White: The Great Pursuit

Synopsis
White is a novel by Christian author Ted Dekker. It is the third and final book in the Circle Trilogy.

Plot
In White: The Great Pursuit, all those who follow Elyon through Justin's sacrifice have formed "The Circle", the roles have switched in the sense that the Horde has taken over the Seven Forests and The Circle now resides in the deserts, able to survive by the aid of Johan (formerly Martyn) who is familiar with life in the desert. They usually try to avoid the Horde but it is evident that in the 13 months since Justin gave his life The Circle has led roughly 1,000 Scabs to drown in the red pools and join The Circle. One night during a council meeting (composed of Thomas, Mikil, Jamous, William, Suzan, Johan and Justin's disciple Ronin) the new and more vicious commander of the Horde armies Woref orchestrates a massive invasion on Thomas' tribe, in an attempt to cover the tribes escape into the desert Thomas, Suzan, William and Cain ride out towards the approaching army, leading to Thomas and the others capture. Subsequently they are imprisoned in the newly constructed Horde village in an underground dungeon. Qurong, the Horde leader takes his prisoners before his wife Patricia and daughter Chelise, whom Thomas met some time earlier in the desert when the disease had nearly overcome him, calling himself then by another name. When Qurong is presenting his 'prize' he also announces that Chelise is to be wed to the beast of a general Woref whom was responsible for the capture of Thomas and the other "albinos". Soon after, Thomas appeals to Qurong and Chelise's desire to learn the Books of Histories, knowing that the Horde cannot read them but members of The Circle can. Chelise pleads for Thomas to be spared his execution and instead made her servant. He is imprisoned in the library where he has access to the Books of the Histories and for a few days after spends his time searching out the blank books of history while also reading some historical stories to Chelise that effect her in ways she's never experienced - because she's hearing the truth. Unbenknownst to Thomas, he begins to fall in love with her, having not had feelings for a woman since the death of his last wife Rachelle. The others in the Circle at first believe him to have gone mad but when they find out he truly does love this Scab, and Scab royalty at that, they're willing to risk themselves alongside Thomas to help. The problem is that she, being diseased, is completely forbidden from falling in love with an albino and is utterly terrified of the thought of drowning in the red pools. However, after willingly accompanying Thomas to the desert (though Woref and her family believe she's been kidnapped) she begins to see Thomas' heart and realizes how deeply he loves her. Finally she embraces the notion that she does too in fact love him and they embrace the passionate moment by the campfire. She still does not decide to follow Elyon, seeing herself as incapable.

Upon the groups return to their tribe, they're greeted by an angry William. Who informs them that the Horde has attacked killing 10 of their members, wounding some others and taking 24 prisoner back to the Horde village. Thomas in an attempt to free those 24, offers Qurong what he really wants: himself, Thomas of Hunter. Thomas returns to the forests with Mikil and subdue a border guard, instructing him to inform Qurong of their offer. He does and returns with a group of warriors who exchange the 24 albinos on horseback for Thomas. He is then imprisoned and beaten and ordered to renounce his love for Chelise to her face or she'll receive the same punishment that he will: death by drowning (traditional Horde execution). The thought is unbearable to Thomas, but the thought of Chelise dying before she has a chance to drown in the red pool is even more heart wrenching. He reluctantly goes through with it, utterly destroying himself in the process and nearly convincing Chelise when he knocks himself out to get away from the pain. When he reawakens he decides not to go through with it and rushes for Chelise professing his love for her as sure and true as it's ever been. At that moment as they're weeping together Woref bursts through the door (having been spying on the whole event) and in a fit of rage grabs Chelise throws her against the wall, violently striking her in the face at the very moment that Qurong walks through the door, led in by a captive Mikil. Woref, Chelise and Thomas are all sentenced to death by drowning unless Chelise tells her father she doesn't in fact love Thomas (which Thomas tries to get her to do) but she does not. Upon Mikil's release she meets with Johan and Suzan and they begin to trace a portion of the lake that was not emptied by Ciphus when it had turned red after Justin's drowning for it was in fact a spring. They dig and eventually reach the flowing waters which they fill into a bucket and pour into the larger lake just before Thomas, Chelise and Woref are sent to the depths. As they all sink Chelise pleads with Elyon to take her, suddenly realizing that the water is turning red she drowns in the red water and experiences Elyon's sacrifice and love for her. Eventually she rises, simultaneously as Thomas does (much in the same fashion as when Thomas and Rachelle drowned at the end of Red). Qurong appears to be somewhat stunned by the turn of events, but allows Chelise, Thomas and the other albinos safe passage out of the forests to the desert, though he will not drown himself. Thomas, Chelise and the others leave the forests to the desert where their tribe is waiting.

All while this is happening, events are still in motion in Ancient Earth. Thomas has successfully turned Carlos by allowing him to sleep while in contact with his blood, in which Carlos dreams of the other reality as Johan. He then believes and somewhat reluctantly decides to join up with Thomas in an effort to stop Svensson and Fortier from executing their full plans: Only releasing the antivirus to a small list of people they deemed worthy of its reception. Upon hearing this America has already turned it's naval fleet, airforce and nuclear arsenal over to the French, as a last-ditch effort to resist Thomas along with high-ranking U.S., British and Israeli officials order the USS Nimitz to fire on the fleet sinking all of it. When Thomas returns to Washington D.C. he meets with President Blair, Monique and his sister Kara at Genetrix Labs to check on the progress of the antivirus. They inform him that the only feasible cure is through his blood. Somehow it instantly eradicates the virus, and Monique and Kara believe it to be because he swam in Elyon's lake and breathed the water in effectively making his blood immune. However, since the virus is so widespread they need all twelve pints of his blood. A transfusion is out of the question because of the risk they would run of "watering down his blood with infected blood". Thomas agrees knowing that it's the only hope they have left of defeating the pandemic, his blood is dubbed the "Thomas Strain" by Monique. His only request is that he is allowed to sleep before they begin the procedure. As he does he reawakens in the other reality, the book concludes with Thomas at the oasis where his tribe stays, waiting on the top of a dune with Mikil, Jamous, Suzan and Johan as his bride Chelise is preparing for their wedding. A loud rumble is soon heard throughout the desert and a mass of Roshuim (white lions that were at the high lake with Elyon) begin to swarm around their oasis, lead in by a rider on a white horse - Justin. He rides straight for Chelise and dismounst, approaching her and grasping her hands. He exclaims his satisfaction to his father, Elyon, saying "she's perfect, my bride is perfect!". He then rides for Thomas where he lovingly embraces him and tells him "Well done, Thomas". He then mounts his horse and in the same fashion as when The Circle was first born, he rides around them with his sword in the sand symbolically carving a circle around them in the sand. He then proceeds to leave them, riding over the crest of the dune with the Roshuim in pursuit. It is stated in the few short days since Chelise drowned in the red water, some 5,000 Scabs followed in pursuit of Elyons gift through Justin.