Contents
Chapter 69
Overview
Marsh, briefly aware within Ruin’s control, recognizes that Ruin fears Vin. Ordered to move, Marsh ambushes and kills a determined messenger carrying a metal-inscribed warning from Spook to Vin. Forced to read it aloud, Marsh confirms metal hampers Ruin’s perception, then Ruin compels him to destroy the message and head for Luthadel.
Summary
Marsh broods in falling ash, recalling his encounter with Vin and realizing that, for a moment, Ruin had feared her. Though he hopes to exploit rare flashes of autonomy, he doubts he can free himself long enough to act.
Ruin seizes Marsh’s body and sends him flying across the ashen sky. At night, Ruin sets him down near a lone soldier forcing his way through chest-high ash with a pack and a horse.
Marsh attacks. The soldier fights bravely, trying to reach the spike in Marsh’s back and then drawing a hidden dagger. Marsh counters with pewter and speed, cripples the horse, and fatally wounds the man.
As the man reaches for a thin metal sheet, Marsh—overwhelmed by bloodlust—hacks him down, momentarily resisting Ruin’s commands through koloss-like fury. When Ruin reasserts control, Marsh retrieves the metal sheet.
Compelled to read it aloud, Marsh reveals Spook’s message to Vin: Ruin manipulates those pierced by metal and appeared as Kelsier; even small piercings taint. This confirms that metal blocks Ruin’s direct reading, forcing it to rely on Marsh. Ruin then makes Marsh crumple the sheet unreadable, abandon the corpses, and launch toward Luthadel.
Who Appears
- MarshInquisitor controlled by Ruin; notes Ruin’s fear of Vin, kills a messenger, reads and destroys Spook’s metal warning, then heads to Luthadel.
- RuinManipulates Marsh, fears Vin, cannot directly read metal; forces Marsh to destroy Spook’s message and continue its designs.
- Unnamed messenger soldierDetermined courier trudging through deep ash with a horse; carries Spook’s metal-etched warning to Vin; killed by Marsh.
- SpookAuthor of the metal-inscribed letter warning Vin about Ruin’s control through piercings and urging distrust of the pierced.
- VinIntended recipient of Spook’s warning; previously confronted Marsh and is noted as being feared by Ruin.