title: Death Spiral: The Collapse of Cinar, Norshield and Mount Real
author: William A Urseth
description: <P>William Urseth is president of Strategic Research and Marketing and the editor-in-chief of "Menz Tournament Hunter" magazine. He is the cohost of "Quest for the One." He lives in Montreal, Quebec.</P>
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  ## THE SHADOW OF THE TORTURER
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Gene Wolfe  
    
  
  
    
    
  
  
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### [I](gateway_copy.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Resurrection and Death](gateway_copy.html)
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  It is possible I already had some presentiment of my future. The locked and
  rusted gate that stood before us, with wisps of river fog threading its spikes
  like the mountain paths, remains in my mind now as the symbol of my exile.
  That is why I have begun this account of it with the aftermath of our swim, in
  which I, the torturer’s apprentice Severian, had so nearly drowned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The guard has gone.” Thus my friend Roche spoke to Drotte, who had already
  seen it for himself.
  
  
  
  
  
  Doubtfully, the boy Eata suggested that we go around. A lift of his thin,
  freckled arm indicated the thousands of paces of wall stretching across the
  slum and sweeping up the hill until at last they met the high curtain wall of
  the Citadel. It was a walk I would take, much later.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And tr