«No! » he groaned. «Oh, not my soul! No! » His eyes widened, tears streamed from them and madness came into them for a second before Stormbringer satiated itself and Elric drew it out, replenished. He had no sympathy for the man. «Your soul would have gone to the depths of hell in any case, » he said lightly. «But now I've put it to some use at least»
Two other officers scrambled over the rail, seeking to escape their comrade's fate.
Elric hacked at the hand of one so that he fell, screaming, to the deck, his hand still grasping the rail. The other he skewered in the bowels and, as Stormbringer sucked out his soul, he hung there, pleading incoherently, in an effort to avert the inevitable.
So much vitality flowed into Elric now, that as he rushed at the remaining group around the commander, he seemed almost to fly over the deck and rip into them, slicing away Umbs as if they were stalks of Sowers, until he encountered the commander himself.
The commander said softly, weakly: «I surrender. Do not take my soul»
«Where is Jagreen Lern?»
The commander pointed into the distance, where the Chaos fleet could be seen creating havoc amongst the eastern ships. «There! He sails with Lord Pyaray of Chaos whose fleet that is. You cannot reach him there for any man not protected or not already dead-would turn to flowing, liquid flesh once he neared the fleet»
«That cursed hellspawn still cheats me, » Elric spat «Here's payment for your information-»
Without mercy for one of those who had wasted and eat slaved two continents, Elric struck his blade through the ornate armour and, delicately, with all the old malevolence of his sorcerer ancestors, tickled the man's heart before finishing him.
He looked around for Kargan, but could not see him. Then he saw that the Chaos fleet had turned back! At first he « thought it was because Straasha had at last brought aid, but then he saw that the remnants of his fleet were fleeing.
Jagreen Lern was victorious. Their plans, their formations their courage-none of these had been capable of withstanding the horrible warpings of Chaos.
And now the dreadful fleet was bearing down on the two flagships, locked together by their grapples. There was no chance of cutting one of them free before the fleet arrived.
Elric yelled to Dyviro Slorm and Moonglum whom he saw naming towards him from the other end of the deck.
«Over the side! Over the side for your lives-and swim as far as you can away from here, the Chaos fleet comes! »
They looked at him, startled, teen realised the truth of his words. Other men of both sides were already leaping into the Moody water. Elric sheated his sword and dived. The left was cold, for all the warm blood in it, and he gasped as he swam in the direction of Moonglum’s red head, which he could see ahead, and, dose to it, Dyvim Slorm's honey coloured hair.
He turned once and saw the very timbers of the two ships begin to melt, to twist and curl in strange patterns as the Ships of Hell arrived. He felt very relieved he had not been aboard.
He reached his two friends.
«A short-term measure this, » said Moonglum, spitting water from his mouth. «What now, Elric? Shall we strike for the Purple Towns?» Moonglum's capacity for facetiousness had not, it seemed, been limited by witnessing the defeat of their fleet and the advance of Chaos. The Isle was too far away.
Then, to their left they saw the water froth and form itself into what was to Elric a familiar shape.
«Straashal»
I could not aid thee, I could not aid thee. Though I tried, my ancient enemy was too strong for me. Forgive me. In recompense let me take you and your friends back with me to my own land and save you, at least from Chaos.
«But we cannot breathe beneath the sea! »
«You will not need to.»
«Very well.»
Trusting to the elemental's words, they allowed themselves to be dragged beneath the waters and down into the cool, green depths of the sea, deeper and deeper until no sunlight filtered there and all was wet darkness and they lived, though at normal times the pressure would have crushed them.
They seemed to travel for miles through the mysterious underwater grottoes until at last they came to a place of coral coloured rounded constructions that seemed to drift Slowly in a sluggish current Brie knew it by a description in one of his grimoires. The domain of Straasha the Sea King.
The elemental bore them to the largest construction and one section of it seemed to fade away to admit teem. They moved now through twisting corridors of a delicate pink texture, slightly shadowed, no longer in water. They were now on the plane of the elemental folk. In a huge circular cave, they came to rest.
With a peculiar rushing sound, the Sea King walked to a large throne of milky jade and sat upon it, his green head on his green fist.
«Elric, once again I regret I was unable, after all, to aid you. All I can do now is have some of my folk carry you back to your own land when you have rested here for a while. We are all, it seems, helpless against this new strength which Chaos has of late.»
Elric nodded. «Nothing can stand against its warping influence-unless it is the Chaos Shield.» Straasha straightened his back. «The Chaos Shield. Ah, yes. It belongs to an exiled god, does it not? But his castle is virtually impregnable.»
«Why is that?»
«It lies upon the topmost crag of a tall and lonely mountain, reached by one hundred and thirty-nine steps. Lining these steps are forty-nine ancient elder trees, and of these you would have to be specially wary. Also he has a guard of one hundred and forty-four warriors.»
«Of the warriors I would certainly be wary. But why the elders?»
«Each elder contains the soul of one of Mordaga's followers who was punished thus. They are malevolent trees-ever ready to take the life of anyone that comes into their domain.»
«A hard task, to get that shield for myself, » Elric mused. «But get it I must, for without it Fate's purpose would be forever thwarted-and with it I might have vengeance on the one who commands the Chaos Fleet-and Jagreen Lern who sails with him.»
«Slay Pyaray, Lord of the Fleet of Hell, and, lacking his direction, the fleet itself would perish. His life-force is contained in a blue crystal set in the top of his head and striking at that with a special weapon is the only means of killing him.»
«Thanks for that information, » Elric said gratefully. «For when the time comes, I shall need it.»
«What do you plan to do, Elric?» Dyvim Slonn asked.
«Put all else aside for the moment and see the sad giant's shield. I must-for if I do not have it, every battle fought will be a repetition of the one we have just lost»
«I will come with you, Elric, » Moonglum promised.
«I also, » said Dyvim Storm.
«We shall require a fourth if we are to carry out the prophecy, » Elric said. «I wonder what became of Kargan.»
Moonglum looked at the ground. «Did you not notice?»
«Notice what?»
«On board Jagreen Lern’s flagship when you were hewing about you in an effort to reach the main deck. Did you not know, then, what you had done-or rather what your cursed sword did?»
Elric felt suddenly exhausted. «No. Did -did it-kill him?»
«Aye.»
«Gods! » He wheeled and paced the chamber, slapping his fist in his palm. «Still this hell-made blade exacts its tribute for the service it gives me. Still it drinks the souls of friends. Tis a wonder you two arc still with me! »
«I agree it's extraordinary, » Moonglum said feelingly.
«I grieve for Kargan. He was a good friend.»
«Elric.» Moonglum said urgently. «You know that Kargan's death was not your responsibility. It was fated.»
«Aye, but why must I always be the executioner of fate? I hesitate to list the names of the good friends and useful allies whose souls my sword has stolen. I hate it enough that it must suck souls out to give me my vitality-but that it should be most partial to my friends, that is what I cannot bear. I've half a mind to venture into the heart of Chaos and mere sacrifice us both! The guilt is indirectly mine, for if I was not so weak I must bear such a blade, many of those who have befriended the might he alive now.»