The chapter begins as Linden has renewed her use of “the only power which had ever truly belonged to her”, the Staff of Law. The wanyhim have been healed to their astonishment. They can only express their thanks through “raw-edged sounds”, but their appreciation is overt.
Linden’s relationship with Stave has progressed to the point that he gives her “grave thanks”, high praise given his mistrust of her . Stave, a Master of the Land who mistrusts and forbids the use of Earthpower, inexplicably approves of this blatant use of Earthpower.
As with other times when Linden or Covenant have exerted the powers available to them, that use of power has exhausted Linden. Thus we find her and her comrades in one of the few times of peace found in the Chronicles; the waynhim tend to them and feed them.
Her comrades have been healed or sustained; as they rest they demonstrate their varying natures:
.Stave remained standing as if to do the Demondim-spawn honor. And Esmer wandered aimlessly around the chamber, looking vaguely rueful, troubled by sorrow he did not explain. But Marhtiir also sat on one of the ledges, studying the Wanyhim as though he meant to study every detail so that he would be able to tell his a people a tale worthy of his fierce ambitions
Although Linden has essentially communed with the Staff, and used it to good results, she has not actually seen or held it. She now is given the staff by one of the Wanyhim, and we review its appearance and nature. She is reminded of its history; the iron ends which came from the original staff; the connection to the One Tree; Vain and Findail; thus she walks through much of the Second Trilogy.
Her connection with the Staff is warm and intimate; it brings to her mind all in the Land that is good:
And then a second reunion. Anele has failed as guardian of the Staff. Decades have passed since he was in the presence of the Staff; decades full of misery, recrimination, and grief. How will he react?“She was filled with memories of Andelain...and aliantha...of Gilden trees , all vibrant with Earthpower.
She felt she was remembering the Land as it had once existed in the mind of its Creator”
In the stone of the Wayhim rhysh, Anele is as sane as he can be. And his attitude is one of continued grief and regret.
Thus the time of healing and peace is incomplete; Anele cannot yet be healed by the Staff, and we will soon see that other threats remain as well."I am unworthy of such astonishment . The day has not yet come when I can be whole”
Linden rests briefly, comforted by vitrim. She is confronted by her irrascible nemesis Esmer; never content with her having a moment’s rest he needs to know her intention; he urges her to leave the time she is in to avoid any damage to the integrity of time.
As Esmer leaves, Linden realizes a consequence of his presence; she recognizes that his presence impedes her ability to access the power of her white gold ring. Although Esmer does assist her at times, with each time he is compelled also to hurt someone else; some strange need exists for balance between good and evil in his intentions.
The Wanyhim are fated to bear the ill consequences of Esmer’s presence;
“They know their plight, yet they do not flinch from it”. Linden must formulate a plan to return to her time in the land with her companions, but also wants to save the Waynhim from this unnamed but doubtlessly dark fate.
She cannot be sure her plan will work; she cannot be sure she will not damage the Land, kill her comrades, or weaken the Arch of Time:
Rather than sleep now, Linden rests, and reflects on the history of the Land. Under the tyranny of the Masters, stonedowner Liand has had little opportunity to learn of the history of the Land, and Linden tells him many stories of the Land.“When had she been certain of anything besides her loves?”
Although she speaks of magic and heroes, she ultimately expressed her conclusion about who really matters; the ordinary people of the Land that work, love, and fight for what they believe in:
“I’m more ordinary than you think”
“ If there’s anyone here who deserves to inhabit a realm of antiquity and grandeur, it’s you (Liand). And Marthiir. Bhapi. Pahni."
Now the storm clouds gather. The Ramen tell Linden of the murky doings of Esmer, as he attempted to draw away the Ranyhyn. At first the gathering storm is distant and difficult to sense, but with time Linden can sense it nearing. Birds are silent; horses whinny; all have an awareness of fear. Stave articulates a great evil, but the evil remains unnamed.... You decided to risk your entire lives for the simple reason that you consider it worth doing”
Flashes of green are seen in the distance. Linden has memories of the implication of that color; the Illearth Stone, thought to be destroyed long ago.
Linden cannot see how it is possible, but the power and the malevolence of the Illearth Stone is once again being wielded by servants of Lord Foul. These enemies slowly become perceptible; similar to the army of the Illearth War, they are undead, animated corpses, lead by Demonidim. The Wayhim and urviles mount an attack, but their efforts can do little more than momentarily stave off the horrible approach of assemblage of evil. The Ramen ride into battle as well.
Linden is faced once again with the consequences of her actions; she has defied time with the help of Esmer, and in doing so has awakened old evils; in doing so she has brought Esmer’s harm upon the faithful Wanyhim and urviles.
She thus becomes determined to use the power she has to fight back against the Demonidim and to redeem those who have redeemed her. The Staff of Law cannot counter this violence. She sets it aside under Liand’s care.
White Gold is the only force with potency sufficient to address her needs. Free of Esmer’s presence, she can easily locate the “door” within herself where she can unleash the argency she needs. Silver flame arises and creates a caesure equal to her demands.
Yet again Linden plunges herself, and her loved ones, into a destiny filled with peril and uncertainty; she has no other choice to save them and save the Land. She sends the caesure to swallow up the demondim’s horde, and then sweeps into the rift of time herself along with her friends and the Ranyhyn.
This is a big chapter. Much of it is a peaceful interlude between the emotion of finding the Staff of Law and the chaos of the approach of Lord Foul’s army. As in several places in the Chronicles, Donaldson uses a time of relative quietude to let a character (Linden) review some history, both for the benefit of the other characters and for his readers.“She plunged into the caesure as if it were a lake of nightmares. At that moment, she had no reason to believe that she had not brought death to all that she held dear”.
Donaldson also expresses several of the “ethics” that are repeated throughout the Chronicles:
Simple, ordinary people are the true heroes
Actions taken with good intent may bring evil consequences
Evils of the past are never totally defeated
What is important is what we do for those we love
It is interesting to consider how Donaldson’s life and writing has brought him to these beliefs. We will undoubtedly learn more as future volumes are published!
Tom Bracken/Senor trout
to all.
