The Malazan Empire Series: (Night of Knives, Return of the Crimson Guard, Stonewielder, Orb Sceptre Throne, Blood and Bone, Assail) (Novels of the Malazan Empire)

by Ian C. Esslemont

  He asked the man if he could help him, or thought he did, but he couldn’t hear his own voice. Hands guided him to a room, sat him on a straw pallet. Breathing was hard now – the arrow had taken a lung. But he was of Toblakai stock, and hardy. He stayed conscious, even when an army bonecutter leaned him forward to snip the shaft at his back, then, looking to him for permission, yanked the arrow out from his front. Ivanr convulsed in a great spewing mouthful of blood. The bonecutter bound his torso in muslin. Eventually Orman appeared, accompanied by Hegil.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Orman told him, actual tears in his eyes.

  ‘They’re saying it was an assassin sent by the Lady,’ Hegil said.

  Ivanr shook his head. ‘Stop them,’ he said, his voice papery dry.

  ‘Stop?’ Hegil asked. ‘Stop what?’

  ‘The killing. No more.’

  The two shared glances. ‘Yes,’ Orman told him. ‘Yes, Ivanr. Do not worry. Ease your mind.’

  Bowing, they left. He heard speaking outside but couldn’t quite make out the words. He was alone, straining to draw breath. Orman may have given his word to stop the killing but outside, on the streets, if anything the noise was swelling. Ivanr feared the attack on him had shattered all restraint. He tried to stand, but tensing his chest stole his breath completely and he almost blacked out.

  The door opened and a young woman crept in like a mouse. A mouse dragging a huge stick with it. She looked up to see him staring at her and choked off a yell. It was the girl who had summoned him into the city. ‘They are saying you are dead!’

  Ivanr, who had been pressing a hand to his chest, let it fall. ‘Who is saying?’

  ‘Everyone! On the streets. They are emptying entire quarters. Dragging families on to the streets. There is no sense to it. It’s just bloodletting, nothing more than bloodlust.’

  He gestured for his staff. ‘Give me that!’

  Together with the support of the staff and the girl, he managed to stand. ‘My shirt – there.’

  She dressed him and, one hand on her shoulder, the staff in the other, he limped outside. Guards turned, amazed. Two were his sworn bodyguards. These two looked at him, stricken with remorse.

  Ivanr surveyed the gathered soldiers. ‘Attend me,’ he commanded simply, and they fell to their knees.

  As he limped along within his circle of guards, Ivanr clenched back his pain and asked, breathless, ‘Where should I go – the centre of things?’

  ‘The Cathedral of Our Lady. Loyalists are fleeing there. The garrison of Stormguard on the Ring have come ashore. None dare attack them.’

  Stormguard? Yes, dragging old men and women into the street is one thing, taking on the most ferocious warriors of the region is quite another.

  A broad open plaza surrounded the cathedral. They found it a churning sea of citizenry and Reform soldiers. Ivanr’s guard cordon pushed its way towards the wide front stairs. Ivanr heard chants to burn the entire structure to the ground. The tall oaken doors gaped open, guarded by four Stormguard. Even as Ivanr approached, Ring citizens, including entire families, darted up the stairs under a hail of rocks and rotten food to run inside. Within, he glimpsed a solid mass of pale terrified faces staring out.

  Silence spread like ripples through the crowd around his passage. People pointed, shouting their surprise, even reverence. Ivanr raised his arms, staff in one hand, even though the gesture sent slashes of agony through his chest. He motioned for his guards to part and he climbed the trash-littered stairs alone.

  ‘Citizens of Jourilan! Hear me! The time for killing has passed. There will be no more blood spilled!’

  A momentary lull in the crowd’s noise followed that, only to be filled by fresh screams. Those nearby pointed behind him. Ivanr turned to see a Stormguard descending the wide stairs, his thick blue cloak wrapped around him, spear held up straight. Ivanr’s guard charged forward but he waved them back.

  ‘You lead this rabble?’ the Korelri called, his voice lazy with self-assurance.

  ‘They seem to think so,’ he answered, fighting down the pain, dizzy with it.

  ‘Well.’ The man stamped the butt of his spear down on a stair, regarded him through the vision slit of his rounded full helm. ‘We within remain true in our faith. We are not afraid to die.’

  Ivanr was afraid that if he coughed he’d collapse, but he cradled his chest, said, ‘But you are afraid of something.’

  The Korelri waved a hand. ‘We fear nothing.’

  ‘You are terrified of change. So scared you’d rather die than face it.’

  The man took a step back. His eyes widened within the helm, then he waved again. ‘Faugh! Play your games of rhetoric and argument elsewhere, apostate. We here are pledged to the Lady – flesh and blood – we merely wait for her to collect us.’

  Flesh and blood. Ivanr stared. Gods! Could this be … deliberate? How many crowded within? Perhaps a thousand souls? Such an enormous blood sacrifice! All in the name of the Lady! No! I mustn’t allow this.

  The Korelri had turned his back on the crowds, deliberately and mockingly, and stalked back to the doors. Ivanr scanned the mass where brands now flamed as bonfires burned in the square. Wood and trash arced through air to strike the cathedral walls.

  ‘Come and die!’ the Stormguard bellowed from the doors.

  Ivanr raised his arms wide, staff in hand. ‘No! I forbid it! The way of the Lady is to worship death. I ask you to worship life!’

  Many heeded his call, but too many out of reach of his voice continued throwing tinder and shattered furniture. It would only take one spark to light a conflagration! Ivanr’s heart spasmed. He could not breathe; his vision darkened.

  He gathered all his remaining strength and clasped the staff in both hands before him, bellowing, ‘No! The time for vengeance and vendetta has passed! No more retribution! I forbid it!’ And he slammed the staff down on the stone stairway.

  The crowd hushed at the echo of that great crack of wood against stone. All was quiet for one brief instant. Then Ivanr collapsed.

  It may have been his delirious dimming consciousness, but as he lay sprawled it seemed that a roaring overbore all noise. The earth moved beneath him. It heaved, rocking, accompanied by a great landside rumbling. Shrill panicked shrieks penetrated even his fading hearing. Hands lifted him up. He blacked out, seeming to float in their tender grip.

  It was an ants’ nest of tunnels and caves that seemed to go on for ever – always deeper into the bowels of the mountains that bordered the inland lake, Fist Sea. They went side by side, the Adjunct and Rillish leading. The local Drenn elder, Gheven, who had brought them through Warren, walked in the middle of the column. All they had met so far were emaciated ascetics who gaped at them, or priests of the Lady who, unarmed, launched themselves upon them, gibbering and clawing with their naked hands. All these Rillish ordered bound and left behind.

  His arm aching, Suth slung his shield on his back. He couldn’t tell if they were making any headway at all. Every cave and length of low-ceilinged tunnel looked like every other. It was dim, dusty, and so confined that many of them couldn’t straighten. His leg was almost numb. This was ridiculous; there was nothing here. Pyke was grumbling that very thing to Lard. Yet ahead, the bullet head of the bald priest, Ipshank, ran with sweat and his brow was deeply furrowed. Maybe there was something … but where was it?

  Discipline held, however; the complaints were few, and sotto voce. Goss and Twofoot saw to that. They came to one length of tunnel boasting several cut openings. The column stopped – some obstruction ahead. ‘What’s the hold-up?’ Pyke snarled, hunched. ‘These guys don’t know anything!’

  ‘Stop it up,’ Lard growled, ‘or I’ll do it for you.’

  ‘You and who—’ Pyke was beginning when an armoured figure stepped out of the nearby opening and thrust a spear completely through Lard, the point bursting from his back. Blood splashed all over Pyke. ‘Hood’s balls!’ Pyke howled, falling backwards.

  All up and down the line men
in dark armour stepped out of openings to thrust into the column. Suth fumbled, trying to swing his shield forward. The enemy wore cuirasses and full helms enamelled a deep blue, with silver inlay.

  ‘Korelri Stormguard!’ Gheven yelled, amazed.

  Suth abandoned the shield and parried for his life. The wide-bladed razor spear-tips thrust expertly; he couldn’t get past them to engage the wielders. Troopers fell up and down the line, run through like pigs.

  ‘Clear the deck!’ a woman yelled. Squeaky.

  Suth threw himself flat, pulling Gheven with him.

  The eruption – in this narrow confine – blasted away his hearing and his breath. He lay stunned in a darkness of swirling dust while earth fell on him. Had the ceiling collapsed? He was blinded and choking on the dirt. Terror threatened to strangle him. Then hands yanked him up. He fought at first but the hands weren’t at his throat so he clambered to his feet, staggering and running into things and people he could not see in the gloom. Roaring filled his hearing; he could just make out a trooper ahead and set a hand on the man’s shoulder. Someone clasped his belt from behind. In this manner, as a troop of blind men and women, they felt their way through a tunnel, seeking clean air.

  They collapsed into a cave, coughing and gasping. Two troopers guarded the entrance, shields at the ready. He peered round, wiping at his eyes. He saw Squeaky, Pyke, Faro, the elder Gheven, a few of Twofoot’s troop, and the giant Manask, who was on his knees, the broken haft of a spear sticking from his wide stomach. He was struggling to wrench it free.

  Suth went to Squeaky. ‘What happened?’

  ‘A partial collapse. We’re cut off.’

  ‘Shit! Now what?’

  ‘Let’s get outta here!’ Pyke yelled. ‘Those are Korelri!’

  ‘Shut the Hood up!’

  Manask yanked the spear from his layered armour. He raised it up high. ‘I will lead us through this maze!’

  ‘You can find your way through?’ Suth asked him.

  The man looked offended. ‘With my refined senses? Of course!’

  Suth grunted his agreement then went to the 6th’s troopers. The clash of fighting from some other tunnel reached them and everyone stilled. Panicked yelling, then a muffled explosion shook everyone again. Dust and dirt sifted down from the rough uneven ceiling. Going to bring this entire complex down on them! He nodded to the three troopers, recognizing Fish. ‘Suth,’ he said.

  ‘Corbin,’ said the short stocky one.

  ‘Lane,’ said the other, his arm slashed and dripping blood.

  ‘Looks like we’re cut off,’ Suth explained.

  ‘Happens to me every night,’ Fish said morosely.

  ‘What’s the plan?’ Corbin asked.

  ‘The big guy, Manask, says he’ll lead us out.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan,’ Lane said.

  Suth nodded to this tacit acceptance of his offer. ‘I want the saboteur, Squeaky, in the middle in case things get hot. I’ll back up Manask. You, Fish, back me up.’

  ‘I can’t even stand up in this friggin’ mouse house,’ Fish grumbled.

  ‘Lane, take the rear with Pyke.’

  ‘Oh sure!’ Pyke yelled. ‘Rear! Who put you in charge?’

  ‘Put a rag in it,’ Squeaky snarled.

  Suth went to the Drenn elder. ‘You walk with Squeaky here.’

  But the elder’s dark eyes narrowed to slits. ‘No. I am sorry, soldier. But the Korelri are here. This changes everything. I will go for help.’

  Suth studied him, uncertain. ‘You mean your Warren? Here?’

  The elder wiped the grime and sweat from his face, gave an apologetic shrug. ‘Well … we can hardly pretend to be hiding now, can we?’

  ‘True. Who – where will you go?’

  The old man looked pained. ‘I can only think of one place … but I am sorry, I cannot make any promises.’

  ‘I understand. May the gods speed you.’

  Pyke pushed his way to them. ‘He can take us all with him! We can escape!’

  Suth restrained himself from striking the man. ‘We stay with the mission.’

  ‘I don’t like that Warren anyway,’ Fish said to Lane. ‘Looked dangerous.’

  Lane nodded his profound agreement.

  Pyke peered round at them. ‘What’s the matter with you all? We’re gonna get killed! You’re all crazy – I could do better on my own!’

  ‘Do your job or I’ll kill you myself,’ Suth said, matter-of-fact.

  Pyke straightened, slowly nodding. ‘Fine. Okay. We’re fucked anyway. ’ And he threw up his hands.

  Suth turned to Faro, raised his chin. ‘You’re being real quiet.’

  The little man raised and lowered his shoulders. ‘Just pretend I’m not here,’ he said, and gave his sharp-toothed smile.

  That is bloody easier said than done. He looked to Gheven. ‘What do you need?’

  The man peered round the rough cave, carved from the broken sedimentary rock. ‘This will do. I can go from here.’

  The troopers backed away to give him room. He crossed to the rear of the cave and pressed his hands to the rock. He bowed his head in concentration, and stepped into the wall, disappearing.

  Suth turned to Manask. ‘Looks like you’re up.’

  The giant fellow threw everyone a huge grin. ‘Do not fear! I will winkle out the secrets of this maze in no time! Come!’ He lumbered in an ungainly duck-walk out into the tunnel. Suth followed, shield and longsword ready.

  It was slow going. Manask’s great bulk completely blocked Suth’s forward vision. At every cave opening the man paused to poke in the broken haft of his spear and wave it around. Then he waved an arm. Finally, he hopped forward with a shout: ‘Ah-ha!’

  The third time he did this he reeled backwards accompanied by the thumping of heavy objects striking something. The giant staggered on to Suth. Two spears stood out from his thick armour like proud quills. ‘You see!’ Manask puffed, winded, ‘one merely has to disarm them!’

  Suth squeezed past and into the chamber. The Korelri Stormguard had already swung shields round and were prepared. Suth engaged one, Fish another. Suth fought extremely carefully: he probed the man’s defences, kept him busy. Openings came but he recognized them as traps meant to draw him out. Facing the Stormguard he quickly understood everyone’s dread – the man was fully the finest swordsman he’d ever faced: fearless, aggressive, and quick, a fulltime professional fighter. But the Malazan infantry were trained for crowded shield and sword work. It was their lifeblood. These Korelri appeared to fight as individuals. Suth thought he and his squadmates might have the advantage in these circumstances.

  A spear thrust over Suth’s shoulder. The Korelri blocked, but the point continued on, passing through his shield to impale him in the chest and push him back to the wall, where he hung from the haft like an insect. ‘Two can play with pointed sticks!’ Manask exulted, and he brushed his hands together.

  Alone, facing outrageous odds, the second Stormguard gave no hint of asking for quarter. He backed against a dirt wall, shield ready. ‘Drop your weapons!’ Suth ordered. The full helm merely slid side to side. Eyes hot for battle glared out of the narrow vision slit.

  Damned fanatic. They didn’t have time for this. He, Fish, Corbin and Pyke spread out in an arc before the man. Useless! To prove what? Suth tightened his grip on his longsword, steadied his breathing.

  The Stormguard looked past them all, gaping. ‘No!’

  A crossbow fired just behind Suth made him flinch. The bolt took the Stormguard in the throat and the man slid down the wall, gagging. Suth turned to see Faro calmly tuck the slim weapon back under his cloak.

  ‘Let’s get going, shall we?’ Faro said, raising his brows.

  Suth nodded, swallowing. Ye gods! Forget this man is with them? Not damned likely.

  Manask led them onward, but their pace did not increase. Distant yells, the clash of fighting, and, occasionally, a report of munitions would reach them. They came upon scenes of battle: fallen Stor
mguard and dead troopers; caves blasted by munitions; tunnels partially collapsed. Suth was shaken to find Len dead, run through by a spear. Len? You too? Somehow I’d imagined it couldn’t happen to you. I’m so sorry. You were a good friend. Looks like maybe Pyke’s finally got things right.

  Squeaky knelt over the body for some time while everyone kept a nervous watch. Her final act was to close his eyes – the man’s shoulder bags had already been scavenged.

  Soon after that the earth shook, sending them all to the beaten earth floor huddled for cover. Dirt came tumbling down in a wash of dust that blinded and choked. After the shaking passed Suth gingerly eased himself up, wiping his face and coughing. When they had all straightened, beating at their cloaks and clearing their throats, they glared at Squeaky. She glared back, raising her hands.

  ‘Hey! Don’t look at me. There’s no way we brought that many munitions.’

  They continued through the half-collapsed tunnels. Suth couldn’t tell if they were making any headway, but he didn’t challenge Manask as he didn’t think he’d do any better choosing left from right, or which carved chamber to enter. It was a senseless jumbled warren of tunnels to him. Eventually, it seemed they’d been walking, hunched, on the adrenalin knife-edge of fear for far too long, and he called a halt. They chose the best defensible cave they could find, set a watch, and lay down to try to get some rest.

  Suth stood his watch with Lane, then had his turn to lie down. Though he was exhausted beyond care, sleep would not come. He couldn’t shake Pyke’s words. How many left now? What of Goss, Wess and Keri? Still alive? These Stormguard are butchering us! This obviously isn’t what Rillish and that priest had in mind. It seemed to him that he’d just closed his eyes when a bellow wrenched him awake. A sword slammed into the dirt where he’d just been lying. A Stormguard stood over him, pulling back the blade for another thrust, and Suth swept a leg, bringing him down. He leapt upon the man, found a gauche scabbard at his side, drew the weapon offhanded, and thrust it home up into an armpit. The Stormguard shuddered, but threw him off and leapt to his feet. He and Suth faced off, crouched, circling. A shape fell upon the Stormguard, Faro leaping, two long daggers flashing, and they collapsed in a tangle. Suth cast a frenzied glare around the darkened cave. Jammed shoulder to shoulder, troopers grappled with Korelri. A Stormguard duelling Lane retreated towards Suth so he stabbed him low in the back then drew his own blade. He saw Fish go down, dragging a Korelri with him. Manask was holding the corpse of one in front of himself, using it as a shield with which to bash another back until Corbin took the Stormguard from the side.