Chapter 56

Shallan awakens in the Spiritual Realm after being pulled through a collapsing perpendicularity, finding herself in Renarin's childhood bedroom. She reunites with Renarin, Rlain, and their spren, and together they plan to confront Mraize and Iyatil while remaining hidden from the gods who inhabit this realm.

Shallan emerges from a trance-like state in the Spiritual Realm, disoriented after Mraize collapsed the perpendicularity. She finds herself in a luxurious chamber decorated with toys and wooden Shardbearers, where the colors of objects appear misaligned like a printer's error. Pattern arrives in physical form with Testament, followed by Renarin and his spren Glys, a deep red mistspren with a void-like face. Rlain enters as well, accompanied by his own larger spren. Renarin explains they've ended up in the Spiritual Realm and that their spren located Shallan. Shallan apologizes for manipulating them into helping find Mishram's prison and mentions the Anti-Light dagger she stole from the Ghostbloods. Renarin reveals that Mraize once captured Lift and gave her to the enemy. The group learns that Glys is using Renarin's memories to create a temporary reality, and Renarin suggests they use this as a staging area to plan their next move. Shallan explains that Dalinar and Navani are likely in the Spiritual Realm seeking the power of the god Honor. However, both Glys and Rlain's spren urgently warn against revealing themselves, as the gods inhabiting this realm—Honor's power, Odium, and Cultivation—would destroy them, viewing them as enemies or abominations. The spren explain they must proceed in secret, using illusions to hide themselves as they follow the Bondsmiths' connections to Mishram's prison. Renarin suggests they could simply kill Mraize and Iyatil instead, and Shallan agrees this would work short-term. Though Shallan feels hesitant about killing Mraize despite his betrayals, Renarin resolves they have the authority and responsibility to act. As Renarin and Glys work to locate Dalinar and Navani through visions, Shallan inspects the room filled with childhood toys. She encounters Testament, who is remembering Shallan's painful childhood. Pattern comforts both of them, warning that the Spiritual Realm is affected by their thoughts and souls. Renarin announces he has found Dalinar in a vision, and the group prepares to move.