SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!
Chapters Read:
Part III: NAL GORGOTH
- VII: Tusk and Blade
- VIII: Mother's Mercy
- IX: Breaking Point
- X: Upheaval
Holy crap. The tension is rising, things are happening.
I don't want this book to end man!!! 😞😭
It's pretty crazy how a book flies by when you're enjoying it so much.
So Bachel and her Dreamers, went and hunted boars and it was pretty interesting I'd say. Thorn and Murtagh joined of course. This was an intriguing event as Bachel said no magic is to be used during the hunt. Bachel displayed her strength in a big way, she's quite formidable. Very elf-like in battle. She basically lifted and tossed a boar like it was nothing. Murtagh on the other hand struggled, so much so that he kinda nearly died, but he did manage to kill the boar. It seems that Bachel and her Dreamers essentially helped save Murtagh but, who knows for sure how this could have ended. Thorn wasn't too far away himself. While passed out Murtagh has this strange dream of a 'wingless dragon' in basically an apocalyptic wasteland which was pretty wild.
They hunted the boars in this valley where the earth was again charred and warm and strange, and the trees were like skeletons of themselves, and massive mushrooms dominated instead.
I find this mushroom field interesting and I wonder if there's a bigger idea here in terms of like who Bachel is or whatnot. But it's kind of blind speculation and I absolutely am probably overthinking. But I am aware that many millions of years ago, on earth, mushrooms were a dominant species on the planet. Of course mushrooms are still a massive species but once upon a time they were way more plentiful and physically massive.
In addition I'm also aware that animals, including humans, share a common ancestor with mushrooms. Humans are more connected to mushrooms than they are plants.
Furthermore, if we are to go down this fun rabbit hole, maybe Bachel comes from a different branch of like, people, in this fantasy sense. Like instead of the mushroom-animals/humans, maybe there was a group of people that went like mushroom-Dreamers/Old Dreamers or something like this. Perhaps Bachel's plan is to 'return' the planet to a new 'old' age or something?
Also, Murtagh is regularly struck by how convicted Bachel is in her beliefs, as well as her followers of course. Murtagh struggles to actually object to her when it comes to her tone and presence when she speaks on certain topics regarding life or the future. Perhaps this is because, if my theory is correct, they do have a justified reason to become the prominent people of Alagaësia. Or at least try. I guess.
I guess I'm thinking Bachel and her people could be a side, sort of shadow people that sort of faded into obscurity. Maybe this is why her magic is sort of an alternative, yet seemingly valid form of magic.
Hahahahaha I have no clue man. She claims to be an Old Dreamer that even the Grey Folk feared (this blew my mind) but also that she's an Elf. A half-elf half-human. Maybe I'm just too excited and can't think clearly and also, there's more to learn in general in this story.
Anyway. Bachel then displayed her weird logic when instead of saving a fallen soldier of hers in the boar hunt, she just killed the dude. She said it was his time to return to the Dreamer. This lady is nuts.
Finally fed up with Bachel's utter weird nonsense, Murtagh and Thorn decide to confront Bachel and well, she absolutely spazzed instead. Not directly though, she basically caused a massive earthquake throughout the valley and told them to chill or else. Prior to Murtagh and Thorn deciding to press Bachel for answers I was literally scared, like actually. I can't remember the last time I've felt this way about a book. Pretty awesome.
As a result of this display of power by Bachel, Murtagh and Thorn lose their willingness to be as brash (for the most part, and for the time being) about getting answers out of her. I'm wondering if what Bachel did was simply an illusion honestly.
But anyway, I don't blame them for this decision to want to leave. I'd be out too if I were them. They even said they will contact Eragon, Saphira, Arya and Fírnen when they leave. I am doubtful that we'll see them for some reason but who knows. If one of them do arrive, I'll be seriously excited and shocked.
Bachel herself did mention to Murtagh it's better to fight as a group, maybe this is foreshadowing of some sort. Maybe Murtagh will receive some help of some sort at some point.
Before they leave Nal Gorgoth though, they want to explore this mysterious cave behind the temple, and get some answers as to how Bachel can be so powerful. They're really going into the belly of the beast here.
My theory is that in the cave Bachel has like an army of Fanghur but perhaps it's the bigger version of them or something. Because on the buildings Eragon saw carvings/statues of them around Nal Gorgoth. Maybe these bigger Fanghur have their own versions of Eldunarí that Bachel is using to be so powerful.
But I have no clue.
I'm also super intrigued with Alín. She seems genuinely pretty good and perhaps she's got a tiny spark of doubt about Bachel.... We shall see!
