
將主角等一行人困在山壁上小平臺上的號角獸人,逼得主角等一群人只好鑽進平臺上的一個小地洞去。
塔庫魯才剛鑽進左側那邊滿是高約兩公尺的雜草平臺時,就看見草叢中兩對彎曲如號角般的巨角晃動。他不假思索地猛然揮斧,鐵斧挾帶著呼嘯勁風,兩名尚未察覺異狀的號角獸人便已應聲倒斃於草間。49Please respect copyright.PENANA4Ppk3V20tl
49Please respect copyright.PENANABFTmWhxRQS
穿過草叢,塔庫魯抵達另一側的平台邊緣,正遇見一名手持鐵叉的號角獸人從山壁躍來,鐵叉直刺他的胸膛。49Please respect copyright.PENANAfGn8Rto5Hq
49Please respect copyright.PENANAowCmoIT4lK
幸而塔庫魯反應神速,長柄鐵斧斜劈,架開攻勢,隨即猛力一腳將對方踹下山崖。49Please respect copyright.PENANABEcjADuIEE
49Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9fPrduy1N
一聲淒厲的「啊——」在山谷間回蕩,塔庫魯已瞥見山壁上還有五、六個號角獸人,正攀爬而來。但此刻,所有獸人都暫時停頓,轉而目送那名摔落同伴的身影,神情驚駭。49Please respect copyright.PENANAc0zl7HXknv
49Please respect copyright.PENANAVdDk3K9mGf
49Please respect copyright.PENANAFF1OfTFJrY
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這時,女兵露西與派緹迅速從草叢中竄出,搭弓連發,箭如驟雨,數名攀爬中的獸人紛紛中箭墜落,重重摔下山谷。49Please respect copyright.PENANAyKch2MjSfG
49Please respect copyright.PENANA3tZ9DSJ3Vb
夸斯特快步趕來,看了看情勢,低聲道:「我們得躲進草叢中固守。在這裸露的山壁上,無法與他們周旋!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAJwgdfNQdt5
49Please respect copyright.PENANA4QwKq9r9DT
眼下無計可施,眾人只得縮守在這片狹小的平台上。49Please respect copyright.PENANAsJb9Knvsz3
49Please respect copyright.PENANAKOJWresabc
剛才連番箭雨讓敵方士氣受挫,其餘號角獸人退到約五十公尺外的山壁凹陷處,隱身岩石之後,與他們隔空對峙。49Please respect copyright.PENANAzFTGVRQxWb
49Please respect copyright.PENANAFPMySUNtL5
暫時,雙方都陷入了僵持。49Please respect copyright.PENANAXANVRsdbgZ
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49Please respect copyright.PENANAwWNmWQZ0Ny
49Please respect copyright.PENANADh2SSAT8Tl
平台的正上方是近乎光滑的垂直山壁,即便號角獸人擅長攀爬,也無法從此處來發起垂降攻擊;若當真要想強行攀越,只怕是通通要墜落到下方成為一灘肉泥。49Please respect copyright.PENANAzy0BgZlplC
49Please respect copyright.PENANALHR8UDYYOC
塔庫魯等人分守四方,將公主護於內側山壁邊。其間,敵人曾兩度試圖自高處擲石砸殺塔庫魯——49Please respect copyright.PENANAN92CTNqvFo
49Please respect copyright.PENANAfXzoxN1e4A
第一次,一塊巨石被他長柄鐵斧巧妙卸力,偏轉滑落山崖。49Please respect copyright.PENANAQjtB2Hsa8X
49Please respect copyright.PENANAdaJs8eEKfO
第二次,體積較小的石塊則被他當場一斧劈碎,碎石如雨,轟然滑落谷底,聲勢浩大。49Please respect copyright.PENANA0vxvn0uZmj
49Please respect copyright.PENANAqKe6yokaVF
見狀,敵方獸人驚惶失措,再無心思繼續丟擲。49Please respect copyright.PENANADaqlpANQpe
49Please respect copyright.PENANA3P6AdU4ABs
僵持過了近一個時辰。幸好,這群號角獸人腦筋死板,未曾想到以火攻逼迫。否則,躲藏在草叢中的眾人,恐怕早已葬身火海。49Please respect copyright.PENANAw6vGYd7s55
49Please respect copyright.PENANAwhLP2L1g9C
蓋達忍不住低聲嘀咕了一句,公主聽後笑著解釋道:「獸人對火懷有極深的敬畏之心。他們信奉火焰是毀滅與重生的化身,不敢輕啟山林之火,以免焚毀世代棲身之地。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAAWohR5bHTx
49Please respect copyright.PENANAso6DeRUoUC
艾利歐特守在小徑旁,聽了會心一笑:「這習慣,真是救了我們一命。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAvLlD1WQMUr
49Please respect copyright.PENANAQgU0UepmbI
公主接著說:「這片大地有八座火炎山,年年輪流噴發。獸人們與火山為鄰,自小便懂得對火心存敬畏。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAmzDmiBRYvw
49Please respect copyright.PENANAadqnd1fByD
蓋達皺眉問道:「為什麼八座火山都叫火炎山?不個別為其取名?這樣難道不會搞混嗎?」49Please respect copyright.PENANAAzV0YQlipo
49Please respect copyright.PENANA8k7NLE30Iq
公主淺笑回答:「那是獸人們自己命名的。為了區別,我們通常會在前面加上方位,例如這座便是『西南火炎山』。」49Please respect copyright.PENANATbvNNQYSrY
49Please respect copyright.PENANAKx7cXIaEdh
蓋達聽了,露出恍然大悟的表情。49Please respect copyright.PENANAufQ3KFHNyM
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就在此時,派緹突然警覺地盯著一旁的枯草堆,低聲道:「這堆草,有異樣!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAJlF7LgxFVZ
49Please respect copyright.PENANAxnS8DcsWpd
夸斯特立刻指示露西護送公主後退。派緹見狀,舉劍挑開枯草,只見下方赫然露出幾根木棍搭起的坑道入口。49Please respect copyright.PENANA9NwCPUzPEi
49Please respect copyright.PENANAkubFTF7Jey
公主遠遠瞧見,立刻驚呼:「是岩鼠獸人挖掘的逃生通道!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAVRLFJCQIuf
49Please respect copyright.PENANAlE5k9aNJEd
夸斯特走近觀察,沉思片刻後道:「應該很久沒有人走動了。公主,我有個大膽的主意……」49Please respect copyright.PENANA5S4KWZi5ti
49Please respect copyright.PENANAxbYOKGKliG
公主莞爾一笑:「隊長做主即可,我隨行。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAlKCpg0tUjL
49Please respect copyright.PENANAcGTBcgaFsd
夸斯特便下令道:「蓋達打頭陣,艾利歐特緊隨。塔庫魯,你最後進入,記得設法把通道入口掩埋!」49Please respect copyright.PENANA3Xs06s3WkZ
49Please respect copyright.PENANA89cyhhU059
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眾人小心準備下洞時,塔庫魯已開始動手——他飛快地從草叢中抓取乾草,搓揉成一條條細繩。49Please respect copyright.PENANApRMfgnj23W
49Please respect copyright.PENANAeYqhqLAptn
當大半人員已潛入地道後,他退到洞口邊,熟練地將木棍縱橫編織成一個簡易骨架,用草繩緊緊綁緊,隨後再將乾草小心覆蓋於其上。49Please respect copyright.PENANA0RCvAYzUnC
49Please respect copyright.PENANAmHe2aJ4xDv
在壓好最後一把乾草後,他穩穩地將偽裝物架回洞口上方,草繩一拉,整捆乾草順勢立起,然後短刀一割,草捆散開覆蓋住整個洞口。49Please respect copyright.PENANAZGrExuLjn1
49Please respect copyright.PENANAA9UweyDYhu
從外頭望去,應當是要不露絲毫破綻。即使敵人靠近,也難以察覺地底藏著生路。49Please respect copyright.PENANAilJBhyAEij
49Please respect copyright.PENANAMZGzVmcvcV
確認無光線滲漏後,塔庫魯這才轉身鑽入坑道,輕巧關閉了地面世界的大門。49Please respect copyright.PENANAZp4Jc9OrwK
49Please respect copyright.PENANAhU2sw2aCej
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49Please respect copyright.PENANAmCpL63PNYa
地道內一片昏暗,僅有公主法杖頂端的淡藍光芒,幽微閃爍,引導著眾人前行。49Please respect copyright.PENANAaoIF5F95cP
49Please respect copyright.PENANA7xp6AkmVH5
這條地道不算狹窄,普通人通過綽綽有餘,但對塔庫魯那寬厚如岩熊般的身軀而言,每一步都得小心翼翼,時不時磕碰岩壁。49Please respect copyright.PENANAoq0sxZM3hx
49Please respect copyright.PENANAa0FSDxnntx
坑道時而下沉,時而上升,蜿蜒曲折,如同某種蠕動的地底巨獸。49Please respect copyright.PENANAXd1CyCeO2F
49Please respect copyright.PENANAQBTy3xK2tO
走了約五十公尺,前方赫然出現一扇快要朽爛的木門。49Please respect copyright.PENANAb8AOcdr2gF
49Please respect copyright.PENANAZVkiK3d8Hk
蓋達打頭陣,小心翼翼地探頭從門縫中張望,確定無人後,夸斯特下令推門而入。49Please respect copyright.PENANAjcuv6UK3CW
49Please respect copyright.PENANAFAB81IoBwW
門後,是一間早已被歲月侵蝕的岩室。木桌、木椅、木床,全都朽壞傾斜,空氣中瀰漫著陳舊與沉寂的味道。49Please respect copyright.PENANALZF5oK36yw
49Please respect copyright.PENANA7eKtd2k1Fo
此外,尚有兩道通往更深處的木門,同樣破敗不堪。49Please respect copyright.PENANAKR3Hy3OVnm
49Please respect copyright.PENANADKufcZfvcS
眾人索性在這間岩室短暫休息。塔庫魯巨大的身軀堵在進來的門口,將通道緊緊封死,猶如一面堅不可摧的鐵牆。49Please respect copyright.PENANALcOGMiU05H
49Please respect copyright.PENANAdSH3LBXp40
即便有敵人追蹤至此,遠遠望來,也只會以為這裡已無路可走。49Please respect copyright.PENANAudHpTWl05N
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公主低聲為眾人解說:「岩鼠獸人世代鑽營於地底,開鑿岩洞尋找『岩果』——這種稀有的果實能大幅強化獸人的體能。岩鼠獸人本身是純肉食者,需以岩果換取其他食物資源。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAiFkxeWRsjY
49Please respect copyright.PENANAe0FK6kDTHC
她頓了頓,接著說道:「在這種狹窄的坑道中,他們近乎無敵。牙齒鋒利如鋼刃,啃咬堅石,築建整個地下世界。他們可以收縮身體穿過狹隘通道,也能鼓脹身體,封堵整個地道!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAy7Z1FFitj7
49Please respect copyright.PENANAf3wsXfaugt
塔庫魯聽得暗自想像——一群像海豹般柔軟而致命的岩鼠獸人,盤踞在這片地底暗流之中。49Please respect copyright.PENANA1adE9SvGM0
49Please respect copyright.PENANAjX3TRkg5fe
此時,極度寂靜的岩室內,隱隱傳來地底深處的刮削聲——49Please respect copyright.PENANAKWigB3OFLX
49Please respect copyright.PENANAAW8aFg6bVu
那聲音低微而遙遠,彷彿有人正用尖銳的圓鍬,不斷撥弄脆弱的岩石。49Please respect copyright.PENANAOkCJQYklzU
49Please respect copyright.PENANAi94N2opj3b
夸斯特神情凝重地貼耳傾聽,招呼泰倫斯與艾利歐特一同判斷,但無論怎麼辨別,都無法確定聲音從哪條通道傳來。49Please respect copyright.PENANA3MsWbpcWaY
49Please respect copyright.PENANAKoLR1yWfo8
露西皺眉輕語:「感覺聲音從兩邊同時傳來……像是,在正中間。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAMBHsTbSKSb
49Please respect copyright.PENANAUkdO78V2ar
夸斯特點了點頭,斷然下令:「既如此,從左邊地道前進。那方向應該更靠近山壁外側!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAJU4PQ7hPMX
49Please respect copyright.PENANAV9ktni5xCC
他看向艾利歐特:「這次,你打頭陣!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAUoDMaYSlMP
49Please respect copyright.PENANA8pxxu3Hr3P
艾利歐特微笑點頭,臨出發前還與派緹對望一眼,後者回以甜甜的微笑——49Please respect copyright.PENANAntklBAReRd
49Please respect copyright.PENANAKxBpro8X7G
第二對戀人,似乎也在此地悄悄萌芽。49Please respect copyright.PENANAKbTuUTqh37
49Please respect copyright.PENANAcE3HONFsCp
副隊長泰倫斯不經意地看了看剩下的露西——這個外表甜美、個性卻剛烈的女兵。他苦笑搖頭,自知已有家室,自然不敢妄動。49Please respect copyright.PENANAUF6uXlg8X1
49Please respect copyright.PENANAm8ECjJbzQk
至於蓋達與塔庫魯?49Please respect copyright.PENANAVS4zDeGX0m
49Please respect copyright.PENANA2eKDi2RVvA
無論怎麼想,都很難想像這兩個肌肉怪物能與露西這樣的金髮女戰士牽起紅線。