rj.thegreathunt-第59部分

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an　e　here　and　leave；　so　can　we。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　I　haven't　lost　it；　Lord　Rand。　I　can　still　pick　out　the　stink　of　them。　It　isn't　that。　It's　just　。。。　It's　。。。〃　With　a　grimace；　Hurin　burst　out；　〃It's　like　I'm　remembering　it；　Lord　Rand；　instead　of　smelling　it。　But　I'm　not。　There's　dozens　of　trails　crossing　it　all　the　time；　dozens　and　dozens；　and　all　sorts　of　smells　of　violence；　some　of　them　fresh；　almost；　only　washed　out　like　everything　else。　This　morning；　right　after　we　left　the　hollow；　I　could　have　sworn　there　were　hundreds　slaughtered　right　under　my　feet；　just　minutes　before；　but　there　weren't　any　bodies；　and　not　a　mark　on　the　grass　but　our　own　hoofprints。　A　thing　like　that　couldn't　happen　without　the　ground　being　torn　up　and　bloodied；　but　there　wasn't　a　mark。　It's　all　like　that；　my　Lord。　But　I　am　following　the　trail。　I　am。　This　place　just　has　me　all　on　edge。　That's　it。　That　must　be　it。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　Loial　…　the　Ogier　did　e　up　with　the　oddest　knowledge；　at　times　…　but　he　looked　as　puzzled　as　Hurin。　Rand　made　his　voice　more　confident　than　he　felt。　〃I　know　you　are　doing　your　best；　Hurin。　We　are　all　of　us　on　edge。　Just　follow　as　best　you　can；　and　we'll　find　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　you　say；　Lord　Rand。〃　Hurin　booted　his　horse　forward。　〃As　you　say。〃
　　　　　　　But　by　nightfall；　there　was　still　no　sign　of　the　Darkfriends；　and　Hurin　said　the　trail　was　fainter　still。　The　sniffer　kept　muttering　to　himself　about　〃remembering。〃
　　　　　　　There　had　been　no　sign。　Really　no　sign。　Rand　was　not　as　good　a　tracker　as　Uno；　but　any　boy　in　the　Two　Rivers　was　expected　to　track　well　enough　to　find　a　lost　sheep；　or　a　rabbit　for　dinner。　He　had　seen　nothing。　It　was　as　if　no　living　thing　had　ever　disturbed　the　land　before　they　came。　There　should　have　been　something　if　the　Darkfriends　were　ahead　of　them。　But　Hurin　kept　following　the　trail　he　said　he　smelled。
　　　　　　　As　the　sun　touched　the　horizon　they　made　camp　in　a　stand　of　trees　untouched　by　the　burn；　eating　from　their　saddlebags。　Flatbread　and　dried　meat　washed　down　with　flat…tasting　water；　hardly　a　filling　meal；　tough　and　far　from　tasty。　Rand　thought　they　might　have　enough　for　a　week。　After　that　。。。　Hurin　ate　slowly；　determinedly；　but　Loial　gulped　his　down　with　a　grimace　and　settled　back　with　his　pipe；　the　big　quarterstaff　close　at　hand。　Rand　kept　their　fire　small　and　well　hidden　in　the　trees。　Fain　and　his　Darkfriends　and　Trollocs　might　be　close　enough　to　see　a　fire；　for　all　of　Hurin's　worries　about　the　oddness　of　their　trail。
　　　　　　　It　seemed　odd　to　him　that　he　had　begun　to　think　of　them　as　Fain's　Darkfriends；　Fain's　Trollocs。　Fain　was　just　a　madman。　Then　why　did　they　rescue　him？　Fain　had　been　part　of　the　Dark　One's　scheme　to　find　him。　Perhaps　it　had　something　to　do　with　that。　Then　why　is　he　running　instead　of　chasing　me？　And　what　killed　that　Fade？　What　happened　in　that　room　full　of　flies？　And　those　eyes；　watching　me　in　Fal　Dara。　And　that　wind；　catching　me　like　a　beetle　in　pine　sap。　No。　No；　Ba'alzamon　has　to　he　dead。　The　Aes　Sedai　did　not　believe　it。　Moiraine　did　not　believe　it；　nor　the　Amyrlin。　Stubbornly；　he　refused　to　think　about　it　any　longer。　All　he　had　to　think　about　now　was　finding　that　dagger　for　Mat。　Finding　Fain；　and　the　Horn。
　　　　　　　It's　never　over；　al'Thor。
　　　　　　　The　voice　was　like　a　thin　breeze　whispering　in　the　back　of　his　head；　a　thin；　icy　murmur　working　its　way　into　the　crevices　of　his　mind。　He　almost　sought　the　void　to　escape　it；　but　remembering　what　waited　for　him　there；　he　pushed　down　the　desire。
　　　　　　　In　the　half　dark　of　twilight；　he　worked　the　forms　with　his　sword；　the　way　Lan　had　taught；　though　without　the　void。　Parting　the　Silk。　Hummingbird　Kisses　the　Honeyrose。　Heron　Wading　in　the　Rushes；　for　balance。　Losing　himself　in　the　swift；　sure　movements；　forgetting　for　a　time　where　he　was；　he　worked　until　sweat　covered　him。　Yet　when　he　was　done；　it　all　came　back；　nothing　was　changed。　The　weather　was　not　cold；　but　he　shivered　and　pulled　his　cloak　around　him　as　he　hunched　by　the　fire。　The　others　caught　his　mood；　and　they　finished　eating　quickly　and　in　silence。　No　one　plained　when　he　kicked　dirt　over　the　last　fitful　flames。
　　　　　　　Rand　took　the　first　watch　himself；　walking　the　edges　of　the　copse　with　his　bow；　sometimes　easing　his　sword　in　its　scabbard。　The　chill　moon　was　almost　full；　standing　high　in　the　blackness；　and　the　night　was　as　silent　as　the　day　had　been；　as　empty。　Empty　was　the　right　word。　The　land　was　as　empty　as　a　dusty　milk　crock。　It　was　hard　to　believe　there　was　anyone　in　the　whole　world；　in　this　world；　except　for　the　three　of　them；　hard　to　believe　even　the　Darkfriends　were　there；　somewhere　ahead。
　　　　　　　To　keep　himself　pany；　he　unwrapped　Thom　Merrilin's　cloak；　exposing　the　harp　and　flute　in　their　hard　leather　cases　atop　the　many…colored　patches。　He　took　the　gold…and…silver　flute　from　its　case；　remembering　the　gleeman　teaching　him　as　he　fingered　it；　and　played　a　few　notes　of　〃The　Wind　That　Shakes　the　Willow；〃　softly　so　as　not　to　wake　the　others。　Even　soft；　the　sad　sound　was　too　loud　in　that　place；　too　real。　With　a　sigh　he　replaced　the　flute　and　did　up　the　bundle　again。
　　　　　　　He　held　the　watch　long　into　the　night；　letting　the　others　sleep。　He　did　not　know　how　late　it　was　when　he　suddenly　realized　a　fog　had　risen。　Close　to　the　ground　it　lay；　thick；　making　Hurin　and　Loial　indistinct　mounds　seeming　to　hump　out　of　clouds。　Thinner　higher　up；　it　still　shrouded　the　land　around　them；　hiding　everything　except　the　nearest　trees。　The　moon　seemed　viewed　through　watered　silk。　Anything　at　all　could　e　right　up　to　them　unseen。　He　touched　his　sword。
　　　　　　　〃Swords　do　no　good　against　me；　Lews　Therin。　You　should　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　The　fog　swirled　around　Rand's　feet　as　he　spun；　the　sword　ing　into　his　hands；　heron…mark　blade　upright　before　him。　The　void　leaped　up　inside　him；　for　the　first　time；　he　barely　noticed　the　tainted　light　of　saidin。
　　　　　　　A　shadowy　figure　drew　nearer　through　the　mist；　walking　with　a　tall　staff。　Behind　it；　as　if　the　shadow's　shadow　were　vast；　the　fog　darkened　till　it　was　blacker　than　night。　Rand's　skin　crawled。　Closer　the　figure　came；　until　it　resolved　into　the　shape　of　a　man；　clothed　and　gloved　in　black；　with　a　black　silk　mask　covering　his　face；　and　the　shadow　came　with　it。　His　staff　was　black；　too；　as　if　the　wood　had　been　charred；　yet　smooth　and　shining　like　water　by　moonlight。　For　an　instant　the　eyeholes　of　the　mask　glowed；　as　if　fires　stood　behind　them　rather　than　eyes；　but　Rand　did　not　need　that　to　know　who　it　was。
　　　　　　　〃Ba'alzamon；〃　he　breathed。　〃This　is　a　dream。　It　has　to　be。　I　fell　asleep；　and　…　〃
　　　　　　　Ba'alzamon　laughed　like　the　roar　of　an　open　furnace。　〃You　always　try　to　deny　what　is；　Lews　Therin。　If　I　stretch　out　my　hand；　I　can　touch　you；　Kinslayer。　I　can　always　touch　you。　Always　and　everywhere。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　not　the　Dragon！　My　name　is　Rand　al'…！〃　Rand　clamped　his　teeth　shut　to　stop　himself。
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　I　know　the　name　you　use　now；　Lews　Therin。　I　know　every　name　you　have　used　through　Age　after　Age；　long　before　you　were　even　the　Kinslayer。〃　Ba'alzamon's　voice　began　to　rise　in　intensity；　sometimes　the　fires　of　his　eyes　flared　so　high　that　Rand　could　see　them　through　the　openings　in　the　silk　mask；　see　them　like　endless　seas　of　flame。　〃I　know　you；　know　your　blood　and　your　line　back　to　the　first　spark　of　life　that　ever　was；　back　to　the　First　Moment。　You　can　never　hide　from　me。　Never！　We　are　tied　together　as　surely　as　two　sides　of　the　same　coin。　Ordinary　men　may　hide　in　the　sweep　of　the　Pattern；　but　ta'veren　stand　out　like　beacon　fires　on　a　hill；　and　you；　you　stand　out　as　if　ten　thousand　shining　arrows　stood　in　the　sky　to　point　you　out！　You　are　mine；　and　ever　in　reach　of　my　hand！〃
　　　　　　　〃Father　of　Lies！〃　Rand　managed。　Despite　the　void；　his　tongue　wanted　to　cleave　to　the　roof　of　his　mouth。　Light；　please　let　it　be　a　dream。　The　thought　skittered　outside　the　emptiness。　Even　one　of　those　dreams　that　isn't　a　dream。　He　can't　really　be　standing　in　front　of　me。　The　Dark　One　is　sealed　in　Shayol　Ghul；　sealed　by　the　Creator　at　the　moment　of　Creation　。。。　He　knew　too　much　of　the　truth　for　it　to　help。　〃You're　well　named！　If　you　could　just　take　me；　why　haven't　you？　Because　you　cannot。　I　walk　in　the　Light；　and　you　cannot　touch　me！〃
　　　　　　　Ba'alzamon　leaned　on　his　staff　and　looked　at　Rand　a　moment；　then　moved　to　stand　over　Loial　and　Hurin；　peering　down　at　them。　The　vast　shadow　moved　with　him。　He　did　not　disturb　the　fog；　Rand　saw　…　he　moved；　the　staff　swung　with　his　steps；　but　the　gray　mist　did　not　swirl　and　eddy　around　his　feet　as　it　did　around　Rand's。　That　gave　him　heart。　Perhaps　Ba'alzamon　really　was　not　there。　Perhaps　it　was　a　dream。
　　　　　　　〃You　find　odd　followers；〃　Ba'alzamon　mused。　〃You　always　did。　These　two。　The　girl　who　tries　to　watch　over　you。　A　poor　guardian　and　weak；　Kinslayer。　If　she　had　a　lifetime　to　grow；　she　would　never　grow　strong　enough　for　you　to　hide　behind。〃
　　　　　　　Girl？　Who？　Moiraine　is　surely　not　a　girl。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　talking　about；　Father　of　Lies。　You　lie；　and　lie；　and　even　when　you　tell　the　truth；　you　twist　it　to　a　lie。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　I；　Lews　Therin？　You　know　what　you　are；　who　you　are。　I　have　told　you。　And　so　have　those　women　of　Tar　Valon。〃　Rand　shifted；　and　Ba'alzamon　gave　a　laugh；　like　a　small　thunderclap。　〃They　think　themselves　safe　in　th