"Michael Moorcock - Corum 3 - The King of the Swords" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

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shapeтАФor a number of themтАФthe Lords of Chaos could
not rule mortals).

With little hope Corum set off in a boat for the domain
of Arioch but on his way was wrecked when a huge giant
passed by him, merely fishing. In the land of the strange
Ragha-da-Kheta he discovered that the Eye could summon
dreadful beings from those worlds to aid himтАФalso the

Hand seemed to sense danger before it came and was
ruthless in slaying even when Corum did not desire to slay.
Then he realized that, by accepting Shoots gifts, he had
accepted the logic of Shool's world and could not escape
from it now.

During these adventures Corum learned of the eternal
struggle between Law and Chaos. A cheerful traveler from
Lywm-an-Esh enlightened him. It was, he said, "the Chaos
Lords' will that rules you. Arioch is one of them. Long
since there was a war between the forces of Order and the
forces of Chaos. The forces of Chaos won and came to
dominate the Fifteen Planes and, as I understand it, much
that lies beyond them. Some say that Order was defeated
completely and all her Gods vanished. They say the
Cosmic Balance tipped too far in one direction and that is
why there are so many arbitrary events taking place in the
world. They say that once the world was round instead of
dish-shaped ..." тАФ "Some Vadhagh legends say it was
once round," Corum informed him. тАФ "Aye. Well, the
Vadhagh began their rise before Order was banished. That
is why the Sword Rulers hate the old races so much. They
are not their creation at all. But the Great Gods are not
allowed to interfere too directly in mortal affairs, so they
have worked through the Mabden, chiefly ..." тАФ Corum
said, "Is this the truth?"тАФ Hanafax shrugged. "It is a
truth."

Later, in the Flamelands where the Blind Queen Oorese
lived, Corum saw a mysterious figure who almost
immediately vanished after he had slain poor Hanafax with
the Hand of Kwll (which knew Hanafax would betray
him). He learned that Arioch was the Knight of the Swords
and that Xiombarg was the Queen of the Swords ruling the
next group of Five Planes, while the most powerful Sword
Ruler of all ruled the last of the Five PlanesтАФMabelrode,
King of the Swords. Corum learned that all the hearts of