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By Root 600 0

master-types of all creatures other than Man, an entity stirred, hearing its name. The entity was called Haaashaastaak; and it was scaly and cold, with no true intellect, such as men and gods possessed, but an awareness which served it as well if not better. It was brother, on this plane, to such entities as Meerclar, Lord of the Cats, Roofdrak, Lord of the Dogs, Nuru-ah, Lord of the Cattle, and many, many others. This was Haaashaastaak, Lord of the Lizards. It did not really hear words in the exact sense, but it heard rhythms which meant much to it, even though it did not know why. The rhythms were being repeated over and over again, but seemed too faint to be worth much attention. It stirred and yawned, but did nothing…

“Haaashaastaak, Lord of Lizards,

Your children were fathers of men,

Haaashaastaak, Prince of Reptiles,

Come aid a grandchild now!

“Haaashaastaak, Father of Scales,

Cold-blooded bringer of life…”

It was a bizarre scene, with Elric and Yishana desperately chanting the rune over and over again as Moonglum fought on, slowly losing strength.

Haaashaastaak quivered and became more curious. The rhythms were no stronger, yet they seemed more insistent. He would travel, he decided, to that place where those he watched over dwelt. He knew that if he answered the rhythms, he would have to obey whatever source they had. He was not, of course, aware that such decisions had been implanted into him in a far distant age—the time before the creation of Earth, when the Lords of Law and Chaos, then inhabitants of a single realm and known by another name, had watched over the forming of things and laid down the manner and logic in which things should behave, following their great edict from the voice of the Cosmic Balance—the voice which had never spoken since.

Haaashaastaak betook himself, a little slothfully, to Earth.

Elric and Yishana were still chanting hoarsely, as Haaashaastaak made his sudden appearance. He had the look of a huge iguana, and his eyes were many-coloured, many-faceted jewels, his scales seeming of gold, silver, and other rich metals. A slightly hazy outline surrounded him, as if he had brought part of his own environment with him.

Yishana gasped and Elric breathed a deep sigh. As a child he had learned the languages of all animal-masters, and now he must recall the simple language of the lizard-master, Haaashaastaak.

His need fired his brain, and the words came suddenly.

“Haaashaastaak,” he cried pointing at the butterfly-creature, “mokik ankkuh!”

The lizard lord turned its jeweled eyes on the creature and its great tongue suddenly shot out towards it, curling around the monster. It shrilled in terror as it was drawn towards the lizard lord’s great maw. Legs and arms kicked as the mouth closed on it. Several gulps and Haaashaastaak had swallowed Theleb K’aarna’s prize creation. Then it turned its head uncertainly about for a few moments and vanished.

Pain began to throb now through Elric’s torn arm as Moonglum staggered towards him, grinning in relief.

“I followed behind you at a distance as you requested,” he said, “since you suspected treachery from Theleb K’aarna. But then I spied the sorcerer coming this way and followed him to a cave in yonder hills,” he pointed. “But when the deceased,” he laughed shakily, “emerged from the cave, I decided that it would be best to chase that, for I had the feeling it was going in your direction.”

“I am glad you were so astute,” Elric said.

“It was your doing, really,” Moonglum replied. “For, if you hadn’t anticipated treachery from Theleb K’aarna, I might not have been here at the right moment.” Moonglum suddenly sank to the grass, leaned back, grinned, and fainted.

Elric felt very dazed himself. “I do not think we need fear anything more from your sorcerer just yet, Yishana,” he said. “Let us rest here and refresh ourselves. Perhaps then your cowardly soldiers will have returned, and we can send them to a village to get us some horses.”

They stretched out on the grass and, lying in each other’s arms, went to sleep.

Elric was astonished