The Darkest Road
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The Darkest Road is the third book of The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay. The Summer Tree and The Wandering Fire are the first two books.
Kim and Matt, with the help of Tabor and Imraith-Nimphais, rescue the Paraiko. Ruana, their leader, chants kanior -- a ritual of forgiveness and lamentation for the dead that is tied to the Paraiko's non-violent nature and the bloodcurse that protects them. So powerful is his performance that it invokes not only all the Paraiko that have died through the centuries but even their enemies; both he and Kim sense a finality in it, as is proven when the Baelrath blazes and summons Kim to change the Paraiko's pacifist natures so they can fight against Maugrim. Due to the loss of their pacifism, however, the magical bloodcurse that had protected the Paraiko for centuries was also lost forever.
Kim returns to Ysanne's cottage where she meets Darien and gives him the Circlet of Lisen. As she puts it on his head, the light of the gem goes out, and Darien interprets it as a sign that he is evil. In despair he takes Lökdal, the dagger that Ysanne used to kill herself, and flees. She calls after him to tell him where his mother is, hoping that Jennifer will be able to comfort him.
Jennifer, waiting in Lisen's tower for Prydwen to return, listens to Flidais' tale of the Wild Hunt and how its randomness, being outside the Weaver's control, gifts the Weaver's creatures with freedom of choice. That wildness also made Maugrim possible; and because Maugrim came from outside the Tapestry there is no thread in it with his name on it, Flidais explains, and so he cannot die.
Darien arrives at the tower, looking for love and acceptance. Believing as she does that their only hope lies in leaving Darien completely free, Jennifer tells him simply that he must make his own choice and that she will not influence it, except to say that his father wanted her dead so that he would never be born. Darien believes that his choice was made for him when Lisen's Circlet went out and so departs to seek his father. Prydwen returns and Jennifer immediately sends Lancelot away, charging him to follow Darien and protect him. He battles an ancient stone creature, only managing to defeat it with Darien's help. In a moment of clarity Darien realizes that his mother is not afraid of what he will do if he is left free to choose: she trusts him. Lancelot finally loses Darien as he crosses Daniloth.
Meanwhile, the Dalrei, the lios alfar, the men of Brennin and Cathal are gathering on the plain to face Maugrim's army. Jaelle's view of men as lesser beings has been challenged by Kevin's unflinching sacrifice and she and Paul/Pwyll begin to tentatively shape a friendship. As they talk on the shore below Lisen's Tower, a ghostly ship appears to take all of them to Andarien in time to meet Aileron and the rest of the host of the Light.
Loren, Matt and Kim return to the kingdom of the dwarves where Matt competes against Kaen and Blöd to regain his rightful position as King of the Dwarves. The Crystal Dragon of Calor Diman awakens but despite the blazing summons of the Baelrath, Kim refuses to bind it to help them against Maugrim, realizing that she still has the power to choose and that there is a point where the ends do not justify the means. She uses the ring's power instead to take Loren, Matt and herself to the Plain in time for Matt to bring the Dwarves to join the rest of the army to face Maugrim's hordes.
A giant urgach issues a challenge to single combat and Arthur, hearing that the name of the plain was once Camlann, recognizes that his time has come: "I never see the end." But while they debate, Diarmuid seizes the moment and takes the challenge on himself. He fights like a demon and kills the urgach but it mortally wounded and dies in Sharra's arms. The next morning the battle begins. Among Maugrim's army is a giant black dragon. Imraith-Nimphais shakes Tabor from her back so he will live and plunges into the dragon's heart, killing them both and making Kim sick with self-reproach at not having bound the Crystal Dragon of Calor Diman. Overall, the battle is not going well for the Light when Darien arrives in Starkadh.
He faces his father in a room at the top of the tower whose windows magically reflect the battle going on miles away. Maugrim tries and fails to batter his way into Darien's mind, but guesses who he is and realizes that a child of his binds him into the Loom and thus makes him mortal. He takes Lökdal from Darien; Darien, seeing the horror and death on the battlefield, makes his choice for the Light and Lisen's Circlet blazes up, temporarily blinding Maugrim. In that moment Darien steps forward onto the knife, and so Maugrim kills without love in his heart and the curse of Lökdal destroys him.
The tide of battle turns and Maugrim's army scatters, but Galadan, who since Lisen's death a thousand years ago has wanted nothing more than the annihilation of everything, blows Owein's Horn to summon the Wild Hunt. They come, they kill, and keep killing. Leila, far away in Paras Derval but still linked to Finn, slams the double-headed axe down on the altar and calls to him to come home but when he tries to turn his horse, the horse throws him and he falls to his death. Having lost the child again, the Wild Hunt is once again bound.
Paul frees Galadan, who leaves with Cernan to find healing, then calls the sea in to wash the plain clean and with the sea comes a boat and Jennifer/Guinevere, Lancelot and Arthur (who has survived to see the end) are also freed from their penance and sail away. Paul decides to stay in Fionavar with Jaelle, who has stepped aside for Leila to be High Priestess. Ceinwen, the Goddess of the Hunt, appears one last time to Dave and informs him that he cannot remain in Fionavar; as a final gift, she asks him what he would name a child of the andain, if he had one; he chooses the name "Kevin" and then he and Kim return to our world.
