魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)- 第10部分

Strov　stopped　short　and　took　a　deep　breath。　You　smell　that？　　

Clai　shook　his　head。　

Sulfur。　And　spices　thyme；　I　think。　　

Sounding　confused；　Clai　asked；　　So？　　

Magic。　Which　also　explains　why　they　couldn　t　be　stabbed。　　

An　almost　manic　gleam　in　his　eye；　Clai　asked；　　Demons？　　

Pray　not。　　Strov　shuddered。　Clai　was　but　a　youth；　a　recent　recruit　who　had　been　too　young　to　fight　the　Burning　
Legion。　His　eagerness　to　fight　demons　was　that　of　one　who　had　never　had　to　fight　any。　
　
Turning；　Strov　ran　back　through　the　leaves　toward　Lorena；　Clai　on　his　heels。　

The　colonel　was　kneeling　by　Mal；　along　with　Paolo；　the　latter　binding　Mal　s　wounds。　Upon　seeing　Strov　and　Clai；
she　got　to　her　feet　and　angrily　asked；　What　happened？　　

They　disappeared；　ma　am。　pletely　even　their　blood　trail。　And　there　s　the　stink　of　magic。　　

Lorena　spat。　Dammit！　　She　let　out　a　breath　through　her　teeth；　then　pointed　at　the　cloak　on　the　ground。　But　that
figures。　That　one　s。　　

Looking　closely；　Strov　saw　that　the　cloak　was　flat　on　the　ground。　Using　his　sword；　he　poked　the　garment；　which
disturbed　some　ashes。　Then　he　looked　back　at　the　colonel。　

Definitely　magic；　　she　said　with　a　nod。　

Ma　am；　something　s　familiar　about 　Then；　finally；　Strov　placed　it；　recalling　a　recent　conversation　with　his
brother。　That　s　it！　　

What　s　it；　Private？　　

When　last　I　was　home；　my　brother　Manuel　told　me　of　a　group　that　calls　itself　the　Burning　Blade。　Someone　tried　to
recruit　him　for　it　the　last　time　he　was　in　the　Demonsbane。　Said　they　re　looking　for　people　to　e　to　their　meetings
who　aren　t　happy　with　the　way　things　are；　but　didn　t　say　no　more　than　that。　　

Jalod　snorted。　Ain　t　nobody　happy　with　the　way　things　are。　Ain　t　no　reason　to　be　havin　　meetin　s　about　it。　　

Strov　thought　this　was　odd；　given　what　Jalod　had　been　saying　earlier；　but　did　not　respond　directly；　instead
continuing　his　report　to　the　colonel。　Ma　am；　the　orc　I　fought　had　a　sword　afire　carved　into　his　tusk。　　

A　burning　blade。　　Lorena　shook　her　head。　The　one　I　fought　the　one　that　turned　to　ashes　over　there　had　a　
burning　blade　of　his　own　dangling　from　his　nose　ring。　　

Clai　raised　a　hand。　If　I　may；　ma　am？　　Lorena　nodded。　One　of　my　foes　had　one　it　was　like　the　one　Private　Strov
fought；　ma　am；　on　his　tusk。　　

Dammit。　　She　looked　over　at　Paolo；　who　was　now　standing　over　Mal。　How　is　he？　　

Needs　a　real　healer；　but　it　ll　keep　till　we　get　back　to　Theramore。　　He　looked　past　Lorena　toward　the　main　part　of　
Northwatch。　I　wouldn　t　trust　no　infirmary　in　this　place；　ma　am。　　

Through　gritted　teeth；　Mal　said；　Second　that；　ma　am。　　

Fine。　　Sheathing　her　sword　without　wiping　it　down　Strov　assumed　she　d　do　it　once　they　were　under　way　in　the　
boat　Lorena　started　toward　the　docks。　Let　s　get　to　the　ship　and　give　him　some　of　my　whiskey　to　ease　the　pain
when　we　board。　　

Smiling　raggedly；　Mal　said；　The　colonel　s　a　generous　woman。　　

Giving　the　corporal　a　half　smile　in　return；　Lorena　said；　Not　that　generous　just　two　fingers；　and　no　more。　That
stuff　s　expensive。　　

Paolo　signaled　to　Clai；　and　the　two　of　them　picked　Mal　up；　keeping　his　wounded　leg　steady　while　they　carried　him；
each　on　a　side；　toward　the　docks。　Strov；　meanwhile；　picked　up　Ian　s　bloodied　corpse。　
　
Lorena　said　to　him　as　they　walked；　Private；　as　soon　as　we　re　back　in　Theramore；　I　want　you　to　talk　to　your　brother。
I　want　to　know　everything　possible　about　this　Burning　Blade。　　

Yes；　ma　am。　　

Seven　

T　he　stonewalled　room　that　housed　Thrall　s　seat　of　power　as　Warchief　of　the　Horde　was　chilly。　Thrall　liked　it　that
way　orcs　were　not　creatures　of　cold；　so　they　were　unfortable　here。　He　found　that　it　was　best　for　people　not　to
be　fortable　while　in　the　presence　of　their　leader。　So　when　the　place　was　constructed；　he　had　made　sure　the
stonework　was　thick　and　there　were　no　windows。　Illumination　was　provided　only　by　lanterns；　rather　than　torches；
since　they　gave　off　less　heat。　

Not　that　it　was　ever　so　cold　as　to　be　truly　unpleasant。　He　did　not　want　his　people　to　suffer　when　they　were　
petitioning　him；　but　nor　did　he　want　them　to　be　entirely　at　ease。　It　had　been　a　difficult　road　that　Thrall　had　traveled；
and　he　knew　how　precious　and　precarious　his　current　position　was。　He　would　therefore　take　advantage　of　every　
opportunity　he　could；　even　so　minor　a　one　as　keeping　his　throne　room　a　bit　on　the　cold　side。　

He　met　now　with　Kalthar；　his　shaman；　and　Burx；　his　strongest　warrior。　Both　stood　before　Thrall；　who　sat　on　the　
leather　chair　made　from　the　hides　of　creatures　Thrall　himself　had　slain。　

The　humans　are　still　in　Northwatch　Keep。　Last　we　heard；　a　ship　with　more　troops　was　showing　up。　Sounds　to　me
like　they　re　reinforcing。　　

Hardly。　　Thrall　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　Lady　Proudmoore　informed　me　that　she　was　sending　one　of　her　warriors
to　investigate　Captain　Bolik　s　report。　　

Burx　drew　himself　up。　They　don　t　trust　a　warrior　s　word？　　

Kalthar；　whose　green　skin　had　grown　pale　and　wrinkled　with　age；　laughed　throatily。　I　am　sure；　Burx；　that　they　trust
the　word　of　an　orc　as　much　as　you　would　trust　the　word　of　a　human。　　

Humans　are　cowardly　and　despicable；　　Burx　said　dismissively。　

The　humans　of　Theramore　are　no　such　thing。　　Thrall　leaned　forward。　And　I　will　not　hear　them　being　spoken　ill　of
in　my　presence　again。　　

Burx　stamped　his　foot。　Thrall　had　to　restrain　a　laugh　at　the　warrior　s　expense。　The　gesture　reminded　Thrall　of　a　
human　child　throwing　a　temper　tantrum；　however；　among　orcs；　the　action　was　a　legitimate　sign　of　displeasure。　For　
all　he　was　lord　of　the　clans；　there　were　times　when　Thrall　had　to　forcibly　remind　himself　that　he　had　not　been　raised
among　his　own　kind。　

This　is　our　land；　Thrall！　Ours！　The　humans　don　t　have　any　claim　to　it。　Let　them　go　back　across　the　Great　Sea　
where　they　belong　and　let　us　get　back　to　what　life　was　like　before　the　demons　cursed　us　away　from　all　foul
influences；　mortal　or　not。　　

Thrall　shook　his　head。　He　d　thought　these　arguments　had　ended　two　years　ago。　The　humans　occupy　the　harshest
land　on　Kalimdor；　and　precious　little　of　it。　We　didn　t　even　take　the　Dustwallow　Marshes。　Jaina　s　people

　　Jaina　？　　Burx　sneered　the　name。　

Now　Thrall　stood。　Be　very　careful；　Burx。　Lady　Proudmoore　Jaina　has　earned　my　respect。　You；　on　the　other
hand；　are　rapidly　losing　it。　　
　
Burx　cowered　a　bit。　I　m　sorry；　Warchief　but　you　gotta　understand；　you　were　raised　with　them。　It　can
sometimes　blind　you　to　what　s　obvious　to　the　rest　of　us。　　

I　am　blind　to　nothing；　Burx。　You　may　recall　that　it　was　I　who　opened　the　eyes　of　orcs　throughout　this　world　who
had　fallen　prey　to　the　demonic　curse　and　to　human　imprisonment；　and　reminded　them　of　who　they　were。　Do　not　
presume　to　lecture　me　now　on

They　were　interrupted　by　a　breathless　young　orc　who　ran　in。　Thunder　lizards！　　

Thrall　blinked。　Thunder　Ridge；　the　home　of　the　creatures　in　question；　was　far　from　here　if　there　were　any　in
rimmar；　there　would　have　been　greater　warning。　

Where？　　Burx　asked。　

Far　from　here；　obviously；　　Kalthar　said　witheringly；　otherwise　there　would　have　been　more　than　a　young　
messenger。　　

The　boy　did　indeed　wear　the　lightningshaped　nose　ring　that　indicated　a　messenger。　No　doubt　he　had　run　from
Thunder　Ridge　to　report　to　Thrall。　Speak；　　Thrall　said　to　the　youth。　

I　m　from　Drygulch　Ravine；　Warchief。　The　thunder　lizards；　they　ve　escaped　the　ridge；　they　have。　　

How　s　that　possible？　　Burx　asked。　

Glaring　at　the　warrior；　Thrall　said；　　Let　him　speak；　and　perhaps　we　shall　learn。　　To　the　boy；　he　said；　Continue。　　

A　farmer；　name　of　Tulk；　he　heard　himself　a　stampede。　He　went　callin　　his　sons　to　him；　and　they　drove　the　lizards
off；　they　did；　afore　they　destroyed　his　crops。　But　nobody　never　heard　of　no　thunder　lizards　leavin　　the　ridge　afore；
so　he　went　gatherin　　up　his　sons　and　the　next　farmer　over　and　his　sons；　and　they　all　went　to　the　ridge；　they　did。　　

Thrall　nodded。　Thunder　Ridge　was　bordered　by　a　dense　forest　of　thicktrunked　trees　that　the　lizards　could　not　
rampage　through。　One　could　travel　gingerly　or　lithely　through　the　forests；　but　thunder　lizards　were　never　creatures
who　moved　thus。　

When　they　got　there；　they　saw　that　the　forest　had　been　razed　down　to　nothin　；　it　had。　Lizards；　they　got　themselves
a　clear　path　outta　the　ridge。　The　farmers　are　fearin　　for　their　crops；　they　are。　　

Thrall；　however；　was　still　back　on　the　first　part。　Razed？　Razed　how；　precisely？　　

The　trees；　they　was　all　cut　down。　Stumps　left　was　only　a　handswidth　or　so　above　the　ground。　　

Burx　asked；　　Where　were　they　taken？　　

The　boy　shrugged。　Dunno。　They　didn　t　see　no　branches；　nothin　；　just　the　stumps。　　

Shaking　his　head；　Thrall　asked；　　How　is　this　possible？　　

Don　t　see　how　it　is　possible；　Warchief；　　the　boy　said；　but　that　s　what　happened；　sure　as　I　m　talkin　　to　you。　　

You　ve　done　well。　　Thrall　saluted　the　boy。　Find　yourself　some　food　and　drink。　There　may　be　more　questions　for　
you　after　you　ve　had　your　fill。　　

Nodding；　the　boy　said；　Thank　you；　Warchief；　　and　ran　out。　
　
The　humans；　　Burx　said　as　soon　as　the　boy　had　left　the　throne　room。　It　s　gotta　be。　They　ve　asked　for　wood　from
the　trees　in　Thunder　Ridge　lots　of　times。　Certainly　no　orc　would　defile　the　land　like　that。　　

Although　Thrall　was　reluctant　to　believe　ill　of　the　humans；　Burx　was　right　that　no　orc　of　Durotar　would　do　such　a　
thing。　They　could　not　have　transported　so　much　lumber　from　Thunder　Ridge　to　the　coast　without　anyone　noticing。
If　they　went　by　land；　they　d　be　seen　same　if　they　went　by　airship。　　

There　is　a　third　way；　　Kalthar　said。　

Sighing；　Thrall　shook　his　head　again。　Magic。　　

Yes；　magic；　　Burx　said。　And　the　most　powerful　wizard　in　Theramore　is　your　precious　Lady　Proudmoore　Jaina
herself。　　

It　is　not　Lady　Proudmoore；　　Kalthar　said。　This　defiling　of　the　land　is　reprehensible　and　the　humans　are　both
responsible；　and　not　responsible。　　

What　s　that　supposed　to　mean？　　Burx　asked　angrily。　

You　speak　in　riddles；　　Thrall　said。　Then　he　laughed。　As　usual。　　

There　are　great　forces　at　work　here；　Thrall；　　Kalthar　said。　Powerful　sorcery。　　

Burx　stomped　his　foot　again。　Lady　Proudmoore　has　powerful　sorcery。　The　humans　got　every　reason　to　want　those
trees。　It　gives　them　stronger　wood　for　thei