Elric_ The Stealer of Souls - Michael Moorcock [159]
“Once more Straasha answers thy summons, mortal. Our destinies are bound together. How may I aid thee, and, in aiding thee, aid myself?”
In the throat-torturing speech of the elemental, Elric answered, telling the sea-king of the forthcoming battle and what it implied.
“So at long last it has come to pass! I fear I cannot aid you much, for my folk are already suffering terribly from the depredations of our mutual enemy. We shall attempt to aid you if we can. That’s all I promise.”
The sea-king sank back into the waters and Elric watched him depart with a feeling of acute disappointment. It was with a brooding mind that he left the prow and went to the main cabin to tell his captains the news.
They received it with mixed feelings, for only Dyvim Slorm was used to dealing with supernaturals. Moonglum had always been dubious of Elric’s powers to control his wild, elemental friends, while Kargan growled that Straasha may have been an ally of Elric’s folk but had been more of an enemy to his. The four of them, however, could plan with slightly more optimism and face the coming ordeal with better confidence.
CHAPTER FOUR
The fleet of Jagreen Lern bore towards them and, in its wake, the boiling stuff of Chaos hovered.
Elric gave the command and the rowers hauled at their oars, sending Timber-tearer rushing towards the enemy. So far his elemental allies had not appeared, but he could not afford to wait for them.
As Timber-tearer rode the foaming waves, Elric hauled his sword from its scabbard, brought the side wings of his helmet round to cover his face and cried the age-old ululating war-shout of Melniboné, a shout full of joyous evil. Stormbringer’s eerie voice joined with his, giving vent to a thrumming song, anticipating the blood and the souls it would soon feast upon.
Jagreen Lern’s new flagship now lay behind three rows of men-o’-war and behind the flagship were the Chaos ships.
Timber-tearer’s iron ram ripped into the first enemy ship and the rowers leaned on their oars, backing away and turning to pierce another ship below the water line. Showers of arrows sprayed from the holed ship and clattered on deck and armour. Several rowers went down.
Elric and his three companions directed their men from the main deck, standing so that between them they had an overall view of what was going on around them. Elric looked up suddenly, warned by some sixth sense, and saw streaking balls of green fire come curving out of the sky.
“Prepare to quench fires!” Kargan yelled and the group of men already primed for this leapt for the tubs containing a special brew which Elric had told them how to make earlier. This was spread on decks and splashed on canvas and, when the fireballs landed, they were swiftly quenched. “Don’t engage unless forced to,” Elric called to the seamen, “keep aiming for the flagship. If we take that, our advantage will be good!”
“Where are your allies, Elric?” Kargan asked sardonically, shuddering a little as he saw the Chaos stuff in the distance suddenly move and erupt tendrils of black matter into the sky.
“They’ll come, never fear,” Elric answered, but he was unsure.
Now they were in the thick of the enemy fleet, the ships of their squadron following behind, their great oars slicing through the ocean’s foam. The war-engines of their own fleet sent up a constant barrage of fire and heavy stones. Only a few of Elric’s craft broke through the enemy’s first rank and reached the open sea, sailing towards Jagreen Lern’s flagship.
As they were observed, the enemy ships sailed to protect the flagship and the scintillating ships of death, moving with fantastic speed for their size, surrounded the Theocrat’s vessel.
Shouting over the waters, Kargan ordered their diminished squadron into a new formation. Moonglum shook his head in astonishment. “How can things of that size support themselves on the water?” he said to Elric.
“It’s unlikely that they actually do.” As their