"The Bells of Shoredan" by Roger Zelazny (1966) Originally appeared in Fantastic, March 1966. Plot: Dilvish, as an heir of the house of Selar, is the only man who can ring the Bells of Shoredan and raise the phantom hosts that lie in Rahoringhast. When Lylish surrounds Dilfar and the siege appears dire, Dilvish sets off on Black to reach the bells and raise the ghost army to save the city. He has to avoid the guards around enemy's camp which he does easily. He has to cross a desert where ghoulish phantoms circle about him trying to drive him insane. But he arrives at the ruined city of Rahoringhast but Black can not go with him up the stairs to the thirteen towered castle for his demon-nature is prevented. Dilvish goes but not alone for a priest of Babrigore meets him. His name is Korel and he has been doing penance there. The Priests of Babrigore are friendly to Jelerak for they housed and nursed him after he was fallen down when he fought a terrible monster there. (This battle was the beginning of his turning from good to evil.) Korel and Dilvish walk up the long stairs to a chamber at the top of the castle. As soon as Dilvish arrives he sees the god Hohorga lying in a pile of his entrails and his men surrounding Selar, who they cut down and kill. The vision disappears. This vision only happens when an heir of Selar enters the room. Dilvish opens the door to the tower where the Bells of Shoredan are kept. When he does a black smoke appears with two red eyes in it. It is cal-Den, the demon who tortured Dilvish in Hell before his escape. Dilvish and cal-Den fight. The demon savages Dilvish about the head, smashes his sword and throws hima gainst the wall. Dilvish's hand falls on an unseen weapon. it is the invisible sword of Selar. With this he kills Cal-Den, then goes up the bell tower to ring the bells and summon the ghost army. Monsters: The Desert Wights - Dilvish is not able to disspell these ghosts with spells nor is Black despite his demonic nature. The wights are not able to attack beyond shrill screams and terrible nigthmares. When Dilvish leaves the desert they do not follow. Cal-Den - the demon who in the House of Pain tormented Dilvish in Hell. When dilvish stabs him with the sword of Selar he collapses into a stinking, smouldering heap that dissolves. History: The three stories written in the period of 1965-66 form a three-part early history of Dilvish. Through these three stories we see what happened before The Siege of Dilfar, Dilvish ride to warn the city and finally in this story the conclusion of that struggle. Even in "The Bells of Shoredan" you can see Zelazny begin to shed the high-tone Dunsanian mold for the faster moving Howard-like tale. The last of the 1965-1967 period, "A Knight For Merytha" shows the change complete.
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