Difference between revisions of "Kaladin"
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The wagons continued to roll on after their exchange, even through [[highstorm]]s. Well before the end of one of them, [[Bluth]] lowered the sides of the wagon, allowing the rain to soak the slaves. Kaladin argued that it was too early to be taking down the sides, but Bluth stated that [[Tvlakv]] wanted them clean today. Realizing they were probably nearing their destination, Kaladin scanned the landscape wondering where they were going. [[Syl]] returned to tell Kaladin there were many others like him nearby. As she pointed eastward, Kaladin was shocked to see the enormous army encampment he’d heard stories about, the place [[Tien]] wanted to go in the end, the army he spent years trying to get into - The [[Shattered Plains]].{{book ref|sa1|4}}
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====Bridge Four====
In {{Rosharan date|1173}}, [[Tvlakv]] released Kaladin and the other slaves from the wagon and brought them to be inspected by [[Hashal]], the wife of the [[Matal|lighteyed officer]] who was in charge of the slaves in [[Highprince]] [[Torol Sadeas|Sadeas]]'s army. Hashal was not particularly impressed with the men Tvlakv presented until her eyes found Kaladin. Despite eight months as a slave, he was still far more muscled than the others. Hashal inquired if he was a military man and Kaladin stated that he was in [[Amaram]]’s army and a citizen of second nahn. She inspected his brands, clicking her tongue at the "shash" glyph, telling him such a mark meant death. Asking how he ended up here, Kaladin told Hashal that he killed someone while drunk. Despite his mistake, Kaladin spoke of his talents with a spear and asked her give him a chance to fight again in her brightlord’s army. However, Tvlakv told Hashal not to listen to him as he was a deserter. Enraged, Kaladin reached for Tvlakv but he was knocked to the ground and then pulled back in line. Tvlakv continued by saying that Kaladin could not be trusted as he had led rebellions against his prior masters and who knows how many of the slaves he had corrupted. Hashal asked which ones and assigned those, along with Kaladin, to be bridgemen. Due to his “shash” glyph, his reputation as a deserter, and his attitude during the exchange, Kaladin was specifically sent to [[Bridge Four]], the bridge crew with the worst reputation and casualty rate.{{book ref|sa1|6}}
Kaladin was placed under the command of the bridge sergeant [[Gaz]] and was immediately forced to go on a bridge run completely unprepared and unequipped. [[Bridge Four]] was sent to carry a large bridge, allowing [[Sadeas]]’s soldiers to cross the plateaus of the [[Shattered Plains]] and assault the [[Parshendi]]. Gaz ran beside Bridge Four, calling out commands during the run due to the their most recent bridgeleader tossing himself down the [[Honor Chasm]]. He sent Kaladin to the open slot at the tail of the bridge. Without a vest, the wooden supports dug into Kaladin’s skin causing his shoulders to bleed. As they ran, a nearby bridgeman offered Kaladin advice. Eventually, Gaz called them to a stop and they lifted the bridge into place, allowing the army to pass. They repeated this process, with Kaladin eventually asking why they weren’t turning around. One of the other bridgemen just chuckled and told him they weren’t there yet and to be glad they weren’t. After more than a dozen times, Gaz ordered Kaladin to the front for the final push, declaring that newcomers get to go first. Kaladin quickly realized why arriving was the worst part. The Parshendi volleys launched, killing the men around Kaladin. They eventually got the bridge dropped, but at the expense of the bridgemen, resulting in many casualties. Kaladin just collapsed, knowing he should move or at least bind his wounds, but he just couldn’t, falling unconscious instead. Kaladin was about to be left for dead by the retreating bridge crews, until [[Syl]] called out his name and urged him to move. He forced himself to his feet and asked the windspren if she had a name. As he limped through the casualties, he found the body of the leathery faced man who had been nice to him. He harvested his vest and shoes, tying them on as the windspren introduced herself as Sylphrena.{{book ref|sa1|6}}
[[File:Kaladin at Honor Chasm.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Kaladin sitting by the [[Honor Chasm]] by [[Coppermind:Artists/Maddi|Maddi]]]]▼
====Honor Chasm====
▲[[File:Kaladin at Honor Chasm.jpg|thumb|
Over next few weeks, Kaladin grew more and more depressed. Of the twenty-five men who had survived his first bridge deployment, twenty-three had died leaving only Kaladin and one other man. [[Bridge Four]] continued to be replenished, with many of those men dying to only to be replaced. They went through countless bridgeleaders, which typically was a favored position on a bridge crew, always getting to run in the best places. However, in Bridge Four, that didn’t matter. Kaladin didn’t bother to learn the names of the bridgemen as it just seemed pointless. One day, as they were working in the lumberyard, new recruits were brought in to be assigned to the bridge crews. Kaladin looked up and a young boy barely fourteen or fifteen caught his eye, reminding him of [[Tien]]. He had the same frightened eyes which immediately made Kaladin’s protective instinct kick in. However, all he could think of was how everyone he’d tried to protect ended up dead. [[Syl]], unable to bear seeing Kaladin in such a hopeless state, decided to leave, afraid of what would happen to her if she stayed. On the next bridge run, the youth and the last man that survived Kaladin’s initial bridge run died, leaving Kaladin the senior member of Bridge Four. Faced with losing Syl, his only friend, and his inability to protect the boy, Kaladin seriously contemplated suicide. That night, he went to the [[Honor Chasm]], intending to jump off.{{book ref|sa1|9}}
Before Kaladin could step off the ledge, [[Syl]] returned, excitedly carrying a leaf of [[blackbane]] with her. Syl, in her naivety, having seen Kaladin previously take heart in having the poisonous leaves with him, assumed they would make Kaladin feel better. Syl recalled how everything seemed to go wrong when he lost the leaves, how he used to fight and make his soldiers feel like family. She admitted that was one of the things that drew her to him to begin with. Kaladin just lamented that he failed, that everything he touches withers and dies. Syl pleaded with him to give it one more try, reminding him that he couldn’t hurt the bridgemen any worse. Opening his eyes, he left the chasm and resolved himself to become bridgeleader. He marched up to [[Gaz]] and seized the man by the throat, sweeping his legs out from under him. Kaladin then intimidated and bribed the man into giving him the position along with the autonomy to run Bridge Four. Entering Bridge Four’s barrack that night, Kaladin found the men all huddled inside just as he left them. Kaladin visited with each man, introducing himself as bridgeleader and learning each of their names. Later, Kaladin went to sleep with a sense of purpose in protecting the men.{{book ref|sa1|11}}
==== Reforming Bridge Four ====
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