cb.torturedsouls-第3部分

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　　〃I'm　not　afraid！〃　Kreiger　said。　He　thought　of　his　mother；　dead　of　the　pox；　of　his　brothers　killed　in　the　street　as　children　by　noblemen　passing　on　horses；　of　his　sister；　in　the　asylum；　never　to　be　sane　again。
　　〃Take　me；〃　he　said。
　　〃You're　sure？〃　Agonistes　asked　him。　〃Remember；　there's　no　way　back。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　to　go　back。　Take　me。　Change　me。〃
　　He　glanced　at　Lucidique。　She　was　smiling。
　　〃Take　the　horses；〃　Agonistes　told　her。　〃We　won't　need　them。〃
　　So　together；　Kreiger　and　Agonistes　turned　round　and　headed　into　the　desert。
　　
　　　VII
　　The　next　day　Lucidique　buried　her　father。　The　rumours　quietened　down　a　little　in　the　city；　but　there　was　still　an　undercurrent；　subtle　but　pervasive：　Primordium　was　in　a　very　volatile　state；　like　an　explosive；　which　might　be　set　off　with　a　jolt。
　　Eight　nights　after　Agonistes　had　taken　Kreiger　out　into　the　desert；　Lucidique…whose　father's　house　lay　close　to　the　palace…woke　to　the　sounds　of　screams。
　　She　got　up；　and　went　to　the　window。　There　were　lights　burning　in　all　the　palace　windows。　The　gates　were　flung　wide。　Guards　were　running　around　in　confusion。
　　She　dressed；　anonymously；　and　went　down　into　the　streets。　The　din　had　woken　the　city；　and　though　the　Emperor's　guards　were　riding　back　and　forth；　attempting　to　enforce　an　on…the…spot　curfew；　nobody　was　attending　to　them。
　　Lucidique　went　into　the　palace。　The　screams　had　died　down　now；　to　be　replaced　by　half…whispered　prayers。
　　But　it　didn't　take　her　very　long　to　discover　what　the　creature　who　had　once　been　Zarles　Kreiger　had　wrought。　There　was　death　on　every　side。　And　his　slaughter　had　been　indiscriminate：　men　and　women；　yes；　but　also　their　children；　their　babies；　their　unborn　babies。
　　The　Perfetto　Empire　ceased　to　rule　Primordium　that　night。　There　were　none　left　alive　to　do　so。　Kreiger　had　killed　them　all。
　　As　Lucidique　stood　in　the　Great　Hall　of　the　Palace；　in　a　pool　of　blood　that　reached　to　the　walls；　she　caught　a　reflection。　She　looked　up。
　　There　he　was。　Kreiger；　remade。　THE　SCYTHE…MEISTER。　There　was　almost　nothing　left　of　the　man　she'd　known：　Agonistes'　handiwork　has　transformed　the　humble　assassin　into　something　that　would　haunt　the　nightmares；　and　the　streets；　of　Primordium；　for　many　years　to　e。
　　He　approached　her。　She　wondered　if　this　was　her　last　moment；　if　he　intended　to　kill　her　as　efficiently　as　he'd　dispatched　all　the　rest。　But　no。　He　simply　leaned　down　and　whispered　in　her　ear：
　　〃。。。you　cannot　imagine。。。〃
　　Then　he　left　the　carnage　behind　him；　and　wandered　out　into　the　night；　pausing　only　to　wash　his　blades　in　one　of　the　many　fountains　in　the　courtyards。
　　
　　
　　　Book　Three
　　　The　Avenger
　　
　　　I
　　Zarles　Kreiger　was　human　once。　An　assassin　working　for　the　gangster　Duarf　Cascarellian；　Kreiger　was　a　man　who　would　do　anything　for　a　price。　But　there　are　some　tasks　that　have　an　unforeseen　price；　and　this　proved　to　be　one　of　them。　Caught　red…handed　by　the　Senator's　daughter；　the　exquisite　Lucidique；　Kreiger　was　persuaded　that　he　in　his　turn　had　been　a　victim。　The　rulers　of　the　city　in　which　they　all　lived…the　vast；　degenerate　city…state　of　Primordium…were　the　truly　guilty　souls；　and　until　the　dynasty　was　brought　down　life　would　continue　to　be　a　bloody　confusion　in　which　men　like　Kreiger　acted　like　rabid　animals　and　women　like　Lucidique　lost　their　loved　ones。
　　It　had　to　stop。　And　Lucidique　knew　how。　She　persuaded　Kreiger　to　put　himself　into　the　hands　of　an　ancient　entity　called　Agonistes；　who　would　traumatically　reconfigure　him。
　　He　did　as　Lucidique　suggested；　and　after　eight　days　and　nights　out　in　the　desert；　he　returned　to　Primordium　as　The　Scythe…Meister：　a　powerful　engine　of　destruction；　who　in　a　matter　of　hours　brought　the　Perfetto　Dynasty　to　a　close。
　　Before　disappearing　into　the　desert；　he　had　three　words　for　Lucidique；　three　teasing　words：
　　〃。。。you　cannot　imagine。。。〃
　　
　　　II
　　They　called　that　night…the　night　the　Emperor　and　his　family　were　murdered…the　Great　Insurrection。　In　its　wake；　a　host　of　minor　insurrections　took　place；　as　old　enmities　erupted。　Powerful　figures　who'd　used　the　decadent　reign　of　the　Emperor　Perfetto　as　a　cover　for　their　corruptions…judges；　bishops；　members　of　the　clergy；　guild　and　union　leaders…found　themselves　unprotected；　and　face　to　face　with　the　people　they'd　exploited。
　　Even　those　amongst　the　criminal　classes　who　had　private　armies　to　protect　them　against　this　very　eventuality　were　fearful　now。
　　Take；　for　example；　Duarf　Cascarellian。　He　wasn't　by　any　means　a　stupid　man。　The　fact　that　his　assassin；　Zarles　Kreiger；　had　disappeared　the　night　of　the　Insurrection　made　him　highly　suspicious　that　Kreiger's　fate　was　tied　in　with　the　almost　supernatural　fall　of　the　Emperor。　Indeed　one　of　Cascarellian's　spies；　who　had　been　a　guard　at　the　palace　the　night　of　the　slaughter；　had　seen　the　creature　everyone　called　The　Scythe…Meister　washing　his　weapons　in　one　of　the　Palace's　many　fountains。　The　informant　had　escaped　the　massacre　without　harm　ing　to　him；　and　reported　that　unlikely　as　it　seemed　the　semi…mythical　figure　of　The　Scythe…Meister　bore　a　subtle　but　undeniable　resemblance　to　Zarles　Kreiger。
　　Was　it　possible；　Cascarellian　wondered；　that　the　missing　assassin　and　The　Scythe…Meister　were　somehow　the　same　person？　Had　some　inprehensible　sea…change　been　worked　upon　Kreiger；　turning　him　into　this　unstoppable　avenger？　And　if　so；　what　part　did　Lucidique…who　had　been　seen　in　a　brief　exchange　with　The　Scythe…Meister…play　in　the　process？
　　
　　　III
　　Cascarellian　did　not　sleep　well　any　longer。　He　had　nightmares　in　which　The　Scythe…Meister　broke　down　his　doors；　as　it　had　broken　down　the　doors　of　the　Emperor's　Palace；　killing　his　lieutenants；　as　it　had　slaughtered　the　palace　guards；　and　finally　e　to　the　foot　of　his　bed…as　the　killer　had　e　to　the　Emperor's　bed；　pulling　him　from　limb　to　limb。
　　He　decided　the　best　way　to　protect　himself　from　this　unknowable　force　was　through　Lucidique。　He　sent　three　of　his　sons　out　to　take　had　the　Senator's　daughter　captive；　ordering　them　to　do　as　little　as　possible　to　arouse　her　wrath。　In　his　heart　（though　he　would　never　have　admitted　this　to　anyone；　not　even　his　priest）　he　was　a　little　afraid　of　Lucidique。　She　needed　to　be　treated　with　more　respect　than　he　was　used　to　proffering　women。
　　Unfortunately；　his　offspring　weren't　as　smart　as　he　was。　Though　they'd　been　told　to　respect　their　captive；　they　took　the　first　opportunity　to　test　the　limits　of　their　father's　patience。　Lucidique　was　taunted；　abused；　humiliated。　No　doubt　worse　would　have　e　her　way　had　Old　Man　Cascarellian　not　returned　from　his　day　of　business　early；　interrupting　his　sons'　taunting　of　the　woman。
　　Lucidique　instantly　demanded　to　know　why　she　was　being　held。　If　Cascarellian　intended　to　kill　her；　why　the　hell　didn't　he　get　on　with　it？　She　was　sick　and　tired；　she　told　him。　Of　him；　of　his　sons；　of　life　itself。　She'd　seen　too　much　blood。
　　〃You　were　at　the　Palace；　weren't　you？　The　Night　of　the　Great　Insurrection？〃
　　〃Yes。　I　was　there。〃
　　〃You　have　something　to　with　this　creature：　this　Scythe…Meister？〃
　　〃My　business；　Cascarellian。〃
　　〃I　could　give　you　to　my　sons　for　half　an　hour。　They'd　have　it　out　of　you！〃
　　〃Your　sons　don't　intimidate　me。　And　neither　do　you。〃
　　〃I　don't　wish　to　make　you　unfortable。　You're　here　under　my　protection；　that's　all。　Do　you　know　what　it's　like　out　there　on　our　streets？　Pandemonium！　The　city　is　ing　apart　at　the　seams！〃
　　〃Do　you　think　holding　me　here　is　going　to　protect　you　from　what's　ing　your　way？〃　Lucidique　said。
　　A　look　of　superstitious　fear　crossed　Cascarellian's　face。　〃What's　ing　my　way？〃　he　said。　〃You　know　something　about　the　future？〃
　　〃No。〃　Lucidique　said　wearily。　〃I'm　not　a　prophet。　I　don't　know　what's　going　to　happen　to　you　and　frankly　I　don't　care。　If　the　world　ends　tomorrow；　I　don't　think　you'll　be　judged　very　kindly；　but…〃　she　shrugged；　〃…why　should　I　care？　I　won't　be　there　to　see　you　suffer　in　Hell。〃
　　Cascarellian　had　grown　pale　and　clammy　while　Lucidique　spoke。　She　only　half…knew　what　she　was　doing　to　him；　but　she　took　a　certain　pleasure　in　it。　This　was　the　man　who'd　orphaned　her；　why　not　enjoy　his　superstitious　fear？