00 Non C. Anon 00: Glad to provide the story! I was kinda in the same boat, where I really wanted this story to happen, but couldn't find it. In terms of your thoughts:
1- Definitely, that's the fine line I'm trying to walk. The light eyes still took Tien from him, and all the stuff happened with Roshone, but his contempt isn't solidified completely yet, ya know? Not like it was with Amaram's betrayal. I'm definitely trying to take that into account.
2- Kaladin's eyes still being brown further separates him from the light eyes, and helps refine the conflict of him being a dark eyes in a light eyes world. In either scenario, whether his eyes are dark or light, he's still a dark eyes at heart. But with dark eyes, it forces the light eyes to hate accepting him into their class that much more.

xc44lh: Same. Thanks for the compliment!

Trickstercast: Thanks! I'll be sure to check the grammar a bit more. To be honest, I kinda expected that feedback with the characters. I'm treating the story very casually cause I've been writing 100% on a lot of my own short stories I do, which pretty well exhausts me. This is more a breath of fresh air for me than a real try at a good, quality story.

Malenk: I actually checked just now to make sure. He got the nickname in Amaram's army, and it resurfaced when he was in bridge four.

sistertotherain: Oh neat! Thanks for the suggestions. I am taking into account Kaladin's character at this point. I'm trying to find the subtle differences between his personality pre and post slavery, and I felt like I could take a few liberties here and there. Kaladin himself said when he first started training the bridge crew in the chasm that he was a bit more sarcastic/quippier before his slavery. As for the eye thing, I'll refer myself to the top review. Someone else had the same question :D.
Keepin' myself tight lipped on Syl though. You'll find out about her :D. Also, could you send me the link to that fragment thing you were talking about? I'd like to read it.

General note: I'm going very light on this story. I'm more writing it for fun than really trying to do a quality work. I suggest going into looking for brief entertainment, but not amazement. That being said, my treatment of the story does make me feel a little guilty, because it's a great concept and I'm not utilizing it to the fullest. As such, I will not lay claim to the idea. Any who wish to write their own story and treat it seriously, bringing the full potential out of this concept, go right ahead and write it. I will read it myself with a smile.

Disclaimer: Don't own Stormlight Archives

Kaladin looked at his plate. He had bled for this. His team had nearly been slaughtered for this. He won it on account of his skill, his endurance, and his utterly dumb luck. He hated having the plate. He hated what it had thrust him into. He hated that men now gawked at him, but nonetheless, he considered this plate important to him. It was his squads last gift, and if he didn't treat it well, if he didn't utilize it to it's best, they'd have died in vain.

And someone just went and painted it a lavish crimson.

Kaladin pinched the bridge of his nose. When he had asked to change his plate to normal, this wasn't what he was expecting. He didn't know the intricacies behind painting shardplate, but he imagined that "normal" wasn't a crimson red. Storms, he though they might at least ask him what color he wanted! At least get his opinion before they go an molest such a valuable possession!

"Who's responsible for this?" He asked a nearby servant. The man had presented this to Kaladin with a large smile. Upon hearing his words, that smile dropped like a stone, causing Kaladin to feel a tinge of regret.

"Um... we were, brightness... we thou- I mean, we-"

"It's fine" Kaladin said, "Is the paint removable?" The man looked hurt that Kaladin didn't like it. "It's not that it doesn't, uh... look nice, but I'm afraid it will make me indistinguishable from Bright Lord Sadeas on the battlefield".

"Oh" The man said, "Yes, well, it is removable, but we can repaint it a nice green, or a burnt orange, or-"

"Just the regular steel is fine" Kaladin said.

"You don't wish to have a color?" The man asked.

"No, just the steel. It's simply my personal taste. Thank you, though". The man hesitated, gave Kaladin his welcome, bowed, and went off to grant his request. Kaladin sighed, and took the sheath that hung on the wall next to his plate, holding out his hand as he did so. Kaladin turned, going back towards the entrance to the armory. Rainmaker appeared in his hand as he stepped back out into the small training grounds. The grounds and the armory was his battalions, the thirteenth, and he intended not to waste either.

He sheathed rainmaker as the wrinkled Ardent looked up. Koreph was a middle aged man, one that was under Sadeas' command and frequently trained duelists, and on occasion, shardbearers. Pashil sat next to him, watching as a scribe took notes near him. Koreph strode up to him, a practice staff in hand.

"Alright, lad" He said, "Let's start working".

Kaladin enjoyed training. He had to do a fair bit of it himself. As the day went on, and they went through their stances, it seemed as though this were no different than most training, despite the magnitude of the weapon he had. Kaladin simply took to battle like a fish to water. The blade itself was clumsy. The length was impractical for most weapons. It felt like he were holding a spear by it's end.

The Ardent was very agreeable to Kaladin. After having wasted so much time here so far, the man's militaristic, and tactical outlook on shardbearers was welcome. He was told that in addition to his practice, he would be read a series of strategies and tactics in histories that showed how shardbearers impacted, and participated in battles. He was looking forward to it. The sooner he could get out there, and actually do something, the better.

Eventually, he got the hang of the most basic form of wind stance. Kaladin found it similar to how he already fought with a spear; using speed and quick attacks along with thrusts, utilizing the full reach of your weapon, and always staying out of reach of your opponent. It kept him on his toes a lot, dodging back and forth, but it felt natural to him. He imagined it was even easier in plate, when one's endurance was magnified.

Kaladin wiped his brow, as a nearby servant offered him a pitcher of water. He took it with thanks. He offered some of it to the servant, who blinked at him, a bit surprised, before refusing. Kaladin was still trying to get used to people serving him. He found himself unintentionally treating them like cooks, or water runners from his old battalion, who held the same rank and status as him.

"Looking quite impressive, Kaladin" Pashil walked up to him, patting his shoulder. Kaladin took deep gulps of air, sweating through his shirt.

"That so?".

"Don't go inflating my students ego's, Pashil" Yamithar, the second of Kaladin's training ardents, said from across the grounds as he walked towards them.

"Oh, come now, Yamithar! He did do well!"

"Your not supposed to let them know that!" Yalimar said. "First step in building a student is-"

"To break them down" Kaladin said. Yamithar looked to him. "I've had a lot of spear training in the past, and even trained a few men of my own. I know when to curb my ego". Yamithar grunted.

"Then I suppose I can tell you the full truth with your assessment, instead of just your weaknesses". Kaladin poured more water over his head.

"Go for it"

"Your a natural at fighting. That much is clear. Probably how you won that blade. But your use of a shardblade is..."

"Didn't expect to be good first try" Kaladin said.

"It's more than that. You're... clumsy with it. Well, not clumsy, but... you were a spear man before?"

"Yeah".

"How good?"

"Trainers said I was best in my battalion. Some even said I was the best they'd seen"

"...Thought so. That's what I was seeing..."

"What do you mean?"

"I think that training is leaking over a bit. You're wanting to shift into spear stances, stab with the sword when your not supposed to, lots of stuff. I even spotted you reaching up to the middle of the blade a few times, like you were gonna half sword it".

"Had to deal with this a few times when I trained men. It shouldn't take more than a week or two, right?"

"I don't know. This is the first time I've dealt with this. Most people I've trained already used swords, you understand. Not many spear men get the blade" Kaladin nodded at that. Swords were a primarily reserved as a light eyed weapon. There would be a good deal of overlap between using that and a shard blade. But spears? Those were a different story.

This was similar to when Kaladin had to beat the bad habits out of fresh recruits. Except, Kaladin's entire way of moving, striking, parrying, and even breathing were now all one big "bad habit" he needed to break. Not only that, he needed to do this in a timely manner, so he could prove valuable to Sadeas. That meant every moment he could possibly spend needed to be done so with training.

"Alright Kaladin, next on today's schedule is another feast, held by King Elhokar!" Pashil said.

Kaladin sighed.

"The plate too heavy to wear today, Stormblessed?" A man said, stretching Kaladin's nickname.

Kaladin looked up from his food, spotting Remen, a young light eyed officer, approaching him from Roion's section of the king's feast. The boy had a big ego, and a big want to prove himself. He'd taken to goading Kaladin the moment he stepped into the war camps a week ago. Kaladin had to remind himself of Pashil's words, that this was just an attempt to force him from his shards. He took a deep breath as Sadeas' commanders looked to see his response. Laskal, his own battalion commander, was taking particular notice.

"Thought I might go without it today" Kaladin said. "After all, it does feel rather nice out, wouldn't you agree, Remen?"

"Of course. I simply though good weather wouldn't be to hard to find out in the farmer's fields. I'd have gotten used to the occasion by now" Remen said with a smile. Kaladin forced a smile back that didn't reach his eyes. The boy was noted to have a mouth on him. He often dueled others for their blades, and had yet to win one in his thirteen bouts. He'd never challenged a Lord, he seemed to be at least smart enough to not do that, but he did rope anyone he could into a duel.

"I was a surgeon's apprentice actually" Kaladin said politely, mopping a bit of sauce up with his bread. He'd been so used to gruel and soldiers rations in Amaram's army that all this flavor and spice was making him a little ill. He looked up. The other battalion commanders and lieutenants looked at him, waiting to see if he'd come back with an insult. Kaladin desperately wanted to fulfill their wishes.

"Ah! A butcher of men? No wonder you sought the battlefield! You were probably shocked realized you actually were supposed to leave people alive after cutting them up!"

"Well, I'm afraid that's simply not the case..."

"I think I agree" Remen said. "A coward like you? No way you voluntarily went to the army. Probably was drafted there, and dragged to the lines kicking and screaming".

"Remen" Kaladin said, voice lowering. "I think the blade that I won, where so many others failed, is evidence I'm no coward".

"Was that an insult at my dueling record, stormblessed?"

"Of course not! I wouldn't seek to insult a fellow officer, especially during a time of war when dueling would be needless" Kaladin said, pointedly at him.

"Ah, the war codes. A good cover up. But I think that-"

"Attempting to pick on our newest officer, Remen?"

Remen turned, spotting Sadeas standing behind him with regal robes, and a cocked eyebrow. Where most officers would blubber at this moment, Remen simply smiled at his High Prince.

"Of course not, brightness" He said, giving a curt bow, before sauntering off. Sadeas didn't mind. He seemed to enjoy rivalry among his officers.

"I believe" Sadeas said, turning toward Kaladin, "We were to talk about your position in my army". Kaladin nodded, standing as he dabbed his mouth with a napkin. Sadeas looked down at Kaladin's hand, and Kaladin followed his gaze, noticing that he had been white knuckling his dinner knife throughout Remen's conversation. He dropped it, watching it clatter on the wood table, it's handle slightly bent.

"Sorry" He said "I can pay for that out of my salary, I-"

"No worries" Sadeas said. "It's not ours. Come". He beckoned him with his hand, and Kaladin followed, sparing a glance back at the knife.

As they walked, Kaladin chastised himself for his behavior. He'd come that close to a full out insult on Remen. The man- no, the boy was simply infuriating. Like a small dog yapping at everything to prove to the wolves how loud and powerful he was. Kaladin desperately wanted to send his fist through the his chin, and spit right into his dazed light eyes as he walked passed.

And that was the most frustrating part of all of this. It wasn't that Kaladin couldn't touch him right now. Though he did want to fight him, he could restrain himself from doing so. It was that he knew he could beat him in every other scenario then this one. Kaladin had seen Remen spar in Sadeas' training ground, and if they fought with spears, fists, knives, or anything else, Kaladin would come out on top. Storms, he was fairly certain he'd even beat him with a regular sword, and he'd never even touched one before!

It was that they were fighting with Shard blades. Kaladin just didn't have the experience that Remen likely did. Shard blades took time to get used to. Kaladin was a natural with the spear the first time he picked one up, and he knew of others who were the same with their respective weapons, but shards weren't a weapon that such a thing was possible with. Their length, their unique abilities, their weight all made them too unnatural for anyone to just pick up and use effectively first try. Training helped him, yes, but he still had yet to spar against another shardbearer. He first had to wait for a order to be filed with the king to rent his second blade, so Yamithar and him could effectively spar.

That's why Kaladin couldn't fight him. Not because he wasn't better. Not because he wasn't a good warrior. Simply because Remen had held a shardblade in a duel about a dozen times, and Kaladin hadn't.

Kaladin whipped the door closed behind him, as Sadeas led him into his... Kaladin supposed it was a manor, but it more military-like than that due to their location. A residential redoubt, maybe? No, too small for that. They rounded a corner, before coming into Sadeas' war room, where several maps of the shattered plains hung on walls. He sat at a long table, while Kaladin simply stood.

Sadeas let out a content sigh as he sat, his chair high off the ground, enough to be eye level with Kaladin while he stood. Sadeas studied Kaladin as he folded his fingers in front of his face. Kaladin stood with his hands behind his back. This wasn't his first time in front of a General, but he still found himself a bit nervous. He needed to tread lightly here. Sadeas nodded to himself a bit, before speaking.

"I'm happy to have another shardbearer within my army. Especially one that took his blade from a rival kingdom".

"Thank you, brightness" Kaladin said, trying to be as respectful as possible. He half expected to hear resentment when Sadeas said the word "blade", but either none leaked behind his poker face, or he held none at all.

"You're in a unique position, young man. A dark eyes... in your rank..."

"I've had quite a few marvel at it thus far, Bright Lord".

"I bet you have. Know that I'll be treating you like any other officer in my ranks. You'll have no harsher treatment, but no special privileges either".

"I expected as much, my Lord".

"But I have yet to tell you my expectations from officers" Sadeas said, eyeing him. "You'll work under one of my best commanders, and he will train you in tactics, battlefield command, and the like".

"General Laskal?"

"You've met him. Good. Do you have any experience commanding?"

"I worked as a captain under Bright Lord Amaram".

"Ah, yes, I remember him saying you were one of the better ones, if I'm not mistaken. Good. Then I expect nothing but flawlessness. Mistakes are, and will be, punished. The severity is determined by the severity of your flaws" Kaladin got the message wide and clear. Mess up, and he will likely either get closer to losing his shards, or lose them entirely. Kaladin intended not to mess up.

"Of course, Bright Lord".

"Now, I'm putting you in charge of A quarter of Laskal's battalion. Of course, I don't expect you to be a fine general right now. Laskal will have another captain leading your section until your battlefield ability is well enough to take over"

"Thank you for your generosity, sir"

"Of course. I expect you to represent me well. My enemies are your enemies. My rivals are yours. If you are unsure of who these are, I expect you to learn quickly, before you're seen... fraternizing with those you should not be". Kaladin nodded at this. He would probably just stay at Sadeas' camp, unless he specifically had to go to another camp.

"Understood, brightness".

"You now own a parcel of land in my domain" Kaladin blinked at this. He owned land now? "You will receive a quarterly tax from them, that you can withdraw at any point from the treasuries, and levy as you see fit. They're mostly farmlands, no villages or cities. Do well enough, and I'll see to it that such a thing changes".

"Thank you, sir".

"Of course." Sadeas then leaned in towards Kaladin "And one last word of warning, young man. I-" In the distance, a horn blared, giving Sadeas pause. He looked up at Kaladin.

"What wa-" Sadeas held up a finger, silencing Kaladin. Another horn blared. A servant came into Sadeas' room, and he nodded at him. The servant shouted behind the door.

"Sound the calling horn!"

"Calling horn, sir?" Kaladin asked.

"Yes, for battle. It appears as though a gem heart has made it's presence known on a nearby plateau. Which means you" He pointed at Kaladin, "Need to suit up".

Kaladin rode along side Laskal, and two other battalion commanders, with their own subordinates. Sadeas rode in front of all of them, shard plate glistening red against the sunlight. Kaladin's own plate had yet to be removed of it's paint, and he felt like a giant target for arrows in the color. Laskal did not have any plate, but another of his subordinates had a set. Laskal had won them during the unification wars by King Gavilar, but he gave them up two years ago. He was an older man, and was more suited as a general than a shardbearer. He had no son, so he gave his plate to his finest warrior, Colishad.

Colishad's shard plate was a violet-red, a brow raising choice. Kaladin had been told the feminine color was the result of a recent lost bet, and it was originally an orange-red. He didn't personally care either way. Kaladin already though painting plate was an ludicrous. The fact that this man did it in a eye-catching color on the basis of a lost bet only made Kaladin's respect for him wane even further. Though, Kaladin took a moment to curb his own pride by reminding himself that he was also wearing painted plate.

The man seemed to be taking embarrassment and not a small amount of concealed laughs in stride. Despite this, he wore a decorative orange and crimson cloak over the plate, with Sadeas' symbol weaved on the back. This was usually only done in parades or feasts. While there was no particular rule against it in battle, it was generally understood that a cloak would hamper movement. Kaladin added this to the list of thing he already didn't like about the man. Taking an obvious disadvantage to mend your wounded ego, which was in that state by your own doing in the first place, was simply and fundamentally stupid.

Colishad had the plate, but he had no blade. Kaladin was the only full shardbearer in Sadeas' army. He also hadn't missed the fact that he was part of a battalion that already had a shardbearer. He'd caught some of the hostile glances the other battalion lords shot at Laskal because of this. The man didn't pay them any heed. Nonetheless, Kaladin still felt embarrassed on his behalf.

He understood the reasoning behind him being in this particular battalion. Many new officers in training thought it was best for one to spread shardbearers out among different parts of the battle where they were needed. This was actually a mistake. Lone shardbearers were almost always easier to take down. Added to that, a dedicated battalion that held all shardbearers allowed an easier time in punching through lines, routing troops, and especially breaking enemy morale. One usually thought that the most valuable thing about shard bearers was their combat ability. This actually wasn't true. It was their morale ability. Their own troops would be encouraged to fight, while enemies would be more likely to flee.

When the "shard battalion" took down their specific section, or caused them to rout, they could then move on to support other battalions, flank enemies, and so on. With two shardbearers in Laskal's battalion, who was likely the most experienced general in Sadeas' army, the opportunity for tactics like flanking, charges, and maneuvers increased dramatically.

This idea would normally be accepted in most armies, and any squabbling was usually, and promptly, crushed. This wasn't the case for Alethi armies. Competition and rivalry always ran deep in Alethi culture, and despite cooperation being the smarter choice in a military, there was still heated hostility and ambition rife among the leaders. It was one of the reasons that unifying the Alethi only happened twice in history, one being recently.

And Sadeas not only condoned this behavior in his officers, but encouraged it.

Laskal was currently mincing words with another commander, on the eve of battle no less. Sadeas simply rode along without a care, not reigning his officers in, and not paying them any heed. Kaladin thought Sadeas simply inept in discipline, but it was a calculated risk. He enjoyed rivalry in his camp. He held a very strong "survival of the fittest" mentality, and as such he allowed his commanders to argue, compete, and prove who was the strongest.

Kaladin rode in silence, hating it all. He had longed to travel to the shattered plains so he could finally take part in a real army, where things were organized, and meaningful, and where the officers were actually disciplined and focused, not squabbling and bickering. Now that he was here, it felt like the organization the army had was only there out of necessity, instead of desire. If they had their way, they would sprawl into infighting and turmoil, but as long as they warred with the Parshendi, they had to keep some semblance of unity so they didn't get driven off and humiliated.

Kaladin himself felt nervous, though not because he was afraid of battle. He knew Sadeas was going to be watching him, judging him, marking all his flaws and errors. He felt like a young boy during his surgery tests, holding the weight of his father's strict gaze. Nonetheless, he steeled himself. Nervousness did no good for battle, and he wasn't some green spear man waiting to see his first engagement.

"Daydreaming, Lieutenant Kaladin?" Kaladin glanced up, seeing Laskal ride along side him, apparently done with his conversation. They crossed a bridge over the chasm, as Kaladin noted with a tang of pity the sorry bridge men laying off to the side.

"No, bright lord. Simply going over tactics and strategy in my head, in case something happens and I'm left in charge of the battalion" Laskal smiled at him.

"Don't worry about that. Battalion Lords usually stay in the back, and send runners with their orders. The likelihood of me dying is minimal, Lieutenant"

"Speaking of which, sir, where do you want me in the ranks?"

"Nowhere. I don't even want you fighting" Kaladin started at this. He looked up to him.

"Sir?"

"You're not proven. I can't be putting you in the front lines just yet. The risk of losing your plate and blade to the Parshendi outweighs what usefulness you'd be right now, at least until you get a bit more experience under your belt".

"Sir, I've been in combat for years now! I can fight, I ca-"

"Lieutenant" He said in the commanding tone that Kaladin had heard from his officers so many times, "I'm not doubting that you are a fine warrior. The mere fact you wear that plate is proof that you are phenomenal in battle".

"Then you know what I can do!" Kaladin said. Of course this was happening! How could he expect any light eyes to let a dark eyes have their glory in battle? The fact that Kaladin wasn't even fighting for glory made it all the more frustrating. But what could he expect fro-

"Of course I know. Nobody wins plate by luck, no matter what the rumors about you might say" Kaladin stored away the fact that rumors were circulating about him for a later time, "...Winning against a shardbearer shows that you have more skill than any infantryman I can think of in my battalion, maybe even in all of Sadeas' army".

"But you still won't let me fight" Kaladin said, bitterness on his tongue. Kaladin's frustration bubbled inside him. He needed to be on a battlefield right now! If he didn't start proving himself to Sadeas, then-

"Because" Laskal said, "being a shardbearer is different. People naturally notice you. Groups will swarm you all at once. You are never just fighting one or two opponents. It is constantly fighting full squads, before killing them and moving onto the next. People with little experience in stuff like that tend to go down easier than you'd think".

Kaladin hesitated with his retort. That... made sense. He never had been in battle with his plate and blade yet, and he didn't know what to really expect. He understood the logic, but he hated the decision. The threat of Sadeas was ever looming. He felt like a great shell was rushing him, and instead of running, he was just taking a leisurely stroll to get away. More than that, he hated not fighting when others died. It made him feel so useless.

"Trust me, Lieutenant" He said, "If your worried about your pride... well, some might use this as an excuse to make fun, but most understand. All new shardbearers go through this period. Your time to fight will come. I'll ease you in, let you participate in engagements we have no danger of losing so you can get a feel for it. As of right now, though, I want you to stay back with me. Watch Lieutenant Colishad, and study how he fights".

"...Okay... I hold you to that" He hated having to swallow his pride, both with not fighting, and acknowledging Colishad as the superior shardbearer.

"Also" Laskal said, "You'll be studying how I lead, my tactics, my strategies, and so on. You took the spot of someone who I've been prepping for five years to take control of this battalion. I was about ready to retire, but he... either way, it doesn't matter. What matters is that your the heir to my battalion, and I'm not leaving it until I'm sure it's in good hands. Understand?"

"Yes sir"

"Good. Eyes forward, Lieutenant".

And Kaladin did keep his eyes forward. The plateau they were travelling to was coming over the horizon. At first, he thought it was dotted with lots of crem, or perhaps greatshell droppings. It took him a moment to realize that this was a Parshendi army. He was surprised by how... jumbled it seemed. It looked more like a mob, with no real structure, than a series of fortified units. There was cohesion, of course. The crowd did seem split up in specific locations, fortifying the plateau, but there were still no rank and files, no visible attempts at common phalanx formations, not even any shield walls.

When the army finally arrived at the chasm, he looked out to see ranks upon ranks of Parshendi. He'd never seen so many in one place before. It was... startling. He'd gone against armies before, but never at this scale, and never against an enemy so... inhuman. He shook his head, steeling himself. He was a soldier. Not some recruit who hadn't even seen battle yet. Added to that, he wouldn't even be fighting, so why in the world was he scared?

Kaladin looked around. He didn't know exactly what the troops would be doing. The bridge men would need to get to the chasm, and with the Parshendi on the other side, bows at the ready, they would need to find some way of getting them there. Would they form a shield wall in front of them? They would need to eventually let them set the bridge down, which would ensure a few casualties.

Added to that, the bridge men were likely exhausted right now. Running all this was had to be tiring, especially when they were given little chance for breaks, in their rush to reach here first. How would they-

"Charge!"

Kaladin looked to the commander of the bridge crews. He stood off to the side, a man in an eye patch beside him. As he called the command, he looked out at the bridge crews with hate in his eyes, and... muted pleasure.

Kaladin watched as the bridge crews ran out against a hail of arrows. What were they doing? That was utter suicide! He reared his horse, ready to charge with the army so they could support, before he looked around. Nobody was moving. Nobody was advancing to form a shield wall. They all simply stood there, looking at the bridge men, some with satisfaction, some with calculating eyes, some with pity.

The arrows swarmed through the sky like a cloud of gnats, as the bridge men charged to their death. Kaladin watched the arrows thud into the bridge. Carrying it above their heads made natural cover from above, and many of the arrows thudded into the wood, like hairs standing up on a giant's arm. Even still, the men had no covering anywhere else, and a plentiful number of them fell to the barbs.

One boy fell to the ground, an arrow through his thigh. That didn't kill him by any means, but he was simply trampled underfoot by the bridge men behind him. Kaladin's mind fell into it's surgeon training at the sight of it. For all of soldier Kaladin's gruffness, surgeon Kaladin was possibly the only one who wouldn't be revolted at this... who wouldn't take a sideways glance away from this... who wouldn't think of Tien during this.

Multiple blunt-force trauma wounds. Has broken bones, ribs, and fractures. Likely has internal bleeding, concussion, and possible organ failure. Wound bleeding from arrow puncture. Leg should be tied off and wound pressurized. Arrow not to be removed until proper cauterization is ready. Likelihood of survival is slim to near impossible. Bed rest for multiple months needed in unlikely case of survival, with wounds being treated regularly with disinfectant.

Kaladin noticed the boy had died before he even got halfway through his prognosis.

A second, and even a third wave of arrows would come down on the bridge men like a hammer to an anvil, before the crews began to close in on the cavern, and the Parshendi devolved to simply free firing. Bridges that lost too many men often veered off to the side, like an injured deer from the pack, before stumbling down. Ones that were particularly low on men were targeted in order to stop as many bridges as possible. Even still, the battered and bleeding bridge men fumbled the bridges into place, the cavalry already charging down the hill, with the infantry behind them.

Kaladin looked at Laskal for some form of explanation for what just happened. Laskal spared him a glance, before closing his eyes, shaking his head, and looking back on the field. Kaladin thought he might have seen some pain in the man's blue eyes. But the more Kaladin thought about it, the more he realized what had truly happened. With the fact that everyone was content to watch the bridge men catch arrows, and save themselves the threat, he knew that it must have been a trick of the light to see remorse in his eyes.

Eyes those color couldn't show remorse. not for anything but themselves.