# RG 19-21

## Chapter 19

The epigraph talks about the irony behind the origin of the Eastern alliance kingdoms that fought against the Letheriii empire. Since they came to be purely out of a lie.

Seren Pedac is wallowing in her past regrets. Fear dismisses her belief that Trull meant nothing by giving her the sword. Fear has his share of regrets with regards to Mayen and is determined to take care of Seren no matter what she believes. She and her gang are in a white skied Kurald Galain which doesn't make a lot of sense to her. Udinaas shows her that the fish in this realm are blind. There is some talk of Tiste lore with Udinaas questioning if the Andii turned away from Mother Dark because she joined Father Light. He decides that three is a good and manageable number and that's why there are 3 sons of darkness, the 3 sisters etc. He has also heard that Andarist is dead. Suddenly Seren feels she knows nothing of what is going on.

Udinaas has nightly fevered visions which he doesn't trust. Seren asks Clip why there is light and he says they are walking a Road of Light which was gifted by Father Light. Udinaas has guessed what's at the end of this road but refuses to tell Seren or she could be in danger. He also knows they are being followed in this road by Menandore who is tracking them to get the Finnest fot herself. Clip and Silchas tell them the realm they are in is the Tiste realm, elemental in nature and it was at places like these that the first civilisations arose. Seren asks what about the elder gods and the andii keep quiet. Udinaas mocks their origin story. Clip retorts that 'Nothing preceded Darkness' and Udinaas runs with the idea. True nothing did precede darkness but there had to exist something for darkness, light and shadow to be born. If True nothing is Chaos then darkness could be the imposition of order on it. But then, there also had to exist fire for making light, air for making light etc.- Silchas abruptly walks away. Fear says that their legend holds that the Kechra bound everything to the concept of time, thus ensuring annihilation of everything (my STEM friends call this entropy, but I would love to hear what you think of it). Clip says that Chaos is the Devourer and Mother dark has scattered chaos but if the forces of chaos were to rejoin then nobody can withstand it. Udinaas wonders if Mother Dark had allies or if she ambushed chaos. He regrets revealing to the others that he could sense Menandore.

They all settle for the night and Seren accesses Mockra to mind rape Udinaas. In his dream, he is in a realm of hot sands. They see Menandore fly overhead and then Feather Witch approaches him. She claims she is the Destraint of the Errant and that he is the Torud Segul/shield anvil. Udinaas tells her he is not, she attempts to rape him. He pushes her away and strangles Seren in the real world, he has somehow sensed her presence in the dream. He is extremely angry and warns that he will kill whoever tries to rape him next. Fear drags him away from her but she shouts she deserves it. Udinaas asks Silchas to make it day and the realm turns light. Udinaas is crying as he packs up and they resume their journey.

There has been a riot at Drene, the next day Venitt Sathad has a light breakfast at an Inn. The poorest citizens have stormed Letur Anict's estate and ransacked it, but all the local Edur were left alone. Rautos and his servant Venitt are not surprised by this turn of events, unlike Karos and the Factor. Orbyn joins Venitt, they discuss that it is unfortunate that the Edur overseer is with Bivatt. They suspect there could be assassins hired to take him out. The kingdom is reeling, riots, financial collapse, an unknown invasion from the West, the eastern kingdoms finding allies etc. Venitt says he needs to visit the Factor. Orbyn bargains with him to have himself spared, Venitt suggests that the Patriotist agents be sacrificed to restore order. Orbyn has known about Venitt for a long time and says that he might even have reached Drene too late. For a small line, we see Venitt's inner thoughts as he seems to wholeheartedly support Tehol and Bugg's scheme to *take all the bastards down*.

The Awl are being chased by the Letherii. There is unseasonal rain and they have left behind dead bodies in their hurry. The Letherii supplies from Drene has not reached the Letherii and Bivatt has sent a 100 Bluerose lancers to act as escort. Along the way Brohl notices cairns with painted white faces and offerings of fur etc, they know this isnt the Awl doing. They receive news that the Awl are at Quson Tapi, a bed of dead inland sea. They plan to reach before dusk but they are aware that if the rains reach that place, the ground will turn to slime making cavalry and wagons useless.

Elsewhere, Bivatt is pondering the mystery of the painted white faces. They have opened one of the cairns and found only a small piece of weathered wood similar to the ones seen on a bunch of war canoes noticed along the northern shores. She almost sees a staring tall man watching her, but disappears suddenly. She wonders how the thousands and thousands of those canoe riders are hiding and if Redmask is secretly harbouring them. The Letherii start marching to the battlesite, a literal quagmire.

Redmask has raced his army to reach the sea bed and assemble when the day is still hot. The Awl work together and establish wooden walkways and an elevated central wagon-bed. Toc realises he intends to get the Letherii to march to them on open ground which would soon turn into mud. But Bivatt has to be desperate for the herds in the Awl possession. The Awl warriors would be stationed on the islands of dry ground. Torrent declares that the sea bed will rise and drown the Letherii, Toc is skeptical. To nobody's surprise we find that it was indeed Redmask who had strangled that old man from Renfayar clan. His guilt seems to be slowly catching up with him now. He thinks that no matter what he did, he could never be Awl enough for the old man. It starts raining and Redmask is confident that his guardians will give him his victory.

## Chapter 20

Bruthen Trana, after being freed from his flesh by Hannan now wanders the bottom of the ocean. Though he is only in spirit, he still has a body due to some wilful stubborness. All he knows is that he is Tiste Edur but he doesn't remember what he's looking for. After a long time of wandering, he comes across a toppled house with a yard. He knows he does not seek this, but seeing the light inside a window he approaches the house. The door is opened by a Forkrul like figure, calling himself Knuckles, who invites him in for a glass of dry wine. He says there is a guest within the tower who must not be distracted by any talk of dragons, mainly because the Edur was haunted by the dragon of Father Shadow. We see that the guest is Kilmandaros, who also turns out to be Knuckles' mother. They are in the middle of a game of Bones and she nearly calls him Setch. To allow themselves to be true hosts, Knuckles offers to stop the 'grains' and Bruthen is surprised to see that he meant 'time'.

Kil wonders why the Azath has brought Bruthen here, who seems to have only modest value. She claims that the Azath could not hold her for long and blames Anomander for getting her imprisoned in one. Knuckles corrects her that she betrayed him and that Rake never went back on his word. She asks him about Osserc and Draconus both of whom were likely betrayed by Rake.

Knuckles reminds Bruthen that he seeks a place of Names. Kilmandaros says he needs to remember his way back to this place. They suggest he needs to walk the path without a sliver of doubt. He is led out and on looking back, there is no sign of the house.

Rud Ellale has his mother's blazing eyes and father's downturned mouth. He's grown tall and still lives among the Bentract Imass. Menandore says the Imass speak their dragon language but he disputes that they are not eleint. She warns him about her sisters and almost threatens his Imass clan, calling them 'not even alive'. She urges him to kill the group of newcomers coming to the refugium but he refuses. Turns out it's Trull, Onrack, QB and Hedge alongwith the emlava cubs. Rud talks to them and leads them to meet the Bentract leader, Ulshun Pral. The Imass seem overall peaceful and contented except for 3 newcomers who were re-formed from the ritual (like Emroth) and are trying to challenge the leadership of Ulshun. Rud terrifies them and hence everything is at peace.

The ice mountains at Second Maiden Fort that were melted by Sinn are now causing rains. Nimander thinks of the Silandah carrying the heads of his dead kin from Drift Avalii. The writing is a little unhinged stream of consciousness from Nimanders pov. He's been expecting Phaed to try and murder Sandalath, and so hasn't slept in a long time. He catches Phaed and breaks her wrists, Withal wants to kill her so that Nimander would be safe but Sand stops him. Even so, at the first opportunity, Withal throws Phaed out the window and she dies. Sand suspects something but Nimander lies to save Withal and Sand and himself. With all this, Nimander is completely guilt ridden.

The next day the Malazans leave. Yan is the queen surrounded by nay saying Shake witches and her one supportive brother, the Watch. The Andii have stayed behind.

Kindly and Pores decide that Masan should be written up for not wearing armour. Sgt Cord, Crump etc-everyone ogles at Masan. Shurq is on the *Froth Wolf*, which is following her ship into Letheras. Banaschar tells her there are rituals to find her soul and make her living again. Shurq is not interested, plus her ootooloo has taken over her entire body rejuvenating it. Tavore and Lostara talk to Shurq about the patriotists.

Sirryn has orders from Triban to move the troops from the Edur camp near the palace. He is also moving his palace guards into the camp in readiness for battle. Janath is once again in Tanal's clutches and her memory returns.

Rhulad has started killing his challengers. Samar is worried about Karsa, he tells her to release the spirits in her knife when the time comes. The Cabalhii monk and Taralack wait around, the monk is sure of Icariums victory and Taralack thinks he will eventually be killed by Rhulad.

Meanwhile Rhulad has been told about Tehol, the great traitor. He's refused to cut him down himself and has sentenced him to the drownings. Triban has started minting more coin to save the economy. Hannan shows him the riots going on in his empire but can't show him anything about the Malazan invasion. The Edur forces have been divided into 2, one faction near the city and another has moved north to sweep down silently. Both the Ceda and the Chancellor claim it's their idea. About the eastern bolkando invasion, we see that they have hired mercenary companies. In a way, Rhulad is looking forward to the economic collapse so that he can refashion his empire into something new.

Errant and his high priestess talk, they are still looking for their Mortal Wword. He tells her not to use others lives for her gain, but she insists that removing any choice from people is the first step to using them.

# Chapter 21

Starts with the Shake prayer, objectively the best poem in the entire series.

Slowly the Malazan marine invasion is being countered. Edur forces are funnelling them deliberately. Fiddler and Gesler's squads are separated. Bottle looks into a tavern up ahead and sounds the all clear to join Hellian and gang. Hellian's squads have arrived as liberators of the small towns and villages, killing the local officials and getting the support of the Indebted population. Gesler has joined them earlier the same day too.

The marines have been collecting grisly war tokens like fingers and penises. There is some banter as everyone catches their breath. Bottle is on lookout and notices hundreds of Edur converging on their village. Beak and Sort are on the way back to join Keneb, he suspects that the invasion is not going as planned. Beak has been using his candle to hide them for so long,he cant put them out anymore. Keneb takes 10 squads plus heavies and starts quick marching to Letheras. Beak and Sort take up rearguard.

Koryk, Smiles and the rest are answering the Edur who have managed to reach the village. Fiddler, Corabb, Hellian, Tarr etc are all involved in fighting. Cut to Badan Gruk and Primly's squads. Badan, a Dal Hon joined the marines for the sake of a compatriot called Sinter (who herself joined for the sake of her sister Kisswhere) but something has happened (they got blown up) and he misses her. His squad is full of Dal Honese including young Skulldeath who is yet to draw blood. We also meet Nep Furrow with the weird accent. Vastly Blank is joined by a heavy named Reliko. Neller has a Letherii howling sword that he plans to use. Strap stuffs his ears with moss. Pravalak misses Kisswhere. (yes,it feels like there are too many name drops, not everyone is important but we are being trickle fed names of the important marines, just hidden among a few unimportant ones) Skulldeath is Seven cities royalty, who has practiced his family talwars for many years. We are told that Master Sergeant Braven Tooth has named him appropriately but we will find out later.

Ok it didn't take till later, almost immediately we see Skulldeath swooping in and saving Smiles and Koryk from a few Edur. Badan and co meet up with Fiddler and co. The plan is to wait for Keneb to show up. Smiles has her eyes on Skulldeath and is ready to use some questionable herbs from Bottle. But Skulldeath is on the lookout for royalty and happens to hear Hellian call herself the 'Queen of Kartool'.

Back to the refugium. Hedge and QB discuss the Adjunct. QB guesses that the whole reason the Marines came to Letheras was because Tavore intends to set herself against the Crippled God. They discuss why Sorry was possessed and if Shadowthrone and Cotillion disposed off Kalam just to isolate QB etc.

Trull listens to the Imass singing in the Eresal language. One of the clan chiefs tells him that they did not go to the Gathering. There is a conflict between the returned Bentract Imass and the original residents. They are told this place is an illusion but Rud is adamant it's a real place. Trull declares he will fight to save the refugium for his friend's sake and the new Imass decide to end the conflict and join them. QB now guesses that the Finnest of Scabandari is in this place.

Seren and co still walk the light road. Seren had hoped her Udinaas mind rape would have turned away Fear but he still keeps to his vow of protecting her. They reach a blown up gate, Clip says the last road is on the other side. His chains are spinning again and Udinaas wishes that he would garrott himself with it. Seren has a sudden realisation that Clip is not a mortal sword but a murderer. They walk through the threshold and find themselves on a plain surrounded by hundreds of dead dragons. Clip calls the place Starvald Demelain.