Elric Swords and Roses - Michael Moorcock [145]
Halag turns away.
124. Ext. Battlements. Morning.
Urlik is weak but he pulls himself together when he sees Belphig and Iolinda. A fierce pride and hatred for Belphig burns in him. Zayad hovers behind him. She is unseen by Iolinda or Belphig.
URLIK: “Kill me with your sorcery! I’ve made my decision. I fight with the Eldren!”
Belphig laughs.
BELPHIG: “Fight? Three more days and you’ll be dead!”
Contemptuously, Belphig turns his horse. Iolinda looks up, crying out to him in desperation.
IOLINDA: “Urlik—I still love you. Rule Negrana with me! You made a vow!”
URLIK: “And I broke it. Now I pay the full price. As for your love—I cannot pay that price!”
Furious, hurt, Iolinda turns her horse to follow Belphig.
IOLINDA: “Then die! For a few scruples you throw away a world!”
As they go Urlik again falls back, supported by Zayad. He looks into her eyes. Fiercely, he kisses her. She looks beyond him, over the battlements, and gasps.
125. Ext. Battlements. Morning.
Through the blinding blizzard a huge dark shape rears. Gigantic, toad-like, with glaring red eyes and fangs. It reaches towards the battlements.
126. Ext. Battlements. Morning.
Urlik rallies himself enough to pull a spear from a nearby warrior’s hand, who is fixed with fear, and hurl it at the monster.
URLIK: “This can only be Belphig’s work!”
The spear strikes the monster in the throat. It tugs at it, not badly harmed, but shambles back into the gloom. Zayad is incredulous.
ZAYAD: “Do you think Belphig always controlled such sorcery—pretending it was ours?”
Urlik hurries her along the battlements, dragging strength from somewhere.
URLIK: “He uses this war to win total power for himself. Meliadus was killed because he suspected Belphig. Your ancient weapons, Zayad—they’re needed now!”
Zayad shakes her head.
ZAYAD: “We cannot—our pledge …”
Urlik smiles grimly.
URLIK: “I made no pledge—let me make the decision!”
They descend the steps.
127. Ext. Battlements. Night.
An Eldren guard patrols the walls. Over the battlements pours a black, sentient smoke. It gradually takes shape behind him. It moves upon him. There is a dreadful growling noise coming from it. The guard is devoured. As other guards run up, the smoke pours back over the battlements.
128. Ext. Fortress. Square before gate. Night.
The Man Bird comes flapping down and carries off a screaming Eldren girl.
129. Ext. Fortress. Square. Night.
Halag has heard the scream and comes running, staring up into the night sky. His sword is in his hand. He looks desperate.
HALAG: “They use every form of sorcery—and they have hardly begun their fight …”
There is a grunting noise. He looks towards it.
130. Ext. Battlements. Night.
Over the battlements peers the baleful red eyes of the Toad Beast. This is what has made the grunting. It tears at the masonry as guards strike at it with lances and axes.
131. Ext. Square. Night.
Halag shouts to his men as he watches the Toad Beast. Halag is aghast.
HALAG: “Ready the Sky Ships—we attack their camp—our only hope …”
132. Int. Tower room. Night.
Urlik and Zayad watch from the tower room as the airships rise into the night sky.
ZAYAD: “They can’t succeed …”
Urlik evidently agrees. He holds her close. We fade on the climbing airships.
133. Ext. Sky. Night.
Clouds of sentient Thunder and Lightning, forming themselves into hazy, beastlike shapes, attack the airships. Those aboard fight bravely. The Man Bird flaps across the screen, screeching its triumph.
134. Ext. Airship. Night.
Halag, in the gondola of an airship, lashes out with his sword at a tendril of smoke. The airship is buffeted by thunder and lightning, half-seen beast-faces form in the air. Everywhere, it seems, is the screeching of the Man Bird. Everywhere airships are falling, destroyed by the Smoke Demons and other creatures of sorcery.
135. Ext. Airship. Night.
An Eldren warrior shouts at Halag above the scream of the wind and the mutter of the airship’s engine.
ELDREN WARRIOR: “All the other ships are down. We can’t defeat them this way!