tg.stone of tears-第153章

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　‘Enough　talking。　Get　down　here；　you　little　wench；　so　we　can　start　the　party。　Us　brave　freedom　fighters　need　a　little　fun。’
　
　General　Karsh　at　last　smiled。。　‘And　then　tomorrow；　or　perhaps　the　next　day；　you　will　be　beheaded。　Our　men；　our　people；　will　rejoice　at　your　death。　They　will　exult　in　our　triumph　over　the　Mother　Confessor；　the　symbol　of　oppression　by　magic。’　His　smile　left　as　he　turned　red…faced　once　more；　‘The　people　must　see　your　punishment　to　know　that　good　can　prevail！　To　have　hope！　When　we　have　your　head；　our　people　can　rejoice！’
　
　‘Rejoice　that　all　you　brave　freedom　fighters　are　strong　enough　to　kill　a　single　woman？’
　
　‘No；’　General　Riggs　said。　He　appeared　for　the　first　time　sober　as　he　looked　up　at　her。　‘You　miss　the　true　meaning　of　what　we　do。　You　fail　to　see　its　significance。’
　
　His　voice　lowered；　his　tone　softened。　‘It’s　a　new　age　we　enter；　Confessor。　An　age　that　has　no　place　for　your　old　religions。　The　line　of　Confessors　and　their　wizards　is　at　an　end。
　
　There　was　a　time；　three　thousand　years　ago；　when　nearly　everyone　was　born　with　the　gift。　Magic　held　sway　over　all　things。　That　magic　was　used　to　vie　for　power。　Wizards　abused　their　power。　In　their　greed；　they　killed　one　another。　They　killed　others　who　had　the　gift；　and　so　fewer　lived　to　pass　it　on。　Over　time；　those　with　the　gift　were　culled　from　the　race　of　men。
　
　‘Yet　those　left　still　contested　for　rule；　and　further　thinned　the　ranks　of　those　born　with　the　gift。　The　magic；　the　other　creatures　of　magic　who　were　their　charges；　such　as　you；　have　been　steadily　stripped　of　their　protection　and　fount　of　magic。　Today　there　are　almost　none　born　with　the　gift。　Magic　itself　is　dying　with　them。　They　have　had　their　chance　to　rule；　just　as　did　Darken　Rahl　with　his　magic；　and　they　have　failed。　Their　time；　the　time　of　wizards；　is　past。
　
　‘Their　protection　of　the　twilight　beings　is　at　an　end；　and　so　the　age　of　magic　is　at　an　end。　The　time　of　man　is　upon　us　now；　and　there　is　no　place　in　that　world　for　the　ancient；　dying　religion　you　call　magic。　It　is　time　for　man　to　take　his　place　as　inheritor　of　the　world。　The　Imperial　Order　is　upon　the　world；　now；　and　if　it　were　not　them；　it　would　be　man　by　another　name。　It　is　time　for　man　to　rule；　for　magic　to　die。’
　
　Kahlan　felt　a　sudden　hollowness。　An　unexpected　tear　ran　down　her　cheek。　A　choking　feeling　of　true　panic　clawed　at　her　throat。
　
　‘Do　you　hear　that；　Slagle？’　she　whispered　hoarsely。　‘You　have　magic。　The　ones　you　aid　would　put　an　end　to　you；　too。’
　
　He　tossed　the　little　ball　of　fire　to　his　other　hand；　the　light　of　its　flames　dancing　across　his　grim　face。　‘It　is　as　it　must　be。　Magic；　chaste　or　foul；　is　the　Keeper’s　conduit　to　this　world。　When　I　have　helped　extinguish　magic　in　all　its　forms；　then　I；　too；　must　die。　In　that　way；　I　will　serve　the　people。’
　
　Riggs　gazed　up　to　her；　almost　sorrowfully；　as　he　went　on。
　
　‘Our　people　must　see　the　last　living　embodiment　of　that　religion　die。　You　are　its　symbol；　the　last　creature　of　magic　created　by　wizards。　With　your　death；　they　will　be　filled　with　hope　for　the　future；　and　be　emboldened　to　extinguish　all　the　remaining　pockets　of　filth　and　perversion　that　are　magic。
　
　‘We　are　the　plowshare。　Those　lands　now　infested　with　magic　will　be　freed　of　its　taint；　and　can　be　resettled　by　pious　people。　Then；　at　last；　we　shall　all　be　free　of　your　dogmas；　which　have　no　part　in　the　glory　of　the　future　of　man。’
　
　He　straightened；　taking　a　drink　from　his　mug。　The　harshness　returned　to　his　voice。　‘After　we　finish　with　you；　then　we’ll　bring　Galea　to　heel；　and　the　rest　of　the　lands。’　He　slammed　the　mug　down。　‘Until　plete　and　total　victory　is　ours；　we　demand　war！’
　
　Rage　swelled　in　her；　banishing　the　momentary　sensation　of　loss　and　panic；　swelled　on　behalf　of　all　those　beings；　the　twilight　beings；　who　depended　upon　her　for　voice　and　protection。
　
　She　nodded　slowly　as　she　held　the　general’s　gaze。
　
　‘In　my　capacity　as　Mother　Confessor；　the　highest　rank　of　authority　in　the　Midlands；　to　whose　mandate　all　must　bow；　I　grant　your　wish。’　She　leaned　forward　and　spoke　in　a　hiss。　‘Let　there　be　war。　On　my　word　and　office；　not　one　of　you　shall　be　granted　quarter。’
　
　Kahlan’s　fist　came　up　to　the　wizard。　It　was　for　him　she　had　e。
　
　Her　chest　heaved　with　wrath；　and　with　terror　at　the　madness　of　these　men。　She　let　the　magic　surge　within　her；　demanding　release；　demanding　this　wizard’s　death。
　
　It　was　for　him　she　had　e。　She　must　not　fail。　The　Blood　Rage　screamed　through　her。
　
　She　called　the　lightning　forth。
　
　Nothing　happened。
　
　She　froze　for　an　instant　in　the　panic　of　the　failure　of　the　magic。　Then　Riggs　lunged　for　her　leg。
　
　Kahlan　hauled　back　on　the　reins。　The　ferocious　warhorse　sprang　into　battle。　He　bellowed　as　he　reared；　kicking　his　front　legs。　Kahlan　grasped　his　mane　for　dear　life。　A　lashing　hoof　caught　Riggs　across　the　face；　throwing　him　back。　The　thrashing　hooves　crashed　down　on　the　table；　shattering　it　to　splinters。　Men　in　chairs　toppled　backward。　Nick’s　front　hooves　crushed　the　head　of　one　of　the　D’Haran　officers；　the　leg　of　another。
　
　The　horse　spun　and　kicked　at　the　men。　Kahlan　gave　him　her　heels；　and　he　leapt　into　a　gallop　as　the　wizard　was　rising　to　his　feet。　Surprised　men　threw　themselves　out　of　the　way。　She　took　a　quick　glance　over　her　shoulder　to　see　the　wizard　throwing　his　hands　out。　A　ball　of　wizard’s　fire　exploded　to　life　before　him；　turning　in　the　air；　awaiting　mand。　He　threw　his　arms　out　again；　sending　the　fire　on　its　way　toward　her。
　
　The　warhorse　leapt　over　fires　and　men；　kicking　up　both　snow　and　flaming　firewood。　His　legs　caught　tent　lines；　yanking　them　down。　Kahlan　spotted　what　she　wanted；　what　she　wanted　more　than　life　itself；　and　maneuvered　the　horse　for　it。
　
　She　could　hear　the　wail　of　the　wizard’s　fire　ing　for　her。　She　could　hear　the　screams　of　men　unexpectedly　caught　up　in　it。　She　stole　another　glance　to　see　the　blue　and　yellow　ball　of　flame　tumbling　through　the　tents　and　men；　growing　all　the　time；　taking　a　course　as　drunken　as　the　wizard。　Wizard’s　fire　had　to　be　guided；　and　in　his　state；　the　wizard　was　having　difficulty　controlling　what　he　had　wrought。　Were　he　sober；　she　would　be　dead　by　now。
　
　Dear　spirits；　she　prayed；　if　I’m　to　die；　let　me　have　time　enough　first　to　do　what　I　must。
　
　Kahlan　reached　her　goal。　As　she　galloped　past；　she　yanked　a　lance　from　a　snowbank　and　wheeled　her　horse。　She　dug　her　heels　in；　and　Nick　leapt　ahead　at　a　full　gallop。
　
　The　ball　of　fire　wailed　toward　her；　setting　tents　and　men　afire。　It　grew　and　tumbled　as　the　distance　closed。
　
　The　lance　was　unexpectedly　heavy；　made　for　men　who　had　more　muscle　than　she；　and　she　had　to　carry　it　upright　to　save　her　strength。　The　warhorse　didn’t　flinch　as　he　galloped；　not　at　the　noise；　the　confusion；　the　running　men；　or　the　wizard’s　fire。　She　pulled　to　one　side　and　then　the　other；　Nick’s　hooves　digging　into　the　packed　snow。　She　dodged　obstacles；　weaving　her　way　toward　the　wizard’s　fire　at　full　speed。　Toward　the　wizard。
　
　Slagle　tried　to　change　the　course　of　the　fire；　to　block　her　advance；　each　time　she　wove　in　her　headlong　rush。　His　reactions　were　slow；　but　as　the　distance　closed；　she　knew　he　wouldn’t　need　to　be　fast　to　catch　her　up　in　it。
　
　At　the　last　instant；　she　wheeled　her　horse　around　to　the　right。　The　fire　roared　by　so　close　she　could　smell　burnt　hair；　and　then　she　was　racing　again。
　
　As　she　charged　the　horse　ahead；　the　wizard’s　fire　exploded　behind；　cascading　across　the　ground　like　a　burst　dam。　The　horrifying　death　screams　of　man　and　beast　caught　in　the　conflagration　filled　the　night　air。　Dozens　of　men；　all　afire；　rolled　through　the　snow；　trying　to　put　out　the　flames。　But　wizard’s　fire　was　not　so　easy　to　extinguish；　it　was　alive　with　purpose。
　
　The　howls　of　pain　panicked　those　around　who　didn’t　know　what　was　happening。　Men　screamed　in　fear　of　spirits　they　thought　were　setting　upon　them。　Swords　were　drawn　and　wielded；　hacking　at　those　running　for　their　lives　from　the　fire。　Battle　erupted　out　of　nothing。　The　air　carried　not　only　the　choking　stench　of　burning　flesh；　but　now　blood。
　
　She　ignored　the　screams