light towards us, I saw a figure.
Fromental!
The Frenchman strolled into the circle of stones as if looking for a good place for a picnic. To confirm this intention, he held in his hand a covered basket. He was completely unsurprised to see us and greeted us with a cheerful wave. Stepping into the stone circle, a crimson light surrounded him, wrapping around him like a bloody coat. It flared and was gone. The milky web also disappeared. A stink of something old and hot remained. I recognized the smell but did not know why.
'Am I in time?' he asked Oona.
'I hope so,' she said. 'Did you bring her?'
Fromental lifted the basket. 'Here she is, Lady Oona. Shall I take her out?'
'Not yet. We have to be sure he is coming. He will get here somehow. As will Arioch. Gaynor expects to meet Arioch at the Stones of Morn. They have been here before.'
'My Lord Arioch is with us now,' said Elric quietly.
Elric's whole manner changed. He sensed his master's presence in the circle. He spoke rapidly, urgently.
'My Lord Arioch. Forgive us for this intrusion. Give us your good will, I beg, for the sake of our ancient covenants. I am Elric of Melnibone and our blood is bound to the same destiny.'
A voice, sweet as childhood, spoke from the air. 'You are my mortal offspring. You represent my interests in other realms, but not in this one. Why are you here, Elric?'
'I seek revenge upon an enemy, my lord. One who serves you. Who offered you this portal.'
'One of my servants cannot be your enemy.'
'One who serves two masters is nobody's friend,' Elric replied.
The voice, whose warmth embraced and comforted like an old, loving relative, chuckled.
'Ah, bravest of my slaves, sweetest of my succulent children. Now I remember why I love thee.'
My throat filled with bile. Being in the invisible creature's presence was almost physically unbearable. Even Oona seemed unwell. But Elric was if anything more relaxed than usual, even tranquil. 'I am destined to serve thee, great Duke of Hell. The old pact is between my blood and thine. The one who dubs himself Knight of the Balance has already betrayed one Lord of the Higher World, and I know he would betray another.'
'I cannot be betrayed. It is impossible. I trust nothing. I trust no one. I imprisoned Miggea for him. And this was to be my pay-ment. This is a rich, delicious realm. There is much in it to relieve my boredom. Gaynor swore loyalty to me. He would not dare try my patience further.'
'Gaynor's loyalty is to Law before Chaos.' I heard myself speak. My voice was a kind of echo in my own skull and sounded like Elric's. 'And I assure you, Duke Arioch, I owe you no loyalty. It is not in my interest to allow you to enter my realm. Your forces already destroy too much. But I can offer you the means of claiming your payment from Gaynor.'
Arioch was amused. I glimpsed the outline of a golden face, the most beautiful face in the multiverse, and I loved it. 'Those are not my forces, little mortal. They are the forces of the Lady Miggea. They are the forces of Law who make war against your world.'
'Gaynor wishes you to oppose them?'
'I have no interest in his wishes, only his actions. He merely offered me an opportunity. It is in my nature to oppose Law. '
'Then our interests are the same,' I agreed. 'But we cannot strike the same bargain with you that Gaynor struck.'
'Gaynor promises me an entry into your realm. By means of his magic and his wisdom. You will not do the same for me?'
'No, master.' Elric. 'We do not have the means. The great object of power is lost to us.'
'Gaynor will bring it here.' '
'Perhaps,' said Elric. He spoke with respect but also with the firmness of one who regarded himself the equal of Gods. 'Master, you have no rights in this realm.'
'I have rights in all realms, little slave. Nonetheless, I grow tired of this game. I appear to be playing against my own self-interest. As soon as Gaynor brings the key, I and my armies will pass through to bring unbridled Chaos to a bored little world. Miggea's forces are without the guidance of a vital mind. We shall soon defeat them. Your fears are unnecessary.'
'And if Gaynor does not bring the key, Your Excellency?' said Oona, gazing levelly up at the golden head.
'Then Gaynor is mine. Mine to eat. Mine to regurgitate whenever I choose. Mine to drink. Mine to piss. Mine to tickle. Mine to kiss. Mine to shit and mine to fart. Mine to take his heart. Mine to clothe with iron shoes. Mine to dance. Mine to bruise. Mine to use.' The achingly beautiful lips smacked like a troll's in a fairy tale. I began to wonder if it were only Miggea of Law who grew senile amongst the Lords of the Higher Worlds. Could the whole race of gods have grown too old to have any clear idea of their desires or interests? Was the multiverse in the hands of such creatures? Was our own condition reflected in theirs?
Fromental, meanwhile, followed none of this. We spoke a language completely alien to him. He looked from Oona to me, eyebrows raised, asking a silent question.
Elric saw something and pointed. Without a thought, he folded both hands around Stormbringer's hilt.
Gaynor, still in his armor but looking somewhat the worse for wear, appeared on the white beach. Had the U-boat brought him to Morn? He clearly could not see anything within the stone circle and thus believed himself to be alone. He was swordless, apparently with no weapons. And he had no cup with him either.
We took a certain pleasure in watching Gaynor advance.
He paused before entering the circle. He peered in. We remained invisible to him. Ocher light filled the spaces between the stones.
'Master? Lord Arioch?'
Arioch's voice was a gentle invitation. 'Enter.'
Gaynor stepped through.
And found all his enemies awaiting him.
He turned in startled fury. He tried to step back out of the circle, but he was trapped.
'Have you brought me the key, little mortal?' Arioch spoke again with a delicacy suggesting he tasted each syllable before he released it into the air.
'I could not, sire.' His attention was more on us than on the Lord of the Higher Worlds. 'The thing has a mind of its own ...'
'But it is your duty to control it.'
'It cannot be controlled, my lord. It has a will, I swear, if not intelligence.'
'But I told you all that, little mortal. And you assured me you had the means of gaining control. That is why I helped you. That is why I imprisoned Lady Miggea for you.'
Elric laughed as Gaynor's confidence ebbed. 'I came for more help,' said our enemy almost pathetically. 'A little more. But why? How . . . ? These are your enemies, my lord. They who would oppose you.'
'Oh, I think they have shown me rather more respect, Prince Gaynor, than I have received from you. You seem to think it possible to lie to a Lord of the Higher Worlds. You seem to think I'm some bottle imp to give you as many wishes as you desire. I am no such thing! I am a Duke of Hell! I have ambitions which go far beyond your imaginings. And my patience is ended. How shall I punish you, little Prince?'
'I can bring you through, my lord, I swear. I just have to return to Bek. Mighty forces even now rise to dominate this realm. Hour by hour they gain more territory, more power. Only you, through me, can defeat them, my lord.'
'I have no interest in saving this realm,' said Arioch in regal astonishment. 'I just wished to play with it for a while. Now my only pleasure, little Gaynor, will be to play with you.'
Oona turned to Fromental and snatched the basket from his hands. She reached into it and lifted out its contents.
It appeared to be a miniature model. An intricate ivory cage made of thousands of tiny bones from which a tiny voice raged.
Miggea, still trapped, was furious.
