Epilogue: The Pulse of the World（尾声：世界之脉）

　　多年以后。

　　Years later.

　　赤脊山脉的峰峦依旧，但高处那片曾被死亡笼罩的山谷，已彻底换了人间。曾经的灰败与腐化被一片欣欣向荣的绿意取代。银绿色的圣树已长成一片繁茂的小树林，枝干虬结，叶片在阳光下闪烁着柔和的光晕，夜晚则散发出宁静的辉光，如同嵌入山峦的一颗星辰。一条清澈的山溪被引导着穿过谷地，滋润着梯田般的园圃，里面生长着药草、根茎作物，甚至还有几棵矮壮的苹果树，那是多年前从湖畔镇带回的种子长成的。

　　The peaks of the Redridge Mountains remained, but the high valley once shrouded in death had been utterly transformed. The former gray desolation and corruption were replaced by a thriving verdant expanse. The silver-green sacred tree had grown into a lush grove, its branches gnarled, its leaves shimmering with a soft halo in the sunlight, emitting a tranquil glow at night, like a star embedded in the mountains. A clear mountain stream was channeled through the valley, nourishing terraced gardens where herbs, root crops, and even a few sturdy apple trees grew from seeds brought from Lakeshire many years before.

　　几个小小的、散发着微光的身影——森林小精灵——在林间嬉戏追逐，它们是这片土地健康与欢乐的具现。这里不再是一个秘密的避难所，而是一个充满生机的微小绿洲，一个在荒野中悄然跳动的心脏。

　　Tiny, glowing figures—forest sprites—frolicked and chased each other among the trees, a manifestation of the land's health and joy. This was no longer a secret refuge, but a tiny, vibrant oasis, a heart beating quietly within the wilderness.

　　一个身影敏捷地在岩石间移动，她有着精灵的优雅和长年野外生活磨炼出的坚韧。艾莉丝·月芒的脸上少了几分青涩，多了几分沉静的力量。她停在一处可以俯瞰整个山谷的岩架上，目光扫过她守护了数十年的家园，眼中带着满足与平和。岁月在她身上留下了痕迹，却也赋予了她一种与山川同寿的从容。

　　A figure moved nimbly among the rocks, possessing an elf's grace and the resilience honed by years of living in the wild. Iris Moonglow's face had lost some of its youthful innocence, gaining a quiet strength. She paused on a rocky ledge overlooking the entire valley, her gaze sweeping over the home she had guarded for decades, her eyes filled with contentment and peace. Time had left its mark on her, but it had also bestowed a serenity that seemed as enduring as the mountains themselves.

　　她并非独自一人。一个年轻的人类女孩跟在她身边，有着和里昂一样深色的头发和好奇的眼睛，但眼神里是艾莉丝那种与自然共鸣的敏锐。女孩的名字是莉拉。

　　She was not alone. A young human girl was with her, with Leon's dark hair and curious eyes, but with the keen awareness that Iris possessed, an attunement to nature. The girl's name was Lila.

　　“母亲，看！”莉拉指着天空，一只鹰正在高空盘旋。“它在巡视它的领地。”

　　"Mother, look!" Lila pointed to the sky where an eagle circled high above. "It's patrolling its domain."

　　艾莉丝微笑着点头。“就像我们一样，莉拉。我们是这片山谷的守护者，但我们也属于它。”她将手放在女儿肩上，感受着那份血脉与信念共同传承的温暖。

　　Iris smiled and nodded. "Just like us, Lila. We are the guardians of this valley, but we also belong to it." She placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, feeling the warmth of a legacy passed down through both blood and belief.

　　谷地边缘，靠近当年里昂和艾莉丝第一次俯瞰这片荒芜的地方，建起了一座与山岩融为一体的石屋，屋顶铺着厚实的草皮，烟囱里飘出袅袅炊烟。门廊上，一个身影坐在那里，正仔细地修补一张弓。岁月染白了他的鬓角，在他脸上刻下了风霜的印记，但他的身板依然挺直，眼神依旧清澈，那是属于广阔天地和漫长旅途的清澈。他是里昂，曾经的“石头之子”，如今的“高山信使”，更是这片宁静山谷的缔造者之一。

　　At the edge of the valley, near where Leon and Iris had first looked down upon the desolation, stood a stone house built into the rockface, its roof thick with sod, smoke curling from its chimney. On the porch, a figure sat carefully mending a bow. Time had silvered his temples and etched lines of weathering on his face, but his posture remained straight, his eyes clear with the clarity that comes from vast horizons and long journeys. He was Leon, once the "son of stone," now the "Courier of the Peaks," and co-founder of this peaceful valley.

　　他放下手中的活计，望向岩架上的艾莉丝和莉拉，脸上露出平和的笑容。他的旅程从未真正停止，只是节奏变了。他依然会定期外出，足迹甚至远至湿地的边境，或与来自洛克莫丹的矮人交易，将山谷出产的稀有药草和安宁的消息带出去，将外界的工具、种子和至关重要的信息带回来。但每一次离开，都知道有一个地方在等着他回来，有一个家在等他。

　　He set down his work, looking towards Iris and Lila on the ledge, a peaceful smile on his face. His journey had never truly ended, only its rhythm had changed. He still traveled out regularly, his steps taking him as far as the borders of the Wetlands or to trade with dwarves from Loch Modan, carrying the valley's rare herbs and tidings of peace outwards, bringing back tools, seeds, and vital information from the outside world. But each time he left, he knew there was a place waiting for his return, a home awaiting him.

　　他们的故事早已不再是秘密。在湖畔镇，在巡山人的哨所，在塞纳里奥议会的某些圈子里，“高峰守护者”和他们的林地已成为一个传说，一个关于希望、牺牲和不同种族间可能达成理解的小小象征。偶尔会有寻求指引的旅行者、好奇的矮人勘探员，甚至一位面容肃穆的暗夜精灵哨兵造访，他们都会受到安静的款待，并被这片土地的宁静所震撼。

　　Their story was no longer a secret. In Lakeshire, at the ranger outposts, and within certain circles of the Cenarion Circle, the "Peak Guardians" and their grove had become a legend, a small symbol of hope, sacrifice, and the possibility of understanding between different races. Occasionally, travelers seeking guidance, curious dwarf prospectors, or even a solemn night elf Sentinel would visit, receiving quiet hospitality and being struck by the peace of the land.

　　脚步声打断了里昂的思绪。艾莉丝和莉拉走了过来。

　　The sound of footsteps interrupted Leon's thoughts. Iris and Lila approached.

　　“弓修好了？”艾莉丝问道，递给他一杯用花园里的薄荷泡的热茶。

　　"Is the bow mended?" Iris asked, handing him a cup of hot tea infused with mint from their garden.

　　“差不多了。”里昂接过茶杯，温暖顺着掌心蔓延。“暴风城来的信使说，北方的局势依然紧张，但湿地的商路还算通畅。布兰恩的族人发现了一条新的矿脉，离我们很远。”他顿了顿，看向莉拉，“他们送来了一些新的书籍，关于艾泽拉斯的地理和历史。”

　　"Almost," Leon replied, taking the cup, warmth spreading through his palm. "The messenger from Stormwind says tensions in the north remain, but the trade routes through the Wetlands are still passable. Brann's clan found a new ore vein, far from here." He paused, looking at Lila. "They sent some new books. About the geography and history of Azeroth."

　　莉拉的眼睛亮了起来，她对书本和外界知识的渴望，结合了父亲的好奇和母亲对世界的关切。

　　Lila's eyes lit up. Her thirst for books and knowledge of the outside world combined her father's curiosity with her mother's concern for the world.

　　夕阳开始西沉，将天空染成一片瑰丽的橙红，与圣树林的银绿光辉交相辉映。一家人坐在门廊上，享用着简单的晚餐，看着夜色渐渐笼罩山谷。星光初现，与林地的光芒融为一体。

　　The sun began to set, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and reds that interplayed with the silver-green glow of the sacred grove. The family sat on the porch, sharing a simple meal as night gradually enveloped the valley. The first stars appeared, merging with the grove's light.

　　里昂看着眼前的景象：茁壮成长的树林，潺潺的溪流，健康活泼的女儿，还有身边与他携手走过风雨、容颜虽改但眼神依旧如星光的艾莉丝。他想起了闪金镇的铁匠铺，想起了那个渴望冒险的男孩。他走过的路远比想象的更曲折，也更广阔。他失去了一个世界，却赢得了整个天地。

　　Leon looked at the scene before him: the thriving grove, the babbling stream, their healthy, lively daughter, and Iris beside him, whose face had aged but whose eyes still held the same starlight, the partner who had weathered storms with him. He thought of the smithy in Goldshire, of the boy who had yearned for adventure. The path he had traveled was more winding, and vaster, than he could have imagined. He had lost one world, but gained an entire universe.

　　艾莉丝似乎读懂了他的思绪，她的手轻轻覆在他的手上。无需言语，多年的相伴已让他们心意相通。

　　Iris seemed to read his thoughts, her hand gently covering his. No words were needed; years of companionship had linked their hearts and minds.

　　“明天，”莉拉看着星空，充满期待地说，“能教我认新的星座吗？还有它们的故事。”

　　"Tomorrow," Lila said, looking at the starry sky with anticipation, "can you teach me the new constellations? And their stories?"

　　“当然，”艾莉丝温柔地回答，“每一颗星星都有一个故事。”

　　"Of course," Iris replied softly. "Every star has a story."

　　里昂望向无垠的夜空，望向脚下在黑暗中散发着微光的家园。他们的故事，只是这个广阔世界无数脉络中的一支，微小却坚韧。它始于一次逃离，一场追寻，最终生根发芽，成了一片庇佑生命的绿洲。

　　Leon looked out at the boundless night sky, and down at the home glowing faintly in the darkness beneath his feet. Their story was but one thread among the countless pulses of this vast world, small yet resilient. It began with an escape, a search, and ultimately took root and blossomed into an oasis that nurtured life.

　　风掠过山巅，带来远方的气息，也带来了新生树叶的沙沙声。在这片曾被黑暗侵蚀的土地上，光明确实地存在着，脉动着，低语着一个关于勇气、守护与爱的简单而永恒的故事。

　　The wind swept over the mountain peaks, carrying scents from afar and the rustle of new leaves. On this land once scarred by darkness, light truly existed, pulsed, and whispered a simple, eternal story of courage, guardianship, and love.