AFTERWORD

Chapter 66

55: AN EMERALD BROAM

Overview

One week after losing bridgeman comrade in battle, the chapter shows Bridge Four scavenging for supplies in the chasms following a battlefield where both Lord Commander's forces and the renowned Lord Commander's forces fought together. The bridgemen discover a fortune in spheres, including an emerald broam, forcing them to strategize how to steal and hide the wealth while maintaining their cover.

Summary

After Bridge Four returns quickly from a plateau battle where an additional army under Lord Commander arrives to join forces with another force, they are immediately sent on chasm scavenging duty. While collecting from fallen soldiers, they discover an emerald broam (highest denomination sphere) and additional wealth—a fortune representing months of wages. The men debate whether to risk smuggling the spheres out by swallowing them or hiding them. When they later encounter dead Commander soldiers and attempt to gather salvage from fallen enemy soldiers, their parshman bridge mate shows unexpected emotional reaction to the handling of fallen creatures who share his appearance. This prompts discussion of parshman customs regarding their dead. Back in the chasm, challenged by the problem of extracting the lesser spheres without drawing suspicion, the bridgeman leaders devise a plan: shoot an arrow carrying five sapphire marks tied to its shaft to lodge beneath a bridge during the ascent, where they can retrieve it during a future bridge crossing. The clansman agrees to attempt the shot despite his initial resistance, successfully placing the arrow on his first attempt. The chapter ends with plans to purchase rope through connections to smuggle additional items.

Characters

  • RockA tall bridgeman from the mountains who initially resists the plan but reluctantly becomes the archer to successfully launch the pouch-laden arrow to the bridge
  • Supreme LeaderReferenced as arriving at battle with additional forces to assist in the plateau assault
  • Lord CommanderReferenced as the military leader who joins the existing force, discussed in terms of his reputation for honor
  • Junior OfficerAlso called a 'leader', referenced as providing maps and suggestions
  • High-Status OfficerRecently deceased leader whose wealth is discovered and counted by the bridgemen
  • ElderReferenced as requesting the bridgemen scavenge and hold them to dangerous timeline
  • Map makerA bridgeman who asks about stories
  • Leader of BridgeCommands the bridgemen and makes strategic decisions
  • The Young OneA bridge trainee mentioned briefly
  • The Small OneA lesser role
  • Water bearerReferenced as helping with supplies
  • Long-haired oneOne of the fighting group
  • The short oneAnother bridgeman
  • The parshmanBridge mate who shows emotional attachment to the fallen enemy creatures