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Amid ash and panic, Kelsier engages a Steel Inquisitor near the prison carts holding Renoux’s people. Using pewter, iron, and steel—and burning atium—he maneuvers through soldiers, diverts archers, and protects fleeing prisoners while searching for his foe. Ham’s squad breaks open the final cart as skaa crowd the streets.

The Inquisitor ambushes, burying an axe in Renoux’s back and moving to kill Elend Venture. Kelsier intervenes, orders Elend to flee, and resumes the duel. Exploiting precise Pushes and Pulls, Kelsier disorients the Inquisitor with a storm of metal, then pins its head spikes into a cart and beheads it with an axe, astonishing soldiers and rousing the skaa.

As chants swell, the Lord Ruler’s arrival smothers the nascent rebellion’s hope. A rebel Thug’s spears pass harmlessly through the Lord Ruler, who advances on Kelsier. After a brief exchange, the Lord Ruler casually strikes Kelsier down and pins him to the stones with a spear, declaring the executions to begin.

Inquisitors butcher the crowd as the square erupts. Vin rushes to Kelsier’s body, finding him dead, his last smile fixed beneath falling ash. Ham seizes Vin and forces a retreat while soldiers and Inquisitors continue the massacre, leaving the rebellion shattered by the loss of its Survivor.