Elric of Melnibone - Michael Moorcock [54]
These thoughts gave him strength. He yelled as he fought. ‘Elric!’
And: ‘Thing!’ replied his adversary, also eager to assert what he regarded as the essence of his being.
Another hand flew off as Aubec’s sword bit into it. Another javelin jabbed out and was knocked aside; another sword appeared and came down on Elric’s helm with a force which dazed him and sent him reeling back against Rackhir who missed his thrust at Snake and was almost bitten by four of the heads. Elric chopped at the arm and the tentacle which held the sword and saw them part from the body but then become reabsorbed again. The nausea returned. Elric thrust his sword into the mass and the mass screamed: ‘Thing! Thing! Thing!’
Elric thrust again and four swords and two spears waved and clashed and tried to deflect Aubec’s blade.
‘Thing!’
‘This is Yyrkoon’s work,’ said Elric, ‘without a doubt. He has heard that I have followed him and seeks to stop us with his demon allies.’ He gritted his teeth and spoke through them. ‘Unless one of these is Yyrkoon himself! Are you my cousin Yyrkoon, Thing?’
‘Thing...’ The voice was almost pathetic. The weapons waved and clashed but they no longer darted so fiercely at Elric.
‘Or are you some other old, familiar friend?’
‘Thing...’
Elric stabbed again and again into the mass. Thick, reeking blood spurted and fell upon his armour. Elric could not understand why it had become so easy to take the attack to the demon.
‘Now!’ shouted a voice from above Elric’s head. ‘Quickly!’
Elric glanced up and saw a red face, a white beard, a waving arm. ‘Don’t look at me you fool! Now—strike!’
And Elric put his two hands above his sword hilt and drove the blade deep into the shapeless creature which moaned and wept and said in a small whisper
‘Frank...’ before it died.
Rackhir thrust at the same moment and his blade went under the remaining snake heads and plunged into the chest and thence into the heart of the youth-body and his demon died, too.
The white-haired man came clambering down from the ruined archway on which he had been perched. He was laughing. ‘Niun’s sorcery still has some effect, even here, eh? I heard the tall one call his demon friends and instruct them to set upon you. It did not seem fair to me that five should attack two—so I sat upon that wall and I drew the many-armed demon’s strength out of it. I still can. I still can. And now I have his strength (or a fair part of it) and feel considerably better than I have done for many a moon (if such a thing exists).’
‘It said “Frank”,’ said Elric frowning. ‘Was that a name, do you think? Its name before?’
‘Perhaps,’ said old Niun, ‘perhaps. Poor creature. But still, it is dead now. You are not of Ameeron, you two—though I’ve seen you here before, red one.’
‘And I’ve seen you,’ said Rackhir with a smile. He wiped Snake’s blood from his blade, using one of Snake’s heads for the purpose. ‘You are Niun Who Knew All.’
‘Aye. Who Knew All but who now knows very little. Soon it will be over, when I have forgotten everything. Then I may return from this awful exile. It is the pact I made with Orland of the Staff. I was a fool who wished to know everything and my curiosity led me into an adventure concerning this Orland. Orland showed me the error of my ways and sent me here to forget. Sadly, as you noticed, I still remember some of my powers and my knowledge from time to time. I know you seek the Black Swords. I know you are Elric of Melniboné I know what will become of you.’
‘You know my destiny?’ said Elric eagerly. ‘Tell me what it is Niun Who Knew All!’
Niun opened his mouth as if to speak but then firmly shut it again. ‘No,’ he said. ‘I have forgotten.’
‘No!’ Elric made as if to seize the old man. ‘No! You remember! I can see that you remember!’
‘I have forgotten.’ Niun lowered his head.
Rackhir took hold of Elric’s arm. ‘He has forgotten, Elric.’
Elric nodded. ‘Very well.’ Then he said,