魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第16部分

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into　a　stampeding　
frame　of　mind；　and　she　had　to　stop　them　before　they　ran　through　Drygulch　again。　

Every　instinct　screamed　for　her　to　break　the　link；　as　holding　back　the　urges　of　the　nowagitated　lizards　was　like　
trying　to　hold　back　the　ocean　with　a　broom。　But　the　only　way　to　calm　them　was　to　keep　the　link。　Closing　her　eyes
and　forcing　herself　to　focus；　she　cast　a　spell　that　Antonidas　had　said　was　specifically　written　to　calm　bucking　
mounts。　Clenching　her　fists　so　hard　she　feared　her　fingernails　would　draw　blood；　she　shoved　as　much　of　herself　as
she　could　into　the　spell；　making　sure　to　catch　all　the　lizards　with　it。　

Moments　later　they　were　all　asleep。　Jaina　barely　managed　to　break　the　mental　link　before　she　herself　also
succumbed。　Her　own　fatigue　was　doing　enough　without　adding　the　lizards　　magically　induced　naps。　

Her　limbs　ached；　and　her　eyelids　felt　heavy。　Teleport　spells　were　draining　under　the　best　of　circumstances；　and　both
the　volume　she　was　trying　to　move　and　the　spell　s　violent　end　made　these　circumstances　far　from　the　best。　Jaina
wanted　nothing　more　than　to　lie　down　and　join　the　lizards　in　their　slumber；　but　she　couldn　t　afford　that。　The　spell
would　only　keep　the　lizards　asleep　for　six　hours　possibly　less　because　the　spell　was　so　diffuse。　She　had　to　find　out　
what　there　was　in　Bladescar　that　kept　her　from　pleting　the　spell。　

She　sat；　folding　her　legs　together；　letting　her　hands　fall　limply　to　her　side；　and　controlled　her　breathing。　Then　she　
once　again　cast　her　senses　outward；　this　time　toward　the　Bladescar　range；　specifically　the　small　area　in　the　center　of
the　mountainous　region。　

It　didn　t　take　her　long　to　find　what　she　was　looking　for。　

Someone　had　put　up　wards　around　the　entire　highlands。　From　this　distance；　Jaina　could　not　pinpoint　the　type　of
magic　being　used；　but　the　wards　were　precisely　the　type　designed　to　among　other　things　disrupt　teleportation
spells　in　order　to　keep　whatever　was　inside　the　wards　protected。　

Jaina　stood　and　collected　herself。　She　was　about　to　start　the　teleportation　spell　that　would　bring　her　to　Bladescar；
then　stopped　herself。　Reaching　into　the　small　pack　attached　to　her　belt；　she　took　out　some　jerky。　Another　of
Antonidas　s　earliest　lessons　was　a　reminder　that　magic　used　the　body；　and　the　only　way　to　replenish　the　body　was
to　consume　food。　More　wizards；　　he　had　said；　have　wasted　away　because　they　were　so　busy　exploring　the
wonders　of　magic　that　they　fot　to　eat。　　

Her　jaw　aching　from　chewing　the　tough　dried　meat；　the　newly　refreshed　Jaina　then　cast　the　spell　that　would　take　her
to　a　spot　just　outside　the　wards　placed　around　the　highlands。　

The　one　flaw　in　her　plan　to　eat　before　teleporting　was　that　the　stomach　rumblings　she　often　felt　as　a　side　effect　of
the　spell　were　far　more　pronounced　with　undigested　food　still　in　her　belly。　But　she　pushed　past　the　effect　as　she
stood　on　the　steep　incline　that　more　or　less　demarcated　the　beginning　of　the　highlands。　Below　and　behind　her　was　a
sheer　cliff。　In　front　of　her　was　the　slanted　grasslands。　There　was　barely　enough　room　to　stand。　

Of　course；　the　wards　were　invisible　to　the　naked　eye。　But　Jaina　could　noheless　feel　them。　They　were　not
particularly　powerful；　but　they　didn　t　really　need　to　be。　In　fact；　if　the　object　was　to　hide　someone　or　something
which　Jaina　was　being　more　and　more　convinced　was　the　case　here　it　was　best　to　keep　the　wards　at　a　low
level。　Too　powerful；　and　they　would　be　like　a　beacon　to　any　mage。　

This　close；　Jaina　also　recognized　the　flavor　of　the　magic　that　had　cast　these　wards。　She　last　felt　it　in　the　pany　of
Medivh；　during　the　war。　This　was　Tirisfalen　magic　but　all　the　Guardians　were　supposed　to　be　dead；　including　
Medivh；　the　last　of　them。　
　
Removing　the　wards　now　that　she　knew　they　were　there　was　but　the　work　of　a　gesture。　She　then　walked　ahead
and　started　to　explore　the　highlands；　pausing　to　put　a　concealment　spell　on　herself　so　she　could　move　about
undetected。　

At　first；　it　was　just　as　she　expected：　grasslands；　dotted　with　fruitbearing　bushes　and　the　occasional　tree。　A　wind
blew　in　off　the　Great　Sea；　funneled　by　the　mountains　and　billowing　Jaina　s　white　cloak　behind　her。　It　had　been
cloudy　back　at　Thunder　Ridge；　but　the　highlands　were　above　the　cloud　line；　so　it　was　bright　and　sunny　here。　Jaina
cast　her　cloak　s　hood　back　so　she　could　enjoy　the　feeling　of　the　sun　on　her　face。　

Soon　she　came　across　the　first　sign　of　whatever　was　hiding：　several　of　the　bushes　had　had　their　fruit　picked
recently。　As　she　continued　to　walk　uphill；　she　found　a　well　that　had　been　built；　with　some　firewood　stacked　next　to
it。　On　the　other　side　of　a　large　tree；　she　saw　a　large　hut。　Rows　of　plants　vegetables；　mostly；　and　some　spices
were　planted　in　an　orderly　manner　in　an　area　behind　the　hut　that　was　more　or　less　level。　

A　moment　later；　a　woman　came　into　view。　She　was　dressed　only　in　a　threadbare　light　blue　linen　dress；　her　feet　were　
bare。　Her　gait　was　steady；　and　as　she　approached　the　well；　Jaina　saw　that　she　was　unusually　tall　for　a　woman
certainly　taller　than　Jaina　herself。　In　addition；　she　was　unmistakably　old。　Wrinkles　marred　her　face；　which　Jaina
thought　must　once　have　been　beautiful。　The　woman　had　white　hair　held　in　place　with　a　tarnished　silver　diadem；　and
the　deepest　green　eyes　Jaina　had　ever　seen。　They　matched　the　cracked　jade　pendant　she　wore　around　her　neck。　

Suddenly；　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　Jaina　s　neck　stood　on　end；　as　she　thought　she　recognized　the　woman。　They　had
never　met；　of　course；　but　she　d　read　descriptions　during　her　apprenticeship；　and　all　the　accounts　made　mention　of
her　great　height；　her　blond　hair　held　simply　with　a　silver　diadem　and　her　eyes。　Everyone　was　sure　to　mention
those　jade　eyes。　

Certainly；　if　it　was　her；　it　explained　the　wards。　Yet　she　was　supposed　to　have　died　long　ago…。　

The　woman　put　her　hands　on　her　hips。　I　know　you　re　there；　so　you　might　as　well　not　waste　that　concealment
spell。　　She　shook　her　head　as　she　moved　to　the　well　and　lowered　a　bucket　by　letting　down　the　rope　hand　over　hand。
Honestly；　they　don　t　teach　you　young　mages　anything　these　days。　Violet　Citadel　s　gone　to　pot；　and　that　s　the
truth。　　

Jaina　dropped　the　concealment。　The　woman　barely　reacted　beyond　making　a　tsk　noise　while　lowering　the　rope。　

My　name　is　Lady　Jaina　Proudmoore。　I　rule　Theramore；　the　human　city　on　this　continent。　　

Good　for　you。　When　you　get　back　to　this　Theramore　place；　work　on　that　concealment　spell。　Couldn　t　hide　from　a　
bloodhound　with　a　cold　with　that　thing。　　

Her　mind　reeling；　Jaina　realized　that　this　woman　couldn　t　possibly　be　anyone　but　who　she　thought　it　was；
impossible　as　that　might　have　been。　Magna；　it　s　an　honor　to　meet　you。　I　had　thought　that　you　were

Dead？　　The　woman　snorted　as　she　started　pulling　the　rope　back　up；　her　mouth　showing　the　signs　of　the　greater
strain　of　lifting　a　waterfilled　bucket。　I　am　dead；　Lady　Jaina　Proudmoore　of　Theramore　or　as　close　as　makes　no
never　mind。　And　don　t　go　calling　me　Magna。　　That　was　another　time　and　another　place；　and　I　m　not　that　woman
anymore。　　

The　title　is　not　one　you　lose；　Magna。　And　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　call　you　anything　else。　　

Balderdash。　If　you　re　gonna　call　me　anything；　call　me　by　my　name。　Call　me　Aegwynn。　　

Nine　
　
F　or　many　years；　Rexxar；　last　of　the　Mok　Nathal　Clan；　walked　the　continent　of　Kalimdor　alone；　save　for　the
pany　of　the　big　brown　bear；　Misha。　Born　of　orc　and　ogre　blood　both；　as　most　of　his　nowdefunct　clan；　he　had
grown　weary　of　the　squabbling　and　ruthlessness　and　endless　war　that　characterized　what　was　laughingly　referred　to
as　civilization。　In　truth；　Rexxar　found　more　civilization　in　Misha　s　fellow　bears　or　the　wolves　of　Winterspring　than
in　any　of　the　human；　dwarven；　elven；　or　troll　cities　that　marred　the　landscape。　

No；　Rexxar　preferred　to　wander；　living　off　the　land；　and　being　answerable　to　none。　If　he　ever　felt　the　urge　to　call　a　
place　home；　he　knew　that　he　had　one　in　Durotar。　During　the　founding　of　the　orc　nation；　Rexxar　had　e　to　the　aid
of　a　dying　orc　who　was　charged　with　bringing　a　message　to　Thrall。　Granting　the　warrior　his　final　wish；　Rexxar　had
brought　Thrall　the　report；　and　found　himself　amid　orcs　who　had　gon