本文包含我印象中游戏里的全部讲故事情节，总的来说中文翻译还是有灵性的，包含很多网络流行词汇听起来挺亲切的，不过也难免在意思上和英文有偏差，所以英文原文我也一并给出，如果有误，欢迎指正！

第一个放Cloud Ruins里面我最喜欢的一个故事，最后一个放MUSIC BOX的收尾故事，其他顺序不一定，咱们开始：

Cloud Ruins

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个饥肠辘辘的小男孩，总是抓住一切机会帮助同村的村民。

有一天，他帮一位老人扛了一大袋子小麦，老人给了他一条面包。

“吃吧，我的孩子，这是你应得的，”老人说道：“但假如你还想继续助人，那片森林里躲着两个地精，他们比你还饿呢。”

那个男孩非常具有同情心，几乎立即就做出了选择。

走了不久，他就找到了地精，并把面包拿给他们俩吃，自己一口都没留。

“谢谢你，好心的小男孩，”两个地精愉快地说道：“似乎你把我们的诅咒打破了呢。”

的确，为了惩罚他们此前过于贪婪的罪行，一个精灵用一道比较烦人的咒语束缚住了他们。

他们被流放至森林中，背负着一个小小的魔法磨盘，它能生产持有者想要的任何事物。

但那个磨盘的法力只有在两个地精被舍己利人的陌生人施舍食物后才能激活。

因此，两个地精只能带着能生产无尽财富的圣物，过着忍饥挨饿的日子，这命运残忍至极。

现在你可以想到小男孩得到那宝物时该有多惊讶。

“向右摇的时候说出你想要的东西的名字，小磨盘就会源源不断地生产它，”两个地精解释道：

“向左摇，就能停下了。”

在为两个地精造出一大堆食物之后，小男孩回到了村里，用新获得的能力去拯救穷苦村民们。

但随着他原来越受欢迎，他的姐姐开始嫉妒起来。

一天晚上，她再也忍受不了了，就从弟弟的床头柜偷走了小磨盘，也顺走了下午的宴会上吃剩的两张馅饼。

她不仅要中伤弟弟，还要侮辱他，因此她划着家里的渔船去向新的大陆，想在那里成为万众恭迎的救世主。

出海之后，她想拿出一张馅饼吃吃，但尝起来缺点什么味道。

是时候试验一下这小磨盘的魔力了，她心想。“给我点盐！”她说道，并将摇柄向右摇去。

她果然得到了盐，一大捧一大捧的盐。

但是，姐姐从未留意过的是如何让小磨盘停下。

“停下！小磨盘，快停下！”她生气地喊到，边喊边担心，最终她开始恐慌了。

盐不久就装满了整艘小船，小船不堪重负，沉入了海底。

据说沉没了的小磨盘时至今日还在不停运转，这也就是海水为什么咸的原因。

讲完了。

-挺有意思的，但感觉好像是给孩子讲的故事，把我们现在所知的常识编成故事给他们听。

这届观众不好取悦，哈？你怎么不给我讲个故事，好让我评头论足一番呢？

-…

噢，你还等着额外的道理呢是吧？

这个怎么样：姐姐的善妒最终导致了自己的灭亡，因此人们管这种人叫“惹人嫌（咸）”。

-…

噢噢还有一个：姐姐不擅长操作小磨盘最终导致了自己的灭亡，因此人们说名实不副的人“不值他那点盐（not

  worth their salt）。”

嘿这挺有意思的。你走吧，我在这继续想想还有哪些名言警句能跟盐挂上钩。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There was once a starving little boy who never missed a chance to help his fellow villagers.

One day, after helping an old man carry a heavy bundle of wheat, he was offered a loaf of bread.

Eat your fill, my boy, it is well deserved, he began, "but if you feel like helping even more, there are two gnomes hiding in the forest who are even hungrier than you are."

Now that boy was an empathetic one. His mind was made up instantly.

After a short hike, he found the gnomes and split the bread between the two of them, without even saving a bite for himself.

Thank you, kind little boy, the gnomes beamed "it seems you have lifted our curse."

Indeed, to punish them for their greed, a spirit had put them under a rather annoying spell.

They were exiled to the forest, carrying a magic little mill capable of producing anything its bearer desired.

But the little mill's magic would only be activated once the gnomes were fed by a stranger acting out of selfless generosity.

To starve while carrying a relic promising abundance, a cruel fate indeed.

Now you can imagine the little boy's surprise when he was given the magic item.

Name something you want while turning the crank to the right, and the little mill will produce an endless stream of it, the gnomes explained.

Turn it to the left, and it will stop.

After creating a huge pile of food for the two gnomes, the young boy went back to his village to help the populace with his newfound powers.

But as he grew in popularity, his older sister grew in jealousy.

One night she couldn't take it anymore, and stole the little mill from her brother's bedside table, along with two leftover pies from that afternoon's feast.

Adding insult to injury, she left on the family's fishing boat to reach new lands, hoping to have her turn in the role of the popular purveyor.

Once out at sea, she decided to try one of the pies, which to her taste were lacking a little something.

It was time to try that little mill's magic, she reckoned. "Give me salt!" she said, turning the crank to the right.

And salt she got. Heaps and heaps of it.

Now, older sister had never bothered paying attention to how the mill could be stopped.

STOP! LITTLE MILL, STOP! she shouted, first annoyed, then worried, and finally panicked.

Salt soon overflowed the boat itself, sinking it under the weight.

It is said that the sunken little mill is still operational to this day, and is the reason why seawater is salty.

The end.

-That was interesting, but it feels more like a kid's story explaining things about the world we know the actual reason for.

Tough crowd, huh? Why don't you tell me a story and I'll judge it?

-...

So, you're looking for additional takeaways?

How about this: seeing how big sister's anger led to her demise, irritated people were henceforth referred to as "salty".

-...

Oh I got another one: seeing how big sister's shortcomings as a little mill operator led to her demise, unqualified people were henceforth referred to as not being "worth their salt".

Hey this is fun. You should go, I'll keep on coming up with morals to do with salt.

Autumn hills

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个仆人不识字。

有一天他的主子叫他给她读点东西，他回答道，“对不起夫人，我不识字”。

话音刚落，他就被解雇了。

…

那么他就走到大街上，想找家茶馆散散心，好接受这个坏消息。

但他怎么也找不到茶馆，就感觉整个小镇上应该不止他一个人总在找茶馆，因此他就自己开了间茶馆。

茶馆生意火爆，分店开了一间又一间，他也因此赚得盆满钵满。

有一天，他的账房先生让他审阅一本账本，他回答说他不识字。

账房先生简直不敢相信自己的耳朵，说道：“你大字不识一个都能赚到百万富翁，你要是认识字的话，会变成何等人物啊。”

“哦这个问题我倒是可以回答，”这个富翁答道：“我会给人当仆人。”

讲完了。

-…

怎么了啊？

-这故事跟我的冒险又哪怕一点关系吗？

没关系啊，你只是让我讲个故事而已。

-这就是加长版的“生活给了你柠檬”那句俗语而已。

行了，既然你不愿意听我给你分享你下次跟人聚会时拿来显摆的材料，我建议你抓紧赶路吧。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was a servant who didn't know how to read.

The day came where his master asked him to read something for her, to which he replied, "I'm sorry my lady, I can't read".

That reply immediately got him fired.

...

So he went out in the streets looking for a tea house to relax and accept the bad news.

When he couldn't find any, he reckoned he probably wasn't the only one to wish there was a tea house in his small town, so he opened up his own.

It really picked up, so he built many more, and became rich in the process.

One day, his accountant asked him to review a piece of document, to which he replied he didn't know how to read.

The accountant, who couldn't believe his ears, said: "If you became a millionaire without even knowing how to read, just imagine where you would be if you could read".

Oh I know exactly where I would be, the rich man replied. "I would be a servant".

The end.

-...

What?

-I don't see how this applies to my adventure.

It doesn't, you asked for a story.

-More like the long version of "when life gives you lemons".

Alright, since you don't seem to appreciate me sharing some clever material for your next party, I suggest you move along.

Catacombs

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个老太太，她身无长物，只有一个小窝棚还有一株梨树。

她的名字叫悲惨夫人。

她一家子都以悲惨果腹，有时候甚至悲惨都不够吃。

有一天，一个饥饿的乞丐前来拜访，问她能不能分些食物给他。

她并没有食物，但她处境有多不幸，心地就有多善良。

她为那乞丐盛了几勺她炖在锅里寡淡无味的汤，又邀请他摘几个梨吃。

乞丐脱下了袍子，摇身一变成了一个神明。

他只是变装成了乞丐，下凡来看看世间是否还有善心的踪迹。

他被悲惨夫人的慷慨无私感动了，愿意满足她一个愿望。

让我猜一下，她什么都没要，故事的要义是让人们勤俭节约？

不不不，这故事蛮好的，听我讲完。

她跟神明说总有人偷她的水果，让她每天食不果腹。

她的愿望很简单：给她的梨树下一道咒语，让它能困住任何偷摘梨子的人，她说放走才能放走。

神明答应了她的愿望便转身离去了。

时间一点点流逝，她也痛斥过无数的偷梨贼，但很快她意识到大部分都是饥肠辘辘的孩子。

所以她决定自己承担喂养和教育那些孩子的责任，并迅速变成了新一代的中流砥柱。

无比开心又无比大方的悲惨夫人慢慢变老了，她的脸就像大象的膝盖一样满是皱纹。

终于有一天，死神登门拜访。

…

死神按着惯常的程序，问她有没有最后的愿望。

“我想再从我的梨树上摘一个梨吃，”她说道。“请您帮我摘一个，好吗？”

死神爬上树去摘梨，然后就被困在树上下不来了。

老太太决定永远不让死神走，于是这世上才有了这么多的悲惨。

讲完了。

-…

怎么了？

-这故事的要义是什么啊？之前无私了，以后再自私就合理了？

…

-慷慨大方只会导致悲惨痛苦？

我也不知道，这只是个给小孩儿讲的童话，我只是觉得死神困在梨树上下不来这个主意挺逗的而已。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was poor old lady who had nothing in life, save for a small shack and a pear tree.

Her name was Madam Misery.

Her whole family ate misery, and sometimes there wasn't even enough misery to go around.

One day, she was visited by a starving beggar, who asked whether she had any food to spare.

She didn't, but her heart was as big as her situation was unfortunate.

So she served the beggar a few clumps out of the tasteless broth she had simmering, then invited him to help himself to a few pears.

The beggar removed his cloak, revealing himself as a deity.

He was disguised as a beggar to see whether there was any kindness left in the world.

Touched by Madam Misery's generosity, he offered to grant her a wish.

Let me guess, she didn't want anything and it's a moral about living frugally?

No no, this is good, let me continue.

She mentioned a lot of people were stealing her fruits, which jeopardized her chance to eat every day.

Her wish was simple: an enchantment on her pear tree, so that it would trap anyone who stole from it until she decided to free them.

The divine visitor granted her wish and took his leave.

Time went by and she scolded many thieves, but soon realized that most of them were starving children.

She decided to take it upon herself to feed and educate them, and soon became the pillar of a thriving new generation.

Ever happy and generous, Madam Misery got so old that her face looked like an elephant's knee.

And then one day, Death came for her.

...

Death, following the protocol, inquired about her last request.

I would like to eat one last pear from my tree, she said. "Would you be kind enough to grab one for me?"

Death climbed into the tree to grab a pear, getting trapped in the process.

The old lady decided to never let Death out of the trap, and since then there has been Misery in the world.

The end.

-...

Right?

-What's the moral? Being selfless justifies being selfish later?

...

-Generosity begets misery?

I don't know, it's a fairytale for kids, I just thought the idea of death trapped in a pear tree was interesting.

Howling grotto

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个国王，他特别不擅长管理情绪。

他的情绪只会从一个极端跑向另一极，因此他总是要么过于亢奋、要么过于沮丧，根本无法正常生活。

他就快要放弃希望了，觉得自己根本无法统治国家，无颜面对子民。这时，一个云游的圣物猎人前来拜访他。

为了给国王解忧，这个圣物猎人给了他一个魔法指环，说它能在他开心时让他难过，在他难过时让他开心。

那指环的魔法异常有效，国家也因此变得繁荣昌盛。

国王驾崩时，御前巫师急忙抓起那指环戴在手上，想要明白它魔力的来源是什么。

结果他发现，那个指环根本没有魔力！但普普通通一个指环，怎么能在你难过时让你开心，在你开心时让你难过呢？

-…

…

-…

猜猜看？

-猜不出来。

那上头刻着一行小字：“这，也会过去的。”

-哇哦…好深邃啊。

可不仅仅是深邃，我用一个童话故事就教给了你如何应对焦虑！

-谢谢你啊，商店老板。

得了吧，不要得寸进尺。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was a king who had a pretty rough time managing his emotions.

Experiencing nothing but extremes, he would always feel either too excited or too depressed, which caused him to never get anything done.

Just as he was about to lose all hope of getting his life together and be a viable ruler for his people, he was visited by a traveling relic hunter.

To rid the king of his woes, the relic hunter gave him a magic ring, promising it would make him sad when he is happy, and happy when he is sad.

It worked like a literal charm, and the kingdom became very prosperous as a result.

When the king passed away, the castle's wizard promptly grabbed the ring to finally try and understand the source of its power.

As it turned out, the ring wasn't magic at all! But how could a non-magic ring make you sad when you are happy and happy when you are sad?

-...

...

-...

Any guess?

-Not really.

It had a small inscription that read "This, too, shall pass".

-Woah... that's deep.

It's more than deep, I just gave you the cure for anxiety through a fairytale!

-Thanks shopkeeper!

Hey now, don't push it.

Quillshroom marsh

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个信使，他老缠着人家要听故事。

…

即使他眼前有着至关重要的任务需要完成，他也怎么都听不够故事。

有一个商店老板，住在时间之外的空虚领域，能连通无数时间节点。因此他一开始很愿意将数十年旅行中碰到的趣闻轶事分享出来。

但是啊，那信使根本听不进去故事里的道理和教训，因此商店老板决定再也不给他讲故事了。

…

讲完了。

-…

-不是这样的！我可喜欢听你讲故事了。

…

-真的！

回头再说吧，到时候自有分晓。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was a Messenger who kept asking for stories.

...

Even though he was supposed to move on with his very important quest, he just couldn't get enough.

The Shopkeeper, living in a void outside of time, was connected to all eras, and so at first was happy to share the myths and legends encountered over decades of traveling.

Alas, the Messenger never seemed to appreciate the morals or takeaways, so the Shopkeeper decided to be done with the stories thing.

...

The end.

-...

-No way! I liked your stories.

...

-Come on!

Maybe later, we'll see.

Searing crags

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

这个故事我之前给那个给我商店调音乐的家伙讲过。

说从前有个小村庄，村民们每天绞尽脑汁想要找出谁是狼人。

每到满月，就有村民死掉，满身血污、死相骇人。

有一天，一对勇敢的青年情侣决定涉险进入树林。男的当猎手，女的甘愿作诱饵。

这么老套的设定，猜也能猜出来，他们走散了，猎手在悬崖附近与那个野兽狭路相逢。

二人恶斗了十五分钟，狼人用爪子扼住了猎人的喉咙，而猎人也手起斧落砍掉了狼人的爪子。

猎人没命似地逃回了家，狼人的断手还紧紧抓着他的喉咙。

等他跑到家时，太阳已经升起来了，他发现他的未婚妻受了重伤、血流不止。

他喉咙上抓握着的爪子慢慢变回了人形，就在那时他发现上面还戴着几天前他刚刚买来的戒指。

讲完了。

-…哇…好吓人啊。

题目我还没想好呢。有主意吗？

-“狼人新娘”怎么样？

哎呦，好主意啊！

-真的嘛？

不，并不怎么好。你这标题就剧透了。

-…

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

It's a story I once told the guy who hooked me up with music for my shop.

There once was a village struggling to figure out who the werewolf was.

People kept dying every full moon, and very gorily at that.

One day, a brave young couple decided to venture into the woods. He would be the hunter, and she, the bait.

As one would expect from such a clichéd setting, they got separated and our hunter faced off alone against the beast near a cliff.

After fifteen minutes of a literal uphill battle, the hunter managed to chop off the werewolf's paw with his axe, just as it was attempting to choke him.

The hunter then ran for his life, severed paw still clutched to his throat.

By the time he got home, the sun was up, and he found his fiancée bleeding, also badly wounded.

The paw on his throat had reverted to its human form, and that moment he noticed it was wearing a ring he had purchased a few days ago.

The end.

-...woah, that was spooky.

I'm still looking for a title. Any suggestions?

-What about "The werewolf bride"?

Wow, great idea!

-Really?

No, not really. You put the reveal in the title.

-...

Forlorn temple

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个公主想找一个称心的夫婿。

她就向所有邻国的王子们发出邀请函，并表示她最看重的特点是敏感。

仰慕者纷纷前来想要通过她的测试，却又都无功而返。

“你将是今晚的贵客，”公主会向来访者说：“你什么都不用做，只需要在那叠床垫上睡一晚就好。”

第二天早上，她会过来问他们昨晚睡得如何。

“我这辈子没睡过比昨晚更好的觉了，”每位参选者都这样回答，以显示自己不怕黑、不娇气。

他们都被旋即扫地出门了。

有一天，一个极度敏感的王子表示他整晚都没睡成。

“天晓得床垫下有什么东西，”王子说道：“看上去挺舒服的，但一躺上去，我就感觉好像有把叉子捅在我的肾上。”

他们第二天就举办了婚礼。

得了吧，谁都知道这个故事，不就是床垫下面有颗豌豆吗，这样一来特别敏感的人在上面就睡不着了。

没错，但你听说过后来发生的事没有？

-？？？

刚开始的几周，一切都妙极了。王子的抱怨声就没停下来过！

这就是她要找的真命天子。要么抱怨汤没有太热，要么就是火鸡肉不是太冷。

要么是音乐不够响，要么是油画没灵感。

要么是衣服不够痒，要么是诗词太平庸。

直到有一天，电光石火一般，公主意识到她这段关系不正常，是畸形的关系。

她的丈夫就是个彻头彻尾的累赘，而她正是因为这个原因自愿委身于他。

她突然意识到，这段所谓的爱情故事不过就是两个生活不能自理的成年人的各个缺陷像拼图一般完美契合了而已。

她一改皇室高高在上的风度，认真反思后发现自己才是身边所有问题中唯一一个常量，因此她迅速成长了起来，并与丈夫离了婚。

她一个人过上了幸福快乐的生活。

讲完了。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was a princess looking for a suitable husband.

She sent an invitation to all neighboring princes, stating that the main trait she was looking for was sensitivity.

Contenders came and went, attempting to pass her test.

You will be my guest tonight, the princess would explain. "All I need you to do is sleep on that pile of mattresses."

The next morning, she would ask them how their night was.

I had the best sleep of my life, each would reply, confident they had proved they didn't fear the dark, or that they could be easy guests.

They were all promptly dismissed.

One day, an especially sensitive prince reported he couldn't sleep at all.

I don't know what was up with that pile of mattresses, he went on, "It looked comfortable enough, but when I laid on it, it was like I had a fork stuck in my kidney."

They got married the next day.

Oh, everyone knows that story, there was a pea underneath the pile, so that someone who's extremely sensitive wouldn't be able to sleep.

Yes, but have you ever heard of what happened after?

-???

For the first few weeks, everything was amazing. The prince would always complain!

Just the guy she asked for. When the soup wasn't too hot, it's the cutlery that was too cold.

When the music wasn't too loud, the paintings were uninspired.

And when the clothes weren't itchy, the poems were predictable

Until one day, just like that, it dawned on the princess that she was in a toxic relationship.

Not only was her husband a drag, she had voluntarily picked him for exactly that reason.

It dawned on her just like that, how this whole love story was nothing more than two people whose dysfunctions matched like puzzle pieces.

Incredibly humble by regal standards, she realized that she was the only constant in all her problems, delved into personal growth, then got a divorce.

She lived happily ever after.

The end.

BAMBOO CREEK

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然有了，但现在不是时候。

-为什么？

因为你在碧竹之溪啊！外面被诅咒的世界里最晴的天也不过如此了。

-所以呢？

所以我建议你抓住机会上外头玩儿去。

-…

回见吧！

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course I do, but now is not the time.

-Why not?

You're in Bamboo Creek! This is as sunny as it gets in this here cursed world.

-So?

So I suggest you take the opportunity to play outside.

-...

Bye now.

Glacial Peak

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个小村庄，坐落于一片满是白雪和寒冰的大陆上。

人们缺衣少食，经受着严寒的肆虐。

村里的长老们总会谈起一片果林，那里富饶、安全，土地肥沃，气候宜人。

但唯一的问题是，那片果林与村庄之间横亘着永恒的冰雪暴，要花上数月时间才能横穿而过。

有一天，一对勇敢的情侣抛下了年幼的儿子，踏上了村民们口中的“冰雪迷航”。

他们打算一路摸索搜刮走到果林，证实它真实存在，并回到村里带领大家走向美好生活。

就像此前踏上迷航的人们一样，他们悲壮决绝，抱定了必死的决心，后来也真的再无音讯。

几十年过去了，他们的儿子也长大了心中只有一个目标：挑战冰雪迷航，要么在果园里找到他活着的父母，要么就死在路上。

他猜想爸妈或许只是因为准备不充分，因此他每日训练，直到他比出发时的父母还要年长五岁时，就动身上路了。

冰雪暴打在身上并没有想象中那么难熬，但脚下寒冷彻骨的土地却慢慢摧残着他的筋骨。

在风暴中蹒跚了数日，他已经混淆了实际流逝的时间和他年轻迷茫的头脑中以为的时间。突然，他看到了让他冰凉的心又凉了几度的景象。

他看到了他的父母，被冻成了结实的冰块。

那场景对他的冲击过于惨烈，他停在原地，不住地咒骂、徘徊，再咒骂，直到周身被严寒侵袭，自己也被冻成了一个冰坨。

讲完了。

-啥？

什么啥？

-没有什么核心要义，或者连个像样的结尾都没有？

有时候故事就是很严苛的。它们传达的或许正是生活要告诉你的道理。

你得考虑的是能从中提炼出什么来，自己得出自己的教训。没有正确与否，只要在你听来有理就行。

-或许吧，但这个故事听着还是感觉毫无意义。

但很有可能只是对你没有意义。

-…

或者，你可以考虑一下故事的主角发现他父母时比他们还年长五岁这件事代表了什么。

你想象一下，你注视着曾经的保护者和引导者，并突然意识到你比他们还要老，是什么感觉？

好比你心中真相的代言人，智慧的化身，你的人生偶像？

这就是残酷的现实：你以为他们把什么都想明白了，什么都了解完了，内心满是决心和目标。

但此时此地你发现，你想当然放在心底用来支持自己的唯一一根顶梁柱，就在你面前冻成了冰坨、在你心里碎成了千万片。

在你认识他们时，他们真的找到了目标、获得了内心平和吗，也就是说是你偏离了航线；还是说他们只不过是演技好？

-…

发人深思，是吧？

-是啊，够我想一阵子了。

记住了，一切答案都是主观的。我只不过提供了一个角度而已。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was a village settled in a land of ice and snow.

Food was scarce, but not as much as heat.

Their elders spoke of a lush grove, safe, abundant, and with comfortable weather to boot.

The only problem was, that grove lay on the other side of a permanent hailstorm which would take weeks to cross.

One day, a brave couple left their young boy behind to attempt what the village called "The Trek".

They would scout all the way to the grove and confirm its existence, then come back to the village and lead everyone to a better life.

Like all who attempted The Trek before them, they sadly and predictably never came back.

Over the following decades, that boy grew up with only one goal in mind: to take on The Trek himself, and find his parents alive at the grove, or dead in the ice.

Figuring they may have simply been ill prepared, he trained every day until he was five years older than his parents were when they left for The Trek, then set off for his own attempt.

The hailstorm's first bite wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, but the ice-cold soil slowly worked its way into his bones.

After days of walking through the storm without realizing it was all just a metaphor playing out in his troubled young adult mind, he stumbled upon a no pun intended chilling sight.

His parents, frozen solid in a block of ice.

The shock was too strong. He remained there, cursing, pondering, and cursing again, until the cold took him to become a part of the ice block.

The end.

-What?

What do you mean what?

-No moral, or at least a proper ending?

Sometimes, stories can be harsh. It might just be the very message they mean to convey about life.

You need to think about what transpired and find your own takeaways. There are no wrong answers, as long as they ring true to you.

Maybe, but this one really felt like a pointless story.

And it just might be the case that for you it was.

-...

Or, you could consider the implications of our adventurer being five years older than his parents when he found them.

Can you imagine, gazing upon those who were your protectors and mentors, realizing they are actually younger than you?

Your bearers of truth, the wise ones, those you aspired to be like?

A harsh reality indeed: you thought they knew it all, had it all figured out, that they were centered and filled with purpose.

Yet there you stand, beholding the one pillar you ever took for granted and used for stability, physically crystalized, yet mentally shattered before your very eyes.

Had they really found inner peace already when you knew them, meaning you're the one who missed the mark, or were they simply excellent actors?

-...

Food for thought, huh?

-Yes, that's enough.

Remember, this is all subjective. I shared but one angle.

Tower Of Time

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有一片大陆，上面布满了沼泽。

每片沼泽里都住满了恶鬼妖怪。

他们白天在水下睡觉，晚上又受月光的制约而无法出来作乱。

当然，我是指有月亮的时候。毕竟，月亮的运动是不受拘束的，她常常愿意去其他的国度晃一晃。

有一天，月亮感到无聊了，就决定下凡以人的形态看看这片沼泽大陆。

她用斗篷遮蔽了月光，下凡想偷偷瞥一眼那些邪恶的生物长什么样子。

比那些随意在被诅咒之地信步漫游的人运气要好，她遇到了一个正从一群怪物手中逃生的男人。

怀着对自己能力的自信，月亮解开了斗篷，散发出耀眼的光环保护了男人顺利脱逃。

男人的确逃出来了，但他回头一看，发现救命恩人把斗篷系回去的时机过于早了。

她被怪物抓住并用石头压住，让她的月光再也无法闪耀。这样一来，夜晚就是怪物的天下了。

但那个幸存的男人很快召集了一群农民，一起搬走了巨石释放了月亮。

就在那天，他们之间建立了强大的纽带，月亮决定从此守护这方百姓。

时至今日，月亮还在每天夜里为人类旅者指引道路。

讲完了。

-噢这个故事我喜欢，我猜它讲的是合作的力量？

可能是吧。说实话，我只是想在一个故事里用用“信步漫游”这个词而已。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was a land filled with bogs.

And these bogs, they were filled with evil monsters.

Sleeping underwater during the day, they were kept at bay by the Moon during nighttime.

Well, when she was kind enough to be around. After all, the Moon was free to travel through space, and often felt like shining her light on other realms.

One day the Moon got bored, and decided to visit the bog land in human form.

Wearing a cloak so that her light wouldn't shine through, she hoped to catch a glance of the evil creatures.

Getting more than people wandering haphazardly in cursed lands usually bargain for, she encountered a man fleeing from a small pack of monsters.

Confident in her power, she removed her cloak, creating a glittering aura of protection to help the man escape.

Escape he did, but as he looked back, he could see that his savior had put her cloak back on a little too soon.

She was captured by the creatures, who then buried her under a rock so that her light would never shine again. They would rule the night.

But our survivor was quick to gather a group of peasants, who went to remove the big rock and set the Moon free.

A strong bond was formed on that day, and she decided to become their guardian.

To this day the Moon is there to guide human travelers through the night.

The end.

-Oh I liked that one, I guess it speaks to the power of cooperation?

Maybe. To be honest I only wanted to use the word "haphazardly" in a story.

Underworld

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

当然了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个男的被一只女梦魔拜访了。

与同类所做之事不同，这梦魔愿意给他一次难得的去地狱参观的机会。

那人天生喜欢冒险，想都没想就跳进了传送门。

他们来到了一间屋子，里面满是巨大的煮锅，被架在篝火上面烧。

锅里煮的都是人，小恶魔拿着叉子坐在锅沿上，谁想逃脱就把谁戳回锅里去。

“那锅里煮的是谁？”，那人向梦魔向导问道。

“那个？那里头煮的是所有说谎的人和骗人的人，”她解释道：

“这个锅里，”她继续说道：“煮的则是不为果腹，只为取乐而猎杀动物的人。”

瞠目结舌的那人又看到了另一口锅，比其他的都大，锅沿上却一个恶魔都没有。

的确如此，那口锅似乎能够自我管理，谁想逃跑，锅里的其他人就会把他拽回来！

“那这口锅煮的是什么人呢？”他问道，不禁好奇究竟何人如此愚笨顽固，宁愿自残也不愿重新审视自己的世界。

“哦，那口锅啊，”梦魔笑道：“那是给在超市见到别人不排队自己就也想不守规矩的人准备的。”

讲完了。

-…

-行了你现在完全是在用这个平台泄私愤！

我哪儿惹着你了，你是那个人吗？

-哪个人？

就那个本来排在队伍第五个，一看到开了个新结账通道就冲到第一个的人？

-…

哦对，那是不同的时间线。当我没说。

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

Of course, here's one for you.

There once was a guy visited by a succubus.

Far from being that kind of demon, she offered him a unique chance to visit Hell as a tourist.

Very adventurous by nature, he jumped right into the portal.

They arrived in a room where giant cauldrons boiled over bonfires.

They contained people, where little demons with pikes were sitting on the rim to push anyone who tried to escape back inside.

Who's in that cauldron?, the man asked his succubus tour guide.

This one? That's where liars and cheaters end up, she explained.

And this one over there, she continued, "that's for people who hunt for sport."

Aghast, the man noticed another cauldron, much bigger than the other ones, and devoid of any demons sitting on its rim.

Indeed, that one cauldron seemed to self-regulate, people were pulling back in anyone who tried to escape!

And who's this cauldron for?, he asked, curious as to who could be so stubborn in their ideology they would rather hurt themselves than rethink their worldview.

Oh, that cauldron, the succubus mused, "that's for people who think the order doesn't apply anymore when another line opens up at the market."

The end.

-...

-Ok now you're just using the platform to vent!

What is wrong with you, are you that guy?

-Which guy?

The guy who's fifth in line but rushes to be first when a new line opens up.

-...

Oh right, different timeline. Never mind.

MUSIC BOX

-你有什么故事可讲吗？

上路之前最后一个，哈？

当然有了，我给你讲一个。

说从前有个小男孩被困在了一口井里。

谁也不知道他怎么掉进去的。人们猜他是玩耍时摔进去了，或者被人推进去了。

事实却是：他自己跳进去的。

…

他在井里一过好几年，焦躁地虚度着光阴，觉得这世界极度地不公。

他万分想要与世界分享他的真知灼见，但在他成长过程中，羞耻心占据了主导，因此他只愿默默偏居一隅。

这也是为什么这口井对他来说非常合适，这是一个藏身之所，他和他的故事可以安然容身，不被任何人嘲笑或评价。

这里的生活很安全，虽然没有了目标感非常不幸，但至少免遭排挤。

有一天，他正在玩自己的角色扮演游戏，一个漫游者路过此处，朝井下看了一眼。

“嘿！你在下面干什么呢？”他好奇地问，跃跃欲试地想要加入一起玩。

“哦，没什么…抱歉吵到您了，”小男孩答道。

于是这口井接下来一连几周都没出一点声音。

那个漫游者，又有耐心又有同情心，一直守在井旁。他的决心早已下定。

他将不惜一切代价将那小男孩救出那口井，让孩子能与世界分享他的故事。

男孩心中熊熊燃烧的创作之火无法熄灭，因此最终孩子又开始玩自己的角色扮演游戏。

那漫游者便开始非常谨慎地再度与孩子交流，告诉他他的故事引人入胜，没什么值得羞愧的。

他们之间的友谊开始慢慢建立，完全基于真挚的意愿和相互信任。

几个月后，漫游者开始与小男孩一同坐在井底，有说有笑地分享着彼此的故事。

这口井变得越来越热闹，路过的人开始往里头看。

“我想肯定不止我一个人想听你的故事。”一天漫游者颇有智慧地说道。

“可是我不敢爬出去。”小男孩回答说。

“没事的，”漫游者安抚他说：“等你准备好了，告诉我就行。”

很多年过去了，小男孩的想象力愈发专注，他的想法和故事也形成了一个坚实的小世界。

有一天，他决定冒险一搏。他要搭建出这个世界，让每个人都看到。

那漫游者帮他爬出了井。

Merci Philip.

小男孩为各行各业的工匠讲述了自己的想法，让他惊讶的是，人们都愿意帮他搭建这个世界。

很快一个小队就组建完成了，那孩子正式成为了作家！

真希望我能告诉你故事的结局是孩子名利双收，但我也相信你能明白整个旅程的重点并不在此。

Merci Sylvain.

Merci Eric.

Merci Martin.

Merci Michael.

Merci Philippe.

Merci Jean-Luc.

Merci Carl.

Merci Savannah.

Merci Magalie.

（原文）

-Do you have any stories to share?

One last for the road, huh?

Why of course, here's one for you.

There once was a little boy stuck in a well.

It wasn't really clear why he was in there. People assumed he fell while playing, or that someone had pushed him.

In truth, he had jumped in there himself.

...

He spent years in the well, wasting away anxiously, feeling utterly inadequate.

He had a deep desire to share his ideas with the world, but shame having played such a big part in his upbringing, his will lay broken.

That's why the well suited him so perfectly; a place to hide, where he could be alone with his stories, with no one to mock or judge him.

A safe life, unfortunately devoid of purpose, but at least shielded from rejection.

One day as he was role playing, a wanderer passing by looked down the well.

Hey, what's going on down there?, he asked curiously, intent on joining in on the fun.

Oh, nothing... sorry about the noise, the little boy replied.

And thus the well remained silent for weeks.

The wanderer, patient and compassionate, sat by the well for all that time. His mind was already made up.

He would do whatever it took to get that little boy out of there, so that he could share his stories with the world.

The creative flame in that little boy's heart refused to die, and eventually he started roleplaying again.

And so the wanderer very cautiously started interacting with him again, telling him that his stories were entertaining, and nothing to be ashamed of.

Their friendship built really slowly, based on genuine intentions and trust.

A few months later, the wanderer and the little boy were sitting together in the well, laughing and sharing stories.

The well became an increasingly habitable place, and passersby started looking in.

I think I'm not the only one who would like to hear your stories. the wanderer mused one day.

I'm too afraid to climb out. the little boy replied.

It's ok, the wanderer reassured him, "let me know when you are ready."

Years passed, the little boy's imagination becoming more focused, his thoughts and stories shaping into a concrete little world.

And then one day, he decided to take the chance. He would build this world and show it to everyone.

The wanderer helped him climb out.

Merci Philip.

The little boy shared his ideas with creators of all crafts, and to his surprise, they wanted to help building it.

And so the small team was put together, and he officially became a writer!

I wish I could tell you it all ended in fame and fortune, but I trust you understand it's not what this whole journey has ever been about anyway.

Merci Sylvain.

Merci Eric.

Merci Martin.

Merci Michaël.

Merci Philippe.

Merci Jean-Luc.

Merci Carl.

Merci Savannah.

Merci Magalie.

最后的故事应该也是在感谢所有为游戏开发献力的人，感谢你们完成了这么有趣的游戏！