Elric_ The Sleeping Sorceress - Michael Moorcock [6]
Moonglum gasped as they came nearer.
“They are huge!”
“Draw your swords, friend Moonglum. Draw them now and pray to whatever gods rule over Elwher. For these are creatures of sorcery and they are doubtless sent by Theleb K’aarna to destroy us. My respect for that conjuror increases.”
“What are they, Elric?”
“Creatures of Chaos. In Melniboné they are called the Oonai. They can change shape at will. A sorcerer of great mental discipline, of superlative powers, who knows the apposite spells can master them and determine their appearance. Some of my ancestors could do such things, but I thought no mere conjuror of Pan Tang could master the chimerae!”
“Do you know no spell to counter them?”
“None comes readily to mind. Only a Lord of Chaos such as my patron demon Arioch could dismiss them.”
Moonglum shuddered. “Then call your Arioch, I beg you!”
Elric darted a half-amused glance at Moonglum. “These creatures must fill you with great fear indeed if you are prepared to entertain the presence of Arioch, Master Moonglum.”
Moonglum drew his long, curved sword. “Perhaps they have no business with us,” he suggested. “But it is as well to be prepared.”
Elric smiled. “Aye.”
Then Moonglum drew his straight sword, curling his horse’s reins around his arm.
A shrill, cackling sound from the skies.
The horses pawed at the ground.
The cackling grew louder. The creatures opened their beaks and called to one another and it was very plain now that they were indeed something other than gigantic swans, for they had curling tongues. And there were slim, sharp fangs bristling in those beaks. They changed direction slightly, winging straight for the two men.
Elric flung back his head and drew out his great sword and raised it skyward. It pulsed and moaned and a strange, black radiance poured from it, casting peculiar shadows over its owner’s blanched features.
The Shazaarian horse screamed and reared and words began to pour from Elric’s tormented face.
“Arioch! Arioch! Arioch! Lord of the Seven Darks, Duke of Chaos, aid me! Aid me now, Arioch!”
Moonglum’s own horse had backed away in panic and the little man was having great difficulty in controlling it. His own features were almost as pale as Elric’s.
“Arioch!”
Overhead the chimerae began to circle.
“Arioch! Blood and souls if you will aid me now!”
Then, some yards away, a dark mist seemed to well up from nowhere. It was a boiling mist that had strange, disgusting shapes in it.
“Arioch!”
The mist grew still thicker.
“Arioch! I beg you—aid me now!”
The horse pawed at the air, snorting and screaming, its eyes rolling, its nostrils flaring. Yet Elric, his lips curled back over his teeth so that he looked like a rabid wolf, continued to keep his seat as the dark mist quivered and a strange, unearthly face appeared in the upper part of the shifting column. It was a face of wonderful beauty, of absolute evil. Moonglum turned his head away, unable to regard it.
A sweet, sibilant voice issued from the beautiful mouth. The mist swirled languidly, becoming a mottled scarlet laced with emerald green.
“Greetings, Elric,” said the face. “Greetings, most beloved of my children.”
“Aid me, Arioch!”
“Ah,” said the face, its tone full of rich regret. “Ah, that cannot be . . .”
“You must aid me!”
The chimerae had hesitated in their descent, sighting the peculiar mist.
“It is impossible, sweetest of my slaves. There are other matters afoot in the Realm of Chaos. Matters of enormous moment to which I have already referred. I offer only my blessing.”
“Arioch—I beg thee!”
“Remember your oath to Chaos and remain loyal to us in spite of all. Farewell, Elric.”
And the dark mist vanished.
And the chimerae came closer.
And Elric drew a racking breath while the runesword whined in his hand and quivered and its radiance dimmed a little.
Moonglum spat on the ground. “A powerful patron, Elric, but a damned inconstant one.” Then he flung himself from his saddle as a creature which changed