tg.stone of tears-第208章

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ic。’
　
　Richard　shot　to　his　feet。　‘What！　Are　you　mad！’
　
　‘Sit　down；　Richard。’
　
　The　quiet　power　of　her　voice；　her　penetrating　gaze；　her　presence；　made　him　sink　to　the　bench。　For　some　reason；　she　seemed　suddenly　very　big　to　him。　She　was　the　same　size　as　before；　but　it　felt　as　if　she　towered　over　him。　Her　voice　became　imposing；　too。
　
　‘Now；　you　listen　to　me。　You　are　causing　me　a　great　deal　of　trouble。　You　are　like　a　bull　that　keeps　knocking　down　fences　and　trampling　the　crops。　Too　much　is　at　stake　to　have　you　acting　without　knowing　what　you　are　doing。　I　know　you　think　you　are　doing　right；　but　so　does　the　bull。　Your　problem　is　lack　of　knowledge。　I　intend　to　give　you　an　education。
　
　Though　you　will　not　believe　some　of　what　I　have　to　tell　you；　you　had　better　e　to　accept　it；　or　you　will　be　in　that　collar　a　good　long　time；　because　it　cannot　e　off　until　you　accept　the　truth。’
　
　‘I　was　told　the　Sisters　took　the　collar　off。’
　
　The　look　in　her　eyes　made　him　wish　he　had　kept　his　mouth　closed；　or　that　he　could　trade　places　with　the　two　Sisters　who　were　to　take　a　public　strapping。
　
　‘Only　when　you　accept　yourself；　accept　your　ability；　your　true　power；　will　it　e　off。　You　put　the　Rada’Han　around　your　own　neck。　We　don’t　have　the　power　to　take　it　off　until　you　can　help　us；　with　your　own　power。　The　only　way　you　can　do　that　is　to　learn；　and　to　accept　who　you　are。
　
　‘Now；　first　of　all；　you　must　understand　about　the　Keeper；　and　the　Creator；　and　the　nature　of　this　world。　Your　problem；　the　problem　most　people　have；　the　problem　Warren　has；　is　that　you　try　to　understand　the　worlds　beyond　in　terms　of　this　world。
　
　‘Good　and　evil；　the　Creator　and　the　Keeper；　are　chaos　divided　into　two　opposing　forces。　Although　each　abhors　the　other；　they　are　interdependent；　and　cannot　exist　one　without　the　other。　They　define　each　other。　The　struggle；　our　struggle　in　this　world；　is　maintaining　the　balance。’
　
　Although　Richard　kept　his　mouth　shut；　he　couldn’t　keep　the　frown　from　his　face。
　
　‘From　the　Creator　springs　life；　the　soul　of　life。　It　blooms　into　this　world。　Without　the　Keeper；　without　death；　there　can　be　no　life。　Without　death；　life　would　be　open…ended。
　
　‘Can　you　even　imagine　a　world　in　which　no　one　ever　died？　Where　every　child　born　lives？　Forever？　Where　every　plant　that　sprouts　flourishes？　Where　every　tree　lives　forever；　and　every　seedling　sprouts　and　grows　to　a　tree？
　
　‘What　would　happen？　How　could　we　eat；　if　we　could　kill　no　animal；　or　harvest　no　crop；　if　it　all　lived　forever　and　could　not　die？　A　never…ending　life　of　gnawing；　ravenous　hunger？　The　world　of　the　living　would　be　consumed　by　chaos；　and　destroy　itself　forever。
　
　‘Death；　the　underworld　as　some　call　it；　is　eternal。　You　think　of　it　in　terms　of　this　life。　In　eternity；　time　has　no　meaning；　no　dimension。　To　the　Keeper；　a　second；　or　a　year；　has　no　meaning。
　
　‘It　is　through　those　in　this　world；　who　serve　him；　that　the　Keeper　is　given　the　dimension　of　time。　It　is　their　urgency　that　drives　his　struggle；　because　they　understand　time。　He　needs　the　living　if　he　is　to　succeed。　His　promises　to　those　who　help　him　are　seductive；　and　they　hunger　for　his　triumph。’
　
　‘So　what　part　do　the　living　play　in　this？’
　
　‘We　divide　and　define　the　chaos　with　order；　and　keep　it　separated：　light　and　dark；　love　and　hate；　good　and　evil。　We　are　the　balance。
　
　‘We　are　like　the　duck　weed　floating　on　the　surface　of　the　pond。　The　air　above　is　the　Creator；　the　depths　below；　the　Keeper。　The　souls　of　the　living；　which　have　e　down　from　the　Creator；　blossom　to　life　in　this　place；　and　when　they　die；　they　descend　to　the　world　of　the　dead。
　
　‘But　that　does　not　mean　it　is　evil。　Evil　is　a　judgment　we　put　on　it。　The　Keeper　is　like　the　muck　at　the　bottom　of　the　pond。　Spirits　of　the　dead　reside　anywhere　from　the　depths　of　that　chaos　and　hate；　near　the　Keeper；　to　near　the　living；　near　the　light　of　the　Creator。　It　is　the　hope　of　the　living　to　spend　eternity　in　the　warmth　of　that　light。
　
　‘It　is　we；　the　living；　who　separate；　and　define　the　worlds　to　each　side　of　life。　Magic　is　the　element　that　gives　this　world　the　power　to　do　that。　Magic　is　the　balance　point。
　
　The　Keeper　would　like　to　swallow　the　world　of　the　living；　to　triumph。　To　do　that；　he　must　eliminate　magic。　But　at　the　same　time；　in　order　to　triumph；　he　must　use　magic　to　tip　the　balance。’
　
　Richard　struggled　to　keep　his　head　above　the　murky　waters　of　confusion。　‘And　wizards　have　the　power　to　influence　this　balance？’
　
　She　was　still　leaning　over　him。　She　held　up　a　finger。　‘Yes。　You　have　both　sides　of　the　magic。’　Her　smile　evaporated　in　a　way　that　took　his　breath　with　it。　‘That　makes　you　an　extremely　dangerous　person；　Richard。
　
　‘You　have　both　sides　of　the　gift；　you　have　the　power　to　mend；　or　destroy　the　veil。　There　are　good　people　who；　if　they　knew　of　your　power；　would　kill　you　in　a　twinkling　for　fear　you　might　destroy　us　all；　if　not　deliberately；　by　accident。’
　
　‘And　you？　Are　you　one　of　those？’
　
　‘If　I　were；　I　would　not　have　helped　your　father　get　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows。　Your　involvement　stopped　the　immediate　threat；　but　it　also　fed　the　gateway　magic；　and　chances　greater　danger　in　the　future。　It　was　a　risk　I　had　to　take；　because　the　consequences　of　not　doing　so　would　have　been　disaster。　But　if　what　has　happened　is　not　fixed；　it　will　be　greater　disaster　in　the　end。’
　
　‘What　is　the　veil？　Where　is　it？’
　
　She　reached　out　and　tapped　his　forehead。　The　veil　is　within　those　of　us　with　magic。　We　are　its　custodians。　That　is　why　balance　means　so　much　to　those　with　the　gift。　When　the　veil　is　torn；　the　balance　is　tipped。　The　further　it　tips；　the　more　the　veil　tears。
　
　‘The　Creator　rules　his　domain；　the　Keeper；　his。　The　Keeper　needs　the　Creator　to　feed　him　life；　the　Creator　needs　the　Keeper　to　allow　it　to　be　renewed。　The　veil　keeps　the　balance。’
　
　Her　face　was　grim。　This　view　would　be　considered　blasphemy　by　many。　They　see　the　Keeper　only　as　evil　that　must　be　destroyed。　But　to　do　so　would　ultimately　acplish　the　opposite　…　all　life　being　swept　away　like　a　sandbar　in　a　river　flood。’
　
　‘Just　for　the　sake　of　argument；　what　if　I　did　have　both　kinds　of　magic？　What　is　my　power　for？’
　
　‘Most　wizards　have　a　talent　that　leans　in　a　particular　direction。　Some　are　healers；　some　make　things　of　magic；　more　rare　are　prophets。　The　most　rare　are　war　wizards。　There　has　not　been　one　born　in　over　three　thousand　years。　Until　you。’
　
　Richard　wiped　his　sweaty　palms　on　his　pant　legs。　‘I　don’t　like　the　sound　of　that。’
　
　‘War　wizard　has　two　meanings　which　balance　each　other；　as　in　all　things　magic。　The　first　meaning　is　that　they　can　tear　the　veil；　bring　destruction　and　death　…　war。　And　the　second　is　that　they　have　the　magic　needed　to　fight　against　the　powers　of　the　Keeper。　Being　a　war　wizard　does　not　mean　you　are　evil；　Richard。　Many　who　fight　do　so　to　protect　those　who　are　defenseless。　It　means　you　have　the　capacity　to　care　enough　to　fight；　to　defend　the　innocent。’
　
　‘‘Lest　he　who’s　born　true　can　fight　for　life’s　bond。　And　that　one　is　marked；　he’s　the　pebble　in　the　pond。’’　Richard　quoted。
　
　She　lifted　an　eyebrow。　‘For　one　who　professes　to　scoff　at　prophecy；　you　seem　to　know　some　of　the　more　pivotal　passages。　If　I’m　not　entirely　addled；　I　expect　you　have　been　marked。’
　
　Richard　could　feel　the　scar　on　his　chest　as　he　nodded。　‘Are　you　saying　that　my　life　is　already　marked　out？　That　I’m　just　meant　to　live　it　out；　as　it　has　been　preordained？’
　
　‘No；　Richard。　Life　is　not　predetermined。　The　prophecies　mean　only　that　you　have　potential。　You　have　the　ability　to　influence　events。　That’s　why　it　is　so　important　for　you　to　learn。
　
　‘Of　most　importance　is　that　you　learn　to　accept　yourself。　If　you　do　not　do　this；　you　will　harm　the　most　vital　part　of　yourself：　your　free　will。　If　you　act　without　understanding；　you　could　cast　yourself　into　the　chaos。
　
　‘I　let　you　live　when　you　were　born　because　you　have　the　potential　for　doing　good。　Within　you　is　the　hope　of　life。　But　until　you　truly　accept　both　sides　of　your　magic；　you　are　a　danger　to　every　living　thing。’
　
　Richard　desperately　wanted　to　change　the　subject。　He　felt　as　if　the　world　were　crushing　him。　‘What　is　the　Stone　of　Tears？’
　
　She　gave　a　little　shrug。　‘In　the　world　of　the　dead；　it　exists　as　a　force。　In　this　world；　it　exists　as　an　object　with　power；　representing　that　force。
　
　The　Stone　of　Tears　is　like　a　weight　that　holds　the　Keeper　at　the　infinite　end　of　his　world；　where　his　influence　here　is　diminished　to　the　point　of　balance。’
　
　‘Then　if　it’s　here；　off　him；　he　is　freed　from　his　prison。’
　
　‘If　that　were　true；　we　would　all　be　dead。　Hmm？’　She　lifted　a　questioning　eyebrow；　but　Richard　didn’t　say　anything。　‘It’s　one　of　the　seals　that　locks　the　Keeper　beyond。　There　are　others；　that　still　hold。　Magic　helps　hold　him　back；　for　now。
　
　The　Stone　of　Tears　has　the　power；　though；　to　destroy　the　balance；　to　tear　the　veil　and　free　the　Keeper；　if　it　is　used　in　this　world；　by　such　as　you；　in　the　wrong　way。　You　see；　the　Stone　has　the　power　to　banish　any　soul　to　the　infinite　depths　of　the　underworld。　But　if　it　we