Elric_ The Sleeping Sorceress - Michael Moorcock [124]
“It said ‘Frank’,” said Elric frowning. “Was that a name, do you think? Its name before?”
“Perhaps,” said old Niun, “perhaps. Poor creature. But still, it is dead now. You are not of Ameeron, you two—though I’ve seen you here before, red one.”
“And I’ve seen you,” said Rackhir with a smile. He wiped Snake’s blood from his blade, using one of Snake’s heads for the purpose. “You are Niun Who Knew All.”
“Aye. Who Knew All but who now knows very little. Soon it will be over, when I have forgotten everything. Then I may return from this awful exile. It is the pact I made with Orland of the Staff. I was a fool who wished to know everything and my curiosity led me into an adventure concerning this Orland. Orland showed me the error of my ways and sent me here to forget. Sadly, as you noticed, I still remember some of my powers and my knowledge from time to time. I know you seek the black swords. I know you are Elric of Melniboné. I know what will become of you.”
“You know my destiny?” said Elric eagerly. “Tell me what it is, Niun Who Knew All.”
Niun opened his mouth as if to speak but then firmly shut it again. “No,” he said. “I have forgotten.”
“No!” Elric made as if to seize the old man. “No! You remember! I can see that you remember!”
“I have forgotten.” Niun lowered his head.
Rackhir took hold of Elric’s arm. “He has forgotten, Elric.”
Elric nodded. “Very well.” Then he said, “But have you remembered where lies the Tunnel Under the Marsh?”
“Yes. It is only a short distance from Ameeron, the marsh itself. You go that way. Then you look for a monument in the shape of an eagle carved in black marble. At the base of the monument is the entrance to the tunnel.” Niun repeated this information parrot-fashion and when he looked up his face was clearer. “What did I just tell you?”
Elric said: “You gave us instructions on how to reach the entrance to the Tunnel Under the Marsh.”
“Did I?” Niun clapped his old hands. “Splendid. I have forgotten that now, too. Who are you?”
“We are best forgotten,” said Rackhir with a gentle smile. “Farewell, Niun and thanks.”
“Thanks for what?”
“Both for remembering and for forgetting.”
They walked on through the miserable City of Ameeron, away from the happy old sorcerer, sighting the odd face staring at them from a doorway or a window, doing their best to breathe as little of the foul air as possible.
“I think perhaps that I envy Niun alone of all the inhabitants of this desolate place,” said Rackhir.
“I pity him,” said Elric.
“Why so?”
“It occurs to me that when he has forgotten everything, he may well forget that he is allowed to leave Ameeron.”
Rackhir laughed and slapped the albino upon his black armoured back. “You are a gloomy comrade, friend Elric. Are all your thoughts so hopeless?”
“They tend in that direction, I fear,” said Elric with a shadow of a smile.
CHAPTER THREE
The Tunnel Under the Marsh
And on they traveled through that sad and murky world until at last they came to the marsh.
The marsh was black. Black spiky vegetation grew in clumps here and there upon it. It was cold and it was dank; a dark mist swirled close to the surface and through the mist sometimes darted low shapes. From the mist rose a solid black object which could only be the monument described by Niun.
“The monument,” said Rackhir, stopping and leaning on his bow. “It’s well out into the marsh and there’s no evident pathway leading to it. Is this a problem, do you think, Comrade Elric?”
Elric waded cautiously into the edge of the marsh. He felt the cold ooze drag at his feet. He stepped back with some difficulty.