Reaper's Gale/Chapter 16

Epigraph

Every field of battle holds every cry uttered Threaded like roots between stones and broken armour, shattered weapons, leather clasps rotting into the earth. Centuries are as nothing to those voices, those aggrieved souls. They die in the now And the now is for ever. On the Deal Plains Rael of Longspit

Pradegar, in the Awl'dan

In the aftermath of the Battle of Bast Fulmar, the Awl have disappeared into the grasslands of a Pradegar, a grassy plain in the Awl'dan. Overseer Brohl Handar and some of his mounted troops come upon the body of a Letherii outrider who has been ambushed and killed. It becomes clear that the Awl have been taking horses, weapons, and armour from the fallen Letherii soldiers. The Letherii forces have been trying to locate Redmask and his army, but have had no luck. The area is difficult to navigate, and the trails they have followed have proved to be misleading. A Sollanta scout has concluded that Redmask has split the tribes into smaller groups and uses wagons to hide their movements and make it difficult for the Letherii to track them. Atri-Preda Bivatt has decided not to send out a reconnaissance force, as Redmask would turn on them if they did. The scene ends with the Overseer and the scout discussing the futility of their search and the difficulty of fighting in such an inhospitable environment.

The Tiste Edur troop returns to the Letherii column and they see that something has happened. The supply wagons are in a defensive square formation with the oxen and mules inside. The soldiers are getting into order both north and south of the square. Brohl Handar seeks out Bivatt and learns that the Awl have finally been found and are marching towards them. The Atri-Preda is excited and has gathered her officers. When she speaks to Brohl, he learns that the enemy thinks the Letherii are tired and worn out, and therefore, the enemy intends to attack. Brohl asks the Atri-Preda if sorcery can be unleashed in the battle, and she confirms that it can. He also asks about the enemy's shamans, but she says that they are useless in combat. The Tiste Edur will be positioned to defend against any flanking strikes by the enemy and to protect the supplies. Brohl acknowledges the Atri-Preda's orders and prepares his troops for battle.

Bivatt is irritated by the Overseer's skepticism and believes that Redmask is not immune to mistakes, having recently made one. Bivatt's army has lost over 800 soldiers at Bast Fulmar and she believes that Redmask does not have enough numbers to advance beyond initial sight. Ideally, she would like to position her forces along the ridge to the south, but she must stay where she is to prevent it from factoring into the battle. She believes that Redmask will advance quickly, and that standing and waiting on the ridge would not be practical given her mages' power. Bivatt has positioned her forces in a defensive formation with the Crimson Rampant heavy infantry anchoring the far left, the Merchants' Battalion heavy infantry on the far right, and the Artisan Battalion heavy infantry in the centre. To their flanks are the medium infantry, and the reserve elements of her remaining skirmishers and medium infantry are arrayed closer to the square of wagons. The Bluerose cavalry is divided into two wings and held back to await a quick response.

Brohl Handar's Tiste Edur are guarding the north and Bivatt believes there will be an attack on them from the high grasses on the north side of the track. She rises on her stirrups to study the approaching dust cloud and confirms with her scouts that it is indeed Redmask leading the majority of his warriors. The dust cloud is angling towards the ridge. Bivatt orders a messenger to bring her mages and prepares for the battle to come.

Redmask's Camp

In the camp of the Awl tribe, where Redmask is the war leader, the old man (the last elder of the Renfayar tribe and Redmask's advisor), has been found murdered in his tent. The imprints of the hands that strangled him are visible on his face. The murder has caused fear and mourning in the camp, and Redmask has arrived to see the body. Despite his sadness at the death of his kin, Redmask decides that they will no longer flee from the Letherii, but will instead spill their blood.

The warriors are assembled, and Redmask sends scouts to drive back the Letherii outriders. Toc Anaster, a one-eyed archer, is preparing himself to ride with the army. Torrent, a warrior, arrives and tells Toc that Redmask wants him out of danger. Toc insists on riding with the army, and Torrent reluctantly agrees to let him. The army sets out, with Toc and Torrent riding alongside each other. Redmask's strategy for the battle is to engage in a series of clashes rather than a single battle, and he plans to shift his attention from one clash to another as necessary. Toc and Torrent will be riding with the army, and Torrent warns Toc that he will be keeping a close eye on him.

Bluerose Mountains

Orbyn Truthfinder

Orbyn Truthfinder is standing on firm stone in the mountains, waiting for three riders who have gone ahead to the pass where a garrison was slaughtered. The riders are returning and Orbyn is not pleased as he knows they will have nothing good to say. Factor Letur Anict emerges from his carriage and joins Orbyn. Letur knows what the riders will tell them and is impatient to hear their report. Orbyn explains the three possibilities of where the riders could have gone. Either they turned back, went south or went north. Letur is not satisfied with any of the possibilities and is determined to act independently to address the situation. He believes that Hannan Mosag and Fear Sengar are committing treason against the Emperor and the empire and that they must do something about it. He intends to meet the responsibilities that have been granted to them. Since they are already here in the mountains, the Factor says he intends to destroy the hidden fastness of Tiste Andii they are both aware lies nearby.

Venitt Sathad

Nearby, two scouts are sitting by a fire drinking tea while the third approaches a train that has been descending into the valley. The leader of the train, Venitt Sathad, greets the scout and they engage in a conversation. Venitt Sathad notices the seal of the Drene Factor on one of the carriages and expresses surprise that the Factor is traveling so far from Drene. The scout tells Venitt that the Factor's business is his own and asks what the train is carrying, as it has many guards for so few packs. Venitt Sathad says that he is not at liberty to say. The scout then tells Venitt that the campsite is too small for both groups and that they should move down the valley to another site. Venitt agrees and returns to his horse to leave the camp. Venitt is an agent of Rautos Hivanar and is waiting for Letur Anict, who he needs answers from, but he does not know why the Factor is on this trail or where Anict has gone.

Andara

Soldiers from Orbyn's guard walk among the bodies of the dead in a maze-like underground chamber at Andara. Orbyn Truthfinder, their leader, is torn between distaste and the need to ensure that no one is left alive. They have been underground for no more than four bells and have already wiped out the Cult of the Black-Winged Lord. Despite the ease of their victory, Orbyn feels sullied. He suspects that the journey to track down weapons may have been a ruse, and he fears that he has been used by Letur Anict.

One of Orbyn's mages approaches him and reports that they have found the chamber of the altar. The altar has been touched by Darkness and is truly sanctified. The mage explains that the Darkness referred to is an aspect of the Tiles, known as the White Crow. He tells Orbyn that the Tiste Edur and the Tiste Andii (Children of Darkness) were vicious enemies, but if the White Crow who is with Fear Sengar is real, then an old feud has been buried. The mage expresses his unease about this, and Orbyn agrees, but orders the mage to keep quiet about the altar and his thoughts and not to speak with the Factor, or anyone else, about these matters.

Bluerose Mountains

Meanwhile, on a high plateau covered in snow and ice, Clip and Silchas Ruin stand at the crest of the caldera while Seren Pedac paces restlessly. Udinaas sits on a rock with the Imass spear and speaks to Seren about jaracks, a type of bird known for their cruelty. They talk about the cruelty of humans and the Fent belief that jaracks are the souls of abandoned children who died alone in the forest. Suddenly, Udinaas bolts forward, choking, and Seren realizes that she is killing him in a vision. She conjures Hull Beddict into the scene and then another figure, Trull Sengar, to intervene. The vision fades and Udinaas lies gasping on the ground. Fear Sengar approaches Seren, who wonders how he could have seen the vision.

Katter Bight

On a ferry in the midst of a raging storm in the Katter Bight, the Shake witches and warlocks huddle on the deck, praying for their lives. They are making their way to the sacred Shake isle of Third Maiden Fort. Yedan Derryg, the half-brother of Yan Tovis, is making his way to her on the deck. Yedan reveals to Yan Tovis that the seams of the ferry are being hammered open by the waves and that they are going to sink. He suggests they crash onto Tour's Spit, a nearby piece of dry land, but Yan Tovis points out that few on the deck know how to swim. Yan Tovis tells Yedan that they need to get the crew to bail the water, but she realizes it's too late. Just as the ferry seems ready to capsize, two huge ships appear from astern, one on each side of the ferry. Yan Tovis realizes that the ships are called Thrones of War and she recognises them from a previous battle. The crew of the two ships launch ballistae at the ferry, but the missiles are ropes. The ropes are attached to the ferry's gunnels and the Thrones of War draw closer.

Third Maiden Fort

Banaschar, a former Demidrek of the Worm of Autumn, having had months to reflect on the events that took place in the Malazan Empire, concludes that many people have a simplistic view of the world, and they believe that powerful figures like the Empress Laseen and High Mage Tayschrenn are free to do as they please. However, Banaschar knows that the reality is much more complicated he cites the example of a cliff collapsing onto a village and killing hundreds, where the cause of the disaster is often seen as the collapse of the cliff. But the true cause of the disaster is revealed to be the deforestation that took place, which was in its turn spurred by a range of economic pressures and the desire for resources. He understands that the complexity of cause-and-effect often overwhelms people and that they cannot see the true root of events.

(Additional detail missing)

A mage killer by Dejan Delic