斯芬克斯战兽正在东环上的岛屿那里徘徊，逐渐从内岸向外滩推进。跟随他们的清理的小路之后，我们终于到达外滩，透过广阔的外湖远眺那远方的火山口。
斯芬克斯战兽带着它们刚挖出来的首领到了一个由未加工的金属制成的低矮的漂浮着的建筑，它满是棱角，呈现灰色。这种结构缺乏使先行者建筑拥有华丽的外观的，常见的节点和全息影像。事实上，鸟瞰起来，它更像是一个被遗忘的仓库，和那些从湖边就开始生长的高大的棕榈树相对，一般人根本不会注意这里。真是越来越来有意思了。
四个战兽站成两列。带着宣教士的那只战兽停在一个宽阔的下坡—那是建筑的入口。我听到巨大的门板被用力摆动的声音。斯芬克斯战兽滑下斜坡，进入建筑中。
外面剩下的那两个随着一阵淡淡的呼呼声，把腿和胳膊折叠起来，降落到地面上。他们的关节处蓝色的光斑消失了。
我们偷偷地从那两只一动不动的战兽面前走过，心中无比忐忑，因为不能确定它们是在守卫这里，还是再次进入休眠。最勇敢的是，莱塞停下来，拍了拍离的最近的机器的满是坑洞的表面，吓得查卡斯惊叫-“不要那样做！他们能将我们轰成渣子。”
“我不知道哎，”莱塞说，他眯起眼睛，竖起耳朵，张着嘴。毫无疑问，这是他的勇气时的表情。
事实上，斯芬克斯战兽依旧和石头一样一动不动。我向下看着入口。沙子不断掉落入坡道中，显示出其他战兽的脚印。在这个地道底部一片漆黑。
门还开着。你在你朝思暮想的地方。
“呆在这儿，”我告诉查卡斯，开始沿着斜坡往下走。他伸手抓住我的肩膀。
“这不关你的事，”他说，好像担心我的安全。我轻轻地把他的手拉开。肉体之间的接触并没有我想的那么可怕。他皮肤的感觉和一个年轻的先行者—我自己的皮肤有点不同。
当然，我们不可能真正成为兄弟，虽然都由先驱者的创造的…
“我认为智库长想让我们都进去，”我说。我的恐惧与我的胆量和一些其他的想法被我误以为是勇气，从而使我下了一个愚蠢的决心。我喜欢扑火的飞蛾，即时保证这样很安全，但是如果没有充分的理由和及时的救助，这就算得上极其危险的冒险了。“在你出生前就有人把消息植入到你的大脑里。有人告诉你诱导一个先行者来这。你唱出了正确的密码，并将冥冢打开。
查卡斯的嘴巴已经成了一个”O”字，然后跪下来，把双手举过头顶，面对斜坡入口。莱塞立刻加入他，还抬头看了我一眼，好像在向我确定这是不是进行祷告的正确方式。“智库长被这一切所打动了，”查卡斯说，他们一起停止膜拜，又开始低声祷告。
我继续在黑暗中摸索前进。这个建筑物给我的第一映像就是宽阔而潮湿，四倍于我身高的屋顶只能勉强容纳战兽。冷气在我脚下汇集，而热气却在我的腰部萦纡不散。在黑暗之中，我隐约看见一片绿光，我看见，斯芬克斯战兽的轮廓，它们面面相觑，围在一个满是银白色液体的池子周围。包着宣教士的吊索在斯芬克斯战兽之间缓缓降下，现在仅距池子数厘米远。我在里那里尽可能近的地方。
但是在接下来的几分钟里，在我的四周，所有东西都是静止了。
然后，那个令人毛骨悚然的声音再次对我说话：
“先行者，你见证这次回归么？“
我现在想逃跑了，但是一切都晚了，一道明亮白光射从屋顶射下来，包住了我。光束发闪烁的微光，让我无法动弹。
“这一切你都看见了？“
“我，我看见了，”我说，我的声音微弱，颤抖。
“你是否和他人讲过关于他回归的事？“
“我……我都不知道该说什么。”

“你说了没有？“
“我说了……但仅仅是这件事。”
“你是否会遵守你当初的这一决定，把宣教士从无尽的冥想中唤醒？“
对我来说，那具干瘪的”木乃伊”看上去明明就已经死了。我不知道这是否意味着宣教士就要被复活了—但我一直在被教导复活是不可能的。显然，我对正在发生的事一无所知，但我知道现在最简单最正常的回答方式是，“我遵守。”
在这房间的屋顶那里突然出现了四条带状的个人装甲的组成部分，对于一个普罗米修斯战士来说已经够大了，装甲一边舒展扩大，一边缓慢下降。这些装甲的装片围着吊索旋转，他们如玻璃般透明悬空触角中迅速充满了三种颜色的液体—电解质液和用于在长途旅行中补充体力的营养液。绝大多数先行者装甲可以让穿戴者在没有外界的补给下存活许多年。
”过来，“那声音命令道。“宣教士对这里并不熟悉。输入复苏液。”
我全身都在发抖，但我却依旧走到水池里，走到这银色液体里。我的腿感到一阵温暖。触手卷曲向我这移动，没有攻击，只是简单地悬着，等待着下一步指令。
斯芬克斯战兽把网舒展开，它伸展到房间的天花板那里，呈现出一种盘曲折叠的样子。我也因此第一次看见宣教士的脸。那确实是一张坚毅的面庞，皮肤沿着头骨自然绷紧。
“将电解质液拿来，”那个声音告诉我。我反倒很勤快，将装满红色液体的触手向前移动，我抓住了它。
“你的嘴？“我问。
“通过嘴唇。脱水的状况会有所改善，也就不会在这么虚弱了。”
我向前靠了靠，试图不去碰那干瘪的胳膊，但还是不小心碰到了。令人吃惊的是他的胳膊不是冰凉的，而是温暖的…
宣教士并没有死。
我压了压触手的末端，是一个狭窄的喷嘴，对着干燥的嘴唇，然后把它们分开，露出宽宽的，略带灰色的白牙。喷嘴从压紧的喷口中射出大量的红色液体。大部分的液体都流到了他干瘪的脸颊，然后滴入池子里。
然后我用剩下两种颜色的蓝色液体。不久在这张网里就有了结果—宣教士那巨大的身躯开始活动。盔甲的装片开始在宣教士身体上方弯曲，仿佛想拥抱他，保护他。
“他在冥冢里待的时间太长了。他现在回来了，但是很虚弱，不能操之过急，要慢慢来。先举起并伸展他的手臂，要轻轻地，“那个声音命令。如果他的手没有萎缩，那么光他手臂的力量就可能把我打败。但我按照我被告知的那样做了。我围着斯芬克斯战兽走了一圈，去举起并转动另一只手臂，然后舒展双腿—几乎如木头般僵直—等到皮肤呈现出不同的光泽，并且变柔软后我才停下来。
我按照从我嘴里发出声音的所有指示，用几抔银色的液体给宣教士按摩和清洁，在把他放入复活池水之前。在接下来的四小时里，我煞费苦心地帮助这位普罗米修斯战士从昏迷之中恢复过来，从进入极深入沉思的，像我这个年龄的先行者只是视为遥远的传说的放逐之中恢复过来。
他终于从永恒的欢乐与和平之中回归了。
他睁开了他的眼睛。两个防护镜片脱落，他眨了眨眼睛，然后抬头望着我，皱了一个难看的眉。“我让你受苦了，”他喃喃地说，他的声音像深海海底的岩石一般沉重。“多久？我在这里多久了？“
我什么也没说。因为我也不知道多久。
他挣扎扭动着起来，但是这张网巧妙地制止了他，他现在可不能动得那么快，那么剧烈。在一阵尴尬后，他还是躺在网里，筋疲力尽，从他的鼻子和嘴唇流出来液体。他想说话，但那是困难的。
但他还是说出了一个问题。“该死的最后被炒了没有？“
“现在快走。就这样做，”那个声音告诉我。
我立即爬出了池子然后离开了房间。那两个人类还在等我，我真是太感动了，但也太害怕了，不敢说出这件里面发生的事。

第六章
TIME ON THE ring island seemed suspended.
Something in the silvery fluid, in the splash from the restoring liquids—in the aura of disturbed peace that had surrounded the Didact—had deeply affected me. I felt I had been bathed in history, waded through time itself.
Suns rose and set, but I was not sure they were the same sun, nor that the night sky was the same sky—everything seemed different. The two humans stayed close, like worried pets. We dozed together. Their touch was no longer repugnant. They helped keep me warm. Given time, I would never understand humans, but I might feel a certain affection for them. I actually slept for the first time since infancy, confirming to myself that it was armor that relieved Forerunners from this natural act.
After ten days, the Didact ventured out of the chamber to take exercise. His skin had lost most of its wrinkled character and taken on a more natural grayish pink color. He still wore no armor, perhaps because he was intent on full recovery, without assistance. Silent, morose, he did not ask for company, and we avoided his pathways. Still, I made note of the changes his return from eternity had brought to this place.
All the war sphinxes were now active. They moved purposefully about the island, blazing fresh trails through the trees, though they always left the green, leafy canopies intact. I assumed they were establishing points of observation and lines of communication between possible defensive positions. Such preparations seemed antique and peculiar, to say the least. Perhaps the Didact had not returned with his wits intact.
Once, we observed two sphinxes merging to create a larger unit, yet with the same stern, judgmental expression carved into the forward surface.
From near the ramp, where Chakas and I lunched on fruit and coconuts, we watched the Didact return from a hike that had begun with movement east, and now ended with his return from the west—a complete circuit of the island, following the new trails.
“What’s hedoing?” Chakas asked, his mouth full.
“Reconnoitering. Preparing for his defense,” I guessed.
“Defense against what?” Chakas asked, incredulous.
I wondered if these humans knew how lucky they were, that he hadn’t already crushed them with his great hands, or had the sphinxes burn them to ashes.
The Didact descended the ramp, paying as little attention to us as he might a windblown shrub or a wayward scatter of birds.
“Why are we here?” Chakas asked me, his voice hushed. “What is he to the Librarian?”
“Her husband,” I said. “In the old legends, they were married.”
Chakas looked shocked, then disgusted. “Forerunnersmarry each other?”
To be honest, I was equally incredulous. How could such an intimate alliance form between the supreme enemy of humans and their last and greatest protector?
I explained simply to pass the time. “Forerunners marry for many reasons, but the lower rates are said to marry more often for love. This allows strange liaisons. Humans will never understand. Your own customs are much too primitive.”
Chakas received this with less than perfect grace. He swore under his breath and took off through the jungle. I thought him remarkably obtuse, unwilling as he was to accept his station in life.

离开环形岛的时间看起来要被推迟了。
在银色的流体中，在飞溅出来的恢复液里—浸泡着刚刚从被打断的冥想中苏醒的宣教士的液体，在这其中有些东西深深地影响了我。我觉得我刚才遨游在历史的海洋里，经过时间的洗礼。
太阳升升落落，但我能不确定那是同一个太阳，也不能确定太阳落下的夜空是同一片夜空—一切看起来都不一样了。两人紧紧的挤在一起，就像宠物没了主人一样着急。晚上，我们睡在一起。与他们身体上的接触也不再令我感到反感。恰恰相反，他们的体温还帮我取暖。虽然即使上天再给我一些时间，我也不可能会理解人类的行为，但我能体会到我对他们的某种关心。我自幼儿时期以来第一次真正意义上的睡觉，在这此之前，我还以为装甲已经把先行者从那些所谓的原始行为中解放出来。
十天后，宣教士试着从室内走出来锻炼一下身体。他皮肤上大部分皱纹已经褪掉了，现在反而呈现出一种更自然的灰粉色。他还没有穿装甲，也就没有协助，也许是因为他是想在完全恢复后在穿吧。一句话也没有说，一脸愁容，他没有要人陪伴他，我们也自然不挡他的路。不过，我依旧记录着他从冥想之中醒来后给这个地方带来的变化。
所有的斯芬克斯战兽都很活跃。他们自觉地在岛上转来转去，并在树林间烧出一条条新出”炉”的小路，但是他们都留下了绿色，完整的树木。我猜他们是在可能的防守点之间建立观察哨和通信。这样的准备
看起来似乎即原始又罕见。至少可以这么说，宣教士他的力量还没有完全恢复。
有一次，我们观察到了两个战兽融合，创造一个更大的家伙，但它看起来表情依旧严肃威严。
在查卡斯和我吃完午饭—椰子和水果时，我们从附近的斜坡那里偷看到宣教士先向东进行一次远足，又沿着刚开出的小路在向西完成一次远行。
“他在干啥呢？“查卡斯问，嘴里塞满了吃的。
“侦察。准备他的防御，“我猜。
“防御什么？“查卡斯好奇地问。
我真相知道如果这些人类知道他们是多么的幸运—他没有被普罗米修斯的大手捏得粉碎，或是被斯芬克斯战兽烧为灰烬。
宣教士走下坡道，开始注意我们很少关注的，可能被风吹倒的灌木和随意分开的鸟类。
“我们为什么在这儿？“查卡斯问我，他的声音压得很低。“他是智库长的什么人？“
“她的丈夫，”我说。“在古老的故事中，他们结婚了。”
查卡斯看上去很吃惊，然后开始厌恶。“先行者都会嫁或是娶走对方吗？“
老实说，我也不相信。怎么能这样一个亲密的联合怎么会在人类最强大的敌人和人类最后但也是最伟大的保护者之间产生呢？
我解释说，仅仅是为了打发时间。“先行者结婚的原因很多，但较低等级的结合更多因为爱。这些奇怪的关系。人类永远也不会明白。因为你们自己的习惯就太原始了。”
查卡斯失望地接受这句话。他在他的呼吸时咒骂了几句，转身走入了丛林。我认为他这样显得相当愚蠢，不愿接受他生活中的现状。

Riser was constantly venturing into the jungle alone, and brought back more fruits and a few coconuts. He seemed unconcerned about what might happen next.
The Didact stayed in the chamber that evening while I hiked through the jungle with my humans. (Ownership seemed a more seemly relation than brotherhood.) We then gathered on the inner beach under a brilliance of stars. My apprehension and numbness had dissipated and were now—too typically, I fear—being replaced by boredom.
We had served our purpose. We weren’t needed anymore, obviously. If we weren’t to be killed or arrested, if the Didact ignored us, then perhaps we could make our way to the outer shore and find a boat.
But Chakas didn’t think so. He pointed out that the profile of the crater’s central peak had changed. “They’ll see it from the rim. That will stop any boats from coming here.”
I hadn’t deigned to be so observant. Generally, personal armor kept track of life’s little details, leaving Forerunners free to engage in elevated thoughts. “What’s changed?” I asked, irritated. “It’s dark. It still has trees around its base and bare rocks up to the top.”
“I think the machines are crossing over and working there,” he said. “Anyway, something is moving rocks.”
“Sphinxes are war machines, not excavators.”
“Maybe there are other machines.”
“We don’t see them,” I pointed out. “And I don’t hear anything.”
“Tomorrow,” Riser suggested, and vanished into the trees, not to return for hours. Chakas and I made our way to the outer shore.
The next night, we tried to follow Riser on one of his excursions. The little human was apparently allowed to roam freely, but a solitary war sphinx dropped swiftly through the trees and planted itself on curved legs, blocking Chakas and me.
“What are we,prisoners?” I shouted.
It made no answer.
Chakas shook his head, grinning.
“What’s funny?” I asked as we trudged back the way we had come, followed by the hovering sphinx. Riser darted past us with a small pile of nuts.
Chakas shouted after him, not in anger, but in humor. “Hamanush are free to come and go,” he said. “He’ll boast about it if we get home. Looks like he’s our superior here.”
“His brain is smaller than yours,” I said.
“And yours is smaller than the Didact’s, I’ll wager.”
“No,” I said, and was about to explain the ways of mutation from Manipular to higher rates and greater forms, while we returned to the clearing around the half-buried chamber.
But my words were choked off.
The Didact sat in a posture of quiet thought atop the left wall of the ramp. His dark-hooded eyes tracked us for the first time as if we were worthy of some small attention. He grunted and dropped from the wall with newfound agility. “Manipular,” he said. “Why are these humans here?”
Chakas and I stood before the Promethean, locked into awed silence. This was it, I thought—the time of judgment and punishment.
“Tell me, whyhumans?”
“This isour world,” Chakas said, in a fair imitation of the Didact’s exalted grammar and tone. “Perhaps we should ask whyyou are here.”
I wanted to clamp my hands around his mouth, and turned to reprimand him, but the Didact raised one powerful arm. “You,” he said, pointing to me. “How came this to be?”
“The human is telling the truth,” I said. “This is a planet reserved for their occupation. I came here seeking artifacts. These humans showed me to your resting place. They have agea—”

莱塞不断冒险独自进入丛林，带回更多的水果和一些椰子。他似乎对未来会发生什么并不感兴趣。
宣教士那天晚上待在室内，而我却和人类穿过丛林。（我和人类的关系与其说是兄弟，不如说是领主。）然后我们在璀璨的星光下聚集到内滩。我心中的忧虑和麻木已经消失—还有恐惧—都已被无聊所取代。
我们曾经为了共同的目标来到此地。但是，我们不是了，很明显。如果我们没被宣教士杀死或抓走，如果宣教士忽略了我们，那么也许我们可以自己开辟条路出来，到达岸边，找到一条船。
但查卡斯不这么认为。他指出，火山口的中央峰外形发生了变化。“他们站在山边上看见我们的行动。它们会阻止任何船只来到这里。”
我从来都不必很细心的。一般来说，先行者个人的装甲会留意生活中的这些小的细节，让先行者有时间自由进行思考那些高尚的事。“是什么改变了？“我问，感到很恼火。“这里都是黑漆漆的。它在火山口的基部那里有许多树还有，许多向上竖立着的裸岩。”
“我认为机器会穿过在那里，并且在那里施工，”他说。“不管怎样，有什么东西移动了石头。”
“斯芬克斯战兽是战争机器，不是挖掘机。”
“也许有其他的机器。”
“我们根本没有看到他们，”我指出来。“而且我什么奇怪的声音也没听到。”
“这些事明天再说吧，”莱塞建议，然后消失在树上，好几个小时都没回来。查卡斯和我于是去了外滩。
第二天晚上，我们试图跟着莱塞做了一次远足。小矮人显然是允许自由行动，但一支斯芬克斯战兽突然穿过树林降了下来，弯着腿，矗在前面，挡住了我和查卡斯的路。
“干什么，把我们当犯人是吧？”我喊道。
它没有回答。
查卡斯他竟然笑了笑，摇摇头。
“有什么好笑的？“当我们沿着原路艰难的走回去时，我问道，这时空中还有战兽跟踪。莱塞带着一堆小坚果，飞快地跑过我们。
查卡斯冲着他的背影喊了几声，不是生气，而是幽默。“hamanush来去自由，”他说。“当我们回家的时候，他会吹嘘这件事的。在这里他看起来比我们有优势。”
“他的大脑比你的小，”我说。
“那你的小于比宣教士的小，我敢打赌。”
“不，”我说，正要向他解释见习者向更高阶级和形态进化的方式时，我们在回到那个半埋在土里的房间的路上。
但是我到嘴边的话被咽了回去。
宣教士以一个安静的冥想的姿态坐在斜坡的左壁上。他的黑色的瞳孔第一次注视着我们，好像我们终于值得他稍稍流意一下。他哼了一声，从土墙上轻盈的跳下。“见习者，”他说。“为什么人类在这里？“
查卡斯和我站在普罗米修斯，吓得连一句话都不敢说。果然还是逃不掉，正如我所想的—审判和惩罚终于来了。
“告诉我，为什么这里会有人类？“
“这里是我们的地界，”查卡斯说，在模仿宣教士那贵族气质的语法和语调说话。“或许我们应该问你为什么在这。”
我真想把查卡斯的嘴巴给拧上，并转身揍他一顿，但宣教士举起他健硕的胳膊，指着我。“你，”他说，“是怎么到这里的？“
“这个人类说的是事实，”我说。“这是留给他们繁衍的星球。我来这里寻找古迹。这些人类就把我带到你冥想的地方。他们有基因—”

“A Cryptum is not to be violated,” he interrupted, looking off at the sky. “One of you found a way to open my vessel. Who? And how?”
His sadness was like a pall over the beach and the jungle. For me, in the presence of such a senior Forerunner, it seemed as if the very air filled with his weary gloom.
“The humans sang songs,” I answered. “The Cryptum opened.”
“Only one Forerunner would ever be so devious,” the Didact said, his voice softening. “Or so clever. You were about to say, the humans have ageas. Someone infused them with codes in their infancy, or earlier—genetically.”
“I think that might be so.”
“How much time has passed?”
“Perhaps a thousand years,” I said. “A very long sleep.”
“Notsleep,” the Didact said. “I entered the Cryptum on another world. Someone brought me here. Why?”
“We are tools of the Librarian,” Chakas said. “We serve her.”
The Didact examined the human with distaste. “With my sphinxes, someone helped revive me.”
“I did,” I confirmed.
“I had hoped to rise in triumph and recognition of my judgment—but instead, I find myself facing young fools and the offspring of ancient enemies. This is worse than disgrace. Only one other reason … one other provocation would make the Librarian revive me under these humiliating circumstances.”
He raised one arm, then executed a brief wave in the air with his fingers. The pieces of armor floated out of the chamber, and the Didact assumed a position of robing, arms extended. The armor sections surrounded his limbs, his torso, and finally, the top of his head, in shimmering pale bands that floated centimeters above his skin. I was surprised by the humbleness of the armor’s design. My father’s armor was far more ornate, yet he was not the stuff of legend. Such were the sumptuary rules of Forerunners—even a great Promethean must dress below the style of any Builder.
“There must be a reason my wife is not here to greet me,” the Didact said when he was fully clothed. He stretched his arms to the stars. Beams shot from his fingers, and he sketched out several constellations, as if commanding the stars to move. I felt strangely surprised when they did not.
The beams dimmed and went out, and he curled his fingers into fists. “You know nothing.”
“So I’ve been told,” I said.
“You are a mere Manipular, and a reckless one at that.” He pointed to Riser. “Little human, I know your kind. You are of ancient form. I asked you be preserved, because you are peaceful yet full of cleverness. Worthy pets to amuse and by low example to instruct our young. Butyou…” He swung his finger around to Chakas. “You are too much like the humans who nearly wrecked my fleets and murdered my warriors. My wife has taken liberties. She provokes me.” He stretched out his arms. The armor flashed. “You provoke me.”
Chakas’s face clouded but, wisely, he said nothing.
The Didact seemed to rethink any violent action. His arms dropped and the armor returned to a state of protection.
“Manipular, where did you see first light?” he asked.
I explained that my venerable Builder family had long inhabited systems in and around the Orion nebular complex, near the Forerunner core.
“Why are you naked?”
“Merses surround this island,” I said. “They won’t tolerate complex machines. My ancilla—”
“My wife raised merses in our garden shallows,” the Didact said. “Never liked them much myself. Show me.”

“冥冢是不可能被破坏的，”他打断我说的话，眺望远处的天空。“你们其中一个人一定发现了某种方法来打开我的船。是谁？怎么做的？“
他的悲伤笼罩着这片海滩和树林。对我来说，由于一个这么高级的先行者的存在，仿佛空气里也满是他心神俱疲的忧伤。
“人类唱完歌后，”我回答。“冥冢就打开了。”
“要是只有一个先行者的话，打开冥冢是会曲折，“宣教士说，他的声音软了下来。“这么聪明。你刚才想说，人类有基因曲调。有人给他们在幼儿时期，或者更早的时候植入了这些代码。”
“我想可能也是这样。”
“我冥想了多长时间？“
“也许一千年了，”我说。“反正是一顿很长的休眠。”
“不是睡眠，“宣教士说。“我进入在另一个地界进入冥冢。有人把我带到这里。这是为什么？“
“我们只是智库长的工具，“查卡斯说。“我们要服侍她。”
宣教士厌恶地看了查卡斯一眼。“在我的斯芬克斯战兽的帮助下，有人把我重新唤醒了。”
“是我，”我承认。
“我希望我在醒来后，可以得到对我凯旋胜利的承认和进阶—但是恰恰相反，我发现自己面对着一个年轻的被智库长当作工具的先行者和古老敌人的后代。这是比被羞辱更糟的事。只有一个原因才会这样……智库长是想看我被如此羞辱后会怎么办，这样想挑衅我才让我苏醒。”
他举起手臂，然后在空气中用他的手指划一个简单的符号。装甲装片就漂出房间，宣教士站出一副要打劫的姿势，张开手臂。装甲的一部分自动包住了他的四肢，他的躯干，最后，他的头部，装甲闪着微光，在离他皮肤几厘米处悬浮。我不得不为他装甲设计的简洁风格而惊讶。我父亲的装甲更华丽，但他不是向宣教士一样的传奇人物。这是个奢侈的规定，即使是一个伟大的先行者—普罗米修斯必须穿的比架构者简单。
“一定有原因，我的妻子她不在这里迎接我，“宣教士在他完全穿上装甲时说。他伸出手臂指着星星。光从他的手指露出来，他勾勒出几个星座，好像在指挥的恒星移动。当他星星没有反应时，我更是感到惊讶。
光线开始变暗，消失，他把手攥成拳头。“你什么东西都不知道。”
“我以前就知道了，”我说。
“你是仅仅是个见习者，而且还是他们里面很鲁莽的一个。”他指着莱塞。“小矮子，我知道你。你是残存的古老人种。我要把你留下，因为你是脾气随和而且还算有些智慧。可以当宠物养起来玩一下，并且作为低等生物的例子来教导我们的年轻人。但是你……”他对这查卡斯摇了摇手指。“你长得太像那个人类，那个几乎毁了我的舰队，杀光了我的战士的人类。我的妻子剥夺了我的自由。她惹恼了我。”他伸出双臂。他的装甲在闪烁。“而你也惹恼了我。”
查卡斯的脸上阴云密布，但是，他很聪明，什么也没说。
宣教士似乎对是否实施暴力又思考了一下。不久，他把双臂放下，又装甲回到保护状态。
“见习者，你在哪里出生的？“他问。
我解释说我是出生于高贵的架构者家庭，曾长期居住在猎户座星云内的繁华先行者的核心居住区。
“那么你为什么不穿装甲？“
“莫丝生活该岛附近的水里，”我说。“他们不能忍受复杂的机器。我的智仆——”
“我妻子在我们花园的浅滩那里养莫丝，“宣教士说。“我从来不喜欢它们。给我带路，我要看看它们。”

当我们徒步走在外滩上时，查卡斯心情很不好，他在宣教士，莱塞和我后面，沿着斯芬克斯战兽新开的小路前进，战兽的开路本领让宣教士也着实吃了一惊。事实上，他对在自己掌控下的环境反倒感到陌生—当我们发现一些东西后，他不是回想起什么，而是更加困惑。
他对中央峰的地貌的改变没有任何解释。
“我想我迷路了，”他说，当我们看的djamonkin火山口外的湖泊。他研究起那些正打滚的莫丝。他发现了一个低处岩石，于是又坐在那沉思，也似乎显示出一丝疲惫。“有没有人能告诉我为什么我不能处在那在永恒的平静之中。”
“那不是平静，是逃避，”我说。
他皱了皱眉。“没错，我是在逃避。为了讲出事实，战术和战略智慧，我被迫退隐，对大架构师鲁莽冒进的主张的反对一点用也没有……”
他停了下来。“但这些事并不适合对见习者讲。告诉我—那些武器完成了吗？他们有没有使被用？“
我告诉他我并不知道什么武器。
“什么你知道这是什么意思么。作为一个见习者，你也不忙着了解你所处的大环境。而且更糟的是，你显然关注个人利益和所谓的宝藏。先驱者的古迹。怪不得你在找圣钥。”
他的话深深地刺痛了我，不仅仅因为他说的都是真的。“说实话，我一只忠于我所寻找的目标，不仅仅光是为了消遣，”我说。“这些以冒险为借口的行为都是为了达到目的的手段。“我用了他说的话：“你在你朝思暮想的地方。”
“哎呀，“宣教士喃喃地说，摇着他的头。“你也是这样么，我曾经告诉她这句话，从那以后她就一只用这句话责备我。”他的目光跃过湖面，看着万里无云的远方天空，现在正是清晨，太阳从地平线钻了出来。风从西方吹入火山口里宽广的盆地中，吹皱了一池清水，引的池中焦躁的莫丝吐出了一阵阵水泡。
“这些丑陋自私的野兽，“宣教士观察了四周，他的敌意已经消退了。“你是用什么方式让你来这里而不被莫丝攻击？“
我向他解释了关于人类和他们的由蒸汽驱动木船的事，但是还需要在水下播放歌曲才能安全地通过这里。
“人类制造工具…又一次制造工具了……我一直被很巧妙地隐藏着。难怪没有其他的先行者会来找我。”
“这么长时间里，”莱塞证实。他仿佛在宣教士周围待着很自在—仿佛是本能一般。我很明白这点。他在一个专门从事奴仆物种的最熟青睐的年纪…
难怪查卡斯的心情不好。他自己的本能可能是有时把灰暗的记忆消除，有时就是满脑子充满灰暗的记忆。
“你杀死任何走近冥冢的人类，”我说。“或者说，至少是任何愚蠢的人。”
“这只不过是一个选择的过程，“宣教士说。
“但是在一定程度上说，那里有一条进入那里的安全通道。有人在人类的面前败了一道难题。所以人类用了一次又一次牺牲来探索这个谜题的答案，而幸存者这用竖立墙，铺设卵石的方式来表基础正确的前进路线。只要时间恰当，就会有人发现你。”
这段话似乎让宣教士陷入了更深的沉思。“不过这一切不都已经结束了么，”他说。“我们一直到再努力做好衣钵的继承者—但是人类违背了衣钵的一切，银河系将被被人类屠戮……因为他们不理解衣钵的重要。”他发出了一声沉重的叹息。“更糟糕的是，衣钵的根基可能已经松动。见习者，你加入你的人类朋友之中并且唱起那首唱悲伤的歌。这是审判，是我们的审判日。”
“这是你应得的，仅此而已，”查卡斯说，甩了一下手。
而宣教士却并没有理他。

这还快么我打算这几天休更，回来十一在翻

第八章
那天晚上，在黑暗中，中央峰的轮廓突然发生了改变。数以千计的火球和青黄色的火焰像萤火虫掠过一样，迅速烧毁周围的突出物，直到清晨，太阳射出第一缕阳光时，大火才熄灭。
莱塞陪我到内滩上，分吃一个椰子和他最喜欢的酸酸的绿色水果。他还取出了一块生肉，是他昨晚从陷阱中抓到的一些动物肉，但我当然拒绝吃那种东西。衣钵的教义禁止吃任何不幸者的肉。
查卡斯却不知道跑哪去了。
太阳光照射出中央峰的轮廓，它以前是一个细长的圆柱形，而现在山峰从山地残基的地方又拔高一千米，被倾斜的火山渣堆积形成坡道包围。我以前从未见过像这样的东西，并且最后隐约觉得，如果那里真的有一个先驱者的机器，那么它也一定被激活了，准备脱离火山的束缚。
我感到很困惑。我对历史古迹的好奇心都被宣教士勾了起来。如果他真的是宣教士……但是宣教士，一个伟大的战士，一个真正的普罗米修斯战士，先行者文明的护卫者，他怎么还会有这么深的失落感和挫败感？究竟是什么样的磨难—什么样的危险—让这位武侍者在他漫长的一生中，让他在有这样的实力和成就的情况下，不得不在冥冢之中接受放逐？
我稍稍回想起了他对其他先行者的责备。事实上，我从没想过先行者会退出历史舞台。我觉得这种想法很可笑。然而…
武侍者把人类整个物种退化—而且现在我已经见到了退化的人类—他们的做法似乎违背了衣钵的教义。难道衣钵没有给我们权利去让我们开化教育我们后继者么？虽然人类被退化了，但也应该得到先行者的尊重…毕竟，我从观察查卡斯的言行举止的过程中，了解到许多东西，我对人类野蛮落后的看法有所改变。宣教士心中对此事的内疚或许可以解释他为何会感到如此深的失落感和挫败感。
我从内滩远看着哪些露出来的支柱，想知道他们究竟是什么，它们穿过了什么，支撑起了什么，或者在他们周围又藏着什么秘密。这是宣教士使用的东西吗？一个来宣布他回归的建筑信标？还是最终对他进行惩罚的工具？
我对先行者的政•治一无所知。我也向来不在意先行者成熟的等级制度。但是现在我发现我错了。我猝不及防，你便粉碎了我无知的天真，让我认识到我的人民的世界或许不是永恒的—在这个自诩为有着永恒的社会秩序的国家里，只不过是用内部的和平来掩盖外界的挑战—要从见习者进阶到架构者，还是在面对其他相似的命运时，从那个先行者社会之中逃出来—
但是很快，对于这一切，我连选择的余地都没有了。
今天早上，我第一次真正地感受到死亡。不只仅仅是我自己的死亡。我现在深深地理解了那些旧符号里时间的含义—它在人的手中流过，它在闪电之间划过，有人想改变它，却依旧是徒劳无功。
查卡斯突然摸了一下我的肩膀，打断了我的思绪。我转过身，看见他站在我的身后，看着支柱那里，脸上一副恐惧的表情。
“他们从东边来了，”他说。
“船终于开过来了？“
“不是，是天上飞的船。智库长不再庇护我们了。”
“宣教士知道吗？“
“我为什么要在他？“查卡斯说。“他是一个怪物。”
“他是个伟大的英雄，”我说。
“那么你就是个傻瓜，”查卡斯说，他又跑回树林里了。

THAT NIGHT, IN the dark, the profile of the central peak altered abruptly. Thousands of sparking fires and bluish glows burned around the jutting prominence like the flitting of lightning insects, until the dawn snuffed them with the sun’s first yellow rays.
Riser accompanied me to the inner shore, sharing parts of a coconut and the sour green fruit he favored. He also offered a piece of raw meat from some animal he had snared in the darkness, but I of course refused. The Mantle forbade the eating of the flesh of unfortunates.
Chakas was nowhere to be found.
What the sun revealed of the former peak was a circle of slender pillars, rising a thousand meters out of a remnant base of mountain and surrounded by sloping chutes of scoria. I had never seen the like before, and vaguely wondered if here, finally, was a Precursor machine fully active, ready to unleash mischief.
I was very confused. My curiosity about all manner of things historical had been sparked by the example of the Didact. If he was indeed the Didact … for how could a great warrior and defender of Forerunner civilization, how could a true Promethean, feel such a depth of defeat and gloom? What passions—whatadventures—had this Warrior-Servant known in his long life, and what could have possibly forced such strength and accomplishment to cower in meditative exile?
I put little store in his condemnation of other Forerunners. Truly, the concept of an end to Forerunner history had never occurred to me. I found it ludicrous. And yet …
The idea of Warrior-Servants laying low entire species—now that I had actually met humans—seemed to violate all the precepts of the Mantle. Did not the Mantle give us dominion to allow us to uplift and educate our lessers? Even humans, so degraded, deserved that much respect.… After all, I had learned much about Chakas from observing him, and my opinions of his degraded status were changing. The Didact’s guilt alone might account for his deep sense of darkness and failure.
I looked from the inner shore at the revealed pillars and wondered what they were meant for, what would rise through or up and around them. Was it something for the use of the Didact? An architectural beacon announcing his return? Or the final instrument of his punishment?
I understood nothing about Forerunner politics. I had always disdained this concern of mature forms. Now I felt weak in my ignorance. What shattered my youthful naïveté most powerfully was the realization that the world of my people—a world of ageless social order and regimentation, of internal peace against external challenge—might not be eternal, that rising through the forms from Manipular to Builder, or whatever other destiny I fled so blithely—
All that might soon not be a choice.
This morning, I felt true mortality for the first time. And not just my own. I now understood the deep old symbol for Time—the sweeping opposed hands with lightning between, extended fingers triangulating the pinch of most efficient fates from which there is no return.
Chakas interrupted my thoughts with a touch on my shoulder. I turned and saw him standing behind me, looking out at the pillars with a look of bitter dread.
“They’re coming from the east,” he said.
“Across the lake, over the merse?”
“No. The sky is filling with ships. The Librarian no longer protects us.”
“Does the Didact know?”
“Why should I care?” Chakas said. “He’s a monster.”
“He’s a great hero,” I said.
“Youare a fool,” Chakas said, and ran back through the trees.