The Malazan Empire Series, page 116
‘Thank you…?’
‘Aron Hul. And you…sir?’
Pausing at the door the man shrugged. ‘Moss. Eustan Moss. Good day to you, Factor.’
Aron went to the oiled hide that served as his one window. The man, Moss – as if that was his real name – mounted, gently heeled his mount and rode off upriver. Oh, Tullen, what have I sent your way? I’m sorry, old fellow. Then he remembered the coin. He went back to the counter, snatched it up and examined it. Looked authentic. He bit at it, as he’d heard you could tell the purity of the gold by its softness. Problem was he’d only ever bitten one other. He quickly thrust it away in the pouch around his neck. Briefly, his thoughts touched on this woman. Who might she be? A runaway wife or daughter of some noble? Imagine that! Some noblewoman on Tullen’s leaky old boat! How unlikely. No, probably just someone who knew something or had heard something she shouldn’t have, and so she ran. Some serving girl probably, or governor’s mistress. Best he keep his nose out of business like that.
Thinking of serving girls…Aron corked the Talian and brought out a bottle of cheap Kanese red, filled the glass. Maybe he could swing one of them now. A young one. Not so bright and easy to intimidate. He drank the wine, smiling. With long hair.
Hand on the gunwale, feet spread for balance, Jemain made his way to the bow, a cup of steaming tea in one hand. The Ardent pitched suddenly in the savage high seas and the boiling liquid seared his hand but he carried on, teeth clamped against pain. He came to crouch next to a man who sat hunched, head in hands, fingers pushed through his dark filthy hair.
‘Drink this, Bars!’ Jemain shouted over the roar of waves and gusting wind. ‘It’s hot! Come, you must have something!’
But the man still would not look up, would not even drink, let alone eat. Three days and three nights now. How long could one of these Avowed go without food or water? Corlo had speculated perhaps forever.
Jemain lowered his head once more. ‘We’ve entered the Cut, you know! A Westerly has taken us. Corlo says we may meet the demons who live in these waters!’
No response, just slow anguished rocking.
Shaking his head, Jemain set the cup down between the man’s bare feet. He retreated to the companionway, went to talk to Corlo. He found him smoking a pipe in a hammock. ‘Still won’t answer.’
Corlo took the pipe from his mouth. ‘No. He won’t.’
‘You’re a mage – why don’t you do something? Ease his madness?’
A snort. ‘Not without his permission.’
‘So we can do nothing for him?’
‘We might pray for the Riders to come. That would bring him out of it.’
Jemain couldn’t tell if the man was serious or not. ‘No, thank you.’ He stared upwards for a time at the timbers overhead, listened to the storm batter the Ardent. ‘I don’t understand. What happened?’
‘We’re too late. Missed what we’d come all this way for. All we’d endured…’ He frowned, studied his white clay pipe. ‘We lost a lot of friends. He thinks he should’ve been there to help. Blames himself.’
‘And you?’
A shrug from Corlo. ‘It’s different for me. I’m not Avowed. The connection’s not so strong.’
‘I thought you were – Avowed.’
‘No. Next best thing, though. I’m First Investiture. First round of recruiting after the Vow.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Or thought he did – he wasn’t sure, though he suspected that recruitment probably happened far longer ago than this man’s seeming forty or so years would imply.
Another of Bars’ party, Garren, thumped down the companionway, shouted, ‘Ship sighted!’
It was a vessel of a cut and design Jemain had never seen before – which wasn’t surprising, given that he’d never sailed these seas before. But he was surprised at the ease with which it rode the high, steep waves here in the Sea of Storms – the Cut, Corlo called it. Long and low, hull tarred black. Square-sailed, single-masted, bearing a brutal ram below the waterline that breasted each wave, sloughing water and foam, as the vessel pitched. And, incredibly, the galley boasted four ranks of oarsmen. Surely it would’ve keeled over in such a sea.
‘Who are they?’ he shouted to Corlo.
The mage’s face was grim. ‘Looks like a ship out of Mare. We have to run.’
Jemain almost laughed, but wouldn’t show the despair that vessel struck in his heart. No chance of outrunning that. He yelled: ‘Hard larboard! Put the stern to them, Watt!’
‘Aye, sir.’
‘Man the deck! Ready crossbows!’
The crew lurched from side to side, stowing equipment, distributing what few weapons they possessed. Jemain made his way to the stern; Corlo followed. There, he watched through the waves where the vessel appeared in glimpses between the grey waters and the equally grey overcast sky. It was swinging around them, nimble as a gull, while the Ardent, a single-banked slave galley, so battered by its long ocean crossing, wallowed like a log.
It was going to ram.
‘Brace yourselves!’ To Watt: ‘Ready to swing to port.’
The old tillerman clamped his toothless gums together, his lips wrinkling. ‘We’ll give it a go, sir.’
Corlo tapped his shoulder, gestured to the bow. Bars was now standing, his hands clamped on the gunwale, gaze fixed upon the closing vessel. ‘Pity the Marese, maybe, hey?’ he said.
Pity us first. Jemain, a lifelong seaman, could only stare in awful appreciation of the skill and seamanship as the vessel bore down upon them, cresting the last wave just in time to lurch downward, adding the impetus of its weight to the thrust of the blunt bronze-sheathed ram cutting the water and throwing a curled wake higher than the vessel itself.
Beautiful. ‘Port!’ Watt threw the arm sideways; the Ardent only began to respond before the ship was upon them. Too slow – no chance. No chance at all.
The blow drove the Ardent sideways. It snatched Jemain from where he stood to throw him against the gunwale and over. The frigid water stung as if it were boiling. It stole what little breath he possessed. Vision and sensations came in glimpses as his head broached the surface. The Ardent wallowing, side caved in. Men tumbling overboard. Bars at the canted bow, fists raised in rage. Then frothed grey water as he spun in the waves. Frigid, life-sapping water numbing his arms, face and legs. And he sinking, weakening in the all-embracing cold. The numbness spreading to take his vision and thoughts.
He awoke coughing and spluttering on hard decking. Limp. Limbs useless. Other crewmen from the Ardent lay about like gaffed fish. Mare crewmen in dark leather armour were gathered around one particular netted man, truncheons rising and falling, beating and beating. Seeing him awake, one crewman came over, wiped his brow, panting. ‘You are of Genabaris, yes?’ he asked in a strange mangling of the South Confederacy dialect.
Jemain nodded mutely.
‘We usually capture ships – except Malazan – but yours was such an insult we had to sink it.’ He smiled as if that somehow made up for it. ‘My apology.’ He wiped his brow again, taking a deep breath, and gestured his truncheon to the netted, now limp, crewman from the Ardent, whose identity Jemain could guess. ‘You are all going to the Korelri. Especially that one. He would not go down – good thing the waters had done half our work, hey? We should get a good price for him.’ He smiled his white teeth again. ‘I think he would do well upon the wall.’
Glossary
Terms and Titles
The Agatii: among the Seguleh, their first thousand ranked warriors
Ascendant: individuals of great power/influence
Baya Gul: Seti Goddess of divination and guide to their sun mysteries
Brethren: term among the Crimson Guard for their fallen comrades
Cadre mages: Malazan organization of mages/warlocks/sorcerers, many of whom serve in the military ranks
Deck of Dragons/the Dragons: deck of cards, their identities unfixed, used in divination
D’ivers: a high order of shape-shifting
Eleint: term for the elder race of dragons
First Investiture: those of the first round of recruitment by the Crimson Guard subsequent to its Vow, with Second and Third following
Fist: Malazan title for commander, military or administrative
High Fist: Malazan title for a regional or campaign commander
Old Guard: those whose Imperial service goes back to Emperor Kellanved
Prevost: old Quon Talian title for a military officer, roughly equivalent to captain
The Seguleh: a fierce isolationist island people off the coast of Genabackis
Shalmanat: protectress of Li Heng
Soldier of Light: a position among the divinatory deck, the Deck of Dragons
Soletaken: shape-shifting
Sword of the Empire/First Sword: Imperial champion, Malazan and Imass title
Talons: an organization of Imperial assassins begun by Dancer, Emperor Kellanved’s cohort and bodyguard
Thel Akai: ‘First People’, first-born of Mother Earth, ancestors of Thelomen, Toblakai and Trell races
Veils: Crimson Guard assassins, begun by Cowl in response to the Imperial Talons
The Warrens
The Elder Warrens
Kurald Galain: the Elder Warren of Darkness
Kurald Emurlahn: the Elder Warren of Shadow
Kurald Liosan: the Elder Warren of Light
Kurald Thyrllan: another name for the Elder Warren of Light
Omtose Phellack: the Elder Jaghut Warren of Ice
Tellann: the Elder Imass Warren of Fire
Starvald Demelain: the Eleint Warren, the first Warren
‘The Paths’ (those Warrens accessible to humans)
Thyr: the Path of Light
Denul: the Path of Healing
Hood’s Path: the Path of Death
Serc: the Path of Sky
Meanas: the Path of Shadow and Illusion
D’riss: the Path of the Earth
Ruse: the Path of the Sea
Rashan: the Path of Darkness
Mockra: the Path of the Mind
Telas: the Path of Fire
The Deck of Dragons
High House Life
King
Queen (Queen of Dreams)
Champion
Priest
Herald
Soldier
Weaver
High House Death
King (Hood)
Queen
Knight (once Dassem Ultor, now Baudin)
Magi
Herald
Soldier
Spinner
Mason
Virgin
High House Light
King
Queen
Champion (Osserc)
Priest
Captain
Soldier (Kyle)
Seamstress
Builder
Maiden
High House Dark
King
Queen
Knight (Anomander Rake)
Magi
Captain
Soldier
Weaver
Mason
Wife
High House Shadow
King (Shadowthrone/Ammanas)
Queen
Assassin (the Rope/Cotillion)
Magi
Hound
High House Chains
The King in Chains (Skinner)
The Consort (Poliel)
Reaver
Knight (Toblakai)
The Seven of the Dead Fires (the Unbound)
Cripple
Leper
Fool
Unaligned
Oponn
Obelisk (Burn)
Crown
Sceptre
Orb
Throne
Chain
Master of the Deck (Ganoes Paran)
Elder Races
Tiste Andii: Children of Darkness
Tiste Edur: Children of Shadow
Tiste Liosan: Children of Light
T’lan Imass: ancient non-human race thought to be extinct
Jaghut: ancient non-human race thought to be extinct
Forkrul Assail: ancient non-human race thought to be extinct
K’Chain Che’Malle: ancient non-human race thought to be extinct
Eres/Eres’al: an ancient race thought legendary
The Eleint: the Elder race of dragons
The Trell: a non-human pastoral nomadic people
The Barghast: a non-human pastoral nomadic people
The Thelomen Toblakai: a non-human pastoral nomadic people
The Teblor: a non-human pastoral nomadic people
The Thel Akai: a forgotten people, progenitors of Thelomen, Toblakai, Teblor and perhaps Barghast
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
RETURN OF THE CRIMSON GUARD
Copyright © 2008 by Ian Cameron Esslemont
Map by Neil Gower
Previously published in the UK in 2008 in a limited edition by PS Publishing LLP and by Bantam Press, a division of Transworld Publishers.
All rights reserved.
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Esslemont, Ian C. (Ian Cameron)
Return of the Crimson Guard : a novel of the Malazan empire / Ian C. Esslemont.—1st Tor ed.
p. cm.
“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”
ISBN: 978-0-7653-2370-5
I. Title.
PS3605.S684R48 2010
813'.6—dc22
2009039509
STONEWIELDER
A NOVEL OF THE MALAZAN EMPIRE
Ian C. Esslemont
A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK
NEW YORK
To Gerri
with love
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Greatest gratitude to Gerri for her unswerving support. Thanks to Derick Burleson for graciously allowing me to adapt one of his pieces to this setting. I would also like to acknowledge the fans of the World of Malaz, its readers, and those active on its online forums. Your energy and enthusiasm keep Steve and me inspired.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Of the Malazan Expeditionary Force
Greymane / High Fist, Commander of Expeditionary Force
Orjin Samarr
Kyle Adjunct to the High Fist
Nok Admiral, Commander of Naval forces
Swirl Admiral of Moranth Blue forces
Rillish Jal Keth Divisional Fist of the Fourth Army
Khemet Shul Divisional Fist of the Eighth Army
Devaleth Cadre mage
Malazan 17th Squad, 4th Company, 2nd Division, Fourth Army
Betteries Company Captain
Goss Sergeant
Pyke Heavy infantry
Yana Heavy infantry
Suth Heavy infantry
Lard Heavy infantry
Dim Heavy infantry
Wess Heavy infantry
Len Saboteur
Keri Saboteur
Faro Scout
Others
Urfa Lieutenant of 4th Company saboteurs
Twofoot Sergeant of the 6th
Coral Sergeant of the 20th
Tolat A Barghast scout of 4th Company
Of the Malazan Sixth Army
Yeull ’ul Taith Overlord
Ussü High Mage and Adviser
Borun Commander of Black Moranth
Enesh-jer Envoy of the Overlord
On the Stormwall
Hiam Lord Protector of the Stormwall, Commander of all Korelri
Quint Senior officer (Wall Marshal) of the Stormwall
Shool Aide to Hiam
Toral Stimins Master Engineer
Iron Bars Champion of the Stormwall, and Crimson Guard Avowed
Corlo A prisoner and Crimson Guardsman
Jemain A prisoner and member of Bars’ crew
Hagen Ex-Champion of the Stormwall
Tollen A Malazan prisoner
In the Kingdom of Rool
Bakune Chief Assessor of Banith
Karien’el Lieutenant, later Captain, of the City Watch
Hyuke A city watchman
Puller A city watchman
Starvann Arl Abbot of Our Lady the Saviour Cloister and Hospice
Ipshank An ex-priest of Fener
Manask A thief
Of the Jourilan Army of Reform
Beneth Spiritual leader
Hegil Lesour Commander of the cavalry
’an ’al
Martal Commander of the army, the ‘Black Queen’
Ivanr Ex-Grand Champion of the Jourilan Imperial Games
Carr A lieutenant of the army
Of the Crimson Guard
Blues
Fingers
Lazar
Shell
The Synod of Stygg
Totsin Jurth the Third
Brother Carfin
Sister Gosh
Sister Esa
Sister Nebras
Brother Jool
In the Shadow Realm
Kiska One-time bodyguard to Tayschrenn, High Mage of the Empire
Jheval An agent of the Queen of Dreams
Of the Sea-Folk
Orzu Patriarch of his clan
Ena A young mother of the clan
PROLOGUE
The Elder Age
Height of the Jacaruku Crusades
The Many Isles
ULI KNEW IT FOR A BAD OMEN THE MOMENT HE SAW IT. HE’D been readying his nets for the pre-dawn fishing when the unnatural green and blue aura bruised the sky. It appeared out of the lightening east and swelled, becoming more bloated with every passing moment. The bay was choppy as if as agitated as he, and he’d been reluctant to push his shallow boat out into the waves. But his family had to eat, and cramped stomachs belch no end of complaints.
