"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
as some of them bent to pop the flesh into their fanged mouths.
A groan of horror and hatred went up from the ranks of Tanelorn then and screaming men, hysterical with fear and disgust, began to fling themselves at the Elenoin who laughed the more and whirled their sharp swords.
Stormbringer murmured as it seemed to hear the sounds of battle, but Elric did not move as he stared at the scene. He knew that the Elenoin would kill all as they had killed Carkan.
Moonglum moaned. "Elric-there must be some sorcery against them! "
"There is! But I cannot summon the Grahluk! " Elric's chest was heaving and his brain was in turmoil. "I cannot, Moonglum! "
"For the sake of Tanelorn, you must try! "
Then Elric was riding forward, Stormbringer howling, riding at the Elenoin and screaming Arioch's name as his ancestors had screamed it since the founding of Imrryr!
"Arioch! Arioch! Blood and souls for my Lord Arioch! "
He parried the whirling blade of an Elenoin and glared into the bestial eyes as Stormbringer sent a shudder down his arm. He struck and his own blow was parried by the demon that was not a woman. Red hair swung and curled around his throat. He hacked at it and it loosened its grip. He thrust at the naked body and the Elenoin danced aside. Another whistling blow from the slim sword and he flung himself backwards to avoid it, toppling from his saddle and springing instantly to his feet to parry a second attack, gripped Stormbringer in both hands and stepped forward under the blade to plunge the Black Sword into the smooth belly. The Elenoin shouted with anger and green foulness billowed from the wound. The Elenoin fell, still glaring and snarling, still living. Elric chopped at the neck and the head sprang off, its hair thrashing at him. He dashed forward, picked up the head and began to
run up the hill to where the beggars were gathered, watching the destruction of Tanelorn's warriors. As he approached the beggars broke and began to run, but he caught one in the back with his blade. The man fell, tried to crawl on, but his twisted knees would not support him and he collapsed into the stained grass. Elric picked the wretch up and flung him over his shoulder. Then he turned and began to run down the hill back to the camp. The warriors of Tanelorn were fighting well, but half their number had already been slain by the Elenoin. Almost unbelievably there were also several Elenoin corpses on the field.
Elric saw Moonglum defending himself with both swords. He saw Rackhir, still mounted, shouting orders to his men. He saw Brut of Lashmar in the thick of the fight. But he ran on until he stood behind one of the waggons and had dropped both his bloody bundles to the ground. With his sword he split open the twitching body of the beggar and he gathered up the hair of the Elenoin and soaked it in the man's blood.
Again he stood upright, looking towards the west, with the bloody hair in one hand and Stormbringer in the other. He raised both sword and head and began to speak in the ancient High Speech of Melnibone.
Held to the West and soaked in the blood of an enemy, the hair of an Elenoin must be used to summon the enemies of the Elenoin-the Grahluk. He remembered the words he had read in his father's ancient grimoire.
And now the invocation:
Grahluk come and Grahluk slay! Come kill thine ancient enemy! Make this thy victory day.
All the strength of the Burning God was leaving him as he used the energy to perform the invocation. And perhaps without the Ring of Kings he was wasting that strength for nothing.
Grahluk speed without delay! Come kill thine ancient enemy! Make this thy vengeance day.
The spell was far less complex than many he had used in the past. Yet it took as much from him as any spell ever had.
"Grahluk, I summon thee! Grahluk, here you may take vengeance on your foes! "
Many cycles since, the Elenoin were said to have driven the Grahluk from their lands in the Eighth Plane and the Grahluk sought revenge now at every opportunity.
All around Elric the air shivered and turned brown, then green, then black.
"Grahluk! Come destroy the Elenoin! " Elric's voice was weakening. "Grahluk-the gateway is made! "
And now the ground trembled and strange winds blew at the blood-soaked hair of the Elenoin and the air became thick and purple and Elric fell to his knees, still croaking the invocation.
"Grahluk..."
A shuffling sound. A grunting noise. The stink of something unnameable.
The Grahluk had come. They were apelike creatures as bestial as the Elenoin. They carried nets and ropes and shields. Once, it was said, both Grahluk and Elenoin had had intelligence-had been part of the same species which had devolved and divided.
They moved out of the purple mist in their scores and they stood looking at Elric who was still on his knees. Elric pointed at where the remaining warriors of Tanelorn were still fighting the Elenoin.