fs.thesecondbookofswords-第31部分

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bent　to　pick　up　the　screaming　Golok　in　its　left　forelimb。　Ben　could　see　the　youth's　legs；　still　living；　kicking　wildly。　Ben　yielded　himself　to　Dragonslicer；　letting　the　force　of　it　in　his　hands　pull　him　forward　to　the　attack。　The　blow　struck　by　the　Sword　was　almost　too　swift　for　his　own　thought　to　follow　it；　and　it　took　off　cleanly　the　dragon's　right　paw　as　it　swiped　at　him。　The　severed　forelimb　thudded　like　an　armored　body　falling　to　the　ground；　the　iridescent　blood　gushing　out。
　　　The　Sword　of　Heroes　shrieked。
　　　Ben　got　one　more　close　look　at　Golok's　living　face。
　　　Dragonslicer　thrust　home　for　the　heart；　parting　hand…thick　scales　as　if　they　had　been　tender　leaves。　The　landwalker　stumbled　backward；　leaving　the　Sword　still　keening　in　Ben's　hand's。　The　treetrunk　legs　kicked　out　in　reflex；　hurling　stones　and　dust。　With　a　last　roar　that　ended　in　eruptive　bubbling；　the　beast　went　backward　over　the　cliff；　Golok　still　clutched　to　its　scaly　breast。
　　　Ben　had　time　to　scramble　forward　to　the　brink　and　watch　the　ending　of　the　fall。　The　two　bodies　did　not　separate　until　they　hit　the　water　and　the　rocks。
Chapter　10
　　　The　monkbird　screamed；　on　and　on。　To　Ben　it　seemed　to　have　been　screaming　for　days。　With　the　Sword　of　Heroes　still　dripping　dragon's　blood　in　his　right　hand；　he　clung　to　the　cliff…edge　rocks；　looking　down　a　hundred　meters　at　the　sullen　surge　and　smash　of　waves　below。　It　was　a　fine　day；　and　the　sea　wore　delicate　shadings　of　blue　and　green　over　most　of　its　vast　surface。　The　fall　on　rocks　had　pulped　the　huge　beast's　body　like　a　dropped　fruit；　but　the　waves　were　already　sorting　and　sifting　and　dispersing　the　organic　wreckage；　on　the　way　to　acplishing　a　tidy　disposal　of　it。　And　Golok's　body　had　already　disappeared　pletely。
　　　Mark　had　e　to　Ben's　side；　had　taken　him　by　the　left　arm；　was　pulling　him　back　from　the　brink。
　　　Doon　was　frothing　angry。　〃The　bird；　the　demon…damned　bird！〃　He　looked　up　at　Dart's　small；　frantic　shape　flying　not　far　above　his　head；　as　if　he　were　about　to　strike　at　it　with　his　Sword。　Dart's　voiceless　keening　mingled　with　the　racket　of　a　cloud　of　seabirds　that　had　been　startled　up　from　the　shoreline　rocks。　〃How　are　we　going　to　be　able　to　use　it　now？〃
　　　As　if　intentionally　answering　his　question；　it　came　down　suddenly；　down　in　an　abrupt　swoop　to　Ariane　standing　nearby。　Her　left　arm　was　extended　in　the　traditional　gesture　of　beast　masters　to　their　flying　pets。　Now；　with　its　fur　dark　brown　against　the　coils　of　her　red　hair；　the　monkbird　huddled　on　her　shoulder；　mourning　almost　silently　for　its　dead　master；　clinging　there　with　feet　and　wings　like　some　half…human　orphan。　Ariane　whispered　to　it　and　stroked　it。　When　Mitspieler　came　to　her　to　see　if　he　could　help；　she　sent　him　away　with　a　gentle　headshake；　and　continued　to　soothe　the　creature。
　　　Doon　observed　this　with　visible　relief。　〃Good　job；　Princess。　We　may　not　have　lost　much　here　after　all。〃　He　took　a　quick　glance　at　the　sky。　〃They　may　think　they've　lost　their　dragon　over　the　cliff　by　accident；　chasing　a　rabbit　or　some　such。　Anyway　we'll　have　e　and　gone；　if　we　do　the　job　right；　before　the　dragon's　missed。　Let's　move。〃
　　　And　he　moved　ahead　himself；　Wayfinder　drawn。　Ben；　having　cleaned　Dragonslicer　as　well　as　he　could　on　prickly　leaves；　followed　closely。　Mark　was　near　Ben；　and　the　others　only　a　few　steps　behind。
　　　Ben　could　still　recognize　no　details　of　his　surroundings；　though　it　looked　in　general　like　the　same　landscape　from　which　he　had　fled　by　night。　Now；　in　broad　day；　it　held　no　sign　anywhere　of　humanity　or　of　human　works；　apart　from　the　adventurers　themselves。　The　wasteland　stretched　away　to　north；　west；　and　south；　kilometer　after　kilometer；　empty　arid　grimly　beautiful。
　　　〃Where's　your　local　Blue　Temple？〃　asked　Mark；　sticking　his　head　up　over　a　hillock　beside　Ben's；　to　scan　the　way　ahead。
　　　〃Somewhere　inland；　over　there。　Kilometers　away。　It　took　us　half　a　day　and　half　a　night　to　get　here　from　there；　even　riding　part　of　the　way。〃
　　　And　on　impulse　Ben　turned　his　head　to　look　back　across　the　water。　On　the　other　side　of　the　fjord　rose　the　opposite　headland；　emerging　belatedly　from　the　last　of　the　morning's　mists　to　warm　itself　in　early　summer's　sun。　The　meadow　and　the　forest　on　its　top　were　indistinguishable　at　this　distance　and　in　this　light。　The　cliffs；　with　this　side　of　them　just　ing　into　sunshine　now；　were　vaguely　blue。
　　　Did　I　really　swim　all　that　way；　and　climb　those　cliffs？　Ben　asked　himself。　Swimming　through　the　tides　at　night；　with　no　idea　of　where　I　was　really　going？　Someday；　he　thought；　I'll　tell　my　grandchildren　all　about　it。　My　grandchildren　and　Barbara's；　in　our　fine　house。　I　saw　the　Emperor　sitting　there　in　his　gray　cloak；　and　he　looked　just　like　a　man。。。　Ben　had　been　on　the　way　to　forgetting　the　incident　pletely　until　Hubert　had　startled　him　with　his　tale。　But　no　use　worrying　now　about　the　real　truth　of　it　…　there　had　been　no　demons　in　evidence；　anyway。
　　　He　looked　inland　again；　and　moved　on；　following　the　others　who　were　getting　ahead　of　him。
　　　Doon；　with　his　Sword　in　his　hands；　led　them　steadily　on　across　the　trackless　waste。　Ben　several　times　murmured　to　the　others　that　now　the　proper　hillock　could　not　be　much　farther。　In　trying　to　pick　it　out；　he　became　aware　for　the　first　time　of　how　much　alike　were　all　these　stony　knobs。　It　even　seemed　that　each　hillock　had　on　one　side　an　enormous　stone；　and　that　each　such　stone　was　of　a　size　and　shape　to　possibly　form　the　balance…door　protecting　the　hidden　cave。　This　fact　was　not　immediately　obvious；　for　no　two　of　the　huge　stones　were　exactly　alike　in　appearance；　nor　were　they　on　the　same　sides　of　their　respective　hills。　But　any　of　at　least　a　hundred；　as　far　as　Ben　could　tell；　might　possibly　be　the　one　they　sought。　He　wondered　silently　if　this　might　have　been　arranged　by　magic；　it　seemed　impossible　that　chance　alone　would　be　responsible。
　　　Wayfinder　was　immune　to　these　as　to　all　other　distracting　elements。　Following　Doon；　who　held　to　an　almost　straight　course；　Ben　tried　to　recall　in　which　direction　the　cave　opening　had　faced。　Indelibly　he　remembered　that　moment　in　which　he'd　turned；　from　the　entrance；　and；　with　Radulescu's　yell　still　hanging　in　the　air；　had　grabbed　and　pulled　the　great　stone　down　to　bang　the　doorway　shut。　Then；　himself　on　the　edge　of　panic；　running　off　into　the　night；　almost　blind　in　darkness；　banging　his　legs　on　rocks。。。　he　had　run；　that　night；　with　the　ocean　on　his　left。。。
　　　〃Here；〃　said　Doon　abruptly。　He　had　e　to　a　halt　standing　in　front　of　a　hillock　that　looked　to　Ben　no　more　familiar　than　any　of　the　others　standing　round　it。　Facing　the　side　of　the　mound；　Doon　stretched　forth　his　arm　until　the　tip　of　the　Sword　in　his　hand　touched　rock。　Now　Ben　could　plainly　see　the　strong　vibration　in　the　blade。
　　　〃Here？〃　Ben　echoed；　questioning；　the　hillock　was　still　unrecognizable　to　him　among　its　fellows。　There　was　one　way　to　make　sure；　and　he　slipped　off　his　backpack。　〃All　right。　Lend　a　hand　at　this　end　of　the　rock　and　help　me　lift　it。〃　And　he　bent　to　grip　the　base　of　the　enormous　stone　himself。　Suddenly；　with　the　feel　of　it；　he　was　sure　that　this　was　the　right　spot。
　　　But　Indosuaros　touched　his　shoulder。　〃Wait。〃　The　magician　raised　both　hands；　and　rested　ten　fingertips　upon　the　rock。　He　stood　there　for　a　moment；　his　eyes　closed；　then　stepped　back；　glancing　at　his　assistant。　〃I　sense　no　guardian　magic。　Lift　away。〃
　　　With　Ben　exerting　himself；　Mark　and　Hubert　gave　enough　help　to　tilt　the　great　stone　back。　Ben's　remaining　doubts　vanished；　there　was　the　dark　triangular；　opening；　just　the　same。
　　　Doon；　his　weapon　ready；　glared　into　the　doorway　for　a　moment；　then　stepped　back；　nodding　with　satisfaction。　〃Lights；〃　he　pronounced。
　　　These；　seven　Old　World　devices；　were　taken　out　of　one　of　the　packs　and　passed　around。　They　were　somewhat　different　in　shape　and　style　from　the　torch　that　Ben　had　seen　Radulescu　using；　but　functionally　the　same。　And　these　had　modern；　handmade　leather　straps　attached。
　　　Doon　demonstrated　quickly　how　the　straps　could　be　used　to　put　the　light　on　like　a　helmet；　leaving　the　wearer's　hands　free。　〃For　these；　again；　we　have　our　wizard　to　thank。　We'll　see　to　it；　Indosuaros；　t