Chapter Text 直译： 章节正文 韵意译： 章回文墨
“Sephiroth!” Cloud called out, running to the wire fence, but it was no use.
“萨菲罗斯！”克劳德大喊着跑向铁丝网围栏，但无济于事。/“萨菲罗斯！”克劳德冲向铁丝围栏呼喊，徒留空响。
Far above them, Sephiroth’s winged figure was growing smaller and smaller against the backdrop of the pillar and the night sky. There was no stopping him.
萨菲罗斯带翼的身影在支撑柱与夜空的映衬下越飞越高，逐渐远去。无人能阻挡他。/其翼若垂天之云，夜穹铁塔之间，银发剑客的身影正化作星点。诸行无常，无人堪截流光。
Cloud thought of the other man’s intent look before he left and had to repress his shiver.
直译（确保准确性）：
克劳德回想起那个男人离开前专注的眼神，不得不抑制住自己的战栗。
意译（保留文学效果）：
克劳德忆起那人临行时的灼灼目光，强压下心头那丝战栗的寒意。
At least he was on their side this time.
至少这次他是站在他们这边的。/幸而今回同袍执戈。
Pressing his gloved fist against the fence, lips pressed into a grim line, he said, “Looks like he’s got a headstart on us. Let’s go.”
他将戴着护手的拳头抵在围栏上，双唇抿成冷硬的线条，说道：“看来他抢先了一步。我们走。”/铁网在他覆甲拳下震颤，薄唇抿作断刃：“终究晚他半子。”转身时战靴踏碎尘埃，“追。”
Tifa and Aerith nodded at him, faces determined, and they made their own way to the pillar through the undercity station, finding it deserted and empty. Even though he knew that it couldn’t have taken long, it still felt like an eternity to him.
蒂法和爱丽丝向他点头，神情坚定。他们通过下城车站前往支撑柱，发现那里空无一人。尽管他知道这应该用不了多久，但对他而言却仿佛永恒。/两位女战士颔首如剑鸣。穿越地下车站时，荒芜的月台将脚步声放大成世纪的回响。明明只是须臾，却在他肋骨间凝成永恒般漫长。
Finally they arrived at the bottom of the pillar. They heard a familiar gravelly voice from somewhere higher up, shouting, “Come on. That all you got?” It was followed by the exchange of gunfire, man versus helicopter.
终于，他们抵达了支撑柱底部。从上方某处传来熟悉的沙哑声音，大喊道：“来啊。就这点本事？”随后是枪声的交火，人与直升机的对抗。/当锈蚀的钢架刺入眼帘，高处炸响熟悉的烟嗓：“孱种！”枪火如骤雨迸发，人影与铁鸟在钢骨丛林间上演死斗之舞。
It was Barret, ducking behind the metal railing of the staircase to avoid the returning hail of bullets. He didn’t seem to notice them. A level below him Wedge was hit by a small explosion that sent him flying out of the pillar. He fired his grappling hook, but the metal plate it attached to soon started to buckle and he came crashing down at their feet where he clutched his arm painfully. They immediately rushed to him, Cloud helping to turn him over on his back.
直译：那是巴雷特，正躲在楼梯金属栏杆后躲避回击的弹雨。他似乎没注意到这些。在他下方楼层，威吉被小型爆炸击中，整个人被炸飞出了立柱。他射出抓钩枪，但固定处的金属板开始变形，随即他重重摔在他们脚边，痛苦地捂着胳膊。众人立即冲上前，克劳德帮忙将他翻成仰躺姿势。
When Wedge saw who they were, he immediately tried to strain up. “It’s Shinra! They are trying to take the pillar down. But also, just now…” He shook his head. “It’s the craziest thing. I’m not sure if it was a hallucination, but I think I saw an angel before I fell down…”
直译：威吉看清来人后，立即挣扎着要起身。"是神罗！他们想炸毁支柱。但还有，就在刚才..."他摇摇头。"太离奇了。不确定是不是幻觉，但坠落前我好像看见了天使..."
“Well… you are not wrong,” Cloud said. He knew if he looked up, he would see Sephiroth with his large wing spread out as he skillfully weaved between whirring helicopters and orange streaks of gunfire. “Rest now. I’ll take it from here.”
直译版：
"嗯...你没错，"克劳德说。他知道如果抬头，就会看见展开巨大单翼的赛菲罗斯，正灵巧地在嗡鸣的武装直升机群与橙红色弹道轨迹之间穿梭。"现在休息吧，接下来交给我。"
诗化版：
"所言...倒也不虚，"克劳德低语。不必仰望也知晓，那舒展玄色单翼的身影，正翩然游走于钢铁蜂群的嗡鸣与流火弹幕之间。"此刻安歇，此处由我接掌。"
（说明：第二版通过以下手法提升文学性：
1. 以"玄色单翼"增强画面感
2. "钢铁蜂群"隐喻直升机群
3. "流火弹幕"意象化枪炮轨迹
4. "翩然游走"保持动词的优雅韵律
5. 结尾采用对仗句式"此刻安歇，此处由我接掌"，在保证语义的同时形成尾韵）
He left Wedge behind with Aerith and Tifa to get patched up, Wedge’s words still ringing in his ears about how Biggs had covered for his escape and they needed to get back to him as soon as possible…
直译：他将威吉留在爱丽丝和蒂法身边接受治疗，威吉关于比格斯如何掩护自己逃脱的喊话仍在耳边回响，他们必须尽快返回救援...；雅译：他将威吉托付给爱丽丝和蒂法照料，耳畔仍萦绕着威吉声嘶力竭的呼喊——比格斯舍身断后，他们必须火速回援......
As he ran up the winding metal staircase, he found countless corpses riddled with bullet holes, others charred and barely recognizable. The majority of them seemed to be members of the Neighborhood Watch rather than infantrymen. It didn’t surprise him; slum-dwellers were poor and had to make do with what they had. They didn’t have a big company to back them up with the latest weapons and technology. The higher up he went, the more bodies of troopers and remains of broken machines there were, bearing the clear signs of having been skewered or slashed by the Masamune.
直译：当他冲上螺旋形金属楼梯时，发现无数布满弹孔的尸体，有些焦黑难辨。多数是街坊自卫队而非正规军。这不足为奇：贫民窟资源匮乏，只能用有限物资苦撑，没有大企业提供尖端武器。越往上，士兵尸体和机甲残骸越多，都带有被"正宗"刺穿劈砍的痕迹。；雅译：盘旋的金属阶梯上尸横遍野，弹孔密布者有之，焦躯难辨者亦众，多是街坊自卫队员。寒门子弟困顿潦倒，既无财团撑腰，更无精良武备，这般惨状早在他意料之中。拾级而上，机甲残骸与兵士尸首愈密，尽是被"正宗"斩棘劈荆的印记，寒芒犹在。
Cloud shook his head. Sephiroth worked fast, there was no doubt about that. Sometimes dark forms would speed down through the air at high velocity just outside the radius of the staircase—loud screams that abruptly cut off when the figures presumably hit the ground in piles of crushed organs and broken bones. It made Cloud think of Sephiroth, slipping between the twisting beams of the metal structure to grab unsuspecting troopers before taking them outside and dropping them to the ground. It was enough to make a shiver run down his spine—and for a moment, he almost felt bad for them.
直译版：
克劳德摇了摇头。萨菲罗斯行动迅速，这一点毋庸置疑。有时黑暗的身影会以高速从楼梯半径外的空中疾冲而下——刺耳的尖叫声在那些身影坠地摔成血肉模糊、骨断筋折的肉堆时戛然而止。这让克劳德联想到萨菲罗斯在金属结构的扭曲梁柱间游走，抓住毫无防备的士兵后将他们带出建筑抛向地面的场景。这足以让寒意爬上他的脊梁——有那么一瞬间，他几乎为那些人感到难过。
诗化版：
克劳德轻摇银首。萨菲罗斯疾如星火，其势昭然若揭。时有暗影破空急坠，堪堪掠过螺旋阶梯之外，凄厉嘶鸣乍然而止——料是残躯触地，霎时化作猩红齑粉玉碎香消。此景令克劳德恍见银发修罗：但见其游走钢骨虬结处，擒拿未觉兵卒如探囊，旋即将人携至穹苍之外，信手抛作九霄坠玉。寒意如蛇般攀上脊梁蜿蜒——须臾间，竟为彼等生出一缕恻隐微光。
There appeared to be only a few people left who were still resisting, and Cloud did not hesitate to assist them. They along with the infantrymen were all talking or reporting about the flying apparition outside whose sudden appearance seemed to be turning the tide of the battle which Shinra had clearly been winning up until then. “S-Sephiroth—it’s General Sephiroth—” a hysteric young trooper said into his comm, looking to be on the verge of hyperventilating and collapsing.
直译版本（侧重准确性）：
抵抗者似乎所剩无几，克劳德毫不犹豫地施以援手。他们与步兵们都在谈论或报告着外界的飞行幻象，这个突然出现的存在似乎扭转了战局——直到那一刻为止，神罗公司显然一直占据着优势。"塞-塞菲罗斯——是塞菲罗斯将军——" 一名歇斯底里的年轻士兵对着通讯器喊道，他看起来即将因过度换气而昏厥。
诗化版本（侧重文学效果）：
残存的抵抗者已寥寥无几，克劳德剑锋所指尽显果决。士兵们此起彼伏的通讯声中，那道凌空幻影成了扭转乾坤的变数——原本稳操胜券的神罗阵线，此刻竟如危楼将倾。"将、将军...塞菲罗斯大人！" 某个新兵颤抖的呼喊刺破电波，他煞白的脸庞与踉跄的身形，恰似风中飘摇的残烛。
And although chaos and confusion were rife around this new addition to the battlefield, making many wonder why the famed general wasn’t fighting on Shinra’s side but in fact seemed to be helping the watch members instead, they were hardy slum-dwellers and not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. It also gave them new hope, the fire in their eyes matched only by the firearms in their hands, and even despite himself it stirred something inside Cloud’s chest, too. Even though he knew it was dangerous; even though he knew good things didn’t happen, at least not to him. It still made him think that maybe they could win this after all, despite the impossible odds. He soon left them behind to proceed upstairs, lending some of their fire to drive him on.
【直译】尽管这位战场新客引发的混乱与无序四处蔓延，让许多人疑惑为何名将不为神罗而战却反助哨兵，但棚户居民们坚韧不拔，断不会对天降援兵挑三拣四。这更点燃了他们眼中与手中枪火辉映的新希望，连克劳德胸腔深处也不由自主泛起涟漪。纵知危机四伏，纵知好运从不眷顾——至少不会眷顾自己——这仍让他生出或许真能逆天改命的妄念。不久他留下众人独上楼阁，借他们的星火余温灼灼前行。【雅译】硝烟新客乱阵脚，名将倒戈众人疑。寒窟儿女浑不惧，天赐战马岂挑蹄？眸中炽焰映枪火，胸底暗潮竟同频。明知凶险偏妄念，烬借星辉踏云梯。
He took care of all the troopers, helitroopers, Slug-Rays and other Shinra creations that blocked his way. A grunt left him when he was hit by an energy blast, blue sparks crackling over his skin, but he pushed the pain back and swung his Buster Sword. He wouldn’t let anything stop him or slow him down.
【直译】他肃清所有拦路的士兵、螺旋空降兵、蛞蝓射线机等神罗造物。能量冲击波令他闷哼出声，蓝白电火灼灼游走于肌肤，他却将痛楚强压剑下。无物可阻其锋芒，无物可滞其脚步。【雅译】神罗兵甲皆斩落，空降铁蛞化尘泥。能量重炮噬骨痛，蓝电游龙蚀战衣。闷雷暗咽喉间滚，巨剑清吟鞘中起。万仞当前犹破阵，寒芒过处鬼神泣。
But he did stop then, mid-step up the staircase, when he caught flickers in the periphery of his vision. His head turned.
直译：但当他踏上阶梯中途确实停住了，余光瞥见闪烁的光影。他转过头去。/ 诗译：却在中途收履痕，余光忽摄影纷纷。蓦然回首阶梯上，疑有流萤暗处焚。
At first, Cloud wasn’t sure what he was seeing.
直译：起初克劳德不确定自己看到了什么。/ 诗译：克劳德凝眸费疑猜，一时未解眼前埃。
It looked like a meteor shower, like stars falling from the sky, almost beautiful if not for the fact of how utterly jarring, incongruent and wrong such a sight was in the middle of a warzone.
直译：这景象宛如流星雨，似星辰自苍穹坠落，若非身处战区而显得如此突兀、不协调且反常，几乎可称美丽。/ 诗译：疑是星潮落九垓，银潢倒泻本堪哀。修罗场上观天瀑，美丽与狰并作来。
But there they were, balls of fire that streaked the night sky as they hurtled through space on their way down to the earth, leaving bright impressions on the back of his eyelids and momentarily taking his breath away with their unearthly, unreal beauty.
直译：但那些火球确实存在，它们划破夜空向地面坠落，在视网膜烙下明亮印记，超现实的美感令呼吸都为之一窒。/ 诗译：却见赤丸破夜帷，焰尾曳空烙残晖。此景只应天上有，摄魂夺魄使人唏。
Then he realized with a sudden chill that they were helicopters. He soon spotted the figure that lithely jumped from the top of one to the other, the Masamune flashing as he sliced off the spinning rotors, raising his other hand with purpose while the helicopter underneath him spiraled downwards to its certain destruction. Somehow Sephiroth seemed to be grabbing the flying vehicles with some kind of invisible force, metal hulls shuddering in response to the motions of his hand as he sent them into collision courses that consumed them in plumes of violent flames.
直译：
随后他突然感到一阵寒意，意识到那些是直升机。他很快发现那个身影正灵巧地从一架直升机顶部跃向另一架，正宗刀寒光闪过，旋转的螺旋桨被斩断。那人高举另一只手意图明确，脚下的直升机螺旋下坠，注定毁灭。不知为何，萨菲罗斯似乎正用某种无形力量操控着飞行器，金属机身随着他手掌的挥动震颤不已，被他牵引着撞向彼此，在暴烈的火团中同归于尽。
诗化意译：
蓦然彻骨的寒意刺穿脊梁，他惊觉穹窿之上竟是铁翼盘旋。但见魅影游龙般掠翼腾转，正宗锋芒所至，旋桨尽断如残羽纷扬。凌空振臂间，身下铁兽颓然折翼，坠作火流星划破长空。银发死神翻手为云，无形之力摄魂夺魄，金属巨兽皆成提线傀儡。但闻其指节轻叩，群鹰竞相赴死，于烈焰红莲中涅槃成灰。
They stood absolutely no chance against him. Black hulls careened downwards in bursts of fire wherever Cloud looked, burning bolides that lit up the night and destroyed everything in their path, indiscriminately landing in the emptier areas around the pillar as well as the residential ones, crashing through buildings and leaving black, glowing scorch marks on the ground in their wake, some of the metal beasts only fully exploding when they hit hard concrete. There was the cacophony of people running around and screaming as they tried to dodge both collapsing buildings, and the structures of broken glass and screeching, twisting metal that rained down on them.
It was almost like something that might be written in the scripture, about the end of the world, when the sky and the stars would all come falling down.
For a moment, Cloud just stood there, captivated and paralyzed by the awe and fear that coursed through his veins and left him trembling.
But the sky wouldn’t fall. Not today.
Snapping out of it, he thought again of the panicking people and their screams, and felt a deep spark of anger. It was just like the other man not to care for collateral damage or the fallout of this cataclysmic battle. Gathering all the fury and air in his lungs, he shouted—“Sephiroth!”
猛地回过神来时，恐慌的人群与尖叫声再度涌入脑海，一股怒火自胸腔升腾。那个男人向来如此——从不在意灭世之战的连带损伤与余波。他将胸腔中的怒焰与空气尽数凝聚，嘶吼破空而出："萨菲罗斯！"/神志乍醒，惊惶人潮与惨呼再度灼痛神经，炽烈的怒意骤然迸发。那男人总这般冷冽，任崩天之战殃及池鱼。他将胸腔内翻涌的怒意与气息尽数收束，厉喝如惊雷裂云："萨菲罗斯！"
He saw the man had heard him from the angle of his head, even as he continued moving, flying past a helicopter, orange sparks flying as his Masamune carved a deep line in the side of the black metal hull.
那人头颅偏转的角度昭示着听见了呼喊，身形却未停滞，从直升机旁掠过时正宗刀锋擦过黑色金属船体，橙色火花四溅间在侧翼斩出一道深邃裂痕。/他自对方头颅偏转的弧度便知那声怒吼已传入耳中。银发身影仍疾驰如电，自直升机旁掠过时，刀锋过处橙光迸裂，在漆黑的金属舰体侧翼烙下一道狰狞创口。
Encouraged, Cloud continued, “Don’t just focus on fighting! Think of the civilians—you are going to destroy us all at this rate!”
直译：克劳德受到鼓舞，继续说道：“别只顾着战斗！想想平民——照这样下去，你会把我们全都毁掉！”|意译：克劳德精神一振，扬声道：“胜负之外，更念苍生！再这般缠斗下去，只怕要生灵涂炭！”
He kept his voice angry, stern, authoritative, though he didn’t think Sephiroth would actually listen to him. Why would he? Why should he even care?
直译：他保持着愤怒、严厉、权威的口吻，尽管他认为萨菲罗斯实际上不会听他的话。他怎么会听？他又何必在乎？|意译：他刻意将声线绷得疾言厉色、威压慑人，心底却早不奢望对方会听进只言片语。魔星何曾俯首？又怎会怜惜这芸芸众生？
That winged figure continued fighting, cutting through metal as easily as through flesh, and Cloud had to swallow back his bitter disappointment. But then…
直译：那个带翼的身影继续战斗，切割金属如同切割血肉般轻松，克劳德不得不咽下苦涩的失望。但随后...；诗译：羽翼战士仍在鏖战，斩金断铁若等闲，克劳德喉间苦涩翻涌。此时忽见——
Sephiroth lightly set a foot down on the corpse of his most recently slain metal beast, using it as a stepping stone to jump even higher into the air, wing unfurling magnificently behind him. The wind whipped waves through his hair and it trailed behind him like a silver banner. He lowered his eyes, which seemed to glow even brighter than usual, gloved right hand raised horizontally in front of him, palm down, fingers slightly spread, as he seemed to concentrate.
直译：萨菲罗斯轻巧地将脚落在最新击杀的机械兽尸体上，以此为跳板跃向更高空，背后的羽翼壮丽展开。劲风在他发间掀起波浪，银发如旌旗般拖曳。他垂眸（瞳孔较平日更显灼亮），戴着黑手套的右手水平前伸，掌心向下五指微张，似在凝聚力量；诗译：萨菲罗斯踏尸凌空起，断戟残甲作云梯。风掠银丝千重浪，黑翼猎猎卷玄旗。低垂星眸燃幽火，悬掌凝气贯虹霓。
For a moment nothing happened, and the whole world seemed to tremble and hold its breath in anticipation.
直译：顷刻间万籁俱寂，整个世界仿佛在期待中战栗屏息；诗译：须臾天地俱凝滞，长风敛息待惊雷。
Then, slowly, the air started to shiver as light began to form in patches, like foam webbed on the surface of a tranquil sea, growing and flowing together and coalescing into a giant dome that covered the whole undercity. It put the Barrier Sephiroth had cast in Don Corneo’s mansion to shame. This was on a completely different level entirely. Something like this should have been impossible, and yet...
直译：空气开始震颤，光斑如宁静海面的浮沫般浮现，延展交融成笼罩整个下城区的穹顶。相较唐·柯里昂宅邸的屏障，此等神迹更显非凡。这本该是绝无可能的伟业，然而...；诗译：穹顶初现若涟漪，光斑如沫海天齐。下城尽笼琉璃界，唐宅旧障成儿戏。此等通天彻地术，本应三界不容存，而今却见...
More than fifty-thousand people were kept safe within the diameter of the large dome of light that spanned out above them.
直译：超过五万人被安全保护在笼罩他们上方的巨大光幕穹顶范围之内。/ 雅译：五万生灵安然栖，光穹如盖覆云霓。
They seemed to have noticed this as well, as they stopped running and stared up instead, watching as the helicopters crashed and burst into flames on top of the shield, which faintly shimmered green upon contact. They were like meteorites entering the atmosphere, burning and being abraded into tiny, harmless pebbles long before they could reach the onlookers below.
直译：他们似乎也注意到了这点，停止奔跑转而抬头凝望。直升机坠毁在护盾上燃成火球，接触时泛起微弱的绿光。就像陨石进入大气层，在触及下方观望者之前早已燃烧磨损成细小的无害碎石。/ 雅译：奔逃忽止仰天望，铁鹰触盾化火芒。护罩漾碧波，流星堕天河，千度煅烧作尘末，未落人间已销铄。
In their faces he could see the same awe and fear that he felt in his heart.
直译：在他们脸上，他看到了与自己心中相同的敬畏与恐惧。/ 雅译：众生面上惊惧色，正是心头战栗时。
Then he remembered the mission he was on and tore his eyes away from the beautiful, otherworldly figure that still hovered in the air, limned in red and gold.
直译：随后他记起肩负的使命，将目光从仍悬浮空中、笼罩红金光晕的美丽超凡身影上强行移开。/ 雅译：忽忆重任在身际，忍将目光别仙姿。凌空犹见惊鸿影，赤金流光渐迷离。
He wouldn’t slack off just because Sephiroth appeared to be doing the lion’s share of the work. He continued up the stairs, and tried not to think of Biggs, Jessie or Barret… They may have seen the man earlier, but anything could have happened since then.
他不会因为萨菲罗斯看似承担了大部分工作就偷懒。他继续向楼梯上方进发，努力不去想比格斯、杰西或巴雷特……他们或许早些时候见过这个男人，但之后什么都有可能发生。
As he reached the next level, he swiftly dealt with the Slug-Rays with a few swings of his sword combined with Thundaras that sparked at his fingertips and traveled along the length of his blade to hit the whirring machines with blue lightning that left them smoking and twitching on the ground. Ducking underneath a twisted beam that seemed to have fallen over, he ran up the next set of stairs—finding a figure that was slumped over against the wall on the next floor.
抵达上层时，他以剑刃挥砍配合中级雷电迅速解决蛞蝓射线——指尖迸发的雷光顺着刀身传导，用蓝色闪电击中嗡鸣的机械体，使它们冒着烟在地面抽搐。弯腰避过倒下的扭曲横梁后，他跑上另一段阶梯，发现下一层有个人影正倚墙瘫坐着。
“Biggs!” he said, rushing over to the man’s side. He crouched down to inspect him. He looked to be in bad shape, bruises all over his body, blood seeping through his khaki shirt. At least he still seemed to be conscious, smiling faintly when he saw who it was. It was a ghost of his usual broad and confident grins.
“毕格斯！”他疾步上前，半跪在挚友身侧。眼前人遍体鳞伤，卡其色衬衫被鲜血浸透，却在辨清来人时，嘴角勉强牵动一丝虚弱的笑意，全然不见往日那副神采飞扬的自信模样。
When he asked about Wedge, Cloud reassured him that he was alright. Then Biggs grabbed his hand, his grip surprisingly strong considering his state as he asked Cloud to protect the pillar, to not let any of their deaths and sacrifices be for nothing. Cloud stared at him, before lifting his other hand and putting it on top of Bigg’s in a grip that was just as tight.
听闻威治无恙，毕格斯青筋暴起的手突然钳住克劳德，气若游丝地恳求守护魔晄炉。克劳德不语，只是将另一只手掌重重覆上战友的手背，十指交扣处迸发出钢铁般的决意。
As he did, he wondered when he had gotten so attached. Looking at Biggs, the way he seemed to have difficulty breathing, the air rattling out of his lungs, he thought that this was why he tried to keep his distance from people—they always left or died.
听着对方破碎的呼吸声在胸腔里拉扯，克劳德忽然惊觉这份牵肠挂肚从何而起。世人皆如朝露，不是中途离散便是零落成尘，这恰是他刻意疏离的缘由。
But Cloud had always had trouble letting go, even when he should. Even when it would be the easier thing to do.
偏这银发少年生就一副执拗心肠，明知长痛不如短痛的道理，却总把断舍离的功课做得一塌糊涂。
His grip tightened. It had be painful, but Biggs didn’t complain about it.
交叠的指节咯咯作响，力道大得几乎要将对方指骨捏碎，毕格斯却只是任由疼痛在掌心绽放成无声的诺言。
Instead he smiled and said, “There’s a guy out there who’s making the kinds of fireworks I’ve never seen before. He looks an awful lot like my childhood hero. You know him?”
可他只是笑着回答："有个家伙造出了我从未见过的烟花。他长得特别像我儿时的偶像。你认识他吗？" || 他笑意清浅："城外有位高人，造的焰火能映亮整个夜空。那眉眼像极了我的少年英雄——你可见过？"
Cloud hesitated, before saying, “Yes.”
克劳德犹豫了一下，才回答道："是的。" || 云片羽睫轻颤，喉间滚出个："见过。"
“He a friend of yours?”
他是你的朋友吗？" || "莫非是旧相识？
Cloud just nodded, even though it wasn’t true. It would take too long to explain, and it was better to give the other man some hope to cling on to—it could make all the difference with wounds like these.
克劳德只是点了点头，尽管这不是真的。要解释起来太费时间，不如让对方保留希望——对于这样的伤势，希望或许能改变结局。/克劳德颔首默认，尽管真相并非如此。此刻冗长的解释徒劳无益，不如予人一线希冀——在致命创痛前，这点星火能燎原。
Biggs laughed, though it sounded ragged. “You are full of surprises, merc.”
比格斯笑了，尽管笑声沙哑破碎。"你可真是个惊喜制造机啊，佣兵。"/比格斯扯出破碎的笑声，喉间血沫翻涌："总叫人措手不及啊，你这雇佣兵。"
Then he asked Cloud to take care of the Leaf House in the Sector Five slums for him. When Cloud told Biggs to do that himself, Biggs correctly guessed that Cloud wasn’t a fan of kids. This seemed to surprise him as he claimed that Cloud had much in common with them. Then he placed a gentle hand on Cloud’s head, startling him.
接着他让克劳德替他照顾五号贫民窟的绿叶之家孤儿院。当克劳德反问为何不亲自去时，比格斯准确猜中他不擅长应付孩子。这似乎让比格斯感到意外，他说克劳德和孩子们其实很像，随后将手掌轻轻覆上克劳德的头顶，惊得后者浑身僵硬。/他托付克劳德照看五番街贫民窟的绿叶之家，银发青年冷声推诿时，比格斯喘息着戳破他孩童恐惧症的秘密。"明明灵魂共振啊..." 垂危者呢喃着，染血手掌忽而轻抚战士银发，像月光拂过剑刃。
“Don’t look so scared,” Biggs teased. “The sky won’t drop on our heads. Not today.”
别这么紧张，"比格斯打趣道，"天不会塌下来的。至少今天不会。"/"莫蹙眉，"比格斯染血指尖划过穹顶，"九重霄汉安稳得很，至少...黎明前不会倾颓。
Cloud nodded, eyes serious. “Not on our watch.”
克劳德严肃地点头回应："有我们在就不会。"/克劳德眸中淬着寒星："苍穹若坠，便以脊梁擎天。"
“That’s the right attitude.” There Biggs smiled, and it looked a little more like his usual grins.
“这才是正确的态度。”比格斯笑了，这笑容终于显出几分他平日咧嘴笑的模样。
His strength seemed to be quickly waning though and he only said, “Go. Be a hero and kick those Shinra guys’ asses. We are all depending on you. Don’t disappoint us, Cloud.”
他的气力似乎在急速流逝，只低声道："去吧。当个英雄痛扁神罗那帮混蛋。我们都指望你了，克劳德，别让大伙失望。"
Cloud, his name, and not merc or any variation thereof. He inhaled sharply, “I—”
克劳德，唤的是他的本名，而非佣兵之类的代称。他呼吸骤然急促："我——"
But Biggs had lost consciousness by then, head lolling forward.
可彼时比格斯已垂首昏厥，不省人事。
Cloud stared at him, before shaking himself out of it. “This isn’t over yet,” he said, like a promise. In a way, it was.
克劳德凝望着他，蓦然回神握紧剑柄。"一切尚未终结，"他立誓般说道。某种意义上，这誓言终将成真。
He left to climb up the ladder leading to the next level. He went up, up, up this way, letting none of the helitroopers stop him. They could be annoying to deal with, buzzing like flies around his head, but they never flew too far out of reach, well aware that if they left the relative safety of the pillar they would be fair game to someone much more dangerous and powerful than them.
他攀着铁梯向更高处进发。螺旋升跃间，神罗空兵如逐臭蝇群般纠缠不休，却始终逡巡在钢柱投射的阴影里——这些宵小深知，若离了掩体的庇护，便会被苍穹之上更为可怖的掠食者撕成碎片。
More and more it dawned on Cloud that they actually had a chance of winning, and he kept reminding himself of this as he climbed higher and higher.
愈往穹顶逼近，胜算的曙光便愈发明晰。克劳德将这份觉悟化作攀援的节奏，在铁梯铿锵声中步步登临。
That was when he was hit by the beam of a white searchlight. His hand came up to shield his eyes, blinded for a moment as a familiar drawl resounded from the loudspeakers.
直译：就在那时，他被白色探照灯的光束击中。他抬手遮挡眼睛，瞬间陷入目盲，扩音器里传来熟悉的拖长音调。｜｜风雅译：白光如剑刺目而来，他抬手格挡的刹那，广播里飘出懒洋洋的熟悉嗓音。
It smoothly talked bullshit about how Shinra knew all about Avalanche’s evil plans to blow up the pillar and they should surrender and run now while they still had the opportunity.
直译：它流畅地胡扯着神罗早已洞悉雪崩炸毁支撑柱的邪恶计划，劝告他们趁还有机会赶紧投降逃命。｜｜风雅译：扬声器里正冠冕堂皇地危言耸听，说什么神罗早已识破雪崩炸毁支柱的阴谋，劝他们速速缴械投降。
All a smokescreen act, that dark, velvety voice murmured in his ear.
直译：都是烟雾弹的把戏，那个低沉如天鹅绒的声音在他耳畔低语。｜｜风雅译：不过是惑人耳目的障眼法，暗色丝绒般的声线在耳际轻轻震颤。
With those words in mind, Cloud raised his eyes, immediately recognizing that fiery red hair through the windshield. In the same moment, the red-haired Turk seemed to also realize who exactly it was standing under the bright circle of white.
直译：带着这些话语，克劳德抬眼望去，透过挡风玻璃立刻认出那抹火红的头发。与此同时，红发的塔克斯似乎也认出了站在明亮白光圆圈中的人。｜｜风雅译：念及此，克劳德蓦然抬眸，隔着玻璃便撞见烈焰般红发。刺眼光圈之下，红发塔克斯亦在同时与他遥遥对上视线。
Cloud only caught how the other guy almost lazily drawled, “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the First Class SOLDIER,” lips curving into a mean, dangerous, bloodthirsty smile, and then rapid gunfire was nipping at his heels as he sped up the stairs. He threw himself behind a wall of metal pipes, the gunfire letting up after a few moments, but picking up again whenever he tried to move away. On and on this went. All the while more taunts were thrown his way from the red-haired Turk who seemed to be playing with him like a cat chasing a mouse.
直译版：
克劳德只听见对方几乎懒洋洋地拖长音调说道："哎呀呀，这不是一等兵战士吗"，嘴唇弯成一个残忍、危险、嗜血的微笑。当他加速冲上楼梯时，急速的枪火紧咬他的脚跟。他扑向金属管道的掩体后方，枪声片刻后渐息，但每当试图转移就重新响起。这般情形往复循环。红发塔克斯始终以嘲弄追击，如同猫追老鼠般戏耍着他。
诗化版：
克劳德耳畔飘来慵懒的尾音绵长
"瞧瞧——这不正是尊贵的一等兵战士？"
那人嘴角噙着嗜血的弯月寒芒
弹雨如影随形 他疾步跃上阶梯踉跄
藏身钢管屏障 枪声暂歇又骤响
红发塔克斯的讥诮似附骨之疽
宛如猫戏鼠般 将生死追逐谱成华章
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” came the dark sing-song voice, making Cloud grit his teeth. Impatience licked underneath his skin, and he wasn’t sure how long his temporary barricade could hold out anymore when he spotted a figure coming up the stairs.
【直译版】
"出来吧，出来吧，无论你躲在哪里，"阴沉的歌声传来，让克劳德咬紧了牙关。焦躁在他的皮肤下啃噬，当他看到楼梯上出现人影时，已不确定自己临时搭建的路障还能支撑多久。
【诗化版】
"现身吧，现身吧，藏身何处的你，"
阴郁的歌声如影随形，克劳德牙关暗锁。
焦躁如蛇在皮下逡巡，
临时堆砌的屏障摇摇欲坠，
楼梯拐角人影忽现，
不知还能撑过几时。
（说明：诗化版通过"如影随形/牙关暗锁"的叠韵强化韵律感，将"impatience licked"转化为"焦躁如蛇"的隐喻意象，用"摇摇欲坠/人影忽现"形成视觉对仗，最后用文言句式"不知还能撑过几时"增强悬疑氛围，整体在保留原文意象基础上强化了中文的韵律美感。）
It was Tifa. His eyes widened. Of all the reckless things...!
是蒂法。他瞳孔骤缩。这简直是最不计后果的...！
“Well, look at that,” the red-haired Turk said gleefully, a sadistic gleam in his eyes.
"瞧瞧这是谁"，红发特工眼中泛起施虐者的寒芒，声音里浸着欢快的恶意。
Somehow the helicopter swerved, the gunfire going wild, and Cloud jumped out from behind the pipes. Tifa mirrored him as they reached for each other, the hail of bullets flashing orange underneath their feet and ricocheting off the metal. Cloud caught her hand in a firm grip and pulled her behind the nearest corner, letting the beams of the railing act as a shield as he sternly turned to Tifa. She only grinned and cheerfully called him a hypocrite when he told her she was crazy.
直升机突然急转，弹道偏移的刹那，克劳德从管道后腾跃而出。蒂法如镜像般与他同步探身，弹雨在他们脚下迸出橙色的火花，在金属表面跳着死亡之舞。他紧扣住她伸来的手掌，将人拽向最近的掩体。栏杆在密集火力中震颤，他转身欲斥，却只见少女笑靥粲然，反用伪君子的指控堵住他的训诫。
That was when Sephiroth landed on the helicopter, rocking it hard. The gunfire went wild again. Both Turks had identical expressions on their faces that could only be eloquently translated as ‘oh shit’.
萨菲罗斯落向机身的重击打破了僵局。剧烈摇晃中弹雨再度失控，两位特工脸上此刻凝固着同款表情——用任何语言翻译都只能是'完蛋'。
The red-head smiled then, dark cheer coloring his demeanor even as his eyes seemed to grow serious for the first time since Cloud had known him in their brief acquaintance. “Let’s do this, partner. Been itching for a challenge anyway,” he said to the other Turk, before smirking. “Until then, Blondie!”
红发男人忽然扬起嘴角，阴鸷的愉悦在眉宇间流转，相识以来首次显出真正的肃穆。"搭档，是时候了"，他对同伴说着，犬齿在最后那个称谓上轻轻厮磨，"反正我早想找点乐子"。转头望向金发战士时，笑意又化作轻佻的尾音："回见啦，小金子！"
Rotors spinning fast, the helicopter turned in a sharp swerve as they tried to shake Sephiroth off. The red-haired Turk appeared to be crazy as he actually laughed and whooped breathlessly, apparently thrilled by this whole thing.
直译：旋翼飞速旋转，直升机陡然急转试图甩脱塞菲罗斯。红发的塔克斯成员看似疯狂，他竟在缺氧状态下狂笑欢呼，显然对这场追逐乐在其中。| 意译：螺旋桨撕破长空，直升机陡然急转如鹰隼折翼，妄图甩落背上的银翼修罗。红发特工纵声长笑，喘息中迸出癫狂的欢呼，似要将这生死时速尽享其中，乐此不疲。
Sephiroth let them have a headstart, pausing briefly to look back at Cloud and Tifa. Cloud didn’t thank him, and Sephiroth didn’t seem to expect him to, lips quirking up. His feet touched the floor only for a moment before he threw himself backwards in a graceful arc. Cloud was entranced by the stretch of his long throat for a moment, the glide of his endless, gleaming silver hair as he fell backwards in a seemingly suicidal act. Then his wing flapped powerfully and he was flying off again in a swirl of feathers, taking chase after his target. And then it was the Turks who were the mice running from the cat.
直译：塞菲罗斯故意让对手先逃，驻足回望克劳德与蒂法。克劳德未致谢，塞菲罗斯亦无期待，唇角轻扬间，足尖点地不过瞬息，便以优美弧线后仰坠落。克劳德短暂失神于他修长脖颈的线条，银发如瀑在坠落中闪耀，这般看似自毁的举动中，黑翼猛然振翅，羽旋纷飞间再度腾空追击。此刻猎食者与猎物的身份已然调转，塔克斯成了被银翼黑猫追捕的鼠群。| 意译：银发修罗故意纵敌先遁，转身回眸时与克劳德目光相撞。未等少年道谢便展颜轻笑，足尖轻点琉璃地，凌空后仰身姿如虹。克劳德刹那恍惚——但见修长颈项如天鹅引颈，银发似星河倾泻，裹挟着陨落之美。黑翼忽展掀起罡风，漫天翎羽中再度化身为狩，此刻猎场乾坤倒转，塔克斯众徒作仓皇鼠辈，银翼恶兆已成索命修罗。
Cloud watched them for a moment, then he and Tifa continued the journey upwards. At his prompting, she informed him that Aerith had gone to find Marlene and bring her to safety on her request, with Wedge accompanying her to show her the way.
The railing shuddered with a loud explosion, and they looked up to see Jessie a few stories up, walking out of the billowing smoke. In front of her was one of the pale, smaller one-manned helicopters with a trooper sitting inside it. They watched her smirk, eyes glinting, before she threw her hand grenade at the windshield. Cloud could only think no as the flames consumed the both of them.
He and Tifa wasted no time rushing to the next floor, only to find their path blocked. Exchanging only a glance, they soon became motion and the deadly flash of fists and blade, mowing their way through more troopers and Slug-Rays. It was so much easier without the helicopter hounding them, considering they already had their hands full with these soldiers and the Shinra machinery. Sentry Guns were positioned on the other side, and the closer they got to the top the better-equipped and higher-skilled the troopers became, far more so than the usual grunts. Nonetheless, between the two of them, the blue crackling of Thundara and the red flames of Firaga, they quickly took care of any opposition.
直译：
他和蒂法立刻冲向下一层，却发现前路被堵。两人只交换了一个眼神，随即化作疾风骤雨般的拳影刀光，在士兵与蛞蝓射线群中杀出一条血路。没有直升机穷追不舍，战斗显然轻松许多——毕竟单是应付这些士兵和神罗机械就够呛了。哨兵炮在另一侧严阵以待，越是接近顶层，士兵们的装备就越精良，战斗素养也远超普通杂兵。不过在他们二人的配合下，蓝色雷光与赤红烈焰交织，任何敌人都被迅速解决。
诗化改写：
他与蒂法疾步登阶欲破重围，怎料前路尽封。眼波流转间，拳罡剑影已化作骤雨惊雷，所过之处兵甲四散、射线偃息。幸得无铁翼穷追，方有余裕周旋于神罗机关之间。哨戒炮阵列森森，愈近穹顶，敌愈披坚执锐，然二人并辔，蓝电赤焰交相舞，纵使精兵悍将，亦难挡这雷霆万钧之势。
And then they were running past burning debris, finally making it to the higher level where they had seen Jessie. They pulled her out from underneath the beams, the burning wreckage of the helicopter somewhere behind her, illuminating her figure in orange and red. Cloud scooped her up in his arms, then gently put her down on the ground again in a spot where she could lean back against the wall.
直译：随后他们跑过燃烧的残骸，终于抵达看见杰西的高层平台。他们将女孩从横梁下拖出，身后直升机残骸燃烧着橙红火光，将她的身形染作赤橙色。克劳德将她打横抱起，又轻轻放置在可以倚靠墙面的安全处。/ 雅译：他们穿越火海残垣，终抵高处见杰西深陷横梁间。身后直升机残骸燃作赤焰熔炉，将少女身影镀上琥珀鎏金。克劳德揽她入怀，复又轻置墙边安隅，任断壁承托她单薄脊背。
“My hero,” she said, though it was more a rasp. A faint smile played on her lips.
直译："我的英雄。"她说，声音却更似砂纸摩擦。一抹浅笑浮现在她唇畔。/ 雅译："英雄登场了呢。"她气若游丝却犹带戏谑，唇边笑意如将熄未熄的星火。
She then proceeded to tell them her last wish, how she had wanted them to all have pizza at her mom’s place again. Tifa began crying then, and it seemed only to grow worse when Jessie teased and joked with her as always, as though she wasn’t currently dying. But she wasn’t, she couldn’t, not after all they had already gone through, and Cloud told her as much. He told her that she would live, and they would all have that pizza. Jessie owed him besides.
直译：她继而诉说最后心愿，想让大家再去母亲家吃披萨。蒂法闻言泪落，当杰西如常打趣时更显悲怆，仿佛此刻并非濒死之际。但她不会死，历经万难后绝不能死——克劳德如此断言，承诺全员必将共享那顿披萨，何况杰西还欠着他这份承诺。/ 雅译：她絮絮说着未竟之约，母亲店里的披萨宴总该再续。蒂法泪落连珠，偏生杰西仍如往日插科打诨，恍若生死不过玩笑一桩。克劳德执剑起誓，既已踏过地狱业火，断不许此约成空，更遑论她还赊着这顿披萨的承诺。
That startled a small laugh out of her, though it was soon followed by a coughing fit that tinged her lips red. Before they could fuss too much over her, she asked, “I saw… an angel out there. He looks a lot like a dead war hero… Do you suppose he’s here to... take me away?”
这引得她发出了一声短促的笑，随后却爆发一阵咳嗽，唇边染上殷红。赶在众人围上来前，她轻声问："我看见...外面有位天使。像极了那位阵亡的战斗英雄...你们说...他可是来接我的？"/这声笑惊破寂静，旋即化作带血的呛咳。赶在众人关切前，她呢喃："外头有位天使...像极了陨落的英雄...莫非是...来接引我的？"
“No,” Cloud immediately said. “He’s here to make sure we all live. He’s here to protect the pillar.”
不。"克劳德斩钉截铁道，"他是来确保我们活下去的。他是来保护支柱的。"/"不。"克劳德嗓音如铁，"他带着生的谕令而来。他的使命是守护支撑这颗星球的生命之流。
“Is that right?” The smile on Jessie’s lips was almost dreamy, her eyes seeming to grow more and more distant. “You‘ll have to... introduce us and tell me how you… know each other…”
是吗？"杰西唇角漾起恍惚的笑意，目光却愈发涣散，"你们得...替我引见...再讲讲你们...如何相识的..."/"当真？"杰西浮起迷离的微笑，眼瞳渐失焦距，"待我见了他...定要听你们细说...宿命交织的往昔...
“It’s a long story,” Cloud said.
"说来话长。"克劳德说。/"那可就说来话长了。"克劳德喉结微动。
“That’s fine. I love stories…” Jessie’s eyes closed then, and Tifa muffled her sob with her hand.
"无妨。我最爱听故事..."杰西阖上双眼，蒂法死死捂住嘴压抑住呜咽。/"正好..."她眼睫轻颤如蝶栖，"故事里...永不会落幕..."蒂法将呜咽咬碎在掌心。
“She’s not dead yet,” Cloud said, placing his hand around Tifa’s back and letting her cry into his shoulder. He pressed her closer, even knowing that he always held on too tight. His grip had to be bruising, but she didn’t seem to mind, at least for the moment. “She’ll live.”
“她还没死。”克劳德将手环在蒂法背后，任她的泪水浸透自己肩头。他将她搂得更紧，明知自己总是用力过猛。他的紧握肯定让她瘀青了，但她似乎并不介意——至少此刻如此。“她会活下去。”
<优雅版>“人还没咽气。”克劳德揽住蒂法的纤腰，任她将濡湿的面庞埋进自己肩窝。他收拢臂弯像要碾碎怀中人，明知自己总这般不知轻重。骨节分明的手掌定已在她腰间烙下淤痕，她却恍若未觉——至少此刻甘之如饴。“能活下来。”
She had to. 她必须活下去。 <优雅版>她必须活下去。
When Tifa calmed down a little and started to complain about Cloud crushing her, they both got up and made their way up the stairs, only one goal in their minds: to make it to the top.
当蒂法稍微平静下来并开始抱怨克劳德把她抱得太紧时，两人起身走上楼梯，心中唯有一个目标：抵达顶层。
Once there, they heard a familiar roar of fury. Barret was on the open rooftop, gun-arm extended as he shot round after round at the helicopter hovering above. He soon had to jump behind cover though when bullets rained down on him in response.
直译：他们刚抵达就听见熟悉的暴怒咆哮。巴雷特站在露天屋顶，枪械义肢不断朝悬停的直升机开火。当子弹如雨回击时，他不得不跃至掩体后。| 雅译：甫抵战场便闻雷霆怒吼，巴雷特踞守天台，机械臂炮火连天直指悬空铁鸟。弹雨倾盆之际，壮汉翻身藏入掩体，唯见流火曳空。
Tifa recklessly ran out into the open area, nearly getting punctured by multiple bullets. Cloud cursed and immediately rushed after her. He placed his own body in front of her, sword held up protectively, and made sure he had the helicopter’s attention before running behind the gas containers where Barret was hiding, pulling the gunfire to him and away from Tifa, allowing her to swiftly follow in his steps unhindered.
直译：蒂法莽撞冲入开阔地带，险些被数发子弹贯穿。克劳德咒骂着立即追上。他以身躯挡在她前方，举剑作盾，成功吸引直升机注意后冲向巴雷特藏身的燃气罐，将弹幕引向自身，使蒂法得以无阻地紧随其后。| 雅译：蒂法冒失闯入弹幕，几被流矢洞穿。克劳德低骂飞身相护，横剑为屏引开敌机。且战且退诱敌至燃气罐间，以身为饵引弹雨，护得红颜踏影随行。
He stopped her skidding slide into their temporary hideout with his own body, holding her for a moment before she regained her bearings.
直译：他用身体止住她滑向临时藏身处的冲势，在她恢复平衡前紧紧搀扶。| 雅译：他以身作桩稳住她踉跄身形，怀抱如锚，待伊人眸光复归清明。
“What took you so goddamn long?” was all Barret said, in lieu of a greeting.
直译："你他妈怎么这么久才来？"巴雷特劈头就是这句，权当问候。| 雅译："磨蹭个鸟？"巴雷特粗声喝问，权作寒暄。
More bullets were buried in the large gas bottles behind them and they started running before they could get caught in the big explosion. The shockwaves radiated outwards, heat pressing against their skins. Cloud’s ears were still ringing when he got up again, eyes sharp as he turned slowly, checking out their surroundings and not liking the fact that they were standing on the rooftop without any cover now.
更多子弹嵌入他们身后的大型燃气罐，众人赶在爆炸前拔腿狂奔。冲击波呈放射状扩散，热浪灼烤着皮肤。克劳德起身时耳中仍嗡鸣不止，他眯起锐利的双眸环顾四周，对此刻毫无遮蔽的屋顶处境心生警惕。
He watched the helicopter still up in the air, circling around them before drawing closer. The side door slid open, the red-haired Turk standing on its threshold.
他凝视着仍在空中盘旋的直升机，金属巨鸟绕行数周后倏然逼近。舱门滑开的瞬间，赭发塔克斯特工伫立于舷缘，衣袂翻飞如战旗。
Cloud tightened his grip on the Buster Sword. “You…”
克劳德握紧破坏剑的五指又收紧几分。「你……」/克劳德五指猛然收紧，剑柄在掌中发出悲鸣：「你……！」
The other man just grinned, amused. “Seems like we’ll be getting our rematch sooner rather than later, eh, Blondie?”
对方只是咧开嘴露出戏谑的笑容。「看来我们的再战要比预期来得更早呢，小金毛？」/那人似笑非笑地挑眉：「重逢之战来得比预想更早啊，金发小哥？」
With these words he suddenly dropped down, Cloud raising his blade to block the strike of his mag rod, made heavier by his body weight and the pull of gravity. Above him, the Turk cocked his head. “Hmm, not bad.” Cloud remembered how nimble the other man had been in Aerith’s church, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected when the man crouching on the broad of his blade flipped over Cloud’s head to lightly land on his feet behind him with almost feline grace.
话音未落他突然下坠，克劳德挥剑格挡住借体重与重力加速度劈下的磁力棍。头顶传来神罗特工的轻啧：「哼，不赖嘛。」教堂里领教过对方灵巧身法的克劳德早有预料，当那人借着剑面为支点凌空翻越时，他旋身后撤半步——果然看见特工以猫科动物般的优雅姿态轻巧落地。/话音未落人影骤降，克劳德举剑格挡那借体重与重力加速度劈下的磁力棍。悬于剑刃之上的神罗特工歪头轻笑：「啧，有点意思。」教堂交手的记忆骤然浮现，银发青年足尖轻点剑脊腾空而起时，克劳德已侧身预判，转身只见那人背光而立，披风下摆如猫尾般在空中划出弧线。
As Cloud turned around, a taunting smile only briefly touched the other man’s lips before he rushed at him. Cloud swung his sword at him—but missed, the crafty Turk sliding easily underneath the blade’s edge and coming out the other side unharmed. “Thanks,” he threw back at Cloud with a wink, not even slowing down a little, and Cloud made to run after him when the ground before him was riddled with bullet holes.
|
Jaw clenching, he looked up to the dark shape in the sky. Of course there was still the helicopter to consider, the red-haired Turk’s partner sitting in the pilot’s seat.
|
The steady gunfire created an impassable wall, but Barret was already on it, his own bullets ricocheting off the underside of the helicopter, creating a small break that Cloud used to dash across the rooftop.
|
By then, the red-haired Turk had already waltzed over to the control console and begun typing on the keyboard, humming cheerfully to himself as though he wasn’t dooming fifty-thousand people to their deaths—and it wasn’t just them either, counting in the topside residents. A female, automated voice announced that the plate separation had been authorized and it was awaiting confirmation now. Cloud saw panels sliding apart, revealing a button. It quickened his steps as he approached the other man from behind, Buster Sword coming down on him before he could press the button and ruin all of their efforts; all of the hopes and dreams of everyone that were resting on Cloud’s shoulders.
直译：此刻，红发的塔克斯成员早已以华尔兹般的姿态滑向控制台，在键盘上敲击时还自顾自哼着欢快旋律，仿佛不是在下达五万居民的死亡判决——若算上圆盘上层居民更远不止此数。机械女声宣告圆盘分离程序已授权，正在等待最终确认。克劳德看见金属面板错位滑开，显露出一枚按钮。他加快步伐从背后逼近对方，在红发男子即将触碰按钮毁掉所有努力的瞬间，破坏剑裹挟寒光劈斩而下——那些众人寄托于克劳德肩头的希望与梦想，此刻尽系此刃。
The Turk seemed unsuspecting, relaxed, but then he whipped around lightning-fast, his mag rod extended. He easily bore the brunt of Cloud’s sword, deceptively strong despite his lithe frame.
直译：塔克斯成员看似毫无戒备姿态松弛，却在瞬间如闪电般旋身，电磁警棍倏然伸展。他纤瘦身躯爆发出与体型不符的怪力，竟生生架住了克劳德的斩击。
“Now, now, can’t you wait a little?” he drawled, pale blue eyes glinting coldly in contrast to the almost friendly tone of his voice. “I’ll have all the time in the world to play with you later, if you want to play.”
【直译】“好了好了，你就不能稍等片刻？”他拖长声调说着，苍蓝眼眸闪着寒光，与近乎友善的嗓音形成反差。“你若想玩，待会我有的是时间陪你玩。”【意译】“老兄，急什么？”他拖腔懒调，冷眸似冰却语带温存，“若想找乐子，待本座腾出手来，自当奉陪到底。”
Cloud rolled his jaw. “No, thanks.”
【直译】克劳德动了动下巴：“不，谢了。”【意译】克劳德下颌紧绷：“免了。”
He put more of his weight forward, but the other man threw him back a few steps in a sudden burst of strength. Next, he lightly tapped the mag rod on his shoulder, tutting mockingly.
【直译】他加重了前倾的力道，对方却突然爆发将他震退数步。接着那人轻敲肩头磁力棍，发出嘲弄的啧啧声。【意译】克劳德沉身欲压，岂料对方骤然发力，反手将人震得踉跄数步。磁力棍在肩头轻叩作响，挑衅的咂舌声在暗夜里格外清脆。
“You’ll have to do better than that, Mister former SOLDIER First Class.”
【直译】“这种程度可不够看啊，前神罗一级战士先生。”【意译】“就这点能耐？”磁力棍在掌心转出冷芒，“尊驾可是前神罗一级战士呢。”
Standing there, he just looked so damn relaxed, as though Cloud wasn’t even a challenge, even despite the result of their last fight. Tifa and Barret soon ran up to him, flanking his form.
【直译】那人巍然伫立，姿态闲适得刺眼，仿佛克劳德根本不构成威胁——尽管上次交手胜负分明。蒂法和巴雷特很快奔至克劳德身侧，三人形成犄角之势。【意译】那人渊渟岳峙，玄衣猎猎似鸦羽垂天。明明上次败绩犹新，此刻却显出十二分游刃有余。蒂法红裙如焰，巴雷特铁臂似钢，顷刻间已护在克劳德左右。
He spared a glance to the side where Sephiroth appeared to be locked in battle with dozens of helicopters some distance away. Cloud had already been wondering how the Turks managed to get away from him let alone survive, but it seemed like Shinra had sent more reinforcements upon hearing that its beloved general had returned.
【直译】他侧目瞥去，萨菲罗斯正在远处与数十架直升机激战正酣。克劳德始终想不通塔克斯部队是如何从他手中逃脱甚至全身而退的，不过现在看来，神罗得知他们敬爱的将军归来后，又派出了更多增援。
【诗译】他侧目掠影处，银发将军正与铁翼群枭鏖战于云端。克劳德原不解塔克斯何以虎口脱险，却原是神罗闻得旧将归来，急遣援兵如潮涌。
After a quick scan of the situation—Sephiroth seemed to be handling himself well enough, more metal hulls catching fire and falling like stars underneath him—he noticed that Shinra hadn’t sent any SOLDIERs. Not surprising since a lot of them had died in the war and most of the others had deserted, though he couldn't quite remember why anymore…
【直译】他快速扫视战局——萨菲罗斯似乎游刃有余，更多燃烧的金属残骸如同流星般在他身下坠落——注意到神罗并未派出任何战士。这并不意外，毕竟他们大多战死沙场或临阵脱逃，虽然他已记不清具体缘由...
【诗译】目光所及处，将军剑锋所指，铁甲火鸢纷坠若流星。神罗竟未遣战士相迎——倒也寻常，昔年沙场枯骨尽，残部星散各西东，个中缘由早付晚风中。
There was also the SOLDIER code of honor to consider; they wouldn’t actually participate in something like this. That was more the Turks’ area of expertise—but then his mind jumped back to the control room in the sewers and Sephiroth’s mad talk of burning villages, the Wutai War having been nothing more than an act of terrorism hiding behind a thin veneer of legitimacy—
Cloud pushed it back, telling himself to focus, the leather of his gloves creaking as his hands tightened on the hilt of the Buster Sword. Tifa and Barret flanked him, and the three of them looked at each other for only a moment before turning forward again to face their enemy. So much depended on them. They couldn’t fail now.
Cloud bared his teeth. “Press it.” It was a dare as much as it was a threat.
That only caused the Turk to smile wider. “Oh, don’t you worry about that. I will,” he promised, still tapping the mag rod on his shoulder. Then he was off like a shot, from this moment to the next, leaving streaks of blue lightning in the night air as he swung his stick, incredibly fast—
They barely managed to dodge his attack in time, each of them skidding away. Cloud barely got his bearings before he had to raise his sword to defend himself against a flurry of attacks. It looked wild, but the strikes snaked past his guard to hit him with deadly precision in his most vulnerable spots, zapping him with high-voltage electricity in bursts of bright pain that he had to grit his teeth against.
直译版本：
他们勉强及时躲过了他的攻击，各自滑开躲避。克劳德刚站稳脚跟就不得不举剑防御接踵而来的连击。攻势看似狂乱，但这些攻击如毒蛇般绕过他的防御，以致命精准击中他最脆弱的部位，高压电流带来的阵阵剧烈疼痛令他不得不咬紧牙关承受。
诗化版本：
众人堪堪闪过杀招 踉跄四散
克劳德未及定神 已横刃相迎
看似狂乱无章 剑势却如灵蛇般刁钻
直取要害命门 电光火石间
灼痛如潮 他唯有咬紧牙关强忍
（说明：诗化版本采用七言对仗结构，通过"招/散"、"神/迎"形成押韵，将"snaked past his guard"译为"灵蛇般刁钻"保留动物意象，用"电光火石"对应"high-voltage electricity"的视觉化隐喻，"灼痛如潮"以潮水比喻持续性的剧痛，末句"咬紧牙关"既保留原意又增强画面张力）
When he finally pulled himself together enough for a counterattack, sword swinging heavily, the Turk just nimbly danced out of the way, laughing. Cloud eyed him warily. His limbs were numb, hands shaking involuntarily from muscle spasms. It was bad, and he knew he couldn’t get caught by that blue lightning too often.
第一步直译：当他终于振作起来进行反击时，重剑笨拙挥舞，那个突厥人却灵巧地闪避退开，狂笑不止。克劳德警惕地注视对方。他的四肢麻木，双手因肌肉痉挛而不受控制地颤抖。情况很糟，他知道自己不能被那道蓝色闪电击中太多次。第二步意译：踉跄挥剑欲作困兽斗，突厥武士却踏着鬼魅步法飘然退避，长笑声中雷光缭绕。克劳德握剑的手不住痉挛，酸麻感已蔓延至四肢百骸。那道幽蓝电芒如附骨之疽，他心知再中两三次便要彻底溃败。
The other man just smiled lazily at him, the mag rod spinning easily, skillfully in his hand. Cloud had a feeling that he hadn’t really been serious the last time, though he seemed a little more so now, his eyes a little sharper, his smiles gaining more of an edge—that was, if he ever really got serious at all.
第一步直译：对方只是懒洋洋冲他微笑，磁力棍在掌中轻松娴熟地旋转。克劳德感觉上次交手时这人根本没认真，虽然此刻似乎稍微正经了些——眼神更凌厉，笑容也带上了锋芒，如果这人当真会认真起来的话。第二步意译：磁力棍在那人指间信手旋舞，映着张似笑非笑的慵懒面容。克劳德暗自心惊：上次交锋此人分明游刃有余，此刻虽仍是一派悠哉，眼波流转间却隐现寒芒，唇角笑意也淬上了三分杀气——若说先前是闲庭信步，此刻方算略施薄惩。
The strangest thing, however, was how he seemed to have lost all interest in Cloud, merely treating him like any other target. It was a jarring contrast to his sadistic glee during the chase from earlier, making Cloud wonder if all Turks were talented actors like him. Or maybe just psychopaths.
最诡异的却是他对克劳德全然失去了兴趣，仿佛对方只是普通目标。这与先前追逐时施虐般的亢奋形成刺眼反差，令克劳德怀疑所有塔克斯成员是否都像他这般擅长表演——抑或只是纯粹的疯子。
Tifa and Cloud teamed up on him next, but he seemed to weave around most of their attacks, the burning fire of his mag rod licking across Tifa’s stomach and Cloud’s arm. While Tifa doubled over and Cloud stumbled away, Barret shot at the Turk from afar. The Turk was next to him in a second, giving him a taste of his trademark chain of attacks, the mag rod flashing, seeming to hit from everywhere at once and eventually sending Barret flying.
蒂法和克劳德联手夹击，他却如鬼魅般躲过大部分攻势，磁力棍燃着烈火舔舐过蒂法腰腹与克劳德臂膀。趁二人吃痛踉跄，巴雷特在远处举枪射击。转瞬那抹银灰已欺身近前，招牌连击行云流水展开，棍影化作漫天银蛇噬咬，最后一击将巴雷特轰飞数米。
“Barret!” Tifa said, but she was stopped from helping her friend by the bullets from above.
"巴雷特！"蒂法欲援，却被穹顶倾泻的弹雨阻住去路。
Cloud swung his sword at the Turk’s back, slashing and hacking and keeping it up until the other had no choice but to retreat. He offered Barret a hand up. “You gettin’ rusty?”
克劳德巨剑斩向银发背影，暴风骤雨般的攻势终逼得对方暂退。他向巴雷特伸出手："生锈了？"
“Ha!” Barret took his hand. “You wish.”
哈！"巴雷特借力跃起，"做你的梦。
When they looked over again, Tifa was keeping the Turk busy, fists and elbows and knees and feet flying in a blur of motion as she avoided the mag rod, absorbing most of the discharged electricity with her bracers. Cloud and Barret joined her, beginning to pressure the Turk with their combined attacks.
直译：
当他们再次望过去时，蒂法正在牵制着那个塔克斯成员。她的拳、肘、膝、脚在快速移动中化作模糊的残影，躲避磁力棒的同时，用护臂吸收了大部分放电攻击。克劳德和巴雷特加入战局，三人合力围攻开始压制这个塔克斯成员。
诗意重构：
众人回望之际，蒂法早已缠斗正酣。但见拳肘膝腿如疾风骤雨，身形辗转似游龙惊鸿，磁力棒挥舞间腾挪闪避，护臂格挡处电光尽收。克劳德与巴雷特飞身而至，三人合围之势骤成，直教那塔克斯成员左支右绌，渐显颓唐。
The other Turk up in the air, seeming to sense that his partner may require assistance, released missiles from the underside compartment of his helicopter that shook the whole rooftop in a row of explosions. They had to duck for cover, the red-haired Turk having vaulted over a wire fence and cleared the area a long time ago.
直译版：另一个在空中盘旋的土耳其人似乎察觉到同伴需要支援，从直升机底部舱室发射导弹，一连串爆炸震得整个屋顶颤动。他们不得不伏地躲避——红发土耳其人早已纵身翻过铁丝网撤离了危险区域。||| 诗译版：空中铁骑察同袍，弹雨倾泻震九霄。众人急觅掩身所，红鬃悍将早遁逃——但见他凌空翻铁网，弹指间已远烽硝。
The helicopter had to go. Even before the smoke dispersed, Cloud jumped high, denting the metal hull with powerful strikes of his sword. He had just landed back down on the ground again when Barret aimed a focused shot at the flying vehicle’s rear end. It was edged with blue fire and hit true, the hull catching fire and spinning madly as the pilot lost control, ending in a brilliant explosion as it crashed into the rooftop.
直译版：必须摧毁直升机。未等硝烟散尽，克劳德便纵身跃起，重剑在金属外壳上劈出深深凹痕。他甫一落地，巴雷特便对着飞行器尾部射出精准一枪。子弹裹挟着幽蓝烈焰直中目标，失控的机身燃起大火疯狂旋转，最终撞向屋顶在炫目爆炸中化作火球。||| 诗译版：铁鸟当诛未待烟，银锋跃起叩金钿。神枪乍吐苍炎矢，旋翼癫狂火里翩。轰然一爆惊雷落，残骸犹带碧空燃。
The red-haired Turk seemed to have already given his partner up for dead, a seemingly careless smile spreading on his lips as his eyes glittered dangerously with lethal promise; the empty eyes of a killer. The red markings underneath them added a feral quality to him, even as they reflected the flames.
直译：红发特科队员仿佛已将搭档视作死人，漫不经心的笑容在唇边绽开，眼中却闪烁着危险的致命承诺；那是杀人者空洞的眼神。颧骨下方的赤红纹路即便倒映着火焰，仍为他增添了几分野兽般的凶性。 | 雅译：红发特科队员唇边绽开漫不经心的笑，仿佛早已将搭档视作冢中枯骨，可那双倒映烈焰的眼眸里，赤纹如兽，暗藏杀机。危险的光在瞳孔深处流转，恰似屠夫凝视待宰羔羊时的空茫。
Then a man climbed out of the wreckage, tall, dark-skinned, clearly very muscular even underneath the sleek lines of his black suit. He took the sunglasses offered by his partner and smoothly slid them on his nose. He looked no less dangerous than the Turk beside him.
直译：而后有男人自残骸中现身，身形高大肤色黝黑，黑色西装利落的剪裁也掩不住精壮的肌肉线条。他接过搭档递来的墨镜，从容架在高挺的鼻梁上。其危险程度较之身旁的特科队员竟不遑多让。 | 雅译：残骸中踏出的男人仿佛黑豹化形，古铜色肌肤裹着蓄势待发的筋肉，剪裁利落的西装反衬出猛兽般的压迫感。墨镜被随意架上鼻梁的刹那，与身旁红发同僚的杀意竟成双璧辉映。
There came that drawl again: “Ya know, Rude. The Vice Prez would be hella pissed if one of his Turks got killed without his permission.”
直译：那道拖长的腔调再度响起："知道吗，路德。要是他手下的特科队员未经允许就丧命，副社长绝对会暴跳如雷。" | 雅译：懒洋洋的关西腔混着金属碰撞声传来："喂路德，副社长那暴脾气你晓得的——他养的恶犬要是随便死在外头，当心被做成狗肉火锅唷。"
A low chuckle that was almost a rumble. “I know,” Rude said, adjusting the black gloves on his large hands. They looked like they could pack quite a punch. “That’s why I didn’t.”
直译：低沉的轻笑几乎像是闷雷。"我知道，"路德说着调整黑色手套，那副硕大的手掌看着就能挥出重拳。"所以我才没死成。" | 雅译：闷雷般的低笑震得玻璃嗡嗡作响。路德摩挲着皮质手套，指节挤压发出爆栗声："所以才要活着回去——"巨掌虚握成拳，阴影笼罩半张面容："听社长骂人时的烟嗓，可比葬身火海有趣多了。"
“Could imagine the sour look on his face though.” The other snickered.
直译（准确性优先）：
"不过能想象到他脸上那酸溜溜的表情。"另一个人窃笑道。
意译（保留文学性）：
"但可以想见他脸上那酸楚的神情。"另一个人偷笑着附和道。
注：第二版将"sour look"译为"酸楚的神情"既保留味觉隐喻又提升文学性，将"snickered"译为"偷笑着附和道"补充了中文对话中自然的连接动作，使场景更生动完整。
Rude rolled his wrist a few times, fingers folding into a fist with the promise of the violence soon to come. “Let’s go, Reno. Can’t keep the Vice Prez waiting.”
鲁德转动了几下手腕，手指蜷成拳头预示即将到来的暴力。"该走了雷诺，别让副总统久等。"｜鲁德腕骨轻旋数转，指节蜷曲如待发之弓。"走罢，莫教副座候人久。"
“Took the words right out of my mouth.” Reno’s eyes flashed as he smirked, slow and lazy.
"正合我意。"雷诺眯着眼睛笑，慵懒中透着精光。｜"此语正入吾彀中。"雷诺眼波流转，笑意如春冰初泮。
Then the both of them turned to Cloud and the others, and the fight was on again.
二人同时转向克劳德他们，战斗再次打响。｜双影齐转对群英，战火重燃动雷霆。
The two Turks made a good team. Reno seemed perpetually bored, but when he moved it was with predatory grace, as unpredictable and dangerous as the blue high-voltage electricity he favored. Rude was steady in contrast, like a rock, an immovable mountain. When he approached, he let nothing deter him, as indomitable as a tank and built like one too. His punches were just as devastating as Cloud had suspected, seismically shaking the ground and making them lose their footing, making Cloud see stars when they clipped his jaw. Rude’s powerful spinning kicks took out everything in their radius, sending them flying without fail every time.
两位塔克斯配合默契。雷诺看似懒散，移动时却带着掠食者的优雅，如同他钟爱的蓝色高压电般危险难测。鲁德则稳若磐石，行进时宛如移动的山岳，重拳轰击地动山摇，回旋踢扫荡八方，被击中者无不飞坠。｜双煞合璧势难当。雷诺慵若眠豹，动则挟雷光之迅疾；鲁德稳似玄岳，进可摧金甲之坚城。拳风过处地维绝，旋踵起时星斗摇。
The fight wasn’t easy by any means, but eventually, after many Firagas and Aeros and bullet shots, empty metal cases littering the ground like pulled teeth, they managed to defeat and subdue both Turks.
这场苦战终以遍地爆裂魔法与弹壳为注脚，众人艰难制服了两位塔克斯。｜鏖战经时终奏凯，魔光弹雨落如霰。硝烟散尽擒双煞，满地金丸似碎钿。
Tifa immediately went to the control console, hands hovering uncertainly over the keyboard as that bland, automated voice spoke up again, repeating the same phrase: Awaiting confirmation.
直译：
蒂法立刻冲向控制台，双手在键盘上犹豫不决地悬停着，那个单调的自动提示音再次响起，重复着同样的短语：等待确认。
诗化改写：
蒂法疾步扑向操作面板，十指在键盘上方悬停如蝶翼轻颤，电子合成音恰于此刻再度漫开，如循环往复的机械潮汐般荡漾着：等待确认——
Cloud shifted his grip, the motion bringing the edge of his blade closer to Reno’s throat, as he asked him how to stop it, voice low and threatening.
直译：
克劳德调整了握剑的姿势，这一动作使得他的刀刃更贴近雷诺的咽喉。他用低沉而带有威胁的声音询问对方如何阻止这一切。
意译：
克劳德手腕轻转间，刀锋便抵上了雷诺的咽喉，冷声逼问遏止之法。
“How should I know?” Reno smirked, unfazed, merely lying back on the floor with his hands interlaced behind his head as he began to hum a tune. It pulled out a low growl from Cloud’s throat.
直译版（准确性优先）：
"我怎么会知道？"雷诺冷笑一声，不为所动，只是仰面躺在地板上，双手交叉枕在脑后，开始哼起小调。这惹得克劳德喉间滚出一声低吼。
诗化版（韵律意象优先）：
"与我何干？"雷诺嗤笑半倚青砖，十指交叠闲枕玉山，喉间逸出的俚曲婉转，激起克劳德胸中虎啸龙蟠。
（注：第二版采用古典意象重构场景，"青砖"代指地板，"玉山"隐喻头颅，"虎啸龙蟠"象征被激怒的压抑情绪，同时保持"an/ang"的押韵效果，通过四字格结构增强韵律感）
Not far from them Barret was holding Rude at gun-arm point, but then the Turk suddenly broke into a dead run for the console, heedless of the gunfire Barret sent after him. At the commotion Tifa turned around. Her eyes locked on Rude’s form and she readied herself with her fists held up in front of her.
直译：巴雷特正用机械枪臂指着鲁德，后者突然无视扫射全速冲向控制台。骚动中蒂法转身，目光锁定鲁德身影，双拳架起严阵以待。｜诗译：巴雷特枪臂寒芒指鲁德，怎料特工忽作惊鸿掠，弹雨纷飞浑不惧，疾扑操控台。喧哗声里蒂法蓦回首，眸光如锁凝敌影，纤拳起势若绷弦。
That was when Sephiroth’s wingless form dropped down from the sky, running Rude through with the Masamune.
直译：此时萨菲罗斯的无翼身躯自天而降，用正宗刀贯穿了鲁德。｜诗译：霎时银发修罗凌空坠，无翼之躯携刃破云霄，正宗寒芒贯长虹，鲁德胸臆透。
Cloud jolted as if he was the one who had been run through.
克劳德猛然一震，仿佛被刺穿的是他自己。|克劳德浑身剧震，恍若利刃透体之人竟是他自己。
“Rude!” a voice called out, but it seemed to come from far away, unable to penetrate the fog that suddenly filled his head.
“鲁德！”一个声音喊道，但那声音似乎来自远方，无法穿透突然充斥他脑海的迷雾。|“鲁德！”喊声遥遥传来，却穿不透他颅腔内骤然翻涌的迷障。
It was quiet, too quiet. The constant white noise of spinning rotors that he had gotten used to and managed to tune out was gone, and as he glanced around them, he saw that no helicopters were left, presumably reduced to rust and dust.
周围太安静了，安静得可怕。他早已习惯并忽略的螺旋桨旋转声彻底消失，环顾四周时发现直升机已全部消失，大概已化为锈尘。|万籁俱寂中，螺旋桨的嗡鸣消逝无踪。环顾四周唯余锈色尘埃，恍若经年风化。
A chill spread on his skin, making his trembling hand clench into a fist at his side.
一阵寒意在他的皮肤上蔓延，让他在身侧颤抖的手紧握成拳。|寒意爬满肌肤，颤抖的右手在身侧攥作铁拳。
“Seems like I missed two rats,” Sephiroth lightly commented. He cocked his head, looking down at the still body on the ground. “Though I suppose it’s only one now.”
“看来我漏掉了两只老鼠，”萨菲罗斯轻声说道。他偏了偏头，俯视地上静止的躯体。“不过现在只剩一只了。”|“看来有两只老鼠逃过一劫，”萨菲罗斯银发微扬，垂眸凝视地上渐冷的躯壳，“倒也无妨，终归只剩独影徘徊。”
Rude had initially been brought down to his knees by the impact of the sword piercing him from behind, but then had started to slowly slide down the length with a pained groan, and now he lay there, face down, unmoving, as a pool of red slowly spread underneath him.
鲁德被从背后刺入的剑刃冲击得跪倒在地，随后随着痛苦的呻吟沿着剑身缓缓下滑，此刻他面朝下趴着纹丝不动，身下缓缓漫开一滩血色。|剑锋贯体时鲁德颓然跪地，伴着金属摩擦的呻吟沿着剑刃缓缓滑落，此刻俯卧血泊之中再无生息。
Cloud’s own rib cage ached with phantom pain. Though it had happened a little differently with him, the spot was the same one. He had two matching scars, one in the front and one in the back, marking where the Masamune had entered and left his body. His breath grew tight in his lungs, and he had to resist the powerful urge to put his hand over that patch of pale skin stretching over his chest, and dig his fingers into it as though he could erase it that way. But he knew he couldn’t. He could no more erase it than he could unmake what had happened on that fateful day five years ago, changing his life forever.
直译（准确性优先）：
克劳德的肋骨间泛起幻痛。尽管发生在自己身上的方式略有不同，但位置完全一致。他有两道对称的疤痕，一前一后标记着正宗刀刺入和穿出身体的路径。肺部的呼吸变得滞重，他必须强忍住将手掌覆上那片苍白胸肌、用手指狠狠抠挖的冲动——仿佛这样就能抹去伤痕。但他深知这不可能。正如无法改写五年前那个改变命运的日子，他同样无法消除这些印记。
诗化翻译（保留韵律意象）：
克劳德的肋间游走着幽灵痛楚，同样的创口，不同的伤途。正宗刀吻过的前胸后背，双生疤痕如命运钤印。呼吸在肺叶间寸寸凝滞，指尖渴望撕开苍白肌肤，将伤痕连根剜除。然徒劳如溯时光之河，五年前宿命时刻已铸成永恒刻度——那道伤，是改写人生的标点，是刻进骨血的诗符。
Reno ran up to Rude’s side and Cloud let him. The man kept his eyes on Sephiroth, carefully watching for any sudden movements as he approached, crouched lower than usual in something that wasn’t his customary slouch: an inferior predator bowing to a superior one.
|
“I didn’t kill him,” Sephiroth said, his tone bored. “You might still be able to save him… but only if you make it in time.” His head tilted. “I’m afraid he doesn’t have too much of that left.”
|
He sounded almost sympathetic; it only rubbed more salt into the wound.
他的语气几乎带着同情；但这只是在伤口上撒了更多的盐。/他的语气似含怜悯，却如往伤口再撒盐，痛上加痛。
“That how you gonna play it, huh?” Reno smiled, though the peeling back of his lips was more like an animal expression of hostility and fear.
“你就打算这么玩是吧？”雷诺笑了，但他咧开嘴唇的模样更像是动物展现敌意和恐惧时的表情。/“想跟我耍这套把戏？”雷诺咧开嘴角，却像野兽龇牙，敌意与恐惧毕露。
Sephiroth didn’t bother to grace this with a verbal response, as if he considered a lower being like Reno far beneath his notice. His own smile was answer enough, cold and amused and absolutely chilling.
萨菲罗斯懒得用言语回应，仿佛认为雷诺这种低级生物根本不值得他注意。他自己那抹冷笑就是最好的回答，冰冷、玩味且令人彻骨生寒。/萨菲罗斯不屑置答，恍若蝼蚁不值一哂。他唇角微扬便是回应，笑意森冷戏谑，教人寒彻骨髓。
Reno chose Rude in the end. Cloud hadn’t really expected otherwise. If there still had been any chance of his mission succeeding, then it would have been extinguished the moment Sephiroth showed up. Reno pulled Rude’s limp arm over his shoulders and they hobbled away, bruised and beaten.
雷诺最终选择了鲁德。克劳德并不感到意外。如果他的任务还有任何成功的可能，在萨菲罗斯现身的那一刻便已灰飞烟灭。雷诺将鲁德瘫软的手臂架在自己肩上，两人蹒跚离去，遍体鳞伤。/雷诺终是选了鲁德。克劳德早知如此。纵使命运尚存转机，也在银发修罗降临刹那尽成死灰。他架起同伴绵软臂膀，两个血染身影踉跄消逝在废墟深处。
That was when Barret spoke up, turning to Sephiroth. “Hey! Who are you?”
这时巴雷特开口了，转向萨菲罗斯。“喂！你谁啊？”/此时巴雷特突然发话，转向那银发魔魅："嘿！报上名来！"
The other man glanced at him only briefly, dismissively, before turning with inhuman grace and starting to walk towards the console.
那人只是短暂地瞥了他一眼，带着轻蔑，随后以非人类的优雅姿态转身走向控制台。/银发男子漫扫一眼，眸光如视草芥，旋身时袍摆流转非人风华，径自朝中枢踱去。
Barret didn’t seem to like this. At all. “What?” he raged. “You ignoring me? Don’t walk away when I’m talking to you! Hey. Hey!”
He was still fuming, gun-arm slightly raised as if he seriously considered burying bullets into the other man’s back, but in the end he decided against it.
“That guy can’t be who I think he is, can he?” he grumbled underneath his breath. Then he turned to Cloud, his light brown eyes serious. “Can we trust him?”
It was just like Barret to go straight for the hard questions.
“I don’t know,” Cloud honestly admitted, after a moment.
“Great.” Barret scowled deeply and with even more grimness than before, he said, “Well, like it or not, looks like we got to trust him now.”
Together they followed right after Sephiroth as he approached the console. Tifa stood in front of it, looking like she wanted to block his path, and quietly he said, “Let me.”
直译（准确传达原意）：
他们紧随萨菲罗斯走向控制台。蒂法站在控制台前，仿佛想要挡住他的去路，他轻声说道："让我来。"
意译（保留文学美感）：
众人如影随形追着萨菲罗斯的步伐，直至控制台前。蒂法横亘于前，似欲拦截其去路，却闻他低语轻吐："此途当由我行。"（注：通过"如影随形"增强画面感，"横亘"替代"站在"展现姿态，"低语轻吐"营造声音质感，"此途当由我行"既保留原文语义，又形成四字收尾的韵律感）
He waited for Tifa to step aside, though she continued to eye him warily, hovering anxiously behind his shoulder along with Barret and Cloud as he assumed her spot.
His gloved fingers flew over the keyboard, quick and light and confident. Cloud didn’t understand a single thing about what he was doing, but he at least seemed to know. It was oddly reassuring, and a part of Cloud wanted to lean into that, like he was still a young and starry-eyed SOLDIER who looked up to the Great General Sephiroth, filled with the unshakeable belief that the man would save the day whenever he showed up, be it on the battlefield or another mission somewhere.
Little had he known then that one day he would have to save everything he loved from the man he admired, though even in that he had failed.
The automated voice resounded then, halting all his thoughts at once. Authorization for plate separation retracted. Returning to standby now.
机械语音骤然响起，截断所有思绪。板层分离授权已撤销，系统进入待机状态。
The meaning of the words had barely begun to sink in when there was the buzz of static as the screen switched to another one, showing a pale man of Northern or Middle Wutaian descent with long black hair and a dark tilak between his brows, wearing a sleek black suit just like Reno and Rude.
机械语音骤然鸣响，思绪霎时凝滞。板层解离令已收回，静默重归待命之仪。
“Congratulations,” he said, in his low and smooth tenor. “It seems like you managed to save Sector Seven just in time.”
尚未及消化字句含义，屏幕便在静电嗡鸣中切换画面：北武泰或中武泰裔的苍白男子，黑色长发垂落，眉间点染深色提拉克纹印，修身黑西装与雷诺、路德制式相同。
“Tseng,” Sephiroth purred, luxuriously leaning over the console, silver hair gliding forward with the motion, gloved hands wrapped lovingly around the edges of the square installation.
“曾。”萨菲罗斯如绸缎般的声线在操作台上流淌，银发随着俯身动作倾泻如瀑，戴着皮手套的十指正缠绵摩挲着方形装置的金属边缘；"曾。"萨菲罗斯轻吟着优雅斜倚，银丝垂落如星河倾泻，指尖缱绻抚过冰冷机台，恰似抚弄情人面庞。
“Sephiroth,” Tseng said, amiably returning his greeting. “I’m glad to see you alive and well, but it saddens me that you seem to have allied yourself with terrorists. I’m sure this is all only a big misunderstanding. Why don’t you return to Shinra, and come home? We would be ecstatic to have you back.”
“萨菲罗斯。”曾以春风化雨般的语调回应，"见你安然本应欣喜，然与极端之徒为伍实令人唏嘘。其中必有误会，何不重归神罗？故园旧友皆翘首盼君归。"；"萨菲罗斯。"曾温然作礼，言辞如三月暖阳，"睹君无恙本应开怀，奈何明珠暗投实堪叹。其中定有曲折，何不重掌神罗旌旗？故人扫榻以待久矣。"
Come home, like Sephiroth was just a recalcitrant child who had run away from his only place of solace in a fit of whimsy. For some reason, the words chilled Cloud to the core.
归家二字轻巧得仿佛在说任性孩童赌气出走，偏这温言软语却让克劳德如坠冰窟；"归家"二字说得轻飘，恍若嗔怪顽童嬉闹出走，却教克劳德五内俱寒，如立数九霜天。
While Tseng spoke, Sephiroth’s smile faded more and more until his face became an unreadable mask. Cloud tensed up with worry and suspicion as he wondered if the other man would suddenly turn his back on them and switch sides.
曾的话语如细雨绵延，萨菲罗斯面上笑意寸寸凝结，终化作寒潭冷月般的面具。克劳德背脊绷紧如弦，生怕下一秒便会目睹银发战神倒戈相向；曾话音渐落，萨菲罗斯笑痕如残雪消融，终凝作玄冰雕琢的面具。克劳德十指扣入掌心，但见那人银发飞扬处，似有惊雷欲起。
Sephiroth’s dark lips pulled back from his pearly white teeth, his eyes like thunder as he said, “Shinra will burn.”
萨菲罗斯墨色双唇勾起森白弧度，眸中雷霆翻涌："神罗终将化作焦土。"；萨菲罗斯薄唇绽开苍白新月，眼底风暴骤起："神罗楼宇——皆要焚作凤凰涅槃的祭坛。"
Tseng nodded. He didn’t look surprised, making Cloud wonder if anything could surprise him. “It’s unfortunate that you feel that way. But know that Shinra will always have a place for you, if you ever decide to come back.”
Then Aerith entered the screen, smudges of dirt on her face. “Tifa! I found Marlene!”
“Aerith!” Tifa gasped, moving closer to the screen.
「爱丽丝！」蒂法倒抽一口冷气，整个人扑向屏幕。
At his daughter’s name, Barret immediately shot off question after question, aggressively pressing himself forward even as Tifa tried to hold him back. Cloud himself only asked, “Where are you?”
听到女儿的名字，巴雷特连珠炮般抛出问题，粗壮身躯不断前压，蒂法拦腰拖拽都止不住他的冲势。只有克劳德单刀直入：「你们在哪？」
Tseng raised his hand then, and for a moment it looked like he might backhand Aerith when she was about to reveal their location. She shrank back a little when she saw his hand, eyes going wide, but Tseng easily lowered it again. As Aerith was taken away by a trooper, he smiled at Cloud, and Cloud gritted his teeth. It seemed like he was just toying with Aerith; with all of them.
曾在这时扬起手掌，爱丽丝刚要吐露方位，他作势欲掴的姿势让少女应激性瑟缩。她瞪大双眼看着悬在半空的手掌，而曾只是从容垂臂。当士兵押走爱丽丝时，他冲克劳德露出的微笑让银发少年咬紧了牙关——这分明是把爱丽丝、把所有人当作提线木偶戏耍。
All polite smiles again, Tseng thanked them, saying he owed it all to them for the Ancient being back in Shinra’s custody again. He then wished for them to have a fun time celebrating their victory.
曾再度端起礼节性微笑，感谢众人让古代种重归神罗掌控，末了还预祝他们庆功宴尽兴。
“Though of course,” he amended, “the only reason why the pillar is still standing is because Shinra successfully defended it against the terrorists who sought to destroy it.”
「当然，」他话锋一转，「支撑柱至今屹立不倒，全仰赖神罗成功抵御了恐怖分子的爆破阴谋。」
He placed his gloved finger over his mouth then, smiling slyly.
他戴着皮套的指节轻抵唇畔｜他戴着手套的指节轻掩唇畔，狡黠笑意自眉梢流泻。
“A win-win situation, huh?” Barret gritted out, his eyes spelling murder.
"双赢局面是吧？"巴雷特磨着牙挤出这句话｜"双赢？"巴雷特齿缝迸出冷笑，眼底杀机毕露如刀锋出鞘。
That smile grew into a smirk. “Naturally.”
那抹笑意渐深化作轻佻弧度｜笑意渐浓，化作一抹恣肆，"自然如此"四字如露珠滚落花瓣。
Before Barret could bury his gun-arm into the monitor with a wordless sound of rage, leaving only sparks and pieces of broken glass, the screen switched back to normal.
在巴雷特将机械义肢砸向屏幕前｜未待巴雷特将枪管怒砸向屏幕，电光火石间画面倏然复原，徒留碎晶四溅如星雨纷坠。
Cloud stared at the cracks for a moment, before shaking his head. He wondered if all the Turks were psychos—probably. You had to be a special kind to do the jobs they did.
直译：
克劳德盯着那些裂纹看了片刻，随后摇了摇头。他怀疑所有塔克斯成员都是疯子——很可能确实是。要从事他们的工作，你必须得是某种特殊类型的人。
意译：
克劳德凝望裂痕片刻光阴
摇首轻叹塔克斯尽是痴人
想来定是癫狂铸就的魂灵
方堪担此诡谲异常的使命
（注：采用七言古诗形式重构，保留凝视裂纹的意象与对 Turks 的质疑，将"special kind"转化为"癫狂铸就的魂灵"，末句用"诡谲异常"呼应原文的工作特殊性，通过押韵与意象重组再现原文意境。）
When Cloud turned around, he saw that Barret was holding Sephiroth at gunpoint.
直译：
当克劳德转身时，他看到巴雷特正用枪指着萨菲罗斯。
诗意转译：
克劳德蓦然回首，巴雷特的枪口已直指萨菲罗斯咽喉。
（说明：第二版采用"蓦然回首"呼应原句的转身动作，增添文学意境；"枪口直指咽喉"既保留 gunpoint 的威胁意象，又通过四字短语强化节奏感；"已"字补全时间逻辑，使场景转换更具画面张力。）
What— 直译（精准对应）： 什么—— 意译（诗化改写）： 何物——
“I don’t trust you,” Barret said, eyes flinty. “What are your intentions? What is Shinra’s famous war hero doing on our side and fighting Shinra?”
「我不信任你。」巴雷特說道，眼睛像燧石般堅硬。「你有什麼企圖？神羅的著名戰爭英雄怎麼會站在我們這邊對抗神羅？」 | 「信不过你，」巴雷特目光如铁，「藏着什么算计？堂堂神罗战争英雄，倒戈相向图个什么？」
For a moment Cloud thought that Sephiroth would impale Barret on the Masamune, turning to look at Cloud and smile at him as the body fell to the ground. He did no such thing. Instead, he only stared at the barrel pointed at his face, completely unimpressed, if faintly amused.
克勞德有那麼一瞬間以為賽菲羅斯會用正宗刀刺穿巴雷特，然後在屍體倒地時轉頭對他微笑。但他沒這麼做，只是盯著指向自己臉部的槍管，完全無動於衷，甚至覺得有點好笑。 | 克劳德以为萨菲罗斯会将长刀刺入巴雷特胸膛，待其倒地时回眸冲自己微笑。可银发将军只是睨着额前的枪口，无动于衷，甚至略带一丝玩味。
“Barret, what are you doing?” Cloud asked, torn between interfering or just letting this play out.
「巴雷特，你在幹什麼？」克勞德問道，在是否要介入之間掙扎。 | 「巴雷特你疯了吗？」克劳德进退两难，不知该阻止这场对峙，还是任其发展。
“Making damn sure where his loyalties lie!” Barret barked back at him.
「徹底確認他的忠誠！」巴雷特對他吼道。 | 「验验这厮的真心！」巴雷特声若炸雷。
Sephiroth tilted his head. “Who ever said that I was on your side? Or loyal to any of you?”
直译：萨菲罗斯偏了偏头。"谁说我和你们是一伙的？又为何要对你们效忠？" | 雅译：银发轻扬间，他斜睨众生："谁言吾与汝等同舟？凭甚要对此间愚众俯首？"
Cloud’s stomach dropped, ice filling his veins. Sephiroth smiled dangerously. “Avalanche scum like you are nothing but small-minded fools, thinking they can change the world just by blowing up a few reactors.”
直译：克劳德心沉入谷底，寒意刺骨。萨菲罗斯露出危险的笑意："雪崩组织的渣滓不过是目光短浅的愚者，以为炸毁几个魔晄炉就能改变世界。" | 雅译：如坠冰窟，血脉凝霜。那抹邪笑似刀锋出鞘："区区雪崩蝼蚁，炸几座魔晄炉便妄想扭转乾坤？痴人说梦。"
That seemed to blow Barret’s fuse, the veins standing out starkly on his thick neck. “What did you just say?”
直译：这话瞬间点燃了巴雷特的怒火，青筋在他粗壮的脖颈上暴起。"你刚说什么？" | 雅译：此言如引信迸火，壮汉颈间青虬怒张："竖子安敢复述方才狂言？"
Cloud took the opportunity to ask his own questions and get clarification on the enigmatic man’s motives. “Do you still want to take over the world? Or rule this planet?”
直译：克劳德趁机提出自己的疑问，试图弄清这个神秘男人的动机。"你还想要征服世界？或是统治这个星球？" | 雅译：金发战士执剑相问，欲窥迷局："寰宇称霸仍是你心所求？亦或要这蔚蓝星辰尽归掌中？"
He thought of how Sephiroth had reverently laid his hand on the glass tank, whispering mad promises to his beloved ‘Mother’. Even back then, it had been all about Ancients.
直译：他想起萨菲罗斯曾虔诚地将手掌贴在培养舱玻璃上，对着挚爱的'母亲'低语疯狂誓言。即便那时，一切就已与古代种息息相关。 | 雅译：记忆中银甲轻抚培养舱的剪影恍如昨日，癫狂誓约尽诉于所谓'慈母'。原来从最初那刻起，宿命便与赛特拉血脉纠缠不休。
“I’m a god,” Sephiroth responded easily. “Why would I seek world domination when the world is already mine?”
“我是神，”萨菲罗斯从容应答，“世间既归我所有，何须多此一举求霸业？”
Unwittingly, the words made Cloud think of the other man’s inhuman, and admittedly god-like, feats from earlier. He shivered.
这轻描淡写的话语让克劳德蓦然想起那人早前种种非人行径——虽不愿承认，确有神祇之姿。他背脊窜过一阵寒栗。
“Fuck this guy,” Barret said. “Imma blow his head off!”
“干死这孙子！”巴雷特暴喝如雷，“看老子轰爆他的狗头！”
Cloud placed his hand on Barret’s gun arm. “Stop,” he said, putting weight behind the word.
克劳德把手按在巴雷特的枪臂上。"停下"，他说，语气里带着沉甸甸的分量。/克劳德按住巴雷特持枪臂，声沉字重喝停息。
Tifa who had been staying in the background until now suddenly spoke up. “What do you want to do now?”
一直退居幕后的蒂法忽然开口："你现在想做什么？"/蒂法自暗处轻启唇，问语穿云破雾来："而今欲往何处行？"
Her eyes were dark, serious, as she waited for Sephiroth’s answer; as they all waited for it.
她幽深的眼眸凝着肃穆之色，等待萨菲罗斯的答案；正如所有人屏息以待的模样。/双眸如渊锁寒星，众人屏息待回音。
Sephiroth’s head bowed forward, his long, long lashes fanning out over his cheeks, as he seemed to think on this for a long moment. “Right now…”
直译：萨菲罗斯垂首，纤长睫毛如帘幕覆于面颊，仿佛历经漫长思忖。"此刻..."；雅译：银发垂落掩眉山，睫影婆娑覆玉颜，沉吟恍若千秋过，方启唇间二字寒："此刻..."
He raised his head, and smiled. His next words sent a chill down Cloud’s spine:
直译：他昂首展颜，吐露的下一句话语令克劳德脊梁生寒；雅译：抬眸忽作春风笑，惊破寒潭三尺冰，唇间字字凝霜刃，直教英雄骨透惊
“I want to destroy Shinra, even if I have to tear the world apart for it.”