Elric in the Dream Realms - Michael Moorcock [125]
EDERIC (laughs in a somewhat sinister way): “Kings are judged by the firmness of their fists, brother, not the sweetness of their tongues. Greedy hands reach for our wealth, young Silverskin. Greedy eyes burn with envy.”
Young Silverskin scowls, finding this advice unpalatable.
Weeks went by while the young Silverskin studied, oblivious of the rivalry between his father and his uncle. But then, one morning—
Elric/Silverskin is at his lessons when he hears a shout from the street. Going to the window he sees people pointing skyward and out to sea. There is a great armada—ships sailing across the sky as they might sail across the sea. The ships are single-sailed, rather like Viking ships, with ugly carvings as figureheads and green-skinned, hairless men crowding their rails and rigging, as hideous a group of raiders as we’ve ever seen. Their sails billow with a mysterious wind as they approach the island of Melniboné and the city of Imrryr. Flying alongside these ships are a different breed—the Winged Men of Myyrrhn—who have appeared in the Elric books. They are armed with long spears and bows and arrows. They are handsome and strong and have huge, downy wings which make them resemble stereotypical angels…
FIRST CITIZEN: “Raiders! The green men of Karasim!”
SECOND CITIZEN: “And the winged men of Myyrrhn are with them!”
ELRIC (thinks): “The Karasim have long hated our power. And now they come to challenge it. But what sorcery drives those ships?”
FENERIC (bursting into the room): “Lad, we must to arms. But whoever aids the Karasim and their allies cannot be defeated by swords alone …”
ELRIC: “I’ll seek Ivram Tvar, the Dragon Master …”
Elric speeds off through the corridors of the palace, down the steps which lead to the secret passages in turn leading to the Dragon Caves …
A Melnibonéan captain has already reached the caves and addresses Ivram Tvar, the Dragon Master. Ivram Tvar spreads his hands helplessly:
IVRAM TVAR: “Their time to strike is well chosen. All the Phoorn sleep and cannot be wakened. Powerful sorcery aids the Karasim. I suspect Chaos itself has a hand in this!”
ELRIC: “If the dragons cannot save us, what can?”
IVRAM TVAR: “Only our courage and our weapons, young prince …”
A sword in his hand, Elric emerges into the Imrryrian street, to find towers burning as skins of Greek Fire are dropped from the ships above and green warriors slip down ropes dropped over the sides of the hovering ships.
ELRIC: “The winged men of Myyrrhn have never been our enemies. What makes them attack Melniboné now?”
Attacked by several Karasim at once Elric defends himself well. From overhead his father sees him and cries encouragement. Elric shows considerable skill and ferocity in the fight.
FENERIC: “You fight well, my son!”
ELRIC (to the raiders): “We have no quarrel with you! Why do you attack us?”
A Karasim captain sees Elric fighting outside a burning building and calls from where he swings by a rope from his ship, pointing at Elric.
CAPTAIN: “He’s the one! Capture him alive!”
Elric fights well but is eventually captured. A winged man of Myyrrhn swoops down and carries him up towards the Karasim ship. Elric is bopped on the head and passes out.
Scene from the ground. The Karasim ships are swinging around to leave. Laden with booty, the green men climb back up into their ships. The Myyrrhn have no booty. They carry their dead or wounded with them in the air, disdaining the Karasim ships. It is as if they wish to have little to do with their green allies. Ederic watches, sweating in his armour. Could he be glad of what’s happening?
MELNIBONÉAN (in burning ruin): “They retreat! We’ve driven them off.”
FENERIC: “They’ve taken young Silverskin! They’ve stolen my son!”
IVRAM TVAR: “They’ve gone beyond the Edge of the World. As soon as I can rouse a dragon, I’ll follow.”
FENERIC: “We’ll need an army—and who knows what will have become of him by the time we get there …”
Bowed with grief but looking grim Feneric turns back to his gutted palace.
FENERIC: “But we must