rj.theshadowrising-第39部分

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　possible；　if　he　attempted　to　hold　her。　He　had　managed　to　block　Elayne　and　Egwene；　but　that　had　been　one　of　those　things　he　did　without　thinking；　the　way　of　it　buried　somewhere　in　his　head。　He　could　only　remember　that　he　had　done　it；　no　how。　At　least　he　had　a　firm　grip　on　saidin；　she　would　not　surprise　him　that　way　again。　The　stomach…wrenching　taint　was　nothing；　saidin　was　life；　perhaps　in　more　ways　than　one。
　　　　　　　A　sudden　thought　boiled　up　in　his　head　like　a　hot　spring。　The　Aiel。　Even　a　Gray　Man　should　have　found　it　impossible　to　sneak　through　doors　watched　by　half　a　dozen　Aiel。
　　　　　　　〃What　did　you　do　to　them？〃　His　voice　grated　as　he　backed　toward　the　doors；　keeping　his　eyes　on　her。　If　she　used　the　Power；　maybe　he　would　have　some　warning。　〃What　did　you　do　to　the　Aiel　outside？〃
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；〃　she　replied　coolly。　〃Do　not　go　out　there。　This　may　be　only　a　testing　to　see　how　vulnerable　you　are；　but　even　a　testing　may　kill　you　if　you　are　a　fool。〃
　　　　　　　He　flung　open　the　left…hand　door　onto　a　scene　of　madness。

Chapter　10
（Dragon）
The　Stone　Stands

　　　　　　　Dead　Aielmen　lay　at　Rand's　feet；　tangled　with　the　bodies　of　three　very　ordinary　men　in　very　ordinary　coats　and　breeches。　Ordinary…looking　men；　except　that　six　Aiel；　the　entire　guard；　had　been　slain；　some　obviously　before　they　knew　what　was　happening；　and　each　of　those　ordinary　men　had　at　least　two　Aiel　spears　through　him。
　　　　　　　That　was　not　the　half　of　it；　though。　As　soon　as　he　pulled　the　door　open；　a　roar　of　battle　had　washed　over　him：　shouting；　howling；　steel　clashing　on　steel　among　the　redstone　columns。　The　Defenders　in　the　anteroom　were　fighting　for　their　lives　beneath　the　gilded　lamps；　against　bulky；　black…mailed　shapes　head…and…shoulders　taller　than　they；　shapes　like　huge　men；　but　with　heads　and　faces　distorted　by　horns　or　feathers；　by　muzzle　or　beak　where　mouth　and　nose　should　be。　Trollocs。　They　strode　on　paws　or　hooves　as　often　as　on　booted　feet；　cutting　men　down　with　oddly　spiked　axes　and　hooked　spears　and　scythelike　swords　that　curved　the　wrong　way。　And　with　them；　a　Myrddraal；　like　a　sleek…moving　man　with　maggot…white　skin　in　black　armor；　like　death　made　bloodless　flesh。
　　　　　　　Somewhere　in　the　Stone　an　alarm　gong　sounded；　then　stopped　with　lethal　suddenness。　Another　took　it　up；　and　another；　in　brazen　tolls。
　　　　　　　The　Defenders　fought；　and　they　still　outnumbered　the　Trollocs；　but　there　were　more　men　down　than　Trollocs。　Even　as　Rand's　eyes　found　them；　the　Myrddraal　tore　off　half　the　Tairen　captain's　face　with　one　bare　hand　while　the　other　drove　a　dead　black　blade　through　a　Defender's　throat；　slipping　Defenders'　spear　thrusts　like　a　snake。　The　Defenders　faced　what　they　had　thought　were　only　travelers'　tales　to　frighten　children；　their　nerve　was　frayed　to　snapping。　One　man　who　had　lost　his　rimmed　helmet　threw　down　his　spear　and　tried　to　flee；　only　to　have　his　head　split　like　a　melon　by　a　Trolloc's　massive　axe。　Yet　another　man　looked　at　the　Myrddraal　and　fled　screaming。　The　Myrddraal　darted　sinuously　to　intercept。　In　a　moment　the　humans　would　all　be　running。
　　　　　　　〃Fade！〃　Rand　shouted。　〃Try　me；　Fade！〃　The　Myrddraal　stopped　as　if　it　had　never　moved；　its　pale；　eyeless　face　turning　to　him。　Fear　rippled　through　Rand　at　that　stare；　sliding　over　the　bubble　of　cold　calm　that　encased　him　when　he　held　saidin；　in　the　Borderlands　they　said；　〃The　look　of　the　Eyeless　is　fear。〃　Once　he　had　believed　Fades　rode　shadows　like　horses　and　disappeared　when　they　turned　sideways。　Those　old　beliefs　were　not　so　very　far　wrong。
　　　　　　　The　Myrddraal　flowed　toward　him；　and　Rand　leaped　the　dead　men　in　front　of　the　doorway　to　meet　it；　his　boots　skidding　on　bloody　black　marble　as　he　landed。　〃Rally　to　the　Stone！〃　he　shouted　as　he　leaped。　〃The　Stone　stands！〃　Those　were　the　battle　cries　he　had　heard　on　the　night　the　Stone　had　not　stood。
　　　　　　　He　thought　he　heard　a　vexed　shout　of　〃Fool！〃　from　the　room　he　had　left；　but　he　had　no　time　for　Lanfear　or　what　she　might　do。　That　skid　very　nearly　cost　him　his　life；　his　red…gold　blade　barely　turned　the　Myrddraal's　black　one　as　he　fought　for　balance。　〃Rally　to　the　Stone！　The　Stone　stands！〃　He　had　to　keep　the　Defenders　together；　or　face　the　Myrddraal　and　twenty　Trollocs　alone。　〃The　Stone　stands！〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Stone　stands！〃　he　heard　someone　echo　him；　then　another。　〃The　Stone　stands！〃
　　　　　　　The　Fade　moved　as　fluidly　as　a　serpent；　the　snakelike　illusion　heightened　by　the　overlapping　plates　of　black　armor　down　its　chest。　Yet　not　even　a　blacklance　ever　struck　so　quickly。　For　a　time　it　was　all　Rand　could　do　to　keep　its　blade　from　his　own　unarmored　flesh。　That　black　metal　could　make　wounds　that　festered；　almost　as　hard　to　Heal　as　the　one　that　ached　in　his　side　now。　Each　time　dark　steel　forged　in　Thakan'dar；　below　the　slopes　of　Shayol　Ghul；　met　red…gold　Power…wrought　blade；　light　flashed　like　sheet　lightning　in　the　room；　a　sharp　bluish　white　that　hurt　the　eyes。　〃You　will　die　this　time；〃　the　Myrddraal　rasped　at　him　in　a　voice　like　the　crumbling　of　dead　leaves。　〃I　will　give　your　flesh　to　the　Trollocs　and　take　your　women　for　my　own。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　fought　as　coldly　as　he　ever　had；　and　as　desperately。　The　Fade　knew　the　use　of　a　sword。　Then　an　instant　came　when　he　could　strike　a　blow　squarely　at　the　sword　itself；　not　merely　divert　it。　With　a　hiss　as　of　ice　falling　on　molten　metal　the　red…gold　blade　sheared　through　the　black。　His　next　blow　took　that　eyeless　head　from　its　shoulders；　the　shock　of　hacking　through　bone　shivered　up　his　arms。　Inky　blood　fountained　from　the　stump　of　its　neck。　The　thing　did　not　fall；　though。　Thrashing　blindly　with　its　broken　sword；　the　headless　figure　stumbled　about；　striking　randomly　at　the　air。
　　　　　　　As　the　Fade's　head　fell　to　roll　across　the　floor；　the　remaining　Trollocs　fell；　too；　shrieking；　kicking；　tearing　at　their　heads　with　coarse…haired　hands。　It　was　a　weakness　of　Myrddraal　and　Trollocs。　Even　Myrddraal　did　not　trust　Trollocs；　so　they　often　linked　with　them　in　some　way　Rand　did　not　understand；　it　apparently　ensured　the　Trollocs'　loyalty；　but　those　linked　to　a　Myrddraal　did　not　survive　its　death　long。
　　　　　　　The　Defenders　still　standing；　fewer　than　two　dozen；　did　not　wait。　In　twos　and　threes　they　stabbed　each　Trolloc　repeatedly　with　their　spears　until　it　stopped　moving。　Some　of　them　had　the　Myrddraal　down；　but　it　flailed　wildly　no　matter　how　much　they　stabbed。　As　the　Trollocs　fell　silent；　a　few　surviving　human　wounded　could　be　heard　moaning；　weeping。　There　were　still　more　men　littering　the　floor　than　Shadowspawn。　The　black　marble　was　slick　with　blood；　almost　invisible　against　the　dark　stone。
　　　　　　　〃Leave　it；〃　Rand　told　the　Defenders　trying　to　finish　the　Myrddraal。　〃It's　dead　already。　Fades　just　don't　want　to　admit　they're　dead。〃　Lan　had　told　him　that；　what　seemed　a　long　time　ago；　he　had　had　proof　of　it　before　this。　〃See　to　the　injured。〃
　　　　　　　Peering　at　the　headless；　thrashing　shape；　its　torso　a　tatter　of　gaping　wounds；　they　shivered　and　moved　back；　muttering　about　Lurks。　That　was　what　they　called　Fades　in　Tear；　in　tales　meant　for　children。　Some　began　to　hunt　among　the　downed　humans　for　any　still　alive；　pulling　aside　those　who　could　not　stand；　helping　those　who　could　to　their　feet。　All　too　many　were　left　where　they　lay。　Hasty　bandgages　ripped　from　a　man's　own　bloody　shirt　were　the　only　fort　that　could　be　offered　now。
　　　　　　　They　no　longer　looked　so　pretty　as　they　had；　these　Tairens。　Their　no　longer　gleaming　breast…　and　backplates　bore　dents　and　scruffs；　blood…soaked　slashes　marred　once　fine　black…and…gold　coats　and　breeches。　Some　had　no　helmets；　and　more　than　one　leaned　on　his　spear　as　if　it　were　the　only　thing　holding　him　on　his　feet。　Perhaps　it　was。　They　breathed　heavily；　wild　expressions　on　their　faces；　that　blend　of　stark　terror　and　blind　numbness　that　afflicts　men　in　battle。　They　stared　at　Rand　uncertainly　…　fleeting；　fearful　stares　…　as　if　he　might　have　called　these　creatures　out　of　the　Blight　himself。
　　　　　　　〃Wipe　those　spearpoints；〃　he　told　them。　〃A　Fade's　blood　will　etch　steel　like　acid　if　it's　left　long　enough。〃　Most　moved　slowly　to　obey；　hesitantly　using　what　was　available；　the　coatsleeves　of　their　own　dead。
　　　　　　　The　sounds　of　more　fighting　drifted　through　the　corridors；　distant　shouts；　the　muted　clash　of　metal。　They　had　obeyed　him　twice；　it　was　time　to　see　if　they　would　do　more。　Turning　his　back　on　them；　he　started　across　the　anteroom；　toward　the　sounds　of　battle。　〃Follow　me；〃　he　ordered。　He　raised　his　fire…wrought　blade　to　remind　them　of　who　he　was；　hoping　the　reminder　did　not　bring　a　spear　in　his　back。　It　had　to　be　risked。　〃The　Stone　stands！　For　the　Stone！〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　his　own　hollow　footsteps　were　the　only　sound　in　the　columned　chamber；　then　boots　began　to　follow。　〃For　the　Stone！〃　a　man　shouted；　and　another；　〃For　the　Stone　and　the　Lord　Dragon！〃　Others　took　it　up。　〃For　the　Stone　and　the　Lord　Dragon！〃　Quickening　to　a　trot；　Rand　led　his　bloodied　army　of　twenty…three　deeper　into　the　Stone。
　　　　　　　Where　was　Lanfear；　and　what　part　had　she　played　in　this？　He　had　little　time　for　wondering。　Dead　men　spotted　the　halls　in　pools　of　their　own　blood；　one　here　and　farther　on　two　or　three　more；　Defenders；　servants；　Aiel。　Women；　too；　linen…gowned　noble　and　wool…clad　servant　alike　struck　down　as　they　fled。　Trollocs　didn't　care　whom　they　killed；　they　took　pleasure　in　it。　Myrddraal　were　worse；　Halfmen　gloried　in　pain　and　death。
　　　　　　　A　little　deeper　in；　the　Stone　of　Tear　boiled。　Knots　of　Trollocs　rampaged　through　the　halls；　sometimes　with　a　Myrddraal　leading；　sometimes　alone；　battling　Aiel　or　Defenders；　cutting　down　the　unarmed；　hunting　for　more　to　kill。　Rand　led　his　small　force　at　any　Shadowspawn　they　found；　his　sword　slicing　coarse　flesh　and　black　mail　with　equal　ease。　Only　the　Aiel　faced　a　Fade　without　flinching。　The　Aiel　and　Rand。　He　passed　up　Trollocs　to　reach　Fades；　sometimes　the　Myrddraal　took　a　dozen　or　two　Trollocs　with　it　in　dying；　sometimes　none。
　　　　　　　Some　of　his　Defenders　fell　and　did　not　rise；　but　Aiel　joined　them；　nearly　doubling　their　number。　Groups　of　men　broke　off　in　furious　battles　that　drifted　away　in　shouts　and　clatter　like　a　forge　gone　mad。　Other　men　fell　in　behind　Rand；　broke　away；　were　replaced；　till　none　of　those　who　had　started　with　him　remained。　Sometimes　he　fought　alone；　or　ran　down　a　hallway；