Elric in the Dream Realms - Michael Moorcock [112]
As the giant comes roaring up to defend the Actorios, Elric gets between himself and the glaring red crystal. Puts influence on giant, using the crystal as a sort of amplifier of his powers.
ELRIC: “Through wizard’s eyes and red stones stare
By Arioch’s will and Arioch’s glare…
By fiery crystal, blazing light… Submit to me your giantly might!”
GIANT: “That is a powerful and dangerous spell, master. Hate thee as I do, I am bound to obey thee.”
Elric clings to the giant’s single scalp-lock as he poises on the edge of the city wall, like a diver ready to dive into a pool. Elric has the Actorios in his bag.
GIANT: “I have done you no wrong, Prince Elric. I shall die in agony but I can only obey…
Dives—
Elric on the giant’s head, clinging to the scalp-lock, the giant swims through lava, his skin burning.
At edge of the lake of lava, White Crow jumps off the giant, who is dying, drowning as he is sucked back into the lava. White Crow begins to run, the raven flying overhead.
GIANT: “You will pay a price for your lack of mercy, Prince Elric. Mark my words …”
And then White Crow ran home.
CHAPTER FIVE
The Swearing of Oaths
White Crow is returning home, the sack over his back. It is summer.
The arrogant young rebel, Tvarim Kha, sees him approaching the camp and scowls in rage. He had expected White Crow to die on his quest.
TVARIM KHA: “So he survived the quest! We must end this prince’s run of luck…”
Elsewhere—Yyrkoon puts an enchantment on Tanglebones so that his men can go in and finish off Elric—
YYRKOON: “There! The oldster’s enchanted. Now do your work …”
Elric arrives at Varnik’s wigwam. Varnik is almost as surprised to see him as Tvarim Kha.
VARNIK: “White Crow! You have it. And just in time!”
Elric holds the sack back from Varnik’s eager fingers. In his other hand Varnik holds what looks like a lance-blade with a half-moon female joint for the haft. But the Actorios will actually fit there.
VARNIK: “Give me the Actorios. I know what to do!”
ELRIC: “Not until you have sworn the oath we agreed! After you have used it, you must return the blade to Grome.”
VARNIK: “Quickly! Very well, I swear. I swear to do as you ask.”
Enter Tvarim Kha.
TVARIM KHA: “There’s no time left for the keeping of oaths. Your bloodline is about to end!”
At the same time, Yyrkoon’s bravos push into the dream chamber, ready to kill Elric as he lies helpless.
And meanwhile Tvarim Khas men follow him into the tent as White Crow yells urgently to Varnik:
ELRIC: “Brother—the blade—to me!”
A fraction of a second’s hesitation and Varnik tosses the black blade to White Crow/Elric, while taking up another lance of his own.
The assassins press closer.
Elric fits the Actorios into the hilt. It still doesn’t have a handle and crossbar, but he can wield the lance blade like a sword, two-handed.
And now a bizarre light burns in White Crow/Elric’s crimson eyes. The Actorios brings red runes to the black iron. They ripple up and down its length, unstable and dangerous.
Black Sword in his hands, White Crow engages the bravos.
ELRIC/WHITE CROW: “By great Arioch, I’ll take you all with me!”
In old-fashioned demonic glee, Elric lays about him with the sword and the wicked plotters go down like scythed wheat…
Weaponless, Varnik lies panting against the side of the tent as Elric finishes the last of the terrified attackers.
Elric finishes Tvarim Kha.
Meanwhile…
Tanglebones wakes from his enchantment to see with astonishment—
—the bodies of Yyrkoon’s assassins, lying everywhere in the chamber.
And, in the prone Elric’s right hand, the shadowy, fading shape of the Black Sword. Tanglebones reaches towards it, but it vanishes.
TANGLEBONES: “Wicked sorcery as I lay entranced—yet the danger’s been averted! How—? Aha!”
Tanglebones stands over the sleeping Elric. The sword has gone, but there are splashes of blood on his body from those he has killed.
TANGLEBONES: “The sword! That damnable sword preserves its own existence …”
White Crow hands the sword to his brother, Prince Varnik,