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

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How　they　arrived；　though；　was　of　considerably　less　concern　to　Byrok　than　the　fact　that　they　had　arrived。　Setting　
down　his　fishing　gear；　he　unstrapped　the　morningstar　from　his　back。　The　weapon　had　been　a　gift　from　Thrall　after
the　Warchief　had　freed　him　from　bondage；　and　Byrok　went　nowhere　without　it。　

Were　these　fellow　orcs　in　Byrok　s　spot；　he　would　have　questioned　their　presence；　but　humans　particularly　human
trespassers　deserved　no　such　consideration。　He　would　find　out　their　intent　by　stealthier　means。　At　best；　they　might
simply　be　fools　who　strayed　too　far　north　and　did　not　realize　they　were　invading。　Byrok　had　lived　a　long　time；　and
had　e　to　understand　that　stupidity　was　a　far　more　mon　explanation　than　malice。　

But　at　worst；　these　might　be　true　invaders；　and　if　they　were；　Byrok　would　not　let　them　walk　out　of　his　fishing　hole
alive。　

Byrok　had　learned　the　human　language　during　his　time　in　captivity；　and　so　was　able　to　understand　the　words　of
these　six　at　least　those　he　could　hear。　From　where　he　was　crouched　down　amid　the　tall　grass；　he　could　hear　only　a　
few　words。　

The　words　he　did　hear；　however；　were　not　encouraging。　Overthrow　　was　one；　Thrall　　another。　So　was
greenskin；　　a　derogatory　human　term　for　orcs。　

Then　he　caught　the　phrase；　We　ll　kill　them　all　and　take　this　continent　for　ourselves。　　

Another　asked　a　question；　the　only　word　of　which　Byrok　caught　was　troll。　　The　one　who　wished　to　take　the
continent　then　said；　We　ll　kill　them；　too。　　

Pushing　aside　the　grass；　Byrok　looked　more　closely　at　the　humans。　He　didn　t　notice　anything　particularly　
distinguishing　about　them　all　humans　looked　alike　to　Byrok　but　the　old　orc　did　notice　that　the　two　closest　to　him　
had　the　image　of　a　burning　sword　on　their　person：　one　as　a　tattoo　on　his　arm；　the　other　as　an　earring。　

His　blood　running　cold；　Byrok　remembered　where　he　d　seen　that　symbol　before。　It　was　long　ago；　when　the　orcs
first　came　to　this　world　at　Gul　dan　s　urging：　they　called　themselves　the　Burning　Blade；　and　their　armor　and　flags
　
carried　the　same　symbol　that　these　two　humans　wore。　The　Burning　Blade　were　among　the　fiercest　devotees　of　the
Shadow　Council。　They　were　later　wiped　out；　and　none　of　that　demonloving　clan　remained。　

Yet　here　were　humans　wearing　their　symbol；　and　speaking　of　killing　Thrall。　

His　blood　boiling；　Byrok　got　to　his　feet　and　started　running　toward　the　sextet；　twirling　the　morningstar　over　his
head。　Even　with　his　bulk；　the　only　noise　he　made　as　he　approached　was　the　whizzing　sound　of　the　morningstar　s
chain　as　it　pivoted　on　the　handle　in　Byrok　s　fingers　and　rotated　along　with　the　large　spiked　ball　on　the　other　end
around　the　orc　s　head。　

That　was；　unfortunately；　enough。　Two　of　the　humans　the　two　with　the　Burning　Blade　symbol　whirled　around。
So　Byrok　targeted　the　nearest　of　those　two　first；　throwing　the　morningstar　right　at　his　shaved　head。　He　wasn　t
concerned　about　losing　his　weapon　no　human　could　lift　the　thing；　so　it　would　be　safe　until　he　could　grab　it　again。　

An　orc！　　

　　Bout　time　one　showed　up！　　

Kill　it！　　

Since　the　element　of　surprise　was　gone；　he　let　out　a　huge　roar　that　always　intimidated　humans　and　leapt　at
another；　this　one　with　a　full　beard。　Byrok　s　massive　fist　collided　with　the　bearded　one　s　head。　

The　one　with　the　shaved　head　clutched　his　shoulder　he　had　managed　to　avoid　being　hit　in　the　head；　to　Byrok　s
disappointment　and　tried　to　lift　the　morningstar　with　his　other　hand。　Had　he　time；　Byrok　would　have　laughed。　

However；　he　was　too　busy　grabbing　another　human　s　head　in　his　right　hand　and　preparing　to　throw　the　invader　into
one　of　his　rades。　That　did　not　happen；　however；　as　another　human　attacked　from　the　right。　

Cursing　himself　for　fetting　to　account　for　the　fact　that　he　was　now　blind　on　that　side；　Byrok　flailed　out　with　his
right　arm；　even　as　pain　sliced　into　his　side。　

Two　more　humans　piled　on　top　of　him；　one　punching　him；　the　other　going　at　him　with　a　blade。　Byrok　managed　to
step　on　one　attacker　s　leg；　breaking　it　instantly。　The　screams　of　his　victim　served　to　goad　the　orc；　and　he　redoubled
his　attack。　But　there　were　simply　too　many　of　them。　Even　though　two　of　them　were　badly　injured；　they　continued　to
pile　on　him；　and　even　Byrok　could　not　defeat　six　humans　while　unarmed。　

Realizing　that　he　needed　his　weapon；　he　inhaled　deeply　and　then　let　out　a　huge　roar　even　as　he　punched　both　fists
outward　with　all　his　strength。　It　only　knocked　his　foes　off　him　for　an　instant；　but　an　instant　was　all　he　needed。　He　
dove　for　his　weapon；　his　fingers　closing　around　the　handle。　

Before　he　could　lift　it；　however；　two　of　the　humans　pounded　on　his　head；　and　another　drove　a　dagger　through　his
left　thigh。　Byrok　flailed　his　arm　outward；　the　morningstar　s　ball　sailing　through　the　air；　just　missing　the　humans。　

Then；　much　as　he　loathed　himself　for　being　forced　to　do　it；　Byrok　ran。　

It　was　a　hard　thing　for　him；　and　not　just　because　the　dagger　that　was　still　protruding　from　his　thigh　slowed　his　gait。
To　run　from　battle　was　shameful。　But　Byrok　knew　he　had　a　higher　duty　to　perform　the　Burning　Blade　had
returned；　only　this　time　they　were　humans。　And　all　the　attackers；　not　just　the　two　he　d　noticed　before；　wore　that
flaming　sword　image　somewhere　on　them：　a　necklace；　a　tattoo；　something。　

This　was　information　that　needed　to　get　back　to　Thrall。　

So　Byrok　ran。　
　
Or；　rather；　he　hobbled。　His　wounds　were　taking　their　toll。　It　became　a　struggle　even　to　breathe。　

But　still　he　ran。　

Dimly；　he　registered　that　the　six　humans　were　giving　chase；　but　he　couldn　t　afford　to　pay　attention　to　that。　He　had
to　get　back　to　rimmar　and　tell　Thrall　what　was　happening。　Even　with　his　injury；　his　strides　were　greater　than
those　of　the　humans；　and　he　could　outrun　them。　Once　he　pulled　far　enough　ahead；　he　would　lose　them　in　the
underbrush　of　this　land　that　he　knew　better　than　any　outsider　possibly　could。　Besides；　they　only　seemed　to　want　to
beat　up　an　orc。　They　probably　did　not　realize　that　Byrok　understood　their　gutter　tongue；　and　therefore　they　did　not　
know　that　Byrok　knew　who　they　were。　They　would　not　chase　him　past　the　point　where　it　would　be　useful　to　them。　

Or　so　he　hoped。　

No　longer　were　there　any　thoughts　in　Byrok　s　mind。　He　cleared　his　head　of　all　save　the　critical　imperative　of
putting　one　foot　down　in　front　of　the　other；　the　ground　slamming　into　his　soles。　He　ignored　the　pain　in　his　leg；　and
in　all　the　other　places　they　d　beat　or　cut　him；　ignored　the　fact　that　his　one　good　eye　was　getting　foggy；　ignored　the
fatigue　that　drained　the　strength　from　his　limbs。　

Still　he　ran。　

Then　he　stumbled。　His　left　leg　refused　to　lift　as　it　was　supposed　to　but　his　right　leg　continued　to　run；　and　so　he　
crashed　to　the　ground；　high　grass　and　dirt　getting　in　his　nose　and　mouth　and　eye。　

Must…get…up…　　

You　ain　t　goin　　nowhere；　monster。　　Byrok　could　hear　the　voice；　hear　the　humans　　footfalls；　and　then　feel　the　
pressure　when　two　of　them　sat　on　his　back；　immobilizing　him。　　　Cause；　here　s　the　thing　your　time　is　over。　Orcs
don　t　belong　in　this　world；　and　so　we　re　gonna　take　you　out　of　it。　Got　me？　　

Byrok　managed　the　effort　of　lifting　his　head　so　he　could　see　two　of　the　humans。　He　spat　at　them。　

The　humans　just　laughed。　Let　s　do　it；　boys。　Galtak　Ered　nash！　　

The　other　five　all　replied　in　kind：　Galtak　Ered　nash！　　Then　they　started　beating　the　orc。　

Six　

A　n　hour　after　she　had　finished　questioning　Davin　and　Avinal；　Colonel　Lorena　gathered　her　detail　at　a　clearing　just　
outside　Northwatch。　Rocks　and　thick　trees　dotted　the　landscape；　and　sagebrush　poked　out　through　the　uneven
ground。　The　sun　shone　down　on　the　ground　and　the　flora；　making　everything　seem　to　glow　and　also　keeping　
everyone　quite　warm　in　their　plate　mail。　

Most　of　the　detail　Lorena　took　were　simply　the　top　names　on　the　duty　roster；　but　she　had　handpicked　two　of　them。
Though　young；　Strov　was　her　most　trusted　soldier　he　did　his　duty　provise　when
necessary；　but　when　it　wasn　t；　would　follow　orders　to　the　letter。　He　could　also　follow　anyone　without　losing　them
or　letting　his　prey　know　he　was　there。　

The　other　was　the　opposite　of　Strov：　Jalod　was　an　old　soldier　who　had　fought　against　orcs　ba