Elric Swords and Roses - Michael Moorcock [170]
Rubbing circulation back into limbs, King Tilus Kreek crossed to a corner of the room where weapons were stacked and found his own sword amongst them, returning it to his scabbard. He was a tall, old man with a short grey beard and long hair. He drew on a padded surcoat over mail and sweated in the heat of the night. Moonlight streamed into the room, showing Moonglum, Elric and Dyvim Mar the captured warriors, whom they set about releasing. Elric leaned beside the window taking great gasps of air, scarcely able to stand. Below, the ground shuddered. Presumably, Lord Kalakak had dropped back to all four gigantic legs. Looking down, Elric saw that oddly coloured tail disappearing from the compound. Out in the moonlight, the black flower still hissed and slithered and quested for fresh blood.
Swiftly, the released warriors recovered their weapons, then embraced their commander, Dyvim Mar. To Elric, they offered more formal thanks, clearly surprised by his ruined condition. Some showed concern as he leaned weakly against the window frame, still gasping for breath. The summoning of Kalakak had exhausted what was left of his strength and the climb had taken the rest.
“We owe our lives to our emperor,” Dyvim Mar explained. “Without him, gentlemen, we should all be dead.”
The fine-featured Bright Empire soldiers remained reserved in their greetings, but some were prepared to accept the truth of their captain’s short speech and bowed briefly to the prince of ruins, best known as “Kinslayer,” whose treachery had destroyed their homeland. Elric expected nothing from them, save acknowledgment of his rank, for none denied that he was their rightful emperor, named by his dying father as the true inheritor of the Ruby Throne.
“How easily can we leave Soom?” said Princess Nahuaduar. “We are still outnumbered by the savages. Has your reptilian ally departed the city, Prince Elric?”
“He was the best I could summon under present conditions. He helped us but he is forbidden to kill, which is the thing he yearns to do most. Like our Imrryrian dragons, he must sleep a year for every hour or so that he’s awake. He returns to his rest.”
“So we have no other ally against the savages?” asked Princess Nahuaduar, glancing significantly at his sword.
“Only our own courage and cunning, my lady.” Elric turned again to glance through the window and stumbled suddenly backward. A thick, black tendril appeared. Next moment it was curling through the opening. Moonglum yelled to his companions. “Quickly. Back down the stairs. We’ll fight our way through the savages to the river.” Already the tendril had come snaking in as if scenting blood. Elric cocked his head. He could almost hear it sniffing out his remaining lifestuff.
Led by Dyvim Mar and Tilus Kreek, with the twin princesses following close behind and Elric leaning on his friend, the Melnibonéans poured from the room and down the broad deep winding bloodstained stone steps within the pyramid.
It was almost with a sense of anticlimax that they ran out into the open square to find no enemies. Warily, back to back, they moved slowly out through the alien ruins towards the jungle. Half-fainting, entirely dependant on the stocky Eastlander, Elric came last. From the darkness, spears and arrows flew. A Melnibonéan sobbed with pain as a spear took him in the arm. Without another sound, he pulled the arrow through and discarded it. The remaining Lormyrian archer gathered the arrows for his own quiver. Their shields absorbed the worst of the onslaught, protecting Elric and Moonglum. With a hissed curse, the archer fitted an arrow to his string and sent it back into the invisible pack.
Two more men were lost to enemy spears before they reached the edge of the jungle. In the moonlight they could retrace their original progress from the river. The undergrowth remained dense. With Dyvim Mar leading, they moved slowly on.
For the first time, the savages made a direct attack. Tattooed faces, white, glaring eyes, ochre skins and an assortment of cruel axes, spears, swords and lances