Onyx Storm: Chapter 51
Jun. 4th, 2025 10:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaViolet doesn't have time to put her armor on as she runs with Xaden to battle. If I were here, I would risk being thirty seconds late to a fight to have my fucking armor on, but whatever. Xaden takes command as they realize they're undermanned because the rebellion riders have taken over all the outposts the Navarre army was covering. I guess this has to do with whatever bullshit was happening earlier with the Poromiel queen's death ending a treaty? It's not really clear.
All the second and third year riders want to fight, and Xaden says this:
I get that this is supposed to be badass, but like...why is this even a question? They're at war! They all rebelled against the government! What are they going to do if they DON'T fight? Just lie down and die? Incidentally, there's no mention here of what the dragons want to do. They have so much agency, guys. They're not commanded by humans, except for all the times they are. It would actually be an interesting conflict if there were dragons who wanted to fight but they had riders who refused.
Xaden then makes Bodhi, his cousin, go with the first years because he's the only heir Xaden has and Xaden wants to preserve the family line. That motivation is coming out of fuckign nowhere, but okay.
Then this:
I've ranted ad nauseaum about how inconsistent Xaden's characterization is and how his slavish devotion to Violet makes him seem like a sociopath, so I won't go into it again. Just, like, it would not be LESS romantic if Xaden loved Violet but still had to send her into battle and risk her dying because defending Aretia is the greater good. It would not be a WORSE romance if Violet and Xaden had to wrestle with their relationship having to come second to their mutual responsibility to other people. The love story could still be good if both character had actual moral convictions that were more important than boning each other.
Aaric runs in to tell Violet she needs to defend Dunne's temple to save Tyrrendor, and she ignores him. This is stupid, because Aaric has been shown to be intelligent and if he has actual information there's no reason why he couldn't take thirty more seconds to actually explain himself, but no, he just meekly runs off when Violet tells him to. Okay then.
The wyvern are spread out in small groups, scattered to avoid the dragon formations. Violet uses her lightning to light the battlefield for a few seconds, burning herself in the process, and then the fight begins. Immediately Tairn and Violet decide they don't like Rhiannon's orders and ignore them. They fight a wyvern in midair as Violet realizes Andarna has ignored her order to protect the wardstone to follow them.
She and Tairn race to intercept a group of wyvern going after Andarna, who is waiting for them in a field, only to discover at the last minute it is a trap. Violet sees a silver-haired rider on a wyvern as Tairn attacks, and then I think she blacks out? It's not clear. But the chapter is over and so is my will to keep reading.
I'm gonna say that's Theophanie, and that next chapter Violet will end up in Dunne's temple, where she will discover how special she is. Again.
All the second and third year riders want to fight, and Xaden says this:
“Send all of us,” Rhi adds. “It’s not like second- and third-years haven’t seen combat. If it’s fight and die or don’t fight and die, we’d rather fight.”
Xaden nods. “Only those who are willing.”
“We’re willing,” Dain answers from the step beside Bodhi. Every second- and third-year crowded near them nods.
I get that this is supposed to be badass, but like...why is this even a question? They're at war! They all rebelled against the government! What are they going to do if they DON'T fight? Just lie down and die? Incidentally, there's no mention here of what the dragons want to do. They have so much agency, guys. They're not commanded by humans, except for all the times they are. It would actually be an interesting conflict if there were dragons who wanted to fight but they had riders who refused.
Xaden then makes Bodhi, his cousin, go with the first years because he's the only heir Xaden has and Xaden wants to preserve the family line. That motivation is coming out of fuckign nowhere, but okay.
Then this:
“Fuck,” Xaden says under his breath, then turns to me and leans into my space. “I love you more than this city. Do not die defending it.” He crushes his mouth to mine and kisses me quick and fierce.
Tyrrendor. Xaden. Our relationship. Me. It’s hard to love someone in power.
I've ranted ad nauseaum about how inconsistent Xaden's characterization is and how his slavish devotion to Violet makes him seem like a sociopath, so I won't go into it again. Just, like, it would not be LESS romantic if Xaden loved Violet but still had to send her into battle and risk her dying because defending Aretia is the greater good. It would not be a WORSE romance if Violet and Xaden had to wrestle with their relationship having to come second to their mutual responsibility to other people. The love story could still be good if both character had actual moral convictions that were more important than boning each other.
Aaric runs in to tell Violet she needs to defend Dunne's temple to save Tyrrendor, and she ignores him. This is stupid, because Aaric has been shown to be intelligent and if he has actual information there's no reason why he couldn't take thirty more seconds to actually explain himself, but no, he just meekly runs off when Violet tells him to. Okay then.
The wyvern are spread out in small groups, scattered to avoid the dragon formations. Violet uses her lightning to light the battlefield for a few seconds, burning herself in the process, and then the fight begins. Immediately Tairn and Violet decide they don't like Rhiannon's orders and ignore them. They fight a wyvern in midair as Violet realizes Andarna has ignored her order to protect the wardstone to follow them.
She and Tairn race to intercept a group of wyvern going after Andarna, who is waiting for them in a field, only to discover at the last minute it is a trap. Violet sees a silver-haired rider on a wyvern as Tairn attacks, and then I think she blacks out? It's not clear. But the chapter is over and so is my will to keep reading.
I'm gonna say that's Theophanie, and that next chapter Violet will end up in Dunne's temple, where she will discover how special she is. Again.
