#i feel like this is how Siege of Macindaw went

[juicingbeetles]

[rangercorpstherapy]

Here was my theory about Arazan’s Wolves. Yes, John Flanagan said Alyss is dead and would stay dead. Royal Ranger is my favorite book, her death made the great ending possible. I was sad Alyss died, but it worked well for the plot. Now Will has not had any character development at all since (and let’s be honest, Maddie hasn’t either) so to bring Alyss back would be a great way to change and grow him as a character. Here were my reasons as to why it was possible:

1. No body.

This one is not the best, given the givens, but an inn fire could not have burned hot enough to completely incinerate a body.

2. The inn was likely partially made of stone, which was common in the area (South Araluen, this will be important later) so as the fire flared up in front of her, she could have fallen through the floor and a combination of roof beams and the stone walls could have protected her.

3. If she was alive, why didn’t she go back home to Will? Head injury causing amnesia and massive change in personality (will be important later)

4. She was in Southern Araluen, very near Celtica where the sorceress was. Not too far to walk.

5. The sorceress controls Wargals. We know from Siege of Macindaw that Alyss was susceptible to hypnosis, and her head injury could have changed her enough to make her even more receptive to the mind control magic system in the books to control Wargals.

6. Head wounds can cause severe changes in personality making Alyss want to rule the world.

7. To rule the world, what one has to do is this: control the Wargals to make the locals mine silver for you, buy a bunch of land in Gallica, take over Gallica, and from there take over the world.

8. The Sorceresse’s name. Arazan. In Nihon-Ja, because the locals couldn’t pronounce her name, Alyss went by “Ariss-san” pronounced identically to Arazan.

Personally I think my theory was far better than the book itself. Comments or questions?

I've never been a fan of 'return from the dead' scenarios in general. but honestly, I think it perhaps could work for in this scenario. Perhaps also because arazan's wolves is set a few books after the royal ranger so the twist doesn't feel as cheap. imagine if will and maddie came back home after the entire jory rhul thing just for halt to be on his doorstep and be like 'uhm your dead wife is alive and evil now, sorry.'

I love the idea of alyss becoming an antagonist with no way to ever get her back to her 'normal' state, which would mean that she would have to die or they will never be together again. and I love traumatizing will further than he already is and also indeed bring some much needed character development.

what i would change about your au is maybe the world domination plot point.

Alyss survived a fire, we can safly assume she will have some pretty bad scarring all over her body and/or face. from the the sorcerer of the north we know the people of araluen aren't the most accepting of people with physical differences. so this alyss who is very badly scarred, has no idea where or who she is and is also being ostracized by the communities she asks for help leaves the country.

maybe she saves a direwolf or a direwolf saves her which leads to her forming connections with them or mind control she's unaware of. this would be the first time after the fire incident she would feel loved and safe. she can create a stronghold in the mountains somewhere in celctica were she can live in peace because at this point she way to traumatized by people, and just let her dire wolves kill everyone who comes to close which would in the end lead to the same thing that happens in arazans wolves; will gets called to fix their issues, and angst ensues.

the similarities between arazan and the ariss-san is SUCH a cool observation. it would mean that alyss, somewhere deep down, can n remember her past, but it's distorted and layered in contexts she can't understand. ouch.

But how do you see this ending on the evil alyss route, who kills her? does will try and can't bring himself to do so which means madelyn has to step in? what happens after?