Plot Summary

Plot summary of The Tombs of Atuan:
 The story focuses on child of Kargish descend who is firstly taken away from her parents and dedicated as a high priestess on the behalf of serving the "Nameless Ones" on the island Atuan, one of the islands in Earthsea universe. True name of the child is Tenar, but she was renamed to "Arha", which in the old speech means "The Eaten One". This took place when Tenar was formally consecrated to the gods' service at the age of six, as it is believed that all high priestess' are reincarnations of the first priestess.

 The youth of Arha is obtrusive contrast between complacent childish escapades and dark, festive rituals. She has only one true friend, an eunuch named Manan who really cares for her. Gradually she accept her anonymous and lonely role, and to feel at home in the pitch black underground labyrinth, the eponymous Tombs, where the malevolent, powerful Nameless Ones dwell, and where prisoners are sent for their slow and painful death. When she becomes aware of the political mechanics among the older priestesses, Kossil and Thar, the Tombs become a refuge to her, where she could move freely in the Labyrinth under them. After Thar's death, Arha becomes greatly isolated, hence Thar was fair and nice to her. And there is only Arha and Kossil now, who truly despises Arha and her cult as rivals to Kossil's power.

 The overwhelming routine of Arha's world is severely disrupted when she is fifteen years old, on the arrival of Ged, the protagonist of A Wizard of Earthsea. He comes to the Tombs to find the long-lost half of the Ring of Erreth-Akbe, a powerful magical necessary to bring peace in Earthsea, which had been broken many centuries ago. Arha finds him roaming, lost in the magic-laced Labyrinth under the Tombs. She traps the wizrd underground to die in order to punish him for desecrating the Labyrinth. She struggles in her mind whether she should kill him or let him live. However, in her loneliness she is drawn to him and listens as he tells her about the outside world. Eventually she spares his life but she keeps him prisoner in the Tombs, bringing him fresh water and food. Unfortunately for Arha, she is unable to keep it a secret for ever, and the priestess Kossil learns about Ged's existence and whereabouts. Arha is forced to promise that Ged will be sacrificed to the Nameless Ones. She realises, however, that she is unable to kill Ged and instructs her private eunuch, Manan to dig a false grave underground, while she will hid Ged in the treasury of the Tombs where only she is permitted to enter.

 By the time being, Arha's relations with Kossil have reached a critical point of no return and they have a quarrel in public of front of the subordinate priestess. Kossil tells her in open face that nobody believes in the Nameless Ones anymore and Arha is just a figurine. The real power is in possession of Kossil, the priestess of the Godking. In return of the favor, Arha curses her in the name of Nameless Ones. After she cools down a bit from her anger, she realizes that Kossil will be determined to kill her without hesitation and no one will be able to stop her. Arha heads underground to the Labyrinth and discovers that Kossil is uncovering the fake grave of Ged desecrating the tombs by using light in the same time. She then goes to the treasury when Ged is hidden, and in her desperation she confesses everything to the wizard.

 In the meantime while Ged was imprisoned in the treasury, he found what he came for – the other half of the Erreth-Akbe Ring. He tries to convince Arha to abandon her role as a priestess and take her leave with him from the Tombs. Arha is eventually convinced by the wizard's kindness. She realizes that Nameless Ones demand her service but giving nothing in return of it. Ged must spend lot of his strength on hiding himself from the Nameless Ones, as they would kill him in an instant if they detect his presence. Realizing that she has no future in the Tombs, Arha renounced her role as the high priestess and returns to her original, old name Tenar. She helps Ged escape from the Tombs with the second half of the Ring and frees herself from serving the Nameless Ones. The Tombs collapse as Tenar and Ged escape them. Ged brings back to Havnor where they are welcomed triumphantly, and the ring of Erreth-Akbe now whole again ushers in a new age of peace to the Earthsea.

