Midnight Tides/Chapter 22

Epigraph

An old man emerged from the ditch, a creature Of mud and wild autumn winds capering Like a hare across a bouldered field, across And through the stillness of time unhinged That sprawls patient and unexpectant in the Place where battle lies spent, unmoving and Never again moving bodies strewn and Death-twisted like lost languages tracking Contorted glyphs on a barrow door, and he Read well the aftermath, the disarticulated script Rent and dissolute the pillars of self toppled Like termite towers all spilled out round his Dancing feet, and he shouted in gleeful Revelation the truth he'd found, in these Red-fleshed pronouncements—'There is peace!' He shrieked. 'There is peace!' and it was No difficult thing, where I sat in the saddle Above salt-rimed horseflesh to lift my crossbow Aim and loose the quarrel, skewering the madman To his proclamation. 'Now,' said I, in the Silence that followed, 'Now, there is peace.' The Lay of Skinner Fisher kel Tath

Near Brans Keep

The various branches of the Tiste Edur army unite near Brans Keep. Trull Sengar reunites with his brothers Fear and Rhulad. Together they share a conversation over wine. Rhulad and Fear discuss what has happened with Mayen, and Fear accepts an offer to raise Mayen and Rhulad's child as his own. Trull speaks later with Udinaas, asking about Debt and Trull wonders why Rhulad trusts the slave. The Warlock King arrives then and asks the brothers for help with a demon.

Letheras, City Gates

Seren Pedac and the Crimson Guard discuss how to enter Letheras, and then enter the city proper.

Letheras, Eternal Domicile

Brys Beddict sends word to Tehol, and then speaks with Moroch Nevath about Turudal Brizad. They discuss Queen Janall's consort's true identity being an ancient god called the Errant. The Errant has been living in the Letherii Court for centuries. Brys finds Ceda Kuru Qan sleeping on the central tile and he refuses to move.

Brous

The Sengar brothers arrive at the village of Brous and find a Forkrul Assail named Serenity. In effort to create peace it attacks, killing Rhulad and then fleeing. Two Kenryll'ah demon princes allied with the Edur pursue, while the Edur wait for Rhulad's resurrection.

The Warren of the Crippled God

Rhulad washes up again on shore, watched by Sandalath Drukorlat and Withal. They briefly speak, and then Rhulad walks off to see the Crippled God. Withal continues to pray to his god.

Letheras, Eternal Domicile

King Ezgara Diskanar, in accordance with the prophecy of the Seventh Closure, enters the newly constructed Eternal Domicile. He sits down on his throne, now declared emperor by his court.

Letheras, Seren Pedac's home

Seren enters the city to find burned out houses, looting and corpses. She separated from the Crimson Guard and finds her empty, dusty old house. She's alone.

Letheras, Old Palace

Finally, we see Gerun Eberict, starlings above the Azath Tower, Tehol, Kettle. All as the Errant considers how the tragedy is about to unfold. The Errant knows the Letherii miscalculated and the Seventh Closure will not arrive for two more days.