Olive clung to the little bit of wild grapevine Akabar had handed her to keep the group together.奥利芙紧紧抓着阿卡巴递给她的那一小截野葡萄藤，好让一行人不至于走散。1
With the circle of invisibility that hid the group, they needed some way to keep together, and it had been Akabar who had suggested that each of them keep hold of the vine.隐形法术形成的圈子遮蔽了众人的身影，因此他们需要某种方法保持在一起，而正是阿卡巴提议让每个人都抓住葡萄藤。2
As the adventurers approached the camp, walking along the trails of devastation, they were surrounded on all sides by the possessed saurial workers, who wore ragged shifts with vine tendrils poking through holes out of their backs, which wrapped around the saurials’ legs or waists or throats.冒险者们沿着满目疮痍的小径走近营地时，四面八方尽是被附身的蜥蜴人劳工；他们穿着破破烂烂的罩衣，藤蔓的卷须从背后的破洞里钻出来，缠绕在他们的腿、腰或喉咙上。3
Olive didn’t care to look too closely at the vines or the holes from which they issued.奥利芙不愿细看那些藤蔓，也不愿细看它们钻出来的那些洞。4
The workers all looked exhausted and numb.劳工们个个看上去都疲惫不堪、麻木不仁。5
They stumbled frequently; their eyes were listless; no saurial emotional scents rose from their bodies.他们频频踉跄，双眼呆滞，身上没有散发出任何蜥蜴人表达情绪的气味。6
Even if magic and the ground’s heat hadn’t masked the adventurers’ presence, Olive doubted they’d be noticed by these enslaved creatures.即使魔法和地面的热气没有掩盖冒险者们的存在，奥利芙也怀疑这些被奴役的生灵能否注意到他们。7
The halfling counted three different kinds of saurials.半身人数出其中共有三种不同的蜥蜴人。8
A few were as small as halflings and had long slender necks and snouts and leathery wings hanging beneath their forearms.有几个和半身人一样矮小，脖颈和口鼻细长，前臂下方垂着皮革般的翅膀。9
These flew into the clearing laden with nets of captured birds and fish and eggs and small forest creatures.他们飞进空地，身上挂满了网，网里装着捕来的鸟、鱼、蛋和森林里的小动物。10
Another large group of the saurials were approximately the size and shape of Dragonbait.另一大群蜥蜴人的体形和身材与龙饵大致相仿。11
They carried underbrush and small saplings or buckets of water.他们搬运着灌木和小树苗，或是提着一桶桶水。12
A third group, the largest in number, were bigger than Dragonbait, a little taller than Akabar, but much more powerfully built, with sharp diamond-shaped blades running from their skulls and down their backs to the ends of their spiked tails.第三群数量最多，他们比龙饵高大，比阿卡巴略高一点，身形却强壮得多；一道道锋利的菱形骨板从头骨一路延伸到背部，直至布满尖刺的尾巴末端。13
These creatures dragged great trees toward the pile.这些生灵拖着一棵棵大树走向那座堆垛。14
None of the saurials appeared to be as big as Grypht.这些蜥蜴人似乎没有一个像格里夫特那么高大。15
The adventurers stopped at the edge of the clearing.冒险者们在空地边缘停下脚步。16
They watched as each saurial scrambled to the top of the pile and added his or her burden to the growing mountain.他们看着每个蜥蜴人争相爬上堆垛顶端，把各自背负的东西添到那座不断增高的小山上。17
Saurial spell-casters in white robes stood waiting at the top of the pile to take the nets brought by the flying saurial workers and butcher the captured wildlife over the pile, tossing the corpses in with the fresh trees and splashing water over it all, chanting spells all the while.身穿白袍的蜥蜴人施法者站在堆垛顶端等候，接过会飞的蜥蜴人劳工送来的网，在堆垛上方宰杀捕来的野生动物，把尸体扔进新砍来的树木之间，再将水泼洒在上面，同时始终吟诵着咒语。18
As the sun sank beneath the horizon, the saurial workers climbing down from the pile headed to the huts that surrounded the pile.夕阳沉入地平线后，从堆垛上爬下来的蜥蜴人劳工都朝环绕堆垛的棚屋走去。19
Each saurial slid into a separate hut and did not come out again.每个蜥蜴人都钻进一间单独的棚屋，此后再也没有出来。20
Some time later, by the light of the moon, the spell-casters climbed down from the pile and slipped into the huts nearest the pile.过了一阵，在月光下，施法者们从堆垛上爬下来，悄然钻进离堆垛最近的那些棚屋。21
“When exactly are they going to resurrect Moander?”“他们究竟打算什么时候复活莫安德？”22
Akabar whispered.阿卡巴低声问道。23
“I’m not certain,” Alias answered.“我不确定，”阿莉亚丝回答。24
“Before moonset.“月落之前。25
They must be resting before the ceremony.他们一定是在仪式前休息。26
Remember,” she whispered to Olive, “it’s the inner ring of huts.记住，”她低声对奥利芙说，“是在内圈的那些小屋。27
Dragonbait’s hut has a rainbow-striped curtain on the door and Coral’s has a golden one with the high priest of Moander’s symbol—”龙饵的小屋门上挂着彩虹条纹的帘子，科拉尔的小屋挂的是金色帘子，上面有莫安德大祭司的标志——”28
“—an eye in a fanged mouth.“——一张长着獠牙的嘴里有一只眼睛。29
I know,” Olive said.我知道，”奥利芙说。30
Aside from knowing what huts to look for, Alias’s soul song rapport with Dragonbait and Coral had warned the swordswoman that Coral had set an alarm to sound if Grypht, Akabar, or she entered the camp.除了知道该找哪些小屋之外，阿莉亚丝与龙饵和科拉尔之间通过灵魂之歌建立的感应还提醒了这位女剑士：科拉尔设下了警报，只要格里夫特、阿卡巴或她本人进入营地，警报就会响起。31
The priestess either hadn’t known about the halfling or hadn’t considered her a threat and had neglected to mention Olive in her spell, so Olive was to be their advance scout.那位女祭司要么不知道这个半身人的存在，要么没把她视为威胁，因此施法时漏掉了奥利芙，所以奥利芙将充当他们的先遣侦察兵。32
As the halfling slid away, the saurial and the two humans became visible again.半身人悄然离去后，那名蜥蜴人和两个人类又显露了身形。33
They crouched down in the shadows of the trees that hadn’t yet been sacrificed to the god Moander’s new body.他们蹲伏在树木的阴影里；这些树尚未被献祭，用来构成莫安德神祇的新躯体。34
Olive crept through the camp, threading her way among the huts of the possessed saurials.奥利芙潜行穿过营地，在那些被附身的蜥蜴人的小屋之间迂回前进。35
She set up trip wires in front of the entrances to the huts of the spell-casters in the inner circle, bypassing only the gold-curtained hut of the Mouth of Moander and the rainbow-curtained one that imprisoned Dragonbait.她在内圈施法者的小屋门前布下绊索，只绕过了挂着金色帘子的莫安德之口的小屋，以及囚禁龙饵的那间挂着彩虹帘子的小屋。36
When she finished, she moved to the rainbow-curtained hut and whistled the first four notes of “The Tears of Selune.”做完这一切，她来到挂着彩虹帘子的小屋前，吹响了《塞露恩之泪》的头四个音符。37
The curtain drew back immediately.帘子立刻被掀开了。38
Dragonbait stood in the doorway, looking out warily.龙饵站在门口，警惕地向外张望。39
“It’s me, Olive,” the halfling whispered.“是我，奥利芙，”半身人低声说。40
She pulled a light stone out of her pocket, keeping its light carefully covered with a rag, since her circle of invisibility could not hide a light.她从口袋里掏出一块发光石，小心地用一块破布遮住光亮，因为她的隐形圈无法隐藏光芒。41
She pushed the stone down in the dirt and covered all but a small portion of it, so that a narrow beam of light shone up into the darkening sky.她把石头按进泥土里，只露出一小部分，让一束细窄的光射向渐暗的天空。42
The light stone had been Akabar’s idea; it was to serve as a beacon for Grypht so the wizard could locate Dragonbait’s hut.发光石是阿卡巴的主意；它会充当格里夫特的信标，好让这位巫师找到龙饵的小屋。43
When Grypht dispelled the light, it would signal the others that they should begin their assigned tasks.格里夫特驱散那道光时，就是给其他人发出信号，示意他们开始执行各自分配到的任务。44
“In a hundred breaths, Grypht’s going to cast a dispel magic spell,” Olive whispered.“再过一百次呼吸，格里夫特就会施展解除魔法。”奥利芙低声说道。45
“It will knock out this light and the ward around you.“这道光和你周围的防护结界都会被解除。46
That’s sure to set off all sorts of alarms, so the plan is for you to run straight toward the trees to meet the others.那肯定会触发各种警报，所以按计划，你要径直跑向树林，去和其他人会合。47
Alias says if you don’t come straightaway, if you stop for any heroic deeds, she’s going to make herself a new armor shirt out of your scaly hide.阿莉亚丝说了，你要是不马上过去，或是停下来逞英雄，她就要用你那身鳞皮给自己做一件新护甲。48
Got all that?”都听明白了吗？”49
Dragonbait nodded soundlessly.龙饵无声地点了点头。50
Olive slipped away from Dragonbait’s hut and returned to the golden-curtained hut of the Mouth of Moander.奥利芙悄悄离开龙饵的小屋，回到莫安德之口那间挂着金色帘幕的小屋旁。51
It was eight huts away from Dragonbait’s, but if Coral stood in the hut’s doorway, she had a clear view of Dragonbait’s hut—undoubtedly so she could direct a spell at the hut should Alias or any of the others try to sneak into the camp to rescue the paladin.那间小屋与龙饵的小屋相隔八间，但只要科拉尔站在门口，就能清楚地看见龙饵的小屋——毫无疑问，这是为了让她在阿莉亚丝或其他任何人试图潜入营地营救圣武士时，可以直接对那间小屋施法。52
Grypht had warned the halfling that Coral was powerful enough that she might detect Olive despite her invisibility, so Olive wasn’t taking any chances.格里夫特警告过这个半身人，科拉尔力量强大，即使奥利芙隐了形，也可能察觉到她，所以奥利芙不打算冒任何险。53
She wasn’t going to attempt to sneak into Coral’s hut.她不准备偷偷溜进科拉尔的小屋。54
Instead, she crept up to the back of it and pressed her eye against a gap in the pine boughs.相反，她蹑手蹑脚地绕到屋后，把眼睛贴在松枝间的一道缝隙上。55
Mingled with the scent of the pine boughs was the scent of roses.松枝的气息中混杂着玫瑰的香味。56
Moander’s high priestess wasn’t too exhausted to emit emotional scents, Olive noted, though it surprised the halfling that the scent was one of grief.奥利芙注意到，莫安德的女大祭司还没有疲惫到无法散发情绪气味的地步，不过令这个半身人惊讶的是，那气味传达出的竟是悲伤。57
Once her vision had adjusted to the hut’s interior darkness, Olive could see a white saurial curled up on her side on a blanket in the center of the hut, facing the back of the building.等眼睛适应了小屋内的黑暗后，奥利芙看见一个白色蜥族人侧身蜷缩在屋子中央的一条毯子上，面朝小屋后方。58
Olive could see her face.奥利芙能看见她的脸。59
The saurial’s eyes were closed, but little snarling sounds came from her mouth, and her nostrils flared from her heavy breathing.这个蜥族人双眼紧闭，嘴里却发出细微的咆哮声，沉重的呼吸令她的鼻孔不断翕张。60
Dragonbait’s sword and scabbard lay on another blanket beside her.龙饵的剑和剑鞘放在她身旁的另一条毯子上。61
The tip of her tail lay across the sword’s hilt.她的尾尖搭在剑柄上。62
Olive gritted her teeth in frustration, repressing an urge to growl.奥利芙懊恼地咬紧牙关，强忍住低吼的冲动。63
Rotten luck, she thought.真倒霉，她心想。64
Roll over, Coral.翻个身吧，科拉尔。65
You don’t want to sleep all night with a stupid sword.你总不想抱着一把蠢剑睡一整夜吧。66
Just then something glowed momentarily at the front of the hut, shining through the golden curtain and lighting up the interior.就在这时，小屋前方有一道光芒倏然亮起，透过金色门帘照亮了屋内。67
Coral rose quickly, pushed aside the curtain, and stepped outside.科拉尔迅速起身，掀开门帘，走了出去。68
Without hesitating, Olive reached through the gap in the pine boughs, grabbed the edge of the blanket, and began to tug it toward the back of the hut, dragging the paladin’s sword with it.奥利芙毫不迟疑地把手伸进松枝间的缝隙，抓住毯子边缘，开始将它往小屋后方拖，连同圣武士的剑也一起拖了过去。69
As soon as she could get her fingers on the sword, Olive pulled the weapon through the gap in the wall.手指刚一够到剑，奥利芙便把这件武器从墙上的缝隙里抽了出来。70
The scabbard slid off the blade and flopped back on the blanket.剑鞘从剑身上滑脱，啪嗒一声落回毯子上。71
Deciding that the paladin wouldn’t need his scabbard in the battle to come, the halfling let it lay.半身人心想，在即将到来的战斗中，圣武士也用不着剑鞘，便把它留在了那里。72
She opened the invisible sack she’d been carrying on her shoulder.她打开了一直挎在肩头的隐形口袋。73
As she slipped the sword into the sack, the weapon vanished from sight.她把剑塞进口袋，武器顿时消失不见。74
Olive was just about to hurry back to the edge of the woods when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.奥利芙正要赶回树林边缘，一个熟悉的声音却让她猛然停住了脚步。75
“Nice hovel you have here.“你这间陋屋倒是不错。76
Not much profit in resurrecting dead gods, is there?”复活死去的神祇没多少赚头，是吧？”77
Finder!芬德！78
Olive thought excitedly.奥利芙激动地想。79
She turned around and pressed her eyes back against the gap in the pine boughs.她转过身，又把眼睛贴到松枝间的缝隙上。80
Coral stood inside her hut with the bard.科拉尔和那位吟游诗人站在她的小屋里。81
The saurial sat down on the blanket, not seeming to notice that it was in a different position.这名蜥族人在毯子上坐下，似乎没有察觉毯子的位置变了。82
Her tail fell across Dragonbait’s scabbard, but she didn’t notice the missing weapon.她的尾巴搭在龙饵的剑鞘上，却没有注意到剑不见了。83
Finder sat down opposite her.芬德在她对面坐下。84
Though he did not speak aloud, the bard was gesturing with his hands.吟游诗人虽然没有出声，却在用双手比划。85
Olive realized he was speaking with Coral in saurial.奥利芙意识到，他是在用蜥族语同科拉尔交谈。86
Sweet Selune!塞露恩在上！87
Olive thought.奥利芙心想。88
He’s not trying to make a deal with her like he tried to do with Xaran, is he?他该不会是想跟她谈条件，就像之前对扎兰做的那样吧？89
He can’t be!他不可能这么做！90
In a loud, surprised voice, the bard said in Realms common, “Akabar’s blood?吟游诗人惊讶地用诸界通用语高声说道：“阿卡巴的血？91
You mean that’s the seed you’ve been looking for?”你是说，那就是你一直在寻找的种子？”92
Then Olive saw the flower in Finder’s ear, its tendrils wrapped around his hair.这时，奥利芙看见了芬德耳边的那朵花，花的卷须缠绕着他的头发。93
She pulled away from Coral’s hut as if it had scorched her and took off for the forest where Alias, Grypht, and Akabar were waiting.她猛地从科拉尔的小屋旁退开，仿佛被它烫伤了似的，随即朝阿莉亚丝、格里夫特和阿卡巴等候的森林飞奔而去。94
Alias touched Grypht’s arm and pointed at the light stone beacon the moment after Olive placed it in front of Dragonbait’s hut.奥利芙刚把发光石信标放到龙饵的小屋前，阿莉亚丝便碰了碰格里夫特的手臂，指向那块石头。95
Grypht nodded and began to move off so he could get a better view of the hut.格里夫特点点头，开始挪往别处，以便更清楚地观察小屋。96
He disappeared into the darkness.他消失在黑暗中。97
Alias and Akabar waited anxiously for Olive to return.阿莉亚丝和阿卡巴焦急地等着奥利芙回来。98
A few minutes later, though they couldn’t see her, they heard her running toward them.几分钟后，尽管看不见她，他们却听见她正朝这边跑来。99
They could also hear her sobbing.他们还听见了她的抽泣声。100
Please, Tymora, no!求求你，泰摩拉，千万不要！101
Alias thought.阿莉亚丝想道。102
Don’t let anything be wrong with Dragonbait.千万别让龙饵出事。103
Fifty pounds of invisible halfling slammed into Alias’s legs and clung to her like a child.一个五十磅重的隐形半身人猛地撞上阿莉亚丝的双腿，像个孩子似的紧紧抱住她。104
“They’ve got him!” she cried.“他们抓住他了！”她哭喊道。105
Alias knelt down and managed to get hold of Olive’s invisible shoulders.阿莉亚丝跪下来，好不容易抓住了奥利芙那双看不见的肩膀。106
“Olive, try to keep calm,” the swordswoman said, though her own voice rose alarmingly.“奥利芙，尽量冷静下来，”女剑士说道，尽管她自己的嗓音也高得吓人。107
“What have they done to him?“他们对他做了什么？108
Is Dragonbait all right?”龙饵没事吧？”109
“Dragonbait is fine,” Olive hissed.“龙饵没事，”奥利芙嘶声说道。110
“It’s Finder.“是芬德。111
He’s been possessed.他被附身了。112
He’s one of the minions!”他成了那些爪牙中的一员！”113
“No!”“不！”114
Alias whispered in shock.阿莉亚丝震惊地低声说道。115
“Yes,” Olive sniffed.“是的。”奥利芙吸了吸鼻子。116
“He’s got a flower coming out of his ear, and he’s sitting in Coral’s tent right now.“他耳朵里长出了一朵花，现在就坐在科拉尔的帐篷里。117
We’ve got to get out of here.”我们得赶快离开这里。”118
“No,” Akabar said.“不。”阿卡巴说。119
“Finder doesn’t know our plans, and if we carry them out quickly, he won’t have time to prepare them for our attack.”“芬德不知道我们的计划，只要我们迅速行动，他就来不及让他们做好应对我们进攻的准备。”120
“No, Akabar!”“不行，阿卡巴！”121
Olive said.奥利芙说。122
“You don’t understand.“你不明白。123
Your blood is the seed!你的血就是种子！124
I heard Finder say so.我亲耳听芬德说的。125
If they catch you, it’s all over.”要是他们抓住你，一切就全完了。”126
“Akabar’s blood can’t be the seed,” Alias said.“阿卡巴的血不可能是种子。”阿莉亚丝说。127
“Coral told Dragonbait they were going to resurrect Moander tonight.“科拉尔告诉龙饵，他们今晚就要让莫安德复活。128
How could Coral say that if she didn’t even know where Akabar was?”如果她连阿卡巴在哪里都不知道，又怎么会这么说？”129
“Alias, she’s the Mouth of Moander,” Olive said.“阿莉亚丝，她是莫安德之口。”奥利芙说。130
“She says whatever Moander wants her to say.“莫安德想让她说什么，她就说什么。131
She lied to upset Dragonbait, just as Moander lied to you when you were its prisoner.”她撒谎是为了扰乱龙饵的心神，就像你被莫安德囚禁时，它也曾对你撒谎一样。”132
Alias nodded thoughtfully.阿莉亚丝若有所思地点了点头。133
Moander took great delight in causing people grief and fear.莫安德最喜欢让人陷入悲痛和恐惧。134
The god would say anything to achieve that goal.为了达到这个目的，那个神什么话都说得出来。135
“I am not the seed,” Akabar snarled.“我不是种子。”阿卡巴低吼道。136
“Akabar,” Alias argued, “Moander had plenty of opportunity to put its power inside you and taint your blood, All its minions have been looking for you, trying to capture you.“阿卡巴，”阿莉亚丝反驳道，“莫安德有的是机会把它的力量注入你体内，污染你的血。它所有的爪牙一直都在找你，想要抓住你。137
Olive must be right.”奥利芙一定是对的。”138
Akabar’s eyes narrowed into slits and his head shook with anger.阿卡巴眯起双眼，愤怒地摇着头。139
It had taken him a long time to forget his shame and fury at the way Moander had used his body to harm his friends.莫安德曾利用他的身体伤害他的朋友，他花了很长时间才忘却那份羞耻与愤怒。140
He couldn’t deny that he’d been powerless in the god’s control, and there had been times when he’d been unconscious and could have been violated with some foul magic.他无法否认，落入那个神的掌控时，自己毫无反抗之力；而且他也曾不省人事，完全可能被某种邪恶的魔法侵害。141
“Then it’s the god’s justice that I have been sent to destroy Moander,” the mage said, his voice like steel.“那么，我被派来消灭莫安德，正是上天主持的公道。”法师说道，声音如钢铁般冷硬。142
“I must stay.”“我必须留下。”143
“Akabar, be reasonable.“阿卡巴，理智一点。144
We can’t risk having you get captured.我们不能冒险让你被抓走。145
We have to get you out of here!”我们必须带你离开这里！”146
Alias insisted.阿莉亚丝坚持道。147
“No!”“不！”148
Akabar said stubbornly, “I am not fleeing.”阿卡巴固执地说，“我不会逃走。”149
“Akabar, suppose Moander’s enchanted you to come here.“阿卡巴，假如莫安德给你施了魔法，诱使你来到这里呢？150
By staying, you’re simply doing its bidding,” the swordswoman pointed out.你留下来，不过是在照它的吩咐行事。”女剑士指出。151
“It’s too late to cancel our plans now,” Akabar said “There’s no way to alert Grypht.“现在要取消计划已经太迟了，”阿卡巴说，“我们根本没办法通知格里夫特。152
He’s relying on us to do our parts.”他还指望我们各自完成自己的任务。”153
“All right,” Alias sighed.“好吧。”阿莉亚丝叹了口气。154
As unwise as she felt it to be, she had no choice but to give in to the mage’s logic.尽管她觉得这么做很不明智，却也只能接受法师的道理。155
“What are you going to do about Finder?”“那芬德怎么办？”156
Olive asked anxiously.奥利芙焦急地问。157
“You can’t hit him with a cone of cold.“你不能用冰锥术攻击他。158
It could kill him.”那可能会要了他的命。”159
Akabar knelt beside Alias and laid his hand beside the swordswoman’s on the halfling’s shoulder.阿卡巴在阿莉亚丝身旁跪下，把手放到半身人的肩上，挨着女剑士的手。160
He gave Olive an encouraging squeeze.他鼓励地捏了捏奥利芙的肩膀。161
“Dragonbait is a paladin.“龙饵是圣武士。162
He can cast a cure disease spell on Finder.”他可以对芬德施展祛病术。”163
Olive nodded, though since she was invisible, the others couldn’t see it.奥利芙点了点头，不过她隐着身，其他人看不见。164
She pulled Dragonbait’s sword out of the invisible sack and held the weapon out so Alias could see it.她从隐形的袋子里抽出龙饵的剑，举起武器，好让阿莉亚丝看见。165
Alias took the sword and whispered “Toast” in saurial.阿莉亚丝接过剑，用蜥蜴人的语言低声说：“烤焦。”166
The sword glowed, then burst into flame.剑身亮了起来，随即燃起熊熊火焰。167
Olive drew a torch out of her knapsack and ignited it over the saurial’s magical weapon.奥利芙从背包里取出一支火把，凑到蜥蜴人的魔法武器上点燃。168
“Good luck,” Alias whispered to the halfling as the light from the torch, held by the halfling’s invisible hand, bounced around the edge of the clearing.“祝你好运。”阿莉亚丝对半身人低声说道；火把被半身人隐形的手举着，火光沿着林间空地的边缘跃动。169
“The light stone’s gone out,” Akabar whispered.“发光石熄灭了。”阿卡巴低声说道。170
Alias heard a twittering noise coming from the inner huts.阿莉亚丝听见内圈的棚屋里传来一阵啁啾声。171
“There’s the alarm.”“警报响了。”172
From the center of the camp came a shout in saurial.营地中央传来一声蜥蜴语的喊叫。173
“There’s Dragonbait!”“龙饵在那儿！”174
Alias said, spying the paladin running toward them, weaving his way through the huts of the saurial camp.阿莉亚丝说道。她看见那名圣武士正朝他们跑来，在蜥蜴人营地的棚屋间迂回穿行。175
“Get ready.”“准备好。”176
Akabar pulled out a feather from one of his robe pockets and began chanting a spell that would enable him to fly.阿卡巴从长袍的一个口袋里取出一根羽毛，开始吟诵一道能让他飞起来的法术。177
Alias gasped suddenly as the vines that fastened the pine boughs to the huts lashed out from the huts and tangled themselves around the paladin’s legs.阿莉亚丝猛地倒吸一口气：那些把松枝捆扎在棚屋上的藤蔓突然从棚屋上抽甩而出，缠住了圣武士的双腿。178
Dragonbait fell to the ground, trying desperately to pull the vines from his legs, but more vines began tangling around his arms and waist.龙饵摔倒在地，拼命想把藤蔓从腿上扯开，可更多藤蔓开始缠住他的手臂和腰身。179
Between the huts, a white saurial in white robes gestured in Dragonbait’s direction.棚屋之间，一个身穿白袍的白色蜥蜴人朝龙饵的方向做了个手势。180
Vines began wrapping around the paladin’s throat.藤蔓开始缠上圣武士的喉咙。181
“No!”“不！”182
Alias shouted, rushing forward.阿莉亚丝大喊一声，冲上前去。183
Before she could reach the paladin’s side, however, other vines lashed out at her from huts at the edge of the clearing.然而，她还没来得及赶到圣武士身旁，林间空地边缘的棚屋上便有其他藤蔓朝她抽甩过来。184
Alias hacked through the vines with Dragonbait’s flaming blade, but more vines kept coming at her.阿莉亚丝挥舞龙饵燃烧的剑，劈断藤蔓，但更多藤蔓仍不断朝她袭来。185
As suddenly as they had appeared, the vines dropped to the ground, motionless.那些藤蔓就像出现时一样，突然落到地上，一动不动。186
Akabar must have dispelled the magic that animated them, Alias thought.阿莉亚丝心想，一定是阿卡巴驱散了操纵它们的魔法。187
The swordswoman looked toward where Coral had stood to see if she was casting another spell at her, but the white saurial was nowhere in sight.女剑士望向科拉尔方才站立的地方，想看看她是否又在朝自己施法，但那名白色蜥族人已经不见踪影。188
Alias ran to help Dragonbait, only to find the vines surrounding him had also lost their enchantment and the saurial paladin was already pulling himself free.阿莉亚丝跑去帮助龙饵，却发现缠住他的藤蔓也已失去魔力，那位蜥族圣武士正自行挣脱出来。189
“Are you all right?” she asked her companion in saurial.“你没事吧？”她用蜥族语问同伴。190
“Yes,” The paladin replied.“没事，”圣武士答道。191
With a remorseful scent of mint, he added, “I was stupid to get captured.他身上散发出一股满含懊悔的薄荷气味，又说道：“我居然被抓住，真是太蠢了。192
I’m sorry.”对不起。”193
“I’ll yell at you later,” Alias said, handing him his flaming sword.“回头再骂你，”阿莉亚丝说着，把他的火焰剑递还给他。194
She grabbed the lizard’s hand and pulled him back to the edge of the clearing, where Akabar was waiting.她抓住这个蜥蜴人的手，把他拉回空地边缘，阿卡巴正在那里等候。195
“You might have been captured out there.“你刚才在外面也可能被抓住。196
What were you thinking, woman?”你这女人到底在想什么？”197
Akabar demanded.阿卡巴质问道。198
“Sorry,” Alias said.“对不起，”阿莉亚丝说。199
“Thanks for dispelling those tangle vines.”“谢谢你驱散了那些缠绕藤蔓。”200
“I didn’t do it,” Akabar said.“不是我干的，”阿卡巴说。201
“It must have been Grypht.”“一定是格里夫特。”202
“But he should be on the other side of the camp by now,” Alias said.“可他现在应该已经到营地另一头了，”阿莉亚丝说。203
“Alias, we haven’t got time for discussions.“阿莉亚丝，我们没时间讨论了。204
Hold still so I can cast a flying spell on you,” Akabar ordered.站着别动，让我给你施一道飞行术，”阿卡巴命令道。205
Akabar repeated the chant for the spell he’d already cast on himself, brushing Alias’s arms with a second feather.阿卡巴重复念起先前对自己施法时用过的咒语，同时用另一根羽毛拂过阿莉亚丝的双臂。206
Instantly the feather burst into flame and disappeared.羽毛瞬间燃烧起来，消失无踪。207
“That’s it?” she asked.“这就完了？”她问。208
“What do I do, flap my arms?”“我该怎么做，扇动胳膊吗？”209
“If you want to.“你想扇也可以。210
However, it’s not necessary,” Akabar said.不过没必要，”阿卡巴说。211
He turned to Dragonbait and explained hastily.他转向龙饵，匆匆解释起来。212
“Olive is starting fires in the brush to the south of the clearing.“奥利芙正在空地南边的灌木丛中放火。213
Grypht will cast a wall of fire on the west side.格里夫特会在西边施放一道火墙。214
You must use your sword to start igniting the forest on this side while Alias and I begin burning the huts.你必须用剑点燃这一侧的森林，阿莉亚丝和我则去烧那些棚屋。215
We’re trying to drive the saurials out of the vale into the mountains to the east.我们要设法把蜥蜴人赶出山谷，逼进东边的群山。216
Once the fires are all lit, Grypht and I will fly to the east to cast cones of cold at the saurials as they flee from the vale; Alias will be our lookout.等各处的火都点起来后，格里夫特和我会飞到东边，趁蜥蜴人逃出山谷时朝他们施放寒冰锥；阿莉亚丝会替我们放哨。217
You’ll have to deal with any saurials who aren’t panicked by the fires and are still acting on Moander’s behalf.”那些没有被大火吓慌、仍在为莫安德效力的蜥蜴人，就得由你来对付。”218
Dragonbait nodded.龙饵点了点头。219
He ran his finger down Alias’s sword arm, whispering “Good luck” in saurial.他用手指沿着阿莉亚丝持剑的手臂划下，用蜥蜴人的语言低声说了句：“祝你好运。”220
As Alias and Akabar soared upward and off toward the huts, the paladin hurried to begin setting fires along the north edge of the vale.阿莉亚丝和阿卡巴腾空而起，朝棚屋飞去；圣武士则赶忙跑去山谷北缘放火。221
Grypht paused a moment in midflight to look down into the camp.格里夫特在半空中停了一会儿，低头望向营地。222
The sight of all the tribe’s spell-casters bursting out of their huts, catching their toes on the halfling’s trip wires, and sprawling on the ground might have been amusing in other circumstances.部族里所有施法者冲出棚屋，脚尖勾上半身人布下的绊索，一个个摔倒在地——换作别的情形，这一幕或许颇为滑稽。223
The wizard tried not to dwell on the thought that if his plan worked, most of these people would be dead before morning.法师竭力不去想：如果他的计划成功，这些族人中大多数都会在天亮前死去。224
He reminded himself of all the other lives at stake.他提醒自己，还有其他许多人的性命也危在旦夕。225
He thought, too, of the desperate cry for release Coral had made in Alias’s soul song.他也想起了科拉尔在阿莉亚丝的灵魂之歌中发出的那声渴求解脱的绝望呼喊。226
Even if it meant Coral’s death, Grypht knew the priestess would accept anything rather than serve the Darkbringer.格里夫特知道，哪怕这意味着科拉尔会死，那位女祭司也宁愿接受任何结局，也不愿侍奉黑暗使者。227
He could see Coral’s white hide standing out in the dusk.他能看见科拉尔白色的皮肤在暮色中格外显眼。228
A dark figure stood beside her.一个黑色的身影站在她身旁。229
The wizard squinted, but he had trouble making out much detail in the gathering darkness.法师眯起眼睛，但夜色渐浓，他很难看清更多细节。230
He couldn’t discern which of their tribe it was.他分辨不出那是他们部族中的谁。231
Then the dark figure disappeared in a flash of light.随后，那个黑影在一道亮光中消失了。232
The sight unsettled the old wizard.这一幕令老法师心神不宁。233
Who was the spell-caster, and where had he gone?那个施法者是谁，又去了哪里？234
Grypht wondered.格里夫特暗自思忖。235
The sight of small fires burning below brought the wizard’s mind back to the task at hand.下方燃起的一簇簇小火让法师重新把心思放回眼前的任务上。236
He soared to the west side of the clearing and began to chant the words of his wall of fire spell.他飞到空地西侧，开始吟诵火墙术的咒语。237
From her vantage point high in the air, Alias saw the shimmering violet wall of flames to the west of the vale and whistled in awe.阿莉亚丝身在高空，从那里望见山谷西侧那道闪烁着紫罗兰色光芒的火墙，不禁惊叹地吹了声口哨。238
“It’s nearly three hundred feet long,” she breathed.“差不多有三百英尺长。”她轻声说道。239
Hovering beside her, Akabar concentrated on rolling the flaming sphere beneath him into another hut before he stole a glance westward at Grypht’s handiwork.阿卡巴悬浮在她身旁，专心操控身下的火焰球滚进另一间棚屋，随后才抽空朝西边瞥了一眼格里夫特的杰作。240
“We’re fortunate to have so powerful an ally,” he said, then concentrated on moving the flaming sphere once more.“能有这样一位强大的盟友，我们真是幸运。”他说完，又集中精神操控火焰球继续移动。241
Beneath Akabar and Alias, the saurial workers had begun to smell the smoke and emerge from their huts.在阿卡巴和阿莉亚丝下方，蜥蜴人劳工已经闻到了烟味，开始从棚屋里出来。242
Just as Grypht had predicted, not even the Darkbringer could control the instinct of the saurials to flee from fire.正如格里夫特所料，就连黑暗使者也无法压制蜥蜴人逃离火焰的本能。243
Although the small flying saurials might have fled in any direction they wanted, they followed the rest and flew east toward the mage and swordswoman.那些会飞的小型蜥蜴人虽然可以随意朝任何方向逃走，却还是跟着其余同族向东飞去，直奔法师和女剑士所在之处。244
“Fliers,” Alias warned.“有飞行者。”阿莉亚丝警告道。245
“Ten of them, at least.”“至少十个。”246
Akabar looked up and pulled out Grypht’s wand of frost.阿卡巴抬头望去，取出了格里夫特的冰霜魔杖。247
He flew across the path of the fliers twice, luring them into following him.他两次横穿那些飞行者的行进路线，引诱它们跟在自己身后。248
Alias remained, hovering near the ground until she saw no more fliers passing by.阿莉亚丝留在原地，贴近地面悬浮着，直到再也看不见有飞行者经过。249
Then she followed them, keeping out of range of Akabar’s wand.随后她才追了上去，同时与阿卡巴的魔杖保持距离，以免进入其攻击范围。250
The mage flew low over a patch of brush.法师低低飞过一片灌木丛。251
It was important that the fliers didn’t fall too great a distance when they fell into their torpor.这些飞行者陷入昏睡坠落时，不能离地面太高，这一点至关重要。252
The wand’s cold might kill their possessing vines and leave them unharmed, but they couldn’t survive a crash to the earth from any great height.魔杖的寒气或许能杀死附身于他们的藤蔓，而不伤及他们自身，但若从高空摔落地面，他们绝无可能生还。253
With a sudden twist, Akabar faced the fliers coming at him and hovered in place.阿卡巴猛然转身，面对迎面飞来的飞行者，悬停在原地。254
The lead flier was only five yards from Akabar when the mage pointed the wand of frost at it, and only three when he gave the whistle that approximated the saurial word to trigger the wand.法师将寒霜魔杖对准领头的飞行者时，对方离阿卡巴只有五码；等他吹出近似于蜥蜴人启动魔杖所用词语的哨音时，距离更只剩三码。255
Motes of white crystalline ice blasted out of the tip of the wand in a cone sixty feet long.白色晶莹的冰屑从杖尖喷涌而出，形成一道长达六十英尺的锥形寒流。256
The flying saurial in the lead was immediately covered in a rime of frost and dropped to the ground.领头的飞行蜥蜴人顷刻间覆满白霜，坠落在地。257
Another eight, also whitened by the wand’s magical cold, fell after him.另外八个也被魔杖的魔法寒气冻得浑身雪白，随之纷纷坠落。258
Two fliers had been beyond the reach of the wand’s cone, however.然而，还有两个飞行者位于魔杖锥形寒流的范围之外。259
Now they dived down upon Akabar with their sharp beaks open.此刻，他们张开尖利的长喙，朝阿卡巴俯冲下来。260
Akabar headed for a higher altitude to evade the attackers, but one managed to tear through his robe and leave a gash in his side.阿卡巴向高处飞去，想躲开袭击者，但其中一个还是撕破了他的长袍，在他腰侧划开一道伤口。261
The mage cried out and clutched at his side.法师痛呼一声，捂住了腰侧。262
Alias flew to the side of the injured mage.阿莉亚丝飞到受伤的法师身旁。263
As the two remaining fliers turned and swooped down on them, Alias drew her sword.剩下的两个飞行者掉头朝他们俯冲下来时，阿莉亚丝拔出了剑。264
One creature called out in saurial, “Look out!其中一个生物用蜥蜴人的语言喊道：“当心！”265
She has a weapon!” and pulled up, but the other couldn’t stop its dive in time.“她有武器！”它随即拉升飞起，但另一个已经来不及止住俯冲之势。266
Alias’s blade tore through the saurial’s wing, and the creature spun helplessly to the earth.阿莉亚丝的剑刃撕裂了那名蜥蜴人的翅膀，那生物无助地旋转着坠向地面。267
Alias chased the remaining flying saurial as Akabar flew down toward the injured one.阿莉亚丝追向最后一个飞行蜥蜴人，阿卡巴则朝受伤的那个飞了下去。268
Grypht had told Alias that the flying saurials could fly with the grace and speed of eagles.格里夫特曾告诉阿莉亚丝，飞行蜥蜴人能像雄鹰一样优雅而迅捷地飞翔。269
Alias might never have caught up with this one in ordinary circumstances, but the creature was exhausted from its day’s labor and had lost much of its maneuverability because of Moander’s possessive vines.换作平常，阿莉亚丝或许永远也追不上这个飞行蜥蜴人，但它经过一天的劳作早已疲惫不堪，又因莫安德的附身藤蔓而失去了大部分机动能力。270
Since Alias’s flight was magical, the swordswoman was not in the least winded by her chase.阿莉亚丝的飞行依靠魔法，因此这番追逐丝毫没有令这位女剑士气喘。271
She swooped down on the last winged saurial, grabbing it by the vines that grew from its back and wrapped about its waist.她朝最后一个有翼蜥蜴人俯冲下去，一把抓住从它背上长出、缠绕在它腰间的藤蔓。272
The creature struggled frantically, and its vines began wrapping around Alias’s arm.那生物疯狂挣扎，身上的藤蔓开始缠上阿莉亚丝的手臂。273
The swordswoman soared earthward and landed beside Akabar.女剑士向地面俯冲，在阿卡巴身旁落下。274
Quickly the mage sliced the vines off near the saurial’s back.法师迅速贴着蜥蜴人背部割断了藤蔓。275
The little saurial began to slash at Akabar’s arms with its beak, but the mage grabbed it by its throat and held it fast while Alias tied its wings behind its back with a length of rope.小蜥蜴人开始用喙啄抓阿卡巴的双臂，但法师一把扼住它的喉咙，将它牢牢制住，阿莉亚丝则用一段绳子把它的双翼绑在背后。276
Then they laid the trussed flier alongside the injured one by the side of the trail leading west out of the vale.随后，他们把这只捆得结结实实的飞行蜥蜴人放在受伤的那只旁边，位于那条向西通出山谷的小径边。277
Finally they stood and waited for the saurials who were coming up the trail on foot.最后，他们站起身，等待那些正徒步沿小径赶来的蜥蜴人。278
It had been Akabar’s idea to drive the saurials eastward, so they would have to climb uphill, slowing them down so it would be easier to cast magic on them.把蜥蜴人赶向东边是阿卡巴的主意，这样它们就不得不爬坡，速度会慢下来，也更容易对它们施展魔法。279
Alias could hear the approaching saurials shouting, and she could smell the violet scent of their fear rising up the vale with the smoke of the fires.阿莉亚丝能听见逼近的蜥蜴人在叫喊，也能闻到它们恐惧的紫罗兰气息，随着火焰的浓烟一同沿山谷飘来。280
“Are you all right?” she asked the mage beside her.“你还好吗？”她问身旁的法师。281
He was bleeding from the gashes in his side and his arm.他腰侧和手臂上的伤口正流着血。282
Akabar nodded and held out Grypht’s wand.阿卡巴点点头，举起格里夫特的魔杖。283
“It’ll hurt more later, when I have time to think about it,” he said.“等会儿有工夫去想这些伤时，会疼得更厉害。”他说。284
The approaching saurials were somewhat larger than the fliers, and Akabar didn’t wait till the last minute to fire the wand at them.逼近的蜥蜴人比那些会飞的稍大一些，阿卡巴没有等到最后一刻才用魔杖攻击它们。285
When they were twenty feet away, he whistled the wand’s command word.等它们来到二十英尺外时，他吹出了魔杖的号令音。286
The lead creatures were struck by the blast of freezing ice, but they kept coming for several seconds before they were stopped by the cold.冲在最前面的生物被冰寒刺骨的霜冻冲击击中，却仍继续向前冲了几秒，才终于被寒气阻住。287
At least twenty fell to the ground, but others behind them kept coming.至少有二十只倒在地上，但它们身后的其他蜥蜴人仍不断涌来。288
Akabar flew over the fallen saurials and fired off another blast from the wand.阿卡巴从倒地的蜥蜴人上方飞过，又用魔杖放出一道霜冻冲击。289
Many more saurials dropped.更多蜥蜴人倒了下去。290
A few, too large to be affected quickly by the cold or with some resistance to magic, ran on up the hill.有几只体型太大，寒气无法迅速奏效，或是对魔法有某种抗性，仍一路冲上山坡。291
Alias took to the air to get out of their path.阿莉亚丝腾空而起，避开了它们的冲撞路线。292
“I could get to enjoy this flying thing,” the swordswoman said, turning a somersault in the air.“我说不定会喜欢上飞行这回事。”女剑士说着，在空中翻了个筋斗。293
She sheathed her sword and landed back on the ground, then began dragging saurials off the path so they wouldn’t be crushed by any that followed.她收剑入鞘，重新落回地面，随后开始把蜥蜴人拖离小径，以免它们被后面赶来的同类踩死。294
Akabar was intent on the remaining saurials charging up the hill.阿卡巴全神贯注地盯着其余正冲上山坡的蜥蜴人。295
He already had his wand pointed at them.他的魔杖早已对准了它们。296
The Turmish mage whistled out the command word, but as the wand fired its icy cone, it crumbled in Akabar’s hand, its power spent.这位图米什法师吹出了号令音，但魔杖射出锥形寒气的同时，也在阿卡巴手中碎裂开来——它的力量已经耗尽。297
Suddenly, from the air above her, Alias heard chanting.突然，阿莉亚丝听见头顶的空中传来吟唱声。298
She looked up to see two saurials of Dragonbait’s type looking down on Akabar.她抬头一看，只见两个与龙饵同族的恐龙人正俯视着阿卡巴。299
Spell-casters, she realized, with fly spells like our own!是施法者，她意识到，而且也像我们一样施了飞行术！300
The Turmish mage couldn’t hear them, so he was oblivious to their presence.那位图米什法师听不见他们的声音，因此完全没有察觉到他们的存在。301
“Akabar!“阿卡巴！302
Above you!” the swordswoman called out in warning, but Akabar still didn’t move.在你头顶！”女剑士出声警告，可阿卡巴依然一动不动。303
He was frozen in the same position he’d been in when he pointed the wand.他僵在了举杖指向敌人时的姿势。304
The saurial mages held him fast with their magic.那两名恐龙人法师用魔法将他牢牢定住了。305
Alias drew her sword and flew up into their midst, shouting a battle cry in saurial and blasting the scent of her anger in their direction.阿莉亚丝拔出剑，飞到他们中间，用恐龙人的语言发出战吼，同时朝他们散发出愤怒的气味。306
The mages quickly flew off in separate directions.两名法师迅速朝不同方向飞开。307
Alias turned back to Akabar, only to discover that a third flying saurial had snatched up the paralyzed mage in a net and was now flying back toward the camp with him.阿莉亚丝转身飞回阿卡巴身边，却发现第三个会飞的恐龙人已用网兜住了动弹不得的法师，此刻正带着他飞回营地。308
Alias flew after Akabar’s captor.阿莉亚丝朝掳走阿卡巴的家伙追去。309
Slowed by his burden, the saurial couldn’t keep ahead of the furious swordswoman, but Alias had forgotten about the other two mages.那个恐龙人被身上的负担拖慢了速度，无法甩开怒不可遏的女剑士，可阿莉亚丝却忘了另外两名法师。310
She heard a chanting just above her, and suddenly she felt as though she were flying through jelly.她听见上方不远处传来吟唱声，忽然感觉自己仿佛是在果冻里飞行。311
Her flight had been slowed with magic.她的飞行速度被魔法减慢了。312
Akabar’s captor burst ahead of her.掳走阿卡巴的恐龙人猛然加速，将她甩在身后。313
The other saurial mages swooped down on her with another net, and she couldn’t dodge out of the way in time.另外两名恐龙人法师带着另一张网朝她俯冲下来，她没能及时闪开。314
They closed her up in the net and wrenched her sword from her hand.他们用网将她牢牢裹住，又从她手中夺走了剑。315
Then they flew after Akabar’s captor, toward the looming pile that would become Moander’s new body.随后，他们朝掳走阿卡巴的同伴追去，飞向那堆巍然耸立、即将成为莫安德新躯体的东西。316
Olive tossed the stub of her spent torch into the burning brush.奥利芙把烧剩的火把残端扔进燃烧的灌木丛。317
“I sure hope I don’t run into any treants or druids tonight,” she muttered.“但愿今晚别让我碰上什么树人或德鲁伊。”她嘟囔道。318
She looked eastward at Grypht’s wall of fire.她朝东边格里夫特筑起的火墙望去。319
Olive had never seen a blaze so big.奥利芙从未见过这么大的火势。320
It was getting terribly hot in the vale, and the halfling noticed steam rising from the pile that was to become Moander’s body.山谷里变得酷热难当，半身人注意到，那堆即将成为莫安德躯体的东西正冒出蒸汽。321
She knew the fire’s main purpose was to herd the saurials toward Akabar’s and Grypht’s cones of cold, but she couldn’t help wishing they’d get extra lucky and manage to burn the wet pile of hacked forest as well, despite the magic that protected it from fire.她知道，这场火的主要目的是把恐龙人赶向阿卡巴和格里夫特施放的寒冰锥，但她还是忍不住希望他们能走个大运，连那堆湿漉漉的残破林木也一并烧掉，尽管有魔法保护它不受火焰侵袭。322
She would never be comfortable until she was sure Moander’s waiting body was gone for good.只有确定莫安德那具等待成形的躯体彻底消失，她才能真正安心。323
She had begun to move eastward, out of the vale, when she noticed something moving near the top of the pile, something white.她正要向东走出山谷，忽然注意到那堆东西靠近顶端的地方有什么在动，是个白色的东西。324
Olive shook her head in surprise.奥利芙惊讶地摇了摇头。325
It was Coral, climbing to the top of her god’s potential body.那是科拉尔，正朝她的神可能成形的躯体顶端爬去。326
She must be pretty far gone to hang around a burning vale, Olive thought.她居然还待在一座燃烧的山谷里，一定已经疯得不轻了，奥利芙想。327
Then she saw another figure about halfway up the pile, also climbing toward the top.接着，她又看见一个身影正在那堆东西的半腰处，也朝顶端爬去。328
The halfling gasped.半身人倒吸了一口气。329
It was Dragonbait!是龙饵！330
“Stupid paladin!”“蠢圣武士！”331
Olive growled.奥利芙低吼道。332
“After I specifically told him that Alias didn’t want any dangerous heroics.“我明明特意告诉过他，阿莉亚丝不希望有人逞英雄去冒险。”333
He’d die up there, Olive realized, if she didn’t get him to climb back down.奥利芙意识到，要是不让他爬下来，他会死在上面的。334
With an irritated sigh, she moved toward the pile and began climbing after the paladin.她恼火地叹了口气，朝那堆东西走去，开始跟在圣武士身后往上爬。335
Grypht threw a cone of cold at a group of saurial stragglers moving up the hills away from the burning vale.格里夫特朝一群正从燃烧的山谷往山坡上逃窜、落在后面的恐龙人施放了一道寒冰锥。336
He landed beside a cluster of saurial bodies lying on the ground.他落在一群倒卧于地的恐龙人身旁。337
It was getting warm from the fire’s heat; the fallen would rise out of their torpor soon, but many of them would be too weak to move without the rotting vines providing energy to their bodies.随着火焰的热气袭来，周围正变得越来越暖；这些倒下的恐龙人很快就会从麻木中苏醒，但其中许多若没有腐烂藤蔓为身体提供能量，仍会虚弱得无法动弹。338
He walked through the bodies until he found a perfect candidate to help him—one of the large saurials with the sharp, diamond-shaped plates of armor running down his back.他从这些躯体间走过，直到找到一个最适合帮助自己的人——那是个身形高大的恐龙人，背上从头到尾排列着尖利的菱形甲片。339
The wizard bent over the saurial and shook him.法师俯下身，摇了摇那个恐龙人。340
“Sweetleaf,” he called, “snap out of it.”“甜叶，”他唤道，“快清醒过来。”341
Grypht forced a danger scent from his glands to help bring the other saurial around.格里夫特强迫自己的腺体释放出危险的气味，想借此帮助另一个恐龙人苏醒。342
“Wh-what?”“什……什么？”343
Sweetleaf said, opening his eyes suddenly.甜叶猛然睁开眼睛，说道。344
“You’ve been under the Darkbringer’s power.“你一直受黑暗使者的力量控制。345
Cure your disease quickly.赶快治好你的病。346
We have a lot of work to do.”我们还有许多事要做。”347
“I—I remember now.“我——我现在想起来了。348
I was possessed,” Sweetleaf muttered.我被附身了。”甜叶喃喃道。349
“Fortunately, since you were a stranger in the tribe, none of the others knew you were a cleric, or you would have been possessed sooner and in no shape to help us now,” Grypht said.“幸好你是族里的陌生人，其他人都不知道你是牧师，否则你早就被附身了，现在也不可能有能力帮助我们。”格里夫特说道。350
“Now cure yourself so we can be sure no more of Moander’s spores taint your body.“现在治好自己，这样我们才能确定你的体内再也没有莫安德的孢子作祟。351
Then we can begin to rescue the rest of our unfortunate brothers.”然后我们就可以开始营救其他不幸的弟兄了。”352
Akabar had done a good job, the saurial wizard noted privately, looking up the hill at the number of saurials the mage had felled with the wand.这位蜥蜴人法师望向山坡，看到阿卡巴用魔杖击倒了那么多蜥蜴人，不由暗想：阿卡巴干得不错。353
Grypht was too busy worrying about his own people, though, to wonder where the mage was at the moment.不过，格里夫特正忙着担心自己的族人，无暇去想那个法师此刻身在何处。354
Akabar lay on the very top of the pile of dead vegetation that Moander intended to make its new body.阿卡巴躺在一大堆枯死植物的最顶端，莫安德打算用这堆植物塑成自己的新躯体。355
He could hear Alias screaming and struggling with the saurial mages who had captured her.他能听见阿莉亚丝在尖叫，并与抓住她的蜥蜴人法师拼命挣扎。356
She was only a few yards away from him, but magically held as he was, he was powerless to help her.她离他不过几码远，可他自己也被魔法禁锢着，根本无力帮她。357
He knew he was frightened, but he had his faith to support him.他知道自己很害怕，但他的信仰支撑着他。358
Alias, on the other hand, must be terrified, he realized.而阿莉亚丝一定吓坏了，他心想。359
She had tried to convince him to flee to avoid exactly this situation.她曾劝他逃走，为的正是避免落入眼下这种处境。360
Tb be honest, he had hoped to avoid it, but fleeing was not an honorable option.说实话，他也希望能避开这一切，但逃跑并非光荣的选择。361
Zhara had told him that he would be responsible for the god’s death forever, and he had accepted the honor with pride.扎拉曾告诉他，他将永远肩负起弑神的责任，而他也自豪地接受了这份荣耀。362
His priestess wife had been unable to tell him, however, if he would live through the experience.然而，他那位女祭司妻子却无法告诉他，他能否活着熬过这番经历。363
At the moment, he suspected he would not.此时此刻，他觉得自己多半活不成了。364
His blood, from the wounds in his side and his arm, hissed and sparkled as it dripped onto the greenery beneath him.鲜血从他肋侧和手臂的伤口中流出，滴落在身下的草木上，发出嘶嘶声，闪烁着火花。365
That certainly wasn’t a good sign, but if Moander had to be resurrected to be destroyed, so be it, he thought.这当然不是什么好兆头，但他心想，如果必须先让莫安德复活才能将其毁灭，那也只能如此。366
In the moonlight, he could see a white saurial moving toward him.月光下，他看见一个白色的蜥蜴人正朝他走来。367
It was Coral, Moander’s high priestess.那是莫安德的最高女祭司科拉尔。368
She knelt beside him.她在他身旁跪下。369
A potpourri of conflicting emotional scents poured from her.种种相互冲突的情绪气味从她身上喷涌而出。370
Moander could force her to feel its evil pleasure, but the god did not, or could not, prevent her from expressing her own grief and fear.莫安德可以迫使她感受它那邪恶的快意，但这位神祇并没有——或是无法——阻止她流露出自己的悲伤与恐惧。371
Coral held up a large, luminous mushroom, which she shoved into Akabar’s mouth.科拉尔举起一朵硕大而发光的蘑菇，硬塞进阿卡巴嘴里。372
The acrid taste made the mage feel violently ill, but he was unable to spit it out.那股辛涩的味道让法师一阵强烈的恶心，可他却无法把它吐出来。373
He felt his mouth grow numb.他感觉嘴里渐渐麻木。374
Next Coral drew out a dagger carved from a giant thorn and pressed the tip of it against the artery in his neck.接着，科拉尔取出一把用巨刺雕成的匕首，将刀尖抵在他颈部的动脉上。375
Akabar closed his eyes, certain he was about to die, but he felt no more than a prick in his neck.阿卡巴闭上双眼，确信自己就要死了，可他只感觉脖子上被轻轻刺了一下。376
He opened his eyes again.他再次睁开眼睛。377
Coral held the dagger up to the moonlight.科拉尔把匕首举到月光下。378
There was a single drop of his blood on its tip, and before Akabar’s eyes, the blood crystallized into a brilliant, rounded gem.刀尖上沾着他的一滴血；就在阿卡巴眼前，那滴血结晶成了一颗璀璨浑圆的宝石。379
Coral plucked the gem from the dagger, spat on it, and pushed it into the pile of greenery beneath them.科拉尔从匕首上摘下宝石，朝上面啐了口唾沫，然后把它按进他们身下那堆草木之中。380
Just as Akabar was beginning to hope he might not actually be killed, the mage felt the pile shift beneath him, and he began to sink into it.就在阿卡巴开始希望自己也许不会真的被杀死时，法师感觉身下那堆草木动了起来，他的身体也开始往里下沉。381
His skin began to sparkle everywhere the greenery touched him.凡是被草木触碰到的地方，他的皮肤都开始闪烁起光芒。382
The red and white robe he wore began to rot away from his body, exposing more of his flesh to the magic of the pile.他身上的红白长袍开始腐烂，从身体上剥落，让更多肌肤暴露在草木堆的魔力之下。383
Since he could do nothing else, the Turmish mage began to pray.既然什么也做不了，这位图米什法师便开始祈祷。384