精灵血脉四部曲-第179部分

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owship　between　the　dwarves；　the　curious　svirfneblin；　and　the　warriors　who　had　joined　in　the　cause　from　several　of　the　surrounding　villages。

　　　How　had　that　all　changed　so　dramatically？　Barely　a　week　on　the　road　out　of　Settlestone；　the　story　of　the　barbarian　existence　there　had　begun　to　change。　The　good　times　were　no　longer　spoken　of；　replaced　by　tales　of　tragedy　and　hardship；　of　the　barbarians　lowering　their　spirits　to　menial　tasks　not　fit　for　the　Tribe　of　the　Elk；　or　the　Tribe　of　the　Bear；　or　any　of　the　ancestral　tribes。　Such　talk　had　continued　all　the　way　around　the　Spine　of　the　World；　all　the　way　back　to　Icewind　Dale；　and　then；　gradually；　it　had　died　away。

　　　Now；　with　rumors　that　the　several　score　of　the　dwarves　had　returned　to　Icewind　Dale；　Berkthgar's　critical　remarks　had　begun　anew。　Kierstaad　understood　the　source。　The　rumors　said　that　Bruenor　Battlehammer　himself；　the　Eighth　King　of　Mithril　Hall；　had　returned。　Shortly　after　the　drow　war；　Bruenor　had　given　the　throne　back　over　to　his　ancestor；　Gandalug；　Patron　of　Clan　Battlehammer；　who　had　returned　from　centuries　of　magical　imprisonment　at　the　hands　of　the　drow　elves。　Even　at　the　height　of　their　alliance；　relations　between　Berkthgar　and　Bruenor　had　been　strained；　for　Bruenor　had　been　the　adoptive　father　of　Wulfgar；　the　man　who　stood　tallest　in　the　barbarians'　legends。　Bruenor　had　forged　mighty　Aegis…fang；　the　warhammer　which；　in　the　hands　of　Wulfgar；　had　bee　the　most　honored　weapon　of　all　the　tribes。

　　　But　then；　with　Wulfgar　gone；　Bruenor　would　not　give　Aegis…fang　over　to　Berkthgar。

　　　Even　after　his　heroic　exploits　in　the　battle　of　Keeper's　Dale　against　the　drow；　Berkthgar　had　remained　in　Wulfgar's　shadow。　It　seemed　to　perceptive　Kierstaad；　that　the　leader　had　embarked　on　a　campaign　to　discredit　Wulfgar；　to　convince　his　proud　people　that　Wulfgar　was　wrong；　that　Wulfgar　was　not　a　strong　leader；　that　he　was　even　a　traitor　to　his　people　and　their　gods。　Their　old　life；　so　said　Berkthgar；　one　of　roaming　the　tundra　and　living　free　of　any　bonds；　was　the　better　way。

　　　Kierstaad　liked　his　life　on　the　tundra；　and　wasn't　certain　that　he　disagreed　with　Berkthgar's　observations　concerning　which　was　the　more　honorable　lifestyle。　But　the　young　man　had　grown　up　admiring　Wulfgar；　and　Berkthgar's　words　about　the　dead　leader　did　not　sit　well　with　him。

　　　Kierstaad　looked　to　Kelvin's　Cairn　as　he　ran　along　the　soft；　spongy　ground；　and　wondered　if　the　rumors　were　true。　Had　the　dwarves　returned；　and　if　so；　was　King　Bruenor　with　them？

　　　And　if　he　was；　could　it　be　possible　that　he　brought　with　him　Aegis…fang；　that　most　powerful　of　warhammers？

　　　Kierstaad　felt　a　tingle　at　that　thought；　but　it　was　lost　a　moment　later　when　Berkthgar　spotted　the　wounded　reindeer　and　the　hunt　was　on　in　full。



*****



　　　〃Rope！〃　Bruenor　bellowed；　hurling　to　the　floor　the　twine　the　shopkeeper　had　offered　him。　〃Thick　as　me　arm；　ye　durned　orc…brain！　Ye　thinking　that　I'm　to　hold　up　a　tunnel　with　that？〃

　　　The　flustered　shopkeeper　scooped　up　the　twine　and　rambled　away；　grumbling　with　every　step。

　　　Standing　at　Bruenor's　left；　Regis　gave　the　dwarf　a　scowl。

　　　〃What？〃　demanded　the　red…bearded　dwarf；　leaping　to　face　the　portly　halfling　directly。　There　weren't　many　people　that　the　four…and…a…half　foot　dwarf　could　look　down　on；　but　Regis　was　one　of　them。

　　　Regis　ran　both　his　plump　hands　through　his　curly　brown　hair　and　chuckled。　〃It　is　good　that　your　coffers　run　deep；〃　the　halfling　said；　not　afraid　of　blustery　Bruenor　in　the　least。　〃Otherwise　Maboyo　would　throw　you　out　into　the　street。〃

　　　〃Bah！〃　the　dwarf　snorted；　straightening　his　lopsided；　one…horned　helmet　as　he　turned　away。　〃He's　needing　the　business。　I　got　mines　to　reopen；　and　that's　meaning　gold　for　Maboyo。〃

　　　〃Good　thing；〃　Regis　muttered。

　　　〃Keep　flapping　yer　lips；〃　Bruenor　warned。

　　　Regis　looked　up　curiously；　his　expression　one　of　blank　amazement。

　　　〃What？〃　Bruenor　insisted；　turning　to　face　him。

　　　〃You　saw　me；〃　Regis　breathed。　〃And　you　just　saw　me　again。〃

　　　Bruenor　started　to　reply；　but　the　words　got　caught　in　his　throat。　Regis　was　standing　on　Bruenor's　left；　and　Bruenor　had　lost　his　left　eye　in　a　fight　in　Mithril　Hall。　After　the　war　between　Mithril　Hall　and　Menzoberranzan；　one　of　the　most　powerful　priests　of　Silverymoon　had　cast　healing　spells　over　Bruenor's　face；　which　was　scarred　from　forehead；　down　diagonally　across　the　eye；　to　the　left　side　of　his　jaw。　The　wound　was　an　old　one　by　that　point；　and　the　cleric　had　predicted　that　his　work　would　do　little　more　than　cosmetic　repair。　Indeed；　it　took　several　months　for　a　new　eye　to　appear；　deep　within　the　folds　of　the　scar；　and　some　time　after　that　for　the　orb　to　grow　to　full　size。

　　　Regis　pulled　Bruenor　closer。　Unexpectedly；　the　halfling　covered　Bruenor's　right　eye　with　one　hand；　pointed　a　finger　of　his　other　hand；　and　jabbed　it　at　the　dwarfs　left　eye。

　　　Bruenor　jumped　and　caught　the　poking　hand。

　　　〃You　can　see！〃　the　halfling　exclaimed。

　　　Bruenor　grabbed　Regis　in　a　tight　hug；　even　swung　him　pletely　about。　It　was　true；　the　dwarf's　sight　had　returned　in　his　left　eye！

　　　Several　other　patrons　in　the　store　watched　the　emotional　outburst；　and　as　soon　as　Bruenor　became　aware　of　their　stares；　and　even　worse；　their　smiles；　he　dropped　Regis　roughly　back　to　the　floor。

　　　Maboyo　arrived　then；　his　arms　full　with　a　coil　of　heavy　rope。　〃Will　this　meet　your　desires？〃　he　asked。

　　　〃It's　a　start；〃　Bruenor　roared　at　him；　the　dwarf　turning　suddenly　sour　again。　〃I　need　another　thousand　feet。〃

　　　Maboyo　stared　at　him。

　　　〃Now！〃　Bruenor　roared。　〃Ye　get　me　the　rope　or　I'm　out　for　Luskan　with　enough　wagons　to　keep　me　and　me　kin　supplied　for　a　hunnerd　years！〃

　　　Maboyo　stared　a　moment　longer；　then　gave　up　and　headed　for　his　storeroom。　He　had　known　the　dwarf　meant　to　clean　him　out　of　many　items　as　soon　as　Bruenor　had　entered　his　store　with　a　heavy　purse。　Maboyo　liked　to　dole　out　supplies　slowly；　over　time；　making　each　purchase　seem　precious　and　extracting　as　much　gold　from　the　customer　as　possible。　Bruenor；　the　toughest　bargainer　this　side　of　the　mountains；　didn't　play　that　game。

　　　〃Getting　back　your　vision　didn't　do　much　to　improve　your　mood；〃　Regis　remarked　as　soon　as　Maboyo　was　out　of　sight。

　　　Bruenor　winked　at　him。　〃Play　the　game；　Rumblebelly；〃　the　dwarf　said　slyly。　〃Suren　this　one's　glad　we're　back。　Doubles　his　business。〃

　　　True　enough；　Regis　understood。　With　Bruenor　and　two　hundred　of　Clan　Battlehammer　back　in　Icewind　Dale；　Maboyo's　store梩he　largest　and　best…stocked　in　all　of　Bryn　Shander；　in　all　of　Ten…Towns梥tood　to　do　well。

　　　Of　course；　that　meant　Maboyo　would　have　to　put　up　with　the　surliest　of　customers。　Regis　chuckled　privately　at　the　thought　of　the　battles　the　shopkeeper　and　Bruenor　would　fight；　just　as　it　had　been　nearly　a　decade　before；　when　the　rocky　valley　just　south　of　Kelvin's　Cairn　chimed　with　the　ringing　of　dwarven　hammers。

　　　Regis　spent　a　long　while　staring　at　Bruenor。　It　was　good　to　be　home。



Part　2

THE　FOG　OF　FATE



　　　We　are　the　center。　In　each　of　our　minds梥ome　may　call　it　arrogance；　or　selfishness梬e　are　the　center；　and　all　the　world　moves　about　us；　and　for　us；　and　because　of　us。　This　is　the　paradox　of　munity；　the　one　and　the　whole；　the　desires　of　the　one　often　in　direct　conflict　with　the　needs　of　the　whole。　Who　among　us　has　not　wondered　if　all　the　world　is　no　more　than　a　personal　dream？

　　　I　do　not　believe　that　such　thoughts　are　arrogant　or　selfish。　It　is　simply　a　matter　of　perception；　we　can　empathize　with　someone　else；　but　we　cannot　truly　see　the　world　as　another　person　sees　it；　or　judge　events　as　they　affect　the　mind　and　the　heart　of　another；　even　a　friend。

　　　But　we　must　try。　For　the　sake　of　all　the　world；　we　must　try。　This　is　the　test　of　altruism；　the　most　basic　and　undeniable　ingredient　for　society。　Therein　lies　the　paradox；　for　ultimately；　logically；　we　each　must　care　more　about　ourselves　than　about　others；　and　yet；　if；　as　rational　beings　we　follow　that　logical　course；　we　place　our　needs　and　desires　above　the　needs　of　our　society；　and　then　there　is　no　munity。

　　　I　e　from　Menzoberranzan；　city　of　drow；　city　of　self。　I　have　seen　that　way　of　selfishness。　I　have　seen　it　fail　miserably。　When　self…indulgence　rules；　then　all　the　munity　loses；　and　in　the　end；　those　striving　for　personal　gains　are　left　with　nothing　of　any　real　value。

　　　Because　everything　of　value　that　we　will　know　in　this　life　es　from　our　relationships　with　those　around　us。　Because　there　is　nothing　material　that　measures　against　the　intangibles　of　love　and　friendship。

　　　Thus；　we　must　overe　that　selfishness　and　we　must　try；　we　must　care。　I　saw　this　truth　plainly　following　the　attack　on　Captain　Deudermont　in　Waterdeep。　My　first　inclination　was　to　believe　that　my　past　had　precipitated　the　trouble；　that　my　life　course　had　again　brought　pain　to　a　friend。　I　could　not　bear　this　thought。　I　felt　old　and　I　felt　tired。　Subsequently　learning　that　the　trouble　was　possibly　brought　on　by　Deudermont's　old　enemies；　not　my　own；　gave　me　more　heart　for　the　fight。

　　　Why　is　that？　The　danger　to　me　was　no　less；　nor　was　the　danger　to　Deudermont；　or　to　Catti…brie　or　any　of　the　others　about　us。

　　　Yet　my　emotions　were　real；　very　real；　and　I　recognized　and　understood　them；　if　not　their　source。　Now；　in　reflection；　I　recognize　that　source；　and　take　pride　in　it。　I　have　seen　the　failure　of　self…indulgence；　I　have　run　from　such　a　world。　I　would　rather　die　because　of　Deudermont's　past　than　have　him　die　because　of　my　own。　I　would　suffer　the　physical　pains；　even　the　end　of　my　life。　Better　that　than　watch　one　I　love　suffer　and　die　because　of　me。　I　would　rather　have　my　physical　heart　torn　from　my　chest；　than　have　my　heart　of　hearts；　the　essence　of　love；　the　empathy　and　the　need　to　belong　to　something　bigger　than　my　corporeal　form；　destroyed。

　　　They　are　a　curious　thing；　these　emotions。　How　they　fly　in　the　face　of　logic；　how　they　overrule　the　most　basic　instincts。　Because；　in　the　measure　of　time；　in　the　measure　of　humanity；　we　sense　those　self…indulgent　instincts　to　be　a　weakness；　we　sense　that　the　needs　of　the　munity　must　outweigh　the　desires　of　the　one。　Only　when　we　admit　to　our　failures　and　recognize　our　weaknesses　can　we　rise　above