Chapter 9 - Glimmermere:
An impressive museum, a powerful painting, and one of the natural marvels of the Land. These are the highlights of the chapter titled Glimmermere.
The chapter begins with Covenant in an apprehensive mood over the encounter with Trell, nursing his sore ribs. He waits for the summons to the High Lord, and what he fears will be a bad encounter. Finally, Bannor sends word that the High Lord wishes to see him.
The way Bannor takes is unfamiliar to him. All Covenant knows is that he is going down deep into Revelstone, below where the Lords have their quarters. They arrive in a rough cut great hall. This hall is filled with marvelous artwork of all forms. Even the gruff Covenant is entranced by the sculptures and paintings that show a vast variety moods and subjects, both of the good in the Land and the bad. Bannor explains that this is the Hall of Gifts, and that the artworks displayed here are gifts from artists of the Land to the Lords. He further explains that the Lords do not keep the art for themselves, but place them here where all can see the works. Covenant believes he senses in Bannor’s explanations something of the deep feeling towards the Lords that made the Bloodguard take their vow, but he remains silent.
During his inspection, Covenant comes across the tapestry that he tried to destroy in his first visit to the Land. It depicts Berek – his despair on Mount Thunder and discovery of the Earthpower. Just the story that Covenant wants to be reminded of! He turns abruptly away, and finds the High Lord Elena walking towards him.
Elena is concerned that Covenant is hurt after his incident with Trell, but there is no reproach for him in her voice. She dismisses Bannor, saying that they are going to go upland. Elena then continues talking about the hall, and its use as a teaching place for the children of the Land, and how it can be hidden if Revelstone is overwhelmed. Elena then points out a work by one of the Lands great craftmasters, Ahanna daughter of Hanna.
The painting causes Elena to become pensive:He followed and stopped with her in front of a large picture in an ebony frame. It was a dark work, but glowing bravely near its center was a figure that he recognized immediately: Lord Mhoram. The Lord stood alone in a hollow surrounded by black fiendish shapes which were about to fall on him like a flood, deluge him utterly. His only weapon was his staff, but he wielded it defiantly; and in his eyes was a hot, potent look of extremity and triumph, as if he discovered within himself some capacity for peril that made him unconquerable.
Elena said, “Ahanna names this painting ‘Lord Mhoram’s Victory’. She is a prophet, I think.”
Elena then states that it is time to go. They must go and meet an Unfettered One. Up they climb through the back of Revelstone, to the uplands behind that great place. Here the area is protected from invading armies by the cliffs to the east and south and mountains to the north. It is a place where Revelstone can keep and store a great supply of provisions if needed. It also contains one of the great wonders of the Land – Glimmermere.“This picture disturbs me,” she said. “Where am I? If Mhoram is so sorely beset, why am I not at his side? How have I fallen, that he is so alone?” She brushed her fingertips over Mhoram’s lone, beleaguered, invincible stance. “It is in my heart that this war will go beyond me.”
Glimmermere is a great pool of crystal clear water – yet it is more than just water. Elena and Covenant arrive by the shore and must cleanse themselves in the water before they can meet the Unfettered One. The water is unlike anything Covenant has ever seen. When Elena dives in, he can’t see any of her under the water! Only the rocky bottom of the pool. Elena explains that the water here is like other water, only stronger – it has Earthpower in it and it doesn’t recognize their flesh. When he places his own hand in the water he can’t see anything of himself that is in the water! Diving into the tingling cold water heals his sore ribs immediately. He can also see, underwater, what he couldn’t see from above. He also finds that the pool is immeasurably deep, even at the shore. The rocks on the bottom are a trick of sight. It only seems shallow. They frolic playfully in the water but they can’t remain long, though they don’t need to. Glimmermere has cleansed them. They dry off in the verdant grass that surrounds the pool
The chapter ends with the arrival of the Unfettered One – the interpreter of dreams. Covenant is called away alone to meet with him. He pauses, before he follows, to lace up his boots, a symbol of the “real world”.
) Even before he touched Mhoram, samadhi must have known how little of Kevin's Lore the New Lords knew. When he touched Mhoram, he didn't sense knowledge - he sensed a spirit that has no idea what it means to fail or quit!! A spirit that finds a way to succeed when there is no way!! Since it's coming up in several chapters, I won't quote how we see Mhoram display this on Kevin's Watch. But I can't wait until TPTP for this quick quote:
Hee Hee!!!
