Vanishing Tower - Michael Moorcock [51]
He picked himself up and turned. A tall man stood before him. The man was clad in a conical silver helm and was encased to the knee in a byrnie also of silver. A scarlet, longsleeved coat partly covered the byrnie. The man bore a scabbarded longsword at his side. His legs were encased in breeks of soft leather and there were boots of green-tinted doeskin on his feet. But Elric's attention was caught primarily by the man's features (which resembled those of a Melnibonéan much more than those of a true man) and the fact that he wore upon his left hand a six-fingered gauntlet encrusted with dark jewels, while over his right eye was a large patch which was also jewelled and matched the hand. The eye not covered by the patch was large and slanting and had a yellow centre and purple surrounds.
"I am Elric of Melniboné," the albino agreed. "Are you to thank for rescuing me from those creatures Theleb K'aarna summoned?"
The tall man shook his head. "'Twas I that summoned you, but I know of no Theleb K'aarna. I was told that I had only one opportunity to receive your aid and that I must take it in this particular place at this particular time. I am called Corum Jhaelen Irsei—the Prince in the Scarlet Robe—and I ride upon a Quest of grave import."
Elric frowned. The name had a half-familiar ring, but he could not place it. He half-recalled an old dream . . .
"Where is this forest?" he asked, sheathing his sword.
"It is nowhere on your plane or in your time, Prince Elric. I summoned you to aid me in my battle against the Lords of Chaos. Already I have been instrumental in destroying two of the Sword rulers—Arioch and Xiombarg—but the third, the most powerful, remains. . . ."
"Arioch of Chaos—and Xiombarg? You have destroyed two of the most powerful members of the Company of Chaos? Yet but a month since I spoke with Arioch. He is my patron. He . . ."
"There are many planes of existence," Prince Corum told him gently. "In some the Lords of Chaos are strong. In some they are weak. In some, I have heard, they do not exist at all. You must accept that here Arioch and Xiombarg have been banished so that effectively they no longer exist in my world. It is the third of the Sword Rulers who threatens us now—the strongest, King Mabelode."
Elric frowned. "In my—plane—Mabelode is no stronger than Arioch and Xiombarg. This makes a travesty of all my understanding. . . ."
"I will explain as much as I can," said Prince Corum. "For some reason Fate has selected me to be the hero who must banish the domination of Chaos from the Fifteen Planes of Earth. I am at present travelling on my way to seek a city which we call Tanelorn, where I hope to find aid. But my guide is a prisoner in a castle close to here and before I can continue I must rescue him. I was told how I might summon aid to help me effect this rescue and I used the spell to bring you to me. I was to tell you that if you aided me, then you would aid yourself—that if I was successful then you would receive something which would make your task easier."
"Who told you this?"
"A wise man."
Elric sat down on a fallen tree-trunk, his head in his hands. "I have been drawn away at an importunate time," he said. "I pray that you speak the truth to me, Prince Corum." He looked up suddenly. "It is a marvel that you speak at all—or at least that I understand you. How can this be?"
"I was informed that we should be able to communicate easily because 'we are part of the same thing'. Do not ask me to explain more, Prince Elric, for I know no more."
Elric shrugged. "Well this may be an illusion. I may have killed myself or become digested by that machine of Theleb K'aarna's, but plainly I have no choice but to agree to aid you in the hope that I am, in turn, aided."
Prince Corum left the clearing and returned with two horses, one white and one black. He offered the reins of the black horse to Elric.
Elric settled himself in the unfamiliar saddle. "You spoke of Tanelorn. It is for the sake of Tanelorn that I find myself in this