AFTERWORD

Chapter 67

60. Essai

Overview

Kaladin breaches the tower's interior to reach a mysterious node of power, fighting off guards and the relentless Pursuer while guided by the tower's spren. He discovers a sapphire gemstone being used to corrupt the tower's defenses and destroys it, but is wounded by a Fused commander before escaping.

Summary

Kaladin responds to the tower spren's distress call and fights his way through multiple guard posts using Lashings and creative weapon tactics. He crosses the entire second floor while pursued, using knowledge of the tower's layout and the spren's guidance through hidden passages. At a secret tunnel in the tower's eastern wall, he encounters the Pursuer and another Fused—a tall female with red-orange hair—who has been working to corrupt a massive sapphire gemstone that serves as a node for the tower's defenses. During combat with the Pursuer, Kaladin discovers the creature can only form a limited number of bodies before needing to recharge with Voidlight. Using the Pursuer's overconfidence and love of the chase, Kaladin lures him into pursuing him as prey rather than engaging in direct combat, then tricks the creature into a closing door that traps him inside a sealed chamber. Returning to the tunnel, Kaladin destroys the sapphire by smashing it with rubble and knocking it off the cliff into the void below, but not before the Fused stabs him in the chest with a poisoned blade. Though his healing is sluggish, Kaladin recovers enough to flee. The female Fused reveals she has further Regals and Fused approaching and suggests Kaladin escape, which he does, guided toward safety by Syl and the tower spren.

Characters

  • KaladinA Windrunner Radiant who infiltrates the tower to destroy a corrupting gemstone node; fights guards, the Pursuer, and a Fused commander while managing his depleted Stormlight
  • SylKaladin's honorspren companion who provides guidance, warns of approaching enemies, and briefly masquerades as a red spren to distract the Pursuer
  • The SiblingThe tower's spren who guides Kaladin through hidden passages and passages using garnet light; grows increasingly distressed as the tower is being corrupted
  • The PursuerA Fused creature who hunts Kaladin relentlessly, materializing from ribbons of light and exchanging bodies; becomes trapped in a sealed room
  • The Fused with red-orange hairA tall female Fused commander who works to corrupt the sapphire gemstone using a Stormlight conduit; stabs Kaladin in the chest and later permits his escape when reinforcements are summoned
  • The Thaylen woodworkerA late-night worker in a glassmaker's shop who recognizes Kaladin and offers him encouragement before hiding
  • Guard patrols and singersVarious guards and singers throughout the tower who attempt to stop Kaladin; most are quickly overcome using Lashings and improvised tactics