Dalinar Kholin reenters his first vision, standing beside the memory of the Almighty atop a cliff over ruined Kholinar. Frustrated with speeches he’s already transcribed, he asks the Stormfather to move him into the rubble, reasoning that Honor’s construction of the vision might reveal details. Among shattered windblades and clawed stone, he infers the city fell to Voidbringers, not merely the new Everstorm that appeared six days earlier.

As the vision’s concluding wave of devastation approaches, Dalinar refuses to be withdrawn and confronts it. In the blast he sees a brilliant golden light the Stormfather later identifies as Odium, and a figure in black Shardplate with nine shadows and glowing red eyes—an enemy champion. The command “UNITE THEM. QUICKLY.” echoes as the vision breaks.

Back in Urithiru beside Navani, Dalinar confirms with the Stormfather that the nine shadows signify the Unmade. Dalinar commits to uniting the world faster than Odium can destroy it, planning to leverage the Oathgates. Only the Urithiru–Shattered Plains pair functions; the remaining gates require unlocking from both sides, complicating outreach to distant courts.

Navani raises immediate logistical crises: cold, scarce food, and limited Soulcasting constrained by gemstones. Dalinar insists they must proceed regardless, combining his persistence and her ingenuity to persuade skeptical monarchs once the Everstorm returns and proves their warnings true.

A knock interrupts them. A nervous scout reports a body in the corridors: Highprince Torol Sadeas has been murdered, injecting sudden internal turmoil into Dalinar’s already precarious campaign.