"David Eddings - Belgariad 1 - Pawn Of Prophecy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

David Eddings
THE BELGARIAD
Part One

PAWN OF PROPHECY

For Theone who told me stories but could not stay for mine and for Arthur, who
showed me the way to become a man and who shows me still.

PROLOGUE

Being a History of the War of the Gods and the Acts of Belgarath the Sorcerer

-adapted from The Book of Alorn

WHEN THE WORLD was new, the seven Gods dwelt in harmony, and the races of man
were as one people. Belar, youngest of the Gods, was beloved by the Alorns. He
abode with them and cherished them, and they prospered in his care. The other
Gods also gathered peoples about them, and each God cherished his own people.

But Belar's eldest brother, Aldur, was God over no people. He dwelt apart from
men and Gods, until the day that a vagrant child sought him out. Aldur
accepted the child as his disciple and called him Belgarath. Belgarath learned
the secret of the Will and the Word and became a sorcerer. In the years that
followed, others also sought out the solitary God. They joined in brotherhood
to learn at the feet of Aldur, and time did not touch them.

Now it happened that Aldur took up a stone in the shape of a globe, no larger
than the heart of a child, and he turned the stone in his hand until it became
a living soul. The power of the living jewel, which men called the Orb of
Aldur, was very great, and Aldur worked wonders with it.

Of all the Gods, Torak was the most beautiful, and his people were the
Angaraks. They burned sacrifices before him, calling him Lord of Lords, and
Torak found the smell of sacrifice and the words of adoration sweet. The day
came, however, when he heard of the Orb of Aldur, and from that moment he knew
no peace.

Finally, in a dissembling guise, he went to Aldur. "My brother," he said, "it
is not fitting that thou shouldst absent thyself from our company and counsel.
Put aside this jewel which hath seduced thy mind from our fellowship."

Aldur looked into his brother's soul and rebuked him. "Why lost thou seek
lordship and dominion, Torak? Is not Angarak enough for thee? Do not in thy
pride seek to possess the Orb, lest it slay thee."

Great was Torak's shame at the words of Aldur, and he raised his hand and
smote his brother. Taking the jewel, he fled.

The other Gods besought Torak to return the Orb, but he would not. Then the