df.therunelords-第103节

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in　at　a　touch。　Then　he　tried　to　draw　a　breath　in　the　hot　wind　of　the　fireball's　passage。
　Horses　kicked　and　fell　under　the　impact　of　the　blast。　One　of　them　landed　half　atop　him；　the　body　of　a　knight　crushing　him。
　For　a　moment；　Tempest　fell　unconscious。　Found　himself　crawling　among　the　stones；　among　the　fallen　horses。　Men　and　parts　of　men　rained　from　the　castle　walls；　a　gruesome　storm　of　burned　bodies；　destroyed　flesh。
　In　that　moment；　he　gazed　about　in　horror　as　a　blackened　boy　plopped　at　his　head；　an　arm　fell　near　his　hand。　He　knew　then　that　he　would　not　survive　this　day。　Three　days　past；　he'd　sent　his　wife　and　children　to　Castle　Groverman；　hoping　they'd　be　safe；　hoping　he'd　live　to　see　them　again。　He　remembered　how　they'd　looked　as　they　lefthis　two　toddlers　riding　the　back　of　a　goat；　his　wife　carrying　their　babe　in　her　arms；　his　oldest　daughter　trying　to　look　mature；　her　lips　trembling　as　she　stifled　tears　of　fear。
　Tempest　looked　up　to　the　castle　walls；　on　the　west。　The　walls　were　nearly　empty。　Those　men　still　up　looked　dazed；　confused。
　Suddenly；　a　flaming　white　salamander　leapt　up　on　the　merlon　of　the　south　tower；　gazing　about。　Tempest　hid　his　face；　lest　the　pearly　orbs　of　its　eyes　touch　him。
　A　second；　smaller　explosion　sounded　fifty　yards　behind　him。　Tempest　tried　to　scrabble　to　his　knees；　looked　back。　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles　had　just　hit　the　little　mantelet　barricade　inside　the　gates　with　their　ram。　The　barricade　exploded；　sending　shards　of　woods　flying；　flaming　out。
　Any　men　who　stood　near　that　barricade　blew　back　under　the　onslaught　of　fiery　debris；　yet　painfully　few　men　had　been　standing　at　all。　A　few　knights　were　still　up　on　their　horses；　but　the　fallen　bodies　of　their　rades　hemmed　them　in。
　The　battle　was　lost。　All　along　the　walls　before　him；　defenders　were　down。　Thousands　of　men　screamed　and　writhed　in　pain。　Arrows　were　hurtling　over　the　castle　walls　now；　a　dark　and　deadly　rain；　dropping　into　wounded　men。
　Some　few　hundred　men　were　rushing　from　the　north　side　of　the　castle；　trying　to　reach　the　gates；　to　put　up　some　kind　of　defense。　Yet　Raj　Ahten's　Invincibles　rushed　to　meet　them　by　the　thousands。
　War　dogs　in　grim　leather　masks　raced　through　the　streets；　leaping　over　fallen　knights　and　their　horses；　ripping　apart　any　man　or　beast　that　lived；　feeding　as　they　slaughtered。
　Tempest　hoped　still　that　he　might　find　Shostag；　slay　him　so　that　the　serpent　would　form　a　head。　Yet　he　felt　stunned；　confused。　Blood　dripped　from　his　face。
　He　collapsed　as　Raj　Ahten's　war　dogs　raced　over　him；　leaping　through　the　fray。
　　
　Chapter　49
　THE　EARTH　KING　STRIKES
　　
　Binnesman　rode　over　the　heath　toward　Gaborn　and　Iome；　beneath　the　cloud　of　dirt　and　pollen　raised　by　the　feet　of　hundreds　of　thousands　of　men　and　cattle。
　Gaborn　stared　at　the　wizard。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　seen　him　in　full　daylight。　His　hair　had　gone　white；　and　the　baggy　robes　he　wore　had　turned　from　a　forest　green　to　shades　of　scarlet　and　orange；　like　leaves　that　had　changed　color。
　Gaborn　rode　so　close　to　Iome　that　at　times　her　knee　touched　his。　He　dared　not　try　to　call　a　halt　as　the　wizard　neared；　his　mount　speeding　over　the　purple　heather。　Too　many　people　and　animals　moved　in　the　great　throng。　Yet　Gaborn　wanted　to　talk　to　Binnesman；　wanted　to　hear　his　report。
　Binnesman　stared　at　Gaborn's　troops　for　a　long　moment；　wheeled　his　horse　to　a　near　halt；　and　at　last　asked　in　surprise；　〃Do　you　plan　to　feed　Raj　Ahten's　army　with　all　these　cattle；　or　trample　him　with　them？〃
　〃Whatever　he　desires；〃　Gaborn　said。
　Binnesman　shook　his　head　in　wonder。　〃I　heard　the　startled　cries　of　birds　here；　felt　the　earth　groan　under　the　weight　of　feet。　I　thought　that　you　had　conjured　an　army。　I　thought　it　fortunate　that　I'd　gone　to　the　trouble　of　destroying　the　old　Harm's　Gorge　Bridge；　blocking　Raj　Ahten's　hopes　for　reinforcements　from　the　west。〃
　〃I　appreciate　the　gesture；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃What　can　you　tell　me？　Have　Raj　Ahten's　reinforcements　been　spotted？〃
　〃No；〃　Binnesman　said；　〃nor　do　I　think　they　are　close。〃
　〃Perhaps　luck　is　with　us；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Perhaps　so；〃　Binnesman　said。
　On　the　horizon；　just　along　the　line　of　green　hills　covered　with　trees；　the　blackness　flashed　again；　much　more　fiercely　than　ever　beforea　line　of　blackness　that　split　the　sky　from　horizon　to　horizon。
　Then　a　great　pillar　of　fire　roared　slowly　into　the　air；　an　explosion　so　massive；　Gaborn　had　never　seen　the　like。　Something　terrible　was　happening。
　〃Gaborn；〃　Binnesman　said。　〃Close　your　eyes。　Use　your　Earth　Sight。　Tell　me　what　is　happening。〃
　Gaborn　closed　his　eyes。　For　a　moment；　he　felt　nothing；　and　he　wondered　if　Binnesman　had　erred　in　asking　him　to　use　the　Earth　Sight。
　Then；　faintly；　he　felt　the　connections；　felt　the　invisible　lines　of　power　between　him　and　his　people。　He　had　only　consciously　chosen　his　father。　Now　he　realized　that　he'd　been　choosing　people　for　days。　He'd　chosen　Myrrima　that　morning　in　the　market；　and　he'd　claimed　Borenson。　He'd　chosen　Chemoise　when　he　saw　her　helping　her　father　in　the　wagon；　and　had　chosen　her　father。
　Now；　he　felt　all　those　he　had　claimedBorenson；　his　father；　Myrrima；　Chemoise　and　her　father。　He　felt。。。danger。　Terrible　danger。　He　feared　that　if　they　did　not　fight　now；　they　would　all　die。
　Strike；　Gaborn　silently　willed　them。　Strike　now；　if　you　can！
　Twenty　seconds　later；　the　sound　of　an　explosion　roared　across　the　plain；　shaking　the　earth；　like　distant　thunder。
　　
　Chapter　50
　THE　OPENING
　　
　At　Castle　Sylvarresta；　Chemoise　was　getting　dinner　in　the　buttery　when　she　felt　the　urge　to　strike。　The　desire　came　so　quickly　and　so　profoundly　that　she　struck　her　hand　against　the　table　by　reflex；　smashing　a　round　of　cheese。
　Myrrima　tempered　her　response　with　reason。　The　thunders　of　war　shook　the　manor　house　where　she　hid；　and　outside　the　sky　was　black。　She　couldn't　strike　against　Raj　Ahten's　soldiers；　knew　she　was　no　match。　So　she　raced　upstairs；　hoping　to　hide　beneath　some　lord's　bed。
　Six　years　past；　Eremon　Vottania　Solette　had　chosen　to　live　as　a　Dedicate　to　Salim　al　Daub　because　he　had　two　dreams：　The　first　was　to　see　his　daughter　again。　The　second　was　to　survive　until　his　grace　returned　so　he　would　waken　among　Raj　Ahten's　Dedicates；　able　to　fight。
　Yet　over　the　years；　Eremon's　hopes　faded。　Raj　Ahten's　facilitators　drained　too　much　grace　from　him；　left　him　near　death。　Robbed　of　flexibility；　his　arms　and　legs　became　useless；　so　that　he　lay　as　stiff　as　in　rigor　mortis。
　Life　became　torment。　The　muscles　in　his　chest　contracted　easily　enough　to　let　him　inhale；　but　afterward　for　long　moments　he　had　to　consciously　relax　in　order　to　exhale。　Sometimes；　his　heart　would　clench　and　not　open；　and　he'd　struggle　silently；　fearing　death。
　Unable　to　relax　his　lips；　he　spoke　with　difficulty；　through　clenched　teeth。　He　could　not　chew。　If　he　swallowed　anything　but　the　weak　broth　Raj　Ahten's　servants　fed；　it　sat　like　lead　in　his　stomach；　the　muscles　in　his　gut　could　not　contract　enough　to　digest　it。
　To　empty　his　bladder　or　pass　a　stool　was　an　embarrassment；　a　process　requiring　hours　of　work。
　His　five　endowments　of　stamina　had　bee　a　burden；　for　they　kept　him　alive　long　after　he　wished　for　death。　Often　he'd　wished　that　King　Sylvarresta　would　slay　the　men　who　served　Eremon　as　Dedicates。　But　the　King　had　been　too　soft；　and　so　Eremon　languished。　Until　last　night。　Now；　at　last；　it　seemed　that　death　was　within　reach。
　His　fingers　curled　into　useless　fists。　He　had　lain　for　years　in　a　ball；　bent　at　the　hips。　Though　endowments　of　brawn　kept　him　strong；　some　muscles　in　his　legs　and　arms　had　atrophied。　So　he'd　lain　imprisoned　in　weakening　flesh；　knowing　he'd　never　get　vengeance；　a　helpless　tool　of　Raj　Ahten。
　Thus　it　seemed　miraculous　when　his　first　dream　came　true；　when　Raj　Ahten　decided　to　take　him　to　Heredon　and　throw　his　failing　body　in　front　of　King　Sylvarresta。　The　deed　was　supposed　to　shame　the　good　king。　Raj　Ahten　often　went　to　great　lengths　to　shame　a　man。
　It　had　seemed　miraculous　when　Eremon　saw　his　daughter　Chemoise。　She'd　grown　beautiful；　no　longer　the　freckle…faced　child　of　his　memory。
　Seeing　her　had　been　enough。　Eremon　now　felt　his　life　was　plete；　hereafter　he'd　take　a　long　slide　into　oblivion。
　Yet　one　deed　more　lay　before　him。　As　he　languished　in　the　Dedicates〃　wagon；　it　began　to　shake　as　men　climbed　onto　the　buckboard；　opened　the　door。　Slowly；　Eremon　opened　his　eyes。　In　the　dark　wain；　flies　rose　in　clouds　from　forlorn　Dedicates　around　him。　Men　and　women　were　crammed　together　like　salted　minnows　in　a　keg；　lying　on　beds　of　moldering　hay。
　Facilitators　in　gray　robes　stood　huffing　by　the　open　door。　Shafts　of　sunlight　stabbing　into　the　room　blinded　him；　but　Eremon　could　see　that　they'd　set　a　body　against　the　wall。　A　new　Dedicate。　Another　victim。
　〃What　have　we　here？〃　the　guard　asked。　〃Metabolism？〃
　The　facilitator　nodded。　Eremon　could　see　the　scars　on　the　mana　dozen　endowments　of　metabolism　he'd　taken；　and　now　he　served　as　a　vector。
　Raj　Ahten's　facilitators　looked　for　a　place　to　lay　the　newcorner。　A　blind　Dedicate　who　slept　next　to　Eremon　rolled　in　his　sleep；　huddling　for　warmth　next　to　a　limp　rag　of　a　man。
　Thus　a　slim　spot　opened　beside　Eremon；　and　now　the　facilitators　muttered　in　their　own　to