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it away。 still shrieking； the sarcophagus began to spin faster and faster； till it was a blur of bronze； white steam and yolk…yellow light。
then； with a scream more piercing than any before； it suddenly stopped； the lid flying off to hurtle over the charter mages鈥櫋eads； smashing into the floor a good thirty paces away。
the charter magic went too； as if earthed by its success； and the ring collapsed with fewer than half the participants still on their feet。
wavering； her hands still tightly gripped by touchstone and the magistrix； sabriel tottered over to the sarcophagus and looked in。
鈥渨hy；鈥潯aid miss greenwood； with a startled glance back up at touchstone； 鈥渉e looks just like you！鈥�
before touchstone could answer； steel clashed outside in the corridor； and the shouting grew louder。 those scouts still standing drew their swords and rushed to the doors鈥攂ut before they could reach them； other soldiers were pouring in； bloodied； terrified soldiers； who ran to the corners； or threw themselves down； and sobbed； or laughed； or shook in silence。
behind this rush came some of the heavily armored soldiery of the corridor。 these men still had some semblance of control。 instead of running on； they hurled themselves back against the doors； and dropped the bar in place。
鈥渉e鈥檚 inside the main doors！鈥潯ne of them shouted back towards sabriel； his face white with terror。 there was no doubt about who 鈥渉e鈥�
was。
鈥渜uick； the final rites！鈥潯abriel snapped。 she drew her hands from the others鈥櫋rasp； and held them out over the body； forming the marks for fire； cleansing and peace in her mind。 she didn鈥檛 look too closely at the body。 rogir did look very much like a sleeping； defenseless touchstone。
she was tired； and there were still free magic protections around the body； but the first mark soon lingered in the air。 touchstone had transferred his hand to her shoulder； pouring power into her。 others of the circle had crept up and linked hands again鈥攁nd suddenly sabriel felt a stirring of relief。 they were going to make it鈥敗errigor鈥檚 human body would be destroyed； and the greater part of his power with it 。 。 。
then the whole of the northern wall exploded； bricks cascading out； red dust blowing in like a solid wave； knocking everyone down in blinding； choking ruin。
sabriel lay on the floor； coughing； hands pushing feebly on the floor； knees scrabbling as she tried to get up。 there was dust and grit in her eyes； and the lanterns had all gone out。 blind； she felt around her； but there was only the stillscalding bronze of the sarcophagus。
鈥渢he blood price must be paid；鈥潯aid a crackling； inhuman voice。 a familiar voice； though not the liquid； ruined tones of kerrigor 。 。 。 but the terrible speech of the night in holehallow； when the paperwing burned。
blinking furiously； sabriel crawled away from the sound； around the sarcophagus。 it didn鈥檛 speak again immediately； but she could hear it closing in； the air crackling and buzzing at its passage。
鈥渋 must deliver my last burden；鈥潯he creature said。 鈥渢hen the bargain is done； and i may turn to retribution。鈥�
sabriel blinked again； tears streaming down her face。 vision slowly came back； a picture woven with tears and the first rays of moonlight streaming through the shattered wall； a picture blurred with the red dust of pulverized bricks。
all sabriel鈥檚 senses were screaming inside her。
free magic； the dead； danger all around 。 。 。
the creature that had once been mogget blazed a little more than five yards away。 it was squatter than it had appeared previously； but equally misshapen； a lumpy body slowly drifting towards her atop a column of twisting； whirling energies。
a soldier suddenly leapt up behind it； driving a sword deep into its back。 it hardly noticed； but the man screamed and burst into white flames。
within a second； he was consumed； his sword a molten lump of metal； scorching the thick oak planks of the floor。
鈥渋 bring you abhorsen鈥檚 sword；鈥潯he creature said； dropping a long； dimly seen object to one side。 鈥渁nd the bell called astarael。鈥�
that； it laid carefully down； the silver glinting momentarily before it was lowered into the sea of dust。
鈥渆 forward； abhorsen。 it is long since time that we begun。鈥�
the thing laughed then； a sound like a match igniting； and it started to move around the sarcophagus。
sabriel loosened the ring on her finger； and edged away； keeping the sarcophagus between them； her thoughts racing。 kerrigor was very near； but there still might be time to turn this creature back into mogget； and plete the final rites 。 。 。
鈥渟top！鈥�
the word was like a foul lick across the face by a reptilian tongue； but there was power behind it。 sabriel stood still； against her own desire； as did the blazing thing。 sabriel tried looking past it； lidding her eyes against the light； trying to puzzle out what was happening at the other end of the hall。 not that she really needed to see。
it was kerrigor。 the soldiers who鈥檇 barred the door lay dead around him； pale flesh islands about a sea of darkness。 he had no shape now； but there were semi…human features in the great ink…splash of his presence。 eyes of white fire； and a yawning mouth that was lined with flickering coals of a red as dark as drying blood。
鈥渁bhorsen is mine；鈥潯roaked kerrigor； his voice deep and somehow liquid； as if his words came bubbling out like lava mixed with spittle。
鈥測ou will leave her to me。鈥�
the mogget…thing crackled； and moved again； white sparks falling like tiny stars in its wake。
鈥渋 have waited too long to allow my revenge to be taken by another！鈥潯t hissed； ending on a high…pitched yowl that still had something of the cat。 then it flew at kerrigor； a shining electric et hurtling into the darkness of his body； smashing into his shadowy substance like a hammer tenderizing meat。
for a moment； no one moved； shocked by the suddenness of the attack。 then； kerrigor鈥檚 dark shape slowly recongealed； long tendrils of bitter night wrapping around his brilliant attacker； choking and absorbing it with the implacable voracity of an octopus strangling a brightshelled turtle。
desperately； sabriel looked around for touchstone and magistrix greenwood。 brick dust was still falling slowly through the moonlit air； like some deadly rust…colored gas； the bodies lying around seemingly victims of its choking poison。 but they had been struck by bricks； or wooden splinters from the smashing of the pews。
sabriel saw the magistrix first； lying a little away； curled up on her side。 anyone else might have thought her merely unconscious； but sabriel knew she was dead； struck by a long； stiletto…like splinter from a shattered pew。 the iron…hard wood had driven right through her。
she knew touchstone was alive鈥攁nd there he was； propped up against a pile of broken masonry。 his eyes reflected the moonlight。
sabriel walked over to him； stepping between the bodies and the rubble； the patches of freshly spilled blood and the silent； hopeless wounded。
鈥渕y leg is broken；鈥潯ouchstone said； his mouth showing the pain of it。 he tilted his head towards the gaping hole in the wall。 鈥渞un； sabriel。 while he鈥檚 busy。 run south。 live a normal life 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渋 can鈥檛；鈥潯eplied sabriel softly。 鈥渋 am the abhorsen。 besides； how could you run with me； you with your broken leg？鈥�
鈥渟abriel 。 。 。鈥�
but sabriel had already turned away。 she picked up astarael； practiced hands keeping it still。 but there was no need； for the bell was choked with brick dust； its voice silent。 it would not ring true until cleaned； with patience； magic and steady nerves。 sabriel stared at it for a second； then gently placed it back down on the floor。
her father鈥檚 sword was only a few paces further away。 she picked it up； and watched the charter marks flow along the blade。 this time； they didn鈥檛 run through the normal inscription； but said： 鈥渢he clayr saw me； the wallmaker made me； the king quenched me； the abhorsen wields me so that no dead shall walk in life。 for this is not their path。鈥�
鈥渢his is not their path；鈥潯hispered sabriel。 she took up the guard position； and looked down the hall to the writhing hulk of darkness that was kerrigor。
w w w/xiao shu otx t
chapter xxix
灏忚…txt澶╁爞
kerrigor seemed to have finished with the free magic thing that had once been mogget。 his great cloud of darkness was plete again； with no sign of white fire； no dazzling brilliance fighting away within。
he was remarkably still； and sabriel had a moment鈥檚 brief hope that he was somehow wounded。 then the awful realization came。
kerrigor was digesting； like a glutton after an overly ambitious meal。
sabriel shuddered at the thought； bile tainting her mouth。 not that her end was likely to be better。 both she and touchstone would be taken alive； and kept that way； till they pumped out their life鈥檚 blood； throats yawning； down in the dark of the reservoir 。 。 。
she shook her head； dispelling that image。
there had to be something 。 。 。 kerrigor had to be weaker； so far from the old kingdom 。 。 。
perhaps weakened more than her charter magic。 she doubted that a single bell could sway him； but two； in concert？ it was dark in the hall； save for the moonlight falling through the shattered wall behind her。 and quiet。 even the wounded were slipping away in silence； their cries muted； last wishes whispered。 they kept their agony close； as if a scream might attract the wrong attention。 there were things worse than death in the hall 。 。 。
even in darkness； the form of kerrigor was darker still。 sabriel watched him carefully； undoing the straps that held saraneth and kibeth with her left hand。 she sensed other dead all around； but none entered the hall。
there were still men to fight； or feast upon。
what went on in the hall was their master鈥檚 business。
the straps came undone。 kerrigor didn鈥檛 move； his burning eyes closed； his fiery mouth shut。
in one quick motion； sabriel sheathed her sword； and drew the bells。
kerrigor did move then。 swiftly； his dark bulk bounding forward； halving the gap between them。 he grew taller too； stretching upwards till he almost reached the vaulted ceiling。 his eyes opened to full； raging； flaming fury； and he spoke。
鈥渢oys； abhorsen。 and too late。 much too late。鈥�
it was not just words he spoke； but power； free magic power that froze sabriel鈥檚 nerves； caught at her muscles。 desperately； she struggled to ring the bells； but her wrists were locked in place 。 。 。
tantalizingly slowly； kerrigor glided forward； till he was a mere arm鈥檚 length away； towering over her like some colossal statue of rough…hewn night； his breath rolling down on her with the stench of a thousand abattoirs。
someone鈥攁 girl quietly coughing out her last breath on the floor鈥攖ouched sabriel鈥檚 ankle with a light caress。 a small spark of golden charter magic came from that dying touch； slowly swelling into sabriel鈥檚 veins； traveling upwards； warming joints； freeing muscles。 at last it reached her wrists and hands鈥攁nd the bells rang out。
it was not the clear； true sound it should be； for somehow the bulk of kerrigor took the sound in and warped it鈥攂ut it had an effect。
kerrigor slid back； and was diminished； till he was little more than twice sabriel鈥檚 height。
but he was not subject to sabriel鈥檚 will。
saraneth had not bound him； and kibeth had only forced him back。
sabriel rang the bells again； concentrating on the difficult counterpoint between them； forcing all her will into their magic。 kerrigor would fall under her domination； he would walk where she willed 。 。 。
and for a second； he did。 not into death； for she lacked the power； but into his original body； inside the broken sarcophagus。 even as the chime of the bells faded； kerrigor changed。
fiery eyes and mouth ran into each other like molten wax； and his shadow…stuff folded into a narrow column of smoke； roaring up into the ceiling。 it hovered among the rafters for a moment； then descended with a hideous scream； straight into the rogir…body鈥檚 open mouth。
with that scream； saraneth and kibeth cracked； shards of silver falling like broken stars； crashing to the earth。 mahogany handles turned to dust； drifting through sabriel鈥檚 fingers like smoke。
sabriel stared at her empty hands for a second； still feeling the harsh imprint of bell…handles 。 。 。
then； without any conscious thought； there was a sword hilt in her hand as she advanced upon the sarcophagus。 but before she could see into it； rogir stood up and looked at her鈥攍ooked with the burning fire…pit eyes of kerrigor。
鈥渁n inconvenience；鈥潯e said； with a voice that was only marginally more human。 鈥渋 should have remembered you were a troublesome brat。鈥�
sabriel lunged at him； sword blowing white sparks as it struck； punching through his chest to project out the other side。 but kerrigor only laughed； and reached down till he held the blade with both hands； knuckles pallid against the silver…sparking steel。 sabriel tugged at the sword； but it would not e free。
鈥渘o sword can harm me；鈥潯errigor said； with a giggle like a dying man鈥檚 cough。 鈥渘ot even one made by the wal