Coldfire re-read: When True Night Falls - chapters 23-26

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Damien and Hesseth meet Jenseny, Gerald doesn't take it well when people don't show up to agreed-upon meetings, and Karril has an argument with his brother. Plenty of excitement for today's discussion - what more could we ask for?


Plot Summary

Chapter 23
Damien and Hesseth are taken to the island of the Terata. And things are wrong. Wrong. Really wrong. Only Damien can't figure out what exactly is wrong, and wouldn't he love to have Tarrant around to put nine hundred years of analytical thinking to figuring this out. Not that he'd admit it, of course. Just like he won't ever mention that he's waiting to be rescued like the damsel in distress. They end up in a little prison cell, which is already occupied by Jenseny. Who isn't all that happy about ending up in a small space with a priest, given what priests do to the special children in this country. Something Damien forgets to worry about for now because he figures out that the demon last seen at the end of BSR has shown up again.

Chapter 24
Tarrant gets increasingly irritated by the fact that his traveling companions seem to have vanished without telling him. He summons Karril to get some answers, and along with a few details on the Iezu we'd all better make close note of, he finds out that another Iezu is involved.

Chapter 25
Damien gets his first hint that Jenseny might be a bit different when she is faced with the last remnants of the Fire he's still carrying. She can see the army whose faith created the Fire, and once again there's a glimpse of foreshadowing to things to come. These are rather shadowy chapters overall.

Chapter 26
Not wasting what he's learned about the effectiveness of threats from Tarrant, Karril tries it himself on Calesta. Mockery happens, along with offers of world domination together, which Karril refuses. When things reach a stand-off, the Undying Prince interferes by ordering Calesta to let Tarrant see through the illusions. By his reasoning, it is worthwhile to pitch Tarrant against the Terata to test him. He also picks up on the idea of world domination by cooperation and sends Karril off with a message.



Quotes

• When they left him to work on Hesseth, he pulled at his bonds in several directions, testing the sophistication of the arrangement. He was pleased to feel it give slightly, which meant that although he had been tied tightly, he had not been tied well; between that and the small slack he had earned, he should be able to work himself free later.



• "I expect old Bug-eyes'll eat 'em for a snack, don't you? Eat 'em up whole, and spit out the bones for us to play with. So don't you worry."



• "I could focus all the power I needed by drawing on my negative emotions - my anger, my indignation, hate, fear, pain - and then direct it at someone I knew, without trying to define who or what he was. Such as you, Karril." He gave that a few seconds to sink in. "What do you think? Would it work?"



• And then it seemed to her that one of the soldier-priests turned to her. Eyes of liquid flame, brilliant as the Holy Fire, fixed upon the space she occupied. His shield and sword were molten gold, and his banner-glass tinkled in the wind. He was too bright to look upon, too beautiful for her to look away. His voice was like the wind.
  Some things, he whispered, are worth dying for.



• "He's been mine for nine centuries, Calesta. That predates any claim of yours and you know it. Remember the rule? No one of us may interfere where another has staked his claim."
  "Yours? He's been yours?" The black figure laughed harshly. "Come off it, Karril! When did the Hunter ever submit to you?"



• The black figure drew itself up; the sharp edges of its flesh glittered dangerously. "You little fool! Petty god of sweaty couplings, patron prince of masturbators . . . don't you see what you're interfering with? Can't you see how many years I've put into this, how much planning is behind it? I'll change this world, Karril. Not just its outward appearance; I'll change its fundamental laws. I'll alter the fae itself! In time the entire planet will resonate in harmony with my aspect. Isn't that worth the death of a piddling sorcerer or two? Think of it! Our natures are so very similar, Karril; you can feed where I do. You often have. Think what it will be like when this whole planet exists only to indulge us-"



• "I've never seen fit to interfere in your hobbies before - not even when you took that woman from my lands, along with half an army - but this time there's something I want, and I'll damn well have it. Lift the illusion. Now. Let the Hunter see what kind of power he's dealing with."

Thoughts

• Once again a little snippet on Damien's background comes up - he seems to have quite a bit of experience when it comes to getting captured, or at least when it comes to getting tied up. Just what has he been up to in the past?



• Am I the only one who's having trouble not to draw comparisons with Lord of the Flies here? It's just so obvious, down to "old Bug-eyes", but when it comes to impact I'm afraid Friedman has nothing on Golding for me.



• I can't believe I never noticed that when Gerald threatens Karril into helping, he's more or less discovered what they'll need to know so badly in CoS. It's a chapter that lays a lot of obvious groundwork on Iezu interaction, but that little detail escaped me so far.



• Calesta's big project, finally spelled out: a world that caters to his needs. It's his interpretation of the meta theme of changing the world according to one's needs.



• I always found it interesting that the Undying Prince assumes it is possible to cooperate with Tarrant. He's correctly identified him as someone who's got the abilities to make him someone special, plus the tenacity to last over the centuries. His own background should be a bit of a warning bell here - a person like that doesn't necessarily play well with others. And also, he assumes he'll be the one to call the shots - even without knowledge of the ending, that's quite a risky idea.

Join us on Monday for chapter 27 and a daring rescue (and Tarrant expanding his lead in the rescue tally)!

Comments

edited because of nonsense

[trobadora]

# Calesta's big project, finally spelled out: a world that caters to his needs. It's his interpretation of the meta theme of changing the world according to one's needs.

... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND WE HAVE ... yet another instance of "changing the world to suit yourself is NOT A GOOD THING" ...!

(Excuse the capslock, you know what I mean.)

And also, he assumes he'll be the one to call the shots - even without knowledge of the ending, that's quite a risky idea.

The Undying Prince is something of a moron anyway. He never seems to have noticed that when it comes right down to it, he's just Calesta's flunky. Can you imagine Tarrant not noticing when someone uses him like that?!

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND WE HAVE ... yet another instance of "changing the world to suit yourself is NOT A GOOD THING" ...!

Doesn't seem to stop anyone from trying. You'd think they'd eventually get the idea!

Can you imagine Tarrant not noticing when someone uses him like that?!

*nod* It didn't take him long to catch on to Calesta's machinations, and that when he was still practically sleepwalking after his month-long nap.

I've never quite managed to take the Undying Prince serious as a threat. Come to think of it, I can't really remember a real threat in all of WTNF - not that I minded, I was enjoying the Damien/Tarrant interactions far too much for that.

[trobadora]

I think the only reason the Undying Prince ever appears to be a threat is because he's a mystery and we don't know very much about who/what is behind the whole Matria/rakh scheme. You get a sense of threat there at the beginning, but the more we find out, the less threatening it all seems. And the Undying Prince himself? Hell, even if Tarrant had been willing to betray Damien, he'd still have overthrown the Prince in a heartbeat once he'd figured out how. That should have been blindingly obvious to anyone. (But then, the Prince fell for Tarrant's act, too, and for Jenseny's ruse, in the end. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, that much is for sure. Without Calesta, I doubt he'd have made it very long.)

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Given that Tarrant went into their "alliance" with the firm intention to eliminate him at the first chance, the Undying Prince's chances were bad from the start.

I'd love to know just how long Calesta has been propping him up. Like you say, he seems a bit thick - who knows, without Iezu backing he might never even have gotten to where he ended up.

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

The scenes with Karrill here alone made me adore him so much. The fact he's willing to do so much for Gerald with no promise of getting anything in return... they're such an odd combination, so jarring in their very natures and demeanours, and yet, Karrill is so wonderfully loyal :)

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Gerald gives him pleasure - a good reason to hang around. ;-)

Still, Karril could have found far, far easier humans to latch onto. Not to mention, fully human humans. Who actually still serve his aspect and don't just make their victims occasionally die in a spark of arousal.

[rekishi]

oh, but Gerald is around LONGER than any human human possibly could! ;)

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

And it does make you wonder when they got in contact? Possibly when Gerald was still alive and enjoying physical pleasure rather a lot more...? ;) I can imagine that would be the worst coitus interruptus possible.

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

"Gerald... there's someone over in the corner. Watching."

(Why do you have to give me those kinds of mental images?)

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Because I'm nice and generous? ;)

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

*accusingly* You've bunnied me!

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Me? No! No, I never! I just... sort of arranged bunny treats you in a strategic way. I never intended for anything to happen ;)

[rekishi]

I guess power makes you careless, maybe the Undying Prince got too full of himself in all the while when there was no one who was even close to his equal. We can't expect everyone to be analytical and all-thinking like Tarrant does, he's what, one in a million? If that.

As for what he basically discovers about the Iezu, I guess that was one little fact that slipped his mind, too, else he would have probably known in CoS, too, despite the situation he was in at the time.

[ladyphoenix9]

I guess that was one little fact that slipped his mind, too, else he would have probably known in CoS, too, despite the situation he was in at the time.

I took that exchange as Tarrant trying to scare/trick an answer out of him, not that he was necessarily sure he HAD the answer, or knew the extent that could harm a Iezu. He probably had a *headdesk* moment after he realized it in CoS. :)

[rekishi]

Oh certainly. But Tarrant, with his obsession for details and accuracy, he should have known.
And now I'm imagining Tarrant actually *headdesk*ing and I don't know if I should laugh or push that image far FAR away ;)

[ladyphoenix9]

I like the image, myself. I want to see that in a fic now. (Of course, I want him to blame his forgetfulness on Damien somehow, too. LOL)

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Of course it's Damien's fault. He's been distracting with all those silly objections and with constantly needing to be rescued.

[ladyphoenix9]

Fic. Right. Now. (Please?)

I'd do it myself, but I've yet to complete a fanfic.

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

I've given it a try this morning, but I can't figure out a situation where that could possibly come up in conversation. :-(

[rekishi]

On the ship back home, possibly? Gerald getting more and more brooding, talking less and less and at some point Damien just has enough? *shrug* (Hm we seem to be in roughly the same timezone.)

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Hm. Possible. And it's not like Gerald could avoid him for long on the ship - no real escape routes unless he goes to sit in the crow's nest.

(Austria here - and I think at least half of the comm's more active members are sitting somewhere in Europe.)

[rekishi]

I can't really imagine Gerald deliberately climbing up to the crow's next ^^; Would make him all dishevelled with the wind and all. So yeah, Damien would corner him sooner or later.

(Europe seems to take over a lot of places. Germany here.)

[rekishi]

of course, by having to be rescued and by making him show the patriarch of the east how to save his civilization and thereby making Gerald condemn himself to hell.
perfectly logical, in Tarrant-verse

[ladyphoenix9]

Yesyesyes somebody write this fic! I know I'd forget threatening someone if I had a little over a year (IIRC) stuck on a ship with nothing to do but brood about my impending death, all because of that pesky priest I was constantly saving.

(Can't wait to see what everyone else thinks of that section when we get there.)

[rekishi]

If Gerald was the type, he would be muttering to himself all the while on the way back home.

I can't write that atm. I have...too many projects. And a fanfic. Probably around novel length, if I ever get my butt up to write on it. So uh, busy.

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

We can't expect everyone to be analytical and all-thinking like Tarrant does, he's what, one in a million? If that.

*nod* Though I still lean towards that expectation - Tarrant sets a benchmark for me when it comes to defying death for longer time-spans. With a few hundred years' worth of time, you'd better figure out how to evade attacks from competitors.

I admit Gerald was a bit distracted in CoS, what with suddenly finding out that he's about to die a lot sooner than he expected...

[rekishi]

Tarrant sets a lot of benchmarks, if ever I create a villain of a certain proportion, his sophistication is my goal. He said it himself, a civilized evil. But yes, of course the Undying Prince SHOULD have taken care of precautions, but well, he had no enemies in his lands, he undermined the human civilization, too, controlling them with their own devices. I'm not surprised he got sloppy, there was no one to threaten him, while Gerald, throughout his long life, was always feared by everyone around him and there have been crusades against him. And then there is the ever-present threat of sunlight, too, of course. Guess that keeps him on his toes. And besides, he's not just booksmart, he knows what to do.

A bit distracted, you could say that ;) On the other hand, he's the type that beats himself up later for not getting it when he could have. *shrug* We won't know since it's Damien's story, for the most part. One should try and write/interpret certain parts from Gerald's pov but I must tell you the truth, I don't know if I want to get into his head. Maybe after his little trip to hell, but certainly not in BSR and even in WTNF I'd rather stay away from it. Makes for more sanity in the end.

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Tarrant versus Undying Prince is clearly a case of Darwinism. Foreign species moves in, proves dominant, wipes out local species. The Undying Prince was, unfortunately, a finch that didn't adapt its beak quickly enough.
(Sorry. Stuck in the middle of a biography, it's somewhat influencing me right now.)

Getting into the head of the Hunter is something I've done a few times. Great stress relief when you're feeling murderous about something, but I wouldn't recommend it on a regular basis.

[rekishi]

Incidentally.... I'm a biologist, that's comparison is right up my alley ;) I think that's also why I'm somewhat fascinated with Tarrant, considering he built a complete ECOSYSTEM from scratch. That's absolutely mind-boggling for me and damn. I was sold then and there. At the latest. I'd been reading BSR quite intrigued and on recommendation of a good friend but that made me order the other two books instantly. I'm a big fan of Gerald, even though he creeps me out like nothing going sometimes.

I'd need to reread the series to do that or at least all the parts in which he's present to get into the right headspace and even then uh well, it's the Hunter. I don't know, it's a little bit scary. I might go there at some point, who knows. Fanfic has been so far out of my scope for years but I got roped back into it around the turn of the year. Maybe I'll try my hand at one of Gerald's incarnations at some point (there's plenty, after all, Prophet, Hunter, man, ...).

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

*g* Then I wouldn't have needed to bite back my first comparison, which would have been red versus grey squirrels in the UK. Only I remembered in time that Gerald wouldn't take it well to be compared to a small rodent, no matter how cute and bushy-tailed.

I wonder how he came up with the Forest. Did he start out with a plan, or was it trial and error and lots of discoveries that he needed additional species of worms to eat that particular bit of waste? I also loved his criticism of the Terata version of their ecosystem - unbalanced and clearny done by amateurs. :-)

fyrie left a juicy fic bunny for a scene with Neocount and Almea further up. I'll be happy to pass that one on! *g*

[rekishi]

No. He wouldn't. Gerald a bushy-tailed cute rodent. Nuh-uh.

Oh I'm sure lots of it was trial and error. And it was a forest because a forest is an open but at the same time closed ecosystem. Things can go in and out of it but it also can sustain itself without a problem. He could have chosen a lake, too, but a forest is more forbidding to people who would be inclined to explore. He could make the Forest dark and scary. So he probably started with the trees and the...fungus or whatever it is that covers the branches to filter even the last bit of sunlight. Since Gerald is smart, he probably went with the basic insects then, rather than start with the larger animals. Then came those though, likely and at some point he noticed he needs a few bacteria and more saprobionts to take take of the waste material that accumulates.

I'm sure some stuff went wrong in the process, he can't have gotten it right from the very beginning.

Uh. Bunnies. No bunnies for me. Nono. Not Coldfire, too, I have this friend who keeps settling me with Merlin and I really really REALLY don't need any more of them. And I don't do smut very well. at. all. I actually have a two-liner for a post-trilogy fic but I'm not going there now because it most likely entails character death.