Battle of Thaylen Field

This page or section contains spoilers for Oathbringer!

This information has the ability to potentially ruin elements of the plot for the reader. Proceed with caution if you have not read this book.

The Battle of Thaylen Field is one of the major engagements in the True Desolation.

History

Several thousand Singers arrive at the shores of Thaylen City under the protection of an Everstorm spawned by Odium in order to mask their invasion. Due to the perception that sailing during a storm is impossible, the human defenders of the city are caught unaware. Furthermore, because of the timely manipulation of Taravangian, the Thaylen people and a portion of the Alethi army, specifically that of Sadeas, under control of Meridas Amaram is the only fighting force left in the city. The Everstorm that covers the advance of the enemy stalls overhead instead of continuing on, darkening the sky above, something never seen before.

The souls of approximately 1000 enemy spren gather outside the Thaylen City Oathgate in Shadesmar. Due to the stalled Everstorm, the Voidbringer souls are able to pass into the Physical Realm; among them were Fused, ancients who didn't have bodies. This allowed some of them to inhabit the stone in the ground, ripping themselves free to become Thunderclasts. In addition, clad in a body made of golden Carapace and clutching a regal scepter, Odium himself stepped onto the shore to lead the battle personally.

Even with such might backing them, some of the Fused expressed doubt over their chances of victory. The Thunderclasts were a powerful weapon, but the army of recently freed Parshmen had little training, had never experienced true battle before, and many did not want to fight at all. Amaram's forces had taken up the defense of the city and the seasoned veterans of the Shattered Plains proved their effectiveness upon the battlefield. Although faced with horrors the battle was believed to be winnable, even at favorable terms to the humans. The Ancient Singers did not believe their barely trained forces could stand against the battle-hardened humans and would ultimately break. Odium, however, explained that he had not brought the Singers to fight, but to watch his true army fight.

In the form of blood red mist, lithe with twisting depictions of battle, the unmade Nergaoul took to the battlefield and filled Sadeas' troops with the Thrill, filling them with bloodlust and the urge to fight above all else. It was then that the voidspren that had come through the Oathgate into the physical realm seized new hosts. Odium had figured out a way in which he could bond voidspren to humans, something that had never happened in previous desolations. The Alethi army, 10,000 men strong, turned glowing red eyes upon their own forces. Lead by Amaram, who had cut a deal with Odium, the Alethi army began to siege to Thaylen City. A massive Thunderclast lays waste to the city, particularly the Thaylen reserve. Rending the building apart, it casts the riches of Thaylen City in the form of gemstones into the sky to fall throughout the city. Of particular note to the enemy, is the ruby the King's Drop.

Taking his copy of The Way of Kings under his arm and unwilling to bow before the enemy, Dalinar goes alone to meet the enemy. Despite the Azish's departure Lift had snuck away unwilling to abandon Dalinar to the enemy. Unsure of the importance of the King's Drop, but seeing how the enemy protected it, Dalinar orders Lift to pursue and retrieve the gem. Szeth, who hovers above the city along with Nale chooses to swear the Third Ideal of the Skybreakers opting to put his faith in a man who will do what is right: Dalinar. Szeth descends upon the battlefield with Nightblood unsheathed and brings fury to the enemy in order to aid Lift in accomplishing her task.

Odium and Dalinar meet along with several Fused including Venli. Odium explains that he had been grooming Dalinar for years and reveals that he himself is to be Odium's Champion. Dalinar falls to his knees as the Thrill and the pain of his past actions bombard him. He is broken and alone and Odium offers him an escape of that pain if he will just give in. Dalinar instead manages to overcome the pressure and accept and bare his pain, refusing to become Odium's Champion. He rises to his feet and reaches his hands to either side. In one hand he grips the Cognitive Realm, in the other the Spiritual Realm. Venli whispers to him asking "What are you?" He brings his hands together exclaiming, "I am unity." All three realms, physical, cognitive, and spiritual are united in an outpouring of gloryspren and Stormlight, infusing every gem in the city and forming a Perpendicularity that Adolin, Shallan, and Kaladin use to return to the Physical Realm and join the fight.

Shallan, using Lightweaving, creates an entire army to distract their assailants, even managing to give them substance; Jasnah shows off her prowess with her Soulcasting abilities, and decides not to kill Renarin, who is revealed to have bonded a corrupted spren, instead embracing him. Renarin, who had seen his death at Jasnah's hands as a vision, realizes that his visions are not set in stone and that there is hope for humanity.

Amaram tries to attack Dalinar but is rebuffed by Kaladin. He then chooses to bond Yelig-nar by swallowing a gem the Unmade was contained in, growing grotesque carapace under his Shardplate and access to all 10 surges. While Kaladin handles Amaram and keeps the Fused too occupied to attack him, Dalinar makes his way into the center of the red mists that make up Nergaoul. In the sky Szeth, with the help of Lift, has finally acquired the King's Drop, but is followed by a number of flying Fused. Unable to escape them, he and Lift devise a strategy to fool them. With the help of Shallan, they allow the Fused to recapture the gemstone and believe themselves successful; in reality it is merely a cut rock with one of Shallan's illusion over it. Szeth sees Dalinar within the mists and knows he cannot withstand it. Lift takes the gemstone and enters the mists after Dalinar.

Adolin with the help of his shardblade Mayalaran and Thaylen highguard Hrdalm engage a Thunderclast near the city's Oathgate. Adolin scores several blows, managing to cut off the feet of the rock beast, but ultimately sustains too many injuries to fight effectively. Fortunately Renarin then arrives with healing and his own blade. Adolin lends Hrdalm his shardblade and the Thaylen goes to battle the Thunderclast beside Renarin. Eventually, the two of them manage to bring down the beast, reducing it to inanimate stone. Renarin then makes for the Oathgate only to see it guarded by a dozen flying Fused.

In Urithiru a suprise attack aimed at distracting the Alethi from sending reinforcements has been underway. Teft finally bonds an honorspren and swears his ideal becoming a full Radiant and uses his new powers to activate the Oathgate. In Thaylen city the light of the activated gate momentarily scatters the Fused, and 2000 Kholin troops along with Bridge Four pour from the Oathgate to join the battle with Teft at their head. Back at the ships the Singers arrived upon, Venli finally makes a decision and bonds a lightspren, which takes her previously bonded voidspren captive. She finds that she can change her eye color at will now and can fool Odium. She remains with the Singers are begins to tell them the truth of those who came before, the Listeners.

Lift reaches Dalinar and delivers the King's Drop, a perfect gemstone, the only vessel capable of capturing one of the Unmade. Dalinar embraces the thrill. All his years under it's influence allow him to understand it like no other, and he uses this understanding to drawn in and ultimately capture Nergaoul. The Thrill is sealed, and the soldiers of Sadeas' army return to normal, either fleeing or collapsing in place. Kaladin is almost killed by Amaram after he runs out of Stormlight, but is saved by Rock, who kills Amaram with two shots from a Shardbow. The Fused and Singers retreat, while Kholin forces and the Windrunners sweep the city of it's last resistance. The day is won.

Notes

Battle of Thaylen Field

This article is still missing information. Please help The Coppermind by expanding it.