rj.theshadowrising-第42部分

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hat　nothing　is　as　it　was。　Selene　is　only　a　name　I　sometimes　use；　Lews　Therin。　The　name　I　made　my　own　is　Lanfear。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　barked　a　shallow　laugh。　〃A　poor　joke；　Selene。　I'd　as　soon　make　jests　about　the　Dark　One　as　one　of　the　Forsaken。　And　my　name　is　Rand。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　call　ourselves　the　Chosen；〃　she　said　calmly。　〃Chosen　to　rule　the　world　forever。　We　will　live　forever。　You　can；　also。〃
　　　　　　　He　frowned　at　her　worriedly。　She　actually　thought　she　was。。。　Her　travails　in　reaching　Tear　must　have　unhinged　her。　But　she　did　not　look　mad。　She　was　calm；　cool；　certain。　Without　thinking；　he　found　himself　reaching　for　saidin。　He　reached　for　it　…　and　struck　a　wall　he　could　not　see　or　feel；　except　that　it　kept　him　from　the　Source。　〃You　can't　be。〃　She　smiled。　〃Light；〃　he　breathed。　〃You　are　one　of　them。〃
　　　　　　　Slowly；　he　backed　away。　If　he　reached　Callandor；　at　least　he　would　have　a　weapon。　Perhaps　it　could　not　work　as　a　sa'angreal；　but　it　would　do　for　a　sword。　Could　he　use　a　sword　against　a　woman；　against　Selene？　No；　against　Lanfear；　against　one　of　the　Forsaken。
　　　　　　　His　back　came　up　hard　against　something；　and　he　looked　around　to　see　what　it　was。　There　was　nothing　there。　A　wall　of　nothing；　with　his　back　pressed　against　it。　Callandor　glittered　not　three　paces　away　…　on　the　other　side。　He　thumped　a　fist　against　the　barrier　in　frustration；　it　was　as　unyielding　as　rock。
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot　trust　you　fully；　Lews　Therin。　Not　yet。〃　She　came　closer；　and　he　considered　simply　seizing　her。　He　was　bigger　and　stronger　by　far　…　and　blocked　as　he　was；　she　could　wrap　him　up　with　the　Power　like　a　kitten　tangled　in　a　ball　of　string。　〃Not　with　that；　certainly；〃　she　added；　grimacing　at　Callandor。　〃There　are　only　two　more　powerful　that　a　man　can　use。　One　at　least；　I　know；　still　exists。　No；　Lews　Therin。　I　will　not　trust　you　yet　with　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃Stop　calling　me　that；〃　he　growled。　〃My　name　is　Rand。　Rand　al'Thor。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　Lews　Therin　Telamon。　Oh；　physically；　nothing　is　the　same　except　your　height；　but　I　would　know　who　is　behind　those　eyes　even　if　I'd　found　you　in　your　cradle。〃　She　laughed　suddenly。　〃How　much　easier　everything　would　be　if　I　had　found　you　then。　If　I　had　been　free　to。。。〃　Laughter　faded　into　an　angry　stare。　〃Do　you　wish　to　see　my　true　appearance？　You　can't　remember　that；　either；　can　you？〃
　　　　　　　He　tried　to　say　no；　but　his　tongue　would　not　work。　Once　he　had　seen　two　of　the　Forsaken　together；　Aginor　and　Balthamel；　the　first　two　loosed；　after　three　thousand　years　trapped　just　beneath　the　seal　on　the　Dark　One's　prison。　The　one　had　been　more　withered　than　anything　could　be　and　still　live；　the　other　hid　his　face　behind　a　mask；　hid　every　bit　of　his　flesh　as　though　he　could　not　bear　to　see　it　or　have　it　seen。
　　　　　　　The　air　rippled　around　Lanfear；　and　she　changed。　She　was　…　older　than　he；　certainly；　but　older　was　not　the　right　word。　More　mature。　Riper。　Even　more　beautiful；　if　that　was　possible。　A　lush　blossom　in　full　flower　pared　to　a　bud。　Even　knowing　what　she　was；　she　made　his　mouth　go　dry；　his　throat　tighten。
　　　　　　　Her　dark　eyes　examined　his　face；　full　of　confidence　yet　with　a　hint　of　questioning；　as　if　wondering　what　he　saw。　Whatever　she　perceived　seemed　to　satisfy　her。　She　smiled　again。　〃I　was　buried　deeply；　in　a　dreamless　sleep　where　time　did　not　flow。　The　turnings　of　the　Wheel　passed　me　by。　Now　you　see　me　as　I　am；　and　I　have　you　in　my　hands。〃　She　drew　a　fingernail　along　his　jaw　hard　enough　to　make　him　flinch。　〃The　time　for　games　and　subterfuge　is　past；　Lews　Therin。　Long　past。〃
　　　　　　　His　stomach　lurched。　〃Do　you　mean　to　kill　me；　then？　The　Light　burn　you；　I　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Kill　you？〃　she　spat　incredulously。　〃Kill　you！　I　mean　to　have　you；　forever。　You　were　mine　long　before　that　pale…haired　milksop　stole　you。　Before　she　ever　saw　you。　You　loved　me！〃
　　　　　　　〃And　you　loved　power！〃　For　a　moment　he　felt　dazed。　The　words　sounded　true　…　he　knew　they　were　true　…　but　where　had　they　e　from？
　　　　　　　Selene　…　Lanfear　…　seemed　as　startled　as　he；　but　she　recovered　quickly。　〃You've　learned　much　…　you　have　done　much　I'd　not　have　believed　you　could；　unaided　…　but　you　are　still；　fumbling　your　way　through　a　maze　in　the　dark；　and　your　ignorance　may　kill　you。　Some　of　the　others　fear　you　too　much　to　wait。　Sammael；　Rahvin；　Moghedien。　Others；　perhaps；　but　those　of　a　certainty。　They　will　e　after　you。　They　will　not　try　to　turn　your　heart。　They　will　e　at　you　by　stealth；　destroy　you　while　you　sleep。　Because　of　their　fear。　But　there　are　those　who　could　teach　you；　show　you　what　you　once　knew。　None　would　dare　oppose　you　then。〃
　　　　　　　〃Teach　me？　You　want　me　to　let　one　of　the　Forsaken　teach　me？〃　One　of　the　Forsaken。　A　male　Forsaken。　A　man　who　had　been　Aes　Sedai　in　the　Age　of　Legends；　who　knew　the　ways　of　channeling；　knew　how　to　avoid　the　pitfalls；　knew　…　As　much　had　been　offered　him　before。　〃No！　Even　if　it　was　offered；　I'd　refuse；　and　why　should　it　be？　I　oppose　them　…　and　you！　I　hate　everything　you've　done；　everything　you　stand　for。〃　Fool！　he　thought。　Trapped　here；　and　I　spout　defiance　like　some　idiot　in　a　story　who　never　suspects　he　might　make　his　captor　angry　enough　to　do　something　about　it。　But　he　could　not　force　himself　to　take　the　words　back。　Stubbornly；　he　plowed　ahead　and　made　it　worse。　〃I'll　destroy　you；　if　I　can。　You；　and　the　Dark　One；　and　every　last　Forsaken！〃
　　　　　　　A　dangerous　gleam　flashed　in　her　eyes　and　was　gone。　〃Do　you　know　why　some　of　us　fear　you？　Do　you　have　any　idea？　Because　they　are　afraid　the　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark　will　give　you　a　place　above　them。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　surprised　himself　by　managing　a　laugh。　〃Great　Lord　of　the　Dark？　Can't　you　say　his　true　name；　either？　Surely　you　don't　fear　to　attract　his　attention；　as　decent　people　do。　Or　do　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃It　would　be　blasphemy；〃　she　said　simply。　〃They　are　right　to　be　afraid；　Sammael　and　the　rest。　The　Great　Lord　does　want　you。　He　wants　to　exalt　you　above　all　other　men。　He　told　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　ridiculous！　The　Dark　One　is　still　bound　in　Shayol　Ghul；　or　I　would　be　fighting　Tarmon　Gai'don　right　now。　And　if　he　knows　I　exist；　he'd　want　me　dead。　I　mean　to　fight　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　he　knows。　The　Great　Lord　knows　more　than　you　would　suspect。　It　is　possible　to　talk　with　him。　Go　to　Shayol　Ghul；　into　the　Pit　of　Doom；　and　you　can。。。　hear　him。　You　can。。。　bathe　in　his　presence。〃　A　different　light　shone　on　her　face；　now。　Ecstasy。　She　breathed　through　parted　lips；　and　for　a　moment　seemed　to　stare　at　something　distant　and　wondrous。　〃Words　cannot　even　begin　to　describe　it。　You　must　experience　it　to　know。　You　must。〃　She　was　seeing　his　face　again；　with　eyes　large　and　dark　and　insistent。　〃Kneel　to　the　Great　Lord；　and　he　will　set　you　above　all　others。　He　will　leave　you　free　to　reign　as　you　will；　so　long　as　you　bend　knee　to　him　only　once。　To　acknowledge　him。　No　more　than　that。　He　told　me　this。　Asmodean　will　teach　you　to　wield　the　Power　without　it　killing　you；　teach　what　you　can　do　with　it。　Let　me　help　you。　We　can　destroy　the　others。　The　Great　Lord　will　not　care。　We　can　destroy　all　of　them；　even　Asmodean；　once　he　has　taught　you　all　you　need　to　know。　You　and　I　can　rule　the　world　together　under　the　Great　Lord；　forever。〃　Her　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper；　equal　parts　eagerness　and　fear。　〃Two　great　sa'angreal　were　made　just　before　the　end；　one　that　you　can　use；　one　that　I　can。　Far　greater　than　that　sword。　Their　power　is　beyond　imagining。　With　those；　we　could　challenge　even。。。　the　Great　Lord　himself。　Even　the　Creator！〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　mad；〃　he　said　raggedly。　〃The　Father　of　Lies　says　he　will　leave　me　free？　I　was　born　to　fight　him。　That　is　why　I　am　here；　to　fulfill　the　Prophecies。　I'll　fight　him；　and　all　of　you；　until　the　Last　Battle！　Until　my　last　breath！〃
　　　　　　　〃You　do　not　have　to。　Prophecy　is　no　more　than　the　sign　of　what　people　hope　for。　Fulfilling　the　Prophecies　will　only　bind　you　to　a　path　leading　to　Tarmon　Gai'don　and　your　death。　Moghedien　or　Sammael　can　destroy　your　body。　The　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark　can　destroy　your　soul。　An　end　utter　and　plete。　You　will　never　be　born　again　no　matter　how　long　the　Wheel　of　Time　turns！〃
　　　　　　　〃No！〃
　　　　　　　For　what　seemed　a　long　time　she　studied　him；　he　could　almost　see　the　scales　weighing　alternatives。　〃I　could　take　you　with　me；〃　she　said　finally。　〃I　could　have　you　turned　to　the　Great　Lord　whatever　you　want　or　believe。　There　are　ways。〃
　　　　　　　She　paused；　perhaps　to　see　if　her　words　had　had　any　effect。　Sweat　rolled　down　his　back；　but　he　kept　his　face　straight。　He　would　have　to　do　something；　whether　he　had　a　chance　or　not。　A　second　attempt　to　reach　saidin　battered　vainly　against　that　invisible　barrier。　He　let　his　eyes　wander　as　if　he　were　thinking。　Callandor　was　behind　him；　as　far　out　of　reach　as　the　other　side　of　the　Aryth　Ocean。　His　belt　knife　lay　on　a　table　by　the　bed；　together　with　a　half…made　fox　he　had　been　carving。　The　shapeless　lumps　of　metal　mocking　him　from　above　the　fireplace；　a　drably　clad　man　slipping　in　at　the　doors　with　a　knife　in　his　hand；　the　books　lying　everywhere。　He　turned　back　to　Lanfear；　tensing。
　　　　　　　〃You　were　always　stubborn；〃　she　muttered。　〃I　won't　take　you；　this　time。　I　want　you　to　e　to　me　of　your　own　will。　And　I　will　have　it。　What　is　the　matter？　You're　frowning。〃
　　　　　　　A　man　slipping　in　at　the　doors　with　a　knife；　his　eyes　had　slid　past　the　fellow　almost　without　seeing