The men exchanged glances and shrugged."Stand witness, girl, if you have the stomach for it," the blond mansaid.' He led the way down a beaten side-trail marked in red.

      A hundred yards below the cabin afifteen-foot ring was laid out, marked by a flat plastic rim of bright yellowand an outer fringe of gravel. The center was flat, finely barbered turf, aperfect disk of green lawn. This was the battle circle, heart of this world'sculture.

      The black-haired man removed his harnessand jacket to expose the physique of a giant, great sheathes of muscle overlaidshoulders, rib-cage and belly, and his neck and waist were thick. He drew hissword: a gleaming length of tempered steel with a beaten silver hilt. He flexedit in the air a few times and tested it on a nearby sapling. A single swing andthe tree fell, cleanly severed at the base.

      The other opened his barrow and drew fortha similar weapon from a compartment. Packed beside it were dagger,singlesticks, a club, the metal ball of a morningstar mace and the longquarterstaff. "You master all these weapons?" the girl inquired, astonished.He only nodded.

      The two men approached the circle andfaced each other across it, toes touching the outer rim. "I contest forthe name," the blond declared, "by sword, staff, stick, star, knifeand club. Select an alternate, and this is unnecessary."

      "I will go nameless first," thedark one replied: "By the sword I claim the name, and if I ever takeanother weapon it will be only to preserve that name. Take your bestinstrument: I will match with my blade."

      "For name and weapons, then," theblond said, beginning to show anger. "The victor will possess them all.But, since I wish you no personal harm, I will instead oppose you with thestaff."

      "Agreed!" It was the other'sturn to glower. "The one who is defeated yields the name and these sixweapons, nor will he ever lay claim to any of these again!"