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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
wherever he went； lyra went； too； wishing she had something to fight with as will was doing； but looking around； watching more widely。 she thought she could see the specters from time to time； in an oily glistening of the air； and it was lyra who felt the first shiver of danger。
with salmakia on her shoulder； she found herself on a slight rise； just a bank of earth surmounted by hawthorn bushes； from which she could see the great sweep of country the invaders were laying waste。
the sun was above her。 ahead； on the western horizon； clouds lay heaped and brilliant； riven with chasms of darkness； their tops drawn out in the high…altitude winds。 that way； too； on the plain； the enemys ground forces waited： machines glinting brightly； flags astir with color； regiments drawn up； waiting。
behind； and to her left； was the ridge of jagged hills leading up to the fortress。 they shone bright gray in the lurid pre…storm light； and on the distant ramparts of black basalt； she could even see little figures moving about； repairing the damaged battlements； bringing more weapons to bear； or simply watching。
and it was about then that lyra felt the first distant lurch of nausea； pain； and fear that was the unmistakable touch of the specters。
she knew what it was at once； though shed never felt it before。 and it told her two things： first； that she must have grown up enough now to bee vulnerable to the specters； and secondly； that pan must be somewhere close by。
〃will； will。。。” she cried。
he heard her and turned； knife in hand and eyes ablaze。
but before he could speak； he gave a gasp； made a choking lurch； and clutched his breast； and she knew the same thing was happening to him。
〃pan！ pan！〃 she cried； standing on tiptoe to look all around。
will was bending over； trying not to be sick。 after a few moments the feeling passed away； as if their demons had escaped； but they were no nearer to finding them； and all around the air was full of gunshots； cries； voices crying in pain or terror； the distant yowk…yowk…yowk of cliff…ghasts circling overhead； the occasional whiz and chock of arrows； and then a new sound： the rising of the wind。
lyra felt it first on her cheeks； and then she saw the grass bending under it； and then she heard it in the hawthorns。 the sky ahead was huge with storm： all the whiteness had gone from the thunderheads； and they rolled and swirled with sulphur yellow； sea green； smoke gray； oil black； a queasy churning miles high and as wide as the horizon。
behind her the sun was still shining； so that every grove and every single tree between her and the storm blazed ardent and vivid； little frail things defying the dark with leaf and twig and fruit and flower。
and through it all went the two no…longer…quite…children； seeing the specters almost clearly now。 the wind was snapping at wills eyes and lashing lyras hair across her face； and it should have been able to blow the specters away； but the things drifted straight down through it toward the ground。 boy and girl； hand in hand； picked their way over the dead and the wounded； lyra calling for her daemon； will alert in every sense for his。
and now the sky was laced with lightning； and then the first almighty crack of thunder hit their eardrums like an ax。 lyra put her hands to her head； and will nearly stumbled； as if driven downward by the sound。 they clung to each other and looked up； and saw a sight no one had ever seen before in any of the millions of worlds。
witches； ruta skadis clan； and reina mitis； and half a dozen others； every single witch carrying a torch of flaring pitch pine dipped in bitumen； were streaming over the fortress from the east； from the last of the clear sky； and flying straight toward the storm。
those on the ground could hear the roar and crackle as the volatile hydrocarbons flamed high above。 a few specters still remained in the upper airs； and some witches flew into them unseeing； to cry out and tumble blazing to the ground； but most of the pallid things had reached the earth by this time； and the great flight of witches streamed like a river of fire into the heart of the storm。
a flight of angels； armed with spears and swords； had emerged from the clouded mountain to meet the witches head…on。 they had the wind behind them； and they sped forward faster than arrows； but the witches were equal to that； and the first ones soared up high and then dived into the ranks of the angels； lashing to left and right with their flaring torches。 angel after angel； outlined in fire； their wings ablaze； tumbled screaming from the air。
and then the first great drops of rain came down。 if the mander in the storm clouds meant to douse the witch fires； he was disappointed； the pitch pine and the bitumen blazed defiance at it； spitting and hissing more loudly as more rain splashed into them。 the raindrops hit the ground as if theyd been hurled in malice； breaking and splashing up into the air。 within a minute lyra and will were both soaked to the skin and shaking with cold； and the rain stung their heads and arms like tiny stones。
through it all they stumbled and struggled； wiping the water from their eyes； calling in the tumult： 〃pan！ pan！〃
the thunder overhead was almost constant now； ripping and grinding and crashing as if the very atoms were being torn open。 between thunder crash and pang of fear ran will and lyra； howling； both of them； 〃pan！ my pantalaimon！ pan！〃 from lyra and a wordless cry from will； who knew what he had lost； but not what she was named。
with them everywhere went the two gallivespians； warning them to look this way； to go that way； watching out for the specters the children could still not fully see。 but lyra had to hold salmakia in her hands； because the lady had little strength left to cling to lyras shoulder。 tialys was scanning the skies all around； searching for his kindred and calling out whenever he saw a needle…bright darting movement through the air above。 but his voice had lost much of its power； and in any case the other gallivespians were looking for the clan colors of their two dragonflies； the electric blue and the red…and…yellow； and those colors had long since faded； and