Difference between revisions of "Waxillium Ladrian"

 

Halted by a door which was inscribed with writing that none of them could decipher, Wax returned to the entrance of the temple, where Steris, Marasi, and Wayne held Edwarn at gunpoint; his expedition had arrived at the temple just before Wax's return. Edwarn claimed to know the secret to opening the temple's final door and threatened Wax that he had an overwhelming force of Allomancers and goons surrounding the temple who would not hesitate to kill every member of Wax's pitiful group, unless he was allowed to join them in collecting the Bands.{{book ref|mb6|25}} When the temple's last chamber proved to be missing the Bands, Wax suddenly found himself in an armed standoff with Telsin, who he had rightly suspected to be a mole for the Set. Both siblings fired at once; Wax's bullet went wild and missed, but Telsin's shot hit Wax just below the neck. A number of bullets later, Wax fell into a pit below the Bands' supposed resting chamber.{{book ref|mb6|26}} Trailing blood and weakening by the moment, Wax was soon tracked down by Edwarn, now fully revealed as an Allomancer, by way Hemalurgic spikes. Edwarn cruelly triggered another of the temple's traps, which collapsed the roof and crushed Wax's already wounded body under a punishing avalanche of rubble. In a daze, Wax was forced to watch helplessly as his uncle approached, unholstering his pistol and intent on finishing him off. When Wayne arrived to attempt his rescue and broke down at the sight of him, Wax used his remaining breath to tell his friend to go on living and keep fighting. No longer able to hold on, Waxillium Ladrian died.{{book ref|mb6|27}}

 

====Return====

|Wax clenched his jaw, but couldn't force down the trembling that took him. He lived it again, holding her as she died. Knowing he'd killed her. That hatred seethed inside of him. Hatred for Harmony. Hatred for the world. And yes. Hatred for himself.

|Wax reflects on Lessie's death.{{book ref|mb6|28}}

}}

Immediately, Wax found himself in the presence of Harmony. Face to face with the god he had shunned for so long, Wax did not shirk away; instead, Wax laid into Harmony for his inaction that had led to so many people suffering. He chastised him for using Wax all these years with what appeared to be so little regard. He demanded an explanation for what happened to Lessie. Together, the two of them philosophized on the nature of cause and effect. Harmony patiently explained that his workings were larger in scope than Wax could currently understand. He expanded Wax's worldview-- showing him a representation of the planet and allowing him a small glimpse of the greater conflict in which he was currently embroiled. Allowing Wax to choose, Harmony offered him a chance at "another adventure," which Wax accepted. Wax opened his eyes and screamed, throwing the rubble from his body with the pure strength of steel itself. His body instantaneously healed, Wax focused his view on Marasi who had placed something like an oversized spearhead in his hand: the real Bands of Mourning, an unkeyed metalmind of nearly limitless power.{{book ref|mb6|28}}