Elric_ The Sleeping Sorceress - Michael Moorcock [38]
And Elric closed his eyes and felt at peace for the first time that he remembered.
The pain had gone, but great energy still filled him. When he opened his eyes again there was no beautiful face looking down on him and the scintillating membrane which had covered the archway had disappeared. Nearby Stormbringer lay and he sprang up and seized the sword, returning it to his scabbard. He noticed that the blisters had left his hands and that even his clothes were no longer charred.
Had he dreamed it all—or most of it?
He shook his head. He was free. He was strong. He had his sword with him. Now he would return to the hall of King Urish and take his vengeance both on Nadsokor’s ruler and Theleb K’aarna.
He heard a footfall and withdrew into the shadows. Light filtered into the tunnel from gaps in the roof and it was plain that at this point it was close to the surface. A figure appeared and he recognized it at once.
“Moonglum!”
The little Eastlander grinned in relief and sheathed his swords. “I came here to aid you if I could, but I see you need no aid from me!”
“Not here. The Burning God is no more. I’ll tell you of that later. What became of you?”
“When I realized we were in a trap I ran for the door, deciding it would be best if one of us were free and I knew it was you they wanted. But then I saw the door opening and realized they had been waiting there all along.” Moonglum wrinkled his nose and dusted at the rags he still wore. “Thus I came to find myself lying at the bottom of one of those heaps of garbage littered about Urish’s hall. I dived into it and stayed there, listening to what passed. As soon as I could, I found this tunnel, planning to help you however I could.”
“And where are Urish and Theleb K’aarna now?”
“It appears that they go to make good Theleb K’aarna’s bargain with Urish. Urish was not altogether happy with the plan to lure you here for he fears your power—”
“He has reason to! Now!”
“Aye. Well, it seems that Urish had heard what we had heard, that the caravan for Tanelorn was on its way back to that city. Urish has knowledge of Tanelorn—though not much, I gather—and fosters an unreasoning hatred for the place, perhaps because it is the opposite of what Nadsokor is.”
“They plan to attack Rackhir’s caravan?”
“Aye—and Theleb K’aarna is to summon creatures from hell to ensure that their attack is successful. Rackhir has no sorcery to speak of, I believe.”
“He served Chaos once, but no more—those who dwell in Tanelorn can have no supernatural masters.”
“I gathered as much from the conversation.”
“When do they make this attack?”
“They have gone already—almost as soon as they had dealt with you. Urish is impatient.”
“It is unlike the beggars to make a direct attack on a caravan.”
“They do not always have a powerful wizard for an ally.”
“True.” Elric frowned. “My own powers of sorcery are limited without the Ring of Kings upon my hand. Its supernatural qualities identify me as a true member of the royal line of Melniboné—the line which made so many bargains with the elementals. First I must recover my ring and then we go at once to aid Rackhir.”
Moonglum glanced at the floor. “They said something of protecting Urish’s Hoard in his absence. There may be a few armed men in the hall.”
Elric smiled. “Now that we are prepared and now I have the strength of the Burning God in me, I think we shall be able to deal with a whole army, Moonglum.”
Moonglum brightened. “Then I’ll lead the way back to the hall. Come. This passage will take us to a door which is let into the side of the hall, near the throne.”
They began to run along the passage until they came at length to the door Moonglum had mentioned. Elric did not pause but drew his sword and flung the door open. It was only when he was in the hall that he stopped. Daylight now lit the gloomy place, but it was again deserted. No sword-bearing beggars awaited them.
Instead, there sat in Urish’s throne a fat, scaly thing of yellow and green