Twenty-three years earlier, Dalinar dulls himself with firemoss in a crowded wrestling den while Havar and Bashin banter and place bets. Rumors of the Rift’s unrest tempt Dalinar toward war, but he tells his friends he will not go; he is to be a father and fights the pull of the Thrill. When the feature match is canceled, Dalinar impulsively offers to fight, but the room goes silent and the crowd disperses rather than risk his infamous ferocity.

Frustrated and unfulfilled, Dalinar learns from Havar and Bashin that his recent tavern brawl left one man crippled, another armless, and a third mentally shattered—proof that his loss of control harms innocents. As his anger crests, Toh arrives with news: Evi has gone into labor. Dalinar abandons the den and rushes back.

At home, Evi—exhausted but triumphant—presents their healthy son. Dalinar exults, briefly forgetting his rage as he holds the child and names him Adolin (“born unto light”). The moment crystallizes a new understanding of legacy and responsibility.

Afterward, Gavilar pulls Dalinar aside. He admits propaganda has masked the Rift’s growing strength under Tanalan and that other highprinces are watching, testing whether the Kholins have softened. Gavilar muses on the ancient Radiants and reputation before declaring diplomacy has failed.

To avoid uniting the highprinces behind Tanalan, Gavilar orders Dalinar to campaign on the borders—first Herdaz, then Jah Keved—to remind rivals why they fear Alethkar. Dalinar confesses he is dangerous and ruled by the Thrill; Gavilar counsels that restraint must be replaced with purpose and that words matter, even as he relies on Dalinar’s blade. Dalinar accepts the command, torn between newfound fatherhood and the call to war.