第二十章（4）
Kratos vaulted over a low wall and found himself in the middle of a circular chamber.
奎托斯翻过一堵矮墙，发现自己身处一个圆形房间的中央。
His nose wrinkled when he caught a smell that revolted him.
他闻到一股让他作呕的气味，鼻子皱了起来。
Cerberus hounds, three-headed monsters with teeth so sharp they could rend a man’s arm off in a single snap.
刻耳柏洛斯（即地狱三头犬），三头怪物，牙齿锋利到能一下子撕掉人的胳膊。
Before he could whip out his blades, two Cerberus pups attacked.
他还来不及拔出双刃，两只刻耳柏洛斯幼犬就发起了攻击。
These were smaller monsters, single-headed with matted manes, but no less dangerous to him.
这些是体型较小的怪物，只有一个头，鬃毛缠结，但对他同样危险。
They moved faster than the hound they would grow up to be and seemed to compete with each other to be the most vicious.
它们移动得比成年体更快，并且似乎在互相竞争谁更凶狠。
Kratos spun, kicked one high into the air, and caught the other by its corded, muscled neck as it leaped for his throat.
奎托斯旋转身体，将一只踢到空中，并在另一只跃起扑向他喉咙时，抓住了它肌肉虬结的脖颈。
It thrashed about, and his grip began to slip because of the gore matting its mane and the fur under its throat—so great was the blood, the pup must have recently feasted.
它猛烈挣扎着，由于污血粘结了它的鬃毛和喉下的皮毛，他的抓握开始打滑——血迹如此之多，这幼犬必定刚刚饱餐过一顿。
But it was clear the cur was still hungry from the way its sharp teeth snapped at Kratos, not knowing that whatever it had recently devoured was to be its last meal.
但从它尖牙咬向奎托斯的样子来看，这**显然仍然饥饿，殊不知它刚刚吞下的将是它的最后一餐。
Holding it at arm’s length, he made a single pitiless jerk and tore off its head.
他伸直手臂抓住它，然后无情地一扭，撕下了它的头。
He cast it aside to go after the whimpering pup he had kicked, only to find himself circled by three more of the deadly little monsters.
他将头扔到一边，去追捕那只被他踢飞、正在哀鸣的幼犬，却发现自己又被另外三只这种致命的小怪物围住了。
Spines rose along their backs as they circled him, coordinating their efforts so all could share in his flesh.
它们绕着他转圈，背上的尖刺竖起，协同行动，以便都能分食他的血肉。
Kratos let out a battle cry, spun his swords in a complete circle around him, and dispatched them.
奎托斯发出一声战吼，双剑在身边划出一个完整的圆环，解决了它们。
Intent on killing the one he had kicked, he neglected to look behind.
他一心要杀死他踢飞的那只，忽略了身后。
Fierce jaws clamped on his shoulder and lifted him from his feet.
凶猛的下颚咬住了他的肩膀，将他提离了地面。
Dangling from the thrashing jaws so all he could see was the dome above the chamber, he began anticipating which way the jaws would toss him in an attempt to rip out his shoulder blades.
他被甩动的巨口悬吊着，只能看到房间上方的圆顶，他开始预判这巨口会朝哪个方向甩动他，试图撕掉他的肩胛骨。
When he found the proper rhythm, he jerked hard, forced his shoulder deeper into the middle mouth of the full-grown Cerberus, and felt a weakening.
当他找到合适的节奏时，他猛地一挣，将肩膀更深的塞进成年刻耳柏洛斯的中间那张嘴里，感到它的咬合力减弱了。
This was all he needed to smash his fist onto the top of the dog’s head and gain his release.
这正是他需要的，他挥拳猛击狗头顶，得以脱身。
He was thrown to the floor.
他被甩到地板上。
Looking up at the Cerberus towering above him, all three heads snarling and snapping, he did nothing.
他抬头看着耸立在他面前的刻耳柏洛斯，三个头都在咆哮撕咬，他却一动不动。
He remained in a crouch, frozen.
他保持着蹲伏的姿势，僵住了。
Its heads weaved about on independent necks.
它的头在独立的脖子上摇摆。
The dorsal spines on the pups were only a few inches long; on this creature they were fully eighteen inches.
幼犬背上的尖刺只有几英寸长；而在这生物身上，足有十八英寸长。
Any one of them could impale a careless man.
任何一根都能刺穿一个粗心的人。
Kratos kept his gorge down as the creature roared and sent a gust of fetid breath into his face.
当这怪物咆哮着将一股恶臭的气息喷到他脸上时，奎托斯强忍住呕吐的冲动。
The yellowed, broken fangs in each mouth dripped with saliva.
每张嘴里的黄褐色断牙都滴着唾液。
The Cerberus reared and dropped hard to the floor, voicing a guttural cry intended to cow him.
刻耳柏洛斯后仰立起，然后重重砸在地板上，发出意在威慑他的低沉吼叫。
As Kratos had hoped, the Cerberus thought its prey to be paralyzed with fear.
正如奎托斯所希望的，刻耳柏洛斯以为它的猎物因恐惧而瘫痪了。
It was careless in its attack, allowing Kratos to duck under the central head and thereby block the head on the right as he seized the bottom of the left head’s jaw in one hand and drove the fingers of the other into exposed eyes.
它的攻击变得大意，让奎托斯得以躲过中间的头，从而挡住了右边的头，同时他一手抓住左边头的下颚，另一手的手指插入了它暴露的眼睛。
With a sturdy grip, he wrenched back and away and tore off the head.
他稳稳抓住，猛地向后一拧，撕下了这个头。

第二十章（5）
Warm blood sprayed onto him and caused him to slip.
温热的血液喷溅到他身上，让他脚下一滑。
If the Cerberus had not been so sorely wounded, Kratos would have perished.
如果不是刻耳柏洛斯受伤如此严重，奎托斯就已经死了。
But the pain of losing a head deterred it.
但失去一个头的痛苦让它难以行动。
The Cerberus realized its opponent was not as vulnerable as it had thought.
刻耳柏洛斯意识到它的对手并不像它想的那么脆弱。
Snarling, it advanced.
它咆哮着前进。
Even wounded and wary, it moved with startling speed and head-butted him.
即使受伤且警惕，它仍能以惊人的速度移动，并用头撞击他。
Kratos threw himself backward at the last possible instant and only endured a hard blow to the chest, hardly more than a soldier’s fist wrapped in chain might give.
奎托斯在最后一刻向后闪避，只承受了胸口一记重击，力度不过如同裹着链甲的士兵一拳。
He recovered and saw a new attack.
他恢复过来，看到了新的攻击。
The Cerberus reared back on its hind legs and spat forth a fireball.
刻耳柏洛斯用后腿立起，吐出一个火球。
Kratos turned aside, and the deadly fire passed by him.
奎托斯转身避开，致命的火焰从他身边掠过。
He spun in the other direction to avoid a second fireball, but this one came closer and raked his back, burning the bite wounds the hound had inflicted in his shoulder.
他转向另一个方向以避开第二个火球，但这个火球更近，擦过他的背部，灼烧着那恶犬在他肩上造成的咬伤。
They circled warily, each looking for the other’s weakness.
他们谨慎地绕圈，各自寻找对方的弱点。
Kratos had the advantage.
奎托斯占有优势。
He had faced other Cerberus hounds before.
他以前面对过其他的刻耳柏洛斯。
And this one had never fought him.
而这只从未与他交战过。
Nor would it have a second chance.
它也不会再有第二次机会。
Kratos drew his blades, attacked with an earsplitting cry, and severed the right head—but not cleanly.
奎托斯拔出双刃，带着震耳欲聋的吼声发起攻击，斩断了右边的头——但不够利落。
The head still snapped and yowled but was held to the body only by its spinal cord.
那个头仍然在咬噬和嚎叫，但仅靠脊髓与身体相连。
The flapping head distracted the remaining central head long enough for Kratos to duck under a reflexive, toothy snap of its jaws and grab its chin.
那个拍打着的头分散了剩下的中间头的注意力，时间长得足够让奎托斯躲过它反射性的利齿猛咬，并抓住它的下巴。
As he had ripped away the first head, so he dealt out death to the third.
如同他撕掉第一个头一样，他给予了第三个头死亡。
His muscles bulged as he exerted himself.
他用力时肌肉隆起。
The central head was stronger.
中间的头更强壮。
He shoved his foot into the Cerberus’ chest to get better leverage.
他将脚蹬在刻耳柏洛斯的胸口以获得更好的杠杆力。
This time the head tore free of the body.
这次，头被从身体上撕了下来。
So much blood was spilled that the head slipped from his grasp and went bouncing across the floor.
血流如注，头从他手中滑脱，弹跳着滚过地板。
It stopped in front of the mewling pup he had thought to kill earlier.
它停在他早先想杀掉的那只呜呜哀鸣的幼犬面前。
The Cerberus pup’s back legs had been broken by his earlier kick.
刻耳柏洛斯幼犬的后腿被他早先的一脚踢断了。
Kratos walked over and looked down into the yellow eyes filled with nothing but hate.
奎托斯走过去，低头凝视那双充满仇恨的黄色眼睛。
He tentatively reached out and let it strike at his hand.
他试探性地伸出手，让它咬向自己的手。
He kicked it back to land beside the thrice-beheaded Cerberus in the center of the chamber where it could die in its own time.
他把它踢回房间中央，落在被三次斩首的刻耳柏洛斯旁边，让它自生自灭。
Panting from the exertion, he surveyed the room.
他因用力而喘息着，扫视着房间。
He saw only one exit.
他只看到一个出口。
If he wanted to reach the Island of Fate he had to take it.
如果他想抵达命运岛，他就必须走那里。

第二十一章（1）
STRAINING, EVERY MUSCLE at the breaking point, Kratos shoved the huge stone block across the chamber, grinding the bodies of the Cerberus pups beneath it to leave a blood-smeared trail.
奎托斯用尽全力，每一块肌肉都濒临断裂，他将巨大的石块推过房间，碾过地上的刻耳柏洛斯幼犬尸体，留下了一道血污的痕迹。
When he positioned the block properly, he jumped onto it, caught a railing, and pulled himself up and over to a walkway around the palace that hadn’t collapsed.
他将石块推到合适的位置后，跳了上去，抓住一道栏杆，将自己拉上去，翻到了宫殿周围一段尚未坍塌的走道上。
He edged around and got back to the collapsed bridge, staring at the island beyond.
他小心翼翼地移动，回到了断裂的桥边，凝视着远处的岛屿。
There had to be a way.
一定有条路能过去。
As he turned to explore further, an arrow whistled past his ear.
当他转身想进一步探索时，一支箭呼啸着擦过他的耳朵。
“There’s the intruder,” cried an archer, pointing with the tip of another arrow being nocked.
“入侵者在那儿！”一名弓箭手喊道，用正在搭上的另一支箭的箭头指着。
“Be cautious. He’s the one that killed the Cerberus and her pups!”
“小心点。就是他杀了刻耳柏洛斯和它的幼崽！”
Another archer joined the first, speaking in a low voice.
另一名弓箭手凑近第一个，低声说着什么。
Kratos didn’t have to know what they were saying.
奎托斯无需知道他们在说什么。
Their mistress had to be one of the Sisters of Fate.
他们的女主人必定是命运三女神之一。
“Hold! Wait!” Kratos called to them.
“住手！等等！”奎托斯朝他们喊道。
“I would speak with—” He got no farther.
“我想和——”他没机会说完了。
Both archers let fly with their arrows.
两名弓箭手都射出了箭。
He batted one aside with the flat of his hand.
他用掌面拍开一支。
Moving his head slightly allowed the other to slip past harmlessly.
他微微偏头，让另一支无害地掠过。
Being allowed to speak with their mistress was not going to happen.
看来是不可能被允许与他们的女主人对话了。
He grabbed Typhon’s Bane, drew back the string, and let fly before he recognized the target.
他抓起堤丰之灾，拉紧弓弦，甚至在看清目标之前就射了出去。
The icy gust flew off and to his left to impale an archer.
冰冷的疾风向左飞出，刺穿了一名弓箭手。
Beside the dead archer were two others preparing to loose their missiles.
死去的弓箭手旁边还有另外两人正准备发射箭矢。
Kratos gave them no chance.
奎托斯没给他们机会。
Four quick releases of the string sent two arrows into each, killing them.
四次快速的松弦，每人各中两箭，结果了他们。
He surveyed the way over to the terrace from which the archers had fired.
他观察了通往弓箭手所在露台的路线。
That provided him as good a direction to explore as any.
这给了他一个不错的探索方向。
The archers had to be guarding something important.
弓箭手们必定在守卫着重要的东西。
And if he approached cautiously enough, he might find a way to declare his intentions of speaking with the Sisters of Fate so he would not have to fight his way through a phalanx of other guards.
如果他足够谨慎地接近，或许能找到办法表明他想与命运三女神对话的意图，而不必一路杀穿其他守卫的方阵。
Going to the side of the bridge, he judged distances and how difficult it would be to reach that terrace, drew the Blades of Athena, and then leaped into space.
他走到桥边，估测了距离和到达那个露台的难度，然后拔出雅典娜之刃，纵身跃入空中。
The blades dug into the ornate stonework facing the palace wall.
双刃凿入了宫殿外墙华丽的石雕中。
He swung from one position to another until he reached the other parapet and pulled himself up.
他从一个位置摆荡到另一个位置，直到抵达对面的护墙，并爬了上去。
Kratos expected opposition and got it immediately.
奎托斯预料到会有抵抗，并且立刻遇到了。
A tall soldier screamed and attacked with a curve-bladed axe.
一名高个子士兵尖叫着，挥舞一把弯刃战斧攻来。
Rather than use his swords, Kratos judged distance and speed, ducked at the last instant, and tore the axe from the warrior’s hand.
奎托斯没有用剑，而是判断了距离和速度，在最后一刻低头躲过，并从那战士手中夺下了斧头。
He shoved hard and sent the creature falling onto his face.
他用力一推，将那家伙脸朝下摔倒在地。
A quick downward swing with the axe ended any opposition.
一记快速的下劈斧结束了任何抵抗。
Kratos had not even broken into a sweat from the exertion.
奎托斯甚至没因这番动作而出汗。
Long strides took him into the palace and down a corridor to a chamber far removed from the others behind the sundered bridge.
他大步走进宫殿，沿着一条走廊来到一个房间，这里远离断桥后面的其他区域。
He found a lever in the center of the chamber and shoved it hard.
他在房间中央发现一个杠杆，于是用力推下。
The floor quivered under his sandals and then began sinking faster and faster.
地板在他的凉鞋下颤动，然后开始越来越快地下降。
If he wanted to cross to the other island, he had to reach sea level.
如果他想去往另一座岛，就必须到达海平面。
As the elevator came to a halt, Kratos stepped off warily and looked around what seemed an empty chamber similar to the one above, but his nostrils flared at a peculiar odor.
当升降梯停下时，奎托斯谨慎地踏出，环顾这个看似空荡、与上层相似的房间，但他的鼻孔因一种奇特的气味而翕动。
Making him certain he knew what he faced, he heard a small hum, a tiny sound that would have meant nothing without all the other clues.
当他确信自己知道面对的是什么时，他听到一阵微弱的嗡嗡声，若无其他线索，这细微的声音本无意义。
Kratos grabbed Typhon’s Bane and began firing across the chamber toward an intricately carved marble column casting shadows—which moved.
奎托斯抓起堤丰之灾，开始向房间对面一根投下阴影的、雕刻精美的大理石柱射击——那阴影在移动。
And sang.
并且在歌唱。
“Siren,” he muttered.
“塞壬（即女海妖）。”他低声道。
He kept firing the bow, sending one wind arrow after another toward the sinuously moving, ethereal creature.
他不断拉弓，将一支接一支的风箭射向那蜿蜒移动、身形缥缈的生物。
Taller than Kratos by half, the thin creature reached out arms wearing golden bands at the biceps and hands ending in fingers so long they rippled like tentacles.
这纤细的生物比奎托斯还高出一半，她伸出手臂，上臂戴着金环，手指长得如同触手般波动。
Eyes of fire burned with an intense blue light as she reared up, like a sea horse, no legs or feet visible under a diaphanous gown that swirled about like pale smoke.
当她像海马一样昂起身时，火焰般的眼睛燃烧着强烈的蓝光，薄如蝉翼的长袍如淡烟般缭绕，看不到腿或脚。
She slipped forward, the gown of silk sliding in a soft whisper across marble flooring, and began her song in earnest.
她滑向前方，丝绸长袍在大理石地板上发出轻柔的沙沙声，然后开始认真地歌唱。
It rose in pitch, beguiling, hypnotizing.
音调升高，迷人而催眠。
Kratos tried to fire another arrow but found himself immobilized by the sweet, clear voice.
奎托斯试图再射一箭，却发现自己被那甜美清澈的嗓音定住了。
“My lover,” came the words intertwined with the song’s notes.
“我的爱人。”歌声中交织着话语。
“Come to me. I want you. I want to love you.”
“来到我身边。我需要你。我想要爱你。”
The Siren held out her arms and how could Kratos resist?
塞壬张开双臂，奎托斯怎能抵抗？
Why should he?
他为什么要抵抗？
She was his lover, his love, the only one he cared about or who cared for him in the entire world.
她是他的爱人，他的挚爱，是整个世界上他唯一关心、也是唯一关心他的人。
He walked to her slowly, every step an agony.
他缓缓走向她，每一步都充满痛苦。
“Embrace me, my lover, my brave Spartan warrior,” the Siren called.
“拥抱我，我的爱人，我勇敢的斯巴达战士。”塞壬呼唤道。
He tried to fight but his body refused to obey.
他试图挣扎，但他的身体拒绝服从。
He neared her, heard her beguiling song, knew that death was close at hand.
他靠近她，听着她迷人的歌声，知道死亡近在咫尺。
Kratos struggled to lift a sword, to punch the lovely woman reaching out to him.
奎托斯挣扎着想举起剑，想给这个向他伸手的可爱女人一拳。
He had never seen a woman as beautiful or desirable.
他从未见过如此美丽或诱人的女人。
Her song touched his most primal urges and pulled him closer.
她的歌声触动了他最原始的冲动，将他拉得更近。
Their lips touched.
他们的嘴唇相触。
Kratos felt as if he had been caught in a raging river and was being carried toward an immense waterfall.
奎托斯感觉自己仿佛被卷入汹涌的河流，正被冲向巨大的瀑布。
Her lips caressed and aroused—and sucked the life from him.
她的嘴唇爱抚着，挑逗着——并且吸取着他的生命。
He fought to no avail.
他挣扎着，但徒劳无功。
Strength drained from him until the Siren no longer kissed him.
力量从他体内流失，直到塞壬不再亲吻他。
“You are weaker than a mewling babe in arms,” the Siren said.
“你比怀里哭闹的婴儿还要虚弱。”塞壬说。
“I like for my … lovers … to appreciate me.”
“我喜欢我的……情人们……欣赏我。”

第二十一章（2）
Weak though he was and his godly power drained, he still possessed twice the stamina and strength of a normal mortal.
尽管他虚弱，神力也已流失，但他仍拥有普通凡人两倍的毅力和力量。
“You will become a husk. You will—”
“你将变成一具空壳。你将——”
The Siren screamed, the sound so shrill Kratos’ ears bled from the noise.
塞壬尖叫起来，声音如此尖利，奎托斯的耳朵都被震出了血。
But it was sweeter music to him than her entrancing song.
但对他来说，这比她那迷人的歌声更动听。
It was her death cry.
那是她的死亡哀嚎。
He brought his swords up through her gut and continued to strain, slicing his way through her torso; then each blade departed the body at the shoulders.
他提起双剑刺入她的腹部，继续用力，一路向上切开她的躯干；然后每把剑都从肩膀处离开了身体。
The Siren fell in three pieces, but she continued to shriek.
塞壬断成三截倒下，但她仍在尖叫。
“I love you,” the Siren said, words he had not heard since the death of his wife, Lysandra.
“我爱你。”塞壬说道，这是自他妻子吕珊德拉死后他再未听过的话。
But the blood pumping into her lungs from the sword thrust through her chest robbed the words of any magical power.
但从胸膛剑伤涌入肺部的血液，剥夺了这些话的任何魔力。
Kratos bent, gathered her in his arms, and held her so her face was near his for a moment.
奎托斯弯下腰，将她揽入怀中，让她的脸靠近他的脸，停留了片刻。
“Die” was all he said as he tightened his grip around her back and snapped her spine like a dried twig.
“死吧。”这是他唯一的话，同时他收紧环抱她背部的手，像折断枯枝一样折断了她的脊柱。
Her death cry reverberated like thunder and shattered a wall hiding a corridor along the far side of the chamber.
她的死亡哭喊如雷鸣般回荡，震碎了一面隐藏着房间远端走廊的墙壁。
He hated Harpies as much as he did Sirens, though a Harpy could never insinuate herself into his mind and emotion.
他憎恨哈耳庇厄，如同憎恨塞壬一样，尽管哈耳庇厄永远无法蛊惑他的心神和情感。
Kratos kicked the body aside, then went and looked through the archway over the backs of four immense horses hitched to the side of the building by chains with links thicker and heavier than Kratos’ own body.
奎托斯将尸体踢到一边，然后走过去，透过拱门看到四匹巨大马匹的背部，它们被锁链拴在建筑侧面，链环比奎托斯自己的身体还要粗重。
“The Steeds of Time,” came Gaia’s rumbling voice.
“时序骏马。”传来盖亚低沉的声音。
“What of them?” Kratos asked.
“它们怎么了？”奎托斯问。
“You must go to the steeds if you want to reverse all that has happened to you,” Gaia said.
“如果你想逆转发生在你身上的一切，就必须去往那些骏马那里。”盖亚说。
“Mount the steeds!”
“骑上它们！”
Kratos wanted to ask more of the Titan but sensed she would not give a satisfactory answer.
奎托斯想再问问这位泰坦，但感觉她不会给出满意的答案。
The lack of hospitality shown thus far told him the path to the Sisters of Fate would be a bloody one and that he would not be greeted with open arms, only drawn weapons.
迄今为止所遭遇的敌意告诉他，通往命运三女神的道路将充满血腥，他不会受到热情欢迎，只会遇到出鞘的武器。
The Island of Fate lay to his left and the Steeds of Time directly ahead.
命运岛在他的左侧，而时间骏马正前方。
From here, he could not judge how large those bronze statues of the four horses were, possibly hundreds of feet tall with their hooves extending downward to the sea and their proud heads lifted to the heavens.
从这里，他无法判断那四匹青铜马雕像有多大，可能有数百英尺高，马蹄向下延伸至大海，骄傲的马头昂首向天。
The dull gleam from their flanks showed corrosion and age.
它们侧腹暗淡的光泽显示出腐蚀和岁月的痕迹。
Wondering what use statues might be to him did not stop Kratos from venturing out.
疑惑雕像对他有何用并未阻止奎托斯冒险前行。
He could ride these huge horses to his goal, and none could stop him.
他可以骑着这些巨马到达目的地，无人能阻挡。
But how?
但要怎么做？
Bringing them to life was a matter to concern him later, but reaching them presented an immediate problem.
让它们活过来是稍后要考虑的事，但到达它们面前是个迫在眉睫的问题。
He looked down.
他向下看去。
Twenty feet below, one of the chains that served as tether for the team stretched wider than most bridges.
下方二十英尺处，一条用来拴住马队的锁链伸展着，比大多数桥都宽。
Taking a running leap, Kratos launched himself into the air and landed hard on the metal with a resounding clang.
奎托斯助跑起跳，跃入空中，重重地落在金属锁链上，发出响亮的哐当声。
The width of the rein—the chain—was more than triple his height.
这缰绳——这锁链——的宽度是他身高的三倍多。
The steeds stood quiescent more than a mile away at the other end.
骏马在一英里多外的另一端静立着。
Kratos looked back at the island with its towering spires and immense temple, the craggy rocks below, and a magnificent waterfall cascading into the sea to the right.
奎托斯回头望向那座岛屿，高耸的尖塔和巨大的神庙，下方嶙峋的岩石，以及右侧倾泻入海的壮丽瀑布。
He might lose himself in the maze of that temple and never have a better chance of reaching the Sisters of Fate than continuing to the steeds.
他可能会在那座神庙的迷宫中迷失方向，而继续前往骏马那里，可能是到达命运三女神的最佳机会。
So far, all that Gaia had said had proven useful to him.
迄今为止，盖亚所说的一切都被证明对他有用。
If she meant him harm, he could have perished at any time because of a casual lie.
如果她想害他，他可能早已因一个随意的谎言而丧命。
He turned from the island and stared along the length of chain to get a better estimate of how truly tall the horses had to be.
他转身背对岛屿，沿着锁链的长度凝视，以便更准确地估算这些马究竟有多高。
Five hundred feet or more from the chain to the sea below gave perspective to the size of the steeds.
从锁链到下方海面五百英尺或更高的距离，让他对骏马的体型有了概念。
He began running.
他开始奔跑。
The chain beneath his sandals never swayed from his rapid passage, so massive was the cable.
凉鞋下的锁链并未因他快速通过而晃动，这缆绳是如此巨大。
When he reached the armored rear of the horses, now towering far above his head, he looked up and wondered if he needed all four or if a single horse would serve him.
当他到达马匹覆甲的臀部时，它们此刻远高于他的头顶，他抬头望去，想知道是需要所有四匹马，还是一匹就够用了。
But how to unhitch a single horse when they were so securely fastened with the immense chains?
但它们被巨大的锁链如此牢固地拴着，如何解开一匹呢？
Kratos walked along the traces and studied the steeds from a vantage point at their shoulders between two of them.
奎托斯沿着挽绳行走，从两匹马肩部之间的一个有利位置观察它们。
Seeing nothing that would drive them forward—or bring the stolid statues to life—he climbed a ladder up over the mane on the horse to his left and reached a large structure.
没有看到任何能驱动它们前进——或让这些迟钝雕像活过来——的东西，他爬上梯子，越过左边马匹的鬃毛，到达一个巨大的结构体。
He walked around it, looking for an entrance.
他绕着它走，寻找入口。
When he came to a large bronze door he tried to open it.
当他来到一扇巨大的青铜门前时，他试图打开它。
The door rattled but did not budge.
门发出嘎嘎声，但纹丝不动。
“You need the Horsekeeper’s Key to enter,” came a baritone voice from behind.
“你需要驭马者之钥才能进入。”身后传来一个男中音。
Kratos turned and then looked up at a giant of a man outfitted in the finest armor possible.
奎托斯转身，然后抬头看到一个巨人般的男子，身着可能最精良的盔甲。
He wore the armor of a king.
他穿着国王的盔甲。
A king of Athens.
一位雅典国王。
“The Ghost of Sparta,” the huge warrior said, sneering.
“斯巴达的亡魂。”巨大的战士轻蔑地说。
“Then what they say is true.”
“那么他们说的是真的了。”
“Theseus,” Kratos said, no friendliness in his tone.
“忒修斯。”奎托斯说道，语气中毫无友善。
“Of all the fools who try, you are the last one I would expect to seek an audience with the Sisters of Fate.”
“在所有尝试的傻瓜中，你是最不可能来寻求与命运三女神会面的一个。”
“And you are the last one I would expect to become a servant of the Fates.”
“而你也是最不可能成为命运仆从的一个。”
“I serve and protect the Sisters of Fate for the glory of Zeus!” Theseus spread his arm wide and implored the skies.
“我为宙斯的荣耀而服务并保护命运三女神！”忒修斯张开双臂，向天空祈求。
Kratos made no effort to hide his contempt.
奎托斯毫不掩饰他的轻蔑。
“The time of Zeus is coming to an end,” Kratos said.
“宙斯的时代即将结束。”奎托斯说。
“Hmmm, you seek the Sisters to kill Zeus.”
“嗯，你寻找三女神是为了杀死宙斯。”
He laughed uproariously.
他狂笑起来。
“You no longer possess the powers of a god, Kratos.”
“你不再拥有神的力量了，奎托斯。”
“I doubt you are capable of killing me, much less Zeus.”
“我怀疑你连杀死我都做不到，更别说宙斯了。”
“Let me pass and I will let you live, old man.”
“让我过去，我就饶你一命，老家伙。”
Theseus laughed again.
忒修斯再次大笑。
“That is your choice.”
“那是你的选择。”

第二十一章（3）
Theseus swung his staff about, the tips glowing with dancing blue magic.
忒修斯挥动他的长杖，杖端闪烁着跳跃的蓝色魔法。
Wicked edges along the shaft gleamed in the sun as he spun it about easily, spinning it in a circle that came close to Kratos’ face.
当他轻松旋转长杖，让杖圈逼近奎托斯的脸时，杖杆沿线的锋利刃口在阳光下闪着寒光。
“There is more to your sentry duty, Theseus,” Kratos said, circling the immense man.
“你的职责不止于哨兵吧，忒修斯。”奎托斯说着，绕着这个巨人转圈。
“What do you seek from the Sisters of Fate?”
“你想从命运三女神那里得到什么？”
Kratos drew his blades and squared off against the Athenian king.
奎托斯拔出双刃，与这位雅典国王对峙。
Theseus backed away and could not meet Kratos’ direct gaze.
忒修斯向后退去，无法直视奎托斯的目光。
He lowered his staff, keeping the point aimed at Kratos’ chest.
他放低长杖，杖尖仍对准奎托斯的胸膛。
His entire body shook with emotion.
他的整个身体因情绪激动而颤抖。
He spoke softly, so low that Kratos strained to hear.
他轻声说着，声音低得奎托斯要费力才能听清。
“Dionysus,” he choked out.
“狄俄尼索斯。”他哽咽着说。
The hero king of Athens looked up, stricken.
这位雅典的英雄国王抬起头，神情痛苦。
“Ariadne saved me from the Minotaur, and I loved her.”
“阿里阿德涅把我从米诺陶洛斯手中救出，我爱她。”
“She loved me so much she risked her life to give me the twine I used to guide myself out of the Labyrinth.”
“她如此爱我，甚至冒着生命危险给了我线团，让我得以指引自己走出迷宫。”
“Her father, King Minos of Crete, allowed none to escape his prison, but I saved the Athenians before they were fed to the Minotaur.”
“她的父亲，克里特国王米诺斯，不允许任何人逃离他的监狱，但我救了雅典人，使他们免于被喂给米诺陶洛斯。”
“Ariadne saved not only me but also my fellow citizens of Athens,” he said.
“阿里阿德涅不仅救了我，也救了我的雅典同胞。”他说。
“But Dionysus claimed her.”
“但狄俄尼索斯夺走了她。”
The king’s face hardened, and Kratos saw resolve.
国王的脸色变得坚硬，奎托斯看到了决心。
He knew what went through Theseus’ mind now, for it ran through his as well.
他知道此刻忒修斯脑中在想什么，因为这也萦绕在他自己脑中。
“That is your reason for being a lackey to the Sisters of Fate?” Kratos asked.
“这就是你成为命运三女神走狗的原因？”奎托斯问。
“I want Ariadne’s love and … my father’s life.”
“我想要阿里阿德涅的爱，还有……我父亲的生命。”
“You sacrificed your lover for what?” Kratos said.
“你牺牲了你的爱人为了什么？”奎托斯说。
“Dionysus is not known for his fidelity.”
“狄俄尼索斯可并非以忠贞著称。”
“You want the Sisters to change fate by giving him a new lover so you can again have Ariadne in your bed?”
“你想让三女神给他一个新的情人来改变命运，这样你就能让阿里阿德涅重回你的床榻？”
“He forced me to leave Ariadne on the isle of Naxos and … and she cursed me as I sailed back to …” Theseus turned forlorn; then his face hardened with bitter memory.
“他强迫我将阿里阿德涅留在纳克索斯岛上……而且……而且当我航行回……时，她诅咒了我。”忒修斯变得凄凉；随后他的脸因痛苦的回忆而僵硬。
“When I returned triumphant to Athena my father Aegeus thought I crept back as a failure.”
“当我凯旋回到雅典时，我父亲埃勾斯以为我是失败后偷偷溜回来的。”
“I was to hoist a white sail, but the curse turned it black,” Theseus said.
“我本该升起白帆，但诅咒把它变成了黑色。”忒修斯说。
“He saw what he thought was his worst nightmare, my death and that of the army, and cast himself from the cliffs into the sea.”
“他看到了他以为最可怕的噩梦，我和军队的覆灭，于是从悬崖跳入了大海。”
The Athenian stood straighter and gripped the spear even tighter.
这位雅典人站得更直，将长矛握得更紧。
“I demanded that the sea be forever known as the Aegean.”
“我要求那片海永远被称为爱琴海。”
“And I will never get my Ariadne or my father back unless I serve the Sisters of Fate and they grant me this boon.”
“而我永远无法找回我的阿里阿德涅或我的父亲，除非我服务于命运三女神，并且她们赐予我这个恩惠。”
“Unless the Sisters of Fate change your destiny,” Kratos said sarcastically.
“除非命运三女神改变你的命运。”奎托斯嘲讽地说。
“How long have you waited here for the summons to their throne?”
“你在这里等了多久，等待她们王座的召唤？”
“What menial tasks do they ask of you, you who were once a king?”
“她们让你做什么卑贱的杂活，你，这个曾经的国王？”
“I am the Keeper of the Horse Key,” Theseus said, thrusting out his left arm as if it were a sword.
“我是驭马者之钥的守护者。”忒修斯说道，伸出左臂仿佛那是一把剑。
On the forearm gleamed a golden plate intricately wrought with bas-relief horses.
他的前臂上闪耀着一块雕刻着浮雕骏马图案的金色臂甲。
“It seems my duty to the Sisters is now to kill a former god!”
“看来我对三女神的职责现在就是杀掉一个前神！”
A spear whirled about, leveled, and drove directly for Kratos’ midriff.
长矛旋转着，端平，直刺奎托斯的腹部。
But Kratos had seen the resolve harden in the Athenian and was already backpedaling.
但奎托斯已看到雅典人决心已定，早已开始后退。
As he deftly avoided the sharp thrust, he swung his swords about and deflected the shaft.
他灵巧地避开这记猛刺，同时挥动双剑格开杖杆。
Magic collided with magic.
魔法与魔法碰撞。
His Blades of Athena crashed into steel when he struck the shaft of the Athenian’s spear.
他的雅典娜之刃与雅典人长矛的钢杆猛烈相击。
“If you die, perhaps then I can petition the Sisters of Fate and change my fate,” Theseus said.
“如果你死了，或许我就能向命运三女神请愿，改变我的命运了。”忒修斯说。
“You delude yourself if you think you can defeat me.”
“如果你以为你能打败我，那是在欺骗自己。”
“How can I not?”
“我怎么可能做不到？”
“Fate is on my side.”
“命运站在我这边。”
Theseus picked up the pace of the battle, thrusting, blocking, advancing, always pressing Kratos back toward the edge of the platform on the back of the immense horse.
忒修斯加快了战斗的节奏，刺击、格挡、前进，始终将奎托斯向巨马背部平台的边缘逼退。
Kratos allowed Theseus to herd him—for a few more steps.
奎托斯任由忒修斯驱赶他——又退了几步。
Then his blades crossed into an X.
然后他的双剑交叉成X形。
Kratos caught the spear at the vertex and lifted hard.
奎托斯在交叉点卡住长矛，用力上抬。
The spear tip pointed skyward, giving Kratos a chance to kick out.
矛尖指向天空，给了奎托斯出脚的机会。
His foot landed on Theseus’ heavily armored belly.
他的脚踢在忒修斯重甲防护的腹部。
The kick staggered the Athenian.
这一踢让雅典人踉跄后退。
Kratos surged forward, got past the spear, and found he was too close to use his swords.
奎托斯猛冲向前，越过长矛，发现自己离得太近无法使用剑。
Kratos began pounding Theseus with his fists, opening cuts on his foe’s face and stunning him.
奎托斯开始用拳头猛击忒修斯，在对手脸上打开口子并打晕了他。
When he tried to grab Theseus’ chin and wrench his neck around, he caught a knee in the groin that lifted him off his feet.
当他试图抓住忒修斯的下巴并扭断他的脖子时，他腹部挨了一记膝撞，被打得双脚离地。
He fell heavily to his hands and knees.
他重重地摔倒在地，手脚着地。

第二十一章（4）
Theseus whirled the spear around but missed, stumbled, and then ran from where Kratos fought to regain his feet.
忒修斯旋转长矛但击空了，踉跄了一下，然后从奎托斯挣扎起身的地方跑开。
“Come and fight, craven!” Kratos bellowed.
“来战斗啊，懦夫！”奎托斯吼道。
It was then that Theseus tapped his spear to the ground, and a creature made of ice burst from the floor like volcanic islands pushing upward from the sea.
就在这时，忒修斯用长矛轻点地面，一个冰造的生物从地板上迸出，如同火山岛从海中隆起。
But unlike a stolid island, the ice creature showed jagged weapons and moved with stunning speed.
但不同于呆板的岛屿，这冰霜造物呈现出锯齿状的武器，并以惊人的速度移动。
Theseus tapped his spear on the floor twice more, and Kratos faced a trio of the elementals.
忒修斯又用长矛点了两次地板，奎托斯现在面对着三个这样的元素生物。
They roared and charged him, ice-splintery feet clacking against the stone.
它们咆哮着向他冲来，冰屑纷飞的脚咔嗒咔嗒地敲击着石头。
Typhon’s Bane came easily to hand.
堤丰之灾瞬间到了他手中。
Kratos unleashed a flurry of icy arrows to meet the attacking ice elementals.
奎托斯射出一连串冰箭迎击攻击他的冰元素。
The temperature on this battlefield dropped as he moved about, shooting quickly to hold the three creatures at bay.
当他移动并快速射击以牵制这三个生物时，战场上的温度下降了。
“You are a coward, Theseus.”
“你是个懦夫，忒修斯。”
“You let your minions do your battle!”
“你让你的爪牙替你战斗！”
All he got in reply was a harsh laugh.
他得到的回应只有一声刺耳的大笑。
Theseus had climbed to the roof of the structure and pointed his spear.
忒修斯已爬上结构体的屋顶，用长矛指向下方。
Kratos somersaulted away from where the lambent energy touched—and a stalagmite thrust up from below.
奎托斯从能量触及的地方翻滚避开——一根石笋从下方刺出。
If he had remained in place, he would have been impaled.
如果他留在原地，就会被刺穿。
Kratos dashed about, firing his arrows at the ice elementals and avoiding the sharp upthrusts of ice from the floor as Theseus tried to stop him.
奎托斯四处冲撞，向冰元素射箭，并躲避忒修斯试图阻止他而从地面突起的尖锐冰刺。
Kratos shifted his attack to Theseus again, the arrows forcing him to cease the summoning of the stalagmites.
奎托斯再次将攻击转向忒修斯，箭矢迫使他停止召唤石笋。
The instant the Athenian king stopped this assault, Kratos turned to the frozen monsters.
雅典国王一停止这种攻击，奎托斯就转向那些冰冻怪物。
Using his swords, he attacked.
他用剑攻击。
The first shattered.
第一个粉碎了。
The second and third thought to encircle him.
第二和第三个试图包围他。
Kratos was too cagey a fighter for that, battle-hardened and aware of every tactic.
奎托斯是个太狡猾的战士，久经沙场并且洞悉每一种战术。
He turned and kept one blocking the other’s attack.
他转身，让一个怪物挡住另一个的攻击。
He eventually wore down the first and dispatched it.
他最终耗尽了第一个的体力并解决了它。
Then he lowered both swords and thrust with them simultaneously.
然后他放低双剑，同时刺出。
The final ice creature exploded.
最后一个冰霜造物爆炸了。
“Theseus!” Kratos called to his opponent.
“忒修斯！”奎托斯向他的对手喊道。
“Fight me.”
“面对我。”
“You said I was no longer a god.”
“你说我不再是神了。”
“Do you fear a mortal?”
“你害怕一个凡人吗？”
“Just like an Athenian!”
“就像个雅典人！”
Kratos swung the bow around and got off a perfect shot.
奎托斯调转弓的方向，完美地射出一箭。
He saw the sunlight glisten on the arrow of wind and then it disappeared into Theseus’ throat.
他看到阳光在风之箭上闪烁，然后它消失在忒修斯的喉咙里。
The Athenian hero grabbed for the deadly shaft, then fell forward.
这位雅典英雄抓住那致命的箭杆，然后向前倒下。
He dangled by a lace tangled around his ankle, feebly struggling.
他被一根缠在脚踝上的系带悬吊着，无力地挣扎。
Kratos swung his sword and cut the lace, dropping the Athenian onto his head.
奎托斯挥剑砍断系带，让雅典人头朝下摔落。
“You are pathetic,” Kratos said, kicking Theseus until the man curled up and tried to move away from the punishment.
“你真可悲。”奎托斯说道，踢着忒修斯，直到那人蜷缩起来，试图躲开折磨。
A final foot to Theseus’ head slid him across the floor to lie motionless.
最后一脚踢在忒修斯头上，让他滑过地板，一动不动地躺着。
Kratos stared for a moment at his fallen opponent, feeling nothing but contempt.
奎托斯盯着倒下的对手看了一会儿，心中只有轻蔑。
Kratos seized Theseus’ left arm and pulled it up so he could pry loose the golden armlet.
奎托斯抓住忒修斯的左臂，将其拉起，以便撬下那个金色臂甲。
The Horsekeeper’s Key.
驭马者之钥。
He turned from Theseus and went to the door, a solid bronze plate with intricate bas-relief horses cavorting across it.
他转身离开忒修斯，走向那扇门，那是一块实心青铜板，上面雕刻着错综复杂的浮雕骏马嬉戏图案。
Kratos ignored the artistry as he ran his hand over the cool, sharp-edged metal until he found the keyhole.
奎托斯无视其艺术性，用手抚摸冰冷、边缘锋利的金属，直到找到钥匙孔。
A quick move inserted the key.
一个快速的动作插入了钥匙。
A savage twist opened the lock, allowing the door to swing open a handbreadth.
猛地一拧打开了锁，让门打开了一掌宽。
Before Kratos could step through, Theseus groaned and slid forward, leaving a bloody trail, fingers groping.
在奎托斯迈步进入之前，忒修斯呻吟着向前滑动，留下一条血痕，手指摸索着。
One weak hand grabbed Kratos’ ankle.
一只虚弱的手抓住了奎托斯的脚踝。
Rather than kick him away, Kratos jerked hard and slid Theseus forward.
奎托斯没有踢开他，而是猛力一拉，将忒修斯拉向前。
Kratos opened the door, then twisted free as he slammed it hard against Theseus’ head.
奎托斯打开门，然后挣脱开来，同时将门狠狠撞向忒修斯的头。
Blood spattered.
鲜血飞溅。
Kratos slammed it even harder.
奎托斯撞得更狠了。
Over and over until Theseus was almost decapitated, his head in gory ruin.
一次又一次，直到忒修斯几乎身首分离，头部成了一团血肉模糊。
He slammed the door on Theseus’ head one final time before stepping into the room beyond the door.
他最后一遍将门撞在忒修斯头上，然后踏入了门后的房间。

第二十二章
“SHE LIES!”
“她在撒谎！”
Hermes stamped his foot and crossed his arms over his chest.
赫尔墨斯跺着脚，双臂交叉抱在胸前。
His almost beautiful face carried worry lines and the cloud of permanent anger.
他那近乎英俊的脸上带着忧虑的纹路和永久的怒容。
“I want her dead!”
“我要她死！”
“Zeus still adheres to his edict. No god may kill another,” Athena told the deposed Messenger of the Gods.
“宙斯仍然坚持他的法令。神不能杀死另一位神。”雅典娜告诉这位被废黜的神的使者。
The earthly sylvan glade was at odds with the fury vented by Hermes, and she had to admit she shared it.
凡间的林间空地与被赫尔墨斯宣泄的怒火格格不入，而她不得不承认自己也有同感。
Watching Iris insinuate herself into Zeus’ every decision had been painful to watch, but now the Goddess of the Rainbow had attained far too much power.
看着伊里斯逐渐渗透进宙斯的每一个决定是痛苦的，但现在这位彩虹女神已经掌握了太大的权力。
Zeus refused to rule without first consulting her.
宙斯拒绝在不先咨询她的情况下做出裁决。
“All Olympus is in an uproar over this,” Hermes said.
“整个奥林匹斯都为此哗然。”赫尔墨斯说。
“They want me back but are too fearful to petition Zeus.”
“他们想让我回来，但太害怕向宙斯请愿了。”
“With Iris at his right hand, such a petition, even by all the gods, would fall on deaf ears,” Athena said.
“有伊里斯在他右手边，这样的请愿，即使是所有神一起，也会被置若罔闻。”雅典娜说。
“She claims her messages are delivered more quickly and accurately than yours and without bias.”
“她声称她的消息传递得比你的更快、更准确，而且没有偏见。”
“Without bias? That’s all she does.”
“没有偏见？她做的全是偏见。”
“I heard one she delivered to Hades.”
“我听过她传递给哈迪斯的一条消息。”
“It was packed with innuendo and caused Hades to consider declaring war on Helios.”
“里面充满了影射，导致哈迪斯考虑向赫利俄斯宣战。”
“She sows discontent like dragon’s teeth!”
“她像播种龙牙一样播撒不满！”
Athena could not argue but saw no way to either depose Iris or cure the malady afflicting the Olympian gods.
雅典娜无法反驳，但看不到任何既能废黜伊里斯，又能治愈困扰奥林匹斯众神痼疾的方法。
Fights were common.
争斗很常见。
The gods were increasingly fearful, especially of being spied upon and betrayed through such ill-gotten knowledge.
众神越来越恐惧，尤其是害怕被窥探并通过这种非法获得的知识被出卖。
Even Aphrodite had taken a vow of chastity, though Athena was doubtful it would be kept long.
甚至连阿芙洛狄忒都发誓要保持贞洁，尽管雅典娜怀疑这誓言能维持多久。
（楼主：这誓言我是一个字都不带信的）
Since Kratos had been turned back into a mortal, conditions among the gods had worsened.
自从奎托斯变回凡人后，众神之间的关系恶化了。
Or had the cancer started growing when he killed Ares?
或者这毒瘤是在他杀死阿瑞斯时就开始滋生的？
Or even before?
或者更早？
Athena had been used by Zeus to eliminate Ares.
雅典娜曾被宙斯利用来除掉阿瑞斯。
She saw that clearly enough now and worried her father would try to use her again, but to what end?
她现在看得很清楚，并担心她的父亲会再次试图利用她，但目的是什么呢？
The damage had been done, and now the gods were openly suspicious of one another.
损害已经造成，现在众神公开地互相猜疑。
Athena laughed harshly.
雅典娜发出刺耳的笑声。
They had never been friendly, for all the familial relations, but the outright hostility was new and growing like a poisonous weed.
尽管有家族关系，他们从未友好过，但这种公然的敌意是新的，并且像毒草一样蔓延。
“Help me, Athena.”
“帮帮我，雅典娜。”
“You have always liked me, I know.”
“你一直喜欢我，我知道。”
Hermes tried a lewd wink but did not succeed.
赫尔墨斯试图抛个媚眼，但没有成功。
“Help me, and I will finally let you have your way with me as you have always desired.”
“帮帮我，我最终会让你如愿以偿，就像你一直渴望的那样。”
“If I did desire an end to my chastity, Hermes, it certainly would not be with you.”
“如果我确实想结束我的贞洁，赫尔墨斯，那对象也绝不会是你。”
Her ire rose at such a blatant lie by a god whose trade ought to be in the truth.
对于一个本应以真实为业的神说出如此明目张胆的谎言，她的怒火升腾起来。
She caught herself, wondering at the source of this growing anger.
她克制住自己，疑惑于这日益增长的愤怒源自何处。
It wasn’t that Hermes insulted her.
并非赫尔墨斯侮辱了她。
He spoke as he always did, and with his situation as desperate as it was, she could afford even more latitude in his speech.
他还是像往常一样说话，而且鉴于他处境如此绝望，她本可以对他的言辞更加宽容。
There was something more at work.
有某种更深层的东西在起作用。
He reached over and took her arm, gently shaking her.
他伸手抓住她的胳膊，轻轻摇晃她。
“You must help me get back in Zeus’ good graces.”
“你必须帮我重新获得宙斯的恩宠。”
The touch broke her thoughts.
这触碰打断了她的思绪。
She pulled away from him and nodded.
她挣脱他，点了点头。
“I will do what I can.”
“我会尽我所能。”
“What have you found?”
“你发现了什么？”
“Many of the gods refuse to even acknowledge my existence,” Hermes said in a conspiratorial tone, as if this was important news.
“许多神甚至拒绝承认我的存在。”赫尔墨斯用密谋般的语气说道，仿佛这是什么重要消息。
His voice merged with the soft wind blowing through the elder trees and scattering the white blossoms and pinnate leaves like tributes to the gods.
他的声音与吹过接骨木丛的柔风融为一体，散落的白色花朵和羽状树叶如同献给众神的贡品。
Athena looked around to be sure that Artemis was not hiding in a nearby stand of trees, spying on them.
雅典娜环顾四周，以确保阿尔忒弥斯没有藏在附近的树丛中窥视他们。
Artemis had become fast friends with Iris, the pair sharing a love of rain and the smell of a shower-drizzled forest.
阿尔忒弥斯和伊里斯成了密友，两人都喜爱雨水和细雨淋过的森林的气息。
Athena was not sure Iris appreciated the animals and forests, but there was no denying her rainbow could not exist without a storm.
雅典娜不确定伊里斯是否欣赏动物和森林，但不可否认，没有风暴，她的彩虹就无法存在。
That started Athena thinking in another direction.
这开始让雅典娜朝另一个方向思考。
Could Iris be removed if the Anemoi could be turned against her?
如果能让阿涅摩伊（即四风神）反对她，能否除掉伊里斯？
The wind gods seldom entered Olympus, Zeus decreeing only sunny days at a temperature that pleased him throughout the home of the gods.
风神们很少进入奥林匹斯，宙斯规定众神的家园只能有晴朗的、温度合他心意的日子。
Would it matter, since Boreas and Zephyrus were so lacking in power and prestige?
但这有关系吗，毕竟玻瑞阿斯和泽费罗斯如此缺乏力量和威望？
“Your pet mortal tries to change his fate.”
“你那个宠爱的凡人试图改变他的命运。”
“What?” Athena’s thoughts had uncharacteristically become unfocused, but Hermes shocked her into attention now.
“什么？”雅典娜的思绪一反常态地变得不集中，但赫尔墨斯此刻惊得她回过神来。
“He has reached the Sisters of Fate?”
“他到达命运三女神那里了？”
“He must venture to their Island of Fate, but he is close.”
“他必须冒险去她们的命运岛，但他已经很接近了。”
“He fought their Warrior of Destiny and defeated him.”
“他和她们的宿命战士交手并击败了他。”
“Then the Sisters know he seeks them out?”
“那么三女神知道他在找她们了？”
“They must,” Hermes said, shrugging.
“她们肯定知道。”赫尔墨斯耸耸肩说。
“What if he succeeds in winning their support?”
“如果他成功赢得了她们的支持呢？”
“Zeus’ life would be forfeit.”
“宙斯的性命就不保了。”
“Kratos or Zeus,” Athena said, thinking about the difference of one or the other on the throne of the King of the Gods.
“奎托斯还是宙斯。”雅典娜说道，思考着两者之一坐在众神之王宝座上的区别。
“Is one better than the other to rule Olympus?”
“统治奥林匹斯，一个比另一个更好吗？”
“Only if Kratos will reinstate me,” Hermes said.
“除非奎托斯愿意恢复我的职位。”赫尔墨斯说。
“Zeus will see the error of his ways and retract your banishment,” Athena assured the fretting god.
“宙斯会认识到他的错误并撤销对你的放逐。”雅典娜向这位焦虑的神保证。
“You think he will? Soon?”
“你认为他会吗？很快？”
Athena was not certain this would happen soon, but a sense of impending doom filled her and made her wonder if an oracle might assauge her growing fear of the future.
雅典娜不确定这很快就会发生，但一种迫近的厄运感充斥着她，让她想知道预言是否能缓解她对未来日益增长的恐惧。
Or would an oracle only make her fear worse?
或者预言只会让她更加恐惧？
“I must return to Olympus,” she said.
“我必须回奥林匹斯了。”她说。
“Before Zeus notices I am gone.”
“在宙斯发现我离开之前。”
Hermes impulsively clutched her.
赫尔墨斯冲动地抓住她。
Athena forced herself away, then spun about and returned to Olympus.
雅典娜强迫自己挣脱，然后转身返回了奥林匹斯。
Heartsick, she quickly realized that the atmosphere of distrust had magnified even in the short time she had spent speaking with Hermes.
她感到心痛，并迅速意识到，即使在她与赫尔墨斯交谈的这短暂时间里，不信任的气氛也加剧了。

第二十三章（1）
KRATOS STEPPED FORWARD, only to jerk back when he got a shock from the Horsekeeper’s Key and the spark it emitted.
奎托斯向前迈步，却因驭马者之钥传来的电击和它迸发出的火花猛地缩回。
The dancing blue energy from the key spread rapidly until the entire door was bathed in the potent energy.
来自钥匙的跳跃蓝色能量迅速蔓延，直到整扇门都沐浴在这强大的能量之中。
Kratos glanced over his shoulder at Theseus’ body, now limned with the energy from the door.
奎托斯回头瞥了一眼忒修斯的尸体，此刻它也被门上的能量勾勒出轮廓。
Flesh sizzled and burned from his skeleton.
血肉从他的骨架上嘶嘶作响地燃烧起来。
Realizing this was likely his fate, too, if he tarried, Kratos entered the low-ceilinged room.
奎托斯意识到，如果拖延，这很可能也是自己的命运，于是他快步走进了这个低矮的房间。
Only quick reflexes saved him from being skewered by a rising spear of ice, matching the ones Theseus had used outside.
唯有快速的反应才使他免于被一根突起的冰矛刺穿，这与忒修斯在外面使用的冰矛如出一辙。
Kratos watched carefully for a pattern, but could find none.
奎托斯仔细寻找规律，但一无所获。
There must be a safe path, if only he could find it amid the small facts that he knew.
一定有一条安全路径，只要他能从已知的细微线索中找到它。
He stepped back and studied the key in the lock.
他后退一步，研究着还插在锁里的钥匙。
New markings appeared on the visible portion of the key.
钥匙可见的部分出现了新的标记。
“There are many ways a key can unlock the path,” he said aloud, grabbing the shaft of the Horsekeeper’s Key and yanking it from the lock.
“钥匙开启路径的方式有很多种。”他大声说道，抓住驭马者之钥的柄，将其从锁中猛地拔出。
A jolt slammed into his hand, his arm, his shoulder, but the deadly blue glow faded.
一阵冲击力猛击在他的手、手臂、肩膀上，但那致命的蓝光消退了。
In seconds only cool metal rested in his grip so he could hold it up to study the engravings more carefully.
几秒钟后，他手中只剩下冰凉的金属，于是他举起它，更仔细地研究上面的刻痕。
Kratos turned it around in his hand, then lowered it until the broad part of the key was parallel with the chamber floor.
奎托斯在手中转动钥匙，然后放低它，直到钥匙的宽大部分与房间地板平行。
A simple turn matched the pattern to the one there.
简单一转，钥匙上的图案便与地板上的图案对应起来。
The voids on the key offered a map to the safe areas on the floor.
钥匙上的镂空处指明了地板上安全区域的路线图。
He moved quickly, stepping on the areas not afflicted with stabbing icicles.
他快速移动，踩在那些没有致命冰刺冒出的区域。
Kratos worked his way deeper and found that the air inside the room was close, musty, as if the door had not been opened in years.
奎托斯深入房间，发现里面的空气沉闷、发霉，仿佛这门多年未曾开启。
A low stone altar at the far end held a bowl shimmering with flame.
远端有一座低矮的石祭坛，上面放着一个闪烁着火焰的碗。
Words had been chiseled into the stone, but Kratos was unable to read them from this distance.
石头上刻着文字，但奎托斯从这个距离无法看清。
He approached it carefully, studying the sigil and the text embedded on the front of the altar.
他小心翼翼地靠近，研究着刻在祭坛正面的符号和文字。
As he came within arm’s length, a white fog began to coalesce behind him.
当他走到触手可及的距离时，一团白雾开始在他身后凝聚。
The fog swirled and sizzled and took form.
白雾旋转、嘶嘶作响，并逐渐成形。
Cronos’ immense head spoke.
克洛诺斯巨大的头颅开口说话。
“Our destiny has brought us together, warrior.
“我们的命运使我们相聚，战士。
For the good of the Titans, I now bestow on you what is the last of my power.
为了泰坦的利益，我现在将我最后的力量赐予你。
Use my Rage against Zeus.”
用我的怒火去对抗宙斯。”
Kratos tried to move but found himself transfixed by the twin ravening beams of energy pouring from Cronos’ eyes.
奎托斯试图移动，却发现自己被从克洛诺斯眼中涌出的两股狂暴能量光束钉在原地。
He was lifted from his feet and arched his back as the power blasted into his body, forging a hot spot near his heart.
他被提离地面，背部弓起，当能量冲击他的身体时，在他的心脏附近形成了一个炽热点。
Turning slightly as he was suspended in midair, still held captive by the twin beams, Kratos felt as if he grew in stature.
当他被悬在半空，仍被双束光线禁锢时，他微微转身，感觉自己仿佛在成长。
Any weakness within disappeared, and he trembled with newfound ability.
体内的任何虚弱感都消失了，他因这新获得的能力而颤抖。
The eyes winked out, freeing Kratos from his rictus.
那双眼睛熄灭了，将奎托斯从僵直中释放出来。
He collapsed to the floor, landing on one knee.
他瘫倒在地，单膝跪地。
Hand braced on the floor, he recovered his senses, then stood.
手撑着地板，他恢复了神智，然后站了起来。
The white fog had vanished, taking along with it Cronos.
白雾已经消失，克洛诺斯的影像也随之消散。
Kratos turned back to the altar and saw six Guardians crowding into the room, carefully avoiding the spots where icy spears might erupt.
奎托斯转回身面对祭坛，看到六名守护者涌入房间，小心地避开可能冒出冰刺的地方。
Each was as tall as he and carried wickedly curved swords, helms dull and body armor shining.
他们每个都和他一样高，手持险恶的弯刀，头盔暗淡，身甲闪亮。
Kratos sneered at them.
奎托斯对他们报以冷笑。
More garrison soldiers.
又是守备士兵。
They looked good in formation but they were not likely good fighters.
他们的列队看起来不错，但很可能不是优秀的战士。
His opinion of their prowess changed when they split into two groups, three coming at him from the left while the other trio on the right waited to see how he attacked.
当他们分成两组，三个从左边攻来，而右边另外三个则等着看他的攻击方式时，他对他们实力的看法改变了。
Whichever group he fought first would draw the other to his exposed back.
无论他先攻击哪一组，都会将另一组引向他暴露的后背。

第二十三章（2）
He appreciated their tactic, but fighting so many slowed him.
他欣赏他们的战术，但对付这么多人会拖慢他的速度。
He felt an urgency growing to have the Sisters of Fate give him what he needed, what Gaia had said could be done, or to force them to alter his destiny and that of Zeus.
他感到一种紧迫感在增长，要命运三女神给他需要的东西，盖亚说过这是可行的，或者强迫她们改变他和宙斯的命运。
Unbidden, the white-hot star burning in his breast burst forth and exploded in the midst of the leftmost trio.
未经召唤，他胸中燃烧的白热星辰迸发出来，在最左边三人组中间爆炸。
They stopped their advance, stunned as the power of the Titan coursed through them.
他们停止了前进，泰坦的力量流过他们全身，令其昏迷。
Kratos let out a cry, drew his swords, and made quick work of them before the other three could recover from the shock of seeing their companions so easily defeated.
奎托斯发出一声呐喊，拔出双剑，在另外三人从同伴被轻易击败的震惊中恢复过来之前，迅速解决了他们。
Before the last soldier collapsed dead to the floor, Kratos turned and once more unleashed the Cronos Rage.
在最后一名士兵倒地身亡之前，奎托斯转身再次释放了克洛诺斯之怒。
The remaining Guardians staggered under the blast, disoriented and unable to fight.
剩下的守护者在爆炸中踉跄，迷失了方向，无法战斗。
Kratos killed them with contemptuous ease.
奎托斯带着轻蔑，轻松地杀死了他们。
He kicked one corpse out of his way as he returned to the altar.
返回祭坛时，他将一具尸体踢开。
Bending down, face close to the sigil, he deciphered the words.
他弯下腰，脸靠近符号，辨识着那些文字。
When he stood, he knew how to use the Steeds of Time to reach the Sisters of Fate.
当他站起来时，他知道了如何使用时序骏马到达命运三女神那里。
He stepped over the bodies and shook off blood he had gotten on his sandals, then stepped out into the bright light of day.
他跨过尸体，抖掉凉鞋上沾染的血，然后步入明亮的日光中。
Somehow, Cronos’ gift to him made his step lighter and his sword arms stronger even when he was not unleashing the power against enemies.
不知何故，克洛诺斯的赠礼让他的步伐更轻盈，持剑的手臂更有力，即使在他没有对敌人释放这力量时也是如此。
Kratos ran to the yoke between the two center horses and saw that four winches had to be turned to release each horse in turn and then the brace for the platform where he stood.
奎托斯跑到两匹中间马匹之间的轭具处，看到有四个绞盘需要转动，依次释放每匹马，然后松开他所站平台的支架。
Applying his mighty strength to the first crank produced a river of coruscating red energy down the martingale of the horse to his left.
他将巨力施加在第一个曲柄上，一股闪烁的红色能量流顺着左边马匹的喉革倾泻而下。
The horse began to stir and strain at the harness.
那匹马开始骚动，用力拉扯挽具。
Kratos repeated the release for each of the other three horses until they reared, struggled in harness, and neighed loudly.
奎托斯对其余三匹马重复了释放过程，直到它们都用后腿站立，在挽具中挣扎，并大声嘶鸣。
He bent, grabbed the bar in front of him, and heaved.
他弯下腰，抓住面前的横杆，用力猛拉。
The brace rotated forward like the helm of a ship.
支架像船舵一样向前转动。
Then the platform dropped precipitously, making Kratos think he had fallen into a clever trap.
接着平台急剧下降，让奎托斯以为自己落入了一个巧妙的陷阱。
But the platform rotated around, came up and then down into place at a higher level, almost level with the backs of two of the horses.
但平台旋转着，升起然后又降落到一个更高的位置，几乎与其中两匹马的背部齐平。
A crackling noise came from a box to one side.
一阵噼啪声从旁边的一个箱子里传来。
Kratos kicked it open and saw curled up two long whips of the purest yellow flame.
奎托斯踢开它，看到里面卷着两条最纯净的黄色火焰长鞭。
He grabbed the handles and swung them about, one in each hand.
他抓住鞭柄，一手一条挥舞起来。
The whips of fire cracked loudly and the horses responded immediately, pulling forward.
火焰鞭发出响亮的劈啪声，马匹立即响应，向前拉动。
He used the whips against their armored flanks and sent bits of bronze flying in all directions.
他用鞭子抽打它们覆甲的侧腹，使得青铜碎片四处飞溅。
He ducked, then applied the whips to both nearby horses with a fury until not only the pair he lashed but all four began pulling in unison.
他低头躲开，然后狂怒地将鞭子抽向附近的两匹马，直到不仅他抽打的那对，而是四匹马都开始同步发力。
Kratos continued to crack the whips, and the Steeds of Time began straining to pull harder.
奎托斯继续甩响鞭子，时序骏马开始拉得更猛。
The chains that made up their harnesses creaked ominously, as if the steel links might not be strong enough to endure the pressure.
构成它们挽具的锁链发出不祥的吱嘎声，仿佛钢链可能不够坚固，无法承受这压力。
Kratos glanced behind and saw the Island of Creation being pulled along at the far end of the chain.
奎托斯瞥了一眼身后，看到创世之岛正在锁链的远端被拖着移动。
Rocks tumbled into the sea, and the temple perched on its rocky pinnacle trembled but remained intact, save for small bits of wall that crumbled from the nisus of the gigantic team.
岩石滚落海中，坐落在岩石顶峰的神庙颤抖着，但除了部分墙体因这巨型队伍的奋力拉扯而碎裂外，大体保持完好。
The Steeds of Time neighed and every step sprayed up curtains of water from the sea.
时序骏马嘶鸣着，每一步都从海中溅起水幕。
He continued to use the whips until the horses stopped and no amount of urging on his part stirred them to greater effort.
他继续使用鞭子，直到马匹停下，无论他如何催促都无法再激起它们更大的努力。
Behind, the islands had been pulled together, like sewing one piece of cloth to another.
身后，岛屿被拉到了一起，就像把一块布缝到另一块上。
“You must return to the islands, Kratos.
“你必须返回岛屿，奎托斯。
Return to the Temple of Lahkesis,” Gaia said.
回到拉克西丝的神殿。”盖亚说。
“Where I first landed on the island?
“是我最初登岛的地方吗？
What will I find there?” He received no answer, nor did it matter.
我会在那里找到什么？”他没有得到回答，这也不重要了。
The Sisters of Fate had to be convinced—coerced—into returning him to the instant that Zeus killed him.
必须说服——或者强迫——命运三女神将他送回宙斯杀死他的那一刻。
With that aim burning like a coal in his brain, he jumped from the platform between the horses, found the immense links that made up the chain, and began running back, the distance now twice as long as the way out before.
这个目标如同煤炭在他脑中燃烧，他从马匹之间的平台跳下，找到构成锁链的巨大链环，开始往回跑，距离比来时长了一倍。
As he neared the temple, huge portions of the wall collapsed.
当他靠近神庙时，大片的墙壁坍塌了。
If he had been only a few feet closer, he would have been carried from the chain and dashed against the rocks at the base of the island.
如果他再靠近几英尺，就会被从锁链上抛下，摔在岛屿基部的岩石上。
He edged past and worked his way through the rubble to climb into the temple itself.
他小心翼翼地绕过，穿过碎石，爬进了神庙内部。
The Temple of Lahkesis, Gaia had named it, for it being sacred to one of the Sisters.
盖亚称它为拉克西丝的神殿，因为它是其中一位女神的圣地。
It lay partially in ruin from the Steeds of Time drawing the islands together, but Kratos felt that there had been few people here to maintain it prior to the destruction he had caused.
由于时序骏马将岛屿拉在一起，它部分已成废墟，但奎托斯感觉，在他造成破坏之前，这里就很少有人维护。
From the sentries who had tried to stop him to Theseus and the Guardians intent on keeping him from finding how to use the Steeds of Time, it was apparent visitors to the Island of Creation were not highly valued.
从试图阻止他的哨兵，到忒修斯和那些意图阻止他找到使用时序骏马方法的守护者，显然创世之岛的访客并不受重视。
He advanced into the huge vault of the temple.
他走进神庙巨大的拱顶大厅。
A statue dominated the far end, its hands held out as if in supplication.
一尊雕像占据着远端，双手伸出，仿佛在祈求。
A diadem shone in the center of its forehead.
一顶冠冕在其额头中央闪耀。

第二十三章（3）
Light from the sky silhouetted the head, but Kratos was more interested in exploring the temple itself.
天空的光线勾勒出雕像头部的轮廓，但奎托斯更感兴趣的是探索神庙本身。
It took some time before he came to the conclusion that no obvious exit presented itself in the temple, other than the way he had entered.
他花了一些时间才得出结论，除了他进来的路，神庙里没有明显的出口。
He circled the statue, looking for the best spot to begin his climb on the smooth stone.
他绕着雕像转圈，寻找开始攀登这光滑石头的最佳地点。
A single footstep changed his plans for using his swords to climb the slick statue.
一步脚步声改变了他用剑攀登光滑雕像的计划。
As he stepped onto a pressure plate at the end of a long elevated walkway leading to the replica of Lahkesis, the statue arms lowered and the hands were outstretched as if begging for tribute.
当他踏上通往拉克西丝复制像的长长的高架走道尽头的一块压力板时，雕像的手臂降下，双手伸出，仿佛在乞求贡品。
By riding upward in those hands, he could emerge on the statue’s shoulder, behind which opened the wall to the sky beyond, the only way forward through the temple.
乘着那双手上升，他可以到达雕像的肩膀，其后墙壁敞开，通向远方的天空，这是穿过神庙的唯一前进道路。
Kratos ran when those supplicating hands began to rise once more.
当那双祈求的手再次开始上升时，奎托斯跑了起来。
He halted far short of reaching the base of the statue, returned to the pressure plate, and stood on it.
他在离雕像基座还很远的地方停下，返回压力板，站在上面。
Again the hands lowered.
双手再次降下。
Even at his fastest run, he could never reach the hands before they lifted back up.
即使他以最快的速度奔跑，也绝不可能在双手抬回之前到达。
He bent and examined the plate.
他弯下腰检查踏板。
It might be possible to cram a thin blade between it and the surrounding stone to hold it long enough, but all he had were the Blades of Athena.
也许可以在它和周围石头之间塞进一片薄刃来卡住它足够久，但他只有雅典娜之刃。
If only he had a corpse as before, or at the very least some more fool sentries with which to make a fresh one.
要是他像之前那样有一具尸体，或者至少再多几个傻瓜哨兵来制作一具新的就好了。
He rubbed his hand across the plate and made out faint lettering.
他用手擦拭踏板，辨认出模糊的字迹。
Closer examination revealed a short message he did not understand: THE AMULET OF THE FATES.
仔细检查发现了一条他不理解的简短信息：命运护身符。
He had heard of such a magical amulet but had no idea how it could be used to hold down the plate.
他听说过这种魔法护符，但不知道如何用它来压住踏板。
Kratos stood, stepped on the plate again, and watched the statue’s hands lower.
奎托斯站起来，再次踩上踏板，看着雕像的双手降下。
The intent was obvious.
意图很明显。
The way of achieving it was not.
实现的方法却不清楚。
He went to the base of the statue and looked up, thinking once more to scale it.
他走到雕像基座，抬头望去，再次考虑攀登它。
His swords did not penetrate the stone but bounced off, ending any hope of using them as climbing hooks.
他的剑无法刺入石头，反而被弹开，断绝了将它们用作攀登钩的任何希望。
He looked over the side of the elevated walkway and saw dusty floor below.
他从高架走道的一侧望下去，看到了下面布满灰尘的地板。
He jumped, hit, and rolled, and came to his feet in front of a steel grating.
他跳下，落地，翻滚，然后在一道钢栅栏前站了起来。
Beyond stood a life-sized statue with a gleaming stone clutched in one hand.
栅栏后面立着一尊真人大小的雕像，一只手握着一块闪亮的石头。
He stared at it, and felt a tiny tingle deep within his breast as if the stone somehow tickled the Cronos Rage, yet the prodigious power was not unleashed.
他凝视着它，感到胸膛深处一阵轻微的刺痛，仿佛那石头以某种方式触动了克洛诺斯之怒，但那巨大的力量并未释放。
He stepped back and the tingling sensation faded.
他后退一步，刺痛感消失了。
Whatever the green stone might be, its magical properties and those he had acquired from Cronos were compatible.
无论这绿色石头是什么，它的魔法属性与他从克洛诺斯那里获得的力量是相容的。
“Might this be the Amulet of the Fates?” he wondered.
“这会不会就是命运护身符？”他疑惑道。
Seeing nothing more he could do, Kratos grabbed the metal bars, bent his legs, and heaved.
看到别无他法，奎托斯抓住金属栏杆，屈膝，用力猛拉。
He might as well have tried to move the entire earth.
他简直像是在试图移动整个大地。
The grating refused to budge.
栅栏纹丝不动。
He tried his swords on it but could not even nick the solid metal.
他用剑尝试，却甚至无法在那坚固的金属上留下刻痕。
He snarled at being thwarted in this fashion.
他因受挫于此而发出咆哮。
The statue in the barred room held what he thought necessary to continue his quest to reach the Sisters of Fate, and he was being locked out.
那间上了栅栏的房间里的雕像掌握着他认为继续寻找命运三女神所必需的东西，而他却被锁在外面。

第二十三章（4）
Kratos paced like a caged animal, studying the small chamber and the flooring just in front of the statue.
奎托斯像笼中野兽一样踱步，研究着小房间和雕像正前方的地板。
He saw what might be a recessed pool.
他看到了一个可能是凹陷水池的地方。
Judging distances, he took a deep breath, expanded his barrel chest, and then dived cleanly into the pool.
估测了距离，他深吸一口气，扩张胸膛，然后干净利落地潜入水池。
Quick strokes took him to the bottom, but a wall blocked him from swimming in the direction of the statue room.
快速划动使他到达底部，但一堵墙阻挡了他游向雕像房间的方向。
Running his fingers up the surface of the barrier, he spied a fine crack in the wall and used the pommel of a sword to shatter it.
他的手指顺着障碍物表面向上摸索，发现墙上有一道细小的裂缝，于是用剑柄将其砸碎。
Before the debris had finished floating down to the well bottom, he scissor-kicked twice and used his powerful arms to stroke ahead.
在碎片完全沉到井底之前，他两次剪式打水，并用强壮的手臂向前划动。
He burst out into the room, on the proper side of the grating.
他冲进了房间，到了栅栏的另一侧。
He pulled himself up and studied the statue.
他爬上来，研究着雕像。
Seeing no reason not to take the green-glowing gem in the statue’s outstretched hand, he swung a blade and severed the entire limb.
看到没有理由不拿走雕像伸出的手中那块发着绿光的宝石，他挥剑砍下了整条手臂。
He caught the arm before it, with its precious gem, could strike the floor.
他接住了手臂，没让它连同珍贵的宝石摔在地上。
Kratos held up the green jewel and examined it.
奎托斯举起绿色的宝石仔细端详。
It would have looked striking on a gold chain nestled between Lysandra’s breasts.
它若挂在一条金链上，垂在吕珊德拉的双峰之间，一定非常夺目。
She wore so few jewels, even when he brought back the spoils from a defeated king’s treasure-house, because such trinkets mattered less to her than love of family, of country.
她很少佩戴珠宝，即使当他从战败国王的宝库带回战利品时也是如此，因为与对家庭、对国家的爱相比，这些小玩意儿对她来说无足轻重。
Like her, he had no lust for precious stones, either as decoration or for what they could buy.
和她一样，他对宝石没有欲望，无论是作为装饰还是用它们能买到的任何东西。
He had been a god and needed only to ask to receive anything he craved.
他曾是神，只需开口便能得到任何渴望之物。
When he had fought for Sparta—when he had been Ares’ lackey—wealth had meant nothing to him.
当他为斯巴达而战时——当他还是阿瑞斯的走狗时——财富对他毫无意义。
Battle prowess had been all he sought, all he cared for to achieve victory.
战斗技巧才是他唯一追求、唯一关心以获取胜利的东西。
Turning the gem over and over, he studied the sharp planes, the gentle angles, the illuminated depths.
他将宝石翻来覆去，研究着它锋利的切面、柔和的棱角、被照亮的深处。
“The Amulet of the Fates.” The words came unbidden to his mind, though no words had been spoken.
“命运护身符。”这句话不由自主地浮现在他脑海中，尽管并未有人说出。
The longer he gazed into the interior, the clearer it became what usefulness the jewel might provide.
他凝视其内部越久，就越清楚这宝石可能提供何种用处。
Time became sluggish, if not entirely halted.
时间变得迟缓，即使没有完全停止。
He blinked his eyes and saw only the green gem.
他眨了眨眼，只看到那绿色的宝石。
With a lithe dive, he reentered the underwater passage and emerged on the other side of the grate.
他灵活地一跃，重新进入水下通道，出现在栅栏的另一侧。
He had to exit this level, go back outside, and see where he had originally entered the Temple of Lahkesis above.
他必须离开这一层，回到外面，找到他最初进入上方拉克西丝神殿的地方。
It was the work of only a few moments to scale the wall and once more face the towering statue with the diadem in its forehead.
只花了一会儿功夫，他就爬上了墙，再次面对那尊额头戴着冠冕的高耸雕像。
Kratos purposefully stepped onto the pressure plate.
奎托斯有目的地踏上压力板。
As it yielded under his weight, the statue’s arms lowered.
随着它在他的重量下陷下，雕像的双臂降下。
He knelt to see if there might be a spot to wedge the green stone but found nothing.
他跪下来查看是否有地方可以楔入绿石，但一无所获。
But the magicks within him stirred, fed by the Cronos Rage and yet not blasting forth the destroying energy.
但他体内的魔力被搅动了，受克洛诺斯之怒滋养，却并未迸发出毁灭性能量。
Rather, one magic fed the other.
相反，一种魔力滋养着另一种。
He looked up at the distant statue.
他抬头望向远处的雕像。
This time he did not attempt to run forward and reach the rapidly rising hands.
这次他没有试图跑向前去够那迅速抬升的双手。
He held out the Amulet of the Fates.
他举起了命运护符。
It vibrated and turned warm, and then he felt as if he had been plunged into some netherworld.
它振动并变得温暖，然后他感觉自己仿佛被投入了某个幽冥世界。
The room turned a green reminiscent of the angry ocean, and movements all around were slow, as if everything floated in honey.
房间变成了一种让人想起愤怒海洋的绿色，而后周围的一切动作都变慢了，仿佛一切都漂浮在蜂蜜中。
His movements were precise, easy.
他的动作精确而轻松。
The world—time itself—had been slowed.
世界——时间本身——被减缓了。
He saw the outstretched hands begin to rise.
他看到伸出的双手开始上升。
Kratos strode to the statue, stepped up, and then did away with the time slowing spell.
奎托斯大步走向雕像，踏上去，然后取消了时间减缓法术。
The speed of the rising hands made his knees buckle slightly.
双手抬升的速度让他的膝盖微微发软。
The hands stopped when he was face-to-face with the statue.
当他与雕像面对面时，双手停了下来。
The diadem in its forehead blazed with eye-searing brilliance.
它额头的冠冕闪耀着令人目眩的光芒。
As he reached out to pluck the jewel from the stony brow, the statue spoke.
当他伸手去摘取那石额上的宝石时，雕像开口了。
“Hear me, fallen god.
“仔细听着，堕落的神。
None defy what the Fates decree!”
无人能违抗命运的安排！”

第二十四章（1）
“WIPE THEM ALL OUT,” Clotho said.
“把他们全部抹除。”克洛索说道。
“Now that the matter is settled, I need to return to more serious work.”
“既然事情已经解决，我需要回归更严肃的工作。”
“Wait!” Lahkesis cried.
“等等！”拉克西丝喊道。
“Sister, it isn’t that easy.”
“妹妹，这没那么容易。”
“Why should it be easy? But it is simple,” Clotho said.
“为什么它应该容易？不过它很明确，”克洛索说道。
“The gods are misbehaving grievously, and we know why.”
“诸神正在严重行为不端，而且我们知道原因。”
“The Titans are stirring after the Great War and threatening Olympus.”
“泰坦在传说大战后蠢蠢欲动，威胁着奥林匹斯。”
“Do we want to oversee such a conflict again?”
“我们还想再次监督这样的冲突吗？”
“The Titanomachy set the world spinning in a different direction,” Lahkesis said.
“泰坦之战让世界转向了不同的方向，”拉克西丝说道。
“Was that so bad?”
“那有那么糟糕吗？”
“Why should we try to keep the peace, to keep everything … staid?”
“为什么我们要试图维持和平，让一切……停滞不前？”
She saw a different problem, and it was one her sisters avoided even mentioning.
她看到了一个不同的问题，而这是她的姐妹们甚至避免提及的一个。
The Titans were growing bolder after so many centuries of imprisonment, servitude, and solitude.
在经历了这么多世纪的囚禁、奴役和孤独之后，泰坦们正变得越来越大胆。
It did not surprise her that Gaia was responsible for shepherding Kratos from Hades’ arms all the way to the Island of Creation.
盖亚负责将奎托斯从哈迪斯的怀抱一路护送到创世之岛，这并不让她惊讶。
What did surprise her was how this could have happened.
让她惊讶的是这怎么可能发生。
She and her sisters worked as a team.
她和她的姐妹们是作为一个团队工作的。
She frowned because she did not understand how Kratos had defeated the Warrior of Destiny so easily.
她皱起眉头，因为她不明白奎托斯如何如此轻易地击败了宿命战士。
The threads intertwining the two destinies should have merged, with only that of the Warrior continuing.
交织着两个命运的线本该合并，只有宿命战士的线继续存在。
She shook her head, the black horns on her helm reflecting rays as dark as her thoughts.
她摇了摇头，头盔上的黑角反射出如她思绪般黑暗的光芒。
That meant Clotho or Atropos had been responsible for the defeat of their most significant confederate.
那意味着克洛索或阿特洛波斯对她们最重要盟友的失败负有责任。
Even one of them becoming independent ruined the Sisters of Fate’s control over the world.
即使她们中有一个变得独立，也会破坏命运姐妹对世界的控制。
Lahkesis considered the possibility that more action on her own part might be required.
拉克西丝考虑了她自己可能需要采取更多行动的可能性。
She had no love for her sisters, but they were her sisters, chained together by a Fate beyond their control.
她对她的姐妹们没有爱，但她们是她的姐妹，被一种超越她们控制的命运链在一起。
A niggling thought refused to allow her return to duty, to the routine her sisters appreciated so.
一个烦人的念头拒绝让她回归职责，回归她的姐妹们如此欣赏的常规。
The time might have come for her to break free of their hitherto seamless collaboration and strike out on her own.
时机可能已经到来，让她摆脱她们迄今无缝的协作，独自闯荡。
“You relish routine. I am the one who sees danger because it is always out of the ordinary,” Lahkesis said.
“你享受常规。我才是那个看到危险的人，因为它总是不寻常，”拉克西丝说道。
Who would react?
谁会反应？
Could she determine which of her sisters had meddled … in her own meddling?
她能确定她的哪个姐妹插手了……在她自己的干预中？
“You see danger everywhere,” Atropos said glumly.
“你到处看到危险，”阿特洛波斯阴郁地说道。
“As you did when you sent the Warrior of Destiny to fight Kratos.”
“就像你派宿命战士去对抗奎托斯时那样。”
Through long eons Lahkesis had come to know her sister’s every reaction, the slight twitches, the feigned interest or boredom.
经过漫长的岁月，拉克西丝已经了解了她的姐妹的每一个反应，那些轻微的抽动，假装的兴趣或无聊。
The simple statement left her speechless, however.
然而，这个简单的陈述却让她无言以对。
How could Atropos know of the Warrior of Destiny’s failure?
阿特洛波斯怎么会知道宿命战士的失败？
Lahkesis had been improvident and had reacted rather than thought through her actions—not as either of her sisters would have.
拉克西丝一直轻率，从不深思熟虑她的行动——不像她的任何一个姐妹那样。
But the impetuous decision had invigorated her and made her dreary existence a little better.
但那个冲动的决定让她振奋，让她沉闷的存在稍微好了一些。
Was Atropos only guessing as to her role, though, or had she followed a thread of fate and knew the truth?
不过，阿特洛波斯只是在猜测她的角色，还是她跟随了一条命运之线并知道了真相？
Or was her role more active?
或者她的角色更主动？
Were the Sisters of Fate capable of spinning their own destiny, or did some higher power determine their fate?
命运姐妹能够纺织自己的命运，还是某种更高的力量决定了她们的命运？

第二十四章（2）
Lahkesis immediately discarded such a fantasy.
拉克西丝立即抛弃了这样的幻想。
Over the centuries there had been no such indication—but they had worked together in unison until now.
几个世纪以来都没有这样的迹象——但她们一直一致地工作到现在。
She found it difficult to believe that Kratos was the agent of their disunity.
她很难相信奎托斯是她们不和的代理人。
But was he the unwitting dupe used against them by someone beyond the Sisters’ control?
但他是被姐妹控制之外的人利用来对付她们的无心傻瓜吗？
It could not be.
那不可能是。
The core of the dispute was lack of coordination.
争议的核心是缺乏协调。
It had to be.
它必须是。
“Why do you go on so?” Clotho asked.
“你为什么这么没完没了？”克洛索问道。
“I am returning to the Loom Chamber to work.”
“我要回命运纺织间工作了。”
“I suggest you both do likewise.”
“我建议你们俩也这样做。”
With that Clotho left.
说完，克洛索离开了。
“Kratos is more dangerous than you can imagine,” Lahkesis said to Atropos, when their sister had left.
“奎托斯比你能想象的更危险，”当她们的姐妹离开后，拉克西丝对阿特洛波斯说道。
“Leave him to me.”
“把他交给我。”
“Keep yourself content with petty routine.”
“让你自己满足于琐碎的常规。”
The more she could do to keep Atropos busy, the easier it would be to remedy the problems she had caused through her impetuous casting of fate.
她能让阿特洛波斯越忙，就越容易补救她因冲动地投掷命运所造成的问题。
“You think to dismiss me so easily?” Atropos flared.
“你以为这么容易就能打发我吗？”阿特洛波斯怒道。
“I am not some simpleminded creature who does nothing but measure for your cut on the threads of destiny.”
“我不是那种只会为你在命运线上测量切割的简单生物。”
“You mock me when I try something more.”
“当我尝试更多时，你嘲笑我。”
“We all decide on the destinies,” Lahkesis said warily, noting how her sister had admitted to independent action and not informing her sisters.
“我们都决定命运，”拉克西丝谨慎地说道，注意到她的姐妹如何承认了独立行动而没有通知她的姐妹们。
“Then it is up to each of us to spin, measure, and cut.”
“然后由我们每个人来纺织、测量和切割。”
“I would do more,” Atropos said.
“我想做更多，”阿特洛波斯说道。
“This meddling of yours with what the three of us have decided is wrong.”
“你对我们三人所决定的事情的插手是错误的。”
“So wrong?” Lahkesis said, uneasy at her sister’s vehemence.
“这么错误吗？”拉克西丝说道，对她姐妹的激烈感到不安。
It was as if she had been caught doing something illicit.
就好像她被抓住做了某种不法之事。
“So wrong that you wanted to try it, also?”
“这么错误，以至于你也想尝试吗？”
“What have you done?”
“你做了什么？”
“Kratos is not yours alone,” Atropos said.
“奎托斯不是你一个人的，”阿特洛波斯说道。
“I don’t find him as interesting as you obviously do, but he is diverting.”
“我不觉得他像你表示的那样理所当然的有趣，但他可以是个消遣。”
“For a while, at least.”
“至少，在一段时间内。”
She crossed her arms, talons pointing downward as she rose haughtily on a column of black fog.
她交叉双臂，爪子向下指，同时高傲地升起在一柱黑雾上。
Lahkesis started to press the matter, then remembered that discord among the Sisters only caused woe.
拉克西丝开始追问此事，然后想起姐妹间的不和只会导致灾难。
The times they had argued, the world had spun away in chaos, order failing and the mortals doing as they saw fit because of neglected threads.
她们争吵的时候，世界会在混乱中旋转，秩序崩溃，凡人因被忽视的线而随心所欲。
Better to placate Atropos and find—and correct—what she might have done to Kratos’ destiny.
最好安抚阿特洛波斯，并找到——并纠正——她可能对奎托斯命运所做的事。
Her tinkering was hardly ever useful or productive, because she hadn’t the practice at it Lahkesis did.
她的修修补补几乎从未有用或有效，因为她没有拉克西丝那样的实践。
“We need to widen our view of the world,” Lahkesis said, thinking this would divert her sister.
“我们需要拓宽我们对世界的视野，”拉克西丝说道，认为这会转移她姐妹的注意力。
“What of the Titans and the Olympians?” Atropos seemed willing to pursue destinies other than that of Kratos.
“泰坦和奥林匹斯神呢？”阿特洛波斯似乎愿意追求奎托斯之外的命运。
“That is worth considering—later.”
“那值得考虑——稍后。”
“For the moment, I will guide more carefully what you call my pet, Kratos, and examine how Gaia supports his quest.”
“目前，我会更仔细地引导你所谓的我的宠物，奎托斯，并检查盖亚是如何支持他的寻求的。”
“Why does he come here?”
“他为什么来这里？”
“We will never change what we have already spun for him.”
“我们永远不会改变我们已经为他纺织的命运。”
“Zeus killed him.”
“宙斯杀了他。”
“That should be the end of it.”
“那应该是它的结束。”
“But Gaia meddles.”
“但盖亚插手了。”
“Should we then launch a new Great War?” Atropos asked, flustered.
“那我们该发动一场新的传说大战吗？”阿特洛波斯问道，她有些慌乱。
Lahkesis wondered if she ought to take advantage of her sister’s confusion at this and pry from her what she had done with Kratos’ thread of destiny.
拉克西丝想知道她是否该利用她姐妹对此的困惑，并从她那里探出她对奎托斯的命运线做了什么。
Lahkesis’ irritation with her sister grew.
拉克西丝对她姐妹的恼怒正在增长。
Routine chores were perfect for Atropos, but when something fell out of that wonted warp and woof, she became frantic.
常规琐事对阿特洛波斯是完美的，但当某事脱离那惯常的经纬时，她变得疯狂。
As she was now.
就像她现在这样。
“There is no need for such desperate moves.”
“不需要这样绝望的行动。”
“Small changes in destiny, that’s what is required.”
“命运中的小改变，那才是需要的。”
“We must agree on a course of action, a destiny we all approve.”
“我们必须商定一个行动方针，一个我们都批准的命运。”
“Like the game we played before?”
“像我们以前玩的游戏吗？”
“The one where whoever could make the smallest change and produce the greatest result wins?”
“那个谁能做出最小的改变并产生最大结果谁赢的游戏？”
Lahkesis remembered the Trojan War with some fondness.
拉克西丝带着一些喜爱回忆特洛伊战争。
She had won by introducing a single golden apple into mortal society.
她通过将一个金苹果引入凡人社会而获胜。
The war had killed heroes on both sides and was still talked about by the poets.
战争杀死了双方的英雄，并仍被诗人们谈论。
“Yes, Atropos, something like that.”
“是的，阿特洛波斯，类似那样。”
“But Kratos has loosed the Steeds of Time and is now in my temple.”
“但奎托斯已经放出了时序骏马，现在在我的神庙里。”
“What!”
“什么！”
“Why wasn’t I told?”
“为什么没告诉我？”
“We must—”
“我们必须——”
“You must do nothing.”
“你必须什么也不做。”
“I will take care of him.”
“我会处理他。”
“What is he, after all?”
“毕竟，他算什么？”
“Nothing that we didn’t make.”
“没有什么不是我们制造的。”
“He cheated his fate,” Atropos insisted.
“他欺骗了他的命运，”阿特洛波斯坚持道。
“That makes him dangerous.”
“那让他危险。”
“He was a mortal and killed a god and became a god and—”
“他曾是凡人，杀了一个神，成为了一个神，并——”
“And he is once more mortal.”
“而他现在再次是凡人。”
Lahkesis stiffened.
拉克西丝僵硬了。
“I must issue a stern warning to him.”
“我必须向他发出严厉的警告。”
“He has found my statue in the temple.”
“他在神庙里找到了我的雕像。”
“Go, Atropos, go and tend to business while I speak with our Kratos.”
“去吧，阿特洛波斯，去处理事务，让我和我们的奎托斯说说话。”
Atropos left, muttering to herself.
阿特洛波斯离开了，自言自语地咕哝着。
Her boneless fingers moved sinuously, creating knots of destiny and as easily undoing them in a nervous gesture.
她无骨的手指蜿蜒移动，轻易创造出命运结并同样轻易地解开它们——哪怕她现在处于紧张状态下。
Lahkesis forced herself to ignore her sister and devote her full attention to Kratos.
拉克西丝强迫自己忽略她的姐妹，并将全部注意力投入到奎托斯身上。
She cleared her throat and spoke.
她清了清嗓子，然后开口。

第二十五章（1）
“NONE DEFY WHAT THE FATES DECREE.”
“无人能违抗命运的安排。”
Kratos glared at the talking statue.
奎托斯怒视着那尊会说话的雕像。
Its eyes blinked and its lips moved, but it was stone, not living flesh.
它的眼睛眨动，嘴唇开合，但它是石头，而非活生生的血肉。
Lahkesis might speak through the likeness but the Sister of Fate was elsewhere.
拉克西丝或许是通过这个雕像在说话，但命运姐妹本人却在别处。
This infuriated him.
这激怒了他。
There was no reason for her to be distant.
她没有理由躲藏。
Let her face him and not use a stone surrogate.
让她直面他，而不是用一个石头替身。
“That is how it must be.
“事情就必须如此。
Only death awaits you at the end of your journey.”
在你旅程的终点，只有死亡在等待着你。”
“My death is what began this journey,” Kratos said, fists clenched tightly.
“我的死亡正是这趟旅程的起点，”奎托斯说道，双拳紧握。
He stepped forward and wanted to strike out—but he also wanted to hear what Lahkesis had to say.
他向前一步，想要出手攻击——但他也想听听拉克西丝要说什么。
Gaia had said that the Sisters of Fate alone could return him to the precise moment needed to save himself and kill Zeus on that desolate, devastated terrace in Rhodes.
盖亚曾说过，只有命运姐妹能将他送回所需的精确时刻，让他在罗德岛那片荒凉、被毁的露台上拯救自己并杀死宙斯。
“The Fates have not deemed victory for you.
“命运并未判定你获胜。
Your soul will never find peace for what you have become.”
你的灵魂将因你如今的样貌而永无宁日。”
“I am what the gods have made me!”
“是众神把我变成了现在这样！”
He could no longer contain his anger.
他再也无法抑制他的怒火。
Swords flashing, he cut across the statue’s cheek, sending bits of stone and rock dust to the floor far below.
双剑闪过，他划过了雕像的脸颊，将碎石和岩屑溅落到下方的远处地板上。
His fury mounted at being thwarted by Lahkesis.
被拉克西丝阻挠，他的怒火升腾。
A second powerful slash cut the nose off the statue.
第二记强有力的劈砍削掉了雕像的鼻子。
The diadem in the forehead glowed more brightly, a blinding green that caused his innards to burn with a fire that threatened to consume him.
额头的头冠发出更耀眼的光芒，那令人目眩的绿色让他五脏俱焚，仿佛要被火焰吞噬。
This spurred Kratos to even greater acts of violence.
这刺激了奎托斯做出更暴力的行为。
Cheek and jaw, throat and each side of the head.
脸颊和下巴，喉咙和头部的两侧。
He hacked until his muscles bulged and the helmeted head of Lahkesis slid backward, finally severed from the body.
他不断劈砍，直到肌肉隆起，拉克西丝那头戴头盔的脑袋向后滑落，最终与身体分离。
Kratos reared back, placed his foot against the ravaged stone face, and pushed hard.
奎托斯向后仰身，将脚抵在残破的石脸上，用力猛推。
The head grated along a few feet, then toppled to the floor behind the statue and shattered into a thousand pieces.
头颅摩擦着滑行了几英尺，然后倒在雕像身后的地板上，摔成了成千上万的碎片。
Kratos vaulted down, walked around the remnants of the statue’s head, and saw a ghostly face in an arched portal to one side.
奎托斯跃下，绕过头像的残骸，在一侧的拱形门廊中看到了一个幽灵般的面孔。
“You will die here, Kratos.
“你会死在这里，奎托斯。
We will never allow you to reach our sacred temple.”
我们绝不会允许你抵达我们神圣的殿堂。”
Kratos turned away, ignoring Lahkesis’ phantasm.
奎托斯转过身，无视拉克西丝的幻影。
He stopped and drew his swords when a pair of boars snorted, snuffled, then brandished their curving tusks before charging him.
他停下并拔出双剑，此时一对野猪喷着鼻息，嗅探着，然后挥舞着它们弯曲的獠牙向他冲来。
He stood his ground, waited for one giant boar to leap, and then dodged to one side.
他站稳脚跟，等待其中一头巨大的野猪跃起，然后向一侧躲闪。
Four-legged animals, once committed to such an attack, could not recover or change direction easily.
四足动物一旦发动这样的攻击，便不易收势或改变方向。
Kratos gutted the boar as it flashed past him.
奎托斯在那头野猪从他身边冲过的瞬间将其开膛破肚。
The second boar learned from its companion’s death and did not leap but stayed on the ground, head low as it charged, ready to lift its head and catch him on vicious, yellowed tusks.
第二头野猪从同伴的死亡中吸取了教训，没有跳跃，而是保持在地面，低头冲锋，准备抬起头部用那恶毒、泛黄的獠牙刺中他。
As dangerous as this attack was, Kratos dealt with it easily enough.
尽管这次攻击很危险，奎托斯还是轻松地应对了。
Rather than use his sword he bent down, grabbed hold of the boar’s ear and one saliva-wet tusk, and jerked to one side.
他没有用剑，而是弯下腰，抓住野猪的耳朵和一根沾满唾液的獠牙，猛力向一侧扭去。
The heavy creature flopped onto its side, kicking and squealing.
这头沉重的生物侧身倒下，踢蹬着并发出尖叫。
Kratos balled one hand into a sledge of a fist and smashed the pig in the throat.
奎托斯将一只手攥成重锤般的拳头，猛击在猪的喉咙上。
It died, drowning in its own blood.
它死了，窒息在自己的血液中。
He picked it up, turning toward the doorway, where the eerie outline of a woman’s face still shimmered.
他把它捡起来，转向门口，那里一个女子面孔的诡异轮廓仍在闪烁。
“Here, Lahkesis,” Kratos called.
“给，拉克西丝，”奎托斯喊道。
“Take your servant!”
“接住你的仆人！”
He hurled the boar through the face.
他将野猪掷向那张脸。
It flared as if he had disturbed a desert mirage, swirled about inchoate, then coalesced back into a taunting visage.
那张脸如同被扰动的沙漠海市蜃楼般闪耀起来，混乱地旋转，然后重新凝聚成一张嘲弄的面孔。
“We will never alter your fate, Kratos.
“我们永远不会改变你的命运，奎托斯。
You were meant to die by the hand of Zeus!”
你注定要死于宙斯之手！”
Kratos turned away.
奎托斯转身离开。
The illusory face of the Fate could not harm him.
命运姐妹的幻影脸无法伤害他。
If Lahkesis could have become corporeal, she would have died by his hand.
如果拉克西丝能够实体化，她早已死在他的手下。
From what she had said, she cowered in her palace with her sisters.
从她的话来看，她正和她的姐妹们龟缩在宫殿里。
Kratos needed only to find the palace and the flesh-and-blood bodies of the Sisters to persuade them to alter his destiny.
奎托斯只需要找到那座宫殿和姐妹们的血肉之躯，来说服她们改变他的命运。
His swords clacked together to reassure himself of how that “persuasion” would be accomplished.
他的双剑铿锵相击，以此确信那“说服”将如何完成。

第二十五章（2）
Having his blades already drawn saved him.
事先拔出的双剑救了他。
A towering Cyclops dropped from a walkway above and crashed into the stone floor not ten feet away.
一个高大的独眼巨人从上方走道跳下，重重砸在不到十英尺远的石头地板上。
For the immense one-eyed monster, such a distance was hardly more than a short reach.
对于这只巨大的独眼怪物来说，这样的距离不过是一臂之遥。
It grabbed for Kratos.
它伸手抓向奎托斯。
Only his swords blocked the questing fingers.
只有他的双剑挡住了那探寻的手指。
He lopped off two, sending the sausage-thick fingers spinning away on the marble floor.
他砍掉了两根，将那香肠般粗细的手指劈得在大理石地板上旋转飞落。
Although the Cyclops’ body blocked his view, he knew what else he faced.
尽管独眼巨人的身体挡住了他的视线，但他知道他还面对着什么。
He heard the squeals and snorts of more boars as they devoured the severed digits.
他听到更多野猪的尖叫和喷鼻声，它们正在吞食被切断的手指。
The Cyclops let out a roar of pain and fury and charged.
独眼巨人发出一声痛苦与愤怒的咆哮，然后发起冲锋。
Kratos spun his swords about, stabbing, hacking, slicing.
奎托斯旋转他的双剑，刺、劈、切。
And then he was forced to retreat under the fierce attack.
接着他在猛烈的攻击下被迫后退。
The single bloodshot eye fixed on him with an intensity that would have frightened a lesser man.
那只布满血丝的独眼紧紧盯着他，其专注程度足以吓倒一个不如他的人。
For him, it meant only that he had an eye to blind.
但对他而言，这只意味着他有一个眼睛可以弄瞎。
As he prepared for the leap that would send him aloft and his blade into the Cyclops’ giant eye, a boar attacked.
当他准备跃起，以便跳至空中将刀刃刺入独眼巨人的巨眼时，一头野猪发起了攻击。
Kratos was bowled over.
奎托斯被撞翻了。
His swords held the four-legged killer at bay long enough to somersault and come to his feet.
他的双剑暂时挡住了这个四足杀手，让他有时间翻滚并重新站起。
The Cyclops sucked on its severed fingers, then reached down, grabbed another boar, and ripped its head off.
独眼巨人吮吸着它被切断的手指，然后伸手下去，抓住另一头野猪，把它的头撕了下来。
Kratos wondered if the Cyclops had become confused as to its enemy.
奎托斯想知道独眼巨人是否搞错了敌人。
Then he saw that the creature was simply using the weapons it had at hand.
接着他看到这个生物只是在利用手边的武器。
The powerful shoulders bunched, and the Cyclops threw the still-kicking headless boar at Kratos.
它强壮的肩膀鼓起，独眼巨人将那仍在踢蹬的无头野猪掷向奎托斯。
He ducked and dropped to one knee.
他低头闪避并单膝跪地。
Then he found himself under full attack by the roaring, gibbering Cyclops.
然后他发现自己处于那咆哮、胡言乱语的独眼巨人的全面攻击之下。
Hairy arms batted at him, leaving him staggering and dazed.
毛茸茸的手臂击打着他，让他踉跄晕眩。
A fist larger than his head smashed into his back and pummeled him until he fell onto his belly.
一个比他的头还大的拳头猛击在他的背上，捶打着他，直到他俯身倒下。
Then the Cyclops kicked him, lifting him off the floor and sending him crashing into a wall.
接着独眼巨人踢了他一脚，将他踢离地面，撞向一堵墙。
Eyes blurred from the punishment, Kratos saw the Cyclops lumber toward him, hands grasping for its enemy.
因受击而视线模糊，但奎托斯仍看到独眼巨人蹒跚地向他走来，双手抓向它的敌人——也就是他。
All Kratos could see was the hand with the two fingers cut off.
奎托斯所能看到的只有那缺了两根手指的手。
He shook his head clear and then released the spell contained in the Amulet of the Fates.
他晃了晃头让自己清醒，然后释放了命运护身符中蕴含的魔法。
The Cyclops’ headlong charge slowed to nothing.
独眼巨人猛烈的冲锋减缓至完全停止。
In the greenish light permeating this world, its bloodshot eye seemed to turn into diamond.
在弥漫这个界域的绿光中，它布满血丝的眼睛仿佛变成了钻石。
Aching, muscles protesting, Kratos got to his feet, drew his swords, and then chopped off the already finger-deprived hand.
浑身疼痛，肌肉酸楚，奎托斯站起身来，拔出双剑，然后砍掉了那只已经缺了手指的手。
Then he released the magical spell and stepped to one side.
接着他解除了魔法，并踏向一侧。
The Cyclops roared in pain and disbelief that its hand had been hacked off.
独眼巨人因痛苦和难以置信而咆哮，它的手被砍断了。
The pain broke its concentration, giving Kratos the opportunity he needed to slip around behind the monstrous creature, clamber up its back, reach around the bristle-haired head, and dig his fingers into the eye.
痛苦打断了它的专注，给了奎托斯所需的机会，他溜到这个怪物的背后，爬上它的背部，伸手抱住那毛发竖立的头部，将手指挖进了它的眼睛。
The Cyclops went wild, thrashing about and trying to dislodge him.
独眼巨人发狂了，猛烈摆动，试图甩开他。
Kratos rooted about until he grabbed the tendrils at the back of the eye to pull it free, then crushed it.
奎托斯摸索着，直到他抓住眼后的视神经将其拽出，然后捏碎了它。
As the Cyclops opened its mouth to screech in pain and fury, Kratos placed one hand at the back of its neck and with the other grabbed its tongue.
当独眼巨人张开嘴因痛苦和愤怒而尖叫时，奎托斯一只手放在它的颈后，另一只手抓住了它的舌头。
With a sudden swift circular yank, he not only broke the Cyclops’ neck but pulled out the tongue as well.
随着突然而迅速的环状猛拉，他不仅扭断了独眼巨人的脖子，还把舌头也拔了出来。
The monster stiffened and then fell like a tree with its trunk sawed through.
这怪物僵硬了，然后像一棵被锯断树干的树一样倒下了。
Kratos lightly jumped off and stared at the fallen giant for a moment.
奎托斯轻巧地跳下，凝视了倒下的巨人片刻。
“You cannot change your destiny,” the ghostly outline of Lahkesis’ head cried.
“你无法改变你的命运，”拉克西丝头颅的幽灵轮廓喊道。
He threw the Cyclops’ tongue through the doorway, through Lahkesis’ ghostly face, and onto the path beyond.
他将独眼巨人的舌头扔过门口，穿过拉克西丝的幽灵面孔，落到后面的小路上。
For a moment, he thought Lahkesis would return, but the image had disappeared for good.
片刻间，他以为拉克西丝会回来，但那影像已永久消失了。
Along the path now opened lay a steamy, stinking bog.
现在展现在小路前方的是一片蒸汽弥漫、恶臭的沼泽。
Corpses dangled from banyan trees on either side.
尸体悬挂在两侧的榕树上。
Carrion birds pecked at the fresher bodies, one possibly still alive though Kratos never slowed his advance to see.
食腐鸟啄食着较新鲜的尸体，其中一具可能还活着，但奎托斯从不会放缓脚步去查看。
Those strung up in the trees were of no concern to him.
那些被挂在树上的人与他无关。
On the other side of this bog rose the sky-gutting spire of the Palace of the Fates.
在这片沼泽的另一边，矗立着命运宫殿那高耸入云的尖顶。
He was ready to meet the Sisters.
他准备好了去见姐妹们。
He was not ready for the chain whistling through the air and circling his neck.
他没有料到那划破空气、套住他脖子的锁链。
Kratos choked and then was dragged along on his belly behind a huge horse that galloped through the swampy terrain.
奎托斯窒息了，然后被一匹在沼泽地形中疾驰的巨马拖着腹部前行。