Reaper's Gale/Chapter 19

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== Unknown Realm ==
Seren Pedec is thinking about her love for Hull Beddict, and how badly it had felt when her dream of love died, and eventually Hull himself as well. She feels that her fears end up killing what she loves. She had decided to never love again, but is worried that her resolve is breaking down the more she thinks on Trull Sengar and the sword he'd given her. She doesn't know what realm they are in. Fear Sengar approaches her and tells her that Trull's soul loves her. He promises to protect her for Trull's honor. Udinaas comes from a stream, cupping a blind minnow in his hands. He points out that the sun and light in this realm is an illusion, and it must be truly dark. Udinaas speaks of the children of Mother Dark and Father Light. Seren understands that he knows more than he's telling, and she realizes she can use Mockra to enter his mind and steal his secrets.
Udinaas is ready for this quest to be over. The realm they are in has been deserted for a long time, and Udinaas thinks that Darkness should be dark. He worries about the revelations he's receiving, and who is giving them to him. As the unseen sun begins to set, Clip halts their march. Udinaas realizes his eyesight is not affected by the dark. He asks Clip where they're headed and Clip mocks him. Udinaas states he's already guessed, but Clip doesn't believe him. Udinaas tells of seeing the white crow when he was a slave. He asks Clip if anyone else is following them, which startles the Tiste Andii. Silchas Ruin angrily realizes that Menandore is on their path. Fear asks what Sister Dawn would want with them. Clip tells them she is searching for Scabandari's soul encased in the Finnest. Udinaas muses that Ruin and Menandore should commit suicide and vanish from the mortal realms. Clip mocks him, claiming they aren't in a mortal realm. Udinaas doesn't believe him, but Clip reveals they are in the realm of the Tiste. Silchas claims that the Tiste existed before the Elder Gods. As proof Clip states that nothing preceeded darkness, but Udinaas argues the point. Fear asks how Udinaas knows Menandore is following, and he lies to hide the fact that she has been traveling within him.
==Realm of Tiste==
Seren waits until Udinaas is sound asleep and then uses Mockra to slip into his mind where she hides in his dreams in the form of a serpent. She follows him through a dreamscape where Feather Witch appears to him. Feather Witch tells Udinaas that she is now Destra Irant to the Errant. She attempts to recruit him to serve as T'orrud Segul, but he reveals the Errant already attempted to recruit him but he declined, which shocks her. He tells Feather Witch that they aren't alone, and walks directly towards the serpent.
Seren wakes up with Udinaas on top of her, hands wrapped around her neck. She understands the Letherii has been deeply hurt by her actions. Udinaas tells her that he is done being a slave to any one or god. Fear Sengar demands Udinaas release Seren Pedec, and when he does, Fear throws him to the ground and is about to kill him. Seren lunges in front of Udinaas and pleads with Fear to let him live. Udinaas angrily stands up and demands that Silchas Ruin make it day again so they can resume the march. To Seren's astonishment the sky begins to lighten. Clip needles Udinaas, but Silchas Ruin says to leave the slave to his "childish games." Wither and Kettle watch all this from a distance.
==Drene==
Venitt Sathad is drinking in a bar. He is trying to present an air of normality to the other patrons. A riot had broken out the previous night and destroyed half the market, and is currently raging in the slums. The poor had fought back against the garrison sent to brutally pacify the riot, forcing them to retreat. The mob had completely ignored the Tiste Edur and instead had attempted to storm Letur Anict's estate. Sathad recalls that Rautos Hivanar had predicted this uprising due to the crumbling economy. Orbyn Truthfinder arrives and joins Venitt. Orbyn reports that the Factor is rattled by the current events. He laments that Brohl Handar is off fighting the Awl, and guesses that Letur will have him assassinated. Sathad tells Orbyn the economy has collapsed, and the Edur will soon be forced to take action. Orbyn promises to help Letur Anict try to restore order. Sathad tells him the Patriotists must be sacrificed to the mob. Orbyn bargains for his own life to be spared, explaining that he knows Sathad is Rautos Hivanar's assassin, and Venitt decides he is still useful. Venitt thinks how he as an Indebted, he hopes Bugg and Tehol succeed in bringing the entire society down.
==Awl'dan==
Due to unseasonal rains, Bivatt's army has had no trouble following the muddy trail of Redmask through the Awl'dan. The mud has stretched the Letherii supply train as well, and they are in danger of running out of food. Overseer Brohl Handar thinks they need to battle soon. He has been finding strange offerings left in cairns along the path they are following. He recognizes the offerings are not Awl, but when he brought it up to the Atri-Preda, she had dismissed the idea. He knows she's hiding something. A scout returns to Brohl at a gallop. He excitedly tells the Overseer that Redmask's group has advanced onto Q'uson Tapi -- a flat, featureless, dried seabed a day's ride away. The rains have not reached Q'uson Tapi yet, but when it does the Awl wagons, and possibly cavalry on both sides, will be useless.
Atri-Preda Bivatt is disturbed by the cairns they've been finding. They had taken one apart and found a fragment of wood; wood she recognized from dismantled war canoes she'd seen long ago. While standing at the cairn she had looked up, and seen a huge, man shaped figure watching her through the dark and rain, which had quickly disappeared. She thinks this figure or ghost must have been one of the ones who made the cairns. Bivatt worries that Redmask is working with the hidden strangers to destroy them. She knows there will be only one more battle. She thinks the quagmire on the Q'uson Tapi will enable the Letherii mages to annihilate Redmask's forces.
== Q'uson Tapi ==
Toc Anaster watches as the Awl dismantle their wagons and build walkways across the dried seabed, and covered platforms. Redmask is planning a defense here. The platforms are meant to create islands of dry ground to fight from, although Toc realizes this means there is no way to retreat. Torrent rides up to Toc, excited about the plan. When Toc expresses concern, Torrent calls him a coward and promises to slit his throat if he runs.
Redmask has been waiting for this moment. He thinks of the elder of Renfayer who he had strangled. The old man had threatened to destroy any chance Redmask had of leading the Awl to victory. The man had known Redmask's father and his kin, and had recognized who he truly was. The rain begins to fall. He is confident that his Guardians, his K'Chain Che'Malle, will lead them to victory. 
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