115. The Wrong Passion

Dalinar observes the enemy's arrival by sea and realizes the battle is lost; simultaneously, Shallan, Kaladin, and Adolin find the Oathgate to Thaylen City heavily guarded; Jasnah discovers Renarin bonded to a corrupted spren and confronts him; Venli witnesses Odium's arrival and the summoning of thunderclasts; and Odium reveals his true army—ten thousand Alethi soldiers corrupted and possessed by red spren, led by Amaram, who now turn to attack Thaylen City itself.

Dalinar stands in his villa watching the Everstorm halt before Thaylen City as enemy ships land unopposed. The Stormfather confirms that the enemy commander controls the storm as Honor once did. Amaram's Alethi troops rush to meet the disembarking parshmen, but Dalinar recognizes the enemy has anticipated every move—the coalition has abandoned them, reinforcements will arrive too slowly, and the Fused dominate the skies. Holding The Way of Kings, Dalinar prepares to act. Meanwhile, Shallan, Kaladin, and Adolin reach the Oathgate platform in Shadesmar to find it occupied by hundreds of strange spren, a terrible mass of living red light, and six Fused guarding the bridge. Trapped with dwindling Stormlight and no retreat options, they plan a distraction so Shallan can reach the Oathgate controls. In Thaylen City, Jasnah learns the city is strategically lost but focuses on saving her uncle Dalinar and evacuating civilians. She discovers Renarin in the temple of Pailiah'Elin bonded to a corrupted red spren—not the proper Truthwatcher spren—and summons her Shardblade to confront him. Venli arrives with the singer army and serves as an interpreter between Fused and newly awakened singers who are reluctant to attack their former homes. A Fused named Turash acknowledges the singers lack the "Passion" for war. When Venli senses Odium's presence, the god appears and summons thunderclasts from the ground. Odium reveals the singers are merely witnesses; his true army consists of ten thousand Alethi soldiers—Amaram's men—whom he has corrupted and possessed with red spren, binding them through their lust for vengeance against the one who killed their highprince. Odium commands them to attack Thaylen City, and they turn with glowing red eyes to assault the coastal city. Kaladin notices the red spren vanishing from Shadesmar, suggesting they have crossed into the physical realm, and Adolin questions where the enemy army has gone.