BattleAxe First Read: Chapter Eighteen: The Sentinels Speak (Part II)

[pangolin20]

Chapter Eighteen (Part I) | Table of Contents | Chapter Nineteen

NRSG: A good day, everyone, and welcome back to BattleAxe! Last time, Faraday was put under a spell, the Sentinels revealed themselves, and we had some general unpleasantness.

Before we begin, I would like to note Chessy’s and Art Case’s excellent fics about the last part.

I also have decided to fold Keep On Track into Petty Ain’t the Word for You. I also split out Write It, And Keep It into History-Rewriting Narrator. So let us see…

Petty Ain’t the Word for You: 14

History-Rewriting Narrator: 5

PPP: 88 (+4 points that do not fall under the above)

Finally, I would like to rename Resistance Is Futile to The Prophecy Demands It.

 

On to the rest of the chapter, then!

Also, a content warning for bullying.

 

Jack tells Faraday that, before they go any further, they have to know what the trees told her. “What did you ask them, sweet child, and what did they sing for you?” Yes, thank you. This book truly has a lot of repetition, I must say. So let me do what I do best and import a count. This time it is We Get It Already from Crooked_Ear_Llama’s review of The Forest House.

We Get It Already: 1

Well, Faraday remembers the vision and cries at that. Hmmm… I think it is time to introduce Faraday Feels Bad, for every time she, well, feels bad. One point for Faraday feeling very unsure about her marriage to Borneheld in chapter 8, one point for her crying after seeing Axis naked in chapter 11, two points for everything to do with the vision, and one point for this.

Faraday Feels Bad: 5

She explains that she asked them to show her husband, because she was unsure about her marriage to Borneheld. Veremund asks what they showed her and puts “a comforting hand” on her shoulder. That gives her strength, and she goes to describe the “dreadful images, leaving nothing out”. Her voice becomes “ragged and distressed” when she describes the “blood dripping through Axis’ hair”, his hand stretched out (which she thinks is “in appeal”), and “the great gout of blood that soak[s] her”. Thank you for the reminder, Douglass.

As she “finally [grinds] to a halt”, Ogden says she asked the trees to show her husband, and which man did she see first? (He also calls her “dear child”, which I do not exactly like.) Faraday “frown[s] in thought” and finally says it was Borneheld. She asks what it matters.

I went back to check the vision, and this is true, it seems. Good to know.

Their reaction is this:

“Ah,” said Veremund and Ogden together, unhelpfully. Yr blinked again and her tail gave a single twitch.

Douglass, lampshading how secretive they are being does not make this any better of a reading experience.

Jack shifts a bit, and we get a note that apparently “[e]ven such enchanted creatures as Sentinels” still get “sore buttocks” from sitting too long in a single place. Now it is Jack’s turn to give a speech. He tells Faraday to remember what he told her on the Silent Woman Night before she ran away. The trees show the future, but they might hide things, or show them so incoherently that it is impossible to sort them out. So she has to beware that she does not misinterpret the images, and maybe they did not show Axis’ death. Then we have this:

But if Borneheld does indeed kill Axis, then Tencendor is doomed. My sweet child, Axis is the only one who can meet Gorgrael. He must not be murdered before he can accomplish what he was born for.”

1) What are you basing this on? The Prophecy?

The Prophecy Demands It: 2

Seriously, if Axis is the only one who can “meet” him, why not try to talk to Gorgrael? Oh, we are probably supposed to think that he is too “hateful” for that, but there is nothing to back that up! I truly do not like that I am just supposed to go along with this because Douglass says so.

2) “What Axis was born for”? Was Axis then truly born just for the Prophecy? I certainly hope this is metaphorical, because I have had quite enough of this railroading already.

The Prophecy Demands It: 3

3) Also nice to see Jack apparently does not care if Axis is murdered after he meets Gorgrael.

Faraday whispers “no”, wraps her arms around her body, and rocks back and forth. She thinks “Not murdered”. Veremund now looks at the others, and they nod at him. He talks to Faraday again, saying that they believe she has two “very important tasks” to play in the Prophecy, “without which Axis will not succeed”. And her first task is “to stop Borneheld from killing Axis before he reaches his full potential”. They know what Axis and Faraday are feeling for each other, but if they follow their hearts now, “it will only result in Axis’ death”.

Not too bad, though I do wish they would not be so very long-winded.

Faraday asks why, though we are told she knows the answer in her heart. Veremund explains:

“Because if you break your betrothal vows to Borneheld and turn to Axis instead, it will enrage Borneheld so much that he might tear Achar to pieces in search of Axis.

And why would Borneheld do this, then? I am sorry to say, but I do not believe that Borneheld would abandon his army and Achar in order to chase after Axis. Sure, he would be quite angry, and I doubt he would want to work together with Axis, but tearing Achar to pieces seems very far-fetched to me. And that is also assuming that he would hear of it, which is quite impossible at the moment. Yes, it would be better if Axis and Faraday did not get together, but not because of what Veremund says here.

Also, this seems to me like an attempt to make Borneheld look awful to me.

Petty Ain’t the Word for You: 15

Do not become the spark that ignites Axis’ funeral pyre.”

Shut up, Veremund! Faraday does not want Axis to die, so there is no need to say something that amounts to “if you turn to Axis, you will kill him”. She is already feeling bad enough, after all! But that is probably the reason for this: Faraday must feel bad.

Petty Ain’t the Word for You: 16

What makes this worse is that Axis clearly is using mind-control on her (be it unconscious), and so she cannot exactly choose if she wants to be in love with him or not. And yet, if Axis made her break her betrothal vows, Veremund is saying here that it is her own choice, and she must bear the consequences. Yes, I know that Veremund might not know this, but I still want to give him a good punch.

Petty Ain’t the Word for You: 17

That aside…. “funeral pyre”? I thought the Acharites buried their dead…. Oh, this is actually a nicely subtle hint about who the Sentinels are.

Finally, this just reads so very stilted. I have noticed this problem several times before, so I think it is worth putting in a count: Talk Like A Natural (yes, my naming skills are just so good /s).

Faraday says that Jack said the trees show her “truth”, and what will be. So what does it matter who she chooses? That is a good point. If everything is as cast in stone as the Sentinels are making it out to be, what does it matter if Faraday breaks her betrothal vows? And if the Prophecy requires constant intervention to play out, then Faraday does not have to let herself be bound to it. So, one way or another, the Sentinels are lying.

Well, Veremund cuts her off before she can complete her question.

ASWLT: 14

He says that Axis and Borneheld “will battle it out one day”, as the vision “clearly showed that”.

The Prophecy Demands It: 3

And why do you take this as fact, Veremund? How do you know this will happen for certain, when you want Faraday to take steps to ensure that this can happen? Either everything is set in stone, and the vision shows with certainty what can be, or it is not, and the vision only shows possibilities. Both cannot be true simultaneously, Douglass!

And going by what the Sentinels are doing, it is quite clear that it is the latter here.

He goes on, saying that it must be “at Axis’ instigation and on Axis’ terms”. Why even bother to let it come to a duel? If it is imperative that Axis survives, why not get Borneheld killed as soon as possible? Oh right, ~because of the vision~.

The Prophecy Demands It: 4

Then we have this:

We, you, cannot afford to push Borneheld into challenging Axis now. If you marry Borneheld you will be in a position to moderate his hatred of Axis. To stay his hand. To allow Axis to grow into the man he must become.”

I think I can see what Douglass was going for: “Poor Faraday has to marry Borneheld because it is necessary for Tencendor.” What she got instead was: “Faraday gets bullies into doing what she wanted anyway because ~Prophecy~” and “Faraday has to be a man’s emotional regulation to keep a misogynistic bastard from harm because ~Prophecy~”.

No-Wave Feminism: 19 (+5)

Petty Ain’t the Word for You: 21 (+5)

The Prophecy Demands It: 5

Yr then speaks up, because letting Faraday have some time to think might let her reconsider, I guess. I am quite certain that that is what they are doing, at least. She says that Faraday will save Axis and Tencendor as Borneheld’s wife, not Axis’ wife, and then that the vision showed that.

The Prophecy Demands It: 6

We Get It Already: 2

Veremund speaks up again, noting that she said earlier that “in the needs of a nation one girl’s wants are a very small thing”. Then she meant Achar. But in the needs of Tencendor, “[her] wants are but a tiny thing”. And how does this contradict what she said, Veremund?

PPP: 89

He says Tencendor’s hopes “rest on whose bed [she] choose[s]”. But they do not! He thinks for a bit, and then comes up with “the crucial argument”:

“Axis’ life depends on your becoming Borneheld’s wife.”

Ah yes, a “crucial argument” which has just been made already!

We Get It Already: 3

Well, the “weight of their arguments and the emotional strain” are too much for Faraday. She puts her hands on her face and “start[s] to sob”. Congratulations, you made her cry.

Faraday Feels Bad: 6

We are told that she can only think of how Axis held and kissed her. Veremund “cradle[s] her gently, giving her what comfort he [can]”. That is the least you should do, I would say. Then we have this:

Faraday was so young, so innocent, and Veremund felt a twinge of guilt at how they were pushing the girl. Still, it had to be done. The Prophecy demanded it.

Let me introduce This Is Fine, then.

This Is Fine: 1

Because, if we take the book at face value, they have just decided that she has to be married to someone very awful and abusive for no good reason. And because we are supposed to see this bullying as justified.

Also:

The Prophecy Demands It: 7

That phrase even literally appears here!

That aside, I am just very unimpressed with Veremund here. I do not care what he says; if he truly cared about Faraday, he would not be doing this. Yes, it is nice that he feels “a twinge of guilt”, but what would be the trouble in finding another way to keep Borneheld from killing Axis? If anything, his attempts to clear his name heighten my contempt for him.

Well, everyone is silent for a few minutes while Faraday cries, and when she calms down, Yr “lean[s] forward”. She is still a cat, Douglass. This is not impossible, but it is a little weird. Yr then says Faraday must marry Borneheld “as soon as [she] can”.

Faraday is horrified and asks them to please give her time. Veremund tightens his arms around her and launches into another speech.

He says they “cannot know it all”, but they can see “some things”. So they can see the future? That might have been nice to know earlier.

Manage Your Info Better: 22

Axis rides for Smyrton, “where he will not be detained for long”, and then goes to Gorkenfort. (What a prediction! That is just what anyone might have predicted.) It is vital that Faraday “get there before him, and that when he arrives [she] will be Borneheld’s wife”, because “Gorkenfort will be the making or breaking of Axis”, and she must be there to restrain Borneheld.

He goes on, saying that Borneheld will be “triumphant that [she has] come to him, and it will make him feel very powerful”.

Very Beautiful, Very Powerful: 11

I am still not seeing it, Douglass. If anything, I would expect this behaviour from Axis, and not at all from Borneheld.

Petty Ain’t the Word for You: 22

He further says that if Borneheld “feels powerful, if he feels as though he has triumphed over Axis”, he will not want to challenge Axis. Alright. He then says that Gorkenfort is “a crucial test” for Axis, which he has literally said before in the same paragraph!

We Get It Already: 4

Back to Faraday, we are told that what the Sentinels tell her in a strange way supports what Embeth told her about duty. She takes a deep breath and nods at the Sentinels. She says she thinks she understands and asks how she can reach Gorkenfort before Axis.

The Sentinels relax at this. And I too, as we have at least reached the point where Faraday has decided she wants to marry Borneheld, so maybe we can go on. They say they were uncertain whether Faraday would agree, “and they [can] not force her into any action she was unwilling to undertake”.

Hmmmm, that might track. When they put Axis and co. to sleep, they might have been willing to sleep. When Jack led Faraday to the trees, she did want to find out about Borneheld. When Veremund just approached her, I assume that she did want to trust her. And now, she did want to marry Borneheld earlier. The only problem is that they should have seen her abrupt change of heart, recognised it for what it was, and tried to unbind the spell about her, instead of bullying her into accepting Borneheld!

Look Away: 27

Well, Yr gets up and stretches, then walks over and “butt[s] her head against Faraday’s knees”. Faraday smiles and strokes her back, “grateful for the affection”. It still feels quite hollow to me.

Jack speaks up, saying that Faraday will travel with him and Yr. She ought to stay with Axis until they reach Arcen, because that is how far she would have gone anyway. And once Axis and the Axe-Wielders go to Smyrton, they will leave for Gorkentown. He adds that they must do it secretly, and Faraday should not tell Merlion about it.

Faraday laughs at that, and waves her hand around the Barrow. She says that if she tried to tell Merlion about this, Merlion would “give [her] an enema to clear [her] wits”. Here? While they are underway? That seems quite unlikely to me.

Also, I think this is exactly what the Sentinels would like to hear, because it means she will have no one to talk to about this outside of them. And by keeping her isolated, they will have all the more power over her. Blegh.

Jack says they would have her leave as soon as they can, and ideally, they would set out tonight. But “when Axis realised” that she is missing in the morning, he would send his Axe-Wielders to searching, and “not even a Sentinel” could hide from them.

I think that first bit should read “if Axis realises” or “if Axis would realise”

PPP: 90

Also, thank you for the thoroughly unnecessary explanation, Jack.

Faraday says she understands, and then asks if Axis knows any of this. The Sentinels shake their heads, and Ogden says no, because he must “grow a little” before he can learn more. He will have a “very different path” which involves “discover[ing] his own identity”, and she has to trust them on this.

Well, I am certain that not telling Axis anything when Gorgrael might attack soon will have no bad consequences at all!

Faraday asks one more thing. She says they said she needed to perform “two important tasks”. The first one was to marry Borneheld, which she understands and accepts, but what is the other? Veremund pats her shoulder and says she will not find it “quite as distasteful” as the other one. But she has “heard enough tonight”.

This Is What the Mystery: 13

(I think we do know what her second task will be.) Anyway, Jack and Yr can tell her more on the way to Gorkenfort. He lets his eyes glow “bright gold” and asks if she will be true to them and to Axis. And she had better not disagree, or else. That is the implication I get, anyway.

Faraday whispers that she will be, though “[she] think[s] [they] do not understand the sacrifice [they] ask of [her]”. Which is entirely true, as we have just seen. Then just see Veremund’s reaction:

“The Prophecy demands much from many people, Faraday. And no one will have to sacrifice more than the Sentinels. No one.” His voice hardened. “Do not speak to us of sacrifice!”

Well, Veremund, if I remember correctly, you agreed to serve the Prophecy and were not pressed into it in any way. In contrast, Faraday was mind-controlled and bullied into serving it. So I think she has every right to complain about sacrifice! In fact, I think she might say this to you, Veremund.

It is just… I hate him so much for this, especially after how he just acted to Faraday. Hmmm, would he actually mind being hurt? Or would it just give more material for his “sacrifice” bit…?

ASWLT: 15

Well, Faraday says she is sorry, because of course she does.

Petty Ain’t the Word for You: 23

Veremund’s eyes “dim[] a little in contrition”, and he says that he knows she is sorry and that she will be true, and all of them recognise that it is a sacrifice they ask of her. Then maybe you should not have said that in the first place, Veremund. He says that he is sure Faraday must feel “very tired”, and he asks Yr to escort Faraday to bed.

Yr does so and leads Faraday down the Barrow. At least Faraday can take a break for a bit… Once they are gone, Jack speaks, saying that “it has begun”. They have alerted Gorgrael to their presence, “yet [they] still lack one of [their] number”.

Veremund closes the chapter with this:

“Where is she?” asked Veremund. “Where is she? Why isn’t she here?”

Could you not have asked those questions a little before now? This seems like something quite significant, after all. And yet, it will take until the end of Enchanter before she is found, through no effort of the Sentinels.

Well, that was that, at least. And this chapter was certainly not nice, exactly. I frankly think it is the sheer repetition that I could bear the least.

(shakes self) At least things should pick up next chapter. Until then!

Comments

[chessybell_90]

Hang on - are the sentinels seriously talking like Axis can't control whether or not he acts on his desire for Faraday? Seriously?

News flash Douglass, being a woman author doesn't make your work feminist.

Okay, I have been hit with a thought.

---

"Axis' life depends -"

"This one is being curious as to what you were speaking of," someone interrupted.

Said person was clad in a hooded grey robe veiling the upper face, concealing the figure. But the voice sounded like that of a woman.

Ys stirred first. "Shouldn't you be skulking around the Seneschel?"

The figure tipped her head to the side. "You are being confused by thought of another of this one's kind," she said. "But what had been discussed?"

Veremund then spoke up, saying, "We were explaining that to ensure Axis' safety this girl here must marry Borneheld."

The figure frowned slightly. "This one had heard Borneheld had already betrothed himself to a young noblewoman, and had not heard of her death."

"I'm not dead!" Faraday said in a rush.

The figure nodded. "Then what need has there been to explain anything? The matter has been settled already."

"She's in love with Axis," Ogden answered.

"What relevance can that be having?" the figure asked. "Her promise has already been made."

"We just want her to understand how important her marriage to Borneheld is," Ys said.

"Her word must be kept," the figure replied. "What more had needed to be said?"

"She wants to run off with Axis," Jack answered as Faraday blushed in humiliated shame. "But if she does Borneheld will kill him before he can defeat the Destroyer. Surely even your kind understand the importance of that!"

"And who is telling Axis not to be running off with her?" the figure snapped. "This one is knowing that she is in more danger of being run off with then of doing the running!"

"What do you mean?" asked Faraday.

The figure sighed and sat beside her. "It is not being thought fit to tell noblewomen," she said, "but the servant women are knowing that Axis is not always asking before bedding women, and he is not being kind to women he tires of."

It took but a moment for Faraday to work through the odd syntax. "He's a rapist?"

The figure nodded. "This one is apologizing that you have found out like this."

"But he's the Battleaxe," Faraday said, almost numbly, on the verge of tears. "How could he?"

"He is merely a person," the figure said gently, "as free to chose evil as good."

Faraday flung herself into the figure's arms. "The Battleaxe isn't supposed to do that," she sobbed. "He's supposed to be good. Why is he still the Battleaxe if he's not good?"

The figure awkwardly patted Faraday's back. "This one is not knowing that," she said. Faraday felt her shift position. "May I know the name of the one who is being very familiar for one I have not met?"

Faraday bolted upright. "Oh! I'm sorry, I hadn't -"

"This one forgives you," the figure said. "Are you having a place safe from Axis?"

Faraday thought for a bit. "I'm not sure," she said finally. "I don't think he'd try anything when I'm chaperoned, but he's gotten me alone before..."

"This one is not easily shaken off," the figure said, "and more then willing to talk to your chaperones about the matter. Are you wanting this one's help?"

Faraday nodded.

---

Whyy did I create a culture that uses Present Perfect as a tense? English is not designed to have that tense!

And no one will have to sacrifice more than the Sentinels.

No.

You do not get to say that.

Who are you to say that two mites are a lesser sacrifice then a hundred talents? You do not know.

You are, at the very least, demanding her marriage. You may be asking her reputation, her fortune, even her life.

Mortal man is not able to judge between sacrifices, for mortal man cannot judge how much they truly cost the giver.

yet [they] still lack one of [their] number

Uh, did you only just now notice that?

How are you supposed to ensure victory over the Destroyer if you can't even manage a headcount?

[pangolin20]

Hang on - are the sentinels seriously talking like Axis can't control whether or not he acts on his desire for Faraday? Seriously?

NRSG: Yes, it seems that that is indeed going on. Thank you for the catch!

News flash Douglass, being a woman author doesn't make your work feminist.

That is something Douglass truly needed to hear, I think.

Well done qua fic! For what it is worth, I would say that tense thing did not distract me while reading. And what, exactly, is that culture, if I might ask?

Also very well said on sacrifice! (applauds)

How are you supposed to ensure victory over the Destroyer if you can't even manage a headcount?

Well, to be fair, they noticed she was gone two thousand years ago. They have just not bothered to look for her until now. (I am very sure this is what actually happens in this series.)

[chessybell_90]

They don't really have an official name for themselves, but in the context I originally created them for they often get called grey elves which they consider acceptable as they are an elven subrace associated with the colour grey.

Another name they'll accept is 'The Watchers', since they tend to be passive observers of events. They have an unusual view of time - in their home context they have time magic, and collectively have timeline magic - which manifests both in being particular about when in time a thing is happening and their belief that an event unwitnessed isn't fixed and might change on them, what with time magic making a mockery of 'past' and 'future'.

In their home context they spend much of their personal timelines observing events they want to fix in history from 'elsewhen', or points sideways in time from the period being observed. Someone who knew to look for them could see them, but elsewhen and when can't interact with each other. Their grasp on time magic allows them to step between when and elsewhen at will, and they live predominately in elsewhen time. (In theory they could teach others how to access elsewhen, in practice they don't have the tools to teach people who didn't grow up surrounded by their casual use of time magic. Think trying to explain how to drive a car to someone whose culture is barely up to waterwheels.)

English grammar is double-jointed - you can contort it so many ways!

It's the way they're only reacting to her continued absence now, when they should have noticed it much earlier. It makes it feel to me that they hadn't noticed until now.

[pangolin20]

NRSG: Oh, that is fascinating. Thank you for the explanation! (I do like stories about time travel.)

It's the way they're only reacting to her continued absence now, when they should have noticed it much earlier. It makes it feel to me that they hadn't noticed until now.

Indeed... It does feel like certain aspects of the world have only just come into existence.

[epistler]

one point for her crying after seeing Axis naked in chapter 11

The women in this trilogy cry a LOT, you'll soon notice. Azhure's "eyes fill with tears" in every other chapter.

He tells Faraday to remember what he told her on the Silent Woman Night before she ran away. The trees show the future, but they might hide things, or show them so incoherently that it is impossible to sort them out.

So in other words they're just as useless as the Sentinels themselves. This is not how you do suspense and mystery, Douglass.

What makes this worse is that Axis clearly is using mind-control on her (be it unconscious), and so she cannot exactly choose if she wants to be in love with him or not.

Quite frankly this headcanon is the only way it makes any sense that so many women become sexually obsessed with Axis despite what an objectively horrible person he is, and that goes for StarDrifter as well.

Do not become the spark that ignites Axis’ funeral pyre.”

Shut up, Veremund! Faraday does not want Axis to die, so there is no need to say something that amounts to “if you turn to Axis, you will kill him”. She is already feeling bad enough, after all! But that is probably the reason for this: Faraday must feel bad.

Yeah, this is just cruel and horrible. They're essentially threatening her, FFS.

He goes on, saying that it must be “at Axis’ instigation and on Axis’ terms”

Which it always fucking is. He's a Sue, after all.

We, you, cannot afford to push Borneheld into challenging Axis now. If you marry Borneheld you will be in a position to moderate his hatred of Axis. To stay his hand. To allow Axis to grow into the man he must become.”

This is actually pretty damn funny when you know that there is no "man he must become". Axis never changes. Eragon-like, he just gets a heap of random power-ups which he uses to bully, torture and terrorise other people the moment he doesn't get his way.

“Axis’ life depends on your becoming Borneheld’s wife.”

Guess what? No it doesn't.

Well, the “weight of their arguments and the emotional strain” are too much for Faraday. She puts her hands on her face and “start[s] to sob”. Congratulations, you made her cry.

Threats and emotional blackmail aren't arguments, you assholes.

Well, Yr gets up and stretches, then walks over and “butt[s] her head against Faraday’s knees”. Faraday smiles and strokes her back, “grateful for the affection”. It still feels quite hollow to me.

This is just an abuser offering a morsel of niceness because the victim just gave them what they wanted.

Also, I think this is exactly what the Sentinels would like to hear, because it means she will have no one to talk to about this outside of them. And by keeping her isolated, they will have all the more power over her. Blegh.

Yup. Classic abuser behaviour. The author really seems to approve of it, given that Axis is also abusive.

Faraday says she understands, and then asks if Axis knows any of this. The Sentinels shake their heads, and Ogden says no, because he must “grow a little” before he can learn more. He will have a “very different path” which involves “discover[ing] his own identity”, and she has to trust them on this.

Again, laughable bullshit. Axis gets no character development or growth whatsoever. He sure as hell doesn't get any less screamingly immature and selfish.

“The Prophecy demands much from many people, Faraday. And no one will have to sacrifice more than the Sentinels. No one.” His voice hardened. “Do not speak to us of sacrifice!”

Fuck all the way off.

[pangolin20]

So in other words they're just as useless as the Sentinels themselves. This is not how you do suspense and mystery, Douglass.

NRSG: And neither do you do it by having them deliberately hide things.

Quite frankly this headcanon is the only way it makes any sense that so many women become sexually obsessed with Axis despite what an objectively horrible person he is, and that goes for StarDrifter as well.

And it makes further sense, as I seem to recall that the Icarii have a "gesture of seduction"...

This is actually pretty damn funny when you know that there is no "man he must become". Axis never changes. Eragon-like, he just gets a heap of random power-ups which he uses to bully, torture and terrorise other people the moment he doesn't get his way.

I just looked at the first chapter of The Infinity Gate, and there we already have Axis hurting his current love interest and preparing to "hurl abuse" at her. That is a clear illustration of that, I would think.

This is just an abuser offering a morsel of niceness because the victim just gave them what they wanted.

Indeed... This is quite obvious, and it made this scene quite awful to read.

[epistler]

NRSG: And neither do you do it by having them deliberately hide things.

Yeah, that's lying by default and not cool. Why do these characters have to be so unashamedly manipulative?

And it makes further sense, as I seem to recall that the Icarii have a "gesture of seduction"...

They sure do, and Axis uses it on the crowds of morons at his coronation before making his big stupid speech oh wait, bursting into SONG in order to "seduce an entire nation". God that bit was awful.

I just looked at the first chapter of The Infinity Gate, and there we already have Axis hurting his current love interest and preparing to "hurl abuse" at her. That is a clear illustration of that, I would think.

So he's cheating on Azhure again AND he's still an abuser. It's been how many books and the author still hasn't gotten a clue?

[pangolin20]

They sure do, and Axis uses it on the crowds of morons at his coronation before making his big stupid speech oh wait, bursting into SONG in order to "seduce an entire nation". God that bit was awful.

NRSG: That certainly sounds awful.

So he's cheating on Azhure again AND he's still an abuser. It's been how many books and the author still hasn't gotten a clue?

Eleven books, and she clearly did not get a clue on Axis. (I would say she did improve with other things, but not with him or StarDrifter.)

[epistler]

The two most worthless characters in the series are the two she kept hanging around for a ridiculously long time. Why god why.

[art_case]

You know, when Mina had decisions made for her in Dracula it is a mistake that leaves her vulnerable, a vulnerability that Dracula takes full advantage of. In the aftermath of this incident the characters acknowledge that if they hadn't made that decision for her, this wouldn't have happened.

Which is to say that this "feminist" book fails to even match a work written by a Victorian man!

[pangolin20]

NRSG: Yes, that is certainly quite impressive.

[wolfgoddess77]

- “What did you ask them, sweet child, and what did they sing for you?”

NUNYA BIZNESS, THAT'S WHAT.

- Veremund asks what they showed her and puts “a comforting hand” on her shoulder.

Was it a comforting hand, Douglass? Was it really Because I think this is just more mind control. You're making her spill her guts, whether she wants to or not. I swear, ever since that plot point was introduced, I'm side-eyeing the hell out of everything anyone does, wondering if it's actually the person doing it, or if they're being controlled.

- Douglass, lampshading how secretive they are being does not make this any better of a reading experience.

If anything, it makes the experience worse, because it just makes me want to stab a bitch. Or two. Or three. I'm leaving out Yr since she hasn't done anything that makes me want to flip tables. Yet.

- Jack shifts a bit, and we get a note that apparently “[e]ven such enchanted creatures as Sentinels” still get “sore buttocks” from sitting too long in a single place.

In a better book, this could actually be a pretty funny line. What a shame that it's wasted here.

- The trees show the future, but they might hide things, or show them so incoherently that it is impossible to sort them out.

Now, are they doing this on purpose, or is that just the way their powers work? Because if it's the former, then the trees are jackasses, too. Why do 99% of the characters in this book suck so much? ;A;

- Seriously, if Axis is the only one who can “meet” him, why not try to talk to Gorgrael?

I love the notion that this whole looming apocalypse thing could be averted just by sitting down with a nice cup of tea and having a conversation with each other.

- He says that Axis and Borneheld “will battle it out one day”, as the vision “clearly showed that”.

And how do you know that Faraday will be the cause of that battle? It's been clearly established that they hate each other, and could very easily fight over just about anything.

Also, why do they never talk to Axis about this? Just a little warning, like, "Hey, maybe don't antagonize your brother, okay?" I don't see in the prophecy anywhere that the subject can't know about it. I know the easy argument is that Axis wouldn't believe them even if they did tell him, but they could at least try, since the fate of the world seems to hinge on this one pivotal moment.

- Both cannot be true simultaneously, Douglass!

Schrödinger's Prophecy?

- We, you, cannot afford to push Borneheld into challenging Axis now. If you marry Borneheld you will be in a position to moderate his hatred of Axis. To stay his hand. To allow Axis to grow into the man he must become.”

I love how this has all suddenly become Faraday's responsibility. Maybe Borneheld wouldn't hate Axis so much if he wasn't such a colossal dickbag! I get that they could probably never be truly close as siblings, but surely a step above "duel to the death" is possible to obtain?

What's more, why is Borneheld the only one who has to be kept in line? Axis is by and large the antagonist between the two, but I see no mention of him maybe acting like an adult rather than a petulant toddler.

- Well, the “weight of their arguments and the emotional strain” are too much for Faraday. She puts her hands on her face and “start[s] to sob”

UTTER MANIPULATION. You're guilt-tripping her into doing this, because surely it's all her fault if something goes wrong. Can we rescue Faraday from this atrocious series and give her a better life somewhere? This poor girl. She doesn't deserve any of this.

- Faraday is horrified and asks them to please give her time. Veremund tightens his arms around her and launches into another speech.

STOP GANGING UP ON HER! Good lord, give the girl a few minutes to breathe. You just dumped the fate of the world on her shoulders, and what you do you? You keep pressuring her! Yr, you are on thin ice, my friend. I spared you earlier; don't make me regret that.

- I am still not seeing it, Douglass. If anything, I would expect this behaviour from Axis, and not at all from Borneheld.

Putting aside the whole 'Faraday is a high-bred horse to be mounted' incident, Borneheld strikes me as the kind of guy who turns into a nervous mess around women when it comes to the more intimate things. I'm probably wrong, but given how awkward he was around her when they were setting off, that's the impression I get.

- She ought to stay with Axis until they reach Arcen, because that is how far she would have gone anyway.

"If you give in to this man, the world is doomed! You must stay away from him at all costs! Oh, but it's okay if you keep riding close to him and giving him opportunities to corner you and mind-control you."

You have every reason to get her away from Axis right the fuck now, and you're just going to sit there and do nothing?!

- But “when Axis realised” that she is missing in the morning, he would send his Axe-Wielders to searching, and “not even a Sentinel” could hide from them.

Or you could just go to Axis, work a little of your mind-control on him, and make it so he won't come looking for her. I don't care if you said that you can't make someone do anything they don't want to do, but I bet that'll be contradicted somewhere later on, so chop-chop, make yourself useful!

- The Sentinels shake their heads, and Ogden says no, because he must “grow a little” before he can learn more. He will have a “very different path” which involves “discover[ing] his own identity”, and she has to trust them on this.

*repeatedly bangs her head against the wall in frustration*

- But she has “heard enough tonight”.

Oh, so now that you've bullied her into agreeing to what you want, now you decide to cut her some slack and take pity on her. How kind of you.

I hate you all.

- And she had better not disagree, or else. That is the implication I get, anyway.

Yeah, that's absolutely a veiled threat.

- “The Prophecy demands much from many people, Faraday. And no one will have to sacrifice more than the Sentinels. No one.” His voice hardened. “Do not speak to us of sacrifice!”

To borrow from the New Moon spork Mervin did, I am about to go on a cactus-swinging rampage. It's open season on Sentinels, and Mama's goin' hunting.

- Veremund’s eyes “dim[] a little in contrition”, and he says that he knows she is sorry and that she will be true, and all of them recognise that it is a sacrifice they ask of her.

I see that Faraday is the only one apologizing. There's no "I'm sorry you have to go through this," or "I'm sorry we've put all of this responsibility onto you," or even something as simple as "I'm sorry for snapping at you."

- They have alerted Gorgrael to their presence, “yet [they] still lack one of [their] number”.

Yeah, that wasn't too smart of you, was it? It's entirely possible that he would have soon found out anyway, but you guys didn't have to go around waving a giant neon sign to get his attention.

[pangolin20]

Was it a comforting hand, Douglass? Was it really Because I think this is just more mind control. You're making her spill her guts, whether she wants to or not. I swear, ever since that plot point was introduced, I'm side-eyeing the hell out of everything anyone does, wondering if it's actually the person doing it, or if they're being controlled.

NRSG: Exactly! It makes all of their actions seems so much more suspicious.

If anything, it makes the experience worse, because it just makes me want to stab a bitch. Or two. Or three. I'm leaving out Yr since she hasn't done anything that makes me want to flip tables. Yet.

I am sure that will come eventually.

Now, are they doing this on purpose, or is that just the way their powers work? Because if it's the former, then the trees are jackasses, too. Why do 99% of the characters in this book suck so much? ;A;

I hope it is the latter. And yes, I get that feeling, too.

I love the notion that this whole looming apocalypse thing could be averted just by sitting down with a nice cup of tea and having a conversation with each other.

And! There could still be a strong plot, as the villains of the next trilogy would still need to be defeated!

Also, why do they never talk to Axis about this? Just a little warning, like, "Hey, maybe don't antagonize your brother, okay?" I don't see in the prophecy anywhere that the subject can't know about it. I know the easy argument is that Axis wouldn't believe them even if they did tell him, but they could at least try, since the fate of the world seems to hinge on this one pivotal moment.

(nods) Or, if they want to keep Axis alive at all costs, they might as well push him into killing Borneheld as soon as possible. It would not be good, but it would not be an Idiot Plot.

I love how this has all suddenly become Faraday's responsibility. Maybe Borneheld wouldn't hate Axis so much if he wasn't such a colossal dickbag! I get that they could probably never be truly close as siblings, but surely a step above "duel to the death" is possible to obtain?

What's more, why is Borneheld the only one who has to be kept in line? Axis is by and large the antagonist between the two, but I see no mention of him maybe acting like an adult rather than a petulant toddler.

Yes, how very feminist to make Faraday responsible for Borneheld's behaviour.

I presume that is because Axis is their "golden boy".

UTTER MANIPULATION. You're guilt-tripping her into doing this, because surely it's all her fault if something goes wrong. Can we rescue Faraday from this atrocious series and give her a better life somewhere? This poor girl. She doesn't deserve any of this.

Well, I tried to in this part... Either way, she does eventually have a happy ending.

Putting aside the whole 'Faraday is a high-bred horse to be mounted' incident, Borneheld strikes me as the kind of guy who turns into a nervous mess around women when it comes to the more intimate things. I'm probably wrong, but given how awkward he was around her when they were setting off, that's the impression I get.

That is what I thought, too.

You have every reason to get her away from Axis right the fuck now, and you're just going to sit there and do nothing?!

Come to think of it, now would indeed be a great time to get her away from there, if they want that so badly.

Or you could just go to Axis, work a little of your mind-control on him, and make it so he won't come looking for her. I don't care if you said that you can't make someone do anything they don't want to do, but I bet that'll be contradicted somewhere later on, so chop-chop, make yourself useful!

If they were truly so concerned with the Prophecy, they should indeed be doing that!

Oh, so now that you've bullied her into agreeing to what you want, now you decide to cut her some slack and take pity on her. How kind of you.

That is probably so she knows they will take pity on her if she just gives in to their demands.

To borrow from the New Moon spork Mervin did, I am about to go on a cactus-swinging rampage. It's open season on Sentinels, and Mama's goin' hunting.

Yessss.

Yeah, that wasn't too smart of you, was it? It's entirely possible that he would have soon found out anyway, but you guys didn't have to go around waving a giant neon sign to get his attention.

And we will soon see that they got several hundreds of people killed because of it!

[maegwin_of_hern]

What makes this worse is that Axis clearly is using mind-control on her (be it unconscious), and so she cannot exactly choose if she wants to be in love with him or not.

Okay, I admit that it's been a while since I've last read your analysis, it's probably that's why I don't remember Axis using mind-control (I only remember him being a colossal jerk). So could you elaborate a little? I'd be grateful.

[pangolin20]

NRSG: It has been quite a bit for me, too, not to mention that my part was not very thorough (which should be fixed in the redux!), but I think it was something in chapter 2. There, Faraday is instantly smitten with Axis, and we have this:

"Faraday’s reaction was the same as every woman’s the first time they laid eyes on the BattleAxe. It was a reaction the BattleAxe was fully aware he created and, if in the mood, capitalised on."

It might just be that he is supposed to be Just That Charming, but the phrasing (specifically that he "creates" this effect) makes me think that there is rather some kind of magic going on. Later books will also establish that there is a "gesture of seduction that male Enchanters use[] to will women to their bed". Combined with Faraday falling in love with Axis on the basis of... well, what basis? She does not even seem to like him because he is the BattleAxe.

So, putting all of that together, I think that mind-control is what is going on.

[maegwin_of_hern]

That makes sense, thank you for clarifying.