《Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)》第85章

wall；　a　picture　blurred　with　the　red　dust　of　pulverized　bricks。
all　sabriel’s　senses　were　screaming　inside　her。
free　magic；　the　dead；　danger　all　around　。　。　。
the　creature　that　had　once　been　mogget　blazed　a　little　more　than　five　yards　away。　it　was　squatter　than　it　had　appeared　previously；　but　equally　misshapen；　a　lumpy　body　slowly　drifting　towards　her　atop　a　column　of　twisting；　whirling　energies。
a　soldier　suddenly　leapt　up　behind　it；　driving　a　sword　deep　into　its　back。　it　hardly　noticed；　but　the　man　screamed　and　burst　into　white　flames。
within　a　second；　he　was　consumed；　his　sword　a　molten　lump　of　metal；　scorching　the　thick　oak　planks　of　the　floor。
“i　bring　you　abhorsen’s　sword；”　the　creature　said；　dropping　a　long；　dimly　seen　object　to　one side。　“and　the　bell　called　astarael。”
that；　it　laid　carefully　down；　the　silver　glinting　momentarily　before　it　was　lowered　into　the　sea　of　dust。
“e　forward；　abhorsen。　it　is　long　since　time　that　we　begun。”
the　thing　laughed　then；　a　sound　like　a　match　igniting；　and　it　started　to　move　around　the　sarcophagus。
sabriel　loosened　the　ring　on　her　finger；　and　edged　away；　keeping　the　sarcophagus　between　them；　her　thoughts　racing。　kerrigor　was　very　near；　but　there　still　might　be　time　to　turn　this　creature　back　into　mogget；　and　plete　the　final　rites　。　。　。
“stop！”
the　word　was　like　a　foul　lick　across　the　face　by　a　reptilian　tongue；　but　there　was　power　behind　it。　sabriel　stood　still；　against　her　own　desire；　as　did　the　blazing　thing。　sabriel　tried　looking　past　it；　lidding　her　eyes　against　the　light；　trying　to　puzzle　out　what　was　happening　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall。　not　that　she　really　needed　to　see。
it　was　kerrigor。　the　soldiers　who’d　barred　the　door　lay　dead　around　him；　pale　flesh　islands　about　a　sea　of　darkness。　he　had　no　shape　now； but　there　were　semi…human　features　in　the　great　ink…splash　of　his　presence。　eyes　of　white　fire；　and　a　yawning　mouth　that　was　lined　with　flickering　coals　of　a　red　as　dark　as　drying　blood。
“abhorsen　is　mine；”　croaked　kerrigor；　his　voice　deep　and　somehow　liquid；　as　if　his　words　came　bubbling　out　like　lava　mixed　with　spittle。
“you　will　leave　her　to　me。”
the　mogget…thing　crackled；　and　moved　again；　white　sparks　falling　like　tiny　stars　in　its　wake。
“i　have　waited　too　long　to　allow　my　revenge　to　be　taken　by　another！”　it　hissed；　ending　on　a　high…pitched　yowl　that　still　had　something　of　the　cat。　then　it　flew　at　kerrigor；　a　shining　electric　et　hurtling　into　the　darkness　of　his　body；　smashing　into　his　shadowy　substance　like　a　hammer　tenderizing　meat。
for　a　moment；　no　one　moved；　shocked　by　the　suddenness　of　the　attack。　then；　kerrigor’s　dark　shape　slowly　recongealed；　long　tendrils　of　bitter　night　wrapping　around　his　brilliant　attacker；　choking　and　absorbing　it　with　the　implacable　voracity　of　an　octopus　strangling　a　brightshelled　turtle。
desperately；　sabriel　looked　around　for　touchstone　and　magistrix　greenwood。　brick dust　was　still　falling　slowly　through　the　moonlit　air；　like　some　deadly　rust…colored　gas；　the　bodies　lying　around　seemingly　victims　of　its　choking　poison。　but　they　had　been　struck　by　bricks；　or　wooden　splinters　from　the　smashing　of　the　pews。
sabriel　saw　the　magistrix　first；　lying　a　little　away；　curled　up　on　her　side。　anyone　else　might　have　thought　her　merely　unconscious；　but　sabriel　knew　she　was　dead；　struck　by　a　long；　stiletto…like　splinter　from　a　shattered　pew。　the　iron…hard　wood　had　driven　right　through　her。
she　knew　touchstone　was　alive—and　there　he　was；　propped　up　against　a　pile　of　broken　masonry。　his　eyes　reflected　the　moonlight。
sabriel　walked　over　to　him；　stepping　between　the　bodies　and　the　rubble；　the　patches　of　freshly　spilled　blood　and　the　silent；　hopeless　wounded。
“my　leg　is　broken；”　touchstone　said；　his　mouth　showing　the　pain　of　it。　he　tilted　his　head　towards　the　gaping　hole　in　the　wall。　“run；　sabriel。　while　he’s　busy。　run　south。　live　a　normal　life　。　。　。”
“i　can’t；”　replied　sabriel　softly。　“i　am　the　abhorsen。　besides；　how　could　you　run　with　me；　you　with　your　broken　leg？”
“sabriel　。　。　。”
but　sabriel　had　already　turned　away。　she　picked　up　astarael；　practiced　hands　keeping　it　still。　but　there　was　no　need；　for　the　bell　was　choked　with　brick　dust；　its　voice　silent。　it　would　not　ring　true　until　cleaned；　with　patience；　magic　and　steady　nerves。　sabriel　stared　at　it　for　a　second；　then　gently　placed　it　back　down　on　the　floor。
her　father’s　sword　was　only　a　few　paces　further　away。　she　picked　it　up；　and　watched　the　charter　marks　flow　along　the　blade。　this　time；　they　didn’t　run　through　the　normal　inscription；　but　said：　“the　clayr　saw　me；　the　wallmaker　made　me；　the　king　quenched　me；　the　abhorsen　wields　me　so　that　no　dead　shall　walk　in　life。　for　this　is　not　their　path。”
“this　is　not　their　path；”　whispered　sabriel。　she　took　up　the　guard　position；　and　looked　down　the　hall　to　the　writhing　hulk　of　darkness　that　was　kerrigor。
。。
chapter　xxix
gxiaoshuowang
kerrigor　seemed　to　have　finished　with　the　free　magic　thing　that　had　once　been　mogget。　his　great　cloud　of　darkness　was　plete　again；　with　no　sign　of　white　fire；　no　dazzling　brilliance　fighting　away　within。
he　was　remarkably　still；　and　sabriel　had　a　moment’s　brief　hope　that　he　was　somehow　wounded。　then　the　awful　realization　came。
kerrigor　was　digesting；　like　a　glutton　after　an　overly　ambitious　meal。
sabriel　shuddered　at　the　thought；　bile　tainting　her　mouth。　not　that　her　end　was　likely　to　be　better。　both　she　and　touchstone　would　be　taken　alive；　and　kept　that　way；　till　they　pumped　out　their　life’s　blood；　throats　yawning；　down　in　the　dark　of　the　reservoir　。　。　。
she　shook　her　head；　dispelling　that　image。
there　had　to　be　something　。　。　。　kerrigor　had　to　be　weaker；　so　far　from　the　old　kingdom　。　。　。
perhaps　weakened　more　than　her　charter　magic。　she　doubted　that　a　single　bell　could　sway　him；　but　two；　in　concert？　it　was　dark　in　the　hall；　save　for　the　moonlight　falling　through　the　shattered　wall　behind　her。　and　quiet。　even　the　wounded　were　slipping　away　in　silence；　their　cries　muted；　last　wishes　whispered。　they　kept　their　agony　close；　as　if　a　scream　might　attract　the　wrong　attention。　there　w