Starting with how my last predictions fared:
Poorly.
I did see that Lirenda would take control of the Koriathain, but Destiny’s Conflict ended up being largely about Arithon managing his responsibilities around Ettinmere. No way to see that coming. Lysaer is taken out of comission for most of the book to, so he didn’t get to do much “reigning in the True Sect”.
Further, I was very interested to learn what the conflict of the final book would be, and expected Destiny’s Conflict to make that clear. I don’t think it did. Which brings us at long last to…
Predictions for the final book:
I really don’t know where we’re headed. The plot lines I see at play don’t look like they come together at the same time, but there’s no time left. It would be weird to have the various plot lines resolve one after the other as we hop forward in time through the Song of the Mysteries, but not unthinkable.
Here’s what I think is important to the story going forward:
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Black Rose
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Biedar Knife
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Dragons at the North Gate
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Paravians
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Koriathain
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True Sect
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Remnants of the Mistwraith
Oddly, looking at the phrasing of the Black Rose Prophecy on the Wiki, it sounds like it should have already happened. The way I see it, Ciladis the Lost is back, and the fellowship is at 7 again. I guess it isn’t 7 until Davien “rejoins”? But surely a disagreement isn’t enough to stop them from being 7. Davien has been working in (distant) concert with them for a while now. Kharadmon argues with the F7 decisions all the time, but you wouldn’t claim he wasn’t part of the seven. Maybe its because we lost Luhaine to Seshkrozchiel for the moment. That does suggest that when Arithon takes kingship the dragon will awaken. Will surely be an exciting scene…
I assumed the Biedar knife was going to be used on Selidie/Morriel. Not so! In fact, it hasn’t been used on much of anything. Something about bindings and Sethvir hinting at other uses… Too broad to speculate. Too many “bindings” in the world. Compacts, the Koriathain claim over free will, any number of things the Sorcerors have done.
The dragons to the north are too vague to feel like they will form the brunt of the story. Like the Methsnakes, I think it will simply be another thorn in the Sorcerers’ side keeping them on the back foot. Would be delighted to be wrong.
The Paravians are “revealed” but not to anyone inclined to do anything with this information. Does not seem like the reveal will change much. Why did they hide from the Sorcerers? Their return has yet to materialize, and with the level on conflict on the continent, I doubt it will happen soon. I’m now of the belief they either won’t ever return or will return only at the end of the book after the conflicts have all(?) been resolved.
The Koriathain are on the back foot now. Lots of information lost, depleted numbers, and a relatively weak Prime. They don’t seem to be a threat.
The True Sect are in a weird spot with the Master of Shadow “defeated”. Likely they feel they have to whip up more fanaticism to combat recent setbacks. More wars of clanborn extermination. The Hatchet won’t be leading them. I don’t think he died, which means he must have (per the commentary at the end) renounced the True Sect. I wonder if we’ll see him again.
I’m not really convinced the Mistwraith is still in play, but I saw other people talking about it. It seems like they all got defeated or imprisoned to me, but I still want to know more about Marak. I think the window has passed.
Ignoring the “plotline” angle, I could instead focus on the emotional payoffs I think Wurts will go for.
Obviously Arithon will be mad about the treatment of Valien. I’m mad about it to, but I don’t know what the emotional payoff is. Arithon and the F7 have different priorities and sacrifices they are willing to make. We’ve seen this before. I don’t see where this steers him.
Arithon and Elaira will have a nice reunion, but this doesn’t steer either of them in an obvious way.
Daliana has an emotional moment built into her storyline when she will finally reveal her disguise, but that’s too vague to nail down anywhere.
So, emotionally I can’t get anywhere either.
I don’t know what’s going to happen.
Very excited to find out.
Human Evolution into synchronicity with Athera, Hidden creatures on Kathtairr, Biedar Revenge, Secretive Paravians, Koriathain digging into secrets best left alone…