rj.acrownofswords-第157部分

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　ripped　the　street　apart　to　a　thunder　of　collapsing　buildings。　Straight　ahead　he　staggered；　not　caring　where；　so　long　as　it　was　away。
　　　Suddenly　his　head　cleared　enough　for　him　to　see　where　he　was；　reeling　across　a　vast　stone　floor　covered　with　tumbled　chunks　of　stone；　some　as　big　as　he。　Here　and　there；　dark　uneven　holes　gaped　in　the　floorstones。　All　around　rose　high　walls；　and　tier　upon　tier　of　deep　balconies　that　ran　all　the　way　around。　Only　a　small　portion　of　what　had　once　been　a　vast　roof　remained；　at　one　corner。　Stars　shone　bright　overhead。
　　　He　lurched　another　step；　and　the　floor　gave　way　beneath　him。　Desperately　he　flung　out　his　hands；　with　a　jolt；　the　right　hand　caught　hold　of　a　rough　edge。　He　dangled　into　pitch…blackness。　The　fall　beneath　his　boots　might　be　a　few　spans　into　a　basement；　or　a　mile　for　all　he　could　tell。　He　could　latch　bands　of　Air　to　the　jagged　rim　of　the　hole　above　his　head　to　help　pull　himself　out；　except。。。　Somehow；　Sammael　had　sensed　the　relatively　small　amount　of　saidin　used　in　the　sword。　There　had　been　a　delay　before　the　lightnings　struck；　but　he　could　not　say　how　long　he　had　taken　killing　the　Trollocs。　A　minute？　Seconds？
　　　With　a　heave；　he　swung　his　left　arm　up；　trying　to　catch　the　edge　of　the　hole。　Pain　no　longer　buffered　by　the　Void　stabbed　through　his　side　like　a　dagger　going　in。　Spots　danced　in　his　vision。　Worse；　his　right　hand　slipped　on　crumbling　stone；　and　he　could　feel　his　fingers　weakening。　He　was　going　to　have　to。。。
　　　A　hand　grabbed　his　right　wrist。　〃You　are　a　fool；〃　a　man's　deep　voice　said。　〃Count　yourself　lucky　I　don't　care　to　see　you　die　today。〃　The　hand　began　drawing　him　up。　〃Are　you　going　to　help？〃　the　voice　demanded。　〃I　don't　intend　to　carry　you　on　my　shoulders；　or　kill　Sammael　for　you。〃
　　　Shaking　off　his　shock；　Rand　reached　up　and　grabbed　the　rim　of　the　hole；　pulling　despite　the　agony　of　his　side。　Despite　the　agony；　he　managed　to　acquire　the　Void　again；　too；　and　seize　saidin。　He　did　not　channel；　but　he　wanted　to　be　ready。
　　　His　head　and　shoulders　came　above　the　floor；　and　he　could　see　the　other　man；　a　big　fellow　little　older　than　he；　with　hair　black　as　the　night　and　a　coat　black　as　an　Asha'man's。　Rand　had　never　seen　him　before。　At　least　he　was　not　one　of　the　Forsaken；　those　faces　he　knew。　He　thought　he　did；　anyway。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　demanded。
　　　Still　heaving；　the　man　barked　a　laugh。　〃Just　say　I'm　a　wanderer　passing　through。　Do　you　really　want　to　talk　now？〃
　　　Saving　his　breath；　Rand　struggled　upward；　getting　his　chest　over　the　lip；　his　waist。　Abruptly　he　realized　that　a　glow　bathed　the　floor　around　them　like　the　glow　of　a　full　moon。
　　　Twisting　to　look　over　his　shoulder；　he　saw　Mashadar。　Not　a　tendril；　but　a　shining　silver…gray　wave　rolling　out　of　one　of　the　balconies；　arching　over　their　heads。　Descending。
　　　Without　a　thought；　his　free　hand　rose；　and　balefire　shot　upward；　a　bar　of　liquid　white　fire　slicing　across　the　wave　sinking　toward　them。　Dimly　he　was　aware　of　another　bar　of　pale　solid　fire　rising　from　the　other　man's　hand　that　was　not　clasping　his；　a　bar　slashing　the　opposite　way　from　his。　The　two　touched。
　　　Head　ringing　like　a　struck　gong；　Rand　convulsed；　saidin　and　the　Void　shattering。　Everything　was　doubled　in　his　eyes；　the　balconies；　the　chunks　of　stone　lying　about　the　floor。　There　seemed　to　be　a　pair　of　the　other　man　overlapping　one　another；　each　clutching　his　head　between　two　hands。　Blinking；　Rand　searched　for　Mashadar。　The　wave　of　shining　mist　was　gone；　a　glow　remained　in　the　balconies　above；　but　dimming；　receding；　as　Rand's　eyes　began　to　clear。　Even　mindless　Mashadar　fled　balefire；　it　seemed。
　　　Unsteadily；　he　got　to　his　feet　and　offered　a　hand。　〃I　think　we　best　move　quickly。　What　happened　there？〃
　　　The　other　man　pushed　himself　up　with　a　grimace　at　Rand's　proffered　hand。　He　was　easily　as　tall　as　Rand；　rare　except　among　the　Aiel。　〃I　don't　know　what　happened；〃　he　snarled。　〃Run；　if　you　want　to　live。〃　He　suited　his　own　words　immediately；　dashing　toward　a　row　of　open　arches。　Not　in　the　nearest　wall。　Mashadar　had　e　from　that　one。
　　　Fumbling　for　the　Void；　Rand　limped　after　him　as　fast　as　he　could；　but　before　they　were　pletely　across　the　floor；　the　lightnings　fell　again；　a　storm　of　silver　arrows。　The　two　of　them　darted　through　the　archways　pursued　by　the　thunder　of　walls　and　floor　collapsing　behind　them；　by　clouds　of　dust　and　a　hail　of　stones。　Shoulders　hunched　and　an　arm　across　his　face；　Rand　ran　coughing　through　a　broad　room　where　trembling　arches　supported　the　ceiling　and　bits　of　stone　rained　down。
　　　He　burst　out　into　a　street　before　he　knew　it；　stumbling　three　steps　before　stopping。　The　pain　in　his　side　made　him　want　to　bend　over；　but　he　thought　his　legs　might　give　way　if　he　did。　His　wounded　foot　throbbed；　it　seemed　a　year　ago　that　that　red　wire　of　Fire　and　Air　had　stabbed　his　heel。　His　rescuer　stood　watching　him；　covered　with　dust　head　to　toe；　the　fellow　managed　to　look　a　king。
　　　〃Who　are　you？〃　Rand　asked　again。　〃One　of　Taim's　men？　Or　did　you　teach　yourself？　You　can　go　to　Caemlyn；　you　know；　to　the　Black　Tower。　You　don't　have　to　live　afraid　of　Aes　Sedai。〃　For　some　reason；　saying　that　made　him　frown；　he　could　not　understand　why。
　　　〃I　have　never　been　afraid　of　Aes　Sedai；〃　the　man　snapped；　then　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃You　probably　should　leave　here　now；　but　if　you　intend　to　stay　and　kill　Sammael；　you　had　better　try　thinking　like　him。　You　have　shown　you　can。　He　always　liked　destroying　a　man　in　sight　of　one　of　that　man's　triumphs；　if　he　could。　Lacking　that；　somewhere　the　man　had　marked　as　his　would　do。〃
　　　〃The　Waygate；〃　Rand　said　slowly。　If　he　could　be　said　to　have　marked　anything　in　Shadar　Logoth；　it　had　to　be　the　Waygate。　〃He's　waiting　near　the　Waygate。　And　he　has　traps　set。〃　Wards　as　well；　it　seemed；　like　those　in　Illian；　to　detect　a　man　channeling。　Sammael　had　planned　this　well。
　　　The　man　laughed　wryly。　〃You　can　find　the　way；　it　seems。　If　you're　led　by　the　hand。　Try　not　to　stumble。　A　great　many　plans　will　have　to　be　relaid　if　you　let　yourself　be　killed　now。〃　Turning；　he　started　across　the　street　for　an　alleyway　just　ahead　of　them。
　　　〃Wait；〃　Rand　called。　The　fellow　kept　on；　not　looking　back。　〃Who　are　you？　What　plans？〃　The　man　vanished　into　the　alley。
　　　Rand　teetered　after　him；　but　when　he　reached　the　mouth　of　the　narrow　alley；　it　was　empty。　Unbroken　walls　ran　a　good　hundred　paces　to　another　street；　where　a　glow　told　of　yet　another　part　of　Mashadar　abroad；　but　the　man　was　gone。　Which　was　purely　impossible。　The　fellow　had　had　time　to　make　a　gateway；　of　course；　if　he　knew　how；　but　the　residue　would　have　been　visible；　and　besides；　that　much　of　saidin　being　woven　so　near　would　have　shouted　at　him。
　　　Suddenly　he　realized　that　he　had　not　felt　saidin　when　the　man　made　balefire；　either。　Just　thinking　of　that；　of　the　two　streams　touching；　made　his　vision　double　again。　Just　for　an　instant；　he　could　see　the　man's　face　again；　sharp　where　everything　else　blurred。　He　shook　his　head　until　it　cleared。　〃Who　in　the　Light　are　you？〃　he　whispered。　And　after　a　moment；　〃What　in　the　Light　are　you？〃
　　　Whoever　or　whatever；　the　man　was　gone；　though。　Sammael　was　still　in　Shadar　Logoth。　With　an　effort　he　managed　to　regain　the　Void　once　more。　The　taint　on　saidin　vibrated　now；　humming　its　way　deep　into　him；　the　Void　itself　vibrated。　But　the　weakness　of　watery　muscles　and　the　pain　of　injuries　faded。　He　was　going　to　kill　one　of　the　Forsaken　before　this　night　was　done。
　　　Limping；　he　ghosted　through　the　dark　streets；　placing　his　feet　with　great　care。　He　still　made　noise；　but　the　night　was　full　of　noise　now。　Shrieks　and　guttural　cries　sounded　in　the　distance。　Mindless　Mashadar　killed　whatever　it　found；　and　Trollocs　were　dying　in　Shadar　Logoth　tonight　as　they　had　once　long；　long　ago。　Sometimes　down　a　crossing　street　he　saw　Trollocs；　two　or　five　or　a　dozen；　occasionally　with　a　Halfman　but　most　often　not。　None　saw　him；　and　he　did　not　bother　them。　Not　simply　because　Sammael　would　detect　any　channeling。　Those　Trollocs　and　Myrddraal　that　Mashadar　did　not　kill　were　still　dead。　Sammael　had　almost　certainly　brought　them　by　the　Ways；　but　apparently　he　did　not　realize　just　how　Rand　had　marked　the　Waygate　here。
　　　Well　short　of　the　square　where　the　Waygate　lay；　Rand　stopped　and　looked　around。　Nearby；　a　tower　stood　seemingly　whole。　Not　nearly　as　tall　as　some；　its　top　still　rose　more　than　fifty　paces　above　the　ground。　The　dark　doorway　at　its　base　was　empty；　the　wood　long　rotted　away　and　the　hinges　gone　to　dust。　Through　blackness　relieved　only　by　faint　starlight　through　the　windows；　he　climbed　the　winding　stairs　slowly；　small　clouds　puffing　up　beneath　his　boots；　every　second　step　a　stab　of　pain　up　his　leg。　Distant　pain。　On　the　tower　top；　he　leaned　against　the　smooth　parapet　to　catch　his　breath。　The　idle　thought　came　that　he　would　never　hear　the　end　if　Min　learned　of　this。　Min；　or　Amys；　or　Cadsuane　for　that　matter。
　　　Across　missing　rooftops；　he　could　see　the　great　square　that　had　been　one　of　the　most　important　in　Aridhol。　Once　an　Ogier　grove　had　covered　this　part　of　the　land；　but　within　thirty　years　after　the　Ogier　who　had　built　the　oldest　parts　of　the　city　departed；　the　residents　had　cut　down　the　trees　to　make　room　for　expanding　Aridhol。　Palaces　and　the　remains　of　palaces　surrounded　the　huge　square；　the　glow　of　Mashadar　shining　deep　inside　a　few　windows；　and　a　huge　mound　of　rubble　covered　one　end；　but　in　the　center　stood　the　Waygate；　apparently　a　tall　broad　piece　of　stone。　He　was　not　close　enough　to　see　the　delicately　carved　leaves　and　vines　that　covered　it；　but　he　could　make　out　the　toppled　pieces　of　high　fence　that　had　once　surrounded　it。　Power…wrought　metal　lying　in　a　heap；　they　gleamed　untarnished　in　the　night。　He　could　also　see　the　trap　he　had　woven　around　the　Waygate；　inverted　so　no　eye　but　his　could　see　it。　No　way　to　tell　by　looking　whether　the　Trollocs　and　Halfmen　really　had　passed　through　it；　yet　if　they　had；　they　would　die　before　long。　A　nasty　thing。　Whatever　traps　Sammael　had　made　down　there　were　invisible　to　him；　but　that　was　expected。　Likely　they　were　not　very　pleasant　either。
　　　At　first；　he　could　not　see　Sammael；　but　then　someone　moved　among　the　fluted；　flaring　columns　of　a　palace。　Rand　waited。　He　wa