Book 4 of The High History of The Runestaff The Runestaff by Michael Moorcock

Contents

BOOK ONE

1. An Episode in King Huon’s Throne Room 10

2. Human Thoughts of the Countess Flana 14

3. Hawkmoon Alters his Course 16

4. Orland Frank 22

5. A City of Glowing Shadows 31

6. Jehamia Cohnahlias 35

7. A Well-Known Traveler 38

8. An Ultimatum 44

9. The Runestaff 48

10. Spirit of the Runestaff 51

11. A Brother Slain 55

BOOK TWO

1. Whispering in Secret Rooms 62

2. Conversation Beside the Mentality Machine 67

3. Taragorm of the Palace of Time 71

4. A Mission for Meliadus 74

5. The Fleet at Deau-Vere 77

6. The Return to Castle Brass 82

7. The Beasts Begin to Squabble 86

8. Taragorm’s Invention 89

9. Huon Confers with his Captains 92

10. Almost Midnight 94

BOOK THREE

1. The Striking of the Clock 98

2. The Blackened Marsh 104

3. Dark Empire Carnage 107

4. New Helms 110

5. Five Heroes and a Heroine 115

6. A New Ally 118

7. The Battle for Huon’s Palace 124

8. Flana Observes the Battle 128

9. The Slaying of King Huon 130

10. The Heroes Ride Out 133

11. News of Several Sorts 135

12. The New Queen 137

13. “What do you see?” 139

14. The Power Returns 143

15. The Gates of Londra 146

16. The Final Flight 152

17. The Sad Queen 155

BOOK ONE

Tacticians and warriors of ferocious courage and skill; careless of their own lives; corrupt of soul and mad of brain; haters of all that was not in decay; wielders of power without moralityforce without justice; the Barons of Granbretan carried the standard of their King Emperor Huon across the continent of Europe and made that continent their property; carried the banner to West and East to other continents to which they also laid claim. And it seemed that no force, either natural or supernatural, was strong enough to halt the insane and deadly tide. Indeed, none now resisted them at all. With chuckling pride and cold contempt they demanded whole nations as tribute and the tribute was paid. In all the subdued lands few hoped. Of those, fewer dared express hopeand among those few hardly a single soul possessed the courage to murmur the name symbolizing that hope. The name was Castle Brass. Those who spoke the name understood its implications, for Castle Brass was the only stronghold to remain unvanquished by the warlords of Granbretan, and Castle Brass housed heroes; men who had fought the Dark Empire, whose names were loathed and hated by the brooding Baron Meliadus, Grand Constable of the Order of the Wolf, Commander of the Army of Conquest, for it was known that Baron Meliadus fought a private feud with those heroes, particularly the legendary Dorian Hawkmoon von Koln who was mar