# XXVIII: The Fate of the Killers explained — The World Below

> Chapter companion for The World Below by S. Fowler Wright.

## What happens

The narrator and their companion hide in a cliff crevice as the Dwellers arrive on the plateau, systematically capturing and draining the blood of the Killers. The Amphibians descend and face the Dwellers, but a group of yellow lizards (Bat-wings) appears and is crushed by a Dweller. The Dwellers then allow the Amphibians to pass through, and the chapter ends with the companion declaring this the beginning of the next adventure.

## Themes in this chapter

### Violence and Ethics

The Dwellers systematically drain the Killers' blood and discard their carcasses, while the narrator reflects on the morality of the destruction of the Bat-wings.

### Freedom vs. Control

The Killers are captured and controlled by the Dwellers, who decide their fate; the Amphibians are allowed to pass only after the Dwellers assert dominance.

### Alienation and Otherness

The narrator feels insignificant and vulgar compared to the Dwellers and Amphibians, highlighting the narrator's sense of being an outsider.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

Hides in a cliff crevice with the companion, observes the Dwellers' actions and the Amphibians' arrival, struggles to suppress thoughts.

### The Dwellers

Arrive on the plateau, crush the yellow lizards, capture and drain the Killers' blood, and allow the Amphibians to pass.

### The Amphibians

Descend the cliff led by six Leaders, sing as they approach, and are allowed to pass through the Dwellers' line.

### The Killers

Panic and scatter as the Dwellers arrive; most are captured, drained of blood, and thrown into a boiling tank; a few are selected for a new colony.

### Britomart

The narrator's companion; leads them to the hiding place, instructs the narrator to avoid thought, and later expresses relief and anticipation.

## Key lines

> From the force that withstands shall we falter or flee, Who have bent in our hands the untamable sea? From the cloud that is close⁠ ⁠…

The narrator hears a song of defiance and confidence, reminiscent of the Amphibians' earlier approach.

_The music bolsters the narrator's spirit during a moment of despair._

> It may be the end of all, if you cannot isolate yourself from that which is near us.

The companion warns the narrator to block out nearby thoughts to avoid detection.

_The companion emphasizes the need for mental isolation to survive._

> I think this is the beginning of the next adventure.

The companion expresses relief and anticipation after the Dwellers and Amphibians depart.

_The chapter ends on a note of hope and new possibilities._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_world_below_se/chapters/xxviii-the-fate-of-the-killers
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_world_below_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_world_below_se/chapters