The Death of Ruin and Preservation

Lore & Background

For millennia, the Shards of Preservation and Ruin locked Scadrial in a stalemate. Preservation sought to keep life static and unchanging, while Ruin pushed for destruction and entropy. Their conflict was maintained by Preservation's prison and the mists, not by the Lord Ruler's actions or metal stockpiles. The Lord Ruler held the power of the Well of Ascension but was not a Vessel of Preservation, and his reign did not suppress Ruin's influence. While Kelsier's rebellion laid the groundwork for humanity's defiance years prior, the death of these entities began in earnest when Vin and Elend died, allowing Ruin and Preservation to perish. In the aftermath, Sazed—a Feruchemist who understood the intents of both Shards—took up the unclaimed power, merging their intents into a new, singular entity: Harmony. This act required Sazed to sacrifice his humanity and become a god himself, effectively ending the reign of Preservation and Ruin forever.

In Their Own Story

The sky above Hathsin did not burn; it wept ash. Vin stood at the precipice, her eyes reflecting the golden light of a dying sun that had long been choked by gray clouds. Below, the ground trembled as two forces collided—not armies, but concepts made flesh. The air tasted of copper and old blood, the scent of a world holding its breath before the final exhale. Sazed felt the weight of history pressing against his mind, the whispers of Preservation urging stillness while Ruin screamed for chaos. He closed his eyes, not to block out the vision, but to see past it. In that moment, he understood that the only way forward was to let go of everything he knew. The gods fell silent, and from their silence, a new song began.

Reader's Guide

The arc begins with Kelsier's rebellion against the Lord Ruler, shattering the illusion of divine invincibility and sparking hope among the Skaa. As the Lord Ruler is finally killed, Ruin seizes the opportunity to fully consume Preservation, intending to destroy Scadrial completely. Vin and her crew race to stop this catastrophe, realizing that killing the Lord Ruler was only half the battle. They must prevent Ruin from finishing his work while navigating a world descending into chaos as the Ashes spread uncontrollably across the continent. Sazed, having absorbed the knowledge of all faiths, becomes the focal point of the conflict. He realizes that neither god can be allowed to win alone. In the final confrontation, he accepts the power of both Ruin and Preservation, merging them into a new Shard called Harmony. This act saves Scadrial but ends the existence of the original two gods, fundamentally changing magic on the planet.

Did You Know?

• Sazed's ability to take up both Shards was due to being a Feruchemist and understanding the intents of Ruin and Preservation, not his religious syncretism.
• The event marked the end of the 'Era of Ash,' but plants had already begun to grow again on Scadrial before this moment, thanks to earlier changes in the environment.
• Harmony, the new god formed from their deaths, inherited the memories and intents of both his predecessors, creating a complex divine personality.