The Crippled God/Chapter 18

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Epigraph
Kalam Mekhar has for a long time been lying, poisoned, in the Malaz City Deadhouse. Quick Ben and Kalam's ex-wife, Minala, rouse him. They depart by warren to Kolanse.
In North Citadel the recently-arrived Pure, Sister Belie, has arranged a parley with the leader of the besieged Malazans; she intends to order him to kill himself in front of the defenders. However that leader is Ganoes Paran, the Master of the Deck, and he deflects the command.
On Death's ship Hood and the undead Shurq Elalle discuss life and death, and how the old gods take but don't give. Hood explains how Shadowthrone and Cotillion conspired with other gods and Ascendants to remedy the situation. They encounter a Forkrul Assail ship, captained by a Watered. Felash's handmaiden boards it to negotiate. Told that they will all be killed, she attacks and kills them all, including the Watered. Felash mentions that five of her sisters have similar handmaidens, and that they originally had insisted on wearing masks.
Draconus tells Ublala Pung that they must separate; Ublala should go north. He then veers and flies away.
In Kolanse City the Pures learn that the assault on North Citadel has failed, and why. A delegation of Perish Grey Helms from the fleet arrive and, having duplicated the Shield Anvil's reasoning, wish to ally with the Assail. Instead they are enslaved and sent to attack North Citadel.
The Shi'Gal Assassin Gu'Rull discovers the unconscious Krughava and rescues her from the swarm of Shards that was about to eat her. When recovered she warns the Bonehunters that they can no longer rely on the Perish Grey Helms army to fight on their side.
That army has reached Kolanse. Setoc arrives, possessed by the Wolves of Winter to whom she is Destriant. The Wolves wish the Perish to fight on the side of the Bonehunters, to the chagrin of Shield Anvil Tanakalian.
Kilava and Gruntle are evenly matched, even without Trake's presence. Then Starvald Demelain opens and an Eleint dragon emerges. Gruntle, possessed now by Trake, attacks it successfully but Kilava takes the opportunity to kill Gruntle, to her regret. All the Eleint emerge into the world.
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