tg.wizardfirstrule-第8部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　
　〃I've　never　seen　anything　like　a　gar。　The　Midlands　must　be　a　dreadful　place。〃
　
　〃There　are　many　dangers　in　the　Midlands。〃　A　wistful　smile　came　over　her　face。　〃There　are　also　many　fantastic　and　magical　things。　It　is　a　beautiful；　wondrous　place。　But　the　gar　are　not　from　the　Midlands。　They　are　from　D'Hara。〃
　
　He　stared　in　astonishment。　〃D'Hara！　From　across　the　second　boundary？〃
　
　D'Hara。　Until　his　brother's　speech　today　he　had　never　heard　the　name　spoken　in　anything　other　than　the　cautious　whispers　of　older　people。　Or　in　a　curse。　Kahlan　continued　to　watch　the　fire。
　
　〃Richard…〃　She　paused　as　if　afraid　to　tell　him　the　rest。　〃…there　is　no　longer　a　second　boundary。　The　boundary　between　the　Midlands　and　D'Hara　is　down。　Since　the　spring。〃
　
　That　shock　made　him　feel　as　if　the　shadowy　D'Hara　had　just　taken　a　frightening；　giant　leap　closer。　He　struggled　to　make　sense　of　the　things　he　was　learning。
　
　〃Maybe　my　brother　is　more　of　a　prophet　than　he　knows。〃
　
　〃Maybe；〃　she　said　nonmittally。
　
　〃Although　it　would　be　hard　to　make　a　living　as　a　prophet　by　predicting　events　that　had　already　taken　place。〃　He　gave　her　a　sidelong　glance。
　
　Kahlan　smiled　as　she　idly　twisted　a　strand　of　hair。　〃When　I　first　saw　you；　my　thought　was　that　you　were　no　fool。〃　Firelight　sparkled　in　her　green　eyes。　〃Thank　you　for　not　proving　me　wrong。〃
　
　〃Michael　；is　in　a　position　to　have　knowledge　others　don't
　
　Maybe　he's　trying　to　prepare　the　people；　get　them　used　to　the　idea；　so　when　they　find　out；　they　won't　panic。〃
　
　Michael　often　said　that　information　was　the　coin　of　power；　and　that　it　was　not　a　coin　to　be　spent　frivolously。　After　he　had　be　e　a　councilor；　he　encouraged　people　to　bring　their　information　to　him　first。　Even　a　farmer　with　a　tale　received　an　ear；　and　if　the　tale　proved　true；　a　favor。
　
　The　water　was　starting　to　boil。　Richard　leaned　over；　hooked　his　finger　through　a　strap　and　pulled　his　pack　to　him；　then　re　arranged　the　blanket。　Rummaging　around；　he　located　the　pouch　of　dried　vegetables　and　poured　some　into　the　pot。　From　his　pocket　he　pulled　a　napkin　that　held　four　fat　sausages；　which　he　broke　up　and　tossed　into　the　soup　pot。
　
　Kahlan　looked　surprised。　〃Where　did　those　e　from？　Did　you　snatch　those　from　your　brother's　party？〃　Her　voice　carried　a　tone　of　disapproval。
　
　〃A　good　woodsman；〃　he　said；　licking　his　fingers　and　looking　up　at　her；　〃always　plans　ahead　and　tries　to　know　where　his　next　meal　will　e　from。〃
　
　〃He　will　not　think　much　of　your　manners。〃
　
　〃I　do　not　think　much　of　his。〃　He　knew　he　would　get　no　argument　from　her　on　that　point。　〃Kahlan；　I　won't　justify　the　way　he　acted。　Ever　since　our　mother　died　he's　been　a　hard　person　to　be　close　to。　But　I　know　he　cares　about　people。　You　have　to；　if　you　want　to　be　a　good　councilor。　It　must　be　a　lot　of　pressure。　I　certainly　wouldn't　want　the　responsibility。　But　that's　all　he　ever　wanted：　to　be　someone　important。　And　now　that　he's　First　Councilor；　he　has　what　he's　always　wanted。　He　should　be　satisfied；　but　he　seems　even　less　tolerant。　He's　always　busy；　and　always　snapping　orders。　He　is　always　in　a　bad　mood　lately。　Maybe　when　he　got　what　he　wanted；　it　wasn't　what　he　thought　it　would　be。　I　wish　he　could　be　more　like　he　used　to　be。〃
　
　She　grinned。　〃At　least　you　had　the　good　sense　to　pick　the　best　of　the　sausages。〃
　
　That　eased　the　tension。　They　both　laughed。
　
　〃Kahlan；　I　don't　understand；　about　the　boundary；　I　mean。　I　don't　even　know　what　the　boundary　is；　except　it's　meant　to　keep　the　lands　separated　so　there　will　be　peace。　And　of　course　every…　n　one　knows　that　whoever　goes　into　the　boundary　will　not　e　1　out　alive。　Chase　and　the　boundary　wardens　patrol　to　make　sure　people　stay　away　for　their　own　good。〃
　
　〃Young　people　here　are　not　taught　the　histories　of　the　three　lands？〃
　
　〃No。　I　always　thought　it　odd　myself；　because　I　wanted　to　know；　but　no　one　would　ever　tell　me　much。　People　think　I'm　strange　because　I　want　to　know；　and　I　ask　questions。　Older　people　seem　suspicious　when　I　ask；　and　tell　me　it　was　too　long　ago　to　remember；　or　give　some　other　excuse。
　
　〃Both　my　father　and　Zedd　told　me　they　used　to　live　in　the　Midlands　before　the　boundary。　Before　it　went　up；　they　came　to　Westland。　They　met　here　before　I　was　born。　They　said　that　back　before　the　boundaries　was　a　terrible　time；　and　that　there　was　a　lot　of　fighting。　They　both　told　me　there　was　nothing　I　needed　to　know　except　it　was　a　dreadful　time　best　forgotten。　Zedd　always　seemed　the　most　bitter　about　it。〃
　
　Kahlan　snapped　a　piece　off　a　dry　stick　and　tossed　it　into　the　fire；　where　it　flamed　into　a　bright　ember。
　
　〃Well；　it　is　a　long　story。　If　you　want　I　will　tell　you　some　of　it。〃　When　she　turned　to　him；　he　nodded　for　her　to　go　on。
　
　〃Long　ago；　back　in　the　time　before　our　parents　were　born；　D'Hara　was　just　a　confederation　of　kingdoms；　as　was　the　Midlands。　The　most　ruthless　of　the　D'Haran　rulers　was　Panis　Rahl。　He　was　avaricious。　From　the　first　day　of　his　reign；　he　started　swallowing　up　all　of　D'Hara　for　himself；　one　kingdom　after　another；　many　times　before　the　ink　was　dry　on　a　peace　treaty。　In　the　end；　he　held　sway　over　all　of　D'Hara；　but　instead　of　satisfying　him；　it　only　whetted　his　appetite；　and　he　soon　turned　his　attention　to　the　lands　that　are　now　the　Midlands。　The　Midlands　is　a　loose　confederation　of　free　lands；　free；　at　leas；　to　rule　as　they　see　fit；　and　only　so　long　as　they　live　in　peace　with　one　another。
　
　〃By　the　time　Rahl　had　conquered　all　of　D'Hara；　the　people　of　the　Midlands　had　seen　what　he　was　about；　and　were　not　to　be　taken　so　easily。　They　knew　that　signing　a　peace　treaty　with　him　was　as　good　as　signing　an　invitation　to　invasion。　Instead；　they　chose　to　remain　free；　and　joined　together；　through　the　council　of　the　Midlands；　in　a　mon　defense。　Many　of　the　free　lands　held　no　favor　with　each　other；　but　they　knew　that　if　they　did　not　fight　together；　they　would　die　separately；　one　at　a　time
　
　〃Panis　Rahl　threw　the　might　of　D'Hara　against　them。　War　raged　for　many　years。〃
　
　Kahlan　broke　off　another　piece　of　the　stick　and　fed　it　to　the　fire。　〃As　his　legions　were　finally　slowed　and　then　halted；　Rahl　turned　to　magic。　There　is　magic　in　D'Hara；　too；　not　just　in　the　Midlands。　Back　then　there　was　magic　everywhere。　There　were　no　separate　lands；　no　boundaries。　Anyway；　Panis　Rahl　was　ruthless　in　his　use　of　magic　against　the　free　people。　He　was　terribly　brutal。〃
　
　〃What　kind　of　magic？　What　did　he　do？〃
　
　〃Some　was　trickery；　sickness；　fevers；　but　the　worst　of　it　was　the　shadow　people。〃
　
　Richard　frowned。　〃Shadow　people？　What　were　they？〃
　
　〃Shadows　in　the　air。　Shadow　people　had　no　solid　form；　no　precise　shape；　they　were　not　even　alive　as　we　know　it；　but　beings　created　out　of　magic。〃　She　held　out　her　hand；　gliding　it　across　in　front　of　them。　〃They　would　e　floating　across　a　field　or　through　a　wood。　Weapons　had　no　effect　on　them。　Swords　and　arrows　went　through　them　as　if　they　were　nothing　more　than　smoke。　You　couldn't　hide；　shadow　people　could　see　you　anywhere。　One　would　drift　right　up　to　a　person　and　touch　him。　The　touch　caused　the　person's　whole　body　to　blister　and　swell　and　finally　split　open。　No　one　touched　by　a　shadow　person　ever　survived。　Whole　battalions　were　found　killed　to　a　man。〃
　
　She　pulled　her　hand　back　inside　the　blanket。　〃When　Panis　Rahl　started　using　the　magic　in　that　way；　a　great　and　honorable　wizard　joined　the　side　of　the　Midlands　cause。〃
　
　〃What　was　his　name；　this　great　and　honorable　wizard？〃
　
　〃That　is　part　of　the　story。　Have　patience　until　I　get　to　it。〃
　
　Richard　stirred　some　spices　into　the　soup；　listening　intently　while　she　resumed　her　story。
　
　〃Many　thousands　had　already　died　in　battle；　but　the　magic　killed　many　more。　It　was　a　dark　time；　after　all　those　years　of　struggle；　to　have　so　many…taken　by　the　magic　Rahl　called　forth。　But　with　the　help　of　the　great　wizard　holding　Panis　Rahl's　magic　in　check；　his　legions　were　driven　back　into　D'Hara。〃
　
　Richard　added　a　stick　of　birch　to　the　fire。　〃How　did　this　great　and　honorable　wizard　stop　the　shadow　people？〃
　
　〃He　conjured　up　battle　horns　for　the　armies。　When　the　shadow　people　came；　our　men　blew　the　horns　and　magic　swept　the　shadow　people　away　like　smoke　in　the　wind。　It　turned　the　course　of　battle　to　our　side。
　
　〃The　wars　had　been　devastating；　but　it　was　concluded　that　going　into　D'Hara　to　destroy　Rahl　and　his　forces　would　be　too　costly。　Yet　something　had　to　be　done　to　keep　Panis　Rahl　from　trying　again；　as　they　knew　he　would；　and　many　were　more　frightened　of　the　magic　than　of　the　hordes　from　D'Hara；　and　they　wanted　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　it　ever　again。　They　wanted　a　place　to　live　where　there　would　be　no　magic。　Westland　was　set　aside　for　those　people。　So　it　was　that　there　came　to　be　three　lands。　The　boundaries　were　created　with　the　help　of　magic　。　。　。　but　they　themselves　are　not　magic。〃
　
　Richard　watched　as　she　looked　away。　〃So　what　are　they？〃
　
　Even　though　her　head　was　turned；　he　could　see　her　eyes　close　for　a　moment。　She　took　the　spoon　from　him　and　tasted　the　soup；　which　he　knew　wasn't　ready　yet；　then　turned　to　him；　as　if　asking　if　he　really　wanted　to　know。　Richard　waited。
　
　Kahlan　stared　into　the　fire。　〃Me　boundaries　are　part　of　the　underworld：　the　dominion　of　the　dead。　They　were　conjured　into　our　world　by　magic；　to　separate　the　three　lands。　They　are　like　a　curtain　drawn　across　our　world。　A　rift　in　the　world　of　the　living。〃
　
　〃You　mean　that　going　into　the　boundary　is；　what；　like　falling　through　a　crack　into　another　world？　Into　the　underworld？〃
　
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No。　Our　…world　is　still　here。　The　underworld　is　there　in　the　same　place　at　the　same　time。　It　is　about　a　two…day　walk　across　the　land　where　the　boundary；　the　underworld；　lies。　But　while　you　are　walking　the　land　where　the　boundary　is；　you　are　also　walking　through　the　underworld。　It　is　a　wasteland。　Any　life　that　touches　the　underworld；　or　is　touched　by　it；　is　touching　death。　That　is　why　no　one　can　cross　the　boundary。　If　you　enter　it；　you　enter　the　land　of　the　dead。　No　one　can　return　from　the　dead。〃
　
　〃Then　how　did　you？〃
　
　She　swallowed　as　she　watched　the　fire。　〃With　magic。　The　boundary　was　brought　here　with　magic；　so　the　wizards　reasoned　they　could　get　me　safely　through　with　the　aid　and　protection　of　magic。　It　was　frightfully　difficult　for　them　to　cast　the　spells。　They　were　dealing　in　things　they　didn't　fully　understand；　dangerous　things；　and　they　weren't　the　ones　who　conjured　the　boundary　into　this　world；　so　they　weren't　sure　it　would　work。　None　of　us　knew　what　to　expect。〃　Her　voice　was　weak；　distant。　〃Even　though　I　came　through；　I　fear　I　will　never　be　able　to　entirely　leave　it。〃
　
　Richard　sat　spellbound。　He　was　horrified　to　think　that　she　had　faced　that；　that　she　had　gone　through　a　part　of　the　underworld；　the　world　of　the　dead；　even　with　the　aid　of　magic。　It　was　unimaginable。　Her　frightened　eyes　came　to　his；　eyes　that　had　seen　things　no　one　else　had　ever　seen。
　
　〃Tell　me　what　you　saw　there；〃　he　whispered。
　
　Her　skin　was　ashen　as　she　looked　back　into　the　fire。　A　birch　twig　popped；　making　her　flinch。　Her　lower　lip　began　to　quiver；　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears　that　reflected　the　flickering　flames；　but　she　was　not　seeing　the　fire。
　
　〃At　first；〃　she　said　in　a　distant　tone；　〃it　was　like　walking　into　the　sheets　of　cold　fire　you　see　at　night　in　the　northern　sky。〃　Her　chest　began　heaving。　〃Inside；　it　is　beyond　darkness。〃　Her　eyes　were　wide；　wet。　A　small　moan　escaped　with　her　breath。　〃There　is　。　。　。　someone　。　。　。　with　me。〃
　
　She　turned　to　him；　confused；　seeming　not　to　know　where　she　was。　It　panicked　him　to　see　the　pain　in　her　eyes…pain　he　brought　there　with　his　question。　She　put　her　hand　over　her　mouth　as　tears　rolled　down　her　cheeks。　Her　eyes　closed　as　she　gave　a　low；　mournful　cry。　Bumps　ran　up　Richard's　arms。
　
　〃My　。　。　。　mother；〃　she　sobbed；　〃I　haven't　seen　her　in　so　many　years　。。。　and　。。。　my　dead　sister　。。。　Dennee。…。。　I'm　so　alone　。　。　。　and　afraid。　。　。　。〃　As　she　cried；　she　started　gasping　for　air。
　
　Somehow；　he　was　losing　her　to　the　powerful　specters　of　what　she　had　seen　in　the　underworld；　as　if　they　were　pulling　her　back　to　drown　her。　Frantic；　Richard　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　twisted　her　to　face　him。
　
　〃Kahlan；　look　at　me！　Look　at　me！〃
　
　〃Dennee　。　。　。　〃　she　gasped；　her　chest　heaving　as　she　tried　to　break　free　of　him。
　
　〃Kahlan！〃
　
　〃I'm　so　alone　。　。　。　and　afraid。　。　。　。〃
　
　〃Kahlan！　I'm　here　with　you！　Look　at　me！〃
　
　She　continued　to　cry　convulsively；　choking　for　air。　Her　eyes　opened；　but　they　didn't　focus　on　him；　they　were　looking　into　another　place。
　
　〃You're　not　alone；　I'm　here　with　you！　I　won't　leave　you！〃
　
　〃I'm　so　alone；〃　she　wailed。
　
　He　shook　her；　trying　to　make　her　listen。　Her　skin　was　white　and　dead　cold。　She　struggled　to　breathe。　〃I'm　right　here。　You're　not　alone！〃　Desperate；　he　shook　her　again；　but　it　wasn't　helping。　He　was　losing　her。
　
　Struggling　to　control　his　rising　panic；　Richard　did　the　only　thing　he　could　think　of。　When　he　had　been　confronted　with　fear　in　the　past；　he　had　learned　to　control　it。　There　was　strength　in　control。　He　did　that　now。　Maybe　he　could　give　her　some　of　his　strength。　Closing　his　eyes；　he　shut　his　fear　away；　blocked　off　the　panic；　and　sought　the　calm　within　himself。　He　let　his　mind　focus　on　the　strength　within　himself。　In　the　quiet　of　his　mind；　he　blocked　off　his　fears　and　confusion；　and　centered　his　thoughts　on　the　strength　of　that　peace。　He　would　not　let　the　underworld　have　her。
　
　He　spoke　her　name　in　a　calm　voice。　〃Let　me　help　you。　You　are　not　alone。　I　am　here　with　you。　Let　me　help　you。　Take　my　strength。〃
　
　His　hands　gripped　her　shoulders。　He　could　feel　her　shaking　as　she　cried　in　choking　sobs　and　struggled　to　breathe。　He　visualized　sending　her　his　strength；　through　his　hands；　through　his　contact　with　her。　He　visualized　that　contact　extending　to　her　mind；　lending　her　all　of　his　strength　and　drawing　her　back；　away　from　the　blackness。　He　would　be　the　spark　of　light　and　life　in　that　blackness　that　would　lead　her　back　to　this　world；　to　him。
　
　〃Kahlan；　I　am　here。　I　won't　leave　you。　You　are　not　alone。　I　am　your　friend。　Trust　in　me。〃　He　gently　squeezed　her　shoulders。　〃e　back　to　me。　Please。〃
　
　He　pictured　the　white…hot　light　in　his　mind；　hoping　it　would　help　her。　Please；　dear　spirits；　he　prayed；　let　her　see　it。　Let　it　help　her。　Let　her　use　my　strength。
　
　〃Richard？〃　She　called　out　the　name　as　if　searching　for　him。
　
　He　squeezed　her　shoulders　again。　〃I'm　here。　I　won't　leave　you。　e　back　to　me。〃
　
　She　started　breathing　again。　Her　eyes　focused　on　his　face。　Relief　flooded　her　features　when　she　recognized　him；　and　she　began　to　cry　in　what　seemed　a　more　normal　way。　She　collapsed　against　him　and　held　him　as　she　would　a　rock　in　a　river。　He　held　her　to　him　and　let　her　cry　on　his　shoulder　while　he　told　her　it　was　all　right。　He　was　so　afraid　he　had　lost　her　to　the　underworld　that　he　didn't　want　to　let　go　of　her　either。
　
　Reaching　down；　he　got　a　hold　of　the　blanket　and　pulled　it　back　up　around　her；　wrapping　her　with　it　as　best　he　could。　Warmth　was　returning　to　her　body　again；　another　sign　that　she　was　safe　now；　but　he　was　disturbed　by　how　quickly　the　underworld　had　pulled　her　back。　He　didn't　think　that