tg.stone of tears-第129章

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　‘Richard！’　Chase　was　screaming。　‘Don’t　go　in　there！　Don’t　go　in　there！　Zedd　needs　you！　The　veil　is　torn！　Richard！’
　
　Chase　suddenly　drew　the　horse　to　a　skidding　stop。　Richard　took　slow；　backward　steps　as　he　watched　the　illusion。　Chase　had　gone　calm；　and　was　no　longer　screaming。　With　Rachel　in　his　arms　he　dismounted；　looking　about　in　wonder。　The　dust　was　passing　between　them　again；　and　Richard　was　having　difficulty　seeing　his　old　friend。　Chase　set　Rachel　down　and　took　her　hand　as　they　both　turned　about；　staring　off　at　nothing。　Richard　thought　that　an　odd　thing　for　a　vision　to　do；　but　then　decided　it　must　just　be　a　way　of　trying　to　entice　him　to　go　see　what　they　were　looking　at。
　
　Richard　turned　to　the　Sister　as　she　called　his　name。　‘e　on；　or　I’ll　make　you　wish　I　had　left　you　here！　You　mustn’t　stop！’　She　surveyed　each　side　as　she　moved　ahead。　This　opening　is　closing　around　us。　Hurry；　before　we’re　trapped。’
　
　Richard　glanced　behind。　The　vision　was　disappearing　beyond　the　swirling　darkness。　Chase　and　Rachel　appeared　to　be　walking　off　toward　something。　The　roiling　clouds　passed　between　Richard　and　the　vision　of　his　friends；　and　they　were　gone。
　
　Richard　trotted　to　catch　up　with　Sister　Verna。　He　wondered　at　the　reason　for　such　an　odd　vision。　Why　would　the　magic　pick　those　two　from　his　mind　to　tempt　him？　They　had　seemed　so　real。　It　had　felt　as　if　he　could　have　reached　out　and　touched　the　two　of　them。　Perhaps　the　magic　was　trying　to　seduce　him　in　to　following　someone　he　trusted　with　his　life。　But　it　had　seemed　so　real；　Chase　had　looked　so　desperate。
　
　He　cautioned　himself　to　pay　attention。　Of　course　it　seemed　real　to　him。　That　was　the　whole　purpose　of　the　magic：　to　appear　real　in　order　to　fool　you；　to　draw　you　in。　It　wouldn’t　be　very　effective　magic　if　it　didn’t　seem　real。
　
　Richard　put　a　hand　to　Jessup’s　flanks　as　he　came　up　behind　him；　to　let　him　know　he　was　there　and　keep　from　startling　him。　He　ran　the　hand　along　the　length　of　the　muscular　horse　as　he　trotted　by；　pulling　Bonnie　and　Geraldine　along　by　their　lines　in　his　other　hand。
　
　Richard　gave　Jessup　a　pat　on　the　neck　as　he　went　past。　Jessup　dropped　his　head　and　once　again　browsed　at　grass　that　wasn’t　there；　his　lead　line　dragging　the　ground。　Richard　froze　in　his　tracks。
　
　Sister　Verna　was　gone。
　
　Lightning　exploded　in　every　direction　with　deafening　noise。　A　bolt　blasted　the　ground　at　his　feet。　He　leapt　to　the　side　to　avoid　the　next　strike。　His　hair　seemed　to　stand　on　end　as　the　lightning　hit。　He　could　feel　the　searing　heat。　His　vision　was　laced　with　blue…white　afterimages　of　the　jagged　flashes。
　
　Richard　screamed　out　the　Sister’s　name　as　he　gathered　up　the　lead　lines；　pulling　the　horses　on　as　he　frantically　scanned　about。　The　lightning　seemed　to　follow　him；　striking　the　ground　repeatedly　where　seconds　ago　he　had　been。
　
　Balls　of　flame　ignited　in　the　air；　shrieking　as　they　came　apart。　It　seemed　as　if　the　very　air　burned。　The　wail　of　the　fire　was　everywhere。　Richard　ran　toward　the　gaps　left　after　each　dissipated；　dodging　the　lightning　and　the　flames；　covering　his　head　with　a　hand；　even　though　he　knew　that　if　the　magic　hit　him；　that　hand　wouldn’t　save　him。　The　cacophony　seemed　enough　to　drive　a　person　mad。　The　dark　dust　clouds　prevented　him　from　seeing　anything；　if　indeed　there　was　anything　to　see。　He　ran　on；　heedless　of　direction；　just　trying　to　avoid　the　blue　bolts　and　yellow　flames。
　
　Abruptly；　the　corner　of　white；　polished　marble　walls　loomed　up　before　him。　Lurching　to　a　panting　halt；　he　looked　up；　but　couldn’t　see　the　top；　it　disappeared　into　the　dark　cloud　above。　A　strike　that　was　too　close　for　fort　started　him　running　again；　pulling　the　three　horses　behind。　The　middle　of　the　wall　had　an　arched　opening　in　it。　Rounding　the　corner；　he　found　that　that　wall；　too；　held　an　arched　opening。
　
　As　he　ran；　he　counted。　Each　of　the　five　sides　of　the　structure　was　about　thirty　strides。　In　the　center　of　each　wall　was　an　arched　opening　six　strides　wide；　and　about　as　tall。　He　stopped；　catching　his　breath；　outside　one　of　the　openings。　It　was　empty　inside；　and　through　the　opening　he　could　see　each　arch　in　the　other　walls。
　
　Lightning　hammered　the　ground；　flinging　dirt　into　the　air。　He　threw　his　arms　up　in　front　of　his　face。　The　strikes　marched　toward　him；　their　sound　thundering　in　his　ears。　He　had　nowhere　to　go。　He　let　go　of　the　horses　and　dove　through　the　arch；　rolling　across　the　sandy　ground　inside。
　
　Silence　echoed　in　his　ears　as　he　sat　up；　leaning　back　on　his　hands。　Inside　the　structure　was　barren；　empty。　The　air　wasn’t　sweltering；　as　it　had　been　outside；　but　felt　almost　cool　in　parison；　and　smelled　sweet；　like　a　grassy　meadow。
　
　Through　the　arched　openings　he　could　see　the　boiling　black　clouds　that　hugged　the　ground。　The　lightning　arced　violently；　but　its　sound　was　only　a　dim　rumble。　The　horses　wandered　slowly；　grazing　on　the　grass　that　wasn’t　there。
　
　This　must　be　one　of　the　Towers　of　Perdition　Sister　Verna　had　told　him　about。　The　interior　of　the　walls　soared　up　into　the　darkness　high　above；　and　were　black　with　the　results　of　Wizard’s　Life　Fire。　Richard　ran　a　finger　through　the　black　grit　and　tasted　it。　He　winced　at　the　bitter　tang　it　left　on　his　tongue。　The　wizard　who　had　died　to　give　his　life　to　this　fire　had　not　done　so　willingly；　he　had　done　it　to　save　himself　the　torture　of　what　they　had　intended　to　do　to　him；　or　perhaps　what　they　were　doing　to　him。
　
　The　ground　was　covered　with　white　sand　that　sparkled　with　prismatic　light。　It　was　drifted　into　the　corners；　like　snow。　Richard　remembered　seeing　sand　like　this　before。　It　was　in　the　People’s　Palace；　in　the　Garden　of　Life；　in　a　circle　in　the　center　of　the　room。　Darken　Rahl　had　drawn　spells　in　that　sparkling　white　sand　when　he　had　been　trying　to　open　the　boxes　of　Orden。
　
　Richard　paced　around　the　inside　of　the　tower；　trying　to　decide　what　to　do。　It　seemed　safe　in　this　place；　but　for　how　long？　Surely；　sooner　or　later；　the　magic　would　find　him。
　
　Maybe　the　seeming　safety　of　this　place　was　simply　an　enchantment　meant　to　trap　him；　keep　him　here　for　all　time；　afraid　to　venture　out。
　
　He　couldn’t　stay。　He　had　to　find　the　Sister。　She　needed　his　help。　She　was　afraid。　He　had　told　her　she　would　make　it　through。
　
　But　why　should　he　want　to　help　her？　She　kept　him　prisoner。　If　he　left　her　here；　he　would　be　free。　But　free　to　do　what？　If　she　didn’t　help　him　learn　to　control　the　gift；　he　would　die。　Or　so　she　said。
　
　Richard　turned　at　a　sound　from　behind。　Kahlan　stepped　out　of　the　darkness　of　an　archway。　Her　long　hair　didn’t　flow　over　her　shoulders；　but　was　tied　back　in　a　single　braid。　Instead　of　her　white　Confessor’s　dress；　she　wore　the　red　leather　of　a　Mord…Sith。
　
　Richard　stood　stiffly；　his　chest　heaving。　‘Kahlan；　I　refuse　to　think　of　you　in　this　way；　even　in　an　illusion　drawn　from　my　own　mind。’
　
　She　arched　an　eyebrow。　‘But　isn’t　this　what　you　fear　most？’
　
　‘Change　it；　or　be　gone。’
　
　The　red　leather　shimmered　and　became　the　white　Confessor’s　dress　he　knew　so　well。　The　braid　came　undone。
　
　‘Better；　my　love？　I’m　afraid　it　still　won’t　save　you。　I　have　e　to　kill　you。　Die　with　honor。　Defend　yourself。’
　
　Richard　drew　the　Sword　of　Truth。　The　unique　ring　of　its　steel　echoed　throughout　the　tower。　Wrath　surged　through　him　as　the　magic　was　loosed。　He　endured　with　detached　misery　the　sensation　of　murderous　need　while　looking　upon　the　face　of　the　only　person　who　made　his　life　worth　living。
　
　His　knuckles　tightened　on　the　braided；　wire　hilt；　on　the　bumps　of　the　word　Truth。　His　jaw　muscles　flexed　as　he　gritted　his　teeth。　He　felt　a　rush　of　understanding　at　how　the　wizards　could　have　made　Life　Fire；　and　have　given　themselves　into　it；　rather　than　endure　what　was　to　be　done　to　them。　Some　things　were　worse　than　death。
　
　Richard　tossed　the　sword　to　the　ground　at　Kahlan’s　feet。
　
　‘Not　even　in　an　illusion；　Kahlan。　I　would　rather　die。’
　
　Her　green　eyes　shone　with　a　sad；　timeless；　knowing　look。　‘Better　you　had　died；　my　love；　that　you　wouldn’t　see　what　I　have　e　to　show　you。　It　will　bring　you　more　pain　than　death。’
　
　Her　eyes　closed　as　she　sank　to　her　knees；　leaning　forwar