Chapter XXXVIII Summary: Camaraderie, Nasceann, and a Returning Pulse
⚠️ 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 protagonist (called Leathfhear by others) joins Conor, Seanna, Miach, and Fearghus on the causeway at Loch Traenala as dusk falls. They discuss the morning’s sparring session, in which Tara defeated the protagonist with ease. The group explains nasceann—a battle-fever that brings calmness and clarity, regarded as a gift from the gods or a strength granted only to the greatest warriors. They mention that druids visit the school occasionally to teach, and that the protagonist’s own technique needs work. The protagonist learns that Tara is King Rónán’s daughter but has been disinherited and aims to become her father’s Champion.
Later, he patrols with the fourteen-year-old Rian. During the patrol, he senses a strange pulsing sensation similar to the one that warned him of Lir’s approach at the farm. Rian dismisses it, but the protagonist remains uneasy. He reflects on his past—the Hierarchy, Ruarc’s threat, and his current situation. He deliberately underperforms in training, hoping to be seen as unreliable so he can avoid fighting in a war he doesn’t understand and find his way back to Gráinne, Onchú, and the children. Yet he finds himself genuinely enjoying the camaraderie and genuine encouragement at Loch Traenala. After three weeks of this routine, the strange pulse returns.
Key Events
- Evening meal and conversation on the causeway; the group discusses nasceann and the protagonist’s sparring loss to Tara.
- The protagonist learns that Tara is the daughter of King Rónán, disinherited, training to be his Champion.
- He attempts to find out when druids will next visit, hoping to learn more about his world, but receives no specific answer.
- He patrols with Rian; during the patrol he senses a pulsing presence that he associates with the approach of Lir and the strange warnings from his spear.
- The protagonist reflects on his past: his flight from the Hierarchy, Ruarc’s enmity, and the political situation between King Rónán and King Fiachra.
- He resolves to appear lazy and unreliable to avoid being forced into a war, but struggles with actively diminishing the excellence of his fellow students.
- Over the next three weeks, he improves his language skills, builds friendships, and continues training while holding back his true abilities.
- At the end of the chapter, the same pulse returns, now stronger or more distinct.
Character Development
- Protagonist (Leathfhear): He grapples with a profound internal conflict. He wants to leave Loch Traenala to protect his loved ones, but finds himself drawn to the supportive, excellence-driven environment. His deliberate apathy is a new tactic—one that sits uneasily with his conscience. His past is clearly traumatic, and he uses the nickname Leathfhear (half-man) as a label that others apply to him.
- Tara: She is revealed as King Rónán’s disinherited daughter, driven and rarely speaking. Her focus on becoming Champion and her lack of smiles mark her as an outlier among the group.
- Conor, Seanna, Miach, Fearghus: These companions are tightly knit yet welcoming. They offer honest critique without malice, embodying a culture of encouragement over mockery.
- Rian: The young patroller shows initial resentment toward the protagonist but takes his concern seriously when the pulse is sensed, indicating respect for experience.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Belonging vs. Isolation: Despite his intention to remain detached, the protagonist feels genuine gratitude for the group’s acceptance. The contrast between his internal resistance and the emotional pull of the community highlights his search for a place where he can be himself.
- The Nature of Strength: Nasceann is presented as a mental clarity rather than raw anger—a calm communion with the fight. This reframes power as something internal and disciplined, not merely physical.
- Freedom and the Chase: The protagonist recalls Kadmos’s maxim: “A man who is chased may be free. A man who chases never is.” He reinterprets his own history, realizing that he was always the one fighting the Hierarchy, not being hunted. Now, Ruarc is actively pursuing him.
- The Returning Pulse: The mysterious pulse serves as a recurring motif of danger—the same sensation that preceded Lir’s attack. Its return signals that the protagonist’s respite is ending.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the reader’s understanding of the political landscape (the enmity between Rónán and Fiachra, the influence of the druids) and the protagonist’s moral dilemma. It also reintroduces the pulsing signal, a key plot device that bridges his past at the farm with his present at Loch Traenala. The development of the protagonist’s relationships and his internal struggle sets the stage for the conflict that is about to erupt.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does the protagonist deliberately perform poorly in training?
He hopes to be seen as lazy and unreliable so that he will not be forced to fight in a war he does not understand. He plans to use that reputation as a reason to leave Loch Traenala and return to Gráinne, Onchú, and the children.
2. What is nasceann, and how is it different from ordinary battle rage?
Nasceann is described as a battle-fever that brings calmness and clarity—a “communion with the fight” rather than anger. It is considered a gift from the gods and is taught only to the most ready warriors, like Tara. It is the local term for the power the protagonist calls Will.
3. What does the protagonist sense during the patrol with Rian, and why is it significant?
He senses a strange pulsing, the same sensation that warned him of Lir’s approach at the farm and that comes from the weapon he once used at Caer Áras. The pulse is faint and brief, but three weeks later it returns, indicating that a similar threat is drawing near to Loch Traenala.