lexoj

The passage in question, Chapter 98 in Oathbringer: “What were those two spren floating nearby, shaped as small slits in the air? They separated the sky, like wounds in skin, exposing a black field full of stars. When they moved, the substance of reality bent around them. Szeth bowed his head. He no longer ascribed to spren any particular religious significance, but he could still be in awe of these. He might have lost this contest, but he seemed to have impressed the highspren.”

The cryptic lost it’s bond when Elhokar died. It was still stuck in the physical realm, Hoid rescued it from the ruins of the Kholinar palace and bonded it or started the process as indicated by him saying the First Ideal.

Wait, where in the book that said Teft spren is named Phendorana. We only know she’s Syl’s Aunt, Teft’s spren is not named at all.

Not disagreeing that Regrowth can heal that, but just pointing out that the extent of Szeth's death wasn't as serious as OP suggested and making sure more people know about change in continuity.

Brandon retconned the ending of WoR, where Kaladin doesn't kill Szeth during their last battle. But, what happens is Szeth realize he wasn't Truthless this whole time and breaks down. He then unbonds his Honorblade to commit suicide by freefalling to the ground. Source: https://brandonsanderson.com/three-stories-in-new-formats/ Read the Words of Radiance section at the end.

Venli was there too and she bonded an unknown Radiant spren that is likely a Willshaper spren. While Ash is the patron of the Lightweavers and Shallan being there also does indicate the Lightweavers are doubly represented, it could also mean that Ash may be bonding an Ashspren to become a Dustbringer in the future to preserve the symmetry and representation.

Hoid rescued a Cryptic NOT an Inkspren, which gives access to Transformation and Illumination. He has Lightweaver abilities not Elsecaller.

Repeating what I wrote on Reddit here: Bear in mind that these are in-world paintings which are what Rosharan artists THINK the heralds look like. The Alethi looking Jezrien might have been drawn by an Alethi artist. There might be some real world connotations here, where Jesus’s ethnicity in different countries are often depicted differently depending on the country. Though, this is all speculation of course.

They used it in Dalinar's flashback in the chapter Starfall in WoK.