The Heart of Creation Massive movement of earth as King Grome (from Book One) bursts up out of the ground.

GROME: "Aha! Ho, little mortal! It has been a few thousand years since we last met!" "Aha! Ho, little mortal! It has been a few thousand years since we last met!"

ELRIK: "Wha-?" "Wha-?"

The horse throws Elric and gallops off. Elrik picks himself up as Grome reaches towards him. He draws his sword, backing away. Grome looks puzzled.

GROME: "Do you not recognize me, mortal? We have a compact, you and I!" "Do you not recognize me, mortal? We have a compact, you and I!"

Elrik frowns, his hand going to his brow.

ELRIK: "I-I-remember something-a dream, perhaps ..." "I-I-remember something-a dream, perhaps ..."

GROME: "I am Grome, king of all that is of the earth and below it. You once did me a service ..." "I am Grome, king of all that is of the earth and below it. You once did me a service ..."

ELRIK: "Not I, King Grome ..." "Not I, King Grome ..."

GROME (suddenly realizing he's made a mistake): (suddenly realizing he's made a mistake): "Ah! What a fool I am. I forget how short-lived your folk are. No doubt I made the pact with your ancestor! Still, that pact remains ..." "Ah! What a fool I am. I forget how short-lived your folk are. No doubt I made the pact with your ancestor! Still, that pact remains ..."

Grome bears Elric/Elrik down into a great wonderful cave, full of glinting jewels.

He frowns trustingly down at the albino.

GROME: "The Black Sword has been stolen again. Uprooted from the rock in which I secured it. I suspect grave sorcery was involved. I need you to find it again ..." "The Black Sword has been stolen again. Uprooted from the rock in which I secured it. I suspect grave sorcery was involved. I need you to find it again ..."

ELRIK: "Again? Why should I know where it is?" "Again? Why should I know where it is?"

Grome places a vast finger against Elrik's chest and smiles- GROME: "Because you have an affinity for the blade. Among mortals, only a 'silverskin' of your blood can handle it. If it is not returned to me, then great harm will fall upon our world." "Because you have an affinity for the blade. Among mortals, only a 'silverskin' of your blood can handle it. If it is not returned to me, then great harm will fall upon our world."

ELRIK: "Doubtless, 'tis my duty to seek it. Yet how could I begin ...?" "Doubtless, 'tis my duty to seek it. Yet how could I begin ...?"

GROME: "You must go to the city of Tanelorn and ask the Grey Lords. They will help you." "You must go to the city of Tanelorn and ask the Grey Lords. They will help you."

ELRIK: "Very well, sire. That's the city I seek, even now. Tell me how to find Tanelorn." "Very well, sire. That's the city I seek, even now. Tell me how to find Tanelorn."

GROME: "'Tis hard to find, mortal. Best I take you there myself." "'Tis hard to find, mortal. Best I take you there myself."

Grome picks up Elric and starts off through the night, but now the black crow flies ahead of them. Grome pauses at one point when he sees Elric's horse.

GROME: "Hmm. You'll be needing him ..." "Hmm. You'll be needing him ..."

Grome picks up the startled horse and tucks it under his other arm.

Next morning ...

Elrik is astonished by what Grome reveals to him. It is an incredibly beautiful city, with a somewhat mediaeval appearance, the sun rising behind it. It is Tanelorn, the beautiful. The mythical city where all warriors are said to find peace, where there is no conflict and which exists on every plane of the multiverse, perhaps in every persons heart. The black crow flies away into the city.

GROME: "Not all can find Tanelorn. I am blessed. And now you are also blessed." "Not all can find Tanelorn. I am blessed. And now you are also blessed."

GROME: "Go in peace, young mortal. Discover what you need in holy Tanelorn ..." "Go in peace, young mortal. Discover what you need in holy Tanelorn ..."

Grome lopes away over the horizon.

GROME: "Farewell. Find the Black Sword and return it to where it belongs." "Farewell. Find the Black Sword and return it to where it belongs."

Elric/Elrik walks through the peaceful streets of Tanelorn, leading his horse.

ELRIK: "I've never known a more beautiful, nor more civilized place. A man could settle here and know peace for ever ..." "I've never known a more beautiful, nor more civilized place. A man could settle here and know peace for ever ..."

A big, hearty fellow, clearly a warrior, but without weapons, grins down at Elric as the albino asks him a question.

HEARTY: "How can I help you, friend?" "How can I help you, friend?"

ELRIK: "Where shall I find the Grey Lords?" "Where shall I find the Grey Lords?"

HEARTY: "Ho! Ho! You'll not find them! But they'll find you, friend." "Ho! Ho! You'll not find them! But they'll find you, friend." HEARTY: HEARTY: "Go to any tavern and ask." "Go to any tavern and ask."

We see Elric entering a tavern and speaking to the landlord, who also smiles in reply, pointing behind him to a bench at which sit five old, grey men, playing chess and drinking porter.

Elric approaches the table and politely addresses the five old men.

ELRIK: "Pardon me, gentlemen. I gather you are the rulers of this city..." "Pardon me, gentlemen. I gather you are the rulers of this city..."

FIRST GREY MAN: "Not us, young sir. We rule nothing and no-one. In Tanelorn, citizens rule themselves." "Not us, young sir. We rule nothing and no-one. In Tanelorn, citizens rule themselves."

ELRIK: "I'm sorry. I understood you were the Grey Lords ..." "I'm sorry. I understood you were the Grey Lords ..."

SECOND GREY MAN: "So we are, young sir. So we are." "So we are, young sir. So we are."

THIRD GREY MAN: "But we merely counsel-to maintain the peace of Tanelorn." "But we merely counsel-to maintain the peace of Tanelorn."

FOURTH GREY MAN: "Whatever is necessary, my boy. That's our only calling-to be called ..." "Whatever is necessary, my boy. That's our only calling-to be called ..."

FIFTH GREY MAN: "How can we help you?" "How can we help you?"

ELRIK: "I seek the Black Sword." "I seek the Black Sword."

FIRST GREY MAN: "In the one place it's least likely to exist?" "In the one place it's least likely to exist?"

FOURTH GREY MAN: "A pretty irony. Who sent you, my boy?" "A pretty irony. Who sent you, my boy?"

ELRIK: "King Grome." "King Grome."

FIRST: "Our old friend." "Our old friend."

SECOND: "If he trusts you, then so shall we." "If he trusts you, then so shall we."

THIRD: "You must look for the Chasm of Nihrain, far, far from here." "You must look for the Chasm of Nihrain, far, far from here."

FOURTH: "Then ask the black crow ..." "Then ask the black crow ..."

FIFTH: "Only he will know ..." "Only he will know ..."

ELRIK: "How will I find this place?" "How will I find this place?"

LANDLORD: "I have a map. But it is on the world's farthest edge." "I have a map. But it is on the world's farthest edge."

More years were to pass until. ...

... on the far side of the world...

Elrik is riding through black mountains, whose peaks rise to spikes all around him.

A dreary, morbid place, with no apparent life. He is weary, battered and no longer has his horse. There are no arrows left in his quiver and it is clear he has been through the wars in order to get here. He has only a drop of water left in his flask.

ELRIK (thinks): (thinks): "Food gone. Horse gone. Water almost gone. I've followed the map to the letter ... Those grey ones joked with me. They sent me to my death." "Food gone. Horse gone. Water almost gone. I've followed the map to the letter ... Those grey ones joked with me. They sent me to my death."

As he thinks this, he looks up and there, perched on a rock, staring at him with what appears to be amusement, is the black crow.

CROW/SEPIRIZ: "Good evening, Lord Elrik. And welcome to the land of Nihrain." "Good evening, Lord Elrik. And welcome to the land of Nihrain."

Elrik is astonished.

ELRIK: "You speak! Has my weariness turned my brain?" "You speak! Has my weariness turned my brain?" The crow begins to change before him- The crow begins to change before him- -and becomes a huge black man-Sepiriz, leader of the ten Nihrainian brothers. And while you should do your best, Walter, to make him look as different from the guy in The Matrix The Matrix as possible, it's not my fault that I thought Sepiriz up looking like this in 1963 or whenever it was. OK. Give him long hair. He was bald in the original. He's wearing a simple yellow toga. He's smiling as possible, it's not my fault that I thought Sepiriz up looking like this in 1963 or whenever it was. OK. Give him long hair. He was bald in the original. He's wearing a simple yellow toga. He's smiling.

SEPIRIZ: "I have awaited this moment for a thousand years. I am Sepiriz, leader of the ten Nihrainian brothers and the servant of the Balance. Welcome, young silverskin." "I have awaited this moment for a thousand years. I am Sepiriz, leader of the ten Nihrainian brothers and the servant of the Balance. Welcome, young silverskin."

Sepiriz claps his hands, and around the great black rock comes a chariot pulled by a single black horse, whose hoofs do not quite touch the ground. This is one of the famous stallions of Nihrain, whose hoofs tread the space ofanother time and place, and can thus traverse almost any terrain in this world.

Helping the astonished young man into the chariot beside him, Sepiriz sets off at a wild gallop through the mountains-to the Chasm of Nihrain- which lies at the heart of the mountains and from which, from time to time, bursts flame and smoke which lies at the heart of the mountains and from which, from time to time, bursts flame and smoke.

SEPIRIZ: "Behold! My home. The great Chasm of Nihrain!" "Behold! My home. The great Chasm of Nihrain!"

Elrik sits drinking wine, a finished plate of food pushed back, as he begins to tell Sepiriz why he is here. But Sepiriz raises a hand.

SEPIRIZ: "You need tell me nothing, young man. I know why you are here. You seek the Black Sword which Lord Arioch stole." "You need tell me nothing, young man. I know why you are here. You seek the Black Sword which Lord Arioch stole."

ELRIK: "It's true, Lord Sepiriz. Do you know where I can find it?" "It's true, Lord Sepiriz. Do you know where I can find it?"

SEPIRIZ: "First you must come with me ... to the heart of creation ..." "First you must come with me ... to the heart of creation ..."

Sepiriz rises and leads Elrik from the cave room, out into a vaster cave, which is black glassy rock reflecting the fires which are burning far below. A series of steps and walkways leading deeper and deeper downwards.

SEPIRIZ: "...where the Fire Elders await us." "...where the Fire Elders await us."

The two tiny figures are dwarfed by the vast walls of the dark cavern.

SEPIRIZ: "The entire multiverse is ruled by Law and Chaos, the two forces held in check by the power of the Cosmic Balance ... and those who serve it." "The entire multiverse is ruled by Law and Chaos, the two forces held in check by the power of the Cosmic Balance ... and those who serve it."

They have descended until they stand before a great roaring wall of fire. Elric/Elrik looks wonderingly at his flesh and clothing.

ELRIK: "I do not burn. Why?" "I do not burn. Why?"

SEPIRIZ: "This is the fire which creates life ... but does not take it-look-!!!" "This is the fire which creates life ... but does not take it-look-!!!"

The flames part to show a vision of the Cosmic Balance. It is shadowy, clearly only a representation. The shaft of the balance consists of a black sword. The crosspiece supports a long, slender staff, imbedded with every kind of jewel. This is the Runestaff. From the jeweled ends of the Runestaff depend the two cups of the Balance.

SEPIRIZ: "The Balance consists of the Black Sword and the Runestaff. One is a negation of life. The other is the essence of life. Yet neither can exist without the other. The two cups of the Balance represent Law and Chaos. If one tips too far we shall have nothing but sterile Law. Too far the other way and we have unchecked Chaos. It is your destiny and the destiny of all those we call 'The Champion' to fight not for Law or Chaos, but for the Balance itself." "The Balance consists of the Black Sword and the Runestaff. One is a negation of life. The other is the essence of life. Yet neither can exist without the other. The two cups of the Balance represent Law and Chaos. If one tips too far we shall have nothing but sterile Law. Too far the other way and we have unchecked Chaos. It is your destiny and the destiny of all those we call 'The Champion' to fight not for Law or Chaos, but for the Balance itself."

ELRIK: "So one is good and the other evil?" "So one is good and the other evil?"

SEPIRIZ: "No. The uses to which mortals and immortals put them determine whether they are used in the service of good or evil. Just as it is not possible to have life without death, so one can only exist if the other exists. It is the eternal paradox. The eternal truth." "No. The uses to which mortals and immortals put them determine whether they are used in the service of good or evil. Just as it is not possible to have life without death, so one can only exist if the other exists. It is the eternal paradox. The eternal truth."

ELRIK: "Why burden me with this weighty secret?" "Why burden me with this weighty secret?"

Suddenly a beautiful flame elemental appears in the fire, speaking to Elrik FLAME ELEMENTAL: "Because it is your destiny to serve both. You, or your descendants, will learn more in the course of the next few thousand years, but now you must find the sword which Arioch of Chaos stole from King Grome ... and which we, with Grome's compliance, will place on another plane, where it will be safe for as long as need be ..." "Because it is your destiny to serve both. You, or your descendants, will learn more in the course of the next few thousand years, but now you must find the sword which Arioch of Chaos stole from King Grome ... and which we, with Grome's compliance, will place on another plane, where it will be safe for as long as need be ..."

ELRIK: "I don't understand ..." "I don't understand ..."

ELEMENTAL: "You are not asked to understand. You must make the journey back towards Melnibone. There you will find the rest of your destiny and the Black Sword. When you hold the sword, a word we have placed in your mind will summon us. If you need our help, you'll receive it..." "You are not asked to understand. You must make the journey back towards Melnibone. There you will find the rest of your destiny and the Black Sword. When you hold the sword, a word we have placed in your mind will summon us. If you need our help, you'll receive it..."

The flame elemental begins to fade back into the common fire. Elrik turns to Sepiriz- ELRIK: "My destiny? The Black Sword? I want only to be a good and wise ruler of Melnibone ..."

Sepiriz turns away, half smiling, half in grief.

SEPIRIZ: "That will become a matter of opinion, King Elrik ..." "That will become a matter of opinion, King Elrik ..."

They are back in Sepiriz's chamber. Elrik looks a bit scared and distinctly puzzled.

ELRIK: "I did not ask you to make me a servant of the Balance, Lord Sepiriz!" "I did not ask you to make me a servant of the Balance, Lord Sepiriz!"

SEPIRIZ: "None of us asks that, young king. It is fate which selects us, in spite of our wishes." "None of us asks that, young king. It is fate which selects us, in spite of our wishes."

He raises an arm to show Elrik out of the chamber.

They return to Sepiriz's quarters.

ELRIK: "How am I supposed to seize a sword from a Chaos Lord?" "How am I supposed to seize a sword from a Chaos Lord?"

SEPIRIZ: "You must take it from the one Arioch has given it to. Come. I'll set you on your way home." "You must take it from the one Arioch has given it to. Come. I'll set you on your way home."

Sepiriz drives his great chariot. He and Elrik occupy the chariot, which goes at a great pace, not quite touching the ground. Tethered to it is a great Nihrainian stallion, the match of the horse which pulls the chariot.

ELRIK: "Tell me, Lord Sepiriz. To whom did Arioch give the Black Sword?" "Tell me, Lord Sepiriz. To whom did Arioch give the Black Sword?"

SEPIRIZ: "The one who even now brings the power of your kingdom against the new tribes." "The one who even now brings the power of your kingdom against the new tribes."