Reaper's Gale/Chapter 20

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==Azath House under the sea==
TBD
== All details below are of Chapter 19. ==
==Kurald Liosan==
Seren Pedac reflects on her past experiences with love and relationships. She recalls a time when she was a child and had dreams of being saved by a hero, but that dream was shattered by the realization that there were no heroes in the world. Seren reflects on her relationship with Hull Beddict and how she destroyed him, and how she was then raped in a port city. Seren admits to being poison, that she kills what she loves, and that she has a tendency to surrender to the point of domination. The echoes of the past serve as a distraction from the present, but Seren realizes that there is a danger in revisiting old memories. Seren is now accompanied by Udinaas, Kettle, and Silchas Ruin, but they are not as companionable as they once were.
They travel through a desolate, lifeless landscape where the characters are on a quest. Udinaas is seeing Silchas Ruin, one of the characters, in a new light as the aggrieved son of the Shadow wars. However, Udinaas is thinking about the absence of the children of Light and the trouble brewing between Silchas Ruin and Clip, Fear Sengar and possibly Scabandari. He realizes that they are all villains and there is no tower of truth in this quest. The journey has taken a toll on Udinaas, causing him to experience fevers and revelations that he doesn't trust. He doesn't want to give in to whoever is behind the visions. Udinaas is also disappointed that he has not seen any signs of life in this place and when the sun begins to fade, Clip calls a halt.
During dinner, Seren Pedac asks Clip why there is light in this place that should be dark, and Clip explains that they are walking on a road called Kurald Liosan, which was a gift from Father Light. However, Clip and Silchas Ruin don't need the light and are leading the others by hand. Udinaas and Clip have a heated conversation, with Udinaas asking where the road leads and Clip replying that he's surprised Udinaas hasn't figured it out yet. Seren Pedac asks Udinaas to tell her, but Udinaas says he can't as it's a secret.
Seren Pedac uses her mental powers to enter the dreams of Udinaas. Seren finds Udinaas in a place of blistering heat and sees him waiting for a dragon to reappear in the sky. Suddenly, she realizes that there is another person there, a Letherii woman named Feather Witch. Seren watches as Feather Witch approaches Udinaas, who is not pleased to see her. When Udinaas turns to face Feather Witch, he speaks to her in a voice that is both amused and bitter. He questions her presence and accuses her of being frightened. Feather Witch denies his accusations, saying that she has changed and is now the Destra Irant to the Errant, the last Elder God of the Letherii. She explains that she is working to take the Empty Throne. Udinaas replies that the throne is not empty and says that he thinks Feather Witch is fooling herself. The scene ends with Udinaas and Feather Witch facing each other, with Udinaas still wary and distrusting.
Seren Pedac wakes to find the calloused hands of Udinaas closed around her throat. Udinaas likens her dream-incursion to rape and accuses Seren of betraying him and using him like the goddesses and gods who had done so before. He warns her that if she tries to rape him again, he will kill her. Seren struggles to breathe as Udinaas whispers these words in her ear. At that moment, Fear Sengar comes to her rescue, threatening Udinaas with his sword. Seren pleads with Fear not to hurt Udinaas because it is her fault. She explains that she did something terrible and that Udinaas had the right to react the way he did. Udinaas pushes her aside and demands that Silchas Ruin make it day again. Silchas Ruin complies, to Seren's amazement: the sky starts to lighten as the day begins. Udinaas packs his things and leaves, with tears in his eyes. Seren realizes what she has done to him and is filled with regret.
Meanwhile, Kettle and Wither are holding hands, watching the others and Kettle whispers, "What they do to each other". Wither replies that it is what it is to live, to which Kettle nods in agreement. Kettle accepts the reality of life and what is to come.
==The Awl Plains==
The landscape is dark and stormy; the Awl tribe is on the run. The plains are greening and the Awl warriors who have died are left under heaps of stones. The supply train out of Drene has been disrupted, causing food shortage and making battle with the enemy, Redmask, imperative. On their journey, the Tiste Edur and their Overseer, Brohl Handar, come across odd cairns with strange offerings and signs of another people from the eastern wastelands. They eventually reach a place called Q'uson Tapi, a flat area with no features, according to old maps. The scout reports that the Awl are less than a league out from the old shoreline, making them vulnerable to the impending rain. The Overseer decides to continue towards Q'uson Tapi, which they will reach before dusk, with the hope of reaching the Awl before the rains reach them. The Overseer reflects on the terrible cost of war and the cruelties people inflict on each other, and his scout returns to the column.
Nearby, Atri-Preda Bivatt is haunted by the memory of a mysterious figure she encountered while standing before a cairn in the early morning rain. She tries to convince herself that it was a trick of the mind, but she can't shake the feeling that she was being watched. The Letherii army is on a mission to defeat Redmask, the leader of the Awl, and the Tiste Edur in a final battle on the flat floor of Q'uson Tapi, a dead sea. Bivatt is afraid that Redmask may have allies, thousands of unseen individuals, who could be preparing to ambush the Letherii army. Bivatt prays to the Errant, the Letherii god, to deliver them victory in the upcoming battle, where they will fight in a quagmire and weapons will clash until one side triumphs. The clouds are gathering on the horizon and the rain is thrashing down, signifying that the final battle is imminent and the fate of all parties involved will soon be decided.
Redmask, meanwhile, has driven his people out onto the seabed in preparation for a final battle against the Letherii army led by Bivatt. The Awl warriors are working to build a defensive position by constructing walkways, flattening wicker walls to create squares, and stretching canvas and hides to create islands of dry ground. Toc Anaster, a soldier among the Awl, is observing the preparations while riding his horse. He is skeptical of Redmask's plan, as the approaching storm will turn the battlefield into a sea of mud, making it difficult to defend the position. Toc also believes that Bivatt's army will not be deterred by the unfavorable conditions and that the Letherii mages pose a significant threat to the Awl. Torrent, another Awl warrior, rides up to Toc and the two exchange words. Torrent is confident in the Awl's victory, while Toc is less optimistic. Toc and Torrent have a tense conversation, with Torrent accusing Toc of not understanding the Awl culture and claiming that Toc's soul is weak. Toc retorts by making fun of Torrent's youth and lack of experience. Torrent threatens to kill Toc during the battle if he runs away.
Redmask has been waiting for this moment for a long time. It is revealed that it was he who took matters into his own hands and killed the last of the Renfayar elders, who he believed would stand in his way of leading the Awl to victory. He has memories of his childhood that have haunted him, turning his fingers into coiling serpents. The elder had seen himself as Redmask's overseer and held terrible truths that could destroy Redmask. But now, Redmask believes he is about to see Bivatt's head on a spear and thousands of Letherii and Tiste Edur corpses lying in the mud. He is the war leader and has been chosen by the Guardians who have found him and have been scything through enemy lines.
Redmask climbs the platform, armed with a Cadaran whip and a Rygtha axe, weapons of the Awl. He feels the weight of the elder's death on him, as the face of the elder begins to haunt him. He has killed the last of the Renfayar elders who knew his father and all his kin. He feels the elder's judgment, as the old man looked at him with a father's regard, but Redmask knows that he is the one in control now.
The rain starts to fall, but Redmask is immune and cannot be touched. He will have his victory tomorrow with the help of the Guardians. The deaf drummer starts his arrhythmic thunder deep in the storm clouds, and the spirits of the Awl begin drawing their jagged swords. The scene ends with Redmask declaring his victory and his reliance on the Guardians to help him win the battle.
==Drene==
Letur Anict, who governs the city in the absence of Overseer Brohl Handar, has returned to Drene two days prior. The reports that his agents would have given him upon his return would have been filled with fears but with limited specifics. The Patriotists, who are supposed to keep order in the city, are involved in a campaign of terror that involves arrests, disappearances, and property confiscation. However, the current state of the economy, with its shortage of coin and large debts, has put the city on the brink of chaos. The Tiste Edur, who are considered bemused and helpless, might become a problem as they may start killing everyone if they feel threatened. The Patriotists, led by Invigilator Karos Invictad, have been useful for a time but are becoming a liability as their brutality is making the situation worse.
Venitt Sathad, meanwhile, is having a conversation with Orbyn Truthfinder. Truthfinder has been absent from the city as he has been escorting Letur Anict on a venture across the sea. He has returned to Drene as he believes his time with Letur Anict is coming to an end. Venitt and Orbyn discuss the situation in Drene and the role of the Patriotists and Letur Anict. They believe that Letur Anict lacks the confidence to restore order and that his absence from the city might prove fatal. The scene ends with Venitt and Orbyn discussing their next steps.
==The Plains==
Atri-Preda Bivatt, while leading the Letherii army, has come across strange constructions called cairns with demonic faces carved into the flat sides of huge boulders and with votive offerings in niches. Bivatt had tried to convince herself that what she saw was a trick of her imagination, but she knew better: she had seen a figure, a darker grey, manshaped yet huge, standing twenty to thirty paces away, watching her in the rain. Bivatt was frightened by the thought that they were not alone in this game. There must have been thousands of people hiding, invisible to the Letherii army. Bivatt was right to be frightened as she believed that the enemies were preparing an ambush, their annihilation. She feared that they were facing the Awl and the Letherii and the Tiste Edur in a deadly duel on the plain.
Bivatt believed that the outcome of the battle would determine the fate of the Letherii army. They were marching towards the ancient shore of a dead sea, where the battle would take place. The clouds were gathering on the horizon ahead, and rain was thrashing down on the salt-crusted bed of clay and silt. Bivatt feared that the battle would be fought in a quagmire, where cavalry was useless and where no horse would be quick enough to outrun a wave of deadly magic. The warriors and soldiers would lock weapons and die where they stood, until one side stood alone, triumphant. Bivatt made a plea to the Errant to deliver no surprises on that day and to give the Letherii army victory. Soon they would be done with it all, and the fate of the Letherii army would be decided.
==The Awl Camp==
Redmask and the Awl are preparing for a final battle against the Letherii and Tiste Edur armies led by Bivatt. Redmask and his warriors are trying to create an advantage by constructing a temporary fortified camp and inviting Bivatt to attack. The camp is set up in a way that the Letherii and Tiste Edur armies have to cross an open ground that will soon become a sea of mud because of the coming storm. Redmask's army has the advantage of being well-fed due to the herds they have, whereas Bivatt's army faces the threat of starvation. However, Bivatt's army has mages who could potentially win the day. The Awl warriors will be stationed on the dry ground, with no avenue of retreat, and the final fate of the battle will be decided.
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