srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第46部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

e　Ranyhyn；　and　this　was　no　great　storm。　On　the　eighth　day　of　the　mission；　when　the　clouds　broke　and　let　sunlight　return　to　the　earth；　Korik　and　his　party　were　within　sight　of　Mount　Thunder。
　It　grew　steadily　against　the　sky　as　they　rode　through　the　sunshine。　They　passed　twenty…five　leagues　to　the　north　of　it；　and　reached　the　great　cliff　of　Landsdrop　late　that　afternoon。　They　were　at　one　of　its　highest　points；　and　could　look　out　over　the　Lower　Land　from　a　vantage　of　more　than　four　thousand　feet。　Here　Landsdrop　was　as　sheer　as　if　the　Lower　Land　had　been　cut　away　with　an　ax。　And　below　it　beyond　a　hilly　strip
　of　grassland　less　than　five　leagues　wide　lay　Sarangrave　Flat。
　It　was　a　wet　land；　latticed　with　waterways　like　exposed　veins　in　the　flesh　of　the　ground；　overgrown　with　fervid　luxuriance；　and　full　of　subtle　dangers…strange；　treacherous；　water…bred；　and　man…shy　animals；　cunning；　old；　half…rotten　willows　and　cypresses　that　sang　quiet　songs　which　could　bind　the　unwary；　stagnant；　poisonous　pools；　so　covered　with　slime　and　mud　and　shallow　plants　that　they　looked　like　solid　ground；　lush　flowers；　beautifully　bedewed　with　clear　liquids　that　could　drive　humans　mad；　deceptive　stretches　of　dry　ground　that　turned　suddenly　to　quicksand。　All　this　was　familiar　to　the　Bloodguard。　However　ominous　to　human　eyes；　or　unsuited　to　human　life；　Sarangrave　Flat　was　not　naturally　evil。　Rather；　because　of　the　darknesses　which　slumbered　beneath　it；　it　was　simply　dangerous…a　wild　haven　for　the　misbom　of　the　Land；　the　warped　fruit　of　evils　long　past。　The　Giants；　who　knew　how　to　be　wary；　had　always　been　able　to　travel　freely　through　the　Flat；　and　they　had　kept　paths　open　for　others；　so　that　the　crossing　of　the　Sarangrave　was　not　normally　a　great　risk。
　But　now　something　else　met　the　gaze　of　the　mission。　Slumbering　evil　stirred；　the　hand　of　Corruption　was　at　work；　awakening　old　wrongs。
　The　peril　was　severe；　and　Lord　Hyrim　was　dismayed。　But　neither　the　Lords　nor　the　Bloodguard　were　surprised。　The　Lords　Callindrill　and　Amatin…the　Bloodguard　Morril　and　Koral…had　spoken　of　this　danger。　And　though　he　was　dismayed；　Lord　Hyrim　did　not　propose　that　the　mission　should　evade　the　danger　by　riding　north　and　around　Sarangrave　Flat；　a　hundred　leagues　from　their　way。　Therefore　in　the　dawn　of　the　ninth　day　the　mission　descended　Landsdrop；　using　a　horse　trail　which　the　Old　Lords　had　made　in　the　great　cliff；　and　rode　eastward　across　the　grassland　foothills　toward　the　main　Giantway　through　the　Sarangrave。
　The　air　was　noticeably　warmer　and　thicker　than　it　had　been　above　Landsdrop。　It　breathed　as　if　it　were　clogged　with　invisible；　damp　fibers；　and　it　seemed　to
　leave　something　behind　in　the　lungs　when　it　was　exhaled。
　Then　shrubs　and　low；　twisted　bushes　began　to　appear　through　the　grass。　And　the　grass　itself　grew　longer；　wetter。　At　odd　intervals；　stray；　hidden　puddles　of　water　splashed　under　the　hooves　of　the　Ranyhyn。　Soon　gnarled；　lichenous　trees　appeared；　spread　out　moss…draped　limbs。　They　grew　thicker　and　taller　as　the　mission　passed　into　the　Sarangrave。　In　moments；　the　riders　entered　a　grassy　avenue　that　lay　between　two　unrippling　pools　and　angled　away　just　north　of　eastward　into　a　jungle　which　already　appeared　impenetrable。　The　Ranyhyn　slowed　to　a　more　cautious　pace。　Abruptly；　they　found　themselves　plunging　through　chest…deep　elephant　grass。
　When　the　riders　looked　behind　them；　they　could　see　no　trace　of　the　Giantway。　The　Flat　had　closed　like　jaws。
　But　the　Bloodguard　knew　that　that　was　the　way　of　the　Sarangrave。　Only　the　path　ahead　was　visible。　The　Ranyhyn　moved　on；　thrusting　their　broad　chests　through　the　grass。
　As　the　jungle　tightened；　the　Giantway　narrowed　until　they　could　ride　no　more　than　three　abreast　each　of　the　Lords　flanked　by　Bloodguard。　But　the　elephant　grass　receded；　allowing　them　to　move　with　better　speed。
　Their　progress　was　loud。　They　disturbed　the　Flat；　and　as　they　traveled　they　set　waves　and　wakes　and　noise　on　both　sides。　Birds　and　monkeys　gibbered　at　them；　small；　furry　animals　that　yipped　like　hyenas　broke　out　of　the　grass　in　front　of　them　and　scurried　away；　and　when　the　jungle　gave　way　on　either　side　for　dark；　rancid　pools　or　sluggish　streams；　waterfowl　with　iridescent　plumage　clattered　fearfully　into　the　air。　Sudden　splashes　echoed　across　still　ponds；　pale；　vaguely　human　forms　darted　away　under　the　ripples。
　Throughout　the　morning；　the　mission　followed　the　winding　trail　which　careful　Giants　had　made　in　times　long　past。　No　danger　threatened；　but　still　the　Ranyhyn　grew　tense。　When　the　riders　stopped　beside　a　shallow　lake　to　rest　and　eat；　their　mounts　became　increasingly
　restive。　Several　of　them　made　low；　blowing　noises；　their　ears　were　up　and　alert；　shifting　directions　in　sharp　jerks；　almost　quivering。　One　of　them…the　youngest　stallion；　bearing　the　Bloodguard　Tull　stamped　a　hoof　irrhythmically。　The　Lords　land　the　Bloodguard　increased　their　caution；　and　rode　on　down　the　Giantway。
　They　had　covered　only　two　more　leagues　when　Sill　called　the　Bloodguard　to　observe　Lord　Hyrim。
　The　Lord's　face　was　flushed　as　if　he　had　a　high　fever。　Sweat　rolled　down　his　cheeks；　and　he　was　panting　hoarsely；　almost　gasping　for　breath。　His　eyes　glittered。　But　he　was　not　alone。　Lord　Shetra；　too；　was　flushed　and　panting。
　Then　even　the　Bloodguard　found　that　they　were　having　trouble　breathing。　The　air　felt　turgid。　It　resisted　being　drawn　into　their　lungs；　and　once　within　them　it　clung　there　with　miry　fingers；　like　the　grasp　of　quicksand。
　The　sensation　grew　rapidly　worse。
　Suddenly；　all　the　noise　of　the　Flat　ceased。
　It　was　as　Lord　Callindrill　had　said。
　But　the　Lord　Amatin's　mount　had　not　been　a　Ranyhyn。　Trusting　to　the　great　horses；　the　mission　continued　on　its　way。
　The　riders　moved　slowly。　The　Ranyhyn　walked　with　their　heads　straining　forward；　ears　cocked；　nostrils　flared。　They　were　sweating；　though　the　air　was　not　warm。
　They　covered　a　few　hundred　yards　this　way…forcing　passage　through　the　stubborn；　mucky　air　and　the　silence。　After　that；　the　jungle　fell　away　on　both　sides。　The　Giantway　lay　along　a　grassy　ridge　like　a　dam　between　two　still　pools。　One　of　them　was　blue　and　bright；　reflecting　the　sky　and　the　afternoon　sunlight；　but　the　other　was　dark　and　rank。
　The　mission　was　halfway　down　the　ridge　when　the　sound　began。
　It　started　low；　wet；　and　weak；　like　the　groan　of　a　dying　man。　But　it　seemed　to　e　from　the　dark　pool。　It　transfixed　the　riders。　As　they　listened　to　it；　it　slowly　swelled。
　It　scaled　upward　in　pitch。　and　volume…became　a　ragged　scream…echoed　across　the　pools。　Higher　and　louder　it　went　on。　Through　it；　the　Lords　shouted　together；　〃Melenkurion　abatha！　Duroc　minas　mill　khabaal！〃　But　they　could　hardly　make　themselves　heard。
　Then　the　young　Ranyhyn　bearing　Tull　lost　control。　It　whinnied　in　fear；　whirled　and　sprang　toward　the　blue　pool。　As　it　leaped；　Tull　threw　himself　to　the　safety　of　the　grass。
　The　Ranyhyn　crashed　into　the　chest…deep　water。　At　once；　it　gave　a　squeal　of　pain　that　almost　matched　the　screaming　in　the　air。　Plunging　frantically；　it　heaved　itself　out　of　the　pool；　and　fled　westward；　back　down　the　Giantway。
　The　howling　mounted　eagerly　higher。

　The　other　Ranyhyn　broke　and　bolted。　They　reared；　spun；　pounded　away　after　their　fleeing　brother。　The　jerk　of　their　start　unhorsed　Lord　Hyrim；　and　he　only　saved　himself　from　the　dark　pool　by　a　thrust　of　his　staff。　Immediately；　Lord　Shetra　dropped　off　her　mount　to　join　him。　Sill；　Cerrin；　and　Korik　also　dismounted。　As　he　jumped；　Korik　ordered　the　other　Bloodguard　to　protect　the　Ranyhyn。
　Runnik　and　his　rades　clung　to　their　horses。　The　Ranyhyn　followed　the　injured　stallion。　As　they　raced；　the　howling　behind　them　faded；　and　the　air　began　to　thin。　But　for　some　distance；　the　Bloodguard　could　not　regain　control　of　their　mounts。　The　Ranyhyn　plunged　along　a　wide　path　which　was　unfamiliar；　the　Bloodguard　knew　that　they　had　missed　the　Giantway。
　Then　the　leading　Ranyhyn　crested　a　knoll；　and　blundered　without　warning　into　a　quagmire。　But　the　rest　of　the　great　horses　were　able　to　stop　safely。　The　Bloodguard　dismounted；　and　took　clingor　lines　from　their　packs。　By　the　time　Korik；　Cerrin；　Sill；　Tull；　and　the　Lords　reached　them；　the　free　Ranyhyn　were　busy　pulling　their　trapped　kindred　from　the　quagmire。
　Seeing　that　the　other　Ranyhyn　were　uninjured；　the　Lords　turned　to　the　stallion　which　had　jumped　into　the　pool。　It　stood　to　one　side；　champed　its　teeth　and　jerked　its　head　from　side　to　side　in　agony。　Under　its　coat　all　the　flesh　of　its　limbs　and　belly　was　covered
　with　blisters　and　boils。　Blood　streamed　from　its　sores。　Through　some　of　them；　the　bone　was　visible。　Despite　the　determination　in　its　eyes；　it　whimpered　at　the　pain。
　The　Lords　were　deeply　moved。　There　were　tears　in　Hyrim's　eyes；　and　Shetra　cursed　bitterly。　…　But　they　could　do　nothing。　They　were　not　Ramen。　And　they　could　find　no　amanibhavam；　that　potent；　yellow　flowered　grass　which　could　heal　horses　but　which　drove　humans　mad。　They　could　only　close　their　ears　to　the　stallion's　pain；　and　try　to　consider　what　course　the　mission　should　take。
　Soon　all　the　other　Ranyhyn　were　safe　on　solid　ground。　They　shed　the　mud　of　the　quagmire　easily　but　they　could　not　rid　themselves　of　the　shame　of　their　panic。　Their　eyes　showed　tha