53: DUNNY

During a bridge run, the young bridgeman named dunny is struck by arrows and killed when cavalry charges across the bridge, forcing moash to physically restrain kaladin from attempting a futile rescue. After the battle, kaladin defies practical objections from his crew and insists that bridge four tend to the wounded of other bridge crews, saving multiple lives and demonstrating a code of honor rooted in his father's teachings. kaladin discovers a mysterious wound on his cheek has healed without a trace.

Bridge Four charges across the shattered plains under heavy arrow fire during a coordinated assault with sadeas's cavalry. Despite the intense barrage, no bridgemen are initially struck—a narrow escape that impresses the parshendi archers. However, the young bridgeman dunny is caught on the bridge as cavalry charges through. two arrows strike him in quick succession, and he falls mortally wounded. When kaladin attempts to rush back to save him, moash restrains him using a move kaladin had taught, holding him down as cavalry thunders across the bridge, trampling dunny's body. After the cavalry retreats and the battle ends, kaladin struggles with the loss but forces himself to think tactically to cope. He then breaks from his crew's typical practice by insisting that bridge four care for wounded bridgemen from other crews, despite their lack of resources. His passionate speech invokes the memory of his father, a surgeon who helped anyone. Bridge four mobilizes to find and treat wounded soldiers, and kaladin performs medical work including suturing and cauterization. during this work, kaladin discovers that a cheek wound inflicted by an arrow at the battle's start has completely healed with no trace, disturbing him. moash approaches him afterward, apologizing for his earlier misjudgments and acknowledging kaladin as an honest man, and the two reconcile. teft has been dropping hints about kaladin's seeming immunity to arrow strikes and his connection to stormlight, asking cryptic questions about his spheres.