gc.shadowslinger-第45部分

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　　Without　a　heroic　bone　in　my　body；　I　picked　up　my　heels　and　headed　across　the　slope。　And　a　wise　move　that　proved。
　　The　air　crackled　and　sparked　and　opened　like　a　window。　Something　poured　through　from　somewhere　else。　The　slope　froze　so　cold　and　so　fast　the　air　itself　turned　to　ice。　The　air　around　me　rushed　into　the　affected　area；　and　it　too　froze。　The　cold　took　most　of　the　castle　creatures；　enveloping　them　in　frost。　A　random　javelin　struck　one。　The　creature　shattered；　turning　to　powder　and　small　shards。　Men　hurled　whatever　missiles　were　available；　destroying　the　others。
　　The　opening　closed　after　only　a　few　seconds。　The　relative　warmth　of　the　world　sapped　the　bitter　cold。　Fogs　boiled　up；　concealed　the　area　for　several　minutes。　When　they　cleared；　no　trace　of　the　creatures　could　be　found。
　　
　　Meantime；　three　untouched　creatures　raced　down　the　road　toward　Juniper。　Elmo　and　an　entire　platoon　raged　in　pursuit。　Above；　the　Limper　passed　the　apex　of　a　climb　and　descended　for　a　strike　upon　the　fortress。　As　another　band　of　creatures　came　out。
　　They　grabbed　up　whatever　bodies　they　could　and　hurried　back。　Limper　adjusted　his　descent　and　hit　them。　Half　went　down。　The　others　dragged　at　least　a　dozen　dead　men　inside。
　　A　pair　of　those　flying　balls　came　shrieking　across　from　Duretile　and　impacted　the　castle　wall；　hurling　up　a　shield　of　color。　Another　carpet　dropped　behind　Limper。　It　released　something　which　plunged　into　the　black　castle。　There　was　a　flash　so　brilliant　it　blinded　people　for　miles　around。　I　was　facing　away　at　the　moment；　but；　even　so；　fifteen　seconds　passed　before　my　vision　recovered　enough　to　show　me　the　fortress　afire。
　　This　was　not　the　shifting　fire　we　had　seen　earlier。　This　was　more　like　a　conflagration　actually　consuming　the　stuff　of　the　fortress　itself。　Strange　screams　came　from　inside。　They　set　chills　crawling　my　spine。　They　were　screams　not　of　pain　but　of　rage。　Creatures　appeared　on　the　battlements；　flailing　away　with　what　looked　like　cats…o'…nine…tails　extinguishing　the　flames。　Wherever　the　flames　had　burned；　the　fortress　was　visibly　diminished。
　　A　steady　stream　of　ball　pairs　howled　across　the　valley。　I　do　not　see　that　they　contributed　anything；　yet　I'm　sure　there　was　purpose　behind　them。
　　A　third　carpet　dropped　while　Limper　and　the　other　were　climbing。　This　one　trailed　a　cloud　of　dust。　Wherever　the　dust　touched；　it　had　an　effect　like　Limper's　maple　seeds；　only　generalized。　Exposed　castle　creatures　shrieked　in　agony。　Several　seemed　to　melt。　The　others　abandoned　the　walls。　Events　proceeded　in　like　fashion　for　quite　a　while；　with　the　black　castle　appearing　to　get　the　worst　of　it。　Yet　they　had　gotten　those　bodies　inside；　and　I　suspected　that　meant　trouble。
　　Sometime　during　all　this　Asa　made　a　getaway。　I　was　unaware　of　it。　So　was　everyone　else；　till　hours　later；　when　Pawnbroker　spotted　him　going　into　the　Iron　Lily。　But　Pawnbroker　was　a　good　distance　away；　and　the　Lily　was　doing　a　booming　business　despite　the　hour；　with　everyone　who　could　gathered　for　drinks　while　watching　the　fury　on　the　north　ridge。　Pawnbroker　lost　him　in　the　mob。　I　expect　Asa　spoke　to　Shed's　sister…in…law　and　learned　that　he；　too；　had　escaped。　We　never　had　time　to　interview　her。
　　Meantime；　the　Lieutenant　was　getting　things　under　control。
　　He　had　the　casualties　cleared　away　from　the　break　in　the　circumvallation。　He　moved　ballistae　into　position　to　fire　into　any　further　break…out　attempt。　He　had　pit　traps　dug；　sent　laborers　around　to　replace　those　One…Eye　had　lost。　The　Taken　continued　their　harassment　of　the　castle；　though　at　a　more　leisurely　pace。　They　had　shot　their　best　bolts　early。
　　The　occasional　pair　of　balls　howled　over　from　Duretile。
　　I　later　learned　that　Silent　was　throwing　them；　having　been　taught　by　the　Taken。
　　The　worst　of　it　seemed　over。　Except　for　the　three　escapees　Elmo　was　hunting；　we　had　contained　the　thing。　The
Limper　peeled　off　to　join　the　hunt　for　the　three。　Whisper　returned　to　Duretile　to　refurbish　her　store　of　nasty　tricks；　Feather　patrolled　above　the　castle；　dipping　down　occasionally　when　its　denizens　came　out　to　battle　the　last　consum…ing　flames。　Relative　peace　had　returned。
　　Nobody　rested；　though。　Bodies　had　been　hauled　inside。　We　all　wondered　if　they　had　gleaned　enough　to　bring　the　Dominator　through。
　　But　they　were　up　to　something　else　in　there。
　　A　group　of　creatures　appeared　on　the　wall；　setting　up　a　device　pointing　down…slope。　Feather　dove。
　　Bam！　Smoke　boiled　around　her；　illuminated　from　within。　She　came　out　wobbling。　Bam！　And　bam！　again。　And　thrice　more　still。　And　after　the　last　she　could　no　longer　hold　it。　She　was　afire；　a　et　arcing　up；　out；　away；　and　down　into　the　city。　A　violent　explosion　occurred　where　she　hit。　In　moments　a　savage　conflagration　raged　upon　the　waterfront。　The　fire　spread　swiftly　among　the　tightly　packed　tenements。
　　Whisper　was　out　of　Duretile　and　hitting　the　black　castle　in　minutes；　with　the　vicious　dust　that　melted　and　the　fire　that　burned　the　stuff　of　the　fortress　itself。　There　was　an　intensity　to　her　flying　that　betrayed　her　anger　over　Feather's　fall。
　　The　Limper；　meantime；　broke　off　hunting　escapees　to　help　fight　the　fire　in　the　Buskin。　With　his　aid　it　was　controlled　within　hours。　Without　him　the　entire　district　might　have　burned。
　　Elmo　got　two　of　the　fugitives。　The　third　vanished　utterly。　When　the　hunt　resumed　with　the　help　of　the　Taken；　no　trace　could　be　found。
　　Whisper　maintained　her　attack　till　she　exhausted　her　resources。　That　came　well　after　sunrise。　The　fortress　looked　more　like　a　giant　hunk　of　slag　than　a　castle；　yet　she　had　not　overe　it。　One…Eye；　when　he　came　around　seeking　more　tools；　told　me　there　was　plenty　of　activity　inside。
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Seven：　JUNIPER：　THE　CALM
　　
　　I　caught　a　two…hour　nap。　The　Lieutenant　allowed　half　the　troops　and　workers　the　same；　then　the　other　half。　When　I　wakened；　I　found　few　changes；　except　that　the　Captain　had　sent　Pockets　over　to　establish　a　field　hospital。　Pockets　had　been　down　in　the　Buskin；　trying　to　win　friends　with　free　medical　attention。　I　looked　in；　found　only　a　handful　of　patients　and　the　situation　under　control；　went　on　to　check　the　siegework。
　　The　Lieutenant　had　repaired　the　gap　in　the　palisade　and　trench。　He　had　extended　both；　intending　to　take　them　all　the　way　around；　despite　the　difficulty　of　the　nether　slope。　New；　heavier　missile　weapons　were　under　construction。
　　He　was　not　content　to　rely　upon　the　Taken　to　reduce　the　place。　He　did　not　trust　them　to　do　the　necessary。
　　Sometime　during　my　brief　sleep；　drafts　of　Candy's　prisoners　came　up。　But　the　Lieutenant　did　not　permit　the　civilians　to　leave。　He　put　them　to　gathering　earth　while　he　scoped　out　a　site　for　building　a　ramp。
　　I　suggested；　〃You'd　better　get　some　sleep。〃
　　〃Need　to　ride　herd；〃　he　said。　He　had　a　vision。　His　talent　had　gone　unused　for　years。　He　wanted　this。　I　suspect　he　found　the　Taken　an　irritation；　despite　the　formidable　nature　of　the　black　castle。
　　〃It's　your　show；〃　I　said。　〃But　you　won't　be　much　good　if　they　hit　back　and　you're　too　exhausted　to　think　straight。〃
　　We　were　municating　on　a　level　outside　words。　Weariness　had　us　all　fragmented　and　choppy；　neither　our　thoughts　nor　actions　nor　speech　moving　logically　or　linearly。　He　nodded　curtly。　〃You're　right。〃　He　surveyed　the　slope。　〃Seems　to　be　clicking。　I'll　go　down　to　the　hospital。　Have　somebody　get　me　if　something　happens。〃
　　The　hospital　tent　was　the　nearest　place　out　of　the　sun。　It　was　a　bright；　clear；　intense　day；　promising　to　be　unseasonably　warm。　I　looked　forward　to　that。　I　was　tired　of　shivering。　〃Will　do。〃
　　He　was　right　about　things　running　smoothly。　They　usually　do　once　the　men　know　what　has　to　be　done。
　　From　the　viewpoint　of　the　Limper；　who　again　had　the　air　patrol；　the　slope　must　have　looked　like　an　overturned　anthill。　Six　hundred　pany　troops　were　supervising　the　efforts　of　ten　times　as　many　men　from　the　city。　The　road　uphill　carried　so　much　traffic　it　was　being　destroyed。　Despite　the　night's　excitement　and　their　lack　of　sleep；　I　found　the　men　in　excellent　spirits。
　　They　had　been　on　the　march　so　long；　doing　nothing　else；　that　they　had　developed　a　big　store　of　violent　energy。　It　was　pourin