Plot

Faith of the Fallen begins right where Soul of the Fire leaves off. Richard is taking Cara and an injured Kahlan to the high mountains of his homeland, Westland. At the end of the Soul of the Fire Richard realizes that he cannot win against Emperor Jagang until the people themselves want to fight for freedom. Because of this mindset Richard isolates himself in the woods, to allow Kahlan time to heal, and refuses to give orders to the D'Haran Army. He insists that the fight against the Imperial Order is a doomed cause and further resistance can only result in the loss of more lives. After Kahlan has made a significant recovery, the trio is reintroduced to Nicci, an impassive Sister of the Dark who was one of Richard’s instructors at the Palace of the Prophets in Stone of Tears. She provides great insight into the goals of the Order and about the Dream Walker, Jagang himself. Nicci believes fully in the goal of the Order: to have everyone live in equality. Nicci's goal is to capture Richard, something that she accomplishes using the rare and difficult maternity spell linking herself to Kahlan. Anything that happens to Nicci now happens to Kahlan. Faced with a hopeless situation, Richard is forced to go with Nicci into the Old World, leaving behind Kahlan, Cara, and the Sword of Truth. Kahlan and Cara, despite knowing Richard's objections, leave the Upper Ven in search of help from Zedd and Sister Verna. Seeing the plight of her troops fighting against the Order, Kahlan takes command of the combined armies of D'Hara and the Midlands in a desperate attempt to halt the Order's advance into the New World. While Kahlan and Richard's friends do battle in the New World, Richard is put to work in the Old World capital of Altur'Rang, doing whatever he can to make ends meet for himself and Nicci. Nicci, expecting Richard to finally understand how oppressive life for the poor in the Old World can be and how the Imperial Order provides relief, begins to understand how wrong she and the Order have been all these years when Richard independently rises above the hardships placed in his path and begins to do what is necessary to survive. Richard freely helps others, shows that one can take pride in his work, himself, and his surroundings, and people begin to take notice and soon find purpose in life. They find that it is only they who can make their life better. Soon, the people around Richard change their lives and their outlook for the better. When Richard is ordered as punishment for unnamed crimes to carve a massive stone statue for the Emperor's Palace, he does as he is asked. When Richard reveals the statue, however, it is not the design given to him by Brother Narev, the self proclaimed leader of the order; it is an inspirational work of art depicting mankind, free and beautiful, in all its glory. When Brother Narev orders Richard to destroy his own statue, the people of Altur'Rang rise up in rebellion and attack the Imperial Order. Kahlan and Cara, having heard of Richard's plight, issue orders to the Troops and journey to Altur'Rang to rescue Richard no matter the cost. They arrive just in time to see the uprising. When the dust settles, Richard, Kahlan, and Cara are reunited, Nicci pledges fealty to Richard after realizing the truth of his philosophy, and the people of Altur'Rang have a new spirit, having tasted freedom.