魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第36部分

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standing　closer　to　the　shoreline　than　anyone　else；　got　ignored。　

The　body　of　a　troll　fell　at　his　feet。　The　body　of　Corporal　Barnes　flew　past　in　a　high　arc　and　landed　in　the　water。
Davin　wondered　why　Barnes　s　orc　opponent　felt　the　need　to　throw　Barnes　so　far；　then　decided　that　he　really　didn　t
want　to　know。　

Then　the　world　exploded。　

An　earthquake　shook　the　ground　so　heavily　that　it　acplished　what　panic　had　prevented：　it　got　Davin　to　move；
albeit　to　fall　to　the　ground。　

Though　there　hadn　t　been　a　cloud　in　the　sky　a　moment　ago　in　fact；　it　had　been　a　clear；　sunny　day　now　the　skies
had　gone　dark；　and　thunder　and　lightning　struck　the　ground　with　an　earsplitting　crack。　

Davin　heard　a　rumble　and　looked　to　the　shoreline　to　see　a　massive　wave　start　to　rise　up。　In　all　the　time　Davin　had
been　assigned　to　Northwatch；　he　d　never　seen　a　wave　that　big　hit　the　shore　that　wasn　t　due　to　the　wake　of　a　boat。　

However；　this　wave　was　as　high　as　the　keep　s　wall　and　it　was　about　to　e　crashing　down　right　on　Davin。　

Quickly；　he　tried　to　clamber　to　his　feet；　but　his　boots　could　not　gain　purchase　on　the　sand；　and　he　fell　on　his　face。
Spitting　sand　out　of　his　mouth　and　trying　not　to　inhale　all　the　sand　in　his　nose；　Davin　gave　in　to　the　inevitable　and
braced　himself　by　shoving　his　fists　down　into　the　sand。　

The　water　slammed　into　him；　almost　uprooting　him　from　the　spot；　but　his　armor　and　anchored　hands　kept　him
weighted　down。　He　wondered　how　the　other　soldiers　who　were　less　secure　fared；　he　didn　t　much　care　about　the　orcs
and　trolls。　Mostly；　though；　he　wondered　if　he　d　ever　be　able　to　breathe　again。　

Seconds　later；　the　water　flowed　back　in　the　other　direction。　The　wave　had　washed　the　sand　off　his　face；　though　he　
was　now　drenched；　water　matting　his　hair　and　causing　his　beard　to　weigh　heavily　on　his　face。　

You　have　shamed　me　this　day；　my　warriors！　　

Davin　rolled　over　onto　his　back　and　looked　up。　The　skies　were　still　dark；　save　for　one　spot；　in　which　hovered　a　
dirigible。　

Briefly；　Davin　allowed　himself　to　feel　hope　perhaps　the　airship　belonged　to　Colonel　Lorena；　who　had　freed
herself　and　Lady　Proudmoore　from　the　Burning　Blade。　This　sudden　meteorological　nightmare　could　easily　have　
been　the　lady　s　doing；　after　all。　They　had　e　to　rally　the　troops；　drive　the　orcs　back；　and　save　the　day。　

Then　he　took　a　closer　look　at　the　dirigible；　and　his　heart　sank。　The　canvas　was　decorated　with　several　bizarre　
symbols；　all　of　which　the　major　recognized　as　being　orcish。　At　least　two　of　those　symbols　were　mirrors　for　ones　he　
saw　on　armor　and　weaponry　that　orcs　carried　during　the　war　not　to　mention　on　the　troops　that　were　currently　
killing　his　soldiers。　Davin　s　platoon　mander　during　the　war　had　said　that　they　were　the　orc　equivalent　of　coats
ofarms　for　their　various　clans。　

Davin　had　never　been　a　particularly　religious　sort。　The　only　time　in　his　life　he　d　ever　prayed　was　when　he　was
hiding　behind　the　tree　and　praying　that　the　demons　wouldn　t　notice　him。　That　particular　prayer　was　answered；　but
Davin　didn　t　want　to　push　his　luck；　so　he　never　prayed　again。　

Now；　though；　he　prayed　that　he　would　survive　this　day。　Somehow；　he　found　the　strength　to　get　to　his　feet。　
　
The　words　Davin　had　heard　had　e　from　the　airship。　A　rope　ladder　fell　toward　the　ground　and　went　taut　as　the　
orc　who　owned　the　voice　that　spoke　the　words　climbed　down。　

When　the　orc　arrived　on　the　shore；　the　orcs　all　around　or　at　least　the　ones　Davin　could　see　in　his　peripheral　vision；
as　his　eyes　were　focused　on　the　new　arrival　raised　their　weapons　in　salute。　The　major　also　noticed　that　this　orc　
had　blue　eyes；　and　at　once　he　realized　who　it　had　to　be。　Until　now；　Davin　had　never　actually　met　the　orc　Warchief；
and　he　recalled　that　Thrall　was　also　a　shaman　of　great　power。　Like　Lady　Proudmoore；　he　could　easily　be　
responsible　for　this　inundation。　

Holding　aloft　his　twohanded　hammer　with　one　hand　this；　Davin　knew；　was　the　legendary　Doomhammer　that　had
once　belonged　to　rim；　Thrall　s　mentor　the　orc　cried　out；　I　am　Thrall；　Warchief　of　Durotar；　Lord　of　the　Clans；
Leader　of　the　Horde！　I　e　to　you　now　to　say　that 　He　pointed　at　Burx。 this　orc　does　not　speak　for　me！　　

Over　the　past　halfdozen　years；　Davin　had　had　plenty　of　congress　with　orcs。　There　was　the　war；　of　course；　and
Northwatch　s　location　on　the　Merchant　Coast　meant　that　plenty　of　orcs　came　through　the　area。　

In　all　that　time；　Davin　had　never　seen　quite　the　expression　on　an　orc　s　face　that　he　now　saw　on　Burx　s。　

Warriors　of　Durotar；　you　will　stand　down！　　Again　he　pointed　at　Burx；　but　this　time　with　the　hammer。　This　foul
creature　has　consorted　with　a　demon　in　order　to　bring　about　war　between　our　people。　I　will　not　violate　our　alliance　
to　suit　the　needs　of　the　very　creatures　who　tried　to　destroy　us。　　

Burx　snarled。　I　have　been　your　loyal　servant！　　

Thrall　shook　his　head。　Several　warriors　who　served　with　you　have　reported　a　talisman　you　carry　in　the　shape　of　a　
sword　afire　that　is　the　symbol　of　the　Burning　Blade。　According　to　Jaina　as　well　as　an　ancient　wizard　who　has
allied　herself　with　the　humans　all　those　who　carry　that　symbol　are　in　the　thrall　of　a　demon　known　as　Zmodlor；
who　is　attempting　to　foment　discontent　on　Kalimdor　and　sunder　our　alliance。　As　ever；　demons　do　nothing　but　use　
us　and　then　destroy　us。　　

Indicating　Davin　with　his　weapon；　Burx　said；　These　are　the　bastards　who　tried　to　destroy　us！　They　enslaved　us　and
humiliated　us　and　denied　us　our　heritage！　　

His　voice　a　calm　contrast　to　Burx　s　near　hysteria；　Thrall　said；　Yes；　some　of　them　did　and　they　did　so　because　of
demons　who　drained　our　very　souls　and　forced　us　to　fight　their　war　on　the　people　of　this　world；　a　war　that　we　
eventually　lost。　But　we　have　thrown　off　those　shackles　and　risen　to　be　as　strong　as　ever。　And　the　reason　why；　Burx；
is　because　we　are　warriors。　Because　we　are　pure　of　spirit。　Or；　rather；　most　of　us　are。　I　cannot　call　pure　one　who
consorts　with　foul　creatures　to　cause　orcs　to　violate　their　word。　　

The　orcs　and　trolls　all　looked　at　Burx　with　a　mixture　of　surprise　and　revulsion。　There　were　a　few；　Davin　noticed；
who　seemed　confused。　One　of　the　latter　spoke　up。　Is　this　true；　Burx？　You　made　a　deal　with　a　demon？　　

To　wipe　out　the　humans；　I　d　make　a　deal　with　a　thousand　demons！　They　gotta　be　destroyed！　　

Then；　to　accentuate　his　point；　Burx　charged　right　at　Davin。　

Every　instinct　in　Davin　s　body　cried　to　run　away；　but　he　could　no　more　make　his　legs　move　now　than　he　could
when　the　wave　hit。　He　saw　Burx　s　ax　as　the　orc　swung　it　upward　in　preparation　for　cleaving　Davin　s　skull。　

But　before　he　could　plete　the　swing；　Burx　s　entire　body　convulsed。　He　stopped　moving　forward　and　fell　to　the　
sand。　As　he　did　so；　Davin　saw　that　Thrall　had　struck　Burx　from　behind　with　Doomhammer。　

You　have　brought　disgrace　to　Durotar；　Burx。　You　have　caused　the　dishonorable　deaths　of　orc　and　troll　and　human
warrior　alike。　This　blight　can　only　be　eliminated　by　your　death。　As　Warchief；　it　is　my　solemn　duty　to　carry　out　that
sentence。　　
　
Thrall　raised　Doomhammer　over　his　head　and　then　brought　it　down　hard　on　Burx　s　head。　

Davin　flinched　as　blood　and　gore　splattered　all　over　the　sand；　onto　Thrall；　and　onto　Davin　himself。　He　was；
however；　too　frightened　to　actually　move　to　wipe　any　of　it　off；　not　even　the　blood　that　mixed　in　with　the　water　on
his　left　cheek　or　the　bits　of　skull　in　his　beard。　

Thrall　likewise　made　no　attempt　to　remove　the　stains　of　Burx　s　death　from　his　person　and　he　was　much　more　
fouled　by　it。　Davin　supposed　that　it　served　as　a　badge　of　honor　to　an　orc。　The　Warchief　stepped　forward　and　said　to
Davin；　You　have　the　apologies　of　Durotar　for　this　traitor　s　behavior；　Major；　and　for　this　terrible　battle　that　has
happened　this　day。　I　will　not　permit　the　Burning　Blade　to　influence　my　people　anymore。　I　hope　the　same　will　be
said　for　you。　　

Not　trusting　his　mouth　to　work　properly；　Davin　simply　nodded。　

We　will　depart。　I　am　sorry　we　did　not　arrive　soon　enough　to　avoid　bloodshed；　but　first　I　had　to　order　the　troops
amassed　on　land　to　stand　down。　We　all　shall　return　to　Durotar；　and　not　attack　you　again。　　The　Warchief　stepped
forward。　Unless　you　give　us　reason　to。　　

Again；　Dav