User blog comment:SaynaSLuke/The Veil is Torn/@comment-2142396-20151202195748

Congratulations on finishing this! And I finished this almost without being late, too. ;)

Vana’s involvement in the story was unexpected, that’s for sure. I can understand her being angry about Xzanthia sending Grivak to his death, but why isn’t she angry about woodlanders killing her father? I would’ve expected her to want revenge on Timbal and Sayna who directly killed Grivak. By the way, what happened with Vana at the end? She wasn’t mentioned after the sword’s theft.

I should say that I was disappointed by Fillip vs. Wraith and Wurgg scene, though. When Fillip took up the sword and stepped against them it was such a great moment and a big step in his development, and I expected an awesome fight, even if I knew that he probably wouldn’t cope without Bryony and Forest’s help. The sudden PoV shift to Ivan didn’t quite work because it didn’t let us seeing Fillip’s part of the battle and overall made the whole situation rather rushed… Though I guess you were trying to give more attention to Ivan and Skadu, what I appreciated.

I loved how we could see more into Vinwyte and Catkin relationship. Poor Vinwyte, though, so he was not only enslaved half of his life but also exiled by his own kind? He just can’t get a break… well, couldn’t, until now. I’m sure Catkin is going to make sure he gains a new home with Mossflower otters.

I dreaded to see Martin’s reaction to Veil’s return, but I didn’t even imagine it to be so violent. And the most unsettling thing is that he had been trying to do the right thing – to prevent the monocle’s power from taking over him, to protect his family and home, but in the end he just failed to see the real culprit and blamed the wrong beast… :(

There were so many deaths in the final battle… more than in any other battle you wrote, maybe!.. Tyre’s was probably the most painful to me. Even if he was a grey character with unclear motivation, he didn’t exactly deserve to be killed just after he switched sides... or maybe he did, considering he switched side out of profit and not change of heart. And Mizzah!.. He had been such a wise, fatherly character… Still, I loved seeing how close Cedric and Star became when they fought together in the battle. And Sandingomm swinging over the balcony, that’s for sure! I think I know now where Ivan’s fighting skills come from. ;) Ivan sure took Wurgg down like a boss! Speaking of Ivan, I actually was more scared for him than for Veil. I got used that whatever happens, the hero and his team are safe, so him almost being killed was a shock.

Xzanthia is Bluefen’s daughter! I wish I could say I guessed it, and in a way I did, but I always make so many theories than at least some of them come true due to the laws of statistics. ;) To be honest, when Xzanthia had just appeared and we knew nothing of Esmund’s parentage, I thought her to be daughter of Bluefen and an unknown weasel… then a daughter of Swartt and unknown weasel, but it was after that picture of Xzanthia with golden fur and no facial markings you posted when I thought, ‘Well, if she is a full ferret… Bluefen theory is legit again!’ :D

Xzanthia’s end was unexpected, partly because she isn’t the first villain to die from a backlash of her own power, so I was expecting something new, and partly because of her constant abuse of her powers and her overconfidence, combined with her actually bleeding during the battle… I actually expected her to just drop dead from exhaustion. Probably if Veil just kept dodging her, that’s what would’ve happened… though she would probably have set half the abbey on fire by that time.

Wow, Lenn’s sacrifice… I’m actually amazed by it. It’s easy to fight in battle or go on a quest, but to willingly give up the only thing that can save your loved one, that’s a true heroism. I’m glad that there were left enough to help Lenn’s grandfather, too, but she didn’t know it.

I loved Veil and Esther confession! I admit I was neutral about this ship because the affection had been one-sided for most of the story, but with this resolution… I’m so happy for them, both Veil and Esther definitely earned their happy ending! Martin’s apology and Veil’s response seemed so right, too. I take is that Martin is still the king? That’s the question that plagued me ever since you posted that picture of Martin kneeling before Veil with his crown off, because it looked awfully as if Martin was abdicating, and with the enormous amount of guilt he had been feeling I thought it quite possible.

I loved all the little Roseanna and Annon moments, especially at the end when Roseanna was like, “You are cute, Cedric, but your cousin is really handsome.” :D I suppose it was almost an insult to Cedric, being called ‘cute’. I can’t help feeling a little sorry for Mayberry. Even if she got better, I think she is still all scarred inside after seeing a beast she trusted in everything deceive her so.