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Heinto a snarl Then stopped, head slowly turning ’I aer Hood’s Herald,’ he whispered ’Dismissed A flawed service Unacceptable What would you say to me, Chained One?’

There would be no answer, until the decision was made, until the journey’s end

Gethol entered the fissure

The Crippled God had fashioned a shut saith so ounds that never healed, here then was the true face of vanity

Gethol halted before the entrance He raised his voice ’Dispense with the shroud -- I shall not crawl to you’

The tent shi a robed, hooded, shapeless figure sitting on damp clay A brazier lifted veils of sled hand reached out to fan the sweet tendrils into the hood-shadowed face ’A most,’ the Chained One said in a wheeze, ’a eance was … felt, Jaghut Your teered Hood’s meticulous plans, you see that, do you not? It was this that so … disappointed the Lord of Death His Herald must be obedient His Herald must possess no personal desires, no ambitions Not a worthy … elanced around ’There is heat beneath me We chained you to Burn’s flesh, anchored you to her bones -- and you have poisoned her’

’I have A festering thorn in her side … that shall one day kill her And with Burn’s death, this world shall die Her heart cold, lifeless, will cease its life-giving bounty These chains hed ’All worlds die I shall not prove the weak link, Crippled God I was here for the Chaining, after all’

’Ah,’ the creature hissed, ’but you are the weak link You ever were You thought you could earn Hood’s trust, and you failed Not the first failure, either, as we both know When your brother Gothos called upon you-’

’Enough! Who is the vulnerable one here?’

’We both are, Jaghut We both are’ The god raised his hand again, waved it slowly between them Lacquered, wooden cards appeared, suspended in the air, their painted i Gethol ’Behold,’ the Crippled God whispered, ’the House of Chains …’

The Jaghut’s lone functioning eye narrowed ’What -- what have you done?’