Vanishing Tower - Michael Moorcock [39]
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 grimly 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 swords about their heads 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, recognised them for what they were. "Do not be deceived, men!" he called. "These creatures are demons!" He glanced across at Elric and there was a look of resignation on his face. He knew the power of the Elenoin. He spurred his horse towards the albino. "What can we do, Elric?"
Elric sighed. "What can mortals do against the Elenoin?"
"Have you no sorcery?"
"With the Ring of Kings I could summon the Grahluk, perhaps. They are the ancient enemies of the Elenoin. Theleb K'aarna has already made a gateway from the Eighth Plane."
"Could you not try to call the Grahluk?" Rackhir begged.
"While I tried my sword would not be aiding you. I think Stormbringer is more use today than spells."
Rackhir shuddered and turned his horse away to order his men to re-form their ranks. He knew now that they were all to die.
And now the beggars fell back, as horrified by the Elenoin as were the men of Tanelorn.
Still singing their shrill, chill song, the Elenoin lowered their swords and spread out along the hill, each one smiling at them.
"How can they . . . ?" Then Moonglum saw their eyes. They were huge, orange, animal eyes. "Oh, by the Gods!" And then he saw their teeth—long, pointed teeth which glinted like metal.
The horsemen of Tanelorn fell back to the waggons in a long, ragged line. Horror, despair, uncertainty was on every face save Elric's—and on his face was a look of grim anger. His crimson eyes smouldered as he held Stormbringer across his saddle pommel and regarded the demon women, the Elenoin.
The singing grew louder until it made their ears fill with sharp pain and made their stomachs turn. The Elenoin raised their slender arms and began to whirl their long swords about their heads again, staring at them all the while through beastlike, insensate eyes—malicious, unblinking eyes.
Then