VII
When Elric offered this information to Duke Avan, the Vilmirian burst into laughter. He flung his head back and roared with mirth while the others looked gloomily on. The cloud that had fallen across his features of late suddenly cleared and he became again the man whom Elric had first met.
Smiorgan was the next to smile and even Elric acknowledged the irony of what had happened to them.
"Those crystals fell from his face like tears soon after the High Ones departed, " continued J'osui C'reln Reyr.
"So the High Ones did come here."
"Aye-the Jade Man brought the message and all the folk departed, having made their bargain with him."
"The Jade Man was not built by your people?"
"The Jade Man is Duke Arioch of Hell. He strode from the forest one day and stood in the square and told the people what was to come about-that our city lay at the center of some particular configuration and that it was only there that the Lords of the Higher Worlds could meet."
"And the bargain?"
"In return for their city, our royal line might in the future increase their power with Arioch as their patron. He would give them great knowledge and the means to build a new city elsewhere."
"And they accepted this bargain without question?"
"There was little choice, kinsman."
Elric lowered his eyes to regard the dusty floor. "And thus they were corrupted, " he murmured.
"Only I refused to accept the pact. I did not wish to leave this city and I mistrusted Arioch. When all others set off down the river, I remained here-where we are now-and I heard the Lords of the Higher Worlds arrive and I heard them speak, laying down the rules under which Law and Chaos would fight thereafter. When they had gone, I emerged. But Arioch-the Jade Man-was still here. He looked down on me through his crystal eyes and he cursed me. When that was done the crystals fell and landed where you now see them. Arioch's spirit departed, but his jade image was left behind."
"And you still retain all memory of what transpired between the Lords of Law and Chaos?"
"That is my doom."
"Perhaps your fate was less harsh than that which befell those who left, " Elric said quietly. "I am the last inheritor of that particular doom...."
J'osui C'reln Reyr looked puzzled and then he stared into Elric's eyes and an expression of pity crossed his face. "I had not thought there was a worse fatebut now I believe there might be...."
Elric said urgently, "Ease my soul, at least. I must know what passed between the High Lords in those days. I must understand the nature of my existence-as you, at least, understand yours. Tell me, I beg you! "
J'osui C'reln Reyr frowned and he stared deeply into Elric's eyes. "Do you not know all my story, then?"
"Is there more?"
"I can only remember what passed between the High Lords-but when I try to tell my knowledge aloud or try to write it down, I cannot...."
Elric grasped the man's shoulder. "You must try! You must try! "
"I know that I cannot."
Seeing the torture in Elric's face, Smiorgan came up to him. "What is it, Elric?"
Elric's hand clutched his head. "Our journey has been useless." Unconsciously he used the old Melnibonиan tongue.
"It need not be, " said J'osui C'reln Reyr. "For me, at least." He paused. "Tell me, how did you find this city? Was there a map?"
Elric produced the map. "This one."
"Aye, that is the one. Many centuries ago I put it into a casket which I placed in a small trunk. I launched the trunk into the river, hoping that it would follow my people and they would know what it was."
"The casket was found in Melnibonи, but no one had bothered to open it, " Elric explained. "That will give you an idea of what happened to the folk who left here...."
The strange man nodded gravely. "And was there still a seal upon the map?"
"There was. I have it."
"An image of one of the manifestations of Arioch, embedded in a small ruby?"
"Aye. I thought I recognized the image, but I could not place it."
"The Image in the Gem, " murmured J'osui C'reln Reyr. "As I prayed, it has returned-borne by one of the royal line! "
"What is its significance?"
Smiorgan interrupted. "Will this fellow help us to escape, Elric? We are becoming somewhat impatient. . . ."
"Wait, " the albino said. "I will tell you everything later."
"The Image in the Gem could be the instrument of my release, " said the Creature Doomed to Live. "If he who possesses it is of the royal line, then he can command the Jade Man."
"But why did you not use it?"
"Because of the curse that was put on me. I had the power to command, but not to summon the demon. It was a joke, I understand, of the High Lords."
Elric saw bitter sadness in the eyes of J'osui C'reln Reyr. He looked at the white, naked flesh and the white hair and the body that was neither old nor young, at the shaft of the arrow sticking out above the third rib on the left side.
"What must I do?" he asked.
"You must summon Arioch and then you must command him to enter his body again and recover his eyes so that he may see to walk away from R'lin K'ren A'a."
"And when he walks away?"
"The curse goes with him."
Elric was thoughtful. If he did summon Arioch-who was plainly reluctant to come-and then commanded him to do something he did not wish to do, he stood the chance of making an enemy of that powerful, if unpredictable entity. Yet they were trapped here by the Olab warriors, with no means of escaping them. If the Jade Man walked, the Olab would almost certainly flee and there would be time to get back to the ship and reach the sea. He explained everything to his companions. Both Smiorgan and Avan looked dubious and the remaining Vilmirian crewman looked positively terrified.
"I must do it, " Elric decided, "for the sake of this man. I must call Arioch and lift the doom that is on R'lin K'ren A'a."
"And bring a greater doom to us! " Duke Avan said, putting his hand automatically upon his sword-hilt. "No. I think we should take our chances with the Olab. Leave this man-he is mad-he raves. Let's be on our way."
"Go if you choose, " Elric said. "But I will stay with the Creature Doomed to Live."
"Then you will stay here forever. You cannot believe his story! "
"But I do believe it."
"You must come with us. Your sword will help. Without it, the Olab will certainly destroy us."
"You saw that Stormbringer has little effect against the Olab."
"And yet it has some. Do not desert me, Elric! "
"I am not deserting you. I must summon Arioch. That summoning will be to your benefit, if not to mine."
"I am unconvinced."
"It was my sorcery you wanted on this venture. Now you shall have my sorcery."
Avan backed away. He seemed to fear something more than the Olab, more than the summoning. He seemed to read a threat in Elric's face of which even Elric was unaware.
"We must go outside, " said J'osui C'reln Reyr. "We must stand beneath the Jade Man."
"And when this is done, " Elric asked suddenly, "how will we leave R'lin K'ren A'a?"
"There is a boat. It has no provisions, but much of the city's treasure is on it. It lies at the west end of the island."
"That is some comfort, " Elric said. "And you could not use it yourself?"
"I could not leave."
"Is that part of the curse?"
"Aye-the curse of my timidity."
"Timidity has kept you here ten thousand years?"
"Aye...."
They left the chamber and went out into the square. Night had fallen and a huge moon was in the sky. From where Elric stood it seemed to frame the Jade Man's sightless head like a halo. It was completely silent. Elric took the Image in the Gem from his pouch and held it between the forefinger and thumb of his left hand. With his right he drew Stormbringer. Avan, Smiorgan, and the Vilmirian crewman fell back.