What do you think?
THE STEALER OF SOULS
For my mother.
This is the first of a new series of stories by a new authorto our pages. Unlike many central characters, Elric is puny onhis own, but as a wanderer in another place and time he
has the power of sorcery to boost his strength.
- John Carnell, SCIENCE FANTASY No. 47, June 1961
THE DREAMING CITY
Introduction
FOR TEN THOUSAND years did the Bright Empire of Melnibone flourish-ruling the world. Ten thousand years before history was recorded-or ten thousand years after history had ceased to be chronicled. For that span of time, reckon it how you will, the Bright Empire had thrived. Be hopeful, if you like, and think of the dreadful past the Earth has known, or brood upon the future. But if you would believe the unholy truth-then Time is an agony of Now, and so it will always be.
Ravaged, at last, by the formless terror called Time, Melnibone fell and newer nations succeeded her: Ilmiora, Sheegoth, Maidahk, S'aaleem. Then memory began: Ur, India, China, Egypt, Assyria, Per-sia, Greece, and Rome-all these came after Melnibone. But none lasted ten thousand years.
And none dealt in the terrible mysteries, the secret sorceries of old Melnibone. None used such power or knew how. Only Melnibone ruled the Earth for one hundred centuries-and then she, shaken by the casting of frightful runes, attacked by powers greater than men; powers who decided that Melnibone's span of ruling had been overlong-then she crumbled and her sons were scattered. They became wanderers across an Earth which hated and feared them, siring few offspring, slowly dying, slowly forgetting the secrets of their mighty ancestors. Such a one was the cynical, laughing Elric, a man of bitter brooding and gusty humour, proud prince of ruins, lord of a lost and humbled people; last son of Melnibone's sundered line of kings.
Elric, the moody-eyed wanderer-a lonely man who fought a world, living by his wits and his runesword Stormbringer. Elric, last Lord of Melnibone, last worshipper of its grotesque and beautiful gods-reckless reaver and cynical slayer-torn by great griefs and with knowledge locked in his skull which would turn lesser men to babbling idiots. Elric, moulder of madnesses, dabbler in wild delights…
Chapter One
"What's the hour?" The black-bearded man wrenched off his gilded helmet and flung it from him, careless of where it fell. He drew off his leathern gauntlets and moved closer to the roaring fire, letting the heat soak into his frozen bones.
"Midnight is long past," growled one of the other armoured men who gathered around the blaze. "Are you still sure he'll come?"
"It's said that he's a man of his word, if that comforts you."
It was a tall, pale-faced youth who spoke. His thin lips formed the words and spat them out maliciously. He grinned a wolf-grin and stared the new arrival in the eyes, mocking him.
The newcomer turned away with a shrug.
"That's so-for all your irony, Yaris. He'll come." He spoke as a man does when he wishes to reassure himself.
There were six men, now, around the fire. The sixth was Smiorgan- Count Smiorgan Baldhead of the Purple Towns. He was a short, stocky man of fifty years with a scarred face partially covered with a thick, black growth of hair. His morose eyes smouldered and his lumpy fingers plucked nervously at his rich-hilted longsword. His pate was hairless, giving him his name, and over his ornate, gilded armour hung a loose woolen cloak, dyed purple.
Smiorgan said thickly, "He has no love for his cousin. He has become bitter. Yyrkoon sits on the Ruby Throne in his place and has pro-claimed him an outlaw and a traitor. Elric needs us if he would take his throne and his bride back. We can trust him."
"You're full of trust tonight, count," Yaris smiled thinly, "a rare thing to find in these troubled times. I say this-" He paused and took a long breath, staring at his comrades, summing them up. His gaze flicked from lean-faced Dharmit of Jharkor to Fadan of Lormyr who pursed his podgy lips and looked into the fire.
"Speak up, Yaris," petulantly urged the patrician-featured Vilmirian, Naclon. "Let's hear what you have to say, lad, if it's worth hearing."
Yaris looked towards Jiku the dandy, who yawned impolitely and scratched his long nose.
"Well!" Smiorgan was impatient. "What d'you say, Yaris?"
"I say that we should start now and waste no more time waiting on Elric's pleasure! He's laughing at us in some tavern a hundred miles from here-or else plotting with the Dragon Princes to trap us. For years we have planned this raid. We have little time in which to strike- our fleet is too big, too noticeable. Even if Elric has not betrayed us, then spies will soon be running eastwards to warn the Dragons that there is a fleet massed against them. We stand to win a fantastic fortune-to vanquish the greatest merchant city in the world-to reap immeasurable riches-or horrible death at the hands of the Dragon Princes, if we wait overlong. Let's bide our time no more and set sail before our prize hears of our plan and brings up reinforcements!"
"You always were too ready to mistrust a man, Yaris." King Naclon of Vilmir spoke slowly, carefully-distastefully eyeing the taut-featured youth. "We could not reach Imrryr without Elric's knowledge of the maze-channels which lead to its secret ports. If Elric will not join us- then our endeavour will be fruitless-hopeless. We need him. We must wait for him-or else give up our plans and return to our homelands."
"At least I'm willing to take a risk," yelled Yaris, anger lancing from his slanting eyes. "You're getting old-all of you. Treasures are not won by care and forethought but by swift slaying and reckless attack."
"Fool!" Dharmit's voice rumbled around the fire-flooded hall. He laughed wearily. "I spoke thus in my youth-and lost a fine fleet soon after. Cunning and Elric's knowledge will win us Imrryr-that and the mightiest fleet to sail the Dragon Sea since Melnibone's banners fluttered over all the nations of the Earth. Here we are-the most powerful sea-lords in the world, masters, every one of us, of more than a hundred swift vessels. Our names are feared and famous-our fleets ravage the coasts of a score of lesser nations. We hold power!" He clenched his great fist and shook it in Yaris's face. His tone became more level and he smiled viciously, glaring at the youth and choosing his words with precision.
"But all this is worthless-meaningless-without the power which Elric has. That is the power of knowledge-of dream-learned sorcery, if I must use the cursed word. His fathers knew of the maze which guards Imrryr from sea-attack. And his fathers passed that secret on to him. Imrryr, the Dreaming City, dreams in peace-and will continue to do so unless we have a guide to help us steer a course through the treacherous waterways which lead to her harbours. We need Elric-we know it, and he knows it. That's the truth!"
"Such confidence, gentlemen, is warming to the heart." There was irony in the heavy voice which came from the entrance to the hall. The heads of the six sea-lords jerked towards the doorway.
Yaris's confidence fled from him as he met the eyes of Elric of Melnibone. They were old eyes in a fine featured, youthful face. Yaris shuddered, turned his back on Elric, preferring to look into the bright glare of the fire.