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！
like the immensity of the rocklit cavern…like the continual； adumbrated weight of the waterfall…like the echoes…like the deathless stability of Melenkurion Skyweir。 It reduced his restless consciousness to the scale of mere brief flesh。
It was the smell of Earthpower。
He could not stand it。 He was on his knees before it； with his forehead pressed against the cold stone and his hands clasped over the back of his neck。
Then he heard a low； flaring noise as Elena lit the Staff of Law。 Slowly； he raised his head。 The sting of the air filled his eyes with tears； but he blinked at them； and looked about him。
He was in a tunnel which ran straight and lightless away from the falls。 Down its center…out of the distance and into the falls…flowed a small stream less than a yard wide。 Even in the Staffs blue light； the fluid of this stream was as red as fresh blood。 This was the source of the smell…the source of Earthroot's dangerous potency。 He could see its concentrated might。
He pushed to his feet； scrambled toward the tunnel wall； he wanted to get as far as possible from the stream。 His boots slipped on the black stone floor as if it were glazed with ice。 He had to struggle to keep his balance。 But he reached the wall； pressed himself against it。 Then he looked toward Elena。
She was gazing as if with bated breath down the tunnel。 A rapt； exultant expression filled her face； and she seemed taller； elevated in stature by her grasp on the Staff of Law…as if the Staffs flame fed a fire within her； a blaze like a vision of victory。 She looked like a priestess； an enactor of hallowed and effective rites； approaching the occult ground of her strength。 The very gaps of her elsewhere gaze were crowded with exalted and savage possibilities。 They made Covenant forget the unfortable power of the air； forget the tears which ran from his eyes like weeping； and step forward to warn her。
At once； he lost his footing； barely managed to avoid a fall。 Before he could try again； he heard Amok say； 〃e。 The end is at hand。〃 The youth's
speech sounded as spectral as an invocation of the dead； and High Lord Elena started down the tunnel in answer to his summons。 Quickly Covenant looked around； found Bannor behind him。 He caught hold of Bannor's arm as if he meant to demand； Stop her！ Don't you see what she's going to do？ But he could not say it； he had made a bargain。 Instead； he thrust away； tried to hurry after Elena。
He could find no purchase for his feet。 His boots skidded off the stone； he seemed to have lost his sense of balance。 But he scrabbled grimly onward。 With an intense effort of will； he relaxed the force of his strides； pushed less sharply against the ground。 As a result； he gained some control over his movements； contrived to keep pace with the High Lord。
But he could not catch her。 And he could not watch where she was going； his steps required too much concentration。 He did not look up until the assailing odor took a leap which almost reduced him to his knees again。 Tears flooded his eyes so heavily that they felt irretrievably blurred； bereft of focus。 But the smell told him that he had reached the spring of the red stream。
Through his tears； he could see Elena's flame guttering。
He squeezed the water out of his eyes； gained a moment in which to make out his surroundings。 He stood behind Elena in a wider cave at the tunnel's end。 Before him； set into the black stone end…wall like an exposed lode…facet； was a rough； sloping plane of wet rock。 This whole plane shimmered； its emanations distorted his ineffectual vision； gave him the impression that he was staring at a mirage； a wavering in the solid stuff of existence。 It confronted him like a porous membrane in the foundation of time and space。 From top to bottom； it bled moisture which dripped down the slope； collected in a rude trough； and flowed away along the center of the tunnel。
〃Behold；〃 Amok said quietly。 〃Behold the Blood of the Earth。 Here I fulfill the purpose of my creation。 I am the Seventh Ward of High Lord Kevin's Lore。 The power to which I am the way and the door is here。〃
As he spoke； his voice deepened and emptied； grew older。 The weary burden of his years bent his shoulders。 When he continued； he seemed conscious of a need for haste； a need to speak before his old immunity to time ran out。
〃High Lord； attend。 The air of this place unbinds me。 I must plete my purpose now。〃
〃Then speak； Amok；〃 she replied。 〃I hear you。〃
〃Ah； hear；〃 said Amok in a sad； musing tone； as if her answer had dropped him into a reverie。 〃Where is the good of hearing； if it is not done wisely？〃 Then he recollected himself。 In a stronger voice； he said； 〃But hear； then； for good or ill。 I fulfill the law of my creation。 My maker can require no more of me。
〃High Lord； behold the Blood of the Earth。 This is the passionate and essential ichor of the mountain rock…the Earthpower which raises and holds peaks high。 It bleeds here…perhaps because the great weight of Melenkurion Skyweir squeezes it from the dense rock…or perhaps because the mountain is willing to lay bare its heart's…blood for those who need and can find it。 Whatever the cause； its result remains。 Any soul who drinks of the EarthBlood gains the Power of mand。〃
He met her intense gaze； and went on； 〃This Power is rare and potent…and full of hazard。 Once it has been taken in from the Blood； it must be used swiftly …lest its strength destroy the drinker。 And none can endure more than a single draft…no mortal thew and bone can endure more than a single swallow of the Blood。 It is too rare a fluid for any cup of flesh to hold。
〃Yet such hazards do not explain why High Lord Kevin himself did not essay the Power of mand。 For this Power is the power to achieve any desired act…to issue any mand to the stone and soil and grass and wood and water and flesh of life； and see that mand fulfilled。 If any drinker were to say to Melenkurion Skyweir； ‘Crumble and fall；' the great peaks would instantly obey。 If any drinker were to say to the Fire…Lions of Mount Thunder； ‘Leave your bare slopes； attack and lay waste Ridjeck Thome；'
they would at once strive with all their strength to obey。 This Power can achieve anything which lies within the scope of the manded。 Yet High Lord Kevin did not avail himself of it。
〃I do not know all the purposes which guided his heart when he chose to leave the EarthBlood untasted。 But I must explain if I can the deeper hazards of the Power of mand。〃
Amok spoke in a tone of deepening； spectral hollowness； and Covenant listened desperately； as if he were clinging with raw； bruised fingers to the precipice of Amok's words。 Hot things hammered in his veins； and tears like rivulets of fire ran unstanchably down his sweating cheeks。 He felt that he was suffocating on the smell of EarthBlood。 His ring itched horribly。 He could not keep his balance； his footing constantly oozed from under him。 Yet his perceptions went beyond all this。 His flooded senses stretched as if they were at last thrusting their heads above water。 As Amok spoke of deeper hazards； Covenant became aware of a new implication in the cave。
Through the brunt of the Blood； he began to smell something wrong； something ill。 It crept insidiously across the whelming odor like an oblique defiance which seemed to succeed in spite of the immense force which it opposed； undercut； betrayed。 But he could not locate its source。 Either the Power of mand itself was in some way false； or the wrong was elsewhere； making itself apparent slowly through the dense air。 He could not tell which。
No one else appeared to notice the subtle reek of ill。 After a short； tired pause； Amok continued his explication。
〃The first of these hazards…first； but perhaps not foremost…is the one great limit of the Power。 It holds no sway over anything which is not a natural part of the Earth's creation。 Thus it is not possible to mand the Despiser to cease his warring。 It is not possible to mand his death。 He lived before the arch of Time was forged…the Power cannot pel him。
〃This alone might have given Kevin pause。 Perhaps he did not drink of the Blood because he could not
conceive how to levy any mand against the Despiser。 But there is another and subtler hazard。 Here any soul with the courage to drink may give a mand…but there are few who can foresee the oute of what they have enacted。 When such immeasurable force is unleashed upon the Earth； any acplishment may recoil upon its acplisher。 If a drinker were to mand the destruction of the Illearth Stone； perhaps the Stone's evil would survive uncontained to blight the whole Land。 Here the drinker who is not also a prophet risks self…betrayal。 Here are possibilities of Desecration which even High Lord Kevin in his despair left slumbering and untouched。〃
The stench of wrong grew in Covenant's nostrils； but still he could not identify it。 And he could not concentrate on it； he had a question which he fevered to ask Amok。 But the tenebrous atmosphere clogged his throat； stifled him。
While Covenant struggled for breath； something happened to Amok。 During his speech； his tone had bee older and more cadaverous。 And now； in the pause after his last sentence； he suddenly lurched as if some tau