45. A Bold Heart, A Keen and Crafty Mind

Kaladin flees through Urithiru's dark tunnels carrying the unconscious Teft, evading enemy forces and a vengeful Fused called the Pursuer. He uses Syl's help to distract the creature and discovers hidden passages activated by infusing gemstone fabrials, ultimately reaching a safe location on the eleventh floor where he collapses from exhaustion.

Kaladin carries Teft deeper into Urithiru's tunnel system, having decided to rescue his friend rather than surrender to the enemy. With dwindling Stormlight and few infused spheres, he relies on Syl to scout ahead while avoiding detection. When he senses danger, he hides and observes a Fused with red light and a marbled black face—the same creature he defeated in Hearthstone, now reborn and hunting him for revenge. The Fused, called the Pursuer, discovers a blood smear on the wall and begins tracking Kaladin methodically. Kaladin sends Syl to distract the creature while he attempts to evade capture. The Pursuer drops its body as a husk and pursues Syl in the Cognitive Realm, allowing Kaladin a brief escape. However, he soon finds himself surrounded by multiple squads of soldiers closing in from all directions on the eighth floor. Cornered and nearly out of Stormlight with only a scalpel as a weapon, Kaladin prepares to fight his way through when Syl notices a faint violet light glowing from a garnet vein in the stone. Following the light to an embedded gemstone, Kaladin infuses it with his remaining Stormlight, revealing a hidden passage. The wall splits open silently, and he enters a concealed corridor as voices sound behind him. The violet light continues to lead him through a series of hidden passages and up a secret stairwell to the eleventh floor, where another gemstone opens a final door. Exhausted and defenseless, Kaladin sets Teft down in the darkness and collapses into sleep.