"No Prospect of Return"
After witnessing the unique caamora of the two white gold wielders for the Giants, young Jeremiah starts remembering his sisters. Not their faces or names; those details are beyond him, now. But he remembers them as a source of blame for himself, for he's always been harassed by the feeling he should have found a way to protect his sisters from Lord Foul's bonfire.
And for the moment, that memory triggers a voice inside him that argues with Raver-like logic that as Jeremiah was to blame then for not protecting his sisters, so he is to blame now for giving away the company's location to Lord Foul. He clearly remembers willfully stepping on grass likely to be a vector for Despite's control. Jeremiah concludes he deserves to watch the Worm as punishment.Linden and Covenant did not know that about him. It was his last secret: he remembered his sisters.
Bannor said this to Covenant long ago. Jeremiah may now be coming to realize this for himself, for he discards these reflections to do some concentration on his newly acquired Staff. He is able to more easily shut out what is going on around him because he can see nobody's hurt from the caamora, and so no one needs his help.In [i]The Power That Preserves[/i], Chapter 17 was wrote:"Corruption wears many faces. Blame is a more enticing face than others, but it is none the less a mask for the Despiser."
Focusing on the Staff reveals some uses of it which he may be able to master, but Jeremiah feels there's something about the Staff's essential nature that he's failing to grasp. He decides to sleep, and upon awaking finds most of the company is resting. Stave responds to his request about Covenant's location by showing him the Unbeliever is at the Sarangrave's margin conversing with the Feroce.
Jeremiah, momentarily focused on changing his flame color from black to something more illuminating, hears Stave asking if he will entertain some words of advice. Jeremiah pleads to hear what the former Master has to say, and Stave offers that the Chosen-son must work on defeating the obstacles the company will face. Specifically, Hynyn's rider wants Jerry to focus on cleansing and revitalizing ambient air, for the company won't ascend far in Mt. Thunder through the Defiles Course without performing what Stave calls "the task and the opportunity".
Jeremiah is delighted to consider what Stave has suggested, and is likewise buoyed by the realization that he hasn't tested the true effectiveness of his flames yet. He needs to forget about what color those flames drawn from the Staff appear to be, and discover if the flames he draws from the Staff can heal.
Soon Coldspray and Stoutgirth start rousing the Giants as Covenant ascends towards them with Feroce following behind. Baf Scatterwit asks where the ship and the rest of the crew is, until Stoutgirth responds by issuing orders to her, which seems to help her set aside her disorienting amazement.The purpose of life, Cirrus Kindwind had once assured him, is to choose, and to act upon the choice. If he could not do what Linden had asked him to do, he could do something else.
He could do something that had to be done.
Linden wakes up and walks to Jeremiah to see if he's slept, and Jeremiah deflects this concern to announce he's been progressing in his control of the Staff. Satisfied with that response, LA heads to TC. Both of them look to Jeremiah like they are fearful of the task ahead--but Covenant's fear seems to Jeremiah to also radiate strength."She is easily bewildered," one of the men--Squallish Blustergale?--remarked casually to Jeremiah, "yet she is an adroit sailor, quick in every exigency. Aye, and doughty withal. None will outlast her on the sheets, or strive more fiercely when there is need. Also she is gentle in her bafflement. Therefore she is precious among us."
For her, Jeremiah felt a flush of sympathy. He knew too well that an absent mind fostered the illusion of safety--and that the illusion was dangerous.
Covenant reports that the Feroce do not wish to ascend the Course to approach "the Maker", but will nevertheless guide them to the vicinity of the Wightwarrens. The Feroce were persuaded to go at least that close to Fangthane by both the lurker's command and Covenant's promise that they would then have done enough to satisfy the alliance. Covenant further notes that the Feroce can discover the origins of water passages, and navigate through the Mountain for the company by using such knowledge.
Coldspray brings Covenant around to considering the problem of breathable air for their impending journey through Thunder's innards. Jeremiah takes that cue to start refreshing the air around them all with the Staff of Law. The whole company feels revitalized after his exertion.
(Further proof that as a character, Stave is just so cool.Chuckling, Blustergale swung a slap at Jeremiah's back that would have felled him. But at the last instant, the Giant seemed to recall that Jeremiah was little. His hand patted Jeremiah gently and withdrew.
Stave bowed his approval. A tightening at the corner of his mouth hinted at a smile.
)After this impressive display of power, Jeremiah is content to relax and eat, not really even bothering to follow the surrounding conversations about what obstacles the company may confront in their ascent. But a number of the sailors start shouldering supplies, and departure into the Mountain seems almost imminent.
(Rime Coldspray starts her speech with an uncompromisingly realistic assessment of their situation, admitting that even triumph in this quest to find and defeat the Despiser might well be fruitless as the Worm finds the EarthBlood and shatters the world. But she channels the spirit of mighty Lord Mhoram in a sense by declaring she isn't daunted and that the most important thing for the company to do is fight for the world they believe in and care about. Stirring thoughts, refective of the Giantish bravado that I've always loved.Formally, the Ironhand drew her stone glaive. Holding it ready, she spoke in a voice of granite.
"Here we surrender every future which we have imagined for ourselves. We have no prospect of return. Indeed, we cannot trust that we will outlive another day. Our doom is this, that we enter Mount Thunder seeking to confront the most heinous of foes--and yet the Worm hastens toward the World's End many scores of leagues distant, where no deed of ours can thwart it. Thus even the greatest triumphs within the mountain may come to naught, for no life will remain to heed the tale.
"Nonetheless I proclaim"--Coldspray swung her sword around her head, then slapped it into its scabbard on her back--"that I am not daunted. I am not daunted. While hearts beat and lungs draw breath, we seek to affirm the import of our lives. The true worth of tales lies in this, that those of whom they speak do not regard how the telling of their trials will be received. When we must perish, my wish for us is that we will come to the end knowing that we have held fast to that which we deem precious."
Then her tone eased. "Doubtless this is folly. Yet when have our deeds been otherwise? Are we not Giants? And is not our folly the stone against which we have raised the sea of our laughter? What cause have we to feel dismay and hold back, when we have always known that no anchor is secure against the seas of mischance and wonder?"
Perhaps she would have continued; but the Anchormaster was already laughing. He tried to say something, but the words were lost in broad gusts of glee. For a moment, the other sailors were silent, dismayed by images of futility. But then Baf Scatterwit began to guffaw: the happy mirth of a woman who enjoyed laughing for its own sake. Her laughter broke the logjam of her comrade' fears. Carried along by her open-heartedness, the crew of Dire's Vessel roared as if they themselves were an exquisite jest.
The Swordmainnir were more restrained. They had lost too many of their comrades. But when Rime Coldspray started to chuckle, Frostheart Grueburn followed her example, and then Cirrus Kindwind. In their subdued fashion, the Ironhand and her warriors shared the delight of the sailors.
Privately Jeremiah thought they had all lost their minds. Nevertheless he found himself grinning. He had heard too little genuine laughter in his life; and the mirth of Giants was especially infectious. At least temporarily, it made Lord Foul's scorn and the croyel's malice seem empty, like taunts from the bottom of an abandoned well.
Long ago, Saltheart Foamfollower had enabled Covenant's victory over the Despiser by laughing.
As the Giants began to subside, Covenant muttered, "Stone and Sea are deep in life." He seemed to be quoting. "Two unalterable symbols of the world.: Then he lifted his head to the dark heavens, the decimated stars. From his ring, a brief flash of silver challenged the night. "I can't help it. I've always loved Giants. Any world that has Haruchai and Ranyhyn and Ramen and Insequent and even Elohim in it is precious. But there really is no substitute for Giants."
Jeremiah agreed with him.
The Ironhand answered Covenant's moment of power with a flash of her teeth. "Then, Timewarden," she said, "let us now vindicate your love."
I cherish her metaphoric phrase at the end of this quite: "Are we not Giants? And is not our folly the stone against which we have raised the sea of our laughter?"
What a delightfully appropriate phrase for a Giant to use!
And it's Baf Scatterwit--bless her heart!--who really gets the healing laughter going among the company.
I loved that even Jeremiah, who "had heard too little genuine laughter in his life", is uplifted by all this genuine Giantish joy and courage. I enjoyed that Lord Foul's taunts and the croyel's malice were made by comparison to seem as empty as "taunts from the bottom of an abandoned well". Another phrase that tickled me!
It did my heart a lot of good to read Thomas Covenant plainly acknowledging in words his love for the Giants, and I was satisfied in knowing long-dissociated Jeremiah could be touched enough to share TC's sentiments deeply inside himself. I also liked that his passion in proclaiming his love for the Giants was strong enough to evoke a flash of power from his ring--an impressive flash that was noticed by the Giants, compounding the message of the sincerity of his love for them.
"Then, Timewarden, let us now vindicate your love."
As life-affirming a launch to a dangerous quest as anything she could have uttered.)
Coldspray beckons the Giants to follow her down the valley towards the opening of the Defiles Course. The Feroce are already waiting for them along the river banks near the opening to Mount Thunder.
The Feroce move into the Course's mouth, but Covenant stays where he is to warn the Giants that white gold will be mostly useless, and that he, Linden, and Jeremiah won't climb well. The Ironhand offers to have Giants carry the three of them. Stoutgirth picks up Covenant, Grueburn carries Linden, and Kindwind elevates Jeremiah."We are the Feroce," they said as if they were on the verge of weeping. "We are only the Feroce. At our High God's command, we attempt aid. It exceeds us. We will not suffice."
Covenant regarded them like a man who showed no mercy; but his words belied his manner. "You don't have to suffice. You just have to try. When you can't do any more, you're free to go."
"Then," replied the creatures, "we will begin. We have no wish to prolong our failure."
The silver light of the krill in Branl's hand and the emerald glow of the Feroce combine in witness to the Giants (and their more vertically-challenged allies) resolutely striding off the Lower Land and into the Mountain.From her position in Grueburn's clasp, Linden glanced at Jeremiah with an expression which he could not interpret. A warning? A prayer? Was she saying goodbye?
She had found her own sense of purpose, but he had no idea what it might be.
Entering uncharted territory.
Stave has told hm that dreams only bespeak fears, and Jeremiah learns in this chapter to quickly face that particular fear.
I remember this chapter contained that chilling Coldspray speech; just imagine with your mind's ear a 11-ft imposing lady delivering that with a rich, deep voice resonant with steel and purpose. 
