Chapter 243

Dalinar sacrifices himself to shatter the Oathpact, killing the Knight of Wind (Stormfather) and forcing Taravangian/Odium to absorb both Honor and Odium Shards, becoming Retribution. Simultaneously, Kaladin and the Herald Ishar work to preserve the Oathpact and the Herald spren through an alternative method, pulling the Heralds' souls away before Retribution can destroy them.

Navani senses Dalinar's death through the Sibling's connection, learning that he shattered the contract binding the Oathpact and destroying Honor itself. The Sibling reveals this act forces Retribution (Taravangian merged with Odium) to absorb both Shards, making him catastrophically powerful but also binding him to Honor's strictures. Shallan at the Oathgates discovers all Stormlight has been drained from the world as the Stormfather dies, leaving the Oathgate spren powerless. Taravangian, reveling in his new power as Retribution, finds his authority constrained: he cannot absorb the ten Oathgate spren, protected by an oath and circle using Adonalsium's strength. He realizes Dalinar's sacrifice has stripped him of centuries of planning time and forced immediate confrontation with other Shards. When Taravangian finds Dalinar's corpse shielding the unconscious Gavinor, he attempts to seize Dalinar's soul to torture it, but the soul is claimed by another power and escapes beyond his reach. In the Spiritual Realm, Taravangian discovers Dalinar's legacy has manifested as the Blackthorn—a legendary spren formed from collective memory and Dalinar's given memories, now serving Retribution as a perfect warrior without moral restraint. Concurrently, Kaladin and Herald Ishar execute an alternative preservation of the Oathpact using Vedel's methods and powers outside Stormlight, forging new oaths to protect the Herald spren. As Nale vanishes and Ishar begins the ritual, Kaladin's soul is pulled away as his body remains behind, with Syl gripping his hand through the process.