Elric Swords and Roses - Michael Moorcock [146]
HALAG (wearily): “Turn back. We must think again …”
136. Ext. Fortress. Morning.
We see a fair bit of the fortress. Dead Eldren lie about here and there, the battlements have been torn down by the Toad Beast and other demons. There is a mood of desolation about the whole scene. Urlik, still weak, Zayad and Halag stand surveying all this in the square. Halag is battered, as we saw him in the last shot.
URLIK: “Use those weapons, Halag! You deserve to live—they do not! (Halag shakes his head. Urlik persists.) “Let me make the decision for you—as a human!”
Halag smiles sardonically.
HALAG: “Excellent logic, Sir Legend, but …”
Zayad interrupts.
ZAYAD: “It is destiny, Halag—fate. Let Urlik decide …”
Halag is too tired to argue. He shrugs. Urlik rallies himself, glad he can now do something.
URLIK: “Have the weapons brought out. Demonstrate their power—force Belphig to retreat …”
Halag calls an Eldren warrior to him and murmurs something.
137. Ext. Plain outside fortress. Day.
The siege engines of the human army creak and groan and move forward. The soldiers, too, move on the city. The blizzard continues. There is a whirring noise as Greek fire is flung from a catapult towards the walls of the fortress. Belphig grins in triumph, rides into the picture.
BELPHIG: “Weakened by my magic, they’ll not withstand our attack!”
We see Iolinda. She looks disturbed.
IOLINDA: “I had not known you understood so much of magic, Bishop Belphig. Why have the Eldren used none against us?”
Belphig is openly mocking of her scruples.
BELPHIG: “These are not your concerns, madam!”
Iolinda bridles at this.
IOLINDA: “Remember your position, Bishop Belphig. You overreach yourself …”
She rides away, leaving Belphig glowering and thoughtful.
138. Ext. Fortress. Day.
As balls of Greek fire splash into the square, the Eldren bring up their bizarre-looking weapons from their vaults, supervised by a still worried-looking Halag. Urlik approaches one of the Flame Cannon—it is of brass and iron, baroque and ferocious-looking. He runs a hand along its sides.
URLIK: “Get them to the battlements. There’s barely time …”
An intensified barrage of Greek fire obscures the scene. Two Eldren come running through the smoke carrying a brass-bound carved box—the heavy box has carvings of demons and dragons on it. Halag sees the box and starts forward, shouting urgently—
HALAG: “Not the Hell Weapon …”
Urlik is alerted. He turns.
URLIK: “What’s that?”
Halag stands over the Eldren as they lower the box to the ground. Halag looks frightened.
HALAG: “It can destroy whole cities—a bomb …”
Urlik becomes thoughtful. He takes command.
URLIK: “We can frighten Belphig with it—take it to the airship—I have a plan …”
Halag is disturbed, but he lets Urlik have his way. More Greek fire. The scene fades in smoke and flame.
139. Ext. Battlements. Day.
With ropes and pulleys the Eldren struggle to get the Flame Cannon onto the battlements. They look up in terror …
140. Ext. Sky over battlements. Day.
… we see the Man Bird again. Screeching with maniacal laughter. We move down the sky to show …
141. Ext. Outside fortress. Ice. Day.
… the Toad Beast attacking, monstrous and fierce, the battlements.
142. Ext. Battlements. Day.
As the Eldren get two of the Flame Cannon into position the Toad Beast appears over the battlements. It snatches one of the Eldren and hurls him away, screaming.
Urlik comes running and staggering up the steps, to turn the Flame Cannon onto the Toad Beast. The Toad Beast reaches towards him.
143. Ext. Battlements. Day.
Urlik presses the stud of the Flame Cannon and a gout of fire bursts from its snout to strike the Toad Beast full in the face. The Toad Beast shouts with surprise and pain and makes another grab at Urlik. Another gout of flame and the Toad Beast falls, crushing two siege engines.
144. Ext. Outside fortress. Day.
Iolinda witnesses the destruction of the Toad Beast. She is frightened. Captain Mazak rides up …
MAZAK: “A trap! They can destroy us in seconds with those weapons!”
Iolinda looks about her.
IOLINDA: