Against All Things Ending
Chapter 18: Part Two — 6. Parting Company
by R., Donaldson, StephenThe chapter “Parting Company” depicts a brutal and desperate battle as Linden and her companions face overwhelming forces. Cavewights and Roger Covenant’s relentless attacks leave the Giants and Haruchai severely wounded, with several on the brink of death. The ur-viles and Waynhim provide crucial but faltering defense, using dark magic to shield the group. Amidst the chaos, Galt is dead, Anele is dying, and Jeremiah remains catatonic despite being infused with Earthpower. Roger, driven by madness after losing the croyel and Jeremiah, unleashes destructive fury, killing even his own allies in his rage.
Linden, pushed to her limit by despair, abandons hesitation and embraces overwhelming power. She discards the Staff of Law, dons Covenant’s white gold ring, and ignites a cataclysmic surge of wild magic by touching Loric’s krill. Transformed into a force of destruction, she annihilates the Cavewights and drives Roger into retreat. Her rampage is swift and merciless, leaving the battlefield littered with corpses. Yet, as the adrenaline fades, she collapses, overwhelmed by the horror of her actions and the toll on her allies.
Upon awakening, Linden finds herself cared for by Stave, though his demeanor suggests deep conflict. The surviving Giants, Haruchai, and Demondim-spawn tend to the wounded, with vitrim sustaining some while others, like Anele and Esmer, remain beyond help. The ur-viles and Waynhim, once feared servants of the Despiser, now show unexpected compassion, even toward Esmer, who laughs weakly at their aid. Linden struggles to reconcile their actions with their dark history, adding to her emotional turmoil.
The chapter concludes with Linden grappling with the consequences of her choices. The battle is won, but at a devastating cost, and she must now face the aftermath. Her friends are grievously injured, the land is scarred, and her own soul is burdened by the violence she unleashed. As she clings to the Staff of Law, she hesitates to rise, dreading the sight of the carnage and the weight of responsibility for what she has done.
FAQs
1. What triggers Linden’s transformation into a “holocaust of silver flame,” and what are the immediate consequences of this transformation?
Answer:
Linden’s transformation is triggered when she deliberately touches Covenant’s white gold ring to the gem of High Lord Loric’s krill, seeking a source of power to overcome her despair. This act ignites her into a “holocaust of silver flame,” unleashing wild magic. The immediate consequences are devastating: she annihilates the Cavewights, ravages the hilltop where Roger stands, and drives him into retreat. Her actions end the battle but leave her horrified at the carnage she’s wrought. The chapter emphasizes her loss of humanity in this moment, as she becomes a force of pure destruction to protect her companions.2. How do the ur-viles and Waynhim contribute to the survival of Linden’s company, and why is their behavior toward Esmer surprising?
Answer:
The ur-viles and Waynhim save Linden’s company by forming a wedge and using their “acid magicks” to shield the group from Roger’s attacks, intercepting his fury. Later, they administer vitrim to wounded allies, sustaining some Giants and Mahrtiir. Their compassion toward Esmer is surprising because they historically opposed him, even forging manacles to neutralize his threats. Yet here, they offer him kindness despite his past actions. This contradiction hints at their complex morality and foresight, as they had prepared for this moment across millennia, blurring the line between ally and former servant of the Despiser.3. Analyze the psychological shift Linden undergoes in this chapter. How does her despair drive her to abandon humanity, and what does this reveal about her character?
Answer:
Linden’s despair reaches its peak when she witnesses the imminent deaths of her friends, Jeremiah’s emptiness, and Covenant’s vulnerability. Overwhelmed, she rejects hesitation and “humanity,” embracing ruthless power to end the battle. This shift reveals her deep love for her companions—and her fatal flaw: when pushed to extremes, she prioritizes survival over morality. Her horror afterward (“she flinched at what she had done”) shows self-awareness, but the act itself underscores her capacity for violence when cornered. The chapter paints her as both protector and destroyer, torn between compassion and desperation.4. Why does Roger Covenant’s behavior become increasingly deranged during the battle, and how does this affect the conflict’s outcome?
Answer:
Roger’s derangement stems from losing the croyel (and thus control over Jeremiah), which shattered his plan to use Jeremiah’s talent to “become gods.” His madness manifests in indiscriminate attacks, even killing Cavewights in his path. This lack of focus allows Linden to exploit his instability. His retreat—hiding behind hills and fleeing on a Cavewight’s shoulders—highlights his desperation. His downfall is ironic: his alliance with Lord Foul leaves him vulnerable, and his inability to adapt without the croyel’s power directly contributes to Linden’s counterattack succeeding.5. Evaluate the role of sacrifice in this chapter. How do characters like Anele, the Giants, and the Haruchai exemplify this theme?
Answer:
Sacrifice permeates the chapter: Anele lies dying after gifting Jeremiah Earthpower; Giants like Onyx Stonemage and Frostheart Grueburn fight despite brutal injuries; and the Haruchai battle on despite being outmatched, “unyielding as granite.” These acts underscore their loyalty and the cost of resistance. Even Linden’s use of wild magic is a sacrifice—of her humanity. The ur-viles and Waynhim, too, sacrifice their neutrality to aid foes. The chapter frames sacrifice as both noble and tragic, questioning whether such losses are redemptive or merely futile in a war against the Despiser’s nihilism.
Quotes
1. “Unable to make any other choice, she became Gallows Howe: a killing field made flesh.”
This quote marks Linden’s pivotal transformation from despair to destructive fury, embodying her complete surrender to power in the face of overwhelming loss. It captures the chapter’s turning point where she abandons restraint.
2. “With no more preparation than that, she stooped to touch the avid gem of the krill with Covenant’s wedding band.”
This moment represents Linden’s deliberate embrace of wild magic through the symbolic union of Covenant’s ring and Loric’s krill. It shows her calculated rejection of humanity for apocalyptic power.
3. “So quickly that she appalled herself, the battle was over… she ravaged every Cavewight on the ridge; rent asunder the hilltop where Roger stood; brought down cascades of fire from the blank sky.”
This visceral description illustrates the terrifying efficiency of Linden’s unleashed power and its moral cost. The passage highlights both her strategic victory and personal horror at her own actions.
4. “Your absence has been brief, Linden… Had you not bestirred yourself, however, I would have roused you. Our need for your aid is grievous.”
Stave’s conflicted address to Linden underscores the aftermath of her rampage - her friends simultaneously need her healing power yet recoil from what she’s become. It reveals the story’s central tension between necessary power and its consequences.
5. “Her entire being flinched at what she had done. But she could not undo it.”
This concise reflection captures Linden’s irreversible moral threshold-crossing. The chapter’s closing emotional note establishes lasting consequences for her character arc and the narrative’s ethical framework.