df.therunelords-第70节
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Jureem imagined that his master could hear his men rustling about； the beats of their hearts； the drawing of their breaths； the strangling noises their stomachs made。
Beyond that。。。must be silence。 A pure； profound silence all across the dark valleys below。 Jureem listened。 No birds called； no squirrels chattered。 A silence so deep that it was as if the very trees held their breath in anticipation。
〃I hear；〃 Raj Ahten whispered。
Jureem could feel the power of these woods； and he wondered。 His master feared to attack Inkarra because it； too； harbored ancient powersthe powers of the arr。 Yet here in the north the people of Heredon lived beside this wood and apparently did not harvest the power； or did not mune with it。 Their ancestors had been a part of these woods； but now the northerners were sundered from the land； and had forgotten what they once knew。
Or maybe not。 Gaborn was aided by the wood。 Raj Ahten had lost the boy's trail； lost it hopelessly。
Now Raj Ahten turned his head to the northwest； and looked out over the valleys。 The sun shone briefly on Raj Ahten as he gazed at a deep valley； far below。
The heart of the silence seemed to lie there。
〃Gaborn is heading down there；〃 Raj Ahten said with certainty。
〃O Great Brightness；〃 Salim begged。 〃Haroun asks that you leave him here。 He feels the presence of malevolent spirits。 Your flameweavers attacked the forest； and the trees want retribution。〃
Jureem did not know why this annoyed his master so。 Perhaps it was because Salim asked him。 Salim had long been a fine guard； but a failed assassin。 He'd fallen from Raj Ahten's favor。
Raj Ahten rode to Haroun； a trusted man who sat on a log； his shoes off； rubbing his maimed feet。 〃You wish to stay behind？〃 Raj Ahten asked。
〃If you please； Great One；〃 the wounded man asked。
Before Haroun could move； Raj Ahten drew a dagger； leaned over and planted it through his eye。 Haroun gasped and tried to stand； then tripped backward over a log； gagging。
Jureem and the Invincibles stared at their lord in fear。
Raj Ahten asked； 〃Now； who else among you would like to stay behind？〃
Chapter 28
AT THE SEVEN STANDING STONES
Gaborn rode full…tilt； and though his mount was one of the strongest hunters in Mystarria； in the afternoon he felt it giving way beneath him。
The stallion wheezed for breath。 Its ears drooped； lying almost flat。 Serious signs of fatigue。 Now； when it leapt a tree or jumped some gorse； it did so recklessly； letting brambles scrape its hind legs； setting its feet loosely。 If Gaborn did not stop soon； the horse would injure itself。 In the past six hours； he'd traveled over a hundred miles； circling south； then heading back northwest。
Gaborn felt certain Raj Ahten's scouts must have begun to lose mounts by now。 He could hear but two or three dogs baying。 Even Raj Ahten's war dogs had grown weary of the chase。 Weary enough； he hoped； to make mistakes。
He rode on； leading Iome through a narrow gorge。 Night's shadows were falling。
He could see quite well here。 As if the eyebright administered the night before had not yet worn off。 This amazed him； for he'd expected it to lose its effect long ago。
He felt thoroughly lost； had no idea where he'd managed to end up； yet it was with a light heart that he raced down into a deep ravine； covered in pine。
Here he found something he'd never expected to encounter so far into the Dunnwoodan ancient stone road。 Pine needles had fallen on it over the ages； and trees grew up through the middle of it。 Yet all in all； as he headed deeper into the gorge； the path could be tracked。
It seemed a decidedly odd road； too narrow for even a narrow wagon； as if it were made to be trod by smaller feet。
Iome must not have expected this road； either； for she watched it with wide eyes； looking this way and that。 In the darkness； her pupils dilated。
The woods grew silent as they rode for the next half…hour； and the trees grew immense。 The trio descended from the pines into a grove of vast oaks； trees larger than Gaborn had ever seen or imagined； spreading wide over their heads； the oak boughs creaking softly in the night。
Even the lowest branches rose eighty feet overhead。 Old man's beard clung to those boughs in vast curtains； thirty and forty feet long。
On the hill beside him； in the trees； Gaborn saw lights winking among the boles of trees。 Tiny holes had been dug beneath a rock shelf。 A ferrin warrior rushed before the light； his tail whipping。
Wild ferrin； living off acorns and mushrooms。 Some inhabited caves up there； others lived in the hollows of great oaks。 Gaborn saw lights from their lamps among the immense roots and boles。 City ferrin seldom built fires； since those attracted men who would dig the ferrin out of their burrows。 Somehow； the presence of wild ferrin forted Gaborn。
He strained his ears； listening for sign of pursuit； but all he could hear was a river； somewhere off to his right； rushing down the ravine。
Still the trail descended。
The trees grew old and more vast。 Few plants thrived beneath these treesno gorse or winding vine maple。 Instead the soft ground was covered in deep moss； unmarred by footprints。
Yet as they traveled； Iome cried out； pointed deeper into the woods。 Far back under the shadows； a gray form squatteda heavyset； beardless man； watching them from enormous eyes。
Gaborn called out to the old fellow； but he faded like a mist before the sun。
〃A wight！〃 Iome cried。 〃The ghost of a duskin。〃
Gaborn had never seen a duskin。 No human living ever had。 But this looked nothing like the ghost of a manit was too squat； too rounded。
〃If it is the spirit of a duskin； then all is well；〃 Gaborn said； trying to put a good face on it。 〃They served our ancestors。〃
Yet Gaborn did not believe for a moment that all was well。 He spurred his horse onward a bit faster。
〃Wait！〃 Iome called。 〃We can't go forward。 I've heard of this place。 There is an old duskin road leading down to the Seven Standing Stones。〃
Gaborn flinched at this news。
The Seven Standing Stones lay at the heart of the Dunnwood； formed the center of its power。
I should flee； he realized。 Yet he wanted to reach those stones。 The trees had called him。
He listened for a long moment for sounds of pursuit。 Distantly； he heard trees bending in the wind； speaking something。。。he could not quite distinguish。
〃It's not much farther；〃 Gaborn told Iome； licking his lips。 His heart hammered； and he knew it was true。 Whatever lay ahead； it was not far distant。
He spurred his horse into a canter； wanting to take advantage of the failing light by covering as much distance as possible。
Ahead he heard a far…off rasping soundlike the buzz of rattlesnakes。
He froze in his saddle。 He'd never heard the sound before； but he recognized it from others' descriptions。 It was the rasping of a reaver as air filtered from its lungs。
〃Halt！〃 he shouted； wanting to turn his horse and retreat。
Yet almost immediately he heard a cry ahead； Binnesman calling； 〃Hold！ Hold I say！〃 He sounded terrified。
〃Hurry！〃 Gaborn shouted and rode like a gale now； the horses' hooves drumming over the mossy road； beneath the black boughs。
He drew his warhammer； and pounded the ribs of his failing horse with his heels。
Sixteen hundred years ago； Heredon Sylvarresta had slain a reaver mage in the Dunnwood。 The deed was legend。 He'd put a lance through the roof of its mouth。
Gaborn had no lance； did not know if a man could even kill a reaver with a warhammer。
Iome shouted； 〃Wait！ Stop！〃
Deeper the road dropped； into the endless ravine； so that when Gaborn tried to look up above the dark branches； he had the impression of endless land all around and above him。
〃The earth hide you。。。〃 the words rang in his mind。 Iome and her father followed Gaborn down； until he felt as if at any moment he would be swallowed up into the belly of the earth。
He raced under the great oaks； which spread above him taller than any he'd ever imagined； so he wondered if these had grown here since the world was first bornthen suddenly he saw an end to the trees； an end to the trail ahead。 The rasping of the reaver came from there。
A ring of misshapen stones lay a couple of hundred yards off。 Dark； mysterious； shaped somewhat like half…formed men。 Gaborn raced to them in the starlight； hurtling under dark trees。
Something seemed very wrong。 Only moments before； at the top of the hill； the sun had been setting。 It was dusk。 Yet here； with the steep mountains rising all aroundhere in the deep hollow； full night had fallen。
Glorious starlight shone all around。
Though legend had named this place the Seven Standing Stones； it seemed the ring had not been named aptly。 Only one stone stood nowthe stone nearest to Gaborn； the stone facing him。 Yet it was more than a stone。 Once it might have seemed human。 Its features were ragged and chipped with age； and the statue shone dimly with a greenish hue； as if foxfire played over its features。 The other six stones； all of similar design； seemed to have fallen in dark ages past； all had toppled out from the center of the ring。
And though they were of similar design； yet they were not。 For this one
