Hawkmoon Complete by Michael Moorcock

Author:Michael Moorcock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Masterwork, Fantasy Fiction, Hawkmoon; Dorian (Fictitious character), General, Fantasy, Epic, Fiction

Chapter Five - A City of Glowing Shadows

HAWKMOON LAY SCOWLING in the small boat and D’Averc whistled a tune as he stood in the prow, the spray lashing his face. For a whole day now the wind had guided the craft, blowing them on what was plainly a particular course.

“Now I understand what Fank meant about the wind,” growled Hawkmoon. “This is no natural breeze.

I resent the feeling of being the puppet of some supernatural agency.”

D’Averc grinned and pointed ahead. “Well, perhaps we’ll have a chance to voice our complaints to the agency itself. See—land in sight.”

Hawkmoon rose reluctantly. There were faint signs of land on the horizon.

“And so we return to Amarehk!” D’Averc laughed.

“If only it were Europe and Yisselda were there.”

Hawkmoon sat down again.

“Or even Londra, and Flana to comfort me.” D’Averc shrugged and began to cough theatrically. “Still, it is best this way, lest she find herself pledged to a sick and dying creature…”

Gradually they made out features on the shoreline: ir-regular cliffs, hills and beaches; some trees. Then, to the south, they saw a peculiar aura of golden light—light which throbbed as if in concert to a gigantic heart.

“More disturbing phenomena.” D’Averc frowned.

The wind blew harder and the little boat turned toward the golden light.

“And we’re heading directly for it,” groaned Hawkmoon. “I am becoming tired of such things!”

Now it was clear they sailed into a bay formed by the mainland and a long island jutting out between the two shores. It was from the far end of this island that the golden light was pulsing.

The land on either side seemed pleasant, consisting of beaches and wooded hills, though there were no signs of habitation.

As they neared the source of the light, it began to fade until only a faint glow filled the sky and the boat’s speed diminished. They still sailed directly towards the light. They saw it, then, and were amazed …

It was a city of such grace and beauty it robbed them of speech. As huge as Londra, if not larger, its buildings were symmetrical spires and domes and turrets, all glowing with the same strange light, but coloured in delicate, pale shades that lurked behind the gold—pink, yellow, blue, green, violet and cerise—like a painting created in light and then washed with gold. Its magnificent beauty did not seem a proper habitation for human creatures, but for gods.

Now the ship sailed into a harbour stretching out from the city, its quays shifting with the same subtle shades of the buildings.

“It is like a dream…” Hawkmoon murmured.

“A dream of heaven.” D’Averc’s cynicism had vanished before the vision.

The little boat drifted to a set of steps that led down to the water, which was dappled with the reflections of the colours, and came to a halt.

D’Averc shrugged. “I suppose this is where we disembark. The boat could have borne us to a less pleasant place.”

Hawkmoon nodded gravely and then said: “Are the Rings of Myggan still in your pouch, D’Averc?”

D’Averc patted his pouch. “They are safe.

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