rz.signoftheunicorn-第4部分

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r　desire　to　indulge　in　any　attempt　to　determine　the　center　of　the　affair。　Keeping　this　in　mind；　I　did　manage　to　observe　as　I　went；　though；　enough　so　that　I　was　able　to　anticipate　a　number　of　their　collisions　well　in　advance。
　So　Childe　Random　to　the　dark　tower　came；　yeah；　gun　in　one　hand；　blade　in　the　other。　The　goggles　hung　about　my　neck。　With　all　the　smoke　and　confused　lighting；　I　wasn't　about　to　don　them　until　it　became　absolutely　necessary。
　Now；　whatever　the　reason；　the　rocks　avoided　the　tower。　While　it　seemed　to　stand　on　a　hill；　I　realized　as　I　approached　that　it　would　be　more　correct　to　say　that　the　rocks　had　scooped　out　an　enormous　basin　just　short　of　it。　I　could　not　tell　from　my　side；　however；　whether　the　effect　was　that　of　an　island　or　a　peninsula。
　I　dashed　through　the　smoke　and　rubble；　avoiding　the　jets　of　flame　that　leaped　from　the　cracks　and　holes。　Finally　I　scrambled　up　the　slope；　removing　myself　from　the　courseway。　Then　for　several　moments　I　clung　at　a　spot　just　below　any　line　of　sight　from　the　tower。　I　checked　my　weapons；　controlled　my　breathing；　and　put　on　the　goggles。　Everything　set；　I　went　over　the　top　and　came　up　into　a　crouch。
　Yes；　the　shades　worked。　And　yes；　the　beast　was　waiting。
　It　was　a　fright　all　right；　because　in　some　ways　it　was　kind　of　beautiful。　It　had　a　snake　body　as　big　around　as　a　barrel；　with　a　head　sort　of　like　a　massive　claw　hammer；　but　kind　of　tapered　to　the　snout　end。　Eyes　of　a　very　pale　green。　And　it　was　clear　as　glass；　with　very　faint；　fine　lines　seeming　to　indicate　scales。　Whatever　flowed　in　its　veins　was　reasonably　clear；　also。　You　could　look　right　into　it　and　see　its　organs　…　opaque　or　cloudy　as　the　case　might　be。　You　could　almost　be　distracted　by　watching　the　thing　function。　And　it　had　a　dense　mane；　like　bristles　of　glass；　about　the　head　and　collaring　its　gullet。　Its　movement　when　it　saw　me；　raised　that　head　and　slivered　forward；　was　like　flowing　water　…　living　water；　it　seemed；　a　bedless　river　without　banks。　What　almost　froze　me；　though；　was　that　I　could　see　into　its　stomach。　There　was　a　partly　digested　man　in　it。
　I　raised　the　gun；　aimed　at　the　nearest　eye；　and　squeezed　the　trigger。
　I　already　told　you　it　didn't　work。　So　I　threw　the　gun；　leaped　to　my　left；　and　sprang　in　on　its　right　side；　going　for　its　eye　with　my　blade。
　You　know　how　hard　it　can　be　to　kill　things　built　along　reptilian　lines。　I　decided　immediately　to　try　to　blind　the　thing　and　hack　off　its　tongue　as　the　first　order　of　business。　Then；　being　more　than　a　little　fast　on　my　feet；　I　might　have　any　number　of　chances　to　lay　in　some　good　ones　about　the　head　until　I　decapitated　it。　Then　let　it　tie　itself　in　knots　till　it　stopped。　I　was　hoping；　too；　that　it　might　be　sluggish　because　it　was　still　digesting　someone。
　If　it　was　sluggish　then；　I　was　glad　that　I　hadn't　stopped　by　earlier。　It　drew　its　head　out　of　the　path　of　my　blade　and　snapped　down　over　it　while　I　was　still　off　balance。　That　snout　glanced　across　my　chest；　and　it　did　feel　as　if　I　had　been　hit　by　a　massive　hammer。　It　knocked　me　sprawling。
　I　kept　on　rolling　to　get　out　of　range；　ing　up　short　near　the　edge　of　the　embankment。　I　recovered　my　footing　there　while　it　unwound　itself；　dragged　a　lot　of　weight　in　my　direction；　and　then　reared　up　and　cocked　its　head　again；　about　fifteen　feet　above　me。
　I　know　damn　well　that　Gerard　would　have　chosen　that　moment　to　attack。　The　big　bastard　would　have　strode　forward　with　that　monster　blade　of　his　and　cut　the　thing　in　half。　Then　it　probably　would　have　fallen　on　him　and　writhed　all　over　him；　and　he'd　have　e　away　with　a　few　bruises。　Maybe　a　bloody　nose。　Benedict　would　not　have　missed　the　eve。　He　would　have　had　one　in　each　pocket　by　then　and　be　playing　football　with　the　head　while　posing　a　footnote　to　Clausewitz。　But　they　are　genuine　hero　types。　Me；　I　just　stood　there　holding　the　blade　point　upward；　both　hands　on　the　hilt；　my　elbows　on　my　hips；　my　head　as　far　back　out　of　the　way　as　possible。　I　would　much　rather　have　run　and　called　it　a　day。　Only　I　knew　that　if　I　tried　it；　that　head　would　drop　down　and　smear　me。
　Cries　from　within　the　tower　indicated　that　I　had　been　spotted；　but　I　was　not　about　to　look　away　to　see　what　was　going　on。　Then　I　began　cursing　the　thing。　I　wanted　it　to　strike　and　get　it　over　with；　one　way　or　the　other。
　When　it　finally　did；　I　shuffled　my　feet；　twisted　my　body；　and　swung　the　point　into　line　with　my　target。
　My　left　side　was　partly　numbed　by　the　blow；　and　I　felt　as　if　I　had　been　driven　a　foot　into　the　ground。　Somehow　I　managed　to　remain　upright。　Yes；　I　had　done　everything　perfectly。　The　maneuver　had　gone　exactly　as　I　had　hoped　and　planned。
　Except　for　the　beast's　part。　It　wasn't　cooperating　by　producing　the　appropriate　death　throes。
　In　fact；　it　was　beginning　to　rise。
　It　took　my　blade　with　it；　too。　The　hilt　protruded　from　its　left　eye　socket；　the　point　emerged　like　another　bristle　amid　the　mane　on　the　back　of　its　head。　I　had　a　feeling　that　the　offensive　team　had　had　it。
　At　that　moment；　figures　began　to　emerge　…　slowly；　cautiously　…　from　an　opening　at　the　base　of　the　tower。　They　were　armed　and　ugly…looking；　and　I　had　a　feeling　that　they　were　not　on　my　side　of　the　disagreement。
　Okay。　I　know　when　it　is　time　to　fold　and　hope　for　a　better　hand　another　day。
　〃Brand！〃　I　shouted。　〃It's　Random！　I　can't　get　through！　Sorry！〃
　Then　I　turned；　ran；　and　leaped　back　over　the　edge；　down　into　the　place　where　the　rocks　did　their　unsettling　things。　I　wondered　whether　I　had　chosen　the　best　time　to　descend。
　Like　so　many　things；　the　answer　was　yes　and　no。
　It　was　not　the　sort　of　jump　I　would　make　for　many　reasons　other　than　those　which　prevailed。　I　came　down　alive；　but　that　seemed　the　most　that　could　be　said　for　it。　I　was　stunned；　and　for　a　long　while　I　thought　I　had　broken　my　ankle。
　The　thing　that　got　me　moving　again　was　a　rustling　sound　from　above　and　the　rattle　of　gravel　about　me。　When　I　readjusted　the　goggles　and　looked　up；　I　saw　that　the　beast　had　decided　to　e　down　and　finish　the　job。　It　was　winding　its　phantom　way　down　the　slope；　the　area　about　its　head　having　darkened　and　opaqued　since　I　had　skewered　it　upstairs。
　I　sat　up。　I　got　to　my　knees。　I　tried　my　ankle；　couldn't　use　it。　Nothing　around　to　serve　as　a　crutch；　either。　Okay。　I　crawled　then。　Away。　What　else　was　there　to　do？　Gain　as　much　ground　as　I　could　and　think　hard　while　I　was　about　it。
　Salvation　was　a　rock　…　one　of　the　smaller；　slower　ones；　only　about　the　size　of　a　moving　van。　When　I　saw　it　approaching；　it　occurred　to　me　that　here　was　transportation　if　I　could　make　it　aboard。　Maybe　some　safety；　too。　The　faster；　really　massive　ones　appeared　to　get　the　most　abuse。
　This　in　mind；　I　watched　the　big　ones　that　acpanied　my　own；　estimated　their　paths　and　velocities；　tried　to　gauge　the　movement　of　the　entire　system；　readied　myself　for　the　moment；　the　effort。　I　also　listened　to　the　approach　of　the　beast；　heard　the　cries　of　the　troops　from　the　edge　of　the　bluff；　wondered　whether　anyone　up　there　was　giving　odds　on　me　and　what　they　might　be　if　they　were。
　When　the　time　came；　I　went。　I　got　past　the　first　big　one　without　any　trouble；　but　had　to　wait　for　the　next　one　to　go　by。　I　took　a　chance　in　crossing　the　path　of　the　final　one。　Had　to；　to　make　it　in　time。
　I　made　it　to　the　right　spot　at　the　right　moment　caught　on　to　the　holds　I　had　been　eyeing；　and　was　dragged　maybe　twenty　feet　before　I　could　pull　myself　up　off　the　ground。　Then　I　hauled　my　way　to　its　unfortable　top；　sprawled　there；　and　looked　back。
　It　had　been　close。　Still　was；　for　that　matter；　as　the　beast　was　pacing　me；　its　one　good　eye　following　the　spinning　big　ones。
　From　overhead　I　heard　a　disappointed　wail。　Then　the　guys　started　down　the　slope；　shouting　what　I　took　to　be　encouragement　to　the　creature。　I　menced　massaging　my　ankle。　I　tried　to　relax。　The　brute　crossed　over；　passing　behind　the　first　big　rock　as　it　pleted　another　orbit。
　How　far　could　I　shift　through　Shadow　before　it　reached　me？　I　wondered。　True；　there　was　constant　movement；　a　changing　of　textures。。。
　The　thing　waited　for　the　second　rock；　slithered　by　behind　it；　paced　me　again；　drew　nearer。
　Shadow；　Shadow；　on　the　wing　…　
　The　men　were　almost　to　the　base　of　the　slope　by　then。　The　beast　was　wait