rj.eyeoftheworld-第62部分

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round；　for　an　instant　Rand　saw　Perrin；　half　out　of　his　saddle；　struggling　to　wrest　his　axe　away　from　three　Trollocs。　They　had　him　by　one　arm　and　both　legs。　Cloud　plunged；　and　only　Trollocs　filled　Rand's　eyes。
　　　　　　　A　Trolloc　dashed　in　and　seized　Rand's　leg；　forcing　his　foot　free　of　the　stirrup。　Panting；　he　let　go　of　the　saddle　to　stab　it。　Instantly　the　hook　pulled　him　out　of　the　saddle；　to　Cloud's　hindquarters；　his　death…grip　on　the　reins　was　all　that　kept　him　from　the　ground。　Cloud　reared　and　shrieked。　And　in　that　same　moment　the　pulling　vanished。　The　Trolloc　at　his　leg　threw　up　its　hands　and　screamed。　All　of　the　Trollocs　screamed；　a　howl　like　all　the　dogs　in　the　world　gone　mad。
　　　　　　　Around　the　humans　Trollocs　fell　writhing　to　the　ground；　tearing　at　their　hair；　clawing　their　own　faces。　All　of　the　Trollocs。　Biting　at　the　ground；　snapping　at　nothing；　howling；　howling；　howling。
　　　　　　　Then　Rand　saw　the　Myrddraal。　Still　upright　in　the　saddle　of　its　madly　dancing　horse；　black　sword　still　flailing；　it　had　no　head。
　　　　　　　〃It　won't　die　until　nightfall；〃　Thom　had　to　shout；　between　heavy　breaths；　over　the　unrelenting　screams。　〃Not　pletely。　That　is　what　I've　heard；　anyway。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ride！〃　Lan　shouted　angrily。　The　Warder　had　already　gathered　Moiraine　and　the　other　two　women　and　had　them　halfway　up　the　next　hill。　〃This　is　not　all　of　them！〃　Indeed；　the　horns　dirged　again；　above　the　shrieks　of　the　Trollocs　on　the　ground；　to　east　and　west　and　south。
　　　　　　　For　a　wonder；　Mat　was　the　only　one　who　had　been　unhorsed。　Rand　trotted　toward　him；　but　Mat　tossed　a　noose　away　from　him　with　a　shudder；　gathered　his　bow；　and　scrambled　into　his　saddle　unaided；　though　rubbing　at　his　throat。
　　　　　　　The　horns　bayed　like　hounds　with　the　scent　of　a　deer。　Hounds　closing　in。　If　Lan　had　set　a　hard　pace　before；　he　doubled　it　now；　till　the　horses　scrabbled　uphill　faster　than　they　had　gone　down　before；　then　nearly　threw　themselves　at　the　other　side。　But　still　the　horns　came　ever　nearer；　until　the　guttural　shouts　of　pursuit　were　heard　whenever　the　horns　paused；　until　eventually　the　humans　reached　a　hilltop　just　as　Trollocs　appeared　on　the　next　hill　behind　them。　The　hilltop　blackened　with　Trollocs；　snouted；　distorted　faces　howling；　and　three　Myrddraal　overawed　them　all。　Only　a　hundred　spans　separated　the　two　parties。
　　　　　　　Rand's　heart　shriveled　like　an　old　grape。　Three！
　　　　　　　The　Myrddraal's　black　swords　rose　as　one；　Trollocs　boiled　down　the　slope；　thick；　triumphant　cries　rising；　catchpoles　bobbing　above　as　they　ran。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　climbed　down　from　Aldieb's　back。　Calmly　she　removed　something　from　her　pouch；　unwrapped　it。　Rand　glimpsed　dark　ivory。　The　angreal。　With　angreal　in　one　hand　and　staff　in　the　other；　the　Aes　Sedai　set　her　feet；　facing　the　onrushing　Trollocs　and　the　Fades'　black　swords；　raised　her　staff　high；　and　stabbed　it　down　into　the　earth。
　　　　　　　The　ground　rang　like　an　iron　kettle　struck　by　a　mallet。　The　hollow　clang　dwindled；　faded　away。　For　an　instant　then；　it　was　silent。　Everything　was　silent。　The　wind　died。　The　Trolloc　cries　stilled；　even　their　charge　forward　slowed　and　stopped。　For　a　heartbeat；　everything　waited。　Slowly　the　dull　ringing　returned；　changing　to　a　low　rumble；　growing　until　the　earth　moaned。
　　　　　　　The　ground　trembled　beneath　Cloud's　hooves。　This　was　Aes　Sedai　work　like　the　stories　told　about；　Rand　wished　he　were　a　hundred　miles　away。　The　tremble　became　a　shaking　that　set　the　trees　around　them　quivering。　The　gray　stumbled　and　nearly　fell。　Even　Mandarb　and　riderless　Aldieb　staggered　as　if　drunk；　and　those　who　rode　had　to　cling　to　reins　and　manes；　to　anything；　to　keep　their　seats。
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai　still　stood　as　she　had　begun；　holding　the　angreal　and　her　upright　staff　thrust　into　the　hilltop；　and　neither　she　nor　the　staff　moved　an　inch；　for　all　that　the　ground　shook　and　shivered　around　her。　Now　the　ground　rippled；　springing　out　from　in　front　of　her　staff；　lapping　toward　the　Trollocs　like　ripples　on　a　pond；　ripples　that　grew　as　they　ran；　toppling　old　bushes；　flinging　dead　leaves　into　the　air；　growing；　being　waves　of　earth；　rolling　toward　the　Trollocs。　Trees　in　the　hollow　lashed　like　switches　in　the　hands　of　small　boys。　On　the　far　slope　Trollocs　fell　in　heaps；　tumbled　over　and　over　by　the　raging　earth。
　　　　　　　Yet　as　if　the　ground　were　not　rearing　all　around　them；　the　Myrddraal　moved　forward　in　a　line；　their　dead…black　horses　never　missing　a　step；　every　hoof　in　unison。　Trollocs　rolled　on　the　ground　all　about　the　black　steeds；　howling　and　grabbing　at　the　hillside　that　heaved　them　up；　but　the　Myrddraal　came　slowly　on。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　lifted　her　staff；　and　the　earth　stilled；　but　she　was　not　done。　She　pointed　to　the　hollow　between　the　hills；　and　flame　gouted　from　the　ground；　a　fountain　twenty　feet　high。　She　flung　her　arms　wide；　and　the　fire　raced　to　left　and　right　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　spreading　into　a　wall　separating　humans　and　Trollocs。　The　heat　made　Rand　put　his　hands　in　front　of　his　face；　even　on　the　hilltop。　The　Myrddraal's　black　mounts；　whatever　strange　powers　they　had；　screamed　at　the　fire；　reared　and　fought　their　riders　as　the　Myrddraal　beat　at　them；　trying　to　force　them　through　the　flames。
　　　　　　　〃Blood　and　ashes；〃　Mat　said　faintly。　Rand　nodded　numbly。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　Moiraine　wavered　and　would　have　fallen　had　Lan　not　leaped　from　his　horse　to　catch　her。　〃Go　on；〃　he　told　the　others。　The　harshness　of　his　voice　was　at　odds　with　the　gentle　way　he　lifted　the　Aes　Sedai　to　her　saddle。　〃That　fire　won't　burn　forever。　Hurry！　Every　minute　counts！〃
　　　　　　　The　wall　of　flame　roared　as　if　it　would　indeed　burn　forever；　but　Rand　did　not　argue。　They　galloped　northward　as　fast　as　they　could　make　their　horses　go。　The　horns　in　the　distance　shrilled　out　disappointment；　as　if　they　already　knew　what　had　happened；　then　fell　silent。
　　　　　　　Lan　and　Moiraine　soon　caught　up　with　the　others；　though　Lan　led　Aldieb　by　the　reins　while　the　Aes　Sedai　swayed　and　held　the　pommel　of　her　saddle　with　both　hands。　〃I　will　be　all　right　soon；〃　she　said　to　their　worried　looks。　She　sounded　tired　yet　confident；　and　her　gaze　was　as　pelling　as　ever。　〃I　am　not　at　my　strongest　when　working　with　Earth　and　Fire。　A　small　thing。〃
　　　　　　　The　two　of　them　moved　into　the　lead　again　at　a　fast　walk。　Rand　did　not　think　Moiraine　could　stay　in　the　saddle　at　any　faster　pace。　Nynaeve　rode　forward　beside　the　Aes　Sedai；　steadying　her　with　a　hand。　For　a　time　as　the　party　went　on　across　the　hills　the　two　women　whispered；　then　the　Wisdom　delved　into　her　cloak　and　handed　a　small　packet　to　Moiraine。　Moiraine　unfolded　it　and　swallowed　the　contents。　Nynaeve　said　something　more；　then　fell　back　with　the　others；　ignoring　their　questioning　looks。　Despite　their　circumstances；　Rand　thought　she　had　a　slight　look　of　satisfaction。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　really　care　what　the　Wisdom　was　up　to。　He　rubbed　the　hilt　of　his　sword　continually；　and　whenever　he　realized　what　he　was　doing；　he　stared　down　at　it　in　wonder。　So　that's　what　a　battle　is　like。　He　could　not　remember　much　of　it；　not　any　particular　part。　Everything　ran　together　in　his　head；　a　melted　mass　of　hairy　faces　and　fear。　Fear　and　heat。　It　had　seemed　as　hot　as　a　midsummer　noon　while　it　was　going　on。　He　could　not　understand　that。　The　icy　wind　was　trying　to　freeze　beads　of　perspiration　all　over　his　face　and　body。
　　　　　　　He　glanced　at　his　two　friends。　Mat　was　scrubbing　sweat　off　his　face　with　the　edge　of　his　cloak。　Perrin；　staring　at　something　in　the　distance　and　not　liking　what　he　was　seeing；　appeared　unaware　of　the　beads　glistening　on　his　forehead。
　　　　　　　The　hills　grew　smaller；　and　the　land　began　to　level　out；　but　instead　of　pressing　on；　Lan　stopped。　Nynaeve　moved　as　if　to　rejoin　Moiraine；　but　the　Warder's　look　kept　her　away。　He　and　the　Aes　Sedai　rode　ahead　and　put　their　heads　together；　and　from　Moiraine's　gestures　it　became　apparent　they　were　arguing。　Nynaeve　and　Thom　stared　at　them；　the　Wisdom　frowning　worriedly；　the　gleeman　muttering　under　his　breath　and　pausing　to　stare　back　the　way　they　had　e；　but　everyone　else　avoided　looking　at　them　altogether。　Who　knew　what　might　e　out　of　an　argument　between　an　Aes　Sedai　and　a　Warder？
　　　　　　　After　a　few　minutes　Egwene　spoke　to　Rand　quietly；　casting　an　uneasy　eye　at　the　still…arguing　pair。　〃Those　things　you　were　shouting　at　the　Trollocs。〃　She　stopped　as　if　unsure　how　to　proceed。
　　　　　　　〃What　about　them？〃　Rand　asked。　He　felt　a　little　awkward　…　warcries　were　all　right　for　Warders；　Two　Rivers　folk　did　not　do　things　like　that；　whatever　Moiraine　said　…　but　if　she　made　fun　of　him　over　it。。。〃Mat　must　have　repeated　that　story　ten　times。　〃
　　　　　　　〃And　badly；〃　Thom　put　in。　Mat　grunted　in　protest。
　　　　　　　〃However　he　told　it；〃　Rand　said；　〃we've　all　heard　it　any　number　of　times。　Besides；　we　had　to　shout　something。　I　mean；　that's　what　you　do　at　a　time　like　that。　You　heard　Lan。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　we　have　a　right；〃　Perrin　added　thoughtfully。　〃Moiraine　says　we're　all　descended　from　those　Manetheren　people。　They　fought　the　Dark　One；　and　we're　fighting　the　Dark　One。　That　gives　us　a　right。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　sniffed　as　if　to　show　what　she　thought　of　that。　〃I　wasn't　talking　about　that。　What　。。。　what　were　you　shouting；　Mat？〃
　　　　　　　Mat　shrugged　unfortably。　〃I　don't　remember。〃　He　stared　at　them　defensively。　〃Well；　I　don't。　It's　a