"David Gemmell - Stones of Power 2 - Sword of Power" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

And the Great Betrayal ..."
'I know the history,' snapped Revelation. 'Pour us some wine, while I think.'
The Abbot watched as the older man filled two copper goblets with deep red wine, accepting one of
them with a smile to offset the harshness of his last response.
'Is it true that Wotan's messengers seek out maidens with special talents?'
'Yes. Spirit-seers, healers, speakers in tongues ... it is said he weds them all.'
'He kills them,' said Revelation. 'It is where his power lies.'
The Abbot rose and moved to the window, watching the sun sink in fire. Behind him Cotta lit four
candles, then waited in silence for several minutes. At last he spoke. 'Might I ask, my lord, why
you are so concerned about events across the world? There have always been wars. It is the curse
of Man that he must kill his brothers and some argue that God himself made this the punishment for
Eden.'
Revelation turned from the glory of the sunset and went back to his chair.


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'All life, Cotta, is balanced. Light and dark, weak and strong, good and evil. The harmony of
nature. In perpetual darkness all plants would die. In perpetual sunlight they would wither and
burn. The balance is everything. Wotan must be opposed, lest he become a god - a dark and
malicious god, a blood-drinker, a soul-stealer.'
'And you will oppose him, my lord?'
'I will oppose him'
'But you have no army. You are not a king, or a warlord.'
'You do not know what I am, old friend. Come, refill the goblets, and we will see what the Graal
shows.'
Revelation moved to an oak chest and poured water from a clay jug into a shallow silver bowl,
carrying it carefully to the desk. He waited until the ripples had died and then lifted a golden
stone above the water, slowly circling it. The candle flames guttered and died without a hint of
breeze and Cotta found himself leaning forward, staring into the now velvet-dark water of the
bowl.
The first image that appeared was that of a young boy, red-haired and wild-eyed, thrusting at the
air with a wooden sword. Nearby sat an older warrior, a leather cup strapped over the stump where
his right hand should have been. Revelation watched them closely, then passed his hand over the
surface. Now the watchers could see blue sky and a young girl in a pale green dress sitting beside
a lake.
'Those are the mountains of Raetia,' whispered Cotta. The girl was slowly plaiting her dark hair
into a single braid.
'She is blind,' said Revelation. 'See how her eyes face the sun unblinking?'
Suddenly the girl's face turned towards them. 'Good morning,' she said, the words forming without
sound in both men's minds.
'Who are you?' asked Revelation softly.
'How strange,' she replied, your voice whispers like the morning breeze, and seems so far away.'
'I am far away, child. Who are you?'
'I am Anduine.'
'And where do you live?'
'In Cisastra with my father, Ongist. And you?'
'I am Revelation.'
'Are you a friend?'