Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson

  Wrapped in his army-issue raincape, Kulp had not moved from where he stood on the dock. 'And what,' he asked tone-lessly, 'did you pay for this… boat?'

  The historian sighed, glancing up at the mage. 'Can you not repair it? What was your warren again, Kulp?'

  'Boat repair,' the man answered.

  'Very well,' Duiker said, climbing back onto the dock. 'I take your point. To cross the Strait you will need something more seaworthy than this. The man who sold me this craft seems to have exaggerated its qualities.'

  'A haral's prerogative. Better had you hired a craft."

  Duiker grunted. 'Who could I trust?'

  'Now what?'

  The historian shrugged. 'Back to the inn. This requires a new plan.'

  They made their way up the rickety dock and entered the dirt track that passed for the village's main thoroughfare. The fisher shacks on either side displayed a paucity of pride common to small communities in the shadow of a large city. Dusk had fallen, and apart from a pack of three scrawny dogs taking turns rolling on the carcass of a fish, there was no-one about. Heavy curtains blotted out most of the light coming from the shacks. The air was hot, an inland wind holding at bay the sea breeze.

  The village inn stood on stilts, a sprawling, single-storey structure of bleached wood frame, burlap walls and thatched roof. Crabs scuttled in the sand beneath it. Opposite the inn was the stone blockhouse of a Malazan Coastal Guard detachment—four sailors from Cawn and two marines whose appearance betrayed nothing of their origins. For them, the old national allegiances no longer held any relevance. The new Imperial breed, Duiker mused as he and Kulp entered the inn and returned to the table they'd occupied earlier. The Malazan Guards were crowded around another, close to the back wall where the burlap had been pulled aside, revealing the tranquil scene of withered grasses, white sand and glittering sea. Duiker envied the soldiers the fresh air that no doubt drifted in to where they sat.

  They'd yet to approach, but the historian knew it was only a matter of time. In this village travellers would be rare, and one wearing the field cape of a soldier even rarer. Thus far, however, translating curiosity into action had proved too great an effort.

  Kulp gestured to the barman for a jug of ale, then leaned close to Duiker. There's going to be questions. Soon. That's one problem. We don't have a boat. That's another. I'm a poor excuse for a sailor, that's a third—'

  'All right, all right,' the historian hissed. 'Hood's breath, let me think in peace!'

  His expression sour, Kulp leaned back.

  Moths danced clumsily between the sputtering lanterns in the room. There were no villagers present, and the lone barman's attention seemed close to obsessive on the Malazan soldiers, holding his thin, dark eyes on them even as he set down the ale jug in front of Kulp.

  Watching the barman leave, the mage grunted. 'This night's passing strange, Duiker.'

  'Aye.' Where is everyone?

  The scrape of a chair drew their attention to the ranking Malazan, a corporal by the sigil on his surcoat, who'd risen and now approached. Beneath the dull tin sigil was a larger stain, where the surcoat's dye was unweathered—the man had once been a sergeant.

  To match his frame, the corporal's face was flat and wide, evincing north Kanese blood somewhere in his ancestry. His head was shaved, showing razor scars, some still blotted with dried blood. His gaze was fixed on Kulp.

  The mage spoke first. 'Watch your tongue, lest you keep walking backwards.'

  The soldier blinked. 'Backwards?'

  'Sergeant, then corporal—you bucking for private now? You've been warned.'

  The man seemed unaffected. 'I see no rank showing,' he growled.

  'Only because you don't know what to look for. Go back to your table, Corporal, and leave our business to us.'

  'You're Seventh Army.' He clearly had no intention of returning to his table. 'A deserter.'

  Kulp's wiry brows rose. 'Corporal, you've just come face to face with the Seventh's entire Mage Cadre. Now back out of my face before I put gills and scales on yours.'

  The corporal's eyes flicked to Duiker, then back to Kulp.

  'Wrong,' the mage sighed. 'I'm the entire cadre. This man's my guest.'

  'Gills and scales, huh?' The corporal set his wide hands down on the tabletop and leaned close to Kulp. 'I get even a sniff of you opening a warren, you'll find a knife in your throat. This is my guardpost, magicker, and any business you got here is my business. Now, start explaining yourselves, before I cut those big ears off your head and add 'em to my belt. Sir.'

  Duiker cleared his throat. 'Before this goes any further—

  'Shut your mouth!' the corporal snapped, still glaring at Kulp.

  Distant shouting interrupted them. 'Truth!' the corporal bellowed. 'Go see what's happening outside.'

  A young Cawn sailor leapt to his feet, checking a newly issued short sword scabbarded at his hip as he crossed to the door.

  'We are here,' Duiker told the corporal, 'to purchase a boat—'

  A startled curse came from just outside, followed by a frantic scrabbling of boots on the rickety inn steps. The recruit named Truth tumbled back inside, his face white. An impressive stream of Cawn dockside curses issued from the youth's mouth, finishing with: '—got an armed mob outside, Corporal, and they ain't interested in talking. Saw them split, about ten heading to the Ripath.'

  The other sailors were on their feet. One addressed the corporal. 'They'll torch her, Gesler, then we'll be stuck on this stinking strip of beach—

  'Arms out and form up,' Gesler growled. He rose, turning to the other marine. 'Front door, Stormy. Find out who's leading that group out there and stick a quarrel between his eyes.'

  'We have to save the boat!' the sailors' spokesman said.

  Gesler nodded. 'That we will, Vered.'

  The marine named Stormy took position at the door, his cocked assault crossbow appearing as if from nowhere. Outside, the shouting had grown louder, closer. The mob was working itself into the courage it needed to rush the inn. The boy Truth stood in the centre of the room, the short sword twitching in his hand, his face red with rage.

  'Calm yourself, lad,' Gesler said. His eyes fell to Kulp. 'I'm less likely to cut off your ears if you open a warren now, Mage.'

  Duiker asked, 'You've made enemies in this village, Corporal?'

  The man smiled. 'This has been coming for some time. Ripath is fully provisioned. We can get you to Hissar… maybe… we got to get out of this first. Can you use a crossbow?'

  The historian sighed, then nodded.

  'Expect some arrows through the walls,' Stormy said from the doorway.

  'Found their leader yet?'

  'Aye, and he's keeping his distance.'

  'We can't wait—to the back door, everyone!'

  The barman, who'd been crouching behind the small counter on one side of the room, now stepped forward, hunched crablike in expectation of the first flight of arrows through the burlap wall. 'The tab, Mezla—many weeks now. Seventy-two jakatas—'

  'What's your life worth?' Gesler asked, gesturing for Truth to join the sailors as they slipped through the break in the rear wall.

  The barman's eyes went wide, then he ducked his head. 'Seventy-two jakatas, Mezla?'

  'About right,' the corporal nodded.

  Cool, damp air, smelling of moss and wet stone, filled the room. Duiker looked at Kulp, who mutely shook his head. The historian rose. 'They've got a mage, Corporal—'

  A roar rushed from the street outside and struck the front of the inn like a wave. The wooden frame bowed, the burlap walls bellying. Kulp loosed a warning shout, pitching from his chair and rolling across the floor. Wood split, cloth tore.

  Stormy lunged away from the front, and all at once everyone left in the room was bolting for the rear exit. The floor lifted under them as the front stilts lost their footing, pitching everyone towards the back wall. Tables and chairs toppled, joining the headlong rush. Screaming, the barman vanished under a rac
k of wine jugs.

  Tumbling through the rent, Duiker fell through the darkness to land on a heap of dried seaweed. Kulp landed on him, all knees and elbows, driving the breath from the historian's lungs.

  The inn was still rising from the front as the sorcerous wave took hold of all it touched, and pushed.

  'Do something, Kulp!' Duiker gasped.

  In answer the mage pulled the historian upright, spun him around, then gave him a hard shove. 'Run! That's what we're going to do!'

  The sorcery ravaging the inn abruptly ceased. Still balanced on its rear stilts, the building pitched back down. Cross-beams snapped. The inn seemed to explode, the wood frame shattering. The ceiling collapsed straight down, hitting the floor in a cloud of sand and dust.

  Stumbling beside Duiker as they hurried down to the beach, Stormy grunted, 'Hood's just paid the barman's tab, eh?' The marine gestured with the crossbow he carried. 'I'm here to take care of you. Corporal's gone ahead—we're looking at a scrap getting to Ripattis dock.'

  'Where's Kulp?' Duiker demanded. It had all happened so fast, he was feeling overwhelmed with confusion. 'He was here beside me—'

  'Gone sniffing after that spell-caster is my guess. Who can figure mages, eh? Unless'n he's run away. Hood knows he ain't showed much so far, eh?'

  They reached the strand. Thirty paces to their left Gesler and the sailors were closing in on a dozen locals who'd taken up positions in front of a narrow dock. A low, sleek patrol craft with a single mast was moored there. To the right the beach stretched in a gentle curve southward, to distant Hissar… a city in flames. Duiker staggered to a halt, staring at the ruddy sky above Hissar.

  'Togg's teats!' Stormy hissed, following the historian's gaze. 'Dryjhna's come. Guess we won't be taking you to the city after all, eh?'

  'Wrong,' Duiker said. 'I need to rejoin Coltaine. My horse is in the stables—never mind the damn boat.'

  'They're pinching her flanks right now, I bet. Around here, people ride camels, eat horses. Forget it.' He reached out but the historian pulled away and began running up the strand, away from Ripath and the scrap that had now started there.

  Stormy hesitated, then, growling a curse, set off after Duiker.

  A flash of sorcery ignited the air above the front street, followed by an agonized shriek.

  Kulp, Duiker thought. Delivering or dying. He stayed on the beach, running parallel to the village, until he judged he was opposite the stables, then he turned inward, scrabbling through the weeds of the tide line. Stormy moved up beside the historian.

  'I'll just see you safe on your way, eh?'

  'My thanks,' Duiker whispered.

  'Who are you anyway?'

  'Imperial Historian. And who are you, Stormy?'

  The man grunted. 'Nobody. Nobody at all.'

  They slowed as they slipped between the first row of huts, keeping to the shadows. A few paces from the street the air blurred in front of them and Kulp appeared. His cape was scorched, his face red from a fireflash.

  'Why in Hood's name are you two here?' he demanded in a hiss. There's a High Mage out prowling around—Hood knows why he's here. Problem is, he knows I'm here, which makes me bad company to be around—I barely squeezed the last one—

  'That scream we heard was yours?' Duiker asked.

  'Ever had a spell roll onto you? My bones have been rattled damn near out of their sockets. I shat my pants, too. But I'm alive.'

  'So far,' Stormy said, grinning.

  'Thanks for the blessing,' Kulp muttered.

  Duiker said, 'We need to—'

  The night blossomed around them, a coruscating, flame-lit explosion that flung all three men to the ground. The historian's shriek of pain joined two others as the sorcery seemed to claw into his flesh, clutch icy cold around his bones, sending jolts of agony up his limbs. His scream rose higher as the relentless pain reached his brain, blotting out the world in a blood-misted haze that seemed to sizzle behind his eyes. Duiker thrashed about and rolled across the ground, but there was no escape. This sorcery was killing him, a horrifyingly personal assault, invading every corner of his being.

  Then it was gone. He lay unmoving, one cheek pressed against the cool, dusty ground, his body twitching in the aftermath. He'd soiled himself. He'd pissed himself. His sweat was a bitter stink.

  A hand clutched the collar of his telaba. Kulp's breath gusted hot at his ear as the mage whispered, 'I slapped back. Enough to sting. We need to get to the boat—Gesler's—'

  'Go with Stormy,' Duiker gasped. 'I'm taking the horses—'

  'Are you mad?'

  Biting back a scream, the historian pushed himself to his feet. He staggered as memories of pain rippled through his limbs. 'Go with Stormy, damn you—go!'

  Kulp stared at the man, then his eyes narrowed. 'Aye, ride as a Dosü. Might work…'

  Stormy, his face white as death, plucked the mage's sleeve. 'Gesler won't wait for ever.'

  'Aye.' With a final nod at Duiker, the mage joined the marine. They ran hard back down to the beach.

  Gesler and the sailors were in trouble. Bodies lay sprawled in the churned-up sand around the dock—the first dozen locals and two of the Cawn sailors. Gesler, flanked by Truth and another sailor, were struggling to hold at bay a newly arrived score of villagers—men and women—who flung themselves forward in a spitting frenzy, using harpoons, mallets, cleavers, some with only their bare hands. The remaining two sailors—both wounded—were on Ripath, feebly attempting to cast off the lines.

  Stormy led Kulp to within a dozen paces of the mob, then the marine crouched, took aim and fired a quarrel into the press. Someone shrieked. Stormy slung the crossbow over a shoulder and drew a short sword and gutting dagger. 'Got anything for this, Mage?' he demanded, then, without waiting for a reply, he plunged forward, striking the mob on its flank. Villagers reeled; none was killed, but many were horribly maimed as the marine waded into the press—the dead posed no burden; the wounded did.

  Gesler now held the dock alone, as Truth was pulling a downed comrade back towards the boat. One of the wounded sailors on Ripath's deck had stopped moving.

  Kulp hesitated, knowing that whatever sorcery he unleashed would draw down on them the High Mage. The cadre mage did not think it likely that he could withstand another attack. All his joints were bleeding inside, swelling the flesh with blood. By the morning he would not be able to move. If I survive this night. Even so, more subtle ploys remained.

  Kulp raised his arms, voicing a keening shriek. A wall of fire erupted in front of him, then rolled, tumbling and growing, rushing towards the villagers. Who broke, then ran. Kulp sent the flame up the beach in pursuit. When it reached the banked sward, it vanished.

  Stormy whirled. 'If you could do that—'

  'It was nothing,' Kulp said, joining the men.

  'A wall of—'

  'I meant nothing! A Hood-blinked illusion, you fool! Now, let's get out of here!'

  They lost Vered twenty spans from the shore, a harpoon-head buried deep in his chest finally gushing the last of his blood onto the slick deck. Gesler unceremoniously rolled the man over the side. Remaining upright in addition to the corporal were the youth Truth, Stormy and Kulp. Another sailor was slowly losing a battle with a slashed artery in his left thigh and was but minutes from Hood's Gate.

  'Everyone stay quiet,' Kulp whispered. 'Show no lights—the High Mage is on the beach.'

  Breaths were held, including a pitiless hand clamped down over the dying sailor's mouth until the man's moaning ceased.

  With barely a storm-sail rigged, Ripath slipped slowly from the shallow bay, her keel parting water with a soft susurration.

  Loud enough, Kulp knew. He opened his warren, threw sounds in random directions, a muted voice here, a creak of wood there. He cast a shroud of gloom over the area, holding the power of his warren back, letting it trickle forth to deceive, not challenge.

  Sorcery flashed sixty spans to their left, fooled by a thrown sound. The gloom swallowed the mag
ic's light.

  The night fell silent once again. Gesler and others seemed to grasp what Kulp was doing. Their eyes held on him, hopeful, with barely checked fear. Truth held the tiller, motionless, not daring to do anything but keep the sail ahead of the soft breeze.

  It seemed they merely crawled on the water. Sweat dripped from Kulp—he was soaked through with the effort of evading the High Mage's questing senses. He could feel those deadly probes, only now realizing that his opponent was a woman, not a man.

  Far to the south, Hissar's harbour was a glowing wall of black-smeared flames. No effort was made to angle towards it, and Kulp understood as well as the others that there would be no succour found there. Seven Cities had risen in mutiny.

  And we're at sea. Is there a safe harbour left to us? Gesler said this boat was provisioned—far enough to take us to Aren? Through hostile waters at that… A better option would be Falar, but that was over six hundred leagues south of Dosin Pali.

  Then another thought struck him, even as the questing of the High Mage faded, then finally vanished. Heboric Light Touch—the poor bastard's heading for the rendezvous if all's gone as planned. Crossing a desert to a lifeless coast. 'Breathe easy now,' the mage said. 'She's abandoned the hunt.'

  'Out of range?' Truth asked.

  'No, just lost interest. I'd guess she has more important matters to attend to, lad. Corporal Gesler.'

  'Aye?'

  'We need to cross the strait. To the Otataral Coast.'

  'What in Hood's name for, Mage?'

  'Sorry, this time I'm pulling rank. Do as I command.'

  'And what if we just push you over the side?' Gesler enquired calmly. 'There's dhenrabi out here, feeding along the edge of Sahul Shelf. You'd be a tasty morsel…"

  Kulp sighed. 'We go to pick up a High Priest of Fener, Corporal. Feed me to a dhenrabi and no-one mourns the loss. Anger a High Priest and his foul-tempered god might well cock one red eye in your direction. Are you prepared for that risk?'

  The corporal leaned back and barked a laugh. Stormy and Truth were grinning as well.

  Kulp scowled. 'You find this amusing?'

  Stormy leaned over the gunnel and spat into the sea. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then said, 'It seems Fener's already cocked an eye in our direction, Mage. We're Boar Company, of the disbanded First Army. Before Laseen crushed the cult, that is. Now we're just marines attached to a miserable Coastal Guard.'