'I seek in it the Truth, ' Elric said guardedly.
‘There is no Truth but that of Eternal struggle, ' the scarlet-flamed giant said with conviction;
'What rules above the forces of Law and Chaos?'
Elric asked. 'What controls your destinies as it controls mine?'
The giant frowned.’That question, I cannot answer. I do not know. There is only the Balance.’
'Then perhaps the Book will tell us who holds it.' Elric said purposefully. 'Let me pass tell me where it lies.'
The giant moved back, smiling ironically.’It lies in a small chamber in the central tower. I have sworn never to venture there, otherwise I might even lead the way. Go if you like my duty is over.’
Elric, Moonglum and Shaarilla stepped towards the entrance of the castle, but before they entered, the giant spoke warningly from behind them.
'I have been told that the knowledge contained in the Book could swing the balance on the side of the forces of Law. This disturbs me but, it appears, there is another possibility which disturbs me even more.'
'What is that?' Elric said.
‘It could create such a tremendous impact on the multiverse that complete entropy would result. My Masters do not desire that, for it could mean the destruction of all matter in the end. We exist only to fight not to win, but to preserve the eternal struggle.'
'I care not, ' Elric told him. 'I have little to lose, Orunlu the Keeper.'
‘Then go.’ The giant strode across the courtyard into blackness.
Inside the tower, light of a pale quality illuminated winding steps leading upwards. Elric began to climb them in silence, moved by his own doom-filled purpose. Hesitantly, Moonglum and Shaarilla fob lowed in his path, their faces set in hopeless acceptance.
On and upward the steps mounted, twisting tortuously towards their goal, until at last they came to the chamber, full of blinding light, many-coloured and scintillating, which did not penetrate outwards at all-but remained confined to the room which housed it.
Blinking, shielding his red eyes with his arm, Elric pressed forward and, through slitted pupils saw the source of the light lying on a small stone dais in the centre of the room.
Equally troubled by the bright light, Shaarilla and Moonglum followed him into the room and stood in awe at what they saw.
It was a huge book the Dead Gods' Book, its covers encrusted with alien gems from which the light sprang. It gleamed, it throbbed with light and brilliant colour.
'At last, ' Elric breathed, 'At last the Truth! '
He stumbled forward like a man made stupid with drink, his pale hands reaching for the thing he had sought with such savage bitterness. His hands touched the pulsating cover of the Book and, trembling, turned it back.
'Now, I shall learn, ' he said, half-gloatingly.
With a crash, the cover fell to the floor, sending the bright-gems skipping and dancing over the paving stones. Beneath Elric's twitching hands lay nothing but a pile of yellowish dust.
'No! ' His scream was anguished, unbelieving. 'No! '
Tears flowed down his contorted face as he ran his hands through the fine dust. With a groan which racked his whole being, he fell forward, his face hitting the disintegrated parchment, Time had destroyed the Book untouched, possibly forgotten, for three hundred centuries. Even the wise and powerful Gods who had created it had perished and now its knowledge followed them into oblivion.
They stood on the slopes of the high mountain, staring down into the green valleys below them. The sun shone and the sky was clear and blue. Behind them lay the gaping hole which led into the stronghold of the Lords of Entropy. Elric looked with sad eyes across the world and his head was lowered beneath a weight of weariness and dark despair. He had not spoken since his companions had dragged him sobbing from the chamber of the Book. Now he raised his pale face and spoke in a voice tinged with self-mockery, sharp with bitterness a lonely voice: the calling of hungry seabirds circling cold skies above bleak shores.
'Now, ' he said, 'I will live my life without ever knowing why I live it whether it has purpose or not. Perhaps the Book could have told me. But would I have believed it, even then? I am the eternal sceptic -never sure that my actions are my own; never certain that-an ultimate entity is not guiding me.
'I envy those who know. All I can do now is to continue my quest and hope, without hope, that before my span is ended, the truth will be presented to me.'
Shaarilla took his limp hands in hers and her eyes were wet.
'Elric let me comfort you.'
The albino sneered bitterly. 'Would that we'd never met, Shaarilla of the Dancing Mist. For a while, you gave me hope I had thought to be at last at peace with myself. But, because of you. I am left more hopeless than before. There is no salvation in this world only malevolent doom. Goodbye.'
He took his hands away from her grasp and set off down the mountainside.
Moonglum darted a glance at Shaarilla and then at Elric. He took something from his purse and put it in the girl's hand.
'Good luck, ' he said, and then he was running after Elric until he caught him up.
Still striding, Elric turned at Moonglum's approach and, despite his brooding misery said: 'What is it, friend Moonglum? Why do you follow me?'
I've followed you thus far, Master Elric, and I see no reason to stop, ' grinned the little man. 'Besides, unlike yourself, I'm a materialist. We'll need to eat, you know.'
Elric frowned, feeling a warmth growing within him. 'What do you mean, Moonglum?'
Moonglum chuckled. 'I take advantage of situations of any kind, where I may, ' he answered. He reached into his purse and displayed something on his outstretched hand which shone with a dazzling brilliancy. It was one of the jewels from the cover of the Book. 'There are more in my purse, ' he said, 'And each one worth a fortune.' He took Elric's arm.
'Come, Elric what new lands shall we visit so that we may change these baubles into wine and pleasant company?'
Behind them, standing stock still on the hillside, Shaarilla stared miserably after them until they were no longer visible. The jewel Moonglum had given her dropped from her fingers and fell, bouncing and bright, until it was lost amongst the heather. Then she turned and the dark mouth of the cavern yawned before her.
Book Three
THE SINGING CITADEL
In which Elric has his first dealings with Pan Tang, Yishana of Jharkor, the sorcerer Theleb K'aarna, and learns something more of the Higher Worlds...
ONE
The turquoise sea was peaceful in the golden light of early evening, and the two men at the rail of the ship stood in silence, looking north to the misty horizon. One was tall and slim, wrapped in a heavy black cloak, its cowl flung back to reveal his long, milkwhite hair; the other was short and red-headed. 'She was a fine woman and she loved you, ' said the short man at length. 'Why did you leave her so abruptly?'
'She was a fine woman, ' the tall one replied, 'but she would have loved me to her cost. Let her seek her own land and stay there. I have already slain one woman whom I loved, Moonglum. I would not slay another.'
Moonglum shrugged. 'I sometimes wonder, Elric, if this grim destiny of yours is the figment of your own guilt-ridden mood.'
'Perhaps, ' Elric replied carelessly. 'But I do not care to test the theory. Let's speak no more of this.'
The sea foamed and rushed by as the oars disrupted the surface, driving the ship swiftly towards the port of Dhakos, capital of Jharkor, one of the most powerful of the Young Kingdoms. Less than two years previously Jharkor's king, Darmit, had died in the ill-fated raid on Imrryr, and Elric had heard that the men of Jharkor blamed him for the young king's death, though this was not the case. He cared little whether they blamed him or not, for he was still disdainful of the greater part of mankind.
'Another hour will see nightfall, and it's unlikely we'll sail at night, ' Moonglum said. 'I'm to bed, I think.'
Elric was about to reply when he was interrupted by a high-pitc
hed shout from the crows nest.
‘Sail on larboard stern!’
The lookout must have been half asleep, for the ship bearing down on them could easily be made out from the deck. Elric stepped aside as the captain, a dark-faced Tarkeshite, came running along the deck.
'What's the ship, captain?' called Moonglum.
'A Pan Tang trireme a warship. They're on ramming course.'
The captain ran on, yelling orders to the helm to turn the ship aside. Elric and Moonglum crossed the deck to see the trireme better. She was a black-sailed ship, painted black and heavily gilded, with three rowers to an oar as against their two. She was big and yet elegant, with a high curving stern and a low prow. Now they could see the waters broken by her big, brass sheathed ram. She had two lateen-rigged sails, and the wind was in her favour.
The rowers were in a panic as they sweated to turn the ship according to the helmsman's orders. Oars rose and fell in confusion and Moonglum turned to Elric with a half-smile.
'They'll never do it. Best ready your blade, friend.'
Pan Tang was an isle of sorcerers, fully human, who sought to emulate the old power of Melnibone. Their fleets were among the best in the Young Kingdoms and raided with little discrimination. The Theocrat of Pan Tang, chief of the priest-aristocracy, was Jagreen Lern, who was reputed to have a pact with the powers of Chaos and a plan to rule the world.
Elric regarded the men of Pan Tang as upstarts Who could never hope to mirror the glory of his ancestors, but even he had to admit that this ship was impressive and would easily win a fight with the Tarkeshite galley.
Soon the great trireme was bearing down on them and captain and helmsman fell silent as they realized they could not evade the ram. With a harsh sound of crushed timbers, the ram connected with the stern, holing the galley beneath the waterline.
Elric stood immobile, watching as the trireme's grappling irons hurtled towards their galley's deck. Somewhat half-heartedly, knowing they were no match for the well-trained and well-armoured Pan Tang crew, the Tarkeshites ran towards the stern, preparing to resist the boarders.
Moonglum cried urgently: 'Elric we must help! '
Reluctantly Elric nodded. He was loathe to draw the runesword from its scabbard at his side. Of late its power seemed to have increased.
Now the scarlet-armoured warriors were swinging towards where the Tarkeshites waited. The first wave, armed with broadswords and battle-axes, hit the sailors, driving them back.
Now Elric's hand fell to the hilt of Stormbringer. As he gripped it and drew it, the blade gave an odd, disturbing moan, as if of anticipation, and a weird black radiance flickered along its length. Now it throbbed in Elric's hand like something alive as the albino ran forward to aid the Tarkeshite sailors. Already half the defenders had been hewed down and as the rest retreated, Elric, with Moonglum at his heels, moved forward. The scarlet-armoured warriors' expressions changed from grim triumph to startlement as Elric's great black-blade shrieked up and down and clove through a man's armour from shoulder to lower ribs.
Evidently they recognized him and the sword, for both were legendary. Though Moonglum was a skilled swordsman, they all but ignored him as they realized that they must concentrate all their strength on bringing Elric down if they were to survive.
The old, wild killing-lust of his ancestors now dominated Elric as the blade reaped souls. He and the sword became one and it was the sword, not Elric, that was in control. Men fell on all sides, screaming more in horror than in pain as they realized what the sword had drawn from them. Four came at him with axes whistling. He sliced off one's head, cut a deep gash in another's midriff, lopped off an arm, and drove the blade point first into the heart of the last. Now the Tarkeshites were cheering, following after Elric and Moonglum as they cleared the sinkhag galley's decks of attackers.
Howling like a wolf, Elric grabbed a’ rope part of the black and gold trireme's rigging and swung towards the enemy's decks. 'Follow him! ' Moonglum yelled. 'This is our, only chance this ship's doomed! '
The trireme had raised decks fore and aft. On the foredeck stood the captain, splendid in scarlet and blue, his face aghast at this turn of events. He had expected to get his prize effortlessly, now it seemed he was to be the prize!
Stormbringer sang a wailing song as Elric pressed towards the foredeck, a song that was at once triumphant and ecstatic. The remaining warriors no longer rushed at him, and concentrated on Moonglum, who was leading the Tarkeshite crew, leaving Elric's path to the captain clear.
The captain, a member of the theocracy, would be harder to vanquish than his men. As Elric moved towards him, he noted that the man's armour had a peculiar glow to it it had been sorcerously treated. The captain was typical of his kind stocky, heavily-bearded, with malicious black eyes over a strong, hooked nose. His lips were thick and red and he was smiling a little as, with axe in one hand and sword in the other, he prepared to meet Elric, who was running up the steps.
Elric gripped Stormbringer in both hands and lunged for the captain's stomach, but the man stepped sideways and parried with his sword, swinging the axe left-handed at Elric's unprotected head. The albino had to sway to one side, staggered, and fell to the deck, rolling as the broadsword thudded into the deck, just missing his shoulder. Stormbringer seemed to-rise of its own accord to block a further axe blow and then chopped upwards to sheer off the head near the handle. The captain cursed and discarded the handle, gripped his broadsword in both hands and raised it. Again Stormbringer acted a fraction sooner than Eric's own reactions. He drove the blade up towards the man's heart. The magic treated armour stopped it for a second; but then Stormbringer shrilled a chilling, wailing song, shuddered as if summoning more strength, slipped on the armour again. And then the magic armour split like a nutshell, leaving Elric's opponent bare-chested, his arms still raised for the strike. His eyes widened. He backed away, his sword forgotten, his gaze fixed on the evil runeblade as it struck him under the breastbone and drove in. He grimaced, whimpered, and dropped his sword, clutching instead at the blade, which was sucking out his soul.
'By Chardros not not aahhh! '
He died knowing that even his soul was not safe from the hell-blade borne by the wolf-faced albino. Elric wrenched Stormbringer from the corpse, feeling his own vitality increase as the sword passed on its stolen energy: refusing to consider the knowledge that he needed the sword the more he used it.
On the deck of the trireme, only the galley-slaves were left alive. But the deck was tilting badly, for the trireme's ram and grapples still tied it to the sinking Tarkeshite ship.
'Cut the grappling ropes and back water quickly! '
Elric yelled. Sailors, realizing what was happening, leapt forward to do as he ordered. The slaves backed water, and the ram came out: with a groan of split wood. The grapples were cut and the doomed galley set adrift.
Elric counted the survivors. Less than half the crew were alive, and their captain .had died in the first onslaught. He addressed the slaves.
'If you'd have your freedom, row well towards Dhakos, ' he called. The sun was setting, but now that he was in command he decided to sail through the night by the stars.
Moonglum shouted incredulously: 'Why offer them their freedom? We could sell them in Dhakos and thus be paid for today's exertion! '
Elric shrugged. 'I offer them freedom because I choose to, Moonglum.'
The redhead sighed and turned to supervise the throwing of the dead and wounded overboard. He would never understand the albino, he decided. It was probably for the best.
And that was how Elric came to enter Dhakos in some style, when he had originally intended to slip into the city without being recognized.
Leaving Moonglum to negotiate the sale of the trireme and divide the money between the crew and himself, Elric drew his hood over his head and pushed through the crowd which had collected, making for an inn he knew of by the west gate of the city.
TWO
Later that night, when Moon
glum had gone to bed, Elric sat in the tavern room drinking. Even the most enthusiastic of the night's roisterers had left when they had noticed with whom they shared the room; and now Elric sat alone, the only light coming from a guttering reed torch over the outside door, Now the door opened and a richly-dressed youth stood there, staring in.
'I seek the White Wolf, ' he said, his head at a questioning angle. He could not see Elric clearly.
'I'm sometimes called that name in these parts, ' Eltic said calmly. 'Do you seek Elric of Melnibone?'
'Aye. I have a message.' The youth came in, keeping his cloak wrapped about him, for the room was cold though Elric did not notice it.
'I am Count Yolan, deputy-commander of the city guard, ' the youth said arrogantly, coming up to the table at which Elric sat and studying the albino rudely. 'You are brave to come here so openly. Do you think the folk of Jharkor have such short memories they can forget that you led their king into a trap scarce two years since?'
Elric sipped his wine, then said from behind the rim of his cup: 'This is rhetoric, Count Yolan. What is your message?'
Yolan's assured manner left him; he made a rather weak gesture. 'Rhetoric to you, perhaps but I for one feel strongly on the matter. Would not King Darmit be here today if you had not fled from the battle that broke the power of the Sea Lords and your own folk? Did you not use your sorcery to aid you in your flight, instead of using it to aid the men who thought they were your comrades?'
Elric sighed. 'I know your purpose here was not to bait me in this manner. Darmit died on board his flagship during the first attack on Imrryr's sea-maze, not in the subsequent battle.'
'You sneer at my questions and then proffer lame lies to cover your own cowardly deed, ' Yolan said bitterly. 'If I had my way you'd be fed to your hellblade there I've heard what happened earlier.'
The Weird of the White Wolf (elric saga) Page 9