tw.togreenangeltower2-第121部分

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　queen…for　who　else　could　it　be？…was　as　dreadful　as　any　nightmare　vision　of　She　Who　Waits　to　Take　All　Back。
　　　　　　　Likimeya　nodded　her　head。　She　held　herself　stiffly；　as　though　even　speaking　took　much　effort。　〃So；　Eldest。　You　have　found　a　way　to　reach　the　Pool　of　Three　Depths。　That　does　not　mean　that　you　can　use　it。〃
The　masked　figure　did　not　move；　but　Tiamak　felt　something　almost　like　triumph　emanate　from　it。　〃I　silenced　Amerasu…I　broke　her　before　my　huntsman　dispatched　her。　Do　you　think　you　are　her　equal；　child？〃
〃By　myself；　no。　But　I　have　others　here　with　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Other　children。〃　A　pale　gloved　hand　lifted；　wavering　as　the　mist　swirled。
　　　　　　　Tiamak　was　dimly　aware　of　movement　on　the　edge　of　the　circle　of　figures　around　him；　but　could　not　tear　his　eyes　away　from　the　shimmering　silver　mask。
〃Camaris！〃　Josua　cried。　〃He　is　leaving。〃
〃Go；〃　said　Jiriki。　〃And　you；　too；　Tiamak。　Follow　him。〃　
　　　　　　　〃But　what　of　you？〃　The　prince's　voice　cracked。　〃And　how　will　we　find　our　way？〃
〃He　is　going　where　he　is　drawn。〃　Jiriki　moved　closer　to　his　mother；　who　already　seemed　locked　in　some　silent　struggle　with　the　Norn　Queen。　The　muscles　of　Likimeya's　face　were　rippling。　〃And　that　is　where　you　must　go；　too。　This　is　our　struggle　here。〃　Jiriki　turned　to　face　the　pool。
〃Go！〃　said　Aditu　urgently。　She　tugged　at　Tiamak's　sleeve；　pulling　him　off…balance　and　sending　him　stumbling　toward　Josua。　〃We　will　call　on　the　power　of　the　Oldest　Tree　and　hold　her　at　bay　as　long　as　we　can；　but　we　cannot　defeat　their　plan　here。　Utuk'ku　is　already　drawing　on　the　Master　Witness。　I　can　feel　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　what　is　she　doing？　What　is　happening？〃　Tiamak　heard　his　voice　rising　in　terror。
　　　　　　　〃We　cannot　see　that；〃　Aditu　moaned。　Her　teeth　were　clenched。　〃We　have　all　we　can　do　to　hold　her　back。　You　and　the　others　must　acplish　whatever　remains。　This　is　our　battle。　Now　go！〃　She　turned　away　from　him。
The　pulsing　radiance　of　the　pool　grew　stronger；　and　lavender　flames　kindled　along　the　walls；　leaping　as　though　in　a　fierce　wind。　The　entire　chamber　felt　tight　as　a　drumhead。　Tiamak　thought　he　could　feel　himself　shrinking；　twisting；　being　slowly　crushed　by　the　forces　now　unleashed。　Something　powerful；　yet　without　form　or　substance；　was　beating　out　at　him　from　the　misty　shape　that　hovered　over　the　water。
Fumbling　as　though　they　were　battered　by　gale　winds；　the　Sithi　formed　into　a　line　before　the　pool　and　linked　their　hands；　then　began　to　sing。
　　　　　　　As　the　immortals'　strange　music　rose；　the　lights　of　the　pool　flickered　wildly。　Tiamak　stared　helplessly　at　the　glowing　mists；　unable　to　remember　how　to　move。　The　walls　around　the　pool　seemed　to　bend　inward　and　then　push　out　again；　bend　in　and　push　out；　as　though　the　chamber　breathed。　On　the　rim　of　the　pool　Aditu　staggered　and　slumped　forward；　but　her　brother；　who　stood　beside　her；　pulled　her　upright；　the　song　of　the　Sithi　faltered　for　a　moment；　then　resumed。
　　　　　　　In　response　to　their　wailing　music；　something　else　began　to　form　in　the　mists　of　the　pool；　something　that　rapidly　became　entangled　with　the　pate　shadow　of　the　Norn　Queen。　Tiamak　saw　it　as　a　dim；　dark　shape　with　a　wide　trunk；　swaying　branches；　and　phantom　leaves　that　fluttered　as　though　a　wind　caressed　them。　Aditu　had　said　〃the　Oldest　Tree〃；　Tiamak　could　sense　this　huge　thing's　antiquity；　its　deep　roots　and　spreading；　nurturing　strength。　For　a　moment　he　felt　something　like　hope。
　　　　　　　As　if　in　response；　the　blue　lights　in　the　water　began　to　burn　even　more　fiercely；　until　the　glare　filled　the　chamber　with　blinding　radiance。　The　tree　shape　grew　less　substantial。　The　Wrannaman　felt　himself　sinking　down　to　the　ground　as　Utuk'ku's　choking；　freezing　might　surged　out　from　the　Pool　of　Three　Depths。
　　　　　　　〃Tiamak！〃
　　　　　　　The　voice　was　distant　and　far　behind　him；　it　meant　little。　Nothing　could　push　through　the　fog　that　was　filling　his　ears；　his　heart；　his　thoughts。。。　。
　　　　　　　High　above　the　center　of　the　pool；　the　Norn　Queen　seemed　a　creature　made　entirely　of　ice；　but　something　black　pulsed　at　the　heart　of　her；　and　jagged　flares　of　purple　and　blue　played　about　her　head　and　glinted　from　her　shining　mask。　She　spread　her　arms；　then　clenched　her　gloved　fists。　Kuroyi　abruptly　shrieked　and　fell　away　from　the　rest　of　the　Sithi　to　writhe　on　the　ground。　The　dark…haired　Sitha　began　to　deform　into　impossibly　swift…changing　shapes；　as　though　invisible　hands　kneaded　him　like　dough。　The　other　Sithi　slumped　and　fell　back；　the　ghost…tree　vanished　pletely。　After　a　few　moments　Aditu　and　her　kin　recovered　themselves　and　began　fighting　to　close　the　gap　where　Kuroyi　had　been。　They　struggled　as　though　immersed　in　deep　water；　striving　to　join　hands　once　more。　The　fallen　Sitha　had　stopped　struggling　and　lay　still。　There　was　no　longer　anything　manlike　in　his　form。
　　　　　　　Something　jerked　at　Tiamak's　arm；　then　jerked　again。　He　turned　slowly。　Josua　was　screaming　at　him。　but　he　could　not　hear　the　words。　The　prince　pulled　him　up　onto　his　feet　and　dragged　him；　stumbling；　away　from　the　pool。　Tiamak's　heart　was　rattling　as　though　it　might　burst。　His　legs　did　not　want　to　support　him；　but　Josua　kept　tugging　until　Tiamak　could　move　on　his　own；　then　the　prince　turned　and　lurched　away　in　pursuit　of　Camaris。　The　old　knight　was　several　score　paces　ahead；　walking　stiff…legged　toward　the　dark　passages　at　the　far　side　of　the　wide　chamber。　Tiamak　limped　slowly　after　them　both。
　　　　　　　The　song　of　the　Dawn　Children　rose　again　behind　him；　more　raggedly　this　time。　Tiamak　did　not　dare　look　back。　Blue　light　throbbed　all　across　the　cavern　ceiling；　and　the　shadows　bloomed　and　vanished　and　then　bloomed　again。

　　　　　　　Despite　the　strange　shifting　that　seemed　to　be　going　on　around　him；　despite　the　bodiless　voices　that　sometimes　shrieked　or　gibbered　in　the　blackness；　Simon　did　not　surrender　to　fear。　He　had　survived　the　wheel　and　then　had　passed　over　into　the　void　and　returned。　He　had　won　back　his　life；　but　he　did　not　hold　it　as　tightly　as　he　once　had；　and　so；　in　a　way；　his　grip　on　it　was　more　sure。　What　were　little　things　like　hunger　or　momentary　blindness？　He　had　been　hungry　before。　He　had　wandered　without　light。
　　　　　　　The　cat　padded　silently　ahead；　turning　at　intervals　to　rub　against　him　before　moving　on；　leading　him　slowly　through　the　twisting　tunnels。　He　had　long　since　given　his　safety　over　into　the　animal's　care。　There　was　nothing　else　to　do；　and　no　use　worrying　about　it。
　　　　　　　Something　was　happening　around　him；　although　he　could　not　tell　exactly　what　that　something　was。　The　ghostly　presences　and　strange　distortions　were　even　stronger　than　before；　and　seemed　to　e　now　as　regularly　as　waves　dashing　themselves　upon　a　beach；　sweeping　all　before　them；　then　ebbing　away　again。　He　hardened　himself　to　the　sensations　as　he　had　hardened　himself　to　his　own　aches。
Simon　felt　his　way　along　the　black　corridors；　Bright…Nail　scraping　the　walls　like　a　beetle's　feeler；　his　fingers　trailing　through　dust　and　dank　moss　and　cobwebs　and　other　things　less　pleasant。　He　could　do　nothing　but　what　he　was　doing。　He　had　faced　the　ice…dragon　and　shouted　his　name　at　it；　had　wandered　the　emptiness　beyond　dreams　and　clung　to　himself。　He　could　not　turn　back　from　the　task　that　was　before　him；　and　he　would　not。
Bright…Nail　seemed　to　change　along　with　his　lightless　surroundings。　One　moment　it　was　a　simple　blade　slapping　against　his　hip；　then　a　moment　later　it　seemed　to　throb　in　time　with　the　convulsions　of　the　castle　depths；　being　for　a　moment　a　living　thing；　at　those　times；　it　was　hard　to　tell　whether　one　of　them　was　master；　or　whether　Simon　and　the　sword　were；　as　he　and　the　cat　were；　two　creatures　traveling　the　darkness　together　in　strange　partnership。
　　　　　　　At　such　times；　he　could　begin　to　hear　its　call　in　his　thoughts；　it　was　a　faint　presence；　only　a　hint　of　the　song　that　Guthwutf　had　seemed　to　hear；　but　it　was　growing　steadily　stronger。　For　brief　moments　he　could　almost　understand　it；　as　though　it　spoke　to　him　in　a　language　he　had　forgotten　long　ago；　but　which　was　slowly　surfacing　from　the　place　in　his　memory　where　it　had　been　buried。　But　Simon　did　not　think　he　wanted　to　understand　what　the　blade　sang。　Perhaps　if　he　wandered　long　enough；　he　thought；　he　would　indeed　bee　like　Guthwulf；　and　hear　almost　nothing　but　the　sword's　pelling　music。
　　　　　　　He　hoped　he　would　not　be…in　darkness　that　long。　
　　　　　　　There　came　a　time　when　the　cat　stopped　and　did　not　go　on。　It　wreathed　itself　around　his　shins　as　though　it　wished　to　be　stroked；　when　he　bent　to　touch　it；　it　pushed　at　his　fingers　with　its　muzzle；　but　did　not　continue　on　its　way。　He　waited；　finally　wondering　if　he　had　not　put　far　too　much　trust　in　a　mere　beast。
　　　　　　　〃Where　next？〃　he　said。　His　voice　scarcely　echoed：　they　were　still　in　one　of　the　narrower　passages。　〃Go　on；　now。　I'm　waiting。〃
　　　　　　　The　cat　rubbed　against　him；　purring。　After　a　few　moments；　Simon　put　his　hands　out　and　began　searching　carefully　along　the　walls；　looking　for　something…perhaps　a　doorway　of　some　kind　that　did　not　reach　the　floor…which　might　have　stopped　their　progress。　Instead；　on　a　shelf　of　rock　set　into　the　wall；　nearly　head　high；　he　found　a　plate　and　a　covered　bowl。
　　　　　　　I've　been　here　before；　he　realized。　Unless　some　madman　is　leaving　food　all　across　the　tunnels。　But　if　so；　bless　him；　bless　him　anyway。
　　　　　　　Simon　said　a　prayer　of　thanks　as　he　took　the　bread　and　dried　meat　and　small　wedge　of　cheese　from　the　plate；　then　sat　down　and　ate　enough　of　each　to　feel　happier　and　more　prosperous　than　he　had　in　a　long　while。　He　drank　half　the　bowl　of　water；　then　after　a　moment's　consideration；　finished　it　off。　He　regretted　the　lack　of　a　water　skin；　but　if　he　had　to　carry　the　water　without　one；　it　might　as　welt　be　inside　him。
The　cat　was　at　him　again；　butting　and　purring。　Simon　broke　off　a　sizable　piece　of　the　jerked　meat　to　share　with　his　guide…the　cat　took　it　so　quickly　its　sharp　teeth　scraped　his　fingers…then　put　the　remainder　in　the　pocket　of　his　shirt。　He　stood。
　　　　　　　P　'raps　he　won't　want　to　lead　me　anymore；　he　thought。　This　may　have　been　all　the　little　creature　wanted。
But　the　cat；　as　though　some　ritual　had　been　successfully　observed；　slithered　in　and　out　between　his　ankles　for　a　few　moments；　then　started　off　again。　Simon　bent　and　felt　first　its　head；　then　its　back；　then　its　tail　pass　beneath　his