will be deducted 
三人來到村口，入口那木製牌匾上的文字早已被風化得模糊不清，村內四周亦空無一人；惟四處房屋遠看仍然簇新，磚瓦、木板還有禾草等建材緊密排列於屋緣，彷彿有誰定期修葺它們。村落中心是一棵臨近枯萎的大樹，一顆如小孩大小的水晶藏在樹下小洞內，閃耀著黯淡光芒。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Fgv68u7jz
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「似乎沒有人住在這裡……」伊咘西萊走進其中一所沒有鎖上的房子，裡面所有傢俬用具一應俱全，足以讓三人渡過一個五星級的夜晚。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFCMdkH5Iu
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「沒有人住不更好，我們也負擔不起住旅館的錢。」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQY6hXHQQF
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「是誰？」察覺到附近異動，阿爾法便提起長劍轉身指向門口，只見門外站著幾隻矮小生物，這些小人體型略比成年人小巧，有著尖長耳朵，背後長著蝴蝶般的翅膀，瑟縮在外牆之外，驚恐地看著阿爾法手上利劍。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3aX8QeQTa
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「這氣息是？……長老大人，終於有神族之輩到來了！」其中一隻小不點朝屋外大聲呼喚道。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELlcoj4FDO
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「牠們難道就是那些吸收空氣中元素力量所孕育的精靈嗎？」眼前眾蝴蝶般的小人讓伊咘西萊憶起以前看過一本童話，想起當中一幅幅描繪精靈形象的插畫。「這個姿態，就跟故事書裡面的插畫一模一樣。」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybaUoaWPxl
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幾分鐘過後，小不點們領著牠們的長老進入房間，長老是一個泛著微微金光的老婆婆，同樣有著蝶羽和長耳。她坐在懸浮的玉座上，滿佈皺紋的臉孔慈祥地向著阿爾法微笑。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOgeemru3J
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「神啊！您是聽到吾等精靈一族的禱告而來的嗎？」她緩緩走下懸浮玉座，帶領眾精靈垂下翅膀降落地上，朝阿爾法躬身低頭。「神啊，我這老太婆在此懇求您，拯救我們精靈一族吧。」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXvyjOvgyn
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「神族？我想只有你才配得上被稱為神吧，阿爾法？」一直被精靈無視的貝塔似乎很在意被當成神族的這點。
果不其然，貝塔剛把怨言吐完，一雙又一雙本應恭敬的目光，紛紛對她報以蔑視。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8B36Qopfb
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「……唯獨是妳，妳到底是何方妖孽？為什麼會跟隨偉大的神族到訪此地？」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgP9pYVJpOD
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「妖孽？不，她是一起旅行的同伴。」伊咘西萊帶著一絲不情願態度為貝塔辯護，與此同時自己的雙目亦禁不住對她報以疑惑眼神。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHK7gWDe5oA
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「嗯，我明白，我的確是有著令牠們避之則吉的氣息。」對於精靈們意料之中的回應，貝塔則以平淡語氣回應道。「打擾了，我在村外面找個地方休息便可。」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhky1WBjcPR
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疲乏間紊亂的思緒操控步伐一步一步踏在精靈們閃避開出的通路，默默步出屋外。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNl4vqaD9aG
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「這隻妖孽真不知廉恥，一定又是個覬覦以太峰無上神力的造物。」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxJ35D9UGl
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「真是比那幫白色人類還要麻煩的存在……」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3P1RvbihyC
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「不，那幫白色人類再怎樣都只是一介凡塵俗物，這隻妖孽簡直就是污染幻神山脈的毒物！」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOpnzbIufw
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精靈們嬌嗔的唾罵迴盪耳邊，此起彼落，然而對此貝塔依然不發一語，不僅沒有反駁，反而選擇默認這滲透於惡言中之事實。見呆滯身影逐漸遠去，無法理解世間無常的阿爾法正想從後抓起她的肩膀，卻被再度聚集一起的精靈們攔下。
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「神啊，請留步。時候不早了，請在這個地方留宿一晚吧。」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPn3oIBvn76
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發狂般的信仰心使這幫奇妙生物竭力要把阿爾法挽留下來，哪怕只是一晚的時間也罷。小巧的身軀堵住阿爾法和伊咘西萊的去路，懇求的目光全數投向阿爾法，無明間阻止他接近漸遠的少女。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKk9VD3Jcq
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「我們還是明早才到村外找她吧。」意識到眾精靈極力挽留，伊咘西萊唯有如是對阿爾法說道。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdZes5meO7
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沉重夜幕下，仍舊沒有絲毫睡意的阿爾法，坐在華麗的床褥上等待黎明降臨。環盼四周，見眾精靈都垂下翅膀蜷縮在地上陷入沉睡。牠們帶笑的臉容彷彿把過去辛酸都置之度外，亦令阿爾法回想起那天在預言鎮上老占卜師跟他說過的話、魔導大學裡狂人教授們對他的偏執，還有方才精靈長老對他的敬畏，他幾乎可以肯定自己的確跟遇到的所有人來得更不一樣。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKMx3e4wvK
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「神……我為什麼會是神？」悄悄繞過熟睡的精靈們，步出大屋踏向村口。思考未止的他早就能夠認為自己就如他人所說那般，是一位立於世界頂峰之上的神。而這個論定，亦剛好給發生在他身上之一切奇事一個完滿解答。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspe7eex6b0
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無定向的腳步走到村口附近不遠處的巨大枯木下，他漫無目的地以裝甲覆蓋的手觸摸霉爛不堪的樹幹。披風內側無意間現出一道道藍色光線，在阿爾法背部交織成複雜不可解的紋樣，激發力量貫通全身，沿手掌傳達至枯木上每個角落。在柔和綠光包圍之下，斷裂的枝幹突然向外伸展，並紛紛長出無數新葉。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvoN8nLrLC
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光芒仍舊照亮漆黑的四周，把抱腿坐在樹根上的少女喚醒。眼簾稍稍張開，正以為黎明到來之際，旋即又被輝光強行把矇矓意識帶回現實。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KzVlT9G1I
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「阿爾法？」她呼喚呆滯看著巨樹一步一步展現生機的阿爾法，兩人在漸退光輝下相互對望，被他臉龐吸引的她徐徐站起，投進他懷裡，把精靈們惡言刺得遍體鱗傷的心靈這下才得以把悲憤情緒一一釋放。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErlTm9rFLu
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光輝逐漸消散，留下一棵重現生機的巨木，迎接黎明到來。隨陽光而來是焦急尋找兩人下落的伊咘西萊。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZ5X0dDTyh
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「阿爾法，你一整晚到哪裡了……啊？」很快他的視線便投向兩人身後茂盛的綠木，又好奇地道：「我們來的時候就有這棵大樹的嗎？」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqElZlEaHyM
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「啊啊！各位，看那！是我們的生命之木！」精靈們緊隨在後，看到眼前因失去神力滋養而枯竭的靈木一夜間再度長出新葉，紛紛蹦跳圍著樹木翩翩起舞。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnl66QsjmH
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「靈木之中的活力，這是百年以來久違的生命力……神啊，感謝您、感謝您！」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZpFSrf2qh
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老精靈族長激動得只能不斷向阿爾法連番道謝，然而阿爾法唯有點點頭示意，目送她加入歡呼行列，亦知悉自己身上的「力量」再次莫名地成為焦點。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNPW8HKfBI
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「別在這裡浪費光陰了，我們還是出發吧。」444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbaUAuKIeg
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躲藏樹木之後的貝塔向阿爾法和伊咘西萊招過手，而兩人亦未及與正陶醉於喜樂的眾精靈道別便要繼續緊隨貝塔步伐踏上旅路。444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIXAw4lJbD
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「神啊，願您的旅程能夠順利……」興奮平伏下來後，族長看著早已遠去的倒影，再看看隨微風擺動枝葉的靈樹，暗自嘆息道。「只是，失去元素之神的現在，如此光景還能維持多久？」
