Elric in the Dream Realms - Michael Moorcock [77]
The walls on either side now had great jagged caves in them where the water echoed and tumbled. Queen Sough seemed nervous of these and kept the barge carefully in the centre of the river. Elric saw shadows moving within the caves, both above and below the water. He saw red mouths opening and closing and saw pale, unblinking eyes staring. They had the air of Chaos-born creatures and he wished mightily then for his runesword, for his patron Duke of Hell, for his repertoire of spells and incantations.
The albino was not altogether surprised when at last a voice spoke from one of the caverns.
“I am Balis Jamon, Lord of the Blood and I wish to have some kidneys.”
“We sail on!” cried Queen Sough in response. “I am not your food nor shall I ever be.”
“Their kidneys! Theirs!” the voice demanded implacably. “I have fed on no true grub for so long. Some kidneys! Some kidneys!”
Elric drew his sword and his dagger. Oone did the same.
“You’ll not have mine, sir,” said the albino.
“Nor mine,” said Oone, seeking the source of the voice. They could not be sure which of the many caves sheltered the speaker.
“I am Balis Jamon, Lord of the Blood. You’ll pay a toll here in my land. Two kidneys for me!”
“I’ll take yours instead, sir, if you like!” said Elric defiantly.
“Will you now?”
There was a great movement from the furthest cave and water foamed in and out. Then something stooped and came wading into midstream, its fleshy body festooned with half-decayed plants and ruined blooms, its horned snout lifted so that it could stare at them from two tiny black eyes. The fangs in the snout were broken, yellow and black, and a red tongue licked at them, flicking little pieces of rotten meat into the water. It held one great paw over its chest and when the paw was lowered it revealed a dark, gaping hole where the heart would have been.
“I am Balis Jamon, Lord of the Blood. Look what I must fill for me to live! Have mercy, little creatures. A kidney or two and I’ll let you pass. I have nothing here, while you are complete. You must make justice and share with me.”
“This is my only justice for you, Lord Balis,” said Elric, gesturing with a sword which seemed a feeble thing even to him.
“You will never be complete, Balis Jamon!” called out Queen Sough. “Not until you know more of mercy!”
“I am fair! One kidney will do!” The paw began to reach towards Elric who cut at it but missed, then cut again and felt the sword strike the creature’s hide, which scarcely showed a mark. The paw grabbed at the sword. Elric withdrew it. Balis Jamon growled with a mixture of frustration and self-pity and reached both paws towards the albino.
“Stop! Here’s your kidney!” Oone held up something which dripped. “Here it is, Balis Jamon. Now let us pass. We are agreed.”
“Agreed.” He turned, evidently mollified, delicately took what she handed up to him and popped it into the hole in his chest. “Good. Go!” And he waded passively back towards his cave, honour and hunger both satisfied.
Elric was baffled, though grateful that she had saved his life. “What did you do, Lady Oone?”
She smiled. “A large bean. Some of the provisions I still carried in my purse. It looked similar to a kidney, especially when dipped in water. And I doubt if he knows the difference. He seemed a simple creature.”
Queen Sough’s eyes were lifted upwards even as she steered the barge past the caves and into a wider stretch of water where buffalo lifted their heads from where they drank and stared at them with wary curiosity.
Elric followed the navigator’s gaze but saw only the same lead-coloured sky. He sheathed his sword. “These creatures of Chaos seem simple enough. Less intelligent in some ways than others I’ve encountered.”
“Aye.” Oone was unsurprised. “That’s likely, I think. She would be—”
The boat was lifted suddenly and for a second Elric thought Lord Balis had returned to take vengeance on them for tricking