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Inside the founding-of-the-Oathpact vision, Navani — wearing Midius — grips Gav's shoulders and tries to absorb what she is seeing. *God has just appeared.* The being she has prayed to her whole life, the one Dalinar insists is dead, is standing in a stinking hide tent in golden clothing from another age. She makes herself accept the contradiction: this is not God, only one of his faces.

Tanavast addresses the Heralds as friends. Ishar objects to the word; Chana reminds him he brought *war and death*. *I brought truth, and the truth brought war and death*, Tanavast replies. Nale forces the question: how do they know this time will not end as the last did, with the *powers* he was given burning the world itself? Tanavast does not deny it. He apologises, reminds Nale that he had been warned, and promises that what happened to Nale's ancestral home will not happen here. *However*, *you do need power to resist.*

Ishar frames the binding: the Fused souls keep returning, and that fact is undefeatable; the binding will lock them in a place far from here. The pact requires a Connection that exists because most of those present once served Odium. The circle must be sixteen, or ten — *not nine*. Speak oaths to Honor, and his power will be channelled and governed by rules to prevent a cataclysm. Tanavast will take their Surges back and grant them anew, and they will become a force that both protects Roshar and binds the enemy away from it. Vedel adds the second necessity: her Regrowth can use the Connection to draw rejuvenating Investiture from the Spiritual Realm and lock their souls at their current age, so they can be reborn again and again. *Ten*, Ash says. *We are only nine.* *We will find two more*, Jezrien tells her, holding her gaze, and accepts any volunteers.

Ishar swears first, with Jezrien insisting on opening the circle as king. Ishar draws a cord of light from Tanavast and ties it through Jezrien, who begins to glow. *I swear this oath to you, Honor. I will hold back the darkness. I will protect this land.* Jezrien then takes the scratched stone disc from his pocket and hands it to Nale — *I release your debt; I will not force this on you* — and Nale swears anyway, with the caveat that none of them should call this an *honour*: only a duty. Chana follows. Vedel and Pralla in turn, then Shalash takes Jezrien's offered hand and swears too. Battar is seventh. Dalinar, counting, jumps to take Kalak's place as the eighth — *blood of my fathers, if this isn't the opportunity of a lifetime* — and swears the words. Eight bound; two missing. Jezrien turns to Navani as Midius. *I would have you, old friend. I think you're the only one among us who showed an ounce of wisdom on that day.* She tries to think of an insult Wit would say and cannot speak it. She begs to be passed over. The silence holds until Nale takes the disc back and proposes a name no one has been thinking of.

Far west, in Shinovar, Kaladin walks the highstorm beside Szeth and finds it gentle as a Weeping rainshower. He pushes back at old, familiar dark thoughts — *the people here shouldn't feel bad because their storms are weaker, everyone's challenges are different* — and remembers Tien showing up on a wet rooftop once with a toy horse for his big brother. Szeth thanks him quietly for the advice he's been giving and admits it is working: he has finally found *the strength required to kill himself.* He will complete the pilgrimage and cleanse his homeland, and then deliver justice at his own hand. Kaladin is left turning that in the rain, Syl floating up to confide that the Stormfather has withdrawn from her and the Wind sounds weaker today. His gemstones recharge in the dampened storm; the Stormfather's voice rumbles in his head — *son of Honor* — and then goes silent.

Back in the vision-tent, Glys catches Shalash going off-script — *that wasn't said the first time* — and across the circle Shalash meets Renarin's eyes and whispers his name. It is Shallan. He nods, talks Glys into talking Shallan through her oath, then leans close to coach her: *step forward — wait for Jezrien to take your hands — then say the exact words.* Together, comparing notes, they conclude that the Ghostblood assassins must be the three guards now standing at the back of the tent. The oaths finish; a party leaves to fetch Taln; Renarin takes a breath to strike. And then Honor attacks him.