魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第18部分

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theatrically　on　the　flared　rests　on　either　side　of　him。　However；　Lady　Proudmoore　is　busy　helping　her　precious　orc　
friends；　while　they　mount　defenses　and　prepare　to　destroy　us。　I　will　not　allow　what　she　has　built　to　be　destroyed　by　
her　own　shortsightedness　when　it　es　to　Thrall。　Now　then；　Colonel；　you　have　your　orders。　Kindly　carry　them
out。　　

Kristoff；　this　is　a　mistake。　Let　me　try　to　find　Strov　and　find　out

No。　　Then　Kristoff　softened；　and　lowered　his　arms　to　his　side。　Very　well；　Colonel；　I　will　grant　you　one　
concession：　you　may　assign　two　soldiers　to　search　for　Private　Strov。　I　can　spare　no　more　than　that。　　

She　supposed　that　was　the　best　she　was　going　to　get　from　the　chamberlain。　Thank　you。　Now　if　you　ll　excuse　me；　it　
seems　I　have　to　put　a　senior　staff　together。　　

Picking　up　the　scroll　once　again　with　his　right　hand；　Kristoff　waved　dismissively　with　his　left。　You　may　go。　　

She　turned　on　her　heel　and　angrily　left　the　throne　room。　

Fourteen　

A　s　Aegwynn　told　the　story　of　how　she　was　made　Guardian；　Jaina　found　surprise　piling　upon　shock。　The　histories
she　had　read　had　always　painted　the　appointment　of　Aegwynn　in　nothing　but　a　positive　light。　The　notion　that　the
council　was　reluctant　to　appoint　her；　and　did　so　despite　misgivings　about　her　sex　and　that　they　would　have　
resisted　her　methods　so　thoroughly　was　pletely　alien　to　her。　

Of　course；　Aegwynn　s　memories　of　those　days　were　several　centuries　old。　Your　account　of　matters　does　not　match
what　is　in　the　history　scrolls；　Magna。　　

No；　　Aegwynn　said　with　a　sigh。　It　wouldn　t。　Better　to　let　you　young　mages　think　that　all　wizards　function　in
perfect　harmony。　Figure　you　might　learn　from　their　lack　of　example。　　She　shook　her　head　and　slumped　a　bit　farther
in　her　seat。　But　no；　they　didn　t　want　a　girl　there；　and　only　appointed　me　because　they　didn　t　have　a　choice。　I　was　
the　best　qualified　certainly　more　than　the　other　four。　And　they　regretted　it　every　minute。　　She　sat　back　up　straight。
In　the　end；　we　all　did。　If　it　wasn　t　for　me…　　

Jaina　shook　her　head。　That　s　ridiculous。　You　did　so　much。　　
　
What　did　I　do？　I　insisted　that　Tirisfal　be　more　proactive　in　dealing　with　the　demons；　but　what　did　my　insistence　
acplish；　exactly？　For　eight　centuries；　I　tried　to　stem　the　tide；　to　no　avail。　Zmodlor　was　just　the　first。　So　many　
demons；　so　many　battles；　and　in　the　end　I　was　still　tricked　by　Sargeras。　I

This　time；　Jaina　didn　t　need　to　hear　the　story。　I　know　what　happened　to　you　when　you　faced　Sargeras。　You
destroyed　his　physical　form；　but　his　soul　remained　inside　you　and　was　passed　on　to　Medivh。　　

Chuckling　bitterly；　Aegwynn　said；　And　you　still　think　I　was　a　great　wizard？　I　let　my　arrogance　interfere　with　my　
judgment。　I　assumed　the　Tirisfalen　to　be　a　group　of　hidebound　old　fools；　rather　than　what　they　truly　were：
experienced　mages　who　knew　better　than　me。　After　I　　defeated　　Sargeras；　I　became　more　arrogant；　if　that　s　even
possible。　I　ignored　every　summons　the　council　sent　me；　disregarded　their　procedures；　disobeyed　their　orders。　After
all；　I　beat　Sargeras；　and　he　was　a　god；　so　what　did　they　know？　　She　snarled。　　I　was　such　an　idiot。　　

Don　t　be　ridiculous。　　Jaina　couldn　t　believe　this。　Bad　enough　that　the　greatest　wizard　of　her　time；　the　woman　she　d
idolized　all　her　life；　turned　out　to　be　such　an　unpleasant　person；　but　now　she　was　just　being　idiotic。　It　was
Sargeras。　Any　mage　would　have　made　the　same　mistake　you　did。　As　you　said；　he　was　a　god。　He　knew　he　would
have　to　trick　you　because　of　your　power；　and　he　knew　how　to　manipulate　you。　What　you　did　was　perfectly　natural。　　

Aegwynn　stared　at　one　of　the　corners　of　the　ramshackle　hut　that　she　apparently　called　home。　I　did　far　far　more　
than　that。　There　was　also　Medivh。　　

Now　Jaina　was　even　more　confused。　I　knew　Medivh；　Magna。　He　was

Whirling　to　look　at　Jaina；　Aegwynn　snapped；　I　m　not　talking　about　what　my　son　was。　I　m　talking　about　how　he　
was。　　

What　do　you　mean？　　Jaina　asked；　genuinely　confused。　　Medivh　was　fathered　by　Nielas　Aran；　and

　　Fathered　？　　Aegwynn　let　out　a　noise　that　sounded　like　a　rock　shattering。　That　s　far　too　generous　a　term　for　it。　　




Sixtynine　years　ago…　　

The　summons　had　been　insistent　this　time；　which　was　the　only　reason　why　Aegwynn　responded　to　it。　The　
Guardians　of　Tirisfal　had　changed　over　the　years。　The　three　elves　were　the　same；　but　the　humans　and　the　gnome
had　all　died　and　been　replaced；　and　then　their　replacements　died　and　themselves　had　successors。　In　many　ways；
though；　they　had　not　changed　at　all。　Rather　than　deal　with　them　in　any　way；　or　deal　with　an　apprentice；　Aegwynn
had　used　her　magicks　to　extend　her　life　so　she　could　continue　to　do　her　duty　as　Guardian。　

She　had　almost　fallen　to　her　death　while　standing　on　a　parapet　in　Lordaeron；　casting　a　seeker　spell　for　one　of
Sargeras　s　former　thralls；　rumored　to　be　out　and　about　in　the　city。　In　the　midst　of　the　incantation；　the　council　had
decided　to　hit　her　with　a　summons　so　powerful　that　she　almost　lost　her　balance。　It　was　the　third　summons　in　as
many　days；　and　the　first　that　had　interfered　with　her　ability　to　function。　

Realizing　that　she　would　not　hear　the　end　of　it　until　she　answered；　she　teleported　to　the　Tirisfal　Glade。　She　stood　on
top　of　the　very　rock　Falric　who　had　also　long　since　died；　as　had　her　other　three　fellow　apprentices；　all　perishing　
while　fighting　demons　had　transmuted　into　fool　s　gold　all　those　centuries　ago；　time　having　exposed　and　tarnished
it　so　it　was　a　dull　brown　instead　of　the　bright　golden　color　it　was　eight　hundred　years　past。　

What　is　it　that　s　so　important　that　you　interrupt　my　work？　　

It　has　been　eight　centuries；　Aegwynn；　　one　of　the　new　humans　said。　Aegwynn　had　never　bothered　to　learn　his
name。　It　is　past　time　you　relinquished　your　duties。　　
　
Drawing　herself　up　to　her　full　height　which　made　her　taller　than　any　of　the　men　surrounding　her　in　this　glade
she　said；　I　am　properly　addressed　as　Magna。　　That　s　one　of　those　ridiculous　rules　you　insist　on　foisting　upon　the
magical　world。　　The　word　was　a　dwarven　one　meaning　　protector；　　and　had　been　the　honorific　for　every　Guardian
since　the　first。　Aegwynn　didn　t　care　much　for　titles；　but　the　council　s　insistence　on　the　rules　and　regulations；　and
their　disapproval　of　her　flaunting　them；　made　her　sensitive　to　their　own　violations。　

Relfthra　threw　it　back　in　her　face。　Ah；　so　now　you　re　a　stickler　for　rules；　eh？　　

The　human　gave　Relfthra　a　look；　and　then　said；　The　point；　Magna；　is　that　you　know　as　well　as　any　of　us　the　risks　
of　what　you　are　doing。　The　longer　you　extend　your　age；　the　greater　the　risk　that　it　will　be　undone。　The　deaging　
magicks　are　not　precise；　nor　are　they　stable。　In　midconflict；　in　midcasting；　you　could　find　yourself　suddenly　
brought　to　your　natural　age。　If　that　happens　without　a　successor

Aegwynn　held　up　a　hand。　The　last　thing　she　needed　from　these　fools　was　a　lecture　on　the　ways　of　magic。　She　was　a　
stronger　magician　than　any　of　them。　Had　they　faced　down　Sargeras　himself？　　Very　well。　I　will　find　a　successor　and
transfer　the　Guardian　power　to　that　person。　　

Gritting　his　teeth；　the　human　said；　We　will　choose　your　successor；　just　as　we　chose　Scavell　s　and　that　of　every　
Guardian　before　him。　　

No。　I　shall　make　the　choice。　I　believe　I　know　better　than　anyone　what　is　involved　in　being　a　Guardian　certainly　
more　than　you　who　stand　around　this　glade　and　make　pronouncements　while　the　rest　of　us　do　the　actual　work。　　

Magna 　the　human　started；　but　Aegwynn　wished　to　hear　no　more。　

I　have　heard　your　advice；　and　for　once　it　is　worth　heeding。　　She　smiled。　I　suppose　it　was　bound　to　happen
eventually。　Even　a　village　idiot　may　stumble　upon　a　valuable　philosophy　once　in　a　while。　When　my　successor　is
chosen；　you　will　be　informed。　That　is　all。　　

Without　waiting　to　be　dismissed；　she　teleported　back　to　the　parapet。　While　the　council　s　words　were　in　fact　true；　she　
was　in　the　midst　of　doing　her　duty。　She　once　again　cast　the　seeker　spell　to　determine　if　the　demon　was　loose　in
Lordaeron；　as　rumored。　

Once　that　was　taken　care　of　there　was　no　demon；　only　some　teenagers　indulging　in　magicks　they　didn　t
understand；　had　they　continued；　that　demon　would　have　been　summoned；　but　Aegwynn　was　able　to　forestall　their
adolescent　efforts　she　traveled　to　Stormwind；　specifically　to　the　home　of　Nielas　Aran。　

Aran　had　been　an　admirer　of　hers　for　many　years。　Aegwynn　barely　paid　any　attention　to　him；　except　insofar　as　he
was　more　talented　than　most　of　the　mages　who　were　part　of　the　Tirisfalen。　He　was　blissfully　free　of　the　prejudices
of　the　council；　and　had　done　well　by　his　craft；　serving　also　as　the　court　magician　for　King　Landan　Wrynn。　Were　she
several　centuries　younger；　she　might　have　admired　his　steel　blue　eyes　and　his　broad　shoulders　and　his　easy　laugh。　

However；　she　wasn　t　several　centuries　younger；　and　so　had　neither　interest　in　him　nor　desire　to　even　acknowledge　
his　interest　in　her。　She　d　had　plenty　of　dalliances　in　her　younger　days；　starting　with　Jonas；　but　she　d　long　since　lost　
patience　with　them。　Eight　hundred　years　of　life　had　exposed　romance　to　be　a　mass　of　fallacy　and　artifice；　and　she　
had　neither　the　time　nor　the　inclination　for　it。　

Still　and　all；　she　managed　to　dredge　up　the　flirtatiousness　that　she　had　first　used　on　Jonas　as　a　teenager；　and　started
speaking　to　Aran。　She　suddenly　became　fascinated　in　his　hobbies　and　his　interest　in　dwarven　music。　

All　of　it　served　one　purpose；　which　was　for　him　to　share　his　bed　with　her。　

The　next　morning；　she　knew　that　she　had　been　impregnated　by　his　seed。　She　had　been　mildly　disheartened　to　realize　
that　the　embryo　within　her　would　grow　to　be　a　male　child。　She　had　been　hoping　for　a　daughter；　as　yet　another　poke　
　
in　the　eye　to　the　Guardians　of　Tirisfal。　But　even　so；　this　boy　would　serve　the　purpose　for　which　he　had　been
conceived。　

Taking　her　leave　of　a　rather　disappointed　Aran　who　truly　had　expected　little　else；　but　had　been　hoping　that
Aegwynn　could　at　least　have　been　polite　about　it　she　departed　Stormwind。　For　nine　months；　she　performed　her
tasks　as　Guardian　as　much　as　she　could；　and　eventually　bore　Medivh。　Only　then　did　she　return；　handing　the　infant
to　Aran　and　declaring　him　to　be　her　heir。　



I　can　see　by　the　look　on　your　face　that　you　re　horrified。　　Aegwynn　said　the　words　to　Jaina　with　a　vicious　smile。　

I　am。　　Jaina　spoke　true。　She　had　fought　alongside　Medivh　it　was　he　who　had　encouraged　Jaina　to　ally　herself
with　Thrall　and　the　orcs　against　the　Burning　Legion　but　she　d　had　no　idea　that　the　prophet　s　origins　were　so
tawdry。　Indeed；　she　knew　very　little　about　him；　save　that　he　had　returned　from　the　dead　and　was　trying　to　atone　for
his　sins　by　doing　everything　he　could　to　stop　the　Burning　Legion。　

That　is　why　I　told　you　the　story；　　Aegwynn　said。　　I　m　no　hero；　I　m　no　role　model；　I　m　no　shining　beacon　to
inspire　wizards　of　any　sex。　What　I　am　is　an　arrogant　ass　who　let　her　power　and　the　wiles　of　a　clever　demon　destroy　
her　and　the　rest　of　the　world。　　

Jaina　shook　her　head。　She　remembered　many　conversations　with　Kristoff　about　how　the　lessons　of　history　are　rarely　
in　the　written　word；　for　such　accounts　were　invariably　biased　in　favor　of　what　the　writer　wished　the　reader　to　know　
ab