魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)- 第17部分

Proudmoore　went　on：　　You　ve　always　been　one　of　my　heroes。　When　I　was　an　apprentice；　I　studied　the　records　of　
your　deeds　you　were　the　greatest　of　the　Guardians。　　
　
Shuddering　at　the　thought　of　what　those　doddering　old　fools　at　the　Violet　Citadel　would　have　written　about　her；
Aegwynn　said；　Hardly。　　Unable　to　stand　this　anymore；　she　lifted　the　bucket　of　water　and　headed　back　to　the　hut。　If
she　was　lucky；　Proudmoore　would　leave　her　be。　

But　Aegwynn　wasn　t　particularly　lucky　today。　

Proudmoore　followed　her。　It　was　because　of　you　that　I　was　able　to　bee　a　wizard。　　

Reason　enough　for　me　to　be　sorry　I　became　one；　　Aegwynn　muttered。　

I　don　t　understand　why　are　you　here？　Why　haven　t　you　told　anyone　you　re　still　alive？　Honestly；　we　could　ve　
used　your　help　against　the　Burning

Dropping　the　bucket　to　the　ground；　Aegwynn　whirled　on　Proudmoore。　I　am　here　for　my　own　reasons；　and　they　are　
not　yours　to　know。　Now　leave　me　in　peace！　　

Unfortunately；　all　this　served　to　do　was　cause　Proudmoore　to　drop　the　teenager　affect　and　go　back　to　being　the
leader　she　apparently　was。　I　m　afraid　I　can　t　do　that；　Magna。　You　re　too　important　to

I　m　not　important　to　anything！　Don　t　you　understand；　you　stupid　little　girl？　I　m　not　fit　for　human　pany　or
orc　pany；　troll　pany；　dwarf　pany；　you　name　it。　　

That　got　the　infant　s　back　up。　Aegwynn　could　see　the　magic　roiling　within　her　and　realized　that；　child　though　she　
may　be；　she　was　quite　powerful。　She　had　gotten　through　the　wards　without　Aegwynn　s　even　noticing；　after　all；　and
that　bespoke　a　certain　skill。　I　m　not　a　little　girl。　　I　m　a　wizard　of　the　Kirin　Tor。　　

And　I　m　a　thousand　years　old；　so　as　far　as　I　m　concerned；　you　ve　got　a　few　centuries　to　go　before　I　might　consider
calling　you　something　other　than　a　little　girl；　little　girl。　Now　go　away　I　just　want　to　be　left　alone。　　

Why？　　Proudmoore　sounded　genuinely　confused；　which　led　Aegwynn　to　think　that　the　young　wizard　hadn　t　really　
read　her　history　or　it　had　been　thoroughly　bowdlerized　by　the　time　Proudmoore　got　to　it。　The　girl　continued：　You
were　the　one　who　blazed　the　trail　for　women　to　bee　wizards。　You　re　one　of　the　unsung　heroes　of　Azeroth。　How
can　you　turn　your　back

Like　this。　　Aegwynn　turned　and　walked　into　the　house；　abandoning　the　bucket。　She　d　get　it　later。　

Naturally；　Proudmoore　didn　t　give　up；　but　followed　her　through　the　rickety　wooden　door。　Magna；　you　re

Now　standing　in　what　she　jokingly　called　the　sitting　room　it　was　the　only　room　in　the　hut；　so　it　served　as
bedroom；　kitchen；　and　dining　room　as　well　she　cried；　Stop　calling　me　that！　I　m　not　a　mage　anymore；　I　m　not　a
hero　at　all；　and　I　don　t　want　you　in　my　house。　You　say　that　I　blazed　the　trail　for　women　to　bee　mages　if
anything；　I　m　the　best　reason　why　women　should　never　bee　mages。　　

You　re　wrong；　　Proudmoore　said。　It　s　because　of　you

Putting　her　hands　to　her　ears；　Aegwynn　said；　For　the　love　of　all　that　is　holy　in　this　world；　will　you　please　stop　
that？　　

Quietly；　Proudmoore　said；　I　m　not　saying　anything　you　shouldn　t　already　be　aware　of。　If　not　for　your　work；　the
demons　would　have　e　much　sooner；　and　we

And　what　difference　did　that　make；　exactly？　　Aegwynn　sneered　at　the　girl。　The　demons　still　came；　and　Lordaeron
was　still　destroyed；　the　Lich　King　still　reigns；　and　Sargeras　still　won。　　
　
Proudmoore　winced　at　the　mention　of　the　Lich　King　for　some　reason；　but　Aegwynn　didn　t　really　care　enough　to
inquire　why。　Then　the　girl　said；　You　can　deny　your　acplishments　all　you　wish；　but　it　changes　nothing。　You
were　an　inspiration　to　all 　She　smiled。 to　all　the　little　girls　who　wanted　to　grow　up　to　bee　mages。　At　the　
citadel；　my　favorite　story　was　always　the　one　about　how　you　were　chosen　to　be　the　first　female　Guardian　by　
Scavell；　who　was　the　first　mage　to　see　the　value　of　a　female　apprentice；　and　how　the　Guardians　of　Tirisfal
applauded　the　choice　and

Aegwynn　couldn　t　help　it。　She　laughed。　She　laughed　long　and　she　laughed　hard。　In　fact；　she　was　having　trouble　
breathing；　she　was　laughing　so　hard。　She　started　coughing；　but　managed　to　get　it　under　control　after　a　moment。　Her
body　was　finally；　after　a　millennium；　starting　to　age　and　break　down；　but　she　still　had　some　vitality　left；　and　she　
wouldn　t　be　rendered　helpless　by　a　fit　of　laughter。　

It　was；　however；　the　best　laugh　she　d　had　in　centuries。　

Proudmoore　looked　like　someone　had　fed　her　a　lemon；　her　face　was　so　sour。　I　fail　to　see　what　s　so　amusing。　　

Of　course　not。　　Aegwynn　chuckled；　and　took　a　few　deep　breaths。　If　you　believe　that　garbage；　you　wouldn　t。　　A　
final　breath；　which　turned　into　a　sigh。　Since　you　insist　on　invading　my　privacy；　Lady　Jaina　Proudmoore　of　the　oh
sonoble　city　of　Theramore；　then　have　a　seat。　　She　indicated　the　straw　chair　that　she　had　spent　the　third　year　of　her
exile　in　this　place　putting　together；　but　then　refused　to　ever　sit　in。　I　will　tell　you　the　real　story　of　how　I　became　a　
Guardian　of　Tirisfal；　and　why　I　am　the　last　person　you　should　consider　to　be　any　kind　of　hero…　　




Eight　hundred　and　fortyseven　years　ago…　　

For　the　first　time　in　years；　the　Tirisfal　Glades　frightened　Aegwynn。　The　forests　that　lay　just　north　of　the　capital　of
Lordaeron　had　always　been　a　place　of　beauty　and　of　quiet；　away　from　the　hustle　and　the　bustle。　Her　mother　had　first
taken　her　here　on　a　camping　trip　when　she　was　a　girl。　Little　Aegwynn　had　found　it　to　be　frightening　and　fascinating　
all　at　the　same　time。　She　had　been　surprised　at　the　animals　ranging　freely；　stunned　by　the　incredible　colors　of　the
vegetation；　and　amazed　at　how　many　stars　she　could　see　in　the　night　sky　away　from　the　torchlight　and　lanterns　of　
the　city。　

Over　time；　the　fear　fell　away；　replaced　by　joy　and　wonder　and；　at　times；　relief。　

Until　today。　Today　the　fear　was　back　in　full　force。　

She　had　been　apprentice　to　the　wizard　Scavell　since　before　puberty；　working　alongside　four　others　all　boys；　of
course。　Aegwynn　had　always　wanted　to　be　a　mage　but　had　been　told　repeatedly　by　her　parents　that　she　would　grow
up　to　bee　someone　s　wife；　and　that　was　all　there　was　to　it；　and　her　dallying　about　with　herbs　and　such　was　fine　
for　now；　but　soon　she　d　need　to　learn　more　important　skills；　like　sewing　and　cooking…。　

This　assurance　lasted　right　up　until　she　met　Scavell；　and　he　invited　her　to　bee　an　apprentice　making　it　clear
that　he　wouldn　t　accept　no　for　an　answer。　Her　parents　both　wept　openly　that　they　were　losing　their　little　girl；　but　
Aegwynn　was　thrilled。　She　was　studying　to　bee　a　mage！　

Back　then；　there　were　only　three　other　apprentices　Falric；　Jonas；　and　Manfred；　who　were　as　irritating　as　every　
other　boy　Aegwynn　had　known；　but　a　little　more　tolerable。　The　fourth；　Natale；　came　a　year　later。　

Today；　Scavell　announced　that　he　was　a　member　of　a　secret　order　known　as　the　Guardians　of　Tirisfal。　Aegwynn　s
first　thought　was　that　the　forest　she　loved　was　named　after　them；　but　it　turned　out　to　be　the　other　way　around　they　
called　themselves　that　because　they　met　in　those　glades；　and　had　for　many　centuries。　This　surprised　Aegwynn；　as
she　had　never　seen　any　of　these　meetings；　despite　making　regular　trips　to　the　glades　for　years。　

Then　Scavell　said　they　were　going　to　the　glades　to　meet　the　Tirisfalen。　
　
The　boys　went　on　about　secret　societies　and　how　amazing　that　was；　like　it　was　some　kind　of　adventure；　but
Aegwynn　didn　t　participate。　She　wanted　to　know　what　exactly　this　Tirisfalen　was　Scavell　was　vague　on　the
subject。　Where　the　boys　were　content　to　trust　Scavell　s　word；　Aegwynn　wanted　to　know　more。　

You　ll　see　soon　enough；　my　girl；　　Scavell　had　said　in　response　to　her　question。　He　always　called　her　　my　girl。　　

When　Scavell　brought　them　out　to　the　glade；　Aegwynn　was　confused；　for　there　was　no　one　in　the　clearing　they　
stood　in。　

Then；　moments　later；　just　as　she　was　about　to　ask　Scavell　what　was　going　on；　there　was　a　flash　of　light　and　she　
found　herself；　Scavell；　and　her　fellow　apprentices　surrounded　by　seven　people　standing　in　a　perfect　circle　around　
them。　Three　of　them　were　human；　three　were　elves；　and　one　was　a　gnome。　All　of　them　were　male。　

We　have　chosen；　　one　of　the　elves　said。　

Falric　asked；　　Chosen　what？　　

The　gnome　said；　Be　silent；　boy；　you　ll　find　out　soon　enough。　　

Turning　to　Scavell；　the　elf　said；　You　have　trained　all　five　of　your　students　well；　Magna　Scavell。　　

Aegwynn　frowned；　she　d　never　heard　that　honorific　before。　

However；　there　is　one　student　that　has　stood　out　from　the　others。　One　student　who　has　proven　inquisitive　in　the
ways　of　magic　beyond　ordinary　curiosity；　who　has　shown　aptitude　for　spellcasting　that　is　unparalleled；　and　who　has
already　mastered　the　Meitre　scrolls。　　

Now　Aegwynn　s　heart　raced。　The　night　elf　Meitre　was　a　great　wizard　from　many　thousands　of　years　ago。　Elven
mages　didn　t　attempt　to　cast　from　Meitre　s　scrolls　until　the　final　year　of　their　apprenticeships；　and　human　mages
often　didn　t　even　try　until　after　that　apprenticeship　was　pleted。　Aegwynn；　however；　was　casting　Meitre　s　spells
at　will　by　the　end　of　her　first　year。　

She　had　also　been　doing　so　in　secret　Scavell　insisted　that　it　would　annoy　the　boys。　　

Falric　looked　at　his　fellow　apprentices　in　turn。　Who　was　casting　Meitre　s　spells？　　

Grinning；　Aegwynn　said　triumphantly；　I　was。　　

Who　said　you　could　do　that？　　Manfred　asked　angrily。　

Speaking　in　his　papery　voice；　Scavell　said；　I　did；　young　Manfred。　And　you　and　Falric　would　be　wise　not　to　speak
out　of　turn　again。　　

Bowing　their　heads；　Falric　and　Manfred　both　said；　Yes；　sir。　　

The　elf　went　on：　　What　you　must　now　be　told；　all　of　you；　is　that　there　is　a　war　being　fought。　It　is　not　known　to　the　
general　populace；　only　to　the　munity　of　wizards；　of　which　all　of　you　will　some　day　soon　be　a　part。　Demons　
have　invaded　our　world；　and　they　grow　more　aggressive　with　each　passing　year；　despite　our　best　efforts　to　stymie　
them。　　

Indeed；　　the　gnome　put　in；　earning　him　a　mild　glare　from　the　elf；　likely　because　of　those　efforts；　which　serve　only　
to　anger　them。　　

Demons？　　Natale　sounded　scared。　He　d　always　had　a　fear　of　demons。　
　
Yes；　　one　of　the　humans　said。　At　every　turn；　they　try　to　destroy　us。　Only　the　wizards　can　stand　against　them。　　

The　Tirisfalen；　　the　elf　added；　with　a　glanc