Against All Things Ending
Chapter 9: Part One — 9. Hastening Doom
by R., Donaldson, StephenThe chapter “Hastening Doom” depicts Linden Avery’s torment as she witnesses her son, Jeremiah, under the control of the malevolent croyel. Lord Foul’s taunts echo in her mind, mocking her helplessness and threatening Jeremiah’s doom. The croyel, confident in its dominance, uses Jeremiah’s body as a vessel while facing off against the Harrow, who seeks to overpower it. Linden is paralyzed by despair, realizing that Lord Foul manipulated her into resurrecting Covenant to awaken the Worm of the World’s End, all to break her spirit. Yet, she remains defiant, believing Foul underestimates her resilience and love for her son.
Liand, horrified by Jeremiah’s suffering, attempts to attack the croyel using his orcrest stone’s Earthpower. However, the creature effortlessly repels him with a wave of magic, leaving him severely injured. The attack severs Linden’s health-sense, leaving her blind to the true extent of the danger. Anele flees in terror, and Linden is left alone, torn between aiding Liand and seizing the orcrest to regain her perception. She forces herself to wait for the right moment to act, knowing the croyel could easily crush her if she moves prematurely. Her strategy hinges on distracting both the Harrow and the creature.
The Harrow, undeterred by the croyel’s mockery, boasts of his impending mastery over the Staff of Law and white gold. He claims the creature’s defenses have isolated it, even from allies like Roger Covenant, who relies on Jeremiah’s powers. The Harrow’s display of power briefly restores Linden’s health-sense, revealing Roger’s absence and Kastenessen’s influence. Linden realizes Roger and the croyel have grander ambitions, while Kastenessen’s sole goal is the Elohim’s destruction. The Harrow’s confidence grows, but the croyel remains defiant, baring its fangs in a sinister grin.
As the confrontation escalates, Linden braces for the croyel’s next move, expecting a lethal strike. Instead, the creature redirects its power, leaving her unharmed—for now. The chapter underscores Linden’s precarious position, caught between the Harrow’s arrogance and the croyel’s malice. Her resolve to save Jeremiah remains unshaken, but the cost of failure looms larger than ever. The tension builds toward a pivotal moment, where Linden must act decisively or risk losing everything.
FAQs
1. How does Lord Foul manipulate Linden’s actions and emotions in this chapter, and what does this reveal about his strategy?
Answer:
Lord Foul manipulates Linden by creating circumstances that exploit her maternal desperation and damaged heart. He indirectly urged her to awaken the Worm of the World’s End by resurrecting Covenant, knowing her love for Jeremiah would drive her to extreme measures. By forcing her to witness Jeremiah’s suffering under the croyel’s control, Foul aims to break her spirit through sheer futility. This reveals his strategy of psychological warfare—using her deepest vulnerabilities against her rather than direct confrontation. However, the chapter also shows Foul underestimates Linden’s resilience and capacity for suffering, as she remains determined despite his schemes.2. Analyze the significance of Liand’s attempt to attack the croyel and its immediate consequences. What does this moment reveal about the characters’ limitations?
Answer:
Liand’s attempt to strike the croyel with Earthpower from his orcrest demonstrates his moral purity and inability to tolerate atrocities. However, his attack fails spectacularly—the croyel effortlessly repels him, leaving him severely injured and depriving Linden of her health-sense when the Sunstone is lost. This moment highlights key limitations: Liand’s idealism makes him tactically vulnerable, while Linden’s dependence on external power sources (like the orcrest) leaves her helpless when they’re removed. It also underscores the croyel’s tactical prioritization, as it perceives Liand’s Earthpower as a greater threat than the Harrow’s arcane knowledge.3. What strategic insights does the Harrow reveal about the croyel’s vulnerabilities during their confrontation?
Answer:
The Harrow reveals that the croyel’s own defenses have become its weakness. By creating a barrier to hide from the Elohim, it inadvertently excluded Roger Covenant—whose Kastenessen-granted powers are Elohim in nature. This isolates the croyel from potential allies. The Harrow also boasts that his mastery of the Staff of Law (and future control of white gold) will overpower the creature’s ancient magic. These insights expose two vulnerabilities: the croyel’s overreliance on exclusionary wards and its underestimation of the Harrow’s growing capabilities. The confrontation becomes a battle of wits as much as power.4. How does the chapter portray the theme of “perception versus reality” through Linden’s experiences?
Answer:
The chapter deeply explores this theme as Linden’s perceptions shift dramatically. Initially, she sees Jeremiah’s alertness as hopeful, only to realize it was the croyel’s manipulation. Her health-sense (which reveals truth) comes and goes unpredictably—lost when Liand falls, briefly restored by the Harrow’s magic. Most poignantly, she perceives Lord Foul’s hidden pain beneath his exultation, a reality others miss. These fluctuations mirror her internal struggle: her maternal hope conflicts with the grim reality of Jeremiah’s possession. The narrative suggests that true perception requires both external power (like the Sunstone) and internal acuity.5. Evaluate Linden’s decision to wait for a distraction rather than act immediately. Is this patience or paralysis? Justify your interpretation.
Answer:
Linden’s choice is strategic patience, not paralysis. While part of her burns to help Liand or grab the Sunstone, she recognizes that rash action would be fatal—the croyel could “crush her as easily as it had broken Liand.” Her restraint shows growth; earlier, her desperation led to reckless choices (like resurrecting Covenant). Now, she analyzes the dynamics between the Harrow and croyel, anticipating a moment when both are distracted. This aligns with her realization about Foul’s underestimation: she’s leveraging her “flayed perceptions” to outmaneuver foes rather than reacting impulsively. Her calculated waiting reflects a commander’s discipline amid chaos.
Quotes
1. “If your son serves me, he will do so in your presence… If I slaughter him, I will do so before you. Think on that when you seek to retrieve him from me.”
This chilling threat from Lord Foul encapsulates the psychological torture inflicted on Linden, using her maternal love as a weapon. It represents the chapter’s central conflict and establishes the stakes of her impossible choice.
2. “Indirectly, indirectly, the Despiser had urged her to awaken the Worm of the World’s End by resurrecting Covenant… So that her futility in the face of Jeremiah’s need would break her at last.”
This revelation shows Lord Foul’s intricate manipulation of Linden’s actions, revealing how even her attempts to resist him serve his larger plan. It’s a key turning point in understanding the chapter’s deeper conflict.
3. “His spirit was too clean to countenance atrocities: a handicap which she did not share.”
This stark contrast between Liand’s purity and Linden’s hardened resolve highlights the moral complexity of their situation. The line underscores how experience has changed Linden and what she’s willing to do.
4. “At that moment, my knowledge and magicks will become perfection… You are mine.”
The Harrow’s boastful declaration represents the chapter’s secondary power struggle, showing how multiple forces (Harrow, croyel, Roger) are vying for control while Linden watches helplessly.
5. “She knew what to do. She had already made her decision. But she had to wait for the right moment.”
This moment of quiet determination reveals Linden’s strategic thinking amid chaos, foreshadowing her eventual action while maintaining suspense about what that action will be.