded。　Then　he　listened　closely　while　Bannor　detailed　his　route　through　the　maze　of　Kurash　Qwellinir。　Covenant　tried　to　listen　also；　but　his　attention　wandered。　He　seemed　to　hear　Landsdrop　calling　to　him。　Imminent　vertigo　foiled　his　concentration。　Elena；　he　breathed　to　himself。　He　called　her　up　in　his　mind；　hoping　that　her　image　would　steady　him。　But　the　emerald　radiance　of　her　fate　made　him　wince　and　groan。
　　　　No！　he　averred　into　the　approach　of　dizziness。　It　doesn't　have　to　be　that　way。　It's　my　dream。　I　can　do　something　about　it。
　　　　Foamfollower　and　Bannor　were　looking　at　him　strangely。　His　fingers　gripped　them　feebly；　urgently。　He　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　waterfall's　rush。　It　called　him　downward　like　the　allure　of　death。
　　　　He　took　a　deep　breath。　Finger　by　finger；　he　forced　himself　to　release　his　friends。　〃Let's　get　going；〃　he　murmured。　〃I　can't　stand　any　more　waiting。〃
　　　　The　Giant　hefted　his　sack。　〃I　am　ready；〃　he　said。　〃Our　supplies　are　scant…but　we　have　no　recourse。　We　must　hope　for　aliantha　on　the　Lower　Land。〃
　　　　Without　looking　away　from　the　Fall；　Covenant　addressed　Bannor。　He　could　not　ask　the　Bloodguard　to　change　his　decision；　so　he　said；　〃You'll　bury　Triock？　He's　earned　a　decent　grave。〃
　　　　Banner　nodded；　then　said；　〃I　will　do　another　thing　also。''　He　reached　one　hand　into　his　short　robe　and　drew　out　the　charred　metal　heels　of　the　Staff　of　Law。　〃I　will　bear　these　to　Revelstone。　When　the　time　of　my　end　es　upon　me；　I　will　return　to　the　mountain　home　of　the　Haruchai。　On　the　way；　I　will　visit　Revelstone…if　the　Lords　and　Lord's　Keep　still　stand。　I　know　not　what　value　may　remain　in　this　metal；　but　perhaps　the　survivors　of　this　war　will　find　some　use　for　it。〃
　　　　Thank　you；　Covenant　whispered　silently。
　　　　Banner　put　the　bands　away　and　bowed　once　briefly　to　Covenant　and　Foamfollower。　〃Look　for　help　wherever　you　go；〃　he　said。　〃Even　in　the　Spoiled　Plains；　Corruption　is　not　entirely　master。〃　Before　they　could　reply；　he　turned　and　trotted　away　toward　the　Colossus。　As　he　passed　over　the　hilltop；　his　back　told　them　as　clearly　as　speech　that　they　would　never　see　him　again。
　　　　Bannor！　Covenant　groaned。　Was　it　that　bad？　He　felt　bereft；　deserted；　as　if　half　his　support　had　been　taken　away。
　　　　〃Gently；　my　friend；〃　Foamfollower　breathed。　〃He　has　turned　his　back　on　vengeance。　Two　thousand　years　and　more　of　pure　service　were　violated　for　him…yet　he　chooses　not　to　avenge　them。　Such　choices　are　not　easily　made。　They　are　not　easily　borne。　Retribution…ah；　my　friend；　retribution　is　the　sweetest　of　all　dark　sweet　dreams。〃
　　　　Covenant　found　himself　still　staring　at　the　waterfall。　The　plex　plunge　of　the　river　had　a　sweetness　all　its　own。　He　shook　himself。　〃Hell…fire。〃　The　emptiness　of　his　curses　seemed　appropriate　to　his　condition。　〃Are　we　going　to　do　it　or　aren't　we？〃
　　　　〃We　will　go。〃　Covenant　felt　the　Giant's　gaze　on　him　without　meeting　it。　〃Covenant…ur…Lord…there　is　no　need　for　you　to　endure　this　descent。　Close　your　eyes；　and　I　will　bear　you　as　I　did　from　Kevin's　Watch。〃
　　　　Covenant　hardly　heard　himself　answer；　''That　was　a　long　time　ago。''　Vertigo　was　beginning　to　reel　in　his　head。　〃I've　got　to　do　this　for　myself。　For　a　moment；　he　let　slip　his　resistance　and　almost　fell　to　his　knees。　As　the　suction　tugged　at　his　mind；　he　prehended　that　he　would　have　to　go　into　it　rather　than　away　from　it；　that　the　only　way　to　master　vertigo　was　to　find　its　center。　Somewhere　in　the　center　of　the　spinning　would　be　an　eye；　a　core　of　stability。　〃Just　go　ahead…so　you　can　catch　me。''　Onl