Szeth advances through the monastery to face Rit, knowing he still lacks permission to use both of his Surges. Rit attacks with Talmut's Honorblade and demonstrates extraordinary Stoneward control, turning the floor liquid, raising waves and columns of stone, and forcing Szeth into the air. As they exchange blows, Szeth realizes Rit is both highly skilled and somehow drawing on an unusually deep supply of Stormlight, which makes a simple war of attrition impossible.

While Szeth keeps moving to avoid being trapped, his spren pushes him toward the fear he has been avoiding: the terror of being encased in stone and dying there. Rit sinks into the floor and begins attacking from below, launching columns and reshaping the chamber, while Kaladin and Syl arrive in the doorway to watch. Szeth tries probing strikes along the ground, then deliberately lands and allows Rit to capture him in solid stone so he can force her to emerge nearby.

Buried alive, unable to breathe and nearly out of Stormlight, Szeth resists the urge to seize Division before his spren permits it. The trial proves Szeth's obedience and worthiness, and his spren finally authorizes him to fight as a full Skybreaker. Szeth immediately uses Division to burn the stone around him, tears free in a burst of ash and flame, and kills Rit with a direct strike. But Rit leaves no blood; her body whispers, "Your family awaits you, pilgrim," then dissolves into black smoke and empty clothing, suggesting that what Szeth fought was not a normal human body.

Elsewhere, Adolin duels the Fused Abidi the Monarch during the battle for Azimir's Oathgate. Abidi uses soldiers to close the distance, cracks Adolin's helmet, and nearly leaves him vulnerable, but Adolin's support squad buys time for recovery. A brave Thaylen soldier helps shield him, Adolin reengages, and Abidi reveals himself as the same dangerous Fused Adolin fought before.

Adolin quickly recognizes that defeating Abidi personally is less important than preserving the defense, so he withdraws in coordination with his team. Kushkam resists the temptation to retreat and trigger the hanging oil traps, and the Azish hold formation instead. Human arrows, crossbows, shields, and pikes blunt the singers' attack, forcing Abidi to order a retreat into Shadesmar. With the immediate assault repelled, Adolin turns to the next challenge: keeping the allied defenders confident and unified for the harder fighting still to come.