按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
bones moved。 They rose from the floor； and the sound of their scraping against the stone injured my ears with unnatural loudness。 They hovered for a moment； then moved slowly together until they touched。 At the click of their touching； red smoke and sulphur clouds erupted。 An unreasoning terror gripped me； and I wanted to flee； but a great force held me。 The cloud swirled and sparked and took form。 A great beast emerged from the cloud； snarling and roaring and rattling its talons。 It towered over us on two massive legs； lashing its sharp…spined tail。 The beast was horned； with fiery red eyes and blood…dripping teeth the size of my forearm。 Its scales were the green of a corpse from the river。 The demon turned mis way and that； looking for its enemy。 It spied me。 As I looked in those eyes I thought I had never seen such evil。
It shrieked and leaped forward； and I heard a long gasp in the chamber as it bounded over the barrier of the gold circle。 Once again I tried to bolt； but I was as pinioned as a victim staked for sacrifice。 The demon's jaws gaped； and I was nearly overe by a hot breath that smelled of all the dead and foul things of this world and others beyond。 The beast leaned forward to take me with those massive teeth。 Suddenly there came a heavy drumming boom that thundered through the Evocators' cavern。 The demon stopped。 I was inches from death。 The boom sounded again； jarring my bones。
The beast turned； its horned head arcing back toward the golden circle。 I saw the head jolt as the beast spotted something。 It gave a shriek that turned the air white hot。 It leaped forward； taloned paws ing up to do battle； and I could finally see its enemy。 A naked； unarmed man stood where I had cast the skull fragments。 But he was like no manner of man I had seen before…or since。 He was not tall； but thick and powerfully built； with stubbed columns for legs and arms。 His chest and back were densely pelted； and his face was a jot of heavy beard。 His jaw was slung forward and dark holes for eyes glared from under a sloping brow； armored with bone。 The man roared at the demon and stamped a foot upon the stone。 Boom。 The chamber shuddered。 He slammed down the other foot Boom。 Again and again came the challenge。 Boom。 Boom。 Boom。 All three of us knew our hopes rested upon that naked； weaponless man。
He leaped to meet the demon's charge and gave it a blow with his fist that rocked the room。 The beast staggered backward； and the man bared yellow fangs and braced to jump for its throat。 A groan burst from my lips as the demon spewed fire and smoke from its mouth； blinding our champion。 The man stumbled and the demon was on him； teeth crunching bone。 The beast gripped the man between its jaws； shook his body in a shower of gore； then hurled the corpse to the stone。 The demon lifted its horned head and trumpeted conquest。 As my ears rang with the sound of its awful joy； I knew our dreams of the Far Kingdom had been dashed。
My heart surged into my throat as I saw the corpse of our champion e to life。 The naked man rolled to his feet There was not a sign of a wound upon his flesh。 He stamped once； and the boom rocked us again。 The demon jolted； fanged jaw gaping in surprise。 Then it recovered and lashed out with its sharp…spined tail。 But our champion hurdled the blow and struck the demon in the chest。 There was a loud； dry crack of bone collapsing； and the demon howled in agony。 The man bounded upward and gripped the beast by the neck。 He wrapped those columned arms about the demon and gave a mighty wrench。 There was a scream and snap； and the man leaped away as the demon tumbled to the floor。 Our champion turned to us。 Raised his hands high in victory and gave out a great bellow。 There came a rush of white； sweet…smelling smoke 。。。 and he was gone。
The smoke parted and became a window to a distant place。 The image took my breath away。 I saw green forest； silver streams； and a rugged plain the color of mustard in bloom。 Beyond that； hunched upon the horizon； was a mountain range。 It sat upon the land like a big…knuckled fist。 There were four squat peaks in the range； with a curved fifth that made the clenched thumb。 The peaks were of black volcanic rock； dusted with snow。 Snow drifts picked out each digit of the fist。 The valley between the thumb and forefinger rose smoothly upward…passage through that black range。
A passage to 。。。 my thought was pleted by Janos' whisper of awe 。。。〃。。。 the Far Kingdoms。〃 I was uplifted by that truth。 I was light as a kite and yearned to fly to that distant land and see for myself。 A land no one in the known world had walked before。
A shriek rent the image； and it was gone。 I gaped as I saw the demon rise； unblemished and strong as before。 Across from it stood the naked man。 He stamped his booming challenge； the demon roared its return； and they charged across the circle at one another。 But before the batants could meet； they vanished。 The golden circle was empty。
I blinked as the black gloom was swept away。 I turned to look at Janos。 His face was bloodless above the beard； but his eyes were alive with inner fire。 He looked at me as if to speak； then shook his head。 Cassini stirred beside me。 I turned and our eyes met。 His were as alive as Janos'； but it was greed and ambition that fired them。 I'm not sure I realized that then。 Perhaps I am coloring my memory。 I do remember I felt joy 。。。 and uneasiness。
〃Praise be Te…Date；〃 Gamelan said； from across the chamber； 〃protector of the weary traveler。〃
〃Praise be Te…Date；〃 we all murmured in return。
〃The omen is clear；〃 Gamelan said。 〃Your expedition has equal chance of success or failure。〃
〃But at least we know the goal is worthy； holy one；〃 Cassini said。 It was his right as our Evocator to reply。 〃The omen portended the Far Kingdoms lie just beyond the black mountains that look like a fist。〃
〃Do not let your wishes cloud your reasoning powers； young brother；〃 Gamelan admonished。 〃The vision was of mountains… not of what lies beyond。〃 Cassini hesitated and I feared in that pause our chance might be lost。 The omen said neither yea nor nay。 The final decision still rested with the Council of Evocators。
〃May I speak； lords？〃 Janos asked。 Gamelan nodded； giving him permission。 〃You say there is grave danger ahead； with the oute of the expedition in doubt？〃
〃So speaks the omen；〃 Gamelan agreed。
〃But was there any danger for Orissa？ Will anyone be threatened； or suffer if we fail？〃
〃Only your families；〃 Gamelan said。 〃For failure will mean certain death。 In that； the omen was plain。〃
〃Every man here is willing to risk it； my lords；〃 I broke in。 〃In our hearts we all know great glory can e of this。 Glory for our dear Orissa…flower of all the civilized world。〃
The Evocators considered at length； then exchanged a few whispers。 Finally； Gamelan turned to us。 〃Permission is granted；〃 he said。 〃All praise Te…Date。〃
〃All praise Te…Date。〃 Our reply was a shout。 In my mind the image rose of the fisted mountains and the snowy passage that led through them。 And for a moment I thought I saw a glimmer。 Just a flash of golden light where the thumb and forefinger met。 A flash where the Far Kingdoms awaited。
CHAPTER SIX
Lycanth
THE GODS SHOULD have set the scene more carefully： the day was sunny； the cloudless sky a soft blue； and a gentle breeze； tangy with salt； blew off the sea below us。 Against this gentle backdrop rose Lycanth； a most inappropriate city to see on such a day。 The weather should have been dark； with storm clouds scudding across the sky。 An icy wind should have keened like lost souls； and the sea should have been a gray and white maelstrom。 This was the nightmare panoply that Lycanth deserved。
It has changed much since then； so let me describe it thoroughly。 Lycanth was built at the end of a peninsula； a peninsula whose tip hooks like a crooked finger。 In that crook is one of the greatest deep…water harbors known。 I heard a sage say the peninsula once had a volcano at its end； when it erupted； aeons before man broke his chains and escaped from Godhome to settle the earth； fire fought with water； but the sea； as always； was the victor。 The harbor is the crater of that volcano； a volcano many Orissans wish would return to life； because Lycanth has been the cause of many deaths and sorrow for our city。 The crater is steeply cliffed； and there is but one way down from the peninsula to the harbor…a gently shelving passage that might be a lava slide that solidified。 The passage has been smoothed by man and time until it is as regular as a sculpted ramp。 Around the harbor and down the peninsula's neck； the men who became known as Lycanthians built their city。
The peninsula is narrow； so where we built Orissa as a sprawl across rolling hills； the Lycanthians built upward； and tall buildings stretched toward the sky…buildings that looked to have been carved from a single stone by a dark giant The sun would shine for only a few moments each day in the streets below the buildings。 Janos had told me these buildings were warrens； crowded with apartments and workplaces。 The higher the floor； the more expensive the dwelling。 But the eye barely noted these stone towers at first。 It was drawn to the brooding sea castle at the tip of the peninsula。 From here the two Priest…Kings of Lycanth； the Archons； ruled…together with their council of sorcerers。 In that castle were their treasure vaults and； far below； Lycanth's dripping dungeons and torture chambers。
The castle appeared impregnable。 But it had been taken once； a battle that began in treachery and at night； and ended in fire and sword。 It had fallen to Orissa twenty years before I was born in the final battle of the Second War of the Cities； when we regained our freedom from the occupiers whose heavy heel had been at our throats for five generations。 Once the victory was in hand； however； instead of obliterating Lycanth and all Lycanthians from this world； we made an honorable peace。 Our Magistrates reasoned that were there no Lycanth； another power could well rise up； one just as likely to be hostile。 Or else； if unoccupied； the cursed land could provide a footing for anarchy。 We were also unwilling to hold Lycanth as a vassal state…there is little profit in a garrisoned and hostile land。 That was why the sea castle still loomed on its promontory。 If the city was to be allowed to stand； mon humanity and dignity before the gods required Lycanth to be able to defend itself against the pirates that swarmed the Narrow Sea。 All we required was reparations for the damage done to Orissa； sacrifices to the ghosts of those killed during the two wars； and death gifts made to their survivors。 There was one other requirement： a permanent reminder of their error in considering Orissa a city of fat merchants and powerless gods。 So we ordered the destruction of the immense wall they'd built across the neck of the peninsula。 We forced the secrets of the wall's protective spells from the sorcerers； and our mightiest Evocators bined powers in a massive enchantment of dissolution and decay。 Their purification before undertaking the ritual filled more than a year； and the Spell Saying itself occupied a month。 Three Evocators died in the enchanting； and even when it was finished； legions of Lycanthian war prisoners were required to clear the rubble； and in some cases topple still…standing stones。
As we drew closer to Lycanth； Eanes beckoned to me。 I cantered back to him。 Eanes； along with Sergeant Maeen and the ten guardsmen who'd volunteered to acpany Janos on my Finding； rode in a great ox…drawn charabanc； together with our baggage and the chests that contained our gold and silver。 Janos； Cassini； and I were on horseback。
〃Why；〃 Eanes wondered； pointing at the still…blasted barrens where the wall had stood； 〃don't the Lycanthians build out here； now that their great battlement's been turned into anchor weights？ Or are they afraid of forest spirits？〃
〃A good question； my friend；〃 Janos said。 〃And there is a reason。 Lycanth thinks it is shameful that their wall was torn down； and I have heard men growl that one day the wall will rise once more。 So the statute limitations go no farther than this barrenness and no Lycanthian will build beyond； for fear he might be thought to approve o