3. Momentum

A flashback thirty-four years prior showing a young Dalinar Kholin leading an elite force in a brutal military campaign for his brother Gavilar. During the assault on a town, Dalinar kills the enemy brightlord heir in brutal combat, then is ambushed by an assassin archer whose incredible marksmanship astounds him despite the assassination attempt. After recruiting the archer into his forces, Dalinar negotiates with his ally Sadeas to spare the town from looting in exchange for the archer's loyalty.

The chapter opens with Dalinar charging across a burning field with his elite soldiers to flank an enemy force retreating into a town. Using overwhelming momentum and aggression, Dalinar's forces break through initial spearman lines, though Dalinar loses his shield during combat with an enemy brightlord. The Thrill—a battle-induced sensation of heightened awareness and power—awakens within him, allowing him to overcome the brightlord despite his injuries and kill him with a poleaxe. Dalinar then orders his men to round up civilians as hostages to force surrender. While regrouping, Dalinar is struck by an arrow from a distance; recognizing the shot came from an assassin positioned on a ridge over three hundred yards away, he pursues the archer on horseback up switchbacks to the ridge. Despite being shot twice more during the chase, Dalinar catches the archer and discovers he is an enemy operative with a blue tattoo. Rather than executing him, Dalinar is impressed by the archer's skill and recruits him into his elite force. The archer protests that Dalinar killed his brightlord Yezriar, the heir to the princedom, but Dalinar justifies the killing as necessary to prevent resistance and offers the archer a choice: join or die. When Sadeas arrives, Dalinar makes a surprising promise not to loot or enslave the town in exchange for the archer's continued service. Sadeas reluctantly agrees, and Dalinar withdraws to his camp, fighting off the emptiness that follows battle.