Interlude 5

In this interlude, Taravangian, now merged with Odium, walks unseen through Kholinar as the singers establish their new civilization. Cultivation appears to him and attempts to dissuade him from his plans for cosmere-wide dominion by showing him a vision of other Shards governing isolated realms peacefully, but Taravangian sees instead the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the other gods, planning how to defeat them.

Taravangian strides unseen through Kholinar, observing the new singer civilization taking root. He recognizes the singers' complicated emotions—their desire to build something better than what enslaved them, mixed with lingering rage—which he sees as a resource for his plans. Internally divided between his calculating mind and his heart, he wrestles with the question of whether he needs to expand beyond Alethkar to bring order to the cosmere. Cultivation manifests before him and offers him a vision of how she believes the cosmere should be ordered: each Shard governing their own realm in peaceful isolation, with no single god ruling all. However, Taravangian interprets the vision differently than intended. Rather than seeing peace, he perceives the fear other gods hold of him and recognizes their weaknesses. He notes that two Shards appear completely hidden from even his sight, including Valor, whose disappearance puzzles him. He also observes that one Shard holds two powers but is dysfunctional. Cultivation warns him that she always worried about him and urges him to listen to the part of himself that loves his family and remembers his younger self's genuine desire to help his people. In response, Taravangian compromises, acknowledging the truth in her words and proposing to himself that he might let each side of his divided nature rule in turn, though his tone suggests this concession comes with reservations.