25. The Girl Who Looked Up

Shallan explores the depths of Urithiru alone and discovers an ancient theater, where she performs an elaborate illusion-based retelling of a folktale called "The Girl Who Looked Up." After the performance, she pursues what appears to be a non-illusory figure through the tower's corridors, encounters a disturbing creature in the ventilation slots, and rushes to the Breakaway market where a Horneater has been mysteriously stabbed. There, she encounters Ishnah, a thief from All's Alley who wants to join the Ghostbloods.

Shallan ventures into the lower levels of Urithiru in defiance of Dalinar's orders, carrying abundant Stormlight spheres and wearing Veil's clothing. She explores the ancient structure, noting its strange, wrongness-inducing geometry and lack of expected records or technology. Discovering a vast theater, she creates an elaborate magical performance of "The Girl Who Looked Up," a childhood folktale about a girl who questions a mysterious wall protecting her village, climbs it, and discovers steps on the far side—revealing the wall was meant to keep the villagers themselves hidden away as an evil people. The story concludes that the girl descended, stole Stormlight, and brought it back, causing the storms as divine punishment. During the performance, Shallan notices a figure in the audience that isn't her illusion and pursues it through the corridors. She encounters a grotesque spren-like creature squeezing through wall ventilation slots with distorted human features. Realizing it's heading toward the populated market, she rushes there and finds a Horneater named Rock with a stabbed hand. Rock reports being attacked by a figure in a coat and hat who seemed to target him for his appearance rather than his actions. Veil is approached by Ishnah, a thief from All's Alley who recognizes her and desperately seeks to join the Ghostbloods, claiming she wants to understand the world's wrongness. Shallan refuses and leaves her in the market.