Difference between revisions of "User:King of Herdaz/Dalinar Kholin"

 

But a year later, Dalinar was still safe at home in [[Kholinar]]. His restlessness turned to using [[firemoss]] and permanently maiming people in tavern fights. At a wrestling match, Dalinar was summoned away with the news that Evi was in labor. He ran to see her, and found her afterwards, with his son already born. Dalinar was so overjoyed when he saw his son the first time that he was overtaken with [[gloryspren]]. He named him [[Adolin]], "born unto light", and spoke a hope for him that he would have his father's strength, but also his mother's compassion.{{book ref|sa3|49}}

 

Gavilar was present at Adolin's birth, but brought Dalinar some bad news. He'd been unable to contain the situation at Rathalas. He'd decided not to send Dalinar to fight there, however, opting to send him instead to fight the Herdazians and Vedens on Alethkar's border as a gesture of Kholin strength.{{book ref|sa3|49}} Dalinar fought on the border against the Herdazians for four years, ensuring the security of Alethkar's border and gaining leadership experience and capability to match his personal prowess in combat, becoming known as his brother's best general. Unfortunately, for all that time, the princedom of Rathalas still refused to submit. Evi brought Adolin and their second son, [[Renarin]], to the battlefront. It was the first time Dalinar met Renarin, and he wasn't pleased to learn the meaning of Renarin's chosen name: "Like one who was born unto himself." Evi reminded Dalinar that he didn't answer many of her [[spanreed]] messages and he could have had input into Renarin's name if he'd wanted to. It bothered Dalinar that even so long after battle, even while interacting with his family, that the Thrill takes so long to fade.{{book ref|sa3|52}}

 

Dalinar and his men approached the cavern where the Sadeas men were working, but realized that it made no sense for traitors to be wearing their own colors. He recognized that it was a trap just as it sprung. Tanalan had lied to him. The Rathalas rebels then triggered a landslide that killed the Kholin men accompanying him, but though seriously wounded, Dalinar survived.

 

Despite his injuries, Dalinar's rage drove him forward in revenge against Tanalan's betrayal, the [[Thrill]] burning in him like never before. He slaughtered the rebels who ambushed him, unconscious of how savagely he killed them. Half dead, he dragged himself back to the Kholin camp in such a state of rage that his appearance provoked fearspren from Evi when she first saw him again. Though she maintained that they should take a few days to find a peaceful solution, Sadeas said what Dalinar felt: the Rift needs to pay. Dalinar had the soulcasters put to use making oil and sent Evi away. He promised to destroy Rathalas so thoroughly that nobody will rebuild there for ten generations, to make it a pyre, that nobody will cry over the city because everyone in it will be dead.{{book ref|sa3|75}}

 

After making his way through the city, Dalinar finally came face to face with Tanalan. Tanalan begged for his family's lives, but Dalinar's response was, "I am an animal." He explained that like an animal, he'd been pushed to being feral, and once an animal goes feral, there's no coming back. He refused to spare Tanalan's family. As Tanalan wept at the destruction of the palace and the city, knowing his family just died, Dalinar wondered at how the Thrill still wasn't satisfied with the destruction.

 

His anger re-kindled at Tanalan, Dalinar said at least he didn't hide away in the secret hiding spot the Tanalan family used before, because they burned it. Tanalan started laughing hysterically at this, and told Dalinar that Evi had been in there. He explained how Evi had snuck into the city to beg Tanalan to surrender, so that they might be spared. Tanalan had captured Evi to use her as a hostage, and sent messengers to notify Dalinar of this--the same messengers Dalinar had ordered killed without even meeting them. Evi had died there. At this, Dalinar strangled Tanalan to death, but Tanalan died smiling. Looking at the raging inferno that is Rathalas, Dalinar's words about a feral animal being impossible to control came back to him. It was impossible to go into the city, and his own men have to pull him away.

=== War of Reckoning (1167 – 1173) ===

==== Gavilar's Death and Dalinar's Transformation====

 

At Gavilar's funeral, Elhokar swore revenge against the Parshendi on behalf of all the Alethi. Dalinar was pleased that this could be something to unite the Alethi people in spirit, finally. While he told Adolin to go swear the Vengeance Pact on behalf of the Kholin house, he wandered off to drink. He was on his way when he heard the words from "The Way of Kings" in the hallways. When he followed the voice, he found his niece [[Jasnah]] reading the book. Though he was still desperate for a drink, he sat down and requested that she continue. She read the book to him, start to finish. When she finished, she and Dalinar embraced, and she left.

 

Adolin found Dalinar the moment after, to ask about the Kholin forces that they will send to the Shattered Plains. Dalinar decided then and there that he needed to be a better man. He told Adolin that he had been a poor father, but that he was so proud of his sons. Dalinar created a plan so that he could leave for the Shattered Plains separate from the other forces, and that a delay would not be considered unusual by anyone else.

 

On his separate way to the Shattered Plains, he visited the [[Nightwatcher]]. The Thrill was notably absent. As he approached, he again experienced visions of Rathalas burning, and its people screaming, more real than it had ever been since that night. More visions came of killing the Parshendi, of killing Elhokar and taking the throne for himself, invading other lands and becoming emperor over all. He knew that this was his future.

==== The War Changes ====

The battle against the Parshendi was the first time Dalinar lost the [[Thrill]] in his memory.{{book ref|sa1|26}} This loss of the Thrill during battle caused Dalinar to question why he was fighting this war and whether alternative methods of settling the Alethi dispute with the Parshendi would yield better results. The Highprinces saw Dalinar's wish for a more peaceful resolution as a further sign of weakness, rather than wisdom, so he kept these questions to himself.

 

Dalinar was deeply frustrated by the war at the Shattered Plains, as the Highprinces' priorities have changed from seeking vengeance on the Parshendi to competing for [[gemheart]]s in order to gain wealth for themselves. Dalinar believed the war on the Parshendi had become nothing but a game to the Highprinces and strives to unite them. He wanted to be the [[Highprince of War]] to realise this.{{book ref|sa1|18}} Despite his ambivalent feelings about staying at the Shattered Plains, Dalinar was devoted to Elhokar and the nation of Alethkar above all. Though Dalinar rarely went on hunts, in {{date/sa|year=1173}} he decided to accompany Elhokar and Sadeas. Elhokar managed to tease Dalinar into a footrace, and for his nephew's sake, Dalinar let him win.