56. Always with You

Dalinar brings Navani and Jasnah into a vision of Feverstone Keep during what may be the False Desolation, where they witness the Recreance—Radiants abandoning their Shardblades and armor. He also summons Yanagawn to show him this pivotal historical event. After the vision should end, Dalinar remains on the field and encounters a figure claiming to be God—revealed to be Odium, not the Almighty.

Dalinar successfully brings Navani and Jasnah into a vision without a highstorm by holding their hands, demonstrating increased control over his connection to the visions. They arrive at Feverstone Keep, a fortress with a distinctive bloodred stone wall, where they observe soldiers and equipment. Jasnah estimates the location dates to approximately two thousand years ago based on architecture, weaponry, and language, placing it after Aharietiam but potentially related to the False Desolation—a legendary period when some Voidbringers may have survived and clashed with humanity. Navani plans to use this information to locate the keep and study the Recreance. Dalinar asks the Stormfather to bring Yanagawn to the vision as well. Together they witness Radiants flying down, summoning their Shardblades, and then deliberately abandoning both their weapons and armor on the field, causing spren to die. Men flood out of the keep and begin slaughtering one another to claim the Shards. Yanagawn questions why the Radiants would give up such valuable weapons. Dalinar urges the young emperor to visit Urithiru and open Azir's Oathgate, framing it as necessary to prevent another Recreance. Yanagawn expresses doubt about his own importance, revealing that the viziers fear him and that Lift, not he, was responsible for the miracle proving his elevation. The Almighty speaks through a soldier, delivering the same cryptic message about the Night of Sorrows and the True Desolation. Yanagawn then fades from the vision, but Dalinar remains on the field. Instead of the vision ending, an old Shin man in white and gold appears—claiming to be God. He identifies himself not as Honor (the Almighty) but as Odium, stating he has always been with Dalinar.