Summary:Words of Radiance/Chapter 71
He bears the weight of God's own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context. He is what we have made him to be, old friend. And that is what he, unfortunately, wished to become.
- Characters
- Plot Summary
- Ishakev 1173
Teft and Sigzil are in the warcamp, sitting vigil for Kaladin, and Teft speaks of his childhood and of what his parents did as Envisagers. They knew things about the Radiants, and some Envisagers including his parents attempted suicidal stunts to see if they would manifest powers, and Teft ended up turning them into the authorities who had them executed. Dalinar shows up and inquires about their vigil and Teft proclaims that Kaladin definitely survived despite falling into the chasm. Sigzil proclaims his belief in Kaladin's return and Dalinar just tells them to not overextend themselves or stay out during highstorms, though the highprince believes that Kaladin is dead.
Kaladin feels like a fool for leading them in the wrong direction. He calls out for Syl but gets no answer. He also feels like a fool for the way he treats Shallan and for the incorrect assumptions he made about her. He compliments Shallan on her drawing ability as she sketches a more accurate map of the Plains, though it is getting much sooner until the next highstorm. She traces a couple of the plateaus nearby by walking around them, and Kaladin notices her having a mysterious conversation with someone and speculates that she might be a Radiant talking to a spren.
Shallan says that some of the series of plateaus are mirror images of others and Kaladin says that the Plains are symmetrical and that he knew that from a dream, and Shallan says she knows where the Parshendi are, and the Oathgate, and that she can map all of it since the Plains were not a natural forming pattern, but rather created through cymatics.
They follow a revised path based on Shallan's map, though they have to periodically check their route, slowing down their escape. They shout to try to get the attention of Alethi scouts, but no one answers. Kaladin grows moody because he feels that he failed them, but Shallan tries to remain optimistic. Kaladin says he wished he could be like Shallan, but then Shallan describes how it is like to be depressed and hopeless and he understands that she wasn't always happy, but she somehow muddles through anyway, which inspires him. They banter again with Shallan trying to improve Kaladin's mood again like she used to do with her brothers, and he goes along with their jokes to an extent.
The chasmfiend shows up again, and they try to flee, hiding in a narrow fissure. The chasmfiend fails to reach them, but it then settles nearby to wait as the highstorm is rapidly approaching, with about two hours left before it reaches them. Kaladin decides to try to distract the chasmfiend to allow Shallan to escape back to the warcamps with her vital information. He prepares to fight to the death, and tells Shallan to apologize to Adolin on his behalf. Shallan says that before he goes to fight to take her shardblade.