Between Chapter 22 and the end, Chapter 47, many conflicts arise and are resolved. Jack and Thorgil, as young as they are, have experienced so much and changed as people in so many ways that it's hard to believe they survived through all of it. They went to Edwin's Town, home of Einar Adder-Tooth and defeated the onimous Hogboon. A hogboon is similar to the draugr, except it requires a sacrifice regularily. But Thorgil was wearing the Rune of Protection which made the hogboon peel apart and turn into dust. Shortly after, Thorgil, Jack, and Dragon Tongue journeyed to Notland, in where the fin folk dwell, and Dragon Tongue talked the draugr into not seeking revenge on a priest. He lured her into her grave with a mirror and comb, two objects the fin folk hold in high regard. After this, Thorgil and Jack were booted off to Grim's Island where they discover St. Columba's cave, with his cloak and staff.
They also witness a halted Wild Hunt where Jack and Thorgil talk with Thorgil's foster-father Olaf One-Brow and see friends who have fallen in battle and went to Valhalla, such as Bjorn Skull-Splitter and Eric Broad-Shoulders. Jack also talks with Odin, the god of all the nine worlds. This is also where Thorgil discovers that Valhalla is not all that glorious, despite her quest fall in battle throughout the trilogy. They then travel back to Bebba's Town, only to see that the whole town is basically deserted. They learn from a group of Saxon men that the town has been infected with Flying Venom, a terrible disease in which the result is death, and the disease has been contained in the monastery. They help out whoever is in there, giving them food from the nearby storehouse and cleaning up the monastery. At the end, they are reunited with Dragon Tongue and are taken to the Island of the Blessed to go to a School of Bards.
Another theme ever-present in this book, as well as the in the Sea of Trolls trilogy is sacrifice. Many of the main and secondary characters have suffered countless times in many situations. One such instance is found in Chapter 44, appropiately titled The Rune of Protection. The Rune of Protection has a mind of its own in a way; it can only passed down to a person when the time is right and it can't be given back to its previous owner. Dragon Tongue had it at the begining of the trilogy, then it was passed down to Jack, and later to Thorgil. The Rune saved both Jack and Thorgil from the hogboon. Jack realized that the hogboon could touch anyone wearing it since "it burned anyone who tried to take it by force" (Farmer 439). Thorgil later went on the pass it down to Ethne, Dragon Tongue's daughter, because she was dying of Flying Venom. Thorgil made an oath to Dragon Tongue to save Ethne; as a Northman, she can't break it because it's considered dishonest. She sacrifice the rune to keep Ethne because it's what kept Thorgil alive and well since she "wanted to die with a sword in [her] hand" (646) and she didn't value her life because of it.
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