Elric's Stormbringer emitted black radiance as it carved a bloody path through the beggar army, leaving in its wake a mess of dismembered bodies, entrails and dead, horrified eyes.
Moonglum's horse was splashed with blood to the shoulder and it snorted and balked at following the white-skinned demon with the howling black blade, but Moonglum, afraid that the beggar ranks would close, forced it on until at last they were both riding towards the caravan and someone was yelling Elric's name.
It was Rackhir the Red Archer, clothed in scarlet from head to foot, with a red bone bow in his hand and a red quiver of crimson-fletched arrows on his back. On his head was a scarlet skull cap decorated with a single scarlet feather. His face was weather beaten and all but fleshless. He had fought with Elric before the Fall of Imrryr and together they had discovered the Black Swords. Rackhir had gone on to seek Tanelorn and find it at last.
Elric had not seen Rackhir since then. Now he noted an enviable look of peace in the archer's eyes. Rackhir had once been a Warrior Priest in the Eastlands, serving Chaos, but now he served nothing but his tranquil Tanelorn.
"Elric! Have you come to help us send Urish and his beggars back to where they came from?" Rackhir was laughing, evidently pleased to see his old friend. "And Moonglum! When did you two meet? I have not seen thee since I left the Eastlands! "
Moonglum grinned. "Much has come to pass since those days, Rackhir."
Rackhir rubbed at his aquiline nose. "Aye-so I've heard."
Elric dismounted swiftly. "No time for reminiscence now, Rackhir. You're in greater danger than you know."
"What? When did the beggar rabble of Nadsokor offer anything to fear? Look how poorly armed they are! "
"They have a sorcerer with them-Theleb K'aarna of Pan Tang. See-that's him on yonder hill."
Rackhir frowned. "Sorcery. These days I've little guard against that. How good is the sorcerer, do you know?"
"He is one of the most powerful in Pan Tang."
"And the wizards of Pan Tang almost equal your folk, Elric, in their skills."
"I fear he more than equals me at present, for my Actorios Ring has been stolen from me by Urish."
Rackhir looked strangely at Elric, noting something in the albino's face which he had evidently not seen there when they last parted. "Well, " he said, "we shall have to defend ourselves as best we can...."
"If you cut loose your horses so that all your folk could be mounted we might be able to escape before
Theleb K'aarna invokes whatever supernatural aid it is he seeks." Elric nodded as the giant, Brut of Lashmar, rode up grinning at him. Brut had been a hero in Lashmar before he had disgraced himself.
Rackhir shook his head. "Tanelorn needs the provisions we carry."
"Look, " said Moonglum quietly.
On the hill where Theleb K'aarna had been standing there had now appeared a billowing cloud of redness, like blood in clear water.
"He is successful." Rackhir murmured. "Brut! Let all be mounted. We've no time to prepare further defences, but we'll have the advantage of being on horseback when they attack."
Brut thundered off, yelling at the men of Tanelorn. They began to unharness the wagon horses and ready their weapons.
The cloud of redness above was beginning to disperse and out of it shapes were emerging. Elric tried to distinguish the shapes but could not at that distance. He climbed back into his saddle as the horsemen of Tanelorn now formed themselves into groups which would, when the attack came, race through the unmounted beggars striking swiftly and passing on. Rackhir waved to Elric and went to join one of these divisions. Elric and Moonglum found themselves at the head of a dozen warriors armed with axes, pikes and lances.
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 eyesmalicious, unblinking eyes.
Then Carkan of Pan Tang, his fur cap askew, his chequered cloak billowing, gave a strangled yell and urged his heavy horse at them, his own sword waving.
"Back, demons! Back, spawn of hell! "
"Aaaaaaaah! " gasped the Elenoin in anticipation. "Eeeeeeeh! " they sang.
And Carkan was suddenly in the midst of a dozen slender, slashing swords and he and his horse were cut all to tiny morsels of flesh which lay in a heap at the feet of the Elenoin. And their laughter filled the valley