Stormbringer - Michael Moorcock [42]
But then he noted that the boarding platforms had been lowered and only a skeleton crew remained on the flagship. Jagreen Lern must have led his main strength on to the ship which was now held fast by grapples.
Close by was a great barrel of pitch, used to form the fireballs. Close to that was a flaring torch used to ignite them. Elric seized the brand and flung it into the pitch.
"Though Jagreen Lern may win this battle, his flagship shall go to the bottom with the Southern fleet," he said grimly, and dashed for the hold where he had been imprisoned, aware that Moonglum lay helpless there.
He wrenched up the hatch-cover and stared down at the pitiful figure of his friend. Evidently, he had been left to starve to death. A rat chittered away as the light shone into the hold.
Elric jumped into the hold and saw, with horror, that part of Moonglum's right arm had been gnawed already. He heaved the body on to his shoulder, aware that the heart still beat, though faintly, and clambered back up to the deck. How to ensure his friend's safety and still take vengeance on Jagreen Lern was a problem. But Elric moved towards the boarding platform which he guessed the Theocrat to have crossed. As he did so, three warriors leapt towards him. One of them cried: "The albino! The reaver escapes!"
Elric struck him down with a blow that required only a slight movement of his wrist. The black sword did the rest. The others retreated, remembering how Elric had entered Hwamgaarl.
New energy flowed through him. For every corpse he killed, his strength increased—a stolen strength, but necessary if he was to survive and win the day for Law.
He ran, untroubled by his burden, over the boarding platform and on to the deck of the Southern ship. Up ahead he saw the standard of Argimiliar and a little group of men around it, headed by King Hozel himself, his face gaunt as he stared at the knowledge of his own death. A deserved death for his pride in rejecting Kargan's aid, thought Elric grimly, but nonetheless when Hozel died it would mean another victory for Chaos.
Then he heard a shout of a different quality, thought for a moment that he had been observed, but one of Hozel's men was pointing to the north and mouthing something.
Elric looked in that direction and saw the brave sails of the Purple Towns. They were fighting ships, better equipped for battle than those of the Merchant Princes. Their brightly painted sails caught the light. The only rich decoration the austere Sealords allowed themselves was upon their sails. Elric's old friend Kargan must command them. Perhaps there was still a chance of turning the day against Jagreen Lern, for the Theocrat's fleet would be weary and disorganised.
And, Elric guessed, with him to lead them, they might win. With that thought he dropped Moonglum's unconscious body overboard and dived after it into the choppy sea.
The blade gave him superhuman strength and he swam towards the leading ship which he recognised as Kargan's, dragging Moonglum's body after him. Trusting to the sealord's famed seamanship, he swam directly in the path of the leading galleon, shouting Kargan's name.
The ship veered slightly and he saw bearded faces at the rail, saw ropes flicker towards him and grasped one, letting them haul him upwards with his burden.
As the seamen pulled them both over the rail, Elric saw Kargan staring at him with shocked eyes. The sealord was dressed in the tough brown leather armour of his folk. He had an iron cap on his massive head and his black beard bristled. "Elric! We thought you dead—lost on your voyage south! Dyvim Slorm is below—it was he who prevailed on me to come to the aid of those effete mainland princes, but I'm too late I fear."
Elric spat salt water from his mouth. "Perhaps—but if we do not strike now, Jagreen Lern will have time to reorganise. We must do what we can."
Kargan nodded gravely and signed to his seamen. "Take the little one below to the physician and tell the lord Dyvim Slorm that we have fished out a kinsman of his."
As Kargan's orders were