71. Vigil

Kaladin and Shallan are trapped in the chasms with a highstorm approaching in hours. While Teft and others wait at the warcamp for Kaladin's return, Shallan discovers that the Shattered Plains follow a mathematical pattern and may lead to an Oathgate at their center. As the pair rush to escape, a chasmfiend corners them in a fissure, and Kaladin prepares to sacrifice himself to give Shallan a chance to escape—until Shallan reveals she can summon a Shardblade.

At the warcamp, Teft stands watch with Sigzil, reluctantly sharing that his family belonged to a cult called the Envisagers who tested their members to breaking points, believing it would manifest powers. Teft turned them in as a child; his mother died in one of their trials and his father was hanged. Dalinar arrives to inspect the watch and tells Teft that Kaladin is dead, though Teft insists he will return. Meanwhile, deep in the chasms, Kaladin realizes his navigation has failed—they've been turned around and are now farther from the warcamps than before. Shallan draws detailed maps from memory and discovers the Shattered Plains are not natural formations but follow a precise symmetrical pattern, possibly created by a weapon causing cymatics. She believes an Oathgate exists at the center and the Parshendi location can be found by following the pattern. As the sun grows lower, Kaladin attempts to call for scouts but receives no response. The pair continue moving but make slow progress due to Shallan needing to update her maps. Shallan reveals she understands Kaladin's deep pain and despair, having experienced similar crushing guilt and broken hope herself, yet chooses to smile through it. They continue joking and making their way through the chasm when a massive chasmfiend suddenly rounds a corner in pursuit. Kaladin shoves Shallan into a shallow fissure in the wall and dives after her. The creature cannot reach them in the crack, but settles down to wait. With roughly two hours until the highstorm arrives, Kaladin decides he must distract the creature to allow Shallan to escape, believing her information about the Shattered Plains is too valuable to lose. When Shallan pleads with him not to leave her alone, Kaladin reveals that if he can distract the chasmfiend, he has a chance of escaping afterward. As he prepares to step out of the fissure, Shallan reaches past his head and summons a Shardblade, revealing an ability Kaladin did not know she possessed.