Shallan opens herself to Re-Shephir as the Unmade prods at her bond with Pattern, trying to replace it. She senses the creature’s instinctive, alien curiosity and its attraction to violence, like a twisted creationspren. Pattern huddles with Shallan and wonders why Re-Shephir fears them, as the physical world dissolves into a metaphysical struggle.

Pressing deeper, Shallan perceives Re-Shephir’s origin as a splinter created to sow chaos, whose imitations of life lack love or attachment. She discovers the core of its terror: it had been unexpectedly imprisoned long ago by a Lightweaver. Facing the risk of being fully known, Shallan asserts an unflinching, self-deceptive confidence—“power as perception”—and breaks the Unmade’s will.

Re-Shephir screeches and flees, and the physical room snaps back into focus. Adolin catches Shallan as she falls; the midnight constructs dissolve. Renarin kneels to an injured bridgeman and heals him with Stormlight. Shallan notes she somehow maintained her havah illusion and hides any hint of Veil from Adolin.

Adolin points out a tunnel leading deeper into the mountain where Re-Shephir escaped. Shallan, sensing the tower itself feels changed, advises against pursuit and suggests posting guards. Teft agrees. With the darkness gone, the group sees a central pillar studded with thousands of large cut gemstones, a treasure beyond kingdoms.