既然都翻譯了，不貼出來我手就是會癢癢der。
(繪圖：指針)
【02】
If it wasn’t for her conversationwith Varimathras, the memory of her first encounter with Aeron would’ve beenburied in the deepest corner of her heart, never to be recalled nor spoken of.In spite of this, Sylvanas caught herself reminiscing over the eventssurrounding that fateful encounter. She couldn’t decide if she was lookingforward to a reunion or looking to tear up those memories and scatter them intothe wind.
Regardless, their encounter occurred during the firstyear of her undeath. It was during those tumultuous days, that she establisheda new undead kingdom comprised of those freed from the Lich King’s control anddeclared herself Queenof the Forsaken. Now freed, and with Varimathras’ help,she liberated Lordaeron from the Scourge’s grasp and founded the Undercity. Itwas during this period when she assembled a select group of banshees andrangers for a covert reconnaissance into the Western Plaguelands. She wasn’t expecting to find many Scourge remnantsthere.
Reflecting upon it now, perhaps it was unwise toinform only the dreadlord of her excursion, but there were no others she waswilling to trust with this information. The Scourge remnants ended up ambushingher group, nearly wiping out her contingent and forcing her to fall back and fleethe battlefield. No one was aware just how close their queen came to losing herlife.
Fortunately, the upside to beingmade a banshee--if there is one--is being able to swiftly cover greatdistances; she no longer needed to concern herself with the paltry task ofmanaging balance or catching her breath. The only frustration was that her Scourge pursuers shared the sameadvantages, their state of undeath also unaffected by exhaustion.
Spinning around to line up a shotat an undead troll, she muttered under her breath, “Headshot.” But thisexercise would only take care of a few small enemies; there were many more andshe could not turn to face them all head on.
‘WillVarimathras find me? Or is he here already? Or….’
She discarded these questions almostas fast as her mind could ask them. She would not waste precious timeentertaining the idea of depending on others. Pressing forward, she soon foundherself in a clearing, enclosed by steep red cliff wall, populated withunclimbable withering trees. A dead end. This devastating turn of events fueled her fury.
‘I have not endured and made it this far only to be slain alone in thisexecrable place!’
Taking action, she used her remaining tools tofashion a trap for the more troublesome Abomination and hid herself within thenearby wilting trees, out of sight. Silently, she drew her bow in anticipationof their showdown. Too focused down her sights, she overlooked the pair ofgargoyles swooping toward her. Their sharp claws narrowly missed her head whenan unfamiliar broadsword brought them both down, cleanly splitting them intotwo. Landing solidly before her, the masked figure stood tall among the freshlytwitching gargoyle carcasses. Poised for combat, he waved around his heavybroadsword with one hand.
‘Who?’ Sylvanas was takenaback at the man’s swiftness and agility.
“Who are you?” the masked manrudely cried out while parrying an undead troll’s attack.
“I was about to ask that!” sheretorted as she beheaded another undead troll with a well-placed shot.
He rolled his eyes at the remark.Dashing forward, he charged headfirst at the approaching abomination, eager togive it one less arm to bear against them. The creature reacted by heaving itsbloodied chain hook at him--but before it could connect the masked man grabbedhold and used it to climb the hulking menace and behead it in one furiousslash. This barbaric, yet clean form came as a pleasant surprise for Sylvanas.Before long, they found themselves surrounded by the lifeless corpses of herScourge pursuers. It was then frombehind his wooden mask the mysterious man let forth a well-earned sigh ofrelief. He turned to size up Sylvanas.
“I’m Aeron Bloodblade,” heintroduced himself. “Which group of elves do you belong to?”
She found his rudenessinfuriating, but remained collected, and coolly replied, “That does not concernyou. Tell me how to get to the Tirisfal Glades.”
“What business have you--” Hisbody visibly stiffened. “Hold on a moment, your skin…!” Sylvanas gritted herteeth and turned to leave.
“Wait, hold up!” Aeron stoppedher, rolled up his sleeve and displayed his deathly pale skin. This grabbed herattention. She looked at him, surprised yet sympathetic. “You’re a Forsaken,too.” She didn’t notice the delighted tone in her voice.
“Forsaken? What’s that?” Hecovered his arm again and adjusted his mask.
“You don’t know how you becamethis way?” She grinned with amusement.
“Not really. I don’t remembermuch about my past, either. Are there others who are like this?”
“Some.” She studied him closely;he had piqued her curiosity. “If you accompany me out of this place, I’llexplain what is going on with you.”
He pondered this in silence butwas ultimately disinterested. “No thanks. I don’t intend to depart this placeyet. Besides, it’s not like either of us can leave anyway, unless you’vebrought a small army with you. The undead will be lingering along the road fora few days until there’s no signs of the living, so for now we’re stuck here.”
‘Hilarious.Not only do I have an army, that army would scare the living shit out of you.’ Slyvanas mentally scoffed. “Idon’t have time to waste on these stitched clowns,” she looked over. “Do youhave any ideas?”
He was confounded by how she wastaking everything for granted. Even after their earlier battle, she hadn’tshown any gratitude for his help. “Ineed to get back to my house. It’s nearby, if you don’t mind coming along.”
“You live here?” She widened hereyes. “I must admit, I’m surprised... You’d have to fend off hundreds, possibly even thousands of Scourge thatwander these parts.”
“Actually, where I’m staying isrelatively safe. But if it wasn’t for you leading the mobs here, I wouldn’t behere... My apologies, I don’t mean anything by that. Though, before thisbattle, my house was fairly well hidden.”
Sylvanas contemplated his words.Apart from his impoliteness, his fighting skills were top notch and moreimportantly, he was more experienced against the Scourge than her soldiers backat the Undercity. If she could convince him to pledge allegiance to her, itwould strengthen her forces.
“Take me then, back to yourhouse,” she permitted coldly. She should probably send a message toVarimathras, but on second thought, it wasn’t a bad feeling knowing he might beworried about her.
They passed through the heaps ofcorpses and climbed the cliffs using Aeron’s ropes. The fresh air breezedaround Sylvanas once they reached the top, and finally she was able to see farinto the distance again.
"So tell me, why do you weara mask?" As she ran gracefully through the woods, she could not help butstudy this unusual, oval shaped wooden mask. It appeared crudely made, withjagged edges and holes over the eyes with no special adornments on it. It didnot complement the long silvery white hair resting on his back.
“Masked, to be less scary,” hemuttered. His answer was anunsatisfactory one; that mask was merely a self-pitying device.
“If you come to my city, you won’t have to worryabout that, no one will be scared of you. All the Forsaken there are treated asequal.”
“Oh? Where’s your city?”
“Lordaeron. Now we call it Undercity.”
“That’s funny. Forgotten beingsliving a forgotten city...” He looked up toward the sky and chuckled. “Elf, whoare you, exactly?”
“Don’t call me ‘elf’. My name isSylvanas, the Queen of Banshees, leader of the Forsaken, so you’d best showsome respect,” she harrumphed.
“What a coincidence. I’m theowner of my shack, the leader of plague rats. Looks like we have lots incommon.” He didn’t take her words seriously, and laughed to himself. “I may notknow much about what goes on out there, and while you claim you’re a queen,I’ve never heard of a queen who’s out battling on her own.”
Sylvanas knew it was pointless totry to convince him; it would only make herself look even more like a fool. Hewould only believe her when Varimathras found her, when he saw her leading herarmy.
They made it across the forest without a sound,finally reaching a house at the end of the path, hidden in the mist of thewoods.
“We’re here,” he said as he suddenly slowed down.“Hopefully the old man hasn’t starved to death,” he muttered.
"What?” Sylvanas was confused, but before shecould get a response, a pale, scrawny human girl ran out from the wooden shack.
“Aeron!” she happily called out.
Although her face was too pale for her to beconsidered alive, her skin was fully intact and her chest was inflating as sheinhaled, so it was clear to Sylvanas the girl was not undead. Instinctively,she raised her bow and sighted up the girl as she would a Scourge soldier. Butbefore she could release her shot, Aeron drew his sword and knocked back thebow, causing the arrow to fly off into the sky.
“What are you doing?!” Aeronhissed at Sylvanas incredulously.
“You didn’t tell me a human livedhere!” Her seething anger turning her fearsome voice coarse from the shock ofthis revelation. “If I have to stay in the same house with a foul human, Iwould rather take my chances and die in battle fighting Scourge.”
“Are you insane! Cool your head,they’re harmless farmers!” He exclaimed. Turning to warn the girl, he shouted,“Get back in the house, Lavinia! Hurry!” With his back to the house, Aeronraised his sword and leveled it at Sylvanas, poised for her next possibleattack.
The human girl snapped to hersenses and sprinted back to the house, door slamming shut behind her.
As Sylvanas stared down thescrawny body of the fleeing girl, she flung Aeron’s sword aside. “Back off, Iam very aware of what I’m doing.” She flipped her cape and flounced off.
“Killing adefenseless girl? Yes, no one will bemore aware than you.” Aeron ruthlessly sneered back. “I’ve always knownelves look down on humans, but I didn’t think you were that…”
“Silence! Do not presume to knowwhat I’ve endured!” Sylvanas scowled, her eyes glittering with rage and hatred.“Don’t get your hopes up that I’ll accept humans. Those inferior beings are thevary reason why I am this way now -- and why you are how you are. Yet here you are, allowing them to care foryou, showing gratitude toward them.”
Aeron was at a loss for words. Hedid not know what had happened, but he could tell the pain had tormented hersenses and disfigured her face, leaving her grimacing in agony. Sylvanas wasobviously different from him; she knew what had happened from the verybeginning, but that also made her the most unfortunate. He lowered his sword and his gaze filled withsympathy.
“I’m human too,” he mumbled.
“You were,” she reminded him sharply. “Like me, we’re the Forsaken.”
“I will decide what I am.”
“...I said that to Arthas too,”she scoffed disdainfully. “Aeron Bloodblade, no matter what you say, I willnever cease to despise humans. The hatred brews inside me, and grows strongerwith each passing day.”
He didn’t reply. More accurately,he did not know what to say.
“I will consider your suggestionand stick around for a couple of days, or until my men come for me. But you had better keep that girl out of mysight; I cannot guarantee I won’t lose control over my bow.” She turned her back on him, her dark marooncape blended together with the crimson wind.
“You won’t. Lavinia is a good girl, better than any humanyou have ever met.” Aeron objected,albeit somewhat sheepishly.
“Even if I happened upon a ghoulwith an aversion to eating humans, I’d still kill it.” Sylvanas responded flatly. “You wouldn’tthink twice when you crush a bug beneath your heel, would you?”
She faded into the setting sun,leaving Aeron stumped in front of his house. He tried to call her back, but there was nothing there, save for thedark forest, illuminated by the flaming red hue of the sunset.
※ ※ ※
Lavinia sat in front of thecracked table, combing her long auburn hair. She had wrapped herself in a thinsheet, in an attempt to quell her shivering. Ever since the Scourge invaded thearea, she would not dare start a fire, as it might attract the undead hordes.
The dwindling sunlight passedthrough a nearby window, illuminating a lone maggot crawling across the table.Staring at it, Lavinia became strangely ravenous. She yearned to grab it withher shaky hands, but was so afraid of an arrow breaking through the window thatshe couldn’t move. How long ago did she last eat? Was Aeron okay? Who was thatelf? Why did she attack her?
Hungry…. so, hungry….
“Sorry to have scared youearlier.” Aeron walked through the door and handed some untainted roots andmeat to Lavinia. “It’s okay now. Go ahead and light up the fire, I’ll be here.”
“Thank you…” she gulped.Resisting the urge to wolf down the ‘food’, she threw them into the pot. Shewould have to stew everything and feed her father before she could even drinkany of the leftovers. “Umm… who was that elf?”
“Just a stranger I happened tohelp out earlier, a bad tempered one.” Aeron unequipped his sword and set itnext to the chair. “She’ll be in the area for a few days, so try to avoidleaving the house, okay?”
The earlier assault still freshin her mind, she nodded immediately. “I noticed her skin... is she--are youtwo, the ‘same’?”
“So it would seem. She told me her kind had taken overa city and declared a kingdom.” He dropped onto the chair, chuckling withdisbelief. “It all sounded so ridiculous; just what has befallen this world?”
“Maybe you should venture alook.” she said blankly, staring at the pot.
“Another time.”
“Father can’t get out of his bed,and he’s unconscious… I figure…”
“Lavinia.” he quietly cuts offher sentence. “Another time.” She didn’t continue, but sighed in secret.
When the plague broke out, herfather Finos had found Aeron wandering aimlessly by the riverside. He had notbeen afraid of Aeron’s appearance and instead, attempted to talk to him. Itmight have been due to ignorance aboutthe undead, but to Aeron, it was salvation.
Shortly after, Finos fell ill dueto the plague and lack of nutrients. Aeron donned a mask and took it uponhimself to scavenge food for them. Lavinia was especially grateful for this.However, she had also been trying to convince him to abandon his quest to findthem a better hiding place or to reclaim his past life and simply leave thiscursed place. On every occasion, Aeronwould politely decline her proposals.
‘I don’t want to go anywhere, andI don’t care about my past,’ he would always reply.
With the barren lands and seepingplague, there were more than a dozen ways she could die, not least among themthe malevolent Scourge armies running wild. Although Aeron had not mentioned aword of it, she knew she didn’t have much time left. Perhaps he just wanted tostay with her until her final moments.
She blinked back her tears, notbecause she was afraid of being seen as weak, but rather she couldn’t afford towaste the water from her body.
“I seem to remember something…”Aeron said with his ethereal voice. He leaned against the back of the chair andstared blankly out the window. She mimicked this act, except that her gaze wasset upon Aeron instead.
“What?”
“It looked like a battleground,but there were trees and flowers,” he said hesitantly, shaking his headslightly. “I can see... never mind, the image is gone. I can’t remember. Damn.”
She scooped soup into a bowl andtried to continue the conversation. “It must be hard losing yourmemories..."
Aeron slowly returned to hisnormal calm self, vaguely annoyed, “It’s not hard not being able to remember; it’swhen you suddenly have a flashback that’s frustrating. See, it showed up anddisappeared again. It’s worse than not knowing anything at all.”
Lavinia couldn’t help smiling atthe mental picture of Aeron’s frowning face under that mask as he grumbled. Shestood behind him with the bowl of soup, watching his shadows. She wouldprobably never forget this soundless yet tranquil moment...
Written by: Ms.Ursus thibetanus formosanus
Translated by: Vicky Cheng
