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s； slicing its skin open like paper； and the power of his crashing blows on the walrus's skull （two blows； and it was cracked like an egg）； Lyra had to make an excuse to lofur and go away by herself to weep with fear。
Even Pantalaimon； who could normally cheer her up； had little to say that was hopeful。 All she could do was consult the alethiometer： he is an hour away； it told her； and again； she must trust him； and （this was harder to read） she even thought it was rebuking her for asking the same question twice。
By this time； word had spread among the bears； and every part of the bat ground was crowded。 Bears of high rank had the best places； and there was a special enclosure for the she…bears； including； of course； lofur's wives。 Lyra was profoundly curious about she…bears； because she knew so little about them； but this was no time to wander about asking questions。 Instead she stayed close to lofur Raknison and watched the courtiers around him assert their rank over the mon bears from outside； and tried to guess the meaning of the various plumes and badges and tokens they all seemed to wear。 Some of the highest…ranking； she saw； carried little manikins like lofur's rag…doll daemon； trying to curry favor； perhaps； by imitating the fashion he'd begun。 She was sardonically pleased to notice that when they saw that lofur had discarded his； they didn't know what to do with theirs。 Should they throw them away？ Were they out of favor now？ How should they behave？
｛ Because that was the prevailing mood in his court； she was beginning to see。 They weren't sure what they were。 They weren't like Iorek Byrnison； pure and certain and absolute； there was a constant pall of uncertainty hanging over them； as they watched one another and watched lofur。
And they watched her； with open curiosity。 She remained modestly close to lofur and said nothing； lowering her eyes whenever a bear looked at her。
The fog had lifted by this time； and the air was clear； and as chance would have it； the brief lifting of darkness toward noon coincided with the time Lyra thought Iorek was going to arrive。 As she stood shivering on a little rise of dense…packed snow at the edge of the bat ground； she looked up toward the faint lightness in the sky； and longed with all her heart to see a flight of ragged elegant black shapes descending to bear her away； or to see the Aurora's hidden city； where she would be able to walk safely along those broad boulevards in the sunlight； or to see Ma Costa's broad arms； to smell the friendly smells of flesh and cooking that enfolded you in her presence 。 。 。 。
She found herself crying； with tears that froze almost as soon as they formed； and which she had to brush away painfully。 She was so frightened。 Bears； who didn't cry； couldn't understand what was happening to her； it was some human process； meaningless。 And of course Pantalaimon couldn't fort her as he normally would； though she kept her hand in her pocket firmly around his warm little mouse…form； and he nuzzled at her fingers。
Beside her； the smiths were making the final adjustments to lofur Raknison's armor。 He reared like a great metal tower； shining in polished steel； the smooth plates inlaid with wires of gold； his helmet enclosed the upper part of his head in a glistening carapace of silver…gray； with deep eye slits； and the underside of his body was protected by a close…fitting sark of chain mail。 It was when she saw this that Lyra realized that she had betrayed Iorek Byrnison； for Iorek had nothing like it。 His armor protected only his back and sides。 She looked at lofur Raknison； so sleek and powerful； and felt a deep sickness in her； like guilt and fear bined。
She said 〃Excuse me； Your Majesty； if you remember what I said to you before 。 。 。 〃
Her shaking voice felt thin and weak in the air。 lofur Raknison turned his mighty head； distracted from the target three bears were holding up in front for him to slash at with his perfect claws。
〃Yes？ Yes？〃
〃Remember； I said I'd better go and speak to Iorek Byrnison first； and pretend…〃
But before she could even finish her sentence； there was a roar from the bears on the watchtower。 The others all knew what it meant and took it up with a triumphant excitement。 They had seen Iorek。
〃Please？〃 Lyra said urgently。 〃I'll fool him； you'll see。〃
〃Yes。 Yes。 Go now。 Go and encourage him！〃
lofur Raknison was hardly able to speak for rage and excitement。
Lyra left his side and walked across the bat ground； bare and clear as it was； leaving her little footprints in the snow； and the bears on the far side parted to let her through。 As their great bodies lumbered aside； the horizon opened； gloomy in the pallor of the light。 Where was Iorek Byrnison？ She could see nothing； but then； the watchtower was high； and they could see what was still hidden from her。 All she could do was walk forward in the snow。
He saw her before she saw him。 There was a bounding and a heavy clank of metal； and in a flurry of snow Iorek Byrnison stood beside her。
〃Oh； Iorek！ I've done a terrible thing！ My dear； you're going to have to fight lofur Raknison； and you en't ready… you're tired and hungry； and your armor's…〃
〃What terrible thing？〃
〃I told him you was ing； because I read it on the symbol reader； and he's desperate to be like a person and have a daemon； just desperate。 So I tricked him into thinking that I was your daemon； and I was going to desert you and be his instead； but he had to fight you to make it happen。 Because otherwise； Iorek； dear； they'd never let you fight； they were going to just burn you up before you got close…〃
〃You tricked lofur Raknison？〃
〃Yes。 I made him agree that he'd fight you instead of just killing you straight off like an outcast； and the winner would be king of the bears。 I had to do that； because…〃
〃Belacqua？ No。 You are Lyra Silvertongue；〃 he said。 〃To fight him is all I want。 e； little daemon。〃
She looked at Iorek Byrnison in his battered armor； lean and ferocious； and felt as if her heart would burst with pride。
They walked together toward the massive hulk of lofur's palace； where the bat ground lay flat and open at the foot of the walls。 Bears clustered at the battlements； white faces filled every window； and their heavy forms stood like a dense wall of misty white ahead； marked with the black dots of eyes and noses。 The nearest ones moved aside； making two lines for Iorek Byrnison and his daemon to walk between。 Every bear's eyes were fixed on them。
Iorek halted across the bat ground from lofur Raknison。 The king came down from the rise of trodden snow； and the two bears faced each other several yards apart。
Lyra was so close to Iorek that she could feel a trembling in him like a great dynamo； generating mighty anbaric forces。 She touched him briefly on the neck at the edge of his helmet and said； 〃Fight well； Iorek my dear。 You're the real king； and he en't。 He's nothing。〃
Then she stood back。
〃Bears！〃 Iorek Byrnison roared。 An echo rang back from the palace walls and startled birds out of their nests。 He went on： 〃The terms of this bat are these。 If lofur Raknison kills me； then he will be king forever； safe from challenge or
dispute。 If I kill lofur Raknison； I shall be your king。 My first order to you all will be to tear down that palace； that perfumed house of mockery and tinsel； and hurl the gold and marble into the sea。 Iron is bear…metal。 Gold is not。 lofur Raknison has polluted Svalbard。 I have e to cleanse it。 lofur Raknison； I challenge you。〃
Then lofur bounded forward a step or two； as if he could hardly hold himself back。
〃Bears！〃 he roared in his turn。 〃Iorek Byrnison has e back at my invitation。 I drew him here。 It is for me to make the terms of this bat； and they are these： if I kill Iorek Byrnison； his flesh shall be torn apart and scattered to the cliff…ghasts。 His head shall be displayed above my palace。 His memory shall be obliterated。 It shall be a capital crime to speak his name 。 。 。 。〃
He continued； and then each bear spoke again。 It was a formula； a ritual faithfully followed。 Lyra looked at the two of them； so utterly different： lofur so glossy and powerful； immense in his strength and health； splendidly armored； proud and kinglike； and Iorek smaller； though she had never thought he would look small； and poorly equipped； his armor rusty and dented。 But his armor was his soul。 He had made it and it fitted him。 They were one。 lofur was not content with his armor； he wanted another soul as well。 He was restless while Iorek was still。
And she was aware that all the other bears were making the parison too。 But Iorek and lofur were more than just two bears。 There were two kinds of beardom opposed here； two futures； two destinies。 lofur had begun to take them in one direction； and Iorek would take them in another； and in the same moment； one future would close forever as the other began to unfold。
As their ritual bat moved toward the second phase； the two bears began to prowl restlessly on the snow； edging forward； swinging their heads。 There was not a flicker of movement from the spectators： but all eyes followed them。
Finally the warriors were still and silent； watching each other face to face across the width of the bat ground。
Then with a roar and a blur of snow both bears moved at the same moment。 Like two great masses of rock balanced on adjoining peaks and shaken loose by an earthquake； which bound down the mountainsides gathering speed； leaping over crevasses and knocking trees into splinters； until they crash into each other so hard that both are smashed to powder and flying chips of stone： that was how the two bears came together。 The crash as they met resounded in the still air and echoed back from the palace wall。 But they weren't destroyed； as rock would have been。 They both fell aside； and the first to rise was Iorek。 He twisted up in a lithe spring and grappled with lofur； whose armor had been damaged by the collision and who couldn't easily raise his head。 Iorek made at once for the vulnerable gap at his neck。 He raked the white fur； and then hooked his claws beneath the edge of lofur's helmet and wrenched it forward。
Sensing the danger； lofur snarled and shook himself as Lyra had seen Iorek shake himself at the water's edge； sending sheets of water flying high into the air。 And Iorek fell away； dislodged； and with a screech of twisting metal lofur stood up tall； straightening the steel of his back plates by sheer strength。 Then like an avalanche he hurled himself down on Iorek； who was still trying to rise。
Lyra felt her own breath knocked out of her by the force of that crashing fall。 Certainly the very ground shook beneath her。 How could Iorek survive that？ He was struggling to twist himself and gain a purchase on the ground； but his feet were uppermost； and lofur had fixed his teeth somewhere near Iorek's throat。 Drops of hot blood were flying through the air： one landed on Lyra's furs； and she pressed her hand to it like a token of love。
Then Iorek's rear claws dug into the links of lofur's chain…mail sark and ripped downward。 The whole front came away； and lofur lurched sideways to look at the damage； leaving Iorek to scramble upright again。
For a moment the two bears stood apart； getting their breath back。 lofur was hampered now by that chain mail； because from a protection it had changed all at once into a hindrance： it was still fastened at the bottom； and trailed around his rear legs。 However； Iorek was worse off。 He was bleeding freely from a wound at his neck； and panting heavily。
But he leaped at lofur before the king could disentangle himself from the clinging chain mail； and knocked him head over heels； following up with a lunge at the bare part of lofur's neck； where the edge of the helmet was bent。 lofur threw him off； and then the two bears were at each other again； throwing up fountains of snow that sprayed in all directions and sometimes made it hard to see who had the advantage。
Lyra watched； hardly daring to breathe； and squeezing her hands together so tight it hurt。 She thought she saw lofur tearing at a wound in Iorek's belly； but that couldn't be right； because a moment lat