Ged's Quest for the Shadow

From the dragon battle to the final confrontation on the Open Sea, Ged hunts the shadow that hunts him.

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Battling the Dragons of Pendor

The Dragon Fight Slaying the Young Dragons Ged sailed to the dead isle of Pendor and summoned the dragons. He killed five young dragons with binding spells, but the sixth, an older one, forced him to transform into a dragon himself. He fought and wounded it. The Old Dragon Yevaud Then the great Dragon of Pendor appeared, huge as a hill. Ged, knowing the dragon's name Yevaud, forced him to swear never to fly to the Archipelago. The dragon agreed, and Ged left Pendor, victorious but exhausted.

The Roke-Wind Refuses Him

The Stormy Sea The Wind Against Him Ged tried to sail to Roke for counsel, but a strange wind rose against him. The ship's master asked him to use magewind, but even that slackened. Ged realized the Roke-wind was keeping him out because the shadow was too close. Turning Back He told the master to turn back to Serd. The shadow was on his track, and he could not seek refuge. He was alone.

The Mysterious Stranger in Orrimy

The Grey Man's Advice A Messenger from Osskil A man in grey approached Ged in the port of Orrimy and told him to go to the Court of the Terrenon in Osskil, claiming it could help him fight shadows. Ged was suspicious but felt the meeting was not chance. The Decision Driven by desperation, Ged decided to go north to Osskil. He found a ship bound for Osskil and took a place as an oarsman, leaving his staff and books with him.

The Gebbeth Attack

The Guide Skiorh The Possession Skiorh, an Osskilian oarsman, guided Ged across the Keksemt Moors. But Skiorh had been possessed by the shadow, becoming a gebbeth. It revealed its face and called Ged by his name, paralyzing his power. The Flight Ged fought with his staff, but it burned. He fled, running through the snowy dusk, with the gebbeth whispering behind him. He saw a light ahead and plunged through a gate, collapsing into the Court of the Terrenon.

Temptation and Escape from the Court

The Lady Serret The Lure of the Stone Serret, the lady of the Court, tried to persuade Ged to use the Terrenon stone, a trapped Old Power, to gain power over the shadow. She offered him mastery and kingship. Ged, tempted, almost yielded. The Rejection But he saw the Lord Benderesk listening, and realized he was being manipulated. He refused the Stone, saying light defeats dark. He freed Serret from Benderesk's punishment spell, and they escaped the tower, but the Stone's servants attacked. Ged transformed into a hawk and flew away, leaving Serret to die.

The Hawk's Flight to Gont

The Falcon's Journey Losing Himself Ged, in hawk form, flew across the sea, driven by rage and fear. He forgot his human thoughts and became only the falcon: hunger, wind, flight. He crossed the Osskil Sea and the Jaws of Enlad, heading east to Gont. Ogion's Restoration Ogion, at his home in Re Albi, called the hawk down and restored Ged to human form. Ged was speechless and savage, but Ogion patiently cared for him. On the third day, Ged told his story, and Ogion gave him counsel: he must turn around and hunt the hunter.

The Hunt Begins

The New Staff Ogion's Gift Ogion gave Ged a new staff of yew-wood, carved with spells. Ged, resolved, left a message: “I go hunting.” He sailed from Gont in a small boat, heading west to meet the shadow. The Summoning on the Sea Ged sailed into the Open Sea, and when he sensed the shadow, he shouted its nameless presence. The shadow appeared and fled. He chased it across the sea, using magewind, until it tricked him into shipwrecking on a nameless isle.

The Nameless Isle and the Castaways

The Old Couple The Royal Castaways Ged washed up on a sandbar isle where an old man and woman lived, exiled Kargish royalty. They were fearful, but the old woman gave him a broken ring. Ged healed their well as a gift. Building a New Boat Ged built a new boat from driftwood and spells, and set out again. He sailed south, following the shadow's trail. The shadow now seemed to be fleeing him, and he knew he was the hunter.

The Confrontation in the Hands

The Narrow Sound The Trap Ged followed the shadow into a narrow sea-lane between two cliffs in the Hands. The shadow appeared again, and Ged lunged to seize it. He felt a cold pain, but could not hold it; it fled. The Bond Forged This third meeting forged a permanent bond. Ged knew that neither could escape. He was no longer hunter or hunted; they were linked. The shadow had taken on a form like his own, and he knew that the final meeting would come when it was time.

Reunion with Vetch

The Wizard's House A Warm Welcome Ged sailed to Iffish, where Vetch was the village wizard. They met in the street, and Vetch was shocked to hear that the shadow had taken Ged's form. Vetch insisted on accompanying Ged on the final voyage. Yarrow's Wisdom Ged stayed with Vetch's family, including his sister Yarrow. Her innocent questions about magic and equilibrium moved Ged, and he felt a brief peace. But he knew he must continue.

The Voyage to the Open Sea

Eastward into the Unknown The Last Land Ged and Vetch sailed east, past Astowell, the last known land. Ged used magewind, driving the boat across the Open Sea. They saw no land, only the endless grey sea. The Darkness Grows As they went farther, the sea became strange: the waves grew sluggish, and the sky darkened. Ged stood in the prow, staring at something Vetch could not see. The magewind died, and they began to row.

The Final Confrontation

The Dry Land The Sand of the Dead Suddenly, the sea turned to sand. The boat ran aground on a dark, silent shore. Ged stepped out and walked into the dry land, his staff glowing white. He saw the shadow approaching, taking on the forms of those he had known: his father, Jasper, Pechvarry, Skiorh. The Union Ged dropped his staff and spoke the shadow's name: “Ged.” The shadow spoke the same word. They merged, light and darkness meeting. Ged was whole again. Vetch saw the light dim and then restore, and the world returned to the living sea. Ged was free.

five days after leaving Low Torning

after leaving Low Torning, attempting to reach Roke

evening after arriving at Orrimy on Hosk

on the moors of Osskil, after landing at Neshum

several days after arriving at the Court

immediately after escaping the Court

after the Sunreturn festival, winter

three days after the shipwreck

after leaving the nameless isle, sailing south

after sailing south, arriving at Iffish

winter, after leaving Iffish

on the Open Sea, after days of sailing