Well, her excuse is as the "Sister of
Cold Nights". Not that anybody knew that, though Night
chill is still a good, suggestive name. As I said earlier, either Ruse or Rashan could have aspects of cold. The question is who and why. Bellurdan told Tattersail that he didn't think Tayschrenn had betrayed them. He denied any suspicions against the High Mage, and so it's unlikely that he thought A'karonys killed Nightchill, either.
Which is where our problem comes from.
I re-read the scene last night, and there are huge inconsistencies.
10 to 1, this sounds like Tay taking out Calot. Certainly not Rake, by any means. Possibly A'karonys:
Quote
"Tattersail had fallen to her knees. Calot stood over her, chaining words of power over her, his face turned away from Moon's Spawn, fixed on something or someone down below on the plain. His eyes were wide with terror.
Too late Tattersail understood what was happening. Calot was defending her at his own expense. A final act, even as he watched his own death erupt around him. A blast of bright fire engulfed him. Abruptly the net of protection over Tattersail vanished."
The order of Nightchill and A'karonys.
Quote
"She watched as a Kenryll'ah demon arose beneath Nightchill. Laughing shrilly, the towering, gaunt creature tore Nightchill limb from limb. It had begun feeding by the time Bellurdan arrived. The Thelomen bellowed as the demon raked its knife-like talons against his chest. Ignoring the wounds around his head and the blood that sprayed from them, he closed his hands around the demon's head and crushed it.
A'Karonys unleashed gouts of flame from the staff in his hands until Moon's Spawn almost disappeared inside a ball of fire. Then ethereal wings of ice closed around the short, fat wizard, freezing him where he stood. An instant later he was crushed to dust."
Only thing I can think of? They actually happened contemporaneously. I.e. it's told one after the other because we're using words. In actual fact, it occurred at the same time.
BUT. There is also an inconsistency with the description of Hairlock's death - that the wave which cut him down came from the plain - and the fact that it is described as:
Quote
She saw a wave sweep past Hairlock's defences, cutting him in half. His howl was more rage than pain, instantly muted as virulent power washed over Tattersail and she found her own defences assailed by the sorcery's cold [snip] then the assault passed, sweeping on and down the hill to their left.
OK, so it comes from the right. Which is not from the 'plain' at all, per se. It's actually from the other hills, really. However, the wave is described as both
virulent and
cold. Galain is described prior to this as necrous, which is akin to virulent.
So, Hairlock was taken down by cold-magic, not fire. That completely rules out Tayschrenn,
unless he was shunting the magic Rake was launching at him towards the Cadre's hill. Entirely possible, however still a bit iffy - how then did either 'Lock or 'Sail come to the conclusion that it was Tay who betrayed them? Calot, perhaps, but it still doesn't mesh.
Hairlock - virulent cold
Calot - fire
Nightchill - demon
A'karonys - cold
Nightchill/Rake kills Hairlock.
Tay/A'karonys kills Calot.
Tay/A'karonys releases demon on Nightchill.
Bellurdan/Nightchill/Rake kills A'karonys.
It just doesn't make
sense. But then, this was the Pale Enfilade. Mage battles are messy, they're not clear-cut and straightforward. Magic was being thrown all over the place, deflected, etc.
The only two deaths Tay is certain to have had no hand in (bar an intentional deflection in the case of Hairlock's demise), is Hairlock and A'karonys's. Both of them died to cold. Tay doesn't do cold magic.
My only reservation is that Nightchill did not die before A'karonys. If her death was at the same time as A'karonys got taken out, it all makes sense, to some extent. 'Cept how Calot died, and who killed Hairlock. XD
I can't believe we're still discussing this after the release of Dust of Dreams.
Help
Imperial High Mage Tayschrenn, on 22 October 2009 - 09:53 AM, said:
