魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第26部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



These　wards　are　his。　　

Fifteen　

K　ristoff　hated　sitting　on　the　throne。　

Intellectually；　he　understood　the　need　for　it。　Leaders　needed　to　convey　that　they　were　in　a　position　of　authority；　and
the　intimidating　physicality　of　a　giant　chair　that　was　raised　above　everyone　else　in　the　room　conveyed　that　authority　
beautifully。　

But　he　hated　sitting　in　it。　He　was　convinced　that　he　would　damage　the　authority　of　the　position　by　making　some　
kind　of　mistake。　Because　Kristoff　knew　his　limitations　he　was　no　leader。　He　d　spent　years　observing　leaders
firsthand　and　studying　leaders　he　didn　t　have　access　to；　and　knew　as　much　as　anyone　living　about　what　good
leaders　had　to　do　right　and　what　bad　leaders　often　did　wrong。　One　thing　he　had　learned　early　on　was　that　the
arrogant　rarely　lasted　long。　Leaders　made　mistakes；　and　the　arrogant　never　admitted　to　such　a　thing；　a　conflict　that
often　resulted　in　selfdestruction　or　destruction　from　outside　forces。　Certainly；　that　was　true　of　Kristoff　s　previous　
employer；　Garithos；　if　the　Highlord　had　simply　listened　to　Kristoff　or　any　of　the　other　six　people　giving　him　the
same　advice　he　wouldn　t　have　sided　with　the　Forsaken。　As　Kristoff　had　predicted；　the　undead　creatures　betrayed
Garithos　and　his　warriors　and　led　to　his　downfall。　By　that　time；　Kristoff　had　left　for　greener　pastures。　

This　tendency　was　rather　unfortunate；　because　the　arrogant　were　usually　the　only　ones　who　pursued　leadership
positions　in　the　first　place。　The　conundrum　had　fascinated　Kristoff　as　a　young　student；　and　also　explained　why　there　
were　so　few　truly　great　leaders。　

Kristoff　was　also　selfaware　enough　to　know　that　he　was　incredibly　arrogant。　That　supreme　confidence　in　his　own
abilities　was　why　he　made　such　a　good　advisor　to　Lady　Proudmoore；　but　it　was　also　why　he　was　so　terribly　unfit　to
take　her　place。　

Nevertheless；　he　did　as　he　was　told；　and　served　in　the　lady　s　stead　until　she　returned　from　her　ridiculous　errand。　

On　top　of　everything　else；　Kristoff　also　hated　the　throne　because　it　was　a　damned　unfortable　piece　of　furniture。
For　the　proper　effect；　one　had　to　sit　on　it　straight；　with　arms　on　the　armrests；　gazing　down　upon　one　s　petitioners
with　an　allknowing　eye。　The　problem　was；　sitting　like　that　was　hell　on　Kristoff　s　back。　He　could　only　avoid　spine
chewing　agony　if　he　sat　slumped；　and　off　to　the　side。　The　problem　there　was　that　he　looked　like　he　was　treating　the
throne　like　a　sofa；　which　was　not　the　right　impression　to　give。　

It　was　a　difficult　situation；　and　Kristoff　fervently　wished　that　the　lady　hadn　t　hared　off　into　orc　country　to　do
whatever　ludicrous　thing　she　was　doing。　As　if　the　needs　of　Theramore　weren　t　of　considerably　more　import　than　the　
disposition　of　some　rampaging　reptiles　in　Durotar。　

Lady　Proudmoore　had　done　amazing　things。　For　starters；　few　of　her　sex　had　been　able　to　acplish　what　she　had
done；　either　as　a　wizard　or　as　a　ruler。　Oh；　there　were　plenty　of　female　monarchs；　true；　but　they　generally　came　to
their　position　by　heredity　or　marriage；　not　through　sheer　force　of　will　as　the　lady　had　done。　While　it　was　Medivh
who　first　encouraged　the　notion；　it　was　Jaina　Proudmoore　who　managed　the　heretofore　inconceivable　task　of　
uniting　human　and　orc。　She　was；　in　his　expert　opinion；　the　greatest　leader　the　world　had　ever　seen；　and　Kristoff
considered　it　an　honor　to　be　her　most　trusted　advisor。　

Which　was　why　her　blind　spot　for　the　orcs　was　so　maddening。　Kristoff　could　understand　it　of　all　the　leaders　he　
had　encountered　and　studied；　the　only　one　he　might　consider　Lady　Proudmoore　s　equal　was　Thrall。　His
　
acplishment　bringing　the　orcs　together　and　throwing　off　the　yoke　of　the　demonic　curse　that　had　brought　them
so　low　was　even　more　impressive。　

But　Thrall　ong　orcs。　At　their　heart；　orcs　were　uncivilized　beasts；　barely　able　to
prehend　speech。　Their　customs　and　mores　were　barbaric；　their　behavior　unacceptable。　Yes；　Thrall　had　kept
them　in　line；　using　what　he　learned　while　being　raised　among　humans　to　bring　a　semblance　of　civilization　to　them；
but　Thrall　was　mortal。　When　he　died；　so　would　the　orcs　　temporary　flirtation　with　humanity；　and　they　would
descend　right　back　into　the　vicious　animals　that　they　were　when　Sargeras　first　brought　them　here。　

However；　Lady　Proudmoore　would　not　hear　those　words。　Certainly；　Kristoff　had　tried；　but　even　the　greatest　of
leaders　had　their　blind　spots；　and　this　was　hers。　She　insisted　on　her　belief　that　orcs　could　live　in　harmony　with
humans；　to　the　point　that　she　betrayed　her　own　father。　

That　was　when　Kristoff　realized　that　extraordinary　action　would　need　to　be　taken。　The　lady　let　her　own　father　be　
killed　rather　than　betray　the　trust　of　creatures　who；　beyond　Thrall；　would　never　return　the　favor。　

Under　other　circumstances；　Kristoff　would　never　have　done　what　he　did。　Every　day；　he　awakened　wondering　if　he　
had　done　the　right　thing。　But　every　day；　he　also　awakened　in　fear。　From　the　moment　he　first　came　to　Kalimdor
through　the　end　of　the　war　and　the　founding　of　Theramore；　Kristoff　lived　in　abject　terror　that　everything　they　had
built　would　be　destroyed。　Aside　from　one　fort　on　the　Merchant　Coast；　the　human　presence　on　Kalimdor　consisted　of　
a　small　island　off　the　eastern　coast；　surrounded　on　three　sides　by　creatures　who　were　at　best　indifferent；　and　at　worst
hostile　to　humans；　and　on　the　fourth　by　the　Great　Sea。　

Despite　his　fears；　despite　his　advice；　the　lady　constantly　took　actions　that　favored　the　orcs　to　the　detriment　of
humans。　She　claimed　it　was　to　benefit　the　alliance；　that　they　were　stronger　united　than　they　would　be　apart。　The　
truly　tragic　thing　was　that　she　believed　it。　

But　Kristoff　knew　better。　And　when　Lady　Proudmoore　proved　herself　incapable　of　seeing　the　bigger　picture；　the
very　bigger　picture　that　Kristoff　had　trained　all　his　life　to　see；　he　got　outside　help。　

Duree　poked　her　shriveled　head　into　the　chambers。　Sir；　the　scrying　stone　from　Northwatch　is　getting　all　glowy。　I　
think　it　s　got　a　message。　　

Dryly；　Kristoff　said；　That　s　usually　what　that　means；　yes。　　He　got　up　from　behind　the　lady　s　desk　and　went　out　
into　the　throne　room；　where　the　stone　was　kept。　Presumably；　that　was　either　Lorena　or　Davin　informing　him　that　the
former　had　finally　arrived；　her　troops　having　gotten　there　that　morning。　Kristoff　s　plan　to　have　Lorena　already　in
place　when　the　troop　carrier　arrived　was　dashed　by　the　airship　s　having　mechanical　problems　that　delayed　its
takeoff；　plus　the　troop　carrier　benefited　from　a　strong　wind　that　hastened　its　arrival。　

Walking　up　to　the　stone；　which　sat　on　a　pedestal　in　the　southwest　corner　of　the　throne　room；　Kristoff　saw　that　it　was
indeed　alight　with　the　crimson　glow　that　indicated　that　its　counterpart　at　Northwatch　had　been　activated　and　used。　

Hesitating　for　a　moment；　Kristoff　grabbed　it。　As　expected；　it　sent　a　painful　shock　up　his　arm　that　almost　forced　him　
to　drop　it。　The　glow　dissipated　concurrently　with　the　shock；　followed　by　Major　Davin　s　voice。　It　sounded　like　
Davin　was　deep　inside　a　cave　and　shouting　toward　the　mouth。　

Lord　Chamberlain；　it　s　my　sad　duty　to　inform　you　that　Colonel　Lorena　s　airship　has　yet　to　report。　Spotters　saw　the　
airship；　but　it　was　heading　northeast。　The　troops　have　arrived；　but　I　don　t　know　what　the　colonel　had　in　mind　for　
em。　Please　advise。　　　

Kristoff　sighed　as　he　put　the　stone　back　on　its　pedestal。　Damn　that　woman！　　

What　woman？　　Duree　asked。　

Colonel　Lorena。　Who　did　she　take　with　her　on　the　airship？　　
　
Without　hesitating；　the　old　woman　called　up　the　answer　from　memory。　Peculiar　though　her　manner　might　have　
been；　the　woman　was　incredibly　efficient。　Major　Bek；　Captain　Harcort；　Captain　Mirra；　and　Lieutenant　Noroj。　Oh；
and　Corporal　Booraven。　　

Frowning；　Kristoff　asked；　Why　did　she　bring　a　corporal　along？　　He　had　specifically　told　the　colonel　to　have　her
senior　staff　on　the　airship　and　to　send　the　troops　along　by　boat。　Then　a　memory　started　niggling　at　him。　I　know　that
name　from　somewhere。　　

Duree；　bless　her；　came　to　his　rescue。　She　s　the　one　they　called　the　goodluck　charm；　back　during　the　war。　A
sensitive；　if　I　m　rememberin　　right　can　sniff　out　magic　at　a　hundred　paces。　　

Right；　of　course。　　Kri