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一套在民間熱度極高的幻想小說，似乎已被貝洛伯格查禁……
本帖包含中文版和英文版，還有相應的詞彙筆記
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第一章 背井離鄉 片段一這一章節主要講訴貝洛伯格的「超新星」探險隊隊員阿爾喬姆，因為一場意外的原因捲入貝洛伯格外的暴風雪中，從懸崖之上摔下而陷入生命垂危之際……
阿爾喬姆剛進入古代遺物探險隊的時候，作為「探險隊有史以來最有潛力的年輕人」廣為人知。
他以畢業生第一名的身份從貝洛伯格最好的醫學院畢業，因為還同時拿下了考古學和地質學的學位。學識方面自不用說，身體素質也是運動員的級別。他作為醫學院的攀岩協會的會長，曾多次拿下過全國的攀岩比賽冠軍。
但在這些光鮮亮麗的履歷下面的則是一個性格異常固執的怪人，他極度痴迷於舊世界的遺物。阿爾喬姆剛進入探險隊時，常常對古代遺物的研究「過於投入」。他把自己關在研究所里兩三天完全不挪步，直到某一天被工作人員在研究室門口的地板上發現。
「什麼？我連吃飯都忘記了嗎！」
「對啊，阿爾喬姆，你連睡覺都忘記了！」
「那不行，我現在立馬去飽餐一頓，然後繼續去做研究。」
直到前一段時間，他終於學會了在研究室桌子抽屜里存上一些罐頭食物，但是因此蓬頭垢面不露臉的時間變得更長了。
最開始的時候，阿爾喬姆還是有不少追求他的年輕女性，不過那也僅限於「一段短暫的時期」。很快，大多數人都清醒過來了——這個叫作阿爾喬姆的人形生物，似乎沒有和其他人發展進一步感情的能力。實在是非常可惜。
用他自己的話來說：「目前的話就只想探險。」
古代遺物探險隊是貝洛伯格博物館下屬組織，是負責在貝洛伯格的周邊尋找舊世界遺蹟的探險小隊。由他們帶回來的各種文物，將被用於博物館的考古學家和歷史學家的研究之中。而這一切的前提正是在暴風雪的嚴酷環境中的考古作業。這項事業既需要智慧、更需要勇氣，還伴隨著風險和意外——考古隊員們無疑是貝洛伯格中真正的探險家。
所以在那種風雪中，探險家在任何時刻死去也不應該意外。
此刻也是一樣。
阿爾喬姆艱難地拖著自己的下半身靠近岩壁。儘管身體痛得不行，但是這裡的風稍小，至少能夠讓自己在死前呼吸得稍微輕鬆一些。他感覺視線有些模糊——是風雪還是眼睛受傷的問題呢…他嘗試抬頭看向懸崖上邊：自己剛才應該是從那裡掉下來了。
被自己拉上去的隊員現在獲救了嗎？肯定得救了吧——雖然他和探險隊其他隊員會合還要些時間，但也只是需要時間而已。應該可以放心了吧……
……
他感到睏倦，自己的視野逐漸被黑暗占據。倘若就此睡過去，在這暴風雪中必死無疑。腹部的大出血都已經凍成冰碴了——到底是哪一種死法會先行到來？這個問題的答案對此時的阿爾喬姆來說，幾乎已經沒有差別了。
風雪越來越大了。想到自己也會變成先前探險途中經過的一具屍體，那還不算很孤獨。這讓阿爾喬姆有些釋懷。
……
那還是三歲的時候，他就通過排水管爬到了天台上，讓父母驚慌得不行…什麼嘛，這麼快就已經開始走馬燈了嗎。啊，這一生到底能有多少回憶呢……
阿爾喬姆在岩壁下面逐漸睡了過去。
他的生命之火在風雪中不斷搖曳，即將熄滅。
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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 片段一書接上文：阿爾喬姆被神秘父女所救，於不知名的醫療設施中醒來。他目睹了一個與貝洛伯格截然不同的奇異世界。這裡的一切都由「雨水」築成。居民與風雪和諧相處，藉助特殊的材料建成了許多超出阿爾喬姆想像的奇觀……
當時間再次開始流動時，阿爾喬姆發現自己躺在一處醫療設施里。
說是醫療設施，但這裡沒有一處與貝洛伯格的築城者仁愛醫院相似——在貝洛伯格，哪家醫院提供的床位都不會是猶如水晶雕琢而成的床。阿爾喬姆只能從自己手上插入的輸液管意識到自己正在接受治療。
耳邊隆隆作響。半睜開的眼睛只能感受到模糊又灼熱的光斑。顯然，身體的機能還沒能完全恢復。他從死後的世界回來了——只有這一點是毫無疑問的。
迎接他出院的正是之前一直幫助他的、存在於夢中的女子。
「恭喜出院。」
「感謝，請問這裡…你又是…？應該先介紹我自己…不對……」
阿爾喬姆想知道的太多了。詞句就像爭先恐後的魚群擠在一起，沒法拼湊出一句完整的話。
「我叫安娜。」
「我叫阿爾、阿爾喬姆……」
安娜並沒有像初次見面一樣把頭髮紮起來，而是任其自然垂下。她亞麻色長髮半透明的邊緣透出背光，髮絲就像是被微光輕輕托起。長長的如同刷子一般的睫毛和沉穩如有一潭池水的眼眸，在瘦削的臉龐上恰到好處……在阿爾喬姆過去的生活里，他總是嘗試去避免過分觀察同齡女性的面容。可他停不下來，直到兩人都害羞了起來。
也許是被救過一命的關係，阿爾喬姆心裡萌生了一種從未有過的情感。
就像阿爾喬姆猜測的一樣，這裡確實不是貝洛伯格。
這是一個在風雪中建立的城市——寒冰之都，這裡的人這麼稱呼它。
不同於貝洛伯格，寒冰之都的祖先們藉助了舊世界科技在風雪之中存活了下來，並延續了舊世界的火種。對阿爾喬姆來說，現在正是文化衝擊最甜蜜的階段：一切都是新奇的感覺——就像在博物館中沉睡的史前科技都在全部甦醒——正如他無數次在睡夢中經歷的一般。在安娜的陪同下，這座城市正逐漸在阿爾喬姆面前展開。
「在你手術期間，他們應該也給你的身體注射了『雪絨花』。」
「『雪絨花』…那是什麼？」
「啊，這個嘛…是一種很微小的，唔。怎麼說呢…機器？」
「機器？我以為機器統統都是些裝著齒輪鏈條、閥門冒著蒸汽的大傢伙？機器…竟然還能注射到血液里嗎？」
「你要問原理，我也不是很懂啦。我只知道每個冰都的子民打出生起，就接種了『雪絨花』。這樣我們就能不再畏懼風雪嚴寒了。我小時候聽探險隊說，異邦人得靠厚重的衣物來禦寒。看到你我才明白，原來還真是這麼一回事啊。」
「不知道穿著厚厚棉衣的我在你們眼裡有沒有異邦風情？…對了，說起異邦——除了寒冰之都之外，這個世界上還有其他城市存在嗎？」
「那當然，這個世界可是很廣闊的。」
正說著，安娜停下了前進的腳步。阿爾喬姆也隨她駐足。前方空地上，一群身著制服的人圍在炮台旁邊。炮台上的炮口朝著天空，似乎已經準備充分，只等人在導火索上點上一把烈焰。
「他們是打算朝對面的大樓開炮嗎？」
「哈哈哈哈哈！」安娜忍不住笑了起來。她並不習慣給異邦人做嚮導：「你這麼說也沒有錯。不過，他們只是打算在這裡建一棟建築。」
「建築？」
「嗯，建築。不過成型前，我也不知道那究竟是什麼建築。」
隨著炮擊連連，空地的上方迅速升起一片絮狀的厚雲。片刻之後，安娜稱為「雨」的流水自天墜落。
阿爾喬姆從未見過「雨水」，甚至極少耳聞這個詞，只有在博物館翻到的古老記錄中他曾讀過，明白「降雨」是舊世界時代頻繁出現的氣象。可在貝洛伯格，從天空中飄落的只有雪。
直到此刻，阿爾喬姆終於明白，故鄉那些冷厲的雪片在這裡竟可以用如此溫柔的方式落下。
雨水降落在空地上，並沒有立刻彌散開來，而是凝成了具體形狀——猶如被幾隻無形的手迅速堆砌成雕塑。雨不斷墜下，建築的輪廓也越發清晰——整棟大樓從地面拔起，造型大異於貝洛伯格的風格。
一棟數十米高的大樓在阿爾喬姆的眼前僅用了幾分鐘就已經完成了，猶如奇蹟。
對阿爾喬姆眼中流露出的震驚，安娜已不再奇怪。她說，寒冰之都中一切樓宇都由這些神奇的「雨水」凝結成。若有監測氣候的「雲船」帶來暴風雪的消息，這些建築會在一個指令下重新化為流水，等寒冰之都的人們遷徙至更適宜的地帶，再被塑造成重重樓屋。
人們互相交易彼此獨特的設計藍圖，千奇百怪的建築拔地而起。這對此地居民來說不過是再自然不過的風景。
……
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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
書接上文：阿爾喬姆在安娜的帶領下，第一次見識了寒冰之都的『雨水』、寒冰隧道網等科技奇觀。在參觀途中，安娜向阿爾喬姆正式地傳達了來自女王的邀請：他將作為外賓接受召見。在這裡，他將遇到來自熔岩之國的達米爾……
受到傳召，阿爾喬姆來到寒冰之都的水晶宮殿。其實無需指引，任何人都能在街道上看到這座建築雄偉的穹頂。以此為路標，便不會迷失方向。
在負責接待的士兵的帶領下，阿爾喬姆穿過大廳，進入到水晶宮最引以為傲的歷史長廊之中。落日黯淡的微光在廊壁上勾勒出精緻的線條。
隨著阿爾喬姆前進的步伐，那些描摹古代英雄和諸王的浮雕動了起來。槍戟向前刺出，緩緩迎向獰惡的魔物；斗篷獵獵飄動，舞出勁風的流向。然而，一旦阿爾喬姆駐足，廊壁上的史詩又陷入停滯。
阿爾喬姆畢竟是博物館出身，平日的工作總是從沉默的文物上探尋過往的歷史。他熟悉這些過去的藝術家們慣用的技巧，習慣了忽略那些轉喻象徵的裝飾，徑直走向歷史本身。他忍不住放緩腳步，開始欣賞其中的細節：
神明自破碎的天空中現身，其身軀流淌出金色的血液。祂以冰冷的眼神俯瞰凡間……
與魔物大軍交鋒的冰之都的戰士們穿著阿爾喬姆從未見過的甲冑，手執發出熾熱死亡的武器……
山一樣巨大的戰車，如雪鷗般飛翔的雲船。這片潮水般的軍勢的頂端，一位頭戴鑽石冠冕的女性揮舞矛槍，槍鋒直指天上無情的神明……
阿爾喬姆幾乎被這凝固的一瞬中蘊含的力量壓垮。他長出一口氣，發現前方引路的士兵正微笑地看著入迷的他。他向士兵致以歉意的目光，加快了步伐追了上去。
到達會客廳之後，接待的士兵告訴他需要在這裡自由活動，並等候女王的傳喚。
他坐下不久，一個衣衫襤褸的外賓湊了過來，在他旁邊的位置上坐下。還沒等阿爾喬姆開口，那個人便開始自我介紹了起來。
「你好，我叫達米爾，來自遙遠的熔岩之國。請問……」
「我叫阿爾喬姆，來自貝洛伯格……另外，我也不算是外賓，只是一個遇難的冒險者。」
「貝洛伯格？我沒聽過，不過能遇到同行可真是太好了！」
「同行？真是意外之喜啊，看您的著裝，想必一定經歷過許多驚心動魄的冒險吧？」
「要說驚心動魄，那確實沒差。我是坐著大炮來到這兒的。真是令人大開眼界——我還是第一次見到雪花呢……」
「你說什麼？大炮？坐著大炮…來這兒？」
「是啊是啊，把人裝進炮彈，放進炮筒。然後砰地一下飛出去，咻——！明白了嗎？」名為達米爾的男子興奮地比劃了一個拋物線。
「沒明白。被當成炮彈打出去，人還能活命嗎？」
「來了來了，這是我最喜歡的時刻了。看著你們臉上不可思議的表情，讓我慢條斯理地給你們講講我的故鄉。哈哈，來這兒之後我都快習慣這套流程了。」達米爾雙手叉腰自豪地笑了起來。
「我來自熔岩之國。那兒從來沒見過雪花，氣溫和冰都也是天差地別。在我們那裡，存在著許多能量巨大的活火山。火山，你明白嗎？就是雪山的反面，燙得冒煙的山脈。火山口還會時不時朝天噴一陣火呢。」
阿爾喬姆完全無法想像一座熱到噴火的山脈。他只能茫然地點點頭，隨後又接著點頭。
「…就是那樣，我們藉助了火山的力量，製作了火山大炮。用大炮把我這樣的冒險家發射出去，去往其他遙遠的國家進行探索。不過我也是飛到了半空中才突然意識到——回去的路得靠兩隻腳了。原來那些前輩冒險家都是走回來的，哈哈哈哈！」
達米爾自來熟、健談，話語中充滿了火焰男兒的熱情。這讓阿爾喬姆油然升起一股親近感。一來一往的談話之間，他第一次知道了火山是什麼、地殼運動是什麼、火山大炮又是什麼……
熔岩之國的冒險者雖然分布在大地的四極，但是憑藉著永遠指向熔岩之國的羅盤，他們總是能夠找到回去的道路。然而，返鄉的旅途並不會比大炮飛行更加安全。能夠成功返鄉的冒險者屈指可數。而這其中的成功者，總是帶著可靠的異邦人夥伴，給熔岩之國帶去了他們自己無處獲得的知識、技術以及各種見聞。
「阿爾喬姆，我需要你的幫助。請和我一起回到熔岩之國，趕在歷史上最大的火山活動之前！」
「歷史上最大的火山活動……？」
「沒錯，那時我們會準備好最大規模的火山大炮飛出這顆星球，前往舊世界的『天外之境』！」
（未完待續）上一頁下一頁 |
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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
書接上文：阿爾喬姆走過寒冰之都的歷史長廊，在會客廳等候女王召見時，遇到了主動上前搭話的達米爾。兩人相談甚歡。達米爾順勢表達了自己的真正目的：他需要和他一起回到熔岩之國的夥伴，一起飛入天空……
阿爾喬姆的思緒就像被鼓槌狠狠錘擊過的鼓面——他再一次被徹底震撼了。
「離開大地…去往天外？」
未曾見識過的科技，未曾知曉的歷史，遙遠而又神奇國度——每個明晃晃的事實都不斷衝擊著阿爾喬姆認知的邊界。當他以為自己再也不會被任何事情震驚的時候，面前的這個人竟然又邀請他一起乘火山為動力的大炮飛離大地。他的選擇只剩下一個——
「恕我拒絕！」
「哈？我還以為你更有冒險精神，會一口答應呢！」
「這根本是兩碼事吧。去往遙遠的異國，或是向高處不停攀登——就算在旁人看來瘋狂，但那都在人類理性和冒險衝動的邊界內。要借著火山噴發飛往天空…這是什麼奇怪的自殺方式啊？」
寒暄幾句後，他和來自火山的冒險家匆匆別過。
「這也許並不是什麼莽撞的愚行，年輕人。」沒走幾步，一旁又有人向阿爾喬姆搭話。那聲音聽起來威嚴又悅耳。
阿爾喬姆這才注意到，一名衣著華貴的女性正在不遠處駐足凝視著他。根據眼前人的衣飾判斷，阿爾喬姆無疑意識到了什麼——他連忙行屈膝禮。女士微笑著頷首。
「我能問你一個問題嗎？來自貝洛伯格的冒險者——你為什麼要踏上這趟生死未卜的旅行呢？」
「也許…是因為不安分的血液天生流淌著我的身體裡？」阿爾喬姆沉吟起來。片刻之後，他搖了搖頭。
「也可能是因為貝洛伯格的生活太過於安穩了——我們躲在溫室里，日復一日聽著演講家的宣講；鐵衛把守著疆域，不讓怪物踏入城裡，也不讓人們邁出邊界一步；勤奮工作確實可以衣食無憂——只不過每一天都會像前一天一樣，安穩的日子不會產生任何變化。那裡的人們害怕著不穩定的未來，害怕失去熟悉的生活。即使貝洛伯格擁有了數百年的歷史，也還沒有人真正離開過那裡。」
「我不想一天又一天地看著內容幾乎一成不變的報紙；我不想遮住眼睛、堵住耳朵，假裝這個世界只有一座城邦的大小。我想知道離開安穩的生活，我能不能活下去。」
女士笑了起來：「看來你生錯了地方。你和我了解的貝洛伯格子民完全不是一回事。」
「除了我之外，還有其他的貝洛伯格居民抵達過這裡？」
「那是百年前的往事了，結局也頗讓人遺憾。萬幸的是，寒冰之都並不停留於一地——它在風雪中不停遷徙，避免了雙方興起刀兵之災。」
阿爾喬姆震驚地聽著這位女士口中說出的一字一句：「你是說，貝洛伯格曾經差點與寒冰之都發生戰爭？」
「從那時起，我們戒備著所有來自那個國度的到訪者。」女士抬手，示意他暫時停止提問：「但正如你看到的：寒冰之都並非一成不變的冰塊——它以流水築就，也如流水般不拘泥於成見。」
「評判一個人，當如轉動一枚寶石，自不同棱面細細察考。我從安娜的描述里聽說過你。我們看過你撰寫的冒險日記，現在我又親眼見到了你。以寒冰之都的標準看，你確實是個出色的人。」
「感謝您的寬容評判，女王陛下。」阿爾喬姆低了低頭。
「回到剛才的話題吧。我問你為何要踏上冒險的旅途。你的回答證明了你不願囿於狹隘，不願重複度日。寒冰之都、熔岩王國……你已聽過、甚至見過這片大地上的許多景象，遠比大部分人夢見的還要多。但這片大地之於天空，就像貝洛伯格之於這片大地——你明白我的意思了嗎？」
「我…明白，陛下。我只是難以想像，人竟然可以踏入天空嗎？」阿爾喬姆喃喃道：「只有鳥兒才能辦到這種事情。我、我分不清達米爾的邀請是自尋死路的瘋狂還是獨屬於探險家的豪賭。」
「這兩者之間有嚴格的區別嗎？對於人類求存的本性而言，冒險從來都是得不償失的昂貴品質。但也正是因為這種精神，舊世界的人類才能抵達我們無法想像的高度。嚴格來說，冒險和探索，也是舊世界的遺產之一。」
「那個曾在貝洛伯格安然度日的你，恐怕也無法想像寒冰之都的景象吧？達米爾所說的『天外之境』並非妄語。那是舊世界的人類在肉眼不可及的深空中遺留的一處奇蹟……只是如今的人們早就忘記那是怎樣的存在了。」女王輕輕嘆氣，神色略顯遺憾。
「你追尋著那些古代遺物來到雪原中，正是為了繼承舊世界的遺產。回去的路已被大雪掩埋、不復存在了，阿爾喬姆。唯有前進——你如此、寒冰之都如此，從來如此。」
「我會考慮的。」冒險家沉思片刻，長長吐出一口氣：「我會去找達米爾談談。」
女王的神色突然嚴肅起來：「我並不是在勸誘你，年輕的阿爾喬姆。冒險可以憑藉衝動，但沒有人能僅憑衝動走到世界盡頭。無論你如何選擇，我都有一份禮物要送給你。」
女王自及地的斗篷中伸出雙手，捧起一截一腕尺長的短杖，遞到阿爾喬姆面前。短杖一端分叉，勾勒成雙頭鷹的形狀。
「年輕的阿爾喬姆，寒冰之都中本無跪拜的禮數。但就當是為了向舊世界的智慧表達些許尊重，單膝跪下吧。不是向我，是向舊世界。」
女王握住短杖，忽然有液體自劍格上方流動成形，凝成青藍色的寒冰劍刃。
她以快到不可思議的動作轉動劍刃，輕觸阿爾喬姆左右肩和頭頂各一次。阿爾喬姆感到冰霜在肩上跳躍、呼吸。
「祝你前路無礙。祝你幸運常在。祝你勇氣不衰。」
「這柄水鑄之劍的技術傳自舊世界。現在我把它贈予你，冰都的騎士。對於天空，它只是一根微不足道的針；對於大地，它只是一件劈開障礙的工具；但對於你，它是危難時前進的勇氣。」
「去吧，阿爾喬姆。」 |
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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
書接上文：本章講述了離開雪山之後，阿爾喬姆一行三人來到了一片氣候溫暖宜人的草原。這裡的植被豐茂、土地鬆軟，但依舊危機四伏。他們在這塊豐饒的土地上，遇到了前所未有的巨型昆蟲……
得天獨厚的環境養育了瘋狂生長的植物。腳下的土壤就像踩在鬆軟的床墊上一樣。阿爾喬姆脫去外套，穿過雜草齊膝的草地。一陣微風從他的身旁經過帶著青草的氣味。他從沒想過，世界上竟然存在這般溫柔的風。
他輕輕牽著安娜的手。她沒有拒絕。
有那麼一個瞬間，阿爾喬姆似乎聽到自己的心在低語：「留下來吧，就在這裡和安娜一直生活下去吧。」但他迅速否定了這一剎的私念。阿爾喬姆凝視著身旁的少女。這個女孩深信和他同行就一定能抵達旅途的終點——自己若是迷於私念，實在是辜負了她一路的信任和幫助。
沒等三人充分享受短暫的寧靜，天空中傳來了急速的嗡鳴聲。仿佛細小的針尖扎著耳膜，異樣的嗡鳴帶來的刺痛湧上眾人的腦袋。一隻怪物如鳥般劃過天空，卻以遠勝鳥類的頻率扇動著玻璃般透明的紗翅。
達米爾下意識地捂上耳朵趴倒在地上，口中不斷念誦著不知獻給何方神聖的禱辭——自從有被怪物帶走的經歷後，他總是第一個對危機起反應的人。阿爾喬姆忍著刺痛的耳膜，護著安娜俯下身子。他意識到自己似乎在哪裡見過這樣的怪物。
天空中的不速之客輕捷落地，不再扇動紗翅，如同一具令人毛骨悚然的雕塑靜止不動。
那是…蚊子？阿爾喬姆終於從記憶最冷僻的角落裡搜刮出一絲線索。他曾在舊世界遺留的百科文獻中看到過對於眼前這怪物的描繪。
在舊世界時代，世界尚有名為四季的節律之分。蚊子是出沒在夏季的吸血昆蟲，但其尺寸充其量不過是一指頭就能捻死的大小。可眼前這隻「蚊子」比他們站直了還高，細長的節肢上絨毛也清晰可辨。巨蚊以修長如劍的喙管刺穿地面，仿佛吮吸著什麼，對靜靜觀察的三人恍若不覺。
趴在地上的達米爾感覺到柔軟的土壤下隱然有液體流動。巨蚊的腹囊迅速鼓脹起來。他壓低的聲線中飽含驚懼：
「趁它還沒發現，我們趕緊逃走吧……」
「嗯，小心。」
阿爾喬姆盡力收束呼吸，緩緩在長草間移動。但這隻令人厭惡的生物似乎對土壤輕微的震動極為敏感——轉眼間，它警覺地將喙抽離地面，再次振翅騰空。細碎的嗡鳴伴著令人發麻的頭疼復又襲來。阿爾喬姆立即抽出冰都女王贈予的利劍，擺出守勢。
「阿爾喬姆，小心！它要來了。」
高頻的噪音隨著怪物接近拉長成了尖銳的厲嘯。阿爾喬姆揮舞水鑄之劍擋開巨蚊長喙迅疾的刺擊。這隻怪物在空中靈活自如：它不僅能懸停不動，還能快速變向。巨蚊警覺地退卻又俯衝，動作之快使它的身形模糊成一道虛影。眼看阿爾喬姆無力避開，火藥爆裂的巨震在他身後響起——巨蚊被這突如其來的轟擊打落在地，四腳朝天。
阿爾喬姆回頭，只見達米爾手上拿著一柄形制古老的燧發槍，槍管兀自冒著白煙。
「好樣的！」達米爾為自己精確的一擊頗感振奮。然而他的興奮很快隨著怪物蹬腿翻身變成了恐懼。
巨蚊拔高身形，在眾人頭頂劃出眼花繚亂的飛行路線。激烈的振翅聲宣示著眼前怪物的怒意——它如長針般尖利的喙管震顫著，預演著下一次突襲。
阿爾喬姆握劍的手忍不住輕輕發抖——這不是依靠靈敏反應就能躲開的一擊。
「安娜，你們快逃吧！」
「可是，阿爾喬姆——」
「逃？我看不必了。」
一個陌生卻有力的聲音響起。一支長槍緊隨著聲音自天而降，刺穿了巨蚊半透明的腹部，如鋼釘般將它牢牢釘死在地上。
戰鬥在一次心跳間結束了。阿爾喬姆長出一口氣——他們得救了。
聲音的主人是一名男性，身著奇異形制的服裝，威風凜凜；他胯下的坐騎更讓眾人吃驚——那居然是一隻有著甲冑外殼和發達後肢的昆蟲，背上架設著鞍具，其尺寸接近令他們陷入苦戰的巨蚊。
昆蟲坐騎以快如閃電的動作再度躍起。起落間，騎士從怪物屍首上拔出長槍，停在了阿爾喬姆面前——槍尖以不可思議的精準抵住了年輕冒險家的心臟。
他打了個唿哨，一隊同樣著裝的騎士自長草間現身。
三人正打算向騎士們表達感謝之情，卻只聽為首的騎士朗聲宣告：
「擅闖吾等聖地『春之原』的陌生人——你們被逮捕了！」
（未完待續） |
