117. Champion with Nine Shadows
Contains spoilersOverview
Dalinar confronts Odium at Thaylen City and demands a contest of champions. Odium agrees but moves to make Dalinar his own champion, crushing him with the Thrill. Elsewhere, Adolin is gravely wounded as Shallan manifests a wall and Kaladin nears new Words; Lift’s pursuit of the stolen gem draws Szeth, who fells a thunderclast. Meanwhile Navani is seized, Ash finds Taln, and Renarin’s visions foretell Jasnah killing him.
Summary
On the shattered plain outside Thaylen City, Dalinar sends Lift to steal back a massive ruby from a Fused and prepares to face Odium. Odium arrives with Fused and issues battlefield orders before engaging Dalinar. Dalinar proposes a contest of champions to decide Roshar’s fate; Odium listens, intrigued.
At the Oathgate, two Fused pierce Shallan’s illusions; Adolin is discovered and skewered in a duel, only surviving when his deadeye spren distracts the attacker. Shallan fails to sway the Oathgate spren, then manifests a section of wall from the beads to block a charging Fused and drags the bleeding Adolin toward safety. Kaladin, out of Stormlight, nearly drowns in the beads until Syl rescues him; with Fused bearing down, Syl urges Kaladin to speak new Words.
Lift pursues the Fused carrying the ruby, skimming through hostile soldiers until a thunderclast crushes her legs. As her Stormlight wanes, Szeth descends in a blaze, wielding a black Shardblade, and cleaves the thunderclast in two. He acknowledges Dalinar’s charge and joins Lift to complete the theft.
Within the city, Navani hurries down from the wall only to be captured by Amaram’s red-eyed soldiers alongside Queen Fen and Kmakl. Elsewhere, Ash compulsively defaces artwork depicting herself, then enters an empty command tent and finds Taln sitting catatonic, the Herald who bore the burden longest.
In the temple of Pailiah, Renarin—bonded to the corrupted spren Glys—sees stained-glass visions of the future: Jasnah poised to kill him, and Dalinar kneeling before a golden-white god. Back on the field, Dalinar formalizes the contest; Odium accepts and reveals he has a champion prepared. Then Odium surges the Thrill through Dalinar, attempting to claim him as that champion.
Who Appears
- Dalinar Kholin
Confronts Odium and demands a contest of champions; nearly overwhelmed as Odium floods him with the Thrill.
- Odium
Agrees to a champions’ contest; maneuvers to make Dalinar his champion, saturating him with the Thrill.
- Lift
Tasked to steal the enormous ruby from a Fused; injured by a thunderclast before Szeth intervenes.
- Szeth
Arrives wielding a black Shardblade, cleaves a thunderclast, and aids Lift, aligning with Dalinar’s command.
- Adolin Kholin
Exposed by the Fused, stabbed through the gut; survives long enough to be pulled to safety by Shallan.
- Shallan Davar
Fails to sway the Oathgate spren, then manifests a wall from beads and evacuates a wounded Adolin.
- Kaladin Stormblessed
Out of Stormlight, nearly drowns in the beads; rescued by Syl and pressed to speak new Words.
- Sylphrena
Pulls Kaladin from the beads and urges him to say the Words.
- Pattern
Warns and explains Shallan’s manifestation; accompanies her retreat from the Fused.
- Wyndle
Lift’s spren; forms a rod and supports her, urging her to summon him as a weapon.
- Navani Kholin
Searches for Dalinar, then is captured by Amaram’s red-eyed soldiers with Queen Fen and Kmakl.
- Queen Fen Rnamdi
Thaylen monarch; bound and gagged by enemy soldiers alongside Navani.
- Kmakl
Thaylen leader; captured with Queen Fen and threatened by Amaram’s men.
- Ash (Shalash)
Compulsively defaces her depictions, then finds Taln secluded in a tent.
- Taln (Talenel)
Found sitting, unresponsive; the Herald who bore their burden the longest.
- Renarin Kholin
Sees forbidden futures: Jasnah killing him and Dalinar kneeling to a god.
- Glys
Renarin’s corrupted spren; trembles, warns of danger, and shares sorrow.
- Nale (Nin)
Tells Szeth the Skybreakers will follow the Dawnsingers; urges obedience to an external code.
- The Fused
Lead assaults, duel Adolin and Kaladin, carry the stolen ruby, and harry the Oathgate.