章節 116: Extra Maniyan
The field outside Lannisport was alive with the restless glow of torches, their flickering flames casting jagged shadows on the restless crowd. The air was thick with anticipation and unease, the low murmur of voices echoing beneath the dark canopy of the night.
At the forefront stood Loreon Lannister, an aging man whose thinning hair and balding crown glistened faintly under the firelight. A golden tooth gleamed every time his lips curled in disdain, and the heavy chain around his neck proclaimed his Lannister wealth as much as his name did.
With narrowed eyes, Loreon turned to the gathered crowd, his voice cutting through the tense night like a blade. "That rascal's looting has shamed us! Our reputation—our very legacy—is at stake!" His voice rose with each word, his anger palpable. He jabbed a finger toward the crowd. "Tonight, we put an end to that bastard's games. Tonight, the bell-ringer falls!"
He snapped his gaze toward his servant, who stood nervously at his side. "Where are Sir William and Sir Aaron?"
The servant bowed low, avoiding Loreon's sharp glare. "They are here, my lord."
"Good," Loreon growled. His voice dropped to a low, menacing tone as he addressed the crowd again. "Keep your eyes sharp. He could come from any direction. This ends tonight. If we have to kill him, so be it. Lowlife scum!" He spat on the ground, his fury radiating through the crowd like heat from the torches.
The gathering nodded in tense agreement, gripping their weapons tighter. But then, it came.
Ching-ching-ching-ching
The sound of a bells echoed through the darkness, faint at first, then growing louder, closer. The sound starts with a delicate metallic jingle, like the gentle clash of small brass bells and anklets, resonating as a series of cascading chimes, sharp yet melodious,with a hauntingly echoing tone that feels almost supernatural in the still night.
The crowd froze, their faces paling in the firelight.
"That sound..." one man muttered, his voice trembling. "The bell... He's here."
The others frantically turned their heads, scanning the field, their torchlight illuminating nothing but empty darkness. Then someone shouted, pointing. "There! Look!"
In the distance, a shadow blurred through the night, a streak of motion far too fast for the eye to track.
"He's coming straight for us!"
A man hurled his torch at the figure, the flaming projectile cutting through the air. But the shadow, now visible as a lithe figure, tilted its head ever so slightly. The torch flew past harmlessly, its embers scattering into the grass.
It was Maniyan.
The bell strapped to his body rang out rhythmically as he sprinted, his movements a seamless blend of speed and precision.
He moved like a shadow given life, a blur slicing through the crowd before they could react. The only evidence of his presence was the relentless chime of his bell—a haunting melody that seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere at once.
The crowd spun wildly, their torches casting frantic arcs of light, but Maniyan was already among them. His speed was impossible to track, his form flickering in and out of sight like a phantom. A sudden gust of wind followed in his wake, swirling through the field with such force that it extinguished the torches one by one, plunging the crowd into an oppressive darkness.
The chime grew louder, ringing from all directions, a taunting symphony that heightened their panic. Some felt the rush of air as he darted past, brushing against them like a ghostly whisper. Others swung their weapons blindly, striking only empty space.
"Where is he?!" one man shouted, his voice cracking with fear.
Another stumbled backward, clutching at his extinguished torch. "He's here... he's everywhere!"
The field descended into chaos, the rhythmic chime of Maniyan's bell now the only constant, an ominous cadence that heralded his unstoppable advance.
The crowd erupted in chaos, spinning wildly as the sound of the bell seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Where is he?" someone shouted, panic creeping into their voice.
Wind gusted through the field as Maniyan darted past, extinguishing torches in his wake. The crowd was left in near-darkness, disoriented and terrified. Some clutched at their cloaks as the chill of the night settled in, while others swung their weapons blindly, hitting nothing but air.
Maniyan moved like a wraith, unseen but felt, his bell's haunting melody a mockery to those who sought to trap him. The field, once filled with the bravado of men and the glow of fire, now lay shrouded in confusion, the bell's ring echoing ominously in the night.
Loreon, his fury now mingled with dread, barked orders into the void. "Find him! Stop him!" But even as his voice thundered, the bell's song continued, relentless, unstoppable.
And for the crowd that had gathered to bring Maniyan down, the night suddenly seemed much darker.
Two men spotted him amidst the blur, their faces set in determination as they rushed forward, torches raised, ready to strike him down.
But Maniyan was faster—unnaturally so. In an instant, he skidded to a halt, the dust and dirt beneath his feet spraying outward in a sharp arc. Before his attackers could react, he pivoted fluidly, ducking low and slipping between them with the precision of a dancer.
Then came the surprise. With one hand, he grabbed the leg of each attacker. With an effortless display of strength, he lifted them both into the air as though they were weightless and flipped them over his shoulders. They crashed to the ground in a heap, their torches flying high into the smoky night sky.
Maniyan's eyes glinted as he moved again, catching both torches mid-air with an almost casual grace. The firelight danced across his wild expression, his grin spreading wide—a mad, almost predatory smile that sent shivers down the spines of those watching.
Without hesitation, he spun the torches like weapons, their flames forming fiery arcs in the dark. The crowd hesitated, unsure whether to advance. One man, desperate and brave, lunged forward with his sword raised. Maniyan, still grinning, hurled one of the torches with deadly precision. It struck the attacker square in the chest, knocking him backward with a startled cry, his sword clattering to the ground.
Maniyan turned back to the rest of the crowd, the remaining torch spinning in his hand like a baton of fire. The flames illuminated his features—a face of wild exhilaration, as if he were savoring the chaos he had unleashed. Around him, the gathered men faltered, panic spreading as they began to step back, their bravado crumbling under his unrelenting intensity.
And then, just as suddenly as he had stopped, he moved again. The torch's flame snuffed out with a flick of his wrist, and Maniyan disappeared into the night, a blur too fast for any of them to follow.
Maniyan darted through the crowd like a shadow given form, an unstoppable blur that no eye could follow. The air was thick with tension, broken only by the haunting chime of his anklets and the bells strapped to him. The rhythmic ching-ting-ching echoed through the night, a maddening sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once.
"There! He's over there!" someone yelled, spinning toward the direction of the chiming bells. Torches flared as the men turned to confront him, only to find empty air.
Before they could react, Maniyan was already gone, the sound of the bells shifting—now further away, now closer again—disorienting the entire crowd. Another man yelled, "He's here! Over here!" But it was too late. A gust of wind rushed past them, and the torches in their hands flickered violently before snuffing out one by one.
The darkness grew thicker with every second, broken only by the faint glow of a few remaining torches. Maniyan's bells continued their relentless melody, the metallic ting-ting-ching weaving through the chaos like a ghostly song.
The crowd turned frantically, their movements panicked. A man nearest to the sound swung his torch blindly, shouting, "Where is he?!" The wind answered with another sharp burst as Maniyan sped past, his bell chimes fading momentarily before erupting again further away.
"Damn him!" one shouted in frustration, trying to relight his extinguished torch. But another gust of wind, faster and stronger, snuffed out even more flames, plunging them deeper into darkness.
Loreon Lannister stood amidst the disoriented crowd, clutching his torch tightly as his eyes darted through the darkness. His breath was heavy, the tension palpable. From the shadows, Maniyan appeared, running in a blur, his anklets and bells chiming faintly like a haunting melody.
Loreon caught a fleeting glimpse of the figure before him, but it was too late. In the blink of an eye, Maniyan was there—mere inches away. Loreon froze, his torchlight flickering as he stared into the cold, grey eyes of Maniyan, the eyes of a Stark, piercing and unyielding.
Loreon's heart pounded as he tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. The torch in his hand sputtered, the flames snuffed out in an instant. Darkness enveloped him. He screamed, his voice trembling, but no one came to his aid. Around him, the crowd fumbled to reignite their torches, their panic spreading like wildfire.
When light finally returned, Loreon wasted no time reigniting his own torch, holding it high to scan his surroundings. Maniyan was gone, vanished like a ghost. For a brief moment, relief washed over him—until he felt the lightness around his neck.
His eyes widened as he looked down, his hands flying to his throat. "My ancestral gold chain!" he yelled, his voice cracking with fury and disbelief.
A servant standing nearby hesitated before speaking. "Master, I warned you not to challenge Maniyan. Now look… not only did he take the gold chain, but also…" The servant paused, grimacing. "Your gold tooth."
Loreon froze, a sharp pain in his mouth drawing his attention. His trembling fingers touched his lips, and his heart sank as he felt the absence of his prized gold tooth. Pulling his hand away, he saw blood smeared across his fingertips. "My… my gold tooth," he whispered in a mix of shock and rage.
His face twisted in fury as his gaze darted wildly around the field, the torchlight flickering in his trembling hand. The crowd around him murmured uneasily, but Loreon's anger burned brighter than the flames. He threw his head back and bellowed into the night, his voice echoing across the dark field.
"MANIYAN!"
每周推薦票狀態
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