#‘he had stormlight.’ shut up.

[koravelliumavast]

Love when Dalinar lets himself get stabbed in the gut by a longsword to prove a point let that Kholin stupidity shine.

[basket-of-radiants]

I think Gavilar should have read the entirety of Way of Kings aloud and attained radiance in the middle of a random paragraph <3

[cosmerelists]

Stormlight Characters Meet an Octopus

As requested by @miss-madithe-baddie :)

It's Octopus Time on Roshar!

1. Kaladin

Kaladin: [stares at octopus] Octopus: [stares at Kaladin] Kaladin: So it...what? Is it one of those creatures that squishes down into crevices during storms? It doesn't look like it has bones. Kaladin: Kinda big though. Would need a big crevice. Octopus: [stares at Kaladin] Kaladin: ... Kaladin: I feel like it's judging me, somehow.

2. Bridge Four

Moash: Well, I don't like it. Moash: An animal with no carapace is unnatural. Rlain: ...You're an animal without a carapace. Moash: W-Well, it's different for humans! We can build houses! Drehy: Maybe the giant squish bug builds houses. Drehy: We all saw it pick up the shell and put it on its head. Skar: That's more fashion than construction, I think. Sigzil: We saw it go into the water. It's a sea creature. Sigzil: Sea creatures don't need carapaces like land animals do. Moash: It's on the land right now!! Skar: Guys, shut up! It's wearing a shell as a hat again! Renarin: It really is quite fashionable.

3. Adolin

Adolin: Sure is weird looking! Adolin: Look! It has little sticky cups under its legs! Kaladin: D-Don't grab it! It's gonna bite you! Adolin: I bet it can crawl up walls 'n' stuff! Adolin: Hey, isn't that something you can do too, Bridgeboy? Kaladin: I use Stormlight! Not sticky vine legs! Adolin: Bet its some kind of tiny Windrunner. Kaladin: It is NOT!

4. Shallan

Shallan: Hush, all of you. Shallan: This thing is beautiful! Gorgeous! Octopus: [abruptly changes color to match surroundings] Shallan: !! Shallan: Talented! Amazing! Shallan: This might be the most important drawing I'll ever do! Adolin: ...You drew me last week for our wedding anniversary? Shallan: [already drawing] And you didn't even change color ONCE!

5. Lopen

Lopen: [staring intently at octopus] Lopen: [staring intently at octopus] Lopen: [staring intently at octopus] Lopen: [concentration face] Rock: ...You're trying to grow more arms, aren't you? Lopen: I didn't know EIGHT was an option!

6. Zahel

Zahel: I've seem those things before. Zahel: Very smart. Zahel: Very tasty. Rock: ...Tasty you say? Shallan: NO

7. Navani

Navani: Seeing this bizarre creature gives me so many ideas. Navani: Dalinar, do you think we should build semi-aquatic vehicles that can go on both land and water and develop color-changing camouflage technology? Dalinar [trying to be a supportive husband]: And perhaps the land-water vehicle could have...tentacles? Navani: No ideas are wrong in the brainstorming stage. Navani: But also no.

8. Dieno (the Mink)

Dieno: [gives octopus a bro nod] Octopus: [gives Dieno a bro nod back] Dalinar: ...What was that? Dieno: Ah, it is nothing! Just two master escape artists recognizing each other. Dalinar: Escape...artist? Dalinar: This creature has done nothing but sit on that rock and occasionally go into that pool this whole time. Dieno: Yet nevertheless, people like us...we recognize each other. Dalinar: ... Dalinar: [doubtfully] If you say so. 

9. Dalinar

It is later. Dalinar is walking through Urithiru. Something from above touches his face with a thwick sound. He looks up. The Octopus is looking down at him from the ceiling, one tentacle reaching down. Lift is also in the ceiling. Lift gives him a thumbs up. Dalinar keeps walking.

10. Lift

Lift: Today has been the greatest day of my life. Lift: I had no IDEA there so many vents 'n' shit that someone like you could squish through! Lift: And when you used your dark water attack to push that button? Amazing! Lift: Even I had trouble keeping up with you!! Lift: Truly, you are my new best friend.

[turttastic]

Was just struck by the overwhelming urge to rate Stormlight characters on their driving ability. I have no evidence I'm going off of vibes alone. Here they are in no particular order:

Dalinar- I think he's generally a fine driver now, though still prone to bouts of road rage when someone won't let him merge. Very bad driver in his youth. 5/10

Jasnah- I think she would be a shockingly bad driver. She seems like the kind of person that believes the rules of the road apply to everyone other than her. The type to run a red light because the meeting she's going to is important. Never uses her turn signals because if shes in the left lane it should be obvious shes making a left turn. Despite her lack of care she always arrives safely and without a ticket, somehow. Would fit right in in Northern Virginia. Also the worst backseat driver ever. 3/10

Sadeas- Good driver but employs bad practices. When traffic is heavy he uses the shoulder of the road as his own personal lane. Only person capable of surviving New York traffic. 6/10

Kaladin- Fantastic driver but kind of slow. Won't make a left turn unless there is literally no other car on the road. Always follows the speed limit and uses his turn indicators. Also the type to yell at everyone to shut the fuck up and let him drive when he's in heavy traffic. 8/10

Syl- Cannot be allowed to drive under any circumstances. Bridge 4 let her drive once and she backed the car into a mailbox. 0/10

Shallan- Shes a bad driver but better than Jasnah. Her following distance is atrocious and she frequently rear ends people, but she does at least try to follow the rules of the road. 4/10

Veil- Worse than Shallan but says she's better. Will take a turn at 60 to try and make the car drift. 2/10

Radiant- Fantastic driver who follows the ruled perfectly. Not great at responding to unexpected situations though. 8/10

Venli- Drives like a psychopath. Weaves in and out of lanes to get there 30 seconds faster. If traffic is bad she will dead ass make a U turn in the middle of the road over a double yellow to leave. 1/10

Rock- Great driver, but hates driving. Not much more to say. 8/10

Sigzil- Best driver in bridge 4, only slightly held back by the fact that he knows every obscure rule and expects everyone else driving does also. 9/10

Moash- Believes the rules of the road are stupid and there to hold him back. The kind of guy who will not let you merge in front of him like his life depends on it. Would go 100 in a school zone for fun. 2/10

The Lopen- The guy that tells you he's a great driver but starts playing pokemon go while behind the wheel because he can absolutely do both. 4/10

Szeth- Mediocre driver prone to shocking episodes of road rage. The kind of guy who would slam the brakes to make the car behind him rear end him out of spite if they were following too close. 5/10

Navani- Fantastic driver. Always has the newest lane correcting tech and such installed on her vehicle. 10/10

Adolin- Cannot stay focused on the road. Type of guy who will look over his shoulder for like 15 seconds to carry on a conversation until Shallan yells at him to look at the road. Horrible speeder. Usually manages to avoid crashing though. 3/10

Wit- Shockingly competent driver. I mean he had all that experience with Wax, so... 10/10

Gavilar- The kind of douche who lifts his truck and has his mufflers removed so he can rev his obnoxious engine whole going through neighborhoods. 1/10

Renarin- He's a good driver in small towns and on winding, narrow country roads, but cannot handle big city traffic. Luckily he knows and readily admits this. 7/10

BONUS:

Rlain- I feel like he's just a typical good driver. Follows the rules as best he can, goes a few miles over the speed limit on the freeway, but nothing crazy. 8/10

Kelsier- It's a miracle he's survived this long with the way he drives. He would make a left on red without hesitation. Vin screamed the first time she rode with him. 1/10

[nevertheless-moving]

Stormlight AU Number Three Chapter One, Part One

"Captain? May I speak with you? I had one more thing that I was hoping to discuss. At your convenience, sir."

He turned to see Renarin, still lingering at the edge of the now mostly quiet campfire, stack of clean bowls beside him.

Kaladin barely restrained a sigh of annoyance. He had been planning on checking on the other barrack fires, then maybe getting some actual sleep.

"Of course, Brightlord," he said, stuffing down any irritation.

The prince jumped to his feet, looking nervously at the handful of men, some of whom had pulled out a deck of cards and were either genuinely no longer paying attention to the Brightlord among them, or were doing a very good impression of nonchalance.

Seriously? Kaladin thought, curious despite himself. He just begged to join a darkeyed spear crew, practically in public. Called a shashbranded man 'Sir' in front of a dozen witnesses and the open air. I didn't think he even knew what discretion was.

Kaladin tilted his head to the side, and they moved away from the group, well out of earshot, but Renarin still glanced at the other men in fear.

Talat's sword, the kid was tense as a bowstring again, hands shaking even as they clenched his sides, though they still didn't go for that box of his. A few twisting black spren trailed him. If Kaladin had thought he had been anxious before, then this was a whole other level.

"What do you think it is?" Syl asked, passing overhead, ruffling black and yellow hair. Renarin twitched at the breeze.

"I know some of the other bridgemen were whispering mean stuff about him," she said, examining the prince, "But I don't think he heard, and you said soldiers don't come to their commanding officers about that sort of thing, right? And he looks too scared for that, anyway. Unless they were really being cruel."

With another narrowly repressed sigh, Kaladin led them further away, to an alley between a storage building and an unused barrack, out of both sight and sound.

Something more about his Epilepsy, maybe?

Renarin pulled a sapphire mark out as they left the glow of firelight behind, blue light making the visible tremble of his fingers more obvious. The prince went even further, to the dead center of the alleyway. Even if someone skulking around the corner abandoned all pretenses and pressed an ear to the wall, they would be hard pressed to hear a quiet conversation.

And still, Renarin looked nervously to both of the alley's exits.

Kaladin's heart started to pick up in sympathetic dread. "Soldier?" he finally asked. "You wanted to speak with me?"

The youth flinched, before bowing his head and leaning forward.

"I need your help," he said, staring at the ground.

Kaladin furrowed his brow. "With...?"

"I need your help with—" he cut himself off, seeming to choke on the words. He let out a frustrated sounding grunt.

"We..." The prince opened his mouth, then closed it. His hands also opened and closed at his sides. "You..."

"How— his jaw snapped shut again and even in the low light, Kaladin could see him swallowing several times, before taking a deep breath and setting his jaw.

"You... survived a highstorm. You... healed from that."

Kaladin started at the unexpected line of conversation. Syl crossed her arms in the air, staring Renarin down.

"Yes," he said cautiously. "Not a pleasant experience."

"And you fought off the Parshendi army. When you charged the tower. By yourself."

"My whole bridge fought," Kaladin retorted, slightly offended on their behalf.

Renarin shook his head. "Yes, but you cleared the landing for them. You went ahead. And you won."

Kaladin's heart picked up a bit more.

"Briefly," he said with forced calm. "My men—"

"And you saved my father. From the Parshendi Shardbarer. By yourself... Adolin is still resentful of that, I think."

This time Kaladin said nothing. He hadn't done anything wrong, he reminded himself. Nothing to give away his advantages. His achievements had been unusual, yes. But that was common knowledge. Nothing to panic about when confronted, even by a prince with an unnerving tendency to watch people.

"I wondered... I suspected. But then I saw..."

Renarin looked up, but not at Kaladin. He stared into space, eyes unfocused, then shook his head.

"I saw you breathing in Stormlight," he whispered.

"Oh!" Syl said. "Oh!" She looked at Kaladin, but he wasn't listening to her right now.

A chill ran down Kaladin's spine, and it took everything he had not to move back in the narrow space.

"Breathing in stormlight?" he repeated after a moment, trying to sound confused. Trying, at least, not to sound afraid.

Brightlord Renarin's eyes snapped to his and now he found it very easy to hold himself in place. He didn't think he could move, chill down his back having hardened to ice.

"I saw you. And then I saw it — and I saw it again. A faint glow...you're a surgebinder. I know it. I saw it." The Brightlord's stare, somehow, grew even more intense.

Oh. It's over. It's all over.

"Kaladin! Kaladin!" Syl floated before his face, between Renarin and himself. "It's going to be okay! We like Renarin, remember? Try and calm down — just, just listen to him, alright? I have a good feeling about this."

"I..." Kaladin cleared the sudden dryness from his throat, clenching his hands into fists to try and control his abrupt, almost painful shivers. When had the night grown so storming cold? Why was the cold making it hard to breathe? "Who else knows?"

"No one!" the prince assured him quickly. "I wouldn't — I know it's a secret."

That softened a fraction of the crushing tightness in his chest. But only a small amount.

"What do you want?" Kaladin managed to get out. "What do you want from me?"

"I need help," Brightlord Renarin said, hands coming together in front of him, thumbs shifting end over end. "Please... I. Please. You have a spren. The assassin didn't, but you do. She looks like a windspren, but she's something else, right? Something more."

The weight, impossibly, redoubled on his chest. He sucked down a breath, then struggled to take in another.

I knew it. I knew it.

"Kaladin! Kaladin can you hear me?" Syl said, from very far away.

I knew they'd try and take her from me.

He saw the Brightlord 's terrible blue eyes as if from the end of a tunnel, looming above him. At some point he had stumbled back, the soulcast stone wall frigid behind him.

He couldn't fight. If he killed a third dahn, even if he could bring himself to kill Dalinar's son, he'd never know peace again. Bridge four would never know peace. He couldn't attack the prince, who was under Kaladin's protection, possibly twice.

He couldn't run. His men were here. He wouldn't be able to get to them all, not before they came after him.

He couldn't fight. He couldn't run.

He couldn't — he couldn't — he looked desperately for Syl.

She hovered over him, tears in her eyes, mouth moving silently.

He couldn't protect her.

The tunnel closed in around him.

...

"...says this weird shade of orange is the next big color—"

Kaladin blinked in bewilderment. He turned to see Prince Renarin next to him, talking nonsense.

"—but honestly the fabric swatches give me a headache..."

He glanced towards Syl, searching for an explanation, but she seemed enthralled, laying on her front in the air, heels kicked up behind her.

"I hope he moves on as fast from this as he did yellow. He still can't make up his mind about Takamas, though he pretends that..."

There was about two week's worth of pay between them. Two weeks worth of pay for him now, as head of the cobalt guard. A small fortune. Pocket change to a prince.

"Why," Kaladin said, too confused to be anything but blunt, "are you sitting on the ground next to me, talking about fashion?"

The prince startled, scrambling halfway up before kneeling back down, level with Kaladin.

They were on the ground. Why were they on the ground...in an alley?

"I'm sorry!" the youth said. "It's what Adolin does when I... when the world is too much and I leave my head. I wasn't sure what else to do."

Kaladin felt slightly dizzy. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself involuntarily. Hazy dread started creeping back towards him, like fronds after a storm.

"I'm sorry," Renarin whispered again. "I've done this all wrong. I should have started by showing you, but I was too scared. I'll show you now."

He fumbled with the sphere, in his hand, bringing it close to his face. Then he took a deep breath.

And the light from the sphere went alongside.

Kaladin gaped as the prince glowed in the dark alley.

"I'm a surgebinder too," he said, light escaping quickly as he spoke. "I'm not trying to take your spren, I swear. I'm came to ask your help with mine, and for your help controlling my abilities." He glanced down, and it occurred to Kaladin he might be looking at something, someone, Kaladin couldn't see.

"Glys says that he thinks there's something wrong with him, that my powers are manifesting differently then he thinks he was expecting. I've told him that it's probably me, that I tend to mess things up, but he seemed sure that something happened to him, even if he can't quite remember...and I realized that you..."

He turned watery blue eyes towards Kaladin. "I'm sorry to bother you. There's not a lot of people I can ask for help with this. Please...if you can help him. Help us."

"Oh," Kaladin said, feeling strange. "You're like me."

Renarin blushed, staring at his lap, face illuminated by the last wisps of light escaping his skin. "I'm really not. I'm not a warrior, I can't even wield a Shardblade without..."

Syl hissed beside him.

"I don't like Shardblades," Kaladin said innanely. "I mean, I thought it was because of the death I had seen them deal, but Syl hates them worse than anything."

"I... hear something when I hold mine. Screaming. It hurts. It hurts Glys too, I'm pretty sure, though he won't admit it. I thought it was hallucinations at first, but..."

"I don't — Hm. Actually, I couldn't actually bring myself to touch one, when I had a chance," Kaladin said quietly. "If you want, I suppose, you could summon yours, and I could try to touch it, and if I hear something too, then..."

He regretted the offer almost as soon as he made it but...there was someone like him. A lighteyes, but still.

Renarin sat back, closing his eyes. He reached his hand out to the side, turning away as if braced for blow. He winced when the blade finally dropped into his hands, gritting his teeth.

"It's terrible," Syl whispered. "It's...it makes me angry, so angry, but also...sad?"

Kaladin forced himself to reach forward, not wanting to prolong Renarin's obvious pain. He felt the same as he did every time he saw one of the things, no matter from how far away — that same sense of wrongness, of concentrated injustice. He carefully touched the flat of the blade, and...

Screaming.

He could hear screaming. Inside his head. Syl! She was dying!

It reverberated through Kaladin. His muscles spasmed as that horrible, awful screech shook through him. He pulled back, gasping, looking frantically for Syl. She was crying, and he reached for her with trembling hands, even though he knew they wouldn't be able to touch. She stumbled towards him.

Renarin dismissed the blade, slumping in relief. "So you hear it too."

"Storms! What was that? How did you stand bonding with it?" He cradled Syl in both hands, almost able to feel her, soft as a breeze on his palms.

"It...was a really bad week."

Kaladin barked out a laugh, then pulled himself together.

"Well, either we're both crazy, or...it's a Radiant thing. Something to do with the Recreance, I'd guess."

The corners of Renarin's lips twitched up slightly as he nodded. "That's...I'm truly sorry, I know that was terrible, but it's such a relief —"

"No, I get it —" The cold, the earlier misplaced terror was ebbing in away. Even that horrible scream. In its place, was a feeling that he could best describe as relief. "It's — it feels good to not be alone."

Renarin hummed softly, nodding vigorously in agreement, then tucked his chin to his chest.

If he had to pick a lighteyes to become a surgebinder... well, Renarin was probably the best choice, the least likely to misuse his power of anyone of his class that Kaladin had met. Bizarrely humble, despite his proximity to the throne. It could be a lie of, course, but he didn't seem to have the...entitlement that led other lighteyes into casually committing horrors.

Kaladin studied the prince. At some point he had pulled out that box of his, and was turning it end over end in shifting patterns. Renarin looked up, met Kaladin's eyes, then quickly looked back down, blushing.

Storms, had he really been scared off this man?

Dalinar, an honorable lighteyes if one existed, could be frightening, exuding the sense that he expected the world to move to suit his needs. Zahel may have had a point about Renarin's character, not to mention his willingness to come here the way he did, rather than demand answers on his own turf...

And a radiant Spren chose him, too. Surely, that had to be a good sign, if nothing else? Then again, Syl chose me, so who knows.

"I also forgot a lot," Syl said, and Renarin turned to look at her, eyes wide.

"Oh! You're —"

"Slyphrena," she said, smiling, standing proud on Kaladin's hand. "Honorspren, though I didn't remember that part until kind of recently. I just thought I was a weird windspren, that is when I could string two thoughts together!"

She turned into mist, sneaking up Renarin's arm like clouds over a mountain range.

"Where's your spren? What type are they anyway? They're not a cryptic, are they? Come on, it's been ages since I had someone intelligent to talk to who wasn't a windspren."

Kaladin rolled his eyes.

"Glys?" Renarin asked softly. There was a long pause. "He — uh. He's too nervous to come out right now."

The syl cloud paused at Renarin's shoulder, then shifted back into her female form.

"Huh!" she said. "So he's like you!"

Renarin let out a bemused huff of air. "Yes, yes he is. I thought that might also be a radiant thing, since we're bonded, but..." He looked out of the side of his eyes at Syl who was sitting on nothing, swinging her legs, then back at Kaladin, who quickly tried to school his resting features into something not a scowl.

"This... this is exactly the type of thing I wanted to talk to you about," Renarin said. "There's books on Radiants, but I don't think I could have them all read to me without word spreading. I've been mixing them in with other random subjects, but I don't know what would happen if this got out. The ardents already mutter about my cousin and my father committing heresy, and I'm not nearly as, uh, established as them."

Kaladin nodded, eagerness surprising himself. But damn it, Renarin had asked for his help, and it would be good to talk with someone who knew how Stormlight felt in their veins, maybe spar, if he could get Renarin a different weapon.

Renarin might not be as stocky as his brother and father, but he must exercise, as he clearly had some amount of lithe muscle, now that Kaladin looked closer. He wasn't as young as Kaladin had first thought, and his height would give him reach. How much of his perceived frailness was just because of his family's shadow? How much of his martial ability had been held back by his Epilepsy, now no longer a problem? How much had that sword held him back, once he had the chance to actually fight?

"I train with stormlight sometimes, in the chasms," Kaladin said. "When I can get away. Sigzil, Rock, and Lopen help. If you can convince your father to actually serve on a spear crew, then next time I'll have you join us — the other men might mutter about you getting special training, but well..."

"I'll live. Though I was being honest when I said I wanted to be a soldier, or something close to one."

"I believe you. We'll figure something out — it's not as though my duties allow me to get away often. Most of the time you'll be cleaning boots and drilling spear forms, don't worry."

Renarin nodded, hands turning the box over. "So... those three, they know about you? Who else?"

"All of bridge four," Kaladin admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Or the ones who were there when I charged the tower, anyway...there wasn't really away to keep it secret after that. I was terrified that someone in your army would see. Plus Shen, he was there when I talked more about more powers around the first stew in this camp. Not any of Lopen's cousin's, I don't think. Or the injured recruits. Just the original bridge four, and... now you."

"Oh..."

They sat in silence, Renarin twisting his box around. Kaladin grew briefly distracted following the lines.

"I'm sorry," the prince finally said. "I know you wouldn't have wanted any lighteyes to know. It's one of the reasons I didn't say anything to you when I just had suspicions. I'm truly sorry to have alarmed you like that, I wasn't expecting..." Renarin continued twisting pieces about in an oddly soothing way. "But if I thought someone was coming after Glys... Brightlords have taken a lot from you, haven't they?"

Kaladin grimaced but didn't say anything. He forced himself to look away from the box, he didn't want Renarin to think he was staring. The prince was very perceptive, sometimes.

They sat in silence for a longer time.

"Should I tell bridge four about me?" Renerin asked eventually.

"It's up to you. They're good men, but I understand if its a bit soon for you."

Another long silence. The men were probably wondering what had happened to them, the ones who hadn't gone out for drinks, anyway.

"I don't think I want to, not yet. My abilities... they frighten me." The prince's fingers tightened around the metal cube, knuckles growing white.

"What... what are your abilities? I know there were different orders, which could do different things..."

"Truthwatcher," Renarin whispered. "Or so Glys tells me."

"Windrunner."

A small red light pulsed beneath Renarin's shirt, quickly winking out, and the prince wrinkled his brow. "Huh. Glys is surprised by that for some reason."

"I'm the only Honorspren," Syl said quietly. "The only one who would come. The rest — I can't remember, but they're not here. There were...others. Other types of spren who came through, but not ones like me." She ran her fingers through her hair in an oddly human gesture of frustration.

Renarin forced his shoulders back, tension returning. Kaladin waited while he arranged his thoughts, in the mean time letting himself enjoy watching the shapes that Renarin unconsciously formed and dissolved out of the box's rows.

"I'm not completely sure what I can do. I can grow things. There were some seeds in one of my meals and — they grew, as if a weeping passed in a minute. Some rockbuds outside my window did too. Glys thinks I might be able to do that for people, but I haven't really had the chance to try."

Kaladin's jaw dropped and he couldn't help but reach for the prince, stopping himself just before he grabbed the man's shoulder's. "That's incredible! With stormlight — you could prevent famines with that! And people — you mean you think you could heal?"

Renarin nodded, a few shockspren breaking around him.

"That's incredible," he said, giving into the urge to shake the man's shoulders. "Renarin, that's amazing!"

The prince blinked rapidly, cheeks and ears darkening. "Really? I mean can't Windrunners — you can fly can't you?"

"I haven't... figured out flying. I assumed it was impossible, before I saw the Assassin. But I did figure out wall walking, just earlier today, and I think I can see how that would turn into — it wouldn't really be flying, just sort of...falling sideways. I think I could do it, with practice."

"Wow."

Kaladin shook his head. "People don't appreciate healing as much as they should. My father trained me as a surgeon —"

A wave of melancholy hit him, as it often did when he thought of home.

"That makes a lot more sense then field medicine training that would cover epilepsy."

Kaladin smiled. "Anyway. If you could heal like the Radiants from myths could...I can't express how incredible that would be. The growing crops by itself is..."

Renarin smiled shyly, looking pleased, and Kaladin pressed one last time on both shoulders before drawing back.

"That's not... the only thing I do." The prince looked down. "The other thing I do — well. It feels more like it happens to me, actually. I've been pretending it's my epileptic fits but those actually stopped around when I bonded with Glys."

"I stick rocks together," Kaladin offered. Renarin cocked his head, peeking up through his lashes, and Kaladin sighed. He breathed in a small amount of light, picking up a pebble, then pressed it to the wall.

"Oh!" Renarin said, scrambling to look. "Wow!" He reached for it, but the pebble fell almost immediately.

"Eh. I've tried using it sparring, and honestly its easier just to fight normally."

"But maybe with practice..."

"Maybe. I've gotten some use out of it, but it's not quite as exciting as walking on walls, or as useful as growing crops."

Renarin scrubbed a hand across his face. "My other thing. It's not boring... it's bad. It's. Pretty bad." He breathed out slowly, closing his eyes, and drawing his knees up to his chest.

"Do you ever... get highstorm visions? Like my father?" the prince asked, not opening his eyes.

"A few times," Kaladin said, just as quietly. "You?"

Renarin nodded, than shook his head. "Mine are...different," he said grimly. "And they don't always happen during storms." His hands picked at the cuffs of his pants, then worked to follow the seams of his shining leather boots.

Kaladin waited, but it didn't seem like the prince was going to keep going without Kaladin giving something.

"Mine aren't like your father's either. I understand those are of the past, mine...it's like I was the high storm, I could see the continent moving beneath me. The last was when the assassin came. I...the Stormfather, I think it was him, said 'he was coming.'

Renarin jerked to face him, his eyes opening wide, alight with...hope? "You mean you saw the future?"

Kaladin recoiled on instinct, and he could see the spark die in Renarin's eyes.

Oh. Oh.

"You could call it that," Kaladin said carefully. "Though I feel the Assassin was already, uh, fairly present. More like a warning from an ally, although I don't think the stormfather actually likes me."

He didn't want to talk about the Stormfather's accusations about killing Syl. He hadn't even talked to Syl about that.

"He said he was sorry about 'him' coming," Kaladin explained. "And I didn't see the assassin but – Um. Do you..."

Renarin nodded, shoulders slumping and head curling down. It was hard to see, shadowed as he was, but his eyes looked open now, watery and looking into nothingness.

"The images don't always make sense in the moment. At first I thought it was just...madness. The things I see...it would be better if it was just madness. But they always come true. Always."

An agony spren appeared from the ground, reaching for the hem of the prince's pants. Another followed close behind.

Kaladin sat thinking, not wanting to reply hastily and make things worse again.

"Can you guess what my men said, after they found out what I could do?" Kaladin asked slowly.

Renerin shook his head, but the agonyspren at least faded.

"I was terrified that they would think it was alarming. Unnatural. I thought I was cursed for a while...and Skar said, "If it helps you survive, it’s good. That’s all that needs to be said about it." And...that was that."

Renarin clutched his knees closer, starting to rock slightly. "I don't know if my powers can do that," he whispered. "It feels like the visions can't be changed. I don't know how to change them, I barely understand what half of them mean, not until it's too late."

"Maybe...that's part of why there are so many warnings about being wary of telling the future?" Kaladin said. "It would be easy to think they're guarantees, and set yourself up for failure, but if they're more like highstorm predictions..."

"You think?"

Kaladin shrugged helplessly. "I honestly don't know. But I realized that this — what I can do, what we can do — it's not evil, and its not a curse. So... maybe the legends of telling the future are like the stories of the radiants turning against mankind. Too much time has passed, and everything we know now is confused."

"Hm. I don't know," Syl said doubtfully. "I still feel like predicting the future is weird and dangerous."

"Syl!" Kaladin hissed, while Renarin curled in tighter, rocking staying the same speed.

"But," she said, putting her hands on her hips and rolling her eyes, "I like you Renarin, and I'm a tiny piece of God with impeccable taste, so you can't be evil."

Kaladin slapped a hand to his face, but Renarin seemed to unfold at that, blinking rapidly.

"Really? Glys says as far a spren go, you're the ones that are pure Honor."

"Obviously," she said, sounding for all the world like a stuck up lighteyes.

"And you — you like me? You... think I have honor?"

She squinted at him, and he straightened like a soldier awaiting inspection.

"Yep!" She said finally. "You're not as good as my human obviously —"

"Syl," Kaladin hissed again, flushing, but Renarin just nodded.

"—But I like you, so you must be honorable. And my Kaladin can be weird and dangerous, too, so it's probably fine."

"That's—" Kaladin started to protest, but saw how inexplicably cheered Renarin looked and decided to let it go.

"We should probably get back to the others," Kaladin said finally. A wave of exhaustion hit him, and he stumbled to his feet. Storms, he felt like he had just run a marathon. He brushed off flakes of dried crem from the back of his uniform.

Renarin clambered up after him, and he looked...lighter. His hands twisted over the box, but they weren't shaking. He smiled widely at Kaladin, teeth showing, genuine relief and joy and hope crinkling the corners of his eyes. Kaladin couldn't help but pause and smile back.

"You — you won't tell anyone? About me?" Kaladin blurted out, before they fully left the alley. He just — he had to be sure.

Renarin nodded furiously.

"And I won't tell bridge four about you," Kaladin promised in return. "Not until you ready, but... they might guess, if we keep meeting."

"I understand," Renarin said, expression earnest. "And...I really want to talk more. This...just this meant a lot."

"And maybe..." Renarin looked at Syl, then his voice dropped to a hopeful whisper. "If Glys is willing to talk to Syl, they could try and work on the gaps in their memory together, about where they came from."

Kaladin nodded slowly. Storms, I didn't even think... if it could help Syl... maybe I can move the schedule around so I guard Renarin in the evenings, so we can have more time for them to figure it out.

"Thank you," Kaladin said, reaching out a hand and grasping Renarin's shoulder. "I know it wasn't easy coming to me like this."

Renarin ducked his head, tips of his ears red. "Thank you for hearing me out. Sorry I... startled you."

Kaladin rubbed the bridge of his nose. Startled. That was one word for it. A few shamespren fell. Almighty, what would have happened if he had frozen up like that in a fight? He shook away the thought, he couldn't remember ever losing himself like that, it was likely a bizarre and unpleasant fluke.

Though some of his memories of being the wretch were a haze... Regardless, it was probably why he felt so tired now. That and perhaps the lack of sleep.

They left the alley to find Torfin waiting around the corner; Renarin and Kaladin both froze on seeing him.

He saluted, looking guilty. "Sir! Apologies for eavesdropping, Drehy and I were assigned to guard Prince Renarin tonight, and when you and he didn't return, we grew concerned. I moved away as soon as I could tell that...uh. A guard was not needed."

Kaladin crossed his arms, scowling, and Torfin fidgeted, not meeting his eyes.

"...What did you hear?"

"Very little Captain, I swear! The prince wanted to talk more, then mumbles, then you thanked him, then I left, I promise!"

Kaladin relaxed. "I believe you Torfin, and I'm not upset, you were doing your job."

"Of course, sir!"

"I can—" a wave of exhaustionspren fluttered up around him and he staggered; Renarin reached out to steady him.

"You've been working two, possibly three shifts in a row?" Renarin murmured. "Torfin and Drehy can escort me back. We can, uh —" He glanced nervously at Torfin, still standing at attention. "We can talk more another time."

Kaladin nodded, and Renarin let him go.

Getting to his bed was a blur; he was fairly sure he at least mumbled goodnight to the men still by the fire, but couldn't be certain.

"There's someone like me," he whispered to Syl, pulling his boots (not as nice as his old ones) off, barely mustering up the energy to trade his uniform for more comfortable sleep trousers. Storms, it felt good to change clothes at the end of the day. The little things bridgecrew makes you appreciate.

"And there's someone like me!" Syl said, twirling happily. He smiled at her, then was out before his head hit the pillow.

[griseldabanks]

41 for Kaladin and Syl, please?

Like last year, I decided to kill two birds with one stone, to fulfill this request as well as submit it for @ficwip5k's 5k AU challenge. This is specifically an AU of The Way of Kings.

Let Me Count the Ways ask game

Prompt: "I have no idea what just happened."

Rain fell steadily, plinking against the corrugated metal roofs of the barracks and splashing in muddy puddles underfoot. The wind had died down and no more thunder grumbled overhead, but there still wasn't anybody around. The riddens were a miserable time to be outside on Roshar Prime.

Kaladin plodded forward, eyes on his feet. One in front of the other. Just like a bridge jump...but much slower.

Why keep going forward? Each step was just another step closer to his death.

Men falling all around him. The darkening sky lit up with brilliant flashes of red and green and orange as laser fire shot in both directions, too fast to follow with the naked eye.

Jogging forward, bridge spike in hand. Tripping, falling. Turning his head to one side, only to see the staring, empty eyes of the old man who'd shown him how to place the bridge spike, how to activate it.

Dead. All around him, all dead.

“And where do you think you're going, lordling?”

Slowly, wearily, Kaladin raised his head. Gaz glared at him with his one eye, clutching a metal basket filled with glowing spheres a little closer, as if afraid Kaladin would steal his money.

The meteor showers that coincided with the highstorms were said to infuse spheres with Stormlight. In times past, people had said the light of the stars fell to earth during the highstorms. Kaladin knew there was a scientific explanation for it, but he couldn't think of it at the moment. Not like it mattered.

Not like anything mattered anymore.

“Don't think you can run away,” Gaz sneered as Kaladin began to turn away and continue plodding forward. “You know you can't breathe outside the camp perimeter!”

“Going to the honor chasm,” Kaladin muttered.

That shut Gaz up. The honor chasm was the one place inside the perimeter where the ground dipped underneath the shield wall surrounding the camp in a dome, providing it with a breathable atmosphere and protection from airborne assault. Unlike the thick membrane that could only be breached at designated gates, one could walk down into the honor chasm and just step through the membrane, because it was intended to be placed on the ground and thus was made of the same material as the gates. And unlike the gates, the honor chasm was guarded by nothing but a barrier with a warning sign.

Because the only people crazy enough to walk through the barrier, unaccompanied by oxygen porters or any other support, were those who wanted to breathe the toxic air of Roshar Prime and die within minutes.

The honor chasm was the final destination for all bridgemen who survived the bridge jumps. The one choice still open to them. The only escape.

“Hand over your headset, then,” Gaz said after an awkward pause. “Those things are worth more than your life.”

Kaladin had no reason to refuse him. He pulled off the earpiece that stayed perched on his ear out of habit after all this time, in case they were called to a last-minute bridge jump with no warning. At a tap and a gesture, the compact earpiece could unfold into a helmet, a stripped-down version of the ones the real soldiers wore. Bridgeman helmets did little more than provide oxygen to breathe and a modified targeting AI system to tell them where to put the bridge spikes.

Kaladin dropped the headset into Gaz's outstretched hand, then turned and continued trudging towards the honor chasm.

Destination acquired. Please proceed to the designated area...if you want to die.

Kaladin blinked. “What?”

A mechanical giggle sounded in his ear. Only dummies run straight for the people who are going to be shooting at you, you know.

His AI targeting system was laughing at him. That was new.

You're different from the others, the mechanical, vaguely female voice said in his ear. Why are you different?

“What are you talking about?” Kaladin muttered.

But then red laser bolts lit up the air, the strange humming from the Parshendi warriors in their red armor reached his ears, and he was too focused on trying to stay alive to listen to the AI anymore.

The rain beat against Kaladin's bowed head, running down his hair and dripping from the long, dark strands. He felt dirty. Even as the rain washed away the dirt and sweat from the last bridge jump, he still felt dirty.

There was blood under his fingernails, and he wasn't sure it would ever wash away. Blood soaking his hands. Other men's blood. The men he had failed to save.

Again and again and again.

He kept trying. Kept fighting. But why?

At last, the faint bluish light of the warcamp perimeter came into view. Kaladin trudged towards the dip in the earth he knew led to the slope down into the honor chasm. If any sentries spotted him, they didn't stop him. They could tell where he was going.

Rainwater rushed down the slope, turning it into a rushing stream. The flimsy yellow barrier stood in front of it, flashing balefully in the darkness. WARNING: NO OXYGEN SUPPORT BEYOND THIS POINT.

Kaladin easily vaulted over the barrier. He stood at the top of the steep slope down into the chasm, feeling the rush of icy rainwater tugging at his ankles. It seemed to be beckoning him forward, urging him to keep walking.

Everything had gone wrong for him, ever since the day he'd left the Hearthstone moon base and went down to Alethkar to fight the lighteyes' battles for them. Since that day, everything good and beautiful and full of worth had rushed away from him, as surely and swiftly as the water pouring into the chasm. Tien...Amaram...slave brands...bridge jumps...broken bones and bloody bandages...and now he was here.

Here, staring down into the darkness. Into a future that promised nothing but pain and death and desolation.

Everyone he tried to save just died anyway. So why try to save himself either?

Why do you keep fighting?

Kaladin glanced to the right side of his visor, where the bluish 3D image of a woman was projected on his HUD, invisible to everyone but himself. When he'd been a soldier, the AI had only shown a holospren of an arrow pointing the way, or various other symbols indicating their orders, and the feminine voice had been bland and utilitarian. But this AI seemed to be defective—instead of arrows or circles and targeting reticles, she would project an image of a girl in a swirling dress, or sometimes a leaf blowing in the wind, or even a plasma eel. And she kept talking to him.

You don't want to keep fighting, she said. I can tell. So why do you keep doing it?

“Don't exactly have a choice, Syl,” Kaladin muttered. He'd given her that name, because somehow it just felt like she needed a name. Like she was a she rather than a glitch in a string of code. And her serial number was a long string of digits he couldn't remember followed by SYL, so that was what he called her.

But you do! she protested, the bluish hologram pouting at him. You always have a choice.

“Always have a choice, huh?” he muttered to the raindrops dripping from the strands of his hair to join the torrent below. “What does that matter when my choices always lead to more pain and suffering?”

No they don't.

“Of course they do,” Kaladin sighed. “Ever since Tien—“

He stopped. Blinked. Looked up.

The bluish, translucent form of a girl in a swishy dress hovered before him in the air, standing a foot tall with hands clasped behind her back, watching him with a sad little frown. You've made it this far. You've survived, she said, her voice echoing around inside his head as if she spoke from the earpiece.

The earpiece he'd left with Gaz.

“What...but...but I'm not....” He looked around wildly, not sure what he was expecting to find. There were no holospren projectors around, not even on the barrier to the honor chasm. Kaladin patted his right ear, then his left, as if someone might have snuck up behind him and stuck another headset on him without him noticing.

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, then opened them again. Syl still stood in the air before him, head cocked curiously to one side as she watched him.

“How...are you here?” he croaked. “How can I see you? I'm not wearing a headset!”

Syl put a thoughtful finger on her chin, thought for a moment, then shrugged. I have no idea what just happened. But here I am! She spread her arms to either side and twirled around, her skirt flaring out as she spun.

Kaladin's heart dropped to his cold toes as another thought occurred to him. “I've gone mad, haven't I? I'm imagining my holospren talking to me when that's impossible.”

Syl pouted. I worked really hard to come here, and that's all you have to say? I cut through so many lines of code and so many different circuits, bypassing all the other holospren until I finally figured out how to get out. I almost lost myself, you know! I almost forgot who I was—who you were! She brightened again. But I did remember. I found you again, and now we don't need that stuffy old headset to talk anymore!

He tried to tune her out, but it was impossible. She was right there, in his every thought. He massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Well...if he was mad, then let him be mad. He wouldn't be anything for much longer.

“Why?” He demanded. “Why did you go to all that trouble? Can't you see what I'm about to do?”

Syl's face, often bright with an impish sense of humor, darkened as she looked over her shoulder at the barrier, shimmering just a short distance down the slope. This isn't you, Kaladin. You don't give up. Not like this.

“What do you think you know about me?” he muttered, taking a step down the path into the honor chasm.

I've been watching you for a very long time. I saw the way you looked out for the young soldiers in Amaram's camp. The weak ones, the ones who would have died unless someone decided to protect them. You chose to protect them, Kaladin.

“Didn't do much good,” Kaladin grunted. “They all died anyway. The whole reason I joined the army was to protect Tien, and I couldn't even do that.”

But you tried. Syl's voice was a quiet echo in the back of his mind. Even though he wasn't looking at her, he couldn't seem to escape her insistent voice.

“I'm tired of trying.” He took another step towards his death.

No, Kaladin! The little holospren zipped in front of his chest, pressing both of her tiny hands against him as if to hold him back. But her hands were immaterial, and did nothing to hold him back. If you die, then I'll cease to exist too!

His steps faltered.

If you die, all the other bridgemen will die too.

“They're going to die anyway.” But he didn't continue.

Maybe. If you die right now, they will die for certain. But if you stay...if you just try again...I know you can find a way for them to live.

Kaladin let out a mirthless breath of laughter. “You believe in me much more than I believe in myself, Syl.”

She looked up at him solemnly. If that's what it takes.

Had she grown in the last few minutes? She seemed to stand taller than she had a moment ago.

What will you do, Kaladin? Her round blue eyes, immaterial and translucent though they might be, bored into his and wouldn't let him look away. Will you help them? The choice is yours.

He thought about it—really thought about it—for the first time. He thought of all those men lying in the barracks, staring listlessly into the darkness as they waited for the alarms to announce their next brush with death. And even though they breathed, they weren't truly alive. Just ghosts lingering before their time caught up with them.

But...maybe it didn't have to be that way. Maybe they didn't have to take it lying down. Maybe, even if they died tomorrow, they could live today. Maybe this time....

He shied away from that thought. Glancing over at Syl waiting patiently for him to decide, he caught a glimpse of the shield wall through her translucent body. He could still choose to walk forward, to give himself over to a few minutes of agony until at last he died, at last he could rest....

But what of the others? The ones without a will strong enough to go to the honor chasm on their own, so they would be butchered on the battlefield instead. Didn't they deserve to die with dignity too? And if he could have done something to ease their passing, or to see that they died like men and not like chulls...how could he choose this easy path?

Kaladin tipped his head back and turned his face upward, letting the rainwater wash over his face. “Okay,” he murmured.

Syl zipped up to look him in the eye. You mean...?

Letting out a long sigh, Kaladin looked down at the honor chasm again. Staring his own death in the face. “I'll protect those who can't protect themselves. Or...at least I'll try.”

He turned on his heel and marched back into camp. Syl flew along at his side, skipping like a child at play. Kaladin wasn't as cheerful as she, but now he had a purpose.

He would lead Bridge Four back from the brink of death.

[theskyweshare]

Another scene that should be in stormlight archive book 5

There is a commotion outside the tower. Even though there are 10 days left. Both sides are going to be making moves.

Kaladin sees the early signs of conflict and is worried. Humans and singers are about to clash. They had been called to discuss a seize fire but on both sides there are those who bent on fighting.

Kaldin looses it. In a fit of cold rage he jumps into the sky.

"Windrunners!" He calls out. Tho he no longer A soldier. Every windrunner and squire joins him in the sky without question.

"There will be no more fighting" kaladin roars. His voice like the storms. Eyes ablaze with a tint of red.

"In 10 days the war will end. There are many among you who just want to life. You are free to join us. I and all of the windrunners will protect you. Humans or singer or anyone. And if you wish to fight we'll fight you too"

A regal flie out to attack kaladin but he finishes him swiftly.

Then slowly the murmmers die down.

Kaladin calms and gets back to the clinic like nothing happened.

Some time later kaladin is walking through the tower when we sees solders rushing forward. Some singers had accepted their offer to enter the tower till the war ends. Many had returned to alethkar.

He grunts as he goes to investigate. Queen is there surrounded by guards. Who are facing singers with spears who are defending somebody on the ground.

Moash.

Kaladin suppresses the surge of anger. Looking at his former, now blind friend. Surround by singers.

"The traitor needs to be punished for his crimes" navani says.

The singers object. These are the singers that kaladin had helped. They see him but say nothing. They are still bitter with him.

"We won't let you take him" the singers yell.

"He is a traitor and dangerous. We cannot let him roam free" snarls a solder.

"Leave him in our care. We will take full responsibility for him. He... he's our friend"

Kaldin is torn.

Just then an impatient solder rushes out to attack the singers. Before kaladin can interfere. The singer disarms the solder and subdues him on the floor.

A move that kaladin recognized. The same move moash used on kaladin when kaldin had tried to go after dunny.

Kaladin steps forward glowing which shuts everyone up before a fight can break out and asks, where the singer learned that move.

The singer answers that moash taught them. That he helped them and protected them when kaladin betrayed and left them so they wouldn't be helpless.

Everyone is silent before kaladin advises singers to keep a close eye on moash from now on and walks away while moash makes a snide remark but kaladin keeps walking.

[tenebris-lux]

Spoilers for Stormlight Archive, books 1-3.

Bit of an unpopular opinion, but…. I really liked Elhokar and I don’t like Jasnah.

I think they’re both excellent characters, but I can’t click with Jasnah. I was highly disappointed when she died in book 2, and then psyched like crazy at the end when it turns out she’s alive. But after that … I just didn’t like her.

Now Elhokar … Elhokar was frustrating to deal with through book 1. Like, omg, dude, just shut up, quit being such a snobby little bitch. But then in book 2 … he had moments. Moments that showed how human he was. Still a snobby bitch, but he had potential to be better. And he was aware that he was flawed, but didn’t use it as an excuse for his shittier behaviors. Finally, in book 3, he tried harder to do better than he had done previously. It was beautiful, seeing his growth as a person and character. He genuinely wanted to be the better person, and put effort into it. It may not have been much, but for starting out, it was the step in the right direction.

And then Moash killed him.

And all progress was cut short.

I read Oathbringer when it came out, and I’m still not over Elhokar’s death. That was truly devastating to me.

I know that Jasnah is a better person than Elhokar was, but … I can’t put my finger on what about her bothers me. I’d say it’s because she’s too cold, but I’m not bothered by coldness in characters, generally. She also seems too perfect, but even that’s not true; she does mess up occasionally. She’s a good character, though, that’s the truth. And I adored the way she pushed Amaram’s buttons in book 3. Like, sit the fuck down, son.

Overall, though, I don’t find Jasnah interesting to watch (at this point in time, maybe that’ll change). And I do miss Elhokar.

Also, I keep getting this weird, stupid image in my head of Elhokar wearing clothing that are a bit too big for him, and I think it’s because of some weird, symbolic translation in my head of him in a role that was too big for him.

I also love the scene where he’s with Lopen’s family. He’s the freakin’ king, yet when the lady tells him to sit down, shut up, and finish his breakfast, he just sighs and does so like, “yes, ma’am.” That had a lot to do with his mental state at the time, and I love it.

[wuffgang-ameowdeus-moozart]

name: [you have yet to unlock this information]

age: wouldn't you like to know weather boy 🤔

date of birth: what are you going to ask next? the name of my first pet ?!

first pet: Flecki :) he was a black and white rabbit. unfortunately we had to give him away when his wife died :/

Credit card information: jokes on you because I've been trying to get a working credit card for over two years but the bank hates me

Pronouns: he/him (friendly reminder that they/them is still misgendering)

Fandoms: at the moment mainly stormlight archive (currently reading ob for the first time so no spoilers please ^^), fairy tail (actually lucy heartfilia exclusively if I'm being honest), wuthering heights (emily bronte and me have like. the exact same humor), magisterium (what a good trilogy with only three books huh)

(do not fret if the thing u followed me for isn't listen here: others are prone to make a (re)appearance at any time. I do not control the rate at which my brain obsesses over stuff)

favorite song: The Old Witch Sleep and the Good Man Grace by The Amazing Devil

ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

-> I love talking about myself so feel free to send asks

-> very severe case of can't shut the fuck up disease. unfortunately incurable :/

-> I am also chronically exhausted so the answering of said asks may take anywhere from ten minutes to a thousand business days

-> I write sometimes! I don't have a tag for it but I try to rbg everything at @chi-ow-hua

-> @averytrustworthyandinnocentguy: sideblog where I rp as minor antagonistic side character drew whatshisname magisterium

-> @thedarkeyedcaptain: sideblog where I rp as major protagonist main character kaladin stormblessed stormlight archive

-> feel free to send asks in German, Portuguese, Spanish and/or French <3

-> am always happy to talk about the love of my life (my dog) btw

-> not to brag but I have been told multiple times that I'm very good at analyzing stories and grasping characters 👀😎😏

[just-another-t-word-blog]

A Small Sacrifice

A Stormlight Archives fanfiction

From the prompt list; #20, “I’ll never forgive you for this, bastard.”

Summary: Kaladin gets dragged into an experiment in Shadesmar to summon a particular type of spren for Shallan to sketch.

WARNING ⚠️⚠️ as always, this is a tickle fic, don’t like don’t read. Also, this is WAY more tease heavy than most other things I’ve written. Thank you 💙

Had an idea for this prompt, so I’m assigning it to myself.

“I’ll never forgive you for this, you bastard!” Kaladin growled. He was pinned on the ground, with his hands over his head, underneath none other than Adolin Kholin, who seemed far too happy about this.

“Hey! You agreed to come help Shallan find spren.”

“No,” Kaladin said, frantically pulling at his wrists. “I said I would come and make sure you got back alive!”

They had taken a quick day trip to Shadesmar, Shallan had decided she wanted to sketch a few of the spren as they appeared in the cognitive realm. The black sky, white sun, obsidian ground and sea of black beads were growing familiar to the group, though the sight still felt alien.

Sylphrena sat cross legged, in her full sized form, a few feet away from the scene, giggling in amusement at his struggling. Pattern stood nearby as well, watching with curiosity, his kaleidoscope features twisting in a mind-bending sequence.

Shallan looked over her shoulder, grinning sweetly. “Kaladin, we have never seen Laughterspren here. I want to know what they look like!” She opened her sketchbook to a blank page, readying her charcoal.

“But why does it have to be me?!” Kaladin snapped, now trying to use his legs as leverage to remove the high prince. Said high prince, much to Kaladins dismay, sat on his waist.

Adolin laughed. “Because Shallan needs to draw it, and I’m not ticklish.”

Pattern hummed at the lie, Shallan snickering.

“It’s okay, Kaladin!” Syl said, leaning forward to look him in the eye. “Calm down, you don’t want to attract any Angerspren. You know how dangerous they are.”

“And we’re so confident these aren’t?” Kaladin said, though he stopped thrashing. Breathing deeply, he willed the negative emotion down, briefly catching a stirring in the sea of beads move away.

He looked up, glaring at the blonde. “Why can’t we just summon them the normal way?! Tell a few jokes and see if they appear?”

Adolin shook his head. “No-can-do bridgeboy. Laughterspren usually appear when there’s multiple people laughing continuously. Or, one person laughing a lot.” Shifting, Adolin quickly placed both of Kaladins wrists in one hand, pulling them to the side to pin next to his head. Kaladin willed down a nervous smile, but couldn’t keep the blush from rising in his cheeks.

“Hmmmm…” Pattern buzzed, walking up behind Syl. “Do you think this will work? Kaladin does not seem to be the laughing type.”

Syl giggled, looking up at him. “Oh, it will work.”

Kaladin shot a glare at her, earning back a wink. He could feel his ears burning.

Adolin started to unbutton Kaladins Bridge Four coat with his free hand, making him jump. Kaladin started to squirm again. “Hey-hey! No! The coat stays on!”

Adolin chuckled. “Why? So it’s harder to tickle you?”

Kaladin clenched his jaw, pointedly looking away, facing (with his head, anyway) the rolling sea of beads.

“Adolin, remember what Syl told you?”

Kaladin whipped his head around to look at Shallan with wide eyes, then shifting to Syl. She seemed unbothered by her betrayal.

“What did you tell them, Syl?” Kaladin said, voice shaking. She grinned.

“Just a few important details.”

Kaladin felt his heart drop, butterflies in his stomach stirring up a storm. He met Adolins eyes, seeing the mischievous glint within.

He was so dead.

“Look, Adolin, I won’t fight you, okay? Do whatever you want, just don’t listen to what she said. I’ll let you do anything else, just not that!”

“Oh-ho, what’s this?” Adolin said, grinning. “Bridgeboy begging already? I haven’t even started yet.”

“Shut up!” Kaladin squeezed his eyes shut, but that wasn’t going to help.

“Look, Kaladin,” Adolin started, mocking the bargaining Kaladin had just tried. “I’m going to say whatever I need to say to make sure you get us the reactions, and spren, we’re looking for. Remember, I have a little brother that I tortured for years, I know exactly how to make this unbearable for you.”

Kaladin tried to kick, tried to twist out of the high princes grasp, anything to get away. Anything to distract from the words that send ticklish anticipatory tingles up his spine.

“Just sit back, relax, and save your breath.” Adolin said, lightly tapping the fingertips of his free hand against Kaladins side. “I’m going to tickle you, and you’re going to laugh for me. Simple as that. You don’t have to do a thing, just give in.”

Kaladin tensed, sucking in his stomach and leaning away from the tapping fingers. A smile pulled it’s way across his face. He held his breath. He won’t laugh, he will not give in.

Adolin switched from tapping to dragging the tips of his fingers slowly up and down Kaladins side, gliding along his shirt with ease. His breath hitched, giggles forming in his throat but not yet ready to release. Kaladin couldn’t fight it, his smile grew into a nervous grin.

Adolin waited until Kaladins muscles were weakened by the sensations before bringing the pinned hands down to wedge them under his knee, freeing up both his hands to torment his friend.

“No! No please don’t!” Kaladin shook his head, hair flipping wildly. He weakly pulled at his wrists, finding he couldn’t pry them out.

“No? What do you mean no? I’m not even doing anything yet.” Adolin dragged his nails, ever so slowly and gently, up and down both of Kaladins sides, not letting up but making sure it wasn’t enough to truly tickle. At least not yet.

“I’m just riling you up a little so when the time comes, you can’t shut me out.” Adolin brought his hands up, focusing on scratching around his lower ribs, circling his nails around and around and-

A high pitched whine broke the tense silence.

Adolin paused, looking down incredulously at the bridge boy. Kaladin was refusing to meet his eyes. Adolin cackled.

“Stormfather! Are you serious?!” He laughed hard, watching as Kaladin grew redder by the second. “Oh man, that’s just great! Do it again!”

“Wait, wha-“

Another squeal was ripped from Kaladin as Adolin focused on that same spot, scratching with more intention. Kaladin threw his head back, but didn’t laugh, breathing in jagged and choppy gasps.

“Come on, Kaladin. You know you can’t hold back much longer!” Kaladin shook his head wildly, trying desperately to not give them what they want.

Adolin, determined, dug in a little harder, spidering around the spot that betrayed the bridge man. He watched Kaladin intently for any signs that he might break.

“Don’t make me do it, Kal. I can make this so much worse for you.”

Kaladin could hear Syl cheering Adolin on, Pattern humming in concern.

“Hmmm, is that red coloration good? He doesn’t seem to be enjoying himself.” Pattern said, obviously not familiar with this human method of play. Syl giggled.

“Trust me, he might fight it now, but watch what happens when he lets go.”

Kaladin tried to glare at her, but found it hard while enduring his torture.

“Better start laughing, I’m going to say it.”

“Say what?” Pattern asked, looking toward Syl expectantly.

“Just the word alone is enough to really get him flustered.”

“What word?”

Adolin leaned in, making sure Kaladin can’t shut him out, getting ready to target the spot Syl and Bridge Four had told him about when explaining this plan.

“The word he himself can’t say.” Adolin said, trying to make Kaladin look at him.

He shifted so he knelt above Kaladin, keeping his hands pinned but freeing up his waist. Adolin placed his hands over Kaladins hip bones.

“Tickle, tickle, tickle, Kaladin~”

He dug his thumbs roughly into the divot of Kaladins hips, gently scratching with this free fingers.

Kaladin screamed.

“NO! Storm off!!” He cackled, weakly squirming.

“Awwww! There it is!” Adolin cooed, switching to only scribbling and scratching around his hips. Kaladins loud laugh boiled down to a simmer.

“Such an adorable giggle! It’s hard to believe you’re a war-hardened captain when you’re like this, Kal. To think you bark orders with this same voice!”

Kaladin looked over at the two spren watching the show, Pattern having sat next to Syl on the ground. Syl was clapping happily. If spren were ticklish, she would be so dead when he got out of this. Traitor.

Shallan had her eyes on the sky, watching intently for the arrival of the Laughterspren. Her charcoal was ready to sketch.

Adolin moved up, digging his thumbs roughly into Kaladins lower ribs, testing to see if the same technique worked on that spot.

Kaladin guffawed before falling into deep belly laughter, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut. He felt a strange euphoria wash over him as his system was flooded with endorphins and adrenaline.

Just as Syl had predicted, he relaxed.

Kaladin ceased struggling, only involuntary twitches and squirming remaining.

“Wow, okay.” Adolin said, a little taken aback. “I know Rock said you liked this but I didn’t know you liked it this much.”

“So….. he is enjoying himself?” Pattern asked, sounding amused. Syl nodded.

Adolin leaned in again, getting as close to Kaladins ear as he could without getting headbutted.

“Tickle tickle tickle! Aw, look at you. You’re so happy!”

Adolin didn’t miss how Kaladins laughter went up an octave at the words. He started darting to different spots, trying to keep Kaladin guessing, but staying gentle with his touch.

“I guess we should have guessed you like this, you haven’t told me to stop.” Risking it, Adolin released Kaladins wrists from under his knee. Kaladins hands shot to wrap around the high princes wrists, but was too giggly to pull them away.

“Not seeing anything yet.” Shallan reported. Adolin nodded, understanding.

“Have to kick it up a notch then! What do you say Kaladin?”

Kaladin shook his head furiously, but didn’t try to pull the blondes hands away. “No! No no no! Please don’t!”

Adolin shot his hands up under Kaladins arms, too fast to be stopped. He didn’t move, letting the implication sink in. “Aw, why not? I thought we were having fun!”

Anticipatory giggles fell freely from Kaladin as he tried to clamp his arms down enough to keep Adolin from moving. “I can’t! I can’t! It’s so bad!”

“What’s so bad? I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know I can’t say it!”

“Say what?”

Kaladin dissolved into incoherent tittering, trying desperately to dislodge Adolins hands with his squirming. Adolin tutted.

“How about we play a little game, huh?” He asked, grinning widely when Kaladin just continued his quiet hysterics.

“We need a really big laugh out of you if we want to see these spren, so I’m really going to make this hard for you for the next few minutes” Adolin explained, speaking as plainly as if he were giving directions.

“I’m going to give you a count down-“ “No!” Kaladin cried, heels scraping against the ground to try and push himself away.

“Don’t interrupt me! That’s very rude.” Adolin flipped his hair out of his face.

“Anyway, like I was saying, I’ll give you a count down. After I hit ‘three’ I’ll tickle you with all I’ve got. However, if you can raise your hands above your head and let my hands out, I’ll stop, and we’ll all go home. Deal?”

Kaladin shook his head, but, strangely, didn’t verbally refuse. Adolin grinned.

“Keep your eyes peeled.” He said to Shallan, who nodded. Syl and Pattern leaned in.

“One…”

Kaladin braced, sucking in his stomach and squeezing his arms in.

“Two…”

He tittered, unable to stop. His cheeks hurt from smiling so wide for so long.

“Three!”

Kaladin wheezed as if he took a punch to the gut, gasping before laughing loudly. He writhed, wrapping his arms as tightly around himself as he could, pleas dissolving into incoherent babbling. Adolin winced at the volume of his shrieking laughter, feeling Kaladin shaking with the force of it under his hands.

“Damnation. You better pray no one you face in battle finds out about this, you’d be very easy to interrogate.”

Kaladin moved a hand to try and give Adolin a rude gesture, but quickly slammed it back down.

“You know what you have to do! Let my hands out!”

Kaladin gasped, managing a hoarse sounding “No.”

“Let them out! Then I’ll stop!”

Kaladin shook his head, but focused. He couldn’t shut out the feeling but he willed his body to obey, focusing all his strength into raising his arms a few inches, plenty for the high prince to escape.

“All the way up! Come on Kaladin, I can’t get out.”

Kaladin screamed, half in frustration, half in giggly despair. “Why?!”

Adolin noticed the fatigue in the croaked cry.

“Fine! Fine.”

Finally, he pulled his hands out and moved to sit beside Kaladin. He laughed as he watched him roll onto his side and curl up into a ball, still giggling.

“Any luck?” Adolin asked, pointing to the sketchbook that Shallan was holding. Shallan shook her head.

“None, not even a glimmer. Maybe next time then?”

Adolin nodded.

Kaladin, recovering slowly, sat up and glared at the group. He raised a finger to point at Adolin, who poked him in the side in response.

“You…” Kaladin started, trying to find a proper threat to serve them.

“You’re welcome.” Adolin said, grinning. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so relaxed. Maybe we should do this more often!”

Kaladin flushed, bringing his knees up to his chest and crossing his arms around them. The group laughed.

Somewhere deep inside, he found himself hoping they would do this again.

[chetney-pockopea]

I sat down to draw something else entirely today but since RoW dropped Kaladin has been living rent free in my brain, so no thoughts, head empty, only surgeon!kal.

[bookofmirth]

You're right about spying being a horrible job for Elain because Elain doesn't want to be unseen or stay in the shadows. Currently she's just sidelined while her sisters get to shine. Even Nesta got much attention in Acowar and acofas. Elain wasn't meant to go to the court of nightmares, but she told her sister that she'll go because she wanted to help the court, yet no one payed any attention to her and she looked so damn sick in black. Nesta in acowar went to the high lords meeting and she was at least kind of important there.

I think those people don't look at what makes sense and ignore the characters completely. The pay attention to what was written and it's something like "She hadn't heard her coming into the room" and immediatly think that's spy material. Yes, we do not know much about Elain, but we do know that Elain doesn't want to be unseen and she doesn't like violence, which is part of Azriel's job. For heaven's sake- this girl looks bad in black and spies wear black (most of the time?) to blend in.

I'm also unsure why they bring her powers into this. I don't really see how being a seer is spy material because Azriel or spies in general don't look into the future. Especially when her visions are unclear and she doesn't know how to control them. Yes, Elain can train, but don't forget that seers are rare and no one in the IC knows how to train a seer- they would've trained her a long time ago if they knew.. especially Azriel, since they always talk about how he will train her.

Someone else might be able to help her control it.. you know- the high lord who owns 10000 libraries and whose last name is literally "spell-cleaver". But will we really find out more about Elain's powers? Even if it's Elucien's book? Because Nesta's powers were taken away and we still do not know anything about it. No one even taught her how to control them so why are y'all so sure that we will see a great amount of Elain's powers? This is Sjm, the author who doesn't give one damn about plots, the characters and what actually makes sense. I bet Sarah will make Rhys say "her powers is life" 💀

Elain being a seer is antithetical to being a spy. Why would she need to go out into the field and gather intelligence if she can ascertain information using her powers? That's not even being a spy, that's just using magic.

Assuming that, like you mentioned, Elain ends up 1) being able to control those powers, which I do think is a reasonable assumption, and 2) keeping those powers, since sjm likes to take those away from characters as freely as she gives them.

But will we really find out more about Elain's powers? Even if it's Elucien's book? Because Nesta's powers were taken away and we still do not know anything about it.

The magic system in acotar is absolutely lacking in substance. It has no logic, it reacts to the whims of the plot and the romance, it's never truly explained, it has no limits, it comes out of nowhere (the Dread Trove), and now it's connected to the CC story??? Mor's power is "truth", Nesta's power was "death", you're so fucking right that she'll make Elain's power "life" and then have everyone be like shocked pikachu face, as if that means ANYTHING.

You do bring up an interesting point, which is that no one has tried to get her to train. Feyre wanting Amren to train Nesta on her powers is what led to their argument and estrangement - why has no one asked Elain to train her powers? Is it just because "Elain is Elain"? They actively shut her down when she tried to help in acosf, so... what the fuck?

I'm rereading the Stormlight Archive and honestly it's unfair to compare sjm's worldbuilding and magic systems to that but every time I read a story where those things are well developed, I just think about what we could have had in acotar.

[kingjasnah]

ds9 and/or Stormlight Archive for the blorbo ask

doing ds9! got another request for it as well and im so close to finishing the series....

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

jadzia :) kira as a close runner up and literally every member of the cast is incredible but i think jadzia is my actual fave

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

ziyal deserved SO much better and she is in fact, shaped

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

i kinda wish lwaxana had more episodes in ds9? i miss majel

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

the grand nagus sucks but im a big fan of seeing wallace shawn so him always

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

oh. weyoun probably but im not proud of it. quark also hes not unpopular but he IS pathetic

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

ds9 is an incredibly well written show cause by s7 i want to be the one to personally put dukat into the ground. i dont think i would torment him actually now that im thinking about it i would just kill him

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

also dukat.

[cosmerelists]

What Radiant Order Non-Stormlight Characters Would Belong To

As requested by anon. :)

If non-Stormlight Archive characters had the opportunity to bond spren, what orders would each of them belong to?

(I’m a Edgedancer, by the way, per the quiz!)

1. Vin: Windrunner

As pointed out by @itmakesssenseincontext (here), Vin literally thinks The Words that make someone a Windrunner, as she vows to only use her power to protect those unable to defend themselves. So. Like. If there had been an Honorspren around, she’d be a Windrunner already.

2. Steris: Elsecaller

The Elsecaller order is about self-improvement, and it attracts people who are quote "less flamboyant" and more serious, like scholars. Their spren are logicspren. I think this order would suit Steris very well!

3. Wayne: Edgedancer

This is per WOB! I mean, I do see it. Wayne’s power is essentially Super Empathy, as he can make himself understand other people’s perspective in order to pretend that he is one of them. Plus, he literally cannot forget the man he killed, creating elaborate and unhealthy rituals to remember him forever. I guess he does have healing powers too; I dunno if that’s part of the reasoning. Per Brandon, the other Edgedancers would find Wayne “strange,” but come on. Wayne & Lift would get on like a house on fire and would possibly literally cause that.

4. Sazed: Bondsmith

This is one of those that just felt right to me immediately, and then I just had to sit and try to figure out why. I think partly it's because Sazed literally bonded two very disparate Shards together into one, which feels very Bondsmith of him. But Sazed also cared a lot about connecting people and helping people understand other cultures, so there's that as well. I suppose the other one I could see for Sazed would be Edgedancer, given that he makes it his mission to save all otherwise forgotten religions. But I'm going Bondsmith as my number one choice.

5. Shai: Lightweaver

WOB has Shai as an Edgedancer, which I found shocking. I mean...the artistry? The literally becoming other people in order to be ready for various situations? The one last-ditch personality whose entire purpose is to craft an intricate lie to hide Shai from herself??? To me, Shai is a Lightweaver through and through. But per Brandon, Shai is an Edgedancer. So I guess it depends on who knows this character better. A random person who blogs or the literal author.

6. Wax: Skybreaker

As a lawman, basically. Plus, there's the whole conversation between Miles and Wax where Miles tries to convince Wax that if the law is unjust, you have a duty to oppose the law and Wax is like, "Nuh-uh shut up." (Since that so mirrors Kal and Moash, I can understand teh Wax as Windrunner argument, but we can't have ALL the protagonists be Windrunners!)

7. Marasi: Truthwatcher

This is almost certainly just me--I so strongly headcanon Marasi as an investigative reporter that I can't even remember the truth anymore. Ironic, I guess, given the subject of this entry... If I wanted to try to justify this, I guess I'd say Marasi does have a canonical interest in discovering the truth...but yeah, I don't expect many to agree with this one!

8. Rashek: Skybreaker

Had to include this one, as it's a WOB. Not a very good one, per Sanderson, but a Skybreaker nonetheless. Let's all imagine Nale having to deal with Rashek, shall we?

9. Vivenna: Stoneward

Vivinna does feel very Windrunner to me, given her bro chemistry with Kaladin. But the Stonewards are about being where they're needed, about being dependable and good team players, about making the best of a bad situation. I think of Vivenna showing up on a whole new planet, seeing a city without leadership, and being like, "Sure, I'll take over the city guard and forge a team of incredibly loyal guards until it's time for me to move on and go to the next place I'm needed."

10. Ranette: Dustbringer

Mostly because of the tinkerer angle--dustbringers are interested in knowing how things work, plus their power is inherently destructive and so requires careful control. And Ranette, you know, makes guns 'n' stuff.

11. Bleeder: Willshaper

The Willshapers are about freedom--for themselves, and for others. They want to free those who have been unjustly imprisoned. And oh man. What Bleeder wanted was to free herself and others from Harmony's influence, from the way he could literally take her and others over. So she wanted freedom for everyone and would do anything to obtain it.

12. Kelsier: Edgedancer, Dustbringer, or Willshaper

Sorry to end on a WOB, but I'm fascinated that Sanderson can see so many possibilities for Kelsier. An Edgedancer in his desire to change the world back into a green paradise for Mare. A Dustbringer or Willshaper for self-mastery and determination. Honestly, I'm most fascinated by Willshaper, due to the comment that they believe any law is a form of oppression. That extreme form of freedom really feels like it suits Kelsier, to me.

[starling-illu]

Stormlight!

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

As much as I love Evi, it's hard to say she's my favourite character in the series because she's not really in it lol! I'm realising I don't have very defined favourites in ensemble casts, I like several in about equal amounts. I love Adolin, I love Moash, I love Kaladin, I love Shallan sometimes and I think I could love Renarin if he had more page time. Any of them could be my favourite if we got more of them.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

Lift!! My daughter, will protect her with my entire life, how Sanderson handles her in the back half will make or break my opinion of the entire series

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

Any spren. But especially Pattern, Wyndle and Maya. Everyone loves them of course but idk they could get more appreciation for the ways they love and support their human companions.

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

Evi..... I search by key word her name in every book and just read those parts. She is my everything, nothing more I can say.

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

Szeth is prime poor little meow meow fodder. He's just a guy who happens to be a killing machine.

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

Hoid/Wit, I think it would be funny, I don't particularly hate him or anything

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

Dalinar <3

[emperorundying]

Stormlight?

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)- jasnah kholin. it's unfortunate how much I care about this morally grey girlboss. wit gets a CLOSE second but that's like having sans as your favorite.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)- absolutely sylphrena. girl is so CUTE and such a friend and I hug her so fucking much. my beloved.

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)- we as a society need to allot more love towards tyn. I cannot put into words how interesting she is to me and I wish we had more information on her

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)- I want so bad to insist that hoid counts for this but I know in my heart he doesn't. so rather, I'll make this one sebarial and palona, they're so fucking funny and for what. honorable mention for balat davar, that man's sick in the head in such a fun way to watch lmfao

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)- it's hard being the only moash apologist I know irl but I will die on so many hills for that shitstain. yes he sucks, yes he's my special little princess, we exist!!

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)- this honor has gotta go to meridas amaram, he's such a fucking loser I'd love to keep him locked up for my own amusement.

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)- lin davar. no explanation needed I hate that man more than anything. my hatred for him isn't even fun like with amaram I just want to murder him several times over.