Michael Moorcock - The Weird of the White Wolf

'Without this black blade, ' he groaned, 'I am nothing, as you see. But what is it making of me? Am I to be bound to it for ever?'

The others did not answer him and they were both moved by an emotion they could not define-an emotion blended of fear, hate and pity linked with something else ...

Eventually, Elric rose, trembling, and silently led them up the mossy hillside towards a more natural light which filtered from above. They could see that it came from a wide chimney, leading apparently to the upper air. By means of the light, they could soon make out a dark, irregular shape which towered in the shadow of the gap.

As they neared the shape, they saw that it was a castle of black stone a sprawling pile covered with dark green crawling lichen which curled over its ancient bulk with an almost sentient protectiveness. Towers appeared to spring at random from it and it covered a vast area. There seemed to be no windows in any part of it and the only orifice was a rearing doorway blocked by thick bars of a metal which glowed with dull redness, but without heat. Above this gate, in flaring amber, was the sign of the Lords of Entropy, representing eight arrows radiating from a central hub in all directions. It appeared to hang in the air without touching the black, Lichen-covered stone.

'I think our quest ends here, ' Elric said grimly. 'Here, or nowhere.'

'Before I go further, Elric, I'd like to know what it is you seek, ' Moonglum murmured. 'I think I've earned the right.'

'A book, ' Elric said carelessly. 'The Dead Gods' Book. It lies within those castle walls of that I'm certain. We have reached the end of our journey.'

Moonglum shrugged. 'I might not have asked, ' he smiled, 'for all your words mean to me. I hope that I will be allowed some small share of whatever treasure it represents.'

Elric ginned, in spite of the coldness which gripped his bowels, but he did not answer Moonglum 'We need to enter the castle, first, ' he said instead. As if the gates had heard him, the metal bars flared to a pale green and then their glow faded back to red and finally dulled into non-existence. The entrance was unbarred and their way apparently clear. 'I like not that,’ growled Moonglum. 'Too easy. A trap awaits us are we to spring it at the pleasure of whoever dwells within the castle confines?'

'What else can we do?' Elric spoke quietly.

'Go back or forward. Avoid the castle-do not tempt He who guards the Book! ' Shaarilla was gripping the albino's right arm, her whole face moving with fear, her eyes pleading. 'Forget the Book, Elric! '

'Now?’ Elric laughed humourlessly. 'Now after this journey? No, Shaarilla, not when the truth is so close. Better to die than never to have tried to secure the wisdom in the Book when it lies so near.'

Shaarilla's clutching fingers relaxed their grip and her shoulders slumped in hopelessness. 'We cannot do battle with the minions of Entropy...'

'Perhaps we will not have to.' Elric did not believe his own words but his mouth was twisted with some dark emotion, intense and terrible. Moonglum glanced at Shaarilla.

'Shaarilla is right, ' he said with conviction. 'You'll find nothing but bitterness, possibly death, inside those castle walls. Let us, instead, climb yonder steps and attempt to reach the surface.' He pointed to some twisting steps which led towards the yawning rent in the cavern roof.

Elric shook his head. 'No. You go if you like.'

Moonglum grimaced in perplexity. 'You're a stubborn one, friend Elric. Well, if it's all or nothing-then I'm with you. But personally, I have always preferred compromise.'

Elric began to walk slowly forward towards the dark entrance of the bleak and towering castle. In a wide, shadowy courtyard a tall figure, wreathed in scarlet fire, stood awaiting them.

Elric marched on, passing the gateway. Moonglum and Shaarilla nervously followed.

Gusty laughter roared from the mouth of the giant and the scarlet fire fluttered about him. He was naked and unarmed, but the power which flowed from him almost forced the three back. His skin was scaly and of smoky purple colouring. His massive body was alive with rippling muscle as he rested lightly on the balls of his feet. His skull was long, slanting sharply backwards at the forehead and his eyes were like slivers of blue steel, showing no pupil. His whole body shook with mighty, malicious joy.

‘Greetings to you, Lord Elric of Melnibone I congratulate you for your remarkable tenacity?'

'Who are you?' Elric growled, his hand on his sword.

‘My name is Orunlu the Keeper and this is a stronghold of the Lords of Entropy.’ The giant smiled cynically.’You need not finger your puny blade so nervously, ]or you should know that 1 cannot harm you now. I gained power to remain in your realm only by making that vow.’

Elric's voice betrayed his mounting excitement. 'You cannot stop us?'

‘I do not dare to since my oblique efforts have failed. But your foolish endeavours perplex me somewhat, I'll admit. The Book is of importance to us .but what can it mean to you? I have guarded it for three hundred centuries and have never been curious enough to seek to discover why my Masters place so much importance upon it why they bothered to rescue it on its sunward course and incarcerate it on this boring ball of earth populated by the capering, briefly-lived clowns called Men?’

'I seek in it the Truth, ' Elric said guardedly.

‘There is no Truth but that of Eternal struggle, ' the scarlet-flamed giant said with conviction;

'What rules above the forces of Law and Chaos?'

Elric asked. 'What controls your destinies as it controls mine?'

The giant frowned.’That question, I cannot answer. I do not know. There is only the Balance.’

'Then perhaps the Book will tell us who holds it.' Elric said purposefully. 'Let me pass tell me where it lies.'

The giant moved back, smiling ironically.’It lies in a small chamber in the central tower. I have sworn never to venture there, otherwise I might even lead the way. Go if you like my duty is over.’

Elric, Moonglum and Shaarilla stepped towards the entrance of the castle, but before they entered, the giant spoke warningly from behind them.

'I have been told that the knowledge contained in the Book could swing the balance on the side of the forces of Law. This disturbs me but, it appears, there is another possibility which disturbs me even more.'

'What is that?' Elric said.

‘It could create such a tremendous impact on the multiverse that complete entropy would result. My Masters do not desire that, for it could mean the destruction of all matter in the end. We exist only to fight not to win, but to preserve the eternal struggle.'

'I care not, ' Elric told him. 'I have little to lose, Orunlu the Keeper.'

‘Then go.’ The giant strode across the courtyard into blackness.

Inside the tower, light of a pale quality illuminated winding steps leading upwards. Elric began to climb them in silence, moved by his own doom-filled purpose. Hesitantly, Moonglum and Shaarilla fob lowed in his path, their faces set in hopeless acceptance.

On and upward the steps mounted, twisting tortuously towards their goal, until at last they came to the chamber, full of blinding light, many-coloured and scintillating, which did not penetrate outwards at all-but remained confined to the room which housed it.

Blinking, shielding his red eyes with his arm, Elric pressed forward and, through slitted pupils saw the source of the light lying on a small stone dais in the centre of the room.

Equally troubled by the bright light, Shaarilla and Moonglum followed him into the room and stood in awe at what they saw.

It was a huge book the Dead Gods' Book, its covers encrusted with alien gems from which the light sprang. It gleamed, it throbbed with light and brilliant colour.