df.therunelords-第97节

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　plots　are　only　as　good　as　his　information。　He's　fooled　us；　just　as　he　seeks　to　fool　Raj　Ahten。　He　knew　we　wouldn't　leave　Longmont；　so　long　as　we　trusted　in　reinforcements。　For　our　own　protection；　he　schemed　a　way　to　get　us　out　of　danger。〃
　Iome's　head　spun。　Orden　had　lied　with　such　seeming　sincerity；　had　made　her　so　furious　with　Groverman；　it　took　her　a　moment　to　reassess　the　situation。
　By　now；　if　her　estimates　were　right；　Raj　Ahten's　troops　should　be　reaching　Longmont。　Even　if　she　and　Gaborn　turned　now；　they'd　never　make　it　back　inside　Longmot's　gates。　And　a　hundred　thousand　men　should　join　Raj　Ahten　this　day。
　If　Groverman　waited　until　tonight　to　ride；　he'd　ride　too　late。　Yet　Iome　could　not　bear　to　sit　here　while　her　allies　fought　in　Longmont。　There　had　to　be　something　she　could　do。　Iome　tensed　in　her　saddle　as　a　plan　took　shape。
　〃Duke　Groverman；〃　she　asked；　〃how　many　shields　do　you　have；　at　this　very　moment？〃
　〃Ten　thousand　fighting　men；〃　Groverman　said。　〃But　they　are　only　moners。　My　finest　knights　are　in　Longmont。〃
　〃Not　menshields。　How　many　shields　do　you　have？〃
　〃Imaybe　I　could　scrounge　twelve　thousand；　if　we　raided　the　armories　of　nearby　estates。〃
　〃Do　so；〃　Iome　said；　〃and　get　all　the　lances　and　armor　and　mounts　you　canand　all　the　women　and　men　and　children　above　the　age　of　nine　who　can　rideand　all　the　cattle　and　horses　from　their　corrals。　We'll　make　every　blanket　from　your　refugees　into　a　pennant；　and　they　shall　fly　hoisted　on　rails　from　your　corrals。　Bring　all　the　war　horns　you　can　find。　And　do　so　quickly。　We　must　depart　no　later　than　two　hours　from　now。
　〃A　great　army　is　about　to　march　on　Longmont；　so　huge　an　army　that　even　Raj　Ahten　must　tremble！〃
　
　Chapter　46
　THE　CURSE
　　
　In　the　cold；　graying　skies　above　Longmont；　darkness　flashed　among　the　clouds　like　inverse　lightning。　Raj　Ahten's　three　remaining　flameweavers　were　in　their　battle…splendor　now；　clothed　only　in　brilliant　crimson　flames。　They　hunched　behind　a　battle　wall　of　piled　stonesa　stone　fence　left　by　a　farmer；　reallyand　hurled　flames　at　Castle　Longmont。　Each　of　the　flame…weavers　would　reach　up　to　the　sky　and　grasp　the　sunlight；　so　that　for　a　moment　the　whole　sky　would　darken；　and　then　strands　of　twisted　light　and　heat　would　plummet　into　their　hands　and　sit　glowing　like　small　suns；　just　before　the　flameweavers　hurled。
　It　did　little　good。　Castle　Longmont　was　made　of　ancient　stone。　Spells　had　been　woven　into　it　by　Earth　Wardens　over　the　ages。　The　balls　of　light　and　heat　would　sail　from　the　flameweavers'　hands；　expanding　in　size　as　they　moved　toward　the　castlefor　the　flameweavers　could　not　concentrate　their　power　at　this　distanceuntil　the　giant　glowing　balls　harmlessly　splashed　against　the　battlements。
　Yet　the　efforts　had　some　effect。　King　Orden's　warriors　had　been　forced　to　hide　behind　the　battlements；　seeking　cover；　and　one　flameweaver　had　hit　a　ballista　on　his　first　toss；　forcing　Orden's　artillerymen　to　withdraw　the　ballistas　and　catapults　into　the　towers。
　So；　for　the　moment；　the　battle　was　a　quiet　struggleflameweavers　hurling　fireballs　with　little　effect；　tiring　themselves；　giants　loading　the　catapults　to　send　stones　over　the　walls。
　Sometimes；　when　a　ball　of　flame　smashed　the　high　walls　just　below　the　machicolations；　the　inferno　would　send　a　blast　of　heat　upward　through　the　kill　holes；　where　archers　hid。　Then　Raj　Ahten　would　hear　a　gratifying　scream　as　a　soldier　felt　the　sharpness　of　his　teeth。　In　places；　bundles　of　arrows　had　burst　into　flame　like　kindling。
　Even　now；　Raj　Ahten　had　men　and　giants　gathering　fuel　to　build　a　huge　inferno。　Sunlight　often　served　adequately　as　a　source　of　energy　for　his　flameweavers；　but　the　afternoon　skies　were　going　gray；　and　the　weavers'　work　was　of　poorer　quality。　If　they　could　depend　on　a　more　immediate　source　of　energy；　their　balls　of　flame　would　be　tighterperhaps　small　enough；　even；　to　penetrate　the　archers'　slots　along　the　twin　towers。
　So　the　giants　hacked　down　great　oak　trees　and　pulled　fallen　logs　from　the　hills；　where　they　stacked　them　before　the　castle　like　a　great　dark　crown　made　of　writhing　limbs。　When　the　flameweavers　tapped　this　crown　for　fuel；　they　would　increase　their　powers　greatly。
　Half　an　hour　after　Binnesman　left　the　castle；　an　outrider　came　thundering　from　the　west　with　urgent　news。　He　raced　his　horse　through　camp　and　leapt　to　the　ground　at　Raj　Ahten's　feet。
　Ah；　Raj　Ahten　thought；　Vishtimnu's　army　has　finally　been　sighted。　In　Raj　Ahten's　state；　with　his　high　metabolism；　it　seemed　the　man　took　forever　to　speak。　Fortunately；　he　did　not　wait　for　permission。
　〃I　beg　pardon；　Great　King；〃　he　said；　head　bowed。　The　man's　eyes　were　wide　with　fear。　〃But　I　have　urgent　news。　I　was　placed　to　watch　at　Harm's　Gorge。　I　must　report　that　a　horseman　came　to　the　gorge　and　destroyed　the　bridge。　He　pointed　a　finger；　uttered　a　curse；　and　the　bridge　collapsed。〃
　〃What？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。　Could　the　Earth　Warden　be　seeking　to　cut　off　Raj　Ahten　from　his　reinforcements？　The　wizard　had　claimed　that　he　would　not　take　sides　in　this　battle；　and　Raj　Ahten　had　believed　him。　But　the　wizard　was　obviously　up　to　something。
　〃The　bridge　is　destroyed。　The　gorge　is　impassable；〃　the　scout　repeated。
　Raj　Ahten's　scouts　were　trained　to　treat　every　question；　even　rhetorical　questions；　as　queries。　They　reported　only　what　they　saw；　without　embellishment。
　〃Have　you　spotted　signs　of　Vishtimnu？〃
　〃No；　O　Great　Light。　I　saw　no　signsno　scouts；　no　clouds　of　dust　on　the　road。　The　forest　lies　quiet。〃
　Raj　Ahten　considered。　Just　because　his　scout　did　not　see　signs　of　reinforcements；　it　did　not　mean　that　Vishtimnu　was　not　ing。　It　could　well　be　that　the　wizard　had　his　own　means　of　detecting　them。　And　in　an　effort　to　delay　the　army　from　reaching　Longmont；　the　wizard　had　destroyed　the　bridge。　But　this　would　only　slow　Vishtimnu；　not　stop　him。　Vishtimnu's　armies　brought　great　wains　filled　with　food；　clothing；　and　weapons；　supplies　enough　to　last　the　whole　winter；　to　last　for　a　long　campaign。　The　wagons　would　not　be　able　to　pass　the　gorge；　would　have　to　go　around；　some　hundred　and　twenty　miles。
　This　would　slow　the　caravan　at　least　four　days；　probably　five　or　six。　It　would　slow　even　those　knights　mounted　on　force　horses；　so　that　they　wouldn't　reach　Longmont　today。
　Destroying　the　bridge　would　do　Raj　Ahten　little　harm。　Unless。。。the　wizard　knew　that　more　than　one　army　marched　through　these　woods；　and　therefore　sought　to　cut　off　Raj　Ahten's　escape。
　Raj　Ahten　suddenly　realized　that　Jureem　had　run　off　only　hours　ago。　Perhaps　he　had　feared　to　e　to　Longmont。　Perhaps　Jureem　himself　had　conspired　to　create　a　trap！
　Raj　Ahten　didn't　hesitate。　Two　and　a　half　miles　northeast　of　Longmont；　on　a　lonely　mountain；　an　ancient　observatory　stood　on　a　promontory　that　rose　above　the　woods　higher　than　any　other　hill　for　many　miles。　Raj　Ahten　could　see　the　observatory　from　herea　round　tower　with　a　flat　top；　made　of　blood…red　stone。　It　was　called　the　Eyes　of　Tor　Loman。
　From　its　lonely　seat；　the　Duke's　far…seers　could　watch　the　land　for　many　leagues。　Raj　Ahten　did　not　have　a　man　there　now。　His　scouts　and　far…seers　had　spread　out　along　the　roads　north；　south；　east；　and　west；　increasing　their　view。　Yet　it　was　possible　that　at　this　moment；　his　far…seers　could　be　racing　this　way　with　some　evil　report。
　Raj　Ahten　called　to　his　men；　〃Maintain　the　attack！　Get　the　pyre　burning！〃
　He　spun　and　raced　over　the　green　fields　of　Longmont　with　all　the　speed　he　could　safely　muster。
　　
　Chapter　47
　THE　EYES　OF　TOR　LOMAN
　　
　On　the　castle　wall；　Orden　watched　in　fascination　as　the　messenger　rode　to　Raj　Ahten；　gesticulating。　Several　giants　ambled　between　Orden　and　the　Wolf　Lord；　blocking　Orden's　view。
　Orden　had　studied　the　Wolf　Lord；　hoped　the　man　would　try　to　rush　the　castle。　He　had　his　men　and　dogs　and　giants　and　ladders　all　prepared。　The　mages　were　ready。　But　Raj　Ahten　remained　patient。
　Yet　when　the　messenger　came；　Orden　took　heart。　Bad　news　for　Raj　Ahten；　Orden　guessed　by　the　demeanor　of　the　messenger。　Desperation　might　only　be　a　moment　away。
　Then　Raj　Ahten　fled。　He　leaped　a　stone　fence；　raced　over　the　downs。
　Orden　counted　off　seconds；　trying　to　guess　Raj　Ahten's　speed。　A　hundred　and　ten；　perhaps　a　hundred　and　twenty　miles　per　hour　the　Runelord　raced　over　the　flats；　slowing　as　he　careered　round　the　castle；　taking　to　the　air　as　he　raced　over　a　hill　up　the　north　roadtoward　the　old　observatory。
　If　that　is　the　fastest　you　can　run；　I　can　beat　you；　Orden　exulted。　He　glanced　at　his　men　along　the　wall…walk。
　He　had　a　hundred　young　men　lying　beneath　the　merlons；　waiting　for　flameweavers　to　send　their　infernal　missiles　to　smash　against　the　castle。　Spurts　of　fire　would　rise　up　through　the　grillwork　of　the　machicolations。　Each　four　or　five　times　such　a　missile　hit；　the　young　men　were　to　cry　out　as　if　wounded。　Some　young　men　were　very　dramatic；　and　at　that　moment；　one　of　them　leapt　up；　holding　a　leather　vest　against　himself　and　batting　at　it　furiously　before　pretending　to　fall　as　one　slain。　The　boy　had　set　the　vest　there　ten　minutes　earlier；　waiting　for　it　to　catch　fire。
　Many　boys　nearby　tried　to　stifle　chuckles　at　these　antics。　But　those　antics　served　a　purpose。　So　long　as　Raj　Ahten　believed　his　tactics　wore　the　castle　do