Gardens of the Moon
Page 66
Whiskeyjack squinted against the glare. He began to massage his temples.
'More headaches?' Mallet asked.
'Not so bad, lately,' the grizzled man said.
'It's the leg that worries me,' the healer muttered. 'I need to work on it some more, and you need to stay off it awhile.'
Whiskeyjack grinned. 'As soon as there's time,' he said.
Mallet sighed. 'We'll work on it then.'
From the forested slope behind them Hedge called, 'They're coming in!'
The healer helped Whiskeyjack stand. 'Hell,' he whispered. 'It could've been a lot worse, right, Sergeant?'
Whiskeyjack glared across the lake. 'Three lost ain't that bad, considering.'
A pained expression crossed Mallet's face. He said nothing.
'Let's move,' Whiskeyjack growled. 'Captain Paran hates tardiness. And maybe the Moranth have good news. Be a change, wouldn't it?'
From the beach, Quick Ben watched Mallet supporting his sergeant up the slope. Was it time? he wondered. To stay alive in this business, no one could afford to let up. The best plans work inside other plans, and when it's right to feint, feint big. Keeping the other hand hidden is the hard part.
The wizard felt a stab of regret. No, it wasn't time. Give the old man a chance to rest. He forced himself into motion. He wouldn't let himself look back – never a good idea. The scheme was hatched.
'Whiskeyjack's going to howl when he hears this one,' he whispered to himself.
Captain Paran listened to the others on the beach below, but made no move to join them. Not yet. His brush with Ascendants seemed to have left him with a new sensitivity – or perhaps it was the Otataral sword scabbarded at his side. But he could sense her, now, already in her adolescence, plump as he knew she'd be, smiling with her heavy-lidded eyes deceptively sleepy as she studied the morning sky.
I will come to you, he promised her. When this Pannion Seer and his cursed holy war is crushed, I will come to you then, Tattersail.
I know.
He stiffened. That voice in his head had not been his own. Or had it? He waited, waited for more. Tattersail? Only silence answered him. Ah, my imagination, nothing more. To think you would call up enough of your old life, to find the feelings you once held for me, find them and feel them once again. I am a fool.
He rose from his crouch at Lorn's graveside – a mound of rocks – and brushed twigs and orange pine needles from his clothing. Look at me now. Agent for the Adjunct once, now a soldier. Finally, a soldier. Smiling, he made his way down to his squad.
Then I shall await the coming of a soldier.
Paran stopped in his tracks, then, smiling, continued on. 'Now that,' he whispered, 'was not my imagination.'
The tradecraft hugged the southern shore, making for Dhavran and the river mouth. Kalam leaned on the gunwale, his gaze sweeping the north horizon's ragged, snow-capped mountains. Near him stood another passenger, hardly memorable and disinclined to talk.
The only voices reaching the assassin came from Apsalar and Crokus. They sounded excited, each revolving around the other in a subtle dance that was yet to find its accompanying words. A slow, half smile quirked Kalam's mouth. It'd been a long time since he'd heard such innocence.
A moment later, Crokus appeared beside him, his uncle's demon familiar clutching his shoulder. 'Coll says that the Empire's capital, Unta, is as big as Darujhistan. Is it?'
Kalam shrugged. 'Maybe. A lot uglier. I don't expect we'll have a chance to visit it, though. Itko Kan lies on the south coast, while Unta is on Kartool Bay, the north-east coast. Miss Darujhistan already?'
An expression of regret came over Crokus's face. He stared down into the waves. 'Just some people there,' he said.
The assassin grunted. 'Know how you feel, Crokus. Hell, look at Fiddler back there, mooning away as if somebody had cut off one of his arms and one of his legs.'
'Apsalar still can't believe you'd go to all this trouble for her. She doesn't remember being much liked in your squad.'
'Wasn't her, though, was it? This woman here is a fishergirl from some two-copper village. And she's a long way from home.'
'She's more than that,' Crokus muttered. He had a coin in his hand and was playing with it absently.
Kalam threw the boy a sharp look. 'Really,' he said, deadpan.
Crokus nodded affably. He held up the coin and examined the face on it. 'Do you believe in luck, Kalam?'
'No,' the assassin growled.
Crokus grinned happily. 'Me neither.' He flipped the coin into the air.
They watched it plummet into the sea, flash once, then vanish beneath the waves.
From near the bow, Circle Breaker slowly nodded to himself. The Eel would be delighted with the news, not to mention greatly relieved. Then he returned his attention to the west, and wondered what it would be like, no longer anonymous to the world.
This ends the first tale
of the
Malazan
Book of the Fallen
GLOSSARY
TITLES AND GROUPS
First Sword of Empire: Malazan and T'lan Imass, a title
denoting an Imperial champion
Fist: a military governor in the Malazan Empire
High Fist: a commander of armies in a Malazan Campaign
Kron T'lan Imass: the name of the clans under the
command of Kron
Logros T'lan Imass: the name of the clans under the
command of Logros
The Bridgeburners: a legendary elite division in the Malaz
2nd Army
The Crimson Guard: a famous mercenary company
commanded by a deposed prince
The Pannion Seer: a mysterious prophet ruling the lands
south of Darujhistan
The Warlord: the name for Caladan Brood
The Claw: the covert organization of the Malazan Empire
PEOPLES (HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN)
Barghast (non-human): pastoral nomadic warrior society
Daru: cultural group sharing citizenry in cities in northern
Genabackis
Gadrobi: indigenous cultural group in central Genabackis
Genabarii: cultural group (and language) in north-west
Genabackis
Forkrul Assail (non-human): extinct mythical people (one
of the Four Founding Races)
Jaghut (non-human): extinct mythical people (one of the
Four Founding Races)
K'Chain Che'Malle (non-human): extinct mythical people
(one of the Four Founding Races)
Moranth (non-human): highly regimented civilization
centred in Cloud Forest
Rhivi: pastoral nomadic society in central plains of
Genabackis
T'lan Imass: one of the Four Founding Races, now immortal
Tiste Andii (non-human): an Elder Race
Trell (non-human): pastoral nomadic warrior society in
transition to sedentarianism
ASCENDANTS
Apsalar, Lady of Thieves
Beru, Lord of Storms
Burn, Lady of the Earth, the Sleeping Goddess
Caladan Brood, the Warlord
Cotillion/The Rope (the Assassin of High House Shadow)
Dessembrae, Lord of Tragedy
D'rek, the Worm of Autumn (sometimes the Queen of
Disease, see Poliel)
Fanderay, She-Wolf of Winter
Fener, the Boar (see also Tennerock)
Gedderone, Lady of Spring and Rebirth
Great Ravens, ravens sustained by magic
Hood (King of High House Death)
Jhess, Queen of Weaving
Kallor, the High King
K'rul, Elder God
Mowri, Lady of Beggars, Slaves and Serfs
Nerruse, Lady of Calm Seas and Fair Wind
Oponn, Twin Jesters of Chance
Osserc, Lord of the Sky
Poliel, Mistress of Pestilence
/> Queen of Dreams (Queen of High House Life)
Shadowthrone/Ammanas (King of High House Shadow)
Shedenul/Soliel, Lady of Health
Soliel, Mistress of Healing
Tennerock/Fener, the Boar of Five Tusks
The Crippled God, King of Chains
The Hounds (of High House Shadow)
Togg (see Fanderay), the Wolf of Winter
Trake/Treach, the Tiger of Summer and Battle
Son of Darkness/Moon's Lord/Anomander Rake (Knight of
High House Dark)
Treach, First Hero
THE WORLD OF SORCERY
The Warrens: (the Paths – those Warrens accessible to humans)
Denul: the Path of Healing
D'riss: the Path of Stone
Hood's Path: the Path of Death
Meanas: the Path of Shadow and Illusion
Ruse: the Path of the Sea
Rashan: the Path of Darkness
Serc: the Path of the Sky
Tennes: the Path of the Land
Thyr: the Path of Light
THE ELDER WARRENS:
Kurald Galain: the Tiste Andii Warren of Darkness
Tellann: the T'lan Imass Warren
Omtose Phellack: the Jaghut Warren
Starvald Demelain: the Tiam Warren, the First Warren
THE DECK OF DRAGONS: – The Fatid (and associated Ascendants)
High House Life
King
Queen (Queen of Dreams)
Champion
Priest
Herald
Soldier
Weaver
Mason
Virgin
High House Death
King (Hood)
Queen
Knight (once Dassem Ultor)
Magi
Herald
Soldier
Spinner
Mason
Virgin
High House Light
King
Queen
Champion
Priest
Captain
Soldier
Seamstress
Builder
Maiden
High House Dark
King
Queen
Knight (Son of Darkness)
Magi
Captain
Soldier
Weaver
Mason
Wife
High House Shadow
King (Shadowthrone/Ammanas)
Queen
Assassin (the Rope/Cotillion)
Magi
Hound
Unaligned
Oponn (the Jesters of Chance)
Obilisk (Burn)
Crown
Sceptre
Orb
Throne
Bonecaster: a shaman of the T'lan Imass
Chance: a sword dedicated to Oponn
D'ivers: a higher order of shape-shifting
Dragnipur: a sword used by Anomander Rake
Finnest: an object used as a repository of power by a Jaghut
Otataral: a magic-negating reddish ore mined from the
Tanno Hills, Seven Cities
Soletaken: an order of shape-shifting
The T'orrud Cabal: the Cabal of Darujhistan
The Tyrant Kings: the ancient rulers of Darujhistan
Warrens of Chaos: the miasmic paths between the Warrens
PLACE NAMES:
Apple A Genabackan Free City
Blackdog Forest On the continent of Genabackis,
large boreal forest on shield bedrock,
site of major battles between the Malazan Empire and the armies of
Caladan Brood and the Crimson
Guard during the First Campaigns
Cloud Forest Home of the Moranth, situated on
the north-west coast of Genabackis
Darujhistan Legendary city on Genabackis, largest
and most influential of the Free
Cities, situated on the south shore of
Lake Azur and peopled mainly by
Daru and Gadrobi populations; the
only known city to use natural gas as
an energy source
Dhavran A city west of Darujhistan
Free Cities Mercantile alliance of city-states in
northern Genabackis, all but one of
which has since been conquered by
the Malazan Empire
Gadrobi Hills Hill range east of Darujhistan,
sparsely inhabited at present although
once the homeland of the Gadrobi
people
Garalt A Genabackan Free City
Genabaris Large Malazan-held city on northwest
coast of Genabackis and
principal debarkation point during
the campaigns
Gerrom A small rural town in Itko Kan
Greydog A Genabackan city
Itko Kan Province on the continent of Quon
Tali, within the Malazan Empire
Kan The capital city of Itko Kan
Laederon Plateau Northern tundra of Genabackis
Lest City-state to the east of Darujhistan
Malaz City Island city and home of the founding
Emperor of the Malazan Empire
Malazan Empire An empire originating on Malaz
Island off the coast of the Quon Tali
continent. The original founder was
the Emperor Kellanved and his cohort Dancer,
both of whom were assassinated
by Laseen, the present Empress.
The Empire spans Quon Tali, the subcontinent
of Falar, Seven Cities, and
the coasts of north Genabackis
Additional forays include the
continents of Stratem and Korel
Meningalle Ocean Genabackan name for Seeker's Deep
Mock's Hold A Keep overlooking Malaz City
where the Emperor and Dancer
were assassinated
Moon's Spawn A floating mountain of black basalt
inside which is a city, home of the
Son of Darkness and the Tiste Andii
Moranth Mountains The mountain range encircling Cloud Forest
Mott A Genabackan city
Mouse Quarter An ill-fated district in Malaz City
Nathilog Malazan-held city in north-west
Genabackis
Nisst A Genabackan Free City
One Eye Cat A Genabackan Free City
Pale Free City on Genabackis, recently
conquered by the Malazan Empire
Pannion Domin Emerging empire in south-east
Genabackis, ruled by the Pannion Seer
Porule A Genabackan Free City
Quon Tali Home continent of the Malazan
Empire
Rhivi Plain Central plain, north Genabackis
Seeker's Deep Malazan name for Meningalle Ocean
Setta City on eastern coast of Genabackis
Tahlyn Mountains Mountain range on north side of Lake Azur
Tulips A Genabackan Free City
Unta Capital of the Malazan Empire, on Quon Tali
DARUJISTAN AND ENVIRONS
Despot's Barbican: an ancient edifice and remnant of the
Age of Tyrants
Hinter's Tower: an abandoned sorcerer's tower in the Noble
District
Jammit's Worry: the east road
K'rul's Belfry/Temple: an abandoned temple in the Noble
District
Phoenix Inn: a popular haunt in the Daru District
Quip's Bar: a ramshackle bar in the Lakefront District
The Estates (the Houses)
The Old Palace (Majesty Hall): present site of the Council
Worrytown: the slum outside the wall on Jammit's Worry
Steven Erikson's epic fantasy sequence,
The Malazan Book of the Fallen, continues
in Deadhouse Gates. To whet your appetite,<
br />
here is the Prologue...
1163rd Year of Burn's Sleep
9th Year of the Rule of Empress Laseen
Year of the Cull
He came shambling into Judgement's Round from the Avenue of Souls, a misshapen mass of flies. Seething lumps crawled on his body in mindless migration, black and glittering and occasionally falling away in frenzied clumps that exploded into fragmented flight as they struck the cobbles.
The Thirsting Hour was coming to a close and the priest staggered in its wake, blind, deaf and silent. Honouring his god on this day the servant of Hood Lord of Death had joined his companions in stripping naked and smearing himself in the blood of executed murderers, blood that was stored in giant amphorae lining the walls of the temple's nave. The brothers had then moved in procession out onto the streets of Unta to greet the god's sprites, enjoining the mortal dance that marked the Season of Rot's last day.
The guards lining the Round parted to let the priest pass, then parted wider for the spinning, buzzing cloud that trailed him. The sky over Unta was still more grey than blue as the flies that had swept at dawn into the capital of the Malazan Empire now rose, slowly winging out over the bay toward the salt marches and sunken islands beyond the reef. Pestilence came with the Season of Rot, and the Season had come an unprecedented three times in the past ten years.
The air of the Round still buzzed, was still speckled as if filled with flying grit. Somewhere in the streets beyond a dog yelped like a thing near death, but not near enough, and close to the Round's central fountain the abandoned mule that had collapsed earlier still kicked feebly in the air. Flies had crawled into the beast through every orifice and it was bloated with gases. The animal was stubborn by its breed and was now over an hour in dying. As the priest staggered sightlessly past, flies rose from it in a swift curtain to join those already enshrouding him.
It was clear to Felisin from where she and the others waited that the priest of Hood was striding directly towards her. His eyes were ten thousand eyes, but she was certain they were all fixed on her. Yet even this growing horror did little to stir the numbness that lay like a smothering blanket over her mind; she was aware of it rising inside but the awareness seemed more a memory of fear than fear now alive within her.