Silvertip Mountain I don’t see how he can ever finish, if he doesn’t begin

He had known all along it would be this way.

It was no divine knowledge, only the certainty of an arrogant believer. When they first met, Aventus felt that Val had been touched by the bear in a way that made him singularly suited to Ursus. Where he might have otherwise questioned his friend's mild-mannered approach to things, he believed more of him. Val wasn't so different from Ashlar, but where Ashlar was a coward and nothing he ever did could change Aventus' opinion of him, Val simply needed to learn.

I told you the bear made you stronger, he said with a warm smile, remaining stoic where Arielle swept forward to embrace their friend. Now you know it, too. Let us go home and celebrate.