Book 3: Monsters of Men

Point-of-View: Todd Hewitt, Viola Eade, 1017

Prologue

Todd Hewitt, a teenager, and David Prentiss, Sr., a ruthless tyrant, watch the Spackle army descend onto Haven and as the Answer continues bombing the city.

It Begins (Part One)

Two Battles (Chapter 1)

David Prentiss, Sr., the president of New World, and Todd Hewitt, a teenager, gather the men of Haven to battle the Spackle army. The Haven army face off against the Spackle before facing the Answer. Throughout the battle, David forces Todd to shoot Spackle through Noise and Todd uses his Noise weapon (using Viola's name to beat someone with Noise) to beat Spackle. The battle ends when bombs go off, decimating the Spackle's numbers. One point during the battle, Angharrad, Todd's horse, is critically injured. Todd feels like Angharrad is about to die at the end of the battle, but David says that Angharrad will be healed.

Viola, a teenager, runs into the forest with Acorn, a horse, to find the Answer to stop the bombings and find the scout ship. Wilf, a farmer, finds her and tells her that the Spackle are coming. Viola then finds the scout ship and finds Bradley Tench (new settler), Simone Watkin (new settler), Nicola Coyle, and the other Mistresses (experienced Healers). Wilf tells Nicola to call off the attack on his and Viola's orders. Viola and Nicola fight over the battle ensuing, with Bradley and Simone confused. Viola asks Bradley and Simone to locate Todd. The drone used to watch the battle from far away and to locate Todd is in the shape of an insect. Todd is found alive and the Spackle army consists of all the Spackle of New World. Bradley discovers that he has Noise when Viola reacts to his thoughts on display.

And a Third (Chapter 2)

1017/"The Return" approaches the Sky, the leader of the Land/"Spackle", as he finishes up giving messages to the Pathways (Land messengers) to give to the rest of the Land. The Return tells the Sky of the Clearing (humans) and how they started a war. Both the Return and the Sky witness the Knife (Todd Hewitt) mourning the supposed death of his horse (Angharrad), which the Sky states as "And this perversely, is why the Return hates the Knife", as 1017 notes that Todd is in "great anguish at what he has seen". The Land then shoots down Bradley's probe with a flaming arrow.

Second Chances (Part Two)

The Calm (Chapter 3)

Viola tries to calm Bradley from his newfound fear of Noise in the scout ship as Simone tends to Viola's broken wrists and ankles from torture/"Asking". Noise is nearly unbearable to Bradley. Simone wonders what the Noise is, and Viola replies that is continuous information spilling from men's heads in the form of thoughts. Viola then shows Simone the band she placed on herself and asks for a bandage for it. She then heads off towards the New Prentisstown encampment with Acorn. Simone says that Viola has grown too early.

Mr. O'Hare, a Prentisstown man, gives Todd and David food and blankets for the night. Angharrad is still recovering from her wound. Mr. Tate, another Prentisstown man, shows David the Spackle's acid rifle, a gun resembling a white stick with a chamber in it (containing the "acid" consisting of two botanical substances). The "acid" is aerated and mixed "with a third substance that's instantly permeated through a gel via a small incendiary". The shot "acid" vaporizes and is held together until it hits something organic. David remarks that the Land has observed the humans and have constructed their version of a flamethrower-gun hybrid. Todd remarks that he was dragged into the war by David, but David fights and gaslights Todd through Noise.

Viola arrives in the New Prentisstown camp and is stopped by two guards. Before the guards can arrest her, David and Todd appear. Viola tells Todd about Simone, Bradley, and the Answer before giving him a "comms" (communication device). Communication through the comms is directions through a probe, and Viola shows Todd how to communicate with Simone and Bradley. David appears asking for a comm, and Viola ignores him. Viola mentions that Todd's Noise is blurry, and asks him why he let David go. Todd admits he let him go because of deal: David goes free if he doesn't attack Viola and the other settlers. Viola leaves the camp with Acorn, telling David about the probe, with the guns and ammunition ready if he ever abuses Todd. David then lectures Todd about how war works.

Viola and Acorn find Simone in the forest, with Simone saying she found the Answer.

Before (Chapter 4)

The Return recounts his time as part of the Burden, starting with the day the Prentisstown army sieged Haven. 1017 had a mate ("One in Particular") until he was killed by humans defending 1017. He recounts the majority of Chaos Walking: The Ask and the Answer in his perspective, right until Todd saves 1017 from the pile of Land corpses. 1017 was dreaming of those events and the Sky finds him. The Return plans to murder Todd in cold blood, but the Sky says that the Return must wait until his time comes.

The Storm (Chapter 5)

Viola finds the new Answer camp in the forest at dawn with Simone. Viola and Nicola fight about war, when Ivan Farrow, a man from Farbranch, interrupts them.

As the sun rises, Mr. O'Hare gives David reports about the war and orders the men to get closer onto Land territory. Todd mentions that the Land think differently, and David boasts that he's defeated them before. Then the Land cuts off the flow of the river to Haven.

Viola is given antibiotics by Mistress Lawson, a Healer, for the band on her arm. Bradley is getting used to the Noise and mentions about Simone talking with the others on a peaceful approach the Land. Lee, a teenager, then runs into the Answer's camp, and mentions that the main river is dammed.

David mentions that the Land are not playing by his rules of war and prepares the army for a siege on the Land.

Viola and other witness the Land damming the main river and David's army approaching the Land with the probe.

Todd sees that the Land are shooting retractable arrows with a molten lava-esque substance on them onto David's army.

Viola witnesses David's army become engulfed in the Land's molten lava. She desperately calls for Todd through the comms.

Todd, David, and David's army try to escape the Land's molten lava. Todd gets separated from Angharrad in the wreckage, with David trying to take him back the Haven.

Viola becomes increasing worried about Todd and Nicola says that not every life can be saved in war.

Todd finds Angharrad and tried to led the horse to Haven, but Angharrad won't budge. Todd decides to stay with Angharrad after what happened to Manchee in Chaos Walking: The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Viola, Bradley, and Simone decide not to fire a missile at the Land. They all argue about their responsibilities and the war, when Simone decides to prep one.

Todd and Angharrad are surrounded by the flaming corpses of men. They are suddenly attacked by a molten arrow of the Land when David and his horse, Morpeth, find them in the blazes. Morpeth is killed by the one of the arrows, and David survives.

Viola, Bradley, Simone, Nicola, and Lee watch the Land's lava engulf the entirety of the New Prentisstown encampment. In grief and having no choice believing that Todd is dead, Viola fires the missile.

David gets Todd out of the fire before Viola's missile hits the area where the Land are firing their molten arrows. David finally says "Your friends have joined the war".

Weapons of War (Chapter 6)

The Return witnesses the missile destroying the Land's firing area and wonders about the human's arsenal. The Return mentions that the Land dammed the river that morning and thought they had the upper hand until Viola's missile was shot at them. Afterwards, the Sky delivers messages to the Pathways before talking to the Return about the destruction of the humans. The Sky orders the Return to meet him at dusk alongside the Sky's battlemore. Battlemores are giant, white-scaled lizards with broad, hunched backs and a horn at the end of their snouts; they are used as mounts by the Land. The Return visits the Sky's battlemore in the battlemore's paddocks. The Sky finds the Return at the paddocks and says that the Land will continue with their plan of killing the humans slowly by controlling the main river. The Return argues with the Sky about the Burden, before the Sky mentions that the Knife's Noise has said that more humans will descend on New World. The Sky says that the Land will wait to ambush the humans and exterminate them for good.

Control Yerself (Part 3)

Down in the Valley (Chapter 7)

Viola has run down to the encampment with Acorn in case Todd died. He did not and they both embrace (non-romantic). They both admit that they would start a war to protect each other. David has been listening to the conversation and Todd growls at him to leave. David leaves and Viola notices that Todd's Noise is fuzzy and dim. Viola realizes she needs to leave and she leaves with Acorn.

Todd witnesses various erratic attacks by the Spackle on the humans of Haven. For the remaining water, David puts guards around the only remaining water tank of Haven. One night, Todd dreams of Viola. The next morning, Todd visits Angharrad and meets James, a young soldier who takes care of the horses. Since Morpeth died, David's horse is now a sassy female named Juliet's Joy. David has decided to stay back and defend Haven because its his city. Mr. Tate, arriving from a night patrol, has found that the townspeople want an audit with David. The leader of this audit is a man named Mr. Shaw. Mr. Shaw requests that David help the people of Haven and he agrees too in order to fight all the battles in running a city during war.

Mistress Lawson's medicines have been keeping Viola's infections at bay, but her fever is getting worse. The Answer is cheering for Viola's missile ending the Land's siege. Bradley is less pleased about the missile. Simone is teaming up with Nicola to use things from the scout ship to start setting up areas in the Answer's camp. Over time, Viola's fever worsens. A few days after the missile attack, refugees start pouring into the Answer's camp because of protection. Most of them are banded women who are losing their arms.

Viola and Todd comm each other and say that refugees are pouring into their respective camps. David mentions to Todd that the Land and Noise are like a lock-and-key for New World. Todd figures out that David has spies close to the camp and that he gave the Noise cure to the spies. Todd then visits Angharrad in the stables and finds that Todd has already given Angharrad her food. Mr. O'Hare then runs into the camp, saying that all the spies have been slaughtered by the Land.

Viola visits Acorn, who is being taken care for by Wilf. The Answer has been stockpiling water and food for themselves and the refugees. Viola leaves Wilf and finds Bradley working on the scout ship. They fight over the missile and Viola decides to see Wilf to find Todd.

The only Todd can read of his mother's journal is "My dearest son". Angharrad is asking for food so Todd decides to ask James for food. In the process, Todd controls James to get Angharrad food. Todd begins to realize that his Noise is turning into a weapon.

Nicola and Viola talk about the Spackle War and realize that David will kill the Answer some day.

Todd cannot sleep because he controlled James. In the middle of the night, David and Todd talk about war and Davy. The conversation is interrupted when the Haven power grid is destroyed by the Land.

The Embrace of the Land (Chapter 8)

The Land that died in the siege of the power grid are felt by the rest of the Land. The Return then recounts what happened to him after Todd saved him at the end of The Ask and the Answer. 1017 ran into the forests beyond Haven to find a Land, which a story among the Burden. Days after 1017 ran, Land who are fishermen find him and the Land dubs him "the Return". 1017 tells the fishermen Land about the horrors he seen in the language of the Burden, much to the horror of them. The fishermen Land take 1017 to the main camp of the Land and meets The Sky. The Sky takes 1017 under his wing and asks 1017 to trust him.

Closing In (Chapter 9)

For eight days, the Land continues invading Haven and surround David's army. After one of these attacks, David takes Todd with him to fight the Land.

Viola is commed by Todd about the hidden Land in the forest. Viola's fever and infection is getting worse. The Answer's camp is overcrowded with refugees. As Viola hangs up her call, Nicola wants to talk with Viola.

David's army is terrified about the hidden Land. Then, the army is surrounding by a good majority of the Land.

Nicola apologizes for the Thrace bomb detonated by Con in The Ask and the Answer. Viola is still pissed about the bomb. Nicola asks Viola if she is prepare for something and suddenly runs off into the woods.

As the Land's sheers numbers dwarfs David's army, David is forced to pull his troops back into Haven. The Land retreat when David uses a Noise technique on them.

Viola looks around for Nicola in the Answer's camp but cannot find her. Ivan has been bitterly dubbing Bradley "The Humanitarian". Lee and Viola talk about David Prentiss, Sr. when an image of Viola and Lee having intercourse appears in Lee's Noise. An embarrassed Lee suddenly leaves.

Todd rides Angharrad into Haven and tells James to give the horse water, using the "I am the Circle and the Circle is me" technique on James. Todd is beginning to feel terrified of his Noise.

Viola finds Nicola in a healing tent and Nicola tells Viola that there is no cure for the bands, since Nicola thinks that David put an extra chemical in them. Nicola also tells Viola that the band's infection is fatal.

David tells Todd that Todd controlled James all by himself. David muses about how the Land are connected through Noise when the water supply is attacked by the Land.

Nicola says that four women have died despite her being the best Healer on New World. Viola clams its a lie, and asks for Nicola to tell her what she did to make peace with the Land. Bradley then runs down from the scout ship and says that Haven is under attack.

David orders the army to fire at the Land, but then hesitates and tells the men to put out the flaming metal. Seeing that putting out the flaming metal is decimating the army, Todd hits David with his gun and takes control of the army. He orders the army to shoot the Land while a group of men put out the flaming metal. David congratulates Todd on taking control of the army because of his decisions and the water tank collapses.

Bradley reports on the attack on Haven's water tank and Lee comes screaming into the camp, his eyes bloodied and lost to an acid rifle. Lee says that Magnus, one the soldiers, is dead and that the Land is coming for all the humans.

The water in the water tank rushes out and floods Haven. It kills James and David says he needs to meet with Nicola Coyle and the other settlers. Just then, the settler ship, flown by Simone, rises from the Answer's camp into the air.

On the Brink (Chapter 10)

The Return watches the Land attack the humans. He mentions that an attack on the water supply is the first step to victory. The Land is more suited to surprise attacks than the humans, giving them the upper hand. The Return wants to massacre Todd, but the Sky says to wait. At night, the Land's army siege Haven's water supply, and after the flood the scout ship rises into the air. The scout ship lands bombs on the Land's army and the Return begins to doubt the Sky. The Sky, angry, tells the Pathways to tell the Land to bring some Land back and the Land to the north and south of Haven will await the Sky's orders. The Return sees that the Sky wants to make peace with the humans, and the Sky says the humans are aggravated enough. 

Alliance (Part 4)

Speaking with the Enemy (Chapter 11)

Viola is holding Lee's head in her lap as Nicola performs surgery on Lee. Viola, Lee, Nicola, Bradley, and Simone are in the scout ship, which is simultaneously on its way to Haven and bombing the Land. Viola realizes the war changes people in unexpected ways as Todd comms her.

Todd and David discuss that the old Houses of Healing should be neutral ground between Haven and the Answer. Haven is a wreck from the water storage flood. David tells Todd about the decimated water and food supply and hands him a report to read. Since Todd cannot read, David then takes back the report and tells Todd that he could teach Todd to read with the help of Noise. He then tells Todd to tell Viola to meet him and David at the Houses of Healing and that Todd will go with David to the Houses of Healing.

In the scout ship, Viola and Todd comm about David's orders and Lee before Todd has to talk to David about the next day. Nicola sees Viola and Viola lies about getting better. They then talk about David Prentiss, Sr.

The next day near sunrise, Todd and David ride their horses to the abandoned Houses of Healing. It is the first time Todd has come through the area without David "Davy" Prentiss, Jr. Nicola, Viola, and Bradley arrive at the Houses of Healing and Viola threatens the two, saying "We have armed women in the trees". Bradley and David introduce themselves and the three adults begin talking. Todd tries to say greet Viola, but realizes that Viola is trying to read Todd's quiet Noise.

Viola cannot read Todd's quiet Noise. Bradley, Nicola, and David talk about the settlers before Nicola and David fight.

Nicola and David verbally fight each other, accusing each other of war crimes. Bradley tries to tell the group about the reason they are there, and Bradley's inclination towards what the group is really talking makes Todd like him (platonic way). Viola says that forming an alliance would show the Land that the humans aren't leaving that that they want peace. Nicola then accuses David of being mass murderer and David accuses Nicola of lying. Nicola's first demand is to learn how to stop the infection of the bands. David considers it a deal. Viola look at Todd and says that the Todd is front of her is not the Todd she originally knew.

Todd and Viola fight over Todd's Noise and David's influence on Todd as the bargaining continues.

After a long day, an agreement is met: water and food will be exchanged, more soldiers to be exchanged, Bradley and Simone will go on "flight patrols" to keep the Land at bay, and for the Answer's female soldiers to fight the Land's sneak attacks alongside David's army.

Before following Nicola back to the Answer, Viola talks to Todd about David's influence on Todd and about their feelings for each other (which are romantic). Todd then follows David back into Haven.

Pathway's End (Chapter 12)

It has been a week since Simone's scout ship has bombed the Land. The Sky shows the Return his life before becoming the Sky, who rules alone: his family, friends, and mate before being chosen as the Sky by the Land. The Return has flashbacks through the Sky's Noise: the Return and his mate living in the garden shed of their master; the Return and his mate taking produce to the market; the Return curled up to his mate when the Return was sick; the Return and his mate cleaning themselves in a summer night; the Return and his mate separated; and the night that the Return's mate was killed by the Prentisstown army. Out of the Sky's Noise, the Sky tells the Return that they are same: "The Sky speaks for the Land, and the Return speaks for the Burden. And to do this, we both have to be alone". The Sky then leads the Return to the Pathway's End, a place guarded by overgrowth in the forest where a curtain of ivy hanging from trees shields the entrance. In the middle of the Pathway's End are the Pathways, circling themselves inwards around a flat stone slab, "creating a link in the closed circle". The Pathway's End is where the Sky's secrets are kept. The Sky allows the Return inside the Pathway's End's circle and finds The Source (Ben Moore) on the stone slab. The Sky says that "Any voice heard can be healed... even if it is far away from the body", which is why Ben in there: the Land heard Ben's Noise drifting away and decided to heal him as an advantage to learn about humans. The Land plan to use David Prentiss, Sr., their weakness, to test the alliance between Haven and the Answer. The Sky allows Ben's Noise to be heard by the Return and the Sky says that the Return will be given Ben when there is peace. The Return thinks that if there is peace and Ben is given to him, he will kill Ben without hesitation.

The Peace Process (Chapter 13)

Todd and David use themselves as bait for the Land army. As the Spackle army approaches, the Answer detonates their bombs and destroys the Land army.

Nicola says the bombs were improperly made, but they did their job. Viola has been getting sicker from her infected band. The alliance between the Answer and Haven is working, and a truce between the humans and Spackle is underway. It is now thirty-three days until the new settlers land on New World.

The Answer and Haven keep foiling the attacks of the Land over a period of five days. As a part of a deal, both sides decide to capture a Land in an attack and have it bring back a message of peace to the rest of the Land. Haven captures a Land first before the Answer.

Mistresses Nadari and Lawson demand to see the two captured Land, and David allows them. One of the Land is blood stained and the other one is beat up. The Land have been tortured/"Asked" by Mr. Tate, Mr. O'Hare, and other soldiers. David gives the blood-stained Land the peace message and lets it go. Before the Land bolts into the forest with the message, it sees Todd and calls him "The Knife" in its Noise.

Nicola, Viola, Lee, Bradley, and Simone are all pissed about David getting the Land first. Viola's fever seemingly worsens and is given a sedative. Viola dreams of Todd under the sedative until Lee wakes her up and says that Nicola's gone.

Todd witnesses a tracer explode from the Answer's territory at dawn.

Nicola answers Viola's comm telling Viola to get a probe on the hilltop. Viola and Bradley get the probe overhead and find Nicola in the woods with thermal cam. They find the Land watching the humans on a cliff when a tracer goes off. Bradley then takes scout ship with him and Viola in it into Haven.

Nicola arrives in Haven and she and David accuse each other of breaking their alliance just as the scout ship is taking off. Todd comms Viola and she says that some of the people are coming. Nicola orders David to not arrest her soldiers when Mr. Tate and Mr. O'Hare find explosives in Nicola's soldiers bags. The scout ship lands into the square and Viola says to Todd that the Land are coming.

The Voiceless (Chapter 14)

The Return notes that the humans gain strength by the day. The day that Nicola's improperly bombs go off, the Return and the Sky head to the Pathway's End. The Sky allows Ben to speak to the Land through Noise. The Sky and the Return gain information on the humans through Ben and the Land decides to strike. The blood-stained Land showed two messages to the Land: one from David Prentiss (Noise cure) and one from Todd Hewitt (the horrors that Todd has witnessed and how Todd wanted peace and did not want to be dragged into war). The Return is pissed about the Sky's answer and seethes on it for a while before Nicola's tracer bomb explodes in the Land's camp. The Sky, the Return, and all of the Land live and the Sky asks for a messenger. The messenger is the blood-stained Land Haven's army captured. The Land witnesses the blood-stained Land enter and speak to David Prentiss ("The Clearing's Sky"). Nicola greets the blood-stained Land, but is stopped by David. Todd then tells the Land that the humans and the Spackle need peace between them. The Sky then sends the word "peace" through the Land. The Return is angry with the Sky and decides to kill Ben and avenge the Burden.

The Envoy (Part 5)

The Delegation (Chapter 15)

In the scout ship, David thinks he will negotiate with the Land, but Nicola says "Over my dead body" in response. Todd, David, Nicola, Simone, Bradley, Lee, and Viola are crammed into the medic room of the ship to talk about potential peace between the Land and humans. The Land have asked for two humans to represent the humans as representatives in the Land's camp. The group argues about the two that will go and they eventually settle on Bradley and Viola. As they all walk out of the ship, Viola tells Todd she hates his quiet Noise.

Viola feels that Todd, with quiet Noise, is not the same Todd that she knows. She pushes him away, claiming she's tired, but Todd is concerned for her. She then hears "I am the Circle-" in his Noise as she hears David, Nicola, Simone, Bradley, and Lee arguing with each other and all the Noise of Haven.

At the outside campfire at night, Bradley agrees upon an immediate ceasefire between the Land and humans as a starting point for peace. Nicola says that the Answer needs to be told about the peace. Todd asks Nicola about Viola's condition, since Viola is still in the scout ship. Nicola confesses that Viola is getting weaker with each passing day before leaving. David notices Todd thinking about Viola and Todd threatens David. Since Bradley is going as a human representative, Todd agrees to give Angharrad to him to ride. Bradley, Lee, Simone, and Nicola leave Haven in the scout ship before David announces victory to Haven.

After landing the ship, Viola wakes to Nicola giving a victory speech to the Answer. Bradley and Simone get on the scout ship and tell Viola the plan: in the few hour, projections will be put in Haven for people to see the delegations and Simone will keep the scout ship in the air to monitor the meeting. Ivan argues with Nicola about the plan.

Todd prepares Angharrad for Bradley to ride. David finds Todd and gives him a piece of paper which says "I am Todd Hewitt and I am a man of New Prentisstown". David is helping Todd read on his own through Noise. David made this technique after learning about how the Land communicate. David wants Todd to read his mother's journal, but it interrupted with the presence of the scout ship descending into Haven.

Nicola tells Viola what to do when speaking with the Land in the scout ship before it lands in Haven. When the ship door opens, Viola feels the weight of her mission when she goes over to Todd and hugs him as a "hello" and "goodbye". David then begins a speech.

David begins a speech about a new era, when Nicola also joins him. Viola, Bradley, Angharrad, and Acorn then leave Haven for the Land's camp. Todd is starting to suspect that David is up to something.

As Bradley and Viola walk towards the Land's camp, Todd comms Viola about a plan: if Viola is in danger, Todd will get her out of the situation. The comm conversation ends and Simone calls Bradley's comm to say that there is a Land welcoming party at the camp. Bradley and Viola then walk into the camp of the Land.

Todd, Wilf, and David are watching Bradley and Viola walk into the Land's camp over the projections. The respective leaders greet each other: the Sky gets off his battlemore and Acorn lets Viola get off of him. 1017 then runs through the crowd with a knife towards Viola, ready to kill her. Todd says that "He's [1017 is] gonna kill her [Viola] to punish me-".

The One in Particular (Chapter 16)

That morning, the Sky prepares for the meeting by getting into ornate, ceremonial clay armor and having a ceremonial knife with him. The Return sees that the Sky has a plan, but the Sky says that the Return needs to trust the Sky and that the Return will be at the Sky's side during the meeting. Before Viola and Bradley approach the camp, the Sky sends a phrase through the Land's Voice: "We speak as one. We are the Land and we speak as one". The Return begrudgingly says this. Bradley and Viola then arrive in the Land's camp. Bradley introduces himself and Viola to the Sky and the Sky introduces himself. The Sky gets off his battlemore and approaches Bradley and Viola, who are dismounting their horses. Knowing that he needs to kill Todd to avenge the Burden, the Return grabs a ceremonial knife from the nearest Land and runs towards Viola to kill her.

Bargaining (Chapter 17)

Viola thinks 1017 is going to kill the Sky, but instead starts to defend herself when 1017 runs towards her. She raises her arm to protect herself, and 1017 sees the infected band on Viola's arm. Angharrad then kicks 1017 in the chest.

Todd and David watch Angharrad defend Viola and Todd comms Viola, and Simone comms Viola about 1017's attempted murder. The Sky shows Viola and Bradley that the peace delegation is still on. The Land prepare a table of food for the Sky, Viola, and Bradley containing various fish and fruits.

Bradley explains that the humans thought of New World as a prime candidate for settlement and that the probes did not find intelligent life on the planet. The Sky says that humans cannot leave and have to answer for the crimes against the Land. Viola clears up that Bradley and Viola are new settlers and that mistakes were made. The Sky does not believe in mistakes and shows the Spackle War through his Noise. Viola and Bradley talk about preventing a revamp of the Spackle War.

Todd watches the projection of the delegation, which has been going on for hours. He, David, and the rest of Haven are getting bored. Near night, Simone comms Viola about the scout ship's fuel. Todd tells Simone over the comm to not let Viola out of her sight, but Nicola says over the comm not to worry about Viola and the scout ship. After being muted by Viola over the comm for the projection, Mr. O'Hare called Viola a "Stupid little bint [bitch]". Todd, enraged, uses his words and Noise to make Mr. O'Hare step into the campfire, setting a bit of Mr. O'Hare's clothing on fire. David is impressed with Todd's Noise techniques.

Bradley tells the Sky that the humans should not by punished. Viola has figured out that the Land is "the Spackle", "the Clearing" is humans, and that individual names are crimes. The Sky shows the Spackle War and the Burden's genocide from The Ask and the Answer in his Noise about his position on punishing the humans. Bradley says it is getting late, and the Land prepare tents for Bradley, Viola, and the Sky. The tents are made of woven moss and the beds are made of woven wood shavings. Viola and Bradley tend to Angharrad and Acorn before going to bed in the tents.

At night, Todd watches Viola sleep in her tent via the projection before going into his tent with David. David uses Noise to help Todd read his mother's journal. The passage that Todd reads reveals that Aaron, the Prentisstown preacher, and the humans started blaming the Land for crop failure when crops failed to grow one year. Mr. Tate then says that David needs to get ready to "rescue" Viola from the Land.

The next morning, Bradley wakes Viola up in her tent because the Sky has woken up and has not returned to his tent. Viola brushes it off until Todd comms her, saying that she is in danger.

David knocks the comm out of Todd's hand and scolds him for warning Viola. David asks Mr. Tate if everything is ready, and Todd wonders about what's happening.

Todd tells Viola to wait before shutting off his comm. Bradley wants to get the horses, but Bradley and Viola talk about what's happening. They then realize that the Land is going to attack Haven.

Mr. Tate prepares the army to attack the Land. David tells Todd that the Land will attack Haven.

Viola, Simone, and Nicola comm each other about the Land's attack. Nicola deduces that the attack is a show of leverage. Simone then sees the lights of the Land heading towards Haven.

Mr. O'Hare reports on the position of a part of the Land's army to David. Todd feels that something isn't right. Viola comms Todd about the Land's army, when Mr. Tate takes a torch from the campfire and light a bomb.

The bomb detonates near the Answer's camp and Viola and Bradley see that the Sky is surprised about the bombs. Viola, Nicola, and Simone are unsure who detonated the bombs.

David's bombs detonate to the north and west of Haven. Todd notices that they work fine. Todd comms Viola about David's bombs, but David's snatches the comm out of the Todd's hand and tells Viola to talk to the Sky about the Land's army approaching Haven.

Nicola is unsure about David's statement and the Sky is pissed about the bombs. Simone has a probe picking up where David's bombs detonated. They show the northern side of Haven, where a chunk of the Land's army has been defeated by David.

Mr. O'Hare reports that the lights south of Haven is a decoy. David asks for Todd's comm, and Todd give it to him, reluctantly.

Viola hears Haven cheering as the Sky looks upon Haven with fury. David comms Viola, via hacking, and tells the Sky about how he outsmarted the Land. Nicola screams about getting the comm away from David, but David says he knew about the attack through the Land's peace envoy (blood-stained Land) and that victory will be his. The Sky still wants peace, even though David wants war.

Todd hears the Sky say "Peace" in the Noise, and Haven cheers in victory. 

I Raise My Knife (Chapter 18)

Later, the Return prepares to murder Ben in cold blood in the Pathway's End with a butcher's knife. He remembers Viola's branded arm, which is why the Return could not kill Viola, when Angharrad kicks the Land in the chest. The Sky then exiles the Return for not being one with the Land. The Return sees the plan of the Sky in the Noise of the Pathway's End, and he thinks that the Sky is admitting defeat in war by agreeing to peace. Before the Return kills Ben, the Sky finds the Return. The Sky says that the Return will be lost emotionally and physically if he kills Ben, but the Return says that he was lost when Haven banded him, the humans massacred the Burden, and that the Sky refused to avenge the Burden. The Return then sees that the Sky would've given the Return Todd if the Return was loyal to the Sky. The Return thinks about his revenge and what will happen to Todd when Ben is dead, but the Return can't kill Ben. (Note: The Return is a parallel for Todd.) The Return drops the knife and the Sky says the Return has come back emotionally, and that humans kill for hate. The Sky wants to bring Todd to the Return and to have the humans answer for their crimes against the Land. The Sky also says that sparing Todd is an act of mercy among the Land and that the Return will be the next Sky. The Sky then wakes Ben from his medicated Land coma by putting his hand over Ben's ear and looking into his face. Ben sits up on the stone slab of the Pathway's End and the Return notices that Ben's Noise now speaks the Voice of the Land.

Life During Peacetime (Part 6)

The Days of Glory (Chapter 19)

Bradley and Viola hear Haven cheer after peace has been secured as they walk into the city. Viola and Bradley walk into the square of Haven with Acorn and Angharrad and Viola falls off her horse because of her fever. She falls into Todd's arms.

David gives a speech about peace and Todd is bored by David's speeches. Viola is now dubbed "The Peacemaker" because she made peace with the Land alongside Bradley. During the speech, David reveals that he created a cure for the branding bands.

Nicola claims that David stole the cure from the Healers on the scout ship on the way back to the Answer's camp. During David's speech, the crowd booed at Nicola and the other Healers for preventing Viola from taking the cure (this is probably because the cure wasn't tested before being distributed). When the ship lands, Nicola leaves the ship and is greeted by very few people.

Todd and David talk about the cure for the band before David tells him he wants Todd to believe him. David then brings up how Todd transformed David "Davy" Prentiss, Jr. during The Ask and the Answer. David mentions his regret of shooting Davy in The Ask and the Answer and now views Todd as his son as Todd has "redeemed" him. While David goes to prepare for council meetings, Todd visits Angharrad in her paddock.

In the scout ship, Nicola forbids Ivan from being on the human-Land council and Ivan reveals that Mistress Lawson gave the cure to women dying from the band's poisons. Mistress Lawson takes the bandages off of Lee: "Over the bridge of Lee's nose, there's just bright pink scar tissue where his eyes used to bee, the sockets now covered with livid skin, the blue eyes that used to look back gone for ever". Wilf then appears and Lee uses Wilf's Noise to "see" the outside world. Wilf tells Viola that he brought Acorn from Haven into the Answer's camp. Viola then asks Wilf about being on the human-Land council.

In the scout ship, Viola and Todd comm each other Wilf being on the human-Land council and about the tests on the cure for the branding bands. They then talk about Todd and David's father-and-son-esque relationship. Viola tells Todd that Todd will put the cure on her when the ship will fly into Haven the next day.

Nicola was listening to Todd and Viola's conversation. Viola and Nicola talk about the branding band cure and how Viola is now "The Peacemaker" and one of the most influential people of the Answer. Nicola then says that Viola is ready for something, but then bolts out of the scout ship.

Todd wants to read the ending of Mrs. Hewitt's journal. With David's Noise, Todd reads the ending of the journal. It reveals that Jessica Elizabeth and David Prentiss divided New Elizabeth after the original Spackle War. Mrs. Hewitt hopes that Todd, a human born on New World, will not repeat history's mistakes on New World. David mentions that was once bad and is now good. Then, Ivan Farrow appears in the square of Haven.

Simone flies the scout ship into Haven at sunrise. Nicola and Viola talk about Viola taking the cure before the ship lands in Haven. As they walk out the ship, Simone says the Land expects the representatives at noon and Viola mentions that David will keep his speeches short.

Todd puts the cure on Viola's infection in his tent. The cure, in the form of bandages hurts Viola and Todd consoles her through the pain.

Before the representatives leave, Nicola decides to give a speech to Haven on a stage set up by David. Nicola's speech is about what she thinks is "the end".

Todd runs to the stage as Nicola reveals she strapped bombs onto herself.

Viola is restrained by Bradley as Todd runs to the stage. She calls for Todd as Nicola detonates the bombs.

Todd tries to grab Simone from the stage as Nicola detonates the bombs.

Nicola's bombs detonate, killing her and Simone on the stage. Viola runs to the stage, panicked about Todd.

Todd subconsciously grabs David off the stage (because David's Noise infiltrated Todd's Noise) instead of intentionally grabbing Simone like he was originally aiming for. Viola sees that Todd saved David and is pissed.

The Source (Chapter 20)

In the Pathway's End, The Return and the Sky wait for the human representatives. The Return gets him and the Sky food. During a conversation about the Source (Ben Moore), the Return admits that he learned the Burden's language through his mate/"one in particular". They fight about Ben either being an ally or a threat to the Land. The Return gives Ben fish stew for food and both talk about the Voice (language) of the Land being an evolutionary step for both humans and the Land. Ben thinks about seeing The Knife (Todd) that morning (the Todd in Ben's memory is the Todd seen in The Knife of Never Letting Go). Ben does not want to be referred to as "The Source" and for Todd to not be referred to as "The Knife". They then talk about the potential for peace because the Return, the Sky, and Ben all dislike David when Nicola's bombs detonate. The Land has seen Nicola's bombs detonate and Ben fears about an attack. The Return feels Ben's fear for Todd as the explosion resides, and the Return does not want to feel the fear.

Separations (Chapter 21)

In the scout ship, Mistress Lawson tends to David's wounds from the bombs. Lee counts survivors based on the presence of Noise. Viola is still pissed from Todd saving David. Todd and David talk about the bombing and how Todd saved David. Wilf also brings up that Todd saved his life by communicating unconsciously through Noise. David then gives himself and Todd new uniforms: navy-blue with gold stripes and says that they need to address Haven.

In the scout ship, Bradley and Viola watch the footage of the explosion where Todd saves David and Wilf. Bradley and Viola blame Todd for David's rescue, but Bradley says that Todd regrets his decision to save David. Viola roars to herself about Nicola's death, and Bradley says that Nicola thinks that Viola is mature enough to lead New World or the Answer. When Viola and Bradley leave the ship, they find Bradley and Todd wearing matching uniforms.

Viola steps away from Todd and David as she sees the two of them wearing the uniforms. David tells Viola that an intermediate speech would prevent Haven from falling apart. Viola accuses David of lying, but he says that Todd saving him could mean that New World could be saved. Todd tries to "open" his Noise to Viola, but a barrier is in his way.

Todd and Viola fight over Todd and David's (faux) father-son relationship and Todd's Noise before David addresses the crowd.

David pulls Todd away from Viola before addressing Haven.

Bradley, Viola, and Wilf are in bewilderment by David silencing Haven with the words "Quiet, please" in his Noise and voice.

David gives a speech to Todd about the bombing and about the Noise. David won't let Todd out of his sight and tells him about redemption. Suddenly, the presence of Ben and 1017 arriving into Haven on battlemores disrupts the scene.

Viola moves through the crowd to find Todd, but stops when she hears Ben's Noise singing.

Todd runs off the stage towards Ben as Ben gets off his battlemore. Todd notices that the Land with Ben is 1017 and that Ben's Noise is singing the lullaby Todd was sung to as a child. Todd stops right in front of Ben as he exits the crowd.

Viola hears Ben's Noise singing clearly, even though she's in the crowd. She watches Todd and Ben reunite.

Ben marvels at how Todd has grown since The Knife of Never Letting Go. Todd explains to Ben through Noise everything that happened since The Knife of Never Letting Go. Ben forgives Todd for what he did and Todd is confused by Ben's Noise. The reunion is interrupted by David.

Viola runs through the crowd towards Ben. Todd, Viola, and Ben all hug each other like a found family. David interrupts and Ben says that the Land wants peace and that the Return (1017) made a mistake. David wants to talk with Ben, but Ben needs to catch up with Todd.

That night, in Todd's tent, Todd and Ben talk about what happened so far from The Knife of Never Letting Go up to this point in Monsters of Men. Angharrad is placed in a position where the tent opening is covered. Ben mentions that the meaning of the Noise and New World is communication and then asks about Viola's whereabouts.

Viola talks to David about Ben's return before David leaves. Viola tells Bradley and Wilf, who swing by, that she thinks that Todd is a replacement for Davy to David. Todd then pokes his head out of his tent and calls for Viola.

Todd, Ben, and Viola talk about possible peace meetings between the Land and humans. Ben mentions that the Sky sent him to Haven about the explosion and the Return will tell the Sky about the continuing peace. Ben also mentions that 1017 is like Todd, in that he cannot kill and then leaves the tent.

Todd mentions that he wants his old life back in Prentisstown (original). Todd and Viola then talk about the potential peace, the new settlers, and running away from David. Viola can hear Todd Noise, albeit it is quiet: it reveals that Todd is in love with Viola. Todd quickly realizes Viola heard his Noise and rapidly apologizes to her. In response to Todd's Noise, Viola grabs the back of Todd's neck with her hand, pulls him towards her, and kisses him, beginning their relationship.

Around the outdoor fire, David, Ben, Viola, and Todd talk about the human-Land council and the rest of the Answer. David's words to the group convey the sense that he thinks the end is near.

Viola and Lee talk about the current plans for the Land-human delegations, the Noise, and Viola and Todd's relationship. "Me [Viola], Bradley, and Ben will ride up to the Spackle now. Lee, Wilf, and Mistress Lawson will go to the hilltop [the Answer's camp] to calm things down. Todd and the Mayor [David] will stay in town to hold things together". Then, snow begins falling onto the forest of New World.

Todd has never seen snow before, while David has not seen snow in a long time. Todd sees that Ben is introducing Angharrad, Todd's horse, to his battlemore. David is wary of the new Ben and Todd and Ben talk about their views of the Noise.

The human representatives (Viola, Ben, and Bradley) meet up for final preparations.

In the scout ship, Todd watches the projection of Viola, Ben, and Bradley walking up the Land's main camp. The gel applied to David's burn wounds has come off and Todd puts new gel on David's wound. David has figured out Todd's plan to leave since Todd is not David's real son. Ivan then enters the ship to check on David and Todd, and David shoots Ivan in the head with a pistol.

Walking towards the Land camp with Ben and Bradley, Viola looks back to Haven as she heard the gunshot that killed Ivan.

Todd claims that David is delusional and that he is immune to David's attacks. David then controls Todd through Noise and reveals that Todd did everything for David and brought peace until Ben arrived. David then tells Todd about what it going to happening is because of Todd instead of David himself. David then knocks Todd about by hitting him with his gun.

The Future Arrives (Chapter 21)

The Return and the Sky see the snow fall onto the forest. After the meetings, the Land have agreed to give the humans their river back. The Sky says that he made the Return the future Sky because of war. The Return is still angry with the humans, and the Sky asks about his experience of seeing the Knife (Todd) in the flesh. The Return recalls the reunion between Todd, Viola, and Ben earlier that day in Haven and felt the happiness from Ben's Noise. The Return feels that Todd can kill, like all humans, and the Sky says that peace will give rest to the Return and the Land. Ben, Bradley, and Viola then arrive into the Land's camp when Viola hears the gunshot that killed Ivan. Viola tries to comm Todd, but it unable to. Then, the scout ship, now flown by David, rises into the air, flies to the Land's camp, and fires its missiles at the Land.

The End of the New World (Part 7)

The Final Battle (Chapter 22)

Todd wakes up in the medic room of the scout ship, flown by David, covered in Ivan's blood. David destroys the Land's camp over Todd's betrayal of him.

The missiles David fired were disconnected by Simone before her death. Ben asks through Noise about the weapons left on the ship, and Viola says the hooper bombs are the only ones left.

David flies the scout ship over the Land's camp and drops hooper bombs (cluster bombs) on the camp, but they also have been deactivated. David then realizes he must kill the Land with a gun or a knife.

Bradley tells the Sky that the humans wanted peace and that the human delegation is under attack too. Viola suggests using the Land's molten arrows against the scout ship and figures out that killing the Sky would continue the war. The Sky tells the Return to find the Pathways and prepare weapons.

Before 1017 can really tell the Pathways about the weapons, the Return speaks in the language of the Land as a call to arms for the Land. David then dumps gasoline on the Land and lights it, destroying the Land and New World.

Todd yells through the ship comms about the blaze, and David admits it's a trick Bradley's grandfather used: "You change the mixture of the fuel, oxygenate it, and it just burns and burns and burns". Todd and David fight over war on the comm system as Todd begins to read the words on the panels of the ship on his own. Todd says that David thought he was transformed, but David laughs and says that "Men can't be transformed. I will always be who I am. And you'll always be Todd Hewitt, the boy who can't kill". Todd has been messing with the controls, making the communication panel in the medic room go blank.

As the fire blazes through the forest, Viola tries to contact Todd. The only way to put the fire out is the un-dam the river. Just then, David flies the scout ship towards Ben, Bradley, Viola, the Sky, and the Return.

David unveils his plan to Todd - Mr. O'Hare's army will invade the Land, Mr. Tate's army will exterminate the Answer, and the real final battle will take place at the ocean - as Todd messes with the communications panel. David directs the scout ship over Viola, Bradley, Ben, the Sky, and the Return.

The Sky corrals Angharrad, Acorn, Bradley, Ben, and Viola to the Return as he tries to evacuate the burning forests. David bombs the Land and it kills the Sky.

Angharrad and Acorn, the horses, are trapped beyond the wall of fire alongside Viola, Ben, Bradley, and the Return. Viola wonders how to escape and Bradley wonders about where the Sky is. Just then, Ben stays still on his battlemore and 1017 runs into the flames, now decreasing, and finds the corpses of the Sky and the Sky's battlemore.

The Sky chooses the Return as the new Sky and the Return feels the Voice of the Land entering him at once. The new Sky (the Return) then tells the Land to release the river,

As Bradley panics about the fire, Ben says through Noise that the new Sky (the Return) has ordered the un-damming of the river to destroy Haven and put out the fire. Bradley says the Haven has to be warned and Ben says they have twenty minutes to evacuate Haven. The river has been backed up the plains of the Things as seen in The Knife of Never Letting Go. Ben mentions through Noise that Todd is in the scout ship because he could feel Todd's Noise as the Land chose the Sky. Ben convinces Viola to fight for Todd and Viola demands the Sky to  let the human delegation warn Haven. The Sky refuses to let the group leave until Viola shows her infected banded arm to him.

Todd screams for Viola while David jeers about his victory. Todd tries to convince David to stop and land the ship with the Noise, but David hits him with the "Yer Nothing" Noise technique. Surviving the technique, Todd manages to comm Viola and warn her about David going to the ocean as David steers the scout ship towards the ocean and knocks out Todd with Noise.

Viola is confused about Todd's warning when Bradley points out that David is steering the scout ship towards the ocean. Viola and Bradley decide to evacuate Haven first before going to the ocean.

Todd wakes up covered in more of Ivan's blood and sees the ocean on the screens. Todd worried about Viola and angry about David targeting her, Todd uses his newfound Noise weapon (using Viola's name as a way to beat others with Noise) on David.

The Sky thinks about sending the Land to war, but Ben tries to convince him not to. The Sky then claims that Ben will never be part of the Land and assembles the Land for war. The un-dammed river floods Haven and destroys it.

Bradley and Viola run on their horses into Haven as Mr. O'Hare prepares his army for attack. Bradley yells at the men to run back and Viola says that the river has been released, but Mr. O'Hare says that the men are heading towards the Answer's camp and following the Land's army. He realizes the attack was suicide. The river then falls completely into Haven.

David shows Todd the destruction of Haven on the screens, with Viola running away from the oncoming flood.

Viola and Bradley usher their horses to run faster as the waterfall destroys Haven and Mr. O'Hare's army. Bradley thinks that he and Viola will not survive outrunning the flood.

Todd watches the river flood and destroy Haven on-screen. However, after Haven is destroyed by the flood, the water slows. David sneaks into the medic room and apologizes for Viola's death. Todd then hits David with a Noise attack.

Acorn and Angharrad quickly get Viola and Bradley towards the Answer's camp to outrun the flood.

Todd attacks David using the "Viola" technique, but it doesn't work on him. David hits Todd with "Yer Nothing" and Todd survives the attack. Todd attacks David physically, before David slaps a bandage with sedatives on it on Todd's neck.

Angharrad and Acorn take Bradley and Viola to the Answer's camp. They are encountered by Wilf and Jane, who say that Mr. Tate's army is ready to obliterate the Answer.

The Sky says he hears all the Land and Ben says that "And the Land must survive" as they march on their battlemores with the army of the Land to the Answer's camp. Ben says he knows what the Sky's plan is, but the Sky tells him that he must not advise the Sky. A soldier of the Land then gives the Sky an acid rifle so the Sky will enter battle armed.

Viola and Acorn run to the Answer's camp as Mr. Tate's army attacks. They stop in front of Mr. Tate, and Viola orders Mr. Tate to put his rifle down. Viola tries to get the soldiers to realize that they did not come to New World to become soldiers, but to become better people and start a new life. Mr. Tate says he has orders to follow and a gun fires as Lee runs towards Viola and Acorn.

The Sky leads the Land through the smoking forest towards the human army. The Sky and Ben argue about the future of the Land after the Sky tells Ben to return to the humans. Ben shows Todd in his Noise two separate times, but the Sky cuts his Noise off both times. Then, Ben speaks the Voice of the Land to the entirety of New World.

Lee has shot Mr. Tate, with the help of Wilf's Noise guiding him. The soldiers are frightened and Mistress Lawson agrees to shelter Mr. Tate's army. Viola thanks Wilf and Lee and then tells them about David going to the ocean. Suddenly, Bradley screams "THEY'RE COMING!" in Ben's voice.

The Sky is appalled that Ben communicated to most of the men, including Bradley ("along Clearing Pathways"), about the Land's attack. Ben states he had to warn them, and the Sky prepares to shoot Ben, but refuses to and says to him "No... you will come with us and watch their [the humans'] end. ... You will come with us and watch the Knife die".

Bradley reveals that Ben warned him through Noise to the Answer. Lee orders the soldiers to begin defending the camp. Viola doubts that the army can defeat the Land, but Lee tells her that he can buy her time to get to the ocean. Viola says the horses need rest, but the horses need to defend Viola and Todd. Lee tells Bradley and Viola to run to the ocean with Acorn and Angharrad to find David and give him to the Land.

Todd wakes and finds he is tied down on a stone altar in a sanctuary of an abandoned church in an abandoned settlement near the ocean. David says the the abandoned settlement is the story of humans on New World and that the church will be where Todd dies. He then shows Todd the army of the Land marching towards the Answer's camp with a cube-shaped comm. Todd asks for Viola, preparing for attack, and David says that she is lost in the smoke of the forest. Todd uses his beating technique ("Viola") on David, who is supposedly immune to the attack and slowly begins to free himself.

The Sky nearly charges the Land into battle, weapons ready, when Wilf stops him, saying he needs to tell the Sky something.

Angharrad and Acorn press on, taking Bradley and Viola to the ocean.

Wilf introduces himself to the Sky and shows the Sky his Noise with no deceit, but the Sky accuses him of lying. The Sky sees Wilf's Noise speaking as if Wilf was the leader of the humans. The humans are showing their regret in fear in their Noise, and the Sky says that the humans are lying. Ben says the future of the Land and the humans depends on what the Sky does. The Sky asks on what he should do, and Ben replies: "You act ... like the Sky".

Angharrad and Acorn keep running despite their obvious fatigue. When Bradley and Viola first see the ocean in the distance, Acorn collapses to ground.

The Sky tells the Land to not attack, out of safety for the Land. Ben rides his battlemore into the camp of the Answer, telling them that the Land will not attack. Ben then returns and tells the Sky that David and Todd are at the ocean and that Bradley and Viola are getting there already. The Sky and Ben then head out to the ocean, with their battlemores running at top speeds.

Viola falls to the ground as Acorn collapses. Acorn then dies from fatigue, broken front legs, and tearing in his chest from running long distances too hard. Bradley gives Angharrad to Viola to complete the run to the ocean.

Todd is still on the stone altar as David reenters the church and admits that the Land and Mr. Tate failed him. He also admits that he thought he could control New World until Todd and New World transformed David. David admits that stupid people handle the Noise well, while the intelligent suffer. As David begins untying Todd's wrists and ankles from the alter, he says for self-knowledge, between the two of them, "One of us is going to have to die".

Angharrad is more stronger than Acorn and Viola is getting closer to the ocean.

Todd threatens David as he completes untying Todd. David goes outside and waits for Todd, as Todd needs to recover. Todd gets off the stone alter and finds that the majority of the abandoned settlement is made out of the wood and sand, that the church is made out of concrete, and there is a road that leads to Haven and the main river. Todd is amazed by the sight of the ocean, when David interrupts him and he is nowhere to be found. Todd yowls for David to show himself, but David says he is not a coward. Todd thinks of getting to the scout ship, parked on the beach, but David threatens to kill him. Todd yells at the air towards David, claiming that his army will not back him up. David says he is correct, and Todd finds him near one of the abandoned buildings. Todd asks about knowing everything and realizes that the Noise has made David mad. David and Todd begin using Noise attacks on each other.

The Sky and Ben find Bradley near Acorn's corpse and Bradley says that Viola went to the ocean to find Todd. The Sky then pushes his battlemore to the ocean, determined to find Todd.

David and Todd "Noise-fight" throughout the settlement. David makes Todd hear the Noise in its entirety during the fight, paralyzing him briefly before Todd begins beating David again.

Angharrad and Viola are a few meters from the abandoned settlement. Viola begins calling out to Todd. She is the first person to witness a Noise-fight.

Todd picks up a chunk of concrete to beat David to death with, but David forces Todd to drop the concrete as the fight is only done with Noise. David says that he trained Todd well and that someone needs to take his place after his death. He mentions that Todd can handle the Noise and that the Noise is metaphorically eating David alive. David shows Todd his Noise, which is now black, empty, and full of nothingness. Viola calling out Todd then interrupts the fight briefly before David uses a powerful Noise attack on Todd.

Viola sees Todd screaming in pain from David's Noise attack. Viola mentions  that "Because this is how you beat the Mayor- You don't beat him alone- You beat him together-". Viola then hears her named being used a weapon by Todd.

Todd's loud use of his "Viola" technique makes David stagger back and make his ears bleed. Angharrad stops in the square of the abandoned settlement and Todd and Viola both say "I love you" to each other through body language. Todd takes his enormous love for Viola and slams it into David with a Noise attack.

David is thrown towards the crashing waves by Todd's Noise attack. Viola can read Todd without the use of Noise. Todd uses Noise to make David walk backwards into the ocean, where the creatures in there are saying "Eat" as David walks into the surf. Before being forced into the ocean, David needs to say something.

Todd says he isn't sparing David, and David says that he can save Todd. Todd forces David into the surf with Noise until David says he's going into the ocean himself. David says that Todd cannot kill, and Todd refutes him. David says that Todd is indeed powerful and that he could be David himself or Ben. David reveals that Ben hears New World also, that the cure for the bands is real, and that the poison in the bands is slow-acting, which killed all the women and the Land (the Burden) in Haven. Before walking into the ocean, David admits that Todd and Viola will change the world. David is subsequently swallowed up by a giant sea creature with scales, slime on its scales, and black teeth.

Viola gets off of Angharrad and grabs Todd in her arms. The creatures of the ocean are watching Todd and Viola, seeing if they are their next prey. Angharrad pushes herself between Todd and Viola and Todd. Viola admits that she left the Answer behind and Todd admits that David himself, Mr. Tate, and the Land failed David. Todd does not know how to fly the scout ship and promises to not be David. Before the Sky arrives, Todd shows Viola his real feelings for her.

The Sky sees "David" (Todd) holding Viola "captive" (Todd and Viola are holding each other in their arms), unaware that the real David is already dead. The Sky prepares to fire his acid rifle at Todd.

Todd sees a battlemore running across the snow-covered sand when he is suddenly shot by the Sky's acid rifle.

Todd falls onto the snow-covered sand in pain, clutching his chest. Viola only hears choking sounds from Todd and shields him in case there is another shot fired. Ben then runs onto the sand with his battlemore as Viola rips the clothing off of Todd's chest, seeing "his skin bleeding and bubbling and still that awful choking sounds sound from his throat, like the muscles in his chest have stopped working, like he can't make them move to a take in a breath". As she begs for Todd not to die, Viola hears the Sky's battlemore approach Viola and Todd, realizing his mistake. Todd's Noise makes desperate statements before it goes quiet. Viola then think "He dies. My Todd dies".

The Future of the World (Chapter 23)

Viola, grief-stricken and in shock, pleads with Todd's corpse to not be dead. Angharrad is saying "Boy colt" sadly over and over. Ben, now on the scene with the Sky, runs over to Todd's corpse and hold it in his arms, grieving his adopted son. Viola then sees The Sky getting off his battlemore in horror.

The Sky drops his acid rifle as Viola yells at him for killing Todd. The Sky tries to convince Viola that the shooting was a mistake, but she doesn't believe him.

Viola picks up the Sky's acid rifle. The Sky apologizes, but Viola says that she will shoot the Sky, albeit out of revenge and grief. Viola demands for the Sky to show her how to use the acid rifle, even though the Sky is still in horror of his mistake.

Viola threatens to kill the Sky and the Sky sees that Ben's grief has spilled into the Voice of the Land: "Because when the Land mourns, we mourn together- And his [Ben's] grief overwhelms me, becomes my own, becomes the Land's-". Because of his guilt and that Todd's death now means nothing to him, the Sky shows Viola how to use the acid rifle.

Viola realizes that the Sky is showing her how to use the acid rifle. Ben pleads with Viola not to kill the Sky because the revamped Spackle War will resume if the Sky dies. Ben tells Viola that the Sky does not want to live with his mistake and that he can hear the Land. Ben says that Todd stopped the David's potential extinction of the Land.

As Viola is about to shoot the Sky, she yells at him about how victory was theirs and how the Sky shot Todd. The Sky apologizes. Todd was given the name "The Knife" because he used a hunting knife to kill a member of the Land (The Knife of Never Letting Go). The Sky mentions that regret was on Todd's face ever since killing the River Spackle in The Knife of Never Letting Go. The Sky carries his regret forever that says that "The Land deserve better-".

Viola watches the Sky remember Todd through Noise. She sees how Todd suffered for killing the River Spackle and realizes that killing the Sky would only massacre the new settlers. Pained by Todd's death and reality of war, Viola drops the acid rifle.

The Sky realizes the Viola has chosen not to shoot him and Viola yells at the Sky to go away. As the Sky leaves on his battlemore, he hears confusion among the grief in Ben's Noise.

Ben hears flickers of Todd's Noise, much to the surprise of Angharrad and Viola.

Arrival (Epilogue)

Todd has been moved into the Pathway's End to heal from the acid rifle. On Todd's wound, there is "A pack of Spackle cure is pasted onto where his chest is scarred and burnt-". Viola has been reading Mrs. Hewitt's journal to a comatose Todd in order for Todd's Noise to appear. Todd's Noise has flickered throughout the coma. Ben checks up on Viola and asks her to represent New World, but Viola says that Bradley is a better settler representative. Ben also agrees to represent New World as he speaks both English (human) and the Voice (the Land).

Todd sees various memories of the Land and of his own life in his coma. He sees all the unexplored places of New World. Throughout the coma he knows who Viola is except himself, until he hears Viola reading the journal to him, telling Todd his name. Todd tells Viola through Noise to "Keep calling for me Viola- Cuz here I come". It is likely that Todd will become fluent in the language of the Land after he awakens from his coma; making him the second known human after Ben to speak the Voice of the Land.

Borrowed e-book: 04/28/2021-05/19/2021 (original); 05/17/2021-05/31/2021 (renewed)

Originally published: 05/26/2021; edited: 05/27/2021 (added more to summary), 06/04/2021 (grammatical corrections), 07/25/2021 (added chapter dividers), 12/19/2022 (grammar fixes)