mck.harpistinthewind-第22部分

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as　a　faint　tension　in　her　voice　and　in　her　calm　eyes。　Morgon　looked　at　the　man　silently。　He　was　young　but　battle…hardened　and　very　tired。　He　bent　his　head　courteously　to　Morgon；　oblivious　of　his　suspicions。
　　　　　　　〃Lord；　Heureu　Ymris　sent　us　out　one　day　before。。。　the　day　before　he　lost　Wind　Plain；　apparently。　We　just　heard　the　news　from　the　Morgol's　land…heir。〃
　　　　　　　〃Was　your　father　at　Wind　Plain？〃　Morgon　asked　suddenly。　〃I　remember　him。〃
　　　　　　　Teril　Umber　nodded　wearily。　〃Yes。　I　have　no　idea　if　he　survived　or　not。〃　Then　beneath　the　drag　of　his　dusty　mail；　his　shoulders　straightened。　〃Well；　the　king　was　concerned　about　the　defenselessness　of　the　traders　here；　he　sailed　on　trade…ships　once　himself。　And　of　course；　he　wanted　to　put　as　many　men　as　he　could　spare　at　your　disposal。　There　are　a　hundred　and　fifty　of　us；　to　aid　the　Morgol's　guard　in　defending　the　city；　if　there's　need。〃
　　　　　　　Morgon　nodded。　The　lean；　sweating　face　with　its　unfortable　fringe　of　beard　seemed　beyond　suspicion。　He　said；　〃I　hope　there's　no　need。　It　was　generous　of　the　king　to　spare　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　He　did　exactly　that；　sending　us　out　of　Wind　Plain。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　sorry　about　your　father。　He　was　kind　to　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　talked　about　you。。。〃　He　shook　his　head；　running　his　fingers　through　his　flaming　hair。　〃He's　e　out　of　worse；〃　he　said　without　hope。　〃Well；　I'd　better　talk　to　Lyra；　get　men　situated　before　nightfall。〃
　　　　　　　Morgon　looked　at　Goh。　The　relief　in　her　face　told　him　how　worried　she　had　been。　He　said　softly；　〃Please　tell　Lyra　I'm　nearly　finished　with　the　wall。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　'Thank　you。〃
　　　　　　　She　gave　him　a　brief；　shy　nod；　smiling　suddenly。　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　As　his　work　around　the　wall　progressed　and　the　day　burned　toward　a　fiery　end；　he　began　to　feel　enclosed　by　power。　The　wizard　working　with　him　silently　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall　strengthened　stones　before　he　touched　them；　sealed　broken　places　with　grey；　grainy　illusions；　balanced　cracked　walls　against　a　weight　of　power。　The　walls　lost　their　look　of　having　grown　battered　by　sunlight　and　hunched　under　winter　winds。　They　stood　firm　again；　patched；　buttressed；　rolling　without　a　break　around　the　city；　challenging　entrance。
　　　　　　　Morgon　wove　a　force　from　stone　to　stone　to　seal　one　last　crack　in　some　ancient　mortar；　then　leaned　against　the　wall　wearily；　his　face　in　his　arms。　He　could　smell　the　twilight　riding　over　the　fields。　The　stillness　of　the　last　moments　of　the　sunset；　the　peaceful；　sleepy　bird　songs　made　him　think　for　a　moment　of　Hed。　A　distant　crow　call　kept　him　from　falling　asleep　against　the　wall。　He　roused　himself　and　stepped　into　one　of　the　two　front　gates　he　had　left　open。　A　man　stood　in　the　archway　at　the　other　end；　with　a　crow　on　his　shoulder。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　He　was　a　tall　old　man；　with　short　grey　hair　and　a　battered；　craggy　face。　He　was　talking　in　crow…language　to　the　crow；　Morgon　understood　some　of　it。　As　the　crow　answered；　a　hard　fist　of　worry　around　Morgon's　heart　eased　until　his　heart　seemed　to　rest　on　some　warm　place；　on　the　hand　of　the　ancient　wizard；　perhaps；　scarred　as　it　was　with　vesta…horns。　He　went　towards　them　quietly；　his　mind　lulled　by　the　sense　of　the　wizard's　great　power；　and　by　his　kindness　to　Raederle。
　　　　　　　But　before　he　reached　them；　he　saw　the　wizard　break　off　mid…sentence　and　toss　the　crow　into　the　air。　He　cried　something　at　it　that　Morgon　did　not　understand。　Then　he　vanished。　Morgon；　his　breathing　dry；　quick；　saw　the　twilight　moving　down　Trader's　Road；　surely；　soundlessly；　a　wave　of　horsemen　the　color　of　the　evening　sky。　Before　he　could　move；　a　light　the　color　of　molten　gold　lit　the　archway　around　him。　The　wall　lurched；　stones；　murmuring；　undulating；　shrugged　off　a　blast　of　power　into　the　street　that　exploded　the　cobblestones　and　slammed　Morgon　to　his　knees。　He　pulled　himself　up　and　turned。　The　heart　of　the　city　was　in　flames。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　X
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　THE　　YMRIS　WARRIORS　　WERE　　ALREADY　struggling　to　close　the　main　gates　as　he　slipped　back　into　the　city。　The　hinges　groaned；　flaking　rust　as　the　slabs　of　oak　shuddered；　rising　out　of　the　ruts　they　had　rested　in　for　centuries。　Morgon　slapped　them　shut　with　a　thought　that　nearly　cost　him　his　life。　A　mind；　familiar；　deadly；　groped　at　the　flash　of　power；　gripped　him　across　the　distance。　The　dark　air　in　front　of　him　tore　apart　with　a　blue…white　seam；　so　quick　and　strangely　beautiful　that　he　could　only　stand　and　watch　it　Then　his　bones　seemed　to　fly　piecemeal　in　all　directions；　while　his　brain　burned　like　a　star。　He　felt　stone　behind　him；　dimly；　and　let　his　mind　flow　into　it；　grow　blank；　motionless。　The　power　slid　away。　He　gathered　his　bones　back　out　of　the　night　and　realized　vaguely　that　he　was　still　alive。　One　of　the　warriors；　his　face　bleeding；　pulled　him　off　the　ground。　The　other　man　was　dead。
　　　　　　　〃Lord。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　all　right。〃　He　flung　his　thoughts　out　of　the　fraction　of　time　he　stood　in。　When　the　next　flare　of　energy　raked　across　the　night；　he　stepped　away　from　it；　into　another　moment　near　the　burning　school。　People　were　running　down　the　streets　toward　the　main　gates：　guards；　armed　Ymris　warriors；　traders；　merchants；　and　fishermen　carrying　their　swords　with　a　fierce；　clumsy　determination。　Children　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　school　grounds；　transfixed　in　the　play　of　light；　their　faces　turning　red；　gold；　purple。　Then　the　wall　of　a　house　behind　them　shattered；　swept　an　arc　of　fiery　stones　toward　them。　They　scattered；　screaming。
　　　　　　　Morgon　gathered　a　memory　of　the　fabric　of　energy　out　of　his　thoughts；　fed　it　with　a　power　he　had　never　tapped　before。　He　let　it　build　through　him；　eating　at　all　his　thoughts　and　inner　movements　until　it　spat　away　from　him；　humming　a　high；　dangerous　language。　It　crackled　luminously　toward　the　source　of　power　within　the　walls；　disappeared　within　them；　but　it　did　not　detonate。　It　reappeared　before　it　struck；　shooting　back　at　Morgon　with　the　same　deadly　intensity。　He　stared　at　it　incredulously　for　a　split　second；　then　opened　his　mind　to　absorb　it　back。　It　imploded　into　darkness　within　him。　It　was　followed；　before　he　could　even　blink；　by　a　blast　of　light　and　fire　that　jarred　to　the　ground　floor　of　his　defenseless　mind。　It　flung　him　flat　on　the　cobblestones；　blinded；　gasping　for　air；　while　another　surge　of　energy　pounded　into　him。　He　let　his　awareness　flow　away　from　it；　down　into　the　cracks　between　the　stones；　into　the　dark；　silent　earth　beneath　them。　A　fragment　of　stone　blasted　to　pieces　near　him；　split　his　cheek；　but　he　did　not　feel　it。　His　body　anchored　to　earth；　he　began　to　draw　out　of　the　mute；　eyeless　living　things　in　it　a　silence　that　would　shelter　him。　From　moles　and　earthworms　and　tiny　snakes；　from　the　pale　roots　of　grass；　he　wove　a　stillness　into　his　mind。　When　he　rose　finally；　the　world　seemed　dark　around　him；　flecked　by　minute；　soundless　flashes　of　light。　He　moved　with　an　earthworm's　blind　instinct　into　darkness。
　　　　　　　The　mind…disguise　took　him　safely　across　the　grounds　into　the　school。　Fire　had　kindled　the　ancient　power　still　locked　within　the　stones；　cold；　brilliant　flames　swarmed　across　the　broken　walls；　eating　at　the　energy　in　the　heart　of　them。　Morgon；　his　mind　still　tapping　the　slow；　languageless　world　beneath　his　feet；　did　not　feel　the　dangerous　wash　of　fire　around　him。　A　wall　crumbled　as　he　passed　it；　the　stones　scattered　like　coals　across　his　shadow。　He　felt　only　a　distant　perturbation　in　the　earth；　as　if　it　had　shifted　slightly　in　some　point　deep　in　its　core。　Then　an　odd；　gentle　touch　in　his　mind　brought　his　thoughts　out　of　the　earth　to　follow　it　curiously。　He　broke　his　own　binding；　stood　blinking　in　the　tumult　of　sound　and　fire。　The　unexpected　touch　turned　imperative；　and　he　realized　that　the　room　he　had　walked　into　was　sliding　into　itself。　He　had　no　time　to　move；　he　shaped　his　mind　to　the　fiery　stones　thundering　toward　bun；　became　part　of　their　bulky　flow；　broke　with　them　and　crashed　into　a　filming　stillness。　He　dragged　his　shape　out　of　them　after　a　moment；　pieced　his　thoughts　back　together。　He　saw　Nun；　then；　elusive　in　the　shimmering　air；　watching　him。　She　said　nothing；　vanishing　almost　as　he　saw　her；　the　fiery　bowl　of　her　pipe　lingering　a　moment　alone　in　the　air。
　　　　　　　The　battle　raging　in　the　heart　of　the　school　was　rocking　the　ground。　He　picked　his　way　carefully　toward　it。　From　the　flare　of　light　through　the　jagged；　beautiful　windows；　he　knew　that　it　was　centered　where　it　had　begun：　in　the　great　circular　hall　that　still　echoed　the　cry　of　the　Founder's　name。　He　sensed　suddenly；　from　the　ease　with　which　power　was　deflected　away　from　the　hall；　that　the　battle　was　one…sided　as　yet。　The　Founder　was　toying　with　the　wizards；　using　their　lives　as　bait　to　lure　Morgon　to　him。　The　next　moment　gave　Morgon　proof　of　that。　He　felt　the　Founder's　mind　sweep　across　the　flames　like　a　black　beacon；　searching。　He　touched　Morgon's　mind　briefly：　a　familiar　sense　of　dangerous；　immense　power　yawned　before　him。　But　he　did　not　try　to　hold　Morgon。　His　mind　withdrew；　and　Morgon　heard　a　scream　that　made　his　blood　run　cold。　Aloil　was　being　wrestled　out　of　air　into　shape　not　far　from　him。　He　fought　the　dark　pull　over　his　mind　with　a　desperate；　furious　intensity；　but　he　could　not　free　himself。　His　shape　changed　again；　slowly。　Great　wind…twisted