srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第62章

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ders；　dragged　him　back。
　　　　As　soon　as　he　was　able　to　regain　his　feet；　Trell　pushed　Trevor　away　and　attacked　the　insensate　forms　with　his　fists。
　　　　Trevor　snatched　up　one　of　the　clingor　lines　and　whipped　it　several　times　around　his　chest。　Then　he　pounced　at　Trell's　back。　With　his　arms　under　Trell's；　he　gripped　his　staff　like　a　bar　across　Trell's　chest；　and　shouted　for　the　warriors　to　pull　him　up。　Instantly；　ten　warriors　caught　the　line　and　hauled。　While　Mhoram　protected　the　two　men；　they　were　drawn　up　the　wall　and　over　the　parapet　of　the　abutment。
　　　　With　a　sickening　jolt；　the　dead　thudded　against　the　inner　gates。
　　　　Amid　the　cries　of　battle　from　the　tower；　and　the　mute　pressure　building　sharply　against　the　gates；　High　Lord　Mhoram　turned　his　attention　to　Trell　and　Lord　Trevor。
　　　　The　Gravelingas　struggled　free　of　Trevor's　hold　and　the　hands　of　the　warriors；　thrust　himself　erect；　and　faced　Mhoram　as　if　he　meant　to　leap　at　the　High　Lord's　throat。　His　face　flamed　with　exertion　and　fury。
　　　　〃Intact！〃　he　rasped　horribly。　〃The　tower　lost…intact　for　Sheol's　use！　Is　that　your　purpose　for　Revelstone？　Better　that　we　destroy　it　ourselves！〃
　　　　Swinging　his　powerful　arms　to　keep　anyone　from　touching　him；　he　spun　wildly　and　lurched　away　into　the　Keep。
　　　　Mhoram's　gaze　burned　dangerously；　but　he　bit　his　lips；　kept　himself　from　rushing　after　the　Gravelingas。　Trell　had　spent　himself　extravagantly；　and　failed。　He　could　not　be　blamed　for　hating　his　inadequacy；　he　should　be　left　in　peace。　But　his　voice　had　sounded　like　the　voice　of　a　man　who　had　lost　all　peace　forever。　Torn　within　himself；　Mhoram　sent　two　warriors　to　watch　over　Trell；　then　turned　toward　Trevor。
　　　　The　Lord　stood　panting　against　the　back　wall。　Blood　streamed　from　his　injured　ankle；　his　face　was　stained　with　the　grime　of　battle；　and　he　shuddered　as　the　effort　of　breathing　wracked　his　chest。　Yet　he　seemed　unconscious　of　his　pain；　unconscious　of　himself。　His　eyes　gleamed　with　eldritch　perceptions。　When　Mhoram　faced　him；　he　gasped；　〃I　have　felt　it。　I　know　what　it　is。〃
　　　　Mhoram　shouted　for　a　Healer；　but　Trevor　shrugged　away　any　suggestion　that　he　needed　help。　He　met　the　High　Lord　like　a　man　exalted；　and　repeated；　〃I　have　felt　it；　Mhoram。〃
　　　　Mhoram　controlled　his　concern。　〃Felt　it？〃
　　　　〃Lord　Foul's　power。　The　power　which　makes　all　this　possible。〃
　　　　〃The　Stone…〃　Mhoram　began。
　　　　〃The　Stone　does　not　suffice。　This　weather…the　speed　with　which　he　became　so　mighty　after　his　defeat　in　Garroting　Deep…the　force　of　this　army；　though　it　is　so　far　from　his　mand…these　dead　shapes；　pelled　from　the　very　ground　by　power　so　vast…！
　　　　〃The　Stone　does　not　suffice。　I　have　felt　it。　Even　Lord　Foul　the　Despiser　could　not　bee　so　much　more　unconquerable　in　seven　short　years。〃
　　　　〃Then　how？〃　the　High　Lord　breathed。
　　　　〃This　weather…this　winter。　It　sustains　and　drives　the　army…it　frees　Satansfist…it　frees　the　Despiser　himself　for　other　work…the　work　of　the　Stone。　The　work　of　these　dead。　Mhoram；　do　you　remember　Drool　Rock…worm's　power　over　the　weather…and　the　moon？〃
　　　　Mhoram　nodded　in　growing　amazement　and　dread。
　　　　〃I　have　felt　it。　Lord　Foul　holds　the　Staff　of　Law。〃
　　　　A　cry　tore　itself　past　Mhoram's　lips；　despite　his　instantaneous　conviction　that　Trevor　was　right。　〃How　is　it　possible？　The　Staff　fell　with　High　Lord　Elena　under　Melenkurion　Sky　weir。〃
　　　　〃I　do　not　know。　Perhaps　the　same　being　who　slew　Elena　bore　the　Staff　to　Foul's　Creche…perhaps　it　is　dead　Kevin　himself　who　wields　the　Staff　on　Foul's　behalf；　so　that　the　Despiser　need　not　personally　use　a　power　not　apt　for　his　control。　But　I　have　felt　the　Staff；　Mhoram…the　Staff　of　Law　beyond　all　question。〃
　　　　Mhoram　nodded；　fought　to　contain　the　amazed　fear　that　seemed　to　echo　inimitably　within　him。　The　Staff！　Battle　raged　around　him；　he　could　afford　neither　time　nor　strength　for　anything　but　the　immediate　task。　Lord　Foul　held　the　Staff！　If　he　allowed　himself　to　think　about　such　a　thing；　he　might　lose　himself　in　panic。　Eyes　flashing；　he　gave　Trevor's　shoulder　a　hard　clasp　of　praise　and　radeship；　then　turned　back　toward　the　courtyard。
　　　　For　a　moment；　he　pushed　his　perceptions　through　the　din　and　clangor；　bent　his　senses　to　assess　Revelstone's　situation。　He　could　feel　Lord　Amatin　atop　the　tower；　still　waging　her　fire　against　the　dead。　She　was　weakening…　her　continuous　exertions　had　long　since　passed　the　normal　limits　of　her　stamina…yet　she　kept　her　ragged　blaze　striking　downward；　fighting　as　if　she　meant　to　spend　her　last　pulse　or　breath　in　the　tower's　defense。　And　her　labor　had　its　effect。　Though　she　could　not　stop　even　a　tenth　of　the　shambling　shapes；　she　had　now　broken　so　many　of　them　that　the　unbound　sand　clogged　the　approaches　to　the　tunnel。　Fewer　of　the　dead　could　plow　forward　at　one　time；　her　work；　and　the　constriction　of　the　tunnel；　slowed　their　march；　slowed　the　multiplication　of　their　pressure　on　the　inner　gates。
　　　　But　while　she　strove；　battle　began　to　mount　up　through　the　tower　toward　her。　Few　Cavewights　now　tried　to　enter　through　the　doors。　Their　own　dead　blocked　the　corridors；　and　while　they　fought　for　access；　they　were　exposed　to　the　archers　of　the　Keep。　But　enemies　were　breaching　the　tower　somehow；　Mhoram　could　hear　loud　bat　surging　upward　through　the　tower's　plex　passages。　With　an　effort；　he　ignored　everything　else　around　him；　concentrated　on　the　tower。　Then　through　the　hoarse　mands；　the　clash　of　weapons；　the　raw　cries　of　hunger　and　pain；　the　tumult　of　urgent　feet；　he　sensed　Satansfist's　attack　on　the　outer　wall　of　the　tower。　The　Raver　threw　fierce　bolts　of　Illearth　power　at　the　exposed　coigns　and　windows；　occasionally　at　Lord　Amatin　herself；　and　under　the　cover　of　these　blasts；　his　creatures　threw　up　ladders　against　the　wall；　swarmed　through　the　openings。
　　　　In　the　stone　under　his　feet；　High　Lord　Mhoram　could　feel　the　inner　gates　groaning。
　　　　Quickly；　he　turned　to　one　of　the　warriors；　a　tense　Stonedownor　woman。　〃Go　to　the　tower。　Find　Warmark　Quaan。　Say　that　I　mand　him　to　withdraw　from　the　tower。　Say　that　he　must　bring　Lord　Amatin　with　him。　Go。〃
　　　　She　saluted　and　ran。　A　few　moments　later；　he　saw　her　dash　over　the　courtyard　along　one　of　the　crosswalks。
　　　　By　that　time；　he　had　already　returned　to　the　battle。　With　Lord　Trevor　working　doggedly　at　his　side；　he　renewed　his　attack　on　the　earthen　pressure　building　against　Revelstone's　inner　gates。　While　the　supportive　power　of　the　Gravelingases　vibrated　in　the　stone　under　him；　he　gathered　all　his　accumulated　ferocity　and　drove　it　at　the　crush　of　dead。　Now　he　knew　clearly　what　he　hoped　to　achieve；　he　wanted　to　cover　the　flagstones　of　the　courtyard　with　so　much　sand　that　the　blind；　shambling　shapes　would　have　no　solid　footing　from　which　to　press　forward。　Trevor's　aid　seemed　to　uplift　his　effectiveness；　and　he　shattered　dead　by　tens　and　scores　until　his　staff　hummed　in　his　hands　and　the　air　around　him　became　so　charged　with　blue　force　that　he　appeared　to　emanate　Lords…fire。
　　　　Yet　while　he　labored；　wielded　his　power　like　a　scythe　through　Satansfist's　ill　crop；　he　kept　part　of　his　attention　cocked　toward　the　crosswalks。　He　was　watching　for　Quaan　and　Amatin。
　　　　A　short　time　later；　the　first　crosswalk　fell。　The　battered　remnant　of　an　Eoman　dashed　along　it　out　of　the　tower；　rabidly　pursued　by　Cavewights。　Archers　sent　the　Cavewights　plunging　to　the　courtyard；　and　as　soon　as　the　warriors　were　safe；　the　walk's　cables　were　cut。　The　wooden　span　swung　clattering　down　and　crashed　against　the　wall　of　the　tower。
　　　　The　tumult　of　battle　echoed　out　of　the　tower。　Abruptly；　Warmark　Quaan　appeared　on　one　of　the　upper　spans。　Yelling　stridently　to　make　himself　heard；　he　ordered　all　except　the　two　highest　crosswalks　cut。
　　　　Mhoram　shouted　up　to　the　Warmark；　〃Amatin！〃
　　　　Quaan　nodded；　ran　back　into　the　tower。
　　　　The　next　two　spans　fell　promptly；　but　the　sentries　at　the　third　waited。　After　a　moment；　several　injured　warriors　stumbled　out　onto　the　walk。　Supporting　each　other；　carrying　the　crippled；　they　struggled　toward　the　Keep。　But　then　a　score　of　Stone…born　creatures　charged　madly　out　of　the　tower。　Defying　arrows　and　swords；　they　threw　the　injured　off　the　span　and　rushed　on　across　the　walk。
　　　　Grimly；　deliberately；　the　sentries　cu