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

'I am indeed.'
'I thought so. Who is that with you?'
'How do you know there is someone with me?'
'It is a gift I have, Master Revelation. Who is he?'
'He is Cotta, a monk of the White Christ. You will meet him soon; he also is a friend.'
"This I knew. I can feel his kindness.'
Once more Revelation moved his hand across the water. Now he saw a young man with long, raven-dark
hair leading a fine herd of Sicambrian horses in the vales beyond Londinium. The man was handsome,
a finely-boned face framed by a strong, clean shaven jaw. Revelation studied the rider intently.
This time the water shimmered of its own accord - a dark storm-cloud hurling silent spears of
jagged lightning, streaming across a night sky. From within the cloud came a flying creature with
leather wings and a long wedge-shaped head. Upon its back sat a yellow-bearded warrior; his hand
rose and lightning flashed towards the watchers. Revelation's arm shot forward just as the water
parted; white light speared up into his hand and the stench of burning flesh filled the room. The
water steamed and bubbled, vanishing in a cloud of vapour. The silver bowl sagged and flowed down
upon the table, a hissing black and silver stream that caused the wood to blaze. Cotta recoiled as
he saw Revelation's blackened hand. The Abbot lifted the golden stone and touched it to the seared
flesh. It healed instantly, but even the magic could not take away the memory of the pain and
Revelation sagged back into his chair, his heart pounding and cold sweat on his face. He took a
deep breath and stared at the smouldering wood. The flames died, the smoke disappearing as round
them the candles flared into life.
'He knows of me, Cotta. But in attacking me I learned of him. He is not quite ready to plunge the
world into darkness; he needs one more sacrifice.'
'For what?' whispered the old man.
'In the language of this world? He seeks to open the Gates of Hell.'
'Can he be stopped?'
Revelation shrugged. 'We will see, my friend. You must take ship for Raetia and find Anduine. From
there take her to Britannia, to Noviomagus. I will meet you in three months. Once there you will
find an inn in the southern quarter - called, I believe, the Sign of the Bull. Come every day at


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noon and wait one hour. I shall join you when I can.'
'The blind girl is the sacrifice?'
'Yes.'
'And what of the red-haired boy and the rider?'
'As yet I do not know. Friends or enemies . . . only time will tell. The boy looked familiar, but
I cannot place him. He was wearing Saxon garb and I have never journeyed amongst the Saxons. As to
the rider, I know him; his name is Ursus and he is of the House of Merovee. He has a brother, I
think, and he yearns to be rich.'
'And the man upon the dragon?' asked Cotta softly.
'The Enemy from beyond the Mist.' 'And is he truly Wotan, the grey god?' Revelation sipped his
wine. 'Wotan? He has had many names. To some he was Odin the One-Eyed, to others Loki. In the East
they called him Purgame-sh,or Molech, or even Baal. Yes, Cotta, he is divine - immortal if you
will. And where he walks, chaos follows.'
'You speak as if you know him.' 'I know him. I fought him once before.' 'What happened?' 'I killed
him, Cotta,' answered the Abbot.