As far as the Heralds being alive or not goes, if they die they're blades vanish, (quoted somewhere earlier in this thread) so if they're still alive, then where are the blades? It's possible they're like off in a distant land (wherever the prelude takes place) but if the Parshmen are voidbringers that would be like shattered plains or the Parshendi homeland, plus on US Hardcover 997 the Almighty says "And...without the Dawnshards...Well, I have done what I can." seeming to imply that the Dawnshards are no longer accessible to humans, as in gone because the Heralds are dead. Also, in the prelude Kalak says that the Heralds freely took up the burden of being heralds, as in they were normal men before, which would seem to imply that once they abandon the oathpact they go back to being mortal and die.
-one thing, though, is that the Almighty seems to imply that there will be no Dawnshards available to humans and yet when Taln shows up it seems like it's "Oh hey I just got released from suffering because another desolation is here." which would seem to mean that he will be fighting on their side and that that shardblade will be available to them. But maybe the Almighty just meant like without all the shardblades.
-also, what's up with the Heralds even suffering in between Desolations in the first place? That seems to be the Oathpact, but I originally read it like suffering in hell, which would seem more like guys on Odium's side than the Almighty. It's possible they like agreed to suffer in order to wield amazing powers, and that's what the Oathpact was, except where are they suffering and why would Odium ever agree to that deal/ if he didn't then who did?
-also, if he came back for the last desolation, why does he collapse? What's he so tired out from, and how could he not have failed? Does anyone want to take a guess on what his time line is for the story? As in, first he's betrayed and sent to suffer. Then the last desolation comes and he's released. Then he goes to Kholinar to help out. Except, what happened immediately before going to Kholinar or if nothing then what does he think he did wrong?
I guess I'm mostly just looking for more theories on these things.