精灵血脉四部曲-第207部分

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　sheath　had　been　cut　along　its　top　edge　so　that　Berkthgar　could　draw　the　weapon　quickly。　He　did　so；　hoisting　the　heavy　blade　high　into　the　sky。

　　　Revjak　took　up　his　own　weapon；　but；　to　his　observant　and　worried　son；　he　did　not　seem　ready　for　bat。

　　　Berkthgar　approached　cautiously；　feeling　the　balance　of　Bankenfuere　with　every　step。

　　　Then　Revjak　held　up　his　hand　and　Berkthgar　stopped；　waiting。

　　　〃Who　among　us　hopes　for　Revjak　to　win？〃　he　asked；　and　a　loud　cheer　of　many　voices　went　up。

　　　Thinking　the　question　to　be　no　more　than　a　ruse　to　lower　his　confidence；　Berkthgar　issued　a　low　growl。　〃And　who　would　see　Berkthgar；　Berkthgar　the　Bold；　as　King　of　the　Tribe　of　the　Elk？〃

　　　The　cheer　was　louder　still；　obviously　so。

　　　Revjak　moved　right　up　to　his　opponent；　unthreateningly；　one　hand　up　and　his　axe's　head　low　to　the　ground。　〃The　challenge　is　answered；〃　he　said；　and　he　dropped　his　weapon　to　the　ground。

　　　All　eyes　widened　in　disbelief；　Kierstaad's　perhaps　widest　of　all。　This　was　dishonor！　This　was　cowardice　among　the　barbarians！

　　　〃I　cannot　defeat　you；　Berkthgar；〃　Revjak　explained；　speaking　loudly　so　that　all　would　hear。　〃Nor　can　you　defeat　me。〃

　　　Berkthgar　scowled　mightily。　〃I　could　cut　you　in　half！〃　he　declared；　taking　up　his　sword　in　both　hands　so　powerfully　that　Revjak　half　expected　him　to　do　so　right　then　and　there。

　　　〃And　our　people　would　suffer　the　consequences　of　your　actions；〃　Revjak　said　quietly。　〃Whoever　might　win　the　challenge　would　be　faced　with　two　tribes；　not　one；　split　apart　by　anger　and　wanting　revenge。〃　He　looked　to　the　general　gathering　again；　speaking　to　all　his　people。　〃We　are　not　strong　enough　yet　to　support　that；〃　he　said。　〃Whether　we　are　to　strengthen　the　friendship　with　Ten…Towns　and　the　dwarves　who　have　returned；　or　whether　we　are　to　return　to　our　ways　of　old；　we　must　do　so　together；　as　one！〃

　　　Berkthgar's　scowl　did　not　relent。　Now　he　understood。　Revjak　could　not　defeat　him　in　bat梩hey　both　knew　that梥o　the　wily　older　man　had　usurped　the　very　power　of　the　challenge。　Berkthgar　truly　wanted　to　cut　him　in　half；　but　how　could　he　take　any　actions　against　the　man？

　　　〃As　one；〃　Revjak　repeated；　and　he　held　out　his　hand；　bidding　his　opponent　to　clasp　his　wrist。

　　　Berkthgar　was　wild　with　rage。　He　hooked　his　foot　under　Revjak's　dropped　axe　and　sent　it　spinning　across　the　circle。　〃Yours　is　the　way　of　the　coward！〃　he　roared。　〃You　have　proven　that　this　day！〃　Up　went　Berkthgar's　huge　arms；　up　and　out　wide　as　if　in　victory。

　　　〃I　have　no　claim　of　blood！〃　Revjak　yelled；　manding　attention。　〃Nor　do　you！　The　people　must　decide　who　will　rule　and　who　will　step　aside。〃

　　　〃The　challenge　is　of　bat！〃　Berkthgar　retorted。

　　　〃Not　this　time！〃　Revjak　shot　back。　〃Not　when　all　the　tribe　must　suffer　your　foolish　pride。〃　Berkthgar　moved　again　as　if　to　strike；　but　Revjak　ignored　him　and　turned　to　the　gathering。　〃Decide！〃　he　manded。

　　　〃Revjak！〃　yelled　one　man；　but　his　voice　was　buried　by　a　band　of　young　warriors　who　cried　out　for　Berkthgar。　They；　in　turn；　were　outdone　by　a　large　group　calling　for　Revjak。　And　so　it　went；　back　and　forth；　mounting　cries。　Several　fights　broke　out；　weapons　were　drawn。

　　　Through　it　all；　Berkthgar　glowered　at　Revjak；　and　when　the　older　man　matched　that　intense　stare；　Berkthgar　merely　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　How　could　Revjak　have　done　such　dishonor　to　their　people？

　　　But　Revjak　held　faith　in　his　choice。　He　was　not　afraid　to　die；　never　that；　but　he　truly　believed　that　a　fight　between　himself　and　Berkthgar　would　split　the　tribe　and　bring　hardship　to　both　groups。　This　was　the　better　way；　as　long　as　things　didn't　get　out　of　hand。

　　　And　they　seemed　to　be　heading　in　just　that　direction。　Both　sides　continued　to　yell　out；　but　now　each　cry　was　acpanied　by　a　lifting　of　sword　and　axe；　open　threats。

　　　Revjak　watched　the　crowd　carefully；　measuring　the　support　for　him　and　for　Berkthgar。　Soon　enough　he　understood　and　admitted　the　truth。

　　　〃Stop！〃　he　manded　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　and　gradually；　the　shouting　match　did　diminish。

　　　〃With　all　your　strength；　who　calls　out　for　Berkthgar？〃　Revjak　asked。

　　　A　great　roar　ensued。

　　　〃And　who　for　Revjak？〃

　　　〃Revjak　who　would　not　fight！〃　Berkthgar　quickly　added；　and　the　cheers　for　the　son　of　Jorn　were　not　as　loud；　or　as　enthusiastic。

　　　〃Then　it　is　settled；〃　Revjak　said；　more　to　Berkthgar　than　to　the　crowd。　〃And　Berkthgar　is　King　of　the　Tribe　of　the　Elk。〃

　　　Berkthgar　could　hardly　believe　what　had　just　transpired。　He　wanted　to　strike　down　the　wily　older　man。　This　was　to　be　his　day　of　glory；　a　victory　of　mortal　bat；　as　had　been　the　way　since　the　dawn　of　the　tribes。　But　how　could　he　do　that？　How　could　he　slay　an　unarmed　man；　one　who　had　just　proclaimed　him　as　the　leader　of　all　his　people？

　　　〃Be　wise；　Berkthgar；〃　Revjak　said　quietly；　moving　close；　for　the　buzz　of　the　astonished　gathering　was　loud　indeed。　〃Together　we　will　discover　the　true　way　for　our　people；　what　is　best　for　our　future。〃

　　　Berkthgar　shoved　him　aside。　〃I　will　decide；〃　he　corrected　loudly。　〃I　need　no　advice　from　a　coward！〃

　　　He　walked　out　of　the　circle　then；　his　closest　supporters　falling　in　line　behind　him。

　　　Stung　by　the　rejection　of　his　offer；　but　not　really　surprised；　Revjak　took　fort　in　the　fact　that　he　had　tried　his　best　to　do　what　was　right　for　his　people。　That　counted　little；　though；　when　the　man　looked　upon　his　son；　who　had　just　pleted　the　rights　of　passage　into　manhood。

　　　Kierstaad's　expression　was　one　of　disbelief；　even　of　shame。

　　　Revjak　lifted　his　head　high　and　walked　over　to　the　young　man。　〃Understand；〃　he　manded。　〃This　is　the　only　way。〃

　　　Kierstaad　walked　away。　Logic　might　have　shown　him　the　truth　of　his　father's　bravery　this　day；　but　logic　played　a　very　minor　role　in　the　young　man's　consciousness。　Kierstaad　felt　ashamed；　truly　ashamed；　and　he　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　run　away；　out　onto　the　open　tundra；　to　live　or　to　die。

　　　It　hardly　seemed　to　matter。



*****



　　　Stumpet　sat　on　the　very　highest　peak　of　Kelvin's　Cairn；　which　seemed　an　easy　climb　to　her。　Her　waking　thoughts；　like　most　of　her　dreams；　were　now　squarely　focused　on　the　south；　on　the　towering　peaks　of　the　Spine　of　the　World。　Fleeting　images　of　glory　and　of　victory　raced　through　the　dwarf's　mind。　She　pictured　herself　standing　atop　the　tallest　mountain；　surveying　all　the　world。

　　　The　impracticality　of　the　image；　the　sheer　irrationality　of　it；　did　not　make　its　way　into　Stumpet　Rakingclaw's　conscious　thoughts。　The　constant　barrage　of　images；　the　stream　of　delusion；　began　to　erode　the　normally…pragmatic　dwarf's　rational　sensibilities。　For　Stumpet；　logic　was　fast　losing　to　desires；　desires　that　were　not　truly　her　own。

　　　〃I'm　on　me　way；　towering　peaks；〃　the　dwarf　said　suddenly；　addressing　those　distant　mountains。　〃And　not　a　one　o'　ye's　big　enough　to　keep　me　down！〃

　　　There；　she　had　said　it　aloud；　had　proclaimed　her　course。　She　immediately　began　gathering　together　her　things；　then　swung　herself　over　the　edge　of　the　peak　and　began　her　scramble　to　the　mountain's　base。

　　　In　her　haversack；　Crenshinibon　verily　purred　with　elation。　The　powerful　artifact　still　had　no　designs　on　making　Stumpet　Rakingclaw　its　wielder。　The　sentient　crystal　shard　knew　the　stubbornness　of　this　one；　despite　the　delusions　it　had　gradually　enacted　over　the　dwarf。　Even　worse；　Crenshinibon　understood　Stumpet's　place　in　her　society；　as　a　priestess　of　Moradin；　the　Soul　Forger。　Thus　far；　the　artifact　had　managed　to　generally　sidetrack　any　of　Stumpet's　attempts　at　muning　with　her　god；　but　sooner　or　later；　the　dwarf　would　seek　that　higher　level；　and　would　likely　learn　the　truth　of　the　〃warming　stick〃　that　she　kept　in　her　pack。

　　　So　Crenshinibon　would　use　her　to　get　away　from　the　dwarves；　to　escape　to　the　wilds　of　the　Spine　of　the　World；　where　it　might　find　a　troll　or　a　giant；　or　perhaps　even　a　dragon　to　serve　as　its　wielder。

　　　Yes；　a　dragon；　Crenshinibon　hoped。　The　artifact　would　like　to　work　in　collusion　with　a　dragon！

　　　Oblivious　to　such　wishes；　even　to　the　fact　that　her　〃warming　stick〃　could　wish　at　all；　poor　Stumpet　cared　only　about　conquering　the　mountain　range。　And　even　she　wasn't　sure　of　why　she　cared。



*****



　　　On　the　very　first　night　of　his　rule；　Berkthgar　began　to　reveal　the　precepts　that　the　barbarians　of　Icewind　Dale　would　follow；　a　way　of　life　such　as　they　had　lived　until　only　a　decade　hence；　before　Wulfgar　had　defeated　Heafstaag。

　　　All　contact　with　the　folk　of　Ten…Towns　was　ordered　to　stop；　and；　on　pain　of　death；　no　barbarian　was　to　speak　with　Bruenor　Battlehammer　or　any　of　the　bearded　folk。

　　　〃And　if　one　of　the　bearded　folk　is　found　in　need　on　the　open　tundra；〃　Berkthgar　said；　and　it　seemed　to　Kierstaad　that　the　man　was　looking　directly　at　him　as　he　spoke；　〃leave　him　to　die！〃

　　　Later　that　night；　Kierstaad　sat　alone　under　the　wide　canopy　of　stars；　a　tortured　soul。　Now　he　understood　what　his　father　had　tried　to　do　that　afternoon。　Revjak　could　not　defeat　Berkthgar；　everyone　knew　that；　and　so　the　older　man　had　tried　to　work　out　a　promise；　one　that　would　benefit　all　the　barbarians。　In　his　mind；　Kierstaad　realized　that　Revjak's　abdication　when　the　majority　favored　Berkthgar　was　a　wise；　even　courageous　thing　to　do；　but　in　his　heart　and　in　his　gut；　the　young　man　still　felt　the　shame　of　his　father's　unwillingness　to　fight。

　　　Better　if　Revjak　had　taken　up　his　axe　and　died　at　Berkthgar's　hands；　Kierstaad　believed；　or　at　least　a　part　of　him　believed。　That　was　the　way　of　their　people；　the　ancient　and　sacred　way。　What　might　Tempus；　the　god　of　the　barbarians；　the　god　of　battle；　think　of　Revjak　this　day？　What　place　in　the　afterworld　might　a　man　such　as　Revjak；　who　refused　honest　and　rightful　bat；　find？

　　　Kierstaad　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　Not　only　was　his　father　dishonored；　but　so　were　he　and　his　family。

　　　Perhaps　he　should　proclaim　allegiance　to　Berkthgar　and　reject　his　father。　Berkthgar；　who　had　been　with　Kierstaad　all　the　years　in　Settlestone；　who　had　been　beside　Kierstaad　when　the　young　man　had　made　his　first　hunting　kill　on　the　open　tundra；　would　wele　such　support。　He　would　see　it；　no　doubt；　as　a　solidification　of　his　position　as　leader。

　　　No。　He　could　not　abandon　his　father；　however　ang