魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第25部分

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many　days；　and　the　first　that　had　interfered　with　her　ability　to　function。　

Realizing　that　she　would　not　hear　the　end　of　it　until　she　answered；　she　teleported　to　the　Tirisfal　Glade。　She　stood　on
top　of　the　very　rock　Falric　who　had　also　long　since　died；　as　had　her　other　three　fellow　apprentices；　all　perishing　
while　fighting　demons　had　transmuted　into　fool　s　gold　all　those　centuries　ago；　time　having　exposed　and　tarnished
it　so　it　was　a　dull　brown　instead　of　the　bright　golden　color　it　was　eight　hundred　years　past。　

What　is　it　that　s　so　important　that　you　interrupt　my　work？　　

It　has　been　eight　centuries；　Aegwynn；　　one　of　the　new　humans　said。　Aegwynn　had　never　bothered　to　learn　his
name。　It　is　past　time　you　relinquished　your　duties。　　
　
Drawing　herself　up　to　her　full　height　which　made　her　taller　than　any　of　the　men　surrounding　her　in　this　glade
she　said；　I　am　properly　addressed　as　Magna。　　That　s　one　of　those　ridiculous　rules　you　insist　on　foisting　upon　the
magical　world。　　The　word　was　a　dwarven　one　meaning　　protector；　　and　had　been　the　honorific　for　every　Guardian
since　the　first。　Aegwynn　didn　t　care　much　for　titles；　but　the　council　s　insistence　on　the　rules　and　regulations；　and
their　disapproval　of　her　flaunting　them；　made　her　sensitive　to　their　own　violations。　

Relfthra　threw　it　back　in　her　face。　Ah；　so　now　you　re　a　stickler　for　rules；　eh？　　

The　human　gave　Relfthra　a　look；　and　then　said；　The　point；　Magna；　is　that　you　know　as　well　as　any　of　us　the　risks　
of　what　you　are　doing。　The　longer　you　extend　your　age；　the　greater　the　risk　that　it　will　be　undone。　The　deaging　
magicks　are　not　precise；　nor　are　they　stable。　In　midconflict；　in　midcasting；　you　could　find　yourself　suddenly　
brought　to　your　natural　age。　If　that　happens　without　a　successor

Aegwynn　held　up　a　hand。　The　last　thing　she　needed　from　these　fools　was　a　lecture　on　the　ways　of　magic。　She　was　a　
stronger　magician　than　any　of　them。　Had　they　faced　down　Sargeras　himself？　　Very　well。　I　will　find　a　successor　and
transfer　the　Guardian　power　to　that　person。　　

Gritting　his　teeth；　the　human　said；　We　will　choose　your　successor；　just　as　we　chose　Scavell　s　and　that　of　every　
Guardian　before　him。　　

No。　I　shall　make　the　choice。　I　believe　I　know　better　than　anyone　what　is　involved　in　being　a　Guardian　certainly　
more　than　you　who　stand　around　this　glade　and　make　pronouncements　while　the　rest　of　us　do　the　actual　work。　　

Magna 　the　human　started；　but　Aegwynn　wished　to　hear　no　more。　

I　have　heard　your　advice；　and　for　once　it　is　worth　heeding。　　She　smiled。　I　suppose　it　was　bound　to　happen
eventually。　Even　a　village　idiot　may　stumble　upon　a　valuable　philosophy　once　in　a　while。　When　my　successor　is
chosen；　you　will　be　informed。　That　is　all。　　

Without　waiting　to　be　dismissed；　she　teleported　back　to　the　parapet。　While　the　council　s　words　were　in　fact　true；　she　
was　in　the　midst　of　doing　her　duty。　She　once　again　cast　the　seeker　spell　to　determine　if　the　demon　was　loose　in
Lordaeron；　as　rumored。　

Once　that　was　taken　care　of　there　was　no　demon；　only　some　teenagers　indulging　in　magicks　they　didn　t
understand；　had　they　continued；　that　demon　would　have　been　summoned；　but　Aegwynn　was　able　to　forestall　their
adolescent　efforts　she　traveled　to　Stormwind；　specifically　to　the　home　of　Nielas　Aran。　

Aran　had　been　an　admirer　of　hers　for　many　years。　Aegwynn　barely　paid　any　attention　to　him；　except　insofar　as　he
was　more　talented　than　most　of　the　mages　who　were　part　of　the　Tirisfalen。　He　was　blissfully　free　of　the　prejudices
of　the　council；　and　had　done　well　by　his　craft；　serving　also　as　the　court　magician　for　King　Landan　Wrynn。　Were　she
several　centuries　younger；　she　might　have　admired　his　steel　blue　eyes　and　his　broad　shoulders　and　his　easy　laugh。　

However；　she　wasn　t　several　centuries　younger；　and　so　had　neither　interest　in　him　nor　desire　to　even　acknowledge　
his　interest　in　her。　She　d　had　plenty　of　dalliances　in　her　younger　days；　starting　with　Jonas；　but　she　d　long　since　lost　
patience　with　them。　Eight　hundred　years　of　life　had　exposed　romance　to　be　a　mass　of　fallacy　and　artifice；　and　she　
had　neither　the　time　nor　the　inclination　for　it。　

Still　and　all；　she　managed　to　dredge　up　the　flirtatiousness　that　she　had　first　used　on　Jonas　as　a　teenager；　and　started
speaking　to　Aran。　She　suddenly　became　fascinated　in　his　hobbies　and　his　interest　in　dwarven　music。　

All　of　it　served　one　purpose；　which　was　for　him　to　share　his　bed　with　her。　

The　next　morning；　she　knew　that　she　had　been　impregnated　by　his　seed。　She　had　been　mildly　disheartened　to　realize　
that　the　embryo　within　her　would　grow　to　be　a　male　child。　She　had　been　hoping　for　a　daughter；　as　yet　another　poke　
　
in　the　eye　to　the　Guardians　of　Tirisfal。　But　even　so；　this　boy　would　serve　the　purpose　for　which　he　had　been
conceived。　

Taking　her　leave　of　a　rather　disappointed　Aran　who　truly　had　expected　little　else；　but　had　been　hoping　that
Aegwynn　could　at　least　have　been　polite　about　it　she　departed　Stormwind。　For　nine　months；　she　performed　her
tasks　as　Guardian　as　much　as　she　could；　and　eventually　bore　Medivh。　Only　then　did　she　return；　handing　the　infant
to　Aran　and　declaring　him　to　be　her　heir。　



I　can　see　by　the　look　on　your　face　that　you　re　horrified。　　Aegwynn　said　the　words　to　Jaina　with　a　vicious　smile。　

I　am。　　Jaina　spoke　true。　She　had　fought　alongside　Medivh　it　was　he　who　had　encouraged　Jaina　to　ally　herself
with　Thrall　and　the　orcs　against　the　Burning　Legion　but　she　d　had　no　idea　that　the　prophet　s　origins　were　so
tawdry。　Indeed；　she　knew　very　little　about　him；　save　that　he　had　returned　from　the　dead　and　was　trying　to　atone　for
his　sins　by　doing　everything　he　could　to　stop　the　Burning　Legion。　

That　is　why　I　told　you　the　story；　　Aegwynn　said。　　I　m　no　hero；　I　m　no　role　model；　I　m　no　shining　beacon　to
inspire　wizards　of　any　sex。　What　I　am　is　an　arrogant　ass　who　let　her　power　and　the　wiles　of　a　clever　demon　destroy　
her　and　the　rest　of　the　world。　　

Jaina　shook　her　head。　She　remembered　many　conversations　with　Kristoff　about　how　the　lessons　of　history　are　rarely　
in　the　written　word；　for　such　accounts　were　invariably　biased　in　favor　of　what　the　writer　wished　the　reader　to　know　
about。　She　realized　that　the　histories　she　d　read　about　the　Guardians　of　Tirisfal　in　Antonidas　s　library　were　as
vulnerable　to　such　biases　as　the　historical　texts　that　Kristoff　had　spoken　of。　

Then；　suddenly；　a　feeling　pricked　at　the　back　of　Jaina　s　neck。　She　stood　up。　

So　did　Aegwynn　no　doubt　the　old　woman　felt　the　same　thing。　She　confirmed　it　by　saying；　The　wards　are　back
up。　　

Jaina　found　it　interesting　that　Aegwynn　felt　that　especially　given　Jaina　s　own　ability　to　break　down　the　wards
without　her　knowledge。　It　confirmed　a　growing　suspicion　of　hers。　

Of　greater　concern；　however；　was　that　these　wards　felt　far　more　powerful。　And　had　entirely　the　wrong　feel。
Something　is　wrong。　　

Yes　I　know　this　magic。　Never　thought　I　d　encounter　it　again；　to　be　honest。　　Aegwynn　made　a　tch　noise。　In　fact；
I　m　not　really　sure　how　it　s　possible。　　

Before　asking　Aegwynn　to　explain　herself；　Jaina　had　to　make　sure　she　could　perate　the　wards。　She　attempted　a　
teleport　spell；　this　time　adding　a　wardperation　incantation　to　the　mix；　bracing　herself　for　the　ensuing　pain
should　it　not　succeed。　

Sure　enough；　it　didn　t。　It　would　have　worked　previously　she　hadn　t　used　the　peration　spell　to　teleport　the　
thunder　lizards　only　because　she　needed　to　investigate　the　highlands　before　bringing　hundreds　of　agitated　animals
there。　Closing　her　eyes　briefly　to　block　out　the　pain；　she　turned　to　Aegwynn。　I　can　t　get　through　them。　　

I　was　afraid　of　that。　　Aegwynn　sighed；　apparently　not　relishing　being　stuck　with　the　　little　girl。　　

Jaina　wasn　t　entirely　thrilled　with　the　prospect；　either；　but　more　because　she　couldn　t　fulfill　her　promise　to　Thrall　
while　trapped　in　these　highlands。　

You　said　you　knew　this　magic？　　
　
Aegwynn　nodded。　Yes。　Remember　Zmodlor；　the　first　demon　I　encountered　the　one　who　imprisoned　those　
schoolchildren？　　

Jaina　nodded。　

These　wards　are　his。　　

Fifteen　

K　ristoff　hated　sitting　on　the　throne。　

Intellectually；　he　understood　the　need　for　it。　Leaders　needed