Chapter 27 Summary & Analysis – The Grul Attack
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with Poppy, Casteel, Malik, Kieran, and others investigating a disturbance in a house. A little girl who appears dead suddenly reanimates and bites Malik. Naill is forced to kill her. Kieran identifies the creatures as gruls—reanimated corpses created by a god (later revealed to be Kolis), used in the Abyss to feast on spiritual flesh. A large outbreak occurs in the street. Poppy and Casteel fight numerous gruls, with Poppy noticing that while gruls try to eat Casteel, they only grab her. Poppy heals a wounded guard, Jaeden, using eather, and is herself bitten but heals rapidly. An elderly grul, controlled by Kolis, speaks to Poppy, calling her “So’lis” and declaring, “I’ll be seeing you soon.” Poppy destroys several gruls with eather, and the chapter ends with the group realizing Kolis is orchestrating the attack.
Key Events
- A reanimated child grul bites Malik’s arm.
- Naill kills the child grul; Kieran explains gruls are corpses like Craven and Gyrm, created by a god.
- Multiple gruls attack from houses and streets; the group fights desperately.
- Poppy heals guard Jaeden using her eather, demonstrating increased control.
- Poppy is bitten by an older grul but heals quickly, noting no lasting pain.
- Gruls specifically target Casteel for biting but only grab at Poppy.
- An elderly grul climbs a roof and emits a screech that summons more gruls.
- Poppy uses eather to incinerate two gruls, showing her growing power.
- The elderly grul, with a glint in its eyes, speaks to Poppy as Kolis, calling her “So’lis” and promising to see her soon.
Character Development
- Poppy: Becomes more comfortable with her abilities, using eather for both healing and destruction. She shows deepened resolve and a darker edge, acknowledging the necessity of killing gruls despite their former human forms.
- Casteel: Demonstrates strategic leadership, sending Kieran to warn the capital and keeping Poppy focused. His playful banter amid battle reveals his attempt to keep morale high.
- Malik: Suffers a painful bite and is sent back to heal, highlighting the physical toll on allies.
- Kieran: Provides crucial lore about gruls, acting as the group’s knowledgeable advisor.
- Naill: Shows remorse when forced to kill the child grul, emphasizing the tragedy of the transformed victims.
- Kolis: Makes his presence known by controlling the elderly grul, revealing his direct involvement and his fixation on Poppy.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Reanimation and Loss of Humanity: Gruls are mindless shells of once-living people, forcing the heroes to kill what remains, exploring the horror of turning against loved ones.
- Light vs. Dark (Eather vs. Corruption): Poppy’s eather destroys gruls completely, symbolizing her power to cleanse Kolis’s corruption.
- Gaze and Recognition: The glint in the grul’s eyes mirrors the Ascended’s eyes, connecting Kolis’s influence across different forms.
- Sacrifice and Necessity: The repeated need to destroy even child gruls underscores the brutal reality of war.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter escalates the war with Kolis from distant threat to intimate horror. It introduces gruls as a new weapon in Kolis’s arsenal, directly affecting Poppy’s loved ones. Poppy’s healing of Jaeden and her ability to burn gruls with eather prove her growing mastery. The possessed grul’s message confirms that Kolis can see through his creations, making the conflict deeply personal. The chapter also sets up future battles by revealing Kolis’s goal to capture Poppy alive.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What are gruls, and how are they created?
Gruls are reanimated corpses created by a god (specifically Kolis). They are similar to Craven but more mindless, used in the Abyss to feast on flesh. They can be killed by severing the spinal cord or destroying the brain.
2. Why do the gruls behave differently toward Poppy compared to Casteel?
Gruls attempt to bite and eat Casteel but only grab Poppy without biting. This suggests Kolis ordered them to take Poppy alive, possibly because he wants her for his own purposes.
3. What revelation does Poppy have when she sees the glint in the elderly grul’s eyes?
Poppy recognizes the glint from the eyes of the Ascended (Duke, Mazeen, etc.) and realizes she is looking at Kolis himself controlling the grul. This confirms Kolis can possess his creations and speaks directly to Poppy through them.