Fleet
| Fleet | |
|---|---|
| |
| Homeworld | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
Fleet is a figure from legends on Roshar.
In a tale that Wit tells Kaladin, Fleet was a man who could run faster than a highstorm.[1] Wit also claims that his story is well-known by all, but Kaladin doubts this as he had never heard of Fleet before.[1] The story suggests similarities between Fleet and Kaladin.
During the Diagram's assassination attempt on Elhokar, Kaladin remembers the story of Fleet, who kept running and never stopped. This inspires him to keep going, as all men eventually die and all that truly matters in the end is how they fight to survive, not their deaths.[2]
Appearance and Personality
He is described as a simple barefooted man. He is tall with long hair that runs down to his waist, resembling Kaladin.[1]
Wit mentions that he had raced the Herald Chanarach to prove his speed, perhaps showing a competitive streak. (He won the race, demonstrating exceptional speed.) He then raced the Stormfather himself, trying to outrun a highstorm. His desire to be the fastest on Roshar was so extreme that he died in order to win the race, and even then his spirit left his body in order to continue down to the western shores of Shinovar in an attempt to best the Stormfather.[1]
Fleet's attitude is reminiscent of the First Ideal of the Knights Radiant: the outcome of the race (and his inevitable failure) is irrelevant to him, and he judges himself only by his efforts.
Attributes and Abilities
Fleet was incredibly fast and retained a huge amount of stamina, used to keep running from the Origin until his death in Shinovar.
Quotes
“Fleet kept running. He couldn't win, but he kept running. And when the storm caught him, it didn't matter that he’d died, because he'd run for all he had. We all die in the end, you see. So I guess what truly matters is just how well you've run. ”
—Kaladin's tale about Fleet
“In his mind's eye, he saw the race. Fleet, a barefooted man. Wit claimed all knew of him, but Kaladin had never heard of such a story. Lanky, tall, with tied-back long hair that went to his waist. ”