The Last Dark: The climax of the entire Thomas Covenant Chronicles (Last Chronicles of Thomas Cove)

it’s hard.’ You keep saying that. You don’t know anything. I’ve already tried to fight. I’m not strong enough. The
croyel
thought I was easy. How am I supposed to stop the Despiser?”
    Linden shook her head. Her distress made Covenant ache. “I don’t know. But I believe in you. You can do it.”
    “I
can’t
!” His shout was like the tearing of flesh, full of pain and awash with blood. “I’ll have to watch the Worm destroy
everything
!”
    Covenant’s balance shifted. Only grief kept him from dropping to his knees. Only a whetted empathy kept him from raging at Jeremiah. But grief and empathy were enough. He braced himself on them when everything else spun away.
    “You can always decide to give up,” he said as if he were steady and sure; as if he had strength to spare. “You have that right. If it’s what you really want.” Or the boy could join Lord Foul. “But I need you. I’m going to need you absolutely. And Linden can’t help me. Nobody else can. There’s only you.
    “But first we have to let Linden go.”
    Jeremiah flung a look black enough to kill at Covenant.
    A heartbeat later, the boy turned his back on his mother.
    “Then go.” He sounded as lightless and fatal as the path toward Kiril Threndor. “You never loved me anyway. I was just an excuse. You don’t want to have to blame yourself for letting me put my hand in that bonfire.”
    “Jeremiah—” Linden was weeping now. “Honey—”
    Ah, hell, Covenant thought. Visions of the Worm had raised all of Jeremiah’s demons. He had spent days suppressing them. They ruled him now. Deliberately he sat down again, put his back to his mother; to Covenant and their companions. His hands wrestled ebon flames along the wood of the Staff as if he wanted to rewrite Caerroil Wildwood’s runes.
    Maybe we should all try to become gods.
    The Giants watched blank-eyed, caked in drying blood, mute as cenotaphs. Branl studied Jeremiah with a speculative frown, as if he were considering where to cut the boy.
    Covenant gave the
krill
to Stave. Then he took Linden’s arm and pulled her away. While she stifled sobs against his chest, he held her tight.
    With as much tenderness as he could manage, he promised quietly, “I’ll talk to him, love. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s just proving your point. You can’t do his fighting for him. No matter what happens to him, he’s the only one who can do anything about it.”
    “Oh, Thomas.” Distress shuddered through her, harsh as spasms. “I’m so scared. What if he gets it wrong?”
    For a moment, she could not go on. She slumped against Covenant as if she had lost the will to stand on her own.
    He hugged her in silence. He had no words—
    But gradually she responded to his embrace; drew a steadier breath. Freeing one arm, she wiped her face, smeared tears and blood across her cheeks. “And I swore that I would love you as long as you never let me go. Now I’m the one who’s leaving. I have to let both of you go.”
    Covenant held her as hard as he could. “I understand. You can’t get rid of me this easy.” Then he said more seriously, “In any case, I’m like you. I believe in Jeremiah. He has to feel this way. If he doesn’t, he won’t ever get past it.”
    At one time, Covenant himself had embraced despair—
    “Also,” Stave put in like a man who had been biding his time and was done with patience, “you will not depart alone.” The
krill
shone full on his face; on the scar of his lost eye. “Linden Avery, I have said that I will not be parted from you again. The Chosen-son I entrust to Canrik and Samil, and to the Swordmainnir. You I will accompany.”
    Surprise seemed to loosen some of Linden’s tension: surprise or relief. She ignored the former Master long enough to kiss Covenant quickly, wipe her face again. Then she turned to Stave.
    “Do you know where I’m going?”
    “Mayhap.” Stave may have smiled. “Or mayhap I am mistaken. I care naught. At one time, I declared that Desecration lies ahead of you. Now I am persuaded that there is no Desecration in you. I will not stand at your side to ward against you. I will do so because I have not learned humility, though you have endeavored to teach me. I crave further instruction.”
    His assertion sounded like an example of
Haruchai
humor.
    Linden tried to say his name. Apparently she could not. Instead she went to him, put her arms around his neck.
    Past her hair, Stave met Covenant’s gaze. “You