"David Eddings. Pawn of prophecy queen of sorcery magician's gambit (The Belgariad, Part one)" - читать интересную книгу автора

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 races of man rose up and came against the hosts of Angarak and made
war on them. The wars of the Gods and of men raged across the land until,
near the high places of Korim, Torak raised the Orb and forced its will to
join with his to split the earth asunder. The mountains were cast down,
and the sea came in. But Belar and Aldur joined their wills and set limits
upon the sea. The races of man, however, were separated one from the
others, and the Gods also.
Now when Torak raised the living Orb against the earth, its mother, it
awoke and began to glow with holy flame. The face of Torak was seared by
the blue fire. In pain he cast down the mountains; in anguish he cracked
open the earth; in agony he let in the sea. His left hand flared and
burned to ashes, the flesh on the left side of his face melted like wax,
and his left eye boiled in its socket. With a great cry, he cast himself
into the sea to quench the burning, but his anguish was without end.
When Torak rose from the water, his right side was still fair, but his
left was burned and scarred hideously by the fire of the Orb. In endless
pain, he led his people away to the east, where they built a great city on
the plains of Mallorea, which they called Cthol Mishrak, City of Night,
for Torak hid his maiming in darkness. The Angaraks raised an iron tower
for their God and placed the Orb in an iron cask in the topmost chamber.
Often Torak stood before the cask, then fled weeping, lest his yearning to
look on the Orb overpower him and he perish utterly.
The centuries rolled past in the lands of the Angarak, and they came to
call their maimed God Kal-Torak, both King and God.
Belar had taken the Alorns to the north. Of all men, they were the most
hardy and warlike, and Belar put eternal hatred for Angarak in their
hearts. With cruel swords and axes they ranged the north, even to the
fields of eternal ice, seeking a way to their ancient enemies.
Thus it was until the time when Cherek Bear-shoulders, greatest king of
the Alorns, traveled to the Vale of Aldur to seek out Belgarath the
Sorcerer. "The way to the north is open," he said. "The signs and the
auguries are propitious. Now is the time ripe for us to discover the way
to the City of Night and regain the Orb from Oneeye."
Poledra, wife of Belgarath, was great with child, and he was reluctant
to leave her. But Cherek prevailed. They stole away one night to join
Cherek's sons, Dras Bull-neck, Algar Fleet-foot, and Riva Iron-grip.
Cruel winter gripped the northland, and the moors glittered beneath the
stars with frost and steel-gray ice. To seek out their way, Belgarath cast
an enchantment and took the shape of a great wolf. On silent feet, he
slunk through the snow-floored forests where the trees cracked and
shattered in the sundering cold. Grim frost silvered the ruff and
shoulders of the wolf, and ever after the hair and beard of Belgarath were