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！
There was a pause as the Evocators whispered among themselves。 I did not know if this was the usual practice； but saw from Cassini's worried look it was not。 Finally Gamelan spoke。 〃There is one among you who is a stranger； but who was born from the womb of a daughter of Orissa。〃
〃I am that man； my lords；〃 Janos answered。 〃Janos； son of Kether； son of Prince Greycloak of Kostroma。〃
〃We have heard you have some interest in the Evocator's art。〃
Fear seized my heart。 What was the purpose of this question？ Who was spreading tales about my friend？ There seemed to be no safe answer。 Seers are all knowing； so if Janos denied it； he was impugning their power。 But if he admitted it； Halab's way might lie ahead。 〃It is true；〃 Janos answered swiftly； 〃I have a small talent； but none of it es from wizardry or witchcraft； I assure you。 As a soldier amongst the barbarian Lycanthians I was forced to rely on my own Orissan…blessed wits。 I have had some success with the boils and foot rot that afflicted my men。 And I once cured an arse wound inflicted on my sergeant。〃
I thought I heard stifled laughter amongst the Evocators。 But it must have been my nervous imagination； for was not laughter unseemly amongst such an exalted group？ 〃Once I kissed Orissa's gates；〃 Janos continued； 〃I quickly threw away what little I had learned。 I believe that even the curing of boils is foolhardy without professional counsel。 And when I learned just moments ago that one of the most skillful young Evocators in all the realm was to acpany us on our journey； I immediately promised a fat lamb for the god who chose to smile on us。〃
I could almost feel Cassini preen； his ego spreading like a peacock in its mating dance。 From the nods amongst the Evocators I could see that Janos' answer had found favor。 〃Very well； then；〃 Gameian said when the whispering had ceased。 〃The time has e to cast the bones。 Are you ready； Amalric Emilie Antero？〃
〃I am ready； my lords；〃 I answered。
Jeneander stepped up to me and opened an ornate box。 It was divided into two partments。 On one side were two thick chunks of what appeared to be the thigh of some creature。 On the other were the fragments of a human skull。 But which to choose first？ My hand hesitated； then some power seized it and drew it to the left。 I took the thigh bones from the box。 I clutched them in my right fist； and with my left struck my breast five times as I intoned； 〃Oh； great Lord Te…Date…god and protector of all wayfarers…I summon thy vision for our holy quest to the Far Kingdoms。〃 I tossed the bones into the golden circle。 Then I drew out the skull fragments； struck my breast thrice more； and pleted the incantation。 〃Bless us great Lord Te…Date with thy wisdom。 And in these bones reveal our fates。〃 The fragments gave up a dry rattle as I cast them beside the others。
A silence followed that knows no equal in the world of men。 A cold darkness crept in until only the glowing circle could be seen； but my scalp prickled and burned as if I were near a great heat。 My tongue grew as dry as lizard scales； and my eyes became hot； tearless holes。 The thigh 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 sti