We Began Our Journey: Chapter Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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 a stark image: the lands of the living have come to resemble the lands of the dead. Bodies lie scattered across fields and villages, covered in ice and snow. For Hekate, this devastation is not a tragedy but an opportunity. The idea she conceives is born from her own cold divinity—a plan so audacious that it makes Hermes smirk even through his fear, and makes Thanatos stare at her long enough for her to recognize her own callousness. She takes their reactions the way she has learned to take all reactions from the gods: with a grain of salt.

Hekate walks through the frozen wasteland with Hecuba at her side. She strokes the creature's silver fur absently for comfort, while Hecuba whines at the sight of each body. When they reach the first village, Hekate pulls out her bag of simples and begins to work quickly. She combines moly and mugwort, lavender and bonedust, and the amber hearts of newborn stars. The craft comes to her with surprising ease now, even though her magic is considered anathema to the gods. Hermes and Thanatos watch her in silence as she moves from body to body, performing her forbidden work.

At the very last village—one obliterated by the cold—Hekate gently places the final heart she has into the chest of a blue corpse. The body rises as the others did, returning from the endless sleep of death into a half-life. Stepping back, she surveys them all. Once they were human; now, touched by divinity, they are considered abominations by every other god. But to Hekate, they are her own beautiful, merciless creations. She names them for what they are: Legion.

Key Events

• The living lands are shown to be covered in ice, snow, and countless bodies, mirroring the underworld.

• Hekate conceives a plan to raise the dead, drawing reactions from Hermes (smirking despite fear) and Thanatos (a long, recognizing gaze).

• She travels through the region with Hecuba, who whines at the bodies while Hekate strokes her fur.

• Hekate retrieves her bag of simples and works quickly, using moly, mugwort, lavender, bonedust, and the hearts of newborn stars.

• Hermes and Thanatos watch her work in silence, acknowledging the gravity of her actions.

• At the final village, Hekate places the last heart into a blue corpse, which rises into a half-life.

• She surveys her creations, noting they are now touched by divinity and considered abominations by other gods.

• She names them Legion.

Character Development

This chapter marks a significant evolution in Hekate's character. She has moved from being a witch who works within the shadows of the divine to one who openly defies the natural order. Her cold divinity is not just a metaphor—it becomes the source of her power and her willingness to act. She acknowledges her own callousness when Thanatos looks at her, but she does not flinch from it. Instead, she accepts it as part of who she has become.

Hekate's relationship with Hecuba also deepens. The creature is a source of comfort, a grounding presence amid the horror. Hekate's absent stroking of Hecuba's silver fur shows a tenderness that contrasts with her merciless actions. This duality—compassion for her companion, ruthlessness toward the dead—highlights her complexity.

Hermes and Thanatos serve as witnesses to Hekate's transformation. Hermes's smirk suggests a mix of admiration and fear, while Thanatos's prolonged gaze implies recognition of a kindred spirit or a rival. Their silent observation underscores the gravity of what Hekate is doing: she is crossing a line that even gods hesitate to approach.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

• Blurring Life and Death: Hekate's magic forces the dead into a half-life, challenging the boundary between the two realms. The chapter opens with the living lands looking like the dead lands, visually reinforcing this theme.

• Forbidden Magic: The craft Hekate uses is described as anathema to the gods. Her ease with it suggests she has fully embraced her role as an outsider, willing to use powers that others consider taboo.

• Divine Creation vs. Abomination: Hekate's creations are seen as abominations by other gods, yet she views them as beautiful and merciless. This contrast raises questions about what makes something sacred or profane.

• Naming as Identity: By naming them Legion, Hekate gives her creations a collective identity. The name itself carries connotations of multiplicity and power, echoing the biblical reference to a demonic host, which fits the theme of defiance against divine order.

• The Journey Motif: The chapter's title,