第二十六章（1）
“THE WORLD BELOW is in turmoil, my father,” Athena said.
“下界正陷入动荡，我的父亲，”雅典娜说道。
Zeus sat back, apparently unconcenced.
宙斯向后靠坐，显然并不关心。
He made vague brushing motions with his hand, as if she were nothing more than an insect to be shooed away.
他用手做了个模糊的拂扫动作，仿佛她不过是一只需要被赶走的虫子。
“It comes from unrest in Olympus,” she went on.
“这源于奥林匹斯的不安，”她继续说道。
“There cannot be such upheaval among the gods and goddesses without repercussions.”
“诸神之间发生这样的剧变，不可能不产生后果。”
“You fear for my throne, daughter?” Zeus laughed harshly.
“你在担心我的王座吗，女儿？”宙斯刺耳地笑道。
Athena heard no humor in his tone.
雅典娜在他的语气中听不出任何幽默。
He had always treated her well before, even causing other gods to claim he favored her above them.
他以前一直待她很好，甚至让其他神祇声称他偏爱她胜过他们。
She remembered how Ares had tried to use this as a lever with Zeus to gain more power.
她记得阿瑞斯曾试图利用这点作为与宙斯交涉的筹码，以获取更多权力。
It hadn’t worked with the former God of War and from what she could tell, nothing she might say now would hold sway with Zeus.
这对前任战神没有奏效，而且据她判断，现在她说什么也无法动摇宙斯。
“I do, Sky Father,” she said.
“是的，天父，”她说。
Athena saw Iris peeking out from behind a large pillar at the side of the audience chamber.
雅典娜看见伊里斯从觐见室一侧的大柱子后面偷看。
The instant the new Messenger of the Gods realized Athena saw her, she ducked away, as if this would take away all memory of her eavesdropping.
这位新任诸神信使一意识到雅典娜看到了她，就立刻缩了回去，仿佛这样就能抹去她偷听的所有记忆。
“There are those atop Mount Olympus who would steal away your power, if not your throne.”
“在奥林匹斯山上，有人想要窃取您的权力，即使不是您的王座。”
“You are not the first to speak of this, daughter.
“你不是第一个说起这事的人，女儿。
I am King of the Gods.
我是众神之王。
None dares oppose me!”
无人敢反对我！”
Athena bowed slightly to hide the sour look on her face.
雅典娜微微鞠躬以掩饰她脸上不悦的表情。
“All are daring.
“所有人都敢。
You must find a middle road to walk if you want to restore order.”
若想恢复秩序，您必须找到一条中庸之道。”
“All, daughter?
“所有人，女儿？
You say all are plotting to usurp me?
你说所有人都在密谋篡夺我的位子？
What is your plan to rob me of my power?”
那么你又有何计划来掠夺我的权力呢？”
Clouds began forming at the domed ceiling, lightning crackling without striking.
圆顶天花板上开始形成云层，闪电噼啪作响却未击下。
Zeus held out his hand, and a thunderbolt formed there.
宙斯伸出手，一道雷霆在他手中成形。
“You would strike me down, Father?”
“您要击倒我吗，父亲？”
“Do you oppose me, Athena?
“你反对我吗，雅典娜？
Do you try to steal my power?”
你试图窃取我的权力吗？”
“I seek amity among the gods, Father.
“我寻求诸神之间的和睦，父亲。
Nothing more.”
仅此而已。”
“Kratos is the source of this cancer growing in Olympian guts,” Zeus cried.
“奎托斯就是在奥林匹斯内部滋生的这颗毒瘤的根源，”宙斯喊道。
“I will see him sent to the Underworld!”
“我定要将他送入冥界！”
“The Sisters of Fate protect their realm jealously, Father,” she said uneasily.
“命运姐妹在戒备森严地保护她们的界域，父亲，”她不安地说。
Try as she might, it had been impossible to send a message to Kratos.
尽管她尽力尝试，却始终无法给奎托斯传递信息。
“If he remains on the Island of Creation there is nothing that can be done.”
“如果他留在创世之岛，我们就无能为力。”
“I am a god.
“我是一个神。
I am the King of the Gods!”
我是众神之王！”
Zeus stood and shook his fist at the heavens.
宙斯站起来，向天空挥舞着他的拳头。
Through the open ceiling in his throne room came small thunderclouds.
透过他王座厅敞开的屋顶，飘来了小片的雷云。
“Petition the Fates.
“去请求命运姐妹。
Or do they seek a champion against me?”
还是说她们在寻找一个勇士来对抗我？”
Zeus sat and looked around, as if Kratos was spying on him.
宙斯坐下并环顾四周，仿佛奎托斯正在监视他。
This bothered Athena greatly.
这使雅典娜深感困扰。
Her father seemed hesitant, hesitant and fearful, then would act precipitously.
她的父亲显得犹豫不决，犹豫而恐惧，然后又贸然行动。
His mood swings grew greater by the day.
他的情绪波动日益加剧。
Athena jumped when he slammed his fists down on the armrests so hard that twin fissures opened from the throne all the way across the audience chamber floor, isolating Athena on a small island between.
当他双拳重重砸在王座扶手上，以至于两道裂缝从王座延伸穿过整个觐见室地板，将雅典娜隔离在中间的一小块孤岛上时，雅典娜惊跳起来。
She was startled to see that this destruction flushed out not only Iris but also Poseidon from hiding places around the audience chamber.
她惊讶地看到，这番破坏不仅逼出了伊里斯，还逼出了波塞冬，他们原本都藏在觐见室周围的隐蔽处。
More than the Messenger of the Gods spied on Zeus’ audiences.
不止是诸神信使在窥探宙斯的接见。

第二十六章（2）
“What do you want, brother?” Zeus held up his hand, now a fist oozing misty dark clouds from between his fingers.
“你想要什么，兄弟？”宙斯举起手，此刻他的拳头指缝间正渗出雾状的乌云。
He grew in stature until his head brushed the dome above.
他的身躯变大直到头部擦到上方的圆顶。
Not content with this, Zeus smashed the dome with his fist and sent a cascade of glass and stone raining down.
而他对此仍不满足，宙斯用拳头砸碎了圆顶，让玻璃和石块如瀑布般倾泻而下。
He puffed himself up even more until his girdled waist came level with the now destroyed dome.
他进一步膨胀身体，直到他束着腰带的腰部与那已被摧毁的圆顶齐平。
“I have come to protest an invasion of my realm, brother,” Poseidon said.
“我是来抗议有人入侵我的界域，兄弟，”波塞冬说道。
He started growing, then realized there wasn’t going to be room, even if he punched a hole in the audience room above his head.
他也开始变大，随即意识到即使在他头顶的觐见室打个洞，空间也不够。
“Return to a more civil size.”
“请变回更文明点的尺寸吧。”
Zeus shrank back to a size more in proportion to his audience chamber.
宙斯缩小回与他的觐见室更成比例的尺寸。
He grated his teeth together as he fell heavily back onto his throne.
他重重地坐回王座时，牙齿磨得咯咯作响。
“Do I have your permission to sit on my own throne, brother?
“我是否有您的允许坐上我自己的王座呢，兄弟？
Or have you come to depose me?”
或者您是来废黜我的？”
“I have my own realm beneath the sea, Zeus.”
“我在海底有我自己的界域，宙斯。”
Poseidon strode up, rudely pushing Athena aside.
波塞冬大步上前，粗鲁地将雅典娜推到一边。
She stepped away.
她退开了。
Iris moved closer so as not to miss a single word of the exchange.
伊里斯挪近了些，以免错过这次交谈的任何一个字。
Athena worried that Iris would find even more in this exchange to turn to her own advantage.
雅典娜担心伊里斯会从这次交谈中找到更多为她自己谋利的东西。
It was an exaggeration to claim that Iris alone was responsible for the disquietude among the gods, but she contributed to it with her rumormongering, her half-truths, and the constantly formed alliances that she respected only until they no longer gave her power.
声称单是伊里斯一人就造成了诸神间的不和是夸大其词，但她确实通过散布谣言、半真半假的言辞以及不断结盟（这些联盟只在她能获得权力时才有效）加剧了这种不和。
Iris was a cause of the distrust spreading through the Olympians like an unchecked plague, but she was not solely responsible.
伊里斯是像一场不受约束的瘟疫般，她是在奥林匹斯诸神中蔓延的不信任的一个起因，但她并非唯一的责任人。
“Why not return to it?” Zeus said.
“那为什么不回那里去？”宙斯说。
“I need some peace to properly rule.”
“我需要些安宁来妥善统治。”
“Peace,” snorted Poseidon.
“安宁，”波塞冬哼了一声。
He spat seaweed onto the floor and squeezed out his dripping beard before going on.
他将海藻吐在地板上，并拧了拧他滴水的胡子，然后才继续说。
“The mortal philosopher Plato said it too well.
“那个凡人哲学家柏拉图说得太好了。
‘Only the dead have seen the end of war.’
‘唯有死者才见过战争的终结。’
I find an invader challenging my rule of the sea.”
我发现有个入侵者在挑战我对海洋的统治。”
“Kratos?” Zeus laughed harshly.
“奎托斯？”宙斯刺耳地笑道。
“He has become a will-o’-the-wisp with everyone seeing him still on Olympus.”
“他已成了一道鬼火，人人都觉得他还在奥林匹斯山上。”
“Not Kratos,” said Poseidon.
“不是奎托斯，”波塞冬说。
“Oceanus.
“是俄刻阿诺斯。
The Titans become bolder.
泰坦们变得更大胆了。
He thinks to regain transcendence over my realm.”
他想着要重新获得对我界域的支配权。”
“You are unable to fight him?
“你无力与他战斗吗？
A Titan who has been stripped of power and discredited for so long?
一个被剥夺了权力、声名狼藉了如此之久的泰坦？
You are no brother of mine if you cannot chase him away, back to the dark realms of Tartarus.
如果你不能把他赶走，赶回塔耳塔洛斯的黑暗界域，你就不是我的兄弟。
Oceanus,” Zeus said, snorting in contempt.
俄刻阿诺斯，”宙斯说道，轻蔑地哼了一声。
“He was the least of the Titans.”
“他是泰坦中最微不足道的一个。”
He turned dark as he added, “Unlike Cronos.”
他的脸色变得阴沉，补充道，“不像克洛诺斯。”
“I have your permission to do as I see fit?”
“这是否意味着我得到您的允许，可以按我认为合适的方式行事了？”
Athena started to warn her father not to give Poseidon unlimited power.
雅典娜刚要警告她的父亲不要给予波塞冬无限的权力。
Her uncle was cantankerous and quarrelsome, but he was also ambitious.
她的叔父脾气暴躁又好争吵，但他同样野心勃勃。
Poseidon on the throne of the gods would create a war among them that would never end.
波塞冬若登上众神之王的宝座，将在他们之间引发一场永无休止的战争。
Poseidon lacked any hint of diplomacy in his soul.
波塞冬的灵魂里毫无外交手腕可言。
Zeus might rankle, but he could be subtle and clever when the need arose.
宙斯或许会让人恼火，但在需要时，他也能变得微妙和机智。
His succor of Kratos in the guise of the gravedigger before the battle with Ares proved that.
他在与阿瑞斯战斗前，伪装成掘墓人援助奎托斯就证明了这一点。
She just hadn’t seen that facet of her father’s character recently.
只是她最近没再看到她父亲性格中的那一面。
Not since Kratos ascended the throne of the God of War.
自从奎托斯登上战神宝座之后就没有了。
“Defend yourself as you see fit.
“按你认为合适的方式自卫吧。
You don’t need my good wishes for that, brother.”
你不需要我的祝福来做这个，兄弟。”
Poseidon wrung out his beard again to hide the broad smile.
波塞冬再次拧了拧他的胡子以掩饰那灿烂的笑容。
Zeus could not see it but from the side of the audience chamber Athena did clearly.
宙斯看不到，但从觐见室的一侧，雅典娜看得清清楚楚。
So did Iris.
伊里斯也是。
The Messenger of the Gods hurried away.
这位诸神信使匆忙离开了。
It was as if Ares’ death had released ambition unseen among the Olympians before.
仿佛阿瑞斯之死释放了奥林匹斯诸神中前所未见的野心。
While many had complained about Zeus’ rule, they had acceded to it so that they could pursue their own pleasures, both on Mount Olympus and among the mortals.
虽然许多神曾抱怨宙斯的统治，但他们此前一直顺从，以便能在奥林匹斯山和凡人中间追求自己的享乐。
But now?
但现在呢？
More than Poseidon and Iris aspired to the throne, and Zeus continued to direct his wrath against a mortal.
不止波塞冬和伊里斯觊觎王座，宙斯却持续将他的怒火指向一个凡人。
Kratos might have been a god, but he presented less danger to Zeus than many of those who remained gods.
奎托斯或许曾是一位神，但他对宙斯构成的危险，远小于许多仍然是神祇的存在。
Athena left Poseidon and Zeus trading barbed comments, wondering what she had to do to restore order among the gods.
雅典娜离开了正在互相讥讽的波塞冬和宙斯，思索着她必须做些什么才能恢复诸神间的秩序。
Should she depose her own father?
她应该废黜自己的父亲吗？
Or should she aid Kratos in his quest to slay him?
还是应该帮助奎托斯完成弑杀他的追寻？
She caught her breath as she realized the direction her thoughts were taking.
当她意识到自己思绪的方向时，她屏住了呼吸。
There had to be another course that did not force her to oppose her father—or aid those who did.
一定存在另一条路径，不会迫使她反对自己的父亲——或者帮助那些反对他的人。
There had to be.
一定存在。

第二十七章（1）
THE CHAIN SNAPPED tight around Kratos’ thickly muscled neck and yanked him off his feet.
锁链猛地收紧，缠在奎托斯肌肉粗壮的脖颈上，将他拽离了地面。
He hit the ground hard, and then was dragged behind an immense galloping paint horse.
他重重地摔在地上，随后被一匹疾驰的巨大花斑战马拖行。
The patches of color on the horse’s flanks were fire-bright.
马腹两侧的色斑如火焰般明亮。
The hooves kicked back at Kratos, but the chain was long enough to hold him at a safe distance—if safe could ever be used to describe being strangled to death by the ever-tightening chain.
马蹄向后踢向奎托斯，但锁链足够长，使他保持在安全距离——如果“安全”一词能用来形容被越收越紧的锁链勒死的话。
He grunted as he hit a dead tree and flew high in the air.
他撞上一棵枯树，呻吟着飞向空中。
He landed hard but caught a quick glimpse of the rider.
他重重落地，但迅速瞥见了骑手。
The man wore a barbarian’s armor, heavy metal leaves across the shoulders and chest, bare arms save for furred wristlets, leggings that might conceal greaves but probably not.
那人穿着野蛮人的盔甲，肩胸覆盖着厚重的金属叶片，手臂赤裸，仅戴着毛皮护腕，紧身裤可能掩盖着护胫甲，但多半没有。
Despite the barbarian not wearing a helm, Kratos failed to see his face.
尽管这野蛮人没戴头盔，奎托斯却没能看清他的脸。
What mattered more was the speeding terrain under his belly, ripping at his flesh as he was pulled faster and faster behind the warhorse.
更重要的是他身下飞速掠过的地面，在他被战马越拖越快时撕裂着他的皮肉。
Kratos grabbed the chain with both hands and pulled, trying to dislodge it from his throat.
奎托斯双手抓住锁链拉扯，试图将其从喉咙上弄开。
He felt the links cutting into his flesh—and cutting off his air.
他感觉到链环切入了他的血肉——并切断了他的呼吸。
The world turned a bit darker as the horse sped along a trail.
当马沿着小径加速时，世界变得有些昏暗。
For a boggy stretch he landed only on hard spots.
在一片沼泽地带，他只能撞在坚硬处。
Rocks, stumps, debris, it all tore at Kratos’ flesh and distracted him from the one act that would save his life.
岩石、树桩、碎片，所有这些都撕裂着奎托斯的皮肉，分散了他执行那唯一能救他性命动作的注意力。
If he didn’t get the chain unwrapped from his neck, he would die.
如果他不把锁链从脖子上解开，他就会死。
The horse jumped over a fallen tree; Kratos slammed hard into the log and then was airborne.
马跃过一棵倒下的树；奎托斯猛力撞在树干上，然后腾空而起。
For this brief instant, the tension slackened in the chain.
在这短暂的瞬间，锁链的张力松弛了。
He ducked his head, unwrapped a turn of the metallic leash, and shoved his right arm up so the chain snapped tight on his forearm instead of his neck.
他低下头，解开了金属缰绳的一圈，并将右臂向上推，使锁链紧紧勒在他的前臂上，而不是脖子上。
Then he hit the ground, and the air gusted from his lungs on impact.
接着他撞到地面，冲击力让空气从肺中涌出。
He was dragged for another hundred yards and then regained his senses enough to reach back, draw a sword with his left hand, and then bring it down with all his strength against the chain.
他又被拖行了一百码，然后恢复了些许意识，伸手用左手拔出一把剑，用尽全力朝锁链砍去。
One instant he was sliding along—then he was sitting up on the path, trees on either side and the fire-branded horse galloping into a glade without Kratos’ weight holding it back.
一瞬间他还在滑行——接着他已坐在小径上，两旁是树木，那匹火烙马则冲进一片林间空地，不再有奎托斯的重量拖累。
The rider sawed on the reins, forcing his mount to dig its hooves into the soft earth.
骑手猛拉缰绳，迫使坐骑将蹄子插入松软的泥土。
Dirt flew up into a cloud, then the rider swung about and trotted back to where Kratos now stood with a blade in his hand.
泥土飞扬成云，随后骑手调转方向，小跑回奎托斯此刻持剑站立的地方。
“By the gods, it is true!” the rider marveled, staring hard at Kratos.
“众神在上，这是真的！”骑手惊叹道，死死盯着奎托斯。
“The Sisters are smiling upon me today.
“命运姐妹今天在向我微笑。
I have fought my way through the Guardians of Hades, crawled my way out of the fires of torment, all for a chance to change my fate.
我一路杀穿哈迪斯的守卫，从折磨的火焰中爬出，全都为了一个改变我命运的机会。
And what better place to start than by taking the life of the man who stole mine?”
而还有什么比夺走那个偷走我性命之人的生命更好的开始呢？”
“You,” Kratos said, sneering.
“是你，”奎托斯讥讽道。
“How many times must I kill you?”
“我还要杀你多少次？”
The Barbarian King threw back his head and roared in defiance.
野蛮人之王昂首发出挑衅的咆哮。
As his head tipped back, Kratos saw the white scar on the barbarian’s throat.
当他头向后仰时，奎托斯看到了野蛮人喉咙上的白色疤痕。
He had severed the warrior’s head and sent it into a mud puddle when last they had faced each other.
上次交锋时，他斩下了这位战士的头颅，并将其送入泥坑。
The thick black beard once more hid the scar caused by decapitation as he lowered his chin to peer at Kratos from under beetled brows.
当他低下下巴，从浓眉下凝视奎托斯时，浓密的黑胡子再次掩盖了斩首造成的疤痕。
Kratos could hardly see the eyes in those hollowed pits, but he thought they burned with more than bloodlust.
奎托斯几乎看不到那凹陷眼窝中的眼睛，但他觉得其中燃烧的不仅仅是嗜血。
There was cunning focused solely on his grounded foe.
还有一种完全集中在他这个落地对手身上的狡黠。
“For my efforts the Sisters shine their light upon me, delivering the very object of my vengeance: Kratos!”
“因我的努力，命运姐妹将光芒照耀于我，将我复仇的对象送到面前：奎托斯！”
Kratos staggered slightly as the world spun about him, the dim light of fading twilight and the noxious rising bog gases replaced by the heavy scent of spilled blood.
奎托斯略微踉跄，感到天旋地转，渐暗暮色的微光和沼泽升起的毒气被浓重的血腥味所取代。
A battlefield ankle-deep in dirt, turned to mud by so much spilled blood.
一个尘土深及脚踝的战场，因如此多的溅血而变得泥泞。
He had been ripped away from the world he inhabited and sent into that of dream—of nightmare!
他被从他所在的世界剥离，投入了梦境——噩梦之中！
Kratos was part of the illusion and yet stood away from it, facing the Barbarian King as he had once before.
奎托斯是这幻象的一部分，却又超脱其外，如同他曾经那样面对着野蛮人之王。
“Alrik,” Kratos cried.
“阿利克，”奎托斯喊道。
“I will shorten you again!
“我会再次让你变短！
（楼主：我嘞个shorten，这说的应该是上次斩首阿利克那事，这让阿利克短了一截——毕竟少了脑袋）
Come to do battle!”
来战吧！”
“You will fall this time, Ghost of Sparta.
“这次倒下会是你，斯巴达的亡魂。
You drank the ambrosia and robbed me of my father’s life.”
你饮下了神酒，并为我父亲的性命剥夺了我。”
“With him dead, you became king,” Kratos said.
“随着他的死亡，你成了国王，”奎托斯说。
“Could it be that you let me do your killing for you to save yourself the trouble?”
“会不会是你让我替你完成杀戮，以省去你自己的麻烦？”
Kratos sought to goad the barbarian into thoughtless attack.
奎托斯试图激怒野蛮人进行鲁莽的攻击。
It worked.
这奏效了。

第二十七章（2）
The Barbarian King rushed forward, but the battle did not go as Kratos expected.
野蛮人之王猛冲向前，但战斗并未如奎托斯预料的那样发展。
Alrik was immense and immensely strong.
阿利克体型巨大且力量无穷。
He swung his war hammer with skill and power, driving Kratos back and then to his knees.
他技巧娴熟、力量磅礴地挥舞战锤，将奎托斯逼退，继而打得他跪地。
Alrik swung the haft around and caught Kratos under the chin.
阿利克转动锤柄，击中了奎托斯的下巴。
The Spartan’s head snapped back, and he flopped onto his spine so that he stared up at Alrik as he used both hands on the war hammer to lift it high.
这位斯巴达人的头猛地向后一仰，他脊背着地倒下，眼睁睁看着阿利克双手握住战锤将其高举过头。
Muscles rippled as Alrik prepared to bring it crashing down onto his foe’s skull, but all Kratos could see was the intricately braided beard and the human knuckle bones woven into it.
阿利克准备将战锤砸向对手的头颅时肌肉虬结，但奎托斯所能看到的只有那编织复杂、并缀着人指节骨的胡须。
Kratos called to Ares for succor and relived the unholy bargain he had made with the God of War.
奎托斯向阿瑞斯呼救，并重温了他与战神之间那不神圣的交易。
And the fight swiftly changed.
战斗迅速改变。
Ares slew the barbarians freely, easily, and Kratos found himself possessed of renewed strength—and the Blades of Chaos welded to his arm bones by lengths of chain.
阿瑞斯随意而轻松地屠杀着野蛮人，而奎托斯发现自己拥有了新的力量——以及通过锁链焊接在他臂骨上的混沌之刃。
The fight became one-sided, and Kratos sent Alrik to the Underworld where he belonged.
战斗变成了一边倒，奎托斯将阿利克送回了属于他的冥界。
He stumbled and found that he no longer waded about in the ankle-deep bloody mud of nightmare.
他踉跄一下，发现自己不再在深及脚踝的血腥噩梦泥沼中跋涉。
Reality now matched his hallucination.
现实现在与他的幻觉相符。
Alrik had returned from Hades’ clutches.
阿利克已从哈迪斯的魔爪中归来。
“We have some things in common,” Kratos said.
“我们有一些共同点，”奎托斯说。
“Hatred of each other?” the Barbarian King called.
“彼此憎恨？”野蛮人之王喊道。
“Yes.
“是的。
And we have both left the Underworld behind.”
而且我们都离开了冥界。”
“There is one more thing we have in common,” Alrik said.
“我们还有一点共同点，”阿利克说。
Kratos said nothing.
奎托斯没有作声。
He clutched his swords, evaluating his best attack of this mighty warrior returned from Hades.
他紧握双剑，评估着对这位从冥界归来的强大战士的最佳攻击方式。
“My father’s death!
“我父亲的死！
I will not die until you pay for killing him,” Alrik said.
在你为杀死他付出代价之前，我不会死，”阿利克说。
Before Kratos could attack, the center of the glade began to change.
在奎托斯发动攻击之前，林间空地的中央开始改变。
The rapidly opening hole warned Kratos he had no time to spare.
迅速打开的洞口警告奎托斯他没有时间可以浪费。
Leaping over the gaping maw that stretched all the way down to Hades, he swung, but Alrik was too intelligent a fighter for such an obvious attack to succeed.
他跃过那直通冥界的裂口，挥剑攻击，但阿利克是个太聪明的战士，如此明显的攻击无法成功。
He galloped away, out of Kratos’ reach.
他策马奔驰，脱离了奎托斯的攻击范围。
Kratos reached behind and drew Typhon’s Bane.
奎托斯伸手向后，抽出了堤丰之灾。
He began firing the arrows as quickly as he could.
他开始以最快速度发射箭矢。
Alrik batted away one or two of the icy missiles, but a few more embedded in his heavy armor.
阿利克击飞了一两支冰箭，但还有几支嵌入了他的重甲。
The attack produced a deep-throated laugh.
这次攻击引来了低沉的嘲笑。
“Is that the best you can do, Ghost of Sparta?”
“你就这点本事吗，斯巴达的亡魂？”
The horse galloped toward Kratos, its rider wielding the mighty war hammer.
马匹冲向奎托斯，骑手挥舞着强大的战锤。
Kratos somersaulted to the left side of the fiery steed, forcing Alrik to swing the hammer across his body.
奎托斯侧翻到火烙马的左侧，迫使阿利克将锤子横扫过身体。
This shortened his reach and afforded Kratos a few inches—which saved his life.
这缩短了他的攻击范围，给了奎托斯几英寸的空间——这救了他的命。
The spiked hammerhead grazed his back, but then it was too late for Alrik to attack in any other way.
带刺的锤头擦过他的后背，但此时阿利克已来不及用其他方式攻击。
The Barbarian King depended on his horse to carry him out of range for any attack Kratos could launch.
野蛮人之王依赖他的马匹带他脱离奎托斯任何攻击的范围。
Kratos used his swords on the horse’s legs, chopping the hooves off just above the fetlocks.
奎托斯用双剑攻击马腿，在球节上方砍断了蹄子。
The cannon bones snapped and the horse fell headfirst onto the ground, sending its rider flailing through the air.
掌骨断裂，马头朝下摔倒在地，将骑手甩飞到空中。
The horse’s body prevented Kratos from instantly following up his attack and putting an end to Alrik once more.
马的尸体阻止了奎托斯立刻跟进攻击，再次了结阿利克。
Single-mindedly, he went around the mutilated horse, his eyes only on Alrik.
他一心一意地绕过残废的马，眼睛只盯着阿利克。
This almost brought him death.
这几乎让他丧命。
Alrik swung his war hammer in a whistling arc to hold Kratos at bay.
阿利克挥舞战锤，划出呼啸的弧线以阻挡奎托斯。
He clenched his teeth, then let loose a heart-stopping roar.
他咬紧牙关，然后发出一声令人心悸的咆哮。
“Attend me, my warriors.
“听我号令，我的战士们。
Come to your king and fight once more beside me!”
来到你们的国王身边，再次与我并肩作战！”
A sudden stench filled the air, which made Kratos’ nose wrinkle.
突然，一股恶臭弥漫空中，让奎托斯皱起了鼻子。
The smell was too familiar.
这气味太熟悉了。
It was present in cemeteries and on battlefields and anywhere else that death held reign.
它存在于墓地、战场以及死亡统治的任何其他地方。
In front of him opened the hole again, allowing the dead barbarians slain by the Spartans to creep out from the Underworld.
在他面前，洞口再次打开，让斯巴达人被杀死的死亡野蛮人从冥界爬出。
One grabbed Kratos’ leg and tripped him.
一个抓住了奎托斯的腿，将他绊倒。
With the agility of a cat, Kratos hit and rolled, came to his feet, and swung the Blades of Athena with deadly accuracy.
奎托斯以猫一般的敏捷，撞击翻滚，站起身来，以致命的精准度挥舞雅典娜之刃。
The dead barbarian’s head exploded from his shoulders, bounced once, and then disappeared back over the edge and down to Hades.
死亡野蛮人的头从肩膀上炸开，弹跳了一下，然后消失回边缘之下，坠入冥界。
The body continued to fight.
但尸体在继续战斗。
Kratos kicked out, tripped the flailing soldier, and sent it after its head.
奎托斯踢出，绊倒了那挥舞的士兵，把它送去见了它的头。
He recovered in time to see Alrik shaking off the effect of his fall.
他及时恢复，看到阿利克正从坠落的影响中摆脱出来。
With contemptuous ease, he swung his war hammer about.
带着轻蔑的轻松，他挥舞着战锤。
The spikes embedded in the head glistened with fresh blood.
嵌在锤头上的尖刺闪烁着新鲜血液。

第二十七章（3）
Kratos wondered where it had come from, then realized it was his own.
奎托斯想知道血从何而来，然后意识到那是他自己的。
Alrik had not connected squarely with his blow but had drawn blood.
阿利克没有正面击中他，但造成了流血。
Kratos felt the large round spot on his back beginning to throb from the injury.
奎托斯感到背上那大圆点因受伤开始抽痛。
Kratos started for Alrik, then stopped.
奎托斯冲向阿利克，然后停下。
The Barbarian King placed the haft of his hammer on the ground, then tapped it several times with deceptive gentleness.
野蛮人之王将锤柄放在地上，然后以欺骗性的轻柔敲击了几次。
The earthquake that radiated outward would have knocked Kratos from his feet if he had not jumped as hard as his powerful legs could propel him.
向外辐射的地震本会将奎托斯震倒在地——但他及时用强壮的腿尽力跳起。
When he landed, the ground still shook but the worst of the quake had passed.
当他落地时，地面仍在震动，但最强烈的震动已经过去。
A well-aimed sword cut opened a long gash on Alrik’s cheek, but the Barbarian King paid no heed.
一记精准的剑击在阿利克的脸颊上划开一道长口子，但野蛮人之王毫不在意。
He swung his ponderous war hammer about and knocked Kratos’ swords away.
他挥舞沉重的战锤，击开了奎托斯的双剑。
The defensive move left the huge man’s body open to Kratos’ sudden rush forward until the two men were within inches of each other.
这防御动作使巨人的身体门户大开，奎托斯突然前冲，直到两人相距仅几英寸。
Kratos slugged him with the pommel of one sword and his right fist.
奎托斯用一把剑的柄头和右拳猛击他。
The solid blows forced Alrik away.
坚实的打击迫使阿利克后退。
Kratos followed, this time with both swords swinging.
奎托斯跟进，这次双剑齐挥。
The two crashed together in fierce combat, each strong, both determined to kill the other.
两人在激烈的战斗中碰撞在一起，各自强壮，都决心要杀死对方。
Locked together, straining, Alrik grated out, “The Sisters promised to change my fate.
二人缠斗在一起，扭打着，阿利克磨着牙说：“命运姐妹承诺改变我的命运。
I won’t let you, Ghost of Sparta, steal away my chance for life!”
我不会让你，斯巴达的亡魂，偷走我生存的机会！”
Kratos heaved, sending Alrik back.
奎托斯用力，将阿利克推了回去。
The barbarian was too strong for him, and the risk of what he had to do seemed suicidally high.
野蛮人对他来说太强壮了，而他必须做的事情风险似乎高到近乎自杀。
With blades in front of him, he marshaled his energy and let the burning white spot deep within his breast grow.
双剑在前，他集结能量，让胸腔深处燃烧的白点增长。
As the power focused in that scintillant spot, his legs wobbled.
当力量聚焦在那闪烁的点上时，他的双腿摇晃起来。
“You fear me, Kratos?
“你害怕我吗，奎托斯？
I knew it!” Alrik rushed forward.
我就知道！”阿利克猛冲向前。
His arms mimicked his legs as the muscles turned to water.
他的手臂模仿着双腿，肌肉变得如水般无力。
The barbarian shrieked his battle cry and lifted his war hammer for the killing blow.
野蛮人尖啸着战吼，举起战锤准备致命一击。
Too weak to do more than wobble on his feet, Kratos looked within his body and spirit and unleashed the Rage of the Titans.
虚弱得只能在脚下摇晃，奎托斯内视自己的身体和精神，释放了泰坦之怒。
The powerful shock wave knocked Alrik back so hard it took him off his feet.
强大的冲击波将阿利克狠狠击退，使他双脚离地。
He sat down and skidded back a few more feet.
他坐下，又向后滑了几英尺。
For the first time, something more than hatred glowed in the king’s eyes.
第一次，国王眼中闪烁的不仅仅是仇恨。
Kratos saw fear.
奎托斯看到了恐惧。
“You won’t get past me to the Temple of Euryale.
“你无法越过我到达欧律阿勒神殿。
I will stop you and claim my reward for serving the Sisters of Fate!”
我会阻止你，并领取我服务命运姐妹的奖赏！”
Blades swinging in a deadly arc, Kratos pressed forward and left bleeding gashes in the Barbarian King’s arms.
双剑划出致命弧线，奎托斯向前压迫，在野蛮人之王的手臂上留下流血伤口。
Seeing his chance, Kratos reached up and grabbed the shaft of the war hammer in an attempt to wrest it away.
看到机会，奎托斯伸手抓住战锤的柄，试图将其夺走。
He shoved his feet into Alrik’s chest, then straightened his body as he wrenched the hammer free of the warrior’s grip.
他将脚蹬入阿利克的胸膛，然后挺直身体，将锤子从战士的握持中扭脱。
He flew through the air and landed heavily.
他飞过空中，重重落地。
Before he could regain his feet, Alrik swarmed over him, a heavy knee pressing him into the ground.
在他重新站起之前，阿利克扑到他身上，沉重的膝盖将他压入地面。
Alrik snatched back the war hammer.
阿利克夺回战锤。
Kratos rolled over and over until he was some distance away and got to his feet.
奎托斯翻滚直到一段距离外，然后站起身来。
He was barely beyond the radius of the hammer’s swing.
他勉强超出锤子的挥舞范围。
Hot air gusted against his face as the spike-studded hammerhead passed within inches of his face.
当布满尖刺的锤头在离他脸几英寸内掠过时，热风扑面而来。
If the blow had landed, his head would have been turned to gory pulp.
如果这一击命中，他的头会被打成血肉模糊的浆糊。
Kratos attacked, his swords flying faster than any war hammer could possibly block.
奎托斯发起攻击，他的剑飞得比任何战锤可能阻挡的速度更快。
Alrik exerted his immense strength and used his long arms as effective levers to change the direction, but it was too late.
阿利克发挥其巨大的力量，用长臂作为有效的杠杆改变方向，但为时已晚。
Kratos was inside the giant’s guard.
奎托斯已进入巨人的防御圈内。
His swords stabbed forward and into the Barbarian King.
他的剑向前刺入野蛮人之王。
Alrik never reacted to these wounds.
阿利克对这些伤口毫无反应。
But he did when Kratos once more grabbed the haft of the war hammer and wrenched it away.
但当奎托斯再次抓住战锤柄并将其扭脱时，他有了反应。
Real fear mingled with utter hatred for a brief instant before Kratos swung the hammer about and caught Alrik on the side of the head.
真正的恐惧与彻底的仇恨短暂交织，随后奎托斯挥舞锤子，击中了阿利克的头部侧面。
The blow knocked him facedown to the ground.
这一击将他打趴在地。
Kratos squared his stance, judged distance, then brought the hammer down in the middle of Alrik’s shoulders with every ounce of energy locked in his battle-hardened body.
奎托斯站稳脚步，判断距离，然后用尽他久经战阵的身体里的每一分力气，将锤子砸在阿利克肩膀正中。
Blood spattered as the spikes dug in and the spine cracked.
尖刺嵌入，脊柱断裂，血液飞溅。
Kratos swung again.
奎托斯再次挥舞。
This time he aimed lower.
这次他瞄准更低。
The spine broke.
脊柱断了。
But still Alrik flopped about.
但阿利克仍在扑腾。
Another blow.
又一击。
Another and another left Alrik still on the ground.
一击又一击，阿利克仍倒在地面。
Kratos held the captured war hammer high over his head and roared in triumph.
奎托斯将缴获的战锤高举过头，胜利地咆哮。
Then he kicked the body to the edge of the Hades hole and finally into it.
然后他将尸体踢到冥界洞口的边缘，最终踢了进去。
Kratos allowed himself a moment of satisfaction.
奎托斯允许自己享受片刻满足。
Before, Alrik had outfought him and only Ares’ intervention had saved him.
此前，阿利克在战斗中胜过他，只有阿瑞斯的干预救了他。
Rather, it had resigned Kratos to a life of servitude to the God of War.
更确切地说，这使奎托斯被迫屈从于战神的奴役生活。
The now dead God of War.
但如今战神已死。
He had no more time to relish the victory.
他没有更多时间品味胜利。
The undead barbarians continued to crawl forth from Hades.
不死的野蛮人仍然从冥界爬出。
He hefted the war hammer and swung it in a wide circle, knocking two back into the hole.
他举起战锤，大范围挥舞，将两个蛮人尸体击回洞中。
He heard their anguished cries as they once more fell to the Underworld.
他听到他们再次坠入冥界时的痛苦哭喊。
When the last had been dropped back through the hole, it began to close.
当最后一个被扔回洞中后，洞口开始关闭。
Kratos placed the war hammer on the ground and leaned on it.
奎托斯将战锤放在地上，倚靠着它。
Blood trickled from between the spikes.
血液从尖刺间滴落。
Kratos swung the hammer about and slammed the head down to wipe off Alrik’s blood, causing an earthquake.
奎托斯挥舞锤子猛砸以甩掉阿利克的血，这引发了一场地震。
He grunted without humor, and hefted the war hammer so that it rested on his shoulder.
他毫无幽默地咕哝着，举起战锤使其靠在肩上。
Then Kratos triumphantly slid it behind his back, where it magically reposed with the other gifts he had received from the gods.
然后奎托斯胜利地将其滑到背后，它神奇地与他从众神那里获得的其他礼物一起安置。
He looked deeper into the bog and saw the dark spire rising above the Temple of Euryale.
他望向沼泽深处，看到欧律阿勒神殿上方升起的黑暗尖顶。
Alrik had protected that for the Sisters of Fate.
阿利克为命运姐妹保护了那里。
He had been promised a new fate if he kept Kratos from reaching the temple, for all the good that it did him.
他被承诺如果他阻止奎托斯到达神殿，就能获得新的命运，尽管这对他毫无益处。

第二十八章（1）
“WHAT HAPPENED?”
“发生了什么事？”
Atropos shrieked in frustration.
阿特洛波斯挫败地尖叫道。
“You were supposed to remove him!”
“你本该除掉他的！”
“Kratos?” Lahkesis waved off her sister.
“奎托斯？”拉克西丝挥手示意她姐妹别说了。
“He might have destroyed my statue, but that doesn’t matter.
“他或许毁了我的雕像，但那无关紧要。
Alrik will stop him in the Bog of the Forgotten.”
阿利克会在被遗忘的沼泽里拦住他。”
“Oh?” Atropos stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at her sister.
“哦？”阿特洛波斯双手叉腰站着，怒视着她的姐妹。
“How do you think that is going to happen?”
“你觉得这怎么可能发生？”
“What do you mean?
“你什么意思？
Alrik has been a faithful servant, if a foolish one.
阿利克一直是个忠实的仆人，尽管有点愚蠢。
He thinks we will examine his plight and save him.
他以为我们会审视他的困境并拯救他。
Ares gave Kratos the weapons and strength to smash him.
阿瑞斯给了奎托斯武器和力量去击溃他。
There is no reason to give Alrik any new audience.”
没有理由再给阿利克任何新的眷顾。”
Lahkesis laughed lightly.
拉克西丝轻声笑道。
“There is no reason, since he does our bidding without ever demanding that we do anything for him.”
“确实没理由，因为他为我们效力，却从不要求我们为他做任何事。”
“You think Alrik will stop Kratos?”
“你以为阿利克能拦住奎托斯？”
“What is wrong, dear sister?”
“有什么问题吗，亲爱的姐姐？”
Lahkesis was beginning to feel a touch of anger at the way Atropos was acting.
拉克西丝开始对阿特洛波斯的行为方式感到一丝愤怒。
“Did one of your strands of fate break?
“是不是你的一根命运线断了？
You always put so much effort into making each perfect.”
你总是花那么多精力让每一根都完美无缺。”
“Perfect,” Atropos said bitterly.
“完美，”阿特洛波斯尖刻地说。
“You should pay half the attention to your work that I do.
“你对你的工作，但凡有我一半用心就好了。
If you did, you would know.”
如果你用了心，你就会知道了。”
Lahkesis spun and stared at Atropos.
拉克西丝转过身，盯着阿特洛波斯。
No words came to her lips.
她一时语塞。
“That’s right,” Atropos said.
“没错，”阿特洛波斯说。
“Kratos not only fought the dead men-at-arms from Alrik’s army but he fought Alrik all mounted on his fine, prancing warhorse.
“奎托斯不仅与阿利克军队中复活的士兵战斗，他还与全副武装、骑着他那精良战马的阿利克本人交战。
He sent them all back down the hole into Hades’ arms.”
他把他们全都打回那个直通哈迪斯怀抱的洞里去了。”
“Kratos killed Alrik? Again?
“奎托斯杀了阿利克？又一次？
But I—that wasn’t supposed to happen.”
但我——这不该发生的。”
She felt a passing dizziness.
她感到一阵短暂的眩晕。
This was not the way her well-spun thread of fate should have played out.
这不该是她精心纺织的命运线应有的走向。
Kratos destroying her statue had been a surprise, but she had examined how she had cast his fate and saw nothing to preserve the statue.
奎托斯摧毁她的雕像已是意外，但她检查过自己是如何安排他命运的，并未发现任何能保全雕像的线索。
She had warned him.
她警告过他。
Lahkesis reached out to pluck one hair-thin string determining the fate of both mortal and god after another until she found the proper one.
拉克西丝伸手去拨弄那一根根决定凡人与神祇命运的发丝般细线，直到找到正确的那根。
Kratos’ thread was a different texture.
奎托斯的命运线质地与众不同。
Lahkesis held down her anger directed at her sister.
拉克西丝压下针对她姐妹的怒火。
Atropos had meddled in what should have been a diverting fate.
阿特洛波斯的插手本该是一场消遣的命运。
Kratos had always been a special favorite of hers because he did the unexpected—but he had always ended up fulfilling the fate she had decreed.
奎托斯一直是她特别偏爱的一个，因为他总出人意料——但他最终总是会实现她所判定的命运。
Not now.
现在却不是了。
Stroking the strand, smoothing the lumpy sections, tugging a bit, she worked to determine the proper fate.
她抚摸着那根线，抚平打结的部分，轻轻拉扯着，努力确定正确的命运。
“You play with him.
“你是在戏弄他。
End his life now.”
现在就了结他的性命。”
Atropos made cutting motions with her talons as she glared at her sister.
阿特洛波斯用她的利爪做着切割的动作，一边瞪着她的姐妹。
“I have.
“我已经做过了。
Zeus killed him.
宙斯杀了他。
Only Gaia’s tampering with his destiny rescued him from Hades.
只有盖亚篡改了他的命运才将他从哈迪斯手中救出。
That will not happen again.
那不会再次发生。
I assure you of that.”
我向你保证。”

第二十八章（2）
“As you thought you had taken care of the matter in your temple?”
“就像你以为你在自己神庙里已经解决了问题一样？”
“I toy with him for my own amusement, nothing more,” Lahkesis said.
“我玩弄他只是为了我自己消遣，仅此而已，”拉克西丝说。
“And it is not my fault Alrik failed.
“而且阿利克失败不是我的错。
Did you spin his thread?”
是你纺织了他的命运线吗？”
“No,” Atropos said.
“不，”阿特洛波斯说。
The Sisters stared at each other.
姐妹俩互相瞪着。
“Do you think Clotho decreed that Kratos return Alrik to the Underworld?”
“你觉得是克洛索判定让奎托斯把阿利克送回冥界的吗？”
“Why would she?”
“她为什么要那样做？”
Lahkesis thought hard on this matter.
拉克西丝仔细思考着这件事。
She was capable of seeing the interaction of thousands of intersecting destinies and keeping them straight—or knotting them permanently, although the thread of Gaia had been increasingly difficult to cope with.
她能够看清成千上万交织命运间的相互作用，并理清它们——或者让它们永久打结，尽管盖亚的命运线越来越难以应付。
In the past, the thread had been an earthen color, tinted with greens, but recently she had tried to trace the thread —immediately after Clotho spun it—and found the task difficult.
过去，这根线是泥土色，带着绿色调，但最近她试图追踪这根线——就在克洛索刚刚纺出之后——却发现这任务很困难。
The thread had become slippery and difficult to sever.
这根线变得滑溜，难以剪断。
On impulse she had sliced through, only to find that her shears had passed through as if cutting mud.
她一时冲动剪了下去，却发现她的剪刀穿线而过，如同切割泥土。
An attempt to reform had been unproductive.
试图重新修剪也徒劳无功。
Moreover, Atropos had come into her chamber on some errand or another, and she had hidden her attempt at the slicing.
而且，阿特洛波斯因某些杂事进了她的房间，她隐藏了自己尝试剪断的行为。
But how had the thread become so insubstantial?
但这根线怎么会变得如此不实在？
Clotho’s skills were unquestioned.
克洛索的技巧是毋庸置疑的。
Could Atropos have meddled once more where she had no business?
会不会是阿特洛波斯又一次在她不该插手的地方干涉了？
Her sister increasingly intruded, as if spying.
她的姐妹越来越频繁地闯入，仿佛在窥探。
Lahkesis worried that Atropos would find her thoughtless decision to send the Warrior of Destiny against Kratos.
拉克西丝担心阿特洛波斯会发现她轻率地派宿命战士去对付奎托斯的决定。
A valued ally had been defeated.
一位宝贵的盟友被击败了。
Was Clotho interfering?
是克洛索在干涉吗？
Weren’t there enough mortals, gods, and, yes, even Titans, to keep Clotho and Atropos busy?
难道没有足够的凡人、神祇，甚至泰坦，来让克洛索和阿特洛波斯忙个不停吗？
Lahkesis’ resentment grew that the burden of untangling the skeins of fate fell to her and her alone.
理清命运线团的重担落在她一个人身上，拉克西丝的怨恨逐渐增长。
“She might have seen how badly you handled Kratos and thought to put it right.
“她可能是看到你处理奎托斯有多糟糕，想把它纠正过来。
End his life now, Lahkesis.
现在就结束他的生命，拉克西丝。
He has gone too far.
他做得太过分了。
The Steeds of Time.
时序骏马。
Your temple has been desecrated.
你被亵渎的神庙。
Alrik.
阿利克。
End the thread now.”
现在就断了这根线。”
Lahkesis felt her hackles rise.
拉克西丝感到怒发冲冠。
“Who are you to tell me what to do?
“你算什么，敢来告诉我该做什么？
I know how to spin destinies.
我知道如何纺织命运。
Better than you or Clotho!”
比你和克洛索都强！”
“Should I do your chore?”
“要我来替你干活吗？”
Atropos reached for Kratos’ thread of fate.
阿特洛波斯伸手去抓奎托斯的命运线。
Lahkesis jerked it away from her sister’s groping fingers.
拉克西丝猛地从她姐妹摸索的手指中将其抽走。
Atropos lacked imagination and would only put an end to Kratos in a way sure to create ripples along other strands.
阿特洛波斯缺乏想象力，只会用一种必然在其他命运线上引起涟漪的方式来了结奎托斯。
Such a disturbance might take years to resolve.
这样的扰动可能需要多年才能平息。
“I’ll do it.
“我会做的。
He will never reach us, sister.
他永远到不了我们这里，姐姐。
He will be stopped at the Temple of Euryale.”
他会在欧律阿勒的神殿前被阻止。”
“You are sure?”
“你确定？”
“You insult me and my skill, dear sister.”
“你这是在侮辱我和我的技艺，亲爱的姐姐。”
Lahkesis made no effort to keep the sarcasm from her voice.
拉克西丝毫不掩饰她话音中的讽刺。
Clever fingers plucked at Kratos’ fate.
灵巧的手指拨弄着奎托斯的命运。
Gorgon heads.
戈尔贡的头颅。
Skeletons.
骷髅。
The key.
钥匙。
There would be no possible way for Kratos to avoid his fate now.
现在奎托斯将不可能避开他的命运了。
None.
绝无可能。

第二十九章（1）
“HIDDEN DEEP WITHIN the spire lie the Sisters.
“命运姐妹深藏在尖塔之中。
They control the threads of fate.
她们控制着命运之线。
Gain control of your thread and you will be able to return to the moment when Zeus betrayed you.”
掌控你自己的命运线，你就能回到宙斯背叛你的那一刻。”
Gaia spoke softly to Kratos.
盖亚轻声对奎托斯说道。
The Temple of Euryale rose ahead.
欧律阿勒的神殿在前方耸立。
He strained to see the spire poking up above the sad trees with the drooping limbs.
他竭力望去，看见尖顶高出那些枝杈低垂、了无生气的树木。
He snorted in disgust.
他厌恶地哼了一声。
Little wonder this was called the Bog of the Forgotten.
难怪这里被称为被遗忘的沼泽。
Corpses dangled from the limbs of nearby trees, and the stench of decay pervaded everything.
附近树木的枝杈上悬挂着尸体，腐烂的恶臭弥漫在空气中。
“Kratos,” came Gaia’s soft voice again, this time with a hint of urgency that it had not carried before.
“奎托斯，”盖亚柔和的声音再次响起，这次带着一丝之前没有的紧迫感。
“You must beware.
“你必须小心。
What lies ahead is a trap.”
前方是陷阱。”
“Why do you tell me the obvious?”
“为何告诉我这显而易见之事？”
“The Sisters will not allow you easy entry to their inner sanctum.
“命运姐妹不会让你轻易进入她们的内殿。
The Chamber of the Loom is sacrosanct.
命运纺织间是神圣不可侵犯的。
No one but the trio ever enters.
除了她们三姐妹，无人曾进入。
No one save the Priests of Fate.”
除了命运祭司。”
“I fear none of them.”
“我谁也不怕。”
“You have done well, but you must not become careless.
“你做得很好，但切不可掉以轻心。
Hubris destroys mortals.”
傲慢会毁灭凡人。”
“I became the God of War, and it did not suit me.
“我曾成为战神，但那并不适合我。
All I want is to kill Zeus for what he did.”
我只想为宙斯的所作所为杀了他。”
He spoke only to the soughing of wind through the banyan trees and the creaking of chains and nooses around the dangling corpses.
他只听到风穿过榕树的飒飒声，以及悬挂尸体周围锁链和绞索的吱嘎作响。
“Never retreat,” he muttered.
“永不后退，”他喃喃自语。
He had come so far in his quest to find the Sisters of Fate and force them to send him back in time that he had nowhere else to go.
他为寻找命运姐妹并迫使她们将他送回过去已走了这么远，以至于他已无路可退。
Retreat?
后退？
His life lay ahead.
他的生路在前方。
He started along the trail, wary of a trap.
他沿着小径前进，警惕着陷阱。
Alrik had been a surprise, but Kratos found that he had enjoyed the combat again.
阿利克是个意外，但奎托斯发现自己再次享受了那场战斗。
The first time they’d met, when Alrik commanded his entire barbarian horde, Kratos had been weaker.
他们第一次相遇时，阿利克指挥着他全部的野蛮人大军，那时的奎托斯更为弱小。
His arm had been strong and his sword swift, but he had given in to Ares, pledging his servitude in exchange for victory.
他的臂膀强壮，剑刃迅捷，但他向阿瑞斯屈服了，以奴役换取胜利。
Beseeching the gods for aid gave nothing to a true warrior.
祈求众神援助对真正的战士毫无益处。
He was Spartan and needed only his own skill and bravery.
他是斯巴达人，只需要自己的技艺和勇气。
The faint dripping of water into a pool was now the only sound he heard.
水滴落入池塘的微弱声响成了他现在唯一能听到的声音。
Even the wind had died.
甚至连风都停了。
Clutching the war hammer he had won in combat, he advanced, rounding the bend in the trail and seeing the grim tower.
他紧握在战斗中赢得的战锤前进，转过小径的弯道，看到了那阴森的塔楼。
He saw the entrance immediately.
他立刻看到了入口。

第二十九章（2）
A large bronze door was the only entry point.
一扇巨大的青铜门是唯一的入口。
As he started for it, stepping over skeletons scattered all around, he slowed.
当他迈过散落四周的骷髅走向大门时，他放慢了脚步。
Gaia had warned him of danger.
盖亚警告过他这里有危险。
With a powerful leap to his left he sailed through the air just as a ghostly Gorgon’s head formed in front of the door.
他猛地向左跃起，腾空而过，恰在此时，一个幽灵般的戈尔贡头颅在门前形成。
The face, limned with crackling green electricity, looked as if it was about to speak but only a deadly gaze sought to envelop him.
那张环绕着噼啪绿色电光的脸，看似要开口说话，却只有致命的凝视试图笼罩他。
He somersaulted and then swung about to face the Gorgon.
他翻滚转身，面对戈尔贡。
Its eyes could not follow him due to walls forming an entryway to the bronze door.
由于通向青铜门的入口处有墙壁阻挡，它的眼睛无法追踪到他。
If he had to enter the temple, he had to find a safer way inside.
如果他必须进入神殿，就得找到更安全的路径。
As he stepped on a bone and broke it, he froze.
当他踩碎一根骨头时，他僵住了。
The sound of the bone was wrong.
骨头的声音不对。
The skeletons in front of the Gorgon’s gaze began shaking and sliding along the ground.
在戈尔贡凝视前方的骷髅开始颤抖并沿着地面滑动。
Kratos watched the bones attach themselves and the skeletons begin to assume a more human form.
奎托斯看着骨头自行拼接，骷髅开始呈现出更接近人形的形态。
Then the bones snapped upright, reached for discarded swords, and stood.
接着骨头啪地直立起来，伸手去拿被丢弃的剑，然后站了起来。
Kratos saw several skeleton warriors still forming and knew he would be overwhelmed unless he acted quickly.
奎托斯看到几个骷髅战士仍在成形，心知若不迅速行动，自己将被吞没。
With a roar, he charged forward, war hammer swinging.
他一声怒吼，挥舞着战锤向前冲去。
The first skeleton’s head exploded from its spine as his sharp edged blade cut accurately.
他锋利的刃口精准砍中，第一个骷髅的头颅从脊柱上炸飞。
His second slash cut the legs off a second skeleton, sending it flailing backward to explode into separate bones again.
第二记劈砍削断了第二个骷髅的双腿，让它挥舞着手臂向后倒去，再次爆散成零落的骨头。
Kratos avoided the Gorgon’s deadly aspect, kicked apart other skeletons forming, and heard bone grating against bone behind him.
奎托斯避开戈尔贡致命的凝视，踢散其他正在成形的骷髅，并听到身后骨头摩擦的刺耳声。
Kratos felt a sharp pain across his shoulder as the skeleton’s sword cut at him.
骷髅的剑砍中他，奎托斯感到肩上一阵剧痛。
He ducked low, then thrust upward through the rib cage and into the skull with the butt end of the hammer’s shaft.
他低身躲闪，然后用锤柄的末端向上猛刺，穿过肋骨腔直插头骨。
Once again, the skull blasted from the skeleton’s spine.
再一次，头骨从骷髅的脊柱上炸开。
Kratos saw that the second skeleton he had already dealt with had regained its legs and clumsily stood.
奎托斯看到他已经解决掉的第二个骷髅又重新接上了腿，笨拙地站了起来。
Using the pain of the cut on his broad back as a goad, Kratos spun about and demolished his bony foe.
奎托斯以背上那道伤口的疼痛为激励，转身摧毁了他的骨骸敌人。
Not stopping once he had spread its bones about, he stamped down hard and crushed the chalky arm and leg bones under his sandal.
将它的骨头打散后他并未停歇，而是用力踩踏，将灰白的臂骨和腿骨在凉鞋下碾碎。
Spinning about, he dismembered the skeletons coming after him.
他旋转身体，肢解了追来的骷髅。
Realizing how they re-formed, he splintered the bones until only dust remained.
意识到它们如何重组后，他将骨头劈成碎片，直到只剩骨粉。
It was the work of moments to pulverize them, leaving only a few knuckle bones and other smaller ones that would be no further danger.
粉碎它们只是片刻之功，只留下一些指节骨和其他更小的、不再构成威胁的骨头。
Kratos worked his way through the ruins, jumping over pools of scummy water and finally finding what must have been an arena at one time.
奎托斯在废墟中穿行，跳过一潭潭浮着浮渣的积水，最终找到了一处想必曾是竞技场的地方。
The walls were collapsed on one side, but higher up corridors and ledges remained.
一侧的墙壁已经坍塌，但更高处仍有走廊和壁架。
As he looked around, he heard a faint voice.
他环顾四周时，听到一个微弱的声音。
“Warrior!”
“战士！”
Kratos turned toward the far end of the arena.
奎托斯转向竞技场的远端。
At a level too high for him to reach, he saw a man struggling forward, pulling himself along as if his legs were broken.
在他无法企及的高度，他看见一个男子挣扎前行，拖动着身体，仿佛双腿已断。
“Warrior, help me.
“战士，救救我。
I beg you, help me!”
求你了，救救我！”
Two horned creatures grabbed the man and dragged him out of sight.
两个长角的生物抓住那名男子，将他拖出了视线。
Kratos shook his head.
奎托斯摇了摇头。
By the time he reached the upper levels, the man would likely be dead.
等他到达上层时，那人很可能已经死了。
He looked around the floor.
他环顾场地。
Puddles of orangish muck emitted vapors that caused his breath to catch in the back of his throat.
一滩滩橙色的污泥散发出蒸汽，呛得他喉咙发紧。
He stepped back to be sure he was not falling into a trap.
他后退一步，以确保自己没有落入陷阱。
All he heard were the obscene bubbling sounds from the muck pools.
他只听到污泥潭里传来猥琐的冒泡声。
The near silence was broken by a shrill horn blast.
近乎寂静被一声尖锐的号角打破。
A Beast Lord emerged, a summoning horn pressed to its lips.
一个野兽领主出现了，召唤号角紧贴在其唇边。
The huge potbelly was armored, and the horned helmet hid both head and face.
它巨大的便便大腹覆盖着盔甲，带角的头盔遮住了头和脸。
Its claws curled into the stone flooring and left deep scratches as it rocked back to give another long, mournful summons.
它的爪子抠进石地，留下深深的划痕，同时它向后摇晃，再次发出悠长而哀伤的召唤。

第二十九章（3）
As God of War, Kratos had seen the likes of him before and waited for what had to come.
作为曾经的战神，奎托斯以前见过这类家伙，他等待着必将到来之物。
The lord tossed aside his horn as an immense Cyclops crawled up from the ruins beyond.
领主扔开他的号角，与此同时，一个巨大的独眼巨人从远处的废墟中爬了上来。
Using hooks, the Beast Lord scaled the Cyclops and stood on the broad back, which had grapples fastened to the powerful shoulder muscles.
野兽领主用钩爪攀上独眼巨人，站在它宽阔的背上，那里有抓钩固定在强壮的肩肌上。
Both Beast Lord and Cyclops roared a challenge that Kratos was ready to answer.
野兽领主和独眼巨人齐声咆哮，发出挑战，奎托斯准备应战。
Guiding the one-eyed monster as if he rode a chariot, the Beast Lord jerked hard on one grapple to bring his mount around.
野兽领主如同驾驭战车般引导着独眼怪物，猛拉一个抓钩使其坐骑转向。
The Cyclops howled and charged Kratos.
独眼巨人嚎叫着冲向奎托斯。
Seeing the real danger, Kratos somersaulted forward under the creature’s club and slashed furiously at the exposed legs.
看清真正的危险所在后，奎托斯向前翻滚，躲过怪物的巨棒，猛烈劈砍其暴露的双腿。
The Cyclops dropped to its knees, giving Kratos the chance to swing his swords at the mounted Beast Lord.
独眼巨人跪倒在地，给了奎托斯挥剑攻击骑乘其上的野兽领主的机会。
One blade tip slid under heavy armor.
一剑的尖端滑入重甲之下。
The Beast Lord lost his grip and fell from his one-eyed mount to crash to the uneven paving.
野兽领主把持不住，从他独眼坐骑上摔落，砸在凹凸不平的地面上。
The Cyclops was dangerous but the Beast Lord was cunning and could direct the fight in ways Kratos wanted to avoid.
独眼巨人的确危险，但野兽领主狡诈，并能以奎托斯希望避免的方式主导战斗。
Kratos advanced on the Beast Lord.
奎托斯向野兽领主逼近。
He had injured the creature.
他已经伤到了这个生物。
Now he stabbed hard and drove his blade under the armpit and into important territory.
现在他猛力刺击，将刀刃捅入腋下，深入要害。
A geyser of arterial blood exploded outward.
动脉血如喷泉般向外迸射。
The Beast Lord groaned and rolled away.
野兽领主呻吟着滚开。
Kratos was merciless in his attack.
奎托斯的攻击毫不留情。
He pressed the Beast Lord hard, only to have his killing blow deflected.
他步步紧逼野兽领主，致命一击却被挡开。
The Cyclops had rejoined the battle.
独眼巨人重新加入了战斗。
Its club almost knocked the weapon from Kratos’ hand.
它的巨棒几乎将奎托斯手中的武器打飞。
He whirled and slashed at the Cyclops, then realized his error.
他旋转身体，劈向独眼巨人，随即意识到自己的错误。
The Beast Lord attacked him from the rear.
野兽领主从后方攻击了他。
New wounds appeared on his broad back.
他宽阔的背上增添了新的伤口。
The pain from the deep cuts tore at his battle concentration.
深切的疼痛撕裂着他的战斗专注力。
A lesser warrior would have died.
换作稍逊的战士早已毙命。
Kratos had experienced worse pain.
奎托斯经历过更糟的痛楚。
He was a Spartan.
他是斯巴达人。
He was more.
他更胜于此。
He was the Ghost of Sparta.
他是斯巴达的亡魂。
Taking more wounds to his back, he focused entirely on the Cyclops and its swinging bludgeon.
他背上承受着更多伤口，却将全部注意力集中在独眼巨人和它挥舞的重棒上。
He avoided a downward swing that would have crushed him to bloody pudding.
他躲开了一记本会将他砸成血肉糨糊的下劈。
Stone splinters erupted upward as the club destroyed more of the paving stones.
巨棒摧毁了更多铺路石，碎石向上飞溅。
But Kratos was within the circle of the Cyclops’ arms, its belly exposed.
但奎托斯已进入独眼巨人双臂的环抱之内，其腹部暴露无遗。
Using a double-handed thrust, he drove his swords inward, upward—and outward.
他双手持剑猛刺，向内、向上——然后向外。
He carved a huge chunk of bloody flesh from the belly, causing the Cyclops to shriek in agony and drop its club to clutch its sundered abdomen.
他从腹部剜下大块血肉，使得独眼巨人痛苦地尖啸，丢下巨棒去捂住裂开的腹部。
Kratos was now free—for an instant—to kill the Beast Lord behind him.
奎托斯此刻得以腾出手来——尽管只有一瞬——去杀死他身后的野兽领主。
The armored creature had continued to attack his unprotected back.
那披甲生物一直在攻击他无防护的后背。
Kratos felt rivers of blood tickling as they ran down his skin.
奎托斯感到血流如注，顺着皮肤流下，带来阵阵刺痒。
He drove the Beast Lord’s face down to the stone flooring, then stamped down hard on his head, squashing it.
他将野兽领主的脸摁向石地，然后重重踩踏其头部，将其碾碎。
He stepped back and sneered at the fallen creature.
他后退一步，对着倒下的生物发出冷笑。
Kratos shook himself and sent his blood spraying in all directions.
奎托斯抖了抖身体，将鲜血溅向四面八方。
He turned and saw that the Cyclops refused to die.
他转过身，看见那独眼巨人拒绝死去。
It came for him.
它向他冲来。
Digging his toes in against the edge of a broken paving stone, he got purchase despite his sandals being slick from blood.
他将脚趾抵在一块破碎铺路石的边缘，尽管凉鞋因鲜血而湿滑，他还是找到了着力点。
He waited until the Cyclops came close enough, then launched himself forward.
他等到独眼巨人足够靠近，然后猛冲向前。
He climbed the front of the Cyclops by grabbing handfuls of flesh until he stared into the single huge eye.
他抓住一把把血肉攀上独眼巨人的正面，直到与那只巨眼对视。
Kratos drew back, then punched hard.
奎托斯收回手，然后猛力出拳。
His fingers drove through the eye’s viscid innards, then he grabbed and yanked.
他的手指插进眼球粘稠的内部，然后抓住并猛拉。
The eye popped free.
眼珠噗地一声被扯了出来。
Sightless, the Cyclops easily fell to him.
失明后，独眼巨人轻易地被他解决。
As Kratos stepped away from the body, he saw faint twitching in the Beast Lord’s body.
当奎托斯从尸体旁走开时，他看到野兽领主的身体在微微抽搐。
He stamped several more times.
他又用力踩了几次。
It was only when he stopped that he heard the sounds of a fierce battle being waged.
直到他停下时，才听到一场激战正酣的声音。
Kratos stepped to the archway looking over a river of sludge with circular metal islands and saw the warrior who previously had cried for his aid battling a pair of Minotaurs on the far side high atop a stony ledge.
奎托斯走到拱门口，俯瞰着一条污泥河，河中有圆形的金属平台，他看见之前向他求救的那名战士，正在远处高耸的石质壁架上与一对米诺陶洛斯搏斗。
Kratos jumped down to the first round island, saw chains and sprockets on the side, then began pushing a long handle.
奎托斯跳下第一个圆形平台，看到侧面的链条和链轮，然后开始推动一个长手柄。
The entire platform rotated and moved toward the far side of the putrid river.
整个平台旋转着向污秽河流的对岸移动。
If he reached the far side in time to save the warrior, he would.
如果他及时到达对岸救下那名战士，他会出手。
If he failed, that did not matter.
如果他失败了，那也无所谓。
This was the way forward.
前进的道路在此。
Kratos put his back to the lever and began rotating the metal disk under his feet when the water began boiling all around and eight sentries rose out of the water and slipped onto the disk.
奎托斯背对杠杆，开始转动脚下的金属圆盘，就在这时，周围的水开始沸腾，八名哨兵从水中升起，滑到了圆盘上。
Somehow, he didn’t think they had come to help with the lever.
不知何故，他觉得他们不是来帮忙推杠杆的。

第三十章
“HE WILL TAKE ME BACK if I give him this news,” Hermes said.
“如果我告诉他这个消息，他会让我回去的，”赫尔墨斯说。
“Hold,” Athena warned the Messenger of the Gods.
“且慢，”雅典娜警告这位诸神信使。
“Zeus is in no humor right now.
“宙斯现在心情不佳。
The other gods are restive and … there are the Titans.”
其他诸神躁动不安……而且还有泰坦们的事。”
She looked around Hermes’ chosen place of exile.
她环顾赫尔墨斯选择的流放之地。
He punished himself unduly remaining in the Egyptian desert rather than along the Nile Delta where it was cooler and populated with people rather than sand fleas.
他过度惩罚自己，选择留在埃及的沙漠，而不是在更凉爽、有人烟而非沙蚤的尼罗河三角洲。
Still, the purity of the sands appealed to her—and the absence of destruction.
尽管如此，沙地的纯净吸引了她——而且没有破坏。
Perhaps this oasis free from Olympian strife, temporary though it might be, soothed Hermes.
或许这个远离奥林匹斯纷争的绿洲，尽管可能是暂时的，能抚慰赫尔墨斯。
“What are you talking about?” Hermes stared at Athena.
“你在说什么？”赫尔墨斯盯着雅典娜。
“Gaia?
“盖亚？
She is powerless.
她无能为力。
Cronos was exiled to Tartarus after Kratos returned Pandora’s Box to Olympus.”
在奎托斯将潘多拉魔盒送回奥林匹斯后，克洛诺斯就被放逐到塔耳塔洛斯了。”
“But Typhon has been woken from his mountain sleep, and Oceanus starts to make trouble in our uncle’s domain.
“但堤丰已从群山中的沉睡醒来，俄刻阿诺斯也开始在我们叔父的界域里制造麻烦。
There is much yet that I do not understand,” Athena said, ignoring Hermes.
还有很多事情是我没弄明白的，”雅典娜说道，没有理会赫尔墨斯。
“We must be certain what we say when we speak to Zeus.”
“我们对宙斯说话时必须谨慎。”
So much had slipped beyond her control.
太多事情已脱离了她的掌控。
Her favorite town still lay in ruins after Kratos had battled Ares.
在奎托斯与阿瑞斯大战之后，她钟爱的城镇仍是一片废墟。
Her worshippers had begun to restore the temples and shrines devoted to her worship, but they were chary now.
她的信徒已开始修复供奉她的神庙和神殿，但他们现在变得谨慎了。
Sparta had spread its military tentacles—with Kratos’ blessing—and would destroy any city that might challenge its power.
斯巴达已扩张其军事触手——在奎托斯的庇佑下——并将摧毁任何可能挑战其力量的城邦。
But there was more.
但还有更多。
More that even the usually wily, all-seeing, all-eavesdropping Hermes had missed in his frantic need to regain his status on Olympus.
还有更多，甚至是通常狡猾、无所不见、无所不听的赫尔墨斯，在他疯狂想要重获奥林匹斯地位时也错过了的事情。
Some of her worshippers had built shrines, small to be sure, celebrating Gaia.
她的一些信徒建造了神龛，规模虽小，但确实是为了膜拜盖亚。
It was as if they chose to return to olden ways they could not possibly remember.
仿佛他们选择回归他们不可能记得的古老方式。
Or was there something more happening that she was unable to understand?
还是说，有某些她无法理解的、更深层的事情正在发生？
The Olympian gods made their presence, their power, their authority known, though less often now than before Kratos had been made God of War.
奥林匹斯诸神展现他们的存在、力量和权威，尽管现在不如奎托斯成为战神之前那么频繁。
Somehow, the mortals sensed the unease in Olympus and sought other deities.
不知何故，凡人们察觉到了奥林匹斯的不安，并寻求其他神祇。
But the Titans?
但是泰坦？
Athena could not understand this.
雅典娜无法理解这一点。
The Great War had been fought and won.
传说大战已经结束并且胜利了。
Zeus had forever banished all the Titans for what Cronos had done to him, even disgracing Gaia despite her role in raising him.
因克洛诺斯对他所做的一切，宙斯已永远放逐了所有泰坦，甚至羞辱了盖亚，尽管她曾抚养他长大。
The King of the Gods’ fury knew no bounds.
众神之王的怒火无边无际。
That burning rage no longer smoldered in his breast but increasingly burst forth.
那燃烧的怒火不再只是在他胸中闷烧，而是越来越频繁地爆发出来。
Did the mortals sense how easily he might destroy them and thus seek out other gods to protect them?
凡人们是否察觉到他可以多么轻易地毁灭他们，因而寻求其他神祇来保护自己？
But the Titans!
但是泰坦！
“I can tell him of Kratos and how he has reached the Ruins of the Forgotten.”
“我可以告诉他关于奎托斯的事，以及他如何到达了遗忘废墟。”
“What?” This startled Athena.
“什么？”这惊到了雅典娜。
“He has gone so far?”
“他已经走了这么远？”
“You won’t tell Zeus? Will you?
“你不会告诉宙斯吧？你会吗？
The more I can give him, the less likely he is to favor Iris.”
我能给他的信息越多，他偏爱伊里斯可能性就越小。”
Athena heard the suspicion in Hermes’ voice.
雅典娜听出了赫尔墨斯声音中的怀疑。
“No, I will not tell him what you have learned.”
“不，我不会告诉他你探听到的消息。”
She saw that her promise did not ease Hermes’ concern.
她看到她的承诺并未减轻赫尔墨斯的担忧。
It would take very little for him to turn on her.
他转而与她反目只需要一个很小的理由。
If he thought Zeus would restore him to his previous status between the gods and goddesses, betrayal would come as easily to his lips as his winged sandals carried him faster than thought throughout the world.
如果他认为宙斯会恢复他在诸神间往日的地位，那么背叛的话就会像他那带翼凉鞋载着他以超越思想的速度环游世界一样，轻易地脱口而出。
She needed to be on guard.
她需要保持警惕。
And Kratos?
那奎托斯呢？
Should she aid him when he sought only to kill their Sky Father?
当他只想着杀死他们的天父时，她应该帮助他吗？
Athena shook her head.
雅典娜摇了摇头。
Peace among the Olympians—with Zeus on the throne—was their only hope for survival against such mortal determination as the Ghost of Sparta displayed.
奥林匹斯诸神间的和平——由宙斯在位——是他们生存下去，对抗如斯巴达亡魂所展现的那种凡人决心的唯一希望。
“Wait until I speak with the Sisters of Fate and plead your case,” Athena told Hermes.
“等我与命运姐妹谈过，为你求情之后再说，”雅典娜告诉赫尔墨斯。
“You would do this for me?
“你愿意为我这样做？
You would ask for their forgiveness?”
你会请求她们的原谅？”
Athena felt a coldness within as she thought of approaching the trio whose weaving of fate controlled the entire world of both mortal and god.
想到要去接近那三位纺织着掌控凡人与神祇整个世界命运的存在，雅典娜内心感到一阵寒意。
She could plead for Kratos.
她可以为奎托斯求情。
Or she could plead for Zeus.
或者她可以为宙斯求情。
She thought that her father needed succor far more.
她觉得她的父亲更需要援助。

第三十一章（1）
THE SENTRIES CIRCLED Kratos and backed him to the lever he had been pressing to move the circular metal island. 哨兵们围住了奎托斯，将他逼退到他一直推动以移动圆形金属平台的杠杆旁。
His blades sang out and forward, but the muck-dripping creatures were too quick. 他的双剑呼啸着向前挥出，但这些滴着泥浆的生物太快了。
They easily danced back out of range of his fiercely swinging weapons. 它们轻易地后撤，脱离了他猛烈挥舞的武器的范围。
When the lever nudged him and the chains linked through the sprockets on the side of the metal island began to groan, he realized his progress to the far side of the swampy river would be for naught. 当杠杆碰到他，连接着金属平台侧面链轮的链条开始发出嘎吱声时，他意识到他前往沼泽河对岸的进程将徒劳无功。
Only constant pressure on the lever kept the circular plate from returning to the wrong side of the river. 只有持续对杠杆施压，才能防止圆形平台返回错误的河岸。
The longer the fight raged, the farther he got from the shore he desired. 战斗持续越久，他离渴望的河岸就越远。
A quick glance up to the stone ledge high above showed the warrior still battling. 他快速瞥了一眼高处的石质壁架，看到那名战士仍在战斗。
Then Kratos ignored the fighter’s plight because of his own. 然后奎托斯因自身困境而无视了那名战士的困境。
The sentries moved forward again, their swords and scythes hissing as they cut the air. 哨兵们再次向前移动，他们的剑和镰刀划破空气，发出嘶嘶声。
Kratos closed his eyes to concentrate his power, then released the Rage of Cronos. 奎托斯闭上眼睛集中力量，然后释放了克洛诺斯之怒。
The magicks radiated outward and momentarily stunned his attackers. 魔法向外辐射，暂时震慑住了他的攻击者。
With a mighty exertion, he swung the Blades of Athena and cut through the midsection of the closest four sentries. 他奋力挥动雅典娜之刃，切开了最近四个哨兵的腰部。
Two quick steps put him into position to dispatch three more. 两个快步让他就位，又解决了三个。
With only one remaining, just out of reach, he squared his stance for the final lunge, only to find that the magic had already faded. 只剩一个哨兵刚好在攻击范围外，他站稳姿势准备最后冲刺，却发现魔法效果已经消退。
The sentry bellowed and rushed him. 哨兵怒吼着向他冲来。
Catching the creature’s blade in the X of his own crossed weapons, Kratos fell backward, then lashed out. 奎托斯用自己的武器交叉成X形架住怪物的刀刃，向后倒去，然后猛地反击。

第三十一章（1）
THE SENTRIES CIRCLED Kratos and backed him to the lever he had been pressing to move the circular metal island.
哨兵们围住了奎托斯，将他逼退到他一直推动以移动圆形金属平台的杠杆旁。
His blades sang out and forward, but the muck-dripping creatures were too quick.
他的双剑呼啸着向前挥出，但这些滴着泥浆的生物太快了。
They easily danced back out of range of his fiercely swinging weapons.
它们轻易地后撤，脱离了他猛烈挥舞武器的范围。
When the lever nudged him and the chains linked through the sprockets on the side of the metal island began to groan, he realized his progress to the far side of the swampy river would be for naught.
当杠杆碰到他，连接着金属平台侧面链轮的链条开始发出嘎吱声时，他意识到他之前为前往沼泽河对岸而做出的努力将白费。
Only constant pressure on the lever kept the circular plate from returning to the wrong side of the river.
只有持续对杠杆施压，才能防止圆形平台返回错误的河岸。
The longer the fight raged, the farther he got from the shore he desired.
战斗持续越久，他离渴望的河岸就越远。
A quick glance up to the stone ledge high above showed the warrior still battling.
他快速瞥了一眼高处的石质壁架，看到那名战士仍在战斗。
Then Kratos ignored the fighter’s plight because of his own.
然后奎托斯因自身困境而无视了那名战士的困境。
The sentries moved forward again, their swords and scythes hissing as they cut the air.
哨兵们再次向前移动，他们的剑和镰刀划破空气，发出嘶嘶声。
Kratos closed his eyes to concentrate his power, then released the Rage of Cronos.
奎托斯闭上眼睛集中力量，然后释放了克洛诺斯之怒。
The magicks radiated outward and momentarily stunned his attackers.
魔法向外辐射，暂时震慑住了他的攻击者。
With a mighty exertion, he swung the Blades of Athena and cut through the midsection of the closest four sentries.
他奋力挥动雅典娜之刃，切开了最近四个哨兵的腰部。
Two quick steps put him into position to dispatch three more.
两个快步让他就位，又解决了三个。
With only one remaining, just out of reach, he squared his stance for the final lunge, only to find that the magic had already faded.
只剩一个哨兵刚好在攻击范围外，他站稳姿势准备最后冲刺，却发现魔法效果已经消退。
The sentry bellowed and rushed him.
哨兵怒吼着向他冲来。
Catching the creature’s blade in the X of his own crossed weapons, Kratos fell backward, then lashed out.
奎托斯用自己的武器交叉成X形架住怪物的刀刃，向后倒去，然后猛地反击。
One foot looped around the sentry’s ankle.
一只脚勾住哨兵的脚踝。
The other viciously kicked against the kneecap.
另一只脚狠狠踢向膝盖骨。
The dull snap of breaking bones could be heard over the soughing of the defiled river around the island.
骨头断裂的闷响盖过了环绕平台的污河发出的飒飒声。
But the next snap—as Kratos lifted the struggling creature high over his head and then dropped him over his knee—came as loud as any thunderbolt.
但接下来的断裂声——当奎托斯将挣扎的生物高举过头然后砸向自己的膝盖时——响如雷霆。
Kratos kicked the body into the water and returned to his task of pushing against the river.
奎托斯将尸体踢进水里，回去继续他推杆逆流而行的任务。
（楼主：你怎么只打一波就完事了？我当初在这为什么是无限刷怪的）
He quickly reached the far side, hopped lithely up, and scrambled forward, going deeper into the ruins.
他迅速到达对岸，轻巧地跳上去，匆忙向前，深入废墟。
Barely had he reached a decaying, vine-draped area than he heard the faint moans of a human.
他刚到达一个腐朽、藤蔓垂挂的区域，就听到了人类微弱的呻吟声。
He looked around.
他环顾四周。
“Warrior, help me.”
“战士，救救我。”
The plea was so faint even Kratos’ keen ears almost failed to hear it.
恳求声如此微弱，连奎托斯敏锐的耳朵也几乎听不见。
He turned in the fetid jungle and, amid the thick vegetation, saw movement both bright and shining.
他在恶臭的丛林中转身，在茂密的植被中看到了明亮闪耀的光芒。
Kratos ran forward, pushing his way through the vines.
奎托斯向前跑去，推开藤蔓开路。
When he saw the warrior who had called out to him before, he stopped.
当他看到之前向他呼喊的战士时，他停了下来。
The warrior wore Athenian armor, a bright red plume on the crest of his helmet.
这名战士穿着雅典盔甲，头盔顶饰有鲜红的羽翎。
A quick look around convinced Kratos this soldier was not bait for a trap.
快速环顾四周让奎托斯确信这名士兵不是陷阱的诱饵。
He advanced, dropped to his knee, grabbed the soldier by the cuirass, and brought him to a sitting position.
他走上前，单膝跪地，抓住士兵的胸甲将他扶成坐姿。
Blood flowed from a dozen wounds, any of which would be fatal.
鲜血从十几处伤口流出，任何一处都足以致命。
Kratos had seen the soldier battling Minotaurs.
奎托斯见过这名士兵与米诺陶洛斯战斗。
A deep gouge in the belly showed where one had gored him, then left him for dead.
腹部一道深沟显示他被刺伤了，然后被丢在这等死。
Kratos shook the man to loosen his tongue before his soul departed for the Underworld.
奎托斯摇晃着这个人，想在他灵魂前往冥界之前让他开口说话。
“God of War,” the Athenian grated out.
“战神，”雅典人沙哑地说。
Blood gurgled in his throat, another sign he was soon to be ferried across the River Styx.
血在他喉咙里咕噜作响，这是另一个他即将被送过冥河的标志。
He tried to point.
他试图指向某处。
“Jason … that beast took him!”
“伊阿宋……那野兽把他抓走了！”
The soldier clutched Kratos’ forearm with surprising strength.
士兵以惊人的力气抓住奎托斯的前臂。
“All our men are dead.
“我们的人都死了。
Jason has the fleece to turn back the Gorgon’s stare.
伊阿宋有能反射戈尔贡凝视的羊毛。
You must save him!”
你必须救他！”

第三十一章（2）
Blood trickled from the corner of the wounded man’s mouth, and Kratos caught the stench of imminent death.
血从伤者嘴角流出，奎托斯闻到了死亡将至的恶臭。
The man sagged, exhausted from the effort of giving Kratos this warning.
这个人瘫软下去，因向奎托斯发出这个警告而筋疲力尽。
Kratos shoved him back to the ground and stood, looking down as the man gasped for breath.
奎托斯把他推回地面，站起来，低头看着这个人喘着粗气。
Every intake of air was raspy and tortured.
每一次吸气都带着刺耳而痛苦的声音。
For an Athenian he had fought well.
作为一个雅典人，他战斗得很出色。
（美纪拉：你打起来像雅典人一样弱！）
Kratos turned and looked down the path the soldier had indicated.
奎托斯转身，望向士兵所指的小径方向。
“Help him,” came the faint cry, almost inaudible.
“救救他，”传来微弱的呼喊，几乎听不见。
The fallen soldier had said Jason fought some creature.
倒下的士兵说伊阿宋在和某个生物战斗。
Drowning out further entreaty came a lewd sucking noise, a gobbling, a vile feasting.
一阵猥琐的吮吸声、狼吞虎咽声、邪恶的进食声淹没了进一步的恳求。
Kratos ran down the path toward the sounds of an animal rending flesh, only to dodge to one side as a Gorgon Assassin reared up on its snake’s tail to block the path.
奎托斯沿着小径奔向动物撕扯血肉的声音来源，却不得不向一侧闪避，因为一个戈尔贡刺客扬起蛇尾挡住了去路。
The eyes on stalks weaved about, this way and that, as the ineffectual hands reached out for him while it slithered closer.
茎状的眼柄来回摆动，仿若无骨的手伸向他，同时它滑动着靠近。
The deadly eyes swept past him.
致命的眼睛扫过他。
He foolishly looked and felt his arm turn to stone.
他愚蠢地看了一眼，感到手臂变成了石头。
One instant it had been muscular, powerful, capable of wielding any weapon.
前一刻它还肌肉发达、强健有力、能挥舞任何武器。
The next saw it numb and cold as if he had been sculpted from marble.
下一刻它就变得麻木冰冷，仿佛他是用大理石雕刻出来的。
A powerful flexing of his shoulder and upper arm shattered the stone and restored his arm, but it felt curiously weak.
他肩膀和上臂用力一屈，震碎了石头，恢复了手臂，但它感觉异常虚弱。
He flexed it again, drew his blades, and rolled forward, ducking under the Gorgon’s deadly stare.
他再次活动手臂，拔出双刃，向前翻滚，低头躲过戈尔贡致命的凝视。
He slashed furiously with both swords and produced an earsplitting shriek that almost froze him as surely as the Gorgon’s gaze.
他狂怒地双剑齐挥，引出一声震耳欲聋的尖叫，这尖叫几乎像戈尔贡的凝视一样将他冻结。
The Gorgon reared again on its snake tail, towering over him.
戈尔贡再次用蛇尾立起，居高临下地对着他。
He thrust, drove one tip a few inches into flesh protected by a horny hide, then tried to scream as the gaze fell upon him fully.
他猛刺，将一柄剑尖刺入覆盖着角质的皮肉几英寸，然后当凝视完全落在他身上时，他试图尖叫。
His arm had lost circulation before.
他的手臂之前就失去了知觉。
Now his entire body did.
现在他全身都如此。
A moment of panic passed as he realized he was encased in stone, not turned to stone.
一阵恐慌过后，他意识到自己是被石壳包裹，而非变成了石头。
With a mighty heave, he arched his back and brought his arms around.
他用力一挣，弓起背，挥动双臂。
Bits of flying stone tore at his flesh as he broke the enshrouding marble.
当他打破包裹的大理石时，飞溅的石片撕裂了他的皮肉。
Kratos paid no attention to such minor injuries.
奎托斯毫不在意这种小伤。
The true danger lay in front of him as the Gorgon reared back and brought around the twin beacons of death.
真正的危险在他面前，戈尔贡向后仰身，转动那两座死亡的灯塔。
Capture him in stone again and he might be unable to break free.
再次用石头困住他，他可能就无法挣脱了。
He leaped into the air and brought both blades down on the Gorgon.
他跃入空中，双刃齐下砍向戈尔贡。
The creature sinuously wiggled away, only slightly injured.
这生物灵活地扭身躲开，只受了轻伤。
With his sword edges trailing fire from the force of his attack, Kratos again hacked at the monster.
奎托斯再次劈向怪物，剑刃因攻击的力道而拖曳着火焰。
And again, his body became cold and immobile.
而再一次，他的身体变得冰冷僵硬。
The gaze had bathed him in hideous transforming green light.
凝视将他笼罩在可怕的变形绿光中。
Kratos crashed to the ground, solid from the Gorgon Assassin’s glance.
奎托斯摔在地上，因戈尔贡刺客的一瞥而变得坚固。
Luck kept many a warrior alive.
运气让许多战士得以存活。
So it was with Kratos now.
奎托斯现在也是如此。
He had landed heavily on a rock in the swampy path.
他重重地落在沼泽小径的一块岩石上。
The rock cracked the casing around him and once more afforded him a way of breaking free.
岩石震裂了他周围的石壳，再次为他提供了挣脱的方法。
Shards flew in all directions, but another stone imprisonment could spell his end.
碎片四处飞溅，但再次被石封可能就意味着他的终结。
With full fury, Kratos attacked, jumping high into the air.
奎托斯全力猛攻，高高跳入空中。
The Gorgon’s eyes followed him.
戈尔贡的眼睛追踪着他。
He drove the tips of his swords downward into those blazing watch fires of death, blinding the Gorgon.
他将剑尖向下刺入那些炽热的死亡守望之火，弄瞎了戈尔贡。
It screeched and tried to flee.
它尖叫着试图逃跑。
Swords no longer good enough, Kratos grabbed the Gorgon around the neck and squeezed.
剑已不再够用，奎托斯抓住戈尔贡的脖子挤压。
He felt snake-cool scaled flesh beneath his fingers.
他手指下感觉到如蛇般冰凉、覆盖鳞片的血肉。
He squeezed.
他继续挤压。
The Gorgon choked.
戈尔贡窒息了。
He squeezed harder as the creature thrashed about, then gave a savage jerk and beheaded the monster.
当这生物剧烈挣扎时，他挤得更用力，然后猛力一扭，将怪物斩首。
He swung the Barbarian King’s war hammer around and smashed into the gears, reducing them to dust.
他挥舞野蛮人之王的战锤，砸向齿轮，将它们化为齑粉。
The calls for help came louder now that the way had been cleared of the gears.
既然齿轮障碍已被清除，求救声变得更响了。
Kratos stopped in front of an iron grating.
奎托斯在一道铁栅栏前停下。

第三十一章（3）
On the other side a broad-chested, dark-furred Cerberus tossed its center head and ripped an arm off a fallen man.
另一边，一只胸膛宽阔、毛发漆黑的刻耳柏洛斯晃动着中间的头，从倒地的男人身上撕下一条手臂。
Blood rained down in the sandy arena, and the gobbling sound made by the three-headed monster drowned out the moans of pain from the now one-armed man.
血如雨下，洒落在沙质场地上，三头怪物的吞食声淹没了如今独臂男子的痛苦呻吟。
The monster saw Kratos and roared.
怪物看到奎托斯并发出咆哮。
Its claws ripped at the ground and its spiked tail whipped back and forth in anger.
它的爪子刨抓地面，带刺的尾巴愤怒地来回甩动。
Kratos bent, grabbed the bottom of the grating, and heaved, sending the gate upward.
奎托斯弯腰抓住栅栏底部，用力一抬，将门向上掀起。
Kratos thought all three heads smiled, even the one still holding the severed arm, as the monster shuffled around to face him.
当怪物挪动身体面对他时，奎托斯觉得三个头都在笑，甚至那个还叼着断臂的头也是如此。
Turning his back to the dark Cerberus, Kratos held the war hammer in a loose grip.
奎托斯背对漆黑的刻耳柏洛斯，松握着战锤。
He lowered his head and waited.
他低下头等待着。
The Cerberus was puzzled at his lack of aggression.
刻耳柏洛斯对他缺乏攻击性感到困惑。
Impatience caused the three-headed dog to race forward.
不耐烦使三头犬猛冲向前。
Kratos tightened his grip, tensed his muscles, and began a swing.
奎托斯握紧锤柄，绷紧肌肉，开始挥动。
By facing away, he had given himself a full half circle’s added momentum.
通过背对，他为自己增加了整整半圈的额外动量。
He spun and sent the hammer with all his prodigious strength into the head still gobbling at the human arm.
他旋转身体，用尽全身惊人的力量将锤子砸向那个仍在吞食人臂的头。
Blood exploded in all directions as the spiked hammerhead met the Cerberus’ head.
当带刺的锤头与刻耳柏洛斯的头相遇时，鲜血向四面八方炸开。
The dark Cerberus stumbled and leaned to one side.
漆黑的刻耳柏洛斯踉跄着歪向一边。
Kratos recovered, swung his hammer in a wide arc, and again connected squarely, this time just behind the dog’s muscled shoulder.
奎托斯恢复姿势，战锤划出宽阔的弧线再次正中目标，这次打在狗肌肉发达的肩后。
The shock went all the way up into his arms, forcing him to step back to recover his balance.
冲击力直传到他手臂，迫使他后退一步以恢复平衡。
Kratos almost died.
奎托斯差点丧命。
The dark Cerberus spat out a fireball from its second head.
漆黑的刻耳柏洛斯从第二个头喷出一个火球。
Kratos lifted the hammer and deflected a portion of the liquid fire aimed at him.
奎托斯举起战锤，挡开了部分射向他的液态火焰。
The foul, fiery sludge coated his hammer and burned at the haft.
肮脏燃烧的污泥覆盖了他的锤子，灼烧着锤柄。
Taking two quick steps, he somersaulted and avoided another fireball attack, coming up next to the one-armed man.
他快速两步，翻个筋斗躲过另一个火球攻击，出现在独臂男子旁边。
“Kill it, God of War,” the injured man urged.
“杀了它，战神，”受伤的男子催促道。
Kratos looked at him without curiosity.
奎托斯毫无好奇地看着他。
“Kill it and you will have the thanks of Jason of the Argo.”
“杀了它，你会得到阿尔戈号伊阿宋的感谢。”
“You have the Golden Fleece?”
“你有金羊毛？”
Jason shook his head.
伊阿宋摇了摇头。
With his remaining hand he pointed.
他伸出剩下的那只手指着旁边的野兽。
“The Cerberus swallowed it.
“刻耳柏洛斯把它吞了。
Get it back.
拿回来。
You have to.”
你必须拿回来。”
Kratos roared and attacked.
奎托斯咆哮着发动攻击。
The Cerberus swiveled its heads about and finally spotted him.
刻耳柏洛斯转动它的头，终于发现了他。
He saw that the creature had momentarily blinded itself with its own blood, but its eyes were clear once more.
他看到这生物暂时被自己的血弄瞎了，但它的眼睛再次变得清晰。
Knowing the dog moved sluggishly to the side because of its four-legged stance, Kratos forced it to pivot on its back legs by circling.
奎托斯知道这狗的四足站姿让它侧向移动迟缓，于是通过绕圈迫使它用后腿转身。
With a powerful double-handed grip on the war hammer, he slammed it into the ground between him and the Cerberus.
他双手紧握战锤，猛砸在他和刻耳柏洛斯之间的地面上。
The hammer blow to the ground sent ripples earthquaking in all directions.
锤击地面引发地震般的波纹向四面八方扩散。
Kratos staggered and went to one knee, but the temblor toppled the dog.
奎托斯踉跄着单膝跪地，但震动掀翻了那狗。
It crashed to the ground and bounced about as the quake died down.
它摔倒在地，在地震平息时弹跳着。
On his knee, Kratos swung again.
奎托斯单膝着地，再次挥锤。
The war hammer crushed the second head.
战锤砸碎了第二个头。
Only the third head remained.
只剩下第三个头。
From the piteous howls coming from that head, Kratos had wounded it grievously.
从那个头发出的可怜嚎叫声来看，奎托斯已重创了它。
The creature struggled to regain its feet so it could rear back and spit forth another deadly fireball; Kratos shot to his feet and surged forward, taking advantage of another fiery attack that exposed its throat.
这生物挣扎着想站起来，以便后仰喷出另一个致命火球；奎托斯猛地站起向前冲，利用了又一次暴露其喉咙的火焰攻击。
His swinging hammer caught the dog just under the jaw.
他挥出的锤子正中狗的下颌下方。
Its head snapped back.
它的头猛地向后一仰。
Being too close to use the long-hafted hammer, Kratos grabbed with both hands and clawed out gobbets of flesh from the dog’s throat.
因距离太近无法使用长柄战锤，奎托斯双手抓住并狗的喉咙并从其中抠出大块血肉。
The Cerberus went berserk, thrashing about, clawing with taloned legs, trying to snap at him with its remaining head.
刻耳柏洛斯发狂了，猛烈摆动，用利爪般的腿抓挠，试图用剩余的头咬他。
An agile twist brought Kratos closer.
奎托斯灵活一扭，靠得更近。
He rammed one forearm into the dog’s throat and reached around behind its head with his other.
他将一只前臂猛撞进狗的喉咙，另一只手绕到它头后。
Catching it in a deadly grip, he used every ounce of strength to jerk.
以致命的姿势抓住它，他用尽每一分力气猛拉。
A sound like thunder filled the arena as its neck snapped under his stupendous killing move.
一声如雷鸣般的巨响回荡在场地中，它的脖子在他惊人的击杀动作下断裂。
Kratos stepped away when the Cerberus crashed to the sandy ground, twitching violently as death slowly possessed every inch of its muscular body.
当刻耳柏洛斯摔在沙地上，死亡逐渐占据它肌肉发达的身体的每一寸时剧烈抽搐时，奎托斯退开一步。
Not waiting, Kratos gripped the jaws and forced them open, then plunged his arm down the monster’s throat.
没有等待，奎托斯抓住它的颚部用力扳开，然后将手臂插进怪物的喉咙。
His fingers tingled as they touched a thick wad of fleece from the magical ram.
他的手指触碰到魔法公羊的厚羊毛时感到刺痛。
With a quick yank, Kratos pulled out both the Golden Fleece and the dog’s esophagus, which he cast aside.
奎托斯快速一拉，拽出了金羊毛和狗的食管，他将食管扔到一边。
He held the fleece above his head, stared at its shimmery golden strands woven into shoulder bracers for armor, and felt the power filling his entire body.
他将羊毛举过头顶，凝视着编织成肩甲、闪烁着微光的金线，感到力量充满全身。
“You’ve done it, Ghost of Sparta.
“你做到了，斯巴达的亡魂。
You’ve recovered my fleece!”
你找回了我的羊毛！”
Jason made his way painfully toward Kratos.
伊阿宋痛苦地向奎托斯走来。
“Return it to me and be blessed by the gods.”
“把它还给我，并得到众神的祝福。”
Kratos spat.
奎托斯啐了一口。
“I want nothing to do with the gods of Olympus other than to kill Zeus.”
“除了杀死宙斯，我与奥林匹斯众神毫无瓜葛。”