鏘、鏘、鏘……93Please respect copyright.PENANAonfltGMede
93Please respect copyright.PENANA1eGePEzN6E
敲打金屬的沉穩聲響,與微弱的心跳產生共鳴。93Please respect copyright.PENANAX3QqrrJWDf
93Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0RuMT514L
從深沉睡眠裡醒來,男孩轉過微微發燙的昏沉腦袋,朱紅色雙眸倒映出爐火旁的身影。93Please respect copyright.PENANAzRbz48RBqV
93Please respect copyright.PENANAEy2Jnt2Qmz
老人坐在鍛造爐旁,他消瘦而佝僂的背影,在明亮火光之下延伸出大片黑影,彷彿是他所背負的病痛與歲月。93Please respect copyright.PENANAUimLwWm7bJ
93Please respect copyright.PENANAqFBs8Wkfam
但這無妨老人專注於手邊的工作,他握緊鐵鎚錘煉被爐火燒得燙紅的金屬,即使身軀衰老消瘦,老人俐落而強勁的動作,仍透發一股生命的強韌。93Please respect copyright.PENANAvcvjqfP0QN
93Please respect copyright.PENANASUj9LK5z2o
男孩不免擔心起老人的身體,他自己身體已日漸孱弱,終於到了無法下床走動的地步,而老人為了買藥維持男孩的生命,除了每天在礦場的粗活,深夜也持續鍛造器具以貼補藥錢,但老人衰老的身體也快到了極限。93Please respect copyright.PENANAF5EFsWKgxj
93Please respect copyright.PENANAOIDsJVTAJJ
「咳咳!」老人忍不住重咳幾聲,男孩的心不禁跟著顫抖了一下。93Please respect copyright.PENANAwVBRtx6zWr
93Please respect copyright.PENANAHOA2sy8ybs
男孩眷戀地想再多看老人幾眼,但疲累的感覺又闔上了他的眼皮。93Please respect copyright.PENANAqOYuRTNm57
93Please respect copyright.PENANAuGmNd5LqG2
不知道過了多久,男孩的耳畔傳來老人的呼喚:「拿堤爾,起來吃藥囉。」93Please respect copyright.PENANABMa7BuwGSS
93Please respect copyright.PENANAB4eiUk3NxN
「嗯……」男孩再度睜開雙眼,這次老人就坐在他的床鋪旁,近在咫尺的距離讓他感到安心。93Please respect copyright.PENANA06zAW9Yaj7
93Please respect copyright.PENANAT1CXmBgUOj
在他眼中的老人,粗獷面龐的皺紋似乎更深了,臉頰也比以往更為削瘦,但表情卻顯得神采煥發。93Please respect copyright.PENANAAnR89uCwW5
93Please respect copyright.PENANAk71T1qEX34
「我扶你起來。」老人小心翼翼扶起男孩虛軟的身軀,將摻著藥粉的水遞到他的唇邊,幫他喝下藥。93Please respect copyright.PENANANKbsqppKan
93Please respect copyright.PENANAuDbead4hwF
「爺爺……我,之後不想再喝藥了,所以不要再工作買藥了。」男孩低語道,這不是出於孩子不愛吃藥的任性,而是對老人身體的擔憂。93Please respect copyright.PENANAvQRjuXrBH2
93Please respect copyright.PENANAuHFONDeFt8
「那我以後不買藥,這是最後一次了。」93Please respect copyright.PENANA4ITg0AgrEL
93Please respect copyright.PENANAjDCf9Qrt4n
男孩訝異老人這次竟然答應了,之前老人都是斷然拒絕並強迫他喝藥,但他沒有深思老人態度轉變的原因,開心地說:「爺爺,那你要一直陪在我身邊喔。」93Please respect copyright.PENANAKvN7m898sF
93Please respect copyright.PENANAls07u0gOWY
老人的神情變得有些複雜,他沒有回應這句話。93Please respect copyright.PENANA0aegxv35Qh
93Please respect copyright.PENANA9gjcWOmKJI
而男孩將老人的沉默認作默許,臉龐浮現屬於孩子的單純笑容,他早就不奢望延續自己的生命,只希望能在有限的時間裡與爺爺相伴。93Please respect copyright.PENANAbZkt2erBVR
93Please respect copyright.PENANADNey4qDyhT
「拿堤爾,我想給你看看這個。」老人遞到男孩面前的東西,瞬間吸引了他的目光。93Please respect copyright.PENANATDPlJqGXgV
93Please respect copyright.PENANAMz9jySrxnt
「這個是……爺爺做的?」老人捧著只有一個手掌大的四方形盒子,其金屬外殼泛著銀亮光澤,並鐫刻淺藍色的幾何花紋,整體外觀小巧雅致。93Please respect copyright.PENANAyilGQl3JTi
93Please respect copyright.PENANARFHJe6h2hJ
「嗯,是我做的魔具。」93Please respect copyright.PENANAK30M58wDDr
93Please respect copyright.PENANA2G0B44ncpv
「咦?爺爺最近做的就是魔具嗎?」93Please respect copyright.PENANArKJzZbTy0i
93Please respect copyright.PENANA1QRmXttIoh
男孩的聲音流露幾分驚喜,雖然聽說過爺爺以前身為魔具工匠的事蹟,但他從未看過爺爺親手鍛造的魔具。93Please respect copyright.PENANAz9BlypqM81
93Please respect copyright.PENANAhBZJ2trd8m
「是啊,你想看看裡面嗎?」93Please respect copyright.PENANAWQJ0u4ZFM3
93Please respect copyright.PENANA2UJmtv8Mxh
男孩興奮地點頭回應,老人莞爾一笑,在他眼前開啟盒蓋。93Please respect copyright.PENANAGoSMwrjibC
93Please respect copyright.PENANAbcASPRB5sn
「哇……」男孩不禁發出讚嘆聲。93Please respect copyright.PENANA6AxkQxwyqf
93Please respect copyright.PENANAKLaqG4Ri0d
盒內鑲嵌一顆透明無暇的晶石,在燈火映照下折射出淨透光彩,而與晶石連結的金屬鏈與零件,則精密交織成繁複的結構,對魔具知之甚少的拿堤爾,也看得出裡面的構造是多麼精妙深奧。93Please respect copyright.PENANAQuwPIZvgHa
93Please respect copyright.PENANA2lqWfBhEPE
「爺爺好厲害啊,真的好美。」男孩的朱紅眼眸閃爍激動的光采,為這樣巧奪天工的鍛造工藝大感驚嘆。93Please respect copyright.PENANAv21uz6KVfX
93Please respect copyright.PENANAuejk4b1C2P
「那中間的晶石,就是魔具核心的魔晶,旁邊就是所謂的魔力鏈,負責輸送魔晶的魔力……」93Please respect copyright.PENANAP0pNMhjhnl
93Please respect copyright.PENANAy4wySJjDFl
老人開始向男孩解說魔具的構造,男孩津津有味地聆聽,想要將蘊藏在魔具裡的知識牢記於心。93Please respect copyright.PENANA0dkjaMihRQ
93Please respect copyright.PENANAmZXDsMF4Yp
「拿堤爾,這是我竭盡畢生心力鍛造的魔具,我想今後,我再也鍛造不出超越它的傑作了。」93Please respect copyright.PENANABD0WezsqyN
93Please respect copyright.PENANAGyVvaPWQ7V
說句話時,老人表現出身為頂尖工匠的自豪與驕傲,眉眼間卻也流露淡淡哀愁,而男孩還無法理解這複雜神情中的含意。93Please respect copyright.PENANAcPRj6IMb9I
93Please respect copyright.PENANASuZHSWS4Qu
「拿堤爾,如果你還對鍛造工法或魔具結構有興趣的話,爺爺有幫你做詳細的筆記,就放在那邊的櫃子,之後你可以拿去看。」93Please respect copyright.PENANAjgo470NgeD
93Please respect copyright.PENANAiTuidHOkSr
「不用啊,只要爺爺說給我聽就好了啊。」93Please respect copyright.PENANAKiblRWWjI3
93Please respect copyright.PENANAFkFcU7Y9M5
男孩單純的話語,讓老人的表情變得更為沉重。93Please respect copyright.PENANAeSVQx5sFN5
93Please respect copyright.PENANAgrYOfQAV6U
「拿堤爾,你的角是我親手割去的,我一直感到很抱歉,是我害你受這麼多苦。」93Please respect copyright.PENANAkQZN4FwFQs
93Please respect copyright.PENANAtaLMAs8Cfm
「爺爺……?」突如其來的道歉,讓男孩愣愣地看向老人。93Please respect copyright.PENANAyedTRcQx3T
93Please respect copyright.PENANAcfhTx3SFZl
「但是,真正的活著,就是不管背負多少苦難與傷痛,都要在這世上努力生存,只要你的心擁有這份意志,即使你失去了雙角,就依然保有我們伯萊雅族炙熱的靈魂,祖靈斯拉仍會庇護著你。」93Please respect copyright.PENANAJMRXyF9oNb
93Please respect copyright.PENANAQJHoxCoh2P
「爺爺,我知道了。」男孩認真地點點頭,將這句話銘記於心。93Please respect copyright.PENANAcCRmOKYPkS
93Please respect copyright.PENANAiGQtwE7kav
「很好,乖孩子,我知道你能理解的。」老人用粗厚大掌輕撫男孩的頭,宛如巖石般的粗獷面龐浮現柔和神情。93Please respect copyright.PENANAgNz16n6iNM
93Please respect copyright.PENANAgF1FN9IpcM
明明距離近在咫尺,男孩卻有種爺爺漸漸遠去的感覺,心底萌生了些許不安。93Please respect copyright.PENANASlqLtrc8qk
93Please respect copyright.PENANAJTddMUUe7C
「你也累了吧,爺爺會在這裡陪你的。」93Please respect copyright.PENANA6y420iGVzn
93Please respect copyright.PENANAQqBjr97fJK
老人沉穩柔和的話語,卻在此時化解了男孩內心的不安,讓他再度陷入安詳的睡眠。93Please respect copyright.PENANAhSOAasgDKa
93Please respect copyright.PENANAFBIbtmf7db
* * *93Please respect copyright.PENANAgAIFcI89X1
93Please respect copyright.PENANAlU81lAB5fD
在幽深坑道裡,拿堤爾手持提燈,獨自一人在黑暗中前行。93Please respect copyright.PENANAHHQ8DvrtoY
93Please respect copyright.PENANAZVwG5yrvRL
走了一段時間,前方的道路突然被石壁阻擋,拿堤爾沿著石壁摸索,終於找到一道不小的縫隙。93Please respect copyright.PENANAh5eiGD0PPP
93Please respect copyright.PENANAHjXroWzruZ
拿堤爾鑽過縫隙,他的雙眼立刻捕捉到幽暗中的一抹淡藍光輝。93Please respect copyright.PENANANcgDRJSQtG
93Please respect copyright.PENANAaS8e7If3LF
「就在這裡了……帕洛西亞!」93Please respect copyright.PENANAZDSoLS6dAI
93Please respect copyright.PENANAwfSD5DCw5L
一小叢的帕洛西亞,就在黑暗中靜靜綻放著,那淡藍的光芒彷彿是幽冥中的燈火,為拿堤爾陰鬱的內心點起一絲希望93Please respect copyright.PENANA5tJElW0lym
93Please respect copyright.PENANAuHf4Zf0pjQ
拿堤爾趕緊湊過去,他的低聲祈禱在深邃幽暗中迴盪著。93Please respect copyright.PENANAWZHTcyqcN8
93Please respect copyright.PENANAeYAqZJ5AF3
「拜託,我想見爺爺……」傾吐出鬱積已久的思念,眼淚彷彿又要奪眶而出。93Please respect copyright.PENANAU7MLDBXJJU
93Please respect copyright.PENANARZv9w95Fng
法提烏打造完此生最後一件魔具後,便因積勞成疾而撒手人寰,與之相對的,拿堤爾的身體反而漸漸有所好轉。93Please respect copyright.PENANAqcl0vlkBDb
93Please respect copyright.PENANAjtJ3wJ8Mwu
拿堤爾認為爺爺的去世,與那一晚他給自己看的最後一件魔具有關。93Please respect copyright.PENANAUpA58GbGXN
93Please respect copyright.PENANAGIy6PIXjWW
他不斷翻覽爺爺留給他的鍛造書,甚至將上面記錄的鍛造工法倒背如流,也查不出有關那魔具的線索,更何況他也不知道爺爺將那件魔具帶去了哪裡。93Please respect copyright.PENANAOxRLFbi4wI
93Please respect copyright.PENANAnkco0zkQgf
拿堤爾心中浮現一個荒謬的推論,爺爺就是因為鍛造出那件魔具,才耗盡生命死去的。即使他折服於魔具工藝的美,也覺得這個推論荒誕無稽,但想到爺爺可能是因此而死,他就對魔具的鍛造產生恐懼。93Please respect copyright.PENANALKdQVUBrqY
93Please respect copyright.PENANAJLQ5Pdlkuu
現在,拿堤爾的心臟不再疲弱無力,他能像普通人一樣行動,甚至可以開始做一些礦坑的工作。93Please respect copyright.PENANAU08OYmNlYC
93Please respect copyright.PENANA7SUtuePSo8
但是,即使身體重獲新生,他的心卻墜入悲傷的深淵。93Please respect copyright.PENANAK0dtPlCvV8
93Please respect copyright.PENANAclFyIUQ1xj
他再也無法看見爺爺的笑容,無法聽見爺爺捶打鐵具的聲響,無法投入爺爺溫暖的懷抱,年紀尚幼的他,才明白所謂的死亡,就是永遠的別離。93Please respect copyright.PENANAyCk55HmGUl
93Please respect copyright.PENANAGDvhVtDFt9
雖然法提烏將拿堤爾託付給礦坑的工頭友人,讓拿堤爾不至於孤苦無依,但他仍渴望回到與爺爺相依為命的日子。93Please respect copyright.PENANAkvmIcnbKS2
93Please respect copyright.PENANAO5SLD5gpYi
拿堤爾失去了笑容,不知道該怎麼繼續活下去,就在此時,他得知有工人在礦坑某處看見帕洛西亞的傳聞。93Please respect copyright.PENANAmcXQcgtveb
93Please respect copyright.PENANA97TAo3nSqw
依據傳聞的線索,他終於找到帕洛西亞,期望能藉由帕洛西亞傳說中的力量,再次見到爺爺。然而,不論怎麼拚命地對帕洛西亞祈禱,爺爺都沒有如他所想的出現。93Please respect copyright.PENANA0fa3pQkKoL
93Please respect copyright.PENANAWCEIrbbr1v
微弱的希望又被澆熄,拿堤爾心灰意冷,他的朱紅眼眸,再次倒映出帕洛西亞的幽藍光輝。93Please respect copyright.PENANAo4vlElE8Oa
93Please respect copyright.PENANARwIUBcKVqs
傳說中,帕洛西亞是唯一盛開於冥界的花朵,其光芒能引領死者前往冥府之路。或許爺爺也被同樣的光芒所照耀,這樣一想,拿堤爾心中的悲傷似乎減輕了一些。93Please respect copyright.PENANArXsgcePtso
93Please respect copyright.PENANABTB5RRWBqE
「真正的活著,就是不管背負多少苦難與傷痛,都要在這世上努力生存,只要你的心擁有這份意志,即使你失去了雙角,就依然保有我們伯萊雅族炙熱的靈魂,祖靈斯拉仍會庇護著你。」93Please respect copyright.PENANA0Rlpd4C1jZ
93Please respect copyright.PENANAaOE3DCiaBg
心頭忽然浮現的這句話,讓拿堤爾的眼眶湧出一股溫熱。93Please respect copyright.PENANASvmZqPEhYS
93Please respect copyright.PENANAlWsno2JEbN
失去故鄉的苦難,親人逝去的傷痛,在他的身與心烙下難以磨滅的傷痕,但爺爺告訴過他要努力生存,因為他們都是伯萊雅的族人。93Please respect copyright.PENANATUFVU3rfYQ
93Please respect copyright.PENANABULpana3zR
即使還找不到活著的目標,也要努力生存,因為他已經答應爺爺,這樣的話,爺爺就還留在他的心裡。93Please respect copyright.PENANAkGjfk8wAus
93Please respect copyright.PENANAec8eWsRX81
「謝謝你,爺爺。」苦澀而真摯的感謝,堅定了生存的意志。93Please respect copyright.PENANAq4dCx2Di0L
93Please respect copyright.PENANAgphqjWieMU
「謝謝你,拿堤爾先生。」93Please respect copyright.PENANATqj2wCklgi
93Please respect copyright.PENANAvZib4LIPcx
彷彿與之呼應,耳畔響起了遙遠且熟悉的,令心為之悸動的聲音。93Please respect copyright.PENANAuQhOpD217v
93Please respect copyright.PENANADK6LtJhuCk
似乎遺忘了重要的事物,拿堤爾感到困惑之時,忽然有一股柔軟的暖意,在黑暗中緊緊握住他冰冷的手。93Please respect copyright.PENANAktGUwxObx1
93Please respect copyright.PENANAQx9NLm86O0
* * *93Please respect copyright.PENANAi2tp9hQOKj
93Please respect copyright.PENANAVXOt3IDQ0K
「拿堤爾先生,醒醒啊……」93Please respect copyright.PENANAP9HNJ4rxtl
93Please respect copyright.PENANAYC46NHTMP1
那聲音就在不遠處呼喚著他,拿堤爾從睡夢中睜開雙眼,映入眼簾的是艾芙娜擔憂的神情。93Please respect copyright.PENANAlgk70QgEM7
93Please respect copyright.PENANAce5gEAHatY
「艾芙娜小姐?」93Please respect copyright.PENANAlHe3n6spO6
93Please respect copyright.PENANALSQrNkjsXO
拿堤爾的意識還有些曖昧不清,他卻清楚地感覺到,艾芙娜纖細柔軟的白皙小手,正緊握著他黝黑結實的手掌,並遞來與夢中同樣的暖意。93Please respect copyright.PENANAMBlkYCdVP7
93Please respect copyright.PENANAM9KI62EQ0s
「不好意思,心急之下就……」93Please respect copyright.PENANA4xgUhOoyCg
93Please respect copyright.PENANAA8wC4YLBsU
注意到拿堤爾的視線,艾芙娜臉頰染上些許紅暈,並趕緊放開雙手,瞬間失去的溫度與柔軟,令拿堤爾有些悵然若失93Please respect copyright.PENANAEqcPHXYabc
93Please respect copyright.PENANA2jFqtOg7mM
拿堤爾環顧四周,他和艾芙娜還在菲莉的房間裡,唯一不同的是,菲莉已經消失了。93Please respect copyright.PENANAMtcX0OeaHx
93Please respect copyright.PENANAmooXRuE3Qm
「話說回來,我們剛剛都睡著了嗎?感覺作了一場很長的夢,夢見很久以前的事……」拿堤爾困惑的喃喃低語道。93Please respect copyright.PENANARIdIFcbxYd
93Please respect copyright.PENANAgKDlXGdr5Q
「我也夢到了以前的記憶,我想是菲莉讓我們夢見自己的過去。」方才的夢境太過真實,模糊了記憶與現實的界線,也喚醒深埋於心底的情感與思念。93Please respect copyright.PENANAF3x1VLuS6P
93Please respect copyright.PENANAALaNYLJ24o
「但是,幸好有這個護身符,讓我能從那悲傷的夢醒來,謝謝你,拿堤爾先生。」艾芙娜拿出拿堤爾送給她的白理石掛飾,將其緊握於手心,自己作的護身符能幫助到艾芙娜,讓拿堤爾單純地感到喜悅。93Please respect copyright.PENANAwLW5sx78YJ
93Please respect copyright.PENANASYzrHv0nZg
「艾芙娜小姐,我也要謝謝妳,是妳的聲音喚醒了我」93Please respect copyright.PENANA52Lon7t1cX
93Please respect copyright.PENANA9NB5M1Vj4Z
「但是,為什麼菲莉要做這種事呢?」回想起菲莉那時喚出的深邃黑暗,拿堤爾本來以為自己會被殺死,卻沒想到菲莉只是讓他們做了一場夢。93Please respect copyright.PENANAx6MTNd2Omc
93Please respect copyright.PENANAUMXc65zQT6
「我也不知道原因,所以我想去找菲莉問清楚。」93Please respect copyright.PENANAkQESF24acO
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艾芙娜堅定的神情,反而讓拿堤爾感到困惑,他問道:「但是菲莉不在這裡,要怎麼找到她呢?」93Please respect copyright.PENANA4gau0VZHKM
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「我想,她應該就在那裡,那是拿堤爾先生也知道的地方。」