Difference between revisions of "Kaladin"

Despite [[Amaram]]’s promise to [[Lirin]], the older messenger boys, including [[Tien]], were soon organized into several squads of reserve units to make up for a shortfall in recruitment. [[Dalar]] assured Kaladin that these squads would not see combat unless the army iswas in serious danger. Less than four months after his enlistment, Kaladin took part in his third real battle. Amaram’s army was attempting to hold a hilltop, but as the battle deteriorated, messenger boys were assigned to [[Sheler]]'s company. Hearing that the messenger squad was sent to the front, Kaladin ran recklessly through the battlefield in an attempt to reach his brother. On the southeast side of the hill, Squadleader [[Varth]] placed Tien and two other boys in the front lines, successfully using them as bait. Kaladin, killing a man for the first time during his run, reached Tien only after he had been killed. Weeping and bleeding from wounds taken during his run, he hugged Tien’s dead body until long past the end of the battle.{{book ref|sa1|67}}

Kaladin sent a letter to his parents informing them of [[Tien]]’s death and his decision not to return to [[Hearthstone]]. He spent the next year driving himself to exhaustion every day on the practice yard, vowing vengeance and never letting another person die because of his lack of skill. He became the best spearman in his company and was rumored to be the best in the entire army.{{book ref|sa1|47}}{{book ref|sa1|63}} He eventually met [[Tarah]], the daughter of an assistant quartermaster, who coaxed Kaladin out of his single-mindedness, claiming it would burn him out. The two became romantically involved, but they separated soon after she was transferred to a scribe’s job in Mourn’s Vault. Kaladin blamed himself for their failed relationship, knowing that he’d been stupid not to send responses to her letters.{{book ref|sa2|68}}{{book ref|sa3|112}} He later joined the [[Takers]] under [[Tukks]]' leadership. There, Kaladin met [[Durk]], who became a mentor to him. Durk was impressed with Kaladin’s abilities, considering him a natural born soldier, an artist with a spear.{{book ref|sa1|46}} Unfortunately, every member of the Takers was eventually killed with Kaladin being the lone survivor. At the age of eighteen, Kaladin was promoted to squadleader, making him the youngest one in the army and becomingbecame known as Kaladin Stormblessed.{{book ref|sa1|2}}