魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


cause　problems　later；　but　by　then　the　die　would　be　cast。　The　only　way　for　Jaina　Proudmoore　to　see　that　the　orcs　
were　not　to　be　trusted　was　to　accelerate　the　inevitable　war　between　them。　

To　that　end；　he　picked　up　the　stone　once　again；　this　time　with　both　hands　rather　than　one；　which　the　stone　registered
as　a　desire　to　send　a　message。　This　time；　the　stone　glowed　blue。　This　is　Chamberlain　Kristoff。　I　m　afraid　our　worst
fears　have　been　realized。　Both　Lady　Proudmoore　and　Colonel　Lorena　have　been　taken　by　the　foul　orc　cult　known　as
the　Burning　Blade。　The　orcs　must　be　made　to　pay　for　this。　Major　Davin；　you　are　to　take　charge　of　all　forces　at
Northwatch　and　prepare　for　war。　　

When　he　put　the　stone　back　down；　the　glow　faded；　its　message　sent　through　the　aether　to　its　counterpart　in　the　keep。　

After　that；　he　retreated　to　the　chambers　to　finish　the　work　he　had　been　in　the　middle　of。　However；　the　stink　of　sulfur　
permeated　the　air　as　soon　as　he　arrived　at　the　entryway；　which　meant　that　Zmodlor　had　arrived。　

Galtak　Ered　nash。　Report；　Chamberlain。　　
　
Kristoff　wrinkled　his　nose；　both　because　of　the　smell　and　in　general　disgust。　He　hated　being　involved　with　demons；
and　if　the　stakes　weren　t　so　high；　he　would　just　as　soon　run　this　creature　through。　But　another　lesson　of　leadership
Kristoff　had　learned　was　that　sometimes　one　had　to　make　strange　allies　in　order　to　serve　the　greater　good　of　one　s
people。　That　was　why　Lady　Proudmoore　had　taken　the　extraordinary　step　of　bringing　human　and　orc　together　in　the　
first　place；　and　why　Kristoff　now　had　to　take　the　same　step　with　Zmodlor。　It　was　a　temporary　alliance　with　a　minor
demon　who　meant　little　in　the　grand　scheme　of　things。　In　truth；　Kristoff　was　using　Zmodlor　playing　on　the
creature　s　vanity　and　bowing　and　scraping　before　him　in　order　for　him　to　do　precisely　what　Kristoff　wished。　

All　goes　according　to　plan。　The　people　of　Theramore　are　primed　to　attack　the　orcs　and　destroy　them。　　

Good。　I　will　derive　great　pleasure　from　seeing　those　foul　traitors　wiped　from　this　world。　　

As　will　I。　　Kristoff　meant　those　words。　Zmodlor　had　been　a　useful　ally　to　Kristoff　because　the　two　of　them　shared
a　fervent　desire　to　rid　the　world　of　orcs。　And　when　this　was　all　over；　and　the　orcs　were　no　longer　a　factor；　Kristoff　
fully　intended　to　rid　the　world　of　Zmodlor　as　well…。　

May　our　hearts　　desires　e　to　us　sooner　rather　than　later；　Chamberlain。　Farewell。　Galtak　Ered　nash。　　

Nodding；　Kristoff　repeated　those　two　words　in　Zmodlor　s　native　tongue　that　translated　as：　All　hail　the　Burning　
Blade。　　

Sixteen　

A　egwynn　watched　with　bitter　amusement　as　Jaina　Proudmoore　tried　to　break　the　demonic　wards。　The　girl　had　left
Aegwynn　s　hut　to　go　to　the　periphery　of　the　wards　which　were　in　the　same　location　as　the　previous　ones　and　try　
to　perate　them　from　close　up；　at　which　Aegwynn　didn　t　expect　her　to　be　any　more　successful。　

Zmodlor　obviously　had　no　interest　in　meeting　Aegwynn　again；　since　he　d　gone　to　the　trouble　to　trap　her　here　once　
Proudmoore　dispersed　the　old　wards。　After　all；　as　long　as　those　wards；　which　were　up　due　to　Aegwynn　s　desire；
were　in　place；　Zmodlor　had　nothing　to　worry　about。　But　if　the　wards　went　down；　he　d　be　concerned；　and　so　would
have　a　backup　in　place。　

Not　that　it　mattererd。　Aegwynn　was　long　past　the　point　of　being　able　to　fight　demons　magically。　

After　her　latest　failed　attempt；　Proudmoore　reached　into　her　cloak　and　pulled　out　some　jerky。　Almost
unconsciously；　Aegwynn　nodded　her　approval。　Whoever　mentored　the　girl　was　sensible　enough　to　teach　her　the　
practicalities。　That　was　something　Scavell；　for　all　his　brilliance；　had　never　covered。　It　wasn　t　until　the　third　time　she
collapsed　from　hunger　following　the　pursuit　of　a　demon　that　she　thought　to　bring　food　with　her　on　such　missions。　

Then　the　girl　turned　to　face　Aegwynn。　Perhaps　if　we　bine　our　forces；　we　can　do　it。　　

Not　bloodly　likely。　　Aegwynn　laughed　bitterly。　Adding　my　　forces　　to　yours　would　give　you　the　same　result。　My　
magical　abilities　have　long　since…atrophied。　　The　word　was　inaccurate；　but　was　sufficient　for　the　purposes　of
answering　Proudmoore　s　question。　A　pity　there　s　no　one　on　the　other　side　to　serve　as　a　conduit。　　

A　conduit　for　what？　　

Aegwynn　revised　her　estimate　of　Proudmoore　s　teacher　back　downward。　Don　t　you　know　Meitre　s　peration
spell？　　

Proudmoore　shook　her　head。　Most　of　Meitre　s　scrolls　were　destroyed　ten　years　ago。　I　learned　the　ones　that　were　
salvaged；　but　that　one　doesn　t　sound　familiar。　　
　
Pity；　　was　all　Aegwynn　would　say。　It　mattered　little　to　her　whose　wards　were　up；　as　long　as　they　kept　her　safe　
here。　She　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　live　out　the　rest　of　her　days　away　from　the　world　she　d　already　done　too
much　damage　to。　

Why　are　you　so　weakened？　　

Aegwynn　sighed。　She　should　have　expected　that。　

Then　again；　perhaps　Proudmoore　needed　to　hear　the　entire　story。　Or　at　least；　Aegwynn　s　own　verison　of　it。　



Twentyfive　years　ago…　　

Medivh　had　taken　up　residence　in　the　tower　of　Kharazan　in　the　Redridge　Mountains；　located　in　a　series　of　hillocks。
Surrounded　only　by　vines　and　weeds　the　old　trees　of　the　Elwynn　Forest　no　longer　made　it　up　this　far；　they　had
died　after　Medivh　took　up　residence　the　tor　on　which　Medivh　had　his　keep　was　shaped　exactly　like　a　human　skull。　

Aegwynn　found　the　shape　to　be　sadly　appropriate。　She　approached　the　place　now　on　foot；　having　no　desire　to　do
anything　to　alert　her　son　to　her　approach。　

The　Guardians　of　Tirisfal　were　dead。　Orcs　now　rampaged　throughout　Azeroth。　War　had　broken　out　all　over　the　
world。　The　source　of　all　this？　

Her　own　flesh　and　blood。　

She　didn　t　know　how　it　was　possible。　She　had　sired　Medivh　to　carry　on　her　work；　not　unravel　it。　

Only　when　she　arrived　at　the　gates　did　she　feel　it。　Her　son　was　present；　she　knew　that　much；　as　were　Moroes；　the
house　servant；　and　the　cook　though　the　latter　two　were　both　asleep　in　their　respective　chambers。　But　she　felt　
another；　one　whose　essence　was　intertwined　with　that　of　her　son。　One　whom　she　had　defeated　centuries　ago。　

No　longer　bothering　with　her　attempt　to　arrive　subtly；　she　cast　a　wind　spell　that　slammed　into　the　gate；　gale　forces
shattering　the　wood　into　a　thousand　pieces。　

Her　son　stood　on　the　other　side。　He　had　inherited　Aegwynn　s　great　height　and　her　eyes；　from　Nielas　Aran　came　his
broad　shoulders　and　elegant　nose。　His　grayflecked　hair　was　tied　back　in　a　respectable　ponytail；　and　he　kept　his　salt
andpepper　beard　well　trimmed。　His　maroon　cloak　flowed　behind　him　in　the　breeze。　

Yet　the　being　that　stood　before　her　was　unrecognizable　as　her　son。　For；　though　her　eyes　saw　Medivh；　her　entire　
wizardly　being　saw　only　Sargeras。　

How　is　this　possible？　I　killed　you。　　

Medivh　laughed　a　demonic　laugh。　Mother；　are　you　truly　that　much　of　a　fool？　Did　you　really　think　that　a　mere　girl
could　destroy　the　greatness　that　is　Sargeras？　He　used　you。　Used　you　to　make　me。　He　hid　within　you；　then　when
you　so　ably　seduced　my　father　transferred　his　essence　to　my　fetus。　He　has　been　my　constant　panion　my　
mentor；　the　parent　you　never　let　me　have。　　

Aegwynn　couldn　t　believe　it。　How　could　she　have　been　so　blind？　　You　killed　the　council。　　

Did　you　not　always　say　that　they　were　fools？　　

That　s　not　the　point！　They　didn　t　deserve　to　die！　　
　
Of　course　they　did。　You　didn　t　teach　me　very　much；　Mother。　You　were　always　far　too　busy　with　your　duties　as
Guardian　to　actually　raise　the　son　you　brought　into　the　world　to　succeed　you。　But　one　lesson　you　did　impart　on　one　
of　the　rare　occasions　when　you　bothered　to　acknowledge　my　existence　was　that　the　council　were　fools。　It　was
Sargeras　who　taught　me　what　the　final　fate　of　all　fools　must　be。　You　see；　Mother；　I　learned　all　my　lessons　well。　　

Stop　pretending；　Sargeras；　　she　said。　Stop　speaking　in　my　son　s　voice。　　

Medivh　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed。　Don　t　you　understand；　little　girl？　I　am　your　son！　　He　raised　his　hands。
And　I　am　your　end。　　

What　happened　next　happened　far　more　quickly　than　Aegwynn　would　have　imagined。　She　remembered　very　little
of　the　details；　which　was　probably　a　mercy。　All　she　knew　for　sure　was　that　she　had　a　harder　and　harder　time　
countering　Medivh　s　or；　rather；　Sargeras　s　spells　and　that　he　had　an　easier　and　easier　time　countering　hers。　

Weakened；　battered；　bleeding；　Aegwynn　collapsed　to　the　stone　floor　of　Medivh　s　keep；　barely　able　to　lift　her　head。
Her　son　stood　over　her；　laughing。　Why　do　you　look　so　sad；　Mother？　I　am　exactly　as　you　made　me。　After　all；　you
sired　me　in　order　to　circumvent　the　council　and　carry　on　your　heritage。　You　did　that。　From　the　moment　you
destroyed　Sargeras　s　physical　form；　thus　freeing　him　to　reside　within　you；　your　heritage　was　to　facilitate　Sargeras　s
will。　Now　you　have　fulfilled　your　purpose。　　He　grinned。　One　final　poke　in　the　eye　to　the　council；　eh？　　

Aegwynn　s　blood　turned　to　ice。　Those　were　her　thoughts　upon　Medivh　s　conception。　She　had　never　used　that
phrase　aloud；　certainly　never　to　Medivh。　She　had　indeed　been　a　minor　presence　in　his　life　at　first；　mostly　for　his
own　protection　she　couldn　t　afford　to　let　it　be　known　that　her　son　was　in　Stormwind；　for　fear　that　her　enemies
would　use　him　against　her。　Indeed；　she　only　revealed　that　she　was　his　mother　when　he　had　passed　puberty。　

At　that　moment；　she　ceased　all　resistance。　She　no　longer　wished　to　live　in　a　world　that　she　had　betrayed　so
thoroughly。　In　her　eagerness　to　do　her　job　right；　to　prove　the　council　wrong　in　their　dismissal　of　her；　she　had　led　to
the　victory　of　demonkind。　

Not　since　she　finished　her　apprenticeship　had　Aegwynn　cried。　The　birth　of　her　child；　the　death　of　her　parents；　the　
losses　against　demons　none　of　it　had　made　her　weep。　She　had　always　been　stronger　than　that。　Now；　though；　tears
flowed　freely　down　her　cheeks　as　she　looked　up　at　her　son；　who　laughed　at　her　anguish。　

Kill　me。　　

And　let　you　off　the　hook？　Don　t　be　a　fool；　Mother。　I　said　I　was　your　end；　not　your　death。　Allowing　you　to　expire　
would　not　begin　to　atone　for　what　you　have　done　to　me。　　Then　he　muttered　an　incantation。　

Eight　centuries　ago；　the　council　had　given　her　the　power　of　the　Guardian；　and　it　had　been　the　most　wonderful
experience　of　her　life。　It　was　what　it　m