The prologue describes the battle between the K’Chain Che’malle armies and those of the Tiste Edur and Tiste Andii. The hive cities of the K’Chain Che’malle reduced to rubble and the great sky keeps are falling to earth and shattering, under the attack of the two allied armies. 1159th Year of Burns Sleep Year of the White Veins in the Ebony Three years before the Letherii Seventh Closure