House of Chains/Chapter 26

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thumb|198px|The Whirlwind by [https://www.instagram.com/shadaan_studios/ Shadaan] 
==Pan'arak Oasis==
Sha'ik looks inward towards her life as a girl, and then to the Whirlwind Goddess. Sha'ik sees that the goddess' hatred is insane and out of proportion, then recognises she and the Goddess walk the same path. Sha'ik then dons her armour and her helm.
L'oric walks towards the Dogslayers camp, but it is quiet. Kurald Emurlahn is waking and the Whirlwind Goddess prepares to claim it and devour Raraku. He nears Sha'ik's hill and Karsa Orlong, dragging the Deragoth heads behind his horse, comes upon the Tiste Liosan. Karsa speaks of those he has killed, and others dead. Karsa says the Dogslayers have been slaughtered. Leoman believes the rebellion can be saved, but Sha'ik must join them and flee Raraku. Sha'ik then steps over the hill, and L'roric opens his warren to go to her.
The Whirlwind Goddess thinks of her fury, and her once-husband's betrayal.  Her husband's drawing of another woman, and then his exile from their clan. The Goddess' rage had not died and burns hot, she is ready for her vengeance.
Sha'ik descends down the hill, and she ignores the calls of Karsa and Leoman.
Captain Keneb comes to Adjunct Tavore Paran and says that Fist Gamet has died of a brain clot. Tavore steadies herself when hearing the news. She asks for T'amber, but word has come that Sha'ik has entered the basin and offered a challenge to Tavore. They may duel. After short consideration, Tavore dons her armour and goes.
L'oric has entered the goddess' Warren and finally can see her--an ancient furious Imass. As chains slowly come to her body. L'oric tries to shout to the goddess. She is stuck in a web of vines, but then L'oric is stabbed. Korbolo Dom's Talons ambush the goddess and kill her, chains snaking over her fallen body. L'oric is dying, but Osric appears to save him, saying he will bring L'oric home.
Sha'ik stumbles, the Whirlwind Goddess gone from her. Tavore descending towards her, Sha'ik feels like Felisin once more, and she says Blood is the chain, the chain that can never break. Tavore draws closer, her weapon drawn. Felisin and Tavore are the same, and that blood is heavy. So heavy. A sword punches through Felisin's chest and she falls down, looking to her sister wondering why Tavore did not love her. Wondering what their mother would think.
Leoman is shocked seeing Sha'ik killed, and he turns to Karsa. Leoman decides he will ride to Y'ghatan with the others, but Karsa will not join him. They say goodbye.
Pearl and Lostara Yil watched Felisin's death, and they walk down the hill towards Tavore. They see the Crow Clan's standard raised over the Dogslayer's camp, the song crescendoing, and then Tavore greets them. Pearl offers Korbolo Dom to the adjunct then reports to Tavore that they found Felisin, and she is dead. Tavore asks for certainty, and they offer it. Then she leaves to find her officers. Pearl and Lostara decide to bury Felisin's body, and agree that Tavore looks alone.
Tavore joins her commanders saying to send scouts into the Dogslayers camp and that Korbolo Dom has been delivered to them. They speak of those ghosts that attacked the Dogslayers, and who was amongst them. Captain Kindly and Lieutenant Pores reports to Tavore. The Adjunct then says that the army will ride after Leoman, declaring that the rebellion will be ashes on the wind when they are done. Then Karsa Orlong rides to them, and says the Malazans are not his enemies and he rides away.
Lieutenant Ranal rides forward with Fiddler and Cuttle behind him. The other squads have not joined. Ranal notices some fleeing warriors and ignores warnings and rides dangerously into a sandstorm.
Gesler sees Tiste Liosan riding towards them and he uses this new munitions crossbow to cause a huge explosion and scare off the Tiste Liosan. 
Jorrude recovers with the other Liosan and they speculate about Gesler. They decide to retreat back to their realm.
In the sandstorm, Fiddler is knocked off his horse. He almost loses his bag of explosives but Corabb Bhilan Thenu'alas briefly catches it before returning to the ground. A nearby explosion is massive, and nearly lethal.Fiddler hears a voice and cries out to who he thinks is Hedge. Then Cuttle finds them and he learns Ranal has died, that Fiddler has lived, and the song of Raraku and his heart are in matching cadence.
Fayelle flees with the remaining Dogslayers only to be caught and killed by Sinn. Sinn rejoins the Ashok Regiment and they ride to join the others in the rising Raraku.
Pearl and Lostara Yil are together after burying Sha'ik. They are on a high hill and look at the Adjunct's army which has been positioned properly as in the Holy Desert, a sea rises from the past. The basin will be flooded, and the two speak like normal. 
Fiddler sits with his squad waiting for the sea, thinking the sound of its song is warm and comforting. Then Quick Ben and Kalam step out to greet him, brothers...and they embrace.
Heboric, Scillara and Felisin Younger look down from a ridge to the sea, only to learn about L'oric's fate from Iskaral Pust, who invites them to be his guests.
==Tesem==
Cutter is alone and confused in the Temple of Shadow. Cotillion comes to find him. Together they speak about Apsalar, paths worth walking, and Felisin Elder's life. Cotillion says that soon Felisin Younger will come to the temple with others, and then Cotillion charges Cutter with protecting the child. They speak a bit about balance, and then of love, and Cutter knows why Apsalar had to leave.
==Raraku==
Karsa Orlong then looks out across the new sea, and pulls out the remains of 'Siballe. He speaks to her of her past, and then his own. Saying once he believed in only glory, but he has learned that glory is nothing. Which can not be said for mercy. He throws her into the water, and goes to ride west. Hoping to be worthy to lead his brothers.
==External links==
* Critical Conversations 01: House of Chains Chapter 26 with Steven Erikson - A Critical Dragon - Steven Erikson discusses this chapter
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