fs.thesecondbookofswords-第1节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Fire from the sky came thrusting down； a dazzling crooked spear of white light that lived for an instant only； long enough to splinter a lone tree at the jutting edge of the seaside cliff。 The impact beneath the howling darkness of the sky stunned eyes and ears alike。 Ben winced away from the blinding flash … too late； of course； to do his shocked eyes any good … and turned his gaze downward； trying to see the path again； to find secure places to put down his sandaled feet。 In night and wind and rain it was hard to judge how far away the stroke had fallen； but he could hope that the next one would be farther off。
Ben's thick and powerful right arm was stretched forward across the rump of one heavily burdened loadbeast； his hand grasping the rope that bound the panniers on the animal's back。 Meanwhile his left hand； extended backward； tugged hard on the reins of the loadbeast reluctantly following。
The little packtrain was posed of six loadbeasts； along with the six men who drove and led and cursed the animals forward。 A seventh animal； considerably more sleek and graceful than the six that carried cargo； came a few meters behind the train。 It bore a seventh man； a cloaked and hooded figure who rode with a cold； flameless Old World torch raised in his right hand。 The torch shed an unflickering light through wind and rain； projecting some of its rays far enough ahead to give the train's drivers some hope of seeing where they were going。
Like some odd crawling pound creature possessing three dozen unsynchronized feet； the pack train groped and struggled its way forward； following a mere sketch of a path across the wild landscape。 Ben was pushing the first animal forward； more or less dragging the second after him； and trying to soothe them both。 Hours ago； at the beginning of the trip； the drivers had been warned that tonight the usually phlegmatic animals were likely to bee skittish。
There would be dragon…scent about； the officer had said。
Another flash of lightning now； fortunately not quite as close as the last one。 For just an instant the rocky and forsaken wilderness surrounding the small train was plain to see； including the next few meters of the path ahead。 Then darkness closed in deeper than ever； bringing with it harder rain。 Its parts linked by the push and pull of human arms； the beast with three dozen feet advanced； making slow progress over the treacherous footing of rain…slicked rocks and yielding sand。 Meanwhile the wind howled continuously and the rain assaulted everything。
Ahead of Ben； the soldier leading the first loadbeast was wrapped and plastered like Ben himself in a soggy blue…gold uniform cloak； with a useless helmet drizzling rain into his eyes。 Now Ben could hear him loudly calling down the doom of demons and the wrath of gods upon this whole situation … including the high functionaries whose idea it must have been； and who were no doubt somewhere warm and dry themselves this moment。 The man was almost shouting； having no fear that the priest…officer； Radulescu； who rode behind the train； might be able to hear him above the wind。
The cold torchlight from behind suggested； and the next flash of lightning proved； that the scanty path the train was following was now about to veer sharply to the left。 At the same time； a large indentation in the line of the nearby cliffs brought their potentially fatal edge sweeping in sharply toward the path from that direction。 Ben； not liking this sudden proximity of the brink； leaned harder against the animal whose rump his right arm was embracing。 Using his great strength and his considerable weight； he forced the beast a little farther to the right。 Now the packtrain was moving so close to the cliff's edge that when the lightning flashed again it was possible to look down and glimpse the pounding sea。 Ben thought those rock…torn waves might be a hundred meters below。
He supposed that a mon soldier's life in any army was not a happy one。 More than one old proverb； repeated mostly among soldiers themselves； testified to that； and Ben had been given plenty of chance to learn the truth of the proverbs for himself。 But what worried him tonight was not the usual soldier's concerns of dull abuse and passing danger。 Not the storm。 Not really the danger of falling off this cliff … that risk was obvious and could be avoided。 Nor was it even fear of the guardian dragon up ahead； whose presence the drivers had been warned of because it might make the loadbeasts nervous。
What bothered Ben was a certain realization that had been growing upon him。 If it was correct； then he had more than dragons to worry about。 So； for that matter； did the other drivers who were here tonight； but Ben had no reason to think that any of them had yet realized the fact。
He wondered if he was going to have a chance to talk to them about it without the officer overhearing。 He decided that he probably was not。。。
By Ardneh； how could any man； even one afraid for his life； manage to think straight about anything in the middle of a storm like this？ Ben couldn't even spare a hand to try to wipe the rain out of his eyes； or hold his cloak together。 Now； sodden as the garment was； it had blown loose from its lower clasp； and streamed out uselessly in the wind。 Even in the brilliance of the lightning the cloak no longer looked gold and blue。 It was so wet and matted that it might have been woven out of the gray of the night itself。
More lightning； more wind； more rain。 Through it all the twelve linked bodies of angry men and burdened animals kept struggling forward。 Under ordinary conditions； one or two men could have managed six loadbeasts easily。 But Ben had to admit that whoever had assigned six drivers to this job tonight had known what he was doing。 Certainly two or three men would not have been enough to manage it tonight； when
lightning and the scent of dragon rode the air together。
Radulescu had earlier reassured the drivers； telling them that he had at his mand powerful spells； sure to keep the dragon at a distance。 Ben believed that。 Blue Temple officers； he had observed in his year's stint as an enlisted man； were generally petent in matters that they considered to be important。 And this trip tonight had to be important。。。 and that led Ben back to his new private worry。 He wanted to be able to argue himself out of that dreadful idea； but instead the more he thought of it the more real it became。
And the less time was left to try to deal with it。
They had been told nothing about the nature of the cargo； so well…wrapped； so pact and heavy； that they were transporting through the night。 Other hands than theirs had wrapped it； and loaded it into the animals' panniers。 From the way it weighed； and felt； it could hardly be anything but heavy stone or metal。
Ben couldn't really believe that it was stone。 He could tell from the way the animals moved that it must weigh like lead。 But of course Blue Temple； the proverbial worshippers and hoarders of wealth； were unlikely to be trafficking in lead。
That narrowed the possibilities down considerably。 But there was more。
When the packtrain had left the local Temple； some hours before dark； it had been acpanied by an escort of some three dozen heavily armed cavalry。 These were mercenary troops； speaking only some bizarre dialect of their own； Ben thought that they must have been recruited from halfway around the world。
Progress had at first been easy； the sky was threatening but the storm had not yet broken。 The armed escort had surrounded the packtrain most of the slow way； the loadbeasts had been docile； and the six drivers had been able to take it easy； riding themselves on six spare mounts。 Their journey； along back roads and then increasingly slender trails leading into the back country； had been entirely on Temple lands … or so Ben thought； he could not be pletely sure。 Such a heavy escort； on Temple lands； seemed to be overdoing it a bit … unless of course the cargo was very； very valuable。
And to think that didn't help the new worry at all。。。
Just before nightfall； the train had halted in a small clearing amid the scrubby growth and boulders of the wasteland。 In a smooth and evidently prearranged fashion； the laden animals with their six drivers had been detached at this point from their escort； and under the mand of Radulescu had continued forward over this rugged thread of trail。
According to the announced plan； their escort was to wait in the clearing for their return。 As the separation was taking place； and almost as an afterthought； the six drivers had been ordered to leave their own weapons behind in the escort's care。 Swords and daggers； Ben and the five others had been told； would not be needed up ahead； and would just get in their way when they went to work on the unloading。
Radulescu had been the officer who told them that； raising his crisp professional voice above the rising wind； while behind him the cavalry sat their own mounts； waiting silently。 And when the weapons of the six drivers had been collected under a waterproof； and the spare cavalry mounts returned； Radulescu had ordered the t
