AFTERWORD

Chapter 32

27: CHASM DUTY

Overview

Bridge Four is assigned to chasm duty—loathed salvage work retrieving fallen soldiers' equipment from the chasms beneath the plateaus. During the mission, the bridgemen discover that many of them resent and mock what they perceive as arrogance on the part of their leader. In a pivotal moment, when handling a recovered spear, the bridgemen witness an impressive display of martial skill from their commander that startles and silences them. Later, the bridgeleader rallies the crew by organizing a communal meal around a fire, slowly winning over most of them through warmth and song.

Summary

The chapter opens with the bridgeleader, who has recently sold harvested knobweed sap to an apothecary and is reconciling the moral complications of the transaction, processing his choice between profit and exposure of exploitation within the camp supply chain. He deliberately withholds from the apothecary the true value of the sap, settling for a higher payment while allowing the merchant to believe the material comes from difficult-to-find sources. After returning to camp, the bridgeleader learns that a bridge sergeant named Gaza has reassigned Bridge Four to chasm duty out of spite—an undesirable detail meant to punish the crew. He descends with approximately thirty bridgemen into the deep, moss-covered chasms to scavenge equipment and valuables from fallen soldiers. As they work their way through the narrow passages, the bridgeleader marks the walls with chalk to prevent the crew from becoming lost in the confusing network of rifts. While retrieving salvage near a pile of fresh corpses, several bridgemen openly taunt and belittle their leader, suggesting he is a coward and a fraud. The bridgeleader, triggered by their jibes, reflexively picks up a retrieved spear and executes an intricate, fluid kata—a combat form—with such speed, grace, and precision that the watching bridgemen fall silent in stunned awe. A spren-like figure, invisible to most but seen by a few, dances alongside him during the display. After the kata concludes, the bridgeleader attempts to downplay the performance as mere practice, but the older bridgeman named Gaza confirms it was extraordinary. Later, while examining the bodies of four fallen enemy warriors called the "parshendi," the bridgeleader discovers that their armor appears to be grown from their own bodies rather than forged metal—a revelation that troubles him. The crew collects knives, gemstones, and weapons from the dead. The bridgeleader finds an ornately carved knife bearing what may be a depiction of a Herald—a religious or legendary figure—suggesting the enemy possesses cultural sophistication contradicting prevailing assumptions about them. The crew returns safely to camp and undergoes a humiliating search, as required protocol dictates. That evening, the bridgeleader purchases an old iron cauldron and food supplies with his remaining spheres and organizes a gathering around a fire. With assistance from Rock and others, he prepares a warm stew and encourages singing and camaraderie. The display of communal warmth and sustenance gradually draws most bridgemen out of the barrack, including several who had been antagonistic. The bridgeleader's actions begin to forge genuine bonds within the crew, and by the next morning, three-quarters of Bridge Four respond to his summons, showing surprising renewed energy and willingness to train with him.

Characters

  • The apothecaryAn elderly merchant who evaluates and purchases the bridgeleader's harvested knobweed sap, attempting to minimize its true value before eventually offering a fair price
  • GazaA bridge sergeant who reassigns Bridge Four to chasm duty as punishment for the bridgeleader's earlier actions
  • RockA tall, red-bearded bridgeman from the mountainous regions who assists the bridgeleader during chasm duty and the evening gathering, demonstrating skilled singing and camaraderie
  • The bridgeleader's men in Bridge FourVarious bridgemen including: (1) the core supporters—Rock, Gaza (sergeant), and others who help during chasm work; (2) the initially resistant—moash, sigzil, narm, and others who mock the bridgeleader but gradually accept his leadership through the evening meal and sing along
  • They did not appear to beThe chapter includes multiple briefly-referenced characters such as (1) teft—an older bridgeman who has worked in camp before, knows about parshendi biology, and supports the bridgeleader; (2) dunny—a shy, musically talented youth who gains confidence through the bridgeleader's encouragement and helps prepare the evening stew; (3) hobber—a recently healed bridgeman with strong loyalty to the bridgeleader; (4) various other bridgemen including skar, drehy, earless jaks, yake, maps, moash, sigzil, peet, and narm—each displaying varying degrees of antagonism toward or acceptance of the bridgeleader's authority
  • The parshendi corpsesFour fallen enemy warriors whose bodies are discovered in the chasm, revealing that they grow their own armor as carapaces and possess ornately crafted weapons suggesting cultural sophistication
  • The apothecaryA merchant who deals in medicinal saps and attempts to deceive the bridgeleader about the value of knobweed
  • An elderly male character in the apothecary's shopThe proprietor of the apothecary, who initially feigns infirmity but stands normally once recognizing the bridgeleader
  • The bridgeleader (protagonist)The central character, a skilled fighter and leader attempting to improve the circumstances and morale of Bridge Four through combat training, procurement of medical supplies, and cultivation of camaraderie
  • The apothecaryAn aged merchant operating an apothecary shop who negotiates with the bridgeleader over the value of knobweed sap, eventually offering a fair price after being caught in deception
  • RockA large, good-natured bridgeman from the mountains who sings, cooks stew, and provides strong support to the bridgeleader's efforts to unite Bridge Four
  • The windsparren (represented by the floating female form)A spren-like entity who accompanies the bridgeleader, appearing to guide events and witness his martial prowess
  • The various bridgemenMembers of Bridge Four who gradually convert from indifference or antagonism toward the bridgeleader into loyal, engaged soldiers through his demonstrations of skill and efforts to foster community
  • The charming lighteyes in the chasmA seventh-ranked minor noble whose corpse is discovered and looted during chasm duty
  • The bridgeleaderMain protagonist who leads Bridge Four, practices martial forms, manages relationships with merchants and subordinates, and attempts to build unit cohesion through skill displays and communal meals
  • RockA large, humorous bridgeman from the mountain peaks who supports the bridgeleader, provides background context about enemy biology, and assists in preparing a communal stew
  • The apothecaryAn elderly merchant proprietor who negotiates the purchase of knobweed sap from the bridgeleader, initially attempting undervaluation before settling on a fair price
  • The bridgeleaderThe protagonist commander of Bridge Four who engages in combat training, negotiates with the apothecary, descends into the chasm for salvage duty, displays impressive martial prowess, and organizes a communal meal to build crew morale and loyalty
  • RockA large, good-natured bridgeman from the mountain peaks who assists in chasm duty, provides cultural commentary and background information, sings skillfully, and helps prepare the evening's stew
  • The elderly apothecaryA merchant proprietor who purchases the knobweed sap from the bridgeleader, attempting to minimize its value before finally offering a fair price in exchange for discretion regarding its source