The Crippled God

this realm will die, and it will be the first of many.’
    ‘Leaving in its wake a land without magic. But even in such places life will return.’
    ‘We cannot be certain of that. For all that we have explored the secrets of sorcery, we still know so little. We have flown over lifeless flesh – we have seen what happens when everything is truly stripped away.’
    Silchas Ruin studied his friend for a moment, then lowered himself into a squat and stared out over the valley to the south. ‘Am I fooling myself?’
    ‘About what?’
    Silchas started, unaware that he had spoken out loud. ‘My brother knew well the Elder Gods. He’d clashed with them often enough.’
    ‘It may be that his answer to the threat posed by the Elder Gods was to free Draconus.’
    Draconus . ‘Then what will Draconus do?’
    ‘I do not know, but even thinking about it fills me with fear. We know well what comes when Draconus is awakened to true anger – his solution may prove worse than the problem. Abyss knows, friend, we have seen that for ourselves. Still, since you have asked, I will give the matter some thought. Draconus … freed. Who can oppose him, now that your brother is dead? I don’t know – this world has moved on. What would he do first? He would hunt down and kill the ones who freed Korabas. He always took retribution seriously.’
    Silchas Ruin was nodding. ‘And then?’
    The undead warrior shrugged. ‘Kill Korabas?’
    ‘Leaving a realm filled with Eleint?’
    ‘Then … perhaps he would stand back and watch the two elemental forces collide and maul each other, until one emerged victorious – but so weakened, so destroyed, that he need only act expeditiously, without rage. It may be that this is what your brother demanded of Draconus, in exchange for his freedom.’
    Silchas Ruin held his hands up to his face. After a moment he shook his head. ‘Knowing my brother, there was no demand. There was only giving.’
    ‘Friend,’ said Tulas Shorn, ‘what is it that is in your mind?’
    ‘That there is more to the unchaining of Korabas than we know. That, in some manner we have yet to fathom, the Otataral Dragon’s freedom serves a higher purpose. Korabas is here because she needs to be.’
    ‘Silchas – your living senses are sharper than my dead ones. How many Eleint have come into this world?’
    The white-skinned Tiste Andii lowered his hands from his face and looked over at Tulas Shorn. ‘All of them.’
    Tulas Shorn staggered back a step, and then turned away – almost as if his every instinct was demanding that he flee, that he get away. Where? Anywhere . And then he faced Silchas again. ‘Korabas does not stand a chance.’
    ‘No, she does not.’
    ‘The Eleint will conquer this world – who is there to stop them? My friend – we have been made irrelevant. All purpose … gone. I will not surrender to T’iam!’
    The sudden anger in Tulas made Silchas straighten. ‘Nor will I.’
    ‘What can we do?’
    ‘We can hope.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘You say you sense the Hounds of Shadow—’
    ‘Not close—’
    ‘And you tell me that they possess a new master, the usurper of Kurald Emurlahn—’
    ‘Who commands nothing.’
    ‘No. Not yet. There is a game being played here – beyond all that we think we understand of this situation. You say the Hounds are wandering. The question that needs to be asked is: why? What has Shadow to do with any of this?’
    Tulas Shorn shook his head.
    Silchas Ruin drew out his Hust sword. ‘That usurper gave this weapon to me, as I told you. See the blade? Watermarked and etched with dragons. But there is more – there is my brother’s sacrifice. There is the return of Mother Dark.’
    ‘And now Draconus. Silchas – your brother, he cannot have meant to—’
    ‘But I think he did, Tulas. We children were as responsible for what happened between Mother Dark and her consort as anyone was – even Osserc. My friend – they set something into play . Anomander, this Shadowthrone, even Hood, and perhaps many other gods hidden from our view, for ever veiled.’
    ‘Draconus will never return to Mother Dark – do you truly believe those wounds could ever heal?’
    ‘Tulas, the Eleint must be faced down – they must be driven back. They are the Children of Chaos, and who has always stood against Chaos? What was Dragnipur, Tulas, if not a broken man’s attempt to save the woman he had lost? It failed – Abyss knows how it failed – but now, at last,