Adolin argues that Dalinar must not abdicate, fearing instability. Dalinar agrees, adding a secret, witnessed order granting Adolin authority to depose him if he becomes unstable. Though Adolin distrusts Sadeas, Dalinar seeks renewed alliance and orders loyal men placed over Elhokar’s guard, worried by the king’s armor incident.

In Dalinar’s chambers, Navani arrives as Renarin studies a heating fabrial. Navani proudly demonstrates a new painrial, a diminishing fabrial that removes pain without numbing, on Adolin’s strained hand. They discuss fabrial progress and the limits of reproducing Shards.

A vision seizes Dalinar. He finds himself in an ancient stone hall overlooking a city he recognizes as early Kholinar, its streets choked with corpses and the bodies of massive stone-like creatures after an eleven-year Desolation. A regal man bearing the Radiant symbol—calling Dalinar “Karm”—laments Surgebinder excesses and the failure of leadership.

Dalinar realizes the man is Nohadon. Nohadon contemplates abdicating; Dalinar urges leadership and even suggests writing a book. Nohadon rejects writing for now, insisting the time demands action and, sadly, the sword. He reflects that humans always want what they cannot have, for him peace.

Back in the present, Navani demands Dalinar’s final words from the vision. She has transcribed his “gibberish” and matches a line exactly to a Vanrial chant recorded in Corvana’s Analectics, concluding he spoke and translated the Dawnchant. This linguistic proof convinces the others the visions are genuine and offers a key to decoding the ancient script.