rj.theshadowrising-第207部分

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ious　breaths。　She　had　to　know　what　their　silent　stares　meant。
　　　　　　　〃Rand　al'Thor；〃　Bael　said　loudly；　the　name　slicing　through　Couladin's　shouts；　cutting　off　the　roar　of　the　crowd　like　a　blade。　He　stopped　to　clear　his　throat；　head　swinging　as　though　seeking　a　way　out　of　this。　Couladin　turned；　folding　his　arms　confidently；　no　doubt　expecting　a　sentence　of　death　for　the　wetlander。　The　very　tall　clan　chief　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Rand　al'Thor　is　the　Car'a'carn。　Rand　al'Thor　is　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。〃　Couladin's　eyes　widened　in　incredulous　fury。
　　　　　　　〃Rand　al'Thor　is　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn；〃　leathery…faced　Han　announced；　just　as　reluctantly。
　　　　　　　〃Rand　al'Thor　is　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。〃　That　from　Jheran；　grimly；　and　from　Erim；　〃Rand　al'Thor　is　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。〃
　　　　　　　〃Rand　al'Thor；〃　Rhuarc　said；　〃is　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。〃　In　a　voice　too　soft　to　carry　even　from　the　ledge；　he　added；　〃And　the　Light　have　mercy　on　us。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　long；　stretched　moment　the　silence　lasted。　Then　Couladin　leaped　snarling　from　the　ledge；　snatching　a　spear　from　one　of　his　Seia　Doon；　hurling　it　straight　at　Rand。　Yet　as　he　moved　down；　Adelin　leaped　up；　his　spearpoint　stabbed　through　the　layered　bullhide　of　her　outstretched　buckler；　swinging　her　around。
　　　　　　　Pandemonium　exploded　through　the　canyon；　men　shouting　and　shoving。　The　other　Jindo　Maidens　jumped　up　beside　Adelin；　forming　a　screen　in　front　of　Rand。　Sevanna　had　climbed　down　to　shout　urgently　at　Couladin；　hanging　on　his　arm　as　he　tried　to　lead　his　Shaido　Black　Eyes　against　the　Maidens　between　him　and　Rand。　Heirn　and　a　dozen　more　Taardad　sept　chiefs　joined　Adelin；　spears　ready；　but　others　were　shouting　loudly。　Mat　scrambled　up；　gripping　his　black…hafted　spear　with　its　raven…marked　sword　point；　roaring　what　had　to　be　curses　in　the　Old　Tongue。　Rhuarc　and　the　other　clan　chiefs　raised　their　voices；　vainly　trying　to　restore　order。　The　canyon　boiled　like　a　cauldron。　Rand　saw　veils　lifted。　A　spear　flashed；　stabbing。　Another。　He　had　to　stop　this；
　　　　　　　He　reached　out　for　saidin；　and　it　flooded　into　him　until　he　thought　he　would　burst　if　he　did　not　burn　first；　the　filth　of　the　taint　spreading　through　him　seemed　to　curdle　his　bones。　Thought　floated　outside　the　Void；　cold　thought。　Water。　Here　where　water　was　so　scarce；　the　Aiel　always　talked　of　water。　Even　in　this　dry　air　there　was　some　water。　He　channeled；　not　really　knowing　what　he　did；　reached　out　blindly。
　　　　　　　Sharp　lightning　crackled　above　Alcair　Dal；　and　the　wind　rushed　in　from　every　direction；　howling　across　the　lip　of　the　canyon　to　drown　the　Aiel's　shouts。　Wind；　bringing　minute　traces　of　water；　more　and　more；　until　something　happened　no　man　had　ever　seen　there。　A　mist　of　rain　began　to　fall。　The　wind　above　shrieked　and　swirled。　Wild　lightnings　streaked　the　sky。　And　the　rain　grew　heavier　and　heavier；　to　a　driving　downpour；　sweeping　over　the　ledge；　plastering　his　hair　to　his　head　and　his　shirt　to　his　back；　blanking　out　everything　fifty　paces　away。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　rain　stopped　hitting　him；　and　invisible　dome　expanded　around　him；　pushing　Mat　and　the　Taardad　away。　Through　the　water　pouring　down　inside　he　could　dimly　see　Adelin　pounding　at　it；　trying　to　force　her　way　through　to　him。
　　　　　　　〃You　utter　fool；　playing　games　with　these　other　fools！　Wasting　all　my　planning　and　effort！〃
　　　　　　　Water　dripped　down　his　face　as　he　turned　to　face　Lanfear。　Her　silver…belted　white　dress　was　perfectly　dry；　the　black　waves　of　her　hair　untouched　by　a　single　raindrop　among　the　silver　stars　and　crescents。　Those　large　black　eyes　stared　at　him　furiously；　anger　twisted　her　beautiful　face。
　　　　　　　〃I　didn't　expect　you　to　reveal　yourself　yet；〃　he　said　quietly；　the　Power　still　filled　him；　he　rode　the　buffeting　torrents；　holding　on　with　a　desperation　he　kept　out　of　his　voice。　It　was　not　necessary　to　pull　in　more；　only　to　let　it　e　till　it　seemed　his　bones　would　crisp　to　ash。　He　did　not　know　if　she　could　shield　him　while　saidin　actually　roared　through　him；　but　he　let　it　fill　him　against　the　possibility。　〃I　know　you　are　not　alone。　Where　is　he？〃
　　　　　　　Lanfear's　beautiful　mouth　tightened。　〃I　knew　he　would　give　himself　away；　ing　into　your　dream。　I　could　have　managed　matters　if　his　panic　…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　knew　from　the　start；〃　he　broke　in。　〃I　expected　it　from　the　day　I　left　the　Stone　of　Tear。　Out　here；　where　anyone　could　see　I　was　fixed　on　Rhuidean　and　the　Aiel。　Do　you　think　I　did　not　expect　some　of　you　to　e　after　me？　But　the　trap　is　mine；　Lanfear；　not　yours。　Where　is　he？〃　The　last　came　as　a　cold　shout。　Emotion　skittered　uncontrollably　around　the　Void　that　surrounded　him　inside；　the　emptiness　that　was　not　empty；　the　emptiness　filled　with　the　Power。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　knew；〃　she　snapped　back；　〃why　did　you　chase　him　away　with　your　talk　of　fulfilling　your　destiny；　of　doing　what　has　to　be　done？〃　Scorn　weighted　the　words　like　stones。　〃I　brought　Asmodean　to　teach　you；　but　he　was　always　one　to　leap　to　another　plan　if　the　first　proved　difficult。　Now　he　thinks　he　has　found　something　better　for　himself　in　Rhuidean。　And　he　is　off　to　take　it　while　you　stand　here。　Couladin；　the　Draghkar；　all　to　hold　your　attention　while　he　made　sure。　All　my　plans　for　nothing　because　you　must　be　stubborn！　Do　you　have　any　idea　what　effort　it　will　take　to　convince　him　again？　It　must　be　him。　Demandred　or　Rahvin　or　Sammael　would　kill　you　before　teaching　you　to　lift　a　hand　unless　they　have　you　bound　like　a　dog　at　heel！〃
　　　　　　　Rhuidean。　Yes。　Of　course。　Rhuidean。　How　many　weeks　to　the　south？　Yet　he　had　done　something　once。　If　he　could　remember　how。。。　〃And　you　let　him　go？　After　all　your　talk　of　aiding　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　openly；　I　said！　What　could　he　find　in　Rhuidean　worth　my　ing　into　the　open？　When　you　agree　to　stand　with　me　will　be　time　enough。　Remember　what　I　told　you；　Lews　Therin。〃　Her　voice　took　on　a　seductive　note；　those　full　lips　curved；　those　dark　eyes　tried　to　swallow　him　like　bottomless　pools。　〃Two　great　sa'angreal。　With　those；　together；　we　can。　challenge　…〃　This　time　she　stopped　on　her　own。　He　had　remembered。
　　　　　　　With　the　Power　he　folded　reality；　bent　a　small　patch　of　what　was。　A　door　opened　beneath　the　dome　in　front　of　him。　That　was　the　only　way　to　describe　it。　An　opening　into　darkness；　into　somewhere　else。
　　　　　　　〃You　do　remember　a　few　things；　it　seems。〃　She　eyed　the　doorway；　shifted　that　suddenly　suspicious　gaze　to　him。　〃Why　are　you　so　anxious？　What　is　in　Rhuidean？〃
　　　　　　　〃Asmodean；〃　he　said　grimly。　For　a　moment　he　hesitated。　He　could　not　see　beyond　the　rain…drenched　dome。　What　was　happening　out　there？　And　Lanfear。　If　only　he　could　remember　how　he　had　shielded　Egwene　and　Elayne。　If　only　I　could　make　myself　kill　a　woman　who's　only　frowning　at　me。　She　is　one　of　the　Forsaken！　It　was　no　more　possible　now　than　it　had　been　in　the　Stone。
　　　　　　　Stepping　through　the　door；　he　left　her　on　the　ledge　and　closed　it　behind　him。　No　doubt　she　knew　how　to　make　one　of　her　own；　but　the　making　of　it　would　slow　her　down。
　
Chapter　58
（Serpent　and　Wheel）
The　Traps　of　Rhuidean

　　　　　　　Darkness　surrounded　him　once　the　door　vanished；　blackness　stretching　in　all　directions；　yet　he　could　see。　There　was　no　sensation　of　heat　or　cold；　even　wet　as　he　was；　no　sensation　at　all。　Only　existence。　Plain　gray　stone　steps　rose　in　front　of　him；　each　step　hanging　unsupported；　arching　out　until　they　dwindled　from　sight。　He　had　seen　these　before；　or　their　like；　somehow　he　knew　they　would　take　him　where　he　had　to　go。　He　ran　up　the　impossible　stairs；　and　as　his　boot　left　each　one　behind　with　its　damp　footprint；　it　faded　away；　vanished。　Only　steps　ahead　waited；　only　those　taking　him　where　he　had　to　go。　That　was　as　it　had　been　before；　too。
　　　　　　　Did　I　make　these　with　the　Power；　or　do　they　exist　some　other　way？
　　　　　　　With　the　thought；　the　gray　stone　under　his　foot　began　to　fade；　and　all　the　others　ahead　shimmered。　Desperately　he　concentrated　on　them；　gray　stone　and　real。　Real！　The　shimmering　stopped。　They　were　not　so　plain　now；　but　polished；　the　edges　carved　in　a　fancy　border　he　thought　he　recalled　seeing　somewhere　before。
　　　　　　　Not　caring　where　…　not　sure　he　dared　think　too　long　on　it　…　he　ran　as　hard　as　he　could；　taking　the　steps　three　at　a　time　through　the　endless　dark。　They　would　take　him　where　he　wanted　to　go；　but　how　long　would　it　take？　How　much　head　start　did　Asmodean　have？　Did　the　Forsaken　know　a　faster　way　to　travel？　That　was　the　trouble。　The　Forsaken　had　all　the　knowledge；　all　he　had　was　desperation。
　　　　　　　Looking　ahead；　he　winced。　The　steps　had　acmodated　themselves　to　his　long　stride；　with　wide　spaces　between　requiring　those　leaps　now；　across　black　as　deep　as。。。　as　what？　A　fall　here　might　never　end。　He　forced　himself　to　ignore　the　gaps；　to　keep　running。　The　old；　half…healed　wound　in　his　side　began　to　throb；　a　vague　awareness。　But　if　he　was　aware　of　it　at　all；　wrapped　inside　saidin；　the　wound　was　close　to　breaking　open。　Ignore　it。　The　thought　floated　across　the　Void　inside　him。　He　did　not　dare　lose　this　race；　not　if　it　killed　him。　Would　these　steps　never　stop　climbing？　How　far　had　he　e？
　　　　　　　Suddenly　he　saw　a　figure　in　the　distance　ahead　and　off　to　his　left；　a　man　it　seemed；　in　a　red　coat　and　red　boots；　standing　on　a　glistening　silvery　platform　that　slid　through　the　darkness。　Rand　needed　no　closer　look　to　be　sure　it　was　Asmodean。　The　Forsaken　was　not　running　like　a　half…spent　country　boy；　he　was　riding　that　whatever…it…was。
　　　　　　　Rand　stopped　dead　on　one　of　the　stone　steps。　He　had　no　idea　what　that　platform　was；　shining　like　polished　metal；　but。。。　The　steps　ahead　of　him　vanished。　The　piece　of　stone　beneath　his　boots　began　to　glide　forward；　faster　and　faster。　There　was　no　wind　in　his　face　to　tell　him　he　was　moving；　nothing　in　that　vast　black　to　mark　motion　at　all　…　except　that　he　was　beginning　to　catch　up　to　Asmodean。　He　did　not　know　if　he　was　doing　this　with　the　Power；　it　just　seemed　to　happen。　The　step　wobbled　and　he　made　himself　stop　wondering。　I　don't　know　enough　yet。
　　　　　　　The　dark…haired　man　stood　at　his　ease；　one　hand　on　a　hip；　pensively　fingering　his　chin。　A　spill　of　white　lace　dripped　from　his　neck；　more　half…hid　his　hands。　His　high…collared　red　coat　seemed　shinier　than　silk　satin；　and　was　oddly　cut；　with　tails　hanging　almost　to　his　knees。　What　seemed　to　be　black　threads；　like　fine　steel　wires；　ran　off