Corum replied just as Elric began to nod into a half-doze. "Perhaps domestic problems are worse. Who knows?"
CHAPTER FIVE
Jhary-a-Conel
"It is here! Hasten Elric! "
Elric sprang up.
It was dawn. He had already stood watch once during the night.
He drew his Black Sword from its scabbard noticing with some astonishment that Erekose had already drawn his own blade and that it was almost identical to his own.
There was the Vanishing Tower.
Corum was running towards it even now.
The tower was in fact a small castle of grey and solid stone, but about its battlements played lights and its outline was not altogether clear at certain sections of its walls.
Elric ran beside Erekose.
"He keeps the door open to lure his 'guests' in, " panted the black giant. "It is our only advantage, I think."
The tower flickered.
"Hasten! " Corum cried again and the Prince in the Scarlet Robe dashed into the darkness of the doorway.
"Hasten! "
They ran into a small antechamber which was lit by a great oil lamp hanging from the ceiling by chains.
The door closed suddenly behind them.
Elric glanced at Erekose's tense black features, at Corum's blemished face. All had swords ready, but now a profound silence filled the hall. Without speaking Corum pointed through a window-slit. The view be yond it had changed. They seemed now to be looking out over blue sea.
"Jhary! " Corum called. "Jhary-a-Conel! "
A faint sound came back. It might have been a reply or it might have been the squeak of a rat in the castle walls. "Jhary! " Corum cried again. "Voilodion Ghagnasdiak? Am I to be thwarted? Have you left this place?"
"I have not left it. What do you want with me?" The voice came from the next room. Warily the three heroes who were one hero went forward.
Something like lightning flickered in the room and in its ghastly glare Elric saw Voilodion Ghagnasdiak.
He was a dwarf clad all in puffed multicoloured silks, furs and satins, a tiny sword in his hand. His head was too large for his body, but it was a handsome head with thick black eyebrows which met in the middle. He smiled at them. "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 dwarf's handsome features grinned cheerfully at these words. "But I am very powerful. You cannot defeat me. Watch."
He waved his sword and more lightning lashed about the room. Elric half-raised his sword to ward it off, but it never quite touched him. He stepped angrily towards the dwarf. "Know this, Voilodion 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! "
Again the dwarf laughed. "Swords? What power have they?"
"Our swords are not ordinary blades, " Erekose said. "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, "or you seek to deceive me. This Jhary is a witty fellow, I'd agree, but what interest could gods have in him?"
Elric raised Stormbringer. The Black Sword moaned in anticipation of a quenching.
Then the dwarf produced a tiny yellow ball from nowhere and flung it at Elric. It bounced on his forehead and he was flung backward across the room, Stormbringer clattering from his hand. Dizzily Elric tried to rise, reached out to take his sword, but he was too weak. On impulse he began to cry for the aid of Arioch, but then he remembered that Arioch had been banished from this world. There were no supernatural allies to call upon here-none but the sword and he could not reach the sword.
Erekose leapt backward and kicked the Black Sword in Elric's direction. As the albino's hand encircled the hilt he felt strength come back to him, but it was no more than ordinary mortal strength. He climbed to bis feet.
Corum remained where he was. The dwarf was still laughing. Another ball appeared in his hand. Again he flung it at Elric, but this time he brought up the Black Sword in time and deflected it. It bounced across the room and exploded against the far wall. Something black writhed from the fire.
"It is dangerous to destroy the globes, " said Voilodion Ghagnasdiak equably, "for now what is in them will destroy you."
The black thing grew. The flames died.
"I am free, " said a voice.
"Aye." Voilodion Ghagnasdiak was gleeful. 'Free to kill these fools who reject my hospitality! "
"Free to be slain, " Elric replied as he watched the thing take shape.
At first it seemed all made of flowing hair which gradually compressed until it formed the outline of a creature with the heavily muscled body of a gorilla,
though the hide was thick and warted like that of a rhinoceros. From behind the shoulders curved great black wings and on the neck was the snarling head of a tiger. It clutched a long, scythe-like weapon in its hairy hands. The tiger head roared and the scythe swept out suddenly, barely missing Elric.
Erekose and Corum began to move forward to Elric's aid. Elric heard Corum cry: "My eye-it will not see into the netherworld. I cannot summon help!" It seemed that Corum's sorcerous powers were also limited on this plane. Then Voilodion Ghagnasdiak threw a yellow ball at the black giant and the pale man with the jewelled hand. Both barely managed to deflect the missiles and, in so doing, caused them to burst. Immediately shapes emerged and became two more of the winged tiger-men and Elric's allies were forced to defend themselves.
As he dodged another swing of the scythe Elric tried to think of some rune which would summon supernatural aid to him, but he could think of none which would work here. He thrust at the tiger-man but his blow was blocked by the scythe. His opponent was enormously strong and swift. The black wings began to beat and the snarling thing flapped upwards to the ceiling, hovered for a moment and then rushed down on Elric with its scythe whirling, a chilling scream coming from its fanged mouth, its yellow eyes glaring.
Elric felt something close to panic. Stormbringer was not supplying him with the strength he expected. Its powers were diminished on this plane. He barely managed to dodge the scythe again and lash at the creature's exposed thigh. The blade bit but no blood came. The tiger-man did not seem to notice the wound. Again it began to flap towards the ceiling.
Elric saw that his companions were experiencing a similar plight. Corum's face was full of consternation as if he had expected an easy victory and now foresaw defeat.
Meanwhile Voilodion Ghagnasdiak continued to scream his glee and flung more of the yellow balls about
the room. As each one burst there emerged another snarling winged tiger creature. The room was full of them. Elric, Erekose and Corum backed to the far wall as the monsters bore down on them, their ears full of the fearful beating of the giant wings, the harsh screams of hatred.
"I fear I have summoned you two to your destruction, " Corum panted. "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."
"They seem to work well enough for the dwarf, " Elric said as he brought up his blade to block first one scythe and then another. "If I could slay but a single..."
His back was hard against the wall, a scythe nicked his cheek and drew blood, another tore his cloak, another slashed his arm. The tiger faces were grinning now as they closed in.