AFTERWORD

Chapter 34

Chapter 45

Overview

In this climactic battle chapter, Xaden's Fourth Wing riders discover venin and wyvern attacking the trading post of Resson while they're stationed at a remote outpost. Forced to choose between abandoning the civilian population or risking their lives, Xaden and his squadron decide to fight despite overwhelming odds. The chapter culminates in devastating losses, including the death of Deigh and Liam, and the discovery of dozens more wyvern approaching from the valley.

Summary

A missive arrives declaring that Fourth Wing must either abandon the village of Resson or forfeit command, testing their loyalty. When reconnaissance reveals four venin and what initially appears to be air superiority for the riders, Xaden puts the choice to his squadron—they can flee to Eltuval or stay to defend the civilians. Everyone chooses to fight. As battle erupts, seven gryphon fliers arrive to aid the cause. The riders work to evacuate townspeople through a sealed mine entrance while defending against venin magic and dragon-like creatures. Violet discovers these are wyvern—two-legged abominations created by venin, not true dragons. During the evacuation, a venin with life-draining powers kills both Soleil and her dragon Fuil instantly, desiccating them. Violet wields lightning to drive back the initial wyvern assault, and Liam performs a daring maneuver to slay a venin rider. However, during a subsequent dogfight, Deigh becomes locked in a death struggle with a wyvern, and despite Tairn and Liam's efforts to help, both Deigh and Liam are mortally wounded. Liam dies in Violet's arms after making her promise to care for his sister Sloane and to listen to Xaden. As Liam expires, scouts report dozens of additional wyvern approaching from the valley. Xaden deploys a massive shadow wall to buy time and sends Violet to engage the horde, telling her he will hold them off as long as possible. The chapter ends with Violet mounting Tairn to attack, determined to avenge her fallen friends, but a wyvern strikes from the side, wounding Tairn.

Characters

  • Violet Sorrengailprotagonist who wields lightning magic; chooses to fight and evacuate civilians despite the danger, and must lead the final assault on the wyvern horde after Liam's death
  • Xaden Riorsonwing leader who makes the command decision to stay and fight; creates a shadow wall to hold back the wyvern horde at great personal cost
  • TairnViolet's bronze dragon who fights throughout the battle and carries her into combat against the wyvern
  • Liam MaherViolet's friend and fellow rider who scouts the threat, performs a daring kill on a venin, is mortally wounded saving Tairn, and dies asking Violet to care for his sister
  • DeighRed Daggertail dragon bonded to Liam; killed in combat by a wyvern while trying to protect his rider
  • SgaeylXaden's black dragon who fights valiantly and saves Xaden from a wyvern attack during the battle
  • Garricksection leader and marked third-year who participates in the defense and reconnaissance of the post
  • Bodhimarked first-year who fights and helps defend the evacuating civilians
  • Imogenmarked rider who fights in the battle and uses magic to aid the evacuation
  • Soleilthird-year rider with a Brown Clubtail dragon; killed by a venin's life-draining magic along with her dragon Fuil during civilian evacuation
  • FuilSoleil's Brown Clubtail dragon; killed alongside her rider by venin magic
  • The gryphon flier leaderolder brunette who arrives with seven gryphon riders; warns the group that four venin are a death sentence and that two venin previously destroyed an entire city
  • Andarnayoung dragon bonded to Violet; left behind at the outpost for safety during the battle
  • Venin with staffpurple-robed venin who stations himself at the clock tower and hurls blue flames at civilians
  • Female venin in blue robevenin with life-draining magic who kills Soleil and Fuil; responsible for spreading a zone of death that desiccates everything in its path
  • Venin on wyvernrobed venin rider on a gray wyvern who is killed by Liam's dagger strike
  • General Melgrenmentioned as unable to see Xaden due to his rebellion relic blocking scrying