Elric Swords and Roses - Michael Moorcock [149]
Urlik nods, kisses Zayad, and follows Halag from the room.
161. Ext. Square. Night.
Urlik and Halag watch as the Flame Cannon are taken back to their underground vault. Halag is glad.
HALAG: “They’ll never be used again. Oh—the bomb—the worst of them all—on the airship …”
They head for the tower. We hear a flapping—the sound of the Man Bird. They look up, knowing it is up in the tower. They hear a scream from the tower as they begin to climb the steps.
162. Int. Tower room. Night.
A terrifying scene. Bishop Belphig, mad, battered, has hold of Zayad and is forcing her through the window to the gondola of the airship.
BELPHIG: “With you as hostage I can still win the world!”
Zayad resists, clinging to the frame of the window. Belphig snarls and strikes at her.
BELPHIG: “My powers are weak—but I feel them return. Beware!”
Zayad bites him and he yells, beginning to make his mystic passes to change himself into the Man Bird, when …
163. Int. Tower room. Night.
… Urlik and Halag burst into the room. Cursing, Belphig dives into the gondola, abandoning Zayad, and tries to loose the mooring line. The gondola sways badly. Urlik dives after Belphig just as Belphig gets the mooring line free and the airship begins to rise—with Urlik clinging to the outer rail. Belphig inches along the gondola towards him. Urlik cries back at Zayad …
URLIK: “Zayad, my love—whatever happens I’ll find you again—I love you …”
164. Ext. Tower room window. Night.
Zayad looks up, calling something which cannot be heard. We move rapidly upwards, seeing her from Urlik’s viewpoint as he is borne into the sky. A faint cry can be made out—
ZAYAD: “I love you, Urlik—I love you …”
165. Ext. Airship. Night.
Belphig has started the engine of the airship. The vanes begin to whirl and the airship moves rapidly forward. Urlik is trying to clamber over the side of the gondola as Belphig sets the wheel and drives a dagger into the shaft to fix it, drawing his own sword and meeting Urlik’s attack as Urlik, the sword screaming and whining, finally flings himself into the gondola. Belphig scrambles away. The gondola sways and Urlik is flung backwards. Belphig begins to make his mystic signs and …
166. Ext. Airship. Night.
… Belphig changes into the Man Bird—shrieking, vicious … rushes at Urlik …
167. Ext. Airship. Night.
—who is ready to defend himself with Stormbringer. In its rush, the Man Bird smashes against the airship controls. Urlik swings the blade at the Man Bird—misses—hits the controls. Again the gondola swings wildly—and the box containing the Hell Weapon slithers across the floor, knocking Urlik off his feet. The Man Bird attacks again, perched on the rail. Urlik strikes, wounds it superficially and, with a shriek, it falls downwards into pitch dark. He peers into the night. The Man Bird seems vanquished. He turns his attention to his engine, finding the controls are completely wrecked. He can’t steer the ship or turn the engine off.
168. Ext. Airship. Night.
The night is filled with the puttering of the airship’s engine. Urlik tinkers with the controls, evidently without success. We move up the bulk of the airship until we see the top—there—panting, exhausted, mad—but still very much alive—is the terrible outline of Belphig, in his human form as he recovers his sorcerous strength … The ship speeds on as dawn breaks. Belphig recovers all his strength and begins to make his mystic passes. We move down again as Urlik peers over the side. To his astonishment he sees the towers of Negrana (see Shot 17, etc.). He looks up at the sound of a flapping wing …
169. Ext. Airship. Dawn.
… and there is the Man Bird—more terrifying than ever.
170. Ext. Airship. Morning.
Urlik draws the Black Sword and fights a much more terrifying Man Bird which has recovered its strength. He slashes at the Man Bird. Wood splinters. One of the gondola’s lines is half-cut away. It is a fierce, confused fight. The Man Bird flies off some distance and attacks again, ripping at the gasbag of the ship, shrieking. Urlik is flung backwards, near the box containing the