Chapter 80

A vision of the ancient Heralds swearing oaths to Honor to bind the enemy Fused away from Roshar provides crucial historical context, while Kaladin and Szeth traverse Shinovar toward another monastery, and Renarin discovers that Shallan has infiltrated the vision as an assassin, forcing him to prepare for combat against Ghostblood operatives.

The chapter is split between three concurrent scenes. In the primary sequence, Navani witnesses a vision of the ten Heralds—Jezrien, Ishar, Nale, Chana, Vedel, Shalash, Pralla, Battar, and two others—meeting with Tanavast (Honor) in an ancient tent. Honor explains that Rayse (Odium) has found the singers and granted them immortality, making them nearly undefeatable. He proposes a binding ritual requiring ten volunteers to swear oaths connecting them to Honor, which will grant them renewed Surges and immortality. The volunteers are confirmed: Ishar, Jezrien, Nale, Chana, Vedel, Pralla, Shalash, Battar, and Dalinar (who appears in the vision as Kalak). When one more volunteer is needed, Nale nominates an unnamed woman who has interacted with the gods—implicitly Midius, though Wit declines. The ritual is completed with Ishar forming the connections. In a parallel scene, Kaladin and Szeth hike through a mild highstorm in Shinovar toward a monastery in the middle of a river. Szeth reveals he has decided to end his own life after completing their mission, believing he deserves execution for his crimes. Kaladin is disturbed by this development and questions whether his attempts to help Szeth have backfired. His gemstones suddenly recharge unnaturally, accompanied by a distant voice. In the third thread, Renarin—posing as the Herald Vedel in the vision—realizes through his spren Glys that Shalash is actually Shallan in disguise, infiltrating the ceremony with assassins. Renarin helps Shallan play her role correctly and identifies the three guards as Ghostblood operatives. As the group leaves to fetch Taln, Renarin prepares to fight alongside Shallan and Rlain, but Honor suddenly attacks him before combat can begin.