Difference between revisions of "Summary:The Way of Kings"

Upon arrival, he finds only their leader, [[Jezrien]], waiting for him. At first, Kalak assumes that the other eight must have died, for the battle was "furious". However, he notices that seven [[Honorblade]]s had been driven point-first into the ground at the base of spire. Jezrien then informs Kalak that the other Heralds have departed, abandoning the [[Oathpact]]. Kalak then admits to Jezrien that he can't return to "the place of nightmares", the waiting place of the Heralds between Desolations. Jezrien then tells Kalak to relinquish his blade as well, for "...it is time for the Oathpact to end." This effectively leaves [[Talenel]] (Taln), the only Herald who was killeddied in the battle, alone to uphold the Oathpact and the sole sufferer of the pain and torture in the waiting realm.

Kalak isshows horrifiedhorror and disturbeddisgust that both Jezrien and himself have been broken by the cycle of Desolations and that they are too weak to face their suffering. They plan to lie and tell the people that they finally won against the "enemy", and hopes thatsaying it might even turn out to be true. Their abandonment of mankind is somewhat diluted by the fact that Ishar, another Herald, believes that "...so long as there is one of us still bound to the Oathpact (Talenel), it may be enough. There is a chance we might end the cycle of Desolations." Jezrien points out that mankind also has the [[Knights Radiant|Radiants]].

Finally, both Jezrien and Kalak summon their Blades and slam them into the ground along with the other seven. They depart following opposite directions along the barren landscape, vowing to go their own ways and to not seek one another, or any other of the Heralds. As Kalak is leaving the ring of swords, he looks back and notices a single open spot, "The place where the tenth sword should have gone." Kalak feels a deep sorrow and shame for Taln's exclusion andthinking thinksto himself, "Forgive us...", thenas he walks leavesaway.

After several hours of agony carrying the bridge, they arrive at the chasm where the enemy Parshendi are waiting on the other side. They take heavyvolleys fireof arrows while placing their bridge. Kaladin is the only survivor in the front row.

When they finish amputating Sani's middle finger, Lirin asks Kaladin why he was late to arrive, and Kaladin replies that he was with a boy named [[Jam (Hearthstone)|Jam]] learning to use a quarterstaff. This sparks a debate between Kaladin and Lirin about the relative merits of being a soldier or a surgeon. Lirin meets Kaladin's claim that it's possible to save lives by killing others with the assertion that doing so is like "trying to stop a storm by blowing harder." Eventually, Kaladin simply stops arguing and goes back to cleaning up the room.

While working, they talk. Teft asks Kaladin why he tries to lead the bridgecrew. Kaladin says that the responsibilities of the bridgeleader are his to decide. Kaladin asks Rock how he came to be a bridgeman. Rock tells him that his leader, or nuatoma, dueled Highprince Sadeas to try to win shardplatehis Shardplate. When he lost, Rock, his cousin and servant, was bound to Sadeas. He was a cook, until he snuck chull dung into Sadeas's food, which caused his fall to bridgeman status. Teft asks Kaladin for his story explaining why he is a bridgeman. Kaladin says that he killed a man, though it wasn't murder and he was thanked by someone important. He cryptically says that he is a bridgeman because a lighteyes did not take it well when he turned down a gift.

Dalinar wins the battle and Adolin takes the gemheart. Dalinar is looking eastward, toward the [[Origin]], when he notices a group of Parshendi on a nearby plateau. Among them is a [[Eshonai|large Parshendi wearing a Shardplate]]. Dalinar wonders why the Shardbearer hadn't participated in the battle. The group flees toward their base at the center of the Plains.

Kaladin rides the highstorm as he sweeps across Roshar. In the dream Kaladin views many places and people, a large portion of which he had never seen or heard of before. Blowing southwest and then westward, Kaladin sees flashes of lights, almost appearing to be physical things he could touch. Approaching them he sees that they came from a building amidst a city built of a triangular pattern. He bursts in there and sees a man with large Shin eyes, a shardbladeShardblade, wearing white (Szeth - the Assassin in White), just after he has committed an assassination. It feels to Kaladin as though the assassin could see him. Nearing the western ocean, Kaladin separates from the storm after hearing a booming voice that shakes the stormwall. This voice calls Kaladin a child of [[Tanavast]] and of [[Honor]] and warns him that [[Odium]] comes. Kaladin asks why there is so much war, and voice responds, "Odium reigns." Kaladin then awakes inside his barracks, held down by dark figures. He instinctively starts to fight them off before realizing they are his bridge mates. They had to hold him down to stop him from running out into the highstorm while dreaming. They all go out to bathe in the riddens, and Kaladin decides to accept a shave from Rock. Rock reveals that Sigzil is a [[Worldsinger]]. Bridge Four is assigned a new crew member, a Parshman who can't bother to give them his name, so they call him [[Shen]].

Dalinar orders a crew to set a bridge for his army to cross, and he leads his men into battle along with Adolin. Some Parshendi target him with large rocks, but he goes after them and takes care of them easily. After some time in the battle, Dalinar feels the Thrill, but loses it as he faces down a youthful Parshendi. He starts having doubts about fighting, and thinks about the Codes and Gavilar's murder and the visions, trying to decide what is the right course of action. Adolin interrupts his reverie to point out that another group of Parshendi have arrived. Dalinar wonders why Sadeas's scouts didn't give them warning. He climbs to the top of the rock formation andto see that Sadeas, andwith his army and bridge crews, have fled from the Tower plateau, leaving his own army surrounded and cut off from retreat.

The Parshendi have seen the approach of Bridge Four and prepare to fireloose arrows. Dalinar has seen too and is trying to make his way there in order to escape. Kaladin barely dodges the arrows, then Syl points to a new contingent of archers, aiming at the unprotected bridgemen. Kaladin yells the command for side carry right and expends a huge amount of Stormlight, attracting all the arrows to his shield. The Parshendi say "Neshua Kadal!" and flee at the display of power. Kaladin is completely drained from the excessive use of Stormlight. The men set down the bridge and prepare to fight another group of Parshendi who heavily outnumber the bridgemen. Kaladin can only lay on the ground in despair, having failed to protect again, just like the day that Tien died . . .

Kaladin and Bridge Four fight to hold their bridgehead for what seems like hours to Kaladin. During this time Kaladin finds himself gaining respect for the Parshendi's battlefield ethics. He seems to find in the Parshendi what he had hoped to find in the warcamps of Alethi. The Kholin army finally breaks through the Parshendi lines and takes control of the bridge, defending both sides of the chasm. Kaladin stops to take a report from his men only to find that [[Malop]], [[Earless Jaks]], and [[Narm]] are dead. He orders his men back across the bridge to the staging chasm. With Moash, Kaladin looks to the lead of the retreat. Unable to find a suitable officer, Kaladin promotes a very young lighteyed soldier and gets him to organizedorganize the retreat. He then finds an officer of the [[Cobalt Guard]] and asks why they aren't crossing; they are sworn to protect Adolin, so they refuse to go. So Kaladin finds Adolin and commands ''him'' to cross the bridge. He doesn't want to abandon his father, so Kaladin promises to help him while they retreat. The Cobalt Guard follows Kaladin but can't keep up.

Dalinar takes multiple hits to his helm, which finally explodes, leaving him dazed and confused. His Parshendi enemy doesn't finish him off, though, instead leaning down to him and saying, "It ''is'' you. I have found you at last." There is a disturbance in the Parshendi ranks, and Dalinar seesees a glowing spearmanSpearman approaching.

At Sadeas's staging area Navani forces her way through the crowd after hearing rumors that Sadeas came back from battle without Dalinar. Renarin follows her. Sadeas tells Navani that the Parshendi overwhelmed Dalinar's forces, andforcing he was forcedhim to retreat in order to save his own men. He claims to have witnessed Dalinar fall to Parshendi hammers. Unwilling to believe Sadeas's account, Navani creates an enormous ''Thath'' glyph across the staging area stone ground in ''burn'' ink. Navani releases her prayer for Justice by lighting the whole glyph, which leaves a scorch mark on the stone. Shortly after the flames die, one of Sadeas's message runner approaches with news of Dalinar's survival.

Dalinar rides at the head of his remaining force. Seething with anger, he contemplates his confrontation with Sadeas. He knows he must first protect Alethkar despite his desire for revenge. As his force approach the warcamp, Dalinar dismisses his wounded to his camp and offers to send Kaladin's bridgemen with them., Butbut they are determined to see his promise to buy their freedom through. Unwilling to force them to departgo, Dalinar entersallows them to accompany him into Sadeas's warcamp. He unexpectedly finds Renarin and Navani in Sadeas's warcamp. He embraces his son and later Navani. He tells Navani that he sees the world differently now and is now unwilling to let 'lying men' control his life. Releasing Navani, he confronts Sadeas. Publicly they feign civility. Sadeas apologizes for overestimating the threat against Dalinar's forces and retreating too soon. But, standing close so as not to be overheard, Dalinar privately askasks Sadeas why. Sadeas responds byreferring claimingto his oath to protect Elhokar, saying that Dalinar is going insane and becoming weak. He feels that these ideas are infecting Elhokar. And, in the end, he just wanted Dalinar gone. In this admission of guilt, Dalinar realizes that acting honorably would notnever win Sadeas's loyalty. despite his best effort.

Dalinar finds Elhokar in the sitting room of the palace wearing his Shardplate. Dalinar initiates a quick brawl in which he easily subdueskicks Elhokar byseveral breakingtimes, thecracking breastplatehis ofShardplate and repeatedly keeping him from summoning his Shardplateblade. Dalinar ends the "fight" by breaking Elhokar's breastplate, subduing him. He then demands to know if Elhokar himself cut the girth on his own saddle to get Dalinar to take him more seriously. Reluctantly, Elhokar admits to cutting the girth. An exasperated Dalinar then explains the consequences of this -- including Sadeas's betrayal. Additionally, Dalinar demonstrates how easily he could kill Elhokar, stating that he could have done it a hundred times over and that he is not Elhokar's enemy. Releasing his nephew, he tells Elhokar that tomorrow he will appoint Dalinar as Highprince of War. Determined to finally see the war won and Alethkar united, he decides to stop trying to be Nohadon the peacemaker and return to being the Blackthorn the warlord. Elhokar is reluctant, fearing rebellion from the various highprinces, but Dalinar turns to leave, confident that he will make the appointment and content knowing the challenges that are before him. Just before exiting, he also informs Elhokar about the courtship between himself and Navani.

As the middle moon finishes rising, Dalinar joins Kaladin on the staging ground. They discuss the condition of the bridge crews and how many Kaladin thinkthinks will stay in the army. Dalinar wants Kaladin and Bridge Four to replace his honor guard who had been nearly wiped out earlier that day. He wants the rest of the bridgemen to be trained as a company of spearmen. Kaladin agrees on condition that the men agree and Dalinar makes him a captain. Dalinar also gives Kaladin his cloak that he wore in battle that day as a token of appreciation.