The expedition scrabbled over a field of jagged rock. There was no shade or shelter for miles, just the eerie half-light of the Shadowlands and buzzards wheeling overhead. In time, the group would falter and fail, and the scavengers would descend.
探险队在一块参差不齐的岩石上艰难地行进。数英里之内没有树荫或庇护所，只有暗境中昏暗怪异的光线和在头顶盘旋的嗡嗡声。随着时间的推移，这个团体会动摇和失败，而拾荒者则会降临。
“Hey, Kiara,” the mercenary, Will, said, and nudged his companion. “Think we could get a meal out of one of those?” He pointed skywards and pulled his sidearm from his belt.
“嘿，凯拉，”雇佣军威尔说，并用肘推了推他的同伴。“你认为我们可以从中得到一顿饭吗”
他指向天空，从腰带上扯下他的小手枪。
The elf rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I doubt it. Besides, you’d waste your bullets.”
妖精翻了翻眼睛，摇了摇头。“我怀疑。而且，你会浪费你的子弹。”
“The hell I would,” Will said, grinning. He turned to shout at the two figures that lagged behind. “Hey! Bishop, Marco, you both think I can make that shot, right?”
“我会的，”威尔笑着说。他转身对着落后的两位大喊。“嘿！主教，马可，你们都认为我能击中，对吗？”
“Hush,” Bishop called back, warning in his voice. “We don’t know what could be lurkin’ ’round here. Besides,” the old survivalist said with a chuckle, “you couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.”
“安静，”主教回话，用声音警告。“我们不知道这附近可能隐藏着什么，而且”年迈的探险者笑着说，“你连谷仓的边缘都打不到。”
Will made a rude gesture at the man, dropped his gun into its holster, and turned back around. Bishop shrugged, shifting the strap of his own rifle to his other shoulder. Sighing, he scanned the horizon and turned to the man next to him.
威尔对那人做了一个粗鲁的手势，把枪放进枪套里，然后转过身来。主教耸耸肩，把自己步枪的带子换到另一个肩膀上。他叹了口气，扫视地平线，转向身边的人。

The old man turns to look at me. I see concern in the lines of his eyes.
“How you holdin’ up out here?” He touches mine shoulder. His hand is warm.
老人转过身来看着我。我从他的眼线里看到了忧虑。
“你怎么在这里坚持住的？”他碰了我的肩膀。他的手很暖和。
In mine face he sees his friend. A man—no, a soldier— with pallid skin, dark hair, and tarnished armor.
Marco, run ragged by their journey through the Shadowlands.
在我脸上，他看到了他的朋友。一个男人，不，一个士兵，皮肤苍白，头发乌黑，盔甲失去光泽。
马可，被他们穿越暗境的旅程搞得一团糟。
That one strayed too far into the shadows, wandering into a land of steel and flame.
I saw him shamble, half-mad with thirst, into the arms of waiting warriors.
那个人走得太远了，走到一片钢铁和火焰的土地上。
我看见他摇摇欲坠，口渴得发疯，投入等待中战士的怀抱。
I had grown bored of that place, with its ever-ringing hammers and songs of listless honor, and here was a man from a land unknown to me. Delicious.
Marco seemed… occupied, his rough face useful to mine mission.
His friends were relieved when he—when I—stumbled out of the darkness only days later.
我对那个地方已经厌倦了，那里的铁锤和无精打采的荣誉之歌震耳欲聋，还有一个来自我不认识的地方的人。美味可口。
马可似乎……忙得不可开交，他那粗糙的脸对我的任务很有用。
几天后，当我从黑暗中跌跌撞撞地走出来时，他的朋友们都松了一口气。
Their sentiment only makes mine work easier.
他们的感情只会让我的工作更容易。
“Fine,” I reply, making my voice quaver and mine shoulders slump. Voices are always the hard part.
Eyes will do half the work, deceiving themselves, but ears alert for danger can hear the false notes in a lie.
“好吧，”我回答说，让我的声音颤抖，使我的肩膀下垂。声音总是最难的部分。
眼睛会做一半的工作，自欺欺人，但是，警惕危险的耳朵可以听到谎言中的假音。
The man called Bishop squints. The worry on his face deepens, and he frowns beneath his grey mustache.
Some of my exhaustion is real.
We have been pressing forward relentlessly, pausing only to sleep, for over a week.
They are eager to get home, to return with news of a land called Xulta.
叫主教的人眯着眼。脸上的忧虑加深了，他皱着眉头，露出灰白的胡须。
我有些疲惫是真的。一个多星期以来，我们一直在不遗余力地向前推进，除了停下来睡觉。
他们渴望回家，带着一个叫泽鲁塔的土地的消息回来。
I am eager too.
我也很渴望。

“Okay,” Kiara said as she scanned the landscape.
Bishop and Marco had caught up with her at the edge of the boulder field.
Beyond them lay a dusty wasteland. The vultures had left, returning to their territory in search of less hardy prey.
“好吧，”凯拉一边扫视风景一边说。
主教和马可在大卵石地的边缘赶上了她。
他们身后是一片尘土飞扬的荒地。秃鹫已经离开了，回到它们的领地寻找不那么顽强的猎物。
Looking down, Kiara consulted her notes. Behind her,
Will and Bishop checked the group’s dwindling supplies, counting canteens and dividing rations.
Marco lay nearby, catching his breath beneath a stony outcrop.
凯拉低头看了看笔记。
在她身后，威尔和主教检查了团队日益减少的供给，清点了食堂和分配口粮。
马可躺在附近，在一块露出地面的岩石下喘气。
“Well, the good news is we got over a week’s worth of water, thanks to Will’s lucky find in Xulta,” Bishop said.
“Bad news is there’s only three days of grub. Maybe five if we stretch it.”
“好消息是，由于威尔幸运的发现了泽鲁塔，我们得到了一周多的水，”主教说。
“坏消息是只有三天的食物。如果省着点，可能是五天。”
Kiara scowled and looked back down at her papers.
“Five days, huh? We miiight make it back in that, but it’ll be tough.”
凯拉皱着眉头，回头看了看她的文件。
“五天，嗯？我们也许能回到那里，但会很艰难。”
“How tough?” Will asked, running a hand through his beard.
“有多难？威尔问道，用手捋了捋胡子。
“Bad enough that we need to start foraging as we go,” Kiara replied,
“though I doubt anything in this lightless place is edible.” Her eyes rose to meet Marco’s gaze.
The soldier didn’t blink, and she looked away. “We’re moving slower than we had planned for,” she admitted.
“糟透了，我们得边走边找食物，”基拉回答，
“不过我怀疑在这个光线不足的地方，有什么东西是可以吃的。她抬起眼睛，迎着马可的目光。
士兵没有眨眼，她把目光移开了。她承认:“我们的行动比我们原计划的要慢。”
“Due to me,” Marco said gruffly, sitting up.
Kiara nodded. Bishop started to object, but Marco cut him off with a wave of his hand.
“No, she’s right.” He took a deep breath, winced, and looked up at his companions.
His voice was hoarse as he said, “I swear that I will walk out of this place under mine own strength. Also,” he added, reaching down to pull a pair of gleaming jade weapons from his pack. “I found these in whatever dark corner of Xulta I landed in. They may be worth something.”
“因为我，”马可坐起来，粗声粗气地说。
凯拉点点头。主教开始反对，但马可挥了挥手把他打断了。“不，她是对的。”
他深吸一口气，皱起眉头，抬头看着他的同伴。
他的声音嘶哑，正如他所说，“我发誓我会用自己的力量走出这个地方。”
同时，他又伸手从背包里拿出一副闪闪发光的玉器。“我在泽鲁塔的黑暗角落里找到了这些。它们可能有价值。”

Bishop’s eyebrows shot up, and Will whistled with appreciation.
“Nice piece of kit. Almost looks oni-made. Know how to use ‘em?”
主教的眉毛一扬，威尔吹口哨表示赞赏。
“很好的工具。看起来像是豪鬼造的。知道怎么用吗？”
Marco shook his head. “Of course not. But I can find a buyer in…” he paused.
“Remind me, where are we headed, again? To sell the maps and information about Xulta.”
马可摇了摇头。“当然不。但我能在……里找到一个买家”，他停顿了一下。
“提醒我，我们要去哪里？销售泽鲁塔的地图和信息。”
“Argenport,” Kiara said, frowning.
“They have deep pockets, and the former Arch-Magister is said to be the curious type.”
“白银港，”凯拉皱着眉头说。
“他们有雄厚的财力，据说前总督就是那种好奇的人。”
“Argenport,” Marco smiled. “Of course.”
“白银港，”马可笑着说。“当然。”

We sleep near the Waystones when we can.
Mine companions have learned to take comfort in their light. For once I agree with them.
我们尽可能睡在道标石边。
我的同伴们已经学会了在它们的光中寻求安慰。我第一次同意他们的观点。
That night as we rest, a huntpack creeps towards our sleeping forms.
Their tread is silent, but I can smell their hunger.
Bishop and the rest are lucky that I am not Marco, because as the attackers bare their fangs I sit up,
hissing back at them with fangs of mine own. They are not so desperate yet, and back down.
那天晚上，当我们休息的时候，一队猎群蹑手蹑脚地向我们熟睡的身体走来。
他们的脚步是沉默的，但我能闻到他们的饥饿。
主教和其他人很幸运，我不是马可，因为当袭击者露出他们的毒牙时，
我坐起来，用我自己的毒牙对他们发出嘶嘶声。
它们还没那么绝望，就放弃了。
I observe my companions as the fangs recede.
The mercenary snores, and Bishop rolls over in his sleep.
No one wakes. I feel mine lip curl in scorn. They barely understand the ground on which they tread. The Shadowlands offer myriad paths to those sharp enough to survive.
They can lead to new and wondrous places. Many are dangerous, but a few can be… useful.
当尖牙退去时，我观察我的同伴。雇佣兵打起呼噜，主教在睡梦中翻滚。
没有人醒来。我感觉我的嘴唇在轻蔑中翘起。他们几乎不了解自己所踏的地面。
暗境为那些足够敏锐的人提供了无数的生存之路。
它们可以通向新的奇妙的地方。很多是危险的，但也有一些是……有用的。
Some of us do not have homes we care to return to. We do what must be done.
我们中的一些没有想要回去的家。我们做必须做的事。
Silently, I lay back down in the man called Marco’s bedroll and wait for morning. The bedroll stinks.
我静静地躺在那个叫马可的人的铺盖卷中，等着早晨的到来。铺盖卷臭气熏天。

The following days were long and difficult.
The group trudged forward, seeking shade where they could find it.
Will lost his sword to a swarm of spiders, their fangs dripping with acid,
and Bishop used the last of his rifle’s ammunition to scare off a lurking horror.
One night, the sky was filled with swarms of glowing wisps, their bright light keeping everyone awake.
接下来的日子漫长而艰难。
这群人向前走去，寻找他们能找到的树荫。
威尔把剑丢给了一群蜘蛛，它们的尖牙滴着酸液，
主教用最后一支步枪的弹药吓跑了一个潜伏的怪物。
一天晚上，天空中充满了成群的发光的微光灵，它们的亮光使每个人都保持清醒。
On the fifth day, the air was so thick with a rank, dense smog that Kiara called a halt.
Cautiously, their remaining weapons close at hand, they huddled around the explorer.
第五天，空气中弥漫着浓重的烟雾，凯拉叫停了。
他们小心翼翼地把剩下的武器放在手边，挤在探险家周围。
“We’re close, I think” she said, collapsing a small brass spyglass.
“My compass hasn’t worked since we first found the Shadowlands, but I see a few familiar sights.”
“我想我们就快到了。”她说着，把一个黄铜小望远镜打碎了。
“自从我们第一次发现暗境以来，我的罗盘就没有工作过，但我看到了一些熟悉的景象。”
“Good,” Will said. The mercenary had grown quiet and taciturn after
they had shared the last of their rations around the campfire the night before.
“很好，”威尔说。佣兵在前天晚上在营火旁分享了最后一份口粮后，变得沉默寡言。
“I don’t want t’ get turned around in this smoke,” Bishop added.
“I know we’re all mighty hungry, but if we get lost that’s the end of things. Best t’ take it slow.”
“我不想在烟雾中掉头，”主教补充道。
“我知道我们都很饿，但是如果我们迷路了，事情就完了。最好放慢一点。”
Marco nodded. “We will do what must be done to survive.”
马可点了点头。“我们将做必须做的事来生存。”
“Right…” Bishop said. “If I remember rightly, we should reach a fallen Waystone afore nightfall.
The Arcanum should be less’n a day’s hike from there.”
“对……”主教说。“如果我记得对的话，我们应该在夜幕降临前到达一块倒下的道标石。
圣殿城具那里的路程应该少于一天。”
Kiara slid her notes back into a leather scroll case. “Let’s get moving…”
凯拉把她的笔记放回一个皮革卷轴箱里。“我们走吧…”

Pain. I am bleeding from many small cuts,
mine ears are ringing, and grit fills mine mouth.
The elemental’s death throes cloaked the air around us in dust. A small mercy.
疼痛。我从很多小伤口中开始流血，耳朵嗡嗡作响，嘴里充满了沙砾。
元素的死亡之痛将我们周围的空气笼罩在尘土中。小小的怜悯。
I hear the hunter, Bishop, groan and begin to rise. He knows, or suspects. I saw the surprise on his face.
我听到猎人，主教呻吟了一声，站起身来。他知道，或者怀疑。我看到他脸上的惊讶。
“You…” he says, stumbling away from me. My armor is blackened by the explosion, and the stolen weapons glow green in mine hands. “I knew somethin’ was up. You said you couldn’t use those things.”
“你……”他说着，跌跌撞撞地离开了我。我的盔甲被爆炸熏黑了， 偷来的武器在我手中发出绿光。
“我就知道出事了。你说你不会用那些东西。
“I’m sorry,” I say in mine true voice. No point in hiding now. Bishop’s eyes go wide. “It must be done.”
“对不起，”我用真实的声音说。现在没必要隐藏了。主教的眼睛睁得大大的。 “我必须这样做。”
I dart forward, hoping to surprise him with speed, but the old man is quick. His hand flies to his boot,
and as he brings it up a knife glints in his grasp. I twist to the side, away from his slash,
and slap the knife out of his hand with one of my weapons. Stepping forward, I bring the other one up.
The blade takes him beneath the ribs. He gasps.
No. No noise. The others are distracted by the larger elemental. They do not know. They cannot know.
我冲过去，希望能给他一个惊喜，但老人反应很快。他的手飞向他的靴子，
当他提起靴子时，一把刀在他的手里闪闪发光。我扭到一边，远离他的刀的轨迹，
用我的一把武器把刀从他手中拍了出去。我走上前，把另一个拿了起来。
剑刺穿了他的肋骨。他喘着气。
不。没有声音。其他的被更大的元素分散了注意力。他们不知道。他们无法知道。
I clamp mine free hand over his mouth. I can feel Bishop’s last breaths, hot and ragged, as he struggles.
我用另一只手捂住他的嘴。我能感觉到主教挣扎中的最后的呼吸，热而急促。
“It may be small comfort,” I hiss, “but no one will know you perished here.”
“这也许是小小的安慰，”我嘶嘶地说，“但没有人会知道你在这里死去。”
I watch his face go pale with terror as I change, mine hair going white and the hand over his mouth wrinkling, aging before his eyes. As his body crumples to the ground, sliding off the blade, I reach down with new hands—Bishop’s hands—and pick up his fallen rifle.
我看着他的脸因为恐惧而变得苍白，我的头发变白了，用手捂住他的嘴，在他眼前变老了。
当他的身体瘫倒在地，从刀锋上滑下来的时候，我用新手——主教的手——俯下身去，拾起他倒下的步枪。
“What must be done,” I mutter.
“必须做些什么，”我咕哝着说。

“Bishop? Marco?” Will called. The elemental lay unmoving in the sand behind him,
cracks running across its head. Kiara stood over it, adding another sketch to her notes.
Will held Bishop’s machete in one hand as he advanced into the cloud of dust.
“主教？马可？”威尔喊道。这个元素一动不动地躺在他身后的沙子里，头上有裂缝。
凯拉站在那里，在笔记上又加了一张素描。 威尔一手拿着主教的大砍刀，向尘土中走去。
“Here,” a rough voice called. Concerned, the mercenary hurried forward.
Passing the shardling’s shattered remains, he saw the old man kneeling next to a mound in the sand. A single jade sai was placed on top of it.
“这儿。”一个粗哑的声音喊道。 佣兵很担心，急忙上前。
当他经过碎尸堆时，他看到老人跪在一个沙堆旁。一块单独的玉被放在上面。
“Bishop? Where is Marc… oh.” Will trailed off, understanding.
“主教？马可在哪里……哦。”威尔慢慢走了，明白了。
“Didn’t make it,” the survivalist said, his voice choked with grief. “I couldn’t save him.”
“没有成功，”幸存者说，他的声音因悲伤而哽咽。“我救不了他。”
“Damn,” Will cursed. After a moment’s pause, he stepped forward and put a hand on the old man’s shoulder. “Marco would want us to keep going,” the mercenary said.
“He helped get us this far, but… we have to make it the rest of the way.”
“该死，”威尔咒骂道。停顿了一会儿，他走上前去，把手放在老人的肩上。
“马可希望我们继续前进，”雇佣军说。
“他帮助我们走了这么远，但是……我们必须走完剩下的路。”
Let's go home...
Will felt Bishop take a shaky breath and nod.
我们回家吧…
威尔感到主教颤抖地吸了口气，点了点头。
“Oh,” the mercenary said, holding out the machete. “Here, picked this up in the melee.”
“哦，”雇佣兵说着，举起了砍刀。“这里，在混战中捡到的。”
“What?” Bishop asked, standing.
“什么？“主教站着问道。
“It’s your machete, right?”
“Oh, of course,” The survivalist said, sliding it onto his belt. His eyes were dry as he looked up at Will and added, “Well then. To Argenport.”
“这是你的弯刀，对吗?”
“哦，当然，”幸存者说着，把它套在腰带上。他抬头望着威尔，眼睛干涩地说:“那好吧。白银港。”

There are monsters in the Shadowlands.
I should know. I’m one of them.
暗境中有怪物。
我应该知道。我就是其中之一。
My name is Oizio, and my face is not mine own.
我的名字叫俄西奥，我的脸不是我的。
END

7楼补：

感谢翻译！