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By the tarriors … and all that sheathed their hidden souls

Freed, writhing, dancing, spider-bitten -- mad, frantic in answer…

In answer

Somewhere within hi the T’lan Imass back, back -- the wolf stirred

Trapped In this bent but unbroken e of bone … He saw, close, the shattered fra A beam, massive, its end capped in black, bruised bronze Where bits were ser drew his s under histones, felt flesh tear as he twisted round, pivoted, dragged his legs up to kneel -- then, hands, frozen into fists, pushing down on the stone Lifting, tilting back to settle weight on hips that ground and seemed to crumble beneath tendon and thin muscle

He set his hands down once s that had once been his feet under hi, slick with sweat beneath the tattered reht His head spun, blackness threatening, but he held on

Kruppe gasped, lifting her, pulling at her arm ’You must touch, lass This world -- it was s that must be freed’

Freed

Yes, she understood that word She longed for it, worshipped it, knelt, head bowed, before its altar Freed Yes, thatdown upon us

Freed to feed the earth -

-- deliverance, of ift -- the land underfoot, the layers, so many layers -

To feed the earth

What place is this?

’Reach, dearest Mhybe, Kruppe begs you! Touch -’

She raised a tre beneath blows, the flint sword fending sloith each flashing blade that reached for hie, the wolf stirring, the wolf seeking to draw breath -- unable -

He lurched towards the beam and its upthrust, bronze-capped end

One step, then toppling

Forward, lifting his ar to rise toin an explosion of pain-

To touch -

The cage!

Broken!