Chapter Text
5 months after the creation of Retribution
Adolin Kholin knew that Kaladin Stormblessed was alive.
He just didn't know where the storming man was.
Adolin, I have news! Adolin froze, immediately becoming alert as Maya’s tense voice spoke in his mind. Skar, his current sparring partner, barely managed to redirect his attack to avoid hitting Adolin.
“Storms Adolin, what are you -” Adolin held up a hand to stop the other man as he spoke to Maya in his mind.
News? What news? Shallan? He hadn’t heard anything new since the confirmation that she was alive he had received shortly after the contest of champions.
No , Maya said. She sounded…nervous? It’s Kaladin.
“Kaladin,” Adolin breathed aloud, relief settling over him. Skar and Drehy - who had jogged over from where he was watching the bout - both looked up sharply at the mention of the name. Maya had been able to get information about what had happened to Renarin, Navani, and Dalinar from Jasnah via the spren gathered at Urithiru, and the Oathgate spren had told her about Shallan. But she had not been able to find any information about Kaladin. The last anyone at the Tower knew, he had been with Szeth in Shinover. Maya had been looking around in Shadesmar for anyone that knew what had happened to him, but there were so few spren in Shinovar.
Adolin had assumed that with the formation of Retribution, Kaladin would make his way to the remnants of the coalition, either Urithiru or Azir. He knew the journey would be long with the lack of Stormlight, but someone should have seen the man. He tended to stand out.
“Well, where is he?” Adolin spoke aloud for the benefit of Skar and Drehy, who like Adolin had been eagerly awaiting news of their former Captain.
Adolin…Kaladin is dead.
DEAD? Adolin demanded. He switched back to mental communication with Maya, again for the sake of the former bridgemen. Kaladin isn’t dead, Maya. What exactly did you hear?
He heard what he interpreted as a resigned sigh in his mind, as if she had known this would be his reaction. Szeth said -
“Szeth!?” he interrupted aloud. Skar and Drehy glared at him, clearly annoyed at the disjointed snippets of conversation he was providing them. Adolin ignored them. What do you mean ‘Szeth said’? Szeth’s spren was able to appear in Shadesmar?
No, Maya said. I actually spoke to Szeth himself. He said Nightblood - his sword - had been learning to confer Radiant powers, as the Honorblades did. He had finally managed to Elsecall into Shadesmar using the sword. Nightblood’s appearance in Shadesmar caused a disturbance, and I was already in the Shinovar area of Shadesmar looking for Kaladin. I was able to follow the other spren to Nightblood, and by extension, Szeth.
Okay… Adolin did not really follow that explanation, and had a lot of questions about that storming sword, but that didn’t matter right now. He understood enough that he believed Maya had spoken with the real Szeth. He didn’t think anything could imitate Nightblood. So what did Szeth say, exactly?
He said that he buried Kaladin Stormblessed’s corpse, Adolin. I’m sorry.
Adolin heard the words and nearly collapsed, but Drehy caught his arm before he could - as always. Maya was saying more, explaining the details of the circumstances as Szeth had relayed them to her. Adolin barely heard her. Her words kept echoing in his mind, drowning out everything else. Kaladin Stormblessed’s corpse.
Maya finally finished talking, apologizing again for the news. Adolin thanked her, then took a deep breath and turned to Skar and Drehy. The two men were staring at him with a mix of anger and concern. They had been patient for the last few minutes as Adolin had dealt with the shock, but he sensed they wouldn’t wait much longer.
“Well?” Skar demanded.
“Maya…Maya finally heard about Kaladin.”
“Yes, we got that, Adolin.” Drehy said. “We also have deduced that it’s storming bad news . So spit it out.”
“Skar, Drehy…she says he’s dead.”
They did not react as Adolin might have expected. They exchanged a glance, and then Skar shrugged. “Dead, huh? Hey Drehy, how many times have you been told Kal was dead?”
“At least three, off the top of my head. It hasn’t seemed to stick.” He eyed Adolin. “What’s her evidence?”
“She heard directly from Szeth. Who said that he buried Kaladin’s corpse.”
“Uh huh. Compelling evidence, I’ll give her that.” Still, neither of them looked particularly concerned.
“You think Szeth was lying?” Adolin asked.
“Nah,” Drehy said. “The Assassin in White is a lot of things, but he never struck me as a liar. I believe him.”
Adolin eyed them both. “He buried Kaladin’s corpse, ” he repeated, as if the two bridgemen hadn’t heard him the first time.
“And?” Skar asked. “You believe that means Kal’s dead?”
Adolin paused. Considered.
I’m pretty sure you could survive anything. Storms, bridgeboy, the Almighty used some of the same stuff he put into Shardblades when he made you.
Adolin found himself smiling, thinking of the conversation he had just had with his ‘dead’ Shardblade.
“Not a chance. He owes me a drink.”