tg.wizardfirstrule-第102章

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　〃Then　tell　me！〃
　
　〃Not　allowed。　〃
　
　〃Please！　Don't　leave　us　without　your　help。　Let　me　ask　another　question？〃
　
　〃We　are　not　allowed　to　disclose　where　the　boxes　of　Orden　are。　It　is　forbidden。　Think；　and　ask　another　question。　〃
　
　Richard　sat　down；　pulling　his　knees　up。　He　rubbed　his　eyes　with　the　tips　of　his　fingers。　The　symbols　painted　all　over　him　made　him　look　like　some　kind　of　wild　creature。　He　put　his　face　in　his　hands；　thinking。　His　head　snapped　up。
　
　〃You　can't　tell　me　where　the　boxes　are。　Are　there　any　other　restrictions？〃
　
　〃Yes。　〃
　
　〃How　many　boxes　does　Rahl　already　have？〃
　
　〃Two。　〃
　
　He　looked　at　the　elders　evenly。　〃You　have　just　disclosed　where　two　of　the　boxes　are。　That　is　forbidden；〃　he　reminded　them。　〃Or　maybe　it　is　simply　a　gray　shade　of　intent？〃
　
　Silence。
　
　〃That　information　is　not　restricted。　Your　question？〃
　
　Richard　leaned　forward　like　a　dog　on　scent。　〃Can　you　tell　me　who　knows　where　the　last　box　is？〃
　
　Richard　already　knew　the　answer　to　this　question；　she　suspected。　She　recognized　his　manner　of　slicing　the　loaf　the　other　way。
　
　〃We　know　the　name　of　the　person　who　has　the　box；　and　the　names　of　several　other　people　nearby；　but　we　cannot　tell　you　the　names　because　that　would　be　the　same　as　telling　you　where　it　is。　That　is　forbidden。　〃
　
　〃Then；　can　you　tell　me　the　name　of　a　person；　other　than　Rahl；　who　is　not　in　possession　of　the　last　box；　who　is　not　near　it；　but　who　knows　where　it　is？〃
　
　〃There　is　one　we　can　name。　She　knows　where　the　box　is。　If　we　tell　you　her　name；　that　would　not　lead　you　to　the　box；　only　to　her　This　is　allowed。　It　will　be　up　to　you；　not　us；　to　get　whatever　information　you　might。　〃
　
　〃That　is　my　question；　then：　who　is　it？　Name　her。〃
　
　When　they　uttered　the　name；　Kahlan　froze　with　a　jolt。　She　didn't　translate。　The　elders　shook　at　the　mere　name；　spoken　aloud。
　
　〃Who　is　it？　What's　her　name'？〃　Richard　demanded　of　her。
　
　Kahlan　looked　up　at　him。
　
　〃We　are　as　good　as　dead；〃　she　whispered。
　
　〃Why？　Who；　is　it？〃
　
　Kahlan　sank　back；　into　herself。　〃It　is　the　witch　woman；　Shota。〃
　
　〃And　do　you　know　where　she　is？〃
　
　Kahlan　nodded；　her　brow　wrinkled　in　terror。　〃In　the　Agaden　Reach。〃　She　whispered　the　name　as　if　even　the　words　tasted　of　poison。　〃Not　even　a　wizard　would　dare　to　go　into　the　Reach。〃
　
　Richard　studied　the　visage　of　fear　in　her　face；　and　looked　to　the　elders　as　they　shook。
　
　〃Then　we　go　to　Agaden　Reach；　to　this　witch　woman；　Shota；〃　he　said　in　an　even　voice；　〃and　find　out　where　the　box　is。〃
　
　〃We　wish　you　kind　fates；　〃　the　spirits　said；　through　the　Bird　Man。　〃The　lives　of　our　descendants　depend　upon　you。　〃
　
　〃Thank　you　for　your　help；　honored　ancestors；〃；　Richard　said。　〃I　will　do　my　best　to　stop　Rahl。　To　help　our　people。〃
　
　〃You　must　use　your　head。　That　is　Darken　Rahl's　way。　Meet　him　on　his　terms；　and　you　will　lose。　It　will　not　be　easy。　You　will　have　to　suffer；　as　will　our　people；　as　will　other　people；　before　you　have　even　a　chance　to　succeed。　And　in　all　probability；　you　will　still　fail。　Heed　our　warning；　Richard　With　The　Temper。　〃
　
　〃I　will　remember　the　things　you　say。　I　pledge　to　do　my　best。〃
　
　〃Then　we　will　test　the　truth　of　your　pledge。　There　is　something　else　we　would　tell　you。　〃　They　paused　for　a　moment。　〃Darken　Rahl　is　here。　He　looks　for　you。　〃
　
　Kahlan　translated　in　a　rush；　jumping　to　her　feet。　Richard　came　up　beside　her。
　
　〃What！　He　is　here　now？　Where　is　he；　what　is　he　doing'？〃
　
　〃He　is　in　the　center　of　the　village。　He　is　killing　people。　〃
　
　Fear　raged　through　Kahlan。　Richard　took　a　step　forward。　'‘I　have　to　get　out　of　here。　I　have　to　get　my　sword。　I　have　to　try　to　stop　him！〃
　
　〃If　you　wish。　But　hear　us　out　first。　Sit；　〃　they　manded。
　
　Richard　and　Kahlan　sank　back　down；　looking　wide…eyed　at　each　other；　clutching　each　other's　hands。　Tears　welled　up　in　her　eyes。　〃Hurry；　then；〃　Richard　said。
　
　〃Darken　Rahl　wants　you。　Your　sword　cannot　kill　him。　Tonight；　the　balance　of　power　is　on　his　side。　If　you　go　out　there；　he　will　kill　you。　You　will　have　no　chance。　None。　In　order　to　win；　you　must　change　the　balance　of　power；　something　you　cannot　do　this　night。　The　people　he　kills　tonight　will　die　whether　or　not　you　go　out　to　fight　him。　If　you　do　go　out；　more　will　die　in　the　end。　Many　more。　If　you　are　to　succeed；　you　must　have　the　courage　to　let　these　die　tonight。　You　must　save　yourself　to　fight　at　another　time。　You　must　suffer　this　pain。　You　must　heed　your　head　rather　than　your　sword；　if　you　are　to　have　a　chance　to　win。　〃
　
　〃But　I　have　to　go　out　sooner　or　later！〃
　
　〃Darken　Rahl　has　loosed　many　dark　terrors。　He　must　balance　many　things；　including　his　time。　He　does　not　have　the　time　to　wait　all　night。　He　is　confident；　with　good　reason；　that　he　can　defeat　you　at　any　time　of　his　choosing。　He　has　no　reason　to　wait。　He　will　be　gone　soon；　to　tend　to　other　dark　matters；　to　look　for　you　another　day。
　
　〃The　。symbols　painted　upon　you　open　our　eyes　to　you；　so　we　may　see　you。　They　close　his　eyes　to　you；　he　cannot　see　you。　Unless　you　draw　your　sword。　That；　he　will　be　able　to　see；　then　he　would　nave　you。　As　long　as　the　symbols　are　upon　you；　and　the　magic　of　your　sword　remains　in　its　scabbard；　while　you　are　in　Mud　People　territory　he　cannot　find　you。　〃
　
　〃But　I　can't　stay　here！〃
　
　〃Not　if　you　wish　to　stop　him。　When　you　leave　our　territory；　the　power　of　the　symbols　will　be　gone；　and　he　will　be　able　to　see　you　again。　〃
　
　Richard's　clenched　fists　shook。　Kahlan　could　see　by　the　look　on　his　face　that　he　was　close　to　disregarding　the　warning；　close　to　going　out　to　fight。
　
　〃The　choice　is　yours；　〃　the　spirits　said。　〃Wait　in　here　while　he　kills　some　of　our　people；　and　when　he　is　gone；　go　after　the　box；　to　kill　him。　Or　go　out　now；　and　acplish　nothing。〃　Richard　closed　his　eyes　tight。　His　chest　rose　and　fell　with　his　labored　breathing。
　
　〃I　will　wait；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　she　could　barely　hear。
　
　Kahlan　threw　her　arms　around　his　neck；　putting　her　head　against　his；　as　they　both　cried。　The　circle　of　elders　began　spinning　around　again。
　
　That　was　the　last　thing　she　remembered　until　she　and　Richard　were　shaken　awake　by　the　Bird　Man。　She　felt　as　if　she　were　ing　out　of　a　nightmare　as　she　recalled　the　things　the　spirits　said；　about　the　killing　of　the　Mud　People；　and　that　to　find　the　box　they　had　to　go　into　Agaden　Reach；　to　Shota。　She　recoiled　at　the　thought　of　the　witch　woman。　The　other　elders　were　standing　over　them；　and　helping　both　of　them　up。　All　wore　grim　faces。　Tears　tried　to　e　to　her　again。　She　forced　them　back。
　
　The　Bird　Man　pushed　the　door　open　to　the　cold　night　air；　to　a　clear；　starlit　sky。
　
　The　clouds　were　gone。　Even　the　snakelike　cloud。
　
　Dawn　was　less　than　an　hour　away；　and　already　the　eastern　sky　had　a　hint　of　color　to　it。　A　solemn…faced　hunter　handed　them　their　clothes；　and　Richard　his　sword。　Wordlessly；　they　dressed　and　went　out。
　
　A　phalanx　of　hunters　and　archers　protectively　surrounded　the　spirit　house。　Many　were　bloodied。　Richard　pushed　in　front　of　the　Bird　Man。
　
　〃Tell　me　what　happened；〃　he　ordered　in　a　quiet　voice。
　
　A　man　with　a　spear　stepped　forward。　Kahlan　waited　next　to　Richard；　to　translate。　Rage　flared　in　the　man's　eyes。
　
　〃The　red　demon　came　from　the　sky；　carrying　a　man。　He　wanted　you。　〃　Fire　in　his　eyes；　he　pushed　his　spearpoint　against　Richard's　chest。　The　Bird　Man；　stonefaced；　put　his　hand　on　the　spear；　raising　the　point　away　from　Richard。　〃When　he　could　only　find　your　clothes；　he　began　killing　people。　Children！〃　His　chest　was　heaving　with　anger。　〃Our　arrows　would　not　touch　him。　Our　spears　would　not　touch　him。　Our　hands　would　not　touch　him。　Many　of　those　who　tried　were　killed　by　magic　fire。　Then　he　became　even　more　angry　when　he　saw　that　we　use　fire。　He　made　all　the　fires　go　out。　Then　he　climbed　back　on　the　red　demon　and　told　us　that　if　we　use　fire　again；　he　will　e　back　and　kill　every　child　in　the　village。　With　magic；　he　floated　Siddin　into　the　air；
　
　407
　
　and　took　him　under　his　arm。　A　gift；　he　said；　for　a　friend。　Then　he　flew　away。　And　where　were　you　and　your　sword！〃
　
　Savidlin's　eyes　filled　with　tears。　Kahlan　put　her