Steven Erikson - Reapers gale: Malazan book of the fallen. Vol. 7

Reapers Gale

A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen

Steven Erikson

To Glen Cook

Acknowledgements

Thank you to my advance readers: Rick, Chris, Mark, Bill, Hazel and Bowen. Thanks also to the folks at Black Stilt Cafe, Ambiente Cafe and Cafe Teatro in Victoria for the table, the coffees and AC access. And for all the other support that keeps me afloat, thanks to Clare, Simon at Transworld, Howard and Patrick, the scary mob at Malazanempire.com, David and Anne, Peter and Nicky Crowther.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

THE LETHERII

Tehol Beddict , a destitute resident

Bugg , Tehols manservant

Shurq Elalle , an itinerant pirate

Skorgen Kaban , Shurqs First Mate

Ublala Pung , an unemployed Tarthenal half-blood

Ormly , a member of the Rat Catchers Guild

Rucket , Chief Investigator of the Rat Catchers Guild

Karos Invictad , Invigilator of the Patriotists

Tanal Yathvanar , Kaross personal assistant

Rautos Hivanar , Master of the Liberty Consign of Merchants

Venitt Sathad , Rautoss principal field agent

Triban Gnol , Chancellor of the New Empire

Nisall , First Concubine of the old emperor

Janall , deposed empress

Turudal Brizad , ex-consort

Janath Anar , a political prisoner

Sirryn Kanar , a palace guard

Brullyg (Shake) , nominal Ruler of Second Maiden Fort

Yedan Derryg (The Watch)

Orbyn Truthfinder , Section Commander of the Patriotists

Letur Anict , Factor in Drene

Bivatt , Atri-Preda of the Eastern Army

Feather Witch , Letherii slave to Uruth

THE TISTE EDUR

Rhulad , ruler of the New Empire

Hannan Mosag , Imperial Ceda

Uruth , Matriarch of the Emperor and wife to Tomad Sengar

Krisnan , warlocks of the Emperor

Bruthen Trana , Edur in palace

Brohl Handar , Overseer of the East in Drene

ARRIVING WITH THE EDUR FLEET

Yan Tovis (Twilight) , Atri-Preda of the Letherii Army

Varat Taun , her lieutenant

Taralack Veed , a Gral agent of the Nameless Ones

Icarium , Taralacks weapon

Hanradi Khalag , a warlock of the Tiste Edur

Tomad Sengar , Patriarch of the Emperor

Samar Dev , a scholar and witch from Seven Cities

Karsa Orlong , a Toblakai warrior

Taxilian , an interpreter

THE AWLDAN

Redmask , an exile who returned

Masarch , a warrior of the Renfayar Clan

Hadralt , War Leader of Ganetok Clan

SagChurok , a bodyguard to Redmask

Gunth Mach , a bodyguard to Redmask

Torrent , a Copperface

Natarkas , a Copperface

THE HUNTED

Seren Pedac , a Letherii Acquitor

Fear Sengar , a Tiste Edur

Kettle , a Letherii orphan

Udinaas , a Letherii runaway slave

Wither , a shadow wraith

Silchas Ruin , a Tiste Andii Ascendant

THE REFUGIUM

Ulshun Pral , an Imass

Rud Elalle , an adopted foundling

Hostille Rator , a Tlan Imass

Tilaras Benok , a Tlan Imass

Gristanas Ishilm , a Tlan Imass

THE MALAZANS

Bonehunters

Tavore Paran , Commander of the Bonehunters

Lostara Yil , Second to Tavore

Keneb , Fist in the Bonehunters

Blistig , Fist in the Bonehunters

Faradan Sort , Captain

Madantul Rada , Faradan Sorts lieutenant

Grub , adopted son of Keneb

Beak , mage seconded to Captain Faradan Sort

8th Legion, 9th Company

4th Squad

Fiddler , sergeant

Tarr , corporal

Koryk , half-blood Seti, marine

Smiles , Kanese, marine

Cuttle , sapper

Bottle , squad mage

Corabb Bhilan Thenualas, soldier

5th Squad

Gesler , sergeant

Stormy , corporal

Sands , marine

Shortnose , heavy infantry

Flashwit , heavy infantry

Uru Hela , heavy infantry

Mayfly , heavy infantry

7th Squad

Cord , sergeant

Shard , corporal

Limp , marine

Ebron , squad mage

Crump (Jamber Bole) , sapper

Sinn , mage

8th Squad

Hellian , sergeant

Touchy , corporal #1

Brethless , corporal #2

Balgrid , squad mage

Tavos Pond , marine

Maybe , sapper

Lutes , squad healer

9th Squad

Balm , sergeant

Deadsmell , corporal

Throatslitter , marine

Galt , marine

Lobe , marine

Widdershins , squad mage

12th Squad

Thom Tiss y, sergeant

Tulip , corporal

Ramp , heavy infantry

Jibb , medium infantry

Gullstream , medium infantry

Mudslinger , medium infantry

Bellig Harn , heavy infantry

13th Squad

Urb , sergeant

Reem , corporal

Masan Gilani , marine

Bowl , heavy infantry

Hanno , heavy infantry

Saltlick , heavy infantry

Scant , heavy infantry

8th Legion, 3rd Company

4th Squad

Pravalak Rim , corporal

Honey , sapper

Strap Mull , sapper

Shoaly , heavy infantry

Lookback , heavy infantry

5th Squad

Badan Gruk , sergeant

Ruffle , marine

Skim , marine

Nep Furrow , mage

Reliko , heavy infantry

Vastly Blank , heavy infantry

10th Squad

Primly , sergeant

Hunt , corporal

Mulvan Dreader , mage

Neller , sapper

Skulldeath , marine

Drawfirst , heavy infantry

OTHERS

Banaschar , the Last Priest of Drek

Withal , a Meckros Swordsmith

Sandalath Drukorlat , a Tiste Andii, Withals wife

Nimander Golit , a Tiste Andii, offspring of Anomander Rake

Phaed , a Tiste Andii, offspring of Anomander Rake

Curdle , a possessed skeletal reptile

Telorast , a possessed skeletal reptile

Onrack , a Tlan Imass, unbound

Trull Sengar , a Tiste Edur renegade

Ben Adaephon Delat , a wizard

Menandore , a Soletaken (Sister of Dawn)

Sheltatha Lore , a Soletaken (Sister of Dusk)

Sukul Ankhadu , a Soletaken (Sister Dapple)

Kilmandaros , an Elder Goddess

Clip , a Tiste Andii

Cotillion , The Rope, Patron God of Assassins

Emroth , a broken Tlan Imass

Hedge , a ghost

Old Hunch Arbat , Tarthenal

Pithy , an ex-con

Brevity , an ex-con

Pully , a Shake witch

Skwish , a Shake witch

PROLOGUE

The Elder Warren of Kurald Emurlahn

The Age of Sundering

In a landscape torn with grief, the carcasses of six dragons lay strewn in a ragged row reaching a thousand or more paces across the plain, flesh split apart, broken bones jutting, jaws gaping and eyes brittle-dry. Where their blood had spilled out onto the ground wraiths had gathered like flies to sap and were now ensnared, the ghosts writhing and voicing hollow cries of despair, as the blood darkened, fusing with the lifeless soil; and, when at last the substance grew indurate, hardening into glassy stone, those ghosts were doomed to an eternity trapped within that murky prison.

The naked creature that traversed the rough path formed by the fallen dragons was a match to their mass, yet bound to the earth, and it walked on two bowed legs, the thighs thick as thousand-year-old trees. The width of its shoulders was equal to the length of a Tartheno Toblakais height; from a thick neck hidden beneath a mane of glossy black hair, the frontal portion of the head was thrust forward brow, cheekbones and jaw, and its deep-set eyes revealing black pupils surrounded in opalescent white. The huge arms were disproportionately long, the enormous hands almost scraping the ground. Its breasts were large, pendulous and pale. As it strode past the battered, rotting carcasses, the motion of its gait was strangely fluid, not at all lumbering, and each limb was revealed to possess extra joints.