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evidently still unhurt； but beyond that he could not。 think for the moment about himself or his family； nor speak； though his dry lips formed words。 Even his own pain and injury were momentarily forgotten。 He could only watch。 He had never seen a single god in his whole life before； and now here were two at one time。
Lord Draffut came walking downhill； toward the ford and the few crouching； surviving humans； and the poor wreckage that was all that was left of the train of carts。 Draffut's towering man…shaped form splashed knee…deep through the small river； now partially dammed by the jumble of wrecked vehicles； murdered loadbeasts and human bodies； all intermingled with the poor useless things that the humans had been trying to carry with them to safety inside the walls of Tashigang。 The bloodied water splashed up around those knees of glowing fur； and Birch saw marveling that the elements of water and mud were touched with temporary life wherever the body of Draffut came in contact with them。
〃Down on four legs； beast！〃 the Wargod roared； brandishing his spear at the other god who was as tall as he。
Lord Draffut had nothing more to say to Mars just now。 The Beastlord only bared his fangs as he crossed the stream and halted； slightly crouching； almost within reach of the God of War。
The first thrust of the great spear came； too swift and powerful for watching Birch to see it plainly； or for Draffut to ward it in just the way he sought to do。 It pierced Draffut's right forearm； but only lightly； in and out near the surface； so that he was still able to catch the spear's shaft in both his hands。 A moment later he had wrenched the weapon out of the grasp of Mars pletely； and reversed it in his own grip。
Mars had another spear； already magically in hand。 The two weapons clashed。 Then Draffut thrust again； with such violence that the shield of Mars was transfixed by the blow； and knocked out of the Wargod's grasp； to go rolling away with the spear like some great cartwheel on the end of a broken axle。
Mars cried out； a bellow of rage and fear； thought Birch； not of injury。 Even to witness the fear of a god was terrible。 In the next moment Mars demonstrated the ability to produce still more spears at will； and had now armed himself with one in each hand。
Draffut lunged at him and closed with him； and locked his massive arms around his great opponent； clamping the arms of Mars against the cuirass protecting the Wargod's body。 At the same time Draffut sank his enormous fangs into god…flesh at the base of the thick armored neck。 At the touch of the Lord of Beasts； even the magical armor of Mars melted and flowed with life； treacherously exposing the divine flesh that it was meant to guard。
The giants stamped and swayed； the earth quivering beneath their feet； even though his upper arms were pinioned； Mars tried stabbing at his attacker with the spears he held in both his hands。 Birch； beyond marveling now； saw how one spearhead was converted by Draffut's life…powers to the giant head of a living serpent； and how the serpent's head struck back at the arm and wrist of the god who held it。 Mars shrieked in deafening pain and rage。
Micheline； seeing the fight in her own terms； as an opportunity for human action； demanded of her husband whether he was hurt； whether he could move。 Birch； taking his eyes off the contending giants only for a moment； told her that yes； he was hurt； and no； he could not move； and that she should take the children and get on away from here； and e back later when it was safe。
She protested briefly； but when she saw that he really could not move； she did as he had said。 The fighting gods were much too busy to notice their departure； or that of any of the other people who could still move。
The spearhead in the right hand of Mars had not been changed by Draffut's touch； it stubbornly refused to flow with life。 〃You will not melt this weapon down！〃 Mars cried； and with its bright point and edge he tore open a wound along the shaggy ribs of the Lord of Beasts。 And meanwhile Mars had managed to cast the treacherous biting serpent from him。
Now the God of Healing could no longer entirely heal himself。 He bled red sparkling blood； from his side and from his wounded arm as well。
Yet he closed with Mars and disarmed him again of his remaining spear。 He seized Mars in a wrestler's grip； and lifted him and threw him down on rocks； so that the earth shook with the shock of impact； and the water in the nearby stream leapt up in little spouts。
But as soon as he was free of Draffut's grip； Mars bounced up； a spear once more in each hand； just as before。 He was bleeding too； with blood as red as Draffut's； but thicker； and so hot it steamed； rushing out from the place where Draffut's fangs had torn his neck。
Mars said： 〃You cannot kill a true god； dog…being。 We are immortal。〃
Draffut was approaching him again； closing in slowly and methodically； looking for the best chance to attack。 〃Hermes died。 If I cannot kill you。。。 it is not because you are a god。 It will be because。。。〃
And now again … Birch did not understand； or hope to understand； everything that he was seeing and hearing … it seemed that Mars was capable of fear。 〃Why？〃 the War…god asked。
Draffut answered： 〃Because there is too much of humanity in you。 Human beings are not the gods' creation。 You are theirs。 You and all your peers who meet in the Ludus Mountains。〃
This brought on a bluster of roaring； and insults from Mars； to which Draffut did not bother to reply。 Meanwhile the two giants continued their steady； stealthy circling and stalking of each other。
But； finally； it was as if Draffut's calm statement about humanity had struck deeper than any planned insult。 It must have struck so deep as to provoke even the God of War to that ultimate reaction； thought。
Mars rumbled at the other； 〃What did you mean by that foolishness？ That we are their creation？〃
〃I mean to tell you what I saw； on that day when I stood among you； on the cold mountaintop； with the Sword of Stealth in my hand。。。 Sightblinder let me see into the inward nature of the gods； you and the others there。 And since then I have known。。。 if I could not kill you the last time we fought； and I cannot kill you now； it is because there is in you too much of humanity。〃
〃Bah。 That I cannot believe。〃 Mars waved his spears。
Stalking his enemy； bleeding； Draffut said it again。 〃You did not create them。〃
〃Hah。 That I can believe。 What sort of god would be bothered to do that？〃
〃They created you。〃
Mars snorted with divine contempt。 〃How could such vermin ever create anything？〃
〃Through their dreams。 Their dreams are very powerful。〃
The two titans closed with each other again； and fought； and again both of them were wounded。 And again they both were weakened。
The only human observer left to watch them now was the man named Birch。 He would certainly have crept away by now； too； with his wife and children； if he had been able to move。 But he could not move。 And by now he was no longer even thinking particularly of his own fate。 He watched the fight until he fainted； and when he recovered his senses he watched again； for the fight was still in progress。 When his thirst became overpowering； he made a great effort and managed to turn and twist himself enough to get a drink from the muddied； bloodied water of the small stream。 Then he lay back and kept his mind off his own pain and injury by watching the fight some more。
The sun set on the struggle。 It went on； with pauses … Birch supposed that even gods in this kind of agony must rest … through the night。 The dark was filled with titanic thrashings and groanings； and splashing in the river where it gurgled gorily and patiently over and around the new dam that had been made out of human disaster。
At least； Birch told himself in his more lucid moments； he was not going to have to worry about predatory animals ing and trying to make a meal of him as he lay wounded。 What ordinary beast would dare approach this scene？
When dawn came； Birch found himself still alive； somewhat to his own surprise。 In the new daylight he beheld the ground； over the entire area around the ford； littered with broken spearshafts and spearheads； and with monstrous dead or lethargic serpents that had once been spears； all relics of the fight that still went on。
Or did it？ This latest interval of silence seemed to be lasting for a longer time than usual。
There was a great； startling； earth…quivering crash； somewhere nearby； just out of Birch's sight； behind some overturned and smashed…up wagons that screened a large part of his field of vision。 The ground shook with the renewed fight； which once more seemed to terminate in a final splash。 In a moment the watching human was able to see and feel the waves indicating that the two batants； still locked together； had plunged into the partially dammed pool of the river。
Now for a time Birch could no longer hear them fighting； except for occasional splashes that gradually decreased in violence。 But now he could hear the two gods breathing。 Ought gods to have to breathe？ Birch wondered groggily。 Maybe they only did it when they chose； like eating and drinking。 Maybe they only did it when they needed extra strength。
Time passed in near silence。 Then as the newly risen sun crept higher in the sky； a shadow fell across Birch where he lay。 The man opened his eyes； to behold the figure of yet another god。 Thank Ardneh； this one had not yet noticed the surviving human either。
Birch knew at once； by the leather…like smith's apron worn by the newer； and by the twisted leg； that this was Vulcan。 The lame god was wearing at his side two great； blackhilted Swords； looking like mere daggers against the gray bulk of his body。 He squatted on his haunches； looking down into the pool where the two fighters had gone out of Birch's field of vision。 Now there was a renewed stirring in the pool； at last。 A muttering； a splash。 A great grin spread across the face of the Smith as he stood up and leisurely approached the bat a little more closely。 Before he sat down again； on a rock； he kicked a broken cart out of his way。 This incidentally cleared the field of view for the injured man； of whose existence none of the three giants had yet taken the least notice。
〃Hail； oh mighty Wargod！〃 The salutation came from Vulcan in tones of gigantic mockery。 〃The world awaits your conquering presence。 Have you not dallied here long enough？ What are you doing down there； exactly … bathing your pet dog in the mud？〃
Birch could see now how red the mud and water were around them both。 Of the two batants； Draffut could no longer fight； could hardly move。 The God of War was little better off than his bedraggled foe。 But now； slowly； terribly； with great gasping efforts； Mars dragged himself free of his opponent's biting； crushing grip； and stood erect； ankle…deep in mud。
When the Wargod tried to speak his voice was half…inaudible； failing altogether on some words。 It seemed that he could barely lift the arm that he stretched out to Vulcan。 〃A spear … a weapon … I have no more spears。 Lend me your Sword； Smith。 One of them； I see that you have two。 This business must be finished。〃
Vulcan sighed； producing a sound like that of wind rushing through a smoldering forge。 He remained where he was； still some twenty meters or so distant from the other two。 〃Give you a weapon； hey？ Well； I suppose I must； since you appear to be the victor in this shabby business after all。 How tiresome。〃
Mars； though tottering on his feet； managed to draw himself a little more fully erect。
〃How mannered you suddenly grow； Blacksmith。 How fond you suddenly are of trying to appear clever。 Why should that be？ But never mind。 Put steel here in my hand； and I'll finish this dirty job。〃
〃I grant you；〃 said Vulcan； 〃there is a need that certain things be finished。〃 And the Smith stood up from where he had been sitting； and his ornaments of dragons' scales tinkled as he chose and drew one of his Swords。
〃'For thy heart'；〃 he quoted softly； clasping and hiding the black hilt delicately in his great； gray； hardened blaksmith's hand。 He held the Sword up straight； looking at it almost lovingly。 ''For thy heart； who hast wrong