The Crippled God

‘ Your daughters … spirits take me, I see the resemblance – the eyes, the gestures with the hands – but Hetan—’



‘Delicious Hetan, memories return in a stew of desire and alarm – no matter. Grievous the fate of their mother. Perilous the fate of her children – and we must do something about that. Why are you not eating? Drinking? Baruk’s finest fare.’



Torrent pointed. ‘They … vanished.’



‘Oh my. The dread curse of unmindfulness. Perhaps next time, my barbarian friend. But time, it grows short, but Kruppe is shorter still.’ He fluttered a hand. ‘Tell me, what do you now see there?’



Torrent squinted. ‘A bow. Quiver. Arrows.’



‘Rhivi. To this day they yearly ply me with useless gifts, for reasons that, while obscure, are no doubt well deserved. In any case, I give them all away as a measure of my extraordinary generosity. Are these not finer weapons than the ones you now possess?’



‘My bow split. I had nothing with which to repair it. The arrow shafts have dried and warped – I’d intended to harden them one last time but forgot. The fletching—’



‘Before you go on, good sir, by your list Kruppe can conclude that yes, indeed, this Rhivi offering is superior to that which you now possess.’



‘I just said that.’



‘Did you? Excellent. Take them and be off with you. Quickly. Let it never be said that Kruppe is a neglectful father, no matter what that baron’s daughter later claimed in court. And if Kruppe had not dramatically revealed that she was now sleeping with her advocate, why, Kruppe would be a much thinner man than the one you now see fading before you, red waistcoat and all …’



‘Wait! I’m lost! She said—’



‘Behind you, O wily scout.’



New weapons in hand, Torrent slowly turned, to see, twenty paces away, the dying fire, the children knotted up beneath the fur, and Olar Ethil slumped on the far side. He swung back to thank the man, but he was gone, and with him his modest hearth. He lifted the weapons for a closer look. These are from no dream. These are real, and finely made . He set the string and tested the draw. Spirits! These Rhivi must be giants!



Olar Ethil barely stirred when he returned to the fire. ‘Changed your mind, did you?’



Torrent set the bow and quiver down beside him. ‘Yes,’ he said.



‘Just as well, pup. Warrens are dangerous places for fools such as you. If you would honour the vow you made, you would do well to stay close to me.’



Torrent tossed the last chip of dung into the fire, watched sparks lift into the night. ‘I shall, Bonecaster.’



Her head settled once more. He stared across at her. When sleep offers its final sigh, old hag, I’ll be there to wake you .



Absi rolled over in his sleep and in a soft, sing-song voice, said, ‘Kralalalala. Yip.’



But Torrent could see that his eyes were closed, and on his face there was a contented smile. The child licked his lips.



Saved them for him, did you, Kruppe? Well done .



Onos T’oolan halted, slowly turned. Limned in jade light, a thousand T’lan Imass stood facing him. So many? And, swirling there, the dust of hundreds more. Strangers. Summoned by the unveiling of Tellann. Is this what I want? Is this what I need? All at once he felt the weight of their attention, fixed so remorselessly upon him, and almost buckled. Needs, wants, they are irrelevant. This is what I will. And by that power alone, a world can be destroyed. Or shaped anew . He slowly straightened, restored by the thought, and the strength that came with it.



When I am done, dust shall be dust. Nothing more. Not a thing alive with secrets. Or thick with grief and horror. Simply dust . ‘Do you understand me?’



‘ We do, First Sword .’



‘I will free you.’



‘ Not yet, First Sword .’



‘I would walk alone.’



‘ Then you shall .’



His army fell in cascading clouds, save two figures that had been standing well back in the T’lan legion.



Onos considered them for a time, and then beckoned.



They approached, and the female spoke. ‘First Sword, I once walked these lands – yet I did not.’



‘You are named Rystalle Ev.’



‘Yes.’



‘Your words make no sense.’



She shrugged, pointed northward. ‘There. Something … troubling.’



‘Olar Ethil—’



‘No, First Sword. This is closer.’



‘You are curious, Rystalle Ev?’



The warrior beside her, Ulag Togtil, spoke. ‘There are lost memories within her, First Sword. Perhaps they were taken from other Imass – from those who once lived here. Perhaps they are her own. That which will be found to the north, it is like the awakening of an old wound, but one she cannot see. Only feel.’