魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第27章

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lts　always
looked　at　me　strangely　when　I　said　that　wizards　were　always　men；　after　all。　　That　last　was　said　with　a　certain
bitterness。　

So　were　soldiers。　I　grew　up　with　nine　brothers；　and　they　were　all　soldiers　just　like　my　father。　I　didn　t　see　any　good
reason　why　I　shouldn　t　be　one；　either。　　Lorena　chuckled。　I　got　the　same　strange　looks；　believe　me。　　

The　drinks　arrived　a　moment　later；　as　did　Aegwynn　s　salad。　Lorena　held　up　her　mug。　Would　you　like　a　taste？　　

Boar　s　grog　smelled　about　as　wretched　as　the　animal　for　which　it　was　named。　Her　nose　wrinkling；　Aegwynn
politely　declined。　I　m　afraid　I　haven　t　had　a　drink　of　alcohol　in　well；　centuries。　Mages　can　t　afford　the　loss　of
mental　acuity；　so　I　lost　the　taste　for　it　some　time　ago。　　She　held　up　her　mug；　which　was　apparently　a　mixture　of　the　
squeezings　of　three　or　four　different　fruits。　This　is　as　strong　a　concoction　as　I　m　willing　to　imbibe。　　

Makes　sense。　　Lorena　threw　back　a　big　gulp　of　her　grog。　Me；　I　can　drink　four　of　these　things　before　I　even　notice。
Always　had　a　high　tolerance。　　She　grinned。　When　I　was　a　rookie　with　the　Kul　Tiras　City　Guard；　I　always　used　to
drink　the　men　in　my　barracks　under　the　table。　We　started　having　contests　with　the　other　barracks；　and　I　was　always
the　secret　weapon。　　She　laughed。　I　quadrupled　my　ine　on　bets　alone　during　that　year。　　
　
Aegwynn　smiled　as　she　nibbled　on　her　salad。　She　found　herself　enjoying　talking　with　this　woman　an　emotion　she　
wouldn　t　have　credited　herself　capable　of　feeling　only　a　day　ago。　She　had　been　thoroughly　convinced　that　she　had
no　more　use　for　the　pany　of　other　people。　

The　steward　brought　a　pile　of　assorted　meats；　cooked　to　a　fine　brown。　Aegwynn　only　recognized　some　of　them；　but
she　assumed　the　livestock　on　Kalimdor　was　different　enough　to　account　for　that。　It　had　been　years　since　she　ate　
meat；　and；　unlike　the　smell　of　the　colonel　s　drink；　the　smell　of　the　meat　was　almost　intoxicating。　As　a　mage；　it　was
her　constant　panion　the　exhaustive　requirements　of　casting　spells　required　regular　infusions　of　protein　but
since　her　selfimposed　exile　to　Kalimdor　she　hadn　t　the　wherewithal　to　hunt　her　own　meat；　nor　the　physical　need　to
consume　it；　so　she　had　bee　a　vegetarian。　

Mind　if　I　have　a　bite？　　To　Aegwynn　s　surprise；　she　asked　the　question　shyly　another　emotion　she　didn　t　think
herself　still　capable　of。　

Pushing　the　plate　to　the　center　of　the　table　they　sat　at；　Lorena　said；　Be　my　guest。　　

As　Aegwynn　hungrily　chewed　a　piece　of　what　looked　like　boar　sausage；　Lorena　asked；　I　have　to　ask；　Magna
what　s　it　like？　　

It　s　Aegwynn；　　she　said　while　chewing　her　sausage。　I　stopped　being　the　Guardian　when　I　passed　on　the　power　to
my　son。　And　I　m　certainly　unable　to　fulfill　the　responsibilities　of　the　title　now。　　She　swallowed。　What　s　what　
like？　　

Living　for　so　long。　I　m　a　soldier；　born　and　bred；　and　I　ve　known　from　the　beginning　that　I　probably　won　t　live　to
see　my　fortieth　year。　You　ve　reached　your　fortieth　decade　twice　over。　I　just　can　t　imagine　that。　　

Aegwynn　let　out　a　long　breath　which　now　smelled　of　boar　sausage；　an　odor　that　was　still　more　pleasant　than　the
grog　named　after　the　same　animal。　There　really　wasn　t　much　time　to　reflect　on　things。　Guardian　is　a　fulltime　job；
sadly。　Demonic　threats　have　been　a　constant　since　before　I　was　born。　The　attacks　became　more　overt　in　recent
times；　which　probably　made　things　easier。　But　when　I　wasn　t　stopping　demons　I　was　covering　up　evidence　of　their
perfidy。　Most　people　didn　t　know　about　it　or　about　me　and　the　council　preferred　to　keep　it　that　way。　　She　shook
her　head。　It　s　odd　I　defied　them　in　so　many　ways；　but　that　particular　credo　I　kept　to。　I　wonder　if　that　was　a
mistake。　Yes；　people　probably　felt　safer　not　knowing　the　truth；　and　more　people　died　in　the　recent　wars　but　the　
demons　have　also　been　more　roundly　defeated。　Your　Lady　Proudmoore　and　her　orc　friend　did　more　damage　to　the　
entirety　of　demonkind　than　has　been　done　in　thousands　of　years。　　

We　re　contentious　beings；　mortals。　　Lorena　smirked。　Give　us　a　foe　to　fight；　and　we　ll　go　after　it　with　our　dying　
breath。　And　beyond；　if　needs　be。　　

Indeed。　Colonel　may　I　have　another　piece？　　

Lorena　laughed　and　said；　　Help　yourself。　　

Taking　another　piece　of　meat　this　time　one　she　didn　t　recognize　Aegwynn　wondered　what　would　happen　after
this　was　over。　She　found　the　prospect　of　returning　to　her　little　hut　in　the　Bladescar　Highlands　to　be　less　enthralling　
than　she　would　have　thought。　Jaina　had　been　correct　humans　and　orcs　had　built　a　life　here；　and　it　was　because　of
Medivh。　Which　meant；　ultimately；　it　was　because　of　her。　Perhaps　it　would　be　best　if　she　reaped　the　fruits　of　her
labors…。　

Before　she　could　ponder　further；　Jaina　entered　the　dining　hall。　I　ve　found　them。　We　must　move　quickly。　　

The　young　mage　looked　ragged。　Aegwynn　stood　up。　Are　you　well？　　

A　little　tired。　I　ll　be　fine；　　Jaina　said　dismissively。　
　
Aegwynn　pointed　at　the　plate　of　meat。　Eat　something　you　ll　be　of　no　use　to　anyone　if　you　collapse；　and　I　know
better　than　anyone　what　happens　to　spells　that　aren　t　cast　with　full　concentration。　　

Jaina　opened　her　mouth；　then　closed　it。　You　re　right；　of　course；　Magna。　　

Lorena　leaned　over　to　Jaina。　She　doesn　t　like　to　be　called　that。　　

At　that；　Aegwynn　barked　a　laugh。　She　was　really　starting　to　like　this　colonel。　

After　Jaina　wolfed　down　some　of　Lorena　s　meat　Aegwynn　was　amused　to　realize　that　Lorena　had　gotten　the
smallest　share　of　her　own　meal　the　lady　said；　The　Burning　Blade　is　operating　out　of　a　cavern　atop　Dreadmist
Peak。　　

Lorena　winced。　Oh；　great。　　

Looking　at　Lorena；　Aegwynn　asked；　　What　s　the　problem？　　

Dreadmist　Peak　is　aptly　named。　The　upper　regions　of　the　mountain　are　choked　with　this　orange　mist。　　

Dismissively；　Jaina　said；　It　s　residuum　from　an　ancient　demonic　curse　on　the　place。　That　s　probably　why　Zmodlor　
chose　it　that；　and　its　location；　since　it　s　about　equidistant　from　both　rimmar　and　Theramore。　In　any　case；　my　
magicks　will　protect　all　three　of　us　from　the　effects　of　the　mist。　　

Good；　　Lorena　said　emphatically。　

Also；　Duree　was　able　to　find　this。　　Jaina　pulled　a　familiarlooking　desealed　scroll　from　inside　her　cloak　and
handed　it　to　Aegwynn。　

She　took　it；　noted　that　the　broken　seal　was　that　of　the　Tirisfalen；　then　opened　it　and　laughed。　The　scroll　s　lettering　
was　in　her　own　handwriting。　

Handing　it　back　to　Jaina；　Aegwynn　said；　That　s　my　refinement　of　the　banishdemon　spell。　I　wrote　that　three　
hundred　years　ago；　after　Erthalif　died　and　I　got　access　to　his　redoubt。　　She　shuddered　at　the　memory　of　the　old　elf　s
library；　which　would　have　had　to　be　several　orders　of　magnitude　neater　before　it　could　be　considered　merely　a　
mess。　It　took　her　and　Erthalif　s　staff　ten　weeks　just　to　anize　the　scrolls；　scrub　away　the　desiccated　food　and
drink；　and　chase　off　the　vermin。　When　she　found　the　notes　taken　by　the　legendary　elf　wizard　Kithros　on　the　moving　
of　objects　from　one　realm　to　another；　Aegwynn　had　been　able　to　incorporate　them　into　a　more　efficient　spell　for　
banishing　demons。　I　daresay　if　I　d　had　this　eight　hundred　years　ago；　we　wouldn　t　be　dealing　with　Zmodlor　today。　　

Jaina　put　the　scroll　back　in　her　cloak。　Actually；　no。　I　checked　up；　and　it　turns　out　that　you　were　pletely　
successful　in　banishing　Zmodlor　the　first　time。　But　when　the　Burning　Legion　attacked；　they　recruited　many　
demons；　including　ones　that　had　been　banished　by　the　Tirisfalen。　When　the　war　ended；　several　stragglers　managed
to　stay　in　this　world　even　when　the　legion　was　driven　back。　　

And　Zmodlor　was　one　of　them？　　Aegwynn　asked。　

Yes。　　Jaina　nodded。　

Unsheathing　her　sword　and　sounding　to　Aegwynn　remarkably　gungho　for　someone　who　was　so　appalled　by　the
notion　of　going　to　this　Dreadmist　place　Lorena　said；　Milady；　if　I　may　ask　what　are　we　waiting　for？　　

This　warning；　　Jaina　replied。　I　was　unable　to　scry　too　closely；　for　fear　of　being　detected；　so　I　m　not　sure　what
kind　of　protection　Zmodlor　and　his　warlocks　will　have。　We　must　be　ready　for　anything。　　She　turned　to　face　
Aegwynn。　Magna　Aegwynn　you　need　not　acpany　us。　It　may　be　dangerous。　　
　
Aegwynn　snorted。　This　was　a　hell　of　a　time　for　her　to　say　that；　and　a　bit　of　a　reversal　from　her　earlier　lecture　on　her
responsibilities　as　Guardian。　Then　again；　at　the　time　they　had　thought　that　she　had　failed　in　her　banishment　of　
Zmodlor；　and　now　they　knew　that　was　not　the　case。　Yet；　she　still　felt　some　measure　of　responsibility。　I　was　facing　
dangers　far　worse　than　that　little　twerp　of　a　demon　when　your　greatgreatgrandparents　were　infants。　We　re　wasting　
time。　　

Jaina　smiled。　Then　let　s　go。　　

TwentyOne　

C　orporal　Rych　had　no　idea　who　it　was　who　started　the　fighting。　

One　moment；　he　was　standing　there　in　the　skirmish　line　in　front　of　Northwatch　Keep　s　wall；　Private　Hoban　on　his　
left；　Private　Allyn　on　his　right。　They　stood　about　twenty　paces　behind　Major　Davin。　The　major　himself　was
amazing；　just　standing　up　to　that　orc　like　the　war　hero　he　was；　not　scared　or　nothing。　Did　them　all　proud；　the　major
did。　

The　next　moment；　the　skirmish　line　was　shattered；　and　orcs；　trolls；　and　humans　were　getting　into　it。　All　around　him；
he　heard　the　clang　of　metal　on　metal；　and　the　shouts　of　both　sides　imploring　their　fellows　to　kill　their　foes。　

Not　that　Rych　minded　all　that　much。　The　orcs　had　their　nerve；　they　did。　Wasn　t　enough　they　had　to　pull　their　stunts
in　trade　at　Ratchet；　leading　to　a　good　man　like　Captain　Joq　getting　pinched　by　the　bruisers；　now　they　had　to　e
and　try　to　kick　them　out　of　their　rightful　place　in　Northwatch。　

Rych　wasn　t　putting　up　with　that；　he　wasn　t。　

He　unsheathed　the　family　claymore。　Father　was　part　of　the　Kul　Tiras　Irregulars　back　in　the　day；　and　used　the
claymore　to　good　effect。　After　he　died　of　the　flu；　Mother　joined　up　and　killed　plenty。　She　died　fighting　the　Burning　
Legion；　and　the　claymore　came　to　Rych　which　was　a　relief；　as　the　longsword　he　d　been　using　was　crap。　

Although　he　wasn　t　as　good　with　it　as　Mother；　he　was　better　than　Father　was；　and　he　intended　to　spill　plenty　of　orc　
and　troll　blood　with　it。　

One　of　the　trolls　came　right　at　him；　holding　up　a　huge　cleaver。　Rych　parried　the　cleaver；　then　kicked　the　troll　in　the　
stomac