魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第32部分

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Lorena　looked　at　Lady　Proudmoore。　For　all　we　know；　milady；　the　fighting　has　already　started。　If　it　hasn　t；　it　may　
at　any　second；　if　Kristoff　was　right　about　those　orc　and　troll　troops　heading　down。　Once　the　fighting　starts；　it　won　t
matter　who　or　what　caused　it　there　will　be　bloodshed；　and　once　that　line　is　crossed；　the　alliance　will　be
permanently　sundered。　　

Aegwynn　also　regarded　the　lady。　Time　is　of　the　essence。　You　said　yourself　that　Zmodlor　knows　that　you　re　on　to
him。　We　have　to　strike　now；　before　he　has　a　chance　to　form　a　strategy　against　you。　And　you　can　t　be　in　two　places
at　once。　　
　
Then　the　lady　smiled。　It　was　a　radiant　smile；　one　that　Lorena　took　as　something　of　a　relief　after　the　anger　she　had
displayed　toward　Kristoff。　I　don　t　need　to　be　in　two　places　at　once。　　She　walked　to　the　entryway　of　her　chambers。
Lorena　and　Aegwynn　exchanged　confused　glances；　and　then　followed。　

When　they　walked　in；　they　saw　Lady　Proudmoore　rummaging　through　the　scrolls　on　her　desk；　before　finally　saying；
Aha！　　

She　turned　around　and　held　up　a　rock　that　was　carved　into　an　intricate　shape。　Then　it　started　to　glow…。　

Nieen　

S　ir；　the　orcs；　they　ve　set　up　camp。　　

Major　Davin　started　ripping　out　tufts　of　his　beard；　dress　code　be　damned。　How　many？　　

Shrugging；　Corporal　Rych　said；　Impossible　to　be　sayin　　for　sure；　sir。　　

Davin　closed　his　eyes　and　counted　to　five。　Take　a　guess。　　

Another　shrug。　Lookout；　he　be　sayin　　there　s　at　least　six　hundred；　sir　but　hard　to　say　for　sure；　sir。　They　be　stayin　　
far　enough　back　that　they　ain　t　violatin　　no　borders　or　nothin　；　but

At　Rych　s　hesitation；　Davin　sighed　and　prompted　him。　But　what？　　

Well；　sir；　right　now　they　just　be　sittin　　there；　but　I　don　t　think　that　ll　be　lastin　；　sir。　Specially　once　those　boats
arrive。　　

Again；　Davin　sighed。　It　seemed　that　sighing　was　all　he　did　these　days。　Dozens　of　boats　carrying　orcs　and　trolls　alike　
were　seen　heading　south　on　the　Great　Sea　a　day　ago；　heading　right　for　Northwatch。　They　d　arrive　within　a　couple　of　
hours。　

At　that　point；　Davin　would　have　a　decision　to　make。　

His　instructions　from　Chamberlain　Kristoff　who；　with　Lady　Proudmoore　promised　by　these　Burning　Blade　
people；　was　in　charge　were　to　hold　Northwatch　no　matter　what。　　

Davin　had　no　idea　how　he　was　supposed　to　do　that。　

He　hadn　t　even　wanted　to　be　a　soldier。　True；　he　had　an　aptitude　for　violence　that　made　him　very　attractive　to　the　
recruiter　who　came　to　his　village　as　a　boy；　but　he　was　also　a　tremendous　physical　coward。　He　managed　to　fake　it　
through　training；　mostly　by　virtue　of　never　actually　being　in　danger。　If　it　was　just　playacting；　Davin　had　no
difficulties　at　all。　Use　his　sword　on　a　straw　dummy？　No　problem。　But　real　bat　against　a　fleshandblood　foe？　
Then　he　was　hopeless。　

So　the　first　time　he　had　faced　off　against　a　person；　he　had　thought　he　d　be　doomed。　But　he　had　lucked　out　by　being　
part　of　a　particularly　talented　platoon。　Davin　had　done　little　when　he　had　faced　off　against　the　renegade　dwarves
who　had　e　to　his　village　to　try　to　escape　dwarven　justice　after　a　failed　attempt　to　overthrow　the　existing　
government。　But　the　rest　of　his　platoon　had　done　quite　well；　capturing　or　killing　all　the　dwarves。　Davin　had　been
able　to　bask　in　the　reflected　glory　of　his　rades。　

Then　the　Burning　Legion　had　e。　

It　had　been　awful。　People　had　died　all　around　him。　Lordaeron　had　been　destroyed。　Humans　and　orcs　had　fought　side　
by　side。　The　entire　world　had　turned　upside　down。　Davin　had　never　understood　why　Lady　Proudmoore　had　chosen
　
to　ally　with　the　orcs　they　were　devils；　not　significantly　better　than　the　demons　themselves　but　nobody　had　asked
Davin　his　advice。　

The　worst　day　had　been　in　some　forest　somewhere。　Davin　hadn　t　even　known　where　it　was；　only　that　he　was　there　
with　the　tattered　remains　of　his　platoon；　and　they　were　trying　to　find　a　demon　stronghold　so　some　wizard　or　other　
could　learn　its　secrets。　Davin　s　job　was　simple：　protect　the　wizard。　Everyone　else　was　seeking　out　the　stronghold。　

Unfortunately；　they　found　it。　The　demons　didn　t　take　kindly　to　the　notion。　

As　soon　as　they　came；　their　eyes　aflame；　Davin　panicked　and　hid　behind　one　of　the　oaks。　He　left　the　wizard
exposed；　and　while　the　mage　tried　his　best　to　defend　himself；　eventually　one　of　the　demons　set　him　afire。　While　
Davin　watched　from　the　safety　of　his　arboreal　hiding　place；　the　wizard　he　was　supposed　to　be　protecting　screamed
in　agony　and　died　very　very　slowly。　

Somehow　Davin　was　never　entirely　clear　why　the　demons　overlooked　him。　Perhaps　they　didn　t　deem　Davin　to
be　a　threat；　which　was　certainly　true。　Either　way；　though；　when　his　platoon　was　wiped　out　and　the　demons　buggered
off　to　wherever　it　was　demons　buggered　off　to；　Davin　ran　back　to　base　camp；　expecting　to　be　excoriated　for　being　
such　a　coward；　but　willing　to　face　the　consequences；　as　long　as　he　wouldn　t　have　to　go　out　and　face　such　a　thing　
again。　

Instead；　they　hailed　him　as　a　hero　for　surviving　the　deadly　onslaught　and　ing　back　to　report　what　had　happened。　

Then　they　promoted　him。　

Davin　was　stunned。　He　was　no　hero；　he　was；　in　fact；　the　exact　opposite。　But　every　attempt　to　clear　the　air　just　
resulted　in　his　being　considered　unduly　modest。　It　was　maddening　instead　of　being　relieved　of　bat；　he　was　put　
in　charge　of　other　troops。　

Shortly　thereafter；　the　war　was　kind　enough　to　end；　thus　sparing　Davin　the　embarrassment　of　having　to　actually　lead
troops　into　a　battle　he　was　incapable　of　fighting。　The　Burning　Legion　was　driven　back　to　whatever　hell　they　had
e　from；　and　Davin　was　given　another　promotion；　this　time　to　major。　After　Admiral　Proudmoore　s　arrival　and
subsequent　death；　Davin　was　put　in　charge　of　Northwatch　Keep。　

Until　recently；　he　had　weled　the　duty。　Northwatch　was　fairly　peaceful；　and　while　Davin　s　cowardice　made　
bat　an　impossibility；　he　did　fine　at　administration。　

Assuming；　of　course；　that　nothing　went　wrong。　

Davin　didn　t　especially　like　Colonel　Lorena；　but　he　really　wished　she　were　here　right　now；　instead　of　off　with　the
Burning　Blade。　For　one　thing；　she　was　a　lot　better　at　running　a　garrison　of　troops　than　he　was。　Unlike　Davin　s；
Lorena　s　promotions　had　actually　been　based　on　merit。　

For　another；　if　the　Burning　Blade　could　get　her；　not　to　mention　Lady　Proudmoore；　what　hope　did　Davin　have？　

Oreil　came　running　in；　his　toobig　armor　clanking　with　each　step。　Major　Davin！　Major　Davin！　The　orcs　re
moving！　It　happened　as　soon　as　the　boats　docked！　　

Davin　sighed　yet　again。　When　did　the　boats　dock？　　

Didn　t　anyone　tell　you？　　Oreil　blinked　a　few　times。　Oh；　wait；　I　was　supposed　to　do　that。　I　m　sorry；　sir；　but　I　got
all　overexcited。　Please　don　t　courtmartial　me。　　

Getting　up　from　his　desk　and　heading　out　the　door；　Davin　said；　Private；　right　now　a　courtmartial　is　the　least　of
your　worries。　　
　
Slowly；　Davin　walked　down　the　narrow　staircase　that　led　to　the　ground　floor　of　the　tower　at　Northwatch　s　center。
Northwatch　was　built　on　an　uneven　hill　that　sloped　down　to　the　Great　Sea。　The　eastern　border　of　the　keep　was　a　
stone　wall　that　had　been　built　between　two　of　the　hillocks；　the　buildings　that　made　up　Northwatch　were　on　the
western　side　of　the　wall；　with　a　beach　lined　with　palm　trees　on　the　eastern　side。　

As　he　approached　the　archway　that　led　through　that　stone　wall　and　onto　the　beach；　Davin　saw　orcs　and　trolls。　

Many　many　orcs　and　trolls。　

Their　boats　were　all　tethered　to　poles　that　had　been　sunk　into　the　sand。　There　were　dozens　of　them；　each　with　a　full
plement　of　about　a　dozen　trolls　or　orcs。　Some　wore　animal　skins；　others　wore　the　heads　of　vicious　beasts　as
helms。　All　of　them　were　armed　with　axes　and　broadswords　and　morningstars　and　maces；　and　other　weapons　that　all　
appeared　at　first　glance　to　be　bigger　than　Davin　himself。　

So　this　is　it；　　he　muttered。　We　re　going　to　die。　　

What　was　that；　Major？　　one　of　the　troops　guarding　the　archway　asked。　

Shaking　his　head　quickly；　Davin　said；　Nothing。　　Somehow；　the　major　managed　to　force　himself　to　keep　putting　
one　foot　in　front　of　the　other。　As　he　passed　through　the　archway；　his　boots　started　to　sink　into　the　sand　with　each
step。　

Dimly；　he　registered　that　dozens　of