Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive, #4)

by Brandon Sanderson

“Radiant,” he said. “How? How do you still fight?” “The same way you do,” Kaladin said. “One day at a time, always taking the next step.” He took the man’s wrist with his hand. “Don’t get yourself killed. But also don’t give up hope.”

“There’s something happy about the way Teft is angry.”

“So?” Kaladin asked her. “What do you think?” “I think you’re going to look extremely silly using it. I can’t wait.”

By the time Jasnah’s block of troops was in position, she felt exhausted from staying at a heightened level of alert during the march.

It's honestly a bit refreshing to see Jasnah not be great at something

“I believe it is time,” Wit said, “that I told you about Thaidakar.” “I know of him,” Jasnah said. “Oh, you think you do,” he said. “But I’ve met him, several times. On other planets, Jasnah. The Ghostbloods are not a Rosharan organization, and I don’t think you appreciate the danger they present.…”

Stormlight is something else, with some of the properties of both a liquid and a gas.

You are capable of choice! You hide from that, and in so doing, you are a COWARD!

And no matter what you do, the humans will make you fight. Trust me. It’s what they always do.

What a strange man. His attitude was so commanding and in charge, but he used it to reinforce his own subservience.

“It’s not such a terrible thing, to be too weak. Makes us need one another.

“I have bonded,” he said, “a literal monster.”

“That night,” he said, “the little dog snuggled into a warm bed beside the fire, hugged by the farmer’s children, his belly full. And as he did, the dog thought to himself, ‘I doubt any dragon ever had it so good anyway.’”

But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say.

You will be warm again.”

Even Taln … Even Taln…” “He didn’t break,” Adolin said. “The enemy is here, so he did,”

TALN DID NOT BREAK

“If you are not a scholar, Navani,” she said, “then I have never met one.”

“By this music,” Raboniel said, “I give you the title Voice of Lights, Navani Kholin. As is my right.”

We’ve gotta do what we think is best, and be fine with that. It’s all a man can do.”

forgive yourself for those you can't save

Smiling because, for how bad everything could be, some things were still good.

He shifted as Phendorana poked him. He looked over and caught her grinning as well. “Fine,” he muttered. “You were storming right. You have always been right.” Teft was worth saving.

“Confusion can mean you have realized your weaknesses.

“Who do you think is stronger?” Adolin asked. “The man who has walked easily his entire life, or the man with no legs? The man who must pull himself by his arms?”

You’ve given yourself another name, so you can tuck away the pain. You take that step though, and it will be real.”

“I know what you are,” Shallan whispered. “You’re the blankness upon my memories. The part of me that looks away. The part of my mind that protects me from my past.” “Of course I am,” Veil said. “I’m your veil, Shallan.”

As there was nothing left for Veil to protect Shallan from feeling, she began to fade. But as she faded, one last question surfaced: Did I do well? “Yes,” Shallan whispered. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“You. Cannot. Have. My. SACRIFICE!” she shouted. “Mine. My sacrifice. Not yours.” She pointed at the crowd. “Not theirs.” She pointed at Adolin. “Not his. Mine. MY SACRIFICE.”

She passed one of the humans’ dead horses, a Ryshadium by the size.

😭

You must release the captive Unmade. She will not fade as I will. If you leave her as she is, she will remain imprisoned for eternity.

For I believe that in confining her, we have caused a greater wound to Roshar than any ever realized.

Music, at its most fundamental level, was math.

Her ancestors might have been aliens to this world, but she was its child.

“Well, we’d probably know if your father died,” Lirin said, straightening to gather some bandages from the counter. “And how is that?” “He’d be haunting me, obviously,” Lirin said. “Living as a shade in the storms, calling for my blood. As I haven’t heard a thing, I must assume the old monster is alive.”

“Stone doesn’t soften with time, dear,” Lirin replied. “It merely grows brittle.

YA LIKE YOU, LIRIN you bastard

“He was supposed to be better than this. He was supposed to be better than … than I am.”

Dalinar thought the same. Turns out both of their kids turned out just fucking grand

“Your son is a soldier, Lirin. A soldier who inherited his father’s determination, skill, and compassion. You tell me honestly. Who would you rather have out there fighting? Some crazed killer who enjoys it, or the boy you trained to care?”

None of that worked as well as knowing this one thing, sir. He still gets up. He still fights. So I figure … I figure I can too.”

Windrunners needed strong arms, because they didn’t use their legs much, on account of them flying around everywhere.

“Never underestimate the value of a job well done, Adin. You want a spren to notice you? Take pride in every job you do.

Part of being smart, in his experience, was about speed more than capacity. That and the ability to memorize.

Without ever saying a word, Navani was bringing order to his life.

They wore the symbol of his shame, his failure, and his imprisonment. And they made it something better.

“Doesn’t matter,” Kaladin said. “I’ve heard what people say about you. Your life isn’t the blood in your veins, but the legend you live. Each death kills that legend a little more. Each time I defeat you, it will rip you apart. Until you’re no longer known as the Pursuer. You’ll be known as the Defeated. The creature who, no matter how hard he tries, can’t ever beat ME.”

“I am death itself, Defeated One,” Kaladin said. “And I’ve finally caught up to you.”

Kal gets the best lines

He felt something from Phendorana. A harmony between them. Teft was forgiven. Teft was forgiven and he was close.

You can kill me, but you can’t have what I have. You can never have it. Because I die knowing I’m loved.”

“Run,” Kaladin told him. “Flee. I’ll chase you. I will never stop. I am eternal. I am the storm.”

“Your legacy is dead, Defeated One,” Leshwi said. “It died when you ran from him.”

IT IS HIS ULTIMATE LIE, SON OF HONOR. THE LIE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. THE LIE THAT THERE IS NO MORE JOURNEY WORTH TAKING.

If you think letting Teft die is a failure—but all the times you supported him are meaningless—then no wonder it always hurts.

“Besides,” he whispered, “I know the Words.” Say them, Tien whispered. “I have always known these Words.” Say it, lad! Do it! “I accept it, Stormfather! I accept that there will be those I cannot protect!”