SHYRIX'X: "The people grow thirsty. This water will ease their misery ..." "The people grow thirsty. This water will ease their misery ..."

She leads her men in an attack on the caravan.

The canyons echo with battle cries ...

... followed by an abrupt silence!

SHYRIX'X: "It's "It's a trap!" a trap!"

From hiding all around them comes a large force of warriors. The queen fights bravely, but it's clear the soldiers want only her. Their men lie dead all around them. Dyvim Mar is badly wounded. She cries to him to escape: SHYRIX'X: "Flee, Dyvim Mar! Warn White Crow and the others!"

She's dragged before Yyrkoon who grins in pleasure.

YYRKOON: "You're mine now, lady." "You're mine now, lady."

They then drag in the wounded Dyvim Mar.

YYRKOON: "Become my queen and consolidate my power over Melnibone-or your paramour dies in exquisite agony!" "Become my queen and consolidate my power over Melnibone-or your paramour dies in exquisite agony!"

Elric watches from cover as...

The great ceremonial procession winds its way through the streets of Melnibone.

Yyrkoon is very smug, but clearly Queen Shyrix'x is deeply miserable.

The watching crowd is not exactly overjoyed, but they bow low before the passing parade, accepting the inevitable.

ELRIC (thinks): (thinks): "He has achieved some legitimacy. And soon the dragons will begin to wake. Wild Dog's power will be complete." "He has achieved some legitimacy. And soon the dragons will begin to wake. Wild Dog's power will be complete."

Elric sneaks into the royal apartments to keep an assignation with Shyrix'x.

She fears Yyrkoon but risks all to speak to Elric.

SHYRIX'X: "Dyvim Mar is thrown into the oubliette. His life ensures my good behaviour-but the people grow unruly. Water is too scarce. They thirst." "Dyvim Mar is thrown into the oubliette. His life ensures my good behaviour-but the people grow unruly. Water is too scarce. They thirst."

Elric gets into the dungeons and sees Dyvim Mar, still wounded, down at the bottom of the oubliette. As Elric speaks he breaks a dagger trying to undo the padlock holding the grille in place.

ELRIC: "Hsssst! Dyvim Mar!" "Hsssst! Dyvim Mar!"

DYVIM MAR: "Cousin! Risk not your own liberty here. I'm too valuable. They'll not let me get free again." "Cousin! Risk not your own liberty here. I'm too valuable. They'll not let me get free again."

DYVIM MAR: "While I'm his prisoner the queen will do whatever he orders. Yet she's right-thirst will madden them enough to rise up and overthrow him..." "While I'm his prisoner the queen will do whatever he orders. Yet she's right-thirst will madden them enough to rise up and overthrow him..."

In the dragon caverns ...

Elric looks down on the sleeping dragons, some of whom are indeed stirring. He is thoughtful, trying to work out a plan.

Out of nowhere a black raven comes to settle on his shoulder. He addresses it.

ELRIC: "Ha, old friend. You saved my life once. But how can we save the folk of Melnibone from tyranny and the world from drought...?" "Ha, old friend. You saved my life once. But how can we save the folk of Melnibone from tyranny and the world from drought...?"

VOICE ( (from outside the frame [it's Arioch]): "There's one way, my friend." "There's one way, my friend."

CHAPTER FOUR.

Dealing with Darkness A figure of smoke and flame gradually materializes into the golden youth who is Duke Arioch of Chaos.

ARIOCH: "I wish only to help you, young mortal ..." "I wish only to help you, young mortal ..."

ELRIC (reacts angrily): (reacts angrily): "Before I make bargains with Chaos I'll risk everything!!!" "Before I make bargains with Chaos I'll risk everything!!!"

ARIOCH: "A few more weeks and the dragons wake. The emperor will control them. He will have the power to set the whole world on fire. But if he were thwarted and Artigkern were dead, Melnibone would thrive again as a force for good..." "A few more weeks and the dragons wake. The emperor will control them. He will have the power to set the whole world on fire. But if he were thwarted and Artigkern were dead, Melnibone would thrive again as a force for good..."

ELRIC: "Good? What does Chaos know of good?" "Good? What does Chaos know of good?"

ARIOCH: "You simplify the multiverse. Neither Law nor Chaos are forces for good or evil in themselves. It is the use to which they are put by mortals that determines those qualities ..." "You simplify the multiverse. Neither Law nor Chaos are forces for good or evil in themselves. It is the use to which they are put by mortals that determines those qualities ..."

ELRIC (buries his head in his hands. He is baffled, tormented (buries his head in his hands. He is baffled, tormented): "I don't know!"

We cut to the dream couch in contemporary Melnibone. Elric lies on it clearly in the grip of a terrible nightmare. Cymoril looks at him and is alarmed, turning to Tanglebones.

CYMORIL: "See how tormented he is! What is happening to him? You "See how tormented he is! What is happening to him? You must must let me go to him, Master Tanglebones!" let me go to him, Master Tanglebones!"

TANGLEBONES: "You would have no memory of this world and would be a stranger in his. You'd hinder rather than help him, I assure you, Lady Cymoril ..." "You would have no memory of this world and would be a stranger in his. You'd hinder rather than help him, I assure you, Lady Cymoril ..."

CYMORIL: "But... !" "But... !"

TANGLEBONES (also deeply concerned as he stares out of the panel at us): (also deeply concerned as he stares out of the panel at us): "Though I share your frustration, he must solve this problem for himself, risking life and mind ... or defeat the point of his dream-quest..." "Though I share your frustration, he must solve this problem for himself, risking life and mind ... or defeat the point of his dream-quest..."

Elric is back at the oubliette, trying to get Dyvim Mar out again.

ELRIC: "No good. It won't budge." "No good. It won't budge."

DYVIM MAR: "Forget me. He means to trade Shyrix'x for water. She's served her turn and he knows she plots against him...Save her, White Crow! For my sake!" "Forget me. He means to trade Shyrix'x for water. She's served her turn and he knows she plots against him...Save her, White Crow! For my sake!"

ELRIC: "But how? I possess no power. No allies left..." "But how? I possess no power. No allies left..."

Yyrkoon/Wild Dog appears snarling at the top of the steps: YYRKOON: "So true, White Crow! And now I have all three of you! I baited my trap well." "So true, White Crow! And now I have all three of you! I baited my trap well."

YYRKOON: "As the dragons fly again, the world shall know Melnibone's might, and you two will not live long enough to see me trade my beautiful queen. Tomorrow she'll became Artigkern's bride and the people will thank me for restoring their water to them again! They'll follow me, and the dragons will grant us imperial power!" "As the dragons fly again, the world shall know Melnibone's might, and you two will not live long enough to see me trade my beautiful queen. Tomorrow she'll became Artigkern's bride and the people will thank me for restoring their water to them again! They'll follow me, and the dragons will grant us imperial power!"

YYRKOON: "I outwit thee at every turn!" "I outwit thee at every turn!"

Elric is up against it, fighting off dozens of well-armed warriors who are bound to beat him. Yyrkoon snarls with triumph.

YYRKOON: "Kill him! "Kill him! I would be rid of that vermin once and for all!" I would be rid of that vermin once and for all!"

And now the young albino made a decision which was to determine his fate and that of his people until the end of time ...

ELRIC (thinks): (thinks): "I have no choice. Either we perish, or I betray my own principles-and can I let my friends die and my nation become a tyranny because I have a few scruples?" "I have no choice. Either we perish, or I betray my own principles-and can I let my friends die and my nation become a tyranny because I have a few scruples?"

As the guards close around him Elric lifts back his head and cries out: ELRIC: "ARIOCH! ARIOCH! BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY LORD ARIOCH!" "ARIOCH! ARIOCH! BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY LORD ARIOCH!"

And the thing of smoke and flame begins to materialize in the darkness of the dungeon ...

Clobbering time, Walter. You draw it. I'll go hide. Sound effects to taste.

Arioch remains in demonic form for this moment, rending and tearing, scattering body parts, and sending guards left and right before reaching for Yyrkoon, who runs for it.

Arioch tears off the grille of the oubliette. Elric throws Yyrkoon down into it. He survives by crawling away into a hole to hide.

As Arioch does his deadly work, Elric secures the grille, then helps Dyvim Mar towards the upper regions of the palace, fighting as he goes.

ELRIC: "Quickly, the queen ..." "Quickly, the queen ..."

Dyvim Mar finds Queen Shyrix'x already tied up ready for the trade with Artigkern. He releases her. They embrace.

The fighting's over in the dungeon. Elric looks sick as he reviews the carnage in the dungeon. Now Arioch has assumed the likeness of a golden youth, but he is grinning demoniacally, wiping the blood from his mouth. His hands, too, are bloody.

ARIOCH: "See, Elric. I keep my promises. What other help can I offer thee?" "See, Elric. I keep my promises. What other help can I offer thee?"

ELRIC: "None, demon. I have no stomach for this bargain. Thou hast thy blood and souls. Now begone ..." "None, demon. I have no stomach for this bargain. Thou hast thy blood and souls. Now begone ..."

ARIOCH (bows): "Very well, sweet mortal. But remember I am part of this plane from this day on-and always at thy service ..." (bows): "Very well, sweet mortal. But remember I am part of this plane from this day on-and always at thy service ..."

The black raven settles on Elric's shoulder as the Lord of Hell fades again into smouldering smoke. Elric scowls at the bird, which flaps up into the gloom of the cavern. Elric looks at it suspiciously, unable to work out what its function is.

ELRIC: "I have a premonition. Nothing but darkness and bloodshed can come of this bargain ..." "I have a premonition. Nothing but darkness and bloodshed can come of this bargain ..."

The day is won. The nobles of Melnibone bend the knee to Queen Shyrixx and her consort Dyvim Mar.

Shortly, in the queen's restored court ...

Elric comes hurrying into the chamber.

ELRIC: "The dragons begin to wake. But how do we restore the oceans?" "The dragons begin to wake. But how do we restore the oceans?"

SHYRIX'X: "Wild Dog planned to trade me not only for water, but for the sea-king's sister, whom Artigkern holds captive." "Wild Dog planned to trade me not only for water, but for the sea-king's sister, whom Artigkern holds captive."

ELRIC: "If Artigkern sees us coming in force, he'll know we plan to trick him. He'll spit the world's water into the sun and we'll all die of thirst ..." "If Artigkern sees us coming in force, he'll know we plan to trick him. He'll spit the world's water into the sun and we'll all die of thirst ..."

DYVIM MAR: "And no doubt kill the sea-king's sister." "And no doubt kill the sea-king's sister."

ELRIC: "Then here's what we must risk ..." "Then here's what we must risk ..."

Artigkern, as large as a large island, glistening and bulging with all the water he has drunk, still keeps the sea-kings sister in the shell he has created for her.

ARTIGKERN: "The mortal's a fool if he thinks I'll give up satisfying my thirst for a fresh bride, no matter how beautiful. I'll take the new woman he offers, but if I give up the sea-king's sister he'll take his vengeance on me if he can ..." "The mortal's a fool if he thinks I'll give up satisfying my thirst for a fresh bride, no matter how beautiful. I'll take the new woman he offers, but if I give up the sea-king's sister he'll take his vengeance on me if he can ..."

Elric, dressed like Yyrkoon, comes riding a deep-sided wagon over the drained ocean floor escorting an apparently bound and gagged Queen Shyrixx. It's the same wagon he and Dyvim Mar were trapped in earlier.

ELRIC: "My Lord of Chaos! I come to keep our bargain. You will give me a ration of water and the sea-king's sister, and I'll give thee this mortal woman." "My Lord of Chaos! I come to keep our bargain. You will give me a ration of water and the sea-king's sister, and I'll give thee this mortal woman."

ARTIGKERN: "'Tis a bargain. Bring her closer." "'Tis a bargain. Bring her closer."

Elric, driving the wagon, approaches the impossibly huge bulk of the Chaos Lord.

As he gets close to where the sea-king's sister wallows in melancholy in her half-open shell, he whips up the horses!

ELRIC: "Faster, faster! Ha! Ya!" "Faster, faster! Ha! Ya!"

The draperies on the wagon fall back to reveal a near-transparent obsidian tank of water and Queen Shyrixx throws back her cloak to reveal she's not bound. With a war-axe she smashes the clam shell, releasing the sea-kings sister and then half-hauls her into the tank of water the wagon is drawing.

SHYRIX'X: "Quickly, my lady-we must not hesitate!" "Quickly, my lady-we must not hesitate!"

Artigkern makes to reach towards them to stop them-then looks to the horizon.

ARTIGKERN: "What's this?" "What's this?"

Over the horizon pours a huge flight of Phoorn dragons. (Inset is Dyvim Mar, with his long dragon-goad in his hand, riding the leading Phoorn.) Suddenly the sky is black with dragons.

As the wagon hauls away, the first dragons dive on Artigkern, their venom striking his swollen body-and piercing the skin ... bursting him so that water erupts from every wound...

... and Elric and Queen Shyrixx, hauling the sea-king's sister, are pursued by a vast tidal wave of water released from Artigkern ...

... which overwhelms them so it seems they must drown ...The horses fight for their lives. Elric slashes their harness ...

... until Dyvim Mar swoops down on the dragon to rescue Queen Shyrixx...

... and the sea-king's sister, in open water now, catches up Elric and the horses, swimming with them to a high hill which is swiftly becoming an island ...

... whereupon Straasha the Sea-King, clearly delighting in his watery kingdom again, comes swimming towards them to embrace his sister...

STRAASHA: "Against all odds you've kept your promise, mortal-henceforth thy people and mine shall be allied and I shall be forever in thy debt! Your nation shall prosper and become the strongest in the world!" "Against all odds you've kept your promise, mortal-henceforth thy people and mine shall be allied and I shall be forever in thy debt! Your nation shall prosper and become the strongest in the world!"

In the distance, heading for Melnibone, Dyvim Mar and Queen Shyrixx wave farewell from the back of the dragon.

ELRIC: "And sweet Melnibone shall know peace and security again ..." "And sweet Melnibone shall know peace and security again ..."

In the dream chamber Elric stirs and wakes. He looks pretty wasted, but he's smiling as he's greeted with relief by Tanglebones and Cymoril, who hands him his reviving potion.

CYMORIL: "Thank Arioch! You survived!" "Thank Arioch! You survived!"