AFTERWORD

Chapter 151

Chapter 228

Overview

Multiple confrontations reach critical moments across different realms: Shallan faces Mraize in Mishram's prison and realizes his deception about Iyatil's true purpose; Kaladin attempts to persuade Ishar to aid their cause while Szeth is beaten by Honorbearers; Renarin and Rlain examine the dead Bondsmith Melishi and sense Mishram's violent rage; and Dalinar discovers his opponent is Gavinor, his grandson, who has been aged twenty years in the Spiritual Realm and trained by Taravangian to hate him.

Summary

Shallan confronts Mraize outside Mishram's prison chamber, where he demands passage to recover a gemstone. When Shallan questions Iyatil's absence, Mraize reveals she is watching Dalinar—prompting Shallan to realize the true deception: Iyatil is preventing Dalinar from interfering. Shallan instinctively attacks her manifestation Formless with the anti-Stormlight dagger, acknowledging her ongoing struggle with her fractured personas. Meanwhile, Kaladin stands with Ishar during a choreographed beating of Szeth by Honorbearers. Kaladin attempts conversation to convince Ishar to release Shinovar, using stories and music. Ishar reveals he wrote down the tale of the Wandersail three thousand years ago and dismisses most such stories as embellishment. More critically, Ishar discloses that Midius (the Wit) was present when their previous world was destroyed and influenced events leading to contact with Odium—a fact Midius typically conceals. In another chamber, Renarin and Rlain examine the mummified corpse of Melishi, the dead Bondsmith. Mishram, visible as a raging tempest within a cracked gemstone, communicates her fury about Melishi's betrayal and death. Renarin recognizes the chamber as Melishi's childhood room. The two face a critical decision regarding the gemstone. In the main confrontation, Dalinar prepares to face his champion only to discover it is Gavinor, his grandson—not Elhokar. Taravangian reveals that Gavinor was swapped as an infant when Navani escaped with the fake child; the real Gavinor has lived twenty years in the Spiritual Realm, aged into a man and trained to despise Dalinar. The Stormfather confirms this terrible truth through Connection. Gavinor, now calling himself king and wielding Oathbringer, demands Dalinar's kingdom or his death, believing Dalinar murdered Elhokar and burned the city. Taravangian frames the contest as inevitable: Dalinar must kill his own grandson to prevent Odium's influence from spreading.

Characters

  • ShallanConfronts Mraize outside Mishram's prison and realizes his deception about Iyatil; wrestles with her fractured personas (Radiant, Formless) as she prepares to fight him
  • MraizeDemands passage into Mishram's prison chamber and reveals Iyatil is watching Dalinar; serves as an antagonist in Shallan's duel
  • RadiantA manifestation of Shallan's fractured psyche who offers to handle the confrontation with Mraize; retreats when Shallan declines her help
  • FormlessAnother manifestation of Shallan's fractured psyche who draws near as Shallan fights Mraize; becomes a target of Shallan's anti-Stormlight dagger
  • PatternHovers near Mishram's prison doorway holding Testament back
  • TestamentA spren held back by Pattern near Mishram's prison doorway
  • KaladinStands with Ishar while Szeth is beaten by Honorbearers; attempts to convince Ishar to help their cause through conversation and music
  • IsharA godlike being who oversees Szeth's ritualistic beating and discusses the origins of humanity and stories with Kaladin; reveals he wrote the Wandersail tale and that Midius was responsible for their world's destruction
  • SzethAttacked and beaten by Honorbearers while refusing to fight back; uses Stormlight and Surges to escape the pile-on
  • SylAccompanies Kaladin and transforms into a flute to help him tell stories to Ishar
  • NaleStands present during Szeth's beating but does not participate; appears more human due to his disheveled state
  • RenarinExamines the corpse of Melishi and communicates with Glys about the chamber; worries about Shallan's fight and considers a decision regarding the gemstone
  • RlainInspects Melishi's corpse and investigates the chamber's glyphs; helps Renarin recognize the room as a blessed child's chamber
  • GlysRenarin's spren who trembles and pulses with fear as Mishram rages within her gemstone; helps Renarin understand the chamber's glyphs
  • MelishiA dead Bondsmith whose mummified corpse is found in the chamber; mentioned as having betrayed his spren
  • MishramAn Unmade visible as a violent black tempest within a cracked gemstone; communicates her rage about Melishi's death and betrayal
  • DalinarPrepares for his contest as champion but discovers his opponent is Gavinor, his grandson, causing him emotional devastation and moral crisis
  • GavinorRevealed to be Dalinar's grandson, aged twenty years in the Spiritual Realm and trained by Taravangian to hate Dalinar; raises Oathbringer against his grandfather and demands the kingdom
  • TaravangianReveals the deception that Gavinor is Dalinar's true opponent; explains he swapped the infant and kept Gavinor in the Spiritual Realm for two decades; justifies the setup as meeting the terms of their agreement
  • The StormfatherCommunicates to Dalinar that Gavinor is genuinely his grandson and confirms Odium swapped the child during Navani's escape
  • IyatilMentioned as watching Dalinar to prevent his interference; does not appear directly