Wind and Truth

Shallan was pulled into the Spiritual Realm when the Ghostbloods attacked Dalinar’s portal. Now, she finds Renarin and Rlain waiting for her. They are all inhabiting a vision of Renarin’s childhood bedroom. In order to locate Ba-Ado Mishram’s prison before Mraize can, they decide to find Dalinar and Navani, whom the Ghostbloods will likely be following.

Kaladin and Szeth continue to discuss self-forgiveness and the importance of personal autonomy. They arrive at the next monastery. This one is surrounded by a large settlement and protected by fortifications. Inside the monastery, they find the corpse of Sivi, the Willshaper Honorbearer. She appears to have resisted the corrupting force that is at play elsewhere.

In the Spiritual Realm, Navani and Dalinar witness a portal opening from humanity’s home planet, Ashyn. Ishar the Herald—currently still a mortal man—controls the portal. He holds it open with great effort as refugees pour through. The sky is on fire in the world behind them. Humans destroyed that world by using their unfettered access to power Surges. As Dalinar and Navani watch, the other Heralds (and Wit) appear with the crowds of people.

Adolin and the Azish Shardbearer, Neziham, hold off the 11th wave of attacks. From time to time, Adolin pulls back from the battle to take a rest. While he is resting, one of a few specially trained soldiers wears his Shardplate.

Sigzil arrives on the Shattered Plains, where he commands the forces defending Narak. His forces are badly outnumbered. He develops a clever plan to draw attacks in strategic places by making his defenses look especially weak in specific areas.

This chapter continues the flashback to Szeth’s past.

Szeth’s parents are heartbroken to discover that Szeth has killed a man. They recognize that this act was done in self-defense, but Shinovar culture holds that only certain kinds of people are capable of violence. Now that Szeth has revealed himself to be such a person, he must travel to one of the monasteries to train as a soldier. His father vows that the whole family will go with him in a show of support and solidarity. This decision eventually tears their family apart, as Szeth’s mother and sister begrudge the hardships that befall them.

Shallan, Rlain, and Renarin arrive in the vision where Dalinar and Navani are, just in time to witness the arrival of humans on Roshar. Shallan finds Mraize hiding in the body of a human refugee and swings her knife at him, but Mraize deflects her blow.

One of Shallan’s alter-egos, Formless, appears. Shallan thought that she had fully done away with Formless, who is the embodiment of Shallan’s avoidance of her darkest memories. (Later in the novel, it will be revealed that Iyatil, Mraize’s companion, is masquerading as Formless.)

The Stormfather does not want Dalinar to see these visions of the past because he does not want Dalinar to discover the truth of Honor’s past betrayals and oath-breaking. The Stormfather yells at Dalinar and refuses to help him return to the Physical Realm

While Dalinar speaks with the Stormfather, Navani continues to sense that someone watching: someone with whom she has a connection. She is likely feeling either Renarin (her nephew and stepson) or Gavinor (her grandson), both of whom are in the Spiritual Realm with her.

Navani realizes that she and Dalinar will need objects that will anchor them to each vision that they want to visit. Just as their current vision is dissolving, she snags a hair ribbon from a person in the vision: young Shalash, who will be present at the founding of the Oathpact and will become a Herald.

In Azimir, Adolin receives news that the reinforcement army marching toward them has been delayed, harried by unseen forces. (These unknown forces will later be revealed to be portions of the coalition army that have changed sides after their governments agreed to work with Odium.)

Adolin visits with injured soldiers in the field hospital. There, he finds the Heralds Shalash and Taln. Taln is barely conscious and mutters to himself incoherently.

This chapter continues the flashback to Szeth’s past.

Szeth and his family arrive at the soldier camp. Szeth’s mother gives him a toy sheep that she made from a scrap of Molli’s wool. He keeps it despite orders to destroy all belongings from his former life.

Szeth hears the voice in his head again. Under its direction, he impresses his superiors and becomes a candidate for officer training. The voice lies to Szeth, claiming to be the spren of the stone that he used to kill the soldier. (In reality, the voice is Ishar, but this fact will not be revealed until Part 10.)

Adolin lets Yanagawn try on his Shardplate. The magical armor gives the wearer superhuman strength and speed, so using it effectively requires training.

While Szeth and Kaladin are between monasteries, Szeth is caught unawares and pulled into Shadesmar by two Honorbearers. One is Pozen, the Elsecaller Honorbearer who was also one of Szeth’s closest mentors. The other is the Edgedancer Honorbearer.

Szeth fights first the Edgedancer and then Pozen in the next duels of his pilgrimage. They have violated the rules of the traditional duels by pulling him into Shadesmar, where he is at a distinct disadvantage. Even so, Szeth manages to conquer them both by wielding Nightblood. In Shadesmar, Szeth sees his spren’s true form; he is surprised and disappointed to see that his spren is afraid, confused, and rather helpless. After this, Szeth feels more confidence around his spren and is less willing to follow the spren’s orders blindly.

Rlain and Renarin’s spren take their group into another vision, where they see glimpses of Ba-Ado-Mishram’s angry face appearing in the rocks and clouds.

Shallan grapples with the pain of seeing Formless again; she thought that she had done away with that harmful alter-ego.

Adolin is exhausted after another bout of attacks by Odium’s forces.

Moash, one of the original members of Kaladin’s bridge crew who has since switched sides, wrestles with pain and guilt before Odium comes to him. Odium shows Moash an alluring vision of a possible future, enlisting Moash’s allegiance. Odium then embeds crystals in Moash’s eyes, granting him magical sight.

Taravangian shifts to allow his emotions to rule. He visits the city of Kharbranth. He resolves that absolute control—achieved through conquering the planet—is the only way to completely protect his family and the city he loves.