Chapter 21: The Road South （南行之路）

　　The journey south from Astranaar was a quiet, somber affair. The two Sentinels assigned to Leon moved with an effortless, ground-eating pace that forced him into a near-jog to keep up. They spoke little, communicating with subtle hand signals and the occasional low murmur in Darnassian. The forest here was different from the oppressive gloom of Silverpine; it was an ancient, watchful woodland, filled with the scent of moss and damp earth. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy in shifting patches of gold.

　　从阿斯特兰纳南下的旅程是安静而沉闷的。分配给里昂的两名哨兵步履轻盈，步幅很大，迫使他几乎要小跑才能跟上。她们很少说话，用微妙的手势和偶尔低沉的达纳苏斯语进行交流。这里的森林与银松森林压抑的阴暗不同；这是一片古老而警觉的林地，充满了苔藓和潮湿泥土的气息。阳光透过茂密的树冠，投下斑驳变幻的金色光斑。

　　Leon's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. The sharp ache of separation from Iris was a constant presence, a hollow feeling in his chest that the beauty of the forest could not fill. He clutched the smooth antler in his pocket, its familiar shape a small, cold comfort. At the same time, a nervous anticipation bubbled beneath the surface. He was going home. Or at least, towards home. The thought of seeing Goldshire again, of sleeping in his own bed, of his father's relieved face, sent a thrill through him. But it was a thrill tempered by fear. How would he explain where he had been? What would he say about Iris? The world of elves and orcs and worgs felt like a dream from which he was slowly waking, but the dirt under his nails and the lingering memory of terror were all too real.

　　里昂的内心充满了纷乱的情绪。与艾莉丝分离的尖锐痛楚一直存在，胸中的空洞感是森林的美景无法填补的。他紧握着口袋里光滑的鹿角，它熟悉的形状带来一丝冰冷而微小的安慰。与此同时，一种紧张的期待在心底涌动。他要回家了。或者至少，是朝着家的方向。想到能再次见到闪金镇，睡在自己的床上，看到父亲宽慰的脸庞，他感到一阵激动。但这激动被恐惧冲淡了。他该如何解释自己去了哪里？关于艾莉丝，他该说些什么？精灵、兽人和座狼的世界就像一场他正慢慢醒来的梦，但指甲缝里的泥土和挥之不去的恐怖记忆却无比真实。

　　After two days of travel, the character of the land began to change. The great trees thinned, replaced by rolling hills covered in tough, wind-blown grass. The air grew cooler and carried a damp, marshy smell. They had reached the edge of the Wetlands. In the distance, Leon could see a vast, flat expanse of reeds and murky water, shrouded in a low-lying mist. It was a bleak, unforgiving landscape.

　　经过两天的行程，地貌开始发生变化。参天大树变得稀疏，取而代之的是覆盖着坚韧、被风吹拂的草丛的起伏丘陵。空气变得更冷，带着潮湿的沼泽气息。他们到达了湿地的边缘。远处，里昂可以看到一片广阔平坦的芦苇和浑浊水域，笼罩在低洼的雾气中。这是一片荒凉、严酷的景象。

　　The lead Sentinel, a woman named Lyessa, pointed towards a rocky outcrop that overlooked the marsh. "There," she said, her Common Tongue heavily accented but clear. "We wait. The human delegation is due to pass along the trade road below. We will make contact when they arrive."

　　领头的哨兵，一位名叫莱莎的女性，指向一块俯瞰沼泽的岩石露头。“那里，”她说，她的通用语口音很重但清晰。“我们等待。人类代表团预计会经过下方的商路。他们到达时我们会联系。”

　　They made a small, concealed camp among the rocks. The Sentinels shared their waybread with Leon—a dry, tasteless substance that was practical but made him long for the simple stews of Goldshire. As they waited, Lyessa kept a constant watch on the road below, her eyes missing nothing.

　　他们在岩石间建立了一个隐蔽的小营地。哨兵们与里昂分享了他们的旅行面包——一种干燥无味但实用的食物，这让他想念闪金镇的简单炖菜。等待期间，莱莎一直监视着下方的道路，她的眼睛没有错过任何动静。

　　On the afternoon of the third day, Lyessa stiffened. "They come," she announced.

　　Leon peered down from their perch. A column of figures was moving along the muddy track that snaked through the wetlands. They were humans, clad in the blue and gold colors of Theramore. There were soldiers on horseback, their armor polished, and a few figures in robes who looked like diplomats or mages. It was a sight of ordered, civilized power, a stark contrast to the wild, desperate existence he had known for weeks.

　　第三天下午，莱莎身体一僵。“他们来了，”她宣布。

　　里昂从他们的高处向下窥视。一队人马正沿着蜿蜒穿过湿地的泥泞小路行进。他们是人类，穿着塞拉摩的蓝金色服装。有骑马的士兵，盔甲锃亮，还有几个穿长袍的人，看起来像外交官或法师。这是一派有序、文明的力量景象，与他几周来所经历的狂野、绝望的生活形成了鲜明对比。

　　Lyessa stood up, pulling a small, white flag from her pack. "Stay here," she instructed Leon. Then she and her companion moved down the slope with their characteristic silent grace, emerging from the rocks to stand in plain view of the approaching column.

　　莱莎站起来，从背包里拿出一面小白旗。“待在这里，”她指示里昂。然后她和她的同伴以她们特有的无声优雅走下斜坡，从岩石后现身，站在了接近中的队伍视线可及的地方。

　　The Theramore column halted immediately. Weapons were drawn, but not leveled. A man on a horse, presumably the commander, rode forward. Leon watched from above, his heart pounding. The conversation was too far away to hear, but he saw Lyessa gesture back towards the rocks where he was hiding. After a few tense minutes, the Theramore commander nodded. Lyessa signaled for Leon to come down.

　　塞拉摩的队伍立即停了下来。武器出鞘，但并未举起。一个骑在马上的男人，大概是指挥官，策马向前。里昂从上方观看着，心跳加速。对话距离太远听不清，但他看到莱莎指向他藏身的岩石方向。经过几分钟的紧张对峙，塞拉摩指挥官点了点头。莱莎示意里昂下来。

　　His legs felt like jelly as he scrambled down the rocky slope. The eyes of the Theramore soldiers were upon him, filled with curiosity and suspicion. He was a ragged, dirty boy emerging from the wilderness in the company of night elves—an inexplicable sight.

　　他爬下岩石斜坡时，双腿像果冻一样发软。塞拉摩士兵们的目光落在他身上，充满了好奇和怀疑。他是一个衣衫褴褛、肮脏的男孩，在暗夜精灵的陪伴下从荒野中出现——一个无法解释的景象。

　　Lyessa placed a hand on his shoulder. "This is the child, Leon Baros of Goldshire. We return him to your care." She spoke to the commander, her tone formal.

　　The commander, a grizzled man with a scar across his chin, looked Leon up and down. "A long way from home, lad," he grunted. He then turned back to Lyessa. "You have the thanks of Theramore. We will see him safely returned."

　　莱莎把手放在他肩上。“就是这个孩子，闪金镇的里昂·巴洛斯。我们把他交还给你们照顾。”她对指挥官说，语气正式。

　　指挥官是一个头发花白、下巴上有道疤的男人，他上下打量着里昂。“离家很远啊，小子，”他咕哝道。然后他转向莱莎。“塞拉摩感谢你们。我们会确保他安全返回。”

　　With a final, brief nod to Leon, the two Sentinels turned and melted back into the rocky landscape, disappearing as silently as they had arrived. Just like that, Leon was alone again, but now surrounded by humans. He was back in his own world.

　　两位哨兵最后向里昂简短地点了点头，便转身消失在岩石地貌中，如同她们来时一样悄无声息。就这样，里昂又独自一人了，但现在是身处人类之中。他回到了自己的世界。

　　The commander gestured to one of the soldiers. "Get the boy a cloak and some proper food. And find out what in the Light's name he's been doing with a pair of kaldorei in the middle of nowhere." He gave Leon a long, appraising look that was not unkind, but was deeply pragmatic. "You've got a story to tell, son. And I've got a long road to listen to it."

　　指挥官向一名士兵示意。“给这孩子一件斗篷和一些像样的食物。弄清楚他到底是怎么会跟两个卡多雷出现在这荒郊野外的。”他给了里昂一个长长的、审视的目光，并非不友善，但非常务实。“你有个故事要讲，孩子。而我有一段长路可以听你讲。”

　　As he was led towards the wagons, wrapped in a clean, warm cloak and given a piece of dried meat, Leon looked back towards the north, towards the forests that hid Astranaar. It felt like a lifetime ago. He was safe. He was going home. But as the wagon wheels began to turn, carrying him south towards Menethil Harbor and the sea beyond, he knew that a part of him would always remain in the whispering shadows of the ancient woods, with a sharp-eared girl who had shown him a world beyond his own.

　　当他被领向马车，裹上干净温暖的斗篷，得到一块肉干时，里昂回头望向北方，望向隐藏着阿斯特兰纳的森林。感觉像过了一辈子。他安全了。他要回家了。但当马车轮子开始转动，载着他向南前往米奈希尔港和更远的大海时，他知道自己的一部分将永远留在古老森林的低语阴影中，与那个向他展示了世界另一面的尖耳朵女孩在一起。