象牙，乌木，赤玉 Ivory, Ebony, Jasper

麦撒将军把一枚锥形的象牙棋子推过地图。嘉文暗自感慨着这枚白色棋子的简约。没有头，没有画出脸，简简单单的一个圆，没有修饰和色彩，完全看不出来它代表着一百名德玛西亚的士兵。

General Miesar slid an ivory cone across the map. Jarvan wondered at the simplicity of the white piece. No head, no features denoting a face. Just a simple rounded shape, neutral and plain, with no resemblance to the hundred Demacian soldiers it represented.

“如果我们现在带着骑士团南下，我们可以在阿尔戈黑蝗到达平泽镇之前与之交战，” 伊贝尔将军说道，她是一名壮实的女将，眼神中的命令不容置疑。

“If we lead our knights south now, we can attack the argoth head-on before they reach Evenmoor,” said General Ibell, a stout woman with commanding eyes.

“阿尔戈黑蝗成群以后很凶残，” 麦撒将军一边在帐篷里来回踱步一边说。”它们依靠庞大的数量优势抵挡正面进攻。如果我们不能分而治之，逐个击破，必将遭到虫群屠戮，根本没机会摸到蝗后。”

“The argoth are fiercest in swarms,” said General Miesar as he paced the length of the tent. “They rely on overwhelming numbers to defeat direct attacks. If we cannot divide them, they will slaughter us long before we reach their queen.”

嘉文走到帐篷边缘，掀起布帘眺望外面的山谷。若不是情况危急，眼前的景色本应令他心旷神怡——晨曦洒满翠绿的沃土，遍地闪烁晶莹的晨露，远处的平泽镇透出宁静祥和的气氛。但一团凶恶的灰影正在地平线上鼓胀，虫群正在远处快速奔袭而来。

Jarvan strode to the edge of their tent, parting the fabric and gazing out across the valley. He might have enjoyed the view – morning light made the verdant landscape sparkle with dew, and the village of Evenmoor looked peaceful from a distance. But an ominous gray shape swelled on the horizon as the horde thundered in the distance.

阿尔戈黑蝗并不是什么庞然大物，一对一战斗很容易解决，但如果聚集成群落，它们就会听从一只蝗后的控制，行为和战斗的方式就变成了一个凶狠棘手的整体。这次的虫群比任何一个嘉文见过的都大。

The argoth were not enormous creatures; fighting one alone would be easy enough, but in large numbers, they were subject to the dominating will of a queen, able to move and fight as one vicious unit. This swarm was bigger than any Jarvan had seen before.

麦撒抹了一把眉头的汗珠。”它们今晚就能到这里？”

Miesar wiped sweat from his brow. “They’ll be here by this evening?”

“用不上，” 伊贝尔说。”我们只有一个小时，幸运的话可能两个小时，然后阿尔戈黑蝗就会淹没平泽镇”

“Sooner,” said Ibell. “We have an hour, maybe two if we’re lucky, until the argoth overwhelm Evenmoor.”

嘉文回到地图前。十枚代表着阿尔戈黑蝗的乌木棋子立在平泽镇的郊外，让孤零零的一枚白棋相形见绌。蝗后则使用体积略小的赤玉代表，摆在乌木堆的正中间。

Jarvan turned back to the map. Ten ebony cones representing the argoth stood at the outer edges of Evenmoor, overshadowing the single Demacian cone. The queen was marked by a smaller figurine of red jasper, right in the heart of the ebony mass.

“无论从哪个方向冲锋，我们都需要冲破上百只阿尔戈黑蝗才能够到蝗后，”嘉文一边说一边指着红色的棋子。”你们有什么提议？”

“Any charge would need to fight through hundreds of argoth to get near her,” said Jarvan, gesturing to the red stone. “What do you propose?”

麦撒停下了脚步。”忠言逆耳，殿下，我们当以退为进。让出平泽镇，改日携精兵强将再与虫群交战，攻取蝗后。”

Miesar halted his pacing. “I’m afraid you won’t like this, my lord, but we could retreat. Surrender Evenmoor. Return on the morrow with forces strong enough to cut through the horde and slay the queen.”

“把平泽镇让出来？” 伊贝尔问到。”那就相当于给这些人判了死刑。他们挺不过几个小时就会被攻陷。”

“Leave Evenmoor to the argoth?” asked Ibell. “That’s a death sentence for these people. They will be overrun in a matter of hours.”

嘉文盯着乌木和象牙，两种颜色在他的心眼视线中混为一体。最后他能看到的只剩下红色的蝗后。

Jarvan stared at the ebony and ivory until they merged in his mind’s eye. All he saw was the red queen stone.

伊贝尔扬起了眉毛。”您看出什么了？”

Ibell raised her eyebrows. “You see something?”

“不是什么妙计，”嘉文回答道，”但这是唯一的对策。我们把最勇猛的战士藏在平泽镇之中设下埋伏。人数必须要少，才能出其不意。蝗后一进入突击范围，速攻猛打。只要蝗后一死，虫群就会溃不成军。”

“A desperate plan,” Jarvan replied, “but it is all we have. We conceal our fiercest fighters within Evenmoor and lay an ambush. With such a small band they won’t anticipate our attack. Then, when the queen is within reach, we strike hard and fast. With her death, the swarm’s unity will be broken.”

“深入阿尔戈黑蝗中心，殿下？” 麦撒说。”此举也无异于死刑。”

“Into the center of the argoth, my lord?” Miesar said. “That, too, may be a death sentence.”

“但如此就有希望，让平泽镇逃过这一劫。” 伊贝尔说。

“But we give Evenmoor a chance of surviving the attack,” said Ibell.

“没有万全的计策，”嘉文说。”我只会率领自愿加入的人，不到最佳时机绝不出手。我们静待这团风暴经过，然后从内部瓦解敌人。只要蝗后一死，杀出血路便轻而易举。”

“No plan is without risk,” Jarvan said. “I will lead only those willing to join me, and will not engage until our hope of victory is greatest. We bide our time until the eye of the maelstrom is upon us, and then strike from within. With the queen dead, it will be a simple matter to fight our way out.”

伊贝尔将一枚象牙棋子推到地图上的村庄内部，然后将一堆乌木棋子向前推，直到完全覆盖平泽镇。赤玉蝗后立在中间。她用一根手指轻轻一弹，赤玉棋子应声打翻。然后她又将另外两个象牙棋子推进战场。

Ibell slid a single ivory cone to the village on the map, then moved the circle of ebony pieces forward until they overlapped Evenmoor entirely. The jasper queen stood at its center. With a flick of her finger, she tipped the red stone over. That done, she slid two more white cones to join the fight.

“这就是我们的计划，”嘉文说。”伊贝尔和麦撒，你们带队进行第二波进攻。”

“This is our plan,” said Jarvan. “Ibell and Miesar, you and your troops will lead the second wave.”

“是。”麦撒说。

“Aye,” said Miesar.

“您呢，殿下？” 伊贝尔问。”您何去何从？”

“And you, my lord?” Ibell asked. “Where will you be?”

“我要杀的是一位蝗后。”嘉文答道。

“I have a queen to kill,” Jarvan replied.