The Sunlit Man
by Brandon Sanderson
Contents
28
Overview
Nomad outmaneuvers a silver-haired ember enforcer, using Aux’s mass and his Torment to turn a midair clash into a crushing takedown. Observing captives herded aside, he infers the game decides who burns at dawn. His defiance draws the leader’s retaliation, who freezes him through the bracers and renders him unconscious.
Summary
Nomad stays defensive to avoid his Torment locking him, shoves the silver-haired ember woman aside, and dodges her swift machete strikes in the mud. He struggles on the slick ground but disarms her with a hard parry, then scrambles up stacked crates. A helpful peasant hauls him to the top.
From the perch, Nomad and the peasant watch other ember enforcers capture several peasants, who are herded toward another ship. Seeing the remaining captives’ mix of relief and grief, Nomad concludes the game determines the next group condemned to be left for the sun.
The two other embers withdraw with their catches, but the silver-haired ember stalks Nomad’s position, intent on killing him. Nomad asks Auxiliary how heavy he can become without draining reserves, then waits for the ember’s leap.
As she closes, Nomad transforms Aux into a heavy barbell, triggering his Torment to lock his arms when it senses aggression. The unintended deadweight turns their midair collision into a crushing fall, stunning the ember as they slam into the mud, her ember flickering.
Amid shocked silence, Nomad calls out the leader—Glowing Eyes—for pitting Invested warriors against unarmed peasants. In response, Glowing Eyes activates the golden bracers to leech Nomad’s body heat, freezing his muscles and dropping him unconscious into the mud.
Who Appears
- NomadProtagonist; fights defensively, disarms an ember, uses Aux’s weight to stun her, deduces the execution “tag,” then is frozen by bracers.
- Auxiliary (Aux)Sentient weapon; translates poorly due to low Investiture; becomes a heavy barbell enabling Nomad’s non-lethal takedown.
- Silver-haired ember womanRelentless enforcer targeting Nomad; disarmed, then stunned when Nomad turns a midair clash into a crushing fall.
- Glowing EyesLeader overseeing the arena; uses a device to activate Nomad’s bracers, draining heat and knocking him unconscious.
- Helpful peasant manCaptive who pulls Nomad atop a crate and watches events, briefly conversing despite language barrier.
- Peasant captivesUnarmed participants in the hunt; some are captured and herded away, apparently selected to die at dawn.