rz.signoftheunicorn-第5部分

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nds　behind　my　head；　and　watched　the　mountains　draw　nearer。　I　thought　about　Brand　and　the　tower。　That　was　the　place　all　right。　Everything　was　just　as　it　had　been　in　the　glimpse　he　had　given　me。　Except　for　the　guards；　of　course。　I　decided　that　I　would　cut　through　the　proper　piece　of　Shadow；　recruit　a　cohort　of　my　own；　then　go　back　and　give　them　hell。　Yes；　then　everything　would　be　fine。。。
　After　a　time；　I　stretched；　rolled　over　onto　my　stomach；　and　looked　back。　Damned　if　they　weren't　still　following　me！　They　had　even　gained　some。
　Naturally；　I　got　angry。　To　hell　with　flight！　They　were　asking　for　it；　and　it　was　time　they　got　it
　I　rose　to　my　feet。　My　ankle　was　only　half　sore；　a　little　numb。　I　raised　my　arms　and　looked　for　the　shadows　I　wanted。　I　found　them。
　Slowly　the　rock　swung　out　from　its　straight　course　into　an　arc；　turning　off　to　the　right。　The　curve　tightened。　I　swung　through　a　parabola　and　headed　back　toward　them；　my　velocity　gradually　increasing　as　I　went。　No　time　to　raise　a　storm　at　my　back；　though　I　thought　that　would　have　been　a　nice　touch　if　I　could　have　managed　it。
　As　I　swept　down　upon　them　…　there　were　maybe　two　dozen　…　they　prudently　began　to　scatter。　A　number　of　them　didn't　make　it；　though。　I　swung　through　another　curve　and　returned　as　soon　as　I　could。
　I　was　shaken　by　the　sight　of　several　corpses　rising　into　the　air；　dripping　gore；　two　of　them　already　high　above　me。
　I　was　almost　upon　them　on　that　second　pass　when　I　realized　that　a　few　of　them　had　jumped　aboard　as　I　had　gone　through。　The　first　one　over　the　edge　drew　his　blade　and　rushed　me。　I　blocked　his　arm；　took　the　weapon　away　from　him；　and　threw　him　back　down。　I　guess　it　was　then　that　I　became　aware　of　those　spurs　on　the　backs　of　their　hands。　I　had　been　slashed　by　his。
　By　that　time　I　was　the　target　of　a　number　of　curiously　shaped　missiles　from　below；　two　more　guys　were　ing　over　the　edge；　and　it　looked　as　if　several　more　might　have　made　it　aboard。
　Well；　even　Benedict　sometimes　retreats。　I　had　at　least　given　the　survivors　something　to　remember。
　I　let　go　of　the　shadows；　tore　a　barbed　wheel　from　my　side；　another　from　my　thigh；　hacked　off　a　guy's　swordarm　and　kicked　him　in　the　stomach；　dropped　to　my　knees　to　avoid　a　wild　swing　from　the　next　one；　and　caught　him　across　the　legs　with　my　riposte。　He　went　over；　too。
　There　were　five　more　on　the　way　up　and　we　were　sailing　westward　once　again；　leaving　perhaps　a　dozen　live　ones　to　regroup　on　the　sand　at　my　back；　a　sky　full　of　oozing　drifters　above　them。
　I　had　the　advantage　with　the　next　fellow　because　I　caught　him　just　partway　over　the　edge。　So　much　for　him；　and　then　there　were　four。
　While　I　had　been　dealing　with　him；　though；　three　more　had　arisen；　simultaneously；　at　three　different　points。
　I　rushed　the　nearest　and　dispatched　him；　but　the　other　two　made　it　over　and　were　upon　me　while　I　was　about　it。　As　I　defended　myself　from　their　attack；　the　final　one　came　up　and　joined　them。
　They　were　not　all　that　good；　but　it　was　getting　crowded　and　there　were　a　lot　of　points　and　sharp　edges　straying　about　me。　I　kept　parrying　and　moving；　trying　to　get　them　to　block　one　another；　get　in　each　other's　way。　I　was　partly　successful；　and　when　I　had　the　best　lineup　I　thought　I　was　going　to　get；　I　rushed　them；　taking　a　couple　of　cuts　…　I　had　to　lay　myself　open　a　bit　to　do　it　…　but　splitting　one　skull　for　my　pains。　He　went　over　the　edge　and　took　the　second　one　with　him　in　a　tangle　of　limbs　and　gear。
　Unfortunately；　the　inconsiderate　lout　had　carried　off　my　blade；　snagged　in　some　bony　cleft　or　other　he　had　chosen　to　interpose　when　I　swung。　It　was　obviously　my　day　for　losing　blades；　and　I　wondered　if　my　horoscope　would　have　mentioned　it　if　I　had　thought　to　look　before　I'd　set　out。
　Anyhow；　I　moved　quickly　to　avoid　the　final　guy's　swing。　In　doing　so；　I　slipped　on　some　blood　and　went　skidding　toward　the　front　of　the　rock。　If　I　went　down　that　way；　it　would　plow　right　over　me；　leaving　a　very　flat　Random　there；　like　an　exotic　rug；　to　puzzle　and　delight　future　wayfarers。
　I　clawed　for　handholds　as　I　slid；　and　the　guy　took　a　couple　of　quick　steps　toward　me；　raising　his　blade　to　do　unto　me　as　I　had　his　buddy。
　I　caught　hold　of　his　ankle；　though；　and　it　did　the　trick　of　braking　me　very　nicely　…　and　damned　if　someone　shouldn't　choose　that　moment　to　try　to　get　hold　of　me　via　the　Trumps。
　〃I'm　busy！〃　I　shouted。　〃Call　back　later！〃　and　my　own　motion　was　arrested　as　the　guy　toppled；　clattered；　and　went　sliding　by。
　I　tried　to　reach　him　before　he　fell　to　rugdom；　but　I　was　not　quite　quick　enough。　I　had　wanted　to　save　him　for　questioning。　Still；　my　unegged　beer　was　more　than　satisfactory。　I　headed　back　top　and　center　to　observe　and　muse。
　The　survivors　were　still　following　me；　but　I　had　a　sufficient　lead。　I　did　not　at　the　moment　have　to　worry　about　another　boarding　party。　Good　enough。　I　was　headed　toward　the　mountains　once　again。　The　sun　I　had　conjured　was　beginning　to　bake　me。　I　was　soaked　with　sweat　and　blood。　My　wounds　were　giving　me　trouble。　I　was　thirsty。　Soon；　soon；　I　decided；　it　would　have　to　rain。　Take　care　of　that　before　anything　else。
　So　I　began　the　preliminaries　to　a　shift　in　that　direction：　clouds　massing；　building；　darkening。。。
　I　drifted　off　somewhere　along　the　line；　had　a　disjointed　dream　of　someone　trying　to　reach　me　again　but　not　making　it。　Sweet　darkness。
　I　awakened　to　the　rain；　sudden　and　hard…driving。　I　could　not　tell　whether　the　darkness　in　the　sky　was　from　storm；　evening；　or　both。　It　was　cooler；　though；　and　I　spread　my　cloak　and　just　lay　there　with　my　mouth　open。　Periodically　I　wrung　moisture　from　the　cloak。　My　thirst　was　eventually　slaked　and　I　began　feeling　clean　again。　The　rock　had　also　bee　so　slick…looking　that　I　was　afraid　to　move　about　on　it。　The　mountains　were　much　nearer；　their　peaks　limned　by　frequent　lightnings。　Things　were　too　dark　in　the　opposite　direction　for　me　to　tell　whether　my　pursuers　were　still　with　me。　It　would　have　been　pretty　rough　trekking　for　them　to　have　kept　up；　but　then　it　is　seldom　good　policy　to　rely　on　assumptions　when　traveling　through　strange　shadows。　I　was　a　bit　irritated　with　myself　for　going　to　sleep；　but　since　no　harm　had　e　of　it　I　drew　my　soggy　cloak　about　me　and　decided　to　forgive　myself。　I　felt　around　for　some　cigarettes　I　had　brought　along　and　found　that　about　half　of　them　had　survived。　After　the　eighth　try；　I　juggled　shadows　enough　to　get　a　light。　Then　I　just　sat　there；　smoking　and　being　rained　on。　It　was　a　good　feeling　and　I　didn't　move　to　change　anything　else；　not　for　hours。
　When　the　storm　finally　let　up　and　the　sky　came　clear；　it　was　a　night　full　of　strange　constellations。　Beautiful　though；　the　way　nights　can　be　on　the　desert。　Much　later；　I　detected　a　gentle　upward　sloping　and　my　rock　started　to　slow。　Something　began　happening　in　terms　of　whatever　physical　rules　controlled　the　situation。　I　mean；　the　slope　itself　did　not　seem　so　pronounced　that　it　would　affect　our　velocity　as　radically　as　it　had。　I　did　not　want　to　tamper　with　Shadow　in　a　direction　that　would　probably　take　me　out　of　my　way。　I　wanted　to　get　back　onto　more　familiar　turf　as　soon　as　possible　…　find　my　way　to　a　place　where　my　gut　anticipations　of　physical　events　had　more　of　a　chance　of　being　correct。
　So　I　let　the　rock　grind　to　a　halt；　climbed　down　when　it　did；　and　continued　on　up　the　slope；　hiking。　As　I　went；　I　played　the　Shadow　game　we　all　learned　as　children。　Pass　some　obstruction　…　a　scrawny　tree；　a　stand　of　stone　…　and　have　the　sky　be　different　from　one　side　to　the　other。　Gradually　I　restored　familiar　constellations。　I　knew　that　I　would　be　climbing　down　a　different　mountain　from　the　one　I　ascended。　My　wounds　still　throbbed　dully；　but　my　ankle　had　stopped　bothering　me　except　for　a　little　stiffness。　I　was　rested。　I　knew　that　I　could　go　for　a　long　while。　Everything　seemed　to　be　all　right　again。
　It　was　a　long　hike；　up　the　gradually　steepening　way。　But　I　hit　a　trail　eventually；　and　that　made　things　easier。　I　trudged　steadily　upward　under　the　now　familiar　skies；　determined　to　keep　moving　and　make　it　across　by　morning。　As　I　went；　my　garments　altered　to　fit　the　shadow　…　denim　trousers　and　jacket　now；　my　wet　cloak　a　dry　scrape。　I　heard　an　owl　nearby；　and　from　a　great　distance　below　and　behind　came　what　might　have　been　the　yipyip…howl　of　a　coyote。　These　signs　of　a　more　familiar　place　made　me　feel　somewhat　secure；　exorcised　any　vestiges　of　desperation　that　remained　with　my　flight。
　An　hour　or　so　later；　I　yielded　to　the　temptation　to　play　with　Shadow　just　a　bit。　It　was　not　all　that　improbable　for　a　stray　horse　to　be　wandering　in　these　hills；　and　of　course　I　found　him。　After　ten　or　so　minutes　of　being　friendly；　I　was　mounted　bareback　and　moving　toward　the　top　in　a　more　congenial　fashion。　The　wind　sowed　frost　in　our　path。　The　moon　came　and　sparked　it　to　life。
　To　be　brief；　I　rode　all　night；　passing　over　the　crest　and　mencing　my　downward　passage　well　before　dawn。　As　I　descended；　the　mountain　grew　even　more　vast　above　me；　which　of　course　was　the　best　time　for　this　to　occur。　Things　were　green　on　this　side　of　the　range；　and　divided　by　neat　highways；　punctuated　by　occasional　dwellings。　Everything　therefore　was　proceeding　in　accordance　with　my　desire。
　Early　morning。　I　was　into　the　foothills　an