Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy) 第10部分

itmadeasoundliketensofparrotsscreeching,anoisethatburstintotheairandwoveitselfintothewind,echoingfromthecliffs,multiplyingintothescreamofathousandbirds.

sabrielstilledthebellatonceandputitaway,buttheechoesracedacrossthevalley,andsheknewthethingbehindherhadheard.shefeltitfixitsattentiononwhereshewasandshefeltitquickenitspace,likewatchingthemusclesonaracehorsegoingfromthewalktoagallop.itwascomingupthestepsatleastfourorfiveatatime.shefelttherushofitinherheadandthefearrisinginheratequalpace,butshestillwenttothepathandlookeddown,drawingherswordasshedidso.

there,betweengustsofsnow,shesawafigureleapingfromsteptostep;impossibleleaps,thatateupthedistancebetweenthemwithhorribleappetite.itwasmanlike,morethanman-high,andflamesranlikeburningoilonwaterwhereittrod.sabrielcriedoutasshesawit,andfeltthedeadspiritwithin.thebookofthedeadopenedtofearfulpagesinhermemory,anddescriptionsofevilpouredintoherhead.itwasamordicantthathuntedher—athingthatcouldpassatwillthroughlifeanddeath,itsbodyofbog-clayandhumanbloodmoldedandinfusedwithfreemagicbyanecromancer,andadeadspiritplacedinsideasitsguidingforce.

sabrielhadbanishedamordicantonce,butthathadbeenfortymilesfromthewall,inancelstierre,andithadbeenweak,alreadyfading.

thisonewasstrong,fiery,new-born.itwouldkillher,shesuddenlyknew,andsubjugateherspirit.allherplansanddreams,herhopesandcourage,felloutofhertobereplacedbypure,unthinkingpanic.sheturnedtooneside,thentheother,likearabbitrunningfromadog,buttheonlywaydownwasthepathandthemordicantwasonlyahundredyardsbelow,closingwitheveryblink,witheveryfallingsnowflake.flameswerespewingfromitsmouth,anditthrustitspointedheadbackandhowledasitran,ahowllikethelastshoutofsomeonefallingtotheirdeath,underlaidwiththesquealoffingernailsonglass.

sabriel,ascreamsomehowstuckandchokinginherthroat,turnedtothecliff,hammeringonitwiththepommelofhersword.

“open!open!”shescreamed,aschartermarksracedthroughherbrain—butnottherightonesforforcingadoor,aspellshe’dlearnedinthesecondform.sheknewitlikesheknewhertimestables,butthechartermarksjustwouldn’tcome,andwhywastwelvetimestwelvestickinginherheadwhenshewantedchartermarks...

theechoesfrommosraelfaded,andinthatsilence,thepommelstruckonsomethingthatthuddedhollowly,ratherthanthrowingsparksandjarringherhand.somethingwooden,somethingthathadn’tbeentherebefore.adoor,tallandstrangelynarrow,itsdarkoaklinedwithsilverchartermarksdancingthroughthegrain.anironring,exactlyathandheight,touchedsabriel’ship.

sabrieldroppedherswordwithagasp,grabbedthering,andpulled.nothinghappened.

sabrieltuggedagain,half-turningtolookoverhershoulder,almostcringingatwhatshewouldsee.

themordicantturnedthelastcorneranditseyesmethers.sabrielshutthem,unabletobearthehatredandbloodlustglowinginitsgazelikeapokerlefttoolongintheforge.ithowledagainandalmostfloweduptheremainingsteps,flamesdrippingfromitsmouth,clawsandfeet.

sabriel,eyesstillclosed,pushedonthering.

thedoorflewopenandshefellin,crashingtothegroundinaflurryofsnow,eyessnappingopen.desperately,shetwistedherselfaroundontheground,ignoringthepaininherkneesandhands.reachingbackoutside,shesnaggedthehiltofherswordandsnatcheditin.

asthebladeclearedthedoorway,themordicantreachedit,andtwistingitselfside-waystopassthenarrowportal,thrustanarminside.flamesboiledfromitsgrey-greenflesh,likebeadsofsweat,andsmallplumesofblacksmokespiraledfromtheflames,bringingwiththemastenchlikeburninghair.

sabriel,sprawleddefenselessonthefloor,couldonlystareinterrorasthething’sfour-talonedhandslowlyopenedandreachedoutforher.

chaptervii

butthehanddidn’tclose;thetalonsfailedtorenddefenselessflesh.

instead,sabrielfeltasuddensurgeofchartermagicandchartermarksflaredaroundthedoor,blazingsobrightlythattheyleftredafter-imagesatthebackofhereyes,blackdotsdancingacrosshervision.

blinking,shesawamanstepoutfromthestonesofthewall,atallandobviouslystrongman,withalongswordthetwinofsabriel’sown.

thisswordcamewhistlingdownonthemordicant’sarm,bitingoutachunkofburningmarsh-rottenflesh.rebounding,theswordflickedbackagain,andhewedanotherslice,likeanaxemansendingchipsflyingfromatree.

themordicanthowled,moreinangerthaninpain—butitwithdrewthearmandthestrangerthrewhimselfagainstthedoor,slammingitshutwiththefullweightofhismail-cladbody.

curiouslyformail,itmadenosound,nojanglingfromtheflowofhundredsofsteellinks.astrangebodyunderittoo,sabrielsaw,astheblackdotsandtheredwashfaded,revealingthatherrescuerwasn’thumanatall.hehadseemedsolidenough,buteverysquareinchofhimwasdefinedbytiny,constantlymovingchartermarks,andsabrielcouldseenothingbetweenthembutemptyair.

he...itwasacharter-ghost,asending.

outside,themordicanthowledagain,likeasteamtrainventingpressure,thenthewholecorridorshookandhingesscreechedinprotestasthethingthrewitselfagainstthedoor.woodsplinteredandcloudsofthickgreydustfellfromtheceiling,mockingthefallingsnowoutside.

thesendingturnedtofacesabrielandoffereditshandtohelpherup.sabrieltookit,lookingupatitashertired,frozenlegsstruggledtomakeatenth-roundcomeback.closeto,theillusionoffleshwasimperfect,fluidandunsettling.itsfacewouldn’tstayfixed,migratingbetweenscoresofpossibilities.somewerewomen,someweremen—butallboretough,competentvisages.itsbodyandclothingchangedslightly,too,witheveryface,buttwodetailsalwaysremainedthesame;ablacksurcoatwiththeblazonofasilverkey,andalongswordredolentwithchartermagic.

“thankyou,”sabrielsaidnervously,flinchingasthemordicantpoundedthedooragain.

“can...doyouthinkthat...willitgetthrough?”

thesendingnoddedgrimly,andletgoherhandtopointupthelongcorridor,butitdidnotspeak.

sabrielturnedherheadtofollowitspointinghandandsawadarkpassagethatroseupintodarkness.chartermarksilluminatedwheretheystood,butfadedonlyalittlewayon.despitethis,thedarknessseemedfriendly,andshecouldalmosttastethecharter-spellsthatrodeonthecorridor’sdustyair.

“imustgoon?”askedsabriel,asitpointedagain,moreurgently.thesendingnodded,andflappeditshandbackwardsandforwards,indicatinghaste.behindhim,anothercrashingblowcausedanothergreatbillowofdust,andthedoorsoundedasifitwasweakening.onceagain,thevile,burntsmellofthemordicantwaftedthroughtheair.

thedoorkeeperwrinkleditsnoseandgavesabrielabitofapushintherightdirection,likeaparenturgingareluctantchildtopresson.butsabrielneedednourging.herfearwasstillburninginher.momentarilyextinguishedbytherescue,thesmellofthemordicantwasallitneededtoblazeagain.shesetherfaceupwardsandstartedtowalkquickly,intothepassage.

shelookedbackafterafewyards,toseethedoorkeeperwaitingnearthedoor,itsswordattheguardposition.beyondit,thedoorwasbulgingin,iron-boundplanksbursting,breakingaroundaholeasbigasadinnerplate.

themordicantreachedinandbrokeoffmoreplanks,aseasilyasitmightsnaptoothpicks.itwasobviouslyfuriousthatitspreywasgettingaway,foritburnedallovernow.yellow-redflamesvomitedfromitsmouthinaviletorrent,andblacksmokeroselikeasecondshadowaroundit,eddyingincrazycirclesasithowled.

sabriellookedaway,settingoffatafastwalk,butthewalkgrewfasterandfaster,becameajogandthenarun.herfeetpoundedonthestone,butitwasn’tuntilshewasalmostsprinting,thatsherealizedwhyshecould—herpackandskiswerestillbackatthelowerdoor.foramoment,shewasstruckwithanervousinclinationtogoback,butitpassedbeforeitevenbecameconsciousthought.evenso,herhandscheckedscabbardandbandolier,andgainedreassurancefromthecoolmetalofswordhiltandthehandsmoothedwoodofthebellhandles.

itwaslighttoo,sherealizedassheran.chartermarksraninthestone,keepingpacewithher.

chartermarksforlightandforfleetness,andformanyotherthingsshedidn’tknow.strangemarksandmanyofthem—somanythatsabrielwonderedhowshecouldhaveeverthoughtthatafirstinmagicfromanancelstierranschoolwouldmakeheragreatmageintheoldkingdom.fearandrealizationofignorancewerestrongmedicinesagainststupidpride.

anotherhowlcameracingupthepassageandechoedonwards,accompaniedbymanycrashes,andthudsorclangsofsteelstrikingsupernaturalflesh,orricochetingoffstone.

sabrieldidn’tneedtolookbacktoknowthemordicanthadbrokenthroughthedoorandwasnowfightingthedoorkeeper—orpushingpasthim.sabrielknewlittleofsuchsendings,butacommonfailingwiththesentinelvarietywasaninabilitytoleavetheirpost.oncethecreaturegotafewfeetpastthedoorkeeper,thesendingwouldbeuseless—andonegreatchargewouldsoongetthemordicantpast.

thatthoughtgaveheranotherburstofspeed,butsabrielknewthatitwasthelast.herbody,pushedbyfearandweakenedbycoldandexertion,wasontheedgeoffailure.herlegsfeltstiff,musclesreadytocramp,andherlungsseemedtobubblewithfluidratherthanair.

ahead,thecorridorseemedtogoonandon,slopingeverupwards.butthelightonlyshonewheresabrielran,soperhapstheexitmightnotbetoofarahead,perhapsjustpastthenextlittlepatchofdarkness...

evenasthisthoughtpassedthroughhermind,sabrielsawaglowthatsharpenedintothebrighttracingofadoorway.shehalfgasped,halfcriedout,bothslighthumannoisesdrownedoutbytheunholy,inhumanscreechofthemordicant.itwaspastthedoorkeeper.

atthesametime,sabrielbecameawareofanewsoundahead,asoundshehadinitiallythoughtwasthethrobofbloodinherears,thepoundingofaracingheart.butitwasoutside,beyondtheupperdoor.adeep,roaringnoise,solowitwasalmostavibration,ashudderthatshefeltthroughthefloor,ratherthanheard.

heavytruckspassingonaroadabove,sabrielthought,beforerememberingwhereshewas.inthatsameinstant,sherecognizedthesound.

somewhereahead,outoftheseencirclingcliffs,agreatwaterfallwascrashingdown.andawaterfallthatmadesogreatasoundmustbefedbyanequallygreatriver.

runningwater!theprospectofitfueledsabrielwithsuddenhope,andwiththathopecamethestrengthshethoughtbeyondher.inawildspurtofspeed,shealmosthitthedoor,handsslappingagainstthewood,slowingfortheinstantsheneededtofindthehandleorring.

butanotherhandwasalreadyontheringwhenshetouchedit,thoughnonehadbeenthereasecondbefore.again,chartermarksdefinedthishand,andsabrielcouldseethegrainofthewoodandtheblueingofthesteelthroughthepalmofanothersending.

thisonewassmaller,ofindeterminatesex,foritwaswearingahabitlikeamonk’s,withthehooddrawnacrossitshead.thehabitwasblackandboretheemblemofthesilverkeyfrontandback.

itbowed,andturnedthering.thedoorswungopen,torevealbrightstarlightshiningdownbetweencloudsfleeingthenewlyrisenwind.thenoiseofthewaterfallroaredthroughtheopendoorway,accompaniedbyflecksofflyingspray.

withoutthinking,sabrielsteppedout.