Held by four saurial mages, Alias could do nothing but shriek and cry as Coral chanted foul prayers over Akabar, declaring his blood the seed of Moander’s resurrection.阿莉亚丝被四名蜥蜴人法师牢牢制住，只能尖叫哭喊；科拉尔则对着阿卡巴吟诵邪恶的祷词，宣称他的血就是莫安德复活的种子。1
As the Turmish mage was sucked into the rotting mess the saurials had built for Moander, the swordswoman began to shake uncontrollably.眼看这名图米什法师被吸进蜥蜴人为莫安德筑起的那堆腐烂之物中，女剑士开始无法控制地浑身颤抖。2
This was her worst nightmare—the one she forced herself to forget whenever she woke from it.这是她最可怕的噩梦——每次从梦中惊醒，她都会强迫自己忘掉的那个梦。3
In it, she inevitably watched her friend being absorbed by the Darkbringer just as she had been.在梦里，她总会眼睁睁看着朋友被黑暗使者吞噬，就像她自己曾经遭受的那样。4
Now, though, there was no waking up.然而这一次，她再也无法醒来了。5
Akabar should have gone back to the cave as soon as they found out that he was the seed, she thought.阿莉亚丝心想，他们一发现阿卡巴就是那颗种子，他就该立刻回洞穴去。6
She should have knocked him out and dragged him away.她当时就该把他打昏，硬拖着他离开。7
And Zhara never should have let him come north.而扎拉更不该让他到北方来。8
There had to have been some way to prevent all this.一定有什么办法能阻止这一切发生。9
Suddenly the swordswoman’s arm began to burn as if it were on fire.突然，女剑士的手臂仿佛着了火一般灼痛起来。10
The blue brands on her arm glowed brighter than lantern light.她手臂上的蓝色烙印亮了起来，光芒胜过灯火。11
“No,” Alias whispered.“不。”阿莉亚丝低声说道。12
“Yes,” a voice said in saurial.“是的。”一个声音用蜥蜴人的语言说道。13
Alias looked up into the face of the saurial who once was Dragonbait’s lover.阿莉亚丝抬起头，望着那个曾是龙饵恋人的蜥蜴人。14
Her duties with the seed complete, the priestess had moved to the swordswoman’s side.完成了与种子有关的职责后，女祭司已经来到女剑士身旁。15
She studied Alias’s arm eagerly.她急切地端详着阿莉亚丝的手臂。16
“The symbol of Moander is returning to her arm,” she announced.“莫安德的符号正在她手臂上重新显现。”她宣布道。17
Dragonbait, who had nearly reached the top of the pile, didn’t need to hear the Mouth of Moander’s words to know what was happening to Alias.龙饵已经快要爬到那堆东西的顶端了；他无须听见莫安德之口的话，也知道阿莉亚丝身上正在发生什么。18
He could feel it himself in the brand on his chest that bound him to the swordswoman.他能亲自从胸口那道将他与女剑士联结在一起的烙印上感受到这一点。19
There, reasserting itself in his own scales, he could see the tattoo of a blue glowing mouth of fangs set in a human palm.烙印正在他的鳞片上重新显现；他能看见那个文身：一张泛着蓝光、长满獠牙的嘴，嵌在一只人类的手掌中。20
When the pain had subsided, he finished climbing up the side of the pile of greenery.疼痛消退后，他爬完了最后一段，登上那堆枝叶的侧面。21
Crashing through the soggy, rotting vegetation, he cried out the trigger word to set his sword aflame.他冲破湿软腐烂的草木，大喊出令长剑燃起火焰的启动语。22
He stabbed one of the mages through the heart and the corpse fell into the pile.他一剑刺穿一名法师的心脏，那具尸体随即坠入了那堆东西中。23
As if the pile had an insatiable appetite, the body was sucked into it almost instantly.仿佛那堆东西有着永远无法满足的食欲，尸体几乎瞬间便被吸了进去。24
Before the paladin could attack again, Coral finished chanting another entanglement spell.圣武士还没来得及再次进攻，科拉尔便吟唱完了另一道缠绕术。25
A vine rose up from the pile, wrapped itself around Dragonbait’s waist, and pulled him away from Alias.一根藤蔓从绿植堆中蹿起，缠住龙饵的腰，将他从阿莉亚丝身边拖开。26
A second vine lashed itself around his legs and held him fast.第二根藤蔓猛地缠住他的双腿，把他牢牢困住。27
He couldn’t hack at the vines without slashing himself.他若挥剑劈砍藤蔓，势必也会砍伤自己。28
Coral stepped up to the paladin, a ceremonial dagger in her hand.科拉尔手持一把仪式匕首，走到圣武士面前。29
“Champion,” she whispered, “you know what must happen now.“勇士，”她低声说道，“你知道现在必须发生什么。30
Your sacrifice will bind the servant’s will to Moander.”你的牺牲会让那名仆从的意志受制于莫安德。”31
“Coral, no. You can’t do this.“科拉尔，不要。你不能这么做。32
This isn’t you.这不是你。33
Fight it, please,” the paladin urged.求你了，反抗它吧。”圣武士恳求道。34
“You have your sword,” the white saurial whispered.“你手里有剑。”白色的蜥族人低声说道。35
Dragonbait held his sword beside Coral’s head.龙饵将剑举在科拉尔头侧。36
The flames of the blade were reflected in her white scales.剑刃上的火焰映照在她白色的鳞片上。37
“Either I will kill you, or you will kill me,” Coral said.“要么我杀了你，要么你杀了我。”科拉尔说道。38
Dragonbait watched as Alias struggled with the three remaining saurial mages.龙饵看着阿莉亚丝与剩下的三名蜥族人法师苦战。39
If he were the only one to die, he wouldn’t even consider killing Coral.如果死的只有他一个，他根本不会考虑杀死科拉尔。40
He would let her take his life.他会任由她取走自己的性命。41
But Alias was his sister, and Coral was the Mouth of Moander.但阿莉亚丝是他的姐妹，而科拉尔是莫安德之口。42
He couldn’t let Moander have Alias.他不能让莫安德得到阿莉亚丝。43
Still he hesitated.可他依然犹豫不决。44
Coral raised her dagger.科拉尔举起了匕首。45
Tears shone in her eyes, and the smoke-laden air was heavy with the scent of her grief.泪水在她眼中闪烁，烟雾弥漫的空气里充斥着她悲恸的气息。46
“How can you condemn me to be your murderer?” she growled at the paladin.“你怎么忍心逼我成为杀死你的人？”她朝圣武士低吼道。47
“I thought you loved me.”“我还以为你爱我。”48
Dragonbait swung his blade, and Coral’s body and head tumbled into the pile.龙饵挥剑斩下，科拉尔的身体和头颅一起滚进了那堆东西里。49
There was no bloodshed.没有鲜血飞溅。50
Nothing but rotted vines and dust spilled out of the priestess’s severed neck.从女祭司断裂的脖颈中涌出的，只有腐烂的藤蔓和尘土。51
The pile didn’t even try to suck her into it for nourishment.那堆东西甚至没有试图把她吸进去当作养分。52
There was nothing left of her.她已经什么也不剩了。53
Immediately the vines that held Dragonbait fell away from him as if the magic in them had been dispelled.缠住龙饵的藤蔓立刻从他身上脱落，仿佛其中的魔力已被驱散。54
The paladin presumed the magic had died with Coral and began to move cautiously toward the mages who held Alias.圣武士猜想那魔力已经随科拉尔一同消亡，便开始小心翼翼地朝挟持阿莉亚丝的法师们走去。55
One began to chant a spell and gesture in the paladin’s direction, but the words died on his lips, and he tumbled forward with a dagger in his back.其中一人开始吟诵咒语，同时朝圣武士的方向打出手势，但话音突然断在唇边，他背上插着一把匕首，向前栽倒在地。56
Now held by only two people, Alias threw her weight to one side, knocking one of the mages to her knees.此刻只剩两个人制住阿莉亚丝，她猛地把全身重量压向一侧，将其中一名法师撞得跪倒在地。57
Dragonbait rushed the remaining mage and sliced him in two.龙饵扑向剩下的法师，一剑将他劈成两半。58
Like Coral, this mage was nothing but dust and rotted vines inside.和科拉尔一样，这名法师体内也只有尘土和腐烂的藤蔓。59
With her bare fists, Alias throttled the female saurial beside her until the mage fell at her feet.阿莉亚丝赤手空拳扼住身旁那名女性蜥蜴人的喉咙，直到那法师倒在她脚边。60
“Dragonbait, your sword!” the swordswoman shouted.“龙饵，你的剑！”女剑士喊道。61
“Give me your sword!”“把剑给我！”62
Confused, the paladin let Alias take his sword from his hands.圣武士一头雾水，任由阿莉亚丝从他手中拿走了剑。63
She began to slice into the top of the pile, looking for Akabar.她开始挥剑劈砍那堆东西的顶部，寻找阿卡巴。64
A dark figure landed beside Dragonbait and wordlessly pulled the dagger out of the mage who had tried to cast a spell over the paladin.一个黑影落在龙饵身旁，一言不发地从那个企图对圣武士施法的法师背上拔出匕首。65
The figure stood up and sheathed his blade.那人站起身，将刀收回鞘中。66
It was Finder Wyvernspur.是芬德·飞龙刺。67
The pile shifted suddenly, knocking Dragonbait and Finder to their knees.那堆东西突然一阵挪动，将龙饵和芬德撞得跪倒在地。68
The massive heap wasn’t merely settling, the paladin realized; it was coming to life.圣武士意识到，这座庞大的堆积物并不只是在下沉；它正在苏醒。69
He struggled to his feet as Alias began hacking at the vegetation more frantically, screaming out Akabar’s name.他挣扎着站起身，而阿莉亚丝愈发疯狂地劈砍着那些植物，尖声呼喊阿卡巴的名字。70
As the paladin helped him to rise, Finder shouted, “We can’t stay here!”圣武士扶芬德起身时，芬德喊道：“我们不能留在这里！”71
Dragonbait was inclined to agree, but when he saw the wild-eyed look in the swordswoman’s eyes, he was sure he’d never convince her to leave.龙饵也有同感，但当他看到女剑士眼中那疯狂的神色时，便确信自己绝不可能说服她离开。72
The smell of her grief for Akabar permeated the air.她为阿卡巴而悲恸的气息弥漫在空气中。73
“Akabar is gone!”“阿卡巴已经不在了！”74
Finder shouted.芬德喊道。75
“There’s no hope for him!“他已经没救了！76
If you don’t help me get Alias away from here, she’ll die!”你要是不帮我把阿莉亚丝带离这里，她会死的！”77
Dragonbait nodded.龙饵点了点头。78
He took the hand the bard offered him and moved toward Alias.他握住吟游诗人伸来的手，朝阿莉亚丝走去。79
“Sister,” he called out, “give me your hand.”“妹妹，”他喊道，“把手给我。”80
Alias looked up at her saurial brother, confused.阿莉亚丝困惑地抬头望着她的蜥蜴人兄长。81
She didn’t question him; she simply reached up and grabbed his paw.她没有问他，只是伸出手，抓住了他的爪子。82
Dragonbait clenched her fingers with all his strength.龙饵用尽全力攥紧她的手指。83
Then Alias saw Finder standing behind the paladin.这时，阿莉亚丝看见了站在圣武士身后的芬德。84
The bard held the finder’s stone in his hand.吟游诗人手里握着寻踪石。85
“No!”“不！”86
Alias shrieked.阿莉亚丝尖叫道。87
Finder sang to the finder’s stone, and the three adventurers glowed brightly for an instant, then disappeared.芬德对着寻踪石唱了起来，三名冒险者身上霎时迸发出耀眼的光芒，随即消失了。88
When they reappeared in the Singing Cave, Alias was still shrieking.当他们重新出现在歌唱洞穴时，阿莉亚丝仍在尖叫。89
She jerked her hand away from Dragonbait’s and pointed the paladin’s flaming sword at the bard’s heart.她猛地从龙饵手中抽回自己的手，把圣武士那柄燃烧着火焰的剑直指吟游诗人的心口。90
Finder dropped Dragonbait’s hand.芬德松开了龙饵的手。91
“I’ll be back,” he said.“我会回来的。”他说。92
Then he sang to his magic stone again and vanished.接着，他再次对着魔法石唱了起来，消失不见。93
By the time Olive reached the top of the pile, it was beginning to tremble alarmingly.等奥利芙爬到堆顶时，整座堆已经开始令人心惊地颤动起来。94
She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination or not, but it seemed to be moving toward the east side of the vale.她不确定这是不是自己的错觉，但这座堆似乎正朝山谷东侧移动。95
The halfling looked around at the dead bodies and the shaking greenery and started to shiver.半身人环顾四周的尸体和颤抖的草木，开始浑身发抖。96
Olive screamed out Dragonbait’s name, trying to discern in the darkness if he was one of the corpses.奥利芙尖叫着喊出龙饵的名字，竭力想在黑暗中看清他是否也是那些尸体中的一个。97
A vine sprang up from the pile right in front of the halfling.一根藤蔓从奥利芙面前的尸堆里猛地蹿了出来。98
An eye was visible on the end of it, round and glassy, like a fish’s. Olive gasped and took a step backward.藤蔓末端赫然长着一只眼睛，圆溜溜、亮晶晶的，仿佛鱼眼。奥利芙倒吸一口凉气，后退了一步。99
More vines began popping out of the surface of the pile all around the halfling, each tipped with some sort of eye—a saurial’s eye, or a wild cat’s eye, or a bird’s eye.更多藤蔓开始从奥利芙四周的尸堆表面纷纷冒出，每根末端都长着某种眼睛——有蜥蜴人的眼睛，有野猫的眼睛，也有鸟的眼睛。100
Then more vines appeared with mouths on their ends—fanged lizards’ mouths, birds’ beaks, a beaver’s mouth.接着，又有更多藤蔓出现，末端长着一张张嘴——有长着獠牙的蜥蜴嘴，有鸟喙，还有河狸的嘴。101
The mouths all began calling out Moander’s name in a cacophonous chorus that set the halfling’s heart pounding with fear.那些嘴全都开始呼喊莫安德的名字，汇成一片刺耳嘈杂的合声，吓得奥利芙心怦怦直跳。102
Olive moved cautiously away toward the edge of the pile.奥利芙小心翼翼地朝尸堆边缘挪去。103
She’d slide down somehow; even falling to the ground would be preferable to becoming part of those eyes and mouths.她总能想办法滑下去；哪怕摔到地上，也比变成那些眼睛和嘴的一部分强。104
A feline-mouthed vine lunged toward her, and the halfling shrieked.一根长着猫嘴的藤蔓猛地向她扑来，奥利芙失声尖叫。105
Before the vine could strike her, strong hands grabbed her and lifted her off the top of the pile.藤蔓还没来得及击中她，一双强有力的手便抓住她，将她从尸堆顶上抱了起来。106
Olive gasped from the shock, then sighed with relief.奥利芙惊得倒吸一口气，随即如释重负地叹了口气。107
She swiveled her head, expecting to see Akabar or Grypht.她猛地转过头，以为会看见阿卡巴或格里夫特。108
Her eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of her rescuer.看清救她的人后，她惊讶地瞪大了眼睛。109
“Didn’t I tell you that you had to be more careful, little Lady Luck?”“我不是告诉过你，凡事都得更小心些吗，小小幸运女神？”110
Finder Wyvernspur said as he soared northward with the halfling wrapped in his arms.芬德·飞龙刺将奥利芙抱在怀中，一边向北飞去，一边说道。111
Grypht looked up from the exhausted form of a small flying saurial at the cleric, Sweetleaf, who stood over him anxiously.格里夫特从一名精疲力竭的小飞行蜥蜴人身上抬起头，望向忧心忡忡地站在他身旁的牧师甜叶。112
“Excuse me, High One,” the cleric said, “but we have a problem in the vale.“打扰了，尊者，”牧师说道，“谷中出了问题。113
The—”那——”114
“I’ll set a backfire soon to keep the fire from spreading,” Grypht said.“我很快会放一道隔离火，防止火势蔓延，”格里夫特说道。115
“There’s time yet.“现在还来得及。116
Don’t worry, Sweetleaf.”别担心，甜叶。”117
“It’s not the fire, High One,” the cleric explained.“不是火，尊者，”牧师解释道。118
“It’s Moander.“是莫安德。119
It’s been resurrected.”它复活了。”120
Grypht stood up and looked into the vale.格里夫特站起身，向山谷中望去。121
Sweetleaf was right.甜叶说得没错。122
Moander had been resurrected, and it was heading eastward, straight toward them.莫安德已经复活了，而且正向东行进，径直朝他们而来。123
The wizard had never really believed that rescuing Dragonbait and recovering the saurial workers would halt Moander’s resurrection.这位法师其实从未相信，救出龙饵并救回那些蜥人劳工，就能阻止莫安德复活。124
If anything, he had realized, it would precipitate the event, but since the Mouth of Moander had the seed and intended to use it that night, there hadn’t seemed any reason to put off the inevitable.事实上，他早已意识到，这反而会促使复活提前发生；但既然莫安德之口拿着那颗种子，又打算当晚使用它，似乎也没有理由推迟这不可避免之事。125
Grypht had hoped, however, that he would have had more time to get his people back on their feet.不过，格里夫特原本希望自己能有更多时间，让族人恢复元气。126
The mountain of greenery slid slowly but steadily across the ground, pushed along by some unseen magical force.那座草木堆成的山岳缓慢却平稳地滑过地面，仿佛被某种无形的魔法力量推着前进。127
Grypht shuddered to think just how much power Moander expended on movement.一想到莫安德仅仅为了移动就耗费了多么庞大的力量，格里夫特便不寒而栗。128
As the god moved slowly over the fires set in the vale, the flames were instantly smothered by its damp mass.神祇缓缓碾过谷中燃起的火焰，潮湿的身躯立刻将火扑灭。129
Boulders caught in its path were crushed into gravel.挡在它前路上的巨石全被碾成了碎石。130
Whenever it came across an especially large tree that the saurials had cut down but had been unable to haul, Moander sucked it into its body, where it was immediately splintered into smaller pieces.每当遇上蜥人砍倒却无力拖走的特别高大的树木，莫安德便会把树吸入体内，在那里立刻将其绞裂成更小的碎片。131
Now that the saurials were free from the god’s possession and no longer served him, the wizard had no doubt what use Moander would have for them now.如今蜥人已经摆脱了这神祇的控制，不再为它效命，格里夫特毫不怀疑莫安德接下来会怎样处置他们。132
Moander would consume the saurials whole.莫安德会把蜥人整个吞掉。133
The wizard looked up and down the hillside for Alias, Dragonbait, Olive, and Akabar, but they were nowhere to be seen, despite the fact that they had agreed to meet him here.格里夫特沿着山坡四处寻找阿莉亚丝、龙饵、奥利芙和阿卡巴，可他们明明约好在这里会合，此刻却全都不见踪影。134
Grypht began to grow alarmed.格里夫特开始惊慌起来。135
What could have happened to them?他们出了什么事？136
The sound of Moander’s approach, cracking trees and smashing rock and rumbling earth, now reached the wizard’s ears.莫安德逼近的声响此刻已传入法师耳中：树木断裂，岩石粉碎，大地隆隆震颤。137
Above all those sounds came a cacophony of singing from the hundreds of mouths that grew from the god’s body.压过这一切声响的，是一阵嘈杂刺耳的歌声，来自神祇身上长出的数百张嘴。138
The Darkbringer was chanting its own name over and over again in victory.黑暗使者正一遍又一遍地高唱自己的名字，宣告胜利。139
“High One, what should we do?”“尊者，我们该怎么办？”140
Sweetleaf asked nervously.甜叶紧张地问道。141
Grypht was about to scoop up as many of the small fliers as he could carry and teleport away with them and Sweetleaf when suddenly Moander changed directions and began heading northward, toward the mountain slope and the Singing Cave.格里夫特正准备一把抱起尽可能多的小飞行者，带着他们和甜叶传送离开，莫安德却突然改变方向，开始向北行进，朝着山坡和歌唱洞穴而去。142
“It’s following that flier!”“它在追那个飞行者！”143
Sweetleaf cried, pointing to a dark shape moving northward through the air with the smooth movement of a mage using a fly spell.甜叶叫道，指着一个正从空中向北移动的黑影；那身影飞得平稳流畅，就像施展了飞行术的法师。144
“Who is it, High One?”“那是谁，至高者？”145
Sweetleaf asked.甜叶问道。146
Just before the shape disappeared into the Singing Cave, Grypht caught sight of the yellow glow the finder’s stone gave off in the dark.就在那身影消失于歌唱洞穴之前，格里夫特瞥见了芬德的石头在黑暗中发出的黄色光芒。147
“Can it be … the bard?”“难道是……那个吟游诗人？”148
Grypht asked uncertainly.格里夫特迟疑地问道。149
Suddenly Grypht remembered the dark shape he’d seen standing in the camp beside Coral when they’d begun their attack.格里夫特突然想起，他们发起进攻时，他曾看见科拉尔身旁的营地里站着一道黑影。150
Finder had returned in time for the battle after all.原来芬德终究还是及时赶回来参战了。151
With his magical stone, the bard could have teleported to the Singing Cave.凭借那块魔法石，那个吟游诗人本可以传送到歌唱洞穴。152
Could it be that he was deliberately leading Moander away from the saurials?难道他是在故意把莫安德从蜥族人那里引开？153
Did he know what had happened to the others?他知道其他人出了什么事吗？154
He had to discover what the bard was up to, the wizard decided.法师心想，他必须弄清楚那个吟游诗人究竟想做什么。155
Perhaps Finder could help move the unconscious saurials.或许芬德能帮忙转移那些昏迷不醒的蜥族人。156
“Do what you can for our people, Sweetleaf,” Grypht ordered the cleric.“尽你所能照顾好我们的族人，甜叶，”格里夫特命令那名牧师。157
“I’ll return as soon as I can.”“我会尽快回来。”158
The saurial wizard clutched his staff and teleported to the Singing Cave.蜥族法师紧握法杖，传送到了歌唱洞穴。159
Finder drifted into the mouth of the Singing Cave and landed smoothly among the ferns.芬德飘进歌唱洞穴的洞口，稳稳落在蕨丛之间。160
“Don’t move!”“不许动！”161
Alias growled, waving Dragonbait’s sword at the bard’s chest.阿莉亚丝低吼道，挥起龙饵的剑，剑尖直指吟游诗人的胸膛。162
Dragonbait knocked the swordswoman’s hand aside.龙饵一把拨开了女剑士的手。163
“Alias, he’s holding Olive.“阿莉亚丝，他抱着奥利芙。164
You’ll skewer her,” the paladin warned.你会把她刺穿的，”圣武士警告道。165
He could see the invisible halfling with his heat sight.凭借热视觉，他能看见隐形的半身人。166
“What are you talking about?” the swordswoman demanded.“你在说什么？”女剑士厉声问道。167
“His arms are empty.”“他怀里明明什么都没有。”168
“No, they’re not,” Olive piped up.“不，可不是空的。”奥利芙尖声说道。169
She wished herself visible, and suddenly she was.她心念一动，让自己显出身形，霎时间便现了出来。170
She looked back up at the bard.她抬头回望那位吟游诗人。171
“How come you could see me when I was invisible?” she demanded.“我隐身的时候，你怎么还能看见我？”她质问道。172
“When you get to be my age, Olive, no beautiful woman is invisible,” Finder said.“奥利芙，等你到了我这个年纪，就会明白，没有哪个美人是看不见的。”芬德说道。173
Olive began to smile at the bard’s flattery, but she caught sight of the flower in the bard’s hair and shuddered nervously.听到吟游诗人的奉承，奥利芙刚要露出笑容，却瞥见他发间的花，不安地打了个寒战。174
Sensing her unease, Finder set the halfling down on the floor.芬德察觉到她的不安，便把半身人放到了地上。175
Olive scurried toward Alias.奥利芙急匆匆地跑向阿莉亚丝。176
Grypht appeared behind the bard.格里夫特出现在吟游诗人身后。177
He could smell the anger and the fear permeating the air around him.他能嗅到弥漫在周围空气中的愤怒与恐惧。178
“What’s going on?” he demanded.“这是怎么回事？”他厉声问道。179
“Finder’s been possessed by Moander!”“芬德被莫安德附身了！”180
Alias declared.阿莉亚丝断言道。181
Her voice cracked with pain and sorrow.她的声音因痛苦和悲伤而变了调。182
“See the flower in his ear?”“看见他耳朵里的那朵花了吗？”183
Olive chirped.奥利芙尖声说道。184
In the cave lit by Dragonbait’s flaming sword, the finder’s stone, and the magical blue sigils of Moander glowing on Alias’s arm and Dragonbait’s chest, Grypht had no trouble picking out the flower growing from the bard’s ear and the mossy growth on his chin.洞穴里，龙饵燃烧的剑、寻物石，以及阿莉亚丝手臂和龙饵胸口上闪耀着的莫安德蓝色魔法符印照亮四周，因此格里夫特毫不费力地看清了从吟游诗人耳朵里长出的花，以及他下巴上覆着苔藓般的赘生物。185
“Champion can use his power to cure disease on him,” Grypht said.“勇士可以用他的力量治好他身上的病。”格里夫特说道。186
“No!”“不！”187
Finder said, stepping back.芬德说着，向后退了一步。188
“I don’t need to be cured.“我不需要治疗。189
I know it appears as if I’ve been possessed, but I’m not.我知道我看起来像是被附了身，但我没有。190
Alias, you didn’t see me do it, but I was the one who dispelled Coral’s entanglement vines earlier.阿莉亚丝，你当时没看见，但之前解除科拉尔缠绕藤蔓的人是我。191
I also rescued you and Dragonbait from Moander’s grasp.也是我把你和龙饵从莫安德手中救了出来。192
Would I have done all that if I was one of the god’s minions?”如果我是那个神的爪牙，会做这些事吗？”193
“You kept me from rescuing Akabar!”“是你阻止我去救阿卡巴！”194
Alias cried.阿莉亚丝喊道。195
“You let Moander swallow him!”“你眼睁睁地让莫安德吞了他！”196
Grypht felt his heart sinking when he learned the mage’s fate.得知那位法师的命运后，格里夫特的心沉了下去。197
He had admired Akabar’s courage and been moved by his concern for the saurials, who weren’t even his own people.他一直钦佩阿卡巴的勇气，也被他对蜥蜴人的关切所打动，毕竟他们甚至都不是他的同族。198
“Alias, there was no way you were going to reach Akabar,” Finder said.“阿莉亚丝，你根本不可能赶到阿卡巴身边。”芬德说。199
He took a step toward her with his arms extended.他伸出双臂，朝她迈了一步。200
Alias again pointed Dragonbait’s sword at the bard’s chest.阿莉亚丝再次将龙饵的剑尖对准吟游诗人的胸口。201
“Don’t move!” she ordered him again.“别动！”她再次命令道。202
“Moander is heading up the mountain even as we speak,” Grypht said, “led here by the bard—”“就在我们说话的此刻，莫安德还在向山上进发，”格里夫特说道，“是这个吟游诗人把它引到这里来的——”203
“I was trying to lead Moander away from your people,” Finder protested.“我本来是想把莫安德从你们的族人那里引开。”芬德辩解道。204
“Olive, check to see how close it is to us,” Alias told the halfling.“奥利芙，去看看它离我们还有多远。”阿莉亚丝对半身人说道。205
Olive hurried to obey.奥利芙连忙照办。206
“We could use your help, but we can’t trust you unless you let Dragonbait cure the disease within you,” Grypht said to Finder.“我们需要你的帮助，但除非你让龙饵治好你体内的疾病，否则我们无法信任你。”格里夫特对芬德说道。207
“I cannot cure him, High One,” Dragonbait said.“我治不了他，尊者。”龙饵说道。208
“I wasted my power trying to cure Coral.“我为了治疗科拉尔，已经白白耗尽了力量。209
I have used my shen sight on the bard, however.不过，我对这个吟游诗人使用过神视。210
I still sense no evil in him.”我依然感受不到他身上有任何邪恶。”211
Although Grypht realized that Finder was the sort of man who wouldn’t bow to any master, the saurial wizard had never seen anyone resist Moander’s possession once the Darkbringer’s disease had begun to manifest itself physically.尽管格里夫特明白，芬德不是那种会向任何主人俯首的人，但这位恐龙人巫师还从未见过，在黑暗使者的疾病开始显现于肉体之后，有谁能够抗拒莫安德的附身。212
“How is this possible?” he asked the bard.“这怎么可能？”他问吟游诗人。213
“Xaran shot a burr of possession at me in the orc lair,” Finder explained.“在兽人的巢穴里，扎兰朝我射了一枚附身刺果，”芬德解释道。214
“It exploded its spores in my face, but nothing happened.“它在我脸前炸开，释放出孢子，但什么也没发生。215
I presumed its magic had failed.我以为它的魔法失效了。216
I’d forgotten that two hours before it happened I had swallowed magical potions that slow and neutralize poison.我忘了，就在那件事发生的两个小时前，我喝下了能延缓并中和毒素的魔法药水。217
I believe the potions’ magic must have affected the spores so that they grew more slowly and altered the vines so Moander can’t use them to take hold of my body or mind.”我相信，那些药水的魔力一定影响了孢子，使它们生长得更慢，也改变了藤蔓，让莫安德无法利用它们控制我的身体或心智。”218
“Moander’s just reached the mountain slope,” Olive reported from the cave’s mouth.“莫安德刚刚抵达山坡，”奥利芙在洞口报告道。219
“The incline’s slowing it down some, but it’s still coming.”“坡度让它慢了一些，但它还在逼近。”220
“If you aren’t possessed, what were you doing in Coral’s hut?”“如果你没有被附身，那你在科拉尔的小屋里做什么？”221
Alias asked, unconvinced by Finder’s story.阿莉亚丝问道，仍然不相信芬德的说法。222
“Olive saw you there.”“奥利芙看见你在那里。”223
“Trying to find the seed in order to destroy it.“我想找到那颗种子，把它毁掉。224
I was hoping that Coral and Moander would believe I was possessed.我希望科拉尔和莫安德相信我已经被附身了。225
I got them to tell me where the seed was.我诱使他们告诉了我种子在哪里。226
I knew Olive was outside, looking into the hut.我知道奥利芙就在外面，正朝小屋里窥看。227
I made sure she heard that Akabar’s blood was the seed they were looking for, and I said it in Realms common so Olive was certain to understand me.”我特意让她听见，阿卡巴的血就是他们在寻找的种子，而且我用诸界通用语说了出来，好让奥利芙肯定能听懂。”228
“Olive heard you,” Alias admitted.“奥利芙听见了，”阿莉亚丝承认道。229
Finally convinced that Finder had tried to help, she lowered Dragonbait’s sword from the bard’s chest and spoke the command word to extinguish the blade’s flame.她终于相信芬德确实是想帮忙，于是将龙饵的剑从吟游诗人的胸前移开并垂下，念出命令词，熄灭了剑刃上的火焰。230
“She told Akabar and me,” the swordswoman whispered.“她告诉了我和阿卡巴。”女剑士低声说道。231
“Then why didn’t you get Akabar away from here?”“那你们为什么不带阿卡巴离开这里？”232
Finder demanded.芬德厉声问道。233
“He refused to leave,” Alias sobbed.“他不肯走，”阿莉亚丝抽泣道。234
“He insisted on fighting Moander, whatever the risk.”“他执意要与莫安德战斗，不管要冒多大的险。”235
“The fool!”“这个傻瓜！”236
Finder muttered.芬德低声咕哝道。237
Grypht shook his head.格里夫特摇了摇头。238
“Akabar did what he felt he must.“阿卡巴只是做了他认为非做不可的事。239
If you aren’t possessed,” the wizard asked Finder, “why were you so anxious that Dragonbait not cure you?如果你没有被附身，”法师问芬德，“那你为什么如此急切地不让龙饵治好你？240
The vines of possession will eat away at your insides.”附身的藤蔓会一点点侵蚀你的内脏。”241
“But the vines won’t kill me,” Finder said.“可这些藤蔓不会杀死我，”芬德说。242
“Their magic will make me immortal.”“它们的魔力会让我永生。”243
Grypht shook his head, appalled at the bard’s acceptance of so bizarre a life.格里夫特摇了摇头，吟游诗人竟能接受如此怪诞的生活，令他震惊不已。244
“We need Finder’s help to teleport my tribe out of the vale.“我们需要芬德帮忙，把我的族人瞬移出这座山谷。245
For the time being, I’m prepared to trust him.”眼下，我愿意相信他。”246
“Moander has reached the uncut forest!”“莫安德已经到达那片未经砍伐的森林了！”247
Olive said, hurrying back into the cave.奥利芙匆匆跑回洞穴，说道。248
“I think it’s time we got out of here.”“我想我们该离开这里了。”249
“I’ll teleport us all back to my keep,” Finder said.“我会把大家都瞬移回我的堡垒，”芬德说。250
“We’ll be safe there for the time being.”“眼下我们在那里会很安全。”251
Anxious to leave before Moander got any closer, Olive forgot her earlier fear of Finder and was prepared to accept his offer immediately.奥利芙急于在莫安德进一步逼近之前离开，便忘了先前对芬德的恐惧，立刻准备接受他的提议。252
She reached up to take his hand.她伸手去握他的手。253
“What about the saurials?”“那些蜥蜴人怎么办？”254
Alias asked the bard angrily.阿莉亚丝愤怒地问吟游诗人。255
“I can make several trips back for them,” Finder replied.“我可以再回来几趟接他们，”芬德回答。256
“The stone’s power is endless.”“这块石头的力量无穷无尽。”257
“And what then?”“那之后呢？”258
Alias demanded.阿莉亚丝厉声质问。259
The rage that had been boiling up inside her ever since Akabar had disappeared into the pile spewed out at the bard.自从阿卡巴消失在那堆东西里以后，她心中便一直翻腾不休的怒火，此刻全都喷向了吟游诗人。260
“What happens when we’ve all fled and Moander starts crossing the mountains?“等我们全都逃走，莫安德开始翻越群山时，又会发生什么？261
Do we begin to evacuate the dales?” the swordswoman demanded.难道我们要开始疏散谷地吗？”女剑士逼问道。262
“And after the dales, the Elven Woods?“疏散完谷地之后呢，精灵森林？263
Cormyr?科米尔？264
Can you take the Realms to a safe place, Finder?”芬德，你能把整个诸界都带到安全的地方去吗？”265
Tears began to stream down Alias’s cheeks as her voice rose.阿莉亚丝的声音越来越高，泪水也开始顺着双颊流下。266
“Akabar is inside that creature, and it’s your fault.“阿卡巴就在那个怪物体内，这都是你的错。267
If you had used the para-elemental ice in your silly stone to put the saurials into a torpor, then Akabar would never have gotten near that pile.如果你当初用那块破石头里的副元素冰让蜥蜴人陷入休眠，阿卡巴就根本不会靠近那堆东西。268
He’d be here with us now, and all the saurials would be safe.他现在就会和我们在一起，所有蜥蜴人也都会安然无恙。269
But your stone was more important than people.可对你来说，那块石头比人命更重要。270
You never loved anyone but yourself.除了你自己，你从来没有爱过任何人。271
Now that you have your precious immortality and your magical stone, why bother to help us?现在你已经得到了宝贵的不朽之身和魔法石，又何必费心帮助我们？272
You don’t need us.你不需要我们。273
We mean nothing to you.”我们对你来说毫无意义。”274
“Alias,” Finder whispered, “that’s not true.“阿莉亚丝，”芬德低声说道，“不是这样的。275
I love you with all my heart.”我全心全意地爱着你。”276
“No, you don’t,” the swordswoman declared.“不，你不爱我，”女剑士断然说道。277
“You don’t understand the first thing about love.”“你根本一点都不懂什么是爱。”278
Finder was silent for a moment, too ashamed to argue further.芬德沉默了片刻，羞愧得无颜再争辩下去。279
All the things Alias had said were true except one.阿莉亚丝说的每一件事都是真的，只有一件除外。280
He did love her, even enough to admit he was wrong.他的确爱她，甚至爱她爱到愿意承认自己错了。281
“I’m sorry,” he said.“对不起，”他说。282
“You’re right.“你说得对。283
I should have used the stone before.我早就该动用那块石头。284
It’s too late now, I know, but I’m sorry.”我知道现在已经太迟了，但我还是要说，对不起。”285
“Prove it!“那就证明给我看！286
Release the ice from the stone!”把冰从石头里释放出来！”287
Alias replied vehemently.阿莉亚丝激动地答道。288
“Use it to stab Moander through the heart and freeze it to death!“用它刺穿莫安德的心脏，把它活活冻死！289
Then we can rescue Akabar!”这样我们就能救出阿卡巴了！”290
“I’m … not sure that will work,” Finder said hesitantly.“我……不确定这能不能奏效，”芬德迟疑地说。291
“It just might,” Grypht interjected hurriedly, “if we can attach the para-elemental ice to something that can withstand that much cold … a magical weapon or staff, perhaps.”“或许真能行，”格里夫特连忙插话道，“只要我们能把准元素冰附着在某件承受得住如此严寒的东西上……比如魔法武器或法杖。”292
Dragonbait took his sword from Alias and offered it to the wizard, hilt first.龙饵从阿莉亚丝手中拿回自己的剑，将剑柄朝前递给了法师。293
“Para-elemental ice on a magically flaming sword?”“把准元素冰附在一把燃烧着魔法火焰的剑上？”294
Grypht said dubiously.格里夫特疑虑重重地说道。295
“I wouldn’t recommend it.”“我可不建议这么做。”296
Finder looked at Alias’s tear-stained face.芬德望着阿莉亚丝泪痕斑斑的脸。297
Now he had some idea how she had felt when he had scolded her for the heresy of changing his songs.此刻，他多少明白了，当初他斥责她擅自改动他的歌曲是离经叛道时，她心里是什么感受。298
The bard struggled against an uncontrollable desire to make her smile again.这位吟游诗人竭力抗拒着一种无法遏制的冲动——他想让她重新露出笑容。299
In the end, he lost the struggle.最终，他还是败下阵来。300
He drew out his dagger.他抽出了自己的匕首。301
“This belonged to my grandfather,” he said.“这是我祖父的遗物，”他说。302
“It has certain power against evil creatures.”“它对邪恶生物有某种克制之力。”303
“That should do nicely,” Grypht said.“这正合适。”格里夫特说。304
“Now, do we break the stone to get at the ice?” he asked.“现在，我们要砸开石头，把里面的冰取出来吗？”他问。305
“Can you levitate the stone?” the bard asked, holding out the finder’s stone.“你能让这块石头浮起来吗？”吟游诗人问道，同时伸出手，托着芬德的石头。306
Grypht nodded and pulled out a tiny golden wire from the pocket of his robe.格里夫特点点头，从长袍口袋里抽出一根细小的金丝。307
As he concentrated on summoning the magical power to him, the smell of fresh-mown hay began to fill the cave.他凝神召集魔力时，新割干草的气味开始弥漫洞穴。308
“Rise,” he said, shaping the wire into a scoop and lifting it into the air.“升起来。”他说着，将金丝弯成铲斗状，举到空中。309
The wire glittered and vanished as Finder’s magical stone drifted out of the bard’s hands.金丝闪烁了一下，随即消失；芬德的魔法石则从吟游诗人手中缓缓飘起。310
From outside came the sound of splintering wood as Moander made its way through the forest below the cave, ingesting the trees into its body.洞外传来木头迸裂的声音，莫安德正在洞穴下方的森林中穿行，将沿途的树木吞入体内。311
Finder tapped on his magical stone with the tip of his dagger until he had positioned it so that the long axis was perpendicular to the floor.芬德用匕首尖轻轻敲击自己的魔法石，直到将它调整至长轴与地面垂直的位置。312
“Olive,” the bard said calmly, “I need your steady halfling hands and your sweet halfling voice.“奥利芙，”吟游诗人平静地说，“我需要你那双稳当的半身人之手，还有你那甜美的半身人嗓音。313
Are you still wearing that ring I gave you?”我送你的那枚戒指，你还戴着吗？”314
“Yes,” Olive said.“戴着。”奥利芙说。315
“Do you want it back?”“你想要回去吗？”316
“No. I want you to be wearing it for protection.“不。我希望你戴着它护身。317
Take this one, too, to keep the chill off.”这枚也拿去戴上，可以抵御寒气。”318
The bard slid a second ring from one of his fingers and slipped it on Olive’s finger beside the one he’d given her earlier.吟游诗人从自己的一根手指上褪下第二枚戒指，套在奥利芙的手指上，与先前送她的那枚并排戴着。319
He looked up at Alias.他抬头看向阿莉亚丝。320
“I need you to sing a high C,” he said, “on cue.“我一示意，你就唱一个高音C，”他说，“321
Hold it until I motion for you to stop.”一直保持住，直到我示意你停下。”322
Alias nodded.阿莉亚丝点点头。323
“Olive, a high G for you, and hold it.”“奥利芙，你唱高音G，也一直保持住。”324
Finder motioned for the two women to begin.芬德示意两个女人开始。325
As their voices blended in a chord, the bard began singing a series of random atonal notes.她们的声音融合成一个和弦时，吟游诗人开始唱出一连串随意的无调性音符。326
Then he motioned for the women to stop.随后，他示意她们停下。327
He tapped his dagger on the side of the Finder’s stone, and a tiny crack appeared at the center of the stone along the facet lines.他用匕首敲了敲芬德之石的侧面，石头中央沿着棱面交界线出现了一道细小的裂缝。328
From outside, the sound of the toppling trees and the rumbling of the ground as Moander advanced grew so loud the adventurers had to raise their voices to be heard.洞外，随着莫安德步步逼近，树木倾倒的轰响和大地的隆隆震动越来越响，冒险者们不得不提高嗓门才能让彼此听见。329
They could hear Moander’s cacophonous chanting of its name clearly now.此刻，他们已经能清楚听见莫安德用刺耳嘈杂的声音反复吟唱自己的名字。330
Dragonbait moved to the cave entrance to keep an eye on the god’s progress.龙饵走到洞口，监视着那位神祇逼近的动静。331
Handing his dagger to the halfling, Finder ordered her, “Hold it so the blade is level to the ground.”芬德把匕首递给半身人，吩咐道：“拿稳，让刀刃与地面平行。”332
Olive held the dagger out with both hands.奥利芙双手把匕首平举在身前。333
The bard lifted the top of his magical stone away from the bottom.吟游诗人将魔法石的上半部分从下半部分揭开。334
A terrible cold filled the cave instantly, causing their breath to steam.一股可怕的寒气瞬间充斥了洞穴，令众人呼出的气息化作白雾。335
The water droplets on the walls of the cave froze; the ferns on the ground turned gray and brittle, and the swallows nesting in various nooks and crannies began twittering in alarm.洞壁上的水珠结了冰；地上的蕨草变得灰白而干脆，栖息在各处角落缝隙里的燕子也开始惊慌地啁啾起来。336
Alias’s arms began to turn blue and she started to shiver uncontrollably.阿莉亚丝的双臂开始发青，身体不受控制地颤抖起来。337
Grypht moved toward the mouth of the cave, where the air was warmer.格里夫特走向洞口，那里空气要暖和一些。338
Protected by Finder’s ring of cold resistance, Olive didn’t notice the chill.奥利芙受到芬德那枚抗寒戒指的保护，丝毫没有察觉到寒意。339
Finder simply ignored it.芬德则干脆对寒冷置之不理。340
“Alias, take this,” the bard said, handing the swordswoman the top of the stone.“阿莉亚丝，拿着这个。”吟游诗人说着，把魔法石的上半部分递给女剑士。341
Alias took the piece of crystal gingerly, expecting it to be cold, too, but it felt as warm as Finder’s hand.阿莉亚丝小心翼翼地接过那块水晶，本以为它也会冰冷刺骨，触手却和芬德的手一样温暖。342
Sticking out of the center of the bottom of the stone, like a needle in a pincushion, was a sliver of ice as clear as glass.一根玻璃般透明的冰针从魔法石下半部分的正中央伸出，仿佛插在针垫上的针。343
Finder held his hands beneath the stone and ordered Grypht to release it from his levitation spell.芬德把双手托在魔法石下方，吩咐格里夫特解除施加在它上面的悬浮术。344
“Done,” the wizard replied from the mouth of the cave.“好了。”法师在洞口答道。345
Finder knelt down in front of Olive.芬德在奥利芙面前跪了下来。346
He huffed once on the tip of the dagger blade to cover it with moisture.他朝匕首尖哈了一口气，让刀刃上蒙上一层水汽。347
“Steady now, Olive girl,” he said.“拿稳了，奥利芙姑娘。”他说。348
He tilted the stone so that the tip of the ice needle touched the dagger’s groove.他倾斜魔法石，让冰针的尖端触到匕首上的凹槽。349
As he slipped the stone away, the needle of ice fell into the groove, with the end of the needle hanging out over the tip of the dagger.他移开魔法石，冰针随即落入凹槽，针尾伸出匕首尖之外。350
Finder breathed on the blade once again to freeze the needle of para-elemental ice to the dagger’s blade.芬德再次朝刀刃呵气，把这根副元素冰针冻结在匕首刃上。351
The bard stood up and tossed the bottom of the finder’s stone in his hand.吟游诗人站起身来，把寻踪石的下半块在手里抛了抛。352
“There may just be enough power in this piece to light my way to Akabar,” he explained to the swordswoman.“这半块里或许还剩下足够的力量，能为我照亮通往阿卡巴的路。”他向女剑士解释道。353
“If I succeed in destroying Moander but fail to come out of the pile, you must try to use the top half of the stone to locate the mage.”“如果我成功摧毁了莫安德，却没能从那堆东西里出来，你一定要设法用石头的上半块找到那位法师。”354
“Can’t you put both halves together again?”“你不能把两半重新合起来吗？”355
Alias asked.阿莉亚丝问道。356
Finder shook his head.芬德摇了摇头。357
“Never again,” he said.“再也不能了。”他说。358
Suddenly Alias realized that Finder’s immortality might not protect him from death at the hands of a god.阿莉亚丝突然意识到，芬德的不死之身或许保护不了他免遭神明之手的杀戮。359
He might never come back to her.他也许再也回不到她身边了。360
She’d asked him to sacrificed his stone, but she didn’t want him to sacrifice his life.她是曾要他牺牲那块石头，可她并不想让他牺牲自己的性命。361
“Let me take the dagger,” the swordswoman said.“把匕首交给我吧。”女剑士说道。362
“Moander is as much my enemy as anyone’s.”“莫安德是大家的敌人，也是我的敌人。”363
Finder shook his head.芬德摇了摇头。364
“No. This is my responsibility,” he said firmly.“不。这是我的责任。”他斩钉截铁地说。365
The walls and floor of the cave began to shake from Moander’s approach.随着莫安德逼近，洞穴的四壁和地面开始震颤。366
The swallows in the cave abandoned their nests and swarmed outside, fleeing from the quaking mountain.洞里的燕子纷纷弃巢而逃，成群涌向洞外，逃离这座震动的山。367
“Set the dagger down carefully, Olive,” Finder ordered.“把匕首小心放下，奥利芙。”芬德命令道。368
“Then I’ll have to ask for my ring of cold resistance back.“然后我得请你把那枚抗寒戒指还给我。369
Keep the ring of protection.防护戒指你留着。370
As careless as you are, you need it.”你这么粗心大意，正需要它。”371
Olive laid the dagger down in the frozen ferns.奥利芙把匕首放在结冰的蕨丛中。372
Finder took back the ring of cold resistance and slipped it on his finger.芬德拿回抗寒戒指，戴在了手指上。373
Hastily Olive pulled out the silver Harpers pin Finder had given her.奥利芙匆忙掏出芬德送给她的那枚竖琴手同盟银徽针。374
As the bard bent over to pick up the dagger, Olive fastened the pin to his tunic, saying, “Wear this for luck.”吟游诗人俯身去捡匕首时，奥利芙把徽针别在他的短上衣上，说道：“戴着它，讨个好运。”375
“But I gave you that pin.“可那枚别针是我给你的。376
It’s yours,” Finder objected.它是你的，”芬德反驳道。377
“Then you’d better bring it back to me, hadn’t you?” the halfling said with a wink.“那你最好把它带回来还给我，不是吗？”半身人眨眨眼说道。378
“Take care, little Lady Luck,” Finder whispered, kissing her gently on the forehead.“保重，小幸运女神。”芬德低声说着，轻轻吻了吻她的额头。379
He stood and looked into Alias’s eyes.他站起身，凝视着阿莉亚丝的眼睛。380
“Remember, no matter what happens, I love you,” he said.“记住，无论发生什么，我都爱你。”他说。381
Touching the sigil of Moander on her arm, he promised, “I will rid you of this.”他抚着她手臂上的莫安德印记，承诺道：“我一定会让你摆脱它。”382
“Moander is starting to move faster!”“莫安德开始加快速度了！”383
Dragonbait shouted.龙饵喊道。384
“You must hurry!”“你必须快点！”385
Finder kissed Alias’s cheek and rushed to the mouth of the cave.芬德吻了吻阿莉亚丝的脸颊，冲向洞口。386
The pile of greenery was only a hundred feet away, and the top of the pile was now level with the cave entrance.那堆草木离这里只有一百英尺，顶部如今已经与洞口齐平。387
Eight long tendrils, tipped with fanged mouths, snaked out from the god’s body toward the cave.八条细长的触须从神祇体内蜿蜒而出，朝洞穴伸来，每条触须的尖端都长着一张獠牙森森的嘴。388
Grypht drew back into the cave and began chanting.格里夫特退入洞中，开始吟诵咒语。389
Dragonbait drew his sword, prepared to fend off the god, but Finder pushed the paladin back inside the cave.龙饵拔出剑，准备击退神祇，但芬德把这位圣武士推回了洞里。390
“Look after Alias,” he shouted over the din.“照顾好阿莉亚丝！”他盖过喧嚣声大喊。391
Three of the tendrils snaked out and grabbed Finder, pulling him from the cave entrance.其中三条触须蜿蜒伸来，抓住芬德，将他从洞口拽了出去。392
The remaining tendrils reached into the cave after Grypht and the others, but the slimy vines slammed into an invisible wall of force cast by the wizard.其余触须探入洞中，伸向格里夫特和其他人，但那些黏滑的藤蔓猛地撞上了法师施展的一道无形力墙。393
The saurials and the two women were safe for the moment, but they could only watch helplessly as the bard was drawn toward Moander’s body.蜥蜴人和两名女子暂时安全了，但他们只能眼睁睁看着吟游诗人被拖向莫安德的躯体，束手无策。394
As Moander constricted its tendrils around Finder’s limbs and torso, the bard forced himself to remain calm.莫安德用触须缠紧芬德的四肢和躯干时，吟游诗人强迫自己保持镇定。395
There was a protective enchantment on the sliver of para-elemental ice that helped insulate the ice.那片准元素寒冰上有一道防护魔法，能够使寒冰与外界隔绝。396
He still needed to dispel that enchantment.他还得驱散那道魔法。397
The tendrils drew Finder to the top of Moander’s body, which now stood several hundred feet above the ground.触须把芬德拖到了莫安德躯体的顶端，此刻那里已高出地面数百英尺。398
The decaying greenery steamed about the bard, giving off a pungent, earthy smell.腐烂的草木在吟游诗人周围蒸腾着热气，散发出刺鼻的泥土气味。399
Hundreds of tendrils tipped with eyes and mouths waved over the surface of the god.数百条末端长着眼睛和嘴巴的触须，在神祇的躯体表面挥舞。400
One tendril, lipped with the eye of a deer, snaked toward him, studying him curiously.一条长着鹿眼的触须蜿蜒着探向他，好奇地打量着他。401
“You are possessed by my vines,” its mouth declared.“你已被我的藤蔓控制，”触须上的嘴巴宣告道。402
“Why don’t you obey?”“你为什么不服从？”403
Finder laughed.芬德笑了。404
“Because I’m not your servant, Darkbringer!“因为我不是你的仆人，黑暗使者！405
I’m your doom.”我是你的末日。”406
The bard sang out a shrill note, dispelling the enchantment about the para-elemental ice, leaving it completely exposed to the air.吟游诗人唱出一个尖厉的音符，驱散了准元素寒冰周围的魔法，使它彻底暴露在空气中。407
Cold shot out from tip of Finder’s dagger in a blast of icy wind.一股冰冷的寒风从芬德的匕首尖端猛然迸发。408
The mouths shrieked as the tendrils supporting them froze and turned as brittle as glass.一张张嘴尖声惨叫，支撑着它们的触须迅速冻结，变得像玻璃一样脆。409
Finder slashed at the constricting vines with his dagger, and they shattered into pieces.芬德用匕首劈砍缠住自己的藤蔓，它们顿时碎裂成片。410
Moander realized immediately it had made a mistake.莫安德立刻意识到自己犯了一个错误。411
The god had instructed its minions to channel most of its power into protecting it from fire, leaving it vulnerable to freezing.这位神祇曾命令爪牙将它的大部分力量用于防护火焰，结果使它在严寒面前毫无防备。412
The para-elemental cold emanating from the tip of the bard’s dagger was a dangerous threat.从吟游诗人匕首尖端散发出的准元素寒气，是一个危险的威胁。413
The god abandoned the idea of capturing the bard.这位神祇放弃了生擒吟游诗人的念头。414
Survival had higher priority.生存才是当务之急。415
As Finder hovered above the god’s body, holding out half of his magical stone, he thought of Akabar Bel Akash.芬德悬浮在神祇的躯体上方，举着那块魔法石的一半，想起了阿卡巴·贝尔·阿卡什。416
The arguments the two of them had had over the finder’s stone brought the Turmish mage’s face readily to the bard’s mind.两人先前围绕寻物石发生的那些争执，使这位图米什法师的面容立刻浮现在吟游诗人的脑海中。417
A beam of bright light sprang out from the piece of the stone, aimed at the center of the the pile of rotting vegetation.一道耀眼的光束从那块石头中迸射而出，直指那堆腐烂草木的中心。418
The eyes at the end of the tendrils blinked shut in the light.触须末端的眼睛被亮光刺得紧紧闭上。419
Without warning, a whole tree shot out from the god’s body, aimed right at Finder.毫无预兆地，一整棵树从神祇体内猛然射出，直取芬德。420
The bard dodged to one side—right into an ambush.吟游诗人侧身闪避——却一头撞进了埋伏。421
Finder suddenly found himself pelted with spears fashioned from the trunks of sapling trees.芬德突然发现，无数由幼树树干制成的长矛正劈头盖脸地向自己袭来。422
Several struck him glancing blows, then bounced away, but one pierced his thigh.其中几支擦过他的身体，随即弹开，但有一支刺穿了他的大腿。423
The bard eased the spear out of his flesh.吟游诗人小心地将长矛从血肉中拔了出来。424
It was time to stop being a target.不能再这样充当靶子了。425
With his dagger held out before him, Finder plunged toward Moander, following the beacon light from the piece of magical stone.芬德将匕首举在身前，循着那半块魔法石发出的指引之光，朝莫安德俯冲而去。426
The vegetation on the surface of the god’s body shriveled as the bard approached it and crackled like glass as he shot straight through it into Moander’s interior.随着吟游诗人逼近，神祇体表的植物纷纷枯萎；当他径直穿透它们、冲入莫安德体内时，它们像玻璃一样噼啪碎裂。427
The bard could hear the mouths of the god’s body shrieking in pain.吟游诗人能听见神祇躯体上的那些嘴因痛苦而尖声嘶叫。428
As the pile shifted and tumbled, Finder was slammed about like a die rattling in a cup.那堆躯体翻动滚转，芬德也被摔得东碰西撞，仿佛杯中摇晃的骰子。429
With every tumble, he crashed through frozen branches and vines and corpses of wild animals.每翻滚一次，他都会撞穿冰冻的枝条、藤蔓和野兽的尸体。430
Suddenly the tumbling stopped.突然间，翻滚停止了。431
Finder pulled himself together and began to follow the light from the finder’s stone once again.芬德定了定神，再次开始循着芬德之石发出的光前进。432
The deeper he moved into the god’s body, the warmer it became, so the cold from the para-elemental ice took longer to freeze the vines that tried to choke and entangle the bard.他越深入神祇体内，周围就越温暖，因此准元素寒冰的冷气需要更长时间，才能冻住那些试图勒死并缠住吟游诗人的藤蔓。433
Finder was forced to expend more and more energy slashing and hacking with his dagger to clear his path.芬德不得不耗费越来越多的力气，用匕首不断劈砍，清出一条路来。434
The bard began to feel weak from exhaustion and the blood he’d lost from the wound in his leg.疲惫不堪，再加上腿伤失血，吟游诗人开始感到虚弱。435
Just as he began to consider abandoning his quest, the beam from the piece of the finder’s stone struck a patch of darkness it couldn’t penetrate.就在他开始考虑放弃这次追寻时，芬德之石碎片射出的光束照到了一片无法穿透的黑暗。436
Finder halted in surprise and fear.芬德又惊又怕，停了下来。437
The patch of darkness was shaped like a doorway, and Finder recognized it immediately.那片黑暗呈门扉的形状，芬德立刻认出了它。438
It was the gate between the Lost Vale and the plane of Tarterus, the gate that Moander had used to transport its saurial minions to the Realms.那是连接失落谷与塔尔塔罗斯位面的传送门，莫安德曾利用它将自己的蜥人爪牙运送到诸界。439
The entire body of the god had been built around the gate.神祇的整副躯体都是环绕着这道传送门构筑起来的。440
Moander’s normal abode was the Abyss, but one could reach the Abyss from Tarterus.莫安德平日的居所位于无底深渊，但从塔尔塔罗斯可以抵达无底深渊。441
Moander must have sucked Akabar through the gate, through Tarterus, to its abode in the Abyss.莫安德一定是把阿卡巴吸进了传送门，带他穿过塔尔塔罗斯，去了自己位于无底深渊的居所。442
A small, brilliant gem near the base of the gate caught the bard’s eye.门的底部附近，一颗小巧而璀璨的宝石吸引了吟游诗人的目光。443
He picked it up to examine it more closely.他捡起宝石，想仔细端详。444
It was the shape and color of a drop of blood, and it felt warm in his hand.它形如一滴鲜血，颜色也一般无二，握在手中还带着暖意。445
Very warm.非常温暖。446
It seemed to throb with great power.它仿佛蕴藏着强大的力量，正一下下搏动。447
Could it be the seed that had resurrected Moander?这会不会就是令莫安德复生的种子？448
Finder wondered.芬德暗自思忖。449
What would happen to the god’s new body if it was separated from the seed by a gate?如果一道门将神祇的新躯体与种子隔开，又会发生什么？450
The bard tried to toss the gem through the gate, but it bounced back.吟游诗人试着将宝石扔进门里，但它却弹了回来。451
It would have to be carried through by a living person, he realized.他意识到，必须由一个活人把它带过去。452
Finder retrieved the gem and slipped it inside his boot.芬德捡回宝石，将它塞进靴子里。453
He approached the gate, but he hesitated before stepping through it.他走近那道门，却在迈步穿过之前犹豫了。454
In his youth, the bard had visited the ethereal and astral planes a number of times.年轻时，吟游诗人曾多次造访以太位面和星界位面。455
As an older man, he’d investigated several of the elemental and para-elemental planes.年长以后，他还探索过几个元素位面和次元素位面。456
As a prisoner of the Harpers, he’d been exiled to the region between the positive energy plane and a quasi-elemental plane.作为竖琴手同盟的囚徒，他曾被放逐到正能量位面与一个准元素位面之间的区域。457
The thought of stepping through a gate leading to an outer plane, though, filled him with horror—especially so fell a region as Tarterus, where, the sages said, creatures from the Abyss and from Hades constantly fought one another for control of the land, foul and poisonous as it was, and enslaved any beings they discovered.然而，一想到要穿过一道通往外层位面的门，他便满心恐惧——尤其目的地还是塔尔塔罗斯这般凶险的地方；据贤者们说，来自无底深渊和哈迪斯的生物为了争夺这片污秽而有毒的土地，不断彼此厮杀，还会奴役它们发现的任何生灵。458
Dragonbait had leaped through such a gate into Tarterus to stalk evil creatures; that was how the paladin had come to be captured by the fiend Phalse and brought to the Realms.龙饵曾穿过这样一道门，跃入塔尔塔罗斯，追猎邪恶生物；也正因如此，这名圣武士才会被恶魔法尔斯俘获，并被带到诸界。459
The paladin had suffered greatly at Phalse’s hands, but he had emerged from Tarterus alive.圣武士在法尔斯手中吃尽了苦头，但他终究活着走出了塔尔塔罗斯。460
Moander’s saurial minions had survived their forced march through the plane, as well.莫安德的蜥族爪牙被迫行军穿越那个位面，也同样活了下来。461
The bard chided himself aloud for his trepidity.吟游诗人出声斥责自己的胆怯。462
“Surely Finder Wyvernspur can brave its dangers.”“芬德·飞龙刺肯定有勇气面对其中的危险。”463
It would be easier than facing Alias without Akabar at his side, he decided.他断定，这总比没有阿卡巴陪在身边、独自面对阿莉亚丝要容易。464
Finder took a deep breath and flew through the dark hole, following the light of the piece of finder’s stone.芬德深吸一口气，循着那块芬德之石碎片发出的光，飞进了漆黑的洞口。465
As Alias, Olive, Dragonbait, and Grypht watched Finder dive into Moander’s body, they were filled with hope.阿莉亚丝、奥利芙、龙饵和格里夫特望着芬德一头扎进莫安德的躯体，心中充满了希望。466
The god cried out in agony and lost its balance on the mountain slope, tumbling down the slope into the vale, shedding great chunks of its body.那神祇痛苦地号叫起来，在山坡上失去平衡，一路翻滚着跌入山谷，身上不断剥落下大块大块的碎片。467
Then it lay still.随后，它便一动不动地躺在那里。468
The adventurers emerged from the cave and for a long time continued their vigil over the god’s fallen body, but neither Finder nor Akabar emerged from the mass of greenery.冒险者们走出洞穴，久久守望着那神祇倒下的躯体，但芬德和阿卡巴都没有从那团草木中现身。469
Alias was beginning to consider climbing into the vale to do battle with the god herself, when suddenly she felt as if a burning brand had touched her sword arm.阿莉亚丝正考虑要不要亲自爬进山谷与那神祇交战，突然间，她觉得仿佛有一块烧红的烙铁触到了她握剑的手臂。470
She looked down at her arm and shouted with joy, “It’s gone!她低头看向自己的手臂，欢喜地喊道：“它消失了！471
Moander’s sigil is gone!莫安德的印记消失了！472
The god is dead!”那神祇死了！”473
Dragonbait clutched at his chest from the pain the disappearing sigil had caused him, then embraced the swordswoman.印记消失时带来的疼痛让龙饵捂住胸口，随后他抱住了女剑士。474
“Finder’s destroyed Moander!”“芬德消灭了莫安德！”475
Olive shouted with glee.奥利芙欣喜若狂地喊道。476
“No … he has only destroyed the body Moander occupied in this world,” Grypht reminded the others, and his words cast a shadow of foreboding on their elation.“不……他只摧毁了莫安德在这个世界所占据的躯体。”格里夫特提醒众人，而他的话给他们的喜悦蒙上了一层不祥的阴影。477