四.《沉没之地》(四)(1 / 2)

4.比赛

圣马克公国与自由邦纷争不止,艾伦王国的入侵让它们迅速联合。当觊觎他们肥沃土地的西约人参与进来,艾伦王国、圣马克公国与自由邦的德尔人戴上祖先牛帽反击入侵者。海峡彼岸的荒芜之地的特曼人冲上陆地,德尔人与西约人同时停止长达百年的持续战争,将特曼人赶回大海。最后怪异侵染世界,两座大陆停止了彼此的战争,对付新的共同的敌人。

光耀骑士团第二次地表远征的几天后,陆离收到海格教授邀请他前往内城的家中做客的信函。考虑到和海格教授关系更好,憩息的旅馆阁楼要不了多久就会变成一座长满植株的空中花园,陆离带着行李与花盆坐上亲自来接他的海格教授的马车,停在他内城的宅邸,一栋漂亮的屋子前。海格教授为陆离介绍他的妻子米姆和孩子西索恩——一个需要低头才能走过门框,有些智力缺陷的八岁男孩。海格教授难过地说自己孩子幼时遭受了一场灾难,带着陆离将行李放在二楼客房。

他们谈了些最近发生的事,然后回到楼下餐厅准备享用精心准备的丰盛午餐。海格教授启开他的珍藏红酒,为陆离,他的妻子和儿子倒满。“敬陆离。”他们端起酒杯,饮下摇曳酒液。陆离显然没有察觉红酒有问题,当潮水般的困倦汹涌袭来,陆离与撞翻餐桌的海格教授昏睡过去——所看见的最后一幕是米姆与西索恩的漠然。当陆离因微凉的颠簸醒来,他与海格教授被绑缚在颠簸行走、传不出任何声音、也无法被看到的马车车厢里,带往地表。

陆离陷入一场真正的阴谋,一场真理教会的堕落信徒举行的献祭仪式。他们以黑暗对抗陆离代表的光明;以陆离对海格教授一家的善良换回敌意;以将陆离关押营地牢房制造他的逃离;以陆离对海格教授的信任遭受早已是堕落信徒的海格教授背叛;将逃生的希望转换成绝望;然后在所有对应的平衡最后,让陆离成为堕落信徒们扭曲仪式的祭品,完成生与死的最后均衡。

火焰燃烧着正午的夜色。海格教授用短匕划开陆离后颈,血液沿着脖颈流进背后的符文石柱。陆离无法理解海格教授的背叛,就像作为无信者的他不能理解所有信徒的狂热。海格教授没有吝啬答案,讲述了真相,在最后时刻迈下祭台,与围聚周围的信徒们齐声念诵:“我们以光与暗的对立为骨,生命与死亡的冲突为肉,希望与绝望的跨越为血,友善与敌对的变化为筋,信任与背叛的矛盾为皮,捕捉与逃离的收获为发,由此布置的完美仪式献祭于您——至高无上的真理,均衡主宰,请收下您虔诚的信徒为您准备的祭品!”

某种不可言说,不可名状,无法理解,无法窥觊的朦胧意识降临祭台,怪异奇幻的金色天秤犹如光翼浮现陆离的身后。“这是虚假的平衡……”驱魔人虚弱低语在回荡的祷告间隙隐约响起:“外神的爪牙伸进世界……地表被黑暗笼罩……怪异横行大地……人类龟缩角落……本土神祇被猎杀……强大与弱小……也是平衡吗?”自救的驱魔人低念着:“以光与暗的对立为骨……生命与死亡的冲突为肉……希望与绝望的跨越为血……友善与敌对的变化为筋……发展与背叛的矛盾为皮……捕捉与逃离的收获为发……以及被献祭者成为献祭者的反转……由此布置的完美仪式献祭于您……至高无上的真理……均衡主宰……请收下您虔诚的信徒……为您准备的祭品:背弃了平衡真理的异端者们……”

想要献祭陆离的扭曲教徒最终被陆离献祭给他们的主。不久前抵达地表的光耀骑士团仿佛等候此刻——不然如何解释随后不久克莱尔就带着他们找到均衡教会营地的陆离?均衡教会的所有信徒已经回归他们的主的怀抱,但被暴风雨掀起的海浪并未就此消失:陆离的灵魂因献祭出现均衡主宰的烙印。幸运的是,均衡主宰不是邪神或支配信徒的恶神,那是某位不存在善恶、未被世界扭曲、源于世界法则的古老神祇。拥有烙印的陆离会与世界法则和真理教派亲和,没有任何负面影响,就好像这场献祭其实是均衡教会的精心馈赠。

<--di--!>
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