Chapter 3

This chapter is a flashback to seven and a half years before the main timeline, showing King Gavilar Kholin's final day as he pursues immortality by seeking to become a Herald. Throughout the day, Gavilar meets with various conspirators, receives a mysterious threat from the being Thaidakar, and is ultimately assassinated by a Parshendi agent wielding an Honorblade. With his dying breath, he entrusts a dangerous sphere of Voidlight to the Stormfather for his brother Dalinar.

Gavilar begins his day in a vision with the Stormfather, circling nine Honorblades and seeking the correct Words that would make him a Herald and grant immortality. The Stormfather confirms the Words are hidden in The Way of Kings but refuses to accept Gavilar's attempts. Returning to his study in the palace, Gavilar is interrupted by his brother Dalinar, who expresses concern for the Parshendi people. Gavilar manipulates Dalinar using guilt over his wife Evi's death, then instructs a guard to keep him drunk. The mysterious Thaidakar appears, revealing himself as a being of glowing light with a spike through his eye, demanding Gavilar deliver the man Restares for questioning. Gavilar refuses and later meets with Restares and an imperious Makabaki man, later revealed to be claiming the identity of Herald Nalan. Restares reveals he knows the location of Ba-Ado-Mishram, an Unmade, and Gavilar produces spheres filled with impossible Voidlight—a weapon he has created through a secret scholar. Navani interrupts the meeting. Gavilar later meets with new Sons of Honor recruits including Taravangian, king of Kharbranth, who shares a cryptic prophecy from his dying mother about the Everstorm and the Night of Sorrows. Gavilar also briefly encounters the Parshendi woman Eshonai. That evening, after the feast and treaty signing, Gavilar discusses his plans with the Stormfather, revealing his intention to let the Voidbringers return so he can fight endless wars rather than seal them away. The Stormfather expresses doubt in Gavilar as its champion, then suddenly cries out that a Herald has died, contradicting its earlier claim they were already dead. Gavilar realizes the Stormfather has lied to him. Before he can process this, an assassin attacks. Sadeas helps Gavilar don Shardplate while wearing Gavilar's robe as a decoy. The assassin, moving with supernatural grace and wielding Jezrien's Honorblade, mortally wounds Gavilar on his balcony. As Gavilar dies, he realizes the assassin serves the Parshendi, not Thaidakar. In his final moments, Gavilar gives the Stormfather the sphere of Voidlight and tells it to ensure his brother Dalinar learns the most important Words a man can say. The Stormfather refuses, stating it will not trust Gavilar's family again.