The Burning Bridge

“Halt and Will had been trailing the Wargals for three days. The four heavy-bodied, brutish creatures, foot soldiers of the rebel warlord Morgarath, had been sighted passing through Redmont Fief, heading north. Once word reached the Ranger, he had set out to intercept them, accompanied by his young apprentice.”

The novel’s prologue opens with Will, the protagonist, and his mentor in the middle of a Ranger mission. This creates continuity with the first book in the series, as the narrative picks up right after the events of The Ruins of Gorlan and reintroduces the main characters and plot points to the reader.

“Will drew in a sharp breath at the sight of the creatures. After following their trail for so long, it was a shock to come upon them so suddenly in plain sight. Bearlike in build, they had long muzzles and massive yellow canine fangs, exposed now as they snarled at their prey. They were covered in shaggy fur and wore black leather armor.”

Flanagan’s description of the Wargals as beastly, humanoid creatures is reminiscent of other works of literature that also include beings like trolls or orcs. Those characters all serve a similar purpose in the fantasy genre, as they are most often depicted as the antagonist’s ruthless, mindless minions. They are characteristically fearsome and brutal, which creates tension, and symbolize the evil forces that the heroes must defeat.

“‘Halt, I missed…twice! I panicked and I missed!’ He felt a deep sense of shame that he had let his teacher down so badly. Halt’s arm tightened around him and he looked up at the bearded face and the dark, deep-set eyes.

‘There’s a big difference between shooting at a target and shooting at a charging Wargal. A target isn’t usually trying to kill you.’”

Will’s dismay at missing his target in the Prologue sets up one of the young protagonist’s main emotional struggles in the story. Indeed, despite his mentor’s support, Will faces feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. However, circumstances force him to rely on his own skills and eventually lead to the emotional growth that concludes his character arc. Halt’s reassurance reframes fear not as weakness but as part of real courage, aligning with the theme