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Part Three: Finally, here's the read...
Here it is, finally!
[spoiler]Geez my notes barely make any sense to me anymore. It's hard to figure out exactly what's going on during this chapter anyway--but, just to review:
What I can tell you, right now, about the read is that it was 16 pages from chapter 6 of Fatal Revenant. The chapter is called "Interference" It begins with Linden surviving some very intense transition. Whether it's due to something Esmer did or a caesure or both is unclear. She is somewhere in a ice-valley holding the Staff of Law and freezing to death. She is suffering a "white-out" type of blindness. There are four characters present during these pages: Linden, Thomas Covenant (who appears, at a time, to be existing in two dimensions simultaneously), a very strange new character called the Theomoch (who seems to have a real bone to pick with the Elohim), and Jeremiah (who appears, out of absolute nowhere at the very end). Covenant has a very odd and twisted attitude that may be caused, in part, by the Theomoch. There is some eerie and strange type of "shadow-relationship" between Covenant and the Theomoch. The Theomoch seems to have the ability to be behind, in front and beside itself at the same time.
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This is going to be, kinda sketchy notes in the beginning so we'll see if I can put something together...So: Linden has appeared somewhere, apparently out of nowhere. She just undergone some kind of transition, whether it's due to a caesure, Esmer, or both, or something else is unclear. In anycase the transition is so intense that Linden is basically in a standing coma hugging the Staff of Law to her for dear life. She begins to become semi-concious she is aware of acute pain and white light. Whatever happened was so intense that it caused total-body "white-out". Her body also appears to be modulating a bit before she tries to open her eyes. Same result: she sees nothing but white light. Something had protected her, something had allowed her to survive, whether it was the ur-viles or herself it's unknown. She feels a deep chill in her lungs and realizes that her garments are icy, if not frozen.
Out of nowhere Covenant rages, "Hellfire! Hell and Blood! What the @#%$!?!", now she knows she's alive. Linden is starting to freeze to the bone and automatically thinks about surrounding herself with fire or a wall of Earthpower. "Goddam it Linden don't! You can still erase me and Lord Foul will still be here. Hellfire! Bloody Damnation!". She can feel no sign of Jeremiah present. Esmer's nausea had inflicted her, could only the ur-viles heal it? She wanted to be able to see, to look for Jeremiah, her lips crack but she can speak, "Where are we?", "What have you done?" Covenant says (it doesn't feel like he is speaking to her), "Dammit, show yourself...this pace stinks of you!" What sounds like a woman's voice, slightly farther away, answers, "Do you fear I will reveal you?", "We're not supposed to be here.", "My lore sufices...". Linden's piercing headache barely subsides and her eyes begin to clear. She sees an ordinary woman's shadow-shape walking towards her, she can hear light footsteps, an impression of slippage as if walking on ice. As her vision improves it appears that the "woman" stands all around herself, front back and sides.
"Why are you in my way!?"
"The Elohim would have done so if not I."
"I can handle the Elohim."
Covenant continues, "You people are the darkness in their hearts."
"It pleases me to upset them when I can..."
"You people are infernal meddlers."
"You can't put the Staff of Law and the white gold into the hands of someone too weak to use them, but watching the Elohim freak (probably my word) will be amusing."
Linden straightens, is "she" coming at her to take the Staff of Law?
"You people..." Covenant says, "...sheer greed, you probably share their desire to make friends with the Worm at the world's end..."
Linden's eyesight improves, she moves her feet and looks down seeing layers of ice crust, the result of days of hard sunshine. "Where's Jeremiah?"
Woman, "Attend to her with your compassion."
to which Thomas replies, "Pay no attention to this, it's always following me around."
Linden can't make head or tails of this conversation-she can't tell if Covenant is being sarcastic or indifferent about her plight, enraged that no reply about Jeremiah is forth coming--she flings the Staff of Law at him. Covenant jumps out of the way as the Staff sinks into the snow. The "woman" picks it up and examines it. Linden can feel no warmth at all now without the Staff, she clutches at Covenant's ring. She realises Esmer was never here. The woman begins moving towards her making a swirling movement with her free hand. She is dressed from head to toe in russett cloth, only her eyes are visible. Holding the Staff of Law. The closer Linden looks the more emmasculated the form appears, could it be a man, despite a high pitched voice?
"It is incomplete to me." "She says as she offers it back to Linden. Linden glares at her, "You want something?" then to both says, "Where is my son?!."
A strange shade of crimson (fear?) comes into Covenant's eyes as he says,
"You'll be lost."... "He'll be here. Esmer's trying to hold him and the ur-viles are regrouping." Linden hardly understands what he's saying.
"He'll show up, eventually..."
Linden tought it was the Staff that gave her, at least a sembalance of inner warmth, then begins to remember: the Loremaster and the Waynhim gave her virtrim. It's too cold for snow-this doesn't coincide with the time of year-Esmer prevented Covenant's plan with the ur-viles-we are in an unknown valley of snow-clad hills-no Kevin's Dirt-this place is indefinable--removed for proper time and Revelstone.
"I'm freezing to death! How do you expect me to survive if I can't use the Staff?"
Covenant seems not affected by anything she says, he appears to be doing many things at the same time, then, with a small gesture of his hand, he warms her.
The swaddled woman/man says, "No need for haste, I must accompany you for awhile."
"She doesn't know either of us...Linden this is..."
"Proceed with caution or the Elohim will interfere in your behalf."
All sorts of questions come into Linden's mind: He is part of the Arch of Time. Where is he? Can he see the future or is he confined to the present? Where is she? Elohim? She is here due to circumstances beyond her control? If in the future isn't there a paradox of knowing the present? How does the white gold effect this? Is it even wrong to think? To act? Any knowledge she gains to alter her past can lead to the destruction of the earth. It seems both have something to gain by mystifying her. Both fear her. If she acts on any decision it will alter time.
"Linden, he's the Theomoch, he's crazy, whole damm race is crazy."
"Where are we? Why?" says Linden
"Let's go up there..." He points to one of the hills, "...explaining will be easier if you can see farther."
"You son will appear at the half-hand's side. Erect obstacles, remove others." The Theomoch turns and begins to walk toward Covenant, "I speak of your peril."
"Your perils, your intereference gauls me!" Thomas begins to shift, oddly, as if existing on or being sequewayed between two planes at once.
"I'll make your people irrellevant! You'll humiliate the Elohim but someone or something will humiliate you worse."
Linden struggles with the cold and conversation. Somehow she has the toughness of stamina. She wonders about Covenant's ambiguous intervention and the mystery of the Theomoch. Even aliantha doesn't grow here-no birds, no animals-too cold--no sign. Valley: so lifeless...her healthsense was returning...she trod over graves: the entire valley. On an absolutely clear day she turns to see an after-flash of lightning next to Thomas Covenant. Jeremiah appears-reacting to something-gasping, as if fighting or fleeing for his life.[/spoiler] *****
Before, you are wise; after, you are wise. In between you are otherwise.
Fravashi saying (from the formularies of Osho the Fool) <i></i>
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