Book One — Dead God's Homecoming
Chaos
Zarozinia Abducted — The Dead Creature's Riddle
Six inhuman creatures bearing axes of black iron break into the palace of Karlaak while Chaos-induced magic sends the guards into supernatural sleep. Elric fights them off — killing one — but takes a blow to the skull and wakes to find his wife Zarozinia gone. He raises the alarm, searches through the night, then returns to interrogate the creature's corpse with necromancy. The raised dead thing speaks only in enigmatic verse: beyond the ocean brews a battle; beyond the battle blood shall fall; if Elric's kinsman ventures with him bearing a twin of that he bears, to a place where man-forsaken dwells the one who should not live — his wife shall be restored. He retrieves Stormbringer from the armoury and rides.
"Again I must make use of you, Stormbringer. And I must conclude that we are too closely linked now for less than death to separate us."
War & Strategy
The Battle of Sequa — Yishana's Defeat
The prophecy directs Elric west to Jharkor where his cousin Dyvim Slorm leads Imrryrian mercenaries. A omen-falcon has already told Dyvim Slorm to come to Sequaloris and meet his king. Together they join Queen Yishana's alliance — Jharkor, Tarkesh, Myyrrhn, Shazar — against King Sarosto of Dharijor and Jagreen Lern the Theocrat of Pan Tang. The battle in a wide valley near Sequa is a catastrophe. Elric fights Jagreen Lern directly; the Theocrat's shield turns Stormbringer. The White Leopards of Jharkor die to the last fighting on. Queen Yishana's head is taken as a trophy by Sarosto. The winged men of Myyrrhn are massacred by giant owls the enemy brought in cages. The allied army is destroyed.
"The battle's lost — Sarosto and Jagreen Lern rule here now!"
Fate & Destiny
Sepiriz — The Ten of Nihrain — The Dead God's Name
Fleeing west with Dyvim Slorm through snow-covered mountains, ambushed by Pan Tang warriors, they are rescued by Sepiriz — one of the Ten of Nihrain, an immortal race who sleep in volcanoes for centuries and are servants of Fate. He takes them to the Chasm of Nihrain, a vast underground city carved into black granite, hidden from the sun. There Sepiriz reveals: a Dead God called Darnizhaan has been enabled to return to earth by the disruption Jagreen Lern created. He has Zarozinia and will destroy her soul unless Elric surrenders Stormbringer and Mournblade. The blades were forged to destroy the Dead Gods. Mournblade is held in Nihrain. He gives Dyvim Slorm the twin blade. They must go to the Vale of Xanyaw in Myyrrhn.
"Their ultimate purpose is to destroy this world." — "Ah, no, Sepiriz. That I cannot believe."
Darnizhaan Destroyed — Zarozinia Recovered
At the Vale of Xanyaw, Darnizhaan manifests as a vast ape-faced god of dancing golden light, surrounded by giggling acolytes with triangular faces and conical caps. He offers Elric the truth — that both are anachronisms, that nothing exists — and promises that surrendering the swords will at least allow them to survive in some form. Zarozinia is produced, shocked and blank-faced. Elric and Dyvim Slorm hand over both swords. Then — in the remembered paired quality of the twin blades — they command the swords verbally in Ancient Melnibonéan. The blades tear free of Darnizhaan's hands, attack him autonomously, slash him apart until his golden light shreds and drifts away. The swords return to their masters. Zarozinia is freed. They return to Nihrain where Sepiriz explains Elric's true destiny: to prepare the world for a new age where Law can dominate. The world will be destroyed and rebuilt. Elric is its intended destroyer.
"Their ultimate purpose is to destroy this world." Elric accepted it. "Then let it be done," he said quietly, "and if it must be done — then let it be done well."
Book Two — Black Sword's Brothers
War & Strategy
The War Council of Karlaak — The Southern Nobles Refuse
Elric summons a great council to Karlaak: Sealords of the Purple Towns under Kargan Sharpeyes, kings of the southern continent (Montan of Lormyr, Hozel of Argimiliar, Jerned of Filkhor, Koltbak of Pikarayd), the Regent of Vilmir with Ilmioran senators, Rackhir the Red Archer representing Tanelorn, Moonglum, and Dyvim Slorm. A great map of the world shows half of it shaded black — all the western lands fallen to Jagreen Lern. Elric pleads for unity. Hozel of Argimiliar storms out calling Elric an inhuman creature. Jerned quietly sides with Hozel. All the southern kings depart. Kargan Sharpeyes stays: "We stand with you." The Sealords of the Purple Towns are the alliance.
"I know that if we do not vanquish both Jagreen Lern and his supernatural allies, then men will be swept from the boiling face of a maddened planet, their destiny unfulfilled!"
Stormbringer
Sorcerers' Isle — The Wreck — Sepiriz's Message
Elric and Moonglum take a small boat from Jadmar toward Sorcerers' Isle to seek the White Lords. Chaos disrupts the sea utterly: undersea volcanoes erupt, the water boils, the boat passes through a void of luminous gas where no ocean exists. They are smashed on the Serpent's Teeth rocks off Shazar and swim to shore. In ruined Shazar they meet a fleeing band from the city of Dioperda, including a clairvoyant seer named Ohada, who carries a message from Sepiriz: go to the carved city (Nihrain) where you will be enlightened. They take two horses from the refugees and ride back through the chaos-shattered western continent to reach Nihrain.
"You appear to know me — you are the third I've met while on this quest who recognises me without my being able to return the compliment."
The Dukes of Hell — Stormbringer's Brothers — Pan Tang Falls
Sepiriz tells Elric that Jagreen Lern has summoned the Dukes of Hell — Arioch, Balan, and Maluk — to captain his armies. Without them the Theocrat can still conquer the south, but it would take far longer. Elric must destroy the Dukes. Sepiriz gives him a white tablet inscribed with the rune for summoning Stormbringer's supernatural brothers — a million black blades that exist on the Chaos plane, dimly related to Stormbringer. On Nihrain horses that gallop on their own plane's surface, Elric and Moonglum ride across the blighted western lands into Pan Tang itself, enter Hwamgaarl past vulture-headed lion-packs using an ancient Melnibonéan banishing spell, smash the holy sepulchre in the plaza, and challenge Jagreen Lern to bring forth Arioch, Balan, and Maluk. The three Dukes descend the palace steps in beautiful human form and try to persuade Elric to return to Chaos. He draws Stormbringer and summons its brothers. A million black blades fill the air, acknowledge Stormbringer, and fall upon the three Dukes while Elric collapses from the strain. When he wakes he is Jagreen Lern's prisoner; but he also learns the Dukes are banished to Chaos forever. Stormbringer has vanished with its brothers. Elric calls it back from the mast of the flagship as the battle for the south's seapower is fought — and kills his captor's warrior in the process. He frees Moonglum and dives into the sea.
"This blade was forged by Chaos to conquer Chaos — and that is my destiny, too."
Doom & Grief
The Sea Battle — Kargan Dies by Stormbringer — Fleet Destroyed
The combined fleet of the Purple Towns sails to meet Jagreen Lern's armada. The Chaos fleet — the Ships of Hell, dwarfing all mortal warships — flanks the supernatural vessels of the dead. Elric calls on Straasha the Sea King but the elementals are too weakened by Chaos to render full aid. The battle is a disaster. Elric boards Jagreen Lern's flagship to find the Theocrat gone — sailed with Pyaray, Lord of the Fleet of Hell. Stormbringer kills Kargan Sharpeyes on the deck — the third great friend taken by the blade. Elric dives into the sea carrying Moonglum's unconscious, rat-gnawed body and swims to the Purple Towns fleet, commanding Kargan's cousin to turn back. The southern seapower is annihilated.
"Gods! Still this hell-made blade exacts its tribute for the service it gives me."
Book Three — Sad Giant's Shield
Law & the Balance
The Chaos Shield — Mordaga the Sad Giant
Sepiriz appears in Bakshaan and tells Elric of a weapon he needs: the Chaos Shield — made of chaotic stuff so that Chaos forces have nothing organised to act upon and destroy. It is held by Mordaga, a god who once rebelled against his fellows, was banished to mortal Earth and is doomed to die by the hands of four men of destiny. He broods in a castle on an isolated mountain beyond the Sighing Desert. One hundred and thirty-nine steps lead up to it, lined by forty-nine malevolent elder trees each containing a trapped soul. One hundred and forty-four warriors guard the castle. Sepiriz also tells Elric that Pyaray's life-force is a blue crystal on top of his head — it must be struck to kill him. Rackhir the Red Archer joins as the prophesied fourth man.
"The chaotic forces can disrupt any defence made of lawful matter — but the Chaos Shield meets Chaos with Chaos, and so the hostile powers are subverted."
The Elder Trees — Rackhir Killed by Stormbringer
At the mountain, Elric and Dyvim Slorm hack through the elder trees with their runeblades, absorbing each tree-demon's soul-force until they are consumed by an ecstatic, ancient Melnibonéan blood-fury — laughing, singing battle-songs, killing the castle's warriors with a terrible joy that horrifies both Moonglum and Rackhir. Stormbringer, drunk on soul after soul, twists in Elric's hand and cleaves down at Rackhir — the Red Archer who first befriended Elric near the city of Ameeron so many years before. He falls dead. Elric weeps over him and swears that Law shall triumph though he, a thing of Chaos, achieves it. Then they enter Mordaga's castle. The giant, forewarned by prophecy, offers the shield without a fight. Moonglum — acting to fulfil the death the prophecy requires and avenge Rackhir — follows the giant through an archway and kills him from behind. "It was murder," he says, "but necessary murder." Elric takes the Chaos Shield.
"I swear by your stolen soul, Rackhir, that what you wished to come to pass shall come to pass, though I, a thing of Chaos, achieve it. Law will triumph and Chaos will be punished for it."
Doom & Grief
Zarozinia's Fate — Pyaray Slain — The Ships of Hell Destroyed
Learning that Zarozinia may be held aboard Pyaray's ship in the camp of Chaos — which now covers all of the former western continent — Elric rides alone, his Chaos Shield pulsing. He boards the Ship of Hell, climbing among the dead crew who are still recruiting corpses, and ascends through the dark netted light until he reaches Pyaray's tentacled bulk. The shield burns every tentacle that touches it. He climbs the creature's back and drives Stormbringer into the blue crystal. Pyaray shrieks and is destroyed. The Ships of Hell begin to break apart. In a cabin on the deck, he finds Zarozinia — her beautiful body transformed by Chaos into a worm-shape, only her head remaining human. She impales herself on his sword and her soul flows gently into his. He walks away in tears as the ship dissolves behind him.
"Take my soul into you, Elric, for I am useless to myself and you, now! Carry my soul with yours and we shall be forever together."
Book Four — Doomed Lord's Passing
Fate & Destiny
Imrryr Reclaimed — The Dream — The White Lords' Command
Elric, Moonglum, and Dyvim Slorm shelter on the Dragon Isle of Melniboné — the only land untouched by Chaos. The sun has stopped. The dragons cannot be woken. In sleep, Elric's astral body passes through the realm of the dead where he glimpses his ancestors, including a ghost of his father Sadric. Then Sepiriz finds him and they travel to the plane of the White Lords, where Lord Donblas the Justice Maker commands Elric to step off the highest point of the Tower of B'all'nezbett into space. He will not fall — he must go to another world to retrieve the Horn of Fate. Only three blasts of this horn can wake the dragons, allow the White Lords access to earth, and complete the world's transformation.
"You, the last of the royal line of Melniboné, must complete your destiny. The runeblades, Stormbringer and Mournblade, this more orderly age — all will go towards creating the basis for the true beginnings of Mankind's history."
Law & the Balance
The Horn of Fate — Roland — Another World
Elric steps from the tower-top and is transported to a cleaner, sharper world where a dwarf named Jermays the Crooked guides him to a burial mound — the grave of a hero called Roland who lies sleeping with the Horn of Fate (Olifant) around his neck. An enchantress named Vivian guards the grave in hope that Roland will one day come to her. Elric takes the key she gives him (hoping Roland will slay Elric), descends into the tomb, wrenches the horn free, fights Roland's awakening fury with shield and sword, finally beheads him (Roland bleeds not — he is not quite mortal), and escapes back through the frozen river with Jermays. He returns to Imrryr with the Horn of Fate cold against his heart.
"Possessed I may be. But I was ordained by the gods to do this work." He walked away. He did not look back.
The Three Blasts of the Horn — The White Lords Come — The World Ends
First blast: Elric collapses from the effort — but Flamefang and all the dragons wake. Dyvim Slorm saddles them; Elric is strapped into his saddle for lack of strength. They fly to the camp of Chaos for the last battle. Second blast: Elric blows standing over Dyvim Slorm's fallen body — his last kinsman, killed on dragonback by a Duke of Hell. Mournblade has vanished with him. The clear note rings through all the planes of the cosmos and the White Lords come, pouring down a pathway of light, led by Lord Donblas. Their radiance burns the dross of Chaos away. Law and Chaos battle in human form across the entire earth, growing vast and misty until the very substance of the world begins to dissolve. The earth's matter dissolves — reforms — resolves into a new shape under the influence of Law.
"You of Chaos have defied the edict of the Cosmic Balance and sought complete dominance of this planet. Destiny denies you this." — Lord Donblas the Justice Maker
Doom & Grief
Jagreen Lern — The Last Vengeance — An Hour to Die
As the Lords of Law destroy the Chaos hosts, Elric sees Jagreen Lern fleeing the battle on his horse. He rides Flamefang down and dismounts — sending the dragon away with thanks. He fights the Theocrat in single combat. He kicks the Theocrat's sword hand, the man falls, and Elric places his heel on Jagreen Lern's neck. Stormbringer hovers — but Elric sheathes it, forbidding it to feed. He takes Moonglum's blade instead. Jagreen Lern screams for death. Elric does not grant it. He cuts both cheeks open. He takes an hour to kill him, in the manner of the ancient sorcerer-emperors of Melniboné. Moonglum watches and finally begs Elric to finish it. When it is done, Elric wipes the blade on a shred of the Theocrat's robe and hands it back.
"You sought to imitate the Emperors of Melniboné, did you not? Now, little man, know how the folk of Melniboné toyed with such upstarts in the days when they ruled the world."
Moonglum's End — The Third Blast — Stormbringer Takes Elric
The new earth has formed but the Horn must be blown a third time to complete the world's new destiny. Elric has no strength left. Sepiriz appears to say farewell — he and all his kind are truly dead, their age gone. Moonglum says calmly that Elric must kill him with Stormbringer and take his soul-force to power the final blast. Elric refuses. Stormbringer draws itself from the sheath and plunges into Moonglum's heart of its own will. Moonglum's last words: "Ah, no — I had not expected this." His life-force flows into Elric. Elric blows the third and final blast of the Horn of Fate — a note of triumph that becomes an elegy. In the sky, a gigantic hand appears holding a balance, and the scales right themselves. Then Elric turns and sees Stormbringer rushing at him. He reaches for it — it strikes his chest, drinks his soul, the last and most intimate of all its feedings. His body collapses. Stormbringer stands over him, changes shape into something neither sword nor man, and leaps from the Earth laughing its unholy joy into the cosmos.
"Farewell, friend. I was a thousand times more evil than thou!" — Stormbringer, to the corpse of Elric of Melniboné
"And though the horn's note was triumphant,
Elric was not.
He stood full of infinite loneliness
and infinite sorrow,
his head tilted back as the sound rang on.
And, when the note faded from triumph
to a dying echo that expressed something
of Elric's misery —
a huge outline began to form in the sky."
— Final chapter · Doomed Lord's Passing · The end of the Elric Saga