tw.togreenangeltower2-第135部分

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en　pushed　through　the　wall　of　reality。　Then　he　seemed　to　absorb　the　blackness；　or　it　flowed　into　him；　he　reappeared；　thrashing　and　shrieking　incoherently。
Elysia；　Mother　of　Mercy！　They've　won！　They've　won！　Simon's　head　seemed　full　of　storm　winds　and　flame；　but　his　heart　was　black　ice。
　　　　　　　Once　more　the　bell　caroled；　and　this　time　the　very　air　of　the　chamber　seemed　to　grow　solid　and　glassy；　bending　Simon's　gaze　as　though　he　looked　through　a　mirrored　tunnel。　There　seemed　no　up　or　down。　Outside；　the　stars　began　to　smear　across　the　sky　in　long　white　threads；　tangling　like　wormholes　in　sod。　Even　as　his　life　bled　from　him　and　out　of　Bright…Nail　in　searing　waves；　he　felt　the　world　turning　inside　out。
The　bell　chamber　grew　dark。　Distorted　shadows　loomed　and　shifted　across　the　icy　chamber；　then　the　walls　seemed　to　open　and　fall　away。　Blackness　flowed　through；　bringing　with　it　a　deeper　chill；　a　freezing；　ultimate　cold。
　　　　　　　Elias'　agonized　screams　had　bee　a　choking　near…silence。　He　and　Pryrates　were　now　the　only　things　visible。　The　priest's　hands　flickered　with　yellow　light；　his　face　gleamed。　All　the　warmth　of　the　world　was　leaking　away。
　　　　　　　The　king　began　to　change。
　　　　　　　Ellas'　silhouette　bent　and　shifted；　growing　monstrously；　even　though　his　own　contorted　form　was　somehow　still　visible　in　the　center　of　the　darkness。
　　　　　　　The　deadening　chill　was　inside　Simon；　too；　seeping　in　where　the　flames　of　his　fury　had　burned　away　his　hope。　His　life　was　being　drawn　out　of　him；　sucked　clean　like　marrow　from　a　bone。
The　cold；　cold　thing　that　had　waited　so　long　was　ing。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　you　will　live　forever；　Elias；〃　intoned　Pryrates。　〃But　it　will　be　as　a　flitting　shadow　within　your　own　body；　a　shadow　dwarfed　by　Ineluki's　bright　flame。　You　see；　even　with　the　wheel　of　Time　turned　backward　in　its　track　and　all　the　doors　opened　to　Ineluki　once　more；　his　spirit　must　have　an　earthly　home。〃
　　　　　　　The　sounds　of　the　storm　outside　had　ceased；　or　could　no　longer　penetrate　through　the　strange　forces　that　clutched　the　bellchamber。　The　fountain　of　blue　light　flowing　upward　from　the　Pool　had　narrowed　to　a　silent　stream　that　vanished　into　the　blackness　of　the　swords'　joining　and　did　not　reemerge。　When　Pryrates　had　finished；　there　was　no　sound　in　the　dark　room　but　the　rapid　chuffmg　of　the　king's　breath。　Scarlet　flames　kindled　in　the　depths　of　Elias'　eyes；　then　his　head　rocked　back　as　though　his　neck　had　snapped。　Vaporous　red　light　leaked　from　his　mouth。
Simon　watched　in　horror；　through　the　swords　he　could　feel　the　way　being　opened；　just　as　Pryrates　had　said。　Something　too　horrible　to　exist　was　forcing　its　way　through　into　the　world。　The　king's　body　jerked　like　a　child's　doll　dangling　on　a　string。　Smoldering　light　seemed　to　spring　forth　from　him　everywhere；　as　though　the　very　fabric　of　his　body　was　fraying　apart；　revealing　some　burning　thing　beneath。
　　　　　　　Somewhere　Miriamele　was　screaming；　her　small；　lost　voice　seemed　to　e　from　the　other　end　of　the　universe。
　　　　　　　The　bellchamber　was　gone。　All　around；　angles　as　strange　as　if　reflected　in　broken　mirrors；　stood　Asu'a's　needle　towers。　They　burned　as　the　king's　body　burned；　crumbled　as　Time　itself　was　crumbling。　Five　centuries　were　sliding　away　into　the　frozen　black　void。　Nothing　would　be　left　but　ashes　and　stone　and　Ineluki's　utter　triumph。
〃e　to　us；　Storm　King！〃　shouted　Pryrates。　〃I　have　made　the　way。　The　Words　of　Unmaking　release　the　power　of　the　swords；　and　Time　turns　withershins。　History　is　undone！　We　shall　write　it　anew！〃
　　　　　　　Elias　writhed；　and　writhing　grew　larger；　as　though　whatever　filled　him　was　too　large　for　any　mortal　form　and　stretched　him　almost　to　the　point　of　bursting。　A　suggestion　of　antlers　flickered　on　the　king's　brow；　and　his　eyes　were　pits　of　shifting；　molten　scarlet。　His　outline　wavered。　a　moving　tide　of　shadow　that　made　it　impossible　to　discern　his　true　shape。　The　king's　arms　parted。　One　hand　still　held　the　elusive　blur　of　nothingness　that　had　been　Sorrow；　the　other　hand　extended　and　the　fingers　spread；　black　as　charred　sticks。　Emberlight　played　in　the　creases。
　　　　　　　The　thing　paused；　flickering　and　shifting。　It　seemed　saggingly　weary；　like　a　butterfly　newly　emerged　from　a　cocoon。
　　　　　　　Pryrates　took　a　step　back　and　averted　his　face。　〃I　have　。。。　I　have　done　what　you　asked；　mighty　one。〃　His　smug　grin　was　gone：　the　priest　had　willingly　opened　the　door；　but　what　had　entered　shocked　even　him。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　appeared　to　find　some　core　of　strength。　His　face　again　became　feral。　〃The　hour　is　e…but　it　is　not　your　hour；　it　is　mine。　How　could　I　trust　one　who　hated　every　living　thing　to　keep　its　bargain？　I　knew　that　once　you　had　no　need　of　me；　your　promises　would　be　wind　in　darkness。〃　He　spread　his　wide…sleeved　arms。　〃Mortal　I　may　be；　but　I　am　no　fool。　You　gave　me　the　Words　of　Changing；　thinking　them　a　toy　that　would　keep　me　childishly　amused　as　I　did　your　bidding。　But　I　have　learned；　too。　Those　Words　will　bee　your　cage；　and　then　you　will　be　my　servant。　All　creation　will　bend　to　you…but　you　will　bow　to　me！〃
　　　　　　　The　unstable　thing　at　the　room's　center　eddied　like　blown　smoke；　but　its　black；　scarlet…streaming　heart　remained　solid。　Pryrates　began　to　chant　loudly　in　something　only　recognizable　as　language　because　of　the　empty　spaces　between　noises。　The　alchemist　seemed　to　change；　reeling　in　the　red…shot　darkness　that　surrounded　the　king　like　a　fog；　his　limbs　curled　and　snapped　in　a　ghastly；　serpentine　way；　then　he　faded　into　a　coiling　shadow；　a　wide　rope　of　blackness　that　drifted　around　the　place　where　the　king　or　whatever　had　devoured　him　now　stood。　The　shadowy　coils　tightened　around　the　smoldering　heart。　The　world　seemed　to　bend　farther　inward；　distorting　the　two　shapes　until　only　flame　and　steam　and　darkness　pulsed　at　the　center　of　the　bellchamber。
　　　　　　　The　whole　of　creation　seemed　to　collapse　in　on　this　place；　on　this　moment。　Simon　fell　his　own　terror　surge　out；　crackling　through　his　arms；　through　Bright…Nail　and　into　the　midst　of　the　clotted　dark。
　　　　　　　The　blackness　bulged。　Tiny　arcs　of　lightning　flickered　about　the　room。　Somewhere　outside；　Simon　knew；　the　Asu'a　of　five　centuries　before　was　burning；　its　inhabitants　dying　at　the　hands　of　Fingil's　long…dead　army。　And　what　of　everyone　else？　Was　all　Simon　knew　gone；　borne　away　by　Time's　circling　wheel？
The　lightnings　jittered　about　the　chamber。　Something　pulsed　at　the　center；　a　storm　of　fire　and　thunderheads　that　suddenly　gaped；　filling　the　room　with　blinding　light。　Pryrates；　his　real　form　restored；　staggered　backward　out　of　the　beating　radiance；　which　promptly　collapsed　back　into　shadow。　For　a　moment　the　priest　raised　his　arms　triumphantly　over　his　head；　then　he　teetered　and　dropped　to　his　knees。　A　vaguely　manlike　form　coalesced　out　of　the　darkness　and　stood　over　him；　a　scarlet　suggestion　of　a　face　fluttering　atop　its　misshapen　head。　
　　　　　　　Pryrates　shuddered　and　wept。　〃Forgive　me！　Forgive　my　arrogance；　my　foolishness！　Oh；　please。　Master；　forgive　me！〃　He　crawled　toward　the　thing；　banging　his　forehead　against　the　almost　invisible　floor。　〃I　can　still　do　you　great　service！　Remember　what　you　promised　me。　Lord…that　if　I　served　you　well　I　would　be　first　among　mortals。〃
The　thing　retained　its　grip　on　shifting　Sorrow；　but　extended　its　other　blackened　hand　until　it　touched　the　alchemist。　The　fingers　cupped　his　smooth　wet　head。　A　voice　more　powerful　than　the　bell；　as　ragged　and　deadly　as　the　hiss　of　freezing　wind；　scraped　through　the　darkness。　Despite　everything　else　that　had　happened；　Simon's　eyes　filled　with　frightened　tears　at　the　sound　of　it。

〃YES。　YOU　WILL　BE　FIRST。〃

　　　　　　　Jets　of　steam　lifted　from　beneath　the　king's　fingers。　Pryrates　shrieked　and　threw　up　his　arms；　grabbing　at　the　hand；　but　the　king　did　not　move　and　Pryrates　could　not　free　himself。　Runnels　of　flame　sped　down　the　alchemist's　robe。　Above　him；　the　king's　face　was　an　indistinct　lump　of　darkness；　but　eyes　and　ragged　mouth　blazed　scarlet。　The　priest's　scream　was　a　sound　no　human　throat　should　have　loosed。　Vapors　enveloped　him；　but　Simon　saw　his　threshing　arms　steaming；　cracking；　shriveling　into　wag…　gling　things　like　tree　limbs。　After　a　long　moment；　the　priest；　all　bones　and　burning　tatters；　fell　to　the　floor　and　twitched　like　a　smashed　cricket。　The　jerking　movements　slowed；　then　stopped。
　　　　　　　The　thing　that　had　been　Elias　slumped；　head　down；　so　that　nothing　could　be　seen　of　it　but　shadow。　Still；　Simon　could　feel　it　drinking　the　energies　that　raced　through　Bright…Nail；　Thorn；　and　Sorrow；　regaining　the　strength　to　control　its　stolen　body。　Pryrates　had　hurt　it；　somehow；　but　Simon　could　sense　that　it　would　be　only　the　work　of　moments　before　it　recovered。　He　felt　a　tiny　flutter　of　hope；　and　tried　to　let　go　of　his　sword　hilt；　but　it　was　as　much　a　part　of　him　as　his　arm。　There　was　no　escape。
As　though　it　sensed　his　attempt　to　break　free；　the　black　thing　looked　up　at　him；　and　even　as　his　heart　stumbled　and　almost　failed；　he　could　glean　its　implacable　thought。　It　had　smashed　Time　itself　to　return。　Even　the　mortal　priest；　no　matter　what　powers　he　had　wielded；　would　not　have　been　allowed　to　close　the　door　again…what　possible　chance　could　Simon　have？
　　　　　　　In　this　moment　of　horror；　Simon　suddenly　felt　the　shock　of　the　dragon　blood　that　had　once　scorched　his　flesh　and　changed　him。　He　stared　at　the　unsteady　black　shape　that　had　been　Elias；　the　ruined　husk　and　its　fiery　occupant；　and　felt　an　answering　stab　of　pain　where　the　dragon's　black　essence　had　scarred　him。　Through　the　pulsing　unlight　that　moved　between　Bright…Nail　and　Sorrow；　Simon　felt　not　only　the　all…consuming　hatred　that　had　been　the　blood　of　the　Storm　King's　deathly　exile；　but　also　Ineluki's　terrible；　mad　loneliness。
　　　　　　　He　loved　his　people；　Simon　thought。　He　gave　his　life　for　them　but　did　not　die。
　　　　　　　Staring　helplessly　across　the　short　distance　between　them；　watching　as　the　thing　regathered　its　strength；　Simon　remembered　the　vision　Leieth　had　shown　him　of　Ineluki　beside　the　great　pool。　Such　shattering　unhappiness　had　been　in　that　face；　but　the　determination　had　been　a　mirror　of　Eahlstan's　as　he　had　sat　in　his　chair　and　waited　for　the　terrible　worm　he　knew　he　must　meet；　the　dragon　that　he　knew　would　slay　him。　They　were　somehow　the　same；　Ineluki　and　Eahlstan；　doing　what　must　be　done；　th