# TtH 10-12

## Chapter 10

The epigraph is a nicely done poem "Will you come and tell me when the music ends" by Fisher Kel Tath. Though I have no idea what larger theme it signifies. Any comments welcome.

Endest has reached the banks of this black river, though he is disappointed since it is not black enough to remind him of Dorssan Ryl. He then sees Caladan Brood waiting with tea, trout, and company. The warlord disbanded his army after Pannion campaign. Endest thinks that he is a man whose mystery is clothed in geniality. Asked why he is here, Brood wishes he could answer. Endest only says that he assumes his ignorance of what is coming; Cal says he cant help him much. Endest does not believe in forgiveness but Cal asks him about restitution. Endest is stunned. He remembers the time when Mother Dark turned away in fury, even as her children died and died.
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Samar and Traveller catch up to the burnt Skathandi wagons. They find no dead bodies; Traveller is surprised. He sees tracks going in all direction. Only the north trail is less marked and they decide to take it. Traveller asks how Karsa achieved what he did with the Skathandi. They then meet the pregnant Gandaru women and 3 men. He tells Samar to check the women and takes the men aside to talk. The women seem healthy, and Samar reports the same. Traveller says that they have seen that Karsa carries a stone sword, not the CG's sword. Traveller feels less trepidation now. Samar is in a sour mood, not only because the Gandaru being obviously non-human are at the brink of extinction but also at the way she meekly obeyed Traveller's command to see to the women, reminding her of Karsa in some ways. As they pass some antelopes her thoughts drift to adaptation and how doomed the Gandaru are. Traveller says that is a presumption since Karsa is from a forgotten tribe from northern Genabackis who has vowed to kill all children and what chance do they stand against him. As they chat, they see Karsa standing and waiting for them, fresh from killing a bunch of idiots who had attacked him.

Samar and Karsa are reunited. (ed.: It's a good scene. We get to see how much Karsa has grown an ability to form actual human bonds. He genuinely likes Samar Dev and the feeling is clearly mutual, even if it's not clearly amorous.) He thinks Traveller is her husband, since there must be some plausible reason for her to keep refusing Karsa's advances. The necessary introductions are made; Traveller does not reveal his identity. He is headed to Darujhistan, where Samar can find ships to take her home, and Karsa would also like to see this city that defied the Malazan invasion. The three set out north and a Great Raven notices them.

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Salind is fevered and has a vision of a line of pregnant mothers walking through her formless self. Ahead she can hear droning voices but she doesn't reach for them yet. As the women pass her, she feels the life of the children within, some short, some long, etc. The ones who die in violence are an outrage and there she feels fury/shock/denial. She hears one woman's voice in prayer:

> ‘Bless them, that they not be taken.
>
> ‘Bless them, that they begin in their time and that they end in its fullness.
>
> ‘Bless them, in the name of the Redeemer, against the cruel harvesters of souls, the takers of life.'

As panic grips her, she hears the droning voices summoning her and she finally pulls away to rush to the voices.

She wakes up. Spinnock says the priestesses of Dark have helped bring her back. She asks him what a blessing achieves. It is just a way to confer hope. He replies that a blessing is a way to purchase a moment of peace in both the giver and receiver. Even if the gift does not last, its value never fades. She wants to find Seerdomin and is told he has gone missing. She says her god has finally showed her why she was needed and thinks it sounds arrogant to say it out loud. Spinnock is offended (ed.: Is he? I read this more as... curious? Something like that.) that she has a god who is with her and yet she doubts herself, unlike the Andii who have no hope of such communion with their goddess. Salind finds an old drawing showing the Mother turned away and thinks "Bless your children, woman."

Seerdomin has gone to the lower levels of the destroyed keep. The writing is a great reminder of the places we saw the Bridgburners fighting, Trotts and Detoran and the rest (ed.: Hedge. Let's not forget Hedge.) dying. As he descends, we are reminded of Toc being chained here within reach of the K'Chain Matron and Seerdomin himself showing small acts of mercy to Toc. He tells himself decency does not exculpate and it might have been better to let Toc go fully mad. He has been following the conspirators who were planning to overthrow Andii rule. He finds a group of four and cuts them down, except the last one who he gives a quick death in exchange for answers about the rest of the conspiracy. He realises that he needs to return to the pilgrim camp at some point.

Monkrat has used rats and watched all this go down.
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Nimander and gang reach Bastion. Skin is worried that they are doing exactly what is expected of them by delivering Clip right to their temple. Nim's hands are healed but he seems to be suffering from a spiritual injury. They stand at the gate and wonder about a welcoming party but they only hear singing. Aranatha says the entire city is sanctified and is the Abject Temple. Kallor goes in first and stands staring at a crash-landed K'chain mechanism. Skin wonders if this is how the Dying God reached here and Nim asks if a god needs a machine (ed.: and Skintick's response is perfect: meh, it's broken, move on). They decide to look around, finding an altar at the centre of the city, but are prevented from approaching by a large mob. Kallor walks into the mob but is left unmolested. The others find an inn and a stable with enough feed for their horses. They also find food for themselves. The plan is to sneak past the mob carrying Clip to the altar. How can they pass beneath the notice of a god? They are children of darkness, after all. Desra notices that Clip is getting worse.
___
Crone meets Rake at his tower. She relays the info that Baruk understands. She says that his darkness breeds fierce storms, and she will fly high above the clouds. He agrees; she doesn't like him being generous and compassionate.

> ‘Fly true, Crone.’
>
> ‘I pray you tell your beloved the same, Master, when the time is nigh.’
>
> He smiled. ‘There is no need for that.’

## Chapter 11

Kruppe gives two pages of arguments against child labour before getting to Harllo who is sneaking down to his friend, Dev. He has somehow found a pair of long bones of some beast that could be used as splints. As he climbs down, he notices there seems to be a building face with balconies and windows at regular intervals. He meets Dev'ad who recognises that the bones belong to an Emral and, with the Tellann ritual, he could fashion legs, no splint needed. Harllo frets that he will be switched if found sneaking around and returns. He thinks to himself that a few switches to his back is worth helping out the Imass lying there alone for centuries. Before leaving, he asks about the submerged building and is told it was a mystery even to them. Dev warns the child not to wander inside, as he could easily get lost.

___

Back to the city now. Lady Varada's gate guards stand nervously when they are approached by Lazan Door and Madrun Badrun (dressed outrageously). They want to meet Studlock, who seems to know them from before. The two were trapped under a collapsed mountain and Stud had not expected to see them again. They are hired as compound guards, leaving Scorch and Leff to wonder if they are at the bottom again.

Torvald and Tissera have dinner in a scene reeking of domestic tranquility. He is nervous enough to get indigestion and soon leaves to resume his night shift. They exchange goodbyes and the whole subtext of their dialogue is laid out plainly for us (ed.: is it? We get Tor's side, but I always end up with the impression that Tissera isn't dissembling in the least). Tor returns to his job and finds out about the new hires. The name Studious is known to him as Studious Lock the Landless of One Eye Cat who has a specific reason for keeping himself wrapped in gauze. As soon as he meets Lazan and Madrun he asks where their masks are. So the two are renegade Seguleh, probably hired to take out the Malazan Fist. Tor agrees to keep his mouth shut and, as befitting his captain post, goes to his office.

He sits for a minute before deciding that it would be better to have a private word with Mistress Varada regarding these new hires and ensure she is aware of Studlock's identity. He notices that the new guards are playing knuckles with the castellan. Their talk turns to their lack of masks and Stud suggests they make new ones. Tor sneaks into the balcony of the Lady's room, finds the door unlocked, and finds himself expected. Mistress Varada is lounging about, wearing a veil and holding a goblet of wine. She doesn't care about the guards and only advises that Tor reconcile with his House of Nom to live well. He leaves with a message that the mistress wants to talk to Stud. He teaches the guards to do some actual guarding.

Scorch and Leff have noticed Tor being less than alright and suspect that Tissera is poisoning him because she disapproves of this work and their companionship.

___

They go on and on until Kruppe, thankfully, pulls us out to start another story. He narrates walking through the marketplace, stealing stuff and molesting prostitutes. He visits Baruk and they talk. Kruppe assures him (and us) that everything seems in flux and chaotic but soon it will be seen that these aberrations are minor. Baruk says that Kruppe is advocating the perspective of an historian but it is of no use to people who must live through it. Kruppe goes off on a tangent of direct and indirect acts of violence, and how violence is cyclical. "The structure of society is far more fragile than most believe." (ed.: Karsa would probably kill Kruppe before they could have a conversation but they do seem to agree here.)

___

Barathol, along with Chaur, has taken an old bakery to be his smithy. Guild members walk in, claiming it is illegal. He kicks them out by threatening to blow up the place with a Moranth grenado (an empty one he got from Mallet).

The round up begins early in this chapter. Scillara and Duiker roam around hand-in-hand. Challice wanders, thinking of herself as despoiled beyond redemption. Cutter is about 300 paces away and "Times and people change, don't they just." Rallick and Krute have a long conversation ahead of them. Murillio consoles Stonny, who is unused to such attention. Something unseen wafts between them and who could be surprised by all this. But also, there are three dozen figures gathering on a rooftop to attack K'rul's Bar.

___

Inside the temple-turned-bar, on the first floor (ed.: [the _second_ floor in Freedom Floors](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/first_floor)), Picker has her offices. She keeps the internal windows open to have a view of the taproom. By the front door, Blend sits with a glass of hot cider. Fisher is playing something that nobody is listening to. Antsy is in the kitchen yelling at the cooks in order to calm them down. A stranger from Pale had taken his dinner and retired to his room. Bluepearl wanders somewhere in the cellar, where he finds some unopened casks locked by sorcery. He tastes one and thinks it is some kind of elder magic, possibly involving blood. A ghost lifts its head through the floor and asks if that is Brother Curven. The ghost says it smelled the blood.

The first of the assassins climb through the window into the stranger's room. Five of them walk in pretending to be drunk noble patrons. Antsy holds a short sword and stalks a mysterious two-headed rat. The upper floor now has 11 assassins. Fisher notices the loudly arguing nobles and stops playing, taking a drink break. Picker tells Mallet that there is something off about the argument downstairs and they head down. Picker notices that Blend is drawing back her usually outstretched legs and thinks 'Shit.'

Antsy loses the rat and in walks Bluepearl cradling a huge dusty cask.

The assassins start attacking the Bridgeburners. Crossbows take out Skevos, Hedry, and possibly Picker. Blend gets into a knife fight with the five nobles but gets hit in the shoulder and goes down. Mallet is hit by quarrels, he is still breathing when he tries to summon High Denul when a young face looms over him, stabbing him in the right eye. Just before, he thinks to himself *'Kick open the gate, Whiskeyjack-*'; he seems to have died with an odd smile on his face.

Bluepearl is hit by a dagger that pins his hand to the cask. He spits at his attacker and the ball of spit transmogrifies into a ball of serpents. Still, he is killed by a sword thrust.

Antsy hears the fighting and gets his stack of munitions. He throws two sharpers at the assassins.

Picker had rolled on the floor and crawls over and grabs her crossbow and quarrels. She kills the one attacking Blend, grabs her single sharper, and waits for the assassins to catch up to her. She throws the munition and jumps downstairs. Blend has passed out by now. Picker and Antsy take out the rest of the attackers. Blend wakes up to see more cloaked figures converging, but they are attacked by Chaur and Barathol. Antsy helps out too and they are finally done. Chaur is overwhelmed and Bara consoles him. Blend and Picker go over the losses. The assassins seem to have rushed the stage but they find no signs of Fisher. They agree that it is not a good thing that they are still breathing.

___

Six streets away, Cutter is moping and looking at headstones in a shop. Challice finds him, calling him Crokus Younghand. He thinks he has known a version of her, a child's version but now nothing of the child remains. He calls her Challice D'Arle and is not corrected (tbf, he doesn't correct her either).

## Chapter 12

Endest is back in Kharkanas in his memory, at a place called Suruth Common where he was sent by the temple to witness. The three Sons of Darkness meet and seem to discuss treachery. The exact details are not important, but we find that Mother Dark has turned away. When Endest reports to the High Priestess, she too turns away. There are millennia old blackwood trees in the Common, and when Endest looks at it next, they would be on fire.

Endest has been sitting with Cal until almost the break of dawn. He observes that every civilisation takes so much from the world around it that it ends up being destroyed. Except the Jaghut, Cal adds, who gave more than they took, except the Tyrants of course. He says the Forkrul Assail were the opposite: pure manifestations of arrogance. Apparently they are still warring but at a location so far away that it is beneath Rake's notice. Crone joins them with a message that Endest is summoned back by his lord.

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Harak, one of the last remaining conspirators in Black Coral, is chased and cut down by Seerdomin. Until then, Harak believed the killers were a group of ambitious Andii who want to rule all the humans. Seerdomin cuts his head off and sits next to the kneeling, headless corpse. He thinks of how irredeemable his actions were. In a just war, the veterans could find some solace for their trauma. But in an unjust war, like the ones they had fought under the Pannion Seer, there was no consoling the veterans. Seerdomin thinks that the only other option for him would be to commit suicide. To avoid that, he has been fighting in the name of Black Coral and the Tiste Andii. He can almost hear the Redeemer weep and tell him, "One cannot murder in the name of justice."

Salind realises that the cult of the Redeemer, where redemption is always available, is an abomination. There is no place for justice and retribution. She struggles with the idea of creating the religion, the priesthood -- but how long before there is corruption? She is in a crisis and rails for answers at the presence she feels but is only met with an embrace. She thinks of the title Benighted that has been conferred on the Seerdomin. She has a lot of questions on the nature of the Redeemer and decides to go to the Barrow and look for answers. She leaves the Andii keep and walks out of Black Coral. She demands to know, almost reaches the barrow but falls to her knees. Gradithan finds her, yanks her up, and gets Monkrat to bring her saemankelyk. She says she has nothing to give him but he says that she could lead them straight to *him*.

Spinnock finds her missing and is hurt. He thinks the love he feels for her is squalid and brilliantly stupid. He goes to the Scour tavern for a drink and meets Seerdomin unexpectedly. The man smells of blood. Spin spills his heart out, Seerdomin thinks he means the Andii High priestess who is undoubtedly in love with him but Spin says its not her. Seeing Seerdomin's reactions, he realises he has given in to despair. He confesses that he has murdered 11 conspirators so far and asks Spin to forgive them because he cannot. Spin says it was not necessary, and Seerdomin knows this. Spin recalls the story of Whiskeyjack, who had sought to relieve the Son of Darkness from having to kill the mad mothers of the Children of the Dead Seed. They decide to get drunk and then Seerdomin realises his friend is in love with Salind. He only says Spin should not have listened to her and rushes out.

___

Samar is irritated at the way Traveller and Karsa seem to bond instantly. Traveller even shares a story about Ereko, an ancient Tartheno friend of his. Karsa shares about Bairoth and Delum. Samar has had enough of this chumminess by day two (ed.: of a very, very long trip). When they make camp, a few riders avoid them. Karsa tells her she is safe and she replies that she is safe from other people. Traveller gives them more history about Laseen, who was once Surly, the last of the Napan royal line. She joined Kellanved with a group of Napans who almost all 'drowned' after Laseen took over as empress. Samar says there was one non-Napan with them, the First Sword, Dassem Ultor. He was probably assassinated by Surly at Seven Cities. Samar updates Karsa that the Edur quit Letheras after Rhulad died. Karsa had guessed as much. Traveller says the difference with the Malazan occupation of Seven Cities is that Kellanved conquered them, not simply occupied the land. He showed everyone that there would be better circumstances. Karsa says that conquest can be achieved by means of destruction too. Once again he declares that he intends to destroy civilisation. After a long time, Traveller replies that he dislikes cities. The next day he continues with Duiker's words, that civilisation is a mechanism of controlling the multitude, usually by conformity.

___

Nimander and his group sneak to the altar at night. The whole city is drugged on Kelyk and nobody pays them any attention till they approach the altar building. Nim, Skin, Desra, and Aranatha go ahead with Clip. Nenanda and Kedeviss hold the rear. Inside there are priests who need to be killed. The rear guard is attacked enough that they retreat. At the end, Nim takes Clip and keeps going. They hear a child's voice singing softly.

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With reluctance and for the sake of his friend, Seerdomin walks to the barrow. Gradithan attacks from behind and knocks the Benighted unconscious. He and Monkrat carry Seerdomin to the Sacred Tent where Salind is dancing because of the kelyk. She has been adopted by the Dying God.

Seerdomin, Segda Travos, is woken up by a soft voice that says he is dying. He is within the barrow and gets to chat with Itkovian the Redeemer. The god asks him to defend him against his worshiper Salind, who is driven by the need to find answers. Seeing the *humanity* of Itkovian, Segda sets off to fight her. Salind takes the form of a multi-limbed giant with different weapons in each hand.

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Meanwhile, Anomander Rake walks into Scour and sends away Spinnock on a mission. He assures him that it's ok to fail and to please smile for him at the end. Spin considers telling his lord about this unexpected blessing of love, and he is sure Rake would only tell him to go to her, but he stops himself.

___

Skin, Kedeviss, and Nenanda have been driven back to the second set of doors. There's no sound from within, so Skin goes into to check. There, the foul smoke of the kelyk promises escape and oblivion. He fights through it and sees only Clip lying there.

Nim, on reaching the altar chamber, had felt like he was entering a different realm. He finds thousands of dolls all over the place. A voice tells him that it squeezed the dolls till they broke. The child says it's on the floor of the abyss and can play with the junk of existence that lands there. The god says it's worshipers are mostly dead and it wants their blood to form a current to take him "back to her where she will pay for what she did". He confirms that the machine was broken and he needed to be remade. Nim starts cutting down the dolls but the child god thinks he'll need a few centuries to find him.

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Salind and Segda battle. He takes many injuries and is on the ground.

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Nim is about to give up but Aranatha says he (the Dying God) must be summoned. She knows his name is Bellurdan, cast out by Silverfox. She picks one of the dolls and hands it to Nim. The doll is silent and he has doubts but Aranatha only shrugs. Clip wakes up and he's back to his usual belligerent mood.

___

Salind suddenly stops fighting. The Redeemer says that he had help of some kind. He requests Segda stay for a while for company. Seerdomin agrees easily.

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Monkrat says Seerdomin didn't survive. Salind is fully addicted to kelyk. Gradithan dances with her.

___

Silanah stirs on top of the tower. Rake stills her and says it's not yet time. "Do not fear, I will not restrain you next time." He senses the departure of Spin and the arrival of Endest and thinks these are difficult times.

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Kallor walks away from Bastion. He has sensed a convergence taking shape, a new throne for taking. He wants no more empires; he would rather crush the whole world and be done (ed.: see above about Kruppe and Karsa, but note there is nuance between these positions). He might finally be rid of his curse. For Kallor, these are glorious times indeed.