按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Then； in sudden new worry； she was looking behind her husband； at the empty street。 〃Where's Mark？〃
〃I don't know。 We were separated。 He may be all right。〃 And from the way the question had been asked； Ben understood that she would have preferred him to be the one still unaccounted for。
Vulcan； standing waist…deep in the swift Corgo； was unhurriedly rending open one of the huge water…gates of steel and iron bars。 He might of course have climbed the city wall； or flown over it somehow； but this mode of entry struck him as more appropriate。 He had made the city his now； and he was going to enter his city through a door。
Shiva； his recently acquired panion； was squatting nearby on the riverbank and watching。 The rivets and other members of the gate were breaking one at a time； parting with loud pops as Vulcan bent his strength upon them； the fragments flying now and then like crossbow bolts。
Vulcan was speaking； but； as often； his words were addressed mainly to himself。 〃If I were capable of mistakes； that would have been one。。。 letting my twelve Blades go so meekly； after I had them forged。 Giving them away to Hermes like that； to be dealt out to the human vermin for the Game。。。 a mistake； yes。 But now I'll make no more。〃
Now Shiva pitched into the river the smoldering treetrunk that he had still been carrying。 The huge spar of wood went into the water with a steamy splash。
As if in reply； there was a swirling in the water； and the nebulous figure of Hades appeared just above its surface。 On the high city wall there were a few human screams。 The few human watchers who had remained in the immediate area were quickly gone； getting themselves out of sight of that god's face； of which it was said that no man or woman might look on it； and live thereafter。
Hades said； in his formless voice； that he had e to bring a warning to his old rade Vulcan。 It was that anyone who used Farslayer could never triumph thereby in the end。
Vulcan glared at him。 〃To a true god； there is no end。 Was that a warning； troglodyte； or a threat？ If you choose to deal in threats； Farslayer is here at my side again； and as you say； I do not hesitate to use it。〃
The almost shapeless words of Hades' answer came back to him： Death and darkness are no more than portions of my domain； Fire…worker； such threats do not concern me。
And again there was a stirring of the river and the earth； and Hades was gone。
Vulcan cast aside the remnants of the gate he had now torn down； and waded through the stone arch it had protected； and went on into the city。 From the inside； Tashigang looked about as he had expected； he had heard that this was the largest city that the human vermin had ever built。 He noted with indifference that the four…armed god Shiva was still following him。
There was a running human figure nearby； caped in blue and gold； and Vulcan bent down and shot out a hand and scooped the creature up； inflicting minimal damage； he wanted some information from it。
〃You； tell me…where is the place you call the House of Courtenay？ I hear that they are hiding some of my Swords in there。〃
He got his directions in a piping voice； the man pointed with the arm that had not been broken by Vulcan's grab。
The Smith let the creature fall； and limped away briskly through the streets。 But now Apollo's head loomed over a nearby rooftop。
〃Beware； Smith。 We must meet and think and try to talk about all this。 I am calling a council。。。〃
〃Beware yourself。 We've met and talked enough； for ages； and got nowhere。 And think？ Who among us can do that？ Maybe you。 Who else wants to？ I don't。 I just want what is mine。〃
He marched on； moving quickly in his uneven gait。 A street or two later； there was another interruption。 Atop an indented curve of the great city wall； which was here only about as high as Vulcan's head； a human in green and gray was brandishing some unknown Sword； as if daring the gods to attack him。 It must be a Sword in which the man had confidence。
Vulcan detoured to confront this man。 Shiva； interested； was staying right with him。
The tiny teeth of the man on the wall were chattering。 But he got out the words he was trying to say： 〃This is Doomgiver！ Stay back！〃
〃Doomgiver； hey？〃 That particular Sword had been； in the back of Vulcan's thoughts； a lingering concern。 Wishing to take no chances； he aimed a hard swing with the Sword of Force。 Its thudding sound built in a moment to explosive volume。 There was a dazzling flash； a thunderclap of sound； as the two Blades came in contact； opposing each other directly。
Vulcan stood there； blinking at ruin and destruction。 A chunk of stone as big as his fist had been blasted out of the wall before his eyes。 Of the human being who had been standing on the wall； holding the opposing Sword； there was almost nothing left。 Although Shieldbreaker appeared the same as ever； there appeared to be no trace of Doomgiver。
〃Doomgiver； gone？ Just like that？ No； there must be some pieces here； I'll find them； and carry them back to my forge； and make it new！〃
But that proved to be impossible。 Though Vulcan diminished himself to half his previous height； the better to search for tiny scattered objects； he could not turn up even the smallest fragment of the shattered blade。 He found only the black hilt； bearing the simple white circle； a line returning on itself。 The Sword of Justice was no more。
He told himself that he might still try to recast it； some day； beginning the job from the beginning again； but he was not sure now that he remembered how he had acplished it the first time。 And anyway； what need had he of a Sword of Justice now？ Just twenty years ago； things had been simpler； all the gods knew what they were doing then； and what they were supposed to do； and no human being had yet thought of challenging their rule。
Vulcan was angry； as he went limping on toward the House of Courtenay。
Over rooftops he saw the heads of Apollo； Zeus； and Diana； e to chide and challenge him again。
Diana demanded： 〃Why did you strike down Mars？〃
He snarled at them all： 〃Because he insulted me； and bothered me！ Who needed Mars； anyway？ What was he good for？ And as for the Great Dog； I'm not even sure he's dead。 I wasted no time on him； one way or the other。〃
As soon as Vulcan swelled himself back to his usual height； and waved Shieldbreaker at them； the protestors fell back out of his way； as he had known they would。
〃By my forge； I think that this must be the house。〃
The four…story building； standing close by one of the branches of the river； had already been attacked by someone else； and was still smoking。 On the flat roof of the house； amid vines and flowers and garden paths； a human stood。 The little creature was strong and bulky for a mere man； and held another Sword in hand。
Shiva pounced forward； meaning to take that weapon for his own。 He ignored Vulcan's rumbled warning。
The Sword in the man's hand screamed with its own power。 By the shrill note Vulcan recognized it； at once and with satisfaction。 Townsaver！
The god of the four arms screamed too； in pain； not triumph； and pulled back a badly mangled hand。 The injured god ran reeling； devastating small buildings as he crashed into them。 His screams continued without pause； as his bounding； bouncing flight took him away to the city walls again； and over the walls and out of sight。
〃Hah； the fool！〃 Vulcan grumbled to himself in satisfaction。 〃Now I'll take that Sword too。 Or else see it destroyed； like the other。〃
He stepped close to the man on the roof； and slashed quickly with the Sword of Force； right to left and back again。 With the motion of his arm his right fist struck a corner of the building； close to the part of the roof where the man was standing。 As the two Swords came in contact； and the Sword of Fury disappeared in another explosive flash； the building opened up under the impact of Vulcan's fist； and the man who had been holding Townsaver dropped down inside the walls； disappearing in a cloud of dust and a small landslide of debris。
〃That must have been Townsaver； by its voice。。。 but； by the Spear of Mars； it's gone now too！ Damnation to all human vermin who destroy my property！ But there may be other Swords in this nest。 He who told me said more than one。〃
Vulcan considered the battered structure； its roof terrace gaping at the corner where his fist had struck； its lower floors blackened on the outside and still smoldering where someone had earlier tried an assault by fire。 It would be easy enough to pull the house down； but it would be awkward to sift the whole pile of wreckage for his Swords afterward。 No。
After taking thought for a few more moments； the Smith shrank himself once more； this time to little more than human size。 Now he ought to be able to enter most of their rooms and passages。 The shrinkage of course left his strength undiminished； and had the extra advantage of making it easier for him to grip Shieldbreaker's merely man…sized hilt。
He kept the Sword of Force in hand and ready； just in case the building when entered might contain surprises。
There was no need to kick the front door in； someone had already taken care of that。 Inside； he encountered first a pile of ugly human dead； nothing that he wanted there。 He could tell now that there were some live ones also present in the building； but so far they were all trying to hide from him。 It didn't matter what they did。 He'd seek out what he wanted。
This was some kind of human workshop here。 It was well stocked with weapons； but none of divine manufacture。
The Smith shouted： 〃You might as well bring them out to me！ I forged them； all of them； and they are mine！〃
Next he kicked open a wall； behind which； his senses told him； there was some kind of a hidden door； but all he uncovered； all that had been hidden here for safety； were a plump human girl and the small child she was trying to shelter。
〃Hah！ This is their treasure？〃 The ways and thoughts of humankind were sometimes small beneath all Vulcan's prehension。
Now a light weight of some kind fell from some where to land on Vulcan's neck； and it took him a moment to realize that it was in fact a living human body。 A man had just jumped deliberately upon him； from above and behind。 A lone man； whose weaponless arms； looked around Vulcan's mighty neck； were straining in an evident effort to strangle him。
The god laughed at this puny assault； laughed at it； when he got around to noticing it for what it was。 At first it did not even distract him fully from his search。 The Swords； the Swords。。。 there ought to be at least one more of them around here somewhere。。。
He would have them all； or he would destroy them all； to perfect and insure his ultimate power over the other gods and goddesses。 So； they thought the Game had been abandoned； did they？ Well； it was over now； or very nearly over。 But not abandoned。 No。 He； the Smith； the cripple； was winning it； he had almost won。。。 and； just to be sure of course； he needed the Swords to perfect his power over men and women too。 He wanted at some time to be able to put Shieldbreaker down and rest； but he thought that time would not e while even one of the other eleven remained in other hands than his； or unaccounted for。
He had turned away from the girl and the baby； ignoring them even as he forgot the rag of living human flesh that was a large； strong man still hanging on his neck。 He would brush that away the next time that he thought of it。
Now Vulcan's progress was blocked by a strong； closed door； and he grabbed with his free hand at a projecting corner of the doorframe； intending to tear the whole framework loose。
But he met startling resistance。 Here was mere wood and stone； and of no heroic dimensions； refusing to yield to him。
Still； such was the Smith's impatience that his first concern was still getting through the door； and not wondering why he could not。 Instinctively he used Shieldbreaker on the door； which now gave way quite satisfactorily。
Irritated by the delay； and more so by the fact that the room uncovered this time was empty； Vulcan became more fully aware of another irritation； the man who was still hanging on his back。 The god； reaching back with his free hand to peel the annoyance o