Difference between revisions of "Summary:Oathbringer"

Adolin goes to visit [[Gallant]]. They mourn the death of [[Sureblood]] as Adolin gives him treats. Renarin appears; he has been looking for Adolin. He suggests having Shallan draw Sureblood. He also says that he must give back the shardblade because it hurts to hold. Renarin reluctantly admits that he has created his own blade now and shows Adolin, who admires it for its beauty. Renarin is not content though; he was starting to fit in with Bridge Four, but now he must pivot to being a Knight Radiant. He's afraid that he will make a mistake trying to use his new power. Adolin clasps his hand to give him confidence, and he feels a wash of Stormlight through his body. He sees ofa vision of himself, perfected and whole. Renarin is embarrassed and leaves, and Adolin is surprised that his wounded wrist is now healed.

* [[Rlain]] (metionedmentioned only)

* [[Sebarial]] (mentioendmentioned only)

Dalinar prepares for battle, in prayer with his betrothed, Evi. She encourages him to not kill in anger, to "be a man and not a beast." He leaves to fight in what should be a decisive battle for the kingdom. Gavilar notes that Sebarial hasn't shown up, ostensibly due to supply line problems, but Dalinar believes he's just waiting to join the winning side. A small number of Ryshadium gallopgallops by, musicspren trailing behind. Gavilar tells Dalinar to kill [[Kalanor]], the shardbearer Highprince, to finally quell all resistance to the kingdom. The battle begins, and Dalinar seeks out a section of Kholin troops doing poorly, then attacks. He gets so enthralled he doesn't realize how many he is killing. Kadash finally snaps him out of it, and Dalinar has realized that he's killed some of his own troops. His slaughter has drawn out Kalanor. Dalinar seeks him out, regretting that he can only kill one man instead of hundreds. He finds Kalanor on a Ryshadium. Dalinar fights him and the two end up on a high ledge. After trading blows, Kalanor stumbles back, losing his blade, holding on for dear life, begging mercy from Dalinar. He runs him through the face with his shardblade, but feels oddly dissatisfied. The Thrill fills him with strength and arrogance -- all others are weak, and he deserves to rule. He dashes to Gavilar, intending to kill him, but realizes that he is about to murder his brother and stops. He gives up his newly acquired shardplate and blade to Gavilar for his heir. Dalinar vows to never be king.

Lunamor (Rock) is cooking stew and surprised at how he finds the barren Shattered Plains beautiful. Kaladin is training crews on how to use Stormlight. He first has them swear the first oath, and Lunamor quietly recites it to himself as he cooks. He instructs Lopen, Sigzil, and Peet to start teaching. Dabbid takes over stirring. Lunamor goes to find Hobber and finds Kaladin kneeling beside him. He tenderly encourages Hobber to try breathing in Stormlight. Rock is skeptical he can do it, but Kaladin insists all of Bridge Four will, and maybe others. He cautions Kaladin that they are going to war and some may die. Several of the bridgemen are glowing; Lopen has stuck his face to the ground. Elhokar appears and asks Kaladin to come with him to Kholinar and reclaim their home. Kaladin agrees and is given twenty days to prepare the rest of the men. Renarin meanwhile comes straight from his daily duty at the Oathgate to be with Bridge Four. Rock invites him over to help cook and notes he can see all spren, but never Renarin's. Renarin wonders if he belongs to Bridge Four since he is not a Windrunner, but Rock insists that he does. He is conflicted over what is expected of him -- to be a warrior, or what he is good at, scholarly work. He feels the odd one out, but Rock points out [[Rlain]]; Renarin goes to sit by him. The men come over for a drink break. Skar is struggling at drawing in Stormlight, but he manages to teach Lunamor how to draw some in. Skar, instead of being jealous, is pleased, being a teacher at heart. Rock suddenly notices a large group of spren gathered to watch Bridge Four practicing. Sylphrena says they wouldn't talk to her because she sought out Kaladin and hate to admit they were wrong. Rock makes an offering of Stormlight-infused spheres. The human-sized spren draws it in before flying away. Hobber breathes in a bit of Stormlight and calls the bridgemen over. Kaladin tells them to give him all their spheres so his legs can heal. He tentatively stands up, and Lopen givegives him the ''two''-armed Bridge Four salute, which Hobber proudly returns. Rock looks to the west and sees a plume of smoke.

Shallan reads another letter from Mraize. He tells her that Ishnah was an assistant to real spies, but not a threat and may continue to work for Shallan. While she waits for a meeting with Elhokar she examines the illusion she has placed on her pouch that makes it appearsappear violet, but is actually white. The illusion is being sustained by the Stormlight of a sphere in the pouch, rather than by Stormlight from inside her. She ponders new applications of this ability. Shallan then meets with Elhokar. She tells him she's going to fly with Kaladin to Thaylen City. Then, in private, she offers the king her and her spies' company on the mission to Kholinar. Elhokar at first hesitates, not wanting to take two Radiants away from Dalinar. She convinces him that she is not Dalinar's subject and neither is he; he can do what he wishes. He accepts.

{{epigraph|If you would speak to me futherfurther, I request open honesty. Return to my lands, approach my servants, and I will see what I can do for your quest.}}

Shallan tries to draw out some painspren by punching herself, but she can't bring herself to do it hard enough. The others are sitting in the showroom, [[Yokska]] updating the king on the erratic behavior of his wife. Shallan spies some scissors and stabs herself, bringing the painspren. They are twisted, monster-like, and green instead of orange. Elhokar blames his wife's behavior on the "dark spren" that came after the Everstorm. Shallan continues to sketch as she listens. She draws a hungerspren she'd seen earlier, but it had looked normal. The tailor tells them that the queen had ordered the execution of the parshmen, but the order was blocked by important lighteyes in the city. They were eventually exiled outside the city by the Wall Guard. Meanwhile, Shallan tries to think of something really embarrassing, and she unbuttons her safehand sleeve. During a pause in the conversation, she trips and sprawls out on the floor, showing her legs AND exposed safehand! Shamespren appear, also altered from their normal form. She scurries off to draw them. Yokska continues: a new highmarshal of the Wall Guard arrived and restored order, but they mostly just guard the wall, leaving the [[Cult of Moments]] to rule the city. Use of any type of fabrial attracts screaming yellow spren, which draw some Fused who then confiscate the fabrial. Kaladin presses her for more information, but Shallan perceives that she is overwhelmed, so she is dismissed to rest. Elhokar is determined to stay and do something to save the city and his family. They decide to stay and at least scout out the city. Elhokar will send a message to his wife at the palace via Shallan, disguised as a message girl. Kaladin is to accompany her in case of emergency. Shallan goes to her room to change into Veil. Since she obviously wasn't with them, Shallan is forced to reveal the truth to them.

He leads her to an inn and they are admitted to a private dining area. Wit compliments Shallan on her disguise. She probes him for information on who he is, suspecting that he's a Herald. He claims to be much older than theythem. Shallan looks into his eyes and sees eons of time passing. He has made a vow to be "there" when he is needed. They banter, and it comes out that Sadeas has been murdered. Wit is disappointed that he wasn't around for that. He does know that he needs to be in the city, but doesn't know why. The innkeeper brings some food, and Shallan eats while Wit seems distracted. She tells him that she wants to be like him, to be able to change the world. He cautions her to be careful with power and to be wary of anyone who claims to see the future. She asks him about the cult on the Oathgate platform. The Unmade known as the [[Ashertmarn|Heart of the Revel]] is there, and every night the members feast. If she can obtain non-soulcast food, she may be able to join the party. Wit makes an abrupt exit, and she asks Pattern if he knows who Wit is, and he says that he feels like one of them.

Dalinar marches toward the Rift from the west while Sadeas's forces march in from the east. He rides behind Evi's wagon, where she continually burns incense and glyphs. He regrets their earlier exchange and decides to join her. She begs him to try to avoid bloodshed. She sees a great man, but he becomes a bloodthirsty monster in battle with a terrible empty look in his eyes (i.e. when he's taken with the Thrill). The carriage stops and he receives Teleb's report. A caravan was observed leaving the city, but they did not engage it. He commands the troops to form up and goes alone toward the city wall. Tanalan eventually comes out to talk to him. Dalinar tries to convince him to surrender, or at least try to reduce bloodshed by having a duel decide the battle. Tanalan declines, knowing he'd probably lose, but does propose the idea that they can pretend that they were allies in secret so that disloyal highprinces could be rooted out (because they would join Tanalan's supposed rebellion). He says that Sadeas was the one in the caravan. Dalinar rides back, and Teleb reports that someone with Shardplate is in the caravan. Dalinar decides that he can't risk sending conventional troops against someone with shards, so he must go with them. He telltells Evi to send a message to Gavilar, that the Rift may be taken without bloodshed, and to trust no one.

Kaladin is on patrol along the inside of the wall. He's been assigned to Noro's squad. The men chat amiably; Kaladin has been easily accepted into the group by the others. They see some noble dressed in a ridiculous outfit and make jokes about him. It turns out to be Adolin, who gives a subtle signal to Kaladin to stay with the guard. As they talk, Kaladin learns that even among lighteyes there are distinct castes. Those of the lower dahns call those of the higher dahns "middlers" and do not associate with them. They eventually meet up with some other squads to guard Velalant's food wagon. The starving refugees get increasingly hostile, but fortunately Velalant's guards show up and push back the crowds. Noro's squad is assigned to the wall in half an hour, and Kaladin and [[Beard]] climb to the station. Kaladin asks him how they are getting food. The only clue is that Azure had them attack a monastery that has a soulcaster, but they don't know why the screamers don't give it away. They reach the top of the wall, and Kaladin notices that the portion near the palace is lightly patrolled. Beard says that they hear whispers to join the palace guard when they go near there; Azure has told them to not listen, and they won't get sucked in. As the rest of the squad arrives, alarm drums sound. Kaladin starts giving orders, then feels stupid because he's not in command. They form a pike block and see the Fused engaging other troops some distance away. Some men start to break out of formation to go help, and Kaladin has to hold his tongue until Noro finally says something. The assault is very brief and never gets to them. Kaladin apologizes to Noro, but Noro doesn't seem to mind.

Veil goes to distribute the remaining food to Grund and the others, too shaken from the experience at the Oathgate to go back to the shop. She givegives some bread to Grund, who is acting odd. He takes a bite of the bread and tries to bluff her into staying. She promises to come back with more food and leaves him, walking through the market disguised as a guard. She circles back to Grund and hears thugs beating him. She scares them off but not before one of them bashes Grund in the head. She tries to tend to his wounds, but as she does, he reveals that he actually hates her because the "Grips" gang forced him to wait around for food and would just steal it from him. All of those who she thought she was helping hate her. Grund dies, and she rushes to Muri, who is escaping the area because the Grips are mad about something. She curses Shallan and leaves with her children. Shallan crumples to the floor in anguish.

Dalinar waits for news from Kholinar while he tries to deal with the returned memories. It's been four hours since the last communication, and the platform is packed with soldiers ready to join the fight. After even more waiting, word finally comes via spanreed: the city has fallen.

Venli tells a biased account of the [[War of Reckoning]] to a group of gathered singers, portraying the listeners as a heroic group that fought against the humans who sought to enslave them for years and Venli as a brave leader who discovered the secrets of stormform. She finishes her story by telling about the listeners sacrificing themselves for the singers' freedom and encouraging them to fight for Odium. When her speech is over, a femalen singer in scholarform brings her a cup of water, and expresses doubt at what they were told to do. Venli expresses frustration at how far behind the singers are. She returns to the town's mansion, where she is staying, and Rine derides her for being arrogant. Venli laments that the singers are so far behind, still stuck in Alethi customs. She suggests using human slaves to help speed up the work, but Rine tells her that they must kill all the humans to prevent them from manifesting Surgebinding. Venli returns to her room to pack and frees the spren from her pouch. It zips around and looks at various things in the room, pulsing to the rhythm of Curiosity. Venli realizes that she is attuning to the old rhythms, not the new ones of power, and tells the spren to go away. It pulses to Resolve and stays.

Dalinar attends a meeting with Gavilar and the heirs of the highprinces, acting as intimidation. He is still struggling with the events that occurred at the Rift three years ago. Since then, Gavilar (and Sadeas) have used the burning of the Rift as leverage to convince others to follow Gavilar's lead, with the implication that he can't control the Blackthorn and needs them to give him safer options by cooperating. Gavilar suggests that they light a fire in the hearth for warmth, which is a signal to Dalinar that he can leave since he can't stand the sight and sound of fire. He leaves the room, looking for alcohol to drive out the screaming he hears. As he walks down a corridor, he smells the incense Renarin is burning, reminding him of Evi. As he searches for wine in various places in the palace, Dalinar encounters Adolin with a group of soldiers, wearing a specifically tailored uniform. Adolin proudly tells him about setting up a bout with [[Tenathar]] and getting closer to winning a Shardblade. Dalinar scolds him for being too familiar with him while in uniform, but Adolin is not insulted; he merely tries harder and responds with a formal invitation to watch the duel. Adolin runs off, and Dalinar eventually must resort to the [[Beggars' Porch]] where he meets up with [[Ahu]], a crazy beggar who always seems to have something to drink. As they drink, Ahu (who is actually Jezrien) says strange things relating to various Desolations and being tortured. Afterwards, Dalinar drunkenly stumbles back to the wrong room and overhears a discussion between Gavilar, Elhokar, and Adolin about Dalinar's drinking. They're aware of all his attempts to find booze that evening and his visit to the Beggars' Porch. Their conversation brings memories of Evi back, so he stumbles off to his room and collapses on a couch.

Szeth is talking with sword-nimi at the [[Skybreaker]] fortress at the [[Purelake]]. It encourages Szeth to draw it more often, but Szeth has been warned only to draw in extreme emergencyemergencies and with lots of Stormlight on hand. He plans to finish his training and go back to Shinovar to administer justice. Ki tells Szeth and five other hopefuls that they are deemed worthy to speak the First Ideal of the [[Immortal Words]]. Instead of belting the words out like the others, Szeth whispers the First Ideal to the voices of the dead that he hears to assure them that they will receive justice for their murders. Ki then explains to them the procedure of becoming a full Skybreaker. They will undergo several tests and speak more ideals when a highspren is ready to bond to them. Before being carried through the air, Szeth asks Ki if he should be treated the same as the other new Skybreakers. She explains to him that only Nin, who is absent at that moment, is able to make such a judgement, and Szeth is content with this answer.

Kaladin remembers back to when he iswas in Amaram's army. He's being disciplined for freezing up during training. He chisels away at crem stuck on the bunker floor. Sergeant Tukks comes in to discuss it. He thinks that Kaladin was afraid of getting hurt, but Kaladin claims he was afraid of hurting someone else. Tukks suggests that he focus on his squadmates; they are like family, and he should worry about fighting for them. Kaladin isn't entirely truthful though -- he's actually worried about being an effective killer.

They camp and walk for a couple of days. As they walk, Kaladin asks Syl where she lived. She lived in a grand city ruled by Honorspren. She tells of another man she had bonded to. He was killed in a battle before the Recreance, so she survived, but she was broken. Her father found her and forbade her to leave the city again. She left anyway because she heard Kaladin calling to her. Suddenly she sees a light in the distance from a lighthouse.

Adolin and Shallan bargain with Riino for rations. They get some canned food and dig in. A ship will be coming soon that will take them to Celebrant, a city near the location of Rathalas in the Physical Realm. Kaladin asks Shallan for paper, and he draws the city he had seen in the vision. They all agree that's it's Thaylen City. Kaladin wants to go to the Oathgate there and somehow use it to get there. Azure says the only way back is through the perpendicularity. A ship arrives.

The stall merchant, a Reacher, tells him that the painting was from the Court of Gods and that it is rare for one to escape being burned at the Court. It is a painting designed for those with divinity to see, and everyone who looks at it sees something different. Kaladin sees the nine unmade and knows that he must reach Dalinar. He hears a disturbance behind him and sees Adolin rushing up.

The Fused heads toward the registrar's office, and Shallan hurriedly putputs disguises on all of them and tells them to look frightened. The Fused arrives and ignores them, instead yelling at the poor spren that he should have told him that there were humans there. He tells her to put out the fire and leaves. The spren realizes they are Radiants and rejoices, agreeing to help them.

Dalinar attends Gavilar's funeral in the royal catacombs of Kholinar. He is pained by the sight of his brother's body lying dead on a slab. [[Jevena]], a wizened ardent, preaches about how Gavilar was a good ruler who will fight on in the Tranquiline Halls. He asks Jevena what will happen after the Tranquiline Halls are retaken, hoping for peace and rest, but she instead comfortingly tells him that he will get another fight. The [[ketek]]s are read, and Dalinar realizes that one of them is Navani's. He spots her with her arm around Elhokar and trying to comfort Jasnah, who stalks off into the palace. A Soulcaster comes and turns Gavilar's body into stone, and Dalinar forces himself to watch. Elhokar swears vengeance on the Parshendi and asks the highprinces to join in his vow. Sadeas is the first to pledge. Dalinar heads back into the palace; Adolin catches up to him, concerned. Dalinar tells Adolin to pledge support for their house and runs into the palace. He fumbles with his keys, trying to enter his chambers to get some wine. He hears a feminine voice speaking, and is attracted by the words. He follows the sound and finds Jasnah reading from ''The Way of Kings''. Dalinar asks her to read to him, and she reads the entire text over the next several hours. When they are done, they cry a bit and embrace before going their separate ways. Dalinar talks to Adolin, apologizing for being a poor father to him and Renarin, then tells him that he will travel to the Shattered Plains by water. He plans to cause a delay, during which he can follow Evi's advice to seek the Old Magic.

Venli tells her story to Thaylen parshmen. She speaks more of emotions and Passion to them, as instructed. She turns and leaves at the end of her speech, as she is no longer allowed to stay and answer questions about the listeners. Venli wonders if it is because Odium and the Fused are afraid of her people's history, despite their use of it as propaganda. As she walks back to her cave, Venli encounters an insane Fused who grabs her and flies them over to the ships in the harbor. She is dumped onto one of hundreds of ships waiting in harbor, where Rine is waiting for her. He informs her that she is to accompany them as they sail for an assault. Venli is surprised that they are leaving so soon, expressing reservations on needing to fight. Rine tells her that the Everstorm will arrive soon, and that it is the singers' war they are fighting -- that the Fused are merely there to help give them their home back. After that is accomplished, they can finally sleep.

Rysn enters her combination to the first door, then they pass two more doors that are opened by guards, one of whom is unfamiliar to her. Rysn is taken through to an alcove that Fladm is waiting in, and she's transferred to a palanquin that Tlik and another guard carry her in, to her embarrassment. Chiri-Chiri follows her in tointo the main vault. The vault is full of gemstones, but it is dark; they are traded on ledgers, backed by the confidence that the reserve is safe and intact. Rysn gives Vstim a key, and he unlocks Vault Thirteen, the queen's own vault. This closet-sized vault is full of light, much of it coming from a giant ruby, the [[King's Drop]]. Vsitm covers it with a cloth to reduce the glare, and the audit begins. Suddenly, the unfamiliar guard stabs Tlik and grabs the ruby, wounding Vstim and locking him in vault 13. Other guards attack, but the thief is able to heal. As more guards arrive to the fight, Rysn grabs the King's Drop, ties it to her leg, and pulls herself down the corridor. Chiri-Chiri feeds from the ruby. Rysn reaches Fladm's corpse and yells for help, taking his crossbow. Chiri-Chiri harrasses the thief, feeding from his [[Voidlight]]. The traitor is revealed to be one of the [[Fused]] that can lightweave. Rysn shoots him in the chin right as he looms over her. His Voidlight gone, he drops to the floor and is still.

Dalinar watches the Everstorm approach and then settle over the city. The enemy ships sail in with the storm and arrive uncontested, his armada having fled the storm. Amaram's troops flood into the space between the walls and the water while reinforcements are called from Urithiru. Dalinar wonders why Cultivation allowed his memories to return. What is the step he must now take? He picks up his copy of Way of Kings and heads out into the city.

Venli watches as the souls of the thunderclasts meld into the ground. She sees, in the Cognitive Realm, another force off shoreoffshore. The Fused bow to Odium, so Venli quickly follows suit. [[Turash]], the sane Fused that Venli had been interpreting for, expresses doubt to Odium about their army, but Odium replies that they have only come to watch. The red power enters the Physical Realm and she feels the Thrill.

Adolin leads a small group of troops through the city after some enemy troops who are converging on Jasnah's position. He is interrupted by several red-eyed soldiers falling through the air, seemingly thrown. He peaks around the corner to see Jasnah standing alone, surrounded by a fading, glowing silhouette of smoke geometric shapes that had been outlining her. With Jasnah not needing help, Adolin and his group rush to the aid of Thaylen soldiers fighting a larger group of enemies. Adolin attacks the rear of the enemy formation with his Shardblade, killing all of them. A voice from the crowd, Kdralk the son of Queen Fen from Thaylenah, asks for Adolin's help as his mother and father are trapped behind the wall.

Jasnah lingers between realms, and Soulcasts air into steps to the top of the wall to meet Navani and Queen Fen. She notices that Shallan is nearly out of Stormlight from cratingcreating her illusory army, and tells Navani that they need to rally a defense. Jasnah defends the group from two Fused nonchalantly, setting one on fire and bisecting the other. Jasnah commands that they must hold the wall by conventional means until Urithiru sends reinforcements.

Adolin is greeted by the Thaylen Shardbearer, Hrdalm. Hrdalm is overtaken by two Fused, and Adolin manages to throw his Shardblade Maya at one, finishing it off while Hrdalm bats the other away. Adolin manages to slice off a finger of the Thunderclast, but is knocked back by a slap, his Shardblade dropping and disappearing. Adolin frantically moves to escape the Thunderclast, counting out heartbeats for his Shardblade. As he reaches the seventh count, he consciously calls to Maya, and she appears in his hand three seconds early. After Adolin is knocked down by the Thunderclast, Renarin appears carrying his Shardblade. Adolin notices the Thunderclast steps back, seemingly afraid of Renarin. Renarin uses Stormlight to heal Adolin, while commanding Adolin to retreat before charging the Thunderclast. Renarin is crushed by the Thunderclast, but heals and slices off the beastsbeast's hand. Adolin reluctantly lends Maya to Hrdalm, and then goes to help hold the streets.

Szeth chases down a Fused carrying the Ruby. The Fused uses the power of Abrasion, and Szeth feigns ignorance of it until he's in a position to lash the Fused into the sky and catches the Ruby in his pouch. Szeth manages to trick the Fused into thinking they stole the pouch with the Ruby in it, but instead the Ruby was handed to Lift, who hid in an illusion of a rock. Together, Lift and Szeth go to Dalinar, but Szeth trustsentrusts the Ruby to Lift as he can't bring himself to approach the red mist. Lift enters the red mist alone.

{{epigraph|It becomes the responsbilityresponsibility of every man, upon realizing he lacks the truth, to seek it out.}}

Shallan is in better spirits after drinking some of Teshav's tea as she meets up with Adolin at the command post atop the city. Kaladin lands on a nearby rooftop, surveying the city, and Shallan glances at him,. Adolin sees this and says he'll step back and let Kaladin have Shallan. Shallan goes on a long tangent about how she doesn't love Kaladin but that Adolin is the one for her, after which they passionately kiss, and Shallan commits to Adolin that none of her alternate personalities will take control and go after Kaladin.

Lopen makes banter and jokes with Rua, teaching him a rude gesture in the process, he then attends to some wounded soldiers, one of whom asks him how one becomes a Radiant. Lopen tells him the easy part is swearing the First Ideal: "Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before pancakes.," but that the hard part is swearing the Second Ideal, which he swears, not expecting the Stormfather to accept it. He and Rua make the rude gesture at the Stormfather, as Lopen is angry the Stormfather hadn't accepted his oath in the heat of battle.

Ash drags Taln through Thaylen City, trying to reach the Oathgate and make it to Azir, where they will be more inconspicuous. Something inside Ash rips as Moash kills Jezrien, her father. Jasnah, nearby, notices, and looks at a drawing she has of Ash and Taln from Hoid as Ash falls unconscious for the first time in thousands of years.

Kaladin flies overhead Alethkar, until he sees a very small fire giving off a bit of smoke next to a tarp painted with the symbol of Bridge Four. He lands, and two cloaked figures take off their hoods: Drehy and Skar. They reveal a couple of people they saved from the fighting in Kholinar, as well as Elhokar's son, Gavinor, heir to the Alethi throne. They also reveal that they have both sworn the Second Ideal of the Windrunners.