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“What? When did the beggar rabble of Nadsokor offer anything to fear? Look how poorly armed they are!”

“They have a sorcerer with them—Theleb K’aarna of Pan Tang. See—that’s him on yonder hill.”

Rackhir frowned. “Sorcery. These days I’ve little guard against that. How good is the sorcerer, do you know?”

“He is one of the most powerful in Pan Tang.”

“And the wizards of Pan Tang almost equal your folk, Elric, in their skills.”

“I fear he more than equals me at present, for my Actorios Ring has been stolen from me by Urish.”

Rackhir looked strangely at Elric, noting something in the albino’s face which he had evidently not seen there when they last parted. “Well,” he said, “we shall have to defend ourselves as best we can . . .”

“If you cut loose your horses so that all your folk could be mounted we might be able to escape before Theleb K’aarna invokes whatever supernatural aid it is he seeks.” Elric nodded as the giant, Brut of Lashmar, rode up grinning at him. Brut had been a hero in Lashmar before he had disgraced himself.

Rackhir shook his head. “Tanelorn needs the provisions we carry.”

“Look,” said Moonglum quietly.

On the hill where Theleb K’aarna had been standing there had now appeared a billowing cloud of redness, like blood in clear water.

“He is successful,” Rackhir murmured. “Brut! Let all be mounted. We’ve no time to prepare further defenses, but we’ll have the advantage of being on horseback when they attack.”

Brut thundered off, yelling at the men of Tanelorn. They began to unharness the wagon horses and ready their weapons.

The cloud of redness above was beginning to disperse and out of it shapes were emerging. Elric tried to distinguish the shapes but could not at that distance. He climbed back into his saddle as the horsemen of Tanelorn now formed themselves into groups which would, when the attack came, race through the unmounted beggars striking swiftly and passing on. Rackhir waved to Elric and went to join one of these divisions. Elric and Moonglum found themselves at the head of a dozen warriors armed with axes, pikes and lances.

Then Urish’s voice cawed out over the waiting silence.

“Attack, my beggars! They are doomed!”

The beggar rabble began to move down the sides of the valley. Rackhir raised his sword as the signal to his men. Then the first groups of cavalry rode out from the caravan, straight at the advancing beggars.

Rackhir replaced his blade and took up his bow. From where he sat on his horse he began to send arrow after arrow into the beggar ranks.

There was shouting everywhere now as the warriors of Tanelorn met their foes, driving wedges everywhere in their mass.

Elric saw Carkan’s chequered cape in the midst of a sea of rags, filthy limbs, clubs and knives. He saw Brut’s great blond head towering over a cluster of human filth.

And Moonglum said: “Such creatures as these are unfit opponents for the warriors of Tanelorn.”

Elric pointed firmly up the hill. “Perhaps they’ll prefer their new foes.”

Moonglum gasped. “They are women!”

Elric drew Stormbringer from its scabbard. “They are not women. They are Elenoin. They come from the Eighth Plane—and neither are they human. You will see.”

“You recognize them?” “My ancestors fought them once.”

A strange, shrill ululation reached their ears now. It came from the hillside where Theleb K’aarna’s figure could again be seen. It came from the shapes which Moonglum was sure were women. Red-haired women whose tresses fell almost to their knees and covered their otherwise completely naked bodies. They danced down the hill towards the besieged caravan and they whirled about their heads swords which must have been over five feet long.

“Theleb K’aarna is clever,” Elric muttered. “The warriors of Tanelorn will hesitate before striking at women. And while they hesitate the Elenoin will rip and slash and slay them.”

Rackhir had already seen the Elenoin and he, too, recognized them for what they were. “Do not be deceived, men!” he called. “These creatures are demons!” He glanced