Preservation

Wit

That is the reason I have contacted you,

------------------------------------------------------

Vin leapt to her feet, spinning around, daggers in her fists, to face this newcomer.

The man smiled lazily, raising his hands slightly. "I mean you no harm, young one."

"Wouldn't have mattered if you did," Kaladin grumbled. He pointed his spear at the man. "What do you want Wit. Is this your doing?"

The man, Wit, chuckled. "Now Kaladin, is that how you greet an old friend?"

The man scowled, continuing to glare at Wit. While he didn't seem overly hostile twords the man, that apparently hadn't been friends either.

"Unfortunately, no, I didn't cause this," Wit continued, answering Kaladin's question. "This is actually something that I know little about."

Kaladin frowned, "But you always seem to know everything."

Wit raised a finger, "Ah, but if someone appears to know everything, then they most likely know next to nothing."

Spensa chuckled, "Now that I can get behind." Vin's eyes flicked to her. The woman didn't appear to be overly threatening, but neither did Vin. And she'd learned long ago to never judge someone just by their looks.

Furthermore, there was something about her that made Vin worried. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was definitely something strange about this woman.

Wit shot a grin at Spensa, before turning to Vin, studying her.

"From the outfit, I suspect you're an Allomancer," he stated, taking in her Mistcloak, daggers and coin pouch. "A coinshot, perhaps?"

Vin shook her head. "Mistborn," she replied. She studied the man's face. Had she seen him somewhere before?

Her reply seemed to trouble Wit. "Mistborn? There hasn't been a new Mistborn in over three hundred years, except for poor Wayne."

Vin frowned. Three hundred years? That couldn't be right. Sure, Mistborn were rare, but not that rare. She'd killed three, technically four, had been trained by another, and had married yet another, though Elend might not count, due to his unusual circumstances. Yomen might even have another at Fedrex, though she couldn't be sure.

Thinking of Fedrex, Vin suddenly remembered where she's seen this man before. "It's you!" she exclaimed. "You're that beggar informant I saw in Fedrex!" Another memory returned, "And you were that informant that Kelsier spoke to!"

Wit looked at her in confusion. "Fedrex? But that hasn't existed since..." his eyes widened. He stumbled back, shocked, "You're Vin!"

Vin smiled, glad that someone had finally recognized her. Though, it was quite a bit different then usual. Wit wasn't just surprised, he seemed to be actually in shock.

"What-, but-, how -," he pointed at her, "But you're dead!"

Vin froze, thinking she's misheard. "What?"

"You died over three hundred years ago. Fighting Ruin." Wit sank to the ground, "This isn't possible. Not even a Shard could bring you back, and Harmony swore he saw you enter the Beyond."

Vin went cold. She glanced at the others, to find Kaladin staring at her intently. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he apparently trusted Wit's judgment.

Spensa in the other hand, was laughing. "Are you serious?" she asked Wit. "Do you honestly expect us to believe that this woman, sitting right in front of us, died over a hundred years ago?"

"Well then, let's test," Wit replied leaning forward to study Vin. "Are you not Vin Venture, wife of Elend Venture, Empress of the New Empire, Mistborn, slayer of the Lord Ruler, Heir of the Survivor, Vessel of Preservation, and Hero of Ages?

"Yes," Vin breathed, to shocked to say anything else. She sank down, dropping her daggers to the ground.

"Well, that proves it," Wit replied. "That woman died over three hundred years ago, slaying the Shard Ruin, leaving behind an immortal legacy."

Vin perked up at that. She had died, but still managed to save her people? She was right. Ruin could be defeated.

Not that it helped her much now, in this strange void.

"Wait," Kaladin asked, his eyes widening, "did you say that she killed a Shard!?"

"Will kill, seeing that she's not currently dead," Wit replied. "Though, that would have happened in the past for you, so yes."

"Um, excuse me," Spensa interjected. "What's a Shard?"

Vin nodded in agreement. She didn't know either.

"Ruin and Preservation were Shards, Vin," With explained.

Vin nodded. Of course they had a name, their type of being. For some reason, that name seemed to click, as if she'd always known it intuitively.

"That didn't answer my question," Spensa interjected, folding her arms across her chest.

"I'm aware," Wit leaned forward, glancing at Kaladin. "Do you want to explain?"

Kaladin scowled, "Why would you think I had any idea about what the Shards are?"

"Well, considering the fact that you are currently fighting the most dangerous one, I'd assume you pick something up," Wit replied, amused.

Kaladin threw his hands up, "All we know is that he is immensely powerful, strong enough to kill other Shards."

Vin's eyes widened, "There are more of them?" she asked weakly.

"Yes," Wit replied. "14 more to be exact."

Kaladin looked at him, shocked, "There are 16 of them? We can barley deal with just one!"

"Yes, it is quite absurd isn't it?" Wit replied.

"Hello?" Spensa demanded. "Still not answering."

"Ah, yes," Wit sat forward. "The Shards are beings of immense, almost godlike power. They are composed of a power or force, and an individual that holds the power. Together, they create a Shard."

Spensa frowned, "What?"

"They are extremely powerful beings that are bound to follow the ideal of the power," Kaladin explained. "For example, the Shard Honor must always be honorable."

"Ah, got it," Spensa replied, sitting down. "So, are the like the Delvers?"

Wit stared at her blankly, "The what?"

"You know, the Delivers. The entities that live in the Nowhere? The reason why people are afraid of Cytonics?" She looked to both Kaladin and Vin for support, but they were just at confused as Wit.

"What are you talking about?" Wit asked. "No such thing exists."

Spensa frowned, "But they do. I interact with them when I travel through the Nowhere."

Wit shook his head. "Young lady, I've lived for a long time. Longer than you've been alive. Longer than the existence of Vin's planet. Longer than even the existence of the Shards. I've traveled to numerous worlds, experienced their culture, and spoken to their people. And yet not once have I heard of what you speak of."

Spensa shrugged, "Well, it's true. You might have not discovered it yet, but the Nowhere exists. It's how I Hyperjump."

"You've said that before, Hyperjump," Kaladin remarked, "but what does it mean?

Spensa looked at the three of them, noting their confused expressions. She sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. Then, suddenly, she disappeared.