Battle of Resson

The defense turns catastrophic while civilians are still trapped and multiple wyvern attack from the air. Soleil and Fuil die, Deigh is killed, Liam is dying, and Xaden uses a wall of shadow to buy Violet time.

Andarna later recounts her part in the battle to the irids: she flew into the fighting, Violet channeled her power, and Andarna slowed time so Violet could strike. The aftermath pushed Andarna into Dreamless Sleep.

Resson continues to shape Violet’s condition after her return from the battle. Five days later she cannot sleep because she keeps dreaming about it, and even a joke about recovering from a six-day break away from Basgiath makes her squad fall quiet.

Sloane Mairi confronts Violet on Conscription Day over Liam’s death at Resson, saying she knows what really happened and blaming Violet because Liam died for her. Violet accepts the accusation without revealing the truth about venin or wyvern.

Violet’s withheld trauma from Resson comes out in a conversation with Rhiannon. She describes holding Liam as he died near Deigh’s eviscerated body and hearing Liam ask her to take care of Sloane.

The battle also feeds Violet’s fear of losing the people she loves. She tells Xaden that her dreams replay worse versions of Resson, including Imogen, Garrick, or Xaden dying, and she especially fears dreams in which the Sage takes Xaden from her.

Xaden links Resson to his responsibility for Violet after the battle. He says he took responsibility for her almost immediately after putting her in Brennan’s arms, and the scar over his heart marks that obligation.

Resson has lasting consequences for Andarna. Tairn says her massive energy expenditure there forced rapid growth, and the battle, the flight to Aretia, the return to Basgiath, and interrupted sleep are linked to her wing complications.