rz.signoftheunicorn-第4部分

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ing。
　I　kept　on　rolling　to　get　out　of　range；　ing　up　short　near　the　edge　of　the　embankment。　I　recovered　my　footing　there　while　it　unwound　itself；　dragged　a　lot　of　weight　in　my　direction；　and　then　reared　up　and　cocked　its　head　again；　about　fifteen　feet　above　me。
　I　know　damn　well　that　Gerard　would　have　chosen　that　moment　to　attack。　The　big　bastard　would　have　strode　forward　with　that　monster　blade　of　his　and　cut　the　thing　in　half。　Then　it　probably　would　have　fallen　on　him　and　writhed　all　over　him；　and　he'd　have　e　away　with　a　few　bruises。　Maybe　a　bloody　nose。　Benedict　would　not　have　missed　the　eve。　He　would　have　had　one　in　each　pocket　by　then　and　be　playing　football　with　the　head　while　posing　a　footnote　to　Clausewitz。　But　they　are　genuine　hero　types。　Me；　I　just　stood　there　holding　the　blade　point　upward；　both　hands　on　the　hilt；　my　elbows　on　my　hips；　my　head　as　far　back　out　of　the　way　as　possible。　I　would　much　rather　have　run　and　called　it　a　day。　Only　I　knew　that　if　I　tried　it；　that　head　would　drop　down　and　smear　me。
　Cries　from　within　the　tower　indicated　that　I　had　been　spotted；　but　I　was　not　about　to　look　away　to　see　what　was　going　on。　Then　I　began　cursing　the　thing。　I　wanted　it　to　strike　and　get　it　over　with；　one　way　or　the　other。
　When　it　finally　did；　I　shuffled　my　feet；　twisted　my　body；　and　swung　the　point　into　line　with　my　target。
　My　left　side　was　partly　numbed　by　the　blow；　and　I　felt　as　if　I　had　been　driven　a　foot　into　the　ground。　Somehow　I　managed　to　remain　upright。　Yes；　I　had　done　everything　perfectly。　The　maneuver　had　gone　exactly　as　I　had　hoped　and　planned。
　Except　for　the　beast's　part。　It　wasn't　cooperating　by　producing　the　appropriate　death　throes。
　In　fact；　it　was　beginning　to　rise。
　It　took　my　blade　with　it；　too。　The　hilt　protruded　from　its　left　eye　socket；　the　point　emerged　like　another　bristle　amid　the　mane　on　the　back　of　its　head。　I　had　a　feeling　that　the　offensive　team　had　had　it。
　At　that　moment；　figures　began　to　emerge　…　slowly；　cautiously　…　from　an　opening　at　the　base　of　the　tower。　They　were　armed　and　ugly…looking；　and　I　had　a　feeling　that　they　were　not　on　my　side　of　the　disagreement。
　Okay。　I　know　when　it　is　time　to　fold　and　hope　for　a　better　hand　another　day。
　〃Brand！〃　I　shouted。　〃It's　Random！　I　can't　get　through！　Sorry！〃
　Then　I　turned；　ran；　and　leaped　back　over　the　edge；　down　into　the　place　where　the　rocks　did　their　unsettling　things。　I　wondered　whether　I　had　chosen　the　best　time　to　descend。
　Like　so　many　things；　the　answer　was　yes　and　no。
　It　was　not　the　sort　of　jump　I　would　make　for　many　reasons　other　than　those　which　prevailed。　I　came　down　alive；　but　that　seemed　the　most　that　could　be　said　for　it。　I　was　stunned；　and　for　a　long　while　I　thought　I　had　broken　my　ankle。
　The　thing　that　got　me　moving　again　was　a　rustling　sound　from　above　and　the　rattle　of　gravel　about　me。　When　I　readjusted　the　goggles　and　looked　up；　I　saw　that　the　beast　had　decided　to　e　down　and　finish　the　job。　It　was　winding　its　phantom　way　down　the　slope；　the　area　about　its　head　having　darkened　and　opaqued　since　I　had　skewered　it　upstairs。
　I　sat　up。　I　got　to　my　knees。　I　tried　my　ankle；　couldn't　use　it。　Nothing　around　to　serve　as　a　crutch；　either。　Okay。　I　crawled　then。　Away。　What　else　was　there　to　do？　Gain　as　much　ground　as　I　could　and　think　hard　while　I　was　about　it。
　Salvation　was　a　rock　…　one　of　the　smaller；　slower　ones；　only　about　the　size　of　a　moving　van。　When　I　saw　it　approaching；　it　occurred　to　me　that　here　was　transportation　if　I　could　make　it　aboard。　Maybe　some　safety；　too。　The　faster；　really　massive　ones　appeared　to　get　the　most　abuse。
　This　in　mind；　I　watched　the　big　ones　that　acpanied　my　own；　estimated　their　paths　and　velocities；　tried　to　gauge　the　movement　of　the　entire　system；　readied　myself　for　the　moment；　the　effort。　I　also　listened　to　the　approach　of　the　beast；　heard　the　cries　of　the　troops　from　the　edge　of　the　bluff；　wondered　whether　anyone　up　there　was　giving　odds　on　me　and　what　they　might　be　if　they　were。
　When　the　time　came；　I　went。　I　got　past　the　first　big　one　without　any　trouble；　but　had　to　wait　for　the　next　one　to　go　by。　I　took　a　chance　in　crossing　the　path　of　the　final　one。　Had　to；　to　make　it　in　time。
　I　made　it　to　the　right　spot　at　the　right　moment　caught　on　to　the　holds　I　had　been　eyeing；　and　was　dragged　maybe　twenty　feet　before　I　could　pull　myself　up　off　the　ground。　Then　I　hauled　my　way　to　its　unfortable　top；　sprawled　there；　and　looked　back。
　It　had　been　close。　Still　was；　for　that　matter；　as　the　beast　was　pacing　me；　its　one　good　eye　following　the　spinning　big　ones。
　From　overhead　I　heard　a　disappointed　wail。　Then　the　guys　started　down　the　slope；　shouting　what　I　took　to　be　encouragement　to　the　creature。　I　menced　massaging　my　ankle。　I　tried　to　relax。　The　brute　crossed　over；　passing　behind　the　first　big　rock　as　it　pleted　another　orbit。
　How　far　could　I　shift　through　Shadow　before　it　reached　me？　I　wondered。　True；　there　was　constant　movement；　a　changing　of　textures。。。
　The　thing　waited　for　the　second　rock；　slithered　by　behind　it；　paced　me　again；　drew　nearer。
　Shadow；　Shadow；　on　the　wing　…　
　The　men　were　almost　to　the　base　of　the　slope　by　then。　The　beast　was　waiting　for　its　opening　…　the　next　time　around　…　past　the　inner　satellite。　I　knew　that　it　was　capable　of　rearing　high　enough　to　snatch　me　from　my　perch。
　　…　e　alive　and　smear　that　thing？
　As　I　spun　and　glided　I　caught　hold　of　the　stuff　of　Shadow；　sank　into　the　feel　of　it；　worked　with　the　textures；　possible　to　probable　to　actual；　felt　it　ing　with　the　finest　twist；　gave　it　that　necessary　flip　at　the　appropriate　moment。。。
　It　came　in　from　the　beast's　blind　side；　of　course。　A　big　mother　of　a　rock；　careening　along　like　a　semi　out　of　control。。。
　It　would　have　been　more　elegant　to　mash　it　between　two　of　them。　However；　I　hadn't　the　time　for　finesse。　I　simply　ran　it　over　and　left　it　there；　thrashing　in　the　granite　traffic。
　Moments　later；　however；　inexplicably；　the　mashed　and　mangled　body　rose　suddenly　above　the　ground　and　drifted　skyward；　twisting。　It　kept　going；　buffeted　by　the　winds；　dwindling；　dwindling；　gone。
　My　own　rock　bore　me　away；　slowly；　steadily。　The　entire　pattern　was　drifting。　The　guys　from　the　tower　then　went　into　a　huddle　and　decided　to　pursue　me。　They　moved　away　from　the　base　of　the　slope；　began　to　make　their　way　across　the　plain。　But　this　was　no　real　problem；　I　felt。　I　would　ride　my　stony　mount　through　Shadow；　leaving　them　worlds　away。　This　was　by　far　the　easiest　course　of　action　open　to　me。　They　would　doubtless　have　been　more　difficult　to　take　by　surprise　than　the　beast。　After　all；　this　was　their　land；　they　were　wary　and　unmaimed。
　I　removed　the　goggles　and　tested　my　ankle　again。　I　stood　for　a　moment。　It　was　very　sore；　but　it　bore　my　weight。　I　reclined　once　more　and　tamed　my　thoughts　to　what　had　occurred。　I　had　lost　my　blade　and　I　was　now　in　less　than　top　shape。　Rather　than　go　on　with　the　venture　under　these　conditions；　I　knew　that　I　was　doing　the　safest；　wisest　thing　by　getting　the　hell　out。　I　had　gained　enough　knowledge　of　the　layout　and　the　conditions　for　my　chances　to　be　better　next　time　around。　All　right。。。
　The　sky　brightened　above　me；　the　colors　and　shadings　lost　something　of　their　arbitrary；　meandering　habit。　The　flames　began　to　subside　about　me。　Good。　Clouds　started　to　find　their　ways　across　the　sky。　Excellent。　Soon　a　localized　glow　began　behind　a　cloudbank。　Superb。　When　it　went　away；　a　sun　would　hang　once　again　in　the　heavens。
　I　looked　back　and　was　surprised　to　see　that　I　was　still　being　pursued。　However；　it　could　easily　be　that　I　had　not　dealt　properly　with　their　analogues　for　this　slice　of　Shadow。　It　is　never　good　to　assume　that　you　have　taken　care　of　everything　when　you　are　in　a　hurry。　So。。。
　I　shifted　again。　The　rock　gradually　altered　its　course；　shifted　its　shape；　lost　its　satellites；　moved　in　a　straight　line　toward　what　was　to　bee　the　west。　Above　me；　the　clouds　dispersed　and　a　pale　sun　shone　down。　We　picked　up　speed。　That　should　have　taken　care　of　everything　right　there。　I　had　positively　e　into　a　different　place。
　But　it　had　not。　When　I　looked　again；　they　were　still　ing。　True；　I　had　gained　some　distance　on　them。　But　the　party　trooped　right　along　after　me。
　Well；　all　right。　Things　like　that　can　sometimes　happen。
　There　were　of　course　two　possibilities。　My　mind　still　being　more　than　a　little　disturbed　from　all　that　had　just　occurred；　I　had　not　performed　ideally　and　had　drawn　them　along　with　me。　Or；　I　had　maintained　a　constant　where　I　should　have　suppressed　a　variable　…　that　is；　shifted　into　a　place　and　unconsciously　required　that　the　pursuit　element　be　present。　Different　guys　then；　but　still　chasing　me。
　I　rubbed　my　ankle　some　more。　The　sun　brightened　toward　orange。　A　wind　out　of　the　north　raised　a　screen　of　dust　and　sand　and　hung　it　at　my　back；　removing　the　gang　from　my　sight。　I　raced　on　into　the　west；　where　a　line　of　mountains　had　now　grown　up。　Time　was　in　a　distortion　phase。　My　ankle　felt　a　little　better。
　I　rested　a　while。　Mine　was　reasonably　fortable；　as　rocks　go。　No　sense　turning　it　into　a　hellride　when　everything　seemed　to　be　proceeding　smoothly。　I　stretched　out；　hands　behind　my　head；　and　watched　the　mountains　draw　nearer。　I　thought　about　Brand　and　the　tower。　That