rj.thepathofdaggers-第113部分

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！


　　　　　　　Heedless　of　who　might　be　watching　out　there；　Rand　wheeled　Tai'daishar　around　to　face　her。　The　Tairen　woman　started　back　in　her　saddle；　the　hood　of　her　richly　elaborate　rain　cape　falling　to　her　shoulders。　Her　cheek　gave　a　twitch。　Her　eyes　might　have　been　full　of　fear；　or　hate。　At　her　side；　Ailil　fingered　her　reins　calmly　with　red…gloved　hands。
　　　　　　　〃What　more　can　you　want？〃　the　smaller　woman　asked　in　a　cool　voice。　A　lady　being　polite　to　a　menial。　Barely。　〃If　the　size　of　a　victory　is　accounted　by　dead　enemies；　I　think　today　alone　will　put　your　name　in　the　histories。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　mean　to　drive　the　Seanchan　into　the　sea！〃　Rand　snapped。　Light；　he　had　to　finish　them　now；　when　he　had　the　chance！　He　could　not　fight　the　Seanchan　and　the　Forsaken　and　the　Light　alone　knew　who　or　what　else；　all　at　the　same　time！　〃I　did　it　before；　and　I　will　again！〃
　　　　　　　Do　you　have　the　Horn　of　Valere　hidden　in　your　pocket　this　time？　Lews　Therin　asked　slyly。　Rand　snarled　at　him　silently。
　　　　　　　〃There's　someone　below；〃　Flinn　said　suddenly。　〃Riding　up　this　way。　From　the　west。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　pulled　his　mount　back　around。　Legionmen　ringed　the　slopes　of　the　hill；　though　they　hid　well　enough　that　he　seldom　caught　sight　of　a　blue　coat。　None　of　them　had　a　horse。　Who　would　be　riding。。。
　　　　　　　Bashere's　bay　trotted　up　the　slope　almost　as　though　it　were　level　ground。　Bashere's　helmet　hung　from　his　saddle；　and　the　man　himself　looked　tired。　Without　preamble；　he　spoke　in　a　flat　voice。　〃We're　finished；　here。　Part　of　fighting　is　knowing　when　to　go；　and　it's　time。　I've　left　five　hundred　dead　behind；　near　enough；　and　two　of　your　Soldiers　for　salt。　I　sent　three　more　to　find　Semaradrid；　Gregorin　and　Weiramon　and　tell　them　to　rally　on　you。　I　doubt　they're　in　any　better　condition　than　I　am。　How　does　your　butcher's　bill　run？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　ignored　the　question。　His　own　dead　topped　Bashere's　by　close　to　two　hundred。　〃You　had　no　right　sending　orders　to　the　others。　So　long　as　there　are　half　a　dozen　Asha'man　left　…　so　long　as　there's　me！　…　I　have　enough！　I　mean　to　find　the　rest　of　the　Seanchan　army　and　destroy　it；　Bashere。　I　won't　let　them　add　Altara　to　Tarabon　and　Amadicia。〃
　　　　　　　Bashere　knuckled　his　thick　mustaches　with　a　wry　laugh。　〃You　want　to　find　them。　Look　out　there。〃　He　swept　a　gauntleted　hand　across　the　hills　to　the　west。　〃I　can't　point　to　a　particular　spot；　but　there　are　ten；　maybe　fifteen　thousand　close　enough　to　see　from　here；　if　those　trees　weren't　in　the　way。　I　danced　with　the　Dark　One　getting　through　them　unseen　to　reach　you。　Maybe　a　hundred　damane　down　there。　Maybe　more。　More　ing；　for　sure；　and　more　men。　Seems　their　general　has　decided　to　concentrate　on　you。　I　suppose　it　isn't　always　cheese　and　ale　being　ta'veren。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　they're　out　there。。。　〃　Rand　scanned　the　hills。　The　rain　fell　more　heavily。　Where　had　he　seen　movement？　Light；　he　was　tired。　Saidin　hammered　at　him。　Unconsciously　he　touched　the　wrapped　bundled　beneath　his　stirrup　leather。　His　hand　jerked　away　of　its　own　accord。　Ten　thousand；　even　fifteen。。。　Once　Semaradrid　reached　him；　and　Gregorin；　and　Weiramon。。。　More　important；　once　the　rest　of　the　Asha'man　did。。。　〃If　they're　out　there；　that's　where　I'll　destroy　them；　Bashere。　I'll　hit　them　from　all　sides；　the　way　we　intended　in　the　first　place。〃
　　　　　　　Frowning；　Bashere　reined　his　horse　closer；　until　his　knee　almost　touched　Rand's。　Flinn　moved　his　mount　away；　but　Adley　was　too　focused　on　staring　through　the　rain　to　notice　anything　so　near；　and　Dashiva；　still　wiping　his　face　incessantly；　stared　with　open　interest。　Bashere　lowered　his　voice　to　a　murmur。　〃You　aren't　thinking　straight。　That　was　a　good　plan；　in　the　beginning；　but　their　general　thinks　fast。　He　spread　out　to　blunt　our　attacks　before　we　could　fall　on　him　spread　out　marching。　We've　cost　him　even　so；　it　seems；　and　he　now　he's　pulling　everything　together。　You　won't　catch　him　by　surprise。　He　wants　us　to　e　at　him。　He's　out　there　waiting　for　it。　Asha'man　or　no　Asha'man；　if　we　stand　nose…to…nose　with　this　fellow；　I　think　maybe　the　vultures　grow　fat　and　nobody　rides　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃Nobody　stands　nose…to…nose　with　the　Dragon　Reborn；〃　Rand　growled。　〃The　Forsaken　could　tell　him　that；　whoever　he　is。　Right；　Flinn？　Dashiva？〃　Flinn　nodded　uncertainly。　Dashiva　flinched。　〃You　think　I　can't　surprise　him；　Bashere？　Watch！〃　Pulling　the　long　bundle　loose；　he　stripped　away　the　cloth　covering；　and　Rand　heard　gasps　as　raindrops　glistened　on　a　sword　seemingly　made　of　crystal。　The　Sword　That　Is　Not　a　Sword。　〃Let's　see　if　he's　surprised　by　Callandor　in　the　hands　of　the　Dragon　Reborn；　Bashere。〃
　　　　　　　Cradling　the　translucent　blade　in　the　crook　of　his　elbow；　Rand　rode　Tai'daishar　forward　a　few　steps。　There　was　no　reason　to。　He　had　no　clearer　view　from　there。　Except。。。　Something　spidered　across　the　outer　surface　of　the　Void；　a　wriggling　black　web。　He　was　afraid。　The　last　time　he　had　used　Callandor；　really　used　it；　he　had　tried　to　bring　the　dead　back　to　life。　He　had　been　sure　he　could　do　anything；　then；　anything　at　all。　Like　a　madman　thinking　he　could　fly。　But　he　was　the　Dragon　Reborn。　He　could　do　anything。　Had　he　not　proved　it　time　and　again？　He　reached　for　the　Source　through　the　Sword　That　Is　Not　a　Sword。
　　　　　　　Saidin　seemed　to　leap　into　Callandor　before　he　touched　the　Source　through　it。　From　pommel　to　point；　the　crystal　sword　shone　with　a　white　light。　He　had　only　thought　the　Power　filled　him　before。　Now　he　held　more　than　ten　men　could　have　unaided；　a　hundred；　he　did　not　know　how　many。　The　fires　of　the　sun；　searing　through　his　head。　The　cold　of　all　of　the　winters　of　all　the　Ages；　eating　into　his　heart。　In　that　torrent；　the　taint　was　all　the　midden　heaps　in　the　world　emptying　into　his　soul。　Saidin　still　tried　to　kill　him；　tried　to　scour　away；　burn　away；　freeze　away；　every　scrap　of　him；　but　he　fought；　and　he　lived　for　a　moment　more；　and　another　moment；　another。　He　wanted　to　laugh。　He　could　do　anything！
　　　　　　　Once；　holding　Callandor；　he　had　made　a　weapon　that　searched　out　Shadowspawn　through　the　Stone　of　Tear；　struck　them　dead　with　hunting　lightning　wherever　they　stood　or　ran　or　hid。　Surely　there　must　be　something　like　that；　to　use　against　his　enemies　here。　But　when　he　called　to　Lews　Therin；　only　anguished　whimpers　answered；　as　if　that　disembodied　voice　feared　the　pain　of　saidin。
　　　　　　　With　Callandor　blazing　in　his　hand　…　he　did　not　remember　raising　the　blade　overhead　…　he　stared　at　the　hills　where　his　enemies　hid。　They　were　gray　now；　with　thickening　rain；　and　dense　black　clouds　blocking　the　sun。　What　was　it　he　had　told　Eagan　Padros？
　　　　　　　〃I　am　the　storm；〃　he　whispered　…　a　shout　in　his　ears；　a　roar　…　and　he　channeled。
　　　　　　　Overhead；　the　clouds　boiled。　Where　they　had　been　the　black　of　soot；　they　became　midnight；　the　heart　of　midnight。　He　did　not　know　what　he　was　channeling。　So　often；　he　did　not；　in　spite　of　Asmodean's　teaching。　Maybe　Lews　Therin　was　guiding　him；　in　spite　of　the　man's　weeping。　Flows　of　saidin　spun　across　the　sky；　Wind　and　Water　and　Fire。　Fire。　The　sky　truly　did　rain　lightning。　A　hundred　bolts　at　once；　hundreds；　forked　blue…white　shafts　stabbing　down　as　far　as　he　could　see。　The　hills　before　him　erupted。　Some　flew　apart　under　the　torrent　of　lightning　like　kicked　anthills。　Flames　sprang　up　in　thickets；　trees　turning　to　torches　in　the　rain；　flames　racing　through　olive　orchards。
　　　　　　　Something　struck　him　hard；　and　he　realized　he　was　picking　himself　up　from　the　ground。　The　crown　had　fallen　from　his　head。　Callandor　still　blazed　in　his　hand；　though。　Vaguely；　he　was　aware　of　Tai'daishar　scrambling　to　his　feet；　trembling。　So　they　thought　to　strike　back　at　him；　did　they。
　　　　　　　Shoving　Callandor　high；　he　screamed　at　them。　〃e　against　me；　if　you　dare！　I　am　the　storm！　e　if　you　dare；　Shai'tan！　I　am　the　Dragon　Reborn！〃　A　thousand　sizzling　lightning　bolts　hailed　down　from　the　clouds。
　　　　　　　Again　something　struck　him　down。　He　tried　to　fight　up　again。　Callandor；　still　shining；　lay　a　pace　from　his　outstretched　hand。　The　sky　shattered　with　lightnings。　Suddenly；　he　realized　that　the　weight　atop　him　was　Bashere；　that　the　man　was　shaking　him。　It　must　have　been　Bashere　who　had　flung　him　down！
　　　　　　　〃Stop　it！〃　the　Saldaean　shouted。　Blood　fanned　down　his　face　from　a　split　across　his　scalp。　〃You're　killing　us；　man！　Stop！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　turned　his　head；　and　one　stunned　look　was　enough。　Lightnings　flashed　all　around　him；　in　every　direction。　A　bolt　stabbed　down　onto　the　reverse　slope；　where　Denharad　and　the　armsmen　were；　the　screams　of　men　and　horses　rose。　Anaiyella　and　Ailil　were　both　afoot；　trying　vainly　to　quiet　mounts　that　reared；　eyes　rolling；　trying　to　rip　reins　free。　Flinn　was　bending　over　someone；　not　far　from　a　dead　horse　with　legs　already　stiff。
　　　　　　　Rand　let　saidin　go。　He　let　it　go；　but　for　moments　it　still　flowed　into　him；　and　lightning　raged。　The　flow　into　him　dwindled；　tailed　off　and　vanished。　Dizziness　swept　through　him　in　its　place。　For　three　more　heartbeats；　two　of　Callandor　shone　where　they　lay　on　the　ground；　and　lightning　fell。　Then；　silence　except　for　the　rising　drum　of　the　rain。　And　the　screams　from　behind　the　hill。
　　　　　　　Slowly　Bashere　climbed　off　of　him；　and　Rand　rose　unaided　on　tottering　legs；　blinking　as　his　sight　returned　to　normal。　The　Saldaean　watched　him　as　he　might　have　a　rabid　lion；　fi