Elric Swords and Roses - Michael Moorcock [127]
BELPHIG: “I know you are out there—spirit of our long-dead Champion—reincarnated somewhere in the future—you must find us …”
URLIK: “I’m not Urlik—please go away …”
BELPHIG: “Without you, we shall perish …”
As if pursued by the voices, Urlik stumbles from the tent and out into the desert night …
16. Ext. Desert camp. Night.
Moonlight throws the desert landscape and the light-coloured tents into sharp contrast as Urlik stumbles from his tent. A disturbed camel lifts its head, seemingly astonished by Urlik’s behaviour.
URLIK (voiceover): “I couldn’t rid myself of the—knowledge—they were calling to me from the remote past. Calling across Time—to an age where I had another identity—and a destiny that was mine alone. Yet still I resisted …”
Urlik whirls. He sees a hint of movement in the shadows. He calls out.
URLIK (in panic): “I can’t come to you. There’s nothing I can do for you …”
A ghostly figure can be seen for a moment in the shadows. It is Belphig, tall, portly, stately in rich robes, his sardonic face pale. He stares sightlessly out at Urlik, his lips moving, but no sound comes from them. Urlik moves towards Belphig.
URLIK (in trepidation): “Who are you? Why call me?”
Belphig turns to another (unseen) person and speaks.
BELPHIG: “He nears Negrana even now. We must work the ancient enchantments—bring the city to him …”
Urlik stumbles towards the image, reaching for him.
URLIK: “I’m here …”
As he reaches the image, it fades, and he is alone in the desert, some distance from the camp. He stumbles on, away from the camp.
URLIK (voiceover): “I had been awaiting that Calling since I was born. I knew their world—knew it my destiny to join them …”
17. Ext. Desert. Dawn.
Urlik stumbles on through the dunes. He is now completely alone in the desert.
URLIK (voiceover): “Still a small voice told me I was mad—but then, as the sun rose …”
The sun blooms over the desert. As it rises we see, shimmering on the horizon, a hazy outline which gradually becomes more and more concrete (though always just a little ghostly). It is Negrana, City of the Mirage. There are shining spires, minarets, crenelated walls, banners flying from turrets, strange designs in mosaics on the towers. A vast, fairy-tale city. Urlik begins to run towards it.
URLIK (voiceover): “Negrana. City of the Mirage. It was real.”
18. Ext. The city of Negrana. Day.
Urlik comes to the very edge of the shimmering city and stares at it in wonder. He finds a gate in the wall and hesitates before stepping through.
URLIK (voiceover): “We came together at the Crossroads of Time. It was inevitable. I knew I was going home …”
Urlik steps boldly through the gate—and vanishes.
19. Ext. The city. Day.
Urlik enters the City of the Mirage. It is beautiful, shadowy—still a trifle unreal—somewhat Arabian, with silver fountains, golden minarets, wide, tree-lined streets, some ruins. It is apparently unpopulated—a ghost city. He enters a square near the centre of the city and there he sees a monstrous Tomb, all in black-and-purple marble. There is an inscription on the Tomb which he tries to decipher, without success. There is an effigy which he stares at for some moments before realizing with shock that it is his own face he sees represented—though the stone is worn and old. The Tomb has an open entrance and he approaches it just a little hesitantly.
URLIK (voiceover): “I found a tomb in that deserted city—my own tomb—and it was my destiny to enter it …”
20. Int. Tomb. Day.
Daylight enters the Tomb in a single swathe from the entrance. It illuminates a great slab of dark marble, carved with many cryptic designs. Upon the marble slab is laid a scabbarded sword (the scabbard is the one worn by Urlik in the opening sequences) with a huge black hilt, bizarre armour with much fluting and elaborate engraving, dark shirt and baggy trousers, dark boots and gauntlets—the complete war-gear of an ancient warrior. He fingers it in awe, he picks up the helmet and fits it over his head.
URLIK (voiceover): “Inside I found all the gear of the long-dead warrior I had