sheritepper.necromancer nine-第4节

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o　try　to　decipher　them。〃
　〃But　you'll　tell　me　what　they　are？〃
　〃Oh；　I've　written　down　a　copy　for　you。　She　gave　them　to　me　outside　Bannerwell；　where　we　were　camped　on　Havajor　Dike。　You　remember　the　place？　Well；　she　came　to　my　tent　that　night；　after　the　battle；　and　gave　them　to　me。　Then　she　pointed　away　north…which　is　important　to　remember；　Peter；　north…and　then　she　vanished。〃
　〃Vanished？〃
　〃Went。　Away。　Slipped　out　of　the　tent　and　was　gone。　Took　the　shape　of　an　owl　and　flew　away；　for　all　I　know。　Vanished。〃
　〃Doesn't　she　ever　stay？　You　must　have　grown　up　together　as　children？〃
　〃Oh；　well；　by　the　time　I　was　of　an　age　to　understand　anything；　she　was　almost　grown；　already　Talented。　Still；　I　remember　her　as　she　was　then。　She　was　very　lovely　in　her　own　person；　very　strange；　liking　children；　liking　me；　others　my　age。　She　did　tricks　and　changes　for　us；　things　to　make　us　laugh　　　　　
　〃And　she　brought　me　to　you？〃
　〃Yes。　When　you　were　only　a　toddler。　She　said　she　had　carried　you　unchanging；　and　nursed　you；　unchanging；　all　those　long　months　never　changing；　so　that　you　would　have　something　real　to　know　and　love。　But　the　time　had　e　for　you　to　be　schooled；　and　she　preferred　for　some　reason　not　to　do　that　among　Shifters。　I　never　knew　exactly　why；　except　that　she　felt　you　would　learn　more　and　be　safer　here。　So；　she　brought　you　here　to　me；　in　Mertyn's　House；　and　I　lied　to　everyone。　I　said　you　were　Festival…get　I'd　found　wrapped　in　a　blanket　on　the　doorstep。　Then　I　tried　never　to　think　about　you　when　there　were　Demons　about。〃
　〃And　I　never　knew。　No　one　ever　knew。〃
　〃No。　I　was　a　good　liar。　But　not　a　good　Gamesman。　I　couldn't　keep　you　away　from　Mandor。〃
　〃He　beguiled　me；〃　I　mused。　〃Why　me？　There　were　smarter　boys；　better…looking　boys。〃
　〃He　was　clever。　Perhaps　he　noticed　something；　some　little　indication　of　our　relationship。　Well。　It　doesn't　matter　now。　You're　past　all　that。　Mandor　is　shut　up　in　Bannerwell；　and　you　want　to　find　Mavin　Manyshaped。　It　will　be　difficult。　You'll　have　to　go　alone。〃
　I　had　not　considered　that。　I　had　assumed　Chance　would　go　with　me　wherever　I　went。
　〃No；　you　can't　take　Chance。　　Mavin　may　make　it　somewhat　easier　for　you　to　find　her；　but　she　will　not　trust　anyone　else。　Here；〃　he　said　and　handed　me　a　fold　of　parchment。　〃I've　written　out　the　directions。〃
　
　Periplus　of　a　city　which　fears　the　unborn。
　Hear　of　a　stupration　incorporeal。
　In　that　place　a　garment　defiled
　and　an　eyeless　Seer。
　Ask　him　the　name　of　the　place　from　which　he　came
　and　the　way　from　it。
　Go　not　that　way。
　Befriend　the　shadows　and　beware　of　friends。
　Walk　on　fire　but　do　not　swim　in　water。
　Seek　Out　sent…far's　monument；　but　do　not　look　upon　it。
　In　looking　away；　find　me。
　
　〃It　makes　no　sense；〃　I　cried；　outraged。　〃No　sense　at　all！〃
　〃Go　to　Havajor　Dike；〃　he　said　soothingly。　〃Then　north　from　there。　She　would　not　have　made　the　directions　too　difficult　for　either　of　us；　Peter。　She　does　not　want　to　be　lost　forever；　only　very　difficult　to　find。　You'll　be　able　to　ravel　it　out；　line　by　line。　There　is　only　one　caution　I　must　give　you。〃
　He　waited　until　he　saw　that　he　had　my　full　attention；　then　made　his　warning；　several　times。　〃Do　not　go　near　Pfarb　Durim。　If　you　go　to　the　north　or　northwest；　do　not　go　near　that　place；　nor　near　the　place　they　call　Poffle　which　is；　in　truth；　known　as　Hell's　Maw。〃　He　patted　me　on　the　shoulder；　and　when　I　asked　curious　questions；　as　he　must　have　known　I　would；　said；　〃It　is　an　evil　place。　It　has　been　evil　for　centuries。　We　thought　it　might　change　when　old　Blourbast　was　gone；　but　it　remains　evil　today。　Mavin　would　not　send　you　near　it…simply　avoid　it！〃　And　that　was　all　he　would　say　about　that。
　We　went　down　into　the　kitchens；　sat　there　in　the　warmth　of　that　familiar　place；　eating　grole　sausage　and　cheese　with　bread　warm　from　the　baking。　It　was　a　forting　time；　a　sweet　time；　and　it　lasted　only　a　little　while。　For　Gervaise　came　bustling　in；　his　iron…tipped　staff　making　a　clatter　upon　the　stones。
　〃An　Elator　has　e；　Mertyn；〃　he　cried。　〃He　demands　to　see　you　at　once。　He　es　from　the　Bright　Demesne。。。〃
　So　we　went　up　as　quickly　as　possible　to　find　an　Elator　there；　one　I　knew　well；　Himaggery's　trusted　messenger。
　〃Gamesmaster；〃　he　said；　〃the　Wizard　Himaggery　and　the　old　Seer；　Windlow；　have　vanished。〃
　〃Vanished？〃　It　was　an　echo　of　my　own　voice　saying　that　word；　but　this　time　we　were　not　talking　of　Shifters。　Mertyn　asked　again；　〃What　do　you　mean；　vanished？〃
　〃They　went　to　Windlow's　rooms　after　the　evening　meal；　sir；　asking　that　wine　be　sent　to　them　there。　When　the　steward　arrived；　the　room　was　disturbed　but　empty。　We　searched　the　Demesne；　but　they　are　both　gone　　　　　
　〃Why　have　you　e　first　to　me？〃
　〃Gamesmaster；　I　was　told　by　the　Wizard　some　time　since　that　if　anything　untoward　should　happen；　I　was　to　e　to　you。〃
　〃Windlow　told　me；〃　I　cried。　〃Just　before　I　left。　That's　what　he　meant　when　he　said　they　would　need　your　help　soon。　That　word　would　reach　you。〃
　〃I　warned　them；〃　Mertyn　grated。　〃I　warned　them　they　might　be　next　if　they　went　on　with　it。〃
　〃Next？〃　The　word　faltered　in　my　throat。
　〃Next　to　disappear。　Next　to　vanish。　Next　to　be　gone；　as　too　many　of　our　colleagues　and　allies　now　are　gone。〃
　〃I　might　have　stopped　it；〃　I　cried。　〃Himaggery　told　me　he　needed　me；　but　I　wouldn't　listen。
　He　shook　me；　took　me　by　my　shoulders　and　shook　me　as　though　I　had　been　seven　or　eight　years　old。　〃This　is　no　time　for　dramatics；　my　boy；　or　flights　of　guilt。　Be　still。　Let　me　think。〃
　So　I　was　still；　but　it　was　a　guilty　stillness。　If　I　had　been　there？　If　I　had　been　willing　to　take　up　the　Gamesmen　of　Barish　and　use　them；　use　the　Talents？　Would　Himaggery　and　Windlow　still　be　there？　I　wanted　to　cry；　but　Mertyn's　grip　on　my　shoulder　did　not　loosen；　so　I　stood　silent　and　blamed　myself　for　whatever　it　was　that　had　happened。
　
　The　Skip…rope　Chant
　
　Mind's　mistress；　moon's　wheel；　cobweb　Didir；　shadow…steel。
　Mighty　wing；　lord　of　sky；　lofty　Tamor。　hover　high。
　Night…dark。　dust…old；　bony　Dorn；　grave…cold。
　Flesh…queen；　love…star；　lust…pale；　Trandilar。
　Pain's　maid；　broken　leaf；　Dealpas；　heart's　grief。
　Cheer's　face；　trust's　clasp；　far　and　strong　is　Wafnors　grasp。
　Far…eyed　Sorah；　worshipper；　many　gods　who　never　were。
　Here　and　gone；　flashing　fast。　Hat？or　is　Trusted　last。
　Chilly　Shattnir；　power's　store；　calling　Game　forevermore。
　Fire　and　smoke；　horn　and　bell。　messages　of　Buinel。
　Shifted；　fetched；　sent…far；　trickiest　is　Thandbar。
　
　When　all　time　is　past；　eleven　first；　eleven　last。
　
　The　Gamesunen　of　Barish；　their　Talents。
　
　Grandmother　Didir；　First　Demon。　Talent；　Telepathy。
　Grandfather　Tamor；　First　Armiger。　Talent；　Levitation。
　Dorn；　First　Necromancer。　Talent；　Raising　of　Ghosts。
　Trandilar；　First　Ruler。　Talent；　Beguilement。
　Dealpas；　First　Healer。　Talent；　Healing。
　Wafnor；　First　Tragamor。　Talent；　Telekinesis。
　Sorah。　First　Seer。　Talent；　Clairvoyance。
　Hafnor；　First　Elator。　Talent；　Teleportation。
　Shattnir；　First　Sorcerer。　Talent；　Power　storage。
　Buinel；　First　Sentinel。　Talent；　Fire　starting。
　Thandbar；　First　Shifter。　Talent；　Shapeshafting。
　
　The　eleven　represent　the　pantheon　of　elders；　the　〃respected　ones〃　of　the　religion　of　Gameworld。
　NOTE： There　are　short　verses　for　every　Gamesman　in　some　issues　of　the　Index　of　Gamesmen；　over　four　thousand　different　titles。　In　some　areas；　skip…rope　petitions　are　held　during　which　young　men　and　women　attempt　the　recitation　of　the　entire　Index。　The　last　person　to　plete　this　task　successfully　was　Minery　Mindcaster；　in　her　eighteenth　year；　at　the　petition　in　Hilbervale。
　
　2。　A　City　Which　Fears　the　Unborn
　At　the　end　of　the　short　time　which　followed；　it　was　Mertyn　who　left　me；　not　I　who　left　him。　I　had　never　seen　him　in　this　kind　of　flurry；　this　Kingly　bustle　with　all　the　House　at　his　mand　and　no　nonsense　about　not　using　Talents　in　a　Schooltown。　He　simply　ordered　and　it　was　done；　a　horse；　packing；　certain　books　from　the　library；　foodstuffs；　two　Armigers　and　a　young　Demon　to　acpany　him。　I　did　nothing　but　get　in　his　way；　each　time　trying　to　tell　him　that　I　would　go　back　with　him　to　the　Bright　Demesne　to　do　what　I　should　have　done　in　the　first　place。　He　would　have　none　of　it。
　〃For　the　love　of　Divine　Didir；　Peter；　sit　down　and　be　still。　If　there　were　anything　you　could　do；　I　would　have　you　do　it　in　a　moment。　There　is　nothing。　Believe　me；　nothing。　Just　now　the　most　important　thing　you　can　do　is　what　you　were　intending　to　do　anyhow；　find　Mavin　and　tell　her　what　has　happened　here。　Give　me　a　moment　with　these　people　and　I'll　talk　to　you　about　it。
　So　I　sat　and　waited；　with　ill　grace　and　badly　concealed　hurt。　It　was　quite　bad　enough　to　remember　that　I　had　e　away　when　I　was　needed；　it　was　worse　now　to　be　denied　return　when　I　was　eager　to　help。　At　last　Mertyn　had　all　his　minions　scattered　to　his　satisfaction；　and　he　came　back　to　me；　sitting　beside　me　to　take　my　hand。
　〃Thalan；　put　your　feelings　aside。　No…I　know　how　you　feel。　　You　could　not　have　failed　to　love　old　Windlow。　All　who　know　him　do。　As　for　Himaggery；　it　is　hard　not　to　like　him；　admire　him；　even　when　he　is　most　infuriating。　So；　you　want　to　help。　You　can。　Hear　me；　and　pay　utmost　attention。
　〃For　some　time　there　have　been　disappearances。