Summary:Words of Radiance/Chapter 85
But who is the wanderer, the wild piece, the one who makes no sense? I glimpse at his implications, and the world opens to me. I shy back. Impossible. Is it?.
—From the Diagram, West Wall Psalm of Wonders: paragraph 8 (Note by Adrotagia: Could this refer to Mraize?)
- Characters
- Plot Summary
- Ishishach 1173
Peet reports to Dalinar and Navani that Shallan said there were two storms converging on their location. Cael reports that Aladar won his plateau and that they were defeating the Parshendi. They plan to relocate to where Shallan is to try to flee to safety. Adolin suddenly flies into the tent, battered and missing parts of his shardplate. Szeth arrives nearby as Dalinar looks up.
Shallan tries to figure out the puzzle of opening the Oathgate. Renarin speaks cryptically about seeing the future and that the end has come.
Dalinar speaks to Adolin about being a good leader when he takes over their princedom, as Szeth approaches. Dalinar tells Adolin that he was taught well and that he wasn't a tyrant like Dalinar originally was, and to unite the highprinces. Dalinar tells bridge four to back off, and asks Szeth why he killed Gavilar. Szeth replies that he obeys his masters without explanation and that he will get what he is owed. Szeth attacks and is parried by Dalinar, causing Szeth to smile wickedly.
Adolin struggles to his feet, watching Dalinar and Szeth battle and seeing another storm building. He tells Skar and Drehy to help him get his nonfunctioning shardplate off.
Dalinar thinks of his brother as he fights Szeth. Eventually Szeth gets a stormlight aided punch through and breaks Dalinar's ribs, taking him out of the fight. Dalinar realizes that he would not have been able to save his brother's life against Szeth, bring peace to his soul. Szeth approaches to finish the fight, but is attacked by Roion.
Adolin watches as Szeth slices up Roion's sword and lashes him to the sky, causing him to fly up. Szeth then slays a dozen soldiers easily. Adolin attacks but is easily parried. Adolin is joined by some bridgemen and soldiers, but Szeth manages to knock him back with a forceful swing of his shardblade. Szeth reaches Dalinar and touches him, causing him to fly off into the sky, then walks away. Adolin follows but stops as Szeth says that he is done. Adolin moves to strike at Szeth but the parrying blow breaks his wrist and Szeth moves in for the kill as Adolin loses his blade. He looks up to see Dalinar floating back down slowly. Szeth looks up in horror to see Kaladin crash into the ground holding a shardblade, leaving a swordlike glyph where he landed. Kaladin says that he claims the sky and winds, and Szeth's life.