Thomas Covenant 8 — The Fatal Revenant
Chapter 20: Part Two — 7. An Aftertaste of Victory
by Donaldson, Stephen R.Linden Avery, overwhelmed by exhaustion and the trauma of recent battles, forces herself to tend to the wounded Woodhelvennin despite her emotional and physical depletion. Guided by her horse, Hyn, she focuses on triage, prioritizing those she can save while ignoring the dead and those beyond help. She summons the last remnants of her strength to heal a wounded mother and child, then a man with severe injuries, relying on her fading Earthpower. As she moves among the casualties, she confronts the brutal aftermath of the conflict, including the corpse of a Master surrounded by dead wolves, a testament to his sacrifice.
Despite her weariness, Linden continues her efforts, compelled by Hyn to aid an elderly couple clinging to life. Though initially doubtful, she channels her power into them, and their faint revival offers a fleeting moment of hope. Yet her resolve wavers as she reflects on her identity as a healer, questioning her purpose after the violence she has endured. The sight of Jeremiah’s ruined toy, a symbol of her loss, nearly breaks her, leaving her numb and seated among the carnage, unable to rise until Liand and Pahni arrive with sustenance to revive her.
With their support, Linden resumes her work, treating the wounded villagers while grappling with the scale of destruction. She acknowledges the looming threat of infection but focuses on immediate care. As her strength returns, she turns her attention to her missing companions—Mahrtiir, Bhapa, and the Humbled—determined to aid them as well. Along the way, she encounters Vernigil, a wounded Master who refuses her help, choosing to bear his injuries as a badge of honor. His stoicism resonates with the survivors, reinforcing his authority.
The chapter closes with Linden’s blurred vision and fatigue as she trudges toward the battlefield where her companions may lie. The Sandgorgons loom in the distance, with Stave seemingly engaged in silent communication with them, but Linden lacks the energy to ponder their role. Her journey underscores the relentless demands of leadership and healing in a land ravaged by conflict, leaving her teetering on the edge of collapse yet driven by duty and unresolved grief.
FAQs
1. How does Linden’s approach to healing in this chapter reflect her emotional and physical state after the battle?
Answer:
Linden’s healing efforts are marked by exhaustion, numbness, and a mechanical focus on triage rather than comprehensive care. Despite her profound weariness, she relies on her medical training to prioritize the most salvageable lives, ignoring those beyond help. The text describes her as “trembling,” “staggering,” and barely conscious, yet she pushes forward, symbolizing her resilience amid despair. Her actions—like treating the toddler and his mother or the old couple—reveal a selfless but depleted healer, contrasting with her earlier vigor (e.g., her work in Berek Halfhand’s camp). The chapter underscores her internal conflict: she questions her identity as a physician after the violence she’s endured and inflicted.2. Analyze the significance of the ruined red racecar in this chapter. How does it symbolize Linden’s broader struggles?
Answer:
The twisted racecar represents Linden’s shattered connection to her son, Jeremiah, and her grief over his loss. When she clutches it, her heart is described as “stone,” emphasizing her emotional desolation. The toy is all she has left of him, mirroring how her victories (like defeating the kresh) are hollow and costly. Its reappearance highlights themes of broken promises and irreversible damage—both personal (her son’s absence) and collective (the deaths of ur-viles, Waynhim, and villagers). The racecar becomes a focal point for her guilt and the “mounting price” of her choices, tying her personal tragedy to the Land’s larger plight.3. How does the character of Vernigil, the injured Master, contrast with Linden’s perspective on suffering and healing?
Answer:
Vernigil embodies stoic honor in suffering, refusing Linden’s aid because his wounds are “honorable” and serve as a symbol of authority to the Woodhelvennin. This contrasts sharply with Linden’s utilitarian healing ethos, which prioritizes survival over symbolism. Where Linden sees wounds as problems to fix, Vernigil views them as badges of duty. His refusal underscores a cultural divide: Masters derive strength from enduring pain, while Linden, as a healer, seeks to alleviate it. His stance also highlights her weariness—she lacks the energy to challenge his logic, accepting that some forms of suffering are beyond her reach.4. What role do secondary characters like Liand, Pahni, and Hyn play in Linden’s recovery and continued efforts?
Answer:
These characters act as lifelines, grounding Linden in practical care when she’s emotionally and physically spent. Liand and Pahni bring food, water, and springwine, addressing her immediate needs so she can regain strength. Hyn, the Ranyhyn, guides her to victims and subtly insists she keep working (e.g., nudging her to treat the old couple). Their support contrasts with Linden’s isolation in grief, showing how community sustains her. Their actions—like using orcrest and amanibhavam—also integrate the Land’s lore into healing, bridging her Earthpower with local resources.5. Evaluate the chapter’s portrayal of victory. How does the title “An Aftertaste of Victory” reflect the events?
Answer:
The title underscores the bitterness of triumph. Linden’s defeat of the kresh is overshadowed by loss: dead villagers, slain allies (like the ur-viles), and her son’s continued absence. The “aftertaste” is one of exhaustion, guilt, and unresolved burdens (e.g., her promise to the Demondim-spawn). Even her healing feels incomplete, as sepsis and long-term suffering loom. The Master’s corpse surrounded by dead wolves epitomizes this—victory is a “legacy of service” stained in blood. The chapter challenges traditional heroism, showing that survival often comes with unpayable debts and moral ambiguity.
Quotes
1. “She was numb with killing; too profoundly weary to consider what she did. She did not go in search of her friends. She did not ask what had become of them. Instead, trembling, she fell back on years of training and experience: triage, trauma, emergency care.”
This opening passage captures Linden’s state of shock and emotional detachment after the battle, showing how she defaults to her healer’s instincts despite her trauma. It establishes the chapter’s central theme of exhausted perseverance.
2. “She no longer knew what she meant when she called herself a physician.”
This poignant reflection comes as Linden questions her identity after the extreme violence she’s both witnessed and participated in. It represents a key moment of existential crisis amid her healing efforts.
3. “The bullet hole in her shirt seemed a little thing, as trivial as the grass stains written on her jeans; but that small catastrophe had cost her both her life and her son.”
This powerful metaphor connects Linden’s physical wound to her profound losses, illustrating how small moments can have monumental consequences. It underscores the chapter’s exploration of trauma’s lingering effects.
4. “His wounds were honorable. He meant to bear them honorably.”
Master Vernigil’s refusal of treatment reveals the cultural values of the Masters and their stoic philosophy. This moment provides important worldbuilding while contrasting with Linden’s healer perspective.
5. “Guided by Hyn, she walked between the fallen, weaving kind fire into their wounds and gently burning away their agony.”
This lyrical description of Linden’s healing process represents both her physical actions and symbolic role in the narrative. It shows her finding purpose through service despite her exhaustion.