One year earlier, Kaladin waits in Brightlord Amaram’s warcenter after killing a Shardbearer in battle. Exhausted and grieving the loss of nearly his entire squad, Kaladin reflects on refusing the Shards and on his desire to protect his men rather than chase wealth or rank. Amaram arrives with a stormwarden, briefly mentioning mysterious enemies, and questions why Kaladin charged and why he rejected the Shards.

Kaladin insists the Blade and Plate be granted to Coreb, the senior survivor. At Amaram’s signal, officers close the shutters and draw swords. Kaladin, unarmed and spent, is restrained as Amaram’s men turn on the four surviving spearmen. Reesh is cut down first; Hab and Alabet are slain despite drawing knives; Coreb backs away, begs, and is beheaded.

Amaram kneels to a battered Kaladin and claims the executions and seizure of the Shards are for the good of Alethkar. He argues that the army must believe he slew the Shardbearer and that Kaladin would later demand the Shards back. Amaram cites counsel and shadowy threats as justification while taking the Blade for himself.

To secure his narrative, Amaram orders Kaladin branded a slave, planning to report the squad as traitors and Kaladin as a deserter captured by his guard. The stormwarden heats the iron marked sas nahn and burns it into Kaladin’s forehead. Amaram departs with the stolen Shards, leaving Kaladin screaming, newly enslaved and stripped of his men and honor.