後哀耶紀之榮光盡歸於西陸德爾斯洛琺伽Del Thilo Faga,而亞腓黎迦,不過是微苂世界注的古老餘燼,那片土地扭曲而無序,滋生着不可名狀之怪異,它們吞噬着陸地的光熱,直至其沉入永恆靜默的大墟。417Please respect copyright.PENANA4BE4kKWcaC
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——《外典·海德維希人皮書》417Please respect copyright.PENANA08HFT7g41b
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從營地到葉格爾默所講的山口約德爾要兩天,這段路在崖壁和霧葉湖間的大片深林中,或高大或低矮的植被互相間媾合著扭作一團,旋至高處,消失在濃白的霧靄中。次日拂曉,基爾巴特正拉着馬在林中行進,林中腐爛的枝葉堆積在一起,似泥潭般難走,葉格爾默送她的馬年紀很大了,脊背上的傷疤和幾近磨平的牙嵴印證了它經歷過的歲月,它走得搖搖晃晃,似乎隨時會撞到樹上。417Please respect copyright.PENANAFH9cI1C1Db
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「好孩子,我們再加把勁就走到山口了!」 基爾巴特拍了拍它的背。417Please respect copyright.PENANAFiz5LOqxOB
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馬打了個響鼻,呼哧呼哧地喘着氣。417Please respect copyright.PENANARcjYLPNk8t
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它大概是病了,基爾巴特喂它豆餅它也不吃,看起來脫水得厲害。忽地,馬嘶了一聲,拉着基爾巴特穿着林子,往一面的高地跑去。417Please respect copyright.PENANALi9kucONz3
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翻過高地,下面是連片的沼澤和淺黃的高草,馬掠去時,驚起了大群藏匿其間的飛鳥,飛旋着,像隨風捲起的秋葉。417Please respect copyright.PENANAqIwhHUMjRf
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周邊林木被伐了近半,不遠處坐落着幾座高大的石木結構的房屋,前立着一根爬滿苔蘚的花崗岩方尖碑,這是第三次聖路德維希東征時期被殖民地廢棄的貿易站。417Please respect copyright.PENANAAtZ6XJgmdP
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那時的多普勒總督鼓動了大量西陸財團參與殖民地建設,他們用時三十餘年,經過數期的開拓,將內陸貿易站從赫珞角·李菲爾駐屯地一直開闢到和希亞什山區,為之後的「武裝鎮」計劃作出巨大貢獻。417Please respect copyright.PENANAYCu9f5X9nq
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然而時隔半個世紀,無數根植於坎韃喀這樣的環境嚴酷地區的貿易站被廢棄,這些建築要麼在無人問津中逐漸腐爛,要麼被流放者重新利用,改造為棲身的庇護所。417Please respect copyright.PENANAdjviDKzsXz
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那些極富進取精神的開拓者大概也不曾想過,曾經的充滿香料與寶石的異域會成為自己後人的流放地吧。417Please respect copyright.PENANAxE4eq0wIwB
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馬在沼澤邊飲水,基爾巴特從包裹里抽出一把短矛,這些房屋外風幹着熏肉和藥草,不過已經被雨水淋壞,她需要格外謹慎。417Please respect copyright.PENANA59knbHuzpQ
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「葉格爾默說山口下的沼澤中住着一群膽小的垵人,頭人叫霍頓,他們是林谷中的嚮導,會指引我怎樣離開這處詭異的地方。我不確定,是不是這裡。」她心道。417Please respect copyright.PENANAKNx8kkISgm
417Please respect copyright.PENANAME8JJr7F1E
大屋房門虛掩,上面爬着細密的動物抓痕,粗重的呼吸聲從幽邃的縫隙中傳出。417Please respect copyright.PENANAA2f8zdjyi5
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基爾巴特在門外站了一會,最後一手武器緊握,輕輕地,她敲了敲門。417Please respect copyright.PENANA9i0Jz75sLF
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「我找霍頓。」417Please respect copyright.PENANADeiAi366GK
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「這裡沒有霍頓。你不要靠近這裡!滾開!」417Please respect copyright.PENANAOUoLjEEx1H
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「我無意冒犯,先生。但我需要離開林谷,我想,你也不想惹得艾哈德先生生氣吧。」417Please respect copyright.PENANAlumq8qUosc
417Please respect copyright.PENANALvqReyu8fK
「你們不遵守約定,咱們的合作已經結束了!更何況約德爾被土人毀了,沒人能出去!你們這些傭兵,就死在外面吧!」屋內人的聲音很大,但卻帶有明顯的顫抖,直到此刻,那人都沒有過來鎖門,不由讓人心生疑惑。417Please respect copyright.PENANAlVhNtxfFjM
417Please respect copyright.PENANAqWwW7zSh7k
「我想你遇到了麻煩,先生,你是不是病了?」基爾巴特拉開門,門出乎意料地厚重,似乎有什麼東西卡在門栓上,基爾巴特用了很大力才把它拉開一條縫隙。「如果你……」。417Please respect copyright.PENANALaNrBB5m6k
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「滾開!把它關上!該死的!把它關上!你這個雜種!」417Please respect copyright.PENANAs7jlHMsXGD
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光線投到漆黑的屋子裡,露出一顆血肉模糊的人頭,基爾巴特還未反應過來,就感到有什麼東西迅速地爬上了自己的後背,從肩膀上跳起。417Please respect copyright.PENANAb8WizVXllc
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一個灰白色的嬰兒大小的怪物身子卡在門縫中,它尖叫着,抽搐着,想把自己擠進去。417Please respect copyright.PENANAwL7vEEP95Q
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「我說過讓你把門關上!」那人大吼着,抬起手撥動機括,對着怪物射擊起來。417Please respect copyright.PENANAgXZG4f3t44
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噗噗幾聲,怪物掉到地上,它張開嘴,露出細密的森長牙齒,哀嚎着,抽搐着,深藍色的體液從傷口處汩汩流出。417Please respect copyright.PENANAZvQHrvBfdF
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「快進來!把門關上!你這蠢貨!」417Please respect copyright.PENANAIwbygekWNy
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基爾巴特顧不上其他,把門稍拉大一點後就擠身進去,又把門拉上,那怪物又似恢復過來,蠕動着把腦袋塞進門縫,覆蓋著如蠟油般皮膚的怪物骨頭似乎很硬,門一時合不上。417Please respect copyright.PENANAx3uFk2RWGH
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「你要把那東西處理掉!有鎚子或者刀子嗎?」417Please respect copyright.PENANAsusSAwkH24
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基爾巴特點點頭,她冷汗直冒,一手掏出小刀,低下身,對着怪物脖頸切去。417Please respect copyright.PENANA5yxoqEbsfj
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數番使力,基爾巴特才切開了一半,又聽到門外有更多的怪物叫聲,情急之下,用腳猛踹,竟將怪物頭部踹下來,在地板上滾動。417Please respect copyright.PENANAgSyHMqJgDt
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「關門!」417Please respect copyright.PENANAoHXf4XVjZQ
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門重重地合上,基爾巴特上了門栓,心覺不保險,又把旁邊的桌子拉過來,抵在門後。417Please respect copyright.PENANARi9FvO1mlN
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做完一切,她一屁股坐在地上,大口喘着氣,聽着身後擾人心緒的怪物撓門聲,看着面前的怪物斷頭嘴巴一張一合。417Please respect copyright.PENANAVzHLqlHXl2
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「那是什麼東西?」417Please respect copyright.PENANA5VCsCzNRgG
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「那你又是什麼?小艾哈德再怎麼蠢,也不會招你這般毛躁的小鬼。」黑暗中的人聲音中透着疲憊。417Please respect copyright.PENANASLrGIJLVwu
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「其實,我為葉格爾默先生效力。」417Please respect copyright.PENANAVnREiZ5qNp
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「哦,那就不奇怪了,咳咳,葉格爾默總是對一些怪人青睞有加,他上次來的時候,還和泥巴地里的那個長着三隻乳房的女巫滾到了一張床上……」那人思緒一時飄到很遠。417Please respect copyright.PENANAqjJUK3eynG
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「所以說……」基爾巴特神色怪異。417Please respect copyright.PENANAGqzZle0yCZ
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「去把火點起來,小鬼,柴火還有一些,火鐮就掛在牆上。」他又開始發號施令。417Please respect copyright.PENANAM53nDJVDCu
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基爾巴特嘆口氣,應了一聲,起身摸索,不久,橘黃色的火焰開始在黑暗中跳動,忽明忽暗。417Please respect copyright.PENANAJRA5epy1Uy
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他從陰影中顯露,靠着火,呻吟着,這個男人身上沒有一塊好肉,其小腿正呈一種詭異姿態扭曲,骨刺從皮肉間破出來,狀極凄慘。417Please respect copyright.PENANASc4ZIdiCl3
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白髮棕膚,身材高大,雖然狼狽,但這這確乎是一個遠東少有的垵人種。417Please respect copyright.PENANAAICwTgzcNX
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「給我倒杯茶,對,吊鍋里煮着紅根的那個,啊,垵人爺們講話的時候可不能沒有茶。」417Please respect copyright.PENANAUiCXyP0LSy
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基爾巴特給他倒了杯茶,又應他的強烈要求在上面加了一塊馬油,一勺碎干蔥葉和一點鹽。他咧着嘴啜了一口,慢悠悠地說:「我是鐵民米沃什·克萊茲基,霍頓·克萊茲基的胞弟,來自石爐堡的流放者……我想,這裡應該沒有其他活人了。兩天前,我和霍頓去泥巴地里的沼澤挖褐鐵礦。每年這個時候我們都要煉一些鐵,霍頓說他想要一把新的鐵鉗……」
……417Please respect copyright.PENANAYSMfZ0nefh
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當黃昏最後一抹餘輝即將被森林攏入黑暗時,葉格爾默正向一團火絨輕輕地呼氣,不久後,在瀰漫開來的煙霧中心處燃起了一小團火,葉格爾默把它送到新搭起的木堆里,火光把他青色的臉龐照得通紅。417Please respect copyright.PENANAYHHwdE4Szk
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艾哈德吩咐手下把馬套牢,又和幾個捕獸人嚮導把伐下的林木拖到營地附近當做簡易工事,等做完這一切,他就披着一件皮衣拿着短弓爬到樹上,今天他第一個守夜。417Please respect copyright.PENANAJFFJFN0ZsY
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起先下面的營帳還有打鼾的聲音,但不久後就沒什麽動靜了,艾哈德擰開水壺喝了一口,盯着默默燃燒劈啪作響的篝火靜靜出神。417Please respect copyright.PENANAHZmDGptezC
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不知道是什麽時候,葉格爾默也爬了上來,他從鐵盒裡拿出兩隻支捲煙,把火星吹亮,遞給了艾哈德。417Please respect copyright.PENANA5pAF25CBEk
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「感覺怎麽樣?」417Please respect copyright.PENANAJtfccEIlWH
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「不安,我們已經在蠻人的活動範圍邊緣了,襲擊,交戰,伊澤尼人在這片土地上就是行走着的魔鬼,去搶奪他們的祭器,我沒把握。」艾哈德拿過煙,狠狠吸了一口,吐出一團嗆人的煙霧。417Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1kOGutg0j
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「這倒是與我料想的不太一樣。」葉格爾默笑了笑。「不過他們的聖地一般族人不被允許靠近,我們在人數上佔優,如果有機會的話,控制住伊澤尼的覡長,搶到祭器繼續向北走,到尼爾人的駐地去,看在和我們的交情份上,他們肯定會放我們出林谷的。」417Please respect copyright.PENANADkW9GwfWYN
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「那樣是最好,如果不能事成,就只能把希望寄托在那個女咒術師身上了,我這次帶的榮耀之手就是她的作品,她確實是他者。」417Please respect copyright.PENANAQnz1WEZxQX
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「只能這樣了,據說一如伊澤尼這樣的古老種族有禁忌加護,我們的刀劍不畏懼任何敵人,但對於不可名狀之存在,也只能求於他者了。說起來,赫西應該已經趕過來了才對,不知道為什麽……?有情況?」葉格爾默被艾哈德示意後小聲問道。417Please respect copyright.PENANABYPtUNj8MX
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「去把篝火澆滅,我發現伊澤尼的騎兵了,去把徠絲瑞他們喊醒,今晚狐狸們要吃肉了!」艾哈德眯着眼睛,盯着極遠處的兩點忽隱忽現的火光道。
(2018/9/19)
ns 172.70.126.150da2