The Prologue takes place eight years before the events in Chapter 1. A 12-year-old noble-born boy, Ganoes Paran, is visiting Malaz City with his father. They are guests of the regional empire government official, a Fist of the Empire. The Malazan Empire—being large and spread across continents—has several such Fists, which are like governors who report to the emperor.

There are riots in Malaz City due to a conflict fed by a recent decree outlawing magic for anyone except the emperor’s own mages. Ganoes meets a soldier who is an elite commander and a member of a squad known as the Bridgeburners. Later, the reader will learn that this is Whiskeyjack. He gives Ganoes a piece of advice: If Ganoes wants to “live free,” then he should “live quietly.” The boy tells the commander that he wants to become a soldier.

Laseen, leader of the imperial assassin and spy network called the Claw, seeks out Whiskeyjack. Ganoes listens keenly to Laseen and Whiskeyjack’s tense conversation. She orders Whiskeyjack to send more troops to quell the riots, and he accuses her of overreacting to petty magic users and of being power-hungry.