A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 2

heart slowed somewhat.
    'That makes a damned change,' Blend gasped at the lieutenant's side.
    Picker did not bother replying, but she could not help but agree with Blend's bitter comment. As Paran had instructed, they had indeed drawn the attention of at least some of the K'Chain Che'Malle.
    And had paid for it.
    Her last count had sixteen Bridgeburners capable of combat and six wounded, of whom three were at Hood's Gate. The K'Chain Che'Malle were more than fast, they were lightning. And relentless. Sharpers did little more than irritate them.
    In any case, the munitions were gone. Picker had turned her soldiers back on one of the K'ell Hunters, to gauge their chances in a close-in fight. She would not do that again. They'd been lucky to disengage at all. Seeing friends on all sides cut into pieces where they stood was an image that would haunt her all her remaining days – days? I haven't got days. I'll be surprised if we live out this bell.
    'Hood take us, another one!'
    The lieutenant wheeled at the shout.
    Another Hunter had appeared from a side alley, claws scraping on cobbles, head hunched low, blades out.
    Less than fifteen paces away, head swinging to face them.
    All right . . . heartbeats, then.
    ' Scatter! '
    Even as the Bridgeburners began to bolt, a wall close to the K'Chain Che'Malle exploded onto the street. Another Hunter arrived within the dust and bricks that tumbled out, this one a chopped-up ruin, head swinging wildly – connected to neck by a thin strip of tendon – missing one arm, a leg ending in a stump at the ankle. The creature fell, pounded onto the cobbles, ribs snapping, and did not move.
    The Bridgeburners froze in place.
    As did the first K'Chain Che'Malle. Then it hissed and swung to face the ragged hole in the building's wall.
    Through the dust stepped a T'lan Imass. Desiccated flesh torn, hanging in strips, the gleam of bone visible everywhere, a skull-helmed head that had once held horns. The flint sword in its hands was so notched it appeared denticulated.
    Ignoring the Malazans, it turned to the other K'Chain Che'Malle.
    The Hunter hissed and attacked.
    Picker's eyes could not fully register the speed of the exchange of blows. All at once, it seemed, the K'Chain Che'Malle was toppling, a leg severed clean above what passed for a knee. A sword clanged on the cobbles as a dismembered arm fell. The T'lan Imass had stepped back, and now moved forward once more, an overhead chop that shattered bone down through shoulder, chest, then hip, bursting free to strike the cobbles in a spray of sparks.
    The K'ell Hunter collapsed.
    The lone T'lan Imass turned to face the keep, and began walking.
    Picker and the others watched the warrior stride past them, continue on up the street.
    'Hood's breath!' Blend muttered.
    'Come on!' Picker snapped.
    'Where?' Corporal Aimless demanded.
    'After him,' she replied, setting off. 'Looks like the safest place to be is in that thing's shadow.'
    'But it's heading for the keep!'
    'Then so are we!'
     
    Crusted in mud, boots dragging, Whiskeyjack's army slowly moved forward to form a line facing the killing field, and the city beyond it. Far to either flank were the Barghast, Ilgres Clan on one side, White Faces on the other.
    Korlat left her horse with the others behind the line and strode to the low hill immediately to the west of the trader road, where stood Whiskeyjack, Kallor and the standard-bearer, Artanthos.
    They had witnessed, one and all, the aerial battles over Coral, the slaughter of the Black Moranth and at least one wing carrying troops of Onearm's Host. They had watched the bombardment, but not a single soldier on the ridge had cheered. There could be no disguising the brutal truth: Dujek was trapped in Coral, his army was being slaughtered, and Whiskeyjack and his exhausted force could do little about it.
    Condors had been seen following the Black Moranth flying back to the mountain entrenchments – but there they would meet Orfantal. In his Soletaken form, her brother was second only to Rake himself. Korlat envied him his chance for immediate vengeance.
    She approached her companions, preparing her mind for the veering into her draconic form. The power that came with the transition had always frightened her, for it was a cold, hard manifestation, unhuman and inhuman both. This time, however, she would welcome it.
    Reaching the crest, she saw what the others were seeing. The north gate had opened across from them. K'Chain Che'Malle were