魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)- 第18部分

The　Tirisfalen；　　the　elf　added；　with　a　glance　at　the　human　that　indicated　that　he　didn　t　appreciate　this　interruption；
either；　have　been　charged　with　protecting　this　world　from　demonkind；　and　we　have　created　a　Guardian。　The　finest
young　mages　in　the　land　are　brought　together　by　the　current　Guardian　your　master　Scavell；　in　this　case　who
trains　them。　We　then　determine　e　the　new　Guardian。　　

The　choice　wasn　t　easy；　　the　gnome　said。　

Jonas　muttered；　It　be　a　stupid　choice。　　

What　did　you　say；　young　man？　　another　elf　asked。　

I　said　the　choice　be　stupid。　Aegwynn　s　a　girl。　She　be　fit　for　a　wisewoman；　givin　　out　herbal　remedies　to　the　
villagers　or　summat；　but　that　be　all！　We　all　of　us　be　mages！　　

Aegwynn　looked　in　shock　and　disgust　at　Jonas。　She　had　grown　rather　fond　of　Jonas；　and　the　two　of　them　had　slept
together　a　couple　of　times。　They　had　kept　their　liaison　secret　from　the　other　apprentices；　though　Scavell　knew　about
it　there　was　nothing　that　escaped　the　old　mage　s　gaze。　The　last　thing　she　had　expected　were　those　words　from　his
lips　Falric　s；　maybe；　he　was　a　pompous　ass；　but　not　Jonas　and　Aegwynn　swore　to　herself　that　Jonas　would　never
get　her　in　bed　again…。　

It　is　true；　　an　older　human　said　with　a　sigh；　that　women　are　emotional　and　prone　to　excessive　displays　that　are　
unbeing　of　a　mage。　But　it　is　also　true　that　Aegwynn　has　the　most　potential　of　any　of　the　youths　that　Scavell　has
found；　and　we　cannot　afford　for　the　Guardian　to　be　anything　less　than　the　best　even　if　that　means　giving　the
position　to　a　girl。　　

At　that；　Aegwynn　bristled。　With　respect；　good　sirs；　I　will　be　as　good　a　mage　as　any　of　these　boys。　In　fact；　I　think　I　
will　be　better　because　I　had　to　overe　so　much　more　to　get　here。　　

The　elf　chuckled。　She　raises　a　fine　point。　　

So；　waitasec；　　Natale　said；　you　mean　that　she　s　gonna　be　this；　uh；　whadayacall；　Guardian　thing；　and　we　get；　what；
nothin　？　　

Not　at　all；　　the　elf　said。　You　will　each　have　important　roles　to　play。　All　the　wizards　of　our　order　are　fighting　this
battle。　It　is　simply　that　the　Guardian　s　role　is　the　most　important。　　

Turning　to　her　mentor；　Aegwynn　asked；　　Scavell　what　of　you？　Why　are　you　giving　up　being　Guardian？　　

Scavell　smiled。　I　am　old；　my　girl；　and　very　tired。　Fighting　the　hordes　of　demonkind　is　a　game　for　the　young。　I　wish
to　live　out　my　few　remaining　years　preparing　the　next　generation。　　He　turned　to　the　boys。　Rest　assured；　I　will　
continue　to　be　your　mentor。　　

Swell；　　Falric　muttered。　All　four　boys　were　sulking。　

If　anything；　　the　gnome　said　testily；　the　fact　that　you　re　being　so　immature　about　this　is　precisely　why　we　chose　
Aegwynn　over　you。　　

Besides；　　the　older　human　added；　the　Guardian　must　be　the　vessel　of　the　council。　I　suspect　that　a　girl　will　be　less
willful　and　will　understand　the　chain　of　mand；　as　it　were。　　

This　isn　t　a　military　engagement；　　one　of　the　other　humans　said。　

Aegwynn　couldn　t　help　herself。　You　described　this　as　a　war。　　
　
Quite　right；　　the　elf　said　with　a　small　chuckle。　Then　he　looked　right　at　Aegwynn　with　eyes　that　seemed　to　bore　
into　her　very　soul。　You　still　have　some　preparations　to　undergo；　girl；　before　you　must　undergo　the　transfer　of
power。　The　magic　of　all　the　Tirisfalen　will　be　granted　to　you。　Understand　this；　Aegwynn　you　are　taking　on　the
gravest　responsibility　any　mage　can　accept。　　

I　understand；　　Aegwynn　said；　though　she　wasn　t　entirely　sure　she　did。　But　she　wanted　to　be　a　mage　more　than
anything　else；　and　she　knew　that　the　primary　responsibility　of　any　wizard　was　to　keep　the　world　safe。　At　its　best；
magic　was　used　by　wizards　to　bring　order　to　a　chaotic　world；　and　Aegwynn　knew　that　that　would　be　a　lot　of　work。　

She　just　hadn　t　realized　how　much　work。　Or　what　Scavell　s　real　motives　for　showing　her　Meitre　s　scrolls　were。　

Falric　stepped　forward。　Dammit；　I　m　as　good　as　any　girl！　Better；　even！　I　can　even　cast　one　of　Meitre　s　spells！
Watch！　　Falric　closed　his　eyes；　then　opened　them　again　and　stared　at　a　rock　that　was　jutting　up　from　the　ground
right　in　front　of　where　the　elf　stood。　He　muttered　an　incantation；　then　repeated　it　Meitre　s　spells　all　required
double　incantations；　which　Scavell　had　said　was　a　security　precaution。　

A　flash　of　light；　and　then　the　rock　glowed　faintly　with　a　yellowish　hue。　Falric　sneered　at　Aegwynn；　and　then
grinned　at　the　mages　that　surrounded　them。　

Rock　to　gold；　　the　gnome　said。　How　unoriginal。　　

Actually；　　the　elf　said　with　a　smile；　it　is　fool　s　gold。　　

Falric　s　grin　fell。　What？　It　can　t　be！　　He　cast　a　quick　identification　spell；　and　then　his　face　fell　even　farther。
Dammit！　　

You　have　a　great　deal　to　learn；　　the　elf　said；　but　you　have　much　potential；　all　of　you。　Falric；　Manfred；　Jonas；
Natale；　you　will　find　that　potential　as　Scavell　s　students。　　Again　the　soulboring　gaze。　Aegwynn；　your　destiny　will　
e　quite　a　bit　sooner。　We　will　reconvene　in　this　glade　in　a　month　s　time　for　the　transfer　of　power。　There　is　much
you　have　to　prepare　for。　　

With　that；　all　the　councillors　disappeared　in　a　flash　of　light。　



A　month　later；　having　taught　Aegwynn　about　the　legions　of　demons　and　their　horrific　minions　that　had　been
trying　and；　through　the　grace　of　Guardians　like　Scavell；　failing　to　encroach　upon　the　world；　Scavell　passed　on
the　power　of　the　Guardian　to　Aegwynn。　It　was　like　nothing　she　d　ever　experienced　before。　Spells　that　once　took　all
her　concentration　now　required　only　the　briefest　of　thoughts。　Her　perceptions　changed　as　well；　as　she　saw　far
beneath　the　surface　of　everything。　Where　it　once　took　an　effort　or　a　plex　spell　to　determine　the　nature　of　a　
plant　or　the　emotional　state　of　an　animal；　she　could　now　divine　it　at　the　merest　glance。　

A　year　after　that；　Scavell　died　quietly　in　his　sleep。　When　he　realized　he　was　dying；　he　had　arranged　to　find　new
mages　for　Jonas；　Natale；　and　Manfred　to　study　under。　Falric；　at　that　point；　was　ready　to　be　out　on　his　own。　Scavell　
willed　all　his　belongings；　as　well　as　his　servants；　to　Aegwynn。　

Less　than　a　month　after　Scavell　s　death；　Aegwynn　returned　from　the　small　village　of　Jortas　in　time　to　receive　a　
mystical　summons　from　the　council。　

As　soon　as　she　arrived　at　Tirisfal　Glade；　the　gnome　whose　name；　she　had　since　learned；　was　Erbag　said；　What
do　you　think　you　were　doing　in　Jortas？　　

Saving　them　from　Zmodlor。　　Aegwynn　would　have　thought　that　her　answer　was　selfevident。　
　
And　did　you　think　to　learn　more　about　Zmodlor　before　you　destroyed　him？　Did　you　plan　a　strategy　that　would
dispose　of　him　in　a　manner　that　would　contain　him　without　the　populace　of　Jortas　learning　the　truth？　Or　did　you
just　blindly　charge　in　and　flail　about；　hoping　you　might　succeed？　　

Fatigue　and　irritation　bined　to　make　Aegwynn　a　bit　more　forthright　than　she　truly　should　have　been　with　the
council。　None　of　those；　Erbag；　as　you　well　know。　There　was　no　time　to　plan　such　a　strategy　or　learn　more。　Doing　
so　would　have　endangered　the　children　in　the　schoolhouse　that　Zmodlor　had　taken　possession　of。　There　were　
children　in　there。　Was　I　to　hang　back　and

What　you　were　to　do；　　Erbag　said；　was　as　you　were　told。　Did　Scavell　not　teach　you　in　the　ways　of　the　Tirisfalen？
We　proceed　with　caution　and　with

Aegwynn　interrupted　the　gnome　right　back。　What　you　do；　Erbag；　is　react。　And　that　s　all　you　do；　and　it　s　why　
you　ve　made　so　little　headway　against　these　foul　creatures　over　the　last　several　centuries。　Zmodlor　was　able　to　take　
over　an　entire　schoolhouse　and　was　prepared　to　use　the　children　of　Jortas　for　a　ritual　that　would　have　poisoned　their　
souls。　It　was　only　purest　chance　that　I　detected　the　foul　stench　of　demonmagic　and　was　able　to　arrive　in　time。　Your　
methods　are　reactive。　　

Of　course　they　are！　　Erbag　was　waving　his　arms　back　and　forth　now。　This　council　was　created　to　react　to　the　
threat　of　the

And　it　hasn　t　worked。　If　we　are　truly　to　stand　firm　against　these　monsters　who　would　invade　and　destroy　our
homes；　we　cannot　allow　them　to　encroach　upon　us　so　easily　that　they　capture　children　before　we　even　know　they　re　
here。　We　must　be　proactive　in　seeking　them　out　and　eliminating　them；　or　we　will　be　overrun。　　

Erbag　was　not　convinced。　And　when　the　people　start　to　realize　that　their　lives　are　in　danger　and　they　panic　
uncontrollably？　　

Rather　than　reply　to　the　question；　Aegwynn　looked　at　the　other　councillors。　Does　Erbag　speak　for　you　all；　or　is　he　
simply　the　loudest？　　

The　oldest　of　the　elves　on　the　council；　Relfthra；　favored　Aegwynn　with　a　small　smile。　Both；　in　fact；　Magna。　　The　
smile　fell。　Erbag　is　correct　in　that　you　are　too　reckless。　Zmodlor　was　a　minor　demon　in　the　service　of　Sargeras；　he
might　have　been　able　to　provide　us　with　useful　intelligence　about　his　master。　　

Yes；　and　he　might　have　killed　all　those　children　before　providing　us　with　that　intelligence。　　

Perhaps。　But　that　is　a　risk　that　sometimes　we　must　take　in　order　to　fight　this　war。　　

Aegwynn　was　aghast。　We　re　talking　about　the　lives　of　children。　Besides　which；　this　isn　t　a　war；　it　s　a　holding　
action　at　best。　And　it　will　get　us　all　killed；　child　and　adult　alike；　if　we　re　not　careful。　　Before　any　of　the　other
mages　could　criticize　her；　she　said；　August　mages　of　the　council；　with　all　respect；　I　beg　you　I　am　exhausted　and
wish　to　sleep。　Is　there　anything　else？　　

Relfthra　s　face　darkened。　　Remember　your　place；　Magna　Aegwynn。　You　are　the　Guardian；　but　you　serve　that
function　as　the　arm　of　the　Council　of　Tirisfal。　Never　fet　that。　　

I　doubt　that　you　will　ever　allow　me　to；　　Aegwynn　muttered。　If　that　is　all？　　

For　now；　　Relfthra　said。　The　words　were　barely　out　of　his　mouth　when　Aegwynn　teleported　back　to　the　Violet
Citadel；　in　desperate　need　of　sleep。　

Thirteen　
　
L　orena　was　disappointed；　but　not　entirely　surprised；　to　see　Kristoff　seated　on　Lady　Proudmoore　s　throne。　The　lady　
herself　avoided　sitting　on　the　thing　whenever　possible；　but　the　chamberlain　would　insist　on　using　it　when　he　was
left　in　charge。　

Kristoff　wasn　t　so　much　sitting　in　the　throne　as　draping　himself　on　it。　His　thin　shoulders　were　slumped；　and　he　was
seated　at　an　angle；　one　leg　hanging　off　the　side。　He　was　reading　a　scroll　when　Lorena　came　in；　led　by　Duree。
Colonel　Lorena　to　see　you；　sir；　　the　old　woman　said　meekly。　

What　is