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

the Sword Rulers were hidden where even they could not
touch them. But after further adventures in Arioch's castle,
he at last succeeded in finding the heart of the Knight of the
Swords and, to save his life, destroyed it, thus banishing
Arioch to limbo and allowing Arkyn of Law to return to

occupy his old castle. But Corum had earned the Bane of
the Sword Rulers and by destroying Arioch's heart had set
a pattern of destiny for himself. A voice told him, "Neither
Law nor Chaos must dominate the destinies of the mortal
planes. There must be equilibrium." But it seemed to
Corum that there was no equilibrium, that Chaos ruled all.
"The balance sometimes tips," replied the voice. "It must
be righted. And that is the power of mortals, to adjust the
balance. You have begun the work already. Now you must



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continue until it is finished. You may perish before it is
complete, but some other will follow you."

Corum shouted, "I do not want this. I cannot bear such
a burden."

The voice replied, "YOU MUST!"

And then Corum returned to find Shool's power gone
and Rhalina free.

They returned to the lovely castle on Moidel's Mount,
knowing that they were no longer in any sense in control of
their own fates.

Soon the Wading God was seen again, fishing the seas
near Moidel's Mount, forever discarding his catch and
casting for a new one. An omen, they knew. And that night
there was a knocking on the door of Moidel's Castle and a
young stranger presented himself to themтАФa dandy who
had as a pet a little winged cat. This was Jhary-a-Conel,
who announced his profession as a "Companion to
Champions" and seemed to know a great deal of Corum's
destiny, not to mention his own. With the help of the little
cat they learned of the great Mabden massing at Kalenwyr,
of the intention of the Mabden to march against Lywm-an-
Esh and destroy that land because it had adopted Vadhagh
ways. The people of the castle knew that they would be
swept away by such a mighty advance and they abandoned