| Dalinar Kholin | |||||||||||||||
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 por Exmakina
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| Nacido en | ca. ? 1120[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Capacidades | Forjador de Vínculos, Antigua Magia, Portador de esquirlada (anteriormente) | ||||||||||||||
| Vinculado con | El Padre Tormenta | ||||||||||||||
| Títulos | Alto príncipe de Alethkar (anteriormente), Alto Príncipe de la Guerra (anteriormente), Rey de Urithiru[2][3] | ||||||||||||||
| Apodos | El Espina Negra | ||||||||||||||
| Grupo | Caballeros Radiantes (Forjadores de Vínculos), Ejército de Kholin | ||||||||||||||
| Residencia | Urithiru | ||||||||||||||
| Nacionalidad | de Alezkar | ||||||||||||||
| Mundo natal | Roshar | ||||||||||||||
| Universo | Cosmere | ||||||||||||||
“Veo belleza en ti, Dalinar Kholin. Veo a un gran hombre que forcejea contra uno terrible. ”
Dalinar Kholin, también conocido como el Espina Negra, es un miembro alezi de la Orden de los Forjadores de Vínculos, vinculado al Padre Tormenta. Es el líder de facto de los Caballeros Radiantes refundados.[5]. Es el hermano menor de Gavilar, y el tío de Elhokar y de la actual reina de Alezkar Jasnah Kholin. Actualmente está casado con la brillante Navani Kholin, la viuda de Gavilar. Tiene dos hijos, Adolin y Renarin de su primera esposa, Evi. Antes de renunciar al título y dejar que Adolin ocupe su lugar, Dalinar era el alto príncipe del principado Kholin.
Apariencia y personalidad
Apariencia
Dalinar es un hombre maduro, pero de complexión fuerte, de unos cincuenta años, con un rostro de guerrero que mantiene bien afeitado.[6] Tiene el pelo negro con canas en las sienes, y los ojos azules.[7] A menudo se le describe como lo opuesto a guapo, con numerosos moretones y una cara “desafortunada”. Su nariz se rompió en algún momento durante su juventud y ha estado torcida desde entonces.[8] Tiene muchas cicatrices antiguas en el pecho y los brazos, un recuerdo de cientos de batallas libradas, hasta el punto que sus médicos están preocupados por su capacidad para usar su brazo de la espada.[9] Cuando lleva armadura esquirlada, elige lucirla sin pintar en un color gris pizarra, sin ninguna decoración innecesaria o adorno.[7] Lleva un anillo de zafiro grabado con el glifopar de su casa.[10]
Personalidad
El Espina Negra
“Bueno, soy un hombre de extremos, Navani. Lo descubrí cuando era joven. He aprendido, una y otra vez, que la única forma de controlar esos extremos es dedicar mi vida a algo. ”
—Dalinar [11]
En su juventud, Dalinar era muy adicto a la Emoción, hasta el extremo de recurrir a otras drogas, como el musgoardiente, cuando no era posible.[12] En aquella época, no le importaba nada más que matar, a menudo ignorando la estrategia y las tácticas en el momento de lanzarse a la batalla.[13] Si bien inicialmente buscaba combates equilibrados, con el paso del tiempo la Emoción corrompió ese deseo, hasta el punto en que finalmente Dalinar disfrutaba del asesinato de soldados corrientes, descubriendo que combatir otros portadores de esquirlada era una tarea rutinaria.[14][15] Con el tiempo, Dalinar logra moderar esa exaltación para convertirse en un estratega entusiasta y un experto en logística, aunque sigue conservando el deseo de estar en la primera línea de la pelea hasta el día de hoy.[16] En ese momento, también tenía un sentido del orgullo personal exagerado, dispuesto a castigar a miles de personas por la emboscada que le tendieron un pequeño subconjunto de ellas.[17]
La muerte de su esposa, Evi, lo cambia todo. Su enorme culpa hace que Dalinar empiece a beber en exceso, con frecuencia ignorando a su propia familia o actuando de forma hostil con ellos, y haciendo solo las funciones sociales más superficiales.[18] Aunque era algo consciente de lo horriblemente mal que estaba actuando, parecía incapaz de moderarse, incluso tras hacer un esfuerzo consciente.[19][20] No fue hasta la muerte de su hermano y la visita a la Vigilante Nocturna, donde sus recuerdos de Evi y los acontecimientos de la Grieta fueron podados por Cultivación, que logró superarlo todo.[21]
El Forjador de Vínculos
“He pasado demasiado tiempo preocupándome por lo que piensa la gente, Navani. Cuando creí que había llegado mi hora, me di cuenta de que todas mis preocupaciones habían sido en vano. Al final, me resigné por cómo había vivido mi vida. ”
—Dalinar [22]
En la actualidad, Dalinar Kholin es un hombre definido por el deber, que se esfuerza por actuar de forma honorable y honrada.[23] Sin embargo es muy consciente de sus propios defectos a este respecto y de su tendencia hacia el extremo. Busca causas en las que pueda creer y a las que pueda entregarse de lleno, como los Códigos de Guerra Alezi o El camino de los reyes.[11] Considera a este último en particular como una parte significativamente importante de su yo actual, ya que fue el libro que empezó a sanarle tras la muerte de su hermano, y es el libro que constantemente consulta en busca de consejo.[20][24]
Dalinar se considera a sí mismo un soldado y un general sin ningún talento para la política que tiene lugar entre bastidores.[22] Es inquebrantablemente honesto y directo, y prefiere hablar claro en lugar de involucrarse en una sutil danza diplomática.[25] Tiene la mala costumbre de confiar en las personas, como Torol Sadeas y Amaram, basándose en relaciones previas, incluso llegando a ignorar las señales de alarma más obvias.[26][27]
A Dalinar le preocupan poco los cánones sociales, y considera las opiniones de los demás totalmente irrelevantes para él siempre que no obstaculicen sus acciones.[25][28] Sin embargo, no lleva muy bien no tener el control; considera inquietante la idea de que en los acontecimientos importantes él no sea capaz de influir, y tiene la mala costumbre de revisar la cadena de mando regular para otorgarse él el poder.[29][30]
A menudo es igualitario en su valoración de los demás, en particular con los soldados, y con frecuencia asciende a los hombres no por el color de ojos o el estatus social, sino por la habilidad que demuestran.[14] Esto incluso trasciende al sistema de rangos Vorin, ya que Dalinar está dispuesto a dar una oportunidad a personas a las que normalmente no se asocia con las peleas, como los parshmenios o las mujeres, si él considera que sus habilidades son valiosas o si alguien de confianza los recomienda.[31][32] Esto no significa que esté completamente libre de prejuicios, y cuando el mundo de la corte y del ejército chocan, a menudo acaba volviendo al orden social establecido, muy probablemente sin darse cuenta del todo.[33]
Características y habilidades
Dalinar fue criado en la religión Vorin; su Llamada es ser un líder, y su Gloria elegida es la determinación.[34] En algún momento de su vida, se unió a un devotario laico llamado la Orden de Talenelat.[35] Sin embargo, con el tiempo su fe flaquea y sus visiones le llevan a la conclusión de que el Todopoderoso está muerto. Esto provoca su excomunión de la Iglesia Vorin.[36]
Tiene una memoria excelente y puede citar capítulos enteros de El camino de los reyes sin interrumpirse.[37] A diferencia de la mayoría de los hombres vorin, Navani le ha enseñado a leer y escribir.[38]
Combate
En su juventud, Dalinar Kholin era considerado uno de los más grandes guerreros del mundo moderno, y aunque la actualidad su reputación se ha desvanecido un poco, aún es increíblemente peligroso.[7] A lo largo de su vida, Dalinar ha presenciado todas las facetas de la guerra, desde los combates en campo abierto pasando por la táctica y los asedios.[14][13] Su punto más débil parece ser el combate naval, ya que aunque los alezi no viven en un región sin litoral, no acostumbran a guerrear en el mar.[6]
Durante la mayor parte de su vida, Dalinar ha estado en posesión de una armadura esquirlada, así como de una hoja esquirlada llamada Juramentada y que llegó a sus manos tras matar al alto príncipe Tanalan en el primer asedio a la Grieta.[13] Se le consideraba extremadamente hábil en el uso de ambas.[39] Dicho esto, cerca del final de la Guerra de la Venganza, las abandona. Juramentada se la entrega a Torol Sadeas a cambio de sus hombres del puente esclavizados, mientras que la armadura se la da a Renarin poco después.[22][40]
Liderazgo
Dalinar es el jefe de la Casa Kholin y como tal tiene autoridad sobre todos los demás miembros de su familia. Su sobrino, Elhokar Kholin, es una excepción, ya que forma parte del linaje real y por lo tanto está por encima y fuera de la autoridad de Dalinar. La familia Kholin está formada por sus hijos Adolin y Renarin, su cuñada y luego esposa Navani, y su sobrina Jasnah. Como alto príncipe, Dalinar posee todas las tierras que pertenecen al principado Kholin.
También está al mando del Ejército Kholin, aunque en las batallas, a menudo delega el mando en su hijo mayor. El ejército es numeroso y está bien entrenado, aunque sufre muchas bajas en la Batalla de la Torre.[41] La Guardia de Cobalto y el Puente Cuatro, dos unidades de la guardia de honor dedicadas a proteger al rey y a los Kholin, también forman parte del ejército. Tuvo, en su momento, un grupo de soldados que lo acompañaban a la batalla, la élite de Dalinar, aunque parece haberse disuelto ya durante la Guerra de la Venganza, pero algunos de sus miembros aún luchan para él.
A menudo, la presencia de Dalinar es considerada como muy poderosa, aunque sea de forma inconsciente. En el banquete previo al asesinato de Gavilar, Navani señala que Dalinar parece atraer a su propio grupo de ojos claros, y lo compara con la disposición de los planetas que orbitan alrededor de una estrella, hambrientos y temerosos de su fuego. Cuando se reúne con los altos príncipes en las Llanuras Quebradas, Shallan lo compara con una roca en el momento en el que se levanta, lo que hace que todos dejen de discutir y escuchen lo que tiene que decir.
Visiones
“Yo también supuse que estaba soñando, cuando tuve la primera visión. Cuando siguieron viniendo, me vi obligado a admitir que no hay sueños tan nítidos, tan lógicos. En ningún sueño podríamos estar manteniendo esta conversación. ”
—Dalinar a Fen durante la visión Lluvia de estrellas[42]
Desde que Dalinar empezó a leer El camino de los reyes, ha tenido visiones durante cada alta tormenta. A él, las visiones le parecen reales.[43] Las experimenta en primera persona, pero en las visiones otras personas lo ven como alguien diferente, no como a un extraño. Al final de cada una de ellas, Dalinar escucha la voz de Honor que se dirige a él y le ordena “únelos”. Como las visiones están grabadas, Dalinar no puede comunicarse con Honor.[44]
Mientras Dalinar tiene las visiones, su cuerpo intenta representarlas en la realidad, lo que hace que parezca que tiene ataques y sus palabras son un galimatías, pero en cambio su sensación es que se mueve con normalidad y habla el idioma nativo.[43] Finalmente se revela que el parloteo es Canto del alba, una lengua antigua y muerta hace mucho tiempo, lo que demuestra que las visiones son reales.[45]
En la Batalla de Narak, el Padre Tormenta informa a Dalinar que no va a recibir visiones nuevas.[5] Sin embargo, tras convertirse en el Caballero Radiante vinculado al Padre Tormenta, Dalinar puede reproducir a voluntad las visiones anteriores durante las altas tormentas. Incluso puede traer a otras personas para compartir la visión con él, siempre que en ese momento estén dentro de una alta tormenta o en contacto físico con él.[46]
A medida que progresa en convertirse en un Forjador de Vínculos, Dalinar empieza a ser capaz de dar forma a sus visiones y tiene dos experiencias parecidas a visiones de las que el Padre Tormenta niega tener alguna responsabilidad.[47][5][6] La primera tiene lugar justo antes de que se forme su vínculo con el Padre Tormenta y en ella aparece el hogar de su infancia, junto con una calidez envolvente.[5] La segunda ocurre después de que huya de la Emoción en Vedenar y ve a Nohadon cuando va de compras, seguido del ataque de un tronador.[48]
Potenciación
“Tuyo es el poder que una vez blandió Ishar. Antes de ser el Heraldo de la Suerte, lo llamaban Vinculador de Dioses. Fue el fundador del Juramento. Ningún Radiante es capaz de más que tú. Tuyo es el poder de la Conexión, de unir hombres y mundos, mentes y almas. Tus potencias son las más grandiosas de todas, aunque se demostrarán impotentes si pretendes emplearlas solo para la batalla. ”
—El Padre Tormenta sobre las habilidades de Dalinar[49]
Dalinar tiene un vínculo Nahel con el Padre Tormenta, la personificación de las tormentas y de lo divino. Esto lo convierte en un Caballero Radiante de la Orden de los Forjadores de Vínculos. Sus Potencias son la Tensión y la Adhesión. La Adhesión le permite unir objetos entre sí, y la Tensión le otorga al potenciador poder sobre la Interconexión Axial Suave, aunque desconocemos lo que esto implica realmente.
Al igual que el resto de potenciadores, Dalinar puede aspirar o inhalar luz tormentosa, lo que le concede fuerza, velocidad y habilidades curativas sobrehumanas. Como Forjador de Vínculos, Dalinar puede unir objetos inanimados, lo que le permite restaurar cosas rotas a su forma original. Esta habilidad parece manifestarse cuando Dalinar escucha hablar con él a las piezas rotas, aunque no sabemos si esto sucede cada vez.[50]
También puede Conectar con las personas: al tocarlas, puede adquirir la capacidad de hablar y de entender su lengua nativa, aunque desaparece después de un tiempo.[29] Esta habilidad tiene más consecuencias, pero no es capaz de captar las habilidades de otras personas.[51]
Dalinar tiene otras habilidades, presuntamente relacionadas con la excepcional relación del Padre Tormenta con Honor. Puede convocar la Perpendicularidad de Honor, lo que le proporciona una forma temporal de moverse entre Roshar y Shadesmar, así como una cantidad prácticamente infinita de luz tormentosa mientras está abierta.[52][53] Fuera de ella, puede recargar esferas y sobrecargar a otros potenciadores con luz tormentosa, aunque no está del todo claro si eso se debe a ser un Forjador de Vínculos o a una habilidad única de él.[23]
Historia
Primeros años de vida y la Guerra de Unificación de Alezkar (1120 - 1166)
Infancia
Dalinar nació alrededor de 1120,[1] como el segundo hijo del principado Kholin en Alezkar. Su madre murió cuando él era joven y fue criado por una niñera parshmenia.[54][10] En su juventud, Dalinar respetaba profundamente a su hermano mayor Gavilar, y aunque en ocasiones le envidiaba,[34] sigue a su hermano en una guerra para unificar Alezkar bajo el estandarte Kholin.
En su juventud, Dalinar tuvo sentimientos por Navani, pero se dió cuenta que Gavilar también estaba interesado en ella. Por el bien de Gavilar, se hizo a un lado. Más tarde, Navani admite haber tenido sentimientos por él durante esta época, pero como fue Gavilar quien la buscó, ella optó por aceptar su propuesta.
Unificando Alezkar
“Nos paramos a mirar todo esto, el reino, y nos dimos cuenta de que: «Oye, esta gente tiene cosas.» Así que dijimos: «Pues a lo mejor esas cosas deberíamos tenerlas nosotros.» Así que las cogimos. ”
—Opinión de Dalinar sobre la guerra[55]
Dalinar, Gavilar y su amigo Torol Sadeas deseaban unir a los principados alezi diseminados y volver a establecer un verdadero reino. Históricamente, cada alto príncipe había gobernado sus tierras independientemente, y los conflictos entre principados eran muy comunes. Estas disputas entre altos príncipes enfrentados fueron habituales durante siglos. El objetivo de Gavilar era acabar con ello.
Los Kholin empezaron conquistando mediante la fuerza a sus vecinos. Desde el inicio, Dalinar era un terror imparable en el campo de batalla. En algún punto, debido a su fuerte conexión con la Emoción y su propia sed de sangre, Dalinar adquirió la reputación de ser capaz de ganar cualquier combate. Dalinar, por sí mismo, podía despejar de oponentes un campo de batalla, perdido en lo fácil que le resultaba matar.
En los primeros días de la guerra de unificación, Dalinar eligió a su propia élite de soldados, incluso seleccionandolos entre las filas enemigas a las que derrotaba. Un ejemplo recordado de ello fue cuando, durante el combate con el brillante señor Yezriar, un soldado enemigo le disparó enormes flechas negras. A pesar de que las heridas que sufría eran graves, Dalinar estaba tan impresionado por la distancia a la que el arquero había conseguido alcanzarlo, que lo persiguió. Este arquero era Teleb, y Dalinar lo reclutó en el acto. Estas flechas negras con las que Teleb alcanza a Dalinar son el origen de su famoso apodo Espina Negra.[14]
Durante el siguiente año, Dalinar gana sus propias esquirladas. Consiguió su armadura en un combate que implicó lanzar a un hombre por un acantilado. La armadura aún era nueva para él cuando la guerra los llevó a Rathalas, también conocida como la Grieta, donde gobernaba el brillante señor Tanalan. Dalinar sabía que Tanalan tenía una hoja esquirlada, y durante la batalla que tuvo lugar, Dalinar fue directamente a por Tanalan, para matarlo y obtener su hoja. Y, aunque consigue derrotarlo, sus hombres se llevan su cuerpo antes de que la esquirlada se manifieste. Dalinar rastrea entonces el lugar al que se han llevado a Tanalan, y encuentra allí a su viuda y a su hijo pequeño sosteniendo la hoja esquirlada. Dalinar se hace con la espada, pero no es capaz de matar a la familia de Tanalan. Tras la batalla, Gavilar le cuenta a Dalinar que la espada que acaba de ganar es Juramentada, la misma que perteneció a Sadees el Hacedor de Soles, un legendario conquistador alezi.[13]
Un año más tarde, la guerra ha empezado a ralentizarse y los Kholin buscan aliados. Dirigen su atención hacia Rira e Iri. Negocian con Toh, un brillante señor occidental y Evi, su hermana. Durante uno de sus primeros encuentros, Dalinar los impresiona paseando en medio de una alta tormenta como si nada y evitando el asesinato de su hermano con una actitud distraída.[55]
Dos años después de esto, la guerra aún seguía en marcha. Dalinar y Evi estaban comprometidos, pero aún no se habían casado. Dalinar lidera el ataque contra el alto príncipe Kalanor, con la intención de ganar las esquirladas que Kalanor tiene en su poder. Durante la batalla, Dalinar se queda tan atrapado por la Emoción que no se da cuenta que ha matado a hombres Kholin. Dalinar mata a Kalanor, consiguiendo así sus esquirladas, pero la Emoción era tan fuerte que cuando Gavilar se le acerca, Dalinar va tras su hermano con la intención de matarlo. Solo cuando Gavilar se quita el yelmo y le sonríe, Dalinar es capaz de sacudirse la sensación de encima. Profundamente avergonzado de sí mismo, Dalinar le regala las esquirladas que acaba de conseguir a Gavilar, jurándose a sí mismo que nunca debe ser rey.[15]
Etapa matrimonial
Cinco años más tarde, la guerra ha terminado oficialmente pero la lucha no. Evi estaba embarazada de su primer hijo, pero su relación era tensa por la sed de sangre de Dalinar y el horror que sentía Evi ante esto. Gavilar ha recibido una petición de Rathalas, en la que le piden a Dalinar que devuelva la hoja esquirlada al heredero. A pesar de que Gavilar estaba molesto con Dalinar por no haberse encargado del heredero de Tanalan, Evi se alegró de descubrir que su esposo le había perdonado la vida tantos años atrás. Dalinar se alegró por partida doble: por haber complacido a Evi y también ante la noticia de una rebelión en la Grieta; ya que si iban a rebelarse, él tendría la oportunidad de luchar.[56]
Pero un año más tarde, Dalinar seguía a salvo en Kholinar. Su desasosiego le ha llevado a consumir musgoardiente y a desfigurar contrincantes en peleas de taberna. Durante un combate de lucha libre, Dalinar es informado de que Evi está de parto. Él se apresura a reunirse con ella, pero llega cuando su hijo ya ha nacido. Dalinar se ve tan lleno de alegría la primera vez que conoce a su hijo que se encuentra rodeado de glorispren. Lo llama Adolin, “nacido para la luz”, y expresa el deseo de que su hijo tenga la fuerza de su padre, pero también la compasión de su madre.[12]
“Ojalá tengas la fuerza de tu padre, y por lo menos un poco de la compasión de tu madre, pequeño.”
—Pensamientos de Dalinar la primera vez que coge en brazos a Adolin[12]
Gavilar está presente en el nacimiento de Adolin, pero le trae malas noticias a Dalinar. No ha sido capaz de contener la situación en Rathalas. Sin embargo, ha decidido no enviar a Dalinar a luchar allí, quiere que vaya a la frontera de Alezkar para luchar contra los herdazianos y los veden, como un acto de demostración de la fuerza Kholin.[12] Dalinar combate durante cuatro años a los herdazianos, garantizando la seguridad de la frontera de Alezkar y adquiriendo experiencia en el liderazgo y capacidad para igualar su destreza personal en combate, llegando a ser conocido como el mejor general de su hermano. Lamentablemente, durante este período el principado de Rathalas todavía no se ha rendido. Evi lleva a Adolin y a su segundo hijo, Renarin, al frente de batalla. Es la primera vez que Dalinar conoce a Renarin y no le gusta enterarse del significado del nombre elegido para él: “parecido a uno que nació para sí mismo”. Evi le recuerda que no ha contestado a muchos de sus mensajes por vinculacaña y que podría haber tenido voz en el nombre de Renarin si hubiera querido. A Dalinar le molesta que tanto tiempo después del fin de la batalla, incluso cuando interacciona con su familia, la Emoción tarde tanto en desaparecer.[16]
Dalinar pasó aún más años luchando contra los veden. Cuando Adolin se fue acercando a la adolescencia, a Dalinar le complació que lo acompañara en las largas campañas y se convirtió de alguna forma en un hombre más sabio y amable, en un intento de ser un buen modelo para su hijo. Dalinar estaba instruyendo a su hijo en tácticas de batalla cuando Evi llega con una carta de Gavilar. Dalinar adivina el contenido de la misma antes de que Evi termine de leerla: Gavilar lo envía a la Grieta. La rebelión en Rathalas está más arraigada que nunca y Gavilar se ha quedado sin opciones. Dalinar, complacido con la noticia, le dice a Evi que duda que jamás vayan a instalarse en Kholinar otra vez. Evi, desconsolada, llora ante la idea de no volver a tener una vida libre de guerra y muerte. A pesar de seguir molestos entre sí, Dalinar le promete a Evi pasar al menos un año en Kholinar una vez sofocada la rebelión en la Grieta.[57]
La Grieta
Tras un examen de conciencia y con el deseo de evitar sufrimiento a su mujer, Dalinar se acerca en persona a los líderes de la Grieta, y habla con el joven Tanalan, el chico al que le perdonó la vida y que ahora es el brillante señor de la Grieta. Aunque la actitud del chico es hostil, Tanalan escucha la clara evaluación que hace Dalinar de la situación: los rebeldes no van a salir victoriosos, e incluso considera la oferta de Dalinar de un duelo entre ellos. Tanalan informa a Dalinar que Sadeas está trabajando en su contra y Dalinar le promete el título de alto príncipe a cambio, mientras ambos inventan una tapadera que les permita salvar los muebles y poder proclamar que ha sido una victoria política. Dalinar se apresura a seguir la dirección que le ha indicado Tanalan, la que presuntamente han tomado los hombres de Sadeas para esconderse, y se marcha satisfecho de haber resuelto el conflicto de forma pacífica, sabiendo que haría feliz a Evi.[4]
Dalinar y sus hombres se acercan a la caverna en la que los hombres de Sadeas están trabajando, pero se da cuenta que no tiene ningún sentido que los traidores exhiban los colores de su casa. Se da cuenta de que es una trampa cuando ya los tiene encima. Tanalan le había mentido. Los rebeldes de Rathalas provocan un deslizamiento de tierra que acaba con la vida de todos los hombres Kholin que le acompañaban, y aunque gravemente herido, Dalinar sobrevive.
“Pretendo arrasar tan a conciencia este lugar que durante diez generaciones, nadie se atreverá a construir aquí por miedo a los espíritus que lo acosarán. Haremos una pira de esta ciudad, y no habrá sollozos por su pérdida, pues no quedará nadie para sollozar.”
—Dalinar planeando su venganza contra Rathalas[58]
A pesar de sus heridas, el deseo de venganza por la traición de Tanalan impulsa a Dalinar hacia adelante, con la Emoción ardiendo en él como nunca antes. Masacra a los rebeldes que le tienden una emboscada, sin llegar a ser consciente del salvajismo con el que los ha matado. Medio muerto, consigue arrastrarse hasta el campamento Kholin en un estado tal de ira que su llegada provoca miedospren en Evi cuando lo ve llegar. Ella mantiene que deben tomarse unos días para llegar a una solución pacífica, pero Sadeas expresa mejor lo que Dalinar siente: la Grieta debe ser castigada. Dalinar ordena que los moldeadores de almas produzcan aceite, y envía a Evi lejos de allí. Promete destruir Rathalas tan profundamente que nadie pueda reconstruir la ciudad durante generaciones, hacer una pira con ella y que nadie pueda llorar por la ciudad porque todos estarán muertos.[58]
La Emoción no deja dormir a Dalinar hasta el asalto a la ciudad de Rathalas. Un grupo de mensajeros sale de la ciudad con una bandera de tregua, pero Dalinar ordena disparar flechas para matarlos antes de que puedan llegar al campamento. Dalinar ordena que el ataque se lleve a cabo durante la noche. Con el aceite que han obtenido con el moldeador de almas, Dalinar, Sadeas y sus fuerzas empiezan a quemar Rathalas. Cuando prácticamente toda la ciudad está en llamas, Dalinar ordena a sus hombres entrar. Mientras todo esto ocurría, Dalinar hacía un esfuerzo sincero por mantener a raya a la Emoción, sabiendo que si disfrutaba de este acto de venganza perdería la última astilla de decencia que le quedaba.
Tras atravesar toda la ciudad, Dalinar al fin se encuentra cara a cara con Tanalan. El chico suplica por las vidas de su familia, pero la respuesta de Dalinar es clara: “Yo soy un animal”. Le explica que como animal que es, se ha visto empujado a ser salvaje, y que una vez pasa eso, no hay vuelta atrás. Se niega a perdonar la vida de la familia de Tanalan. Mientras Tanalan llora por la destrucción del palacio y de la ciudad, y sabiendo que su familia acaba de morir, Dalinar se pregunta porqué la Emoción aún no está satisfecha ante tanta destrucción.
“Ella ha venido a nosotros. Para suplicar. ¿Cómo puedes no haberte dado cuenta? ¿Tan mal supervisas a tu propia familia? Ese agujero que has quemado...ya no lo usamos para ocultarnos. Lo sabe todo el mundo. Ahora es una cárcel.”
—Últimas palabras de Tanalan a Dalinar.[17]
Su ira se reaviva contra Tanalan, y Dalinar le dice que al menos esta vez no se ha escondido en el escondrijo secreto que la familia de Tanalan ha utilizado en otras ocasiones, porque lo han quemado. Tanalan empieza entonces a reír frenéticamente y le cuenta a Dalinar que allí estaba Evi. Le explica que Evi acudió a ellos para pedirles que se rindieran y poder ser así perdonados. Pero Tanalan capturó a Evi como rehén, y envió mensajeros a Dalinar para informarle de ello, los mismos mensajeros a los que Dalinar había ordenado matar sin reunirse con ellos. Evi había muerto allí. Ante esto, Dalinar estrangula a Tanalan hasta la muerte, pero éste muere con una sonrisa en la boca. Observando el infierno en el que se ha convertido Rathalas, sus propias palabras acerca de ser una animal salvaje le vuelven a la mente. Ya es imposible acceder a la ciudad, y sus propios hombres son los que lo apartan.
Seis horas más tarde, han recuperado el cadáver de Evi de dónde Tanalan les había indicado. Aunque la impresión es que Evi había desertado, Dalinar se asegura que nadie la llamará traidora. Dalinar se niega a reconocer ante sí mismo la responsabilidad que tiene en el suceso. Le cuenta a todo el mundo presente en la tienda del campamento que Evi ha muerto como una heroína, y que él ha quemado la Grieta como venganza.[17]
Años más tarde, la reacción de Dalinar ante los recuerdos de lo ocurrido en la Grieta ha sido entregarse a la bebida. Desde el primer momento hasta muchos años después, Dainar puede oír los gritos de Evi y de las personas de Rathlas, ardiendo.[18] Su dependencia por el alcohol es grave, llegando al extremo que su familia esconde las botellas de él, y se ve obligado a pedir alcohol a extraños.
El cambio de Gavilar y el descubrimiento de los parshendi
En los años posteriores a la reunificación de Alezkar, Gavilar empieza a perder la sed de batalla. Ha empezado a leer un libro llamado El camino de los reyes, y está intentando convencer a Dalinar y a los otros altos príncipes de ser pacíficos y seguir los Códigos de Guerra Alezi.[34] Al igual que el resto de altos príncipes, Dalinar se resiste a las ideas de su hermano, considerándolas difíciles de aceptar y extrañas, incluso anti-alezi. En un intento de cambiar las ideas de Gavilar, Dalinar le propone ir en expedición a la caza de un abismoide. Hace esta sugerencia con la esperanza de recordarle a Gavilar los buenos tiempos de su juventud y de reavivar el espíritu de lucha de su hermano.[59]
En 1166, Dalinar y Gavilar emprenden su expedición. En un bosque que no sale en los mapas al sur de las Llanuras Quebradas, Dalinar se topa con una patrulla parshendi. Al principio, sin creerse que sean simples parshmenios actuando como una sociedad civilizada, Dalinar acepta rápidamente que los parshendi son inteligentes y organizados, a diferencia de sus primos los parshmenios. Dalinar lleva a Gavilar a conocerlos, y en el transcurso de pocos días, alezi y parshendi pueden comunicarse bien.[59]
El encuentro con los parshendi tiene lugar diez años después de los acontecimientos de la Grieta, y Dalinar aún es un alcohólico. Al volver a Kholinar, Dalinar se da cuenta que durante la expedición se ha sentido más él mismo que en la última década. Sus problemas con el alcohol le han provocado ataques de ira y un distanciamiento emocional con sus hijos, Adolin y Renarin, que han crecido bastante durante este tiempo. Aunque sentía, especialmente, una falta de conexión con Adolin, es su hijo menor quien consigue conectar con él. Renarin se abre paso con su inquebrantable amor hacia Dalinar, y consigue que él se de cuenta que necesita dejar de odiar a sus hijos por hacerle extrañar a Evi.[19]
Guerra de la Venganza (1167 – 1173)
La muerte de Gavilar y la transformación de Dalinar
“Hermano, sigue los Códigos esta noche. Hay algo extraño en los vientos. ”
—Últimas palabras de Gavilar[20]
Un año más tarde, en 1167, los parshendi han firmado un tratado formal con Alezkar en la capital alezi de Kholinar. A las pocas horas de firmar el tratado, los parshendi envían a Szeth, el Asesino de Blanco, a asesinar a Gavilar. Mientras el rey alezi era aniquilado en medio del festín, Dalinar estaba completamente borracho, inconsciente e incapaz de ayudar.[60][61] Incluso después de tanto tiempo, Dalinar sigue luchando con el alcoholismo, aunque no había perdido las formas con sus hijos desde que Renarin se le acercó. Las últimas palabras de Gavilar fueron escritas junto a su cuerpo, estaban dirigidas a Dalinar y le decía que debía encontrar las palabras más importantes que puede pronunciar un hombre. Dalinar reconoce la cita de El camino de los reyes.
“Evi había dicho que la Antigua Magia podía transformar un hombre. Ya iba siendo hora de que Dalinar empezara a confiar en ella.”
—Dalinar decidiendo viajar al Valle[20]
En el funeral de Gavilar, Elhokar jura venganza contra los parshendi en nombre de todos los alezi. Dalinar se alegra de que esto pueda suponer la unión de todo el pueblo alezi, en espíritu al menos. Le pide a Adolin que jure el Pacto de la Venganza en nombre de la casa Kholin, y él deambula en busca de bebida. En ello está cuando escucha las palabras de El camino de los reyes en los pasillos. Cuando sigue el rastro de la voz, se encuentra con su sobrina Jasnah leyendo el libro. A pesar de seguir desesperado por beber algo, se sienta junto a ella y le pide que continúe leyendo. Ella lee el libro para él, desde el principio hasta el final. Cuando termina, se abrazan y ella se marcha.
Adolin encuentra a Dalinar momentos después, y le pregunta por las fuerzas Kholin que deben enviar a las Llanuras Quebradas. Dalinar decide en ese mismo momento que necesita ser un mejor hombre. Le dice a Adolin que ha sido un mal padre, pero que está muy orgulloso de sus hijos. Dalinar establece un plan para poder partir hacia las Llanuras Quebradas separado de las otras fuerzas, y que al sufrir un retraso a nadie le extrañe.
“
Al hacer esto, lo proveo a él de un arma. Peligrosa, muy peligrosa. Y sin embargo, todas las cosas deben cultivarse. Lo que me llevo de ti volverá a crecer en algún momento. Eso forma parte del precio.Me hará bien poseer una parte de ti, aunque en última instancia termines siendo suyo. Siempre estuviste impelido a venir a mí. Yo controlo todo lo que se puede hacer crecer, todo lo que se puede nutrir.
Eso incluye las espinas.”
—Cultivación explicando su plan a Dalinar[21]
En su camino independiente hacia las Llanuras Quebradas, visita a la Vigilante Nocturna. La Emoción estaba ausente. Mientras se acercaba, volvió a experimentar visiones de Rathalas en llamas, y de su gente chillando, más reales que nunca desde esa noche. Le asaltan más visiones de él matando a los parshendi, matando a Elhokar y tomando el trono para sí mismo, invadiendo otras regiones y convirtiéndose en un emperador. Sabe que ese es su futuro.
Finalmente, la Vigilante Nocturna se le acerca y le pregunta qué puede querer de ella el Hijo de Honor y el Hijo de Odium. Él le pregunta si alguna vez podrá ser perdonado. La Vigilante Nocturna se agita, ya que no es una petición que ella pueda satisfacer, pero otro ser empieza a aproximarse. Una mujer de piel castaña y con un vestido marrón, cuya complexión recuerda la de una matrona, y que llama a la Vigilante Nocturna “niña”, le ordena a Dalinar que se dirija a ella.
Aunque al principio, parece que la mujer rechazará su petición, diciéndole que busque a Honor en su lugar, Dalinar insiste. Ella le dice que no va a cambiarlo, sino que va a podarlo. Pero el precio va a ser alto. Y le avisa que también tendrá que llevarse a Evi. Dalinar acepta los términos.
Después, Dalinar se encuentra fuera, incapaz de recordar los detalles de su acuerdo. No podía haberse imaginado que, entre todas las cosas, pediría el perdón y, en retrospectiva, encuentra estúpida la idea de haber acudido a la Vigilante Nocturna. Asume que ha pedido y se le ha concedido la bendición de la paz. En ese mismo momento decide dejar la bebida, y dejar de lamentarse. Y decide seguir los Códigos de Guerra Alezi; falló en seguir los Códigos y el precio fue la muerte de su hermano. Pide que le traigan una copia de El camino de los reyes mientras se dirige hacia las Llanuras Quebradas.
La guerra contra los parshendi
Al principio, Dalinar se lanza a la lucha contra los parshendi con abandono, gobernado por su culpa. Pero a medida que su dolor se desvanece, también lo hace su sed de batalla y guerra. Dalinar y el campamento de guerra Kholin siguen los Códigos cuando ningún otro alto príncipe alezi lo hace. Se dedica a estudiar las palabras de Nohadon, el autor de El camino de los reyes, convencido de que debe convertirse en un ejemplo para Alezkar y conducirlos hacia la paz y el honor.
Simultáneamente, Dalinar empieza a tener ataques durante cada alta tormenta. Durante estos episodios, Dalinar pierde conciencia de lo que le rodea, teniendo visiones del pasado como si las estuviera protagonizando él mismo. Las visiones parecían enviadas por el Todopoderoso,[7] impulsando a Dalinar a creer que dios le estaba diciendo que uniera a los altos príncipes alezi. En la mayoría de las visiones, aparecen los Caballeros Radiantes. El solo hecho de perder la conciencia de lo que le rodea ya le asusta lo suficiente, pero además, ver a los Radiantes como héroes inquieta a Dalinar y a su familia. Los Kholin mantienen a Dalinar aislado durante las altas tormentas, para evitar que alguien lo vea durante uno de sus ataques.
Los hombres empiezan a hablar de Dalinar de la misma forma que habían hablado durante los últimos tiempos de la vida de Gavilar, es decir, que se estaba volviendo débil a pesar de la reputación que tenía como el Espina Negra, de ser una terrible fuerza en el campo de batalla. Los rumores de su locura durante las tormentas junto con su extraña obsesión por seguir las enseñanzas de El camino de los reyes llevaron a Dalinar a perder respeto e influencia entre sus iguales.
La guerra cambia
La batalla contra los parshendi es la primera vez que Dalinar recuerda perder la Emoción.[10] Esta pérdida de la Emoción es lo que le lleva a plantearse el motivo de su lucha en esa guerra y qué métodos alternativos podían resolver la disputa de los alezi con los parshendi con mejores resultados. Los altos príncipes ven el deseo de Dalinar de resolver el conflicto de una forma más pacífica como un signo de debilidad, en lugar de sabiduría, así que se guarda estas preguntas para sí mismo.
Dalinar se siente muy frustrado con la guerra en las Llanuras Quebradas, ya que las prioridades de los altos príncipes han cambiado: han pasado de buscar venganza contra los parshendi a competir entre ellos por las gemas corazón para aumentar sus riquezas. Dalinar se da cuenta que la guerra se ha convertido en un juego para los altos príncipes y se esfuerza por unirlos. Por este motivo, quiere ser Alto Príncipe de la Guerra.[34] A pesar de los sentimientos encontrados que le produce su estancia en las Llanuras Quebradas, Dalinar está dedicado a Elhokar y a la nación de Alezkar por encima de todo. Aunque Dalinar raramente acudía a las cacerías, en 1173 decide acompañar a Elhokar y Sadeas. Elhokar se las apaña para provocar a Dalinar con una carrera, y por el bien de su sobrino, Dalinar le deja ganar.[7]
Adolin se asombra por ello, y Dalinar le explica que es importante levantar el ánimo de Elhokar y apoyarlo incluso en las pequeñas cosas. Las pequeñas victorias ayudarían a Elhokar a sentirse más como un rey y aumentar su confianza y reputación lo convertirían en un mejor rey. Adolin se queda impresionado ante la lógica que Dalinar despliega, pero inmediatamente se horroriza al escuchar el deseo de Dalinar de ver a los alezi de vuelta en Alezkar. Adolin se muestra sorprendido y molesto por esta idea, incluso cuando Dalinar le expresa sus preocupación por la situación en su hogar, ya que han estado lejos durante mucho tiempo. Adolin ya estaba preocupado por la salud mental de su padre,[62] pero en el momento en que Dalinar empieza a tomar decisiones importantes basándose en sus visiones, como por ejemplo querer abandonar las Llanuras Quebradas, Adolin se cuestiona el sentido común de confiar en sueños, especialmente en unos sueños blasfemos. Dalinar mantiene que las visiones son reales y afianza su determinación en querer unir a los altos príncipes alezi.
En lo alto de una meseta, son sorprendidos por un abismoide y Dalinar le salva la vida a Elhokar. Sirve como recordatorio para los ejércitos de la fuerza de Dalinar, pero no dura mucho tiempo. Después del combate, Elhokar le muestra a Dalinar una correa cortada de su silla de montar y le pide que la observe. Elhokar sospecha que ha sido obra de asesinos, pero aunque en opinión de Dalinar Elhokar está paranoico, acepta investigar los hechos, para disipar así los temores del rey. Se lleva a Adolin a comprobar el corte en la correa, pero no obtienen resultados concluyentes. Dalinar le dice a Elhokar que los hechos no están nada claros y que está siendo un exagerado, pero Elhokar cree firmemente que alguien está intentando acabar con su vida.
Dalinar aún no ha averiguado a qué se refería Gavilar con sus última palabras, cuando le dijo que debía encontrar las palabras más importantes que un hombre puede pronunciar.[61]
Los intentos de acercamiento de Dalinar
Dalinar y Sadeas trabajan conjuntamente para forzar a otro alto príncipe, Vamah, a usar los moldeadores de almas del rey, asegurándose así que Vamah dependa de los recursos de Elhokar para permanecer en la guerra. Aunque Adolin sospecha de Sadeas, que podía llegar a ser desagradable en muchas ocasiones, Dalinar mantiene su fe en que la máxima prioridad de Sadeas es el bien de Alezkar, de la misma forma que lo es para él. Era en estas situaciones en las que Dalinar sabía que podía confiar en Sadeas para lograr su objetivo de unir a los altos príncipes. Dalinar continúa intentando convencer, o manipular, a los otros altos príncipes para que sigan a Elhokar. [expandir]
Dalinar le promete a Renarin que le dará una armadura esquirlada tan pronto como tenga una para él.
Le propone a Elhokar retirarse de las Llanuras Quebradas. Al igual que Adolin, Elhokar se muestra horrorizado ante la sugerencia y se muestra alarmado por los pensamientos de su tío. Dalinar cambia de táctica, afirmando que ya han desperdiciado mucho tiempo en las Llanuras y que necesitan una nueva estrategia para derrotar a los parshendi. Le pide a Elhokar que lo nombre Alto Príncipe de la Guerra, para así tener poder en los otros campamentos de guerra. Elhokar se niega a concederle el título a menos que Dalinar pueda demostrar que los otros altos príncipes son capaces de trabajar conjuntamente de forma productiva.[34]
Adolin le cuenta a Dalinar que la correa de la silla de montar de Elhokar si fue cortada, pero no estaba claro si había sido un accidente o no. Deciden que Elhokar está actuando de forma paranoica, pero que no pueden descartar del todo sus sospechas. Por primera vez, Dalinar tiene un ataque delante de sus hombres, una visión en la que conoce a una pareja de Caballeros Radiantes, pero se niega a sentirse avergonzado. Afirma que es mucho mejor que sus hombres lo vean por sí mismos en lugar de creer en rumores. Casi inmediatamente después de esto, Elhokar declara públicamente que existe un complot para acabar con su vida, basándose en la evidencia de la correa cortada, y nombra a Sadeas Alto Príncipe de la Información para que investigue a los asesinos. Esto le confiere a Sadeas tanto poder como el que Dalinar hubiera tenido como Alto Príncipe de la Guerra; se trata de un desaire directo de Elhokar por negarse a tomar en serio el atentado contra su vida.[63]
Las primeras propuestas de colaboración de Dalinar a otros altos príncipes son rechazadas. Adolin está molesto por lo que acaba de suceder y cree que Sadeas va a intentar alguna cosa. Discute con Dalinar y le dice que las visiones no tienen ningún sentido. En cambio, Dalinar acude a una lectura de El camino de los reyes, y se pregunta si Adolin no tendrá algo de razón. La lectura es interrumpida por el avistamiento de un abismoide. Por una vez, Dalinar accede a perseguirlo, y Adolin consigue recuperar la gema corazón. Dalinar mira hacia el este desde su meseta y ve a un parshendi con armadura esquirlada.
Más tarde, se entera que ocho de los altos príncipes se han negado a realizar un asalto conjunto con él, dejándole solo la opción de asociarse con Sadeas. Dalinar está preocupado por su fracaso en este sentido, y por los cambios que está experimentando él mismo. Le confía sus sentimientos a Navani, que ha llegado hace poco a las Llanuras, y le confiesa que va a abdicar a favor de Adolin. Ella se muestra en desacuerdo, y le anima a mantener el rumbo.[59]
Poco después, pasa otra alta tormenta, y tiene una visión mientras Navani está presente. En esta visión, conoce a Nohadon y se pregunta por qué el autor de un libro que promueve un camino de paz mantiene ahora que la espada es la única opción. Cuando vuelve a la realidad, Navani demuestra que sus visiones son reales, ya que reconoce que lo que Dalinar ha estado hablando durante sus visiones es Canto del alba, una lengua muerta hace mucho tiempo que Dalinar no ha podido aprender antes.[64] Saber que las visiones son reales refuerza la confianza de Dalinar, y ahora sabe con certeza que su tarea es real. Debe unir a los altos príncipes y sabe que puede confiar en Sadeas.
Batalla de la Torre
“Bueno, hoy me has demostrado algo, Sadeas: me lo has demostrado al intentar eliminarme...Me has demostrado que todavía soy una amenaza. ”
—Dalinar a Sadeas después de la Batalla de la Torre[22]
Dalinar y Sadeas emprenden su expedición conjunta. Utilizan el método de Sadeas para cruzar abismos, un punto de confrontación entre ambos ya que Dalinar es de la opinión que se desperdician muchas vidas. Cuando empiezan a luchar contra los parshendi en una meseta más alejada, Sadeas retira a sus tropas y los puentes, dejando a Dalinar, Adolin y a todo el ejército Kholin rodeado por los parshendi, atrapados y sin salida. Adolin le dice a su padre, gritando, que ya le había avisado sobre no confiar en Sadeas, a lo que Dalinar le da la razón. Estaban librando una batalla perdida, esperando su muerte. Dalinar se enfrenta al portador de esquirlada parshendi, pero va perdiendo.
Cuando todo parece perdido, una sola cuadrilla del puente, el Puente Cuatro liderado por Kaladin, vuelve y los salva. El puente ofrece al ejército una salida de la meseta y Kaladin es capaz de luchar contra suficientes parshendi para permitir que Dalinar, Adolin y los restos del ejército Kholin escapen.[65][66][67] Dalinar le promete a Kaladin liberarlo a él y a sus hombres del puente de Sadeas.[67] Emprenden el camino de vuelta al campamento de guerra para enfrentarse a Sadeas.
Cuando Sadeas se niega a vender a los hombres del puente, Dalinar le ofrece su hoja esquirlada, Juramentada, como pago. Sadeas acepta.[22] Dalinar nombra a Kaladin capitán de todos los hombres del puente que quieran ser entrenados como soldados para formar parte del mermado ejército Kholin.[68] El Puente Cuatro es designado guardia de honor de Dalinar y su familia. Dalinar también le da a Kaladin su capa, para distinguirlo como soldado Kholin e incluso como parte de su familia.[68] También le entrega a su hijo Renarin su armadura esquirlada.[22] Al renunciar a sus dos esquirladas, Dalinar cumple sus promesas con Kaladin y Renarin, demostrando así ser un hombre de honor.
Dalinar se da cuenta que el intento de asesinato contra Elhokar fue un invento y decide enfrentarse a su sobrino. El rey admite que él cortó la cincha de su silla de montar pero mantiene que no tuvo nada que ver con las gemas rotas de su armadura esquirlada.[22] Dalinar enfatiza su lealtad hacia su sobrino al atacarlo para luego no matarlo, dejando claro el amor que siente por él y su deseo de protegerlo. Dalinar ordena firmemente a Elhokar que lo nombre Alto Príncipe de la Guerra, y Elhokar accede a hacerlo. Dalinar aprovecha para informar al rey que mantiene una relación sentimental con Navani, la madre de Elhokar, y que debe acostumbrarse a ello.
En la siguiente alta tormenta, Dalinar tiene otra visión, y se da cuenta de que el Todopoderoso, que le ha ido hablando durante sus visiones, ha sido incapaz de escuchar nada de lo que Dalinar le ha dicho.[44] Dalinar, además, se da cuenta que ha malinterpretado las visiones y que el Todopoderoso no le ha dicho específicamente que unifique Alezkar o que confíe en Sadeas. Las palabras del Todopoderoso en las visiones eran una grabación y no una conversación con él. El Todopoderoso le dice a Dalinar que él, Dios, está muerto y que Odium es quien le ha matado.[44]
Refundación de los Caballeros Radiantes (1173 - 1174)
“Justamente lo que éramos antes, hijo. Un reino que pueda soportar las tormentas, un reino que sea luz y no oscuridad. Quiero conseguir una Alezkar realmente unificada, con altos príncipes que sean leales y justos. U haré más que eso. Voy a reinstaurar los Caballeros Radiantes. ”
—Dalinar a Elhokar[69]
El principio
Dalinar empieza a planear, en calidad de Alto Príncipe de la Guerra, la unificación de Alezkar y la restauración de los Caballeros Radiantes.[70] Navani ha empezado a estar con él durante las visiones, para registrarlas y traducir lo que Dalinar dice. Después de una de las visiones, Dalinar se va a dormir y cuando se levanta a la mañana siguiente, observa unos glifos grabados en su pared: Sesenta y dos días. La muerte sigue.
Kaladin, como guardaespaldas de Dalinar, está profundamente avergonzado de que alguien haya conseguido colarse en la habitación de Dalinar para dejar un mensaje amenazador. Dalinar no culpa a Kaladin en ningún momento, asegurándole que confía en él completamente.[70] Deja marchar a Kaladin, y lo tranquiliza diciéndole que el mensaje es un asunto menor. Navani se pregunta cómo Dalinar parece estar tan seguro del significado del mensaje y Dalinar le contesta que simplemente significa que tiene muy poco tiempo. Pero Dalinar no le dice a nadie que cree haber escrito los glifos él mismo sin haberse dado cuenta.[71]
Dalinar reúne a un pequeño grupo formado por Navani, Elhokar, Adolin, Renarin, Kaladin, su principal general, Khal y la esposa de éste, Teshav. Dalinar acaba de proclamar un bando en el que establece que a partir de ahora todas las gemas corazón ganadas en batalla pertenecen al rey y que el botín se distribuirá a criterio de la Corona. El objetivo de esto es volver a centrar la atención de los altos príncipes en la guerra y no en la obtención de riqueza. Dalinar es consciente del enfado que esto provocará en los altos príncipes y que muy posiblemente los tendrá en su contra. No obstante, lo considera una acción necesaria. Quiere que los altos príncipes estén enfadados, para recordarles por qué vinieron a las Llanuras Quebradas en primer lugar.[69]
A continuación, les anuncia su intención de desarmar a los altos príncipes, para hacerlos más maleables, permitiendo a Adolin empezar a batirse en duelo. Previamente le había prohibido hacerlo, ya que iba en contra de los Códigos que un oficial se batiera en duelo durante una guerra, pero esta vez Adolin lo haría para conseguir hojas y armaduras esquirladas.
Por último, cuando le preguntan por su objetivo final, Dalinar proclama su intención de restaurar a los Radiantes. No está seguro de por qué necesita refundarlos, pero solo sabe que tiene unos sesenta días para hacerlo.
En la reunión, aunque no todos están de acuerdo con él, Dalinar exige el respeto de la sala. Kaladin se da cuenta que Dalinar actúa como un rey a pesar de que Elhokar está presente.[69]
Dalinar lo sigue intentando
Aladar es el primer alto príncipe al que Dalinar se acerca. Aborda a Aladar en persona mientras Adolin conduce a las tropas Kholin a la batalla para ayudar al ejército de Aladar. Aladar no está contento con él, explicando que la orden de Dalinar le hirió, pero Dalinar se niega a aceptarlo. Amenaza a Aladar recordándole que le pasó al alto príncipe Yenev cuando éste se negó a aceptar la unificación de Alezkar. Dalinar le ofrece consejo en el campo de batalla que están observando, y aunque el consejo que le da le ayuda a ganar esa batalla, Aladar aún se niega a estar de su parte.[71]
Después de otra alta tormenta y de otra visión del Todopoderoso, Kaladin habla con Dalinar. Le cuenta lo que le sucedió en el ejército de Amaram, es decir, que ganó una hoja esquirlada durante la batalla, pero que Amaram se la robó y vendió a Kaladin como un esclavo. Como Amaram es un viejo amigo de Dalinar y vive en las Llanuras Quebradas, Dalinar no termina de creer a Kaladin. Le pide pruebas de lo sucedido, justificando su conocimiento del carácter honorable de Amaram.[72]
Casi inmediatamente después, alguien intenta asesinar a Elhokar. Dalinar y Kaladin examinan lo sucedido, llegando a la conclusión de que el ataque ha sido extremadamente torpe y realizado por alguien que tiene una hoja esquirlada. Dalinar reafirma su confianza en Kaladin, pero le advierte que habrá más intentos de asesinato, y algo peor: la tormenta eterna.[73]
El Asesino de Blanco
Szeth persigue a Dalinar en la noche de otra alta tormenta. Dalinar, Adolin y Kaladin se disponen a luchar contra él, pero Szeth los maneja con facilidad. Dalinar le grita que nunca permitirá que mate a Elhokar, pero Szeth le contesta que está allí para matarlo a él. Szeth descarga su hoja con un golpe de arriba abajo, pero Dalinar la atrapa entre sus manos, en un movimiento conocido como palmada, dando tiempo así a Kaladin para impulsar a Szeth fuera del palacio.[74]
Durante una reunión con otros altos príncipes, Dalinar le ofrece un puesto a Shallan Davar, la joven mujer que está comprometida con su hijo Adolin. Ella declina la oferta, argumentando que ya tiene su lugar en el campamento del alto príncipe Sebarial. Dalinar y el resto de altos príncipes discuten sobre el asesino, pero Dalinar descarta todos sus argumentos, declarando que el asesino es básicamente imparable. Por lo tanto, el mejor curso de acción sería intentar poner fin al motivo de la guerra. Dado que los parshendi fueron los que enviaron a Szeth la última vez, Dalinar propone acudir a los parshendi para negociar los términos de la paz. Adolin ya ha recibido algunos mensajes de los parshendi haciendo alusión a ello. Dalinar anuncia su plan de reunirse con los parshendi para acordar la paz o derrotarlos.[8]
Preparándose para la tormenta
Aunque Dalinar no quiere enviar a Adolin a reunirse con los parshendi, Adolin argumenta que Dalinar es el hombre más importante de los que los rodean. La vida de Dalinar no puede arriesgarse.[75] Adolin se reúne con la portadora de esquirlada parshendi, Eshonai, y se hace pasar por Dalinar. Se comunica con Dalinar mediante vinculacaña, para que sus respuestas suenen más como las de su padre. Eshonai deja muy claro que los parshendi no van a negociar la paz, y que pretenden atacar a los alezi en breve. A pesar de que esto significa mucho trabajo por delante para reunir a un ejército unido que se enfrente a los parshendi, Dalinar tiene la conciencia tranquila. Le pide a Adolin que gane más duelos, para reunir el máximo de esquirladas posibles antes de esta batalla con los parshendi.[75]
Como parte de sus preparativos, Dalinar anuncia públicamente su refundación de los Caballeros Radiantes y nombra al brillante señor Amaram su líder.[76]
Esa noche, Adolin va a librar un duelo contra más de un oponente con el objetivo de ganar más esquirladas. Pero en la arena de duelos, hay cuatro combatientes esperando a Adolin en lugar de los dos acordados. Dalinar tiene el impulso de saltar a la arena y ayudar a su hijo, pero no tiene ni armadura ni hoja esquirlada que blandir. Renarin se une a la pelea solamente armado con hoja esquirlada, pero no con armadura. Dalinar increpa al público que asiste, pidiendo que alguien ayude a sus hijos, pero nadie atiende a su petición, ni siquiera Amaram. Kaladin se mete en la pelea para ayudar a Adolin y Renarin.[77]
Con la ayuda de Kaladin ganan la pelea. El rey le ofrece a Adolin un premio, pero Kaladin aprovecha la oportunidad para desafiar a Amaram. Elhokar exige la vida de Kaladin por el insulto cometido, pero Dalinar sale en su defensa, dejándole claro a Elhokar que si ejecuta a Kaladin lo tendrá a él como enemigo. Más tarde, Dalinar reprende a Kaladin su comportamiento y le ordena que acepte la pena de prisión a la que Elhokar ha accedido. Culpa a Kaladin de la oportunidad que acaban de perder de actuar contra Sadeas, pero le da las gracias por haber salvado las vidas de sus hijos.[78]
Dalinar visita a Kaladin mientras está en prisión y le comunica que Elhokar lo liberará pronto. Le da explicaciones sobre algunas de las acciones de Elhokar, entre ellas la de exiliar al brillante señor Roshone, sin saber que Roshone es el responsable de la muerte de Tien, el hermano de Kaladin. Dalinar le dice a Kaladin que aunque sus sentimientos son legítimos, la única forma de cambiar las cosas es siendo un líder irreprochable.[33]
La expedición se pone en marcha
A pocos días de la llegada de la tormenta eterna, tal y como predicen los glifos de la pared, Dalinar sigue intentando ganar el mayor número de aliados para la expedición de las Llanuras. Acude a una fiesta para hablar con algunos de los altos príncipes, pero en esa misma fiesta descubre que alguien ha estado difundiendo copias con los relatos de sus visiones, con el objetivo de humillar y desacreditar a Dalinar. Eran las palabras de Navani, pero retorcidas para burlarse de él. Navani está molesta con que hayan utilizado sus propias palabras para dañar a Dalinar, pero él se lo toma con más calma. Se pone en pie sobre una mesa y declara que el contenido de los papeles es real, excepto por los comentarios añadidos para desacreditarle. Les dice a todos los presentes que sus visiones le reivindicarán, y que desea hablar con todos al respecto. El resto de la fiesta lo dedica a hablar con muchas personas, ignorando las burlas pero intentando ganar apoyos para la batalla contra los parshendi.[79]
Más tarde se encuentra con Sagaz que, preguntado por Dalinar, le dice que sí, que es un tirano pero que no lo condena por ello. Dalinar lamenta escuchar eso y argumenta que incluso un tirano benévolo no es lo que Roshar necesita en ese momento. Cuando él y Gavilar intentaron unificar Alezkar hace años, lo hicieron mediante la fuerza, y Dalinar se da cuenta de que no lo consiguieron, se limitaron a mostrarle a los otros altos príncipes que la fuerza otorga el poder de gobernar.[79]
La expedición se pone en marcha. Dalinar visita a Kaladin, que está herido y acaba de volver de los abismos de las Llanuras Quebradas en los que había desaparecido. Durante la conversación, Dalinar cree ver algo en Kaladin, y se pregunta si él es a quien ha estado buscando todo este tiempo. Kaladin lo niega.[80] Dalinar conduce a Amaram ante Kaladin, y le pide a Amaram si las historias que Kaladin le ha contado son verdad, pero Amaram lo niega todo. A continuación, Dalinar le dice a Amaram que se disculpe con Kaladin, llegando al extremo de amenazar a Amaram con una hoja esquirlada contra su cuello.[81]
Al final, todo resulta ser una prueba que Dalinar había ideado para comprobar si Amaram era quien Kaladin decía. Dalinar sabe que Amaram le ha mentido. Se ve forzado a dejar que Amaram se marche, aunque tanto él como Kaladin saben que es un asesino. Establecen un plan para encargarse de Amaram más adelante.
La Batalla de Narak
La expedición emprende el viaje, y Dalinar ha conseguido tres apoyos: Roion, Sebarial y Aladar. Dalinar habla con ellos para trasladarles la confianza que les tiene. Los cuatro ejércitos se ponen en marcha justo cuando empieza el Llanto.
Durante el trayecto, Shallan se apodera, con la ayuda de Navani, de las escribas y cartógrafas de Dalinar, con el objetivo de encontrar la ciudad perdida de Urithiru. Mientras hablan sobre los Caballeros Radiantes, Shallan sugiere que tal vez la tarea de Dalinar no fuera volver a fundarlos, sino más bien reunirlos. Ella le revela sus habilidades como Tejedora de Luz y Dalinar rompe a llorar con admiración. Dalinar intenta que Shallan asuma el liderazgo de los Caballeros Radiantes, pero ella se niega. Dalinar le dice que le recuerda a Jasnah, su sobrina fallecida y mentora de Shallan. Dalinar le dice que ella le ha dado esperanza para el futuro, esperanza de que pueden cambiar el mundo de la manera correcta.[82]
Un parshendi se rinde a los ejércitos alezi, un parshendi llamado Rlain, antes conocido como Shen y que trabajaba en el Puente Cuatro. Rlain había desaparecido un tiempo atrás pero admite ser en realidad un espía parshendi. Rlain le cuenta a Dalinar que los parshendi ya no existen y que han sido reemplazados por sus antiguos dioses. Dalinar le promete ayuda y le pide que hable con Shallan para darle las indicaciones para llegar a la ciudad de los parshendi.[83] Emprenden el camino y en el día que señalaban los glifos llegan a las inmediaciones de la ciudad parshendi, lugar en el que Shallan cree que se encuentra la Puerta Jurada.
Al día siguiente, Dalinar y sus soldados ven a los parshendi en una meseta próxima a ellos, todos en fila y con resplandecientes ojos rojos. Dalinar le dice a Shallan que debe encontrar el camino a Urithiru cueste lo que cueste, ya que es su única vía de retirada si las cosas se tuercen. Distribuye órdenes entre Roion, Aladar y Sebarial, levantándoles el ánimo. Dalinar cambia de plan cuando Rlain le cuenta que la canción que los parshendi están entonando debe ser parada de inmediato: los alezi atacan a los parshendi en ese mismo momento.[84]
La batalla empieza de verdad, y la canción de los parshendi empieza a levantar una tormenta. Dalinar escucha una voz que le habla, y la reconoce como la voz del Todopoderoso. Es la primera vez que escucha esa voz mientras está despierto y no en una de sus visiones.[84] Dalinar le pregunta quién es ya que el Todopoderoso dice estar muerto, pero la voz le contesta que él no es el Todopoderoso, sino el que quedó atrás: una astilla de Dios. La voz, que pertenece al Padre Tormenta, le dice a Dalinar que le sabe mal que Dalinar vaya a morir allí y que este es el final de sus visiones.[85]
Dalinar recibe la noticia de que Shallan ha encontrado la entrada a Urithiru y ordena la evacuación inmediata de todas las tropas.[86] Antes de poder unirse a la retirada, aparece Szeth. Dalinar lo intenta convencer para que se vaya, pero se da cuenta rápidamente que no está en sus cabales.Empiezan a pelear, pero como ya ocurrió en ocasiones anteriores, Szeth es demasiado para él. Roion intenta ayudar a Dalinar pero es asesinado de inmediato. Szeth usa la Potencia de la Gravitación para enviar a Dalinar disparado hacia el cielo, asegurándose de su muerte al dejarlo caer desde una gran altura. En el último segundo, Kaladin rescata a Dalinar usando sus recién adquiridos poderes de Corredor del Viento para bajar a Dalinar de nuevo al suelo.[86][87] Ahora sí, Dalinar se da cuenta que Kaladin es lo que ha estado buscando todo este tiempo.
Urithiru
Dalinar lleva a todo el mundo a la meseta donde se localiza la entrada a Urithiru. Shallan pone en funcionamiento la Puerta Jurada y teletransporta a todos los que están en la meseta a Urithiru. Una vez allí, sube a la azotea de la torre para intentar hablar otra vez con el Padre Tormenta. Él le contesta, pero no quiere ayudar a Dalinar en absoluto. El Todopoderoso exigió al Padre Tormenta compartir las visiones, pero el Padre Tormenta está enfadado con la humanidad por haber matado spren en el pasado. Dalinar no se rinde y solicita vincularse con él. El Padre Tormenta acepta a regañadientes, aunque no alberga ninguna esperanza de que Dalinar tenga éxito derrotando a Odium. Dalinar es ahora un Forjador de Vínculos, uno que une a los hombres.[5]
“Uniré en vez de dividir, Padre Tormenta. Uniré a los hombres ”
—Segundo Juramento de Dalinar como Forjador de Vínculos[5]
Se reúne con Kaladin, Shallan y Renarin, los otros Radiantes de los que tiene conocimiento. Les advierte que la tormenta eterna está en camino, y que transformará a los parshmenios en parshendi de ojos rojos como los de la batalla, a los que ellos llaman Portadores del Vacío. Su misión consiste en salvar a todo aquel que puedan antes de que esto ocurra.[5]
Uniting Roshar (1174)
Internal Affairs
Now bonded with the Stormfather, Dalinar freely revisited the visions to try and learn more about the previous desolations. He saw Odium’s light, a vision of a figure in dark Shardplate, with nine shadows and glowing red eyes. The Stormfather explained that the nine shadows were the Unmade, and the figure was Odium’s champion. What he saw in this vision convinced him of the urgency of forming an alliance with the other leaders of Roshar.[88]
Meanwhile, in Urithiru, Dalinar was informed that someone had murdered Sadeas. After breaking up a fight between members of Bridge Four and a contingent of Sadeas soldiers he had the body moved to a side room and called for Ialai. While waiting for Ialai and the other Highprinces to arrive he contemplated all of the men they had lost at Narak and how understaffed they were, in scribes and officers. He realized that while it did make him look bad, Sadeas' death was something to celebrate. He then took this opportunity to delegate. He appointed Aladar as the Highprince of Information and instructed him to establish a police force to create law and order within Urithiru. He made Sebarial the Highprince of Commerce and told him to set up markets, secure supplies, and turn Urithiru into a functioning city. He put Adolin in charge of their soldiers and commanded him to count all of their troops and oversee their training. Shallan and Renarin, their Radiants, were not given specific tasks, rather they were given Stormlight, now a non-renewable resource, and instructed to use it to practice using their abilities.[89]
“Old friend, Honor might be dead, but I have felt … something else. Something beyond. A warmth and a light. It is not that God has died, it is that the Almighty was never God.”
—Dalinar to Kadash[30]
When the Everstorm came next, Dalinar felt the enemy’s presence, and the enemy was aware of him in return. Navani went to comfort him, and in the process of their conversation asked him why he kept pushing off their marriage. He said that this time he wanted to do it properly with oaths. Navani responded that no ardent would marry them as they were considered siblings under Vorin law and were not permitted to marry by the church. She told him that she was not trying to take Evi's place and she understood that Dalinar still had affection for her. Dalinar told her that she was wrong and admitted that he had been unable to hear his wife's name or remember anything about her for years. He said that he remembered having gone to seek the Nightwatcher, who removed his memories of Evi. Dalinar had the idea of asking the Stormfather to marry them, as he was a higher power than the Vorin ardentia. Several hours later they convened the wedding on top of one of the towers of Urithiru with a small gathering of guests including Elhokar, Kadash, Sebarial, Aladar, Kalami, Teshav, and Dalinar's sons. After Elhokar gave his blessing to the proceedings, the Stormfather arrived and revealed himself to all present as a face that stretched to both horizons regarding the attendees imperiously. The Stormfather received their vows and departed.[30]
After the congratulations had wound down, Kadash arrived to confront Dalinar. Kadash said that he would have to report what he had seen to his superiors who would not be pleased that Dalinar had tried to circumvent them. Dalinar tried to persuade him but was unsuccessful. During their discussion, Dalinar remembered more of his past, that what had happened at Rathalas had been horrific for Kadash, but few more details than that. Kadash did not succeed in getting Dalinar to recant his heresy and Dalinar did not succeed in convincing Kadash that his visions were legitimate.[30]
With things at Urithiru under some control, Dalinar and the current leadership turned their eyes to the rest of the world, wanting to find some way to reach out to them. While they studied the map, Shallan and Dalinar’s powers interacted, creating a three-dimensional image of the world out of Stormlight. This allowed Dalinar to get a better grasp of the situation and create a plan. He decided that they would focus on protecting the cities with Oathgates as that was their key advantage over the Voidbringers, with an initial focus on Thaylenah, Azir, and Jah Keved for their strategic importance.[90]
The scout Lyn interrupted this meeting to inform them all of a second, copycat murder.[90] They went to see the body and found it murdered in the same manner that Sadeas had been killed. Dalinar assigned Adolin to Aladar’s team to lead the investigation into Sadeas' death.[91]
Looking Outward
Later Dalinar convened a meeting with Aladar, Navani, Kalami, and Teshav to receive the communications of the other monarchs. The Azish were the first to reply. Dalinar tried inviting them to Urithiru and explore the tower. Their reply ignored his invitation and simply thanked him for warning them about the Everstorm. Dalinar offered them aid to fight off the singers. They replied that they would welcome an exchange of aid and asked for reports of what they knew about the Voidbringers. They said that their city was in relatively good shape and they were negotiating with the freed parshmen. Dalinar tried asking them to let him come to Azimir through the Oathgate so they could speak in person. The Azish then claimed, falsely, that the portal was not functioning and sent documents to prove this. They then promised to contact him again and signed off.[25]
Next, they turned to Fen. Dalinar tried to invite her to Urithiru so they could talk in person but she refused. She said that her city had been devastated by the Everstorm, and the parshmen had stolen all of their ships and so she did not have time to go on a sightseeing trip. Fen said that while she was interested in the economic opportunities the Oathgates provided, she was not interested in joining any coalition.[25]
After the meeting with Fen had come to an end and the others had departed, Elhokar came into the room and confronted Dalinar. Elhokar told Dalinar that he was a better king than himself and then announced that he was swearing fealty to Dalinar. Dalinar asked him what he intended in that and Elhokar explained. Dalinar would be the Highking of Urithiru. He would abdicate his princedom to his heir, Adolin, and must remove himself from the affairs of Alethkar. Dalinar could give orders to Elhokar, but Elhokar had the power to decide how to carry them out. He would only be able to command the highprinces when they were in his domain, which included Urithiru and the Shattered Plains. They decided to delay making the official announcement until later when all of the details could be worked out.[25]
Elhokar then told Dalinar that he wanted to go to Kholinar with an army to secure it and sort out the riots that were happening there. Dalinar said that he thought it was a good idea, but that it made more sense to take a small force into the city to unlock the Oathgate and transport the troops to Kholinar through the portal. Dalinar at first hesitated at sending the king into a possibly hostile city but then decided that it was a good idea, as it gave a much-needed boost to his nephew's morale and self-esteem. They decided to wait for Kaladin to return so he could lead Elhokar on his mission.[25] As Elhokar was leaving they received word from Kharbranth that Taravangian had located a new Radiant in his city and that they would be using her Shardblade to come to Urithiru, through their Oathgate, and join Dalinar's coalition.[25]
“Vex Odium, convince him that he can lose, and appoint a champion. He will take that chance instead of risking defeat again, as he has suffered so often. This is the best advice I can give you.”
—Honor's instructions for Dalinar[92]
While Dalinar was inspecting Jezrien's Honorblade which he had in his possession, the Stormfather and Dalinar discussed Odium and his weaknesses, namely whether Odium could be bound by oaths. The Stormfather confirmed that he could be bound. Dalinar, remembering Honor's messages in his visions, suggested that a contest of champions between Odium and the Knights Radiant could hold Odium off if the champion would be defeated. The Stormfather explained that winning such a contest would only delay Odium. He said that to Odium, who was immortal and unchanging, time was immaterial. However, for the humans, winning additional time to prepare would be a worthy goal. After their conversation, Dalinar hid the sword in an empty sewage pipe and decided that the squires of Bridge Four could use it to practice their Surgebinding if Kaladin took much longer to return.[92]
Dalinar wanted to spar to work through these plans, but no ardent was willing to spar with him. Dalinar’s ardents were being pushed to a decision between loyalty to the Almighty, or to Dalinar the known heretic. Instead of one of his ardents, Dalinar ordered Aratin, one of General Khal’s sons, to spar with him in a wrestling match, which he lost. As the match finished, Navani arrived with word that the Iriali queen wanted to speak earlier than scheduled.[92]
“Dalinar remembered. Her name had been Evi. She'd been tall and willowy, with pale yellow hair—not true golden, like the hair of the Iriali, but striking in its own right.”
—Dalinar remembering Evi[93]
Finding that he thought better when in activity, Dalinar ordered Kadash to spar with him while he argued with both Kadash and the Iriali queen in two separate conversations. Dalinar refused to budge with Kadash, insisting that he wouldn’t change his mind and recant without evidence. The queen informed Dalinar that, instead of joining his coalition, Iri was going to ally with the Voidbringers. She said she might reconsider her choice if the Alethi would return Adolin’s Shardplate, which she claimed was rightfully Iri's. Navani observed that the Plate was rightfully Adolin’s by inheritance of his mother, Evi. This was the first time that Dalinar was able to hear Evi’s name since his trip to the Valley.[92] Over the next few days he regained many of his memories of their time together.[93]
Soon afterward, Taravangian arrived at Urithiru with Adrotagia, Malata, and a small group of scribes, guards, and advisors. He was the first monarch to answer Dalinar's call and travel to Urithiru via the Oathgates. He introduced Malata the Dustbringer to Dalinar as the newest Knight Radiant. After exchanging greetings Dalinar led Taravangian on a tour of the tower and explained to him what they knew of its workings. As they walked Dalinar offered Adrotagia and Taravangian the use of Alethi troops to aid in the defense of Kharbranth and its Oathgate but they declined his offer, claiming that they had enough Veden soldiers to defend themselves and that they had successfully fended off the singer attack on their city. Dalinar then let Teshav lead Taravangian on the rest of his tour and went to speak with Navani while he waited for them to return.[93]
“A warning, from Tezim the Great, last and first man, Herald of Heralds and bearer of the Oathpact. His grandness, immortality, and power be praised. Lift up your heads and hear, men of the east, of your God’s proclamation.
None are Radiant but him. His fury is ignited by your pitiful claims, and your unlawful capture of his holy city is an act of rebellion, depravity, and wickedness. Open your gates, men of the east, to his righteous soldiers and deliver unto him your spoils.
Renounce your foolish claims and swear yourselves to him. The judgment of the final storm has come to destroy all men, and only his path will lead to deliverance. He deigns to send you this single mandate, and will not speak it again. Even this is far above what your carnal natures deserve.”
—Tezim's message to Dalinar[93]
Dalinar and Navani discussed Taravangian's senility and she assured Dalinar that he could be trusted. They also discussed whether or not Malata could be trusted. Dalinar Related to Navani how his memories of Evi were still returning bit by bit and Navani told him that in all of her research she had never found an instance of the Nightwatcher's curses becoming undone.[93]
After their tour was complete, Adrotagia asked Dalinar when the other monarchs of Roshar would be arriving to join their coalition. After a pause, Navani admitted that they were the only ones to accept their invitation and agree to come to the tower. Dalinar gave a brief summary of their communications with the other monarchs. The Iriali were dismissive, neither Marabethia nor Rira would respond, the Reshi had no government, the Babatharnam's Most Ancient was coy, the Makabaki implied that they were waiting for the Azish, and the Shin only sent a cryptic congratulatory response. Dalinar explained that, for strategic reasons, their primary focus was on cities with Oathgates, especially Azir, Thaylenah, and Iri. He said that the Natans were being coy, and the Herdazians thought that he was trying to trick them. As he was speaking Navani interrupted him saying that they had gotten word from Tezim, the god-king of the Tukari via spanreed earlier that day. Navani read the letter aloud to all present. Rather than agreeing to join the coalition, the letter demanded that they submit themselves to his rule and give him control of Urithiru.[93]
Having heard Dalinar explain their situation, Taravangian asked him where they would attack next. He said that he had been told that it was the typical Alethi strategy and that Thaylenah seemed like a good place to start. Dalinar realized that, despite his efforts at diplomacy, this was what everyone thought and expected the Blackthorn would do. He tried to tell them that they were not planning on attacking anyone but the Voidbringers and that they would create their coalition through peaceful diplomacy, not battles and death. However, he was able to see that Adrotagia and the other Kharbranthians did not believe him, assuming that he was lying to them. This conversation with Adrotagia prompted Dalinar to reconsider his strategy of peaceful negotiations as well as the oaths he had taken as a Bondsmith.[93]
Dalinar convened a meeting with Shallan, Adolin, Renarin, Taravangian, Elhokar, Kalami, and the rest of the highprinces and their wives and scribes. He helped Shallan create an illusion of a map of Roshar which they used as a reference. They discussed possible methods of convincing the Thaylens and Azish to join their coalition. Kalami brought up the fact that Iri was moving to conquer some of the land that they had long coveted. They discussed the large numbers of Voidbringers gathering in Marat as well as the increasing number of cities going "dark", and having all of their spanreed communication cut off abruptly. The last reports from Kholinar before the shutoff had been to say that large armies were gathering outside the city. Dalinar announced to the assembly that he thought that it was clear that the enemy was making a move to capture as many cities with Oathgates as they could, and their next step would be Azir or Jah Keved. Highprince Aladar announced his agreement with Dalinar's assessment though Ruthar was quick to retort with an insult. Aladar moved to summon his Shardblade but Dalinar held him back.[94]
Shortly afterward, Ialai Sadeas arrived at the meeting accompanied by Meridas Amaram. Adolin stepped toward Amaram staring murder at him but Dalinar restrained him from doing anything to the man. Dalinar attempted to welcome Ialai and thank her for joining the meeting. She replied that she had only come because it was a convenient place to find all of the highprinces assembled together. She proceeded to announce that she had chosen Amaram to be the new highprince of the Sadeas princedom, a clear gesture showing her disregard for what Dalinar thought. After Elhokar gave his approval, Dalinar acknowledged Amaram as the new Sadeas highprince, and Adolin called Amaram a bastard and stormed out of the room.[94]
Failure
Afterward, having retired to a smaller room with Navani, Taravangian, and some others, they received Azir's response to his plea which Teshav read aloud. The Azish said that they had decided to seal off the Oathgate until they could destroy it. They explained that a magical portal into the middle was too large a danger to allow to stand. They said that they would maintain trade relations with Alethkar but asked that Dalinar stop asking them to open the Oathgate.[95]
“Surely you see. A queen would have to be either stupid or desperate to let an Alethi army into the very center of her city. I’ve been the former at times, and I might be approaching the latter, but … storms, Kholin. No. I’m not going to be the one who finally lets Thaylenah fall to you people. And on the off chance that you’re sincere, then I’m sorry”
—Queen Fen Rnamdi replying to Dalinar.[95]
Though frustrated by their rebuttal Dalinar did not give up. He asked Teshav to contact Queen Fen of Thaylenah to see if she would speak with him. He realized that with the Natans responding positively and Kharbranth and Jah Keved already at his side through Taravangian if he could convince the Thaylens as well they could form a unified Vorin coalition of the eastern states and hopefully eventually they could convince the nations of the west to join them once they saw what they had achieved. While he was waiting for a response from the queen, he noticed a hole in the ceiling and decided to investigate it. He took a chair and stuck it to the wall with Stormlight and used it to climb up and look into the hole. He found a mink carrying a dead rat in its mouth scurrying down a long tunnel as a faint breeze blew towards him. As he was contemplating what he found and the implications it had for Shallan's investigation into the Unmade that was killing people in the city, he was interrupted by Teshav who said that Fen had started to write.[95]
Fen said that she was too busy caring for her city which had been hit hard by the Everstorm and didn't have time to be bothered by his attempts at tempting her into a coalition. Dalinar tried to offer her troops and supplies to help her rebuild if they could join together, but her refusal was firm. He tried again saying that it was not the time for her to try to fight on her own, but again she refused. She said that she was not gullible enough to allow Alethi troops into her city. Dalinar thanked her for her time, told her that his offer remained on the table, and left the room to find some fresh air and clear out his frustration.[95]
After walking through the halls of Urithiru for an hour, Lyn caught up to him saying that Bridge Four had found something that needed his attention. When he arrived at the balcony where they were waiting for him he found Oathbringer protruding from the planter box where it had landed after Adolin had dropped it out of a window higher up in the tower. Even though he used a handkerchief to pick up the blade and did not directly touch the metal he still heard the blade's scream in his mind. Dalinar put the blade on his shoulder and went to the Sadeas part of the tower. On his way there he asked the Stormfather if it was possible to revive the blade but the Stormfather did not know of a way to do so.[95]
“It’s not a matter of morality, is it? It’s a matter of thresholds. How many guilty may be punished before you’d accept one innocent casualty? A thousand? Ten thousand? A hundred? When you consider, all calculations are meaningless except one. Has more good been done than evil? If so, then the law has done its job. And so … I must hang all four men. And I would weep, every night, for having done it”
—Taravangian explaining his take on the Hogman's Murder to Dalinar[95]
When he found Ialai in her chambers, with Amaram at her side, he set the blade on the floor and turned to leave. Ialai expressed her surprise that he was giving it to her unconditionally and Dalinar, wearily, told her that he was not the one who had killed her husband. Afterward, Amaram lectured Dalinar, calling him a hypocrite, and Dalinar stormed off to his chambers. When he reached his outer common room he found Taravangian sitting by the heatrial that Navani had installed there. The two of them sat together in silence for a while as Dalinar contemplated his failure to assemble a coalition. Taravangian broke the silence and they discussed the nature and origin of morality. Dalinar brought up the story of the Hogman's Murder from the Way of Kings and they discussed what they would have done if they had been the judge in the story. Taravangian said that he would kill all four men as that would be the best for society, but Dalinar did not think it was so clear cut.[95]
Visions Revisited
After Taravangian left, the Stormfather told Dalinar that he was not a hypocrite but Dalinar disagreed and said that a hypocrite is simply someone who is changing. Dalinar asked the Stormfather if he had any more visions of Nohadon to show him and the Stormfather said that Dalinar had already seen all of his visions. Dalinar then asked to see the vision where he met Nohadon again and moved to get Navani to record it for him. The Stormfather offered to bring Navani into the vision with him, a possibility which Dalinar had not considered. The Stormfather explained that he could bring anyone who was touching Dalinar into the vision as well as anyone who is within a highstorm. Dalinar realized that this was his solution to his issues with the other monarchs and started planning his next move.[95]
“Maybe you're right, and I am a tyrant! Maybe letting my armies into your city is a terrible risk. But maybe you don’t have good options! Maybe all the good men are dead, so all you have is me! Spitting into the storm isn’t going to change that, Fen. You can risk possibly being conquered by the Alethi, or you can definitely fall to the Voidbringer assault alone!”
—Dalinar to Fen[42]
Several days later, during the next highstorm, Dalinar had the Stormfather bring Fen into a vision with him. He chose the Starfalls vision so she could see the Knights Radiant first-hand in their former glory. He had the Stormfather insert Fen into the story in the place of Heb, whose role Dalinar had played in his first run-through of the vision, and he took the place of the female Knight who came to help the villagers. Dalinar entered the vision flying through the air having been Lashed there by his Windrunner companion. Before they reached the village Dalinar tried to question the other Knight about the nature of Shardplate but was unsuccessful. When he reached the ground, he retraced his footsteps and found Fen in the center of the village leading an organized resistance against the Midnight Essence. She recognized Dalinar and the Stormfather slowed the vision for them so they could talk.[42]
At first, she was skeptical that it was more than a dream but Dalinar told her how he came to realize that they were real and she seemed to accept what he said. Dalinar told her that he had brought her into his vision because he wanted to talk to her in person and through letters and spanreeds. He praised her efforts at organizing the people of the village and asked her if she would turn her back on the rest of the world. She replied that her nation was suffering and that she had a hard time believing that the Almighty had chosen him, a tyrant and murderer, to lead the Knights Radiant.[42]
“Where was this passion earlier? Why didn't you speak like this in your letters to me? [...] That made it sound like I was talking to a committee. It’s what one always assumes anyway, when communicating via spanreed.”
—Fen to Dalinar[42]
Dalinar breathed in Stormlight to show her that he was a Radiant and repeated his claim that he was commanded to unite. She retorted that that was the same claim tyrants like Sadees and the Ardents of the Hierocracy used to justify their actions. Dalinar began growing frustrated and started raising his voice and shouting at her. He said that maybe allowing him and his armies into her cities was a risk, but she had no other choice, and if she did not act soon and make a united stand against the Voidbringers their world would be doomed. To Dalinar's surprise, Fen was not fazed by his outburst. On the contrary, she seemed to like being yelled at. She said that over the previous several months she had been hearing rumors that he had gone mad and then when she heard that he had predicted that a new storm would come she concluded that the rumors must have been true. Dalinar asked her what she thought when the storm came and she told him that it proved he was up to something, but she was not sure what it was. Dalinar asked her if she thought he was working with the enemy. She said that the voice on the other end of the spanreed was not the Blackthorn she knew and so had been sure, but after their conversation, she would reconsider. She asked Dalinar to let her finish the vision and the two of them parted ways. Afterward, the Stormfather did not think that Fen had been convinced but Dalinar thought that she would end up visiting Urithiru.[42]
Next Dalinar asked the Stormfather to bring him, Navani, and Jasnah into the Broken People vision so they could learn from the past. First Dalinar entered on his own, and then fought through a group of wild men, losing an arm in the process. After a Stoneward helped Dalinar and his companions reach safety he let his Stormlight heal his arm and asked the Stormfather to bring in the women. Navani was quickly distracted by a Regrowth fabrial, and after a brief discussion with Dalinar praising his bravery in sharing the visions instead of hiding them, Jasnah went off in another direction to investigate on her own. After she pestered the Radiant with the fabrial to let her look at it, Navani and Dalinar walked through the battlefield together. Dalinar asked the Stormfather to include Navani in his responses and they discussed the events of Aharietiam as they explored together. When they reached the place where the nine Honorblades had been stuck into the ground in a circle by the surviving Heralds they stopped walking and Dalinar demanded to know the full story. The Stormfather then related the story of the Oathpact and the Last Desolation as he remembered it.[96]
“Wouldn't you? Would you swear it? Swear upon an unknown? These Heralds swore they would hold back the Voidbringers, and what happened to them? There is not a man alive who has not broken an oath, Dalinar Kholin. Your Radiants hold in their hands the souls and lives of my children. No. I will not let you do as your predecessors did. You know the important parts. The rest is irrelevant.”
—The Stormfather's warning for Dalinar[96]
He told them how the ten Heralds went to Honor and created the Oathpact to seal the Fused in Damnation to prevent their immediate rebirth. He told them how after millennia of repeated Desolations, the Heralds had given up and had abandoned Talenel in Damnation to hold off the Voidbringers on his own. Dalinar realized, and the Stormfather confirmed, that the madman who had come to Kholinar with a Shardblade had indeed been the Herald Talenel, broken after four and a half millennia, coming to warn humankind of the coming Desolation. The Stormfather told Dalinar that with Taln's return and the other Herald's betrayal the Oathpact had been weakened to the point of destruction. Navani asked the Stormfather if this was what had caused the Recreance but the Stormfather said that that was a deeper secret and refused to tell it to them, saying that it would cause Dalinar and his Radiants to abandon their oaths as their predecessors had. Dalinar protested that he would not abandon his oaths no matter what but the Stormfather said there was no way he could know that and still refused to tell him. Dalinar worried that not knowing this secret would come back to bite them later, but he knew that there was nothing for him to do about it but wait.[96]
Soon afterward, Dalinar convened a meeting with Navani and the other Radiants to discuss what he had learned and its implications for their plans. Kaladin argued that the common singers were innocent and that they should not be fighting them and instead focusing their efforts on the Fused. Jasnah pointed out that he was being naive and that the events of the past showed that they could not come to a peaceful arrangement with them. Kaladin mentioned that Elhokar had asked him to accompany him on a mission to liberate Kholinar and rescue Aesudan and Gavinor. Dalinar suggested that he take three of his squires, the king, and Adolin as backup and fly with the next highstorm to liberate and unlock the Oathgate that was in the city. Jasnah interjected and said that they were being too narrow-minded and needed to have a broader approach. She said that while retaking Kholinar was a worthy short-term goal, they needed to come up with a plan to deal with the problem of the parshmen and the Fused. Jasnah told them that their best option would be to find the Heralds and kill them, sending them back to Damnation, in the hope that their return would restore the Oathpact and prevent the Fused from reincarnating in the Everstorm. When Kaladin protested she said that the alternative was that they exterminate the parshmen to deny the Fused their hosts. Dalinar interrupted their argument and said that while locating the Heralds would be a good idea, they did not know enough about the mechanics of the Oathpact to justify her plan. They decided that Jasnah would be responsible for locating the Heralds while Kaladin trained his Squires to be aerial scouts and Navani researched the Unmade. They then had a general discussion about which of the other Rosharan kingdoms they should approach next.[97]
“Your butt is too nice. Old guys shouldn't have tight butts. It means you spend waaay too much time swinging a sword or punching people. You should have an old flabby butt. Then I’d trust you.”
—Lift telling Gawx why he should not trust Dalinar[98]
At the next highstorm, Dalinar had the Stormfather bring Emperor Yanagawn of Azir into the vision of the Last Desolation. In the beginning of the vision, Dalinar kept his distance from the boy, felling any hostile soldiers who came near, to allow him to experience the vision for himself. He silently watched the young emperor question the soldiers of Feverstone Keep about what was happening. After they both witnessed Jezrien announce that they had defeated the Voidbringers for good and ended the war, Dalinar approached Yanagawn and revealed himself. At first, Yanagawn didn't believe Dalinar that he had brought into Dalinar's vision and instead believed that as emperor of Azir the Heralds would speak through him. Dalinar ignored his claim and used the battlefield as proof that they needed to work together. As they walked away from the battlefield the emperor told Dalinar what he been taught about Sadees, the Sunmaker. The viziers had told him about how when Sadees had conquered Azir he had massacred the populace. As Dalinar was trying to tell Yanagawn that he was different from his ancestor, to the Stormfather's surprise, Lift entered the vision and interrupted them. After a brief exchange, Yanagawn told Lift that Dalinar was trying to convince him to trust him. Lift told him not to trust Dalinar, took the emperor, and vanished. After they departed the Stormfather was in a state of shock and Dalinar was forced to sit out the remainder of the vision in silence.[98]
Later, when Renarin sat in on a meeting of scribes who, led by Jasnah and Navani, were attempting to figure out the workings of the city, Dalinar came and joined them to provide a boost of support and self-esteem for his son.[99]
Later, Dalinar had his first experience with controlled flight when Kaladin and his squires transported him, along with Navani, Kadash, Elhokar, and Rushu, back to the warcamps. The trip had two goals- so Kaladin could test flying as a group before his mission to Kholinar with Elhokar, and so Dalinar could inspect and assess their situation at the warcamps. After Brightness Jasalai led them on a short tour of the warcamp they discussed the logistics of maintaining a permanent Alethi presence on the Plains. After they finished they received word from Fen, whom Dalinar had recently sent into one of the visions unsupervised, saying that she would be willing to come and visit Urithiru. Dalinar then promised to send her a Radiant to open her Oathgate and transport them to the city.[100]
Afterward, Dalinar went to the monastery to look for the madman who had been kept there. He had a conversation with Kadash in the monastery about what Kadash and the rest of the Vorin church would do if Dalinar could prove that the Almighty had died. When Dalinar tried and failed to enter the room where the madman had been kept he asked the Stormfather if he could use Tension to get in, but the Stormfather told him that he was not ready yet. Dalinar then went outside the building where he found that someone had cut a hole in the wall with a Shardblade. When he inspected the scene all he found was a dart tipped with blackbane poison. Dalinar then had Kaladin use his Shardblade to cut open the ardents' archives room and told him about his mission to Thaylen City. He then gave Navani the records he had retrieved for her as well as the dart he had found and then returned to Urithiru.[100]
“Honor? No, he truly is dead, as you've been told. I’m the other one, Dalinar. They call me Odium.”
—Odium introducing himself to Dalinar[46]
At the next highstorm, Dalinar brought Navani, Jasnah, Yanagawn, and a group of his viziers and scribes into the Highway to the Sun vision. Jasnah pointed out that the vision seemed to have taken place during the False Desolation. Dalinar tried to explain to the young emperor what was happening in front of them as the boy was hesitant to go near the action. He told Yanagawn that he had brought him into the vision since if they would not join forces then the least Dalinar could do for them was give him the information he had so their scholars could work through it. Yanagawn told him that he did not have any real power as the viziers were the ones who truly ran the country. Dalinar let Yanagawn hear Honor's message and watched the emperor and his other companions fade away. However, for him, the vision did not fade. Instead, Odium appeared before Dalinar as the Stormfather's presence faded away.[46]
“Dalinar looked at it, baffled, then up at the old man. In Odium's eyes, he could see that violet-black fire. Deep, deep within. The figure with whom Dalinar spoke was not the god, it was merely a face, a mask. Because if Dalinar had to confront the true force behind those smiling eyes, he would go mad.”
—Dalinar on Odium[101]
Dalinar, thinking strategically, tried to get Odium to divulge his plans. Dalinar asked Odium why he could not just leave them alone and depart Roshar. Odium asked him if he was serious and Intended to truly release him from his bonds and set him free. He told Dalinar that if that were to happen he would begin by killing Cultivation and destroying the remnants of Honor, after which he would significantly alter their realm. Dalinar asked Odium if he would accept a challenge of champions, but Odium declined, saying that he did not need to take the risk since he knew that Dalinar would free him. Dalinar told Odium that now that he had seen him, he was no longer afraid of him. Odium smiled and let Dalinar glimpse a fraction of what he truly was. After it ended Dalinar found himself lying on the ground, completely overwhelmed, with Odium standing over him. It was then that Dalinar realized that the man he was speaking to was a mere mask of Odium's true infinite being. He knew that if Odium's true power were to be unleashed upon Roshar the entire planet would be destroyed in an instant. Odium sensed something nearby and told Dalinar that they would meet again. After Odium left Lift appeared and told Dalinar that she would convince Gawx to go to Urithiru.[101]
Leading Roshar (1174 - )
Diplomacy
After Kaladin and Shallan returned from Thaylen City, having unlocked the Oathgate, Dalinar had Malata transport him, Navani, and Taravangian through the portal to meet with Fen. When he arrived, he was struck by how much damage the Everstorm had done to the city. When he met Fen, she offered to give him a tour of the city.[27] After being led through six temples, Dalinar told Navani that this was boring to him. She explained why Fen was bringing them to the temples, and Dalinar realized that as a leader he also had to be a diplomat. When they arrived at the temple of Battah, Fen, after a hesitation, let them inside to see the field hospital that had been set up there to care for the people who had been injured by the Everstorm and the escaping parshmen. Taravangian asked Fen if he could bring his surgeons to her city, and she accepted his offer. Dalinar tried to offer her troops to help rebuild, but Fen would not respond. Dalinar realized that Fen was not an absolute authority in Thaylenah and as long as the merchants of the city suspected Dalinar of trying to conquer the city she could not allow him to bring any soldiers into the city.[50]
“I don’t want your life, son, I don’t want your city or your kingdom. If I’d wanted to conquer Thaylenah, I wouldn’t offer you a smiling face and promises of peace. You should know that much from my reputation.”
—Dalinar to Kdralk after stabbing him in his chest.[50]
Fen excused herself, saying that she had to meet with her council. While Dalinar waited, he decided to provoke a fight to show that he did not intend to conquer the city. He started asking Kdralk questions about the city's defenses, triggering the lad's ire. Dalinar asked him to fight him in a duel with longswords and alternating advantage with Kdralk going first. Dalinar dodged the boy's sword for the duration of the fight until he allowed him to strike him in the chest. Dalinar pulled out the sword and let his Stormlight heal him. The boy told Dalinar that it was his turn to take the sword, but Dalinar declined to fight him, saying that he had already been bloodied. He told Kdralk that if he had been trying to conquer his city he would not be walking around exchanging pleasantries, he would bring an army. To Dalinar's surprise he suddenly felt a rush of shame. He realized that this bullying method of getting his way was the way of the Blackthorn, not the Bondsmith. He walked away to be alone with his thoughts, leaving behind an awed crowd. As he was walking, he heard a voice in his head, the same one he heard in his visions that always told him "Unite Them". He soon realized that this was different; he was hearing hundreds of voices speaking to him together. He realized that he was hearing the spren of the shattered temple and its desire to be whole again. He started gathering the stones of the temple and used his Surgebinding to fuse them back together.[50]
“Shardbearers can't hold ground. [...] Fen, I have Radiants, yes—but they, no matter how powerful, won’t win this war. More importantly, I can’t see what I’m missing. That’s why I need you.”
—Dalinar to Fen[50]
After Dalinar had finished fixing the front wall of the temple, he asked a nearby scribe to write to Urithiru telling Renarin to come. By the time Fen had returned, Kdralk and the other soldiers had started gathering the broken stones so Dalinar could fuse them back together, and healed people were streaming out of the field hospital. Dalinar explained to her that they needed her help since if they were alone, they could not win. He told Fen that he needed her strengths to complement his own. Dalinar convinced her to join him and his coalition in Urithiru, and she gave him advice on how he could convince the Azish to join his side.[50]
Dalinar decided to give Jezrien's Honorblade, which he had hidden away, to Bridge Four so they could practice their Surgebinding while their captain was away. While he was retrieving it, he had a conversation with the Stormfather about the Heralds and their current situations. The Stormfather told Dalinar that he was not like an ordinary Bondsmith. He had the powers of Ishar, Binder of Gods, before he became the Herald of Luck. He told Dalinar that there were only three Bondsmith spren but did not say who they were. Dalinar then took the Blade to Bridge Four and gave it to them with instructions that they use it to continue their training.[49]
Dalinar then went to his rooms, where Navani and Fen prepared him for his visit to Azimir. Fen gave him a packet of papers which she, Navani, and Jasnah had written as well as a spanreed to communicate with the tower, and Navani handed him a box containing his lunch. As he was walking to the Oathgate, he used Adhesion to break up a fight between some of Sadeas' and Aladar's soldiers. Dalinar realized that Sadeas' soldiers were getting worse and resolved to come up with a solution to their continued disobedience and brawling. He decided that as a temporary measure he could have them work in Thaylen City repairing the damage the Everstorm had wrought to keep them busy and out of trouble. Jasnah then transported him through the Oathgate, which Lift had unlocked for him, to Azimir.[49]
“"You are not what I expected, Blackthorn," Noura said.
"And what did you expect?"
"An animal," she said frankly. "A half-man creature of war and blood."
Something about that struck him. An animal … Echoes of memories shuddered inside of him.”
—Noura and Dalinar[29]
When Dalinar arrived in Azimir and emerged from the Oathgate control building he found himself surrounded by a contingent of armed and armored Azish soldiers. He declared that he was unarmed and handed over his first attack, a four-page essay written by Queen Fen arguing about the economic value of the Oathgates. While the viziers and scions were reading the essay Dalinar tried, and succeeded, to use Spiritual Adhesion to forge a Connection with a nearby servant and understand what the Azish were saying. The viziers noticed this and were impressed, but after further deliberations, they decided that Fen's essay was not persuasive enough. Upon hearing this Dalinar reached into his packet and gave the viziers Navani's six-page essay which contained schematics and details of many of the fabrials they had developed. As they were in the middle of reading Navani's essay Dalinar reached into his packet and retrieved the third and final essay, Verdict, written by Jasnah. The viziers were extremely impressed by Jasnah's writing and it persuaded them to bring his arguments before the Prime and his council. They then led him to a waiting room for him to sit in while he waited for their decision. While Dalinar was pacing in the waiting room Lift arrived and ate his lunch. After a bizarre conversation with Lift, Noura returned to tell Dalinar what they had concluded. He said that while Jasnah's essay had been a work of art, in the end it was Navani's more sincere paper which had persuaded Azir to come to Urithiru and join the coalition. He told Dalinar that representatives from Emul, Tashikk, Yezier, Alm, Desh, and Liafor would be joining them as well. As Dalinar was reentering the Oathgate building, Noura told him that he had expected Dalinar to be more of a savage than he was. Dalinar told him that he had changed from the man he once had been. This conversation triggered a wave of recovered memories to flood through Dalinar. The memories of Evi and what had happened at the Rift overwhelmed him, and when he arrived in Urithiru he stumbled and collapsed to the floor.[29]
Memories Recovered
“They thought he was sick. They thought his collapse on the Oathgate platform had been caused by heart troubles or fatigue. The surgeons had suggested rest. But if he stopped standing up straight, if he let it bow him down, he worried the memories would crush him. ”
—Dalinar reflecting on recovering his memories.[102]
“This is the sacrifice, isn't it? Someone must bear the responsibility. Someone must be dragged down by it, ruined by it. Someone must stain their soul so others may live. [...] The burden for the blood of those wronged must rest somewhere. I am the sacrifice. We, Dalinar Kholin, are the sacrifices. Society offers us up to trudge through dirty water so others may be clean. Someone has to fall, that others may stand.”
—Taravangian to Dalinar[102]
After eight days of hiding in his chambers tortured by the memories of what he had done, Dalinar emerged back into public to join the crowd of people waiting for news from Kholinar. They had received word that Kaladin and his group were attempting to liberate the Oathgate. While Dalinar watched the combined army crammed on the Oathgate platform awaiting their transportation he asked the Stormfather how he could be bonded to a man who had committed such atrocities, but the Stormfather did not understand what the problem was. He said that he himself had burned cities before, but now with the insight their bond had given him he could see a difference.[102]
Dalinar went into the common room where the other leaders were waiting for the news and sat down next to Taravangian next to the heatrial. Dalinar thanked him for leading the Azish, who had arrived the previous day while Dalinar was still incapacitated, on their tour of the tower. Dalinar spoke with Taravangian about their previous discussion about morality and asked him how someone could live with themselves after making such a compromise. Taravangian explained to him that as leaders it was their duty to bear the responsibility for injustices that happen under their rule.[102]
After Dalinar finished speaking with Taravangian they received word from Kholinar that the mission had failed and that they were unable to unlock the Oathgate. The writer at the other end of the spanreed did not tell them what had happened to Elhokar, Kaladin, Shallan, Adolin, and the others leaving the residents of Urithiru in the dark, not knowing what had befallen them.[102]
When the time came for the first meeting with all of the members of the coalition, Dalinar still feeling haunted and weary from what happened in Azir, asked Navani to lead the meeting in his place. Throughout the meeting Dalinar sat in his chair, gazing imperiously at all present with little participation in the debate. When the meeting took a recess Navani sat down with Dalinar and told him that he needed to get out of the tower and take a break. They decided that Dalinar would go to Vedenar to assess the situation over there before they sent in troops to aid Taravangian and his people.[103]
“It seemed that Dalinar had been four people in his life. The bloodlusty warrior, who killed wherever he was pointed, and the consequences could go to Damnation.
The general, who had feigned distinguished civility—when secretly, he'd longed to get back on the battlefield so he could shed more blood.
Third, the broken man. The one who paid for the actions of the youth.
Then finally, the fourth man: most false of them all. The man who had given up his memories so he could pretend to be something better.”
—Dalinar reflecting on his past.[36]
As Dalinar toured Vedenar he tried to distract himself but he was unable to and his mind kept wandering back to what he had done at Rathalas. Eventually, Navani was led away from him and Dalinar made his way to a gazebo to look upon the ruins of the city by himself. As he gazed upon the remains of the civil war, he smelled smoke and heard phantom weeping, things he remembered feeling before he went to the Nightwatcher. Eventually, Taravangian arrived carrying a half-shard to show Dalinar. They discussed how the fabrials were made and Dalinar, suddenly overwhelmed by the moral implications of 'enslaving' spren inside fabrials, tried to change the subject. They discussed the morality of what Sadees, Dalinar's ancestor, had done to Roshar. Taravangian argued that they would be better off if Sadees had succeeded in his quest of conquering all of Roshar as it would have left them better equipped to fight off the Voidbringers as a unified force. Dalinar was uncertain that this would have justified the slaughter and death such a conquest would have required, and he said that in any case, they could not change the past. Taravangian started to explain to Dalinar how artifabrians trapped spren in gemstones for fabrial, but Dalinar became overwhelmed again and hastily left the king's presence.[36]
Dalinar made his way to the stormshelters outside the city walls where he inspected the city's troops, a process which seemed to calm him down. At the end of his inspection, he came to a tent filled with wounded soldiers. One of them, Geved, told Dalinar what fighting in the Veden civil war had been like. As he listened to Geved's description of the battle he recognized that the Thrill had been involved, and he began to feel the Thrill inside him. This was the first time in a very long time that Dalinar had felt the Thrill within himself. He realized that throughout his time on the Shattered Plains when the Thrill had been fading from within him it had not been because he had been working to overcome it, rather the Thrill had left him.[36]
“If you become that first man again, it will stop hurting. In your youth, you did what needed to be done. You were stronger then.
Is this leadership? To cry each night? To shake and tremble? Those are the actions of a child, not a man.
Give me your pain.”
—Odium speaking to Dalinar as he tried to escape the Thrill.[36]
Dalinar's composure collapsed again, and he dashed away, desperate to be away from all of the people. He made his way to the city walls and reflected on his past as he walked along the fortification. He was interrupted by a Veden soldier who wanted to know why an Alethi man was spying on the city's walls. Dalinar felt the Thrill surge within himself, urging him to attack the man. He dashed away trying to escape from the Thrill, but it did not work. He tried sucking in Stormlight to push it away, but it only made it worse. As he made his way to the Oathgate, trying to slow his pace and keep his head up, he heard voices in his head telling him to give up responsibility for what he had done. He lost all composure and began charging through the city trying to get to the Oathgate and the escape it provided as fast as he could. When he arrived at the Oathgate he found Navani and a number of ardents, Curates, members of the Holy Enclave in Valath wearing blue robes and holding ornate staves waiting for him. The ardents announced that they could no longer tolerate his claims that the Almighty had died, and they were proclaiming that he was to be excommunicated and considered anathema to all good Vorin people. As the ardent began outlining his heresies Dalinar felt the Thrill surge within him, urging him to kill the man standing before him. Dalinar fled, dashing for the control building before he could do the man any harm. Dalinar then, despite the Stormfather's protests, reached into the Spiritual Realm and forced something into the Oathgate, activating it without a Shardblade.[36]
Dalinar stumbled from the Oathgate in a daze, ignoring everyone around him. As he walked, he heard Evi's voice in his mind telling him to accept who he was and not try to escape it. He made his way to his room and picked up The Way of Kings, but he could not read it and it could not help him. He dropped the book and, almost unconsciously, made his way to Adolin's room. He searched the room until he found the bottle of strong violet wine Adolin kept for special occasions. He realized that he was turning back to the way he was before he went to the Nightwatcher but he decided that it would be worth it if it meant he wouldn't start killing people again. He drank from the bottle and drifted away.[36]
After three days of drinking away his problems, Dalinar experienced a strange dream. He woke up in a room that he recognized from one of his earlier visions but was not quite the same as he remembered it. He tried asking the Stormfather why he had brought him into the vision, as they had agreed that with Odium's intrusions the visions were too dangerous, but there was no response. He found Nohadon behind him sitting at a desk covered in piles of papers. Dalinar assumed that he was writing his magnum opus, The Way of Kings, but Nohadon corrected him and told him that he was simply writing a shopping list of ingredients he needed to bake Shin bread. Nohadon perceived that had been having a hard time and brought Dalinar with him on his trip to the market to take his mind off of his troubles. After haggling with a grain merchant, Nohadon told Dalinar that he had learned how to bake Shin bread from a woman who had hosted him near Shin Kak Nish. He told Dalinar that his life, like the woman's life, was unfair.[48]
“You've said the oaths, but do you understand the journey? Do you understand what it requires? You’ve forgotten one essential part, one thing that without which there can be no journey.”
—Nohadon to Dalinar[48]
Dalinar told him about his struggles with trying to convince the monarchs to join with him and how he wanted to be able to force them to listen to him. Nohadon asked him why didn't force them if it was for their own good, and Dalinar replied that he was trying to follow Nohadon's example from The Way of Kings. Nohadon replied that he had done that after trying and failing to force people to work with him. They then discussed how having morals and standing by them comes with a cost. Dalinar heard thumping outside the building they were in and when he went outside to check what it was he found a massive skeletal stone creature. The Thunderclast reached a hand out to Nohadon who touched it, stilling the great creature. Nohadon asked Dalinar what this part of his nightmare represented, and Dalinar told him that it represented his pain and hypocrisy. Nohadon told him that hypocrisy can mean that a person is changing and it is not necessarily a bad thing. His words resonated within Dalinar and he remembered that he himself had said those words. When he woke up Dalinar realized that it had been a dream, not a vision, and suddenly remembered the events of Gavilar's funeral.[48]
Bondsmith
As Dalinar shaved and dressed the next morning he reflected on the events of the night before, both the strange dream and the memories he had recovered. He reflected on the flaws of human memory, how people remembered events and people differently, and the general perception of Gavilar had changed over time. Dalinar reached out to the Stormfather and was relieved to find that the spren was still with him, as he had feared that what he had done with the Oathgate in Vedenar would cause the Stormfather to leave him. He asked the Stormfather if he had been behind his dream with Nohadon, but the Stormfather had no knowledge that the dream had occurred, confirming Dalinar's suspicions that it had been an ordinary dream and not a vision. Feeling refreshed and at least partially recovered from his drinking spree, Dalinar left his room to find out what the others were up to.[6]
“Oh, Ruthar, you can't win this fight. Jasnah has thought about the topic far more than you have. It’s a familiar battleground to her—
Storms, that was it.”—Dalinar thinking about Ruthar's response to Jasnah[6]
He found Taravangian sitting by the hearth outside his study and took him to the tactics meeting taking place up in the Gallery of Maps. When he arrived Aladar, who was leading the meeting, greeted Dalinar and asked him if he was feeling better. Dalinar replied that he had been meditating and started to ask Aladar about their plans for the war. He was interrupted by Fen who demanded to know why he had abandoned them. Dalinar first tried to explain that he had taken his excommunication from the Vorin church poorly, but then admitted that he had not done the right thing. This satisfied Fen and the others and the meeting proceeded, returning to their discussion of how to fortify Jah Keved. As they were discussing how to defend the land near the Horneater Peaks Dalinar noticed Navani entering the room and called for a break to consider what had been discussed.[6]
After Dalinar thanked Navani for staying with him and supporting him during his struggle with his memories and his alcoholism he looked at the map of Roshar and tried to discern where the enemy would attack next. As he was examining the map Jasnah arrived and had a verbal spat with Ialai Sadeas, who wisely backed down. Ruthar tried to respond to Jasnah by decrying her heresy. Dalinar sighed internally thinking that Ruthar had no chance of winning an argument with Jasnah about a topic so familiar to her. This triggered an idea in Dalinar and he realized, shouting it for all to hear, that the Voidbringers would not be attacking Jah Keved after all since the land was too familiar to the humans fighting for the coalition. The meeting resumed and after a quick process of elimination, it was determined that the singers would be attacking Thaylen City. They then worked out arrangements for sailors and ships from Kharbranth and Tashikk, along with some Alethi soldiers, to go to Thaylen City to help with its defense.[6]
As the meeting concluded Fen approached Dalinar and asked him to recant his heresy for the sake of preserving their unity and prevent a religious collapse but he refused. After he left the meeting Dalinar went and found Kadash. He tried to tell Kadash that he was releasing him and all of his ardents from his service so they would no longer have to serve a heretic, but Kadash refused. He told Dalinar that his people needed the ardents, whether or not Dalinar himself believed they did. Kadash then tried to convince Dalinar to release a statement of support for the Vorin church even if he himself no longer believed, but Dalinar walked away. Once he had gotten far enough away from Kadash Dalinar called out to the Stormfather and asked him if the Voidbringers had a highprince or another sort of leader. The Stormfather told Dalinar that there was one and Dalinar asked the Stormfather to arrange a meeting between them during the next highstorm.[6]
As he waited for the highstorm to arrive and examined some of the tower's strata with Navani, Dalinar received word from Fen that she had evidence that the Voidbringers were building a flotilla of ships near Marat. Dalinar suggested that they have the next meeting in Thaylen City and then the highstorm hit, and he entered the vision.[104]
“Be strong, Dalinar. I have faith in you, even when you don't have it in yourself. Though it will hurt for a time, there is an end. Peace is in your future. Push through the agony. Then you will be victorious, my son.”
—Odium to Dalinar[104]
Dalinar found himself in the palace he remembered from previous visits to the vision, taking the place of one of the guards, and saw Nohadon walking with Venli. The Stormfather warned Dalinar that Odium noticed that the vision had begun and would be coming soon. Dalinar decided to make the most of his time and approached Venli to speak with her before it was too late. He introduced himself to her but she reacted with his hostility and refused his repeated attempts at proposing a truce. As they were talking, they heard a loud noise and as the vision began to break apart Venli told Dalinar the He, Odium, was the true reason they could not make a treaty. She told him that his only hope of survival would be to surrender to Odium and hope that he did not destroy them. They were torn apart from each other and Dalinar used his Surgebinding to reach out to her to touch her and send her back to safety.[104]
As soon as Venli had gone Dalinar felt himself being ripped apart by Odium's power. When he regained his senses Odium appeared beside him. He asked Dalinar what he had been seeing and re-formed the vision to see for himself. Odium told Dalinar that he knew his pain and he was the only one who truly understood it. Dalinar asked if there could be peace and Odium told him that it would come after Dalinar destroyed Roshar and he rebuilt it. Dalinar tried to ask for a contest of champions but he could not get the words out and he realized that he had no hope of fighting or defeating Odium. Odium told Dalinar that while there would be pain, he should push through it, and in the end, there would be peace and he would be victorious. After the vision ended Dalinar heard the Stormfather weeping from the price he had paid to keep Odium out of the vision for as long as he had.[104]
When Dalinar arrived in Thaylen City he was met by Meridas Amaram who reported on the work his men had done to secure the city. Amaram tried to convince Dalinar to give him command of the fight to liberate Alethkar but Dalinar commanded him to continue his work in Thaylen City and Amaram walked away. After discussing the problem of merchants and bankers leaving Thaylen City with Fen Dalinar spoke with the Stormfather about what Odium had almost done to him. The Stormfather told Dalinar that Odium could have Splintered him but held himself back out of fear of causing Cultivation to strike back at him. Dalinar asked the Stormfather who the other Bondsmith spren were, and the Stormfather told him that the Nightwatcher was one, but he refused to tell Dalinar about the third who slumbers. They discussed Honor's state at the time of the Recreance and then Dalinar left to go to the meeting.[105]
As Dalinar looked over the room he heard a voice in his head saying Unite them but the Stormfather insisted that he did not know who was speaking those words. Dalinar noticed the Azish fleet arriving in the harbor and asked Yanagawn to update him on the status of their troops. Fen took charge of the meeting and started to discuss the situation in her city. As they finished discussing the defenses of the city and the Azish began outlining their guidelines for the coalition Dalinar noticed Renarin suddenly leaving the meeting. He turned and saw a scribe bring Jasnah and Navani a sheaf of papers. The Stormfather rumbled in Dalinar's mind and he had a sudden feeling of impending danger. Suddenly spanreeds around the room began flashing and writing. Fen read over one of her scribes' shoulder that the Everstorm had just hit Shinovar, four days earlier than expected. Dalinar suggested, and the others agreed, that it was a good time to take a break from the meeting. Dalinar began to feel relieved that the looming disaster he had felt coming had not been so bad, but the Stormfather told him that the disaster had not come yet. Dalinar realized that there was more to the message they had all received and asked Navani and Jasnah what it was. They told him that there had been a breakthrough in translating the Dawnchant and they had been sent a translation of the Eila Stele which described the First Desolation from the perspective of the Dawnsingers. After Navani finished reading it Dalinar was confused by the way the writer described the Voidbringers as not having shells. He realized that the person writing the stele was not a human, but rather a parshman, and therefore the humans were the invaders, not the singers.[105]
“This is what you feared, a world that turns not upon force of armies, but upon the concerns of scribes and bureaucrats.”
—Dalinar[105]
Taravangian stood up and said that he would like an explanation for the news he had just received, a sentiment echoed by Fen and Noura. Dalinar tried saying that they should adjourn to deal with the coming storm and discuss the news afterward. Taravangian said that while that may be a good idea, he was concerned by the revelation that they did not have the 'moral high ground' in their conflict. Fen replied that she did not care about that but instead she wanted an explanation for the "highking" arrangement Dalinar had made with Elhokar before he left for Kholinar which would have made Dalinar into an emperor. Dalinar objected that it was an exaggeration and Navani said that it was merely an internal Alethi affair and they would be releasing a statement explaining it shortly. Noura then asked them to explain the accounts of two unreleased visions in which Dalinar met with the enemy, Odium. Jasnah interjected that all of these revelations happening simultaneously were clearly meant to be a coordinated attack against them. All of the monarchs started talking at once and Navani and Jasnah tried to defend Dalinar while he sank into his chair. He realized that he had always feared living in a world ruled by scribes and scholars instead of armies and military strength, and that in this new world he had just been soundly outsmarted.[105]
“I … understand now as I never did before. The ancient Radiants didn't abandon their oaths out of pettiness. They tried to protect the world. I blame them for their weakness, their broken oaths. But I also understand. You have cursed me, human, with this capacity.”
—The Stormfather speaking to Dalinar[106]
Dalinar left the meeting early and went to his rooms. He discussed what he had learned with the Stormfather who told him that this knowledge, when the previous generation of Radiants had learned it, had led them to abandon their oaths and caused the Recreance. Dalinar promised the Stormfather that he would not abandon his oath and he would not allow his radiants to abandon theirs either, but the Stormfather was doubtful. Dalinar noticed the men of Bridge Four solemnly making their way to the Oathgate. He asked them why they were leaving and Teft told him that after what they had heard they were no longer sure that they should continue fighting. He told Dalinar that they would wait for Kaladin to return and see what he thinks of it. After they had passed the Stormfather told Dalinar that through their bond he was now able to understand why the radiants had decided to abandon their oaths.[106]
Dalinar met the Azish contingent as they left the temple where the meeting had taken place and made their way out of the city, heading for the docks. Most of them ignored Dalinar but Noura stopped and spoke with Dalinar about what they had decided. He said that regardless of the threat the Voidbringers poised the Surges he and his radiants wielded were dangerous and should not be used. He said that they were going to sail back to Azimir in ships that Taravangian had lent them so they would not have to use the Oathgate. When he found Fen he asked her if she would abandon him too, but she told him that she had no choice but to accept his help. Taravangian approached him and apologized for releasing all of the information, claiming that he had thought everyone else had access to it already. He then told Dalinar, without explaining why, that he was forced to leave Dalinar and not stand with him anymore. Dalinar tried arguing with him to get him to stay but Taravangian left anyways. The Stormfather told Dalinar that he had tried to hide this for his own good, saying that lying to themselves was one of the things men did best. Dalinar tried objecting but the Stormfather told him that he himself had been living a lie for the past six years, trying to pretend that he had not killed Evi. Dalinar had no response to this and, feeling dejected, returned to his villa.[106]
The Battle of Thaylen Field
“What is the most important step that a man can take? ”
—Dalinar Kholin[24]
As the Everstorm rolled into the city Dalinar was surprised to see that Odium's forces had sailed during the storm and were arriving in the city so soon. Once it had reached the city the storm stopped moving and settled down upon the city as the singers began disembarking from their boats. As Dalinar watched Amaram's troops rush out of the city onto the field he heard General Khal shouting for troops to be sent from Urithiru, but he realized that they would not be able to arrive in time to help. He took his copy of The Way of Kings in his hand and stepped out into the city.[24]
As Dalinar made his way through the city, dodging civilians as he walked, he suddenly felt the Thrill wash over him. After a brief struggle with himself, Dalinar rejected the Thrill and continued on his way. As started to walk again a Thunderclast sent a giant boulder smashing into Dalinar, pinning him to a wall, but he was able to use Stormlight to extract himself. He watched the Thunderclast tear apart the Thaylen Gemstone Reserve allowing several Fused to enter the building and extract a large ruby that had been stored there. Dalinar saw the Fused knock over a young woman on a palanquin over and he ran over to help. As Dalinar looked back at the retreating Thunderclast he saw, through a hole in the city wall, that Amaram's soldiers' eyes were glowing red and they had changed sides.[107]
Dalinar stepped through the hole in the wall onto the rubble beyond. Lift appeared beside him and Dalinar instructed her to retrieve the King's Drop from the Fused who had taken it. After Lift departed, Odium materialized among the soldiers and walked towards Dalinar accompanied by Amaram, Venli, Yelig-Nar, and several Fused. He gave instructions to the Thunderclasts and then turned to Dalinar and told him that their time had come.[32]
Amaram's soldiers parted around Dalinar as they walked into the city and Dalinar ignored them as they passed. Dalinar began to despair of ever defeating Odium who seemed too vast and powerful an entity to be destroyed. Then he remembered what Honor had told him in one of his visions about appointing a champion. Dalinar turned to Odium and demanded that they have a contest of champions together. He told Odium that killing the humans would not free him from Roshar and he said that if Odium wins the contest, he would allow him to leave, but if the human's champion prevailed Odium must allow the humans to live. Odium warned Dalinar that as a Bondsmith his words had an effect and he must be certain that he meant what he said, which caused Dalinar to hesitate. After thinking it over Dalinar told Odium that he was sure he wanted the contest, and Odium accepted it. Dalinar asked Odium who he had chosen as his champion, asking if it was Amaram, but Odium said that Amaram was not strong enough for what he wanted. The Thrill surged into Dalinar, stronger than ever, as Odium told Dalinar that he had been preparing him for all of his life for this very purpose and he was sure Dalinar would make the right decision.[32] Dalinar tried telling Odium that he was wrong, but instead of answering him, Odium asked him what Evi would say. Dalinar heard Evi's voice crying and screaming as she burned to death in Rathalas. Odium told him that her death was not his fault, that he had made Dalinar kill her.[108]
“Blame me, Dalinar. It wasn't you! You saw red when you did those things! It was my fault. Accept that. You don’t have to hurt. Let me have the pain, Dalinar, give it to me, and never feel guilty again.”
—Odium to Dalinar[108]
Odium started showing Dalinar visions of things he had done in the past while under the Thrill and telling him again and again that the things he had done were not his fault, but Dalinar pulled The Way of Kings close to his chest and refused to give in. Odium then sent him back into his memories of what happened at the Rift. Dalinar begged for mercy but Odium told him that he would keep reliving it until he gave in and admitted that it had not been his fault. Odium then had a bolt of lightning blast Dalinar's book from his hands and he dismissed its author, Nohadon, as a long-dead failure. Dalinar fell to his knees and he heard the Stormfather whimpering in his mind. Dalinar tried to look away from the vision but there was nowhere to turn as he was surrounded by the vision. Dalinar tried to think of something that would distract him from his pain, but the only thing available was the Thrill. He remembered how he had always needed the Thrill to keep him going. He slumped over and as he heard Evi weeping he thought about how he had never deserved her. As he was crying, he felt the sound of the Stormfather's weeping leave his mind as Odium pushed the great spren away, leaving Dalinar feeling alone. Odium knelt beside Dalinar and told him that he was not alone and never had been as Odium had always been with him. As the Thrill surged within him Dalinar realized that he was a fraud just like Amaram. His veneer of honesty hid the murderer who killed women and children beneath a facade of honor. As Odium begged him to let go and give him his pain Dalinar trembled with pain and clawed at the ground as he thought of how he had failed his family. He thought he could not live with all of this pain and tore out his fingernails to try and distract himself but it did not help him forget the agony of his true self.[108]
Odium announced to the watching singers that it was done and that Dalinar would now be their leader. The Fused complained that they were being made to follow a human but Odium threatened to reclaim his power that kept them alive and they backed down. Amaram walked up and gave Odium Nightblood's sheath and Odium gave him a gemstone and instructed him to swallow it so that he could bond with Yelig-Nar. Amaram asked if he would be allowed to kill Dalinar and Odium told him that someday he might unless Dalinar killed him first.[108]
Odium turned to Dalinar and told him that the pain was over and that it was time to claim his new position as head of Odium's forces. While he huddled in too much pain to breathe or think he felt something inside his clenched fist and he opened it revealing a single gloryspren. This triggered a thought in Dalinar's head. He realized that the most important step a man could take was always the next step he took. Agonized and trembling, Dalinar forced his mouth open and spoke one sentence.[108]
“YOU CANNOT HAVE MY PAIN!”
—Dalinar to Odium[52]
Odium stumbled back in surprise as he heard what Dalinar had said. Dalinar shouted at Odium that he had been the one to kill the people of Rathalas, not Odium. He said that while Odium had been there with him it had been his choice that caused Evi to die. He said that he accepted responsibility for what he had done and that Odium could not take it away from him. As Dalinar shouted at Odium he noticed that gloryspren were gathering around him and circling him in the air. Odium asked Dalinar what he hoped to gain by doing this. Dalinar replied that if he pretended that he had not done the things he had done it would mean that he could not grow to become a better person. Dalinar felt a familiar warm calming lite within him and he heard the words Unite Them echoing in his head. Dalinar said that a journey cannot be a journey if it does not have a beginning. A thunderclap sounded in his head and he felt the Stormfather return to him, surprised and frightened by what was happening. Dalinar then swore the Third Ideal of the Bondsmiths:[52]
“I will take responsibility for what I have done, if I must fall, I will rise each time a better man. ”
—Dalinar swearing his Third Ideal[52]
Dalinar heard the voice in his head saying Unite Them once again as thousands of gloryspren streamed around him. Beyond them, Odium stumbled back looking smaller than ever. As the voice saying Unite Them was even louder in his mind Dalinar thrust his left hand out and grabbed hold of the Cognitive Realm and he stretched his right hand out and grabbed hold of the Spiritual Realm.[52]
Venli approached him and asked him what he was. As he stood with his arms stretched out listening to the silence Dalinar heard a familiar woman's quiet voice[109] saying that she forgave him. Dalinar opened his eyes and told Venli that he was Unity. Dalinar then slammed both of his hands together and summoned Honor's Perpendicularity as a tower of light extending all the way up to the sky. Odium shouted at Dalinar that "they" had killed him.[52]
“I am Unity.”
—Dalinar to Venli[52]
After hearing Evi's voice forgive him, the pain that he had just promised to accept upon himself started to fade away. Sounding stunned, the Stormfather told Dalinar that the Words of his oath had been accepted. Odium stumbled back and shouted orders to attack Dalinar. Venli did not move, but Amaram slowly stopped shielding his eyes from the light and began summoning his Shardblade. Dalinar told Amaram that he could change, but Amaram pointed to his chest and said that he would never be forgiven. As Amaram swung Oathbringer at Dalinar a pillar of light swung off of the pillar and Kaladin appeared and used Syl to block the blow. Moments later Adolin and Shallan emerged from the column of light as well to Dalinar's great relief. When no one else stepped out of the column Dalinar realized that Elhokar was gone.[52]
Dalinar opened his eyes and the column of gloryspren slowly faded away as he released the Realms and the perpendicularity collapsed. The power in him withdrew leaving Dalinar feeling exhausted. He saw that he had infused the gemstones scattered across the field, leaving him and his Radiants a wealth of Stormlight to use. The Stormfather told Dalinar that he had opened a direct conduit into the Spiritual Realm and asked him how he was able to renew the spheres. Dalinar told him that their Connection together allowed him to do it. He said that their bond was stronger than previous Bondsmiths since Honor was no longer alive.[52]
Kaladin, Jasnah, Renarin, Lift, Shallan, and, to Dalinar's surprise, Szeth gathered around Dalinar. Dalinar counted seven Radiants rather than the ten he had been expecting. The Stormfather told him to look behind him and he saw Shalash and Taln walking towards him. Dalinar turned back and surveyed the battlefield. He saw that Odium had faded away almost completely and all that remained were the Fused, Yelig-Nar, and Amaram with his ten thousand soldiers, as well as the Thrill which manifested as a massive red cloud hanging over the ground near the water. Dalinar asked the Stormfather why only nine Radiants had come to join him, but the Stormfather did not know why the tenth Radiant had not come.[52]
“The enemy brought a very big stick to this battle, Captain. I'm going to take it away.”
—Dalinar on the Thrill[52]
Kaladin asked Dalinar for orders and Dalinar watched Amaram get back as his soldiers and the singers began to recover. Dalinar realized that neutralizing the Thrill was one of the most important things for them to do. Dalinar noticed that his wrist fabrial had been shattered when the bolt of lightning had struck his book and he had an idea of how to deal with the Thrill.[52]
Dalinar ordered Renarin to secure the Oathgate, unlock it, and bring the reinforcements waiting in Urithiru through the portal and into Thaylen City. He told Shallan to Lightweave up an army for Amaram's soldiers to fight. He told her that they should be easier to deceive as they were currently under the thrall of the Thrill. He asked Jasnah to use her Soulcasting to repair the hole in the city's wall. Dalinar told Kaladin that he would serve as his bodyguard during the battle, defending him from Amaram. He told Lift to take Szeth and bring him the ruby that the Fused had taken. Dalinar started to walk toward the water and told Kaladin that they were going to go stop the Thrill.[52]
As Dalinar approached the red mist that was the Thrill he stopped and peered into the mists. He saw familiar images of things he and the people he had killed in the past. He was able to hear the Thrill's warming pulses, like the beats of a drum. Dalinar greeted the Thrill and stepped into its mist.[110]
The Thrill recognized Dalinar and was happy to see him. As he walked through the mist, he saw times when the Thrill had been with him and times when it had withdrawn. He realized that the Thrill had no actual intent, let alone a malevolent one. He saw that the Thrill was simply the primal desire and urge to fight. The Thrill returned all of the memories of himself that Dalinar hated. He realized that while once he had gone to the Nightwatcher to forget what he had done, he no longer wanted to lose those memories. He told the Thrill that he welcomed it and that he accepted who he had been. As his vision became tinged with red Dalinar thanked the Thrill for giving him strength when he needed it. As he watched himself walk towards Rathalas on his way to burn the city, Dalinar told the Thrill that he understood it.[110]
After a while drifting in the Thrill's embrace Lift arrived and delivered the King's Drop to him. Lift asked him why heeded the stone, and Dalinar remembered what Taravangian had told him about how fabrials were made, by giving a spren what it wants and is familiar with to lure it into a gemstone. He told Lift that Shallan had scared Re-Shephir causing it to flee, but he said that the Thrill was not intelligent enough for that and could only be defeated by someone who understood it very well. Dalinar lifted the gemstone and embraced the Thrill for the last time. Dalinar thanked the Thrill for giving him strength when he needed it, and as the Thrill snuggled closely with him, he told it that it was time for it to take a rest. After the Unmade was successfully trapped in the gemstone the red mist faded away causing Amaram's soldiers to stop mid-charge and lie retching on the ground, having suddenly had the Thrill removed from within them. The sky then cleared as the Everstorm departed while the Fused and singers sailed away in their boats. The battle had been won.[110]
Dalinar began walking back to the city, with Kaladin and Lopen each supporting one of his arms, leaving a trail of exhaustionspren behind him. Navani ran out of the city and took over from the bridgemen walking Dalinar the rest of the way. As they walked Dalinar told her how he had realized that the two months of pain from his memories had been exactly what he needed to experience in order to stand up to Odium. He thanked her for inspiring him, saying that her broken fabrial hanging from his arm had reminded him how to trap the Unmade. He showed Navani the ruby containing Nergaoul and told her that he wanted her to keep it safe and study it to figure out what had enabled it to trap a spren as powerful as an Unmade. Dalinar then asked Navani to teach him how to read and write.[38]
Aftermath
Later, back in the city, Dalinar accepted Fen's thanks and they sent a message to the Azish to try and explain what had happened. On the way to his villa, Dalinar stopped at the temple of Talenelat, which had been converted into a meeting place for the generals, to look the room over. As he was examining some of the depictions of Taln's many last stands Taravangian arrived and told Dalinar that he had brought his surgeons to help. Dalinar thanked him for the help and asked him why he had abandoned them to the enemy. Taravangian told Dalinar that he had assumed that Dalinar would fall and so he had arranged the events to play out in a way that would leave him as head of the coalition in Dalinar's place. He told Dalinar that for the good of Roshar he had been forced to do what he had done. Even with all of the conversations about philosophy that they had had together, Dalinar was shocked by Taravangian's ruthlessness. Dalinar realized that Taravangian had not become king of Jah Keved by chance and asked him how he had done it. Taravangian told Dalinar how Dova had warned him of the coming Desolation and he had sought out the Assassin in White and given him instructions of which monarchs to kill and in what order to do so. Later when he received word of where Skar and Drehy were with Gavinor Dalinar supercharged Kaladin with Stormlight and sent him to get them.[38][23]
Back in Urithiru Dalinar convened another meeting and had Shallan conjure the illusion of the map of Roshar for him. Dalinar had Shallan color the parts of the map to represent the different power groups on Roshar- the singers, the Azish, the lands of the coalition, and the neutral lands of Shinovar and Tukar. Dalinar asked Shallan to show him Kholinar and he used his connection with the Stormfather to help her create the illusion.[23]
Shallan said to Dalinar that based on Kaladin's reports the singers wanted to have their lands back and they did not want to destroy Roshar. She asked Dalinar if they could just allow the singers to keep Kholinar but Dalinar told her that they could not give in. He said that as long as Odium was leading the singers they would not stop fighting until every human had been wiped from the map. Dalinar then brought up the matter of the traitor among them and they discussed who might have opened the Oathgate and let the Voidbringers into Urithiru.[23]
Dalinar said that they needed to pick a new king to lead Alethkar now that Elhokar had died. Adolin tried saying that Gavinor should be the king as he was the heir to the throne, but Dalinar said that the boy was too young to lead. Dalinar said that he would prepare Adolin's coronation to take place after his wedding with Shallan. Adolin then confessed to Dalinar that he had been the one who had killed Sadeas. Dalinar tried to push it away and said that they could work around this, but Adolin insisted that he was not fit to be king and refused to accept it. Dalinar said that he needed to divest himself from all power in Alethkar so he could lead the Radiants. Shallan then suggested that they coronate Jasnah to be queen of Alethkar and they agreed.[23]
After Adolin and Shallan's wedding, Dalinar returned to his rooms to continue writing his book. As had become usual, now that Bridge Thirteen had become Teft's squires, Szeth sat outside Dalinar's door acting as his bodyguard. Oathbringer, his former Shardblade, hung on the wall in front of him after Rock had given it to him as repayment. Dalinar sat at his desk writing his book until Navani came in and gave him some help with his pronouns. Dalinar reflected that the men of Vorinism had gotten the worse deal when they had given the arts of scholarship to women and kept the arts of war and fighting for themselves instead. Navani asked him what the ardents thought about him having learned to read and Dalinar told her that since he was already excommunicated there was nothing else they could do to him. She told him that they might leave him, but Dalinar disagreed and told her that he thought that Kadash might start to change his mind. He told her that Kadash had been reading through old theological texts trying to find justification for modern Vorinism and, while he might not want to believe it, eventually he would have to admit that Dalinar had been right. Dalinar was happy to have entered a new world where he could read any book he wanted by himself and all of the possibilities it opened up for him. Dalinar looked up at the Shardblade hanging above him and wrote a title for his book of memoirs- Oathbringer, My Glory and My Shame.[23]
The War Continues
Six months after the battle in Thaylen City Dalinar met with Ral-na, king of the residents of Relu-na, and his son Talik to negotiate a treaty together so the coalition would have allies in the north in case the enemy began making moves in the region. He had Lopen speak to them first in order to reassure them about his intentions.[111]
Contest of Champions (1175)
A year later, Dalinar was brought into a vision by Odium, in which he set the terms of their contest of champions: A willing champion for each side would be allowed to go to the top of Urithiru, unharmed by either side, and fight to the death. If Dalinar's champion won, Odium would return Alethkar and Herdaz to the coalition. If Odium's champion won, he would keep those two nations and Dalinar would serve him as a Fused. In either case, Odium would remain bound to the Rosharan system, but would keep the other lands he had won, and both leaders would be required to enforce the peace to the best of their ability. The deal might also lift some restriction on Odium preventing him from sending agents to the rest of the cosmere or provide him with an opportunity to dedicate the resources required to doing so once the war is over and he has secured a foothold on Roshar.[112] Additionally, at least some of the protections specified for Hoid in Dalinar's initial proposal seem to be in effect.[113]
Relationships
Evi
“I hate what this does. I see beauty in you, Dalinar Kholin. I see a great man struggling against a terrible one. And sometimes, you get this look in your eyes. A horrible, terrifying nothingness. Like you have become a creature with no heart, feasting upon sounds to fill that void, dragging pain spren in your wake. It haunts me, Dalinar. ”
—Evi[4]
Dalinar often has a strained relationship with Evi, partially because their marriage was political. He does love her, but felt that she was too good for him. Evi hates the way Dalinar kills so many people without mercy, and they often get into fights which often leave Evi in tears. Dalinar tries to evade the topic of his killing whenever he can, but avoiding the argument just makes it worse. Evi cares deeply for Dalinar despite her dislike of violence, and burns prayers constantly for both him and those he slays.[4] When Dalinar is about to march on the Rift and destroy it, Evi sneaks into the city to try find a peaceful solution through diplomacy. Dalinar kills all the messengers that come out from the Rift, and thus doesn’t realize that Evi is in the city. After he burns the city alive, Evi along with it, he realizes what has happened and is racked with guilt and grief, and is haunted by both her screams and the screams of the Rifters, likely from the same effect that caused Szeth to hear voices.[17][114] His grief drives him to visit the Nightwatcher, and his curse is to forget Evi and everything about her. He completely forgets her for several years, unable to hear anyone speak her name or see any pictures of her.[21] Over time, he eventually gaining his memories of her back.[17]
House Kholin
Dalinar's relationship with his family is complicated. He idealizes his brother, and, as a younger man, was frequently willing to make sacrifices in Gavilar's favor. However, he also heavily envied him, mostly when it came to Gavilar's wife, Navani, although such moments of envy were often accompanied by an intense sense of shame.[15]
Adolin
Though he neglected both of his sons at first, Dalinar soon begins to love Adolin dearly. Adolin has always been a born fighter, and as a young boy would participate in Dalniar’s meetings to learn, and Dalinar enjoyed having him around. Dalinar grooms Adolin as his eventual successor, drilling the Codes into him from his youth. They fight side by side on multiple occasions, and rely on each other. When Dalinar starts having visions from the Stormfather, Adolin initially doubts him, but soon believes his father and becomes one of his strong supporters.
Later, when Elhokar died, Dalinar wants Adolin to become the new king. Adolin refuses as he doesn't believe he is the right person to take the crown. His father could not understand this, and is furious when Adolin admits to killing Sadeas.[23] The publishing of the Blackthorn's memoir, including the admission of Dalinar's role in Evi's death, caused a further rift between Adolin and his father. Adolin still loves and respects his father but can not forgive him for killing his mother. The young highprince is slowly realizing he has a different moral code than his father.[115] Nevertheless, Adolin stays loyal and doesn't want to let his father down by failing the mission to the honorspren.[116]
Renarin
“And Renarin? Dalinar, you have two sons, in case you have forgotten. Do you even care about this child’s condition? Or is he nothing to you, now that he can’t become a soldier? ”
—Evi[57]
From the start, Dalinar usually paid much less attention to Renarin than to Adolin, since because of Renarin’s condition he couldn’t ever be a good fighter.[19] Dalinar often suggests to Renarin that he become a scholar or an ardent. Later on, Dalinar grows more loving and supportive, and is encouraging to his son. Dalinar gives Renarin plate and blade, wanting him to be able to defend himself if the need arises. After Renarin becomes a Radiant, Dalinar learns to see his healing abilities as invaluable, and sees that Renarin is indeed strong, though in a different way than he had thought. Dalinar feels shame for his treatment of Renarin, and soon treats him with respect. [25][99]
When Renarin goes to the meetings of the scholars in Urithiru, Dalinar sometimes joins the meetings to show support for his son and to dispel the notion that he is acting unmasculine.[99] Dalinar and Renarin share a bond over the fact that both of them experience visions against their will. After he learns about what happened to his mother Renarin chooses to blame Odium for her death instead of Dalinar so he would not lose him as well.[117]
Elhokar
Dalinar grew highly protective of Elhokar following Gavilar's death, having sworn to himself that he would not let the boy come to harm.[39] Over time, however, his tendency to take control begins to take precedent. However non-deliberately, Dalinar starts to pull the kingdom out of Elhokar's hands. Though Dalinar isn't happy about it, he does little to stop himself once he realizes it, and often forces his will on his nephew.[25][22] He does see traces of Gavilar in Elhokar; this is, however, rare.[77]
Jasnah
Dalinar's relationship with Jasnah is perhaps the best among his relatives. The two bond together over The Way of Kings, and respect each other's knowledge and opinions.[20] Dalinar considers Jasnah to be the most trustworthy person in his family, often wishing that she would come to the Shattered Plains with him.[63] Jasnah likewise is willing to aid her uncle, offering heartfelt advice when needed.[46] After their campaign in Emul, Dalinar asks Jasnah to write the under text of Oathbringer. She agrees, though she promises to hold nothing back.[118]
“You have my heart. Always. ”
—Dalinar[119]
Dalinar and Navani are deeply in love with each other. They have been for decades now; however, initially, Navani chose Gavilar over his brother. While it is possible this was because Gavilar was a more advantageous match, Navani claims that young Dalinar scared her with his intensity.[59] Dalinar never stops carrying the torch for her, even after his own marriage, and at one point nearly killed his brother for a chance of being with Navani.[15] The two part ways shortly after Gavilar's death, with Navani remaining in Kholinar to keep an eye on Aesudan.[120]
When the two meet again, Dalinar is a changed man and strives to keep to the Vorin tradition, which states that his sister-in-law should be like a sister to him. Navani, however, has none of it, and begins to flirt with him almost immediately, to his mild panic.[120] Eventually, he does give in, and the two begin a proper relationship, with Dalinar himself making it public by telling Elhokar about it.[121][22] From then on, the two form an effective team, working together both on Dalinar's visions and on warcamp politics.[70] While their relationship is generally considered scandalous, Sadeas' betrayal overshadows it until it's accepted as the new normal.[71] Eventually, the two decide to take it further, and when no Vorin ardent is willing to help, they have the Stormfather himself marry them.[30]
Dalinar is often willing to share his secrets with Navani; notably, she's one of the very few people he's told about not remembering Evi, and the one he turns to when he seeks someone to take notes on his visions.[30][16] He seems unwilling to tell her everything, though; he doesn't share the details of the events at the Rift once he remembers them, possibly out of fear that it would push Navani away.[103]
While Dalinar is incapacitated Navani leads the coalition and covers for him while he is unable to do his job.[122][103]
Quotes
“So today, you and your men sacrificed to buy me twenty-six hundred priceless lives. And all I had to repay you with was a single priceless sword. I call that a bargain. ”
—Dalinar to Kaladin[22]
“I have been treating the other highprinces and their lighteyes like adults. An adult can take a principle and adapt it to his needs. But we're not ready for that yet. We're children. And when you're teaching a child, you require him to do what is right until he grows old enough to make his own choices. ”
—Dalinar to Elhokar[22]
“I am [a hypocrite], but sometimes a hypocrite is nothing more than a person who is in the process of changing ”
—Dalinar to the Stormfather[95]
Development
“I will say Dalinar is my oldest character, followed by Hoid. Those two have been around since I was 15 and so, there is some favoritism for them, perhaps, just in longevity sense. ”
—Brandon, Shadows of Self signing[123]
Dalinar is one of Brandon's oldest characters. He appeared in Brandon's first book, written when he was fifteen; there, he was named Jared. Like Dalinar, Jared was a younger brother to a well-liked king who was eventually assassinated; unlike Dalinar, Jared takes over the reins of the kingdom and takes his time to mold his nephew into a proper ruler, as the proto-Elhokar character (alongside proto-Jasnah) is initially kidnapped by the same assassins.[124] While the story itself was canned, Brandon took Jared with him further, into Dragonsteel, where he participated in the Shattered Plains plot that would eventually be moved to The Stormlight Archive.[125]
The next known incarnation of Dalinar is Dalenar, in The Way of Kings Prime. Like Jared before him, Dalenar loses his older brother to assassins, although it seems he doesn't become the next king himself. Dalenar has three sons: Sheneres, Aredor (who would eventually become Adolin), and Renarin, with Sheneres dying at the start of the book while trying to protect the king.[126] At the end of the Way of Kings Prime, Dalenar is forced to kill Elhokar for the greater good; Brandon eventually took that out, having decided that Dalenar trying to help his nephew would make the plot more interesting.[127]
Brandon eventually rewrote the entire story from scratch, creating The Way of Kings we have today. It's then that Dalenar became Dalinar, and, according to Brandon, it was then that he finally got the character "right".[128]
Trivia
- When pressed to give his favorite character, Brandon often points towards Dalinar, although he also notes that this might be because of how long ago he was created.[129][130]
- Early on in the writing of Oathbringer, Brandon intended for it to be Szeth's book, with Dalinar's being the fifth. While the two were eventually swapped, Stormlight Archive 5 will also feature a lot of big Dalinar moments.[131]
- Dalinar is somewhat based on Subutai, a Mongolian strategist famous for a long and illustrious military career in service to Genghis Khan and his son, Ögedei Khan.[132]
- Dalinar is a Gryffindor.[133]
- There was a Feruchemist keeping watch on Dalinar in his house.[134]
See Also
Notes
- ↑ a b /r/Stormlight_Archive
— Arcanum - 2017-09-21# - ↑ Esquirla del Amanecer (novella) capítulo 1#
- ↑ Dawnshard Annotations Reddit Q&A
— Arcanum - 2020-11-06# - ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 71#
- ↑ a b c d e f g Palabras radiantes capítulo 89#
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Juramentada capítulo 107#
- ↑ a b c d e El camino de los reyes capítulo 12#
- ↑ a b Palabras radiantes capítulo 38#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 83#
- ↑ a b c El camino de los reyes capítulo 26#
- ↑ a b El camino de los reyes capítulo 64#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 49#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 11#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 3#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 26#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 52#
- ↑ a b c d e Juramentada capítulo 76#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 88#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 94#
- ↑ a b c d e Juramentada capítulo 105#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 114#
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k El camino de los reyes capítulo 69#
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Juramentada capítulo 122#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 115#
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Juramentada capítulo 12#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 69#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 58#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 67#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 65#
- ↑ a b c d e f Juramentada capítulo 4#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 46#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 117#
- ↑ a b Palabras radiantes capítulo 62#
- ↑ a b c d e El camino de los reyes capítulo 18#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 54#
- ↑ a b c d e f g Juramentada capítulo 100#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 58#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 121#
- ↑ a b El camino de los reyes capítulo 13#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 16#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 2#
- ↑ a b c d e f Juramentada capítulo 34#
- ↑ a b El camino de los reyes capítulo 19#
- ↑ a b c El camino de los reyes capítulo 75#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 52#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 56#
- ↑ JordanCon 2021
— Arcanum - 2021-07-16# - ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 103#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 64#
- ↑ a b c d e f Juramentada capítulo 59#
- ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
— Arcanum - 2018-10-27# - ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Juramentada capítulo 119#
- ↑ El ritmo de la guerra capítulo 5#
- ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
— Arcanum - 2018-10-19# - ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 19#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 36#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 66#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 75#
- ↑ a b c d El camino de los reyes capítulo 28#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes prólogo#
- ↑ a b El camino de los reyes capítulo 15#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 24#
- ↑ a b El camino de los reyes capítulo 22#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 60#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 66#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 67#
- ↑ a b El camino de los reyes capítulo 68#
- ↑ a b El camino de los reyes capítulo 73#
- ↑ a b c Palabras radiantes capítulo 5#
- ↑ a b c Palabras radiantes capítulo 4#
- ↑ a b c Palabras radiantes capítulo 8#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 22#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 23#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 32#
- ↑ a b Palabras radiantes capítulo 51#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 55#
- ↑ a b Palabras radiantes capítulo 56#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 58#
- ↑ a b Palabras radiantes capítulo 67#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 75#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 76#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 78#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 79#
- ↑ a b Palabras radiantes capítulo 81#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 82#
- ↑ a b Palabras radiantes capítulo 85#
- ↑ Palabras radiantes capítulo 86#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 1#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 2#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 8#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 9#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 16#
- ↑ a b c d e f g Juramentada capítulo 24#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 27#
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Juramentada capítulo 28#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 38#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 39#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 42#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 44#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 50#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 57#
- ↑ a b c d e Juramentada capítulo 86#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 96#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 109#
- ↑ a b c d Juramentada capítulo 111#
- ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 113#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 116#
- ↑ a b c d e Juramentada capítulo 118#
- ↑ General Reddit 2020
— Arcanum - 2020-06-05# - ↑ a b c Juramentada capítulo 120#
- ↑ Esquirla del Amanecer (novella) capítulo 3#
- ↑ El ritmo de la guerra capítulo 112#
- ↑ El ritmo de la guerra epílogo#
- ↑ OdysseyCon 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-04-08# - ↑ El ritmo de la guerra capítulo 21#
- ↑ El ritmo de la guerra capítulo 34#
- ↑ El ritmo de la guerra capítulo 54#
- ↑ El ritmo de la guerra capítulo 101#
- ↑ El ritmo de la guerra capítulo 19#
- ↑ a b Juramentada capítulo 22#
- ↑ El camino de los reyes capítulo 61#
- ↑ Juramentada capítulo 104#
- ↑ Shadows of Self Newcastle UK signing
— Arcanum - 2015-10-20# - ↑ It's Here
— Brandon's website - 2010-8-31# - ↑ Steelheart release party
— Arcanum - 2013-09-24# - ↑ The Way of Kings Prime capítulo 1#
- ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
— Arcanum - 2018-10-29# - ↑ Projects in Depth: The Way of Kings
— Writing Excuses - 2012-06-10# - ↑ Stormlight Three Update #5
— Arcanum - 2016-11-19# - ↑ Arcanum Unbounded Hoboken signing
— Arcanum - 2016-12-03# - ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
— Arcanum - 2018-10-04# - ↑ Oathbringer Portland signing
— Arcanum - 2017-11-16# - ↑ Skyward Denver signing
— Arcanum - 2018-11-15# - ↑ YouTube Livestream 23
— Arcanum - 2020-12-17#