5-1 "

The cliff overlooked it all. 這座懸崖俯瞰著世間萬物。 At the end of the day, those who had abandoned the mortal coil left behind their souls like hermit shells for other, new lives to take them.? 一日即將收尾。每當(dāng)?shù)竭_(dá)這一時刻，那些終于擺脫紅塵俗世的人們也將拋棄自身的真實(shí)性。好似寄居生物一般，他們將褪去的外殼留給隨后而來的嶄新生命。 Their spirits ascended to the land's Pool, luminous and glimmering overhead.? 最后，他們的靈魂就會升向頭頂上方：那潭閃閃發(fā)亮的靈魂之池。 Water-like spirits, almost formless; everything white and flowing into that vibrancy which bore through the clouded sky.? 靈魂若水，縹緲無形。一切都將化作霜色，歸于陰云彼岸的光彩生機(jī)。 In the gray landscape that was her world,? 她身處的世界便存在于那灰蒙蒙的盛景之中。? this sight—this unique, spectacular sight—was something many could call a wonder.? 那番景象——此般獨(dú)特，而又這般壯麗的景象——稱作"奇觀"也當(dāng)之無愧。 To her, it was ordinary. It was everyday.? 可對她來說，這確是日常之景。她的心中并未因此誕生任何漣漪。 It was work.? 這只是每日工作必經(jīng)的一環(huán)。 "Any trembling on the left side?"? "左方有過任何波瀾嗎？"? her confrère asked from behind.? 背后，她的那位同事如是詢問。? She very slightly moved her head to see him sitting on the ground. On his lap sat a wide, black, shallow bowl of water, used for lecanomancy,? 她略微轉(zhuǎn)過頭去，正見他盤坐于地面，大腿上方還平置著一只用于水象占卜的黑色淺碗。 and from the ripples inside it she could see that he'd just performed a divination. 碗盞水面上尚未消逝的漣漪，讓她意識到他不久前剛剛進(jìn)行了一次預(yù)測。 She answered him lightly with, "No."? 她稍有些漫不經(jīng)心地開口應(yīng)答："并無發(fā)現(xiàn)。" Then she asked, "Why? Have you noticed something?" 隨后，她追問道，"何故這樣問？你是不是有察覺到什么？" "It looks like the earth shook a bit," he explained.? "方才地面似乎有些許震蕩。"他補(bǔ)充道。 "Ahh... That's not good. Should I look closer?" "嗯……的確不是什么吉兆呢。需我前去留心觀察一番嗎？" "Hmm... It seems like a fissure," he said.? "呵……那東西看上去像是道裂縫。"他說道， "Go take care of it." "那好，你幫忙過去處理一下吧。" With a simple "alright," she stepped off the cliff.? 簡潔精練地應(yīng)了一聲"好的"之后——佇立于懸崖邊沿的她縱身一躍。 The density of spirits nearby slowed her fall.? 周遭的靈魂密集到足以減緩她的下落速度。 She found a pair of strings that were keeping her blouse, sleeves, and skirt taut. When she tugged them, they loosened and began to dangle;? 在此情形下，她將手探向了那對用來束緊自己上衣、袖口與短裙的絲線，將其拉扯幾許。少女身上的衣裝立刻蓮松開來，于空氣中悠悠飄揚(yáng)。 a shimmer emanated from the cloth and her dress began to ruffle loudly. And as it did, it dulled the influence of the dead. 一團(tuán)光暈自她的服裝中逐漸顯形。光輝點(diǎn)亮之際，四周死靈所帶來的干涉也隨之黯淡無數(shù)。 Once she reached the ground, she took her scythe from her hip, unfolded it to its full height, and after turning it over, rode the underside of the blade in flight to her far-off destination.? 在抵達(dá)地面后，她將懸在腰后的鐮刀舉向身前，展開到原有的長度后便翻轉(zhuǎn)過來，斜坐于刀刃旁側(cè)，朝著自己遙遠(yuǎn)的目的地高速駛?cè)ァ? To mend the fissure after coaxing out the souls trapped within it. 將受困于裂隙的迷途之靈引領(lǐng)出來，再著手修復(fù)裂隙。 To return to the cliff, and watch for any other aberrations.? 默默無言地返回懸崖，繼續(xù)留意其他的異?，F(xiàn)象。 She was to do this, and things like it, day after day.? 過去的她，正是這樣活著——重復(fù)著如上所述的任務(wù)，或是一概肖似之事。日復(fù)一日，年復(fù)一年。 Yes. That was her responsibility. And, in time, her life would join the others.? 這便是她的職責(zé)，她的義務(wù)所在；這般周而復(fù)始，直到她再也不是孤單一人。 In fact, that time has already passed. 到底，那段時光也早就褪色逝去。 It's long ago, gone.? 那些日子，很早以前便不復(fù)存在了。不復(fù)存在—— The world and life she once knew is now only a shapeless memory.? 她腦海中生活于那片世界的"記憶"，早已化作無形。

5-2 "

But this isn't what death was meant to be. 只是，"死亡"本該截然不同。 There was no mystery to it in her life: what happened to the dead was what happened.? 形存則神存，形滅則神滅——在她的生命歷程中，此為公理，"死亡"自然也不是謎題。 There was no "next world", only that which you were born in, lived in, and died in. Something like heaven... hell... even purgatory: these were moralists' tales which only seemed valid in the most ancient of times.? 不存在轉(zhuǎn)生來世；那些有關(guān)天堂，乃至十八層地獄的故事，都僅僅是遠(yuǎn)古時代的道德主義者才會推崇的無稽之談——人出生于那個世界，在那里活著，在那里死去，在那里迎來結(jié)局。 So what is this place? What is this mysterious realm that she one day awakened to?? 那么這地方究竟又是何處？她到底蘇醒于什么未知的領(lǐng)域？ What might it be? What might it be?? 到底是哪里……這里到底是什么地方？ Well... does it really matter?? 不過也是……或許她根本沒有必要糾結(jié)這個問題吧？ "Hm..." "嗯……" She sits knees-up on top of a lighthouse, overlooking a desert. White.? 她蹲坐在燈塔之巔，俯視著腳下的無盡荒漠。 White, and more white...? 純白、無際的純白、整片大地延伸著純白…… and there, glass. "Arcaea" is its name.? 而就在那邊，有著玻璃碎片：那些名叫"Arcaea"的碎片。 With her chin in her hand, she casts a languid gaze toward a bridge extending left.? 她逍遙地用手托著下巴，慵懶的目光投向那座朝左面延伸而去的橋梁。 She doesn't know where that one goes.? 少女并不清楚那座橋會通向何處。 "Phew..." She exhales and stands, taking the scythe from off her hip.? "呼……"她長呼出一口氣，站起身的同時將手探向了臀部后方的那把長鐮。? It doesn't work quite the same here, but she can still utilize it for travel.? 時過境遷，這把鐮刀的用途已不盡相同，但輔助她四處游走仍舊不在話下。 Unconsciously, she brushes her bangs the other way. In doing so she grazes the front side of her left horn with her fingertips.? ——無意識地?fù)]手撫弄著劉海，指尖輕輕碰觸到左角的前段。 Right... right.? 對啊……差點(diǎn)都忘了這件事。 To this day, of all the memories she can find within the Arcaea...? 迄今為止，她于Arcaea之中見證了如此多的回憶…… she hasn't found a single one with any horned humans represented.? 但自始至終，她都未曾尋找到哪怕一片能夠代表頭頂長著雙角的人類。? With these memories being really the only attention-grabbers in this world fashioned from glass, she's spent quite a bit of time watching and cataloguing them.? 在這片由玻璃碎片而點(diǎn)綴的世界之中，她確實(shí)花了不少的時間去觀察、分類那些回憶。畢竟說到底，那些碎片中的各種回憶是這世界里唯一能夠吸引住她的事物。 Keeping them, like records.? 她就這樣保存它們，像是記錄情報一般。 And indeed, those records don't even hint at her race having ever existed anywhere. 不容置疑的是，這些記錄根本絲毫無法證實(shí)她所屬的種族位于任何領(lǐng)域的存在性。 Her race is...? 她所屬的種族是……？ Race... Race?? 種族……種族？ Is that a safe assumption to make? 如此假設(shè)究竟合理嗎？ Was she part of a "people" when she was alive, participating in spiritual horticulture?? 難道說，她活著的時候也曾身為"哪一種族的成員"，參與著某種不可告人的心靈園藝？ Not that it matters now, but perhaps remembering more clearly will unlock more of her old self...? 這也并不意味著那些過往要放在此時還會顯得有多重要，但說不定嘗試弄清那些往事就能離徹底喚醒舊時的"她"更進(jìn)一步。 Something like that, anyway. ……也就是諸如此類的想法。管它那么多呢。 For now, it's time to evaluate which shards of glass have left the part of Arcaea she calls home, which have remained, and which are new.? 此時此刻，該去嘗試對那幾團(tuán)玻璃碎片做一番鑒定了一一那片被她稱之為"家"的Arcaea究竟處在何方，有哪些碎片仍舊殘存，又有哪些是新出現(xiàn)的…… She moves to step from the lighthouse, ready for her new routine.? 這樣想著的她從燈塔上踱步而下，隨時準(zhǔn)備開始新一輪的例行公事。

5-3 "

It does still fly: the scythe. 那把鐮刀，——確實(shí)仍能用于飛行。 Sitting on the length of the handle as a witch might lackadaisically sit on a broom,? 若聯(lián)想女巫總無精打采地橫坐在掃帚柄上四處飛行，這一場景用于形容少女現(xiàn)在的模樣簡直在合適不過。 the young woman rides down a broken, shambled street. The blade sits upright beside and behind her, shifting for every swivel and turn.? 這位年輕的女孩沿著下方那條破敗不堪的殘毀大街飛馳而下，身體斜后方那豎直立起的長刃隨著飛行方向的改變而挪動。 Her movements are smooth and completely ingrained.? 她早已能夠隨心所欲地操縱鐮刀飛行。 As she goes, she looks upon a particular jumble of flying glass. This one runs alongside and above the road like a river,? 在飛行途中，她望向了某一團(tuán)紊亂無章的飛舞碎片。這群玻璃碎片宛若一條懸河，也順著大路流淌向前。 and since her arrival it has not once lost or gained any memories for its flock.? 自從她來到這地方后，那群碎片的成員便再無增減。 This being so peculiar, she checks it every day.? 每日都對此進(jìn)行檢查的少女，認(rèn)為這種情況難免顯得異乎尋常。 Today, too, the memories that glint within each are all ones she has seen before. 直至今天，這條閃閃發(fā)光的溪流也同往日一般，包含著與前日完美一致的回憶內(nèi)容。 Unrelated, unconnected memories of play, song, sadness, strange machines both enormous and fast... It's really a rather eclectic mix,? 盡是些彼此之間毫無聯(lián)系，也絲毫無法銜接的各種回憶。娛樂、音樂、憂傷，以及那些龐大卻敏捷迅速的怪異機(jī)械……倒不如說，這也算是一種折衷的不尋常搭配。 making the fact that they're seemingly unconnected very interesting. 每當(dāng)想到這些看似沒有關(guān)聯(lián)的事物可能是相通的，事情就會變得有趣幾分。 She looks for the memory that she likes the most.? 她在尋找自己最鐘意的回憶。 Of course, finding a specific memory within a crowd is similar to seeking a needle in a stack of hay.? 當(dāng)然，在無數(shù)回憶中尋找自己正在渴求的那一段，無疑是海底撈針。 But the one here—it likes her in return. 但事實(shí)上，那對象就在此處——而且，它似乎也喜歡著她。 A piece of glass breaks from the chain, and it approaches her as she glides on.? 那一片玻璃脫離了碎片的隊列，于少女滑翔之時靠近了她。 She smiles faintly, lifting her right hand from her scythe so that the piece can come to rest over her palm.? 她微微地笑著，將右手從鐮刀上舉起，用掌心去迎接那一片碎片。 In it is the final moment of a small hand-crafted flute's creation.? 它所蘊(yùn)含的那段回憶中——一支小巧玲瓏的手工豎笛的制作馬上就要大功告成。? Making the instrument had been a labor of many minutes, hours, days and months, but the carver who'd done it had condensed all his feeling into this single moment.? 制作這支樂器耗費(fèi)了多少個分秒日月……盡管如此，那位雕刻師卻將全部的情感凝聚在了這最后時刻。? It all came to this. 這一刻終于要來臨了。 He plays a note, and the tone makes him wince.? 他試著吹奏了一個音符，隨之奏響的音符不禁讓他眉頭一皺。 Terrible.? 簡直糟透了。 But it does work.? 還好，至少能順利奏出音色。 Though this memory marked the end of an arduous journey, it also marked the beginning of an even grander one. 盡管這段記憶標(biāo)志著一段艱辛旅程的結(jié)局，卻也象征著另一端更為宏圖大志的旅途即將開始。 Such a curious position...? 還真是異樣的處境呢…… Truly—and the others it shares a crowd with are special indeed.? 實(shí)不相瞞——隸屬于同一團(tuán)塊的其他碎片所蘊(yùn)含的特殊性質(zhì)，自然也是毫不遜色。

5-4 "

That memory is precious. 那一段回憶，確是珍貴。 In fact, if it can be called "precious", more likely than not it has found its way to her at some point.? 當(dāng)然，前提是它的確配得上"珍貴"二字——這碎片似乎更像是在某一刻主動追隨起了少女。 Memories of first pets, of one's survival and another's sacrifice, of first words, of inspiring speeches, of important and private talks...? 第一次擁有寵物的回憶、生存與獻(xiàn)祭的回憶、第一次道出某個詞語的回憶，甚至哪怕是一次鼓舞人心的演講，一次重要的私人談話……? Sometimes, when she is strolling or riding by, these significant memories will just begin following her.? 偶爾少女會在它們一旁漫步而過，或是騎著鐮刀飛掠附近地帶。屆時，這些意義非凡的回憶便會跟隨起她。 She doesn't mind.? 少女卻對此漠不關(guān)心。 She likes that memories so special were kept safe in this curious place.? 讓她真正心感歡喜的，是眼前這些性質(zhì)格外獨(dú)特的回憶被安然保存于此地的事實(shí)。 That is a good thing, but there is something better. 這當(dāng)然十分美妙，只不過在這后面還有更加精彩的事情。 The world of Arcaea serves as an archive to memories of any sort.? Arcaea的世界就好像是一座儲存著各類回憶的宏大檔案館。 A memory of a toothache, a memory of a good meal, a memory of a horse ride, a memory of spilled milk.? 像是牙痛的回憶、美食的回憶、騎馬的回憶、不小心將牛奶打翻的回憶…… Whatever it is, if it was remembered, then it is here.? 不管這些回憶是否存在特殊的意義，只要它們被世人所銘記，便會歸于此處。 And it is really every one of those memories, along with those standouts among them, that shape a man or woman, she thinks.? 而正是這每一片看似微不足道的記憶碎片——甚至連那些極端特殊的個體也在內(nèi)——成功塑造起了那一位又一位人物形象，她心中如此想到。 Not only that, but they serve as the only real evidence that a person ever was alive. 不僅如此，這些碎片更是那些故往世人曾切切實(shí)實(shí)活過的唯一證明。 Monuments and graves are erected in the name of memory, and as for the loss of memory...? 紀(jì)念碑與墳?zāi)挂曰貞浿诖蟮亟ㄔ於?，也以逝去的記憶為名繼續(xù)留在世間…… as she has seen within the Arcaea, that is something at times more tragic and difficult to accept than death.? 如同她于Arcaea內(nèi)所見證的一樣，失去記憶有時比死亡本身更讓人難以接受，也令人倍感傷痛。 "..." "……" She quietly comes to a stop, stepping down onto what looks to have once been a town square.? 她靜悄悄地停止了前行，緩步走入一片看上去曾是座中心廣場的城鎮(zhèn)地帶。? Here, innumerable pieces of glass drift through the air.? 在這里，不可勝數(shù)的玻璃碎片正漂泊于半空之中。 It's something like...? 這一場景就好像…… well, the appropriate term for her might be a garden,? 可以說，這里對她而言就是一座花園—— though one with every "plant" brought in instead of grown natively. 當(dāng)然，這兒的"植物"都并非土生土長，而全是外來物種。 She tends to them all the same. These are the memories she has found in what she considers to be her "home" part of Arcaea.? 她對這里的所有碎片都視同一律。這些Arcaea所包含的回憶，便是她心中認(rèn)定的"家"。 These specific shards are those which were not there when she first awakened. They'd drifted in.? 在這里蘇醒過來的時候，她其實(shí)并未享受到這群碎片的陪伴：它們都是直到后來才流浪至她的視界之中。 "...Hmph," she sniffs, absently taking stock of the pieces.? "……哼嗯。"她用鼻子輕輕吐氣，心不在焉地盤點(diǎn)這些碎片的數(shù)量。 They don't usually leave, but sometimes they wander off... 它們通常都不會自主離開，卻時常不小心飄到別處去…… And that worries her.? 而這一現(xiàn)象令她開始感到擔(dān)憂。 ...Is there meaning in the Arcaea being in the form of something as fragile as glass?? ……在這些猶如玻璃一般脆弱的Arcaea之中，究竟存在著什么意義? ...Back in life, she learned not to ask many questions.? 從前活著的時候，她早已學(xué)會不將過多的疑問牽掛于心頭。

5-5 "

"Huh?" "呵？" Her gaze, still on the Arcaea above, is suddenly broken.? 即使目光仍舊停留于前上方的Arcaea，她的視線卻在剎那間絮亂了。 ...Where did that come from?? ……它是從哪里來的？ Appearing on the shore of her thoughts suddenly, like a fair and gentle-seeming stranger,? 那微小的事實(shí)就這樣沒有預(yù)兆地乍然躍入她的思緒，仿佛一位端莊有禮的紳士要前來拜訪…… was that little fact, in the form of a miniature memory.? 盡管它顯然是以微縮記憶的形態(tài)存在著。 She wasn't sure at first that it was even there,? 起初，她甚至無法確定它是否真實(shí)存在。 but as she thinks it over again and again... she's sure of it.? 但在她屢屢沉思了一番后……絕對沒錯，她明白這是事實(shí)。 She recalls this.? 她以此回憶起這段故事。 This... it happened.? 這段故事……它曾存在過。 Sitting under a pair of quiet old trees, the Soul Stream having gone down, and night having risen, she was speaking with her confrère... 夜幕悠然。傾聽靈魂溪流的潺潺流水聲，她正端坐一對遠(yuǎn)古巨樹之下，與自己的那位同事進(jìn)行暢談。 "You learn to think of it in this sort of paradox," he'd said.? "身處此類悖論中，你終將學(xué)會對它進(jìn)行深刻思考，"他講述道， "You think of all life as precious, but at the same time the drudgery leaves it all as just numbers.? "或許你固然會認(rèn)為每一條生命都是無價的；可與此同時，繁瑣沉悶的日常工作還是會讓那些事物逐漸褪色為單純的數(shù)字。? Higher numbers, lower numbers. It isn't like you stop caring;? 不論那些數(shù)字是相對比較高的，抑或是比較低的……這并不意味著你就該停止為此傾注心意—— it's more as if, if anything, caring so much sharpens you into someone who seems cold." 倒不如說……過量地眷注所有事情，你的外在卻反而會被打磨得愈加冰冷。" "But it's alright," he assured her, smiling weakly at the Stream.? "但這并沒有關(guān)系啊，"他信誓旦旦地向她說道，朝那溪流露出一抹疲倦的笑容， "Thinking too much about it will probably tear you up inside. When you went to the Glen, what was the reason you gave for wanting to walk this path?" "過分存眷于那些事情，確實(shí)會把你的內(nèi)心撕裂得狼狽不堪。在你前往"山谷"的那時候，究竟是什么理由促使你決心踏上這條道路？" She answered.? 她對此做出了回答。 "See? That's what we all say," he replied,? "看吧？其實(shí)我們每個人都會這樣說。"他給予了答復(fù)。 and she recalls how calming his voice had been then.? 而她，始終未曾忘卻下一刻他那格外平靜的話語聲。 "Just remember that, and you'll be fine." "將那一點(diǎn)永遠(yuǎn)銘記于心，你就不會再迷茫。" But there it ends. That's it.? 只是，這段故事在這里就迎來了結(jié)尾——沒有分毫遺漏，這便是故事的全部。 Her gaze comes back to the sharp air above her.? 她將視線重新轉(zhuǎn)向頭頂上方那片凌冽的空白。 Just remember it? Just remember it. Remember it. It... Remember what? 將那一點(diǎn)永遠(yuǎn)銘記于心？銘記那一點(diǎn)……銘記……哪一點(diǎn)？到底要記住什么？ "I... don't remember,"? "我居然……將那件事忘記了。" she whispers softly, but each word, each syllable falls heavily off her tongue.? 她輕聲說道，可自舌根說出每一個字眼的時刻，都艱難到無法想象。 He had been absolutely right. Now she can feel it, building in her eyes: the dull, warm grief that comes with sad revelation.? 他說得完全正確。如今她已經(jīng)能深刻體會到正構(gòu)建于自己視界之中的一切：那一絲單調(diào)卻又伴隨著溫暖的哀思，環(huán)繞象征悲傷的啟示而至。 A new piece of her memory has shown itself to her, but it is crucially broken, and without answers to the questions it has forced into her mind,? 這一小片拼圖確是讓她進(jìn)一步見證了自己在世之時的回憶——但它早已殘破不堪，而且根本無法回答那一系列肆虐著她的困惑分毫。 her heart is killed. The agony is nearly unbearable. 她近乎心死。這種程度的痛苦，令人根本無法承受。 How do you put the pain of knowing you are not entirely yourself into proper words?? 知曉你根本不是完整的自己——這樣的痛楚，究竟有任何文字能夠形容嗎？ Under the cloud of glass, she shuts her eyes, bends her head,? 置身于玻璃云團(tuán)之下的她緊緊閉起了雙眼，緩緩彎下腰來。? and puts the heel of her palm over her nose, the underside of her fist against her skull.? 她將鼻梁沉重地埋在雙手手掌之間，指關(guān)節(jié)死死抵在上眼眶。 She won't cry. She can't let herself do something like that.? 她不會哭泣。她沒有辦法讓自己這么做。 To cry here, at this, would open her to too many facets of reality she has chosen not to face.? 若是在此處放縱淚水流淌，她又將會回憶起多少層面的現(xiàn)實(shí)——那些她執(zhí)意逃避的，殘酷的現(xiàn)實(shí)。 She sits on the ground, sucking in her lips, tightening them. 她就這樣靜靜地坐在地上，緊咬著嘴唇不放，竭力屏住心中的悲痛。 She will not cry. Absolutely not. Okay?? 她不會哭泣。她當(dāng)然不會落淚。不是嗎？ So, gripping at herself and trembling in the world of white, the solitary reaper steadily breathes.? 故此，那位形單影只的收割者能做的，只有抱緊自己孤獨(dú)的身軀，在這個純白的世界中默默地顫抖著。 She tries not to dwell.? 她的鼻中，時不時傳來輕柔的呼吸聲。 She doesn't want to dwell.? 她試圖讓自己的思緒不再徘徊于此——她不想再讓思緒被這種事情侵占了。 But, while calming herself, the thought can't help but occur to her:? 只是，試圖使自己平靜下來時，那思緒卻還是會主動回到她腦海之中。 that, if this is death... 若眼前的全部，便是"死亡"真實(shí)的樣貌…… ...she would much rather have oblivion.? ……那么，她寧可忘卻一切。

5-6 "

The break that occurred within her left her quiet... quieter than usual for what could amount to days.? 心智的崩壞終于使她平靜了下來……多久，她都比從前的任何時候表現(xiàn)得更加安靜。 The key element of that memory—the idea that one was better off not asking many questions—is something that in her contemplation she realized she was attempting to adhere to all this time.? "不要將過多的疑問牽掛于心頭。"這一思想，便是那段記憶的核心要素——而她在一番深思后才覺察到，這更是她往昔至今始終嘗試追循的信條守則。 Her attempts, however, had been half-hearted.? 然而時至今日，她的那些嘗試都未免顯得心不在焉。 That taste of an old memory was too intoxicating to forget.? 那一段古老的回憶始終令她魂牽夢繞，難以忘懷。 Indeed, she refused to forget—but having forgotten so much else...? 她固然完全不打算去遺忘那段故事——卻還是忘記了過多除此之外的事物……? she'd realized she was a broken half-shell of a person.? 她終究意識到，自己已經(jīng)變成了一具殘缺的軀殼。 Forget it.? 這種事情，還是忘卻為好。 She is once again guiding vagrant memories to the square today;? 今日，她又一次將那些迷途的回憶引領(lǐng)至這片廣場；? trying to make this into routine, which will turn to habit, which will turn to nature.? 她試圖將這一舉動當(dāng)成例行公事，等其成為生活習(xí)慣，再等其轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)轫樌沓烧轮隆?Perhaps tedium can rescue her from the cavern always lurking just under the surface:? 或許乏味會在她落入那潛藏于安詳?shù)孛嬲路降纳羁又盃砍蹲∷斑M(jìn)的腳步—— the tar pit of miserable feelings endlessly calling to her.? 若非如此，那不斷呼喚著她的焦油陷坑終會讓失足的她被不幸的感受所淹沒。 Better oblivion, she thinks sincerely, than to feel—if feeling means only grief. 她真切地認(rèn)為——若感受那些事物所帶來的只有痛苦——比起"感受"，果然"遺忘"才是更好的選擇。 And, while conducting the shards of Arcaea, one catches the light of the sky in such a way that she is reflexively bidden to look at it.? 就在她如此引導(dǎo)著這群Arcaea殘片的時候，其中的某片忽然以一種特別的形式反射了源自天空的光線，以至于她條件反射地望向了它。? Without thinking much of it, she brings this shard close. 她幾乎沒去多想，隨即將那碎片召至了自己面前。 The reflection: a crouching, slouched child covering something off the side of a road with her hands.? 反射的場景：一個孩子正懶洋洋地蹲在路邊，用雙手遮罩著什么物體。 Outside her hands, ants shy away, though they seem clearly interested in whatever she's hiding.? 在她的手掌周圍，小小的螞蟻們顯然對她藏在手心側(cè)的事物感到十分好奇，卻還是害羞得四散而逃。 The reaper gives the memory more of her attention, and finds that what the child is hiding is a wounded jade beetle.? 這名收割者將更多的集中力投予這段回憶，繼而發(fā)現(xiàn)那孩子掩藏的事物其實(shí)是一只受傷的無花果甲蟲。 After a moment of contemplation, the girl scoops up the small thing in both of her hands and stands up. 在一番思慮過后，那女孩便用雙手捧起了那小小的存在，從地上站起了身。 That's all.? 這便是全部。 The young observer is motionless for a moment, but then she smirks.? 許久，這位年輕的觀眾都處于呆滯狀態(tài)?？山又闵敌ζ饋?。 That's such an... absolutely pointless memory.? 這還真的……是一段毫無意義的回憶。 Did the beetle recover? How long did that child live for? How long did she hold on to this memory?? 那只甲蟲的傷痊愈了嗎？那孩子活了多久？多少年月，她將這段故事銘記于心？ Stupid little thing...? 全然是件愚笨而無關(guān)緊要的小事…… The girl chuckles.? 少女輕笑了起來。 It's ironic, isn't it...? 真的挺諷刺的，不是嗎？ Remembering something had made her forget why she believed she was here.? 銘記某樣事物，卻使她遺忘了關(guān)于自己為何身于此處的揣測。 Arcaea is a world of memories.? Arcaea是記憶的世界。 Of the dead? Of those still alive? Who can say?? 這些記憶隸屬于死者？抑或是尚在之人？又有誰能回答這個問題呢？ Regardless, it keeps old stories that anyone could forget.? 不論謎底為何，這世界保存著那些任何人或許都會忘卻的過去。 Past expiration of mind, body, monument, or land: however it works, Arcaea steadfastly keeps all.? 靈魂消散、肉身腐朽、石碑碎裂、大地風(fēng)化……任憑時光流逝，Arcaea都完好無缺地保存著一切。 The girl is alone. She has no confrère here, and she was given no reason to do anything when she woke up.? 少女已然只身一人。她在此處并未擁有同事，也不存在什么需要起床做任何工作的理由。 But that doesn't mean that she was to do nothing. 但這并不代表她什么都不會做。 She is here, now. Her old life is over.? 此時此刻，她便身在此地。她過去的生命已經(jīng)到達(dá)盡頭。 That's it.? 僅僅如此。 But doesn't she still have control?? 但她難道仍有權(quán)利掌控一切嗎？? She still feels responsible.? 她依然能感知到自己的職責(zé)。 She doesn't remember the answer she gave, as to why she sought to be a tender of souls,? 她依然無法回憶起自己給予的那個答案——那個使她成為一位靈魂守護(hù)者的理由。 but whatever it was... something tells her that the broken her of now would give the same reason as the complete her from then. 但無論謎底究竟是什么……有一種無形的力量使她堅信，哪怕心靈早已殘缺不堪，但當(dāng)她再次遇到那個問題時，一定也會給出與曾經(jīng)完整的自己相同的理由。 There is no telling what will happen, ever.? 世人本就無法預(yù)言未來。一向如此。 Lives and memories can vanish in a second... but not here.? 無論生命還是回憶，都可能在轉(zhuǎn)瞬間灰飛煙滅……但在此處不一樣。 Her memories may be lost, but these will not be.? 她可能會忘卻屬于自己的回憶，可面前這些回憶不會消逝。 "Tender of Souls" to "Tender of Memories"; she thinks that has a nice sound to it. 由一位"靈魂的守護(hù)者"正式轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)?回憶的守護(hù)者"——她覺得這聽上去十分美好。 Absolutely. You will all be remembered forever.? 沒錯。你們將一直被深深銘記—— So long as I am here.? 只要我仍佇立于此。

5-? "

It was her. There can't be any other explanation. And now, she's here.? 就是她干的，一定是，不然為什么現(xiàn)在她要找上門來？ Lethe grips at the handle of her scythe and swallows. She remembers her duty, and steels her heart.? 忘卻握緊了她的鐮刀。她絕對不是那種不盡義務(wù)的人，她的內(nèi)心此時更加堅定了。 Though your life may have ended, your duty has not.? 縱使她已長眠于世，她也會在這個世界繼續(xù)履行她的義務(wù)。 The sky flickers with glass above. Earth crumbles from the sides of the plateau where she has knelt.? 空氣中漂浮著的玻璃碎片相互折射著，大地自她跪坐在的高地邊緣開始向外坍塌......? The horned reaper picks herself up from the ground—out of her prayer and contemplation. She stares hard at the other.? 這位長角的收割者結(jié)束了她的禱告和冥想，起身，緊盯著來者。 "Even now," the woman says, "you don't want to understand... Is that it?" "直到現(xiàn)在你都還是不明白，"她說，"對吧？" "You... can't even talk," Lethe replies. "Why do you even bother?" "你根本就不懂怎么溝通，"忘卻說到，"你到底想說什么？" "I try to talk," says the other. "I even like to believe I've gotten better at it." "我盡力在跟你溝通了，我覺得已經(jīng)算是小有進(jìn)步了，不是嗎？" With a tremor entering her voice, Lethe tells her, "It certainly doesn't seem that you have." "有嗎？"忘卻反問道，聲音些許不穩(wěn)。 The other woman doesn't answer. With a still face, she stares off at the earth. "You really don't like me at all, hm?" 一段沉默。那個人面無表情地盯著遠(yuǎn)方，過了一會兒，開口道："我就這么不受你待見嗎？" Lethe does not answer. Her tight grip on her tool is all the answer needed.? 忘卻沒有回答，但緊握在鐮刀上的手已經(jīng)交出了答案。 "Unfortunate..." the woman says, turning her eye to Lethe. "Though I can't say that I'm concerned about you much one way or the other." "那可能要掃你的興了。"對方說到，一只眼看向忘卻："我其實(shí)不太在乎你怎么想。" "I... don't..." Lethe begins through clenched teeth, then shouting, "CARE about your opinion of me!" "我才——"忘卻咬緊了牙，接著吼道，"不在乎你怎么想的我！" The woman stares back. Without words, she says: "It is clear that you do." 對方看著她，一副"很明顯你在乎"的表情。 "I won't let you..." Lethe continues. "I can't let you soil their souls like that!" "我絕不會讓你那樣對待這些靈魂！"忘卻回應(yīng)道。 "Souls?" the woman repeats, baffled.? "靈魂？"對方像是突然聽到了什么奇怪的話一般，微微愣住了。 "Is that how you've thought of them all this time?? "在你眼里，那些東西是靈魂？ WE have souls. THEY are only the echoes of dead souls' thoughts." 給我搞清楚了，靈魂只有我們才有，那些東西只是死去的靈魂的一些想法的回聲罷了。" The woman looks behind herself. The jagged "clouds" shift eerily overhead.? 她看了看身后，凹凸不平的碎片云詭譎地盤旋在她們頭頂。 "For what little it's worth..." she mutters, before meeting Lethe's eyes again.? "行吧......"她輕聲說道，將視線再度于忘卻對齊，再度開口： "I will tell you again. Whatever they are, they can be used. And, we are here to use them." "我再說一遍：管它是什么，有利用價值就行。我們就是來把這些東西物盡其用的。" "Be SILENT!" "你給我閉嘴！" Lethe rushes forward and lifts her scythe high, swinging it down the instant she is near her enemy.? 忘卻突然沖向前，高舉鐮刀，向?qū)Ψ娇橙ァ? The blade cuts only through an image.? 鐮刀落下，砍在了一副虛像上。 "Because you've never accepted this place for what it is," she hears as the image collapses into smoke,? "你至始至終就沒有接納過這個地方。"虛像消失時，對方的聲音在她耳邊響起。 "you can't even 'use' the glass." "你甚至無法使喚這些碎片。" Her left ear perks up.? 她的左耳敏銳地捕捉到了聲音的來源。 She turns and sees the woman at the other edge of the plateau, emerging from light. That woman continues to speak.? 她回頭，看見了高地對面的那個人，邊自光那處走來邊說到： "Whatever your foolish motivations, I will pick up the pieces of these lost worlds and bring about one better." "不管你愚蠢地認(rèn)為你有什么使命，我都會收集齊這些過去丟失的世界的碎片，重新帶來一個更好的存在。" With her hand at her face, she fixes her posture and turns to face the reaper.? 她手遮著臉，調(diào)整好姿勢，轉(zhuǎn)身面對著舉著鐮刀的這位收割者， She brings her hand down, and behind it the flower blossoming from her eye shimmers. 然后落下了手，她眼睛上盛開的花閃爍著。 "Because even now," says the woman, Saya, as she fixes her clear eye once again on the woman who hates her,? "就是因?yàn)椋?咲彌看著那位憎惡她的人，說到， "I'm sure that we all have a part to play here... except for, evidently, you." "就算是現(xiàn)在這個時候，大家都有自己的事情要做，除了你，明顯什么忙都沒幫上。" At once, Lethe grows furious, and prepares to fight again.? 忘卻憤怒到了極點(diǎn)，準(zhǔn)備再次發(fā)起攻擊。 It is infuriating...? 此時此刻，怕是只有盛怒一詞才能精確描述當(dāng)下了。 That sentiment is shared, and mirrored, between them.? 橫亙在二人之間的怒火，一觸即發(fā)。

5-? "

When they met while the sky was still whole...? 她們在天空尚且完整之時相見...... When they met after half of it had fallen to night...? 亦在夜空半數(shù)傾塌之時再度相遇。 Every moment they have met before and since, every time they have spoken, Lethe's resentment has grown, and it boils out of her heart now.? 每次相遇，每次對話，忘卻心中的不滿就會增添一分，直至現(xiàn)在傾瀉而出。 She has to have come for the dead.? 她絕對是為了利用這些已故之人而來。 Always, always, she's kept her eye on that.? 一直以來，明明一直以來我都有盡好自己的義務(wù)看守著他們。 Every gathered soul, every gathered sentiment— 她竟不肯放過任何一個魂靈，任何一絲情愫。 She thinks that she is a god, and she thinks she can play with the dead.? 她覺得自己是上帝，能對這些魂靈為所欲為嗎？ But the dead are sacred.? 不，已故的魂靈是神圣的、不容侵犯的。 The reaper will never allow it.? 我絕不允許。? Lethe flies at the callous woman, who, unflinching, vanishes again.? 忘卻沖向這位無情的來訪者。后者不慌不忙，在攻勢抵達(dá)之前消失了。 You have to remember what brought you here. You have to remember what saved you.? 銘記誰將你帶到此處，銘記誰將你拯救。 Glass flies between them and around them. Saya, however, simply studies Lethe.? 玻璃碎片飛舞于她們之中，圍繞于她們之間。咲彌卻仍不緊不慢端詳著忘卻的一舉一動。 You remember the heartache. You remember the bliss.? 你記住了那些心痛，也記住了那些欣喜。 Those feelings can't be lies.? 這些情感怎會是虛假的？ Lethe's scythe strikes against the earth. From afar, Saya continues to watch.? 忘卻的鐮刀撕裂了大地。遠(yuǎn)處的咲彌默默看著這一切。 Those feelings AREN'T lies. You REMEMBER who you are. She is GUESSING for want of belief.? 這些情感都是真真實(shí)實(shí)的啊。你想起來了你是誰，你知道你是誰。 "Lethe..." says Saya.? "忘卻......"咲彌開口。 And Lethe stops.? 忘卻停了下來。 "Did you know that was your name?" "你知道這是你原來的名字嗎？" She turns and faces the flower-eyed girl. Her heart pounds through her chest.? 忘卻轉(zhuǎn)身，面對著這個眼睛上長了朵花的女性，心如擂鼓。 "I know..." Saya reveals. "I've seen you, across memories." "我知道那是你原來的名字。"咲彌繼續(xù)說道，"我在回憶里看見過你。" "L-Liar—" "一......一派胡言！" "Does it resonate?" "你覺得這個名字和你相符嗎？" Lethe flinches, biting her tongue.? 忘卻蹙眉，拒絕了回答。 "When I learned my own name, it resonated.? "當(dāng)我知道我的真名時，我覺得這個名字很適合我。 There are more of us here than you know, reaper. We don't all keep our names from the past,? 你要知道，這塊地方不僅僅只有我們兩個，但不是所有人還是叫自己原來的那個名字， but you have." 不過你卻保留了原名。" Warmth threatens her heart and blood.? 喜悅沖擊著她。 Lethe swallows again, and tries to push it down. 忘卻盡力地壓制著這份趁虛而入的欣喜。 "I've always thought of you as some starry-eyed believer, mistaken in her drive.? "我一直覺得你是一個過分樂觀的傻子，就知道忠誠于你那錯誤的信仰。 But after 'finding' you, I can understand why.? 但找到你、見到你之后，我就明白了為什么你看起來會是那個樣子—— Am I right? You 'remember' yourself.? 那是因?yàn)槟阌浀媚闶钦l，我說的沒錯吧？ That is unusual." 這就是你非同尋常的地方。" "Why are you still talking?" "你為什么還在說些不明不白的東西？" "..." "......" Saya stares at her.? 咲彌盯著忘卻看。 "You even hate my voice?" asks Saya.? "是嗎，討厭我到我的聲音你都不喜歡嗎？"咲彌問道。 "I have NEVER said I hated you." "我什么時候說過我討厭你了。" "You've never needed to." "有些事情無需開口。" A pang flies through her, and she shivers.? 她忽然感到一陣刺痛，顫抖了起來。 But eventually, she laughs.? 最終，她干笑了兩聲。 "Pretending at knowing hearts? You? Ha! Yours is as cold as they come. You don't know hearts." "裝自己很懂人心呢？就你？呵呵，哈哈哈！你沒有心，你了解個什么心。" Saya looks again at the dirt beside her feet.? 咲彌再次瞟了瞟她腳邊的泥土。 "...I know them," the flower-eyed girl replies, almost too quiet to hear.? "......我怎么不了解了。"眼睛鑲著一朵花的女性回答道，聲音微小幾近不可聞。 "What?" "你說什么？" "I know them," Saya answers in a clear tone, meeting Lethe's gaze unwaveringly. "I know the contents of a heart." "我說，我怎么不了解了？"咲彌正視著忘卻，提高聲音回答道，"我知道一顆心是由什么組成的。" "...Hmph. Really?" Lethe queries in turn. "Listen to yourself. Even the way you say that reveals that yours is hollow." "你是在搞笑嗎？"忘卻說道，"你聽聽你都在說些什么。你說的話根本就是在證明你的內(nèi)心是有多么空洞。" Saya does not answer, but she does not look away.? 咲彌沒有回答，但是也沒有移開視線。 "I've already told you that I don't care for whatever's bouncing around behind the petals in your eye," Lethe continues.? "我已經(jīng)說過了，我不在乎你那朵花后頭的眼睛轱轆著在打什么樣的轉(zhuǎn)盤，"忘卻繼續(xù)說道， "I will stop you. You know what I was? You know what I am? Then you know that I can't let you desecrate what is here." "我會阻止你。你不是知道我曾經(jīng)是什么身份嗎？你不是很清楚我現(xiàn)在有著什么樣的使命嗎？那你就該知道我絕不會讓你褻瀆此地。" Still, Saya stares.? 咲彌還是只是盯著忘卻，沒有開口。 "This is my purpose," Lethe declares.? "這就是我的使命。"忘卻振聲道。 This is what I need, she feels.? 這就是我的訴求。忘卻心想。 She turns over the scythe in her hands, readies herself again.? 忘卻調(diào)整了一下自己的鐮刀，握緊了它，進(jìn)入了戒備狀態(tài)。 "Whatever your reason, I will stop you here." "我不管你有什么理由，我定會阻止你。"

5-? "

The light of the sky is given by glass. The souls Lethe has gathered, the memories Saya has gathered; at a border they meet, but never intersect.? 天空所有的光亮僅由碎片賜予。忘卻召集的魂靈和咲彌召集的回憶各居兩方，形成了一條分明的界限。 Thousands of forgotten lives, remembered here. In her mind, the reaper remembers, too, the sight of a well of spirits.? 千千萬萬條被遺忘的生命在這里重新被銘記，這位收割者也回想起了那潭靈魂之池的景象。 What was the reason you gave for wanting to walk this path?? 究竟是什么理由促使你決心踏上這條道路？ Still, she can't remember how it was that she answered.? 她仍然不記得自己是怎么回答這個問題的。 But she has answered it for herself since.? 但她知道，她后來的行動證實(shí)了她的回答。 This feels right. She doesn't need any more than that.? 這就足夠了，有行動的證明就足夠了。 And yet...? 然而...... "—!? You...!" "——??？你！" Once more, she has swung her blade at the other woman. To this, Saya has lifted a finger. At its pad is a shard of glass which deftly catches the blade's edge.? 忘卻再次將鐮刀揮舞向咲彌，咲彌則抬起了一根手指，指肚上的一片玻璃精準(zhǔn)地抵住了鐮刀。 Crouching, Lethe stares up and grimaces at Saya.? 忘卻蹲伏著，表情近乎扭曲，死死瞪著咲彌。 Saya stares back down, as always giving nothing away.? 咲彌也瞪著她，一如既往地沒有任何表情。 The casual insult and abuse of lost life at once raises the hairs across Lethe's body.? 所有的這些漫不經(jīng)心的侮辱和對于已故之人的不敬讓忘卻背脊一陣發(fā)涼。 "You...!" Lethe roars.? "你......！"忘卻吼道。 "What do you get out of taking this from me?" "拿走這些到底對你有什么好處？" Still holding Lethe back, she keeps her eye steady upon the reaper's.? 仍與忘卻對峙著，咲彌正視著忘卻拷問的目光。 "...Get?" she asks.? "......好處？" The glass at Saya's fingertip glows. Her flower shines once more. Again, she becomes a reflection,? 咲彌指尖的玻璃閃爍起來，她眼上的花也再度閃爍，緊接著她再度化成了一具虛像。 and Lethe's scythe swings uselessly through the air. She reappears as light far away.? 忘卻的鐮刀無力地劃過空氣，只見到咲彌重新站在遠(yuǎn)處。 "If all our time together has taught you anything, then you should know I've never been a liar," Saya tells her as the flower from her right eye flickers.? "相處這么久了，你總該明白，我從不撒謊。"右眼上鑲嵌的花仍在閃爍著，咲彌說道。 She pauses, and says clearly: "I 'get' nothing out of this. None of this is... personal." 一陣沉默后，她再度開口："我得不到任何好處，這一切都不是出于我個人的動機(jī)。" And though she can feel that that is the truth, Lethe almost can't allow herself to believe it.? 即使忘卻能感覺到咲彌說的是真話，她也不愿意相信。 "And, if you know that... if you know 'me'..." Saya continues.? "所以，如果你明白這點(diǎn)的話......如果你，了解我的話......"咲彌繼續(xù)說道。 And ten shards come down from the sky, flickering as well at her shoulders and behind her back.? 接著，十塊碎片自天而降，停在她的肩膀前和背后。 "Forgive me, I'm getting a bit passionate, but..."? "不好意思，我也難免有些激動了......" she mutters, her eye closed.? 咲彌小聲說著，閉上眼。? Coldly, she opens it upon Lethe again and pointedly asks her, "Why are you still getting in my way?" 接著她睜開了眼，冷冷地瞪著忘卻，問道："為什么你還在擋我的道？" "YOUR way?" Lethe spits. "What, are you about to claim that we can finally become gods now, or some other ridiculous wish?" "我，擋你的道？！"忘卻罵道，"怎么著？這是要跟我說你是神了？還是有更離譜的胡話？" "Who ever said anything about wanting to be god..." "我什么時候說過我要當(dāng)神了......" "You're PLAYING god! You think you aren't?" "你這態(tài)度和舉動就是在告訴我你想當(dāng)神！怎么，你覺得你很無辜嗎？" "I am doing... whatever HAS to be done." Slowly, Saya lifts her finger and points at Lethe.? "我只是在......完成必須要做的事罷了。"咲彌緩緩抬起手，指向忘卻。 "I have already told you: this world is not only 'you' and 'me'." "我已經(jīng)跟你說過了，這個世界不只是圍繞著你我二人旋轉(zhuǎn)。" Between them, a silence falls.? 兩人之間充斥著的是沉默。 Between them, the land is gray.? 兩人之間，大地灰蒙蒙的，毫無生機(jī)。 "Allow this world to die if you want," Saya tells her, still firm in her direction,? "你想讓這個世界死去那是你的事，"仍然堅定地準(zhǔn)備迎戰(zhàn)，咲彌打破了沉默： "but I have had enough of death. And if there must be a last death... I'll have it be yours." "但我已經(jīng)受夠了死亡了。如果必須要死一個人......那你就去死吧。" The flower-eyed woman's glass begins to point as well.? 咲彌身邊的碎片開始轉(zhuǎn)動，指向了對方。 "Give up your memories, reaper, or I will take them. We have no time left." "把你的回憶交出來，如果你不乖乖交出來的話，我就親自從你手中拿走。" Give up your souls, she means...? 她想讓我放棄我守護(hù)的這些魂靈？ Absolutely not. 絕對不可能。 "I won't let it die," Lethe replies. "I will find a way to heal it." "我不會讓它們死去，"忘卻回答道，"我會找到拯救它們的辦法。" "Idiot," Saya says damningly.? "蠢貨。"咲彌呵斥道， "You are an idiot, and if I'm being honest, I've become sick and tired of hearing you speak." "你就是個蠢貨，你要聽實(shí)話嗎？我已經(jīng)厭倦聽你講話了。" Lethe chuckles.? 忘卻笑了。 "Another thing we have in common..."? "我也是，在這點(diǎn)上我們竟也如此相似。" She stands up straight again and picks up her scythe. 她直起身，舉起她的鐮刀。 For this heartless, soulless woman...? 這樣一個沒心沒肺的人...... Next, she will swing to kill.? 她絕不會手下留情。