gc.thewhiterose-第20部分

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　　　In　a　minute　my　worst　suspicions　were　confirmed。　They　were　climbing　the　creature's　flank；　onto　its　back；　where　mantas　normally　nested。
　　　It　smelled。　Smelled　unlike　anything　I've　ever　smelled　before；　and　strongly。　Richly；　you　might　say。　Not　necessarily　a　bad　smell；　but　overpowering。　And　it　felt　strange　to　the　touch。　Not　hairy；　scaly；　horny。　Not　exactly　slimy；　but　still　spongy　and　slick；　like　a　full；　exposed　intestine。　There　were　plenty　of　handholds。　Our　fingers　and　boots　did　not　bother　it。
　　　The　menhir　mumbled　and　grumbled　like　an　old　first　sergeant；　both　issuing　orders　and　relaying　plaints　from　the　windwhale。　I　got　the　impression　the　windwhale　was　a　naturally　grouchy　sort。　He　did　not　like　this　any　more　than　did　I。　Can't　say　I　blame　him。
　　　Up　top　there　were　more　menhirs；　each　balanced　precariously。　As　I　arrived；　one　menhir　told　me　to　go　to　another　of　its　kind。　That　one　told　me　to　sit　about　twenty　feet　away。　The　last　men　climbed　aboard　only　moments　later。
　　　The　menhirs　vanished。
　　　I　began　to　feel　odd。　At　first　blush　I　thought　that　was　because　the　whale　was　lifting　off。　When　I　flew　with　the　Lady　or　Whisper　or　Soulcatcher；　my　stomach　was　in　continual　rebellion。　But　this　was　a　different　malaise。　It　took　a　while　to　understand　it　as　an　absence。
　　　Darling's　null　was　fading。　It　had　been　with　me　so　long　it　had　bee　part　of　my　life　。　。　。
　　　What　was　happening？
　　　We　were　going　up。　I　felt　the　breeze　shift。　The　stars　turned　ponderously。　Then；　suddenly；　the　whole　north　lighted　up。
　　　Mantas　were　attacking　the　Taken。　A　whole　mess　of　them。　The　stroke　was　a　plete　surprise；　for　all　the　Taken　must　have　sensed　their　presence。　But　the　mantas　were　not　doing　that　sort　of　thing　。　。　。
　　　Oh；　hell；　I　thought。　They're　pushing　them　our　way　。　。　。
　　　I　grinned。　Not　our　way　at　all。　Toward　Darling　and　her　null；　in　a　place　unexpected。
　　　As　the　thought　occurred　I　saw　the　flash　of　vain　sorceries；　saw　a　carpet　stagger；　flutter　earthward。　A　score　of　mantas　swarmed　it。
　　　Maybe　Darling　was　not　as　dumb　as　I　thought。　Maybe　these　Taken　could　be　taken　out。　A　profit；　for　sure；　if　nothing　else　went　right。
　　　But　what　were　we　doing？　The　lightning　illuminated　my　panions。　Nearest　me　were　Tracker　and　Toadkiller　Dog。　Tracker　seemed　bored。　But　Toadkiller　Dog　was　as　alert　as　I　had　seen　him。　He　was　sitting　up；　watching　the　display。　The　only　time　I　ever　saw　him　not　on　his　belly　was　at　mealtime。
　　　His　tongue　was　out。　He　panted。　Had　he　been　human；　I　would　have　said　he　was　grinning。
　　　The　second　Taken　tried　to　impress　the　mantas　with　his　power。　He　was　too　immensely　outnumbered。　And　below；　Darling　was　moving。　That　second　Taken　suddenly　entered　her　null。　Down　he　went。　The　manta　swarm　pursued。
　　　Both　would　survive　landing。　But　then　they　would　be　afoot　at　the　heart　of　the　Plain；　which　tonight　had　taken　a　stand。　Their　chances　of　walking　out　looked　grim。
　　　The　windwhale　was　up　a　couple　thousand　feet　now；　moving　northeast；　gaining　speed。　How　far　to　the　edge　of　the　Plain　nearest　Rust？　Two　hundred　miles？　Fine。　We　might　make　it　before　dawn。　But　what　about　the　last　thirty　miles；　beyond　the　Plain？
　　　Tracker　started　singing。　His　voice　was　soft　at　first。　His　song　was　old。　Soldiers　of　the　north　countries　had　sung　it　for　generations。　It　was　a　dirge；　a　song…before…death　sung　in　memory　of　those　about　to　die。　I　heard　it　in　Forsberg；　sung　on　both　sides。　Another　voice　took　it　up。　Then　another　and　another。　Perhaps　fifteen　men　knew　it；　of　forty　or　so。
　　　The　windwhale　glided　northward。　Far；　far　below；　the　Plain　of　Fear　slid　away；　utterly　invisible。
　　　I　began　to　sweat；　though　the　upper　air　was　cold。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Seventeen：RUST
　　　
　　　My　first　false　assumption　was　that　the　Limper　would　be　home　when　we　called。　Darling's　maneuver　against　the　Taken　obviated　that。　I　should　have　recalled　that　the　Taken　touch　one　another　over　long　distances；　mind　to　mind。　Limper　and　Benefice　passed　nearby　as　we　moved　north。
　　　〃Down！〃　Goblin　squealed　when　we　were　fifty　miles　short　of　the　edge　of　the　Plain。　〃Taken。　Nobody　move。〃
　　　As　always；　old　Croaker　considered　himself　the　exception　to　the　rule。　For　the　Annals；　of　course。　I　crept　nearer　the　side　of　our　monster　mount；　peered　out　into　the　night。　Way　below；　two　shadows　raced　down　our　backtrack。　Once　they　were　past　I　took　a　cussing　from　Elmo；　the　Lieutenant；　Goblin；　One…Eye；　and　anybody　else　who　wanted　a　piece。　I　settled　back　beside　Tracker。　He　just　grinned　and　shrugged。
　　　He　came　ever　more　to　life　as　action　approached。
　　　My　second　false　assumption　was　that　the　windwhale　would　drop　us　at　the　edge　of　the　Plain。　I　was　up　again　as　that　drew　near；　ignoring　naughty　remarks　directed　my　way。　But　the　windwhale　did　not　go　down。　It　did　not　descend　for　many　minutes　yet。　I　began　to　babble　sillinesses　when　I　resumed　my　place　by　Tracker。
　　　He　had　his　till…now　mysterious　case　open。　It　contained　a　small　arsenal。　He　checked　his　weapons。　One　long…bladed　knife　did　not　please　him。　He　began　applying　a　whetstone。
　　　How　many　times　had　Raven　done　the　same　in　the　brief　year　he　spent　with　the　pany？
　　　The　whale's　descent　was　sudden。　Elmo　and　the　Lieutenant　passed　among　us；　telling　us　to　get　off　in　a　hurry。　Elmo　told　me；　〃Stick　close　to　me；　Croaker。　You　too；　Tracker。　One…Eye。　You　feel　anything　down　there？〃
　　　〃Nothing。　Goblin　has　his　sleeping　spell　ready。　Their　sentries　will　be　snoring　when　we　touch　down。〃
　　　〃Unless　they　aren't　and　raise　the　alarm；〃　I　muttered。　Damn；　but　didn't　I　have　it　for　the　dark　side？
　　　No　problems。　We　grounded。　Men　poured　over　the　side。　They　spread　out　as　if　this　part　had　been　rehearsed。　Parts　may　have　been　while　I　was　sulking。
　　　I　could　do　nothing　but　what　Elmo　told　me。
　　　The　early　going　reminded　me　of　another　barracks　raid；　long　ago；　south　of　the　Sea　of　Torments；　ere　we　enlisted　with　the　Lady。　We　had　slaughtered　the　Urban　Cohorts　of　the　Jewel　City　Beryl；　our　wizards　keeping　them　snoozing　while　we　murdered　them。
　　　Not　work　I　enjoy；　I'll　tell　you。　Most　of　them　were　just　kids　who　enlisted　for　want　of　something　better　to　do。　But　they　were　the　enemy；　and　we　were　making　a　grand　gesture。　A　grander　gesture　than　I　had　supposed　Darling　could　order；　or　had　in　mind。
　　　The　sky　began　to　lighten。　Not　one　man　of　an　entire　regiment；　save　perhaps　a　few　AWOL　for　the　night；　survived。　Out　on　the　main　parade　of　the　pound；　which　stood　well　outside　Rust　proper；　Elmo　and　the　Lieutenant　began　to　yell。　Hurry；　hurry。　More　to　do。　This　squad　to　wreck　the　stellae　of　the　Taken。　That　squad　to　plunder　regimental　headquarters。　Another　to　set　out　stuff　to　fire　the　barracks　buildings。　Still　another　to　search　the　Limper's　quarters　for　documents。　Hurry；　hurry。　Got　to　get　gone　before　the　Taken　return。　Darling　cannot　distract　them　forever。
　　　Somebody　screwed　up。　Naturally。　It　always　happens。　Somebody　fired　one　barracks　early。　Smoke　rose。
　　　Over　in　Rust；　we　soon　learned；　there　was　another　regiment。　In　minutes　a　squadron　of　horse　were　galloping　our　way。　And　again；　someone　had　screwed　up。　The　gates　were　not　secured。　Almost　without　warning　the　horsemen　were　among　us。
　　　Men　shouted。　Weapons　clanged。　Arrows　flew。　Horses　shrieked。　The　Lady's　men　got　out；　leaving　half　their　number　behind。
　　　Now　Elmo　and　the　Lieutenant　were　in　a　hurry　for　sure。　Those　boys　were　going　for　help。
　　　While　we　were　scattering　the　imperials　the　windwhale　lifted　off。　Maybe　half　a　dozen　men　managed　to　scramble　aboard。　It　rose　just　enough　to　clear　the　rooftops；　then　headed　south。　There　was　not　yet　enough　light　to　betray　it。
　　　You　can　imagine　the　cussing　and　shouting。　Even　Toadkiller　Dog　found　the　energy　to　snarl。　I　slumped　in　defeat；　dropped　my　butt　onto　a　hitching　rail；　sat　there　shaking　my　head。　A　few　men　sped　arrows　after　the　monster。　It　did　not　notice。
　　　Tracker　leaned　on　the　rail　beside　me。　I　grumped；　〃You　wouldn't　think　something　that　big　would　be　chicken。〃　I　mean；　a　windwhale　can　destroy　a　city。
　　　〃Do　not　impart　motives　to　a　creature　you　do　not　understand。　You　have　to　see　its　reasoning。〃
　　　〃What？〃
　　　〃Not　reasoning。　I　don't　know　the　right　word。〃　He　reminded　me　of　a　four…year…old　struggling　with　a　difficult　concept。　〃It's　outside　the　lands　it　knows。　Beyond　bounds　its　enemies　believe　it　can　breech。　It　runs　for　fear　it　will　be　seen　and　a　secret　betrayed。　It　has　never　worked　with