Contents
Chapter 78
Overview
Sazed, imprisoned by the kandra Seconds, is rescued by TenSoon and MeLaan. Using Feruchemy, Sazed helps defeat Fifth-Generation guards and discovers the First Generation hidden, disassembled in cells. TenSoon impersonates a Fifth to mislead KanPaar while the Firsts regenerate, buying time to expose the coup.
An epigraph reveals atium as condensed Ruin, explaining the Pits as a cycle for returning power.
Summary
The epigraph explains that “body” means divine power manifest in matter. Atium is entirely of Ruin, unlike ordinary objects balanced between Ruin and Preservation. The Pits of Hathsin were Preservation’s trap for Ruin’s power; burned atium’s power returned to the Pits to coalesce again, mirroring the Well’s cycle.
In the kandra Homeland, Sazed languishes in a cramped pit built to hold boneless kandra. Stripped of metalminds, he improvises by storing weight and speed into the iron grate and steel lock, entering a meditative trance as he waits and holds to renewed faith that Vin will preserve the world.
TenSoon arrives with MeLaan and other kandra to free Sazed. Learning the Seconds have overthrown and captured the First Generation, they are soon confronted by five Fifths. TenSoon fights fiercely in his wolfhound body but is outnumbered. Sazed taps stored weight and speed, crushes one guard, shatters others’ bones with a hammer, and helps rout the Fifths.
Questioning a captive named FhorKood, Sazed and TenSoon discover the neighboring cells contain disassembled, mosslike kandra muscles—actually the imprisoned Firsts. They open the pits and send MeLaan for bones so the Firsts can regenerate, realizing the Seconds hid them by swapping prisoners while maintaining appearances.
To buy time, TenSoon forces FhorKood to relinquish his bones and remakes himself as the Fifth, planning to report TenSoon’s “capture” and stall KanPaar. As MeLaan returns with bones and the Firsts begin slow regeneration, Sazed resumes storing Feruchemy, confident that with the Firsts’ testimony they can expose the coup—unaware of what further harm the Seconds may attempt meanwhile.
Who Appears
- SazedImprisoned by the kandra Seconds; rescued, then uses Feruchemy to defeat guards and help recover the Firsts.
- TenSoonLeads the rescue; fights Fifths; impersonates FhorKood to mislead the Seconds and stall KanPaar.
- MeLaanAssists in the rescue; unlocks cells and fetches bones to help the First Generation regenerate.
- FhorKoodFifth-Generation kandra captured by TenSoon; relinquishes bones, enabling TenSoon’s impersonation.
- First GenerationSecretly imprisoned and disassembled in pits; begin regenerating once given bones.
- KanPaarLeader of the Second Generation’s coup; holds the Firsts and had Sazed seized.
- Fifth Generation kandraGuards enforcing the Seconds’ orders; battle Sazed and TenSoon and are defeated.