Free The Sword and the Stallion - 06 by Michael Moorcock Page B

"The stench gets worse, if anything. Could it be, I wonder, the distinctive odor of Ynys Scaith's inhabitants?"
    ' 'Let us hope not, Ilbrec. It will make communication with them that much more difficult. Do you know in what direction we head now?"
    "I fear not," replied the Sidhi youth. "I am not sure if we go south, north, east, or west. All I know is that the branches above us are getting damnedably low and it would be wise if I, at least, dismounted. Will you take a grip on the saddle, Corum, while I get
    off?"
    Corum did so and felt Ilbrec get down from his saddle, heard the creak of harness and a jingle as Ilbrec took Splendid Mane's reins and began to plod on. Without the bulk of the giant to reassure him, Corum felt much more exposed to the dangers—imaginary, or otherwise—of this reeking arbor. Did he hear laughter from the depths on either side? Did he hear bodies moving menacingly, keeping pace with him, ready to pounce? Was that a hand which reached out and pinched his leg?
    More lights flickered, but this time they were directly ahead.
    Something coughed in the forest.
    Corum took a firmer grip on his sword. "Do you feel we are watched, Ilbrec?"
    "It is possible." The young giant's voice was firm, but tense.
    "Everything we have seen speaks of a great civilization which died a thousand years ago. Perhaps there are no longer any intelligent inhabitants on Ynys Scaith?"
    "Perhaps ..."
    ' 'Perhaps we have only animals to fear—and diseases. Could the air affect the brain and infest it with unpleasant thoughts, terrifying visions?"
    "Who knows?"
    And the voice which replied to Corum was not Ilbrec's voice. "Ilbrec?" whispered Corum, afraid that his friend had suddenly vanished. There was a pause. "Ilbrec?"
    ''I heard it also," said Ilbrec and Corum heard him move back a pace and reach out a huge hand to touch Corum's arm and squeeze it gently. Then Ilbrec raised his voice: "Were are you? Who was it that spoke to us?"
    But there came no further reply and so they pressed on, corning at length to a place where thin sunlight broke through the branches and the tunnel divided into three separate paths. The shortest was the middle one for, though it was gloomy, the sky could be seen at its far end.
    "This would seem the best," Ilbrec said, remounting. "What think you, Corum?"
    Corum shrugged. "It is tempting—almost a trap," he said. "As if the folk of Ynys Scaith wished to lure us somewhere."
    Ilbrec said: "Let them lure us, if they will."
    "My feelings, too."
    Without further comment, Ilbrec urged Splendid Mane into the tunnel.
    Slowly the lattice above them opened out until the cracked path widened and they rode down an avenue of stunted bushes, seeing ahead of them tall, broken columns around which climbed the stems of some long-dead lichen, brown and black and dark green. And it was only when they had passed between those columns, carved with demonic creatures and grinning, bestial heads, that they realized they were now upon a bridge built over an immensely wide and dreadfully deep chasm. Once there had been a wall on either side of the bridge, but in most places the wall had fallen away and they could see down to the floor of the chasm, where a stretch of black water boiled and in which reptilian bodies of all descriptions threshed and snapped and yelled.
    And over the bridge there now moaned a miserable wind, a cold, clinging wind which dragged at their cloaks and even seemed to threaten to toss them off the swaying stonework of the bridge and down into the chasm.
    Ilbrec sniffed, tugging his cloak about him, looking over the edge with an expression of distaste upon his features.
    "They are large, those reptiles. I have seen none larger. Look at the teeth they have in their mouths! Look at those glaring eyes, those boney crests, those horns. Ach! I am glad they cannot reach us, Corum!"
    And Corum nodded his agreement.
    "This is no world for a Sidhi," Ilbrec murmured.
    "Nor a Vadhagh," said Corum.
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