When Dragonbait woke, he was tethered face up on a cold, stone slab with his tail flattened uncomfortably beneath him.龙饵醒来时，发现自己仰面被缚在一块冰冷的石台上，尾巴被压在身下，很不舒服。1
He flexed his claws, trying to cut at the bindings that pulled his limbs toward the four corners of the stone, but little metallic twanging noises told him the bindings were not hemp or leather, but thin, steel wires.他屈伸利爪，试图割断那些将他四肢扯向石台四角的绳索，但细微的金属铮鸣声告诉他，那并非麻绳或皮带，而是一根根纤细的钢丝。2
A dull ache warned him that the wire was slicing through his scales whenever he moved.每当他一动，隐隐的疼痛便警告他，钢丝正在割进他的鳞片。3
He opened his eyes and, through the great fangs carved of stone that ringed the hillock, saw that the sky was beginning to redden.他睁开眼睛，透过环绕土丘、由石头雕成的巨大獠牙，看见天空已开始泛红。4
Just beside the stone slab, in the center of the fanged maw, was a large fire circle filled with day-old ash.就在石台旁边，那张獠牙巨口的正中央，有一个巨大的火圈，里面满是前一天留下的灰烬。5
He had seen it from the air yesterday—the mound outside Westgate where the worshipers of Moander had waited to receive Alias from their god.他昨天从空中见过这里——西门城外的那座土丘，莫安德的信徒曾在那里等候他们的神将阿莉亚丝交给他们。6
The ancient and worn stone they had tied him to was lined with blood-gutters, leaving him no doubt as to the stone’s purpose.他们将他绑在一块古老而磨损的石台上，台面刻有一道道导血槽，令他对这块石头的用途再无半点疑问。7
Concentrating, he summoned his shen.他凝聚心神，唤起了自己的神识。8
Mist had come as close as she could when she described him to the others as a paladin.米斯特向其他人描述他时，说他像个圣武士；这已经是她所能作出的最贴切的描述了。9
From what he had gathered in his short time on this world, he and his brothers had much in common with that breed of fighter, and they had many of the same gods-given powers.据他来到这个世界后的短暂时日里所知，他和他的兄弟们与这类战士有许多共同之处，也拥有许多同样由诸神赐予的力量。10
But shen was not quite the same as a Realms paladin’s ability to detect evil.但神识与诸界圣武士侦测邪恶的能力并不完全相同。11
With it, Dragonbait could determine all the myriad types of evil that preyed on the soul, the absence of evil, and the grace that nourished the soul.借助神识，龙饵能够分辨侵蚀灵魂的形形色色的邪恶，也能察觉邪恶的缺失，以及滋养灵魂的恩典。12
He was also able to judge the strength of a spirit.他还能判断一个灵魂的强弱。13
The human mage’s spirit had begun as an orb of dull yellow—weak, but without malice or arrogance; a little greed, but not much.那个人类法师的灵魂起初是一团暗黄色的光球——虚弱，却不含恶意或傲慢；有一点贪婪，但并不多。14
The change in him had been astounding.他身上发生的变化惊人至极。15
His battle with Moander had strengthened his spirit a hundredfold.与莫安德的一战令他的灵魂强大了百倍。16
His soul grew cleaner, though grace was something he had yet to reach for.他的灵魂变得更加纯净，尽管他尚未伸手追寻恩典。17
The halfling had changed little—a wavering spirit, colored with avarice and ambition, heightened by pinpricks of petty, but deeper, nastiness.那个半身人变化不大——她的灵魂摇曳不定，染着贪欲与野心，又点缀着针尖般细微却更深重的恶意。18
Her music helped keep these things at bay, but recently not even that had halted a growing smear of jealousy.她的音乐有助于压制这些东西，但最近，就连音乐也无法遏止那片日益扩大的嫉妒污痕。19
He would not ordinarily have searched two such as these, but the human swordswoman had decided to travel with them, and he took his oath to protect her very seriously.通常，他不会探查这样的两个人，但那个人类女剑士决定与他们同行，而他极其认真地恪守着保护她的誓言。20
Her spirit was often so weak it frightened him.她的灵魂常常虚弱得令他害怕。21
He was afraid her spirit would falter, not only because he was duty bound to her, but because her soul was touched with a midsummer sky blue of grace.他害怕她的灵魂会动摇，不仅因为自己有责任守护她，也因为她的灵魂染着一抹仲夏天空般湛蓝的恩典。22
He wanted to preserve that.他想守护住那抹恩典。23
Now, though, he admitted to himself that he had failed.然而此刻，他不得不承认自己失败了。24
The hill around him ebbed and pulsed with an evil light.他周围的山丘在邪恶的光芒中起伏搏动。25
Soon, he would be killed, the swordswoman’s spirit would be quenched, and she would be turned to evil.很快，他就会被杀，女剑士的精神之火也会熄灭，而她将堕入邪恶。26
Evil climbed the hill in many bodies.邪恶化作众多躯体，登上山丘。27
Weak and strong spirits mingled.强弱不一的灵魂混杂在一起。28
A double file of cloaked and hooded men and women entered the circle of stone fangs.披着斗篷、戴着兜帽的男女排成两列，进入石牙围成的圆圈。29
They split their ranks upon stepping into the circle and surrounded him.他们一踏进圆圈便分列开来，将他团团围住。30
Their dress marked them as followers of Moander and their leader bore the faceless mask common to evil masters, even in the saurial’s world.他们的装束表明他们是莫安德的追随者，而他们的首领戴着一张无面面具；即便在蜥蜴人的世界里，邪恶宗师也惯常佩戴这样的面具。31
But the worshipers handled their long robes clumsily and their voices faltered as they sang, occasionally missing notes or forgetting the cadence, only to pick it up again several beats later.然而，这些信徒摆弄起长袍来笨手笨脚，吟唱时声音也断断续续，偶尔唱错音调，或忘了节拍，隔上几拍才重新接上。32
Could they be imposters?他们会不会是假冒的？33
Dragonbait wondered.龙饵暗自思忖。34
They all had the feel of the assassins Cassana worked with—The Fire Knives.他们给他的感觉，全都像是与卡萨娜共事的那些刺客——“火焰之刀”。35
When the pseudo-worshipers of Moander, numbering two dozen, had formed a circle about the perimeter of the hilltop, four figures in gaudy array stepped into their midst.二十四名冒牌的莫安德信徒在山顶边缘围成一圈后，四个衣饰艳俗的身影走进了他们中间。36
First came the small, grinning form of Phalse.第一个出现的是身形矮小、咧嘴而笑的法尔斯。37
He was all in blue—a sickening blue of decaying meat.他浑身上下都是蓝色——那是腐肉般令人作呕的蓝。38
His blue-on-blue-on-blue eyes shone with anticipation.他那一层蓝套一层蓝、再套一层蓝的眼睛，因期待而闪闪发亮。39
Dragonbait hissed, and Phalse smirked.龙饵嘶了一声，法尔斯则露出一抹冷笑。40
Phalse had found the saurial roaming the plane of Tarterus stalking demons.法尔斯发现这名蜥蜴人时，他正在塔尔塔洛斯位面四处游荡，猎杀恶魔。41
The pseudo-halfling had captured the paladin and brought him to this plane so he could be slain to enslave another.这个冒牌半身人俘虏了圣武士，把他带到这个位面，好让他遭到杀害，以奴役另一个人。42
Zrie Prakis entered second, decked in red robes the color of blood, trimmed with dirty, bone-white edgings.兹里·普拉基斯第二个入场，身披鲜血般的红袍，边缘镶着肮脏的骨白色饰边。43
He bore his staff of power like a ceremonial weapon, ready to strike down any who failed to obey him.他像手持仪仗兵器一般擎着法力权杖，随时准备击倒任何不服从他的人。44
His movements were filled with energy, though his atrophied muscles stretched and popped over his bones.他的动作充满活力，尽管萎缩的肌肉在骨骼上绷扯得咔咔作响。45
The lich’s liveliness was due to the proximity of his mistress, Cassana, who strode in behind him.巫妖之所以如此活跃，是因为他的女主人卡萨娜就在近旁，正跟在他身后大步走来。46
She was dressed in a strapless gown of shimmering green, slit up the side.她身穿一袭闪着微光的绿色无肩带长裙，裙侧开着高衩。47
In her hands she turned the small, slender wand she used to control her pets.她双手把玩着那根纤细的小魔杖，正是她用来控制宠物的法器。48
She had a wicked, cruel smile.她脸上挂着邪恶而残忍的笑容。49
Last of all, Alias entered the circle, moving more like the undead that Prakis was than a living being.最后，阿莉亚丝走进了圆阵；她的动作不像活人，倒更像已沦为不死生物的普拉基斯。50
The puppet’s body was under control of her mistress.这个傀儡的身体正受她女主人操控。51
She was garbed in leathers split up the sides, the bare flesh cross-tied with thongs which looped about silver button-hooks.她身穿两侧开裂的皮衣，裸露的肌肤上交叉系着皮带，皮带绕过银质纽扣钩固定。52
Long, shiny black boots with incredibly high heels covered her feet and calves.一双闪亮的黑色长靴裹住她的双脚和小腿，鞋跟高得惊人。53
She wore an ornate girdle at her waist, with the skull of some creature etched in silver at the front.她腰间束着一条华丽的腰带，正面以银纹蚀刻着某种生物的头骨。54
She had been given a chain shirt split open at the middle, baring the flesh between her breasts and offering any sword an easy target.她还被套上了一件从正中敞开的锁子甲，双乳之间的肌肤袒露无遗，简直是任由刀剑攻击的靶子。55
Shoulder plates of lacquered black, a red velvet cape, and a collar of black and silver completed the showy, but impractical, ensemble.漆黑的肩甲、红色天鹅绒披风，以及黑银相间的颈圈，为这身浮华却不实用的装束添上了最后几笔。56
In her hands she gripped Dragonbait’s diamond-headed sword so tightly her knuckles were white.她双手紧攥着龙饵那柄钻石剑首的长剑，指节都泛了白。57
Her face was drawn into a tight mask, the lines and vessels of her neck standing out.她的脸绷得如同一张僵硬的面具，颈上的筋络和血管根根凸起。58
Along her sword arm, the runes glowed with a hellish light, creating a false blue dawn around her.沿着她持剑的手臂，符文泛着地狱般的光芒，在她周身营造出一片虚假的幽蓝晨曦。59
Dragonbait pulled at his metallic bonds, trying not to give his captors the pleasure of seeing him thrash.龙饵拉扯着金属束缚，竭力不让俘虏他的人因看见他疯狂挣扎而称心。60
The wires were too well mounted to give way, though, and his wrists grew wet with blood.然而，那些金属丝固定得太牢，根本不可能松脱，他的手腕渐渐被鲜血浸湿。61
Zrie Prakis stood at one end of the stone, near Dragonbait’s head, and Phalse stood at the lizard’s feet.兹里·普拉基斯站在石台一端，靠近龙饵的头部，法尔斯则站在这个蜥蜴人的脚边。62
Cassana took one side, and Alias, fighting the pull of the runes, lurched to a position directly across from her.卡萨娜占据了一侧，阿莉亚丝抵抗着符文的牵引，踉踉跄跄地走到她正对面的位置。63
The saurial understood all that was to happen.这个蜥蜴人完全明白接下来会发生什么。64
They would use Hill Cleaver, his own sword, to slay him.他们会用劈山剑——他自己的剑——杀死他。65
If only he’d been able to reach the blade back at The Rising Raven, he could have negated all of Cassana’s magic and turned the tide of the battle.要是他方才在升起的渡鸦酒馆里能够到那把剑，他本可以消解卡萨娜所有的魔法，扭转战局。66
Now the blade would shatter upon tasting his innocent blood and two good things would be destroyed in a single blow.如今，那把剑一尝到他无辜的鲜血便会碎裂，两样美好的事物也将毁于一击。67
Three, counting Alias.算上阿莉亚丝，就是三样。68
If all of this was not evil enough, Cassana was forcing Alias to perform the deed.仿佛这一切还不够邪恶似的，卡萨娜还强迫阿莉亚丝亲自动手。69
It was completely unnecessary to the ritual.这对仪式而言完全没有必要。70
The witch did it only to bring pain and grief to her puppet.那个女巫这么做，只是为了给她的傀儡带来痛苦与悲伤。71
Dragonbait looked deep into Cassana’s eyes.龙饵深深望进卡萨娜的眼睛。72
She would permit no flower to grow without her permission, and before Alias could bloom, the sorceress would encase her in amber.没有她的准许，她绝不容许任何花朵生长；而在阿莉亚丝绽放之前，这个女术士就会将她封进琥珀。73
A perverse curiosity prompted him to use his shen sight on her before he died, just to know what such evil looked like.一种反常的好奇心驱使他在临死前用灵视观察她，只为知道如此邪恶的灵魂究竟是什么模样。74
The heat of her soul caused him to flinch.她灵魂的灼热令他不禁畏缩。75
Within was a black wall riddled with flaming red cracks.她体内是一堵黑墙，遍布燃烧的赤红裂缝。76
Hatred burned deep in her and crackled between her, Zrie Prakis, and Phalse.仇恨在她内心深处燃烧，并在她、兹里·普拉基斯与法尔斯之间噼啪作响。77
The lich, like a void, sucked up emotions, and beside Cassana he was a vortex of hatred and fear.那个巫妖如同一片虚空，吞噬着种种情感；站在卡萨娜身旁时，他就像一道由仇恨与恐惧形成的旋涡。78
Phalse glowed like a city put to the torch by invaders.法尔斯浑身发亮，如同一座被入侵者付之一炬的城市。79
His maliciousness ran the gamut of yellow greed, red hatred, and a sickly green jealousy.他的恶意呈现出种种色彩：贪婪的黄色、仇恨的红色，以及病态嫉妒的绿色。80
Cassana grinned, as if she guessed what the saurial was doing.卡萨娜咧嘴一笑，仿佛猜到了这个蜥蜴人正在做什么。81
She looked at the sky behind Alias.她望向阿莉亚丝身后的天空。82
The sun had almost cleared the horizon.太阳几乎已经完全跃出地平线。83
The tops of the sharp, tooth-shaped plinths looked as if they had bitten into something bloody.那些形如利齿的尖锐石柱顶端，看起来仿佛咬进了某种血淋淋的东西。84
The sorceress motioned to Phalse, who turned his back on Dragonbait.女术士向法尔斯打了个手势，法尔斯随即转过身，背对龙饵。85
The small servant motioned with his hands in an arcane fashion that seemed to deny the existence of bones in his arms.那小个子仆从以一种玄奥的方式挥动双手，仿佛他的手臂里根本没有骨头。86
They swayed back and forth like snakes.他的双臂像蛇一般来回摆动。87
Beyond him, a pinprick of light appeared, then grew.在他身后，针尖般的一点亮光浮现出来，继而逐渐扩大。88
It began as a sphere of multicolored magical force, then flattened, turning into a swirling pattern of silver and red.起初，那是一团五彩斑斓的魔法力球，随后渐渐变扁，化作银红两色的旋涡图案。89
Dragonbait had seen this gate before.龙饵以前见过这扇传送门。90
It was the passage to the Citadel of White Exile, where he and Alias had been branded.那是通往白色流放堡垒的通道，他和阿莉亚丝就是在那里被烙下印记的。91
Now, that passage had to be opened again to draw power from the domain of Phalse’s master.如今，必须再次打开那条通道，从法尔斯主人的领域汲取力量。92
With it, they would seal control over Alias at the moment of Dragonbait’s death.凭借这股力量，他们就能在龙饵死去的那一刻，彻底掌控阿莉亚丝。93
Dragonbait finally looked up at Alias; he did not want to grieve her, but he could not help himself.龙饵终于抬头望向阿莉亚丝；他不想令她悲伤，却无法克制自己。94
Their eyes locked like pieces in a magical puzzle.他们的目光交汇，如同一幅魔法拼图中严丝合缝的两块碎片。95
Her eyes were red-rimmed from exhaustion and evaporated tears.她的眼眶因疲惫和已经蒸干的泪水而泛红。96
He used his shen sight.他运起了自己的神恩视力。97
If he was going to die, he wanted to do so with his eyes fixed on the brilliant blue of her soul.如果注定要死，他希望死时双眼仍凝望着她灵魂那璀璨的蔚蓝。98
Her spirit’s glow was as slender as the flame from a single candle.她灵魂的光芒纤弱得如同一支蜡烛的火焰。99
It flickered like a living sapphire.它如一颗有生命的蓝宝石般闪烁不定。100
Yet on all sides rose a tide of darkness, crackling with energy, forcing itself upward to smother the flame.然而，黑暗的浪潮从四面八方涌起，噼啪作响，充满能量，强行向上攀升，要将那火焰扼灭。101
The flame blazed for a moment, but the forces surrounding it rose as well.火焰猛地炽亮了一瞬，但包围它的力量也随之高涨。102
The chanting increased as Phalse worked his spells to control the spinning disk that reached between the planes.法尔斯施展法术，操控那面贯通位面的旋转圆盘，吟诵声也随之越发高亢。103
The first tendrils of dawn caught Alias’s hair from behind and set it on fire, a glory of bright red against the newborn sky.黎明的第一缕霞光从身后照上阿莉亚丝的头发，将其点燃，使它化作初生天空下一片绚烂的火红。104
“Prepare to sacrifice the innocent!” the sorceress bellowed.“准备献祭无辜者！”女术士吼道。105
“Raise the blade!”“举起刀刃！”106
Alias hesitated and Dragonbait saw the candle’s flame burn hotter.阿莉亚丝迟疑了，龙饵看见那簇烛焰燃烧得更加炽烈。107
Cassana made a pass with her wand, and the sapphire flame dimmed as if a smoked glass chimney had been dropped over it.卡萨娜挥了一下魔杖，蓝宝石般的火焰顿时暗了下去，仿佛被罩上了一只熏黑的玻璃灯罩。108
Alias raised her hands, clasping Hill Cleaver’s hilt, the blade pointed down at the saurial’s chest.阿莉亚丝举起双手，紧握劈山剑的剑柄，剑锋直指那恐龙人的胸膛。109
His own sigils were now answering the dark siren call of their masters, and Dragonbait thought his hearts would burst from the strain.他身上的印记此刻也在回应其主人黑暗而诱惑的召唤，龙饵觉得自己的几颗心脏都快承受不住压力而爆裂了。110
Through eye contact, he tried to plead with the swordswoman to fight, to strengthen her will.他与女剑士目光相接，试图恳求她抗争，坚定自己的意志。111
He wished desperately to add his own inner strength to hers and fight off the darkness.他迫切地希望能将自己的内在力量注入她体内，与她一同击退黑暗。112
However, while his skill allowed him to see her spirit, he could not encourage it.然而，他的能力虽能让他看见她的灵魂，却无法给予它鼓舞。113
Silently he cursed his inability to communicate with her.他默默诅咒自己无法与她沟通。114
Blue sparks arced between the sigils on his chest, and the runes on Alias’s arm responded in kind.蓝色火花在他胸前的印记之间迸射，阿莉亚丝手臂上的符文也以同样的方式作出了回应。115
The Abomination had told her that she drew strength from him, but Dragonbait had not discovered how.憎恶体曾告诉阿莉亚丝，她能从龙饵身上汲取力量，但龙饵始终没有弄明白其中的方式。116
Maybe, the saurial suddenly realized, he had denied the evil brands for too long.也许，那个恐龙人忽然意识到，自己抗拒这些邪恶烙印已经太久了。117
Perhaps they could yet be turned to good.或许它们仍能被用来行善。118
Deliberately, he channeled his will through the runes, trying to force the light to arc higher.他有意将自己的意志导入符文，试图迫使那道光弧蹿得更高。119
The sparks showered upward like water in a fountain, their display mirrored on Alias’s arm.火花如喷泉中的水一般向上飞溅，阿莉亚丝手臂上也映现出同样的景象。120
Finally, sparks touched and interwove, bridging the gap between sacrificer and sacrifice.终于，两边的火花彼此触碰、交织，在献祭者与祭品之间架起了一道桥梁。121
Cassana’s voice sounded far off as she shouted, “Seal the pact!”卡萨娜的声音仿佛从遥远之处传来，她高喊道：“缔结契约！”122
The darkness in Alias rose like bile, and the candle flame of her spirit faltered.阿莉亚丝体内的黑暗如胆汁般翻涌而起，她灵魂的烛焰随之摇曳欲灭。123
Then, feeding at last on the saurial’s own, her flame strengthened and grew in intensity.接着，那簇火焰终于开始以恐龙人自身的灵魂为食，变得更加强盛、更为炽烈。124
Dragonbait shuddered.龙饵浑身一颤。125
He felt as if he had just rolled a massive stone up to and over the crest of a hill.他觉得自己仿佛刚刚将一块巨石推上山顶，又推过了峰巅。126
Every muscle in his body spasmed.他全身的每一块肌肉都在痉挛。127
Now that the stone had been given one last push, however, it rolled of its own accord.然而，巨石既已被最后推了一把，便开始自行滚动起来。128
Alias’s flame grew hotter and brighter with each passing second.阿莉亚丝的火焰每过一秒都变得更加炽热、更加明亮。129
The well of darkness began to harden and then crumble like drying mud.那口黑暗之井开始凝固，继而如干涸的泥土般碎裂。130
New surges of the surrounding mass of evil rose, but they were repelled by the increasing blue fire.周围那团邪恶之物又掀起一波波浪潮，却都被愈燃愈盛的蓝色火焰击退。131
Alias hovered over Dragonbait, her muscles locked, her face almost serene.阿莉亚丝悬在龙饵上方，浑身肌肉紧绷，脸上的神情却近乎安详。132
Phalse and the Fire Knives impersonating Moander worshipers held their breath, as would have Prakis, had he any breath to hold.法尔斯和那些假扮成莫安德信徒的火刃帮成员全都屏住了呼吸；若普拉基斯还有气可屏，他也会如此。133
Cassana screwed her comely face into a twisted mask of rage—rage mixed with a hint of fear that the made-creature should reveal a newfound strength.卡萨娜姣好的面容扭曲成一副暴怒的面具——怒火之中还掺着一丝恐惧，因为这个人造生物竟展现出了新生的力量。134
Clenching her wand in her fist, she brought her hand up in a sweeping gesture, yanking hard on the strings of her rebellious puppet in an attempt to force her will on Alias.她把魔杖紧攥在拳中，猛地挥手向上一提，狠狠扯动那具叛逆傀儡身上的丝线，企图迫使阿莉亚丝屈从于自己的意志。135
Like an old leather thong stretched to breaking, something within Alias snapped.仿佛一根被拉到极限的旧皮索，阿莉亚丝体内有什么东西骤然绷断了。136
She drove the blade down hard, but she leaped forward as she did so, plunging Hill Cleaver not into Dragonbait, but straight through Cassana.她猛力挥剑劈下，同时却向前一跃，让劈山剑刺中的不是龙饵，而是径直贯穿了卡萨娜。137
The diamond-headed tip protruded out of the witch’s back, but there was no blood on it.钻石形的剑尖从女巫背后穿出，上面却没有一丝鲜血。138
The sorceress staggered backward, a look of shock on her face.女术士踉跄着向后退去，脸上满是震惊。139
Both Phalse and Prakis stepped toward her, but she waved them off.法尔斯和普拉基斯都朝她迈出一步，却被她挥手喝退。140
Still clutching her wand in one hand, she reached up to draw the blade from her body.她一手仍紧握魔杖，另一手抬起，想把剑从身体里拔出来。141
Blue sparks danced from Hill Cleaver where she grasped it.她握住劈山剑的地方迸跳起蓝色火花。142
Sorcery kept her alive despite her fatal wound, yet nothing could negate the power of the saurial’s sword to defend itself from the touch of evil.尽管伤势致命，巫术仍维系着她的生命，然而任何力量都无法消除恐龙人之剑抵御邪恶触碰的威能。143
Cassana screamed and ripped the blade from her.卡萨娜尖叫着，把剑从体内猛然拔出。144
Very slowly, blood began to well up from the gash in her chest.鲜血开始极其缓慢地从她胸前的伤口中涌出。145
Her face contorted with pain, Cassana whirled the blade at Alias’s throat.卡萨娜疼得面容扭曲，挥剑旋身斩向阿莉亚丝的咽喉。146
The swordswoman fell backward, dodging the weapon, as Prakis and Phalse lunged at her.女剑士向后倒去，避开了这一击，而普拉基斯和法尔斯同时朝她扑来。147
She rolled from the lich’s chilling touch.她翻滚躲开了巫妖冰冷的触碰。148
Phalse came at her with a dagger as she rose to her feet.她刚站起身，法尔斯便持匕首向她攻来。149
The pseudo-halfling caught one of Alias’s boots in the face and the Fire Knives at the edges of the circle began to converge, prepared to bring Alias down by force of numbers.这个伪半身人的脸上挨了阿莉亚丝一靴，而圆圈边缘的火刃帮成员开始合围，准备凭借人数优势将阿莉亚丝制服。150
There was a shattering explosion to Dragonbait’s right, behind the kneeling form of Cassana.龙饵右侧、跪伏着的卡萨娜身后，突然响起一声震天动地的爆炸。151
A pillar of fire shot up from the base of one of the sharp-toothed plinths, catching two Fire Knives.一道火柱从一座尖牙般的基座底部冲天而起，将两名火刃帮成员卷入其中。152
The great tower of stone rocked, then toppled sideways.巨大的石塔摇晃起来，随即向一侧轰然倒塌。153
A second and a third explosion followed, as screaming fanfares of fireworks and smoke struck two more of the stone fangs, blinding anyone looking at them.紧接着又响起第二声、第三声爆炸；烟火与浓烟化作尖啸的号角，击中了另外两根石牙，令所有望向它们的人眼前一片炫白。154
Dragonbait at once recognized the handiwork of Akabar Bel Akash, as the southerner proved he was indeed a mage of no small water.龙饵立刻认出这是阿卡巴·贝尔·阿卡什的手笔；这位南方人用事实证明，自己确实是一名法力不浅的法师。155
Then the saurial felt small hands creep across his body.接着，这名蜥蜴人感觉到一双小手在自己身上摸索。156
He turned his head, intent on biting them if he could.他转过头去，打定主意，只要能够着就一口咬下去。157
He caught himself when he spotted Olive Ruskettle moving alongside him.可当他看见奥利芙·拉斯凯特尔正贴着他身旁移动时，连忙止住了动作。158
The halfling carried a glass vial, from which she poured a thick, greenish mixture on his metal tethers.半身人拿着一只玻璃小瓶，把里面黏稠的淡绿色混合物倒在了捆住他的金属丝上。159
The wires smoked and gave off a deadly, acrid stench, but weakened immediately, as if suddenly rusted through.金属丝冒起烟来，散发出一股致命的刺鼻恶臭，却立刻变得脆弱不堪，仿佛突然锈穿了一般。160
Dragonbait yanked at his bonds, snapping them in half as the halfling moved to free his legs.奥利芙动手解开他的双腿时，龙饵猛力挣扯身上的束缚，将金属丝扯成了两截。161
Still caught up in the mild trance of his shen sight, the saurial could not help but notice that the halfling was purged of much of her bitterness and her vacillating spirit burned with a strength of purpose.这名蜥蜴人仍沉浸在灵视带来的浅淡恍惚中，不由得注意到，半身人心中的怨愤已经消去了大半，而她原本摇摆不定的心灵此刻正燃烧着坚定的信念。162
A Fire Knife charged at Olive with a blade tipped with the yellow ichor that had felled Dragonbait in Westgate.一名火刀帮杀手挥刀冲向奥利芙，刀尖上涂着那种曾在西门城放倒龙饵的黄色脓液。163
The halfling dodged, and Dragonbait swung his free foot with claws extended.半身人闪身躲开，龙饵则探出利爪，挥起已经获释的那只脚。164
His sharp, natural weapons sank deep into the assassin’s belly, and she fell backward, spurting a fountain of blood.他天生的锋利武器深深扎进女刺客的腹部，她向后倒去，鲜血如喷泉般涌出。165
Dragonbait searched the circle for Alias.龙饵环顾法阵，寻找阿莉亚丝。166
She was surrounded by Fire Knives, but she had acquired one of their swords and two of the assassins already lay at her feet.她被火刀帮杀手团团围住，却已经夺来了一把他们的剑，还有两名刺客倒在她脚边。167
He looked in the other direction for Cassana, but she had disappeared.他又望向另一边寻找卡萨娜，可她已经不见了。168
The saurial slid off the sacrificial stone and moved to regain Hill Cleaver.这名蜥蜴人滑下祭石，动身去夺回“劈山者”。169
Cold, bony fingers closed around Dragonbait’s throat from behind, and an icy chill flowed into his veins and crept through his body.冰冷嶙峋的手指从背后扼住龙饵的喉咙，一股彻骨寒意流入他的血管，缓缓侵袭全身。170
Prakis laughed hoarsely as his paralyzing touch began draining the saurial paladin’s strength.普拉基斯嘶哑地笑了起来；他那能使人麻痹的触碰开始抽走这名蜥蜴人圣武士的力量。171
On a human, the lich’s grip might have been impossible to break, but taking a saurial from behind was not so easy.若换成人类，或许根本无法挣脱巫妖的钳制，但从背后制伏一名蜥蜴人可没那么容易。172
Dragonbait threaded his tail between himself and the lich and used it as a lever to pry Prakis away from him.龙饵把尾巴穿进自己与巫妖之间，将它当作杠杆，把普拉基斯从身上撬开。173
The lich staggered back a few paces, then lowered his staff’s tip at the saurial and muttered something.巫妖踉跄着后退几步，随即把法杖尖端对准蜥蜴人，低声念叨了几句。174
Prakis burst into a pillar of fire.普拉基斯骤然化作一道冲天火柱。175
That was hardly the reaction Dragonbait had expected.这完全不是龙饵预料中的反应。176
He whirled around to see who might have aided him.他猛地转过身，想看看是谁出手相助。177
Standing atop the stone was a graying, clean-shaven man in ragged garb.石台顶上站着一个头发灰白、面庞刮得干干净净的男人，身上衣衫褴褛。178
He pulled a small vial from his cloak and flung it at Phalse, who was trying to take Alias from behind.他从斗篷里掏出一只小瓶，朝正试图从背后袭击阿莉亚丝的法尔斯掷去。179
Phalse saw the missile and dodged.法尔斯看见飞来的瓶子，闪身躲开了。180
A Fire Knife behind him was not so lucky and became a human pyre.他身后的一名火刀杀手却没这么走运，顿时化作一具熊熊燃烧的人形火炬。181
Dragonbait recognized the man.龙饵认出了那个男人。182
He had been the one who had demanded the saurial protect Alias in exchange for his freedom.正是他曾要求这名蜥人保护阿莉亚丝，以此换取自由。183
Dragonbait had seen him only once since then, in Alias’s dream in Shadow Gap—Nameless.自那以后，龙饵只见过他一次——在暗影峡谷阿莉亚丝的梦中——无名者。184
Now he fought openly on their side.如今，他公然站在了他们这一边作战。185
The saurial took the briefest moment to study Nameless with his shen sight, but all he detected was a gray mountain against a gray sky.蜥人抽出短短一瞬，以神视打量无名者，却只看见灰色天空下一座灰色的山峰。186
Neither evil, nor good, but very, very proud.既非邪恶，也非善良，却无比、无比骄傲。187
Prakis laughed with the horrible mechanical vocal sounds of the undead and walked out of the pyre that Nameless’s potion had lighted around him.普拉基斯发出亡灵那种可怕而机械的嗓音，纵声大笑，从无名者的药剂在他周身点燃的烈焰中走了出来。188
The lich’s clothes were ash, and his remaining skin a blackened ruin, crumbling from the bones.巫妖的衣物已化为灰烬，仅剩的皮肤也成了焦黑的残片，正从骨头上簌簌剥落。189
Yet the pinpricks of light still danced in his eyes, and he still carried his staff.然而，那针尖般的光芒仍在他眼中跳动，他手里也依然握着法杖。190
Alias had felled two more assassins, but they had tightened their ring around her.阿莉亚丝又击倒了两名刺客，可他们已进一步收紧了对她的包围。191
She was closed in on all sides.她四面受困。192
One blade was deflected by the tightly knit chain shirt, but another came perilously close to her head, clipping some of her hair.一把利刃被编织紧密的锁子甲挡开，另一把却险险掠过她的头颅，削下了几缕头发。193
A bolt of lightning struck at Alias’s feet, knocking her to the ground.一道闪电劈在阿莉亚丝脚边，将她震倒在地。194
Action froze on the battlefield.战场上的一切动作霎时凝固。195
Blackened Prakis grinned through fire-stained teeth, swaying his staff of power back and forth, aiming it at Dragonbait, then Ruskettle, then Nameless, making it quite clear that any sudden moves would result in instant destruction.浑身焦黑的普拉基斯咧开被火熏黑的牙齿，来回摆动手中的威能法杖，先后瞄准龙饵、拉斯凯特尔和无名者，清楚地表明：任何突如其来的动作都会招致顷刻毁灭。196
The remaining assassins stood guard around the fallen swordswoman.剩下的刺客守在倒地的女剑士四周。197
A red light shot up from one of the remaining stone plinths.一道红光从仅存的一座石台上冲天而起。198
Cassana stood atop the pillar, one hand clutching her wand, the other gripping shut the skin of her chest, as a modest woman would hold closed the front of a torn gown.卡萨娜站在柱顶，一只手紧握魔杖，另一只手攥紧胸前裂开的皮肉，就像一位矜持的女人掩住撕裂长裙的前襟。199
Dragonbait twitched, debating whether he could lunge for Hill Cleaver and put an end to the mages’ threats before they fried him to a cinder龙饵身子微微一动，心中盘算着自己能否猛扑过去抓住劈山者，在那些法师把他烧成焦炭之前，彻底终结他们的威胁。200
“Let this be ended,” the sorceress shouted from her perch.“到此为止吧！”女术士站在高处大喊。201
“Nameless, your little play is over.“无名者，你那出小把戏该收场了。202
Phalse, take a sword and slay the saurial and Nameless.法尔斯，拿一把剑，杀掉那个蜥蜴人和无名者。203
I will keep Puppet occupied.”我来牵制傀儡。”204
She raised the wand over her head.她把魔杖举过头顶。205
Dragonbait could feel a sympathetic ache as Cassana used the blue wand to rack Alias’s body with pain.卡萨娜用蓝色魔杖让阿莉亚丝浑身饱受剧痛时，龙饵也感到一阵感同身受的疼痛。206
A shadow rose behind Cassana, snatching the wand and kicking the sorceress off the stone.一道黑影从卡萨娜身后跃起，一把夺走魔杖，又将女术士踢下石柱。207
Cassana screamed a curse as she fell and landed hard on her side.卡萨娜尖叫着咒骂起来，重重摔落在地，侧身着地。208
Zrie Prakis whirled with his staff, trying to set his sights on his mistress’s attacker.兹里·普拉基斯挥动法杖猛然转身，试图瞄准袭击他女主人的人。209
Akabar’s flying form appeared for a moment above the stone pillar, the wand grasped tightly in his hand, then he dodged back and forth in an erratic pattern.阿卡巴飞翔的身影在石柱上方出现了一瞬，手中紧紧攥着魔杖，随即又以毫无规律的路线来回闪避。210
Long lances of energy spat from the tip of Prakis’s staff, exploding just behind the mage in huge fireballs, but Akabar stayed just ahead of their swelling blossoms of flame.一道道修长的能量枪芒从普拉基斯的杖尖射出，在法师身后炸成巨大的火球，但阿卡巴始终抢先一步，避开了不断膨胀绽放的烈焰。211
Dragonbait finally managed to grab his sword, but with Akabar in flight he couldn’t risk using Hill Cleaver to dispel magic in the area.龙饵终于抓起了自己的剑，但阿卡巴正在空中飞行，他不敢冒险用劈山剑驱散这一带的魔法。212
Instead, he used the sword to bite deeply into the lich, pulling ribs from the burned chest.于是，他转而用剑深深砍进巫妖体内，从烧焦的胸膛中挑出根根肋骨。213
Prakis’s fighting ability was still unaffected, though.然而，普拉基斯的战斗能力依旧丝毫未受影响。214
He backhanded Dragonbait with a swipe of his wickedly sharpened finger bones.他反手挥出尖利得骇人的指骨，狠狠抽中了龙饵。215
“Akabar!”“阿卡巴！”216
Nameless shouted.无名者大喊。217
“Throw the wand into the disk!”“把魔杖扔进圆盘里！”218
Dragonbait whirled about anxiously.龙饵焦急地猛然转身。219
It made the best tactical sense to remove the wand from their enemies’ reach, but would it ultimately prove their undoing?从战术上看，让魔杖脱离敌人的掌控无疑最为明智，但这么做最终会不会反而令他们自取灭亡？220
What effect would it have on Alias?这又会对阿莉亚丝产生什么影响？221
Akabar swooped low to evade the lancing bolts of the staff of power.阿卡巴俯冲而下，躲避力量法杖射出的道道枪芒。222
One caught him in the leg, and he almost lost concentration and flight.其中一道击中了他的腿，他险些无法维持专注，从空中坠落。223
He reached his goal, however, pulling up at the last moment and flinging the wand into the silver and red disk.然而，他还是抵达了目标，在最后一刻猛然拉升，将魔杖掷进银红相间的圆盘。224
Three screams went up at once.三声尖叫同时响起。225
Phalse shouted and barreled toward the disk.法尔斯大喊一声，朝圆盘猛冲过去。226
Olive stood blocking his path, but he leaped over her and tumbled into the vertical pool.奥利芙挡在他面前，但他从她头顶一跃而过，一头栽进了那片竖立的池面。227
He was swallowed without a ripple.他被吞没了，池面连一丝涟漪也没有泛起。228
Zrie Prakis screamed and in screaming fell apart.兹里·普拉基斯尖叫着，在尖叫声中分崩离析。229
With the wand thrust into another plane of being, he could not tap the energy bound up in it that kept him from death.魔杖被送入了另一个存在位面，他再也无法汲取封存在其中、令他免于死亡的能量。230
He crumbled to dust.他碎裂成尘。231
But in the moment before his spirit fled from the bones that Cassana had “cherished,” the lich cried out, “Die, Cassana!”然而，就在他的灵魂即将逃离那副曾被卡萨娜“珍爱”的骸骨之前，巫妖高喊道：“去死吧，卡萨娜！”232
His hideous laughter was carried away on the breeze.他那骇人的笑声随风飘散。233
His staff of power fell to the ground.他的强能法杖落在了地上。234
Dragonbait felt a sharp pain in his chest, just as he had when Moander had died.龙饵胸口猛地一痛，就和莫安德死去时一样。235
Without checking, he knew that a sigil had disappeared.无须查看，他便知道又有一道符印消失了。236
He glanced at Alias, who was wielding a sword two-handed, but if she felt Zrie Prakis’s mark burn away from her arm, she did not let it disrupt her combat.他瞥了阿莉亚丝一眼；她正双手挥剑，但即使她感觉到兹里·普拉基斯的印记从手臂上灼烧消失，也没有让这影响自己的战斗。237
Lastly, Cassana shrieked, for much of her own magic was locked up in that wand.最后，卡萨娜也尖叫起来，因为她自身的大部分魔力都封存在那根魔杖之中。238
She, too, began to decay—her shoulders stooped, her skin became more torn and ragged, so that she looked dressed in the tatters of her own dead flesh.她也开始腐朽——双肩佝偻，皮肤愈发破碎褴褛，仿佛身披自己死去血肉的残片。239
The sorceress’s chest wound began spurting blood.女术士胸口的伤处开始喷涌鲜血。240
Akabar swooped down and plucked the staff of power from the battlefield.阿卡巴俯冲而下，从战场上抄起了那根强能法杖。241
Some of the Fire Knives, uncertain whether or not the mage could wield it, began to move toward the perimeter of the circle.一些火刀刺客拿不准这名法师能否使用它，开始朝圆圈外围退去。242
Dragonbait stood guarding the rear, as Olive and Alias backed toward him.龙饵守在后方，奥利芙和阿莉亚丝则一步步退向他。243
The saurial paladin now bid Hill Cleaver to swallow any magic cast.这位蜥蜴人圣武士此刻命令裂山者吞噬一切施展出的魔法。244
And not a moment too soon.时机恰到好处。245
The hag form of Cassana pointed toward the saurial paladin and muttered.化作老巫婆模样的卡萨娜指向蜥蜴人圣武士，低声念叨起来。246
A bolt of zigzag lightning shot from her finger, only to dissipate into a harmless shower of sparks.一道曲折的闪电从她指尖射出，却只消散成了一阵毫无杀伤力的火花。247
“Kill them!” the sorceress shrieked to the remaining assassins, as she struggled to her feet.“杀了他们！”女术士挣扎着站起身，对剩下的刺客尖声命令道。248
The Fire Knives regrouped and began driving the party back.火焰匕首的刺客们重新集结，开始逼得众人步步后退。249
Akabar could only use the staff of power to strike their foes.阿卡巴只能把威能法杖当作武器，用它击打敌人。250
Alias had lost her weapon, and Olive stumbled as she moved.阿莉亚丝已经丢了武器，奥利芙行动时也踉踉跄跄。251
In the chaos and frenzy of the sword fight, no more of the assassins had chosen to poison their blades.剑斗一片混乱，众人杀得如痴如狂，再也没有刺客顾得上给刀刃淬毒。252
That was fortunate for the adventurers; Alias was bleeding from half a dozen cuts, and Olive was clutching at a jagged wound running down her side.这对冒险者们来说实属幸运；阿莉亚丝身上六七道伤口都在流血，奥利芙则紧捂着一道沿体侧裂开的参差伤口。253
Dragonbait risked taking his attention from parrying a sword thrust long enough to look for Nameless.龙饵冒险将注意力从格挡一记刺剑上移开片刻，寻找无名者的踪影。254
The graying man dove into the silver pool.那个头发灰白的男人一头扎进银色水池。255
Like Phalse, he disappeared without a trace.他像法尔斯一样消失得无影无踪。256
The saurial felled an assassin closing on their left flank and chirped to gain the swordswoman’s attention.这名蜥蜴族人击倒了一个正从左翼逼近的刺客，随即啾叫一声，引起女剑士的注意。257
When Alias met his eyes, he jerked his head toward the silver pool.阿莉亚丝与他四目相对时，他朝银色水池甩了甩头。258
She jerked her head back indicating he must go first.她也把头往回一甩，示意他必须先走。259
He growled.他低吼了一声。260
If he went first, Cassana could again use her magic to attack them, but he couldn’t explain this to Alias.如果他先走，卡萨娜就能再次施展魔法攻击他们，可他没法向阿莉亚丝解释这一点。261
He jerked his head indicating again that she must go before him, but she shook her head seconds before she launched a kick at an assassin’s chin with her boot.他再次甩头，示意她必须走在自己前面，可她摇了摇头，紧接着便抬靴一脚踢向一个刺客的下巴。262
Minutes ago, she had no will power of her own, he thought with grim amusement.几分钟前，她还根本没有自己的意志呢，他带着冷峻的笑意想道。263
Why does she pick now to be so stubborn?她怎么偏偏挑这个时候如此固执？264
He caught her attention with another chirp before he spun Hill Cleaver about and tossed it to her.他又啾叫一声吸引她的注意，随后将劈山剑调转过来，抛给了她。265
Alias caught the weapon, reclasped her hands about the grip, and spun to decapitate an assassin who had lunged forward when her attention was focused on the saurial.阿莉亚丝接住武器，双手重新握紧剑柄，旋身斩下一个刺客的头颅；那刺客趁她把注意力放在蜥蜴族人身上时扑了过来。266
Dragonbait snatched up the halfling and loped to the planar disk.龙饵一把抱起半身人，大步奔向位面圆盘。267
The silver pool had already shrunk to half its original size.银色水池已经缩小到原来的一半。268
The swirls had become solid rings and the portal now resembled the bull’s eye sigil of Phalse’s master.旋涡已经化作一圈圈实心圆环，如今这道传送门看起来就像法尔斯主人那枚靶心状的徽记。269
Dragonbait plunged in, taking Olive with him.龙饵带着奥利芙一头扎了进去。270
Alias and Akabar blocked the portal.阿莉亚丝和阿卡巴挡在传送门前。271
The Turmish mage brought the end of the staff up hard, cracking the jaw of an assassin.图米什法师猛地挑起法杖末端，击裂了一个刺客的下巴。272
Then two withered hands, strong as steel, closed around the staff.接着，两只枯瘦却坚如钢铁的手紧紧攥住了法杖。273
The aged face of Cassana, drooling and twisted beyond the limits of humanity, confronted the mage.卡萨娜那张衰老的脸淌着口水，扭曲得不复人形，出现在法师面前。274
“You use it as a club,” she lisped.“你只把它当棍子使，”她口齿不清地说道。275
“Now feel its full force.”“现在尝尝它全部的威力吧。”276
Alias slew another assassin with Hill Cleaver, but there were more than a dozen left, and the effects of her wounds were taking their toll on her reaction time.阿莉亚丝用劈山剑斩杀了另一名刺客，但剩下的刺客还有十多个，而伤势已经开始拖慢她的反应。277
“Into the portal!” she ordered the mage.“进传送门！”她命令法师。278
“But the witch,” Akabar protested, as Cassana began to intone words of power.“可那个女巫——”阿卡巴抗议道；与此同时，卡萨娜开始吟诵蕴含力量的咒文。279
“In!” the swordswoman cried.“进去！”女剑士高声喝道。280
Alias put her foot on Akabar’s stomach and shoved the mage through the disk.阿莉亚丝一脚蹬在阿卡巴腹部，把法师推进了圆盘。281
Akabar would not loosen his hold on the staff, and Cassana was dragged toward the bull’s eye.阿卡巴死死不肯松开法杖，卡萨娜也被拖向圆盘中心。282
Akabar was lost to sight beyond the silvery glow of the portal, but the haggish sorceress managed to plant her feet firmly on the ground and hold her position.阿卡巴的身影消失在传送门银色的辉光之后，但那女巫般的法师设法将双脚牢牢钉在地上，稳住了身形。283
With the tendons of her arms popping from the strain, Cassana began to pull the staff back from the portal.卡萨娜双臂的筋腱因用力过猛而根根暴起，开始把法杖从传送门里往回拽。284
Alias stepped halfway into the portal, straddling it with one foot on each side of the planar gate.阿莉亚丝半身踏入传送门，一脚留在位面之门这边，另一脚跨到了另一边。285
She brought Hill Cleaver down on the half of the staff of power that jutted out from the disc hovering over the Hill of Fangs.威能法杖还有半截从悬浮在尖牙丘上方的圆盘中伸出来，她挥起劈山剑，猛劈而下。286
The blade cut through the ancient wood like an axe, and a multicolored fireball blossomed out from the broken staff.剑刃如斧头般劈开了古老的木杖，一团五彩斑斓的火球从断裂的法杖中绽放开来。287
Alias felt heat wash over her body as the force of the explosion pushed her through the gateway, into the lands that lay beyond.阿莉亚丝感到一股热浪席卷全身，爆炸的冲力将她推过传送门，抛进了彼端的土地。288
The shock wave caught the last pieces of Cassana’s body and the fire-ravaged forms of the remaining assassins, carrying them from the top of the Hill of Fangs.冲击波卷起卡萨娜残存的尸块和其余刺客被烈火烧灼的躯体，将它们从尖牙丘顶掀飞出去。289
The last curved and pointed stones toppled from their moorings, and, for the second day in a row, a new star burned over Westgate.最后几块弯曲尖锐的巨石也从基座上倾覆，而西门城上空连续第二天燃起了一颗新星。290
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