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scramble
up onto the shore.
Now a few more of the gods, their noble heads newly ensconced in bronze
helmets,
came flying out of the fortress, some in chariots and some running like deer
with flying Sandals, in a wild sortie.
Immediately several Giants' arms were lifted and pointed at them, blasting
the
deities with their special weapon. But this time our foes were confounded
when
the devices for the first time failed to work, or had only marginal effect,
even
at close range.
Roaring in triumph, our gods, using their own characteristic weapons, struck
down a number of Giants, and the rest fell back in a disorderly retreat. The
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lightning of Zeus struck left and right, the Arrows of Apollo flew, the spear
of
Mars thrust again and again, with effective violence.
I saw more than one of the Giants' balloons explode into flames, flaring
spectacularly when lightning struck, and dropping their weighty burdens on
rock
or into the sea.
One came down very close to where I stood. The gasbags that gave the huge
body
buoyancy were pierced by missiles. The Giant's huge frame tottered, and he
stumbled on his massive, slow-moving feet. Missiles of his own, that he had
not
had time to throw, cascaded from his hands to crash hard on the distant
ground,
and his vast arms, with fingers spread, went groping blindly. More lightning
bolts seared down, to right and left, each momentarily painting one side of
his
body a pure electric white.
His body hit the earth with a crushing impact. The frame of any Giant who
fell
for any considerable distance broke to pieces on contact with the ground.
The losses were not all on one side. I saw some lesser god, whom I could not
recognize at that distance, struck down, mashed flat by a huge rock. The
victim's god-Face came bursting from his head and went spinning away to fall
into the sea. I believe the only human to witness that loss was myself, and I
neither needed nor wanted whatever extra powers that Face might have
conveyed.
If the tales of magic that we all believed were true, then sometime,
somewhere,
it would be washed ashore where human hands could pick it up.
Meanwhile I still had taken no part in the fight myself and was frantically
casting about for some way of actually getting into action. So far, none of
our
adversaries had come within my reach. (I knew that with a little exertion, I
could jump for a great distance; but occasional practice sessions, early in
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life, had convinced me that I could never be exactly sure just where I was
going
to come down.)
Months ago, on entering my combat with Antaeus, I had expected a struggle not
intrinsically different from an ordinary wrestling match. But now, having
survived and profited from that experience, I had some idea of what I was up
against. I could only suppose that the truly huge Giants would be vastly
stronger even than Antaeus, their bodies tougher and harder to wound or
break. I
wanted to take full advantage of my new, bigger, heavier club, but I also
vowed
to tear my opponent apart with my bare hands, if that proved necessary.
I contemplated jumping, or falling, to the ground and attacking one of the
advancing Giants at foot level. But Fate provided a more promising
opportunity.
From the high roof of Vulcan's enormous dwelling I could look right down on
the
shaggy head of one of the taller Giants as the huge intruder tried to break
his
way in through what looked like the laboratory's front door.
The business was slightly complicated by the fact that he was actually
wearing a
kind of helmet, which appeared to be made of several thicknesses of tough
leather. But I thought that ought to make little difference to my club.
Boldly I leaped onto my adversary's head, and with my free hand I clutched a
handful of his coarse, shaggy hair to keep myself in position. Then with my
club
I belabored his padded skull.
In such a position I could strike only awkwardly, so it seemed to me that I
was
only tapping. Still my victim screamed and fell to his knees; his skull was
thick, but it was not hard and thick enough.
I had been expecting my gargantuan opponent to collapse as soon as his head
was
severely damaged, but the collapse was not as quick or as complete as I had
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hoped.
I pounded him some more, and then leaped free when his body crashed
face-first
along the stony shore.
* * *
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