Chapter 109

This chapter intercuts three major scenes: Adolin fights a thunderclast while growing desperate about his diminishing role as a protector; Ash witnesses Taln, the Bearer of Agonies, awaken and defend the wounded in a hospital; and Renarin enters the Spiritual Realm, confronts the imprisoned Ba-Ado-Mishram, and confesses his romantic feelings to Rlain.

Adolin battles a thunderclast destroying Azimir, haunted by memories of Renarin saving him years earlier and wrestling with his obsolescence as a warrior. Despite his Plate failing and his despair, a Thaylen soldier named Hmask helps him rise, reigniting his determination. Adolin scales the watchpost tower, chains himself to the thunderclast's back, and drives Neziham's Shardblade into its neck, killing it—but the creature falls on top of him. In the hospital, Ash sits with Taln as the Fused Abidi orders the slaughter of wounded soldiers. Taln awakens, standing bare-chested and unarmed, and his presence alone terrifies Abidi into flight. For the first time in over four thousand years, Taln fights back, crashing through the hospital in pursuit. In the Spiritual Realm, Renarin manifests a landscape of stained-glass windows showing visions of his companions. He discovers Ba-Ado-Mishram imprisoned within a darkening window, agitated and blaming Renarin for her confinement. She reveals she influenced his visions, including the one showing Adolin. Glys suggests finding and relocating her prison to prevent the Ghostbloods from reaching it. Renarin then enters Rlain's vision and finds him alone and melancholic. Pushing through awkwardness, Renarin asks about romantic relationships between singers and humans. Rlain confesses he has thought deeply about this and shares that personality compatibility matters more than mateform; he once felt attraction to a male singer and was mocked for it. The two acknowledge mutual attraction and hold hands, experiencing the rhythms together. Shallan arrives and watches them excitedly, having been brought out of her vision by Glys. Renarin resolves to gather his companions to discuss Mishram's influence on their shared visions.