Against All Things Ending
Chapter 20: Part Two — 8. The Amends of the Ranyhyn
by R., Donaldson, StephenThe chapter opens with Linden and her companions seeking shelter from a harsh wind after a harrowing ordeal. Linden uses the Staff of Law to heal herself and others, though most of her allies, including the Haruchai Stave and the Giants, are relatively unharmed. She reflects on her vulnerability to the Feroce’s magic, which had sent her mind back to Haven Farm, severing her connection to the present. Guilt-ridden for leading her friends into danger near the Sarangrave, she tends to them, grappling with unanswered questions about the Feroce, the lurker’s motives, and the sudden abandonment by the Ranyhyn.
Linden’s internal turmoil deepens as she recalls how her actions—cutting herself and wielding the Staff—had both endangered and saved the group. She realizes her desperation had driven her to repel her companions with Staff-fire, though the Giants and Stave endured. Her self-doubt is tempered by Covenant’s earlier advice to trust herself, as her instincts had ultimately guided her to cast the Staff into the heart of the crisis, preventing the lurker from claiming her. Yet, she remains haunted by her role in the Despiser’s designs and the spiritual toll on her friends.
The group reaches a sheltered hollow, where Linden uses the Staff to warm the stone and dry their mud-caked garments. As she tends to minor injuries, she ponders the significance of her self-inflicted wounds, which had both weakened her and revealed a path to salvation. Her thoughts return to the Ranyhyn’s unexplained departure, a troubling anomaly given their past loyalty. The Giants, though weary, remain vigilant, while Mahrtiir’s silent anger hints at his frustration over the Ranyhyn’s actions.
The chapter concludes with the distant sound of approaching Ranyhyn, signaling their return. Hynyn’s angry whinny pierces the wind, prompting Mahrtiir to prostrate himself in reverence. Linden’s tension eases slightly as hooves draw nearer, suggesting the horses’ reappearance may bring answers or renewed conflict. The scene leaves the reader questioning the Ranyhyn’s motives and their role in the unfolding struggle against the Despiser’s machinations.
FAQs
1. What role did the Feroce play in Linden’s ordeal, and why was she vulnerable to their influence?
Answer:
The Feroce, mysterious creatures serving the lurker, used their green flames to manipulate Linden’s mind, sending her back to a traumatic memory of Haven Farm. This rupture in her reality severed her connection to the present, making her susceptible to their theurgies. Linden’s vulnerability stemmed from self-inflicted cuts on her leg, which exposed her emotional weakness and despair. These cuts, while a sign of her fragility, also paradoxically saved her by providing a “map” of blood and grass stains that guided her actions. The chapter suggests her psychological state made her an easy target for external manipulation, aligning with the Despiser’s designs.2. How did Linden attempt to make amends for endangering her companions, and what does this reveal about her character?
Answer:
After realizing her actions had put the group in peril, Linden used the Staff of Law to heal and soothe her companions, even those without physical injuries. She extended Earthpower to everyone, driven by guilt and a need for restitution. This reflects her deep sense of responsibility and self-reproach, as she believes her weakness led them into danger. However, her actions also highlight her compassion and leadership—she prioritizes others’ well-being despite her own trauma. The chapter underscores her internal conflict: she is both a healer and a potential hazard, torn between self-doubt and determination.3. Analyze the symbolic significance of the Ranyhyn’s abandonment and subsequent return. What might this suggest about the broader themes of loyalty and crisis?
Answer:
The Ranyhyn’s unexplained abandonment of their riders—a rare act for these loyal horses—mirrors Linden’s emotional disintegration and the group’s spiritual uncertainty. Their return, particularly Hynyn’s angry whinny, signals a reckoning or unresolved tension. Historically, the Ranyhyn represent unwavering service, so their departure hints at a rupture in the natural order or a test of faith. Their return may foreshadow a turning point, suggesting that even in betrayal or doubt, bonds can be reforged. This aligns with the chapter’s themes of trust and consequence, questioning how loyalty endures under extreme duress.4. Why does Linden’s use of her medical bag as a weapon in her hallucination hold deeper significance?
Answer:
In her hallucination, Linden wields her medical bag—a symbol of healing—as a weapon against flames, reflecting her subconscious struggle between her roles as a caregiver and a fighter. The bag’s transformation into an “instrument of power” parallels her Staff’s function, blurring the line between healing and destruction. This duality underscores her internal crisis: she cannot separate her identity as a healer from the violence surrounding her. The act also ties to Covenant’s advice (“Do something unexpected”), showing how her instincts merge trauma with ingenuity, even as her actions risk harming allies.5. Evaluate the chapter’s portrayal of spiritual blight. How does it manifest in the Giants, and what implications does this have for the group’s morale?
Answer:
The Giants’ leaden strides and emotional weight suggest they suffer a spiritual blight from the Sarangrave’s corruption, transcending physical filth. Their armor caked with “old death,” they seem wounded by the lurker’s realm’s metaphysical taint. This blight mirrors Linden’s psychological state, creating a shared atmosphere of decay. The Giants, typically resilient, appear burdened by despair, which threatens group morale. Their condition implies that the enemy’s influence is not just physical but existential, eroding hope. This sets the stage for a broader theme: overcoming such blight may require more than Earthpower—it demands spiritual resilience.
Quotes
1. “She had put them in peril. Without knowing it, she had succumbed to the theurgies of the Feroce. She did not understand what the creatures had done, or how; but she felt sure that they had sent her mind back to Haven Farm.”
This quote captures Linden’s realization of her unintended betrayal and the mysterious power of the Feroce. It marks a turning point where she recognizes her vulnerability and the supernatural manipulation at play.
2. “Everything that she did and felt exacerbated her entanglement in the Despiser’s designs. But her cuts had also saved her. There is hope in contradiction.”
This paradoxical insight reveals the central tension of Linden’s journey - how her weaknesses become strengths, and how despair and salvation intertwine in Lord Foul’s machinations.
3. “She must have used Staff-fire to repel her friends—to keep them away from her—as she ran down the engulfed hallway of hallucination or memory toward Sarangrave Flat.”
This vivid description shows the dangerous consequences of Linden’s mental breakdown, illustrating how her trauma threatens both herself and her companions in moments of crisis.
4. “The gradient of her descent into despair was increasing. You tread paths prepared for you by Fangthane’s malice.”
This concise statement encapsulates the novel’s core conflict - Linden’s growing awareness of how she’s being manipulated into despair, while still struggling to find agency against the Despiser’s plans.
5. “A distant whinny pierced the wind. It sounded like Hynyn’s voice. It sounded angry.”
This closing quote creates suspense about the Ranyhyn’s mysterious behavior, hinting at unresolved tensions and foreshadowing future conflicts while maintaining the chapter’s atmosphere of unease.