tg.wizardfirstrule-第186章

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　tunnel　that　snaked　deeper。　The　tunnel　opened　into　a　huge　room。　The　path　led　along　a　narrow　ledge　at　the　edge　of　a　still；　green　lake。　Flickering　torchlight　showed　a　jagged　ceiling　and　walls　of　smooth　stone。　The　ceiling　sloped　downward　as　he　went　into　a　wide；　low　passage。　He　had　to　bend　over　to　pass　through。　For　a　good　hour；　he　walked；　hunched　over；　his　neck　starting　to　hurt　from　holding　it　sideways。　Occasionally　he　pressed　the　torch　to　the　rock　ceiling　to　shed　its　ash　and　keep　it　burning　brightly。
　
　The　darkness　was　oppressive；　it　surrounded　him；　followed　him；　sucked　him　deeper；　calling　him　onward　with　unseen　sights。　Delicate；　colorful　formations　of　rock　grew　like　vegetation；　flowering　and　blossoming　from　solid　rock。　Sparkling　crystals　flashed　at　him　as　he　passed　with　the　torch；　its　flame　the　only　sound；　echoing　back　to　him　from　the　blackness。
　
　Richard　went　through　rooms　of　astounding　beauty。　Into　the　darkness　rose　immense　columns　of　rippled　stone；　some　ending　before　they　reached　their　destination；　with　mates　hanging　down　trying　to　meet　them　halfway。　Crystalline　sheets　flowed　over　the　walls　in　places；　like　melted　jewels。
　
　Some　passages　were　clefts　in　the　rock　he　had　to　squeeze　through；　others　holes　he　had　to　traverse　on　hands　and　knees。　The　air　had　an　odd…lack　of　smell。　This　was　a　place　of　perpetual　night；　no　light；　nothing　alive；　ever　touched　it。　As　he　walked　on　and　on；　warm　from　the　effort；　the　chill　of　the　air　made　steam　rise　from　his　skin。　When　he　held　the　torch　near　his　other　hand；　he　could　see　vapor　rise　from　each　finger；　like　life's　energy　draining　away。　Although　it　wasn't　frigid；　the　way　winter　was　frigid；　it　was　the　kind　of　cold　that　would　bleed　a　person　of　all　their　heat　if　they　stayed　here　long　enough。　A　slow　sucking　death。　Without　the　light　he　would　be　lost　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　This　was　a　place　that　could　kill　the　unwary；　or　the　unlucky。　Richard　checked　the　torch　and　extra　cane　reeds　often。
　
　Eternal　night　wore　on　slowly。　Richard's　legs　were　tired　from　the　constant　climbing　and　descending。　In　fact；　all　of　him　was　tired。　He　hoped　the　cave　would　end　soon；　it　seemed　he　had　walked　the　whole　night。　He　had　no　idea　of　time。
　
　The　rock　closed　around　him。　The　flat　shelf　of　the　roof　lowered　until　he　was　walking　hunched　over　again；　and　lowered　more　until　he　was　on　his　hands　and　knees；　the　ground　cold　and　wet　with　slimy　mud　that　smelled　of　rot。　It　was　the　first　thing　he　had　smelled　in　a　long　time。　His　hands　were　cold　with　the　wet；　stinking　mud。
　
　The　way　diminished　to　a　single　small　opening；　a　black　hole　in　the　torchlight。　Richard　didn't　like　how　small　it　looked。　Air　moaned　through　the　passage；　making　the　flame　flap　and　whip。　He　held　the　torch　into　the　hole；　but　could　see　nothing　but　blackness　beyond。　He　pulled　back　the　torch；　wondering　what　he　should　do。　It　was　an　awfully　small　hole；　flat　on　the　top　and　bottom；　and　he　had　no　idea　how　long　it　was；　or　what　was　through　on　the　other　side。　Air　was　ing　through；　so　it　must　lead　to　the　other　end　of　the　cave；　to　the　gars；　the　egg；　but　he　didn't　like　how　small　it　was。
　
　Richard　backed　away。；　There　might　be　other　routes　from　farther　back；　in　one　of　the　other　rooms；　but　how　much　time　could　he　waste　searching；　only　to　fail？　He　came　back　to　the　hole；　staring　at　it　with　rising　dread。
　
　Trying　not　to　think　about　his　fear；　he　took　off　the　sword；　held　it　with　the　spare　reeds　and　torch　out　ahead　of　himself；　and　pushed　into　the　hole。　He　was　immediately　frightened　of　the　way　the　rock　pressed　against　him；　top　and　bottom。　Arms　straight　out；　head　turned　sideways；　he　wriggled　his　way　in　deeper。　The　closeness　increased；　making　him　wiggle　and　snake　his　way；　inches　at　a　time。　Cold　stone　pressed　against　his　back　and　chest。　He　couldn't　take　a　deep　breath。　The　smoke　from　the　torch　burned　his　eyes。
　
　He　squeezed　deeper；　tighter。　He　rocked　his　shoulders　forward　and　back；　pulling　one　leg　a　few　inches；　then　the　other；　feeling　like　a　snake　trying　to　shed　its　skin。　The　torch　showed　only　blackness　ahead。　Anxiety　gripped　him。　Just　get　through；　he　told　himself；　just　push　ahead　and　get　through。
　
　With　the　toes　of　his　boots　braced　against　rock；　Richard　gave　himself　a　push　as　he　wiggled。　The　push　wedged　him　tight。　He　tried　to　push　again。　He　didn't　move。　Angry；　he　pushed　harder。　Still　he　didn't　move。　Panic　ignited　in　him。　He　was　stuck。　Rock　was　pressing　his　chest　and　back　together；　and　he　could　hardly　get　a　breath。　He　envisioned　the　mountain　of　rock　that　was　pressing　on　his　back；　unimaginable　weight　towering　above　him。　Fearful；　he　wiggled　and　squirmed；　trying　to　back　up；　but　couldn't。　He　tried　to　grasp　something　with　his　hands　to　get　leverage　to　push　back　against。　It　didn't　help。　He　was　stuck。　Panting；　he　couldn't　get　enough　breath。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　suffocating；　his　lungs　burning　for　air；　as　if　he　were　drowning；　unable　to　breathe。
　
　Tears　filled　his　eyes；　and　fear　gripped　his　throat。　His　toes　scraped　at　the　rock；　trying　to　move　him　one　way　or　the　other。　He　didn't　budge。　The　way　his　arms　were　pinned　ahead　of　him　reminded　him　of　the　way　Denna　had　kept　him　in　the　shackles。　Helpless。　Not　being　able　to　move　his　arms　made　it　worse。　Cold　sweat　covered　his　face。　He　started　gasping　in　panic；　feeling　as　if　the　rock　were　moving；　pressing　harder。　Hopeless；　he　wanted　someone　to　help　him。　There　was　no　one　who　could。
　
　With　a　grunt　of　desperate　effort；　he　moved　ahead　a　few　inches。　That　only　made　it　worse；　tighter。　He　heard　himself　crying　in　hysteria。　Gasping　for　air。　Felt　the　rock　crushing　him。
　
　Master　Rahl　guide　us。　Master　Rahl　teach　us。　Master　Rahl　protect　us。　In　your　light　we　thrive。　In　your　mercy　we　are　sheltered。　In　your　wisdom　we　are　humbled。　We　live　only　to　serve。　Our　lives　are　yours。
　
　He　chanted　the　devotion　over　and　over；　focusing　his　mind　on　it；　until　his　breathing　slowed；　until　he　was　calm　once　more。　He　was　still　stuck；　but　at　least　his　mind　was　working　again。
　
　Something　touched　his　leg。　His　eyes　went　wide。
　
　It　was　a　tentative；　timid　touch。　Richard　kicked　his　leg。　At　least　he　kicked　it　as　best　he　could　in　the　confines　of　the　hole。　It　was　more　of　a　jerk。　The　touch　left。
　
　It　came　back。　Richard　froze。　This　time；　it　went　up　inside　his　pant　leg。　Cold；　wet；　slimy。　Slithering；　the　hard…tipped　thing　worked　up　his　leg；　caressing　his　skin；　to　the　inside　of　his　thigh。　Richard　kicked　and　jerked　his　leg　again。　This　time；　it　didn't　leave。　The　tip　moved　in　probing　touches。　Something　along　the　length　of　it　pinched　his　skin。　Panic　threatened　to　take　him　again；　but　he　fought　it　back。
　
　Now　he　had　no　choice。　Richard　expelled　the　air　from　his　lungs；　having　had　the　thought　before；　but　having　been　afraid　to　try　it。　When　his　lungs　were　empty；　and　he　was　as　small　as　he　could　make　himself；　he　pushed　with　his　toes；　pulled　with　his　fingers；　and　wriggled　with　his　body。　He　moved　ahead　about　a　foot。
　
　It　was　tighter　yet。　He　couldn't　inhale。　It　hurt。　He　fought　to　keep　the　panic　down。　His　fingers　felt　something。　An　edge　of　the　opening；　maybe。　Maybe　the　opening　to　the　hole　he　was　in。　He　squeezed　even　more　air　out　of　his　lungs。　The　thing　gripped　his　leg　painfully；　urgently。　He　heard　an　angry；　clicking　growl。　He　pulled　with　his　fingers；　seizing　the　edge；　and　pushed　with　his　toes。　He　moved　ahead。　His　elbows　were　up　to　the　edge。　Something　sharp　along　the　length　of　the　thing　on　his　leg；　sharp　like　little　cat's　claws；　sank　into　his　flesh。　Richard　couldn't　cry　out。　He　squeezed　ahead。　Fire　burned　into　the　flesh　of　his　leg。
　
　The　torch；　cane　reeds；　and　his　sword　fell　away。　Clattering；　the　sword　slid　down　the　rock。　Using　his　elbows　for　leverage；　he　squeezed　the　upper　half　of　his　body　through　the　opening；　gasping　for　air　in　deep　draughts。　The　hooks　pulled　his　leg。　Richard　wriggled　the　rest　of　the　way　out　of　the　hole；　sliding；　falling　headfirst　down　steep；　smooth　rock。
　
　The　torch　burned　on　the　curving　bottom　of　the　egg…shaped　chamber。　His　sword　was　just　beyond　it。　As　he　slid　headfirst；　his　hands　out　in　front；　he　stretched　for　his　sword。　The　hooked　claws　in　the　flesh　of　his　leg　brought　him　up　short；　holding　him　upside　down。　Richard　screamed　out　in　pain；　the　sound　echoing　around　the　chamber。　He　couldn't　reach　the　sword。
　
　Painfully；　slowly；　he　was　dragg