On the ninth day, Kaladin rises early and cooks breakfast from unfamiliar Shinovar vegetables for himself and Szeth. While Szeth meditates, Kaladin eats with Syl and tries to steady himself by playing his flute. The Wind answers him, and when Kaladin asks what to expect at the next Skybreaker monastery, the Wind urges him not to think of Nale only as a monster, but as someone time has worn down.

At the Wind’s prompting, Kaladin and Syl touch the rock beside them and briefly experience its ancient memory: it was once a finely carved roadside statue, slowly eroded by storms until nothing recognizable remained. The Wind uses that vision to explain Nale, and the other Heralds, as damaged remnants of once-good people who still retain something vital. The Wind pleads with Kaladin to make Nale remember why he became a Herald, saying the Heralds may be needed as a counter to the coming storm; Kaladin doubts he can take on another patient besides Szeth, but the Wind insists that is exactly why Kaladin was brought here. Szeth then joins him, accepts the breakfast, and the two continue toward the penultimate monastery.

The chapter then shifts to Sigzil on a rain-soaked battlefield, where he struggles to hold a wall under constant assault. Deepest Ones infiltrate the thickened fortifications, stones pound the defenses, and Fused attack the soldiers on top of the wall. Sigzil fights Magnified Ones and Husked Ones directly, trying to protect his troops while recognizing that his forces are losing the larger battle because the defenders are nearly out of Stormlight.

A group of Windrunner reinforcements finally arrives through the Oathgate, led by Lopen, and helps drive the attackers back for a short time. Even with that relief, the new arrivals bring little Stormlight, and Sigzil confirms that both Bondsmiths are away in the Spiritual Realm, leaving the tower unable to supply enough Light. Facing the need to retreat before his army is stranded, Sigzil heads to issue the order, but Ka intercepts him with a message: Venli, the listener defector and friend of Rlain, has made contact. Her original offer of troops would not solve his problem, yet the message suddenly gives Sigzil the missing piece of a workable plan.