Eight and a half years earlier, Eshonai observes Gavilar’s camp preparing to leave and approaches Dalinar Kholin, who stands with his Shardblade. He questions the Plains’ center, muses on places and memory, and warns Eshonai to be cautious: Gavilar’s interest could aid or destroy them, and humans vastly outnumber the listeners. He promises an envoy will return.

Meanwhile, Venli huddles in a stormshelter with her family, clutching a bright red gemstone gifted by a human. Motivated by frustration and ambition to find powerful forms—and to outshine Eshonai—she ventures alone into the storm to test it. Battling fear, she prepares to shatter the gem.

A sudden stillness descends. Venli beholds a vast presence in the sky—the Rider of Storms—who warns that this choice is “more than forms,” naming her “child of the plains… child of Odium.” Despite the warning, Venli smashes the gemstone.

The released red light becomes a tiny humanlike spren, irritable but eager. It proposes to inhabit Venli so they can accomplish “incredible things,” instructing secrecy: she must appear to remain in workform while the spren scouts, possibly entering Shadesmar and finding a newer southern storm where it first entered the gem. Freezing and determined, Venli accepts.

Eshonai, worrying with Thude during the storm, searches for Venli. Venli returns still in workform, grinning oddly and initially speaking without rhythms before forcing them. She seeks the fire, masking the change, while Eshonai senses something unsettling has shifted in her sister.