魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第30章

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rhythmically。　

Jaina　reached　into　her　cloak　and　grabbed　the　scroll。　Aegwynn　was　grateful；　as　it　meant　this　would　be　over　soon。
Now　that　Zmodlor　had　revealed　himself；　Jaina　would　be　able　to　cast　the　banishment。　
　
Suddenly；　Jaina　screamed　and　fell　to　the　floor。　

Jaina！　　Aegwynn　ran　to　the　young　mage　s　side。　Lorena；　good　soldier　that　she　was；　moved　to　stand　between　the
demon　and　Jaina。　

Sweat　beaded　on　Jaina　s　forehead　as　she　managed　to　get　to　her　knees。　Through　clenched　teeth；　she　said；
Warlocks…blocking　the　spell。　　

This　close；　Aegwynn　could　feel　the　warlocks　　spellcasting。　It　was　fairly　weak；　though　there　were　about　a　dozen　of
them；　which　added　power　to　their　spells。　Still；　a　mage　of　Jaina　s　stature　should　have　been　able　to　punch　through
that。　

Unless；　of　course；　she　d　overextended　herself。　

Jaina　was　struggling　Aegwynn　could　feel　it　but　she　was　losing　ground　to　Zmodlor　s　minions。　

This　is　even　better　than　I　d　hoped。　I　ll　make　sure　that　the　orcs　are　blamed　for　Proudmoore　s　death。　It　will　send　the
humans　into　a　frenzy。　Nothing　will　stop　them　from　going　to　war；　and　without　her　to　guide　them；　they　ll　lose　but
not　before　they　kill　as　many　orcs　as　possible。　It　will　be　glorious！　　

Like　hell；　　Aegwynn　muttered。　There　was　only　one　thing　for　her　to　do。　

It　had　been　almost　four　years　since　she　brought　Medivh　back。　That　had　drained　all　her　magic　at　the　time；　as　she　d
told　Jaina　but　the　magic　never　went　away　forever。　Two　decades　after　she　had　escaped　to　Bladescar；　she　had　built
up　enough　magical　power　to　bring　back　her　son。　While　she　hadn　t　regained　anywhere　near　that　much　in　the　four
years　since；　she　might　well　have　enough　to　do　what　was　necessary。　If　not　well；　she　d　lived　almost　a　full　
millennium。　As　Lorena　had　so　eloquently　pointed　out；　that　was　a　lot　more　than　most　people　got。　

Sweat　was　now　pouring　down　Jaina　s　face。　She　was　still　kneeling；　fists　clenched　and　resting　on　her　thighs。
Aegwynn　could　feel　the　spell　that　she　herself　had　written　struggling　to　push　past　the　blocks　the　warlocks　were　
putting　up。　

Down　on　one　knee　at　Jaina　s　side；　Aegwynn　grabbed　the　younger　woman　s　left　fist　with　both　hands。　She　closed　her
eyes；　gathered　up　her　thoughts；　her　power；　her　very　life　essence。　Focusing　it；　molding　it；　moving　it；　she　channeled　it
all　into　her　arms…then　her　forearms…then　her　hands…　

And　then　to　Jaina。　

Fatigue　rather　suddenly　overwhelmed　her。　Her　bones　felt　heavy　in　her　skin；　her　muscles　ached　as　if　she　had　just　run
a　race；　and　her　breaths　came　in　shallow　gasps。　Ignoring　all　of　it；　Aegwynn　continued　to　focus；　willing　her　life；　her
magic；　her　very　soul　to　Jaina　Proudmoore。　

Jaina　opened　her　eyes。　Normally　an　icy　blue；　they　were　now　a　fiery　red。　

No！　　

Simultaneously；　both　Aegwynn　and　Jaina　said；　Yes！　　

You　cannot　stop　the　Burning　Blade！　We　will　prevail　over　all；　destroying　everything　in　our　path；　and　then　we
aaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAARRRRRRR　
RGH！　　

Zmodlor　s　screams　echoed　not　only　off　the　walls；　but　from　the　mouths　of　the　warlocks；　who　felt　sympathetic
agony　through　the　bond　the　demon　had　with　them。　Though　Aegwynn　s　vision　was　fading；　she　saw　Zmodlor　s
hideous　body　twist　and　contort；　ichor　spewing　from　wounds　that　suddenly　ripped　open。　
　
A　wind　kicked　up　as　the　air　itself　was　rent　asunder　by　the　spell　Aegwynn　had　written　a　portal　to　the　Twisting　
her　pulling　Zmodlor　s　body　into　the　tear。　

Noooooooo！　I　won　t　let　you　trap　me　aga　　　

The　demon　s　words　were　cut　off　by　his　head　being　sucked　in。　

But　the　screams　continued　from　the　warlocks；　even　as　the　ground　shook　under　Aegwynn　s　unsteady　legs。　Moments
later；　they　stopped　as　they；　too；　were　sucked　into　the　Twisting　her；　where　they　would　suffer　anguish　several
orders　of　magnitude　worse　than　what　they　had　planned　for　the　residents　of　Kalimdor。　

The　tear　closed　but　the　cavern　was　still　shaking。　

Showing　a　soldier　s　capacity　for　stating　the　obvious；　Lorena　said；　We　ve　got　to　get　out　of　here！　　

But　Aegwynn　couldn　t　make　her　limbs　move。　Her　arms　and　legs　felt　like　dead　weights；　and　it　took　all　her　energy　
just　to　keep　her　eyes　open。　

One　of　the　stalactites　ripped　from　the　cave　roof　with　a　sharp　crack　and　impaled　the　floor　less　than　a　handsbreadth
from　where　Aegwynn　and　Jaina　both　knelt。　

Aegwynn　heard　Jaina　start　to　mutter　the　incantation　for　the　teleport　spell。　

Then　she　passed　out。　

Epilogue　

O　nce　again；　Lady　Jaina　Proudmoore　stood　atop　the　butte　on　Razor　Hill；　gazing　out　over　Durotar。　

Soon；　she　heard　the　low；　steady　rumble　that　heralded　the　arrival　of　Thrall　s　airship。　This　time；　the　Warchief　came　
with　an　honor　guard；　most　of　whom　remained　in　the　undercarriage　while　he　climbed　down　the　rope　ladder　to　greet
Jaina。　One　warrior；　whom　Jaina　did　not　recognize；　came　down　after　him。　When　they　alighted　on　the　butte；　the
warrior　stood　three　paces　behind　Thrall；　holding　his　ax　at　the　ready　in　front　of　him。　

Smiling　wryly；　Jaina　said；　Do　you　not　trust　me；　Thrall？　　

Thrall　returned　the　smile。　My　own　closest　advisor　betrayed　me；　Jaina。　I　think　it　s　best　if　I　remain　alert　at　all
times　and　with　someone　watching　my　back。　　

A　wise　move。　　

Is　the　threat　truly　ended？　　

Jaina　nodded。　It　would　appear　to　be。　Zmodlor　and　the　warlocks　who　performed　his　magicks　have　been　banished　to
the　Twisting　her。　Even　the　Burning　Legion　would　be　hardpressed　to　liberate　them　and　so　minor　a　demon
would　hardly　be　worth　the　effort。　　

Well　done。　I　only　wish　it　could　have　been　acplished　before　blood　was　spilled　unnecessarily。　　Thrall　s　hand
went　to　his　belt；　from　which　hung　a　talisman　in　the　shape　of　a　flaming　sword。　Jaina　assumed　it　belonged　to　Burx；
the　advisor　who　had　allied　himself　with　Zmodlor；　just　as　Kristoff　had。　According　to　Major　Davin　s　report
provided　along　with　his　letter　of　resignation　Thrall　had　killed　Burx　in　front　of　a　large　cadre　of　orc　and　troll　
warriors　for　consorting　with　the　Burning　Blade。　
　
Sighing；　Jaina　said；　We　were　very　lucky；　Thrall。　Zmodlor　may　have　been　responsible　for　this；　but　he　simply　
brought　up　hatreds　that　were　already　there。　Look　at　how　easily　your　people　and　mine　took　to　killing　each　other　at
Northwatch。　　

Indeed。　It　was　far　easier　for　our　people　to　cooperate　with　the　Burning　Legion　as　a　mon　enemy。　Now…　　His
voice　trailed　off。　

Silence　hung　in　the　air　for　a　few　moments　before　Jaina　spoke　again。　Before；　I　said　that　after　this　crisis　was　solved；
we　would　speak　of　a　treaty　between　our　people。　　

Yes。　If　this　alliance　is　to　outlive　the　two　of　us　and　it　must；　if　both　humans　and　orcs　are　to　survive　then　we　must　
formalize　our　alliance。　　

I　suggest　we　meet　one　week　from　today　at　Ratchet　it　s　a　neutral　port；　and　we　can　work　out　the　specifics。　　

Agreed。　I　shall　bring　Kalthar　he　is　the　wisest　of　us。　　

Jaina　couldn　t　help　herself。　Wiser　even　than　the　Warchief？　　

Thrall　laughed。　Far　far　wiser　than　he。　It　will　be　done；　Jaina。　　

Excellent。　Farewell；　Thrall。　I　will　see　you　in　a　week。　　

Farewell；　Jaina。　May　we　e　out　of　this　crisis　stronger　than　ever。　　

Nodding；　Jaina　cast　the　spell　that　would　bring　her　back　to　her　chambers。　

Aegwynn　was　there　waiting　for　her。　It　had　taken　the　old　woman　a　few　days　to　awaken　after　she　passed　out　in　the
cave；　and　Jaina　had　feared　for　a　time　that　the　Guardian　would　not　recover　at　all。　

Jaina　had　barely　enough　left　in　her　to　teleport　the　three　of　them　to　a　spot　a　ways　down　on　Dreadmist　Peak；　away　
from　the　mist。　She　could　not　take　them　any　farther　than　that；　somehow；　she　had　dredged　up　enough　to　contact
Theramore　and　have　an　airship　e　to　fetch　them。　

Although　Jaina　was　fairly　ragged　when　the　dirigible　rescued　them；　Aegwynn　was　as　weak　as　a　kitten。　A　hot　meal
and　a　nap；　and　Jaina　was　fine。　Aegwynn；　however；　needed　a　lot　longer　than　that。　The　Chief　Healer　s　initial
prognosis　was　not　good；　but　after　a　few　days；　he　declared　her　to　have　the　constitution　of　an　elf。　

Sure　enough；　she　recovered　fully。　She　now　sat　in　the　guest　chair　in　Jaina　s　chambers。　About　time　you　got　back。　　

I　see　you　ve　recovered　fully；　Magna　your　tongue　included。　　

Aegwynn　laughed。　　So　it　would　seem。　　

Jaina　fell　more　than　sat　in　her　own　chair；　feeling　rather　tired。　She　wouldn　t　have　minded　a　few　days　to　recover　from
the　ordeal　herself；　but　had　been　unable　to　take　the　time。　There　was　no　chamberlain　to　fob　off　some　of　the　work　on
to。　Duree　had　handled　as　much　as　she　could；　but　as　useful　as　she　was；　she　could　not　deal　with　any　of　the　more　
plex　aspects　of　running　Theramore。　Lorena　had　been　somewhat　more　helpful；　at　least　in　military　matters；　but　
she　too　had　no　skill　with　other　aspects　of　government。　So　Jaina　was　unable　to　devote　herself　fully　to　resting　up
much　to　the　irritation　of　the　healer　which　left　her　fatigued。　

She　regarded　Aegwynn；　who　stared　back　with　her　deep　green　eyes。　It　frightened　Jaina　that　their　entire　victory　over
Zmodlor　was　due　to　the　happenstance　of　her　choosing　the　Bladescar　Highlands　as　the　place　to　relocate　the　thunder　
lizards。　Even　if　she　had　discovered　that　Zmodlor　was　responsible；　without　the　erstwhile　Guardian；　she　never　would
have　been　able　to　defeat　the　demon　and　his　minions。　
　
I　want　to　thank　you；　Mag　Aegwynn。　Without　you；　all　would　have　been　lost。　　

Aegwynn　simply　bowed　her　head　in　response。　

I　suppose　that　you　ll　want　to　return　to　Bladescar？　　

Actually；　　Aegwynn　said　with　a　lone　small　smile；　no。　　

Jaina　blinked。　No？　　

I　d　like　to　return　long　enough　to　retrieve　some　things；　and　pick　from　the　garden　one　last　time　before　the　thunder
lizards　trample　all　over　it。　But　I　ve　been　out　of　the　world　for　far　too　long。　I　think　it　s　time　I　started　living　in　it　again。　
Assuming　that　the　world　will　have　me；　at　any　rate。　　

Most　definitely。　　Jaina　sat　up　in　her　chair。　She　had　hoped　that　Aegwynn　would　feel　that　way；　but　had　not　in　her
wildest　dreams　believed　that　those　hopes　would　bee　reality。　As　it　happens；　I　have　an　opening　for　a　
chamberlain。　It　s　a　position　that　requires　knowledge；　insight；　and　a　willingness　to　put　me　in　my　place　and　tell　me　
off　when　I　need　it。　I　d　say　you　qualify　in　all　regards　especially　the　last　part。　　

Laughing；　Aegwynn　said；　Certainly；　though　the　first　two　are　arguable。　Still；　I　suppose　I　gained　some　knowledge　
and　insight　in　a　thousand　years。