The soul knows no greater anguish than to take a breath that begins with love and ends with grief. - Steven Erikson

The High Mage scowled. 'All right. Maybe I was trying to scare you.
It'll be rough, though. That much is true. And over on the Silanda, Fiddler will be heaving his guts out.'
Kalam, thinking on it, suddenly smiled. 'That cheers me up.'
'Me too.

This is Quick Ben’s game, O Elder. The bones are in his sweaty hands and they have been for some time. Now, if at his table you’ll find the Worm of Autumn, and the once Lord of Death, and Shadowthrone and Cotillion, not to mention the past players Anomander Rake and Dessembrae, and who knows who else, well – did you really believe a few thousand damned Nah’ruk could take him down? The thing about Adaephon Delat’s game is this: he cheats.

Hope dies to ten thousand small cuts.