At length we reached their lines, passing through a storm of arrows, and
there began such a battle as I had never heard of or even dreamed. With
axes, stone-headed clubs and spears, both armies fought furiously,
and though the Incas still outnumbered us by two to one, because of my
training our regiments drove them back. Lord after lord rushed at me
with glaring eyes, but my mail turned their copper spears and knives
of flint. Oh! Wave-Flame fed full that day, and if Thorgrimmer my
forefather could have seen us from his home in Valhalla, surely he must
have sworn by Odin that never had he given it such a feast.
The Inca warriors grew afraid and shrank back.
"This Red-Beard from the sea is indeed a god. He cannot be slain!" I
heard them cry.
Then Urco appeared, bloody and furious, shouting:
"Cowards! I will show you whether he cannot be slain."
He rushed onward to meet--not me, but Huaracha, who seeing that I was
weary, had leapt in front of me. They fought, and Huaracha went down and
was dragged away by some of his servants.
Now Urco and I were face to face, he wielding a huge copper-headed club
with which, as my mail could not be pierced, he thought to batter out
my life.
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