新兵 The Recruit

太阳升到了最高点，刚好照亮峡谷深处放逐者们的秘密营地。从自己棚屋的影子中，边沟镇的塞拉斯耐心地等着他的斥候返回。终于，他看到她绕上峡谷裂口处的石塔，将一名惶恐瞠目的陌生男子带进了营地。

The sun was at its peak, just high enough to illuminate the exiles’ camp hidden deep in the canyon. From the shade of his lean-to, Sylas of Dregbourne waited patiently for his scout to return. At last, he saw her rounding the stone spire at the mouth of the crevasse, leading a wide-eyed young stranger into the camp.

“他是哈普。”斥候说。“他要入伙。”

“This is Happ,” said the scout. “He wants to join.”

塞拉斯从他的棚屋里现身，随便看了那个年轻人一眼。“他知道吗？”

Sylas emerged from his shelter, eyeing the youth casually. “Does he now?”

“我是在地下认识他的。搜魔人夺走了他全家。他逃了出来，千钧一发。”

“I know him from the underground. The seekers took his family. He made it out, by the hair on his hide.”

塞拉斯点了点头，安静地打量着这个男子。他能够感知到这小伙子被赐予了强大的魔法天赋——某种黑暗夺命的帐幕。至于他其余的个性，塞拉斯什么也看不到。

Sylas nodded, quietly assessing the young man. He could sense the boy was blessed with powerful magic—some black and deadly pall. As for the rest of his character, Sylas could see nothing.

“他是个好孩子。”斥候打包票说。“而且他来自边沟镇。”

“He’s a good kid,” assured the scout. “And he’s from Dregbourne.”

塞拉斯惊喜地轻蹙眉头，就像是遇到了一个自己素不相识的亲戚。

Sylas’ brow furrowed with pleasant surprise, as if meeting kin he never knew existed.

那个小伙子结结巴巴地自我介绍。“我……我觉得或许……我能加入您的事业……长官。”

The youth stammered out an introduction. “I… I thought maybe… I could join your cause… sir.”

营地里的所有不法之徒全都笑了。男孩的双眼在一张张笑容之间游移不定，想要寻找线索弄清自己哪里做错了。

The entire camp of outlaws laughed. The boy’s eyes darted around the grinning faces, searching for some hint of what he had done wrong.

“这里没有‘长官’。”塞拉斯笑着说。“除非你对我们每个人都用那个称呼。”

“There’s no ‘sir’ here,” chuckled Sylas. “Unless you want to address everyone of us that way.”

“是，长——……是。”小伙子差点又犯了同样的错误。

“Yes, si— …Yes,” the youth said, nearly repeating his mistake.

羞愧难当的新兵似乎在怀疑自己究竟该不该来这座营地。塞拉斯将一只戴着沉重枷锁的手放在男子的肩膀上，希望能消除他的尴尬。

Abashed, the recruit seemed to wonder if he’d made the right choice in coming to the camp. Sylas placed a heavily shackled arm on the boy’s shoulder, hoping to quell his embarrassment.

“放轻松，哈普。这里没人会评判你的是非对错。我们距离边沟镇非常遥远。”

“Be at ease, Happ. No one will judge you here. We’re a long way from Dregbourne.”

他感受到小伙子的站姿放松了。

He felt the youth relax his posture.

“我知道你的困境。他们一直在监视你、刺探你，让你觉得低人一等。这里可没有那些东西。这里，是你的归属。”

“I know your struggle. They’re always watching you, hounding you, making you feel inferior. Well there’s none of that here. Here, you belong.”

哈普双眼放光，盯着自己的脚尖，似乎是觉得自己配不上这突如其来的喜悦。

Happ beamed, staring at his feet, as though he felt unworthy of his newfound joy.

“你知道我为什么要戴着锁链吗？”塞拉斯问道。

“Do you know why I wear these chains?” asked Sylas.

新兵抬起头，羞怯的他不敢回答。

The recruit shook his head, too timid to offer a guess.

“它不仅是武器，它更是一种提醒。提醒着我们的出身。提醒着我们的全部能力，以及即将获得的解放。你跟我一起吗？”

“They’re not just weapons. They’re a reminder. Of where we come from. Of everything we’re capable of, and of our liberation to come. Are you with me?”

“是。是的，我要取得解放。”

“Yes. Yes, I want to be liberated.”

“好。”塞拉斯说。“今晚，你将打破你自己的锁链。”

“Good,” said Sylas. “Tonight, you will break your own chains.”

夜幕降临，路边阴暗下来的灌木丛是绝佳的埋伏掩护。在那里，塞拉斯带着十多名他最信赖的法师按兵不动。他身边，新兵在紧张地抠指甲。

Dusk was falling, and the darkened brush on the side of the road was the perfect cover for an ambush. There, Sylas lay in wait with a dozen of his most trusted mages. Beside him, the recruit nervously picked at his fingernails.

“别担心，”塞拉斯露出安心的微笑。“我第一次的时候也很紧张。一段时间以后，就变得像呼吸一样平常了。”

“Don’t worry,” said Sylas, with a reassuring smile. “I was nervous for my first one. After a while, it becomes as natural as breathing.”

还没等新兵平静下来，远处传来了马蹄和车轮的轰隆声，就像一场即将来临的风暴。几秒种后，马车就顺着道路进入这群劫匪的埋伏圈。

Before the recruit’s nerves could be assuaged, the thunder of hooves and wagon wheels rumbled in the distance like a coming storm. Within seconds, the carriage came barreling down the road before the lurking hijackers.

就在马匹到达的前一刻，塞拉斯向同伴们发出信号，伏击打响了。

An instant before the horses arrived, Sylas signaled to his comrades, and the ambush began.

一名衣衫褴褛的老法师轻轻一抬手腕，召唤出一道钢铁藤条编成的绳索穿过马路，绊在马匹的膝盖处。碰撞的声音震耳欲聋，拉车的马匹纷纷翻倒在尘土中，车厢倾覆在它们身上。

With a flick of his wrist, a scruffy old mage summoned a thick cord of ironvines that snapped across the road, catching the galloping horses at the knees. The racket was deafening, as the steeds fell neck-first into the dirt, the carriage careening over them.

法师们从藏身之处跳了出来，用各种武器和法术制服了茫然中的随行人员。塞拉斯跳到倾倒的车厢顶端，时刻准备抓住车厢中无人守护的乘客。

The mages sprang from their cover, subduing the dazed crew of the carriage with various weapons and spells. Sylas leapt atop the overturned coach, eager to seize the passengers of the unprotected cabin.

“动手了，新兵。”他呼喊哈普，让那个小伙子加入他们。

“Let’s go, recruit,” he called to Happ, beckoning for the lad to join him.

哈普连忙跳到车厢顶端，帮忙撬开车门。门闩应声破裂，在车厢里面的是一位狼狈不堪的贵族。塞拉斯的双眼闪耀着狠毒的目光。

Happ scampered atop the cabin and began to help pry the door. It cracked open, revealing a very battered nobleman. Sylas’ eyes flashed with a malicious gleam.

“哎呦……看看现在轮到谁下跪了，王爷。”塞拉斯一边说着，一边伸出了手。

“Well… look who’s kneeling now, my lord,” said Sylas, extending his hand.

那名贵族怒发冲冠。虽然他身负重伤，但他对塞拉斯的憎恨丝毫未减。

The nobleman bristled. Though he was gravely injured, his hatred for Sylas remained intact.

“我不会向你这种人卑躬屈膝。”

“I’ll not cower before the likes of you.”

“不错。”塞拉斯说。“正好我也不想让你错过接下来的好戏。”

“Good,” said Sylas. “Because I wouldn’t want you to miss this.”

几分钟后，那位贵族手下的所有卫兵和车夫全都在路边站成一排，双手被捆住。塞拉斯从他们面前踱步走过，逐个认识每一名俘虏。

In minutes, all of the nobleman’s guards and coachmen were lined up beside the road with their hands bound. Sylas paced the line, individually acknowledging each captive.

“我为你们感到痛心。很痛心。”塞拉斯说。“你们只是他们大轱辘上的小齿轮。”

“I ache for you all. I do,” said Sylas. “You are merely cogs in their wheel.”

塞拉斯停顿了一下，话锋突转，指着那位被绑着的贵族。

Sylas paused, his tone shifting harshly, as he gestured to the bound nobleman.

“但你们选择为他们效力……这，就等同于为他们的事业效力。”

“But you chose to serve them… and thus, serve their cause.”

他转向自己麾下的那群被放逐的人，大声提问。

He turned to his band of outcasts, loudly offering a question.

“兄弟们，姐妹们——这帮家伙为猪猡效力。所以他们是什么？”

“Brothers and sisters—these folk work in the service of swine. What does that make them?”

“猪猡！”放逐者们齐声回应。

“Swine!” replied the outcasts.

“我们应该放他们走吗？”

“Should we allow them to go free?”

“不该！”法师们大喊。

“No!” yelled the mages.

塞拉斯的嘴角浮出一抹难以察觉的微笑。

“What if they have a change of heart? Promise never to bother us again?” asked Sylas, with a coy smile creeping across the corners of his mouth.

“他们在撒谎！”那名衣衫褴褛的老法师从灌木丛中吼道。

“They’d be lying!” yelled the scruffy old mage from the brush.

“不能信他们！”团伙里的另一个人说。

“They can’t be trusted!” said another in the gang.

“那该拿他们怎么办呢？”塞拉斯问。

“Then what is to be done with them?” asked Sylas.

“他们必须死！”一个年轻的法师喊道，他的憎恨远超他的年纪。

“They must die!” shouted a young mage, his hatred beyond his years.

其他人纷纷应和起来，直到最后这片田野里回荡着同一个声音：“猪猡必须死！”

Others yelled out in agreement, until the phrase echoed across the land: “Swine must die!”

塞拉斯点点头，就如同他是渐渐被他们的言辞说服的。

Sylas nodded, as if he were slowly being persuaded by their words.

“那就必须的了。”

“So it must be.”

塞拉斯轻触新兵的肩膀。他的禁魔石枷锁开始冒出黑烟。他闭上双眼，细细品味着俘获的力量。

Softly, Sylas touched the shoulder of his recruit. His petricite shackles began to fume with a dark smoke. He closed his eyes, savoring the captured power.

这景象让俘虏们纷纷恐惧得颤抖。许多人都双膝跪地，泣不成声地求饶。只有那位贵族还高傲地伫立着，面对自己的境遇不卑不亢，而塞拉斯则冷漠地对贵族的随从们进行最终的告别。

The sight sent a quake of dread through the captives. Many fell to their knees and wept, pleading to be spared. Only the nobleman stood proud, defying his circumstances, as Sylas addressed his crew with somber finality.

“我很痛心，无法向你们展示即将到来的美丽世界。”

“It pains me that I cannot show you the beautiful world to come.”

这句话让那名新兵浑身寒颤。

The words sent a chill through the recruit.

“塞拉斯，别，”哈普反对道。“他们只是……普通人。”

“Sylas, no,” Happ protested. “These are just… people.”

塞拉斯没有理会他的央求，伸出双手和十指，释放出护手里储存的魔力。一团黑云从他指尖翻滚而出，聚集在贵族随从们的头顶。几乎在同一时刻，他们全都开始因窒息而绝望地抓挠自己的喉咙。不一会，他们全都倒地身亡。

Ignoring the pleas, Sylas extended his arms and fingers, and unleashed the magic stored in his gauntlets. A thick black cloud billowed from his fingers and collected above the heads of the nobleman’s crew. Almost in unison, they began to claw at their throats in suffocation. Moments later, they fell to the ground dead.

法师们陷入一片肃静，他们恪尽职守地看完了处决的全程。那位贵族默默地呜咽，眼泪划过他咬紧的嘴唇。唯一的声音来自那名新兵。

A grave hush fell over the mages, having dutifully observed the execution. The nobleman wept silently, tears streaming over his clenched lips. The only sound came from the recruit.

“不……为什么？”哈普跪倒在地。

“No… why?” said Happ, falling to his knees.

塞拉斯轻柔地将小伙子扶起来，用慈父般的手安抚他。

Sylas eased the boy back to his feet, consoling him with a fatherly hand.

“哈普，你想要助我们完成大业。就在这！这就是我们的解放……”

“Happ, you wanted to help our cause. This is it! This is our liberation…”

他轻轻地把新兵带到贵族面前，将他向前推。

He gently guided the recruit toward the nobleman, and urged him forward.

“……一次死一个王爷。”

“…one dead lord at a time.”

哈普隔着满眼泪水看着那位贵族。他伸出一只颤抖的手，准备夺走面前的生命。然后，他的手无力地垂下来。

Happ looked at the nobleman through tear-filled eyes. He held out a trembling hand, preparing to take the life before him. Then, he let his arm go limp.

“我……做不到。”

“I… can’t.”

塞拉斯的温柔和耐心开始消散。

Sylas’ tender patience began to slip away.

“这个人不是你的朋友。他的财富建立在你的痛苦之上。他更愿意看你被绞死，而不会对你展露任何好意。”

“This man is not your friend. His fortune is built on your suffering. He would sooner see you hang than show you any kindness.”

新兵不愿让步。最后，那位贵族开了口。

The recruit would not budge. At last, the nobleman found his voice.

“你是怪物。”他的声音在颤抖。

“You’re a monster,” he said, his voice breaking.

“对，”塞拉斯说。“你们当初把我关在黑暗里的时候就是这么说的。”

“Yes,” replied Sylas. “That’s what your kind said when you locked me in the dark.”

塞拉斯伸出一只手，手上的枷锁依然在发出微光。他从哈普身上拿来的魔法召唤出最后一缕黑暗。一小团黑云包裹住了贵族的脸，从他的肺里抽走空气。在那个人扭曲翻滚的同时，塞拉斯回头看向新兵，眼神中没有愤怒，只有哀伤。

Sylas held forth his hand, its shackle still faintly glowing. The magic he had taken from Happ mustered one last wisp of blackness. The small, dark cloud enveloped the nobleman’s face, drawing the breath from his lungs. As the man writhed, Sylas looked back at the recruit, not in anger, but mourning.

“抱歉，哈普。你还没有准备好接受解放。去吧。回到你的锁链中吧。”

“I’m sorry, Happ. But you are not ready to be liberated. Go. Return to your chains.”

塞拉斯看着哈普转身离开，他羞愧地躲避着眼神。新兵看着面前损坏的车厢，还有通向雄都的漫长土路。塞拉斯几乎可以感受到小伙子在思考，在想象等待自己的惨淡晚年。

Sylas watched as Happ turned to leave, his eyes averted in shame. The recruit looked down at the wrecked carriage in front of him, and the long, dirt road that wound back to the capital. Sylas could almost feel the boy thinking, dreading the misery that awaited him in his old life.

哈普弯下腰，从一名死去的车夫手中扳出一把匕首，然后回到那位贵族旁边，他还在地上挣扎着喘息。

Happ bent down, pried a dagger from the hand of the dead coachman, and returned to the nobleman, still struggling for breath on the ground.

“我准备好了。”

“I’m ready.”

小伙子把匕首举到那名贵族头顶，塞拉斯的哀伤转变为彻底的喜悦。无论他解放了多少个人，都能让他微笑。

As the youth raised the dagger above the nobleman, Sylas’ sorrow turned to unmitigated joy. No matter how many he liberated, it always made him smile.