118. The Weight of It All
Contains spoilersOverview
Odium crushes Dalinar with the Thrill and memories of Rathalas, burns The Way of Kings, and declares him claimed, even arming Meridas to host Yelig-nar. Across the battlefield and Shadesmar, allies struggle: Kaladin cannot speak new Words; Navani escapes; Szeth is saved by Lift; Jasnah spares Renarin and learns his futures can be wrong. At the brink, Dalinar rejects Odium’s offer and asserts agency: he refuses to surrender his pain.
Summary
Odium assaults Dalinar with the Thrill and a torrent of memories, forcing him to relive murders and the burning of Rathalas, including Evi’s death. He offers to take Dalinar’s guilt, then blasts The Way of Kings with lightning, severing the Stormfather’s support and leaving Dalinar alone and broken before the advancing enemy.
Amid the melee, Szeth carves through red-eyed troops with his screaming sword but loses its sheath to a swift Voidbringer woman. The weapon drains his Stormlight and black veins creep up his arm until he collapses; Lift rushes in and breathes Investiture into him, momentarily staving off the sword’s consumption even as the darkness spreads toward her.
Elsewhere, Jasnah raises her Blade to execute Renarin for corruption but, moved by his tears, dismisses it and embraces him. Renarin reveals a vision of Jasnah killing him that did not occur, proving his futures can be wrong. In Shadesmar, Kaladin tries and fails to speak the next Ideal as Fused close in, and Syl holds him while he weeps. Ash kneels by Taln, who repeats his litany; Teft hides, hearing Bridge Four in danger.
Navani turns her captors’ painrial against them, frees Fen and Kmakl, and they retreat to the wall to witness the chaos: red mist, thunderclasts, and Dalinar kneeling before a vast presence. Nearby, Venli watches as Odium—appearing as a parshman with golden carapace—threatens Turash, accepts a delivered silvery sheath from a Shardbearer named Meridas, and offers Meridas a smokestone to host Yelig-nar, claiming the deed is done and urging Dalinar to rise.
Kaladin admits he cannot save Dalinar or speak the Words, while Adolin bleeds on the field. At his nadir, Dalinar finds a single gloryspren in his hand and chooses the next step: he rejects Odium’s bargain and declares, “You cannot have my pain.”
Who Appears
- Dalinar Kholin
Assaulted by Odium’s Thrill and guilt, book burned, Stormfather severed; ultimately refuses to surrender his pain.
- Odium
Manipulates Dalinar, offers to take his guilt, arms Meridas for Yelig-nar, threatens Turash, claims leadership.
- Szeth
Slaughters red-eyed soldiers with a screaming sword, loses its sheath, nearly consumed until Lift invests him.
- Lift
Observes Szeth, then feeds him life-investiture to keep the sword from consuming him.
- Jasnah Kholin
Moves to kill Renarin but relents, embraces him, and accepts his visions can be wrong.
- Renarin Kholin
Foresees Dalinar’s fall, accepts death, then reveals his vision of Jasnah killing him was wrong.
- Navani Kholin
Uses a painrial to disable captors, frees Fen and Kmakl, and surveys the collapsing battlefield.
- Kaladin
In Shadesmar, tries and fails to speak the next Ideal as Fused descend; comforted by Syl.
- Venli
Watches Odium near Dalinar; Timbre quiets; witnesses Odium’s declaration and Meridas receiving a gem.
- Meridas
Shardbearer with red eyes; delivers sheath to Odium and is given a gem to host Yelig-nar.
- Turash
Fused who questions following a human; Odium threatens to reclaim his life if he disobeys.
- Wyndle
Lift’s spren, horrified by Szeth’s slaughter, frets as Lift intervenes.
- Syl
Embraces Kaladin in Shadesmar when he cannot say the Words.
- Queen Fen
Freed by Navani; retreats to the wall and witnesses the battle’s dire turn.
- Kmakl
Fen’s consort; nearly executed before Navani disables the captors and frees him.
- Ash
Finds Taln and pleads with him; he remains unresponsive.
- Talenel’Elin (Taln)
Stares ahead and repeats his Herald litany, unresponsive to Ash.
- Stormfather
Weeps for Dalinar before being pushed away by Odium, leaving Dalinar isolated.
- Ivory
Jasnah’s spren; astonished yet affirms her choice to spare Renarin.
- Abaray
Fused who provides Meridas a smokestone to house Yelig-nar.