tg.wizardfirstrule-第69章

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　Muscles　tense；　his　hand　gripped　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　He　debated　in　his　mind　whether　or　not　to　draw　it；　not　knowing　if　it　could　help　them；　or　if　it　would　bring　them　to　harm。　Even　if　the　sword　worked　against　the　shadows；　a　fight　in　the　confines　of　the　Narrows　would　be　a　big　risk；　at　best。　But　if　there　was　no　choice；　if　they　came　too　close；　he　would　have　to　use　the　sword。
　
　The　shadows　seemed　as　if　they　had　taken　on　faces。　Richard　tried　to　remember　if　they　had　faces　before；　but　couldn't。　His　fingers　gripped　the　hilt　of　the　sword　tighter　as　he　walked　backward；　Kahlan's　soft　hand　warm　in　his。　The　faces　appeared　sad；　gentle；　in　the　green　glow。　They　regarded　him　with　kind；　pleading　countenances。　The　raised　lettering　of　the　word　〃Truth〃　on　the　sword　seemed　to　burn　painfully　into　his　fingers　as　he　clutched　it　tighter。　Anger　seeped　from　the　sword；　searching　his　mind；　searching　for　his　own　anger；　but；　finding　only　fear　and　confusion；　the　anger　wilted。　The　forms　no　longer　gained　on　him；　but　paced　along；　keeping　him　pany　in　the　lonely　darkness。　Somehow；　they　made　him　feel　less　afraid；　less　tense。
　
　Their　whispers　calmed　him。　Richard's　hand　relaxed　on　the　sword　as　he　strained　to　make　out　the　words。　The　slow；　easy　smiles　reassured　him；　gentled　his　caution；　his　alarm；　making　him　want　to　hear　more；　to　understand　the　murmurs。　Green　light　around　the　faint　forms　shimmered　fortingly。　His　heart　pounded　with　the　need　for　rest；　for　peace；　for　their　pany。
　
　Like　the　shadows；　his　mind　drifted；　smoothly；　quietly；　gently。　Richard　thought　of　his　father；　longed　for　him。　He　remembered　joyful；　easy　times　with　him；　times　of　love；　sharing；　caring；　times　of　safety　when　nothing　threatened　him；　nothing　；frightened　him；　nothing　worried　him。　He　longed　for　those　times　again。　He　realized　that　that　was　what　the　whispers　were　saying；　that　it　could　be　like　that　again。　They　wanted　to　help　him　reach　that　place　again；　that　was　all。
　
　Small　warnings　burgeoned　deep　in　his　mind；　but　then　withered　and　were　gone。　His　hand　slipped　from　the　sword。
　
　He　had　been　so　wrong；　so　blind；　and　hadn't　been　able　to　see　it　before。　They　weren't　there　to　harm　him；　but　to　help　him　reach　the　peace　he　wanted。　It　wasn't　what　they　wanted；　but　what　he　wanted；　that's　what　they　offered　him。　They　wished　only　to　help　release　him　from　loneliness。　A　wistful　smile　spread　on　his　lips。　How　could　he　have　not　seen　it　before？　How　could　he　have　been　so　blind？　Whispers　like　sweet　music　washed　over　him　in　gentle　waves；　soothing　his　fears；　giving　him　soft　light　in　the　dark　places　of　his　mind。　He　stopped　walking　so　that　he　wouldn't　step　out　of　the　bathing　warmth　of　the　enchanting　murmurs；　the　breath　of　the　music。
　
　A　cold　hand　tugged　annoyingly　at　his；　trying　to　pull　him　on；　so　he　released　it。　It　went　without　objection；　to　bother　him　no　more。
　
　The　shadows　drifted　closer。　Richard　waited　for　them；　watched　their　gentle　faces；　listened　to　their　soft　whispers。　When　they　sighed　his　name　it　made　him　shudder　with　pleasure。　He　weled　them　as　they　came　around　in　a　forting　circle；　floating　closer；　their　hands　reaching　to　him　as　they　did　so。　Hands　lifted　to　his　face；　almost　touching　him；　seeking　to　caress　him。　He　looked　from　one　face　to　another；　meeting　the　eyes　of　his　saviors；　each　holding　his　gaze　in　turn；　each　whispering　a　promise　of　wonderment。
　
　A　hand　almost　brushed　his　face；　and　he　thought　he　felt　searing　pain；　but　wasn't　sure。　The　keeper　of　the　hand　promised　that　he　would　feel　pain　no　more；　after　he　joined　with　them。　He　wanted　to　speak；　to　ask　them　so　many　questions；　but　it　seemed　so　suddenly　unimportant；　so　trivial。　He　had　only　to　give　himself　over　to　their　care；　and　everything　would　be　all　right。　He　turned　to　each；　offering　himself　to　each；　waiting　to　be　taken。
　
　As　he　turned；　he　looked　for　Kahlan；　thinking　to　take　her　with　him；　to　share　the　peace　with　her。　Memories　of　her　flamed　into　his　mind；　distracting　his　attention　even　though　the　whispers　told　him　to　ignore　them。　He　scanned　the　hillside；　peering　off　into　the　dark　rubble。　Faint　light　tinged　the　sky；　morning　materializing。　Black　voids　of　the　trees　ahead　stood　against　the　pale　pink　sky；　he　was　almost　to　the　end　of　the　slide。　He　didn't　see　Kahlan　anywhere。　The　shadows　whispered　insistently　to　him；　calling　his　name。　Memories　of　Kahlan　blazed　brightly　into　his　mind。　Sudden　choking　fear　flamed　up　inside　him；　burning　the　whispers　in　his　mind　to　ash。
　
　〃Kahlan！〃　he　screamed
　
　There　was　no　answer。
　
　Dark　hands；　dead　hands；　reached　for　him。　The　faces　of　the　shadows　wavered　like　vapors　rising　from　boiling　poison。　Gnarled　voices　called　his　name。　He　took　a　step　back；　away　from　them；　confused。
　
　〃Kahlan！〃　he　screamed　again。
　
　Hands　reached　for　him；　bringing　searing　pain　even　though　they　did　not　touch　him。　Again　he　took　a　step　back；　away　from　them；　but　this　time　the　dark　wall　was　there；　at　his　back。　The　hands　extended　up；　to　push　at　him。　He　looked　around　for　Kahlan；　bewildered。　This　time　the　pain　brought　him　fully　awake。　Terror　raced　through　him　as　he　realized　where　he　was　and　what　was　happening。
　
　And　then　his　anger　exploded。
　
　Heat　of　rage　from　the　magic　surged　through　him　as　the　sword；　came　free；　sweeping　in　an　arc　at　the　shadows。　The　ones　caught　by　the　blade　flared　into　nothingness；　the　smoke　of　their　form　spinning；　as　if　caught　in　a　vortex　of　wind；　before　ing　apart　with　a　howl。　More　came　at　him。　The　sword　flashed　through　them；　and　still　more　came；　as　if　there　were　no　end　to　their　numbers。　As　he　cut　them　down　on　one　side；　the　ones　on　the　other　side　would　reach　for　him；　the　pain　of　their　near　touch　burning　into　him　before　he　turned　with　the　sword。　Richard　wondered　for　an　instant　what　it　would　feel　like　if　they　were　able　to　finally　touch　him；　if　he　would　feel　the　pain　or　simply　be　dead　in　that　moment。　He　stepped　away　from　the　wall；　slashing　with　the　sword　as　he　did　so。　He　took　another　step　forward；　cutting　furiously　as　he　moved；　the　blade　whistling　as　he　swung　it。
　
　Richard　stood；　feet　dug　in；　destroying　the　shadows　as　fast　as　they　came。　His　arms　ached；　his　back　hurt；　his　head　；pounded。　Sweat　poured　from　his　face。　He　was　exhausted。　With　nowhere　to　run；　he　was　forced　to　stand　his　ground；　but　he　knew　he　couldn't　keep　this　up　forever。　Screams　and　howls　filled　the　night　air　as　the　shadows　seemed　to　fall　eagerly　on　his　sword。　A　knot　of　them　rushed　forward；　forcing　him　back　again　before　he　could　slash　through　them。　Again　the　dark　wall　came　up　at　his　back。　Black　forms　on　the　other　side　of　it　reached　for　him　while　giving　out　agonizing　cries。　Too　many　shadows　were　ing　at　once　to　allow　him　to　step　away　from　the　wall；　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　hold　where　he　was。　Pain　from　the　reaching　hands　was　wearing　him　down。　He　knew　that　if　they　came　at　him　fast　enough　and　in　enough　numbers；　he　would　be　pushed　through　the　wall；　into　the　underworld。　He　fought　on　numbly；　endlessly。
　
　Anger　was　giving　way　to　panic。　The　muscles　of　his　arms　burned　with　the　effort　of　swinging　the　sword。　It　seemed　the　shadows'　intent　was　simply　to　wear　him　down　with　their　numbers。　He　realized　that　he　had　been　right　not　to　use　the　sword　before；　that　it　would　bring　them　to　harm。　But　there　had　been　no　choice。　He　had　to　use　it　to　save　them。
　
　But　there　was　no　〃them；〃　he　realized；　Kahlan　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　It　was　only　him。　Swinging　the　sword；　he　wondered　if　it　had　been　like　this　for　her；　if　the　shadows　had　seduced　her　with　their　whispers；　and　touched　her；　forced　her　into　the　wall。　She　had　no　sword　to　protect　her；　that　was　what　he　had　said　he　would　do。　Fury　erupted　in　him　anew。　The　thought　of　Kahlan　being　taken　by　the　shadows；　by　the　underworld；　brought　the　rage　roaring　forth　again；　the　magic　of　the　Sword　of　Truth　rising　to　the　summons。　Richard　cut　through　the　shadows　with　renewed　vengeance。　Hatred；　flaming　into　white…hot　need；　took　him　ahead　through　the　forms；　swinging　the　sword　faster　than　they　could　e　forward　to　meet　it。　So　he　went　to　them。　Howls　of　their　end　joined　in　a　mass　cry　of　anguish。　Richard's　wrath　at　what　they　had　done　to　Kahlan　drove　him　forward　in　a　frenzy　of　violence。
　
　Without　his　realizing　it　at　first；　the　shadows　had　stopped　moving　and　instead　hovered　as　Richard　continued　down　the　path　between　the　walls；　s