"A peculiar moaning sound seemed to issue
from them. Elric saw the runes carved into them and he was afraid."
"... it seemed that the swords fought with the life of one of the
swordsmen as a prize [...] and that the rivalry between Elric and Yyrkoon was
nothing compared with the brotherly rivalry between the swords who seemed full
of pleasure at the chance to engage again after many millennia."
"And the two blades shrieked as if in pain, and they shivered, and black
radiance poured form them as blood might pour from a man pierced by many arrows."
Michael Moorcock, "Elric of Melnibone"
There are two runeswords in Elric novels, Stormbringer, wielded by Elric, and Mournblade, borne by Yyrkoon and then Dyvim Slorm. Both hellblades are huge and black; they give their bearers unhuman strength and skills. Gradually their wielders become more and more dependent on them, addicted to their power.
The hellblades may be called veiled charakters of the Saga, for they have their own mind and will; in the fact, they are alive creatures, parts of Chaos, just imitating swords. But no more spoilers.
