Part 15 (1/2)
232
233”Very well, indeed,” said Totila He s you not long ago, soout for the best”
”The best is all I wish for ance in recent days, and noondered if his craft was under the influence of so fail? He could see no way at all
Without preaer of the pyres ”Thus I give final rest to the spirit of ians”
He walked to the lesser pyre and there was gru was supposed to last for hours This was not proper, but they were about to be shocked still further
”The Cambres coarth In open-mouthed stupefaction, they saw that the whole host of the Ca the plain In the forefront they could see Alcuina
”Sacrilege!” said Totila with er in his voice ”Surely even the most desperate of men would not violate a funeral!”
”They bear their spears point-down,” said the elder of the Thungians ”And they bring Alcuina with them Perhaps they wish to pay their final respects”
A broad smile divided Totila's beard ”No They have come to surrender Why else would Alcuina come herself? Well, we must prepare to receive her prop-erly” He strode toward the arriving party with lil, Alcuina,” he called when they were a few paces apart ”It is good to see that you have come to your senses and decided to end this without further bloodshed”
”What do you mean,, Totila?” Alcuina asked ”I have come to attend your double funeral Royalty should not fail to attend such ceremonies”
”Especially since one of the pyres is mine!” called a voice
Speechless, Totila watched as the crowd parted, and four thralls eild, pale, bandaged, but unled in disbelief, then cheered and began to surge toward the youth He pointed a finger at lilma
”That wizard made the phantom that bore my appear-ance! The phantom slew Odoac, not I!”
Without hesitation, Totila whirled, drawing his sword Before lilh his shoulder and did not stop until it reached his waist Totila placed a foot against the dying carcass and pushed it free of his sword He turned back to face Alcuina
”Thus do I punish such wickedness! I assure you, lady, that I had no knowledge of this thing I thought that I had avenged the death of Odoac” He gestured at the body of the wizard ”Now I have”
Alcuina's lips curved slightly ”You are truly a man of quick decision, but it will not save you this ti”
As if in confir away fro them-selves beside the Cambres
Totila dropped hisif there are no others alive!” He advanced upon Alcuina and Leovigild, but now the 234
235black-haired champion stood before him with shi+eld and draord
”It is tiot acquainted,” said Conan
”Aye,” said Totila ”For too long has my cloak been destitute of a black scalp If you can make me tarry with you a while, you arht his shi+eld The people backed away to give theh of anticipation This would be a rare spectacle
King and champion circled, crouched well behind their shi+elds Totila attacked first, springing in to swing a swift horizontal chop at Conan's head Instead of blocking with his shi+eld, the Ci at Totila's waist But the bloas deliberately short and passed in front of Totila's shi+eld Quick as thought, Conan reversed the blow and cut a backhand blow at Totila's unshi+elded side Instead of bringing his shi+eld across his body, Totila reversed his own blow, bringing his blade doard and across to block Conan's sith his flat, a finger's width froe, in praise of the th of arm and wrist needed to reverse two such heavy swords inapart for the next attack, but these two kept up a dazzling exchange of blows, cutting at leg, flank, shoul-der, and head with bewildering rapidity Ti on cuirass, helhters that the blows never landed squarely, but always glanced from the armor with little harm done
It seemed impossible that mortal men could sustain such a pace in their co Their shi+elds were hacked and their arher in the sky they continued to attack one another with the relentless fury ofover their har-ems Neither would abate his attack until the other lay stretched stark upon the ground