TWL is about, as much as anything, Linden having new pains and horrors thrown at her, feeling things she swore could not exist in reality, only nightmares.
Because you can see.
People of the Land can't detect a Raver's presence, even in the 1st Chronicles, yet here is Linden at the start of Vale of Crystal:
Because you can see.The presence of the Raver, lurid and tangible, burned through Linden Avery's nerves like a discharge of lightning, stunning her.
The swarm attacks, and Covenant is stung. When Linden rose to the surface of the river, the Raver was gone. But of course, not the pain and the price to be paid from such venom.
Covenant is dragged to the bank, Linden examining him :
It just occurs to me now that most likely no one else in the history of the Land had this 'new' dimension of senses (except for the Ravers and Foul)She did not want to see what was wrong with him. She had already seen too much; the wrong of the Sunbane had excruciated her nerves so long, so intimately, that she half believed she had lost her mind.But she was a doctor, she had chosen this work for reasons which brooked no excuse of fear or repugnance or incapacity Setting her self aside, she bent the new dimension of her senses toward Covenant.
It becomes obvious that this attack was intended to be in conjunction with Marid's, as the old wound on TC's arm seems to have a fresh infusion of venom.Something else raged in him. Baring her senses to it, she suddenly remembered what Sunder had said about the sun of pestilence - and what he had implied about insects.
Covenant is slipping into shock and Linden is looking down at him, slipping into a realization that would deprive her of herself.
How interesting, That TC wrestled with the health and joy he found in the Land, until he could begin to accept it, While Linden must wrestle with the despair and evil.For a moment she glimpsed a structure of truth behind his apparent paranoia, his belief in an Enemy who sought to destroy him. All her instincts rebelled against such a conception. But now for an instant she seemed to see something deliberate in the Sunbane, something intentional and cunning in these attacks on Covenant.
The glimpse reft her of self-trust. She knelt beside him, unable to move or choose. The same dismay which had incapacitated her when she had first seen Joan came upon her.
The sounds of Sunders' wracked breathing brings her back to the moment and her Doctor's training. Sunder fought the swarm with the orcrest and :
And so they're back on the river, drifting, and soon:"Something in me has torn." He winced at every word. "It is keen- but I think not perilous. Never have I drawn such power from the Sunstone"
How could one live there and see the Sunbane as evil?Then, before sunset, the river unbent among a clump of hills into a long straight line leading toward a wide ravine which opened on the Mithil. The sides of the ravine were as sheer as a barranca, and they reflected the low sunshine with a strange brillance. The ravine was like a vale of diamonds; its walls were formed of faceted crystal which caught the light and returned it in delicate shades of white and pink. When the sun of pestilence dipped toward the horizon, washing the terrain in a bath of vermillion, the barranca became a place of rare glory.
Linden wants to ask them for help, Sunder is vehemently opposed, reminding Linden of her welcome in Mithil Stonedown.People moved on the rivershore; but they gave no indication that they saw the raft. The river was already in shadow, and the brightness of the crystal was dazzling. Soon they left the bank and went up into the ravine.
But Sunder does decide to wait until night and steal food, though he can't hide his reluctance for such an act.
Just as Night falls,an unconscious Covenant begins to sputter and spurt Wild Magic from his ring.
Spoiler
The venom beginning to succeed
It seems that a big event is happening in the Stonedown this evening and the whole down is gathered in the center. So the homes are not being watched and Sunder soon has what he needs
They approach:He started to leave. But she stopped him, gestured inward. For a moment, he considered the advantages of knowing what transpired in the village. Then he agreed.
The Rider demands A great sacrifice from the Stonedown. The surrender of a young woman who has lived with these people all her life. The Clave is strong and persuasive, but the loss of this woman would strike the Stonedown a huge blow- she is an eh- Brand, rare in the Land, a great boon to her people. Her ability to predict what type of sun will arise in the morning is a great advantage to have.And the Stonedown is loathe to give her up. But to defy the Clave!- !"A Rider!" Sunder whispered. "A Rider of the Clave."
"Croft!" she begged. Tears suffused her mien. "You are the Graveler. You must forbid!"
"Aye, Hollian," he replied with great bitterness.While he spoke, his hands toyed with a slim wooden wand. "By right of blood and power, I am the Graveler. And you are an eh-Brand- a benison beyond price to the life of Crystal Stonedown. But he is Sivit na-Mhoram-wist. He claims you in the life of the Clave. How may I refuse?"
"You may refuse-" began the Rider in a sepulchral tone.
"You must refuse!" the woman cried.
"But should you refuse," Sivit continued remorselessly,"should you think to deny me, I swear by the Sunbane that I will levy the na-Mhoram's Grim upon you, and you will be ground under its might like chaff!"
At the word Grim, a moan ran through the Stonedown; and Sunder shivered.
Spoiler
AHHHH!!!! GRIM!!!
Sunder whispers to Linden what all this means to people of the Land.The lies they've been told since birth. The truth as they deem it to be."She is precious to us," said the tall Graveler softly. "Do not enforce you will upon us."
"Is she?" Sivit raged, brandishing his scepter."You are sick with her folly. She is not precious. She is an abomination! You think her an eh-Brand, a rare boon in the Land. I say to you, she is a Sun-Sage! Damned as a servant of a-Jeroth!"
Ultimately,Croft realizes he can't risk the Grim and decides to surrender Hollian to the Clave"The Clave has power over the Sunbane. For power they must have blood. At all times, Riders journey the Land, visiting again and again every village. At each visit they take one or two or three lives-ever young and strong lives-and bear them to Revelstone, where the na-Mhoram works his work."
Hollian says:
Another interesting example of the 'dumbing down' of the linguistics regarding Earthpower. lomillialor, or maybe its lor-liarill becoming lianar.Yet you must at least accord to me the courtesy of my worth. Restore to me the lianar.
Croft looked down at the wand in his hands. The rictus of his shoulders revealed his shame and decision. "No," he said softly.
"With this wood you perform your foretelling. Sivit na-Mhoram-wist has no claim upon it- and for you it has no future. Crystal Stonedown will retain it. As a prayer for the birth of a new eh-Brand."
But it is great to see some of the high wood survive.
As Hollian turns away in despair, her eyes are drawn to a half awakened Covenant, still delirious with venom, stumbling his way into the Stonedown, crying, "Linden! You left me."
But Covenant's intensity held them back."The Halfhand!" Sivit yelled. "The white ring!"
"I say it is the Halfhand!" shouted the Rider. "He has come as the Clave foretold! Take him! Slay him!"
Linden is only able to get through Covenant's delirium by telling him Hollian will be sacrificed, Like Joan "Like JOAN!!"
This ignites TC's anger and the Wild Magic:
WowA rampage of force tore Sivit's scepter from his hands. The iron fired black, red, white, then melted into slag on the ground. Argent lashed the bonfire; flaming brands scattered across the circle. Wild lightning sizzled into the heavens until the sky screamed and the crystal walls rang out celestial peals of power.
The very fabric of the dirt stretched under Linden's feet, as it it were about to tear. She staggered to her knees.
Sunder reclaims the lianar from an astounded Croft, and He, TC, Linden and Hollian escape to the river.
Fantastic lead-in Dromond!! By this chapter I was just sick on my first read. I felt like just putting the book down and never looking at it again. The Sunbane was tearing me apart. And I really didn't like Linden, YET. And Covenant, that venom in him, couldn't SEE. It was a hard, heartbreaking book to read.
good job Dromond! and Furl's follow up)
