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一套在民间热度极高的幻想小说，似乎已被贝洛伯格查禁……
本帖包含中文版和英文版，还有相应的词汇笔记
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第一章 背井离乡 片段一这一章节主要讲诉贝洛伯格的「超新星」探险队队员阿尔乔姆，因为一场意外的原因卷入贝洛伯格外的暴风雪中，从悬崖之上摔下而陷入生命垂危之际……
阿尔乔姆刚进入古代遗物探险队的时候，作为「探险队有史以来最有潜力的年轻人」广为人知。
他以毕业生第一名的身份从贝洛伯格最好的医学院毕业，因为还同时拿下了考古学和地质学的学位。学识方面自不用说，身体素质也是运动员的级别。他作为医学院的攀岩协会的会长，曾多次拿下过全国的攀岩比赛冠军。
但在这些光鲜亮丽的履历下面的则是一个性格异常固执的怪人，他极度痴迷于旧世界的遗物。阿尔乔姆刚进入探险队时，常常对古代遗物的研究「过于投入」。他把自己关在研究所里两三天完全不挪步，直到某一天被工作人员在研究室门口的地板上发现。
「什么？我连吃饭都忘记了吗！」
「对啊，阿尔乔姆，你连睡觉都忘记了！」
「那不行，我现在立马去饱餐一顿，然后继续去做研究。」
直到前一段时间，他终于学会了在研究室桌子抽屉里存上一些罐头食物，但是因此蓬头垢面不露脸的时间变得更长了。
最开始的时候，阿尔乔姆还是有不少追求他的年轻女性，不过那也仅限于「一段短暂的时期」。很快，大多数人都清醒过来了——这个叫作阿尔乔姆的人形生物，似乎没有和其他人发展进一步感情的能力。实在是非常可惜。
用他自己的话来说：「目前的话就只想探险。」
古代遗物探险队是贝洛伯格博物馆下属组织，是负责在贝洛伯格的周边寻找旧世界遗迹的探险小队。由他们带回来的各种文物，将被用于博物馆的考古学家和历史学家的研究之中。而这一切的前提正是在暴风雪的严酷环境中的考古作业。这项事业既需要智慧、更需要勇气，还伴随着风险和意外——考古队员们无疑是贝洛伯格中真正的探险家。
所以在那种风雪中，探险家在任何时刻死去也不应该意外。
此刻也是一样。
阿尔乔姆艰难地拖着自己的下半身靠近岩壁。尽管身体痛得不行，但是这里的风稍小，至少能够让自己在死前呼吸得稍微轻松一些。他感觉视线有些模糊——是风雪还是眼睛受伤的问题呢…他尝试抬头看向悬崖上边：自己刚才应该是从那里掉下来了。
被自己拉上去的队员现在获救了吗？肯定得救了吧——虽然他和探险队其他队员会合还要些时间，但也只是需要时间而已。应该可以放心了吧……
……
他感到困倦，自己的视野逐渐被黑暗占据。倘若就此睡过去，在这暴风雪中必死无疑。腹部的大出血都已经冻成冰碴了——到底是哪一种死法会先行到来？这个问题的答案对此时的阿尔乔姆来说，几乎已经没有差别了。
风雪越来越大了。想到自己也会变成先前探险途中经过的一具尸体，那还不算很孤独。这让阿尔乔姆有些释怀。
……
那还是三岁的时候，他就通过排水管爬到了天台上，让父母惊慌得不行…什么嘛，这么快就已经开始走马灯了吗。啊，这一生到底能有多少回忆呢……
阿尔乔姆在岩壁下面逐渐睡了过去。
他的生命之火在风雪中不断摇曳，即将熄灭。
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Chapter 1: Far From Home (I)This chapter mainly talks about Artem, a member of the Belobog "Supernova" Expedition Team. He was accidentally dragged into a blizzard outside Belobog. After falling off a cliff, he began his struggle to survive...
When Artem first joined the Ancient Relic Expedition Team, he was known as "the most promising youth in the history of the expedition team."
He graduated at the top of his class from the best medical institute in Belobog, while also having degrees in archaeology and geology. His physical capabilities rival that of a professional athlete, and he has claimed multiple national rock-climbing championships as the head of the medical institute's rock-climbing association.
However, beneath the glamour and praise hides an extremely stubborn person, who's obsessed with the relics of the Old World. When Artem first joined the expedition team, he often became "overly devoted" to the studies of the ancient relics. He locked himself in the research institute for days, until the staff found him passed out on the lab floor.
"What? I even forgot to eat!?"
"Yes, Artem. You even forgot to sleep!"
"That won't do. I'm gonna fill my stomach and get back to my research."
It was not until recently that he learned to keep some canned food in his drawer in the lab. This only made him stay even longer in the lab than before.
In the beginning, many young ladies set their eyes on Artem, for a little while at least. But everyone soon realized that the humanoid organism named Artem seems to be unable to develop emotional connections with others. What a pity.
In his own words, "For now, I just want to adventure."
The Ancient Relic Expedition Team belongs to the Belobog Museum. They are a team of adventurers responsible for finding Old World relics in the areas surrounding Belobog. Retrieved relics will be studied extensively by archeologists and historians. However, their work must be done in a harsh blizzard environment. Dangerous situations and accidents are frequent in this line of work, which requires both wisdom and courage. Without a doubt, these archeologists are the true explorers of Belobog.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the explorers may die at any moment.
This moment was no different.
Artem moved towards the cliff face as he dragged the lower half of his body with difficulty. The wind was much weaker here, making sure he can breathe a little easier before his inevitable death. His vision was blurry, but he couldn't tell whether it was due to the blizzard or if his eyes were wounded. He tried looking up the cliff where he probably fell from.
Did the team member he pulled up find safety? He must have, right? It was only a matter of time before he joined the other team members. That's a relief...
...
He was exhausted, and his vision gradually grew dim. If he fell asleep now, during this blizzard, he would never wake up, that's for sure. The heavy abdominal bleeding had frozen solid, and Artem was unsure of how he would eventually die. It hardly mattered to him at this point.
As the blizzard grew more violent, Artem would soon become a corpse just like the ones that he had passed by on previous adventures. It gave him some relief to think he wouldn't be alone.
...
He was just three years old when he climbed the drainpipe to the rooftop, much to the horror of his parents... What was happening? Was his life already flashing before his eyes? Ah, how many memories does one make in a lifetime...
Artem had drifted off to sleep under the cliff.
The flame of his life flickered in the blizzard. It was about to die out.
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第二章 寒冰之都 片段一书接上文：阿尔乔姆被神秘父女所救，于不知名的医疗设施中醒来。他目睹了一个与贝洛伯格截然不同的奇异世界。这里的一切都由「雨水」筑成。居民与风雪和谐相处，借助特殊的材料建成了许多超出阿尔乔姆想象的奇观……
当时间再次开始流动时，阿尔乔姆发现自己躺在一处医疗设施里。
说是医疗设施，但这里没有一处与贝洛伯格的筑城者仁爱医院相似——在贝洛伯格，哪家医院提供的床位都不会是犹如水晶雕琢而成的床。阿尔乔姆只能从自己手上插入的输液管意识到自己正在接受治疗。
耳边隆隆作响。半睁开的眼睛只能感受到模糊又灼热的光斑。显然，身体的机能还没能完全恢复。他从死后的世界回来了——只有这一点是毫无疑问的。
迎接他出院的正是之前一直帮助他的、存在于梦中的女子。
「恭喜出院。」
「感谢，请问这里…你又是…？应该先介绍我自己…不对……」
阿尔乔姆想知道的太多了。词句就像争先恐后的鱼群挤在一起，没法拼凑出一句完整的话。
「我叫安娜。」
「我叫阿尔、阿尔乔姆……」
安娜并没有像初次见面一样把头发扎起来，而是任其自然垂下。她亚麻色长发半透明的边缘透出背光，发丝就像是被微光轻轻托起。长长的如同刷子一般的睫毛和沉稳如有一潭池水的眼眸，在瘦削的脸庞上恰到好处……在阿尔乔姆过去的生活里，他总是尝试去避免过分观察同龄女性的面容。可他停不下来，直到两人都害羞了起来。
也许是被救过一命的关系，阿尔乔姆心里萌生了一种从未有过的情感。
就像阿尔乔姆猜测的一样，这里确实不是贝洛伯格。
这是一个在风雪中建立的城市——寒冰之都，这里的人这么称呼它。
不同于贝洛伯格，寒冰之都的祖先们借助了旧世界科技在风雪之中存活了下来，并延续了旧世界的火种。对阿尔乔姆来说，现在正是文化冲击最甜蜜的阶段：一切都是新奇的感觉——就像在博物馆中沉睡的史前科技都在全部苏醒——正如他无数次在睡梦中经历的一般。在安娜的陪同下，这座城市正逐渐在阿尔乔姆面前展开。
「在你手术期间，他们应该也给你的身体注射了『雪绒花』。」
「『雪绒花』…那是什么？」
「啊，这个嘛…是一种很微小的，唔。怎么说呢…机器？」
「机器？我以为机器统统都是些装着齿轮链条、阀门冒着蒸汽的大家伙？机器…竟然还能注射到血液里吗？」
「你要问原理，我也不是很懂啦。我只知道每个冰都的子民打出生起，就接种了『雪绒花』。这样我们就能不再畏惧风雪严寒了。我小时候听探险队说，异邦人得靠厚重的衣物来御寒。看到你我才明白，原来还真是这么一回事啊。」
「不知道穿着厚厚棉衣的我在你们眼里有没有异邦风情？…对了，说起异邦——除了寒冰之都之外，这个世界上还有其他城市存在吗？」
「那当然，这个世界可是很广阔的。」
正说着，安娜停下了前进的脚步。阿尔乔姆也随她驻足。前方空地上，一群身着制服的人围在炮台旁边。炮台上的炮口朝着天空，似乎已经准备充分，只等人在导火索上点上一把烈焰。
「他们是打算朝对面的大楼开炮吗？」
「哈哈哈哈哈！」安娜忍不住笑了起来。她并不习惯给异邦人做向导：「你这么说也没有错。不过，他们只是打算在这里建一栋建筑。」
「建筑？」
「嗯，建筑。不过成型前，我也不知道那究竟是什么建筑。」
随着炮击连连，空地的上方迅速升起一片絮状的厚云。片刻之后，安娜称为「雨」的流水自天坠落。
阿尔乔姆从未见过「雨水」，甚至极少耳闻这个词，只有在博物馆翻到的古老记录中他曾读过，明白「降雨」是旧世界时代频繁出现的气象。可在贝洛伯格，从天空中飘落的只有雪。
直到此刻，阿尔乔姆终于明白，故乡那些冷厉的雪片在这里竟可以用如此温柔的方式落下。
雨水降落在空地上，并没有立刻弥散开来，而是凝成了具体形状——犹如被几只无形的手迅速堆砌成雕塑。雨不断坠下，建筑的轮廓也越发清晰——整栋大楼从地面拔起，造型大异于贝洛伯格的风格。
一栋数十米高的大楼在阿尔乔姆的眼前仅用了几分钟就已经完成了，犹如奇迹。
对阿尔乔姆眼中流露出的震惊，安娜已不再奇怪。她说，寒冰之都中一切楼宇都由这些神奇的「雨水」凝结成。若有监测气候的「云船」带来暴风雪的消息，这些建筑会在一个指令下重新化为流水，等寒冰之都的人们迁徙至更适宜的地带，再被塑造成重重楼屋。
人们互相交易彼此独特的设计蓝图，千奇百怪的建筑拔地而起。这对此地居民来说不过是再自然不过的风景。
……
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Chapter 2: Frozen City (I) Continuation: Artem was rescued by an unknown man and his daughter, and later woke up in a small medical facility. What he saw was a strange world unlike Belobog. Everything here was made from "Rain Water," and the residents here lived in harmony with the wind and the snow. Artem was amazed by the wondrous sights built from special materials...
As the flow of time continued, Artem found himself lying in a medical facility.
However, this medical facility had nothing in common with Belobog's Architects' Charice Hospital. No hospital in Belobog would have beds made of crystals. It wasn't until Artem noticed the IV drip attached to his arm that he realized he was being treated.
There was drumming in his ears. His eyes were only able to make out the blurred, burning lights around him. Apparently, his motor skills haven't returned. What's for sure is that he had almost crossed over to the other side.
The first person he met after being discharged from the hospital was the girl that helped him in his dreams.
"Congratulations on your recovery."
"Thank you. Could you tell me where... Who are you... I should probably introduce myself first... No, wait..."
Artem was filled with questions. His words became jumbled, and he was unable to form a complete sentence.
"My name is Anna."
"I'm A—Artem..."
Unlike the first time they met, Anna didn't tie her hair. The light shone through her long flaxen hair with translucent edges. The soft glow made her hair look as if it was delicately lifted. Her long eyelashes and calming eyes matched her thin face perfectly. In the past, Artem tried to avoid observing a woman's facial features for too long. With Anna, however, he couldn't stop until both their faces were flushed with embarrassment.
Perhaps it had something to do with his life having been saved, but Artem felt something he had never felt before.
Just as Artem had predicted, he was not in Belobog.
It was a city that had been built in the blizzard. People called it the Frozen City.
Different from Belobog, the Frozen City's forebears used the Old World technology to survive in the blizzard and preserve the spark of the Old World civilization. Artem was in the happiest phase of a culture shock. Everything was brand new to him, like in one of his countless dreams, in which the technologies of the past lying dormant in the museum come back to life. Accompanied by Anna, this city gradually unfolded before Artem.
"They should have also injected an Edelweiss into your body during your surgery."
"Edelweiss... What is Edelweiss?"
"Ah, how should I put it? It's like a small... machine?"
"Machine? I thought machines were big things with chains, gears, valves, and steam? They... can be injected into the body?"
"I don't understand the principle very well. I just know all residents of Frozen City are injected with Edelweiss at birth. We do not fear the cold because of it. When I was little, the explorers told me that outsiders wear heavy clothes to stay warm. It wasn't until I saw you that I realized it was true."
"So in the eyes of the local population, such warm clothes must be quite an unusual view... Right, speaking of which, are there other cities in this world besides Frozen City?"
"But of course, the world is a big place."
Anna suddenly stopped in her tracks, and Artem followed suit. In the clearing in front of them, a group of uniformed men gathered around a cannon, which was pointed at the sky, as if ready to fire, only waiting for someone to light the fuse.
"Are they planning to shoot the cannon at the building across from here?"
"Hahahaha..." Anna couldn't help but laugh at his genuine question. She wasn't used to guiding outsiders. "You're not wrong, but they're planning to construct a new building here."
"Construct a new building?"
"Yes, but since it hasn't taken shape yet, I don't know what it will be."
The cannon fired into the sky and thick clouds began to form above the clearing. Moments later, the water Anna called "rain" fell from the sky.
"Rain Water" was a rare term that Artem only read about in the museum archives. He had never witnessed it before. It was a common weather condition in the Old World. Only snow would fall from the skies in Belobog.
It wasn't until this moment that Artem understood that the cold snowflakes at home could fall in such a gentle way.
The Rain Water didn't disperse as it fell on the open ground. Instead, it quickly solidified into a concrete shape, as if sculpted by invisible hands. As the rain continued to fall, the outline of the building became clearer. The style was much different from those in Belobog.
A building tens of meters high was completed before Artem's eyes in a matter of minutes, like a miracle.
Anna was no longer surprised by the shock in Artem's eyes. She explained that all buildings in Frozen City were created from the miracle Rain Water. If the weather monitor Cloudship detected an incoming blizzard, these buildings would be converted into water on command, then transformed into new buildings as the people of Frozen City migrated to a more hospitable area.
Unique blueprints were traded among residents. Strange buildings rose every day. There was nothing more natural to the locals than that.
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第二章 寒冰之都 片段二
书接上文：阿尔乔姆在安娜的带领下，第一次见识了寒冰之都的『雨水』、寒冰隧道网等科技奇观。在参观途中，安娜向阿尔乔姆正式地传达了来自女王的邀请：他将作为外宾接受召见。在这里，他将遇到来自熔岩之国的达米尔……
受到传召，阿尔乔姆来到寒冰之都的水晶宫殿。其实无需指引，任何人都能在街道上看到这座建筑雄伟的穹顶。以此为路标，便不会迷失方向。
在负责接待的士兵的带领下，阿尔乔姆穿过大厅，进入到水晶宫最引以为傲的历史长廊之中。落日黯淡的微光在廊壁上勾勒出精致的线条。
随着阿尔乔姆前进的步伐，那些描摹古代英雄和诸王的浮雕动了起来。枪戟向前刺出，缓缓迎向狞恶的魔物；斗篷猎猎飘动，舞出劲风的流向。然而，一旦阿尔乔姆驻足，廊壁上的史诗又陷入停滞。
阿尔乔姆毕竟是博物馆出身，平日的工作总是从沉默的文物上探寻过往的历史。他熟悉这些过去的艺术家们惯用的技巧，习惯了忽略那些转喻象征的装饰，径直走向历史本身。他忍不住放缓脚步，开始欣赏其中的细节：
神明自破碎的天空中现身，其身躯流淌出金色的血液。祂以冰冷的眼神俯瞰凡间……
与魔物大军交锋的冰之都的战士们穿着阿尔乔姆从未见过的甲胄，手执发出炽热死亡的武器……
山一样巨大的战车，如雪鸥般飞翔的云船。这片潮水般的军势的顶端，一位头戴钻石冠冕的女性挥舞矛枪，枪锋直指天上无情的神明……
阿尔乔姆几乎被这凝固的一瞬中蕴含的力量压垮。他长出一口气，发现前方引路的士兵正微笑地看着入迷的他。他向士兵致以歉意的目光，加快了步伐追了上去。
到达会客厅之后，接待的士兵告诉他需要在这里自由活动，并等候女王的传唤。
他坐下不久，一个衣衫褴褛的外宾凑了过来，在他旁边的位置上坐下。还没等阿尔乔姆开口，那个人便开始自我介绍了起来。
「你好，我叫达米尔，来自遥远的熔岩之国。请问……」
「我叫阿尔乔姆，来自贝洛伯格……另外，我也不算是外宾，只是一个遇难的冒险者。」
「贝洛伯格？我没听过，不过能遇到同行可真是太好了！」
「同行？真是意外之喜啊，看您的着装，想必一定经历过许多惊心动魄的冒险吧？」
「要说惊心动魄，那确实没差。我是坐着大炮来到这儿的。真是令人大开眼界——我还是第一次见到雪花呢……」
「你说什么？大炮？坐着大炮…来这儿？」
「是啊是啊，把人装进炮弹，放进炮筒。然后砰地一下飞出去，咻——！明白了吗？」名为达米尔的男子兴奋地比划了一个抛物线。
「没明白。被当成炮弹打出去，人还能活命吗？」
「来了来了，这是我最喜欢的时刻了。看着你们脸上不可思议的表情，让我慢条斯理地给你们讲讲我的故乡。哈哈，来这儿之后我都快习惯这套流程了。」达米尔双手叉腰自豪地笑了起来。
「我来自熔岩之国。那儿从来没见过雪花，气温和冰都也是天差地别。在我们那里，存在着许多能量巨大的活火山。火山，你明白吗？就是雪山的反面，烫得冒烟的山脉。火山口还会时不时朝天喷一阵火呢。」
阿尔乔姆完全无法想象一座热到喷火的山脉。他只能茫然地点点头，随后又接着点头。
「…就是那样，我们借助了火山的力量，制作了火山大炮。用大炮把我这样的冒险家发射出去，去往其他遥远的国家进行探索。不过我也是飞到了半空中才突然意识到——回去的路得靠两只脚了。原来那些前辈冒险家都是走回来的，哈哈哈哈！」
达米尔自来熟、健谈，话语中充满了火焰男儿的热情。这让阿尔乔姆油然升起一股亲近感。一来一往的谈话之间，他第一次知道了火山是什么、地壳运动是什么、火山大炮又是什么……
熔岩之国的冒险者虽然分布在大地的四极，但是凭借着永远指向熔岩之国的罗盘，他们总是能够找到回去的道路。然而，返乡的旅途并不会比大炮飞行更加安全。能够成功返乡的冒险者屈指可数。而这其中的成功者，总是带着可靠的异邦人伙伴，给熔岩之国带去了他们自己无处获得的知识、技术以及各种见闻。
「阿尔乔姆，我需要你的帮助。请和我一起回到熔岩之国，赶在历史上最大的火山活动之前！」
「历史上最大的火山活动……？」
「没错，那时我们会准备好最大规模的火山大炮飞出这颗星球，前往旧世界的『天外之境』！」
（未完待续）上一页下一页 |
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Chapter 2: Frozen City (II)
Continuation: Following Anna, Artem witnessed the technological miracles of the Frozen City, including the Rain Water, frozen tunnel network, and many others. During the tour, Anna delivered the queen's invitation to Artem. He was being summoned as a foreign guest. This is how he'll get to meet Dalmir of the Lava Kingdom...
Responding to the summon, Artem arrived at the Frozen City's Crystal Palace. He had no issues finding the place, as the palace's grand dome could be seen from anywhere in the streets.
Under the guidance of the soldier in charge of guest reception, Artem passed through the main hall and entered the most prized part of the Crystal Palace, the hall of history. The glimmering light of the dawning sun cast a delicate outline upon the corridor walls.
Following Artem's footsteps, the sculptures of the ancient heroes and kings began to move. The spears in their hands extended forward, slowly reaching towards the evil monsters. Their cloaks swayed in the air, as if dancing alongside gusts of wind. However, all movement came to an end as Artem stoped.
Artem had spent his fair share of time in museums. Trying to uncover stories hidden within the silent relics was part of his daily work. He was familiar with the techniques used by ancient artists and got used to ignoring symbolic adornments, so he could get right to the history itself. He couldn't help but slow down to gaze upon the magnificent works in the corridor:
Emerging from the shattered sky, with golden blood running through THEIR veins, the God looks down upon the mortal word with cold and condescending eyes...
The warriors of the Frozen City were fighting the monster army. They wielded weapons emitting flames of death and wore armors that Artem has never seen before...
An armed vehicle the size of a mountain soared through the air like a snowgull. At the apex of this tidal wave of an army sat a woman with a diamond crown on her head. She was brandishing her spear, pointing it towards the merciless God in the sky...
Artem almost collapsed under the power emitting from the sculpture. He exhaled and noticed that the soldier leading him was observing his fascination with a smile. Artem gave him an apologetic look and quickly caught up with the soldier.
Artem was told by the soldier at the reception that he could move freely while waiting for the queen's summon.
Not long after he sat down, a ragged outsider came in and sat next to him. Before Artem could speak, the man introduced himself.
"Hello, I'm Dalmir of the Lava Kingdom. I'd like to know..."
"I'm Artem of Belobog. I'm not a guest, just an adventurer that ran into trouble."
"Belobog? I've never heard of it, but I'm glad to meet someone in the same line of work!"
"Same line of work? What an unexpected joy! Judging from your clothes, you must have experienced many thrilling adventures."
"I guess thrilling would be an accurate description. I came here as a cannonball. It was eye-opening! I've never seen snowflakes before..."
"What did you say? You came here... as a cannonball?"
"Yeah, yeah! You put a man inside a cannon, then BOOM! The man's flying through the air, get it?" Dalmir excitedly drew a parabola with his fingers.
"I don't get it. How could a man survive that?"
"Here we go! This is my favorite moment. That incredible look on your face. Now I get to slowly explain my hometown to you. Haha, I'm used to it by now." Dalmir smiled proudly with his hands on his hips.
"There are no snowflakes in the Lava Kingdom where I'm from. The difference in temperature is night and day compared to the Frozen City. There are many volcanoes where I live. Do you know about volcanoes? It's the complete opposite of snow mountains. Volcanoes have smoke coming out the top, and sometimes, they even spew fire."
Artem could not imagine a mountain so hot that it could breathe fire. All he could do was nod absently.
"...And so, we used the power of the volcano to create a volcano cannon. We use it to launch adventurers, such as myself, to explore other countries. But it was only in the air that I realized the only way back was by walking. I guess that's how the previous adventurers returned home, hahaha!"
Dalmir was naturally talkative. His words were full of passion that made Artem feel a sense of kinship. As they talked, Artem learned for the first time what a volcano was, what the movement of Earth's crust was, and what a volcano cannon was...
The Lava Kingdom adventurers are dispatched to explore the ends of the earth, but they can always find their way back with a compass that always points home. However, the trip back may be more dangerous than being launched by the cannon, and only a handful of adventurers make it. The ones who do make it always bring home reliable companions from foreign lands. The outsiders bring knowledge and technology that the Lava Kingdom would not normally have access to.
"Artem, I need your help! Please come back with me to the Lava Kingdom. We must get there before the biggest volcanic event in history!"
"The biggest volcanic event in history...?"
"That's right! We're preparing our biggest volcano cannon yet. We're going to fly to the Satelleden of the Old World!"
(To Be Continued) |
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第二章 寒冰之都 片段三
书接上文：阿尔乔姆走过寒冰之都的历史长廊，在会客厅等候女王召见时，遇到了主动上前搭话的达米尔。两人相谈甚欢。达米尔顺势表达了自己的真正目的：他需要和他一起回到熔岩之国的伙伴，一起飞入天空……
阿尔乔姆的思绪就像被鼓槌狠狠锤击过的鼓面——他再一次被彻底震撼了。
「离开大地…去往天外？」
未曾见识过的科技，未曾知晓的历史，遥远而又神奇国度——每个明晃晃的事实都不断冲击着阿尔乔姆认知的边界。当他以为自己再也不会被任何事情震惊的时候，面前的这个人竟然又邀请他一起乘火山为动力的大炮飞离大地。他的选择只剩下一个——
「恕我拒绝！」
「哈？我还以为你更有冒险精神，会一口答应呢！」
「这根本是两码事吧。去往遥远的异国，或是向高处不停攀登——就算在旁人看来疯狂，但那都在人类理性和冒险冲动的边界内。要借着火山喷发飞往天空…这是什么奇怪的自杀方式啊？」
寒暄几句后，他和来自火山的冒险家匆匆别过。
「这也许并不是什么莽撞的愚行，年轻人。」没走几步，一旁又有人向阿尔乔姆搭话。那声音听起来威严又悦耳。
阿尔乔姆这才注意到，一名衣着华贵的女性正在不远处驻足凝视着他。根据眼前人的衣饰判断，阿尔乔姆无疑意识到了什么——他连忙行屈膝礼。女士微笑着颔首。
「我能问你一个问题吗？来自贝洛伯格的冒险者——你为什么要踏上这趟生死未卜的旅行呢？」
「也许…是因为不安分的血液天生流淌着我的身体里？」阿尔乔姆沉吟起来。片刻之后，他摇了摇头。
「也可能是因为贝洛伯格的生活太过于安稳了——我们躲在温室里，日复一日听着演讲家的宣讲；铁卫把守着疆域，不让怪物踏入城里，也不让人们迈出边界一步；勤奋工作确实可以衣食无忧——只不过每一天都会像前一天一样，安稳的日子不会产生任何变化。那里的人们害怕着不稳定的未来，害怕失去熟悉的生活。即使贝洛伯格拥有了数百年的历史，也还没有人真正离开过那里。」
「我不想一天又一天地看着内容几乎一成不变的报纸；我不想遮住眼睛、堵住耳朵，假装这个世界只有一座城邦的大小。我想知道离开安稳的生活，我能不能活下去。」
女士笑了起来：「看来你生错了地方。你和我了解的贝洛伯格子民完全不是一回事。」
「除了我之外，还有其他的贝洛伯格居民抵达过这里？」
「那是百年前的往事了，结局也颇让人遗憾。万幸的是，寒冰之都并不停留于一地——它在风雪中不停迁徙，避免了双方兴起刀兵之灾。」
阿尔乔姆震惊地听着这位女士口中说出的一字一句：「你是说，贝洛伯格曾经差点与寒冰之都发生战争？」
「从那时起，我们戒备着所有来自那个国度的到访者。」女士抬手，示意他暂时停止提问：「但正如你看到的：寒冰之都并非一成不变的冰块——它以流水筑就，也如流水般不拘泥于成见。」
「评判一个人，当如转动一枚宝石，自不同棱面细细察考。我从安娜的描述里听说过你。我们看过你撰写的冒险日记，现在我又亲眼见到了你。以寒冰之都的标准看，你确实是个出色的人。」
「感谢您的宽容评判，女王陛下。」阿尔乔姆低了低头。
「回到刚才的话题吧。我问你为何要踏上冒险的旅途。你的回答证明了你不愿囿于狭隘，不愿重复度日。寒冰之都、熔岩王国……你已听过、甚至见过这片大地上的许多景象，远比大部分人梦见的还要多。但这片大地之于天空，就像贝洛伯格之于这片大地——你明白我的意思了吗？」
「我…明白，陛下。我只是难以想象，人竟然可以踏入天空吗？」阿尔乔姆喃喃道：「只有鸟儿才能办到这种事情。我、我分不清达米尔的邀请是自寻死路的疯狂还是独属于探险家的豪赌。」
「这两者之间有严格的区别吗？对于人类求存的本性而言，冒险从来都是得不偿失的昂贵品质。但也正是因为这种精神，旧世界的人类才能抵达我们无法想象的高度。严格来说，冒险和探索，也是旧世界的遗产之一。」
「那个曾在贝洛伯格安然度日的你，恐怕也无法想像寒冰之都的景象吧？达米尔所说的『天外之境』并非妄语。那是旧世界的人类在肉眼不可及的深空中遗留的一处奇迹……只是如今的人们早就忘记那是怎样的存在了。」女王轻轻叹气，神色略显遗憾。
「你追寻着那些古代遗物来到雪原中，正是为了继承旧世界的遗产。回去的路已被大雪掩埋、不复存在了，阿尔乔姆。唯有前进——你如此、寒冰之都如此，从来如此。」
「我会考虑的。」冒险家沉思片刻，长长吐出一口气：「我会去找达米尔谈谈。」
女王的神色突然严肃起来：「我并不是在劝诱你，年轻的阿尔乔姆。冒险可以凭借冲动，但没有人能仅凭冲动走到世界尽头。无论你如何选择，我都有一份礼物要送给你。」
女王自及地的斗篷中伸出双手，捧起一截一腕尺长的短杖，递到阿尔乔姆面前。短杖一端分叉，勾勒成双头鹰的形状。
「年轻的阿尔乔姆，寒冰之都中本无跪拜的礼数。但就当是为了向旧世界的智慧表达些许尊重，单膝跪下吧。不是向我，是向旧世界。」
女王握住短杖，忽然有液体自剑格上方流动成形，凝成青蓝色的寒冰剑刃。
她以快到不可思议的动作转动剑刃，轻触阿尔乔姆左右肩和头顶各一次。阿尔乔姆感到冰霜在肩上跳跃、呼吸。
「祝你前路无碍。祝你幸运常在。祝你勇气不衰。」
「这柄水铸之剑的技术传自旧世界。现在我把它赠予你，冰都的骑士。对于天空，它只是一根微不足道的针；对于大地，它只是一件劈开障碍的工具；但对于你，它是危难时前进的勇气。」
「去吧，阿尔乔姆。」 |
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Chapter 2: Frozen City (III)
Continuation: After walking through the Frozen City's hall of history, Artem arrived at the reception room where he was greeted by Dalmir as he waited for the queen's summon. The two hit it off right away, and Dalmir shared his true reason for being here. He was searching for a companion to return to the Lava Kingdom with to soar into the skies together...
Artem was once again blown away. His mind was like a drum head repeatedly pounded with new information.
"Leave the ground... and head for the skies?"
Each day, the world that Artem knew was repeatedly challenged by novel technologies, unknown histories, and distant, mysterious nations. Just as he thought nothing else would be able to surprise him, the man in front of him invited him to leave the land using a cannon powered by a volcano. He had no other choice...
"With all due respect, I refuse!"
"What? I thought you'd be more adventurous than that. I was certain you would agree."
"Those are two completely different issues. Going to a far and unfamiliar nation or climbing to heights never reached before may sound crazy to some people, but those feats are all within human logic and understanding. Using a volcano to launch yourself into the sky... that's just suicide!"
After a short exchange, he bid his farewell to the adventurer from the volcano.
"Maybe it's not that ruthless of an idea, young man." He took but a few steps when a commanding and soothing voice came from the side.
Only now did Artem notice a woman in expensive clothing staring at him from not too far. Based on what she was wearing, Artem immediately realized who it was and bowed. The woman smiled back.
"May I ask you a question? Adventurer from Belobog, why did you embark on this perilous journey?"
"Perhaps... restlessness runs in my blood?" Artem pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
"Perhaps life is too peaceful in Belobog. We hide in a greenhouse and listen to the preaching of the speakers day after day. Soldiers guard our borders, stopping monsters from entering our city and preventing our people from leaving. If you work hard, you don't have to worry about food or shelter. But every day is the same. Life is peaceful without any changes. People are afraid of an unstable future and losing the life to which they've grown accustomed. Belobog's history is hundreds of years old, but nobody has ever truly left."
"I don't want to read the same newspaper every day. I don't want to cover my eyes and ears and pretend the world is the size of our city. I want to know if I can survive a life that's not so peaceful."
The woman smiled. "It seems you were born in the wrong place. You are different from the other Belobog people I know."
"There have been other people of Belobog who arrived here?"
"That was over a hundred years ago, and it ended regrettably. Fortunately, the Frozen City relocates constantly, and the disaster of war was avoided."
Artem was listening to the words coming out of the woman's mouth in shock. "You mean to say, Belobog and Frozen City almost went to war?"
"From then on, we have been weary of all visitors from that country." The woman raised her hand to stop his questioning. "As you can see, the Frozen City is not built from unchanging ice. It is built from water, free of prejudice."
"A man must be judged like a gem, by being examined from all sides. I have heard Anna's description of you. We have read about your adventures. And now, I have seen you. By the standards of the Frozen City, you are a remarkable man."
"I thank you for your kind judgment, Your Majesty." Artem lowers his head.
"Let's return to the topic at hand. I asked you before why you embarked on this perilous journey. Your response proved your wish to be free of constraints and live a life without a mundane routine. Frozen City, Lava Kingdom... You have heard and seen many wondrous things that most people can only dream of. But this city is bound to the skies, just as Belobog is bound to the land. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I... understand, Your Majesty. I just have a hard time believing that people can fly through the air." Artem murmured, "I thought only birds could do that. I can't tell if Dalmir's invitation is suicidal madness or an adventurous gamble."
"Is there any difference between the two? The spirit of adventure is a precious quality that goes against the humankind's natural survival instinct. It may seem worthless, but it is this spirit that allowed the people of the Old World to reach unimaginable heights. Strictly speaking, adventures and explorations are part of the heritage of the Old World."
"You wouldn't be able to see what the Frozen City looks like, if you had decided to live peacefully behind the Belobog walls. Dalmir was not lying when he mentioned the Satelleden. It is a miracle, located so high up that it's invisible to the naked eye, left behind by the Old World civilization. People have long forgotten what it was like nowadays," the Queen sighed regrettably.
"You've walked through the Snow Plains in search of ancient relics, all so that you could obtain the Old World heritage. The way back has already been covered in snow, Artem. The only way is forward, for you... and for the Frozen City, as it always has been."
"I will take that into consideration." Artem mused for a bit and let out a long sigh. "I will go talk to Dalmir."
Suddenly, the queen's face turned stern. "I don't mean to persuade you, young Artem. Impulse will take you on adventures, but that alone will not take you to the ends of the earth. Regardless what you choose, I have a gift for you."
The Queen extended her hands from beneath her cloak. She held out a one-cubit long wand to Artem. The wand was forked on one end, the shape of which resembled a double-headed eagle.
"Young Artem, we do not bow here in the Frozen City. But, as a token of respect towards the wisdom of the Old World, kneel down on one knee. Bow, not to me, but the Old World."
The Queen took hold of the wand. Suddenly, liquid began to flow over the surface, forming a blueish ice blade.
She turned the blade with incredible speed and touched Artem once on each shoulder and on the top of his head. Artem felt the ice breathing and jumping on his shoulders.
"May your path be clear, your luck persist, and your courage prevail."
"This blade's technology comes from the Old World. I present it to you, knight of the frozen city. To the sky, it is but a needle. To the earth, it is but a tool to cut through obstacles. But to you, it is the courage to move forward in the face of danger."
"Go now, Artem." |
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第四章 春之牧野 片段一
书接上文：本章讲述了离开雪山之后，阿尔乔姆一行三人来到了一片气候温暖宜人的草原。这里的植被丰茂、土地松软，但依旧危机四伏。他们在这块丰饶的土地上，遇到了前所未有的巨型昆虫……
得天独厚的环境养育了疯狂生长的植物。脚下的土壤就像踩在松软的床垫上一样。阿尔乔姆脱去外套，穿过杂草齐膝的草地。一阵微风从他的身旁经过带着青草的气味。他从没想过，世界上竟然存在这般温柔的风。
他轻轻牵着安娜的手。她没有拒绝。
有那么一个瞬间，阿尔乔姆似乎听到自己的心在低语：「留下来吧，就在这里和安娜一直生活下去吧。」但他迅速否定了这一刹的私念。阿尔乔姆凝视着身旁的少女。这个女孩深信和他同行就一定能抵达旅途的终点——自己若是迷于私念，实在是辜负了她一路的信任和帮助。
没等三人充分享受短暂的宁静，天空中传来了急速的嗡鸣声。仿佛细小的针尖扎着耳膜，异样的嗡鸣带来的刺痛涌上众人的脑袋。一只怪物如鸟般划过天空，却以远胜鸟类的频率扇动着玻璃般透明的纱翅。
达米尔下意识地捂上耳朵趴倒在地上，口中不断念诵着不知献给何方神圣的祷辞——自从有被怪物带走的经历后，他总是第一个对危机起反应的人。阿尔乔姆忍着刺痛的耳膜，护着安娜俯下身子。他意识到自己似乎在哪里见过这样的怪物。
天空中的不速之客轻捷落地，不再扇动纱翅，如同一具令人毛骨悚然的雕塑静止不动。
那是…蚊子？阿尔乔姆终于从记忆最冷僻的角落里搜刮出一丝线索。他曾在旧世界遗留的百科文献中看到过对于眼前这怪物的描绘。
在旧世界时代，世界尚有名为四季的节律之分。蚊子是出没在夏季的吸血昆虫，但其尺寸充其量不过是一指头就能捻死的大小。可眼前这只「蚊子」比他们站直了还高，细长的节肢上绒毛也清晰可辨。巨蚊以修长如剑的喙管刺穿地面，仿佛吮吸着什么，对静静观察的三人恍若不觉。
趴在地上的达米尔感觉到柔软的土壤下隐然有液体流动。巨蚊的腹囊迅速鼓胀起来。他压低的声线中饱含惊惧：
「趁它还没发现，我们赶紧逃走吧……」
「嗯，小心。」
阿尔乔姆尽力收束呼吸，缓缓在长草间移动。但这只令人厌恶的生物似乎对土壤轻微的震动极为敏感——转眼间，它警觉地将喙抽离地面，再次振翅腾空。细碎的嗡鸣伴着令人发麻的头疼复又袭来。阿尔乔姆立即抽出冰都女王赠予的利剑，摆出守势。
「阿尔乔姆，小心！它要来了。」
高频的噪音随着怪物接近拉长成了尖锐的厉啸。阿尔乔姆挥舞水铸之剑挡开巨蚊长喙迅疾的刺击。这只怪物在空中灵活自如：它不仅能悬停不动，还能快速变向。巨蚊警觉地退却又俯冲，动作之快使它的身形模糊成一道虚影。眼看阿尔乔姆无力避开，火药爆裂的巨震在他身后响起——巨蚊被这突如其来的轰击打落在地，四脚朝天。
阿尔乔姆回头，只见达米尔手上拿着一柄形制古老的燧发枪，枪管兀自冒着白烟。
「好样的！」达米尔为自己精确的一击颇感振奋。然而他的兴奋很快随着怪物蹬腿翻身变成了恐惧。
巨蚊拔高身形，在众人头顶划出眼花缭乱的飞行路线。激烈的振翅声宣示着眼前怪物的怒意——它如长针般尖利的喙管震颤着，预演着下一次突袭。
阿尔乔姆握剑的手忍不住轻轻发抖——这不是依靠灵敏反应就能躲开的一击。
「安娜，你们快逃吧！」
「可是，阿尔乔姆——」
「逃？我看不必了。」
一个陌生却有力的声音响起。一支长枪紧随着声音自天而降，刺穿了巨蚊半透明的腹部，如钢钉般将它牢牢钉死在地上。
战斗在一次心跳间结束了。阿尔乔姆长出一口气——他们得救了。
声音的主人是一名男性，身着奇异形制的服装，威风凛凛；他胯下的坐骑更让众人吃惊——那居然是一只有着甲胄外壳和发达后肢的昆虫，背上架设着鞍具，其尺寸接近令他们陷入苦战的巨蚊。
昆虫坐骑以快如闪电的动作再度跃起。起落间，骑士从怪物尸首上拔出长枪，停在了阿尔乔姆面前——枪尖以不可思议的精准抵住了年轻冒险家的心脏。
他打了个唿哨，一队同样着装的骑士自长草间现身。
三人正打算向骑士们表达感谢之情，却只听为首的骑士朗声宣告：
「擅闯吾等圣地『春之原』的陌生人——你们被逮捕了！」
（未完待续） |
