Rhythm of War (9781429952040)
5. Broken Spears
by Sanderson, BrandonThe chapter opens with Kaladin and his Windrunners poised defensively in the sky, their motionless formation drawing awe from refugees below. The Heavenly Ones, ancient Fused warriors, advance with unnatural grace, their flowing robes and lances marking them as formidable foes. Kaladin reflects on their origins—ordinary singers sacrificed to host these ancient souls—and envies their innate mastery of the winds, which contrasts with his own hard-won skills. The stage is set for a confrontation, with Kaladin hoping to face Leshwi, a Fused leader he has battled before.
Kaladin organizes his Windrunners, sending less experienced squires to guard civilians while seasoned knights prepare for combat. He notes the growth of his forces, with many original members now bonded to spren, but laments the scarcity of honorspren for new recruits. The Windrunners and Fused engage in one-on-one duels, a practice Kaladin has come to respect despite its archaic nature. The battlefield becomes a chaotic dance of paired combatants, leaving a few Fused unengaged—among them, Kaladin spots Leshwi.
Leshwi, recognizable by her distinctive skin pattern and demeanor, signals Kaladin for a duel. As they ascend, a surge of Stormlight from Dalinar’s perpendicularity revitalizes the Radiants, granting them a tactical advantage. Kaladin pursues Leshwi, their spears leveled, as the chapter highlights the Windrunners’ superior speed and maneuverability. The clash between the two leaders symbolizes the broader conflict, blending honor and brutality in the skies above the battlefield.
The chapter underscores the evolving dynamics between Kaladin and the Fused, particularly his grudging respect for their combat traditions. Leshwi’s reappearance adds personal stakes to the battle, while the strategic use of Stormlight emphasizes the Radiants’ growing prowess. Kaladin’s leadership and the Windrunners’ discipline shine through, even as they face an enemy that seems born to the skies. The tension between ancient honor and modern warfare drives the narrative forward, leaving readers anticipating the outcome of this high-stakes duel.
FAQs
1. What are the key differences between Windrunners and Heavenly Ones in aerial combat, as described in this chapter?
Answer:
The chapter highlights several important distinctions between Windrunners and Heavenly Ones. While both groups can fly, the Heavenly Ones move with innate grace, appearing as if they were “born to the sky,” whereas Windrunners—though skilled—seem more like temporary visitors to the air. Heavenly Ones wear impractical trailing robes designed for flight rather than walking, while Windrunners wear functional battle garb. In combat style, Heavenly Ones prefer formal one-on-one engagements with ritualistic spear challenges, while Windrunners—though they’ve adopted some of these customs—originally trained for more pragmatic group tactics. The chapter also notes that fully trained Windrunners have greater potential speed and Stormlight renewal advantages when near Dalinar’s perpendicularity.2. How does Kaladin’s relationship with Leshwi demonstrate the complexity of honor in warfare?
Answer:
Kaladin’s recurring battles with Leshwi reveal an unexpected mutual respect between enemies. Though they fight on opposing sides, they recognize each other as worthy adversaries—Kaladin hopes for a rematch, and Leshwi specifically seeks him out for single combat. Their interactions show that honor can transcend factional boundaries, as both adhere to certain combat protocols despite the larger conflict. This complexity is further emphasized when Kaladin reflects that he “hadn’t expected to find honor among the enemy.” Their relationship challenges simplistic notions of good vs. evil in warfare, instead presenting a nuanced view where warriors on opposing sides can share ethical codes and professional respect.3. What strategic advantages do the Windrunners possess in this battle, and how do they reflect larger themes of Radiant warfare?
Answer:
The Windrunners benefit from three key advantages: First, Dalinar’s perpendicularity provides near-limitless Stormlight renewal, making them effectively tireless in battle. Second, full Windrunners can achieve greater speeds than Heavenly Ones when needed. Third, their hybrid tactics—blending the Heavenly Ones’ honor-bound single combat with more practical group strategies—give them flexibility. These advantages reflect larger themes of Radiant warfare where spiritual power (Stormlight), tactical innovation, and leadership create asymmetric advantages against numerically superior foes. The chapter particularly emphasizes how Kaladin has adapted his tactics by studying enemy customs while maintaining core Windrunner strengths—a metaphor for the coalition’s broader need to adapt ancient Radiant knowledge to modern warfare.4. Analyze the significance of the epigraph about fabrials in relation to the chapter’s events.
Answer:
The epigraph about capturing spren through rapid Stormlight withdrawal metaphorically parallels the chapter’s themes of power and control. Just as fabrials manipulate captured spren, the Windrunners must carefully manage their Stormlight resources—especially with Dalinar’s perpendicularity creating a “pressure differential” of abundant power. On a deeper level, it foreshadows the ethical dilemmas of warfare: the Heavenly Ones are essentially spirits possessing singer bodies, much like spren trapped in gemstones. The epigraph’s clinical description of manipulation contrasts with the chapter’s humanized portrayal of enemies like Leshwi, inviting reflection on whether war reduces people to mere tools—a tension Kaladin grapples with as he fights honorable foes bound by larger cosmic conflicts.
Quotes
1. “If the Stormlight in a gemstone is withdrawn quickly enough, a nearby spren can be sucked into the gemstone. This is caused by a similar effect to a pressure differential, created by the sudden withdrawal of Stormlight, though the science of the two phenomena are not identical.”
This epigraph introduces a key magical mechanic in the world, explaining how spren can be captured and manipulated through Stormlight dynamics. It sets up the scientific tone of the chapter while hinting at deeper metaphysical rules governing the conflict.
2. “They’d learned much about the Fused from the Herald Ash. Each of those Heavenly Ones was an ancient entity; ordinary singers had been sacrificed, giving up their bodies and lives to host a Fused soul.”
This passage reveals the tragic nature of the Fused - they are not just enemies but transformed beings who have sacrificed their identities. It adds moral complexity to Kaladin’s battles and explains why the Heavenly Ones fight with such ancient, ritualized tactics.
3. “The more Kaladin fought these creatures, the more he respected their ways. He hadn’t expected to find honor among the enemy.”
This represents a key turning point in Kaladin’s understanding of his adversaries, showing his growing recognition of shared values with the enemy. It challenges simplistic notions of good vs. evil in the conflict.
4. “Dalinar had fully opened a perpendicularity, becoming a reservoir of Stormlight that would instantly renew any Radiant who drew near. It was a powerful edge, and one of the reasons they continued to risk bringing the Bondsmith on missions.”
This explains a crucial strategic advantage for the Windrunners while demonstrating Dalinar’s evolving powers. The passage highlights how magic systems interact in combat situations and the calculated risks leaders must take.
5. “Fully trained Windrunners had several important advantages in these battles. They had much greater potential speed than the Heavenly Ones, and they had access…”
(Though truncated, this sets up the tactical analysis of the conflict) This begins to outline the asymmetrical warfare dynamics between the factions, showing how different magical abilities create distinct combat specialties that each side must leverage.