Elric in the Dream Realms - Michael Moorcock [119]
SHYRIX’X: “Guards—to the oubliette with them!”
The pair are taken and thrown down into the oubliette—a deep pit with steep sides from which there is no apparent escape. A grille is placed over the top.
At the bottom, Elric and Dyvim Mar are disconsolate to say the least…
DYVIM MAR: “Well, cousin, it’s an old adage but a true one—the bringer of bad news is never welcome at court. But I fear she believes herself betrayed by us. With luck she’ll let us linger here for a few weeks and then forgive us.”
ELRIC: “There’ll be worse news soon. We must get out of here.”
DYVIM MAR: “You know a spell to grant us wings?”
ELRIC: “There’s one thing we can try …”
The two men have braced their backs against the walls of the oubliette, across from one another. They have twisted their legs together so that they create a kind of bridge between them. So long as they maintain this tension they can ‘chimney’ up the oubliette.
They are sweating by the time they get to the top and, using a narrow ridge for their toes, push up the grille.
Guards spot them and come running towards them.
Elric and Dyvim Mar take on the guards and, with superior fighting skills, disarm them and use their own weapons against them.
Then they go running through the tunnels.
DYVIM MAR: “This way. An old tunnel’s a secret way to the Dragon Caves!”
They hide in the maze of caverns while the guards fail to find them.
They arrive in the secret Dragon Caves where all the dragons sleep solidly.
DYVIM MAR: “If only we had not awakened all but Snaptail. It will be a full year before we can use them again.”
ELRIC: “Is there no sorcery which will wake them sooner?”
DYVIM MAR: “Sleep’s the secret of their power. They restore their bodies and their venom. Even if they could fly, they would have no weapons against their enemies. They rely on our people to guard them while they sleep … All we can do is wait—and fight our enemies as best we can …
CHAPTER THREE
The Year of the Barbarian
Then the Falkryn came …
A massive battle scene as the Falkryn attack the Melnibonéans, driving them back into their own streets. At the forefront is the demonic Yyrkoon/Wild Dog while the sorcerer Agras Ti does not fight, but watches from safety, smirking to himself. In an inset he slips into the throne room.
Elric and Dyvim Mar have followed Agras Ti into the throne room as he attempts to kill the queen.
AGRAS TI: “Aha! The queen!”
While Dyvim Mar tries to get the queen to leave, Elric engages Agras Ti.
DYVIM MAR: “My lady! ‘Tis the Falkryn chief. Beware his sorcery!”
ELRIC: “In his eagerness, he’s left his bodyguards behind.”
Under pressure, Agras Ti calls upon his protector, Lord Arioch of Chaos.
AGRAS TI: “Arioch! My lord Arioch aid me now!”
ELRIC: “So that foul duke of hell protects you! I should have guessed that’s who helped you bring the drinker of oceans to this realm!”
As Dyvim Mar helps the queen out of danger, they look in horror as Arioch of Chaos begins to manifest himself.
He first appears as a hideous creature of smoke and flame but slowly manifests himself as a gigantic golden youth of impossible beauty, wearing clothing exactly the same style as that worn by the Melnibonéans. A way of flattering them and putting them at their ease.
Agras Ti runs towards his master, begging for help as Elric recoils.
AGRAS TI: “Master! Save me. They mean to kill me!”
Arioch smiles almost benignly down on his creature, Agras Ti. He reaches out one slender-fingered hand towards the sorcerer.
ARIOCH: “‘Twas thy sorcery brought me to this realm, Agras Ti. For that I repaid thee by inviting my brother Lord Artigkern, the drinker of oceans, to join us, even do thy bidding. But now he has what he wants and, indeed, I have exactly what I want. Thy purpose is fulfilled, mortal.”
AGRAS TI: “P-purpose, lord?”
ARIOCH: “I have a destiny to carry out, as have we all. There is a mortal here more important to my plans than ever you could be. Elric