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站务管理 => 跑团历史区 => 历史区 => 天城与地国 => 主题作者是: 茶白猫小修 于 2013-07-14, 周日 13:17:34

主题: 【龙枪】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-14, 周日 13:17:34
【正式版0.7】只包含小说部分的中译电子书:
mobi版百度云http://t.cn/zQ3jrtE;新浪微盘 http://t.cn/zQusCEU
PDF版百度云http://t.cn/zQ3jrtn ;新浪微盘http://t.cn/zQ3jOEN

更正一下tunic是束腰外衣而不是短上衣……懒得改了,1.0版改过来……

----------------------------------------------------------------------

其实它的通用译名是吉尔赛那斯的冒险史诗,虽然我更喜欢叫它吉尔赛那斯的放浪之旅……

看到网上有些零零散散的译文但是一方面不全一方面一部分感觉不好……如果在这几天没有看到其他人的占坑宣言的话这坑我就占了>_<
其实这书的第一篇(?)中译到现在已经过了十年,但我后知后觉地这几天才去下载到一个英文版
对这个被作者遗忘了的悲剧中的战斗机相当有爱,对大地旅者啊风俗谈啊什么的也相当有爱,所以就看得很激动很想翻……
然后龙枪第五纪的历史我其实不是很了解,传奇之后的故事十年前虽然看了,也不记得了……所以译名什么的如果有问题请指教
以及应该会翻得很慢,反正已经过了十年也不差这一年了吧 :em032……


这个是封面不过为什么我看到这张图瞬间开坑的热情都灰了一半……
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-14, 周日 13:44:45
使用的源是网上搜的这个PDB格式电子书,说明如下
The Odyssey of Gilthanas
Reader's Companion
Douglas Niles, Steve Miller, and Stan!
1999 TSR, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
 
OCR'ed by Alligator
[email protected]
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-14, 周日 14:17:25
吉尔赛那斯的冒险史诗阅读指南

“龙枪”系列故事从一开始就同时属于两个不同的世界——文学的,以及冒险游戏的世界。虽然小说和游戏产品总是相互依存,各自讲述这故事的一部分;并且同时二者又常常合力将故事推向任何一方无法独力完成的厚重深度——但游戏与书籍仍然是泾渭分明的。RPG玩家阅读小说,小说读者将游戏产品作为参考资料,但从未有一本书同时服务于两个群体——在这部书出世之前。

《吉尔赛那斯的冒险史诗》最初来源于一个名为“神秘之地(Mystic Places)”的游戏资源的构思,但尝试这一全新形式的机会一俟出现,龙枪团队就毫不犹豫地抓住了它。毕竟,对于龙枪系列——第一个由小说和角色扮演游戏共同创造的世界——的十五周年诞辰,还有什么比让二者间的自然链接更进一步更好的庆祝方式呢。

这本书同时面向两种不同的需求。首先,它讲述了自吉尔赛那斯王子于龙枪编年史三部曲末尾最后一次在卡拉曼现身,到Jean Rabe写作的《新时代巨龙》三部曲中他逃出凯蓝卓斯的战俘营之间的这段时间发生在他身上的故事。其次,这本书的附录也提供了许多在龙枪地图上存在多年却从未进入某本书籍或游戏产品的有趣地点的源素材。事实上,这些地点正是吉尔赛那斯在他的漫长漂泊中所造访的。龙枪:第五纪或AD&D游戏的玩家可以直接将本附录提供的信息引入他们的战役。

A Guide to Gilthanas's Odyssey
 
From the beginning, the DRAGONLANCE Saga has belonged to two different worlds: the worlds of literature 
and of adventure gaming. While novels and game products have always relied on one another to tell parts of 
the Saga, and while the two have often worked hand-in-hand to delve into tales with a greater depth than either 
medium could do alone, games and books have remained distinct from one another. Role-playing gamers 
read the novels, readers used game products as reference material, but there was never a single book that 
served both communities at the same time—until now.
The Odyssey of Gilthanas was originally going to be a game resource titled "Mystic Places," but when the 
opportunity arose to try this new format, the DRAGONLANCE team jumped at it. After all, what better way to 
celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the DRAGONLANCE Saga, the first world created for both fiction and 
roleplaying, than to take that natural link to the next stage of evolution.
This book addresses two distinct needs. First, it tells the tale of what happened to Prince Gilthanas 
between his final appearance in Kalaman near the end of the Chronicles trilogy and his release from 
Khellendros's prison camp in the Dragons of a New Age trilogy by Jean Rabe. Secondly, this book provides 
source material in the appendix for several intriguing sites that have existed on DRAGONLANCE maps for years 
but have never made their way into a book or game product. As it turns out, these sites are places Gilthanas 
visited during his odyssey. For players of the DRAGONLANCE: FIFTH AGE or the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 
games, the information in this appendix applies directly to their campaigns.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-14, 周日 16:59:07
索兰尼亚外海,28sc

水珠以固定的节拍从潮湿的木板表面滴滴答答地落下,那节拍几乎与囚徒的心跳声一致。他不知道自从这持续不断的滴答声组成了存在感的框架起,他的心已经跳动了多少次,又已经经历了多少个小时乃至昼夜,但他从中获得了慰藉,因为正是计数着,感受着自己的心跳,他才确认自己真的还活着。

他还活着,所以他应该觉得还有希望……不是吗?

他试着反抗体内回答“或许没有,或许希望已经完全消逝”的那个声音。在许多年的放浪之后,在逃避与无果的追寻之后,在欺骗与背叛之后,他又一次回到了起点。作为一个囚徒,深锁在黑暗之中,被孤独地留在这里等待腐烂。

这一次,他的囚室是一条船——一条黑暗骑士的船,载着他航向未知的终点。他感到船体柔和地摇晃,听见木板随着波涛的起落被绷得嘎吱作响。他曾以为这里是全然黑暗的,但当头骨的抽痛渐渐消退,他才意识到是自己的眼睛肿得压根睁不开。如果不是因为这个,那就是看守的老拳把他给打瞎了,而他正好幸运地在那一刻昏了过去。

然后他渐渐开始察觉到,在这潮湿冰冷的监牢里,他并不孤单。他通过嗅觉和听觉感受着周遭。空气是霉臭的,充满了霉菌代谢物和尿的气味,依稀还有更加恶心的粪便和腐肉的气味。没有任何气流拂过他的肌肤,潮湿感不仅来自有规律地下落的水滴——在这污浊空气的寒意里,不存在任何来自阳光或任何克莱恩上所知火焰的温暖意象,这种潮湿感深入了他的骨髓。

他的双腕被冷酷的枷锁束缚在一堵墙上,令他被迫保持着一个“大鹏展翅”的坐姿。他吊在两侧的手臂和手感到麻木,臀与腿由于长时间在冰冷无情的木板上负担着他的体重而变得僵硬。等到完全明白过来自己的处境,他由于这钢铁镣铐的存在而振奋起来:这枷锁是一件能够证明时间的东西。从他被关到这个监牢里到现在并没有经过数周乃至数月。事实上,他还从未改变姿势吃过饭,甚至也没有喝过水,因此他明白了自己这样顶多不过数天——否则早该不在人世了。

他身处一艘大船的甲板下,他不知这艘船将去向何方。但是得知身处同一空间的还有其他人足以令他得到一些小小的安慰。他听到轻悄的低语——几乎不敢制造一点儿响动的人声。他听到有谁蹒跚地靠近他,光脚近乎无声地在光滑的船板上移动。然后他听到了话语,他的生命力开始回到他身上。

“我的王子……我尊贵的主人——您能原谅我吗?”

那声音发出一声呻吟,紧接着听到了强烈的“嘘——”声;显然其他囚徒要这说话的人尽量小声点,以免招来看守他们的黑暗骑士的惩罚。

“拜托你,”王子轻声说,“小点声……你得知道,我已经原谅你了。你不过是在你的心灵驱使下行动的——如果我没有和你一样听从心灵的指引,我们俩如今就都不会被关在这儿了。”

“对……对不起,”王子想起答话的人名叫莱萨格斯(Lethagas)。莱斯(Leth)是一名年轻的精灵,但他是个忠实又优秀的随从。如今他的内疚与悲伤给这位囚徒带来了不必要也难以承受的负担。

监牢里沉寂了一段时间,静得只能听到船体迟缓的嘎吱声。他试着令自己的思维飘远,唤回一幅银发美人的图景,一段如同天籁的笑声……诸神啊,他是多么思念她!他穿越整个世界去寻找她,追寻了多少年,多少个十年……最终只得到这样的结局。而他仍然不承认自己的失败。

王子眼睛周围的肿胀逐渐消退,他终于得以用模糊的视线环视四周。与他共处一室的是另外六个囚徒,但只有他被如此粗暴地锁在墙上。在他们之中,他认出了莱萨格斯。与他和莱斯一样,其他人也都是男性精灵。对人类而言过于褴褛的衣裳勉强遮盖着他们污秽的肌肤,个个都顶着一头蓬乱的金发。从囚徒们苍白的肌肤可以看出,他们已经在这甲板之下受了很长时间的折磨。

最后,一个驼背的狱卒在两名黑暗骑士警惕的目光监视下沉默地带过来一碗食物和一桶水。这些看守从头到脚都隐藏在黑色的装束中,看起来就像极其危险的雕塑。这名怪异的仆人打开囚室前铁栏杆上的门锁,把门推开一条缝,刚刚够把碗和桶推进监牢。一个肮脏的水瓢浮在褐色的水面上。

在看守离开之后,精灵囚徒们轮番舀出一口恶心的杂烩,喝着腐臭的水。王子高兴地看到精灵们没有爆发任何争执和厮打——如果把人类或矮人放在同样的处境下,他们会这么干的。其他精灵甚至允许莱萨格斯照顾王子先吃,但是他谢绝了,加入了他们的队列。

在驱散饥饿之前,那些食物就耗尽了。然后,囚徒们聚集到了他——这位脸颊上有一道长长伤疤,穿着银绑腿和光亮的皮上衣的精灵周围。很显然他们清楚看守将会再停留一阵子,因为其中一位较为年长的,失去了一只眼睛,笨拙地拖着一条萎缩的跛腿的精灵隔了一段时间才开了口。

“他管你叫王子,高贵的精灵,你叫什么名字?”

“我是吉尔赛那斯·索拉斯特伦,奎灵纳斯提的王子。”他简短地回复道。

“我们听说过您,伟大的王子,”那残疾的精灵说,“我们敬仰您的姓氏。但是,请告诉我,您是怎么成了黑暗骑士的阶下囚,乘上了这死亡船?”

“这是一个连我,连我本人,都不理解的故事,”精灵回答道,发出自嘲的轻笑,“讲这个故事需要花很长,很长的时间。”

“那么,我们真的相当幸运,”老年精灵宣告,“因为在这儿,我们唯一拥有的充裕的东西,就是时间。”

吉尔赛那斯环视这一群精灵,他们全都全神贯注地注视着他。说真的,他并不明白他的道路如何会将他带到了这里,但倘若他试着将整个故事一一道来,也许会对理清思路有所助益吧……

Off the Coast of Solamnia, 28sc
 
The water dripped down the surface of dank timbers in a regular cadence, approximately in time to the 
beating of the prisoner's heart. He had no idea how many heartbeats, how many hours or even days had 
passed since that persistent plopping had formed the framework of his existence, but he took comfort in it, for 
the very act of counting, of feeling his heart beat, confirmed that he was indeed alive.
And while he lived, he should feel hope ... shouldn't he?
He tried to resist the part of him that answered: perhaps not, perhaps hope was over. After years of 
wandering, after escapes and fruitless quests, after deceit and betrayal, he was back where he had begun. A 
prisoner, locked in the darkness, left alone to rot.
This time his cell was a ship—a vessel of the Dark Knights bearing him to an unknown destination. He felt 
the gentle rocking of the hull and heard the straining of the timbers as the swells rose and fell. He had thought 
that it was utterly dark, but when the throbbing in his skull subsided slightly, he recognized that his eyes were 
too swollen to open. Either that, or a beating at the hands of the guards had blinded him, and he had been 
mercifully unconscious at the time.
Yet he gradually became aware that, in this damp and chilly hold, he was not alone. He examined his 
surroundings by smell and by sound. The air was musty, stained with the ordure of mold and urine, and 
underlaid by the more vile stenches of feces and rotten flesh. No breeze caressed his skin, and the sense of 
dampness came from more than the steady dripping—it permeated him in the chill of the stagnant air, in the 
lack of any suggestion of warmth from the sun or any source of Krynn-bound fire.
Cruel shackles bound his wrists to a wall, holding him spread-eagled in a sitting position. His arms and 
hands, suspended to the sides, felt numb, and his buttocks and legs were stiff from bearing his weight on cold, 
unforgiving timbers. When he fully understood his position, he took heart from the fact of his iron manacles: the 
shackles served as a confirmation of time. It had not been weeks or monts since he had been placed in this 
hold. In fact, he had not changed posture to eat, nor even to drink, so he knew that he had not been like this for 
very many days—else he would be dead by now.
He was below decks on a large ship that was bound for he knew not where. But he could take some 
minimal comfort from the knowledge that others were in this place with him. He heard hushed 
whispers—people's voices scarcely daring to make a sound. He heard someone shuffle close to him with bare 
feet gliding almost soundlessly across the smooth boards.
And then he heard words, and his life began to return to him.
"My Prince . . . O Royal Master—can you ever forgive me?"
The voice was a groan and was followed by emphatic shushing; obviously other prisoners wanted the 
speaker to keep his voice down to spare them the risk of punishment by the stern Dark Knights who guarded 
them.
"Please," whispered the prince. "Try to be silent... and know that I have forgiven you. You but acted upon 
the impulse of your heart—and if I had not done the same, we neither of us would be here today."
"I... I'm sorry," replied the one the prince remembered as Lethagas. Leth was a young elf, but he had served 
faithfully and well. Now his guilt, and his grief, were burdens that the prisoner neither needed nor deserved.
For a time the hold was silent save for the gradual creaking of the ship. He tried to let his mind drift away, to 
recall an image of silver beauty, a laugh like the music of the cosmos... gods, how he missed her. He had 
crossed a world to find her, sought for years, for decades... only to come to this. And still he would not 
acknowledge defeat.
The swelling around the prince's eyes gradually lessened, and he could at last get a blurred look at his 
surroundings. Six other prisoners shared the hold with him, though only he was so rudely chained to the wall. 
He recognized Lethagas among them. The others, like Leth and himself, were male elves. To a man ragged 
garments barely covered their filthy skin, and they bore unkempt golden hair. Pale skin suggested that the 
prisoners had languished below decks for quite some time.
Eventually, a hunchbacked turnkey silently brought a bowl of food and a pail of water under the watchful 
eyes of a pair of Dark Knights. These guards, cloaked from head to foot in black, observed like very dangerous 
statues as the grotesque servant unlocked the door in the iron bars at the front of the cell. He opened the portal 
only wide enough to push the bowl and bucket into the hold. A single grimy ladle floated in the brownish water.
When the guards left, the elven prisoners took turns scooping out bites of vile chowder and drinking putrid 
water. The prince was pleased to see none of the bickering, even fighting, erupt as it would among humans or 
dwarves entrusted with a similar regimen. The others even allowed Lethagas to offer the prince the first 
serving, though he declined and supped in turn with the rest.
The eating ended before the hunger. Afterward, the prisoners gathered around him—the elf with the long 
scar on his face who wore leggings of silver and a tunic of burnished leather. Apparently they knew that the 
guards would stay for a while because one, an elder who was missing one eye and limped awkwardly on a 
withered leg, at last spoke up.
"He called you prince, noble elf. What is your name?"
"I am Gilthanas Solostaran, prince of Qualinesti," he replied simply.
"We know of you, O Prince," said the crippled elf. "And we hail your family's name. But tell me: How do you 
come to be the prisoner of the Dark Knights, hauled in this ship of death?"
"That is a story that I, myself, don't even understand," replied the elf with a wry chuckle. "And it would take 
a very long time to tell."
"Then we are indeed fortunate," declared the elder. "For there is only one thing in which we are wealthy, 
and that is time."
Gilthanas looked at the group, all of whom regarded him with attentive eyes. Truly, he didn't know how his 
road had brought him here, but prhaps it would help him to understand if he were to put the story into words....
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-14, 周日 19:02:58
*****

“我曾经还拥有许多——不仅是时间,”吉尔赛那斯开了口。他的思绪被拉回现实,在此之前他看起来似乎在追忆着早年的生活——在地牢、追寻与放浪将他塑造成如今的样子之前的生活。事实上,由于那段生涯与眼下的处境没有任何相似之处,他简直像是在思索另一个人的事情似的。

“我曾拥有权力与财富……作为拯救世界的大英雄,我的声望远播四海……但是,我找不到幸福快乐。”

“我记得,”年老的囚徒说,“您当时是北方某个城市的城主……卡拉曼,是叫这个名字吗?”

“正是,朋友。不过,请告诉我你的名字。”

“我叫巴纳萨尔(Banatharl),来自奎灵纳斯提谷。”精灵的声音轻柔而遥远,吉尔赛那斯明白,他也同样在试图重构一段完全消逝的过往。

“我是您的兄长波修士的追随者,在黑暗骑士把我变成他们的玩物之前。”

“啊,波修士……在我的讲述中,他也占有一席之地。尽管我们俩的故事并没有像许多对兄弟那样彼此交织。”

“您到了卡拉曼,后来呢?”一位较年轻的精灵催促道,他自我介绍名叫卡拉尼亚斯(Carranias),也来自奎灵纳斯提,“那不是您在长枪战争后的领地吗?”

“正是。我在敏加战役如火如荼的时期来到那座城市,在那个我们最终击败了安塞隆的巨龙君主——龙骑将艾瑞阿卡斯的春天。”

“您作为解放军的领袖奋战,对吗?”莱萨格斯催促着。

“是作为他们的一分子……我的妹妹罗拉娜那时是‘黄金将军’,她被索兰尼亚的骑士推为领袖,领导他们在那场战役中取得胜利。我乘在西悠瓦拉的背上飞翔……那只全世界最伟大,最睿智,最美丽的银龙。我们一同击败了黑暗之后塔克西丝的龙群。我们杀死了许多强大的蓝龙。当黑暗之后的大军逃离卡拉曼,西悠瓦拉和我在这座城市的大广场上小憩。在我们在奈拉卡取得最终胜利之后不久,卡拉曼的人民派出信使,请求我担任他们的城主。”

“可是您不是奎灵纳斯提的王子吗?”巴纳萨尔问道。

“是的,但那个国度是我大哥波修士的领地。他的统治令人心安,前景一派光明灿烂。你记得吧,就在长枪战争后不久,他迎娶了阿尔瀚娜·星光,而她正是另一个精灵国度——西瓦纳斯提的继承人。”

“她同时也是奎灵纳斯提的王后,”老人颔首道,“因此人们都怀着巨大的期待,期待着国王与王后之间的孩子的诞生——那将是一个一统我们古老种族的精灵。”

“没错。因为我的祖国由如此贤明的统治者执掌,我得以将我的才华用在其他地方,我要去那些需要我的地方。”

“那么,卡拉曼正是这样一个需要你的地方?”

“看上去如此……但事实上,事情并不是那么简单。”随着故事余下的部分在他的记忆中徐徐展开,吉尔赛那斯陷入了沉默。他无法讲述他对西悠瓦拉的爱——宛如点燃一堆冰冷的煤炭般,那位美丽的,银发的精灵女子在他的心头燃起了熊熊爱火。她是他完美的伴侣。她本应该做他的新娘,为他生儿育女……

然而后来他得知了真相:尽管她可以随心所欲地让自己看上去像个女子,一个美得教他心碎的女子,但她并不是精灵。她的心智、灵魂、她真实的肉体都是一条银龙。西悠瓦拉甚至比几十岁的精灵王子还要年长。她是只远古的生物,拥有近乎不朽的智慧。他爱上了她,并且他也认为,她同样爱上了他,但他们之间的鸿沟过于宽阔了。双方都认为,他俩的生涯注定要被书写成两本毫无交集的故事。

首先做出那命运抉择的并不是银龙。相反,转身逃避的是精灵……吉尔赛那斯赶走了西悠瓦拉,将自己的生涯投入到帮助那些需要他的人类的事业中。

许多年来,他几乎确信,自己做了正确的决定。

*****
 
"Once I had a great deal more than mere time," Gilthanas began. His thoughts drifted back, and it seemed 
as though he might have been looking at an earlier life—an existence before dungeons and quests and 
wanderings had given shape to his days. Indeed, he might have been considering the life of someone else for 
all the similarities he could bring to his present circumstances.
"I had power and wealth... I had a reputation known far and wide, status as a hero in the greatest cause of 
the world ... and yet, I could not find happiness."
"I remember," said the elder prisoner. "You were lord of some city in the north ... Kalaman, was it not?"
"Indeed, good friend. But pray, tell me your name."
"I am called Banatharl, of Qualinesti Vale." The elf's voice was soft, distant, and Gilthanas knew that he, too, 
was trying to reconstruct a well-removed past. "I was a follower of your brother Porthios, until the Dark Knights 
made me their pet."
"Ah, Porthios ... he has a place in my tale, though our stories are not as intertwined as many brothers might 
be."
"To Kalaman, then?" prodded a younger elf, who introduced himself as Carranias, also of Qualinesti. "Was 
that not your fiefdom after the War of the Lance?"
"Indeed. I came to that city at the culmination of the Vingaard Campaign, the spring season of battles 
resulting in the defeat of Highlord Ariakas, the Dragon Emperor of Ansalon."
"You came at the head of the liberating army, did you not?" prodded Lethagas.
"As a part of that army ... my sister Laurana was the Golden General, appointed by the Knights of Solamnia 
to lead them in the triumphant campaign. I flew upon Silvara ... greatest, wisest, most beautiful silver dragon in 
all the world. Together we battled the wyrms of Takhisis, Queen of Darkness. We slew many powerful 
serpents of blue. And when the Dark Queen's armies fled Kalaman, Silvara and I came to rest in the city's great 
plaza. It was soon after our ultimate victory at Neraka that the people of Kalaman sent for me and asked me to 
be their Lord Mayor."
"But were you not a prince of Qualinesti?" asked Banatharl.
"Indeed, but that realm was the fiefdom of my brother Porthios. His rulership seemed secured, and it even 
bore splendid portents for the future. You will remember that shortly after the War of the Lance, he married 
Alhana Starbreeze, who was herself heir to the other elven realm, Silvanesti."
"She was a queen to Qualinesti as well," nodded the elder. "And the people held out great hope that she 
would bear a child to the king and queen—an elf who would bring the promise of the unification of our ancient 
race."
"True. And with my homeland thus in good hands, I had cause to use my talents elsewhere, to go where I 
was needed."
"And you were needed in Kalaman?"
"So it seemed . . . but still, it was not as easy as that." Gilthanas fell silent as the rest of the story unfolded 
in his memory. He could not speak of his love for Silvara, of the beautiful silver-haired elfmaid who had torched 
his heart into fire as if kindling it from chilly coal. She was his perfect lifemate. She should have been his bride 
and borne him children. ...
But then he had learned the truth: Though she could choose to look like a woman, with beauty so deep that 
it tore his heart, she was not an elf. In her heart and soul and true flesh she was a silver dragon. Silvara had 
lived for more years even than the decades-old elven prince. She was a creature of ancient might and nearly 
immortal wisdom. He had loved her, and he thought she had loved him, but their differences were too great. It 
had seemed to both of them that their lives had been ordained to be stories in separate books.
It had not been the silver dragon who had made the initial, fateful decision. Instead, the elf had turned his 
back... Gilthanas had sent Silvara away and turned his life to helping the humans who needed him.
For many years, he almost convinced himself that e had done the right thing.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-14, 周日 22:37:52
*****

囚室中的其他精灵们尊重地保持着沉默,显然他们都意识到吉尔赛那斯正在重温一段他不愿分享的回忆。然而王子注意到了还有一群听众在等着他继续已经开了个头的故事,于是他深深地吸了一口气。

“我只想说,在卡拉曼的那些年,时光飞逝……我在那儿卓有成就,甚至我敢说,颇具人望。但他们并不是真正需要我。在为人民谋福利的工作之中,我也无法感觉到自己的所作所为是正确的。我反倒变得越来越不安,当数年,乃至数十年的光阴过去,我明白了,我必须离开那里。”

“您那时候知道您想去哪儿吗?”巴纳萨尔问。

吉尔赛那斯悔恨地笑起来,摇了摇头,“这是把我束缚在那座城市如此之久的唯一原因……长枪战争之后,整整三十年过去。然而我的不安与日俱增,我渴望着……渴望着某个我所失去的人。”

“自然,在克莱恩的其他地方,历史照常流转。我听说我的大哥波修士在西瓦纳斯提,致力于将腐败逐出那片土地,清理战后留下的瓦砾——每一个精灵都知道,那场战争对我们神圣先祖的故地而言是极为残酷的。”

“传言说西瓦纳斯提先王的噩梦成了真。”年轻的精灵卡拉尼亚斯嗫嚅道。

“事实如此。”另一位年长的精灵低语。

“当那个国度的摄政王,孔纳,对腐败束手无策之时,波修士赶到了。他带领西瓦纳斯提在他们自己的国土上获得了胜利。”卡拉尼亚斯显摆着自己的精灵史知识,其余的听众点着头默默同意。

“作为对此的报酬,”巴拉萨尔恨恨地说,“孔纳把他逮捕,扔进牢房,判处死刑。我知道这件事,因为我曾与那些本可以从西瓦纳斯提救出他的人们并肩飞行……但即使在那种境况下,吾王仍然在想方设法避免两大精灵王国间发生战争。”

“是的。但在我决定启程去看望大哥的时候,我对这一切还全然不知情。我只是期待着看到他所复苏的神圣王国,期待着从他口中听到其他的家人过得怎么样。我离开卡拉曼,怀着一种自由感,甚至是兴奋。我走海路去到圣克仙,然后改换陆路,一直抵达西瓦纳斯提的边境。”

“您告诉过您兄长您要来的消息吗?”提出这个问题的是卡拉尼亚斯,他的眼睛睁得大大的,沉浸在对那些高贵行为的想象中。

“没有……我是如此愚蠢,我想给他一个惊喜。当然,如果我和他取得联系,他也许会警告我不要靠近,或者也许我能够帮到他。不过事实上,我还没有在那宁静的林间小道上走上几英里,就被孔纳的手下抓住了。”

“虽然遭到了猛烈的袭击——或者说,正是由于那些袭击——我至今还记得当我步入那精灵王国时那奇妙的感觉:西瓦纳斯提如同一个花园在我身边开展,芬芳的花朵从茂密的枝桠间累累垂落,树木被修剪得如此完美,形成了跨越头顶的拱门,形成了绵延数里的天然顶蓬。我来到一口池塘边——一片宁静的湖泊,如同明镜般倒映着天空的倩影——我在这儿下了马,打算在常绿树郁郁葱葱的浓荫之下享受午后的小睡。

“就在这里,孔纳的手下抓住了我……他们从四面八方跑来,丢出捕网,用棍子打我。在我明白发生了什么事之前,就已经成了他们的阶下囚。”

“他们把您带去了王宫,还是西瓦诺斯特(Silvanost)的某个监狱?”巴纳萨尔诧异道,他所说的是那个国度的首都,世界上最古老的城市之一。

“要是他们这么做就好了……但事实上我被带到了一个地洞里,一个土墙环绕的地牢,我是那里唯一的囚犯。我的看守们都是从孔纳的亲兵中选拔出来的。”“那地方在哪儿?”“直到很久以后我才知道……但我在那里被幽禁了很长时间。似乎足足过了有十二个年头,外面世事变迁。看守们兴高采烈地告诉我我所错过的那些事:波修士在审判他的精灵星(Sinthal-Elish)议会面前遭到羞辱,被逮捕并囚禁在星辰之塔中。”王子的声音绷紧了,“他们嘲笑着这讽刺的事实,夸耀着奎灵纳斯提的两个王子是如何由于让奎灵纳斯提和西瓦纳斯提两个国家再度结为一体的愚蠢盘算,而沦为了西瓦纳斯提的阶下囚。我确信,我所遭受的命运,对外面的世界来说还全然是个秘密……”

“尽管波修士逃了出来。”巴纳萨尔插嘴说。

“是的……半精灵坦尼斯和两只忠诚的狮鹫,把波修士从那座高塔中带出来,送到了安全的地方。我的看守被他的逃脱所激怒——为了泄愤,他们把我打得皮开肉绽——但令那群残酷的家伙幸灾乐祸的是,我的大哥已经离开了,他根本不知道自己把我抛在了这个地方。他们也曾提到阿尔瀚娜,那西瓦纳斯提的法定掌权者,是如何同样被放逐他乡。”

吉尔赛那斯吸了一口气。在那静默的牢笼中,他的精灵听众们全神贯注地倾听着。

“当然,在那之后不久,混沌之战蹂躏了克莱恩——那个炎热的夏天标志着古老诸神的离去,和魔法力量的消失。即使在囚笼里我也遭遇了这个事实,我曾施展一些小小的咒语来让我的监禁生涯变得稍稍可忍受一些——一朵微弱的火光,一小件温暖的斗篷,用于提供干燥的煤——而它们再也无法发挥作用。”

“告诉你们,善良的精灵啊,在那之后的数年间,我觉得自己彻底一无所有。我渴望着故乡,确信自己会死在那个洞里——我再也见不到奎灵纳斯提,再也见不到我那位魂牵梦萦的爱人……”


*****
 
The other elves in the cell maintained a respectful silence, obviously aware that Gilthanas was reliving 
memories he did not wish to share. But the prince was conscious of his audience, of the tale he had started to 
tell, and so he drew a deep breath.
"Let me just say that my years in Kalaman went by in a blur... that I was effective there, I even dare to say 
popular. But I wasn't really needed. Nor did I find in the work the kind of usefulness that let me know I was 
doing the right thing. Instead, I grew more and more restless, and as the years turned to decades, I knew that 
I would have to leave."
"Did you know where you wanted to go?" asked Banatharl.
Gilthanas laughed ruefully, shaking his head. "It was only that fact that kept me in the city for as long as I 
remained ... thirty full years after the War of the Lance. But as time passed I became increasingly restless, 
longing for... for someone I had lost.
"History passed in the rest of Krynn, of course. I learned that my brother Porthios was in Silvanesti, working 
hard to drive corruption from that land, to clean the detritus left in the wake of the war—which war, as every elf 
knows, was particularly cruel to that land of our hallowed ancestors."
"It is said that the late Silvanesti king's nightmares became real," whispered the younger elf, Carranias.
"It is said truthfully," whispered another ancient elf.
"And when the realm's own regent, Konnal, failed to conquer the corruption, Porthios arrived. It was he who 
led the Silvanesti to victory in their own realm." Carranias asserted his knowledge of elven history, while the 
other listeners nodded in mute agreement.
"And as reward for his service," Banatharl said bitterly, "Konnal had him arrested, thrown into a prison cell 
and sentenced to death. I know this, for I flew with those who would have rescued him in Silvanesti... but even 
then, our lord took care to see that war was avoided between the two elven nations."
"Aye. But I knew none of this as I decided to visit my brother. I merely wished to see the hallowed kingdom 
he had restored and to learn from him about the lives of the rest of our family. It was with a sense of freedom, 
even exhilaration, that I departed Kalaman. I traveled by sea to Sanction, and then overland until I had reached 
the border of Silvanesti."
"Did you tell your brother you were coming?" This question came from Carranias, whose eyes had widened 
with his imaginings about these royal doings.
"No . . . fool that I was, I wanted to surprise him. Of course, if I had gotten in touch with him, he might have 
warned me away, or I might have been able to help him. As it was, Konnal's agents seized me before I had 
ridden many miles down the peaceful forest trails.
"Despite that bitter assault—or perhaps because of it—I still remember the wondrous sensations of my 
entrance into the elven kingdom: Silvanesti spread like a garden around me, with fragrant blooms drooping 
heavily from lush branches, trees sculpted into such perfection that they formed arches overhead, and a 
natural canopy that extended for miles. I came to a pond—a still pool that reflected the sky with mirrored 
perfection—and here I dismounted to enjoy an afternoon's rest beneath the shade of a lush evergreen.
"And this is where Konnal's agents took me . . . they rushed from all sides, threw nets, and beat me with 
clubs. Before I knew what was happening, they had made me a prisoner."
"Did they take you to the palace or to some prison in Silvanost?" Banatharl wondered, speaking of the 
capital of the realm and one of the oldest cities in the world.
"Would that they had ... but instead I was taken to a mere hole in the ground, a dirt-walled dungeon where 
I was the only prisoner, and my guards were picked from Konnal's personal agents." "Where was that place?"
"I did not learn until much later ... but I languished there for a long time. It turned out to be a dozen years, 
while so many things passed in the world beyond. My guards geefully related the events I was missing: of 
Porthios shamed before the ruling Sinthal-Elish, of his arrest and imprisonment in the Tower of Stars." The 
prince's voice tightened. "They joked about the irony, boasted of how the two princes of Qualinesti were the 
prisoners of Silvanesti because they foolishly tried to bring the Qualinesti and Silvanesti nations together. My 
own fate, I was assured, remained a secret from the outside world..."
"While Porthios made his escape," Banatharl interjected.
"Aye ... Tanis Half-Elven and two loyal griffins, plucking Porthios from the high tower and bearing him to 
safety. My guards were infuriated by his escape—they beat me bloody in their vexation—but the cruel fellows 
gloated about the fact that my brother had gone away, and he didn't even know that he was leaving me behind. 
They also mentioned how Alhana, the rightful ruler of Silvanesti, had also been exiled."
Gilthanas drew a breath. In the silent prison, his elven listeners remained rapt.
"Of course, it was not long after that the Chaos War wracked Krynn—the summer of heat that marked the 
departure of the old gods, the vanishing of magic. That fact I encountered even in my cell, where the tiny 
incantations I had performed to make my imprisonment more tolerable—a glimmer of flame, a small cloak of 
warmth or coals for drying—all ceased to function.
"I tell you, good elves, that was the beginning of years when I felt utterly bereft. I longed for my homeland 
and convinced myself that I would die in that hole—that I would never see Qualinesti, nor the one I missed 
above all others, again...."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-15, 周一 01:08:54
索-法伦之丘(The Hill of Sol-Fallon),11sc

钥匙在锁眼里转动的声音比平时更为刺耳,也许是因为这次转动它的人心怀愤怒,也许是怀着某种幸灾乐祸的喜悦。无论那打开牢门的人抱着怎样的情绪吧,吉尔赛那斯知道,这不是平时那位给他送来不新鲜的面包或恶心的炖菜的狱卒。

精灵王子爬起来,站直身子,盯视着远处阴影中的走廊。多年的幽禁苍白了他的肌肤,也无疑削弱了他的肌肉,但丝毫无损于他的精神力。看见打开牢门的那个人的瞬间,他在这精神力的驱使下疯狂地扑了过去——挥舞着拳头野蛮地攻击,发出口齿不清的咒骂。

当然,孔纳并不是孤身赴会。西瓦纳斯提军事总督的两名警卫高举着长棍迎上前来。吉尔赛那斯毫不理会他们,一心想掐孔纳的喉咙。但他只看到他的敌人冷笑的面容。警卫们干脆利落地执行了使命,其中一个一记长棍横扫敲开了他的手,另一个啪地一棍击中这囚徒的天灵盖。这一击把王子打晕了,他踉踉跄跄地倚靠着门扇,然后缓缓滑落到地板上。

“你的兄长从没有表现得如此鲁莽青涩,”这位自封的西瓦纳斯提领导者用温柔而责备的口吻说,“风度优雅如他,即使在接受监禁的时候也保持了全部的尊严。”

“我知道他已经逃脱了!”吉尔赛那斯吼道,为自己的孱弱感到沮丧,试图用咆哮来掩饰脆弱。

“你还相信那个古老的传说?事实上,放他走的是我……他留在这儿对我而言已经毫无价值。或许你也知道,我把他赶回奎灵纳斯提,在那里他被看做一个罪人——一个精灵族的叛徒。在那以后,有传言说他在混沌之战中被杀,我认为这是可信的。”

奎灵纳斯提!仅仅是他故乡的名字,都足以在吉尔赛那斯的心中燃起热望。当他描摹着那浩瀚的林海,祖国首都的水晶塔,那些曾是他的人民的,宁谧优美的精灵们,他需要用全副意志力控制自己不让悲痛通过脸和眼睛流露出来。

“但是如今,”孔纳的口吻既傲慢又幸灾乐祸,“是时候把我们的注意力转向更直接的问题了。跟我来。”

那高傲的西瓦纳斯提精灵转身走出门去。吉尔赛那斯不想跟随他,但哪怕只是离开这逼仄的牢笼几分钟工夫的诱惑,也足以令他克服对那位逮捕者的厌恶。他刻意忽略孔纳,高高地昂起头,通过牢门,走出了土墙环绕的监狱。

一名警卫在前面给他引路,另一个跟在后面。这一支小小的队伍走上楼梯,穿过一扇狭窄的门扉,眼前是一片坡地,头顶着阳光明媚的开阔天空。吉尔赛那斯被这光华照得眼花缭乱,死死地闭上眼睛,这超过感官极限的光亮令他的心智难以承受,头脑几乎停止了运转。与此同时,他又为周围环境的广阔所振奋,鼻孔呼吸着新鲜空气,沉醉在来自树和草,来自新鲜的空气,来自温暖而干爽的微风的芬芳气息之中。

“走啊!”一个警卫粗暴地从背后推了他一把,他把眼睛强撑开一条缝,这样至少能够看见脚边的地面了。他感觉到他们正在爬山,在攀登了差不多一百步之后,眼睛逐渐适应了光亮,他得以睁眼眺望四周。

他和孔纳,和那两名带着长棍的精灵战士一起,登上了一座高高的、圆整的山丘。西瓦纳斯提修葺良好的森林一直延展到遥远的地平线,而这块高地本身却坡度平缓,绿草如茵。他的四周是一些白色的大理石柱,山顶也铺设着同样的雪花石。

“你认得这个地方吗?”孔纳问。

“不认得。”

“我丝毫不惊讶。你们奎灵纳斯提的确是无知的蛮族,对我族引以为豪的宝贵遗产所知甚少。这里是索-法伦之丘。”

“那么这是召开首届精灵星议会的地方了,在这里缔结了精灵族的契约,从而建立了西瓦纳斯提。”吉尔赛那斯展示着自己对精灵史的了解,感到一阵奇妙的快意。

“正是。而你的囚室是向这个山丘下方挖掘的一个小山洞。”

“说不定正合适嘛,由于你的仇恨和偏见,你在这里囚禁了一位来自异国的精灵。你玷污了这个本应神圣的地方,孔纳,这正是你的风格啊。”

西瓦纳斯提的军事总督只是报以笑声:“好好享受你口出狂言的机会吧,‘王子’。这将是你最后一次说这种话的机会——而你也将不会有机会再说什么别的了。”

“你打算杀了我。”吉尔赛那斯指出了事实,他并不感到意外——然而同时也无法接受,一股突如其来的能量涌上心头。他试着思考,描摹着几个逃脱的方案,决心不如此轻易地引颈就戮。

“没错,就在这里,为了纪念我们的祖先西瓦诺斯(Silvanos)与他的同伴们做出的牺牲,是他们给我们留下这样的遗产——”

“这仇恨与盲目的遗产!”奎灵纳斯提的王子猛然打断了他,“是的,我也认为对于你那黑暗的怒火,我的鲜血会是合适的祭品。”

孔纳眯起双眼,一只手伸向腰间的长剑。然后他耸耸肩:“我不能指望一个像你这样的蠢货能理解。”

“为什么选在这个时候杀我?”吉尔赛那斯问,“我已经做了多少年的囚徒……?十年?”

“十二年。许多年前克莱恩经历了一场剧变,虽然你也许不知道这回事。”

事实上,王子的确不知道,除了一件事。就在被俘后不久,他发现自己的魔法能力消失了。那熟悉的施法过程如同一场无米之炊——他的言语和奥术手势没能唤出任何东西。魔法的练习毫无成效,如同婴儿的咿呀学语般可笑。

他不想表现出自己的无知,但他必须做点什么,哪怕只是为了拖延时间:“你所说的剧变是什么?”

“我们的世界迈入了新的时代……一个属于凡人的时代。诸神遗弃了我们,带走了他们的力量,丢下精灵、矮人与人类独自摸索道路。然而另一方面,克莱恩受到了新的威胁……那些混沌生物从内部开始摧毁我们的家园。还有许多传言提到巨龙——那些宏伟的,超出我们此前所有知识的生物——来自克莱恩之外,宣称要占领这个世界。”

“所以你就打算杀了我?”吉尔赛那斯嘲讽地反驳,“我不理解你的逻辑。”

“我留你活口这么多年的唯一原因就是:我认为在未来的某个时刻,你这条命或许会派上用场……换句话说,在奎灵纳斯提强行与我们建立的这段关系中,你是一枚筹码。不过如今——精确地说,是明天起——西瓦纳斯提将不再与奎灵纳斯提有任何关联——是的,西瓦纳斯提将与整个世界隔绝。”

王子好奇得无法自已:“你将如何实现这个目标?”

孔纳笑起来,笑声中蕴含着一丝疯狂。吉尔赛那斯注意到,连那两名警卫都警惕地注视着他们的领袖。

“明天,我们将在我们的土地周围升起一道结界——一道将西瓦纳斯提与世隔绝的魔法屏障。奎灵纳斯提将永远不知道你的下场,因为在结界升起后,他们和其他人一样,永远无法得知我们国度中所发生的一切。”

“你疯了!”吉尔赛那斯反射性地大喊,“切断自身与世间万物的联系?想想你们要付出的代价,想想你们会失去些什么!”

孔纳嗤之以鼻:“我们自给自足。事实上,有许多人觊觎我们的富饶。这道结界将保护我们的财产,从此无人能打扰这片森林中的神圣生活。”

“你的‘森林’不过是一片人工花园!想想吧,你这个蠢货——你们的儿女将在对其他生命的一无所知中成长!”

“他们需要知道的,这里应有尽有,”孔纳吼回去。他的声音蕴含着纯粹的信念,吉尔赛那斯意识到,这名失去理智的精灵竟然真的以为他能够说服眼前的囚徒自己的所作所为是正确的,“我们的艺术水平独步天下,我们知晓我族的真正历史——那段天经地义地统治着克莱恩的历史。而这道结界将确保我们永葆长青。”
 
吉尔赛那斯一边听孔纳说话,一边环顾四周,思索着逃脱的机会。他或许能迅速蹿离孔纳与两名警卫的面前,但他看到更多穿着红色短上衣制服的精灵守卫聚集在山脚下。他对自己在十二年幽禁生涯之后的体力没有信心。或许可以把总督捉为人质,然后利用他屏退警卫……

吉尔赛那斯刚想到这儿,孔纳退后了几步,他的两名随从横在了他和王子之间。他们举起长棍,时刻准备阻止他袭击孔纳。

就在这时,吉尔赛那斯听到横越头顶的振翅声——那是一群荣耀的生物,懒洋洋地在天空滑翔。他抬起头,看见了一打,或是更多的狮鹫,在山顶上方盘旋。这些飞行能手长年来都被作为精灵战士的空中坐骑,一瞬间他开始向往,他们的高速或许能把他带离这里。

“你看,就连狮鹫都在期待你的死亡,”孔纳大笑着宣布,“他们知道我们的结界计划,而且——你也许会感到惊讶——他们完全支持。”

羽翼的阴影复盖了整个山顶,总督双手高举向天,狂喜地呼唤:“来吧,我身披羽毛的伙伴……来观看我敌人的末日!”他夸示地拔出剑,两名警卫向前一步,一左一右包围了吉尔赛那斯。

第一只狮鹫飞过,前爪轻蔑地轻弹,将孔纳掀翻在地,总督惊愕地咒骂着。吉尔赛那斯看见另外两只狮鹫推开了警卫,第四只牢牢抓住了他的肩膀。他感到自己的脚被提离了地面,尽管狮鹫的爪子嵌进皮肉相当疼,他还是大声嘲笑着他曾经的逮捕者。孔纳大幅挥舞着武器,但狮鹫早已身处二十英尺的高空,从山顶翱翔而去。

另一只狮鹫优雅地滑到他的下方,抓着吉尔赛那斯的那只松开了爪子,将精灵丢到那宽厚的背上。他看着那击风的白翼将他带向西方,眺望着身后逐渐远去的索-法伦之丘与四周修葺得如同花园的西瓦纳斯提森林。

“或许,不是你们全部的族民都想生活在西瓦纳斯提的新围墙之内的吧?”王子注视着飞在身边的狮鹫睿智的黄色眼睛轻声说。

那只生物只是点点他的头,飞过广袤的天空,向着古老精灵国度的边境,向着遥远彼方的整个世界飞去。

The Hill of Sol-Fallon, 11sc
 
The key turned in the lock with a harsher sound than usual, perhaps because this time it was twisted with 
anger, or perhaps gloating delight. Whatever the emotion of the person who unlocked the door, Gilthanas 
knew that this was not his usual jailor come with his repast of stale bread or vile stew.
Scrambling to his feet, the elven prince stood erect and glared at the shadowed hallway beyond. Years of 
confinement had paled his skin and, no doubt, weakened his muscles, but they had done nothing to break his 
spirit. And when he saw the one who had opened his door, that spirit compelled him into a furious rush—a wild 
attack of swinging fists and inarticulate curses.
Naturally, Konnal had not come alone. The two guards of Silvanesti's military governor stepped forward 
with upraised staffs. Gilthanas paid no heed, desiring only to get his fingers around Konnal's throat. But while 
he saw only the sneering face of his enemy, the guards did their efficient work, one knocking his hands aside 
with a sweep of the pole, the other cracking the prisoner across the skull with a blow that dazed the prince, 
sent him stumbling against the door and then slowly slumping to the floor.
"Your brother never displayed such rash immaturity," said the self-appointed leader of Silvanesti in a tone 
of gentle rebuke. "He had the grace to accept his imprisonment with dignity intact."
"I know that he escaped!" growled Gilthanas, dismayed by his own weakness and trying with bluster to 
cover up his frailty.
"You believe that old tale? In truth, I set him free ... I had no more use for him here. And perhaps you also 
know that I compelled him to return to Qualinesti, where he was treated as an outlaw—a traitor to elvenkind. 
Since then there have been rumors that he was killed during the Chaos War. I choose to believe them."
Qualinesti! Even the name of his homeland brought longing to the heart of Gilthanas. When he pictured the 
broad swaths of forest, the crystalline towers of his nation's capital, and the serene and beautiful elves who 
were his people, he needed all of his willpower not to allow his grief to show in his face and eyes.
"But now," Konnal's tone was lofty, gloating, "it is time to turn our attention to more immediate concerns. 
You will come with me."
The haughty Silvanesti stepped back from the door. Gilthanas didn't want to go with him, but the prospect
of even a few minutes outside the constricting cell was enough to overcome his loathing for the one who had 
imprisoned him. He ignored Konnal and held his head high as he passed through the door, and past the 
dirt-walled jailroom beyond.
One of the guards preceded him and the other followed as the little procession advanced up the stairs and 
through a narrow doorway that emerged onto a sloping field beneath the open, sunlit sky. Gilthanas was 
blinded by the brilliance, squeezing his eyes shut because of the mind-numbing brightness that overloaded his 
senses and threatened to shut down his brain. At the same time, he exhilarated in the vastness of his 
surroundings, by drawing fresh air through his nostrils and delighting in the odors of trees and grass, of fresh 
air and a warm, dry breeze.
"Move!" One of the guards pushed him roughly from behind, and by opening his eyes to slits he could see 
at least the ground beneath his feet. He sensed that they were moving uphill, and by the time they had gone a 
hundred paces, his eyes had become attuned enough that he could open them and look around.
Together with Konnal and the two staff-wielding elven warriors, he stood atop a high, rounded hill. The 
sculpted forests of Silvanesti spread to the far horizons, though the elevation itself was smooth and grassy. 
Around him were several columns of white marble, and the crest was paved in similar alabaster stones.
"Do you recognize this place?" asked Konnal.
"No."
"I'm not surprised. You Qualinesti are indeed ignorant savages, with little knowledge of our race's proud 
heritage. This is the Hill of Sol-Fallon."
"The place where the first Sinthal-Elish met and formed the pact of elves that created Silvanesti." Gilthanas 
felt a perverse pleasure in demonstrating some awareness of elven history.
"Precisely. Your cell is a small cave that has been excavated into the hillside below."
"Perhaps it is fitting that, in your hate and prejudice, you have imprisoned an elf from a different realm here. 
How like you, Konnal, to debase a place that should be hallowed."
The military governor of Silvanesti just laughed. "Enjoy your chances for bluster, 'Prince.' This will be your 
last opportunity to speak such words, or any others."
"You're going to kill me." Gilthanas stated the fact, unsurprised—but also, with a tingle of energy, 
unaccepting. He tried to think, to imagine some means of escape, resolving that his life would not end easily.
"Yes. Right here, in honor of the sacrifices made by our ancestor Silvanos and his fellows, who left us such 
a legacy—"
"Legacy of hatred and blindness!" snapped the prince of Qualinesti. "Yes, I suppose my blood will be a 
fitting offering to your dark furies."
Konnal's eyes narrowed and his hand went to the longsword at his waist. Then he shrugged. "I can't expect 
a fool such as yourself to understand."
"Why kill me now?" Gilthanas asked. "I have been a prisoner for... how long? Ten years?"
"Twelve. They have been years of dramatic changes across Krynn, though you might not know about that."
In truth, the prince didn't, except for one case. Shortly after his capture, he had noticed the failure of his 
magical abilities. It was as though during the familiar ritual of spellcasting he had been trying to drink from an 
empty vessel— his words, his arcane gestures, had called forth nothing at all. The practice of magic might as 
well have been the gibbering discourse of an infant, for all the effect it had produced.
He didn't want to admit his ignorance, yet he had to do something, if only to stall for time. "What are these 
changes of which you speak?"
"Our world has entered a new age ... an Age of Mortals. The gods have abandoned us and taken their 
powers with them, leaving elves and dwarves and humans to make their way on their own. But Krynn is beset 
by new threats, as well... creatures of chaos that would destroy our lands from within. There are stories, too, of 
great dragons—massive creatures, beyond the ken of previous knowledge—who threaten o claim all the 
world from without."
"And so you decided to kill me?" Gilthanas retorted wryly. "I'm not sure I follow your logic."
"The only reason I have kept you alive this long is that I wondered if, at some point in the future, your life 
might be useful to us... a bargaining chip, so to speak, in such interactions as the Qualinesti forced upon us. 
But now, as of tomorrow, to be precise, there will be no interactions between Silvanesti and Qualinesti—or, 
indeed, between Silvanesti and the rest of the world."
The prince was curious in spite of himself. "How are you going to achieve this?"
Konnal laughed, and there was a hint of madness in the sound. Even the two guards, Gilthanas noticed, 
looked warily at their leader.
"Tomorrow we will raise a barrier around our land—a fence of magic that will sever all ties between 
Silvanesti and the rest of the world. The Qualinesti will never learn of your fate, because after the barrier is 
raised neither they, nor anyone else, will know anything that happens within our realm."
"You're insane!" Gilthanas spat out, reacting by reflex. "You would cut yourself off from everything else in 
the world? Think of the cost, of the loss to yourselves!"
Konnal sneered. "We have everything we need. Indeed, we have much that is coveted by others. The 
barrier will see that our possessions remain intact and that none may interfere with the hallowed lives within 
this forest."
"This 'forest' is a tamed garden! Think of it, you fool—all your children will grow up knowing nothing more of 
life!"
"All they need to know they will find right here," Konnal shot back. The pure conviction rang in his voice, and 
Gilthanas was aware that this deranged elf actually thought he might convince his prisoner of the rightness of 
his actions. "We have the world's highest levels of art, and a true sense of our own history—of our own rightful 
dominance in the story of Krynn. And with the barrier, we will ensure that this status remains unchanged and 
secure throughout the rest of time."
As he listened to Konnal, Gilthanas had been looking around, wondering about his chances for escape. He 
might get away from Konnal and these two guards with a quick dash, but he saw more elves in the red tunics 
of House Protector gathered in knots about the base of the hill. And he had no illusions about his stamina after 
twelve years of languishing in prison. Perhaps he could take the governor hostage, use him to compel the 
guards to stay back....
Even as Gilthanas had the thought, Konnal stepped back and his two attendants moved to block the 
prince's path. Staffs raised, they stood ready to prevent him from attacking Konnal.
It was then that Gilthanas caught the first glimpse of wings overhead—of proud creatures gliding lazily 
through the skies. He looked up to see griffins, a dozen or more of them, circling over the top of the hill. The 
mighty fliers had long served as aerial mounts for elven warriors, and for just a moment he longed for the 
speed that might carry him away.
"You see that even the griffins await your execution," Konnal declared with a laugh. "They know of our 
plans for the barrier, and you might be surprised to learn that they fully support it."
The shadow of wings grew broader across the hilltop, and the governor raised his arms to the sky, crying 
out in glee. "Come, my feathered allies . . . watch the demise of our enemy!" With a flourish he drew his sword, 
while the two guards advanced to flank Gilthanas.
The first griffin flew over, and with a contemptuous flick of his taloned foreclaws, it knocked Konnal to the 
ground, drawing a startled oath. Gilthanas saw that two more had pushed the guards away, while another 
grasped his shoulders firmly. He felt his feet rise from the ground, and though the claws supporting him 
pressed painfully into his skin, he laughed aloud at the fury on his former captor's face. Konnal brandished his 
weapon wildly, but already the griffins were twenty feet overhead, gliding away from the hilltop.
Another of he graceful fliers glided underneath him, and the griffin supporting Gilthanas let go, dropping 
the elf onto the broad back. He looked at the white-feathered wings stroking the air, carrying him westward, 
and watched as the Hill of Sol-Fallon and the gardened forest of Silvanesti surrounding it receded below.
"Perhaps not all of your clan wants to stay within the new fence of Silvanesti?" the prince murmured, 
looking into the wise, yellow eye of griffin flying beside him.
The creature merely nodded his head, and then the flight spread through the skies, angling toward the 
border of the ancient elven realm, and to all the world beyond.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-15, 周一 13:52:32
心灵之影:无踪之城(The Missing City),11sc

她的名字叫玛拉(Mala)——呃,我是说,我管她叫玛拉。她从未纠正我,因此我猜这对她来说不是个困扰。不过我觉得事实上我无论做什么都不会——哪怕轻微地——困扰到她。每天早晨我都跟玛拉一起走到那口井边,看她为她的家人汲水。我们从未交谈。我不大确定她是否知晓我的存在——我总是走在她身后几码远的地方,偶尔跑到前面,看她从我面前走过。只要她在身旁,我就心情舒畅。

我平生从未见过如此美丽的女子。不仅指外在的美貌(虽然也的确未曾有第二个女子的浅笑令我如此心痛);她的心灵也和她的面容一样美。因为放不下她的双亲,玛拉已经拒绝了许多人的追求。

她的姐姐们有时会乘着丈夫的马车来访;仆人们赶着马车从花园区驶来。她们带来奢侈品,比如西瓦纳斯提的水果,在衰老的双亲面前撒娇承欢,但她们从没有在家中做过一点儿实事。在暮色降临之前(通常是之前很长时间),她们就爬上马车驶回自己的豪宅,撇下破旧的屋子,正如她们当年逃离这里去嫁给了富商们一样。她们把所有家务全丢给玛拉,玛拉在寒冷的长夜陪伴被关节痛折磨的母亲,还要帮着父亲做几乎所有的事——脑疾使得这位可怜的老人无法行走也无法照顾自己(尽管在他性急的时候训斥起玛拉还是相当利索)。

生活就这样遗忘了玛拉。她未来的时光不会有任何改变,只是日复一日重复着同样的琐事,直到这些工作压弯她的脊背,忧伤在她脸上刻下皱纹。有朝一日当她在清晨醒来,会发现自己几乎在一夜之间从风华正茂的青春少女变成了值得尊敬的老处女。她的青春将会消逝,她的美貌也一样。

但她还有我。我永远都在她身边。

问题是,她永远不会知道。

每天早晨我跟着她走上去井边的道路的时候我都这么想。我们活在两个不同的世界。我们之间没有未来。我心中充斥着的激情,我对玛拉的爱,将不可能越过那将我们分隔开的鸿沟——它太过广阔。我只能行走在她世界的边缘,享受着注视她,与她默默分享每一个日夜的喜乐。

你或许觉得这样的想法会令我性格灰暗,将我引向绝望。但玛拉正露出闪烁着希望之光的笑颜,如同之前每一次一样,拂去我心底所有的悲伤。她在想什么?她往井边走的时候为什么快乐得哼起歌来?一定发生了什么。在我上一次看见她——也就是我昨天晚上吹灭我的蜡烛前——之后,一定有某些事发生了——她听到了什么消息,或是来了一个亲戚。玛拉充满希望,而我为此神思恍惚。

就在我们转过拐角的时候,玛拉加快了步伐。她步履轻盈地跳向水边,而我骤然刹住了脚步。井栏下面躺着个什么东西。一开始它看起来就像一包破布,但紧接着我注意到了一只手一缕头发。

这是个人!

玛拉走过倒卧的人身旁,正如她从未注意到我一样。当她把吊桶放进井里的时候,我跑向那具躯体。他从哪里来?他是谁?也许是一位来自港口的军团兵(Legionnaires)?或是一名昨晚靠岸的贸易船上的水手?那些船员喝多了朗姆酒,简直会在睡倒之前就迷路拐到冰墙(Icewall)去。这一位只来得及走到这里还算幸运。

然而,当我走近那具身躯,我发现他并不是一名烂醉的船员。他的衣裳过于破旧,皮肤过于白皙(尽管他被严重晒伤)。我给那陌生人翻了个身,他遮盖了面容的头发垂落下来,露出细致的容貌和修长尖细的耳朵。一位精灵!

在这几个星期里,我们见过一些路过的精灵,由于军事总督孔纳声称所有忠诚的西瓦纳斯提精灵都必须回到他们的故土,我们所看见的精灵都是在匆匆返回森林的路上(虽然我听说,即使他们也无法通过精灵国度周围那道不可见的结界)。这位精灵看起来似乎独自在没有携带补给的情况下穿越了沙漠。我只能猜测他或许来自西瓦纳斯提,由于某种原因在那道屏障升起前离开那里逃进沙海。事实上那并不是特别远,但没有合适的衣物与足量的水,这仍然会是一趟死亡之旅。我察看那位精灵,发现他毫无疑问仍在人世,这时玛拉收回了她装满的吊桶,双手紧握着桶把手,把它从井上提下来。她无视精灵的苦楚与我的救援工作,转过拐角,径直走回她的家——这真是个好主意。

我无法就地帮助这位精灵。我必须把他带离烈日的曝晒,找一名治疗师来护理他的伤。我要把他安置在玛拉家里。在我去港口的那段时间,他待在那儿会很安全。法莱乌斯•塔尼克(Falaius Taneek)和他的军团一直想方设法帮助他人。而我真想不出有谁比这个可怜虫更需要帮助的了。


Shadow of the Mind: The Missing City, 11sc
 
Her name is Mala—well, that's what I call her, anyway. She's never corrected me, so I guess it doesn't 
bother her. But then nothing I do seems to bother her in the slightest. I walk with Mala to the well every morning 
as she fetches water for her family. We never talk. I'm not even sure she knows I'm there—I usually stay a few 
yards behind her, or I run ahead and just watch her pass by. It's a comfort just to be near her.
I've never seen such a beautiful woman in all my life. Not just physical beauty either (though I've never met 
anyone else whose merest smile caused my heart to ache); her spirit is just as beautiful as her face. Mala has 
rejected a handful of suitors because she can't leave her parents all alone.
Sometimes her sisters come to visit in their husbands' carriages; servants drive them down from the 
Garden District. They bring extravagances like fruit from Silvanesti, and they coddle and fawn over their aging 
parents, but they never do any real work around the house. And before night falls (usually long before), they 
climb into their carriages and ride back to their mansions, leaving behind the squalid home they escaped by 
finding rich merchants to marry. They leave Mala to do all the chores, to sit up with their mother when the cold 
night makes her joints ache, and to help their father do nearly everything—a brain seizure has left the poor old 
man unable to walk or take care of himself (though he's still quite practiced at berating Mala when he doesn't 
get his way quickly enough).
So life just passes Mala by. Her future days will be nothing but the same routine of chores until the work 
bends her back and the worry wrinkles her face. She'll wake up one morning to find herself transformed from a 
fair maiden to a venerable spinster virtually overnight. Her youth will disappear. Her looks will disappear, too. 
But she will still have me. Mala always will have me.
The trouble is, she'll never know.
I think about this as I follow her on the morning trip to the well. We live in two different worlds. There is no 
future for us, no hope that the passion in my heart, my love for Mala, will overcome the boundaries that keep us 
apart—they are too great. I can only walk along in the periphery of her world and take what joy I can from 
watching her and silently sharing her days and nights.
You'd think such thoughts would sour my disposition and lead me to despair. But Mala is smiling that 
hopeful grin she sometimes gets, and that wipes away all the sadness from my heart. What is she thinking? 
What makes her hum happily as she walks to the well? Something has happened. In the time between now 
and when I last saw her, just before I blew out my candle last night, something has occurred—some news has 
been delivered, or a revelation has been reached. Mala has hope, and I am delirious.
As we round the corner, Mala's gait speeds up. She fairly skips to the water, but I come to a dead stop. 
There's something lying at the foot of the well. At first it seems to be a bundle of rags, but then I notice a hand 
and a strand of hair.
It's a person!
Mala walks right by, taking as little notice of the prone form as she does me. While she lowers her bucket 
into the well, I run up to the body. Where did it come from? Who is it? Perhaps one of the Legionnaires from the 
port? Or a seaman frm that trading ship that put in last night? Put enough rum in one of those sailors and he'll 
wander halfway to Icewall before passing out. This one is lucky to have staggered only this far.
As I near the body, though, I realize this is no sailor sleeping off too much drink. His clothes are too 
threadbare, his skin too fair (though he's severely sunburned). Rolling him over, the stranger's hair falls away 
from his face revealing finely chiseled features and slender tapering ears. An elf!
We've seen a few elves passing in the weeks since Military Governor Konnal sent word that all loyal 
Silvanesti elves should return to their homeland, and the ones we have seen were all headed toward the forest 
as quickly as possible (though I hear that even they can't get through the invisible barrier that's gone up around 
the elf lands). This one looks like he's crossed the desert alone and unsupplied. I can only guess that he's 
coming from Silvanesti, that he somehow got out before the shield was raised and fled across the sands. It's 
not terribly far, but without the proper clothing and a sufficient supply of water, the trip still can be deadly.
While I check to see that the elf is indeed still among the living, Mala retrieves her full bucket, grips the 
handle with both hands, and carries it off. Completely oblivious to the elf's plight or my ministrations, she 
rounds the corner, heading for her house—a good idea.
There is nothing I can do for the elf here. I have to get him out of the sun and find a healer to tend to his 
wounds. I'll leave him at Mala's house. He'll be safe there while I go down to the port. Falaius Taneek and his 
Legionnaires are always looking for ways to help folks. I can't think of anyone who needs help more than this 
poor fellow.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-15, 周一 20:02:42
*****
 
治疗师说得对,在几天的休息和大量清水的滋养后,这名精灵看起来好多了。他仍然没有苏醒——呃,没有完全苏醒。有几次他睁开眼睛,在幻梦中咕哝着各种各样的疯话。他说了很多关于“那场战争”(不过因为精灵的漫长寿命,我不大确定他说的是哪一场)和银龙们的事,甚至有一次他直勾勾地盯着我,管我叫“坦尼斯”。我确信,等他醒了,他一定有许多有趣的故事要讲。

但是等等——他的眼皮动了起来。我想我的客人终于恢复了意识。是的,没错,我知道这次他不是在做白日梦。他揉着眼,直到世界在他眼前再度聚焦。看啊,他环视着这间屋子,不确定自己身在何处,甚至不确信这一切是否只是一个梦。我最好别再呆坐在这阴影里,得去对他说点什么,可是待在这儿我能够最大限度地确认他的意图。这年头,必须得小心再小心。

精灵站起身,缓慢地穿过房间,带着毫不掩饰的惊讶注视着每一件物品。显然他甚至完全不明白自己身在哪个城市。他伸出手去,那只手笔直地穿过了摆在房间中央的椅子。

这太残酷了。我不该这样折磨他。但看着他试图解开谜底还挺有趣的。他是个幽魂吗?为何碰不到那把椅子?他是个富有教养、训练有素的精灵。尽管身处这样一个独特的(用某些人的话来说,不自然的)环境之中,他并不慌张。反之,他开始尝试着解释自己所看到的这一切。再稍微观察一会儿,然后我就——不!玛拉走进了房间,脸上仍然洋溢着充满希望的笑容。

精灵看见了她。“这究竟是个什么样的地方?”他问,伸手抓向她的肩。于是他的手,再是他的手臂,最后是他的全身,径直穿过了她。她继续做着自己的事儿,一丝一毫也没有注意到他的存在。

“她看不见你。”我在角落里说,最后,我还是从阴影中走到了烛光下。

“我……我死了吗?”精灵问。

“没有。”我笑了,“也许这是你的下一个问题,不过,玛拉也没有死。她只是身在别处。别问我这是为什么。这是这个盖-查-卡拉斯(Gal Tra'kalas)的自然现象。试着去习惯吧。”

在玛拉抱着一大叠浴巾忙忙碌碌地走出房间的时候,他一直瞪视着她,完全被自己看到的事实震惊了。

玛拉是如此生机勃勃,如此美丽,但在她穿过我们之间时,他仍然能透过她的身体看见我;她看起来比幻影更真实,却不完全属于这个世界。

“盖-查-卡拉斯?无踪之城!我怎么会在这儿?”

“如果你不知道,我想任何人都不可能知道了,朋友。”我试着安抚他。置身盖-查-卡拉斯的头几个小时相当令人迷惘,“坐。这床是真实的,我向你保证。过去几天里你在它上面睡得呼呼的。”

“那么,这是你的家?”精灵试着装得漫不经心,但他显然还是对自己的所见感到迷惑,多少有点心烦意乱。

“是的,我的家。不过同时也是她的家。这有点难以解释。”

一阵敲门声打破了这一尴尬的时刻。精灵转向我,似乎在问这敲门声是真是幻。

“是找我的——准确说,是找你的。”我站起身来走向前厅的大门,“你听不到玛拉那个世界传来的声音。”

我打开门,男人的巨大身躯几乎填满了门框。他就是法莱乌斯•塔尼克,史钢军团(Legion of Steel)本地组织的成员。他们维护港口,管理无踪之城(虽然盖-查-卡拉斯发生的幽灵现象与他们无关)。那位治疗师在完成了对精灵的救治之后告诉我,等这名精灵能够起床走动的时候,法莱乌斯打算向他核实一些事情。显然法莱乌斯无愧于他的名声,他总是在正确的时间出现在正确的地点。也可能,是因为那位治疗师对休养疗效的判断有着不寻常的天赋吧。

“日安,阿曼•道恩(Aman Daun)。”法莱乌斯以他一贯简练的礼节低沉地说。身为一个蛮子,他意外地彬彬有礼,自然,他的多礼从未奏效过。他似乎永远在控制自己的声线让它听上去更加礼貌,而最终,这只是进一步增强了他的压迫感(对于一个胳膊比最大的橡树还粗的男人来说实在太难了),“你的客人感觉好点了吗?”

“好多了。”我答道,做了个请的手势,把这名军团兵领进屋。我总感觉必须以自己对“温文儒雅”这个词最好的诠释来回应他那僵硬的礼仪,“事实上,他刚刚才醒过来不久。玛拉把他吓得不轻,我正在试图解释这个状况。”

“你不需要解释。”精灵恢复了他的睿智,走到门口迎接我们。我硬充的温雅在他的一举手一投足面前无所遁形——这名精灵一定习于与王者们结伴同行,“我听过盖-查-卡拉斯的传说。这座城市在第一次大灾变中被摧毁,但不知为何鬼影幢幢。建筑的幻象从废墟中拔地而起,受到生命那不自然的嘲弄的幽魂们在街道上游走如昔。”

啊,我忘了精灵们对不死生物是那么的深恶痛绝。当然,这些文化习俗与生命如此紧密相连的人民,自然会产生这样的情感。无法安眠的精魂会弄污它们染指的一切区域,从最青翠的地方吸取美和生机。

“你所知的传说不够完整,我的朋友。”我说,试图说服精灵放宽心。

“是的,”法莱乌斯用他令人镇静的低沉音调补充道,“盖-查-卡拉斯的人民也许鬼气森森,但他们并不是幽魂。没有任何一位路过这里的学者、秘术师或是贤者能够告诉我他们究竟是什么,但他们很显然不是不死的妖物。”

“胡说!我早就告诉过你无数遍了,他们是什么——以及他们是谁。”随着对话的进行我几乎失却了冷静。大家都不愿意相信事情的真相。

“是的阿曼,你有告诉过我。但是你得原谅我脑子太不灵光了,看不清真相,我只是个单纯的战士。魔法世界的运作机理让我一头雾水。”法莱乌斯试图安抚我。他并没有真正接受真相,只是为了我在假装相信。我想他认为我濒临疯癫的边缘,因此还是迁就我的那些“妄想”为好。

就在这时,玛拉抱着一大叠折得整整齐齐的衬衫,大步流星地(穿过法莱乌斯和精灵的身体)走过房间。她在干什么?也许她打算把旧衣服捐给慈善机构。这确实是她的行事风格。他们家不过勉强能揭得开锅,但她仍然希望帮助那些有需要的人。

“我得说,我对魔法有少许了解,但光是今天看见的这一点点,就已经超出了我的理解范畴。”精灵再度用手穿过一件家具,然后摇摇头苦笑着说。

“是的。”法莱乌斯利用这个词清了清嗓子。他可不打算在闲谈上多费工夫,“请原谅我的无礼,朋友,但既然你已经在阿曼的看护下恢复了健康,我有几个问题要问你,大部分是关于你是什么人,以及你是如何来到这座无踪之城的。”

“理应如此。我的名字是吉尔赛那斯•索拉斯特伦,很乐意为您效劳。”他一面说着,一面深深地鞠了个躬,随之而来的一阵晕眩几乎让他虚脱软瘫在我们脚边。“如果不是太麻烦的话,”他恢复平静之后说,“我们能否到另一个房间里去谈?我感觉我还没有完全从那段严苛的考验中恢复过来。”

我们回到卧室,吉尔赛那斯坐到一张帆布床的角上——在首先确认了朦胧的床单与毛毯下的确有个坚实的东西之后。除了间或袭来的一阵疲乏,他看上去挺好的。法莱乌斯盘腿坐在墙根,他左侧的肩膀和膝盖淹没在一只梳妆台的幻影中,我回到我所习惯的阴暗墙角。

吉尔赛那斯讲着他的故事,那充满了与长枪英雄的身份相称的阴谋和冒险的故事。这段时间里,玛拉继续在房屋里四下穿梭,把她家的各种杂物打包装进布包、麻袋,还有一个小小的箱子。我发现自己的注意力渐渐从吉尔赛那斯的故事上偏移开去,最后彻底消散。她在做什么?

终于,当吉尔赛那斯开始讲述他逃离必死命运的痛苦旅程,玛拉走了进来,掀走他坐的那张床上的被褥(他和法莱乌斯都觉得那些玩意儿挺烦人的)。然而,她没有如从前每周所做的那样换上新的亚麻床单。她只是把被褥卷成一堆,抱到另一个房间去,看到这一幕,我的忍耐到了极限。精灵正讲到他痛苦而仓促的沙漠飞行之旅,但我把他抛在脑后,跟着玛拉冲进大屋。

这个家庭的全部财产都打好了包,堆放在门口。玛拉的母亲给装着她为数不多的几件首饰的手巾包打了个结,然后把它像腰带一样系在腰间。她父亲坐在一只桶上,那张熟悉的阴沉面孔也不像平时那么严厉了。与此同时,玛拉跑上跑下地确认每件行李都封严实了。她的双唇片刻不停,显然是在为这一切高兴得滔滔不绝——不管那是什么事吧。他们很明显是正要去某个地方,但那是什么地方呢?这不像是一趟短途旅行——他们带走了所有能带的东西。

他们一定是在搬家!

也许玛拉的某个姐姐最终决定把她们的双亲接到她丈夫的豪宅去住。更可能的是,丈夫觉得让他的妻子频繁造访这小镇贫民区太过丢脸,为姻亲们支付了搬迁的费用。他们终将得到应得的照顾和关怀。我想,玛拉的辛勤劳动终于有了回报。

但玛拉会和他们一起走吗?显然她的任何一个姐姐都不会想独力照顾她们的双亲。她们会带走玛拉,让她继续做他们的保姆。

我把自己的小屋分毫不差地建在她家的土地上,是为了让我们能更接近彼此,然后,玛拉就要离开我了吗?的确,无论她住在盖-查-卡拉斯的哪个角落,我都能去看望她,但我要花费数月,乃至数年的时间来重建自己的房屋。想想吧,那造价该多么昂贵啊,因为她的新房一定比现在的要宽绰得多。

但如果在无踪之城的那一处,已经有另一个人建立了自己的房屋呢?要知道花园区那边是最受商人与军团官员欢迎的居住地之一。如果那个姐姐的房子已经被那个臭气熏天的库尔族(Khurrish)捕兽人占领了该怎么办?或是更糟,占领她家的是那个头发灰白的军团斥候?那个好色的老痞子会把观看玛拉洗澡当做打发时间的消遣,或是拿她步履蹒跚地在家中行走的母亲做练习瞄准的标靶!我不能容忍这种事发生!

无论现在住在那儿的是谁,都必须给我搬出去。在整个盖-查-卡拉斯有那么多尚未重建的房子呢。我自己来帮他们盖,可是玛拉必须和我在一起!我无法忍受我们的分离。

看啊,她如此欢快地四处穿梭,完全没有意识到这为我带来的痛苦。噢,玛拉,哪怕我能和你交谈呢。哪怕你能告诉我究竟发生了什么。然而等一下!她从她的围裙口袋里掏出了一张纸,把它打开了。读着它,她的面颊上闪耀着喜乐和期待。它上面写了些什么?

我跑过去,从她的肩头上偷看,但她跳着舞,从大屋一直跳到了厨房里。我跟过去,发现厨房太暗了,根本没法辨认那些文字,但玛拉没有丢下那张纸,即使在黑暗中她仍然凝视着它。那些文字是如此令人喜悦,哪怕闭着眼她也能读出来。

那张纸上写了些什么?它看上去像一封信。她姐姐何必写信来告诉她这个消息?也许他们并不是搬去玛拉的姐姐那儿。可是他们还能搬去哪里?玛拉为什么这么开心?

她回到卧室,我寸步不离地跟着她。吉尔赛那斯的故事正接近尾声。他正在回忆在沙漠中旅行一整个昼夜后看到这城市的情景。

“在西瓦纳斯提的监狱里经历了如此漫长的岁月之后,穿越沙漠的旅程几乎要了我的命。当我看到那口井的时候,我已经渴得神志不清了。井水就在我眼前,我甚至看到有人在喝水,但我发现那全都是一场虚无的幻梦,那一刻我失去了知觉。等我清醒过来……”

吉尔赛那斯的声音戛然而止,因为我匆匆忙忙地从他面前跑过,冲向梳妆台。为了把另一堆毛巾拢到一起,玛拉放下了那张纸。现在我能看到了……


*****
 
The healer was right, after a few days of rest and lots of water, the elf is looking much better. He still hasn't 
awakened—well, not fully. He's opened his eyes a few times and mumbled all sorts of crazy things in his sleep. 
He's talked quite a bit about "the war" (though with the long lives that elves lead, I can't really be sure which 
war he's talking about) and silver dragons, and he even looked me square in the eye and called me "Tanis." I'm 
sure that when he wakes up, he'll have some interesting tales to tell.
But wait—his eyelids are fluttering. I think my guest is finally conscious. Yes. Yes, I can see this is no 
waking dream he's having. He rubs his eyes as the world swims into focus. Look at him, gazing around the 
room unsure of where he is, not even certain whether or not this is a dream. I should speak to him instead of 
sitting back in the shadows, but this is the best way to determine his intentions. You can't be too careful these 
days.
The elf stands and walks slowly across the room, staring at everything with undisguised wonder. He clearly 
doesn't even know what city he's in. Reaching out, his hand passes straight through the chair standing in the 
middle of the room.
This is cruel. I shouldn't torture him so. But it is fascinating to watch him try to puzzle it out. Is he a ghost? 
Why can't he touch the chair? He's an educated and well-trained one, this elf. Despite the peculiar (some 
would say unnatural) surroundings, he doesn't panic. Instead, he tries to think of an explanation for the 
phenomenon he sees. I'll just watch another moment before I—no! Mala enters the room, that same hopeful 
smile on her face.
The elf sees her. "What manner of place is this?" he asks and reaches out to grab her shoulders. First his 
hands, then arms, and finally the whole of his body passes straight through her. And she goes about her 
business, taking no notice of him in the least.
"She cannot see you," I say from the corner, finally stepping out of the shadows and into the candlelight.
"Am... am I dead?" the elf asks.
"No." I laugh. "And before you ask, neither is Mala. She's just somewhere else. Don't ask me to explain it. 
That's simply how things are here in Gal Tra'kalas. Get used to it."
He stares atala as she bustles out of the room with an armful of towels, clearly amazed at what he sees. 
She's full of life and beauty, but as Mala passes between us, he still can see me through her body; she's more 
real than a phantom, but not fully of this world.
"Gal Tra'kalas? The Missing City! How did I get here?"
"If you don't know, then I'm not sure anyone does, friend." I try to calm him. The first few hours in Gal 
Tra'kalas can be very disorienting. "Sit down. The bed is quite real, I assure you. You slept soundly on it these 
past few days."
"This is your home, then?" The elf tries to act casual, but he's obviously still disoriented and more than a 
little distracted by what he sees.
"Yes, mine. But hers as well. It's a little difficult to explain."
A knock on the front door breaks the awkward moment. The elf turns to me as if to ask if that's a real knock 
or a phantom one.
"That's for me—or more likely for you." I get up and move to the door in the front room. "You can't hear 
anything that goes on in Mala's world."
When I open the door, the frame is filled with a giant of a man. This is Falaius Taneek, leader of the local 
Legion of Steel cell. They maintain the port and govern the Missing City (though they have no influence on the 
spectral happenings in Gal Tra'kalas). After the healer finished with the elf, he told me Falaius likely would 
check on things when the elf was up and around. Apparently Falaius deserves his reputation for always being 
in the right place at the right time. Either that or the healer has an uncommon gift for judging recuperative 
powers.
"Good day, Aman Daun" Falaius rumbles with his usual terse formality. For a barbarian, he's terribly 
well-mannered, but it never comes off naturally; he always seems to be forcing civility into his voice, and, in the 
end, it makes him seem all the more imposing (quite a trick for a man whose shoulders spread wider than the 
broadest oak tree). "Is your house guest feeling better?"
"Very much so," I answer and invite the Legionnaire into my home with a flourish of my arm. I always feel 
the need to respond to his stiff courtesy with my best interpretation of courtly grace. "In fact, he just awakened. 
Mala put quite a scare into him, and I've been trying to explain the situation."
"No explanation is necessary." The elf has gathered his wits and comes to meet us at the door. My sham of 
courtly behavior is evident by his every move—this elf is used to moving in the company of kings. "I know the 
tale of Gal Tra'kalas. The city was destroyed in the first Cataclysm, yet somehow clung to spectral life. 
Phantom buildings rose from the rubble, and ghosts continued walk its streets in an unnatural mockery of life."
Ah, I forgot how deeply elves detest the undead. Of course, such feelings are only natural for a people 
whose culture is so closely tied to life. Restless spirits foul any area they touch, leaching the beauty and life 
from the most verdant site.
"You do not know the tale well enough, my friend" I say, trying to put the elf at ease.
"True," adds Falaius in his soothingly deep voice. "The people of Gal Tra'kalas may be ghostly, but they are 
not ghosts. None of the scholars, mystics, or sages who've passed this way can tell me what they are, but they 
are clearly not undead monsters."
"Bah! I've told you time and again what they are—who they are." I always lose my patience when we have 
this conversation. No one wants to believe the truth of the matter.
"Yes, Aman, you have. Forgive me for being so thick-headed that I cannot see the truth, but I am just a 
simple warrior. The workings of the magical world confuse me." Falaius tries to placate me. He doesn't really 
accept the truth, but for my sake, he pretends. I believe he thinks I'm on the brink of madness and it's best to 
humor my "delusions."
Just then, Mala strides through the room (and through both Falaius's and the elf's bodies) carrying a bundle 
of neatly folded shirts. What's she doing? Perhaps she's going to donate old clothing to the poo. That would 
be just like her. They barely can afford to put food on the table, yet she still wants to give to the needy.
"I must say, I know some small bit about magic, but even the little I've seen today is beyond my ken." The elf 
again passes his hand through a piece of furniture, then shakes his head wryly.
"Yes." Falaius uses the word to clear his throat. He's not one to waste time in idle conversation. "Forgive my 
lack of manners, friend, but now that Aman has brought you back to health, I have some questions that need 
answering, most of them concerning who you are and how you arrived in the Missing City."
"Of course. My name is Gilthanas Solostaran, and I am at your service." With this, he bows deeply and is 
overcome by a wave of dizziness, nearly collapsing in a heap at our feet. "If it is not too much of an imposition," 
he asks after regaining his composure, "may we continue in the other room? I believe I have not yet recovered 
fully from my ordeal."
We return to the bedroom where Gilthanas sits on the corner of the cot—only after making sure there truly 
was a solid object under the hazy blanket and sheets. Apart from occasional bouts of fatigue, he seems to be 
fine. Falaius sits cross-legged against the wall, his left shoulder and knee swallowed up by a phantom dressing 
table, and I return to my accustomed spot in the dark corner.
As Gilthanas tells his tale, filled with intrigue and adventure befitting a Hero of the Lance, Mala continues to 
flit around the house bundling more and more of her family's worldly goods into towels, sacks, and even a 
small crate. I find that my attention to Gilthanas's story wavers, then disappears entirely. What is she up to?
Finally, while Gilthanas describes a harrowing escape from certain death, Mala enters and strips the bed on 
which he sits (something both he and Falaius find particularly distracting). However, she doesn't lay fresh 
sheets on the bed, as she does every week when changing the linen. When she merely gathers up the 
bedding and carries it into the other room, I can take no more. I leave behind the elf's account of a harrowing, 
headlong flight into the desert and follow Mala into the main room.
Practically everything the family owns is packed and stacked near the doorway. Mala's mother ties a knot in 
a towel containing the few pieces of jewelry she owns, then cinches the towel around her waist like a belt Her 
father sits on a barrel, his familiar scowl much less severe than usual. Meanwhile, Mala runs about making 
sure that all the packages are sealed tight. Her lips never rest all the while; she obviously is bubbling happily 
about the reason for all this activity—whatever that is. Obviously, they are going somewhere, but where? This 
is more than a short excursion— they're taking everything they can carry.
They must be moving!
Perhaps one of Mala's sisters finally has offered to bring their parents to live in her husband's mansion. 
More likely, the husband has decided that it is too embarrassing to have his wife visit this dilapidated section of 
town and so has paid for his in-laws to relocate. They'll finally get the comfort and care that they deserve. I 
knew Mala's hard work would be rewarded.
But will Mala move with them? Surely neither of her sisters would want to have to tend the parents herself. 
They will have to bring Mala with them to continue to act as their care-taker.
After I built my home literally within hers, just so that we can be close to one another, is Mala going to leave 
me? Certainly, I can visit her wherever in Gal Tra'kalas she goes, but it will take me months, possibly even 
years to rebuild. And just think how expensive it will be, since the new home is sure to be much more opulent 
that this one.
But what if someone else already has built a home in that part of the Missing City? The Garden District is 
one of the most popular locales for merchants and Legion officers to live. What if the sister's home already has 
been claimed by that foul-smelling Khurrish trapper? Ororse, that gray-haired Legion scout? That lecherous 
old ruffian will spend his idle time watching Mala bathe, or taking target practice at her mother hobbling around 
the house! I will not stand for such things!
Whoever lives there now simply will have to move. There are plenty of Gal Tra'kalan homes that have not 
yet been reconstructed. I'll do the work for them myself, but Mala and I must stay together! I cannot bear for us 
to be apart.
Look at her. Flitting around so happily, completely unaware of the agony this causes me. Oh, Mala, if only 
I could talk to you. If only you could tell me what's happening. But wait! She takes a piece of paper out of her 
apron pocket and opens it up. As she reads it, her face flushes with joy and anticipation. What does it say?
I rush to look over her shoulder, but she dances out of the room and into the kitchen. Following her, I find 
that it's too dark to read anything in there, but Mala doesn't put the paper away; she gazes at it even in the dark. 
The words are so joyous, she can read them with her eyes closed.
What could be on that paper? It looked like a letter. Why would her sister send a letter with the news? 
Perhaps they aren't moving in with one of Mala's sisters. But why else would they be moving? And why would 
Mala be so happy?
I follow close on her heels as she goes back into the bedroom where Gilthanas's story is reaching its 
conclusion. He recalls seeing the city after a day and night in the desert.
"After so long in a Silvanesti prison, the crossing nearly killed me. I was half-crazed with thirst when I saw 
that well. And when I could see the water, even watch people drink it, but found that it was all ephemeral as a 
dream, I fell unconscious. The next thing I knew ..."
Gilthanas's voice trails off as I rush hurriedly past him over to the dresser. Mala laid the paper down in order 
to gather another bundle of towels. Now I can read ...
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-16, 周二 16:06:12
*****

我听到舒心的喃喃细语,有谁在低声交谈。良久,那对话逐渐清晰起来。我听出那是吉尔赛那斯和法莱乌斯。他们不在这个房间里,不过就在附近。

“我得说,我对这个地方的自然现象仍然不大理解。” 我听到吉尔赛那斯说。他的声音透露出,他仍然无法确定眼前虚幻的市民们究竟是不是不死的幽魂。他在等着玛拉和她的家人们忽然脱下伪装,现出“吸取生命的恶魔”的真面目。

“我想,没有谁会理解。”法莱乌斯回答。

“我的那位东道主似乎自认为洞悉了某些不为人知的真相。”

“你要原谅阿曼,”军团兵说,“一旦涉及到那个被他叫做玛拉的女子,他的洞察力——我不知道这样说是否适当——就变弱了。”是的,他当然会这么说。法莱乌斯在这儿生活了许多年,但他从未真正接受过盖-查-卡拉斯的本真。

“尽管当时脱水损害了你的视力,你对无踪之城的反应还是相当正常的。大部分人看见沙漠高热中摇曳的高塔和围墙时,都以为眼前是海市蜃楼。然而,当他们走近,发现了建筑物惊人的细节,和那些鬼魅般的居民,就转而相信这整座城市是一场巨大的幻象——制造它的是一名许多年前死去的法师,甚或就是诸神自己。”

“是的,”吉尔赛那斯进一步肯定,“我也得出了同样的结论,尽管没有任何我所知的法师——无论身披什么颜色的外袍——能够创造出这样的现象。”

“但事实更加不可思议。这片蜃景千真万确就是盖-查-卡拉斯。”法莱乌斯的声音里蕴含着一种我从未听到过的惊异,也许他的确理解周遭这一切的伟大之处,“我能告诉你的是,这座城市属于另一个世界,在那里第一次大灾变从未发生。我不打算假装明白这是为什么,但我们所看到的市民是真实存在的。如果那仅仅是幻影,绝不会如此复杂。他们出生,成长,恋爱,死亡,就像你所认识的任何人一样。那座城市也是活生生的……呃,就像任何一座城市一样鲜活。一些建筑物拔地而起,另一些被夷为平地。商店开业,日渐繁荣。动物们在后街跑来跑去寻觅着残羹。如果你肯下功夫留意某个特定的建筑,某个特定的人,或是家庭,你会发现,毫无疑问一段生活的韵律正在你眼前展开。别怀疑这一点,盖-查-卡拉斯是真实的。”

“如果是这样,”吉尔赛那斯高声发问,“谁能忍受在这里生活下去?”这名精灵一生经历过许多怪事,但我敢说除了诸神的回归之外,这一桩必然是其中最为离奇的。

“呃,我们之前并不知情。在我的军团刚来到这儿的时候,这儿只有海市蜃楼和满城的废墟——断壁残垣和堆积如山的瓦砾,半掩在幻象之中,我们也把这幻象错看成了盖-查-卡拉斯魔幻般的重建。我们的部族管这块地方叫无踪之城,看起来这里很适合建个前哨站。我们打算在幻影背后盖起建筑,尽最大努力让外墙与他们的建筑物合拍,不贴近观察就无法发现我们的存在。那样,我们就有了一个谁也找不到的城镇——真正的无踪之城。”

尽管我对这段故事知根知底,我还是躺在这儿,听着法莱乌斯说下去。帆布床很舒适,我感到有点儿轻微的头晕。见鬼,我不记得自己什么时候上了床。

“我们在这儿住了几个月,才有人开始怀疑真相。当我们确认这一点时,前哨站早已发展成了城镇。在被‘占用’的城区里的大多数建造工程都停止了。等你身体再好点儿,可以去码头看看,你会发现那些最新的建筑都在盖-查-卡拉斯城的范围之外。”

吉尔赛那斯咀嚼着那段话的含义:“那么,那些已经在影之城中建立家园的人呢?”

“他们各有各的选择。”军团兵不置可否地说,“许多人搬走了,但军团还留在原来的屋子里。至少,那些‘幻之民(phantom folk)’——我的一些部下这么称呼他们——看不到、听不到、也碰不到我们。”

“当然,大部分市民都选择搬走。尤其是那些富商,他们觉得与别人分享私宅是一件非常不爽的事。即使那些‘别人’不是这个克莱恩世界的住民。”

“但还有一部分人选择了留下?”

“显然如此。他们中的大部分就只是单纯地不接受这个事实,把盖-查-卡拉斯的市民看做幻影。令他们引以自豪的是邻居们都被区区的光影把戏吓跑,而他们仍然留在自己家里。不过还有一些人,比如你的救命恩人阿曼,认为他们是完全真实的。他们将自己的生活建立在来自两个世界的住民中间,两个世界对他们而言同样重要。我的部下把这群人称为‘影行者(shadow walkers)’,因为他们走在两个世界的边缘。而其他许多人直接管他们叫疯子。”

“就是说,阿曼认为,这间屋子里的人们——玛拉和她的双亲——都是真实的了?”

“不仅是真实的。对他而言他们亲如家人。至于玛拉嘛……呃,我想我从未如他爱着那名幻之女性那样强烈地爱过任何人。”

我震惊了。不仅为法莱乌斯对这座城市的理解是如此之深,也为他同样深深理解着我。我总以为他像其他人那样在我身后窃窃私语,嘲笑我对玛拉的感情。我得去向他道歉。

我从床上坐起身,感到一阵天旋地转。我的脑袋后边有个匕首柄大小的包。发生了什么事?

“是的,”吉尔赛那斯叹息道,“我能理解。他的生活和我这些年来所经历的如此相像。他唯一在乎的人是无法触碰的。而令我在乎的则是回忆——心灵之影——同样的不真实,同样无法触碰。我不时会倾向于相信那一切才是现实,而我周围的监牢只是一场反复重现的噩梦。西瓦纳斯提充满了那样的回忆。”

“但盖-查-卡拉斯的市民并不是回忆,” 法莱乌斯强调,“他们确实在这儿,与我们一样,同是无踪之城的一部分。”

“对我们的朋友而言,有什么比无法分清梦境与现实更糟的?”精灵打断了他,“我们必须弄醒他。”

法莱乌斯咂咂舌,像他每次遇到难题时那样:“我想,让他睡一觉是更为仁慈的决定。他什么也做不了。亲眼目睹这一幕对他来说太痛苦了。”

出了什么事?难道玛拉的父亲又抽风了?还是他过世了?我们都知道这件事有朝一日一定会发生,但我们都还没做好接受它的心理准备。

“如果阿曼必须永失所爱,我们最好给他个机会告别。在未来的岁月里,他将从这个结局中得到慰藉。否则,这会给他留下永不痊愈的伤口。”

玛拉?玛拉是不是出了什么事?以离去的诸神之名,不要啊!

我双腿发软地站了起来。

要是她快死了,我必须到她身边去。为了她,我必须去那儿陪着她——即使她感觉不到。

“如果他们离开这座城市会怎么样?”吉尔赛那斯问。

法莱乌斯再度咂咂舌,没有给出明确的答案:“人们经常离开盖-查-卡拉斯。他们走过城门的瞬间就消失了。谁知道那以后他们去了哪儿呢?定期往来的行商人,归来时总是满载着一车车来自西瓦纳斯提或诺德马(Nordmaar)的货物。他们真的去过那些地方吗?谁知道呢?也许在我们那幽灵般的邻居的世界里,还有另一个完整的安塞隆大陆等着他们去探索。因为玛拉的事,我希望确实如此,虽然这对阿曼来说不大好受。”

离开这座城市?

我想起来了!

让玛拉如此兴奋的那张纸条是一张邀请函,邀她的全家搬到舒尔(Shoole)去和她的姑姑一块儿住。他们要离开这座城市。这个消息对我来说太过分了。我想我一定是晕了过去,所以后脑才撞了个包。我失去意识有多长时间了?这有什么关系!有关系的是:玛拉就要离开了!

我必须阻止她!

我的双腿已经动了起来。我跌跌撞撞地冲出我的家门——我们的家门。吉尔赛那斯和法莱乌斯瞪着我,就好像我是只野兽似的。也许我就是。我的心跳得像一只嗅到了狐狸气味的野兔那么快。马车转过拐角,我敢肯定,拉车的是玛拉的姐姐送给他们的马——把她们丢脸的穷亲戚永远送出这座城市的低廉代价。

我发现了吉尔赛那斯。看得出,他明白我全身奔流的恐慌。“想做就做吧,”他的眼神像是在说,“反正到头来全是徒劳。”

与此同时,法莱乌斯一脸悲哀地向我走来。他举起一只大手,显然打算同情地搂住我的肩。尽管这或许是发自内心的安慰,但我想他的真实意图是把我按在这儿,直到为时过晚。

在法莱乌斯来得及搂住我之前,我沿着街道狂奔而去。玛拉要去舒尔,那么她的马车走北门。这儿离北门只有几个街区之遥。走大道我绝对追不上马,但我有一项优势:我并不生活在盖-查-卡拉斯——我活在无踪之城!

我在街区中段右转,直扎进蜡烛店的门墙。跨过一堆曾组成锅炉的残砖碎瓦,我从店后方穿出,踏上了横越整个北区的小街。吉尔赛那斯追不上我,因为在那场严苛的考验之后,他的身子还太虚弱。在大多数情况下,追上并压制我对法莱乌斯而言毫无压力,但他不如我熟悉无踪之城的这条捷径。他不知道哪些幻象建筑易于穿越,哪些又隐藏着危险的瓦砾堆,甚至无盖的地窖。不,我那好心的朋友们必须取道大街,就像玛拉一样。

穿越褐色狮鹫旅店(Tan Griffin Inn ),绕过驿站(它是没法通过的,因为商人重建了巨大的谷仓),我望见北门就在前头。我在大街上狂奔,没头没脑地穿过盖-查-卡拉斯的人群。我平时总是用对待无踪之城实体市民的礼仪对待他们,但如今我笔直地穿过阻拦我道路的每个人跑了过去。

我停在城门口,回望街道。什么也没有。没有马车,也没有玛拉。和平日一样,只有虚幻的行人熙熙攘攘。莫非我误读了那张字条?也许她决定改走西门?我可没法及时赶到那里。

在我的担忧加剧成恐慌之前,一辆两匹马拉的平板马车转过了街角。驾着它们缓慢前行的正是我的玛拉,一脸迫不及待的笑意。

“不!”我大叫起来,前后大幅挥舞着双臂,“玛拉,停一停!别走!别丢下我!”

我知道她听不见,但我必须抓住这个机会。我像个疯子般狂喊着——大家都以为我早就疯了。

这时法莱乌斯和吉尔赛那斯转过了街角。我透过马车看到他们向我跑来,担心我做出什么伤害自己的事(尽管我也无法想象我会做些什么)。

尽管我又是喊又是挥,玛拉还是驾着她的马车径直地穿过了我。当然,她当然会这么做的。不然还想怎样?

我跪倒在尘土飞扬的鬼街上。

同伴们跑到我身边,而我转过头去,凝望着玛拉,我唯一的真爱,她即将消逝于虚空。

她停下马车,放下缰绳,转身最后一次回望自己的家园。玛拉脸上绽开了一个希望洋溢的微笑,一个允诺幸福未来的微笑,她挥手作别。

我挥手回应,惊讶得说不出话来。我知道她看不见我,但这毫无关系。

她捡起缰绳,催马远去。一步,两步,三步……她的身影在飞旋的砂粒中渐渐淡去。玛拉走了。我举头向天,对着无云的青空发出哀嚎。

这世上从此空无一人。我恒久孤单。倘若沙漠像它吞噬玛拉那样吞噬我该多好。“我一无所有了。”我向风儿低诉。而唯一的回答是——一只手温柔地搁在了我的肩上。

吉尔赛那斯单膝跪在我身边,他脸上写满了痛苦的回忆。法莱乌斯站在后面,给我们留出私密的空间,但他也没有离得太远,随时准备在必要时出手阻拦。

“你还有你的回忆,阿曼吾友。那是我们终其一生惟一真正拥有的东西。”

“回忆?关于什么的回忆?她从来就不是真实的!我花费了这么长的岁月追求一个女子,而她甚至不比一缕青烟更真实。吉尔赛那斯,也许你曾与诸神结伴而行,但你不可能明白我的感受。”

“我不明白?”他收回搁在我肩上的手,站起身来,用一种父亲看任性幼童的眼光俯视着我,“你只不过是失去了你的爱人,每个人或早或晚都要经历这种痛楚。对任何人来说,这苦痛都绝不轻微,既不取决于你们是相处过几个月还是共度终生,也不取决于你们是否曾在一起——或者说是否曾真正在一起。不要用从前犯过的错误自寻烦恼——它们与横亘在你面前的情绪深渊毫无关联。

“你的心上如今有一道深深的伤口。它终将自愈,但这需要时间。你打算明智地度过这段时间吗?你会回味那些甜蜜的瞬间,将其余的部分忘在脑后吗?这样做,可以抚平你心头的伤痕。”

我猛然转向精灵。这一切都不是他的错,但他给了我一个发泄怒气的标靶。

“要是我不希望它自愈呢?”我咆哮道。

吉尔赛那斯悲伤地望着我。

“那么你有两种选择。你可以选择待在这儿,沉浸在回忆中,看着往常熟悉的一切,做着你往常所做的事。这是个切实阻止你心灵痊愈的好办法,不过正如许多前人已经证实的那样,痛楚永不会消褪。或者,你也可以试图努力去寻找你的心之碎片,把它安放回正确的地方。”

我发出一声嘲讽的冷笑。

“那是不可能的,你知道。”

“也许,”吉尔赛那斯微笑起来,“但不见得比寻找一条自身希望永不露面的银龙更加不可能。”

我大笑着说:“而你已经以身作则地告诉我们这个办法有多管用了,你在西瓦纳斯提的监狱里待了多少年?”

“足够长,”精灵指出,“足够我与自己的过去和解,并把它抛在脑后。在那些日子里,唯一支持着我活下去的就是我的回忆。而如今我自由了,我为未来而活。阿曼,你又打算为什么而活呢,未来,还是过去?”

“未来,”我不确定地说。他说得对,从前发生过的事并不重要。玛拉已经走了,我无论做什么也无法改变这个事实。珍存这段爱,把它当做构建未来的基础,是纪念这段过往的最好形式。只要我仍然忠于自己的感受,玛拉就永远在我身边,“你不再为回忆而困扰了吗?”

吉尔赛那斯沉默了一瞬。我想他不确定该如何回答这个问题:“或许它们仍在困扰我,但它们不再支配我了。有许多更要紧的事等着我去做。身为奎灵纳斯提的王子,我对我的人民负有使命。”

“那么,当你的使命完结之时,”我问,“你又将为什么而活呢?”

法莱乌斯感到我们的谈话将近尾声,他大步向前,扶我站起来。

“我的使命将永不完结。”精灵坚定地说。他望着滚滚沙尘,不愿直视我的目光,“终我一生。”

“那么,你是一个比我更加悲哀的生灵。”


*****
 
I can hear the comforting drone of hushed conversation long before the words become clear. It's Gilthanas 
and Falaius. They're not in this room, but they are nearby.
"I must say, I still don't understand the nature of this place," I hear Gilthanas say. He still isn't certain that 
the spectral people he sees aren't undead spirits; you can hear it in his voice. He expects for Mala and her 
family to suddenly give up their charade and reveal themselves to be life-draining fiends.
"I'm not sure anyone does" Falaius answers.
"My host seems to think he has an insight others cannot perceive."
"You must forgive, Aman" the Legionnaire says. "His sense of perspective is, shall we say, impaired when 
it comes to the woman he calls Mala." Yes. He would say that. Falaius has spent many years living here, but 
he has never truly accepted Gal Tra'kalas for what it is.
"Though you were half-blind with dehydration, your reaction to the Missing City was quite normal. Most 
people see the towers and walls waving in the desert heat and assume they are seeing a mirage. However, 
when they get here and see the amazing detail in the buildings and even the ghostly inhabitants, people 
change their minds, believing instead that the city is all one tremendous illusion cast by a long dead sorcerer, 
or perhaps even by the gods themselves."
"Yes," Gilthanas adds with authority. "I came to that conclusion myself, though I know no sorcerer of any 
robes who could create such an effect."
"But the truth is even more fantastic. The mirage really is Gal Tra'kalas." Falaius has a sense of wonder in 
his voice that I've never heard before. Perhaps he does understand the grandeur around him. "As near as I can 
tell, the city belongs to a world where the first Cataclysm didn't happen. I don't pretend to understand how it is 
possible, but the people we see are real. They are far too complex to be simple illusions. They are born, grow, 
fall in love, and die just like anyone you know. The city is alive too ... well, as alive as any city is. Buildings are 
built, others are razed. Businesses open and prosper. Anials run the back alleys looking for scraps of food. If 
you make it your business to pay attention to a particular building or person or family, you'll see the 
unmistakable rhythm of life unfold before you. Make no mistake about it, Gal Tra'kalas is real."
"If that is true," Gilthanas wonders aloud, "then how can anyone bear to live here?" The elf has faced many 
strange things in his life, but I dare say that other than the return of the gods, this must be the most bizarre.
"Well, we didn't know. When the Legion first came here, there was only the mirage and a city's worth of 
ruins—crumbled walls, and mountains of brick and mortar debris half-hidden by the mirage, which we too 
mistook for a magical reconstruction of Gal Tra'kalas. My tribe has always called this spot the Missing City, and 
it seemed like an ideal place to build an outpost. If we built exactly behind the illusion, doing our best to 
recreate the facades of the buildings, only the closest inspection would reveal our presence. We'd have a town 
that no one could find—truly a Missing City."
Even though I know the story backward and forward, I lie here listening to Falaius. The cot is comfortable, 
and I feel a little light-headed. Odd. I don't remember going to bed.
"It was only after we'd been here several months that anyone began to suspect the truth. And by the time 
we were certain, our outpost had grown into a town. Most people stopped building in the 'occupied' sections of 
town. When you feel well enough to come down to the pier, you'll see that the newest buildings all stand just 
past the end of Gal Tra'kalas's city limits."
Gilthanas considers what he's heard. "And the people who already built their homes in the shadow city?"
"Each made a choice" the Legionnaire says noncommittally. "Many of them relocated, but the Legion 
maintained their original building. After all, the 'phantom folk,' as some of my men call them, can't see, hear, or 
touch anything of ours.
"Of course, most of the civilians chose to move. The wealthy merchants in particular were uncomfortable 
with the notion of sharing their homes with others, even if those others are not of this Krynn."
"But there are others who chose to stay?"
"Obviously. Most of them simply refuse to accept the people of Gal Tra'kalas as anything other than 
illusions. They take pride in the fact that they maintained their homes while their neighbors were run off by 
mere tricks of the light. But others, like your benefactor, Aman, consider them wholly real. They build their lives 
around people from both worlds, neither more or less important than the other. My men call these folks 
'shadow walkers,' because they tread the edge of two worlds. Most others just call them crazy."
"So the people in this house—Mala and her parents—are real to Aman?"
"They're more than real. They are his family. And Mala . . . well, let's just say that I don't think I've ever felt 
as strongly about anyone as he does for that ghostly woman."
I'm shocked. Not only does Falaius understand the city, but he also understands me. I always thought he 
snickered behind my back like the rest of them, mocking my feelings for Mala. I have to apologize to him.
I sit up on the bed, and the room spins. I have a lump on the back of my head the size of a dagger's pommel. 
What happened?
"Yes," Gilthanas sighs, "I understand. His life is very similar to the one I've led these past years. The only 
things that matter to him are untouchable. For me, they were memories—shadows of the mind—but no less 
real because I too could not touch them. At times, it was easier to believe they were reality and my cell was a 
recurring nightmare. Silvanesti is full of those memories."
"But the people of Gal Tra'kalas are not memories," Falaius replies. "They are here, as much a part of the 
Missing City as we are."
"And how much the worse for our friend if he cannot separate his dream from his waking world?" the elf 
pauses. "We ought to awaken him for this."
Falaius clicks his tongue, as he always does whenwrestling with a difficult question. "I think it may be 
kinder to let him sleep. There's nothing he can do. Watching this would be too painful."
What's wrong? Did Mala's father have another seizure? Did he die? We all knew it was coming, but no one 
is ever prepared for such a thing.
"If Aman must lose the one he loves, it's best that we afford him the opportunity to bid her farewell. In the 
years to come, he will draw solace from the closure. Otherwise, this will be a wound that never heals."
Mala? Has something happened to Mala? By all the departed gods, no!
I stand on uncertain legs.
If she's dying I must go to her. I have to be there for her, with her—even if she doesn't know it.
"What will happen when they leave the city?" Gilthanas asks.
Another tongue click announces that Falaius doesn't have a definite answer. "People leave Gal Tra'kalas 
all the time. They just disappear as the pass through the gates. Who can say where they go after that? The 
merchants come and go on a regular schedule, and they always return with carts full of goods from Silvanesti 
or Nordmaar. Do they really go to those places? Who can say? Maybe there's a whole other Ansalon for our 
ghostly neighbors to explore. For Mala's sake, I hope so, though that will be no real comfort to Aman."
Leave the city?
Now I remember!
The note that had Mala so excited was an invitation for the family to come live with her aunt in Shoole. They 
are leaving the city. That realization must have been too much for me. I think I blacked out. That must be how 
I got this lump on my skull. How long have I been unconscious? What does it matter? What matters is that Mala 
is leaving!
I've got to stop her!
My legs already are moving. I stumble out the door of my house—our house. Gilthanas and Falaius stare 
like I'm a wild beast. Perhaps I am. My heart beats with the same desperation as a rabbit's when the scent of 
the fox is in the air. The wagon rounds the corner pulled, I'm sure, by the horse Mala's sisters have given 
them—a cheap price to have their embarrassing relatives leave the city for good.
Gilthanas catches my gaze. I can see he knows the panic that sweeps through me. "Do what you can," his 
eyes seem to say. "In the end, it will do no good."
Meanwhile, Falaius walks toward me with a sad expression on his face. He holds out his massive hand, 
obviously meaning to lay it sympathetically on my shoulder. As heart-felt as that consolation might be, I know 
his true thought is to keep me here until it is too late.
Before Falaius can clasp my shoulder, I dash down the street. If Mala's going to Shoole, she'll take the 
wagon out the North Gate, and that's only a few blocks away. On the streets, I'll never catch the horses, but I 
have an advantage: I don't live in Gal Tra'kalas—I'm in the Missing City!
In the middle of the block, I turn right and run straight through the front wall of the candle-maker's shop. 
Leaping over the pile of rocky debris that used to be the kiln, I pass out the back and into the alley that cuts 
across the Northern District. Gilthanas can't possibly keep up with me; he's still too weak from his ordeal. In 
most instances, Falaius would have no trouble overtaking and subduing me, but he doesn't know this section 
of the Missing City as well as I do. He doesn't know which spectral buildings can be passed easily through and 
which hide dangerous piles of rubble, or even open pits. No, my well-meaning friends will have to take the 
streets just like Mala.
Through the Tan Griffin Inn and around the livery stable (it's been impassable since that merchant rebuilt 
the colossal barn), I see the North Gate ahead. I run heedlessly through the Gal Tra'kalans on the street. 
Usually I treat them with the same courtesy I do the more solid citizens of the Missing City, but right now I'd run 
straight through anyone who stood in my way.
At the gate, I stop and look back down the street. Nothing. No carriage. No Mala. Just the usual spectral 
pedestrian traffic. Did I read the note wrong? Is she heaing for the West Gate instead? I can't possibly get 
there in time.
Before my fear sharpens to panic, a flat wagon pulled by two horses rounds the corner. Driving the team at 
a slow trot is my own Mala, a smile of breathless anticipation painted on her face.
"No!" I shout, waving my arms back and forth wildly. "Mala, stop! Don't go! Don't leave me!"
I know she can't hear me, but I have to take the chance. I yell like the madman everyone already thinks I 
am.
Now Falaius and Gilthanas round the corner. I can see them through the wagon, racing toward me, afraid 
that I'll do myself some harm (though what I could do, I can't imagine).
Despite my shouting and arm-waving, Mala drives her horses straight through me. Of course she does. 
What else could she do?
I sink to my knees in the dusty, haunted road.
As my companions reach me, I look over my shoulder to watch as Mala, my one true love, is about to 
dissipate into nothingness.
She stops the wagon, lays down the reins, and turns around for one last look at her home. A smile full of 
hope and the promise of a happier future plays across Mala's face, and she waves good-bye.
I wave back, too stunned to speak. I know she doesn't see me, but it doesn't matter.
Picking up the reins, she urges the horses on. One step, two, three ... she fades into the swirling sand. Mala 
is gone. I throw back my head and howl to the cloudless sky.
There is no one left in this world. I'm all alone. If only the desert could swallow me up the way it has Mala. "I 
have nothing," I whisper to the wind. But the only answer I get is a hand laid gently on my shoulder.
Gilthanas bends down on one knee behind me, a look of painful memory on his face. Falaius stands back, 
giving us a sense of privacy while still being close enough to intervene should it become necessary.
"You have your memories, friend Aman. That is all any of us truly carry through this life."
"Memories? Memories of what? She was never real! I spent all these years chasing after a woman who is 
nothing more than a wisp of smoke. Gilthanas, you may have walked in the company of the gods themselves, 
but you have no idea how I feel."
"Don't I?" He takes his hand from my shoulder and stands, looking down at me the way a parent looks at a 
petulant child. "You've just lost the one you love, a pain everyone sooner or later must face. It matters not one 
whit whether you had a few months or a lifetime together, or whether you ever were ever actually together at all. 
Do not confuse yourself by finding the faults in your past—they have no bearing on the emotional chasm 
before you.
"A hole has been torn in your heart. It will heal, but the process takes time. Will you spend that time wisely? 
Will you savor the sweet moments and release the rest? If you do, the scar your heart bears will be light."
I whirl on the elf. None of this is his fault, but he makes a convenient target for my rage.
"What if I don't want it to heal?" I growl.
Gilthanas looks at me ruefully.
"Then you have two choices. You can stay here and wallow in the memories, see all the things you used to 
see, do all the things you used to do. This is a tried and true method to keep your heart from healing, though as 
many before you have discovered, the pain will never cease. Or, you can devote yourself to finding the missing 
piece of your heart and returning it to its rightful place."
I sneer derisively.
"That's impossible, and you know it."
"Perhaps," Gilthanas smiles. "But no more impossible than finding a silver dragon who wishes to remain 
hidden."
Laughing I say, "And you've told us how well that worked out. How many years were you in that Silvanesti 
prison?"
"Enough," the elf points out, "to reconcile my past and put it behind me. There were days when the only 
thing that kept me alive were my memories. Now that I'm free, I live for the future. What will you live for, Aman, 
the future or the past?"
"The future," I say uncertainly. He's right; whatever happened before doesn't matter. Mala is gone, and 
nothing I do wil change that. But if I take the love we had and build upon it, then that is the best way to honor 
the past. As long as I remain true to my inspiration, Mala will still be with me. "Do your memories no longer 
haunt you?"
Gilthanas pauses. I think he's unsure how to answer the question. "Perhaps they haunt me still, but they no 
longer rule me. I have more pressing matters to attend. I am a prince of Qualinesti. I have a duty to my people."
"When your duty is done," I ask, "then what will you live for?"
Falaius, sensing our conversation is nearing its end, steps forward and helps me to my feet.
"My duty will never end." The elf stiffens. He looks into the dirt, unwilling to meet my gaze. "This is my life."
"Then you are an even sadder creature than I."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-16, 周二 21:27:06
*****

一周后,吉尔赛那斯恢复了重踏奎灵纳斯提返乡之旅的体力。法莱乌斯·塔尼克给他带来一袋干粮,和一张标出到普斯塔(Purstal)最短路径的地图。 到那里之后,他计划沿着行商人的路径穿越灰烬平原(Plains of Dust)。
 
我坐在舒尔古老废墟的巨石堆中。与无踪之城不同,这里没有任何拔地而起的幽灵建筑。海风不断吹过,发出凄厉的声响。

他是对的,我必须为未来而活。

城市的这个区域看起来与盖-查-卡拉斯的花园区大致相似。我幻想着自己所坐的这块石头是玛拉如今居住的房屋墙壁的一部分。

我抬头望向北方——准确地说,望着啸海岛(the Isle of Schallsea)。我听说吉尔赛那斯的老队友金月在那里建立了一座光明城堡(Citadel of Light),她教导人们如何与精魂交谈。玛拉,如今我已经认识到你并非精魂,但那是我所知最棒的起点。谁知道那新魔法能做些什么?

我跳下巨石,开始整理行装。路在眼前,我的未来也在眼前。不过,在出发之前,我转过身,最后一次回望这些废墟。那儿并没有什么可看的,但我露出微笑,温存地挥手作别。

玛拉也挥手回应,无论她身在何方。

*****
 
A week later, Gilthanas was well enough to resume his trip back to Qualinesti. Falaius Taneek brought him 
a pack of supplies, and a map of the easiest route to Purstal. From there, he planned to follow the merchant 
trails across the Plains of Dust.
I sit on a mound of rocks amid the ancient ruins of Shoole. Unlike those in the Missing City, no ghostly 
buildings rise from this site. The sea wind constantly blows through this place, sounding mournful.
He was right, I have to live for the future.
This part of the city seems roughly equivalent to the Garden District in Gal Tra'kalas. I imagine that the 
stones I sit on form the wall of the home where Mala lives now.
I'm heading up to the north—to the Isle of Schallsea, in fact. I hear that Gilthanas's old companion, 
Goldmoon, has founded a "Citadel of Light" there, and that she teaches people to speak with spirits. Now, I 
realize you're not a spirit, Mala, but this is the best place I know to start. Who knows what this new magic is 
capable of?
I hop down and gather my supplies. The road, and my future, lay in front of me. But before I head off, I turn 
and take one last look at the ruins. There's nothing there to see, but I smile and wave a fond good-bye.
Wherever she is, Mala waves back.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-17, 周三 20:12:13
普斯塔古城(The Ancient City of Purstal), 11sc

吉尔赛那斯在这干燥的荒原上走了许多天。每天清晨睁开眼,他总是看见相同的风景:平坦、棕黄的大地,向着遥远的地平线无尽地延展。他每天都在怀疑,是否更为明智的做法是留在那座城市等待——天知道要等上多久——等待某艘也许能将他直接带往奎灵纳斯提的船。

但是他听到了一些消息,一些令他心焦的,关于祖国形势的消息。尤其是,塔克西丝的骑士——那些效忠于五头的恶龙之后的黑暗战士们,在那个混沌之夏之后征服了这个精灵的国度。而精灵咏者,也就是王子的外甥吉尔萨斯,则沦为王座上任由黑暗骑士操纵的傀儡。关于祖国的回忆和恐惧填满了他的心胸,等待船只的过程变得如此恼人,最后他徒步踏上了旅途。 

至少他已经开始摆脱那些关于西悠瓦拉的回忆,说服自己他的生活即使少了她也得照常运转。不知为何,他相信一旦抵达祖国,一切都会有头绪,他的人生将拥有成就与目标。有时,在深夜,这希望会变得虚无缥缈,但当黎明来临,他再度紧攫住它,如同抓住一道坚实长梯的第一级般。

他对自己通过的这片土地一无所知。但凭着再度恢复的精力与强健,凭着一支做一周苦力的工钱换来的廉价铁剑的保护,他觉得自己能克服一切横亘在征途上的宿命阻碍。他在那座城里打听到,他可以先走到托拉斯河(Torath River)畔,然后顺流而下抵达伊莱尔(Elial)。从那儿启程沿着丹特里克溪(Duntollik Run)行走,再继续西行抵达奎灵纳斯提。同时还得到警告:沿途分布着龙和离奇的混沌生物,倘若掉以轻心可能会因此丧命。

精灵在大约十天前抵达了河畔,至今为止他没有发现任何船只的踪影,也没有任何居民区和村落的迹象。河水足够清洁,因此他得以每天更换新鲜的饮用水,偶尔还能抓到鱼。尽管沿岸有几堆灌丛——这一带除了草之外他看到的唯一植物——他还是不敢冒险生火,宁愿忍受近极地气候的寒冷。他携带的精灵干粮足可应付月余的旅行,因此他并不是特别担心,即使在大多数日子里这是他所能找到的唯一食物。

他没有发现任何打算掠食他的丑恶生物的踪迹。的确,他偶尔会听到西方或南方的地平线上传来超自然风暴的隆隆回响,但他保持着警惕,也从未观察到任何直接的威胁。精灵准备了一个简易的对策:倘若龙出现,他会伏倒在干燥的地面上,迅速聚拢尽量多的尘灰将自己掩蔽起来。然后只需仰望着天空等待,确信那条巨蛇不可能发现他——哪怕它恰巧飞越他的头顶。

来到河边的第十一天,他终于第一次看到地平线上出现了某种不规则物。在他的左方,河面变得宽广而平缓。太阳正在升起,辽阔的水域上波光粼粼,他发现眼前是一系列散布在平坦地面的几何体。它们坐落在距离水边约一公里的地方,他走近,确凿无误地辨认出这是座废墟。他的面前横着一堵墙,远处可以望见几座巨大石屋的断瓦残垣,缠绕在荆棘之中。

尘灰随着他的脚步四散,地面一点点露出了光洁的,拼缀紧密的石块——一条宽阔的大道,穿过倾圮的门扉,在建筑物间延伸。一口破裂而干枯的石池子,标示着这儿一度是一泓壮丽的喷泉,抑或一汪曾容纳清凉碧水的浅池。一阵风鼓起干燥的粉尘刺痛了他的眼睛,也刺激着他的鼻腔。

他眼前矗立着这座古老的死亡之城中最宏大的建筑。那无疑曾是一座宫殿——在那破损的墙面上,古老门扉令人生畏的轮廓像一张饥饿的大口般敞开着。缓缓登上通往门口的大理石台阶,他惊奇地睁大了双眼。屋顶早已垮塌,但室内,在那黯淡阳光的勾勒下,吉尔赛那斯看见了回廊与圆柱的残骸,还有一片广阔的空地——那曾是王宫的正殿,或是一间适于举办盛大舞会的厅堂。他从依然完好的门拱下方通过,踢踢踏踏地在满地瓦砾中开出一条路。那大多是松脱的贴片,显然是在屋顶倒塌时散落下来的。他穿过走廊,步入宽敞房间的入口。

有什么迈着碎步从他身边墙基的阴影中跑过,一个小小的身影窜进大厅。他本能地把手放到剑柄上,听到身后传来更多噪音。吉尔赛那斯猛地转过身,却什么也没有看见——唯有日光毫不容情地增强着,投下愈加浓厚的暗影。

他走进宽敞的房间,看到那些曾一度环立在四周的石柱。如今大部分石柱已然坍塌,但还有相当多依旧挺立——它们中的一些在与膝盖或头平齐的高度断裂,另一些高逾十二尺,直指业已消失的天花板——令人得以一窥往昔的辉煌。他在马赛克拼贴的地面上前行,对脚下的彩石隐约感到惊讶。带着一股怪诞感,他发现某种东西——或某些人,曾经清理过这块地面,以不同于废墟中任何地方的细致照管着它。

再一次,眼角的余光扫到角落里有动静,他转过身,沉重的铁刃从剑鞘中抽出,划过冰凉的空气。

“谁在那儿?”他问。

“是我们。”

答话声从身后传来,他再度身形急转,一眼看到十二步外注视着自己的那个矮小、圆胖而又蓬头垢面的身影,忍不住爆笑出声。

那家伙立刻扭过身焦急地审视自己背后,然后掉转头瞪着吉尔赛那斯:“有什么可笑的?”他质问道。

“不……没什么。”精灵回答,一面忍住笑,深深地鞠了个合乎礼节的躬,“我只是很高兴见到你……你是一位艾格哈,我猜。”

溪谷矮人努力把他的胸膛挺得和鼓鼓的小肚子一样高:“哦,是的,我是……我c……c……c-a-i……”他学着吉尔赛那斯说,尽管他只记得这么多。

“我是奎灵纳斯提的吉尔赛那斯。”流浪者说,继续保持着庄重的神情。

“我也是!”溪谷矮人喊,“我是说,我也有个名字……”倘若这小生物记得自己的姓名,那么他显然没什么分享的愿望。

“这里是你们的城市吗?”精灵询问。

“我……我家族……我们盖这个地方!”对方夸耀道。

“我明白了。”吉尔赛那斯强迫自己保持严肃的表情。说到底,艾格哈这个种族,在克莱恩世界是以究极拾荒者而著称的,他们会搬进一切在原本的主人看来已不适合居住的住宅和废墟,“那么,你们这座大都市叫什么名字?”

“这里普斯塔……艾格哈的大首都。这里是,伊莱尔也是!那里我们另外一个大首都,从这里开始,走好多天。”他指着一个约莫是西北的方向。

吉尔赛那斯心头涌起一阵酸楚。他不知道是哪个种族建立了这曾经壮丽的建筑,很可能是人类。究竟发生了什么,才让他们背井离乡,留下这城市圮为废墟,落入最低贱的低等生物之手?同样的事有朝一日会发生在奎灵纳斯提吗?思乡的苦痛由于一个更加迫切的疑问而迅速滋长——会不会,它已经发生了?

“我……我得走了。”他说道,忽然想尽快离开这里,踏上归乡之路。

就在这时,又是一阵风从废墟的残垣间吹过,挟着更多的粉尘掠过吉尔赛那斯的脸。他感到鼻子一阵刺痒,然后——在明白过来发生了什么事之前,就打了个惊天动地的大喷嚏。

“对不起。”他致歉道,晃着脑袋弄干眼里的泪水。他惊奇地注意到,溪谷矮人带着一种近乎敬畏的表情盯着他。

“是……是你啊。阿嚏人(The Sneezer)来啦!”艾格哈宣告。他高喊着,挥舞着双手,步履蹒跚地在目瞪口呆的吉尔赛那斯周围跳起舞来,“阿嚏人驾到,阿嚏人驾到!”

“我不明白,”精灵试图打断他,开始感到担忧,“我真的要走了——”

“不,等一下……你睡这里,睡得好。今晚我们部族给你煮真的好宴席!我们等了阿嚏人很久……现在你来了,我们大联欢!然后你睡觉,我们要送你东西,我们为你做的礼物。你那个时候才可以走!”

“我不认为……”吉尔赛那斯的声音低下去了。他摸不着头绪,但无疑感到好奇。

“总的,我是说,‘总之’,你急着去哪里?”圆滚滚的矮人猜疑地怒视着吉尔赛那斯,质问道,“你不喜欢我们的东西?”

“不是的,我要去……”刹那间吉尔赛那斯的思绪飘离了躯壳。他想起了一条银龙,柔顺,富有曲线美,有着优雅的颈项。她曾是一名精灵女子,是他的挚爱,那一瞬对她的热望激烈得教他几乎无法承受。但他甩甩头——她早已不在了,他还得继续自己的生涯,“我要回家。”他静静地,几乎是悲伤地说。

“好嘛,回家——但是你得先吃我们的宴席,拿我们送你的东西。你是阿嚏人,对吧?我们等了你很久。现在你来了,你一定要看看我们的东西!”

吉尔赛那斯没有力量回绝。

The Ancient City of Purstal, 11sc
 
For days Gilthanas walked across the dry wastes. Each morning he awakened to the same vista: flat, 
brown land stretching to the far horizons. And each day he wondered if he might not have been smarter to stay 
in the city and wait—the gods only knew how long—for some ship that might carry him all the way to 
Qualinesti.
But he had also learned things, disturbing things, about developments in his homeland. Most significantly, 
the Knights of Takhisis, dark warriors who served the five-headed queen of Evil dragonkind, had conquered 
the elven realm during the Summer of Chaos. The elven Speaker, the prince's nephew Gilthas, was serving as 
a puppet on the throne, manipulated by his Dark Knight masters. Waiting for a ship had become too 
aggravating when the memories and fears about his homeland had so filled his thoughts, and so he had set 
out on foot.
At least he had begun to banish the memories of Silvara and convince himself that his life must run its 
course without her. Somehow he believed that when he reached his homeland, everything would make sense 
and his life would have fulfillment and purpose. At night, sometimes, this hope seemed translucent and 
intangible, but with the coming of dawn he once again seized it like the bottom rung of a solid ladder.
He knew little of the lands he passed through, but with his vigor and strength regained and the protection 
offered by a cheap iron sword he had purchased for the wages of a week's hard labor, he felt capable of 
overcoming any obstacle fate might lay in his path. In the city he had learned that he could walk to the Torath 
River and follow that watercourse until it eventually reached Elial. There, he would strike out along the 
Duntollik Run and continue west until he made it to Qualinesti. He had been warned about dragons and bizarre 
creatures of chaos that might lie along the way, which would destroy him if he was so much as noticed.
The elf had reached the riverbank some ten daysago, now, and had failed to see any sign of a 
rivercraft—or any kind of habitation or village. He found the river clean enough to refresh his water supply 
every day, and sometimes he caught fish. Though there were dumps of brush along these waterways— the 
only vegetation other than grass he encountered here—he endured the chill of the near arctic clime rather than 
risk a fire. His supply of elven hardbread was sufficient for more than a month of travel, so he didn't particularly 
worry when, most days, that was the only food he could provide for himself.
As to hideous creatures waiting to prey upon him, he saw no sign. True, he occasionally heard rumbles of 
supernatural storms beyond the horizon to the south or west, but he maintained his vigilance and never 
observed any immediate threat. If a dragon appeared, the elf had a simple plan: He would lie down on the dry 
ground and cover himself with as much dusty dirt as he could quickly gather. Then he would simply wait, eyes 
on the sky, confident that the serpent would never notice him—even should it fly directly overhead.
It was on the eleventh day after he had reached the river that he first noticed an irregularity in the horizon. 
The river had grown to a wide, sluggish expanse to his left. The sun was beginning to set, reflecting off the 
broad flowage when before him he observed a series of shapes scattered across the flat ground. They stood 
perhaps a mile away from the water, and as he walked closer he got the unmistakable impression that these 
were ruins. That was a wall, here before him, and beyond he saw the tattered remnants of great stone houses 
surrounded by tangles of bramble.
Below his feet the dust had scattered away from some patches of ground to reveal smooth, interlocking 
paving stones—a wide avenue leading from a crumbled gate, between the buildings. A stone basin, cracked 
and dry, indicated where a splendid fountain or wading pool must once have gathered cool waters. A gust of 
wind carried dry powder through the air, stinging his eyes and irritating his nostrils.
Before him rose the greatest edifice in this ancient city of the dead. Surely it must once have been a 
palace—the gaunt outline of an ancient doorway gaped like a hungry mouth in the broken facade of a wall. His 
eyes widened with wonder as he slowly climbed the marble stairs leading to the doorway. The roof had long 
since collapsed, but within, outlined by fading sunlight, Gilthanas saw the remnants of corridors and columns, 
and of a sweeping expanse that might have been a throne room or a chamber suitable for hosting a great ball.
He passed beneath the still-intact arch of the doorway and kicked through the rubble on the floor. These 
were mostly loose tiles of slate, obviously scattered here when the roof had caved in. He crossed the hallway 
and passed into the entryway of the great room.
Something scuttled through the shadows at the base of the wall beside him, a little shape scurrying through 
the hall. Reflexively he placed his hand on his sword, even as he heard more noises to the rear. Gilthanas 
spun, but he saw nothing save thickening shadows as the sun continued its relentless descent.
He passed into the great room and saw that columns had once stood around the entire periphery of the 
place. Now many of these had fallen, but enough remained—some splintered at knee or head height, others 
rising more than a dozen feet toward a vanished ceiling—to provide a glimpse into the splendor of the past. He 
advanced across a floor of mosaic tiles and was vaguely surprised to see the colored stone at his feet. With a 
sense of eeriness he realized that something, or somebody, had cleaned off this surface, tending it with more 
care than anyplace else in these ruins.
Once again saw movement in the corner of his vision and he turned, the heavy iron blade drawn from its 
sheath and waving in the cool air.
"Who's there?" he asked.
"Just us."
The reply came from behind and he spun about again, then burst out laughing at the sight o the short, 
pudgy, and unkempt figure regarding him from a dozen paces away.
That fellow immediately twisted to look anxiously over his own shoulder, then turned back to glare at 
Gilthanas. "What so funny?" he demanded.
"Just... nothing," replied the elf, mastering his amusement to render a deep and acceptably formal bow. "It 
is a pleasure to meet you ... one of the Aghar, I am assuming."
The gully dwarf's chest puffed out nearly as far as his bulging belly. "And yes so it is to I myself... I am ass ... 
ass ... ass-you-ming," he parroted, insofar as he could remember what Gilthanas had said.
"I am Gilthanas of Qualinesti," said the wanderer, still maintaining the air of dignity.
"Me too!" cried the gully dwarf. "That is, me got name too ..." If the little creature remembered his cognomen, 
he apparently had no desire to share it.
"Is this your city?" inquired the elf.
"Me . . . my clan . . . we build this place!" boasted the other.
"I see." Gilthanas forced himself to keep a straight face. The Aghar, after all, were known across Krynn as 
the ultimate scavengers, moving into any dwelling or ruin that had become viewed as uninhabitable by its 
original owners. "And what is the name of your great metropolis?"
"This Purstal... Great Capital of the Aghar. This is, and Elial is too! That our other great capital, many days 
that way from here." He pointed in a vaguely northwestern direction.
Gilthanas was suddenly struck by a sense of melancholy. He wondered about the folk, humans most likely, 
who had built these once-splendid edifices. What had happened to them, that they left their cities to fall into 
ruin and be claimed by the lowest of the low. Would this happen to Qualinesti one day? The pang of 
homesickness grew, quickened by a more urgent question: Was it happening already?
"I... I have to go," he said, suddenly wanting to be out of this place, to be on the way to his homeland.
At that moment another gust of wind snaked between the ruined walls and more dust wafted past 
Gilthanas's face. He felt that irritation in his nose and then, before he knew what was happening, he exploded 
with a convulsive sneeze.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, shaking his head to clear the water from his eyes. He noticed with some surprise 
that the gully dwarf was staring up at him with an expression bordering on awe.
"It... it is you. The Sneezer has come!" proclaimed the Aghar. He shouted, waving his hands, dancing a 
shambling jig around the stunned Gilthanas. "The Sneezer comes! The Sneezer comes!"
"I don't understand," the elf tried to interject, beginning to worry. "And I really have to move—"
"But wait... you sleep here, sleep good. My tribe cook you one really fine feast tonight! We wait alla time for 
the Sneezer ... now you come, now you get big party! And then you sleep ... and we give you stuff, gifts we 
make for you. Only then you be on your way!"
"I don't think...." Gilthanas's voice trailed off. He was mystified, but admittedly intrigued.
"Where you go in such hurry, anyplace? I mean, 'anyway?'" demanded the rotund dwarf, glowering 
suspiciously. "You not like our stuff?"
"No, it's just that...." For a moment Gilthanas felt his thoughts run away with him. He remembered a dragon 
of silver, supple, curves and a graceful neck. She was an elf maid, and his beloved, and at that instant his 
longing for her was an emotion more powerful than he thought he could survive. But he shook his head—she 
was gone, and he had his life before him. "I'm going home," he said quietly, almost sadly.
"Well, go home—but not before you have our feast, take our stuff. You da Sneezer, right? We been waitin' 
for you. Now you come, see our stuff!"
Gilthanas didn't have the strength to resist.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-18, 周四 14:20:01
*****

艾格哈的好客热情正如溪谷矮人这个种族本身一样痴狂,但吉尔赛那斯惊讶的发现,自己竟然很享受这群脏兮兮的小家伙的重视和友谊。他被告知“阿嚏人”的传说在溪谷矮人间代代相传……普斯塔,以及附近那座姊妹城市——或者说,姊妹废墟——伊莱尔的艾格哈们,都日复一日地盼望着那个打喷嚏的人的降临。

自然,正如吉尔赛那斯所见,溪谷矮人们根本不了解这个喷嚏对他们来说有什么含义。他喝着他们的酒——酒还挺不错;吃着他们的食物——食物挺糟的。他聆听着他们的故事,欣赏着一位有望成为秘术师的老矮人响亮的歌声,那歌谣描述了南方冰川上的某座拱门。

“那冰封旧日之拱(Frozen Past Arch)!”那艾格哈尖叫着,勉强算是在歌唱,“在那里真挚的心灵可以找到他们的渴望!”在几次提问之后,吉尔赛那斯了解到,那座拱门据说是一个极其古老的国度的遗物,它的确蕴含着力量,但难于解开。

终于,艾格哈们为他们可敬的阿嚏人带来了礼品。吉尔赛那斯慨然应允,做好心理准备去接受某种发霉的老鼠皮斗篷或没有背带的背包。他目瞪口呆地发现,那群卑贱的东道主竟然献上了真正的宝藏——包括一套在任何气候下都能保暖的斗篷和靴子、一只总能倒出新鲜饮料的细颈瓶,一张标出灰烬平原与邻接的冰墙冰川(Icewall Glacier)位置的地图,以及一把宝剑——一把两千多年前打造的精灵钢(elven steel)的利刃。

由于感动和八九分醉意,他拥抱了许多溪谷矮人,和他们跳舞,最后睡倒在一堆破布上,与一百多名艾格哈同室而眠。当他醒来的时候,他的东道主们还在沉睡。尽管吉尔赛那斯感到舌头麻木,脑袋剧痛,他还是收拾起他的新宝贝们,轻轻对东道主们说了声永别,再度踏上了归乡的道路。

*****
 
Aghar hospitality proved to be as insanely frenetic as the gully dwarves themselves, but Gilthanas was 
surprised to find himself enjoying the attention and the friendship of the filthy runts. He learned that the legend 
of "The Sneezer" had been handed down from generation to generation... that the ghar here in Purstal, and 
in the nearby sister city—or sister ruin—of Elial, both had been living their days waiting for the arrival of the one 
who would sneeze.
Of course, the gully dwarves had no real understanding of what the Sneeze meant to them, which was just 
as well, from Gilthanas's point of view. He drank their wine, which was not bad, and ate their food, which was 
bad. He listened to their tales, enjoying one old would-be mystic who loudly sang of an arch on the glacier to 
the south.
"The Frozen Past Arch!" screeched the Aghar, in a quasi-sing-song. "It is the place where true hearts can 
seek their desire!" With a few questions, Gilthanas learned that the arch was reputedly a relic from a very 
ancient civilization, and that its powers were real, but difficult to unlock.
Finally, the Aghar brought forth gifts for their honored Sneezer. Gilthanas was agreeable and prepared 
himself to accept some moldy rat-skin cloak or perhaps a backpack with no straps. He was stunned when his 
humble hosts instead gave him real treasures, including a cloak and boots that would keep him warm in all 
weather, a decanter that would always pour fresh beverage, a scroll that mapped out for him the Plains of Dust 
and the adjacent Icewall Glacier, and finally a fine sword, a blade of elven steel that had been forged more 
than two thousand years ago.
Touched and more than a little drunk, he embraced many of the gully dwarves, danced with them, and fell 
asleep on a heap of rags in the same room with a hundred Aghar. When he awakened, his hosts were still 
sleeping. Despite his thick tongue and pounding headache, Gilthanas gathered his new treasures, gave his 
hosts a whispered farewell, and once again started on the road toward his home.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-19, 周五 01:03:21
一朵石玫瑰的感悟:石玫瑰镇(Stone Rose),12sc
 
欢迎光临花园!

噢,朋友们,我不是故意要吓你们的。只不过现如今来这儿的人实在是太少了,你们能陪陪我,我简直高兴坏了。来,来,这儿有满满一皮袋调好的红酒,请赏光与我共饮,作为打扰诸位独处的赔礼。

不,不,不……非来不可。要是把仅有的几位客人给吓跑了,我还当啥园丁啊?真不像话,真的!

不用不用。我的工作就是确保您能享受到游览的乐趣嘛。但愿诸位度过一段愉快的时光,回头跟亲朋好友宣传一下,让他们也来这儿玩一趟。来,相互递一下酒囊,大家喝个够。今天你们就是我,花园管理员塔恩·格兰杰(Tarn Granger)的客人。花园(the garden)这名字没啥创意——不过您想啊,咱这整一个镇的名字就叫做石玫瑰镇,所以它的主要景点也没必要另取新鲜的名头啦。

这些天,路过这儿的几乎就只有商人和佣兵,他们都没空停下脚步闻一闻这些玫瑰——我就光是这么一说。朝圣者和冒险者简直再也不到咱石玫瑰镇来了。我也没法指责他们待在家里,毕竟塔克西丝骑士的铁腕牢牢控制了奎灵纳斯提,那条叫黑貂(Sable)的黑龙把整个新海岸(New Coast)变成了血海!不过但凡是来了的人,个个都会大开眼界——我一点不夸张地告诉您,这在克莱恩世界是独一份儿。

跟我来,让您看看我指的是什么。

请恕我冒昧,不过瞧诸位这破破烂烂的衣裳,眼睛里这提心吊胆的神色,我要斗胆猜您是从奎灵纳斯提来的难民。是吧,我早就在想了!刚刚提到黑暗骑士的时候您几位吓了一跳,这可是致命的破绽呀。

要我说呀,这是个教人伤心,教人伤心的年月。“凡人之年代(Age of Mortals)”,我看不见得!如果这真是属于我们的时代,为啥有一半的土地都落在一座小城堡大小的龙手里?决不能啊!但是美应该长存心间——而我也不知道有别的什么地方比石玫瑰镇的花园更美的啦。

看那儿,美得教人窒息,对不对?超过一亩各种形状各种大小的玫瑰丛。那几丛修剪成龙的形状,还有一只狮鹫,一匹飞马。往尽北边看,那花架上缠满了玫瑰藤,还有您拳头大小的花。那中央是座名副其实的迷宫。现在它瞧着不大像迷宫——您看那树篱不过齐腰高——可是迷宫就在它正当中,在剪成一棵微缩版瓦伦木(vallenwood)形状的那丛玫瑰藤下边的树阴里绕着呢。那儿是全镇最适合坐下来静静品尝您的调和酒的地方了(要不然您以为我们往那走干嘛呢,嗯?)。
 
是啊,这一切已经够神奇了,要想到我们这可是在一片沙漠的边缘!但它比你们想的还要奇幻。您看啊,全部这些玫瑰,不管是灌木,是藤,还是树,全都是石头做的。而且还不是那种碎碎的花岗岩。这种石头平滑又光润,就像您能在索兰尼亚贵族的家里找到的那种大理石雕一样亮闪闪的。

看呐!

它们的细节是如此精美,您很难说出它们和真正的玫瑰之间有什么差异——呃,除了颜色……还有香味之外。要是它们是真花儿,这空气中早该充满了浓郁的香气。咱的玫瑰不像普通的玫瑰那么好闻,但是您秋天永远不用清扫花瓣!作为一个园丁,跟您说啊,这让我可高兴了。我们也不用对付蜜蜂和其他烦人的虫子,所以到头来,我还是得说,咱这算是两全其美了。

不过,诸位要小心啊。这些刺正像它们看起来一样锋利,而且够结实,足以伤人。我记得有一次,一个小坎德人好奇这些玫瑰里边是不是也跟外壳一样是石头做的。他把整个胳膊硬塞进枝条间的一道缝隙里去。这是我见过最傻的一桩傻事,不过您懂得,坎德人嘛,脑瓜里冒出个鬼主意的时候就是那样的。

嗯哼,当他抓住他所找到的第一根枝条的时候,胳膊就卡在那儿了。当然啦,那枝条是石头的——而且长满了刺。他嚎叫得像条鼻子卡进了蜂箱的狗那么惨。然后那坎德人试着尽快抽出他的胳膊。这是他犯的第二个错误。

本来也就是手上留下几个洞的事儿,但是这么一来,他的胳膊就被一路上的几乎每一根刺钩住了。他往外一抽胳膊,又是一声惨嚎,再抽一点儿,嚎得更大声,最后他终于把自己给拔出来了。跟您说,那场面一点也不赏心悦目。幸亏镇长的女儿桑德拉·轻触(Sondra Softtouch)听到动静跑了过来。桑德拉在金月和她的秘术师们那里学过一年,回来的时候已经是个不错的小治疗师了。她给坎德人结结实实地包扎了一通。虽然坎德人还是对花非常好奇,但从那之后一直到离开,他始终把手插在深深的小包包里。

是啊,关于这个花园,我有好多好多故事可讲。我想,这是因为我花了毕生的精力在照管它吧。

什么?您以为石玫瑰不需要照管?

这里会长出杂草,就像其他任何地方一样。尽管不会对那些灌木造成威胁,它们看上去还是乱糟糟的。谁会想游览一个凌乱的花园?还有那些游客留下的烂摊子。您绝想不到,如果人们不真正住在这个地方,他们走的时候会留下一堆什么样的玩意儿。我在花园里捡到过各种各样的东西,从破衣服到臭鸡蛋。要是我再告诉您这个,您没准会惊讶得昏过去:我时不常的捡到缺刃的(有时是完全折断的)匕首和短剑,那是因为有些家伙打着傻算盘,试着把一朵真正的石玫瑰带回家去。您知道吗,我甚至见过一把砍这些茎砍缺了一大块的牛头人战斧?连我都震惊了。

那些玫瑰有魔力吗?

呃,很难讲。普通的刀剑伤不到它们分毫,这的确可以用魔力来解释。不过话又说回来,其实我觉得,要是您对一块大石头挥剑也会得到同样的结果——毕竟,没有哪把剑是为了一次又一次地砍石头而造的啊。

有些人说,花园是个被诅咒的地方。

Reflections on a Rose of Stone: Stone Rose, 12sc
 
Welcome to the garden!
Oh, my friends, I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just that so few people come here anymore that I am 
terribly glad for the company. Here, I've a skin full of mulled wine—allow me to make amends for spoiling your 
solitude by sharing it with you.
No, no, no ... I insist. What kind of caretaker would I be if I scared away my only guests? A poor one, let me 
assure you!
No. It is my job to make sure you enjoy your visit. Hopefully, you'll have such a good time that you'll tell all 
your friends and relations to also make the journey. So pass around the skin and drink your fill. Today, you are 
the guests of Tarn Granger, the keeper of the garden—an uninspired name, but when your entire town is 
named Stone Rose, there's really no reason to think of a fancy title for the main attraction.
Just about the only people who come through here these days are merchants and mercenaries, and neither 
of them have time to stop and smell the roses—so to speak. Pilgrims and explorers rarely make the trip to 
Stone Rose anymore. I can't say I blame them for staying home, what with the Knights of Takhisis holding 
Qualinesti in their iron grip, and Sable the Black Dragon turning all the New Coast into a bloody swamp! But 
those who make the trip see something so amazing—I'm not fibbing one bit when I tell you it's unique on all of 
Krynn.
Walk with me a ways, and I'll show you what I mean.
Pardon my saying so, but by the look of your tattered clothing and that haunted tint to your eyes, I'd hazard 
to guess that you're refugees from Qualinesti. I thought so! The way you flinched when I mentioned the Dark 
Knights was a dead giveaway.
It's a sad, sad time, I tell you. "Age of Mortals" indeed! If it was our age, would half the land be ruled by 
dragons the size of small castles? No, sir! But you take your beauty where you can—and I don't know of 
anywhere more beautiful than the garden in Stone Rose.
Look out there. It takes your breath away, doesn't it? Over an acre of rosebushes in all shapes and sizes. 
Those over there are trimmed in the shapes of dragons, a griffin, and a pegasus. Off to the north, you can see 
lattices covered with vines and flowers the size of your fist. But te centerpiece, literally, is the maze. Now, it's 
not much of a maze—you can see the hedges are only about waist high—but that circle at the center sits under 
the shade of a rosebush grown and pruned into the shape of a miniature vallenwood. It's the best place in the 
whole town to sit and quietly sip your mulled wine. (Why do you think we're heading there, eh?)
Yes, all this would be marvel enough, considering the fact that we're on the edge of a desert! But it's even 
more fantastic than you think. You see, all the roses, every bush, vine, and tree, are made of stone. And not 
some crumbled granite either. The stone is smooth and polished, and shines like the marble statues you'll find 
in Solamnian noble homes.
Look at them!
The detail is so fine that you can hardly tell the difference between these and the real thing—well, except for 
the color .. . and the smell. If these were live flowers, the air would be thick with perfume. Our roses don't smell 
so nice as the normal kind, but you never have to sweep up the petals in the fall! As the groundskeeper, let me 
tell you, that makes me very happy. We also don't have to deal with bees and other nuisance bugs, so all in all, 
I'd say we get the best of both worlds.
Careful, though. Those thorns are just as sharp as they look, and they're sturdy enough to do some real 
damage. I remember one little kender who got curious about whether the bushes were made of stone on the 
inside as well as the out. He stuck his whole arm in through a gap in the branches. Not the brightest thing I've 
ever seen done, but you know how kender are when they get a notion in their heads.
Well, he got his arm wedged in there as far as it would go and grabbed onto the first branch he found. Sure 
enough, it was made of stone—and covered in thorns. He yelped like a dog that had stuck its nose up a 
beehive. The kender then tried to pull his arm out as quick as can be. That was his second mistake.
Instead of just having a few holes in his hand, he snagged his arm on just about every thorn on the way out. 
He yanked the arm a ways, yelped again, yanked some more, yelped even louder, until finally, he got himself 
free. It wasn't a pretty sight, let me tell you. Luckily, Sondra Softtouch, the mayor's daughter, heard the 
commotion and came running. Sondra spent a year studying up there with Goldmoon and her mystics on 
Schallsea and came back quite the little healer. She patched the kender up quick enough. And though he was 
still very curious about the flowers, that kender kept his hands in his deep little pockets the rest of his stay.
Yes, I've got a whole lot of stories about the garden. I suppose that's what comes from spending my whole 
life tending the place.
What? You don't think stone roses need tending?
Weeds grow here just as well as they do anywhere else. They may not be a threat to these bushes, but they 
still look a mess. And who wants to visit a messy garden? Then there's the mess that people make. You 
wouldn't believe the kind of things folks will just up and leave behind if they don't actually live in a place. I've 
found everything from torn clothing to rotten eggs just sitting in the garden. And you'd faint dead away if I told 
you how often I find daggers and short swords with their blades chipped (and sometimes broken clean off) by 
someone who got it into his fool head to try to take a genuine stone rose home with him. Do you know I've even 
seen a minotaur battle-ax with a goodly chunk missing thanks to one of these stems? Even I'm amazed.
Are the roses magic?
Well, that's hard to say. Magic would explain why they stand up so well to normal blades. But then again, I'd 
think the same thing if you started taking swings at a boulder—no sword was meant to strike a rock over and 
over again.
Some folks say the garden is a cursed site.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-20, 周六 01:11:45
*****

这个故事发生在很久很久以前,比诸神对古老的伊斯塔降下火雨还要早的时候,那时候这块土地还又青翠又肥沃,如今是我们小镇的这个地方,当时还是座宏伟的城堡。据说,在那座城堡里,住着一位特别睿智的国王和他唯一的儿子,多特阿德(Dottaard)王子。

随着岁月的手指慢慢勒紧国王的喉咙,他开始担心他王国的命运,因为他的儿子还没成亲。为了亡羊补牢,国王派出他手下四位最快的骑手,朝着四方奔驰,向整个国家宣告他的圣旨:多特阿德王子所娶的女子不仅可以成为这个国度的太子妃(和未来的王后),还将获得城堡以南的全部国土,国库的一半全归她,爱怎么用就怎么用。他认为,王子绝不会看上一个会滥用这笔礼物的女人。

第二天,王宫里来了几百个年轻淑女,每一个都比下一个更美丽,更优雅。不过,王子的眼光只停留在罗瑟拉(Rosella)一个人的身上。罗瑟拉披着一件漆黑的斗篷,尽管她把兜帽拉得低低的(始终把双眼藏在阴影里),但披散在她肩头那柔顺的红色发绺和她红宝石般的嘴唇都仿佛述说着她是一位多么精致美丽的女子。

才到中午,多特阿德王子就回绝了罗瑟拉之外的所有女孩,日落时分,他已经确信世上没有更配得上他的女子。因此,他们决定在一个月后举行婚礼。国王大喜过望。他的儿子将拥有一位夫人,他的王国将拥有一位太子妃,而他也可以幸福地瞑目了。

然而,当天晚上,国王路过罗瑟拉的房间时,听到里面传来一个陌生而苍老的声音。他从门缝往里偷看,看见罗瑟拉摘掉了她的兜帽——原来她的真面目根本不是什么年轻的姑娘,而是一个老巫婆。她穿的斗篷其实是她的法袍——她是个黑袍法师——她在那上面施了个咒语,只要她紧紧裹着这件斗篷,就能拥有公主般的容貌。

“我施了个咒语,”罗瑟拉咯咯笑着自言自语,“让那个笨蛋王子爱上我。一个月以后,我就要和他结婚了,半个王国都将是我的了!”

国王跑去告诉他儿子这个坏消息,可是罗瑟拉的咒语太管用了,王子根本一点儿也不相信。他决定和罗瑟拉结婚,而他的父亲没法插手。婚礼的日子一天天临近,国王思考着,计划着,可是他实在想不到有什么办法能从那坏女人的手里拯救他的儿子和王国。

就这样,离婚礼只有一星期的时候,一位宫女碰巧听到罗瑟拉在和卫队长说话。“我对玫瑰严重过敏,”她说,“所以你可别让任何客人把玫瑰带到我的婚礼上。就算最小最小的,能编进少女头饰的那种玫瑰花蕾也不行,懂了吗?”

宫女确实听懂了,她赶快把听到的内容告诉国王。国王想出了一个好主意。

在婚礼的那天,国王去找他的儿子,为自己对准新娘粗鲁的行为道歉。“为了补偿,”国王说,“我安排了有史以来最为辉煌的仪式。婚礼将在我们的庭院里举行,王国的每位子民都将出席庆典。”被咒语迷住的王子非常高兴,他把这个惊人的消息告诉了罗瑟拉。

当新郎和新娘手挽着手走出来的时候,罗瑟拉倒吸一口凉气,吓得缩了回去。整个庭院被布置成了一个玫瑰园,那里有树木,有灌丛,有矮树……玫瑰的一切品种应有尽有,而所有这些玫瑰都正值花期。

在整个王国的众目睽睽之下,罗瑟拉打了个大喷嚏,这个喷嚏是如此之大,把她的兜帽都吹飞了,露出她的真面目。围观的人群一片骚动,而罗瑟拉接连不断地打着喷嚏。终于,她的专注被打断了,再也没法维持那蛊惑多特阿德王子的魔咒。

王子脱离了罗瑟拉的控制,立即宣布婚礼中止,并叫来了王宫卫队。尽管卫队不是巫婆的对手,他们还是赶走了罗瑟拉。临走前,她对国王说:“你的玫瑰击败了我,但它们别想干第二次!”

她一面说,一面在空中挥舞着双手,所有的树木,灌丛和矮树全都变成了石头。紧接着,她又施展了一道咒语,消失在一团烟雾之中。

多特阿德王子听国王解释了事情的来龙去脉后,去对那位宫女致以谢意。最终,两人坠入了爱河,一个月后,他们结婚了。

婚礼在这座石玫瑰花园中举行,新郎、新娘和国王都认为,这里是整座王国最美妙的地方。

*****
 
The story goes that a long time ago, back before the gods rained fire down on ancient Istar, back when this 
part of the land was green and fertile, a great castle stood where our little own is now. In that castle, they say, 
lived a very wise king and his only son, Prince Dottaard.
As the fingers of age tightened on the king, he began to worry about the fate of his kingdom, for his son was 
yet unmarried. In order to remedy this situation, the king sent his four swiftest riders, one in each direction, to 
make this proclamation known throughout the land: Whatever woman Prince Dottaard married would not only 
become princess (and eventually queen) of the realm, but also would receive all the lands south of the castle 
and half of the kingdom's treasury to do with as she pleased. The prince, he thought, would never choose to 
marry a woman who would abuse such a gift.
The next day, hundreds of young ladies visited the palace, each more beautiful and elegant than the next. 
The only one the prince had eyes for, though, was Rosella. Rosella wore a cape of deepest black, and though 
she kept the hood pulled low (hiding her eyes in constant shadow), the flowing red locks that spilled over her 
shoulders and her ruby lips said this was a woman of exquisite beauty.
By midday, Prince Dottaard dismissed all the ladies except Rosella, and by sundown, he was sure no other 
woman matched him so perfectly. The wedding, it was decided, would take place one month hence.
The king was beside himself with joy. His son would have a wife, his kingdom would have a princess, and 
he could die a happy man.
That evening, however, as the king passed Rosella's chamber, he heard a strange, ancient voice coming 
from within. Peeking through the cracked door, he saw Rosella remove her hood to reveal that she was not a 
youthful maiden at all, but rather an ancient sorceress. The cloak she wore was really her wizards 
robes—black robes—and she cast a spell so that when it was pulled tight about her, she would have the 
visage of a princess.
"I have cast a spell," Rosella cackled to herself, "to make that fool prince fall in love with me. In one month, 
we will marry and half the kingdom will be mine!"
The king ran off to tell his son the terrible news, but Rosella's spell was so powerful that the prince did not 
believe a word of it. He was going to marry Rosella, and his father could do nothing about it. As the wedding 
day grew closer, the king plotted and planned, but he could find no way to save his son and his kingdom from 
this terrible woman.
Then, one week before the wedding, a palace maid overheard Rosella talking to the captain of the guard. "I 
am terribly allergic to roses," she said, "so you must not allow any guests to bring them to my wedding. Not 
even the tiniest rosebud may be woven into a lady's headdress, is that clear?"
It certainly was clear to the maid, and she hurried to tell the king what she had heard. It gave him a clever 
plan.
On the day of the wedding, the king came to his son and apologized for his rude behavior toward the 
bride-to-be. "In order to make amends," the king said, "I have arranged the most glorious event ever. The 
wedding will take place in our own courtyard, and everyone in the kingdom will be there." This pleased the 
spellbound prince, and he went to tell Rosella the wonderful news.
As the bride and groom walked out arm-in-arm, Rosella gasped, then drew back in horror. The entire 
courtyard had been transformed into a rose garden with trees, bushes, and shrubs of all varieties, each at the 
height of bloom.
While the entire kingdom watched, Rosella sneezed so hard that her hood flew off, revealing her true form. 
As panic swept through the crowd, Rosella sneezed again and again. Finally, her concentration was so 
shattered that she could no longer maintain the spell that bewitched Prince Dottaard.
Freed from Rosella's control, the prince immediately announced that the wedding was off and called for the 
palace guard. Though they were no match for the sorceress, the guards drove Rosella off. Before she left, she 
turned to the king and said, "Your roses have beaten me, but they will never do so again!"
With that, she waved her hands in theair and every bush, tree, and shrub turned to stone. Then she 
repeated the motion and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
When the king explained what had happened, Prince Dottaard went to thank the palace maid. In the end, 
though, the two fell in love, and one month later, they married.
The wedding was held in the garden of stone roses, which bride, groom, and king all agreed was the 
loveliest place in all the kingdom.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-20, 周六 13:29:23
*****

真是个好故事,对不?这是我女儿还是个小丫头的时候,她最喜欢的一个故事啦。大部分人觉得这不是真的,不过我们还是经常把它讲给游客们听。

我们比较愿意相信的是下面这个故事,关于一位雕塑师和一位公主的。(有趣的是,为什么每个故事都和王室有关呢,嗯?)


*****
 
Quite a story, eh? It was my daughter's favorite when she was a wee girl. Most folk don't take it as truth, but 
it's the one we usually tell visitors.
The story we like to believe is about a sculptor and a princess. (Funny how they all seem to be about royalty, 
eh?)
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-20, 周六 13:34:23
*****
 
故事发生在力量之年代(Age of Might),伊斯塔的教皇颁布他那道《证明美德》的敕命(Proclamation of Manifest Virtue)后不久。有一位科延公主(Princess Kojen),她是卡若理家族(House of Kharolis)一名美丽而又强大的战士。她抨击教皇的教义,因为他宣称,任何参与战争或从事“男性化职业”的女人都是邪恶的追随者,应当就地处死。

科延公主是整个卡若理王国(kingdom of Kharolis)少女们的偶像,也是一名强有力的领导者——依照敕命,这是她被严格禁止担任的职位——她还热爱射箭,击剑和骑马。事实上,她所做的事当中只有一件符合教皇的许可,那就是与她的爱人——一位名叫瑟兰(Serran)的雕塑师——共度时光。

尽管瑟兰恳求科延不要如此放肆地拂逆教皇的敕命,但她只是报以嘲笑。“我就是这样的人,”她对他说,“你也不希望我要你放弃你的锤和凿,对吧?一定是这样。那么你又怎能让我放弃我如饥似渴地追求的那一切呢?那强迫我这么干的人,又怎么可能是世间一切善良的化身呢?”

瑟兰被这个问题吓得脸色苍白:“那是异端,科延!千万别再说这种话了!”

公主只是讥笑她的爱人。她的决心是那么强烈,以至于她不管不顾地在任何场合说出自己的观点,无论那会招致什么样的后果。科延死不悔改的行径传到了教皇的耳朵里,他派出一百名士兵去逮捕这位公主。

士兵们抵达瑟兰的工作室,科延公主用冰冷的钢铁招呼了他们。战斗持续了三天又三夜,当第四天清晨的太阳升起的时候,科延公主是唯一还站着的人。

“这事儿还没有完,瑟兰,”在爱人为她包扎伤口的时候,她对他说,“还会来更多的士兵——也许一千,也许更多。而我将不会是他们唯一的目标。为了抓我,他们会攻击你,我无法忍受这种事。明天早晨我就要远走高飞,这样你就安全了。”

雕塑师明白这是唯一的办法,尽管这令他心碎。

“我有件礼物送给你。”在她走之前,瑟兰最后一次拥科延入怀,低声耳语。

他伸出手,手心是一朵石雕的玫瑰,每一个细节都如此精致和完美:“这朵花永不褪色,永不凋零,就像我对你的爱,亲爱的科延。在我们分离的每一天里,我都会雕一朵新的玫瑰,等到重逢的那一天,我们将拥有一座爱的丰碑。”

第二天黎明,公主离开了。

一周之后,一千名士兵赶到了瑟兰家,要抓科延。一百名官员向他询问公主的下落,但他只报以同一个答案——“她已经走了。”与此同时,他的目光从未离开手中那一朵完美的,盛开的玫瑰——他用一块坚硬的大理石雕刻的玫瑰。士兵们离开后,瑟兰把那朵玫瑰带到他的花园,将它安放在一个木制花架上,摆在另外六朵完美的石玫瑰旁边。

雕塑师不时听到他的公主的传闻。要是那些传闻都可信的话,科延公主从安塞隆大陆的一头旅行到了另一头,然后周而复始。她甚至可能去过传说中的巨龙列岛(Dragon Isles)。可是在她的放浪之旅中,她从未回到瑟兰的身边。

在他离开人世之前,瑟兰雕刻了两万多朵玫瑰,还有全部一切的叶、茎和花架——那就是您如今在花园里看到的。

*****
 
In the Age of Might, shortly after the Kingpriest of Istar made his Proclamation of Manifest Virtue, there lived 
Princess Kojen, a beautiful and mighty warrior of the House of Kharolis. She railed against the doctrines of the 
Kingpriest, who declared that any woman who engaged in battle or other "manly duties" was a follower of Evil 
and should be put immediately to death.
Princess Kojen, as was the fashion for ladies in the kingdom of Kharolis, was a strong leader—a position 
the Proclamation strictly forbade her to hold—and often enjoyed the pleasures of archery, fencing, and 
horseback riding. In fact, just about the only thing she did which would have met remotely with the Kingpriest's 
approval was the time she spent with her lover, a sculptor by the name of Serran.
Though Serran would beg Kojen not to flaunt the Proclamation so boldly, she just laughed at him. "It is who 
I am," she told him. "You would not want me to ask you to give up your chisel and mallet, would you? No. Then 
how can you ask me to give up all of the things my blood aches to do? And how can anyone who forces me to 
do so possibly be the living embodiment of all that is Good?"
Serran blanched at the question. "That is heresy, Kojen! Do not ever say that again!"
The princess merely laughed at her lover. Her will was too strong to allow her to do anything other than 
speak her mind at all times, no matter what the consequences. And when word of Kojen's unrepentant ways 
reached the Kingpriest, he sent a force of one hundred soldiers to arrest the princess.
When the soldiers approached Serran's workshop, Princess Kojen met them with cold steel. The battle 
raged for three days and three nights, and when the sun rose on the fourth day, Princess Kojen was the only 
one left standing.
"This is not the end of this, Serran," she said as he tended her wounds. "More soldiers will come—perhaps 
a thousand or more. And I will not be their only target. In order to get to me, they will strike at you, and I cannot 
have that. Tomorrow morning, I must leave so that you will be safe."
Though it broke his heart, the sculptor knew it must be so.
"I have a present for you," Serran whispered as he held Kojen in his arms for the last time before she left. 
He held out his hand, and in it was a sculpture of a rose, delicate and perfect in every detail. "As this flower will 
never fade and wilt, neither will my love for you, dear Kojen. For every day that we are apart, I will carve 
another rose so that when we are reunited, we will have a monument worthy of our love."
The princess left the next morning at dawn.
A week later, a thousand soldiers arrived at Serran's home looking for Kojen. And though a hundred 
different officers questioned him as to the princess's whereabouts, the only answer he ever gave was, "She 
has gone." And all the while, he never looked up from the perfect blooming rose he carved from a block of solid 
marble. When the soldiers left, Serran carried the rose out to his garden and placed it in a wooden lattice 
alongside six other perfect stone roses.
From time to time, the sculptor would hear rumors of his princess. If they were all to be believed, Kojen 
traveled from one end of Ansalon to the other and back. She may have even visited the fabled Dragon Isles. 
But the one place her wanderings nver took her was back to Serran's side.
Before he died, Serran sculpted more than twenty thousand individual roses as well as every leaf, limb, and 
lattice that you find in the garden today.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-20, 周六 19:10:18
*****
 
为了捍卫一份像科延与瑟兰那么真挚的爱情,谁不愿意挺身抵抗一整支大军呢?

哪怕这个故事里只有一部分是真实的,那就不难想明白,这座花园为什么会是这么一个鼓舞人心的地方。照管它的四十年来,我见过各种各样的男人,女人,还有动物,走进这座花园,在他们离开时,都打心眼儿里改变了。

曾经有个男人从东野地(Estwilde)远道而来,他在那儿开着个磨谷子的磨坊。自打他生平头一次听说石玫瑰镇的这座花园起,就有种说不清的冲动,想亲自看一眼。他把磨坊卖了,把这世上对他来说最重要的那点东西打了个包,翻山越岭,穿过沙漠,穿过龙的国度来到这儿。跟您说,他走的每一公里都凝在他的脸上,刻在他的衬衣上,我能看得出来,可是我再没见过比他更快乐的人了——我是说,在他坐到树阴下的长凳上以前。

看吧,就在那张长凳上,坐着个女人,她花光了嫁妆的最后一个铜子儿,和他一样,从坦尼丝(Tanith)的一个农场远道而来。

他们俩对望了一眼,就好像已经互相认识一辈子了一样。他们坐在那棵树下,一直聊到深夜。第二天我回来的时候,看见他们俩蜷在彼此的怀里,靠着一道石头树篱睡着了。

好吧,当天晚上,镇长主持了他们的婚礼。他们住在一个农场里,沿这条路走不远就是。

您懂了吧,就算我们当中那些天天都来花园的人,也照样会被它带来的情绪感染的。

有天清早,我来上班的时候,听到树篱迷宫里的什么地方传来一种怪可怜的叫声。我找了一会儿,发现一只小黑猫——还不到四周大——戗了的毛被一根石头刺挂住了。我找不到猫妈妈和其他的猫崽们,可是很明显,这小家伙在这世上孤孤单单的,它需要一些照顾。所以我把它带回家了,尽管我一碰动物就鼻塞流眼泪。您还不知道,那只猫忒喜欢人摸。

是啊,这地方的美,会让人做出些可怕的怪事,比如说那天路过这儿的那位精灵。他是个怪人,和你们一样是奎灵纳斯提的。但是他并不逃离黑暗骑士和他们的爪牙,而是径直走回森林去。不过,到最后,我想花园还是帮他找到了一条正路。

*****
 
Who wouldn't face an entire army to defend a love as true as Kojen and Serran's?
If that story is even partly true, then it's no wonder the garden is such an inspirational site. In the forty years 
that I've tended it, I've seen all manner of man, woman, and beast come into the garden and leave changed to 
the core.
There was a man who traveled here all the way from the Estwilde, where he ran a grist mill. Seems that all 
his life he had heard of the garden at Stone Rose and felt an unexplainable urge to see it. He sold his mill, 
packed the few things that mattered most to him in this world, and hiked across mountain, desert, and dragon 
realm to get here. Let me tell you, I could see every mile he'd crossed caked onto his face or frayed off his shirt, 
but a happier man I'd never met. That is, until he sat on the bench under the shade tree.
You see, sitting on that bench was a woman who had taken every last copper from her dowry to pay for a 
similar trek, all the way from a farm in Tanith.
They took one look at each other, and it was as if they'd known one another all their lives. They sat under 
that tree and talked deep into the night. When I came back the next day, I found them curled in one another's 
arms, asleep beneath a stone hedge.
Well, the mayor performed their marriage ceremony that evening. They live on a farm just down the road. 
See, even those of us who visit the garden every day still get swept up in the emotions it brings out.
One morning, I arrived at work to hear a piteous yowling coming from somewhere in the hedge maze. After 
searching around for a while, I came across a black kitten—it couldn't have been more than four weeks 
old—whose matted fur had become caught on a stone thorn. I haven't a clue what happened to the mother or 
the rest of the litter, but it was plain to see this little fellow was all alone in the world and in need of some looking 
after. So I brought him home in spite of the fact that my nose clogs up and my eyes tear every time I so much 
as touch an animal. And don't you know it, that cat loves to be petted.
Yes, the beauty of the place will make a body do some awful strange things, like this elf that passed through 
here the other day. He was a strange one, a Qualinesti just like you folks. But instead of running away from the 
Dark Knights and their minions, he was headed straight back into the forest. Still, in the end, I think the garden 
helped him find the right path to walk.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-20, 周六 20:08:12
*****

那天清早我走进花园的时候,那位精灵就已经在那儿了,他站在那边的一丛灌木前边,死死地盯着那朵玫瑰——那朵半开的,差不多面朝正西的玫瑰。

他的衣裳看起来像个流浪汉,不过他的举止又让我觉得该再考虑考虑。您看,对我们人类来说,每个精灵看上去都或多或少有点高傲。你们走路的方式,你们高瘦而挺拔的身材,让你们看起来就好像,光是走进一间屋子就期待着得到祝贺一样。我不是故意侮辱你们,就是和我们人类这么一比。因为那天早上我看见的那位精灵有种气场,让他看起来很……呃……傲慢,这是我想到的唯一一个形容词。

在人们看起来需要帮助或打算倾诉之前,我通常不去打扰他们,所以我就干自己的活去了,留下那精灵一个人待着。但是,在我除完草之后,我发现那精灵还是盯着同一朵玫瑰看。

这是巧合,我告诉自己。一定是我恰好撞见他站在我先前看见他的地方。许多游客会在花园里连逛几个小时,停下来细看其中三四处最吸引他们的石雕。

可是,在我吃完午饭回来的时候,那精灵仍然在那儿。于是我决定确认一下他是否正常。我走到他身边,而他居然没注意到我的存在!

我清了清嗓子。“下午好。”我说,等着他回答。可是他没回话,我就继续说下去,“这花园里有许许多多漂亮的玫瑰,能允许我问一问,为什么您对这一朵这么感兴趣吗?”

他终于转过身来看着我,我看见他的眼里有一滴泪水夺眶而出。

“没什么。只不过这是吸引我注意的第一朵。”他的声音干涩而遥远,“它是……它们全都是如此的……完美。”

“是的,的确如此。而且都很美丽。”

“而且非常的,非常的悲伤。”他补充道。

“什么?”

“那些玫瑰。它们非常悲伤。你看不出来吗?”

我真的一点也听不懂他在说什么,不过我觉得最好再听他说一会儿。我搞不清他是游览这座花园的精灵中最睿智的一位,还是疯得最彻底的。

“看不出来,”我说,“为什么那些玫瑰要悲伤?”

“因为它们无法成为自己所期望的样子。”

我告诉他我还是没听懂,并请他喝口水。我很肯定这家伙在发热昏。

“这朵玫瑰,”他很有耐心地说——就像在解释什么特别重要的事情一样,“它期盼开放。每一朵玫瑰都期盼着:从充满希望的小小苞蕾,成长为愉悦视觉与嗅觉的精美花朵,然后最终逝去,因为美在这世界上只是短暂的。”

“可是,这些玫瑰永远都是美丽的。”我说。

他看着我,就好像我在说地精语似的。

“这些玫瑰并不想美丽——美是它们的固有特性,它们没法改变。无论它们做什么,它们永远都是美丽的。它们期望的是成长。而这却是这些玫瑰或许永远也做不到的一件事。它们背负着自己的使命。”

“使命?”我确信他在发热昏。要是他足够幸运当场晕过去,我就能去叫桑德拉来治疗他了。

“是的,使命——和我一样。我的使命是回到奎灵纳斯提,去帮助我的同胞,将他们从压迫下解放。那是件美丽的事——一桩光荣而高尚的宿命。”

“但这并不是你想做的?”

“不!我全心全灵地想走另一条路。我的心,我的过去,还有我的爱都在呼唤我,叫我去南方的冻土,可是我的使命却召唤我向西走。”

他的疯狂越发明显了。

“就是说你从未听从过自己的心意?”我问,“使命永远是你的主人?”

“永远,”精灵重复道,“这是我所知的全部了。我真的很喜欢这座花园里的花。它们的石质外壳阻止它们绽放,阻止它们发挥自己的潜力。它们被束缚在开始与结束之间的某个中间状态里。我也同样被束缚了。如果我现在去履行我的使命,那么正如我此刻站在你面前一样千真万确地,我的余生将永远被使命所束缚。我将永远不会有自由地随心所向的一天。”

我不知道该说些什么。

“好吧,你现在还在这儿,你可以做个选择。你何不听从自己的心意?”

很长一段时间精灵呆呆地站在那儿一动不动。长到我简直以为他的脑子终于烧坏了。

“我不清楚自己是否有足够的力量这么做。至今为止我一生都履行着使命。现在我可以将它弃之不顾了吗?”他注视着我,双眼由于困惑而灼灼发光,“这朵玫瑰有可能冲破石质的外壳,真正绽放吗?”

我找不到话来回答他。说实话,我根本就没真听懂这问题问的是什么。所以,我们就这么大眼瞪小眼地呆了漫长的一瞬。然后,当我们再度望向那些石玫瑰时,我们看见了不寻常的一幕。

一阵微风拂过花园,就在我们注视的那丛石玫瑰之中,有个红色的东西摇曳着。那是朵玫瑰——一朵真正的活生生的玫瑰。后来,我经常在花园周围找到发芽的小玫瑰苗。我把它们小心翼翼地挖出来,栽到自己家的花园里。不知怎么的,它们似乎削弱了石雕的美丽。但在那之前,这么多年来我从未见过任何植物在这片特殊的石树篱内含苞——可是这一朵,它做到了。

精灵微笑起来。

“我找到了答案,”他说道,然后转向我,深深地鞠了一躬,“感谢你与我分享的时光和思绪。令我醍醐灌顶。”

说完,他转身离开了花园。

*****
 
When I came into the garden that morning, the elf was already there, standing in front of that bush over 
there, staring hard at that rose—the one that is partly open and faces almost due west.
His clothing marked him as a vagabond, but his bearing made me look twice. Now, to us humans, all elves 
look more or less proud. The way you carry yourselves, tall and thin and straight, makes you seem as though 
you expect to be congratulated for just walking into the room. I don't mean this as an insult, just as a 
comparison to us humans. Because the elf I saw that morning had an air that made him seem ... well... 
haughty is the only word I can think of to capture it.
Being as how I leave people alone unless they look like they need help or a friendly ear, I went about my 
business and let the elf go about his. When I finished my weeding, though, I noticed the elf was still staring at 
the same rose.
Coincidence, I told myself. I just happened to catch him at the same place I saw him earlier. A lot of visitors 
wander the garden for hours, stopping and gazing at the same three or four sculptures that appeal to them 
most.
When I came back from my noon meal, though, the elf was still there. So I decided to make sure that he 
was all right. I walked up next to him, yet he didn't even know I was there!
I cleared my throat. "Good afternoon." I saidand waited for a response. When he didn't give one, I 
continued, "There are plenty of pretty roses here in the garden. Mind if I ask what makes that one so interesting 
to you?"
He finally turned to look at me, and I could see a single tear welled up in his eye.
"Nothing. It is just the first one that caught my eye." His voice was dry and distant. "It is ... they are all so ... 
perfect."
"Yes, they sure are. Beautiful, too."
"And terribly, terribly sad" he added.
"What?"
"The roses. They are very sad. Can you not see that?"
I really had no idea what he was talking about, but I thought it best to listen a while longer. I couldn't figure 
out if he was the wisest elf to ever visit the garden or just the plumb craziest.
"No," I told him. "Why are the roses sad?"
"Because they cannot be what they were meant to be."
I told him that I still didn't understand and offered him a sip of water. I was sure that he was heat-mad.
"The rose," he began, speaking very patiently—the way you do when you're explaining something very 
important, "wants to bloom. That is what all roses want: to grow from tiny buds full of promise to exquisite 
flowers that please the eye and the nose, and finally to move on, for beauty in this world is merely transitory."
"But these roses are always beautiful," I said.
He looked at me as if I was speaking in the goblin tongue.
"The roses don't want to be beautiful—that's just what they are, they can't help it. No matter what they do, 
they always will be beautiful. What they want is to grow. And that is the one thing these roses may never do. 
They have a duty."
"A duty?" He was heat-mad for sure. If I was lucky, he'd just pass out and I could get Sondra to heal him.
"Yes, a duty—like me. My duty is to return to Qualinost, to help my people, to lead them out from 
oppression. That is a beautiful thing—a proud and noble destiny."
"But it's not what you want?"
"No! With all my heart I want to follow another path. My heart, my past, and my love all call out for me to go 
to the frozen lands to the south, but my duty calls me westward."
His madness was beginning to make more sense.
"And don't you ever follow your heart?" I asked. "Is duty always your master?"
"Always," the elf replied. "It is all I've ever known. I am truly like the flowers in this garden. Their stone skin 
prevents them from blooming, from ever reaching their potential. They are trapped in a state halfway between 
their beginning and their end. I too am trapped. For if I go to perform my duty now, then as surely as I stand 
before you, duty will keep me trapped the rest of my days. There will never be a day when I am free to follow 
my heart's desire."
I didn't know what to say.
"Well, you're here now, and you have a choice. Why don't you follow your heart?"
The elf stood completely still for a very long time. So long that I thought the heat finally had cooked his 
brain.
"I don't know if I have the strength to. I've followed duty my whole life. Can I ignore it now?" He looked at me, 
his eyes aflame with confusion. "Can the rose ever break through its stone skin and truly bloom?"
I hadn't a clue how to answer him. Truth be told, I wasn't even really sure what the question meant. So we 
just stared at one another for a very long few moments. And when we looked back at the stone roses, we saw 
something remarkable.
A slight wind blew through the garden, and from amid the very stone rose bush we stared at, a red shape 
bobbed back and forth. It was a rose—a real living rose. Now, I'll often find small rosebushes sprouting around 
the garden. I take care to dig them up and bring them to my own garden at home. They somehow seem to 
detract from the beauty of the statues. But I hadn't seen any plant budding in this particular stone hedge all 
year—yet there one was.
The elf smiled.
"I have my answer," he said, then turned to me and bowed deeply. "Thank you for your time and thoughts. 
They have been most enlightening."
With that, he turned and left the garden.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-20, 周六 22:37:00
*****

我不大确定那位精灵得到了什么样的答案,而我也真的不清楚他最后究竟是回了家乡奎灵纳斯提,还是往南去了冻原(尽管我搞不清他希望在那儿找到什么)。我知道的是,我把那朵小玫瑰留在了花园里——就在那儿,从石树篱上边伸出来。不知怎么,它看起来挺重要的。

噢,可是讲故事实在太教人口渴了——比园艺劳动还渴得慌。

劳驾递一下酒,等我喝完,就给你们讲我们治好镇长的梦游病的故事——月圆之夜他总在花园里到处梦游!

*****
 
I'm not sure whatanswer the elf received, and I surely don't know whether he headed home to Qualinesti or 
south to the frozen plains (though what he expected to find there, I haven't a clue). But I do know that I let that 
little rose stay in the garden—there it is, poking out from the top of the stone hedge. It seems important 
somehow.
Oh, but storytelling is a thirsty job—even more thirsty than gardening.
Pass me the wine, and when I'm done, I'll tell you the tale of how we cured the mayor of sleepwalking 
through the garden on the nights of the full moon!
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-22, 周一 13:19:44
冰封旧日之拱,13sc

吉尔赛那斯在冰面上走得越远,心底越是确信那道胡睹族(huldrefolk)的大门将是他此趟旅程的关键。他日复一日,拖着沉重的步履不懈前行,跨过那一成不变的霜与雪的荒原。克瑞恩海(Courrain Ocean)位于他左方的某处,但他暂时不必操心这个问题——此刻最重要的是坚持到底,一路向南。

幸运的是,那件溪谷矮人送给他的附魔斗篷,即使在最恶劣的极地气候中也能为他保暖。只要他将那猩红的布料垫在自己与冰川之间,即使直接睡在雪地上也绝不会感到下方逼人的寒气。同样,只要他裹着斗篷,无论撕扯着冰原的狂风怎么咆哮,都无法穿透那质地致密的织物。

他满怀深情地回想起普斯塔和伊莱尔的溪谷矮人部族那一派天真的慷慨举动。在这片寒冷的无垠中,他发现自己竟然很怀念那群废墟城市中的东道主们的陪伴。

最终,他抵达了那座雄伟的断崖——冰墙。从这里起,他终于折向东行。接下来的许多天里,他深一脚浅一脚地走着,视线总不离那在阳光下折射出炫目光彩的蓝白色崖面。他开始分配自己的口粮——幸亏有了普斯塔那个神奇的细颈瓶——他不必担心饮水问题。

他有时倒出甜蜜的柑橘果汁舒活四肢,有时倒出红酒温暖身躯,凭着那股自石玫瑰镇起就驱使着他的心心念念的执著,一路向前。
 
然后,他看见了它。

那高大的拱门从地平线上兀然而起,尽管它事实上耸立在冰墙之巅另一侧一里开外的地方。吉尔赛那斯走近前去,在他眼中,拱门似乎渐渐沉落在一道逐渐逼近的天际线后方。最后,他站在了雄伟的断崖脚下,再也看不见顶端那直指天空的巨石造物。正当他研究那陡峭崖面的时候,黑暗降临了,环绕着他,在一弯新月苍白的光华下,冰面依旧闪烁着光辉。

经过一小时的研究,精灵承认自己不可能从这一带的任何地方爬上崖壁。当然,在混沌之夏前的日子里,他可以施一道法术,用他的训练与天赋控制那伴随他成年后绝大多数时光的奥术力量。一道漂浮术足以让他攀爬峭壁的过程变得轻易,或者——如果他真的赶时间——也可以直接把他和他的行李一块儿传送到崖顶,面对眼下这种状况,甚至可以传到拱门正下方。

然而,诸神放弃了这个世界,将它交入凡人之手,那种魔力也随之离去。因此,吉尔赛那斯发现自己面临着无法攀登的困境。

他决定放弃攀爬,另谋出路。在接下来的一天里,他沿着断崖脚下,穿行于冰川间。日落时分,他抵达了冰与海那鲜明的界限。在这里,冰川变成了断裂的破片与尖锥——这些凶险的奇观随着暴风与海浪,漂移着,澎湃着。

不过,吉尔赛那斯没有兴趣再往前走了。

他发现,在冰墙大断崖的末端,有许多岩床的架构坍塌了,巨砾与碎石倾入冰冷无情的海水中。冰柱从几块巨大石块上垂下,四处都有大片松动的积雪在斜坡上崩落时碾出的沟渠。不过,至少它的表面是不规则的,吉尔赛那斯可以攀爬。

他从黎明开始攀登,用自己的剑代替冰锥,靠那双靴子紧紧攀住哪怕最为光滑的表面。他避开最危险的雪崩槽,在不得不穿越那些较小的沟壑时,他不顾一切地疾奔而过。有一次,就在他冲出一道沟谷的下一秒,一大团冰雪呼啸着从崖顶滚入海中。

夜幕降临时,他发现自己才刚爬到半山腰,他在两块巨石间一道不避风的缝隙里休息。即使那件斗篷的保护之力也无济于事,吉尔赛那斯被迫在黎明前动身。再这样待着不动,他就得冒冻死的风险。

当第一缕阳光照射到他身上的时候,他终于翻越了冰墙之巅。就在他眼前十里,或更远些的地方,宛如湛蓝天幕上的水晶浮雕般,冰封旧日之拱灿烂而圆满地矗立着。

对吉尔赛那斯来说,这段路程还要走上几个小时,但他对时间的流逝毫无察觉。他的眼中只有那巨大的石质半圆——那绵亘天际又宛转回归大地的门扉。在这位精灵看来,这轨迹必定是种象征,象征着他的生涯与未来的希望。

他有一桩宿命——一条注定要遵循的道路——而它的轨迹就在他眼前!

终于,他站在了那石质曲面的下方。它屹立在他头顶上空,或许高逾千尺,但他没有办法做出客观的估算。他嗅闻着空气,聆听着,品味着,触碰着,试图找到这大门所蕴含的力量的蛛丝马迹。但不出意料地,他没能发现哪怕一丝魔法的灵光。

他并不认为这是失败的证明。相反,他已经预料到了这一点——一个如此古老而神圣的地点蕴含的力量,理所当然地,不可能被如此直接地聚集起来,否则每个游荡到拱门下方的愚鲁俗物都将受到影响。不,吉尔赛那斯明白,为了抵达这座拱门的力量中心,他必须再做些什么。

他必须爬上去。

他第一次检视了拱门的四周。他发现,就在自己身边矗立着另外一些非自然的造物,被永冻的冰雪掩盖着,看不清形状。有一处,冰堆中坟起一座巨大的穹顶,显得过于光滑和对称,令人不得不认为这是个人工设计的结构。当然,它可能曾展露在外的一切表面都被深埋在千百年来的累累冰川之下。

穹顶的另一侧看来像是一堵歪斜的墙,同样复盖着光滑而冰冷的外壳。其余那些或许曾是精心雕琢的塔楼或巨型雕塑的结构,如今也都掩埋在冰雪之下,尽管如此,从那些挺立冰面的尖角,依旧足以窥见当年极富想象力的设计与难以置信的工艺。

吉尔赛那斯绕着拱门底部走了一圈——拱门的直径将近千步。构造的主体看上去是一道坚固石质的弯拱。两端的立足点宽约二十至三十尺,并不比一棵完全长成的瓦伦木的主干粗。然而,这些支柱向内、向上延伸,不知为何竟承受住了看似绝不可能承担的弯拱的重量。王子知道,如今这个时代,在这世上没有任何一个人,哪怕是最纯熟的矮人石匠,能够建造出一件与此相似的作品。他无需进一步证实这座拱门的来源——这显然是一支久已消失的,拥有这世上早已失传的精湛工艺的种族的造物。

在其中一座石基脚下,他发现了凿入拱门表面的狭窄梯级。阶梯看起来危险而陡峭,尤其在最初阶段。然而,吉尔赛那斯毫不犹豫地扔下了他那装着溪谷矮人赠送的珍宝的背包。他用斗篷裹好那些东西,佩上入鞘的长剑,踩着脚下的软靴,踏上了这道石阶。

在较低的几级,这道石阶看起来更像一架梯子,因为拱门开头的一段几乎笔直地指向天空。梯级的宽度仅可容纳他的脚趾,但他的手指可以攀在石头表面较高的凹槽内,爬上去并没有遇到太多的困难。很快,寒风开始鞭笞他,他透过羊毛外衣感到寒意,但他紧紧攫住他的扶手,确保双脚牢牢扎稳再迈出下一步。

当他上到冰面以上一百尺的时候,拱门倾斜的角度已经足够小,小到吉尔赛那斯可以不借助双手攀爬。尽管如此,他仍然向前弓着身子,风呼啸着,风力越来越强,他时常需要抓向石头表面稳住自己。他开始注意到下方冰面凹凸的形状——一座古老的胡睹族城市被掩蔽的结构。

这不是一座像普斯塔那样意义明确的废墟,在普斯塔,他能够猜出那些结构的本来面目,清晰地意识到它们的用途。而在这里,一切用途都超越了他的理解——除了一座巨大的碗状建筑,那或许曾是某种露天剧场。除此之外,那些墙垣、穹顶、不规则的外形与向内陆绵延数里的冰封尖顶,放在吉尔赛那斯所见过的任何一座城市都同样毫无意义。

最终,他站在了拱门的顶端,他在那里找到了一个平缓的平台,不比普通旅店里的一张主桌大。就像拱门的其余地方一样,这块平地毫无冰雪的痕迹——他甫一发现就觉得这事非同寻常。他稳步走到平台中央,转身面朝着太阳。

他大大地张开双臂,鼓起勇气迎着鞭笞他的狂风,向着天空高声呐喊。

“西悠瓦拉!”他喊道,“我在找你!但愿这拱门的力量能实现我的愿望!”

他等待着,感受着脸颊上刺骨的严寒,寻觅着古老的力量——某种能将他带离这里的魔力——的触感。但他没有感觉到任何迹象——没有灵光的气息和味道。他侧耳倾听,但传进他耳朵里的声音,却似乎来自一群粗俗得多的家伙。

“跳下来吧!”

紧跟着是一阵开怀大笑——说话的人显然大大地欣赏自己的提案。

吉尔赛那斯倏地睁开双眼。向前走了几步,不顾高空坠落的危险向下望去,他看见三个小小的身影站在下面的雪地上。

“跳哇!”其中的一个喊道,这一回三个人全都爆发出令人生厌的哄笑,笑得直不起腰,“我们会接住你!”他吼叫着,用一种可笑的姿态大幅挥舞着他巨大的武器。

“是海象人(thanoi)。”精灵喃喃道,他认出了那群家伙长有獠牙的脸,还有他们强健而笨重的身躯。他对这个粗鲁种族的印象相当坏,这可以追溯到他初次在这座冰川上执行任务的时候——四十多年前,他曾为寻找一颗龙珠而到过此地。

“滚开,”他大喊着回答,“不然你们可小心着接我的箭!”

他试着虚张声势,暗自期待那群生物没察觉他没带弓。让他失望的是,他们只是笑得更厉害了:“你打算把箭扔下来吗?说不定我们可以用你可爱的斗篷接住它们!”

他这才发现那个块头最大的海象人——同时也是发言人,或许还是他们的领袖——掏出了一个猩红的小包裹。另外两个则笨拙地扯开斗篷,嚎叫着拾起精灵视如珍宝的财产。

吉尔赛那斯气得双颊绯红。这不是他第一次发自内心地怀念自己的魔法,他清楚,在过去的岁月里,他可以对这些嚣张的混蛋释放魔力,彻头彻尾地惩罚他们——而如今他却只能眼睁睁地看着这一幕。他咬牙切齿地检查那入鞘的剑是否易拔,然后迈步走下他来时登上的那段阶梯。

直到此时,他才停止动作,思索起来。他没有感觉到任何力量——在拱门顶部没有任何奥术效应——但他一直是如此确定自己能以某种方法使用这座拱门来找到西悠瓦拉。他刻意后退几步穿过平台,这次面朝东方。他再度祈请远古的胡睹之力,呼唤着西悠瓦拉的名字,尽力在心中唤起某种感觉,唤起某种关于他那位银龙少女的形象的暗示。

但他仍然只听到寒风的呼啸,听到下面逐步升级的高声嘲笑。

他眯起眼睛望向远方,望向他的来路,穿过茫茫雪原,他看到了——

那儿有一只棕色的东西,显然是一条小船光可鉴人的船体,停泊在冰封的海岸线的一道缺口里。那些海象人是坐它来的吗?的确,先前他在这座废墟都市里并没有见过他们的任何迹象。然而,尽管他自己的足迹清晰可辨,但找不到任何来自那条小船的脚印,也没有任何迹象表明那些海象人来自何方——除非他们是直接从下面的雪地里钻出来的。

吉尔赛那斯再度迈步走下拱门。在较低,较陡的一段,他被迫面朝阶梯,把后背暴露给那群早已在他身后组成一个松散包围圈的海象人。在距地面二十尺处,精灵一个急转,纵身跃到雪地上,落在海象人的包围圈之外,把那群笨重的恶棍吓了一跳。等他们从惊愕中恢复过来转向他的时候,他已经站在那里,长剑出鞘。

“从我上次宰掉你们的一个族人到现在已经过了许多年,”吉尔赛那斯冷冷地宣称,“但这并不代表我忘却了这项本领。”

“嚯,嚯!”最大个儿的海象人大笑道,“对你这小家伙来说,那可真是根大刺呐。”那生物掂了掂他那强大的武器,那是一根木棍,一端安着一片宽大而透明的冰制斧刃。吉尔赛那斯没有被那把武器的粗糙外观所迷惑,他明白,冰裂斧(frosteaver)是一种与任何锋锐的钢铁利刃同样致命的武器。

“把我的东西还给我,我马上就离开,”精灵大胆放言,“或者我们打一场,你来选。”

“我们可以把东西还给你——不过前提是,你必须得走那条路。”海象人低哼一声,指向内陆。

吉尔赛那斯立刻想起了那艘船。他们不希望他接近它吗?还是说,他们只不过打算追踪他穿过冰川,再从容不迫地杀死他?

“可是我比较想去那边,”他回答道,指着海岸的方向,“不过无论如何,我一定要拿回自己的东西。”

“不给!你滚吧!”个头最大的海象人喝道。

“你们是小偷吗?”精灵讥讽道,“即使你们留着这些东西,你们也不知道该怎么用!”

“怎么用?”海象人的声音低沉下去,化作了恶狠狠的咆哮,“就这么用!”

吉尔赛那斯大吃一惊,他看见一个海象人举起那只普斯塔的玻璃细颈瓶,把它砸向石拱。另一个把那卷轴——那幅珍贵的,指引他来到此处的地图——撕得四分五裂。第三个则野蛮地咕哝着,把他的斗篷扯成了碎块。

精灵勃然大怒,冲上前去展开攻击。他的钢剑震碎了一把冰裂斧,放倒了两个笨重的海象人。他一剑扎进最后一个海象人的背部,疯狂地搅动着剑刃,然后对敌人的尸体又踢又踹,直到那令他全身颤抖的怒火平息下来为止,他的敌人们早已死去多时。他失去了大部分的魔法物品,它们被毫无必要地、盲目地毁坏了……可究竟是为了什么?

最终,他拖着沉重的脚步,又冷又渴地在冰面上走着,去找他先前在高处看到过的那条小木船。

夜幕降临了,可是他不能停步,睡眠就意味着死亡。寒风吹透了他的短上衣,他渴盼着那件斗篷。倘若那艘船是无用的,甚或只是缺乏给养的,他毫无疑问将死于霜冻或汪洋。但如今,这是他唯一的机会了。

他找到了那艘小船,惊讶地发现它似乎是全新的——至少,看起来毫无侵蚀的痕迹。它浮在两块突起的冰堆间一条自然形成的滑道上。船板光洁,船体也打磨得油光水滑。船上没有一点积雪,周围的新鲜雪粉上也毫无痕迹。他翻越船舷,估摸着这艘船大约有二十五英尺长。更让他惊喜的是,他发现了一桶水——不知为何奇迹般地没有上冻——和一只装有许多块新鲜的精灵干粮的箱子。补给足够维持一个月甚至更久。他还在前舱里找到了干净的毛毯和一些皮草。然而,这条船没有桨,也找不到任何曾装过桅杆的迹象。

最令他好奇的是铭刻在船尾板上的,一串串精细的涡形文字。他辨认出诗句的结构,但那些字母本身对他而言是神秘而全然陌生的。尽管如此,他还是用手指抚摸着这些文字,低声自语。他决定先在这儿住一夜,一边蜷在皮草里让自己暖和起来,一边做个计划。

他打起盹来,他所做的最后一件事是呢喃着一个词“艾莲荒野(Elian Wilds)”。因为他心中有个渺茫的念头,自己或许能在那儿得到补给。

突然,小船开始移动。


The Frozen Past Arch, 13sc
 
The farther across the ice he went, the more Gilthanas convinced himself that the huldrefolk portal would 
prove the key to his journey. He trudged steadily, day after day, across a wilderness of unrelieved frost and 
snow. The Courrain Ocean was somewhere off to his left, but he would worry about that later—for now, it was 
just important to keep making progress south.
Fortunately, the enchanted cloak the gully dwarves had given him kept him warm even in the most harsh 
arctic conditions. He slept directly on the snow but never felt a chill underneath him so long as he kept the 
scarlet fabric between himself and the glacier. Also, no matter how harsh the wind that tore across the flat 
swath of ice blew, it could not penetrate the tight weave of the cape that he kept wrapped around him.
Fondly he recalled the simple generosity of the gully dwarf clans in Purstal and Elial. On this cold expanse 
he actually found himself missing the companionship of his hosts in those ruined cities.
Eventually he arrived at the great precipice, the Icewall, and here at last he turned his course toward the 
east. For many more days he plodded, always looking up at the sun-dazzled face of blue-white cliff. He began 
to ration his food, though—thanks to the magical decanter of Purstal—he had no worries about drink. 
Alternately he poured sweet nectar of squeezed citrus fruit to invigorate his limbs, or tart red wine to warm his 
torso, and with the singleminded purpose that had driven him since the garden of Stone Rose he continued on.
And then he saw it.
The arch was so tall that it rose from beyond the horizon, even though it towered a mile or more past the 
crest of the Icewell. As Gilthanas walked closer, the arch seemed to sink from his view behind the nearer 
skyline, until at last he stood at the foot of the great cliff and could see no sign of the massive stone shape 
rising into the sky above. Darkness settled around him as he was studying the sheer surface, though the ice 
seemed to glow even in the pale light shed by a crescent moon.
After an hour of study, the elf conceded that he could not climb this cliff anywhere along here. Of course, in 
the days before the Summer of Chaos, he could have cast a spell, using his training and talent to control the 
arcane powers he had mastered for most of his adult life. A spell of levitation would have carried him easily up 
the cliff, or—if he was really in a hurry—he could simply have teleported himself and his possessions up the 
precipice, or even into the very shadow of the arch, for that matter.
However, that magic had departed with the gods who had abandoned the world to its mortal masters. And 
so Gilthanas found himself faced with the prospect of an impossible climb.
Instead, he resolved to find another way. For the next day he marched across the glacier, now following the 
foot of the cliff until, at sunset, he reached the sharp dividing line between ice and sea. Here the glacier ended 
in broken shards and spires—a treacherous landscape that shifted and surged with tempest and tide. 
However, Gilthanas was not interested in going further.
Instead, he saw where the cliff of the Icewall ended and where the vast shelf of bedrock became a tumble 
of boulders and rubble spilling into the harsh, cold sea. Icicles draped many of the large stones, and here and 
there great swaths of loose snow had swept avalanche channels through the slope. At least the surface was  irregular, though, allowing Gilthanas to climb it.
He began ascending at dawn, using his sword as an icepick and counting on the grip of his boots to cling 
even to the slipperiest of surfaces. He avoided the worst of the avalanche chutes, and when forced to cross a 
lesser ravine, he hastened with reckless abandon. Once he leaped out of a gully seconds before a rumble of 
icy snow roared from the precipice down to the sea.
By nightfall he found that he was only halfway up, but he rested in a windswept crevasse between two 
boulders. Even the protective ability of the cloak was taxed, causing Gilthanas to move out before the dawn. 
To remain still any longer meant he'd risk freezing to death.
Thus it was that the first rays of the sun fell across him as he pulled himself over the ultimate crest of the 
Icewall. Before him, ten miles or more away but rising in crystalline relief against the azure sky, the Frozen 
Past Arch crested in glorious perfection.
It must have taken hours for Gilthanas to cross that distance, but he was not aware of time passing. Instead, 
he had eyes only for the massive semicircle of stone—the portal that swept into the sky and then curled back 
down to the ground. It seemed to the elf that this course must be symbolic of the promise for his life and future. 
He had a destiny—a path to follow—and its course was before him!
Finally he stood beneath the stone surface. It might have risen a thousand feet over his head, but he had no 
way to make an objective reckoning. He sniffed the air, he listened and tasted and touched, seeking for some 
sign of the portal's power. But he wasn't surprised to find no glimmer of a magical aura.
He did not take this as evidence of failure. Instead, he had anticipated this—surely the power of such an 
ancient and hallowed place would not be focused so directly that any dumb brute that wandered beneath it 
would be affected. No, to reach the center of the arch's power, Gilthanas knew he would have to do more.
He would have to climb.
For the first time he took stock of the arch's surroundings. He realized that other unnatural shapes softened 
and masked by a permanent snow cover stood around him. In one place a great dome mounded out of the 
icepack's surface, appearing too smooth and symmetrical to be anything but a designed structure. Of course 
any outer surface it may have displayed was buried beneath millennia worth of glacial accumulation.
Beyond the dome was the suggestion of a crooked wall, also smooth and icy on its exterior. Other 
structures that might have been elaborate towers or giant statues were now buried beneath the ice, though 
they still jutted upward enough to suggest imaginative design and incredible workmanship.
Gilthanas walked a circle around the base of the arch—a span with a diameter of nearly a thousand paces. 
The body of the structure seemed to be a curving shaft of solid stone. Each footing was only twenty or thirty 
feet across, and no broader than the trunk of a full-grown vallenwood tree. Yet these pillars swept upward and 
in, somehow bearing the weight of a span that seemed to deny possibility. The prince knew that no one in the 
world, not even the most skilled of dwarven stonemasons, could have built anything resembling this in the 
modern era. He needed no further proof of the arch's origins—this was clearly an artifact of a long-vanished 
race, boasting workmanship of a quality lost to the world.
At the foot of one of the stone legs he saw that narrow steps had been carved into the surface. The climb, 
especially at the beginning, looked to be treacherous and steep. Still, Gilthanas wasted no time in dropping his 
satchel of treasures given to him by the gully dwarves. He wrapped his cloak around the bundle and, wearing 
his sword in its sheath and using the soft boots on his feet, he started up the stone stairway.
For its lower course this was more accurately a ladder, since the arch started out rising nearly straight up 
into the air. The steps were only wide enough for his toes,but his fingers could cling to the higher notches in 
the stone surface, and he made his way without a great deal of difficulty. Soon the wind began to whip at him, 
and he felt the chill through his wool tunic, but he clung tightly to his handholds and made sure that each foot 
was firmly planted before he advanced to the next step.
By the time he had risen a hundred feet above the surface of the glacier, the angle of incline had decreased 
enough that Gilthanas could climb without the use of his hands. Even so, he remained hunched forward, and 
as the wind rose to howling force, he frequently grabbed at the stone surface to steady himself. He began to 
take note of the irregularities in the surface of the ice below—the shrouded structures of the ancient huldrefolk 
city.
This was not a ruin in the same sense as Purstal, where it was possible to guess at the nature of the 
structures and clearly perceive their purposes. Here, any purposes eluded his understanding—except, 
perhaps, for one great bowl that might have served as some kind of amphitheater. Otherwise the walls, domes, 
irregular shapes, and icy spires that extended for miles inland made no sense in the context of any city 
Gilthanas had ever seen.
Finally he stood at the top of the arch, where he found a smooth platform no larger than the main table in a 
typical inn. Like the rest of the arch, this flat expanse was clear of snow and ice—a fact which, for the first time, 
struck him as unusual. With a steady stride he walked to the center of the platform and turned to face the sun. 
He spread his arms wide, braced himself against the wind buffeting him, and raised his voice to the heavens.
"Silvara!" he cried. "I seek you! May the power of the arch fulfill my quest!"
He waited, feeling the chill of frostbite on his cheek, seeking some sensation of ancient power—some 
magic that would sweep him away from here. But he sensed no indication—no smell or taste of an aura. He 
listened, but the sound that reached his ear evoked a much earthier company.
"Jump!"
The word was followed by a hearty laugh—the speaker apparently greatly enjoying his suggestion.
Immediately Gilthanas opened his eyes. Stepping forward, heedless of the long drop, he looked down to 
see a trio of tiny figures standing in the snow below.
"Jump!" shouted one of them, and this time all three bent over from the force of their fulsome guffaws. "We'll 
catch you!" he hollered, spreading his great arms in an expansive, ludicrous gesture.
"Thanoi," muttered the elf, recognizing the tusked faces and the powerful and hulking bodies of the 
walrus-men. His memories of the crude race were bad, dating back to his first quest on this glacier—a search 
for an orb of dragonkind that had brought him here more than forty years ago.
"Go away," he shouted in reply. "Or perhaps you'd care to catch one of my arrows!"
He tried the bluff, hoping that the creatures hadn't seen that he wasn't armed with a bow. He was 
disappointed when they only laughed harder. "Are you going to throw them down? Perhaps we can catch them 
in your pretty cloak!"
Now he saw that the largest of the walrus-men, the speaker and presumed leader, was holding out a scarlet 
bundle. The other two pawed through the robe, howling as they picked up the elf's treasured belongings.
Gilthanas flushed with rage. Not for the first time did he truly miss his magic, knowing that in years past he 
could have unleashed his power on these insolent wretches to punish them thoroughly—while barely batting 
his own eyes from the effort. Gritting his teeth, he checked that his sword was loose in its scabbard and started 
back down the stairs he had ascended
Only then did he stop and reflect. He had felt no power— no arcane effect atop the arch—but he had been 
so sure he could find Silvara by using it somehow. Purposefully he stepped back across the platform, this time 
turning his face to the east. Again he beseeched the ancient power of the huldre, calling Silvara by name, 
straining his mind for some senstion, some suggestion of an image, of his silver dragon maid.
But there was nothing beyond the howling of the wind and the increasingly mocking laughter from below. 
He squinted in the distance, following his tracks back across the snow, and then he saw it:
A brown shape, clearly the hull of a sleek boat, lay in a notch on the icy shoreline. Had the thanoi come here 
in that craft? Certainly he hadn't seen any sign of them in the ruined city beforehand. Yet, though his tracks 
were clearly visible, there was no spoor leading from the boat, or anything suggesting that the walrus-men had 
come from other than the snow right below.
Once more Gilthanas started down the arch. On the lower, steepest stretch, he was forced to face the steps 
and thus turn his back to the thanoi, who had gathered in a loose ring below him. The elf startled the hulking 
bullies by spinning when he was twenty feet off the ground and leaping to the snow to land beyond the ring of 
walrus-men. By the time they had recovered from their surprise, turning to face him, he was standing with his 
sword drawn.
"It has been years since I have killed one of your clan," Gilthanas declared coldly. "But it is not a knack I 
have lost."
"Hoark, hoark!" laughed the largest thanoi. "A big sting for a little fellow." The creature hefted his formidable 
weapon, which was a wooden shaft with a vast sheet of clear ice forming an ax-blade at one end. Gilthanas 
didn't let the crude appearance of the weapon fool him; he knew that the frostreaver was a weapon as deadly 
as any razor-edged blade of steel.
"Give me my things, and I will go," the elf declared boldly. "Unless you choose to fight."
"We give your things back—but only if you go that way," grunted the thanoi, pointing inland.
Immediately Gilthanas remembered the boat. Did they want to keep him away from the craft? Or did they 
merely intend to follow him across the glacier and kill him at their leisure?
"I have a mind to go there," he replied, indicating the coast. "But I will take my things, regardless."
"No! Go away!" bellowed the greatest of the walrus men.
"Are you thieves?" the elf scoffed. "You wouldn't know what to do with those things if you kept them!"
"Do?" The thanoi's voice dropped to a menacing growl. "Do this!"
Gilthanas was startled when one of the thanoi hoisted the decanter of Purstal and smashed the glass 
against the stone arch. Another tore asunder the scroll—the precious map that had brought him to this point. 
And the third rent his cloak into small pieces with savage, grunting tears.
The elf lost his temper and charged in to attack. His steel sword shattered one frostreaver, then cut down 
two of the lumbering thanoi. He stabbed the last one in the back, 
furi 
ously twisting the blade, then kicking the corpse as his trembling rage lingered long after his enemies were 
dead. Most of his magical treasures were gone, destroyed uselessly, mindlessly ... and for what?
Finally, cold and thirsty, he plodded across the ice, seeking the wooden hull he had seen from so far above. 
Darkness fell, but now he couldn't stop, for to sleep was to die. The cold wind tore through his tunic, and he 
longed for the cloak. If the boat proved useless, or even barren of provisions, he would undoubtedly perish 
from exposure to frost or sea. But now it was his only chance.
He discovered the craft and was astonished to see that it appeared new—at least, it showed no signs of 
weathering. It floated in a natural slip between two jutting prongs of ice. The planks were smooth, and the hull 
was polished to a high sheen. There was no snow in it, nor were there tracks in the fresh powder around it. He 
scrambled over the gunwale, estimating the vessel at a good twenty-five feet long. More to his delight, he 
found a cask of water—somehow, miraculously unfrozen—and a crate containing many fresh loaves of elven 
warbread. The provisions should last for a month or more. Furthermore, he looked under the foredeck and 
found clean blankets and several plush furs. However, th boat held no oars, and he could not find any sign 
that a mast had ever been mounted.
Most curious was an elaborate scrollwork of words carved into the transom. He recognized the structure of 
verse, though the letters themselves were arcane and utterly foreign to him. Nevertheless, he ran his fingers 
over the words, whispering to himself. He decided to camp here and warm himself in the furs while he made 
his plan.
He dozed off, and the last thing he did was mumble the words "Elian Wilds," with the vague notion that he 
could get supplies there.
Suddenly, the boat began to move.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-24, 周三 15:58:00
弹指一瞬:艾莲荒野

时间是件奇妙的东西。

每一年。每一月。每一日。每一时。每一分。每一秒。乃至那最为短暂的每一瞬。它们似乎都可以无限缓慢仿若永恒,也都可以在一刹那间飞逝而过。一个人无论花多长时间陪伴爱侣都永远无法餍足;而当面对一名被激怒的指挥官,时间却仿佛变成了实际经历的两倍那么漫长。

有人说,人死去的那一瞬将化为永恒,长到令他有足够的时间来重新遍历自己的一生,甚至体验那些可能发生却未曾发生的事情。当吉尔赛那斯和我双双放弃防御冲向对方,刺出那赌上一切的一击时,我清楚地知道,我们中只有一个人,将会被束缚在这永恒的最后一瞬中;而另一个人的人生将继续在走走停停中前行——每一天,每一时,每一分的长度,对他而言,都依然变化万千。

A Moment in Time: Elian Wilds
 
Time is a strange thing.
Years. Months. Days. Hours. Minutes. Seconds. Even the briefest of moments. They can all drag on for 
what seems like eternity, or they can fly by in a split second. No matter how long one spends with a lover, it is 
never long enough, but the time spent with a reviled commander seems twice as long than it actually was.
Some say that the moment of a man's death lasts forever and that he has enough time to relive his entire 
life and even experience how things might have been. As Gilthanas and I both dropped our guard and lunged 
at each other in all-out attacks, it was clear to me that only one of us would be trapped in that eternal final 
moment while the other's life would proceed forward in fits and starts, with each day, hour, and minute 
seeming to vary in length.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-24, 周三 17:20:01
相识,18sc

我初次遇见吉尔赛那斯的时候,绝想不到我们会走到如今这一步。在当时,他是一切闯入我生命的事物中最为不可思议的一员。

就在前一个月,我刚刚活着通过了试炼(the Test),至高导师(Superior Master)说我的表现给他留下了深刻的印象。我甚至击败过一位对手,他的位阶(rank)是我毕生不敢有望达到的——事实上,在如今这一瞬,在这么多年后回想起来,我觉得当时自己更大程度上胜在运气而非技巧。

当我收到至高导师召我去禁城(Forbidden City)码头谒见他的消息时,心中充满了兴奋与畏惧。之所以兴奋,是因为谒见至高导师一直是他只为最高位阶——“红龙使者”(Red's Emissary)和那些接受了有去无回的特殊任务的人们保留的特权。倘若至高导师将一项这样的任务授予我这样的年轻人,那将是无上的殊荣,但那同时也意味着我将没有机会娶妻,没有机会延续我家族的血脉。尽管我将跻身烈士之列,但我的死亡毫无意义——因为没有儿女能传诵我生前的伟业。

我匆匆穿过禁城的街道,试着忽略建筑中不时传来的奇怪声响,并远远躲开那些吸血藤(bloodsucking vines)——靠着它们的帮助,我在试炼中击败了一名对手。即使我的同辈们都认为我已经强大到足以走进禁城,那些水晶建筑看上去仍然仿佛随时都会涌出深不可测的恐怖力量。在试炼中,我好几次以为自己瞥见了那些曾用强大的魔力奴役我先祖们的,有着金色皮肤的矮人。 但每一次我定睛望去,都发现那只是一幅幻象——那只是水晶门扉的反光,或水晶建筑负伤后自我痊愈留下的疤痕。那些水晶与干涸鲜血的组合——每一栋水晶建筑遭到破坏时都会流血——经常令位阶在我之上的高手出现失误。而那天我的想象力只和我开了一次这样的玩笑,因此我将它视作自己勇气与沉稳有所增长的标志。

我来到码头时,至高导师正站在栈桥末端,凝视着我们海岛远处那片波涛汹涌的水域。我走近他,注意到一团浓厚的迷雾正翻腾过来,翳盖了海面。

我还没来得及提醒他我的到来或自报家门,他就开了口:“欢迎你,年轻人。我叫你到这儿来是因为我做了个梦,那个梦让我相信你将在这里找到你的命运。看。”

重重浓雾之中,出现了一艘不可思议的小船。船尾板上刻满了错综复杂的花纹。船里只坐着一名乘客。随着船轻捷地航向码头,我发现那位乘客看起来像是个人类,但不知为何又有哪里不大像。我一开始以为那是个孩子,但随着小船驶得越来越近,我注意到了他面部骨骼的奇妙结构,大而上挑的双眸,和一对末端尖细的耳朵。

他纵身一跃,从小船中落到码头上,动作中蕴含着一股不同于我所见过的任何人的优雅。他用一种我听不懂的语言说了几个词,仔细地打量着我们,手搁在身子一侧的剑柄附近。他试图让自己看上去不那么有威胁,但显然已经做好准备,一旦我们表现出敌意就挺身自卫。

至高导师与他交谈了几句,听上去用的并不是刚刚那位陌生人所说的语言,但陌生人用同样的语言做出了回答。他们相互鞠躬,然后至高导师指着我说了些什么。我只听出了自己的名字。

然后陌生人转向我,用带有浓重口音的艾莲语说:“我是奎灵纳斯提的吉尔赛那斯。很高兴认识你,位阶大师(Master of Rank)索罗武(Solov)。”

“你是哪种人?”我问,“你看上去和我们艾莲的所有人都不一样。”

“我是奎灵纳斯提人,”他回答道,脸上闪过一丝迷惑的神色。然后他旋即明白过来,“你之前从来没有见过精灵?是这个意思吗?”

我望向至高导师,感到双颊尴尬得发烧。吉尔赛那斯的声音十分惊讶,我觉得好像自己上课时漏听了什么东西似的。至高导师说:“我们绝少离开自己的岛屿,殿下,”他解释道,“这名年轻人从来没有去过大陆。我想,如果你乐意对他讲讲你的种族,讲讲你自己,还有你来到此地所为何事,他一定会获益良多。”

我们回到至高导师的居所。吉尔赛那斯对我讲述了许多我闻所未闻的奇迹,这一切都证明了他本人就是一个奇迹。他是他的同胞——奎灵纳斯提精灵们的王子,他已经差不多活了人类两倍长的岁月,而且如果没有死于非命的话还能再活七倍于人类的岁月。他说,他所有的同胞都拥有这样长的寿命。他也告诉我并不是所有的龙都像我们的女王(Mistress)“赤红尊者”(Great Red)一样富有破坏性,相反,有些龙是善良而温柔的。他与一条这样的龙坠入爱河,如今正在试图寻找她。他在克拉伦艾莲(Claren Elian)靠岸,希望在这儿得到补给,但他的旅程比他预料的短暂许多。“我乘坐的那艘魔法船显然比其他交通工具都要快得多。”

“是这样,也不是这样。”至高导师说,“我曾在我们克拉伦艾莲的一座图书馆读到过你乘坐的这种交通工具,殿下,从你的角度看起来它似乎很快,但事实上它开得要慢得多。你用时间交换了安全与舒适。”

吉尔赛那斯皱眉看向他:“我不确定我理解你的意思。”

“这艘魔法船可以准确无误地带你到你想去的地方,”至高导师说,“然而,无论你的目的地是哪里,这趟旅程都要花费五年的时间。”

“不过,感觉上并没有五年那么多啊。”吉尔赛那斯反驳道,依然微蹙着眉头。

“对,这就是这艘船的神奇之处。尽管你感觉似乎只在船上待了几个小时,但那些不与你同在一艘船上的人们,已经渡过了五年光阴。你可以去你想去的任何地方,没有人能够阻止你。”他最后说道。

吉尔赛那斯静静地坐了许久,英俊的面容上带着一种若有所思的表情。然后他说:“西悠瓦拉和我都还有好几个世纪的未来。我宁愿准确无误地抵达一个我认为可以展开搜索的地方,而不是漫无目的地游荡。”

他俩的话题转向了别处,例如,我们岛屿之外的世界。起初他们的谈话总是围绕着我们的红龙女王,至高导师赞美她的荣耀,并警告他当心她的力量。吉尔赛那斯听到了许多关于那些如今控制着曾一度属于其他种族——例如人类和精灵——的土地的可怕巨龙的传闻。而我则学到了关于海岛家园之外的世界的更多知识,例如蓝龙、红龙、白龙和黑龙可以扭曲它们所辖的土地,将其变成自己天性偏爱的地形。

至高导师与吉尔赛那斯也谈及了银龙——它们可以随心所欲地改变自己的形体,这更神了!——还有许多其他我几乎无法想象的事物。吉尔赛那斯还为我演示了一些他的同胞们常用的战斗技巧,并祝贺我如此迅速地掌握了那些他认为相当复杂的决斗策略。我告诉他,这对我来说不过是理所应当,因为我是一名位阶大师。全克莱恩最顶尖的格斗高手之一。他对此表示赞同,并真诚地说,以一名像我这样年轻的人类的标准来看,我真是个惊人的战士。听到他的话,我心中充满了自豪,因为他本身就是一名出色的剑士,同时还有着我永不可能企及的生活经验。

一同吃了顿饭之后,我把吉尔赛那斯送到码头。在这儿,他登上了那条小船,航向大海。他转过身来,不断向我挥手,直到翻卷的雾气吞噬了他的身影。

我告诉至高导师,我十分感激他给予我结识吉尔赛那斯的机会,但我并没有看到它将如何影响我的命运。

他仍然望着雾中精灵渐渐模糊的身影,说:“你很快就会明白了,年轻人。”

忽然,我听到使者轻柔的嗓音在身后响起。我迅速转过身,跪伏在地,不敢直视女王的代言人裹着一袭长袍的纤长身形。“你们在这儿做什么?”她诘问道,“我一直在你的房间里等着,至高导师。难道你忘了自己的立场吗?”

至高导师并没有在使者面前下跪。我听说,哪怕当年至高导师在战斗中被使者击败的时候也没有跪下,只是承认她比他更胜一筹。由于他的这句认可,位阶大师们从此听命于红龙使者,直至我们之中出现一位证明自己更为强大的成员为止。然而,我可不是至高导师,何况我曾经见识过使者毁灭了许多实力在我之上的强者,而他们所犯的罪过比立而不跪要轻微得多。

至高导师纹丝不动地答道:“我们来了位客人。这位年轻的位阶大师和我接待了他,刚刚才送他上路。”

“你们早该杀了那个傻瓜。”使者说,“那个人是谁?”

至高导师开始讲述吉尔赛那斯的故事。我瞟了一眼使者,她静静地听着,斑驳的灰袍随着风在周身飞舞。她的兜帽飘了起来,瞬间,我瞥见了遮盖她面容的蓝黑色金属面罩。我赶紧再度垂下眼帘。

当至高导师提及吉尔赛那斯正在寻找一条银龙的时候,使者一声尖叫打断了他:“一条银龙?!我不容许任何人提到那些银龙!我们的女王不可能容忍她的地盘附近任何地方有这种生物出现,除非她打算杀死它们来增强她的图腾!我希望你们立刻去追上那个精灵,并且杀了他!”

我望向刚才吉尔赛那斯消失的那团雾气,不寒而栗。我们不可能追上那位精灵,也同样没有任何办法找到他可能的目的地。至高导师向使者解释了这个问题,我注意到她精致的,戴着手套的双手松开又紧握。 在他讲完后,她说道:“那么,你们有五年时间做准备。然后找到他,杀了他。如果你们没能在他找到那条银龙之前杀了他的话,就连她一起杀。对待银龙和它们的人类伙伴必须毫不容情,这是我们的女王说的。你们这些位阶大师准备好吧,我会亲自向女王报告。”她一甩飘舞的斗篷,转身离开。

至高导师让我站起来。他问我,我对那位精灵和他的银龙恋人有什么看法。我说他似乎是个好人,我觉得他和他的女孩理应获得幸福。至高导师颔首同意,然后询问我,倘若他命令我杀掉那位精灵和那条银龙,我能否下得了手?

我说:“我是一名位阶大师,我听从您的一切吩咐,至高导师。”

他说:“我交给你的是一件非常重要的任务。你可以利用这段时间去找个女人成家,但是从今天算起,在第四年的最后一天,你,和其他的九个人——我允许你从位阶大师的队伍里亲手挑选——将冒险前往艾莲之外的世界,打探一切有关吉尔赛那斯和西悠瓦拉的消息,以便最终毁灭他们。”

The Meeting, 18sc
I never thought it would come to this when I first met Gilthanas. He was the most wondrous thing to have 
entered my life up to that point.
I had just survived the Test the month before, and the Superior Master said that he had been impressed 
with my performance. One of the foes I had bested was actually of a rank far higher than I thought I would ever 
be skilled enough to attain—in fact, to this very moment, all these years later, I feel that it was more luck than 
skill that allowed me to succeed.
When I received the message that the Superior Master wanted me to meet him on the docks of the 
Forbidden City, my heart filled with both elation and dread. I felt elated because an audience with the Superior 
Master is something that he reserves only for the greatest of the ranks, the Red's Emissary, or those who had 
earned a special mission from which they do not return. It would be the greatest of honors for the Superior 
Master to select one as young as I am for such a mission, but it would also mean that I would not have an 
opportunity to take a woman and carry on my family line. Although I would be counted among the honored 
dead, it would be a death without meaning for I would have no children to recite the achievements of my life.
I hurried through the streets of the Forbidden City, trying to ignore the strange sounds that occasionally 
came from within the buildings and staying well clear of the bloodsucking vines that had helped me defeat one 
of my foes during the Test. Even though my peers considered me strong enough to walk in the Forbidden City, 
the crystal buildings still seemed like places from which unfathomable horrors could spill forth at any moment. 
Several times during the Test, I had thought I had caught sight of the golden-skinned dwarves that had forced 
my forebears into a state of slavery through their powerful magic. But whenever I stared in that direction, I 
discovered that the image was a mirage—just the light reflecting off a crystal doorway or a spot where the 
crystalline building had healed itself of some damage it had incurred. The combination of the crystal and dried 
blood— for all the crystal buildings bled when damaged—often caused men of higher rank than I am to make 
mistakes. I took it as a sign that my courage and steadiness were increasing when my imagination played only 
one such trick on me that day.
When I reached the dock, I found the Superior Master standing on the outermost point of the pier, gazing 
upon the turbulent waters beyond our island. As I moved closer, I noticed that a thick fog was rollingin, 
obscuring the sea.
Before I announced my presence or spoke my name, he said, "Welcome, young one. I brought you here 
because I had a dream that made me believe that you will find your destiny here. Behold."
From within the fogbank, a wondrous vessel emerged. Intricate carvings covered its transom. A single 
passenger sat within the boat, and as the vessel drew swiftly toward the docks, I saw that the passenger 
appeared human yet somehow did not. I first thought that it was a child, but when the boat drew close enough, 
I saw the curious bone structure of his face, as well as the large, slanted eyes, and the ears that ended in 
points.
He moved with a grace that was unlike any I had ever seen, as he leapt from the boat onto the dock. He 
said a few words in a language I did not understand, eyeing us carefully, his hand resting near the sword by his 
side. He was trying to appear nonthreatening, but it was clear to me that he was ready to defend himself if we 
should have hostile intentions.
The Superior Master spoke to him, saying something in what sounded like a different language than what 
the stranger had spoken, but the strange one then responded in that same tongue. They bowed to each other 
and the Superior Master said something and indicated me. All I understood was my name.
The stranger then turned to me and spoke in heavily accented Elian, "I am Gilthanas of Qualinesti. It is a 
pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master of Rank Solov."
"What manner of person are you?" I asked. "You are unlike any man we have here on the Elian."
"I am Qualinesti," he replied, a momentary look of confusion upon his face. Then he suddenly gained 
understanding. "You have never seen an elf before? Is that what you mean?"
I looked at the Superior Master, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Gilthanas sounded so 
surprised that I felt as though I may have missed something in my education. The Superior Master said, "We 
rarely leave our island, Your Highness," the Superior Master told him. "The young one has never been to the 
mainland. I think he would find it very illuminating if you were to tell him of your race, yourself, and whatever 
undertaking has brought you here."
We retired to the Superior Master's dwelling and Gilthanas told me of wonders such as I never knew existed 
and made it clear that he was a wonder himself. He was a prince of his people, the Qualinesti elves and had 
already lived as long as two human lifetimes and would live at least seven more if he did not die through 
misadventure. All of his people lived such long lifespans, he said. He also told me of dragons that were not 
destructive like the Great Red who was our Mistress but were instead kind and gentle. He was in love with one, 
and he was currently attempting to reach her. He had put into port in Claren Elian, hoping to find supplies here, 
but his trip had been much shorter than he had anticipated. "The magical boat I travel in apparently journeys 
much swifter than any other craft."
"Yes and no," the Superior Master said. "I have read of craft such as the one you travel within in one of the 
libraries here in Claren Elian, Your Highness, and it may seem faster to you but in fact it travels much more 
slowly. You are trading safety and comfort for time."
Gilthanas frowned at him. "I'm not sure I understand."
"This magical craft has the ability to take you unerringly where you want to go," the Superior Master began, 
"yet, no matter what destination you seek, five years will pass while you travel."
"It didn't seem like five years, though," Gilthanas refuted, still frowning slightly.
"Ah, that's the magic of the vessel at work. Though you may spend what seems like hours on the boat, five 
years will pass in the lives of others not onboard the craft with you. You can go wherever you wish, and no one 
can detain you," he finished.
Gilthanas sat quietly for a long while, his handsome face wearing a thoughtful expression. Then he said, 
"Silvara and I both have many centuries ahead of us. It is bettr that I travel unerringly to where I think my 
search can start than to just wander aimlessly."
The two moved onto other topics, such as the world beyond our island. At first their conversation revolved 
mostly around the Superior Master espousing the glory of our Red Mistress and warning him of her might. 
Gilthanas learned much about the terrible dragons who now controlled lands that once belonged to others, 
such as humans and elves. I myself found out more about the world outside our island home, including the fact 
that these dragons of colors blue, red, white, and black could twist the lands they controlled into terrain that 
favored their natures.
The Superior Master and Gilthanas also discussed the silver dragons—who could change their shape at 
will, more miracles!—and many other beings that I could barely conceive of. Gilthanas even showed me some 
combat techniques his people commonly employed and congratulated me on how swiftly I mastered what he 
considered very complex dueling maneuvers. I told him that it was only natural that I should, as I was a Master 
of Rank, one of the greatest fighting men on all of Krynn. He agreed and said earnestly that for a human as 
young as I, I was truly an amazing warrior. His words filled me with pride, for he was a brilliant swordsman 
himself, and he was also a being with far more life experience than I could ever accumulate.
After sharing a meal with him, I walked with Gilthanas to the docks. Here, he boarded the boat, and it 
headed out to sea. He turned and waved as the fog rolled in and swallowed him.
I told the Superior Master that I was grateful for the opportunity to meet Gilthanas, but that I failed to see 
how this would affect my destiny.
Still watching the elf fade in the fog, he said, "It will become clear shortly, young one."
Suddenly, I heard the silky voice of the Emissary behind us. I whirled swiftly and fell to my knees, daring not 
to look at the slender, robe-wrapped form of the one who spoke for our Mistress. "What are you doing here?" 
she demanded. "I have been waiting in your chambers, Superior Master. Have you forgotten your place?"
The Superior Master did not kneel before the Emissary. I am told the Superior Master did not kneel before 
her even when she bested him in battle but instead merely admitted that she was his better. With this 
admission, the Ranks of the Masters started to do the Red's bidding until such time as a member of the Ranks 
proved their better. I, however, was no Superior Master, and I had seen the Emissary destroy men greater 
than I for lesser offenses than failing to kneel.
The Superior Master stood his ground and replied, "We have had a visitor. The young Master and I were 
attending to him and seeing him back on his way."
"You should have just killed the fool," the Emissary stated. "Who was this person?"
The Superior Master responded by relating Gilthanas's tale. I glanced up at the Emissary, who was 
listening in silence, her mottled gray robes swirling around her in the wind. The hood fluttered, affording me a 
brief glimpse of the blue-black metal mask that hid her face. I quickly dropped my eyes again.
When the Superior Master revealed that Gilthanas was searching for a silver dragon, the Emissary 
interrupted with a shriek, "A silver dragon?! I will brook no mention of silver dragons! Our Mistress will not 
tolerate such creatures anywhere near her domains, save those that she intends to slay to power her totem! I 
want you to pursue and slay this elf immediately!"
I looked toward the fogbank where Gilthanas had vanished moments before, my blood running cold. We 
could not pursue the elf, nor did we have any way of discovering where he may have gone. As the Superior 
Master explained this to the Emissary, I noticed her delicate, glove-clad hands clenching and unclenching. 
When he was done, she said, "You have five years to prepare then. You will find him and kill him. His silver 
dragon too, if you fail to kill him first. There will be no solace for silver dragons or teir human companions, so 
says our Mistress. Prepare your Ranks. I will report to our Mistress in person." With a swirl of her billowing 
cloaks, she was gone.
The Superior Master told me to rise. He asked me what I thought of the elf and his dragon lover. I said he 
seemed like a good man, and that he and his lady seemed as though they deserved happiness. The Superior 
Master nodded in agreement and then asked me if I could kill the elf and the silver dragon if so charged.
I said, "I am one of the Masters. I do whatever you bid, Superior Master."
He said, "I am charging you with a very important mission. You will have time to find a woman and to start 
a family, but at the end of four years from this day, you and nine others—whom I will allow you to handpick from 
the Ranks—will venture forth into the world beyond Elian and learn what you can about Gilthanas and Silvara 
so that you may destroy them both."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-25, 周四 12:44:08
*****

四年时光仿佛在数秒间匆匆而过。众所周知我是至高导师的宠儿,许多优秀的女子都想成为我的伴侣。我很快挑选了一位配偶。在这四年中,我们有了两个强壮的儿子和一个女儿。当我的四年结束时,我已将吉尔赛那斯向我演示过的格斗技巧传授给了另外六个人。此外,至高导师与其他从大陆归来的人们花了好几个小时对我们讲述那边的光景,我得以将吉尔赛那斯可能的目的地收缩到一个较小的范围。我们中的一位将前往血湾的福罗参城,一位前往位于一座精灵森林边缘的库莫斯特(Kurmost),两位前往遥远的帕兰萨斯城,其余六位则前往卡拉曼城,因为那是吉尔赛那斯与他的恋人曾经居住过的地方。也许那条银龙还在那儿,我们需要多一点的人手来干掉她。

许多漆黑的深夜,我躺在妻子的怀抱里,扪心自问诛杀吉尔赛那斯是否是个正确的决定,尤其是,他开拓了我的视野,让我放眼艾莲之外的整个世界,还向我展示了他的同胞的格斗技能。尽管我也报之以李地为他演示了几招我们的武艺,但他并没有我们那么多年的时间来练习应对的手段。

归根结底,这一切都是为了我对至高导师的义务,为了我同胞的安全,为了我的牺牲将在未来被我的儿女们所传诵。然而,我真的是如此贪求荣耀,甚至不惜为此杀害一位像吉尔赛那斯那样了不起的存在吗?

*****
 
Four years passed as though they were seconds. I was known as a favorite of the Superior Master, so 
many fine women wanted to become mine. I chose a spouse quickly, and we had two strong sons and one 
daughter before the end of the fourth year. When my fourth year ended, I had finished training six others in the 
combat techniques that Gilthanas had shown me. In addition, the Superior Master and others who had 
returned from the mainland spent many hours telling us what it was like there, and I narrowed down 
Gilthanas's potential destinations. One of us would travel toward the city of Flotsam on the Blood Bay, one to 
Kurmost on the shores of an elven forest, two would travel to the distant city of Palanthas, and six of us would 
journey to city of Kalaman, for it was there that Gilthanas and his love once lived. Maybe the silver dragon was 
still there, and maybe we would need great numbers to slay her.
Some dark nights, as I lay in my woman's arms, I wondered if it was right to kill Gilthanas, particularly since 
he had succeeded in opening my mind to an entire world beyond Elian and showed me some of the combat 
arts of his people. While I had shown him some of our martial arts in return, he will not have had years to 
practice countermeasures to them as we had done.
In the end, it came down to my duty to the Superior Master, the safety of my people, and the future tales of 
my sacrifice that my children would tell. However, did I really want glory so badly that I was willing to kill a 
wonderful being such as Gilthanas for it?
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-25, 周四 13:34:28
那永恒的一瞬,28sc

最终,我做出了自己唯一能做的这个决定。当我们钢刃相交光芒闪烁,一个念头在我脑海中一闪——他可曾找到他失去的爱人,哪怕只是一点端倪?

我将永远不会知晓。在这一瞬结束的时候,我们中有一方,或是双方的鲜血,将飞溅在尘土飞扬的地面。这一瞬以时间来量度,不过勉强称得上一个须臾,但对我们中的一方,或是双方而言,却可能持续永恒。无论怎样,这一瞬,我们的故事终将走向结局。

The Eternal Moment, 28sc
I eventually arrived at the only decision I could. As the light flashed off the steel of our blades, a thought 
about whether he had ever found even a hint of his lost love flashed into my mind.
I would never know. At the end of this moment, the blood of one or both of us would be spilled upon the 
dusty ground. This moment that could barely be qualified as an instant, yet which could possibly last forever for 
one or both us, would be one of finality one way or the other.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-25, 周四 17:14:10
巨龙墓场(Dragon's Graveyard),23sc

迷雾分开,吉尔赛那斯发现自己置身明月高悬的夜空之下,正仰望着一道峭壁漆黑而令人生畏的轮廓。小船靠向一处小小港湾,海浪温存地碎散在雪白的沙滩边缘。尽管他的理智试图接受克拉伦艾莲的至高导师所解说的真相,但从情感上却无法相信,如今距他在那个东方国度登船启程,唇间呢喃着西悠瓦拉名字的那一刻已有五年。而从他在冰墙冰川发现这艘小船,初次启航追寻他心爱的西悠瓦拉起,已过了整整十年的光阴。

但如今,这场追寻或许将要接近尾声。他离开艾莲荒野时,将这艘船设定为去寻找西悠瓦拉的所在地。此刻这位精灵正站在舟中,眺望着海岸,任小船向前滑行,轻柔地陷入绵软的沙滩。他翻越船头,用了一小段时间来检查小船是否停得稳当——尽管他提醒自己,无论在这里发生什么事,它的使命都已告终结。

然后他望向陆地,映入眼帘的是一道陡峭的弧形断崖,从沙滩边缘兀立而起耸入夜空。石头表面相当光滑,在黑暗中看起来几乎毫无特征。他找不到任何可供攀爬的山路、沟壑或突起的岩架存在的痕迹。或许在阳光下能看出某些有用的信息吧。

在白昼来临前,他决定先考察海滩的长度。事实上,今夜的天色十分明亮,一轮满月洒下灿烂的清辉。那颗洁白的宝珠,此刻正位于天心。

他停下脚步,举目向天,满怀新鲜的好奇感打量着那轮银盘。他忽然发现一个相当古怪的巧合:在环绕着大陆漫长的海岸线航行数百里之后,自己竟在一轮满月之下抵达目的地——并且,月亮还正处于天幕上轨迹的顶点。他的兴趣愈加浓厚,因为在那皎洁之外,他发现一道纤细的新月形阴影正投射在月面之上。明月正为克莱恩的阴影所蚀。

这一幕更加证实了他的猜想:自己在此时此地出现,绝不是一个巧合。

“只有明月被这世界所蚀之时,巨龙墓场才会显现。”

吉尔赛那斯被身后响起的低沉声音吓了一跳,望向声音传来的方向。他看到峭壁上裂开了一道狭窄的缝隙,但更高处的岩壁依然紧闭,将岩隙笼罩在一片阴影之中。然后他倒吸一口凉气,那里出现了一个棕褐的金属脑袋,紧接着是一条蛇形的脖颈,也有着同样的青铜色。

“一条龙!”他热血上涌,呼吸急促,“那么,那传言是真的了——这是你们一族,善良巨龙们的神圣之地。”

“的确如此,”那巨蛇咕哝道,它滑向前,把闪闪发光的身躯探出那道狭窄的岩缝。那是一条青铜龙,而此刻它正皱着眉头,不快地打量着吉尔赛那斯。龙像猫咪一样蹲坐着,头部缓缓迫近匍匐在地的精灵正上方,“这也就是为什么我们憎恶异族的侵入,小人儿。给我个解释吧,精灵……给我一个不立刻杀死你的理由。”

“我不是你们的敌人。”吉尔赛那斯慢慢站起身来,欣慰地发现龙把颚往后收了收,给他留出些许站立的空间。巨蛇暗色的、细缝似的双眼盯着他,他无法自抑地想起了西悠瓦拉。她同样是条金属龙,是这条青铜龙的银龙表亲。

不过这两条巨蛇间仍然存在差异,甚至比他们之间的共同点还要多。眼前的这位是条雄龙,有着雄性特有的粗壮眉骨与宽阔吻部。他的声音低沉而富于威胁,全没有吉尔赛那斯记忆中恋人话音的那股柔软。而他的举止,尽管略有收敛,但依旧气势汹汹。

“我是来这儿寻找一条银龙的,”吉尔赛那斯说,“我想知道,她是否还在世……如果她已经过世,那么我来是为了哀悼她。”

“这或许的确值得一做,”巨蛇若有所思地说,“虽然你还是过于失礼了,竟认为自己配哀悼我辈善龙中的一员。你为什么要这么做?”

“她和我……”吉尔赛那斯忽然意识到他不能把真相告诉这条青铜龙,至少不是全部的真相。“我们在长枪战争中并肩作战,”他脱口而出,“她是个无畏而美丽的飞行者,我们一同杀死了许多黑暗之后的巨龙。”

“那么,你一定是个大英雄了。”龙嘲讽地说。不过,吉尔赛那斯第一次从他的声音里听出了不确定的意味。看起来,这条龙比西悠瓦拉要年轻得多——尽管龙尾仍在视野之外,但他的身子显然还不到吉尔赛那斯从前伴侣的一半长。

“这片海滩就是巨龙墓场吗?”吉尔赛那斯问。他没有发现坟墓的踪影,也没有任何纪念碑或遗骸,“我来对了地方吗?”

“墓场并不在海滩上;不过,你的确在正确的时间,来到了正确的地点。”龙回答道,“你不会被允许进入墓场……它位于海下,只有善良巨龙能去那儿。”

吉尔赛那斯摇着头,感到越来越挫败。“你认识冰心的妹妹西悠瓦拉吗?”他勇敢地问,“你能否告诉我,她是否埋骨于这座墓场?”

“西悠瓦拉!”巨蛇倒吸一口气,没有多说。他眯起双眼,低下鳄鱼般的巨颚,冷冷地注视着精灵。接着,他冷笑着甩下两句话,“她的确是我们金属龙一族的女英雄……她从未到过这里。就我所知,她早已消失了。”

吉尔赛那斯感到希望正在从体内流失,他强迫自己抑制住冲动,没有被沮丧压垮在地。他不想在这条龙面前示弱。“你……你是怎么知道的?”他询问,“你怎么能确定?”

“因为我是史泰拉斯(Sterellus),墓场的守护者。多年以来我镇守此处,抵御怪龙(Monster wyrm)的侵犯,它们已经占据了此地以南和以北的土地。”

“怪龙?”吉尔赛那斯想起了关于那条威胁整个安塞隆东部的强大红龙玛烈赤斯(Malystryx)的传闻,还有那些开始着手侵占其他地区的邪恶巨龙。他打了个寒颤,想到在他远航的数年间,一定有更多残暴的霸主割据为王。“什么龙?他们在哪儿?”他追问道。

“红龙菲那莱斯坦(Red Fenalysten)占据了南边的沙漠……黑龙墨莱克斯(Black Mohrlex)在诺德马的沼泽中筑巢。还有,离这儿最近的,强大的绿龙罗瑞那(Green Lorrinar)一直在试图改造拉许森林(Woods of Lahue)。但凡他们中有一条能找到这儿并打败守护者,都会攫走这些宝藏。”

“守护者,是指你吗?”吉尔赛那斯问,“原谅我,史泰拉斯,不过我曾听说过那些霸主……他们真的是些怪物,远胜于一切普通的龙类。要是他们中的一条来到这里,你要如何阻止他呢?”

青铜龙哼了一声,吉尔赛那斯有一瞬间怀疑起自己是不是说得太过火了。不过,他依然保持着镇定,将疑虑掩藏在一副温和无害的好奇表情之下。

“我会伏击他们。”龙咆哮道,尽管嗓音颤抖,“你现在马上给我滚出这里!我从来就没见过西悠瓦拉,在这儿没见过,在其他任何地方也都没见过!而且,我再也不想看到你了!”

巨蛇退回岩洞的缺口,吉尔赛那斯漫步走向他,紧贴金属的龙颚站着。史泰拉斯这样的神经质在巨龙中相当反常,精灵的疑心被煽起了熊熊烈火。

“快走啊!你没听到吗?”龙质问道,头颈高高昂起。此刻整条龙,包括他那蛇形的脖子,都已缩回到崖面的裂缝中。

吉尔赛那斯闪电般地拔出长剑。他用剑面敲了下龙颚,然后走向前去,将那把附魔的武器对准了脖颈与青铜身躯的交界处。

“我觉得你在撒谎,”他用交谈般的语气说,“我会走的——不过,是在你告诉我真相之后。”

“噢哟!”龙大喊着,扭动着试图逃开。可是岩洞太过狭窄了,那锋利的剑刃将他压制在一侧冰冷的石壁上,毫无挣扎的余地。

“你说得对……我根本就不是来守护这块地方的!我太年轻,太小,太弱了!”

“没错!”吉尔赛那斯赞同道,长剑压得更紧了,“告诉我更多的真相!”

“我快要死了!”青铜龙高声哀诉,由于他太过激动,精灵放松压迫,看向那双细缝般的眼睛,吃了一惊。龙的瞳孔上笼罩着一层薄薄的云雾,巨大的鼻孔中传来刺耳的呼吸声。

“我明白……我很遗憾。”精灵说。

“我得了一种魔法无法医疗的致命疾病……它侵蚀着我的五脏六腑已经太久太久了。有些长老说我生下来就有这种病,它与我密不可分。我是在这儿等待,等着自己的死期。”

“那么,在你等在这儿的期间,你见过西悠瓦拉,对不对?”吉尔赛那斯追问道,“她来过吗?”他放低了剑,但仍然盯视着那对巨大的眼睛。

“对,来过,她来过!我试图把她留在这儿,让她陪着我,直到我死……可是她说她要去别的地方,然后就飞走了!”

“就是说她还活着?”吉尔赛那斯确认道,他的心快乐得飞上了高空,手中的武器却咄咄逼人地抵得更紧,“那是什么时候的事?”

“许多年前,许多个冬天之前!”史泰拉斯脱口而出,“我不知道是多久以前了!”

“她去了哪里?”

“她告诉我她要去会一个朋友……她认识的一个生物,住在一座高高的山顶上。”

“那是谁?那地方在哪儿?”

“我不知道!”青铜龙固执地说。

突然间,史泰拉斯僵住了,他的眼皮合上了,似乎进入了某种冥想状态。吉尔赛那斯更加用力地将剑刃按进他柔软的脖颈,然而这一次,他不再有任何反应。青铜龙的注意力飘向了别处。一种低回的,不成调的声音从巨大的颚间传出来,王子注意到这只生物在唱着一曲悲哀的悼歌。

精灵缓缓地,小心翼翼地退开去。他回头瞥了一眼,惊讶地发现海水正缓慢地向左右分开,港湾的地面上呈现出一条闪耀的道路。在远处,浮沫半掩之中,依稀可见亮银色的物体与颀长的白骨。

史泰拉斯动了起来。青铜龙轻轻地步出他的岩缝,穿过海滩,走上了那条通往巨龙墓场的道路。吉尔赛那斯紧随其后,可是海水拍打着他,那浪花虽然温柔,却蕴藏着足够的威慑力,他知道,这不是自己该来的地方。

龙沿着通往墓穴的道路渐行渐远,吉尔赛那斯打量着这片海岸。西悠瓦拉曾在这里,可她已经离开了,去了某座高高的山峰。那是哪儿?

他无从知晓,但他的确知道一些关于这座海岸的情报。卡拉曼离此不远——他曾被尊为卡拉曼的领主,也曾在那座城担任过多年的执政官。他在那儿有许多朋友,他们都是睿智的人,有渠道查阅地图和浏览图书馆。

就在那一刹那,他打定了主意。他要去那里,寻求一切能得到的帮助,试着甄别出那座山可能的位置。他向那条附魔的小船投去一瞥,心知自己将把它留在此地。他大约要花数月的时间才能抵达卡拉曼,但也就仅此而已……听到西悠瓦拉的消息,他的追寻多了一分新的紧迫。他再也耗不起利用那魔法之便旅行的五年空白时光。

他再度望向通往海底的那条道路。那里有许多骨骼,许多强大生物遗下的洁白骨骸。银与金的光芒闪烁在遗骸之间,随处可见其他物品的踪迹——这儿有一尊大理石雕像,那儿是一组酒杯,装饰着闪闪发光的钻石。这是个神奇的地方——也是个神圣的地方。史泰拉斯说得对,吉尔赛那斯明白……这是属于巨龙的领域,与他无关。唯一令他感到宽慰的是,他得知自己深爱的西悠瓦拉尚未涉足此地。

他回剑入鞘,最后望了一眼那片波光粼粼的道路。史泰拉斯身在其中,他的生命渐渐褪色,终至完结。吉尔赛那斯转过身步行出发,再不想多费时间。

他有一段珍贵的爱情要追回。

Dragon's Graveyard, 23sc
 
The mist parted and Gilthanas found himself under a moonlit sky, looking up at a rim of dark, forbidding 
cliffs. The boat was nosing into a small cove, and gentle waves broke upon a fringe of sugar-white sand.
Though his mind tried to accept the facts as explained by the Superior Master on Claren Elian, his emotions 
found it impossible to believe that five years had passed since he had embarked from that eastern realm with 
Silvara's name on his lips. It had been a full ten years since he had discovered this boat on Icewall Glacier and 
had first set sail in pursuit of his beloved Silvara.
But now, perhaps, that quest was coming to an end. He had set the boat on a search for Silvara as he left 
the Elian Wilds. Now the elf stood in the hull, watching the beach as the boat glided forward, nudging gently 
into the soft sand. He climbed over the prow and took a moment to ensure that the craft was firmly 
beached—though he reminded himself that, whatever happened here, he was finished with it.
Then he looked t the land, taking in the lofty semicircle of cliff that rose directly from the fringe of sand to 
soar high into the night sky. The face of the stone was smooth and, in the darkness, almost featureless. If a 
path, ravine, or sloping ledge led upward, he could see no sign of such a route. Perhaps daylight would reveal 
something useful.
Until then, he decided he would examine the length of the beach. In fact, the night sky was very bright, with 
a full moon casting brilliant moonlight. That white orb now appeared to be at zenith.
He paused, turning his eyes skyward and studying the white circle with fresh curiosity. It struck him as a 
very odd coincidence that, after a journey of hundreds of miles, coursing around the long coast of a continent, 
he should arrive at his destination underneath a full moon—and with that moon apparently at the summit of its 
climb through the skies. His interest quickened as, beyond the white, he saw a slender crescent of shadow 
pass across the face. The moon was being eclipsed by Krynn.
This alignment confirmed his guess: His presence here, now, could not possibly be a coincidence.
"The Dragon's Graveyard appears only when the moon is eclipsed by the world."
Gilthanas, startled by the deep voice behind him, looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a narrow gap 
in the face of the cliff, but the rock walls closed in overhead and concealed the niche in full shadow. Then he 
gasped as a brown metallic head emerged, followed by a serpentine neck of the same bronzed color.
"A dragon!" he gasped, his head pounding. "Then it's true—this is a place hallowed by your kind, by the 
dans of Good dragons."
"Indeed it is," murmured the serpent, slithering forward so that much of its gleaming body emerged from the 
narrow crack. This was a bronze dragon now scowling unhappily before Gilthanas. The wyrm crouched, 
catlike, with its head looming directly over the prone elf. "So much so that we resent the intrusions of other, 
lesser folk. Explain yourself, elf... tell me why I should not kill you right now."
"I am not your enemy." Gilthanas slowly rose to his feet, gratified that the dragon pulled its jaws back 
slightly to give him room to stand. The serpent regarded him with dark, slitted eyes, and he couldn't help but 
remember Silvara. She is a metallic dragon too, a silver cousin to this bronze.
Yet there were differences, even more than similarities, between the two serpents. This was a male, with 
the thick brow ridge and broad snout of his gender. His voice was deep and menacing, utterly lacking the 
softness Gilthanas remembered in the speech of his beloved. And his manner, despite his slight withdrawal, 
remained menacing.
"I have come here seeking a silver dragon," Gilthanas said. "I want to know if she still lives... and if not, to 
mourn her."
"Perhaps a worthy quest," mused the serpent. "Though presumptuous of you to assume that you are a 
worthy mourner for one of my kin-dragons. Why do you seek to do this?"
"She and I. . . ." Gilthanas suddenly realized that he couldn't tell this bronze serpent the truth, at least not 
the whole truth. "We fought together during in the War of the Lance," he blurted. "She was a bold and beautiful 
flier, and together we slew many of the Dark Queen's wyrms."
"A great hero, you must be," said the wyrm mockingly. Yet for the first time Gilthanas heard uncertainty in 
that voice. It occurred to him that this was a much younger dragon than Silvara—though his tail remained out 
of sight, he was no more than half as long as his former consort.
"Is this beach the Dragon's Graveyard," Gilthanas asked. He saw no sign of tombs, or any other 
monuments or remains. "Have I come to the right place?"
"The graveyard lies not on the beach itself; however, you are at the right place, at the right time," replied the 
wyrm. "You will not be allowed within ... the graveyard lies beneath the sea, and only a Good dragon may go 
there."
Gilthanas shook his head, more and more frustrated. "Do you know Silvara, Sister of Heart?" heasked 
boldly. "Can you tell me if her bones lie in the graveyard?"
"Silvara!" replied the serpent, all but gasping. His eyes narrowed, and he lowered the crocodilian jaws to 
regard the elf coldly. The next words tumbled forth in a sneer. "She is indeed a heroine of our metallic clans ... 
and she has not been here. So far as I know, she has vanished."
Gilthanas felt the hope flowing from his body and forced himself to resist the urge to slump in dejection. He 
would not reveal weakness in front of this wyrm. "How ... how do you know?" he demanded. "How can you be 
sure?"
"Because I am Sterellus, guardian of the graveyard. And I have been posted here these many years, 
holding this place proof against the monster dragons that have recently claimed lands to the north and south of 
here."
"Monster wyrms?" Gilthanas remembered the stories of the great red dragon, Malystryx, who had menaced 
the eastern portion of Ansalon, and of the other Evil dragons that had started taking other territories. He 
shuddered at the thought that, during the years of his voyage, even more of these horrendous overlords had 
claimed parts of the land. "What dragons? Where are they?" he pressed.
"There is Red Fenalysten in the deserts to the south ... and Black Mohrlex, who makes his home in 
Nordmaar's swamp. And finally, closest to us here, there is the mighty Green Lorrinar, who has sought to 
remake the Woods of Lahue. Any one of them would seize the treasures here, if he could but discover this 
place and best our guardian."
"That is, you?" asked Gilthanas. "Forgive me, Sterellus, but I have heard of these overlords . . . that they are 
true monsters, greater by far than any mortal dragon. How is it that you could stop one of them, should he 
come here?"
The bronze snorted, and for a moment Gilthanas wondered if he had gone too far. Still, he held firm, 
masking his misgivings with an expression of bland curiosity.
"I would meet them in ambush," snarled the dragon, though not without that tremor in his voice. "Now, go 
away from here! I have never seen Silvara, not here, not anywhere! And I do not want to see you any more!"
The serpent backed into the notch in the cave, and Gilthanas strolled along, staying close to those metallic 
jaws. The nervousness in Sterellus was uncharacteristic of a dragon, and the elf's suspicions had been fanned 
into flame.
"Leave! Do you hear?" demanded the wyrm, lifting his head up high. Now the whole dragon, including the 
serpentine neck, had withdrawn into the crack in the cliff face.
Gilthanas drew his sword in a lightning gesture. He cracked the flat of the blade against those jaws, then 
stepped forward to hold the enchanted weapon against the joint where the neck met the bronze breast.
"I think you're lying," he said conversationally. "And I will leave—but not until you tell me the truth."
"Ouch!" cried the dragon, trying to twist away. But the cave was too narrow, and the sharp blade held him 
pressed against a cold stone wall, with no room to wiggle.
"You're right... I'm not here to guard this place! I'm too young, too small, too weak!"
"You are!" agreed Gilthanas, pressing harder. "Tell me more!"
"I'm dying!" squawked the bronze, with such passion that the elf eased up his pressure and stared at the 
slitted eyes in shock. There was a misty film over those pupils, a rasp to the breath that came from the great 
nostrils.
"I can see that.. . I'm sorry," said the elf.
"It is a pernicious disease resistant to magic ... it has been eating away my insides for too long, now. Some 
of the elders claim that I was born with this illness and that it's a part of me. I have been waiting here, for the 
right time."
"And while you were waiting here you saw Silvara, didn't you?" Gilthanas demanded. "Was she here?" He 
lowered his blade, but kept his gaze on those huge eyes.
"Yes, yes she was! I tried to keep her here, to have her keep me company until I died ... but said she had a 
place to go, and she flew away!"
"Then she lives?" Gilthanas pressed, his heart soarig even as his weapon pressed forward aggressively. 
"How long ago was this?"
"Years, many winters!" blurted Sterellus. "I don't know how long ago!"
"Where did she go?"
"She told me that she wanted to see a friend ... a creature she knew who lived on a lofty mountaintop."
"Who? Where was this?"
"I don't know!" insisted the bronze dragon.
Abruptly Sterellus stiffened, his eyelids closing as if he had entered some sort of trance. Gilthanas pressed 
the blade harder into the supple neck, but this time he drew no further reaction. The bronze dragon's attention 
was directed elsewhere. A low, tuneless sound emerged from the great jaws, and the prince realized that the 
creature was singing a mournful song.
Slowly, carefully, the elf backed away. He cast a glance over his shoulder and was astonished to see the 
waters slowly receding to left and right, revealing a shimmering pathway along the floor of the bay. In the 
distance, half concealed by foaming froth, he saw objects of bright silver and long skeletons of white bone.
Then Sterellus was moving. The bronze dragon padded out of his crack and crossed the beach, starting 
along the pathway that led to the Dragon's Graveyard. Gilthanas took a step after, but water spilled toward him 
in gentle waves that lapped with enough menace that he knew this place wasn't for him.
The dragon moved farther along the road toward his grave, and Gilthanas looked along the shore. Silvara 
had been here and had left to go to a high mountain. Where?
He couldn't know, but he did know something about this coast. Kalaman was not far from here—Kalaman, 
the city where he had been honored as lord, had been revered as governor for so many years. He had friends 
there, and they were wise people, with access to maps and libraries.
In that instant he made up his mind. He would go there, seek what help he could find and try to discern 
where this mountain might be. He cast one look at the enchanted boat and knew that he would leave it here. It 
might take him months to reach Kalaman, but that was all... and with Silvara before him his quest had taken on 
new urgency. No longer could he afford a five-year interval while he traveled with magical ease.
He looked again along the path leading into the sea. Those were bones there, white skeletal remains of 
mighty creatures. Silver and gold glittered among the remains, and here and there he saw signs of other 
objects—a marble statue here, there an array of chalices adorned with glittering diamonds. That was a 
magical place—a sacred place. And Sterellus was right, Gilthanas knew ... it was a place of dragons. He had 
no business there and could feel only relief at the knowledge that his beloved Silvara had not ventured into it.
He slid his sword back into its scabbard and took a last look at the shimmering roadway. Sterellus was in 
there, his life waning, ultimately finished. Gilthanas turned his back and started to walk, no longer willing to 
waste time.
He had a treasured love to reclaim.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-26, 周五 11:51:03
无心之助:卡拉曼,23sc
 
摘自卡拉曼领主提利尔·雷切纳首席顾问——米格尔·奥拉菲爵士(Sir Migel Aurrafil, Chief Advisor to Tierrel Rychner, Lord of Kalaman)笔记

23sc,花绿之月(Fleurgreen,五月-译注)23日——

春季即将过去。这向来对卡拉曼没有多大影响——因为本地的气候随季节变化甚小——但的确标志着时间的流逝。在这座城市,夏日的到来曾一度伴随着喜悦与欢庆。平民们在公共场所欢呼雀跃,仅仅为了抒发活着的喜乐。但如今,这已不再。

如今这群懦弱的傻瓜连大中午走在街上都害怕。船舶依旧驶入我们的港口,贸易依旧为我们的经济体系注入维持生机的金钱,但也就不过如此。水手们待在船上,不敢走进市中心(好吧,反正他们这么干也没什么好处)。如今,这城市只不过是它曾经的伟大自我的一道影子。

一道影子?即使身处绝望之中,我还是展露了一丝著名的幽默感嘛。

这一切苦难的源头正是那道复盖着卡拉曼——准确地说,是复盖了整个奈罗德(Nightlund)——的暗影。

身处一座坠入永恒暮色的城市,有谁会感到安心?不,谁也不会!卡拉曼的太阳永不落下——但也永不上升。它只是挂在那儿,低垂在地平线之下,将天空染成一片血红。诸神在离开的那一刻最后开了个玩笑,而我们就是它嘲弄的对象。或许有人将它视作“凡人之年代”,但诸神却千真万确地在我们所有人的生活中留下了不可磨灭的印记。

苦海中的愚民们渴盼着救星,他们仍然继续向帕拉丁和米莎凯,还有其他那些业已离去的诸神祈祷——全不顾对他们施下诅咒的正是那些神。人民需要一位英雄——一尊有血有肉的偶像——来将恐惧逐出他们的心灵。倘若领主雷切纳与市民们的关系能更融洽些,或许我们早已扭转了这座城市的命运。

悲哀的是,尽管他的品位与血统都无可挑剔,但雷切纳大人永远无法成为一位人民公仆。这使得市民们的立场变得相当微妙。我们需要一位领袖——一位褴褛平民的英雄——但那个人物又绝不能对雷切纳大人的领主地位——以及我自己的工作——构成威胁。几个月来,我一直在致力于这个问题。

而今天,一位或许最为巧妙的人选径直走向了领主的宫殿,叩开正门。想象一下,当王家管乐队高奏乐章,迎接卡拉曼前任执政官,奎灵纳斯提的吉尔赛那斯的到来的那一刻,我们是多么的惊喜!他是位深得民众爱戴的人物!作为将这座城市从蓝龙大军手中解放的黄金将军的兄长,他领导了对后续攻击的防御战,有如自由的象征般屹立不倒。我敢打赌,假如你出于某种理由走进这座城市中十所不同的酒馆,你会发现其中有九所要么悬挂着吉尔赛那斯的画像挂毯,要么有首最受欢迎的歌曲歌咏他的功绩,要么在干杯前惯例地祝福他的健康——无论他身在何处。

吉尔赛那斯曾领导卡拉曼走出最糟糕的时代,并迎来一段黄金时代。如果说有谁能唤起淳朴民众的想象力与狂热,那个人一定是他。不同于这座城市的居民,身为精灵,吉尔赛那斯的外表并不像经历了漫长的岁月。吉尔赛那斯是一枚活生生的象征物,象征着卡拉曼曾经的伟大与即将重现的辉煌。我要做的就是试探他是否打算重回自己之前的位置——如果他想的话,那么他是否需要招募一名高级顾问。我亏欠雷切纳大人许多,但我亏欠自己的更多。

They Also Serve: Kalaman 23sc
 
From the journal of Sir Migel Aurrafil,
Chief Advisor to Tierrel Rychner, Lord of Kalaman
23rd day of Fleurgreen, 23sc — Spring is nearly over. That has never meant much here in Kalaman—our 
climate varies so little from season to season—but it does mark the passage of time. Summer once brought joy 
and festivities to the city. The common folk were apt to gambol across the commons simply for the joy of being 
alive. But no longer.
Now, the spineless fools are afraid to walk the streets at midday. Ships still sail into our harbor, and 
commerce still pumps life-sustaining steel into our economy, but only just barely. The sailors remain aboard 
their ships, not daring to wander into the heart of town (not that it would do them any good to do so, anyway). 
The city is but a shadow of its once great self.
A shadow? Even in my despair, a hint of my renowned humor shows through.
The cause of all this misery is the shadow that has fallen over Kalaman—indeed across all of Nightlund. 
Who fees safe in a city thrown into perpetual twilight? No one! The sun never sets on Kalaman—but neither 
does it ever rise. It simply hangs there, just below the horizon, painting the sky blood red. From the moment the 
gods left, we have been the butt of their final joke. They may have deemed this the "Age of Mortals," but the 
gods made sure to leave their mark indelibly on all our lives.
And yet the rabble is so starved for someone to look to in their hour of need that the people continue to pray 
to Paladine, Mishakal, and the other departed gods—the very gods who inflicted this curse upon them. What 
the people need is a hero—a flesh-and-blood figure—who can banish the fear from their minds. If Lord 
Rychner had a greater rapport with the masses, we would have turned the fortunes of the city around by now.
Sadly, though he is a man of impeccable taste and breeding, Lord Rychner will never be a man of the 
people. This puts the people in a very delicate situation. We need a leader—a hero to the bedraggled 
commoners—but it must be someone who poses no threat to Lord Rychner's position— and my own job. For 
months, I have struggled with this issue.
Today, the neatest solution possible walked right up to the palace and knocked on the front doors.
Imagine our surprise when the royal trumpets blared to herald the arrival of the former governor of Kalaman, 
Gilthanas of Qualinesti! Here is a man the people loved! The brother of the Golden General who freed the city 
from the Blue Dragonarmy, he led the defense against further attacks and stood as a symbol of freedom. I 
wager that if, for some reason, you were to walk into ten different pubs throughout the city, you'd find that nine 
of them either have a tapestry bearing Gilthanas's image, a favorite song of his exploits, or a traditional toast to 
his health wherever he may be.
Gilthanas led Kalaman out of its worst years and into a golden age. If anyone can rouse the imagination 
and enthusiasm of the simple folk, it is he. As an elf, Gilthanas does not appear to have aged a day, unlike the 
people of the city. Gilthanas is a walking symbol of all that once was great about Kalaman and yet may be 
great again. All I have to discover is whether or not he desires to return to his former post—and if he does, 
whether he has an opening for a senior advisor. I owe Lord Rychner a great deal, but I owe myself even more.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-26, 周五 14:26:43
摘自洁妮塔·奥拉菲(Lady Jennetta Aurrafil )女士日记

23sc,沚暑之月(Holmswelth,六月-译注)10日——

米格尔是个大笨蛋。我一点也不明白自己怎么会嫁给了他。好吧,其实我明白。我当时别无选择。如果你是一家最小的女儿的最小的女儿的……总之一大串最小的女儿里的最后一个的话,你也没法拒绝一个像米格尔·奥拉菲这样的男人的求婚。不过,在追求我的时候,他完全变了个人,在最轻浮的事情上一掷千金,只为博我一笑。人们至今还在谈论他是怎样说服雷切纳领主举办了一场特殊的舞会,就为了在全城最显赫的几大家族面前对我求婚。我当时相信,他一定是全世界最富于罗曼蒂克的男人了。

可是,结婚十年以来,经过一系列无穷无尽的聚会和晚会之后,我发现了一个真相:一个拥有金钱与影响力的男人,可以同时欠缺睿智、优雅和温柔。我们家米格尔就是个最好的证明。

所有这些铺张和公共场合的求爱,都只不过是为了给他的名声增光添彩。他的名声得益于我的存在,但在他眼里这无足轻重。追到一个乡下人家的女孩,成功地把她介绍给上流社会,只为证明他是个懂得“平民”心的男人,巩固他雷切纳大人首席顾问的地位。我不过是铺筑他权力之路的一块鹅卵石罢了。

今晚,我又得忍受一场乏味的社交活动。细算起来,毫无疑问,这场社交又将提升我亲爱的丈夫在政治事务中的影响力。不过,今晚的气氛与先前截然不同,因为一位贵客——前执政官吉尔赛那斯的光临。所有来宾都侧耳倾听他的谈话,整间屋子几乎静寂无声。

吉尔赛那斯是个谈吐得体,长得又特别养眼的男人。记得母亲曾对我说起,她见过他在邪恶力量被永远逐出这座城市后对公众发表演说的场景。她的回忆所能描述的感受尚不及亲眼见到他时的一半,我敢肯定这间屋子里的每一个男人都嫉妒不已,而每个女人闲聊的话题都是他的仪表与优雅。

每一个男人,我是说,除了米格尔。他像个连体人一样紧粘着吉尔赛那斯。我不确定我丈夫心里转着什么念头,不过显而易见那一定能提升他在宫中的地位。我明白吉尔赛那斯无法看清这盘棋,高贵如他,本不应在米格尔卑琐的权力游戏中扮演任何角色。

我希望吉尔赛那斯决定在卡拉曼待一阵子。倘若他能将自己的正直与荣誉赋予那些我们所谓的领袖,哪怕只是一星半点,我们的城市将变成一个比现在好得多的地方。

From the diary of Lady Jennetta Aurrafil
10 Holmswelt 23sc—Migel is such a boor. I haven't the faintest clue why I married him. No, that's not true. 
I really had no choice. When you're the last daughter of the last daughter in a long line of last daughters, you 
cannot afford to reject a proposal from the likes of Migel Aurrafil. Still, when he courted me, he was a 
completely different man, throwing money at the most frivolous things just to make me smile. People still talk 
about how he convinced Lord Rychner to hold a special ball just so that he could propose to me in front of the 
city's finest families. I fancied that he was the most wonderfully romantic man in all the world.
After ten years of marriage, though, and after an endless series of coteries and galas, I have discovered 
this truth: A man possessing money and influence can also possess a complete lack of wit, grace, and 
tenderness. I can think of no better proof of this than my own Migel.
All those extravagances and the public courtship were merely to increase his own reputation. The fact I was 
the benefactor of them held practically no weight in his eyes. That he wooed the daughter of a peasant and 
successfully introduced her to polite society only proved he was a man who knew the hearts of "the common 
folk," cementing his position as Lord Rychner's chief advisor. I am merely one of the cobblestones used to 
pave his path to power.
Tonight, I suffered through yet another tedious formal affair, one carefully calculated, no doubt, to provide 
my dear husband with more influence in the affairs of state. Still, there was a distinct difference in te air 
tonight, and it manifested itself with the arrival of the guest of honor—ex-Governor Gilthanas. The room 
practically silenced as all present bent an ear to eavesdrop on his conversation.
Gilthanas is a well-spoken man and very pleasing to the eye. I remember my mother telling me about 
seeing him address the populace after the forces of Evil were driven from the city once and for all. Her 
recollections did not half-capture the feeling of facing him in person. I'm certain that every man in the room was 
piqued with envy as the women nattered about his style and grace.
Every man, that is, but Migel. He stayed so close to Gilthanas that one might think them joined at the hip. 
I'm not sure what my husband has in mind, except that whatever it is will increase his stature in the palace. I do 
know that Gilthanas cannot discern the whole of it; a man as noble as that would have no part in Migel's petty 
power plays.
I hope Gilthanas decides to remain in Kalaman for a time. The city would be a significantly better place if he 
could bestow even a smattering of his integrity and honor upon our so-called leaders.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-26, 周五 16:35:28
米格尔爵士笔记

23sc,黯暑之月(Paleswelt,九月-译注)17日——

事情的进展简直完美得不能再完美了。吉尔赛那斯回归后的三个月间,平民与士绅们的士气都出现了显著而持续的提升。在吉尔赛那斯明确表示不准备在卡拉曼逗留太长时间(也就是说对现有的政治格局不构成威胁)后,他自然流露的魅力甚至迷倒了贵族们。当我问起他在奎灵纳斯提的家人时,他简短地表示有再去看望他们的打算,但当我进一步追问时,他也表示无意取外甥的宝座而代之。尽管这并非我所担心的事,但他没有去别处做统治者的想法还是让我颇感欣慰,因为我们这里太需要他了。

不过,他对官复原职兴趣冷淡,这令我——仅代表个人——感到难过。想想吧,倘若我能当上这位伟大人物的首席顾问该多好!无论如何,重要的是我眼下应该好好利用他的存在,因为吉尔赛那斯似乎急于离开。

就在今天下午,我发现他在宫廷图书馆里研读地图与海图。我询问他下一步的目的地,希望从中窥见他的动机,与此同时,我注意到他面前摊着几份遥远的边陲地带的地图。他礼貌而不置可否地敷衍了几句,但我察觉到,他根本不清楚自己将去往何处。某样东西,或某个人,将他引入了一场漫长的追捕,而截至目前为止,它甚至逃过了他敏锐的感官。

假如我猜得没错,并且他的猎物——无论是谁,或是什么——还处在他的视野之外,那么我就掌握了一张王牌。但吉尔赛那斯追逐的究竟是一个人,还是一件宝藏?无论如何,那必定是件无价之宝,因为他拒绝与宫中的任何人讨论此事。然而,为了弄清应对这一情形的最佳策略,我必须进一步深入了解他的状况。

我自信,我采取的这些措施将为我提供所需的信息。

当吉尔赛那斯向我请教关于图书馆里那些地图的问题时,我假装对此一无所知(毕竟,他对我的寻根究底毫无回应,我凭什么还要告诉他答案?)。不过,我告诉他,洁妮塔对测绘学颇有热情。他无疑会去向她寻求建议,而在这一过程中,又将对她打开心扉(她似乎能让每个遇见她的人对她萌生信任)。为了竭力帮助他,她必然会将那些信息转达给她的丈夫,而那些信息,或许是吉尔赛那斯从未告诉过我的。

一如既往地,我的妻子在那些上流社会的女性永远办不到的方面派上了用场。她原生态的才华为我提供的资源与见解,是其他任何身处我这个地位的人都无法企及的。她的平民出身为我的名声增光添彩,在我不得不违反礼仪时也是个好借口。最讽刺的是,洁妮塔觉得她需要我甚于我需要她。我相信,一旦洁妮塔发现我对她是多么的依赖,一定会毫不犹豫地离开我;而我的名誉和事业也将随之化为齑粉。谢天谢地,对贫穷的恐惧蒙蔽了她的双眼。

另一方面,我必须承认,相当棘手的是,有某些外界机构意图摧毁我们光明未来的希望。就在今天,吉尔赛那斯在宫中遭遇了一群身穿宽松黑衣的家伙。庆幸的是,他的技巧和宝剑与宫廷侍卫的支援,使得他没有败在那群来路不明的人手下。那群家伙是何许人,以及他们为何要刺杀他,吉尔赛那斯本人毫无头绪。我一定得揪出幕后的黑手。

Sir Migel's Journal
17th day of Paleswelt, 23sc—Things could not proceed more perfectly. In the three months since 
Gilthanas's return, we have seen a marked and continued increase in the morale of commoner and gentry 
alike. And once it became clear Gilthanas had no intention of remaining in Kalaman very long (thus posing no 
threat to the political status quo), his natural charm beguiled even the nobles. When I asked him about his 
family in Qualinesti, he mentioned briefly that he intended to see them again, but when pressed, also stated 
that he had no intention of taking his nephew's place on the throne. Although this hadn't been a fear of mine, I 
find it heartening to know that he doesn't wish to rule elsewhere when we need him so much here.
However, I, for one, am saddened by his disinterest in regaining his post. Just think of what I could do as 
chief advisor to this great man! Still, it is important I take advantage of his presence now, for Gilthanas seems 
eager to depart.
Just this afternoon, I found him poring over maps and charts in the palace library. As I asked him where he 
planned to go next, hoping to glean some insight into his motives, I noticed he had drawings of several 
far-flung regions sitting open before him. He made some polite, noncommittal reply, but I discerned he did not 
know where his travels would take him. Something, or someone, was leading him on a merry chase and so far 
has eluded even his keen senses.
If I am right, and his quarry, whoever or whatever it may be, is beyond his sight, then I may have a trump 
card to play. But does Gilthanas chase a person or a treasure? Whatever it is must be incalculably valuable, 
for he refuses to discuss it with anyone in the palace. In order to know how best to handle the situation, though, 
I must have a better understanding of his circumstances.
I believe I have just taken steps that will provide me the information I require.
As Gilthanas asked me questions regarding the maps in the library, I feigned complete ignorance (after all, 
why furnish him with answers when he is not forthcoming to my own inquiries?). I did, however, tell him of 
Jennetta's passion for cartography. He will, no doubt, seek her counsel and, in the process, open his heart to 
her (she seems to breed that sort of confidence in everyone she meets). In an effort to aid him, she certainly 
will pass information to her husband that Gilthanas might never entrust to me.
As always, my wife proves useful in ways that a more genteel woman never would. Her coarser talents 
provide me with resources and insights that any other man in my position couldn't possibly match. Her 
common heritage is at once a blessing on my reputation and an excuse for any breach of protocol I am forced 
to make. The ultimate irony lies in the fact that Jennetta feels she needs me more than I do her. She would, I 
believe, leave me in an instant i she perceived how heavily I rely upon her; my reputation and career would 
shatter were that to happen. Thankfully, she cannot see beyond her own fears of poverty.
On another subject, I must admit that I find it troublesome that some agency out there wishes to destroy our 
hopes for a brighter future. This very day some fellows in dark, loose-fitting garb confronted Gilthanas within 
the palace. Thankfully, his skill with his blade and the support of the palace guards prevented him from falling 
to these unknown men. Gilthanas himself hasn't the least idea of who these fellows are or why they would want 
to kill him. I fully intend to find out who is behind this.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-26, 周五 23:08:26
插个楼关于这个索兰尼亚的月份表……OTL……
我没找到它的中文翻译所以就开始乱来,其实我也就六级水平查不到的我都不明白所以请调教。

一月Newkolt=new+cold新寒之月(我不确定,kolt只查到一个首饰名……下同)
二月Deepkolt=deep+cold深寒之月
三月Brookgreen=brook+green溪绿之月
四月Yurthgreen=youth+green青绿之月(yurth也不确定实在查不到了)
五月Fleurgreen=fleur+green花绿之月
六月Holmswelt=holm+swelter沚暑之月(holm也不确定有没有其他意思)
七月Fierswelt=fiery+swelter炽暑之月
八月Paleswelt=pale+swelter黯暑之月
九月Reapember=reap+ember收获之月(我觉得-ember似乎不是灰烬,是和December一样的)
十月Gildember=gild+ember染金之月
十一月Darkember=dark+ember暗黑之月
十二月Frostkolt=frost+kolt霜寒之月
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-26, 周五 23:44:28
洁妮塔女士日记

23sc,收获之月(Reapember,九月-译注)12日——

今天,吉尔赛那斯又来找我。(我总算习惯直呼他的名字,而不是用“阁下”或其他的正式称呼了。)他和米格尔制定了一个计划,为此他相当振奋。回想起来,要不是有我在,他们永远拿不出这个解决方案。

吉尔赛那斯第一次来访的时候,我几乎被与他独处的事实震呆了。身为一名普通制图师的女儿,可不是每天都能有机会和传奇人物私下交流的呀。直到他解释说是为我家人的职业而来,我才冷静下来,开始享受与他相处的时光。

要说在一间逼仄的小店里长大还有什么好处的话,那就是让我有能力帮助吉尔赛那斯。

一开始,他就问了我许多边远地区的情况,例如圣奎斯特岛,帕兰萨斯周边的山丘,甚至传说中的巨龙列岛。我起初觉得他感兴趣的地点杂乱无章,毫无头绪,但我渐渐恍然大悟——所有这些地区都有山峰,而这些山峰都是已知的银龙聚居地。我进一步揣测,他必定是在寻找他的前任副手(同时也是他的情妇,如果宫廷流言可信的话),西悠瓦拉。尽管她大部分时间总是以野精灵的形象露面,但每当蓝龙大军试图夺回这座城市时,她就会恢复她的自然形体——一条银龙。战争结束后不久,艺术家公会(Artist's Guild)用一幅壮丽的镶嵌画装饰了他们的大厅,画面上吉尔赛那斯正乘在西悠瓦拉背上奔赴战场。

尽管我并不愿意窥探他的隐私,但当我终于开口询问那愈来愈清晰的真相后,吉尔赛那斯还是执意向我讲述了他与西悠瓦拉分手的经过。此刻回想起来,泪水又一次模糊了我的眼睛。为何我们只有在审视回忆时,才能分辨出生命中那些重要的瞬间?吉尔赛那斯的心碎永无修复之日,除非找到西悠瓦拉——可是,他却只能凭借那点朦胧的线索去追寻。

我们一共锁定了十二处西悠瓦拉可能前往的地点。它们分散在整个大陆与海外。显然,吉尔赛那斯造访所有这些地点需要数年时间,而与此同时,西悠瓦拉或许已经随兴所至地去了另一个地方——甚至可能横跨最宽广的海洋。看起来这似乎毫无指望。

一天深夜,我再也无法忍受这种悲哀。我流着苦涩的泪水,去找唯一可能给我慰藉的人,米格尔。令我惊讶的是,他竟然安慰了我,并且认真地聆听着我的倾诉。

在我说完之后,他并没有责备我是个情绪化的傻瓜,而是紧紧地抱着我,抚慰我。他的手掌抚摸着我的头。“一切都会好的,”他承诺道。而且,事情似乎正如他所说的那样。

第二天,米格尔和吉尔赛那斯谈了谈。他说服吉尔赛那斯,这样的追寻需要花费毕生的时光(哪怕是对精灵而言),并仍可能徒劳无功。作为替代方案,我丈夫主动提出代吉尔赛那斯向雷切纳领主请命。卡拉曼正处在和平之中。领主无疑可以匀出他麾下六名最快的骑手,奔驰四方,搜寻西悠瓦拉小姐的消息。他们在一年内就能走遍整个大陆,倘若他们的努力依然无果,更多的骑手将立即出发,遍寻另外六条路线。一旦他们成功,吉尔赛那斯就可以清楚地知道应当前往何处,而不是在无益的旅程中虚耗数载光阴。

他说服雷切纳领主支持这个计划的那天,我为我的丈夫感到前所未有地骄傲。

而听到这个消息的吉尔赛那斯是我见过的最快乐的人。

在过去的几周里,吉尔赛那斯和我每天都在摆弄着我祖父的那些地图,圈定六条骑手们行进的最佳路线。我相信,我们即将成功。

帕拉丁,假如您还听得见我们的祈祷,我求求您祝福我们的努力,赐下您能给的一切佑护。

我遇见过的所有人之中,没有谁比吉尔赛那斯更有资格获得幸福。


Lady Jennetta's Diary
12 Reapember 23sc—Gilthanas sought me out again today. (I have finally grown used to referring to him 
by name rather than "Your Grace" or some other formal title.) He is quite exhilarated by the plans he and Migel 
have drawn up. And to think, they never would have arrived at this solution were it not for me.
When Gilthanas first came to me, I was almost overawed by being alone with him. After all, it is not every 
day that a simple cartographer's daughter gets a private audience with a man of legend. It was only when he 
explained that he came to me because of my family's occupation that I calmed enough to enjoy his company. 
If any good came from growing up in that cramped shop, being able to aid Gilthanas is certainly it.
He began by questioning me about faraway places like the Isle of Sancrist, the hills surrounding Palanthas, 
and even the fabled Dragon Isles. At first, I could discern no rhyme or reason to his interests, but slowly it 
dawned on me—they were all places that have mountains where silver dragons have been known to 
congregate. I further surmised that he must be looking for his former lieutenant (and, if palace rumors are to be 
believed, paramour), Silvara. Although she most often appeared in the from of a wild elf, whenever the 
dragonarmies attempted to retake the city, she resumed her natural shape—that of a silver dragon. Shortly 
after the war, the Artist's Guild decorated their hall with a grand mosaic of Gilthanas riding into battle on 
Silvara's back.
Though I was loath to pry into his personal matters, once it became obvious that I suspected the truth, 
Gilthanas insisted on telling me the tale of how he and Silvara parted. A tear still comes to my eye as I reflect 
on it. Why is it that we can only recognize the important moments in our lives when we view them in memory? 
Gilthanas's heart will not be whole again until he finds Silvara—yet he has only the vaguest clue where to 
search.
Together, we have fixed upon a dozen sites that seem likely places Silvara might have gone. They are 
spread across the entire continent and beyond. It would obviously take Gilthanas years to visit them all. 
Meanwhile, Silvara might move along to anywhere else she pleases—perhaps even across one of the great 
seas. The matter seemed hopeless.
One night, I could bear the sorrow no longer. In Wretched tears, I came to Migel, the only source of solace 
available, and surprisingly, he actually comforted me and attentively listened to all I had to say.
When I finished, instead of berating me for being an emotional fool, he held me close and soothed me. 
Stroking my head with his palm. "Everything will be all right," he promised. And so, it seems, it will be.
Migel spoke with Gilthanas the next day. He convinced him that such a quest would take a lifetime (even for 
an elf) and still might bear no fruit. Instead, my husband offered to speak to Lord Rychner on Gilthanas's behalf. 
Kalaman was in a state of peace. Surely the lord would spare a half-dozen of his swiftest riders to scour the 
land to search for news of Lady Silvara. They could cover the entire continent in less than a year, and should 
their efforts prove fruitless, more riders could embark immediately to cover six more paths. If they met with 
success, Gilthanas would know exactly where to go without wasting years on futle journeys.
I have never been more proud of my husband than the day he convinced Lord Rychner to support this plan. 
And I have never seen a happier soul than Gilthanas when he heard the news.
For the past several weeks, Gilthanas and I have pored over my grandfather's maps daily, plotting out the 
six best courses for the riders to follow. I believe we are nearly through.
Paladine, if you can yet hear our prayers, I beg you to grant whatever blessings you can to this endeavor. 
No soul I have ever met deserves happiness more than Gilthanas.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-27, 周六 21:44:32
米格尔爵士笔记

23sc,染金之月(Gildember,十月-译注)8日——

世上再没有比这更完美的计划了。我不仅保障了这座城市整体的繁荣增长,还成功地令自己成为了领主雷切纳与执政官吉尔赛那斯都不可或缺的人物。领主大人离不开我,因为我知晓将吉尔赛那斯挽留在这座城市的诀窍。而另一方面,执政官则依赖我来获取我们在大陆各地搜寻他从前伴侣的最新进展。

吉尔赛那斯同意在滞留卡拉曼的期间暂时接受这一头衔。我们真心实意地告诉他,人民群众将对此欢欣鼓舞。果然,他的回归在各种意义上,都把我们带回了那段黄金时代。吉尔赛那斯或许无法解消紧扼这座城市的永恒暮色,但除此之外,他已经带来了市民们所期盼的,一切形形色色的奇迹。

遵照执政官的吩咐,露天集市再度充斥了街头,贩卖着农产品、烘焙品与各种各样的手工艺品。集市一周只举办三天(不像几年前天天都有),但在吉尔赛那斯回归前,我们已经有近五年时间没办过集日了。

每一天,执政官都亲自去逛集市,用坚定有力的握手与彬彬有礼的点头向他遇到的每一个人致意。并且每次他必定会从小贩手中购买一两件东西,哪怕宫廷的仓库装得满满当当。“提升信心的唯一方式就是表现得有信心。”他数次这样告诫我。在他的坚持下,宫中的每位工作人员每周都必须腾出至少一小时走进集市,同时他还强烈鼓励我们购买至少一件物品。

在集日的带动下,市区广场上的其他商店不仅恢复了营业,还把生意做得红红火火,全无往年的颓态。越来越多的商船将卡拉曼列入必停站的范畴,水手们夜里也不再光待在船上而是走进了城市。全城各旅店的入住率再度超过半数,敏加啤酒厂生产的醇厚黑啤供不应求。

卡拉曼很可能将很快恢复它仅次于帕兰萨斯的第二大贸易港的地位。事实上,鉴于帕兰萨斯如今处于塔克西丝骑士与苍蓝尊者——蓝天(Great Blue, Skie)的双重支配之下,许多商人或许会发现经由我城的市场走陆路运输货物更为有利可图。而所有这一切,都应当归功于我。

是不是我想得太多了?我总觉得自己有朝一日会拥有一间独立的办公室。或许,我能当上市长(Lord Mayor)?对于一个让生机与繁荣重回整座城市的人来说,这可不是什么过分的要求。为了确保自己的成功,我只需把吉尔赛那斯挽留在卡拉曼,而我已经轻松实现了这一点。此外,尽管我们对行刺他的幕后黑手的调查没有取得任何进展,但其后并没有发生进一步的刺杀事件,因此,我认为吉尔赛那斯无需继续担心来路不明的刺客。

我不费吹灰之力就留住了他。说到底,我不过付出了一点儿承诺和祈祷,就让他逗留了这么久。我看不出这一大好局面有什么理由不无限期地维持下去。

Sir Migel's Journal
8th day of Gildember, 23sc—If ever there has been a more perfect plan than this, I know nothing of it. I not 
only have secured an increase in the prosperity of the city as a whole, but I also have made myself 
indispensable to both Lord Rychner and Governor Gilthanas. My Lord cannot do without me, for I am the one 
who knows how to keep Gilthanas from leaving the city. The governor, on the other hand, relies upon me to 
keep him updated on the progress of our continent-wide search for his former consort.
Gilthanas has agreed to accept his former title for as long as he remains in Kalaman. We told him, not 
untruthfully, that it would elate the masses to hear about the decision. After all, in every appearance his return 
brings back the golden years. Gilthanas may not be able to dispel the eternal twilight that grips the city, but he 
has worked every other sort of miracle the people could hope for.
At the governor's behest, the open-air market once again fills the streets with produce, baked goods, and 
all manner of handicrafts. Market days are only three times a week (as opposed to the daily affair they were in 
years past), but before Gilthanas's return, there hadn't been a market day in nearly five years.
The governor himself wanders the market each day, greeting everyone he meets with a firm handshake 
and a civil nod of his head. And he always makes it a point to buy one or two items from the stalls, even if the 
palace larders are full. "The only way to raise confidence is to act confident," he has told me on several 
occasions. At his insistence all members of the palace staff must spend at least an hour a week walking the 
market, and he strongly encourages us to make at least one purchase.
As a result of the market days, other shops in the town square have not only reopened, but also are doing 
business unlike any they've known for years. More and more trade ships consider Kalaman a necessary stop, 
and their sailors come into the city rather than staying on their ships at night. Inns throughout town again have 
more full rooms than empty ones, and the Vingaard Brewery cannot produce its dark, viscous ale fast enough 
to meet demand.
Kalaman very well may soon regain its position as the trade port second only to Palanthas. And given the 
fact that Palanthas is now under the sway of both the Knights of Takhisis and the Great Blue, Skie, many 
traders may find it more profitable to move their cargo through our fair dry. And it is all thanks to me.
Would it be too much to think that one day I might hold an office of my own? Lord Mayor, perhaps? That is 
not too much to ask for bringing life and prosperity back to an entire city. All I have to do to ensure my success 
is keep Gilthanas in Kalaman, and that is accomplished easily enough. Additionally, although no progress has 
been made on discovering who would send assassins after him, I feel that since no further attempts have been 
made on his life, Gilthanas no longer has anything to fear from that unknown aggressor.
Keeping him here is easily enough done. After all, I have kept him this long on nothing more than a promise 
and a prayer. I see no reason why this situation cannot be maintained indefinitely.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-29, 周一 21:24:26
洁妮塔女士日记

24sc,霜寒之月(Frostkolt,十二月-译注)3日——

我真是个虚情假意的朋友!今天,吉尔赛那斯来找我,尽管外表淡然得与普通人无异,但他向我吐露心声,说他内心已经开始绝望,怀疑自己能否哪怕能与西悠瓦拉再见一面。我全神贯注地听他诉说,尽我所能地柔声劝慰,并建议他保持耐心。“做这些事需要时间,”我说,“她已经避世将近二十年,您不能指望在这么短短几个月之内就找到她的去向。”

他微笑起来,轻拍着我的手。“的确,你说得对。”他尽力微笑着说道。我除了回以笑容,还能做些什么呢。我要如何守着这个可怕的秘密活下去?要是不把真相透露给吉尔赛那斯,我还算什么朋友啊!

昨晚,我去米格尔的书房,想问他下周第一个集日上要买些什么。可是,当我到那儿的时候,他正在与利卡(Rika)交谈。那是他的书记官,一个讨厌的马屁精。我不想打断他们的讨论,决定在门外默默等候,等谈话告一段落时再进屋。我一点儿也没想过要偷听,可是当他们提起吉尔赛那斯的名字时,我的好奇心战胜了我。令我沮丧的是,他们竟然在讨论如何编织谎言来令吉尔赛那斯相信,对西悠瓦拉的搜寻工作正在顺利进行。

“我们必须给他点可靠的消息——来个目击者,或是一个在旅途中遇到过西悠瓦拉的商人,”利卡沉吟着,在书库里来回踱步。米格尔坐在书桌前,皱着眉头盯着他。

“坐下!”我丈夫命令道,然后话归正题。“消息不能太可靠,不然他会因此离开。要是让那精灵觉得有谁最近才刚见过他的龙女小情妇的话,你的话音还在大厅里回响呢,他就迫不及待地上路了。这不行。”看到他此刻摩挲着下巴的姿态,一阵寒意流遍了我的全身。“如果我们非提供点什么传闻,那也必须是个陈旧的消息。某个旅店老板三年前看见过西悠瓦拉。”

“对!”利卡在座位上坐立不安地说,“她在旅途中路过帕兰萨斯,谁也不知道她要去什么地方。”

米格尔轻蔑地摆摆手:“帕兰萨斯这城市太大了。我觉得所罗特(Throtl)比较合适。从那地精横行的魔窟路过的人可能前往任何地方,尤其是,假如那人真的是条银龙的话。”

说到这儿,米格尔和利卡一同爆发出一阵最为恶毒的大笑声。我被吓得要命,想来一定出声地喘了口大气,因为紧接着我丈夫冲向书库门口,猛地摔开门,在明晃晃的阅读灯下把我逮了个正着。

“你在这儿站了多久了?”他质问道,牢牢攥着我的手腕,“你听到了多少?”

“多到足以明白你是个卑鄙的小人。”我从没有用这样的口吻对米格尔说过话。他松开了我的手。“多到只要我告诉吉尔赛那斯,他就会看清你是个骗子。他会以最快的速度离开卡拉曼,然后你就必须得对大家解释这是为什么。”

我的丈夫对我露出一个残酷的笑容。

“然后呢,然后又会怎样?”他转身踱向他书桌旁的座位,“要是吉尔赛那斯离开了,我们的城市将会怎样?你认为,没有我们伟大的执政官为天真的民众灌输信心,集市还能继续开下去吗?当然不能。卡拉曼会立刻堕回到那个黑暗而惊恐的时代,那个我们直到六个月前都还在经历的时代。吉尔赛那斯是唯一能维系这场复兴的人。”

“那又有什么关系?”我问,“他一点儿不欠我们的。倒不如说,这一切全是我们欠吉尔赛那斯的。我们就是这么对他表达感激的吗?拿他唯一真爱的消息愚弄他?嘲笑对他而言唯一重要的事物?”

“我亲爱的夫人呀,我们正在做的一切,都是为了在他的胸中播下希望,让他得以耐心等待,直到我们找到他的恋人。放任我们深受爱戴的执政官捕风捉影地在荒郊乱窜对谁都没有好处。不,我们所做的一切,都正是在坚定他对自己与西悠瓦拉有朝一日必会重逢的信念。只要最终结局是他们在一起了,那么吉尔赛那斯的信念是否建立在谎言的基础上真的还重要吗?”

我简直再也辨不清是非了。可恶的米格尔,还有他的如簧巧舌。

“比起东奔西走进行或许永无止境的搜寻,你不觉得把吉尔赛那斯留在卡拉曼,留在这个他能够缓解全体人民痛苦的地方更加仁慈吗?”

我无法回答。

“我建议你好好想一想,亲爱的,在你将执政官与整个城市一同拖入一场或许将长达数十年的黑暗与混乱之前。”

因此,和吉尔赛那斯会面时,我管住了自己的舌头。尽管我仍然无法回答告知他真相是否是个正确的选择,但我也不知道,自己还能把米格尔那半真半假的秘密保守多久。

Lady Jennetta's Diary
3 Frostkolt 24sc—What a false friend I am! Gilthanas came to me today, and though he is as stoic as 
anyone I've ever met, he confided in me that his heart begins to despair of ever seeing Silvara again. I listened 
with rapt attetion, cooed where I ought, and advised him to be patient. "These things take time," I said. "She 
has had nearly two decades to sequester herself. You can't expect to locate her in just a few short months."
He smiled and patted my hand. "Of course you are correct" he said and smiled gamely. It was all I could do 
to smile back. How can I live with this terrible secret? And what kind of friend am I if I do not share it with 
Gilthanas?
Last night, I came to Migel's study to inquire as to any items he might require from next week's first market 
day. When I arrived, though, he was engaged in conversation with Rika, that detestable toady he calls a clerk. 
Rather than barge in on their discussion, I resolved to wait silently by the door and enter only when there came 
a break in the discourse. It was never my intention to eavesdrop, but when I heard Gilthanas's name 
mentioned, my curiosity got the better of me. To my utter dismay, they were talking about what lies they could 
fabricate to make Gilthanas believe that the search for Silvara was proceeding smoothly.
"We must give him something solid—a sighting or a merchant who met Silvara along his travels," Rika 
intoned as he paced back and forth across the library. Migel, seated behind his reading desk, watched him 
with a scowl.
"Sit down!" my husband ordered, then returned to the issue at hand. "It must not be solid enough to cause 
him to leave. If the elf thought that someone had recently seen his dragon wench, he would be on his way 
there before the words finished echoing in the grand hall. No." And here he stroked his chin in a manner that 
sent a chill through my entire body. "If it must be a rumor, then it must be an old one. An innkeeper who saw 
Silvara three years ago."
"Yes!" Rika said fidgeting in the seat he'd taken. "She stopped in Palanthas on her way to 
who-knows-where."
Migel waved his hand dismissively. "Palanthas is too large a city. I think Throtl would be a more useful 
locale. A person could be going anywhere from that goblin-infested hole, particularly if that person was really a 
silver dragon."
With that, both Migel and Rika began to laugh in the most malicious manner. I was quite taken aback and 
must have gasped out loud, for my husband rushed to the library door and threw it open, catching me in the 
bright light of the reading lamps.
"How long were you standing here?" he demanded, holding me firmly by the wrist. "How much did you 
hear?"
"Enough to know that you are a detestable villain." I'd never spoken to Migel in such a tone. He released his 
grip on my arm. "Enough so that when I share it with Gilthanas, he will see you for the liar that you are. He will 
leave Kalaman as quickly as he can, and you will be left to explain why."
My husband smiled cruelly at me.
"And what happens then?" He turned and strolled casually back to his seat at the desk. "When Gilthanas 
leaves what will happen to our city? Do you think the market will remain open without our great governor here 
to instill the simple folk with confidence? Of course not. Kalaman will plunge immediately back into the dark 
and frightened times we faced until six months ago. Gilthanas is the only one holding this renaissance 
together."
"What of it?" I asked. "He owes us nothing. Rather, it is we who owe everything to Gilthanas. Is this how we 
show our thanks? By lying to him about his one true love? By making a mockery of the only thing that matters 
to him?"
"All we are doing, my dear wife, is creating hope in his breast so that he will remain patient while we find his 
love. It does no one any good to have our much beloved governor running off to chase shadows and rumors 
across the country-side. No, all we are doing is giving him faith that he and Silvara will one day be reunited. As 
long as they end up together, does it really matter that Gilthanas's faith is placed in a lie?"
I couldn't tell right from wrong anymore. Damn Migel and his artful words.
"Is it kinder to keep Gilthanas in Kalaman, where he can ease the suffering f the entire population, than to 
let him run hither and yon on a search that might never end?"
I could not answer.
"I suggest you think about that, my dear, before you condemn both the governor and the entire city to what 
is likely to be decades more of darkness and confusion."
So I held my tongue when Gilthanas and I met. And though I still cannot answer whether telling him the 
truth is the correct course of action, I'm not certain how long I can perpetuate Migel's half-truths.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-29, 周一 23:52:36
米格尔爵士笔记

24sc,溪绿之月(Brookgreen,三月-译注)28日——

我周围全是一群蠢才!关于西悠瓦拉可能在的地方,水手们告诉吉尔赛那斯的流言已经够多了,我那群不称职的手下还在给他胡编乱造。我发誓,要不是想起能找到的任何代替人选都比他还笨一倍,我早已当场要了利卡的命。

今天早晨,我发现我那傻瓜书记官正在给执政官讲啸海岛上一条保护金月和她的秘术师们的银龙的荒谬故事。幸亏故事里的那条龙是雄的,吉尔赛那斯并没有多加留意。

让事情变得更糟的是,我的一名骑手今天回到了卡拉曼。过去的六个月里,他和其他骑手一同住在奥默(Ohme),穷奢极欲,旦暮宴饮。看来他们比预期更快地花空了我提供的钱袋。不过这些天府库币帑颇有盈余,所以这并不是问题。

问题是,那个部下回来的消息已经传到了他那里。吉尔赛那斯已经提出和这名骑手会面的要求,我所能做的就是以那个人需要时间休整为由,说服他推迟期限。整个下午,直到现在,我都在教那个兔崽子该说些什么——尤其是我们已经对执政官撒了哪些谎,还有针对他特定的问题该如何作答。我只能祈祷这天真的家伙别被眼前的“人民英雄”吓垮。(要是早知道这头衔有多麻烦,我绝不会提出它。如今的吉尔赛那斯对平民而言似乎具有某种堪称神秘的力量——他们在他跟前连话都说不利落,更遑论思考了。)

更加糟糕的是,这名骑手带回了执政官那位龙姑娘的目击者的消息。很显然,有人曾看到西悠瓦拉在阿斯提瓦山脉(Astivar Mountains)的某座高峰周围飞翔。骑手说那个地方被称为流云之巅(Peak of Clouds),传说那里住着一位睿智而慈爱的鹰羽人(kyrie)隐士。我丝毫不关心那儿是不是真有这么个鸟人。可是我必须阻止吉尔赛那斯听到这个传闻。
 
卡拉曼正处在一个关键时期。如果我们的贸易出口额能以每周四艘船的速度增长,我们就可以在滨海区再建一座码头。而这一举措又将为港口吸引更多的商船。我对这座城市的一切构想的实现几乎触手可及。我不能允许执政官那罗曼蒂克的兴趣危及卡拉曼的未来——我的未来!

Sir Migel's Journal
28th day of Brookgreen, 24sc—I am surrounded by buffoons! Sailors already provide Gilthanas with too 
many rumors of places Silvara may be without my own incompetent staff presenting him with ones of their own 
creation. I swear, I would kill Rika this very instant if I did not think that any replacement I found would be twice 
as inept.
This morning, I found my fool clerk regaling the governor with a preposterous tale about a silver dragon 
protecting Goldmoon and her mystics on the Isle of Schallsea. Thankfully, the dragon in the story was a male, 
and so Gilthanas paid it no heed.
To make matters worse, one of my riders returned to Kalaman today. He and the others have been living 
high on the hog in Ohme for the past six months, toasting every sunrise and sunset. It seems they have run 
through the satchel of steel I gave them quicker than anticipated. There are coins to spare in the treasury these 
days, so that is no obstacle.
My problem is that word has gotten about that my man has arrived. Gilthanas already has demanded an 
audience with the rider, and it was all I could do to convince him to delay until the man had time to rest. Now I 
have spent the entire afternoon coaching the sod on what to say—exactly which lies we have told the governor 
and what specific answers to give to specific questions. I can only pray this simple man does not fall to pieces 
in the presence of "the hero of the people." (If I had known how troublesome that title would be, I'd never have 
suggested it. Gilthanas now seems to have an almost arcane power over the common folk—they can hardly 
speak clearly in his presence, let alone think.)
To make matters worse, the rider brings with him news of a sighting of the governor's dragon maid. 
Apparently, Silvara has been seen flying around a particular spire in the Astivar Mountains. The rider says the 
place is called the Peak of Clouds, and legend tells that it is home to a wise and benevolent kyrie hermit. 
Whether or not such a bird-man lives there does not concern me at all. However, it is imperative Gilthanas not 
find out about this rumor.
Matters here in Kalaman are at a critical juncture. If we can increase outgoing trade by another four ships a 
week, we can add another pier to our waterfront. And that will in turn bring more merchant ships to the harbor. 
We stand at the verge of fulfilling all my dreams for our city. I cannot allow the governor's romantic interests to 
jeopardize Kalaman's future—my future!
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-30, 周二 14:23:53
洁妮塔女士日记

24sc,青绿之月(Yurthgreen,四月-译注)1日——

我是个怯懦无信的女人,我给自己招来的一切耻辱都是应得的报应。在过去的十个月中,我只是不断地在欺骗,欺骗一个在我认识的人之中内心最为高贵,灵魂最为纯洁的男人。我轻信了我的丈夫——那个我明知他寡廉鲜耻的男人,听信了他一旦得到关于西悠瓦拉的确切消息,就会立刻将它转达给执政官吉尔赛那斯的承诺。不知为什么我坚信,倘若必须在个人的舒适与道义上的责任间做出抉择,我家米格尔必定会选择正确的道路。

我多傻啊。

每当我丈夫接待他手下的工作人员时,我都留心刻意站在一段不显眼的距离外。我扮演着一位称职的女主人的角色,假装百无聊赖,漠不关心,可是事实上,我仔仔细细地听着每一个字眼,寻找着欺骗的蛛丝马迹。昨晚,我找到了。

那个烦人的利卡,在比平时多喝了一杯红酒之后,不经意间对上周造访宫廷的那位骑手发了点议论。那马屁精说的意思大概是“他把真相带回了奥默。”

米格尔丢给那马屁精一个凌厉的眼色,吓得利卡一面念叨自己实在是逗留得太晚了,一面走向大门。而我呢,我假装没有注意到什么不对劲,对着利卡消失的身影温柔地说了句晚安,品评着我丈夫书记官的举动是多么的古怪。这似乎令米格尔相当满意,以为利卡的失言逃过了我的耳朵。

第二天,当米格尔在殿上就滨海区建设计划的事向雷切纳领主提出建议时,我再次走进他的书库,并找到了他的私人笔记。天哪,我看到了一堆多么臭不可闻的诡计与谎言呀,而其中最恶劣的一桩,就是关于执政官吉尔赛那斯的。

米格尔觉得这事十分重要,绝不能听天由命,而我也同样这么认为。我毫不怀疑吉尔赛那斯看穿了我丈夫的宫廷政治伎俩,但我担心他还不清楚米格尔骨子里有多么坏——所以,我把那本笔记带到了执政官的住处。

我不大确定吉尔赛那斯会做出什么样的反应。他会丢下本子,迅速打点好行装,用他能想到的最好办法离开这座城市吗?或许他会抄起他的剑,大步流星地杀到会议室,向米格尔报一箭之仇?(我同样不大确定,自己是不是该履行身为妻子的责任,恳求执政官饶恕我丈夫的性命。)

然而,他所做的,却完全出乎我意料之外。

执政官吉尔赛那斯,读完了他的真爱——西悠瓦拉在流云之巅现身的那一段,以最高雅的仪态吻了吻我的手。

“亲爱的洁妮塔,你救了我。卡拉曼的其他人一个劲地把我脑海中的水搅浑,而你却是一股清泉,流淌着真理、光辉与荣誉。我不知要用什么话来感谢你,但我希望这能使你得到些许满足:是你的善良给了我找到心上人的机会。不要让宫中的那群恶棍有机会质疑你的诚实与真挚。”

说完这些,他就离开了。

尽管执政官这么说,但我还是清楚,自己已经成了一个不忠的妻子。我打破了当年米格尔带我走出家庭,进入这个典雅而又愉悦的世界时,教给我的一切行为准则。我再也不配享受这种优渥的生活。

因此,我也收拾起自己的行装,准备离开这座城市。那些缀满珠宝的项链和金耳环,我一件也没有碰。它们都是属于米格尔的,即使在我还不是个淑女的时候,也从来不曾做过贼。不,我只带走了身上的这套衣服(一件棉衬衣和一条花呢裤子,米格尔从来不允许我穿它们)和我祖父的地图。也许我会经过一些他所勾勒的道路——假如它们仍然通畅的话。

我把这本日记,还有米格尔的笔记,一起留给了集市上我认识的一位书商。我担心我的丈夫说得对,失去了吉尔赛那斯,卡拉曼将重新回到那段在暮色中瑟瑟发抖,担忧有什么潜伏在阴影之中的时光。如果这就是这座城市的未来,那就让它发生吧。市民们不能依赖几位闪耀的英雄来驱除他们生命中的黑暗。我开始怀疑,大部分的英雄或许都更像是米格尔,而不是吉尔赛那斯。越是给予他们凌驾于我们生命之上的权利,在逐渐汇聚的黑暗之中,我们真正值得恐惧的事情也就越多。

Lady Jennetta's Diary
1 Yurthgreen 24sc—I am a cowardly, faithless woman, and I deserve all the shame I've brought upon 
myself. For the past ten months, I have done nothing but lie to a man with a heart as noble and a spirit as pure 
as any I've ever encountered. I believed my husband, a man I know to be of scandalous honor, and accepted 
his word that when actual news of Silvara arrived, he would pass it immediately on to Governor Gilthanas. 
Somehow, I trusted that when a choice was to be made between personal comfort and moral responsibility, 
my own Migel would choose the righteous path.
What a fool I am.
I have made a point of staying within a discreet distance of my husband whenever he entertains members 
of his staff. Oh, I played the dutiful hostess and feigned bored disinterest, but in truth, I listened carefully to 
every word searching for some hint of deception. That hint came last night.
The tedious Rika, after one glass of wine more than his usual limit, made a passing comment about the 
rider who visited th palace last week. That toady said something to the effect of, "He took his truth back to 
Ohme."
Migel cast upon the toady such a withering gaze that Rika immediately commented on how late the evening 
had gotten and showed himself to the door. For my part, I, pretending to notice nothing amiss, bid Rika's 
vanishing form a fond good evening, then commented on how odd my husband's clerk was behaving. This 
seemed to satisfy Migel that Rika's slip of the tongue had eluded me.
The next day, while Migel was in court advising Lord Rychner on the matter of proposed construction along 
the waterfront, I re-entered his library and found his personal journal. Oh, what a fetid tangle of intrigue and lies 
I found therein, the very worst of which was the matter concerning Governor Gilthanas.
Migel finds this matter too important to leave to chance, and so do I. I have no doubt that Gilthanas saw 
through my husband's courtly politics, but I fear he did not know how rotten Migel is at the core—that is, until I 
brought the journal to the governor's quarters.
I was unsure as to how Gilthanas would react. Would he throw down the tome, quickly gather his 
belongings, and leave the city by the most opportune method available? Perhaps he would grab his sword and 
stalk over to the council chambers to exact revenge on Migel. (I was likewise uncertain as to whether or not I 
would perform my wifely duty of begging the governor to spare my husband's life.)
What he did, however, took me completely by surprise.
Governor Gilthanas, upon reading that his own true love, Silvara, had been spotted at the Peak of Clouds, 
kissed my hand in a most elegant manner.
"Dear Jennetta, you have saved me. While others in Kalaman only muddied the waters of my mind, you 
have been a spring of truth, light, and honor. I have not the words to thank you, but I hope that you will find 
some measure of satisfaction that it was your kindness that allowed me to find my heart. Do not let the 
scoundrels in this palace ever question your integrity or sincerity."
And with that, he was gone.
Despite the governor's words, though, I know that I have been an unfaithful wife. I've broken every rule of 
conduct Migel taught me when he took me from my family and brought me into this world of courtly delight. I no 
longer deserve this life of privilege.
And so I too have packed my belongings and prepare to leave the city. I've not touched one of the 
jewel-encrusted necklaces or golden earrings. Those belong to Migel, and even before I was a lady, I was 
never a thief. No, I take only the clothes on my back (a cotton shirt and tweed trousers that Migel never allowed 
me to wear) and my grandfather's maps. Perhaps I'll walk some of the roads he sketched, presuming they're 
still passable.
This diary, as well as Migel's journal, I will leave with a bookseller I know in the market. I fear my husband 
was right when he said that without Gilthanas, Kalaman will return to the days of cowering in the twilight, 
fearing what may lurk in the shadows. If that is the city's future, so be it. The citizens cannot rely on some 
shining hero to banish the darkness from their lives. Most heroes, I've come to suspect, are more like Migel 
than Gilthanas. And the more power we give them over our lives, the more there truly is to fear in the gathering 
darkness.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-31, 周三 11:20:15
流云之巅,25sc

“现在,我们来学习石元素的应用……那是我们的下一课……至少我觉得应该是……难道不是吗?总之不管怎样,这种形式的魔法叫什么来着?”

“地系?(geomancy)”吉尔赛那斯好心地回答,就像每一次老师神游天外时他所做的那样。

“正是!”奇拉克(Keelak)点着他那满复羽毛的头,整个身子以瘦骨嶙峋的腿为支点前后摆动着。

鹰羽人鼓起胸膛,抻直了身子:“我想我已经把你教得挺不错了。”

“那是自然,”吉尔赛那斯答道,“您教给我的每一课,我不是都彻底吸收了吗?”

“我还记得你当初刚爬上这儿的时候——那是二十年前的事了——我们一开始学的是大气系(aeromancy)的课程。你把大部分时间都费在学会一道——不过能吹起一小阵风的咒语上。”

吉尔赛那斯尴尬地清了清嗓子。“事实上,从我第一次爬上您的山峰到现在,只不过刚过了一年多点儿。”王子忍无可忍地纠正道。的确,他对那位导师大多数的小小妄想都早有心理准备,可是他没法容忍自己被记成一个傻瓜。

即使,当他初次着手学习这种新魔法时,还像个试图在汹涌的激流中游泳的婴儿般无计可施。

他回想起自己来到流云之巅的时候……那座陡峭的,攀无可攀的高峰,巍然屹立在阿斯提瓦山脉群峦叠嶂的心脏地带,屹立在他眼前。他用了两周时间在山脚附近找到隐蔽的通道,但甚至连那也并非通往山顶的捷径。寒冷而黑暗的密道,在山体内部回廊与竖井组成的迷宫中穿行。他徘徊了许多天,只为找出一条通往高处的道路。

那儿住着矮人,他几度与那些山脉居民紧张对峙。他得知他们是山脉内部的行家,却极少留意通往上方的路线——对峰顶地表的情形则一无所知。最终他们还是许可他通过此处。

最后他终于抵达了这云雾缭绕的峰顶。奇拉克迎接了他,就像早就等着他似的——后来,精灵才发现,这稀里糊涂的鹰羽人只不过是把吉尔赛那斯当成了他脑海中一系列课程的讲授对象。

在他那时不时就像这峰顶一样云山雾罩的意识中,却隐藏着光辉灿烂的直感,还有对凡人之年代的到来给这世界带来的变化的本能认知。奇拉克渴望分享这些知识,因此,他要求吉尔赛那斯成为他的学生。

起初,精灵流浪者一口回绝,他只想问出这位鹰羽人老先生所知关于西悠瓦拉的消息,然后就继续踏上旅途。对方透露,他的确认识西悠瓦拉,她已经离开了这里,并且告诉过鹰羽人自己的目的地。但是,尽管奇拉克老态龙钟,在谈判桌上却相当精明。他们达成了一桩协议:只有在吉尔赛那斯接受他的教学,对这种新魔法有了足够的了解,掌握了三个学派的法术之后,他才会提供那些信息。

如今,十三个月过去了,吉尔赛那斯心悦诚服地承认,这位鹰羽人的确是教育的行家里手。尽管他很可能不记得自己早饭吃了什么,但他似乎深谙将岩石与大气、火与水和凡人内心潜藏的能量相链接的方法。他为精灵演示了如何驾驭那些力量,以及如何以一种十分类似旧魔法的方式来使用这种能量。

在这段时间内,吉尔赛那斯眼中四周的世界仿佛缩小了。这座流云之巅恰如其名,十天有九天都包裹在厚重的浓云里,鹰羽人与精灵如同身处高墙环绕的房屋中一般。他们在山顶一块平坦的高原——一块和大型游乐场差不多大的圆形高地——上学习和生活。一条狭窄的通道由此下行,通往一系列岩洞,他们俩可以在那儿躲避罕见的恶劣气候。不过大部分时候,吉尔赛那斯和奇拉克都住在露天。

在极少的几天里,流云被风吹散,显露出阿斯提瓦山脉的全貌,这道炫目的风景线,吉尔赛那斯百看不厌。山脉绿意盎然,被水与生灵点缀得生机勃勃,往往还装饰着几卷轻雾,笼罩在低矮的谷地上。

然而,东面与西面的景象却更为恐怖。朝着太阳升起的方向,他可以望见远处名为墨莱克斯的黑龙霸主支配下的腥臭沼泽。有几次精灵还看到了他怪异的身形,像一枚不成比例的巨大阴影,或掠过他国度的上空,或在一口浅塘中翻滚腾跃。 而另一个方向上则密布着杂乱而繁茂的森林,那是隐居其中的巨龙罗瑞那扩大地貌的成果。他从未见过那片国度的绿龙主人,但奇拉克对他保证,那条巨蛇的确存在,并且是位冷酷无情的霸主。

尽管这位鹰羽人的生活相当简朴,但对精灵王子而言,那段日子舒适又愉快。他感到运用心智的挑战是个令人振奋的过程,同时也在学习使用新魔法的过程中展现出了出色的技巧。他学会了将空气塑造成各种形状,唤来——或平息——一阵风,甚至仅仅通过集中精力就能施展法术或是获取信息。他已经掌握了三个学派的法术——预言系(divination),惑控系(enchantment)和大气系——但近来,他变得越来越焦躁不安,他明白,很快就要到提醒鹰羽人履行约定的时候了。

就在吉尔赛那斯努力说服奇拉克他事实上真的只在这里待了一年多一点儿的时候,一股外来的力量推动了这个契机。

第一位黑衣人忽地在高地边缘现身,惊得吉尔赛那斯呆立当场。另外两位蒙面的入侵者旋即杀入视野,第一位则猛然加速横越高地而来。他们全都严密包裹在一袭活动自如的宽松黑衣中。每个人的一只手都挥舞着一柄长剑,另一只手则握着一把短小的匕首。

幸运的是,吉尔赛那斯一直保持着在这类无掩蔽的场所佩剑的习惯。他抽出武器,飞快地格开了对手的一记斩击。一双冰冷的黑眼睛透过面罩的缝隙盯着他,然后神秘的袭击者撤转身形,用同样的手势,向吉尔赛那斯的心脏直射出一把锋锐的匕首。

钢剑过处,小刀当啷落地——这下精灵明白了他们的战术,他辨出这些入侵者都是训练有素的刺客,和在卡拉曼袭击他的那群人一样。他们是什么人,是谁派他们来的?——此刻只好先把这些疑惑搁在一旁。他抛却一切怜悯,前冲一步,一剑穿透飞刀者的胸口。

但另外两名刺客也飞奔而来。奇拉克拍打着精瘦的,长满羽毛的双臂跳上前,尖叫着命令刺客停手。吉尔赛那斯不禁呻吟出声,他看到一个家伙对温和的鹰羽人面门和胸口各劈了一剑。奇拉克跌倒在地。

另一个袭击者兜着圈接近,被精灵放翻。但吉尔赛那斯的这一记猛攻却让自己门户大开,他骤然倒退几步,感到面颊上窜过一阵火辣辣的疼痛。

他被砍中了!他的第一个念头是自己丢了一只眼睛,他的视野在一片血红中摇曳。然而,他的攻击依然准确无误,最后一名刺客也血溅冰冷的石峰之巅。吉尔赛那斯抬起一只手拍拍脸,他触到了流血的伤痕,不过也发现,自己的眼睛安然无恙。

有好一阵子,吉尔赛那斯跪在重伤的奇拉克身边。精灵看着那深深的伤口,看着不断涌流而出,汇成了好大一滩的鲜血,恐惧得浑身颤抖。他以为那位鹰羽人已经死了,但那张受伤的脸抽搐了一下,一只眼睛微微睁开了。

“你是个好学生……”那垂死的生物嘶声说,“你有资格找到你的真爱……你的银之心。去那群侏儒们中间找她吧……去海边,他们的高塔……”

然后,鹰羽人再无声息。

The Peak of Clouds, 25sc
 
"Now, working with the element of rock ... that's the next lesson... at least I think it is ... isn't it? What is that 
form of magic called, anyway?"
"Geomancy?" Gilthanas answered helpfully, as he always did when his teacher's mind wandered.
"Precisely!" Keelak nodded his feathered head, bobbing his full body forward and back on his skinny legs. 
The kyrie puffed out his chest and stretched tall. "I see that I have taught you well."
"Of course you have," Gilthanas replied. "Have I not absorbed every lesson you have imparted to me?"
"I remember when you first climbed up here—twenty years ago, it was—and we started with lessons on 
aeromancy. It took you mos of that time just to learn a spell that would move a little gust of wind."
Gilthanas cleared his throat in embarrassment, then spoke. "Actually, it was only a little more than a year 
ago when I first climbed to your peak." The prince couldn't help but make the correction. Certainly he was 
prepared for most of his pedagogue's little imaginings, but he would not allow himself to be remembered as a 
fool.
Even if, when he had first started his studies of the new magic, he had been as helpless as a babe trying to 
swim up a raging stream.
He recalled his arrival here at the Peak of Clouds ... of the sheer, obviously unclimbable mountain that had 
risen before him from the tangled heart of the Astivar Mountains. It had taken him two weeks to find the hidden 
passage near the base of the mountain, and even that had not been an easy route to the summit. Chilly and 
lightless, the secret way had wound through a maze of corridors and ascending shafts within the massif. He 
had wandered for many days, seeking only to work his way upward.
Dwarves lived there, and he had spent tense moments in a confrontation with the mountain dwellers. He 
learned that they were masters of the undermountain, but cared little for the upper reaches—and nothing at all 
for the exterior of the summit. At length they had given him leave to pass.
And finally he had emerged here, on the cloud-wrapped summit. Keelak had greeted him as though he had 
been expecting him—later, the elf realized that the absent-minded kyrie had simply thought that he recognized 
Gilthanas from a series of lessons he'd been conducting in his mind.
But within that mind, which sometimes seemed as fog-shrouded as the mountaintop, there lurked a brilliant 
sense of intuition and an instinctive understanding of the changes that had been wrought in the world with the 
arrival of the Age of Mortals. Keelak had longed to share this knowledge, and so he had demanded that 
Gilthanas become his pupil.
At first the elven wanderer had refused, intending only to learn what the ancient kyrie knew of Silvara before 
continuing on his way. The creature revealed that he had in fact known Silvara and that she had departed from 
here for a destination she had made known to the kyrie. But Keelak, despite his apparent senility, had been 
shrewd enough to negotiate a deal: Only after Gilthanas studied his teachings, and learned enough of the new 
magic to master three schools of sorcery would he impart this information.
Now, thirteen months later, Gilthanas willingly admitted that the kyrie had proven to be an adept teacher. 
While he might not have remembered what he ate for breakfast, he seemed to understand the way that stone 
and air, fire and water were linked to the powers lurking within a mortal heart. He had shown the elf how to 
harness those forces and use the power in a way that was much like the magic of old.
During that time, it seemed to Gilthanas as though the world had shrunk around him. Nine days out of ten 
the aptly named Peak of Clouds was encased in murk so thick that the kyrie and the elf might have been 
enclosed in a walled room. They conducted their studies and their lives on the flat plateau of the 
mountaintop—a circle the size of a large playing field. A narrow passageway descended to a series of caverns 
where the two sought refuge during the rare intervals of bad weather, but for the most part Gilthanas and 
Keelak had lived outside.
On the rare days when the clouds blew away and the extent of the Astivar Mountains was revealed as a 
dazzling vista, Gilthanas never tired of drinking in the view. The mountain range was green and lush, vibrant 
with water and life, and often draped with decorative tendrils of mist that swathed the lower valleys.
To east and west were more dire panoramas, however. In the direction of the rising sun he could see as far 
as the fetid swamp of the black dragon overlord called Mohrlex. Several times the elf had seen that monstrous 
form, like a great shadow of impossible proportions, sweep throug the sky over his realm, or wallow and 
cavort in one of the shallow ponds. In the other direction lay the sprawling, thick forest enhanced for the 
reclusive dragon, Lorrinar. He had never observed the great green master of that realm, but Keelak assured 
him that the serpent existed and that he was a ruthless overlord.
Though the kyrie lived simply, these were days of comfort and pleasure for the elven prince. He found the 
challenge of using his mind a refreshing process, and he showed a remarkable adeptness in learning the ways 
of the new magic. He could mold air into a variety of shapes, call up—or tame—the wind, and even weave 
spells or gain information merely by concentrating his efforts. He had mastered three schools—divination, 
enchantment, and aeromancy—but lately he had been growing restless, and he knew that soon it would be 
time to ask the kyrie to fulfill his end of the bargain.
That chance was propelled by outside circumstances, as Gilthanas was attempting to convince Keelak that 
he had, in fact, only been here for little more than year.
The first of the black-clad figures appeared on their plateau with a suddenness that froze Gilthanas in place. 
Two more of the masked intruders quickly popped into view, while the first launched himself across the 
mountaintop with a rush. All were fully concealed but wore loose clothes that gave them freedom of movement. 
Each wielded a longsword in one hand and a short, narrow dagger in the other.
Fortunately, Gilthanas had never abandoned the habit of wearing his sword when he was thus exposed. He 
drew the weapon and met the other's slashing attack with a quick parry. Cold, dark eyes glared at him through 
a slit in the mask, and then the mysterious attacker spun away and, in the same gesture, threw a sharp dagger 
straight at Gilthanas's heart.
The steel sword whipped past and the knife clattered away—and now the elf knew the tactics, recognized 
that these intruders were trained assassins similar to the ones that had attacked him in Kalaman. Who they 
were and who had sent them were questions he forced aside for the moment. Abandoning any thought of 
mercy, he charged and stabbed the knife-thrower through the chest.
But the other two were rushing forward. His gangly, feathered arms flapping, Keelak hopped forward, 
screeching at the assassins to halt. Gilthanas groaned as one of the figures slashed the gentle kyrie across his 
face and chest. Keelak tumbled to the ground.
Another attacker whirled closer, and the elf struck him down. But his own thrust left him vulnerable, and he 
recoiled suddenly with a sensation of burning pain across his cheek.
He was cut! His first thought was that he had lost an eye, and his vision swam with red. He struck unerringly, 
however, and the last of the assassins bled his life onto the stone cold mountaintop. Gilthanas clapped a hand 
to his face, feeling the bloody cut, but finding that his eye remained whole.
In moments Gilthanas was kneeling beside the stricken Keelak. The elf shuddered in horror as he saw the 
deep gash and the blood welling into a wide pool. He thought that the kyrie was already dead, but then the 
wounded face twitched and one eye cracking open.
"Good pupil, you were ..." croaked the dying creature. "You deserve your True Heart ... your silver one. 
Seek her among the gnomes ... in their tower by the sea ..."
And the kyrie said no more.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-31, 周三 18:47:45
弹指一瞬:刺客之路

一名专家级剑客,手执一柄打造精良的锋锐兵刃,甚至可以在划开血肉之际令对方毫无觉察——直到鲜血从肌肤中喷涌而出。而我向吉尔赛那斯——我平生所见的第一位精灵——挥出的,也正是这样的一击。

但,我做到了吗?

我们双双扑向对方,双双在千钧一发之际化解了对方的攻势,手中长剑铮鸣。我们双双维持住平衡,双双迅疾退开,然后挥剑冲上前去。

但,我击中他了吗?

在一瞬之后,头脑才会注意到身躯正在死去。而有些瞬间,将持续永恒。

A Moment in Time: The Assassin's Path
 
A sharp, well-forged blade in the hands of an expert swordsman can cut the flesh without the person feeling 
anything—until the blood starts spilling over the skin. It was just such a blow I struck against Gilthanas, the first 
elf I had ever met.
Or did I?
We had lunged at each other, each of us deflecting each other's blow at the last moment, our swords 
ringing. We both kept our balance and whirled away from each other, slashing as we went.
But did I strike him?
It would take a moment for the brain to realize the body was dying. And some moments can last forever.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-07-31, 周三 19:15:46
一路走来,25sc

有些日子像许多年那样漫长。我与一位自称“潜行者”(Stalker)的白发女精灵一同旅行的时候,就有这样度日如年的感觉。我绝少看见她的脸——她总是将斗篷的兜帽拉得低低的,就像我故乡艾莲的使者所做的那样。她也像使者一样把自己裹在层层叠叠的衣裳中,令她的性别与种族都像是一个谜——同时掩藏着她一排排淬毒的刀刃——只有最敏锐的观察者才能发现。她在模仿语音上颇有天赋,使得初次共事的人更难于判断她的性别。直到我们旅行的第二天夜里,她脱得赤条条地尽力诱惑我,我才确信她是名女性。

我与潜行者同行,是在落到那条统治安塞隆西北部沙地的强大蓝龙——凯蓝卓斯(Khellendros)手里之后的事。在帕兰萨斯,我向拘捕我的黑暗骑士们解释说自己是那条红龙麾下的一名艾莲密探,然后他们把我带到了距城市不远的一座岩洞里。在那里,我见到了那位可畏的王者。这是我平生第一次站在一条龙的面前,萦绕在他周围的威胁感与恐怖感是如此强大,我用了全副力量自控才没有在他开口前就转身逃离。

凯蓝卓斯开了口,他低沉的声线惊人地浑厚,有种宽慰人心的力量,完全不是我想象中那种爬虫类的嘶嘶声。而且,他的艾莲语说得就像我们岛国的任何一位本地人一样完美。他说他同样对吉尔赛那斯感兴趣;他对银龙不甚关心,却想把那位精灵抓来关押在他的地牢里。当我重申我和弟兄们的使命是诛杀吉尔赛那斯之后,凯蓝卓斯问道:“对玛烈赤斯而言,吉尔赛那斯是被杀死还是被囚禁真的重要吗?”

我回答他说大概不重要。使者关心的重点似乎是那条银龙。一旦我们遇见那条银龙,无疑必须杀死她。在我们等待吉尔赛那斯走出那条魔法通路的那些年里,使者已经把这一点说得很清楚了。

龙答道:“而我所关心的主要是:吉尔赛那斯和他的老战友们在半个世纪前给我造成了许多麻烦。我不想看到这些麻烦再度出现,因此我希望将他无力化——他并不像其他人那样年老体衰。假如黄金将军不是这样专注于她的祖国无暇他顾,我也会采取同样的手段来整治她。”

我指出,如果吉尔赛那斯死了,他就永远不会制造事端。尽管龙同意我的确提出了一个有力的论点,但他还是询问我是否信任他与吉尔赛那斯打交道的经验,以及是否信任他——同时指代精灵与龙——那得益于漫长寿命的智慧。“我们都远比你毕生所可能达到的还更为睿智,更为诡谲,索罗武,尽管事实上你已经相当聪明了。”

我们就这个问题进一步探讨并最终达成了共识:把吉尔赛那斯囚禁在凯蓝卓斯的地牢里,因为这个选项和杀死他毫无区别。但是,我向他明确表示,我并不擅长花言巧语,在活捉敌人的方面也没多少天赋。巨龙对我露出獠牙,我想这是他们一族微笑的方式,他说:“我猜也是这样。因此我已经为你挑选了一位同伴。”

潜行者披着她那层层叠叠的斗篷,从洞穴最幽深的暗影里款步而出。她不会说艾莲语,而是说精灵语和索兰尼亚语——在至高导师的帮助下,我已经在一定程度上掌握了这两种语言。

“假如你觉得自己不可能活捉吉尔赛那斯,”凯蓝卓斯说,“那么,潜行者做得到。我麾下再没有谁比潜行者更善于引诱猎物进入陷阱……尽管有时候,她布的陷阱太多了些。”

“但它们很有效果。”兜帽的阴影中发出柔和的声音。

凯蓝卓斯得到的一份报告显示,吉尔赛那斯身在卡拉曼。当我提到有几名弟兄已经赶去那个地方时,他说吉尔赛那斯得到了当地领主的支持,我的大师伙伴们已在同宫廷侍卫们的战斗中遇难。他重申,我们有必要制定更为详尽的战术,就如潜行者一直以来所做的那样。我认为他的话十分明智,便接受了潜行者这个临时的同伴。

如果说有谁阐释了为何女人不该成为战士的话,那就是潜行者。对于男性和整个社会而言,女性的天职是生儿育女,令他们得以有后人传承血脉、复诵父辈的功业——但我所说的并不是这个问题,她们的行动实在是太任性,太自我中心了。首先,在我们同行的第二天晚上,我拒绝了她并且解释说我对内人十分专一的时候,她笑话我居然白白放弃到嘴的肥肉。“生活应该多点乐趣,”她说,“况且,女人可不只是你们男人的生育工具。如果你肯睁开眼看看真实的世界,就会发现我们做的贡献比生儿育女要大得多。”

在旅途中,她的行为甚至变得比刚出发时还要讨厌。她会留心指出那些佩着武器的女性,有时还力劝我去和她们争斗。我总是拒不应战。没有哪个女人值得我用专家级的作战技术去对付她。潜行者总是耸耸肩,说我终究会败在自己的“妄自尊大,恃勇轻敌”上,说我的“盲目”会让我早死。

每当我们奢侈一把住进旅店里,她总会找个魅力四射的伴侣,把我独个儿撇下。我总是坐在公共休息室的炉火前,盯着舞动的火苗,想着家,或是任务的事。有时我上楼回到自己的单人房,演练着战斗技巧,以阻止自己继续思考我死后会留下些什么。但是,我注意到一件事,每当我们离开旅店时,潜行者的伴侣都谨慎地避免露面。我暗暗感谢他们没有顺应她的“妄自尊大”。

然而有一次在我们露营时,她又出去幽会,这回我的好奇心战胜了我。我蹑手蹑脚地尾随着她和她昨天旅途中搭上的那位伴侣,来到一条小溪边。在那儿,我窥见了潜行者的灵魂究竟堕落得有多深。就在她和伴侣看似双双迷失在激情中的那一刻,她从他们丢在一旁的衣服堆里抽出一把匕首,毫无预警地将它刺入了他的眼睛。接下去的一幕令我退缩了,因为她即使在他死后也没有停止动作。我真心怀疑起那条龙交给我的究竟是一个什么样的怪物啊。

在后来的旅程中,我总是留心观察着潜行者,试图找出她选择猎物是否有一定的模式。我渐渐注意到,她只会杀死那些粗鲁地回应她的接近的人,而其他那些人则只是被洗劫后捆在附近的树上……尽管绳索经常捆得如此粗疏,令我疑心受害者在几个小时内就能凭自己的力量重获自由。我承认,在某种意义上,我认为她这么干对这世界有好处。无法抗拒她的诱惑的脆弱男性,只会繁衍出同样脆弱的后代。

在我向她问起这件事的时候,潜行者的解释是,这些行动都是为了让生活充满“乐趣”,保持情绪高涨。而当我表示不以为然时,她勃然大怒。在共度富有“乐趣”的一夜之后,我不得不承认她是个相当称心的伴侣,她在此后看上去兴高采烈,并且对脑力活动发生了极大的兴趣。她会一连几个小时地拉着我,从哲学层面探讨“乐趣”与“荣誉”,“对”与“错”的定义。

然而所有这些刺激与最后一个相比都算不上什么。我们在许多天前进入了奈罗德,横跨敏加河(Vingaard River ),进入了那片笼罩整个国度的非自然阴影之中。我们一路向东,雨一直下着。道路变作泥浆的溪流,延缓了我们的脚步。

当我们深一脚浅一脚地沿着道路行进时,她开始激进地宣扬她的观点:宰几个男人完全没啥不能接受的,因为这能叫她开心——尤其是在这种沉闷不堪的环境里。尽管我感到一股想要用武器替代言语来争辩这个命题的冲动,但我还是提醒自己——她是那条红龙的一位盟友的属下,并克制住了这股冲动。

Following te Path, 25sc
Some days seem like years. That is how the days felt while I was traveling with a white-haired elf who called 
herself Stalker. I rarely saw her face—she kept the hood of her cloak drawn at all times, much like the 
Emissary did back on Elian. Also like the Emissary, she kept herself wrapped in layers of cloth that kept her 
sex and race ambiguous—and her array of poisoned blades hidden—to all but the keenest of observers. Her 
expert talent at voice mimicry made it even more difficult to discern what sex she was when first dealing with 
her. It wasn't until she disrobed in an effort to seduce me on our second night traveling together that I was even 
certain she was female.
I ended up traveling with Stalker after becoming an unwilling guest of Khellendros, the mighty blue dragon 
who rules the sandy lands of Ansalon's northwest. After explaining to the Dark Knights who detained me in 
Palanthas that I was an Elian agent of the Red, I was taken to a cave not far from the city. Here, I met their 
fearsome master. It was the first time I had been in the presence of a dragon, and it took all my strength of will 
not to just whirl and flee even before he spoke, so strong was the sense of menace and dread that surrounded 
him.
When Khellendros spoke, it was with a deep voice that was surprisingly rich and comforting, not at all the 
hissing, reptilian sound that I would have expected. Further, his Elian was as perfect as that spoken by any 
native of my island. He said that he had an interest in Gilthanas as well; he cared naught for the silver dragon, 
but he wanted the elf captured and imprisoned within his dungeons. When I restated that my mission, and that 
of my brethren, was to slay Gilthanas, Khellendros asked, "Does it matter to Malystryx whether Gilthanas is 
dead or imprisoned?"
I replied that it probably didn't. The Emissary's main concern seemed to be the silver dragon. There was no 
question that we were to slay the silver dragon, should we encounter her. The Emissary had made that clear 
during the years we waited for Gilthanas to emerge from his magical passage.
The dragon responded, "My main concern is that Gilthanas and his old comrades in arms caused me many 
difficulties half a century ago. I do not want to see those difficulties arise again, so I want him 
neutralized—unlike the others, he is not old and feeble. If the Golden General wasn't preoccupied in her 
homeland, I would be taking similar steps to have her dealt with as well."
I pointed out that if he was dead, Gilthanas would never pose a problem again. Although the dragon agreed 
that I made a compelling case, he asked mat I trust in his experience with Gilthanas and in the wisdom of the 
ages that he— both the elf and the dragon—represented. "We are both far wiser and cunning than you could 
ever hope to become Solov, despite the fact that you are highly intelligent."
We discussed the matter further, and we eventually agreed to imprison Gilthanas in Khellendros's 
dungeons since this option was just as good as having him dead. I made it clear, however, that I was not 
skilled at subterfuge nor was I at all talented in taking foes alive. The dragon bared his fangs in what I suppose 
passes for a smile among his kind and said, "I suspected as much. That is why I have chosen to provide you 
with an ally."
Stalker stepped from the deepest shadow in the cave already wrapped in her many cloaks. She did not 
speak Elian, but she spoke the tongue of elves and of the Solamnians—languages I had mastered to some 
extent with the aid of the Superior Master.
"If you find yourself incapable of taking Gilthanas alive," Khellendros said, "Stalker can do so. None in my 
service are as adept as Stalker in directing victims into traps ... even if the traps are somewhat overmuch at 
times."
"But they work," came the soft voice from within the shadows of the hood.
Khellendros had a report that Gilthanas was in Kalaman. When I mentioned that some of my brethren had 
traveled to that region, he stated tha the local lords were supporting Gilthanas and that my fellow Masters had 
been killed in battle with palace guards. He restated the need for more elaborate tactics like those practiced by 
Stalker. I considered the wisdom of his words and took Stalker as my temporary ally.
If anyone demonstrates why women should not be warriors, it is Stalker. Never mind their duty to their men 
and society at large to bear children so that someone can carry on the bloodline and retell the tales of their 
fathers' deeds, but they act entirely too capriciously for their own good. First, after I rejected her on our second 
night together and explained that I was devoted to the woman I had at home, she laughed at me for not taking 
advantages when they were offered to me. "Life's supposed to be fun," she said. "Besides, women are more 
than brood mares for you men. When you start seeing what is truly around you, you'll find that we have a lot 
more to offer than just children."
As we journeyed, her behavior grew even more tiresome than it had been when we started. She would take 
care to point out other women who bore weapons, sometimes urging me to spar with them. I always refused. 
No woman could stand up to my expert combat maneuvers. Stalker always shrugged and said that my 
"overweening pride and ability to underestimate possible foes" would prove to be my downfall or that my 
"blindness" would lead me to an early grave.
When we had the luxury of an inn to stay in, she would often find an engaging companion and leave me to 
my own devices. Usually I sat in front of the common room's fire and watched its dancing flames, thinking of 
home or of the mission. Sometimes I went up to my private room and practiced combat maneuvers in an 
attempt to keep from thinking of what I'd left behind. One thing I noted, though, was that when we left the inn, 
Stalker's companion was discreet enough not to make an appearance. I silently thanked these men for not 
bowing to her own "overweening pride."
During one of her trysts at a campsite, however, curiosity got the best of me. I crept after her and a 
companion who she'd found traveling on the road that day, following them to the edge of a stream, where I 
discovered the depths of depravity that makes up Stalker's soul. As both she and her companion seemed lost 
in the passion of the moment, she grabbed a dagger from their discarded clothing and drove it into his eye 
without warning. I retreated from this scene after that, for she didn't stop with his death. I had to wonder what 
kind of monster the dragon had saddled me with.
As our travels continued, I kept a careful eye on Stalker, trying to determine if she used any pattern to select 
her victims. I came to realize that she killed only the ones who responded crassly to her advances; she merely 
robbed the others and left them tied to a nearby tree ... although the ropes were usually so poorly tied that I 
suspect the victim worked himself free within a few hours. I admit that on one level I feel as though she was 
doing the world a favor. Any man too weak to resist her temptations would probably just spawn another 
weakling.
When I asked her about it, Stalker defined these acts as keeping life "fun" and keeping her spirits high, and 
she became very annoyed when I expressed disapproval. I have to admit that I found her to be a far more 
palatable companion after a night of "fun," as she seemed cheerful after it and would appear quite interested in 
intellectual pursuits. For hours, she would engage me in philosophical discourse about the definitions of "fun" 
and "honor" and "right" and "wrong."
All of these irritations seem like nothing compared to the last one, however. We had entered Nightlund 
several days before, crossing the Vingaard River and moving into the unnatural pall that hung over all of this 
country. It rained steadily as we traveled eastward. The roads turned into streams of mud, slowing our 
progress.
As we trudged along the road, she became very aggressive in her assertion that murderng men was 
perfectly acceptable because it made her happy—especially in these dreary surroundings. Although I felt an 
urge to argue this point with my weapons instead of words, I reminded myself that she was the servant of one 
of the Red's allies and restrained myself.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-01, 周四 20:51:32
我们幸运地在开始感到疲惫时远远望见了一座破败的小旅店。潜行者建议,我们应该在干燥而舒适的环境中度过“夜晚”。“通常来说,干净的床单有助于让我变得快活起来,哪怕这儿的天空永远没有太阳。”

我让潜行者保证如果我们住进那座旅店,她不准杀害任何旅客或员工。她发誓她不会。

这家旅店的名字是“骑士小憩”(A Knight's Rest)。经营它的一家人个个都长着一对大耳朵,看上去就和周围那些阴影笼罩下的植物一样蔫唧唧的。之前来的客人很少,因此我们轻易就订到了房间。

潜行者坚持,我们在收拾好东西并换上干衣服之后,要一同享受一顿体面的大餐。当我们坐在公共休息室,吃着那些对于安塞隆上我所到过的大部分地区而言都相当典型的清淡料理的时候,听见吧台那边飘过来“吉尔赛那斯”这个字眼。我们一齐望向那个方向,看见一位穿着溅满泥浆的靴子与裤子的人类女性。老板娘正把她湿透了的斗篷挂在壁炉旁。那女子从皮挎包里掏出几份地图,把它们摊在吧台上。潜行者站起身来,漫步向她走去,同时摘下自己的兜帽。我跟着她。走着走着,潜行者的姿态似乎变了——就像每一回她打算唬骗一个猎物对她产生信赖的时候那样。我发现,她可以在一瞬之间显着地改变自己的举止和个性。

那女子正指着她的一张地图说:“这条路,还有那条路都已经彻底消失了,威尔(Will)。至于那条嘛……那条也一样,差不多可以从地图上抹掉了。就我所听说的,在这座桥附近有某种行尸(walking dead)的巢穴。”

旅店老板咒骂着:“夹在巨龙,不死生物(undead),还有笼罩在这片土地上方那该死的阴影之间,我们再不会剩下什么旅客了!”

潜行者说:“请原谅我打断两位的谈话,不过我们刚刚听你提到过‘吉尔赛那斯’这个名字。我们恰巧正在寻找一位名叫吉尔赛那斯的精灵王子。在前一个旅店,我们打听到他正居住在卡拉曼。要是你认识他,能告诉我们他是不是还在这座城市吗?”

她怀疑地盯着我们:“你们是他的朋友吗?”

“我这位朋友是吉尔赛那斯从前的冒险伙伴之一。而我呢……呃,许多年前,我钟情于他,而他也同样钟情于我。我们俩对他的情谊至死不变,因此我很自然地——”

“您是西悠瓦拉吗?”那个女子忽然显得很激动。潜行者没有笑,但我毫不怀疑她忍笑忍得很辛苦,她俯身靠向那女子,做了肯定的答复。女子激动得在她的那堆地图上戳起洞来。“噢,没想到,我会同时遇见过您和吉尔赛那斯!小姐,我丈夫待他太不厚道了,他——”

“请不要叫我小姐,”潜行者柔声说,拂开垂落在她眼前的白发,“我们善龙不在意繁文缛节。叫我西悠瓦拉就好。”

“我们竟然在这里相遇,简直要叫我疑心善良诸神终究还是在照应着我们。”

潜行者握住她的双手,直视着她的眼睛,用一种认真的口吻说:“是的,朋友。诸神并未离去。他们只是在考验我们。只要我们始终保持坚强,他们会回来的。”

那之后潜行者又发出一大堆抚慰的呢喃,扯了许多谎,当对话结束时,我们不仅对吉尔赛那斯在卡拉曼一年间的行动了如指掌,还得知了他目的地的消息。并且,为了帮助我们前往流云之巅,她把她唯一一张关于拉许森林周边区域的地图交给了我们。她离开的步伐轻盈得简直飘飘然了。我对潜行者说,她对那可怜的女人太残忍了。

潜行者露齿一笑:“我给了她希望。这怎么能叫残忍呢?”

我说那些全都是谎言。

“那些‘谎言’给了我们需要的东西。”她不耐烦地指出,“快从你的道德制高点上下来,考虑考虑我们下一步该做什么。”她没等我开口就接着说下去,“我正在怀疑,我们听说的那些关于一条银龙往西离开奈罗德的消息或许是真的。如果吉尔赛那斯正在找西悠瓦拉,那她说不定也正在找他,心里盼望着那种傻里傻气,浓情蜜意,脑子正常的人看了能吐出来的破镜重圆。这女人相信吉尔赛那斯正在向东走,我觉得她搞错了。归根结底,他可是从东边来的。”

我指出她的逻辑有问题,他乘船抵达后可能在海岸线的任何一点上登陆,因此他的行进方向根本是个谜。她怒视着我说:“我不相信逻辑。逻辑没给我带来过任何好处。我觉得我们就是应该往西走。”

我说我不打算折回我们刚刚来的方向。

“你想啊,就算吉尔赛那斯还在这块地方吧,我们回到西边去,就能提前给他布个漂亮的,靠近凯蓝卓斯大本营的陷阱。这一路上,我可以放出一系列风声,让他觉得西悠瓦拉走的是这条路……毕竟,刚刚我不费吹灰之力就让那个蠢女人相信我是西悠瓦拉,想象一下,如果我下功夫刻意模仿她呢?我能把他直接诱进我们的手掌心!”

我告诉她,我不认为她如此喜欢的这种猫抓老鼠的游戏在抓捕一个像吉尔赛那斯这样的人的时候能派上用场。我说我比较希望用一种有尊严的方式正面迎战他,然后给他个选择的机会——是向她投降,还是被我杀死。

“这有什么乐趣?”她问,“你没法从玩弄猎物中得到一点儿快感吗?要是你问我,这可是我一半的乐趣所在……引诱你的猎物走向你,然后再让他们‘逃脱’,假如他们还有时间这么做的话。”

“不,”我答道,“这不是我们的行事方式。位阶大师们会用最迅速,最简洁的方式杀死目标。死亡不是什么游戏。”

“一切都是游戏,我过分认真的朋友哟。要是你不学着玩儿,总有一天会后悔自己错过了那么多乐趣。”她长叹一声,“你懂得,我感觉我开始意识到我们俩并不真的是对好搭档。或许我们的两位上司有共同利益,可是我们在一块儿合不来。我们为什么不试试这种法子呢:我假设那女人搞错了,我往西走;而你往东穿过那条绿龙的领地,去看看他是不是真的去找那座魔山了。”

我指出在我一旦找到吉尔赛那斯的情况下,协助抓捕他是她的职责。我还指出假如她先找到他,也应当和我一块儿动手。

“对啊,对啊,对啊,”她说。她在她的许多层衣裳间摸索着。她拽出一枚镶着一块亮红色宝石的金戒指,把它丢在桌上。戒指丁零当啷地滚过桌面,我双手接住了它。“这枚戒指和另一枚是一套的。我们可以利用它们召唤对方。你戴一个,我戴另一个。我们中谁先找到吉尔赛那斯,就摩擦一下宝石。另一块石头会变成亮蓝色。然后他或她,一拧这块石头,就会被传送到对方所知晓的吉尔赛那斯的所在地附近。我们俩所要做的就是集中精力找到他……接着收到信号的一方就会出现在发信号的一方指定的地点!”

她没法进一步解释这对戒指生效的原理——“这是魔法!你指望我告诉你什么?!”——于是我拿了那枚戒指,我们就此分道扬镳。

至少我摆脱了她。我相信,即使第一个发现吉尔赛那斯的是她,她的荣誉感也足以让她通过戒指联络我。同样我也相信,她的荣誉感足以保证她不会背叛我,给我一个受诅咒的魔法物品。我相信,我们服务于两位彼此结盟的王者这件事足以让她的疯狂有所收敛。

我将在一瞬之间赶到现场,然后,我们的任务将告终结。

As we started to get tired, we were lucky enough to come within view of a run-down inn. Stalker suggested 
that we spend the "night" in dry and comfortable surroundings. "Clean sheets will go a long way to making me 
more cheerful about life in general, even if there's never a sun in the sky around here."
I made Stalker promise that if we stayed at the inn, she would not kill any of the other patrons or staff. She 
swore that she wouldn't.
The name of the inn was "A Knight's Rest." It was run by a family who all had big ears and looked as sickly 
as the vegetation of the shadow-drenched landscape around us. Few guests had arrived, so securing rooms 
was easy.
Stalker insisted that we enjoy a decent meal together after stowing our gear and changing into dry clothes. 
While we sat in the common room eating the bland food that I had found typical of most regions I'd visited 
across Ansalon, the word "Gilthanas" drifted toward us from the bar-counter. We looked in that direction as 
one and saw a human woman in mud-spattered boots and trousers. The innkeeper's wife was hanging her 
sodden cloak next to the fireplace, while the woman pulled maps from a leather satchel and opened them on 
the counter. Stalker rose to her feet and sauntered toward her, pulling back her hood. I followed. As Stalker 
walked, her posture seemed to change—as it always did when she was about to fool a victim into trusting her. 
I found the way she could change her bearing and personality in the space of a moment remarkable.
The woman pointed to one of her maps, saying, "This road and that road are wiped out, Will. And that one ... 
that one you can pretty much write off as well. From what I've heard, there's some sort of nest of walking dead 
near the bridge."
The innkeeper cursed. "Between the dragons, the undead, and the damn shadow that's been hanging over 
the land, there's not going to be any travelers left anymore!"
Stalker said, "Pardon me for interrupting, but we overheard you mention the name 'Gilthanas.' We happen 
to be looking for an elf-prince named Gilthanas. We were led to believe at the last inn that he is currently 
residing in Kalaman. If you know of him, can you tell us whether he is still in the city?"
She regarded us with suspicion. "Are you friends of his?"
"My friend here is a former adventuring companion of Gilthanas's. And me . .. well, many years ago, I gave 
my heart to him, and he gave me his. We'd given him up for dead, so naturally I—"
"Are you Silvara?" The woman suddenly looked very excited. Stalker didn't laugh, but I have no doubt that 
she was having a difficult time containing herself when she leaned closer to the woman and answered in the 
affirmative. The woman started to excitedly dig through her maps. "Oh, to think I would meet both you and 
Gilthanas! My husband treated him most ill, your ladyship, he—"
"Please," Stalker said softly, brushing her white hair from her eyes. "We Good dragons do not stand on 
ceremony. Just call me Silvara."
"Us meeting here makes me wonder if the gods of Good might not be watching over us after all."
Stalker took her hands into hers, looked into her eyes, and said in an earnest tone, "They do, my friend. The 
gods aren't gone. They are just testing us. And if we remain strong, they will return."
Stalker made many other soothing noises and told many other lies, and when she was done, not only did 
we have a complete account of Gilthanas's activities during his year in Kalaman but we also had news of his 
destination. Further, she gave us the only map she possessed of the area around the Woods of Lahue for our 
journey to the Peak of Clouds. When she left, she seemed to walk on air. I told Stalker that she had been cruel 
to the poor woman.
Stalker replied with arin, "I gave her hope. How can that be cruel?"
I said that they were all lies.
"Those 'lies' got us what we needed," she noted impatiently. "Now get off your moral high horse and start 
thinking about what we should do next." Without waiting, she continued, "I'm now wondering if those reports 
we heard of a silver dragon heading west out of Nightlund might have been true. If Gilthanas is looking for 
Silvara, she's probably also looking for him, hoping for the kind of sappy, lovey-dovey reunion that makes 
right-thinking people sick to their stomachs. I think this woman might be wrong in her belief that Gilthanas was 
going east. After all, he came from the east."
I pointed out that her logic was flawed, as he had arrived by boat and may have disembarked at any point 
along the coast, which puts his direction of travel in question. She scowled at me and said, "I don't believe in 
logic. Logic has never done me any good. I think we should head west."
I said I had no intention of going back in the direction we just came from.
"Look, even if Gilthanas is still in this area, if we go back west, we can set a trap for him, nice and close to 
Khellendros's strongholds. Along the way, I can drop some references that might make him think Silvara went 
that way ... after all, if I could make that silly woman think I was Silvara without even trying, just imagine what I 
could do if I made a serious go at impersonating her? I could lead him right into our arms!"
I told her that I didn't think the kind of cat-and-mouse games that she so enjoyed were appropriate when 
hunting one such as Gilthanas. I said I wanted to confront him in an honorable fashion and then give him the 
chance to surrender to her or be killed by me.
"Where's the fun in that?" she asked. "Don't you get any pleasure out of toying with your prey? If you ask 
me, that's half the fun ... letting your prey come to you, and then letting it 'escape,' if there's time for that."
"No," I replied. "That is not how we conduct ourselves. Masters of Ranks kill our quarries, swiftly and as 
simply as possible. Death is no game."
"Everything's a game, my too-serious friend. If you don't learn to play, you'll find yourself regretting all the 
fun you passed up." She sighed and stretched. "You know, I think I'm starting to realize that you and I don't 
exactly make a good team. Our masters may have common interests, but we just aren't working out. Why don't 
we try it this way: I'll head back westward in case that woman was wrong, and you go east through the green 
dragon's domain to see if he really did go looking for that magical mountain."
I pointed out that she was supposed to help capture Gilthanas in case I found him. I also pointed out that 
she was supposed to work with me if she found him first.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she said. She searched through the many layers of her clothing. She drew forth a 
golden ring with a bright red stone and threw it on the table. In rattled across the boards and came to rest 
between my hands. "This ring's part of a matched set. They'll let us summon each other. You'll wear one, I'll 
wear the other, and whichever of us finds Gilthanas first rubs the stone. The other stone will then turn bright 
blue. That person then twists the stone, and he or she will be transported to the vicinity of where the other one 
knows Gilthanas to be. All you or I have to do is concentrate on wanting to find him... and then the one who got 
the message will be where the sender was thinking about!"
She couldn't explain anything else about how the rings worked—"It's magic! What do you want from 
me?!"—and so I took the ring and we parted ways.
At least I was rid of her. And even if she found Gilthanas first, I believed she would be honorable enough to 
contact me via the rings. Similarly, I believed her honorable enough not to betray me by giving me a cursed 
magical item. I believed that our service to masters who were allies would be enough to keep her madness in 
check.
I would then be there in a moment, and then the qest would be over.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-02, 周五 11:37:38
温斯顿之塔(Winston's Tower),26sc

自己究竟在安塞隆的荒野上流浪了多久?吉尔赛那斯早已不记得,也不关心了。反倒是翘首审视那座耸立在海岸上的高挑、细长的建筑时,他容许自己兴奋了一阵子。大船在他脚下摇晃着、颠簸着,船长正操纵她驶入卡萨(Karthay)沿海的惊涛骇浪。但精灵的眼中只有自己的目的地。塔尖上精细的雕塑深深吸引了他,那雕塑看上去像是闪烁的玻璃切面组成的某种玫瑰花苞。船长告诉他,这曾是一座灯塔,不过在这名人类的海上生涯中,从未见过它投入使用。

一打线索引领着精灵王子来到这座高塔,这座塔在古老的伊斯塔时期被作为堡垒建造出来,而如今,它则是侏儒技术的一座丰碑。他得到的最新消息表明西悠瓦拉来过这儿,他顽强地追随着她的足迹,甚至不惜订购船票从大陆前来。船费则来自从那群杀死了奇拉克,并企图刺杀吉尔赛那斯本人的刺客身上搜出的白金币。遗憾的是,对尸体的搜查没能提供关于他们使命的线索,精灵发誓,他最终非揭开这个谜底不可。

一座石码头从塔底的断崖脚下延伸入海。船长下令放下一艘小艇,水手们把小艇划近岸边,让吉尔赛那斯能跳上码头。然后,水手们诡秘地瞄了他几眼,划回他们的大船上,匆匆忙忙地扬帆离开了这个地方。

精灵只能报以轻笑,踏上凿入崖壁表面的台阶。他来到了这里,或许他能在这座高耸的建筑物内找到答案。

那阵兴奋劲儿很快就过去了,他开始盘算该如何进入和探索这座高塔。一开始他以为那暗色的表面是石质的,但现在看起来那更像是光滑的金属,甚至没有石墙上那种至少可以尝试攀爬的接缝。一条坡道盘绕在塔基周围,沿路分布着几扇敞开的、诱人的门扉,不过,王子决定,还是用更加谨慎点的方式进塔。

他绕着塔转了半圈,发现了墙上另一处不规则的地方:一连串石阶,通往一个紧挨建筑基部的小平台。它们看上去很像那种通往典型入口的阶梯,只除了一点——没有看到门。他登上平台,贴近塔壁,寻找着接缝或裂口的痕迹。但他只找到了一颗小小的,从墙上凸起大约一指厚的银色按钮。

除此之外,那金属平面上没有任何可能标示门的存在的裂隙或标记。正如克莱恩的大部分居民一样,吉尔赛那斯对侏儒略有所知。他们被称为“工匠(Tinkers)”,对发明创造有着传奇级的热狂。改进一台复杂的机械,是任何一位不辱此生的侏儒典型的生活目标。这些机械偶尔可以运转——通常是以发明家本身也意想不到的某种方式。绝大多数时候,它会把设计者连同任何碰巧被那一堆爪钩、齿轮、连杆、飞轮之类玩意儿够到的倒霉蛋一块送上西天。

因此,吉尔赛那斯对墙上的那颗银色按钮有点发怵。他敲了敲墙壁,从声音上判断那的确是金属,而且似乎相当厚。他对能够到的每一寸表面又推又戳,甚至抽出长剑叩了叩头顶上方,然而,这完全无济于事。最后,缺乏耐心的他得出了一个必然的结论:他必须按下那颗按钮。

他把拇指放在那银色的小圆钮上,向内一推。按钮顺溜地滑进墙体,他感觉墙对面有什么东西啮合了。在两次漫长的心跳过后——什么也没有发生。

紧接着吉尔赛那斯被一股力量压趴在地,倒在脚下的平台上。在短短一秒之内他意识到这平台正在以惊人的高速上升——压倒他的是加速度。他沿着塔面上升了数十尺,然后,骤然间,那平台猛地刹住了。

当然了,精灵还在接着上升,被那强有力的升降机高高弹射到空中。他胃部一阵痉挛,感到头晕眼花,但还是足够沉着地向上望去。高塔的顶部伸出了一个平台,他一眼就判断出这本该是个着陆点,等他飞过那地方再落下来的时候用来接住他。然而,它显然出现得太早了,精灵被那股令人动弹不得的怪力砸向了平台的下表面。

他的急智救了自己一命。为了应对这记碰撞,他把双臂举过头顶以缓冲对头骨的冲击,同时双腿分开踢向两侧。他的一只脚正巧穿过了支撑平台的支架中的一道缝隙,于是他被倒吊在了那里,膝盖钩在空隙中,身下百余尺处的世界天旋地转。

很快,某种机器开始转动,将平台拉回高塔边缘。支架折叠起来,吉尔赛那斯意识到,在数秒之内,他的腿自膝盖以下即将被巨大的钢梁夹住,乃至切断。在这绝望的困境中,他努力团身向上,双手抓住金属棍的边缘,把那只脚从急速缩小的缝隙中拔出来。在支架收拢的那一刻,他向前荡去,大字形仰躺在塔顶上,惊异地看着平台停止移动,化为平坦地面的一部分。

“这东西运转得还不错。”他喃喃自语着站起身来,拍拍身上的灰尘,检查自己有没有骨折。他的头撞伤了,腿擦破了,手指由于支撑体重的疲劳而抽了筋,不过都不是什么不可逆的伤害。在强烈的亮光笼罩下,他从几台看上去相当致命,似乎曾是某种轰炸武器的设备旁经过,一台也没有碰。

他找到一扇穿过塔顶的活板门,小心翼翼地掀开了它,欣慰地发现它没有牵动任何机械。沿着一道短梯,他来到一座圆厅的金属地面上,圆厅的大小看上去与高塔的截面相当。明亮的光线从几块沿墙壁分布的面板中射出,为这个空间提供了充足的照明。

他立刻嗅到了死亡的气息。环顾四周,他看见了几扇门,几名死侏儒仰卧在其中一扇门前的地板上。这里有各式各样的桌子和架子,上面摆放着各种奇怪的装置。其中一件尤为引人注目:那是一堆巨大的齿轮和滑轮的组合,还连着一支矛。它显然相当奏效,因为矛尖上串着另一名侏儒的尸体——毫无疑问就是英勇的发明家他本人。

精灵感到一颗心直往下沉。要是这里所有的侏儒都死光了,他该如何打听到信息?不过,他对这座高塔的探索才刚开始而已。

他走向其中一扇没被尸体堵住的门,打开了它,他看见一条长杆,上面连着一条锁链,锁链缠绕在屋顶的一只滑轮上。拉开门的同时,锁链开始叮当乱响,他飞快地向下扫了一眼,注意到某种厢体正在向这边上升。常识告诉他应当摔上门转身就跑,但某种不合时宜的好奇心将他钉在了原地。罐笼渐渐接近,速度慢了下来,终于稳稳地,完美地停在了和房间地板平齐的位置上。

果不其然,罐笼里躺着几名处于不同腐烂阶段的死侏儒。吉尔赛那斯意识到这是某种升降机,他不想再看下去——打算去找个老式的楼梯。在关上门的那一刻,他的第六感得到了回报:他听见铁链毫无缓冲地在滑轮上呼啸飞转。一秒钟之后,从很远,很远的下方传来罐笼砸在地上的响声。

Winston's Tower, 26sc
 
How long had he been wandering the wilds of Ansalon? Gilthanas no longer knew, nor cared. Instead, he 
allowed himself a moment of elation as he craned his neck and studied the lofty expanse of the tall, narrow 
structure rising from the coast. The ship pitched and rolled beneath his feet as the captain worked her into the 
rough waters along the Karthay shore, but the elf had eyes only for his destination. He was fascinated by the 
elaborate image atop the spire, like shining glass facets that formed a sort of rosebud. The ship's captain 
informed him that the object had once been a lighthouse beacon, but that it had not worked during the man's 
lifetime on the sea.
A dozen clues had brought the elven prince to this tower built as a fortress to ancient Istar, and now, a 
monument to gnome technology. His latest information had suggested that Silvara had come here, and he had 
doggedly followed her trail, even to the point of booking passage from the mainland. As payment, he had used 
the platinum coins he had found on the bodies of the assassins who had slain Keelak and attempted to kill 
Gilthanas himself. Unfortunately, his search of the bodies hadn't yielded any information regarding the source 
of their mission. That was a mystery that the elf had vowed to address eventually.
A stone wharf extended into the sea from the base of the cliff below the tower. The captain ordered a boat 
lowered, and the crew rowed close enough that Gilthanas could leap to the dock. With a few surreptitious 
glances, the sailors rowed back to their ship, which hastened to put on canvas and get away from this place. 
The elf could only chuckle as he made his way up the stairs carved into the cliff face. He was here, and 
perhaps he would find answers within this towering edifice.
His elation passed quickly as he began to consider the problem of entering and searching the tower. The 
dark face that he had first assumed was stone now looked to be smooth metal, without even the joints that 
might have made scaling a stone wall at least a possibility. A ramp curled around the base of the tower, leading 
past several open, beckoning doorways, but the prince decided to make a little more cautious approach.
Halfway around the tower he found another irregularity in the wall: a series of stone steps rising to a small 
platform against the base of the structure. They looked like the stairs leading to a typical entryway, except he 
could see no door. He climbed to the space and examined the wall closely for any sign of a seam or break. The 
only thing he could discover was a small silver button extending perhaps a finger's width from the wall. 
Otherwise, he found no sign of any break or any mark in the metal plate that would have indicated a door.
Gilthanas, like most inhabitants of Krynn, knew a little of gnomes. "Tinkers," they were called, and they had 
a legendary fascination with invention. The development of a complicated machine was the typical life's goal of 
any gnome worth his or her weight in salt. Occasionally these machines worked, usually in some way not 
anticipated by the inventor. Quite often, the machine proved deadly to its designer and to anyone else who 
happened to come within reach of its claws, gears, levers, wheels, and so forth.
Thus, Gilthanas regarded that silver button in the wall with a certain amount of trepidation. He knocked on 
the wall, determining from the sound that it was in fact metal, and it seemed to be quite thick. He pushed and 
prodded along the surface as far as he could reach, even drawing his sword and tapping over his head, to no 
avail. In the end, his lack of patience led him to the inescapable conclusion: He had to press the button.
He placed his thumb on the silver circle and pushed. The button glided into the wall with smooth ease, 
though he felt some sort of mechanism engage on the other side. For two long, long heartbeats, nothing 
happened.
And then Gilthanas was pressed flat, crumpling against the surface nder his feet. In a split second he 
realized that the platform was rising at tremendous speed—that acceleration pressed him down. He was lifted 
dozens of feet up the face of the tower and then, abruptly, the platform snapped to a halt.
The elf, of course, kept rising, catapulted high into the air by the forceful lift. His stomach lurched and his 
senses whirled, but he had the presence of mind to look upward. At the top of the tower, he saw a platform 
extend, and he immediately deduced that this was a landing that should have caught him on his way down, 
after he had been lifted past it. However, it had clearly emerged too early, and the elf smashed into the bottom 
of the platform's surface with numbing force.
Only his quick wits saved his life. Anticipating the impact, he had lifted his arms over his head to cushion the 
blow to his skull and kicked his legs out to either side. One foot flailed through a gap in the girder supporting 
the platform, and then he was hanging upside down, his knee crooked through the opening while the world 
spun dizzily more than a hundred feet below.
Immediately some sort of machine cranked into motion, pulling the platform back toward the rim of the 
tower. The girders folded, and Gilthanas perceived that, in a few seconds, his leg would be pinched or perhaps 
even severed at the knee between massive steel beams. With a desperate lurch, he pulled himself around, 
catching the edge of the metal rod with his hands and extricating his foot from the rapidly shrinking gap. As the 
girders folded together, he flung himself forward and sprawled onto the top of the tower, watching in 
amazement as the platform settled to become merely a part of the flat floor.
"That went well," he murmured to himself, rising to his feet, dusting himself off, and checking for broken 
bones. His head hurt, his leg was chafed, and his fingers were cramped from the strain of supporting his 
weight, but nothing seemed permanently damaged. The great light loomed above him, and he passed several 
deadly looking devices that might have been weapons of bombardment. He didn't touch any of them.
He found a trapdoor leading through the top of the tower and gingerly lifted it, relieved to find that no 
machines were involved. A short ladder led him to the metallic floor of a round room, which seemed to occupy 
the full circle of the tower's diameter. Bright light emerged from several panels along the walls, fully illuminating 
the place.
Immediately he caught the scent of death. Looking around, he saw several doors and a few dead gnomes 
sprawled on the floor before one of them. There were various tables and shelves with strange mechanisms 
upon them in here. One in particular caught his eye: It was a massive assemblage of gears and pulleys 
attached to a spear. It had apparently worked, for impaled on the spear was the body of another dead 
gnome—no doubt the intrepid inventor himself.
The elf felt his spirits sinking. How was he going to learn anything here if all the gnomes were dead? Still, he 
had only started to explore the tower.
He went to one of the doors unblocked by corpses, and opened it to reveal a long shaft with a chain circling 
over a pulley mounted in the roof. As soon as he had pulled the portal wide, the chain started clinking, and a 
quick downward look showed him that some sort of compartment was rising toward him. Common sense told 
him to slam the door and run, but some perverse curiosity held him in place. The approaching cage slowed, 
finally coming to a gentle stop perfectly in line with the floor of the room.
Within that cage, not surprisingly, were several dead gnomes in various stages of decomposition. 
Recognizing this as some sort of lift, Gilthanas had seen enough—he would try to find an old-fashioned 
stairway. When he closed the door, his intuition was rewarded as he heard the chain whip through the pulley 
with unfettered speed. A second later he heard the cage crash into the floor far, far below. 
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-02, 周五 16:17:10
经过进一步的搜索,他在另一扇门后发现了一条黑暗的楼梯,精灵慢慢走下台阶。他的眼睛能适应最微弱的光线,但尽管如此,在这儿还是很难分辨出多少细节。他蹑手蹑脚地往下再往下,有时停下脚步打开一扇偶然出现的门,小心地探索门后的房间。他发现了许多侏儒的尸体,还有许多奇怪的机械碎片,但没有迹象表明这儿还有哪怕一个活着的人。

每一次他都折回楼道,继续朝下走。

当他估计自己快走到塔底的时候,忽然传来一阵微弱的哭喊,声音似乎在空心的金属中回响。“喂?”他喊道,“有人在吗?”

“救救我!”那声音急切地重复了一遍,“可是,您得小心点!”

“我这就来!”

他以最快的速度移动,再度呼唤对方,听出回应的是一名男性的声音,尽管那声音相当微弱,但显然由于希望而振作了起来。

最终,他站在了一扇银色的大门前,门框的右侧竖排着一溜按钮。声音似乎是从门内传来的。

“你是谁?你受伤了吗?”吉尔赛那斯问。

“我叫莱萨格斯……我没受伤,至少现在已经好了。我在这儿关了好几年——就连上回听见活人的声音都是几年前的事了!求求您,救我出去!”

“我试试吧,”吉尔赛那斯承诺着,尽管他狐疑地盯着那一排按钮,“你知道我该按哪个按钮吗?”

“哪个都别按!”那个声音回应道,他恐惧的尖叫吓得吉尔赛那斯从银门旁跳了开去,“我是说,您能试着,就推一下门吗?”

他照办了,令人惊讶的是,那扇门在一推之下轻易地敞开了,露出一个有金属墙壁的宽敞房间,室内的照明也是楼上见过的那种白色光线。随着一阵欢喜的啜泣,那位名叫莱萨格斯的囚徒跌跌撞撞地奔过来,匆忙地把自己的身体挡在银门与门框之间。

“这门没锁啊?”吉尔赛那斯诧异地问,与此同时,他发现对方是一名满头金发,耳朵修长尖细的精灵同胞。

“没有,可是它和墙壁结合得太光滑了,从室内没法撬开它。”

“你在这儿关了好几年?你是怎么活下来的?”

莱萨格斯默默地指了指远处墙壁上的一溜喷嘴。在两名精灵的注视下,其中一个喷嘴喷出一道细细的水流,水溅落在地面上,通过喷嘴下方的一只箅子流走。接着,旁边的喷嘴里掉下几坨绿色的粘液,它们也缓缓滴进了箅子。

“自动供应的食物与饮水,”莱斯生硬地答道,“简直惨无人道,不是吗?”

“看上去更像个意外,”吉尔赛那斯说。“你是怎么来到这儿的?”他一边问,一边领着莱萨格斯向高塔外走去。

“当时我正和两位朋友一起冒险……寻找一台能帮我们保卫奎灵诺斯特(Qualinost)的机器。我们以为这里面会有些好东西,所以就乘着几只长年效忠我家族的狮鹫飞来这里。我的一位朋友死在塔顶,被某种矛机刺了个对穿。而另一位则是被困在了一些齿轮之间——我眼睁睁看着他在我面前被绞得粉碎。”

“那你呢……?”

“我只是想找个地方休息一下。我走进这个房间,门在我身后关上了,然后我这么多年来就一直被关在这里,直到您来。我欠您一份情——是您保住了我的理性和生命。”

“我很高兴能帮到你,”吉尔赛那斯说,“不过请告诉我发生了什么事,为什么奎灵纳斯提会需要保卫?”

“黑暗骑士与太阳咏者之间仍然存在分歧这是肯定的,但是新的威胁正在形成。那些巨龙早晚要霸占我们的森林。”

吉尔赛那斯脑海里涌出一个又一个的问题,但他没有机会问出来。

“那您的故事呢,朋友?”莱斯问,“当然了,先得说说您是怎么活着走到这儿的?”

他正要回答,这时两名精灵都惊觉到有两个声音正在靠近,而且明显还在争吵。

“我说过,得在门上装把锁……我说过有了锁它的效果会更好,可是你不听!你老觉得自己什么都对!”

说这话的是位男性,可是他高八度的调门就像快被气疯了似的。

“它的确很有效啊!”对方坚持道,她的声音更为高亢,显然是名女性。“可是,谁说过会有人从外边打开这扇门啊!这一点都不公平!”

片刻之后,两名侏儒步入了眼帘,他们正顺着吉尔赛那斯刚刚下来的那道楼梯往上走。他们又矮又胖,差不多齐精灵的腰高。两人都穿着蓝色的长袍,一头长长的灰发。男人的胡须也是同样的颜色,一路拖到地上。

“我说啊,”大胡子无视吉尔赛那斯的存在,斜睨着莱萨格斯说,“你介不介意回到那座永久监狱(Perpetual Prison)里去?我们的实验还远没做完呢。”

“我介意,我太介意了!”精灵怒气冲冲地说,十指修长的双手攥成了拳。

“你没必要发这么大的火!”女侏儒尖锐地反驳道,“说到底,我们可是招待了你五年半啊。我们难道不是每天都把你喂得饱饱的?”

莱斯的脸变得煞白。“五年半?”他嘶声说着,无力地倚在了墙上。

可是两名侏儒根本没在听。“技术上说,喂他的是那台机器,不是我们,”男人提醒他的搭档,“说到底,要是囚徒还得要人照顾,那“永久监狱”还有什么意义啊!要是当初你肯让我在门上装个锁,他现在还在里面关着呢!

“别管这事了!它一直都很有效,以后也会照样很有效——除非我的名字不叫德鲁茜兰达胡迫道特拉斯提克列力克——”

“够了!”吉尔赛那斯抢白道,他想起了另一件关于侏儒的事:只要一个侏儒开始背诵他——或她——的名字,就必须立即加以打断。否则,一个名字能连续念上好几天。“关键是,你们没有权利拘禁这名精灵‘囚徒’!”

“为什么,你怎么会有这种想法!”德鲁茜(Drussi)嗤之以鼻,“你对科学没有一丝尊重吗!你对知识,对发明,对探索没有一丝尊重吗!你们两个都是无知的野蛮人!”

“我来告诉你什么叫野蛮,”莱萨格斯咆哮着冲上前去,显然打算扭断一名侏儒的脖子。他嘴里不断念叨着:“把我在一个小单间里关了这么多年……喂我吃臭烘烘的粘液……任你的侏儒同胞躺在我们周围的地板上腐烂……”

吉尔赛那斯把一只手搁在较年轻的精灵肩上安抚他。“或许我们可以谈谈,”他对侏儒们说,“你们还有其他人在这儿吗?”

“曾经有很多,”男人说,“不过,发生了几起事故。”

“以后还会有更多的事故,你个老傻瓜!”德鲁茜嗤笑道,“说得好像你能做对什么事似的,石普德拉帕库松兰德森法勒里安力克提尔兰匈——”

“我们简单管你叫‘石普德(Spudder)’怎么样?”吉尔赛那斯打断道,“那么,我是不是可以认为,你们是目前这里剩下的唯一两名侏儒?”

“目前。”石普德承认。

“我来这里是要找个人,”精灵接着说,“我在找一条银龙,听说她打算来这座塔里帮助侏儒们,我想她已经来过了,你们见过她吗?”

“西悠瓦拉?”德鲁茜问,“当然见过!”

“这是多久前的事?”吉尔赛那斯的心跳加快了,他屏住呼吸静待着她的答案。

“不是很久……几年前吧,最多。”

“但是她来过这儿!她去哪儿了?你们有和她聊过吗?”

“我们只告诉她我们不需要任何帮助。她有点生气了,然后就走了。”

“她去哪儿了?”吉尔赛那斯喊道,他感觉希望在一点一滴地流失。

“她没告诉我们——倒不如说,我们没问,”德鲁茜说,“我们眼下还有工作要做,先失陪……”

“还没完呢!”莱萨格斯宣称,“首先,你们得帮我们找条出去的路!”

吉尔赛那斯挫败得像个泄了气的皮球,几乎听不清他们在争辩些什么,最后另一位精灵总算说服了两名侏儒送他们出塔。德鲁茜和石普德领着他们走下台阶,来到一处显然位于塔基以下的,洞穴般的房间。

“我的狮鹫呢?”莱斯问,“你见过它们吗?”

“它们还在外边盘旋,或许在等你,”德鲁茜嗤笑道。“那我们要怎么出去?”他问。

石普德指着一台巨大的机器——一套带轮子的机械,前面装着一个疙里疙瘩的钻头:“这是我们的挖掘机,它能带你们穿过墙壁。”

“你们都是这么挖出去的?”吉尔赛那斯不可置信地问道。

“我们?不!想出去的人明明是你们!”

“你们有绳子吗?”他追问道,“我觉得,我宁可冒险自己爬出这座塔或者走门。”

“如果你坚持这么做的话,”石普德嘟哝道,压低声线骂了声“胆小鬼”。精灵们忽略了这句嘲讽,说服侏儒和他们一同爬上塔顶。尽管两名侏儒都坚持表示升降机运转正常,至少往上很正常,但精灵们还是宁愿相信自己的双腿。

最后,他们总算站在了活板门下边,两名精灵身上各缠着一大卷沉重的绳子。吉尔赛那斯记起这扇门是整座高塔中难得没有搭载任何机械的一处,他伸出手去推门。

“等等!”德鲁茜倒抽一口气,为时晚矣。

一把利刃从天花板中穿出,直插下来,饶是吉尔赛那斯缩手快,还是被划了道口子。

他咒骂着用另一只手拍拍伤口:“再慢一秒我的手就没了。”

“我们设了个陷阱来保护这道门!”德鲁茜强调。

“大部分陷阱是阻止别人进入某个地方的,”精灵吼道。他看着那道刀伤,伤口看上去并不是非常深,“还好,它到底没造成什么真正的伤害。”

“目前还没有,”石普德摇着头说,“不过,等到毒药起效……”

Further search revealed a dark stairwell behnd another door, and the elf slowly began to descend. His 
eyes were attuned to minimal light, but even so, he found it hard to make out any details in here. Lower and 
lower he crept, pausing to open an occasional door and carefully explore chambers beyond. He found the 
remains of many gnomes, as well as odd bits of machinery, but nothing that indicated anyone was alive. 
Always he went back to the stairs, still making his way downward.
He estimated that he was nearing the bottom of the tower when he heard a faint cry, the sound echoing 
through the hollow metal. "Hello?" he called. "Is someone there?"
"Help!" The cry was repeated, urgently. "But be careful."
"I'm coming!"
He moved as quickly as he could, calling out again, hearing the responses in a male voice that, though 
weak, was clearly invigorated by hope.
Finally, he stood before a silver door, with a series of buttons down the right side of the frame. The voice 
seemed to be coming from within.
"Who's in there? Are you hurt?" Gilthanas asked.
"My name is Lethagas ... and I'm not hurt, at least not any more. I've been in here for years—it's been that 
long since I've heard a living voice! Please, get me out!"
"I'll try," Gilthanas promised, though he looked askance at the array of buttons. "Do you know which button 
I should push?"
"Don't push any of them!" The voice came back, so shrill with panic that Gilthanas jumped back from the 
silver door. "That is, can you try just pushing on the door?"
He did, and surprisingly enough the portal swung easily open to reveal a spacious room of metal walls 
illuminated by the same white brightness he had noticed above. With a sob of joy, the prisoner called Lethagas 
stumbled forward, hastily interposing his body between the silver door and its frame.
"It wasn't locked?" Gilthanas said in amazement, at the same time seeing the golden hair and slender, 
pointed ears of a fellow elf.
"No, but it fit so smoothly into the wall that there was no way to pry it open from the inside."
"You've been in there for years? How did you survive?"
Mutely, Lethagas pointed at a series of nozzles along the far wall. As the two elves watched, one of these 
spewed a narrow stream of water, which splashed on the floor and then flowed through a grate just below. The 
next nozzle then dropped a few plops of green goo, which also dribbled through the grate.
"Automatic food and water," Leth replied, tautly. "Fiendish, isn't it?"
"More likely accidental," Gilthanas said. "How did you come to be here?" he asked, guiding Lethagas out of 
the tower.
"I was on an adventure with two friends ... we were looking for a machine that would help us defend 
Qualinost. We thought there would be good profit in it, so we flew here on griffins that have always been loyal 
to my family. One of my friends died atop the tower, pierced by some kind of spear-machine. The other one got 
tangled in some gears—I saw him mangled before my eyes."
"And you... ?"
"I was just looking for a place to rest. I stepped into this room, the door closed behind me, and then I spent 
several years here until you came along. I owe you my thanks—not to mention my sanit, and my life."
"Glad I could help," Gilthanas said. "But what is it about Qualinesti that it needs defenses?"
"The Dark Knights and the Speaker of the Sun are still at odds, to be sure, but new threats are taking shape. 
Sooner or later one of the Great Dragons is certain to lay claim to our forests."
Many more questions came to Gilthanas, but he didn't get the chance to ask them.
"But what's your story, friend?" Leth asked. "Not to mention, how did you survive this far?"
He was about to answer when both elves became aware of two voices, clearly bickering, and coming 
closer.
"Put a lock on the door, I said ... I said it would work better with a lock, but no! You had to be right, again!" 
The speaker was a male, but his tone was high-pitched and almost frantic with irritation.
"It would have worked!" insisted the other, in an even higher, apparently female, voice. "But wh said they 
could open it from the outside! That's not even fair!"
A moment later, two gnomes strolled into view, coming up the stairs that Gilthanas had been descending. 
They were short and plump, barely waist high to the elves. Each was dressed in a gown of blue and had long 
gray hair. The male also displayed a beard of the same color that descended all the way to the floor.
"I say," remarked the bearded one, ignoring Gilthanas to squint up at Lethagas. "Would you mind stepping 
back into the Perpetual Prison? Our experiment is far from over."
"I would mind, very much!" snapped the elf, his long-fingered hands curling into fists.
"There's no need to be huffy!" retorted the female gnome sharply. "After all, you've been our guest for five 
and a half years now. Haven't we fed you every day?"
Leth blanched. "Five and a half years?" he croaked, sagging against the wall.
But the gnomes weren't listening. "Technically, the machine fed him, not us," the male was reminding his 
partner. "After all, what's the point of a Perpetual Prison if one has to tend the prisoner? Who would still be a 
prisoner if you would have just let me put a lock on the door!"
"Never mind that! It still worked and will work again—or my name is not 
Drussilandahooperdaughterasticrellicre—"
"Enough!" snapped Gilthanas, remembering another thing about gnomes: When one started to say his—or 
her— name, the recitation had to be stopped immediately. Otherwise, it could take several days. "The point is, 
you have no right to hold this elf prisoner!"
"Why, the very idea!" sniffed Drussi. "Have you no respect for science? For knowledge, or invention, or 
discovery? You're both ignorant savages!"
"I'll show you savagery," growled Lethagas, stepping forward, clearly ready to wring a gnome's neck. He 
continued to mutter, "Imprisoning me in a cell for years ... feeding me with foul slime ... leaving your fellow 
gnomes to rot on the floor around us...."
Gilthanas placed a calming hand on the younger elf's shoulder. "Perhaps we can talk a bit," he said to the 
gnomes. "Are there more of your people here?"
"There were lots," chirped the male. "There've been a few accidents, though."
"And there'll be more, you old fool!" snorted Drussi. "As if you could do anything right, 
Spudderapakoosongrandsonfatherianricktillation-"
"How about we just call you 'Spudder?'" Gilthanas interjected. "Now, do I take it you are the only two 
gnomes left here?"
"For now," admitted Spudder.
"I came here on a quest," the elf continued. "I'm seeking a dragon of silver, and I learned that she was 
coming to help gnomes in a tower. I think she came here. Did you see her?"
"Silvara?" asked Drussi. "Of course we did!"
"How long ago?" Gilthanas's heart quickened, and he scarcely breathed as he waited for her answer.
"Not long ... a few years, at the most."
"But she was here! Where did she go? Did you talk to her?"
"Only to tell her we didn't need any help. She got kind of huffy, and then she left."
"To where?" cried Gilthanas, feeling his hopes slipping away.
"She wouldn't tell us—or rather, we didn't ask," said Drussi. "Now, if you'll forgive us, we've got work to 
do ..."
"Not so fast!" Lethagas declared. "First, you'll see that we can get out of here!"
Gilthanas was sagging with defeat, barely listening to the debate as the other elf finally persuaded the two 
gnomes to see them out of the tower. Drussi and Spudder led them down the stairs until they reached a 
cavernous room that was apparently underneath the base of the tower.
"My griffins?" Leth asked. "Have you seen them?"
"They're still out there, flying around. Probably waiting for you," Drussi sniffed. "How do we get out?" he 
asked.
Spudder pointed to a large machine: a wheeled mechanism with a studded drill mounted on the front. "This 
is our digger. It will take you through the wall."
"You have to dig your way out?" Gilthanas asked in disbelief.
"Us? No! You're the ones who want to leave!"
"Do you have any rope?" he pressed. "I think I'd rather take my chances climbing own from the tower or 
going out the door."
"If you insist," muttered Spudder, adding an epithet for 'coward' under his breath. The elves ignored the 
taunt and convinced the gnomes to climb with them to the top of the tower. Although both gnomes insisted the 
lift worked just fine, going up at least, the elves preferred to trust their feet.
Finally, they stood beneath the trapdoor, each elf wrapped in a heavy coil of rope. Remembering that this 
portal had been the one part of the tower unblemished by any sort of machine, Gilthanas reached upward to 
push the door open.
"Wait!" gasped Drussi, too late.
A blade slashed out of the ceiling, slicing down to gash Gilthanas's hand as he snapped it back.
He cursed and clapped a hand over the wound. "A second later and I'd have lost my hand."
"We have a trap to protect the door!" insisted Drussi.
"Most traps try to keep people from coming into a place," growled the elf. He looked at the cut, which did not 
seem very deep. "Still, there was no real harm done."
"Not yet," said Spudder, shaking his head. "But wait until the poison takes effect...."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-03, 周六 23:11:01
时来运去:水晶谷(Valley of Crystal),26sc

摘自林霞·马哲理(Linsha Majere)私人笔记

26sc,收获之月9日

我是索兰尼亚骑士林霞·马哲理。我是那位在法师们都以为魔法业已遗失时将它再度带回这个世界的帕林·马哲理(Palin Majere)的女儿。我是在长枪战争中阻止黑暗之后(Dark Queen)统治克莱恩的英雄之一——卡拉蒙·马哲理(Caramon Majere)的孙女。我是一名玫瑰骑士,那支拥有两千多年传统的卫队中的一员。先辈们的声名曾让我惶恐了很长时间,在最黑暗的那些时刻,我认为自己永远配不上它们,尤其是,考虑到我得以入选骑士团的原因。

在圣克仙,我隶属于女骑士卡琳·赛莎莉(Lady Knight Karine Thasally)麾下的秘密组织。就像那儿的其他所有骑士那样,我生活在谎言中,但那是一个令我感到不舒服的谎言。我期盼着像父辈与祖辈之前所做的那样为家族姓氏增光添彩。单单是被接纳为第一位非索兰尼亚出身的女玫瑰骑士还不够。我渴望表现得对得起这个姓氏,有些时候,那种渴望太过迫切,令我感到痛苦。在那些日子里,我几乎什么都愿意做,什么机会都愿意试,只要它不违背骑士规章(Measure),也不危害到我们地下组织的安全。毕竟,要是我把所有的时间都花在扮演一位名叫琳恩(Lynn)的,骂骂咧咧、粗俗无礼的盖特威(Gateway)街头霸王上,那个证明自己配得上马哲理家族血统的机会或许永远不会到来。诚然,这种对个人荣誉感的过度专注是违反骑士规章的,但我很难控制自己不屈从于“那种工作太无足轻重”的诱惑。

这就是我开始写这本笔记的原因。它并不是那么的像一本自传,并不是那种有朝一日用来“还原故事真相”——就像我祖父在感叹他那群如今赫赫有名的朋友中没有一位保留了翔实的记录(而如今有数百位吟游诗人在讲述他们一生故事的各种不同版本)的时候经常说的那样——的笔记。不,我的确怀着期望它有朝一日进入钨斯·威斯坦城堡(Castle Uth Wistan)的图书馆的心情写下这本笔记。但那并不是作为我伟大事迹的记录——尽管我的确希望我能干出些值得记录的事迹,假如卡琳女士不会发现我已经如此严重地违反了骑士规章而把我从骑士队伍中除名的话——这本笔记的目的是记录下我犯的错误。我希望自己写下它们,并反省它们,我将从这些错误中汲取经验,而其他年轻骑士们或许也将从中学到一些东西。或许他们可以避免重蹈我的复辙。不过话说回来,也许他们不会。每个人都有过这样的经历:在事后回顾时才发现自己当初太过骄傲自矜,或只是故意忽略了始终摆在眼前的事实。有时我们犯这样的过错是由于爱,有时是由于野心,还有时则是经验不足而为之。

我应当感谢神,这么久以来我只犯过一次这样的错误。我应当双倍地感谢神,因为在那之后我还活着,得以从过往中学习,今后不再犯同样的错——无论是由于野心还是由于缺乏经验。是的,在一切可能的动机中,最可能迫使我自觉或不自觉地重蹈复辙的,就是爱。

我想到,这本笔记的目的本身,或许正是与骑士规章相抵触的。我假设有那么一天,一位年轻的,像曾经的我一样的新人会读到这些文字,会被警告过度自信是多么愚蠢——这想法是不是过于自大了?不,我并不这么想。毕竟,我是从著名的长枪英雄(Heroes of the Lance)之一,奎灵纳斯提的吉尔赛那斯那儿得到的这个主意。不管有多少人会相信,就在我着手写下这本笔记的这个早晨,他还活在人世。事实上,是他的话启发了我开始做这件事,也正是他的话让我意识到,哪怕在看上去最为黑暗的境况下,也总是存在希望。

Opportunities: Valley of Crystal, 26sc
 
From Linsha Majere's Personal Journal
9th day of Reapember, 26sc
I am Linsha Majere, Knight of Solamnia. I am the daughter of Palin Majere, the man who brought sorcery 
back to the world when mages thought it lost. I am the granddaughter of Caramon Majere, one of the heroes 
who prevented the Dark Queen from claiming dominion over Krynn during the War of the Lance. I am a Rose 
Knight, the guardian of two thousand years of tradition. These legacies intimidate me some days, and in my 
darkest moments I fear I will never live up to them, particularly in light of how I have been called to serve the 
Orders of the Knighthood.
I serve under Lady Knight Karine Thasally in a clandestine circle in the city of Sanction. Like all other 
Knights there, I live a lie, but it is a lie I am uncomfortable with. I want to bring honor to my family name as my 
parents and grandparents did before me. It is not enough to have become the first woman not of Solamnia to 
be admitted to the Order of the Rose. I want to show I am worthy of my family name, and some days I want it 
so bad, it hurts. On those days, I am willing to do almost anything and take any chances that don't violate the 
Measure or endanger the security of my hidden circle. After all, if I spend all my time in service playing the role 
of a foul-mouthed alley-basher of loose morals named Lynn of Gateway, the chance to live up to the legacy of 
the Majeres may never present itself. Of course, such a preoccupation with personal glory is in conflict with the 
Measure, but it's very difficult for me not to succumb to the feeling that serving just isn't enough.
And that's why I've started this journal. It isn't so biographers can someday "get the story right," as my 
grandfather so frequently says when lamenting that none of his now-famous friends kept consistent journals 
(and that now hundreds of bards are telling their life stories in as many different ways). No, I am keeping this 
journal in the hopes that it will find its way into the library of Castle Uth Wistan. But, rather than serving as a 
record of my great deeds—although I hope to have some of those to record as well, if Lady Karine doesn't find 
I have violated the Measure so grossly that she casts me out of the Knighthood—the purpose of this journal 
will be to record my mistakes. It is my hope that as I write of them and reflect upon them, I also will learn from 
them, and that other young Knights may learn as well. Maybe they will avoid making the same errors I have.
Then again, maybe not. Everyone's been in situations after which they look back and realize they were too 
cocky or just willfully ignorant of the facts staring them in the face all along. Sometimes we do it because of 
love, sometimes we do it because of ambition, and sometimes we do it out of inexperience.
I should feel blessed I made it this far and experienced only one such siuation. I should feel doubly blessed 
that I still live so that I can learn from the past and never make the mistake again, whether it was borne of 
ambition or inexperience. Certainly, love was furthest from any possible motivation I might have had to do what 
I did, consciously or subconsciously.
It occurs to me that the very purpose of this journal may go against the Measure. Is it too prideful of me to 
assume that someday a young initiate as I once was might read these words and thus be warned about the 
folly of overconfidence? No, I don't think so. After all, I got the idea from Gilthanas of Qualinesti, one of the 
celebrated Heroes of the Lance. Despite what many believe, he was still alive as of the very morning I started 
this journal. In fact, his words inspired me to start it, and it was his words that made me realize that even when 
things seem the darkest, there is always hope.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-04, 周日 17:31:37
导致我此刻身在此地——坐在距圣克仙几天路程的一条溪流边,我的马儿“追风者”(Windcatcher)在一旁喝水,而我则静待着自己的伤口痊愈——的那一连串事件,始于三个多星期前,那时我正在圣克仙城一家名叫“断角”(Broken Horn)的小酒馆里。不过,不像圣克仙的其他许多酒馆,断角酒馆的气氛通常是亲切的,在某种意义上说简直与我祖父母在阿班西尼亚(Abanasinian)的树镇索拉斯(tree town of Solace)开的那家旅店没什么两样。而那天夜里更是尤为亲切。我和其他几个常客一道玩着骰子,互相骂着善意的粗话——我骂得最脏,因为在所有人眼中琳恩就该这样——我想,大概就是这种寻常而热忱的氛围使我的判断发生了失误吧。

罗纳尔(Lonar)走进酒馆的时候,我刚从桌面上扫下十二个银币。打从头一次见到他起,我就觉得罗纳尔身上有些什么不平凡的地方。他比住在圣克仙的普通人渣们要英俊些,并且我不止一次地看见他表现出荣誉感。有一次,他干预了一名牛头人(minotaur)和一个几乎还没有长大到足以举起自己的剑的男孩之间的争斗——然后把那孩子带回他来的村子。圣克仙可不是孩子们冒险探索的地方。其他很多人或许会救下那男孩,再把他卖到奴隶市场。

我乐于与罗纳尔聊许多事,从哪个国家生产的刀剑最好,聊到巨龙们的到来与诸神的最终离去间是否有关联,甚至聊些更为深奥的哲学话题……尽管在后一类谈话中,我总是很谨慎。大家并不知道琳恩是位学者,要是我开始从“索兰尼亚骑士与金月的秘术师共同坚持的理想”的角度讨论问题,恐怕会引起猜疑。因此,我代之以一连串模仿拙劣的库尔式争辩,谈论着宿命和注定要将邪恶驱逐出这片土地的天之骄子。每当罗纳尔指出我想法的不足,我总是破口大骂,而不是说服他或承认自己的理论还不够健全。我对自己必须装作对哲学如此无知,装作对智者的谈话之道缺乏哪怕最基本的了解感到非常不适,但我不得不顾虑自己的伪装。

不过,我仍然希望罗纳尔至少喜欢我,因此我试着显得不那么富有攻击性。他似乎是个体面人,阅读面很广,富有学识。我也觉得他笑得很好看。我能在他身上找到的唯一缺点就是——他是霍甘·拜特(Hogan Bight)手下的顶尖人物……我之所以认为这是个缺点,是由于我心中的某一部分期望他是个更棒的人。他服务于那位阴森、神秘的圣克仙领主这件事也表明,无论我们建立了什么样的友谊,它都将永远建立在虚假的基础上。尽管我真的很喜欢罗纳尔,但我怎可能向他透露,我成为他朋友的原因是——我在圣克仙的任务是查明他主子的目标和动机?我不止一次地担忧着,为了达成自己的目的去欺骗他——一个我认为相当正直的人——是否违背骑士规章。我使用金月教给我的神秘能力侦测他灵魂的性质,发现他与我的骑士同伴们相比只不过是略微被邪恶沾染,这进一步增强了我的担忧。然而,每一次我想到这些,最终都会得出一个结论:只要我采取措施保护罗纳尔免受肉体伤害(一旦组织着手根据我从他那里得来的信息对付拜特的话),对他的欺骗就不算是不名誉的。

至少,并不比我赖以在圣克仙生存的那个谎言更加不名誉。

The events that led me to where I am now—sitting by a stream several days' ride north of Sanction while my 
horse Windcatcher waters herself and I wait for my wounds to heal—started a little over three weeks ago at the 
Broken Horn, a tavern in the city of Sanction. Unlike many other Sanction taverns, though, the mood at the 
Broken Horn was generally a friendly one, in some ways not unlike the inn my grandparents run in the 
Abanasinian tree town of Solace. That night, things were particularly friendly. I was playing dice with several 
other regulars, and we were exchanging good-natured barbs—mine being the most crude, because that's 
what everyone expects of Lynn—and I think the general cordial atmosphere probably contributed to my lapse 
in judgment.
I had just cleared twelve silver off the table when Lonar entered the pub. Ever since I first met him, I'd felt 
there was something different about Lonar. He was more handsome than the average scum dwelling in 
Sanction, and I'd seen him conduct himself with honor on more than one occasion. Once, he stepped into a 
fight involving a minotaur and a boy barely big enough to lift his own sword—and then took the child back to the 
village he'd come from. Sanction was not the place for kids in search of adventure. Many others would have 
saved the boy and then sold him into slavery.
I'd enjoyed several conversations with Lonar about topics ranging from which nation produces the best 
blades to whether there is any link between the arrival of the Great Dragons and the final departure of the gods, 
and even more esoteric philosophical topics ... although in the latter type of conversations, I always guarded 
myself. Lynn isn't exactly known as a scholar, and if I was to start discussing things from the point of view of the 
ideals held either by the Knights of Solamnia or by Goldmoon's mystics, I feared I would raise suspicions. So, 
I instead just used a series of bastardized Khurrish arguments about Fate and a chosen champion that would 
drive Evil from the land. Whenever Lonar would push me on my ideas, I'd resort to insults rather than reason or 
admitting my theories were unsound. I felt awful having to pass myself off as so unknowledgeable in 
philosophy and so ignorant of even the basest standards of intellectual discourse, but I had appearances to 
think about.
Still, I wanted Lonar to like me at least, so I tried not to be too offensive. He seemed like a decent man, and 
he was well read and knowledgeable. I also thought he had a nice smile. The only fault I could see in him was 
that he was one of Hogan Bight's top men . . . and I found this a fault only because part of me wanted him to be 
better than that. His service to the shady, mysterious lord of Sanction also guaranteed that whatever friendship 
we might forge would be forever based on false pretext. How could I ever reveal that, although I genuinely 
liked Lonar, I befriended him because my mission in Sanction was to discern the goals and motivations of his 
master? I had on more than one occasion worried about whether deceiving someone I thought to be an 
upstanding person fo my own ends was against the Measure. When I used the mystic abilities I was taught by 
Goldmoon to examine the nature of his soul and found that he was only slightly more tainted with Evil than my 
fellow Knights, those concerns grew even greater. Each time I considered them, though, I concluded that as 
long as I took steps to protect Lonar from physical harm (should the circle move against Bight on information 
I'd obtained from him), there was no dishonor in deceiving him.
At least no more dishonor than the lie I live in Sanction.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-04, 周日 19:29:09
那天夜晚,罗纳尔来断角酒馆的目的只有一个。他停在玄关,打量着人山人海的大厅。他的眼光停留在我身上。推推搡搡地穿过拥挤的人群,他走向我:“我们能谈谈吗,琳恩?去外面。”

“好啊,”我答道。我离开桌子,另外两个玩家对我怒目而视。我给了他们一个甜甜的微笑,“抱歉了男孩们,改天再让你们把钱赢回来。”

当罗纳尔和我走在街道上的时候,他开了口:“我听说,你在打听些比你现在做的斗殴和赌博更值得尊重点的工作。”

我耸耸肩:“或许。只要给钱多。”

“给得不少。金主是霍甘大人。”

我的心跳漏了一拍,精神高昂起来。我对罗纳尔示好并在他在场时表现得十分能干的努力得到了回报!不过,我仍然维持着外表的平静:“霍甘大人?他期望从我这儿得到什么?”

“他什么也不期望,不过我在代他组织的探险中可以多雇一名剑客。我们要穿过食人魔(ogre)的领土。有问题吗?”

“我能跑得赢食人魔。”我说。

他咧嘴一笑:“我现在就付给你五十枚钢币。总额取决于我们的探险收获。我来提供食物和饲料,不过你得自己带上马。还有兴趣吗?”

“当然,追风者需要些真正的锻炼。”我答道,“顺便,五十枚钢币比我这个月到目前为止赚到的钱加起来还要多。这趟探险为的是什么?”

“在我们上路之后再告诉你。”他犹豫了一下,上下打量着我,这眼光并非好色,而更像是在评头论足,“你可能会是我们队唯一的女性。”

“你知道我会做什么,要是有人毛手毛脚的话。”我一边回答,一边拍拍腰间的匕首,“不过如果他们能管住自己,那么我也能。”

罗纳尔对我露出一个灿烂的微笑,这让他显得更英俊了。他递给我一口袋钱币:“我们黎明时分出发,在东边的路口集合。”

罗纳尔离开之后,我去告诉卡琳女士我交了好运。她是组织的领导者,因此我必须通知她我即将离开的事情,不过我也想从她那儿得到一些建议,因为她远比我要有经验得多。可是她不在,她的侍从也不清楚在哪儿能找到她。如今想起来我真是太欠考虑了,我以为自己哪怕没有卡琳女士的建议也能独立处理这个状况,并且我确信她不会阻止我做这趟旅行。我想不出有什么理由会让罗纳尔认为我不是我所表现出的那个样子,并且,哪怕这里面有某种骗局,我在圣克仙也还没有遇到过剑技能与我匹敌的对手。我觉得只要我不放下戒备,就会平安无事。因此,我让侍从带了个口信,回到我的宿舍做好准备,然后睡了几个小时。

第二天早晨,追风者和我到得最早。很快,罗纳尔和四个男人一起到来,我们的总数变成了六人。他还带了两匹驮骡。我只认识其中的一个男人,那是个名叫克雷什(Kresh)的色鬼。幸运的是,只要有我在,克雷什向来光说不练。他曾经看过试图对我用强的男人们的下场。

“如果你们愿意的话,可以做个自我介绍,”罗纳尔说,“就我认为的嘛,你们需要彼此了解的就是:你们全都是能把握自己战斗的强者。”

那四个陌生人没有相互寒暄的打算。克雷什上下打量着我,就好像他能看透我的盔甲和斗篷似的。“琳恩和我早就认识,”他说,“不过谁知道呢?说不定我们在这趟旅行中有机会走得更近呐。”

“小心点,克雷什,”我答道,“要是胆敢走近我一把长剑内的距离,你可能会刺穿你自己。”

其中一个陌生人,一个面色黧黑,似乎有库尔族血统的男人,觉得这句话比我所能想象的还要好笑。一阵哈哈狂笑之后,他用带着浓重口音的索兰尼亚语说:“我喜欢有精神的女人。”

在绕过黑暗骑士的巡逻后,我们沿着圣克仙以东的道路骑行了整整一天,途中只停下来两次歇歇马。第一天夜里扎营的时候,罗纳尔终于揭示了我们的目的地:“你们中或许有些人听说过水晶谷。我们正是要去那儿。我们要把行囊里的食物吃光,然后装满水晶运回霍甘大人那里。有疑问吗?”

“有,”我问,“佣金怎么算?”

“你们几个平分我们带回的水晶总价值的十分之一,负责估价的是霍甘大人。”

我耸耸肩:“听上去不错。”

男人们也都这么想。

That night, Lonar had come to the Broken Horn for only one purpose. He paused just inside the doorway, 
scanning the packed common room. His eyes came to rest on me. He pushed his way through the crowd. "Can 
we talk, Lynn? Outside?"
"Sure," I replied. The other players scowled at me as I left the table. I gave them a sweet smile. "Sorry boys. 
I'll let you win your money back some other night."
As Lonar and I walked up the street, he said, "I hear you've been asking around for work that's a bit more 
respectable than the alley-bashing and gambling you've been doing."
I shrugged. "Maybe. So long as the pay's good."
"The pay's good. The pay comes from Lord Hogan."
My heart skipped a beat and my spirit soared. My effort to be friendly toward Lonar and to seem capable 
whenever he was around was paying off! I kept a calm facade, though. "Lord Hogan? What would Lord Hogan 
want with me?"
"Nothing, but I could use an extra sword on an expedition on his behalf. It'll take us through ogre territory. 
Would that be a problem?"
"I can outrun ogres," I said.
He grinned. "I'll pay you fifty steel coins right now. The balance depends on the outcome of our expedition. 
I'll provide food and fodder, but you need to provide your own horse. Still interested?"
"Definitely. Windcatcher needs some real exercise," I replied. "Plus, fifty steel is more money than I've 
gotten this month so far. What's the nature of the expedition?"
"I'll tell you once we're underway." He hesitated, looking me up and down, not lasciviously, but rather in an 
appraising fashion. "You're probably going to be the only woman in our group."
"You know what I do if someone gets grabby" I replied, patting the dagger on my belt. "But if they keep to 
themselves, I'll do the same."
Lonar flashed me a brilliant smile, one that made him appear even more handsome. He handed me a 
pouch of coins. "We leave at dawn. Wait at the mouth of the eastern pass."
After Lonar departed, I went to notify Lady Karine of my good fortune. She was the leader of the circle, so it 
was only right that I inform her of my imminent departure, but I was also hoping for some advice, for she is far 
more experienced than I am. She was not in, however, and her squire did not know where to reach her. After 
what I now know was too little consideration, I thought I could handle the situation without any advice from 
Lady Karine, and I felt confident that she wouldn't have forbade me to undertake this journey. I could think of 
no reason for Lonar to believe I was anything but what I appeared to be, and even if some sort of setup was in 
the making here, I had yet to encounter anyone in Sanction who was my equal with a sword. I felt that as long 
as I kept my guard up, I would be fine. So, I left a message with the squire and went back to my quarters to 
prepare and get a few hours sleep.
The following morning, Windcatcher and I were the first to arrive. Shortly, Lonar arrived with four other men, 
bringing our number to six. He also had two pack mules in tow. I only recognized one of the men, a lecher by 
the name of Kresh. Fortunately, as far as I went, Kresh always had been all talk and no action. He had seen 
what happened to men who tried to force themselves on me.
"Introduce yourselves if you wish," Lonar said. "As far as I'm concerned, all you need to know about each 
other is that you're all capable fighters who can hold your own in battle."
The four strangers made no attempts at pleasantries. Kresh looked me up anddown, as if he could see 
straight through my armor and cloak. "Lynn and I already know each other," he said. "But who knows? Maybe 
we'll have a chance to get closer on the road."
"Careful, Kresh," I replied. "If you get closer than a sword's length, you might impale yourself."
One of the strangers, a man of swarthy complexion that revealed a Khurrish heritage, found this more 
amusing than I would have thought possible. After he finished guffawing, he said in heavily accented Solamnic, 
"I like a woman with spirit."
After avoiding Dark Knight patrols, we rode all day through the eastern pass from Sanction, stopping only 
twice to allow our steeds to rest. As we camped that first night, Lonar finally revealed our destination. "Some of 
you may have heard of the Valley of Crystal. That's where we're headed. We're going to fill the packs we empty 
of food with crystals and deliver them to Lord Hogan. Any questions?"
"Yeah," I said, "How is our balance going to be calculated?"
"You'll all get an equal share of ten percent of the value of the crystals we bring back, as appraised by Lord 
Hogan."
I shrugged. "Sounds fine."
The men thought so, too.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-04, 周日 21:20:35
接下来的几天风平浪静,除了克雷什的淫荡评论,他与我之间的口头争执以及库尔人的捧腹大笑之外。罗纳尔花了点时间询问我在圣克仙之外的旅程,对新海与啸海周边的区域尤为关注。当时,我并没有怀疑他除了闲聊外还有什么别的意图。毕竟,他最早来自卡尔苟斯(Caergoth),我想他是打算看看我们是不是凑巧去过同一个地方。而如今我才知道,他当时在转着一些远为险恶的念头。

当我们穿过一条离水晶谷还有两天路程的羊肠小道时,遭到了伏击。大石头后面走出三个库尔人。“要钱要命!”其中一位喊道。

“要钱要命?!”那个觉得我和克雷什很好笑的男人惊呼道,“山贼说这种蠢话是打算怎样?”

“是认真的。”喊话的人答道。他用库尔语喊了句什么,三支箭放倒了我们这位快活的伙伴。

罗纳尔大吼一声催马向前,长剑出鞘。挡路的三个人大吃一惊,显然原本预计自己的威胁会吓倒我们而不是激怒我们。不过,他们又齐射了一轮。一支箭射倒了另一名与我们同行的陌生人,另一支向我射来,我用膝盖一顶马腹策马跳开,箭只是撕破了我的斗篷,没有造成什么损伤。

我催着追风者前进,自己从她背上一跃而起,跳向峡谷一侧的崖壁上。受过训练的她一直跑到战场之外,停在那里等我回来。

我轻捷地攀上岩壁,心中暗自感谢我的祖父母和光明城堡的秘术师们,是他们让我像只猴子一样在索拉斯的树海间跳跃,后来又在啸海的崖壁上爬高蹿低。

我爬到了弓箭手们所在的山顶,发现他们仍然全神贯注地狙杀着下方我的队友。我缓缓地抽出长剑和匕首,然后清了清喉咙。

一个弓箭手转过头来,我把匕首投向他。它扎进了他的脖子,那个人发出窒息的哀嚎滚倒在地,这时我已经接近了他的四名同伴。他们丢下手中的弓,抽出库尔族战士著名的大弧度弯刀。

我躲开了领头的战士狂野的一劈,甫一交手就刺进了他的腹部。我迅速抽出武器斩向另一个敌人的腿,然后立刻退出长剑的攻击范围。他倒在地上尖叫。

最后的两个库尔族山贼一同攻上来,一左一右夹击我。我从两名剑士的面前跳开,同时抽出第二支匕首。我用它格挡了左侧敌人的一击,并一剑把他的头从肩膀上砍了下来。无头的身躯抽搐着跌落。

仅存的一位战士和我对峙周旋了一会儿。被我弄跛的那个男人的尖叫声渐渐低下去,变成了呻吟和呜咽。剩下的那个敌人忽然冲向我。我挡开了他的两记攻击,而他在冲刺中门户大开,我扑向他的空当。我的剑穿透了他的链甲。他咳出鲜血,然后软倒在坚硬的、尘土飞扬的地面上。

我身后的呜咽声忽然停息了。我转过身,看见罗纳尔站在那儿,他的剑深深地扎进我砍伤的那个库尔人后背。一把弓和一支箭躺在库尔人还在抽搐的手中。“你留了他一条活命,小太妹。他差点就得手了。是我罗纳尔救了你。”

我摆出一脸嘲讽的表情,举剑致敬:“您非常英勇,骑士先生,但我本可以应付的。”

他露出一个古怪的微笑,现在想起来,那是怀疑的苗头。他说:“看到刚刚的表现,我得说你待在圣克仙真是浪费了。你该过佣兵的日子。”

“或许你可以在霍甘大人面前美言几句。”我答道,在一个死去的敌人身上抹了抹我的剑。他点点头,拍拍我的肩。

我们爬回谷底。那四个陌生人都死了(6-4=3你真的没数错吗……-译注)。克雷什觉得这是件好事——我和他最后都能分到更多,而且有更多匹坐骑可以替我们搬运水晶了。“要是我们不遇到更多麻烦的话。”我说。

旅行的接下去几天平安无事。我们用了一天时间掩埋尸体。克雷什洗劫尸体的时候,我费了老大劲才管住自己的舌头。我自己也装模作样地洗劫了其中一具,不过等我一回到圣克仙,就会尽快把这些物品寄去捐赠给光明城堡。

伏击后的第二天较晚时候,我们发现七彩的光线在蓝天上舞动。我指着它们,对它们的美丽与奇异特性评头品足。

“看见了。”克雷什说,“头一回见就没啥感觉,这回也一样。”

“那些是山谷里的反光,”罗纳尔用更平淡的语调说,“尽管这些光看上去挺漂亮,但要是你现在走进山谷,它们会灼瞎你的眼睛。我们在入口附近扎营,日落之后再进谷。”

我们到达了山谷,接着我就见识了罗纳尔适才所言的一个缩影。一条狭窄的峡谷从我们的营地通往水晶谷,峡谷中舞动着一片片七彩的光线,它们是那么的明亮,我看过之后眼花了好几分钟。罗纳尔和克雷什都觉得好笑。

我们搭好帐篷,太阳也落下去了。克雷什生起火堆的时候,罗纳尔和我进谷去采第一批水晶。我们只拿了鞍袋,因为罗纳尔解释说,那些水晶比刀片更锋利,能割穿不那么坚固的容器。即使在月光之下,这片山谷也充满了色彩,这是我平生所见最美的景象之一。水晶绵延数里,笼罩着起伏不定的彩色光波。

“太惊人了。”我说,敬畏得喘不过气来。

“人们说混沌之神触摸过这片地方,”罗纳尔说,“霍甘大人收集这些水晶一方面是为了研究,另一方面是为了收买食人魔,使他们不倒向黑暗骑士一方。食人魔萨满(shaman)们强烈地渴求着这种东西,但他们拒绝亲自进入这片山谷。我们也不确定是为什么。”

The next few days were uneventful, except for lewd comments and verbal sparring between Kresh and me 
and belly laughs from the Khur. Lonar spent some time quizzing me about my travels beyond Sanction, placing 
particular emphasis on the area around the New Sea and Schallsea. At the time, I didn't suspect that it was 
anything but conversation on his part. After all, he originally hailed from Caergoth, and I believed that he was 
trying to see if we perhaps had visited the same places. Now I know that he was thinking far more sinister 
thoughts.
We were traveling through a narrow pass two days away from the Valley of Crystal when the ambush 
occurred. Three Khurrish men stepped out from behind rocks. "Your money or your life!" one called out.
"'Your money or your life?!'" exclaimed the man who found Kresh and me amusing. "What manner of 
bandits say such foolishness?"
"Serious ones," replied the speaker. He barked a word in Khurrish, and three arrows cut down our jolly 
companion.
Lonar let out a roar and spurred his horse forward, drawing his sword. The three men in front of us reacted 
with surprise, having clearly assumed their demonstration would subdue us rather than enrage us. Still, they 
shot another volley of arrows. While an arrow felled one more of the strangers who had traveled with us, 
another tore harmlessly through my cloak as I kneed my horse away.
I spurred Windcatcher forward but leaped from her back onto a ledge on the side of the canyon. She was 
trained to gallop until clear of the battle area, then stop to await my return.
I scaled the wall swiftly, mentally thanking both my grandparents and the mystics at the Citadel of Light who 
had let me scamper like a monkey first through the trees of Solace and later up and down the cliffs of Schallsea. 
I reached the top where the archers were, finding that they were still focused on killing my companions down 
below. I slowly drew my sword and dagger. Then I cleared my throat.
One archer turned and I flung my dagger at him. It lodged in his neck, and he went down with a strangled 
cry as I closed on his four companions. They dropped their bows and drew the wickedly curved blades the 
Khurrish warriors are known.
I ducked under a wild swing by the lead warrior and, as we engaged, stabbed him in the belly. I withdrew my 
weapon swiftly, slashing another foe's leg before retreating out of sword range. He fell to the ground, 
screaming.
The last two Khurrish bandits attacked together, stabbing at me from the right and the left. I danced away 
from the swordsmen, drawing my second dagger as I did. I used it to block a swing from the left foe and used 
my sword to hack his head from his shoulders. The headless body spasmed as it fell.
The final warrior and I circled for a couple of moments. The screams of the man I had hobbled faded to 
moans and whimpers. My one remaining fe suddenly rushed me. I parried two of his blows, then he 
overextended himself with a lunge, and I dove toward his open side. My sword punched through his chainmail. 
He coughed up blood before falling limply to the hard, dusty ground.
The whimpers behind me suddenly went silent. I whirled to see Lonar standing there, his sword deep in the 
back of the Khur I had wounded. A bow and arrow lay in the Khur's still-twitching hands. "You left this one alive, 
alley cat. And he almost got you. Lonar to the rescue."
I set my face in a mocking expression and raised my sword in a salute. "Very gallant of you, Sir Knight, but 
I could have handled it."
He gave me an odd smile that I now know was born of suspicion. He said, "Based on that display, I'd say 
you're being wasted in Sanction. You should be leading the life of a sell-sword."
"Maybe you can put in a good word with Lord Hogan," I replied, wiping my sword on a dead enemy. He 
nodded, clapping me on the shoulder.
We climbed down into the canyon. The four strangers were all dead. Kresh saw this as a good thing—more 
for him and me to split at the end, and more mounts to carry our crystals. "Only if we don't run into more 
trouble," I said.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. We spent a day burying the bodies. I struggled to hold my tongue as 
Kresh looted bodies. I looted one myself to keep up appearances, but as soon as I return to Sanction, I'm going 
to arrange to have the items sent to the Citadel of Light as a donation.
Late in the second day after the ambush, we spotted rays of colors dancing in the blue sky. I pointed them 
out, commenting on their beautiful and bizarre nature.
"Seen 'em," Kresh said. "Wasn't impressed the first time. Ain't impressed now."
"Those are reflections from the valley," Lonar said in a more conversational tone. "And while those lights 
may be pretty, they'd burn your eyes out if you were to enter the valley right now. We're going to camp near the 
entrance and go in only after sundown."
We reached the valley, and I saw a small sample of what Lonar meant. A narrow canyon led from our 
campsite to the Valley of Crystal, and in it danced sheets of colored light so bright that I saw spots for minutes 
after I looked at it. Lonar and Kresh both found that amusing.
The sun set as we established camp. While Kresh built a fire pit, Lonar and I went to the valley to gather the 
first batch of crystals. We took only saddlebags because, Lonar explained, the crystals were sharper than 
razors and would slice through less sturdy containers. Even in the moonlight, the valley was awash with colors, 
making it one of the most beautiful sights I had ever viewed. The crystals stretched for miles, covered in 
undulating waves of colors.
"This is amazing," I said, my breath stolen by awe.
"People say the Chaos god touched this place," Lonar said. "Lord Hogan wants to gather crystals both for 
research and to pay the ogres so they don't side with the Dark Knights. Ogre shamans want these things very 
badly, but they refuse to come in here themselves. Why, we're not certain."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-05, 周一 00:23:27
我们花了大约两个小时收集水晶,直到我们俩每个人都装满了两副鞍袋。最后,我们的皮手套都支离破碎,我手上也割破了几道小伤口。

回到营地的时候,克雷什已经生起了一大堆火。我主动请缨去饮马。克雷什说这山谷方圆五十里内都没有水源,马匹们只能靠这少许水对付到我们准备出发的时候了。

“那可不大好,”我说,“马没水喝撑不了太久。”

“要是我们勤奋点,也许明天就能收集到足够水晶打道回府。”罗纳尔一边说,一边检视着背包里掏出的一块磨刀石,“这些马撑到那时候没问题的。”

我同意这一点,不过我还是在追风者身上多花了一些时间,和她聊天,把她从头刷到脚。当我回到劈啪作响的火堆旁加入罗纳尔与克雷什的行列时,我建议他们善待自己的马:“直到我们离开山谷前都不能喂他们喝水已经够糟的了。要是你待他们好,他们会帮上你更多的忙。”

“真的吗?”罗纳尔挑起一边眉毛,“像你这么个小太妹是从哪儿学到这种事的?”

“在路上。我和一个干商队护卫的库尔人一同旅行过。你知道库尔人跟马的交情。他们吃在马背上,睡在马背上,他们知道怎么最大限度地利用马。一匹在奔忙一天之后得到洗刷抚摸的马,一定比一匹被像随意丢在门边的木鞋一样对待的马干得漂亮。”

罗纳尔停下了磨剑的活儿。“或许你说得对,小太妹。”他说。他站起身来,用一种有趣的动作小幅旋转着剑,就像他每次打算把它插入剑鞘时那样。但这一回他没有这么做。他把剑刃倚在自己的右肩上,绕过火堆走到我身后。

“我从不抚摸马,”克雷什说,“那不是战士干的活。你要是问我,我会说那是女人的事儿。”

“好在我是个太妹。”我说,自己拿起一片肉干。

罗纳尔在我身后大笑:“还是一如既往地嘴尖舌利啊,琳恩。我觉得要不是在这种情况下,我们或许会成为朋友呢。”

一阵剧痛从后颈传来,罗纳尔袭击了我,用的多半是他的剑柄圆球。我向前倒去,眼前的世界一片空白。在视野恢复清晰之前,身为索兰尼亚骑士的训练就让我本能地挣扎着跪稳身子打算拔剑。然后我的肚子挨了一脚,又瘫了下去,接下来的几分钟里又是更多的拳打脚踢。疼痛的雾霾模糊了我的心智,我脑中的本能被一扫而空。除了大口喘气,我什么也做不了。

世界重新在我眼前聚焦的时候,我感到一双有力的手揪着我,把我摔在一块巨石上。我挣扎着平复呼吸,听见我的剑被从剑鞘中抽了出来。随着它当啷一声落在某块石头上,那双手又抓紧了我,拉着我背靠巨石坐起来。然后有什么撕裂了疼痛的雾霾:我的脖颈上有种被冰冷金属抵着的触感,紧接着右耳畔传来温暖的呼吸声。“游戏到此为止了,太妹。”罗纳尔耳语道。

一切猛然恢复了焦点。疼痛变得比之前更尖锐,罗纳尔转回来,用他的一双褐眼紧紧盯着我的眼睛,我得以看清他的面容上我从未观察到的许多细节。我看见他分明的轮廓,他上路后长得更加浓密的胡子,他向我微笑时眼角浮起的细小皱纹,还有他眼底的寒光。我发现他笑容中的魅力与温暖都纯粹是表面功夫,那下面掩藏着一颗黑暗的灵魂,就像我把我的本性掩藏在琳恩的外表背后一样。我强忍着恐惧与疼痛说:“发生了什么事,罗纳尔?你为什么要这么做?”

“你或许能骗过断角酒馆的那群混混,但你骗不过我罗纳尔·西德尔(Lonar Hiddel)。”“我不知道你说什——”

他的剑在我喉头抵得更紧,嘘了一声逼我噤声。“别再撒谎了,小太妹。别再撒谎了。我愿意饶恕你,你是个好姑娘。对不对,克雷什?”

“有待观察。”克雷什说。

“克雷什就是这样,永远用他的下半身思考。”罗纳尔叹口气说,“我只是想说,亲爱的琳恩,他曾经以为你只不过是个穿着马裤,挥着剑的小丫头。直到我们遇到那伙山贼,他才看见了我头一次观看你在圣克仙打架的时候看到的东西。”

“是啊,我很能打。我学过怎么战斗。我——”

“是的,是的。饶了我吧,别再编你那些催人泪下的故事了。你被奴隶贩子带走,但是你逃脱了,有个好心人教你使剑……不然就是你的父亲没有儿子,所以他教给你怎么战斗,但是在你足以继承他建立的山贼帝国之前,那个帝国就被塔克西丝的骑士们摧毁了。我猜得接近吗?”

“我不明白你打算问什么,罗纳尔。”

他给了我一耳光,我的嘴唇上有血的滋味。他的笑意越来越明显,双眼却越来越冰冷。“别再喵喵叫了,小野猫。我的‘问题’是你的剑术对于一个穿马裤的小丫头来说实在是太好了。你太能打了,就是这么回事。我一直在观察你,我也略微试探过你。对于一个街头霸王来说,你似乎并没有累积多少猎物。你赌博,你打架,但是你很少蹲在小巷里埋伏醉鬼。为什么?这么干比玩骰子来钱快多了。”

“而且,在你打架的时候。嗯……我觉得你在试图掩饰,但你没法掩饰。论武艺,你实在是太棒了。”他握住我的下巴,靠我更近,他的脸距离我的只有数英寸。

“你不是个普通的混混,琳恩。不管你如何努力去装得像个混混。可是你是谁?当然了,没有哪个索兰尼亚骑士会这么粗俗,也没有哪个索兰尼亚骑士会容许像你每天晚上都遇到的那种不名誉的事发生在自己身上。不,你只能是一种人。”

他的眼光更加冰冷了,他说:“所以,你是哪个阶级(Order)的?百合(Lily),还是骷髅(Skull)?”

我震惊得狂笑出声。他没明白我神经质的反应是怎么回事,于是又给了我一耳光。我腹部挨了他膝盖两记撞击。每次我都痉挛地向前倒去,但罗纳尔用他那只闲着的手狠狠一拍我的胸口,让我靠回到那块石头上。

“这一点也不好笑,琳恩小姐,”他咆哮道。我吐出我刚吃的那一点儿肉干,在干呕和试图平复呼吸的尝试间挣扎着。“这就是你的末日,你可能会死得非常痛苦。你,是,哪,个,阶,级,的?”

“拜托,”我呻吟道。我不羞于承认当胃部被撞击的痉挛平息下来之后,我开始由于恐惧而颤抖。“我不是塔克西丝的骑士,你完全搞错了。”

“是吗?”他的剑尖在我脖子上抵得更紧。我感到温暖的血流下来,它刺穿了我的皮肤。

“是的,”我低声说,“以帕拉丁之名,我发誓我不是黑暗骑士。”

“以帕拉丁之名?帕拉丁?!你试图让我相信你是个索兰尼亚骑士?!”他大笑,“你怎么看,克雷什?我们的小太妹会不会真是个脱了闪亮盔甲的骑士?”

“她太瘦了,”克雷什说,“而且太好看。从来就没有好看的女骑士。那就是为什么她们会跑去当骑士。”

We gathered crystals for about two hours, until each of us had filled two sets of saddlebags. By the end, nay 
leather gloves had been reduced to tatters, and I had several small cuts on my hands.
Back at camp, Kresh had built a large fire pit. I offered to water the horses. Kresh said there wasn't any 
water within fifty miles of the valley, so the horses would have to do with only a little until we were ready to 
leave.
"That's no good," I said. "The horses can't go too long without water."
"If we work hard, we may gather enough crystals to be on the way back tomorrow," Lonar said, retrieving a 
whetstone from his pack. "The horses will be fine for that long."
I agreed with him, but still spent some extra time on Windcatcher, talking to her and thoroughly brushing her 
down. When I rejoined Lonar and Kresh at the crackling blaze, I suggested that they should tend to their own 
horses. "It's bad enough we can't water them until we leve the valley. They'll serve you much better if you 
treat them right."
"Really?" Lonar said, cocking an eyebrow. "And where did an alley cat such as yourself learn that?"
"On the road. One of the men guarding the caravan I traveled with was a Khur. You know how they are with 
horses. They eat on them, sleep on them, and they know how to get the most out them. A horse that is brushed 
and rubbed down after a day's ride will outperform a horse that's been treated like a pair of wooden shoes and 
just left by the door."
Lonar stopped sharpening his sword. "You may be right, little alley cat," he said. He got to his feet and did 
that interesting little twirl with this sword he usually did just before sheathing it. Only this time he didn't. He just 
rested the blade against his right shoulder as he walked around the fire and behind me.
"I ain't rubbing down no horse," Kresh said. "That's not a job for a warrior. If you ask me, that's woman's 
work."
"Good thing I'm an alley cat," I said, taking a piece of dried meat for myself.
Lonar laughed behind me. "Sharp-tongued as ever, Lynn. I think we might have been friends you and I, 
under different circumstances."
Pain exploded in the back of my neck, as Lonar struck me with what must have been the pommel of his 
sword. I fell forward as the world seemed to go white. Before my vision cleared, my training as a Knight of 
Solamnia caused me to instinctively struggle to my knees and start drawing my sword. Then I was kicked hard 
in the stomach and collapsed again, taking several more blows over the next few minutes. Every instinct was 
swept away as a haze of pain consumed my mind. All I could do was gasp for air.
As the world swam in and out of focus, I felt strong hands grasping me and throwing me against one of the 
boulders. As I struggled to recover my breath, I heard my sword being drawn from its sheath. It clattered 
against the stones somewhere, and the hands grabbed me again and pulled me into a sitting position with my 
back against the boulder. Then something tore through the haze of pain: The feeling of cold steel against my 
neck, followed by warm breath on my right ear. "This is where the game ends, alley cat," Lonar whispered.
Everything snapped back into focus. The pain became sharper than before, and as Lonar moved back to 
lock his brown eyes with mine, I saw his face in far greater detail than I ever had before. I saw his chiseled 
features, the beard that was coming in strong after our time on the road, the small wrinkles that appeared at 
the corners of his eyes as he smiled at me, and the coldness in his eyes. I realized that the charm and warmth 
of his smile had been purely superficial and that it had hidden a dark soul, just as I hid my true nature behind 
the facade of Lynn. Fighting back both fear and pain, I said, "What's going on, Lonar? Why are you doing this?"
"You might fool the riffraff at the Broken Horn, but you're not good enough to fool Lonar Hiddel." "I don't 
know what—"
He silenced me by pressing the blade harder against my throat and shushing me. "No more lies, little alley 
cat. No more lies. I grant you, you're good. Isn't she, Kresh?"
"That remains to be seen," Kresh said.
"Always thinking with his loins, that Kresh," Lonar said with a sigh. "Suffice it to say, dear Lynn, he thought 
you were just another sword-wielding wench in britches. It wasn't until we ran into those bandits that he saw 
what I saw the first time I watched you brawling in Sanction."
"So I can fight. I had to learn how. I—"
"Yes, yes. Spare me the sob story. You were taken away by slavers but escaped and a kindly man taught 
you how to use a sword ... or maybe your father never got a son, so he taught you how to fight, but before you 
could inherit the bandit empire he'd built, Knights of Takhisis wiped it out. Are either of those close?"
"I have no idea what your problem is, Lonar."
He slapped me. I tasted blood in my mouth. His smile widened and his eyes grew colder. "No more 
meowing. My 'problem' is that you are toogood with that sword to be just another wench in britches. You are 
too good at fighting, period. I've been watching you. And I've been doing a little bit of checking up on you. For 
a supposed alley-basher, you don't seem to rack up many victims. You gamble, you brawl, but you spend little 
time lurking in alleys and waiting for drunks. Why is that? It's a lot quicker than dice games.
"And when you brawl. Hmm ... I think you try to hide it, but you just can't. When it comes to the martial arts, 
you are simply too good." He grabbed my chin in his hand and leaned closer, putting his face inches from mine. 
"You're no common rogue, Lynn, no matter how hard you try to pass yourself off as one. But who are you? 
Certainly, no Knight of Solamnia would be so rude, nor would she ever allow the kind of dishonor to befall her 
that you engage in nightly. No, there is only one type of person you can possibly be."
His eyes grew even colder as he said, "So, what Order are you a member of? The Lily or the Skull?"
I was so stunned that I barked out a laugh. He didn't understand the nervous reaction and slapped me 
again. He delivered a knee into my stomach, twice. Each time, I spasmed forward, but Lonar slammed his free 
hand against my chest, forcing me back against the stone.
"This is not funny, Lady Lynn," he snarled. I vomited forth the bit of dried meat I had eaten, then alternately 
dry-heaved and tried to catch my breath. "This is your death, and it can be a painful one. What. Order. Are. You. 
With?"
"Please," I moaned. I'm not ashamed to admit that once the spasms from the blows to my stomach 
subsided, I started shaking with fear. "I'm not a Knight of Takhisis. You've got it all wrong."
"Have I?" He pushed the tip of his stiletto harder against my neck. I felt the warm trickle of blood as he 
penetrated the skin.
"Yes," I whispered. "In the name Paladine, I swear I am not a Dark Knight."
"In the name of Paladine? Paladine?! Are you trying to make me think you're a Knight of Solamnia?!" He 
laughed. "What do you think, Kresh? Could our little alley cat really be a Knight without her shining armor?"
"Too skinny," Kresh said. "And too good-looking. Ain't never been a good-looking woman Knight. That's 
why they become Knights in the first place.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-05, 周一 13:47:47
“我是索兰尼亚骑士。”我说,在理智管住我的嘴之前,这些话就脱口而出。我已经受够了对死亡的恐惧和他们加在我身上的屈辱的刺痛。“我是一名玫瑰骑士!我唾弃艾瑞阿肯大君(Lord Ariakan)的回忆,唾弃塔克西丝有鳞的皮肤!我来圣克仙是因为我从天位骑士利亚姆·厄林(Grand Master Liam Ehrling)那里接受了一项特殊任务。我的任务是调查你的上司,霍甘·拜特的动向,但我并不像黑暗骑士们那样真正是你们的敌人。骑士团只是想弄清他打算干些什么,但他不肯和他们打交道!我不是黑暗骑士!”

透露在骑士团中的职阶这件事可能违背了我的誓言。我在向卡琳女士提交报告的时候一定会强调这一举动。我在她不知情也未同意的情况下离开圣克仙并没有触犯骑士规章,但对非骑士团成员透露自己作为地下骑士的身份则无疑是一桩严重的罪名。

哪怕这并没有给我带来任何好处。

罗纳尔歪着头,双眼仍然冰冷地瞪着我:“玫瑰骑士?你?!你一定当我是个白痴,琳恩小姐!你何不干脆撒谎说自己是亚苟斯皇帝(Emperor of Ergoth)的一位私人使者,计划打入内部窥探霍甘大人的力量,以确定我们是否值得出兵支援?”

“我说的是真话。”我说。

他审视了我一阵子,沉思地打量着我。短剑疼痛地顶着我的喉头,依然扎在我的皮肤里。他忽然问:“骑士规章第的六十八条是什么?”

我眨眨眼:“什么?”

“第六十八条。第六十八条的内容是什么?如果你是个玫瑰骑士,你一定知道。”

“骑士规章没有第六十八条,”我答道,“现在没有了。天位骑士刚萨(Gunthar)和利亚姆几年前把这条去掉了。”

“这么说我们走进了一个僵局。我父亲曾经是位骑士。在我出生前他就被逐出了骑士团,但他要我背下了骑士规章的主要条款和准则,因为他认为这是很好的人生信条。我想他做得对。其中有几条非常有意义。如果你能告诉我第六十八条的内容是什么,我或许可以让你活下来证明你的组织关系。但现在,我觉得这只不过是个陷阱。

“无论如何,玫瑰骑士绝不是那种流连酒吧,和下等人深交的家伙。玫瑰骑士的荣誉感比你强得多。”他的声线中出现了一种新的语气,这种语气令我前所未有地深深恐惧起来。

克雷什也听到了。他站起来说:“你不会打算就这么杀了她吧?”

“大体没错。”罗纳尔回答。

“那样太浪费了。让我先找点乐子。”

罗纳尔耸耸肩,用他的短剑柄砸向我的额头,这一击使我的后脑磕在了岩石上。我终于失去了知觉。当世界重新开始聚焦,克雷什不洗澡的躯体上发出的恶臭充满了我的鼻腔。我被拖离了那块石头,平躺在地上。天空中星光闪亮。有谁在扯我的裤带。我听到罗纳尔说:“别让她叫出声。我讨厌女人的尖叫声。”

克雷什大笑起来,我意识到他正在解我的裤子。“你醒了。很好。我可不希望你错过自己一生中最后的也是最大的快感!”他用力拍打我的脸,然后继续对付起我的裤子来。

“割断不就好了,”罗纳尔在附近某个地方叹了口气,“她以后又不会需要再穿它。”

我的脑子忽然清醒了,整个人被一种别样的恐惧所淹没。我不止要死在这里,还要在死前被他们夺走我拥有的每一丝尊严。我完全错看了罗纳尔。我被他的漂亮外表,他的魅力,还有他比起圣克仙的其他居民们相对较少被邪恶沾染的事实所迷惑了。

“我想你说得对,”克雷什说,“我解不开她打的那该死的结。”

“克雷什,拜托,”我轻声说。我不允许这蠢才这么对我,“要是我乖乖配合,你能放我一条生路吗?我不想死的。拜托了。”

他对我咧嘴一笑,伸出舌头舔着他七歪八扭的牙齿:“好啊。说不定我会觉得你很有价值,杀了可惜。”他也轻声回应,同时偎得更近了。

我在他胡子拉碴的脸颊上吻了一口,他在我嘴唇上报以恶臭的一吻,与此同时,我的双手在他后背与身侧游走,找到并爱抚着他的腰部。

我的右手摸到了他武装带上的匕首。我用左手相帮着解开搭扣,暗自希望他真的像罗纳尔说的那样只用下半身思考。克雷什没有教我失望。

“对,”他说,“先帮我解开……然后,留神你那该死的裤带结。”

我想,与其说克雷什死得痛苦,不如说他死得很震惊。我迅捷地握住刀柄拔出匕首斩向他的咽喉。他猛地向后一跳,双手本能地去捂自己的脖子,试图阻止自己的生命从体内流失。我从他身下爬出来的时候,血浆正从他的手指缝间喷射而出,溅落在我身上。

罗纳尔倒是没有克雷什那么吃惊。他从营火对面站起身,长剑出鞘。

“其实你该躺在那儿让他干的,小太妹。”他用一种愠怒的口吻说,“要是克雷什觉得爽,你说不定还能多活几天。”

“这桩交易不划算。”我答道,一面迅速从克雷什的剑鞘中抽出长剑。他像条离开了水的鱼一样抽搐着,还没死透。我踹开他抓向我的手。罗纳尔和我开始隔着他的身子周旋。“我何不把你放倒搁在他身边,然后带着这些水晶回到圣克仙去讨霍甘·拜特的欢心呢?”

“你还没赢我呢,琳恩。”他旋转着刀刃靠近来,“我可是很难杀的,尤其你现在用着克雷什的劣质武器。你和我都是真正的战士,我们买武器的时候会认准质量,而克雷什只认哪把最便宜。”

他是对的。我们周旋着,两个人都在寻找着最佳的攻击机会,就在这时我发现自己用的这把剑严重地不平衡。我觑个机会扫了一眼自己的武器被丢下的那片地方,但罗纳尔抓住这个契机向我冲来。

我格开几记过于贴近的劈砍,从他面前退开。他是个很棒的剑士。我很难挡住他的斩击,这把武器也撑不了多久。

我们打着打着,渐渐远离营地,进入了水晶谷的入口。水晶在月光下焕发出蓝白色的光辉,映照在罗纳尔打磨锋利的剑刃上,看上去魔幻极了。而我挥舞的这把剑则太过于缺乏保养,仍然是那种死气沉沉的灰色。

之前头部受到的一击令我比平时更快地疲乏起来,他得以通过一连串的打击击落了我的剑。然而,在他这么做的同时,身侧露出了空当。我扑过去,想用匕首刺穿他的链甲。可是刀刃在链环中折断了。罗纳尔退开几步,我们俩一同惊奇地看着我手中损坏的武器。他检查了一下自己有无内伤——没有,然后快速插入我与掉落的长剑之间。

“理智点吧,琳恩。告诉我你到底是谁。这样,我至少清楚该把你的尸体送回哪里。”

我向后退却,我穿靴子的双脚磕磕绊绊地踩过头几片零碎的水晶。其中有一些松动了。我又退了两步:“对啊。我们理智点吧。我们一起回圣克仙。你可以把我带到霍甘·拜特面前去。或许他会相信我。我保证对你袖手旁观克雷什强奸我的事情守口如瓶。我想霍甘大人的荣誉感还不至于支持这样的举动。”

“首先,无论何时,霍甘大人都会更相信我的话,而不是一名塔克西丝骑士——哪怕是索兰尼亚骑士——的所言。他知道和他有共同的目标:保卫圣克仙不被你们这些日薄西山的宗教势力所压迫。在你们以牺牲克莱恩的人民为代价继续回顾往昔的时候,霍甘大人正为未来做好准备。诸神把这个世界留给了凡人,而你们这些骑士——你们蜗角之争中的双方——似乎都完全无视了这一点。”

“索兰尼亚骑士早已不仅仅为诸神服务了。”我说。

他忽略我的话继续说下去:“其次,霍甘大人早已明确了这一点:他不希望任何所谓‘战斗团体’的成员待在他的城市里——上一次,你们黑暗骑士、索兰尼亚骑士和史钢军团展示了自己是多么糟糕的客人,你们几乎制造了一起大屠杀。你们说不出什么他想听到的话。你和你的骑士团都已经成为历史了。”

“我想,如果你的上司真的和一名索兰尼亚骑士展开对话,他会发现我们已经从上次在圣克仙犯的错误中汲取教训了。我想——”

“你们永远不会从错误中汲取教训。你们所有的‘骑士’都不会。我觉得我已经给了你足够的时间来自我辩白和说遗言了。”

他向我走来。我迅速蹲下身,胡乱抓起一把水晶和灰尘撒向他的脸。水晶割伤了他,他痛得尖叫起来。我跑向自己的剑。然而,尽管半盲着,罗纳尔还是成功地挥出一剑,砍在我的胸口。尽管这一击没有穿透我的盔甲,但我被打翻在地。锋利的水晶扎进我腿部后方。

罗纳尔无言地嘶吼着,血从前额的伤口淌下来,流进他的左眼,他眨着眼睛。他高举起剑,预备挥出致命的一击。我与反射神经做着搏斗,努力睁大眼睛盯着那闪闪发光的剑刃,要亲眼看着最后一击落下。直面死亡的那一刻,我终于击退了内心的恐惧。我忽然感到一股过去数年间从未有过的平静。我低声祈祷:“帕拉丁,请照看我的灵魂。”

"I'm a Knight of Solamnia," I said, my words spilling forward swiftly before reason stopped them. Fear of 
death and the sting of the insults they were heaping upon me had become too much to bear. "I'm a Knight of 
the Rose! I spit on the memory of Lord Ariakan and I spit on the scaly hide of Takhisis! I came to Sanction on 
a special assignment from Grand Master Liam Ehrling. My mission is to investigate the activities of your 
master, Hogan Bight, but I'm not really your enemy as the Dark Knights are. The Orders just want to know what 
he's up to, but he wouldn't deal with them! I'm not a Dark Knight!"
Revealing my rank with the Orders may be a violation of my vows. I will make sure I emphasize this act 
when I submit my report to Lady Karine. I did not violate the Measure by leaving Sanction without her 
permission or knowledge, but revealing myself as a covert Knight to someone who is not a member of the 
Orders is in all likelihood a grave offense.
It doesn't matter that it didn't do me any good.
Lonar cocked his head, and his eyes still coldly glared. "A Rose Knight? You?! You must take me for an 
idiot, Lady Lynn! Why didn't you just go ahead and spin a lie about being a personal emissary from the 
Emperor of Ergoth who wants to take a peek at Lord Hogan's forces from the inside to see if we're worthy of 
military aid?"
"I'm telling the truth," I said.
He regarded me for a moment, looking thoughtful. The stiletto remained painfully at my throat, still digging 
past my skin. Suddenly, he said: "What is the sixty-eighth point of the Measure?"
I blinked "What?"
"The 68th point. What is the sixty-eighth point? If you're a Rose Knight, you know it."
"There aren't sixty-eight points in the Measure," I replied, "not anymore. Grand Masters Guthar and Liam 
revised it years ago."
"Then we're an impasse. My father was once a Knight. He got thrown out before I was born, but he made 
me memorize the main points and standards outlined in the Measure because he thought it was a good code 
to live by. I think he was right to do so. Some of them make a lot of sense. And if you could have told me what 
the sixty-eighth point was, I might have let you live to present proof of your affiliation. But now, I just think it's a 
trap.
"At any rate, Rose Knights aren't the type of people who hang out in bars and fraternize with lowlifes. Rose 
Knights have more honor than that." A new tone had crept into his voice, a tone that struck an even deeper fear 
in me than before.
Kresh heard it too. Rising to his feet, he asked, "You're not just gonna kill her?"
"That was the general idea," Lonar replied.
"That'd be a waste. Let me have some fun first."
Lonar shrugged and struck me on the forehead with the hilt of his stiletto, causing the back of my head to 
slam against the rock. I finally lost consciousness. When the world swam back into focus, the stench of Kresh's 
unwashed body filled my nose. I had been pulled away from the rocks and was flat on my back. The stars 
swam brightly in the heaven. Someone was tugging at the strings of my breeches. I heard Lonar say, "Don't let 
her scream. I hate it when women scream."
Kresh laughed, and I realized that he had been struggling with my breeches. "You're awake. Great. I 
wouldn't want you to miss the last and greatest thrill of your life!" He slapped me hard across the face, and then 
started struggling with my breeches again.
"Just cut them off," Lonar sighed from somewhere nearby. "She's not going to need them again."
My head suddenly cleared as a different kind of terror flooded my being. Not only was I going to die here, 
but also they were going to take away every shred of dignity I possessed before they killed me. I had 
completely misjudged Lonar. I had been taken in by good looks, charm, and the fact that he was less tainted 
with Evil than many of Sanction's residents.
"I guess you're right," Kresh said. "I can't undo the cursed knot she used."
"Please, Kresh," I whispered. I would not allow these cretins to do this to me. "If I cooperate, will you let me 
live? I don't want to die. Please."
He grinned at me and ran his tongue over his crooked teeth. "Sure. Maybe I'll decide you're too valuable to 
kill," he whispered back, leaning close.
I kissed his unshaven cheek and he returned a putrid kiss on my mouth as I ran my hands down his back 
and over his side, finding his waist and caressing it.
My right hand found the dagger on his weapons belt. With my left, I started to undo the buckle, hoping he 
truly always thought with his loins as Lonar said. Kresh didn't disappoint me.
"Yeah," he said. "Undo mine first... then take care of that damned knot on yours."
I think Kresh died more startled than in pain. I swiftly drew his dagger from his hilt and slashed his throat. He 
jerked backward, his hands instinctually going to his neck to stop his life from pumping from his body. Blood 
poured from between his fingers and spilled upon me as I scrambled out from under him.
Lonar was less surprised than Kresh. He rose to his feet on the far side of the campfire, drawing his sword. 
"You should have just lain back and taken it, alley cat," he said in an irritated tone. "If Kresh had enjoyed 
himself, you might have lived a few more days."
"Not a good bargain," I replied, quickly drawing Kresh's sword from its sheath. He was twitching like a fish 
out of water, not quite dead yet. I kicked his hand aside as he grabbed for me. Lonar and I started to circle 
around his body. "Why don't I just lay you out next to him and return to Sanction with the crystals and earn 
Hogan Bight's favor that way?"
"You haven't won yet, Lynn." He twirled his blade as he approached. "I'm going to be hard to kill, particularly 
since you're using Kresh's inferior weapons. You and I, being real warriors, go forquality in our weapons. 
Kresh went for what cost the least."
He was right. As we circled, each of us attempting to find just the right moment to strike, I noticed that the 
sword I was using was horribly unbalanced. I took a chance and scanned the area for my own discarded 
weapons, but Lonar took that as an opportunity to rush at me.
I parried the swings that came too close, backing away from him. He was very good. I barely held against 
his blows, as did the weapon I held.
Our battle carried us away from the camp and into the entrance of the Valley of Crystal. The white-blue 
glow of the crystals beneath the moonlight reflected on Lonar's well-honed blade, making it appear magical. 
The sword I wielded was so ill-used that it remained a dull gray.
The beating I had suffered at his hand caused me to tire quicker than I normally would, so he managed to 
knock the sword from my hand with a flurry of blows. However, he left his side open while doing so. I dove 
forward, intending to punch the dagger through his chainmail. Instead, the blade snapped on the links. Lonar 
backed away from me as we both looked at the broken weapon in my hand with amazement. He checked his 
gut for wounds, found none, then swiftly moved between the dropped sword and me.
"Be reasonable, Lynn. Let me know who you really are. That way, I'll know where to send your body."
I backed away from him, my booted feet stumbling across the first few scattered crystals. Several of them 
shifted loose. I took a couple more steps back. "Yeah. Let's be reasonable. Let's go back to Sanction together. 
You can bring me before Hogan Bight. Maybe he'll believe me. I promise I'll leave out the part about you 
standing by while Kresh attempted to rape me. I think Lord Hogan's a bit more honorable than someone who 
would countenance such a thing."
"First, Lord Hogan would take my word over a Knight of Takhisis—or even a Knight of Solamnia—any day. 
He knows that I share his concern for keeping Sanction free from oppression by any of your dying religious 
orders. Lord Hogan is preparing for the future while you keep looking toward the past, at the expense of the 
people of Krynn. The gods have left the world to the mortals, yet you Knights—on both sides of your little 
squabble—seem to have missed that entirely."
"The Knights of Solamnia have always been about more than service to the gods," I said.
He continued, ignoring me: "Second, Lord Hogan has made it clear that he doesn't want any members of 
the so-called 'fighting orders' in his city—last time, you nearly created a massacre when your Dark Knights, the 
Knights of Solamnia, and the Legion of Steel showed how bad guests can be. You have nothing to say that he 
would want to hear. You and yours are part of the past."
"I think if your master was to actually talk to a Knight of Solamnia, he'd discover that we've learned from our 
mistakes in Sanction. I think—"
"You never learn from your mistakes. None of you 'Knights' do. And I think I've given you enough time to 
come clean and to say your last words."
He advanced toward me. I quickly crouched and blindly scooped up a handful of crystals and dirt and flung 
them at his face. He screamed in pain as the crystals slashed him, and I moved for my sword. Even partially 
blinded, however, Lonar managed to swing at me with his sword, catching me across the breast. Although his 
strike didn't penetrate my armor, it did knock me to the ground. Sharp crystals cut into the back of my legs.
Lonar bellowed wordlessly, blinking as blood from the cuts on his forehead streamed into his left eye. He 
raised his sword to deliver the killing blow. I fought against my reflexes and kept my eyes open and fixed on the 
gleaming blade to watch the final strike as it fell. As I stared at Death in the face, I finally beat back my fear. I 
suddenly felt calmer than I had in years. I whispered, "Paladine, please watch over my soul."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-05, 周一 20:40:29
但那致命的一击始终没有落下。相反,罗纳尔猛地向前迈了半步,随着骨骼破碎、链环断裂的声音,一支剑刃透胸而出。他咳嗽着,鲜血从嘴里和胸前的伤口往外涌。随着那支剑的抽回,他倒在了地上,抽搐着,生命渐渐远离了躯壳。

“肮脏的龙人军(dragonarmy)败类,”那人用精灵语说,“你别想再烧我的森林。”

站在罗纳尔尸身上方,手握着我的剑的,是一位传说中走出的人物。他看上去就像爷爷奶奶的故事里说的一模一样——一位有着一头金色发绺,一双蓝色的大眼睛,和一张英俊得简直让他的普通同族感到羞愧的脸庞的精灵。至今奶奶提起她第一次将目光投向奎灵纳斯提精灵吉尔赛那斯时的小鹿乱撞,还照样会让爷爷感到嫉妒。此刻我亲眼见到他,才明白个中缘由。

“吉尔赛那斯?”我说,还没有完全相信自己的眼睛。他蓝色的大眼睛望向我。他的双眸里含着一种奇怪的神情,一种疯癫的神情。然后,他一脸认出了我的表情。

“提卡(Tika)!”他惊呼道。他扶我站起来,“提卡,你在这儿干什么?我以为你早就死了!”

这比他的外形还要令我吃惊。我的父辈与祖辈时常说我的脸长得特别像奶奶,但吉尔赛那斯显然应该知道她比我如今看上去的样子要老得多。

“你受伤了,”他接着说,注意到我腿上的割伤,“是那个畜生干的吗?还有你的头发。是他剪掉了你美丽的卷发吗?”

按我打算剪掉自己头发时奶奶的说法,她一生都留着她的长发,这得益于她一头引入注目的自然卷。尽管我继承了她年轻时的红色,却没有继承到她的卷发。我选择把头发剪短,是因为这样戴起头盔来比较舒服。

可是,他的提问证明他的确把我认成了奶奶。我开始怀疑这是否真是吉尔赛那斯本人。会不会这只是个疯子?他的一边脸颊上有道纵向的疤痕,而奶奶从来没有提到过这道疤痕。可是从她上一次听说他的消息到现在已经有很长时间了,事实上,已经太久太久,以至于她和其他所有人都以为他已经死了。当我考虑着下一步该做些什么的时候,我听见有人在叫他的名字。

“来,倚着我,提卡,”吉尔赛那斯说,“我确定泰索何夫的背包里有些绷带。我们很快就会包扎好你的腿。”

“谢谢你,吉尔赛那斯。”我说。当我说出这个名字的时候,我感到它很陌生,甚至不知为何有些虚假。然而,尽管他疯得很明显,但他不是吉尔赛那斯还能是谁?

他扶着我走向营地。另一位精灵映入我的眼帘。“泰索何夫,”吉尔赛那斯喊道,“提卡被龙人们(draconians)袭击了!我们得帮帮她!”

另一位精灵跑到我们身边,两人一块儿把我扶回营地。当我们回到那儿的时候,第二位精灵给了我一块毛毯,让我可以在他处理伤口时保持体面。

“我要回那条路上看看,”吉尔赛那斯说,“我不希望有哪个败类偷偷摸摸地跟着我们。”

“别走太远。”另一位精灵说。

“你的朋友看上去精神不大正常。”我一边缓慢而痛苦地脱下裤子一边说。

“是的,”精灵望着他金发同伴的方向说,“他中了一种罕见的侏儒毒。他的疯狂与日俱增,要是我找不到治疗的办法,几个月之内他就会死。噢,我叫莱萨格斯,顺便一提,他的名字是吉尔赛那斯。”

“我想我认识他,”我说,“我的名字叫——”

我管住了自己的嘴。那天晚上我已经在胁迫之下违背了自己的秘密誓言一次,我不想出于轻率再干第二次。

“——琳恩。我从圣克仙来。我们来这儿收集水晶卖给这座城的领主。我的‘搭档们’想从我这儿夺走某些我无意分享的东西。于是,他们死了。”

“放心吧,我不打算做同样的事,”莱萨格斯说,“现在,试着放松,可能会有点疼。”

“你们俩来这儿做什么?”他把酒精倒在我大腿背侧的时候我咬着牙关问,“你们在这前不着村后不着店的地方得不到什么帮助的。”

“我看到了你们的篝火,我们的狮鹫需要休息,而且我希望这儿有谁能帮帮我们。”

“你们的坐骑可以休息,不过至于帮助嘛……呃,城里能找到的东西却到野外找,真像你们精灵能干出来的事。”我以一声窃笑结束了评论,试着模仿我听到过的,一位在我还是个小孩的时候经常来索拉斯旅店的捕兽人的声音。他或许是我见过最恶毒的偏执狂。莱萨格斯似乎注意到了我的态度转变。

“的确如此,”他答道,“大自然中有时也能觅得智慧。不过,我们的确找到了你,一位圣克仙的市民。你能告诉我们这附近有什么智者吗?有谁能帮帮我的朋友?”

“把我的腿包扎好,然后我们再谈。瞧着点毯子。”我刻意用冷冰冰的口吻回答道。我感到莱萨格斯僵了一下,他的照料中少了几分温柔。

即使在那一刻,我也觉得自己该表现出更多的感激之情。在我不怎么有资格得到拯救的时候,一个传奇人物拯救了我,给了我第二次机会。然而,想到这些,我察觉到“第二次机会”意味着我必须严格忠于自己的誓言,在与这两位精灵在一起时始终扮演琳恩的角色。那也就意味着要尽可能地粗鲁。我深深挖掘自己的记忆,搜寻着在最后归宿旅店(Inn of the Last Home)顾客们口中听过的那些顶顶难听的种族歧视脏话。

最终,我的行为终于过分得让他无法再忍受了。“我得去我的鞍囊里再拿些绷带。”他说着,走向初升月亮映衬下站在那儿的三只狮鹫。

他走后片刻,吉尔赛那斯出现在我身边,他回来的时候没有发出哪怕最轻微的响动。他以品评的眼光打量着我受伤的腿。“泰索何夫干得不错。”他说。

But the killing blow never landed. Instead, Lonar suddenly jerked a half step forward, and the blade of a 
swrd burst from his chest with a crunch of bone and a snapping of chainmail links. He coughed, and blood 
welled forth from his mouth and the wound on his chest. The sword retreated and he fell to the ground, 
twitching as life fled from his body.
"Filthy dragonarmy scum," someone said in elven. "You will burn my forest no more."
Standing above Lonar's form, holding my sword, was a figure out of legend. He appeared just as he had in 
Gramps's tales—an elf with long golden locks, large blue eyes, and a face so handsome that he puts even 
others of his fair race to shame. Grammy could still make Gramps jealous by describing how her heart had 
fluttered when she first laid eyes on Gilthanas of Qualinesti. Now that I had seen him myself, I understood why.
"Gilthanas?" I said, still not entirely believing my eyes. He turned his large blue eyes toward me. There was 
a strange look in them, a look of fury. Then, his expression filled with recognition.
"Tika!" he exclaimed. He helped me to my feet. "Tika, what are you doing here? I thought you were dead!"
That was even more surprising to me than his appearance. My parents and Gramps frequently commented 
on how much I resembled Grammy about the face, but surely Gilthanas had to know she was much older than 
I was at this point.
"You're wounded," he continued, noticing the cuts on my legs. "Did that animal do that? And your hair. Did 
he cut off your beautiful locks?"
From what she told me when I decided to cut mine, Grammy has worn her hair long her entire life, taking 
advantage of the spectacular curls that nature had gifted her with. Although I had inherited the red color she 
had when she was young, I had not inherited the curls. I also chose to wear my hair short because it was more 
comfortable when wearing a great helm.
His question confirmed that he thought I was Grammy, though. I came to question whether this was really 
Gilthanas. Could he just be a madman? He had a scar down one side of his face, and Grammy had never 
mentioned a scar. But a long time had passed since she had heard from him, so long, in fact, that she and 
everyone else thought him dead. As I was trying to decide what to do next, I heard someone calling his name.
"Here, lean on me, Tika," Gilthanas said. "I'm sure Tasslehoff has some bandages in his pack. We'll fix your 
legs in no time."
"Thank you, Gilthanas." I said. The name felt strange when I said it, somehow false. But, despite his 
obvious madness, how could he be anyone but Gilthanas?
He helped me back toward the camp. Another elf came into view. "Tasslehoff," Gilthanas cried. "Tika has 
been attacked by draconians! She needs our help!"
The other elf rushed to our side, and the two of them helped me toward the camp. Once there, the second 
elf offered me a blanket so I could stay decent while he tended my wounds.
"I will return to the pass," Gilthanas said. "I don't want any of that scum sneaking up on us."
"Don't go too far," the other elf said.
"Your friend seems quite insane," I said as I slowly and painfully slid out of my pants.
"Yes," the elf said, looking in the direction of his fair-haired comrade. "He has been affected by a rare 
gnome poison. His madness is only going to get worse, and he'll die within a few months if I don't get him a 
cure. Oh, I'm Lethagas, by the way. His name is Gilthanas."
"I thought I recognized him," I said. "My name is—"
I caught myself. I already had violated my oath of secrecy once that evening, under duress. I wasn't going 
to do it again out of thoughtlessness.
"—Lynn. I'm from Sanction. We came out here to gather crystals to sell to the lord of the city. My 'partners' 
decided to take something from me that I was unwilling to part with. So, they died."
"Rest assured, I will attempt no such thing," Lethagas said. "Now, try to relax. This might sting a bit."
"Why are you two here?" I asked through gritted teeth as he poured alcohol on the back of my thighs. "You 
won't find help in the middle of nowhere."
"I saw your fire. Our griffins need rest, and I hope that someone here might help us."
"Your mounts can rest, but as for help ... well, it's just like an elf to look in the wilderness for something that 
can be found in a city." I ended the comment with a snigger, trying to imitate the sound I had heard from a 
trapper who frequented the Solace inn while I was a child. He was perhaps the most virulent bigot I have ever 
met, and Lethagas seemed to pick up on my changed attitude.
"That could be so," he replied. "There is occasionally wisdom to be found in nature. However, we did find 
you, a citizen of Sanction. Can you tell me of any wise men who live there? Anyone who can help my friend?"
"Fix my legs, then we'll talk. And watch that blanket," I replied, forcing a cold tone into my voice. I sensed 
Lethagas stiffen, and his ministrations became a bit less gentle.
Even at the time, I felt I should have shown more gratitude. A legend had come to save me at a time when 
I didn't really deserve saving, and had thus given me a second chance. Yet, as I thought about it, I realized the 
second chance meant that I had to stay true to my vows and stay in the role of Lynn for as long as I was with 
these elves. And that meant being as crude as I possibly could, reaching deep back into my memory for the 
very worst of the racial slurs I had heard from the patrons at the Inn of the Last Home.
Eventually, my behavior became too much for him to bear. "I need to get more bandages from my 
saddlebags," he said, heading toward the trio of griffins that stood silhouetted against the rising moon. 
Moments after he left, Gilthanas appeared at my side, having arrived without making even the slightest sound. 
He looked appraisingly at my injured legs. "Tasslehoff did a good job," he said.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-05, 周一 23:26:43
“吉尔赛那斯。”我说,他的名字在我的舌尖听上去依然有些虚假。我需要向自己证明他不止是个愚弄了自身和莱萨格斯的精神病患……我无法自抑地想着,为了吉尔赛那斯在长枪战争中的功劳,诸神——哪怕他们早已抛弃了克莱恩——应当奖赏他与西悠瓦拉一起过上幸福的生活,而不是报之以疯癫。我拉着他的手,精神集中了片刻,专注于自己的脉搏,引导那股在啸海渡过的那些夏日里金月在我身上开发的神秘力量。

当我再度睁开双眼时,吉尔赛那斯正期待地望着我,但此刻我还可以看见亮绿色与亮蓝色的生命能量,如此光明地描绘出他的灵魂。我曾见过一次类似的模式——那是我同罗拉娜唯一一次见面时在她身上看到的。我再也没有丝毫疑问。这就是吉尔赛那斯本人。

但是,他妹妹灵魂的光辉是种平静而舒缓的光波,而吉尔赛那斯的灵魂却被一团激昂而混乱的色光围绕着。他的确陷入了深深的,或许是无法逆转的疯癫。

“提卡?”他问,注意到了我发现这一点时脸上所浮现出的哀伤,“你还好吗?”

我更紧地握住他的手。“多么不公平呀,”我说,“怎么会这样呢,吉尔赛那斯?为什么你没有和西悠瓦拉在一起?人们讲的那些你和她的故事……都只是幻想吗?都只是谎言吗?一切都是丑陋而残忍的吗?连哪怕一个幸福的结局都不可能存在吗?”

他蹙眉看着我:“西悠瓦拉?你怎么知道我和西悠瓦拉的事?”

我解消了法术,他周身的光环在我眼中一闪而灭。我抱着最后一丝希望说:“你和她为克莱恩,为帕拉丁的儿女们做了许多。为什么帕拉丁没有给你们更好的奖赏?”

“提卡,提卡,提卡,”他用一种有些说教的口吻说,“诸神只会赐予凡人他们所渴望的奖赏。事情的真相是,我当时并不渴望西悠瓦拉。我不清楚她对我而言意味着什么。她试着告诉我——试着引导我去发现——可是我太自我中心了,无法意识到这一点。即使是在失去她之后,我也用了几十年的时间才明白过来自己做了什么。现在我正试着找回她,自己挣到这笔奖赏。你知道吗,因为她向我撒谎,我赶走了她?”

“你赶走了她?”

“是的,她完全不是什么卡冈那斯提精灵(Kagonesti)。她是一条……”他犹豫了一下,看着我,眉头微蹙,“等等,你不是提卡。你看上去有点像她,但你不可能是她。她应该要老得多。”

“对!”我兴奋得动了一下,可是割伤的腿部一阵剧痛。我只好抓住他的手,“我是提卡的孙女。我叫林霞·马哲理。”

“林霞?你多大了?十八?十九?你看上去真像我头一次见到你奶奶的时候她的样子。她还在世吗?”

“她像往常一样元气十足。卡拉蒙也一样。不过,听我说,你的朋友莱萨格斯告诉我你中毒了。发生了什么事?”

“都是因为宿命。”吉尔赛那斯说,“宿命与傲气。我赶走了西悠瓦拉,因为我太骄傲了,没法承认自己爱得有多深,没法承认她的谎言伤我有多深。而如今我注定要作为一个疯子虚度岁月,甚至没法再和她在一起。”他难过地看着我,“至少我遇见了你,林霞·马哲理。你在追随你祖父母的道路吗?”

“并不那么成功,大概,不过我在尝试。”我指着自己受伤的腿答道。

“对一位年轻的战士而言,龙人永远是个挑战,无论她认为自己有多强。”他再度打住了,“刚刚我把你从一只龙人的手里救了回来,是这样吗?”

我不忍心告诉他真相:“是的,一个卡帕克(Kapak)龙人。不过,现在你看上去好多了。趁你能做得到的时候,把西悠瓦拉的事告诉莱萨格斯吧。我想他一定会帮你的。”

“我有时会像现在这样清醒,但这样的时刻正日渐变得越来越少,越来越短。莱萨格斯已经知道我正在追寻与西悠瓦拉重聚。他承诺在我找到她之前都会陪在我身边。可是,首先他得想法阻止这毒药要我的命。莱斯是个非常明智、忠诚的伙伴。”他开始用闲着的那只手抚摸我的头发,一脸恍惚的神情:“你该把头发留长的。你奶奶的头发那么可爱。”

“你知道我在想什么吗?我在想我们今晚都被给予了第二次机会。是宿命把我们带到了这里……是宿命,或是帕拉丁本人的手。”我又动了一下,试着看向他湛蓝的双眸,但我又由于疼痛而退缩了,“我想莱萨格斯让狮鹫飞向我们的篝火是做对了。你命中注定要将我从袭击者的手里解救出来,让我有机会成为自己一直想成为的那种骑士。而由于你救了我,我得以告诉你一些或许可以得到治疗的地点的信息,不是一个,而是两个!赞美帕拉丁,吉尔赛那斯,我想我能帮助你和你的银龙破镜重圆!”

“银龙?”

“对啊,你和西悠瓦拉?”

“你在说什么呀,银龙?”吉尔赛那斯一跃而起,“西悠瓦拉才不是什么龙!你怎么敢污蔑我的爱人是只狂暴的怪物?!”

我感觉要不是莱斯恰好在那一刻赶了回来把他拉开,吉尔赛那斯说不定就揍了我。在我与他和莱斯待在一起的时间里,吉尔赛那斯都没能回复理智。他与臆想中的怪物搏斗,并点火焚烧了罗纳尔的尸首,因为“不烧掉的话,僵尸(zombies)还会复活的!”

在这种时候我很难保持琳恩的伪装。我想加入他们的追寻,但我明白我不能。我有必须回去完成的使命。可是我还是尽我所能地帮助莱萨格斯。在种族歧视和辱骂的言辞——例如威胁要杀了吉尔赛那斯,因为他的疯癫简直比精灵通常的表现还要让我恶心——掩饰之下,我告诉了他们该如何抵达神之乡(Godshome)(我“母亲”曾造访过的一处神秘之地)和治愈之河(River of Healing)(几年前有位骑士告诉我的地方)。我想莱萨格斯是位勇敢而重荣誉的精灵,吉尔赛那斯对他的信赖是正确的。我真希望自己能留给他一个更好的印象。要是吉尔赛那斯想起了我们的对话,告诉他我是谁,他该以为我的父母是些怎样的人啊?

我继续尝试在他们的旅途中提供帮助。在缓辔返回圣克仙的路上,我每夜都向帕拉丁和他的两个儿子祈祷,希望他们中有某一位听见了我的声音,并乐意在吉尔赛那斯的艰程中向他伸出援手。

我也会为自己祈祷一两句,不过还是先留着吧,倘若在我抵达圣克仙之前伤口没有感染的话。但愿他们认定我对骑士规章的触犯足够轻微,以使我还能从宿命或诸神赐予的第二次机会中获益。

这是我如今最最真挚的期望。倘若你正在读这本笔记,那么,它或许已经成为了现实。

"Gilthanas," I said, his name still sounding false on my tongue. I needed to prove to myself that he wasn't 
just some lunatic who had fooled both himself and Lethagas ... I couldn't help but think the gods, even if they 
had left Krynn behind, would have rewarded Gilthanas with happiness with Silvara instead of insanity for his 
service during the War of the Lance. I took his hand and concentrated for a moment, focusing upon the pulsing 
of my heart and drawing forth the mystical powers that Goldmoon had opened up to me during the summers I 
spent on Schallsea.
When I opened my eyes again, Gilthanas was looking at me expectantly, but now I also could see the bright 
green and blue life energy that so brightly represented his soul. I had seen a similar pattern when I had looked 
at Laurana, the one time I met her. I no longer had any doubt. He was Gilthanas.
But where the glow of his sister's soul had been calm and soothing waves, Gilthanas's form was 
surrounded by a seething and chaotic mass of colors. He was indeed deeply, perhaps irrevocably, insane.
"Tika?" he said, noticing the sorrow that must have registered on my face at that realization. "Are you all 
right?"
I held his hand tighter. "This is so unfair," I said. "How could this be, Gilthanas? Why aren't you with Silvara? 
The stories people tell of you and her.... Are they all just fantasies? Lies? Is everything ugly and grim? Can't 
there ever be a happy ending?"
He frowned at me. "Silvara? How do you know about Silvara and me?"
The nimbus of light about him seemed to flicker out as I allowed my spell to end. With it went my last bit of 
hope. "You and she did a great service for Krynn and the children of Paladine. Why didn't Paladine reward you 
better?"
"Tika, Tika, Tika," he said in a slightly patronizing tone. "The gods give mortals only the rewards they 
deserve. Truth is, I didn't deserve Silvara. I didn't know what I had in her. She tried telling me—showing 
me—but I was too wrapped up in myself to realize it. Even after I lost her, it took me decades to realize what I 
had done. Now I'm trying to get her back, to earn my reward. Do you know I drove her away because she lied 
to me?"
"You did?"
"Yes, she isn't a Kagonesti at all. She is a ..." He hesitated, looking at me with a slight frown. "Wit. You're 
not Tika. You look a little like her, but you can't possibly be her. She should be much older."
"Yes!" I shifted excitedly, but the pain shot through my cut legs. Instead, I just clutched his hand. "I'm Tika's 
granddaughter. I'm Linsha Majere."
"Linsha? You're how old? Eighteen? Nineteen? You look almost like your grandmother did when I first met 
her. Does she live still?"
"She's as feisty as ever. Caramon, too. But listen, your friend Lethagas told me that you've been poisoned. 
What happened?"
"Fate," Gilthanas said. "Fate and pride. I drove Silvara away because I was too proud to admit how deeply 
I had fallen in love and how much her lie had wounded me. And now I'm going to waste away as a lunatic 
without ever getting back together with her." He looked at me sadly. "At least I got to meet you, Linsha Majere. 
Are you following in your grandparents' footsteps?"
"A little less successfully, perhaps, but I'm trying," I replied, indicating my wounded legs.
"Draconians will always be a match for a young warrior, no matter how tough she thinks she is." He paused 
again. "That was a draconian I saved you from back there, was it not?"
I didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. "Yes. A Kapak. But, you seem fine now. Tell Lethagas about 
Silvara while you can. I'm sure he'll help you."
"I have moments like this one, but they are getting rarer and shorter with each passing day. And Lethagas 
already knows about my quest to reunite with Silvara. He has promised to stay with me until I have found her. 
First, though, he wants to stop the poison from killing me. He is a very sensible and loyal companion, Leth is." 
He started to stroke my hair with his free hand, an absent-minded look crossing his face. "You should let your 
hair grow out. Your grandmother had such lovely hair."
"You know what I think? I think that we've both been granted a second chance here tonight. It was Fate that 
brought us all here ... Fate, or maybe even the hand of Paladine himself." I shifted again, trying to look into his 
blue eyes but only wincing with pain. "I think that Lethagas guiding his griffins to our fire was no mistake. You 
were fated to save me from my attackers, so that I could have the chance to become the Knight I've always 
wanted to be. And because you saved me, I can give you information on not just one place where you might 
find a cure, but two! Paladine be praised, Gilthanas, but I think that I can help you and your silver dragon 
reunite!"
"Silver dragon?"
"Yes, you and Silvara?"
"What are you talking about, silver dragon?" Gilthanas leapt to his feet. "Silvara is not a dragon! How dare 
you accuse my beloved of being a rampaging monster?!"
I think Gilthanas might have struck me if Leth hadn't returned at that very moment and dragged him away. 
Gilthanas didn't regain his sanity while I was with him and Leth. Instead, he fought imaginary creatures and set 
Lonar's body on fire because "zombies will reanimate if you don't!"
It was very difficult for me to maintain the facade of Lynn during that time. I wanted to join their quest, but I 
knew I couldn't. I had duties to return to. But I still helped Lethagas as best I could. Couched in racist and 
abusive terms—such as threatening to kill Gilthanas because his insanity was disgusting me even more than 
elves typically did—I provided them with information on how to reach Godshome (a mystic site my "mother" 
once visited) and the River of Healing (a place a Knight told me about a few years back). I think Lethagas is a 
brave and honorable elf, and that Gilthanas did right in placing his trust in him. I just wish I could have left him 
with a better impression of me. What will he think of my parents if Gilthanas remembers our conversation and 
tells him who I am?
I continue to attempt to help them on their journey. As I slowly make my way back to Sanction, I offer nightly 
prayers to Paladine and his two sons, and hope that one of them is listening and is willing to help Gilthanas on 
his difficult path.
I'd throw a payer or two in for myself, too, but I'm saving them in case my wounds get infected before I 
reach Sanction. Hopefully, my infractions against the Measure will be deemed light enough to let me take 
advantage of the second chance Fate or the gods have given me.
It's my most sincere hope right now. And if you're reading this, it probably came true.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-06, 周二 15:12:07
灰烬:神之乡,27sc

摘自奎灵纳斯提精灵莱萨格斯笔记(始于26sc)

第14条,神之乡

我对长枪战争中奎灵纳斯提的大撤退几乎毫无印象了。当时我还很小,比一个婴孩大不了多少,我父亲认为,是当时经历的恐惧使我将那些事封锁在脑海之外。但有时,当我坐在营火边的时候,我的脑海中会忽然闪过尖叫声,巨龙振翅的响声,还有四周火光熊熊的森林景象的回忆,令我有那么一瞬间无法呼吸。

当我坐在这片荒无人烟的山谷里,篝火旺盛地燃着,一只剥了皮的兔子在烤叉上嗞嗞作响,一些那样的记忆断片又在我脑中浮现,伴着我在我们的流民城市——奎灵莫利(Qualimori)的成长中经历的苦乐悲欢。

其中有一桩记忆,尤其在我的脑中萦绕。

我的母亲非常虔诚。当我问她为什么诸神任由巨龙摧毁我们在奎灵纳斯提的家园时,她回答说爱力(E'li,帕拉丁的别称-译注)决定摧毁那些精神脆弱,被人类的弱点所污染的精灵。她相信诸神把南亚苟斯的森林许给了我们,那儿是最适宜精灵的国家发展壮大的地方。她把圣职者们重获神圣力量看做南亚苟斯的精灵们的确是身获天选的人上之人的证据。而下一步,她说,就该是传说之城神之乡的重生——惟有在一个统一的精灵王国的旗帜下,它才会重生。

神之乡。我母亲总爱把神之乡的传说讲了又讲,以十二种不同的方式解释它为何同时既是一座敬畏神的各种族人民汇聚敬拜的城市,又是一座诸神在那儿直接赐予得到认同之人祝福的幽静山谷。据说,从空中俯瞰,那座城市建得像是一个巨大的轮盘;而山谷中有一切神明栩栩如生的雕塑,还有一口能赋予凡人力量,使他们能亲身抵达群星之间的池水。

那些故事我只从母亲那儿听过。在盖特威人琳恩忽然提起之前,我已经有许多年没有听说过,也没有想起过神之乡了。

她是个很奇怪的女子,哪怕以人类的标准衡量也是这样。她竭力装出一副混混和无赖的模样,可是在我们离开前她借用了吉尔赛那斯背包里的地图,指给我们不止一处,而是两处我或许能带他得到治疗的地方。在吉尔赛那斯号哭着向西悠瓦拉、半精灵坦尼斯,以及其他许多我无法一一列举的人道歉的时候,她脸上闪过一抹痛苦的神情。她的躲闪令我猜想,她或许认识几位他在那狂热的幻象中看见的人,然而当我追问细节时,她又变得粗暴起来。

用只在那些憎恨我同胞的、最最坏心肠的恶棍们口中听到过的脏话痛骂了我一顿之后,她强调说她这么做只是为了报答我们在她被与她同行的人渣袭击时的救命之恩。她还强调要是不帮我找个办法治好吉尔赛那斯的话她一定会杀了他,因为他让她恶心到家了。可是,当她以为我没有留意她的时候,我看见她用非常怜悯的眼光望着我的朋友,我明白她对他的情形感到心碎,而不是厌恶。可是,如果她选择掩饰自己的动机,那么我尊重她的决定。

她在吉尔赛那斯的地图上添加的两处地方是“神之乡”和“治愈之河”。她解释说自己从一位引退的探险家口中听说了这些地方,从她另外一些轻蔑的评论中看来,那位探险家是她的母亲,但她并不爱对方,对方也没给过她多少爱。不过,琳恩确信这些地点的信息是有效的,我在其中任何一处都能找到治愈吉尔赛那斯的办法。

治愈之河位于遥远的敏加山脉,而神之乡距我们的营地只需飞行数日。“如果说还有什么地方能找到诸神的话,就是那里了,”那名混混对我这么保证,“诸神能够疗愈凡人的几乎任何苦恼……除了无信仰之外,我想。”这说法颇为有趣,尽管我还是不完全确定她指的是什么。说到底,有谁会在站在诸神面前的同时还不信神?并且,倘若我母亲说的那些故事是真的,那么神之乡必定是安塞隆最为壮丽的地点之一。

可是,如今我已经抵达了神之乡,我发现这里,就像这世界上的其他许多地方一样,已经完全失去了魔力。我很高兴母亲在混沌之夏前就去世了,因为那个夏天的结局一定会伤透她的心。然而,这座山谷中的景象会伤她更深。

最初,当我骑在狮鹫背上翱翔于奈拉卡(Neraka)的干旱大地上空时,我发现了神之乡的废城。那里建起了一座巨大的黑暗骑士团营地,尽管我不清楚他们为何而来;或许他们想寻找离去诸神的迹象,正如我听说光明城堡的秘术师们所做的那样?

无论他们来这儿所为何事,这只是进一步坚定了我远离那片废墟的决心——我决定将它仅仅看做一个里程碑。根据母亲和盖特威人琳恩的说法,诸神会直接降临在山谷,而非城市之中。

因此,我让狮鹫们飞向附近的山脉,飞越狭窄的沟壑上空,在那些只有飞行生物能造访的山谷上空盘旋。不像安塞隆的大部分山脉,这儿没有那些古老的食人魔城市废墟;或许那些邪恶的存在感应到了遍洒此地的神圣力量,从而避开了这个区域,即使他们拥有高度发达的文明。而这片地区同样没有哪片山谷符合母亲的描述——呈碗形,中央有口圆形的池水。

我一面搜寻,一面也想起了母亲说的,只有诸神希望如此,这座山谷才会被发现。我不确定我该期望什么;倘若诸神仍然居住在这儿,他们会允许我找到它……还是不会。我决定搜索四天。四天后,我就出发向西去寻找治愈之河。

我在两天后找到了那座山谷。在那两天时间里,吉尔赛那斯一直是种时好时坏的半清醒状态,频频在暴怒中猛拍着鞍座。我最终不得不降落,把他的双臂绑起来,以免他解开马具跌下去摔死。我开始担心,他会在被毒药杀死之前就杀死自己。可是,那些关于神之乡的故事始终浮现在我脑海,令我充满希望。

吉尔赛那斯是咏者索拉斯特伦的儿子,他曾抗击了成群结队的龙人大军,使我们奎灵纳斯提精灵得以重返家园。显然,假如一位像琳恩的母亲那样声名狼藉的女人都能找到神之乡,诸神一定会向吉尔赛那斯伸出欢迎之手。

当我盘旋在神之乡谷上空时,我的希望开始消逝。很容易辨认出这正是我所寻找的地方:一座碗形的山谷,正中有一口完美的圆形湖泊。湖里的水似乎是种奇怪的黑色,但有某种白色的东西在其中闪耀。山谷四壁环绕着陡峭的岩石斜坡,从空中看不到任何出入口。焦黑、倾倒的树桩布满了整片区域,看上去整个山谷曾经遭遇过一场大火,甚至远大于沦陷在龙人大军之手时那场席卷奎灵纳斯提的火灾。

我让狮鹫降落。吉尔赛那斯已经不省人事,我留他独自被绑在鞍座上。哪儿也看不见本应矗立在这山谷中的诸神雕像。我走向那古怪的黑色湖泊,微风吹送着苍白而细小的灰烬,在荒芜的山谷地面上往复飞旋。

当我抵达山谷中心的凹坑边缘时,我发现自己所俯瞰的并不是一泓深黑而污浊的湖水,而是一种坚实的,玻璃般的物质。它是碎裂的,就像有个巨人在它的正中心打了一拳似的。尽管有这些裂纹与被风吹得遍布湖面的灰烬,它的表面仍然极度光洁,我能看见倒映其中的那颗在击败混沌之神后的那个夜晚出现在天空的,苍白而伤痕累累的月亮。我望向晴朗的蓝天。太阳正在山后西沉,哪儿也没有月亮的踪影。

我看不到什么神像。我看不到什么凡人能在其中游向群星的湖泊。留下的惟有灰烬,使这片景象就像对它过往荣光的嘲弄一般。

此时此地,我诅咒诸神。我诅咒他们遗弃了安塞隆,诅咒他们给了像我母亲一样的人们对自己在长枪战争后归来的信仰虚假的希望。我诅咒他们引导盖特威的琳恩给了我虚假的希望,浪费了我寻求拯救救命恩人方法的宝贵时光。我问他们敢不敢把我们俩一块儿劈死。我问他们敢不敢现出身形,来向我证明他们只不过是些担心自己安危,只因伊斯塔教皇要求他们服从就抢先粉碎了这个世界的懦夫。我嘲笑他们从混沌之神面前逃离,又再度诅咒他们什么也没有给那些崇拜他们的人留下,哪怕是法师们的魔力。我向着天空嘶吼,直到嗓子生疼,直到我注意到吉尔赛那斯脱离了绑缚正径直向我狂奔而来。

我意识到向神呼喊是徒劳的。他们不是聋了就是死了。这山谷中的灰烬,这不可避免地粘附在我正在烧烤的兔子身上的灰烬,很可能是他们的遗体。

无论真相是什么,诸神都已离去。我曾寻求他们的援助,而他们无法提供。我将再度把吉尔赛那斯捆在其中一只狮鹫的鞍座上,然后我们去索兰尼亚,寻找那条治愈之河。或许,更好的是,寻找一位能更快治愈他的贤者。

Ashes: Godshome, 27sc
 
From the Journal of Lethagas of Qualinesti,
started in the Year 26sc
Entry 14, In Godshome
I have few actual memories of the evacuation of Qualinesti during the War of the Lance. I was still very 
young at the time, barely more than a baby, and my father believes that the horrors I experienced caused me 
to block them from my mind. But sometimes, when sitting at a campfire, memories of screaming, the sound of 
beating dragon wings, and the sight of a forest aflame all around me flash into my mind, leaving me breathless 
for a moment.
As I sit here in this desolate valley, a fire raging and a skinned rabbit sizzling on a spit, some of those 
memory fragments are drifting through my mind, along with the both the joys and hardships I experienced 
while growing up in Qualimori, our city of exile.
One memory in particular echoes through my mind.
My mother was very religious. When I asked her why the gods had let the dragons destroy our home in 
Qualinesti, she responded that E'li had chosen to let the dragonarmy destroy those elves who were weak in 
spirit and corrupted by the taint of humans. She believed that the gods had given the forest of Southern Ergoth 
to us, and that there the best of the elven nations would grow strong. She viewed the return of divine powers to 
the priesthood as evidence that the elves of Southern Ergoth were indeed chosen over all other peoples. The 
next step, she said, would be the rebirth of the legendary city of Godshome—only it would be reborn under the 
banner of a united elven kingdom.
Godshome. My mother loved telling and retelling the legends of Godshome, explaining in a dozen different 
ways how it was both a city where god-fearing people of all races gathered to worship and a secluded vale 
where those whom the gods found worthy were given their direct blessing. The city was supposedly built to 
appear like a giant wheel when viewed from the air, while the vale contained living statues of all the gods and 
a pool which could grant mortals the power to reach the stars themselves.
I had only ever heard those stories from my mother, and I hadn't heard about or thought of Godshome for 
years when suddenly Lynn of Gateway mentioned it.
She was a very strange woman, even for a human. She had every appearance of being a rogue and a 
scoundrel, yet before we parted ways she had used the map from Gilthanas's pack and indicated not one but 
two places to which I might take him to find healing. A look of pain crossed her face when Gilthanas started 
howling apologies at Silvara, Tanis Half-Elven, and several others whom I couldn't place. The way she winced 
made me think that she might have known some of the people he was seeing in his fevered visions, but when 
I pressed for details, she became rude.
After lambasting me with slurs that I'd heard only the most black-hearted of villains level against my people, 
she insisted that she was doing this only to repay us for saving her life when the scum she was traveling with 
attacked her. She insisted that if she didn't help me find a way to cure Gilthanas, she would have to kill him 
because he disgusted her so much. Yet, when she didn't think I was watching her, I saw her look at my friend 
with such pity that I knew she felt heartbreak, not disgust, at his state. But, if she chose to lie about her 
motivations, that was her decision.
The two places she added to Gilthanas's map were "Godshome" and "River of Healing." She explained that 
she'd heard of the places from a retired explorer, and from other disparaging remarks it seemed this explorer 
was a mother whom she had little love for and who had shown little love for her. Still, Lyn was sure that the 
information on these sites was valid, and that I would find a cure for Gilthanas at either one.
The River of Healing was located in the faraway Vingaard Mountains while Godshome was merely a few 
days flight from our camp. "If there's anywhere the gods can still be found, it's there," the rogue had assured 
me. "And the gods can heal pretty much anything that might ail a mortal... except lack of faith, I suppose."
That was an interesting statement even if I am still not entirely sure what she meant. After all, how could 
someone stand in the presence of the gods and not believe? And if the tales my mother told were true, then 
Godshome would have to be one of the most glorious sites in Ansalon.
But, now that I have arrived at Godshome, I see that it, like so many other places in the world, has lost all 
magic. I am glad my mother died before the Summer of Chaos, for its end surely would have broken her heart. 
However, the sight of this vale would have hurt her even more.
I found the ruined city of Godshome first, soaring on griffin back over the arid landscape of Neraka. A large 
encampment of Dark Knights had established themselves here, although for what reason I do not know; 
perhaps they were searching for signs of the departed gods as I've heard mystics from the Citadel of Light 
have done?
Whatever the reason for them being there, it simply added motivation for me to avoid those ruins—to view 
it simply as the landmark that it is. According to both my mother and Lynn of Gateway, the gods could be 
reached directly in the vale, not in the city.
So, I flew the griffins into the nearby mountain range, soaring through narrow canyons and circling over 
valleys that appeared inaccessible to anything but flying creatures. Unlike most other mountain ranges in 
Ansalon, these did not appear to contain the ruins of ancient ogre cities; perhaps even at the height of their 
civilization, those Evil beings had shunned this range, sensing that the powers of the divine held sway here. 
Nor did the range seem to hold any valleys that matched the description my mother had given—bowl-shaped 
with a circular pool in the middle.
As I searched, I also thought of how my mother had said that the valley could be found only if the gods 
wished it. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect; if the gods still resided there, they would allow me to find it... or 
not. I decided that I would search for four days. After that, I would head west in search of the River of Healing.
It took me two days to find the valley. During this time, Gilthanas slipped in and out of a half-awake state, 
often experiencing violent rages during which he thrashed in the saddle. I eventually had to land and tie his 
arms to make sure he didn't unfasten his harness and fall to his death. I came to fear that he might kill himself 
before the poison did. But, the stories about Godshome kept coming to my mind, filling me with hope. 
Gilthanas was the son of Speaker Solostaran, and he had stood against the hordes of the dragonarmies so the 
Qualinesti could return to our homeland. Surely, if someone who had sounded as disreputable as Lynn's 
mother could find Godshome, the gods would extend a welcoming hand to Gilthanas.
My hopes started to wane when I circled above Godshome Vale. It was readily recognizable as the place I 
sought: a bowl-shaped valley with a lake that formed a perfect circle at its center. The water of the lake 
seemed strangely black, but something white shone within it. Steeply rising, rocky slopes lined the valley, 
offering no exits from the valley that I could see from the air. Blackened, toppled stumps covered the area as if 
the entire valley had been subjected to a fire far greater than even that which had swept through Qualinesti 
when it fell to the dragonarmy.
I landed the griffins. Gilthanas was unconscious, so I left him bound in the saddle. Nowhere could I see the 
statues of the gods that supposedly stood within the valley. As I walked toward the curious black lake, the 
breezesent a fine gray ash scurrying back and forth across the barren valley floor.
When I reached the edge of the sunken area at the valley's center, instead of seeing dark and polluted 
water, I found myself gazing down upon a solid glasslike substance. It was cracked, almost as if a giant had 
struck it dead-center with a fist. Despite the cracks and the ashes that the wind pushed across it, the surface 
appeared highly polished, allowing me to see reflected in it the pale, scarred moon that had appeared in the 
heavens on the night following the defeat of the god Chaos. I looked to the clear blue sky. The sun was sinking 
behind the mountains, and the moon was nowhere in evidence.
I could see no statues of the gods. I could see no lake in which mortals could swim to the stars. Nothing but 
ash remained, making this place a mockery of what it had once been.
I cursed the gods, then and there. I cursed them for abandoning Ansalon, for giving people like my mother 
false hope with their brief return after the War of the Lance. I cursed them for leading Lynn of Gateway to give 
me false hope and waste precious days in my quest to save the man who had saved my life. I dared them to 
strike us both dead. I dared them to show themselves, to prove to me that they were nothing but cowards who 
so feared for their own safety that they first shattered the world in response to the Kingpriest of Istar's demands 
of submission. I taunted them for fleeing in the face of the god of Chaos and then cursed them again for leaving 
those who worshiped them not even the magic of wizards. I raged at the heavens until my throat grew soar, 
and until I noticed that Gilthanas had freed himself and was raging right along with me.
I realized the futility of crying out to the gods. They are either deaf or dead. The ashes in this valley, the 
ashes that will be impossible to keep from clinging to the rabbit that I am roasting, are probably their remains. 
Whatever the truth is, the gods are gone. I sought their aid, and they could provide none. I will once again 
restrain Gilthanas in the saddle of one of the griffins and then we will travel toward Solamnia in search of the 
River of Healing. Or, better yet, a sage who can provide a cure even sooner.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-07, 周三 11:12:29
发现朱学恒用的译名是奎灵那斯提,我这输入法云出来的是奎灵纳斯提,我也从来没注意……
算了就先这样吧,最后整理PDF和txt以及(自娱自乐版)实体书的时候一起改掉就是了……
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-07, 周三 11:28:18
精灵和冒险的那些事儿:治愈之河,27sc
 
我有个计划说给你听,朋友!一条万无一失的,真正的生财之道。我们所要做的只是……瞧瞧那儿?好像有个精灵拿刀对着一个想做某些自然而然的事儿的家伙。要是她不喜欢爷们儿爬到她身上,她绝对应该远离小酒馆——不然她至少该穿得更适宜些!

我有没有告诉过你我有多讨厌精灵?神啊,光是想到那群装作无所不知的尖耳朵和我呼吸着相同的空气,我就怒得热血沸腾。

为啥?因为他们把我的生活变成了人间地狱,就为这个。每次我一想出个似乎能管很长时间的赚钱法子,就会有某些该死的精灵跑来搞砸它!

当我还是个孩子的时候,我搞了个可爱的小计划,跟搭档一块儿推销塔克西丝的愿景。我们把店铺开在老城区(Old District)的一座神殿里,在那儿我们发现了一个窟窿,可以让某些人躲在一个密室里发出“神的声音”。你真的不知道那群黑暗骑士有多醉狂,或是有多愚蠢,只要我让他们的女神“降临”到我身上,他们就会付钱听她讲话。简直好像魅惑术(charm)一样管用……直到出现了某个该死的精灵。你还不知道黑暗骑士里有精灵吧,你知道吗?嗯,有的。然后那个精灵在我们使用的房间附近兜来兜去,搞清了它的构造。我好容易才逃出一条命,而我的搭档——那个教给我我所知道的一切的人——被黑暗骑士们当场处了私刑。

可是,对啊,那种事时有发生。这就是我们所冒的风险。要是有一天它发生在我头上,我也只能认命啦。

可是又过了几年,另一个精灵毁了我的好事。那时候我已经在卡尔苟斯定居,我在那儿做一桩红红火火的生意,卖卡冈那斯提草药,从阳痿到痛风都能治。当然啦,那草药只不过是苹果酱,燕麦和百里香做的,可是反正大家都抢着买。在那个耳朵上插着羽毛和花儿,脸颊上纹着叶子的自命清高的精灵丫头出现之前,我的生意做得不可思议的好。我猜她来找我是以为我是她某个尖耳朵的表亲还是什么的,然后当她发现我不是的时候,她先是给我上了一堂真理和诚实的课……然后就开始痛殴我。

喂,这没啥可笑的。我差点没能从她和乡亲们的包围圈里逃出来!

可是这还没完呢。要是到那儿就完了,我大概也就把这归结为坏运气。可是两个月前,又发生了一件事!又有个该死的精灵出现了,他又毁了我的生活!

在离开卡尔苟斯以后,我最终住到了科瓦尔(Korval)。往北走而不是往南走,是因为我脑子里已经开始有了个概念:从某种意义上来说大部分精灵对我来说都是灾难——我再也不想离奎灵那斯提更近一步啦。

无论怎么看,科瓦尔都像是个开始一段全新生活的好地方。那是个古朴的小村镇,大概有一打的居民至今还定期去镇中央的一座小神殿里敬拜米莎凯和帕拉丁,每个人都是“社会良心”的完美典范。看上去,在这个完美的地方我可以轻松从容地温习一下过去的手法,比如说信仰疗法呀,通灵呀,预卜未来呀什么的。

在头四个月,科瓦尔简直是个天堂。我要做的只不过是“解读”几块山羊内脏,然后正确地猜测一个镇领导正在和另一个镇领导的老婆睡觉,这么就挣到了免费的客房和膳食。

可是当我听说治愈之河的传说的时候,就知道美好生活唾手可得了。根据当地流行的传说,它是群山之间的一条河流,米莎凯喜欢在那儿裸泳。这事的一个副产物是河水永久吸收了一部分她神圣的精华,因此,人们只要在这条河流中沐浴,一切困扰他们的疾病都会被治愈。问题是,通往这条河流所在山谷的唯一道路上有可怕的鬼魂出没。

作为一位常驻此地、无所不能又心地善良的超自然大师,我宣称我将勇敢面对潜伏在途中的一切敌人,带回装满圣水的水瓶。毕竟,要说有谁配得上从米莎凯的礼物中受益,那就是科瓦尔的居民,而显然,是命运安排我来到他们身边。那群善男信女说我没必要亲自冒这么大的风险——他们说自己没有治愈之水也照样过得很好——可是,我是如此无畏和无私的一个人,非为他们冒这个险不可。

呃,不,不是真的。我做的只不过是背上水果干和奶酪,到镇子东边的山上瞎逛几天。我还带了一打左右的空瓶子,三个星期后,再用某条流过山丘的小溪里的水灌满它们回到镇上。

当然了,我也知道那群乡巴佬最终会发现真相:那些瓶子里装的无非是饮用水。这个计划的第二步是告诉他们我找到了一个驱逐途中恶灵的办法,以便他们能亲自安全地前往治愈之河……只要带上他们神殿里的白金圣徽和大灾变后起作为镇长标志的那块缀满珠宝的纹章就可以了。你想,那条路上的愤怒精魂实际上是个塔克西丝牧师,只有这两件强大的善良象征物能击败他。是的,你一眼就看破了,可是我确信科瓦尔的那群善男信女会毫不犹豫地上这个钩。

Of Elves and Adventures: River of Healing, 27sc
 
Have I got a scheme for you, my friend! A genuine money-maker that can't fail. All we have to do is.... Will 
you look at that? Just like an elf to draw a knife on a guy for doing what comes naturally. If she didn't want 
menfolk coming onto her, she bloody well should stay out of taverns—or at least she should dress in a more 
modest fashion!
Have I ever told you how much I hate elves? Gods, it makes my blood boil just to think about those 
pointy-eared know-it-alls breathing the same air I do.
Why? Because they've made my life a living hell, that's why. Just about every time I had a racket that 
looked like it would work for the long haul, some damned elf has come along and screwed it up!
When I was a kid, I'd set up this nice little scheme where me and a partner were peddling visions from 
Takhisis. We'd set up shop in one of the temples in the Old District where we'd found a hollow that would let 
someone in a secret chamber pose as the "voice of the god." You've no idea how much drunken or stupid Dark 
Knights would pay to hear their goddess speak once I "channeled her" through my body. Worked like a 
charm . . . until some damn elf showed up. Didn't know there were elves among the Dark Knights, did you? 
Well, there are. And this one had been around for the construction of the rooms we were using. I barely 
escaped with my life, and my partner—who had taught me everything I knew—was lynched by the Dark 
Knights right there on the spot.
But, hey, that's what happens sometimes. That's the risks we take. I could have let it go if it'd been just that 
one time.
But a few years later, another elf ruined things for me. I'd gotten settled in Caergoth where I was doing a 
brisk business in selling Kagonesti herba cures for everything from gout to impotence. Of course, the cures 
were nothing but applesauce, oatmeal, and thyme, but people were snatching 'em up anyway. Until this 
holier-than-thou elven wench with feathers and flowers in her hair and a leaf tattooed on her cheek showed up, 
I was doing fantastic business. I guess she came looking for me, thinking I was one of her pointy-eared 
cousins or something, and when she discovered I wasn't, she first gave me a lecture about truth and 
honesty . . . and then she started kicking my ass.
Hey, there's nothing funny about this. Between her and the townsfolk I barely escaped!
But that's not it. If that had been the end of it, I might have just chalked it up to bad luck. But two months ago, 
it happened again! Another damn elf showed up and ruined by life!
After Caergoth, I eventually ended up in Korval. I'd headed north instead of south, because the idea that 
somehow elves in general were just bad news for me was already starting to form in my head—I had no desire 
to get any closer to Qualinesti than I'd already been.
At any rate, Korval looked like the perfect place for a completely fresh start. It was a quaint little village with 
about a dozen citizens that still held regular services to Mishakal and Paladine in a little temple at the heart of 
the town, and everyone was the perfect stereotype of 'salt of the earth.' Basically, it seemed like the perfect 
place to take it easy while dusting off some of the old stand-bys like faith healing, spirit channeling, and fortune 
telling.
For the first four months, Korval was paradise. All I had do was 'read' a few goat entrails and correctly 
guess that one of the town leaders was sleeping around with another town leader's wife and I had free room 
and board.
But when I heard the legend of the River of Healing, I knew I had it made. According to a favorite local story 
there, there was this river in the mountains where Mishakal liked to skinny-dip. A by-product of this was that 
the waters permanently took on part of her divine essence so that those who bathed in them would be cured of 
whatever ailed them. Problem is, terrible creatures haunted the only pass leading to the valley where this river 
could be found.
Being the resident all-around supernatural good guy, I announced that I would brave whatever foes lurked 
in the pass to bring back bottles filled with the blessed waters. After all, if anyone deserved the benefit of 
Mishakal's gift, the people of Korval did, and, clearly, it was fate that had sent me to them. The good people 
said there was no need for me to risk myself—they were doing fine without the healing waters they said—but, 
being the brave and selfless soul that I am, I put myself on the line for them.
Well, no, not really. All I did was load up on dried fruit and cheese and rough it for a few days in the hills to 
the east of town. I'd brought a dozen or so bottles along, too, and after three weeks, I filled them from one of 
the many streams running through the hills and then headed back into town.
Of course I knew that the yokels would eventually catch onto the fact that the bottles had nothing but 
drinking water in them. Part two of the plan was to tell them that I had discovered a way to put the evil spirits of 
the pass to rest so that they could safely travel to the River of Healing themselves ... all it would take was that 
platinum holy symbol from their temple and that jewel-encrusted medallion that's been the mayor's symbol of 
office since the time of the Cataclysm. You see, the angry spirit in the pass is really a priest of Takhisis and 
only those two mighty symbols of Good can smite him. Yeah, you can see right through it, but I'm sure the 
good people of Korval would have swallowed that line without hesitation.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-07, 周三 14:45:48
可是我没机会尝试它。当我正享受着英雄般的热烈欢迎,把水分发给年老、体弱或是受了风寒的人们时,三只狮鹫从头顶飞过。

是的,你猜得一点不错。哪有狮鹫哪就有精灵。相信我,看到这一幕我心都凉了。我暗自祈祷他们一直往前飞,可是不。他们兜了回来,盘旋着落下了。

那是两个精灵……两个男精灵。其中一个完全是个神经病。他把镇长的女儿认成了他妹妹,把我一时认成史东·布莱特布雷德(Sturm Brightblade),一时又认成个龙人。噢,他还觉得科瓦尔是奎灵那斯提的某块地方,我们正在为他举办一场盛宴。

不管怎样吧,那个理智正常的精灵,名叫莱菔(Left)还是什么玩意儿的,他说他来这儿是为了找个向导带他们去治愈之河,或者至少找张地图——因为他那个疯子朋友中了毒,得趁着还来得及到那河里泡一泡。

所有人都在第一时间指向了我。然后那群村民贡献出了几瓶我给他们的水。那个疯精灵——那时他正相信自己就是奎灵那斯提的建国王姬斯卡南(Kith-Kanan)——痛饮了三瓶“从未尝过这种味道的甜酒”,然后似乎一下子清醒了过来。

自然了,我是唯一一个大吃一惊的人。他眼里的疯狂慢慢消褪之后,莱菔开始讲述发生在那个精灵身上的一连串极其混乱的事件——你知道精灵有多能唠叨,他当时就是这么唠叨个没完。他提到各种各样的荒唐事,比如满是钻石的山谷什么的。

与此同时,我则是尽我所能地鼓动他们拖着自己那把芦柴棒一样的瘦骨头离开我们镇。“暴风雨就要来了,”我说,“要是你们不赶快走,可能会被困在这儿。”

他看上去似乎接受了……可是这时候那群社会良心发话了。“您确定吗,先知(Seer)?”威尔伯特老头儿(Old Man Wellbyt)说。“我膝盖没肿。”寡妇妮尔(Widow Nell)谈起了她的关节炎。然后他们纷纷表示要在精灵们走之前招待他们。当然啰,那个发色比较浅的,刚恢复理智的精灵就非开口说话不可:“并不是说我们怀疑你的能力,预言家(soothsayer),但我的经验告诉我,在预测天气上,老人家的疾病比绝大多数高阶法师(Wizards of High Sorcery)要更准确。我想我们今天不走,等明天再走也不要紧。况且,我饿极了,能与科瓦尔的善良民众们共进一顿饭我深感荣幸。”莱菔当然表示同意。那两个尖耳朵好得如胶似漆的。等等……他的名字是不是莱菔来着?也可能是离谱(Leapt)?哎,随便了,反正也无关紧要。

不。做天气预报时有人喊一嗓子“可是我膝盖不疼!”不算什么万劫不复的大事。拜托,对我有点信心好吧!而且利用“数倍于人类一生的智慧集于他一身,他就是吉尔赛那斯”之类的话,我的威信没受到反对声音的损害。

没错,我捧得是有点太露骨了,不过效果不错。要说我对精灵还有那么一点了解,那就是他们的自尊心和耳朵一样大……你要误导他们,就冲着自尊心去准没错儿。

可是,结果证明,我根本就不用费这个劲儿。就在我正巴结那金发小子,给宴会出着主意的时候,他脸上忽然换上了一种憎恶的表情,他说:“我要告诉你几句我早在几年前就该说的话:我一想到你和她上床就恶心。她还是个孩子,她老跟着你转只不过是因为这让她感觉自己像个大人。要是你碰她一根手指头,我会二话不说地杀了你。”

我不明白他是什么意思,而我也再没机会明白了,因为他做的下一件事是尖声喊着“西悠瓦拉!西悠瓦拉!”跑向寡妇妮尔,双手抚摸着她的白发,开始梦呓着他找她找得有多么绝望,只有她才能填补他心中的空虚。如此种种荒谬的,绮丽的精灵式告白。

没错。他又疯回去了。我们所能做的就是阻止他带着那个老妖婆跑掉。莱菔怒气冲冲地转向我,我想我的把戏到头了,可是这时候威尔伯特发话了:“根据治愈之河的传说,人们必须在河流里洗澡,效果才能长期保持。威兰(Wylan)会带你们去的,我保证。”

对,我告诉他们我的名字叫“威兰”。听上去蛮像有魔力的。谁会搭理一个叫“派特”(Pehter)的魔术师啊?

不论怎样,莱菔开始催我告诉他去治愈之河怎么走,而且那群社会良心又一次决定帮他的忙。“不不不,您得和他们一块儿去,那位可怜的精灵比我们更需要帮助。或许他们能帮您一起干掉路上的精魂?”自然,莱菔说“只要我们能帮上的忙一定帮……只要吉尔赛那斯能康复,我相信他一定愿意和你们的秘术师携手铲除阻碍你们前往治愈之河的精魂。”然后他又接着唠叨起吉尔赛那斯的丰功伟绩——这时吉尔赛那斯正藏在附近的一辆手推车下边,尖叫说看到了一群长着蜗牛头的蓝龙。

不,我在那天之前从没听说过吉尔赛那斯的名字。呵呵。就是说,他真的是某种精灵王吗。我哪儿猜得到啊。无论他是什么,事情都不会有任何不同。当我们向那些山脉出发,沿着那群乡巴佬认为通往治愈之河的道路一路低飞的时候,他仍然被捆在一只狮鹫的背上,像个任性的小娃娃。

在这儿我给你一个建议——要是有谁邀请你乘在狮鹫背上飞行,千万别听他的!不止是因为那该死的寒冷——我永远不明白为啥尖耳朵们乘着那群野兽飞行的时候不会掉下来——而且你绝想不到那种生物嘴里吐出来的气是多么臭!除此之外,他们还嚣张得要命。我爬上我那只的时候,它差点就把我咬成了两半。

I never got a chance to even try it, though. While I was enjoying my hero's welcome and distributing water 
to the old, infirm, and sufferers of colds, a trio of griffins flew overhead.
Yeah, you're absolutely right. Griffins mean elves. Belive me, my blood ran cold at the sight. I silently 
prayed that they would just keep going, but no. They circled back and spiraled in for a landing.
There were two of them ... two males. One of them was a total loon. He thought the mayor's daughter was 
his sister and mistook me for Sturm Brightblade one moment and a draconian the next. Oh, and he thought 
Korval was some place in Qualinesti and that we'd assembled a feast in his honor.
At any rate, the sane elf, named Left or some-such, said he'd come looking for a guide to the River of 
Healing, or at least a map—his raving pal had been poisoned and needed to be dunked in it before it was too 
late.
First, everyone pointed fingers at me. Then the villagers offered up some of the bottles of water I'd given 
them. The crazy elf—who at that point in time believed himself to be Kith-Kanan, founder of 
Qualinesti—guzzled three bottles of 'sweet wine, the like of which he had never tasted before' and suddenly 
seemed lucid.
I was the only one who was startled, of course. After the madness went out of his eyes, Left started relating 
a whole string of very confusing events to the other elf—you know how elves can babble, and babble he did. 
He spoke of all sorts of nonsense like diamond-filled valleys.
Meanwhile, I did what I could to subtly encourage them to get their scrawny butts out of my town. "There's 
a storm coming," I said, "and if you don't leave now you may be trapped."
He looked like he was buying it... but then the Salt of the Earth decided to pipe up again. "Are you sure, 
Seer?" asked Old Man Wellbyt. "My knee ain't swollen." And then the Widow Nell started talking about her 
arthritis. And then they all started talking about wanting to feed the elves before they got on their way. And of 
course the lighter-blond one had to use his ne-found coherence to say, "It's not that we doubt your abilities, 
soothsayer, but my experience says that the ailments of the elderly are more accurate in predicting the 
weather than even most Wizards of High Sorcery could. I think we'll do just fine if we leave tomorrow rather 
than today. Plus, I'm famished, and I would be honored to share a meal with the good folk of Korval." And, of 
course, Left agreed with him. Those pointy-ears stick together like glue. Wait... was his name Left? Perhaps it 
was Leapt? Oh well, it doesn't matter.
Naw. It's never a problem to recover from the 'But my knee doesn't hurt!' when doing the weather prediction 
bit. C'mon, give me more credit than that! Plus, I had the advantage of demurring to "the wisdom of many 
lifetimes, collected in this one man, in he who is Gilthanas."
Yeah, I laid it on thick, but it worked. If there's one thing I know about elves, it's that they have egos as big 
as their ears ... and if you want to distract one, you appeal to his ego.
But, as it turned out, I shouldn't even have bothered. I was still buttering up Blondie and making 
suggestions for the feast when his face suddenly took on a hateful expression and he said, 'I'm going to tell you 
something I should have said years ago: I find the whole idea of you and her making love revolting. She's still 
a child, and she's only going after you because it makes her feel like an adult. If you lay a hand on her, I may 
just have to kill you.'
I don't know what he meant, and I never found out, because the next thing he did was shriek, "Silvara! 
Silvara!" and run up to the Widow Nell, run his hands through her white hair and start raving about how he has 
desperately searched for her and how only she could fill the emptiness in his heart. Flowery elf courting 
nonsense like that.
Yeah. He'd flipped out again. It was all we could do to keep him from running off with the old bat. Left turned 
on me angrily, and I thought the gig was up, but then Wellbyt piped up, "The legends of the River of the Healing 
says that people must bathe in it for its effects to take hold. Wylan will take you there, I'm sure."
Yeah. 'Wylan' is what I told them my name was. Seemed sort of magical-like. mean, who'd ever buy into a 
magical-mystical-worker named Pehter?
At any rate, Left started pushing me to show him to the River of Healing, and once again, the Salt of the 
Earth decided to be helpful. "No, you should go with them. That poor elf needs your help more than we do. 
Perhaps they can assist in slaying the spirits in the pass?" And of course, Left said "We will help you in any way 
we can ... if Gilthanas recovers, I've no doubt he will join your mystic in slaying the Evil spirits that are keeping 
you from the River of Healing." And then he proceeded to bore us all with the mighty deeds of Gilthanas—who 
was hiding under a nearby handcart, screaming about blue dragons with the heads of snails.
No, I'd never heard of Gilthanas until that day. Huh. So, he really was some kind of elfking. I never would 
have guessed. Not that it would have made a difference one way or other. He still got strapped to the back of 
one of the griffins like an unruly baby and we took off for the mountains, flying low along the pass that the 
yokels thought led to the River of Healing.
Here's a bit of advice for you—if someone ever offers you a ride on the back of a griffin, turn it down! Not 
only is it damn cold—why those pointy ears don't fall off while they're flying around on those beasts I'll never 
know—but you'd never think that creatures with beaks could have such foul breath! That, and they're damn 
unruly. As I was mounting mine, it almost bit me in half.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-07, 周三 18:03:02
无论怎样,我们沿着那条路低低地飞,构成敏加山脉的死气沉沉的灰石板矗立在我们两侧。然后莱菔——他正骑在领头的狮鹫上,似乎用某种方式指挥着它们三个——的狮鹫忽然失去了控制。狮鹫似乎在半空中猛然一跳,要不是他被固定在鞍座上,一定早被甩下去摔死了。短短一秒之后,我的狮鹫也干了同样的事,它开始一边尖啸一边急速爬升到空中,脑袋前前后后地扭动着。我觉得自己在坚硬的鞍座上撞来撞去,脊椎像是要断了一样。狮鹫们尖啸着,莱菔也尖叫着让他们重回指挥之下,这时我骑着的这只忽然猛地从爬升变成了头朝下的俯冲,我被甩得紧贴着鞍座前方……当它俯冲完,我看见了导致这一切发生的原因。然后我也一块儿尖叫了起来!

紧贴在狮鹫身边的是个奇怪的人-鹰混合物的幽灵形体——那是个有着人类的躯干和头部,腿和翼形的手臂却像鸟的生物。它透明的魔爪撕裂了坐骑的腹部,正用幽灵般的牙齿从狮鹫的侧面扯下肉来。随着我的尖叫,它用鲜红的眼睛瞪着我,放开了我的坐骑。狮鹫用喙撕咬着那幻象,可是那可怕的生物完全不受影响。相反,它一双眼睛死死盯着我,尖声喊道:“人——类——!破坏了我们巢穴的人类!”我的坐骑再度猛然向上爬升,莱菔把自己的狮鹫拉离他的攻击者,那群怪物追过来,纷纷围绕着我。

我不羞于承认他们追上来的时候我吓尿了。我是个欺诈艺术家,不是什么冒险者,对付如此真实的鬼魂不是我的专长——这种离奇的类人飞行生物的鬼魂甚至不在我所知的名单上!我像一位见了蜘蛛的侍女一样尖叫起来:“把我放下!把我放到地面上!”

那群幻影蜂拥在我的周围。其中一个笔直地扑向我,它红彤彤的双眼锁定了我,一种感觉流过我的全身——这凝视直接烧灼着我的灵魂!

“人————类————!”那生物尖啸着露出獠牙,准备用它的利爪撕裂我的身体。

我紧紧闭上双眼,开始低声向李奥克斯(Reorx)祈祷。为什么是他?呃,老实说,这是我当时唯一能想起的神!说实话,我不是特别虔诚,但我发现只要你告诉矮人你有一片李奥克斯摸过的或是在大醉狂欢时呕出来的什么东西,他们就很容易掏钱。所以,李奥克斯是我打交道最多的神,因此在这一刻我就想起他来了。

嘿!不,我不经常祈祷。诸神从来没真正为我做过什么,他们也没惩罚过我什么。为什么要吸引潜在的负面关注呢?况且,如果你相信啸海来的那些人的话,那么诸神已经再也听不见我们祈祷了。真有趣,我从没把你看做那种虔诚的人。布兰查拉(Branchala),你信仰他?什么时候你得和我们介绍一下。

无论怎样,在那只鬼魂冲向我的时候,我闭上了眼睛叨念着祈祷。我的坐骑又改变了方向,再次急速下降。风以一种从未有过的力量掠过我的脸,那幻象冻寒的魔爪劈开空气,就在我的脑袋前一刻还在的地方。我蜷缩在鞍座上,死死闭着眼睛,耳边狂暴的风声淹没了鬼哭声。我以为自己的皮肤已经麻木了,再也感觉不到风的流动,耳旁的风声也渐渐消失了。

然后我听到了莱菔的声音:“没事了,威兰。现在可以睁开眼睛了。”

我四下看看,发现狮鹫已经着陆了,我的脸没有麻木……是风停了。我抬头看见那群阴森森的鸟人还在上面盘旋。看样子它们没法再接近了。

“您救了我们的命,”莱菔说,“我该向您道歉。在科瓦尔的时候,我还以为您是个骗子,但您证明我搞错了。我对精魂略有所知,但我也从没猜到过它们只能在空中存在。它们是什么的精魂?它们让我想起女妖(banshees),可是它们的行为挺不一样的。”

我惊呆了,有好一阵子说不出话来。我博得了一个精灵的青睐!这些可能性开始让我的脑子发晕。我在想,从哪儿开始呢。我能从这里面赚到多少钱?我脑子里一口气涌进来这么多主意,搞得我都不明白该从哪儿捞一把合适。于是我开始胡扯拖延时间,基本都是在编造些关于那些鬼魂的谎言。我开始解释那些精魂在混沌之夏中被黑暗骑士所杀的经过,以及此后那些鸟人们是如何在这条路上闹鬼的。

“它们是阿拉柯剌人(Aarakocra)还是鹰羽人?”莱菔问道。

“阿拉柯剌人,”我告诉他,我根本不知道这两个玩意儿分别是什么,可是,你懂得,只要你的语气特别权威,人们就会相信你。不,我记住了这两个词而没有记住莱菔的名字一点也不奇怪。你让我接着讲故事呀!我告诉莱菔,“它们一度是和平友爱的生物……你看他们在死后成了什么样的怪物,都怪那些可恨的骑士。真是太糟了,太糟了。”

当然,这句话引起了我想要的反应。黑暗骑士已经在奎灵那斯提盘踞了至少三十年,我很确定莱菔听到这件事不会高兴。

无论如何,我让他痛骂了一会儿黑暗骑士,成功地叫他彻底忘了那些鬼魂到底是阿拉柯剌人还是鹰羽人的事儿。当吉尔赛那斯开始哀嚎天空布满了蛞蝓的时候,莱菔认为我们该出发了。治愈之河就在前方,吉尔赛那斯的意识很快会恢复正常。

我有时会希望自己是个暴力的人,那是其中一次。那样我就能当时当场揍扁莱菔的脑袋,然后打道回府。哦是的,“危险已经过去了。”你什么都不知道吗,塞林(Selin)?我觉得既然你是诗人之神的信徒,你应该很熟悉那些冒险小队爬山钻洞的故事啊。第一个遇到的怪物永远不会比接下来遇到的更强!

可是,因为我不是个暴力的人,而且我没法想出个理由向他解释我们不该把这疯子带到山顶泡进河里,所以我们又上路了,这回我们不骑着狮鹫飞,而是牵着它们在地上走。

我跟你说,那是令人毛骨悚然的几天。我们一直觉得有东西在盯着我们。我不敢往上看,因为我知道盯着我们的是什么——是那些鸟人的鬼魂。它们在那儿等着我们再次飞上天空,然后就可以把我们的心脏掏出来。唯一的安慰是吉尔赛那斯陷入了半昏迷状态,总算停止了哀嚎。

At any rate, we flew low through the pass, the lifeless gray slabs of rock that make up the Vingaard 
Mountains rising on either side of us. Then Left—who was riding the lead griffin and seemed to be 
commanding all three of them somehow— lost control of his griffin. It seemed to buck in midair, and if he hadn't 
been strapped into the saddle, I'm sure he would have been thrown to his death. A split second later, mine did 
the same and it started screeching and climbing steeply into the air as it thrashed its head back and forth. I 
found myself flung against the back of the saddle so hard I feared my spine would break
The griffins were screeching and Left was shrieking orders to get them back under his control and the one 
I was riding suddenly went from a climb to a steep dive, throwing me forward in the saddle ... and when it did, 
I saw what was causing the problem. Then I started screaming, too!
Clinging to the griffin's side was the ghostly shape of a strange man-hawk—a creature with a human torso 
and head but winged arms and the legs of a bird. Its transparent talons were tearing the mount's belly and it 
was stripping flesh off the griffin's side with its ghostly teeth. When I screamed, it glared at me with red eyes 
and released my mount. The griffin snapped at the phantom with its beak but the terrible creature was 
unaffected. Instead, it fixed its eyes on me and shrieked, 'Huuumaaaan! The destroyer of our aerie!' My mount 
once again jerked upward in a sudden climb, Left pulled his griffin away from his attacker, and the monstrous 
creatures pursued, swarming all around me.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I wet myself as they came at me. I'm a con artist, not an adventurer, so real 
ghosts are not my forte—and ghosts of some bizarre flying humanoid are not even on my list of things I knew 
existed! So I started screaming like a lady-in-waiting confronted with a spider: "Get me down! Get me on the 
ground!"
The phantoms were swarming all around me. One of them came straight at me, its glowing red eyes locking 
onto mine and a sensation rushed through me that said that gaze was searing my very soul!
"Huuumaaaaaaan!" the creature shrieked, bearing fangs and preparing to rip into me with its talons.
I squeezed my eyes shut and started whispering a prayer to Reorx. Why? Well, honestly, it was the only 
god I could think of at the time! I'm not very religious, to be honest, but I found that dwarves part with their cash 
easily if you convince them that you've got a piece of something that Reorx touched or regurgitatd during a 
drunken binge. So, Reorx came to mind because he's the god I've dealt with the most.
Ha! No, I don't pray regularly. The gods have never really done anything for me, but they haven't done 
anything to me either. Why attract potentially negative attention? Plus, if you can believe those people from 
Schallsea, the gods aren't listening anymore. Interesting. I never had you pegged for the religious sort. 
Branchala, huh? Well, you'll have to introduce us some time.
At any rate, I closed my eyes as the ghost rushed toward me and muttered a prayer. My mount changed 
directions again, once more plunging downward. The air rushed against my face with unprecedented force 
and the icy chill of the phantom claw as it cleaved the air where my head had been moments before. I huddled 
in the saddle, keeping my eyes shut as the rush of wind in my ears drowned out the cries of the ghosts. I 
thought my skin grew so numb that I could no longer feel the wind upon it, and then the rush of wind faded in 
my ears as well.
And then Left's voice: "It's all right, Wylan. You can open your eyes now."
I looked around and discovered that the griffin had landed; my face hadn't gone numb . . . the wind had just 
stopped. I looked up and saw that the ghostly bird-men were still circling above. They seemed unable to come 
closer.
"You saved our lives," Left said. "And I owe you an apology. Back in Korval, I was thinking you were a fraud, 
but you've proven me wrong. I have some small knowledge of spirits, but even I never would have guessed 
that their existence is restricted to the air. What kind of spirits are they? They remind me of banshees, but their 
behavior is different."
I was so stunned that it took me a moment to find my voice. I had impressed an elf! My mind started reeling 
with the possibilities. Where to begin, I was thinking. How much could I make out of this? So many ideas 
flooded my mind that I didn't know where to take things from there. So I started talking to stall for time, basically 
spinning lies about the ghosts. I started explaining how the spirits were slain by Dark Knights during the 
Summer of Chaos and how the bird-men have been haunting the pass every since.
"Were they aarakocra or kyrie?" Left asked.
"Aarakocra," I told him, not really knowing what either of those things are but, as you know, as long as you 
sound authoritative, people believe you. No, it's not strange how I remembered those two names when I didn't 
catch Left's. Just let me tell my story! I told Left, "They were once peaceful, loving creatures . . . look what kind 
of monsters they have become in the afterlife, all because of those hateful Knights. It's terrible. Terrible." 
Which, of course, triggered the response I wanted. The Dark Knights have been squatting in Qualinesti for at 
least thirty years now, and I was pretty sure Left wasn't too happy about it.
Anyhow, I got him ranting about the Dark Knights for a bit, successfully making him forget all about whether 
those ghosts were aarakocra or kyrie. And when Gilthanas started howling about the slugs that were filling the 
sky, Left decided that we should get underway. The River of Healing awaited and soon Gilthanas's mind would 
be restored.
That was one of the moments I wished I was a violent man. I could have bashed Left's head in, right then 
and there and turned back. Oh yeah, "the danger was over." Don't you know anything, Selin? I thought being a 
worshiper of a bard god and all you would be familiar with all those stories about adventuring parties that either 
go up a mountain or climb down a hole. The first monsters met are never as bad as the ones that follow!
But, since I'm not a violent man, and since I couldn't come up with a reason why we shouldn't take the loony 
up to the top and dunk him in the river, we started out again, walking the griffins along the ground instead of 
flying on them.
That was a creepy couple of days, let me tell you. It felt like we were being watched the whole time. I didn't 
dare look up because I kne what was watching us—those ghostly birdmen. They were just waiting for us to 
take to the sky again so they could rip our hearts out. The only upside was that Gilthanas slipped into a 
semiconscious state and stopped his howling.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-07, 周三 19:02:42
最终,道路开阔起来,眼前是一片美丽葱茏的山谷,就是我先前说的那种故事里你能发现双头食人魔(two-headed ogres)在奴役独角兽(unicorn)和漂亮女孩儿的那种地方。

不,那片山谷里当然没有那种东西。它就是一片山谷,虽然是很美的那种。它的形状有点像个碗,从通往道路的入口我们可以看见一片波光粼粼的澄净湖泊,旁边有座小小的建筑。有条破损的、杂草丛生的道路通往建筑,一条与湖水同样闪亮的河流在许多常青树之间蜿蜒着。

我自豪地宣称这就是治愈之河和治愈之湖。莱菔问这座建筑是什么,在我寻思出答案之前他自告奋勇地提供了一个:“是座米莎凯神殿吗?”

我迅速同意他的意见,并从它破败的外观幸运地猜到了它是座废弃的神殿。我告诉他长枪战争后牧师们在这儿定居,但此后黑暗骑士们把他们也杀了。这激起了他对黑暗骑士新一轮的咒骂和谴责——莱菔大概是我遇到过的人当中最容易操纵的家伙,我开始怀疑自己是不是应该加入他和他朋友的行列一块儿旅行。依靠他们生活无疑十分轻松。

不过我马上就记起了自己是在和精灵们打交道。我必须在他们让我在科瓦尔到嘴的鸭子飞掉之前摆脱他们。因此,我提醒莱菔,还有他那不幸的哥们儿呢。

我们牵着狮鹫走下湖岸。在这儿,我们给吉尔赛那斯松了绑,开始脱他的衣服。这时候,他又开始嘀咕西悠瓦拉的名字。喂,这不好笑啦。不过我可以告诉你,在那以后我就让莱菔自己给他脱了。

无论怎样,他总算被扒了个精光,我们牵着他走到湖边。莱菔问我我们接下来该做什么。我耸耸肩,把吉尔赛那斯推下水。莱菔指名道姓地咒骂我,紧跟着他的朋友跳下水去。片刻之后两人都浮出了水面——我不清楚你能不能想像,不过精灵在湿的时候看上去比他们原本还要瘦。还有,听到莱菔满嘴的脏话,我觉得他们也变得好像掉进水里的猫一样生气。

不过,吉尔赛那斯看上去还好。只有那么一瞬间还好。然后他一边对莱菔大打出手,一边喊着“丑恶的孔纳!你别想再拘禁我!在我就快要找到我心爱的西悠瓦拉的时候,别想!”

我低声咒骂着,涉水下湖。吉尔赛那斯仍然尖声嚷嚷着关于孔纳和西悠瓦拉的事,正打算把被打晕的莱菔淹死在水里。我抓住他的肩膀,他转向我。“坦尼斯!”他发现了我,开始对我咆哮,“坦尼斯,你夺走了我妹妹的贞操,你要付出代价的!”然后他掐住我的喉咙,把我推下水底。

我不知道坦尼斯这家伙是谁,但我为他祈祷永远不要和吉尔赛那斯狭路相逢。我不认为他能活着离开。要不是莱菔相救,吉尔赛那斯早已杀了我。莱菔一拳砸在吉尔赛那斯头上,把我们俩一块儿从水里拖了起来。

“为什么不起效?”他质问道,我正忙着咳出肺部的水。我指出原因之一或许是因为这片地方叫“治愈之河”。然后我发现我的这句挖苦似乎已经戳穿了自己的谎言,我赶紧补充说:“喝这口湖里的水治小病,但可能只有河水本身能治疗严重的状况。”

莱菔看上去既怀疑又不信任,但他还是拎起失去意识的吉尔赛那斯,把他丢在一只狮鹫背上。然后他骑着那只狮鹫横穿湖面。我看着他把吉尔赛那斯浸在河里。那个疯精灵苏醒过来开始挣扎。可是莱菔把他按到水下,让他在那儿泡了一阵子。然后他把吉尔赛那斯拖出来,扔到岸上。他在另一个精灵身边站了一会儿,吉尔赛那斯踉踉跄跄地站了起来。他们彼此面对面站着,似乎过了极其漫长的一段时间,然后他们抱在一起。它生效了。这条河治愈了吉尔赛那斯的疯狂。这是个皆大欢喜的结局——除了我以外。

嗯,我猜它本可能是个皆大欢喜的结局,要不是吉尔赛那斯偏偏是这么个该死的“不夺人之美”的荣誉狂的话。他首先再三地为攻击我道歉,解释说他记得自己把我错认成了坦尼斯,他妹妹罗拉娜死去的丈夫。

真的吗?那个坦尼斯。哎呦。我不知道黄金将军嫁给了他啊。不过,这么一说就连起来了。那我就理解为什么吉尔赛那斯会被激怒了。说到底,他不希望人类的血脉污染了他珍贵的精灵血统,对吧?

无论怎样,那天晚上我们借宿在米莎凯神殿的废墟里——顺便一提,那真是个好地方。那儿有许多幅裸体女性在湖中洗澡的图画。吉尔赛那斯认为那是女神米莎凯的画像。那儿还有两尊她的雕像。塞林,我跟你说啊,要是我决定开始定期礼拜某个神,或成为哪个神的信徒,我想我一定会选米莎凯。在我礼拜得无聊起来的时候,只要往后一靠,欣赏这些场景就好了。

好吧。你说得对。这是对女神的不敬。我道歉。我又跑题了。

正如我所说的,在废墟中度过一夜之后,我们启程返回科瓦尔。我试着说服吉尔赛那斯和莱菔我一个人回去就好。我跟他们说,等我回去,我会组织一批小伙子来这儿重修神殿,把它变成需要治愈之水的病人们的庇护所。我觉得我本可以说服莱菔离开的,但是该死的吉尔赛那斯要回科瓦尔感谢那儿的人民他们的善良。哪里善良了?他们做的只不过是指着我说“他会带你们去你们想去的地方”好吗!

可是,他是精灵王子嘛,他想干啥就干啥。我们牵着狮鹫原路返回——尽管在关于鬼魂来龙去脉的问题上吉尔赛那斯不像莱菔那么好骗,但我还是做到了——最终抵达了科瓦尔。那群社会良心用先前承诺的盛宴招待了吉尔赛那斯。他们赞美我是他们村镇有史以来出现的最伟大的存在。他们把自己的女儿献给了莱菔。不,不是真的,后边那句我开玩笑的。不过他们的确做得有点过火。可是,假如莱菔和吉尔赛那斯只是吃完他们的猪肉上路走人,那么对我和对他们来说这仍然都还算是好聚好散。可是你见过有哪个精灵会在他有机会站在一伙观众面前博取他们青睐的时候闭嘴吗?没有吧,当然没有。我也没见过。我跟你说啊,吉尔赛那斯表现得就像个典型的精灵。

在宴会上,那位卡拉曼与奎灵纳斯提的伟大的什么什么王站起身来向我敬酒并演说祝酒词。他告诉他们我打算重建山谷中米莎凯神殿的愿望是多么迫切,并敦促他们所有人尽快搬去那片土地肥沃,还有能令他们永葆健康的神奇水源的地方。“你们可以创造一片宁静、喜乐、健康的港湾……而这一切都要感谢索兰萨斯(Solanthus)的威兰!”

第二天早晨,两位精灵离开了。在那周结束之前,科瓦尔的一批年轻人一直在准备探索通往治愈之河的道路。在吉尔赛那斯小小的动员演说和大肆解说我发现鬼魂毫无威胁的经过之后,他们再也不害怕了。吉尔赛那斯那个家伙。他的口才或许能把沙子卖给瑞尔苟斯(Relgoth)人。月底之前,那群年轻人回来了,他们决定搬去山谷。大家都十分兴奋,因为我就要带领他们去那片不可思议的新土地,远离疾病、山贼,以及可能的恶劣天气了。

第二天夜里,我收拾好东西离开了小镇。为什么?你怎么会问为什么?我不喜欢村民们对我摇尾奉承,除非有利可图。帮着他们搬迁这该死的村镇一定是件辛苦的工作,做个真正的精神领袖也比假装自己是个精神领袖要难得多。领袖这种事是吉尔赛那斯和黑暗骑士那种爱叨叨个没完的人干的。我呢,我只想要人们的钱。一旦吉尔赛那斯告诉科瓦尔的人们治愈之河是个安全的地方,我也就赚不到什么钱了。那儿也不会再有免费的午餐,因为他们从此对我寄予了期望。期望某些真实的东西。该死的精灵们。就像我说过的,他们毁掉了我的每一件好事——

不,别和我来这套。吉尔赛那斯和莱菔可不是给了我什么做好事的机会。他们毁了我的机遇……喂,那事真他娘的奇怪。瞧那边,那个精灵女人,之前拿着把小刀威胁矮冬瓜(Stumpy)的……那个和罗兰纳斯爵士(Sir Lorannus)一块儿上楼去的不就是她吗?精灵们都是疯子。她拒绝了一个矮冬瓜那么完美的好人,可是却完全愿意和罗兰纳斯那个殷勤的傻瓜睡一张床。

该死的黑暗骑士。要是你问我,我会说他们简直就跟精灵们一样坏。他们正好是般配的一对儿。

哦,谈到黑暗骑士和正好般配,我来这儿可不是为了拿精灵们的故事烦你的。我是来招募你参加我最新的计划的。你觉得这玩意儿怎么样:史东·布莱特布雷德的长剑碎片?我刚找到个买家来着。

Eventually, the pass opened up into a beautiful lush valley, the kind of place where in those stories I 
mentioned before you'll find two-headed ogres enslaving unicorns and fair maidens.
No, of course there was nothing like that in the valley. It was just a valley, although a beautiful one. It was 
shaped a bit like a bowl and from the mouth of the pass we could see a lake of sparkling clear water with a 
small building by its side. A broken and overgrown road led to the building, and a river that glittered like the 
lake snaked its way out of view among some evergreens.
I proudly pronounced that this was the River and the Lake of Healing. Left asked what the building was, and 
as I fumbled for an answer he volunteered one. "Is it a temple of Mishakal?"
I quickly agreed with him and made a lucky guess that it was abandoned based on its run-down 
appearance. I told him that priests had settled here after the War of the Lance but that the Dark Knights had 
killed them too. That triggered another round of cursing and condemning of Dark Knights— Left was about the 
easiest guy to manipulate that I've ever come across and I was starting to wonder if I should just go ahead and 
join him and his friend. Living off them would no doubt be easy.
But then I remembered that these were elves I was dealing with. I just had to get rid of them before they 
ruined my sure thing in Korval. So, I reminded Left of his unfortunate buddy.
We walked the griffins down the shore of the lake. Here, we untied Gilthanas and started to undress him. At 
that point, he started muttering about Silvara again. Hey, that isn't funny. But I can tell you that I let Left deal 
with undressing him after that.
At any rate, he got stripped and we walked him to the shore of the lake. Left asked me what we were to do. 
I shrugged and pushed Gilthanas in. Left cursed my name and jumped into the water after his friend. They both 
emerged moments later—I don't know if you can picture it, but elves look even skinnier when they're wet. And, 
based on Left's foul mouth, I think they get about as angry as a cat in water as well.
Gilthanas seemed okay, though. For a split second. Then he slugged Left, shouting, "Foul Konnal! You will 
not imprison me again! Not when I am this close to finding my beloved Silvara!"
Cursing under my breath, I waded into the lake. Gilthanas was trying to drown the stunned Left, still 
screaming about Konnal and Silvara. I grabbed hold of his shoulder and he whirled on me. "Tanis!," he 
bellowed when he spotted me. "Tanis, you will pay for robbing my sister of her virtue!" And then he grabbed me 
by the throat and thrust me under the water.
I have no idea who this Tanis guy is, but I hope for his sake that he never crosses paths with Gilthanas. I 
don't think he'd walk away from it. Gilthanas would have killed me if not for Left. Left hit Gilthanas upside the 
head and dragged both of us from the water.
"Why didn't it work?" he demanded as I tried to cough the water out of my lungs. I suggested that maybe 
there's a reason it's called the "River of Healing." Then I realized that my sarcasm might have tipped my con 
and I quickly added: "Drinking the water of the lake works for minor ailments, but perhaps only the river itself 
can cure serious conditions."
Left looked doubtful and distrustful, but he still grabbed the unconscious Gilthanas and tossed him over the 
back of one of the griffins. He then rode the beast across the lake. I watched as he submerged Gilthanas in the 
river. The crazy elf regained consciousness and struggled. But Left forced him under the water and held him 
there for several moments. Then he dragged Gilthanas out and threw him on the shore. He stood over the 
other elf for a moment, and then Gilthanas stumbled to his feet. They stood across fromeach other for what 
seemed like a very long time, and then they embraced. It had worked. The river had cured Gilthanas of his 
madness. It was a happy ending for everyone but me.
Well, I guess it might have been if Gilthanas hadn't turned out to be such a damn "credit where credit is due" 
honor freak. First he apologized profusely for attacking me, explaining that he remembered mistaking me for 
Tanis, his sister Laurana's dead husband.
Really? That Tanis. Huh. I didn't know the Golden General was married to him. That does make sense, 
though. And I can understand why Gilthanas would be ticked. After all, he wouldn't want human blood 
contaminating his precious elven bloodline, now would he?
At any rate, we spent the night in the ruins of the Temple of Mishakal—which was quite the place, by the 
way. There were images of a naked woman bathing in the lake. Gilthanas thought that it was an image of the 
goddess Mishakal. There were a couple of statues of her in there as well. Selin, let me tell you, if I were to start 
attending service on a regular basis or worship someone, I think it would have to be Mishakal. If the service 
gets boring, I'd just sit back and enjoy the scenery.
Okay. You're right. That's being disrespectful to the goddess. I apologize. And I got myself sidetracked 
again.
As I was saying, after spending the night in the ruins, we headed back to Korval. I tried convincing 
Gilthanas and Left that I would make it back just fine on my own. And once I got there, I told them, I'd round up 
a bunch of the young men and we'd come up here and repair the temple and use it as a shelter for the sick who 
need the healing waters. I think I could have convinced Left to go, but damned Gilthanas wanted to travel to 
Korval and thank the people there for their kindness. What kindness? All they did was point their fingers at me 
and say, "He'll take ya to where you want to go!"
But, being that he was the elf prince, he got his way. We walked the griffins back through the 
pass—Gilthanas was a lot harder to bamboozle as far as the ghosts go than Left was but I nonetheless did 
it—and we eventually reached Korval. The Salt of the Earth gave Gilthanas his promised feast. They hailed me 
as the greatest thing to happen to their village since they discovered fire. They offered Left their daughters. No, 
not really. I'm kidding about that last part. But they did go way over the top. Still, if Left and Gilthanas had just 
eaten their pork and been on their way, it might still have been a happy parting for me as well as them. But 
have you ever known an elf to keep his mouth shut where there's a chance to get in front of an audience and 
impress them? No, of course not. And neither have I. And let me tell you, Gilthanas behaved true to type.
During the feast, the Lord-Grandwhathaveyou of Kalaman and Qualinesti got up and gave a toast and a 
speech in my honor. He told them all about how I intended to reopen the Temple of Mishakal in the valley and 
started urging all of them to relocate up there where the ground was fertile and the magical waters would keep 
them healthy. "You can create an island of tranquility, joy, and health . . . and you have Wylan of Solanthus to 
thank for it!"
The next morning the elves left. By the end of the week, some of the younger people of Korval were 
preparing for a mission to explore the pass to the River of Healing. After Gilthanas's little pep talk and grand 
explanation of how I'd discovered the ghosts were no threat, they were no longer afraid. That Gilthanas. He 
could probably sell sand to the people of Relgoth. By the end of the month, the young folk had come back and 
they decided that moving to the valley was the thing to do. Everyone was so excited that I was going to lead 
them to this wonderful new place, away from illness, bandits, and probably even bad weather.
The following night, I gathered my belongings and left town. Why? What do you mean why? I'm not 
interested in having villagers fawn over me unless there's a take to be had. Hlping them move their damn 
town would have been hard work, and being a real spiritual leader is a lot harder than just pretending to be one. 
Leadership is for blabbermouths like Gilthanas and Dark Knights. Me, I just want people's money. Once 
Gilthanas told the people of Korval that the River of Healing was safe, there was no money to be had. There 
weren't even any free meals, because they were going to expect something of me. Something real. Damn 
elves. Like I said, they've ruined every good thing I've ever—
No, don't you give me that. Gilthanas and Left didn't leave me the opportunity to do good. They fouled an 
opportunity to ... hey, isn't that just the strangest damn thing. Look at that. That elf woman, the one who 
threatened Stumpy with a knife ... isn't that her? Heading up the stairs with Sir Lorannus? Elves are crazy. 
She'll turn down a perfectly good guy like Stumpy, but is perfectly willing to share her bed with an officious 
ninny like Lorannus.
Damn Dark Knights. They're almost as bad as elves if you ask me. They deserve each other.
Oh, speaking of Dark Knights and deserving each other, I didn't come here to bore you with stories about 
elves. I came to recruit you for my latest scam. How does this grab you: Fragments of Sturm Brightblade's 
sword. I have just the buyer lined up.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-08, 周四 12:56:55
哈苟斯(Hargoth),27sc

港城哈苟斯是座繁华的人类聚居地,距离科瓦尔大约一天的飞行路程。熙熙攘攘的人群立刻让吉尔赛那斯怀念起那段漂泊的日子,那段或孤身一人生活探索,或只有莱萨格斯陪伴在旁的日子。

相较而言,那位较年轻的精灵似乎很欢迎周围的活跃氛围,抱着兴高采烈的热情投入到这座城市的生活中去。在一所接待精灵而不盘问他们的旅店里,为两人找到一间干净又不昂贵的客房的正是莱斯。在西安塞隆旅行的如今,吉尔赛那斯决定对自己的身份保密。他们遇到的几乎所有精灵都来自奎灵那斯提,他想避免引起注意,也想避免人们一旦得知“流浪的王子出现在离家乡如此之近的地方”后随之而来的流言。

因此,他只是在旅店周围等待,或是像个无名的流浪者一样在城中游荡。他让同伴代为打听,心知莱斯会走遍哈苟斯周边,探听所能得到的一切关于银龙们的消息。这个年轻人敏感而腼腆,在环顾繁忙的海滨,或是途经那些拥挤的旅店之间时,他从未直接提及西悠瓦拉的名字。

来到这座城市第十天后的一个深夜,莱斯回到他们的客房,叫醒了吉尔赛那斯。王子注意到,地平线上已经出现了一线曙光。

“我找到一位精灵,说想和您谈谈……他说他知道关于银龙们的消息。”

“他在哪儿?”吉尔赛那斯眨着眼赶走眼中的睡意,套上短上衣。他提上靴子,把长剑扣在腰间,站起身来,这时他已经完全清醒过来准备出发。

“在码头的水手之家附近和我们碰面,”莱斯答道,“他现在正等着我们。”

数分钟之后,两人就穿过了这座城镇几乎空荡荡的街头。当吉尔赛那斯看见那座大厅的尖顶时,天空已经明亮起来,变成一种极浅淡的蓝色。附近有个幽暗的入口,通往一座小小的石质建筑。

“他在那儿。”莱斯指给他看一个等在阴暗门洞内的身影。

“他是个精灵?”那家伙的隐秘作风和沉重的斗篷都让吉尔赛那斯觉得他更像是一个人类匪徒——某种海盗,或是后街杀手什么的。他看不见那个精灵的脸,只能看见他下颌模糊的轮廓。

“我听说你正在找银龙们,”那个神秘的家伙用一种嘶哑的声音说,这声线完全没能消除吉尔赛那斯对他的第一印象。

“你是谁?”王子立即感到怀疑,质问道。

“原谅我,我伟大的主人,”那家伙用一种淌得出嘲弄的声音冷笑道。他把深深的兜帽往后一拉,吉尔赛那斯看见了一对证明他精灵身份的尖耳朵。他的长发编成一条细细的马尾垂在身后,这种发型对于他的精灵同胞们而言可不寻常,“我只不过是个卑微的仆人,在您的面前我不配通名道姓。”

吉尔赛那斯决定不再追问这件事:“你知道些什么?关于那条银龙的事。”

“那条……不是其中随便哪条都好吗?那么说来,你是在寻找某只特定的猎物了?”

“我找那条龙的原因和你无关。”

那精灵匪徒耸耸肩:“或许是这样……或许不是。不过我会带你去个我们能得到答案的地方。”

那神秘的情报提供者猛地推开了身后的门,在那里面,吉尔赛那斯看见了一条黯淡烛光映照下的黑暗走廊。他的目光很快停留在走廊尽头墙上一处恐怖的雕像上。五颗头闪着暗沉沉的光芒,眼睛一眨不眨地睥睨着他。每一颗都安在一条蛇颈上,在看见那五种颜色之前,吉尔赛那斯就明白过来,这是一处黑暗之后塔克西丝的圣地。

“叛徒!”他大喊着,揪住那精灵的斗篷,粗暴地把他按倒在石墙上。

“不!”对方以惊人的信念坚持说,“你要知道其他精灵也一样在帮助黑暗骑士们——他们是这个行将崩坏的世界上胜利的唯一希望。走进去,亲眼看看。听我说!你会明白的——你会看到的!”

“我不会!”吉尔赛那斯愤怒地强调道。他抽出剑,把剑尖对准了那个精灵的喉咙,“关于银龙你知道些什么?”

“什么都不知道!”那个倒霉的可怜虫哀号道,“我知道那些骑士能帮你找到它们然后杀了它们!每杀一条善龙都能拿到一笔赏钱!他们会赏给你很多!”

吉尔赛那斯的手臂颤抖着,他感到一股强烈的冲动,想要一剑扎到底,结束这污秽的生物战栗的生命。可是有某种模糊的善念令他停了手,最后他把那精灵掼在地下,抬起一只脚踢向……

然后他突然转身离开。

他还剑入鞘,莱斯在后面追着他。

“我很抱歉,”年轻的精灵伤心地说,“我以为他是……那是……”

“别介意。”吉尔赛那斯说,他仍在对自己的同胞转向黑暗之后麾下感到厌恶。

“我还继续找下去,继续打听下去吗?”莱斯问。

“我们在这儿找不到任何东西,”吉尔赛那斯激烈地摇着头说。西悠瓦拉的踪迹已经无处追寻,迷失在广袤大陆的一团乱麻之中。他极力反抗着一波波袭来的绝望,明白自己现在只有一件事可做。

“是回家的时候了。”他说,回想起奎灵那斯提,他的思绪明快起来。

Hargoth, 27sc
 
The port city of Hargoth was a bustling center of humanity about a day's flight from Korval. The constant 
movement of people made Gilthanas immediately long for the days of wandering, of solitary living and study, 
or of the sole companionship of Lethagas.
The younger elf, in contrast, seemed to welcome the surrounding activity and threw himself into the life of 
the city with boisterous enthusiasm. It was Leth who found them a clean, inexpensive room in an inn where 
elves were welcomed, but not questioned. Now that they were traversing western Ansalon, Gilthanas had 
decided to keep his identity a secret. Nearly all the elves they encountered came from Qualinesti, and he 
wished to avoid attention, as well as the attendant rumors that would arise if the wandering prince was known 
to be this close to home.
Instead, he waited around the inn or wandered the city as an anonymous vagabond. He let his companion 
ask the questions, knowing that Leth was getting around Hargoth and seeking any information he could 
regarding silver dragons. The youngster was subtle and coy, never mentioning Silvara by name as he looked 
around the busy waterfront and worked his way through the many crowded inns.
Late one evening, after ten days in the city, Leth awakened Gilthanas when he returned to their room. The 
prince noticed the traces of dawn already brightening the horizon.
"I have found an elf who wants to talk to you ... who says he has information about silver dragons."
"Where is he?" Gilthanas blinked the sleep from his eyes and shrugged into his tunic. Pulling on his boots 
and buckling his sword around his waist, he stood, wide awake and ready to go.
"He will meet us near the Sailor's Guildhouse at the wharf," Leth replied. "He's waiting for us now."
In a few minutes, the pair made their way through the nearly empty streets of the town. The sky had 
brightened to a very pale blue when Gilthanas saw the peaked roof of a large hall. Nearby was the shadowy 
entrance to a small, stone building.
"There he is." Leth indicated the figure waiting within the dark alcove.
"That's an elf?" The fellow's furtive manner and heavy cloak reminded Gilthanas more of a human 
scoundrel—some pirate or back-street cutthroat. He couldn't see the elf's face, except for a vague outline of 
his chin.
"I hear you's looking for silver dragons," said the mysterious fellow in a hoarse voice that did nothing to 
dispel Gilthanas's earlier impression.
"Who are you?" demanded the prince, immediately suspicious.
"Forgive me, O Great Lord," sneered the fellow in a voice dripping with mockery. He pushed back the deep 
hood and Gilthanas saw the pointed ears that proved him an elf. His long hair was tid in a narrow tail down his 
back, which was a style unusual for a fellow elf. "I am but a humble servant unworthy even of being named in 
your presence."
Gilthanas decided not to press the issue. "What do you know of a dragon of silver?"
"A dragon ... not just any one of them? Are you going hunting for specific prey, then?"
"The reason I seek this dragon is not your concern."
The elven scoundrel shrugged. "Maybe ... maybe not. But I'll show you where we can find the answers."
The mysterious informant abruptly pushed open the door behind him. Within, Gilthanas saw a dark corridor, 
dimly lit by candles. But his eyes immediately fastened on the horrible image rendered on the interior wall.
Five heads gleamed black at him, leering with unblinking stares. Each was the terminus of a serpentine 
neck, and even before he saw the five colors Gilthanas knew that this was a place of Takhisis, the Queen of 
Darkness.
"Traitor!" he cried, seizing the elf's cloak and roughly pushing him against the stone wall.
"No!" insisted the other with surprising conviction. "You should know that other elves are aiding the Dark 
Knights also—they offer the only hope of victory in this dying world. Enter and see for yourself. Listen! You will 
learn—you will see!"
"I will not!" Gilthanas insisted, furious. He drew his sword and pressed the tip against the elf's throat. "What 
do you know of silver dragons?"
"Nothing!" wailed the miserable wretch. "Just that the Knights will help you find them and kill them! There is 
a reward for each Good dragon slain. They will pay you well!"
Gilthanas's arm trembled and he felt a powerful urge to drive the sword home and end the quivering life of 
this foul creature. Only some vague memory of kindness held his hand, and at last he cast the elf to the ground, 
drawing back his foot to kick ...
And abruptly turning away.
He slammed his blade back into the sheath as Leth fell in behind him.
"I'm sorry," said the young elf miserably. "I thought he was ... that is...."
"Never mind," said Gilthanas, still sickened at the thought of his people turning to the Dark Queen.
"Should I keep looking and asking?" inquired Leth.
"There's nothing for us here," Gilthanas said with a sharp shake of his head. Silvara's trail was cold, lost in 
the tangle of a vast continent. He fought against a wave of hopelessness, and knew there was only one thing 
he could do.
"It's time to go home," he said, and his thoughts brightened at the memory of Qualinesti.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-08, 周四 20:21:49
无尽一瞬碎散时
 
当吉尔赛那斯再度转向我时,我发现他的表情有了变化,在旋身而过的这一刹那,我们中有一方——或是双方——给予了对方最后的致命一击。他脸上刚刚那种准备与我战斗时的紧张神情松弛下来,他的胸口快速地上下起伏着。不知为什么,我的注意力集中在那道如今损害了他容貌的疤痕上,而除此之外他的一切都与我当年遇见他的那一天毫无二致。从我们初次相逢到如今已经过了整整十年,在这段时间里第一道皱纹爬上了我的前额,男子气的胡须也在我的下颌上滋长。然而,若不是吉尔赛那斯脸上多了那道疤痕,我或许真的会以为我们在一瞬之前才刚见第一面。

精灵不仅拥有极其漫长的寿命,而且他们的外形也不会随着年岁增长而变化。

与他这样的一生相比较,我等人类一生的长度又是怎样的呢?会不会只是他生涯中的一瞬?会不会就仿佛我们渐渐衰老最终死去,而他却青春永驻一样呢?

他离我远去,可是他没有动。一定是魔法又起了作用。

无论如何,这一切在一瞬之间就会终结。

“为什么?”我听见吉尔赛那斯说。他又离我近了些。不知为何,阳光不再在他的剑上闪耀。

为什么?我哪儿有时间解释呢?的确有人说一个人死去的那一瞬将持续永恒,但那只是就垂死那一方的角度而言。我无法告诉吉尔赛那斯他期望了解的真相。因为在下一次心跳前,他就将逝去。我们中有人挥出了致命的一击,而我确信无疑,那个人就是我。

The Endless Moment Shatters
 
I saw Gilthanas's expression shift as he turned toward me again, completing the spin during which one or 
both of us had delivered the final and fatal cut to the other. The tense look that had appeared on his face as he 
prepared to fight me softened, and his chest rose and fell rapidly. For some reason, my awareness focused on 
the scar that now marred his features, which otherwise remained unchanged from the first day I met him. It had 
been a decade since we had first met and during that time the first wrinkles had appeared on my forehead and 
the beard of manhood had sprouted on my chin. However, if it hadn't been for that scar upon Gilthanas's face, 
I might well have thought that we had met each other for the first time only moments ago.
Not only did elves live a very long time, but they did not change in appearance as they aged.
How long would a life such as mine seem to one such as he? Would it be like a moment to him? Does it 
seem as though we age and die, as he stays young?
He moved away from me, but he didn't move. Magic must be at work again.
In any case, it would be over in a moment.
"Why?" I heard Gilthanas say. He moved closer to me. For some reason, the sun no longer glinted off his 
sword.
Why? Would there be time to explain? There are those who say that the moment of a man's death lasts 
forever, but that would only be from the perspective of the dying man. I could not possibly tell Gilthanas what 
he wanted to know. For in another heartbeat, he would be gone. A killing blow had ben struck, and I felt 
certain that it was mine.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-09, 周五 13:41:10
混沌足印(The Footprint of Chaos),28sc

在抵达流云之巅后,我完全跟丢了吉尔赛那斯的踪迹。那座山下的矮人们只知道,在他与住在峰顶的隐士一同生活的期间,有几名战士袭击了他——他们知道这件事是因为他们替他裹了伤。当我问起那条银龙时,他们说的确有这么个生物在这儿住过几年,可那是吉尔赛那斯出现之前的事了。那群矮人也不确定那条龙去向何方,尽管他们知道它去的要么是北边,要么是东边,不然就是东北边。他们对精灵说过同样的话,然后他就朝着其中的一个方向出发了。

与矮人们打的这场交道让我发现自己是多么渴望回到艾莲岛(Elian Isle)。在艾莲,人们诚恳、率直。只要你开口打听,他们就会告诉你自己心中所想;无论你需要与否,他们都会伸出援手;他们在任何事情上都诚实而富有荣誉感。而在这世界上的其他地方,每个人都在寻找一个切入点,想从你身上捞到些什么,无论他们配不配。我离开了矮人们,疑心他们究竟是真的不知道西悠瓦拉和吉尔赛那斯前往的方向,还是因为我没给他们足够的钱。

我遇到的唯一一群诚恳而率直的人是坎德人,他们在某些方面与精灵有些类似,但他们的性格与精灵截然相异。不同于安塞隆大陆的其他人,坎德人总是直接了当地告诉我他们的想法,令人耳目一新。不出我所料的是,其他所有人都鄙视他们这平易近人的作风。

与矮人们打的这场交道让我发现自己是多么思念我的同胞们。就我所知,在被挑选出来诛杀吉尔赛那斯的位阶大师中,至今幸存的仅有我一人。这副担子完全压在了我的肩上,我必须独自一人完成任务。尽管我可以编些借口打道回府,但这将是一场败退。我不能选择这么做,因为那会为我的儿女们留下污名。

过去的数周间,当我沿着一条被人类称为沥青(Pitch)的黑龙的国境边界行走时,心里想得最多的是我的孩子们。从我离开他们起到现在已经过了这么多年。他们或许早已记不得我,认不出我了,尽管那些岁月在我身上飞逝而过宛若弹指,但在此期间我的儿女们的确经历了一段人生……一段没有我参与的人生。

倘若我们相遇,他们不会认出我,而我也不会认出他们。我的妻子无疑会告诉他们我的光荣使命,但对他们而言我只不过是一个名字。他们会对这个名字怀有敬意,但他们或许再也没有机会了解自己的父亲。哪怕有幸还会重逢,我也永远无法重拾我的父亲在看着我从婴孩长大成人的过程中收获的那种喜悦了。

位阶大师们都明白,无法看着自己的儿子们长大成人是他们必须付出的代价。而在我寂寞的漫漫征程中,这代价似乎突然变得无法接受起来。自从离开艾莲后,我第一次重新怀疑起自己是否做出了正确的选择,尽管困扰我的不再是吉尔赛那斯与他那可敬的心灵。不,如今困扰我的是这样的疑惑:我在这任务上消耗的时间,是否已超过了它带来的荣誉本身的价值?

我没有进一步思考下去,因为那枚从潜行者那儿得到的魔法戒指忽然之间似乎在我指间震颤起来。我看向那块石头,发现它的颜色变了!她找到了他!我这就来试试这戒指是不是真就像她所相信的,把那石头捏在两指之间一拧就能生效。我感到一股奥术能量流过全身,四周的世界溶成了涡卷的七色海洋。我感到晕眩起来,闭上了眼睛。一瞬之间,我周围的空气从潮湿而充满了植物腐烂的浓重酸臭——因为我身在一片沼泽中心——变成了凉爽而充满了焚烧某种东西的刺鼻气味。我睁开双眼,发现周遭的世界已经再度汇聚起来,但与之前的地方截然不同。

那是一片贫瘠的棕褐色土地,与我来处的葱郁沼泽形成了鲜明的对比。就在前一刻,我头顶上方繁茂的树木还遮蔽了天穹。而如今却没有了。可是吉尔赛那斯在哪儿?产生这股焚烧植物气味的火焰又在哪儿?

我环顾四周。我正站在一处长满草的山脊上。我的左侧是一片青翠怡人的景象,一直延伸到一连串小山丘组成的地平线以外。而右侧则是一座山谷,它的形状十分怪异,像只巨大的脚一般。峡谷两侧与谷底的地面看上去就像一度经历过一场高热——就像那峡谷本身正是由一团巨大的火焰在这世界的表面上冲刷出来的一般。我所闻到的烟味似乎来自裂缝底部熊熊燃烧的火焰,因为整座峡谷满是浓烟。

但我哪儿也看不到吉尔赛那斯的影子。潜行者也没有露面,除我之外这儿没有任何活着的生物。我全然是孤身一人。为什么我会出现在这里,出现在这片荒无人烟的土地上?

我查看了这座山谷,以确认吉尔赛那斯不在浓烟滚滚的深处——尽管在探索峡谷时我感到自己并非孑然一身,但我呼唤那位精灵,又呼唤了潜行者,也没有得到任何回应。我猜想也许吉尔赛那斯已经来过这儿,并在潜行者试图抓住他时杀死了她。我能轻易地想像出这幅场景——她打算玩些花样,但吉尔赛那斯对她而言是个太灵巧也太聪明的对手,潜行者反被潜行误。

然而,由于没有发现任何暴力落到潜行者或吉尔赛那斯头上的迹象,并且也搞不清自己究竟身在何处,我在这奇怪的峡谷旁就地扎营,打算等待有谁前来给我点信息。我注意到,那块宝石恢复了它本来的颜色,也就是说那枚戒指仍有魔力,假如我最终在附近某处发现了吉尔赛那斯的话,还可以试着把潜行者叫到我这儿来。

The Footprint of Chaos, 28sc
I lost Gilthanas's trail completely after the Peak of Clouds. The dwarves living at its base knew only that 
warriors had attacked him while he had been living with a hermit who dwelt on the peak—they knew this 
because they had tended to his wounds. When I asked about a silver dragon, they reported that such a 
creature had indeed resided here for a few years, but it was before Gilthanas showed up. The dwarves couldn't 
agree on when the dragon had departed, although they knew that it had either gone north, east, or northeast. 
They had told the elf the same thing, and he had headed in one of those directions as well.
The encounter with the dwarves made me realize how badly I wanted to be back on Elian Isle. On Elian, 
people are honest and straightforward. They tell you what they think when you ask, they offer to help whether 
you need it or not, and they are all honorable and honest in all things. In the rest of the world, everyone always 
looked for an angle that they could exploit to get something from you whether they had earned it or not. I left 
the dwarves, wondering if their confusion about what direction Silvara and Gilthanas had gone in was genuine 
or because I didn't pay them enough.
The only honest and straightforward people I'd encountered were the kender, who somewhat resembled 
the elves but exhibited a completely different personality. Kender always told me exactly what they thought 
and, in contrast with the rest of the peoples of Ansalon, were very refreshing. Predictably, all others despised 
them for their unassuming ways.
The encounter with the dwarves made me realize how much I had grown to miss my people. As near as I 
could tell, I was the last surviving Master of Rank who had been charged with the slaying of Gilthanas. It was 
up to me and me alone to finish the mission. Even if I could fabricate some excuse to return home, I would be 
returning in failure. That was not an option, for it would stain the honor of my children.
For the next several weeks, as I moved along the borders of a land claimed by a black dragon known to 
men as Pitch, my children were foremost in my thoughts. So many years had passed since I left. They would 
not remember or recognize me, for although the years had flown by for me as though they were nothing, they 
added up to a lifetime for them ... a lifetime which I had not been part of.
They would not recognize me, nor I them, if we were to meet. My woman had undoubtedly told them of my 
glorious mission, but I was just a name to them. They would honor this name, but they might never get a 
chance to know their father. Even if they did, I could never reclaim the joy that I know my father derived from 
watching me grow from a baby into an adult.
Masters of Rank knew that they might need to pay the price of not seeing their sons grow up. During my 
lonely trek, this suddenly seemed like an unbearable price. For the first time since I left Elian, I again wondered 
if I had made the right choice, although the questions no longer revolved around Gilthanas and his honorable 
heart. No, now the doubts revolved around me. Had the honor of this mission cost me more years than the 
honor was worth?
I pursued these thoughts no further, for suddenly the magical ring I had received from Stalker seemed to 
vibrate on my finger. I looked at the stone and found that its color had shifted! She had found him! Now, I would 
see if the ring truly worked, as she believed that it would
I grabbed the stone between two fingers and twisted it. I felt arcane energies surging through me, and the 
world around me dissolved into a swirling sea of colors. I closed my eyes as I started to feel dizzy. Within a 
moment, the air around me went from humid and heavy with the sour smell of rotting vegetation—for I was in 
the middle of a swamp— to cool and heavy with the acrid smell of something burning. I opened my eyes and 
found that the world around me had coalesced again but hat it was completely different.
It was a barren and brown place, a stark contrast to the lush greenery of the swamp I had come from. 
Overhead, flourishing trees had obscured the dome of the sky just moments before. Now they didn't. But 
where was Gilthanas? And where was the fire that caused the smell of burning vegetation?
I scanned my surroundings. I stood on a grassy ridge. To my left was a verdant and pleasant landscape 
that retreated toward the horizon in a series of hills. To my right was a canyon incongruously shaped like a 
giant foot. Its sides and the ground around it appeared as though they had been subjected to great heat—as 
though the canyon had been scoured into the surface of the world itself by huge gouts of fire. The smoke I 
could smell appeared to be the fire burning at the bottom of the rift, for the canyon was filled with smoke.
But I could see Gilthanas nowhere. Neither was Stalker apparent, nor any other living beings. I was 
completely alone. Why had I appeared here, at this deserted place?
I inspected the canyon to make sure Gilthanas wasn't within its smoky depths—although I felt that I was not 
alone as I searched it; no one responded when I called out for the elf and Stalker. It occurred to me that 
perhaps Gilthanas had already been here and that he had slain Stalker as she attempted to capture him. I 
could easily picture that—she was playing games, but Gilthanas was too swift and intelligent for her, turning 
the stalker into the one being stalked.
But since I saw no evidence that any violence had befallen either Stalker or Gilthanas, and since I had no 
knowledge of where in the world I was, I established camp near the strange canyon and waited until someone 
arrived who could give me some information. I noticed that the gemstone had returned to its original color, 
indicating that there was yet magic in the ring, and that I could possibly try calling Stalker to my location should 
I discover Gilthanas nearby after all.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-09, 周五 16:53:22
第二天中午时分,三只巨大的鸟儿出现在天空中。它们越飞越近,我发觉它们是某种狮子与鹰的古怪杂交,其中两匹的背上坐着骑手。我之前从未见过这种生物,但它们大致符合禁城知识库中关于狮鹫的详述。

它们正落在我起初出现的那处山脊上,我发现两位骑手都是精灵——其中之一是吉尔赛那斯,那匹华丽的坐骑着陆时,他的金发随着微风飘拂。

吉尔赛那斯从坐骑背上下来,向我挥手。我也挥手回应。他用一种我还没掌握的语言向我打招呼,而我用精灵语回答他。我在离开艾莲之前就学会了这种语言,并且近来又经常与潜行者练习。我的致意似乎让吉尔赛那斯又惊又喜,这是种既表达友谊,又同时表达了帮助对方的意愿的正式礼节。我希望能把他毫无警惕地引到近前,然后迅速出手攻击。

当他走近时,吉尔赛那斯说道:“你的奎灵纳斯提语说得真好。你是从阿班西尼亚来的吗?”

“不是的,不过我有幸学过你们的语言。”我字斟句酌地说。我要杀了吉尔赛那斯,这样我才能回到家人们身边,但我不想对他做出撒谎这样不敬的事,“我曾经有个旅伴是你的同族。我能为你做点什么吗?”

“我们听说有人在这附近看到过一条银龙,请问你见过吗?或许,你见过一位卡冈纳斯提精灵?”吉尔赛那斯细细审视着我的脸,他的双眼忽然睁大了,“索罗武?索罗武,是你?”

我微笑起来:“是的,的确是我。好久不见。”

“太久不见了!我从没想过会在这儿见到你!是什么风把你吹到了离故乡这么远的地方?”

“是你。”在他来得及做出反应之前,我就拔剑招呼过去。他往后一跃,那俊敏的反射简直让猫咪都自愧不如。我又挥出一剑,他再度避开我的挥砍,横跨一步闪开我的攻击,然后抽出自己的长剑格开了我的剑。

他的朋友出声呐喊,拔出武器,但吉尔赛那斯挥手让他退下。精灵王子向后退去,质问道:“为什么要攻击我?我们分开了那么多年,分别的时候我们还是朋友。到底发生了什么变化?”

我没有回答,再度攻上去。两剑交撞的声音响彻四野。打着打着,我们渐渐靠近了那怪异的,浓烟滚滚的峡谷,很快,一个事实浮上了水面:我们俩势均力敌——尽管他或许有数个世纪的光阴可资使用,但哪怕是精灵们也无法在战斗技能上超越位阶大师。

意识到这一点,我们同时向后退了几步。显然,这将是一场一剑定胜负的决斗,而取胜的关键与其说是技巧,不如说是运气。

我们双双放弃防御冲向对方,刺出那赌上一切的一击。阳光在他那打磨锋利的剑刃上舞蹈。我们中只有一个人能够活到下一瞬。尽管如此,这的确是一场针尖对麦芒的较量,我们剑刃相交一次,两次,然后我们双双挥出一记回旋斩,向后退开,打量着情形。

“为什么?”我听见吉尔赛那斯说。他的剑不再在阳光中闪耀。

在一名大师手中,一柄打磨锋利的剑能如此之快地杀死一个人,甚至可以令他意识不到自己的死亡,直到数个瞬间过去……直到他感到鲜血开始流落。有人说,在最后一瞬之中垂死者会重新遍历他的一生,如此往复,直至这一瞬化为永恒。这就是吉尔赛那斯即将体验的吗?

他又离我近了些,可是他看上去并没有在走。他逐渐远去,但他的双腿似乎并没有动。他的剑不再在阳光中闪耀,有什么暗色的东西沾在了剑锋上。

“为什么要攻击我?”他的脸上流露出哀伤的神色。那张脸与我第一次遇见他的那天毫无二致,除了右侧脸颊上的那道疤痕。我应当给他个答案,但他将没有时间听完它。他就要死去,而我就要回到家乡,回到家人们的身边了。

我想起了我与吉尔赛那斯初次相逢的那一天。那时我绝想不到我们会走到如今这一步。在当时,他是一切闯入我生命的事物中最为不可思议的一员……

Around noon the next day, three gigantic birds appeared in the sky. As they drew closer, I realized that they 
were some curious hybrid between lions and eagles, and that upon two of the beasts' backs were riders. I had 
never seen such creatures before, but they matched roughly the descriptions of griffins that were detailed in 
the Forbidden City's storehouses of knowledge.
As they landed on the very ridge I had first appeared on, I saw that both riders were elves—and I saw that 
one of them was Gilthanas, his golden hair flowing in the breeze as his magnificent mount came in for a 
landing.
Gilthanas dismounted and waved to me. I waved back. He called out to me in a language I had not yet 
mastered, but I responded to him in the elven tongue. I had learned it before leaving Elian and had recently 
practiced it with Stalker. Gilthanas seemed pleasantly surprised by my greeting, which was a formal one that 
denoted friendship and a willingness to assist the person to whom it was being offered. It was my hope to draw 
him near while keeping him off-guard so that I could strike quickly.
As he moved closer, Gilthanas said, "You speak Qualinesti very well. "Are you from Abanasinia?"
"No, but I have had an opportunity to learn your tongue," I said, weighing my words as I spoke. I would slay 
Gilthanas so I could return to my family, but I would not do him the dishonor of lying to him. "For a time, one of 
your race was a traveling companion of mine. How can I help you?"
"We have heard that a silver dragon has been seen around here. Have you seen one? Or a Kagonesti elf, 
perhaps?" Gilthanas's eyes suddenly widened as he examined my face. "Solov? Solov, is that you?"
I smiled. "Yes, it is indeed. It has been a long time."
"A very long time! I never thought I would see you here! What brings so far from your homeland?"
"You." Before he had a chance to react, I drew my sword and slashed. He leapt back with reflexes that 
would have put a cat to shame. I swung again, and again he avoided my blow, sidestepping my attack and 
drawinghis own sword to further deflect mine.
His friend cried out and drew his own weapon, but Gilthanas waved him back. The elf prince backed away 
and demanded, "Why are you attacking me? We parted friends those many years ago. What has changed?"
My response was to attack again. The sounds of our clashing swords rang across the countryside. As our 
battle carried us toward the strange, smoke-filled canyon, it soon became apparent that we were evenly 
matched—while he may have centuries at his disposal, not even elves could exceed the combat skills of a 
Master of Rank.
Faced with this knowledge, we stepped back. It was clear that our duel would be won by a single sword 
stroke and that victory would come through luck as much as skill.
We both dropped our guard and lunged at each other in all-out attacks. Sunlight danced along the edge of 
his well-honed sword. Only one of us would survive the next moment. Still, our skills asserted themselves and 
our blades clanged against one another once, twice, and then we both did a spinning slash, moving away from 
each other and then taking stock of the situation.
"Why?" I heard Gilthanas say. His sword no longer glinted in the sunlight.
In the hands of a master, a well-honed sword can kill a man so quickly that he doesn't realize he's dead until 
several moments later... until he feels the blood starting to trickle. It is in that final moment that some people 
say the dying one relives his life, repeatedly, so that the moment becomes an eternity. Is that what Gilthanas 
was about to experience?
He moved closer to me, yet he didn't appear to be walking. He moved farther away, but still his legs did not 
seem to move. His sword no longer shone in the sunlight. Something dark was smeared along its edge.
"Why did you attack me?" His face appeared sorrowful, the face that was unchanged from the day I had first 
met him, aside from the scar on the right side of his face. I should give him an answer, but he wouldn't have 
time to hear it. He was about to die, and I was about to go home to my family.
I remembered the day I first met Gilthanas. I never would have thought it would come to this. He was the 
most wondrous thing to have entered my life up to that point....
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-09, 周五 21:52:21
*****

“为什么?”吉尔赛那斯俯视着索罗武倒下的身躯,又问了一遍。无人应答。

这场战斗只能有一种结局,它一俟结束,回答的时机就随之过去,再不会重来。

*****
 
"Why?" Gilthanas asked again, gazing down upon the crumpled form of Solov. There would be no answer. 
The battle could have ended in only one way, and as it did, the time for answers passed and could never again 
be reclaimed.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-09, 周五 22:20:33
安娜雅之树(Anaya's Tree),28sc

这块名为奎灵那斯提的土地已不再是吉尔赛那斯记忆中的模样。那儿发生了太多太多的变化,他感到很难说服自己他与莱萨格斯真的已经回到了故乡。这片精灵国度的天然森林一直以来总是蛮荒而人迹罕至,但如今迷宫般错综复杂的灌丛生长得如此茂密,在多数地方几乎阻塞了交通。苔藓的卷须从最高的枝条上披散下来,藤蔓与荆棘为占据粗大树干周围的地盘展开了争夺战。的确有些道路仍然保养良好,但——正如两位精灵得到的警告那样——那些道路上有黑暗骑士在巡逻。

他们在哈苟斯听说了那条如今占据了这座森林的庞大绿龙,碧雷(Beryl)的传闻。她承认精灵领袖们的地位,但那不过是因为他们在胁迫之下沦为了她卑贱的奴仆。对那群自从在混沌之夏中征服了精灵们后就一直以这片土地的领主自居的黑暗骑士们,他们也早已熟悉。

而今甚至连这群骑士的统治,也不过是在那条强大绿龙的勉强许可下进行的。

如今他同胞们的统治者,波修士曾一度持有的那块太阳之纹章(Sun Medallion)的继承人,是太阳咏者吉尔萨斯·索拉斯特伦(Speaker of the Sun Gilthas Solostaran)。他是吉尔赛那斯的妹妹罗拉娜与半精灵坦尼斯的儿子。吉尔赛那斯听说妹妹正与儿子一同居住在首都奎灵诺斯特,但他已经决心不去那儿。相反,他打算去寻找那位据称以逃犯之身寄身于密林深处的大哥,波修士。

为此,吉尔赛那斯只想到一处可以着手开始寻找的地点。

两位精灵骑上了自己的狮鹫——仍然是起初那三只将他俩从卡萨的温斯顿之塔一路带来这里的飞行家——前往那片森林。为了防止被碧雷或是黑暗骑士们发现,那些生物在高耸的树梢下方,在中等粗细的枝桠间那广阔的空间中低低飞翔。狮鹫与精灵骑手们前进得十分缓慢,从一棵树滑翔到另一棵树,停栖在粗壮的枝条上,用眼睛、耳朵与鼻孔探索着前方的状况。

最终,傍晚时分,他们来到了一处地方,多瘤而畸形的巨树构成的丛林在这里戛然而止。他们眼前是一片草甸,远方立着一排粗壮的橡树。许许多多的橡树组成了一个广阔的圆环,它们彼此长得十分贴近,林地的中央隐没在阴影与树皮之间。

“就在那儿……我知道。”吉尔赛那斯对莱斯说。

“应该有守卫。”年轻的精灵低声说,透过枝桠间的空隙往外看。

吉尔赛那斯点点头。他能闻到人类的气息;他们汗湿的、烟熏火燎的衣服,混合着火和钢铁的味道,嗅上去像是黑暗骑士。“我们把狮鹫留在这儿。”

那三只生物警惕地落在森林地面上方的粗壮枝条上,两位精灵缘树而下。夜色降临,他们看见了黑暗骑士们,有些徒步,有些骑在马背上,绕着橡树林规律地巡察。不过,对于两位蹑足潜踪的来客而言,这并不是什么不可逾越的挑战。在四人组成的一小队骑士过去之后,他们轻悄地穿过空地,很快进入了那片古树间凉爽而清新的地带。

来自熟悉林地的芬芳与氛围,像一枚温馨的茧包裹着吉尔赛那斯。他回忆起了那个整座森林都还拥有这样的气息的时代,想到自己的国度如今变成了这副模样,他心碎欲裂。

然而,他没有时间去悲悼。

他只是引着莱斯,穿过茂密的树林,踏着满是青苔的松软小道,在大丛大丛的蘑菇间走过。尽管树冠在头顶形成了厚重的顶棚,两位精灵还是看得很清楚。他们很快抵达了这片林子的中心,在一棵巨树面前停下了脚步。

这棵橡树的树干粗如一所小屋,粗糙有力的枝条高高伸入夜空。树的表面上铭刻着一道深深的裂痕,吉尔赛那斯瞬间感到一阵敬畏。他知道这处地点的历史——这份遗产不仅属于他的国家,也同样属于他的家族。这就是安娜雅之树,奎灵那斯提建国王姬斯卡南的恋人安娜雅化成的树。从这道裂缝中走出了西尔维兰·绿手(Silveran Greenhands),姬斯卡南的子嗣,同时也是咏者之位的继任者。

如今,吉尔赛那斯只能期望这份遗产能指引他与大哥重逢。

Anaya's Tree, 28sc
 
This place called Qualinesti was not the land that Gilthanas remembered. So many changes had affected it 
that he found it hard to convince himself that he and Lethagas had in fact returned to their homeland.
The natural forest of the elven kingdom had always been wild and trackless, but now a tangled maze of 
shrubbery grew so densely that, in most places, it all but blocked travel. Tendrils of moss draped from the 
loftiest branches, while vines and brambles fought for control around the mighty trunks. There were good, 
well-maintained roads, but—as the two elves had been warned—Dark Knights patrolled them.
They had heard the stories in Hargoth of the massive green dragon, Beryl, who now claimed this forest as 
her own. She tolerated the elven leaders, but only because she had intimidated them to the point of abject 
slavery. They knew of the Dark Knights, who presumed to walk as lords here since their conquest of the elves 
during the Summer of Chaos.
And even the Knights ruled only at the sufferance of the mighty green.
The current ruler of his people, inheritor of the Sun Medallion once held by Porthios, was the Speaker of the 
Sun Gilthas Solostaran. He was the son of Gilthanas's sister Laurana and of Tanis Half-Elven. Gilthanas had 
learned that his sister now lived with her son in the capital of Qualinost, but he had already decided against 
going there. Instead, he would seek his brother Porthios, reputed to live as an outlaw in the depths of the 
tangled forest.
For that quest, Gilthanas could think of only one plce to begin.
To reach the grove, the two elves rode their griffins, the original trio of the flyers that had brought the pair 
from Winston's Tower on Karthay. To avoid discovery by Beryl or the Dark Knights, the creatures flew beneath 
the towering treetops in the wide canopy of space above the middle branches. Progress was slow, with the 
griffins and their elven riders gliding from one tree to the next and then perching on stout limbs, searching 
before them with eyes, ears, and nostrils.
Finally, near nightfall, they came to a place where the gnarled and monstrous trees of the forest came to an 
abrupt end. Before them was a strip of meadow, beyond which rose a line of stout oak trees. The massive oaks 
formed a broad ring and grew so closely together that the center of the grove was lost in shadow and tree bark.
"This is the place ... I know it is," Gilthanas told Leth.
"There'll be guards," whispered the younger elf, peering out through the branches.
Gilthanas nodded. He could smell the presence of men; their sweat and smoky clothes mingled with the 
taste of fire and steel, marking them as Dark Knights. "Let's leave the griffins here."
The three creatures settled watchfully on stout limbs above the forest floor while the two elves scrambled 
down to the ground. As night fell, they saw that the Knights, some on foot and others on horseback, made 
regular rounds about the oak grove. Still, the two stealthy visitors did not find it an insurmountable challenge. 
After the passage of a quartet of riders, they crept across the strip of open ground and soon entered the cool 
freshness among the ancient trees.
The scent and ambiance of the familiar forest surrounded Gilthanas like a welcoming cocoon. He 
remembered when this had been the air of all these woods, and his heart broke at the thought of what his 
nation had become.
But he would take no time to grieve.
Instead, he led Leth through the thick trees and in between clumps of mushrooms on soft, mossy paths. 
Though the foliage created a thick canopy overhead, the pair of elves could see clearly. Soon they reached the 
heart of the grove and stopped before a massive tree.
The trunk of the oak was as big around as a cottage, and the limbs rose, gnarled but mighty, high into the 
night. A great crack was scored down the face of the tree, and Gilthanas felt a momentary reverence. He knew 
the history of this place—the legacy not just of his nation but of his family. This was the tree of Anaya, lover of 
Qualinesti's founder Kith-Kanan. And from that crack had stepped Silveran Greenhands, Kith-Kanan's heir 
and successor as the Speaker.
Now, Gilthanas could only hope that legacy would lead him to his brother.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-10, 周六 17:03:10
“我听说你来了奎灵纳斯提……我想你也许会来这里。”

听到这句话——这毫无疑问是波修士的声音——他难以置信地转过身去,声音从附近的一棵橡树背后传来。

“大哥!我想我也只可能在这儿找到你了!”吉尔赛那斯迈步向那边走去,却被对方严厉的嗓音制止了。

“等一下!我会让你看看我的,但你先得知道,我已经变了,弟弟……悲痛与战争令我伤痕累累。”波修士用低沉的声音解释道。

吉尔赛那斯指指那道纵贯自己眼窝的疤痕。“我也是一样。”他回答道。

即便如此,他也没有做好足够的心理准备去面对他的兄长。波修士将头部隐藏在深深的兜帽之下,但他的脸上疤痕纵横,如同皱纹一般。他的唇与皮肤融合成光滑的一体,令他的笑容看上去阴森可怖,像某种无肉骷髅的睨视。可是他的眸子里洋溢着喜悦,他的双臂紧紧搂住吉尔赛那斯,给了弟弟一个最为深情的拥抱。许久许久,这对兄弟抱在一起,一句话也没有说,甚至连呼吸都几乎停止了。

“我梦见你来了,”波修士柔声说,“我等着你,我知道你终究会来到这儿。”

“我流浪了很久很远,大哥。”吉尔赛那斯吸了一口气,谈起他的追寻,谈起那一路的疯狂、欺骗与绝望,“可是当我回到家乡的时候,我清楚,我必须来这儿,来安娜雅之树。”

“幸亏你没有去那座城市。”波修士说,“黑暗骑士们会在一分钟之内抓住你——哪怕我们的外甥没有亲手把你交给他们。”

“吉尔萨斯……他背叛了他的人民……和他的家人?我听说过这样的传闻,但我无法相信他会这么做,也无法相信我们的妹妹会让他这么做!”

波修士深表遗憾地耸了耸肩:“说实话,我认为他没有多少选择的余地。他被许多方向的力量拖来拽去,向一位霸主示好在另一位霸主跟前或许就意味着死亡。确切地说,奎灵那斯提已经不是你离开时的那片土地了。”

这位兄长把自己的双手搁在吉尔赛那斯肩上,坦率地直视着他:“也不是你该停留的地方,我的弟弟。”

年轻的王子深受打击:“可是你还在这儿……以逃犯之身,我清楚,但你在抵抗黑暗骑士与那条绿龙!你是说我不够好,不够资格留在你身边战斗吗?”

波修士摇摇头:“当然,你足够……但我知道:你正在寻觅一件珍宝,而你在这儿是找不到它的。你不应该放弃追寻。”

“西悠瓦拉?我已经失去她了,大哥。她已经永远离开我了!”

“也许是这样……也许不是。你知道,你现在身处的地方离她的古老故乡很近,离帕拉丁曾触碰克莱恩的那一处也很近。”

“圣白石(Whitestone)——圣奎斯特(Sancrist)的圣白石!”吉尔赛那斯说。他记起曾听过她充满敬意地谈起圣白石大草地(Whitestone Glade)。在她许多年前离开卡拉曼之前,曾提及过想去造访那片圣地,在那儿冥想几天。“她当然会去那儿试图与她的神交流。我会首先去一趟圣白石大草地,然后要是她也不在那儿,我还可以去南亚苟斯的雾港谷(Foghaven Vale)。”

“我也说不准……只是这么建议罢了,要是我付出了你那么多的努力,一定会想方设法去完成剩余的旅程。”

“你说得对,大哥。我得走了。”

莱斯和吉尔赛那斯在黎明前离开了那片树林,他们一路爬过草地,进入森林的树木之间。头顶三只狮鹫白色的形体勉强可辨,仍旧栖在先前的枝干上。

他们正准备上树,就被附近传来的一声惊呼吓了一跳。

“放我走!住手!”一个声音划破夜空,那是一个女精灵音乐般的美声。

“这个时间,出现在这儿,”一个低沉的,无疑是人类的声音吼道,“你知道,这片树林禁止入内——你去和队长谈谈吧,非去不可。”

“不要啊!”那精灵的声音惊恐得凄厉起来。

在吉尔赛那斯反应过来之前,莱萨格斯就抄起剑奔入黑暗。王子听见一声尖锐的咒骂,紧接着是一连串的咕哝声。他刚站起身准备跟上,莱斯就回来了,牵着一个披头散发的——可是非常美丽的——白发精灵女子的手。她穿着一身剪裁与卡冈那斯提精灵类似的皮衣。“快走!”他低声说,“上狮鹫!”

“谢谢你——你救了我的命!”那女子气喘吁吁地说。她忽然把莱斯拉近身边,两人双唇交叠,然后是一个激烈的、压倒性的吻。

“我们得从这儿出去!”吉尔赛那斯急切地嘘了一声。

在数秒的紧抱之后,那精灵女子总算松开了莱萨格斯。她望着他,眼光里流露出纯粹的崇拜,而莱斯这边则是似乎连站都站不稳了。他艰难地喘着气,头晕目眩地傻笑个不停。

这一对儿用某种方式手牵着手爬上了树来到狮鹫身边。他们停下来再次来了个充满激情的吻,然后乘上三只坐骑。在身后响起更多的警报声之前,那群身披羽毛的生物就飞远了。

“我叫艾拉(Alla),”那位新伙伴朝着莱萨格斯说,“全亏了你我才能活下来——我欠你的太多了。”

“那群守卫为什么袭击你?”年轻的精灵问道,回想起那一幕,他的声音由于愤怒而紧绷起来。

“我……我想进那片神圣的树林祭拜我的父亲,”艾拉答道,“但黑暗骑士们不允许这么做。他们原本会杀了我!”

“现在你安全了,在我们身边。”莱斯殷勤地宣告。三位精灵乘着他们的狮鹫,肩并肩地飞过海洋,向圣奎斯特岛(Isle of Sancrist)而去。

"I heard you had come to Qualinesti... I thought you might come here."
He whirled in disbelief as the words—as the unmistakable voice of Porthios—reached him from behind a 
nearby oak.
"My brother! I could only hope to find you here!" Gilthanas started to step forward but was halted by the 
stern voice.
"Wait! I will let you look at me, but know that I have changed, brother ... I am scarred by grief and war," 
Porthios stated in a low voice.
Gilthanas fingered the slash that crossed his eye. "So am I," he replied.
Even so, he was not prepared for the view of his elder brother. Porthios concealed his head with a deep 
hood, but scars wrinkled his face. His lips merged smoothly into his skin, making his smile seem ghastly, like 
the leer of some fleshless skull. But his eyes danced with joy, and his arms clasped Gilthanas in an embrace of 
deepest affection. For long moments the two brothers hugged, without speaking, barely even breathing.
"I dreamed you'd come," Porthios said softly. "I waited for you and knew your travels would bring you here."
"I have wandered far, brother." Gilthanas drew a breath, and talked of his quest, of the madness and 
deception and despair that had marked his path. "But when I came home, I knew that I had to come here, to 
Anaya's Tree."
"It is good that you did not go to the city," Porthis said. "The Dark Knights would have taken you in a 
minute—even if our nephew didn't turn you over to them himself."
"Gilthas... he has betrayed his people ... his family? I've heard the stories, but I can't believe he would do 
this or that our sister would let him!"
Porthios shrugged with real regret. "Truth to tell, I don't think he has much choice. He is pulled in every 
direction, and to embrace one master would be to die before another. Suffice to say that Qualinesti is not the 
land you left."
The elder brother put his hands on Gilthanas's shoulders and looked at him frankly. "Nor is it a place you 
should plan to stay, my brother."
The younger prince was shocked. "But you live here ... an outlaw, I know, but you resist the Dark Knights 
and the green dragon! Are you saying I'm not good enough to fight at your side?"
Porthios shook his head. "Of course you are . . . but I know this about you: You are seeking a treasure, and 
you will not find it here. Nor should you abandon your quest."
"Silvara? I have lost her, my brother. She is gone to me!"
"Perhaps ... perhaps not. You know that you are close to her ancient home and to the place where Paladine 
touched Krynn."
"Whitestone—on Sancrist!" Gilthanas said. He remembered hearing her speak with reverence of 
Whitestone Glade. Before she left Kalaman many years ago, she had mentioned that she wanted to visit that 
hallowed site to meditate for several days. "Of course she would seek communion with her god there. I'll visit 
the Glade first, and if she isn't there still, I can visit Foghaven Vale in Southern Ergoth."
"I cannot say for certain ... but only suggest that, if I had come as far as you, I would find a way to finish the 
rest of the journey."
"You are right, brother. I must go."
Leth and Gilthanas left the grove before the dawn, crawling through the meadow to the trees of the forest 
proper. Above them they could barely make out the white shapes of the three griffins, still perched on their 
limbs.
They were about to climb the tree when a nearby exclamation startled them.
"Let go! Stop that!" A voice, the musical tones of a female elf, jolted through the night.
"Here, now," growled a deep, unquestionably human response. "You know these woods are off 
limits—you'll be speaking to the captain, you will."
"No!" Now the elven voice was shrill with terror.
Before Gilthanas could react, Lethagas, sword in hand, bolted through the darkness. The prince heard a 
sharp oath, followed by a gurgling grunt. He had just risen to follow when Leth came back, leading a 
disheveled—but very pretty—white-haired elf woman by the hand. She wore leathers cut similarly to that of a 
Kagonesti elf. "C'mon!" he whispered. "Get to the griffins!"
"Thank you—you saved my life!" gasped the female. Abruptly she pulled Leth to her, and their lips met in a 
fierce, crushing kiss.
"We've got to get out of here!" Gilthanas hissed urgently.
Only after another few seconds of taut embrace did the elf woman release Lethagas. She looked at him 
with pure adoration, while Leth, for his part, seemed unsteady on his feet. He was breathing hard, and his face 
was locked in a giddy grin.
Somehow, the pair held hands while they climbed the trees to the griffins. They paused for another 
passionate kiss before mounting the three flyers. The feathered creatures flew away before further sounds of 
alarm rose from below.
"I am called Alla," said their new companion, addressing Lethagas. "And I owe you my life ... everything that 
I have."
"Why were the guards attacking you?" demanded the young elf, his voice tight with rage as he remembered 
the scene.
"I... I was trying to enter the sacred grove and honor my father," Alla replied. "But that is forbidden by the 
Dark Knights. They would have killed me!"
"You are safe, now, with us," Leth declared gallantly. Riding three abreast, the trio of elves on their griffins 
flew over the sea toward the Isle of Sancrist.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-10, 周六 20:41:42
几个译名改动的说明:
Sun Medallion这个词,在龙枪传承里翻成太阳护身符,但因为这里之前有说到某镇长的标志物也是Medallion,个人觉得应该是类似火纹里“艾露兰的纪念纹章”那个译法,所以纠结半天还是改译成太阳之纹章了……
以及Silvanost(首都名)和Silvanos(人名)在年表里均译为西瓦诺斯,但我想还是应该区别一下,所以把前者改为西瓦诺斯特,相应地这边的首都也改为奎灵诺斯特。
Foghaven Vale在泰索何夫发誓他永远永远不会对人说的故事里有提到,但译者在文中三次出现分别翻成迷雾谷浓雾谷和雾谷。。。我……还是算了,雾港谷就好。
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-11, 周日 14:53:26
劫持:圣白石大草地,28sc

“您觉得他们仍在看顾着我们吗?”

自从我承担了训练威廉爵士(Sir Willam)并测试他是否够格晋升为圣剑骑士的任务之后,就一直在等着他问出这个问题。为了进一步加深对他的了解,我自行决定陪他一同在圣白石大草地上放哨。圣白石大草地是安塞隆最为神圣的地点之一。直到数年以前,我们还相信魔法已经离去,但随后一位年轻的玫瑰骑士林霞·马哲理坚信是诸神亲自出手干预,在大草地救她于一名袭击者手中。这个冬夜,荒芜林间呼啸而过的寒风显得格外刺耳,那位年轻的骑士或许需要与人聊聊,以把注意力从寒冷上转移开去。

“威廉,你怎么看?”

他的目光游移着,扫过眼前的整片圣白石大草地。那块巨大的石头在苍白的月光下闪耀着。“我也不清楚。父亲教导我,无论诸神在与不在都必须敬拜他们。否则就违反了骑士规章:因为神离并不代表我们要停止敬拜他们,或不再遵从他们的约束。可是,您认为,他们真的已经离开了吗?”

“好吧,你也听说过林霞女士在这片大草地上的经历。她认为那奇迹来自诸神,而非她自己的内心。我倾向于相信她,因为两点。其一:她曾在金月本人膝下接受教导,掌握了诸神最后的礼物(Final Gift)。其二,她是一名玫瑰骑士,我认为她的荣誉无需质疑。”

“我从未打算质疑她的荣誉,阁下,我也从未打算质疑她的陈述的真实性。雪莉儿女士(Lady Sheryl)疑心这是我的真实想法,为了捍卫她朋友的尊严,她在训练场上把我狠狠揍了一顿,而我不希望与您这位担任我晋升圣剑骑士担保人的骑士重演这场误会。我只是情不自禁地怀疑。随着诸神的离去,有许多事改变了。我们真的能确信自己守卫的是个神圣的地点吗?”

“不能。”我说,“我们能确信的只有自己的信仰与骑士规章。如果你学会忠于它们,并坚持依它们的标准行事,就能成为一位称职的圣剑骑士。”

“我只想看一次,”威廉喃喃道,“我想看群星再闪耀一次,像维纳斯·索兰那斯(Vinas Solamnus)所看见的那样。我想知道是不是真的还有比我们更加伟大的存在——除了巨龙之外。我真的好想看到一点迹象,表明他们还存在于这世界之外的某处,表明我们的侍奉还有意义。”

“要是真有证据的话,威廉,”我说,“那信念又重要在哪里呢?我们没法装作自己懂得诸神的想法,甚至也没法确定他们还会赐予我们他们存在的证据——除了我们的生命本身,以及他们留给这世界那份最后的礼物——秘术师的魔力。”

“塔克西丝仍然在向黑暗骑士们耳语,或者说,他们是这么宣称的。”

我耸耸肩:“要是你打算相信那群黑暗骑士,威廉,那么你就可以把它视作诸神仍然活跃在这世上的证据。要是你下足够的功夫去寻找,或许能找到属于你自己的证据。说不定你会在这儿,就在这片大草地上找到它。”

他又望向星空:“您又相信什么呢,盖文爵士(Sir Gavin)?”

“我的信念并不重要。重要的是你的信念。我想告诉你:我相信骑士们的善良。我相信我们的职责是抵抗各种形式的邪恶,那份帕拉丁、奇力·裘理斯(Kiri-Jolith)和哈巴库克(Habbakuk)赋予索兰那斯的职责,如今仍然属于我们。诸神无需通过圣职者们的舌灿莲花来感召我明白这一点。”

威廉若有所思地望着我,然后沉默了。

我注视着圣白石。我讨厌思考诸神的问题,因为在我还是个孩子的时候,这总是令我开始思考骑士团的事。我成长在一个索兰尼亚骑士复兴的时代。新成员多如过江之鲫,而诸神也再一次指引着他们前进。我梦想着成为我父亲那样的人,他是一位圣剑骑士,一位神圣的战士,他在青年时代就遵循奇力·裘理斯的意志,打击着整个安塞隆大陆残存的龙人军。

悲哀的是,我后来没能学他的榜样。我在东望城堡的莉娃·银刃女士(Lady Riva Silverblade of Castle Eastwatch)麾下担任侍从的那几周间,黑暗骑士入侵并攻占了帕兰萨斯。正当骑士团重整旗鼓准备反攻时,混沌踏上了克莱恩的大地,我们必须与黑暗骑士联手,将他击退回他来处的无底深渊(Abyss)。

蓝龙与银龙们像他们的人类战友一样团结起来,索兰尼亚骑士与塔克西丝骑士一同突入深渊。但侍从们没有。侍从们待在后方,与普通战士和骑士团首脑们一同坚守着防线。混沌被击退了,而代价则是对抗他的几乎全体人员的生命。

若不是利亚姆·厄林勋爵与刚萨勋爵对骑士规章的修订,骑士团或许已经灭亡了。与黑暗骑士并肩作战重建安塞隆的尝试几乎使我们的骑士团毁于一旦……他们谋杀了刚萨勋爵,尝试夺取圣奎斯特的控制权,毁灭我们。那是据传塔克西丝再度开始在他们耳边低语之前的事,但这显然揭示了一个事实:他们满口荣誉说得头头是道,实际上却毫无荣誉感可言。

尽管我们活了下来,我仍然觉得我们只不过是前辈们的一份苍白摹本。父亲的盔甲在阳光中闪闪发光,他视察他的部队时就像个穿行于人群中的巨人一般。我必须努力地打磨自己的盔甲,努力专注于骑士规章,使自己的行为有助于推行诸神的教诲……因为在那些最黑暗的时刻,我对诸神,对索兰尼亚骑士团的信仰都十分脆弱。

The Abduction: Whitestone Glade, 28sc
 
"Do you think they still watch over us?"
I ad been waiting for this question ever since I took on the duties of preparing and then testing Sir Willam 
for advancement in the Order of the Sword. As part of my effort to get to know him, I had assigned myself to 
share his watch in the Whitestone Glade, one of the most holy sites in Ansalon. Until just a few years ago, we 
had believed magic had fled, but then a young Rose Knight named Linsha Majere believed that the 
intervention of the gods themselves saved her from an attacker in the Glade. This night, the winter wind 
blowing through the barren forest seemed particularly harsh, and the young Knight probably needed the 
conversation to take his mind off the cold.
"What do you think, Willam?"
His eyes wandered across the Whitestone Glade before us. The massive stone glinted under the light of 
the pale moon. "I don't know. My father taught me to honor the gods whether they are present or not. Anything 
less would be a violation of the Measure: Just because the gods are absent doesn't mean we should stop 
honoring them or obeying their strictures. But do you think they're really gone?"
"Well, you've heard of Lady Linsha's experience in the Glade. She believes it came from the gods, not from 
within her. I'm inclined to believe her because of two things. First, she was taught to master the Final Gift of the 
gods at the feet of Goldmoon herself. Second, she is a Rose Knight and I consider her honor to be beyond 
question."
"I would never question her honor, Sir, nor the truthfulness of her statement. Lady Sheryl beat me soundly 
on the training field to defend her friend's honor when she suspected I was doing that very thing, and I do not 
want to repeat the mistake with the Knight who may sponsor me for admittance into the Order of the Sword. I 
just can't help but wonder. Much changed in the wake of the gods' departure. Can we truly be certain that we 
guard a holy site?"
"We can't," I said. "All we can be sure of is our own beliefs and the Measure. If you learn to be true to those 
and to uphold their standards, you will serve effectively as a Knight of the Sword."
"Just once," Willam muttered. "I'd like to see the stars flash as they did for Vinas Solamnus. I'd like to know 
that there really is something greater than us that isn't a dragon. I would really like to have a sign that they are 
still out there and that our service to them means something."
"If there is proof, Willam," I said, "then what does belief matter? We cannot pretend we know the minds of 
gods, nor will we ever be certain that they will again give us proof of their existence beyond life itself and the 
Final Gift of mystic magic that they bestowed upon the world."
"Takhisis still whispers to the Dark Knights. Or so they claim."
I shrugged. "If you wish to believe the Dark Knights, Willam, then you have your proof that the gods are still 
active in the world. If you seek hard enough, maybe you'll find your own proof. Or maybe it's right here in this 
Glade."
He looked back at the stars. "What do you believe, Sir Gavin?"
"What I believe is unimportant. Your beliefs are what matter. I will tell you this: I believe in the good of the 
Knighthoods. I believe that our duty to oppose Evil in all its forms, the duty that Paladine, Kiri-Jolith, and 
Habbakuk charged Vinas Solamnus with, is still ours. The gods do not need to impress me with priestly parlor 
tricks for me to know that.
Willam gave me a thoughtful look, then fell silent.
I looked at the Whitestone. I hate thinking about the gods, because it always starts me thinking about the 
Orders when I was a child. I grew up during an age of revival for the Solamnic Knighthood. The ranks were 
swelling with new members and the gods were again guiding them forward. I dreamed of being like my father, 
a Sword Knight, a holy warrior who in his youth had brought the will of Kiri-Jolith to the remnants of the 
dragonarmies all across Ansalon.
Sadly, I was not to follow his example. Within weeks of my becoming a squire to Lady Riva Silverblade of 
Castle Eastatch, the Dark Knights invaded and seized Palanthas. As the Orders rallied to counterattack, 
Chaos walked the surface of Krynn and we had to unite with the Dark Knights to drive him back to the Abyss 
from whence he had come.
Blue and silver dragons united as their human allies had, and together the Knights of Solamnia and the 
Knights of Takhisis plunged into the Abyss. But not squires. Squires remained behind to hold the fortifications 
along with common warriors and the heads of the Orders. Chaos was defeated, but at the cost of virtually 
everyone who went to oppose him.
If it hadn't been for Lord Liam Ehrling and Lord Gunthar's revised Measure, the Knighthood would probably 
have died. The attempt to join with the Dark Knights in rebuilding Ansalon almost led to our own Knighthood's 
destruction anyway . . . they murdered Lord Gunthar and attempted to seize control of Sancrist and destroy us. 
This was before Takhisis supposedly started whispering in their ears again, but it clearly demonstrated the fact 
that they pay lip service to the concept of honor but in fact have none.
Although we've survived, I still feel as though we are but a pale imitation of our forebears. My father's armor 
glittered in sun. He was like a giant walking among men when he inspected his troops. I have to struggle to 
keep my armor polished, and I have to struggle to keep focused on the Measure and to keep my actions 
devoted to furthering the precepts of the gods... because in my darkest moments, my faith both in them and in 
the Solamnic Orders is weak.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-11, 周日 16:17:26
“嗬!”威廉大喝一声,他的话音和长剑出鞘的摩擦声把我的注意力唤回我们的执勤任务上。“谁在那儿?”

“请停手,骑士先生,”树林中有个黑色的身影说道,他的索兰尼亚语带着点轻微的口音。“我们是自己人,来打听些消息的。”

说话的人从林间现身,踏上被月光照得通明的大草地。这是一位金发碧眼的精灵男子,比他的一般同族略高一些。他身上有某些地方让我感到有点儿熟悉。当另外两位精灵走出树林时,我的心跳几乎停止了。其中一位是相当不起眼的男子,而另一位……

白发流泻在她脸颊周围,构成了一幅美丽的景象,我注意到,在她厚厚的冬用斗篷下面是一身南亚苟斯的卡冈那斯提精灵传统穿着的鹿皮服装。看到她,我就想起了我先前是在哪儿见过那位金发碧眼的精灵的!在卡拉曼领主的城堡里,挂着一幅在长枪战争后不久绘制的他俩的人像画!这一刻吉尔赛那斯与西悠瓦拉走进了我的生活!

可是他们俩不是都已经过世了吗?会不会是诸神回应了我的祈祷?他们俩是从过去穿越而来,要带我一同回去的吗?但很快,事实就证明这些欢喜的念头都是愚蠢的,蠢到我本该在它们涌现在我脑海的第一时间就发现这一点。

“我是奎灵那斯提的吉尔赛那斯,”吉尔赛那斯说,“这两位是我信赖的伙伴,莱斯和艾拉。我们来圣奎斯特打听关于善龙们的消息。”

“您不是西悠瓦拉?”我问那位被吉尔赛那斯称作艾拉的卡冈那斯提精灵。

她眨了眨眼:“诸神在上,当然不是!”

艾拉与莱斯交换了一个眼色。我起初以为是他们被我的失态逗乐了,但随即注意到她伸出手去,碰了碰莱斯的手。她的动作迅速又短暂,但这已经足以令我明白过来,要是她是谁的恋人的话,无疑是他的。

我的心思一定在脸上表露无遗,因为吉尔赛那斯说道:“我不介意,骑士先生,我向您保证。但我们的确需要您的帮助,倘若您不吝提供的话。”

“我会尽我所能地提供帮助,但先请原谅我的失礼。我是圣剑骑士盖文爵士,这位是皇冠骑士威廉爵士。此外,一位像您这样的王子应该有人为您引路去城堡,殿下,”我答道,“是码头的哪个人把您送到这儿来了?”

“没有谁这么做。我们是骑着狮鹫来的,但我想还是降落在树林里,不惊动城堡的守卫为好。我打算顺路重游圣白石大草地……对了,老实说,我看到你们的惊讶程度,并不在你们看到我之下。”

“为什么?”威廉问。

“我原以为诸神已经离开了。为什么还要值守这片地方?”

“指挥官的缺席并不意味着可以理直气壮地忘了保养他的装备,或是忘了完成他下达的任务,那样做太失礼了。”我说,“并且,我们相信帕拉丁的神力仍然驻留在此地。”

“是吗?”吉尔赛那斯扫视大草地,他无疑注意到了枯萎的衰草,这儿曾经一度永恒的春天已经不再。他没有对此发表评论,只是一脸认真地看着我,“那么,西悠瓦拉一定来过这儿。在所有神明中她最崇敬的就是帕拉丁。”

“那就是您需要我们帮助解决的问题吗?寻找西悠瓦拉小姐?”

“是的。我们在卡拉曼分道扬镳。我拼命地尝试找到她。她来过吗?她还在协助骑士们继续侍奉诸神吗?”

“或许,”我说,“我不清楚。倘若她来过圣奎斯特,利亚姆勋爵应该知道此事。来吧,随我们一道进城堡去。威廉会照看您的骑兽。”

“不用了,我想最好还是由我们来照看,骑士先生。”莱斯说,“狮鹫对陌生人态度不是特别好,尤其是像这几只那样未经训练的狮鹫。”

“我明白了。如果您愿意的话,莱斯,在您和艾拉照看它们的期间我们在这儿等着。”

“我得和他们一起去。”威廉说,“森林里可能有侏儒造的玩意儿。”

这让我有点吃惊,但我想不出有什么理由拒绝他的申请。当他跟着莱斯和艾拉离开空地时,我再次看见她短暂地碰了碰她的同伴。

"Ho!" Willam cried, his voice and the hiss of his sword leaving its scabbard bringing my attention back to our 
guard duty. "Who goes there?"
"Stay your hand, Sir Knight," said a dark figure among the trees, his Solamnian tinged with a slight accent. 
"We are friends who have come in search of information."
The speaker emerged from the trees, stepping into the moonlight-drenched glade. He was a 
blonde-tressed elf male who was slightly taller than is the average among his kind. Something about him was 
slightly familiar. When two other elves emerged from the woods, my heart almost stopped. One was a fairly 
nondescript male, but the other ...
White hair flowed around her face, which was a vision of beauty, and under her thick winter cloak I caught 
sight of the buckskin garments traditionally worn by the Kagonesti elves on Southern Ergoth. Because of her, 
I knew where I'd seen the blond elf before! In Kalaman, in the castle of the lord, there hangs a portrait of the 
two painted shortly after the War of the Lance! Gilthanas and Silvara had just stepped into my life!
But weren't they both dead? Could the gods have answered my prayers? Could they have come from the 
past to take me back with them? But these joyous thoughts were swiftly proven as silly as I should have 
recognized them to be the moment they entered my head.
"I am Gilthanas of Qualinesti," Gilthanas said, "and these are my trusted companions, Leth and Alla. We 
have come to Sancrist in search of information about the Good dragons."
"You are not Silvara?" I asked the Kagonesti Gilthanas identified as Alla.
She blinked. "By the gods, no!"
Alla and Leth exchanged looks. My first thought was that they were amused at my expense, but then I 
noticed that she reached out and touched Leth's hand. It was a quick and very brief movement, but enough to 
make me realize that if she was anyone's love, she was his.
My thoughts must have appeared in my face, for Gilthanas said, "No offense has been given, Sir Knight, let 
me assure you of that. But we do need your help, if you can grant it."
"I will help in whatever way I can, but first forgive my manners. I am Sir Gavin, Knight of the Sword and this 
is Sir Willam, Knight of the Crown. Further, a prince such as yourself should have been directed to the castle, 
Your Highness," I replied. "Which of the men at the docks sent you here instead?"
"None. We arrived on the backs of griffins, but I thought it best to land in the woods and not cause alrm in 
the castle. I wanted to revisit the Whitestone Glade along the way... and, honestly, I was as surprised to see 
you two here as you must have been to see me."
"How so?" Willam asked.
"I thought the gods gone. Why guard this place?"
"Your commander's absence does not mean that it is appropriate to disrespect him by forgetting to tend to 
his equipment or accomplish the tasks he set before you," I said. "Besides, we believe that Paladine's power 
still resides here."
"Is that so?" Gilthanas swept his eyes across the Glade, undoubtedly noting the withered grass and the 
absence of the eternal spring that once had existed there. He did not comment on that, but instead looked at 
me with an earnest expression. "Then Silvara must have been here. She honored Paladine above all other 
gods."
"Is that what you require our assistance with? Finding the Lady Silvara?"
"Yes. We parted ways in Kalaman. I am desperately trying to find her. Has she been here? Has she been 
assisting the Knighthoods in continuing their service to the gods?"
"Perhaps," I said. "I don't know. If she has visited Sancrist, Lord Liam would know. Come, follow us to the 
castle. Willam will attend to your beasts."
"No, I believe it's best if we take care of that, Sir Knight," Leth said. "Griffins don't take particularly well to 
strangers, especially not ones that are barely tamed such as these."
"Understood. If you would be so kind, Leth, we will wait here while you and Alla take care of them then."
"I should go along," Willam said. "There may be gnome creations in the forest."
This took me somewhat aback, but I saw no reason to deny his request. As he followed Leth and Alla from 
the clearing, I again saw her touch her companion very briefly.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-12, 周一 11:53:43
*****
 
我们回到城堡已是深夜,利亚姆勋爵自然已经就寝了。吉尔赛那斯执意不愿打搅他,因此我让威廉联系管家为他们安排住宿,自己则告知下一班哨兵提早前往大草地开始执勤。

第二天早晨,我从一位听差那儿听说,吉尔赛那斯向利亚姆勋爵打听了西悠瓦拉的事,但利亚姆对她的下落全然不知。我想起了数年前来自南亚苟斯的一份急报。那份急报声称那里发现了一条银龙。我疑心自己是否该把这件事告诉那位精灵王子,还是说这只会徒然将他卷入一场无果的追逐。但随后另一位听差告诉我利亚姆勋爵邀请我出席今晚为吉尔赛那斯举办的晚宴。我决定到时候和精灵王子谈谈。白天我得考虑训练威廉的问题。今天我和雪莉儿女士预备操练他运用长棍的技巧。

*****
 
When we returned the castle, Lord Liam had, naturally, already retired for the night. Gilthanas insisted that 
he not be disturbed, and so I had Willam contact the seneschal to arrange quarters for them while I contacted 
the shift after ours to tell them to start their watch in the Glade early.
The following morning, I heard from a page that Gilthanas had asked Lord Liam about Silvara, but that Liam 
knew not of her whereabouts. My thoughts drifted back to a dispatch from Southern Ergoth dating back a few 
years. It claimed that a silver dragon had been spotted there. I wondered if I should tell the elf-prince, or if it 
would just be sending him off on a fruitless chase. But, then I received word through another page that Lord 
Liam expected my attendance at a feast that evening in Gilthanas's honor. I decided to speak with the 
elf-prince then. I had Willam's training to think about during the day. Lady Sheryl and I were to drill him in skill 
with polearms today.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-12, 周一 12:46:47
*****
 
尽管安排得相当仓促,这场晚宴仍然足够豪华,配得上接待一位王族来宾——例如奎灵那斯提精灵吉尔赛那斯——应有的礼节。天位骑士邀请麾下的高阶骑士们出席晚宴,因此两位新晋的圣剑骑士前往大草地代我值下一班。我邀请威廉一同出席,因为我认为身为导师应当参与到学生各方面的训练中去——而学着在一场盛宴上端坐不动数小时,或许是一项重要的社交技能。

我环视大礼堂(Grand Hall),发现这处房间约可以容纳五倍于目前在座的人数。利亚姆勋爵站起身作了段简短的演说,并向吉尔赛那斯与他的同伴们致以欢迎祝酒,我注意到他的声音在礼堂中回荡。我的思绪又被拉回了我还是个孩子的时候。我有时会偷偷爬上礼堂二楼四周的阳台,观看刚萨勋爵与骑士们的宴饮,火把的光亮在他们的盔甲上舞动。在刚萨勋爵或是其他骑士向人群祝酒时,那声音从不会在四壁引起回声,因为整个房间几乎都坐得满满当当。

我移步入席,眼光打量着全体骑士,当利亚姆勋爵讲话时,大部分人都注视着他。只有两人与众不同,一位注视着威廉——那是雪莉儿女士,从她接受神眷之女克丽珊娜(Revered Daughter Crysania)的特别指定,指挥那位可敬的女牧师的仪仗队起,就一直渴望吸引他的注意——而另一位是威廉本人,他注视着艾拉。

雪莉儿女士是个悲剧。她在新港(New Ports)这个不入流的城镇长大,不大擅长宫廷交际艺术,而威廉则有点过于迟钝,不理解她在训练场上摆出一副高姿态并非羞辱他,而是在试图吸引他的注意。有趣的是,成年人们在涉及情爱的事情上时常会变得孩子气,例如雪莉儿,她本该直截了当地告诉他自己的感受,可她总是诉诸嘲讽与拳头。在其他场合她从不怕羞,因此要是她向他告白,没有谁会觉得奇怪。唯一的例外大概是威廉,他一定要多惊讶有多惊讶。

我瞥了一眼艾拉。她穿着借来的礼服,戴着借来的珠宝,看上去比早些时候更加明艳照人。我很明白为何威廉无法自制地盯着她看。在大草地上,她异国风情的形象就迷住了那个少年,而如今他已经完全被这位美丽得无与伦比的高贵女子的外貌所魅惑。我感觉自己期盼威廉足够睿智,不要让她的美丽虏获了他的心。

我看见莱斯的手伸向她搁在桌上的手指,温柔地揉弄,我的期盼更强烈了。艾拉转向他,他热切地微笑着。这更加证实了我昨天的怀疑:他们是一对情侣,也就是说,他们之间没有威廉插足的余地。

宴会的过程中,吉尔赛那斯把大部分时间都花在与利亚姆爵士攀谈上。他显然与世隔绝了好一段时间,对混沌之战以来那些动荡岁月的所知充斥着各种误传。在谈到索兰尼亚骑士的现状时,吉尔赛那斯突然咒骂起奥拉菲爵士,打断了天位骑士关于我们如何在许多区域建立地下组织的解说。他很快为自己的冲动致歉,而后解释说,他在卡拉曼停留的一年间奥拉菲对他撒了各种各样的谎,其中也包括骑士们待在圣奎斯特闭关不出的“事实”。

“他或许不是有意说谎,”利亚姆勋爵说,“很少有人注意到我们重建的努力涉及的地区是多么广泛。大部分目光都聚集在史钢军团上,他们相当出色地达成了我们的目的。我们正在许多城市寻找能干的盟友,试图建立地下组织,我们可以趁着塔克西丝骑士们忙于监视军团兵的时候夺回在混沌之战中失去的立足点。”

“说起军团,利亚姆勋爵,您读过卡琳女士从圣克仙发回的最新急报了吗?”奎因泰涅勋爵(Lord Quintayne)问道,“只用一名骑士担任我们组织与史钢军团间的接头人这个想法,似乎能够完美地避免我们过去几年间遭受的挫折。”

“我同意这个看法,”利亚姆爵士答道,“现在,只要林霞女士,或是其他哪个骑士能摸清霍甘·拜特在那座城市的动向,我们就可以取得实际进展。”

*****
 
Although hastily arranged, the feast was nonetheless as splendid as protocol required when honoring royal 
visitors like Gilthanas of Qualinesti. The Grand Master wanted his senior Knights there, so a pair of recent 
initiates in the Order of the Sword took my next shift in the Glade. I wanted Willam at the feast, as I feel that a 
mentor should attend to all aspects of his student's training—and learning to sit still for hours on end during 
feasts can be an important diplomatic skill.
As I looked around the Grand Hall, I noticed that the chamber could accommodate perhaps five times the 
people that were currently seated here. As Lord Liam rose to his feet and offered a brief speech and a 
welcome toast to Gilthanas and his companions, I noticed how his voice echoed in the hall. My mind again 
drifted back to when I was a child. I would sometimes sneak onto the balconies that circled the hall on the 
second floor and there watch Lord Gunthar and the Knights feast, the light of the torches dancing off their 
armor. When Lord Gunthar or another Knight would toast the assemblage, his voice would not echo from the 
walls, because the room was almost full.
I shifted in my seat, allowing my eyes to slide across the Knights, most of whom were watching Lord Liam 
as he spoke. Of the two wh weren't, one was watching Willam— Lady Sheryl, who has been pining for his 
attentions since she took command of Revered Daughter Crysania's honor guard, at the specific request of the 
venerable priestess—and Willam himself, who was watching Alla.
Lady Sheryl is a sad case. She isn't very skilled in the courtly arts, having been raised in the 
less-than-gentile town of Newports, and Willam is a bit too thick skulled to realize that her overtures on the 
training fields are not to belittle him but instead to get his attention. It's interesting how adults often behave like 
children in affairs of the heart, as in Sheryl's case, where she relies on jibes and punches when she should just 
tell him how she feels. She is no shrinking violet in all other matters, so no one would bat an eye if she were to 
do so. Except perhaps Willam, who would probably be as surprised as can be.
I looked briefly at Alla. She wore a borrowed gown and jewelry and appeared even more stunning than she 
had earlier in the day. It was clear to me why Willam couldn't keep his eyes off her. Her exotic appearance in 
the Glade intrigued the boy, and now he appeared to be completely entranced by the image of her as a noble 
woman of unsurpassed beauty. I found myself hoping that Willam was wise enough to not let his heart become 
captured by her beauty.
That hope strengthened when I saw Leth's hand wander to her fingers as they lay on the table and gently 
squeeze them. Alla turned to him, and he smiled warmly. It confirmed to me what I had suspected yesterday: 
They were a couple, which meant there was no room for the likes of Willam.
As the feast progressed, Gilthanas spent most of his time speaking with Sir Liam. Clearly, he had been out 
of touch for some time, and much of what he knew of the tumultuous years since the Chaos War was rife with 
misinformation. On the current state of the Knights of Solamnia, Gilthanas interrupted the Grand Master's 
explanation of how covert circles are being established in many areas by cursing the name of Sir Aurrafil. He 
quickly apologized for his outburst, but then explained that Aurrafil had told him a variety of lies during the year 
he spent in Kalaman, including the "fact" that the Knights limited themselves to Sancrist.
"He might not have been purposefully lying," Lord Liam said. "Few people realize how extensive our 
rebuilding efforts have been. Most of the attention is being focused on the Legion of Steel, which serves our 
purpose rather well. We are finding ourselves with capable allies in many cities when we attempt to establish 
our covert circles, and while the Knights of Takhisis are busy watching the Legionnaires, we can regain the 
footing we lost in the Chaos War."
"Speaking of the Legion, Lord Liam, have you had a chance to review Lady Karine's latest dispatch from 
Sanction?" asked Lord Quintayne. "The notion of using a single Knight as the visible contact point between our 
circle there and the Legion seems like the perfect way to avoid the debacles of years past."
"I agree," Lord Liam replied. "Now, if only Lady Linsha, or any of the other Knights, could discern Hogan 
Bight's motives in the city, we might actually get somewhere."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-12, 周一 15:10:54
关于圣克仙的讨论继续进行,坎德人杂技团冲上大礼堂的舞台,表演起经典节目“投德大王的狩猎”(Lord Toede's Hunt)来。他们演出时,吉尔赛那斯转向我说:“我不断听到各种关于巨龙的传闻,据说他们比我们在长枪战争中见过的所有龙都要庞大,也都要强力,他们已经攫取了许多辽阔的土地。那么金属龙们又怎么样呢?显然,他们一定会奋起反抗这些巨兽的吧?”

“唉,我真希望是这样。我认识两条在龙类清洗(Dragon Purge)中幸存的金属龙:一条黄铜龙居住在西瓦那斯提南部边境附近,还有一条被称为明镜(Mirror)的银龙住在光明城堡。”

“是的。我在卡拉曼听说过明镜。”他的面庞上忽然流露出悲伤的神色,目光转向台上的坎德小丑们,“就如我对厄林勋爵说的一样,骑士先生,我来圣奎斯特是希望找到一条龙,或是至少至少,找到一个知道她最后一次露面地点的人……就算找不到她,或许也有人能告诉我,她可能去了哪儿。”

“我不清楚这个消息是否有价值,但我们最近收到东望城堡来的情报说有条银龙在那附近定居。”

“有提到那是雄龙还是雌龙吗?”吉尔赛那斯一下子从椅子上站了起来,显得容光焕发。

“没有,我想没有。不管怎么说,我不是太看重这份报告。莉娃女士和她的骑士们曲解事实或纯粹想象出某些事物已经不是第一次了。不过也很难去责备他们,毕竟他们承担的不是什么令人羡慕的任务。”

吉尔赛那斯皱眉道:“您这是什么意思?”

“您没听说吗?大约十五年前,一条人们见过的最大的白龙占领了南亚苟斯的大部分地区。人们近来开始称呼他为‘那条白龙’。所有报告都显示,这头巨兽魔法般地造出冰雪,埋没了修玛陵寝(Huma's Tomb)与终末加德山脉(Last Gaard Mountains)的部分地区。”

“奎灵莫利怎么样了?西瓦莫利(Silvamori)呢?”

“大部分居民逃到了克莉丝丁岛(isle of Cristyne)。卡冈那斯提精灵们留下来试图从巨龙手中捍卫自己的土地,就我们所知,他们在这一过程中大多被歼灭了。”

吉尔赛那斯呆呆地坐了片刻,我刚刚在他身上察觉到的那份正在成形的兴奋感一扫而空。我注意到艾拉紧紧地攥着莱斯的手,指节都泛了白。她的眼里似乎闪着泪光。这可怜的女子一定见证过那条白龙对她的同胞犯下的暴行。出于骑士精神的指引,我结束了这个话题。

“由于现在安塞隆已经几乎没有金属龙了,我想我们谈论的那条银龙很可能是他们的想象产物,而不是您的西悠瓦拉。”

“尽管如此,”吉尔赛那斯说,“这依然是自打我开始追寻与她重逢以来听到的最棒的指引!并且这能说得通——东望城堡与雾港谷很近,而她曾在雾港谷住过!要是有哪条龙会试着赶走那条白色巨兽的话,那一定是她。您与莉娃女士相熟吗,盖文爵士?”

“她是我的担保人之一。”我说。

“太好了。我能麻烦您写封介绍信吗?我很想去东望城堡与她和她的骑士们谈谈那条银龙的事。哪怕那不是西悠瓦拉,至少我也能放下心来。可是她没理由信任我,而且可能不会像你们圣奎斯特这边这么好客——我明白,要是我也生活在一条强大巨龙的阴影之下的话,我在相信陌生人前也要三思。哪怕是白龙,只要他们用心去想,也能耍出阴谋诡计的。”

“我很乐意为您写封介绍信,殿下。我有信心向您保证,莉娃女士将给您一切她能给的协助。”

“您的恩情我不胜感激,骑士先生。”

“没这回事。”我轻轻笑道,“这不过是举手之劳,假如您能找到您的恋人,我由于帮上这么一点小忙而得以分享喜悦,这就足以让我感激您了。”

吉尔赛那斯颔首微笑,这一回洋溢着幸福与喜悦。他转身观看坎德人的表演,一脸恍惚的神情,仿佛正在重温一段愉快的回忆,或是正想象着某种愉悦的事情即将来临。

“骑士先生,卡冈那斯提出了什么事?”我闻言把目光转向艾拉。她大大的,深黑的双眼仍然闪着呼之欲出的泪光,“还有人活着吗?”

“我相信如此,女士。他们中有一些逃到了克莉丝丁,但另一些正继续抵抗那条白龙。卡冈那斯提这个国家毫无疑问依然存在着。”

泪水终于流下她的面颊。“我没有勇气留下。蓝凤凰(Blue Phoenix,哈巴库克的别称-译注)或许会原谅我,但我已经无法再忍受这种破坏了。可是,他们还活着?”她问,努力保持着声线的平稳。

“以我的荣誉起誓,女士,卡冈那斯提精灵仍然手持武器,在对抗那些企图从他们手中夺取祖先留下的家园的家伙。”

“真好。”她低下头去,继续默默抽泣,任凭泪水流落。我把目光转向莱斯。那位年轻的奎灵那斯提精灵搂住她,凑近她。他在她耳畔轻轻说着什么。她点点头,快速擦去眼中的泪水。她站起来,努力稳定着声线说:“利亚姆爵士,我很感激您的盛情款待……但是我累了,祝您晚安。”

利亚姆爵士站起身:“我找位骑士护送您——”

“不用了,利亚姆爵士,”莱斯说,“我会把艾拉平安地送回她的房间。让您的骑士们接着玩乐吧。”

利亚姆点点头:“如您所愿。”

“你没事吧?”吉尔赛那斯问,他的声音流露出真诚的关切。

“没事,”艾拉说,又一滴泪滑下她的面颊。她迅速抹掉了它,“我只不过是累了。只是累了而已。”

莱斯挽住她的胳膊。尽管他试图掩饰,但我在他脸上看到了痛苦,他为了她的悲伤而痛苦。当他们离开桌旁时,威廉出现了。我年轻的被监护人注视着他们离开——尤其是注视着她。他全然没有掩饰他感到的痛苦。她刚刚在桌旁落下的每一滴泪,都仿佛一把把匕首扎在这倒霉的少年心上。

我发誓,诸神把精灵女子造成这样就是为了折磨年轻男子。

The discussion about Sanction continued as kender tumblers rushed onto the floor of the Grand Hall and 
began performing the classic routine "Lord Toede's Hunt." During this, Gilthanas turned to me and said, "I have 
been hearing tales of great dragons larger and more powerful than any we ever faced during the War of the 
Lance that have seized huge swaths of territory. What of the metallic dragons? Surely, they must oppose 
these beasts?"
"Alas, I wish it was so. I know of two metallic dragons who have survived the Dragon Purge: a brass dragon 
who has taken up residence along the Silvanesti border in the south, and a silver dragon known as Mirror at 
the Citadel of Light."
"Yes. I heard of Mirror while in Kalaman." A sudden sadness appeared on his features as his eyes drifted to 
the kender clowns. "As I told Lord Ehling, Sir Knight, I came to Sancrist hoping to find a dragon, or at the very 
least someone who knew where she was last seen . . . and if not her, then maybe one that could tell me where 
she may have gone."
"I don't know if this means anything, but we recently had word from Castle Eastwatch stating that a silver 
dragon had settled in the nearby area."
"Any word as to whether it is a male or female?" Gilthanas suddenly straightened in his chair, his face 
brightening.
"No, I'm afraid not. At any rate, I don't put much stock in the report. This wouldn't be the first time that Lady 
Riva and her Knights have either misinterpreted or simply imagined something. One can hardly blame them as 
their assignment is not an enviable one."
Gilthanas frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You haven't heard? About fifteen years ago, the biggest white dragon anyone had ever seen claimed 
dominion over most of Southern Ergoth. People just call him the White these days. By all reports, the beast 
has buried Huma's Tomb and much of the Last Gaard Mountains under magically generated ice."
"What of Qualimori? And Silvamori?"
"Most of the citizens fled to the isle of Cristyne. The Kagonesti stayed and attempted to defend their lands 
from the dragon. As far as we can tell, they were mostly wiped out in the process."
Gilthanas sat stunned for moment, the building excitement I had detected in him dispelled. I noticed that 
Alla was gripping Leth's hand so hard that her knuckles were white. Her eyes seemed to shimmer with tears. 
The poor woman must have been witness to some of the atrocities perpetrated against her people by the 
White Dragon. Chivalry dictated that I end this particular line of conversation.
"With the almost total absence of metallic dragons on Ansalon now, I think that the silver dragon in question 
is more likely a product of their imaginations rather than your Silvara."
"Still," Gilthanas said, "this is the best lead I have had since I started my quest to reunite with her! And it 
makes sense— Castle Eastwatch is close to Foghaven Vale where she once made her home! If any dragon 
were to attempt to drive off that white beast, it would be her. Are you personally acquainted with Lady Riva, Sir 
Gavin?"
"She was one of my sponsors," I said.
"Excellent. Could I trouble you for a letter of introduction? I would very much like to travel to Castle 
Eastwatch and speak with her and her Knights about this silver dragon. If it is not Silvara, at least my mind will 
be at ease. She has no reason to trust me, however, and may not be as hospitable as you are here on 
Sancrist—I know I would think twice about trusting strangers if I were living in the shadow of a powerful dragon. 
Even white dragons can be devious if they put their minds to it."
"I'd be happy to write you a letter of introduction, Your Highness. And I feel confident in assuring you, Lady 
Riva will give you every bit of cooperation she can."
"I am in your debt, Sir Knight."
"Nonsense." I smiled gently. "This is but a trifle, and if you find your beloved, my ability to take joy from it 
due to the small part I played will place me in your debt."
Gilthanas nodded and smiled, this time with radiant joy. He turned to watch the kender performers with an 
absent look on his face, almost as if he was reliving a pleasant memory or perhaps imagining something 
pleasant to come.
"Sir Knight, what happened to the Kagonesti?" I turned my gaze toward Alla. Her large, dark eyes were still 
shimmering with threatened tears. "Do any live still?"
"I believe so, milady. Some have fled to Cristyne, but others continue to resist the White. The Kagonesti 
most definitely still live."
Tears finally spilled over her cheeks. "I didn't have the courage to stay. May the Blue Phoenix forgive me, 
but I could not bear the destruction any longer. But they live still?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice 
steady.
"By my honor, milady, the Kagonesti continue to bear arms against those who would take their ancestral 
lands from them."
"Good." She lowere her head, continuing to weep silently, her tears flowing freely. My eyes drifted to Leth. 
The young Qualinesti put his arm around her and leaned close. He whispered something in her ear. She 
nodded and swiftly wiped the tears from her eyes. She stood and with an obvious effort of will steadied her 
voice to say, "Sir Liam, I appreciate your gracious hospitality... but I have grown tired. I bid you good night."
Sir Liam rose to his feet. "I shall have a Knight escort you—"
"No need, Sir Liam," Leth said. "I shall see Alla safely to her chamber. Allow your Knights to continue to 
enjoy themselves."
Liam nodded. "As you wish."
"Are you all right?" Gilthanas asked, genuine concern in his voice.
"Yes," Alla said, another tear trickling down her cheek. She swiftly wiped it away. "I am tired. That's all. Just 
tired."
Leth took her arm. Although he was trying to hide it, I saw in his face a pain at her sorrow. As they left the 
table, Willam came into view. My young charge was watching them as they left—watching her to be specific. 
And he made no effort to hide the pain he was feeling. The damn boy was smitten and every tear that she had 
just shed at the table had probably felt like a dagger in his heart.
I swear that the gods made elven women the way they did to torment young men.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-13, 周二 00:33:05
*****

第二天夜晚,威廉和我又在圣白石大草地上站岗。只站了几分钟,他就问起了那个我知道他一定会问的话题。

“您在南亚苟斯待过一段时间,对不对,盖文?”

“是的,威廉。我在莉娃女士手下服役三年才回到圣奎斯特。那时候那条白龙正在扩张地盘。我们帮助许多精灵逃到了克莉丝丁岛。”

“那么,您见过很多精灵了?”

“是的,小伙子。如果这是你的下一个问题的话,我也见过许多美貌足以与艾拉匹敌的精灵。”

“但我确信,没有哪个比她更优雅。”他脸上有种恍惚的神情,“她的一举一动……就好像风儿本身拥有了凡人的形体。”

我哼了一声:“她已经有主了,孩子。”

他倏然回到现实:“什么?”

“她有主了。你没看见莱斯看她的眼神吗?”

“没有。”他用防御的语调说。

“好吧,等你明天再遇到他们的时候,好好观察一下。那不仅是他单方面的骑士精神,她对他的感受也有所回应。别尴尬,也别心碎了。”他看上去那么垂头丧气,我没法不笑,“想想吧,你是幸运的,孩子。你还记得上一次一位正派的骑士遇到一位精灵姑娘的时候发生了什么吧?”

“他在保卫法王塔(Tower of the High Clerist)免遭邪恶势力侵犯的过程中壮烈牺牲。”

“你说得对。我忘了史东·布莱特布雷德的事了。我想的是索思勋爵(Lord Soth),威廉。不要让你的情欲战胜了荣誉感。”

“我认为您在侮辱我,先生。”

“我没有,威廉,我只是在传授你我多年来的经验。精灵女子是美丽而充满异国情调的生物。年轻的男子头几次遇到她们就会被迷得晕头转向。我明白,因为我在那个地方待过。我也明白你必须把她从你的脑海里清除出去,因为她和莱斯已经双双坠入了爱河。”

我们之间陷入了沉默。漫长的几分钟内,只能听到风吹打我们斗篷的劈啪声响。

“我没法把她清除出我的脑海,盖文。”

我注视着他,试着不要笑出来:“只有这点意志力的话你永远成不了圣剑骑士的,威廉。”

他脸上掠过一抹凄楚:“我已经成功忽略了雪莉儿女士和汉娜女士(Lady Hannah)的性别——我如今只把她们当骑士同伴看——可是我要怎么才能从艾拉身上收回我的心?”

“她从来就没有拥有过你的心,你这年轻的傻瓜!对了,我想雪莉儿女士是不会介意你把她看做骑士的同时也把她看做女性的。”

“这回您又开始笑话我。她一逮到机会就贬低我使剑的本事。”

“而且她一逮到机会就跟你一块儿训练!你觉得这是为什么?”

威廉眨眨眼。然后他脸上露出惊讶的表情:“可是在我请求护送她去秋暮庆典(Autumn's Twilight festival)的时候,她拒绝了我。”

“她当然要拒绝。她在庆典当天就启程前往关南德(Gwynned)了,护送克丽珊娜女士一行去皇宫谒见。”

“她从没提过这事。”

“她没提是因为你那么快就冲出了大厅,她连解释的机会都没有。克丽珊娜女士当时正要去亚苟斯看看皇女是否有秘术天分——那孩子自称精魂们在对她说话。利亚姆爵士希望神眷之女在离开圣奎斯特时多带卫队。”

威廉看上去好像打算说些什么,但他随即闭上了嘴,仰望着月亮。

“明天去和雪莉儿女士谈谈吧,威廉。你有机会赢取她的芳心,但艾拉对你而言就像这轮明月一样遥不可及。”

“雪莉儿女士的确美丽又聪明,但与艾拉相比就如同月亮之于太阳——她相形见绌。”

我叹了口气:“这件事上我能帮你的都帮了。言尽于此吧。”

*****
 
The next night, Willam and I again stood at our post in Whitestone Glade. We had been on watch for mere 
minutes when the topic I knew he would broach came up.
"You spent time on Southern Ergoth, didn't you Gavin?"
"Yes, Willam. I served under Lady Riva for three years before returning to Sancrist. At the time, the White 
was expanding his domain. We helped many elves flee the island to Crystine."
"So, you've seen many elves?"
"Yes, lad. And before you even ask, I have seen some that rival Alla in beauty."
"But none as graceful, I am certain." His face took on a distant expression. "When she moves . . . it's as 
though the wind itself has taken mortal form."
I grunted. "She's taken, boy."
He snapped back to reality. "What?"
"She's taken. Did you see the way Leth looks at her?"
"No," he said, his tone guarded.
"Well, when you're around them tomorrow, take a closer look. It's more than just chivalry for him, and she 
returns his feelings. Spare yourself embarrassment and heartbreak." He looked so crestfallen that I had to 
laugh. "Consider yourself lucky, boy. You know what happened the last time an upstanding Knight got involved 
with an elf-maid, don't you?"
"He died a heroic death, defending the Tower of the High Clerist against the forces of Evil."
"All right. I forgot about Sturm Brightblade. I was thinking of Lord Soth, Willam. Don't let lust override your 
sense of honor."
"I think you insult me, Sir."
"No, Willam, I'm just imparting to you the benefit of my years. Elven women are beautiful, exotic creatures. 
The first few times a young man encounters them, they set his head spinning. I know, because I've been there. 
And I know that you should put her out of your mind because she and Leth are already in love with one 
another."
A silence fell between us. For several long minutes, the only sound was the wind snapping at our cloaks.
"I can't get her out of mind, Gavin."
I looked at him, trying not to laugh. "You'll never become a Knight of the Sword with that kind of willpower, 
Willam."
A miserable expression crossed his face. "I've gotten past the gender of Lady Sheryl and Lady Hannah—I 
view them now just as fellow Knights—but how can I ever reclaim my heart from Alla?"
"She doesn't have your heart, you young fool! And I suspect that Lady Sheryl wouldn't mind if you were to 
acknowledge that she's a woman as well as Knight."
"Now you mock me. She belittles my abilities as a swordsman every chance she gets."
"And she also offers to train with you every chance she gets! Why do you think that is?"
Willam blinked. Then a startled expression appeared on his face. "But she turned me down when I asked to 
escort her to the Autumn's Twilight festival."
"Of course she did. She ws leaving for Gwynned the day of the festival, escorting Lady Crysania and her 
party to the emperor's court for an audience."
"She never said that."
"No, because you scurried out the hall so fast she didn't have a chance to explain. Lady Crysania was 
traveling to Ergoth to see if the emperor's daughter was ill or strong in the mystic arts—the child was claiming 
that spirits spoke to her. Sir Liam wanted the Revered Daughter to have extra escort while away from 
Sancrist."
Willam looked like he was about to say something, but then closed his mouth and turned his gaze up at the 
moon.
"Talk to Lady Sheryl tomorrow, Willam. Her you might be able to win, but Alla is as unreachable for you as 
the moon."
"Lady Sheryl is a beautiful and intelligent woman indeed, but she is to Alla as the moon is to the sun—she 
pales by comparison."
I sighed. "I've done what I can for you in this matter. This conversation is at an end."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-13, 周二 15:23:11
编年史里没有看到Sir XXX这种用法,但在这种用法和Lord XXX并列的时候我觉得还是应该正规一些区别开
所以这里按照Sir=爵士 Lord=勋爵(在圣克仙和卡拉曼是领主)这样来了……包括原文中很熟悉的刚萨和索思也这么改了……bow
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-13, 周二 17:03:19
值班的剩余时间就在沉默中度过,威廉深陷在思索之中。在我们轮休走回沉睡的钨斯·威斯坦城堡的路上,他说:“我觉得我难以接受您关于雪莉儿女士的推测。”

“我建议你去找一找雪莉儿女士,至少弄清楚她对你的感情。”我说,“要是她嘲笑你然后向你挑战要来场拳击赛,可别惊讶。要是她这么干,就说明我是正确的。要是她认真起来向你道歉的话,就说明我弄错了。”我脑海里浮现出吉尔赛那斯与西悠瓦拉传说的一个版本——在那个版本里,他从未发觉自己失去了什么,直到为时已晚,“我已经给了你我所能给出的最好建议,但我还想再加上这些:我真心认为你应该去找雪莉儿女士谈谈,做一场男人与女人之间的对话。要是你不试试,可能有朝一日会发现为时已晚,然后抱憾终身。”

说着,我们走上了通往城垛的台阶,打算从那里进宿舍。这时穿着斗篷的艾拉出现在阶梯顶端,开始走下台阶,她直视着前方,眼神空茫。走了几级之后,她注意到我们的存在,尖尖的脸庞上显出惊讶的表情。她开始道歉,并退上楼梯。

“不用,女士,请您先走,”威廉说道,他退下几级,把我推向身后:“我们无意打搅您的步伐。”

精灵端庄地垂下眼帘,脸上拂过一丝笑意。我觉察到她对威廉的骑士风度感到不好意思。

“您这么晚打算上哪儿去?”威廉问,“有什么需要我帮助的吗?”

“不用了,仁慈的先生。我只是睡不着,打算去看望看望狮鹫们。”

“请允许我护送您吧,女士。”

她再度垂下眼帘:“我不想给您添麻烦,骑士先生。我会没事的。您无需替我操心。”

“没这回事。这不是什么麻烦。再者,我会很乐意听您讲讲与奎灵那斯提的吉尔赛那斯一同旅行的故事。我听过许多他在长枪战争那些年中的事迹,并且还想再多听些。”

“好吧,”她甜美而明媚地微笑着说。他把胳膊递给她,她伸手挽住。

我对上威廉的视线,向他皱了皱眉:“我们明天要早起,威廉爵士。”

“您无需替我担忧,盖文爵士。等艾拉女士一检查完狮鹫们,我就直接上床睡觉。”

“拜托了,骑士先生!我并没有贵族血统!”

“但您的美貌就足以让您配得上这个尊称。”他对她微微一笑说。她又垂下了目光,颊生红晕,微微地笑着。他再度望向我,一脸恳求的神情。

“好吧,”我说,“以你的荣誉起誓,你今晚会好好休息,而且你会在各方面严格遵守骑士规章。”

“那是当然了,盖文爵士!”他的声音听上去很震惊。可是,他的确正与另一位男子的爱人手挽着手,“荣誉即吾命!”

我又对他皱了皱眉,不确信他是否理解我把这件事看得多么严重……可是假如我提出来,就会令年轻的艾拉感到尴尬。我觉得,倘若我当着她的面斥责威廉,那就等于侮辱我自己,因为我竟然会担心他做出玷辱她与自己名誉的事。

结果,我只是简单地说道:“我明白,威廉爵士。等艾拉检查完狮鹫,你护送她回房间。我们明天日出时见。”我头也不回地走上台阶。

当我走进宿舍时,一位听差正把暖床炭盆搁回脚架上。“晚上好,盖文爵士,”少年说,“执勤进行得如何?”

“可冷了,”我答道,做个手势打发了他。我解下武装带,思绪依旧围绕着威廉。比他高阶的骑士们也曾沦为精灵女子裙下的牺牲品。在我年轻的时候,我自己也干过同样的事。不过当时她并没有与其他男子扯上关系。当我开始脱盔甲时,重重的敲门声和走廊上的喊声打断了我的思路。我迅速抓起剑摔开门。门外站着那名听差,面色苍白如纸。

“怪物!”他大喊,“城墙上有怪物!威廉爵士正在和它们搏斗!”

我推开那个少年,风驰电掣地冲过走廊。“拉响警报!”我喊道。通往城堡城垛的强化门外传来一声怪异的尖啸,我想只有来自无底深渊的生物才能发出这种声音。我短暂地犹豫了一瞬,然后又重新鼓起勇气一脚踹开了门。

城墙上方盘旋着一只狮鹫。威廉挂在它身侧,双臂紧抱着一个穿黑斗篷的人的腰部——我弄不清那是男性还是女性,因为翻卷的斗篷掩盖了他或她的身材,面容也遮掩在拉低的兜帽的阴影中。

威廉转过头正好看见我飞奔过来:“盖文!感谢诸神!”

然后我看见斗篷的褶皱间闪过一道钢铁的寒光。那骑手在威廉的擒抱中奋力挣扎,将一把短剑透过斗篷刺入他胸甲与背甲的连接处。威廉发出一声窒息的惨叫松了手。狮鹫展翅高飞,威廉由于重力脱离了剑刃,訇然跌落在城垛坚硬的石质地面上。

我跃过他俯卧的身躯跳上雉堞。我大幅挥舞着长剑,希望能在狮鹫飞远之前砍中它,可是这只不过使自己险些失去平衡一头扎进脚下冰冷的护城河。在明亮月轮的映衬下,我看见了吉尔赛那斯、莱斯和艾拉骑来的全部三只狮鹫。我在城墙上见过的那一只明显落在另外两只的后边。稍后的两只狮鹫背上各坐着一个穿斗篷的身影——可是在领头的那只背上我看见了两个人……其中一个的一头长发在风中飘扬。那是艾拉!

The rest of the watch passed in silence, with Willam deep in thought. After we had been relieved and were 
walking back to sleeping Castle Uth Wistan, he said, "I'm not sure I can accept your estimation of Lady Sheryl."
"My advice is that you seek out Lady Sheryl to at least clarify her feelings toward you," I said. "Don't be 
surprised if she laughs at you initially and challenges you to a sparring match. If she does, I am right. If she 
instead gets serious and apologizes to you, then I am wrong." One of the tales of Gilthanas and Silvara came 
to mind—the version where he doesn't discover what he has lost until it is too late. "I have given you my best 
advice already, but I want to add this: I truly believe you should seek out Lady Sheryl and talk to her, man to 
woman. If you don't, you may find it's too late and then you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
As I spoke, we climbed the steps to the battlement, intending to enter our quarters from there. Alla, in her 
cloak, appeared at the top of the stairs, starting down them without really looking ahead. After a few steps, she 
noticed us, a startled look on her narrow face. She began to apologize and to retreat up the stairs.
"No, milady, please, you go first," Willam said, moving back down the stairs, pushing me behind him. "We 
would not think of impeding your progress,"
The elf lowered her eyes demurely, a slight smile on her face. I got the sense that she was embarrassed by 
Willam's chivalry.
"Why are you up at this late hour?" Willam asked. "Is there something you need assistance with?"
"No, kind sir. I just found myself unable to sleep, so I decided to visit with the griffins."
"Allow me to escort you, milady."
She lowered her eyes again. "I don't want to be a bother, Sir Knight. I will be fine. You need not concern 
yourself."
"Nonsense. It is no bother. Further, I would be fascinated to hear of your travels with Gilthanas of Qualinesti. 
I have heard many tales of his deeds in the years during the War of the Lance, and I would like to hear some 
more."
"Okay," she said with a sweet, bright smile. He offered her his arm and she took it.
I caught Willam's eye and frowned at him. "We have an early morning tomorrow, Sir Willam."
"You've no need to concern yourself, Sir Gavin. I will go straight to bed once Lady Alla has checked on the 
griffins."
"Please, Sir Knight! I am not of noble blood!"
"But your beauty alone makes you deserving nonetheless of the honorific," he said, smiling at her. She 
dropped her eyes again, blushing and smiling slightly. He then looked back at me, an imploring look on his 
face.
"Very well," I said. "On your honor, you will rest this evening. And you will uphold the Measure in every 
way."
"Of course, Sir Gavin!" He sounded startled. Yet, there he was, arm in arm with another man's woman. "My 
honor is my life!"
I frowned at him again, unsure as to whether he understood how serious I was taking this matter... but if I 
brought it up, I would have embarrassed young Alla. I felt that if I were to berate Willam in front of her, I would 
be dishonoring myself, as Ifeared he was about to dishonor both her and himself.
Instead, I merely said, "I know, Sir Willam. Escort Alla back to her chamber when she is done inspecting the 
griffins. I will see you at sunrise tomorrow." I headed up the stairs without looking back.
As I entered my quarters, a page was returning the bed-warmer to its stand. "Good evening, Sir Gavin," the 
boy said. "How was your watch?"
"Cold," I replied, dismissing him with a gesture. My thoughts revolved around Willam as I removed my 
weapons belt. Greater Knights than he had fallen victim to the temptation of an elven woman. In my youth, I 
myself had done so. She hadn't been involved with another man, however. As I started to remove my armor, a 
pounding on the door and shouts in the hallway interrupted my thoughts. I swiftly grabbed my sword and threw 
the door open. The page was outside, white as a sheet.
"Monsters!" he shouted. "There are monsters on the castle walls! Sir Willam is fighting them!"
I pushed the boy aside and stormed down the hallway. "Sound the alarm!" I shouted. From beyond the 
reinforced door that led to the battlement of the castle came a strange screech, a sound that could only have 
been uttered by a creature from the Abyss, I thought. I hesitated briefly, but then my courage rose again and I 
flung open the door.
Hovering above the wall was one of the griffins. Willam clung to its side, his arms wrapped around the waist 
of a black-clad person—I could not tell if it was a man or woman, for a billowing cloak obscured his or her form 
and hid the face in the shadows of a drawn hood.
Willam looked over his shoulder as I rushed forward. "Gavin! Thank the gods!"
Then I saw a flash of steel amidst the folds of the cloak. The rider twisted in Willam's grasp and drove a 
short sword through the crack where his breastplate and back armor met. Willam let out a strangled cry and 
released his grip. The griffin soared upward, Willam's weight pulled him free of the blade, and he clattered to 
the hard stones of the battlement.
I leapt over his prone figure and onto the crenellation. I swung wide with my sword, hoping to strike the 
griffin before it was too far away, but all I achieved was to almost lose my balance and plunge into the icy moat 
forty feet below. Against the bright disk of the moon, I could see all three griffins that Gilthanas, Leth, and Alla 
had arrived on. The one I had witnessed on the wall was lagging significantly behind the others. A single 
cloaked figure sat upon each of the two trailing griffins—but I could see two figures upon the lead one... and 
one of the people had long hair that fluttered in the wind. It was Alla!
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-13, 周二 23:59:44
我跳下城墙,大步奔到威廉身边。鲜血正从他的伤口喷涌而出,那名听差站在他身旁,看上去既困惑又害怕。事实上,少年正不断绞着双手。

“去找个秘术师来,”我吼道,“确定你找的是个懂治疗的!”

听差对我眨着眼,然后冲进城堡,忘了关身后的大门。我把长剑放在一旁,跪在威廉的身边。我双臂抱住他说“你会没事的,威廉。放轻松。”

他看着我,脸部痛苦得扭曲着。然后他咳嗽起来,口中溢出鲜血,他在我怀里颤抖着。我见过太多好男儿濒死的场面,我明白,他剩下的时间已经不多了。

“去北城垛找个治疗师来,”我大喊,“让该死的秘术师下无底深渊去吧,给我找个治疗师就好!”城堡中的某处,有谁终于拉响了警报。

威廉紧攥着我的斗篷。他嘴唇之间漏出嘶嘶的喘息声,涌出血泡。“艾拉,”他呻吟着,双眼紧盯着我,“艾拉。”

“你已经尽力了,威廉。失败没有什么可耻的,不去尝试履行职责才可耻。等你好了,我们就一块儿去追捕那群劫持她的恶棍。他们会为自己的所作所为付出生命的代价,我们将一同惩治他们。”

他睁大双眼,脸上闪过一抹异样的神情,我无法确定那神情的含义——那看上去类乎绝望。他颤抖着吐出一口气,又念了一遍她的名字。

“艾拉。”

然后他的眼神变得空洞。他吐出最后一口带血泡的气息,生命从躯壳中逃逸。

“以米莎凯之名!”我听见有人在喊。那是担任神眷之女助理的年轻少女和我派去的听差。她只穿着一件晨衣光脚跑过城垛冰冷的石板:“我会救他的,骑士先生。金月教过我治疗魔法!”

她跪在我们身边,双手搁在威廉鲜血淋漓的胸口,她闭上双眼预备使用诸神最后的礼物,但随即她猛地睁开双眼,好像被烫了般抽回手去。

“太晚了。”我说,话一出口我就后悔了。这句话脱口而出不假思索,但这并不是必须说给这孩子听的话。

她举起双手,注视着手上沾染的血迹。那双手颤抖着。她小鹿般的大眼睛转向威廉的尸身,泪流满面。“对不起,”她啜泣着说,“对不起我来晚了。我当时在睡觉。对不起!”

“这不是你的错。”我说道,忍住自己的泪水,努力控制声线的平稳。我把威廉平放在冰冷的石地上,用我的斗篷盖住他。然后我扶着那位少女站起来。她环抱着我,脸贴着我的盔甲啜泣。我举目向天,望着三只狮鹫飞过月轮的方向。“这不是你的错,女士。是他们杀了威廉,不是你。以我的荣誉起誓,他们会得到报应的。”

城垛上忽然热闹起来。听差们和一位治疗师赶了过来。很快,到处都能看见各种各样衣冠不整长剑出鞘的骑士。我听见莱斯在某处呼唤着他恋人的名字。威廉脸上那古怪而绝望的表情在我脑海里闪现。我疑心,那位少年会不会是在对一位名花有主的女性的炽热渴望中死去的——临死还为自己再也见不到她而恐惧不已。

然后我听见了吉尔赛那斯的声音。“发生了什么?”精灵问。

我把啜泣的少女交给那位听差,然后转向他。少年带着她离开,我说:“城堡遭到了入侵。有人劫持了艾拉,偷了您的狮鹫们,并骑着它们逃离现场。威廉爵士在制止他们的过程中被杀害了。”

精灵王子眉头紧锁。“这不可能。”

“您也看见那孩子手上的血了,不是吗?”我心底的怒火直往上撞。“您看见我们眼前地板上的尸体了吗?要是您去庭院里看看,就会发现您的坐骑确实不见了。这是可能的,吉尔赛那斯殿下,并且已经发生了。”

“是的,骑士先生,我知道,但您所说的,在这里发生的那件事是不可能的。”

“您是在指控我撒谎吗?您在质疑我的荣誉?”

“不,盖文爵士,”他柔声说。“我在想狮鹫的问题。他们只听莱斯一个人的话。而他还在这儿,那群人是怎么做到带走狮鹫的?”就像证明吉尔赛那斯的观点般,莱斯号哭着呼唤艾拉的名字。有人把那个消息告诉了他。

“如果他们用黑暗秘术夺取了莱斯与那群狮鹫间培养起的羁绊,就可以带走它们。”雪莉儿女士从乱成一团沿着城垛来回攒动的骑士间走了过来,她穿着睡衣和钢头靴,一手提着长剑,另一只手则拿着一片石板地上拾到的羊皮纸。她把它交给我,眼光移向地上那具被遮盖的身躯。鲜血正逐渐从斗篷下方渗出。

我看了看那张羊皮纸。那上面是一枚粗劣的亚苟斯大帝(Emperor of Ergoth)图章,正中点了个黑点。

“您说什么,黑暗秘术夺取了莱斯与狮鹫间的羁绊?”吉尔赛那斯问。

“有一位和我一起在啸海通过考验(trials)的骑士,她一部分的童年时光是在光明城堡渡过的。她能用心之力量(powers of the heart)与动物们交流,有一回我见过她说服一位猎人忠实的猎犬放弃了一头鹿,因为她希望那头鹿自由。要是她能做到,那些黑暗精魂的秘术师们应该也能。”

“这枚标志与他们有关联吗?”我把羊皮纸递给吉尔赛那斯,他目不转睛地研读着。

“是的,”雪莉儿女士答道。“今年早些时候我们去亚苟斯皇宫的时候,皇女说对她说话的那些精魂警告她当心这枚标志所象征的邪恶。图书馆员们经过研究发现,这枚标志的含义是长枪战争期间掀起的一场旨在侍奉萨苟纳(Sargonnas),破坏亚苟斯帝国(Empire of Ergoth)的运动。”

“可是为什么要劫持艾拉呢?”吉尔赛那斯问。

“我不清楚,”雪莉儿女士说。她再度看向威廉的遗体,剧烈地颤抖着。“神眷之女或许会知道。我们该去请教她。”

“是的,”我说,“我们走吧,你待在这儿会冻死的,雪莉儿。”

“也该把他带去个远离寒冷的地方,”她说,双眼仍然盯着那具遗体,“他待在这儿会比我还要冷得多。”

“走吧,雪莉儿。去请神眷之女准备接见我和吉尔赛那斯王子。”

“是,盖文爵士。”她的目光转向我的脸。她的下唇颤抖着,但声线仍然平静,“我和他说了多少次,让我教教他怎么更好地使剑。”

我朝着两名正大张着嘴呆望着我那死去的被监护人的侍从怒吼:“快把他带去地下墓穴,你们这群懒东西。为他整理遗容准备下葬!”

“他们很亲密吗?”吉尔赛那斯朝着雪莉儿走进大厅的背影点点头。她走得太慢太慢,肩头低垂。她的剑刃几乎垂到了地上。

“不,”我答道,“但他们真该亲密些。”

I jumped off the wall and strode to Willam's side. Blood was streaming from the wound and the page stood 
over him, looking confused and frightened. The boy was actually wringing his hands.
"Fetch one of the mystics," I barked. "And make sure it's one who knows how to heal!"
The page blinked at me, then rushed into the castle, leaving the door open behind him. I put my sword 
aside and kneeled next to Willam. I pulled him into my arms and said, "It'll be all right, Willam. Just relax."
He looked at me, his face twisted with pain. Then he coughed, and blood spilled forth from his mouth as he 
trembled in my arms. I'd seen enough good men die to know that he didn't have much time.
"Get a healer to the northern battlements," I shouted. "To the Abyss with the damn mystics, just bring me a 
healer!" Elsewhere in the castle, someone finally sounded the alarm.
Willam clutched at my cloak. His breath hissed over his lips, forming bubbles in the blood. "Alla," he 
moaned, his eyes locking with mine. "Alla."
"You did your best, Willam. There is no dishonor in failing, only in not trying to perform your duty. You and 
I shall hunt down the villains that abducted her when you have healed. They will pay for what they've done with 
their lives, and we shall mete out justice together."
His eyes widened and a strange look passed over his face, a look the meaning of which I coud not 
determine—it almost seemed like desperation. He drew a shuddering breath and spoke her name again. 
"Alla."
Then his eyes went blank. His final breath bubbled across his lips as life fled his body.
"By Mishakal!" I heard someone cry. It was the young girl who served as the Revered Daughter's assistant 
and the page I had dispatched. She was wearing only a dressing gown and ran across the icy flagstones of the 
battlement in bare feet. "I will help him, Sir Knight. Goldmoon has instructed me in healing magic!"
She kneeled at our side and placed her hands on Willam's bloody chest. She closed her eyes and prepared 
to use the final gift of the gods, but then her eyes flew open and she drew back her hands as though she had 
been burned.
"It's too late," I said, regretting the words even as they left my lips. It had been an unbidden phrase, said 
without consideration. They were not the words this child needed to hear.
She raised her hands and looked at the blood upon them. They were trembling. Her doelike eyes drifted to 
Willam's body, and she burst into tears. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry I didn't get here in time. I was 
sleeping. I'm sorry!"
"It's not your fault," I said, forcing back tears of my own, struggling to keep my voice steady. I lowered 
Willam to the cold stones and covered him with my cloak. I then helped the girl to her feet. She put her arms 
around me and sobbed against my armor. I lifted my eyes to sky, to where I had seen the three griffins pass by 
the moon. "It's not your fault, milady. They killed Willam, not you. And, by my honor, they will pay."
The battlement exploded with activity. Squires and a healer arrived. Knights in varying states of dress with 
their swords drawn suddenly seemed to be everywhere. Somewhere, I heard Leth calling the name of his 
beloved. That odd, desperate expression in Willam's eyes flashed in my mind. I wondered if the boy had died 
with a burning passion for a woman with another man in her life—died afraid that he would never see her 
again.
Then I heard Gilthanas's voice. "What happened?" the elf asked.
I turned to him after passing the sobbing girl off to the page. As he led her away, I said, "The castle was 
infiltrated. Someone has abducted Alla, stolen your griffins, and used them in their escape. Sir Willam was 
slain trying to stop them."
The elf-lord's brow furrowed in a frown. "That's not possible."
"You saw the blood on that girl's hands, did you not?" I said, anger welling up inside me. "Do you see the 
body here on the ground before us? If you check the courtyard, you will see that your mounts are indeed gone. 
It is possible, Lord Gilthanas, and it has happened."
"Yes, Sir Knight, I understand, but what you are suggesting has happened here is impossible."
"Are you saying I am lying? Are you calling my honor into question?"
"No, Sir Gavin," he replied softly. "I was thinking about the griffins. They won't obey anyone but Leth. How 
could they have taken the griffins with him still here?" As if to prove Gilthanas's point, Leth howled Alla's name. 
Someone had told him the news.
"They could have taken the griffins if they used dark mysticism to usurp the bond that Leth has nurtured 
with them." Lady Sheryl emerged from the chaos of Knights that were streaming back and forth along the 
battlement. She was dressed in her nightgown and steel-toed boots. In one hand, she carried her sword. In the 
other, she held a piece of parchment she had picked up from the flagstones. She offered it to me, her eyes 
drifting to the shrouded form on the ground. Blood was starting to seep from beneath the cloak.
I examined the parchment. On it was a crude representation of the Seal of the Emperor of Ergoth with a 
black spot at the center.
"What do you mean, dark mysticism usurped Leth's bond with the griffins?" Gilthanas asked.
"I went through my trials on Schallsea with a Knight who spent part of her childhood at the Citadel of Light. 
She could communicate with animals through the powers of the heart, and I oncesaw her convince a hunter's 
loyal hound to abandon the scent of a deer she wanted to go free. If she can do it, so can mystics who are of a 
darker spirit."
"And this symbol relates to them?" I passed the parchment to Gilthanas who studied it intently.
"Yes," Lady Sheryl replied. "While at the Ergothian court earlier this year, the emperor's daughter said that 
the spirits that speak to her warned her of an Evil that is represented by this symbol. When the librarians 
researched it, they discovered that it stands for a movement that rose during the War of the Lance—a 
movement devoted to the service of Sargonnas and the destruction of the Empire of Ergoth."
"But why abduct Alla?" Gilthanas asked.
"I don't know," Lady Sheryl said. She shivered violently as she looked at Willam's body again. "The 
Revered Daughter would know. We should go ask her."
"Yes," I said. "Let us go. You'll catch your death, Sheryl."
"He should be brought in from the cold as well," she said, her eyes still on the body. "He's going to be much 
colder than I."
"Go, Sheryl. Ask the Revered Daughter to prepare herself for an audience with myself and Prince 
Gilthanas."
"Yes, Sir Gavin." Her eyes fluttered to my face. Her lower lip trembled, but her voice remained steady as 
she said, "I kept asking him to let me teach him how to use his sword better."
I barked at a couple of squires who were gawking open-mouthed at my fallen charge. "Take him to the crypt, 
you lazy dogs. Start preparing the body for its time in state!"
"Were they close?" Gilthanas nodded toward Sheryl who was walking down the hall, too slowly and with her 
shoulders slumping. The blade of her sword was barely off the floor.
"No," I replied. "But they should have been."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-14, 周三 22:47:55
译名修订:发现失落之城这个中文译名已经被其他资料里的City of the Lost占用了
于是Missing City改译为无踪之城……倒是更贴切它文中的解释
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-14, 周三 23:25:07
*****

利亚姆爵士,吉尔赛那斯,莱斯和我站在神眷之女的谒见厅里,听着雪莉儿——此刻她已经换上了一套较为适当的短上衣与长裤——解释她对那个邪教的了解。我疑心自己几乎没听清她说的哪怕一个字。威廉在我臂弯中死去的一幕在我眼前徘徊不去,他临终遗言的余音震耳欲聋地在我脑中回荡。

威廉与劫匪们来到城垛上的经过笼罩在重重疑雾之中,不知为何,他把武器留在了下面的庭院里。或许那群恶棍以艾拉为人质逼迫他放下刀剑。然后他们飞向天空,而他跳起来抱住了其中一位骑手。或许发生了其他什么事。我们永远无法知晓,因为尽管一位能与精魂对话的玫瑰骑士试图与威廉交谈,但他已经飞向了远方帕拉丁的身边。如今能告诉我们什么的,只有那群乘着狮鹫远走高飞的家伙了。

“我会追那群畜生追到无底深渊边上!”莱斯哭喊着,气得浑身发抖,“要是他们伤害了她,我要把他们杀得干干净净一个不留!”

吉尔赛那斯把一只手搁在他的肩上,坚定地看着他:“冷静,我的朋友。我和你一起去追那些混蛋……可是首先得让雪莉儿女士和神眷之女把她们对那群邪教徒的所知告诉我们。”

“其实也没多少可说。”雪莉儿女士说,“他们的巢穴位于亚苟斯帝国与地精王国锡科特胡(Sikk'et Hul)国境线的山脉中。传闻他们会在一个被称为雷切尔深坑(Raekel's Pit)的地方举行某种庆祝冬至(Winter Solstice)的祭典,也就是说,他们很可能劫持艾拉作为某种邪恶仪式上的牺牲。”

“可为什么偏偏是她?!”莱斯痛哭道,“为什么是她?!”

“安塞隆大陆上,很少有地方像圣奎斯特这样,拥有如此众多心灵勇敢肉体纯洁的男子与女子。”克丽珊娜柔声说,她的盲眼转向我们,“或许他们劫持艾拉而不是一位骑士是因为卡冈那斯提精灵与土地间那份广为人知的羁绊。他们破坏了莱斯与狮鹫们之间的羁绊这一事实正说明他们是强大的黑暗秘术师。或许他们打算利用她的能量。”

“这种事可能做到吗?”雪莉儿问。

“在龙类清洗中,巨龙们吸收了他们所杀的敌人的生命能量。或许雷切尔深坑那群萨苟纳的追随者正在从事类似的活动。”

“也可能他们只不过是为了敬拜他们的神。”吉尔赛那斯喃喃道。他表情痛苦地环视房间:“许多年前,我在安塞隆以东海面的艾莲岛遇到过一群人,如今想来,我相信他们也是这个邪教的成员。大约十年之后我又在索兰尼亚遇见了其中一位,我自以为当年与他交上了朋友,但他一心想杀了我。”

“艾拉落到这个地步都怪我,我相信他们劫持她的一部分原因是想要向我复仇。我不明白究竟是为了什么,但完全可以就是为一位死去的同志报仇这么简单。也可能是更大的图谋。但这就是为什么他们选中了她,我很确定。”他把一只手搁在莱斯肩上。那位精灵用愤懑的目光盯着他。“要是利亚姆爵士能为我们提供一艘快船,我们就一起去北亚苟斯(Northern Ergoth)……我要么亲眼看到你与心爱的女子团聚,要么就死在救出她的过程中。”

“你们不会独自前往。”我说,我胸中的愤怒绞成了一个结,“我会和你们一起去,为我的朋友报仇。他们以最卑鄙的方式谋杀了他,我会亲手摧毁那群暗黑复仇神(Dark Vengeance)的追随者。”

“这不是个简单的任务。”雪莉儿喃喃道,她脸上流露出深深的哀痛,“我本该和您一起去。但我不能。我在这里还有任务。我必须留下来保护神眷之女。众所周知,她曾经是他们的预定目标,而今或许仍然是。”

克丽珊娜伸出手去,雪莉儿牵住她的手。年老的女牧师说:“我很感激你,尽管你的心灵哭喊着要为威廉复仇,但你依然尽忠职守。诸神有朝一日会回报你的牺牲,亲爱的雪莉儿,因为你将善良置于抚平伤痛的需要之上。”

“感谢您,神眷之女。”雪莉儿的回答轻柔得几乎听不见了,“这是个小小的安慰,因为我想诸神从未听到过我的哪怕一句祈祷。”

“你们可以坐我的船。”克丽珊娜略微停顿了一下说,“雪莉儿,请你去唤醒船员,告诉他们准备顺着海潮出发。”

“我去拿我的装备。”我对吉尔赛那斯说,“船上见。”

*****
 
Sir Liam, Gilthanas, Leth, and I stood in the Revered Daughter's audience room, listening as Sheryl—now 
more appropriately dressed in a tunic and trousers—explained what she knew of the cult. I confess that I 
barely heard a word she said. The sight of Willam dying in my arms hovered before my eyes and the echo of 
his final word reverberated with deafening intensity in my head.
The events that brought Willam and the kidnappers to the battlements of the castle were shrouded in 
mystery, but for some reason, he had left his weapons belt in the courtyard below. Perhaps the villains had 
threatened to harm Alla unless he dropped his blades. They then took to the air and he leapt up and grabbed 
hold of one of the riders. Perhaps it was something else. We will never know, for although a Rose Knight with 
the ability to communicate with the spirits of the recently dead attempted to speak with Willam, he had already 
gone to join Paladine in the Beyond. Only those who had flown off on the griffins could now tell us what had 
transpired.
"I will hunt these animals to the very edge of the Abyss," Leth cried, shaking with rage. "And if they have 
harmed her, I will kill each and every one of them!"
Gilthanas put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a stern look. "Be calm, my friend. We will hunt these 
villains together . . . but first we must allow Lady Sheryl and the Revered Daughter tell us what they know about 
these cultists."
"There isn't much more to tell," Lady Sheryl said. "They have their lair somewhere in the mountains along 
the border between the Ergothian Empire and the goblin kingdom of Sikk'et Hul. They are rumored to perform 
some manner of rites on the Winter Solstice at a place called Raekel's Pit, so it is quite possible that they 
kidnapped Alla to sacrifice her in some foul ritual."
"But why her?!" Leth wailed. "Why her?!"
"Few places in Ansalon have such a concentration of men and women who are valiant and pure in body 
and soul as Sancrist," Crysania said softly, her sightless eyes turning toward us. "Perhaps they abducted Alla 
over one of the Knights because of the reputed bond that the Kagonesti share with the land. The very fact that 
they subverted Leth's bond with his griffins show that they are powerful dark mystics. Perhaps they intendto 
tap into her energies."
"Is such a thing possible?" Sheryl asked.
"The dragons absorbed the life energies of their slain foes during the Dragon Purge. Perhaps these 
followers of Sargonnas at Raekel's Pit are engaged in similar activities."
"Or perhaps they are merely honoring their god," Gilthanas muttered. He looked around the room with a 
pained expression. "Several years ago, I encountered people who I now believe to be members of this cult on 
the island of Elian, off Ansalon's eastern coast. Almost a decade later, in Solamnia I met a man I thought I had 
befriended back then but he was bent on killing me.
"Alla's predicament is my fault, for I believe she was abducted as part of an attempt to gain revenge upon 
me. For what, I'm not sure, but it could be as straightforward as them wishing to avenge the death of a 
comrade. It could be bigger than that. But that is why she was chosen, I am certain of it." He placed a hand on 
Leth's shoulder. The other elf looked at him with smoldering eyes. "If Lord Liam will provide us with a fast ship, 
we will travel to Northern Ergoth together ... and I shall see that you are reunited with the woman you love, or 
I will die in the attempt."
"You will not go alone," I said, a knot of anger clenching in my breast. "I will join you to avenge my friend. He 
was murdered most foully, and I will be the one to destroy these followers of Dark Vengeance."
"It won't be an easy task," Sheryl muttered, a look of deep sorrow appearing on her face. "I should be there 
at your side. But I can't. I have a duty here. I have to stay and protect the Revered Daughter. For all we know, 
she was their intended target, and may still be."
Crysania held out a hand and Sheryl took it. The aged priestess said, "I appreciate your devotion to duty 
even if your heart cries out to avenge Willam. The gods will reward your sacrifice some day, dear Sheryl, 
because you are putting Good above the need to expunge your pain."
"My thanks, Revered Daughter," Sheryl replied so softly that it was almost inaudible. "That is small comfort, 
as I don't think the gods have ever heard a single one of my prayers."
"You may take my ship," Crysania said after a slight pause. "Sheryl, would you please go wake the crew 
and tell them to prepare to depart with the tide?"
"I will fetch my gear," I said to Gilthanas. "I will meet you at the ship."

主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-14, 周三 23:25:57
*****
 
我打算轻装上阵:斗篷、阔剑、两把匕首、弩与十支矢;还有一个装有替换衣物、一双备用靴子、武器与盔甲用的油和盔甲的背包。那些邪恶牧师将会看到自己在一位圣剑骑士的手中迎来末日。

前往海港之前,我又去了一趟圣白石大草地。我神情严峻,站岗的骑士们一眼就看出不该与我交谈。我跪在破裂的圣白石前,他们退入了树林深处。

寒风从林间的草地上呼啸而过,咬啮着我的脸颊,我仰望天空,混沌觉醒时留下的那疯狂的星之涡旋黯淡地闪着微光。

您觉得他们仍在看顾着我们吗?

我把威廉的声音逐出自己的脑海。我理清思绪,低声向我阶级的守护神奇力·裘理斯祈祷。我仍然面朝夜空,目光打量着繁星。奇力·裘理斯将指引我完成这次任务。奇力·裘理斯会确保我行为正直,像一位他的侍奉者该做的那样。我不想穿越到另一个时代。我只想要与这荣誉相配的力量。您觉得他们仍在看顾着我们吗?

我停止了祈祷。“不,”我低声回答逝者的余音,“我不觉得。倘若林霞·马哲理在这片林子里找到了什么,那也是诸神的记忆,而不是他们本身。”

我走向码头。

*****
 
I chose to travel light: a cloak, my broadsword, two daggers, a crossbow and ten quarrels, and a rucksack 
containing extra clothes, a spare pair of boots, oil for my weapons and armor, and my armor. These evil priests 
were going to know that they were meeting their end at the hands of a Knight of the Sword.
I renamed to the Whitestone Glade before heading to the harbor. The Knights posted there realized with a 
single glance at my grim visage that they should not speak to me. They retreated deeper into the forest as I 
kneeled in front of the cracked and broken Whitestone.
The wind rushed through the glade, biting at my cheeks as I looked up into the heavens where the mad 
swirl of stars left in Chaos's wake glimmered dimly.
Do you think they still watch over us?
I pushed the sound of Willam's voice out of my mind. I cleared my mind and whispered a prayer to Kiri-Jolith, 
the patron of my Order. I kept my face turned skyward, my eyes scanning the stars. Kiri-Jolith would guide me 
in this quest. Kiri-Jolith would ensure that I conducted myself honorably, as a man devoted to his service 
should. I didn't want to be sent to a different age. I just wanted strength to comport myself with honor. Do you 
think they still watch over us?
I stopped praying. "No," I whispered to the echo of the dead man. " I do not. If Linsha Majere found anything 
in this grove, it was the memory of the gods but not their presence."
I went to the docks.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-15, 周四 15:29:34
雷切尔深坑,28sc
 
吉尔赛那斯狠狠向后挥出一剑,地精的头颅拖着一道长长的血花从精瘦的肩膀上飞了出去,那生物惊恐的狰狞面容凝成了一张死亡的面具。那颗脑袋像个奇形怪状的球滚了开去。还没等王子四下张望寻找下一个目标,其余的小个子们就一哄而散逃进了黑暗之中。

身旁的盖文爵士已经用从一只死地精斗篷上撕下来的一块布条擦净了自己的剑。莱萨格斯喘着粗气,仍然举着鲜血淋漓的长剑。仿佛听见背后有什么声音,年轻的精灵紧张地转过身,面对他想象中的威胁。

三人的四周横七竖八地倒着二十余名地精,有的受了重伤,有的已经死去。间或响起几声呻吟,或几声濒死的喘息,但大部分时间里,那群令人憎恶的生物都静静躺着一动不动。这支部族剩下的地精早已逃散,消失在他们山脉家园的岩缝与罅隙里,吉尔赛那斯认为他们不大可能再回来了。

“你们俩有受伤吗?”他问两位同伴。

“我还好……有几处划伤,仅此而已。”年轻的精灵答道。

“一点也没有,谢谢关心。”骑士说。

吉尔赛那斯对这位老人刮目相看。他刚才轻松地舞动着巨大的剑身,如同挥舞一根树枝一般,挥斩着四面八方的地精。最终,他放开喉咙一声战吼——“为了誓言与骑士规章!”——让袭击他们的地精陷入了恐慌。

“他们一定已经盯了我们好几里路。”盖文爵士提出,“因此才有时间召集起这么多地精攻击我们。”

“这儿是最后一处他们能够接近我们而不被发觉的地方了——起码在关口的这一侧。”吉尔赛那斯望向他们面前直指天空的陡峭山脊。他们所走的这条路从这座山谷通往宽阔的山腰地带,那儿的小径相当陡,但任何方向上数里之内都一目了然。

“或许那群迷信的家伙害怕越过山口或是离那个坑太近。”盖文爵士说。

“您真的觉得那群溪谷矮人告诉我们来这儿的时候,他们知道自己在说什么吗?”莱斯犹疑地问,“这附近可能有不止一座‘黑黑的山’。”

吉尔赛那斯耸耸肩:“他们的话是我们的唯一线索……并且就我所知,曾经有一两次溪谷矮人帮了大忙。我想我们得照他们说的做。”

“您说得对——我们别无选择。”莱斯说,“要是他们真能帮我们找到艾拉——不管带走她的是谁——那我简直感激得不能再感激了。”

三名神色严峻的旅人开始攀登陡峭的斜坡。身体躬到几乎趴在陡坡上,他们气喘吁吁而坚毅地沿着小径缓缓攀行。吉尔赛那斯想起了这桩将他们带到这北亚苟斯的任务——想起了从圣奎斯特渡海而来的风雨飘摇,想起了一个个野蛮人或溪谷矮人村落间的徒步跋涉,想起了最终那场百余名地精的伏击战。他欣慰地想到,这桩任务终于接近了尾声。

然后,等这一切完结,他就要去寻找那条银龙,那条或许正是他唯一真爱的银龙了。

抱着这样的念头,他一路登上了峰顶,黄昏来临前,他与同伴们站在山巅,俯瞰着一座云雾滚滚的不毛山谷。在山谷正中,地面陡然下沉,形成了一个深深的洞穴——一道雾气翻腾,怪风呜咽的裂隙。

“找到了!”莱斯宣告,“那一定就是雷切尔深坑!”他沿着斜坡一溜小跑,“这就是那个邪教的圣地,那群混蛋带艾拉来的地方!”

“等一下!”吉尔赛那斯嘘了一声,仍然环顾着四周,“要是这就是他们举行仪式的场所,一定有守卫!”附近分布着数百处可容一名敌人藏身的小洞穴、小山包与小沟。而那个坑的出口正位于山脚,暴露在四面八方的视线之下。

“快!”这是莱斯唯一的回答。

骑士与精灵王子费了九牛二虎之力,在坑的边缘才堪堪喘着粗气追上了他们的同伴。

“要我说呀——这个洞直通无底深渊。”盖文爵士严肃地表示。的确,洞穴下方云烟缭绕,遮盖了地面。尽管如此,他们还是足以望见洞内百尺或是更深的地方,而洞底依然遥不可及。

“那儿有条小路,有台阶可以走下去。”莱斯指着一旁说。

“我们知道邪教的圣地在雷切尔深坑周围,但是不知道他们是不是会进里面去。”吉尔赛那斯提出反论。

“那还能在哪儿?”年轻的精灵质问道,简直轻蔑地朝那荒芜的谷地比划了一圈,“我要下去。我们会在那儿找到艾拉!”

“我们一起去,小伙子。”盖文爵士说,吉尔赛那斯略微点头,愠怒地默许,“走慢点儿,互相不要离太远。”

Rackel's pit 29sc
 
Gilthanas slashed hard on the back swing and the goblin's head flew from its skinny shoulders, trailing 
blood and freezing the creature's horrified grimace into a death mask.he head tumbled away like a 
misshapen ball, and by the time the prince looked around to seek his next target, the rest of the runts were 
scattering into the night.
Nearby Sir Gavin was already cleaning his sword on a rag he'd ripped from a dead goblin's cloak. Lethagas 
was panting, with his bloody blade still raised. Nervously the young elf spun about, hearing an imaginary threat 
behind him.
Perhaps two dozen goblins sprawled around the trio in various postures of grievous injury or death. A few 
moaned, or gasped for breath, but for the most part the loathsome creatures remained still. The rest of the tribe 
had run away, vanishing into the cracks and crevices of their mountain home, and Gilthanas felt that there was 
little chance they would be back.
"Are either of you hurt?" he asked his companions.
"I'm fine ... a few nicks, that's all," replied the young elf.
"Quite untouched, thank you," stated the Knight.
Gilthanas looked at the old man with fresh appraisal. He had wielded his great sword like it was a twig, 
carving away at goblins to all sides. In the end, his full-throated battle cry— "For the Oath and the 
Measure"—had put the panic into the attacking goblins.
"They must have been watching us for the last few miles," Sir Gavin suggested. "That gave them time to 
make their attack in numbers."
"And this was the last place they could get close to us without being seen—at least, the last place on this 
side of the pass." Gilthanas looked at the sharp ridge etched against the skyline before them. From this valley, 
their path would take them onto the broad mountainside, where the trail was steep, but visibility was clear for 
miles in any direction.
"Perhaps the superstitious buggers feared to cross over and get too close to the Pit," suggested Sir Gavin.
"Do you think the gully dwarves knew what they were talking about when they told us to come here?" asked 
Lethagas, hesitantly. "There could be more than one 'Black Mountain' along here."
Gilthanas shrugged. "They're all we have to go on ... and I've known gully dwarves to be helpful a time or 
two in the past. I think we should take their word."
"You're right—we don't have any other choice," Leth said. "And if they can help us find Alla—and whoever 
took her away—then I couldn't be more grateful."
Grimly the three travelers started onto the steep slope. Breathing hard, they leaned into the climb and 
plodded resolutely up the trail. Gilthanas thought of the task that had brought them here, to Northern 
Ergoth—of the stormy crossing from Sancrist, the trek through village after village of barbarians or gully 
dwarves, finally the ambush by a hundred goblins. He was relieved at the thought that they were almost done. 
Then, finally, he would go seek the silver dragon that just might be the one he loved.
These thoughts carried him all the way to the crest, where he stood with his companions just before dusk 
and looked into a barren, rock-strewn valley. In the center of the vale the ground plunged away to form a deep 
hole—a gap in which mists writhed and strange winds moaned.
"We've found it!" Leth declared. "That has to be Raekel's Pit!" He started down the slope at a trot. "This is 
where the cult worships and where those bastards must have brought Alla!"
"Wait!" hissed Gilthanas, still taking in the rest of the surroundings. "If this is their ceremonial center, they'll 
have guards!" Hundreds of small caves, rough knolls, and little ravines could conceal an enemy. And the 
mouth of the pit was at the bottom of the hill, in clear view from all directions.
"Hurry!" was Leth's only reply.
The Knight and the elven prince did the best they could, gasping for breath as they joined their companion 
at the very lip of the pit.
"Mark my words—it's a hole straight to the Abyss," declared Sir Gavin grimly. Indeed, the bottom could not 
be seen because of the mist and smoke that curled through the air below them. Even so, they could see far 
enough to realize that the hole descended a hundred feet or more withoutreaching bottom.
"There's a trail, with steps leading down," said Leth, pointing.
"We know that the cult worshiped around Raekel's Pit. We don't know that they went inside it," Gilthanas 
argued.
"Where else?" demanded the young elf, almost contemptuously taking in the barren valley with a gesture. 
"I'm going down there. That's where we'll find Alla!"
"We're going with you, lad," said Sir Gavin, and Gilthanas nodded curtly in exasperated approval. "Just go 
slow enough that we can stay together."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-15, 周四 20:05:31
三位旅人开始走下狭窄的台阶,黑色的石阶是直接在陡峭的坑壁上雕凿而成的。莱萨格斯打头,紧跟着的是吉尔赛那斯,最后是盖文爵士。他们走了二十多级,来到一个仿佛俯瞰幽暗深坑的阳台般的小平台。往下还有更多的台阶,他们经过了好几处类似的平台,下到圆柱形洞穴越来越深的深处。他们仍然看不见洞底,但下方露出地面的岩层逐渐依稀可辨。

“她在那儿——艾拉!”莱斯喊着,拔腿奔下十几级台阶来到下一个平台。这儿没有更多的台阶通往洞的更深处,但当吉尔赛那斯来到同伴身边时,他也看见了那位精灵姑娘。

艾拉倒在一座三十至四十尺高的石质方尖碑顶部。她仰面朝天,双臂伸展。她的双眼紧闭着,但看上去没有任何伤痕。

“以诸神之名起誓——要是她受伤了,我要杀光这洞里的邪教徒!”莱萨格斯哭喊。

“我想,恐怕太晚了……这件事我们已经替你做了。”

三位同伴转过身,看见一位高大的黑暗骑士站在他们头顶的那处平台上。那个男人穿着深黑的盔甲,连那完全遮掩了他的脸的怪异面罩也同样是漆黑色。其他几位骑士穿着装饰不那么繁复但同样包复全身的盔甲,在队长两侧一字排开,面无表情地瞪着两名精灵和索兰尼亚骑士。

莱萨格斯发出一声哽在喉咙里的咒骂,但在年轻的精灵来得及做出任何鲁莽举动之前,吉尔赛那斯高声开了口。

“你们杀了谁?”他问。

“杀了他们三个,雷切尔深坑的信徒们。说真的,他们比孩子大不了多少。他们像野人一样住在上面的山谷里。不过,他们中间那个小丫头还蛮俊的——可惜她反抗得太凶,我们不得不杀了她。”“你们这些刽子手!你们对艾拉做了什么?”莱斯哭道。

“怎么啦,我们什么也没做。”骑士提高嗓门,对着坑底喊,“是不是啊,亲爱的?”

“当然喽。”艾拉的声音一如既往地坚定有力。

吉尔赛那斯回过头去,看见精灵姑娘站起身来,轻轻松松地立在那块石质方尖碑顶上。

她讥讽地朝着张口结舌的三人组挥挥手,这时一位骑士扔下一条绳索。她像个杂技演员般利落地爬上绳索,不远处平台上的莱斯、吉尔赛那斯和盖文爵士看得目瞪口呆。

“她疯了……她被某种黑魔法诅咒了!”终于,年轻的精灵倒抽一口气说道,然后他对她大喊,“艾拉——当心巫术!”

她只是哈哈大笑,放开了绳子,几位骑士帮着她爬上平台,在队长身边站好。“噢,莱萨格斯,”她责怪地说,“你真是孩子气。不过,玩弄你一小会儿还算挺有趣的。”她抚上队长宽阔的肩膀,小鸟依人地倚在那魁梧的人类身旁,“但未来站在黑暗骑士一边——我的未来,奎灵那斯提的未来,还有整个克莱恩的未来。我已经做出了我的选择,如今我的君主名为凯蓝卓斯。你们也同样要做出自己的选择……尽管这要交给命运来决定,看它把你们带往何方。”

年轻的精灵一声呻吟,掩着双眼跪倒在地。

“为什么?”吉尔赛那斯质问,“为什么你要这么做?”

“为什么?当然是为了把你带到我们面前。”骑士队长说,“她是一个已经制订多年的计划中的重要一环。也许你有兴趣知道,她就是潜行者,你早些时候在旅程中遭遇的刺客的同伴。”

“你们为什么要抓我?”王子问。

“不是我们,”骑士说,“重金悬赏你的另有其人。不过,得知你不可能再来妨碍我们,我们的骑士团在奎灵那斯提也能安心地松口气了。”

“卑鄙的叛徒!”盖文爵士大喊,“你休想抓住我们!”

吉尔赛那斯还来不及制止,年长的骑士就拔剑跑上台阶。两位年轻得多的战士身穿黑色盔甲,各自手执一柄巨剑迎向他。盖文爵士砍中第一个,将他打落台阶。随着一声歇斯底里的尖叫,那名黑暗骑士滚入雷切尔深坑的深渊。但另一位骑士已经做好准备,他挥下一剑,深深砍入老战士的肩头。盖文爵士脸朝地跌倒,顺着台阶滑下去,留下一道鲜明的血迹。

“和他们打一场!”莱萨格斯咬牙切齿地说,他站起身,走到吉尔赛那斯身旁,“要么打倒他们——要么战死当场!”

王子叹口气。他指了指那队俯瞰着他们的骑士,至少四十名骑士堵住了他们出坑的去路。谁知道外面的山谷里还埋伏着多少?

“我们被捕了。”吉尔赛那斯怒视着艾拉,“的确,我们被背叛了没错,不过只是被捕而已。现在不是死的时候。”

莱斯的脸不情愿地扭曲着,但他没有再采取进一步的行动。

“我投降。”吉尔赛那斯宣告,他抽出那把普斯塔的长剑,握住它,剑柄朝前地放在自己面前,“哪怕西瓦那斯提的地牢也没能关住我,我怀疑你们的地牢是不是能做得更好些。”

艾拉大笑起来,而那位黑暗骑士则捡起吉尔赛那斯的剑,毫无恶意地耸了耸肩。“你只会被关很短一段时间。”他说,“然后你的命运将交给那条蓝龙来决定。”

“至于西悠瓦拉嘛,”女精灵一边看着吉尔赛那斯的双腕被绳索捆牢,一边揶揄地说,“看来她只好再接着等下去了。”

The trio of travelers started down the narrow stairs, which were black stone steps that had been carved 
directly into the steep wall of the pit. Lethagas took the lead, followed by Gilthanas and then Sir Gavin. After 
two dozen steps, the route led to a small platform, like a balcony overlooking the obscure depths of the pit. 
More stairs led down from there, and they passed a succession of such platforms, dropping deeper and 
deeper into the cylindrical cavity. They couldn't see the bottom, but they began to make out outcrops of rock 
below them.
"There she is—Alla!" cried Leth, abruptly racing down a dozen stairs to come to another platform. Here no 
further steps led down deeper into the pit, but as he arrived at his companion's side Gilthanas, too, saw the elf 
maid.
Alla was sprawled upon the top of an obelisk of rock thirty or forty feet below. She lay spread-eagled, on her 
back. Her eyes were closed, but she did not have any visible wounds.
"By all the gods—if's she's hurt I'll kill every cultist in this hole!" Lethagas cried.
"Too late, I'm afraid ... we already did the job for you."
The three companions whirled to confront a tall Dark Knight standing on one of the platforms just above 
them. The man was dressed in black armor, even to the grotesque mask that fully concealed his face. Other 
Knights, the armor less elaborate in decoration but just as complete in coverage, flanked their leader and 
glared impassively down at the two elves and the Solamnic Knight.
Lethagas choked out a strangled curse but Gilthanas spoke loudly, before the younger elf could do 
anything rash.
"Whom did you kill?" he asked.
"Three of them, the cultists of Raekel's Pit. They were little more than children, really. They lived like 
savages in that valley up above. Still, the wench among them was a handsome thing—too bad she fought so 
hard that we had to kill her." "You butchers! What have you done to Alla?" cried Leth.
"Why, nothing at all." The Knight raised his voice, shouting down into the pit. "Isn't that right, my dear?"
"Of course." Alla's voice was as firm, as strong as ever.
When Gilthanas looked back, he saw that the elf maid had risen to stand easily atop her obelisk of rock. 
She waved mockingly to the speechless trio as one of the Knights threw down a rope. She scampered up the 
line like an acrobat, some distance away from the platform where Leth, Gilthanas, and Sir Gavin watched in 
shock.
"She's mad ... under some dark spell!" gasped the young elf, finally, before calling out to her. "Alla—beware 
sorcery!"
She only laughed, and let go of the rope as several Knights assisted her to stand next to their captain. "Oh, 
Lethagas," she chided. "You're such a child. Still, it was fun to toy with you for awhile." Touching the captain on 
his broad shoulder, she struck a coy pose beside the burly human. "But it's here, with the Dark Knights, that the 
future lies—mine, Qualinesti's, and all Krynn's. I have made my choice, and my master is called Khellendros 
now. You should have made yours, as well... though it will be up to Fate to see where it carries you."
With a groan the young elf covered his eyes and dropped to his knees.
"Why?" Gilthanas demanded. "Why did you do it?"
"Why, she did it to bring you to us, of course," said the Knight commander. "She was an important part of a 
scheme that has been in place for many years. Perhaps you will be interested to know that she is the stalker 
who accompanied the assassins you encountered earlier in your journeys."
"Why do you wantme?" asked the prince.
"It's not us," said the Knight, "But someone who will pay a good price for you. Still, our own Order will rest 
more comfortably in Qualinesti, knowing that you are safely out of the way."
"Vile treachery!" shouted Sir Gavin. "You shall not have us!"
Before Gilthanas could stop him, the elder Knight drew his sword and charged up the stairs. Two much 
younger warriors clad in black armor, each with a great blade raised, met him. Sir Gavin hacked at the first one, 
knocking him off the stairs. With a hysterical scream, the Dark Knight toppled into the depths of Raekel's Pit.
But the other Knight was ready. His blade cleaved down, cutting deeply into the elder warrior's shoulder. Sir 
Gavin fell face first, slipping back down the stairs, leaving a trail of fresh blood.
"We can fight them!" Lethagas hissed, rising and stepping to Gilthanas's side. "Take them down—or die 
trying!"
The prince sighed. He gestured to the array of Knights glaring down at them, easily two score blocking their 
route out of the pit. And how many more were lurking in the valley without?
"We have been captured." Gilthanas glared at Alla. "Betrayed, true, but only captured. Now is not the time 
to die."
Leth grimaced in reluctance, but made no move to advance.
"I surrender to you," declared Gilthanas, drawing the sword of Purstal and holding it, hilt first, before him. 
"Though if the dungeons of Silvanesti couldn't hold me, I doubt that yours will do any better."
Alla laughed, while the Dark Knight took Gilthanas's sword with a good-natured shrug. "It's only for a short 
time," he said. "And then the blue dragon will decide what to do with you."
"As to Silvara," teased the elf maid, as a rope was secured around Gilthanas's wrists. "It seems that she will 
just have to wait."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-15, 周四 21:55:23
银之心

东望城堡,28sc

东望城堡是个丑陋的地方。那是一座乏味的灰色石造建筑,建造风格毫无想象力。它所用的石材来自一座诞生索兰尼亚的那场内战中被叛军击垮的城堡,建造时几乎没有考虑到功能之外的因素。

一座阳台为它增添了一抹亮色,那个带阳台的房间原本是作为城主的居室而建造的。在我赞美这座阳台上的港口风光与远处的海景后,莉娃女士把这个房间作为宿舍分给了我,尽管我极力抗议。

“我只想被当做普通的骑士看待。”我说。

“您不只是个‘普通的骑士’。”她答道,“尽管并不是每个服役于东望城堡的人都知道这一点,但弗朗西斯爵士(Sir Francis)和我知道。那就是他从首席玫瑰骑士的位子上退下来,而您取而代之的原因。同时,也是您得到这间宿舍的原因。”

索兰尼亚骑士打定的主意,凭谁也没法改变。莉娃甚至向我证明,无论根据修订后的骑士规章还是对一位真的像我这样青春年少的骑士来说,我分到这间宿舍都是与我们共同遵循的骑士守则(Code)相符的。

我把目光转向那扇窗和窗后的阳台。我感到他的存在,比之前许多年间感受到的都要强烈。他就在那儿。

银龙与凡人的羁绊,对非我族类者是说不清的。数十年前,我曾与一条自称钴蓝(Cobalt)的蓝龙有过来往。我试着向他解释,但根本做不到。就连金龙们也觉得这个概念高深莫测,尽管他们知性地承认这一羁绊的存在。而类似钴蓝那样的蓝龙,则极力坚持这只不过是由于我们精神脆弱,因为我们希望变得像凡人们一样,才想象出了与凡人之间的羁绊。

只有银龙们才明白,我们能感受到自己在凡人身上激起的感情,如同其他人能感到温柔的爱抚或严酷的拳击那样真切。当我们有幸——或不幸,取决于你看问题的角度——遇见一位与之精神完全和谐共振的凡人时,这种感受会急剧地提升。大部分银龙终其一生都未曾体验过这样的幸福与折磨,但那些体验过的银龙则一定会追求这段关系,否则就会憔悴死亡。有人说与我一同孵化的那窝龙蛋遭到了诅咒,因为我和我的姊姊都遇见了那样一位凡人。对她而言,那是修玛。而对我而言,则是吉尔赛那斯。

我希望他如我爱他那样爱我。我需要他来爱。有那么一段时间,当我们并肩作战对抗蓝龙大军的威胁,当我们为大众的福祉以身涉险时,我似乎得到了他的爱。但我们定居卡拉曼之后,一切都变了。他开始忽略我,埋首于“工作”之中,而那些“工作”不过是他为了得以躲开我而编造出来的。只有当那座城市陷入危机时,他似乎才会承认我们俩灵魂间的羁绊。而在其余的时间里,我尝试着向他解释他日常的无视伤我有多深,他却一句也不肯听。

在我恳求他理解我们间共享的羁绊对我而言非同小可的时候,我们偶尔会爆发争吵。在一次争吵中,他说他永远无法原谅我,因为当初我们在南亚苟斯的东索朋(Thon-Sorpon)河岸上躺在彼此怀中时,我没有告诉他我的本来面目。他拒不体会我当时是多么害怕他可能会拒绝我。他永远不可能理解他的畏惧与惊骇在我身上造成的痛苦,就像他不可能理解在卡拉曼期间他的冷漠给我造成的痛苦一样。无论我多么努力地试图向他解释,他都无法理解银龙的灵魂特质,因此他拒绝忘却心中的怨恨。他根本无法接受这个事实——西悠瓦拉,他所深爱的精灵女孩,并不是真实存在的。

我最终下定决心:只有我让他尝到相同的痛苦,他才能理解我承受的折磨。我别无选择地离开了卡拉曼。我想,一旦他发觉我不在身边给他带来的痛苦有如他的冷漠加诸于我的痛苦一样强烈,他就会来找我。我离开卡拉曼,在附近的山区漂泊了几个月,拼命渴望着他就在附近,期待他来寻找我。可是,他没有来。

最终,这份痛苦变得无法承受。我只好回到巨龙列岛,在我的同类间寻求安慰。

然而我即使在那儿也找不到慰藉。我对吉尔赛那斯的热望太过强烈了。我终于又回到安塞隆,一连数月在痛苦中挣扎,不断地期望着,祈祷着他最终能发觉自己需要我的程度正如我需要他一样深。

但他没有。我终于只得面对这个事实:我的凡人灵魂伴侣拒绝了我,而我会因这份拒否的痛楚而死。但接着我找到了一个像他从我身边重获自由一样离开他的方法:抛弃西悠瓦拉的形体。我发现了重回当初我所熟悉的充实生活的办法,自暴自弃地将自己投入到那段新生命中去。

然而如今,数十年过去,我发现,如同从一段无梦的睡眠中醒来一般,我的灵魂再度与吉尔赛那斯对我的爱起了共鸣……或者,更确切地说,是他对西悠瓦拉的爱。

Silver Hearts
 
Castle Eastwatch, 28sc
Castle Eastwatch is an ugly place. It is a drab and gray building of stone, unimaginative in its construction. 
Built from the stones of a fortress that rebels cast down during the civil war that gave birth to Solamnia, it was 
constructed with very little else but functionality in mind.
The one flourish it has is a balcony outside of what was intended to be the Lord's quarters. After I expressed 
an appreciation for the view it afforded of the harbor and the sea beyond it, Lady Riva had given it to me as my 
quarters, despite my protestations.
"I want to be treated as just another Knight," I had said.
"You are not 'just another Knight,'" she had responded. "And while not everyone serving at Castle 
Eastwatch knows this, Sir Francis and I do. That is why he is stepping aside as the ranking Rose Knight and 
why you will take his place. It is also why you will have these quarters."
When a Knight of Solamnia has made up her mind, one can do nothing to change it. Riva even showed me, 
both in the revised Measure and in the one that was in effect in my youth, why taking her quarters was in 
accordance with the Code that we both upheld.
My eyes drifted to the windows and the balcony beyond them. I had felt his presence stronger than I had in 
years. He was out there.
The bond silver dragons share with mortals is not something I can ever fully explain to someone who isn't 
one of us. Many decades ago, I had an opportunity to have civil dealings with a blue dragon who called himself 
Cobalt. I tried to explain it to him, but it was impossible. Even gold dragons find the concept unfathomable, 
although they acknowledge intellectually that the bond exists. Blue dragons like Cobalt, of course, furiously 
insist that we merely possess weak spirits and that we imagine our bond with mortals because we wish to be 
like them.
Only other silver dragons know that we feel the emotions that we inspire in mortals as surely as others 
might feel a gentle caress or the harsh blow of a fist. Those sensations are increased dramatically should we 
ever be fortunate—or unfortunate, depending on your point of view— enough to meet that one single mortal 
with whom our spirit is in complete harmny. Most silver dragons live their entire lives and never experience 
such bliss and torment, but those who do must pursue this relationship or wither and die. Some would say that 
the brood that gave birth to me was cursed, for both my sister and I met that one mortal. For her, it was Huma. 
For me, it is Gilthanas.
I wanted him to love me as I loved him. I needed him to love me. For a time, it seemed I had his love as we 
battled together against the forces of the dragonarmy and risked our lives for the good of all. But after we 
settled in Kalaman that changed. He started to ignore me, to lose himself in "work" created for the sole purpose 
of allowing him to avoid me. Only when the city was in crisis had he seemed to acknowledge the bond between 
our souls. At other times, he refused to listen to all my attempts to explain how his disregard of me wounded 
me at other times.
As I called upon him to understand that the bond we shared was not a casual thing for me, we had 
occasional arguments. During one of them, he told me that he could never forgive me for not revealing my true 
nature as we lay in each other's arms on the shore of the Thon-Sorpon in Southern Ergoth. He refused to see 
that I had been frightened at the idea that he might reject me. He never could have understood the pain his fear 
and horror would have inflicted upon me, just as he couldn't comprehend the pain his indifference was putting 
me through in Kalaman. No matter how hard I tried to explain it to him, he failed to understand the nature of a 
silver dragon's soul, and so he refused to let his resentment fade. He simply could not accept that Silvara, the 
elf maid who he loved, did not truly exist.
I finally decided that the only way to make him understand my suffering was for me to put him through the 
same pain. I had no choice but to leave Kalaman behind. Once he realized that my absence was as painful to 
him as his indifference had been to me, he would come for me, I thought. I left Kalaman and drifted through the 
nearby hills for several months, longing desperately to have him near, expecting him to come searching for me. 
But he never did.
Finally, the pain became too much to bear. I had to retreat to the Dragon Isles and the comfort of my own 
kind.
But even there, I found no solace. My longing for Gilthanas was too great. I eventually returned to Ansalon, 
where I struggled with my pain for many months, hoping and praying that he would finally recognize that he 
needed me as much as I needed him.
But he didn't. I eventually came to face the fact that my mortal soulmate had rejected me and that the pain 
of his rejection would kill me. But then I found a way to be as free of him as he had made himself of me: by 
abandoning the form of Silvara. I found a way back to the life of contentment I had once known, and I threw 
myself into that life with abandon.
But now, decades later, I felt as though I had woken up from a dreamless sleep, my soul again singing with 
the love that Gilthanas had for me ... or the love that he had for Silvara, to be more specific. 
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-15, 周四 21:55:29
我起身披上长袍,叫来一位听差,让他替我唤一名首席书记官(ranking scribe),并拿来所有关于黑暗骑士、精灵和预期抵达南亚苟斯的每一艘船只的急报。听差试图抗命。他建议我等天亮再说,还说他很害怕这么早去喊醒一名高级书记官很可能会遭到鞭打。我告诉他我可比一名文官的皮带可怕多了。我展现了自己哪怕在这副脆弱的人类化身下也仍然拥有的强大实力,单手把他举到了天花板下。“去找个书记官。”我对他咆哮着,稍微解消一点人类形体,让他看见我双眼真实的样子。我把他丢在地下,他惊慌失措地逃开,裤腿上流下一道暗色的污迹。不到十五分钟,书记官就赶了过来。

我站在这座城堡仅有的一处美丽阳台上,任凭风拂过我的肌肤,这时那位大腹便便的男人走了进来,硕果仅存的几根头发睡得立了起来。他开始说起威胁亚苟斯稳定的黑暗骑士,说起近来抵达南亚苟斯的海象人日渐增多,可是他说的这些没有一件我有兴趣听下去,也没有一件能让我回想起刚才吉尔赛那斯在梦中触碰我时的那份感受。

我终于意识到那个男人的牙齿格格地打着颤,因为那海面吹来的冰风——它滑过我的肌肤时就像丝绸滑过凡人的身躯般心旷神怡——正灌入我的宿舍,让他寒入骨髓。我遣走了他。

“咝-咝-是,阿-阿莲娜女士。”他浑身哆嗦着说,“希-希望这些信-信息对您有用。”

“是的,道兰(Dolan),您帮了大忙。”

他走后我又在阳台上待了几分钟,望着我之前感觉到吉尔赛那斯的方向。我看见东望积雪的群山在苍白的月光下闪烁。除了那些,我只能勉强分辨出夜幕下深黯的海面。

这不是我近几个月间第一次在梦中感觉到吉尔赛那斯。我每每在深夜醒过来,不确定它是否只是一个梦。但今晚……今晚,我确信无疑。数月以来我时常梦见吉尔赛那斯。我曾在许多深夜感觉到他,但那份感受从未如今夜这般明显。吉尔赛那斯正在思念我,就在这附近的某个地方。我可以去找他。那个梦在我的记忆中仍然强烈得足以令我找到他。我张开双臂,走近护栏,预备恢复我真实的形体飞向天空。

不,我不会这么做。

吉尔赛那斯从未爱过我。他爱的是西悠瓦拉,那位卡冈那斯提精灵。而她早已不复存在。

我转身离开阳台,回到宿舍舒适的环境中。我瞥见了更衣室全身镜中自己的倒影。我停下脚步,审视着玫瑰骑士阿莲娜·普拉塔(Arlena Plata)女士的身影。

在过去的数年间,我发现自己无法变成一副以我打算摹拟的物种的审美而言不算赏心悦目的形体。在我刚刚从巨龙列岛回到安塞隆的那些年里,我试了许多次——我希望变成一名人类,但我并不想引人注目,因此我试着让自己长得平淡无奇。但我失败了。在回到东望城堡的几个月后,我做了最后一次尝试,终于得到了今天我所披着的这层外皮。

我任长袍从身上滑落,仔细地打量着自己。我的身材显得相当纤瘦,以我所知大多数人类男性的标准而言不算有吸引力。就像弗朗西斯爵士有一次说的,我看上去就像那种“会在生孩子的时候死掉,却可以一边绕着黑暗骑士跳舞一边把他们切成碎片”的女性。鼻梁太挺,嘴唇太薄。纯稻草色的头发永远激不起吟游诗人写歌的灵感。但尽管如此,一切的比例仍然是完美的;我依然与一位普通的女性一样美,依然比许多女性要美——这还是在我极力尝试让自己缺乏吸引力之后的结果。

至少,这副形体不是西悠瓦拉。如此想着,几乎是下意识地,我的身形改变了。我的肩膀缩窄了,身材变得更矮更瘦,我的肤色暗下来,双眼变得更大,更上挑。我的头发变成了银白色。如今在镜中回望着我的倒影正是西悠瓦拉,一位处于卡冈那斯提精灵审美巅峰的女性。

“我们需要您的指导。”在我第一次来到东望城堡表达协助这里的骑士们的意图时,莉娃女士这样对我说。自然,当时我用的是西悠瓦拉的外形。“在我们凝聚力量抵抗那条白龙盖力达斯(Gellidus)及其爪牙的过程中,您的经验,睿智,以及见解都将是一份宝贵的支援。但我无法容许您以这样的外形出现。我的骑士们会感到难以和您相处,而佣兵们也不可能认真对待这种形体下的您。他们都会把您看做走进他们生活的一个白日梦,或是把您当做一位野人蛮子。我需要的是以索兰尼亚骑士身份出现的您,而不是一位或许会遭到我部下轻视的精灵。”

这副形体激起了吟游诗人们作歌的灵感。这副形体在我心爱的吉尔赛那斯心中燃起了烈焰。这副形体给我带来了太多的痛苦与折磨。

这同时也是一副属于那名对我而言早已死去的女子的形体。我与吉尔赛那斯之间的羁绊也早已和她一同死去。在我成为阿莲娜女士的那一天,痛楚就随之结束了。

心念一动,我恢复了阿莲娜女士的外形。她深得同龄人的尊敬,也深受那群在南亚苟斯与地精王国锡科特胡为非作歹的恶徒们畏惧。她是一位骑士们信赖的战士,他们深知她总会来到他们身边支援,无论战斗看似多么艰难。

阿莲娜女士是一名无需爱情的女子。骑士团便是她的丈夫与孩子。她有许多朋友,她喜欢同他们在一起,但她从未萌生过与任何人建立罗曼蒂克关系的念头。她嫁给了玫瑰骑士这个阶级,除此之外心中没有容纳任何事物的余地。

西悠瓦拉爱过一名凡人,而如今她已经死了。如今存在于西悠瓦拉一度存在过的地方的是阿莲娜女士,而阿莲娜女士只爱索兰尼亚骑士团。

如今,我是阿莲娜女士。那名死去的女子所做的梦没有任何意义……阿莲娜女士也不会为这区区小事哭泣。只是壁炉的热力,教她的双眼——我的双眼——盈满了泪水。

阿莲娜女士不会为一段截然不同的生命中失去的爱情哭泣。

我不会为一段截然不同的生命中失去的爱情哭泣。

我已不再感到吉尔赛那斯的爱情灼烧着我的灵魂。我已无知无觉,无知无觉。

I rose and put on a robe. I called for a page and asked him to bring me a ranking scribe and all the 
dispatches about Dark Knights, elves, and any ships that were expected to arrive on Southern Ergoth. The 
page tried to argue with me. He suggested that it could wait until morning. Further, he said, he was afraid that 
he might be whipped if he were to awaken a senior scribe at this early hour. I proved to him that I was a far 
greater threat than a scribe's leather belt. I displayed the strength I possess even in the apparently frail human 
form I have adopted and with one hand lifted him up under the ceiling. "You will fetch a scribe," I snarled at him, 
allowing my human form to waver, permitting him to look into my eyes as they truly are. I dropped him to the 
floor. He fled in terror, a dark stain spreading down his trouser leg. The scribe arrived less than fifteen minutes 
later.
I stood on the balcony, that one touch of beauty on th castle, letting the wind wash over my skin as the 
portly man entered, with what few hairs he still possessed standing on end from his pillow. He went on about 
Dark Knights threatening the stability of Ergoth, about more thanoi arriving in Southern Ergoth, about nothing 
that I had any interest in hearing and nothing that brought to mind the sensations I had felt when Gilthanas 
touched me in my sleep.
I eventually realized that the man's teeth were chattering, as the icy wind from the sea—which merely slid 
across my skin as pleasantly as silk slides across a mortal's body—was rushing into my quarters and chilling 
him to bone. I dismissed him.
"Y-y-yes, L-lady Arlena," he said, shivering violently. "I h-h-hope the inf-formation was of use."
"Yes, Dolan. You have been very helpful."
I remained on the balcony for another few minutes after he departed, looking in the direction from which I 
had sensed Gilthanas. I saw the snow-shrouded hills of Eastwatch glittering under the pale moon. Beyond 
them, I could barely make out the night-black sea.
This was not the first time in recent months that I had sensed Gilthanas in my sleep. On other nights, I had 
awoken unsure whether it had merely been a dream. But tonight... tonight, I was certain. I had dreamt about 
Gilthanas in the past months. I had sensed him on other nights, but the sensations had never been as strong 
as they had been this night. Somewhere, nearby, Gilthanas was thinking of me. I could go to him. The dream 
was still strong enough in my memory that I could find him. I spread my arms and stepped closer the railing, 
preparing to take on my true form and to soar into the sky.
No. I would not do this.
Gilthanas never loved me. He loved Silvara, a Kagonesti elf. And she no longer exists.
I turned from the balcony and returned to the comfortable surroundings of my quarters. I caught sight of 
myself in the full-length mirror in the dressing area. I paused to study the form of Lady Arlena Plata, Knight of 
the Rose.
In recent years, I've found that I cannot adopt a form that isn't pleasing to the eyes of the species I am trying 
to emulate. In the years immediately following my return to Ansalon from the Dragon Isles, I made several 
attempts to do so—I found myself longing to be among humans, but I did not want to attract attention, so I 
endeavored to make myself plain. I failed. I made one last attempt a few months after I had returned to Castle 
Eastwatch, but settled on the form I wear to this very day.
I let the robe slip from my body and studied myself carefully. I appeared thinner than what I've come to 
know that most human males find attractive. As Sir Francis once put it, I appeared like the kind of female who 
"dies trying to bring a baby into the world, but who kin dance circles 'round most Dark Knights while carvin' 'em 
to bits." The bridge of the nose was too straight. The lips were too thin. The hair with its plain straw color would 
never inspire bards to write songs. Nonetheless, everything was in perfect proportion; I was as beautiful as the 
average woman, and more than many—and that after an attempt to not be attractive.
Still, this form was no Silvara. With that thought, my form changed, almost unbidden. My shoulders 
narrowed as my body grew shorter and slimmer, my skin darkened, and my eyes grew larger and more slanted. 
My hair turned a silvery-white. The image looking back at me in the mirror was Silvara, a female who was the 
very pinnacle of what the Kagonesti considered beauty.
"We want your guidance," Lady Riva had said when I first came to Castle Eastwatch with the intent of aiding 
the Knights here. Naturally, I wore the form of Silvara. "Your experience, wisdom, and insights will be an 
invaluable aid as we gather strength to oppose Gellidus the White and his minions. But I cannot tolerate you 
appearing in that fashion. My Knights will find it difficult, and the mercenaries will find it impossible to take you 
seriously when you appear like that. They will either view you as a fanasy come to life, or they will treat you as 
a barbarian savage. I need you to be a Knight of Solamnia, not an elf whom my troops might look down upon. 
"
This form had inspired bards to write songs. This form had set the heart of my beloved Gilthanas aflame. 
This form had brought me much pain and suffering.
It was also the body of a woman who was dead as far as I was concerned. And with her, the bond I had 
shared with Gilthanas had died. The day I became Lady Arlena was the day the pain ceased.
With a thought, I resumed the appearance of Lady Arlena. She was respected by her peers and feared by 
those who would do evil both in Southern Ergoth and in the goblin nation of Sikk'et Hul. She was a warrior 
whom other Knights trusted and whom they knew would always come to their aid no matter how impossible a 
battle might seem.
Lady Arlena is a woman who has no need for love. The Knighthood is both her husband and child. She has 
many friends and enjoys their company, but she never brooks any suggestion of romance between herself and 
anyone else. She is married to the Order of the Rose, and she has no room for anything else in her heart. 
Silvara loved a mortal and now she is dead. Lady Arlena now exists where once Silvara had been, and Lady 
Arlena loves only the Solamnic Orders.
I am Lady Arlena now. The dreams of a dead woman mean nothing ... and Lady Arlena will not cry over 
such trifles. The heat from the fireplace is causing her eyes—my eyes—to water.
Lady Arlena does not cry over the lost love of a different life.
I do not cry over the lost love of a different life.
I do not feel Gilthanas's love burning my soul. I feel nothing. I feel nothing.
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-16, 周五 14:16:58
*****

船体的木板以一种平稳的节奏嘎吱作响,时刻提醒那位囚徒他确然还在人世。

咸水浸透的手铐早已将他的手腕磨得红肿。他的舌头由于干渴而肿胀,但骑士分给囚徒们的水仅够维持他们的生命。

尽管神志不清,但吉尔赛那斯明白,莱萨格斯就在身边,巴纳萨尔、卡拉尼亚斯与其他的精灵们也都在。骑士们向他们透露过些许未来的命运:他们正航向大陆——航向一条名为凯蓝卓斯的可怕蓝龙面前,等待他宣告他们的命运。他计划用这群囚徒做些什么……尽管那群黑暗骑士对计划一无所知,但那显然十分恐怖。

吉尔赛那斯把头靠在木板上,闭上了眼睛。在他尽力眯起双眼,在想象中回放着往昔的全部回忆时,他看到了一丝银鳞的微光。

“她还在那儿。”他无声地低语,只用嘴唇描摹着那些词句的轮廓,从中咂取一丝安慰,“她在等着我……我知道。”

*****
 
The creaking of the hull timbers was a steady rhythm, reminding the prisoner that he was in fact still alive. 
The manacles, soaked with saltwater, had long since chafed his wrists raw. His tongue was swollen with thirst, 
but Knights gave their prisoners only enough water to keep them alive.
Though he was barely conscious, Gilthanas knew that Lethagas was here, as were Banatharl, Carranias, 
and the other elves. The Knights had told them something of their fate: They sailed toward the 
mainland—toward a destiny with a monstrous blue dragon called Khellendros. He had plans for the 
prisoners . . . plans that were unknown, but clearly horrifying, to the Dark Knights.
Gilthanas leaned his head against the hull and closed his eyes. When he squinted hard, turning his 
imagination back to a full remembrance of his past, he saw just a glimmer of silver scales.
"She's out there still," he whispered, making no sound but drawing comfort from shaping the words with  his 
lips. "And she waits for me ... I know she does."
主题: Re: 【谜之私译坑】少年Gi的奇幻漂流
作者: 茶白猫小修2013-08-17, 周六 22:10:14
小说部分译名表

以正式版电子书译名为准,话说正式版0.7的译名表排版略有问题,等下一版的时候改过来吧(反正也没人看)。

A       
A Knight's Rest        骑士小憩
Aarakocra        阿拉柯剌人
Abanasinia        阿班西尼亚
Abyss        无底深渊
aeromancy        大气系
Age of Might        力量之年代
Age of Mortals        凡人之年代
Aghar        艾格哈
Alhana Starbreeze        阿尔瀚娜•星光
Alla        艾拉
Aman Daun        阿曼•道恩
Anaya        安娜雅
Anaya's Tree        安娜雅之树
Ancient City of Purstal        普斯塔古城
Ansalon        安塞隆
Ariakus        艾瑞阿卡斯
Arlena Plata        阿莲娜•普拉塔
Artist's Guild        艺术家公会
Astivar Mountains        阿斯提瓦山脉
Autumn's Twilight festival        秋暮庆典
       
B       
Banatharl        巴纳萨尔
banshee        女妖
Barbarian        野蛮人/蛮子
bard        吟游诗人
Beryl        碧雷
Black Mohrlex        黑龙墨莱克斯
Blood Bay        血湾
bloodsucking vines        吸血藤
Blue Dragonarmy        蓝龙大军
Blue Phoenix        蓝凤凰
Branchala        布兰查拉
Broken Horn        断角
Bronze dragon        青铜龙
Brookgreen        溪绿之月
       
C       
Caergoth        卡尔苟斯
Caramon Majere        卡拉蒙•马哲理
Carranias        卡拉尼亚斯
Castle Eastwatch        东望城堡
Castle Uth Wistan        钨斯•威斯坦城堡
Cataclysm        大灾变
Chaos War        混沌之战
charm        魅惑术
Citadel of Light        光明城堡
Claren Elian        克拉伦艾莲
Cobalt        钴蓝
Code        骑士守则
Courrain Ocean        克瑞恩海
creatures of chaos        混沌生物
Crysania        克丽珊娜
       
D       
Dark Knights        黑暗骑士
Dark Queen        黑暗之后
Dark Vengeance        暗黑复仇神
divination        预言系
Dolan        道兰
Dottaard        多特阿德
Douglas Niles        道格拉斯•奈尔
draconian        龙人
Dragon Highlord        龙骑将
Dragon Isles        巨龙列岛
Dragon Purge        龙类清洗
dragonarmy        龙人大军
Dragon's Graveyard        巨龙墓场
Drussi        德鲁茜
Duntollik Run        丹特里克溪
       
E       
elf        精灵
E'li        爱力
Elial        伊莱尔
Elian Isle        艾莲岛
elven steel        精灵钢
Emperor of Ergoth        亚苟斯皇帝
Empire of Ergoth        亚苟斯帝国
enchantment        惑控系
Ergoth        亚苟斯
Estwilde        东野地
       
F       
Falaius Taneek        法莱乌斯•塔尼克
Final Gift        最后的礼物
Fleurgreen        花绿之月
Flotsam        福罗参
Foghaven Vale        雾港谷
Forbidden City        禁城
Francis        弗朗西斯
frosteaver        冰裂斧
Frostkolt        霜寒之月
Frozen Past Arch        冰封旧日之拱
       
G       
Gal Tra'kalas        盖-查-卡拉斯
Gateway        盖特威
Gavin        盖文
Gellidus        盖力达斯
geomancy        地系
Gildember        染金之月
Gilthanas        吉尔赛那斯
Gilthas        吉尔萨斯
gnome        侏儒
goblin        地精
Godshome        神之乡
Goldmoon        金月
governor        执政官
Grand Hall        大礼堂
Grand Master        天位骑士
Great Blue        苍蓝尊者
Great Red        赤红尊者
Green Lorrinar        绿龙罗瑞那
griffin        狮鹫
Gully dwarf        溪谷矮人
Gunthar        刚萨
Gwynned        关南德
       
H       
Habbakuk        哈巴库克
Half-Elven        半精灵
Hannah        汉娜
Hargoth        哈苟斯
healer        治疗师
Heart        冰心
Heroes of the Lance        长枪英雄
High Sorcery        高阶法师
Hill of Sol-Fallon        索-法伦之丘
Hogan Bight        霍甘•拜特
Holmswelth        沚暑之月
House of Kharolis        卡若理家族
huldrefolk        胡睹族
Huma's Tomb        修玛陵寝
       
I       
Icewall Glacier        冰墙冰川
Inn of the Last Home        最后归宿旅店
Ishtar        伊斯塔
Isle of Cristyne        克莉丝丁岛
Isle of Sancrist        圣奎斯特岛
Isle of Schallsea        啸海岛
       
J       
Jean Rabe        简•拉比
Jennetta Aurrafil        洁妮塔•奥拉菲
       
K       
Kagonesti        卡冈那斯提
Kalaman        卡拉曼
Kapak        卡帕克龙人
Karine Thasally        卡琳•赛莎莉
Karthay        卡萨
Keelak        奇拉克
Khellendros        凯蓝卓斯
Khur        库尔族
Kingdom of Kharolis        卡若理王国
Kiri-Jolith        奇力•裘理斯
Kith-Kanan        姬斯卡南
Knight of the Crown        皇冠骑士
Knight of the Lily        百合骑士
Knight of the Rose        玫瑰骑士
Knight of the Skull        骷髅骑士
Knight of the Sword        圣剑骑士
Konnal        孔纳
Korval        科瓦尔
Kresh        克雷什
Krynn        克莱恩
Kurmost        库莫斯特
kyrie        鹰羽人
       
L       
Lady Knight        女骑士
Lady Sheryl        雪莉儿女士
Last Gaard Mountains        终末加德山脉
Laurana        罗拉娜
Leapt        “离谱”
Left        莱菔
Legion of Steel        史钢军团
Legionnaires        军团兵
Leth        莱斯
Lethagas        莱萨格斯
levitation        漂浮术
Liam Ehrling        利亚姆•厄林
Linsha Majere        林霞•马哲理
Lonar Hiddel        罗纳尔•西德尔
Lorannus        罗兰纳斯
Lord        城主/勋爵
Lord Ariakan        艾瑞阿肯大君
Lord Mayor        市长
Lord Toede's Hunt        投德大王的狩猎
Lynn        琳恩
       
M       
Mala        玛拉
Malystryx        玛烈赤斯
Master of Rank        位阶大师
Measure        骑士规章
Migel Aurrafil        米格尔•奥拉菲
military governor        军事总督
minotaur        牛头人
Mirror        明镜
Mishakal        米莎凯
Missing City        无踪之城
Mistress        女王
Monster wyrm        怪龙
mystic        秘术师
Mystic Places        神秘之地
       
N       
Neraka        奈拉卡
New Coast        新海岸
New Ports        新港
New Sea        新海
Nightlund        奈罗德
Nordmaar        诺德马
Northern Ergoth        北亚苟斯
       
O       
ogre        食人魔
Ohme        奥默
Old District        老城区
Old Man Wellbyt        威尔伯特老头儿
Order        阶级
Orders of the Knighthood        骑士团
       
P       
Paladine        帕拉丁
Palanthas        帕兰萨斯
Paleswelt        黯暑之月
Palin Majere        帕林•马哲理
Peak of Clouds        流云之巅
Pehter        派特
Perpetual Prison        永久监狱
phantom folk        幻之民
Pitch        沥青
Plains of Dust        灰烬平原
Pothios        波修士
powers of the heart        心之力量
Princess Kojen        科延公主
Proclamation of Manifest Virtue        《证明美德》的敕命
Purstal        普斯塔
       
Q       
Qualimori        奎灵莫利
Qualinesti        奎灵那斯提
Qualinesti Vale        奎灵那斯提谷
Qualinost        奎灵诺斯特
Queen of Darkness        黑暗之后
Quintayne        奎因泰涅
       
R       
Raekel's Pit        雷切尔深坑
rank        位阶
Reapember        收获之月
Red Fenalysten        红龙菲那莱斯坦
Red's Emissary        红龙使者
regent        摄政王
Relgoth        瑞尔苟斯
Reorx        李奥克斯
Revered Daughter        神眷之女
Rika        利卡
Riva Silverblade        莉娃•银刃
River of Healing        治愈之河
Rosella        罗瑟拉
       
S       
Sable        黑貂
Sailor's Guildhouse        水手之家
Sancrist        圣奎斯特
Sargonnas        萨苟纳
Schallsea        啸海
scout        斥候
scribe        书记官
seer        先知
Selin        塞林
Serran        瑟兰
shadow walkers        影行者
shaman        萨满
Shoole        舒尔
Sikk'et Hul        锡科特胡
Silvamori        西瓦莫利
Silvanesti        西瓦那斯提
Silvanos        西瓦诺斯
Silvanost        西瓦诺斯特
Silvara        西悠瓦拉
Silveran Greenhands        西尔维兰•绿手
Sinthal-Elish        精灵星
Sir        爵士
Skie        蓝天
Solace        索拉斯
Solamnia        索兰尼亚
Solanthus        索兰萨斯
Solostaran        索拉斯特伦
Solov        索罗武
Sondra Softtouch        桑德拉•轻触
soothsayer        预言家
Soth        索思
Speaker        咏者
Speaker of the Sun        太阳咏者
Spudder        石普德
Stalker        潜行者
Stan        斯坦
Sterellus        史泰拉斯
Steve Miller        史蒂夫•米勒
Stone Rose        石玫瑰镇
Stumpy        矮冬瓜
Sturm Brightblade        史东•布莱特布雷德
Summer of Chaos        混沌之夏
Sun Medallion        太阳之纹章
Superior Master        至高导师
       
T       
Takhisis        塔克西丝
Tan Griffin Inn        褐色狮鹫旅店
Tanis        坦尼斯
Tanith        坦尼丝
Tarn Granger        塔恩•格兰杰
Tasslehoff        泰索何夫
teleport        传送术
Test        试炼
thanoi        海象人
The Footprint of Chaos        混沌足印
The Sneezer        阿嚏人
Thon-Sorpon        东索朋
Throtl        所罗特
Tierrel Rychner        提利尔•雷切纳
Tika        提卡
Tinkers        工匠
Torath River        托拉斯河
Tower of Stars        星辰之塔
Tower of the High Clerist        法王塔
two-headed ogres        双头食人魔
       
U       
undead        不死生物
unicorn        独角兽
       
V       
vallenwood        瓦伦木
Valley of Crystal        水晶谷
Vinas Solamnus        维纳斯•索兰那斯
Vingaard        敏加
Vingaard Brewery        敏加啤酒厂
Vingaard Campaign        敏加战役
Vingaard River        敏加河
       
W       
walking dead        行尸
War of Lance        长枪战争
warrior        战士
Whitestone        圣白石
Whitestone Glade        圣白石大草地
Widow Nell        寡妇妮尔
Will        威尔
Willam        威廉
Windcatcher        追风者
Winston's Tower        温斯顿之塔
Winter Solstice        冬至
Woods of Lahue        拉许森林
Wylan        威兰
       
Y       
Yurthgreen        青绿之月
       
Z       
zombie        僵尸