Chapter Five
They staggered wearily onto the beach of the Isle of the Purple Towns and Elric turned back to address the sea-king, who remained in the shallows. "Again I thank you for saving us, Lord of the Sea," he said re-spectfully. "And thanks also for telling me more of the sad giant's shield. By this action you have perhaps, given us the opportunity to make certain that Chaos will be swept away from the ocean-and the land, also." "Aahh," the sea-king nodded, "yet even if you are successful and the sea is unspoiled, it will mean the passing of us both, will it not? " "True." "Then let it be so, for I at least am weary of my long existence. But come-now I must return to my folk and hope to withstand Chaos for a little longer. Farewell! " And the sea-king sank into the waves again and vanished. When they eventually reached the Fortress of Evening, heralds ran out to assist them. "How went the battle? Where is the fleet?" one asked Moonglum. "Have the survivors not yet returned?" "Survivors? Then…?" "We were defeated," Elric said hollowly. "Is my wife still here?" "No, she left soon after the fleet sailed, riding for Karlaak." "Good. At least we shall have time to erect new defenses against Chaos before they reach that far. Now, we must have food and wine. We must devise a fresh plan of battle." "Battle, my lord? With what shall we fight?" "We shall see," Elric said, "we shall see." Later they watched the battered survivors of the fleet sailing into the harbour. Moonglum counted despairingly. "Too few," he said. "This is a black day." From behind them in the courtyard a trumpet sounded. "An arrival from the mainland," Dyvim Slorm said. They strode together down to the courtyard in time to see a scarlet-clad archer dismounting from his horse. His near-fleshless face might have been carved from bone. He stooped with weariness. Elric was surprised. "Rackhir! You command the Ilmioran coast. Why are you here?" "We were driven back. The Theocrat launched not one fleet but two. The other came in from the Pale Sea and took us by surprise. Our defenses were crushed, Chaos swept in and we were forced to flee. The enemy has established itself less than a hundred miles from Bakshaan and marches across country-if march is the word, rather it flows. Presumably it expects to meet up with the army the Theocrat intends to land here." "Aaahh, we are surely defeated…" Moonglum's voice was little more than a sigh. "We must have that shield, Elric," Dyvim Slorm said. Elric frowned, his heart sinking. "Any further steps we take against Chaos will be doomed unless we have its protection. You, Rackhir, will be the fourth man in the prophecy." "What prophecy?" "I'll explain later. Are you fit enough to ride back with us now?" "Give me two hours to sleep and then I will be." "Good. Two hours. Make your preparations, my friends, for we go to claim the sad giant's shield!"