Editing Summary:Rhythm of War

* [[Gereh]]

* [[Renarin Kholin]]

* [[Kalak]]

* [[Honor]] (mentioned only)

* The [[Stormfather]] (mentioned only)

* [[Cultivation]] (mentioned only)

* [[Dieno]]

* [[Dor (character)|Dor]]

* [[Dieno]] (mentioned only)

* [[Dieno]]

Shallan and Adolin are in a carriage going toward the Shattered Plains' [[Oathgate]]. Shallan thinks about the truths she's suppressing, and about how people would leave her if they knew what she had done. Veil tells Adolin that Ialai was assassinated, and they discuss about whether it would have been right to kill the highprincess. Shallan shows Adolin the notebook, including a list of words containing [[Nalthis|"Nalathis"]], [[Scadrial|"Scadarial"]], and [[Taldain|"Tal Dain"]], and at the end the name [[Thaidakar]]. Shallan thinks she will have to break with the Ghostbloods.

* [[Dieno]] (mentioned only)

Arriving at Urithiru, Kaladin feels depressed despite people wanting to cheer him up. He still tries to maintain the strong façade, but collapses and thinks about Moash as soon as he enters his chambers. Syl fetches Adolin and he arrives to pull Kaladin out for a drink. They go to [[Jez's Duty]] winehouse, where Adolin has frequented and blends in well. Kaladin chats with Veil and Radiant about the assassination of Ialai and Shallan's personas. They talk about finding a new relationship for Kaladin, who is reluctant. Kaladin talks with Adolin about his battle shock and Shallan's mental stability. Rock tells Kaladin about his departure to his [[Horneater Peaks|homeland]] to face the trials for lifting the bow.

* [[Dieno]]

Navani is visiting [[Szeth]] in his cell sixteen days after the test of the ''Fourth Bridge''. She compares the [[black sphere|sphere]] that Gavilar gave Szeth as he was dying to a sphere of Voidlight stolen from a singer. While both glow an impossible purple-on-black that Rushu describes as hyperviolet, the air warps around the sphere Szeth had provided, evoking a wrongness. Navani is befuddled as to where Gavilar could have gotten it let alone all the other spheres she saw that night. Since the test, Navani has been working on practical issues in the tower and has not heard again from the spanreed messenger. Navani turns her attention to Szeth and his strange [[Nightblood|Blade]]; she wants to sink the Blade in the ocean like they'd done to the [[King's Drop|gemstone]] imprisoning the [[Thrill]] and execute Szeth, but Dalinar wants him alive and thinks the Blade is safest in his possession. Szeth has been granted his simple requests of white clothes, a shaving razor, a blanket, a bath a day, and lots of light. Szeth says he has found a better way by swearing to Dalinar, but this doesn't relieve Navani's fears. Navani asks Szeth about the night of Gavilar's assassination again. Szeth recounts how Gavilar trusted him with the sphere as he was not sent from the men Gavilar feared had sent him, then after writing down Gavilar's last words, Szeth hid the sphere. Szeth had retrieved the sphere a month ago, only after Navani explicitly asked if Gavilar had given him anything. Navani would like to study the Blade, but being around Szeth makes her sick. Szeth is pleased that when he asks Navani if she hates him, she says yes.

* [[Dieno]]

* [[Dieno]] (mentioned only)

The [[coalition of monarchs]] gathers later that day, and Navani immediately runs into Taravangian. He sincerely and terrifyingly, to her mind, explains that he has always been looking out for the future of Roshar before [[Noura]] begins the meeting by having Dalinar outline his proposed attack on Emul. [[Yanagawn]] shortly adds his support, followed by Taravangian; the latter's agreement causes the Alethi to second guess their idea. When Queen [[Fen Rnamdi|Fen]] approves the mission as well, she brings up the dearth of honorspren, so Sigzil brings up the idea of sending an envoy to their capital. After discussing their options, Shallan volunteers to lead the mission along with Adolin; they decide to take Godeke, an Edgedancer, as well as a Truthwatcher and a [[Stoneward]]. After dinner with the Thaylen leaders, Navani relaxes with Dalinar by their heating fabrial. They sift through Taravangian's motivations together before Dalinar asks Navani to stay behind to run the tower while he is in Emul.

* [[Shallan Davar]] (mentioned only)

* [[Relador]] (mentioned only)

Syl is flying through the halls of Urithiru while Kaladin is still asleep. She comes across Cord, who is cooking and who gives Syl an offering. Syl takes note of Cord’s [[Shardplate]], then gets distracted. She reflects on how she constantly has to force herself to not get distracted. Syl moves on to Kaladin’s quarters and thinks about how badly she wants to help him cope with his depression, something she struggled to understand. Soon a [[highstorm]] approaches and she asks the Stormfather if he can make her feel like Kaladin does. The Stormfather denies her this wish, insisting that she put Kaladin’s needs above her own.

Kaladin is stunned at his failed Lashing, and he searches for Syl or Phendorana but can't find either. Rlain says that the [[rhythm]]s are going crazy, and as they arrive at the Edgedancer clinic, they find the Edgedancers unconscious. They decided to take Teft to Kaladin's father. As they try to find a way to carry him, Kaladin discovers that he can still do full Lashings, which use the surge of [[Adhesion]]. As they make their way, they learn that this is affecting all the Radiants except Kaladin, and Kaladin says the effect reminds him of the device that they found in Hearthstone. They arrive at Lirin's clinic and find it full of other Radiants. He calls again for Syl, whom he can feel distantly, and she emerges, describing feeling sleepy. Rlain arrives and says that Fused are in the tower and that spanreeds aren't working.

Kaladin continues his work, and Syl indicates she wants him to follow her. She leads him to Rlain, who has realized that he cannot stay in hiding. He intends to join the invaders under the pretense of being an ordinary parshman who hadn't known what to do. Syl has a moment where she is depressed at the thought of being left by everyone, but she forces cheerfulness when Kaladin asks her about it.

Kaladin is in the clinic, where a [[Alili|messenger]] woman tells them that Navani has surrendered, so they are to live under singer law and not resist. Lirin says that it wasn't so bad before, and it won't be so bad now. Kaladin is frustrated at his response and how they have to live under the rule of the enemy. Hesina and Laral go to check on the people, and Kaladin and his father continue to argue about resisting on the way to their rooms. A little later, Syl alerts them to a search party that is nearing, and Kaladin hides. The soldiers enter and say that they are to take the Radiants into custody. Kaladin overhears and cannot bear the thought of them taking Teft. He emerges to find a Regal and a regular soldier, with the soldier carrying Teft. Kaladin pushes his father into another room as he tells them to leave Teft. The Regal refuses, and they fight brutally, with Kaladin leaving the Regal to bleed out. Kaladin tells the other soldier to leave and then checks on his father, who is in shock. Kaladin says that they all need to go into hiding, and Lirin, furious, refuses. He cannot believe that Kaladin murdered someone in his clinic, his home. He tells Kaladin to leave and that he will stay, despairing because he believes his son has become a monster. Kaladin grabs Teft and leaves.

Vyre is in Kholinar, throwing his Honorblade and trying to get it to respond to him the way he saw Adolin’s blade respond to him on a battlefield. [[Khen]], a singer, talks to Vyre and says that they're leaving because this is not what they want to do. She tells Vyre that though he claims he is not burdened, his obsession with Kaladin suggests otherwise. As Vyre goes to haul some rocks from a quarry, he is taken by a vision with Odium. Odium says that Vyre is becoming something unexpected, and he also orders him to help operate the Oathgates to bring forces to Urithiru. Odium says he is worried about the effect that Kaladin has on him, and asks for Vyre's help to defeat him. Vyre says that Kaladin can't be killed, and when Odium says that he would claim Kaladin as he did Vyre, Vyre thinks to himself that he would rather Kaladin be dead. Odium asks how to hurt Kaladin, and Vyre says that he needs to be isolated from his friends and made to fear. Odium says that he lacks the needed Connection to Kaladin in order to influence him and show him visions; since Vyre has such a Connection to him, they plan on using his dreams to bring Kaladin visions.

Lift has made a home of sorts in the labyrinthine tunnels that make up the ceilings and walls of Urithiru. She continues to steal food, though primarily in the form of baskets deliberately left for her. She continues to grow, which makes her angry. She talks with [[Wyndle]], who confirms that she saw Cultivation, not the [[Nightwatcher]]. Lift says that she had specifically asked not to change. She wanted to stay her mother's little girl and is heartbroken by the thought that her mother would not recognize her because she has grown. Wyndle wraps around her to comfort her, but then suddenly realizes that something has happened to the tower. Lift realizes her powers are gone, and they watch a red [[aviar|chicken]] fight a green one. The red one is defeated, and Lift goes to it and tries to heal it but can't, feeling resistance. She takes it with her, goes inside to a safe place, and tries again. Taking extra effort, she finally pushes through the resistance and manages to heal it. Her "awesomeness", however, is not working at all. The chicken leads her away, and they hear battling in the tower. Eventually, the chicken leads them to a corpse of an old Alethi [[Gereh|man]] in robes who has been killed by a knife and appears to be robbed, missing rings. Mraize, with the green chicken on his shoulder, arrives and says that he has always wanted an excuse to hunt her. Lift takes the red chicken and runs.

[[Eshonai]] is exploring the forest with a gathering party and leaves to wander on her own. She thinks about her people, and how they live in scattered families with hopes limited to conquering ancient abandoned cities. She dreams of discovery and exploration--and then finds the humans.

Venli is with her [[Jaxlim|mother]] reciting the listener songs. Their family is the "[[First-Rhythm]]" family, and though they have dwindled over years, they dream of claiming one of the cities that their ancestors had once controlled. Venli finds this too small of a goal and believes that their responsibilities shouldn't involve just knowing and remembering the songs, but implementing them. She believes that Eshonai is abandoning her duty by not learning the songs like she does. She tells her mother that she thinks she has discovered a way to take a new form, [[warform]], by taking a [[painspren]] into her [[gemheart]]. Jaxlim decides that they need to go seek the blessing of [[the Five]]. They do but are interrupted by sounds coming from outside of the town. At first Venli thinks it is a skirmish, but instead learns that it is Eshonai and her discovery of the humans.

Navani meets with Raboniel and tells her that she has accepted Raboniel's offer to work under her. They discuss the science behind the ''Fourth Bridge'', and in doing so, Navani learns that the soulcasters were spren that chose to manifest themselves as such in the Physical Realm. Raboniel says that they have not been able to convince [[voidspren]] to sacrifice themselves that way. Raboniel reveals that her goal is to end the war once and for all using the information they can learn together. Navani goes to check on her scholars. She learns that two of her scholars were killed in the invasion, and tells them that they will be cooperating with the invaders for now. She puts them to work drawing sketches and writing about the experiments they had been doing before the invasion.

Kaladin is in a nightmare, in a dark and stormy landscape. He sees three figures attack him, and he takes the spear from one of them and kills them--and then realizes that [[Tien]] was one of them. He drops the spear, turns, and finds himself on the Shattered Plains, his friends fighting and killing each other. His dying friends speak to him and tell him that this is all his fault, and Moash appears, telling him that Kaladin is the reason for their suffering. He wakes in the tower, exhausted. He searches for Syl, and she arrives, letting him know that the guards seem to have given up the search. He asks her if she knows anything about the light that led them there, and she tells him what she knows about the Sibling, that they were the spren of one of the Bondsmiths. He touches the gemstone that opens the door, confirming that it will still work once infused.

* [[Dieno]]

Dalinar and the Mink are in a flying platform overseeing the battle between the Alethi and the [[Veden]]s. The Vedens are accompanied by some Fused and [[Skybreakers]]. A scribe comes with news from Urithiru. The report says that those at the tower accidentally deployed a device that interferes with both Radiant powers and the Oathgates, and that they were only able to deliver this message by hiking out of range. Dalinar and the Mink both suspect that that this is intentionally caused by Taravangian as a way to isolate them during his betrayal, though they both believe that there is more to the matter.

As they continue to survey the battle, Szeth, in disguise at Dalinar's side, grabs and pulls him away as a Skybreaker appears. The Skybreaker turns out to be [[Nalan]], the Herald, who tells Dalinar that he has to submit because his war is unjust. He asks how he has access to the surges of Honor, as this should not be possible. Nale attacks, and Dalinar touches him at the Stormfather's urging. In doing so, he forges a Connection with him and sees flashes of his past, along with eight lines of light extending from him into the distance. He realizes that the lines are the Oathpact; most of them are weak, one is broken, and another is still vibrant and powerful. Nale breaks away and leaves, and Dalinar is left considering the importance of his powers and the kind of work that it would enable him to do--specifically that of reforging the Oathpact.

Eshonai and the humans try to find ways to communicate with each other, and as they do so, they realize all the ways that they differ. Eshonai marvels that humans are in all forms at all times, as well as that they have singers in [[dullform]] that do not speak. She finds the humans so much more advanced than the singers and spends as much time as possible learning from them. The humans ask to see the Plains, and Eshonai escorts them. During the trip, [[Axindweth]] asks Eshonai questions about the spren that she can see and whether any have talked to her, which Eshonai thinks is a myth. Gavilar and Eshonai talk about the [[greatshell]]s, and they misinterpret her and assume that the singers worship them. The party decides to take a break, and as she helps them set up a tent, Axindweth asks if she can see Eshonai's knife. She and Gavilar talk about it and think it must have come from a time around the false desolation. They are interrupted by the sounds of a [[chasmfiend]] emerging, and soon after, the group leaves. Eshonai only reveals to Gavilar that the knife was found in the ruins of a city her ancestors built, but Gavilar gets very excited, especially when he realizes that the singers have stories of ancient days that include the Radiants. The humans leave them with a gift of weapons and ask to be able to hear the singer songs the next time they meet.

Navani has her scholars doing busy work as they are being watched carefully. She periodically pauses to rest against the wall and speaks to the Sibling in private. The Sibling says that Raboniel does not yet know that she is awake; the [[Re-Shephir|Midnight Mother]] had told the Fused that the Sibling has been dead for a long time. Navani manages to convince the Sibling that they need to work together, though the Sibling is resistant because they are not interested in becoming bonded to a human. The Sibling reveals that there are three other nodes connected to their heart, and Navani needs to find a way to protect them from being corrupted. Navani asks why the Sibling did not activate the defenses that she had earlier, and the Sibling says that when the humans bound Ba-Ado-Mishram, it injured them. It caused them to lose the rhythm of their Light, and the tower stopped working. The Sibling tells her that there are two Radiants still awake in the tower that she can detect. One is Lift, awake because Cultivation gave her the power to use Light differently but in a cage surrounded with [[aluminum]]. The other is Kaladin, and she suspects that she can detect him because as a Windrunner he is close to Honor and to the surge of Adhesion. Navani asks the Sibling to contact him.

Kaladin and Syl are trying to get to the sixth floor, where he suspects he can find Stormlight. He avoids singer guards in Alethi uniforms, and Syl manages to make sure that Kaladin's family is safe. They find lanterns filled with infused gemstones left behind by workers, and Kaladin manages to break into them using a [[Reverse Lashing]]. After getting the Stormlight, they make their way to the Devotary of Mercy on the fourth floor, where he hopes to find food and water. He comes across the ardent Kuno, who provides him with various supplies and nervously agrees to help provide more in the future. As Kaladin nears the room where he left Teft, he is guided by a crystal vein in the rock that lights up; once inside, he touches it and hears Navani's voice.

* [[Dieno]]

Jasnah and Wit join the Mink at the war table, where Jasnah begins making suggestions regarding the battle plans. Lyn brings news to Dalinar that the scouting party saw what they thought were Alethi soldiers on the tower. Dalinar asks them to send scouts at night to watch from a distance. Dalinar turns his attention to the conversation of the leaders, and he can tell that the Highprince [[Ruthar]] is getting angry at Jasnah's intrusion. He realizes that Jasnah is doing this intentionally to get a reaction out of Ruthar, and it works. Ruthar loudly begins to criticize what Jasnah is doing, and she calls to Wit. He begins to insult Ruthar mercilessly, then reveals the fact that he beats his children. Ruthar challenges Wit to combat; when Wit chooses Jasnah as his champion, Ruthar refuses to fight, so Jasnah stabs him in the throat. Jasnah calls for Renarin, who heals him, and then she names Ruthar forfeit of his title. Dalinar expresses disappointment at how Jasnah handled the situation, and Jasnah announces that she did it in part to justify the elimination of the barbaric practice of trial by sword. Jasnah leaves, and Renarin tells Dalinar that he has had an episode. Dalinar says that he will speak to him about it soon.

Venli is with her mother, and it is becoming clear that Jaxlim is suffering from an [[wikipedia: Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer's]]-type condition, as she continues to forget the songs that she has never forgotten before. Venli leaves and joins her sister on the scouting tower, and Eshonai says that she is leaving with a scout group to investigate some smoke in the distance which they think might be the humans returning for a second visit.

The humans are visiting the listeners, and Venli is frustrated with how much they are hounding her about the songs that they know. Axindweth surprises Venli by speaking to her in the listener language and by questioning Venli about the wisdom of following the path of her ancestors. Axindweth tells her that there are great things that the listeners could accomplish if they had the right forms of power, including the ability to heal her mother. Axindweth gives Venli a gemstone and tells her to break it in a storm.

Dalinar watches Gavinor play with his toy sword, and they talk about his parents. The conversation turns dark, and Gavinor becomes distracted. Dalinar gives him over to his nursemaid and moves on. Earlier in the day Dalinar had spoken with [[Relis Ruthar]] and the Azish to smooth over what Jasnah had done with Relis's father. As he walks to the Windrunners' campfire, Dalinar thinks about Jasnah's intent to disband the monarchy and how strange it seems to him.

Renarin resummons his vision and tells Dalinar that the vision shows Dalinar, in Shardplate pierced by an arrow, facing away from Odium. He tells him that he thinks it means that Odium will delay indefinitely and never agree to an actual contest of champions with Dalinar since there was nothing for him to lose by waiting. Renarin also tells Dalinar that both he and Odium only see possible outcomes and explains how their powers interfere with each other.

At [[Glys]]'s prompting, Renarin asks Dalinar what he thinks about more Radiants bonding corrupted spren. Dalinar says that he will have to think about it since he is not sure if can trust the Unmade. Glys asks Renarin who he thinks would be a good match for another spren, and Renarin recommends Rlain.<!--made clear from later chapters-->

Kaladin is feeding Teft, and Syl talks about how she feels when she thinks about her old knight, [[Relador]]. Kaladin realizes that she is processing his death the first time, and they talk about how they learn to deal with depressing thoughts. Suddenly, Dabbid appears with broth, having been led there by the Sibling.

Venli and her family are in their storm shelter, and she decides to take the special sphere into the storm and break it. Those watching think that she is going to take [[mateform]], the only other form available to them. The Stormfather speaks to her and cautions her against taking this action. She chooses to proceed and releases a spren. The spren says that he will live inside her, while also speaking of Shadesmar and a new storm.

Eshonai rejects [[Thude]]'s notion that Venli has taken mateform, and she is relieved when Venli returns, as she was worried. When she speaks with her sister, Eshonai realizes that Venli, who claims she had been trying for warform, is not attuned to the rhythms. It takes Venli a couple of tries to attune them, and Eshonai is a unnerved by her grin and the confidence in her walk.

Venli finds Raboniel in Dalinar's former rooms accompanied by some fused, some humans, and Mraize. Mraize is making a deal for access to the Oathgates, and he presents Lift in a cage as a gift, and reveals to her that Lift is an Edgedancer whom Cultivation made to use Lifelight instead of Stormlight. When Mraize is gone, Venli asks Raboniel if Rlain can be released into her care, as he is the only other of her kind left; Raboniel agrees. She leaves and arrives at her room, where she attempts to swear the [[Order of Willshapers#The Second Ideal|next ideal]]. Her words are rejected, which makes sense to her as she realizes that she cannot be true to the ideal, having watched a human child carted away in a cage.

Navani speaks with Kaladin, thanking him for helping to protect the tower. She reassures him that he did not fail, even though he had to break the node. He tells her that he can no longer fly, but was able to get some of the Fused spanreeds, which Syl has determined work via corrupted spren. Navani goes to check on her scholars, and thinking through her problems, realizes that the lifting glove that Tomor created might be helpful for Kaladin. She arranges for Tomor to leave it in a place where Kaladin can retrieve it. Raboniel then has Navani accompany her to watch some singers testing the shield around the crystal pillar by hacking at it with some Shardblades. Raboniel asks Navani to help her understand the shield, and Navani refuses, informing her that [[Sunraiser|one]] of the blades had been Elhokar's, something which Raboniel had not known.

Raboniel takes Navani to her former office, which Raboniel has claimed. Inside, Raboniel shows Navani a fabrial that demonstrates how the crystal pillar room is being protected. Navani is distracted by a diamond sphere filled with Towerlight, which is a combination of Stormlight and [[Lifelight]]. They discuss ways of mixing different types of Light. Raboniel believes that Voidlight and Stormlight are opposites and can't be mixed, but Navani thinks they can with the right kind of emulsifier. Raboniel leaves Navani, and Navani finds a vein of crystal and speaks with the Sibling, who is convinced they will die soon. Navani tries to convince the Sibling to tell her where the nodes are so that they can protect them, but they refuse. Navani begins her research into the science of light.

* [[Dieno]]

Jasnah is going into war, thinking of how inadequate the descriptions and depictions of war have been in her studies. She is wearing her Shardplate, dulled so as to not reveal who she is. She at first is determined to confront the enemy without using her powers so that she can fully understand the feeling of war. She fights with a Fused capable of growing carapace vines over her and decides to use her powers after all, [[Soulcasting]] the air to oil and slamming steel and flint together to light everyone near her on fire. She loses herself in the battle, and eventually an Edgedancer medic convinces her to rest. Wit brings her fruit, and they discuss her experience and what she is trying to prove to herself and others. They discuss the future of battle, and she returns to war.

When the battle is over, Jasnah arrives at her tent and speaks with the Mink, who assures her she made the right decision and that they won the day. He also tells her that something has disturbed Wit, whom she finds in her tent writing. Wit tells her that one of the [[Sleepless]] was disguised in his things, and that their secrets have been compromised. He decides to divulge what he knows of Thaidakar and the Ghostbloods.

Navani is using prisms to experiment with normal light, Stormlight, Voidlight, and Towerlight. She is able to recombine all of them except for Towerlight, which splits into Stormlight and what she thinks might be Lifelight. She reads one of her accounts of Gavilar's death, looking for her description of the spheres he had had on the table, and suspects that he was involved in this work as well. Raboniel and the insane Fused [[Essu]] enter, and Raboniel is amazed at the amount of work that she has achieved. She is fixated on the idea of combining Stormlight and Voidlight, which she believes is necessary to end the war forever. Navani asks if Raboniel has ever heard of spheres that warp the air around them, and Raboniel tells her of the theoretical [[Lights#Anti-Lights|anti-Light]] which, if combined with Light, would cause immediate and violent destruction. Navani suspects this is what happened to her scholars experimenting on Gavilar's strange sphere. When Navani asks Raboniel what Essu is saying, she learns that Essu is Raboniel’s own daughter who has gone insane and no longer recognizes her.

Venli is taking the opportunity to practice her Radiant powers while Raboniel is visiting Navani. She goes to a section of the tower that is unoccupied, and after checking in Shadesmar to affirm that there are no watching spren, she presses her hand against the stone. She can’t use Stormlight because of the tower's defenses but is able to use Voidlight instead. She communicates with the stone, and when the stone and her body align in an ancient rhythm set to a pure tone, she feels like she belongs. The stone reshapes to show her images of her ancient people, the [[Dawnsinger]]s, shaping things with stone. She runs out of Voidlight and suddenly finds that there are three other spren like Timbre there. Timbre says they would like to bond her squires, but she tells them to wait because of the danger it would pose if her friends began using their powers while surrounded by Odium's forces.

Eshonai and her mother go out into the storm so Jaxlim can try to take on warform. Instead of entering Jaxlim's gemheart, the captured painspren enters Eshonai, who had only accompanied her mother to hold a shield for her against the storm. Eshonai transforms and discovers that there were about a dozen other listeners who did so as well. As they revel in their new powerful bodies, they hear battle drums, return to their city, and find another family about to attack. Eshonai, after retrieving the [[Sharefel|family’s Shardbearer]], confronts the attacking family. She tells them that they have found warform and that because they cannot win against them, they should join with them to present a unified nation to the humans. They return to the city to show their people the new forms and to train.

Navani continues to experiment with light, using tuning forks to transfer Stormlight between spheres. She feels that Stormlight is something in between a gas and a liquid. She considers the relationship between music and math, musing on the fact that the ancient people used a three note scale that corresponds to the three different kinds of Light. She learns that she cannot infuse Stormlight into a sphere that contains any Voidlight. She pauses to talk with the Sibling and asks for more information about their Towerlight. The Sibling says that the tower lost its defenses when they lost the ability to hear the two pure tones of Roshar, those of Honor and Cultivation. Navani suggests that Odium might have become a third tone and that might be why they lost their abilities. Navani returns to her desk and finds a box with a sphere containing Lifelight that she suspects was taken from Lift. She confirms that the third note of Roshar corresponds to this Light, but continues to fail in mixing the Lights. As she takes a break, she realizes that they might be able to store weapons disguised as broken fabrials in the hallways. She returns to the Sibling, and they discuss the people in the tower she can see: Kaladin, Lift, and another Regal, which the Sibling finds odd. Navani proposes that the Sibling bond a Radiant that is not a human, a singer that serves Honor, and the Sibling is not outright opposed to the idea. Navani tells the Sibling some of the ideas she has for protecting the nodes, and the Sibling reveals that one of them is in the well at the [[Breakaway]] market. Just as Navani was getting ready to leave, the Sibling tells her that the Fused have found the node in the well. Navani tells them to contact Kaladin, and she leaves to distract Raboniel.

[[File: Kholin_Crest.svg|125px|center]]

Dalinar wakes from the vision realizing the tower has been occupied by the enemy. He immediately goes to speak with Shalash and Taln to ask after [[Ishar]], determining to go to the Bondsmith so he can learn about his powers in order to fight back.

Szeth watches Dalinar play with Gavinor, attempting to slouch so as to appear as a normal guard. He reminisces on his past and converses with [[Nightblood]] about it. [[Szeth's highspren]] shows itself to him, and Szeth moves away from Nightblood to speak to it. It tells him he must begin to progress in his [[Ideals]], both by moving towards his crusade and beginning to rely on his own interpretation of justice rather than Dalinar's. Then he listens to a messenger read off a list of things Taravangian requested, and gets very angry upon hearing a request for a stone matching the description of his [[Oathstone]]. Thinking Taravangian plans to kill Dalinar, Szeth decides he needs to stop him.

Taravangian wakes up on a dumb day and moves around his prison. He reads instructions he left himself about what to say to Szeth, including "Don't talk to Dalinar," and copies them into a notebook. He eats stale bread before realizing fresh food has been left for him. Renarin visits and tries to convince Taravagian to work with them. Taravangian doesn't answer, overcome by emotion, and Renarin leaves. His next visitor is Szeth, who wants to know why Taravangian asked for an Oathstone. Taravangian tells Szeth several things: Odium fears Nightblood, Szeth's [[Neturo-son-Vallano|father]] is dead, and Szeth must give Nightblood to Dalinar. Szeth refuses to do it and leaves, thinking it's only more manipulation.

Venli looks in on the listener scholars she is using as a front for the discoveries that Ulim gives her, then wanders through the city, which is unusually busy now that the listener [[Listener#Families|families]] have united. Ulim complains about the difficulty of bringing over new voidspren, and he mocks Venli for how little she knows about the humans and their capabilities. He also chastises her when she defends her ancestors and then explains how Odium's forces were stuck on [[Braize]], unable to return because of Taln, when the Unmade decided to start a war without them. Ba-Ado-Mishram gave out forms of power to all of the singers, becoming Connected to them so that when the humans captured her, the singers lost part of themselves. Venli arrives home and finds her mother upset because she can't remember some of the songs. Venli comforts her and starts her reciting the first song. She decides to do what Ulim says because she believes she must in order to avoid slavery under the humans. They decide to manipulate Gavilar into bringing the listeners to Kholinar, which Venli believes will be enough to intimidate her people into taking on forms of power.

Venli and Rlain are headed to Lirin's infirmary. News of Kaladin's fight has spread, and other fights between humans and singers have been breaking out in the tower. They reach the infirmary where the other Radiants are being cared for. Venli takes notice of Rlain’s comfort and casualness with the humans. Rlain reveals that he had been able to sneak maps of the tower out of Navani's information vault before the Fused learned where they were; though Hesina is grateful, Lirin says that he isn’t certain that the risk was worth it. Venli, on the other hand, believes that the tower’s maps will show them a way out of the tower. Venli and Lirin talk, and Venli realizes that Lirin isn't interested in fighting against the occupation. Some human workers enter, and it upsets Lirin to see that one has a ''[[Shash (glyph)|shash]]'' glyph on his forehead in honor of Kaladin. Lirin is disdainful of it, and though Venli defends it by saying it gives people hope, Lirin says that it's just going to cause more deaths.

Adolin is accompanied by guards through Lasting Integrity as he climbs to the top of the city wall. There, he can see the deadeyes outside the wall that have been gathering for weeks--a lot more than they have ever seen before. [[Vaiu]] says that they must be responding to a Connection happening, and he attributes it to the upcoming justice that will be dispensed.

Veil and Radiant try to coax Shallan out, but she is still very upset about learning that Pattern has lied to her. They have been trying to find Restares and have only one more human in the city fortress to identify, someone named [[Sixteen]]. Pattern finds Veil, and it is clear that Shallan has been avoiding him. Pattern asks Shallan if he remembers the first time they met on the [[Wind's Pleasure|boat]] with Jasnah, but Radiant says that that couldn't have been the first time they met because Shallan had spoken oaths before that. Pattern reveals that he had once tried to get Shallan to remember her past, but the pain she experienced in doing so convinced him to play along with the deception. Pattern says he doesn't remember the events surrounding her [[Shallan's mother|mother’s]] death. Radiant asks why Pattern wanted to bond a Radiant, given that he was convinced she would kill him. He responds by saying that he knew danger was coming and that those in both the Physical and Cognitive Realms needed to work together to defeat the enemy. He believed that even if he died, it might be enough to get other Cryptics to join. Radiant asks Pattern if he has lied, and he admits that he has. She asks if he's been spying, and he apologizes, saying that he couldn't think of another way. He says that he brought someone to meet Shallan and introduces a deadeye Cryptic. Shallan emerges suddenly, locking away Veil and Radiant. She calls Pattern a traitor and a liar and, just then, realizes that Sixteen has emerged from his shelter. Shallan is suddenly convinced she needs to kill Restares, but when she sneaks up on Sixteen and sees what he looks like, she knows it's not him. She starts to leave, and Pattern asks her what's wrong, alarmed that she has suddenly changed. She said she's finally made a difficult decision.

Navani continues to try to get the Sibling to speak to her, repeatedly apologizing for her failure to realize that they were being spied on. Raboniel enters, and Navani is amazed to hear her reminisce about the [[shadowdays]]. She is so tired of the war and is dismissive of Navani’s suggestion of peace because their previous attempts had failed. Navani realizes that Raboniel’s desire to combine the Lights is related to her desire to end the war. They discuss her research progress, including Navani's realization that Stormlight responds to sound. She learns that Raboniel can hear the tone of Light, the same tone that she uses to get the Light to transfer spheres. Raboniel explains that there is a rhythm as well as a tone, and that Towerlight has two rhythms that work in harmony. Navani wonders if the rhythms of Stormlight and Voidlight could harmonize, but Raboniel says that Stormlight is too orderly and Voidlight too chaotic. Navani convinces her to try, Raboniel singing the rhythm and tone of Voidlight, and with some effort, Navani doing the same for Stormlight. Their two rhythms eventually come into harmony, and the two kinds of Light successfully mix and infuse the sphere. Raboniel recognizes the rhythm of the Light as the [[Rhythm#The_Pure_Tones|Rhythm of War]] and is shocked that the Lights did not destroy each other. Navani asks about her motivations, and Raboniel suggests that the discovery might allow them to kill a god--like how Honor was killed. Navani realizes that Gavilar had been looking for a way to kill a god. Even more, she realizes that he had discovered the opposite to Voidlight, and that that is what had been in the sphere that killed her scholars. Raboniel gets ready to leave, thanking Navani for her assistance and telling her that though Navani has earned her gratitude, she is not going to leave Urithiru.

Venli is in the palace at Kholinar for the signing of the peace treaty. Ulim is leading her to a secret place where his agents exchange messages and, in this case, where he hopes to find other Voidspren in spheres. Ulim has left Venli’s gemheart, and she is less certain about what they are doing, especially once Ulim reveals that he has lost contact with his agent, Axindweth. They recover the message she left behind--no spheres--and they learn that she had been discovered and left the planet. Ulim is upset and says that they have to come up with another plan. Her people aren't even intimidated by the humans and are instead excited. Venli tries to make her way back on her own, because Ulim left her, but is caught by a guard. He takes her to a room filled with other humans and question her. She says that she got lost, but they aren’t entirely convinced, and say they will hold her until after the treaty has been signed. Ulim returns, shocked, saying that there are Heralds in the palace--Shalash, [[Kelek]], and Nale. Just then, Nale enters, and he takes Venli into his custody. Once alone, it’s clear that Nale recognizes Ulim, and they are not friends. Nale asks Venli how many Voidspren are there, and she tells him that Ulim is the only one. Nale asks how she was able to bring him back, and Venli deflects his question in a way that implied that it was the fault of whatever the Heralds are doing. Nale, in his paranoia, concludes that Gavilar’s plan is working and that he will destroy them all. Nale decides that he has to stop bonds from happening, and tells Venli that Gavilar is planning to betray the listeners, and that she has legal grounds to break their treaty. He tells her of Szeth, that he has an Honorblade and is for sale as a slave. Nale leaves, and Ulim convinces Venli that a war with the humans would make them desperate enough to pursue the forms of power that they want them to.

'''Shallan'''

Shallan enters her room, pushing away thoughts of the deadeye Cryptic and her feelings about Pattern. She says that she is going to contact Mraize, and Pattern trails, saying that she feels wrong. While Shallan gets out the communication cube, Pattern tells her that he had used the cube to talk to Wit but that wit had been overheard by spies for the Ghostbloods. Shallan starts to relax as realizes that none of her friends are spies, which allows Veil and Radiant out, and Veil takes control. She realizes that they still don’t know who killed Ialai, and she calls Mraize on the cube. Veil tells him that Restares is not there and Mraize finds that troubling. He warns Shallan that Restares is one of the most dangerous beings on the planet and that she should be careful. He asks after Shallan's mental health, and Shallan says that it could be better, but they are interrupted by shouting.

'''Adolin'''

Adolin is being tutored by an inkspren ambassador to the honorspren. She tells him that his trial is set for three days from then, and that they should motion for a trial by witnesses, even though this opens him up to self-incrimination. Adolin is certain that this will be necessary to appeal to their honor. [[Blended]] tells him that because the honorspren define what honor means to them, they believe that what they do must be honorable. Adolin realizes that this is how they are able to avoid being convinced using his arguments against their honor. They leave to find the High Judge, whom Blended says is arriving. Adolin sees him and learns that he is human.

'''Shallan'''

Veil is stunned by the appearance of the High Judge. She asks one of the honorspren why she had been told that the High Judge was a spren, and she tells him that it is Kelek, and because he is a Herald and immortal, he's close enough to being a spren that his command to them to keep his identity a secret was good enough for them. Veil realizes that Mraize may have sent them to kill a herald.

As Rlain makes his way through the tower, he is greeted with suspicion, hostility, and dislike from humans, singers, and Fused. He misses how [[Bridge Four]] made him feel; while not perfect, he felt that they could see him more as himself and not a stereotype. He arrives to the Radiant infirmary and eventually finds Lirin. Lirin says that he and Hesina have been seen by [[stormform]]s and that they don't know how long they'll be able to remain in hiding. Neither is certain if they can trust Leshwi and Venli. Rlain goes over to Hesina and the maps, and they talk. Her attitude towards Kaladin and the occupation is different from Lirin, and they worry over Kaladin, whom the Fused are claiming is dead. As Rlain looks at a map of the Shattered Plains, he sees a note and asks Hesina to read it. It says that a group of people were found way out on the eastern side of the Plains. They are interrupted by Lirin who says that he thinks he recognizes one of the workers. Rlain looks and finds Dabbid, who, after he greets him, tells him that Kaladin is asleep and won't wake up.

Kaladin is in a violent and hateful nightmare. He is tormented by his friends, who blame him for everything he was unable to do, and by a terrible wind that whispers hatred. He sees a warm light in the distance, and he fights to get there. Falling into a pit of [[crem]], he is saved by the person inside the light: Wit. Wit tells him that he is in a nightmare sent from Odium to torture him and passes over a bowl of Rock’s stew. Wit tells Kaladin that they’ll only have a short time together, and Kaladin admits that he is close to giving up. He asks Wit for a story, and Wit excitedly obliges.

Radiant is yelling at Mraize through the cube because he hadn't told them who Restares really is. Veil takes over and tells Mraize that they no longer have an incentive to work with him, as Mraize’s hiding of this information suggests that they may not be able to trust what Mraize has told them. Mraize has Veil open the cube and pull out a metal dagger with a gemstone that he tells her to use on Kelek to capture his soul. He explains that the leader of the Ghostbloods has a similar [[Cognitive Shadow|condition]] to Kelek and needs to learn more about the Herald in order to avoid his fate. He convinces Veil that Kelek is dangerous must be locked away, and that Shallan can impersonate him in order to rule in Adolin's favor. He tells her that if she does this, she will become a full Ghostblood.

=== Chapter 83: The Games of Men and Singers ===

Venli, Rlain, and Dabbid make their way to the cells, and Venli uses her [[Surgebinding#Stoneshaping|powers]] to open a hole in the back of Lift's cell. She sends Lift with Rlain and Dabbid after extracting a promise not to speak of the nature of her powers. Venli asks Timbre if she can say the words yet, but Timbre says not yet.

Navani is fully engrossed in her research, something she has never been able to be before. She believes that what they find might allow them to kill Odium, and as she works, she makes fabrial weapons that can be left in the hall appearing to be boxed up half-finished projects. She and Raboniel make more [[Warlight]] for her experiments, and she also tries to find a way to rejoin split spren. Upon request, Raboniel delivers some [[raysium]], which is used to draw Stormlight out of Radiants. After transferring one of the spren halves to the gemstone at the base of the raysium blade, they learn that putting one half of a spren in a larger gem and moving that gem will cause the other half to move a greater amount. Navani asks Raboniel for a way to measure the strength of Stormlight, and the Fused says that she will get her some [[Sand (Taldain)|sand]].

Venli speaks with [[Denshil]], one of the listener farmers. They are thick in the war with the Alethi, and Venli is increasingly certain that she made the right choice. Venli has Denshil cutting gemstones, presumably so that they can hold more Stormlight, but really so that Venli can have gems to capture [[stormspren]]. The farmer is hesitant, but she convinces him that this is necessary for them to survive. As she leaves, Ulim comes to her and tells her that the storm is nearly to Narak. They talk about their plans to bring more stormspren over, but she is interrupted by Eshonai, who takes her to her mother who had been found injured, lost, and confused out on the plateaus. They decide to get her a permanent servant to watch over her and then discuss their past, both as children and during the time leading up to the war. Venli tries to talk to Eshonai about possibly bringing back the gods, and Eshonai shuts her down. They sing together a little before Eshonai drifts off to sleep just as Venli starts to open up to her. That night, Venli goes into the highstorm to hunt stormspren.

Adolin arrives at his trial, where the judge and the spren audience await. They discuss the terms of the trial, and [[Sekeir]] calls his witnesses. The first, [[Amuna]], brings two of her deadeye charges and testifies to the travesty that killed them. The second witness is Blended. She not only says that humans should not be trusted, but that they might even consider bonding with the Fused as the rightful heirs of the land. However, she would rather no bonds happen in order to ensure that no spren will be killed. The third witness is Notum. He appears in uniform, and Adolin realizes that Notum has been told that if he will testify against Adolin, they will end his exile. Notum begins to speak, looking at the paper he brought, but then stops and says, “Honor is not dead so long as he lives in the hearts of men.” The crowd erupts, and Notum continues to bellow this phrase as he is dragged from the room. Adolin goes to speak to Kelek and asks what happened. Kelek tells him that the stakes of this trial are much more than he thought because some spren are considering joining the highspren and the Fused, and Adolin could tip the scales in the opposite direction.

After the trial, Shallan climbs a tree and falls to the ground, faking a severe injury. Pattern plays along, and they convince the honorspren to take her to where their Stormlight is kept. They do so, and she steals a sphere, replacing it with a dun one and pretending that she had drained it to heal herself. The honorspren are appalled at how she could consume so much Stormlight, and they shuffle her from the room.

Adolin arrives for the second day of his trial and takes the stand. As he begins his carefully laid out defense, he is continually interrupted by the honorspren audience, who are doing everything they can to disrupt him with their own accusations. When they bring up Dalinar almost killing the Stormfather and Kaladin about killing Syl, the trial devolves into a full fledged argument. Adolin finally gives up, inviting the honorspren to continue their attack, as it is clear that they have never had honorable intentions in the trial. The audience is initially cowed at his frankness, but their anger reignites when they learn that Adolin knew about the recently killed deadeye Cryptic he had seen in Nameless.

Teft thinks about when he first woke up after being healed by Lift; he had felt like he usually does after binging on [[firemoss]], but when he saw Dabbid and Rlain he had determined to get up and start over again to try to live clean, for their sakes. It was only when they told him what happened that he understood he hadn't given in to his craving. After a couple of days of healing, he is sitting eating soup with Kaladin and Dabbid when Kaladin mentions losing Syl in the fighting. Phendorana appears to the others and reassures Kaladin that their bond is not broken so long as he can still Surgebind.

As Teft thinks about the grim tidings he had awoken to, Phendorana reminds him by a glance not to be down on himself. Rlain and Lift enter next, the latter of whom heals Teft; he has to be healed every ten hours or he falls unconscious again. Rlain reports on Navani's forced seclusion, and they discuss what needs to be done. Kaladin asks whether or not it would be better to quit fighting, and in answer Teft gives them a detailed account of what happened when he was eight years old and he reported his parents, who were part of the [[Envisagers]], to the citylord. He encourages them just to do what they think is right with the information they have and be content with the fact that they can't predict the future.

Raboniel commends Venli's service despite her true loyalty lying with Leshwi and gives her a reward: a writ of authority and a map. On the map, Venli finds a report of a group of Parshendi living on the Shattered Plains. Realizing that this could be the group of listeners who had fled prior to the advent of the Everstorm, Venli takes the papers and runs from the room.

Shallan, as Formless, rises early the day of Adolin's final judgement. Adolin speaks to her about the mistake often made when judging strength and weakness before she convinces him to stay in bed. Formless plans her entry into Kelek's house but is interrupted by both Veil speaking up from deep within her and by Pattern. She Lightweaves an illusion of [[Lusintia]] around herself, but then Pattern makes a final attempt to speak with her and she firmly tells him to stay in the house.

Most of the gathered spren disperse, shocked by the news, but Blended approaches to speak with Adolin. She tells him that she suggested to the honorspren elders to use Maya as a witness because she wanted to verify his claim that he and Maya were friends and that the deadeye could speak. She is not convinced that the revelation means that the spren should now bond humans, worrying instead what could have convinced spren to choose death instead of letting the Radiants continue. Adolin muses that in the light of this revelation, the Radiant-spren bond will never be the same again.

During the [[Battle of Narak]] Venli realizes the danger the listeners are in because of her actions in giving them access to the stormform. She tries to get [[Faridai]] to retreat with her as the humans approach in their direction but then realizes that the listeners, who are chanting a song of summoning, are oblivious, consumed by the new form. As she runs away through the storm, Venli is intercepted by a human soldier, who lets her go after she asks him for mercy. Later she notices Eshonai fighting with a human Shardbearer and falling into a chasm. Venli realizes she might be more affected by the form than she initially thought, as she does not feel any concern for her sister.

Panicked, Venli finds a hiding place between the buildings of Narak and later finds her way into one of them. As she hides from the storm and the battle, she admits to herself that she is not deserving of any of the recognition she got for "discovering" new forms, as all the knowledge was given to her by Ulim, and that she is - and has always been - a coward.

Rlain finds Venli crying, and she tells him that some of the other listeners might be alive, explaining that there was a group led by Thude who refused to take stormform and instead fled Narak the night the Everstorm was summoned. When she confesses that she would have had them killed had Eshonai not let them escape, Timbre prompts her to tell Rlain the whole story. She does so, and Rlain draws away from her in anger.

She attempts to hide her discovery from those watching her as she seeks a Light that would express the sound. The day after her discovery, Raboniel comes to check on her, asking about the sound that her guards say is so terrible. Initially, Navani manages to deflect Raboniel’s questioning, but as Raboniel goes to leave, she sees the new plate that creates the new tone and she tests it. She watches as the sound forces Voidlight out of a sphere, and she says she felt the Voidlight in her gemheart respond. Raboniel reviews Navani’s notes while Navani explains what she is doing: Navani believes that Voidlight echoes Odium’s tone, and that by transferring Voidlight from one sphere to another in a vacuum, it will not be able to hear a tone to echo--until it hears Navani playing the [[anti-Voidlight]] tone against the new sphere. The experiment works, and the new sphere has a warping to it; Raboniel screams when she touches it, though Navani cannot tell a difference. Navani leaves Raboniel in the room, and soon, as Navani hoped, she hears an explosion as Raboniel tries to mix Voidlight with anti-Voidlight. Raboniel survives and has Navani make another gemstone immediately. Raboniel affixes it to one of the daggers in such a way that it would force the anti-Voidlight outward, not inward, and then uses it to kill her daughter. Navani realizes that this will end the rebirth cycle and that Raboniel never wanted to kill Odium--she wanted to free her daughter. Raboniel takes Navani's [[Rhythm of War (in-world)|notebook]], saying that she will make a copy for Navani to keep, but that she needs to do the same process with Stormlight. Navani is horrified, but Raboniel says that she has told her all along that her goal was to end the war, and that means killing spren so they can no longer bond more Radiants.

* [[Shar]]

* [[Liganor]]

Adin is the son of a potter in the tower, and he is determined to be a Windrunner. He knows he has to be brave in order for a spren to choose him, and he's on the lookout for the right moment. He makes his way through the tower with his father toward the shop where his father works, noting a disturbance in the atrium. Once they arrive at the shop, he helps his father with the clay. The shop [[Liganor|owner]] enters and says that the disturbance in the atrium has him worried and that they're going to close the shop today, leaving them to continue to make pots. Once the owner leaves, Adin's father leaves as well, telling Adin to watch the shop. Adin realizes that his father is going to watch over the Radiants, and he asks to go with him, and his father relents.

Taravangian is having a dumb day, which are apparently increasingly common. He is still trying to figure out how to defeat Odium, but it's increasingly difficult to think. He focuses on Nightblood and what they know about it, which is that it feeds on the essence that makes up all things. Specifically, it feeds on either Stormlight, or the individual’s soul holding the sword if they don't have enough, comparing it to [[larkin]]. He thinks about how Odium has a core self, and that while he is intelligent, his humanity means he can be tricked. He realizes that he can't manipulate Szeth into doing what he wants, but he thinks he might be able to get Szeth to come to him during one of Odium's visions. As he thinks on this, he has a vision of Sja-anat. They discuss his condition and how Cultivation is responsible for his, Dalinar’s, and Lift’s gifts. Taravangian had asked for "the capacity to stop what was coming" in his meeting with Cultivation. Sja-anat doesn't know if that's possible, though she states that because the mind and the power are not united, it leaves him vulnerable. Taravangian realizes that she seems like she wants Odium to fail, which he finds surprising. He says he wants to draw Odium to him, and Sja-anat says that she will help by sending two corrupted spren to him inside gemstones which should draw his attention. Then she leaves.

* [[Dieno]]

Dalinar walks through the battlefield on the Emuli front with Szeth and several allied generals. He analyzes the battle, remembering the [[Rathalas|Rift]] and thinking about Taravangian's advice to stop fighting Odium. After congratulating other groups of victors, the Mink comes to speak with him. They discuss the enemy's tactics before Dalinar again promises to free Herdaz first after they free Alethkar.

Back in the command tent, Sigzil brings Stargyle, Lyn, and [[Leyten]] to see Dalinar. Stargyle makes a Lightweaving that plays back a view of what he saw on their scouting trip to [[Tukar]], showing Ishar and his soldiers. Dalinar states his intention to go visit the Herald, telling the Radiants to make one more scouting trip while he consults with Jasnah.

Jasnah relaxes in her tent with Wit just after receiving word of the coalition's victory in Emul. She sorts through her notes from interviews with the Heralds, trying to find something to help with the situation at Urithiru, and admits her worry to Wit that Odium can see the future while they can't. Wit replies that they need to make sure Odium can't win even if he is sure not to lose. He presents to her his draft of a contract between Dalinar and Odium, explaining that one of [[Rayse]]'s weaknesses is that he wants not only to win but to win in a way that shows off his intelligence. Wit states that the contest of champions will be no simple duel, but a matter of the heart of each champion; when asked if she trusts the hearts of those she fights alongside, Jasnah has no answer. She asks Wit who he really is, and he tells her that he is a man who is not bound.

Kaladin awakes from his nightmares, disoriented for a bit before remembering that he had tied his own hands to quell his violent reaction from being awoken. The Sibling speaks to him, telling him the enemy has found the final node and are soon going to kill the Radiants before requesting that Kaladin send Rlain down to them. Kaladin wakes Teft, informing him of the situation, and they get dressed in Bridge Four uniforms. Dabbid arrives, and they decide to send him with Rlain down to Navani. After Dabbid leaves, Kaladin tells Teft to run if things go wrong. After pointing out that the Pursuer will be waiting for him, Teft gets Kaladin to promise that he will run too and abandon the tower to the enemy so long as they can escape with as many Radiants as they can.

* [[Dieno]] (mentioned only)

Navani, having spent all night listening as the singers discovered the tone for [[anti-Stormlight]], numbly considers her failure in handing such a weapon to their enemies. She paints a glyph for divine direction, contemplating her belief in the Almighty. Moash arrives with the intention of killing Navani, but Raboniel negotiates with him until he agrees to get rid of Kaladin first. Leaving with a sack of sand and a dagger designed to kill a spren as well as instructions to break the final node, Moash halts when Navani calls him a traitor and replies to her coldly. When he leaves, Navani's guard brings her a candle to burn her prayers. After they are burnt, she discovers the dagger Raboniel had used to kill her daughter, still charged with a little bit of anti-Voidlight.

The Pursuer streaks forward to confront Kaladin, and he grabs the Fused in a hold. As they wrestle on the ground, Kaladin begins undermining the Pursuer's confidence by taunting him. He uses Tomor's fabrial to slide himself out of Lezian's grasp and draws his scalpel.

Kaladin walks towards Lezian and invites him to fight. When Lezian reaches him, Kaladin activates Tomor's fabrial and sends him backwards into the window. After waiting for the wounded Fused to extricate himself, Kaladin yells at him to run, and he does. As the crowd chants his name, Kaladin turns towards the infirmary only to see Teft's body drop onto the floor in front of him.

Navani hears a commotion when the final node is destroyed, leaving the crystal pillar clear to approach. She takes the dagger charged with anti-Voidlight and sneaks towards Raboniel, activating a [[painrial]] hidden among the boxes in the corridor on her way. Raboniel tells Navani she should flee, but Navani claims that she cannot abandon the Sibling. She gives Raboniel the dagger and convinces her to wait with her in Navani's room to see if Moash does indeed defeat Kaladin. Raboniel accepts but promptly walks into the painrial trap.

Dalinar looks for a way to give Kaladin yet more time, demanding that the Stormfather learn to choose to have compassion. He searches, finding a place of warmth in the [[Spiritual Realm]], and makes a Connection to give Kaladin a vision.

Kaladin finds himself in a tent on a battlefield from his time in [[Amaram]]'s army. [[Varth]] walks up to speak with [[Gor]], who tells him that their Brightlord's orders are to hold where they are. Varth directs Kaladin and the other messenger boy to grab spears and get out front, and Kaladin recognizes the scene. He sees Tien volunteer to go with them, and Tien explains to Kaladin that although he had been terrified, he needed to be there to help the others feel brave.

Leshwi kneels before Venli, overjoyed that the spren have returned to the singers. She asks after [[Riah]], an old honorspren, but Timbre replies that she doesn't know her. Leshwi decides to join the battle going on around them, and her soldiers join her in fighting against the Pursuer's troops.

* [[Moash]]

* [[Szeth-son-Neturo]]

* [[Lyn]]

* [[Leyten]]

* [[Mela]]

* [[Tumi]]

* [[Kaladin]]

* The [[Stormfather]]

* [[God Beyond]] (mentioned only)

* [[Honor]] (mentioned only)

* [[Adonalsium]] (mentioned only)

* [[Timbre]] (mentioned only)

* [[Yunfah]] (mentioned only)

* [[Renarin Kholin]] (mentioned only)

* [[Cultivation]] (mentioned only)

Rlain waits for those wishing to flee Urithiru to fetch their families while slowly leading the group of rebels through the Breakaway. As a group of Fused and Regals arrive to attack them, he turns to Venli and asks if there are any other [[Reacher]]s willing to bond singers. Timbre tells Venli that Rlain is spoken for, and [[Tumi]] speaks to Rlain, showing him a vision of the future and inviting him to initiate their bond.

Afraid but still hoping to impress an honorspren, Adin takes his place in the line of defenders with a spear. Despite Dabbid moving to stand in front of him, Adin still finds himself on the ground with a Regal over him moments later. Kaladin's Shardplate forms itself around Adin in time to save him from the Regal, then moves on to form around first Dabbid and then Leshwi in time to save both of them. As the enemy reforms, the Shardplate attaches to Kaladin. Kaladin instructs the Fused and Regals to flee as the Sibling activates all of their fabrials, lighting up the tower; the Radiants wake and the Fused and Regals drop unconscious.

* [[Dieno]] (mentioned only)

Dalinar, Szeth, and the Windrunners return from Tukar just in time to hear news of Urithiru's liberation. After sending a message to Navani and asking to meet with Jasnah and the Prime after the impending highstorm, Dalinar goes to his quarters. As he enters, he walks onto a golden field and realizes that Odium has come to speak with him. As Odium tries to provoke Dalinar into revealing the nature of his relationship with Ishar, Dalinar realizes that Odium is frightened of him and attempts to provoke Odium in turn. Odium looks at the terms Wit has written on Dalinar's behalf and angrily detects the [[Cosmere#Worldhoppers|worldhopper's]] hand in them. He tells Dalinar that he is incapable of accepting the terms now that the Everstorm has changed the situation, then explains that his plan has been to use the Rosharans as hardened warriors to fight for him in the [[cosmere]].

Odium expresses interest in making an agreement that day, so he describes his terms: as Dalinar has to give up the idea of Odium restraining the Fused in the event of Dalinar's victory, Odium would give up his designs for Roshar and leave the Rosharan system in the event of his own victory. Dalinar, forewarned by Wit, refuses to make any agreement that will allow Odium to leave the Rosharan system, so they continue to negotiate until they settle on something acceptable--despite Dalinar's horror at the prospect of his failure--to them both: a battle of champions in ten days. Should Dalinar's champion win, Odium will cease all hostilities, return Alethkar and Herdaz to the coalition, and remain bound to the system. Should Odium's champion win, he will still cease hostilities and remain bound to the system, but he will keep what land he has conquered and will gain Dalinar's soul as a Fused.

* [[Odium]] (point of view)

* [[Sylphrena]]

Taravangian starts adjusting to the power of Odium. He discovers that Rayse had been weakening for a long time, starting with his battles in the past, then being wounded by Honor, and his failures with Dalinar, Kaladin, and Urithiru. In the Physical Realm, Szeth finds Rayse's body in the prison, eaten away by Nightblood, and assumes it to be Taravangian. As Taravangian begins to struggle with his conflicting desires to both save the world and destroy it, he becomes aware of Cultivation approaching.

Teft's body is Soulcast to stone and placed in a room of ancient Radiants given the same treatment after death. All of Bridge Four attends the funeral, drinking and burning prayers to Teft. They go to a tavern afterwards. Kaladin and Syl remain at the statue as the members of Bridge Four drift away and discuss missing Teft and Syl's new feelings. Kaladin hugs the statue and thinks about moving forward and what he would do now.

Taravangian studies future possibilities as he grows more accustomed and capable with the power of Odium. He talks with Cultivation about her gamble in preparing him for this. Having knowledge of the cosmere at large from Rayse's experiences, Taravangian begins planning to himself to intervene on other worlds, and how to beat Dalinar. He realizes that there are other possibilities Rayse missed. Cultivation offers to teach him to use their powers. Taravangian accepts and resolves to save them all.

Adolin and Shallan, in a room with their three spren, think that Testament looks better since Adolin's talk with her. They use [[Ala]] to contact Mraize, and Shallan tells him that, instead of killing Kelek, Veil has reintegrated herself with Shallan. Mraize tries to entice her back to the Ghostbloods with both promises of secrets and threats against her family, but Shallan is adamant and tells him that she will get to Ba-Ado-Mishram before the Ghostbloods can. Before ending the call, she tells Mraize the Ghostbloods had better vacate Urithiru before she returns and gives him messages from herself and from Wit to deliver to Thaidakar when his avatar next visits. Shallan thinks about the other worlds in the cosmere that Kelek had told her about with longing.

Kaladin leaves the gathering after Teft's funeral early to speak with Dalinar. Dalinar tries to say that he had been wrong to relieve Kaladin from command, but Kaladin cuts him off and explains that it does feel like the right thing for him. He asks for permission to continue pursuing the burgeoning field of mental health treatment and receives it. Dalinar tells Kaladin about the contest that is to happen in ten days and asks for him, as a surgeon, to travel to Shinovar and help Ishar so that Ishar can in turn help Dalinar to master his Bondsmith powers. Dalinar returns Wit's [[Trailman's flute|flute]] to Kaladin, explaining that Lift found it in a merchant's bin among other things salvaged from the Shattered Plains.

Lezian wakes, angry, back in a body on Roshar after only one day on Braize. He realizes he is in a room with [[El]] and asks for the Voidlight in the sphere that El is holding so he can renew his pursuit of Kaladin. El agrees that the Light is for him, tricking him into walking over. In reality, the sphere is anti-Voidlight that has been set into the hilt of a knife; El stabs Lezian with it and permanently kills him.

Eshonai hits the ground of the chasm after her battle with Adolin during the Battle of Narak. After a moment of disorientation, she attempts to climb the chasm wall and manages to get halfway up, but then fails to find proper handholds to continue. Shortly afterwards, the highstorm arrives and the flood rips her off the wall. After being carried in the current and nearly drowning, she manages to pull herself onto a boulder and out of the water.

Wit has left the others and is now at the [[Pinnacle]]. He does tricks for an "audience," a group of spren corrupted by Sja-anat, and explains the importance of subtlety in magic tricks and storytelling. [[Design]] contemplates that Wit's tricks with a coin don't work that well on Roshar because coins aren't used to trade there. Wit eventually tells Design to go bother someone else and moves to Elhokar's sitting room.

Soon after, Odium arrives, shows his rage at Wit's contract, and threatens him. However, Odium also asks Wit what his choice of champion would be, which surprises Wit. As the latter leaves the room and walks in the hallways, he ponders whether or not Rayse is growing more thoughtful. Realizing that Wit might have doubts about his identity, Odium attacks Wit. Odium's voice is thoughtful and soft, and Wit feels true horror as he realizes his enemy isn't Rayse any longer. Odium then destroys some of Wit's memories held in his [[Breath]]s, which isn't in violation of the contract.

Wit regains consciousness in the hallway, unaware of what happened, and returns to Elhokar's sitting room where the scene happens once again, Odium playing the angry brute more convincingly this time. Wit leaves after saying a different quip than the previous time but has trouble whistling, the loss of Breaths preventing him from using perfect pitch. He wonders if something is wrong as the inconsistencies linked to his memory loss pile up. However, he considers that this encounter went exactly as planned.

== Ars Arcanum ==

See [[Ars Arcanum#The Stormlight Archive]].

{{summaries|done}}