魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第31部分

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and　troll　blood　with　it。　

One　of　the　trolls　came　right　at　him；　holding　up　a　huge　cleaver。　Rych　parried　the　cleaver；　then　kicked　the　troll　in　the　
stomach。　That　trick　always　worked　on　the　drunks　he　used　to　clear　out　of　Mowbry　s　Tavern　back　home。　

Unfortunately；　trolls　had　tougher　bellies；　and　this　one　just　laughed　and　swung　again　with　the　cleaver。　

Blood　pooled　in　the　sand　under　him；　but　Rych　couldn　t　spare　a　glance　to　see　whose　it　was　as　he　parried　the　cleaver
again。　

You　ve　had　this　in　　a　long　time；　　the　troll　said　as　he　lifted　the　cleaver。　

While　the　troll　was　wasting　time　saying　this；　Rych　stabbed　the　troll　in　the　chest。　

His　foe　falling　to　the　sand　as　Rych　removed　the　claymore；　he　turned　to　see　that　the　blood　was　from　both　Hoban　and
Allyn；　who　lay　dead　in　the　sand；　blood　pouring　from　multiple　wounds。　An　orc　was　charging　toward　the　keep　gates；
blood　dripping　from　his　ax。　Screaming；　Rych　ran　for　the　orc　and　stabbed　the　greenskin　in　the　back。　

Ey！　Human！　　

Rych　whirled　around　to　see　another　orc。　

You　killed　Gorx！　　
　
Gorx　killed　my　friends；　　Rych　said　with　a　snarl。　

Yeah；　fought　em；　but　you　stabbed　im　inna　back！　　

Not　seeing　the　big　deal；　Rych　said　again；　He　killed　my　friends！　　

Raising　his　greatsword；　the　orc　said；　Well；　now　I　m　gonna　kill　you！　　

The　greatsword　was　a　lot　bigger　than　Rych　s　claymore；　but　that　meant　it　took　the　orc　a　lot　longer　to　swing　it；　as　he
had　to　wind　up　to　strike；　which　gave　Rych　plenty　of　time　to　either　dodge　or　parry。　An　attempt　at　the　latter　resulted
in　an　impact　of　blade　on　blade　that　sent　convulsions　through　his　entire　body；　leaving　Rych　to　embrace　the　efficacy　
of　the　former。　

Or　so　he　thought　the　fourth　time　he　dodged　the　greatsword；　he　bumped　into　Private　Nash。　That　caused　Nash　to
turn　around　in　surprise；　leaving　him　open　to　an　attack　from　an　orc　s　pulverizer。　

Anger　got　Rych　s　blood　boiling。　It　wasn　t　enough　that　these　orcs　had　to　attack；　now　they　were　making　him　screw
up　his　fellow　soldiers。　Screaming　incoherently；　he　ran　at　the　orc　with　his　claymore。　

The　orc　stepped　aside　to　his　left；　holding　out　his　greatsword；　which　cut　through　Rych　s　chest　plate　and　stomach　as
he　ran　past。　Whitehot　agony　sliced　through　his　torso；　and　his　scream　became　even　more　incoherent。　He　flailed　his
claymore　about　with　his　right　hand　while　clutching　his　injured　chest　with　his　left。　

Suddenly；　the　claymore　stopped　short　and　wouldn　t　move。　Wincing　in　searing　pain　even　as　he　did　so；　Rych　turned
to　his　right　to　see　that　the　claymore　had　impaled　the　orc　s　head。　

Serves　you　right；　　he　managed　to　blurt　out　through　clenched　teeth。　

He　yanked　the　claymore　out　of　the　orc　s　skull；　which　shot　a　lot　more　pain　through　his　chest。　For　some　reason；　the　
sounds　of　battle　had　dimmed；　and　all　Rych　could　hear　was　a　persistent　roaring　in　his　ears。　

Using　the　family　weapon　as　a　makeshift　walking　stick；　he　stumbled　forward　in　the　sand；　looking　for　more　orcs　to
kill。　

TwentyTwo　

A　moment　ago；　Aegwynn　had　been　standing　in　Theramore。　

A　moment　ago；　Lorena　had　taken　a　very　deep　breath　and　looked　apprehensive。　Aegwynn　remembered　the　colonel　s
words　about　how　she　hated　magic　not　to　mention　her　nausea　in　response　to　teleporting　last　time。　Briefly；
Aegwynn　wondered　if　it　was　such　a　good　idea　for　Lorena　to　have　eaten　prior　to　this。　

A　moment　ago；　Jaina　Proudmoore　had　looked　determined。　

Now；　they　stood　at　the　mouth　of　a　cave　surrounded　by　a　foulsmelling　orange　mist；　leading　Aegwynn　to　understand
why　Lorena　had　been　so　unenthusiastic　about　ing　here。　The　orange　miasma　hung　in　the　air　like　the　worst　kind
of　fog。　Aegwynn　almost　felt　weighed　down　by　it。　

Aegwynn　had　long　since　grown　inured　to　the　effects　of　teleportation；　so　the　only　disorientation　she　felt　was　related
to　the　mist。　She　shot　a　glance　at　Lorena；　who　looked　a　bit　pale；　but　was　still　holding　her　sword　before　her；　ready　for
anything。　

Jaina；　however；　looked　as　pale　as　Lorena；　which　was　not　a　good　sign。　
　
However；　Aegwynn　said　nothing。　There　was　no　going　back　now；　and　the　last　thing　Jaina　needed　was　someone　
acting　like　a　mother　hen。　Aegwynn　herself　had　certainly　hated　it　when　someone　usually　Scavell；　or；　when　they　
were　sleeping　together；　Jonas；　or　one　of　the　council　fussed　over　her　when　she　was　exhausted　and　still　had　to　do
battle；　so　she　saw　no　reason　to　inflict　that　on　Jaina　now。　

Still；　there　was　cause　for　concern。　Jaina　had　cast　four　teleport　spells　today　that　Aegwynn　knew　about　herself　to
Bladescar；　the　thunder　lizards　to　Bladescar；　the　three　of　them　back　to　Theramore；　and　the　three　of　them　to　this
cave　plus　scrying　Zmodlor　s　location；　doing　whatever　she　did　to　keep　the　thunder　lizards　under　control；　and
inuring　the　three　of　them　to　whatever　this　mist　did　under　normal　circumstances。　That　much　casting　in　one　day　alone
would　start　to　take　its　toll；　and　for　all　Aegwynn　knew　there　was　more　besides。　

As　Jaina　led　the　way　through　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　Aegwynn　wondered　when　she　had　stopped　thinking　of　the　
goldenhaired　mage　as　Lady　Proudmoore or　that　annoying　little　girl and　had　started　thinking　of　her　as
Jaina。　　

Aloud；　she　said；　Zmodlor　s　here；　all　right。　　She　shuddered。　He　s　everywhere。　　The　demon　had　obviously　set　up
shop　in　this　cave；　and　his　essence　was　in　the　very　rock。　She　hadn　t　been　so　overwhelmed　by　foulness　since　she
confronted　her　son　at　Kharazan　though　some　of　the　feeling　might　have　been　due　to　the　mist。　It　only　added　to　the　
general　unpleasantness　of　the　dank　cave。　Jaina　cast　a　light　spell　that　allowed　them　to　see；　but　all　that　served　to　do
was　make　the　mist　brighter。　Then　again；　Aegwynn　had　no　interest　in　getting　a　better　look　at　the　damp　walls；
stalactites　the　points　of　which　threatened　the　top　of　her　head　and　uneven　stone　floor。　

After　they　d　walked　twenty　paces　into　the　cave；　Aegwynn　stiffened。　There　s

I　ve　got　it；　　Jaina　said。　She　muttered　a　quick　incantation。　

Aegwynn　nodded。　Both　she　and　Jaina　had　sensed　the　simple　entrapment　spell。　A　lowlevel　spell　that　any　firstyear
apprentice　could　cast　successfully；　it　was　probably　designed　mostly　to　stop　any　stray　animals　or　people　from
wandering　in　unannounced。　It　was　unlikely　that　someone　would　be　walking　about　up　in　this　nightmare；　but
Aegwynn　had　seen　stranger　in　her　time。　It　would　be　just　like　some　wolf　or　a　lunatic　mountainclimbing　dwarf　to
e　up　here　and　meander　into　the　cavern　just　as　Zmodlor　and　his　minions　were　in　the　middle　of　casting　something　
that　required　concentration。　Best　not　to　take　chances。　

However；　dismantling　the　spell　might　well　serve　as　an　alarm。　Aegwynn　made　sure　to　keep　Lorena　and　her　sword
and　Jaina　and　her　magicks　between　herself　and　the　rest　of　the　cave　at　all　times。　

Moments　later；　Lorena　cried；　Get　down！　　

Not　being　a　fool；　Aegwynn　immediately　dropped　to　the　cold　floor。　Lorena　did　likewise。　

Jaina；　however；　stood　her　ground　and　held　up　her　hands。　The　fireball　that　roared　toward　her　looked　about　to
consume　her　　

but　it　stopped　an　arm　slength　before　doing　so；　dissipating　instantly。　

Clambering　to　her　feet；　Aegwynn　said；　I　d　say　they　know　we　re　here。　　

Indeed。　　Jaina　s　voice　was　only　a　whisper。　

Oh　yes。　　

Aegwynn　sighed。　The　voice　seemed　to　e　from　everywhere　a　popular　demon　trick。　Can　the　theatrics；
Zmodlor。　We　re　not　your　brainless　minions；　and　we　re　not　impressed。　　
　
Aegwynn！　What　a　pleasant　surprise。　I　had　thought　you　had　long　since　died　at　the　hands　of　your　son。　How　fortunate　
that　I　get　to　do　it　myself；　instead。　I　owe　you　for　what　you　did　to　me。　　

Even　as　the　demon　ranted；　Aegwynn　heard　strange　cackling　noises。　

I　know　that　laugh。　　Lorena　sounded　disgusted。　Grellkin。　　

Sure　enough；　a　score　of　little　demons；　covered　in　fur　that　matched　the　color　of　the　mist；　scampered　toward　them。　

Moving　forward　to　protect　Aegwynn　and　Jaina　both；　Lorena　said；　I　really　really　hate　these　guys。　　Then　she　
charged　ahead　and　attacked。　

The　fuzzy　creatures　were　too　much　for　one　woman　to　handle；　luckily；　there　were　two　women　to　do　so。　Jaina　cast
several　spells　that　had　various　effects　on　the　grellkin。　Some　had　their　fur　catch　fire。　Others　stopped　breathing。
Others　were　blown　into　the　cave　walls　by　sudden　galeforce　winds　in　the　enclosed　space。　None　of　these　were　
particularly　impressive　spells；　but　they　were　all　minor　enough　that　they　allowed　Jaina　to　conserve　her　power。　

But　that　was　only　the　first　wave。　After　the　first　twenty　were　killed；　twenty　more　replaced　them。　

This　is　a　distraction；　　Aegwynn　said。　

Yes；　　Jaina　said。　She　cast　another　spell　that　disintegrated　the　twenty　grellkin。　

Another　line　of　ten　were　behind　them。　

Colonel；　　Jaina　said　quickly；　can　you　handle　these？　　

Lorena　grinned。　Watch　me。　　

Good。　　

As　the　colonel　waded　into　the　demonic　attackers；　Jaina　closed　her　eyes　and　almost　stumbled。　Aegwynn　moved　to
grab　her。　Are　you　all　right？　　

With　refreshing　honesty；　Jaina　said；　No。　I　can　cast　the　banishment；　but　only　if　I　don　t　cast　anything　else。　Lorena　
has　to　take　care

A　piercing　scream　echoed　throughout　the　cavern　as　Lorena　managed　to　stab　the　last　three　grellkin　with　one　thrust　of
her　sword。　She　yanked　the　sword　out；　and　the　creatures　collapsed　to　the　floor。　Staring　at　the　ichorencrusted　blade；
L