信念的枷锁 The Shackles of Belief

作者：Anthony Reynolds

冰霜修女索尔瓦勒住缰绳，壮硕的居瓦斯克野猪停在了凛冬之爪的疤母——弗莱娜的身边。鬃毛蓬乱的巨兽喷出抗议的鼻息，一团热气化作水雾。

Thorva, Sister of Frost, hauled on her reins, dragging her hulking drüvask to a halt alongside Scarmother Vrynna of the Winter’s Claw. The shaggy-furred beast snorted in protest, hot breath steaming the air.

“乖，冰牙。”索尔瓦说。她轻轻拍打这头性格暴烈的坐骑，手腕上缠的骸骨护符和图腾发出哗啦啦的响声。

“Hush, Ice-Tooth,” Thorva said. The bone charms and totems wrapped around her wrist rattled as she patted her ill-tempered mount.

一阵刺骨的寒风刮过这片不毛之地，然而在这支劫掠团中有一个人与众不同——索尔瓦没有穿戴厚重的皮毛外衣。她赤裸着双臂，上面盘绕着靛蓝色的刺青，直接暴露在冷冽的元素中，然而她却没有任何不适，因为严寒的威胁早已对她失效。

A bone-chilling wind whipped across the desolate landscape, yet alone among the raiding party, Thorva did not wear heavy furs and leathers. Her arms, tattooed with swirling indigo ink, were bare to the elements, but she gave no indication of discomfort, for the cold had long relinquished its claim on her.

疤母弗莱娜威严的身影正坐在另一头居瓦斯克野猪上，这头长着獠牙的巨兽甚至比索尔瓦的坐骑还要更巨大。它烦躁地吼了一声，一只蹄子重重地踏在地上，不怀好意地瞪着索尔瓦。弗莱娜用力踢了它一脚，让它静了下来。

The imposing figure of Scarmother Vrynna sat astride another drüvask boar, a tusked behemoth even larger than the one Thorva rode. It snarled and stamped one massive, cloven hoof, eyeing Thorva balefully. A sharp kick from Vrynna silenced it.

这位疤母是个冷酷无情、经验丰富的战士，取得过无数次血腥的胜利，但索尔瓦不能就这样被震慑。虽然她的名字还没有像这位疤母一样传遍弗雷尔卓德，但她是一名萨满卡，是梦见神之意志的人，而在弗雷尔卓德，再强大的女族长也要懂得尊重老信仰。

The scarmother was a ruthless veteran, her victories many and bloody, but Thorva refused to be overawed. Her name was not yet known across the Freljord like the scarmother’s, but she was a shamanka, one who dreamed the will of the gods, and even the most powerful matriarchs in the Freljord were wise to respect the old faith.

凛冬之爪劫掠团的其他成员也都勒住缰绳，等待他们的疤母和萨满卡给出指示。他们几乎一整天都在以稳步的速度行军，向东深入阿瓦罗萨的领地。这是他们几个小时以来第一次停下脚步，于是纷纷滑下鞍座，舒展腰背，活动麻木的腿脚。

The rest of the Winter’s Claw raiding party had reined in, awaiting their scarmother and shamanka. They’d been traveling at pace for much of the day, heading east, deep into Avarosan territory. This was their first stoppage in hours, and they took the opportunity to slide from their saddles, stretching their backs and shaking out numb legs.

风更紧了，混着冰雪抽打着索尔瓦。

The wind picked up, whipping Thorva with snow and ice.

“风暴要来了。”她说。

“A storm is coming in,” she said.

弗莱娜没有回应，她满脸都是老疤，目光依然望向南方。弗莱娜的右眼是浑浊的，已经看不见东西，她乌黑的头发中也已有几缕白丝——她所有皮肉伤都是这个世界留下的痕迹。在凛冬之爪部族内，伤疤是活下来的证明，是骄傲与崇敬的源泉。

Vrynna, her face riven with old scars, did not reply, and continued to stare southward. Vrynna’s right eye was clouded and blind, and there was a streak of white in her dark hair—whatever had caused her wounds had certainly left its mark. Among the Winter’s Claw, such scars were a source of pride and reverence—the mark of a survivor.

“有什么异常吗？”索尔瓦问道。

“You see something?” asked Thorva.

弗莱娜点点头，继续望着远方。

Vrynna nodded, and continued staring into the distance.

索尔瓦眯起眼，但她在越来越恶劣的天气中很难看清。

Thorva narrowed her gaze, but could see little through the worsening weather.

“我什么也没看到。”

“I see nothing.”

“你有两只好眼睛，但却比我还瞎，妮子。”弗莱娜厉声说。

“You have two good eyes, yet you are more blind than I am, girl,” snapped Vrynna.

索尔瓦握紧双拳，指节上结出白霜，瞳孔变成冰蓝色。无关紧要，他控制住了自己的愤怒，强迫自己深吸一口气。

Frost formed around Thorva’s knuckles as her hands clenched, and her irises turned ice-blue. Nevertheless, she reined in her anger, forcing herself to take a deep breath.

很明显，疤母弗莱娜和凛冬之爪部族的大多数人一样，对她和她的信仰不屑一顾。再加上索尔瓦加入这支劫掠团是不请自来的。毫无疑问，弗莱娜认为这个萨满卡加入队伍以后会干扰那些容易迷信的人，扰乱他们的行动目标，甚至威胁她的权威。

It was clear Scarmother Vrynna, like most of the Winter’s Claw, had little time for her or her beliefs. It likely didn’t help that Thorva had chosen to join this raiding party uninvited. No doubt she thought the shamanka joining them may distract those more inclined to superstition, undermining their purpose and her authority.

事实上，是一种模糊但却强烈的直觉催促着索尔瓦加入这次劫掠，那位疤母起初的反对并没有奏效，况且她很早以前就已经懂得要相信这种莫名的冲动，这是一种天赋。神明想让她出现在这里，但究竟出于什么目的，她不知道。

In truth, a vague but compelling instinct had urged Thorva to join the raid, despite the scarmother’s initial protests, and she had long ago learned to trust such impulses as a gift. The gods wanted her here, but for what purpose, she knew not.

“那，南面一里地开外，”弗莱娜指过去，“在那块凸起的岩石附近。看到了吗？”

“There, a mile to the south,” pointed Vrynna. “Near that rocky outcrop. See?”

索尔瓦终于点了点头。一个孤独的身影依稀可见，就像雪地上的一道影子。弗莱娜最开始是怎么看到的，她完全无法想象。索尔瓦皱起眉，她感到后颈泛起一股强烈的刺痒。无论那个人影是谁，都有些奇怪……

Thorva nodded, finally. A lone figure could just be made out, little more than a shadow against the snow. How Vrynna had spotted it in the first place was beyond her. Thorva frowned as she felt an itching sensation prickle the back of her neck. There was something strange about whoever this was…

狂风吹拂，那个人影又看不见了，但索尔瓦的不安却依然强烈。

The wind billowed, and the figure was obscured once more, yet the persistent unease Thorva felt remained.

“阿瓦罗萨的探子？”

“An Avarosan scout?”

“不，”弗莱娜摇摇头，“这个人在沿着一道冰碛往深处走。即使是弗雷尔卓德的小毛孩也不会犯这种错误。”

“No,” said Vrynna, shaking her head. “They are trudging straight through a deepening drift. Not even a child of the Freljord would make a mistake like that.”

“那一定是异邦人了。但为什么会如此深入北地？”

“An outsider, then. But this far north?”

疤母弗莱娜耸了耸肩。“阿瓦罗萨人不按老办法。他们与南方人交易而不是直接掠夺。或许这人就是个迷路的交易者吧。”

Scarmother Vrynna shrugged. “The Avarosans do not follow the old ways. They trade with southerners rather than simply taking from them. Perhaps this is one of those traders that has lost their way.”

弗莱娜轻蔑地啐了一口，然后牵动缰绳，驾着居瓦斯克转身继续行进。其他战士纷纷跟进她的行动，扭过坐骑笨重的头，回到山脊伴行的路上，向东方进发。只有索尔瓦留在原地，努力望进风暴。

Vrynna spat, dismissively, and hauled her drüvask around to continue on. The other warriors followed her cue, turning the heavy, tusked heads of their own mounts back along the ridgeline, to the east. Only Thorva remained, staring intently into the storm.

“那个人可能也发现我们了。如果我们的行踪被带到阿瓦罗萨部族那里，他们就会提前做好防备。”

“They might have seen us. If they carry word of our presence, the Avarosans will be ready for us.”

“那个蠢货不会把任何消息带给任何人，或许只能带给生死彼岸的某个神灵吧。”弗莱娜大声说。“风暴要加剧了。那个人挨不到晚上就会死。走吧，我们已经耽误很久了。”

“That fool won’t be telling anything to anyone, except perhaps whatever gods they worship in the Beyond,” Vrynna declared. “This storm is worsening. They will be dead by nightfall. Come, we have lingered long enough.”

但还是有什么东西让索尔瓦心神不宁，她依然站在山脊的边缘，回头看着那个独行的异邦人的方向，只不过现在她最多只能看清十几步以外的地方。这就是她被召唤至此的原因吗？

Still, there was something that bothered Thorva, and she remained on the edge of the ridge, looking back toward the lone outsider, though she could see barely more than a dozen paces now, at best. Was this why she had been brought here?

“妮子！”弗莱娜喊道，“你来不来？”

“Girl!” snapped Vrynna. “Are you coming?”

索尔瓦看了一眼弗莱娜，然后又回头看向南方。

Thorva looked at Vrynna, then back south.

“不。”

“No.”

索尔瓦轻轻一夹，架着她的居瓦斯克野猪向山下走去，她听到弗莱娜在身后咒骂一声，于是脸上浮现出满意的笑容。

With a nudge, Thorva directed her drüvask boar down the side of the ridge, allowing herself a satisfied smile as she heard Vrynna curse behind her.

“我们跟着她，是吧？”

说话的是布洛克瓦尔•铁拳，这位魁梧的冰裔战士在近十年里一直都是她的拥趸，偶尔还是她的情人。

“We go after her, yes?”

“如果她有个好歹，神会降怒于我们部族的。”布洛克瓦尔补充了一句。

It was Brokvar Ironfist who spoke, the massive Iceborn warrior who had been her champion and sometime lover for almost a decade.

如果要从弗雷尔卓德全境挑出一人与自己并肩作战，那么弗莱娜很可能会选布洛克瓦尔。他比她手下第二壮的战士高出半头，力量大得可以平地举起一头居瓦斯克，非常值得托付。他活着就是为了战斗，而且也擅长战斗。他背上背着阔剑冬叹。

“The gods will bring ruin upon our tribe if anything happens to her,” Brokvar added.

这把剑在凛冬之爪部族中是一个传奇，在冰裔之间世代相传数百年。一枚不融的臻冰嵌在冬叹的剑柄中，寒气四射的白霜包裹着剑刃。如果是冰裔以外的任何人想要拿起它——包括弗莱娜，都会遭受巨大的痛苦，甚至死亡。

If forced to pick just one person in the Freljord to fight at her side, Vrynna would choose Brokvar. Half a head taller than the next biggest warrior under her command, he was strong enough to lift a drüvask off the ground, and utterly dependable. He lived to fight—and he did it well—and he carried the broadsword Winter’s-Wail.

如果说他有什么弱点的话，那就是迷信。他看见什么都觉得是预兆和异象，比如渡鸦的飞行规律还是雪地上飞溅的血迹，而最令弗莱娜头疼的是，他尤其对这个自以为是的萨满卡崇拜有加，甚至觉得她走过的路都是圣地。更糟糕的是，他显露无疑的敬意似乎也感染了麾下的其他战士。她看到好几个人都赞同地点头，还纷纷吹风低语。

That blade was legend among the Winter’s Claw, and had been passed down between Iceborn for centuries. A shard of unmelting True Ice was embedded in the hilt of Winter’s-Wail, and crackling hoarfrost coated its edge. Anyone who wasn’t an Iceborn who tried to grasp it—Vrynna included—would suffer great pain, even death.

无法听从理性的判断，弗莱娜使了个手势，劫掠团摆过半圈，尾随了寒霜修女。

If he had one flaw, it was his superstition. He saw portents and prophecy in everything from the flight patterns of ravens to the splatter of blood in the snow, and much to her distaste, he practically worshipped the ground where the self-righteous shamanka walked. Worse, it seemed as if his overt reverence had rubbed off on the other warriors under her command. She saw several of them nodding agreement, and muttering under their breath.

疤母弗莱娜有一件事说对了：无论这个独行的异邦人是谁，此人对弗雷尔卓德的了解都还不如个毛孩子。

Against her better judgment, Vrynna signaled, and the raiding party swung around, to follow the Sister of Frost.

看着那人疲惫地走在厚厚的积雪中，索尔瓦知道如果自己转身离开，这人都活不过一小时。事实上，这人能走到这么远的地方已经是个小小的奇迹了，很显然这人对严苛的冰原准备很不充分，甚至缺少最起码的安全寻路意识。

她逐渐靠近，荒原上凌冽的寒风并没有对她造成什么影响，突然她看到那个人跌倒在地。一次又一次，那个异邦人徒劳地想要站起来，显然那个人已经精疲力竭了。

Scarmother Vrynna was right about one thing: whoever the lone outsider was, they had less understanding of the Freljord than a child.

异邦人似乎并没看到索尔瓦的靠近。她接近的角度在那个人视线范围之外——从侧翼、稍稍靠后的方向，而那个人一直都没回头。

Watching their exhausted progress through the deep snow, Thorva knew they would be dead within the hour if she simply turned and rode away. In truth, it was a minor miracle they had made it this far, for they were plainly ill-prepared for the harshness of the tundra, and lacked even the most basic understanding of navigating it safely.

索尔瓦扫视周围。如果有霜齿狼或者其他野兽跟着这个异邦人的话，现在应该会扑上来了。视线所及空无一物，于是她继续向前。

As she came closer, unaffected by the bitter wind whipping across the desolate landscape, she saw them stumble. Time and again the outsider struggled vainly back to their feet, but it was obvious their strength was all but spent.

她的距离已经足够分辨这个异邦人的体态外貌。现在她可以确认这是个男人，披着毛皮衣物，但并没有按照弗雷尔卓德人的穿着方式。真够蠢的，他没有携带枪、斧、剑或者弓。索尔瓦摇了摇头。在凛冬之爪，一个人只要学会走路，就要刀不离身。她自己还拥有其他更偏奥术的武器，但依然随身携带着三把刀。

The outsider seemed oblivious to Thorva’s approach. She was closing the distance from outside the periphery of their vision—coming at them from the flank, and slightly behind them—but not once did they turn.

更奇怪的是，这个异邦人身后拖着一对铁链，铁链的连着一对形状怪异、体积巨大的手铐，牢牢拷在他手腕上……

Thorva scanned her surroundings. If there were any rimefangs or other beasts stalking this outsider, now would be the time to strike. Seeing nothing, she pushed on.

太迟了，边沟镇的塞拉斯意识到他严重低估了弗雷尔卓德荒原上纯粹压倒性的恶劣环境。他知道这片北地有着巨大的魔法力量，而现在他来到了这里，就连骨头都能真切地感受到魔法的力量。只不过现在来看，来到这里是个错误。

She was close enough now to make out more of the outlander’s appearance. It was a man, she saw now, garbed in leathers and furs, though he did not wear them in the Freljordian manner. Foolishly, he carried no spear, axe, sword, or bow. Thorva shook her head. In the Winter’s Claw, from the time one could walk, they were never without a blade. She herself had other more arcane weapons at her disposal, yet even she had three blades on her at all times.

十多个精心挑选的法师和他一起出发，踏足寒冷的北地，但他们一个接一个倒下，被暴风雪、隐蔽的大裂缝和残暴的野兽夺走。他原以为最大的威胁是来自弗雷尔卓德的野蛮人，但到目前为止，在数周的旅途中，他还从未见过任何活着的灵魂。

Stranger still, the outsider dragged a pair of chains behind him, affixed to giant manacles of curious design clamped around his wrists…

人要怎么生活在这种地方，他无法想象。

他原以为他们准备充分，穿戴了层层毛皮和毛织品，还用稳重的长毛公牛带了大量食物、柴薪、武器和交易用的钱币——那是从祖国德玛西亚的税官钱箱和贵族金库里解放出来的钱币。

It was far too late now, but Sylas of Dregbourne realized he had grossly underestimated the sheer, overwhelming hostility of the Freljordian landscape. He understood there was great magical power here, in the north—and now he was here, he could practically feel it in his bones—but it seemed now that it had been a mistake to come here.

A dozen hand-picked mages had set out with him into the frozen north, but each had fallen, one after another, claimed by blizzards, hidden ravines, and savage beasts. He thought the main threat would have come from the barbarian Freljordians themselves, but so far he had not seen a single living soul in the weeks of travel.

How anyone could live out here was beyond him.

He thought they had prepared well, layering themselves in furs and wool, and loading up the heavy, furred oxen with food, firewood, weapons, and coin to barter with; coin liberated from the coffers and chests of the tax-collectors and nobility of his homeland of Demacia.

即使是那些公牛也都没能活着走到这里，所以现在塞拉斯只剩下自己一人。

Not even the oxen had survived this far, though, and now Sylas walked alone.

驱策着他的，是纯粹的意志力和想要看到德玛西亚君主及贵族陨落的渴望。

Sheer force of will and the burning desire to see the monarchy and noble houses of Demacia fall drove him on.

他已经在德玛西亚境内煽动起相当的抵抗情绪。他已经点燃了反叛的火种，但他也意识到还需要更多燃料才能真的烧起来。他曾经在德玛西亚的囚室里吃透了能拿到手的每一本书籍、史册和巨著，里面有许多记载都提到了遥远的北地有着可怕的巫术和远古的魔法。那就是他所需要的力量。即使是现在，在死亡面前，他也依然坚信，自己所追寻的力量已经不远了……

Already he had fomented considerable resistance within the boundaries of Demacia itself. He’d lit the fires of rebellion, but had realized he needed more fuel to see it truly burn. In his cell in Demacia he had consumed every book, chronicle, and tome he was able to get a hold of, and in several of them there had been references of the great and terrible sorcery and ancient magic far to the north. That was the power he needed. Even now, facing death, he believed the power he sought was close…

无奈的是，即使是他的执着，也不足以抵抗这不依不饶的严寒。他的双手和脚趾都已经发黑，早就没了知觉，一种沉重的嗜睡感压在他身上，拖着他的脚步。

Nevertheless, not even his stubbornness was enough to overcome the relentless cold. His hands and toes were already turning black and had long gone numb, and a heavy lethargy hung upon him like a weight, dragging him down.

他感觉自己不久之前在远处的山脊看到了一列骑手，但他不确定那究竟是真实的，还是某种在疲劳与低温中产生的幻觉臆想。

He thought he had seen a column of riders upon a distant ridge some time back, but he was not sure if that was real, or some fevered delusion brought on by exhaustion and the freezing temperature.

不过，停下脚步就意味着死亡，这一点他还是知道的。他要在北地找到那个力量，否则就不得好死。

To stop was to die, though, he knew that well enough. He would find this power in the north, or he would be damned.

于是他继续步履蹒跚地走着，一只脚越过另一只脚……可他只是多走了几十步，便一头栽进雪里，动弹不得。

And so he slogged on, one foot in front of the other… but he made it only a dozen more steps before he fell face-first into the snow, and lay still.Thorva shook her head as she saw the outsider fall, and urged Ice-Tooth forward. The man didn’t make any move to get up this time. For all she knew, he was dead, finally claimed by the unrelenting elements that she herself no longer felt.

索尔瓦摇了摇头，她看到那个异邦人倒地不起，于是催促冰牙前进。那个人这一次没能站起来。以她的认知，他已经死了，已经被无情的元素夺走，只是她自己早已对这种元素无知无觉。

Once she was close, Thorva slid from the saddle, sinking almost to her knees as she landed. She approached the face-down man warily, crunching through the snow.

靠近以后，索尔瓦滑下鞍座，踩进几乎齐膝深的雪里。她小心翼翼地接近那个趴在地上的人，在积雪中蹚出一条道。

Again she looked at his bonds, curiously.

她又看向他的束具，充满好奇。

If he was an escaped prisoner, where had he escaped from?

如果他是一名越狱的囚犯，那么他是从哪里逃出来的？

While the Winter’s Claw did not take prisoners, they did on occasion take thralls—though one that could not be tamed or beaten into service was just another mouth to feed. Thorva didn’t think even the Avarosans would chain someone in this manner. Could he have escaped from the southlands, over the distant mountains?

凛冬之爪从来不关押囚犯，他们倒是会偶尔奴役幸存者，如果不能驯服或屈服成为听话的奴隶，一个活人就是一张吃饭的嘴。索尔瓦觉得即使是阿瓦罗萨人也不会以这种方式囚禁犯人。他会不会是从南方的土地翻山越岭逃过来的？

Grasping her staff in both hands, she prodded him. Getting no reaction, Thorva drove the base of her staff into the snow underneath the outsider, and tried to lever him onto his front. It was a difficult task, for the immense manacles the man wore covered most of his forearms and were incredibly heavy. Grunting with the effort, she finally managed to turn him over.

她用双手握住法杖，戳了他一下。索尔瓦发现没有反应，于是将法杖的末端插到异邦人身子下方的雪中，试图把他撬过来仰面朝上。一点都不轻松，因为他巨大的手铐几乎覆盖了整个小臂，出奇地沉。费了一番工夫以后，她终于把他翻了过来。

He flopped over lifelessly, and his furred hood fell back. His eyes were closed and sunken, and his lips tinged blue. Frost had formed on his brows, lashes, and his unshaven cheeks, and his dark hair, tied back in a loose ponytail, was similarly icy.

他死气沉沉地翻滚到正面，毛绒的罩帽落了下去。他双眼紧闭，眼窝凹陷，嘴唇呈现出紫绀色。他的眉毛、睫毛和胡须上都结了霜，黑色的头发在脑后绑成松散的马尾，也同样结满了冰霜。

Thorva allowed her gaze to be drawn to the shackles around his wrists. The Sister of Frost had traveled widely, the duties of her faith taking her to many different tribes over the years, yet these restraints, made of some unknown pale stone, were unlike anything she had seen before. There was something deeply unsettling about them. It was vaguely uncomfortable even to look upon the chains, and they had clearly been made in such a manner that they were never intended to be removed. What had this stranger done to warrant having such things around his wrists? It must have been a terrible crime, she decided.

索尔瓦放任自己的目光被吸引到他手腕上的枷锁。这位冰霜修女见多识广，他的信仰使命让她在多年间造访过许多不同的部族，然而她眼前的这对束具使用了某种未知的苍白石料，模样是她从未见过的。这对手铐让她感到一种深深的不安。甚至只是目光落在上面就有种模糊的不适感，而且显然它被造出来的时候就从没打算被解开。这个陌生人究竟做了什么，居然要用这样的东西束缚他的手腕？她断定，一定是非常可怕的罪行。

Kneeling in the snow at his side, Thorva tried to fathom why she had been guided here. The gods had clearly brought her here—just as they had directed her in the past—but why? The man was still unconscious, if not yet dead. Had she been brought here to save him? Or was it what he brought with him that was important?

索尔瓦单膝跪在他身旁，想要揣测自己为何被指引来到这里。显然是神把她带到了这里，就像从前的种种情形。但究竟是为了什么呢？这个男人依然不省人事，要不了多久就会死。她被指引至此是为了拯救他？还是说他带来的东西才是最重要的？

Thorva’s gaze returned to the stranger’s bonds. Making her decision, she reached toward one of them.

索尔瓦的目光回到了陌生人的镣铐上。她决定了，于是向其中一个手铐伸出手。

Before she had even touched the pale stone, her fingertips began to tingle.

还没等她触碰那的苍白的石块，她的指尖传来一股刺痛。

The man’s eyes snapped suddenly open.

那个男人的双眼猛然睁开。

Thorva jerked back in shock, but she was too slow. The man tore off one of his gloves and grabbed her by the arm, and even as Thorva tried to summon her gods-given power, she felt it ripped out of her, forcibly drained from the core of her being. Her body was stricken with a sudden, incapacitating coldness—a sensation she had not felt in years—and she fell, unable to breathe, unable to move, unable to do anything.

索尔瓦惊慌地向后躲，但她动作太慢了。那个人摘下了一只手套，抓住了她的手臂，就在索尔瓦试图召唤她的神赐之力的同时，她感到那股力量被从体内剥离，硬生生地从她身体的内核中抽走。突如其来的寒冷让她丧失一切能力——她已经很多年没有过这种感觉了。然后她向下瘫倒，无法呼吸、无法移动、无法做任何事。

As the cold took her, she dimly registered color returning to the stranger’s face, as if he were suddenly being warmed by a hearth.

被寒冷压倒的同时，她隐约看到那个陌生人的脸上又有了血色，就像是突然间得到了炉火的温暖。

A hint of a smile curled his lips.

她的嘴角露出一丝笑意。

“Thank you,” he said.

“谢谢你。”他说。

Then he released his grip, and Thorva fell back into the snow with a gasp, empty, and drained.Vrynna cursed as she saw the shamanka fall, and kicked her drüvask forward.

然后他松开了手，索尔瓦仰面向后躺倒，吐出一口气，虚弱无力，被榨干了一切。

“With me!” she roared, and the rest of the raiding party lurched into motion. The ground shook beneath their thundering charge, the sound akin to an avalanche.

弗莱娜看到萨满卡倒下了，咒骂一声，用脚磕了一下胯下的居瓦斯克，向前骑行。

The outsider was kneeling alongside the Sister of Frost as the Winter’s Claw powered through the snow toward him. Curiously, she saw the man shrug off his fur coat and drape it over the fallen shamanka, the gesture almost tender.

“跟上！”她大吼一声，劫掠团里的其他人纷纷动了起来。在他们雷霆万钧的冲锋下，大地都在颤抖，听上去就像一场雪崩。

He stood to face the earth-shaking approach of the Winter’s Claw, dragging his chains behind him. Vrynna tightened her grip on her spear.

那个异邦人单膝跪在寒霜修女身边，凛冬之爪的人向他冲过来，在雪地上犁出一道道深沟。令她好奇的是，那个男人褪下身上的毛皮大衣，盖在了那个萨满卡身上，动作似乎还有点轻柔。

Seeing the force bearing down on him, the stranger backed away from the fallen shamanka, who lay unmoving and pale upon the snow. He held his hands up to show he bore no weapon, but that didn’t matter to Vrynna. She had killed unarmed enemies in the past.

面对奔袭而来、势不可挡的凛冬之爪，他站了起来，铁链拖在身后。弗莱娜握紧了手中的长枪。

Without having to give the signal, Vrynna’s warriors fanned out wide to encircle him, cutting off any chance of escape. Wisely, he didn’t try to run. After all, there was nowhere to run to.

看到扑面而来的兵力，那个异邦人与倒在地上的萨满卡拉开距离，她躺倒在雪中一动不动、肤色苍白。他举起双手，表明自己没有武器，但这对弗莱娜来说无关紧要。她又不是没杀过手无寸铁的敌人。

He turned on the spot, like the weakest of the herd, isolated by wolves. His gaze darted between the Freljordians arrayed against him. He was wary, yet he showed no sign of fear, which Vrynna could respect, at least.

不需要任何手势和信号，弗莱娜的战士们向两侧铺开，合成大大的包围圈，断绝了任何逃跑路线。足够聪明的是，他并没有尝试逃跑。毕竟，逃又能逃到哪去呢？。

Having taken off his coat, the outsider’s muscular arms were bare to the elements, but he appeared not to feel the cold at all.

他站在原地回身环顾，就像兽群中最弱小的一只，已经被狼群孤立出来。他的视线在身边的弗雷尔卓德人身上来回穿梭。虽然他严阵以待，但却没有露出任何胆怯，至少这一点是可以让弗莱娜尊敬的。

Curious, thought Vrynna.

脱掉了外套的异邦人，两条强健的胳膊赤裸裸地暴露在元素中，但他看上去丝毫不觉得冷。

He was a tall man but he was hunched slightly, the weight of the massive shackles bound to his arms clearly pulling on him.

有意思，弗莱娜心想。

“See to the Sister,” she ordered, not taking her eyes off the stranger.

他个子很高，但稍有些驼背，双臂上的巨大镣铐显然是他沉重的负担。

The stranger faced her, as one of the raiders slid from his saddle and moved to the shamanka’s side.

“去人看看修女。”她命令道，但双眼始终盯着这个陌生人。

“I am Vrynna,” she declared. “Scarmother of the Winter’s Claw. Shieldbreaker. Woebringer. I am the Drüvask’s Howl. Who are you, and why are you here?”

陌生人面向她，与此同时一个劫掠者滑下鞍座，走到萨满卡的身边。

The man cocked his head to one side, responding in a tongue she could not comprehend. Vrynna cursed.

“我是弗莱娜，”她高声宣布。“凛冬之爪的疤母。破盾者。苦难使者。我是居瓦斯克之吼。你是谁，你来这做什么？”

“You don’t understand me, do you?”

那个人歪着头，用一种她听不懂的语言回话。弗莱娜骂了一句。

Again the man gave her a quizzical look.

“你听不懂我说的吧，能听懂吗？”

“Sylas,” he replied, tapping his chest.

那人又回应了一个疑问的表情。

“Sylas?” Vrynna repeated. “That’s your name, Sylas?”

“塞拉斯。”他一边答道，一遍拍了拍自己的前胸。

The man simply repeated the word, tapping his chest again, and giving her a rakish smile.

“塞拉斯？”弗莱娜重复了一遍。“你是叫塞拉斯吗？”

The scarmother muttered under her breath. She glanced over to the shamanka, lying lifeless and pale upon the snow. One of Vrynna’s warriors knelt over Thorva, lowering his head to her chest to see if she was breathing.

那个人又说了一遍这个词，又拍了拍自己前胸，然后对她露出轻佻的微笑。

“Is she dead?” she called.

疤母悄声喃喃自语。她瞥了一眼萨满卡，她正死气沉沉、面色苍白地躺在雪地里。弗莱娜手下的一个战士半跪在她身边，正低下头确认她的呼吸。

“She’s half frozen, but she lives,” came the reply. “At least for now.”

“她死了吗？”她喊道。

The Freljordian warriors muttered under their breaths. Half frozen? It was known that the Sister of Frost was inured to the cold, claimed to be a gift of the old gods… but now she was freezing, and this stranger to the Freljord, Sylas, stood before them, his skin bare?

“她冻僵了，但还活着，”一个声音答道，“目前还活着。”

Vrynna frowned, considering her options. She didn’t put much faith in anything but steel, fire, and blood, but she knew her warriors—particularly Brokvar—would likely see this as some kind of omen.

其他弗雷尔卓德的战士窃窃私语。冻僵了？所有人都知道冰霜修女是与寒冷融为一体的，据说这是来自旧神的恩赐……可现在她却冻僵了，反而是这个外人塞拉斯，赤裸着胳膊站在他们面前？

“This is a waste of time,” she muttered.

弗莱娜皱起眉，开始思考行动选项。除了钢铁、火焰和鲜血，她不太相信别的东西，但她知道自己手下的战士们，尤其是布洛克瓦尔，很可能会把眼前的景象当成是某种预兆。

Making her decision, she tightened her grip on her spear,and nudged her mount forward. The man, Sylas, raised a hand and yelled something in his weak, southerner’s tongue, but she ignored him. She would kill this fool, and be on her way.

“真是浪费时间。”她喃喃地说。

“Let me do it,” growled Brokvar, riding at the scarmother’s side.

她决定好了，于是握紧了长枪，策着坐骑向前。而那个叫塞拉斯的人则举起一只手，用软弱的南方语言吼着什么话，但她没有理睬。她要杀了这个蠢货，然后继续赶路。

Vrynna’s brow raised.“He did this to the revered sister,” Brokvar answered her silent question, stabbing a meaty finger toward the fallen shamanka. “It would be my honor to punish him, beneath the eyes of the gods.”

“让我来。”布洛克瓦尔吼道，他就骑行在疤母身边。

The outsider looked between Vrynna and Brokvar. Did he have any understanding that his fate was about to be determined?

弗莱娜扬起眉毛。

Vrynna shrugged. “He’s yours.”

“他把尊贵的修女害成这样。”布洛克瓦尔回答了她沉默的疑问，同时用一根粗壮的手指指向地上的萨满卡。“如果能在神明的注视下惩罚他，将是我的荣耀。”

Brokvar dropped off his mount, rose to his full, towering height. The man, Sylas, was not small, but Brokvar made him look it. The Iceborn unsheathed Winter’s-Wail from the scabbard across his back, and began to walk grimly toward the outsider.

那个异邦人来回看向弗莱娜和布洛克瓦尔。他知不知道自己的命运就将这样被决定？

弗莱娜耸了耸肩，“他归你了。”

The last time Thorva had truly felt the cold had been when she was a child, not even six winters of age.

布洛克瓦尔跳下坐骑，高大的身躯展露无遗。那个塞拉斯并不是小个子，但和布洛克瓦尔相比就很矮小。这位冰裔战士从背后的剑鞘中抽出了冬叹，迈着冷峻的步伐向异邦人走去。She had chased a snow hare out onto a frozen lake, laughing as she went. She had not realized the ice beneath her was so thin until the awful cracking sound, right before it gave way. With a strangled cry, she plunged into the icy, black depths. Such was the shocking suddenness of the bone-chilling cold that all the air was driven from her lungs, and her limbs instantly seized up, stiffening in agonizing cramps.索尔瓦上一次感觉到真正的冷，还是她很小的时候，甚至还不到六冬的年纪。She’d been dead for long minutes before she was finally hauled out from under the ice and the tribe’s shaman breathed life back into her. She first manifested her gods-given power that night.那个时候她追着一只雪兔跑到一座结冰的湖面上，一边跑一边开心地笑。她没有意识到脚下的冰面其实很薄，直到她听见一声可怕的碎裂声响，冰盖坍塌。她还没来得及尖叫，就掉进了冰冷黑暗的湖水中。那种猝不及防的刺骨寒冷，让她觉得身体里一口气都含不住，四肢立刻僵直，在剧痛的痉挛中动弹不得。“Sometimes, when a person is brought back from the Realm Beyond, they return changed,” the shaman explained, shrugging. “The gods, in their inscrutable wisdom, have blessed you.”在那漫长的几分钟里，她经历了死亡，最后终于被从冰盖下捞出来，部族的萨满将生命的气息送还给她。也就是在那一夜，她初次显示出了神赐的力量。

In the days that followed, she had found herself impervious to cold, able to walk through freezing blizzards bare-skinned, with no ill effect.

“有的时候，当一个人去过了生死彼岸，再回来以后就会发生改变。”那名萨满解释说，“出于凡人无法理解的智慧，神明庇佑了你。”

Now, once again she was that scared little girl she’d been, sinking slowly as the hole in the ice above got further and further away… only this time she was staring up at the sky, unblinking.

随后的几天里，她发现自己不再惧怕寒冷，甚至能够裸露着皮肤行走在暴风雪中，不受任何影响。

Numb and breathless, Thorva lay on the ground, hearing nothing, feeling nothing. The cold infused her. It was her.

而现在，她又变回了那个惊慌失措的小女孩，在冰窟窿里缓缓下沉，眼看着头顶的光越来越遥远……只不过这一次她正直勾勾地盯着天空，眼睛都无法眨一下。

Was this the reason she had been brought here? To give her life to the outsider, that he may fulfill whatever it was the gods had decreed?

麻木不觉、无法呼吸，索尔瓦就那样躺在地上，听不见、感受不到。寒冷融入了她。寒冷成为了她。

Nevertheless, an ineffable fear slowed her descent into oblivion.

这就是她被带到这里的原因吗？要把她的生命交给那个异邦人，以便让他完成神赋予的其他使命？

Even if it were the gods’ will for her to die in the outsider’s place, Thorva knew in her heart that Vrynna would not let him live… and so, she began to fight back toward the surface.

只不过，一种不可言喻的恐惧拖慢了她向湮灭的沉降。

就算是神的意志令她替异邦人赴死，索尔瓦很清楚弗莱娜是不会让他活命的……于是，她开始向水面拼命爬升。

Brokvar Ironfist went straight for the killing blow, charging forward, Winter’s-Wail hissing through the air and trailing icy fog in its wake.

布洛克瓦尔•铁拳直截了当地挥出夺命一击，向前猛冲的同时，冬叹嘶吼着划破空气，留下一道冰雾的轨迹。

That blow would have split an ice-troll in half had it landed, but the outsider was surprisingly quick given he was weighed down by restraints. He darted back from the lethal strike and whipped his chains around in a whirling arc. They swung passed Brokvar’s face, barely missing the Iceborn warrior as he snarled in fury.

这一击足以把一只冰巨魔劈成两半，但那个异邦人却能带着束具保持惊人的速度。他向后闪避了夺命一击，两条铁链划过一道圆弧抽打下来。铁链擦过布洛克瓦尔的脸，没有命中目标，但却彻底惹怒了这位冰裔战士。

Still, he didn’t reel back, as perhaps the outsider had expected. He was as tough as the mountains and was exceptionally fast for such a big man. He lashed out, striking his opponent across the side of the head with a powerful backhand punch, and Vrynna winced as the smaller man was sent flying.

他没有退缩，或许这正是异邦人盘算好的。他和山岳一样顽强，而且这么大的块头，速度却一点也不慢。他反手挥拳，瞄准了对手的头部旁侧，弗莱娜不禁挤了下眼睛，她看到那个小个子被直接打飞出去。

The outsider struggled to pick himself off the ground as the Iceborn stalked toward him, but finally regained his footing. In truth, Vrynna was impressed that he was able to get up at all. Still, he merely prolonged the inevitable outcome.

冰脉战士跟了过去，那个异邦人挣扎着想要爬起来，最后终于站稳脚跟。事实上，光是能站起来就已经让弗莱娜觉得了不起了。但他只不过是稍微拖延了注定的结果。

His face set in grim resolve, Brokvar closed in for the kill.

面庞坚毅、表情冷峻，布洛克瓦尔靠了上来，准备了结他的性命。

塞拉斯目光凝聚在这个野蛮人的武器上。

Sylas’ gaze narrowed as he focused on the barbarian’s weapon.

剑柄上镶着一块苍白的冰晶，正在发出亮光，剑刃上结着一层寒气四射的白霜。

The pale ice shard in its hilt was glowing brightly, and crackling hoarfrost covered the blade.

那块冰晶散发出的魔法是塞拉斯从未见过的。它原始、凶悍、而且只释放出了一部分力量。塞拉斯可以透过皮肤感受到它的魔力，那种力量的震颤近乎令他沉醉。

The magic that chunk of ice exuded was unlike anything Sylas had encountered before. It was primal, dangerous, and enfettered. Sylas could feel it on his skin, a frisson of power that was almost intoxicating.

那个女人的力量让他死而复生，驱走了他体内的寒冷和指尖的死灰色，而相比之下，这块冰晶上的力量则非常古老。如果他能触碰到它……

The woman’s power had revived him, driving the cold from his limbs and the blackness from his fingers, but this was a power far older. If he could just get his hands on it…

一声咆哮，塞拉斯向前迎战那个弗雷尔卓德人。

With a roar, Sylas stepped forward to meet the Freljordian.

异邦人的铁链一闪而过，划出两道圆弧袭向布洛克瓦尔。两根铁链打中了冰裔战士头部的左右两侧。沉重的铁环缠绕往复，塞拉斯用力一扭，卸下了冰裔战士的头盔。

布洛克瓦尔甩了甩头，长发松散地洒下来，他向雪地啐了口血，继续前进。

The outsider lashed at Brokvar, swinging his chains around in a flurry of arcs. The Iceborn was struck across his head, one chain from each side. The heavy links whipped around, and with a wrench, the Iceborn’s helmet was torn off.

铁链又向他飞去，但这名壮硕的战士这一次做足了准备。他躲过了第一条锁链，随即向前一步举起一只手，让铁链抽打在自己的前臂上。然后他像铁钳一般紧紧抓住了锁链，将那个小个子一把拽过来，正好迎上他的飞肘。

Brokvar shook his long hair loose, spat blood into the snow, and continued his advance.

那个人受到肘击的重创，趴倒在布洛克瓦尔脚下。冰裔战士耸立在他头顶，冬叹已高高举起，准备致死一击。

The chains came around at him again, but the massive warrior was ready this time. He avoided the first of the strikes, before stepping forward and lifting one arm, letting the chain whip around his massive forearm. Then he grabbed the metal links in his vice-like grip, and yanked the smaller man toward him, straight into a swinging elbow.

“慢！别杀他！”一个声音大喊道，布洛克瓦尔停顿了。

The blow crumpled the man, and he fell at Brokvar’s feet. The Iceborn towered over him, Winter’s-Wail raised to deliver the killing blow.

弗莱娜立刻回过头怒目而视，看到的是冰霜修女索尔瓦，正在摇晃着站起来。她面色煞白，双唇紫绀，但依然迈着沉重的脚步向前走，紧紧倚靠在她的神职法杖上。

“Wait! Do not kill him!” came a shout, and Brokvar paused.

“你疯了吗？”弗莱娜怒吼道。

Vrynna whipped her head around, scowling, to see the Sister of Frost, Thorva, rising unsteadily to her feet. She was deathly pale, and her lips blue, but she stomped forward, leaning heavily on her staff of office.

“不是疯狂，”索尔瓦依然紧紧扶着神职法杖，淡淡地说，“这是神的意志。”

“What madness is this?” Vrynna snarled.

巨大的野蛮人短暂分神，残暴的面孔浮现出困惑的表情，塞拉斯看到了机会。

“Not madness,” Thorva said, leaning heavily upon her staff of office. “It is the will of the gods.”

他爬起到半跪的姿态，甩出一根铁链。铁链缠绕在对手的剑刃上，他猛地用力，将阔剑抽出了对手的掌心。

The giant barbarian was momentarily distracted, a look of confusion on his brutish face, and Sylas saw his chance.

阔剑落在附近的雪地上，塞拉斯扑了过去，眼中充满渴望。

Rising to a knee, he lashed out with one of his chains. It whipped around the blade of his opponent, and with a sharp tug, he tore it from the man’s grasp.

他喜形于色，捡起阔剑……一阵剧痛燃遍他全身。

It landed in the snow nearby, and Sylas leapt upon it, eagerly.

弗莱娜对这个蠢货摇摇头。只有冰裔才能拿起臻冰武器。换做其他人，无论是谁，都是死亡宣判。

Grinning, he picked up the broadsword… and agony seared through him.

异邦人放下了冬叹，只能叫喊着任凭寒冷爬上他的双手。他跪倒在地，抓着自己的胳膊，但却无法阻止手臂冻结。臻冰的杀生之力从他的双手开始显现，正在逐渐沿着手臂，向心脏蔓延。

Vrynna shook her head at the fool. Only an Iceborn could hold a True Ice weapon. For anyone else, it was a death sentence.

“这也是神的意愿？”弗莱娜指着异邦人发出轻蔑的嘲弄。

The outsider released Winter’s-Wail, roaring as the cold shot up his arm. He dropped to his knees, clutching his arm, even as it began to freeze. The killing power of the True Ice began at his hand, but was steadily working its way down his arm, toward his heart.

萨满卡怒容满面，但什么都没说。

“The gods wanted this?” Vrynna scoffed, gesturing at the outsider.

“不过话说回来，神也都是薄情残酷的。”弗莱娜耸了耸肩，补上一句，“或许神就是想让他受苦吧？”

The shamanka scowled, but said nothing.

布洛克瓦尔拿回了冬叹，毫发无伤地拿着剑。异邦人抬头瞪着他，脸上写满了痛苦和不解，臻冰的致命力量已经将他吞噬。

“But then, the gods are nothing if not fickle and cruel,” added Vrynna, shrugging. “Perhaps they simply wanted him to suffer?”

“给他个痛快吧。”弗莱娜命令道。

Brokvar retrieved Winter’s-Wail, hefting it without harm. The outsider stared up at him, anguish and confusion written upon his face as the lethal power of the True Ice consumed him.

布洛克瓦尔刚毅的目光看向了他们的萨满卡，寻求她的首肯。弗莱娜怒火中烧。

“Put him out of his misery,” ordered Vrynna.

“如果神要拯救他，那就让他们直接干涉吧。”

Brokvar’s iron gaze shifted to the shamanka, looking for her approval. Anger surged within Vrynna.

索尔瓦侍奉并尊敬弗雷尔卓德的旧神，但她从来都不说自己能知晓神的意志。她也很少见到神明直接干涉凡尘琐事。

“If the gods want him saved, then they can intervene,” she snapped.

然而，接下来发生的事，怎么看都不像是单纯的巧合。

异邦人躺在雪堆上，颤抖着抽搐着。臻冰已经彻底将他夺走，但他还在顽强抵抗，对着冰裔战士伸出了一只颤抖的手。

Thorva served and venerated the old gods of the Freljord, but she did not claim to know their will. Nor had she often witnessed them intervene directly in mortal matters.

索尔瓦知道那个德玛西亚人的能耐，知道他刚刚只是轻轻一碰就吸走了她的力量。她本可以警示那个冰裔战士……但她没有。

And yet, it seemed impossible that what happened next was purely coincidental.

塞拉斯要死了，但即使在濒死之际，他也充满抗争的斗志。

The outsider was lying on the snowpack, shivering and convulsing. The True Ice had almost claimed him, but he continued to fight it, reaching out one shuddering hand toward the Iceborn warrior.

Thorva knew what the Demacian was capable of, how he had siphoned her power with but one brief touch. She could have warned the Iceborn veteran… but she did not.

Sylas was dying, but even in death his will to keep fighting was strong.

绝望之中，他把手伸向头顶耸立着的野蛮人大块头。他抓住了冰裔战士的靴子，但那个野蛮人一脚踢开了他的手。

In desperation, he reached out toward the towering barbarian looming above him. He grabbed hold of the warrior’s boot, but the barbarian kicked his clawing hand away.

这个留着胡须的大块头向脚下的他投以可怜的目光，就像在看着一条流浪街头的癞皮狗。那个眼神，和德玛西亚贵族看平民的眼神一样，于是塞拉斯的愤怒涌了上来。

The bearded giant looked down at him piteously, as one would a wretched dog in the street. It was the same way the nobility looked down on the lesser-born in Demacia, and Sylas’ anger surged.

愤怒燃烧着他，让他使出濒死的最后一搏，从地上猛然弹起，扼住了弗雷尔卓德大块头的咽喉。古老而生猛的元素魔法立刻注入他体内。

That anger fueled him, and with a last burst of his dying strength, he sprang off the ground and grasped the Freljordian giant around the throat. Ancient, raw, elemental magic instantly began to infuse him.

塞拉斯或许无法掌握弗雷尔卓德的冰武器，但他依然可以获得它的力量……用这个野蛮人的肉体作为魔力的导体。

Sylas may have been unable to grasp the Freljordian ice-weapon, but he could still draw from its power… using the barbarian’s flesh as its conduit.

只需要片刻。

It took no more than a moment.

那个野蛮人蹒跚着向后退，不太清楚究竟发生了什么。塞拉斯笑了，他的双眼开始闪烁苍白的寒光。

The barbarian staggered back, unsure what had just happened. Sylas smiled, and his eyes began to glow with icy-pale light.

他把目光转向自己冻僵的手臂，把手举到眼前。他用力鼓起那股新获得的力量，冰晶逆转了蔓延的方向，缩回了他的指尖，然后寒气消失了，他的血肉安然无恙。

He turned his attention to his frozen arm, holding it before him. With a surge of his newfound power, he made the ice reverse its direction. It crept back down his arm, and then was gone, leaving his flesh unharmed.

他的目光又回到眼前的大块头战士身上，

Then he turned his attention to the warrior standing aghast before him.

“来吧，”他说，“刚才说到哪来着？”

“Now then,” he said. “Where were we?”

布洛克瓦尔目瞪口呆，步步后退，不敢让异邦人接近。

“他是什么人？”弗莱娜吼道，“冰裔？”

Brokvar stepped back away from the outsider, gaping in wonder.

“不，”索尔瓦插了进来，眼中的信仰熠熠生辉。“我们低估他了……”

“What is he?” snarled Vrynna. “Iceborn?”

弗莱娜坐不住了。她娴熟流畅地反握手中的长枪，从鞍座上站了起来，倾注自己全部力量和体重，将长枪投向异邦人。

“No,” Thorva interjected, eyes blazing with faith. “He is something else…”

长枪径直向他飞去，但那个人迅速伸出一只手，五指张开，于是他前方的地面喷发了。在一道道突兀的裂缝中间，一道冰棘构成的防护壁从地下升起。弗莱娜的长枪深深没入冰壁，但却没有击穿。长枪足足插入一尺深，枪杆还在剧烈震动，不过异邦人完全没有受到伤害。

Vrynna had seen enough. In one smooth, well-practiced motion she reversed her grip on her spear, and standing in the saddle, hurled it at the stranger, putting all her might and weight behind it.

弗莱娜在这魔法的壁障前目瞪口呆，而就像它突然的形成，片刻过后，它又突然崩塌。

It hurtled straight toward him, but the man thrust a hand out, fingers splayed, and the ground before him erupted. Amid a grinding series of cracks, a protective wall of towering ice-spikes surged up from below. Vrynna’s spear slammed deep into the ice, but could not penetrate it. It was left shuddering in place, embedded a solid foot into the barrier, and leaving the outsider completely unharmed.

异邦人再次现身，他还站在刚才的地方，惊奇地望着自己的双手，现在他的双手铺着一层霜，散发着惨白的蓝光，就像阳光透过冰盖照进黑暗。他抬头看着弗莱娜，眼神中的寒气凝结成了霜雾。他再次聚集体内的原始冰霜力量，一颗旋转的法球出现在他双手中间，就像被控制住的暴风雪。

Vrynna gaped at the magical barrier, even as it collapsed a moment later, falling as quickly as it had appeared.

凛冬之爪的战士们不安地握紧自己的武器，虽然面前的东西显然是属于弗雷尔卓德的魔法，但他们却对自己充满怀疑。

The outsider stood revealed, laughing and looking in wonder at his hands, now rimmed with frost and radiating pale blue light, like the underside of an iceberg. He looked up at Vrynna, frozen fog emanating from his eyes, and began to gather the primal, frozen power within him once more. A spinning orb of magic, like a self-contained blizzard, began to form between his hands.

这时，索尔瓦喊了一句，不过弗莱娜听不懂她喊的是什么。她惊讶地瞥了一眼萨满卡。

The Winter’s Claw fingered their weapons uneasily, unsure of themselves in the face of what was clearly Freljordian magic.

她会讲这个异邦人的语言？

Thorva called out something then, though the words made no sense to Vrynna. She glanced at the shamanka in surprise.

看来，冰霜修女有太多她不知道的秘密了，她的猜疑更重了。

She spoke the outsider’s tongue?

萨满卡和那个异邦人交谈了一段时间，弗莱娜一直盯着他们，咬牙切齿。

There was much about the Sister of Frost that she did not know, it seemed, and her distrust deepened.

“异邦人说什么了？”她失去了耐心，厉声问道。

“他说我们有共同的敌人，”索尔瓦解释道，“他说我们可以彼此帮助。”

The shamanka and the stranger spoke for a time, while Vrynna watched on, gritting her teeth.

弗莱娜皱起眉，“哪个？阿瓦罗萨部族？那是我们的掠夺目标，一直都是，但我们并没有宣战。”

“What does the outsider say?” she snapped, finally losing patience.

“我认为他说的是他故乡的人。德玛西亚，山的另一侧。”

“He says we share a common enemy,” Thorva explained. “He says we can help each other.”

“这么说，他是个叛徒？”弗莱娜说，“我们为什么要相信一个连自己人都背叛的家伙？”

Vrynna frowned. “Who? The Avarosans? We raid them, as we always have, but we are not at war.”

“疤母想知道你要如何帮助我们的部族，”索尔瓦用异邦人的语言问他，“献出你的诚意，不然你的灵魂马上就会去生死彼岸，没有还价的余地。”

“I believe he means his own people. The Demacians, across the mountains.”塞拉斯直接面对弗莱娜给出了自己的回答。索尔瓦小心翼翼地看着他，为了弄清楚她不理解的词义，相互确认了好几次。“He is a traitor, then?” Vrynna said, “Why would we trust one who would betray his own?”“他说他知道通往他家乡的密道，只有他知道的路，”索尔瓦说，“他说那里非常富饶，等待着被人认领。大片的土地没有被雪覆盖，到处都是肥硕的牲口，街道上流淌着黄金白银。”“The mother of scars would know how you would aid our tribe,” Thorva said, addressing the outsider in his own tongue. “Make your offer, else your soul will journey to the Beyond, here and now.”凛冬之爪的战士们听到这样的描述喜形于色，甚至弗莱娜的眼睛里也放出了光。他们的生命中只有残酷苛刻，唾手可得的猎物令他们神往。Sylas gave his answer, speaking directly to Vrynna. Thorva watched him carefully as he spoke, asking several times for clarifications of words she did not immediately understand.但依然还残有一丝疑虑。“He says he knows hidden paths into his homelands, paths known only to him,” said Thorva. “He speaks of the vast riches there, waiting to be claimed. Fields untouched by snow and filled with fat cattle, streets that flow with gold and silver.”“我们怎么知道他不是想把我们带进陷阱？”弗莱娜质疑道。“他的话不能信。最好还是杀了他，多说无益，不然就被他的金舌头给诱骗了。”The warriors of the Winter’s Claw smiled and laughed among themselves at her words, and even Vrynna’s eyes lit up. They lived a harsh existence, making the promise of easy pickings a tempting one.“他……”索尔瓦开口，开始小心翼翼地编织谎言。“他说他看到了神谕。一个梦境，关于弗雷尔卓德三姐妹的梦。他说是她们鼓动他来到这里。”But still some doubt lingered.“三姐妹！”布洛克瓦尔满怀敬意地惊叹道。“他知道阿瓦罗萨、赛瑞尔达和丽桑卓！”“How do we know he would not lead us into a trap?” challenged Vrynna. “We cannot trust him. Better to kill him, here and now, and not be led astray by his golden tongue.”凛冬之爪的战士们纷纷发出惊讶和敬畏的呢喃，其中许多人都用手摸了摸自己颈前佩戴的圣符图腾。“He…” Thorva began, picking her lie carefully. “He says he had a vision. A dream that came to him, of three Freljordian sisters. It was they who urged him to come here.”三姐妹是传奇，是弗雷尔卓德最伟大、最受尊敬的战士。她们是最初的冰裔，她们生活的遥远古代是英雄的纪元。冻土北地的大部分地区，都将她们奉为天选之人，许多人都会在分歧之时呼唤她们的智慧，或者祈求她们在战斗中眷顾自己。“The Three!” breathed Brokvar in reverence. “He speaks of Avarosa, Serylda, and Lissandra!”弗莱娜对着索尔瓦怒目而视。疤母是否察觉了她的谎言？不过，布洛克瓦尔的欢呼喝彩已经开始蔓延向其他战士，所以她意识到察觉与否已经无所谓了。索尔瓦早就知道，这些言辞定能让弗莱娜的冰脉战士铁了心。只要提到三姐妹，就会唤起他的敬畏和信仰，而他对其他战士的影响力又非常强。他们绝不会允许这位异邦人不由分说地被杀害，不论弗莱娜下达什么命令。The other Winter’s Claw warriors murmured in surprise and awe, many of them touching holy totems hanging around their necks.她允许自己微微露出胜利的笑容，不过她没有让弗莱娜看到，她正思考着如何对付这个异邦人。The Three Sisters were legends, the greatest and most honored warriors of the Freljord. They were the first of the Iceborn, and had lived in the age of heroes, long ago. Across much of the frozen north, they had come to be regarded as chosen ones, and many invoked their wisdom in times of strife, or begged their favor before battle.是神的意志让他活了下来，索尔瓦对此非常确信。为了确保让他活下去，这些谎言没有令她产生任何罪恶感。Vrynna glared, regarding Thorva sourly. Did the scarmother suspect her lie?“他必须证明自己值得我们信任。”Seeing Brokvar’s rapturous wonder spread through the other gathered warriors, however, she realized it didn’t matter. Thorva had known Vrynna’s Iceborn champion would latch on to those words. That they would inspire his awe and his faith, and that his influence among the other warriors was strong. They would never allow the outsider to be killed out of hand now, no matter what order Vrynna gave.“很明智的判断，疤母。”索尔瓦点点头，“有什么想法吗？”She allowed herself a slight smile of victory, though she was careful not to let Vrynna see it as she considered the outsider.“他要跟我们一起抢掠，”弗莱娜大声宣布，“如果他打得好，取得了功劳，那时或许我们可以听听他的建议。好好讲讲这些通往德玛西亚的密道。但到时候你要为他全权担责。你要控制住他，如果他反咬一口，必须咬在你头上。”It was the gods’ will that this one lived, Thorva felt certain of it. She felt no guilt for lying to ensure that happened.索尔瓦点了点头，然后面向异邦人。“He must prove himself before we would even consider trusting him.”“与我们并肩作战。向疤母证明你的价值，”她说，“勇猛拼杀，或许你能活到盟友出现的一天。”“A wise move, scarmother,” nodded Thorva. “What do you suggest?”最后这一句在异邦人的脸上勾起一个宽大的微笑。“He will come with us on our raid,” declared Vrynna. “If he fights well, and makes a good account of himself, then perhaps we will hear more of what he proposes. More about these hidden paths into Demacia. But he will be your responsibility. It will be up to you to control him, and if he turns on us, it will be on your head.”索尔瓦从头顶到脚趾打量了他一遍。作为南方人，他还算帅气。要是再多长点肉的话就合她胃口了，但他很聪明，而且他体内有一种力量。Thorva nodded, and turned to the outsider.她冲他伸出一根手指。“Fight with us. Prove to the mother of scars your worth,” she said. “Fight strong and you may live to have your alliance.”“不许再碰我。”她警告道。Those final words elicited a broad smile from the outsider.异邦人露出了揶揄的微笑。Thorva appraised him, giving him a look from head to toe. He was handsome for a southerner. A little lean for her tastes, but he was clever, and there was power in him.“除非先经你同意。”他答道。索尔瓦扭过头，以免被他看到自己的笑。She leveled a finger at him.“他说什么？”弗莱娜用命令的口吻问道。“But never touch me again,” she warned.“他同意你的条件，疤母。”索尔瓦答道。The outsider smiled wryly.“很好。那走吧，”弗莱娜说，“我们去掠夺。”“Not without your permission,” he replied, and Thorva turned away so he did not see her smile.完“What does he say?” demanded Vrynna.“He agrees to your terms, scarmother,” called Thorva.“Good. Then let us move,” said Vrynna. “We raid.”