jmclarke
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Chapter 768: The Death of Purpose
🕑 Added 2024-01-24 17:55:21 +0000 UTCGabrian kept screaming.
Screaming until his lungs hurt. He screamed until it felt like his throat was bleeding. He screamed until the echoes of his voice felt as though they would drive him to madness.
Over and over, his mind tried to reason, trying to understand what was before him. Trying to deny the body at his feet, trying to pretend he was dreaming, or that there was some mistake.
He could not.
He had dedicated most of his life in the service of Uldar.
A life that spanned many average lifetimes.
One that had endured in unwavering faith.
A life where he’d always known that one day, he would bow at the feet of his god.
A lifetime of waiting, only to learn that Uldar was dead.
“Stop screaming, you idiot!” the Stalker shouted.
His moose pawed the stone, his hoof scraping the ground.
“This cannot be!” the First Apostle shouted. “How can our god be dead? What happened? Did these interlopers murder him?”
“You're not making any sense! Get a hold of yourself!” The fae rushed over and slapped the man across the face.
The First Apostle barely flinched. “This must be some lie…it must be…it must be a lie…”
“Focus!” the Stalker snapped. “Listen, it won't be long before our quarry finds us! I don't need a wreck, I need a warrior! I need a hound! I picked you to hunt with me because I knew you had skill and a strong will, was I wrong?”
The holy man could only sob in reply, looking at the Stalker helplessly, gesturing to the body.
“Get a hold of yourself or I'm leaving you here!” the fae shouted. “If you're going to act like this, I'd be better off on my own! You’ve seen a dead body—an important dead body, but your whingeing and moaning won’t bring it back to life! It’s just a corpse and an empty chair is all…” the Stalker paused. His eyes flew wide as though a memory had struck him. “…when there is an empty chair! So that was the answer to his riddle! By the fae lords!”
“I…” the First Apostle sobbed.
A voice spoke in his mind; a familiar presence, renewing contact with him.
“Servant of the god of this land,” the voice spoke, and Gabrian knew it to be the servant of Uldar that had contacted him before. “Have you met with our master? Things have changed, and we must know how to proceed.”
The First Apostle trembled.
When he answered, it was both out loud and in his mind.
“He’s dead,” he whispered, barely breathing.
There was silence.
“Who are you talking to?” the Stalker demanded, but Gabrian wasn’t answering him.
“Did you know?” he demanded from the one who’d spoken in his mind. “Did you know he was dead? Was this some trick? Some game to destroy me? Are you even a servant of Uldar?” He rose to his feet, shaking in grief and rage. “Are you some devil or trickster fae trying to make a fool of me? Is this some demonic game?”
The silence continued in his mind.
Then the voice spoke.
‘The creator…is dead?’ the servant asked.
“Yes, he is dead!” Gabrian screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. “How long? You must've known: I worked with Ravener-spawn under your orders because I thought you were in communication with our god! Were they really servants of his? Where are they in these halls? Where are you? Who are you?”
More silence, and then.
“The creator is dead,” the voice said the words flatly. “Is this a lie?”
“No, it isn’t a lie!” Gabrian screamed. “I would never lie about something like this! I led my people to their deaths, to their deaths, so they might be embraced by our god! But he is cold, and unmoving. He cannot embrace us. And his plans…we were to continue the cycle until such time as he gave leave for it to end. Instead…he cannot give leave for anything! Are we then trapped in this cycle forever? He is gone! Gone!”
He could feel his mind breaking further. “How can this be?” he howled. “All for nothing…for nothing…” Faces of old friends rose in his mind. “...all of this was for nothing!”
The voice spoke in his mind again. “You speak the truth. The silence is explained. Protocols…none exist for this event…none…”
Gabrian felt another wave of grief pass over him, quickly realising it was not his own. It was coming from the presence speaking in his mind; it was the grief of a child, mourning the death of its father.
“Contact will cease. Consideration must be given,” the presence stated.
“Wait, what am I to do?” Gabrian asked, forgetting his accusations. “Tell me what to do!”
“The creator must be immortalised. Yet the creator is dead. It is unknown. All is unknown.”
Contact abruptly stopped.
The First Apostle was just about to shout after the presence.
“Watch out behind you!” the Stalker cried, pushing him to the side.
An arrow slammed into Gabrian’s side, driving a scream of pain from his throat. Had the fae not shoved him, the arrow would have found his heart.
Turning, he looked across the room—toward a passageway in the wall—and his eyebrows rose.
A young woman—a companion of the Fool—stood there beside a sharkman he recognised from the battle at Uldar’s Rise. Between them was the cerberus that had also been there, tensed, sheathed in bone armour, with its three heads lowered, fangs bared, and low growls rumbling from its throats.
“Wake up! That's the second time I’ve had to save you by pushing you aside,” the squat fae screamed, his moose stepping up behind him, growling at the cerberus. “Will you—Shit!”
Before he could finish, the huntress loosed arrows at them like rain.
Gabrian was staring at her as though he was a man just waking from a sleep that had lasted months. He lifted his sword mechanically, blocking an arrow coming for his face, yet he did not move though more pierced his gut and chest.
In seconds, five shafts protruded from his torso.
“You…” he whispered. “You…you…you…”
“Get a grip!” The Stalker shouted as the sharkman and cerberus stalked forward.
Gabrian gestured to Uldar’s body, his hand shaking. Another arrow struck. “Did you do this?” his voice was pleading.
Theresa responded with an arrow to his chest, missing his heart by inches as he turned by reflex, barely flinching. “Did you do this?” he gasped out again.
“Hold on now, everyone stop!” the Stalker shouted, holding up his hands. “Why don't we all calm down and talk about this a bit! We just came across the body of a dead god, and that’s something most don’t see everyday, my companion’s not doing so well! Remember, last time we met, you didn't fare too well in that exchange! Let's figure this all out!”
He was a far cry from his usual, confident self; there was a wildness to his eyes and a tightness to his jaw. He kept glancing between Gabrian and the doorway to the stairs.
Without a word, Grimloch sauntered ahead, putting himself between the fae and the stairwell.
The Stalker made a sour face. “Well, that's just not very mature.”
“My sister would agree with you,” Grimloch said. “Don't care either way.”
“You should,” the fae snarled. “We just had a bit of a rough time, but we’re more than enough to deal with the three of you.”
“Don't like it when lunch talks so much” Grimloch walked toward the stalker, his eyes pits of darkness.
“Oh, for the love of—” He turned back to Gabrian. “By the fae lords!”
Arrows lay on the floor at the First Apostle’s feet, deflected from his heart and head by his sword. The rest of the woman’s arrows were firmly embedded in his flesh.
The huntress’ barrage had stopped when her quiver was empty.
“Do something!” the fae snapped. “Or say something!”
“There's no need for words,” Theresa growled, dropping her bow. She drew the Twinblade. “You hurt people close to me…and you tried to kill my dog.” She nodded at Uldar’s body. “You'll soon be joining that corpse, I promise.”
Her words made Gabrian react more than any of her arrows had. His face had turned red, his mind was a storm, and his grief was quickly giving way to rage.
“Corpse?” his words squeaked from a strangled throat. “You would call our god that?”
“Our god?” Theresa paused, looking at him closely. “Our god is dead. Can't you understand that?”
“No, no, no, no! He will greet me in the after-world!” Tears sprang to his eyes, trickling down his face. “He is waiting in the after-world, with Izas, Eldin…the others…if he is not…” He paused. “All would have been for nothing. All would've been futile. That cannot be. It is not true. It cannot be true!”
At this, the huntress shook her head, watching him, her face grimacing with disgust and pity. “It was for nothing,” she said grimly. “I don't have time to coddle you: how does a person do so much evil for a dead body that didn't even care about you? The decent thing for you to do right now, would be to drop to one knee and let me take your head.”
She pointed with one of her swords. “You've done too much for me to let you live, but you could at least die with honour. Merzhin saw this body, he despaired, but you know what he did? He did better. He chose to be better, are you going to do the same?”
“Some deal that is: death or death,” the Stalker grumbled, but his eyes were still darting around, looking for a way out. He was tense, as was his moose.
“Don't concern you.” Grimloch kept his focus on them.
“Where’s Alex?” the huntress asked. “What happened to him? The fact that you're talking about all your dead means he probably devastated you.” She smiled. “Where is he?” Her smile faded. “Did you harm him? How did you get here?”
“Yes…the Fool…” Gabrian suddenly stiffened. With a single sweep of his sword, he sheared the shafts of every arrow sticking out of his body. Blood ran down his torso, but he hardly noticed; his lifeforce was deep, old and powerful.
A strange light entered his eyes. “The Fool lives.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “He does.” He looked at the huntress intently, tears and blood staining his face. His mind roiled with emotion. “You speak of death and honour. You speak of letting you take my head. There is one thing that we both agree upon. I do deserve death.”
“What?” the Stalker demanded. “What madness is—”
“Silence!” Gabrian shouted. The scales of the Chosen burned on his brow. “I will speak!” He looked at the huntress. “I committed a great sin today. I was faced with a choice: a choice to return here to Uldar’s side, or to pursue the Fool. I chose to pursue the Fool, which was a poor choice. Had I come here, my people would still be alive. We would have seen…what our god had come to. Together, we would have learned what had befallen him, and decided on our vengeance.”
He shook his head. “Then we would have taken it, and chosen what to do with ourselves afterward, but no longer can we make those decisions. It was all for nothing: I led my people to their deaths for nothing, and had I chosen differently, they would be alive now. I do not deserve to live for this transgression: I made my decision out of arrogance, and narrowed vision. I deserve to pay for that sin. But…”
The First Apostle spit on the ground. “I will not allow my head to be taken by the enemies of Uldar. I will punish them.” He looked at the Stalker. “My companion helped us, and I will not allow you to kill him either, nor will I allow the Fool to win. I will dump your lifeless bodies at his feet and watch his despair. Then I will melt into the shadows, and hunt down every last one of your loved ones. Your family, his family, the treacherous Heroes…all of them. If Uldar lies dead, I will not allow you to live and smirk at his corpse. After you’re dead, and only after you’re dead, will I seek death to atone and to join my brethren in the after-world to apologise. But, have no illusions that you will not precede me!”
“You've lost your mind.” Theresa fell into a fighting stance. “You're not even half the man Merzhin is.”
“Perhaps.” The First Apostle sobbed. “But I am too broken to care. Come, I will rip you to shreds. Stalker, flee from this place when you can!”
He muttered a quick word, and his wounds suddenly healed, pushing out the arrow heads. With the cry of an enraged beast, he charged Theresa.
She snarled, going for him with Brutus at her side.
The twin blade swept up, his holy sword swept down.
Metal clashed on metal.
“Feeding frenzy!” Grimloch shouted, going for the Stalker.
“Shit!” the fae snapped. “Help our hound! After words like that, I'd be no real fae if I just let him get butchered!”
The Stalker dove out of the way of Grimloch’s swinging maul, as it cracked against stone. His mount charged the cerberus, Brutus turned, going to flank Gabrian.
The creature’s fangs attacked his bone armour as three heads whirled in response, jaws snapping.
Theresa and Gabrian were a blur of steel and death.
The First Apostle snarled at her. “Now it is my turn! Give up, and I will make your death painless. You and I have clashed before, and you were no match for me—”
His words were cut off by a gasp.
The huntress’ left sword slashed his side, leaving twin cuts in his flesh.
He gaped at the wound in surprise. “You were able to strike me?”
She gave him something that was half-snarl and half-smile. “You're missing an arm: no more shitty shield for you to fend me off with. Besides, I've been training for you: I'm not the same fighter you ambushed a few months ago.”
With those words, she went for his throat.
###
Author's Note
Hello forty-three cool fools, almighty chosen, wise sages, and mighty champions! Thank you for your support!
And so we have this face off, which I've been waiting for. WooooYeahBaby.mp4
Also my car battery died this morning, lol, so I had to scramble my ass to the garage. Just glad my mom was visiting to drive me back home, haha.
Cya tomorrow!
Comments
Jeff Chinn
lol hey now don't forget we got 1 chapter of a training in the rain montage for her that's more than enough for her develop
Gareth S
100% what he said ^^^
Kettle
I think there are a few of issues getting crammed together. 1. From a story arc perspective, this fight should have been the second to last act of the previous book, not the opening act of this book. Even if this is a planned multi-book story, each book should have its own satisfying arc. Unfortunately, book 8 ends with a lot of built up tension, so it feels like the arc ended prematurely. Then book 9 has to re-introduce the readers to the tension, so it feels like an unusually long build up. 2. The actual fight did not use many of the elements in the build up, so it makes it feel like those items were unnecessary and could have been cut. 3. Alex does not act like we would expect him to in this fight. We’ve followed him through many books and watched him learn many lessons. And unfortunately it feels like the plot is driving his actions instead of the character. 4. Gabrian’s character changed from an incredibly dangerous warrior mage to the terminator. It just isn’t believable how much damage he can tank. He has literal arrows in his organs and doesn’t flinch. He can perform endless miracles and interdictions. And he’s on his third life bar. It makes you wonder why he ran away the last time he fought, since this guy could have outlasted all of his enemies.
Scott Emery
Thanks reds and mant06, you points are valid and help.
mant06
Also his soul is currently frayed so doing anything with divinity is risky.
mant06
Is Gabrian's age really indigative of his abilities? He has trained but how much has he truly chalenged himself. His manapool may be bigger than in his youth but has his spellcraft grown? Seems unlikely given that the highest tier spell we have seen from him was a fireball. After defeating the Ravener in his time has he truly grown any of his abilities besides Uldar's divinity?
Decide
The Ravener still has a connection to Uldar, the same as Claygon and Alex. Some chapters back when Alex became the General, the Ravener reached out to Uldar through the connection, but there was, obviously, no reply.
Daniel is ŁØNE
The whole interdiction thing itself is an asspull, the little dirt they brought should not have nearly enough power to block him for long considering he pushed true with weaker abilities and under significantly more physical strain when he and Theresa almost got killed. Also, the fact he even got hit with the interdiction at all because of some dirt that he should have blocked with force armor which should honestly be a near fucking mandatory spell at this stage is fucking appalling. You can't use the interdiction as a valid excuse because the truth is that Alex only got hit with it because the author made him intentionally incompetent, it's not like he doesn't understand how interdictions work so the fact that he let them escape because of one is wild to me.
Daniel is ŁØNE
Well said, this fight in truth should have been the climax of the previous volume but instead it's been extended to this point and honestly the climax is long overdue, in comparison to the pacing of the previous volumes this one and the last have been dragging a bit too much. Also, the fans are right to call the author out on the BS that was the alex vs Stalker and FA, and while there is a solid portion of those who are hating on it with an oversized murder boner, it is also undeniably true that the entire scenario was written poorly and half the shit that happened was written in a way that deviates too far from the characterizations we have been given. Alex didn't use even half his combat options and was laughably inefficient and arrogant in comparison to his standard level of caution and readiness. The decision to tackle the fight without making use of the extra fighting force he access to via Generasi is also stupid on a level that is hard to quantify. The Unmaker who was hyped up to a ridiculous degree killed the weakest of the major targets and decided to focus on the mooks?????????? Like this one was so jarring it was hard to understand, A NINTH Tier creature that is supposedly skilled at the utmost level of violence and has engaged in wars and combat of the likes mortals can only imagine decided that the best way to engaging in a confrontation is to ignore the priority targets and instead kill the random mooks that any other summon could easily take care of, do you not realize how much of a fucking ass pull this is. The entire fight reeked of plot induced stupidity as well as plot convenience in a way that makes it hard to swallow for anyone who gives a damn about character consistency. If Alex fought them and they escaped because they outsmarted or outplayed him in a way that doesn't make him look like a complete fucking tool and moron no one would complain, the issue is that Alex is intentionally made to act and behave stupid in order to create this order of events.
Daniel is ŁØNE
lmao if Baelin was watching all of this then he would be having a stroke about how incompetent Alex was during the fight against the FA and Stalker.
Reds
He still blocked arrows from his head and heart instinctively, which implies he can't heal from a fully damaged heart or head/decapitation
Scott Emery
I'm still having problems with suspension of disbelief. The first disciple standing there with five of Teresa's arrows and him makes no sense. Then, if he's able to heal himself with the wave of his hand, that means that Thresa literally has zero chance against him, no matter how well her sword skills have improved.
George R
Amazing chapter thanks
Gareth S
It’s dragging compared to the earlier books. It’s not about battle it’s about meaningful progression. Taking 30 chapters to cover what should be ten is what is frustrating people.
Gareth S
The pacing is a real problem… nothing to do with a desire for violence just less meaningless waffle. A half decent editor will slash a lot of it before publishing- but it’s still frustrating
Hudson Hohimer
So far I’m really enjoying this last book! Alex’s true enemy now is going to be the Ravager itself. It’s the only being that could compare to him, he’s shown that he has completely surpassed the FA and it’s only his understandable hubris that let the FA and the Stalker escape. I think something is going to happen/break in the next few chapters and we are going to have one of the last secrets of Uldar revealed. What was he actually doing, and who the heck killed him? Maybe if the mark of the general enters the sanctum something will get triggered? We already know he left voice recordings. If he wasn’t being malicious he may have left a final message explaining things before he died. Expecting the general to hear it and put down the runaway Ravager. But then the mark of the fool happens and the door is closed , locking away the truth for thousands of years. Then the ultimate battle is going to be an unconstrained Ravager vs Alex and his allies! Both with powerful individuals, both capable of summoning massive armies. End the cycle and finally bring lasting peace to his homeland!
Voror
Connection? What connection?
Decide
Oddly enough, the Ravener still has a connection to the Corpse of Uldar. It's odd that it remains in death. Maybe Uldar is just really, really paralyzed? Potentially even brain dead from the poison? It just seems really weird for a connection to remain in death.
Dehlan Sage
Seriously so pissed about people complaining at this point. Honestly it's not bad pacing or execution. Y'all just got a murder boner and were mad you couldn't finish. I love that gabrian could see all this, that Theresa could get her revenge, and that the guide could reveal he's not hot shit. I love it all.
Dehlan Sage
Hype hype hype just because Alex is special doesn't mean Theresa isn't too. The twinblade buildup is about to commence!!!
Why do I have a feeling baelin is just watching all this having a blast. "Ahh, yes. Become proper mages"
Dehlan Sage
Literally fuck them. I'm fine with everything that has happened. They got hyped for a final battle -- this is it lol
Code Reed
Yeah I figured the ravener was a golem type being that lost it's master/father after we heard that story about the wondering golem that hunted monsters continuously after it's father died. This is a story, so bread crumbs like that aren't dropped at random.
Drendude
Having binged pretty much everything since the Games of Roal until the discovery of Kelda's laboratory, this pacing feels pretty good. I don't understand these people saying the book is dragging.
Code Reed
Ah yes, the rational response to world shattering events. Murder suicide.
Benjamin Mages
I think you're getting so irritated you've actually stopped reading the story, because as was explicitly shown last chapter he's under an interdiction that locks teleportation. He's trying to get around it but it'll take a bit of time.
BoxQueen
Hmmm, never a big fan of these cliffhangers but I know other people live of this, so it's a moot point. And glad your mom helped you out; having the car battery die on you is the worst.
Bob Bryan
I mean I did. Theresa worked hard to get her revenge for almost getting killed and them hurting Alex. Plus I now kind of want grimloch to eat the stalker because I would find that funny and ironic. So yeah
Bob Bryan
It's been 2 chapters and Theresa needs to get her revenge as well. Chillax
Bru-
I think she is having some success due to his crisis of faith. She might even get her breakthrough. I hope it takes Alex to come and win it for her and Grimloch in the end what a way to make an entrance. Plus I am hoping he explains the Generals Folly. So we can learn why the General became the Fool. It is the last book.
Grine
Hmm I do like this fight between the First Apostle and the Huntress. But... Yeah... The way the previous chapter were written make Alex looks really dumb.
I think I bought the pattern subscription at the worst time , why is this book just now going downhill? Alex should have killed these people like around 5 chapters back and with ease? And didn’t we see Alex literally teleport in this Uldar’s palace during his preparation for the ambush at sanctum??? Why isn’t he teleporting here now??? 😩
Uroš
Also, Alex has been shown to cast disintigrate with a twich and a mumble. What was stopping him from just casting a few dosen of them? The need to gloat like a bad villian? Plot armor?
Dennis
Yeah I'm tired of this continued division of the characters, I mean its been going on for most of book 8 and now well into book 9.
Orion1024
He was in top condition then, and in his worst condition now. It doesn’t seem that far fetched right now especially since he underestimated her in the first exchanges . My guess ? He’s still too much for Theresa right now but if she gets her breakthrough mid fight then she gets ahead. But then I’m not sure I’d like her getting the final blow… Alex deserves the catharsis more IMHO
mhaj58
Can we get back to Alex soon. He should be able to break through the interdiction and get to Theresa by now right?
Zachary LaCount
We were denied an actual fight with the general for this pity fight
Voror
I remember that theory and it would make sense if that is a property of worship to God's. I guess it either wasn't enough in the end or maybe someone came to finish the job.
Orion1024
Pretty sure Uldar was very slowly dying from the ichor, and the cycle was a means to stave off death / find a cure
Fleetpanda
They’ve faced off evenly before the ambush at the battle of uldar’s rise. He soloed their entire group. Should he be weaker now? Yes. Should he be weak enough for Theresa alone? Absolutely not. Being handicapped doesn’t make up a difference of CENTURIES of training. You have to understand that this dude did nothing but sit and practice for like 300 years. And Theresa is landing hits cause he’s having an off day? Bs
Uroš
No, it's not. Alex spent like 100 bloody chapters preparing for his trap only for the apostoly to plot armor out of there.
Fleetpanda
Yes he’s tired and hurt and a little out of it. He’s still been practicing fighting, magic, and LFE for hundreds of years. He and the stalker just took out an entire guard garrison of trained Watchers while he was tired and dis-armed. But now he’s being stopped by someone who’s supposed to be Watcher-level?
Obi-Wan-Sage
I guess you ain't processing it. He doesn't have a shield or a left hand. His fighting handicapped. When they faced off during the ambush he was at full strength and it was ambush. Emphasis in ambush. Now gabrian has been fighting for a long time. Emotionally compromised and doesn't have an arm. Handicap!!!! Hence now she can face him probably on even ground.
Fleetpanda
I’d think that too if they said anything to imply it. They state the reason outright though. She says it’s because of the shield and training… FA whooped the champion, chosen, her, and grimloch all at the same time. This is ridiculous
Al
I think he was trying to be stronger. A divinity engine so to speak, seems to work. Still getting it even though he dead
MinE
You forgot to mention, he is exhausted, literally and figuratively disarmed, and mentally broken. Plus he underestimated her. P.s It’s honestly impressive he managed to notice he got cut. P.s.s The Ravenger is now free. I feel bad for the poor thing; it’s basically the same as Claygon except its creator wasn’t as well fatherly as Alex.
Benjamin Mages
Also her swords are kind of cheat codes, and also also he is far from in his best condition and I'm not just talking about the fact that he's missing an arm. His mental state is terrible for one.
Voror
I more think it's something to do with the twinblade. I figure that's the real x factor for her here. At least that's the only thing that has this make some sense.
Voror
Now I wonder what would have happened if FA had been keyed in that the Fae Lord knew all this clearly. I almost wish he knew that it was the Ravener he'd been taking orders from all this time. Uldar must be immortalized, eh? That sort of makes any altruistic answers to what he was doing seem hollow. Not that it already wasn't looking that way. Ravener I expect will eventually unleash all restrictions and go nuts. Or maybe FA will somehow manage to goad it to do so. FA though just decided to focus all his anger on Alex and now they really are in a worst case scenario potentially since I doubt he cares anymore about what may happen to Thameland. So an assassination on the king may be coming as well as anyone deemed an ally of the Fool.
Fleetpanda
Nothing quite like seeing a 20 year old with a few years of life force enhancement fight evenly with a centuries-old Chosen war-mage 🙄 At least Alex’s upgrade made sense. Theresa can fight him because he doesn’t have a shield? And because she practiced for a few months? Is JM even reading these comments? Wtf is going on to this series
Bender
Crazy till he's killed! What a nutcase, the first apostle is. Would be sweet if he gets killed by Theresa. Fitting justice. Though I'd prefer they capture him to be hanged by the king with heroes and Fool watching
Bob Bryan
So uldar really was trying for double immortality.
Zachary LaCount
Nobody wanted this fight
Joshua Ross
Feeding frenzy
Jonathan Crandall
Hahaha! In my opinion, this is so much more interesting than the first apostle dying in the trap
