 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
* We changed this in Belgarath the Sorcerer. That 'thousand leagues' looks great
in a 'Holy
Book', but it's too cumbersome in a story. Moreover, three thousand miles would
have put
them in the general vicinity of the north pole
And the eldest Dras was named and of great power and
craftiness was he. And the second son Algar was named and fleet
was he as the wind and bold. And the youngest was named Riva
and pure was he and steadfast and his grip was as death, for naught
upon which he set his hand could escape him.
And behold, the time of darkness was upon the north, and the
season of snow and of ice and of mist, and the moors of the north
glittered beneath the stars with rime-frost and steel-grey ice in the
deathly cold. And Belgarath the Sorcerer took the shape of a great
dark wolf, and on silent feet did he slink through the dark,
snowfloored forests of the north where the trees cracked and shattered in
the sundering cold.
And in those days were the ruff and shoulders of the great wolf
Belgarath silvered by frost, and ever after was the Sorcerer Belgarath
silver of hair and beard.
And it came to pass that the companions passed toward the south
into Mallorea and even unto the City of Darkness which was Cthol
Mishrak, wherein dwelt the maimed God who was king of the
Angaraks. And ever were they guided by the wolf Belgarath who
ran before them, his belly low to the ground and his shoulders and
ruff touched with the silver of eternal frost.
And at last came they even unto the City of Night wherein dwelt
Kal-Torak and his people, the Angaraks, and the wolf Belgarath
slunk low to the ground and sought out the way and led them even
into the dark city and yet unto the foot of the iron tower.
THE HOLY BOOKS
Then climbed they in crafty silence with muffled feet the rusted
iron steps which had known no foot of man or God for twenty
centuries. And Cherek of the broad shoulders, more like the Bear
than the Bear-God himself, mounted first, and behind him Algar the
fleet-footed and Riva the steadfast, and guarding the rear were Dras
the bull-necked and the wolf Belgarath.
And mounted they the smoldering darkness of the tower and
came even unto the iron-bound chamber of the maimed God where
slept in pain-hunted slumber the titan Torak.
And he had caused his face to be bound up with iron to hide from
men and Gods the melted flesh and burned eye which the Orb had
wrought upon him.
And as they passed through the chamber of the maimed God,
stirred he in his sleep and opened behind the iron binding the eye
which the Orb had burned. And such was the power of the maimed
God that the eye which was not glowed red, and the iron tower
glowed likewise a smoldering and sooty red.
And passed they through in dreadful fear of the mahned and
sleeping God who stirred ever in his sleep as the pain with which
the Orb had touched him seared him.