tw.togreenangeltower2-第166章
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ils of smoke to float and dissipate； and waited for his hands to stop shaking quite so violently。
He pulled the sword from his belt。 Bright…Nail was his once more。 He was still alive； still free。 Hope remained。
As he began to climb he felt the blade's song rise inside him； a chant of joy； of approaching fulfillment。 He felt his own heart speed as it sang。 Things would be set right。
The sword was warm in his grip。 It seemed a part of his arm； of his body； a new organ of sense as alert and attuned as the nose of a hunting hound or the ears of a bat。
Upward。 It is time。
The pain in his head and limbs flowed away； to be filled with the ever…rising triumph of Bright…Nail； clutched firmly in his hand； safe from all harm。
It is time at last。 Things will be set right。 It is time。
The sword's urging grew stronger。 He found it hard to think of anything but putting one foot before the next； carrying himself up toward the top of the tower； to the place where Bright…Nail longed to go。 Knotted； red…shot clouds showed in the windows he passed； scarred by theoccasional jagged flicker of lightning； but the noise of the storm seemed curiously muffled。 Far louder now； at least in his thoughts； was the song of the sword。
It's finally going to end； he thought。 He could feel that Bright…Nail's promise。 The sword would bring a halt to all the confusions and dissatisfactions that had plagued him for so long； when it joined its brothers； everything would change。 All that unhappiness would end。
There was no one else on the steps now。 No one moved but Simon； and he could feel that everyone； everything； waited for him。 All the world hung on the fulcrum of Green Angel Tower； and he would be the one to shift that balance。 It was a wild； heady feeling。 The sword pulled him on； singing to him； filling him with imprecise but powerful intimations of glory and release at every upward step。
I am Simon； he thought； and could almost hear trumpets flare and echo。 I have done mighty deeds…slain a dragon！ Won a battle！ Now； I bring the Great Sword。
As he mounted up； the stairs shimmered before and behind； a downward…flowing river of ivory。 The pale stone of the stairway wall seemed to glow； as if it reflected the light that burned within him。 The sky…blue carvings were as heartbreakingly lovely as flowers strewn before the feet of a conqueror。 pletion was ahead。 An end to pain awaited him。
The bell tolled a fourth time； even more powerfully than before。
Simon staggered； shaken like a rat in a dog's teeth as the echoes boomed and resounded down the stairwell。 A blast of freezing air rolled past him； blurring the carvings on the wall with a milky skin of ice。 He almost dropped the sword again as he lifted his hands to his head and cried out。 Stumbling； he grabbed at the frame of one of the tower's windows for support。
As he stood； shivering and moaning； the sky outside changed。 The broad smear of clouds vanished； and for a long moment the full blackness of the sky opened before him； dotted with tiny； cold stars； as though Green Angel Tower had torn free of its moorings and now floated above the storm。 He stared； teeth clenched against the bell's fading echoes。 After three heartbeats the black sky clotted with gray and red and the tower was surrounded by storm once more。
Something tugged at his thoughts； fighting against Bright…Nail's unslackening pull。
This 。。。 is 。。。 wrong。 The joy that he had shared； the feeling that he would somehow make things right； ebbed away。 Something bad is happening…something very bad！
But he was already moving again； mounting the stairs toward the dim glow。 He was not the master of his own body。
He struggled。 His limbs felt distant； numb。 He slowed himself； then managed to stop； shuddering in the freezing wind that blew down the stairwell。 Tiny whiskers of ice hung from the walls； and his breath clouded about his head； but he could feel an even greater coldness lurking somewhere above him…a coldness that somehow thought。
He fought for a long time on the stairs； struggling to regain control of his own arms and legs…a struggle against nothing visible that went unobserved except by the cold； inhuman presence。 He could feel its hungry attention as the sweat beading on his skin froze and fell tinkling onto the steps。 Steam rose from his overheated body； and where the warmth left； deadening chill crept in。
The cold took Simon at last； filling him。 It moved him like a puppet on a stick。 He jerked and began to stagger upward once more； screaming silently from the prison of his skull。
He stepped up out of the stairwell and into the vaporous bellchamber； the ice…blanketed walls glimmered and sparkled。 Storm clouds surrounded the high windows and light and shadow moved sluggishly； as though the cold gripped them； too。
Miriamele and Binabik stood beside the door； writhing slowly； caught somehow like flies struggling in amber。 His eyes widened as he saw them and his heart thudded painfully behind his ribs； but he could not call out or even stop his feet from carrying him forward。 Miriamele opened her mouth and made a muffled noise。 Tears filled his eyes； and for a moment her pale face held him like a tamp in a dark room…but the thing that gripped him would not be denied。 It swept him past his friends like a river current； tugging him toward the cluster of pillars at the center of the chamber。
Beneath the frost…furred bells three figures waited； one kneeling。 The part of Bright…Nail that had entangled itself with him danced and leaped 。。。 but the still…Simon part quailed as Elias turned toward him with a face like a dead man's。 The mottled gray sword in his two fists lay against black Thorn； and where they touched there was nullity； an emptiness that hurt Simon's mind。
Shivering； Camaris turned to Simon； his hair and brows powdery with ice。 The old man's eyes stared in abject misery。
〃My fault 。。。〃 he whispered through chattering teeth。
Pryrates had watched Simon's lurching entrance。 Now the priest nodded； smiling tightly。 〃I knew you were in the tower somewhere； kitchen boy…you and the last of the swords。〃
Simon felt himself drawn closer to the place where Thorn and Sorrow met。 Through Bright…Nail； whose song coursed inside him； he could feel the music of the other two swords as well： the dancing throb of life that was within all of them grew stronger as the moment of their joining approached。 Simon felt it like the speeding current of a river's narrows； but he could also feel that there was a barrier that somehow kept the blades apart。 Although two of them were touching； and only a few cubits stood between them and the third； they all remained as widely separated as they had ever been。
But what was different now； what Simon felt deeply and wordlessly in his mind's inmost； was that soon there would be a great change。 Some mighty universal wheel lay loose on its axle； ready to turn； and when it did all the barriers would fall； all the walls would vanish。 The swords sang； waiting。
Before he knew it； he was stepping forward。 Bright…Nail clicked against the other two blades。 The shock of contact traveled not just through Simon； but through the room as well。 The black emptiness where the swords met deepened； a hole into which the entire world might fall and perish。 The light changed all around： the star…glow seeping in through the windows deepened； turning the chamber bloody； and then the dreadful bell tolled a fifth time。
Simon trembled and cried out as the tower shook and the energies of the swords； still pent but fighting now for release； traveled through him。 His heart stuttered； hesitated； and almost stopped。 His vision blurred and darkened； then gradually came back。 He was inextricably caught in something that burned like fire； that dragged like a lodestone。 He tried desperately to pull away； but a supreme effort only made him sway gently； caught on Bright…Nail's hilt like a fish dying on a hook。 The bell's echoes died out。
Even through the music of the swords； Simon could sense the chill presence he had felt on the stairs growing stronger； vast and wei
