曾经随波逐流的 What Once Sailed Free

作者：Michael Luo

一名昂首挺胸的囚犯，脚踝被铁链绑在木桩上，双手被粗麻绳捆在一起。鲜血沿着他的脸颊滴落在黑色的诺克萨斯短袍上，在脚趾旁留下小小的红色水坑。头顶的天空在蓝底上画出一团团灰色，说不清真正的颜色是什么。

The prisoner stands tall, his ankles chained to a wooden post, his wrists bound together with coarse rope. Blood trickles down his cheeks onto his black Noxian tunic, leaving small red puddles by his bare toes. Above him, the sky paints patches of gray against blue, unsure of its true colors.

囚犯周围是一圈参差不齐的高木桩围栏。附近的士兵在帐篷之间来回穿梭。他们急匆匆的脚步激起了尘土，靴子上的泥垢肯定需要他们在面见指挥官之前清理干净。囚犯知道这些，是因为他在过去几天里一直在观察他们纪律严明的行动。他从没见过这种景象。

A fence of tall jagged stakes surrounds the prisoner. Nearby soldiers run from tent to tent. Their hurried steps kick up dust, leaving grime on their boots they will be sure to clean before they face their commanders. The prisoner knows this, having observed their disciplined behavior over the past days. It is unlike any he has ever seen.

营地周围，明快的海蓝色旗帜在风中飘扬，上面画着一对舒展的翅膀衬着一柄利剑——这是德玛西亚的印记。

Around the camp, bright navy banners ripple in the wind, displaying the image of a sword dividing two spread wings—the sigil of Demacia.

不久前，这里飘着的还都是黑红相间的诺克萨斯旗帜。这名囚犯记得他的职责：为了帝国的光荣，拿下卡尔斯特德。

Not long ago these were the black and crimson banners of Noxus. The prisoner remembers his orders: to reclaim Kalstead for the glory of the empire.

他失败了。

He failed.

他知道会有什么下场。战争不会原谅失败。他早已准备好接受这一事实。现在，他在等待自己的命运。在他第一次被俘的时候，他失去了家。这一次，他将失去更多。

And he knows the consequences. War does not forgive failure. This is the truth he is prepared to accept. For now, he awaits his fate. The first time he was held prisoner, he lost his home. This time, he will lose even more.

他闭上了双眼，更多回忆涌上心头。他想起来，那时候是两个人。一个是他的主人——他把一个迷失的少年从家园掳走，变成了清算人竞技场中如鱼得水的斗士。另一个是陌生人，自称代表了帝国的最高利益。他们握了下手，他就被运往西方，来到烁银山脉脚下，来到卡尔斯特德。

He closes his eyes as more memories flood his mind. There were two men, he recalls. His master he knew—he had turned a lost boy taken from his home into a fighter fit for the Reckoner arenas. The other was a stranger, claiming to represent the empire’s best interests. After they shook hands, he was sent west, under the shadow of the Argent Mountains, to Kalstead.

没有告别，没有祝福。不过，他不是一个人。其他和他一样的人都有一个共同的名字，“厄运士兵”——他们全都被诺克萨斯军队征召。低贱的战士被派往前线，完成一些无足轻重的任务。许多人对此都没有发言权，他们的主人非常愿意把他们的战斗力以合适的价格卖给军方。

There were no goodbyes, no well wishes. But, he was not alone. Others like him shared a name, “soldiers-of-misfortune” as they were called back in Noxus. Ragtag groups of fighters sent to deal with tasks unworthy of a veteran warband’s attention. Not many had a say in the matter, their masters too willing to sell their talents to the military for the right price.

“看长相，你不像是诺克萨斯人。”一个声音打断了囚犯的自忖。

“You don’t look like you’re from Noxus,” a voice calls out, breaking the prisoner’s moment of reflection.

他睁开眼，看到一个德玛西亚人站在围栏外。他穿着海蓝与棕褐相间的衣服，外面罩着锁甲，腰间挂着一把短剑。他戴着长官的徽记，但囚犯断定他位阶不高。

He opens his eyes and sees a Demacian man standing outside the enclosure. His garb is a mix of navy and brown fabric covered by chainmail, and a shortsword hangs by his waist. He has the bearing of a leader, the prisoner decides, but a junior one.

“你叫什么名字？”那个士兵问。

“What’s your name?” the soldier calls.

囚犯想了想。他的回答是否将决定他的命运？

The prisoner thinks. Will his answer decide his fate?

“赵信。”他回答的声音沙哑干涩。

“Xin Zhao,” he replies, his voice rough and dry.

“什么？”

“What?”

“赵。信。”

“Xin. Zhao.”

“听名字也不像是诺克萨斯人，”士兵疑惑道，“诺克萨斯人的名字都很粗犷，比如……勃朗·达克威尔。”他说出这个名字的同时哆嗦了一下。

“That doesn’t sound like a Noxian name,” the soldier wonders aloud. “Noxian names are tough, like… Boram Darkwill.” He says the two words with a shudder.

赵信没吭声。他怀疑自己作为一个将死之人，说这些话有什么意义。

Xin Zhao does not reply. He doubts this conversation is worth having before his coming execution.

“走吧，盾士长。”另一个德玛西亚人说。这位年轻的长官用严厉的眼神命令着下属。她穿着银色的盔甲，护肩镶着金边，身后垂着碧蓝色的披风。

“Come along, shield-sergeant,” says another Demacian. The young officer’s severe look commands the sergeant’s attention. She wears silver armor with gold trim adorning her shoulder pauldrons. A cape of vivid blue falls down her back.

“和诺克萨斯人讲话就是在浪费力气，”她说，“他们与我们不是一路人。”

“Don’t bother conversing with Noxians,” she advises. “They do not share our virtues.”

盾士长低下头说。“遵命，冕卫剑尉长。不过属下有一个疑问，不知……”

The sergeant bows his head. “Yes, Sword-Captain Crownguard. But if I might ask…”

剑尉长点了点头。

The captain nods.

“为什么要单独关押他？”

“Why is this one being kept by himself?”

她瞟了一眼囚犯，蓝色的眼眸中带着深深的鄙夷。

She glances at the prisoner, her blue eyes stern with contempt.

“他杀的人最多。”

“This one ended more lives than the others.”

赵信被号角声唤醒。他坐在泥里，用麻木的双脚磕了磕潮湿的泥土。他用后背靠在柱子上，滑着站起来，看到昨天的军士正向他走来，身边跟着四个着装类似的人。他们打开围栏的门，军士首先走进来，手上的餐盘里托着一碗热汤。

Xin Zhao wakes to the sound of horns. He sits in the mud kicking his numb feet at the damp soil. Pressing his back against the post, he snakes himself up to a standing position and sees the sergeant from the day before approach, accompanied by four others dressed in similar attire. They open the gate to the enclosure and the sergeant walks through first, carrying a tray holding a bowl of hot soup.

“早。我是奥伯，这是我的哨戒小队，”军士说道，“这是你的早饭，邵敬。”

“Morning. I’m Olber, and this is my watch unit,” the sergeant says. “Here’s your breakfast, Zen Jaw.”

赵信看到他把托盘放到地上。简简单单的两个字，怎么会念错成这样？

Xin Zhao watches him set the tray on the ground. Who knew someone could mispronounce two syllables so cruelly?

一个德玛西亚卫兵用熟练的动作切断了捆绑赵信手腕的绳子。军士和其他几人原地不动，全都把手搭在剑柄上。

A Demacian guard cuts through the rope binding Xin Zhao’s wrists with practiced motions. The sergeant and the others stand by, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

“好了，吃吧。”奥伯说。

“Well, go on and eat,” Olber says.

赵信端起碗。“他们派了你们五个人。”

Xin Zhao picks up the bowl. “They sent five of you.”

“我们听从军尉的命令，”奥伯说，“毕竟她是冕卫家的人。他们保护国王本人。”

“We do as the captain orders,” Olber explains. “She’s a Crownguard, after all. They protect the king himself.”

卫兵们纷纷点头，交换赞同的眼神。

The guards nod along and turn to each other.

“对，她的父亲在暴风顶营救了上一代嘉文。”一个卫兵说。

“Aye, her father saved the last Jarvan at Storm’s Fang,” one mentions.

“那是哪个嘉文？”另一个卫兵问道。

“Which Jarvan was that?” another asks.

“二世。现在的是三世。”

“Second. We’re on the third one now.”

“注意，是国王嘉文三世，”奥伯纠正道，“你们的国王，也是我的国王。你们要表现出敬意，毕竟他这次是御驾亲征。”

“That’s King Jarvan the Third,” Olber interjects. “Your king. And mine. You oughta show some respect, given he personally rode out here with us.”

赵信注意到，他们对国王是发自心底地崇敬。就在士兵们继续谈笑的时候，他一小口一小口地喝着热汤，同时听他们的对话。他们说起诺克萨斯深入西方这么远是多么愚蠢，说起他们来给卡尔斯特德解围是多么容易，以及他们如何以正义之名夺得胜利。

They think highly of their king, Xin Zhao notes. While the soldiers continue to banter, he drinks his soup, one sip at a time, as he listens to their conversation. They speak of how foolish the Noxians were to venture this far west, of how easy it was for them to come to Kalstead’s aid, and of how their triumph was one achieved in the name of justice.

我们是被派来送死的，赵信这才意识到。他无意间捏紧了手上的空碗，木碗在他手中裂成两半。

We were sent here to die, Xin Zhao realizes. He grips the empty bowl so tightly it cracks, the wood coming apart in his hands.

几个德玛西亚士兵纷纷看了过来。奥伯盯着赵信说，“手伸出来。”

The Demacians turn their attention. Olber looks at Xin Zhao. “Hands.”

赵信递出双手，手掌向上。

Xin Zhao offers his palms facing upward.

“你还真耐打。”奥伯用另一条绳子捆住了赵信的手腕。卫兵们凑了过来。他们看到的全是伤疤，像河流一样沿着他的皮肤纵横交错。和他交过手的人非常多，而他愿意记住的寥寥无几。

“You sure took a beating,” Olber remarks, tying new rope around Xin Zhao's wrists. The guards gather around. They see scars everywhere, running like rivers up and down his skin. Xin Zhao follows their gaze. He can no longer tell which scars came from which match. There were so many that he fought, and so few he cared to remember.

“这些不是新添的伤疤。”一个卫兵意识到。

“Those aren’t recent wounds,” one of the guards observes.

“你说得对。”赵信说。他的声音清楚洪亮，引起了他们的警觉。有那么片刻，他们站在原地，看他的眼神不再像是看待一个囚犯。

“You’re right,” Xin Zhao says. His voice, clear and strong, grabs their attention. For a moment, they stand still, looking at him like he is no longer just another prisoner.

“你在诺克萨斯是干什么的？”奥伯问。

“What’d you do back in Noxus?” Olber asks.

“我在竞技场里战斗。”赵信回答。

“I fought in the arenas,” Xin Zhao answers.

“清算人！”一个卫兵惊呼，“我听说过你们这种野蛮人。在上千人的眼皮底下以命相搏。”

“A Reckoner!” a guard exclaims. “I’ve heard of you savages. They fight to the death in front of thousands!”

“我从没听说过叫做邵敬的清算人。”另一个卫兵喃喃地说。

“I’ve never heard of no Reckoner named Zen Jaw,” another mutters.

“或许他没什么本事？或许这就是为什么他会在这里，被打得遍体鳞伤，捆在柱子上。”

“Maybe he wasn’t a good one? Maybe that’s why he’s here, all beaten and tied up?”

“慢着，”奥伯突然开口，“你们清算人在竞技场里都用另外的名字吧？”

“Hold on,” Olber chimes in. “Don't you Reckoners use different names in the arena?”

赵信差点就露出笑容了。这个德玛西亚人比他看上去要聪明。即使在帝国以外的地方，人们也都知道清算人会给自己安上别出心裁的名号。有的是为了耀武扬威。有的则是隐姓埋名。对于赵信来说，是为了让自己记住他被夺走的生活。

Xin Zhao almost smiles. This Demacian is smarter than he lets on. It is known, even outside the empire, that Reckoners often choose inventive titles. Some opt for the extravagant. Others have something to hide. For Xin Zhao, it was to remember the life he had before it was taken away.

“维斯塞罗，”一个卫兵摊开一张羊皮纸，说道。“别的诺克萨斯人是这么叫他的。”

“Viscero,” a guard says, holding an unfurled piece of parchment. “That’s what the other Noxians called him.”

奥伯一把抢过羊皮纸。他仔细端详。过了好一会，他抬头看赵信。“你是那个清算人。”

Olber snatches the parchment. He examines it. A few long seconds pass before he looks up at Xin Zhao. “You're the Reckoner.”

沉默。纤薄的阳光刺破灰色的天空。

Silence. Thin streaks of sunlight cut through the gray sky.

“维斯塞罗，”奥伯重复了一遍，他的声音透出几分敬畏。“不败者。“

“Viscero,” Olber repeats, his voice tinged with awe. “The one who never lost.”

卫兵们面面相觑，然后不约而同地望向赵信。他们此刻的眼神中闪烁着赞许。

The guards look to each other. Then, together, they stare at Xin Zhao, their eyes now lit with recognition.

“我知道你！”一个卫兵说。

“I know you!” says a guard.

“你是不是打败过一个牛头人？”另一个人说。

“Didn't you beat a minotaur?” says another.

奥伯举起一只手，制止了闲谈。“你为什么说自己叫邵敬？”他问。

Olber raises a hand to halt the idle chatter. “Why'd you say your name was Zen Jaw?” he asks.

赵信叹了口气。“我成为清算人以后，赵信就没了。只有维斯塞罗。”他低头看着自己被捆绑的手腕，还有被锁住的脚踝，又看向德玛西亚士兵一行。“在我离开的时候，我希望用自己的真名。”

Xin Zhao sighs. “Once I became a Reckoner, there was no more Xin Zhao. There was only Viscero.” He looks down at his bound wrists, at his chained ankles, and then back at the Demacians. “In the time I have left, I’d rather live by my real name.”

“可是鼎鼎有名的清算人为什么会出现在诺克萨斯边境战争中？”奥伯又问。

“But what’s a famous Reckoner doing fighting Noxus’ border wars?” Olber asks again.

“我被买断了，”赵信答到，“卖给了军队。”他觉得解释这一切显得很奇怪。这么长时间以来，他一直认为自己的最终时刻会很快到来，在竞技场中，在枪下或者剑下——他从未想过会有热汤和关于自己过往的提问。

“I was bought out,” Xin Zhao replies, “by the military.” He finds explaining all this rather strange. For so long, he had assumed his final moments would pass by quickly, in the arena, by spear or sword—not with a hot meal and questions about his past.

这是命运在赐予最后的同情吧？

Is this fate offering its last sympathies?

奥伯看上去有点儿发愁。“你是被迫的。”他说。

Olber appears troubled. “You didn't have a choice,” he says.

赵信点了点头。

Xin Zhao shakes his head.

“你在诺克萨斯还有家人吗？”

“You have family left in Noxus?”

赵信想了一会，然后摇了摇头。他甚至不知道，在这世界的任何角落，是否还有他的家人存在。

Xin Zhao thinks for a moment, then shakes his head again. He wonders if he has any family at all, anywhere.

“那，看来你有机会改过自新了。”奥伯对一名卫兵点了下头，他掏出一把钥匙，把赵信从柱子上解下来。

“Well, I guess you're off to a new beginning.” Olber nods at a guard who pulls out a key and starts unchaining Xin Zhao from his pole.

赵信略一偏头，好奇地问：“此话怎讲？”

Xin Zhao tilts his head, curious. “What do you mean?”

奥伯微笑着说，“先把衣服穿好吧。”

Olber smiles. “Let’s get you dressed.”

赵信穿着新发给他的束腰外衣，挺直身板端坐着。德玛西亚的布料感觉很软。他环顾帐篷，数着草垫和空碗的数量。他耳边充满感激的言语。他认得这些粗蛮的声音。说话的人在几个小时以前都和他一样是囚犯。

Xin Zhao sits upright in the new tunic given to him. The Demacian fabric feels soft on his skin. He looks about the tent, counting the straw beds and the empty bowls of soup. Remarks of gratitude fill his ears. He recognizes the earthy voices. They come from others who, hours ago, were prisoners like him.

他们一个接一个从草垫上起身，感谢为他们疗伤的医师。全副武装的德玛西亚士兵进入帐篷，将囚犯们押送出去。赵信与他们很熟，因为他们是一起行军到卡尔斯特德的。他们在路上滔滔不绝，想用各自的壮举比出高下。胜者趾高气扬，败者垂头丧气。那些特别能说会道的还会吹嘘自己打算杀掉多少德玛西亚士兵。那个时候的他们还从未面对过一支真正的军队。

One by one, they rise from their beds and thank the healers who mended their wounds. Armed Demacians enter the tent. Xin Zhao watches the prisoners be escorted out. He knows them well, having marched alongside them to Kalstead. On their journey, they spent much of their time trying to best each other in individual feats of strength, with the victors celebrating their might and the defeated left in shame. Those especially vocal would boast aloud how many Demacian soldiers they planned to kill. That was before they came face to face with a real army.

战斗几乎瞬间就结束了。或许人多势众、兵强马壮的诺克萨斯正规军能表现得更好。但他们不是正规军，而只是刚被征召的新兵，没有受到过正式的战斗训练，不知道如何面对一个统一的王国。几个小时不到，卡尔斯特德就开始为救星欢呼了。

There was no battle. Maybe the Noxian military would have fared better, with its legions and siege weaponry, but they were not the military. They were conscripts, untrained in the ways of formal combat, facing a unified kingdom. Within hours, Kalstead cheered for its saviors.

我们是被派来送死的，赵信提醒自己。然而，也许是命运的安排，他们都还活着。这并非诺克萨斯的意志，而是德玛西亚的意愿。

We were sent here to die, Xin Zhao reminds himself. And yet, as fate would have it, they still lived. Not by the will of Noxus, but by that of Demacia.

命运如风，四象不定，他的长老曾经说过，风欲何往，唯有扬帆。

Fate flows like the four winds, his elders had once said, and no man can know its course until he sails it.

一位年迈的医师走过来。她苍白色的长袍和帐篷里其他医师一样。“你感觉怎么样，孩子？”她问。

An old healer walks by. Her pale robe matches the others working in the tent. “How are you feeling, child?” she asks.

“我很好，”赵信回答说，“谢谢您。”

“I'm fine,” Xin Zhao replies. “Thank you.”

“不要谢我。感谢国王吧。是陛下降旨，要求所有囚犯受到周全的照顾。”

“Do not thank me. Thank the king. It was by his royal decree that all prisoners be cared for.”

“三世的嘉文？”又是这个国王。怎么会有这么多人敬仰他？

“The third Jarvan?” This king, again. How can one man inspire so much?

“是的，我们伟大的嘉文三世，”她纠正道，“是他允许你有机会改过自新。寻得安宁的生活。”

“Yes, our great Jarvan the Third,” she corrects him. “He granted you the opportunity to begin anew. To find peace.”

赵信双手对握，深深低下了头。维斯塞罗总是能在竞技场上找到自己的位置。换做别的地方，瓦洛兰的人们应该会因为他的力量而接纳他，这一点他是确信的。至于他的故乡——大海彼岸的初生之土——阔别数十年以后，那里对他来说已经和遥远的幻想一样陌生。

Xin Zhao looks down at the floor with his hands folded. Viscero could always find a place in the arena. And elsewhere, the peoples of Valoran would embrace him for his strength, that much he is certain. As for his birthplace—the First Lands beyond the sea he has not seen for decades—it is as foreign to him now as any distant fantasy.

他在哪里能找到安宁？他要的是安宁吗？

Where could he find peace? Would he want it?

不。他寻得安宁的机会早就破灭了，从他第一次夺人性命并换来自己的苟活作为奖赏开始，就已经破灭了。

No, his chance at peace died long ago, when he took his first life and was rewarded with an extension on his own.

赵信抬头望着那位医师。“我能问个问题吗？”

Xin Zhao turns to the healer. “I have one question, if I may.”

“什么问题，孩子？”

“What is it, child?”

“你们的国王，他是谁？”

“This king of yours. Who is he?”

医师轻笑道。“你为什么不自己去见识一下呢？”

The healer chuckles. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

赵信走在奥伯后面，四个卫兵把他夹在中间。在穿过营地的一路上，他偷瞥了几眼帐篷，看到德玛西亚士兵正在收拾行囊，军尉们正在计划着接下来的部署。有传闻称，就在一周路程以内的某地，另一场抵抗诺克萨斯的战斗即将打响。赵信在想这些人是不是就要赶往那里，跟随动乱的行踪，前往各地匡扶正义。他们似乎在响应更高远的召唤，某种比武力更强、可能也更珍贵的东西。

Xin Zhao walks behind Olber with four guards surrounding him. As they trudge through the camp, he peers into the passing tents, seeing Demacian soldiers pack their belongings and captains plan for their next deployment. Rumors tell that somewhere, not a week’s march away, another battle against Noxus is imminent. Xin Zhao ponders if that is where these people will head, following a trail of turmoil, righting wrongs wherever they go. They seem to serve a higher calling, something stronger than strength, and perhaps more valuable.

他想象那会是怎样一种感觉，因自己笃定的信念而感到清湛无比，甚至愿意为之献出自己的生命。在竞技场的时候，他的生命毫无意义。现在，能够亲身面见国王，一切就已值得。

He imagines how that might feel, to be so clear in your convictions you would sacrifice your own life for them. There were times in the arena when his life meant nothing. Now, it is worth an audience with a king.

“看来你是最后一个。”奥伯说着停了下脚步，指向前方。

“Looks like you’re the last one,” Olber says, stopping the escort and pointing ahead.

赵信顺着军士指的方向看到一个最大的帐篷。同样明快的海蓝色旗帜飘在帐篷顶端。穿着闪亮盔甲的卫兵拍成两排，整齐地站在入口处。他看到一个人，脸上和脖子上都纹着诺克萨斯的纹身，急冲冲地带着一个小包裹走出来。那个人频繁地鞠躬，最后被一个卫兵带走，马上，另一个德玛西亚卫兵补上了空缺。

Xin Zhao follows the sergeant's finger and spots a tent larger than all the others. The same bright navy banners grace its roof. Guards in gleaming armor stand in parallel lines outside its entrance. He sees a man, bearing Noxian tattoos on his face and neck, shuffle out carrying a small bag. The man bows his head multiple times before he is led away by one of the guards, and immediately, another Demacian steps in to fill the empty space.

“那是国王的帐篷，”奥伯说，“我们就送到这。你自己进去，下跪，接受国王赐给你的物品，然后我们再把你领走。”

“That's the king's tent,” Olber says. “We are to stay here. You go in, kneel, accept the provisions granted to you by the king, and then we'll collect you.”

军士微笑着说，“国王有令，只要你到了他面前，你就是个自由的人了……但你出来的时候依然还需要我们领着。冕卫军尉掌管这座营地，她不允许敌方战斗人员单独行动。直到他们永远离开卡尔斯特德。”

The sergeant smiles. “The king said once you're in front of him, you're a free man… but you’ll still need us when you’re out. Captain Crownguard runs this camp, and she’ll not have enemy combatants walk alone. Not ‘til they leave Kalstead for good.”

赵信点了点头，然后向帐篷走去。

Xin Zhao gives a knowing nod, and heads toward the tent.

“国王有请维斯塞罗！”

“The king welcomes Viscero!”

宣告他姓名的声音低沉雄壮。赵信向前走。进入帐篷以后，他右膝跪地，卑躬俯首。地面上铺着布单，上面绣着展翅的骑士和戴头盔的战士。

The voice that hails him is deep and proper. Xin Zhao walks forth. Once inside, he kneels on his right leg and bows his head low. The floor is covered in cloth embroidered with depictions of winged knights and helmed warriors.

“抬头，”另一个声音说。赵信抬起头寻向声音的来处。说话的是一个男人，年纪不比他大多少，正坐在橡木椅子上。他身穿金光闪闪的盔甲，上面装饰着乌黑的尖刺。他头戴王冠，顶端点缀着一颗颗珠宝。他右手边平放着一根巨大的长枪，枪尖的利刃如同某种巨兽的牙齿。

“You may look up,” another voice comes. Xin Zhao lifts his head and identifies its source. It is a man, not much older than himself, sitting on a raised oaken chair. He wears radiant, gold-plated armor embellished with ebony spikes. Atop his head is a crown adorned with jewels. By his right hand lies a great steel lance, its edges sharp like the teeth of some magnificent beast.

这就是他们的国王，赵信意识到。他的双眼在那个人身上多停留了一秒钟，感受他伟大的气场，还有令他出乎意料的本尊。

This is their king, Xin Zhao realizes. His eyes linger on the man for a second longer, sensing the air of majesty about him, paired with a raw physical presence he had not expected.

站在国王左手边的是冕卫剑尉长，不苟言笑的样子和赵信第一次见她时一样。

To the king's left stands Sword-Captain Crownguard, just as stoic as when Xin Zhao first saw her.

在国王右手边的，是一个穿着皇室外衣的小男孩。他坐在自己的橡木椅上，穿着皮靴的小脚吊在椅子边缘晃荡。任何人都无法忽视他和国王之间的相似，两人有着同样倔强的鼻梁和棱角分明的下巴。这三人旁边还有两名卫兵，手中拄着长枪，枪尖刺向天空。

To his right, dressed in a royal tunic is a little boy. He sits on an oaken chair of his own with his small leather boots dangling over the edge. It is impossible not to notice the king’s likeness in him, both having strong noses and square jaws. Two additional guards surround these three, each holding a spear pointing upward.

“维斯塞罗是个不同寻常的名字，”国王嘉文三世说，“有什么来历吗？”

“Viscero is quite an unusual name,” King Jarvan III says. “What is its origin?”

赵信放低了目光，他不太确定自己该如何回答。

Xin Zhao peers downward, wondering how he should respond.

“国王问话时，你要大声回答。”剑尉长用命令的口吻说。

“You will speak when the king addresses you,” the sword-captain commands.

“不要紧，缇亚娜，”国王挥一挥手说道，“他肯定是被过去几天发生的事吓到了。我们应当多给他一些时间，你说呢？”

“At ease, Tianna,” the king says with a wave of his hand. “He is surely shocked by the events of these past few days. We would be right to offer this man his time, would we not?”

剑尉长张开嘴，但一言未发又闭上了，最后只是微微点了点头。

The sword-captain opens her mouth only to close it without a word, choosing instead to give a curt nod.

“这个名字是对故乡的怀念。”赵信说。

“It is a reminder of my home,” Xin Zhao answers.

“哦？是这样啊？”国王饶有兴致地说，“我曾深入研究过诺克萨斯，但我从未听过一个叫做维斯塞罗的地方。”

“Oh, is that so?” the king says, intrigued. “I have studied much of Noxus, yet I have never heard of a place called Viscero.”

“它不是地方，而是一个回忆……只不过它在诺克萨斯改变了意义。”

“It is not so much a place, but a memory… albeit one that changed meaning in Noxus.”

“啊，”国王说着，目光掠过他的儿子，“一个人的童年记忆实在是——”

“Ah,” the king says, looking briefly at his son, “memories of one’s childhood are such—”

“但那不是我的真名。”

“But it is not my real name.”

“你胆敢打断国王说话？”剑尉长咆哮道。她的手已经握住了剑柄。

“You dare interrupt the king?” the sword-captain roars. Her hand clutches the hilt of her sword.

赵信埋下了头。然后，他听到了一声开怀大笑。仍是嘉文三世的声音。

Xin Zhao bows his head. Then, he hears laughter, hearty and full. Again, the voice of Jarvan III.

“你是今天第一个让缇亚娜如此暴躁的人，”国王说，“这是她带领无畏先锋的第一战，只不过并不能称得上是一场战斗，你肯定也这样想吧。”

“You are the first one today to have caused Tianna such grievance,” the king says. “It is her inaugural battle leading the Dauntless Vanguard, though it was not much of a battle, I am sure you would agree.”

他拍了拍小皇子的肩膀，小皇子正在旁边安静地坐着，专心地看着父亲的言行举动。“不必拘束，”国王说，“请讲出你的故事，维斯塞罗，一个我尚不知真名的人。”

He pats the shoulder of the young prince, who has stayed quiet, attentively observing his father. “Please,” the king says. “Tell us your story, Viscero, whose real name has not yet been revealed to me.”

赵信继续目光低垂，深吸一口气说道，“我的真名是赵信，赐给我这个名字的是亲生父母，但在我还是孩子的时候就没见过他们了。他们可能还活着，也可能死了——我不知道。”

Keeping his gaze low, Xin Zhao takes a breath. “My birth name is Xin Zhao, given to me by my parents who I have not seen since I was a boy. They may be alive, or dead—I do not know.”

他艰难地吞了下口水，“我出生在海边的一个小村，莱肯，那里是初生之土，被这的人称为艾欧尼亚。我的童年是在一艘叫做维斯塞罗的渔船上度过的，我给长老们打下手。生活单纯宁静……直到掠夺者乘着黑红相间的船，打破了一切。”

He swallows hard. “The place I was born is known as Raikkon, a coastal village in the First Lands, which the people here call Ionia. My childhood was spent on a fishing boat named Viscero, helping the elders with whatever they needed. Life was simple, peaceful… until the marauders came in their red and black ships.”

他闭上眼睛停了一会。德玛西亚人鸦雀无声。

He closes his eyes for a second. No Demacian speaks.

“我们毫无胜算。我被人带走了。在海上航行几个月后，我发现自己到了诺克萨斯。一切都那么……高耸、压抑、尖锐。在我故乡无处不在的自然之美，在那里完全找不到。”

“We didn’t stand a chance. I was taken. After months on the sea, I found myself in Noxus. Everything was… towering, oppressive, harsh. There was none of the natural beauty that filled my home.”

赵信好像听到了人们暗暗赞同的声音。是共鸣的呢喃，是不约而同的悄声低语。

Xin Zhao thinks he hears hushed sounds of agreement. A resonant murmur, a tiny voice whispering.

“和所有迷失方向的孩子一样，我为了活下去不得不做一些不光彩的事。我也因此被那些有权力的人注意到。他们看到了我的实力，把我变成了一名斗士。从那以后，维斯塞罗诞生了——他是一个清算人。”

“As any lost boy would, I did what was needed to survive. Things I’m not proud of that got the attention of those with power. They recognized my strength, and turned me into a fighter. From there, Viscero was reborn—as a Reckoner.”

他叹息一声，语调变得柔和。“我杀过许多许多敌人。有些人我甚至不知道真名。我杀的越多，人们的欢呼声就越高，‘维斯塞罗！维斯塞罗！’他们的金币落到主人们的兜里。我以为我的余生都将如此度过，在竞技场中为别人上演惊心动魄的搏杀。直到后来，诺克萨斯给了我的主人们一笔钱，是竞技场里赚不到的价钱。”

He sighs as his voice grows soft. “I killed many, many foes. Some whose real names I didn't even know. The more I killed, the louder the crowds cheered, ‘Viscero! Viscero!’ as their gold filled the pockets of my masters. I thought that would be how I lived out my days, fighting in the arena for the thrill of others. That is, until Noxus offered my masters more gold than the arenas could ever bring.”

赵信的肩膀瘫软下去。“于是我就来到了这里。后来的事您的士兵们就都知道了。”

Xin Zhao’s shoulders slump. “That was all it took for me to end up here. Your soldiers know the rest.”

嘉文三世一言不发。所有人都在等他开口。

Jarvan III is quiet. Everyone waits for him to speak.

“你这一生可真是颠沛流离，”国王最后开口说道。他瞥了一眼自己的儿子，然后又看回赵信。“感谢你与我们分享你的旅程。让我，也让整个德玛西亚感到自豪的是，我们能够将你从诺克萨斯的束缚中解脱出来。”

“You have lived quite the life,” the king finally says. He glimpses at his son before looking back at Xin Zhao. “Thank you for sharing with us your journey. It makes me, and all of Demacia, proud to be able to release you from the bonds of Noxus.”

国王向一名卫兵点了点头，他拿出一个亚麻布袋，放在赵信面前。里面是钱币碰撞的声音。

The king nods toward one of the guards, who brings out a linen pouch and sets it down before Xin Zhao. It jingles with coin.

“这是嘉文三世的恩赐，”冕卫军尉大声宣布，“这里面的金币足够你一周的旅行。要知道，你在入侵德玛西亚王国保护的土地的时候就已经犯下大错，但作为善意的表示，我们的国王赐给你第二次机会。好自为之。”

“This is the blessing of Jarvan the Third,” Captain Crownguard declares. “There is enough gold there to last you one week’s worth of travel. Know that you've erred to invade lands protected by the kingdom of Demacia, but as a show of good faith, our king has granted you a second chance. Use it well.”

赵信瞄了一眼钱袋。一动没动。就这么简单？拿着钱袋走人——寻求安宁？就在刚才，他说出此生关于自己最真诚的话，而面对的却是一个随手就能取他性命的人。

Xin Zhao glances at the pouch. He does not budge. Is it that simple? Take this bag and walk out of here—in peace? Just now, he spoke more honestly about himself than he has ever done, to a stranger who could have ended his life with the wave of a hand.

不知为何，那个陌生人愿意倾听。就凭这一点，他便已不再是陌生人。

However, that stranger cared to listen. And through that, he became a stranger no more.

我早已和安宁无缘，但或许我可以找到一个战斗的理由？

There is no peace for me, but maybe there can be a cause?

“请吧。”冕卫剑尉长说着，对着出口的方向伸出两根手指。

“Well,” Captain Crownguard says, pointing two fingers toward the exit.

赵信低下了头。“恕我冒昧，但我有一事相求。”

Xin Zhao lowers his head. “I have one request, if I may.”

“讲。”国王说。

“Speak,” the king says.

“我希望能加入您的卫队。”

“I wish to join your guard.”

“荒唐！”冕卫剑尉长大声喊。所有卫兵们整齐划一地将枪柄砸在地面上。

“Absurd!” Captain Crownguard shouts. The guards strike the ends of their spears against the ground in accord.

国王轻轻笑了一声，然后面向他的剑尉长。“多么有趣的提议啊。”

The king lets out a soft chuckle and turns to his sword-captain. “What an interesting proposition.”

“陛下，你不会——”冕卫军尉刚要开口，但又被国王的手势制止了。

“Surely, you can't—” Captain Crownguard begins, before she is silenced by her king’s hand once more.

“让他说，”嘉文三世笑着说，“我想听听他是怎么想的。”

“Let the man explain himself,” Jarvan III says with a grin. “I wish to hear his reasoning.”

赵信抬起头。他与国王四目相对。“您向我展示了仁慈和荣誉，”他说，“这两样东西我直到今天才真正见到。我在诺克萨斯这些年，一直都在为了别人打斗，在这期间我只明白了两个道理。胜利意味活命，失败就意味死亡。教会我的，是那些在竞技场上倒下的斗士和那些战败太多次以后永远失踪的战士。但您和您的人民是在为了别的什么东西而战。某种更了不起的东西。”

Xin Zhao raises his head. His eyes meet the king's. “You have shown me mercy and honor,” he begins. “Two things I never knew until now. All my years in Noxus, I spent fighting for a cause not my own, and during that time I knew of only two truths. Victory meant survival and defeat meant death. That was what I learned, seeing other fighters fall in the arena or disappear never to be seen again after too many losses. But you and your people fight for something else. Something more.”

一阵风吹动帐篷。一对小皮靴晃了一晃。赵信清了清嗓子。

A breeze ruffles the tent. Two small leather boots shuffle. Xin Zhao clears his throat.

“所以我宁愿为了荣誉而战死，也不愿在懊悔中荒度余生。”

“And I'd rather die fighting for honor than live out my days regretting that I never made that choice.”

嘉文三世上身前倾。在场所有人都恭敬地缄默着。

Jarvan III leans forward. All others know to remain quiet.

“说得好，”国王回应道，“老实讲，甚至比我的一些参谋说的还好。但毕竟，我的侍从要经过数年甚至数十年的训练。我如何相信你有这个能力呢？”

“You speak well,” the king replies. “Better than some of my own advisers, truth be told. Still, my wards endure years, decades even, of training. How am I to believe you are capable?”

赵信望着国王，望着皇子，望着冕卫军尉。一半的他知道自己可以说些什么；另一半的他知道自己可以做什么。这是属于他的选择吗？

Xin Zhao stares at the king, at the prince, at Captain Crownguard. A part of him knows what he could say; another knows what he could do. Is it his choice to make?

不。

No.命运早已做出选择。

Fate has made its choice.

他抓起钱袋扔向剑尉长，正中她的面门。就在她调整姿态的同时，他一记扫堂腿把左边的卫兵踢倒在地。赵信抓起那个德玛西亚卫兵的长枪，横扫一圈绊倒了右边的卫兵。他的身体凭直觉行动，脑海中回忆他在竞技场里的情形，行云流水。长枪在他手中旋转最后一圈，然后刺向嘉文三世，枪柄的钝头最后停在国王喉咙前几寸远的地方。

He grabs the coin pouch and throws it at the sword-captain, hitting her in the face. While she recovers, he sweep kicks the guard to his left, knocking him to the floor. Xin Zhao snatches the Demacian’s spear, swinging it in a circle to trip the other guard to his right. His body moves on instinct, fluid and swift as his mind pretends he is back in the arena. With one final twirl of the weapon, he jabs it forward at Jarvan III, its blunt end stopping inches short of the king's throat.

小皇子抽了一口凉气。国王的卫队回过神来。士兵们冲进帐篷，剑尉长也抽出了剑。

The young prince gasps. The king's guard gather themselves. Soldiers rush in as the sword-captain draws her blade.

赵信双膝跪地。他放下长枪，伸出脖子，没有发出任何声音。许多把精钢锻造的武器都抵在他的颈上。

Xin Zhao falls to his knees. He lays the spear down without a sound and offers his neck. Finely crafted steel weapons touch his skin.

屋子里气氛紧张。所有人都死死盯着赵信，而赵信则闭上双眼，宁静平和，无论接下来发生什么，他都将坦然接受。

Tension fills the room. All eyes lock onto Xin Zhao, whose own eyes are closed, at peace, ready to accept whatever comes next.

国王抖了下披风。“退下，”他命令道，“我的父王曾说过，诺克萨斯的能人都被浪费在了竞技场里。我现在明白，他所言不虚。”

The king straightens his cloak. “Stand down,” he commands. “My father once said Noxus wasted its talent in those arenas. Now I see the truth in his words.”

“陛下，”剑尉长请求道，“他刚才想要杀您！”

“My king,” Captain Crownguard begs. “He tried to kill you!”

“不，缇亚娜，”国王回应道，“他刚才是在向我展示，在我信任的卫队的保护下，我仍有可能会死。”

“No, Tianna,” the king replies. “He showed me how I could be killed. Even in front of my own trusted guards.”

“非常抱歉，”赵信说。他的声音平静，分寸得当，如同还没冲上岸的波浪一样安静。“我只能想到这个办法展示自己。”

“My deepest apologies,” Xin Zhao says. His voice is calm and measured, a quiet tide not yet ready to flow ashore. “It was the only way I thought to demonstrate myself.”

“你做得很好，”国王说，“我看到了，这些德玛西亚的战士们也看到了。看起来他们能从你这学到几手。”

“And demonstrate you did,” the king says. “To me, and these warriors of Demacia. It appears they could learn a thing or two from you.”

“我不允许国王的卫队里混进一个囚犯！”冕卫剑尉长高呼。

“I will not have the king’s guard be sullied by a prisoner!” Captain Crownguard exclaims.

“就在此人进入我的视线之时，他就已不再是囚犯了。”国王从椅子上站了起来。“德玛西亚渊远流长，是善良的人们为了躲避世上的奸邪而创立。这个人的故事让我想起了那些古老的传说，让我想起伟大的奥伦和他的追随者们，也让我想起我的父亲亲口向我讲述的故事。”

“When this man entered my sight, he was a prisoner no more.” The king stands from his chair. “Demacia was founded long ago, by good people who sought refuge from the evils of this world. This man's story reminds me of those tales of old, of great Orlon and his followers. The very ones my father once told me.”

他的目光落到皇子身上，小皇子用惊奇的眼神看着父亲。“我的儿子，我此生的快乐，”国王说，“你能在此目睹这一刻，令我喜不自胜。因为你亲眼看到了我们为何要坚守我们的美德，只有这样才能激励他人与我们志同道合。你明白了吗？”

His gaze falls on the prince, who looks back, amazed. “My son, my life’s joy,” the king says, “how happy I am that you are here to witness this moment. To see for yourself why we must uphold our virtues, so others may aspire to do the same. Do you understand?”

“明白了，父亲。”皇子说，他的声音很小但语气很坚定。

“Yes, father,” the prince says, his voice small but firm.

国王向前迈出一步。“赵信，你用生命和勇气打动了我，这种事已经很久没发生了。”他弯下腰扶起赵信。“或许你没有在德玛西亚出生，但我要特赦你和我们一起回去，回到我的王国，在那里你将作为我的御前侍卫，证明你和你的忠心。”

The king steps forward. “Xin Zhao, you have touched me with your life and your courage, a rare thing I have not felt in some time.” He bends down to help Xin Zhao to his feet. “Though you may not have been born a Demacian, I shall allow you to travel back with us, to my kingdom, where you will then prove yourself and your loyalty as my personal guard.”

赵信感到国王壮实的双手紧紧握住他的双肩。

Xin Zhao feels the king's sturdy hands grip his shoulders.

“不要辜负这个机会。”

“Do not take this opportunity lightly.”

赵信看着嘉文三世的双眼。这么久以来，他第一次感到快乐，如潮水般冲刷他的全身，就像曾经在波涛中乘风破浪的维斯塞罗。

Xin Zhao looks Jarvan III in the eye. And for the first time, in a long time, he feels joy, washing over his body like the waves that once carried Viscero free.

在卡尔斯特德北边这么远的地方，黑夜的空气十分凉爽。还要再过一周左右他才能看到德玛西亚雄都，赵信一边想着，一边走出他的帐篷。一个熟悉的面孔站在门口。

The night air is chilly this far north of Kalstead. There is still a week or so before he will gaze upon the walls of the Great City of Demacia, Xin Zhao thinks as he walks outside his tent. A familiar face stands by the entrance.

“还没睡？”奥伯说。

“Still awake?” Olber says.

“我转一圈。很快回来。”

“I'm going for a walk. Won't be long.”

赵信独自在营地中穿行，他感受着新战友们的精神。他们秩序井然，互相之间有求必应，确保军队的安全。看到他们高度自律的行为，赵信露出微笑。他绕过一个拐角，抬头望向一弯新月，突然，他被一股蛮力拖住了。

Strolling through the camp alone, Xin Zhao takes in the spirit of his new allies. They are an orderly lot, quick to aid one another and ensure safety among their ranks. Seeing their disciplined manner brings a smile to his face. He rounds a corner to look up at the crescent moon when he feels a sudden force pulling him down.

他的身体重重摔在地上。

His body collides hard against the ground.

他眨了几次眼后，逐渐恢复感知，发现自己正被拖进一个灯光昏暗的帐篷。那位剑尉长正在俯视他。她身边站着几名凶狠的士兵，全都穿着重板甲。

After blinking a couple times, he regains his senses and realizes he has been dragged inside a dimly lit tent. The sword-captain glares down at him. Beside her stand fearsome soldiers dressed in heavy warplate.

“或许你赢得了国王的信赖，但在我眼里，你并不是德玛西亚人。”她冷冷地说。

“You may have won the king's favor, but you are no Demacian in my eyes,” she states.

赵信站起来，她抽出了剑。如同狮群追随雌狮一般，她身边的士兵也都抽出了剑。

As Xin Zhao stands on his feet, she unsheathes her sword. Like the pride following their lioness, those around her do the same.

“我会一直盯着你的，”她警告说，“如果在你任职期间，国王有任何闪失——”

“I will be watching you,” she warns. “Should anything happen to the king while you are sworn in his service—”

赵信两手死死夹住她的刀刃。“就当这是我对你发的誓。”

With two hands, Xin Zhao clasps the flat sides of her blade. “Take this as my oath to you.”

缇亚娜·冕卫目瞪口呆，看着他把刀剑对准自己的喉咙拉过去。

Tianna Crownguard looks on, stunned, as he pulls the sword’s tip toward his own throat.

“如果国王出了任何闪失，”赵信说，“你拿我是问。”

“Should anything happen,” Xin Zhao says. “You may kill me.”