Alias held the finder’s stone at arm’s length and thought of Nameless again.阿莉亚丝伸直手臂举着寻人石，又想起了无名者。1
Once more the stone sent out a beacon of light to the southwest.石头再次朝西南方射出一道指引方向的光。2
“You know these lands,” Akabar said to Breck Orcsbane.“你熟悉这片土地，”阿卡巴对布雷克·奥克斯班说道。3
“What places where the bard might be fall along the beacon’s path?”“沿着这道光指引的方向，有哪些地方可能是那位吟游诗人的所在？”4
Breck whistled softly.布雷克轻轻吹了声口哨。5
“He could be practically anywhere—Spiderhaunt Woods, Shadow Gap, Gnoll Pass, Cormyr.“他几乎可能在任何地方——蛛影森林、暗影隘口、豺狼人山口，或者科米尔。6
They all lie in that direction,” the ranger replied.这些地方全都在那个方向，”游侠答道。7
“If you or Grypht could teleport us to another place, we could use the stone to triangulate and get a better fix.”“如果你或格里夫特能把我们传送到别处，我们就可以用这块石头进行三角定位，更准确地确定他的位置。”8
Akabar shook his head.阿卡巴摇了摇头。9
“I do not yet possess the power for such a spell, and Grypht is not familiar enough with this world to teleport us anywhere but Shadowdale.“我还没有足够的力量施展这种法术，而格里夫特对这个世界不够熟悉，除了阴影谷，无法把我们传送到任何其他地方。10
That is not far enough off the beam’s path to triangulate accurately.”那里离光束的路径偏得不够远，无法进行准确的三角定位。”11
Alias rocked nervously on the balls of her feet.阿莉亚丝紧张地以前脚掌为支点，身体来回晃动。12
She had to find a way to reach Nameless quickly.她必须想办法尽快赶到无名者身边。13
Now that the swordswoman was finally conscious of her soul song link with the saurials whom Moander had enslaved, she could no longer deny that Moander was indeed returning to the Realms.如今，这位女剑士终于意识到，自己与那些被莫安德奴役的蜥蜴族之间存在灵魂之歌的联系，她再也无法否认莫安德确实正在重返诸界。14
She knew, too, with absolute certainty, that Nameless was in grave danger from Moander and that all the evil god’s attention was focused on the bard.她也无比确信，无名者正面临莫安德带来的巨大危险，而这个邪神全部的注意力都集中在那位吟游诗人身上。15
There just wasn’t time to trek across country following the stone’s light beam.他们根本没有时间循着石头的光束长途跋涉，穿越荒野。16
She peered anxiously into the stone.她焦急地凝视着石头内部。17
The longer she looked at it, the more she remembered of its powers.她看得越久，就越能回想起它拥有的种种力量。18
It held all sorts of spells for Nameless, including spells to teleport him to safe places if he ever found himself threatened.里面为无名者储存了各式各样的法术，其中包括在他遭遇威胁时将他传送到安全地点的法术。19
Alias looked up from the finder’s stone with a hopeful look on her face.阿莉亚丝从寻人石上抬起头来，脸上露出了希望。20
“There’s a teleport spell in the finder’s stone that can transport us to the Spiderhaunt Woods,” she said.“寻人石里有一道传送法术，可以把我们送到蛛影森林，”她说道。21
“I’m going to use it.”“我要使用它。”22
“Alias, we can’t just teleport all around the Realms,” Akabar said.“阿莉亚丝，我们不能就这样在诸界到处传送，”阿卡巴说道。23
“We have to think this through.”“我们得把这件事仔细想清楚。”24
“There isn’t time!”“没时间了！”25
Alias said.阿莉亚丝说道。26
“I’m going.”“我要去。”27
“Can it transport all of us?”“它能把我们所有人都传送过去吗？”28
Breck asked.布雷克问道。29
Alias nodded.阿莉亚丝点点头。30
“I think so,” she said.“我想能，”她说。31
“The stone is very powerful.“这块石头的力量非常强大。32
All we need to do is hold hands,” she said, reaching for Dragonbait with her left hand.我们只要手拉着手就行了。”她说着，伸出左手去拉龙饵。33
Dragonbait translated the plan to Grypht and reached for the wizard’s hand.龙饵把这个计划翻译给格里夫特听，然后伸手去拉那位法师的手。34
Grypht took Akabar’s hand, Akabar grasped Zhara’s hand, and Zhara held Breck’s.格里夫特拉住阿卡巴的手，阿卡巴握住扎拉的手，扎拉又拉住布雷克的手。35
Alias held the finder’s stone out in her right hand and sang out a clear musical note.阿莉亚丝右手托着寻踪石，唱出一个清亮悦耳的音符。36
Immediately a yellow glow surrounded her body.刹那间，一层黄色光芒笼罩了她全身。37
The glow slid from her arm to Dragonbait and then across the chain of Grypht, Akabar, Zhara and Breck.光芒从她的手臂流向龙饵，接着沿着格里夫特、阿卡巴、扎拉和布雷克组成的人链传了过去。38
Within moments, the light grew so bright that Alias could see nothing but yellow.转眼间，光芒变得如此耀眼，阿莉亚丝眼前除了黄色，什么也看不见。39
Then the light faded.随后，光芒消退了。40
She and her companions stood on a grassy hillside meadow.她和同伴们站在一片长满青草的山坡草地上。41
Alias swayed dizzily and looked down at the finder’s stone with a sense of awe.阿莉亚丝头晕目眩地晃了晃，满怀敬畏地低头看着寻踪石。42
She’d never thought much about the genius it must have taken to build her own body, but now that she’d actually cast such powerful magic with one of Nameless’s other creations she was far more impressed with the bard’s skills than she’d ever been before.她过去从未认真想过，造出她这副躯体需要何等天才；但如今，她真的借助无名者的另一件造物施展出如此强大的魔法，对这位吟游诗人的本领远比从前更加钦佩。43
Grypht recovered first from the disorienting effects of teleporting and looked around with interest.格里夫特最先从传送造成的眩晕中恢复过来，饶有兴致地环顾四周。44
He nudged the swordswoman and pointed behind her.他轻轻碰了碰女剑士，指向她身后。45
Atop the hill stood the remains of a crumbling stone manor.山丘顶上矗立着一座摇摇欲坠的石砌庄园遗迹。46
Grypht approached the ruins and walked up the front steps and through the doorless doorway.格里夫特走近废墟，登上正门前的台阶，穿过没有门扇的门洞。47
Alias raced alongside him, holding out the finder’s stone and thinking of Nameless.阿莉亚丝举着寻人石，一边想着无名者，一边快步跟在他身旁。48
A light shot out toward the back of the manor house.一道光射向庄园宅邸后方。49
She followed it until she reached a doorway to a dark staircase that led downward.她循着光走去，直到来到一处门洞前，里面是一段通往地下的昏暗楼梯。50
The other adventurers hurried to catch up to her.其他冒险者赶忙追上她。51
Breck gave a low whistle.布雷克低低吹了声口哨。52
“Nameless is really here,” he said with astonishment.“无名者真的在这里，”他惊讶地说道。53
“Talk about luck.”“这运气可真够好的。”54
Grypht emitted the scent of warm tar, elated over their prospects for success.格里夫特身上散发出温热焦油的气味，为他们成功在望而欣喜不已。55
“We may actually reach him before Moander does.”“我们或许真能赶在莫安德之前找到他。”56
Alias had already started down the stairs with Dragonbait at her side.阿莉亚丝已经开始下楼梯，龙饵就在她身旁。57
Akabar and Zhara followed.阿卡巴和扎拉紧随其后。58
Grypht and Breck brought up the rear.格里夫特和布雷克走在最后。59
They hadn’t descended more than twenty steps when their way was blocked by a caved-in section of the ceiling.他们才下了不到二十级台阶，就被一处坍塌的天花板挡住了去路。60
The finder’s stone pinpointed a tunnel, big enough for everyone but Grypht to crawl through, dug through the rubble.寻人石准确指出，瓦砾中挖有一条通道，除了格里夫特以外，其他人都能从中爬过去。61
Once Dragonbait made it through to the other side, he whistled back the distance to Grypht, and the wizard summoned a dimensional door to carry him past the cave-in.龙饵一钻到另一边，便吹口哨向格里夫特报出距离，法师随即召出一道次元门，将自己送过了坍塌处。62
Grypht’s head brushed the passageway ceiling, but he motioned them onward, unconcerned.格里夫特的头擦到了通道顶，但他毫不在意，只挥手示意众人继续前进。63
Both Grypht’s staff and the finder’s stone lit the darkness around them, glowing like torches, but the finder’s stone also sent out a bright beacon of light to indicate Nameless’s direction.格里夫特的法杖和寻人石都如火炬般发光，照亮了周围的黑暗，不过寻人石还射出一道明亮的光柱，指示无名者所在的方向。64
The beacon led them to two more cave-ins.光柱将他们引向另外两处坍塌点。65
Each time Grypht circumvented crawling through them with dimensional doors, so that the huge lizard was the only one of them not covered with dirt when they reached the locked iron grate.每一次，格里夫特都用次元门绕过坍塌处，无须从中爬行，因此当他们抵达那扇上了锁的铁栅门时，只有这只巨蜥没有沾得满身尘土。66
“Olive would be useful right about now,” Alias said to Akabar as she shook the door to test its strength.“这时候要是有奥利芙在就派得上用场了，”阿莉亚丝一边摇晃栅门、试探它有多牢固，一边对阿卡巴说道。67
Grypht motioned for everyone to back away from the grate.格里夫特示意众人从铁栅门前退开。68
Lifting his robe like a grand lady crossing a puddle, the saurial wizard kicked one of his huge legs at the lock.这位蜥蜴人法师像贵妇跨过水洼似的提起长袍，抬起一条粗壮的大腿，一脚踹向门锁。69
The door flew open with a crash.铁栅门砰然洞开。70
“Now, that’s a trick I’ve never seen Elminster do,” Breck said with a chuckle as he followed the others through the open grate.“这一招我可从没见伊尔明斯特使过。”布雷克轻笑着说道，跟随其他人穿过敞开的铁栅门。71
The finder’s stone’s beam suddenly shifted direction, shining down a gap in the passageway’s lined stone walls.寻物石射出的光束忽然转了方向，照进通道石砌墙壁上的一道缺口。72
Beyond the gap lay a natural tunnel.缺口后面是一条天然隧道。73
Dragonbait sniffed the air and hesitated.龙饵嗅了嗅空气，迟疑起来。74
“What is it?”“怎么了？”75
Alias asked.阿莉亚丝问道。76
“Orcs,” the paladin said in saurial.“兽人。”圣武士用蜥蜴人的语言说道。77
Alias whispered back to Akabar, Zhara, and Breck, “Dragonbait smells—”阿莉亚丝回头低声对阿卡巴、扎拉和布雷克说：“龙饵闻到了——”78
“Orcs,” Breck finished the swordswoman’s sentence.“兽人。”布雷克替女剑士说完了后半句。79
“How did you know?”“你怎么知道？”80
Alias asked, surprised.阿莉亚丝惊讶地问道。81
“I’ve smelled them many times before,” the ranger answered.“我以前闻过他们很多次。”游侠回答。82
“How do you think I got the name Orcsbane?”“不然你以为我怎么会得到奥克斯班这个名号？”83
Breck moved to the front of the party and drew his sword.布雷克走到队伍最前面，拔出了剑。84
Anticipation gleamed in his eyes.他的眼中闪烁着期待的光芒。85
Alias held the ranger back.阿莉亚丝拦住了游侠。86
“Let Dragonbait look with his shen sight first,” she said.“先让龙饵用他的神视看看。”她说。87
“His what?”“他的什么？”88
Breck asked.布雷克问道。89
“His shen sight,” Alias explained.“他的神视。”阿莉亚丝解释道。90
“He can detect evil like a paladin in the Realms can, only he can detect more detail about what sort of evil.”“他能像诸界的圣武士一样侦测邪恶，不过他还能分辨出那究竟是哪一种邪恶，知道得更详细。”91
Dragonbait summoned his shen sight and concentrated on the passageway ahead of them.龙饵唤起神视，凝神察看他们前方的通道。92
“There’s something else up there,” Dragonbait said to Alias after several moments.过了片刻，龙饵对阿莉亚丝说：“上面还有别的东西。”93
“Something even more evil than orcs.”“某种比兽人邪恶得多的东西。”94
The swordswoman translated the paladin’s words for the others.女剑士把这位圣武士的话翻译给其他人听。95
“There must be some other kind of creature leading them,” Breck said, stepping into the cleft.“一定有别的什么生物在带领它们，”布雷克一边说，一边走进岩缝。96
“Probably ogres.”“多半是食人魔。”97
He hurried down the passage.他沿着通道匆匆而去。98
“It is not ogres,” Dragonbait said in Saurial.“不是食人魔，”龙饵用蜥蜴人的语言说道。99
“It is something much, much worse.”“是某种糟糕得多、糟糕得多的东西。”100
Alias eyed the ranger’s hastily disappearing form.阿莉亚丝望着游侠迅速远去的身影。101
“Then we’d better hurry before whatever it is gets to Nameless,” she said, following the ranger.“那我们最好快点，免得那东西先找到无名者，”她说着，跟上了游侠。102
Akabar and Zhara hurried after her, leaving the two saurials behind momentarily.阿卡巴和扎拉赶忙跟在她身后，一时把两个蜥蜴人留在了后面。103
“What is it, Champion?”“是什么，勇士？”104
Grypht asked the smaller saurial as he moved up beside him.格里夫特走到那个较矮的蜥蜴人身旁，问道。105
“I think—” Dragonbait hesitated.“我想——”龙饵迟疑了。106
Grypht stood patiently while the paladin reached out with his shen sight to try to determine what sort of evil he sensed.圣武士伸展神视，试图弄清自己感知到的是哪一种邪恶；格里夫特则耐心地站在一旁。107
“It’s too far off to see clearly, but it’s so powerful and dark that I think it must be a minion of Moander’s,” the saurial said.“它离得太远，看不真切，但它的力量如此强大，气息又如此黑暗，我想它一定是莫安德的爪牙，”蜥蜴人说道。108
“Not surprising,” the wizard said.“这并不奇怪，”法师说道。109
“Let us hope it is not the bard whom you see.”“但愿你看见的不是那位吟游诗人。”110
Dragonbait nodded in agreement.龙饵点头表示赞同。111
He didn’t even want to think about how terrible it would be to try to convince Alias they couldn’t trust Nameless, that they may even have to destroy him.他甚至不愿去想，要说服阿莉亚丝相信他们不能信任无名者，甚至可能不得不消灭他，会是多么可怕的一件事。112
The paladin stepped into the cleft between the rocks.圣武士走进岩石间的裂缝。113
The wizard squeezed in behind him, and together they hurried after the others.法师从他身后挤了进去，两人一起匆匆追赶其他人。114
The stench of the orc warren soon grew strong enough for even Alias, Akabar, and Zhara to detect.没过多久，兽人巢窟的恶臭就浓烈到连阿莉亚丝、阿卡巴和扎拉都能闻见了。115
They proceeded with more caution.他们更加谨慎地继续前行。116
Even Breck, who could have followed his nose directly to their lair, remained close to the light of the Finder’s stone.就连本可以循着气味直抵兽人巢穴的布雷克，也始终紧跟在芬德之石的光芒旁。117
“They hate sunlight,” the ranger offered, “and they can sometimes be frightened off with a very bright magical light.”“它们憎恨阳光，”游侠说道，“有时，一道极其明亮的魔法光芒就能把它们吓退。”118
“Like a light stone?”“比如光明石？”119
Zhara said, pulling one from the robe of her pocket.扎拉一边说，一边从长袍口袋里掏出一块。120
The damp walls around them glittered in the bright light.周围潮湿的岩壁在强光下闪闪发亮。121
“Yes,” Breck nodded.“对。”布雷克点了点头。122
“Keep it hidden for now, though, and spring it on them suddenly.“不过现在先把它藏好，等遇上它们时再突然亮出来。123
The surprise will add to their fear.”出其不意会让它们更加恐惧。”124
Zhara pocketed the light stone.扎拉把光明石放回了口袋。125
The party finally reached the entry way to a cave that reeked of burnt flesh and smoke.一行人终于来到一座洞窟的入口，里面散发着烧焦血肉和烟雾的恶臭。126
Tiny pricks of red light indicated coals still burning in the dark room ahead.前方漆黑的洞室里，点点微弱的红光表明仍有余烬在燃烧。127
Alias held up the finder’s stone to see into the room.阿莉亚丝举起芬德之石，借着光察看洞室内部。128
It looked as if the center of the ceiling had crashed into the room, and it appeared to have happened very recently.洞顶中央仿佛已经塌进了洞室，而且看起来就是刚刚才发生的。129
Several dead orcs lay about the floor under piles of rock.几具兽人的尸体横陈在地，压在一堆堆岩石下面。130
Others lay on the ground, felled by some mysterious magic that left no mark.还有一些倒毙在地，似乎中了某种不留痕迹的神秘魔法。131
Dead animals lay smoldering over dying charcoal fires.死去的动物躺在即将熄灭的炭火上，仍冒着烟。132
“If this is the work of the Nameless Bard,” Breck said, “I’m impressed.”“如果这是无名者吟游诗人的手笔，”布雷克说道，“那我可真佩服。”133
Alias said nothing.阿莉亚丝一言不发。134
She had done her share of killing, but it was impossible not to notice how young some of the dead orcs were.她自己也杀过不少，但她无法不注意到，有些死去的兽人年纪还很小。135
If causing such destruction was the only way to save his life, she could understand.如果造成这样的破坏是救他一命的唯一办法，她可以理解。136
What she couldn’t understand was how Nameless could have been so foolish as to come this close to an orc warren to begin with.她无法理解的是，无名者当初怎么会愚蠢到如此接近一处兽人巢窟。137
Breck leaned over and yanked a leather thong off the neck of a dead orc.布雷克俯下身，从一具死去的兽人颈上猛地扯下一根皮绳。138
He held it out for Alias to examine.他把皮绳递到阿莉亚丝面前，让她查看。139
On the end was an ear—an elven ear.绳子末端系着一只耳朵——一只精灵的耳朵。140
“This is the orc tribe of the Torn Ear,” the ranger said.“这是裂耳部落的兽人，”游侠说道。141
“They’ve been preying on small caravans in the dales for twenty years now.“二十年来，他们一直在谷地劫掠小型商队。142
The Dalesmen have tried sending out caravans full of adventurers disguised as merchants, but the Torn Ear always seem to know if a caravan is authentic.谷地人曾派出由冒险者假扮成商人的商队，但裂耳部落似乎总能分辨出商队是真是假。143
Once they’ve cut off their victims’ ears, they loot only the most precious treasures, leaving the rest with the corpses for the crows to pick over.他们割下受害者的耳朵后，只掠走最珍贵的财物，剩下的则连同尸体一起留给乌鸦啄食。144
They’re expert at covering their trail, too.他们也很擅长掩盖踪迹。145
No one has ever been able to track them to their lair.从来没有人能追踪到他们的巢穴。146
This season they’ve attacked nearly three times as many caravans as in any other year.这个季节，他们袭击的商队数量几乎是其他任何一年的三倍。147
Lord Mourngrym has sent out two parties to search for their warren.莫恩格林领主已经派出两支队伍去寻找他们的兽穴。148
Neither group came back.”两支队伍都没有回来。”149
The ranger laid the thong with the elven ear back down on the chest of the fallen orc.游侠把系着精灵耳朵的皮绳放回那名倒毙兽人的胸口。150
“Well, let’s find your Nameless Bard.“好了，我们去找你的那位无名者吟游诗人吧。151
I’d like to meet him,” Breck said.我很想见见他。”布雷克说。152
The beacon light from the finder’s stone led them around the collapsed ceiling.寻人石发出的指引光芒带着他们绕过了那片坍塌的顶棚。153
They had to stoop now to pass through the edges of the room where the ceiling remained intact.他们现在不得不弯下腰，才能从房间边缘那些顶棚仍然完好的地方穿过。154
Grypht remained behind, waiting for Dragonbait to return with a report of how far it was to an area that was open enough for the larger saurial to move through comfortably.格里夫特留在后面，等龙饵回来报告还要走多远，才能到达一处足够开阔、能让体形较大的蜥蜴人舒适通行的区域。155
They came to another tunnel about fifteen feet wide, leading away from the main room of the orc warren.他们来到另一条约十五英尺宽的隧道，隧道从兽人巢穴的主厅向外延伸。156
The voices of orcs drifted down the tunnel to their ears.兽人的说话声顺着隧道飘进他们耳中。157
Knowing danger lay in that direction made no difference.明知那个方向有危险，也无济于事。158
The finder’s stone indicated that Nameless was in the same direction, so they couldn’t avoid it.寻人石显示无名者也在那个方向，因此他们无法绕开。159
The tunnel’s ceiling was higher here, so Dragonbait returned to tell Grypht.这里的隧道顶更高，于是龙饵返回去通知格里夫特。160
Breck paced impatiently until Dragonbait reappeared.布雷克不耐烦地来回踱步，直到龙饵再次出现。161
“Well, where’s that lumbering wizard friend of yours?” he asked the paladin in a whisper.“喂，你那个步履笨重的巫师朋友在哪儿？”他低声问那名圣武士。162
A giant finger tapped Breck on the head.一根巨大的手指敲了敲布雷克的脑袋。163
Grypht had stepped through his dimension door directly behind the ranger and crept up on him in the darkness.格里夫特穿过次元门，直接来到游侠身后，又借着黑暗悄悄靠近了他。164
“Uh … let’s go,” Breck said sheepishly.“呃……走吧。”布雷克难为情地说道。165
Grypht held the ranger back by the collar of his leather armor and addressed Alias for a moment.格里夫特揪住游侠皮甲的衣领，把他拽了回来，随后对阿莉亚丝说了几句。166
Alias rolled her eyes with annoyance, but she translated the wizard’s words faithfully.阿莉亚丝恼火地翻了翻白眼，但还是如实翻译了法师的话。167
“Grypht says we should wait for Zhara to grant us Tymora’s blessing.”“格里夫特说，我们应该等扎拉为我们赐下泰摩拉的祝福。”168
Breck and the others stood by while Zhara pulled out a vial of holy water and began chanting for the goddess of luck to grant them her favors.布雷克和其他人站在一旁等候，扎拉则取出一小瓶圣水，开始吟诵祷文，祈求幸运女神眷顾他们。169
As the priestess poured the water on the ground, Alias sighed.女祭司把圣水洒在地上时，阿莉亚丝叹了口气。170
The swordswoman had seen priests heal people and cure curses, but when it came to bestowing blessings on people, there was no visible proof to convince her it actually did any good.女剑士见过祭司为人疗伤、解除诅咒，可说到为人赐福，却没有任何看得见的证据能让她相信这真有什么用。171
Still, as Dragonbait constantly reminded her, it wouldn’t hurt her to give the priestess’s blessing the benefit of the doubt.不过，正如龙饵一再提醒她的那样，姑且相信女祭司的祝福也不会有什么坏处。172
Grypht turned to Alias again.格里夫特又转向阿莉亚丝。173
This time the swordswoman agreed wholeheartedly with the saurial wizard’s suggestion.这一次，女剑士完全赞同这位蜥蜴人法师的提议。174
“Stay behind Grypht,” Alias told Zhara, repeating the saurial wizard’s message.“待在格里夫特身后。”阿莉亚丝向扎拉转述了蜥蜴人法师的话。175
The priestess glared at Alias.女祭司怒视着阿莉亚丝。176
“I will not!“我不干！”177
I will fight at my husband’s side.“我要和我丈夫并肩作战。”178
I do not need additional protection.“我不需要额外保护。”179
I am wearing your old plate mail beneath my robe,” she argued.“我的长袍底下穿着你那套旧板甲呢。”她争辩道。180
“You swing a mean flail,” Alias said, “but we’ll need your skill as a healer again before the battle is over.“你的连枷确实使得很厉害，”阿莉亚丝说，“但在战斗结束前，我们还会需要你施展治疗术。”181
Besides, Grypht is vulnerable when he’s casting spells.“再说，格里夫特施法时很容易受到攻击。”182
He needs someone to cover his back.“他需要有人替他守住后背。”183
That’s you.”“这个人就是你。”184
Akabar addressed a few words to Zhara in Turmish.阿卡巴用图米什语对扎拉说了几句。185
Zhara sighed and nodded.扎拉叹了口气，点点头。186
Breck and Alias took the lead, creeping up the passage, and Dragonbait and Akabar followed closely behind.布雷克和阿莉亚丝打头，蹑手蹑脚地沿通道前进，龙饵和阿卡巴紧随其后。187
Grypht hung back some distance, saving his magic to deal with whatever sort of evil minion of Moander ruled this place.格里夫特远远落在后面，保留魔力，准备对付统治此地的莫安德邪恶爪牙——无论那究竟是何种怪物。188
He kept Zhara behind him, hoping to hide and shield her from anything that might rush toward them.他让扎拉待在自己身后，希望能把她藏起来，并保护她不受任何迎面扑来的东西伤害。189
A hundred feet up the passage, Alias and Breck halted.沿通道走了一百英尺后，阿莉亚丝和布雷克停下了脚步。190
Another thirty feet ahead of them were a dozen large orcs clearing away a pile of rubble.前方三十英尺处，十来个高大的兽人正在清理一堆碎石。191
It appeared that the ceiling had collapsed in the tunnel just as it had in the main room.看来，这条隧道的顶部也像主厅一样坍塌了。192
As they watched, a set of orc legs disappeared down a hole in the rubble, and another orc prepared to follow.他们注视着，只见一双兽人的腿消失在碎石堆中的一个洞里，另一个兽人也准备跟下去。193
“Greater evil lies beyond the wall,” Dragonbait said softly to Alias.“墙后有更强大的邪恶力量。”龙饵轻声对阿莉亚丝说道。194
“So does Nameless,” Alias replied in saurial, pointing out how the beacon emanating from the finder’s stone was striking the pile of rubble.“无名者也在那边。”阿莉亚丝用蜥人语回答，同时指出寻踪石发出的指引光芒正照向那堆碎石。195
Breck, who couldn’t hear their conversation, asked, “What are we waiting for?听不见他们谈话的布雷克问道：“我们还在等什么？”196
Torn Ear!” he shouted loudly.“裂耳部落！”他高声大喊。197
“Prepare to die!”“准备受死吧！”198
The dozen orcs at the cave-in whirled around with drawn battle-axes or loaded crossbows.塌方处的十来个兽人猛然转身，手中不是握着出鞘的战斧，就是端着已经上弦的弩。199
Breck leaped forward with his sword in one hand and his dagger in the other.布雷克纵身向前，一手持剑，一手握匕首。200
He beheaded one orc with a single swing of his sword and sent another one stumbling backward to avoid being jabbed by the ranger’s flashing dagger.他挥剑一击便砍下了一个兽人的脑袋，又用寒光闪闪的匕首猛刺另一名兽人，逼得对方踉跄后退。201
Two crossbow bolts whizzed past Breck’s head, missing him narrowly, but a third buried itself in his chest.两支弩箭嗖嗖掠过布雷克的头侧，险些射中他，但第三支却深深扎进了他的胸膛。202
Three orcs with axes surrounded the ranger and began hacking at him.三个持斧的兽人包围了这名游侠，开始挥斧朝他劈砍。203
Alias sliced down one orc who had foolishly turned his own back on her to position himself at the ranger’s back.一个兽人为了绕到游侠背后，愚蠢地把后背暴露给了阿莉亚丝；她一剑将他砍倒。204
Then she and Dragonbait took position on either side of Breck.随后，她和龙饵分立在布雷克两侧。205
Having reestablished a defensive line, the swordswoman and the paladin were careful to hold the line across the width of the corridor so that no orcs could break through and engage Akabar as he cast his spells.重新构筑起防线后，女剑士和圣武士谨慎地守住整条走廊，不让任何兽人突破防线，趁阿卡巴施法时与他交战。206
From behind her, Alias could hear the southern mage raise his voice in a Turmish chant.阿莉亚丝听见身后的南方魔法师提高嗓音，用图米什语吟唱起来。207
In a moment, two pairs of magic missiles whizzed past her shoulders, burying themselves in the chests of two orcs armed with crossbows.转眼间，两对魔法飞弹从她肩旁呼啸而过，分别没入两个持弩兽人的胸膛。208
The orcs’ crossbows fired wildly, hitting the ceiling, and the orcs fell to the ground, dead.兽人手中的弩胡乱射出，弩箭击中了天花板；两个兽人则倒在地上，死了。209
Another orc positioned himself in front of Alias.又一名兽人挡在阿莉亚丝面前。210
He leered at her and aimed his battle-axe over the part of her sternum that her chain mail did not protect.他狞笑着，将战斧对准她胸骨上未受锁子甲保护的部位。211
The field of enchantment surrounding her armored shirt deflected the axe’s edge before it could cleave her chest open.笼罩着她那件甲衣的魔法力场弹开了斧刃，使其未能劈开她的胸膛。212
Taken off guard by the way his blade had skittered across the woman’s chest, the orc lost his balance and fell toward Alias.斧刃竟从这女人胸前滑开，令兽人猝不及防，失去平衡，朝阿莉亚丝倒去。213
With a backhanded swing, the swordswoman skewered the ore’s midsection.女剑士反手一挥，将剑刺进了兽人的腹部。214
She lost a few moments pulling her weapon free, but she had it readied before another orc, intent on destroying the female fighter, stepped over his dead compatriot.她花了片刻才拔出武器，但另一个一心要杀死这名女战士的兽人刚跨过死去同伴的尸体，她便已重新摆好了架势。215
Dragonbait called out in saurial, “Toast!” and his sword began glowing, then burst into flame.龙饵用蜥蜴人语喊道：“烤焦！”他的剑随即亮了起来，继而燃起熊熊烈焰。216
The two orcs before him cried out in fear.他面前的两个兽人惊恐地叫了起来。217
One dropped his axe and fell back, but the other held his position, only to lose an arm and have his clothing set alight by the paladin’s weapon.一个扔下斧头向后退去，另一个却坚守原地，结果被圣武士的武器斩断一条手臂，衣服也燃烧起来。218
Breck was hit by two more crossbow bolts, one in his shoulder and another in his leg.布雷克又中了两支弩箭，一支射中肩膀，另一支射中腿部。219
Since he was the biggest member of the party, and the only human male fighter, the orcs no doubt perceived him as the greatest threat, but the Torn Ear’s attempts to fell him first came to naught.他是队伍中体形最大的成员，也是唯一的人类男性战士，兽人无疑将他视作最大的威胁，但裂耳部落想先将他击倒的企图全都落了空。220
He ignored the pain from his injuries and separated another orc head from its neck.他无视伤处的疼痛，又将一名兽人的脑袋从脖子上斩了下来。221
Back behind Grypht, Zhara watched all the bloodshed with horror.后方，扎拉站在格里夫特身后，惊恐地看着眼前这场血腥杀戮。222
This was the first battle she’d ever witnessed, and she realized now that she really didn’t want to see a second.这是她生平第一次目睹战斗，而她此刻意识到，自己实在不想再看第二次。223
Even so, it took all her willpower to turn her eyes from the gory scene and fix her sight on the dark tunnel behind her.尽管如此，她还是用尽了全部意志力，才将目光从那血淋淋的场面上移开，望向身后的黑暗隧道。224
It was fortunate she did, for she turned in time to spy four pairs of red eyes glittering in the dark—orcs creeping up on her and Grypht.幸好她这么做了，因为她转身正及时，看见黑暗中有四双红眼睛闪闪发亮——四个兽人正悄悄逼近她和格里夫特。225
The priestess drew the light stone out of her pocket and held it up with a shout.女祭司从口袋里掏出发光石，高高举起，同时大喊一声。226
The orcs fell back in fear just as Breck had said they would.兽人果然如布雷克所说，吓得向后退去。227
Zhara shuddered and moved closer to Grypht.扎拉打了个寒战，朝格里夫特靠得更近。228
The saurial wizard scooped up a stone from the floor of the passage and heaved it at the retreating orcs.蜥蜴人法师从通道地面上抄起一块石头，朝正在后退的兽人猛掷过去。229
It caught one of them in the head, and he collapsed to the ground, still and silent.石头击中其中一个兽人的脑袋，他顿时倒在地上，一动不动，悄无声息。230
Noting the size of the beast that had just felled their companion, the other three orcs turned and fled.另外三个兽人看到刚刚击倒同伴的巨兽有多么庞大，转身便逃。231
Meanwhile, the battle farther down the tunnel was in full swing.与此同时，隧道更深处的战斗正打得如火如荼。232
The second orc to close on Alias swung at the swordswoman’s head with his axe.第二个逼近阿莉亚丝的兽人挥斧砍向女剑士的头颅。233
Alias ducked his first blow and parried the second with her blade.阿莉亚丝低头躲过第一击，又用剑格开了第二击。234
A crossbow bolt grazed Alias’s head, and the orc with the axe hit her shield arm.一支弩箭擦过阿莉亚丝的头部，持斧的兽人则击中了她持盾的手臂。235
She lost her grip on the finder’s stone, and the crystal bounced behind the orcs.她没能握住寻物石，水晶弹落在了兽人身后。236
Alias retreated a step, and before the orc could follow, she lunged back at him, stabbing right through his leather armor, between his ribs and into his heart.阿莉亚丝后退一步，不等兽人追上来便猛冲回去，一剑刺穿他的皮甲，从肋骨间直贯心脏。237
While Breck and Dragonbait engaged the remaining orcs, Alias crawled over the corpses after the precious finder’s stone.布雷克和龙饵与剩下的兽人交战时，阿莉亚丝爬过一具具尸体，去追那块珍贵的寻物石。238
Just as she reached for it, a heavy green vine batted her hand away.就在她伸手去拿时，一根粗重的绿色藤蔓猛地拍开了她的手。239
At the end of the vine was a fanged mouth, which swallowed half the stone and pulled it away.藤蔓末端长着一张獠牙密布的嘴，一口吞下了半块石头，将它拖走。240
Alias looked up and gasped.阿莉亚丝抬头一看，不禁倒吸一口凉气。241
Hovering overhead was a creature out of nightmares—a huge beholder from whose three broken eyestalks and empty central eye socket grew slimy vines, as mobile as arms, with mouths growing from the ends.头顶上悬浮着一只噩梦般的怪物——一只巨大的眼魔，它三根断裂的眼梗和空洞的中央眼窝中都长出了黏滑的藤蔓；那些藤蔓像手臂一样灵活，末端还长着嘴。242
A second vine shot out at Alias and started to whip about her throat, but the swordswoman slashed it from the beholder’s body with her sword.第二根藤蔓猛地射向阿莉亚丝，开始缠绕她的喉咙，但女剑士挥剑一斩，将它从眼魔身上砍了下来。243
The beholder turned ever so slightly, focusing one of its deadly eyes on Alias.眼魔极其轻微地转了转身，将一只致命的眼睛对准阿莉亚丝。244
“Servant,” the beholder whispered.“仆人，”眼魔低声说道。245
“Come!”“过来！”246
Alias felt a sudden warmth for the beholder, as if it, not Dragonbait or Finder or Akabar, could offer her all the friendship she would ever need.阿莉亚丝心中忽然对眼魔涌起一股暖意，仿佛能够给予她此生所需全部友情的，不是龙饵、芬德或阿卡巴，而是它。247
The finder’s stone flared brightly in the beholder’s vine mouth, and the beholder was forced to close its eye of charm, breaking its spell before Alias was completely besotted.寻物石在眼魔藤蔓末端的嘴里迸发出耀眼的光芒，迫使眼魔闭上魅惑之眼，在阿莉亚丝彻底为它神魂颠倒之前打破了法术。248
Akabar, who had just fired a pair of magic missiles at an orc retreating into the hole in the rubble, had already noted the vine-ridden beholder as it pushed an orc from its path and emerged from the hole.阿卡巴刚刚朝一个正退入瓦砾洞口的兽人射出两枚魔法飞弹；那只浑身藤蔓的眼魔从洞里钻出来、将一个挡路的兽人推到一旁时，他便已经注意到了它。249
The southern mage hurried back to where Grypht stood with Zhara, watching the orcs who had tried to sneak up on them retreat.这位南方来的法师匆匆退回格里夫特和扎拉身旁；两人正看着那些企图偷袭他们的兽人撤退。250
Akabar tugged on the saurial wizard’s sleeve and pointed at the beholder.阿卡巴扯了扯这位恐龙人法师的袖子，伸手指向眼魔。251
Grypht hissed at the sight of the monster, then grinned with satisfaction at the sight of the beholder’s central eye socket, empty but for the dagger hilt sticking out of it.格里夫特一见那怪物便嘶了一声，随即看到眼魔空荡荡的中央眼窝里只露出一截匕首柄，不由满意地咧嘴一笑。252
This is one eye tyrant who will learn to respect the power of a wizard, Grypht thought.这个眼之暴君很快就会学会尊重法师的力量，格里夫特心想。253
The great saurial moved closer to the battle line, pulling a clear cone-shaped crystal from his robe pocket.高大的恐龙人走近战线，从长袍口袋里掏出一块透明的锥形水晶。254
When he could aim his spell safely without hitting Breck or Dragonbait, the wizard spoke the word “Deathfrost” in saurial and triggered the spell.等到能安全地瞄准、不会误伤布雷克或龙饵时，法师用恐龙人的语言念出“死亡霜冻”一词，发动了法术。255
Blinded by the finder’s stone light, the beholder failed to see Grypht’s enchantment heading toward it.眼魔被寻人石的光芒晃得什么也看不见，没能发现格里夫特的魔法正向它袭来。256
A blast of frigid air hit the beholder dead on, freezing the vines so they snapped off from the beholder’s body like icicles.一股刺骨的寒气正中眼魔，将藤蔓冻得如冰柱般从它身上纷纷折断。257
The finder’s stone fell to the ground, still encased in the beholder’s vine mouth.寻人石掉落在地，仍被裹在眼魔的藤蔓之口中。258
The stone glowed more softly once again, but the beholder had had enough.石头的光芒再次变得柔和，但眼魔已经受够了。259
It retreated into the hole in the rubble and disappeared from view.它退进瓦砾堆上的洞口，消失不见了。260
Alias cut the vine mouth away from Nameless’s glowing yellow crystal and took it up in her hand.阿莉亚丝割开裹着无名者那枚发光黄水晶的藤蔓之口，将水晶拿在手中。261
She thought of Nameless, and the stone still indicated he was beyond the pile of rubble.她想着无名者，石头依旧指示他就在瓦砾堆的另一边。262
Alias climbed up to the hole the beholder had escaped through and followed.阿莉亚丝爬到眼魔逃走的洞口，跟了进去。263
Grypht watched with horror as Dragonbait’s soul sister chased after the beholder without a thought for what lay in wait on the other side.格里夫特惊恐地看着龙饵的灵魂姐妹追赶眼魔而去，全然不顾另一边有什么正等着她。264
She’s just like Dragonbait—headstrong and foolhardy, the saurial wizard thought.她和龙饵一模一样——既任性又鲁莽，蜥蜴人法师心想。265
Dragonbait and Breck were still busy battling the remaining orcs, bigger orcs than the others and better fighters, probably a chieftain and his three bodyguards.龙饵和布雷克仍忙着同剩下的兽人战斗；这些兽人比其他兽人更高大，也更善战，可能是一名酋长和他的三名贴身护卫。266
There’s no getting around it, Grypht thought.看来别无选择了，格里夫特心想。267
He had to follow Alias.他必须跟上阿莉亚丝。268
Shoving Zhara toward Akabar, the great saurial moved toward the battle, drawing a bit of gauzy fabric from his pocket.巨型蜥蜴人将扎拉推向阿卡巴，随即一边从口袋里抽出一小块薄纱，一边朝战场走去。269
Grypht tapped his foot impatiently as he surveyed the ground for the remaining component that he needed to fuel his spell.格里夫特不耐烦地跺着脚，扫视地面，寻找施展法术所需的最后一样材料。270
Spying an orc that Dragonbait had felled with his flaming sword, the wizard snatched up a bit of the dead creature’s flaming clothing.法师瞥见一个被龙饵用烈焰长剑砍倒的兽人，便从那具尸体燃烧的衣服上扯下一小片布料。271
He blew on the flame until a mere wisp of smoke rose from the clothing.他朝火焰吹气，直到衣料上只升起一缕轻烟。272
Grypht held the gauze in the smoke as he uttered in saurial, “Wraithform.”格里夫特将薄纱置于烟雾中，同时用蜥蜴人的语言念道：“幽魂形态。”273
Akabar and Zhara watched as the saurial wizard’s body faded into insubstantiality.阿卡巴和扎拉眼看着蜥蜴人法师的身体逐渐变得虚无缥缈。274
Like a wisp of smoke drawn by a funnel of air, the saurial’s ethereal body drifted into the hole in the rubble after Alias and the beholder.仿佛被漏斗状气流吸走的一缕轻烟，蜥蜴人的虚体飘进瓦砾堆上的洞口，追随阿莉亚丝和眼魔而去。275
On the other side of the rubble, the passage was flooded with sunshine pouring in from the well shaft overhead.在瓦砾堆的另一边，阳光从头顶的井道倾泻而下，照亮了整条通道。276
Alias blinked in the bright light.阿莉亚丝在强光中眨了眨眼。277
Before she was able to see clearly or stand to defend herself with her weapon, she was grabbed by several pairs of strong, hairy orc hands.还没等她看清周围，也没等她站稳架势用武器自卫，几双强壮而毛茸茸的兽人之手便抓住了她。278
Thinking rapidly, she dropped the finder’s stone, and it fell back into the hole, unnoticed.她急中生智，松手丢下寻人石；石头落回洞中，没有引起任何注意。279
The orcs pulled her away from the pile of rubble, laid her on the floor, and held her pinned down by her legs and arms.兽人将她从瓦砾堆旁拖开，按倒在地，牢牢压住了她的四肢。280
A grating, high-pitched voice shouted, “I have your singer, nameless one.一个刺耳尖厉的声音喊道：“你的歌手在我手里，无名者。281
She will be a servant of Moander’s yet, but you can still share her.她迟早还是会成为莫安德的仆人，但你仍可以与祂共享她。282
If you don’t show yourself immediately, however, I’ll have these orcs slice out her tongue, Moander doesn’t need her voice—only her skill as an assassin.”不过，要是你不立刻现身，我就让这些兽人割掉她的舌头；莫安德不需要她的嗓音——只需要她身为刺客的本领。”283
One of the orcs kicked Alias in the ribs, and she cried out in spite of herself.一个兽人踢中了阿莉亚丝的肋部，她不由自主地痛叫出声。284
Hiding with Olive in the ceiling hole he’d dug out the night before, Finder stiffened.芬德和奥利芙躲在他前一晚挖出的天花板洞里，听到这话，顿时浑身一僵。285
Olive bit her lip.奥利芙咬住嘴唇。286
Could it really be Alias? she wondered.真的是阿莉亚丝吗？她心想。287
How in the Nine Hells had she gotten here?她究竟是怎么跑到九层地狱这里来的？288
Why in Tymora’s name had she allowed herself to be captured?看在泰摩拉的分上，她怎么会让自己落到别人手里？289
That girl is nothing but trouble, the halfling thought with annoyance.那丫头只会惹麻烦，半身人恼火地想。290
Now Finder would give away their hiding place, and they’d end up compost for Moander’s vines.现在芬德准会暴露他们的藏身之处，到头来他们都会变成莫安德藤蔓的肥料。291
However, Finder said nothing immediately.然而，芬德并没有立刻开口。292
Instead, he drew the horn of blasting from his belt and let it fall from the hole to the ground.他反而从腰带上取下爆破号角，让它从洞口坠落到地面。293
Xaran and the other orcs spun around at the clattering of the brass instrument on the rocks.黄铜号角撞在岩石上，铿锵作响，扎兰和其他兽人猛地转过身去。294
One of the orcs released his grip on Alias and rushed forward to grab the horn.其中一个兽人松开了阿莉亚丝，冲上前去抢那号角。295
The moment the creature came into view, Finder dropped down from the hole, using the ore’s body to break his fall.那怪物刚一进入视野，芬德便从洞口一跃而下，借兽人的身体缓冲了坠势。296
The orc fell to the ground, and Finder slit the creature’s throat with Olive’s sword.兽人摔倒在地，芬德用奥利芙的剑割开了那怪物的喉咙。297
The other orcs howled, ready to avenge their comrade, but Xaran shouted, “Don’t let go of the woman!” and the orcs obeyed.其他兽人嚎叫起来，正要为同伴报仇，扎兰却大喊：“别放开那个女人！”兽人们立即服从了命令。298
Thus Finder was given the opportunity to rise to his feet.芬德因此得以站起身来。299
“No more false moves, nameless one,” the beholder said.“别再轻举妄动了，无名者。”眼魔说道。300
“Remember, you still have your singer’s tongue to consider.“别忘了，你还得顾着你那歌手的舌头。301
Drop your weapon.”放下武器。”302
Finder dropped Olive’s sword and stood motionless.芬德扔下奥利芙的剑，一动不动地站着。303
He could see now that the orcs did indeed have Alias pinned to the floor.现在他看清了，那些兽人的确把阿莉亚丝死死按在地板上。304
“Are you all right?” he asked the swordswoman.“你没事吧？”他问那名女剑士。305
“I’m just fine,” Alias growled through clenched teeth.“我好得很。”阿莉亚丝咬紧牙关，低声咆哮道。306
“How in the Nine Hells do you manage to get us into messes like this?” she asked.“你究竟是怎么每次都能把我们拖进这种九层地狱般的烂摊子里的？”她问。307
“Silence!”“闭嘴！”308
Xaran shouted, hovering nearer to the bard.扎兰大喊着，悬空飘近了吟游诗人。309
Three of his eyes had been crushed in the cave-in, but tendrils tipped with fanged maws slithered from the damaged eye stalks.他的三只眼睛在塌方中被压碎了，但受损的眼梗上伸出一条条触须，末端长着布满尖牙的嘴。310
The mouths waved in Finder’s face, hissing like snakes.那些嘴在芬德面前挥舞，像蛇一样嘶嘶作响。311
“How you resisted the seeds of possession I will never know,” the beholder said to Finder, “but you will not resist them a second time.“我永远也不会明白，你是怎么抵抗住附身之种的，”眼魔对芬德说道，“但你绝不可能抵抗第二次。312
If it weren’t for the master’s interest in you, bard, you’d be a dead man.吟游诗人，要不是主人对你感兴趣，你早就死了。313
Still, there is no reason you should not suffer as I have suffered.”不过，没有理由不让你也尝尝我受过的痛苦。”314
The bard gasped as Xaran focused his wound-giving eye on the bard’s right hand.扎兰将那只能制造伤口的眼睛对准吟游诗人的右手，芬德顿时倒吸了一口凉气。315
Instantly an ugly gash appeared across the back of the bard’s hand and thumb, cutting through the flesh and muscles down to the bones.吟游诗人的手背和拇指上瞬间裂开一道狰狞的伤口，皮肉和肌肉尽数割裂，深可见骨。316
Blood oozed from the veins and dripped to the floor.鲜血从血管里渗出，滴落在地板上。317
The pain in his hand traveled up his arm like a fire through dry undergrowth, but Finder gritted his teeth and said nothing.手上的剧痛像野火蹿过干枯的灌木丛一样沿着手臂向上蔓延，但芬德咬紧牙关，一声不吭。318
He wrapped his hand in the hem of his cloak.他用斗篷下摆裹住了手。319
“You endure pain easily,” Xaran said.“你很能忍痛嘛，”扎兰说道。320
“How else can I make you suffer, bard?“我还能怎么折磨你呢，吟游诗人？321
Hmm?嗯？322
Shall we see if your singer is as brave as you are?”要不要看看你的歌手是否和你一样勇敢？”323
The beholder turned slightly and focused its wounding eye on Alias.眼魔微微转过身，将那只能制造伤口的眼睛对准阿莉亚丝。324
A long gash quickly spread along her sternum, and blood dripped into her chain mail shirt.一道长长的伤口迅速沿着她的胸骨裂开，鲜血滴进了她的锁子甲衫。325
She drew in a sharp breath, but she made no other noise.她猛吸了一口气，却没有发出别的声音。326
“Leave her be, you fiend!”“放开她，你这恶魔！”327
Finder shouted.芬德大喊道。328
“I’ll …“我会……329
I’ll do what you want.”我会照你说的做。”330
“That’s better.“这才对。331
Now tell the halfling to come down,” the beholder ordered.现在叫那个半身人下来。”眼魔命令道。332
“It won’t do any good,” Finder said.“没用的，”芬德说。333
“She has a mind of her own.“她有自己的主意。334
She won’t obey me.”她不会听我的。”335
That’s for sure, Olive thought vehemently.那当然，奥利芙愤愤地想道。336
“Then I’ll have to go up and get her,” the beholder said.“那我只好上去抓她了，”眼魔说。337
“She can have a taste of pain as well.”“也让她尝尝痛苦的滋味。”338
Olive tightened her grip on her dagger.奥利芙握紧了匕首。339
The moment she saw Xaran hovering beneath the hole, she leaped down on top of the monster.她一看到扎兰悬浮在洞口下方，便纵身跃下，落到怪物头顶。340
She grabbed hold of an eyestalk and used it as a handle so she could remain perched on the beholder’s head.她一把抓住一根眼梗，将它当作把手，好让自己稳稳骑在眼魔头上。341
Xaran sank the mouths at the end of its tendrils into the arm Olive was using to hold onto its eyestalk.扎兰将触须末端的嘴咬进奥利芙那条正抓着它眼梗的手臂。342
The halfling screamed and slashed through one of the tendrils where it emerged from the eye stalk.半身人尖叫一声，挥刀斩断了其中一根触须与眼梗相连的部位。343
The mouth at the end of the severed tendril released its grip on her flesh and dropped to the floor.断须末端的嘴松开了她的血肉，掉落在地。344
Olive stabbed the eye at the end of the eyestalk she was using to hold onto the beholder.奥利芙一刀刺进了她正抓着的那根眼梗末端的眼睛。345
Xaran shrieked with its own mouth and the two tendril mouths biting the halfling.扎兰自己的嘴和两张正咬着半身人的触须嘴同时发出尖啸。346
Alarmed by the noise made by the beholder, one of the orcs released Alias’s legs and aimed a crossbow at the halfling.一名兽人被眼魔发出的声响惊动，松开阿莉亚丝的双腿，举起弩瞄准了半身人。347
With her one free leg, Alias kicked savagely at the orc’s face and sent him sprawling backward.阿莉亚丝用那条获得自由的腿狠狠踢向兽人的脸，将他踹得仰面摔倒。348
Using her other leg to gain leverage, the swordswoman pushed herself into a backward somersault and twisted her arms free from the grips of the other two orcs.女剑士用另一条腿借力，向后翻了个筋斗，同时扭动双臂，挣脱了另外两名兽人的钳制。349
Finder grabbed Olive’s sword from the ground and ran to help Alias.芬德从地上捡起奥利芙的剑，冲过去帮助阿莉亚丝。350
He slammed into one of the orcs and stabbed at it furiously while the swordswoman fought with the other two.他猛撞上一名兽人，疯狂地朝它刺去；与此同时，女剑士正与另外两名兽人交战。351
Loaded down with the extra weight of the halfling, the beholder began sinking toward the ground.眼魔承受着半身人额外的重量，开始向地面下沉。352
It retracted its tendril mouths from Olive’s arm and focused its eye of levitation on her.它从奥利芙的手臂上收回触须嘴，将悬浮之眼的力量集中在她身上。353
Olive felt herself slowly begin to float upward, but she kept her grip on Xaran’s eye stalk.奥利芙感觉自己开始缓缓向上飘浮，但她仍紧紧抓着扎兰的眼梗。354
“I’m not going anywhere without you, Xaran!” she snarled.“你不跟我一起走，我哪儿也不去，扎兰！”她咆哮道。355
“Release me or I will use my death ray,” the beholder threatened her.“放开我，否则我就用死亡射线。”眼魔威胁道。356
“I’m betting it was crushed in the cave-in,” Olive said, “or you would have used it by now.”“我敢说它在洞穴坍塌时被砸坏了，”奥利芙说，“不然你早就用了。”357
“There is something I have yet to use on you, halfling,” Xaran whined.“还有一样手段我没用在你身上呢，半身人。”扎兰尖声说道。358
The beholder’s tongue rolled out of its mouth and flipped a chestnut seed burr at the halfling.眼魔的舌头从嘴里卷了出来，将一颗栗子刺球弹向半身人。359
The burr stuck to Olive’s cloak.刺球粘在了奥利芙的斗篷上。360
Olive gave a shriek, dropped her dagger, and released the beholder’s eye stalk as she frantically groped at the strings of her cloak.奥利芙尖叫一声，扔下匕首，松开眼魔的眼梗，慌忙摸索着斗篷的系带。361
Xaran turned its eye of levitation on the halfling and levitated her rapidly away from itself until she slammed against the ceiling.扎兰用浮空眼对准半身人，迅速将她移到远离自己的地方，直到她猛地撞上洞顶。362
Olive flung her cloak down on top of beholder’s head, covering all the creature’s eye stalks, including the one that held the levitation eye.奥利芙将斗篷甩下去，罩在眼魔头上，遮住了这怪物所有的眼梗，包括长着浮空眼的那一根。363
The halfling screamed as she began falling, but to her amazement, something appeared suddenly and caught her before she hit the ground.半身人开始坠落，吓得放声尖叫，但令她惊讶的是，有个身影突然出现，在她落地之前接住了她。364
The halfling stared up into the blue eyes and green snout of Dragonbait’s saurial friend.半身人抬头望着龙饵那位蜥蜴族朋友的蓝眼睛和绿色长吻。365
“Grypht!”“格里夫特！”366
Olive cried.奥利芙喊道。367
“It’s good to see you!”“见到你真好！”368
Between the two of them, Alias and Finder quickly dispatched the three orcs who had been holding Alias.阿莉亚丝和芬德两人联手，很快便解决了先前抓住阿莉亚丝的三个兽人。369
Alias reached down to retrieve her sword from the orc that had taken it from her, then turned her attention to the beholder.阿莉亚丝俯身从抢走她佩剑的兽人身上取回剑，随后将注意力转向眼魔。370
“Let Grypht handle it,” Finder said, holding her back by her cloak.“让格里夫特来对付它。”芬德揪住她的斗篷拦住她，说道。371
“It’s good to see you,” he said with a grin.“见到你真好。”他咧嘴笑着说。372
“How have you been?”“你近来过得怎么样？”373
Alias looked at the bard in astonishment at his nonchalance.阿莉亚丝惊讶地看着这位吟游诗人，不敢相信他竟如此若无其事。374
“How have I been!“我过得怎么样？！”375
I’ve been worried sick about you!“我都快担心死你了！”376
What are you doing in this awful place?” she demanded, surveying the surroundings.“你在这个鬼地方干什么？”她环顾四周，厉声问道。377
While Finder paused to consider his words before answering the angry swordswoman, Grypht bent over to set the halfling down gently and pat her on the head.芬德停下来斟酌措辞，考虑该如何回答愤怒的女剑士；与此同时，格里夫特俯下身，轻轻放下半身人，又拍了拍她的头。378
Then the saurial wizard stood back up straight and turned his attention to Moander’s minion.接着，这位蜥蜴族法师重新直起身，将注意力转向莫安德的爪牙。379
Olive could smell the scent of fresh-mown hay, and Alias and Finder could hear him as he called out in saurial, “Firefingers!”奥利芙闻到了新割青草的气味，而阿莉亚丝和芬德则听见他用蜥蜴语高喊：“火焰指！”380
A fan of flame burst out of Grypht’s fingertips and ignited Olive’s cloak, which still hung over the beholder.一扇火焰从格里夫特的指尖迸射而出，点燃了奥利芙那件仍罩在眼魔身上的斗篷。381
Xaran shrieked and rolled over, so that Olive’s burning cloak fell to the floor, but the beholder was already charred horribly and sinking downward.扎兰尖叫着翻了个身，奥利芙燃烧的斗篷随即掉落在地，但眼魔早已被烧得焦黑不堪，正缓缓向下沉去。382
Olive ran forward and snatched up her dagger.奥利芙冲上前，一把抄起自己的匕首。383
She pounced on Xaran as the creature reached the ground and stabbed the beholder with her dagger, twisting her weapon viciously before yanking it out.扎兰刚一落地，她便扑了上去，将匕首刺进眼魔体内，恶狠狠地拧动刀刃，随后猛地拔了出来。384
The beholder lay still on the ground.眼魔一动不动地躺在地上。385
Just then Breck came crawling through the hole in the rubble, screaming a battle cry as he ran down the pile of rubble with his sword drawn.就在这时，布雷克从瓦砾间的洞口爬了出来，一边高喊战吼，一边拔剑冲下瓦砾堆。386
He stopped short just in front of the dead beholder and stared wordlessly at the slimy tendrils oozing out of the creature’s wounded eye.他在死去的眼魔跟前猛然停步，一言不发地盯着从那生物受伤的眼睛里渗出的黏滑触须。387
A moment later, Dragonbait, Akabar, and Zhara came crawling through the rubble to join the others in the cul-de-sac.片刻后，龙饵、阿卡巴和扎拉也从瓦砾中爬了出来，来到死胡同里与众人会合。388
“You missed all the excitement,” Olive said cheerfully.“热闹都让你们错过了，”奥利芙快活地说道。389
“I just finished off the beholder.”“我刚刚结果了这只眼魔。”390