Knight of the Swords

  From beside Corum Elric spoke. "You say you are another incarnation of myself?"

  "If you would phrase it so! You are both other incarnations of myself!"

  "So," Corum said, "that is what Bolorhiag meant by the Three Who Are One. We are all aspects of the same man, yet we have tripled our strength because we have been drawn from three different ages. It is the only power which might successfully go against Voilodion Ghagnasdiak of the Vanishing Tower."

  Elric spoke quietly, "Is that the castle wherein your guide is imprisoned?"

  "Aye." Corum took a stronger grip on the reins. "The Vanishing Tower flickers from one plane to another, from one age to another, and exists in a single location only for a few moments at a time. But because we are three separate incarnations of a single hero it is possible that we form a sorcery of some kind which will enable us to follow the tower and attack it. Then, if we free my guide, we can continue on to Tanelorn . . ."

  The black warrior raised his head, hope beginning to replace despair. "Tanelorn? I, too, seek Tanelorn. Only there may I discover some remedy to my dreadful fate—which is to know all previous incarnations and be hurled at random from one existence to another!

  Tanelorn—I must find her!"

  "I, too, must discover Tanelorn." The albino seemed half amused, as if beginning to enjoy the strange situation.

  "For on my own plane her inhabitants are in great danger."

  "So we have a common purpose as well as a common identity," said Corum. Perhaps now there was some chance of saving Jhary and finding Rhalina. "Therefore we shall fight in concert, I pray. First we must free my guide, then go on to Tanelorn."

  The black giant growled, "I'll aid you willingly."

  Corum bowed his head in thanks. "And what shall we call you—you who are ourselves?"

  "Call me Erekose—though another name suggests itself to me—for it was as Erekose that I came closest to knowing forgetfulness and the fulfillment of love."

  "Then you are to be envied, Erekose," Elric said, "for at least you have come close to forgetfulness . . ."

  The black giant shook his reins and fell in beside Corum.

  He gave Elric a sideways stare and his mouth was crooked.

  "You have no inkling of what it is 1 must forget." He turned to the Prince in the Scarlet Robe. "Now Corum—which way to the Vanishing Tower?"

  "This road leads to it. We ride down now to Darkvale, I believe."

  With a man who was a shadow of himself on either side of him, with a sense of doom filling his mind when it should have begun to feel hope, Corum guided his horse down toward Darkvale.

  Book Three

  In which Prince Corum discovers far more than Tanelorn

  The First Chapter

  Voilodion Ghagnasdiak

  Now the road narrowed and became much steeper. Corum saw it disappear into the black shadows between two high cliffs and he knew that he had come to Darkvale.

  He felt ill at ease still, with the two men who were himself, and he fought not to brood upon the implications of what all this meant. He pointed down the hill and spoke as lightly as possible.

  "Darkvale." He looked at the albino face on one side of him, the jet black face on the other. Both were grim and set. "I am told there was a village here once. An uninviting spot, eh—brothers ..."

  "I have seen worse." Erekose clapped his legs hard against his horse's sides. "Come, let's get all this done with

  . . ."

  He spurred the roan ahead and galloped wildly down toward the gap in the cliffs.

  Corum followed him more slowly and Elric was the slowest of all. As he rode into the darkness, Corum looked up. The cliffs came so close together at the top that they met, cutting off all but a little light. And at the foot of the cliffs were ruins—what was left of the town of Darkvale after Chaos came against it. The rains were all twisted and warped as if they had become liquid and then turned solid again. Corum searched for the most likely spot where he would find the Vanishing Tower and at last he came to a pit which seemed freshly dug. He inspected it closely. It was of a size with the Vanishing Tower. "Here is where we must wait," he said.

  Elric joined him. "What must we wait for, friend Corum?"

  "For the tower. I would guess that this is where it appears when it is in this plane."

  "And when will it appear?"

  "At no particular time. We must wait. And then, as soon as we see it we must rush it and attempt to enter before it vanishes again, moving on to the next plane."

  Corum looked for Erekose. The black giant was sitting on the ground with his back against a slab of the twisted rock. Elric approached him.

  "You seem more patient than I, Erekose."

  "I have learned patience, for I have lived since time began and will live on at the end of time."

  Elric loosened his horse's girth strap, calling out to Corum. "Who told you that the Tower would appear here?"

  "A sorcerer who doubtless serves Law as I do, for I am a mortal doomed to battle Chaos."

  "As am I," said Erekose.

  "As am I," said the albino, "though I'm sworn to serve it." He shrugged and looked strangely at the other two.

  Corum guessed what he was thinking. "And why do you seek Tanelorn, Erekose?"

  Erekose stared up at the crack of light where the cliffs met. "I have been told that I may find peace there—and wisdom—a means of returning to the world of the Eldren where dwells the woman I love, for it has been said that since Tanelorn exists in all planes at all times it is easier for a man who dwells there to pass between the planes, discover the particular one he seeks. What interest have you in Tanelorn, Lord Elric?"

  "I know Tanelorn and I know that you are right to seek it. My mission seems to be the defense of that city upon my own plane—but even now my friends may be destroyed by that which has been brought against them. I pray Corum is right and that in the Vanishing Tower I shall find a means to defeat Theleb K'aarna's beasts and their masters ..."

  Corum raised his jeweled hand to his jeweled eye. "I seek Tanelorn for I have heard the city can aid me in my struggle against Chaos." He said no more of Arkyn's whispered instructions so long ago in the Temple of Law.

  "But Tanelorn," Elric told him, "will fight neither Law nor Chaos. That is why she exists for eternity."

  Corum had heard as much from Jhary. "Aye," he said.

  "Like Erekose I do not seek swords, but wisdom."

  When night came the three took turns to stand watch, occasionally conversing, but more often than not merely sitting or standing and staring at the place where the Vanishing Tower might appear.

  Corum found his two companions rather heavy company after Jhary and he felt a certain dislike for them, perhaps because they were so much like himself.

  But then at dawn, while Erekose nodded and Elric slept soundly, the air shuddered and Corum saw the familiar outlines of Voilodion Ghagnasdiak's tower begin to grow solid.

  "It is here!" he shouted. Erekose sprang up at once but Elric was only just stirring. "Hasten Elric!"

  Now Elric joined them and he, like Erekose, had his black sword in his hand. The swords were almost brothers—both black, both terrible in aspect, both carved with runes.

  Corum was ahead of the others, determined not to be shut out this time. He ran into the dark doorway and was at first blinded, shouting for his friends to join him. "Hasten!

  Hasten!"

  Corum ran into a small antechamber and saw that reddish, light illuminated the room, spilling from a great oil lamp which hung in chains from the ceiling. But then the door closed suddenly behind them and Corum knew they were trapped, prayed that they three would be powerful enough to resist the sorcerer. His eyes caught a movement at the slit window in the wall. Darkvale had gone and there was nothing but blue sea where it had been. The tower was already moving. He pointed it out silently to his companions.

  Then he raised his head and yelled, "Jhary! Jhary-a-Conel!"

  Was the dandy dead? He
prayed that he was not.

  He listened carefully and heard a tiny noise which might have been a reply.

  "Jhary!"

  Corum motioned with his long, strong sword.

  "Voilodion Ghagnasdiak? Am I to be thwarted? Have you left this place?"

  "I have not left it. What do you want with me?"

  Corum looked toward the next room, beneath a pointed arch. He led the way forward.

  Brightness like the golden brightness he had seen in Limbo flickered and framed the humped shape of Voilodion Ghagnasdiak—a dwarf, overdressed in silks, ermine, and satin, a miniature sword clutched in his coarse hand, a handsome head upon his tiny shoulders, bright eyes beneath thick black brows, which met in the middle, a grin of welcome like the grin of a wolf. "At last someone new to relieve my ennui. But lay down your swords, gentlemen, I beg you, for you are to be my guests."

  "I know what fate your guests may expect," Corum said.

  "Know this, Voilodion Ghagnasdiak, we have come to release Jhary-a-Conel, whom you hold prisoner. Give him up to us and we will not harm you."

  The dwarfs handsome features grinned impishly back at Corum. "But I am very powerful. You cannot defeat me." He opened his arms. "Watch."

  Waving his sword he made more lightning flash here and there in the room and forced Elric to half-raise his sword as if it attacked him. Plainly this made him feel foolish and he stepped toward the dwarf. "Know this, Violodion Ghagnasdiak, I am Elric of Melnibone and I have much power. I bear the Black Sword and it thirsts to drink your soul unless you release Prince Corum's friend!"

  The dwarf's mirth was not abated. "Swords? What power have they?"

  Erekose growled, "Our swords are not ordinary blades.

  And we have been brought here by forces you could not comprehend—wrenched from our own ages by the power of the gods themselves—specifically to demand that this Jhary-a-Conel be given up to us."

  "You are deceived," said Voilodion Ghagnasdiak, addressing all three. "Or you seek to deceive me. This Jhary is a witty fellow, I'd agree, but what interest could gods have in him?"

  The albino impulsively raised his great black sword and Corum heard a sound like a moan of bloodlust come from it. He thought the sword an unhealthy weapon to bear.

  But then Elric was hurtling backward, his sword flying from his grip. Voilodion Ghagdasdiak had merely bounced a yellow ball off his forehead—but it had been powerful.

  Corum let Erekose go to Elric's aid while he kept his attention on the sorcerer, but as soon as Elric was on his feet Voilodion hurled another ball and this time the Mack sword deflected it so that it bounced harmlessly toward the far wall and then exploded. The heat seared their faces and the blast knocked the wind from them. Corum saw a blackness begin to writhe from the fire left behind by the explosion.

  Voilodion Ghagnasdiak spoke equably enough. "It is dangerous to destroy the globes," he said, "for now what is in them will destroy you."

  The black thing increased its size and the flame disappeared.

  "I am free."

  The voice came from the writhing shadow.

  Voilodion Ghagnasdiak chuckled. "Aye. Free to kill these fools who reject my hospitality!"

  "Free to be slain!" Elric cried impetuously.

  Corum stared in terrified fascination as the thing began to grow like flowing, sentient hair, which then slowly compressed and became a creature with a tiger's head, a gorilla's body, and a hide as coarse as that of a rhinoceros.

  Black wings sprouted on its back and these flapped rapidly as it shifted its grip on its weapon—a long, scythelike thing which lashed out at the nearest man, the albino.

  Corum moved to help Elric, remembering that Elric might be relying on him to use the power of the hand and the eye. He shouted, "My eye—it will not see into the netherworld. I cannot summon help."

  But then Corum saw one of the yellow balls coming at him and another being flung at Erekose. Both managed to deflect them so that they landed on the ground and burst.

  More winged monsters emerged and soon Corum had no time to think of aiding Elric, for he was concerned with fighting for his own life, ducking the whistling scythe as it sought to decapitate him.

  Several times Corum managed to get under the monster's guard, but even when he did the thick skin turned his thrusts. And the beast moved quickly—far faster than it would seem it could. Sometimes it would leap into the air, hovering on its wings before sweeping down on Corum again.

  The Prince in the Scarlet Robe began to think that he had been deceived by Chaos into coming here, for the other two were as helpless against the monsters as was he.

  He cursed himself for overconfidence and wished that they had formed a more coherent plan before rushing into the Vanishing Tower,

  And over the sound of battle came the screeches of Voilodion Ghagnasdiak as he threw more of the yellow spheres into the room and they burst and more tiger-headed monsters formed in the air and pressed into the fray. The three men found themselves pushed back to the far wall.

  "I fear I have summoned you two to your destruction."

  Corum was panting and his sword arm was weary. "I had no warning that our powers would be so limited here. The tower must shift so fast that even the ordinary laws of sorcery do not apply within its walls."

  Elric defended himself as two scythes swung at him at the same time. "They seem to work well enough for the dwarf! If I could slay but a single ..."

  One of the scythes drew blood and another ripped the albino's cloak. Yet another slashed his arm. Corum tried to help him, but a blade ripped his silver byrnie and another nicked his ear. He saw Elric stab a tiger-monster in the throat without seeming to harm the beast at all. He heard Elric's sword howl as if in fury at being thwarted of its prey.

  Then Corum saw Elric grab a scythe from the hands of the tiger-thing and reverse it. The albino stabbed the monster in the chest and then blood spurted in earnest and the thing screamed as it was mortally wounded.

  "I was right!" called the Prince of Melnibone. "Only their own weapons can harm them!" His runesword in one hand and the scythe in the other he charged at another flapping beast, then moved toward Voilodion Ghagnasdiak, who screeched and ran toward a small doorway.

  The tiger-creatures had bunched near the ceiling. Now they flew down again.

  Corum made every effort to wrest one of the scythes from the beast who attacked him. Then his chance came when Elric took one in the back and sliced off his head.

  Corum picked up the dead thing's scythe and slashed at a third tiger-man, who fell with his throat ripped out. Corum kicked the fallen scythe in Erekose's direction.

  The air was full of a sickening stench and black feathers stuck to the sweat and the blood on Corum's face and hands. He led the others back to the door through which they had entered the room and there they were able to defend themselves the better, for only so many of the creatures could come through at a time.

  Corum felt mightily tired and he knew that he and his companions were bound to lose this struggle for, from his cover, Voilodion Ghagnasdiak was still throwing more globes into the room. Then he saw something fluttering behind the dwarf but, before he could make out what it was, a tiger-man blocked his view and he was forced to swing his body aside to avoid the blow of a scythe.

  Then Corum heard a voice and when he next looked Voilodion Ghagnasdiak was struggling with something which clung to his face and Jhary-a-Conel stood there signaling to an astonished Elric, who had just noticed him.

  "Jhary!" shouted Corum.

  "The one you came to save?" Elric slashed open the belly of yet another tiger beast.

  "Aye."

  Elric was closest to Jhary and he prepared himself to cross the room. Jhary shouted back, "No! No! Stay there!"

  There was no need for the remark for Elric was once again engaged with two of the tiger monsters, who attacked him from both sides.

  Jhary called out desperately. "You misunderstood what Bolorhiag told you."

/>   Now Elric could see Jhary again, as could Erekose. The black giant had, up to that time, been absorbed in the killing, seeming to take more pleasure in it than the others.

  "Link arms! Corum in the center!" Jhary called. "And you two draw your swords!"

  Corum knew enough to guess that Jhary understood more than he had mentioned earlier. And now Elric was wounded in the leg.

  "Hurry!" Jhary-a-Conel stood over the dwarf who strove to rip the thing from his face. "It is your only chance—and mine!"

  Elric seemed uncertain.

  "He is wise, my friend," Corum told the albino. "He knows many things which we do not. Here, I will stand in the center."

  Erekose seemed to awaken from a trance. He looked at Corum over his bloody scythe, shook his great black head, and then placed his right arm in Corum's, his sword in his left hand. Elric linked his left arm in Corum's right arm and drew his own strange sword.

  And then Corum felt a power flow into his weary flesh and he almost laughed with delight at the sense of pleasure which filled him. Elric, himself, was laughing and even Erekose smiled. They had combined. They had become the Three Who Are One and they moved as one, laughed as one, fought as one.

  Although Corum did not fight, he felt as if he fought He felt that he had a sword in each hand and that he guided those hands.

  The tiger-beasts fell back before the shrieking runeswords. They sought to escape this strange new power.

  They flapped wildly about the room.

  Corum laughed in triumph. "Let us finish them!" And he knew they cried the same thing. No longer were their swords useless against the winged tiger-men. Instead they were invincible. Blood poured down as wounded beasts sought to escape, but none did escape.

  As if weakened by the power released within it, the Vanishing Tower began to tremble. The floor tilted.

  Voilodion Ghagnasdiak's voice screamed from somewhere,

  "The tower! The tower! This will destroy the tower!"