rustling [`rAslIN] malevolent [mq`lev (q) lqnt] laughter [`lRftq]
He walked thus for a long while. It was cool within the Lion's Mouth and he wondered if Queen Oorese had been voicing nothing more than a superstition, for the interior seemed to be just a large cave.
Then the rustling sounds began.
He thought he glimpsed eyes watching. Accusing eyes? No. Merely malevolent. He drew his sword. He paused, looking about him. He took another step forward.
He was in whirling nothingness. Colours flashed past him, something shrieked and laughter filled his head. He tried to take another step.
He stood on a crystal plain and embedded in it, beneath his feet, were millions of beings (он стоял на прозрачной плоской поверхности; вмурованные в нее, под его ногами, находились миллионы существ) — Vadhagh, Nhadragh, Mabden, Ragha-da-Kheta, and many others he did not recognise (и многие другие, /которых/ он не узнал). There were males and females and all had their eyes open (там находились мужчины и женщины, и у всех были открыты глаза); all had their faces pressed against the crystal (лица у всех были прижаты к /поверхности/ кристалла); all stretched out their hands as if seeking aid (все протягивали руки, словно прося о помощи). All stared at him (все пристально смотрели на него). He tried to hack at the crystal with his sword, but the crystal would not crack (он попытался разбить кристалл своим мечом, но тот /даже/ не треснул).
He moved forward (он двинулся дальше).
He saw all the Five Planes, one superimposed upon the other, as he had seen them as a child (он видел все Пять Плоскостей, наложившиеся одна на другую, как он видел их, будучи ребенком) — as his ancestors had known them (/в том виде/, как их знали его предки). He was in a canyon, a forest, a valley, a field, another forest (он был /то/ в глубоком ущелье, /то/ в лесу, /то/ в долине, /то/ в поле, снова в лесу). He made to move into one particular plane, but he was stopped (он попробовал переместиться в одну определенную плоскость, но /что-то/ его остановило).
crystal [`krIstl] superimposed [, s (j) Hp (q) rIm`pquzd] ancestor [`xnsqstq]
He stood on a crystal plain and embedded in it, beneath his feet, were millions of beings — Vadhagh, Nhadragh, Mabden, Ragha-da-Kheta, and many others he did not recognise. There were males and females and all had their eyes open; all had their faces pressed against the crystal; all stretched out their hands as if seeking aid. All stared at him. He tried to hack at the crystal with his sword, but the crystal would not crack.
He moved forward.
He saw all the Five Planes, one superimposed upon the other, as he had seen them as a child — as his ancestors had known them. He was in a canyon, a forest, a valley, a field, another forest. He made to move into one particular plane, but he was stopped.
Screaming things came at him and pecked at his flesh (визжащие твари набросились на него и /принялись/ клевать его плоть). He fought them off with his sword (он отогнал их мечом). They vanished (они исчезли).
He was crossing a bridge of ice (он переходил ледяной мост). It was melting (мост таял). Fanged, distorted things waited for him below (клыкастые, перекошенные твари поджидали его внизу). The ice creaked (лед треснул). He lost his footing (он поскользнулся). He fell (упал).
He fell into a whirlpool of seething matter that formed shapes and then destroyed them instantly (он упал в водоворот бурлящей материи, которая создавала /различные/ формы и разрушала их тотчас). He saw whole cities brought into existence and then obliterated (он видел, как создавались целые города, а затем уничтожались;
whirlpool [`wq: lpHl] obliterated [q`blItqreItId]
Screaming things came at him and pecked at his flesh. He fought them off with his sword. They vanished.
He was crossing a bridge of ice. It was melting. Fanged, distorted things waited for him below. The ice creaked. He lost his footing. He fell.
He fell into a whirlpool of seething matter that formed shapes and then destroyed them instantly. He saw whole cities brought into existence and then obliterated. He saw creatures, some beautiful, some disgustingly ugly. He saw things that made him love them and things that made him scream with hatred.
And he was back in the blackness of the great cavern (он снова вернулся в черноту/темноту огромной пещеры) where things tittered at him and scampered away from beneath his feet (где твари хихикали над ним и удирали из-под его ног;
And Corum knew that anyone who had experienced the horrors that he had experienced would have been quite mad by now (Корум знал, что любой, кто пережил те ужасы, которые пережил он, сошел бы с ума уже). He had gained something from Shool the sorcerer besides the Eye of Rhynn and the Hand of Kwll (он получил что-то от колдуна Шула помимо Глаза Ринна и Руки Кулла). He had gained an ability to face the most evil of apparitions and be virtually unmoved (он получил способность смело смотреть на самые зловещие = ужасные видения и практически не реагировать на них;
And, he thought, this meant that he has lost something, too (он подумал, это означает, что он также и потерял что-то;
He moved on another step (он сделал еще шаг).
ability [q`bIlItI] virtually [`vq: CuqlI]
And he was back in the blackness of the great cavern where things tittered at him and scampered away from beneath his feet.
And Corum knew that anyone who had experienced the horrors that he had experienced would have been quite mad by now. He had gained something from Shool the sorcerer besides the Eye of Rhynn and the Hand of Kwll. He had gained an ability to face the most evil of apparitions and be virtually unmoved.
And, he thought, this meant that he has lost something, too…
He moved on another step.
He stood knee-deep in slithering flesh that was without shape but which lived (он стоял по колено в скользкой плоти, которая была без формы, но которая жила = была живой;
He stood beneath a dome of ice and with him stood a million Corums (/и вот/ он стоял под куполом из льда, а с ним стоял миллион /таких же/ Корумов). There he was, innocent and gay before the coming of the Mabden (вот он, невинный и веселый до прихода = нашествия мабденов), there he was moody and grim, with his jewelled eye and his murderous hand, there he was dying (вот он унылый и мрачный, с украшенным самоцветами глазом и смертоносной/кровожадной рукой; вот он умирает) …
Another step (еще один шаг) …
