Fate and Prophecy

Many tales involve prophecies or destined quests (e.g., the centaur Shepperalk, the rider to the City of Never), where characters are driven by inescapable fates that shape their journeys and outcomes.

The priests cast a horoscope that seems to satisfy them, and Thangobrind's doom is foreshadowed by the ominous cough and the inevitability of his fate.

The Sphinx's resignation and the inevitability of the 'thing' from the forest underscore a sense of inescapable fate.

Pombo's fall is presented as an inevitable outcome, his fate shared with Slith, suggesting a predetermined doom beyond his control.

The entire chapter is driven by a prophecy that the protagonist would come to the City of Never, and his journey is portrayed as an inevitable fulfillment of destiny.