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masterghandalfThis is a crosspost from Das_Sporking2. Previous entries of this spork may be found here.
Warning: These chapters contain depiction and discussion of suicide.
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Robert Newcomb’s The Gates of Dawn as we wrap up Part IV: The Warriors. Last time, Tristan successfully recruited the Minions (who are ridiculously edgelordy), Faegan and Wigg conducted an experiment, and everyone for some reason thought it was a good idea to lie and claim that it was Faegan and not Shailiha who tamed the captured hatchling. Today, it’s time for secrets to come to light, and I’m afraid some of you all are about to be bitterly disappointed. Joining us once again will be Len and Yhani!
Chapter Forty-Three
Len: Uh, is it even possible to be more disappointed with these books than I already am? I guess we’ll find out! *she sighs and buries her face in her hands* Sovereigns, what did I do to deserve this… Well, we open with Nicholas as the voices of the Heretics inform him that he’s done well. Their many voices came to him as one – both male and female, both strong and soft. It was as if a choir sang the most beautiful songs imaginable within the depths of his consciousness. His very blood was alive with their sound. Huh, that’s actually kind of creepy for once – but I’m pretty sure it makes no sense, in light of what our host has told us about what’s actually going on with these guys. Well, the Heretics get in on the game of telling people stuff they already know, as they tell Nicholas that the construction of the Gates is continuing on schedule, and that Princey is getting more and more ill and will soon come to him. They tell him to complete the Gates as soon as he can. At that time the Vagaries, the truly sublime side, will reign continually and without contest. And the Ones, our enemies of the craft, shall remain locked in the firmament forever. Yeah, this really doesn’t sound like these people are going to be revealed later as one of two very physical empires fighting over part of the living world, does it? But apparently that’s where Newcomb’s going… ugh, why should he expect us to care, when he can’t even keep his own damned story straight! Nicholas promises that he will, and we cut to him flying out to the construction site. He thinks about how the Gates will be finished in only three more weeks and then he’ll be able to bring the Heretics back, blah blah, we already know this. He thinks how his only limit is that he can only take so much blood from the captive children at a time without killing them, but also that Princey is going to be just amazed by the power of his creations when he shows up.
Nicholas watches as the blood of the children ran freshly from the seams between the great stones, dripping lazily down the sides of the stunning black-and-azure pillars and forming little endowed ponds around each of the legs. That’s… remarkably disgusting, especially considering it’s the blood of little kids and all – yuck. Nicholas then does… something and the blood, of course, turns azure as it melts into the seams in the construction, fusing them together. Excess blood ran down the sides of the gates, leaving macabre, winding trails down the smooth edifices, adding crazily patterned streaks to those already shot deeply throughout the stone. ‘Cause I guess he just likes the look? *she shrugs* Why are we looking for logic from a Newcomb villain, anyway? Nicholas flies over to Ragnar, who’s dressed in a fur robe today, apparently because of the cold. Nicholas tells him what he just did, and that he’ll harvest more blood for him tonight, and then repeat the process he just performed at midnight as the Gates continue to grow. In less than a fortnight, we shall be victorious. Yeah, considering there’s, what, four more books of this mess, I somehow doubt that. Maybe you shouldn’t make the impending apocalypse the main threat of your second book, Newcomb? Ragnar agrees and, of course, sucks some more of his brain fluid – ew – and Nicholas tells him to keep the Consuls working and then flies off, and the chapter ends there. Traveler, it was short, and it accomplished nothing we didn’t already know, but was still longer than it had to be. A perfect metaphor for this book, in other words!
Blood Matters: 173
Dastardly Deeds: 94
Exposition Intrusion: 219
Chapter Forty-Four
Yhani: And so, we pick back up with Tristan, having spent the last few days learning to ride his hatchling. It was much like riding Pilgrim, he soon discovered, but much more unpredictable. And far more dangerous. Except that this creature flies and has a completely different body type from the horse, and presumably is different to control – beyond that, it is exactly the same! But we learn that Tristan is beginning to enjoy the experience and has learned to fly the hatchling to great heights and also make it dive on command. And seeing Eutracia from this far up gave him a unique, awe-inspiring perspective on his nation that before he had only dreamed about. *she sighs* Alas, if the people of Eutracia outside of the Redoubt had actually mattered thus far in this book, it might have been more meaningful. He has also learned that he can make the hatchling run along the ground while he remains mounted. At last, one day he returns to his balcony to find Geldon waiting for him, who says that the wizards have asked for them both. Apparently, they will not say why, only that it is important. We are both to go to the antechamber that lies outside the Well of the Redoubt. Now. I would hope that this would be something useful, but alas, I have far too much experience with Wigg and Faegan now to have much hope for that. Tristan and Geldon head down to the chamber to find Wigg, Faegan, Shailiha and Celeste already waiting for them there. The two of them take their seats, and as always Tristan found himself acutely aware of Celeste’s presence and the way the fire showed off the highlights in her long, red hair. *crossly* Seriously, Tristan – is now really the time? He notices that Shailiha looks serious, and also does not have Morganna with her, and then the door opens again, and Joshua comes in. Faegan declares that they are all here now and have an important matter to discuss; abruptly, he raised one arm and azure flashed from the ends of his fingers. A wizard’s cage immediately formed around the young consul. *she sighs again* And thus, it seems, do we come to this chapter’s revelation. I can already tell it will be frustrating and disappointing.
Joshua demands to know if Faegan has lost his mind (…an excellent question) but Faegan says he has not (would he know?) and instead wants to know how Joshua has circumvented the death enchantments considering the fact that you have been practicing the Vagaries. And thus, one of the only even slightly sympathetic characters in this vile excuse for a story… appears to have just been revealed to have been evil all along. Why am I not surprised? Tristan is stunned, and Joshua pleads to Wigg for mercy (alas, I fear he has none). Tell Faegan you know me well, and that I have done nothing wrong! If only you had… but I doubt our author is so kind. But Wigg says he cannot do this, for my eyes have finally been opened regarding you. Joshua demands to know what he is being accused of, and Faegan, of course, says that Joshua is in league with Nicholas, and he can prove it. Joshua in turn insists that Faegan has no proof (did you really think Faegan would announce he had proof and then fail to provide it? …but it is Faegan, of course he would). Faegan insists he has proof that Joshua has been helping Nicholas to drain the Paragon, but he still does not provide it, instead wondering again how Joshua escaped the death enchantments. And at this point, alas, Joshua stops even trying to defend himself. Placing his hands into the opposite sleeves of his robes, he lowered his eyes menacingly at the master wizard across from him. This was a Joshua Tristan had never seen; it was as if something vile had just come over him. Indeed, something has – the will of Newcomb. And, just to make sure we understand we are no longer meant to like him, he demands that Faegan show me your proof, cripple. Faegan agrees and at his command Shailiha summons her Flier, Caprice, from where she was hiding in one of the bookshelves to come rest on Shailiha’s arm, and then onto the table. Joshua thinks this is a joke (as much as I like the butterflies, in this case, I cannot blame him). Do you really expect me to accept the absurd accusations of some perverted creature of the craft? Especially one without the power of speech, who can communicate only with a woman who has just been supposedly cured of the Chimerian Agonies? While Newcomb already has Joshua speaking like a melodrama villain – and thus he is, presumably, guilty – he does raise a valid point. I do not believe the testimony of a butterfly is admissible evidence in any court I am aware of!
Contrivances and Coincidences: 47 (of course, Joshua is a spy, despite not having done anything obviously suspicious thus far – though Newcomb will try to defend the decision)
Dastardly Deeds: 96
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 104 (neither Faegan as the accuser nor Joshua as the accused are cutting particularly impressive figures at the moment)
Len: Well, Wigg just says that Caprice told them everything, and they know Joshua has been helping drain the Paragon all along. What got Wigg wondering was how the rate of the decay wasn’t constant and kept varying from one day to the next. And, uh, I don’t know, but from what we see it’s not a passive process – Nicholas is doing this deliberately, and we know he’s not always absorbing power and sometimes he’s doing other things. Doesn’t exactly seem like damning evidence about Joshua that the stone isn’t decaying consistently. Anyway, this got Wigg suspicious, so the last time he left the stone in the Well, he set Caprice to watch, and she saw Joshua come in and told Shailiha, who told Wigg, who told Faegan, and Faegan checked to see that the Paragon’s decay had indeed just spiked. Joshua says it’s still not enough. For all I know, this is something the two of you made up – an elaborate hoax to force me out of the Brotherhood. He insists he’s never been to the Well except with one of them. And, uh, Joshua, with the King, Queen and the rest of the Directorate dead, Wigg and Faegan are basically the highest authority in Eutracia (Sovereigns help them all…) and you’re currently living in their fortress. They don’t need a hoax to force you anywhere… hells, they could probably kill you in your sleep and get away with it, ‘cause nobody else around here would question it. You were doomed the moment you walked through that door. But Faegan is pleased by Joshua’s claim and orders Princey to remove his (that’s Joshua’s, not Princey’s own) right boot. Princey’s as mystified as I am, and Faegan repeats himself, telling him he’ll let Princey reach through the warp, and he’ll keep Joshua immobilized. So Princey does what he’s asked, and Faegan tells everyone to observe. Oh, goody – he’s going to put on a show for us.
And sure enough, Faegan causes the lights to dim, then summons a glowing broom to sweep the floor, and seriously, there has to have been a less dramatic way to do that. Once he’s done, revealed on the floor are a set of very clear boot prints, glowing with the power of the craft leading to the entrance to the Well. In the center of the glowing heel mark was the dark letter “J.” And so Faegan has Princey turn the boot he took over, and sure enough, it has the same “J” carved into the heel. And, okay, I’ve gotta wonder – this proves what, exactly? Faegan and Wigg are, allegedly, powerful wizards – does everyone really think that creating the illusion of Joshua’s footprints is beyond them? Apparently, they do, because Princey accepts it at face value and wants to know how it was done. Faegan explains how he created an elixir that, when spread on the floor, can reveal the footsteps of anyone who walks on it (so that’s what that potion he spilled last time was about…) and clearly, this proves that only Joshua has walked there since he did that (gods, Faegan’s lucky that everyone didn’t stomp all over Joshua’s footsteps by mistake and ruin his little experiment, isn’t he? For that matter, nobody else’s footprints are mentioned at all, just Joshua’s, even though everyone else has been in the room… if I was a suspicious changeling, I’d think that’s worth noting…). As for the “J” on the boot, it was carved there by Shawna the Short. She slipped into his chambers while he was asleep, and did the job for me. And in case Joshua was innocent, or used an accomplice, Shawna carved letters on everyone’s shoes – Tristan looks on one of his soles and sees a “T.” And somehow, nobody noticed her doing this this. *she rolls her eyes* Right.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 49
Exposition Intrusion: 222
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 106
Yhani: And so Tristan wonders what becomes of Joshua now, as Shailiha wonders what made Faegan suspect him. Ah, was it not your butterfly that first spotted Joshua in places he should not have been? But apparently that was not it, as Wigg explains – Joshua was the only Consul out of thousands to escape the hatchlings, which Wigg thinks was rather suspicious (it only makes me think that the Consuls must have been rather incompetent…). He thinks Joshua must have acted as Nicholas’s agent, helping him capture the others, which would explain how the hatchlings could find them all so easily (they can fly, and their masters have powerful magic… is it really so surprising?). He thinks that Nicholas probably granted him a spell in the form of a Forestallment – that word again – to help him track the other Consuls, and that when Joshua showed up at the Redoubt, he deliberately let himself be injured and starved to gain sympathy. And so he came to us, at Nicholas’ orders, to tell his sad story, infiltrate the Redoubt, and begin helping drain the Paragon. And I must say, he accurately described the hatchlings and how they were taking the Consuls… what is it with this book’s antagonists in giving away information they do not need to? Wigg also thinks it suspicious that in Parthalon, Joshua refused to allow Geldon to exhume Nicholas’s grave to bring his body back to Eutracia, which would have revealed that Nicholas was not in it. So, respect for the dead is suspicious now, hmmm? And I will note that Nicholas chose to reveal himself not long after that incident, rendering it moot. It was also apparently Joshua’s idea originally to have Ox become Tristan’s bodyguard, though Wigg and Faegan chose to go along with it. Ox is not a traitor, but Nicholas wants Tristan protected, in the hope that he will join him, and had Scrounge poison him to motivate him. Which, again, we already knew. Things are starting to make more sense, but I’m afraid there are still far more pieces to the puzzle. Make more sense to you, perhaps – I fear I remain at a loss!
Tristan wants to know how Nicholas made it so the wizards retain their powers when the Paragon is in the Well, and Wigg thinks it must be from some power Joshua has, probably a Forestallment (they really can do anything!). As final proof, he wants to test Joshua’s blood. If he is innocent, his blood signature will contain no forestallments. If it contains forestallments, then he is working with Nicholas. Wigg also adds that he and Faegan had the stone placed in the Well specifically to tempt Joshua to come work on it while they were away and set Caprice to watch to catch him in the act. But Wigg still wants to know too things – how did Nicholas defeat the death enchantments (are you considering how to practice the Vagaries safely yourself, perhaps?) and is it possible to restore power to the Paragon (as my Dear Heart has noted, there are four books left in this series, so I am going to assume “yes.”). Finally, alas, Joshau admits the truth. Yes, I have always been his, right from the moment he first revealed his mind to me, even while he was still a child. Even then his power and knowledge of the craft dwarfed anything you and the cripple have ever seen… I’ll tell you why, you pompous old man. Because Nicholas promised me the one thing you and your vaunted Directorate would never share with any of us who wore the dark blue robes: power. And with that, a complete understanding of the craft, especially the darker side… and I wanted them. Oh, yes, Lead Wizard, I wanted it badly. And thus the wicked smile again contorted his face. And while it is clear that we are meant to see Joshua as irretrievably evil… he is not wrong. The Directorate did keep the deeper secrets of magic for themselves, away from the Consuls, and Joshua is, I believe, thus far the first to call them out on it. Joshua continues to gloat that there are many Consuls like him, who went over to Nicholas willingly, and they removed their tattoos to prevent identification. But your son didn’t tell you any of that, did he, Chosen One? And I have to wonder why Joshua is saying it now, considering he is giving away information for free… he ends by saying that soon the Confluence will come, and they will all be dead.
Blood Matters: 175
Dastardly Deeds: 98
Exposition Intrusion: 225
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 109
Len: Well, Wigg – who apparently looks like he’d seen a ghost (I wish he had, he’s gotten enough people killed) – sits there stunned, while Faegan demands to know what the Confluence is. Joshua says it doesn’t matter if he tells them, since they can’t stop it anyway (friend, have you ever read a chapbook or seen a play or anything – by saying that, you just guaranteed they’ll stop you!). The Confluence is the combination of the blood of the Chosen One, the blood of the endowed children, the waters from the Caves of the Paragon, and the power of the Paragon itself. All of those will be combined into Nicholas’s blood (seriously, Newcomb, this is getting out of hand!) and though the unique combination of these elements, the Guild of the Heretics will be allowed to return to the earth, to rule once more. *flatly* Yay. It’s… exactly what I would have guessed. Suddenly he smiled again. It was a much more knowing and somehow more decisive smile – as if his mind was suddenly made up about something. He tells them he won’t tell them about the death enchantments or the Paragon – what, now you’ve developed restraint? Really? – and they’ll have to figure that out themselves. But there is something he will tell them. That death itself is not the end, nor is it even the problem… that it is, truly, only the beginning. Something the master, in his infinite wisdom, will soon demonstrate to you. Yeah, and I’m sure that made a lot more sense in this book, where the bad guys are actually dead, than in the later ones, where it turns out they’re not and never were. Although *she glances over at Yhani, who’s quietly simmering* I think it’s just as well it’s me and not ‘Hani recapping this bit, ‘cause that sounds an awful lot like a bastardization of her religion. She can get a bit… touchy about that. And then, out of nowhere, Joshua pulls a sort of hooked stiletto out of his robes and sticks it in his damned ear. As blood gushed out, he slammed it in even farther, the gave the blade a sudden, forceful pull. Tristan heard a moist, muffled crack. The consul was dead before his face hit the bars of his cage. *weakly* And that’s… that, I guess. Although usually, the bad guys are supposed to kill themselves before they give away the secret information, not after they’ve already done it!
Everyone stares in shock, and finally Princey asks why the consuls would revolt when they were bound to serve the Vigors (uh, I think Joshua explained that one pretty well – they knew the Directorate were keeping them in the dark, and they didn’t like it) and how they got around the death enchantments. Wigg is crying and Celeste is comforting him (he doesn’t deserve it) and so Faegan answers. In addition to what Joshua said, with the Directorate and the monarchy destroyed, the Consuls apparently felt their loyalty was up for grabs. Wow, what dedicated people you’ve trained, Wigg – also, wasn’t there someone hiding in the Redoubt who could’ve come out of hiding and done something about this? Think his name starts with a “T” … For another, Nicholas offered them power and knowledge beyond what the Directorate gave them, and some of them might even think Wigg is a traitor for his role in allowing the invasion (and they would not be wrong). Finally, they might want the time enchantments, which the Directorate kept from them (you know, this isn’t making the Directorate look better, Newcomb…). A very tempting package for those already partially trained, and still possessing an overriding curiosity about the craft. Yeah, and if Wigg had trained them better, and wasn’t such an elitist asshole, this all could have been avoided! Gah! Anyway, they now have to assume all the remaining Consuls are in revolt. Princey at least thinks it’s a good thing that they exposed Joshua, but Wigg says all that they gained from that is that the Paragon won’t decay as fast (and some information about the Confluence – you got that!). Shailiha then asks what the Confluence is, and, uh, did Joshua not explain it to your satisfaction? But Faegan, er, re-explains (seriously, we’re repeating stuff we’ve learned earlier in the same chapter now) how it involves the combination of various powers to resurrect the Heretics, and based on a passage from the Tome, the gates shall literally split open the heavens, releasing the Guild of the Heretics from their bondage in the firmament. The spirits of the Heretics shall then appear, descending from the heavens to come flying through the Gates, passing by their reactivated blood. They will then bond with it, taking on their original human forms. And I’m pretty sure that all makes no sense, in light of the later books. Tristan asks why the Ones won’t return as well, and Wigg says it’s because their blood isn’t in the Gates, and gah, we knew this already! Princey then asks why they’re called the Gates of Dawn, and Faegan says that according to the Tome it’s because the Gates will activate at dawn, and damn if that isn’t the most boring possible answer to that question. But regardless, the room goes silent, and the chapter ends there.
Blood Matters: 183
Dastardly Deeds: 100
Exposition Intrusion: 230
Gratuitous Grimdark: 67
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 111
Chapter Forty-Five
Yhani: And so, we open this chapter with Tristan as he watches the Minions’ funeral pyres burning, their many levels littered with the mangled and torn corpses of Minion warriors. As the Minions’ lord, Tristan is expected to be at the pyres to pay respect for the dead (for once, an honorable and proper gesture) and we learn the deaths are because, while Feagan has managed to widen his portal, with his powers diminishing it has not functioned as planned, and so many of the Minions trying to come through from the other side died horribly in the attempt. And thus, we have another reason for Tristan to attend the pyres – the deaths are, at least partially, his fault. Not that he seems to admit that… We learn that it has been two weeks since Joshua died, and the decay of the Paragon has not stopped. He thinks that soon they will be left with a world without magic (based on all that we have seen the magic of this world accomplish, that is not a bad thing!) or rather… a world in which all of the magic had been taken into one person. Faegan, it seems, worked himself to exhaustion to improve his portal, but he cannot keep it from periodically collapsing – some of the Minions caught in it simply vanish, while others are torn to pieces. Blood lay everywhere upon the snowy field. The screaming and wailing that could be heard coming from inside the whirling maelstrom was terrifying. Tristan thinks they are losing one in every six Minions – by my Ancestors – but his only concern is that their odds against the hatchlings are growing steadily worse. Such a compassionate soul! Oh, he is also worried about someone else – the strain this is putting on the wizards. Because that, of course, is the real problem here! Tristan turns away from the pyres to watch the Minions setting up a gigantic encampment, with the Minions around it constantly on patrol watching for the hatchlings. He thinks it seems oddly peaceful, despite the purpose for its existence.
The officers, meanwhile, he has set up in the palace, even though it bothers him that these were some of the same warriors who had killed both his family and the Directorate of Wizards. And now, impossibly, they were here once more, this time to occupying the palace to protect it, rather than to destroy it. What the common people, who were raped and slaughtered en masse by these same Minions, feel about it… is never mentioned at all. Indeed, it is not even clear if they have noticed the Minions. Because in these books, the common people get no voice. Traax, Wigg, Faegan and Ox are waiting with Tristan, and Traax wants to know why the hatchlings and scarabs haven’t attacked yet. Wigg thinks that the Gates are clearly Nicholas’ first priority, and he will not attack until he is certain they are secure, and he also feels that he has already won, and they pose no threat to him. Sadly, in this he is probably also right. *arches an eyebrow* Need I refer you to previous comments re the existence of later books in this series? Wigg finally adds that as Tristan becomes more ill, Nicholas no doubt feels all the more certain he will have to seek him out and join him in return for the antidote and will only attack when he realizes Tristan has finally refused him. Faegan adds that there will probably be only one battle, as Nicholas will intend to finish them off with one strike – need I remind you of the old adage about plans surviving contact with the enemy? Namely, the way they do not? Faegan then reminds Tristan and the Minions that they will need to hold Nicholas’ forces at bay, and that if the Paragon loses all its power their time enchantments will stop working and Wigg, Faegan and Celeste will all die. If that happens, Tristan and the Minions will be the only hope of stopping the Heretics. Oh, and we learn that Tristan has kept the stiletto Joshua committed suicide with. Curious of all things martial, Tristan had carefully removed it from the dead consul’s ear, examined it closely, and then wiped it clean, asking the wizards if he might keep it. They had quietly agreed. How very… macabre of you. Apparently, this style of weapon is literally called a brain hook and was invented by the wizards during the Sorceresses’ War, to allow for captives to swiftly commit suicide to keep themselves from being turned into blood stalkers. Tristan wants it so that when his final seizure strikes, if he has not found a cure, he can end his life cleanly rather than in agony. I… find I cannot begrudge him that choice. Traax, watching the funeral pyres, suddenly comments that the Minions expect to die in battle, but to die like this, defenseless… such a thing simply should not be. Oh, is that a veiled accusation at Tristan, I sense? But Tristan only thinks that there are many things that should not be, but are, and at that thought the chapter, and Part IV, comes to an end.
MG: Well, the biggest part of these chapters is the revelation of Joshua’s status as a traitor. And, imo, it’s really not handled well. None of Joshua’s behavior that Wigg and Faegan call out as suspicious is noted as suspicious when it happens, and some of it, like him sneaking around the Well of the Redoubt or that Caprice was spying on him, was barely foreshadowed at all before the revelation (we saw Wigg and Faegan playing with their potion last time, but never got a sense that it was related to any of this). Besides, since the return to Parthalon, Joshua has barely even been in the book – nor was there any hint that there was a traitor at all, or that Nicholas needed help to drain the Paragon. Basically, it feels like the resolution to a mystery without any of the buildup to it. And of course, Joshua starts talking like a cliché villain, including spilling most of his secrets willingly, as soon as he’s found out – but even so, he’s still completely right when calling out the Directorate for their elitism and hypocrisy, even if the book won’t acknowledge it. And yes, I know that a lot of you in the comments liked Joshua and considered him one of the only mostly decent people in this story, and for that, having known his fate was coming, I sincerely apologize. But by this point it should come as no surprise that Newcomb can’t write a sympathetic character without ruining them – or, in this case, turning them evil and throwing them away (see also, Natasha). Anyway, next time will begin the final Part of the book, Part V: The Vanquished, as we move on towards our climax and find out just what all of this was building towards. We’ll see you then! For now, our counts stand at:
Blood Matters: 183
Contrivances and Coincidences: 49
Dastardly Deeds: 101 (for the reminder of the last time the Minions were in Eutracia)
Exposition Intrusion: 232
Gender Wars: 92
Gratuitous Grimdark: 70
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 112
I’m also about to finish up my reread and commentary on the (in)famous epic Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfic Embers which can be found here if you’re interested!
Warning: These chapters contain depiction and discussion of suicide.
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Robert Newcomb’s The Gates of Dawn as we wrap up Part IV: The Warriors. Last time, Tristan successfully recruited the Minions (who are ridiculously edgelordy), Faegan and Wigg conducted an experiment, and everyone for some reason thought it was a good idea to lie and claim that it was Faegan and not Shailiha who tamed the captured hatchling. Today, it’s time for secrets to come to light, and I’m afraid some of you all are about to be bitterly disappointed. Joining us once again will be Len and Yhani!
Chapter Forty-Three
Len: Uh, is it even possible to be more disappointed with these books than I already am? I guess we’ll find out! *she sighs and buries her face in her hands* Sovereigns, what did I do to deserve this… Well, we open with Nicholas as the voices of the Heretics inform him that he’s done well. Their many voices came to him as one – both male and female, both strong and soft. It was as if a choir sang the most beautiful songs imaginable within the depths of his consciousness. His very blood was alive with their sound. Huh, that’s actually kind of creepy for once – but I’m pretty sure it makes no sense, in light of what our host has told us about what’s actually going on with these guys. Well, the Heretics get in on the game of telling people stuff they already know, as they tell Nicholas that the construction of the Gates is continuing on schedule, and that Princey is getting more and more ill and will soon come to him. They tell him to complete the Gates as soon as he can. At that time the Vagaries, the truly sublime side, will reign continually and without contest. And the Ones, our enemies of the craft, shall remain locked in the firmament forever. Yeah, this really doesn’t sound like these people are going to be revealed later as one of two very physical empires fighting over part of the living world, does it? But apparently that’s where Newcomb’s going… ugh, why should he expect us to care, when he can’t even keep his own damned story straight! Nicholas promises that he will, and we cut to him flying out to the construction site. He thinks about how the Gates will be finished in only three more weeks and then he’ll be able to bring the Heretics back, blah blah, we already know this. He thinks how his only limit is that he can only take so much blood from the captive children at a time without killing them, but also that Princey is going to be just amazed by the power of his creations when he shows up.
Nicholas watches as the blood of the children ran freshly from the seams between the great stones, dripping lazily down the sides of the stunning black-and-azure pillars and forming little endowed ponds around each of the legs. That’s… remarkably disgusting, especially considering it’s the blood of little kids and all – yuck. Nicholas then does… something and the blood, of course, turns azure as it melts into the seams in the construction, fusing them together. Excess blood ran down the sides of the gates, leaving macabre, winding trails down the smooth edifices, adding crazily patterned streaks to those already shot deeply throughout the stone. ‘Cause I guess he just likes the look? *she shrugs* Why are we looking for logic from a Newcomb villain, anyway? Nicholas flies over to Ragnar, who’s dressed in a fur robe today, apparently because of the cold. Nicholas tells him what he just did, and that he’ll harvest more blood for him tonight, and then repeat the process he just performed at midnight as the Gates continue to grow. In less than a fortnight, we shall be victorious. Yeah, considering there’s, what, four more books of this mess, I somehow doubt that. Maybe you shouldn’t make the impending apocalypse the main threat of your second book, Newcomb? Ragnar agrees and, of course, sucks some more of his brain fluid – ew – and Nicholas tells him to keep the Consuls working and then flies off, and the chapter ends there. Traveler, it was short, and it accomplished nothing we didn’t already know, but was still longer than it had to be. A perfect metaphor for this book, in other words!
Blood Matters: 173
Dastardly Deeds: 94
Exposition Intrusion: 219
Chapter Forty-Four
Yhani: And so, we pick back up with Tristan, having spent the last few days learning to ride his hatchling. It was much like riding Pilgrim, he soon discovered, but much more unpredictable. And far more dangerous. Except that this creature flies and has a completely different body type from the horse, and presumably is different to control – beyond that, it is exactly the same! But we learn that Tristan is beginning to enjoy the experience and has learned to fly the hatchling to great heights and also make it dive on command. And seeing Eutracia from this far up gave him a unique, awe-inspiring perspective on his nation that before he had only dreamed about. *she sighs* Alas, if the people of Eutracia outside of the Redoubt had actually mattered thus far in this book, it might have been more meaningful. He has also learned that he can make the hatchling run along the ground while he remains mounted. At last, one day he returns to his balcony to find Geldon waiting for him, who says that the wizards have asked for them both. Apparently, they will not say why, only that it is important. We are both to go to the antechamber that lies outside the Well of the Redoubt. Now. I would hope that this would be something useful, but alas, I have far too much experience with Wigg and Faegan now to have much hope for that. Tristan and Geldon head down to the chamber to find Wigg, Faegan, Shailiha and Celeste already waiting for them there. The two of them take their seats, and as always Tristan found himself acutely aware of Celeste’s presence and the way the fire showed off the highlights in her long, red hair. *crossly* Seriously, Tristan – is now really the time? He notices that Shailiha looks serious, and also does not have Morganna with her, and then the door opens again, and Joshua comes in. Faegan declares that they are all here now and have an important matter to discuss; abruptly, he raised one arm and azure flashed from the ends of his fingers. A wizard’s cage immediately formed around the young consul. *she sighs again* And thus, it seems, do we come to this chapter’s revelation. I can already tell it will be frustrating and disappointing.
Joshua demands to know if Faegan has lost his mind (…an excellent question) but Faegan says he has not (would he know?) and instead wants to know how Joshua has circumvented the death enchantments considering the fact that you have been practicing the Vagaries. And thus, one of the only even slightly sympathetic characters in this vile excuse for a story… appears to have just been revealed to have been evil all along. Why am I not surprised? Tristan is stunned, and Joshua pleads to Wigg for mercy (alas, I fear he has none). Tell Faegan you know me well, and that I have done nothing wrong! If only you had… but I doubt our author is so kind. But Wigg says he cannot do this, for my eyes have finally been opened regarding you. Joshua demands to know what he is being accused of, and Faegan, of course, says that Joshua is in league with Nicholas, and he can prove it. Joshua in turn insists that Faegan has no proof (did you really think Faegan would announce he had proof and then fail to provide it? …but it is Faegan, of course he would). Faegan insists he has proof that Joshua has been helping Nicholas to drain the Paragon, but he still does not provide it, instead wondering again how Joshua escaped the death enchantments. And at this point, alas, Joshua stops even trying to defend himself. Placing his hands into the opposite sleeves of his robes, he lowered his eyes menacingly at the master wizard across from him. This was a Joshua Tristan had never seen; it was as if something vile had just come over him. Indeed, something has – the will of Newcomb. And, just to make sure we understand we are no longer meant to like him, he demands that Faegan show me your proof, cripple. Faegan agrees and at his command Shailiha summons her Flier, Caprice, from where she was hiding in one of the bookshelves to come rest on Shailiha’s arm, and then onto the table. Joshua thinks this is a joke (as much as I like the butterflies, in this case, I cannot blame him). Do you really expect me to accept the absurd accusations of some perverted creature of the craft? Especially one without the power of speech, who can communicate only with a woman who has just been supposedly cured of the Chimerian Agonies? While Newcomb already has Joshua speaking like a melodrama villain – and thus he is, presumably, guilty – he does raise a valid point. I do not believe the testimony of a butterfly is admissible evidence in any court I am aware of!
Contrivances and Coincidences: 47 (of course, Joshua is a spy, despite not having done anything obviously suspicious thus far – though Newcomb will try to defend the decision)
Dastardly Deeds: 96
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 104 (neither Faegan as the accuser nor Joshua as the accused are cutting particularly impressive figures at the moment)
Len: Well, Wigg just says that Caprice told them everything, and they know Joshua has been helping drain the Paragon all along. What got Wigg wondering was how the rate of the decay wasn’t constant and kept varying from one day to the next. And, uh, I don’t know, but from what we see it’s not a passive process – Nicholas is doing this deliberately, and we know he’s not always absorbing power and sometimes he’s doing other things. Doesn’t exactly seem like damning evidence about Joshua that the stone isn’t decaying consistently. Anyway, this got Wigg suspicious, so the last time he left the stone in the Well, he set Caprice to watch, and she saw Joshua come in and told Shailiha, who told Wigg, who told Faegan, and Faegan checked to see that the Paragon’s decay had indeed just spiked. Joshua says it’s still not enough. For all I know, this is something the two of you made up – an elaborate hoax to force me out of the Brotherhood. He insists he’s never been to the Well except with one of them. And, uh, Joshua, with the King, Queen and the rest of the Directorate dead, Wigg and Faegan are basically the highest authority in Eutracia (Sovereigns help them all…) and you’re currently living in their fortress. They don’t need a hoax to force you anywhere… hells, they could probably kill you in your sleep and get away with it, ‘cause nobody else around here would question it. You were doomed the moment you walked through that door. But Faegan is pleased by Joshua’s claim and orders Princey to remove his (that’s Joshua’s, not Princey’s own) right boot. Princey’s as mystified as I am, and Faegan repeats himself, telling him he’ll let Princey reach through the warp, and he’ll keep Joshua immobilized. So Princey does what he’s asked, and Faegan tells everyone to observe. Oh, goody – he’s going to put on a show for us.
And sure enough, Faegan causes the lights to dim, then summons a glowing broom to sweep the floor, and seriously, there has to have been a less dramatic way to do that. Once he’s done, revealed on the floor are a set of very clear boot prints, glowing with the power of the craft leading to the entrance to the Well. In the center of the glowing heel mark was the dark letter “J.” And so Faegan has Princey turn the boot he took over, and sure enough, it has the same “J” carved into the heel. And, okay, I’ve gotta wonder – this proves what, exactly? Faegan and Wigg are, allegedly, powerful wizards – does everyone really think that creating the illusion of Joshua’s footprints is beyond them? Apparently, they do, because Princey accepts it at face value and wants to know how it was done. Faegan explains how he created an elixir that, when spread on the floor, can reveal the footsteps of anyone who walks on it (so that’s what that potion he spilled last time was about…) and clearly, this proves that only Joshua has walked there since he did that (gods, Faegan’s lucky that everyone didn’t stomp all over Joshua’s footsteps by mistake and ruin his little experiment, isn’t he? For that matter, nobody else’s footprints are mentioned at all, just Joshua’s, even though everyone else has been in the room… if I was a suspicious changeling, I’d think that’s worth noting…). As for the “J” on the boot, it was carved there by Shawna the Short. She slipped into his chambers while he was asleep, and did the job for me. And in case Joshua was innocent, or used an accomplice, Shawna carved letters on everyone’s shoes – Tristan looks on one of his soles and sees a “T.” And somehow, nobody noticed her doing this this. *she rolls her eyes* Right.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 49
Exposition Intrusion: 222
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 106
Yhani: And so Tristan wonders what becomes of Joshua now, as Shailiha wonders what made Faegan suspect him. Ah, was it not your butterfly that first spotted Joshua in places he should not have been? But apparently that was not it, as Wigg explains – Joshua was the only Consul out of thousands to escape the hatchlings, which Wigg thinks was rather suspicious (it only makes me think that the Consuls must have been rather incompetent…). He thinks Joshua must have acted as Nicholas’s agent, helping him capture the others, which would explain how the hatchlings could find them all so easily (they can fly, and their masters have powerful magic… is it really so surprising?). He thinks that Nicholas probably granted him a spell in the form of a Forestallment – that word again – to help him track the other Consuls, and that when Joshua showed up at the Redoubt, he deliberately let himself be injured and starved to gain sympathy. And so he came to us, at Nicholas’ orders, to tell his sad story, infiltrate the Redoubt, and begin helping drain the Paragon. And I must say, he accurately described the hatchlings and how they were taking the Consuls… what is it with this book’s antagonists in giving away information they do not need to? Wigg also thinks it suspicious that in Parthalon, Joshua refused to allow Geldon to exhume Nicholas’s grave to bring his body back to Eutracia, which would have revealed that Nicholas was not in it. So, respect for the dead is suspicious now, hmmm? And I will note that Nicholas chose to reveal himself not long after that incident, rendering it moot. It was also apparently Joshua’s idea originally to have Ox become Tristan’s bodyguard, though Wigg and Faegan chose to go along with it. Ox is not a traitor, but Nicholas wants Tristan protected, in the hope that he will join him, and had Scrounge poison him to motivate him. Which, again, we already knew. Things are starting to make more sense, but I’m afraid there are still far more pieces to the puzzle. Make more sense to you, perhaps – I fear I remain at a loss!
Tristan wants to know how Nicholas made it so the wizards retain their powers when the Paragon is in the Well, and Wigg thinks it must be from some power Joshua has, probably a Forestallment (they really can do anything!). As final proof, he wants to test Joshua’s blood. If he is innocent, his blood signature will contain no forestallments. If it contains forestallments, then he is working with Nicholas. Wigg also adds that he and Faegan had the stone placed in the Well specifically to tempt Joshua to come work on it while they were away and set Caprice to watch to catch him in the act. But Wigg still wants to know too things – how did Nicholas defeat the death enchantments (are you considering how to practice the Vagaries safely yourself, perhaps?) and is it possible to restore power to the Paragon (as my Dear Heart has noted, there are four books left in this series, so I am going to assume “yes.”). Finally, alas, Joshau admits the truth. Yes, I have always been his, right from the moment he first revealed his mind to me, even while he was still a child. Even then his power and knowledge of the craft dwarfed anything you and the cripple have ever seen… I’ll tell you why, you pompous old man. Because Nicholas promised me the one thing you and your vaunted Directorate would never share with any of us who wore the dark blue robes: power. And with that, a complete understanding of the craft, especially the darker side… and I wanted them. Oh, yes, Lead Wizard, I wanted it badly. And thus the wicked smile again contorted his face. And while it is clear that we are meant to see Joshua as irretrievably evil… he is not wrong. The Directorate did keep the deeper secrets of magic for themselves, away from the Consuls, and Joshua is, I believe, thus far the first to call them out on it. Joshua continues to gloat that there are many Consuls like him, who went over to Nicholas willingly, and they removed their tattoos to prevent identification. But your son didn’t tell you any of that, did he, Chosen One? And I have to wonder why Joshua is saying it now, considering he is giving away information for free… he ends by saying that soon the Confluence will come, and they will all be dead.
Blood Matters: 175
Dastardly Deeds: 98
Exposition Intrusion: 225
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 109
Len: Well, Wigg – who apparently looks like he’d seen a ghost (I wish he had, he’s gotten enough people killed) – sits there stunned, while Faegan demands to know what the Confluence is. Joshua says it doesn’t matter if he tells them, since they can’t stop it anyway (friend, have you ever read a chapbook or seen a play or anything – by saying that, you just guaranteed they’ll stop you!). The Confluence is the combination of the blood of the Chosen One, the blood of the endowed children, the waters from the Caves of the Paragon, and the power of the Paragon itself. All of those will be combined into Nicholas’s blood (seriously, Newcomb, this is getting out of hand!) and though the unique combination of these elements, the Guild of the Heretics will be allowed to return to the earth, to rule once more. *flatly* Yay. It’s… exactly what I would have guessed. Suddenly he smiled again. It was a much more knowing and somehow more decisive smile – as if his mind was suddenly made up about something. He tells them he won’t tell them about the death enchantments or the Paragon – what, now you’ve developed restraint? Really? – and they’ll have to figure that out themselves. But there is something he will tell them. That death itself is not the end, nor is it even the problem… that it is, truly, only the beginning. Something the master, in his infinite wisdom, will soon demonstrate to you. Yeah, and I’m sure that made a lot more sense in this book, where the bad guys are actually dead, than in the later ones, where it turns out they’re not and never were. Although *she glances over at Yhani, who’s quietly simmering* I think it’s just as well it’s me and not ‘Hani recapping this bit, ‘cause that sounds an awful lot like a bastardization of her religion. She can get a bit… touchy about that. And then, out of nowhere, Joshua pulls a sort of hooked stiletto out of his robes and sticks it in his damned ear. As blood gushed out, he slammed it in even farther, the gave the blade a sudden, forceful pull. Tristan heard a moist, muffled crack. The consul was dead before his face hit the bars of his cage. *weakly* And that’s… that, I guess. Although usually, the bad guys are supposed to kill themselves before they give away the secret information, not after they’ve already done it!
Everyone stares in shock, and finally Princey asks why the consuls would revolt when they were bound to serve the Vigors (uh, I think Joshua explained that one pretty well – they knew the Directorate were keeping them in the dark, and they didn’t like it) and how they got around the death enchantments. Wigg is crying and Celeste is comforting him (he doesn’t deserve it) and so Faegan answers. In addition to what Joshua said, with the Directorate and the monarchy destroyed, the Consuls apparently felt their loyalty was up for grabs. Wow, what dedicated people you’ve trained, Wigg – also, wasn’t there someone hiding in the Redoubt who could’ve come out of hiding and done something about this? Think his name starts with a “T” … For another, Nicholas offered them power and knowledge beyond what the Directorate gave them, and some of them might even think Wigg is a traitor for his role in allowing the invasion (and they would not be wrong). Finally, they might want the time enchantments, which the Directorate kept from them (you know, this isn’t making the Directorate look better, Newcomb…). A very tempting package for those already partially trained, and still possessing an overriding curiosity about the craft. Yeah, and if Wigg had trained them better, and wasn’t such an elitist asshole, this all could have been avoided! Gah! Anyway, they now have to assume all the remaining Consuls are in revolt. Princey at least thinks it’s a good thing that they exposed Joshua, but Wigg says all that they gained from that is that the Paragon won’t decay as fast (and some information about the Confluence – you got that!). Shailiha then asks what the Confluence is, and, uh, did Joshua not explain it to your satisfaction? But Faegan, er, re-explains (seriously, we’re repeating stuff we’ve learned earlier in the same chapter now) how it involves the combination of various powers to resurrect the Heretics, and based on a passage from the Tome, the gates shall literally split open the heavens, releasing the Guild of the Heretics from their bondage in the firmament. The spirits of the Heretics shall then appear, descending from the heavens to come flying through the Gates, passing by their reactivated blood. They will then bond with it, taking on their original human forms. And I’m pretty sure that all makes no sense, in light of the later books. Tristan asks why the Ones won’t return as well, and Wigg says it’s because their blood isn’t in the Gates, and gah, we knew this already! Princey then asks why they’re called the Gates of Dawn, and Faegan says that according to the Tome it’s because the Gates will activate at dawn, and damn if that isn’t the most boring possible answer to that question. But regardless, the room goes silent, and the chapter ends there.
Blood Matters: 183
Dastardly Deeds: 100
Exposition Intrusion: 230
Gratuitous Grimdark: 67
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 111
Chapter Forty-Five
Yhani: And so, we open this chapter with Tristan as he watches the Minions’ funeral pyres burning, their many levels littered with the mangled and torn corpses of Minion warriors. As the Minions’ lord, Tristan is expected to be at the pyres to pay respect for the dead (for once, an honorable and proper gesture) and we learn the deaths are because, while Feagan has managed to widen his portal, with his powers diminishing it has not functioned as planned, and so many of the Minions trying to come through from the other side died horribly in the attempt. And thus, we have another reason for Tristan to attend the pyres – the deaths are, at least partially, his fault. Not that he seems to admit that… We learn that it has been two weeks since Joshua died, and the decay of the Paragon has not stopped. He thinks that soon they will be left with a world without magic (based on all that we have seen the magic of this world accomplish, that is not a bad thing!) or rather… a world in which all of the magic had been taken into one person. Faegan, it seems, worked himself to exhaustion to improve his portal, but he cannot keep it from periodically collapsing – some of the Minions caught in it simply vanish, while others are torn to pieces. Blood lay everywhere upon the snowy field. The screaming and wailing that could be heard coming from inside the whirling maelstrom was terrifying. Tristan thinks they are losing one in every six Minions – by my Ancestors – but his only concern is that their odds against the hatchlings are growing steadily worse. Such a compassionate soul! Oh, he is also worried about someone else – the strain this is putting on the wizards. Because that, of course, is the real problem here! Tristan turns away from the pyres to watch the Minions setting up a gigantic encampment, with the Minions around it constantly on patrol watching for the hatchlings. He thinks it seems oddly peaceful, despite the purpose for its existence.
The officers, meanwhile, he has set up in the palace, even though it bothers him that these were some of the same warriors who had killed both his family and the Directorate of Wizards. And now, impossibly, they were here once more, this time to occupying the palace to protect it, rather than to destroy it. What the common people, who were raped and slaughtered en masse by these same Minions, feel about it… is never mentioned at all. Indeed, it is not even clear if they have noticed the Minions. Because in these books, the common people get no voice. Traax, Wigg, Faegan and Ox are waiting with Tristan, and Traax wants to know why the hatchlings and scarabs haven’t attacked yet. Wigg thinks that the Gates are clearly Nicholas’ first priority, and he will not attack until he is certain they are secure, and he also feels that he has already won, and they pose no threat to him. Sadly, in this he is probably also right. *arches an eyebrow* Need I refer you to previous comments re the existence of later books in this series? Wigg finally adds that as Tristan becomes more ill, Nicholas no doubt feels all the more certain he will have to seek him out and join him in return for the antidote and will only attack when he realizes Tristan has finally refused him. Faegan adds that there will probably be only one battle, as Nicholas will intend to finish them off with one strike – need I remind you of the old adage about plans surviving contact with the enemy? Namely, the way they do not? Faegan then reminds Tristan and the Minions that they will need to hold Nicholas’ forces at bay, and that if the Paragon loses all its power their time enchantments will stop working and Wigg, Faegan and Celeste will all die. If that happens, Tristan and the Minions will be the only hope of stopping the Heretics. Oh, and we learn that Tristan has kept the stiletto Joshua committed suicide with. Curious of all things martial, Tristan had carefully removed it from the dead consul’s ear, examined it closely, and then wiped it clean, asking the wizards if he might keep it. They had quietly agreed. How very… macabre of you. Apparently, this style of weapon is literally called a brain hook and was invented by the wizards during the Sorceresses’ War, to allow for captives to swiftly commit suicide to keep themselves from being turned into blood stalkers. Tristan wants it so that when his final seizure strikes, if he has not found a cure, he can end his life cleanly rather than in agony. I… find I cannot begrudge him that choice. Traax, watching the funeral pyres, suddenly comments that the Minions expect to die in battle, but to die like this, defenseless… such a thing simply should not be. Oh, is that a veiled accusation at Tristan, I sense? But Tristan only thinks that there are many things that should not be, but are, and at that thought the chapter, and Part IV, comes to an end.
MG: Well, the biggest part of these chapters is the revelation of Joshua’s status as a traitor. And, imo, it’s really not handled well. None of Joshua’s behavior that Wigg and Faegan call out as suspicious is noted as suspicious when it happens, and some of it, like him sneaking around the Well of the Redoubt or that Caprice was spying on him, was barely foreshadowed at all before the revelation (we saw Wigg and Faegan playing with their potion last time, but never got a sense that it was related to any of this). Besides, since the return to Parthalon, Joshua has barely even been in the book – nor was there any hint that there was a traitor at all, or that Nicholas needed help to drain the Paragon. Basically, it feels like the resolution to a mystery without any of the buildup to it. And of course, Joshua starts talking like a cliché villain, including spilling most of his secrets willingly, as soon as he’s found out – but even so, he’s still completely right when calling out the Directorate for their elitism and hypocrisy, even if the book won’t acknowledge it. And yes, I know that a lot of you in the comments liked Joshua and considered him one of the only mostly decent people in this story, and for that, having known his fate was coming, I sincerely apologize. But by this point it should come as no surprise that Newcomb can’t write a sympathetic character without ruining them – or, in this case, turning them evil and throwing them away (see also, Natasha). Anyway, next time will begin the final Part of the book, Part V: The Vanquished, as we move on towards our climax and find out just what all of this was building towards. We’ll see you then! For now, our counts stand at:
Blood Matters: 183
Contrivances and Coincidences: 49
Dastardly Deeds: 101 (for the reminder of the last time the Minions were in Eutracia)
Exposition Intrusion: 232
Gender Wars: 92
Gratuitous Grimdark: 70
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 112
I’m also about to finish up my reread and commentary on the (in)famous epic Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfic Embers which can be found here if you’re interested!
