63: FEAR

In a nighttime training session within the chasm, Bridge Four continues its physical preparations under new carapace armor. As his men grow stronger and more dedicated, including the intense and vengeful spearman named moash, kaladin wrestles privately with doubts about his ability to lead them in combat and faces pressure from teft to demonstrate his fighting skill.

At night in the chasm, kaladin observes as the apprentice armorer, leyton, completes pieces of carapace-based armor, which kaladin wants produced for all bridgemen. leyton explains that carapace, though hard as steel, is light and can be shaped by drilling. kaladin learns that leyton was made a scapegoat in his previous profession and now serves bridge four. kaladin notes that hashal has pretended the armor was her own idea and watches her with worry about his next moves. he leads the men in spear practice using sphere-light in a chasm intersection, instructing them on fundamentals and weight distribution. the bridgemen, particularly skar and moash, show strong progress. moash is intensely dedicated, and when kaladin commends him, moash reveals he seeks vengeance and hints at hunting someone he will not yet name. moash declares his loyalty to kaladin by blood. afterward, kaladin reflects with rock on their escape plans; rock suggests seeking kharbranth and the peaks, but kaladin points out the practical impossibilities—sadeas will pursue relentlessly and they have wounded to consider. rock agrees a better plan is needed and proposes discussing ideas with sigzil. skar and the other bridgemen call for kaladin to spar with them, and teft privately urges him to demonstrate his fighting skill for morale. kaladin refuses, admitting to teft that he fears returning to his old identity as a warrior because of past failures. teft warns him that the men will need him to be ready when the time comes.