Their abandonment of mankind is somewhat diluted by the fact that Ishar, another Herald, believes that '.so long as there is one of us still bound to the Oathpact (Talenel), it may be enough. They plan to lie and tell the people that they finally won against the 'enemy', saying it might even turn out to be true. Kalak shows horror and disgust that both Jezrien and himself have been broken by the cycle of Desolations and that they are too weak to face their suffering. Jezrien then tells Kalak to relinquish his blade as well, for '.it is time for the Oathpact to end.' This effectively leaves Talenel (Taln), the only Herald who died in the battle, alone to uphold the Oathpact and the sole sufferer of the pain and torture in the waiting realm. Kalak then admits to Jezrien that he can't return to 'the place of nightmares', the waiting place of the Heralds between Desolations. Jezrien then informs Kalak that the other Heralds have departed, abandoning the Oathpact. However, he notices seven Honorblades driven point-first into the ground at the base of the spire. At first, Kalak assumes that the other eight must have died, for the battle was 'furious'. Upon arrival, he finds only their leader, Jezrien, waiting for him. He is traveling to the Heralds' preordained meeting place (a rocky spire) for those who survived the Desolation. Kalak, one of the ten Heralds, wanders through a torn landscape littered with dead humans, thunderclasts, and other beasts. 9.9 Chapter 60: That Which We Cannot Have.7.7 Chapter 35: A Light By Which to See.5.11 Chapter 22: Eyes, Hands, or Spheres.4.3 Interlude I-3: The Glory of Ignorance.

The sufferer and the witness wikipedia