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’You have, Ultentha, you have And what of those daed Ones have driven them off, Holy One The skies have been cleared, and so the eneence is thus thwarted We shall permit them to establish their camps on the flats, then we shall rise from our hidden positions and descend upon their flank This, in tie Cadres froed Ones froates -- Holy One, victory will be ours’

’I want Caladan Brood I want his hammer, delivered into hast gods grovelling at my feet But most of all, I want the Grey Swords! Is that understood? I want that man, Itkovian -- then I will have a replacement for my mother Thus, hearto me Itkovian Alive’

’It will be as you will, Holy One,’ Septarch Ultentha said

It will be as he wills He is od What he wills, all that he wills The wolf cannot breathe The wolf is dying

He -- we are dying

’And where is the enemy now, Ultentha?’

’They have indeed divided, two days past, since they crossed the river’

’Yet are they not aware that the cities they march towards are dead?’

’So their Great Ravens must have reported, Holy One’

’Then what are they up to?’

’We are unsure Your Winged Ones dare not draw too close -- their presence is yet to be noted, I believe, and best we keep it that way’

’Agreed Well, perhaps they i -- and fear a surprise attack fronore the cities’

’We are granted more time by their caution, Holy One’

’They are fools, swollen with the victory at Capustan’

’Indeed, Holy One For which they will dearly pay’

Everyone pays No-one escapes I thought I was safe The as a power unto hi awake He here I fled to

But the wolf chose the wrongbody When he ca, that I’d thought a stone -- I’d been whole, young, sound