rj.thepathofdaggers-第104部分

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　away　from　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　did　what？〃　Karede　said　softly。
　　　　　　　Soft　or　not；　his　words　jerked　every　eye　toward　him。　Though　Nadoc　and　a　few　of　the　others　had　to　struggle　to　stop　gaping　at　Jadranka。　Scouts　told　to　press　ahead；　scouts　told　what　to　look　for。　What　had　gone　unseen　for　those　orders？
　　　　　　　Before　anyone　could　open　his　mouth　shouts　rose　from　the　men　in　the　pass；　screams　and　the　shrieks　of　horses。
　　　　　　　Karede　pressed　the　leather　tube　of　the　looking　glass　to　his　eye。　Along　the　pass　ahead　of　him；　men　and　horses　were　dying　under　a　hail　of　what　he　thought　must　be　crossbow　bolts；　the　way　they　hammered　through　steel　breastplates；　exploded　through　chests　protected　by　mail。　Hundreds　were　down　already；　hundreds　more　sagging　wounded　in　their　saddles　or　afoot　and　running　from　horses　thrashing　on　the　ground。　Too　many　were　running。　Even　as　he　looked；　men　still　mounted　whirled　their　horses　to　try　fleeing　back　up　the　pass。　Where　in　the　Light　were　the　sul'dam！　He　could　not　find　them。　He　had　faced　rebels　who　had　sul'dam　and　damane；　and　they　always　had　to　be　killed　as　fast　as　possible。　Maybe　the　locals　had　learned　that。
　　　　　　　Suddenly；　shockingly；　the　ground　began　to　erupt　in　roaring　fountains　all　along　the　writhing　snake　of　his　mand；　fountains　that　flung　men　and　horses　into　the　air　as　easily　as　dirt　and　stones。　Lightning　flashed　out　of　the　sky；　blue…white　bolts　shattering　earth　and　men　alike。　Other　men　simply　exploded；　ripped　to　shreds　by　nothing　he　could　see。　Did　the　locals　have　damane　of　their　own？　No；　it　would　be　those　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃　Nadoc　said。　He　sounded　shaken。　As　well　he　might。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　think　to　abandon　your　men？〃　Jadranka　snarled。　〃We　rally　them　and　attack；　you　…！〃　He　cut　off；　gurgling；　as　Karede's　swordpoint　went　neatly　into　his　throat。　There　were　times　fools　could　be　tolerated；　and　times　not。　As　the　man　toppled　from　his　saddle；　Karede　deftly　wiped　his　blade　on　the　gelding's　white　mane　before　the　animal　bolted。　There　were　times　for　a　little　show；　too。
　　　　　　　〃We　rally　what　can　be　rallied；　Nadoc；〃　he　said　as　if　Jadranka　had　never　spoken。　As　if　he　had　never　been。　〃We　save　what　can　be　saved；　and　fall　back。〃
　　　　　　　Turning　to　ride　down　into　the　pass　where　lightnings　flashed　and　thunders　roared；　he　ordered　Anghar；　a　steady…eyed　young　man　with　a　fast　horse；　to　ride　east　and　report　what　had　transpired　here。　Perhaps　a　flier　would　see　and　perhaps　not；　though　Karede　suspected　he　knew　why　they　flew　low；　now。　He　suspected　the　High　Lady　Suroth　and　the　generals　in　Ebou　Dar　already　knew　what　was　occurring　up　here；　too。　Was　today　the　day　he　died　for　the　Empress？　He　dug　his　heels　into　his　horse's　flanks。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　From　the　flat；　thinly　treed　ridge；　Rand　peered　westward　over　the　forest　before　him。　With　the　Power　in　him　…　life；　so　sweet；　vileness；　oh；　so　vile　…　he　could　see　individual　leaves；　but　it　was　not　enough。　Tai'daishar　stamped　a　hoof。　The　jagged　peaks　behind；　to　either　side；　and　all　around　overtopped　the　ridge　by　a　mile　or　more；　but　the　ridge　stood　well　above　the　treetops　below；　a　rolling　wooded　valley　over　a　league　in　length　and　nearly　as　wide。　All　was　still　down　there。　As　quiet　as　the　Void　he　floated　in。　Quiet　for　the　moment；　anyway。　Here　and　there　plumes　of　smoke　rose　from　where　two　or　three　trees　in　a　clump　burned　like　torches。　Only　the　general　wet　stopped　them　turning　the　valley　into　a　conflagration。
　　　　　　　Flinn　and　Dashiva　were　the　only　Asha'man　still　with　him。　All　the　rest　were　down　in　the　valley。　The　pair　stood　a　little　way　from　him　at　the　edge　of　the　trees；　holding　their　horses　by　the　reins　and　staring　at　the　forest　below。　Well；　Flinn　stared；　as　intently　as　Rand　himself。　Dashiva　glanced　occasionally；　twisting　his　mouth；　sometimes　muttering　to　himself　in　a　way　that　made　Flinn　shift　his　feet　and　eye　him　sideways。　The　Power　filled　both　men；　nearly　to　overflowing；　but　for　a　change；　Lews　Therin　said　nothing。　The　man　seemed　increasingly　to　have　gone　back　into　hiding　over　the　last　few　days。
　　　　　　　In　the　sky　there　was　actually　sunlight；　and　the　scattered　clouds　were　gray。　It　was　five　days　since　Rand　had　brought　his　small　army　to　Altara；　five　days　since　he　had　seen　his　first　Seanchan　dead。　He　had　seen　quite　a　few　since。　Thought　slid　across　the　surface　of　the　Void。　He　could　feel　the　heron　branded　into　his　palm　pressing　against　the　Dragon　Scepter　through　his　glove。　Silent。　There　were　none　of　the　flying　creatures　to　be　seen。　Three　of　those　had　died；　slashed　from　the　sky　by　lightning；　before　their　riders　learned　to　stay　clear。　Bashere　was　fascinated　by　the　creatures。　Quiet。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　it　is　finished；　my　Lord　Dragon。〃　Ailil's　voice　was　calm　and　cool；　but　she　patted　her　mare's　neck；　though　the　animal　did　not　need　soothing。　She　eyed　Flinn　and　Dashiva　sideways　and　straightened；　unwilling　to　reveal　a　shred　of　unease　in　front　of　them。
　　　　　　　Rand　found　himself　humming　and　stopped　abruptly。　That　was　Lews　Therin's　habit；　looking　at　a　pretty　woman；　not　his。　Not　his！　Light；　if　he　started　taking　on　the　fellow's　mannerisms；　and　when　he　was　not　there；　at　that。。。！
　　　　　　　Abruptly；　hollow　thunder　boomed　up　the　valley。　Fire　fountained　out　of　the　trees　a　good　two　miles　away　or　more；　then　again；　and　again；　again。　Lightning　streaked　down　into　the　forest　not　far　from　where　the　tall　flames　had　bloomed；　single　slashes　like　jagged　blue…white　lances。　A　flurry　of　lightning　bolts　and　fire；　and　all　was　still　again。　No　trees　had　caught　fire；　this　time。
　　　　　　　Some　of　that　had　been　saidin。　Some　of　it。
　　　　　　　Shouts　rose；　dim　and　distant；　from　another　part　of　the　valley；　he　thought。　Too　far　for　even　his　saidin…enhanced　ears　to　hear　the　crash　of　steel。　Despite　everything；　not　all　of　the　fighting　was　being　done　by　Asha'man　and　Dedicated　and　Soldiers。
　　　　　　　Anaiyella　let　out　a　long　breath　she　must　have　been　holding　since　the　exchange　with　the　Power　began。　Men　fighting　with　steel　did　not　disturb　her。　Then　she　patted　her　mount's　neck。　The　gelding　had　only　flickered　an　ear。　Rand　had　noticed　that　about　women。　Quite　often；　when　a　woman　was　agitated；　she　tried　to　soothe　others　whether　they　required　soothing　or　not。　A　horse　would　do。　Where　was　Lews　Therin？
　　　　　　　Irritably　he　leaned　forward　to　study　the　forest　canopy　again。　A　good　many　of　those　trees　were　evergreens　…　oak　and　pine　and　leatherleaf　…　and　despite　the　late　drought；　they　made　an　effective　screen；　even　to　his　intensified　vision。　As　if　idly；　he　touched　the　narrow　bundle　under　his　stirrup　leather。　He　could　take　a　hand。　And　strike　blindly。　He　could　ride　down　into　the　woods。　And　be　able　to　see　ten　paces　at　most。　Down　there；　he　would　be　little　more　effective　than　one　of　the　Soldiers。
　　　　　　　A　gateway　opened　among　the　trees　a　little　way　along　the　ridge；　silvery　slash　widening　into　a　hole　that　showed　different　trees　and　thick　winter　brown　underbrush。　A　copper…skinned　Soldier　with　a　thin　mustache　on　his　upper　lip　and　a　small　pearl　in　his　ear　exited　afoot　and　let　the　gateway　vanish。　He　was　shoving　a　sul'dam　ahead　of　him　with　her　wrists　tied　behind　her；　a　handsome　woman　except　for　the　purple　knot　on　the　side　of　her　head。　That　seemed　to　go　along　with　her　scowl；　though；　as　well　as　it　did　with　her　rumpled；　leaf…stained　dress。　She　sneered　over　her　shoulder　at　the　Soldier　while　he　pushed　her　along　the　ridgetop　to　Rand；　and　then　she　sneered　up　at　Rand。
　　　　　　　The　Soldier　stiffened；　saluting　smartly。　〃Soldier　Arlen　Nalaam；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　he　barked；　staring　straight　at　Rand's　saddle。　〃My　Lord　Dragon's　orders　were　to　bring　any　women　captured　to　him。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　nodded。　It　was　only　to　give　him　the　appearance　of　doing　something；　inspecting　prisoners　to　be　sure　they　were　what　any　idiot　could　see　they　were。　〃Take　her　back　to　the　carts；　Soldier　Nalaam；　then　return　to　the　fighting。〃　He　almost　ground　his　teeth　saying　that。　Return　to　the　fighting。　While　Rand　al'Thor；　Dragon　Reborn　and　King　of　Illian；　sat　his　horse　and　watched　treetops！
　　　　　　　Nalaam　saluted　again　before　pushing　away　the　woman　ahead　of　him；　but　he　was　not　slow　about　it。　She　kept　peering　over　her　shoulder　again；　yet　not　at　the　Soldier　this　time。　At　Rand。　With　wide…eyed；　openmouthed　astonishment。　For　some　reason；　Nalaam　did　not　pull　her　to　a　halt　until　he　reached　the　spot　where　he　had　e　out。　All　that　was　necessary　was　to　go　far　enough　to　avoid　injuring　the　horses。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Rand　demanded　as　saidin　filled　the　man。
　　　　　　　Nalaam　half　turned　back　to　him；　hesitating　briefly。　〃It　seems　easier；　here；　if　I　use　a　place　I've　already　made　a　gateway；　my　Lord　Dragon。　Saidin。。。　Saidin　feels。。。　strange。。。　to　me　here。〃　His　prisoner　turned　to　frown　at　him。
　　　　　　　After　a　moment；　Rand　gestured　him　to　go　ahead。　Flinn　pretended　to　be　interested　in　his　horse's　saddle　girth；　but　the　balding　old　man　smiled　faintly。　Smugly。　Dashiva。。。　giggled。　Flinn　had　been　the　first　to　mention　an　odd　feel　to　saidin　in　this　valley。　Of　course；　Narishma　and　Hopwil　had　heard　him；　and　Morr　added　his　tales　of　the　〃strangeness〃　around　Ebou　Dar。　Small　wonder　everyone　was　claiming　to　feel　something　now；　though　not　a　one　could　say　what。　Saidin　just　felt。。。　peculiar。　Light；　with　the　taint　thick　on　the　male　half　of　the　Source；　what　else　would　it　feel？　Rand　hoped　they　were　not　all　ing　down　with　his　new　sickness。
　　　　　　　Nalaam's　gateway　opened