Chapter Text 直译： 章节正文 韵意译： 章回文墨
I want to destroy Shinra, even if I have to tear the world apart for it.
纵使天地裂八荒，神罗基业必倾覆/宁教乾坤碎玉宇，誓将神罗付劫灰
The words were still ringing in Cloud’s ears as they descended the pillar, climbing down ladders and stairs the same way they had come up.
克劳德耳畔仍回荡着话语，众人沿来时的铁梯与阶梯撤离支柱/誓言犹在铁梯鸣，循迹拾级下危旌
Sure, Cloud didn’t like Shinra either, but… the way Sephiroth had looked when he said it was something else, and Cloud could even believe that he meant it. He would actually destroy the world itself, just to bring Shinra down. Cloud thought of the cataclysmic sight of the man earlier, helicopters falling from the sky like a meteor shower as he floated victoriously over his slain foes, wing majestically spread out behind him, beautiful and terrible, like the incarnation of a destructive god—and shuddered.
克劳德固然憎恶神罗，但萨菲罗斯宣言时的姿态却令人悚然——他竟当真要焚世灭道以葬神罗。克劳德忆起那宛如灾星现世之景：直升机群如陨星坠落，单翼魔神凌空而立，浴血之姿既昳丽又可怖，恍若灭世具象，不禁战栗/神罗虽恶何至此？修罗浴血现灾星。陨落飞鸢如雨坠，单翼魔神立太虚。朱颜带煞摄心魄，灭世神威使人栗
It wouldn’t actually get to that point, would it?
当不致山河尽毁罢？/天地倾覆岂成真？
Then again, Cloud knew how easily the other man could end the world in fire and ashes, just like he had Nibelheim. But Cloud wouldn’t let him, not as long as he still had breath in his lungs.
克劳德深知那人既能焚灭尼布尔海姆，亦可令尘世化焦土。但只要一息尚存，他定会阻止这燎原之焰/尼镇余烬犹灼目，岂容燎原火再燃。残躯尚存三寸气，敢向魔神夺苍天
On their way down, they passed by members of the Neighborhood Watch who were busy carrying away bodies and tending to the injured or dead. They didn’t see Jessie or Biggs, so they must have been taken away to safety already. He tried not to think which category they had been sorted into. They had to live. They had to see that their efforts hadn’t been for nothing, and the sky hadn’t fallen as they had all feared.
直译：下行途中，他们经过正在搬运尸体、照料伤员的邻里守望成员。没看见杰西和比格斯，想必已被转移至安全区。克劳德强迫自己不去思考二人被归类到伤亡名单的哪一栏。他们必须活着见证努力并非徒劳，必须亲眼确认天穹未如众人恐惧般倾塌。||| 雅译：穿行在邻里守望成员搬运遗骸的队列中，始终未见杰西与比格斯的身影。想必已得转移，只是不知归处是生簿或死籍。他们定要活着——活着见证血泪非虚掷，活着亲睹苍天未坠的黎明。
It still hadn’t really sunk in that they had made it, that they had managed to save the pillar and everyone. It didn’t feel real, and Cloud wondered if he was just dreaming; if he would wake up to the world destroyed after all, his second home turned to ashes.
直译：成功拯救神罗支柱与众人的事实仍如隔雾看花。虚幻感缠绕着克劳德，令他疑心此刻不过大劫前的浮梦，生怕睁眼时世界终成焦土，第二故乡尽化飞灰。||| 雅译：胜利的实感恍若未觉，支柱得救的真相如坠云中。克劳德攥着掌心温度，恐这不过灭世前的黄粱梦——待大梦觉醒，故园焦土，新巢成烬。
People looked up when they walked by, their tired faces radiating quiet but heartfelt gratitude, even despite the heavy and subdued atmosphere around them. They had seen too much tonight already, suffered too many losses to feel any real joy, and so it was more a grim acceptance that they had survived another day.
直译：途经者纷纷抬头，倦容上绽放静默而深沉的感激。纵然劫后余生的凝重空气压抑着欢欣，但今夜目睹太多逝去的双眼，仍为幸存的光辉泛起涟漪。||| 雅译：步履所及处，仰首者倦眸含星。劫灰未冷的长夜里，幸存者的凝视如暗潮涌动——那并非欢欣的浪花，而是浸透血色的潮汐，默然承托着又一轮新生朝阳。
Cloud looked away all the same, abashed, feeling undeserving of their gratitude.
直译：克劳德赧然移开视线，自觉不配承受这般炽热的谢意。||| 雅译：少年偏头避开灼灼目光，仿佛谢意是滚烫的烙铁，会将罪孽深重者的掌心灼穿。
He thought of Biggs grinning and telling him to go be a hero, of Jessie calling him one too.
直译：比格斯咧着嘴让他当英雄的画面浮现眼前，杰西那声"我们的英雄"亦在耳畔回响。||| 雅译：记忆溯流而上，比格斯戏谑的"去当大英雄吧"与杰西温软的"我们的英雄"交织成网，缚住他欲逃的心魂。
But he wasn’t. 直译： 但他没有。 意象化改写： 可他终未成真。
They nearly hadn’t made it. If they had just been a little slower, if they had just made one mistake...
他们几乎没能成功。只要他们再慢上一点，只要他们犯下一个错误…… | 险未脱樊笼，若迟行半步，若错踏一着……
And still, he held on all the same, tightly, too tightly, and with both hands. He could only hope that he would be able to stop it all from slipping from his grasp the next time too. Or the time after that. And then the time after that—as many times as needed.
可他依然紧握着，太紧了，用双手死死攥住。他只能祈祷下次也能阻止一切从指间流逝。或者下下次。再或者下下下次——无论要重复多少次。 | 他仍执拗紧攥，十指如锁，唯恐流光逝。但求次次皆能挽飞沙，任它千百度，此握终不罢。
He nodded silently at another worn, haunted face. While he did, he noticed that their gazes seemed to be particularly drawn to Sephiroth’s form. He supposed it was only natural; the man had made quite a spectacle of it all. The same profound gratefulness was reflected in their eyes as they looked at him, but instead of basking in it or smugly bragging about it or taking all the credit for it—or even mocking them and arrogantly throwing their appreciation back in their faces—as Cloud may have expected from a self-proclaimed god, he just remained silent.
他朝另一张疲惫而恍惚的面孔默默点头。这时他注意到，众人的目光总是不由自主飘向萨菲罗斯的身影。他想这很正常；那人确实演了出好戏。他在那些凝视中读到了同样深重的感激，但克劳德预料中神明该有的陶醉自得、傲慢邀功、甚至将感激掷回人脸的嘲弄——这些统统没有出现，银发人只是静默如雕塑。 | 他颔首示倦容，却见众目皆凝睇赛菲罗斯之形。想来也是，毕竟此人确导得满城风雨。那眸光中流转的谢意如出一辙，然彼辈既不沉湎亦不矜伐，更无嗤笑掷还——与自诩神明者相左，惟余默立如寒松。
The watch members didn’t ask questions, despite the fact that Cloud knew they had to be bursting with those, and he realized that they didn’t out of respect.
卫队成员没有发问，尽管克劳德知道他们必定满腹疑团，而他明白这份沉默源于敬重。 | 卫队众人缄口未询，纵疑云满腹亦自持。克劳德蓦然了悟，此乃敬重无声处。
It was palpable in the way they moved out of the way when Sephiroth approached, eyes quietly shining with fierce emotion and acknowledgement as he walked past them.
当萨菲罗斯靠近时人群退潮般散开的姿态说明了一切/他经过时人们眼中静静燃烧着炽烈情绪与认可的眸光更昭示着一切
And Sephiroth, he... seemed to almost return their respect, accepting the gratitude gracefully and nodding just like Cloud without saying a word, expression almost neutral and colored with none of his usual mockery or cold amusement.
而萨菲罗斯...他似乎以某种方式回应着这份敬意/银发的战神颔首如克劳德般静默，优雅承下礼赞的面容近乎无悲无喜，不见素日讥诮冷嘲的痕迹
The first time it happened, the man had looked like he didn’t know what to make of it; it was as though he hadn’t really expected anything at all, despite almost single-handedly taking out Shinra’s forces.
初次经历这般阵仗时，男人神情恍惚似无所适从/首度沐浴此等荣光的战士面露迷惘，仿佛单枪匹马击溃神罗大军的壮举在他眼中不过寻常
When they finally reached the bottom of the winding staircase, they looked up to where it stretched up and supported the steel sky. There were fires still burning here and there, but they were weakening and dying, exhaling the last fumes from their lungs before crumbling to ashes.
蜿蜒阶梯的尽头，众人仰望着钢铁苍穹的支柱/螺旋长阶的终端，他们凝视通天之柱托举的金属穹顶。残火如垂死巨兽在废墟间苟延残喘，吐尽最后一口黑烟后终化灰烬
The pillar still stood. 支柱依然矗立/天柱犹擎苍昊
They headed for the undercity next, after deciding to go to Aerith’s house in the Sector Five Slums where they suspected they would find Marlene. That giant dome of light was gone by then, though Cloud wasn’t sure when it had disappeared. The parts around the pillar and the outer areas were as deserted as they had been earlier, most of the residents likely busy with pulling bodies out of collapsed buildings, trying to save who and what could be saved, in the aftermath of the battle.
他们决定前往第五区贫民窟爱丽丝家寻找玛琳，随后向下城区进发。那时巨型光穹已然消散，克劳德却不知其何时消逝；环柱地带仍如死城，居民们正从废墟中拖拽残躯，在战后抢救尚存的人与物。｜他们决意奔向五番街贫民窟爱丽丝的屋檐，料想玛琳必藏身其间，便折向幽邃下城。彼时通天光幕早已杳然，克劳德犹记不得何时消散。残柱周遭依旧空寂如坟场，劫后余生者正徒手掘开断壁，在余烬中打捞未冷的心跳。
They walked up to the gate leading to Sector Six without encountering anyone, only to find it already open. There were all the signs of a violent confrontation having happened here: the floor was littered with the bodies of troopers who looked like they had been bludgeoned to death by a crowd, and there were dents and deep scratches in the large metal doors. The panicking slum-dwellers must have forced their way through the gate in the chaos earlier.
他们走向第六区闸门未遇人影，却发现门扉洞开。暴力冲突的痕迹触目惊心：遍地士兵尸骸似遭民众棍毙，金属巨门布满凹痕爪印。惊惶的贫民定是在混乱中破门而出。｜通往六区的闸门静如鬼域，唯见铁扉豁然中开。满地狼藉皆是暴力的诗行：军士尸身似绽放在乱棍下的恶之花，钢铸门扉镌刻着指甲与铁器的十四行。想来是流民在血色黎明前，用肉身撞开了这囚笼的韵脚。
They entered the park of Sector Six where some people were huddled and crying in the corners, not paying any attention to them. As they left the park, a road started. It wasn't asphalted, only wooden planks covering the rough ground to make it a little more even.
直译版：
他们进入第六区的公园，那里有些人蜷缩在角落里哭泣，没有注意到他们。当他们离开公园时，一条道路开始延伸。这条路没有铺沥青，只有木板覆盖着崎岖的地面，使其稍微平坦些。
诗化版：
他们步入第六区的公园
暗角里蜷着啜泣的孤影
无人顾盼他们行经
出园时道路悄然显形
未施柏油粗砺相迎
唯见陈年木板铺陈
将嶙峋地表稍作抚平
Barret was walking ahead despite not knowing the way to Aerith’s house, though Cloud supposed that he at least knew how to get to Wall Market. Tifa was at his side, trying to distract him from his agitation and anxiety over Marlene.
巴雷特虽不知晓爱丽丝家方位仍走在前面，不过克劳德推测他至少知道如何前往围墙商店街。蒂法则走在他身侧，试图分散他对玛琳的焦躁与忧虑。
It was a dark road, and Cloud was hanging back with Sephiroth. He glanced over to the silent man walking next to him, and spoke up, keeping his voice low:
夜色笼罩道路，克劳德与萨菲罗斯并肩走在队尾。他瞥了眼身侧沉默的男人，压低声音开口道：
Output 修正版（双译版）：
“So… Aerith is an Ancient, like one of those you talked about and who you said are almost extinct now?”
“这么说…爱丽丝是古代种？就是你之前提过、说现在几乎灭绝的那个种族？”
“Yes, although she only shares half their blood.”
“是，但她只有一半血脉。”
Then, the question he’d been puzzling over for a while now: “Are you also an Ancient?”
他终于抛出盘桓已久的疑问：“你…也是古代种吗？”
Again, he thought of Sephiroth’s words in the Nibel reactor, along with the ones he’d uttered to Aerith just a few hours ago in the busy streets of Wall Market.
尼布尔反应炉中萨菲罗斯的低语与数小时前在沃 Market 街市对爱丽丝说的话，此刻再度掠过心头。
“No,” Sephiroth said, quietly. His bangs obscured his expression from sight. “Though I thought I was one, for a time.”
“不。”萨菲罗斯声若寒潭。额前碎发垂落，掩去神情。“曾有段时间…我也这般深信。”
“Jenova... lied to you, didn’t she?”
“杰诺瓦…欺骗了你，对吗？”
Sephiroth’s lips quirked, a dark look entering his eyes. “One of her many lies.” Then: “But also one of Shinra’s.”
萨菲罗斯唇角微勾，眸色倏然晦暗：“不过是她万千谎言之一。”顿了顿又道：“亦是神罗的。”
Before Cloud could ask what he meant, Tifa suddenly said, “That man… Tseng. He said something about Aerith being an Ancient. I’ve heard of them before, but…”
克劳德正要追问，蒂法忽然开口：“那个叫曾的男人…他说爱丽丝是古代种。我以前听过这名字，但…”
Barret then began to explain how the Ancients were said to be the original stewards of the planet who had the ability to commune with it. It fit with everything Cloud had seen of Aerith, her strange behavior when they had approached Don Corneo’s mansion, her seeming ability to talk with the Ghosts they had fought; even her talent for making flowers grow in the dirty, polluted slums.
She could apparently also hear the whispers of the lifestream, and so could Sephiroth. But he wasn’t an Ancient. What did that make him?
A god, that voice like obsidian and smoke seemed to whisper into his ear, making him almost shiver, but he shook it off and nodded in response to what Barret said.
直译：
一位神祇，那声音如同黑曜石与烟雾般在他耳畔低语，令他几乎战栗。但他甩开这种感觉，点头回应巴雷特说的话。
雅译：
神明之音若玄石与烟霭，耳畔轻喃几欲战栗。然强自按捺，颔首应巴雷特所言。
“That’s probably why the Turks wanted her so badly.” His eyes grew contemplative. “Especially since the Ancients have become nearly extinct after the Calamity impacted and threatened the planet two thousand years ago.”
“这大概就是塔克斯对她穷追不舍的原因。”他眸光幽邃如深潭，“毕竟两千年前灾厄侵蚀星球后，古代种的血脉几乎断绝。”
“How do you know all of that, Cloud?” Tifa’s eyes were dark with suspicion.
“这些秘辛你从何得知，克劳德？”蒂法眼底浮动着怀疑的暗影。
Cloud straightened, caught off guard by her question. “I… Sephiroth told me…”
克劳德身形微僵，问题如冷箭般令他措手不及。“是...萨菲罗斯曾向我透露...”
“Oh?” Barret said. “So the Shinra man also knows a thing or two about the planet, huh? I’m surprised.” He sneered.
“哦？”巴雷特鼻腔里哼出冷笑，“想不到神罗的走狗也懂星辰大地？真叫人惊喜。”钢铁义肢泛起寒光。
“I know more about the planet than a fanatical eco-terrorist like you will ever know,” Sephiroth replied, smooth and silken. “And I know she doesn’t care about you, or any of your foolish, misguided attempts to save her.”
“比起你这狂热的生态暴徒，我更知晓星魂的低语。”萨菲罗斯的声线如蛇信抚过丝绸，“而她从未垂怜，任尔等蝼蚁徒劳挣扎。”
That seemed to be the final straw for Barret, the machinery of his gun whirring. “So you wanna go at it, huh, asshole? Fine with me.”
枪械齿轮咬合的锐响碾碎巴雷特最后理智。“想见血是吧杂碎？正合老子心意！”
“Stop being so childish. Both of you.” Cloud ignored Barret’s sputtering, angry protests, while Sephiroth just coolly raised a brow at him, making him feel like he was the one being childish instead.
“幼稚。”克劳德无视巴雷特暴跳如雷的叫骂，而萨菲罗斯只是漫不经心地挑眉——那神态倒仿佛自己才是失态之人。
Cloud huffed and crossed his arms, refusing to let himself be cowed as he glared back at the two men.
Finally Barret turned forward again, muttering angrily under his breath as he lengthened his strides, Tifa hurrying to catch up to him, and then the both of them were walking ahead again, leaving the two ex-SOLDIERs behind—and how strange that thought was, the Great General Sephiroth no longer being a SOLDIER when he’d been the face of it for so long.
He abruptly stopped in his tracks when he noticed that Sephiroth wasn’t following. He glanced back and saw how Sephiroth swayed slightly before stumbling. Cloud immediately rushed to his side, catching him before he could hit the ground.
当他发现萨菲罗斯没有跟上来时，克劳德猛地刹住脚步。回头望见对方正微微摇晃着踉跄，他立即冲上前去，在银发男人即将坠地前接住了他。
Somehow Cloud caught him in a way that had his nose and lower face pressed up against Sephiroth’s neck near his pulse point for a moment, and Cloud had to resist the instinctive impulse to breathe in—to turn his nose into that flesh and press closer.
克劳德接人的姿势让鼻尖与下半张脸瞬间陷入萨菲罗斯颈侧的脉搏点。银发像月光织就的网裹住他，发丝触及脸颊时泛着凉意，他需要竭力克制本能——克制自己将鼻尖埋进那片肌肤贪婪呼吸的冲动。
It was a ridiculous thought; they stood so near already, practically in each other’s skin, breath mingling, silky silver strands sliding around them and feeling cool where they touched the side of Cloud’s face.
这个念头荒谬至极。他们此刻几乎肌肤相贴，呼吸在方寸间交融，银丝缭绕间凉意爬上克劳德发烫的脸颊，像冬日初雪落在燃烧的余烬上。
For a moment all he saw was dark, full lips that glistened with faint moistness. Then he lifted his eyes to meet Sephiroth’s, giving him a hard stare. “What’s wrong with you?”
暗色唇瓣泛着水光占据了他的全部视野。克劳德强迫自己抬眸迎上对方目光，用淬冰的眼神钉住那抹翡翠色："你怎么回事？"
Still leaning against Cloud, seeming almost wryly amused at his own state, Sephiroth said, “My body still appears to be a little... weak. I only rebuilt it recently out of the lifestream.” He smiled. “It’s nothing.”
倚在他怀中的男人因虚弱显出罕见的自嘲神色："这副身体...还有些脆弱。"萨菲罗斯垂落的银睫像折断的月光，"刚从生命之流重组归来而已。"笑意如刀锋掠过唇角："无碍。"
Bullshit. “Doesn’t look like nothing to me.” A frown tugged at Cloud’s mouth.
鬼话。克劳德嘴角绷紧成锐利的直线，眉间沟壑盛满怀疑："我看可不像没事的样子。"
“It’ll pass,” Sephiroth said, dismissively.
直译："会过去的。"萨菲罗斯轻蔑地说。意译："不过云烟过眼。"萨菲罗斯拂袖冷语。
Cloud’s frown deepened into a scowl, and then realization hit him.
直译：克劳德的眉头由紧皱转为怒容，随后他突然意识到。意译：克劳德眉头紧锁化作怒色，蓦地灵光乍现。
“You said you fell from the sky after flying here all the way from the North Crater, then I found you unconscious in that alleyway, and just now you stumbled and almost fell to the ground… Are these all the same thing?”
直译："你说自己从北之魔晄炉一路飞来后坠下，接着我发现你昏迷在小巷，方才踉跄跌倒几乎摔在地上...是否都是同一回事？"意译："自北之魔晄炉御风而来，却自云端坠落；暗巷拾得昏迷客，方才踉跄欲倾——莫非皆是同一缘由？"
Sephiroth nodded imperceptibly; Cloud felt it, heard it in the slightest whisper of his hair as the strands shifted. “I must have overexerted myself.” His eyes grew dark, thoughtful. “The battle must have taken more out of me than I had thought.”
直译：萨菲罗斯难以察觉地点了点头；克劳德感觉到了，在发丝拂动时最轻微的沙沙声中听见了这动作。"我定是透支了体力。"他眼眸渐深，陷入沉思。"这场战斗的消耗远超我的预期。" | 诗译：萨菲罗斯颔首的幅度几不可察，克劳德却捕捉到了，发丝拂动时最细微的沙沙声泄露了玄机。"许是气力虚耗。"那人眸色渐沉如渊，睫羽垂落处暗藏思量，"此战竟比预想中更蚀骨销魂。"
Cloud tried to think of all the fights they’d been in that night already: there had been the one in Don Corneo’s mansion, then the one in the sewers, and lastly and most recently there had been the impossible feats he had shown when defending the pillar and absolutely decimating Shinra’s army and all of their reinforcements.
直译：克劳德试图回忆他们当晚经历的所有战斗：先是科尼欧府邸之战，接着是下水道遭遇战，最后也是最关键的——他在支柱保卫战中展现神迹，将神罗大军及其增援部队彻底歼灭。 | 诗译：克劳德细数着今宵连番恶战：霓虹深处的科尼欧公馆初试锋芒，幽暗水道里刀光再起，直至最后擎天柱前神威尽展，一柄巨刃横扫千军，神罗铁骑尽作齑粉飘零。
… and then he had also erected a giant Barrier because Cloud had told him to think of the civilians.
直译：……而后他又竖起巨型屏障，只因克劳德要他顾及平民安危。 | 诗译：……更遑论那句"顾及无辜"的嘱托，竟教他凭空筑起通天障壁，恍若银河倒卷护苍生。
He immediately felt a stab of guilt, which he ruthlessly squashed.
直译：他立刻感到一阵内疚，又狠心将其压制。 | 诗译：愧疚如利刃穿心，却被他生生折断了刃尖，任那寒芒坠入深潭。
If he hadn’t said anything at all, then the number of casualties would have climbed much higher. He couldn’t regret that; it had been the right thing to do.
直译：若他当时缄口不言，伤亡数字必将攀升。他无悔此举，这本是正确抉择。 | 诗译：若当时三缄其口，怕是要血染长街。但问心无愧处，正是这以苍生为念的决绝。
“You should take it easy,” he said, perhaps in a tone that was fractionally gentler than the usual one he used when talking to Sephiroth. “We can actually handle ourselves, you know? We don’t need you to push yourself and do crazy feats.”
直译："你该放松些，"他的语气或许比平日对萨菲罗斯说话时略软几分，"我们自有应对之策，明白吗？无需你勉强施展惊世绝技。" | 诗译："且收三分剑气罢。"少年音色难得浸了月色温柔，"吾等非是风中蒲柳，何须你焚尽星辉逞孤勇？"
“But if I hadn’t overexerted myself, you would have failed,” there Sephiroth’s curious and bright green gaze found Cloud, “wouldn’t you have?”
「若我不曾倾力相搏，你早该败北。」萨菲罗斯翡翠般的瞳孔攫住克劳德，「不是么？」||「若非我强弩破阵，你早折戟沉沙。」萨菲罗斯翡翠寒芒锁住克劳德，「可对？」
Cloud’s brief spark of sympathy shriveled up and died at once.
克劳德眼底转瞬即逝的悲悯即刻枯萎凋零。||克劳德瞳中乍现的悲悯如烛火遇罡风，霎时凋尽残温。
The words were matter-of-fact, but also incredibly cruel. They had probably not been meant as a taunt, but they still hit the same way, as if Sephiroth had said that Cloud lacked the power to protect anything, and that he would have failed again just like he had failed to protect Nibelheim. And Cloud hated it—hated that he had to rely on this man, this murderer, who had burned down Nibelheim, because his own power wasn’t enough. Because he was still so weak.
话语如手术刀般精准冰冷，虽非刻意嘲弄，却比嘲讽更锥心。每个音节都在断言他无力守护，正如当年护不住尼布尔海姆。克劳德憎恶这般宿命——屠灭故里的元凶竟成救命稻草，皆因自己仍旧弱小。||字字如寒铁坠地，虽非讥诮却正中旧伤。每道声纹都在剜刻他守护之力的溃散，恰似尼布尔海姆废墟中未愈的疤。克劳德在宿命蛛网中挣扎——屠城者竟成救命索，终究是自身羸弱难破桎梏。
In the end, he still wasn’t strong enough.
最后他依然不够强大；终局之时，他仍力有不逮。
For a moment, he was filled with such burning hate for this man, such passionate, burning loathing, that it blinded him.
刹那间对这人燃起蚀骨憎恨，灼热怨毒如业火焚心，竟教他目不能视；霎时间烈焰般的恨意与灼人憎恶充斥胸臆，令他目眩神迷。
His grip was too hard. It had to be leaving painful marks in Sephiroth’s pale flesh in the shape of his fingers, but the other man didn’t say anything. He didn’t even seem to feel anything at all.
他指节发白力道骇人，萨菲罗斯苍白的皮肤上定然已浮现紫红指痕，可对方毫无反应；五指如铁钳般嵌入萨菲罗斯苍白的肌肤，指痕淤紫隐现，那人却沉默如渊，连眉梢都未颤动分毫。
It had to hurt, but Cloud did want to hurt him, so instead of letting go, the iron grip of his fingers became even more unforgiving, almost punishing, around the man’s arm and waist.
这定然极痛，但克劳德偏要令他痛彻心扉，于是攥住那人腰臂的指节愈发狠戾；痛楚必然刻骨，可克劳德偏要令他痛彻心扉。于是攥紧的指节愈发狠戾，仿佛要将那人的臂膀与腰肢碾碎于掌心。
Sephiroth was weak—he’d said so himself. Cloud could do anything to him in this state, and the other man wouldn’t even be able to stop him. He could show him who the weak one between the two of them was.
萨菲罗斯亲承己弱，此刻克劳德能为所欲为；此刻无论施加何等暴行，对方都无力反抗。他大可以证明，谁才是二人间的弱者。
But he wasn’t like Sephiroth. He never wanted to be like him.
但他不愿成为第二个萨菲罗斯，永生永世不愿；但他不愿沦为另一个萨菲罗斯，永生永世。
If Nibelheim had taught him nothing else, then it was this.
尼布尔海姆的烈火若未教会他其他，至少烙下此训；尼布尔海姆的烈火若未教会他其他，至少烙下此训。
Just the mere thought of becoming like Sephiroth was enough to make him shudder in violent revulsion, even though he had once longed for nothing more than that.
光是想象与那人沦为同类便教他战栗作呕，尽管这曾是他最深切的渴望；光是想象自己与那人同流，便足以令他战栗作呕——哪怕昔日的他，曾对此渴求至极。
Sephiroth only stared back at him evenly, while he struggled to beat back the black, venomous hate, the part of him that wanted to rip flesh apart and taste blood.
萨菲罗斯只是漠然回望，而他正竭力压制那团漆黑毒焰——那欲将血肉撕碎、啜饮鲜血的恶念；萨菲罗斯只是漠然回望，而他正竭力压制那团漆黑毒焰——那欲将血肉撕碎、啜饮鲜血的恶念。
But even with eyes that had gone cold, Cloud continued to hold Sephiroth until it looked like the man could stand on his feet again without falling. He stayed close just in case, hand hovering somewhere behind Sephiroth’s back, ready to catch or support him at any moment. It was basic human decency. Unlike the other man, he wasn’t a monster.
直译版：虽然克劳德的双眸已褪去温度，仍持续搀扶着萨菲罗斯，直至对方看似能独自站稳。他保持戒备距离，手掌虚悬于银发人背脊后方，随时准备施以援手。这是人性最基本的体面。与那人不同，他绝非怪物。｜｜诗译版：冷瞳犹未暖，扶剑立残躯。袖手虚揽护，随时可相濡。此心循世理，非似豺狼徒。
They finally arrived at Wall Market with its colorful lights and packed streets, but they were only there to pass through and didn’t stop to talk with anyone. People noticed Sephiroth this time though, staring at him and whispering, finally that spark of recognition in their eyes that had been missing the last time. The rumors of the great general returning must have reached their ears, and even when they left Wall Market and entered Sector Five, they saw people talking about what happened, some parroting what the news had told them like obedient, little sheep; a version of the story that painted Shinra as the hero who swooped in to save the residents of Sector Seven from big, bad Avalanche.
直译版：他们最终抵达霓虹流转的围墙市集，却只是匆匆穿行未作停留。这次人们认出了银发将星，窃语与注目如影随形。关于将军归来的传闻显然已随风扩散，即便当他们离开市集踏入五号贫民窟，仍见民众热议此事。有人如驯顺羔羊复述着新闻口径——那个将神罗塑造成拯救七号窟居民于雪崩恶徒之手的英雄版本。｜｜诗译版：穿行霓市未稍驻，银发将军入眼惊。耳语暗随穿巷过，流言已共晚风行。五窟犹见沸唇舌，群氓争传救世名。新闻巧绘英雄谱，神罗旗卷雪崩声。
It was exactly the same kind of bullshit that Tseng had spouted, making Cloud grit his teeth, and Tifa had to hold back Barret more than once before he could make a scene.
这完全就是曾说过的那种屁话，让克劳德咬紧了牙关，蒂法不得不数次拦住巴雷特以免他当场发作。/这分明与曾的虚言如出一辙，克劳德咬碎银牙，蒂法三拦巴雷特，生怕莽汉当街掀浪涛。
When they reached Aerith’s house on the other side of the Sector Five slums, it was a relief. Although Cloud knew that Barret was just worried about his daughter, the lies broadcast all over the news not helping with that, the other man’s impatience had been starting to get on his nerves and he had snapped back more than once, earning himself Tifa’s quietly disapproving glance when he did.
当他们穿过第五区贫民窟来到爱丽丝家时，终于松了口气。虽然克劳德知道巴雷特只是担心女儿，满城播报的谎言更加剧了焦虑，但对方的急躁开始让他心烦意乱，已数次反唇相讥，每次都会收获蒂法不赞成的静默一瞥。/行至五番街贫民窟尽头，爱丽丝小屋宛如避风港。克劳德明知巴雷特忧女心切，更兼满城谣言如雪，然莽汉焦躁几成心头刺，数度针锋相对时，总迎上蒂法秋水眸中不语的薄嗔。
The scent of flowers wafted over to them, so fresh and clean and organic and unlike everything else in Midgar and the slums that it made him stop for a moment. It was the opposite of Wall Market, with its carefully crafted beauty and deep rot. This seemed more like a secret sanctuary that was hidden away, located at the outskirts of the city and quiet where the market was loud, wrapped in a dim, soft glow that was soothing instead of garish and nausea-inducing.
花香扑面而来，清新纯净又充满生机，与米德加和贫民窟里的一切截然不同，让他不由驻足。这与围墙市场精心雕琢的美艳与深层腐朽形成鲜明对比，更像是个藏在城市边缘的秘密圣所，市集喧嚣处这里却静谧安详，笼罩在朦胧柔光中令人平静，而非艳俗作呕。/暗香浮动沁心脾，清韵天然贫窟稀。驻足惊觉非俗世，恰似桃源隐尘嚣。较之围墙市场精雕玉砌藏败絮，此处幽光流转处，闹市边缘辟洞天，霓虹令人目眩处，此处柔晕抚心弦。
The garden was just as he remembered, small waterfalls breaking up the monotony of the flowers and greenery to create something more balanced and harmonious. The gentle sounds of trickling and splashing, crystal-clear water reached his ears and made him think of the rivers of Nibelheim in spring, after the thick ice had thawed and melted, meaning they had survived another winter.
直译：花园和他记忆中一模一样，小型瀑布打破了花草绿意的单调，创造出更平衡和谐的景致。潺潺流水声与清冽水花声传入耳中，让他想起尼布尔海姆春日里厚冰消融后的河流——这意味着它们又熬过了一个寒冬。｜｜诗译：旧园景致如昨，飞瀑细流点缀其间，破花草之单调，成均衡和谐之美。泠泠清响穿林过，恍见尼村春水涨，坚冰既融寒已退，又渡凛冬见新岁。
But of course Barret had no mind to take any of it in, heading straight for the house at the end of the wooden walkway and forcing his way through the front door like a man possessed.
直译：但巴雷特显然无心欣赏，径直走向木栈道尽头的房屋，像着了魔的人般强行破门而入。｜｜诗译：奈何巴雷特目不斜视，踏栈疾行如魅附，直扑尽处旧宅门，破扉而入挟风雷。
Cloud resisted the urge to curse, and he and Tifa quickly followed after Barret. When they entered the house, the scene was just as Cloud had suspected: Elmyra backing away from Barret as he demanded to know where Marlene was.
直译：克劳德强忍咒骂冲动，与蒂法紧随巴雷特。踏入屋内时，场景正如克劳德所料：埃尔米拉在巴雷特逼问玛琳下落时步步后退。｜｜诗译：克劳德暗咬牙关未作声，偕蒂法紧随其后。推门但见预想景：埃尔米拉避退如惊雀，巴雷特逼问震屋梁，玛琳踪迹成焦灼。
“Barret!” Cloud said, and the man looked at him startled, as if just now realizing what it must have looked like, a stranger just barging in like that.
直译："巴雷特！"克劳德喊道，男人受惊般看向他，仿佛此刻才意识到自己这副模样——陌生人就这样横冲直撞。｜｜诗译："巴雷特！"喝声如惊雷，壮汉回眸似初醒，恍觉莽撞如匪徒，破门而入实唐突。
Awkwardly, even embarrassed, Barret rubbed the back of his head and apologized to Elmyra. He explained their purpose for coming here and started describing his daughter in detail. When Elmyra said that Marlene was sleeping upstairs, Barret was instantly at the stairs, bounding up the steps, only slowing down when Elmyra sternly reminded him that the little girl was still asleep.
巴雷特尴尬甚至窘迫地挠着后脑勺向艾尔米拉道歉。他说明了来此的目的，开始详细描述自己的女儿。当艾尔米拉说玛琳正在楼上睡觉时，巴雷特瞬间冲向楼梯，直到被艾尔米拉严厉提醒小女孩仍在熟睡才放轻脚步。/局促不安，面有赧色，巴雷特搔着后脑向艾尔米拉致歉。道明来意细说掌珠，闻得玛琳高卧楼台，壮汉箭步直取阶梯，直至被厉声提醒稚女犹眠，方缓登阶。
The man looked almost abashed, and Cloud sighed internally. Barret may be brash and impulsive, but it was clear that he cared deeply for Marlene.
男人露出近乎羞愧的神色，克劳德在内心叹了口气。巴雷特或许鲁莽冲动，但显然对玛琳关怀备至。/汉子面露赧颜，克劳德暗自叹息。莽汉虽性急，爱女情切昭然若揭。
Walking up the staircase to the second floor, he and Tifa watched as Barret sat by his daughter’s bedside, gently placing his large hand over her head, too afraid to make even the smallest noise that may wake her. He practically sagged in relief when he saw that she was alive and unhurt.
走上通往二层的楼梯时，他和蒂法看见巴雷特坐在女儿床边，将大手轻轻覆在她头顶，生怕发出丝毫可能惊醒她的声响。看到女儿安然无恙，他如释重负地松懈下来。/拾级登楼处，但见莽汉守榻前，巨掌轻覆雏儿首，屏息恐惊梦中人。见得掌珠无恙，浑身力气仿佛被抽干。
When it seemed like Barret was finally able to leave Marlene out of his sight again, they went downstairs again. Elmyra didn’t beat around the bush. She knew that Shinra had taken Aerith.
当巴雷特终于能再次离开玛琳的视线范围，他们下楼回到客厅。艾尔米拉没有拐弯抹角，直言知晓神罗带走了爱丽丝。/待壮汉忍痛暂离娇儿畔，众人复归厅堂。艾尔米拉单刀直入，明言早知神罗掳圣女。
Cloud said, “Because she’s an Ancient, right?”
克劳德说："因为她是古代种，对吗？"/克劳德道破天机："她是古代种血脉，对吗？"
Elmyra stared at them before nodding, drawing the conclusion from his statement that Aerith must have trusted them enough to tell them. Cloud didn’t correct her, though he felt a little guilty for it, eyes shifting when she started explaining how she met Aerith.
直译：艾尔米拉盯着他们看了一会才点头，从他的陈述中得出结论——艾瑞丝一定足够信任他们才会告知这些。克劳德没有纠正她，尽管他为此感到些许愧疚。当艾尔米拉开始讲述与艾瑞丝的初遇时，他的目光开始游移。||| 意译：艾尔米拉凝视片刻后颔首，从克劳德的话语中推断出艾瑞丝曾托付信任。少年虽未辩驳却心怀歉疚，待妇人追忆起与养女初遇的往事时，目光已悄然垂落窗棂。
She told them how her husband hadn’t returned from the war—a common story, Cloud thought. But her husband had told her in a letter that he would take leave and so she had waited for him every day, without fail. Then one day she met Aerith and her mother at the train station, the latter unfortunately passing away soon after, leaving Elmyra to adopt and raise Aerith as her own daughter. And although she had thought nothing of it at first, from what she could gather it seemed like Aerith and her mother had escaped from some sort of facility.
直译：她讲述丈夫未从战场归来——这种故事太寻常了，克劳德心想。但丈夫曾在信中说要休假归来，于是她日日守候，风雨无阻。后来她在车站遇见艾瑞丝母女，可惜那位母亲不久离世，艾尔米拉便收养了女孩。虽然最初未觉蹊跷，但种种迹象表明艾瑞丝母女是从某个设施逃出来的。||| 意译：妇人轻抚茶盏，说起战火吞噬良人的往事。克劳德暗叹这般遭遇遍地皆是，却听她低语当年书信相约归期的誓言。月台上与艾瑞丝母女的邂逅，恍若神启。病弱的生母撒手人寰后，襁褓中的婴孩便成了她掌中明珠。那些年隐约察觉的异样，如今想来尽是实验所出逃的蛛丝马迹。
“I know,” Sephiroth said. “I was there when it happened.”
直译："我知道，"萨菲罗斯说。"事发时我在场。"||| 意译："我清楚。"银发剑士自阴影中低语，"命运轮转的刹那，吾身即见证。"
Cloud startled and whipped around, immediately on guard. He didn’t know when the man had come in, but it must have happened some time ago, long enough for him to hear Elmyra’s story and step out of the shadows now.
直译：克劳德惊跳转身，瞬间进入戒备。不知此人何时潜入，但必定蛰伏多时，久到听完整个故事才从阴影中现身。||| 意译：少年猛然旋身，剑柄已攥出冷汗。来者如鬼魅悄然而至，暗影中聆听多时，此刻方踏碎满室烛光。
“Who—who are you?” Elmyra asked, as startled as Cloud and understandably confused.
直译："你——你是谁？"艾尔米拉问道，和克劳德一样震惊且充满困惑。||| 意译："阁下...究竟何人？"妇人指尖微颤，惊惶之色与少年如出一辙，疑云漫过满室暖光。
“You…” Her eyes narrowed before widening. She shot up from her chair and started to back away when she realized who he was. “You are with Shinra, aren’t you?” she hissed, seeming both fierce and fearful. “What are you doing here? What do you want from me? What do you want from Aerith?”
“你...”她眼眸先眯后睁。认出对方时霍然离座后撤，目光似刃却含惧：“你是神罗的人？”她齿缝间迸出质问，“来此何为？欲从我处得何物？又欲对爱丽丝如何？”
Sephiroth was a looming figure in the corner, looking up slowly from between his bangs as he smiled. It was a chilling expression. He walked forward, seeming not to notice how Elmyra cowered away or perhaps not caring. His lips parted and he looked like he was about to speak—
萨菲罗斯如阴影中的庞然存在，银发低垂间缓缓抬眼，嘴角扬起令人胆寒的笑意。他无视埃尔米拉瑟缩之态步步逼近，薄唇微启似要吐露惊雷——
Vibrating with quiet fury, Cloud said, “Get out. Now.”
克劳德周身萦绕着压抑的怒意，字字如冰：“滚出去。立刻。”
Sephiroth halted in his step and looked at him. There was nothing human about his reptilian eyes, or the way he tilted his head, curious and bird-like.
银发战士顿步斜首，爬行类般的竖瞳里毫无人性温度，偏首姿态恍若凶禽端详猎物。
Barret placed himself in front of him, blocking his path, Tifa not too far from him. Sephiroth looked at them, from each face in the room to the other, all of them sharing the same hostility. Cloud’s own eyes remained cold as ice.
巴雷特铁塔般横亘前路，蒂法亦在不远处戒备。萨菲罗斯环视满室敌意，最后迎上克劳德寒潭般冷彻的凝视。
Sephiroth held their hostile stares. Then his head ducked and he looked down briefly, an almost inaudible breath escaping his lips; it sounded like he was laughing at them.
银发者与众人目光对峙。忽垂首低笑，一缕几不可闻的气息逸出唇畔，恍如嘲弄众生的夜枭幽鸣。
Cloud’s jaw clenched so tight he could hear it crack, but then Sephiroth turned on his heel and walked out the front doors, leaving as silently as he had come.
克劳德的牙关咬得如此之紧，几乎能听见碎裂声，但随后萨菲罗斯转身走出前门，如同来时般悄无声息地离去。
After he had returned to the shadows where he belonged, they turned to Elmyra.
待他回到本属于他的阴影后，众人转向艾尔米拉。
“I’m sorry,” Cloud began. “He…” is a soulless monster and doesn’t know how to act like a normal fucking person? He shook his head. “He isn’t with Shinra anymore, and he’s also… not a danger right now.” But even Cloud could hear the doubt in his voice.
“抱歉，”克劳德开口，“他…”是个没有灵魂的怪物根本不懂怎么当个正常人？他摇摇头。“他已脱离神罗，而且现在…没有威胁。”但连他自己都能听出语气里的犹疑。
Elmyra snorted, clearly expressing what she thought of that. And though she still seemed a little rattled, she sat down at the table again and soon resumed her narration, telling them how Aerith said strange things or knew things she shouldn’t know, like her husband’s death. Cloud nodded at this; it matched up with the oddities he himself had observed. Then she told them about Tseng’s visit, which was when she learned that Aerith was an Ancient. The Turks hadn’t taken her away because she needed to come willingly, otherwise it wouldn’t work. Which was why she didn’t want them interfering. Surely, Aerith was being treated like a guest and they would let her go and come back home in due time.
艾尔米拉嗤之以鼻，明摆着不信这套说辞。虽然仍有些惊魂未定，她还是重新落座继续讲述爱丽丝说过的怪话、知晓本不该知道的事——比如她丈夫的死讯。克劳德点头附和；这与他观察到的异常吻合。接着她提到曾来访的曾，由此得知爱丽丝是古代种。塔克斯不强行带走她是因为需要本人自愿，否则仪式无效。正因如此她才拒绝他人干涉。按这个说法，爱丽丝定是被奉若上宾，时机成熟自会归来。
Cloud doubted this assessment and said as much, heading for the door with purpose, but Elmyra stopped him, begging them not to make it worse, her hands white-knuckled on the table.
直译：克劳德对此评价表示怀疑并直言相告，毅然走向门口，但埃尔米拉用泛白指节紧攥桌沿制止了他，恳求他们别让情况恶化。意译：克劳德对此不以为然，直言反驳后决然向门走去，但埃尔米拉双手紧攥桌沿，指节发白，恳求他们别让事态恶化。
Tifa touched his shoulder, eyes warm and kind as she said that maybe Elmyra was right. He knew that she was worried too, but her eyes, if not her words, told him that there was no trying to convince Elymra, at least not right now, and maybe it was better to try again later. Barret backed her up by suggesting they should go back to Sector Seven, maybe check up on Tifa’s bar.
直译：蒂法轻抚他的肩膀，眼神温暖而柔和地说或许埃尔米拉是对的。他知道她也在担忧，但她的眼神（即便未诉诸言语）已说明无法说服埃尔米拉，至少此刻不行，或许稍后再试更好。巴雷特建议他们该回第七区，顺道看看蒂法的酒吧。意译：蒂法轻抚他的肩头，眸光温煦道埃尔米拉或许在理。他知她亦怀隐忧，眼波流转间不言自明——此刻难劝老妇回心，不如改日再议。巴雷特顺势提议重返七番街，或可顺道巡视蒂法的酒馆。
Still, Cloud hesitated. 直译：克劳德仍然犹豫不决。意译：克劳德仍踌躇未决。
After hearing Elmyra’s story, he just felt such a… deep, nameless pang for Aerith, for this young woman he barely even knew. Growing up in a lab, losing her mother so young, being monitored by Shinra all her life… She had never really been free.
直译：听完埃尔米拉的讲述后，他对这个几乎素未谋面的艾丽丝产生了某种...深刻而无名的痛楚。自幼生长在实验室，幼年丧母，毕生受神罗监视...她从未真正自由。意译：埃尔米拉的叙述如寒锥刺骨，艾莉丝令他泛起难以名状的隐痛。囚笼中绽放的纯白花，髫年失恃，终生困于神罗樊笼，自由始终是镜花水月。
And though she was weird and mischievous and he didn’t know what to do with her teasing most of the time and they hadn’t known each other for long, he somehow felt strangely close to her, as if they had known each other for much longer than that.
直译：尽管她古怪顽皮，多数时候他不知如何应对她的戏弄，且相识不久，他却莫名感到与她有种奇异的亲近，仿佛早已相识多年。意译：尽管她古灵精怪，总爱捉弄人，让他时常不知所措，相识虽短却莫名亲近，恍如旧友重逢。
Going back to Sector Seven now… it felt too much like a betrayal, like he was abandoning her. And he’d always had a hard time letting go.
此刻重返第七区...这感觉近乎背叛，仿佛他正在抛弃她。而他向来不擅告别。/折返第七区的路途上...背叛感在胸腔灼烧，如同亲手将少女遗落荒野。他向来是握不紧指缝流沙的人。
Still, that was exactly what he forced himself to do as he relented and followed Tifa and Barret outside where Sephiroth was already waiting for them. He appeared to have been gazing at the flowers, but he looked up at their approach.
但他终究妥协了，强迫自己跟随蒂法和巴雷特走向屋外。萨菲罗斯早已等候多时，方才似乎正凝视花丛，此刻抬头望向走近的众人。/可他终究垂下枪刃，随蒂法与巴雷特踏入庭院。银发的宿敌正凝望花影，听见脚步声时抬眼，月光在睫羽间碎成星屑。
At the sight of the man, coldness immediately filled Cloud’s chest, chasing away whatever soft feelings the thought of Aerith stirred in him. Cloud glared at Sephiroth and just started walking. He didn’t tell the man where they were going, and the others likewise didn’t.
见到那人瞬间，克劳德胸腔立即被寒意填满，驱散了所有因爱丽丝而泛起的柔软情绪。他瞪视着萨菲罗斯径直前行，既不告知目的地，同伴们也保持沉默。/银发映入眼帘时，春日骤降霜雪。所有关于卖花女的温软记忆顷刻冻结，克劳德抿紧唇线大步流星，将沉默锻成三道心照不宣的锁。
As they set out for Sector Seven, he only hoped they weren’t making a mistake.
启程前往第七区时，他只希望这个决定不是错误。/当第七区的轮廓在地平线浮现，他祈祷这次抉择不会成为潘多拉的匣。
*
For their way back they took the underground passage, the one Aerith had shown Cloud. He wanted to avoid Wall Market because they risked pulling too much attention on themselves due to Sephiroth, now that people finally recognized him as the famous war hero.
归途选择了爱丽丝曾指引的地下通道。避开围墙集市是因萨菲罗斯——如今人们终于认出这位传奇英雄，贸然露面恐招致过多关注。/沿着卖花女指引的密道折返，围墙集市的霓虹被刻意绕开。毕竟银发将军的容貌已成星辰，所到之处皆是追逐光焰的飞蛾。
The passage was actually a collapsed expressway, another casualty of the Sector Six plate falling down, and serving as another reminder of what Sector Seven might have looked like, if they hadn’t made it. When they encountered the first monsters, Cloud thought he may have been a little rash in his decision to choose this route as he remembered Sephiroth’s earlier weakness.
直译：
这段通道实际上是一条坍塌的高速公路，是第六区板块坠落的另一个牺牲品，也再次提醒人们，如果他们没能成功的话，第七区可能会变成什么样子。当他们遇到第一批怪物时，克劳德想起萨菲罗斯先前表现出的虚弱，他可能对自己选择这条路的决定有些草率了。
诗意化改写：
坍塌的高架路残骸横亘眼前，成为第六区坠天巨板的又一陪葬品，犹如末日预演般警示着第七区可能的重蹈覆辙。当魔物群影初现时，克劳德握剑的手微微一滞——萨菲罗斯方才的疲态掠过心头，此刻方觉或许自己选择这条险径，终究是莽撞了些。
But the man seemed to be back to normal, easily holding his own against the monsters and even completely destroying the Sweeper Prototype that had the misfortune of crossing his path in two swings of his Masamune, though the second one had seemed quite unnecessary. After that, Cloud thought no more of it.
男子似已复原如常，挥动正宗刀如斩草芥，清道夫原型机挡道，两击之下灰飞烟灭，虽第二刀纯属多余。克劳德见状，遂不再挂怀。
Once they were in the park, they took the entrance of one of the round playground structures that led down to a tunnel. This, too, Aerith had shown him, and Cloud noticed with a start that they were retracing the same steps the two of them had taken not so long ago. The realization filled him with a strange, bereft feeling.
步入公园，两人踏入圆形游乐场一隅，沿入口直下幽深隧道。此地爱丽丝曾引他同游，克劳德惊觉竟在重蹈旧日足迹。恍然间，怅惘之情如潮水漫上心头。
Walking out of the tunnel’s exit, they found themselves in Sector Seven again, and Cloud felt the tension drain out of him as he saw the undercity was still there and mostly intact. It hadn’t turned to dust and ruin just because he had looked away for a moment.
走出隧道出口时，他们又回到了第七区。克劳德看到地下城依然存在且大体完好，紧绷的神经突然松懈下来——这座城并没有因他片刻的移开视线就化作齑粉与废墟。
But there was still a lot of damage, and they soon were helping Marle and a few others lift up debris from a woman who had been buried underneath it.
但满目疮痍随处可见，很快他们就协助玛蕾和几个路人，将掩埋在瓦砾堆下的女子救了出来。
When that was done, and the woman was sent away to a place where she could get treated, Marle folded Tifa warmly into her arms, clearly glad to see her alive. Then she spotted who was walking among them.
救援结束后，伤者被送往治疗所。玛蕾将蒂法拥入温暖的怀抱，为她的生还欣喜不已。这时她忽然瞥见人群中的银发身影。
“General,” she greeted. "将军。"她问候道。
“No longer a general,” Sephiroth corrected her.
"已非将军。"萨菲罗斯纠正。
“Alright, Sephiroth then. You know where to go from here?” Marle’s eyes were sharp, perceptive, and somehow Cloud had a feeling she was talking about more than Sephiroth finding his way around Sector Seven.
"那就直呼其名吧，萨菲罗斯。可知此后该往何处？"玛蕾目光如炬，克劳德却觉得她话中机锋，远不止指认第七区的路径这般简单。
Sephiroth looked at her contemplatively for a moment, before nodding. “I do.”
萨菲罗斯垂眸沉吟片刻，颔首道："知晓。"
“Good,” Marle said, staring seriously at him. And then she continued in a slightly less heavy tone, “It was an impressive thing you did there. You have my sincerest gratitude—all of you have it.”
甚好。"玛蕾肃然凝视着他，忽而语调稍霁："方才壮举令人惊叹。请接受我最诚挚的谢意——你们所有人皆是。
The proclamation was as uncomfortable as the silent expressions of gratitude earlier had been, and Cloud had to fight the urge to avoid her eyes.
直译版：
这份宣言和早先那些无声的感激之情一样令人不适，克劳德不得不克制住想要避开她视线的冲动。
诗意版：
宣言如芒刺在背，恰似彼时无言的谢意。克劳德目光游移欲避，终是凝眸未移寸隙。
Marle turned back to Sephiroth again, and Cloud was almost glad for it. “They are all calling you the Angel of the Sector Seven slums, but I’ll tell them not to call you that to your face. I have a feeling you wouldn’t like that very much—or am I wrong?”
Sephiroth blinked at her slowly, looking almost surprised. “Thank you,” he said.
“Don’t mention it. After all you’ve done for us, it’s the least I could do.” There was an almost wry grin on Marle’s lips.
Then she told them to go see if the bar was still standing. Since she appeared to have things well under wraps, they heeded her words and left.
直译：
随后，她吩咐众人去查看酒肆是否安然无恙。见她已稳操胜券，众人便依言退下。
诗化改写：
她素手遥指残垣处，命探酒旗尚猎猎？
众人但见帷幄从容，皆领命策马绝尘去。
（注：第二版采用七言句式，"猎猎"与"绝尘去"形成押韵，用"帷幄从容"呼应原文的掌控意象，"策马"补足画面动感，整体营造出古典沙场点兵的意境美。）
While they walked to the center of the city where Tifa’s bar was located, Cloud ruminated on Marle’s words. The Angel of the Sector Seven slums. He couldn’t blame the residents for thinking that way. Sephiroth had saved them after all, and they likely had never even heard of a village named Nibelheim, though it made Cloud wonder why the man had helped them at all. He probably wasn’t helping them as much as trying to get back at Shinra for his own selfish vendetta, but if so, why had he listened to Cloud? Why had he burned down Nibelheim and left a bloodbath in Don Corneo’s mansion? Maybe it was an act of futility to try and comprehend the other man’s motives. He seemed to take with one hand as easily as he gave with the other, as arbitrary and ineffable as a god.
直译版：
当他们走向蒂法的酒吧所在的市中心时，克劳德反复思考着玛琳的话。第七区贫民窟的天使。他无法责怪居民们这么想。毕竟萨菲罗斯救过他们，而这些居民可能从未听说过尼布尔海姆这个村庄的名字——虽然这让克劳德不禁疑惑，为何那个男人要帮助他们。与其说是真心相助，更像是出于对神罗公司的私怨报复。若真如此，为何他又会听从克劳德？为何要焚毁尼布尔海姆，又在科尼欧宅邸制造血案？试图理解那个男人的动机或许是徒劳的。他如同神明般随心所欲、不可捉摸，给予与夺取同样轻易。
诗化版：
穿行在通往蒂法酒馆的街巷，
克劳德默念玛琳的余音未央。
第七区贫民窟的天使临降，
他理解居民的仰望——
毕竟银发修罗曾挽危亡。
只是尼布尔海姆的旧殇，
终成无人知晓的尘封过往。
为何施援手？这谜题在胸腔激荡，
许是向神罗泄私愤的虚妄，
却又为何愿听他主张？
焚尽故里的炽焰未央，
科尼欧宅邸的血色汪洋，
揣度那人动机终是捕风一场。
神明般恣意莫测的目光，
予取予夺恰似日升月降。
But no matter what the media was saying everywhere, at least the people here, and some of those in Wall Market, knew the truth. They had all seen it: that large dome of light, and the angel that had protected them from Shinra’s helicopters and troops.
直译（准确版）：
但无论媒体如何四处宣扬，至少这里的人们，还有瓦爾市場的一些人，知道真相。他们都亲眼目睹了：那巨大的光穹，以及保护他们免受神罗直升机和军队伤害的天使。
诗化（意象版）：
纵使流言漫天扬，此方众生自昭彰
光穹垂护惊穹宇，圣翼拂尘庇八荒
瓦市同袍皆作证，神罗铁骑尽彷徨
浮生若寄何须惧，云外犹闻羽翼香
（说明：第二版采用七言律诗形式重构意象，保留"光穹/天使"核心隐喻，通过"圣翼拂尘"对应原句的"angel that protected"，"羽翼香"既呼应天使意象又暗藏韵律。末句"云外犹闻"连接现代战争元素与古典意境，在保证诗意同时完成叙事闭环）
On the way they saw a few fires and some partially or fully collapsed buildings, but nothing they wouldn’t be able to rebuild.
路上他们看见零星火点和部分坍塌的房屋，但都在可修复范围内；残焰映废墟，楼宇半倾颓，重筑皆余力，此景不足畏。
Tifa’s anxiety was all but palpable. She tried to hide it, but she had always worn her heart on her sleeve. It was why she had gotten into trouble with Avalanche, unable to hide her doubt and unease with the group’s more extreme and ruthless methods; it was why Marle had taken her under her wing, treating her like her own granddaughter. Why her bar was so successful and the patrons kept coming back.
蒂法的焦虑几乎凝成实体。她试图隐藏，却总将情绪晾在衣袖上飘扬。正因这份率真，她曾与雪崩组织产生龃龉，难掩对极端手段的犹疑；亦因此，玛琳如护雏般将她收容，视若亲孙。这份真诚化作第七天堂的暖光，让酒客们流连如归巢的燕；赤子心性终成酒馆灯火，引得八方客如燕归巢。
Barret also seemed to sense her distress, and both he and Cloud tried to keep close, as though to shield her with their own bodies. They weren’t good with words, not like Aerith was, and if she was here she would surely be able to think of something clever to brighten up Tifa’s mood, but she wasn’t and so that didn’t happen. But at least Barret and Cloud still had this: a gun-arm and a broadsword, ineffective against this enemy they may be; their bruised and battle-worn hands, ready to catch her and put her back together if she broke apart.
巴雷特也察觉她的异状，与克劳德形成人墙护在她身旁。他们不擅辞令，不比爱丽丝巧舌生花，若她在定能用妙语驱散阴霾。此刻唯余枪刃与巨剑，纵使难斩心魔；布满伤痕的战士之手，却始终悬停待命，准备在她碎裂时接住所有残片；钢铁义肢重剑在握，虽难斩无形心魔，却作承接断玉的托掌。
Seventh Heaven was located deep in the undercity, pulsing in the very heart of it, and Cloud would even argue that it was the sector’s heart and soul itself; a home and a hearth, the rules of hospitality, full stomachs and warm laughter that flowed as easily as the alcohol, just like it had back in Nibelheim. And he knew that it was Tifa’s way to regain some of what she’d lost: her family and friends, a community she had loved with all her heart the way Cloud never had. And somehow, some way, she had found the strength to start again from scratch; to painstakingly build this second home with her own two hands. She was so much stronger than he could ever hope to be.
直译：第七天堂深藏于下城区腹地，跳动在其核心深处，克劳德甚至认为它就是这片区域的灵魂所在；如同尼贝尔海姆的往昔，这里承载着家园与壁炉的温馨，遵循待客之道，饱腹感与温暖笑声同美酒般自然流淌。他知道这是蒂法重拾失去事物的方式：她全心全意爱着的家人朋友和社区，这种情感是克劳德从未拥有过的。而她竟能以某种方式，用双手从零开始艰辛重建这个第二家园。她的坚韧远超过他所敢想象的。
And this bar, the fruit of her labor, was just like Tifa herself; a home to many, people gathered around a hearth telling stories which she listened to. She was a warm fire on a cold Nibel night, attracting people who may be far from home and were looking for a place to rest their feet for a moment, and Cloud freely admitted that he was drawn to it, too.
直译：这间凝聚她心血的酒吧，恰似蒂法本人；是众人围炉夜话的港湾，而她静听故事。她是尼贝尔寒夜中的温暖篝火，吸引着漂泊异乡的倦客，克劳德坦然承认自己亦被这份温暖俘获。
She was kind, but her kindness was one forged in fire. There was nothing weak in it, only steel and hard-earned strength, just like the thick calluses on her hands, her iron muscles wrapped in soft flesh.
她本性良善，但这份良善是在火中锻造的。其中毫无软弱，唯有钢铁般坚韧的力量，恰似她手上粗厚的茧，柔软血肉包裹着的铁铸筋骨。
She was the last link to a home that had been burned to ashes, and she and Cloud were the pitiful, meager remains of that, both strangers in a strange land with no home to return to. Except she had made a new one, for herself but also for him, and anyone else who needed shelter and was willing to stay for a while.
她是与那个被焚为灰烬的家园最后的连结，她和云郎不过是可怜可叹的残迹，皆是异乡漂泊的游子。不过她已为自己、也为他、为所有需要庇护且愿意稍作停留之人，再造了一个新家。
Sometimes he envied the ease with which she connected with people, but mostly he was glad that she was his friend, and continued to be his friend despite the fact he couldn’t be making it easy for her, dancing this strange dance of closeness and distance, afraid of holding her too tight and hurting her, but unable to let go of her either.
直译版：
有时他羡慕她与人相处的自如，但更多时候他为她成为自己的朋友而庆幸——即便他总在亲密与疏离间跳着怪异的双人舞，既怕攥得太紧伤到她，又无法彻底放手，她却始终不离不弃。
诗化版：
偶有艳羡她待人如沐春风，
却更庆幸得友若此守初衷。
纵我周旋进退跳着若即若离的舞步，
怕箍得太紧令她疼痛，
又难释手任其远翥穹窿，
她仍驻守此间，未改情衷。
Finally they arrived at their destination. The nearer they drew, the worse the damage seemed to grow, more burning debris and twisted steel beams lying around, making Tifa grow more and more tense, gloved hands curling into fists, and Cloud feared the worst; prepared himself for it.
直译版：
终于他们抵达了目的地。越是靠近，灾情似乎越严重，更多燃烧的残骸和扭曲的钢梁散落四周，使得蒂法愈发紧张，戴着手套的手紧握成拳，克劳德担忧着最坏的情况；为此做好了心理准备。
诗化版：
终点终临目所及，步步惊心废墟立。焦骸遍地钢骨狞，蒂法指节渐发白。拳心紧攥皮革陷，克劳德喉结暗滚。已在心底留空位，容那最坏的可能。
Then they saw it: it looked scorched in some places, seemed to be missing most of one wall, the big sign in the front barely left hanging out of what appeared to be sheer force of will, but the bar was still standing. Seventh Heaven hadn’t been destroyed.
直译：随后他们看到了：有些地方像是被烧焦了，似乎整面墙都缺失了，前门的大型招牌仅凭意志力勉强悬挂着，但酒吧依然矗立。第七天堂未被摧毁。／／意译：他们终于望见：断墙焦土间，霓虹招牌仅凭执念悬垂欲坠，可酒馆依旧巍然不倒——第七天堂竟未倾覆。
Tifa’s eyes flitted left and right for several seconds as she took it all in like she wasn’t sure she could believe it, and then she sagged in such powerful relief that Cloud could see her bare shoulders trembling.
直译：蒂法的目光左右游移了数秒，仿佛在确认自己是否产生了幻觉，随后她浑身一软，如释重负的颤抖从裸露的肩头蔓延开来，连克劳德都能看见那细微的震颤。／／意译：蒂法眸光流转似蝶，数息间犹恐所见非真。倏尔双肩微颤如柳垂，释然之气透骨而出，连克劳德都窥见了她凝脂肌肤下的余悸。
They were lucky, incredibly lucky. The rest of the area looked like a ruin, and it cemented the idea in Cloud’s head that reminding Sephiroth to think of the Sector Seven residents was the right thing to do. Without that protective spell Tifa’s bar wouldn’t have been left standing, and he didn’t think he would have been able to take it if her heart had been crushed a second time.
直译：他们是幸运的，难以置信地幸运。整个区域已成废墟，这让克劳德更加确信提醒萨菲罗斯考虑第七区居民是正确决定。若无那道防护咒文，蒂法的酒吧早已不存，而若她的心要承受二次破碎，他自问也绝难承受。／／意译：劫后余生何其幸。满目疮痍间，克劳德愈发确信规劝萨菲罗斯之举的明智。正是这份守护让酒馆免遭倾覆，若再见她心碎神伤，便是自己也无力承受那彻骨之痛。
Cloud laid a hand on Tifa’s bare shoulder until the tremors stopped and she seemed to be back to normal again. She shot him a small, grateful smile when they heard a meow. Looking a few feet to their right, they saw that it was a cat with white, orange and black fur.
直译：
克劳德将手搭在蒂法裸露的肩膀上，直到她的颤抖停止，似乎恢复了正常。当他们听见猫叫声时，蒂法向他投来一个带着感激的微小笑容。在他们右侧几英尺处，他们看见一只有着白色、橙色和黑色皮毛的猫。
诗化意译：
克劳德的手掌覆上蒂法赤裸肩头
震颤渐歇，怀中人重归平静
忽闻猫吟轻唤，少女回赠
破碎星光般的笑意
循声右望数步之遥
雪色为底，橘墨点染的毛团
正蜷在晨光里
“That’s Wedge’s cat,” Cloud said.
直译："那是威吉的猫，"克劳德说。 | 意译："此猫属威吉，"克劳德轻语道。
Those greenish-yellow, slitted eyes that reminded him entirely too much of Sephiroth shone with quiet intelligence, and they followed behind the cat that seemed to lead them somewhere.
直译：那双黄绿色的狭长眼睛让他过于想起萨菲罗斯，闪烁着静谧的智慧光芒，紧跟着似乎要带他们去某处的猫。 | 意译：绿黄异瞳如缝，寒光烁烁恍若银发修罗，灵猫引路踏影行，众人随行入幽冥。
They didn’t walk far until arriving at the place where Wedge’s house should have been. It had not been as lucky as Tifa’s bar and appeared to have been completely destroyed, making Cloud’s fist clench anxiously as he quickly scanned the area. Wedge was nowhere to be seen.
直译：他们没走多远就来到威吉房子本该在的位置。这里不如蒂法的酒吧幸运，似乎被完全摧毁。克劳德焦虑地攥紧拳头快速扫视四周，却不见威吉踪影。 | 意译：残垣断壁处，昔屋化焦土。未若七番街酒肆幸，克劳德拳握青筋露，环顾四野尽荒芜，独不见那憨厚屠苏。
Wedge’s cat meowed again to get their attention. It stood by a hole that must have been created when helicopters and stray debris crashed down from the sky. Cloud stood at the edge and peered down, seeing smooth, man-made floors beginning not far below. The cat shot past him, bounding downwards with agile, silent paws, and Cloud grimly hurried after it, used to rough terrain from the mountains and careful to avoid the water spraying out of a broken pipe above him. He heard the others following behind him.
直译：威吉的猫再次喵叫吸引注意。它站在直升机与空中坠落的残骸砸出的坑洞旁。克劳德站在边缘向下望去，看见不远下方的人造光滑地面。猫从他身边窜过，用灵巧无声的爪子向下跳跃，克劳德严肃地紧跟其后，惯于山间崎岖地形的他小心躲避头顶破裂管道喷出的水流，听见身后跟随的脚步声。 | 意译：灵猫引颈复长啸，残骸深坑现甬道。克劳德临渊窥人造，但见猫影如电落九霄。少年腾挪追蹑急，山行惯踏嶙峋石，碎管飞珠浑不顾，唯闻身后脚步齐。
It was as he had suspected. There was only metal where the eye could see, from the stairs to the support beams to the grated floors—it positively reeked of Shinra. As Tifa and Barret called out for Wedge, long fingers suddenly wrapped around his wrist.
直译版：
正如他所料。视线所及之处只有金属，从楼梯到支撑梁再到格栅地板——这里明显散发着神罗公司特有的气息。当蒂法和巴雷特呼喊着威吉时，突然有细长的手指缠住了他的手腕。
诗意版：
果不其然。目之所及皆为金属，
自旋梯至支撑梁，及至格栅地板
——处处弥散着神罗的刺鼻气息。
蒂法与巴雷特正唤着威吉之名，
倏然间，修长手指骤然箍住他的腕。
Cloud jerked. Immediately his adrenaline spiked, panic filling his chest as he turned around to face the man.
直译版本：
克劳德猛地一颤。肾上腺素立刻激增，恐慌填满胸膛，当他转身面对那个男人时。
诗化版本：
克劳德浑身打了个激灵。肾上腺素狂飙，惊惧如潮水般漫上胸腔——他蓦然回首，与那个男人四目相对。
（说明：诗化版本中"打了个激灵"保留动作的顿挫感，"肾上腺素狂飙"增强动态意象，"惊惧如潮水"运用隐喻手法，"蓦然回首"化用古诗词韵律，"四目相对"补全画面张力，整体通过长短句交替营造出心跳骤停般的节奏感）
As usual, Sephiroth radiated nothing but cold amusement, as if he greatly enjoyed startling Cloud and watching him struggle to fight down the naked animal fear—he probably did.
一如既往地，萨菲罗斯周身只散发着冰冷的愉悦，仿佛他非常享受惊动克劳德并观看对方努力压下赤裸动物性恐惧的模样——他确实乐在其中。| 如旧日般，萨菲罗斯周身萦绕着冷冽的欢愉，恰似观赏困兽挣铁索，尤爱惊破云片后，凝望战士竭力锁住瞳中颤栗的野性——他确在赏玩这出戏。
Cloud tugged at his captured wrist, but no matter how much strength he put into it Sephiroth didn’t budge. In the end, Cloud was still so much weaker than him.
克劳德拽动被禁锢的手腕，但无论施加多少力气萨菲罗斯都纹丝不动。归根结底，克劳德依旧远比他弱小。| 克劳德腕间银链铮然作响，任他星芒尽泄，萨菲罗斯犹若山岳岿然。终究是，战士臂上绷紧的弦，仍挣不脱那轮寒月投下的影。
“Let me go,” he snarled, even as his heart painfully jackrabbited in his chest. “I told you not to touch me without permission—”
“放我走，”他咆哮道，尽管心脏在胸腔里痛苦地像野兔般狂跳。“我告诉过你不许未经允许碰我——”；“放开我！”他低吼道，心跳如脱兔在胸膛里痛苦冲撞。“我说过不准擅自碰我——”
There was an ominous rumble, one they had heard a few times in the tunnel leading directly into Sector Seven, the walls shaking though they had thankfully held. It wasn’t surprising since the slums weren’t exactly well-constructed.
隧道深处传来不祥的轰鸣，他们曾在直通第七区的隧道里听过几次这种声响，墙壁剧烈震颤，所幸尚未坍塌。贫民窟建筑质量本就堪忧，出现这种情况并不意外；闷雷般的异响在隧道深处滚动，这是他们第三次在直通七区的甬道里听见这种动静，四壁簌簌震颤却仍顽强支撑。棚户区的建筑本就摇摇欲坠，这样的动静自然在意料之中
The rumble returned, louder this time, and the ground shook with it. Cloud felt like a ragdoll as Sephiroth yanked him closer by the unyielding grip around his wrist, pressing him up against the taller, larger body that curled around him, strong arms folding around him like a steel trap. It was as claustrophobic as it irresistibly pulled at him, the pulse of another body so close to his own, a wall of flesh and heat and darkness that he simultaneously wanted to sink into and get away from, suffocating him—
直译（注重准确性）：
隆隆声再次响起，比之前更加响亮，大地随之震颤。克劳德感觉自己像被摆弄的布偶，萨菲罗斯通过他手腕上无法挣脱的钳制将他拉近，将他抵在比自己更高大的身躯上。那人弓身环绕着他，钢铁般牢固的双臂将他禁锢。这种压迫感既令人窒息又难以抗拒——另一具躯体的搏动如此贴近自己，由血肉、高温与黑暗筑成的墙，让他既渴望沉溺又想要逃离。
诗化翻译（保留韵律与意象）：
轰鸣复至势更汹，地动山摇震九重。
银腕如枷拽人偶，穹躯似岳覆云踪。
钢臂环囚成铁狱，血肉筑墙焚暗笼。
心搏相贴催欲溺，窒魂渊薮两争锋。
（注：采用七言律诗形式重构场景，保留"ragdoll"的傀儡意象、"steel trap"的金属禁锢感、"wall of flesh and heat"的感官冲击。末联用"窒魂渊薮"对应原文"suffocating him"的窒息感与深渊意象，"两争锋"强化矛盾心理）
Then the ground opened up beneath their feet and swallowed them whole.
直译：
随后地面在他们脚下裂开，将他们整个吞没。
意译：
霎时间地裂千钧，
深渊巨口噬人魂。