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Chapter Text  直译： 章节正文 韵意译： 章回文墨

Cloud woke up to the sound of drops. His cheek was lying on something hard and damp and cold. It felt like concrete.
直译：克劳德被滴水声惊醒。他的脸颊贴在某种坚硬、潮湿且冰冷的东西上，像是混凝土。/ 意译：水滴声声催人醒。克劳德面颊紧贴着阴冷潮湿的硬物，粗粝触感分明是混凝土。

He tried to move his fingers. When they obeyed his command, he slowly tried to lift himself from the floor, gloved palms pressing against hard stone. His whole body ached and felt stiff. It must have been a long way down from Corneo’s bedroom. Even just thinking about the smug bastard’s laughing face was enough to make his blood boil, but at least he wasn’t laughing anymore, from what Cloud could remember before blackness took him.
直译：他尝试活动手指。当手指能响应指令后，他缓缓撑起身体，戴着手套的掌心抵住坚硬石板。全身酸痛僵硬，想必是从科尼欧的卧室坠落已久。光是想起那个自大狂的笑脸就令他怒火中烧，不过据他昏迷前的记忆，那家伙应该再也笑不出来了。/ 意译：指尖微颤试筋骸，待得四肢听使唤，方以掌抵冷石台，忍痛撑起残躯。自科尼欧寝宫坠下九重，周身骨痛如拆。那纨绔狞笑犹在眼前，然念及昏厥前所见，终教那张狂面孔再难作笑颜。

His head was still spinning slightly, and he moved it slowly as he tried to take in his surroundings.
直译：他的脑袋仍有些眩晕，缓慢转动头颅试图观察周遭环境。/ 意译：眩晕未消颅中鸣，徐徐转颈探幽冥。

The first thing he saw was luminous eyes in the dark, mako-green and slitted, slicing him to the core. He froze, feeling like a frog before a snake.
直译：他首先看见黑暗中那双发光的眼睛，魔晄般的翠绿竖瞳，将他刺穿至灵魂深处。他僵在原地，恍若蛇吻前的青蛙。/ 意译：暗夜中魔晄绿瞳如鬼火闪烁，竖眸似刃直刺灵魂深处。他顿成泥塑木雕，恰似蛇信前的蛙囚。

How long had Sephiroth been watching him?
直译：萨菲罗斯已注视他多久？/ 意译：这双审判之眼，究竟凝视了他几度春秋？

A slight shift in the motionless figure and there was the bright flash of something catching the sparse light in these depths. Cloud’s eyes were immediately pulled there, and his breath hitched when he realized it was the Masamune. For a long moment, all he did was stare at the long and cold steel blade, barely breathing at all.
凝滞的人影微微晃动，幽暗水底忽然掠过一道折射稀薄光芒的金属寒芒。克劳德的视线瞬间被攫住，当辨认出那柄正宗刀时呼吸骤然凝滞。他如同被施了定身咒般长久注视着狭长的冷钢刀刃，连胸腔的起伏都变得几不可察；冥寂人形稍移形，刃光如磷掠渊明。克劳德瞳凝寒铁息凝冰，正宗现影摄魂惊。刃映幽芒千载冷，恍见宿命锁前尘。

Despite the memory of the past few hours catching up to him, telling him that Sephiroth was on their side now, if at least for the moment, it was still hard to believe that the other man wouldn’t just go back on his word and kill him when he least expected it.
尽管数小时前的记忆仍在脑海萦绕——此刻的萨菲罗斯姑且算作盟友，至少暂时如此——但克劳德仍难以相信这个宿敌会信守承诺。他总觉得对方随时可能撕毁盟约，在自己最无防备时给予致命一击；残忆如潮叩心门，暂盟岂能销旧痕？银发修罗虽共阵，背誓寒刃总疑存。笑里藏锋终有日，最是温柔断魂时。

The logical part of his brain said that if Sephiroth had wanted to kill him, he would have already done so a long time ago. In fact, Cloud’s recent state of unconsciousness would have been the perfect opportunity, though he doubted the other man really needed to resort to such cheap tricks.
直译版： 他大脑中的理性部分告诉他，如果萨菲罗斯真想杀他，早在很久之前就能得手。事实上，克劳德最近的昏迷状态本应是绝佳机会，不过他怀疑对方根本不屑于使用如此低劣的手段。 诗意重构版： 理智的警钟在颅中回响：若那银翼杀神起了杀心，何须待至寒星陨落的今朝？纵使昏眠如茧缚他身七日，也知那人剑锋自有傲骨，断不会趁夜行此宵小之道。

Despite knowing all this, Cloud still instinctively reached for the hilt on his back, eyes fixed warily on the other man. Sephiroth just looked back at him curiously.
虽早知如此，克劳德仍本能反手握住背后剑柄，警戒目光焊死在对方身上；银发战神却以探究神色回望，眼中流转星屑般冷芒。

Cloud didn’t want to tear his gaze away yet from the predator right in front of him, but he had to see where they had landed, so he did, if reluctantly, every sense stretched out in case the other man attacked.
克劳德不愿将视线从眼前凶兽身上撕离，却不得不分神确认落脚之地。他勉力转动眼瞳，每根神经都绷作满弓，防备着那人暴起发难。

The sewers were filled with a thick green haze that not even the floodlights installed at the top of the high walls or the white neon bars near the bottom could penetrate. There was a large, ominous opening in one of the stone walls filled with black shadows. It was dark and damp, and there was the foul smell of human excrements left to stew, which was especially potent to his SOLDIER senses. Cloud had to repress his flinch, the back of his hand coming up in a futile attempt to protect his nose from the assault.
下水道淤积着浓稠绿雾，高墙上探照灯与底部冷光带皆不能破。石壁裂开巨口，阴影在其中蠕动如活物。黑暗裹着湿气攀上衣襟，粪便经年发酵的恶臭直刺他强化感官。克劳德咬牙压下后退冲动，手背抵住鼻尖，却阻不住腥浊气浪寸寸侵染。

He glanced at the man beside him. Sephiroth didn’t even seem to notice. Of course.
直译： 他瞥了一眼身旁的男人。萨菲罗斯似乎根本没有注意到。当然。 诗化改写： 他侧目望向身旁那人，萨菲罗斯却浑然未觉。他早该料到。

That was when he spotted the two unconscious forms on the ground. He rushed to them immediately, kneeling down next to Tifa and gently shaking her shoulder. “Tifa.”
就在那时他发现了地上两个昏迷的人形。他立即冲向他们，跪在蒂法身边轻轻摇晃她的肩膀。"蒂法。";克劳德瞥见地上两道倒伏人影，箭步上前单膝点地，轻摇褐发少女的肩："蒂法"

Her familiar brown eyes opened, filling with awareness and recognition. “Cloud…” Then she shot up, fear pulsing in every word. “We have to get back to the slums!”
她熟悉的棕色眼眸睁开，充满清醒和认知。"克劳德..."接着她猛地起身，每个字都跳动着恐惧。"我们得赶回贫民窟！";熟悉的琥珀色眸子漾开涟漪，蒂法霍然支起身，话音裹着惶急："克劳德...快回第七区！"

“Yeah,” Cloud agreed grimly, elbow on his bent knee.
是啊，"克劳德阴郁地同意，手肘支在弯曲的膝盖上。;克劳德曲肘撑膝，喉间滚出低沉的应答："走

They both looked over to Aerith who had not yet awoken, and Tifa bit her lip, a look of regret in her eyes. “We shouldn’t have gotten her involved in this.”
他们都看向尚未苏醒的爱丽丝，蒂法咬着嘴唇，眼中带着悔意。"我们不该把她卷进来的。";二人望向仍在昏睡的粉衣少女，蒂法咬住樱唇，眼底泛起自责涟漪："不该牵连她"

“It’s fine,” Cloud said. “She’ll understand.”
没事，"克劳德说。"她会理解的。";克劳德凝望花丛中的睡颜："她懂

He knew for a fact that Aerith was tougher than she looked.
他确切知道爱丽丝比外表看起来更坚韧。;他早知这看似娇柔的卖花女，骨子里藏着钢刃

That was when said girl started to stir. Tifa immediately went to her side. “How do you feel?”
就在这时，那位少女开始动弹。蒂法立刻来到她身边。"感觉怎么样？";粉衣少女忽而发出轻哼，蒂法忙俯身探问："可还安好？"

“Like I just dropped down a trap door and fell on my ass,” Aerith grumbled, still a little bleary-eyed.
"就像我刚掉进陷阱门摔了个屁股蹲儿，"爱丽丝嘟囔着，眼睛还有点迷糊。;"活像踩空翻板摔个四仰八叉，"爱丽丝揉着惺忪睡眼咕哝

Tifa was not quite able to bite back her smile. “Oh, what a crime.”
蒂法没能完全忍住笑意。"哦，真是罪过。";蒂法唇角漏出星点笑意："好生委屈"

“It’s a tragedy,” Aerith smartly corrected, seeming a little more awake now.
是悲剧，"爱丽丝机敏地纠正，现在看起来清醒了些。;少女眨着翡翠眸子正色道："分明是人间惨剧

It was just in time, because the ground started to shake then. They realized they were footsteps when a beast came bursting out of the darkness of that big square opening, growling and roaring.
直译：他们刚好及时，因为地面开始震动。当一头野兽从巨大方形洞口的黑暗中咆哮着冲出来时，他们意识到这是脚步声。/ 意译：千钧一发之际，大地战栗轰鸣。当可怖巨兽裹挟着黑暗自方窟冲出，嘶吼声震耳欲聋，他们才惊觉——那竟是足音撼动乾坤。

It was large and blue, dark horns nearly touching the ceiling, a small patch of black hair on its head over an ugly snout and deadly fangs. A long, forked tongue lolled out of its mouth and trailed down to the floor, big and slimy.
直译：它体型庞大通体深蓝，黝黑犄角几乎触到天花板，丑陋口鼻与致命獠牙上方的头部有一小撮黑毛。分叉的长舌从口中垂落拖到地面，硕大而黏腻。/ 意译：青蓝巨兽形如山岳，狰狞獠牙之上，一绺黑鬃凌空抖擞；黝黑犄角直抵穹顶，腥红长舌蜿蜒垂地，黏涎如瀑映寒光。

They rolled out of the way as it rushed towards them, horns glowing white-green as though shining through cracks. In response, the puddles of sewer water splashed upwards, making Cloud’s skin tingle where it hit him, almost painful, a faint feeling of dizziness sweeping over him. Poison, he thought.
直译（准确版）： 当它朝他们冲来时，他们翻滚着躲开，犄角泛着白绿色的光芒，仿佛从裂缝中透出。作为回应，下水道的污水向上飞溅，落在克劳德皮肤上时引起刺痛感，近乎疼痛，一阵轻微的晕眩感袭向他。有毒，他心想。 诗译（意境版）： 他们闪身避过那狂暴冲撞，兽角荧荧烁动，青白幽芒似从裂隙迸现。秽水应声逆溅，触及克劳德肌肤处如芒刺灼烧，痛感未消之际，眩晕感如潮水般悄然漫上。毒瘴，他蓦然惊觉。

“Aim at the horns!” he said. “And avoid the sewage!”
「瞄准犄角！」他喊道。「避开污水沟！」||「角尖发力点！」他疾呼。「浊流要避险！」

“Already on it!” Aerith chirped, aiming a Soul Drain at the beast’s left horn, the spell looking like a delicate, white ball of fireworks leaving a long streak in the dark as it fluttered up. From the other side, Tifa’s Blizzara frosted over the same horn, turning it into an ice block.
「看我的！」爱丽丝清叱着向兽角释放汲魂术，光球如银莲绽放，曳着彗尾划破暗空。另一侧蒂法的冰封咒凌空而至，犄角霎时凝作冰棱。||「交给我！」爱丽丝脆声应和，汲魂咒如流萤出岫，织就银练贯长夜。对角线上，蒂法霜华漫卷，兽角顿化寒玉雕。

As the monster groaned in pain, Aerith whooped. “Yeah! We make such a good team!”
巨兽哀嚎声中，爱丽丝雀跃欢呼：「漂亮！我们真是绝配！」||魔兽痛吼震穹苍，爱丽丝击掌笑嚷：「瞧这配合！天衣无缝！」

Tifa grinned a little shyly at her, before diving in with a rain of lethal punches and kicks to the beast’s side. She jumped away when a large arm came swinging down, the broken length of the chain whipping through the air and hitting the ground with a metallic clang. Cloud was already ready, thrusting his sword into the beast’s open side, then ducking underneath a fist by putting his palm against the ground and pushing himself away in a spin to cast a Fira at the left horn.
蒂法赧然浅笑，旋即化作暴雨般的拳脚倾泻在兽腹。铁链破空砸地时，她已后撤腾挪。克劳德早蓄势待发，剑锋没入兽躯后旋身避拳，掌抵地面借力飞退，火咒精准轰向冰角。||蒂法梨涡轻漾，拳风腿影骤如雹。玄铁链扫惊雷落，她已翩若惊鸿退。克劳德剑走游龙刺软肋，忽见巨拳压顶来，单掌拍地旋身起，流火咒破九霄寒。

The horns glowed again, correspondingly animating the puddles which they tried to avoid as best they could. It went on like this, with them casting their magic from a distance, Cloud and Tifa coming in to deliver attacks from close up while the monster was still recovering, not giving it any time to rest as the dark room was lit up with white glowing orbs, blue crackling ice, and the all-consuming bright red of fire. It was impossible to completely avoid contact with the poisonous sewer water, but Tifa was there to cast a Poisona to drain the toxin before they could collapse. Cloud had already summoned an Ifrit, putting the beast under pressure as it groaned and stumbled around, arms on fire.
直译版： 角再度发光，相应地激活了水洼，他们尽力躲避这些水洼。战斗就这样持续着：他们远程施放魔法，克劳德和蒂法则在怪物恢复期间近距离发动攻击，不给它任何喘息时间。黑暗的房间被白色光球、蓝色爆裂冰晶和吞噬一切的火红照亮。完全避免接触有毒下水道污水是不可能的，但蒂法及时施放解毒术在毒素发作前将其排出。克劳德已召唤伊弗利特，让双臂着火、痛苦呻吟踉跄的野兽陷入重围。 诗化版： 魔角再绽幽光，暗沼应势而涌，众人腾挪闪避。鏖战未歇：魔法自远空倾泻，克劳德与蒂法趁隙近击，断其喘息之机。漆黑空间里，白炽光球、冰蓝裂痕与吞噬一切的火红交织辉映。毒水难尽避，幸有蒂法轻诵清毒咒，化险于未发。克劳德召得炎神临世，烈焰缠臂的巨兽哀嚎踉跄，火舌吞吐间，令其陷入重围。

Then it suddenly turned around, catching Aerith with its tail, throwing her across the room where it pounced on her. Its horns were glowing with a red light now, and the beast roared in rage, saliva dribbling down on Aerith’s face who raised her arms as a shield and said, “Yuck!”
直译版本： 那怪物突然转身，用尾巴卷住爱丽丝，将她甩到房间另一侧并扑了上去。此刻它的犄角正泛着红光，魔兽在暴怒中嘶吼，涎液滴落在爱丽丝脸上。她举起双臂遮挡，喊道："真恶心！" 诗化版本： 魔兽陡然回身，钢鞭似的长尾绞住爱丽丝，将她凌空甩飞。坠地刹那魔影已至，赤芒暴涨的犄角刺破暗室，伴着震天怒吼，腥臭涎液黏腻地淌落在少女脸庞。爱丽丝仓皇架起双臂，破碎的惊叫中漏出半句："好恶心！" （说明：第二版通过"钢鞭似的长尾"增强视觉张力，"赤芒暴涨的犄角刺破暗室"构建光影对比，"黏腻地淌落"强化触觉感知，用"震天怒吼"与"破碎的惊叫"形成声场对位，使整个场景更具戏剧张力。）

“Aerith!” Tifa called out, immediately running towards them to deliver a high kick to those glowing horns and not letting up until the beast staggered back a little. Cloud supported her by casting Fira, catching the right horn and lighting up more of the beast’s limbs with hungry orange-red flames that spread quickly across the fur of the lower body.

Tifa managed to pull Aerith out from under the beast, which stumbled back and made wounded noises. “Ugh,” Aerith said, wiping at the goo on her face as Tifa healed her. Then Aerith turned to the beast. There was fire in her green eyes.

“Oh, you are so gonna get it.”

Fingering her staff deftly, she healed both Tifa and Cloud before sending a flurry of white balls along with her own fire, hitting the monster in a white-red explosion.

Before it could dissipate, Cloud rushed in, Buster Sword slashing forward, flames still licking along the blade from the Fira he had cast earlier. He got a few good hits in, Tifa joining him, before the beast groaned and jumped up the pipe running along the wall in one powerful leap.

As the last lingering wisps of the fire wall disappeared, they saw that one of its horns had broken off. But it was too early to rejoice, as the remaining horn started to glow angry red, summoning a flood from the big pipe in the wall with the grates over it. There was no way to completely avoid it, and Cloud turned away, closing his eyes as he raised his arm over his head for protection.
直译： 当最后一丝残留的火墙余烬消散时，他们发现其中一支角已经断裂。但还来不及高兴，剩下的角就开始泛着愤怒的红光，从墙上带栅格的大管道中召唤出洪水。根本无处可避，克劳德转身闭眼，抬起手臂护住头部。 诗化改写： 火墙残影尽褪时， 断角嶙峋入目迟。 未待欢欣浮眉宇， 残角骤燃猩红炽。 铁栅巨管洪流涌， 无处遁形避浪时。 克劳德闭目旋身去， 铁臂横陈护首姿。

When the flood drained away, he saw that the monster had retreated into the muddy brown water that surrounded the platform. The three of them automatically backed into the center of the room, watching out for any sudden attacks.
直译：当洪水退去时，他看见怪物已退回包围平台的泥棕色水域。三人自动退守房间中央，警惕着任何突袭。/雅译：浊浪渐消遁形去，魔物隐入平台四周的褐泥潭。三人背靠背退守圆心，警惕着随时可能破水而出的利爪獠牙。

The hideous beast emerged in a burst of sewer water and immediately sent a spinning vortex after Cloud. It was incredibly fast, throwing him into the air before he could even swing his sword. While he was still airborne, he was caught by a backhanded swing of those thick arms, sending him flying into the wall, the impact knocking all the breath from his lungs.
直译：丑陋的怪兽裹挟着下水道污水突然现身，立即向克劳德射出一道旋转涡流。速度快得惊人，未等他举剑就被掀到空中。尚在半空又被粗壮臂膀反手击中，整个人撞向墙壁，冲击力震得他无法呼吸。/雅译：污水迸溅间魔物乍现，甩出螺旋水箭直取克劳德。快若雷霆不及挥剑，人已腾空。未及坠地又被虬结巨臂横扫，如断线纸鸢撞上石墙，撞得他五脏六腑都移了位。

He was only faintly aware of his own body bouncing back to the platform, rolling limply.
直译：他仅模糊感觉到自己身体弹回平台，瘫软地滚动。/雅译：混沌中只觉身躯重重砸回平台，软绵绵地滚落，如同被抽去筋骨的人偶。

“Cloud!” Tifa shouted, but it was as though he was hearing her through water, faraway and distorted, her voice unable to penetrate the heaviness in his head and in his limbs.
直译："克劳德！"蒂法大喊，但他的听觉仿佛隔水传来般遥远扭曲，她的声音穿不透他头颅与四肢的沉重感。/雅译："克劳德！"蒂法的呼喊似隔着重洋传来，渺远而失真。那声音穿不透他灌铅般的头颅，化不开四肢百骸的凝滞。

But it was only a moment before time picked up again with dizzying speed, sound returning along with it in a disorienting, almost overwhelming rush. His gasp was incredibly loud in his ears as he picked his sword up from where it had fallen and rolled to his feet—just in time to see the deadly flash of an impossibly long steel edge followed by a white-blue energy blade that cut through the air and hit the beast squarely in the chest, sending it crashing into the wall behind it and through it, a long slash forming in the stone, pieces crumbling away until only a large hole was left.
直译：但这只是须臾间的凝滞，时间随即以令人眩晕的速度重新流动，震耳欲聋的声浪裹挟着时空错位感排山倒海般涌来。当克劳德从地面拾起掉落的剑刃翻身跃起时，自己雷鸣般的心跳声几乎要冲破耳膜——恰在此时，他看到一道长得不可思议的钢刃寒光闪过，紧接着靛蓝色能量光刃破空而至，精准贯穿魔兽胸膛。巨兽被轰然击飞撞塌身后石墙，岩壁上留下巨型斩痕，碎石簌簌剥落后唯余狰狞豁口。

The whole room shook with the force of it as they all looked on in shock. The beast didn’t get up again from where it had fallen, a gaping wound in its chest that nearly cleaved it in half.
直译：整座厅堂在冲击波中震颤不已，众人呆若木鸡。魔兽倒在碎石堆里再未起身，胸前撕裂躯干的巨大创口触目惊心。

Cloud was the first to recover, shaking his head. “Watch it!” he barked at Sephiroth, who was still standing behind them. “Do you want the sewers to collapse on us?”
直译：克劳德最先回神，甩了甩发懵的脑袋。"看着点！"他冲仍立于众人身后的萨菲罗斯吼道，"你是想让下水道塌方活埋我们吗？"

Sephiroth merely cocked his head, the long blade of the Masamune trailing over the ground where he held it in his left gloved hand. 
直译：银发将军只是微微偏首，戴着黑皮手套的左手垂握「正宗」，修长刀锋在地面划出清越铮鸣。

Somehow he had managed to stay out of the fight and remain undisturbed up until this point. And yet...
直译：不知怎的，他成功避开了所有打斗，安然无恙直到此刻。然而... | 韵译：他始终巧妙避开纷争，未受侵扰直至此刻。奈何...

One swing was all it took for him.
直译：对他来说只需挥剑一次 | 韵译：寒芒起落间，胜负已分明

Of course, there was also the fact that they had already weakened the monster first, but even so, they would probably have had to fight it for a while yet before finally defeating it.
直译：当然，他们事先削弱了魔兽也是事实，但即便如此，要彻底击败它可能仍需苦战良久 | 韵译：虽已先行消磨魔物气力，众人仍要鏖战多时，方能得胜

The difference in their strength was… chilling, and it made Cloud wonder all over again how he had managed to kill the other man in Nibelheim.
直译：实力差距令人胆寒，克劳德不禁再度困惑：自己当年究竟如何在尼布尔海姆杀死那人 | 韵译：云层间骤现的剑光差距，令他惊疑——尼布尔雪夜的那场弑神，原是虚妄？

Sephiroth’s eyes faintly glowed in the dark as he stared back at him. Cloud felt no safer for the beast being dead, not when the real monster stood in front of them.
直译：黑暗中赛菲罗斯的瞳孔泛着微光回视，魔兽虽死，克劳德却未感安心——真正的怪物正立于眼前 | 韵译：银发将军的瞳孔在暗夜荧荧如刃，魔物伏诛未减寒意，因那人间修罗正临渊而立

“Well, now I know to never mess with you!” Aerith said, laughing, but even she sounded a little nervous.
直译："现在我可不敢惹你啦！"爱丽丝笑着，声线却透着紧张 | 韵译："往后定当退避三舍！"爱丽丝巧笑嫣然，尾音却泄露轻颤

The look in Tifa’s eyes was unreadable as she looked at Sephiroth, but then her hands clenched into fists and she looked at the ground. When she lifted her face again, she said, “Surely, Corneo was just lying, right? Shinra wouldn’t sacrifice a whole sector just to kill Avalanche. That would be—crazy.”
直译：蒂法凝视赛菲罗斯的眼神难以解读，她攥紧拳头垂首，再抬头时说道："克罗诺肯定是胡说，神罗怎会为剿灭雪崩牺牲整个片区？这太疯狂了" | 韵译：少女攥紧的拳心洇出月痕，抬眸时眼波似雾："科诺尼所言必是虚妄，神罗岂会焚毁城邦只为剿灭蝼蚁？"

“Didn’t sound like he was just making things up to me.” Cloud crossed his arms. “What reason would he have to lie to us?”
直译："他倒不像信口雌黄"克劳德抱臂反问，"欺骗我们有何好处？" | 韵译："那人言谈不似作伪"银剑士冷然环臂，"虚言相欺，所图为何？"

“I think he’s the type who would do exactly that kind of thing. And who knows? Maybe he’s a compulsive liar.” Her arms came up to wrap around herself, gaze dark and anxious.
直译版：'我觉得他就是会做那种事的人。谁知道呢？说不定是个病态说谎者。'她抬起双臂环抱住自己，目光阴郁而焦虑。｜雅译版：'此人行事向来无所顾忌，依我看定会故技重施。谁知他是否巧舌如簧，谎话连篇？'她双臂不自觉地环抱胸前，眸中阴云密布，忧思难掩。

Then Aerith joined in, saying that even if the Don was just bluffing, it didn’t hurt to check the truth of his words—just to be safe. Tifa nodded at this, tightly, and then she was off like a shot towards the new hole in the wall.
直译版：接着爱丽丝加入谈话，说即便唐先生只是虚张声势，核实他话语的真实性也无妨——只为稳妥起见。蒂法对此用力点头，随即如离弦之箭冲向墙面的新破洞。｜雅译版：爱丽丝亦附议道，纵使唐主事故作玄虚，验其真伪亦非多此一举。蒂法闻言颌首如点绛，素手轻扬间，人已若惊鸿掠影，直向断垣新痕疾驰而去。

“Tifa!” Cloud called out to her, but she didn’t look back. Aerith hurried after her, and Cloud followed closely behind.
直译版：'蒂法！'克劳德呼唤她，但她没有回头。爱丽丝快步追上她，克劳德紧随其后。｜雅译版：'蒂法！'克劳德的呼唤飘散风中，红衫佳人却未驻芳踪。爱丽丝莲步生风紧相随，黑衣剑士亦步亦趋护玉容。

To the left of the beast’s corpse they saw a corridor that looked to be part of a tunnel system. There was excitement in Tifa’s voice as she explained that they could probably get to Sector Seven this way and that Avalanche frequently used the sewers, even having a saying to follow the stench when in a dire situation.

Sephiroth chuckled then, in his deep and silken voice. It was the first sound he had made since falling into the sewers. “Just like rats.” 

That dimmed Tifa’s excitement at once and her eyes flashed. “Well, I don’t see you having any better ideas.”

“Lead on then,” was all Sephiroth said. Tifa glared at him for another moment, before doing so, too pressed for time to argue with him.
直译：'带路吧。'萨菲罗斯只说了这一句。蒂法又瞪了他片刻，终究也照做了，时间紧迫得不容她与他争辩。\n 雅译：'带路。'萨菲罗斯语带寒霜。蒂法又狠狠剜了他一眼，终是转身前行——毕竟眼下分秒必争，容不得与他纠缠。

It was easier than Cloud would have thought. Usually, the monsters were crawling all over the place in such environments. They loved the dark, wet and cold. And yet it was strangely... empty. It was unsettling in a way that dampened his palms, and he resisted the urge to look at the man behind him, whose fathomless gaze he could feel prickling his nape. The monsters could probably sense there was a bigger predator in the vicinity.
直译：这比克劳德预想的要容易。通常在这种环境下，怪物会遍地横行。它们钟爱黑暗、潮湿与寒冷。然而此刻却诡异地...空无一物。这种异样的寂静让他掌心渗出冷汗，他强忍着不去回望身后那个男人——那人幽邃的目光正如芒刺般扎着他的后颈。或许怪物们已感知到附近蛰伏着更危险的掠食者。\n 雅译：竟比克劳德预想中顺利。幽暗潮湿的巢穴本应妖魔横行，此刻却诡谲地...空寂如坟。寒意攀上脊梁，冷汗濡湿掌心，他不敢回望——身后如影随形的深渊凝视正啮咬着后颈。魔物们或许早已察觉——这深渊中盘踞着更为可怖的掠世凶煞。

Cloud had initially wanted to walk in the front so he could deal with the monsters first, but the most dangerous one was actually at their backs. As such, he fell behind to act as a physical barrier between Sephiroth and the girls walking in front of them.
直译：克劳德本想走在最前以应对怪物，但真正的危险却蛰伏于后方。于是他退居队尾，用血肉之躯在萨菲罗斯和前行少女间筑起屏障。 | 雅译：克劳德欲执先锋斩魔物，怎料杀机暗藏背阴处。银发修罗伺机起，少年横剑护娇姝。

As they entered a dark tunnel, small lights embedded on either side of the narrow corridor doing little to illuminate their path, Tifa voiced her doubts again about Corneo actually telling the truth. She repeated the same questions and suppositions from earlier, just wrapped in different words. There seemed to be little else on her mind, and this time he agreed with her, sensing her need for reassurance.
直译：隧道幽深晦暗，狭窄廊道两侧的零星微光难照前路。蒂法再度吐露对科尼欧是否吐实的疑虑，以不同措辞重复着相似的质询与揣测。她心绪纷乱如麻，这次他附议以慰红颜。 | 雅译：隧影森森笼寒烟，萤火点点照不穿。霓裳女儿频回首，疑云叠问绕指间。少年会意轻颔首，且将宽语慰朱颜。

They finally arrived at the trunk line to Sector Seven. However, the bridge in front of them was broken and Tifa suggested they go down and try to use the gates to find a way to cross the sewer water.
直译：众人终抵七号区干线，奈何天桥已断。蒂法提议潜行下水，借闸门为径渡污水。 | 雅译：七番干线现眼前，奈何虹桥断云边。玉指轻点幽深处，暗渡沧波闸门间。

On the way, they saw a gate with a familiar red diamond that was decorated with golden dragons in the front, framed by two red lanterns, but it was locked, so they moved on. They also encountered a handful of monsters, but they were easily dealt with. Once they found a promising spot to cross over, Cloud flipped the switch on the side wall. The gate slid down and the pool filled with sewage, causing three concrete plates with empty barrels underneath them to float to the top and line up, creating a rudimentary road.

Cloud offered to go first. He wanted to test the path, see if it was safe to walk on. Although the plates were shaky, he made it to the other side alright. Tifa was next, and then it was Aerith’s turn. She seemed to find it hard to keep her balance on the wobbly ground underneath her. Tifa encouraged her when she had made it halfway, then the plates shook hard, water splashing, and Aerith jumped over when Tifa told her to. Tifa caught her in her arms, and they watched the plates sink into the brown depths below.

“That was close,” Tifa said, holding Aerith’s shoulders just a little tighter.

Aerith looked unsettled and leaned into her touch. “Yeah…” But then she turned in Tifa’s grip and wrapped her arms around the other woman’s bare waist, grinning. “Thanks, you saved me!”
直译：爱丽丝看起来心神不宁，将身体倾向对方的触碰。"是啊..."但随后她在蒂法的怀抱中转身，搂住对方裸露的腰肢咧嘴一笑。"谢谢，你救了我！" | 诗译：爱丽丝身形微滞，顺势倚入她掌心。"嗯..."却在蒂法臂弯间旋身，环住女子纤腰粲然："多谢搭救啦！"

Tifa looked a little flustered, but she returned the smile easily enough. “Least I could do.”
直译：蒂法显得有些慌乱，但依然从容回以微笑。"举手之劳。" | 诗译：蒂法耳尖泛起薄红，笑意却如常流转："不过举手之劳。"

Aerith turned towards Cloud then, green eyes bright with mischief. “Hear that, Cloud?” she teased.
直译：爱丽丝转向克劳德，翠绿的眼睛闪烁着调皮的光芒。"听到了吗，克劳德？"她揶揄道。 | 诗译：爱丽丝蓦然转向克劳德，翠眸狡黠一转："可听清了？"语带戏谑如风铃轻颤。

Cloud just shrugged uncomfortably, resisting the urge to shift on his feet.
直译：克劳德只是不自在地耸了耸肩，强忍着想要挪动双脚的冲动。 | 诗译：克劳德局促地耸动肩膀，足尖暗碾却未移分寸。

Then they looked over to Sephiroth who was yet on the other side. He stared down at the waterway, appearing almost contemplative.
他们转头看向仍在对岸的萨菲罗斯。他垂目凝视着水道，神情近乎沉思。/众人回望隔岸的萨菲罗斯，只见他低眉凝睇流水，俨然沉思者之姿。

Then he stepped forward. He didn’t have his wing out. What was he—
他忽然向前迈步。单翼未展。这是要——/忽见他举步向前，黑翼未张，众人皆惑其意。

But he didn’t sink into the water. It was as if he was stepping on air, defying the very laws of gravity itself as he easily floated over.
但他并未沉入水中。仿佛踏着虚空而行，轻易凌波而至，全然无视重力法则。/却见他踏虚凌波若等闲，步步生莲逆天道。

When both his feet set down lightly on firm ground, Aerith’s eyes were sparkling with awe. “Now that was cool! Could you teach me how to do that?”
待他双足轻点实地，爱丽丝眼眸晶亮满是惊叹："太帅了！能教我这招吗？"/待得双足点地时，爱丽丝明眸流转异彩："此等绝技，可能授我？"

Sephiroth hummed deep in his throat. “I could… but you would have to die first.”
萨菲罗斯喉间发出低沉的哼声："可以...但你先得死一回。"/萨菲罗斯喉间滚过轻笑："教你未尝不可，除非你先去黄泉走一遭。"

Aerith stared at him, looking like she was trying to decide if he was joking or not.
爱丽丝直直盯着他，似乎在判断这是玩笑还是真话。/爱丽丝凝眸相视，似在揣度此言虚实。

However, that was definitely not the kind of joke Cloud appreciated. Especially when it came from Sephiroth. “There will be no dying here,” he said, glaring at Sephiroth who only smirked. “Let’s move on.”
但这显然不是克劳德欣赏的玩笑方式。尤其当它出自萨菲罗斯之口。"这里不允许有人死亡。"他瞪着嘴角含笑的萨菲罗斯说道，"继续前进。"/此等戏言岂入克劳德耳？尤恨出自宿敌唇齿间。"此处不可妄动生死念。"银发将军冷笑未绝，他已厉色喝令整队前行。

Aerith climbed up the ladder, followed by Tifa, Cloud, and Sephiroth. When they arrived at the top and Tifa started worrying again, Aerith distracted her with far more ease and grace than Cloud ever could have, telling her to think about something positive, like what she wanted to do after heroically saving Sector Seven. He watched the two women talk about having a date where they would go shopping topside—with Cloud tagging along as their pack chocobo.
爱丽丝率先攀上阶梯，蒂法、克劳德与萨菲罗斯紧随其后。登顶时蒂法再度忧心忡忡，爱丽丝却以远胜克劳德的从容风姿抚平她的不安，柔声劝慰不妨畅想凯旋后的愿景——比如拯救第七区后要如何庆功。克劳德眼见两位姑娘讨论起战后约会计划，说要携手同游天穹市集，而自己竟被编排成驮行李的陆行鸟。

“Hey,” he said, in protest, but the girls had already run ahead by then, giggling.
“喂！”他刚要抗议，少女们早已嬉笑着跑远，银铃般的笑声散落在风中。

Somehow he had the distinct feeling that Sephiroth was laughing at him despite the other man’s silence. Cloud glared at him, before turning forward again. As Aerith and Tifa walked on the bridge, it started to crack and crumble beneath them. Aerith took Tifa’s hand and quickly pulled her along as she made a mad dash for the other side.
萨菲罗斯虽未言语，克劳德却分明看见他眼底的讥诮。少年狠狠瞪了宿敌一眼，转头继续前行。石桥在两位少女脚下骤然崩裂，爱丽丝紧攥蒂法的手腕，拽着她向对岸疾驰，碎石如雨坠入深渊。

Cloud saw that they made it, but he had also already broken into a dead run to help them and make it to the other side before the bridge could collapse completely. He was too late though as the ground crumbled away to nothing beneath him, and there was the familiar sensation of falling. For a moment, gravity seemed suspended, everything seeming to move in slow motion, the pieces of the bridge floating all around him. Then his stomach dropped, his arms whirling uselessly in the air as his own body weight pulled him down, down, down—
克劳德看着同伴们成功抵达对岸，自己却已本能地开始拼命狂奔想要协助他们。碎石桥面在他脚下不断坍塌，熟悉的失重感再度袭来。刹那间重力仿佛被抽离，周遭的桥体碎片如慢镜头般悬浮，直到自身重量猛然将他拖入深渊——他终究还是慢了一步。

He only saw Tifa on the other side, seeming to shout his name. He reached out to her—
最后的视野里，蒂法在彼岸竭力呼喊。他朝着那片绯色衣角伸出手—— 1. 首段采用画面感更强的镜头语言，通过"本能地开始拼命狂奔"保留原意，用"绯色衣角"呼应蒂法的经典造型； 2. 末段"绯色衣角"既保留隐喻，又形成与"彼岸"的视觉对仗； 3. 整体使用短句营造电影分镜般的节奏感，末句破折号制造悬念； 4. "深渊"比直译"坠落"更具文学意象，"失重感"对应"gravity seemed suspended"的物理感受。>

That was when strong hands slid underneath his body, catching him in mid-air and pressing him against a broad chest. The muscles were softer than he’d thought, cushioning his head far better than one might expect considering the abruptness with which his fall was broken. The motion also pretty much mashed his nose and mouth against the bare skin not covered by straps, and he automatically breathed in that human and far-too appealing scent that he had reluctantly come to be very familiar with in these last few hours, stoking a fire in his belly that he had thought long lost to the ashes of Nibelheim. As he inhaled sharply and suppressed his shudder, he thought he could taste salt on his tongue.
直译版：就在此时，强壮的手掌滑到他的身下，在半空中接住他并将他按向宽阔的胸膛。肌肉比他想象中柔软，缓冲头部的方式比人们预想的更温柔——尽管截停坠落的方式如此突兀。这个动作还把他的口鼻压在了未被皮带覆盖的赤裸皮肤上，他被动地吸入这个人类身上过于诱人的气息——过去几小时里他不得不逐渐熟悉的味道。这气息在他腹中点燃火焰，他原以为这团火早已随着尼布尔海姆的灰烬永远熄灭。当他屏住呼吸压制战栗时，仿佛尝到了舌尖的咸涩。 <优雅版> 千钧一发之际，强健臂弯凌空托住他的身躯，将他按进宽阔胸膛。肌肉比想象中柔软，承接坠势虽急，护住后脑的力度却意外温柔。口鼻被压进皮质束带间的裸露肌肤，被迫吸入这人类特有的惑人气息——过去几小时里他不得不逐渐熟悉的味道。这味道如星火坠入干草，在腹中复燃起他以为早已随尼布尔海姆的灰烬一同湮灭的火焰。强抑颤抖的屏息间，舌尖似有咸涩蔓延。

When Sephiroth set him down gently on the ground, Cloud immediately moved away from him as though burned. Sephiroth just raised a brow and looked at him curiously.
直译版：当萨菲罗斯将他轻轻放在地面时，克劳德立刻像被烫到般弹开。萨菲罗斯只是挑起眉毛，用好奇的目光注视着他。 <优雅版> 银发战士刚将人轻放地面，金发青年便如避蛇蝎般急退。对方挑眉投来探究眼神，恍如寒潭映月。

Right, Cloud thought, heart pounding as Tifa and Aerith fussed over him, asking him if he was alright. Sephiroth could levitate even without his wing. As if he wasn’t enough of a monster already.
直译版：没错，克劳德在蒂法和爱丽丝围着他嘘寒问暖时心跳如雷地想，没有翅膀的萨菲罗斯也能悬浮空中。仿佛他原本还不够像怪物。 <优雅版> 当蒂法与艾瑞丝围着他焦急询问伤势时，克劳德的心跳震得胸腔生疼。那恶魔即便折翼仍可凌空，所谓完美兵器，当真要将人间化作炼狱才罢休。

He carefully didn’t think about other things. Like how he had wanted to lean forward and taste more of that skin, chasing that salt to its source, hungry to learn if the rest of Sephiroth was just as human as he smelled and tasted with his mouth.
他小心翼翼地不去想其他事情。比如他如何曾渴望前倾去品尝更多那肌肤的滋味，循着咸涩溯向源头，饥渴地想探究萨菲罗斯是否如他唇齿间嗅尝到的那样充满凡人的气息。||他刻意将杂念摒除。譬如那俯身欲尝的冲动，渴望循着咸涩的肌肤溯流而上，探问萨菲罗斯是否如唇齿间的人间气息般真实。

Sephiroth made a small noise then, looking at him with dark and interested eyes. Cloud was quick to pull his thoughts into another direction, focusing on their goal, which was to get to Sector Seven as soon as possible.
萨菲罗斯那时发出了一声轻响，用那双深邃而饶有兴致的眼睛注视着他。克劳德迅速将思绪转向别处，专注于他们的目标——尽快抵达第七区。||萨菲罗斯喉间逸出一声轻响，眸色幽深地凝望，眼底兴味盎然。克劳德慌忙敛神收念，唯记前路迢迢，第七区的星火亟待他们奔赴。

They made their way deeper into the tunnel, down dark, winding corridors that led to larger areas and beyond. A few sewer monsters showed up, but they posed no problem. Finally they arrived at an open area with a waterway filled with sewage and a ladder on the other side leading up to what was presumably the surface.
他们深入隧道，穿过幽暗蜿蜒的廊道，通向更广阔的腹地。偶有下水道怪物现身，但不足为惧。最终抵达一处开阔地带，污水横流的河道对岸架着通往地面的铁梯。||二人向隧道深处徐行，曲折回廊如玄蛇盘踞，引向幽冥更深处。零星的秽物魔物偶现形影，皆成剑下飞灰。终至豁然处，浊流汤汤横亘其间，锈梯斜倚彼岸，恰似通天云阶。

They had to lower the water level somehow. After a few minutes of searching they found what looked to be the control room. Tifa soon left with Aerith to remove the blockage in the drainage system with the hand pump stationed outside, citing her superior expertise due to apparently having had to operate something similar for her bar. She listened to none of the doubts he raised, and then it was just Cloud and Sephiroth.
直译版本： 他们必须设法降低水位。经过几分钟的搜索，他们找到了看似控制室的房间。蒂法很快带着爱丽丝离开，准备用外部配备的手动泵清除排水系统的堵塞物，声称自己因曾在酒吧操作过类似装置而具备更专业的知识。她完全无视他提出的所有质疑，于是现场只剩下克劳德和萨菲罗斯。 诗意改写： 众人亟待排解水患之危。经数分钟搜寻，终见控制中枢巍然。蒂法携爱丽丝翩然离去，欲借外置手摇泵疏通淤塞，自诩经验丰富——毕竟在酒吧工作时操作过类似装置。对他提出的疑虑充耳不闻，徒留克劳德与萨菲罗斯默然相对。

It was what he had dreaded when she started saying that she had a similar water tank in Seventh Heaven. He had tried not to think of his earlier lapse and now he worried that the other man might address his highly inappropriate thoughts, or worse—maybe even try something based on them.
当她说第七天堂也有类似水箱时，他最害怕的事发生了/她言七重天外同款水箱，恰触他隐惧之弦。他竭力封存前愆，却忧那人或道破悖德之念，甚者——依妄行险。

The thing was, he wasn’t entirely sure if the other man’s advances would be unwelcome or not.
关键在于，他无法全然确定对方的主动究竟是冒犯还是甘霖/难辨是侵扰还是撩拨，他心头悬秤难平。

Cloud, however, tried to let none of this show, crossing his arms and hiding his unease behind a scowl. To his surprise the other man did nothing akin to what Cloud had imagined.
克劳德却抱臂蹙眉，将忐忑藏进冷硬外壳。出乎意料，那人未如他所料有所动作/克劳德环臂锁愁肠，眉峰作盾掩惶然。岂料那人未行臆测事，静若寒潭。

Sephiroth, who was leaning against the opposite wall and had been rather quiet up till now, suddenly spoke up. “Why keep the truth from her?”
一直倚墙默然的萨菲罗斯忽然开口："何故对她隐瞒真相"/萨菲罗斯忽破静默，冷壁为凭启冰言："真相何必作茧？"

Cloud’s brain took a moment to catch up. “The truth about what?”
克劳德怔了片刻才反应过来："什么真相"/克劳德神思迟转："所隐者何？"

“The truth about Shinra dropping the plate,” Sephiroth elaborated. “You know that’s something they would do.”
神罗即将坠落板块的真相，"萨菲罗斯补充道，"你清楚他们做得出来"/"神罗欲坠苍穹盖，"银发者吐寒星，"此等阴鸷，君应谙。

Cloud huffed, hiding his relief at Sephiroth apparently having dropped Cloud’s less than chaste thoughts from earlier. “I’m not keeping anything from Tifa. Dropping a plate just to kill a bunch of terrorists? That’s a stretch… even for Shinra.”
克劳德暗松口气——对方似乎没再追究他早前的邪念。"我没瞒蒂法。为剿恐怖分子而坠板块？神罗也不至于如此疯狂"/克劳德偷吁半息，佯怒掩释然："岂为蝼蚁倾天阙？神罗虽恶未至此。"

Sephiroth looked at Cloud curiously, testingly. “It’s nothing unusual. You just have to look at the Wutai War for evidence.”
【直译】萨菲罗斯用试探性的好奇目光打量着克劳德。"这没什么不寻常。看看五台战争就是证据。"【雅译】银发将军审慎端详着战士："寻常之事何足道？五台战火自昭然。"

“What do you mean?” Cloud almost didn’t want to ask, stomach twisting with a sense of foreboding.
【直译】"你什么意思？"克劳德几乎不想问出口，胃部因不祥预感而翻搅。【雅译】金发少年喉头苦涩如吞铅："此言何意？"终究难抑问苍天。

Those bruise-colored lips curved into a slow, amused smile. “You don’t think Nibelheim was the first village to burn under my hands, do you? There were many others in Wutai.”
【直译】那双瘀伤色的嘴唇缓缓扬起戏谑的弧度。"你不会以为尼布尔海姆是我焚毁的第一个村庄吧？五台早有许多先例。"【雅译】紫绀薄唇噙冷笑："岂止寒村付劫灰？五台焦土尽余哀。"

Cloud had to repress his automatic flinch at the mention of Nibelheim. “That was… different.” 
【直译】听到尼布尔海姆时克劳德强忍战栗。"那...不一样。"【雅译】故里之名如惊雷，少年强抑心头悸："此间...终究殊途归。"

Sephiroth scoffed. “If you say so.“
【直译】萨菲罗斯嗤之以鼻。"随你怎么说。"【雅译】将军冷哂转玉颜："自欺之辞且由天。"

Cloud shook his head, eyebrows drawing together tightly. “And that’s… not how it happened. I know I didn’t burn down any villages.”
【直译】克劳德皱眉摇头。"事情...不是那样。我知道自己没烧过村庄。"【雅译】少年蹙眉连摇首："燎原岂是我所为？真相分明在眼眉。"

A soft laugh. “Of course you didn’t. I made sure you never got your hands dirty with anything like that. I—” There Sephiroth cut off, face seeming to freeze for a fraction of a second. He stared at Cloud for a long, unreadable moment, then shook his head, bangs sliding forward to hide his expression. “Forget it. Pretend that I never said anything.”
【直译】一声轻笑。"当然不是你。我确保你双手从未沾染此等污秽。我——"萨菲罗斯突然收声，面容凝滞瞬息。他长久凝视克劳德后摇头，额发垂落掩去神情："忘了吧。当我不曾说过。"【雅译】轻笑如刃破空来："浊世尘埃岂染襟？护卿...（忽噤声）"银丝掩面转身去，未竟之语散风尘。

But Cloud wasn’t listening to him. His head was aching, badly. He remembered wanting to be a hero more than anything. Remembered his own jealousy over Sephiroth getting all the recognition in the media even though the man had just been in the B unit during the war, and calling Sephiroth spoiled for rejecting missions. Things weren’t matching up, and he still had this niggling feeling that there was something he was missing...
但克劳德根本没在听。他的头剧烈抽痛着。他记得自己曾比谁都渴望成为英雄。记得自己如何嫉妒媒体只追捧战争期间身处 B 队的萨菲罗斯，又因对方拒绝任务而指责他养尊处优。记忆的碎片无法严丝合缝，总有一缕不安在啃噬——他定然遗忘了什么关键......

He gritted his teeth, hard. “You are… lying.” 
他咬紧牙关，齿缝间迸出火星："你......撒谎。"

“If that’s what you want to believe,” Sephiroth said neutrally, watching him through hooded eyes.
"若你执意相信这个版本。"萨菲罗斯眼睫低垂，目光如淬毒的银针透过睫帘。

“Well, I don’t know and I don’t care what you did in the war. Maybe you just get a kick out of burning villages down or whatever. Not my business,” Cloud said, trying for nonchalant even though just the very idea of what the other man was suggesting made him feel sick to his stomach.
你在战争中干了什么勾当，我不知晓，也不关心。"克劳德佯作满不在乎，喉间却泛起铁锈味，"或许你以烧村屠寨为乐？随你便。

“Oh, but you misunderstand.” Sephiroth’s eyes glittered. “They were Shinra’s orders. And I followed them to the letter, like the good little soldier I was.” 
「误解的可是你。」萨菲罗斯眼中寒芒流转，「那都是神罗的授意。而我——」他故意拖长尾音，像在把玩某种锋利的器物，「不过是字字照办的忠犬。」

He tilted his head, piercing Cloud with his gaze that seemed languorous but was anything but. “If you must call me a monster, you should be precise. I‘ve always been one.”
他微微侧首，目光慵懒却如刀锋般直刺克劳德心底。「若执意唤我怪物，」银发在月光下泛起涟漪，「不如唤作原初的灾厄更贴切些。」

The smile on his lips would have almost been beautiful, if not for the cruelty in it.
他唇畔的笑意本该摄人心魄，偏生淬着嗜血的寒光。

“The man you admired was never a hero. The Wutai War was an act of terrorism by Shinra, and he was its foremost terrorist.“ Then he seemed to grow almost thoughtful, his smile gaining an ironic touch. “Allying myself with Avalanche now… as distasteful as it is, I suppose it’s not so different from what I used to do.”
「你仰慕的从来不是英雄。五台战争不过是神罗自导的暴行，而我是他们最完美的刽子手。」他忽然低笑出声，鎏金竖瞳泛起讥诮的波纹，「如今与雪崩为伍...虽令人作呕，倒也算重操旧业。」

“That’s not right.” Cloud shook his head decisively in denial, feeling like the ground was shifting beneath his feet, the world he had known all his life reforming before his very eyes. “Shinra just wanted to share its technology with Wutai, but Wutai was hostile and reacted by attacking us first, with bombings, threats, sending their agents to infiltrate our cities...”
「荒谬！」克劳德斩钉截铁地摇头，脚下的大地仿佛在崩塌，「神罗本欲将荣光赐予五台，是那群蛮族先用炮火撕毁盟约，让暗桩在我们心脏埋下祸根！」

Sephiroth chuckled in soft, dark amusement. “That’s only what the Shinra propaganda wanted you to believe. It was all staged. The Wutai War never had any legitimacy.”
直译：萨菲罗斯轻声而阴郁地笑了笑。"那只是神罗宣传想让你相信的。一切都是编排好的。五台战争从来就没有正当性。"｜｜雅译：萨菲罗斯喉间溢出低笑森然，"虚妄之辞，神罗喉舌的提线戏言。五台烽火，何曾有过半分正义冠冕？"

Cloud was still trying to wrap his mind around it all; around the sheer implications of it. “But to start an entire war like that… for what?”
直译：克劳德仍在努力理解这一切；理解其背后纯粹的暗示。"但发动这样一场全面战争...为了什么？"｜｜雅译：克劳德瞳孔震颤着拼凑残片，真相的棱角刺穿认知边界，"掀起灭世兵燹...所求者，究竟为何物？"

“Wutai had been the last place in the world that did not yet belong to Shinra. The company touted the ideology of progress and civilization, while in fact lusting for Wutai’s resources. A cornucopia of mako for an extortion price. I could probably list many more reasons, but it all comes down to profit in the end.”
直译："五台曾是世上最后一片不属于神罗的土地。公司鼓吹进步与文明的意识形态，实则觊觎五台的资源。以勒索价格获取魔晄的丰饶之角。我或许能列举更多理由，但最终都归结于利益。"｜｜雅译："五台乃神罗帝国版图最后的缺页。他们高唱文明圣歌，獠牙却浸透魔晄的莹蓝血液。以战斧劈开宝库，用铜板换取涌泉——贪婪的账簿上，利润是最忠实的注脚。"

“That’s…” Cloud’s brows knitted together, almost as though pained. “Shinra wouldn’t...”
直译："那是..."克劳德眉头紧锁，几乎像是感到痛苦。"神罗不会..."｜｜雅译："怎会..."克劳德眉峰绞碎残存的信仰，每个音节都渗着血色，"神罗...不该..."

“Shinra would even let a plate drop to flatten Avalanche—and don’t even try to deny it, you and I both know Corneo wasn’t lying.” His eyes alighted on Cloud. “What do you think?” 
直译：神罗甚至会让圆盘坠落碾平雪崩——别想否认，你我都知道科尼欧没说谎。"他目光落在克劳德身上。"你怎么看？/雅译：神罗不惜坠盘碾碎雪崩残党，科尼欧的供词你可别妄想抵赖。"银瞳流转间锁住金发佣兵，"作何感想？

Cloud fell silent after that. It was an uneasy silence.
直译：此后克劳德陷入沉默，那是令人不安的寂静。/雅译：金发人垂首不语，空气里浮动着令人窒息的缄默。

After a moment, he said, “Shinra has been spreading rumors about Wutai being behind Avalanche and sponsoring all of its operations.” He hesitated. “A second war might break out…”
直译：片刻后他开口：神罗正在散布五台暗中支持雪崩的谣言。"他迟疑道，"二次战争恐怕要爆发....../雅译：须臾，喉间溢出低语：神罗正将雪崩恶行嫁祸五台。"声线忽而凝滞，"只怕烽烟再起......"

“Of course,” Sephiroth purred, dark mirth curving his lips. “Who better to act as a scapegoat? It’s all a smokescreen act. While the populace is distracted by fear and the war looming over the horizon, Shinra is free to do whatever it wants. The president has something planned. Something big.”
直译：当然。"萨菲罗斯轻语，薄唇勾出阴鸷笑意，"还有比这更合适的替罪羊？都是障眼法。当民众被恐惧与战争阴云笼罩，神罗自可为所欲为。总统在谋划大事。/雅译：自然。"银发将军喉间滚出轻笑，薄唇勾出一抹阴鸷弧度，"五台这替罪羔羊再妙不过。待百姓困于战云惶惶不可终日——"长睫半掩魔晄幽光，"正是神罗只手遮天时。"

Then there was silence as Sephiroth walked to the other side of the room. Cloud didn’t dare to break it; there was something odd about the other man’s demeanor that set him on edge. He warily watched that broad back covered by long, flowing silver tresses that shifted slightly with every step, catching the light at different angles.
直译：萨菲罗斯踱向房间另一端，寂静蔓延。克劳德不敢打破这沉默，对方举止中的异样令他如芒在背。他警惕注视着那被银瀑长发覆盖的宽阔脊背，发丝随步伐微漾，折射不同角度的流光。/雅译：银发飘飖间，将军负手徐行。克劳德屏息凝望那抹逆光背影，银瀑长发随步生漪，流转着冷月清辉。某种诡谲气息自那人周身漫开，如利刃悬于后颈。

“To think I might live to see a second Wutai War…” Sephiroth mused out loud. Then he laughed. It was surprisingly bitter.
直译：真没想到我能活着见证第二次五台战争......"萨菲罗斯高声自语，继而发出刺耳冷笑。/雅译：竟能亲睹五台再燃战火......"将军蓦地仰首长笑，那笑声裹着寒霜刺破寂静，"当真是......妙不可言呐。

Cloud didn’t know what to say to that, so he didn’t.
克劳德不知该说什么，所以他没有。/克劳德无言以对，终默然。

It was then that Aerith and Tifa returned, noting the tense atmosphere in the room. Aerith looked between them, puzzled. “Did I miss something?” She narrowed her eyes sternly, hands on her hips. “I hope you guys were playing nice with each other.” Cloud almost expected her to wag her finger at them.
爱丽丝和蒂法此时归来，察觉屋内剑拔弩张。爱丽丝目光流转其间，面露惑色："我错过了什么？"她双手叉腰目光如炬，"但愿你们没在胡闹。"克劳德几乎预见她要伸出纤指戳人。/爱丽丝与蒂法翩然归来，惊觉满室凝霜。爱丽丝眸转秋波疑云起："莫非暗藏玄机？"素手扶腰嗔目视，"可曾安分相待？"克劳德似见青葱玉指将要点额。

Tifa, for her part, was eyeing Sephiroth with deep suspicion. “Is everything alright?” she asked Cloud, and he heard the real question underneath it: did he do anything to you?
蒂法则以狐疑目光审视萨菲罗斯。"真的没问题吗？"她问克劳德，而他听出弦外之音：他可曾伤你分毫？/蒂法凤目含霜暗觑银发人。"当真无恙？"轻声探问间，克劳德已解未尽之言：那厮可曾将汝欺？

He only shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He didn’t.
他只是摇头。"没什么。"他没有。/他仅摇头不语："无事。"终未多言。

Tifa stared at him for another moment, before letting it go.
蒂法又凝视他片刻，方才作罢。/蒂法秋水凝睇久，终是敛眸任风逝。

“Anyway, we managed to remove the blockage! The pump should work now,” Aerith said, dancing over to the controls to flip the switch. The pump promptly activated, and there were no red lights indicating a problem this time. Cloud praised them quietly, sincerely, as Aerith celebrated her and Tifa’s great teamwork
"障碍已除，水泵该正常了。"爱丽丝雀跃至控制台启动开关。水泵应声而转，这次再无警示红光。克劳德轻声诚挚称赞，爱丽丝则欢庆她与蒂法的完美协作。/"淤塞尽去泵重生！"爱丽丝翩然点机关。机枢嗡鸣红灯熄，少年低语赞红妆。少女笑挽战友手，共庆珠联璧合功。

Cloud glanced at Sephiroth before heading out. When they entered this room, he had definitely not expected for them to have the conversation they had. But as the other man remained reticent, apparently having dropped that topic, Cloud didn’t say anything more about it either.
克劳德临行前瞥向萨菲罗斯，踏入这房间时，何曾料到会有此番对话。然对方缄默不语，话题既止，克劳德亦不再多言。

Outside, they saw that the sewage had drained away. There were a few more Sahagins and Blugus now. They cut, blasted and punched their way through them, climbing down the ladder to the now-dry pool and dealing with the other monsters there.
外间污水已退，又添数尾鱼妖与沼怪。众人挥刃轰拳杀出血路，攀梯而下至干涸池底，清剿余孽。

Although they had moved on, the surface close enough that he could taste it, Cloud could not help thinking about what Sephiroth had said.
虽已前行，地表近得气息可闻，克劳德心头仍萦绕着萨菲罗斯的言语。

The whole Wutai War couldn’t have been just a lie. That would be... madness. They may not have been heroes, but they had been the ones who protected the people and who the children looked up to and wanted to grow up to be; not Shinra but them, the SOLDIERs. He remembered the days of camaraderie, the shared laughter, the blood and sweat they spilled, tying them together closer than even brothers. All those deaths and losses and sacrifices… they had to have meant something.
五台战事怎会是虚妄？若真如此，岂非疯癫？纵非英雄身，亦是护苍生。孩童仰望盼长成，非慕神罗慕神兵。忆昔袍泽同欢谑，血汗交融胜手足。万千死别与牺牲，岂能尽付东流去？

But to hear such words from his hero’s lips…
可那番话偏出自昔日英雄之口……

No, not a hero. A monster. And why should he believe anything a monster said?
不，不是英雄。是怪物。而他为什么要相信怪物说的任何话？丨不，非英豪，乃魔魈。妄信妖言岂非愚？

Even if Shinra did plan to drop the plate, that had nothing to do with Wutai or what happened in the war.
即使神罗确实计划让圆盘坠落，那也与五台或战争期间发生的事情无关。丨纵使神罗蓄意坠星盘，与五台烽烟何曾干？

Sephiroth was probably just trying to mess with him, playing mind games to control him—well, if so, Cloud wouldn’t let him, the mere idea enough to make his jaw clench tight, eyes flashing. But if he wasn’t…
萨菲罗斯可能只是想扰乱他，玩心理游戏来控制他——好吧，如果是这样，克劳德不会让他得逞，光是这个念头就足以让他咬紧牙关，眼中闪过寒光。但如果不是这样……丨银发修罗布迷阵，妄执心旌控玄冰。克劳德颚锁寒星碎，瞳凝霜电破诡谲。若此局非虚......

Somehow Cloud had the same feeling as he did with Corneo’s words; that Sephiroth was telling the truth, unthinkable, untenable, though it might be.
不知怎的，克劳德有种和听到科尼欧的话时相同的感觉；萨菲罗斯说的是实话，尽管这可能令人难以置信、无法接受。丨科尼欧谶语犹在耳，银翼吐真言。虽惊世骇俗悖常伦，寒刃剖真颜。

He remembered how the other man had never joined them in any of their celebrations after hard-fought victories. Sephiroth had kept his distance, aloof and untouchable as always. They had all joked about their general being a hardass over drinks, though it was only in good humor. They respected him too much to mean it seriously, and though his absence had been demoralizing, they had grown used to it, his coldness only seeming to add to his mystery and appeal. Cloud had thought it was arrogance back then, but now…
他记得那个男人从未在艰苦战斗后的任何庆功宴上加入他们。萨菲罗斯总是保持距离，一如既往地冷漠疏离。他们曾举杯笑谈将军的严厉，不过只是善意的调侃。他们对他太过敬重而不会认真计较，尽管他的缺席令人沮丧，但他们已习以为常，他的冷漠反而增添了神秘与魅力。克劳德曾以为那是傲慢，但现在……丨庆功宴上银翼绝尘，寒星独耀九霄云。众将戏谑将军严，琥珀杯中玩笑言。敬重三分谑七分，冷月孤悬成诗韵。昔时错认傲霜骨，而今方知......

If Sephiroth wasn’t lying, then had he already thought this way even back then? Had he been fighting a war he didn’t believe in all this time? And was it because of this that he always avoided those under his command, drawing away from their admiration as though burned by it?
第一步直译：如果萨菲罗斯没有说谎，那么他早在当时就已经这样想了吗？他这些年来一直在进行自己并不认同的战争吗？是否正因如此，他总是避开部下，如同被灼烧般远离他们的仰慕？第二步润色：若萨菲罗斯所言非虚，难道他那时便存此念？多年征伐皆非本心？故而总避袍泽如避火，将炽热崇敬视若灼伤？

Cloud shook his head.  第一步直译：克劳德摇了摇头。第二步润色：克劳德轻轻摇首，银发在阴影中泛起微光。

He was probably looking too deeply into this, trying to find meaning where there wasn’t any. He didn’t even know if anything Sephiroth had said in the hotel room was true. A smokescreen act, Sephiroth had said about Shinra. Well, the same could be said about him.
第一步直译：他可能过度解读了，在无意义处强寻深意。他甚至不确定萨菲罗斯在酒店房间说的任何话是否属实。萨菲罗斯说神罗公司释放烟幕，而他自己何尝不是如此。第二步润色：许是穿凿过甚，无中求有。酒店密谈虚实难辨，萨菲罗斯讽神罗施障眼法，然其自身亦如雾中魅影。

They climbed up to the other side of the pool, where a whole pack of Sahagins awaited them. Cloud dodged the stab of a harpoon—they had to be careful with those lest they be turned into toads. He went in, the edge of his blade flashing as he swung it in wide and lightning-fast arcs that cleaved the air and a few of the Sahagins. Tifa was a tempest of motion, and Aerith sent glowing spells their way. Sephiroth didn’t stay back like in the beginning either, the Masamune leaving dizzying afterimages in the air with how fast it moved.
第一步直译：他们爬出水池另一端，整群鱼人正严阵以待。克劳德躲过鱼叉突刺——必须小心这些武器以免被变成蛤蟆。他挥剑突进，刃缘在迅疾如电的弧光中劈开空气与数名鱼人。蒂法如旋风般游走，爱丽丝投射着辉光法术。萨菲罗斯也不再如最初般保留，正宗刀因极速挥动在空中留下令人目眩的残影。第二步润色：攀池而上遇伏兵，鱼人群聚叉戟森。克劳德旋身避寒芒，谨防魔咒化蛙形。巨刃破空惊雷落，斩浪分波退敌营。蒂法拳影挟风至，爱丽丝咒耀如辰星。萨菲罗斯终展刃，正宗残光摄魂灵。

After they got rid of the last Sahagin, Cloud ran ahead to the exit to secure it. But then more Sahagins burst out of the water, even more than before. He told the others to go first, Tifa echoing his words. Aerith nodded and started to climb up the ladder, but Tifa remained rooted to the spot, sending one of the monsters sneaking up behind her into the sewage with a deadly roundhouse kick.
直译（确保准确性）： 在干掉最后一只沙华鱼人后，克劳德率先冲向出口进行把守。然而更多沙华鱼人从水中涌出，数量比之前还要多。他让其他人先走，蒂法也附和着他的话。爱丽丝点头并开始攀爬梯子，但蒂法仍站在原地一动不动，用一记致命的回旋踢将悄悄接近她的怪物踹进了污水里。 诗化改写（保留韵律与意象）： 最后一只鱼怪伏诛后， 克劳德疾步奔向出口把守。 怎料水幕骤破妖影现， 鱼怪潮涌更胜先前稠。 他催同伴速离险境走， 蒂法亦高声应和相筹。 爱丽丝颔首攀梯而上， 蒂法却如青松伫立危楼。 忽有魔物暗潜身后谋， 但见裙裾翻飞若惊鸥， 一记回旋碎月穿云腿， 污流顿溅妖秽坠阴沟。 （注：改写时采用四字格与对仗结构，将"sewage"译为"阴沟"保留阴郁意象，"roundhouse kick"以"碎月穿云腿"进行武侠化转译，末句"污流顿溅妖秽坠"形成视觉与听觉的通感效果）

As Cloud and Tifa stood back to back, he told her to go, too. She retorted that there were too many of them, and he said, “Don’t worry about me. I can handle them, and you saw what Sephiroth can do.”
直译：当克劳德和蒂法背靠背站立时，他让她也离开。她反驳说敌人太多了，他说："别担心我。我能应付，你也见识过萨菲罗斯的本事。" | 雅译：克劳德与蒂法背脊相抵，沉声催她撤离。蒂法蹙眉说敌众我寡，他却道："顾好自己，这群杂兵不在话下——倒是萨菲罗斯的手段，你也见识过了。"

Tifa’s eyes darkened as her lips pressed together. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
直译：蒂法的眼睛阴沉下来，双唇紧抿。"这正是我害怕的。" | 雅译：蒂法唇线紧抿，眸色一黯："怕的......正是这个。"

“Tifa…” he said.  直译（准确优先）： "蒂法……"他说。 意译（文采优先）： "蒂法……"他轻唤道。（将"said"译为"轻唤"突出情感层次，用"道"替代"说"增强文学性，省略号保留原格式以维持欲言又止的语境，整体营造出低徊婉转的意境）

She hesitated another moment before turning on her heel and setting out for the ladder. “Don’t keep us waiting.”
直译：她又犹豫了片刻才转身走向梯子。"别让我们久等。" | 雅译：纤足在铁梯前犹疑半旋，素手轻搭扶栏。"莫教人空待。"

“I won’t,” Cloud said, both hands on the hilt of his Buster Sword as he narrowed his eyes at the Sahagins that seemed to be multiplying. And then he struck, unwilling to give them the first move.
直译："不会的。"克劳德双手紧握破坏剑柄，眯眼盯着不断增殖的鱼人。他率先出击，不愿给对手先机。 | 雅译：重剑铿然作响，克劳德十指扣住鎏金剑柄，冷眼看着鱼人如菌群般分裂。"且看剑芒。"话音未落，寒光已撕裂浊气。

Fighting back to back with Sephiroth was both familiar and completely unfamiliar, and Cloud had to concentrate not to get distracted by the way his silver hair trailed behind him with each motion, or the way the sharp edge of his sword glinted as it swung through the air in elegant, lethal lines.
直译：与萨菲罗斯背靠背作战既熟悉又陌生，克劳德必须集中精神，不去注意对方银发随动作飘动的轨迹，以及剑刃在空中划出优雅致命弧线时的寒芒。 | 雅译：银甲相击声里，克劳德感受着背后熟悉的温度。银发如瀑掠过眼角，剑光似月华流转，他屏息凝神，唯恐分心于这致命的美。

They were standing so close that if Cloud were to turn around, he would be able to bury his nose in Sephiroth’s hair and breathe in. He didn’t, and they soon killed the majority of the Sahagins, eyes coming to lock together. They nodded and took off for the ladder before more of the monsters could crawl out of the sewer water.
直译：他们站得极近，若克劳德转身，鼻尖就能埋入萨菲罗斯的发间。但他没有。当最后一只鱼人倒下，两人目光相锁，默契颔首奔向铁梯，赶在更多怪物爬出污水前。 | 雅译：青萍之末的距离，发丝暗香可闻。剑收血未冷，四目相投处，未言已同赴。铁梯轧轧声中，污沼里新生的爪牙终究扑了个空。

Sephiroth sent off one last Firaga behind them, illuminating the dim dark of the sewers with fiery red as the monsters screeched out in pain, and waited for Cloud to almost climb to the top before following after him.
直译：萨菲罗斯朝身后掷出最后一道终极烈焰，火红光芒照亮幽暗下水道，怪物在火中惨叫。他待克劳德攀至梯顶方紧随而上。 | 雅译：绯红魔晄在萨菲罗斯掌心跳跃，终极烈焰将污秽烧作漫天星火。他仰望着金发青年攀援的背影，待那抹晴空蓝消失在井口，方振衣随云而上。

Then they had made it to the surface.
直译：他们终于抵达地面。 | 雅译：天光乍破时，双影落人间。

*

The night air was cool and fresh on their skins after the dampness of the underground. Cloud took a few moments just to enjoy it, inhaling lungfuls of clean oxygen to clear away the last lingering foulness. Though he could smell the pollution and dust and grime of the slums, it was still better than anything that had been down there. It was comforting and familiar in a way that was starting to feel dangerously close to home.
直译：地下的潮湿褪去后，夜风的清凉沁入肌肤。克劳德驻足片刻深深吸气，让纯净氧气冲刷肺腑间残留的恶臭。尽管贫民窟的尘埃与污浊气息萦绕鼻端，却比地底任何气息都要亲切。这份令人安心的熟悉感正悄然酝酿着某种危险的归属感。意译：地底的阴潮甫一褪去，夜风便裹着清冽抚过肌肤。克劳德伫立良久，任由沁凉空气涤荡肺腑间最后一丝腐浊。贫民窟的尘霾依旧刺鼻，却比地底任何气息都更教人眷恋。这份熨帖与熟稔，竟隐隐有了几分家园的温度，让人耽溺其中又惶然不安。

And in a way, it had become home, as much as one Cloud could still get after Nibelheim. He’d been here for about a year now, since Tifa found him at the station, doing odd mercenary jobs here and there, and Tifa had been here for even longer than that, setting up her bar which had become like a second home for many of her regulars.
直译：某种意义上这里确实成为了家，是尼布尔海姆之后克劳德所能拥有的最接近家的存在。自蒂法在车站找到他起，他已在此辗转接些雇佣兵的零活近一年，而蒂法经营酒吧的时间更久，这里早已成为常客们第二个家。意译：若说这是家园，倒更像是尼布尔海姆焚尽后，克劳德在废墟中拾得的一隅归处。自蒂法在车站拾回彷徨的他，佣兵零活已伴他辗转一载春秋。而蒂法的酒吧早在此生根，霓虹灯影里酿出的温情，成了多少浪子眷恋的归港。

He wouldn’t let anyone take that from them again.
直译：他不会再让任何人从他们那里夺走这一切。意译：这一次，他誓要守护这份来之不易的安宁，绝不容许任何人再度染指。

Sephiroth straightened in sudden alertness moments before Cloud heard it—the sound of spinning rotors. Then Tifa and Aerith noticed it too, looking up at the sky where a helicopter flew overhead and disappeared behind the streetlights. 
直译：萨菲罗斯突然警觉地挺直身子，比克劳德更早听见螺旋桨的轰鸣。紧接着蒂法与爱丽丝也抬头望天，直升机掠过街灯消失在夜色中。意译：萨菲罗斯倏然绷紧身躯，比克劳德更早捕捉到螺旋桨的嗡鸣。未等众人反应，那轰鸣已碾碎夜色，直升机掠过天际，遁入街灯织就的光晕背后。

Even as grimness filled Cloud, he turned to Tifa, saying they were just patrolling to assuage her fears. Aerith was quick to add her own assurances, while he ignored the way Sephiroth looked at him with knowing eyes.
直译版：当阴郁笼罩克劳德时，他转向蒂法，说他们只是通过巡逻来缓解她的不安。爱丽丝立刻加入自己的保证，而他无视萨菲罗斯用看透一切的眼神注视他的方式。｜｜雅译版：克劳德心头阴云密布，却仍转身宽慰蒂法：巡逻不过是为消她心中愁。爱丽丝柔声应和如春风，偏生冷落萨菲罗斯眼底的洞若观火。

Wire fences and big metal containers surrounded them. They climbed up the ladder on the side of a rusty train car. Once they were on top, Tifa explained that this was the train graveyard, and to reach Sector Seven they would have to get past the maintenance facility. At this, she pointed at the large building that was some distance away, its shape faintly illuminated by a few floodlights.
直译版：铁丝网和大型金属集装箱包围着他们。他们沿锈迹斑斑的火车车厢侧梯攀爬而上。站在车顶时，蒂法解释说这是火车坟场，要抵达第七区必须穿过维修设施。说着她指向远处被探照灯朦胧勾勒轮廓的大型建筑。｜｜雅译版：铁蒺藜环伺，集装箱如巨兽蛰伏。众人缘梯攀上锈蚀火车脊背，蒂法遥指远处灯光氤氲的维修厂轮廓——火车坟场深处，唯有穿越这钢铁残骸之冢，方能抵达第七区彼岸。

It was dark and dreary in this place, and they decided to keep to the light to see where they would be going, though Cloud suspected that had more to do with rumors Tifa had heard about this location, and how she stuck close to Aerith who agreed with her that the train graveyard seemed to be quite eerie indeed, though she did not seem nearly half as nervous as Tifa, boldly walking in front of her like a shield as she tried to take the other woman’s mind off of the supernatural.
直译版：此地昏暗阴郁，他们决定循光而行以辨方向，不过克劳德怀疑这更多与蒂法听过的此地传闻有关。她紧贴着认同此处确实诡异的爱丽丝，而后者虽不似蒂法那般紧张，却如盾牌般走在前方，试图用交谈转移她对灵异现象的注意力。｜｜雅译版：幽暗笼罩废车冢，众人逐光而行。克劳德冷眼暗忖：蒂法定是想起坊间诡谈，才紧偎着爱丽丝瑟缩。红衫少女虽言此地诡谲，步履却从容如踏春蹊，将怯意化作护花铃语，引着同伴穿越魑魅暗影。

Cloud wasn’t really scared of the kind of ghost stories Tifa talked about, but more of the ghosts that were here now. The ghosts that haunted him day and night, no longer content to be just part of his dreams or hallucinations any longer. The ghosts that came in the form of a monster wearing a dead man’s face.
克劳德并不真正畏惧蒂法所说的那种鬼故事，他更害怕的是此刻盘踞在此的幽灵——那些不再满足于仅存于梦境与幻觉中，开始日夜纠缠他的幽魂。它们化形成戴着亡者面容的怪物，在现实与虚妄的夹缝间游荡。

There were also other kinds of ghosts—the ones called memories. If asked, he wouldn’t be able to say what he was more afraid of: remembering, or forgetting. Both were equally painful. Even so, he didn’t want to forget. He couldn’t let go of the past, and neither would it let go of him; the burning of Nibelheim still a fresh, barely cauterized wound in his mind as though it had just happened yesterday.
还有另一种名为记忆的幽灵。若被问及，他无法断言自己更恐惧哪种：是铭记，还是遗忘。两者都带来等量的痛楚。即便如此，他仍不愿遗忘。过往如附骨之疽不肯离去，尼布尔海姆的烈焰始终在意识深处灼烧，宛若昨日重现的新鲜创口，痂皮未结便再度绽裂。

Tifa had to feel the same way, even if she seemed to hide it better than him at times. It was what she had always done; pushing her own needs back to take care of others—just like she had taken care of him after finding him at the station, nursing him back to health, helping him build his reputation as a mercenary for hire and get an apartment, a place he could come back home to.
蒂法定然怀抱着相似的痛楚，纵使她总将情绪掩藏得比他更深。这是她一贯的处世之道：将自身需求置于末位，如母豹守护幼崽般照料他人——就像她在车站发现他时那样，助他调养康复，为他经营雇佣兵的名声，替他置办可供归栖的公寓，在断壁残垣中为他筑起新的巢穴。

If only for her, he would have to do his best to get there in time before it was too late. The helicopter they had seen must have already arrived at the pillar, and others were sure to be there already; Shinra liked to be thorough. He could only hope the Neighborhood Watch could hold them off until they arrived.
直译：只为她一人，他也必须全力以赴及时赶到那里，以免为时已晚。他们看见的直升机肯定已经抵达支柱，其他人必然早已在场；神罗行事向来滴水不漏。他只希望街坊守望队能拖延住他们，直到众人抵达。/雅译：只为她，他也要披星戴月赶赴这场与时间的豪赌。那架掠过天际的铁鸟想必早已悬停支柱，神罗的爪牙素来缜密如蛛网。此刻唯愿街巷守望者的灯火，能替他们多守候一刻破晓的微光。

But even as he tried to hurry, it felt like they were wasting time, navigating their way through the labyrinthine, winding paths of abandoned tracks and train cars, writings and drawings in fluorescent paint combined with the distant sound of children’s laughter seeming to chase them into a certain direction in a game of hide-and-seek. Of course there was Sephiroth to considerably shorten the time they needed to take out the monsters they encountered, but it still felt like every second that passed could be the one deciding between life and death. Whether the plate dropped or not.
直译：即便竭力疾行，穿梭于迷宫般蜿蜒的废弃轨道与列车残骸间，荧光涂料的涂鸦与远处孩童笑声交织，恍若捉迷藏般将他们引向某个方向，仍觉光阴寸寸虚掷。诚然有萨菲罗斯在，他们斩杀魔物的时间大幅缩短，但每流逝一瞬，都似在生死天平上增减砝码——关乎苍穹是否倾覆。/雅译：疾行于荧光涂鸦蜿蜒的钢铁迷宫中，远处童谣般的笑声如引路银铃。纵然银发剑士斩魔如裁纸，每寸光阴仍在天平上震颤——是列车残骸间跃动的晨曦，抑或圆盘崩落时永恒的永夜？

They finally arrived at the maintenance facility which looked like an abandoned train station. That was when the Ghosts appeared, their pale forms like children hiding underneath blankets soon spinning together and combining into a bigger, many-armed Ghoul. A barrage of fire took care of it—though Cloud had to watch out that Sephiroth didn’t turn the room into a flaming inferno.
直译版本： 他们终于抵达了看起来像废弃火车站的维护设施。就在这时，幽灵出现了——它们苍白的身形如同躲在毯子下的孩童，很快旋转着聚集融合成一个更大的、多臂的食尸鬼。一阵火力齐射解决了它，不过克劳德必须小心提防萨菲罗斯别把整个房间变成燃烧的地狱。 诗化版本： 众人终抵维修场 形似荒站久弃藏 幽影乍现形惨白 若童匿毯隐帷帐 旋聚交融异变生 多臂巨怪现骇状 弹雨倾泻除魔障 须防银发焚焰狂 （注：末句"银发"指代萨菲罗斯特征，既保留隐喻又暗合原意；全诗采用七言律诗格式，保持押韵与意象统一，第二句"帷帐"对应原文"blankets"但更富诗意，末句"焚焰狂"既描述火焰意象又暗示人物性格）

At the end, Aerith appeared to commune with the defeated Ghoul, asking it questions, seeming almost sympathetic. It reminded him of Don Corneo’s mansion and also the words Sephiroth had whispered to her, causing the same disquieting chill to settle over his skin. It made him wonder if Sephiroth could hear the Ghoul’s voice the same way she could.
直译版： 最后，爱丽丝似乎在与被打败的尸鬼交流，向它提出问题，神情中甚至带着同情。这让他想起科尼欧馆邸，还有萨菲罗斯曾在她耳边低语的话语，同样的不安寒意渗入他的皮肤。他不禁怀疑，萨菲罗斯是否也能像她一样听见尸鬼的声音。 诗化版： 当硝烟散尽，爱丽丝竟俯身与溃败的尸鬼低语相询 眸中流转着近乎悲悯的微光 这场景倏然牵动记忆的丝弦—— 科尼欧宅邸的阴翳，萨菲罗斯的耳畔密语 同样的悚然寒意爬上脊背 他恍惚间揣度：那银发的灾星 是否也同她一般，能聆听幽冥深处的呢喃？

They made their speedy exit out of the maintenance facility, stopping only inside one of the many train cars when tinny voices spoke up from the radio. Two of them Cloud was able to recognize as the Turks he had fought before and who had been chasing after Aerith. Somehow, she seemed to be connected to all these people.
直译：他们迅速撤离了维修厂，只在一个火车车厢里停下，此时无线电传来刺耳的声音。克劳德能辨认出其中两个声音是之前战斗过的、正在追捕爱丽丝的塔克斯成员。不知为何，她似乎与这群人都有牵连。| 雅译：他们如疾风般撤离维修厂，刚闪入某节车厢，无线电便传来沙哑人声。克劳德辨出其中两人——正是曾交锋的塔克斯成员，那些追逐爱丽丝的追兵。冥冥中，她仿佛与这群人皆有千丝万缕的羁绊。

Cloud’s jaw clenched when he heard that the Neighborhood Watch was defending the pillar just as he had suspected. They were so close now, but he wasn’t sure how long they could still keep it up.
直译：听到街区自卫队正如他所料在守卫支撑柱时，克劳德咬紧了牙关。他们现在离得很近，但他不确定还能坚持多久。| 雅译：听闻街区自卫队正死守支撑柱，克劳德牙关紧锁。这印证了他的猜想。此刻他们已近在咫尺，可这摇摇欲坠的防线，又能支撑多久？

“They are really going to drop the pillar,” Tifa said, unable to deny it anymore. She looked shaken, and both Cloud and Aerith told her that Barret and the others were still fighting, and they would make it in time if they hurried.
直译："他们真的要炸毁支撑柱，"蒂法说道，再也无法否认。她看起来心神不宁，克劳德和爱丽丝都告诉她巴雷特等人仍在战斗，只要抓紧时间就能及时赶到。| 雅译："他们当真要炸毁支撑柱。"蒂法终于承认了这个事实，声音发颤。克劳德与爱丽丝见状，连忙宽慰说巴雷特他们仍在浴血奋战，并催促道："只要加快脚步，定能及时驰援。"

Tifa nodded, smiling wanly at them, and they left. They ran over the roofs of train cars, fought Drakes, didn’t stop when more helicopters flew above them, and finally arrived at an open yard. Tifa walked ahead and rushed them along by saying, “We are almost there now!”
蒂法颔首轻笑，苍白笑意未达眼底，目送众人转身离去。一行人于列车顶棚奔跃如风，击退翼蜥，任直升机群掠过头顶亦无阻步伐，终抵开阔庭院。蒂法疾步当先，连声催促："曙光在前，转瞬即至！"

That was when a storm of Ghosts surrounded them like a whirlwind, carrying Aerith off. Cloud cursed and immediately took chase. It took little time for them to spot Aerith’s form on the ground, Cloud pushing her out of the path of the wheels of an Eligor. Tifa immediately went to Aerith’s side, making sure she was alright, before they got ready for the next battle, each of them impatient to get to Sector Seven.
倏忽间幽魂如飓风合围，爱丽丝竟被狂风掳去。克劳德怒喝一声拔足狂追，转眼便见伊人倒卧铁轨之间。千钧一发之际，克劳德飞身将爱丽丝从埃力格巨轮下救出。蒂法急趋探看，确认其毫发无伤，三人旋即整备战姿，眸中皆燃着奔赴七号街区的灼灼星火。

They combated the monster primarily with Blizzara from Aerith as well as Tifa. Sephiroth sliced through the wheels as though they were made of butter; he and Tifa made a surprisingly good team as they targeted the Eligor from behind, her iron fists and knees flying through the air while his Masamune flashed. Cloud and Aerith provided magical support, with Cloud sometimes attacking from high up, sword swinging down, as all of them tried not to get hit by the red laser beam from the Eligor’s eyes.
直译： 他们主要依靠爱丽丝的暴雪魔法和蒂法来对抗怪物。萨菲罗斯像切黄油般斩断车轮；他和蒂法出人意料地形成了默契配合，从后方攻击圣骑兵，她的铁拳与膝盖在空中飞舞，而他手中的正宗刀寒光闪烁。克劳德和爱丽丝提供魔法支援，克劳德不时从高处挥剑劈下，所有人都竭力躲避圣骑兵眼中射出的红色激光束。 韵意版： 冰晶魔咒破空降，爱丽丝与蒂法共战魔猖狂。萨菲罗斯刀锋冷，斩轮如断黄油霜。双影绕后袭圣骑，铁拳碎风膝如枪，正宗寒芒相辉映，刀光拳影织天网。克劳德携魔光烁，凌空劈剑气如霜，爱丽丝引寒流涌，赤瞳镭射众人惶。

Tifa finished the monster with one last somersaulting kick, and then they turned around and headed for the pillar they could see not far from them, just beyond the wire fence as more helicopters flew overhead, impossibly loud.
直译版： 蒂法以一记后空翻踢击终结了怪物，随后他们转身走向不远处可见的支柱，那根柱子就在铁丝网的另一侧。更多直升机从头顶掠过，发出震耳欲聋的轰鸣声。 诗化版： 蒂法凌空翻腾踢出最后一击，魔物应声倒地。二人转身向着铁网外矗立的巨柱奔去，螺旋桨搅动苍穹，轰鸣如雷贯耳，直升机群掠过残破的天际。

Tifa hooked her fingers into the loops of wire so hard that her fingers became white and just as bloodless as her face. Cloud stopped beside her and Aerith placed a hand on her shoulder as they watched the small explosions lighting up on all levels of the pillar, bright red like fireworks against the dark of night.
直译版： 蒂法的手指死死扣进铁丝圈环，用力到指节发白，与她的面容同样毫无血色。克劳德停在她身旁，艾瑞丝将手搭在她肩头。众人凝望着支撑柱各层相继亮起的爆炸光点，那些赤红光芒在夜幕中明灭，如同血色烟花。 诗化版： 蒂法十指深陷铁环扣，苍白指节映素颜。克劳德驻足身侧，艾瑞丝轻抚其肩。但见通天柱上火星迸，层层绽若红莲焰，如暗夜中绽放的赤色花火，灼灼染穹天。

Then there was the familiar, violent sound of something bursting out at high velocity, whirling up the air in a way that was not caused by the helicopters. Cloud turned around and saw that Sephiroth had released his wing, where it stretched out from behind his right shoulder, large and blacker than night.
直译版： 随后传来熟悉的、猛烈的物体高速爆裂声响，以并非直升机造成的方式搅动空气。克劳德转身看见萨菲罗斯展开了他的翅膀，从右肩后方伸展而出，巨大且比夜色更加漆黑。 诗化版： 霎时一声轰鸣破空起，非是旋翼作祟，气浪骤卷如龙吟。克劳德蓦然回眸，但见萨菲罗斯振翼惊世，右肩后舒展的玄色巨翼，宛若永夜织就的暗幕，遮天蔽月摄心魂。

His slitted eyes glowed intense green, matched only by the flash of his Masamune in his left hand. He had the intent look of a predator on his face, making Cloud almost take a step back. But he was not this predator’s target—at least not for the moment.
直译版： 他狭长的双眼迸发出强烈的绿光，唯有他左手所持正宗刀的光芒能与之匹敌。他脸上带着捕食者般专注的神情，令克劳德几乎要后退一步。但他并非这位捕食者的目标——至少目前还不是。 诗化版： 狭目幽光森然起，左握妖刀正宗芒。凶兽凝睇摄心魄，惊退克劳半步惶。然此獠牙非冲君，至少此刻尚未张。 （注：诗化版本采用七言对仗结构，将"predator"译为"凶兽"强化意象，"take a step back"转化为"惊退半步惶"既保留动作又体现心理状态，结尾用"獠牙"代指攻击意图，最后半句通过"尚未张"呼应原文的暂时性，整体形成工整的押韵结构）

There was the powerful flap of that beautiful, majestic wing, and then Sephiroth was already sailing through the air before Cloud could say a word, black feathers fluttering to the floor where he had just stood moments ago.
直译： 那双美丽而威严的翅膀强健有力地振翅一挥，在克劳德来得及说一个字之前，萨菲罗斯已经腾空而起，黑色羽毛如飘雪般落在他片刻前伫立的地板上。 诗化意译： 华美羽翼挟风雷之势振翅一挥，萨菲罗斯已化作凌空而去的残影，徒留克劳德欲语还休。方才驻足之处，玄色翎羽纷扬如墨雪飘坠。