#高塔藏書庫第四期#
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- 會在文末附上原文
Ⅱ.Lord Radegast
Ⅱ.拉德加斯特領主
拉德加斯特大步穿過灰燼。當他向山頂走去時，一朵雲擋住了他的去路。傷疤染汙了他的盔甲，他的手槍躺在塵土中。他現在不需要它了。戰鬥結束了。
這裡曾經是一個採礦前哨。有幾棟建築和一輛交通工具。它坐落在一片小森林中，就像一顆珍貴的寶石，鑲嵌在荒地暗淡的皇冠上。
現在幾乎什麼都沒了。這位戰士開始慢慢地走進山谷。他從頭上摘下頭盔頭盔，讓它隨著一聲輕柔的砰砰聲落入灰燼中。在這片森林中，只剩下樹樁。在這座村莊裡，沒有了人煙；建築物化為碎片。在這你隨處都可以看到沉悶的灰鬱的居住過的跡象。
在谷底，拉德加斯特來到了灰燼、死亡和暴力的源頭。這些負光者排成一排，簡單地用布覆蓋著他們的盔甲和長袍。他們一共五個人，在定居點大廳融化的大梁下一字排開。
這些軍閥多年來一直恐嚇著這片荒野。數百人死於他們的手中。
拉德加斯特轉身，他的同伴們穿過谷底加入他的行列。他們一直在管理死者，為前哨的定居者和礦工善終。
喬爾德(注1)邁著穩健步伐悄悄走來，充滿力量和火焰。薩拉丁，平靜而沉重，死者的重擔壓在他的肩膀上。在他們身後的佩倫，她的戰靴在她走路時幾乎沒有留下痕跡。他們聚集在他面前。
“再也不會了。”他低聲說。其他人則像戰痕累累的雕像一樣站立著。
“我們的鐵騎對抗暴君和軍閥。我們躲在這些飛地裡，希望其他負光者不會找到我們。我們彼此敬畏。”他搖了搖頭，握緊了拳頭。
“不。我們團結起來勢不可擋。我們團結起來蔽日遮天。我們所要害怕的只是...這個。”他指著死去的軍閥。“屈服。讓光能的力量矇蔽了我們的雙眼，讓我們盲目，看不清我們究竟是什麼。”
當然，是佩倫問了這個問題。“我們是什麼？”無從判斷。無可指責。
儘管如此，拉德加斯特還是能感受到他們的懷疑。他轉過身去，目光落在支撐大廳的巨大橫樑上。當他轉回到他的同伴時，他的眼睛閃閃發光。
“我們將成為人們需要我們成為的樣子。我們將成為守護者。我們將成為保衛者。我們將把我們最後一個人團結在一起。”
他的聲音響徹寂靜的山谷。
“我們躲藏的日子結束了。現在就說出來吧，你們每一個人。在其他負光者中，你信任誰？誰能有希望加入我們的鐵騎呢？
“佈雷托馬特(注2)”，喬爾德說。“戴德里斯(注3)”，佩倫說。
“我只相信你，拉德加斯特，”薩拉丁說，他們的領導人咆哮著回應。“你在說什麼？我們是什麼？"佩倫又問了一遍。
拉德加斯特笑了。我們會召集你們信任的人。我們不能再等了"——他繞著他做了個手勢——“來舉起我們的手。我們將與那些使用光來對抗我們人類自己的人作戰。人類必須有保護者。就像古代的騎士一樣。”
在他們周圍，塵土在空中旋轉。當太陽向地平線傾斜時，陽光在長長的條紋中凝聚在一起。
“你們要和我一起嗎？你們會和我站在一起嗎——作為鋼鐵領主？”在漸漸暗淡的光芒中，他們的答案像雷聲一樣響起。
- 注1：喬爾德(Jolder)是最初的四位鋼鐵領主之一，也是一位即美麗、充滿歡樂又戰鬥兇猛的成員(非常有人格魅力的泰坦)，並且是薩拉丁領主親密的朋友。
- 注2：佈雷托馬特(Bretomart)是一名泰坦，鋼鐵之狼成員，被喬爾德向拉德加斯特推薦成為鋼鐵領主。
- 注3：戴德里斯(Deidris)是一名獵人，鋼鐵之浪成員，被佩倫向拉德加斯特推薦成為鋼鐵領主。
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原文：
Ⅱ.Lord Radegast
Radegast strode through the ashes. A cloud hung in his wake as he made his way to the top of the rise. Scars marred his armor, and his sidearm lay in the dust. He didn't need it, now. The battle was over.
This had been a mining outpost, once. A few buildings and a transport. Nestled amid a small forest, it had been like a precious jewel set atop the dull crown of the wildlands.
Now there was almost nothing left. The warrior began to walk slowly down into the valley. He pulled his helm from his head and let it drop with a muted thud into the ash. Of the forest, only stumps remained. Of the small village there was no trace; the buildings reduced to splinters. Here and there you could see dull gray signs of inhabitation.
At the bottom of the valley, Radegast came to the source of the ash, death, and violence. The Light-bearers were laid out in a row, simple cloth covering their armored and robed forms. There were five of them, and they had been lined up beneath the melted girders of the settlement's great hall.
These warlords had terrorized this part of the wilds for years. Hundreds had died at their hands.
Radegast turned as his companions crossed the valley floor to join him. They had been policing the dead, finding a fitting end for the settlers and miners of the outpost.
Jolder came with a steady glide, energy and fire. Saladin, calm and slow, the weight of the dead on his shoulders. In formation behind them stepped Perun, her boots barely leaving a trace as she walked. They gathered before him.
"Never again." He intoned the words quietly. The others stood as battle-scarred statues.
"We ride against despots and warlords. We hide in these enclaves, hoping that other Light-bearers will not find us. We fear each other." He shook his head, his fists clenched.
"And we should not. We are stronger, together. We are mighty, together. All we have to fear is... this." He pointed down at the dead warlords."Giving in. Allowing the power of the Light to blind us to what we truly are."
It was Perun, of course, who asked the question."What are we?"No judgment. No reproach.
Still, Radegast could feel their doubt. He turned upwards, and his eyes settled on the massive span that supported the hall. His eyes shone as he turned back to his fellows.
"We will be what the people need us to be. We will be guardians. We will be protectors. We will hold the last of us together."
His voice rang out across the still valley.
"Our days of hiding are ended. Say it now, each of you. Who among the other bearers do you trust? Who can be counted on to ride with us?"
"Bretomart," said Jolder. "Deidris," said Perun.
"I trust only you, Radegast," said Saladin, and their leader scowled in response. “What are you saying? What are we?” Perun asked again.
Radegast smiled."We will gather those you trust. We will not wait for this"—he gestured around him--“to force our hand.We will ride against those that would use the Light against our own. Humanity must have protectors. Like the knights of old."
Around them, the dust swirled in the air. Shafts of sunlight coalesced in long slanted bars as the sun dipped towards the horizon.
"Are you with me? Will you stand with me—as Iron Lords?" In the waning light, their answers rang like thunder on the air.