A fabrial lecture outlines the challenge of removing Stormlight from gemstones, noting larkin as a now-rare solution. Navani rides the newly built airship Fourth Bridge, marveling at Alethkar below and the vessel’s conjoined-fabrial mechanics, aluminum isolation, and chull-driven lattices. The ship, named for Bridge Four, descends to begin evacuating Hearthstone.

As Edgedancers flow out to guide and heal townsfolk, Navani confers with Thaylen prince consort Kmakl. He praises the ship’s speed and envisions its profound military impact, even as he laments what it could mean for navies. The landing proceeds while engineers monitor schematics and Stormlight reserves.

Kaladin introduces his father, Lirin, to Dalinar. Lirin pointedly asks about the refugees’ confinement and imagines deploying surgical teams by airship; Dalinar explains the voyage and support planned. Because Kaladin had been spotted earlier by a new kind of Fused, he warns of likely retaliation. Dalinar renews Kaladin’s Stormlight, which Navani observes closely, then she and Dalinar discuss Urithiru’s inert crystal pillar, the lost Sibling, and Bondsmith mysteries.

The Herdazian Mink quietly appears at the command station, jabs at Dalinar’s Alethi past, and demands the airship rescue his scattered surviving soldiers. Dalinar immediately agrees, irking Navani though she refocuses on organizing the evacuees. The process is cut short when Windrunner Lyn lands hard, reporting three full flights of Fused inbound, forcing an immediate test of the airship’s defenses and evacuation plan.