
深夜從山上湖泊內跑出一隻巨怪,擾了大家的清夢,也讓隊伍中的兩人永遠長眠
夜色籠罩了山中湖泊,銀白月光從碎雲間傾瀉而下,灑落在瀑布激起的水霧上,彷彿為這片幽靜之地披上了一層薄紗。營火在石堆旁跳動,發出劈啪聲,幾個守夜的士兵正在低聲交談,偶爾傳來笑聲,掩不住白日緊繃後的鬆懈。14Please respect copyright.PENANAnpSghAqOyf
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但平靜,往往只是假象。14Please respect copyright.PENANA1glGHdx6sp
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「啵——」14Please respect copyright.PENANA1L4gZcEdpS
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最先察覺異樣的是塔庫魯,他猛地睜開眼,目光掃向湖面。那聲音不像魚類戲水,更像是某種龐然之物從水下吐出氣泡,深沉又黏膩。下一刻,湖中心「轟」地一聲炸起浪花,一根比戰槍還粗的水柱衝天而起——14Please respect copyright.PENANAuypzhDTmhi
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然後它就出現了。14Please respect copyright.PENANAATaNXG5Pbw
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那是一頭體型龐大、鱗甲如鋼的湖怪,渾身閃著鐵藍色的光澤,背上布滿如珊瑚般的骨刺,雙目如燒紅的熔岩珠子,在夜色中格外駭人。牠從水中拔身而起,嘴中發出嘶啞尖鳴,猛然一甩尾,水濺如雨!14Please respect copyright.PENANApywrWhupKJ
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「警戒!是湖怪!」夸斯特拔劍大吼,整個營地瞬間亂成一團!14Please respect copyright.PENANAGX9Ih2JBA8
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露西反應最快,立刻跳上岩石,手中長弓拉成滿月,連珠箭如雨點般射出——鏘!鏘!鏘!全數被湖怪的鱗甲彈開,連擦傷都沒有。14Please respect copyright.PENANASSSZQTBHEA
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「去死吧,水生畜生!」派緹怒吼一聲,拉出重劍射去,口念咒語,是爆裂箭,劍隻是狠狠地命中湖怪的頸側。轟然一聲爆響,但湖怪只是不爽地低吼了一聲,皮都沒破。14Please respect copyright.PENANAQWoovT5I4B
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韓寧雙手結印,吟唱古老咒文,一道雷光從天而降,直擊湖怪頭頂。電光閃爍之中,那怪物晃了一下,卻依然活蹦亂跳。14Please respect copyright.PENANAuLhTYxUsGf
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「該死,它根本是披了鐵皮的魔龍!」韓寧咬牙,臉上汗珠直冒。14Please respect copyright.PENANAKDTBlo2IfO
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湖怪猛撲過來,一記甩尾直接掃飛了兩名金蝗城士兵,其中一名男兵連慘叫都沒來得及發出,便跌落山壁,屍骨無存。另一名女兵試圖躲避,卻在混亂中被牠張口咬住,鮮血飛濺,場面慘烈。14Please respect copyright.PENANAjR25v7lAcD
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「讓我來!」這時,塔庫魯怒吼一聲,如一尊鐵塔般衝上前,硬是撲在湖怪身上,雙臂如鐵鉗死死扣住牠的脖子與肩背,雙腳深陷湖邊泥濘,竟然硬生生將那怪物按住!14Please respect copyright.PENANAAoVDhDu4lY
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湖怪瘋狂掙扎,口中發出尖銳嘶嘯,爪子拍打,尾巴亂掃,但庫魯咬牙硬撐,如巨岩般巋然不動,口中怒吼:「現在!趁現在!!」14Please respect copyright.PENANANsWf935wNt
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「喝啊——!」泰倫斯從側翼奔出,手中握的正是那柄永夜所贈的「龍骨聖刀」,刀身在夜色中泛著微光。他躍起,順著庫魯壓制的縫隙,狠狠劈下——14Please respect copyright.PENANAMlIXm6FJ3r
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咔!14Please respect copyright.PENANAydHajGvpU2
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龍骨刀深深斬入湖怪的脖頸,鮮血如噴泉般狂湧。牠嘶吼了一聲,身軀劇烈抽搐,最後一聲悶響後倒進水中,濺起一大片血浪,湖面再次平靜。14Please respect copyright.PENANAPgQuepnppg
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湖怪,死了。14Please respect copyright.PENANAHC8rUb7c0a
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但營地一片狼藉,兩條性命就此斷送。14Please respect copyright.PENANAQpikYlKnPy
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夸斯特緩緩將劍收回,望著仍在喘氣的庫魯和滿身血污的泰倫斯,低聲道:「這座山……真不肯輕易讓人通過。」14Please respect copyright.PENANAv7xbvERJOU
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天色剛破曉,山中的雲霧尚未散去,晨風從湖面拂過,帶來一股帶血腥味的濕涼。小瀑布依舊嘩啦啦作響,彷彿對昨夜那場激戰渾然不知。14Please respect copyright.PENANArz73Ybd1tr
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營地格外安靜。14Please respect copyright.PENANAL18dJvgDfV
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沒有人說話。每個人都低著頭,忙著整理裝備、重整思緒,心中懸著的,既有餘悸,也有沉痛。14Please respect copyright.PENANAdn4qZHP9Cs
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夸斯特站在湖邊,看著仍浮著血絲的水面,眼神銳利而沉重。他不是沒見過死,但這次,死的是跟隨自己出征的士兵,是為了他們這趟任務賠上性命的戰士。14Please respect copyright.PENANAWzBmQNGC9K
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而那些人,還有名字。14Please respect copyright.PENANAtlNiaS8Q73
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隊伍聚在湖邊一處平坦的山坡上,兩具遺體已被小心收殮,男兵屍體是在山壁下尋回來的,骨折幾乎無一完好,女兵則幾乎沒有了完整的上半身。韓寧站在一旁,臉色凝重,她那另外兩位男女戰士沉默不語,眼神裡滿是悲戚。14Please respect copyright.PENANARbFWNTZ7fA
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「我們沒有時間把他們送回金蝗城……」夸斯特的聲音低沉,卻清晰地傳入每個人的耳中,「但他們的靈魂,會回到神明身邊。」14Please respect copyright.PENANAbU1uy8AAyB
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塔庫魯主動搬了兩塊石板,蓋在遺體上。他粗壯的手指竟異常小心,彷彿生怕驚動了他們最後的安寧。14Please respect copyright.PENANADolDUJpLS7
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韓寧走上前,雙手交疊在胸前,低聲唸起一段古老的祈禱咒語,那是金蝗城的葬儀傳統,祝願亡者的靈魂在黃沙彼岸得以重生。她的聲音柔和而莊嚴,就連一向活潑的派緹也安靜地站在一旁低頭聽著,眼中閃著淚光。14Please respect copyright.PENANA4h0lLWWEDZ
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露西沒說話,但她將自己的箭筒拆下一根特製箭,插在石板之間,箭羽隨風搖曳,像是戰士的旗幟。艾利歐特則將自己的水袋灑下一小勺水,表示最後的敬意。14Please respect copyright.PENANA0BHiLrgfvz
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「他們為我們爭取了活著繼續前進的資格。」泰倫斯開口,聲音沙啞,「所以我們不能讓他們的犧牲白費。」14Please respect copyright.PENANALzeuVgxgn7
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「對。」夸斯特緊了緊劍柄,環視眾人,「我們走的每一步,都是為了讓這場犧牲有意義。整隊吧,離開這裡,繼續往山頂前進。」14Please respect copyright.PENANAXlQaI8iYIm
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儀式結束後,隊伍默默整裝。每個人的臉上都多了一層嚴肅與決絕,疲憊的身體在責任與榮譽的驅使下再次踏上前路。14Please respect copyright.PENANACtfv5F2m2f
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陽光終於突破雲層,一道金光落在石板上,彷彿為那兩位戰士鋪上一層神聖的光輝。14Please respect copyright.PENANAw9eicW00P9
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他們或許死於黑夜,但他們的英魂,將在山巔之上長眠。14Please respect copyright.PENANAfGoKI5vjL0
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太陽越升越高,雖然晨霧已散,但山徑卻變得愈發兇險。隊伍再次出發,這回由塔庫魯與金蝗城的老兵甘特打頭陣,兩人一前一後領路。這片山道,若還能稱得上是「道」,那也只對野獸而言了。14Please respect copyright.PENANANbI3lUFXPo
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這可不是給人走的。14Please respect copyright.PENANACH6rPKY9Yv
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岩壁像被風斧削過,滿是斜坡與碎石,地面鋪著苔蘚與濕滑的落葉,每一步都可能是陷阱。比起人類的腳,這兒顯然更適合有蹄的山羊,或長爪的雪豹。14Please respect copyright.PENANAnvJ5zj6f4s
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「這路是誰鋪的啊……山神的寵物嗎?」甘特喘著氣,話一出口就差點腳下一滑,整個人往斜下方跌去。14Please respect copyright.PENANAM6lYbREiuC
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「小心!」塔庫魯反手一抓,單手就把甘特整個人像小雞一樣拉回來。14Please respect copyright.PENANAAAwVoOcR2W
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甘特連連點頭感謝,心裡暗自覺得這山蠻人的手根本就是鐵做的。而塔庫魯呢?對他來說,這種地形就像是自家後院。他那雙與生俱來的獸蹄般腳掌,加上山蠻人特製的戰靴,無論是碎石、青苔、還是尖角岩壁,他都能穩穩踩住,一步一個山神印記似的往上爬。14Please respect copyright.PENANANS5C5mdLIG
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隊伍後方,其他人就沒這麼幸運了。每走十步,幾乎都得低頭彎腰,用手抓著突出的岩石或樹根爬行。汗水浸透了背脊,喘息聲此起彼落,連派緹都忍不住咕噥:「我們是在爬山?還是被山爬?」14Please respect copyright.PENANAQQj8N4A8Co
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走了將近一個時辰,終於找到一處略微平坦的緩坡可以歇腳。幾個人直接一屁股坐下,手都還在顫抖。夸斯特則立刻動身,從腰間抽出了他的法寶──青環索。14Please respect copyright.PENANAdOuxChvyxa
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