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We fled, a handful of survivors Ryllandaras, old friend -- we fell out, clashed, then clashed again on another continent He had gone the farthest, found a way to control the gifts -- Soletaken and D’ivers both White Jackal Ay’tog Agkor And one? A kind soul, twisted byFierce arrival -- the First Heroes Dark, savage

I re to dusk A wolf, its single eye like a sularto me now Why?

I padded this earth for thousands of years, sunk deep into the beast, huone And yet this vision of the wolf, awakening all withinin full flood, even as rows cold, so very cold

He’d tracked the mysterious beasts for days, driven by relentless curiosity A scent unknown to hi wake of death and old blood Fearless, he’d thought only of delivering destruction, as he had done without challenge for so long The White Jackal had vanished into the ood as Treach had driven hi down into the fathomless crevasse No eneance was legendary -- it had not been difficult, e such assurity

The four K’Chain Che’Malle hunters had circled back, awaited him with cold intent

I tore into thes deep in its lifeless neck Another moment, another heartbeat, and there would have been but three

So close a thing

Treach lay dying from a dozen mortal wounds Indeed, he should have been dead already, yet he clung on, with blind, bestial detere The four K’Chain Che’Malle had left hiain and ier of Summer had watched with dulled eyes as the creatures padded away, noted with satisfaction as an ar froround -- to be left behind with utter indifference

Then, as the undead hunters reached the crest of a nearby hill, his eyes had flashed A sleek, long black shape flowed fro his slayers Power flowed like black water The first K’Chain Che’Malle withered beneath the onslaught

The clash descended beyond the crest, beyond Treach’s line of sight, yet, di life, the battle continued He began dragging himself forward, inch by inch

Within moments, all sounds froled on, his blood a slick trail behind him, his amber eyes fixed on the crest, his will to live reduced to sonize an end to its life

I have seen this Antelope Bhederin The wilful denial, the pointless struggle, efforts to escape, even as throat gushes blood to fill , even as I begin feeding I have seen this, and now understand it

The tiger is huot the reason for the struggle to reach the crest, knew only that he must achieve it, a final ascent, to see what lay beyond

What lay beyond Yes A sun low on the horizon The endless sweep of unbroken, untah Hood’s cursed gates

She appeared before him, sleek and muscled and smooth-skinned A woman, small yet not frail, the fur of a panther on her shoulders, her long black hair unkeht Almond-shaped eyes, amber like his own Heart-shaped face, robustly featured

Coarse queen, why does this sight of you break my heart?

She approached, settled down to lift his ainst her lap Small hands stroked the blood and dried froth from around his eyes ’They are destroyed,’ she said in the ancient language, the language of the First Empire ’Not so difficult -- you left them with little, Silent Hunter Indeed, they veritably flew apart at my softest touch’

Liar

She smiled ’I have crossed your wake before, Treach, yet would not approach -- recalling your rage e destroyed your e cooled, Imass You did only as necessary You mended the wounds -

’The Imass cannot take credit for that Others were involved in the task of repairing the shattered warren We did nothing but slay your kind -- those e could find, that is It is our singular skill’