Американские боги

           Thiswasneverintendedtobeawar.Andifanyofyouthinkthisisawar,youaredeludingyourselves."Heheardgrumblingnoisesfrombothsides.Hehadimpressednobody.

           "Wearefightingforoursurvival,"lowedaminotaurfromonesideofthearena.

           "Wearefightingforourexistence,"shoutedamouthinapillarofglitteringsmoke,fromtheother.

           "Thisisabadlandforgods,"saidShadow.Asanopeningstatementitwasn’tFriends,Romans,Countrymen,butitwoulddo."You’veprobablyalllearnedthat,inyourownway.Theoldgodsareignored.Thenewgodsareasquicklytakenupastheyareabandoned,castasideforthenextbigthing.Eitheryou’vebeenforgotten,oryou’rescaredyou’regoingtoberenderedobsolete,ormaybeyou’rejustgettingtiredofexistingonthewhimofpeople."

           Thegrumbleswerefewernow.Hehadsaidsomethingtheyagreedwith.Now,whiletheywerelistening,hehadtotellthemthestory.

           "Therewasagodwhocameherefromafarland,andwhosepowerandinfluencewanedasbeliefinhimfaded.Hewasagodwhotookhispowerfromsacrifice,andfromdeath,andespeciallyfromwar.Hewouldhavedeathsofthosewhofellinwardedicatedtohim—wholebattlefieldswhich,intheoldcountry,gavehimpowerandsustenance.

           "Nowhewasold.Hemadehislivingasagrifter,workingwithanothergodfromhispantheon,agodofchaosanddeceit.Togethertheyrookedthegullible.