sheritepper.necromancer nine-第15部分

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ril　sifted　a　kind　of　powder　on　my　boots。　Two　lightning　flashes　later　and　the　boots　were　sprouting　fungus　from　every　surface；　huge；　soggy　sponges　covering　my　feet。　Wings　flickered　into　the　hollow　five　man…heights　above　me；　an　opening　as　wide　as　my　armspan　into　the　great　tree。
　A　kind　of　dull　fury　began　to　pound　in　me；　a　disfort　so　great　that　my　body　rebelled　against　it。　There　was　no　thought　connected　to　it　at　all。　Something　deeper　and　more　ancient　than　thought　did　as　it　wished；　and　Peter　did　nothing　to　oppose　it。　　My　claws　struck　deep　into　the　corky　bark　of　the　tree。　My　long；　curved　fangs　gleamed　in　the　lightning。　Above　me　was　a　consternation　of　birds；　and　my　pombi…self　smiled　in　anticipation。　I　came　through　the　opening　into　the　hollow　in　a　rush；　a　crunch　of　jaws；　a　flap　of　great　paws　catching　this　and　that　flutterer；　to　make　a　leisurely　meal　of　warm　flesh　as　I　spat　feathers　out　of　the　opening　and　watched　the　storm　move　away　across　the　fax　hills。　When　it　was　quiet；　I　curled　into　the　dry　hollow；　pausing　only　to　rip　out　a　strip　of　rotted　wood　which　made　a　small　disfort　against　my　hide。　I　slept。　It　was　warm　within　the　tree；　and　the　fury　passed　as　the　storm　passed。
　I　woke　remembering　this　dimly；　in　my　own　body　shape；　naked　as　an　egg。　Below　me　the　remains　of　my　pack　lay　on　the　ground。　A　few　straps　and　buckles。　A　knife。　Beside　me　in　the　hole　was　the　pouch　in　which　the　Gamesmen　of　Barish　were　stored。　Evidently　even　in　fury　I　had　not　let　them　go。　I　went　down　the　tree　as　I　had　e　up　it；　pombi…style；　the　pouch　between　my　teeth。　Once　on　the　ground；　however；　I　became　Peter　once　more；　furred…Peter；　with　a　pocket　in　the　fur　to　hold　the　Gamesmen。　It　was　no　great　matter。　I　wondered　then；　as　I　have　since；　why　it　took　so　long　to　think　of　it　or　decide　to　do　it。　The　knife　would　have　fitted　into　the　pocket　as　well；　but　I　left　it　where　it　lay。　The　pombi　claws　would　cut　as　well。
　As　the　sun　rose　higher　and　warmer；　my　fur　grew　shorter　ex…eept　upon　the　legs　and　feet　where　it　was　needed　as　protection　against　the　stones　and　briars。　When　it　grew　cool　with　evening；
　fur　became　long　again。　The　body　did　it。　Peter　did　not　need　to　think　of　it。　The　body　thought　of　longer　legs　on　occasion；　as　well；　and　of　arms　which　were　variably　long　to　pick　whatever　fruits　were　ripe。　That　day　late　better　than　in　many　days　past。　No　fruit　tore　itself　screaming　from　my　hands。　No　fish　or　bird　turned　into　a　monster　over　my　fire。　Some　things　I　let　alone；　and　the　body　knew　which。　After　a　time；　the　eyes　knew；　also；　and　then　the　brain。
　There　were　trees　one　did　not　approach；　hills　one　stayed　away　from；　roads　one　did　not　step　upon。　There　were　others　which　were　hospitable；　or　merely　〃real。〃　There　were　artifacts　in　Schlaizy　Noithn。　Monuments。　Cenotaphs。　Monstrous　menhirs　which　looked　as　though　they　had　been　erected　in　the　dawn　of　time。　Some　had　been　put　there　by　people。　Gamesmen；　perhaps。　Or　pawns。　Some　were　Shifters；　beings　like　myself　（or　so　I　thought）　in　the　act　of　creation。　I　learned　to　trust　the　body's　feeling　about　these　places。　If　they　were　〃real〃　then　I　might　explore　or　take　shelter　there。　If　they　were　not；　it　were　far　better　to　stay　a　fortable　distance　away。　I　did　not　yet　know　of　other　kinds　of　things；　neither　real　nor　Shifter；　kinds　of　things　my　body　would　not　warn　me　of。　What　betrayed　me　to　one　of　these　was　simply　loneliness。
　Days　had　gone　by。　I　had　lost　count　of　them。　I　had　quartered　the　valley　in　search　of　the　monument　of　Thandbar。　I　had　searched　and　had　begun　to　despair；　for　who　was　to　say　the　monument　had　not　moved　always　before　me；　or　behind　me？　I　had　not　seen　a　human　form　since　Sambeline　had　flown　away。　I　had　wondered　from　time　to　time　whether　they　used　the　human　form　only　on　some　ceremonial　occasions　for　some　purpose　of　high　ritual　in　the　pursuance　of　their　religion；　whatever　that　might　be。　In　any　case；　they　did　not　show　human　form　to　me。　I　saw　animals　which　were　not　animals；　things　apparently　of　stone　and　earth　which　were　not；　trees　and　plants　which　never　sprouted　from　seed　or　tuber；　but　I　did　not　see　mankind。　Even　furred…Peter　was　far　closer　to　his　reality　than　many　others　there。
　So；　when　I　came　upon　the　Castle；　lit　from　a　hundred　windows；　with　a　soft　breath　of　music　stirring　from　it　into　the　airs　of　the　night；　I　was　needful　more　than　I　could　say　of　that　refreshment　which　es　from　one's　own　kind。　I　was　growing　unsure　of　who　I　was；　what　I　was。　Was　I　only　furred…Peter；　running　wild　in　the　wilderness；　an　animal　among　others；　gradually　forgetting　why　I　had　e　and　to　what　end？　I　needed　to　be　more　than　that。
　So　it　called　me　where　it　stood　upon　its　hill；　brooding　there　over　the　silvered　meadows；　its　great　ornamental　pillars　contorted　into　bulbous　asymmetries；　casting　lakes　of　shadow　onto　the　grasses　before　me；　making　swamps　of　darkness　within　its　courts。　Its　doors　were　open；　weling。　There　was　no　warning。　It　was　grotesque；　misshapen；　abnormal；　but　not　fearsome。　I　was　too　lonely　to　be　fearful。　I　shifted　into　a　more　civilized　form；　relishing　the　feel　of　clothing　again；　the　weight　of　a　cloak　upon　my　shoulders。　I　had　learned　that　clothing　was　no　problem。　One　simply　made　it　of　the　same　stuff　one　used　to　make　one's　skin。　　I　walked　under　the　arch；　hands　empty　to　show　I　was　no　enemy。　Here　was　no　portcullis　to　grind　gratingly　into　stone　pockets；　no　bridge　to　fall　thunderingly　upon　the　pavement。　No；　only　an　open　way。　the　floor　a　mosaic　design　which　swirled　and　warped；　leading　away　in　unexpected　directions；　returning　from　unexpected　shifts　and　erratic　lines。　Looking　at　it　made　my　head　swim；　but　I　told　myself　it　was　hunger　for　talk；　for　people；　for　a　fire；　for　food　that　was　cooked；　for　the　trappings　of　humanity。　The　name　of　the　place　was　carved　over　the　great　door。　〃Castle　Lament。〃　Well；　A　name　without　cheer；　but　not　for　that　reason　damnable。　I　had　been　in　other　places　with　sad　names。
　The　door　swung　wider　before　me；　and　I　went　through。　　Then　it　shut　behind　me。
　How　can　I　describe　that　sound？　The　door　was　not　huge；　no　larger　than　in　many　great　halls。　It　shut　softly　but　with　the　sound　of　a　door　twenty　times　its　size；　a　monstrous　slam　as　of　a　mighty　hammer；　slightly　clamoring；　briefly　echoing；　fading　into　a　silence　which　still　reverberated　with　that　sound；　and　all　down　the　monstrous　bulk　of　that　place　came　the　sound　of　other　doors　shutting　with　an　equal　finality；　an　inevitable　shutting　which　I　could　not　have　imagined　until　that　moment。　I　was　shut　in。　I　turned　to　beat　my　hands　against　the　door；　then　stopped；　afraid　of　what　might　e　in　answer　to　that　knocking；　for　the　sound　of　closing　had　been　like　jaws　snapping　shut；　like　hands　clapping　around　fluttering　wings；　to　hold；　and　hold；　and　hold　until　hope　went；　and　life。　It　was　the　sound　teeth　might　make；　fastening　in　a　throat。
　I　was　terribly　afraid；　so　afraid　that　I　did　nothing　for　a　long　moment；　scarcely　breathed；　crouched　where　I　was；　peering　into　the　place；　seeing　it　as　in　a　nightmare。　At　last　I　moved。
　There　were　stairs　which　climbed　from　the　audience　hall　over　bottomless　pits　of　black；　arching　against　pillars　to　coil；　snakelike；　about　them　and　climb　upward　to　high　pavements　littered　with　a　thousand　half　carved　heads　of　stone　which　smiled　at　me　and　begged　me　in　the　voices　of　children　for　food；　for　the　light　of　the　sun；　for　escape。　They　rolled　after　me　as　I　walked　among　them；　pleading。　I　slipped　through　a　door　and　shut　it　against　their　clamor；　against　the　insistent　knocking　of　the　stone　heads　against　the　door。
　There　were　roofless　rooms　with　walls　which　seemed　to　go　forever　upward　into　darkness　and　at　the　top　of　that　darkness　the　sound　of　something　poised　enormously　and　rocking；　rocking；　rocking。　There　were　prodigious　arches；　windows　leading　into　enclosed　gardens　in　which　stone　beasts　looked　at　me　from　wild　eyes　as　though　they　wanted　desperately　to　move。　There　were　great　halls　in　which　fires　burned　and　tables　were　set　with　steaming　foods。　I　did　not　eat。　I　did　not　drink。　But　Shattnir　within　me　drew　the　heat　of　those　fires　and　stored　it。
　When　I　could　go　no　further；　it　was　beside　one　of　the　incredible　hearths　that　I　sat；　hunkered　upon　a　carpet　woven　with　patterns　of　serpents　and　quadrumanna　in　intricate　chase　and　capture。　Shattnir　drew　power；　and　drew；　and　drew。　Half　sleeping；　I　let　her　draw；　let　her　make　me　one　great　vessel　of　power。　Far　off　through　the　halls　of　that　place　I　could　hear　sounds　once　more；　as　of　doors　softly　opening　and　closing；　and　I　was　afraid　of　what　might　be　ing。　My　hand　went　into　the　pocket　at　my　side。　〃e；　Grandmother；〃　I　whispered。　〃Divine　Didir；　e　。。。〃
　What　came　in　answer　to　that　clutching　invitation　was　old；　so　old　that　my　mouth　turned　dry　and　my　skin　felt　crumbled　and　dusty。　Ages　settled　on　me；　a　thousand　years　or　more。　It　was　only　a　skin；　a　shriveled　shell。　There　was　nothing　there；　nothing…and　then　the　skin　began　to　fill；　drawing　from　me；　from　Shattnir；　from　the　world　around　us；　began　to　swell；　to　grow；　to　push　me　from　within　until　I　thought　there　would　be　no　place　left　for　me　to　stand；　and　I　cried　in　panic。　〃Stay；　stay。　Leave　me　room！〃　Then　there　came　a　cessation；　a　withdrawing；　and　a　voice　which　whispered　out　of　ancient　years；　〃I　see；　I　see；　I　see。〃
　I　sensed　Dorn　within；　and　Dorn's　awe；　Trandilar；　bowing　down；　Wafnor；　head　up；　smiling；　Shattnir　offering　her　hand　to　that　One　I　had　raised　from　the　ages。　Grandmother　Didir；　Demon；　First　of　all　Gamesmen　of　the　dim　past；　She　who　could　Read　the　mind　of　this。　place；　this　monstrous　place；　if　She　would。　If　I　had　known　the　awe　those　others　would　feel；　I　would　not　have　had　the　effrontery　to　raise　Her　up。　I　am　glad；　now；　that　I　did　not　know。　My　other　inhabitants　had　not　been　ignorant　of　my　fear；　now　She　was　not　ignorant　of　it。　I　heard　all　their　voices。　hers　rising　above　them　like　a　whisper　of　steel；　infinitely　fine；　infinitely　strong。
　〃Well；　child。　You　have　found　a　dangerous　place。〃
　〃Sorcerer's　Power　Nine；〃　whispered　Shattnir。　〃Necromancer　Nine；〃　said　Dorn。
　〃Nonsense；〃　she　said。　〃Dangerous；　not　deadly。　We　old　ones　do　not　easily　admit　to　'deadly；'　do　we；　child？〃
　I　did　not　move；　for　she　was　reaching　out　from　me；　using　the　power　Shattnir　had　gathered；　reaching　out　through　the　very　fabric　of　that　labyrinthine　construction　to　find　its　center；　its　mind。　I　felt　the　search　go　on　and　on；　felt　the　blank　inprehension　of　the　mighty　walls；　the　stony　ignorance　of　t