青铜甲胄下贝叶冠者：阿里奥斯国王战前仪式.pdfVIP

AVATAR

LoisTilton

ThekingofRhyliosstoodatthealtartoinvoketheaidofWar.Hewasarrayedin

bronzecorseletandgreaves,buthelmets,awreathofbayleavesaroundhis

forehead.

Smokerosefromthealtar.Thesacrificewasablackhorse,aflawsyoung

stallion.Itisrareinthesetimestolayamaidenonthealtaroracaptivetakenin

battle,yetthesealsoarepropersacrificetoWar,whetherworshippedasAresorby

someothername.

ButnowRhyliossummoneditswargods,andweanswered:I,dreadEnyothe

sackerofcities,andmybrother-consort,warlikeEnyalios.Ourpanoplywasgold—

goldcorseletandgreaves,gleaminghelmetswithtallblackcrests—asithadbeen

twogenerationspast,whentheAchaiansbroughtwartothewallsofTroy.

Theknifefellfromthekingshandashecoveredhiseyes,dazzledbythegodlight.

Thepalacecourtyardfellsilent,exceptforthehissingofflamesonthealtar.

Thenourvoicesrangoutlikewartrumpets,echoingoffthestones:Takeupyour

spears,Rhylians!Harnessyourchariots!Theenemysshipsareinsight.Meetthem

onthebeachesandspilltheirbloodontothesand!MaketheirshadesinHadesrealm

cursethedaytheysailedtoRhylios!

TheRhylianwarriorsheardthevoiceofWarandrespondedwiththeirbattlecries,

strikingtheirshieldswithspearshafts.

Iglancedatthealtarwheretheking,Alektryon,stoodwithhiscaptains,hisface

flushedwithbattlefever.Hewasyoung,Inoticed—hisbeardwasstillsoft.

Thenhesteppedupintohiswaitingchariotandraisedhishandsforsilence.The

wargodsarewithus!heshouted.VictorytoRhylios!

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