31. Demands of the Storm

Kaladin infiltrates the parshmen-occupied city of Revolar to gather intelligence, but must flee when confronted by the Fused. He uses the arriving highstorm as cover to escape, then makes a dangerous choice to rescue trapped humans from the storm's fury before being pursued by red-eyed parshmen creatures. The chapter culminates in Kaladin's dramatic display of power as he shields civilians from the tempest's winds.

Kaladin arrives at Revolar with Sah's group of parshmen, shocked by the scale of the occupation—tens of thousands of parshmen have conquered the city and imprisoned its human population in pens and barracks. Walking through the city with his trained unit, Kaladin observes looting and destruction while questioning the morality of the parshmen's conquest with Sah, who justifies their rebellion as retaliation for enslavement. At a processing station, the group is assessed by a parshman scribe, who recommends them for training but insists Kaladin needs permission from one of the Fused to be labeled free. When a tall, red-eyed Fused approaches, Kaladin recognizes the danger and escapes by drawing Stormlight from Khen's pouch and launching himself into the air as a highstorm approaches. Syl warns him the storm is arriving sooner than expected. From above the city, Kaladin spots pens of humans and realizes they face danger from the incoming storm. He descends and uses his Shardbearer status to command the parshmen guards and townspeople toward shelter bunkers, buying them time before more red-eyed Fused arrive in pursuit. Kaladin flees into the highstorm itself, where he encounters the Stormfather—a vast, god-like spren who refuses to alter the storm's path despite Kaladin's pleas for mercy. Returning to the ground, Kaladin discovers people still trapped outside the bunkers. Consumed by rage at the storm's indiscriminate destruction and his own helplessness, Kaladin surges with Stormlight and summons windspren to create a protective barrier, parting the winds and creating a calm passage for trapped civilians to reach safety. Exhausted, he allows the storm to carry him away. The Fused pursuing him eventually give up the chase, and Kaladin rides the storm's front for hours before being guided by the Stormfather's winds toward Urithiru, where he finally comes to rest on a plateau before the tower city.