纳亚菲利 Naafiri

百裂冥犬 the Hound of a Hundred Bites

台词

我们的追猎千年不休。没有谁能逃那么久。我们的追猎以千年计。谁也不可能侥幸。

“We track for a thousand years. None can flee for that long.”

传记

一望无际的恕瑞玛大漠上，回荡着嗥吠啸鸣的合唱，那是沙丘猎狗的呼号。这些凶狠的食肉动物会成群结队，在这片贫瘠的土地上争夺狩猎的资格。在众多狗群之中，有一群地位最高，因为它们不仅拥有犬科动物的血性，更有来自暗裔的远古力量。

Across the sands of Shurima, a chorus of howls rings out. It is the call of the dune hounds, voracious predators who form packs and compete for the right to hunt in these barren lands. Among them, one pack stands above all, for they are driven not only by canine instincts, but by the ancient power of the Darkin.

在恕瑞玛的漆黑长夜里，没有什么声音能像沙丘猎狗的嗥叫一样令人胆寒。如果有人在干热的风中听到了它们刺耳的狂吠，一定会把一只手始终按在剑柄上，同时让随行的马匹养精蓄锐。因为那些游荡在大漠上的野狗群永远都饥肠辘辘，只要它们发现了猎物，就会穷追不舍。

In the pitch black Shuriman night, few sounds are as terrifying as the howls of the dune hound. Those who hear their piercing call on the arid wind know to keep a hand on their sword hilt, and their horse well rested, for the ravenous packs that rove these sands will chase whatever game they can find in their desert.

其中有这么一群，它们的饿意更加深不可测，也更久远，寻常的野兽根本不能与之相提并论。那是一种经年累月粒米未进的饥饿。

几百年间，纳亚菲利始终躺在地穴中，她的灵魂被束缚在一把古老的飞刀上。她既不能动也不能言语——一把沉默的刀，灵魂在回忆中神游：曾经强大的纳亚菲利，差一点就能统领全体暗裔。她本可以何其轻松地战胜任何一名暗裔，并成为他们公认的统治者……然而她却又何其轻易地遭到欺骗，被那可恨的星灵——麦伊莎施以诅咒，成为了一把僵死的兵刃。

One pack, in particular, is driven by a hunger that is deeper—and more ancient—than that of any mere beast. It is the hunger of a creature who spent ages eating nothing at all.

耻辱和悔恨啃噬着她的心。她多么希望能有再来一次的机会……只要让她再找到一个宿主。一个新的躯壳。

她只需要一个人用手抓住刀柄。只要碰一下。

For centuries, Naafiri remained in a crypt, her spirit bound to an ancient throwing dagger. Unable to move or speak, the weapon lay inert as her soul pondered the past: Naafiri was powerful, having almost led the Darkin. How easily she could have bested any of them in combat to become their rightful ruler... yet how easily she’d been tricked by that awful Aspect, Myisha, and cursed to embody these inanimate steel blades.

终于，这一天，墓穴的门被冲破了。一股新鲜的风沙涌入，为她送来无数岁月以来第一份甜美的宽慰。还有另一份大礼——一个人类的来访。

他来了。我的宿主。我甜美、懵懂的躯壳。暗裔的灵魂想道。

Shame and regret consumed her thoughts. If she could get another chance... If she could only find another host. A new vessel.

但来访者对她的魔力早有察觉。他小心地用铁钳夹起飞刀，放在一块衬铅的厚布上。他将飞刀包得严严实实，整个过程完全没有直接触碰过。随后他沐浴着午后的阳光，动身穿越沙漠。

绝望夺走了纳亚菲利的心神，她感受到的只有马蹄踩在黄沙上往复乏味的颠簸。难道她注定要以这副形态，在这有心无力的清醒噩梦中，度过永恒？

All she needed was a hand to grip her blade. Just a touch.

马蹄加快，太阳的热力渐渐退去，晚风远远吹来沙丘猎狗此起彼伏的嗥叫。

机会来了。

At last, the day came when the doors of her tomb burst open. She sensed the sweet relief of a fresh desert wind—her first in ages—and something else... A human presence.

她没有发出任何声响，暗暗在心中召唤着那群野兽，希望引它们找到这个猎物，希望他会忙中出错。只要最轻微的一次触碰，这个宿主就将归她所有。然后她就能利用这副躯壳实现她长久以来的野心，洗刷一切懊悔。

果然，那群猎狗出现了，露出一排排流涎的尖牙。纳亚菲利的俘获者用一只手紧紧握着这把包着布的飞刀，心里十分清楚倘若裹布松脱会有什么后果。他另一只手抽出自己的剑，准备抵御狗群的袭击。

He has come. My host. My sweet, unwitting vessel, thought the Darkin soul.

无数犬牙从四面八方袭向这一人一马，一口口地撕扯、吞噬，最后什么都没剩下。

包括那把飞刀。

But the visitor was aware of her magic. He carefully picked up her dagger with metal tongs and placed it onto a thick, lead-lined cloth. Wrapping the blade tightly, he took great care not to touch it and set off across the desert under the late afternoon sun.

许许多多清晰的感受喷薄而出，冲进纳亚菲利的脑海。时隔无数岁月后，她再次嗅到了空气的干燥，鼻孔里的烧灼。鲜血的温度和铁腥依然在口中盈溢。她能看到每一只野狗，就如同狗群里的每一双眼睛都属于她。

茫然与困惑袭来，她觉得自我意识开始崩塌。她变成了沙丘上的猎狗——不是一只，而是这一整群。这把飞刀被撕扯碎裂，嵌入了每条猎狗的身体。

Despair overcame Naafiri as she felt the plodding movements of the man’s horse across the sands. Was she doomed to this form, this waking nightmare of impotence, for eternity?

就像是来自命运的冰冷讽刺。她得到的不是一具躯壳，而是几十具，然而其中没有一个能助她实现宏大野心。她憎恶这群野狗，恨它们的气味、身上的跳蚤，还有最可恨的——它们对同伴的依赖。

不过，斗转星移，暗裔的忿恨渐渐消退，同时开始领悟这群宿主真正的天性。虽然它们的头脑野性而原始，但这种群体意识却形成了一种独有的智慧。如果分散独居，所有野狗都食不果腹。聚成一群，它们就是最顶尖的掠食者，但凡是盯上的猎物都会落入它们口腹。在它们的世界里不存在个体，狗群就是本身，掌控着自身的一切。

She felt the steps of the horse quickening as sunset approached and sensed the distant howls of the dune hounds carried by the wind.

纳亚菲利意识到，这个概念并不局限于沙丘猎狗。它同样适用于鱼、蚁、和人类。甚至也包括暗裔。

她再次回忆起往昔：个人恩怨与私下盘算使得暗裔从内部瓦解，继而跌落统治地位，不再是符文之地上理所应当的杀伐者。

This was her opportunity.

她知道该如何光复暗裔的荣耀了。现在她只需要找到自己的同胞，并向他们分享狗群的智慧。

Without sound or words, the Darkin called out to the beasts, hoping to bring them to this prey—that he might somehow slip. Just a glancing touch of his hand, and the host would be hers. Then she could use him to fulfill the ambitions she had held for so long, and vanquish her regrets.

The hounds appeared, salivating with teeth bared. Naafiri’s captor clung to the wrapped dagger with one arm, keenly aware of what would happen if it came loose. With his other arm, he drew his sword and attempted to defend himself from the pack.

Jaws snapped at the man and his horse from all sides, tearing at them, devouring them piece by piece until nothing remained.

Naafiri felt the world crash into focus as she became overwhelmed by senses. For the first time in ages, she smelled the dry air, which parched her nostrils. The metallic taste of hot blood still coated her mouth. She could see each of the dogs as if from the eyes of a separate packmate.

Confusion set in as she felt her sense of self crumble away. She had become the dune hounds—not one of them, but the entire pack—her shattered consciousness resonating throughout the body of each dog.

It seemed a cruel irony. She had found not one vessel, but dozens, and none of them were useful in her grand ambitions. She resented the hounds—hated their smell, their fleas, and, most of all, their need for companionship.

But, in time, the Darkin’s bitterness subsided as she began to grasp the true nature of her hosts. Though feral, their collective thoughts formed a wisdom all its own. Separately, the dogs would starve. Together, they were an apex predator, feasting on whatever game they fancied. There were no individuals—the pack was the entity that dominated all.

Naafiri realized this concept was not limited to dune hounds. It applied to fish, ants, and humans. It even applied to Darkin.

She thought again of her past: personal grudges and petty agendas tearing the Darkin asunder, which in turn toppled them from their rightful place as the regnant killers of Runeterra.

She knew how to restore them. Now she just needed to find her siblings and share with them the wisdom of the pack.