tw.togreenangeltower2-第120部分

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sences　here。　Things　that　should　not　be。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　had　himself　felt　more　than　a　touch　of　what　he　thought　Aditu　meant…a　riffle　of　wind　on　the　back　of　his　neck　that　seemed　insistent　as　probing　fingers；　echoes　that　almost　sounded　like　faint　voices。　〃What　does　it　mean？〃
〃Something　is　awake　here　in　Asu'a　that　should　not　be　awake。　It　is　hard　to　explain。　Whatever　it　may　be；　it　has　given　a　semblance　of　life　to　what　should　not　have　one。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　frowned；　unsure。　〃Do　you　mean　。　。。　ghosts？〃
Aditu's　smile　was　fleeting。　〃If　I　understood　First　Grandmother　when　she　taught　me　what　the　mortal　word　means；　no。　Not　as　such。　But　it　is　hard　to　show　the　difference。　Your　tongue　is　not　suited　for　it；　and　you　do　not　see　or　feel　what　we　do。〃
〃How　can　you　tell？〃　He　looked　across　to　Josua；　but　the　prince　was　staring　fixedly　at　the　ornately　carved　walls。
　　　　　　　〃Because　if　you　did；〃　Aditu　replied；　〃I　suspect　you　would　not　be　sitting　there　so　calmly。〃　She　rose　and　crossed　the　rubble…strewn　floor　to　where　her　mother　and　Jiriki　stood　in　quiet　conversation。
In　the　middle　of　emptiness；　Tiamak　suddenly　felt　surrounded　by　danger。　He　slid　closer　to　Josua。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　feel　it；　Prince　Josua？〃　Tiamak　asked。　〃The　Sithi　do。　They　are　frightened。〃
　　　　　　　The　prince　looked　grim。　〃We　are　all　of　us　frightened。　I　would　have　liked　a　full　night　to　prepare　for　this；　but　Camaris　took　that　away　from　me。　I　try　not　to　remember　where　it　is　we　are　going。〃
〃And　all　with　no　idea　of　what　to　do　when　we　get　there；〃　Tiamak　mourned。　〃Was　there　ever　a　battle　fought　so　confusedly？〃　He　hesitated。　〃I　have　no　right　to　question　you；　Prince　Josua；　but　why　did　you　follow　Camaris？　Surely　others　less　crucial　to　our　success　than　you　could　have　tried　to　track　him。〃
The　prince　stared　ahead。　〃I　was　the　only　one　there。　I　sought　to　bring　him　back　before　he　was　lost　to　us。〃　He　sighed。　〃I　feared　others　would　not　e　in　time。　But　even　more　。。。〃
　　　　　　　The　strange　perturbation　of　air　and　stone　came　again；　sudden　and　disorienting；　cutting　Josua　off　in　mid…speech。　The　Sithi's　lights　jittered；　although　the　immortals　themselves　seemed　not　to　move。　For　a　moment；　Tiamak　thought　he　sensed　the　presence　of　a　host　of　others；　a　shadowy　horde　disposed　all　through　the　ruined　halls。　Then　the　feeling　was　gone　and　everything　was　as　it　had　been　but　for　an　odd；　lingering　smell　of　smoke。
〃Aedon's　mercy！〃　Josua　looked　down　at　his　feet　as　though　surprised　to　discover　them　still　on　the　ground。　〃What　is　this　place？〃
　　　　　　　The　Sithi　had　paused。　Jiriki　turned　to　the　mortals。　
　　　　　　　〃We　must　go　faster；〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　keep　up？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　a　lame　leg；〃　Tiamak　replied。　〃But　I　will　do　my　best。〃
　　　　　　　Josua　laid　his　hand　on　the　Wrannaman's　shoulder。　〃I　will　not　leave　you　behind。　I　can　carry　you　if　need　be。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　smiled；　touched。　〃I　do　not　think　it　will　e　to　that；　Prince　Josua。〃
〃e；　then。　The　Sithi　need　haste。　We　will　try　to　give　it　to　them。〃
　　　　　　　They　moved　at　a　fast　trot　through　the　winding　passageways。　Watching　the　backs　of　the　Sithi；　Tiamak　had　little　doubt　that　if　they　chose　they　could　leave　their　mortal　panions　far　behind。　But　they　did　not；　and　that　said　much：　the　Sithi　thought　that　Tiamak　and　Josua　could　do　something　important。　He　ignored　the　pain　in　his　leg　and　hurried　on。
　　　　　　　They　seemed　to　run　for　hours；　although　Tiamak　had　no　way　of　knowing　if　that　was　true：　just　as　the　substance　of　Asu'a　itself　seemed　strangely　unstable；　so　too　did　time　move　in　a　manner　that　Tiamak　no　longer　trusted　himself　to　interpret。　The　lag　between　steps　sometimes　seemed　to　stretch　for　long　moments；　then　an　instant　later　he　would　be　in　another　part　of　the　ruined　sub…castle；　still　running；　with　no　memory　of　the　intervening　journey。
He　Who　Always　Steps　on　Sand；　keep　me　sane　until　I　have　done　whatever　I　can　do；　he　prayed。　Beside　him；　the　prince　too　seemed　in　silent　munication　with　something　or　someone。
For　a　while　the　Sithi　were　so　far　ahead　that　their　lights　were　little　more　than　a　glow　in　the　tunnel　before　them。　Tiamak's　own　globe；　jiggling　in　his　clutch；　provided　inconstant　light；　he　and　Josua　found　themselves　stumbling　through　wreckage　they　could　barely　see；　suffering　more　than　a　few　cuts　and　bruises；　until　they　caught　up　to　the　immortals　once　more。
　　　　　　　The　Sithi　had　halted　beneath　a　high　archway　where　they　stood　silhouetted　by　a　diffuse　glow　from　the　chamber　beyond。　As　Tiamak　hobbled　to　a　stop　beside　them；　gasping　for　breath；　he　wondered　if　they　had　finally　reached　the　light　of　the　upper　world。　As　he　sucked　air　into　his　lungs；　he　stared　at　the　dragonlike　serpent　carved　on　the　arch。　Its　tail　stretched　down　one　side　and　was　carved　across　the　dusty　floor　of　the　archway　as　well；　then　rose　up　the　other　side　and　back　to　the　lintel；　where　the　tip　was　clasped　in　its　owner's　mouth。　There　were　still　flecks　of　paint　on　its　thousands　of　minute　scales。
　　　　　　　The　smoky　light　behind　the　Sithi　made　them　seem　distorted；　freakishly　lean　and　without　firm　edges。　The　nearest；　Jiriki；　turned　and　looked　back　at　the　panting　mortals。　There　was　passion　on　his　face；　but　it　battled　with　more　pressing　emotions。　〃Beyond　is　the　Pool　of　Three　Depths；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　tell　you　it　is　a　Master　Witness；　you　may　have　some　idea　of　what　kind　of　forces　are　at　work　here。　This　is　one　of　the　mightiest　of　the　places　of　power；　the　great　worms　of　Osten　Ard　once　came　to　drink　its　wa…　ters　and　share　their　wordless　wisdom；　long　before　my　people　set　foot　in　this　land。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　have　we　stopped　here？〃　Josua　asked。　〃Is　Camaris。。。　？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　may　be；　or　he　may　have　already　been　here　and　passed　on。　It　is　a　place　of　potency　as　I　said；　and　it　is　one　of　the　sources　of　the　change　we　have　felt　all　around　us。　He　may　very　well　have　been　drawn　here。〃　Jiriki　lifted　his　hand　in　warning；　for　the　first　time；　Tiamak　could　see　the　weariness　on　the　immortal's　face。　〃Please　do　nothing　without　asking。　Touch　nothing　except　the　floor　where　we　walk。　If　something　speaks　to　you；　do　not　reply。〃
Tiamak　was　chilled。　He　nodded　his　understanding。　There　were　a　thousand　questions　he　longed　to　ask；　but　the　tension
he　saw　in　the　Sithi　was　a　strong　argument　for　silence。　
　　　　　　　〃Lead　on；〃　said　Josua。
　　　　　　　Appearing　a　little　hesitant　themselves；　the　Sithi　stepped　through　the　archway　into　a　wide　chamber　full　of　indirect　light。　Where　Tiamak　could　see　the　walls　through　the　strange　mistiness　of　the　air；　they　seemed　almost　new…built；　undamaged　and　ribbed　with　great　sculpted　pillars　that　stretched　up　toward　the　hidden　ceiling。　The　pool；　a　circular　expanse　of　scintillant　water；　lay　in　the　center　of　the　chamber。　A　circular　staircase　whose　landing　touched　on　the　pool's　far　side　spiraled　up；　massive　yet　graceful；　and　vanished　in　the　mists　above。
Something　in　the　room　was　。。。　alive。　Tiamak　could　think　of　no　other　way　to　describe　the　sensation。　Whether　it　was　the　pool　itself；　with　its　shifting　blue　and　green　glows　flickering　up　from　the　depths；　he　could　not　say；　but　there　was　far　more　to　this　place　than　water　and　stone。　The　air　was　thunderstorm…taut；　and　he　found　he　was　holding　his　breath　as　they　moved　forward。　The　Sithi；　moving　as　cautiously　as　hunters　stalking　a　wounded　boar；　fanned　out　along　the　edge　of　the　pool；　growing　unaccountably　more　distant　from　him　with　each　single　step。　The　smoky　light　glimmered。
〃Camaris！〃　shouted　Josua。　Tiamak　looked　up；　startled。　The　prince　was　staring　at　a　shape　beyond　the　farthest　of　the　Sithi；　a　tall　figure　with　a　long　shadow　in　one　hand。　The　prince　hastened　around　the　tarn's　rim；　the　Sithi；　their　attention　pulted　away　from　the　pool；　moved　with　him　toward　the　solitary　figure。　Tiamak　hurried　after；　the　pain　of　his　leg　momentarily　forgotten。
　　　　　　　For　an　instant　Tiamak　thought　the　prince　was　mistaken；　that　whatever　this　shape　was；　it　was　not　Camaris：　for　a　blink　of　time　he　saw　someone　pletely　different；　jet…haired　and　dressed　in　strange　robes；　with　a　branching　crown　upon　his　head。　Then　the　chamber　seemed　to　shudder　and　tip；　and　the　Wrannaman　stumbled；　when　he　had　regained　his　balance；　he　saw　that　it　was　indeed　the　old　knight。　Camaris　looked　up　at　the　approaching　figures　and　stepped　back；　his　eyes　wild　with　alarm；　then　leveled　the　black　sword　before　him。　Josua　and　the　Sithi　stopped　beyond　its　reach。
〃Camaris；〃　said　the　prince。　〃It　is　Josua。　Look；　it　is　only　me。　I　have　been　searching　for　you。〃
　　　　　　　The　old　man　stared　at　him；　but　the　sword　did　not　waver　from　its　defensive　position。　〃It　is　a　sinful　world；〃　he　replied　hoarsely。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　go　with　you；〃　said　Josua。　〃Wherever　you　wish　to　go。　Do　not　be　afraid。　I　will　not　stop　you。〃
Likimeya's　voice　was　surprisingly　gentle。　〃We　can　help　you；　Hikka　Ti…tuno。　We　will　not　stay　you；　but　we　can　make　your　pain　less。〃　She　took　a　step　forward；　her　hands　held　with　palms　upward。　〃Do　you　remember　Amerasu　Ship…Born？〃
The　old　man's　lips　drew　back　in　a　grimace　of　pain　or　fear　and　he　drew　Thorn　back　as　if　to　strike。　Dark　Kuroyi's　sword　hissed　from　its　sheath　as　he　stepped　in　front　of　Likimeya。
〃There　is　no　need；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃Put　up。〃　
　　　　　　　The　tall　Sitha　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　slipped　his　witchwood　sword　back　into　place。　Camaris　lowered　his　black　blade　once　more。
〃Pity。〃　Kuroyi　sounded　genuinely　regretful。　〃I　have　always　wondered　what　it　would　be　to　cross　swords　with　the　greatest　of　mortal　warriors。。。。〃
　　　　　　　Before　anyone　else　spoke　again　the　light　flared　wildly；　then　the　room　was　plunged　into　blackness。　A　moment　later　light　returned；　but　this　time　the　misty　air　was　blue　as　the　center　of　a　flame。　Tiamak　felt　a　freezing　wind　that　seemed　to　blow　through　him；　and　the　tension　of　the　air　increased　until　his　ears　hammered。
〃How　you　do　love　mortals。〃　The　dreadful　voice　sounded　in　his　thoughts　and　all　through　his　body；　the　words　felt　like　insects　skittering　on　the　Wrannaman's　skin。　〃You　cannot　leave　them　alone。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　and　the　others　turned。　In　the　roiling　mists　behind　them　a　shape　was　forming；　pale　robed　and　silver　masked；　enthroned　in　midair　above　the　pool。　The　sickly　blue　light　did　not　reach　much　beyond　the　water；　and　the　chamber　was　now　walled　with　shadow。　The　Wrannaman　felt　terror　seize　him　by　the　spine。　He　could　not　move；　could　only　pray　that　he　would　be　unnoticed。　Stormspike's　queen…for　who　else　could　it　be？…was　as　dreadful　as　any　nightmare　vision　of　She　Who　Waits　to　Take　Al