Confessor pg 164-205

Jennsen and some of the pristinely ungifted were captured when the Imperial Order sent soldiers to take the Book of Counted Shadows from the library of bones there. With that Book there will only be one remaining that Jagang could need.
Nicci used the sliph to explain the problem at the Wizard's Keep to Nathan and Ann. She told them how they knew the Keep's magic was failing and that it could be side effects to the magic in the People's Palace. She also told them how she put a Box of Orden in play under Richard's name. This was greeted with hostility at first, but like Zedd they soon understood the necessity of it. Nathan told Nicci that the actions has secured them facing the Great Void, and Richard is there only hope of escaping it.
Ann wanted to talk to Nicci for a while. Nicci agreed so that she could try and gain information on Six because now she had one of the Boxes of Orden that Nicci needed to recover, but Ann had other motives. Ann wanted Nicci to try and become Richard's woman in his life. Although Nicci would have loved to fulfill that role she showed great restraint as Richard's friend to explain that Kahlan was real and who he deserved.
Nicci constantly shows an excellent job of representing how friend should act by thinking of what benefits Richard and not only thinking of herself.

Bloggies

Brown Sugar had a good blog. It contained a good mix of well formed reading posts along with posts about the major events important to him or the occurrences of the day. I likes how he had a vote on who people though the next Superbowl winner would be although now the vote is closed and I do not like the team that got picked. The blog had information on other sports he found interesting and was overall a well formed blog.

Confessor pg 118-163

Kahlan watched the first game Richard played. At first, the crowd and the other team mocked Richard's team for the red paint, but when the game began Kahlan realized how deadly Richard truly was. His team used tactics which seemed to be mistakes, but had shocking results. Richard scored with the bror even when it was not his team's turn and by the end of the first round his team had 3 (5 counting the points not counted) and the other had 0. The other team tried to shift to brutalizing his team as revenge, but then Richard retaliated proving to them that trying to kill his team would only led to their deaths. He forced them to play under his rules or to face death. Jagang had to move on because of new information from the Sisters before the game finished, but Richard's victory was going to be definite.
Nicci woke up from the battle with Six due to Zed's healing. She expected to die, and was confused in how Zed was able to fight her power. Zed explained the witch women draw power from the spells you cast, so you have to use low power spells to combat them of face the effects of  your own spell. There is also a problem with the Keep. Due to magic failing it's barriers are falling and the walls are bleeding. It needs to be shut down with magic to be preserved. Nicci also figured out why a sterile field must be used in the reversal of Chainfire. Kahlan's emotions have to be led by her experience, so Richard cannot tell her his relationship to her until he completes fixes the spell.
Zed makes a wonderful point of interest when talking about how to combat a witch women. Sometimes you want to fight things we your full force but reason before action works the best. Sometimes the weakness of your enemy is not your strongest force, but a clever use of a small force.

Confessor pg 71-118

Richard is talking with Johnrock a fellow teammate who is also a captured New World citizen when they are commanded to line up because the Emperor is coming around to inspect the different teams. Richard did not consider the problem that Jagang or Sisters would see him up close, and now he needed to find a way to disguise his face. On the way over he purposely falls to put mud on his face so they cannot recognize him, but before they are inspected Jagang is called away to a new discovery. Richard realizing he needed a permanent solution asks for paint to mark his men with symbols to separate them out and strike fear into their opponents and is able to get it.
Kahlan with Jagang watched Richard fall a realized that it was on purpose. Trying to think of a reason why someone would commit such and act, she figured out that he was hiding his face the same way she was using her hood to watch her guard. This gave farther evidence that Richard was on her side. Following Jagang, she found out what the discovery was. They had found another of the buried libraries in the Azrith Plain. In it they also found a Book of Counted Shadow. While there, guards come back with Jillian captured. She did not get away in the end even after Kahlan's struggle for her, and now Jagang has a tool to get Kahlan to do what he wants.
Richard uses red paint to mark his men. At first his men were hesitate, but soon they were fighting to be next. The symbols he used were adapted forms of the symbols of a war wizard to explain the movement of the dance of death and some were symbols from the Boxes of Orden, but they were combined in new ways original to prevent the Sisters from recognizing the spells. He saved one unique element for himself. He placed the lightning bolts of the Con Dar on his forehead. Con Dar his tided to the Confessor power it means Blood Rage.
Kahlan and Jallian were following the Emperor around as he watched the games. We learn how Ja'La games are played. They have 2 goals at opposing sides, and one team is the offensive for a period of time. They have to get the broc into the opposing goal by throwing it from behind a 1 or 2 point line. There is one "safe" block on the field that the other team cannot touch you on, but then they just surround you, and wait you out. The defense cannot score during their other team's period, but they can steal the broc. each team gets so many periods then as many as it takes to have a lead on their opponents. Besides that there are not rules; the game is meant to be bloody and to involve fighting and a struggle. Kahlan sees Richard's team in the paint, and everyone is astonished at their appearance.
The Ja'La game is a mirror of life in some manners. Their is no "safe spot" in life and the safe spot in the game becomes a trap to lose or face many at once. Life is a struggle; some may not consider it fair, but life is not always fair you have to fight the opposition you face and most of the time it is easier to try and dodge the struggles with planning then charge into them. The Con Dar emphasizes on Richard's intention in saving Kahlan regardless the consequences.

Confessor pg 41-70

Zedd by now has noticed that Nicci retreated to the room with the Box of Orden and intends to figure out why. Zed tries to use magic to worm his way into the seals Nicci has put on the door, but it does not work and alerts Nicci who then opens the door. She lets Zedd and Cara in to see her work. They immediately see all of the spell symbols used to put the Box of Orden into play under Richard's name. Zedd is at first furious that Nicci would do such a thing thinking that it will kill Richard and end all they had worked for, but Nicci shows Zedd it is the only thing that they could do. They had to give Richard the weapons to lead them in this final battle and the power of Orden was on of the struggles which would decide who one, so Richard needed to be a central figure in it. No one else had the power or the qualifications necessary to correctly use the power, so Richard is there only chance to win the power of Orden. Rachel has disappeared, so Rikka has been searching for her, but has not found her yet. Suddenly they notice that some of the passageways are making sounds, so Zedd and Cara go to check it out. On the way Six comes in and is able to counter the spells of Nicci and slow her movement down to a point where time seems frozen. Zedd sees what is happening in the distance and is able to cast spells to Nicci's amazement, but they cannot reach Six all the way over there.
Rachel feels an urge to go somewhere, but it is no explained well. It seems she may be being charmed by Six, but I am uncertain why Six would need her at this point. Rachel's urge is making her race somewhere though.
The power of Orden under Richard's control expresses Nicci's and Zedd's trust in Richard's fundamental value, life. We are all only given one life and it is the greatest gift that we can ever receive. Life gives us all the opportunities we have. Existing gives us choices which can lead to many different places. Life can seem discouraging at times because we have to do things that we might not necessarily like, but most times the reason we struggle through those difficulties is so we can enjoy one of the benefits of living. Our lives our in control of only ourselves we have all the choices, so have consequences and some have rewards, but all lead us down a path.

Art Gallary Action List 4.19

The solemn soothing appearance of the copper imprinting art illustrates the resilience of life over death. The cross in the background is darkened and its form does not indicate a saving force, but cruelty it inflicted. The center rose is vibrant and appears like it was perfectly grow despite the dismal background. It has a tangle of stems and lateral buds that have encircled the cross and have appeared to struggle death. Some of the buds have separated and grown away from the cross and the center rose. The rose’s thorns are evident expressing the resilience of the flower. Even in the corners the growth of the rose is evident. The rose has overcame the struggles of its growth.

Confessor pg. 1-40

Richard now in the camp is facing the difficulties of the Imperial Order hating his team for having people from the New World on it. Some women who have decided to help their team win tried to kill Richard in his sleep, both failed, but it did give Richard reason to have special guards to farther protect himself. When he tried to get back to sleep an phantom figure came to him and told him that he had one year until the first day of winter to complete the cleanse or he will forfeit his life. The phantom is referring to completing the Boxes of Orden and cleansing Chainfire and since Nicci named him and put him in play if he fails he dies, but if he succeeds he is granted the power of Orden to cleanse the world of the Chainfire.
Kahlan is still thinking about seeing Richard. She cannot place her feeling for him, but has great reverance and infatuation of him for reasons she cannot understand. While thinking on what she can do, Sister Ulicia begins convulsing. When she finishes she tells them that someone else has put the Boxes of Orden into play and that the time has reset.
The book began with a new beginning of the struggle, a new cycle to try to control. The Order is still has a clear advantage, but with all battles advantages do not decide the outcome. This is the last book of the series it is the end, but it starts with a beginning of the struggle again. Richard will have to fulfill the prophesy and lead them through this darkening time or the world come be forfeit.

Phantom pg 629-673

The attacks against the Old World have begun. The destruction is gaining the desired effect and Jagang soon speculates that the D’Haran soldiers are behind it. Kahlan and the army are finally in front of the People’s Palace and are building a ramp to try and gain entry due to any other kind of attack would be foolish. Richard’s caravan of soldiers has made it to the camp and he sees Kahlan and she sees him too. Although she does not know him because of her loss of memory she immediately feels a connection without talking to him.

            Nicci visits the People’s Palace to see how Nathan is handling the place. While at devotion she realizes what she must do. She rushes to the Wizard’s Keep and puts the Box of Orden that Rachel returned to the Wizard’s Keep in play under Richard’s name.

            It was the end of the book but it left with the remark that Richard was given the chance of their success for the final battle was not the battlefield against the Imperial Order, but the magic of Orden, the power over life and death itself. She had given Richard the chance to take the power of Orden; She had given Richard her trust that he would uphold life when he had power over it.

Phantom pg 587-628

Rachel is able to escape the palace during the commotion between Violet and Six. On the way out she steals one of the Boxes of Orden back. When she makes it out and runs into the Imperial Order soldiers she runs and is not going to make it until Chase appears and saves her. They both start heading to the Wizard’s Keep.

Nicci learns from the sliph what happened to Richard because of his commands to the sliph to tell them. When she talks to Zed she learns he found a way to verify through magic what Richard was telling them all along. They also learn that there are multiple copies of The Book of Count Shadows. From the new information the have a new book that instructs the use of the books: The Book of Life. Nicci is going to try and learn how to the Boxes of Orden work, so that she can instruct Richard in their use when he finds them.

From the talk between Nicci and Zed, One of the ideas that all knowledge is valuable comes up. Knowledge even at one point may seem foolish, but those with insight hide it in the back of their mind to use as piece of future puzzles because we cannot predict the challenges we face, but we can learn and try to prepare ourselves for them.

Phantom pg 559-586

Richard was captured by Six, but without his power he was having a hard time overcoming the strong bewitching power of her. She was leading him to Queen Violet to be tortured and used in Six’s plan. When she left Richard in a room, he was able to finally concentrate without her strong presence there. Richard hid the book so that Six could not see the secrets it held. While Six was leading him towards Violet’s palace, she told him that Kahlan was in the captured by Jagang. She overestimated her control over him because when he passed the Imperial Order soldiers moving into the city because of an arrangement to stole a sword and used his knowledge through the Sword of Truth and the Dance of Death to cut through them mercilessly heading towards and escape. When he reached the gap in the wall he was met with thousands of archer pointing arrows toward him. The commander of the army offered him slavery to play Ja’La dh Jin, because of his obvious skill and art of attacking towards a goal, or to die a painful torturous death for all those he killed. Richard had no choice and accepted the slavery.

            Violet was unpleased that Six had lost Richard although she had no choice except to fight the Imperial Order for control over him which was hardly possible. So after listening to a scolding she got from Violet she throw her to the ground and told her that she had enough and that she was done playing games to get her will under the figurehead and assume the crown taking it away from Violet.

            Violet’s reign was not one expected to last since Six had control and all the means to take it whenever when she wanted. Richard being captured by the Imperial Order and being taken away from the book he needs is distressing, but it gives him the opportunity to get the Kahlan and attempt to rescue her which will be an interesting feat.

Phantom pg 507-558

The army of the Order was moving quickly towards the People’s Palace. Jagang was trying to get there to begin the siege and finish the war with the goal this close in sight. He forces Kahlan to be near him at all times through the collar. When they finished their ride he made Kahlan walk around the camp to find men who could see her so that she could not so easily kill the guards next time. Then he force her to watch the Ja’La  dh Jin games, a brutal game which lacks almost any rules beside how to score. When he was returning officers came to talk to Jagang and she used the distraction to kill some of the guards that could see her before she was stopped through the collar’s magic. Jagang later promised her suffering through forcing someone she cared about to watch him punish her.

            With the defenses in place and the army of D’Hara attacking the Old World, The Imperial Order’s army does not seem like a threat except for the possibility of using the boxes of Orden. Kahlan will face daily torment, but Richard will find a way to rescue her just like Zed was rescued when he was captured.

Phantom pg 469-506

Richard has reached the wisp’s homeland, but he is exhausted. When he reaches there, he is initially turned back because the wisps are dying due to the corruption of magic. When he mentioned Shar’s promise of help and is able to tell them about another wisp that went looking for him that he never meet, they allowed him in and lead him to the secret library. It had been filled with sand though to keep people out. He went to a ridge and dig into the side of the library so the sand would pour out. He was able to retrieve the book, but it was all blank. He thought that it must be because he no longer had the gift to read such a book, and began to head to the Wizard’s Keep, but on the way out Six found him, and he had no sword or gift to protect him she quickly knocked him out with magic.

            Kahlan awoke in Jagang’s tent. The remaining Sisters and Jagang were still discussing the Book of Counted Shadows. Ulicia believes it is a fake copy because of Kahlan’s simple answer while Arminia thinks it still could be a real copy. Jagang reveals that he has another copy of it and soon will have others, so they can compare them and find which one is the original. From their conversation Kahlan learns that she is the Mother Confessor. She tries to kill Jagang with his knife she stole, but she failed.

            Six’s control of Richard without any defend through magic may become a problem. Kahlan is starting to regain the resistance against the Order she had even without her memory. Jagang does not plan to kill her, but make her suffer. Even without his gift I do not think Six will have as much control over Richard as she thinks, and since she is taking him to where the spell is he may be able to remove it to regain his gift with the book.

Phantom pg 417-468

When they reached where Tovi was, they found Emperor Jagang. Apparently the intention of preserving Richard while destroying life had not protected them with the bond, so Jagang had been helping led them the whole time to get the Boxes of Orden, the Book of Counted Shadows, and Kahlan. Jagang was busy going through the Book of Counted Shadows with the Sisters to try and see if it was a true copy, so they could use the Boxes of Orden. While they were distracted, Kahlan, invisible to the guards, stole the guard’s knifes and killed them to allow Jillian to escape. Jillian escaped, but Kahlan could not because the collar incapacitated her. She was able to kill Sister Cecillia before they used the collar.

            This gives light to Jagang’s ultimate plan that he has been secretly working on. He is going to use the Boxes of Orden to destroy the remaining unrest and solidify the Order’s power. He cannot find all of the rebels without Orden’s power. He also now has Kahlan. After all of the problems Kahlan has caused him it is hard to imagine all the problems Jagang is going to try and cause her. We have traded the threat of the Keeper to the shadow of the Imperial Order.

Phantom pg 380-416

Richard awakes in a new place he has never been before. The sliph is over him trying to make sure he survived. He is in an escape tunnel that Baraccus made. He no longer has his gift. The sliph begins to talk to him and seems to respond to his statements trying to get more out of him, but in the end the sliph tells him that he has failed the test the Baraccus left him and disappears.

Back at the Wizard’s Keep they begin to try and piece together what happened to Richard. For the time being though, Nathan must become Lord Rahl to protect them against the dream walker. Him and Ann are going to the palace before it is under siege.

Richard remembered where he had heard what the sliph told him before. A night wisp named Shar had told him it before. He realizes that Baraccus had been laying multiple tests in his path to check his progress and give him multiple opportunities to get the book that held to secrets to his powers. The night wisps have held the secret library for him. The sliph comes back and tells him that he has passed the test and where he is and how to get to the night wisps.

The book should be able to tell Richard how to get his power back or instruct him on how to use it when he gets it back by removing the drawn spell. Richard has been granted great power which he never learned to use. With this power he could be able to eliminate the Imperial Order through constructed magic or other means which the Order has no defense against without other war wizards. This is the first time they have a promising solution to end the war.

Spring Break

For spring break, I spent my first two days on the road. I went on college visits to Purdue on friday and Washington University in Saint Louis on Saturday. We drove home on Saturday night. The rest of break I spent home. Since my leg is starting to hurt again, I did EFX and swimming until Friday to give my legs a break and then ran the rest of break. I filled in open time with a variety of activities including video games. It was not overly exciting as some people's breaks, but it did give a good time for relaxation.

Tuesday's Action List - House anaylzation

Pharrell William's house has more of a mordern feel compared to Dan Martensen and Shannan wooden more old fashion looking home. Both homes had pools. The beginning pictures of Dan Martensen and Shannann make it look rustic and maybe in need of repair, but as you go farther in the house to the bedrooms and kitchen they still hold the wooden house look but are nicer. Pharrell William's house is mostly white in cooler and looks new. It has some overlooks facing the ocean and an interesting design for the stairwells which as narrow spirals. Their is cartoon art on some of the white walls, and bushes made of metal and light bulbs. The last place owned by Jamie Isaia and Anthony Malat appears almost as a museum with unique art and decoration throughout the apartment. They have books or art lining every open space and it clutters the walls blocking out their plain paint. One of the rooms has been decorated to fit the appearance of an old library. 

Phantom pg 349-379

Six somehow knows when Richard is in the sliph, so she completes the spell while he is in the sliph, but the beast attacked Richard while he was traveling, and because the beast is unpredictable he cannot be seen through Six’s power. Six and Violet work frantically to fix the spell to work in the new circumstances while Richard, Cara, and Nicci do there best to fight off the beast’s new form. In the sliph, magic just retaliates against to caster, so Nicci could not assist in its defeat. Despite Richard’s efforts to cut the tentacles of the beast he was losing the battle. Nicci and Cara had been ripped away from him, and then a sudden burst of magic hit him. Nicci and Cara awoke at the Wizard’s Keep, their destination, and quickly realize that Richard is not there. They hurry to Zed to talk to him and ask Jebra of her vision so they can learn where Richard is. They fear he is dead though because the agiels are not working. When they get to Jerba she is enchanted by Six who tries to kill her.

Six’s attempt to kill Jerba after in her mind means that she too needed to know where Richard was, but did not want them to learn. This means that Richard is probably alive. Also since the burst of magic was the spell Six used on Richard she did something that interfered with his gift because the agiels do not work. Six’s plan is starting to be revealed. She needs Richard for something along with the magic of drawing.