For the next few miles, as they wound down the hillside and into the cover of deeper woods, Alias kept checking over her shoulder.接下来的几英里里，他们沿着山坡蜿蜒而下，进入更幽深的树林掩护之中，阿莉亚丝一路不住地回头张望。1
Despite having sealed Mist in, the swordswoman half-expected the dragon to dive on them from the sky, bathing the entire forest in flames.尽管已经把米斯特封在了里面，女剑士还是隐隐觉得那条龙会从空中俯冲下来，将整片森林淹没在烈焰之中。2
Logic insisted that Mist had to be at least slightly injured from her sudden collision, and it would take her at least a day to dig her way out, but Alias felt more comfortable playing it safe by assuming that Mist was pursuing them.理智告诉她，米斯特突然遭到撞击，至少也受了些伤，而且至少得花上一天才能挖出一条脱身之路；但阿莉亚丝宁愿谨慎行事，假定米斯特正在追赶他们，这样她心里更踏实。3
The swordswoman made the party turn off the road onto the first trail into the woods, so it was nearly dusk by the time they reached the stone circle where she and Akabar and Dragonbait had spent the night before.女剑士让一行人离开大路，转上遇到的第一条林间小径，因此等他们抵达那座石环时，天色已近黄昏；前一晚，她和阿卡巴、龙饵就是在那里过夜的。4
In the setting sunlight, the red hewn rock of the druid circle blazed as though the hillock on which it stood was afire.夕阳下，德鲁伊石环那凿削过的红色岩石灼灼生辉，仿佛它所在的小丘正燃烧起来。5
According to the map Dimswart had given Alias, this site had long been abandoned by the clerics of nature, yet the pines encircling the clearing showed no sign of encroaching and reclaiming the area.根据迪姆斯沃特交给阿莉亚丝的地图，这处遗址早已被自然祭司们弃置不用，可环绕空地的松树却丝毫没有侵入并重新占据此地的迹象。6
Alias wondered whether the trees were discouraged by the rocky, frost-cracked soil or thwarted by some lingering magic.阿莉亚丝不知道，树木究竟是因遍布岩石、被严霜冻裂的土壤而却步，还是受到了某种残留魔法的阻碍。7
At any rate, the bare space discouraged her as well.无论如何，这片光秃秃的空地也同样让她望而却步。8
Last night they had found the clearing too cold to use as a camping site.昨晚，他们觉得空地太冷，不适合扎营。9
Twenty feet down the slope under the cover of the pine branches, on the soft carpet of pine needles, they were sheltered from the wind and considerably warmer.沿山坡往下二十英尺，在松枝的遮蔽下，踩着松针铺成的柔软地毯，他们既能避风，也暖和得多。10
This night, the trees would also shelter them from Mist’s gaze.今晚，这些树也能遮挡米斯特的视线。11
Alias was glad to have good reasons to avoid the stone circle.阿莉亚丝很庆幸自己有充分的理由避开石环。12
The giant columns, set in no detectable order, made her uncomfortable.那些巨大的石柱毫无可辨的次序，令她心中不安。13
She and Dragonbait hurriedly retrieved the party’s gear from its hiding place in the hollow at the foot of one of the sandstone rocks.她和龙饵匆匆取回了队伍的装备；那些东西藏在一块砂岩脚下的凹洞里。14
Akabar was puffing on smoky, sparking pine needles when Alias and the lizard returned to the dark camp under the trees.阿卡巴正对着一堆冒烟、迸着火星的松针吹气，阿莉亚丝和那只蜥蜴回到了树下昏暗的营地。15
While Akabar prepared dinner, Alias, wrapped in a cloak from the cache, patrolled the edge of the clearing, occasionally glancing at the bard.阿卡巴准备晚餐时，阿莉亚丝裹着一件从藏物处取来的斗篷，在空地边缘巡查，偶尔瞥那名吟游诗人一眼。16
Ruskettle was short, even for a halfling.拉斯凯特尔个头很矮，即便以半身人的标准来看也是如此。17
Not even three feet high.还不到三英尺高。18
There was nothing childlike about her figure, though.不过，她的身材可没有半点孩子气。19
She was in the full bloom of womanhood, with plenty of curves, but she also had a slender waist and none of the plumpness most members of her race had.她正值韶华，身段丰盈有致，却又腰肢纤细，丝毫没有她的大多数族人那种圆润肥胖。20
Her leanness, the muscles of her calves, her deep tan, all indicated to Alias that the bard was an adventuress like herself.她精瘦的体态、小腿上的肌肉和晒得黝黑的肤色，都让阿莉亚丝看出，这名吟游诗人和自己一样，也是个冒险者。21
Yet, Alias was not prepared to like or trust her at all.然而，阿莉亚丝压根不打算喜欢她，更不打算信任她。22
The bard hadn’t made the slightest effort to help Dragonbait and Akabar set up camp or prepare their meal.这个吟游诗人根本没费半点力气帮龙饵和阿卡巴扎营或准备饭菜。23
Besides, halflings were trouble.再说，半身人总会惹麻烦。24
Alias had never met an exception to the rule.阿莉亚丝从没遇到过例外。25
She joined the others for dinner, seating herself opposite Ruskettle, still watching her intently.她也过来和其他人一起吃晚饭，在拉斯凯特尔对面坐下，依然目不转睛地盯着她。26
“I don’t know how to thank you properly,” the halfling bard mumbled between bites of smoke-cured mutton.“我真不知道该怎么好好感谢你们才是。”半身人吟游诗人一边大口吃着烟熏羊肉，一边含混地说道。27
“The halflings of the south have a saying: I owe you my life, your belongings are safe with me.”“南方的半身人有句俗话：我欠你一条命，你的财物在我这里就安全了。”28
The mutton leg, which might have lasted Alias and Akabar another two days, was quickly disappearing.那条羊腿原本或许还够阿莉亚丝和阿卡巴再吃两天，此刻却飞快地消失着。29
Ruskettle tossed her long, curly hair over her shoulder and motioned with her clay bowl for another helping of soup, still chewing as though her life depended on it.拉斯凯特尔把长长的鬈发甩到肩后，举起陶碗示意再来一份汤，同时仍在拼命咀嚼，仿佛性命就系于此。30
Akabar furrowed his eyebrows at the small creature’s gluttony, but he ladled out another portion of the hearty gruel, a thick barley stock with bits of salted coney seasoned with herbs from the merchant-mage’s copious pockets.阿卡巴对这个小家伙的贪吃皱起了眉头，但还是又给她舀了一份丰盛的浓粥；那是用大麦熬成的稠汤，里面放了些咸兔肉，又用商人法师众多口袋里掏出的香草调了味。31
“I can see you’re keeping our food safe,” Alias joked.“看得出来，你正替我们好好保管食物呢。”阿莉亚丝打趣道。32
“Are you sure it’s the musical ability of Olav Ruskettle that is renowned, and not her appetite?”“你确定声名远扬的是奥拉夫·拉斯凯特尔的音乐才华，而不是她的胃口吗？”33
The bard swallowed and wiped her mouth.吟游诗人咽下嘴里的食物，擦了擦嘴。34
“The name’s Olive, dear.“我叫奥利芙，亲爱的。35
Olive Ruskettle.奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔。36
Don’t worry.别在意。37
Everyone makes that mistake.”人人都会弄错。”38
“Dimswart said it was Olav,” Alias muttered as a tiny fear crept over her.“迪姆斯沃特说是奥拉夫。”阿莉亚丝喃喃道，心头悄然爬上一丝恐惧。39
Perhaps she had rescued the wrong person.也许她救错了人。40
“Well, I should know my own name, don’t you think?“哎呀，我自己的名字，我总该知道吧？41
The problem is that some fool clerk made a mistake writing it down once on some official document and ever since I’ve had to correct people.”问题是，有个蠢货文书有一次把我的名字错写在了某份公文上，从那以后，我就不得不一直纠正别人。”42
“I see,” Alias replied suspiciously, wondering whether Mistress Ruskettle wasn’t wanted under the name of Olav for something more serious than straining rhymes.“明白了。”阿莉亚丝满腹狐疑地答道，暗自揣测拉斯凯特尔女士会不会是因为比生拼硬凑韵脚更严重的事，才以奥拉夫这个名字遭到通缉。43
“As for my appetite,” Olive Ruskettle explained, washing down a loaf of bread with a long pull on a waterskin, “you should know that that witch of a dragon, while having a civilized appreciation for my musical talents, had a lot to learn about the care and feeding of a halfling.“至于我的胃口，”奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔解释道，一口气从水囊里喝了许久，把一整条面包送了下去，“你们得知道，那条女巫般的恶龙虽然颇有文明品位，懂得欣赏我的音乐才华，但在如何照料和喂养半身人这件事上，却还有很多东西要学。44
Her own eating habits were anything but regular, and I had a devil of a time convincing her that I could not live on raw venison.她自己的饮食习惯毫无规律可言，而我费了九牛二虎之力才让她相信，我不能靠生鹿肉活下去。45
Then I discovered that her cooking technique left something to be desired.后来我又发现，她的烹饪手艺也实在不怎么样。46
If you had not come along, my dear,” she said shaking her head sadly and patting Alias’s boot, “I’m afraid my little bones would have joined those of the heroes littering the floor of the dragon’s lair.”要不是你及时赶到，亲爱的，”她悲伤地摇着头，拍了拍阿莉亚丝的靴子，“恐怕我的这把小骨头，也要和散落在恶龙巢穴地面上的那些英雄遗骨作伴了。”47
As the bard continued to make up for a ride’s worth of lost meals, Alias thought of the heroes’ bones littering the caverns of Mist.吟游诗人继续大吃大喝，补回一路骑行中错过的饭食；阿莉亚丝则想起了散落在米斯特洞窟里的那些英雄遗骨。48
Heroes with all the bravado and lack of sense of the halfling.那些英雄和这个半身人一样，空有一腔蛮勇，却毫无头脑。49
Alias shook her head remembering the bard’s outrageous behavior at the mouth of Mist’s lair.阿莉亚丝摇了摇头，想起吟游诗人在米斯特巢穴洞口那番无法无天的举动。50
Alias’s first adventuring party, the Swanmays, had been like that, all flash and fanfare.阿莉亚丝最初加入的冒险队天鹅女团就是那副德行，只会虚张声势，大造声势。51
One encounter with trolls had taught them the wiser course of stealth and surprise.一次与巨魔的遭遇让她们学会了更明智的做法：隐秘行动，出其不意。52
She remembered the battle with the trolls clearly, as though it had happened last week.她清楚地记得那场与巨魔的战斗，仿佛就发生在上星期。53
So why can’t I remember last week? she thought with frustration.那我为什么记不起上星期的事？她懊恼地想。54
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that Akabar nudged her.她沉浸在思绪中，直到阿卡巴轻轻碰了碰她。55
“I’m sorry, what?” she asked.“对不起，你说什么？”她问。56
“I said, ‘Do you think we’ll return in time?’“我刚才问，‘你觉得我们能及时赶回去吗？’57
For the wedding, I mean.”我是说，赶上婚礼。”58
“We’d better, or all this effort was for nothing,” Alias answered, oblivious to the feelings of the halfling.“最好能，否则这一番辛苦就全白费了。”阿莉亚丝答道，浑然没有顾及那个半身人的感受。59
Olive Ruskettle apparently took no offense.奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔显然并不介意。60
Her mind was also on other things.她也在想着别的事情。61
“As anxious as I am to make my Cormyrian debut, I simply haven’t the strength to keep pace with you.“我虽然迫不及待地想在科米尔人中初次亮相，可实在没力气跟上你们的脚步。62
I shall have to have a mount.”我得弄一匹坐骑才行。”63
“I don’t care for sore feet and aching muscles any more than you, Mistress Ruskettle,” Alias replied.“我和你一样不喜欢脚底生疼、浑身酸痛，拉斯凯特尔女士。”阿莉亚丝答道。64
“We walked here for secrecy’s sake, but, since we seem to have eluded the dragon, horses sound like an excellent idea.“我们徒步来这里是为了保密，不过既然看来已经甩掉了那条龙，买马倒是个绝妙的主意。65
How lucky for us you managed to acquire so much of the dragon’s wealth while I was fighting for your freedom and life.我为你的自由和性命拼杀时，你竟设法弄到了这么多巨龙的财宝，我们可真幸运。66
We can purchase mounts at the first farm we come to.”到了遇见的第一座农庄，我们就可以买几匹坐骑。”67
Olive moved the mutton bone away from her face long enough to give Alias an unabashed grin.奥利芙把羊骨头从脸前挪开片刻，毫不羞愧地冲阿莉亚丝咧嘴一笑。68
“I assure you, my feet made a bee-line for safety while you so valiantly risked your life to rescue me.“我向你保证，在你英勇地冒着生命危险来救我时，我的双脚可是径直奔向了安全之处。69
My hands would have felt left out if they’d been any less useful, don’t you know?”要是我的双手没那么有用，它们岂不是会觉得受了冷落，你说是不是？”70
She waved the bone in the direction of the sacks of treasure.她挥了挥那根骨头，指向装着财宝的几个口袋。71
“Please, feel free to consider this the party’s treasure to be used to cover expenses.“请尽管把这些当作整个队伍的财宝，用来支付开销。72
Whatever remains should be divided evenly among those who survive our encounters.剩下的部分，应当由在我们一次次遭遇中活下来的人平均分配。73
Even—” she cocked an eyebrow in Akabar’s direction “—if some were less useful than others.”即使——”她朝阿卡巴的方向挑起一边眉毛，“——有些人没有其他人那么有用。”74
Akabar’s brow furrowed in astonishment at the woman’s nerve.阿卡巴惊愕地皱起眉头，没想到这女人竟如此胆大妄为。75
“That is very human of you, small one,” he said.“你可真有人情味，小个子。”他说。76
“Particularly since that spellbook you pulled from the dragon’s lair was my own.“尤其是因为你从龙巢里拿出来的那本法术书原本就是我的。77
Most strange, though, because that book was missing from my wagon since the first day out of Arabel, which was, I believe, where you joined our caravan, several days before the dragon attacked us.”不过，最奇怪的是，那本书从我们离开阿拉贝尔的第一天起就从我的马车里不见了；我记得，你正是在那里加入我们商队的，而那是在巨龙袭击我们的好几天之前。”78
“Most strange, indeed,” Olive agreed, returning Akabar’s level glare.“确实奇怪得很。”奥利芙迎着阿卡巴冷冷的目光，表示赞同。79
“But”—her eyes returned to her soup bowl, and she took a gulp of broth before continuing—“these are strange times, so the sages say.“可是——”她垂眼看回自己的汤碗，喝了一大口汤才继续说道，“正如贤者们所言，如今正是怪事频发的年月。80
Mannish kingdoms war and plot while old gods, long forgotten, stir in their restless sleep.”人类诸国征战不休、阴谋迭起，而久已被遗忘的古老诸神，也在不安的沉眠中蠢蠢欲动。”81
She lifted the soup bowl as if making a toast.她举起汤碗，仿佛要敬酒。82
“Let’s celebrate your good fortune at having your valuable tome returned to you, instead of probing into yet more mysteries.”“咱们还是庆祝一下你的好运吧——你那本珍贵的典籍终于物归原主——就别再追究更多谜团了。”83
She drained the soup bowl and held it out again.她把碗里的汤一饮而尽，又将碗递了出去。84
“Is there, perchance, any more soup?”“请问，还有汤吗？”85
Akabar drained the last of the pot into Olive’s bowl.阿卡巴把锅里最后一点汤全倒进了奥利芙的碗里。86
Olive leaned toward the treasure pile, plucked the magical book from the coins and carvings, and held it out to the wizard as he held out her soup bowl.奥利芙探身凑向宝物堆，从钱币和雕刻品中抽出那本魔法书；巫师将她的汤碗递给她时，她也把书递了过去。87
Both parties gave the other a smile that was less than earnest as the exchange was made.交换时，双方都朝对方露出了并不怎么真诚的笑容。88
Akabar inspected his book for signs of damage.阿卡巴仔细检查自己的书，看是否有破损的痕迹。89
Alias reached for a tiny pouch near the treasure pile and loosened the string about its neck.阿莉亚丝伸手拿起宝物堆旁的一个小袋子，解开了束在袋口的绳子。90
“Not that,” Olive objected.“那个别动。”奥利芙反对道。91
“Those are some of my personal effects.”“里面是我的一些私人物品。”92
But Alias had already dumped the contents of the pouch on the ground.可阿莉亚丝已经把袋里的东西全倒在了地上。93
A collection of keys, picks, and wires glittered in the dirt.一堆钥匙、开锁器和金属丝在泥土中闪闪发亮。94
A small gold ring rolled toward the fire.一枚小金戒指朝火堆滚去。95
“Oops, sorry,” Alias said nonchalantly as Olive snatched the ring from the ground.“哎呀，对不起。”奥利芙从地上抢起戒指时，阿莉亚丝满不在乎地说道。96
“You know, that ring looks familiar,” she added before the bard had a chance to pocket it.“你知道吗，那枚戒指看起来很眼熟。”还没等这位吟游诗人把它塞进口袋，她又补充道。97
“Oh, this?“哦，这个？98
I picked it up in the dragon’s lair as well.”也是我从龙巢里捡来的。”99
“I have one just like it.“我也有一枚一模一样的。100
Same blue stone set in gold.”同样是蓝宝石，镶在金子上。”101
“Maybe you dropped it when you were fighting the dragon,” Olive suggested.“也许你和龙搏斗的时候把它掉了，”奥利芙猜测道。102
“Can you prove it’s yours?”“你能证明它是你的吗？”103
Alias regarded the halfling’s nervy challenge with considerable amusement.阿莉亚丝颇觉好笑地打量着这半身人胆大包天的挑衅。104
Olive slipped the ring on her finger.奥利芙把戒指套到手指上。105
At first it jangled about, too large for her tiny digits, but a moment later it shrank to a perfect fit.起初，戒指在她纤小的手指上晃来荡去，显得太大了，可片刻之后，它便缩小到恰好合适。106
“Oooo.“噢——。107
It’s magic.它有魔法。108
Was yours magic?你的那枚也有魔法吗？109
What did it do?”它有什么用？”110
Alias was unable to reply since she had not bothered to experiment with the ring she’d looted from the assassins.阿莉亚丝答不上来，因为她根本没费心试验过那枚从刺客那里搜来的戒指。111
But she knew now as well as Akabar just how safe her possessions were in the care of the halfling bard.不过现在，她和阿卡巴一样清楚，自己的东西交给这位半身人吟游诗人保管，究竟有多么“安全”了。112
Akabar looked up from his books, which he’d been checking for damage.阿卡巴从书本间抬起头来；他刚才一直在检查那些书有没有损坏。113
“You had best be cautious with that thing, little one,” he warned.“小家伙，你最好小心那东西，”他警告道。114
“Nonsense,” Olive said with a sniff.“胡说，”奥利芙哼了一声。115
“There’s no danger as long as you know the right way to deal with these things.“只要知道对付这类东西的正确方法，就不会有危险。116
All you have to do is hold your hand over your head—” the halfling demonstrated, while Akabar stepped backward and Alias rose to her feet “—and command the ring, Show your power to me.’你只要把手举过头顶——”半身人一边示范，阿卡巴一边向后退去，阿莉亚丝则站起身来，“——然后命令戒指：‘向我展示你的力量。’117
If that doesn’t work then there are certain key words you should—”要是这样不管用，那还有几个特定的关键词，你应该——”118
They never heard the rest of the bard’s lecture.吟游诗人接下来的讲解，他们再也没能听到。119
Suddenly the ring’s power did indeed display itself.戒指的力量突然真的显现了出来。120
Akabar’s tome began to glow a soft blue, as did a ring on his finger and the one on Olive’s. Alias’s sigils outshone them all, emitting blue beams crazily about the pine forest.阿卡巴的巨著开始泛起柔和的蓝光，他手上的一枚戒指和奥利芙的那枚也一样。阿莉亚丝身上的印记却比它们全都明亮，蓝色光束在松林中疯狂地四处迸射。121
“Damn!” the swordswoman shouted, tears brimming in her eyes.“该死！”女剑士喊道，泪水涌上眼眶。122
She wrapped her cloak tightly around her body, though a blue glow peeked out at the hem and neckline.她用斗篷紧紧裹住身体，可蓝光仍从下摆和领口透了出来。123
“What was that?”“那是什么？”124
Olive gasped, her eyes glued to Alias.奥利芙倒吸一口气，双眼紧盯着阿莉亚丝。125
“Detect magic, I imagine,” Akabar answered, moving to the swordswoman’s side.“想必是侦测魔法，”阿卡巴一边回答，一边走到女剑士身旁。126
“You aren’t in any pain, I trust?”“你没觉得疼吧？”127
“I’m fine,” Alias muttered between clenched teeth.“我没事。”阿莉亚丝咬紧牙关低声说道。128
Olive continued to stare at the swordswoman as though she’d grown a second head.奥利芙继续盯着女剑士，仿佛她长出了第二颗脑袋。129
“You have a magical arm!”“你的手臂有魔法！”130
“Ignore it,” Alias muttered.“别管它。”阿莉亚丝低声说道。131
“But, it’s really magical!“可它真的有魔法！132
Incredibly magical!魔力强得不可思议！133
More magical than anything I’ve ever seen.比我见过的任何东西都更有魔力。134
I’ll bet you could have sliced Mist into pieces.我敢说，你本来能把米斯特切成碎片。135
Maybe we should go back and try it.”也许我们该回去试试看。”136
“I said, ignore it!”“我说了，别管它！”137
Alias shouted.阿莉亚丝喊道。138
For the next several minutes an embarrassed silence reigned in the camp.接下来的几分钟里，营地中笼罩着尴尬的沉默。139
Akabar cleaned out the dinner pot and used it to heat water for tea.阿卡巴把煮晚饭的锅清理干净，用它烧水泡茶。140
Olive finished her soup and polished the mutton bone nearly to ivory.奥利芙喝完了汤，又把那根羊骨头啃得几乎像象牙一样光洁。141
Alias clutched her wrapped arm close to her until the sigils’ light began to dim.阿莉亚丝把裹住的手臂紧紧抱在身前，直到符印的光芒开始黯淡。142
Dragonbait laid more wood on the fire, and then stepped outside the campsite to stand in the darkness, facing the hilltop, as though he expected danger from that direction.龙饵往火里添了些木柴，随后走出营地，站在黑暗中面朝山顶，仿佛料定危险会从那个方向袭来。143
“So, tell me, mage,” the halfling piped up, obviously uncomfortable without chatter about her.“那么，说说吧，法师，”半身人尖声开口；身边没了说话声，显然让她很不自在。144
“Where did you find your familiar?”“你是在哪里找到你的魔宠的？”145
She indicated Dragonbait by nodding her head in his direction.她朝龙饵的方向点了点头。146
“I’ve seen nothing like him from the Sword Coast all the way south to magical Halruaa.”“我从剑湾一路向南，直至充满魔法的哈鲁阿，都没见过像他这样的。”147
Alias snapped, “Dragonbait is my companion, Ruskettle, not the mage’s familiar.阿莉亚丝厉声说道：“龙饵是我的同伴，拉斯凯特尔，不是法师的魔宠。148
I did not find him.不是我找到了他。149
He found me.是他找到了我。150
He has proved more than useful.”事实证明，他可不只是有点用处。”151
“Aye, I’ve noticed.“是啊，我看出来了。152
Especially at pulling halflings out of the fire.尤其擅长把半身人从火坑里拉出来。153
I meant no offense, I assure you.我向你保证，我绝无冒犯之意。154
It’s just that I’ve never heard of a lizard acting as a manservant before.只不过，我以前从没听说过蜥蜴会给人当男仆。155
But then I’ve never heard of a magical arm before either.”不过话说回来，我以前也从没听说过魔法手臂。”156
Alias gritted her teeth.阿莉亚丝咬紧了牙关。157
If the halfling wasn’t going to give her curiosity a rest, it was time to go on the offensive.既然这个半身人不肯收起她的好奇心，那就该转守为攻了。158
“You know, I’ve never heard of a halfling bard before.”“你知道吗，我以前也从没听说过半身人吟游诗人。”159
“Well, that’s easily explained,” Olive smiled.“哦，这很容易解释，”奥利芙笑着说。160
“I gained my training in the south; things are very different there.”“我是在南方受训的；那里的情形大不一样。”161
“I am from the south as well,” said Akabar.“我也来自南方，”阿卡巴说道。162
“And now that the lady mentions it, I have never encountered a bard of the halfling race, either.”“现在经这位女士一提，我也从未遇见过半身人吟游诗人。”163
“Ah,” replied Olive, staring sadly into her empty bowl.“啊，”奥利芙答道，伤感地凝视着自己的空碗。164
“Well, you are from Turmish, I seem to remember.”“唔，我记得你好像来自图米什。”165
“Yeees,” the mage said, anticipating what was to come.“是——的，”法师说道，已经料到她接下来要说什么。166
“Well, I was trained farther south than that.”“哦，我受训的地方比那里还要靠南。”167
“Anywhere near Chondath?”“离琼达斯近吗？”168
Akabar asked.阿卡巴问道。169
“Chondath?“琼达斯？170
Yes, just a wee bit farther south than that.”对，就比那里再往南那么一丁点儿。”171
“Sespech?”“塞斯佩奇？”172
“Yes, Sespech.“是的，塞斯佩奇。173
There is a barding college there with a fine teacher who taught me all I know.”那里有一所吟游诗人学院，学院里有位好老师，我会的一切都是他教的。”174
The halfling flashed Akabar a beaming smile.半身人朝阿卡巴露出灿烂的笑容。175
“How odd,” drawled the mage, tugging at the edge of his beard.“真奇怪，”法师拖长声音说道，一边揪着胡须末梢。176
“One of my wives comes from Sespech, on the Vilhon Reach, and while she is quite talkative about the merits of her native land, she has never mentioned halfling bards.”“我的一位妻子就来自维洪湾畔的塞斯佩奇。她很爱谈论故乡的种种好处，却从没提起过半身人吟游诗人。”177
“Ohhh.“哦——178
No, no, no, no,” corrected Olive.不，不，不，不是这样，”奥利芙纠正道。179
“You’re talking about Sespech between the Vilhon and the Nagawater.“你说的是维洪与纳迦水域之间的塞斯佩奇。180
I was referring to a place much farther south.我指的是南方远得多的另一个地方。181
How far south have your travels taken you?”你最远去过南方哪里？”182
“I’ve traded as far south as Innarlith, on the Lake of Steam,” the mage said.“我最远去南方做过生意的地方，是蒸汽湖畔的因纳利斯。”法师说道。183
The halfling nodded.半身人点了点头。184
“Our company …”“我们一行人……”185
Alias wrinkled her brow, trying to dredge up memories as bright but as liquid as quicksilver.阿莉亚丝皱起眉头，竭力打捞那些明亮却又如水银般流动不定的记忆。186
“Our company fought on the Shining Plains.“我们一行曾在闪耀平原战斗过。187
Yes, that’s right, and we traveled through Amn once or twice.”对，没错，而且我们还曾一两次途经安姆。”188
The halfling looked at Alias a moment, confused by her interruption about places farther to the west and outside the realm of the discussion.半身人困惑地看了阿莉亚丝片刻，不明白她为何突然插话，提起更偏西方、与眼下话题毫不相干的地方。189
She shrugged and continued her far-fetched explanation to the mage.她耸耸肩，继续向法师讲述那套牵强的说辞。190
“And in Innarlith there were dwarves from the Great Rift?” she asked.“那么，因纳利斯有来自大裂谷的矮人？”她问道。191
“Yes, from Eartheart,” Akabar replied.“有，来自大地之心。”阿卡巴答道。192
“Well,” Olive concluded triumphantly, “below the Great Rift, on the Southern Sea, is the land of Luiren.“所以嘛，”奥利芙得意地总结道，“大裂谷以南、南海之滨，就是路依伦。193
We have a Sespech there, and a Chondath, which are small but bustling towns, the namesakes no doubt of your larger nations.我们那里也有一座塞斯佩奇和一座琼达斯，都是规模不大却热闹繁忙的城镇，无疑是以你们那些更大的国家命名的。194
Anyway, in Sespech, the one in Luiren, I was trained, having made a long pilgrimage from Cormyr.总之，我从科米尔长途跋涉、一路朝圣来到路依伦，并在那座塞斯佩奇接受了训练。195
I was attempting to return to my homeland when that fool wyrm plucked me from my wagon.”我正要设法返回故乡，那条蠢龙却把我从马车里抓走了。”196
“Dimswart says you came from across the Dragon Reach,” Alias said, puzzled.“迪姆斯沃特说，你是从龙湾彼岸来的。”阿莉亚丝困惑地说道。197
“No, I come from Cormyr.“不，我来自科米尔。198
You see, traveling by boat does not agree with me, so I journeyed to Luiren around the western edge of the Inner Sea.你瞧，我坐不惯船，所以我是沿着内海西岸，绕道前往路依伦的。199
Desiring to see even more of the Realms, I returned from Luiren around the eastern edge of the Inner Sea, through many wild and dangerous lands.为了见识更多诸界的风光，我离开路依伦后又沿内海东岸返回，穿越了许多荒蛮险恶之地。200
I made a name for myself in the nations of Aglarond and Impiltur.我在阿格拉隆德和因皮尔图尔诸国闯出了名声。201
I had just entered Procampur when I received Master Dimswart’s most generous offer to entertain at his daughter’s wedding.我刚进入普罗坎普，就收到了迪姆斯沃特大师极为慷慨的邀请，请我在他女儿的婚礼上献艺。202
And glad I was to come home, Procampur being a stuffy town, too restrictive for an artiste.”我当然很高兴回家，毕竟普罗坎普是座沉闷的城市，对艺术家来说规矩太多了。”203
Alias and Akabar exchanged glances.阿莉亚丝和阿卡巴交换了一下眼神。204
Akabar looked frustrated, but Alias had to smile at the halfling’s tale.阿卡巴显得颇为懊恼，阿莉亚丝却听得忍俊不禁。205
There had to be at least a dozen lies tangled up in her story, but it wasn’t worth the trouble proving it.她这番故事里至少掺了十来个谎言，可也不值得费心去一一拆穿。206
Olive, like any other halfling, would only invent more lies to cover the originals.奥利芙跟其他半身人一样，只会编出更多谎话来掩盖原先那些。207
Better to wait until she accidentally let the truth slip out.还不如等她不小心说漏嘴，自己吐露真相。208
Alias stood up and stretched.阿莉亚丝站起身来，伸了个懒腰。209
“Going to be a cold night.“今晚会很冷。210
We need more wood.”我们得多捡些柴火。”211
She walked toward the clearing where the moonlight revealed fallen limbs.她朝空地走去，月光照出了那里的断枝。212
“So, what’s her story?”“那么，她是什么来历？”213
Olive whispered to Akabar, jerking her head at Alias’s retreating figure.奥利芙低声问阿卡巴，同时朝阿莉亚丝渐渐远去的背影扬了扬下巴。214
“Story?” echoed Akabar.“来历？”阿卡巴重复道。215
“To what are you referring?”“你指的是什么？”216
“She has a magical arm!”“她有一条魔法手臂！”217
Ruskettle’s voice rose half an octave.拉斯凯特尔的嗓音陡然高了半个八度。218
Akabar shrugged.阿卡巴耸了耸肩。219
He was taking a lot of pleasure in thwarting the woman’s unbearable curiosity.能挫一挫这个女人令人难以忍受的好奇心，让他觉得十分痛快。220
“Look, mage,” Olive sighed.“听着，法师，”奥利芙叹了口气。221
“I owe her.“我欠她一个人情。222
I want to help.”我想帮她。”223
Akabar’s feelings softened somewhat.阿卡巴的态度稍稍软化了。224
“Not that I believe you for a moment,” he said, “but just in case your words are earnest, I will tell you.“我可一点儿也不相信你，”他说，“不过，万一你说的是真心话，我就告诉你。225
The glyphs on the lady’s arm are magical, not the arm itself.那位女士手臂上的符文具有魔力，并不是她的手臂本身。226
Some unknown power carved them into her flesh, but she cannot remember the event.某种未知的力量把它们刻进了她的血肉，可她不记得这件事。227
As a matter of fact, she cannot remember the events of several of the past months.事实上，过去几个月里发生的许多事，她都不记得了。228
In exchange for the meaning of the glyphs, she has agreed to deliver you safely to Master Dimswart.作为交换，她答应把你安全送到迪姆斯沃特大师那里，以换取这些符文的含义。229
The best service you can do her is to come along peacefully and perform well at this wedding.”你能为她做的最大帮助，就是乖乖跟我们走，在这场婚礼上好好表现。”230
Olive pondered the information for a few minutes, then she speculated aloud, “So anything could have happened during the time she can’t remember.奥利芙琢磨了几分钟，然后放声推测道：“这么说，在她失去记忆的那段时间里，什么事都有可能发生。231
She could have been a slave, or a concubine to a powerful sorcerer, or married to a foreign prince—a princess dripping in jewelry.”她可能做过奴隶，或是某个强大术士的姬妾，又或者嫁给了异国王子——成了个满身珠宝的公主。”232
“Or a wandering swordswoman,” added Akabar.“也可能是个浪迹天涯的女剑客。”阿卡巴补充道。233
“Or a princess,” Olive repeated to herself, “dripping in jewelry, her lover killed, her kingdom usurped, and her memory lost through the fell magics of her enemies.”“也可能是个公主，”奥利芙自言自语地重复道，“满身珠宝，爱人被杀，王国遭人篡夺，而敌人的邪恶魔法又夺走了她的记忆。”234
Akabar shook his head at the bard’s wandering fantasy.阿卡巴对这吟游诗人信马由缰的幻想摇了摇头。235
He was reaching for another log to throw on the fire when a strong wind suddenly rushed down from the hilltop.他正伸手去拿另一根木柴添进火里，忽然一阵强风从山顶呼啸而下。236
The pines danced with alarming energy, and sparks from the campfire scattered across the ground.松树以骇人的劲头狂舞起来，篝火迸出的火星四散落在地上。237
The ground shook, and over the howl of the wind came a malicious laugh that brought both mage and halfling to their feet.大地震颤，风的怒号中传来一阵恶毒的笑声，惊得法师和半身人双双跳了起来。238
“Alias!”“阿莉亚丝！”239
Akabar shouted, dashing toward the clearing.阿卡巴大喊一声，朝林间空地冲去。240
Olive Ruskettle grabbed a brand from the campfire and rushed after him.奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔从篝火中抓起一根燃烧的木柴，紧跟着冲了过去。241
If Alias had some wealth, the halfling realized, she could prove profitable to have in one’s debt.半身人意识到，如果阿莉亚丝颇有些财富，让她欠自己一个人情，说不定会有利可图。242
* * * * ** * * * *243
While Ruskettle was trying to persuade Akabar Bel Akash to tell her about Alias, the swordswoman was searching for Dragonbait.拉斯凯特尔正试图说服阿卡巴·贝尔·阿卡什跟她谈谈阿莉亚丝，而这位女剑士却在寻找龙饵。244
She’d assumed he had gone off to collect more firewood.她原以为他是去捡更多柴火了。245
If that were the case, Alias thought, he would have returned by now.阿莉亚丝心想，如果真是这样，他现在早该回来了。246
He kept eyeing the hilltop.他一直在盯着山顶看。247
I’ll bet he’s gone to investigate that stone circle.我敢说，他准是去查看那圈石头了。248
With a sigh Alias began climbing the hill.阿莉亚丝叹了口气，开始往山上爬。249
A shadow at the edge of the clearing moved, accompanied by a scrabbling sound.空地边缘的一团阴影动了动，同时传来一阵窸窸窣窣的抓挠声。250
The lightning-blue beams emanating from the sigils had died away, but the cursed patterns still gave off light enough to rival the moon.符印中射出的闪电般湛蓝的光束已经消失，但那些受诅咒的图案依旧散发着足以与月光争辉的亮光。251
Alias drew her arm from her cloak and held it up.阿莉亚丝从斗篷里抽出手臂，高高举起。252
A large shape by the base of a pine tree, startled by the second light source, scampered down the hill into the darkness.松树根旁一个庞大的身影被这第二处光源吓了一跳，飞快地蹿下山坡，消失在黑暗中。253
Only a porcupine, peeling tree bark for dinner, O great warrior, Alias mocked herself.不过是一只正在剥树皮当晚餐的豪猪罢了，伟大的勇士啊，阿莉亚丝自嘲道。254
But don’t worry, you scared it off.不过别担心，你已经把它吓跑了。255
Chuckling, she doubled her pace until she reached the center of the stone circle.她轻笑起来，加快了一倍脚步，直到抵达石圈中央。256
The half moon hung overhead like a gold lion coin split apart by looting pirates.一弯半月高悬头顶，宛如一枚被劫掠的海盗劈开的金狮币。257
In the moonlight, the red stones appeared black and their edges and corners, dulled by the wind and rain, blurred into the darkness.月光下，红色的石头看上去漆黑一片，棱角经风雨磨钝，模糊地融入了黑暗。258
She wondered why more enduring and brighter rock had not been used in the circle’s construction.她不明白，建造这座石圈时为什么没有选用更耐久、更明亮的石料。259
All the druid temples she’d ever visited before had been built of granite, not sandstone, and placed among oaks, not pines.她以前见过的德鲁伊神殿无一不是由花岗岩而非砂岩建造，坐落在橡树林而非松林之中。260
She jumped on a rock and surveyed the landscape.她跃上一块岩石，环顾四周的地貌。261
The tops of the encircling pines stood out against the moonlit sky like triangular crenelations of a castle wall.环绕四周的松树梢映衬着月光下的天空，宛如城墙上一排三角形的垛口。262
The original path to the temple was overgrown with brambles which reflected the moonlight.通往神殿的旧路已被荆棘覆盖，枝叶反射着月光。263
Of Dragonbait there was no sign.四下不见龙饵的踪影。264
Some parts of the hill dropped away in miniature canyons, and Alias began to worry that perhaps he had slipped or fallen down one of these.山坡上有些地方陡然陷落，形成一道道微缩的峡谷，阿莉亚丝开始担心龙饵或许失足滑进了其中一道。265
She shivered in the cold air.寒冷的空气令她打了个哆嗦。266
She’d suddenly felt very vulnerable.她突然觉得自己毫无防备。267
Like a fool, she’d forgotten her sword.她真蠢，竟忘了带剑。268
She jumped from the rock and headed down the slope toward the campsite.她从岩石上跳下来，沿山坡朝营地走去。269
A glint of metal on the ground caught her eye.地面上一点金属的闪光吸引了她的目光。270
She veered from her intended path and moved toward it.她偏离原定路线，朝那边走去。271
At the foot of a larger than man-sized boulder lay Dragonbait’s oddly shaped sword.一块比人还高的巨石脚下，躺着龙饵那柄形状奇特的剑。272
Alias leaped forward and lifted the gleaming blade off the ground.阿莉亚丝一跃上前，从地上捡起那柄闪亮的剑。273
The weapon’s weight astonished her.这件武器的分量令她大吃一惊。274
It felt no heavier than a fencing foil, and its balance was not awkward in the least.它拿在手里就像一柄花剑那样轻，重心也丝毫不显别扭。275
It also felt warm to the touch—not just the grip, but the blade as well.触手还带着暖意——不只是剑柄，连剑刃也是温热的。276
A shadow stirred on the boulder.巨石上有一道影子动了一下。277
Alias spun about with Dragonbait’s sword raised, keeping the stone to her back, but there was no one there.阿莉亚丝猛地转身，举起龙饵的剑，将巨石护在背后，可那里一个人也没有。278
Slowly, Alias turned back toward the boulder.阿莉亚丝缓缓转回身，望向巨石。279
Then she saw that, unlike all the other rock about the hilltop, this one was clear, like a huge hunk of quartz, and the shadow she’d thought moved across it had really moved in it.这时她才发现，与山顶周围的其他岩石不同，这块巨石竟是透明的，仿佛一大块石英；而她刚才以为在石面上移动的影子，其实是在石头里面动。280
She pressed her face to the stone.她把脸贴到石头上。281
Thrashing at the heart of the rock, like a fly caught in pinesap, was the lizard’s twisting form.在岩石中心，龙饵扭动的身躯正拼命挣扎，如同一只困在松脂里的苍蝇。282
“Dragonbait!”“龙饵！”283
Suddenly, something heavy struck the back of her legs below the knees and she toppled backward, crying out in surprise.突然，一个沉重的东西猛击她膝盖以下的腿后侧，她惊叫一声，向后栽倒。284
A violent wind sprang from nowhere, slapping the pines about the clearing.一阵狂风不知从何处骤然刮起，抽打着空地四周的松树。285
She tried to roll away from whatever enemy had felled her, but something held her ankles fast.她试图翻滚着躲开那个击倒她的敌人，可有什么东西牢牢箍住了她的脚踝。286
She stared at her feet in horror.她惊恐地盯着自己的双脚。287
They were bound in crystalline manacles, and her horror grew into panic as the rock crept farther up her legs in a twisting motion, like a vine climbing a pole.她的双脚已被水晶般的镣铐锁住；岩石又像藤蔓攀爬杆子一般，盘旋着沿她的双腿继续向上蔓延，她的恐惧顿时化作了惊慌。288
Using Dragonbait’s sword, Alias beat on the stone bonds with fury, not considering what damage she might do to the weapon or even to herself.阿莉亚丝挥起龙饵的剑，狂怒地劈砍着石头镣铐，根本没想过自己可能会损伤这件武器，甚至伤到自己。289
The blade did not shatter, but cut through the engulfing stone as though it were liquid.剑刃并未碎裂，反而像切入液体一般，劈开了那不断吞噬她的石头。290
Like sap, or syrup, the clear stone oozed back over the hack marks and continued growing faster than she could chop.那透明的石头如树液或糖浆般渗回砍出的缺口，并继续生长，速度比她劈砍得还快。291
Soon the stone oozed beneath her legging plates where she could not reach it, miring her tightly in place.很快，石头便渗进她腿甲下方，蔓延到她无法触及之处，将她牢牢困在原地。292
The ground trembled.大地颤动起来。293
With a squelching thulk a dome of earth rose before her, carrying with it the crystal boulder that imprisoned Dragonbait.伴随着噗唧一声闷响，一座土丘在她面前隆起，也将囚禁着龙饵的水晶巨石一并托了起来。294
Alias looked up in horror and realized that the rounded eruption was a huge, monstrous rock head.阿莉亚丝惊恐地抬头望去，这才意识到那圆鼓鼓的隆起竟是一颗巨大而狰狞的岩石头颅。295
Dragonbait’s prison rested on top of the head, a lump above its temple.囚禁龙饵的水晶压在头颅顶上，像太阳穴上方鼓起的一个肿块。296
Farther down, two eye-disks glowed a sickening yellow.再往下，两只圆盘般的眼睛泛着令人作呕的黄光。297
Below these was a gaping maw smelling of sulfur.眼睛下方是一张散发着硫黄气味的血盆大口。298
The sound that issued from the mouth sent an ice dagger slicing down Alias’s spine.那张嘴里发出的声音，犹如一柄冰冷的匕首顺着阿莉亚丝的脊背直刺而下。299
The head laughed, a familiar, hoarse, wheezing laugh.那颗头颅笑了起来，发出一种熟悉的、嘶哑而带着喘鸣的笑声。300
Familiar, she was sure, to her old self, the self whose memory was missing, lost in whatever darkness this monster had sprung from.她确信，从前的自己一定熟悉这笑声——那个失去了记忆的自己；那些记忆遗落在某片黑暗之中，而这怪物正是从那里冒出来的。301
A moment later, a great stone arm rose from beneath the earth.片刻之后，一条巨大的石臂从地下升了起来。302
The creature’s chest rose from its mossy bed as well, dark red earth set with a glowing blue symbol of interlocking rings—just like the set on her arm.那生物的胸膛也从覆满苔藓的卧床上隆起；暗红色的泥土上嵌着一个熠熠发光的蓝色符号，由相互交扣的圆环组成——和她手臂上的那组一模一样。303
With a sickening lurch, Alias felt herself hoisted above the ground.随着一阵令人恶心的猛晃，阿莉亚丝感觉自己被举到了半空。304
The stone about her legs proved to be part of the amorphous fist attached to the arm of the monster.事实证明，包裹她双腿的石头，正是连在怪物手臂上的那只不定形巨拳的一部分。305
The monster held her up to its face.怪物将她举到自己面前。306
As she swung upside down in the hellish yellow glare of its eyes, she felt her sigils jump and writhe and flare as brightly as they had when Winefiddle had tried to dispel them, until an aura of near blinding blue shone all about her, the monster’s head, and the crystal prison holding Dragonbait.她倒悬着，在怪物双眼地狱般的黄光中来回摇摆，只觉得身上的魔印猛然跳动、扭曲，迸发出耀眼光芒，就像酒琴试图驱除它们时一样，直至近乎令人失明的蓝色光晕笼罩了她、怪物的头颅，以及囚禁龙饵的水晶。307
The creature laughed again.那生物又笑了起来。308
Its chortle unnerved her, and she hacked at its fist, its face, its eyes, anything she could reach with Dragonbait’s blade.它咯咯的笑声令她心神不宁，她便用龙饵的剑劈砍它的拳头、面孔、眼睛——凡是够得着的地方，她一概乱砍。309
The sword passed through the creature’s body; its “flesh” was the consistency of peat, but neither the creature’s eyes or voice registered any pain.剑从那生物的身体中穿了过去；它的“血肉”如泥炭一般松软，但无论是它的眼睛还是声音，都没有流露出丝毫痛苦。310
The hoarse laughter brought a lost memory fluttering across her inner vision, but like a bat in the darkness, she felt it but could not grasp it.那嘶哑的笑声唤起了一段遗失的记忆，扑闪着掠过她内心的视野；可它就像黑暗中的蝙蝠，她虽能感觉到它，却怎么也抓不住。311
The monster raised her up to its temple and held her against its head so that she stood next to Dragonbait’s crystal cell.怪物把她举到自己的太阳穴旁，将她抵在头上，让她站在龙饵的水晶牢笼旁。312
The lizard gestured to himself, a motion that caught her attention.蜥蜴指了指自己，这个动作引起了她的注意。313
She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself while she watched him miming the same motions over and over.她深吸一口气，努力让自己平静下来，同时看着他一遍又一遍地比画着同样的动作。314
First he would raise his hands together over his head, then pound them against the transparent wall of his trap, then slap himself on the forehead.他先把双手并拢举过头顶，再用双手猛砸囚笼透明的墙壁，然后拍打自己的额头。315
Huh?嗯？316
Raise, pound, slap.举起，猛砸，拍头。317
Raise, pound, slap.举起，猛砸，拍头。318
The creature of earth tugged its other arm from the soil.泥土怪物将另一条手臂从土壤中拔了出来。319
The newly freed fist held a gemlike twin of Dragonbait’s prison.刚刚获得自由的拳头里握着一块宝石般的水晶，与龙饵的牢笼一模一样。320
The earthen giant brought this second crystal up to where it caught the blue rays from Alias’s sigils and scattered them into the dark night.泥土巨人把第二块水晶举起来，让它接住阿莉亚丝身上符印射出的蓝光，并将光芒散射进漆黑的夜色。321
Then the great stone cracked and split along its center.接着，巨大的水晶从正中裂开了。322
The blue light of her cursed runes revealed a clear, rippling slime within the crystal’s open heart.她受诅咒的符文发出的蓝光，照出了水晶敞开的核心中清澈而微微荡漾的黏液。323
Any moment she would become another bug in amber.转眼间，她就会变成琥珀里的另一只虫子。324
Raise, pound, slap.举起，猛砸，拍头。325
Why does Dragonbait keep slapping himself on the head? she wondered.龙饵为什么一直拍自己的脑袋？她纳闷地想。326
Dragonbait pointed at her.龙饵指了指她。327
She slapped herself on the head.她拍了拍自己的脑袋。328
He shook his head furiously and pointed at the crystal over his head.他拼命摇头，又指向自己头顶上方的水晶。329
“Not my head!” she yelled excitedly, finally understanding.“不是我的脑袋！”她终于明白过来，激动地喊道。330
“The creature’s head!”“是这怪物的脑袋！”331
Clenching both her fists about the hilt of Dragonbait’s weapon and twisting her body, Alias smashed Dragonbait’s sword against the lizard’s crystal prison.阿莉亚丝双手紧握龙饵那把武器的剑柄，扭转身体，将龙饵的剑狠狠砸向蜥蜴的水晶牢笼。332
Steel screeched on rock, and the force of the blow traveled up Alias’s arm, leaving it numb.钢铁刮过岩石，发出刺耳的尖鸣，撞击的力道沿着阿莉亚丝的手臂向上传去，震得整条手臂失去了知觉。333
The crystal split like an eggshell, and Dragonbait spilled out of the jagged hole, followed by a mucky ooze that poured down the monster’s face.水晶像蛋壳一样裂开，龙饵从参差不齐的破洞中跌了出来，紧随其后的是一股污浊的黏液，顺着怪物的脸倾泻而下。334
The monster shrieked, a baneful cry that carried leagues on the wind and seemed to set off a gale that bent large pines and snapped their heavy branches.怪物发出一声凄厉的尖啸，那不祥的叫声乘风传出数里之遥，仿佛掀起了一阵狂风，吹弯高大的松树，折断粗重的枝条。335
A moan issued from the earth, echoed by the rocks of the stone circle, and then the huge beast’s shoulders slumped and began to flow back into the ground.大地深处传出一声呻吟，石圈中的岩石也随之回响；随后，巨兽庞大的双肩垮了下来，开始流回地底。336
Patting her hand gently, Dragonbait took his sword from her numbed grip.龙饵轻轻拍了拍她的手，从她麻木的手中取过自己的剑。337
He slashed at the rock hand that held her, and the stone flowed away from her legs like sand.他挥剑砍向攥住她的岩石巨手，石头顿时如沙粒般从她双腿旁流散开去。338
They were free, but there was a forty foot drop from the monster’s head to the ground, and Alias was reluctant to make the leap.他们自由了，可从怪物头顶到地面足有四十英尺，阿莉亚丝不太敢纵身跳下。339
She spotted Olive Ruskettle below, throwing daggers at the behemoth.她看见下方的奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔正朝那头庞然巨兽投掷匕首。340
The halfling’s weapons buried themselves in the monster’s chest.半身人的武器深深扎进了怪物胸膛。341
The tiny blades couldn’t possibly hurt the monster more than a bee sting would harm a human warrior, yet the monster cried out again like a feral child.那些小小的刀刃绝不可能给怪物造成什么伤害，就像蜜蜂蜇一下伤不了人类战士一样，可怪物却再次像个野孩子般尖叫起来。342
More goo oozed from the shattered crystal on the monster’s head.更多黏液从怪物头顶破碎的水晶中渗了出来。343
The wound was undoubtedly mortal, but Alias worried now that she and Dragonbait might be crushed by the monster’s death throes.这伤势无疑是致命的，可阿莉亚丝此刻担心，她和龙饵或许会被怪物临死前的挣扎压成肉泥。344
Dragonbait tugged on Alias’s arm and forced her to half-leap, half-slide to the rock monster’s shoulders.龙饵拽住阿莉亚丝的胳膊，迫使她半跳半滑地落到岩石怪物的肩头。345
Akabar’s voice rose in a chant, and a lance of rainbow light struck the creature in the chest above the dimming rune of interlocking circles.阿卡巴扬声吟唱，一道彩虹般的光矛击中了那生物的胸膛，正落在那枚逐渐黯淡的交叠圆环符文上方。346
The rainbow broke into a thousand small motes, spreading across the creature in a dancing, swirling pattern.彩虹碎裂成千百点细小的光屑，以舞动盘旋的轨迹扩散到那生物全身。347
With one arm about Alias’s waist, Dragonbait began climbing down the monster’s back, using his hand and foot claws to keep his grip.龙饵用一条胳膊环住阿莉亚丝的腰，开始沿着怪物的背往下爬，以手脚上的利爪牢牢攀住石面。348
Dragonbait jumped the last ten feet just as Akabar’s magic consumed the creature’s torso and slid up its head and arms.就在阿卡巴的魔法吞没那生物的躯干，并沿着它的头部和双臂向上蔓延时，龙饵从最后十英尺高处一跃而下。349
The moon shone through the stone wherever the rainbow light covered it.凡被彩虹光芒覆盖之处，月光都穿透了石头。350
The creature gave one last plaintive groan and faded into the night.那生物发出最后一声哀鸣，消失在夜色之中。351
Even the torn earth where it had risen fell neatly back into place.就连它破土而出时撕裂的地面，也平整地恢复了原状。352
Akabar and Olive ran toward Alias, shouting victory cries.阿卡巴和奥利芙高喊着胜利的欢呼，朝阿莉亚丝跑来。353
Behind her, she smelled the woodsmoke scent that seemed to cling to the lizard.她闻到身后传来柴火烟的气味，那气味似乎总是萦绕在那只蜥蜴身上。354
A clawed hand squeezed her numbed shoulder gently, and Alias felt warmth flow into the limb.一只带爪的手轻轻捏了捏她麻木的肩膀，阿莉亚丝感到一股暖流涌入那条手臂。355
Dragonbait looked up at her, and she felt sure there was concern in his eyes, though they looked as dead yellow as ever.龙饵抬头望着她，阿莉亚丝确信他的眼中流露着关切，尽管那双眼睛依旧是一片死气沉沉的黄色。356
The lizard drew back as the halfling and the mage reached Alias’s side.半身人和法师来到阿莉亚丝身旁时，那只蜥蜴退开了。357
“Did you see?”“你们看见了吗？”358
Olive asked.奥利芙问道。359
“While this one was struggling to remember his spell,” she jerked her head in Akabar’s direction, “I wounded it to the quick with two daggers to its heart.“这位还在费劲回想他的咒语时，”她朝阿卡巴的方向甩了甩头，“我已经用两把匕首刺进它的心脏，把它伤到了要害。360
My aim was never better.我从没扔得这么准过。361
What was it, anyway?”话说回来，那到底是什么东西？”362
Akabar looked down at the bard in disbelief.阿卡巴难以置信地低头看着吟游诗人。363
“Perhaps later you would care to hone your abilities by throwing at the side of a barn,” he suggested dryly.“也许过会儿你可以拿谷仓的墙练练投掷，好磨炼一下本事。”他干巴巴地提议道。364
“That was some type of earth elemental, though not one of the standard breed normally called up by magic-users.“那是某种土元素，不过并非施法者通常召唤的标准种类。365
Perhaps it was from the Plane of Minerals, which abuts the Earthen Plane.它或许来自与土元素位面毗邻的矿物位面。366
At any rate, it was a conjured creature, or my dispel magic chant would not have worked on it.”无论如何，它是被召唤出来的生物，否则我的解除魔法咒语不会对它奏效。”367
He turned to address Alias.他转向阿莉亚丝说道。368
“I’m sorry I cast my spell before you could finish climbing down, but I judged you were safer falling than being crushed beneath the monster.”“很抱歉，没等你爬下来我就施了法，但我判断，摔下来总比被那怪物压扁安全。”369
“Quite right,” Alias answered, nodding her head, though she was obviously preoccupied with some other thought.“确实如此。”阿莉亚丝点头答道，显然却在想着别的事情。370
“Someone summoned something that big just to capture you?”“有人竟然召唤出那么大的东西，就为了抓住你？”371
Olive gasped.奥利芙倒吸了一口气。372
“You must be someone important.”“你一定是个大人物。”373
Akabar turned to study Dragonbait, who sat on a rock, studying his blade in the moonlight.阿卡巴转头打量龙饵；他正坐在一块岩石上，借着月光查看自己的剑刃。374
The lizard-creature ran a clawed thumb along the edge and growled like a cat.那蜥蜴生物用带爪的拇指顺着刃口划过，像猫一样低吼了一声。375
“It seems you’ve nicked his blade,” Akabar said to Alias, pointing to the lizard.“看来你把他的剑刃磕出了缺口。”阿卡巴指着那蜥蜴，对阿莉亚丝说道。376
Dragonbait pulled something from his belt pouch.龙饵从腰间的小袋里掏出一样东西。377
Alias watched as Dragonbait began sliding a whetstone along the steel edge.阿莉亚丝看着龙饵开始用磨刀石沿着钢刃来回磨动。378
“He seems more worried about his weapon’s condition than yours,” the halfling sniffed.“看来他更担心自己的武器怎么样，而不是你怎么样。”半身人嗤声说道。379
“Quite right,” Alias repeated.“说得没错。”阿莉亚丝重复道。380
She shivered.她打了个寒战。381
Pulling her cloak about her, she headed back down the hill to the campfire.她把斗篷裹紧，走下山坡，回到营火旁。382
Her head still echoed with the stone creature’s hoarse laughter.那石头怪物嘶哑的笑声仍在她脑海中回荡。383
Familiar, she thought, familiar as an old friend.熟悉，她心想，像老朋友一样熟悉。384
Familiar as death.像死亡一样熟悉。385
点句末的编号，从那一句开始听