
金蝗城城主古柏,人雖然老,但是從他那一雙不斷轉動的眼睛當中,還是可以確認,能當上城主的人都不會是胸無城府的人。16Please respect copyright.PENANAShB8D8tOFM
攻城的獸人部隊已逼近城牆下方,戰鼓如雷,嘶吼震天。那些四公尺高的攻城獸人,揮舞著巨鎚,重擊著城門與壘牆,連城石都在微微震動。獸人們的狂熱氣焰,一度壓倒了金蝗城殘存守軍的士氣。16Please respect copyright.PENANAAuaEKCZPDy
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但那一切,在哈勒之弓震天動地的咆哮中,戛然而止。16Please respect copyright.PENANAYLP5n7ADwF
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城頭之上,派緹站在高台,紅褐色長髮隨風飛揚,眼中燃著戰火。她搭弓、引弦、低語咒文——一道烈焰灌注於箭矢之中,隨著她的鬆手,如流星般轟然墜下!16Please respect copyright.PENANAOeAokiA51t
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轟——!16Please respect copyright.PENANAR9YbRRIxQv
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火焰如龍般在城下翻騰,將一整排攻城獸人與攻城車吞噬為火海。慘叫聲、爆裂聲與獸皮焦灼的氣味充斥空氣,令餘下的獸人驚駭失色,腳步開始躊躇。16Please respect copyright.PENANAtAZw8wtqJm
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但真正扭轉戰局的,是塔庫魯那驚世一擊。16Please respect copyright.PENANAYmRAsEcUxw
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這名宛若狂戰士般的山蠻戰士,自行去找來一堆守城用的長木棍之後,便如山神降臨。他左手奮力揮舞鐵斧,劈飛從投石車拋來的巨石,那些足以摧毀塔樓的石塊,在他面前竟猶如兒戲。右手則接連將粗大的木棍如標槍般擲出,開始還略有偏差,但數次試投之後,便槍無虛發。16Please respect copyright.PENANADiJ189O93G
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每一次棍影劃破空氣,便會帶起一陣呼嘯之聲,直貫獸人胸膛或砸裂巨鎚。一名高大的攻城獸人甚至被整支木棍穿透胸口,直接釘在攻城塔後方的牆壁上,餘震尚未散去,便已氣絕。16Please respect copyright.PENANAbm8LkhQJzJ
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攻城部隊頓時陣腳大亂。士兵們嘶喊著,但已無法阻止軍心潰散。他們眼見前方同胞被烈火吞噬,頭頂巨石被人力斧斬飛,甚至那一根根粗棍竟比弩箭還要致命!16Please respect copyright.PENANAenLHrAo2jM
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而更致命的,是山坡遠處,那道撕裂天地的銀白神光尚未完全散去。獸人們終於明白,那股毀天滅地的力量並未來自金蝗城,而是那支埋伏在側翼的神祕人類小隊。16Please respect copyright.PENANA3JKFNfkUA9
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戰意破碎,獸人部隊終於潰退。他們如潮水般退去,放棄了攻城器與屍體,驚懼如同群狼遇火,不復再有一絲戰意。16Please respect copyright.PENANA0T1elCWvJL
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當塵煙稍歇,金蝗城的東門緩緩開啟。城主古柏披著金紋黑袍,腰間懸著權杖,蒼老的眼中透出既驚且懷的光芒。他身邊,挽著一位宛如晨曦女神般美艷的女子——瑪麗瑟,黑髮如瀑,容貌如初春之花,身姿柔美而高貴,與老邁城主形成強烈對比。16Please respect copyright.PENANAJNuBhncNuS
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「是她的弓……」城主眼神停在派緹背上的那柄銀黑色長弓之上,目光變得複雜,「哈勒之弓……永夜女王的饋贈。」16Please respect copyright.PENANAj4V8OFeP8g
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艾利歐特微微一愣,轉向望向身旁的女子,再望著城主古柏問到:「您認得那把弓?」16Please respect copyright.PENANAMswfaoE1Jx
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「認得,當然認得。」城主古柏輕聲一歎,「因為……我的妻子,便出身於天神族,永夜森林的銀光之裔。」16Please respect copyright.PENANApsyLABXf77
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派緹、蓋達與塔庫魯皆為之一震,而艾利歐特不自覺瞥向瑪麗瑟。她沒有否認,只是輕輕點頭,語氣平靜如水:16Please respect copyright.PENANAVRb3jdQT2P
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「我曾是永夜女王的學徒,精修治癒與自然之道。後來離開森林,嫁給這座城的主……從此斷了與族裔的聯繫。」16Please respect copyright.PENANA2FWCrhuPN3
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「他們怎麼會容許妳離開?」派緹難掩驚訝,「天神族對人類素來戒慎。」16Please respect copyright.PENANAzzxqa8obwo
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「他們沒有容許。」瑪麗瑟苦笑,「我私自離去,為了愛……而這代價,就是讓金蝗城與天神族決裂。從那以後,城內法師失去與永夜森林的聯繫,師承斷絕。隨著老一輩一一逝去,我們再也無法培育出強大的魔法師。」16Please respect copyright.PENANALespBcvUt4
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「這場戰爭,如果不是你們……」古柏搖頭,聲音低沉,「恐怕今日金蝗城便將陷落。」16Please respect copyright.PENANAfYwTDtcDff
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艾利歐特沉聲回應:「我們的目標是火炎山,任務是將天魔王的骨骸投入岩漿封印。若金蝗城失守,我們便永遠無法穿越這片平原,將陷入無窮無盡的獸人追殺中。」16Please respect copyright.PENANAnfDBTNAmtA
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古柏鄭重地點頭:「我承諾,只要獸人撤退,金蝗城將盡全力支援你們,提供糧食、坐騎與嚮導——這是我古柏,以城主之名的誓言!」16Please respect copyright.PENANAqAavP8P179
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而在這莊重宣言的餘音未歇之際,瑪麗瑟卻一直將目光投注在艾利歐特身上。她的眼神如暮光中閃爍的星子,既帶著探詢,又蘊藏微妙的柔情——16Please respect copyright.PENANAXLz21piJaL
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她似乎在他身上,看見了某種與天神族相通的氣息,一種屬於遠古、尚未覺醒的命運血脈……16Please respect copyright.PENANAe2qzprM5Sp
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暮色低垂,戰火初歇,城牆上的濃煙尚未散盡,斜陽斑駁地落在遍佈焦痕與箭羽的石牆上。金蝗城主古柏在夫人瑪麗瑟與艾利歐特的陪同下,緩步登上城垣視察。歲月已將這位老將的背脊壓得微駝,但那雙眼仍如老鷹般銳利,洞察著眼前這群陌生卻強悍的援軍。16Please respect copyright.PENANAnZ5pI731fc
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他首先走向正在收弓的派緹,目光掃過那柄閃耀微光、宛若夜火般的哈勒之弓,眼中閃過一絲驚訝。16Please respect copyright.PENANAH69mBBcn27
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「妳可知否,這是永夜之森的皇室之弓?」他低語,轉而望向派緹,「莫非妳是永夜女王的族人?」16Please respect copyright.PENANAy9w81Bnekq
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派緹搖搖頭,拱手微笑地答道:「我名派緹,是天龍國的弓箭手,這把哈勒之弓是我們途經永夜森林時,女王所贈之物!」16Please respect copyright.PENANAAbuAWI7TGj
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古柏微一頷首,剛欲開口,又被一個龐然大物的身影吸引住視線。16Please respect copyright.PENANAljBlZcBcqT
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只見塔庫魯正赤膊而立,背上汗水交織著獸血,手中那柄尚冒著煙氣的巨斧插在地面旁,而他另一隻手正將最後一根用作標槍的守城木棍砸進斷裂的箭槽。高大身形如山,渾身肌肉盤結如岩石,粗厚的鋼鐵甲冑,讓他看起來比任何獸人都更為兇猛可怖。16Please respect copyright.PENANAfWYKsSHTav
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古柏神色一沉,眉頭緊鎖:「這人是……獸人餘孽?怎會站在城牆上?」16Please respect copyright.PENANAMbvQQYzuQP
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氣氛一時緊張起來,士兵們也隱隱靠近,戒備提升。16Please respect copyright.PENANA82kUkEbZ6M
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艾利歐特立刻出聲:「城主勿疑,他是山蠻人,並非獸人——來自天龍國高山之地的一隻古老的部族。我們小隊中的一員,與我方並肩作戰多日,若非他與派緹聯手守住這面城垣,今日時局未必能逆轉。」16Please respect copyright.PENANA3oUgOGJ7DR
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古柏仍狐疑不決,目光投向身側的妻子瑪麗瑟。16Please respect copyright.PENANAHZKiKr7oLX
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瑪麗瑟望著塔庫魯片刻,神情柔和但帶著一絲感嘆:「他並無獸人血脈。我能感受到他靈魂中那種……與自然共鳴的純淨,不屬於黑暗或混沌。」16Please respect copyright.PENANAcZyaflx5zo
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古柏沉吟半晌,方才緩緩點頭:「我曾聽聞過山蠻人這個種族,但是我從未見過,畢竟我是在光牆外出生的人,這輩子還未踏足過光牆之內,而且天神族過往好像也未曾找山蠻人來進任務小隊!」16Please respect copyright.PENANAubeG245si4
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艾利歐特先回應一下夫人馬麗瑟屢屢投射過來的溫柔眼神,這才回覆古柏城主,説:「塔庫魯會進到我們這隻任務小隊,也實在是一場意外,以前不太有機會發生,未來的事就很難說了,畢竟他這次表現的這麼好,光牆內的天神族會不會因此有什麼改變,這個我也很難捉摸!」16Please respect copyright.PENANAD0x21sGgHi
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古柏露出笑容的說:「金蝗城不會拒絕任何曾為此地流血之人。山蠻戰士塔庫魯,你是我們的朋友。」16Please respect copyright.PENANAgvkkXSDUtp
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塔庫魯咧嘴一笑,粗聲說道:「塔庫魯不喜歡說話,但更不喜歡獸人。」16Please respect copyright.PENANALg7armTSQE
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此語一出,眾人皆笑,氣氛稍微鬆弛。然而,在這淡然的表象之下,某種更微妙的情緒也在悄然醞釀。16Please respect copyright.PENANA3ktCzEAMzj