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By Root 391 0

been waiting in this same place for ten thousand… (see sketch) This is Flamefang, Elric's own dragon -bondmate from the stories, and he is huge—Elric's about the size of a hamster in comparison. These are what the pyramid thrones were made for and it is on one of these that Flamefang now wakes, bleary and ancient, grey-muzzled, mild-eyed and with massive, but broken and worn away, teeth. (It's important he should be very geriatric-looking.) A little sulphur smoke escapes his wrinkled nostrils and yet a little life sparks in him as he speaks to his old bondmate Elric. Elric reaches a tiny hand to stroke the great snout. There is enormous affection between the two.

ELRIC: “… Flamefang! My old dragonbrother! You still live!”

FLAMEFANG: “… Long enough to serve you, brother, one last time…”

Unlike the others, who are merely astonished, LEG reacts with horror and disgust.

LBG: “Foul sorcery ! Kill the creature while it's weak!”

Elric rounds furiously on LBG, his hand moving to his sword-hilt—

ELRIC: “Watch your tongue, my lord! You speak of my blood brother.”

LBG is mad with fear and anger. Isaak tries to control him and calm him.

LBG: “Then maybe we should kill you both!”

ISAAK: “Silence, old friend. You don't know what you're saying …”

But LBG raves on, careless of Elric's narrowing eyes …

LBG: “This is foulness from the dawn of time! This is the afterbirth of creation! Kill it, Elric—or I shall kill it!”

ELRIC: “Take charge of yourself, my lord—or suffer the consequences ….”

ISAAK: “Listen to him, old friend! Listen to him!”

…But the Desert Wind's blood recognized its ancient enemy—and would not be quieted …

LBG takes a sword and draws back nis arm to aim a blow at the huge ailing beast.

LBG: “The thing's an obscenity! I'll do the deed if you will not!”

ELRIC: “Mortal fool! No man threatens my brother—”

Elric draws Stormbringer, his eyes beginning to blaze—

ELRIC: “—and keeps his soul!”

Isaak shouts out—

ISAAK: “Please, Elric! Spare him. He doesn't understand—”

Elric and LBG clash, sword to sword.

LBG: “Demon!You'll die with that hellspawn!”

LBG's eyes widen in horrified realization as Elric's sword enters his body—

LBG: “Ooohhh! N-O-O-O. My s-s-s-s-o-u-l…”

We pull back to see the sword's glowing black blade, the writhing red runes, as LBG's soul is devoured.

And Elric's face—demonic as he feeds off LBG's soul—

ELRIC: “Thanks, friend, for your lifestuff. It will revive my brother …”

LBG: “—please—n-o-o-o …”

Elric, sword still unsheathed, turns away from LBG towards Flamefang. Isaak kneels beside the Desert Wind, his friend, holding him tenderly and staring with horror at Elric who is already moving towards the dragon, his attention on his vast reptilian brother.

ISAAK: “NOW he'll not see his homeland …”

ELRIC: “We were no threat to him. Here, brother, I bring you food …”

Flamefang's strangely forced tongue wraps itself around the blade… black light courses from metal to flesh … red fire writhes…

… and a fresh light begins to dawn in his ancient, almost lifeless eyes …

Only Rebecca continues to look on.

Her father turns away in distress and horror.

ISAAK: “Oh, great Abraham! How I wish I had never witnessed such an abomination …”

Isaak is weeping as he closes his old friend's still-shrieking eyes.

Rebecca's own strange eyes are shining almost with hero-worship …

ISAAK: “I'd heard all the tales, Elric. Yet still I could not believe you a demon …”

REBECCA: “Demon, Father? He's much more powerful than that…”

Elric and the dragon seem linked in symbiotic semi-trance. A small flume flickers in the great beast's eyes.

FLAMEFANG: “… But my senses are still so dim, brother. I need my old skeffla'a. Did you bring it?”

ELRIC: “Stolen. But there's still hope …”

Close-up of grim-faced albino.

ELRIC: “The thieves are nearby. They believe themselves safe from my vengeance …But I have an ally out there.”

Watching from far away are the Rose and Kwyll’. They are just behind some dunes, but we can see the crests of the pyramids.

Watching them is Tarak-al-Tan-al-Oorn,