TWENTY-FIVE: Survived
Gray mist swirled around him for a long convulsive moment. Then it began to smear, and he lost it as well. His vision blurred, as if some hard god had rubbed a thumb across it. He blinked rapidly, tried to reach up to squeeze his eyes; but something soft prevented his hand. His sight remained blank.
He was waking up, though he felt more as if he were dropping into grogginess.
Gradually he became able to identify where he was. He lay in a bed with tubular protective bars on the sides. White sheets covered him to his chin. Gray curtains shut him off from the other patients in the room. A fluorescent light stared past him emptily from the ceiling. The air was faintly tinged with ether and germicide. A call button hung at the head of the bed.
All his fingers and toes were numb.
Nerves don’t regenerate, of course they don’t, they don’t—
This was important—he knew it was important—but for some reason it did not carry any weight with him. His heart was too hot with other emotions to feel that particular ice.
What mattered to him was that Prothall and Mhoram and the Quest had survived. He clung to that as if it were proof of sanity—a demonstration that what had happened to him, that what he had done, was not the product of madness, self-destruction. They had survived; at least his bargain with the Ranyhyn had accomplished that much. They had done exactly what Lord Foul wanted them to do—but they had survived. At least he was not guilty of their deaths, too. His inability to use his ring, to believe in his ring, had not made Wraiths of them. That was his only consolation for what he had lost.
Then he made out two figures standing at the foot of the bed. One of them was a woman in white—a nurse. As he tried to focus on her, she said, “Doctor—he’s regaining consciousness.”
The doctor was a middle-aged man in a brown suit. The flesh under his eyes sagged as if he were weary of all human pain, but his lips under his graying mustache were gentle. He approached along the side of the bed, touched Covenant’s forehead for a moment, then pulled up Covenant’s eyelids and shined a small light at his pupils.
With an effort, Covenant focused on the light.
The doctor nodded, and put his flashlight away. “Mr. Covenant?”
Covenant swallowed at the dryness in his throat.
“Mr. Covenant.” The doctor held his face close to Covenant’s, and spoke quietly, calmly. “You’re in the hospital. You were brought here after your run-in with that police car. You’ve been unconscious for about four hours.”
Covenant lifted his head and nodded to show that he understood.
“Good,” said the doctor. “I’m glad you’re coming around. Now, let me talk to you for a moment.
“Mr. Covenant, the police officer who was driving that car says that he didn’t hit you. He claims that he stopped in time—you just fell down in front of him. From my examination, I would be inclined to agree with him. Your hands are scraped up a bit, and you have a bruise on your forehead—but things like that could have happened when you fell.” He hesitated momentarily, then asked, “Did he hit you?”
Dumbly Covenant shook his head. The question did not feel important.
“Well, I suppose you could have knocked yourself out by hitting your head on the pavement. But why did you fall?”
That, too, did not feel important. He pushed the question away with a twitch of his hands. Then he tried to sit up in bed.
He succeeded before the doctor could help or hinder him; he was not as weak as he had feared he might be. The numbness of his fingers and toes still seemed to lack conviction, as if they would recover as soon as their circulation was restored.
Nerves don’t—
After a moment, he regained his voice, and asked for his clothes.
The doctor studied him closely. “Mr. Covenant,” he said, “I’ll let you go home if you want to. I suppose I should keep you under observation for a day or two. But I really haven’t been able to find anything wrong with you. And you know more about taking care of leprosy than I do.” Covenant did not miss the look of nausea that flinched across the nurse’s face. “And, to be perfectly honest”—the doctor’s tone turned suddenly acid—“I don’t want to have to fight the staff here to be sure that you get decent care. Do you feel up to it?”
In answer, Covenant began fumbling with awkward fingers at the dull white hospital gown he wore.
Abruptly the doctor went to a locker, and came back with Covenant’s clothes.
Covenant gave them a kind of VSE. They were scuffed and dusty from his fall in the street; yet they looked exactly as they had looked when he had last worn them, during the first days of the Quest.
Exactly as if none of it had ever happened.
When he was dressed, he signed the releases. His hand was so cold that he could hardly write his name.
But the Quest had survived. At least his bargain had been good for that.
Then the doctor gave him a ride in a wheelchair down to the discharge exit. Outside the building, the doctor suddenly began to talk as if in some oblique way he were trying to apologize for not keeping Covenant in the hospital. “It must be hell to be a leper,” he said rapidly. “I’m trying to understand. It’s like I studied in Heidelberg, years ago, and while I was there I saw a lot of medieval art. Especially religious art. Being a leper reminds me of statues of the Crucifixion made during the Middle Ages. There is Christ on the Cross, and his features—his body, even his face—are portrayed so blandly that the figure is unrecognizable. It could be anyone, man or woman. But the wounds—the nails in the hands and feet, the spear in the side, the crown of thorns—are carved and even painted in incredibly vivid detail. You would think the artist crucified his model to get that kind of realism.
“Being a leper must be like that.”
Covenant felt the doctor’s sympathy, but he could not reply to it. He did not know how.
After a few minutes, an ambulance came and took him back to Haven Farm.
He had survived.
He walked up the long driveway to his house as if that were his only hope.
Here ends
Lord Foul’s Bane
Book One of
“The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.”
The story continues in Book Two
The Illearth War.
GLOSSARY
Acence: a Stonedownor, sister of Atiaran
aliantha: treasure-berries
amanibhavam: horse-healing grass, poisonous to men
anundivian yajña: lost Ramen craft of bone-sculpting
Atiaran Trell-mate: a Stonedownor, daughter of Tiaran
Banas Nimoram: the Celebration of Spring
Bannor: a Bloodguard, assigned to Covenant
Baradakas: a Hirebrand of Soaring Woodhelven
Berek Halfhand: founder of the line of Lords
Bhrathair: a people met by the wandering Giants
Birinair: a Hirebrand, Hearthrall of Lord’s Keep
Bloodguard: the defenders of the Lords
Brabha: a Ranyhyn, Korik’s mount
caamora: Giantish ordeal of grief by fire
Caerroil Wildwood: Forestal of Garroting Deep
Cavewights: evil creatures existing under Mount Thunder
Celebration of Spring: the Dance of the Wraiths of Andelain on the dark of the moon in the middle night of Spring
clingor: adhesive leather
Close, the: the council-chamber of Lord’s Keep
Cord: Ramen second rank
cording: ceremony of becoming a Cord
Corruption: Bloodguard name for Lord Foul
Creator, the: legendary Enemy of Lord Foul
Damelon Giantfriend: son of Berek Halfhand, ancient High Lord
Dance of the Wraiths: Celebration of Spring
Demondim: makers of ur-viles and Waynhim
Desolation, the: era of ruin in the Land, after the Ritual of Desecration
Despiser, the: Lord foul
Des
pite: Power of Evil
diamondraught: Giantish liquor
Drool Rockworm: a Cavewight, finder of the Staff of Law
Dura Fairflank: a mustang, Covenant’s mount
Earthfriend: title first given to Berek Halfhand
Elohim: a people met by the wandering Giants
Eoman: a unit of the Warward of Lord’s Keep, twenty warriors and a Warhaft
Fangthane the Render: Ramen name for Lord Foul
FireLions: fire-flow of Mount Thunder
fire-stones: graveling
First Mark: the Bloodguard commander
First Ward of Kevin’s Lore: primary knowledge left by High Lord Kevin
forbidding: a wall of power
Forestal: protector of the remnants of the One Forest
Foul’s Creche: the Despiser’s home
Furl Falls: waterfall at Revelstone
Furl’s Fire: warning fire at Revelstone
Garth: Warmark of the Warward of Lord’s Keep
Gay: a Winhome of the Ramen
Giantclave: Giantish conference
Giants: the Unhomed, ancient friends of the Lords
Gilden: a maple-like tree with golden leaves
Gildenlode: a power-wood formed from Gilden trees
Grace: a Cord of the Ramen
graveling: fire-stones, made to glow by stone-lore
Gravelingas: a master of the stone-lore
Gray Slayer: plains name for Lord Foul
griffin: lion-like beast with wings
Haruchai: a people from whom the Bloodguard come
Healer: a physician
Hearthrall of Lord’s Keep: one responsible for light, warmth and hospitality
Heart of Thunder: cave of power in Mount Thunder
Heartthew: Berek Halfhand
heartwood chamber: meeting-place of a Woodhelven
Herem: a Raver
High Lord: leader of the Council of Lords
High Wood: offspring of the One Tree
Hirebrand: a master of wood-lore
Hurn: a Cord of the Ramen
hurtloam: a healing mud
Huryn: a Ranyhyn, Terrel’s mount
Hynaril: a Ranyhyn, mount of Tamarantha and Mhoram
Illearth Stone: source of evil power found under Mount Thunder
Imoiran Tomal-mate: a Stonedowner
Irin: warrior of the Third Eoman of the Warward
Jehannum: a Raver
Kevin Landwaster: son of Loric Vilesilencer, last High Lord of the Old Lords
Kevin’s Lore: knowledge of power left by Kevin in the Seven Wards
Kiril Threndor: Heart of Thunder
Korik: a Bloodguard
kresh: savage, giant, yellow wolves
Kurash Plenethor: region formerly named Stricken Stone, now called Trothgard
Land, the: generally, area found on the map
Lena: a Stonedownor, daughter of Atiaran
Lifeswallower: the Great Swamp
lillianrill: wood-lore, or masters of wood-lore
Lithe: a Manethrall of the Ramen
Llaura: Heer of Soaring Woodhelven
lomillialor: High Wood
Lord: master of the Sword and Staff parts of Kevin’s Lore
Lord-Fatherer: Berek Halfhand
Lord Foul: Lords’ name for the Enemy of the Land
Lordsfire: staff-fire used by the Lords
Lords’ Keep: Revelstone
loremaster: a leader of ur-viles
Loresraat: Trothgard school where Kevin’s Lore is studied
Lorewarden: teacher in the Loresraat
loreworks: Demondim power-laboratory
Loric Vilesilencer: a High Lord, son of Damelon Giantfriend
lor-liarill: Gildenlode
Malliner: Woodhelvennin Heer, son of Veinnin
Maneing: ceremony of becoming a Manethrall
Manethrall: Ramen first rank
Marny: a Ranyhyn, Tuvor’s mount
marrowmeld: bone-sculpting
Melenkurion abatha: phrase of invocation or power
Mhoram: Lord, son of Variol
Murrin Odona-mate: a Stonedownor
Oath of Peace: oath by people of the Land against needless violence
Odona Murrin-mate: a Stonedownor
Old Lords: Lords prior to the Ritual of Desecration
Omournil: Woodhelvennin Heer, daughter of Mournil
One Forest: ancient forest which covered most of the Land
One Tree, the: mystic tree from which the Staff of Law was made
orcrest: a stone of power
Osondrea: Lord, daughter of Sondrea
Padrias: Woodhelvennin Heer, son of Mill
Peak of the FireLions: Mount Thunder
Pietten: Woodhelvennin child, son of Soranal
Prothall: High Lord, son of Dwillian
Quaan: Warhaft of the Third Eoman of the Warward
Quest, the: search to rescue the Staff of Law
Ramen: a people who serve the Ranyhyn
Ranyhyn: the great, free horses of the Plains of Ra
Ravers: Lord Foul’s three ancient servants
Revelstone: Lord’s Keep, mountain city of the Lords
rhadhamaerl: stone-lore, or masters of stone-lore
Ringthane: Ramen name for Thomas Covenant
Rites of Unfettering: the ceremony of becoming Unfettered
Ritual of Desecration: act of despair by which High Lord Kevin destroyed the Old Lords and ruined most of the land
Rockbrother, Rocksister: term of affection between men and Giants
Rustah: a Cord of the Ramen
sacred enclosure: Vespers-hall at Revelstone
Saltheart Foamfollower: a Giant, friend of Covenant
Sandgorgons: monsters described by the Giants
Satansheart: Giantish name for Lord Foul
Seven Wards: collection of knowledge left by High Lord Kevin
Seven Words: power-words
Sheol: a Raver
Soranal: a Woodhelvennin Heer, son of Thiller
Soulcrusher: Giantish name for Lord Foul
Sparlimb Keelsetter: a Giant, father of triplets
springwine: a mild, refreshing liquor
Staff, the: to distinguish from other staves a branch of Kevin’s Lore
Staff of Law, the: formed by Berek from the One Tree
Stonedown: a stone-village
Stricken Stone: now called Trothgard
suru-pa-maerl: a stone craft
Sword, the: a branch of Kevin’s Lore
Tamarantha Variol-mate: Lord, daughter of Enesta
Terass: a Stonedownor, daughter of Annoria
Terrel: a Bloodguard
test of truth: test of veracity by lomillialor or orcrest
Thew: a Cord of the Ramen
Tohrm: Gravelingas and Hearthrall of Lord’s Keep
Tomal: a Stonedownor craftmaster
treasure-berries: aliantha; nourishing fruit found throughout the Land
Trell Atiaran-mate: Gravelingas of Mithil Stonedown
Triock: a Stonedownor, son of Thuler
Tuvor: First mark of the Bloodguard
Unbeliever: Thomas Covenant
Unfettered: lore-students freed from conventional responsibilities
Unhomed, the: The Giants
ur-Lord: title given to Thomas Covenant
ur-viles: Demondim-spawn, evil creatures
Vailant: former High Lord
Variol Tamarantha-mate: Lord, former High Lord, son of Pentil
Viles: sires of Demondim
Vow, the: Haruchai oath which formed the Bloodguard
Warhaft: commander of an Eoman
Warlore: Sword knowledge in Kevin’s Lore
Warmark: commander of the Warward
Warrenbridge: entrance to the catacombs under Mount Thunder
Warward: the army of Lord’s Keep
Wavenhair Haleall: a Giant, wife of Sparlimb Keelsetter, mother of triplets
Waymeet: resting plac
e for travelers
Waynhim: tenders of the Waymeets, opponents of ur-viles though Demondim-spawn
Wightwarrens: homes of the Cavewights under Mount Thunder
Winhome: Ramen lowest rank
Woodhelven: wood-village
Woodhelvennin: inhabitants of wood-village
Word of Warning: a powerful, destructive forbidding
Wraiths of Andelain: creatures that perform the Dance at the Celebration of Spring
Dedication:
For Dr. James R. Donaldson, M.D.,
whose life expressed compassion and commitment
more eloquently than any words
and
To John Eccker
for years of help and friendship
Books by Stephen R. Donaldson
“The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever”
Lord Foul’s Bane
The Illearth War
The Power that Preserves
“The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant”
The Wounded Land
The One Tree
White Gold Wielder
“The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant”
The Runes of the Earth
Fatal Revenant
Against All Things Ending
The Last Dark
“Mordant’s Need”
The Mirror of Her Dreams
A Man Rides Through
“The Gap Sequence”
The Real Story
Forbidden Knowledge
A Dark and Hungry God Arises
Chaos and Order
This Day All Gods Die
The “Axbrewder/Fistoulari” novels
The Man Who Killed His Brother
The Man Who Risked His Partner
The Man Who Tried to Get Away
The Man Who Fought Alone
Short Story Collections
Daughter of Regals and Other Tales
Reave the Just and Other Tales
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Map
Epigraph
1: Golden Boy
2: “You Cannot Hope”
3: Invitation to a Betrayal
4: Kevin’s Watch
5: Mithil Stonedown
6: Legend of Berek Halfhand
7: Lena
8: The Dawn of the Message
9: Jehannum
10: The Celebration of Spring
Thomas Covenant 01: Lord Foul's Bane Page 50
