Difference between revisions of "Summary:White Sand"

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;Characters
  
;Characters
 
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{{columns|
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*[[Kenton]] (Point of View)
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*[[Ais]]
  
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*[[Kenton]]
  
 
*[[Aarik]]
  
*[[Aarik]]
 
*[[Raagent]]
  
*[[Raagent]]
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*[[Reven]] (mentioned only)
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*[[Ais]] (appearance only)
 
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;Plot Summary
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Kenton meets with the [[Lord General]], Raagent, while he is on a hunting trip out in the Deep Sand. The Lord General is initially impressed at his dedication in travelling so far. The Lord General insists that Kenton try hunting, and shows him the Deep Sandlings and [[DelRak]] Naisha. Kenton tries to convince the Lord General to aid him in his cause, but the Lord General wants nothing except to "hire" them. Kenton will not agree to his conditions and the Lord General storms off. His men have taunted and toyed with a Karak to the point of its death, leaving the Lord Raagent to come in and deliver the final blow.
 
   
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:'''Kenton'''
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Kenton begins to leave, but then quickly turns back as a woman is thrown over him. The [[KaRak]] Lord Raagent killed was apparently just a baby, and now the mother was there- evidently being the one who had thrown woman. As Aarik rides in with his [[tonk]] to get Lord Raagent, Kenton jumps in to save the Lord General and kills the beast. Kenton and the Lord General then make an agreement that if Kenton assigns him two dozen Sand Masters as bodyguards, Lord Raagent will give him his vote. Just as Kenton leaves, he is attacked by another assassin.
  
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:''Day 56 (very late)—Deep Sand''
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The [[Lord General]], [[Raagent]], expresses surprise that Kenton would travel to border of the deep sand to meet with him. Raagent proceeds to make small talk with Kenton while completely ignoring his (disinherited) son. The Lord General insists that Kenton observe the deep sand hunt. Raagent allows Kenton to ride one of the Tower's [[terha]] and leads him out to the deep sand. The Lord General explains how the lack of dorim vines allow deep sandlings to grow unchecked, but not always in the expected ways.
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Raagent first shows Kenton a place where the surface of the deep sand is disturbed in a wide radius, but points out that there is also a small variety of deep sandling that feeds in schools with up to over a thousand creatures, but can be dispersed by disturbing the sand upon which they are feeding. He then points out the [[DelRak]] Naisha, who are ambush predators that hide below the sand and only allow a small fin of carapace to project above and lure prey. Raagent then switches gears, asking what King [[Reven]] of the [[Taldain#Rim_Kingdoms|Rim Kingdom]] [[Seevis]] has offered the Diem. Kenton surmises that was the cause of Drile's previous mysterious "travels." Kenton tries to convince the Lord General to aid him in his cause, but the Lord General wants nothing except to "hire" Sand Masters. Raagent explains he's destroying the Diem so that the Tower can add thier reputation to its own; though he personally thinks sand mastery is useless and only good for tricks and shows. Kenton will not agree to his conditions and the Lord General storms off.
  +
  +
His men have taunted and wounded a small [[Karak]] to the point of its death, leaving Lord Raagent to come in and deliver the final blow. Kenton begins to leave, but then quickly turns back as a soldier is thrown, screaming, high into the air and falls in his path. The Karak Lord Raagent killed was apparently just a baby, and now its mother has arrived.
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Kenton returns to the hunt(ed) to find that the soldiers are in peril and the Lord General is half buried in sand and screaming for help. Kenton dodges the karak's claws, teeth, and tail to arrive at the General's side and masters the sand pinning him to push him out of harm's way. As Aarik rides in with his tonk to get Lord Raagent, Kenton returns to attack the karak and save the soldiers. After dodging several more attacks, he realizes how stupid he is to have forgotten that being terken is ''rare''.
  +
  +
Kenton sends his ribbon through the beast's eye to slice its brain from the inside until it dies. As Lord General Raagent remarks on how incredibly Kenton fought, Kenton reminds him that he is one of the weakest sand masters.
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:''Day 57 (very early)''
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Kenton reminds Raagent that he had thought sand mastery was useless, but it saved his life and most of his soldiers that day (only twelve dead). As the Lord General continues to prevaricate, Kenton calls him out on his hypocrisy and offers to allocate two dozen Sand Masters, with at least one of each rank, to the Tower to use as they see fit as long as the Diem is reinstated. Lord Raagent agrees to give him his vote, and offers them food before they return to Kezare. Kenton departs the tent as Raagent finally recognizes his son due to his assistance in rescuing the soldiers. As Kenton approaches the flags marking the beginning of deep sand, he is attacked by another assassin.
   
 
{{anchor|Chapter 10}}
  
{{anchor|Chapter 10}}

Revision as of 04:45, 14 August 2023

This page contains a chapter by chapter summary of White Sand. We hope this summary will make it easier to find specific areas of the graphic novel, as well as providing a quick plot refresher for anyone who doesn't want to take the time to reread the entire volume.

Prologue: Connections

Characters
Plot Summary
Khriss
Day 29—On a ship

Somewhere in the Border Ocean's terminal storm Duchess Khrissalla is repairing a Dayside pocket watch to prove that the Dayside timekeeping differs from Darkside hours and minutes. As the storm abates and the seas calm she and Baon venture on deck and into unfiltered sunlight for the first time. They find that Professors Allstren Cynder and Jon Acron have already come on deck. Baon admonishes Flennid and the soldiers for failing to hide their pistols, as ordered. Khriss takes some time alone to reread the letter that informed her of Prince Gevalden's death. Baon joins her and they discuss the purpose of their mission - to find the Sand Mages that Prince Gevalden sought and gain their aid against Emperor Skathan.

Kenton
Ten days later—Mt. KraeDa

Kenton and Traiben approach the Diem's meeting area near Mount KraeDa and use their sand mastery to sandboard down the dune approaching the tents. Kenton attempts to match Traiben's speed despite only haveing access to a single sand ribbon; while Traiben is a Mastrell and able to control over 15 ribbons. Over lunch Acolent Kenton is challenged by Lestrell Yeeden to a round of Zo'Kel because Dirin had claimed nobody could move sand faster than Kenton. Kenton mocks Yeeden for only selecting one target per ribbon that he can control, so Yeeden adds one more target and successfully destroys all ten. Kenton asks the Zo'Kel launcher to launch all 25 red lak in the bet, telling Yeeden he can keep any that survive the round. Kenton then destroys all twenty-five with his single, very fast ribbon. Mastrell Drile then arrives from his travels and scolds Yeeden for sparring lowly acolents, he then mocks Kenton for believing that an acolent can survive running the Mastrell's Path.

Khriss
Day 39—Dayside

Duchess Khrissalla and company have arrived at the port of Dosha-Har'Ken. They leave Private Torth to watch the luggage, while Baon, Flennid and the Professors join Khrissalla in searching for supplies. They find that every time their linguist, Professor Cynder, tries speaking "Daysider language" to somebody, they scream and run away. Professor Acron notices a merchant with a sign in Dynastic and the group begins purchasing supplies. The merchant also offers his nephew Daazk as a guide for them to travel to Lossand. In the distance, they hear some Daysider language that they can understand and come upon the A'Kar preaching in a public square. Cynder attempts to talk to the speaker, who denounces them for using the holy language—as they retreat they realize the reason that nobody would talk to them was because they had learned the language of the clergy.

Part One

Chapter 1: Relentless

Characters
Plot Summary
Kenton
The Kerla

Kenton, a weak but skilled sand master, is determined to run the Mastrell's Path in order to prove that he deserves the highest rank among the sand masters. His father, Lord Mastrell Praxton, objects strongly due to Kenton's lack of strength, and the two argue bitterly. Kenton, knowing that once a Sand Master accepts a rank they can no longer advance to new ranks, has stubbornly refused advancement in the past. He does not want to settle for a lower rank that will prevent him from inciting change in the Diem.

Undermastrell Elorin warns Kenton of the danger but permits him to test himself against the Path. Elorin explains how the challenge works: Kenton must make his way across the Kerla in a limited time and collect five red spheres along the way. He may bring only one qido of water with him. Praxton complains that Kenton should not be allowed to bring a sword, but Elorin allows it as it is not explicitly forbidden by the rules. As he begins the Mastrell's Path, Kenton reflects on the day he was admitted into the Diem.

Flashback—Eight Years ago

Traiben displays potential and Drile, son of Reenst Rile, is mentioned as showing the most potential seen in years. They comment that it was a strong year of Recruits until it is Kenton's turn. He displays only the smallest measure of potential in sand mastery, a fact which embarrasses his father. He joins despite protests from his father that he should pursue another profession; as Kenton argues that the law says he cannot be prohibited from entering the Diem as an Acolent.

Now—The Kerla

On the Mastrell's Path, Kenton collects the first two spheres quickly, and is ridiculed by the watching Mastrell's when he has to improvise climbing a cliff instead of soaring on the sand - a technique that helps him find the third, and most often missed, sphere. Kenton notices the discoloration of previously mastered sand to quickly locate the fourth sphere while he thinks about how he makes up for lack of power with his skill, precision, and speed.

When he approaches the fifth and final sphere he discovers that it is guarded by a terken Marken which emerges from the deep sand. Kenton realizes that the final sphere was a test of preparation and endurance. Kenton was supposed to ration his qido so he would have water to drive off the creature, whose shell normally could only be damaged by water. While dodging the creature's attacks, Kenton notices a sixth sphere and is determined to collect it. He is ultimately able to cut into the sandling's carapace with his sword and uses his sand mastery to attack it from the inside and kill the massive beast. Kenton collects the sixth sphere and passes out from near dehydration.

Khriss
Day 43—The Kerla

Duchess Khrissalla and company have learned they were overcharged for their guide, as the only word Daazk knows of Dynastic is "ahoy." She tries asking him how to find water for their dwindelling supplies, but panics when he tries to dump a canteen of water into the sand. They approach a village on the outskirts of Esh'Ker'Losh but do not stop to ask questions or find supplies because of the aggressive stares and brandished weapons (zinkallin) they see. While Baon and the professors debate the type of weapons they are and their level of technology, Flennid admonishes Torth to stay alert to the hostile nature of the locals and keeps his hand on his hidden pistol as they pass.

Checking the map, Khriss decides the most likely place to find a spring to refill their water is where the rocks break the surface of the desert. Using the map she convinces Daazk to lead them toward Mount KraeDa.

Chapter 2: Advance

Characters
Plot Summary
Kenton
The Kerla

Kenton is woken by Mastrell Traiben, who he initially mistakes for Aarik, and discovers it is the next day. Kenton also learns that the sixth sphere was not part of the test—it must have been left over from a previous test run. In fact, few sand masters are even able to obtain all five spheres, with Traiben only finding three of the five. Undermastrell Elorin informs Kenton that he is considered to have ruined the test by killing the deep sandling which was always made to guard the final sphere.

On his way to the ceremonies where the Lord Mastrell will present new ranks and sashes before the entire Diem, Kenton hears rumors from Acolent Dirin that Mastrell Drile and a group of his followers have hired themselves out as mercenaries. Praxton expresses his disapproval to Drile. The ceremonies begin as Elorin passes the cermonial bowl to Lord Mastrell Praxton, from which all of the sand masters share a drink of water, though Drile refuses to partake.

Lord Mastrell Praxton opens the ceremony by offering the rank of Lestrell to Reendel. After most of new ranks and sashes have been bestowed, Drile is called before the Lord Mastrell and, for the first time in Diem history, demoted to Diemfen, which he angrily accepts. Kenton is then presented with an Underfen sash, the lowest rank, because he disobeyed his father's orders by taking the test. Kenton refuses the sash. His father then indicates Drile's former Mastrell's sash on the ground and advances Kenton to Mastrell, but remarks that the others will always hate him for apparent nepotism and will never believe that he deserves the rank.

The Lord Mastrell is suddenly struck with an arrow, and a battle ensues. Kerztian warriors attack by surprise in great numbers and the sand masters are unprepared. Kenton notices the warriors bear the 'X' of the warrior DaiKeen, but as a scar instead of the traditional tattoo. Kenton also notices that the sand masters seem to be overmastering and dehydrating remarkably fast. Kenton tries to rally the sand masters and help the wounded, but they are unable to stop the hordes of warriors who have come against them. The Lord Mastrell screams loudly and begins glowing with power. Kenton wonders if his father is trying to protect him by drawing attention from the warriors. As his final act, Praxton Overburns by releasing a tremendous barrage of power that leaves himself struck by numerous arrows and giving his life to his final mastery; while Kenton and most of the remaining Kerztian warriors are buried beneath the huge wave of sand Praxton Commands.

Chapter 3: Currencies

Characters
Plot Summary
Kenton
The Kerla

Kenton awakens and emerges from the sand sometime after the battle has ended. The Kerztians are gone and only dead sand masters remain. He crawls to a nearby tent and passes out again.

Khriss
Day 47—The Kerla

Duchess Krissalla spots tents from a distance using her telescope. In an effort to find water, Flennid and Torth ride ahead to find a sand field with everybody dead. When the rest of the party arrives, Daazk identifies the dead sand masters and, crying Ry'Kensha, flees in a panic. Believing that their guide is calling for an ambush, Flennid shoots Daazk, for which Baon admonishes him for killing thier chance to survive traveling the Kerla. While Khriss, Baon and the Professors take stock of supplies in an empty tent, Flennid and Torth steal the remaining water and abandon them to ride back toward port.

Kenton
The Kerla

While searching the other tents for additional supplies, Kenton is found and awakened by Baon and Professor Cynder. Cynder brings the Duchess Khrissalla and Professor Acron while Baon gives Kenton some of their remaining water. At first they believe he cannot understand them, but Baon recognizes that Kenton thanked him in Dynastic while he was recovering. Kenton is puzzled that they can be low on water when they are not in the desert yet, and he explains how to find dorim vines. While saying his farewells to the field of the dead, Kenton realizes Drile never drank the water and thinks it means Drile must have betrayed the Diem.

Kenton agrees to lead Khriss's party to a village for supplies and then on to Lossand. Khriss reveals along the way that she is searching for the "sand mages", though Kenton does not know the word "mage." When Khriss elaborates and says that "they rule Lossand" be believes she means the Taishin.

Two Days Later—The Border

They arrive in a village and as they restock on supplies Kenton discovers that sand masters are not well liked in the area because of recent political pressure from the Kerztians. The A'Kar has claimed to have wiped out the Ry'Kensha in an effort to become king in the upcoming Choosing. He also learns that he is not the only sand master to have survived the battle. Kenton explains how the religious schism in worshipping the Sand Lord between Kerzt and Lossa is believed to have begun, separating the nations of Kerzta and Lossand. Before leaving a young pickpocket accidentally reveals Kenton's Mastrell's sash; which is noticed by some local Kerztian warriors.

Two Days Later—The Desert

After leaving the village, Kenton trades questions with Khriss, explaining that the start of the desert (a lack of dorim vines) marks the border of Lossand. She, in turn, explains who Gevin was and his search for "Sand Mages." Baon notes that Kenton continues to watch for "followers." Just as Kenton believes he is mistaken, since they have officially entered the Desert without incident, they are ambushed by Kerztian warriors. Most of them attack Kenton who tries to defend himself with his sand mastery, but he finds that his powers are not working.

Chapter 4: Divides

Characters
Plot Summary
Kenton
Lossand Desert

Baon kills two of the warriors with his gun then threatens another. The remaining warriors retreat. Upon inspecting the dead warriors, Kenton notes that they bear the marks of both warrior and priest DaiKeen on their foreheads. He remarks that their shaved heads and lack of armor are an oddity. During the attack, the others in the group had remained on their tonks, which burrowed into the sand at the first sign of trouble. Kenton notices that Cynder was hit with an arrow and shows Baon how to dissolve the carapace arrowhead with water. Kenton then teaches them the tap commands to convince the tonks to rise from the sand while Khriss explains the pistol to Kenton and wonders aloud why he was the apparent target of the attack. Kenton angrily evades her questioning.

Two Days Later—Kezare

Duchess Khrissalla examines a zinkall they removed from one of the dead kerztians. They arrive to the Ry'Do Ali river with the city of Kezare on an island in the middle. Kenton arranges to sell their tonks (which won't cross the river without panicking) and uses the money to arrange a ferry and translator to help them travel to the Darksider enclave of Lonzare. Kenton and the party part ways, since Kenton has business on that side of the river.

The Diem

Kenton arrives at the Diem which appears to be empty until Dirin appears. Dirin explains that everyone is at the Hall of Judgement, as the Taishin are going to choose Drile as the new Lord Mastrell. Suspecting that Drile was behind the Kerztian attack and knowing that he now outranks Drile, Kenton hurries to the Hall of Judgement with Dirin.

Hall of Judgement

Outside the Hall, Kenton dons his Mastrell's sash and discovers that his powers are not only back; but are now stronger than ever as he can now command three sand ribbons. Kenton enters the Taishin meeting chamber, interrupting the meeting, and explains that he outranks Drile. Lord Merchant Vey contests Kenton's rank and Kenton explains how his father's appointing of Kenton to Mastrell was Praxton's last act before the Kerztian Attack. Lady Judge Heelis tells Kenton that the Taishin are actually meeting to dissolve the Diem, not to ratify a new Lord Mastrell.

Chapter 5: Compromises

Characters
Plot Summary
Kenton
The Hall

Kenton argues his case before the Taishin Council, reminding them to mourn those who have died and asking to be allowed time to change the Diem for the good of Lossand. The Taishin ignore his pleas and hold the dissolution vote—voting six-to-one to dissolve the Diem. Kenton invokes an obscure combination of rules to have the vote declared void on the basis that at the death of the Lord Mastrell, he became the Acting Lord Mastrell as the highest ranked remaining Sand Master, and any council vote that would remove a Taisha from service requires two weeks' prior notification. High Judge Heelis corroborates the law, and informs Acting Lord Mastrell Kenton that he is notified and that to overturn the prelimary descision he will need a unanimous vote to retain the Diem in two weeks.

Khriss
Day 53—Lonzare

N'Teese leads Khriss and her group of Darksiders to Lonzare—the Darkside Quarter. The existence of this part of the city surprises the group, as the Dynasty doesn't want people to know that there is traffic between Dayside and Darkside. They pay their guide to lead them to someone in charge, who turns out to be a Darksider named Loaten, a man branded a traitor to the Dynasty who was supposedly executed for attempting to murder Emperor Skathan. Loaten was expecting Khriss's arrival and seems to know a great many things, but he does not answer many of Khriss's questions concerning her fiance and the "sand mages" he sought. Khriss calls him out as having met Gevin, since he used the nickname instead of his given name, Gevalden. Laoten admits to having met with Gevin and Wilheln before Gevin was shot by Dynastic assassins. Loaten reveals that N'Teese works for him and asks her to continue to work with Khriss. At the end of the meeting, Nilto, the Lord Beggar enters the room with his face wrapped and orders Laoten to get rid of "that woman." Laoten explains that Nilto is an unofficial Taisha due to his influence among the lower classes, and that he asks for her to leave for now. As Khriss exits the room, Baon recognizes Loaten and draws his gun before Khriss orders him to stand down. The guards are revealed to also carry guns.

Kenton
The Hall

Judge Heelis explains that she cannot allow personal preference to affect the way she handles offical business. She explains that the sand masters are seen as arrogant and unproductive, and are overloaded with debt. She tells Kenton that to win the Hall's vote he will have to unify leadership of the Diem, resolve the Diem's debts, and restore the nation's faith in sand mastery.

The Diem

Drile contends for the loyalty of select Acolents and is apportioning the now-vacant rooms to his followers. After rejecting Kenton's authority on the basis of his greater strength, Drile attempts to humiliate Kenton by "suggesting" a more private conversation in the Lord Mastrell's quarters (which he assums Kenton cannot reach with one ribbon). Kenton reveals his newfound powers and follows him to the third floor. Drile claims Kenton betrayed the Diem and Kenton provokes Drile into attacking, against Diem Law, in full view of the remaining Diem. Underestimated, Kenton manages to knock Drile out of the air.

Chapter 6: Challenges

Characters
Plot Summary
Ais
Kezare

At the site of a raid that was conducted earlier, Senior Trackt Ais, with Trackt Tain and her team, discovers a man kept prisoner behind a hidden door. The man, Lord Torkel, was an advisor to the Lord Merchant who had gone missing last year. While questioning Torkel, Ais reflects on her warring emotions and her difficulty in controlling her anger when innocents are harmed. Torkel reveals that he was kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured by being kept in a closet with the remains of murdered wife and children after trying to go back on an agreement with Sharezan. Tain reports that Lokmlen, Sharezan's second, was seen fleeing to the Portside Market.

Portside Market

Ais chases down Lokmlen, who also murdered six trackts during that raid. Lokmlen accuses her of being zensha, a traitor to her people and the Ker'Reen faith, as she herself is Kerztian. Ais reflects that since justice belongs to the Sand Lord, she supports the Sand Lord by supporting Justice—there is no conflict. Lokmlen lures her into a deserted alley and strikes, deliberately goading her anger. As Ais loses control of her emotions, her fighting degrades and she is bested. However, as Lokmlen is about to strike Ais down, Aarik arrives and interrupts them. Lokmlen challenges the stranger and tosses Ais' sword to him. Aarik refuses the weapon; and, in a replay of what just occured, mocks Lokmlen while dodging all of his attacks so he fights sloppy with anger. Aarik then stomps on his foot, dropping the criminal; who Ais promptly apprehends. Ais reflects that the Sand Lord must have shown her this stranger to teach her a better path.

Kenton
The Diem

Kenton struggles with self doubt in his father's old rooms, reflecting on just how much like his father he is. Aarik arrives outside the Diem and joins Kenton—the two have not seen one another in three years. They spend the rest of the day catching up.

Ais
The Hall

The Lady Judge pays a visit to Ais and asks her to spy on Kenton for the next two weeks under the pretense of guarding his safety since the Sand Masters were attacked. Judge Heelis acknowledges that Ais will be biased against the Diem because she is Kerztian, but asks her to observe impartially as a trackt, not a follower of Ker'Reen. Ais returns home for the evening, bitter about her new assignment.

Kezare

She admonishes her daughter, Melloni for waiting up and sends her to bed. She tells Mellis, her husband, about the deaths of her second, Trackt Jedan and the other trackts. Mellis expresses concern for her and the family's safety as they have received a threatening letter from Sharezan. Ais assurs him that criminals still refrain from targeting the families of trackts.

Kenton
The Diem

The next morning, Dirin brings breakfast while Kenton is working on how to overcome the Diem's elitism. Kenton asks Dirin to find some ladders so that everybody can access all floors of the Diem. As Aarik arrives, they see Drile and his followers arrive wearing black belts over their sashes as a statement against Kenton's leadership. Kenton expresses to Aarik his suspicion that Drile was the traitor. He and Dirin wonder if Drile poisoned the water that the Mastrells drank.

Khriss
Day 54

Assuming that Gevalden would have spoken with the Taishin, Khriss has N'Teese arrange meetings with all of the Profession leaders. Khriss works on fixing the lock on the case that Cynder borrowed from Acron each time they wait while N'teese coordinates appoinments. Over the course of the day they are turned away from The Hall of Judgement (Lady Judge), The Tower Garrison (Lord General), Helm's Rest (Lord Admiral), The Guild (Lord Merchant), The Congress (Lord Farmer), The Central Studio (Lord Artisan), and Mason Headquarters (Lady Mason). Khriss asks N'Teese to take them to see The Lord Mastrell.

The Diem

Upon arriving at the Diem, N'Teese points out the Lord Mastrell by his distinctive Golden Sash. Khriss accuses Kenton of lying to her and won't allow him to explain how new he is to the position. Kenton tells her he is too busy to be scolded, summons his ribbons, and retreats to his rooms.

Khriss asks if it is a trick done with wires while Baon remarks that they seem to have found the "Sand Mages."

Part Two

Chapter 7: Honor Bound

Characters
Plot Summary
Khriss
The Diem

Duchess Khrissalla marks which balcony Kenton has landed on then angrily climbs the inconvenient ladders of the Diem to reach Kenton's floor. She enters his chambers asking to talk; then slaps him while yelling at him for not telling her that he was a "Sand Mage." They clear up why Kenton did not understand her use of the word "mage" to mean sand mastery (to Kenton, "mages" use party tricks or are charlatans that prey on the foolish). Kenton also confirms that he wasn't lying when they met, as he has only been the Lord Mastrell for two days and was "unimportant" when they met. Khrisalla asks if Sand Mastery can be used against the bullet proof soldiers of the Dynasty. Aarik arrives while Kenton is trying to explain the Diem's crisis and Khriss blows up (again) then storms out. Khrissalla and Baon begin to leave, but the ladder breaks. Kenton masters sand to lower himself, holding Khrissalla, to the courtyard; he then lowers Baon down on his own. Khriss blows up a third time and storms away. As they get in the ferry returning to Kezare, Baon tells Khriss that she needs to learn to judge people, not just faces and titles.

Kenton

As Kenton returns above to meet with Aarik, Senior Trackt Ais arrives, informing Kenton that High Judge Heelis has assigned her to be his bodyguard. Kenton blows her off and departs—immediately realizing he has just acted exactly as Drile did the day before—he quickly returns to apologize and asks her to use the ladders if that is her preference.

Khriss
Day 55

Back in the Lonzare, N'Teese tells Khrissalla about how all of the powerful sand masters, including their leaders, were killed in the Kerla. Khriss realizes that even if Gevin had met with the sand masters before he died, those sand masters are now also dead; so she will have to start from the beginning. Khrissalla realizes, at Professor Cynder's suggestion, that what the Diem needs is a skilled diplomat to win over the Taishin, and she is perfectly suited to play that part.

Kenton
The Diem

Meanwhile, Aarik and Kenton review the Diem's finance records and realize that the Diem owes 7,000,000 lak, an insurmountably colossal amount. The conversation switches to how they will convince the Taishin to vote to keep the Diem, and they decide to visit Delius, the Lord Admiral.

Delius
Helm's Rest

Lord Admiral Delius is dropping half-drunk glasses of wine from his balcony while goading the Kelzin that are petitioning him to curb his drinking. They depart as Kenton, Aarik, and Ais arrive. Delius's Steward shows them in. The Lord Admiral assures Kenton that he will vote for him, because he always votes the opposite of Lord Merchant Vey; and, as a Kerztian, Vey is sure to oppose the Diem. As Kenton's party departs, Delius asks his Steward what he thinks the Kelzin think of the Sand Masters. The Steward explains that most Kelzin are Kerztian, or at least Ker'Reen, and will therefore hate the Sand Masters. Delius agrees with a very malicious (and sober) gleam of the eye.

Kenton
Central Studio

Kenton's Party arrives at the Artisan's Central Studio and find Khrissalla there waiting to help as his new "diplomat." They enter to speak with the Lord Artisan. Kenton translates for Khrisalla to Lord Rite, but N'Teese translates the Lossandin into Dynastic for Khriss. Lord Rite is mostly upset about the unpaid debts and the possibility of future theft. Khrissalla, appalled by Kenton's lack of tact and compromise, provides a solution quickly: Sand Masters will help the Lord Artisan on a percentage basis to keep them incentivized; and, in return, the Lord Artisan will vote for the Diem. To show good faith, The Lord Mastrell must pay the debt, but Rite clarifies that he only owes 1,500,000 lak to the Draft. He also knows that the Farmers Congress is owed another 500,000 lak. As they depart, Kenton wonders to whom the other 5,000,000 lak is owed.

Khriss wants to join Kenton for his next appointment, but Kenton notes that by Taishin Standard all of the Taishin will have closed their offices at twelfth hour. When he mentions he wants to see Lord Raagent, Khriss mentions that she was turned away because he had left on a Deep Sand hunt. Aarik mentions that his father—the Lord General—uses hunting trips to avoid people. Kenton resolves to go find him, but he convinces Khriss that joining him on a trip to the Deep Sand is an order of magnitude more dangerous than their trip across the Kerla.

The Diem

They return to Dirin's news that staircases are being built in every corner so that anyone can access all levels of the Diem. Kenton goes to review more financial records to try and find out who is owed the other 5,000,000 lak.

Chapter 8: My Assassins

Characters
Plot Summary
Kenton and Ais
The Diem

Kenton, checking the Diem's records to try and trace the cause of the remaining debt, is attacked by assassins—the assassins and their zinkallin bolts are somehow terken, and therefore impervious to sand mastery. Kenton, draws his sword and, taking advantage of the smaller rooms, prevents being overwhelmed by too many opponents at one time. He then realizes that even if sand cannot affect the assassins, it can certainly wield other things that can. In the courtyard, Dirin hears noises from above and another acolent quips that it is probably Kenton trying to figure out his father's filing system.

Kenton uses his sand mastery to lift the desk and attack them with it, knocking one of the assassins off of the balcony and alerting the Diem to the attack. Ais, after a brief morality struggle, realizes she cannot let her beliefs interfere with duty and rushes to help Kenton. Kenton escapes through the hole made by the falling assassin to go to the roof and buy time for reinforcements; but finds more assassins already waiting there with rappelling ropes meant to lower them to his rooms.

Ais gains the roof by climbing from the balcony and pulling an assassin over the edge from behind, then shoots the final assassin with her zinkall. Ais verifies that eight assassins have been defeated and informs Kenton that according to Ker'Reen law he will be safe for one day. She points out the two new scars on the forehead of one of the assassins, identifying them as assassin’s marks. Ais tells Kenton that he has been targeted as an enemy of the Kerztian peoples and that by Ker'Reen law a specific family has been tasked with killing him. They may send up to eight warriors every other day until they succeed in killing him unless he can find and defeat their leader first—usually the family head—who must be nearby to direct the assassin teams.

While explaining this, Ais is studying the attack for forensic evidence and discovers the assassins' bodies and weapons are coated in a clear paste. Kenton theorizes that it could be the dissolved carapace of a terken Deep Sandling, and Ais confirms that the process is only known to the A'Kar and the King of Kerzta. When Kenton tries to thank her, Ais makes sure he knows that she still hates him. Internally, Ais begins wondering if she really is zensha for saving the Lord Mastrell.

Later

Tain informs Kenton that the investigation is complete and the trackts who had been summoned after the fight will be returning to The Hall. Kenton notices an approaching figure in Diem robes pass the departing trackts and descends to the courtyard to find Elorin, who was in charge of Acolents before being becoming a Diem administrator. Elorin explains that he overmastered and has lost his ability to master sand, which is why he did not return the Diem. However, after going to his home village he found he did not fit there either, since that was the first time he had returned after leaving at ten years old. He felt guilty about abandoning the Diem, and returned to see if there was a place for him since he heard some sand masters had survived. Kenton welcomes him back enthusiastically.

Khriss
Day 56
Sixth Hour—The Hall

Khrissalla, with N'Teese and Baon, wait to meet the High Judge since a letter from the Lord Mastrell has now allowed her to get appointments with some Taishin. Khriss speculates about how sand mastery could work, wondering where the energy comes from and what the practical limits may be. She resolves to try being nice to Kenton in the hopes that he will share the secrets with her. When their party is admitted to meet the Lady Judge, Heelis tells her that the city's perception of sand mastery must change, so if she can convince Nilto to support sand mastery then the populace may give the Diem a chance to improve.

Kezare Slums

N'Teese arranges a meeting, so Khriss, appalled at the conditions, meets with the Lord Beggar in a filthy alley of the slums. Nilto takes a moment to send a young boy on an errand while Khiss is explaining how she would like him to support the Diem, because Gevin had come looking for support from the Diem for Darkside and the Diem must survive for her to fulfill his wishes. Nilto tells her "never to beg a beggar" because he does not beleive a Mastrell can actually help the poor of Lossand instead of serving only thier own bloated egos. The boy returns with a small parcel, which Nilto gives to Duchess Khrissalla; it has Prince Gevalden's pistol and signet ring. Nilto refuses to explain how and why he has them, informing her that nobility in all forms makes him sick. Khrissalla calls him a "horrible man," which Nilto takes as a compiment. The Lord Beggar leaves and, while they return to the Lonzare, Baon questions the wisdom of allowing Cynder to lock the pistol and ring in his repaired trunk until they can be returned to Gevin's parents.

Eleventh Hour—Lonzare

Later, at their accomodations, Professor Acron asks to speak in private with Khrissalla. He says that the day Captain Deral died, he had heard only two gunshots. When Baon returned and claimed the border patrol had been chasing them and had shot the Captain in the back, Acron thought that there should have been more gunshots and that if the patrol had been that close the rest of the party would have seen or heard something. He thinks Baon killed Captain Deral. Khrissalla rationalizes that the most likely occurance was that Captain Deral was shot further away and the shots that Acron heard were the patrol chasing Baon. Internally she notes that there are still inconsistencies to this theory.

Chapter 9: The Catch

Characters
Plot Summary
Kenton
Day 56 (very late)—Deep Sand

The Lord General, Raagent, expresses surprise that Kenton would travel to border of the deep sand to meet with him. Raagent proceeds to make small talk with Kenton while completely ignoring his (disinherited) son. The Lord General insists that Kenton observe the deep sand hunt. Raagent allows Kenton to ride one of the Tower's terha and leads him out to the deep sand. The Lord General explains how the lack of dorim vines allow deep sandlings to grow unchecked, but not always in the expected ways.

Raagent first shows Kenton a place where the surface of the deep sand is disturbed in a wide radius, but points out that there is also a small variety of deep sandling that feeds in schools with up to over a thousand creatures, but can be dispersed by disturbing the sand upon which they are feeding. He then points out the DelRak Naisha, who are ambush predators that hide below the sand and only allow a small fin of carapace to project above and lure prey. Raagent then switches gears, asking what King Reven of the Rim Kingdom Seevis has offered the Diem. Kenton surmises that was the cause of Drile's previous mysterious "travels." Kenton tries to convince the Lord General to aid him in his cause, but the Lord General wants nothing except to "hire" Sand Masters. Raagent explains he's destroying the Diem so that the Tower can add thier reputation to its own; though he personally thinks sand mastery is useless and only good for tricks and shows. Kenton will not agree to his conditions and the Lord General storms off.

His men have taunted and wounded a small Karak to the point of its death, leaving Lord Raagent to come in and deliver the final blow. Kenton begins to leave, but then quickly turns back as a soldier is thrown, screaming, high into the air and falls in his path. The Karak Lord Raagent killed was apparently just a baby, and now its mother has arrived.

Kenton returns to the hunt(ed) to find that the soldiers are in peril and the Lord General is half buried in sand and screaming for help. Kenton dodges the karak's claws, teeth, and tail to arrive at the General's side and masters the sand pinning him to push him out of harm's way. As Aarik rides in with his tonk to get Lord Raagent, Kenton returns to attack the karak and save the soldiers. After dodging several more attacks, he realizes how stupid he is to have forgotten that being terken is rare.

Kenton sends his ribbon through the beast's eye to slice its brain from the inside until it dies. As Lord General Raagent remarks on how incredibly Kenton fought, Kenton reminds him that he is one of the weakest sand masters.

Day 57 (very early)

Kenton reminds Raagent that he had thought sand mastery was useless, but it saved his life and most of his soldiers that day (only twelve dead). As the Lord General continues to prevaricate, Kenton calls him out on his hypocrisy and offers to allocate two dozen Sand Masters, with at least one of each rank, to the Tower to use as they see fit as long as the Diem is reinstated. Lord Raagent agrees to give him his vote, and offers them food before they return to Kezare. Kenton departs the tent as Raagent finally recognizes his son due to his assistance in rescuing the soldiers. As Kenton approaches the flags marking the beginning of deep sand, he is attacked by another assassin.

Chapter 10: Rising Challenges

Characters

Kenton and the assassin fight, Kenton realizing that she has greased herself in Terken oil, which negates his sand. She nearly manages to beat him, but he pushes her onto one of the DelRaiken which swallows her. He meets back with Aarik and Ais and they travel back to the Diem. Upon entering the Diem, they see Drile trying to take control of the remaining Sand Masters. Kenton challenges him to a duel after the council makes their decision about the Diem. Later, Kenton has Dirin help him do an experiment, and he shows that the way to defeat your opponent is to hit their ribbon from the side. Kenton theorizes that Overmastery is actually just like pushing one's muscles to the max when working out- it makes the power sore, but also expands it.

In the Trackt Hall, Ais talks to Tain about the boat races, which she thinks are being manipulated by Nilto. She meets back with Kenton and Aarik and they go to see the Lord Merchant, but are delayed for two hours. Upon attempting to practice his sand mastery as a way to pass time, the Lord Merchant bursts out of his office, yelling about the "unholy art" but Kenton enters his office to talk with him. Kenton asks the Lord Merchant what he wants in payment for his vote. But the Lord Merchant refuses to side with the Sand Masters because he would never side with something so unholy. He proceeds to insult Ais, and when Kenton defends her, they are kicked out of his office. Ais gets mad at Kenton for defending her and assures Kenton that she doesn't want his help.

Upon arriving back at the Diem, Kenton receives an invitation from the Lord Admiral to a ball thrown in his honor, requesting that he bring his "darkside beauty," Khrissalla. Kenton goes to find Khrissalla in the Darkside quarter of Kezare. Kenton informs her of the invitation, and they talk about the Lord Artisan, Kenton noting that nothing will matter unless he can find a way to get EVERYONE on his side. Upon Khrissalla asking if the Diem has any money, Kenton mentions that the Guild still paid their quarterly tribute to the Diem, but Khrissalla realizes that if the Diem never pays for anything, the tribute money is still out there somewhere, and if they can find it, it will help them gather the finances they need.

Chapter 11: Party Politics

Characters

Kenton runs off, evidently having some hunch about where the money is that he doesn't tell the reader about. He is followed by Khrissalla, and as they move through the city, Khrissalla notices a Kerztian flitting through the crowd, and realizes she hasn't seen a Kerztian down there before. They are immediately attacked by a group of Kerztian assassins. Kenton uses his sand mastery, and Baon appears from behind to help Khrissalla. Ais arrives to help Kenton. After a long fight they succeed in defeating the assassins.

Kenton explains to Khrissalla that his mother was a Darksider and his father was a Mastrell, and tells her how everyone thought the kids would all have no sand mastery, and how he struggled to get into the Diem. He tells her how the Diem was ambushed, and how it led to the current situation. They return and find Aarik discovering the locations of hidden stashes of Lak all around the building. they explore the rest of the building, but only find 5,000 lak in total- a substantial amount but nowhere near what they need.

In the fifth hour of what is presumably the next morning, we see Ais on the roof of her house performing a cleansing ceremony to the sun lord to rid herself of the "evil sand magic" she has had to endure in being around Kenton. Her husband, Mellis, comes up and they talk- Ais tells him to take their child, Melloni, and go south to another land (of which he should not tell her so that she cannot reveal their location), and go to their hall of judgement and receive sanctuary. Meanwhile, at the Diem, Aarik convinces himself to leave and not be a bother to Kenton anymore. He flashes back to when Kenton gave him his valuable sword, which he still owns. He then convinces himself to stay.

In the sixth hour, at the Darkside Quarter, Khrissalla is performing an experiment. She concludes that carapace and sand that has been excreted by a Sandling are the same under a microscope, with the Sandling sand having a thin filament around it, but the sand does not act like the carapace, letting off light when water is poured on it instead of dissolving. She then begins trying to figure out how black sand turns back to white. She talks to Cynder about Skathan, who has remained the same age over hundreds of years.

In the ninth hour, Khrissalla and Kenton go to the ball. Ais goes in saying that she is there in place of the Lady Judge. The Lord Admiral announces his formal support of Kenton in the upcoming vote. Kenton wonders what made him change his mind from simply voting against the Lord Merchant, and Khrissalla and Kenton go to "mingle" with the other guests.

Chapter 12: About Turn

Characters

Over by the fountain, where the two of them are eating, Khrissalla asks Kenton to tell her and show her how sand mastery works, but Kenton says he cannot reveal the secrets of his trade and that Khrissalla is a Darksider and cannot manipulate sand anyway. The Lord Admiral comes over to them asking to meet Khrissalla and eat with them. He tells them that the A'kar plans to embargo trade between Kertza and Lossand unless Lossand gets rid of all Sand Masters- which is the reason that many do not want to support the Diem in the vote. The Lord Admiral leaves and Khrissalla pressures Kenton more about learning about sand mastery, and they return to the party quickly before they leave. While passing through, they see Nilto, the Lord Beggar. As they are leaving in a carriage, Kenton looks back after hearing a commotion. A building is collapsing, and he sprints back to help. A worker just outside informs him that the scaffolding collapsed and that it is "below his concern," referring to the past days when the Sand Masters were above helping common people- before Kenton became Lord Mastrell, intending to change that. Kenton uses his mere three ribbons to lift up the entire pile of rubble, letting anyone still alive within escape, and immediately becoming dehydrated. Trell, the builder who told him what happened thanks him, and Kenton tells him to call for a Sand Master any time anything like that happens. Khrissalla compliments him and tries to coerce him into telling her more about sand mastery so that "the rest of the world can benefit." Kenton tells Trell to let his men have the rest of the day off, and if his boss has a problem with it, to have him talk to Kenton about it.

The next day, Khrissalla talks with Baon about unlocking the "secret of sand mastery," as she dissolves carapace in some unknown liquid. She notices that he has new pistols- Elisian officer pistols, in fact. Pistols that officer Deral and his Lieutenant would have carried- the two men who were killed that night when he was off scouting. He admits straightforwardly that he killed them. Cynder walks in with saltpeter (for making gunpowder) for Baon, and sees Baon holding a gun standing in front of Khrissalla. Baon walks out calmly, his cover exposed. Khrissalla leaves, distraught, saying she needs to talk to Kenton.

At the Diem, Aarik is praising Kenton on what he did the day before back in town, noting that it's all the Diem has been able to talk about lately. Kenton makes an official statement to the Sand Masters gathered in around them in the main "courtyard" of the building, saying that the Sand Masters will now focus on serving the people, no longer hiding in their secretive world of rules and traditions. As he finishes, Khrissalla bursts into the Diem, and proclaims that she has decided that she is to ready to become a sand master.

Part Three

Chapter 13: Delegate to Accumulate

Characters

Senior Trackt Ais goes to visit Lady Judge Heelis at the Hall of Judgement to give a report about Kenton and his leadership of the Diem. On her way there, she reminisces about her previous visit when the investigation into Sharezan had reached a critical stage. Ais tells Heelis that it is a pity that she is required to hate Kenton because she has started to like him. She reports that under Kenton's leadership, the Diem is changing, to the point that Khriss, a noblewoman from Darkside, was accepted as a member of the Diem. She tells Heelis about her internal moral conflict about protecting the unholy sand master and Heelis responds that she judges the law, not morality. Ais tells Heelis that one of Sharezan's dens was raided the day before and that they've heard that one of his main allies is looking to defect. She tells Heelis that her best man, Tain, is leading the investigation in her absence.

Tain arrives at the scene of Rennold Pharl's death. The trackt standing guard at the scene tells him that he was known as The Tonk and that he worked for Sharezan. Tain plants a letter of warning with the body and shows it to the other trackt, who says they should show it to Ais.

Ais arrives at the Diem and relieves Vennin from his post watching Kenton. Kenton is sitting at his desk, reading up on the other Taishin and how their positions work, using the reference books his father kept in his library. A while later, Kenton tells Ais how the Lord Admiral's position works and that he is bewildered by it.

Khriss, Acron, and Cynder arrive at the Diem with N'Teese, and Elorin shows them to their rooms. The group discuss Baon's betrayal, and Cynder says that any of them could also be a spy. Acron laughs at this, calling it preposterous. Khriss gives Cynder Gevin's pistol and asks him to be her guard in Baon's absence. Khriss asks N'Teese to arrange a meeting with Nilto, and she runs off to find him. Tain arrives at the Diem and gives the note he "found" to Ais. Kenton comes to get Khriss so he can start teaching her how to be a sand master. On their way, they are interrupted several times by sand masters with questions for Kenton. Khriss suggests that he get an assistant to deal with the everyday running of the Diem. Kenton asks Elorin if he would do the job, and Elorin agrees. Kenton tries teaching Khriss how to master sand; Khriss tries but is unable to do it. She tells him that she isn't disappointed since all she really wanted to know is how to test for the ability. Kenton shows Khriss the dueling pit where he and Drile will fight each other. Drile comes to taunt him, but Kenton brushes him off.

Kenton goes to visit Vey, and Aarik, Khriss, and the two professors go with him. Grelin makes them wait for a long time, and Kenton, frustrated, stands up and declares loudly that he expects Vey to continue paying tribute to the Diem for the same reason as always. Upon hearing this, Vey invites him in for a private chat. Vey calls Kenton's bluff, and Kenton is forced to admit that he does not know the secret. Afterwards, the group goes to a restaurant and is discussing Vey when Aarik notices that assassins have surrounded them.

Chapter 14: These Lost Causes

Characters

Kenton and Ais fight the assassins, Ais with her zinkall and Kenton using his sand to throw tables. Aarik calmly sits through the battle, eating his food, until a "waiter" walks in front of him and raises his zinkall towards Kenton. Aarik grabs the man by his firing arm and hauls him over the table. The fight is winding down when one of the assassins runs over to Khriss, grabs her, and raises his zinkall to her head, threatening to kill her if anyone moves. Suddenly, Acron appears and shoots the man in the chest with a pistol. Khriss asks him why he has the pistol since she gave it to Cynder and not him. He is in a state of shock and mumbles an excuse. Aarik and Khriss go over to him to help him calm down. Ais remarks that she is surprised that assassins would attack on that day in violation of the rules written in the KerKor.

N'Teese arrives, saying that the Lord Beggar, Nilto, is ready to see her, and the two of them go to meet with him. Acron abruptly breaks off from Aarik and Kenton and runs after Khriss. Khriss asks Nilto to find Baon for her. Nilto tells N'Teese to tell "Khriss", using her nickname instead of her full name, Khrissala, that he is very busy but if he hears anything he will let her know.

Ais tells Kenton that she has to leave to meet with a former associate of Sharezan's who wants to defect, and Kenton tags along. On their way, they make a stop at Ais's house, where Kenton waits outside while Ais is inside. When they are inside the meeting place, Ais hears someone with a limp climbing the stairs, incorrectly assumes it to be Nilto, and correctly realizes it is a trap. She and Kenton jump out the window to safety as the building explodes behind them.

N'Teese brings Khriss a message from Nilto, saying that he is leaving town and won't be able to look for Baon. Khriss chases down Nilto to the docks of Kezare, accompanied by Acron and N'Teese. Upon seeing him, she calls out to him with the name "Gevin". Nilto begrudgingly admits that he is indeed prince Gevin. Khriss tells him that he gave himself away when he called her "Khriss" instead of "Khrissalla". Gevin explains that he is hiding from Skathan's assassins and is no longer interested in returning to Darkside. Acron pushes past Khriss and raises his pistol to point at Gevin, saying that he is completing his mission of killing Gevin. Suddenly, a crate of fruit falls onto Acron, and Baon reveals himself. During the ensuing conversation, Acron, still lying on the ground, raises his gun again and fires, grazing Baon on the ground and knocking him over. Khriss and Gevin run away through the maze of shipping crates, each of them going in a different direction. Acron chases after Khriss, who climbs up to the control station of the dock's crane and uses it to knock Acron off of the pier and into the water. Baon explains that while he was indeed an agent of Skathan, he was also hired to protect Khriss, and his two missions were not incompatible. He says that after his mission from the Dynasty to investigate the threat of the sand masters was complete, he no longer had reason to disguise his mission, and when Khriss fired him, he continued to watch her from the shadows waiting for one the professors, whichever it was, to make their move so he could protect her.

Back at the Diem, Khriss tells Kenton what happened with Gevin, and Baon explains his situation. Aarik arrives bearing the news that the Lord General, Raagent, and the Lord Merchant, Vey, are both missing and with the Taishin vote only four days away, if they are not found quickly, the Diem will be doomed.

Chapter 15: Waves and Ripples

Characters

Kenton and his party go to visit the Lord Farmer, Gennel. Kenton uses his sand to try and scare Gennel into telling him where Vey went. Kenton realizes he is being mean and lets Gennel's servant free. He then tries to ask nicely, but Gennel is too scared of Vey to answer him. Khriss tracks down Gevin and gives him an hour to find out and tell her where Vey is hiding. A little over an hour later, Khriss has her answer and tells Kenton that Vey went to Lraezare.

The group goes to the port, and Kenton tries asking Dockmaster NaiMeer for a ship to Lraezare. NaiMeer refuses saying that his uncle, Vey, told him to make sure Kenton doesn't follow him. Delius and his son, who is his steward, arrive and, to NaiMeer's chagrin, commandeer a ship to Lraezare. Delius then innocently asks Kenton if he would like to come along on the trip, and he takes him up on the offer.

Kenton decides to try overmastering while they are safe on the ship in an attempt to increase his power. Kenton masters his sand for more than fifteen minutes and then collapses to the deck. Khriss panics, thinking he died, but within a few minutes, he regains consciousness and weakly tells her that he is alright. Sometime later, Kenton and Delius discuss Delius's situation as Lord Admiral. Delius tells Kenton how he used to belong to the Guild until Vey betrayed him, and he quit the Guild in disgust and joined the Helm. He then relates how he became very successful while he was a member of the Helm, so much so that the Shipowners' Circle punished him for his success by making him into the Lord Admiral. Kenton speaks with Ais about how maybe the assassins are being led by someone who isn't Kerztian and perhaps that is why they violated the rules of the KerKor. Kenton then takes a rest to try to recover more quickly from his overmastering.

Kenton awakes after they have arrived in Lraezare, and Aarik and the others have gone to town and found where Vey is hiding: at the house of Lokkall, the head of the Shipowners' Circle. The group arrives at Lokkall's house, and he denies knowing where Vey is. Kenton, frustrated, announces loudly that if Vey won't speak with him, he will turn over his father's ledger to the Lady Judge. Vey appears from a room upstairs and asks Kenton to come speak with him privately, and Kenton tells Ais to come with him to act as a witness. Kenton guesses that Vey owes the 700,000 lak to the Diem and not vice versa. Vey tells Kenton the story of Hennin and how the debt started. Kenton forgives the debt without any strings attached and merely asks for a 200,000 lak loan to pay off the Diem's other debts. Afterwards, Vey agrees to vote for the Diem.

Meanwhile Lokkall tells Delius that the council had "need" of his ship, and it has set sail without them. Delius responds that he'll simply commandeer another ship as is his right as Lord Admiral. Lokkall says that the Circle has unanimously decided to remove him from his position as Taisha of the Helm. Delius immediately asks his son for the "documents" and signs them, transferring ownership of a fleet of ships, twelve of which are docked in Lraezare, from his son to himself. He then tells his son to order the fleet to blockade the port of Kezare for the next month. The Circle goes into a panic upon hearing this, and when Delius offers to rescind his orders if they vote Lokkall to be the Lord Admiral, they agree. Delius tells Lokkall that he will hold all of ships on his behalf, and if he votes for the Diem, he will return them to him and vote a new Lord Admiral in his place. The group then boards Delius's fastest ship and sails back to Kezare to find the missing Raagent before it's too late.

Chapter 16: The Cruel Potentials

Characters

The ship is boarded by Kerztian assassins who immediately start attacking the crew. The assassins lock Baon and Ais below deck, keeping them out of the fight, and then turn to Kenton, who is still recovering from his overmastery and cannot access his powers. The rest of the group, Khriss, Aarik, Vey, Cynder, Delius, and his son, watch from behind barrels as a defenseless Kenton tries to fight eight assassins with just his fists. Khriss tries to join the fight, but Delius holds her back. She appeals to Aarik who, after an internal conflict, runs into the fight. He tackles one of the assassins from behind, grabs his spear, and within seconds, dispatches the rest of the assassins. A change comes over Aarik, and he stalks away coldly. Ais insists on taking the bodies back with them, and Delius, not wanting to start a fight, reluctantly agrees. Moments later, Aarik returns, formally apologizes to Khriss, and walks away to his cabin. As Baon and Ais load the bodies onto the assassins' boat, they discuss the change that came over Aarik. The next morning, Kenton wakes up and finds that his sand has returned to him and that he can now control five ribbons, not just three.

They arrive in Kezare, and Khriss suggests that they ask Ais to help them find the missing Taisha. Leaving Cynder, Delius, and his son behind, the group goes to the Tower where they are greeted by a worried Gremt. Gremt says that they don't know where Raagent is and they didn't want to get the trackts involved. They go to Raagent's room, where Ais finds spots of blood on the floor and sees that his bed is missing its sheet. Ais infers that Raagent is still in the Tower, and Gremt leads them down into the Tower's wine cellar. When they get there they find Raagent lying dead with his eyelids cut off. Upon closer inspection, Ais finds traces of Kamo on his lips and infers that it was used to make the Lord General die from fright. Ais realizes that Raagent was the one coming to meet with her in the building that was blown, not Nilto, and the limping sound they heard was because he broke his leg in the incident with the sandling.[1] From this, she realizes that the person who killed Raagent must have been Sharezan. Afterwards, reluctantly, Kenton asks Aarik to take his father's place so he can vote for the Diem. Aarik, resigned to his fate, says yes.

Chapter 17: The Impossible Choice

Characters

On the trip back to the Diem from the Tower, Kenton discusses his regret for ruining Aarik's life. Baon theorizes that Raagent was killed to sabotage the Diem's chances at winning the vote of the Taishin.

Meanwhile at the Hall of Judgement, Ais gives Heelis a report on Raagent's death. On her way out, Tain intercepts her, saying that they found Sharezan and inviting her to join him on the raid. He hands her a zinkall, and they go off together. When they arrive at the alleged hideout of Sharezan, Ais sees people in the shadows and realizes something is off. Tain takes this as his cue, raises his zinkall to Ais's head, and reveals that he is Sharezan. Ais expresses her shock and says that she had suspected Nilto. Ais tries to shoot Tain with her zinkall, but it puffs and fails; Tain had given her a defective one. Tain tells her that he had Lokmlen plant a firetrap in the orphanage she grew up in, and he is going to go to her house to kill her family, but she won't have time to save them both. He then instructs his men to hold her for one minute and then let her go. Tain runs off and his men start the countdown. As soon as they release her, she desperately searches for and finds a trackt on the street and, between gasps, tells him to go secure the orphanage. Then, out of breath, she stumbles to her house. When she nears the house, she hears a loud banging sound coming from inside and in a panic, afraid of what she will find, runs upstairs. When she gets inside, she sees Tain, holding a sword, being thrown through a wall by Kenton. Kenton tells her that Mellis and Melloni are safe, and that this "assassin" was about to kill them. Kenton then explains that he came to ask her something about Raagent, and when he saw an armed man entering the house, he immediately assumed he was an assassin coming to kill him and reflexively lashed out with his sand. When Ais tells him that this attacker was really Sharezan, Kenton moves to kill him, but Ais stops him, saying that Sharezan must face proper justice. Ais weeps with her family and thanks Kenton.

The next day Ais goes to Heelis to resign her position, but Heelis asks her to keep her job for at least one more day, and Ais agrees. All of the Taishin and a large crowd gather in the Diem to watch the fight between Kenton and Drile. Elorin gives each of them a drink from different ceremonial bowls, and the fight begins. Kenton is quickly overpowered by Drile and ends up on the ground, with Drile standing over him and taunting him.

Chapter 18: Time, Like Sand ...

Characters

Kenton remembers the day he entered the Diem when his father tried to stop him, saying he was too weak. He remembers how he never gave up and gets back on his feet, fighting back. He realizes that his strong point is his ability and skill to maximise the potential of one ribbon. Instead of splitting his focus among many ribbons, Kentons uses his one ribbon to disrupt ribbon after ribbon, frustrating Drile. In a move of seeming desperation, Drile attempts to do what Praxton did in the Kerla, and create an explosion of sand to overpower Kenton. Kenton tries warning him that it is too dangerous and he shouldn't do it, and indeed, abruptly, Drile collapses in a circle of black sand. Kenton spares Drile's life, and he is carried away on a stretcher, extremely dehydrated.

With the fight won, Kenton turns to the watching Lady Judge and requests that the Taishin hold their vote immediately in the Diem. Heelis agrees and begins taking the votes. Aarik, Vey, Gennel, Rite, The Lord Mason's representative, and Lokkall all vote in favor of the Diem leaving one vote, Heelis's, remaining. Heelis says that since she is biased in favor of the Diem, she is giving her vote to Senior Trackt Ais, and she will decide the Diem's fate. Ais, thinking of how Kenton just saved her family, goes against her Kerztian religious principles and votes in favor of the Diem. Khriss hugs Kenton in celebration, but then Dirin comes to get Kenton, saying that Drile wants to speak with him.

Drile congratulates Kenton on securing his position as Lord Mastrell and the Diem's future as a whole. Drile says that he felt weak during their fight - the same weakness he felt during the battle in the Kerla. Together, they theorize that someone must have sabotaged their fight in order for the weaker leader, Kenton, to become Lord Mastrell, hoping that it would lead to a weaker Diem. They realize that someone must have poisoned the water they drank at the Kerla, and that it must have been Elorin, who gave Drile his water before their fight. Kenton goes to confront Elorin about the matter. Elorin admits that he poisoned the bowl with KaDo, a Kerztian spice that accelerates dehydration. He says that the Sand Lord appeared to him and he realized that the Ker'Reen faith is true. He says that the A'Kar told him to remain in the Diem so he could orchestrate its downfall from within. He shoots a terken arrow from his zinkall at Kenton but misses, and Kenton sends a ribbon of sand through his heart, killing him.

Two weeks later, Kenton is preparing to say goodbye to Khriss, Baon, and Cynder, who are boarding a ship back to Darkside. They are also taking several large barrels of charged sand with them to experiment with as well as Dirin, presumably as a test subject since no one else on Darkside can master sand. Kenton promises to visit sometime to see what Darkside is like and to bring Dirin back.

Ais is on the roof of her house, praying, and Mellis joins her. She tells him that she has to go on a journey to the deep sand to get answers, and Mellis insists that they go together.

Kenton and Drile lead the Diem together in a new direction, bringing families to live in the Diem, serving the people of Lossand with their powers, and turning the Diem into a profitable business.

Serin reports to Heelis that after the Diem's reinstatement, the A'Kar's support has crumbled, and Heelis remarks that the A'Kar is resolute and will likely come back to power before too long.

On the ship to Darkside Hoid is playing a song, while Baon tries to master sand. To his surprise, he succeeds.

Notes

  1. ↑ White Sand chapter 9#
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