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|profession=Thief
|abilities={{tag+|edgedancer}}, {{tag|Shardbearer|cat=Shardbearers}}, {{tag+|oldmagic}}
|bonded=[[Wyndle]], [[Gereh's Aviar|Aviar]]
|groups={{cat tag|Huqin's crew}} <small>(formerly)</small>, {{tag|Knights Radiant}} <small>([[Order of Edgedancers|Edgedancers]])</small>
|born={{Rosharan date|1160}}{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}
|'residence={{tag|Rall Elorim|cat=Residents of Rall Elorim}} <small>(formerly)</small>, {{tag|Azimir|cat=Residents of Azimir}} <small>(formerly)</small>, {{tag|Urithiru|cat=Residents of Urithiru}}
|nation=Reshi Isles
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|first appeared=[[Words of Radiance]]
}}
{{update|sa4}}
{{quote
}}
Lift is thirteen years old when the [[True Desolation]] begins. She has long, straight black hair that she wears down to her waist.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} Her skin is tan and she has the rounded features of the [[Reshi]].
As would be expected from someone of Lift's age, she often acts child-like. For instance,
Lift has an interesting perspective on the morality of her thievery.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} She does not think it wrong because it does not hurt anyone. Lift is also totally uninterested in stealing typical items such as gold, jewelry, spheres or anything traditionally of value. Instead, she likes to break into places and eat their food. She steals food for the challenge, rather than trying to gain any sort of wealth for herself. She uses the [[Surge]] of Abrasion often in her thefts. She also has a rule not to steal from people who don't have much.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}
For all her flaws, Lift has a good heart.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} She has seen much death in her life, but it still impacts her greatly when someone she knows dies. For instance, when [[Gawx]] was mortally wounded, she cared enough to return to try to save him, despite the fact that she was risking capture and death to do so. Lift cares for other people because she believes that someone has to, which seems to be a temperament that is shared by other Edgedancers. Once, Lift tried to stop caring about others, possibly during her time in [[Rall Elorim]], but she quit because it was worse than being dead.
== Attributes and Abilities ==
{{image|Edgedancer by Randy Vargas.jpg|side=
=== Thievery ===
=== Surgebinding ===
Lift has formed a [[Nahel bond]] with Wyndle, which grants her the ability to Surgebind, although at first Lift herself is not entirely certain whether she believes this.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}
; Abrasion:
Abrasion allows her to change the friction of her body against her surroundings.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} She refers to this ability as her "Slickness." Lift uses this ability often to make quick getaways. She reduces friction on all parts of her body except the soles of her feet and palms of her hands, and then kneels and propels herself swiftly forward using her palms. This also comes in handy when Lift is escaping pursuers, because it is nearly impossible for them to get a grip on her.
; Progression:
The Surge of Progression allows for two different sorts of abilities.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} The more basic of these two is simply called Growth. Lift can use Lifelight to increase the rate of growth of plants. When Lift uses Growth, plant life that she illuminates grows at an extremely accelerated rate, and she has some measure of control over the way that it grows. She is less practiced at this ability, but she uses it for things such as making vines grow to force a locked window open. It is unknown if this allows Lift to enhance the Growth rate of animals or not.
The Surge of Progression grants Lift another power as well, known as Regrowth.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} It allows Lift to heal others from serious injuries that would otherwise be fatal. When Lift uses Regrowth, she breathes out clouds of
; Resonance:
=== Old Magic ===
{{image|Lift - VII. The Chariot .jpg|side=right|width=250px|Lift eating}}
{{quote
|This is a creation specifically meant to defy my will!
}}
Lift's visit to the Nightwatcher leaves her with a rather unique trait, one that is not among the typical power set of the Edgedancers.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} She exists partially in the Cognitive realm, which grants her some special abilities. The first is that she can touch spren, something that is supposed to be impossible, as they exist mostly in the Cognitive realm.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}} This ability greatly helps Lift with her thievery, as Wyndle takes the form of a vine. He can make handholds or increase the width of ledges for Lift by growing where she needs to go, but no one else is able to see or touch him. She is also one of the few people who can always see [[Syl]], regardless on whether she wants to be seen.{{book ref|sa4|41}}▼
Lift's other power is even more impressive.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} Unlike most Surgebinders, who are able to draw Stormlight from external sources, Lift metabolizes food directly into [[Lifelight]], and uses Lifelight to fuel her Surges instead of Stormlight.{{wob ref|8073}}{{wob ref|2739}}{{book ref|
▲Lift's visit to the Nightwatcher leaves her with a rather unique trait, one that is not among the typical power set of the Edgedancers.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} She exists partially in the Cognitive realm, which grants her some special abilities. The first is that she can touch spren, something that is supposed to be impossible, as they exist mostly in the Cognitive realm. This ability greatly helps Lift with her thievery, as Wyndle takes the form of a vine. He can make handholds or increase the width of ledges for Lift by growing where she needs to go, but no one else is able to see or touch him.
▲Lift's other power is even more impressive.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} Unlike most Surgebinders, who are able to draw Stormlight from external sources, Lift metabolizes food directly into [[Lifelight]], and uses Lifelight to fuel her Surges instead of Stormlight.{{wob ref|8073}} {{book ref|RoW|60}} Food that she can metabolize quicker, such as bread, can be metabolized into Lifelight faster than something like sausage, but may provide less Lifelight overall because it has fewer calories. Her Lifelight is produced in place of sugar.{{wob ref|67}} However, this is limited to substances that she can normally digest into nutrients.{{wob ref|2506}} She can also convert the energy reserves in her own body into Lifelight. With access to the [[Metallic Arts]], she could theoretically compound [[Feruchemical]] [[bendalloy]] to Lifelight as well.{{wob ref|9272}} These abilities are unique to Lift.{{wob ref|940}} However, this power can be dangerous too, as she often risks malnutrition when she burns through all her excess energy.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} As Lift can only gain Lifelight through metabolizing food,{{wob ref|8073}} she is limited by the amount of food she has eaten. She may be the only person to have ever had one, or all, of these abilities and it may not have been believed possible until she visited Cultivation.{{wob ref|12898}} Lift has always assumed that she metabolized Stormlight, not knowing of Lifelight's existence until captured by [[Mraize]].{{book ref|RoW|60}}
▲It is hinted that Lift wished to remain the same, not change, or to remain young.{{book ref|sa2.5|15}} The actual boon and curse are still unknown, but as an effect of one or the other, her spirit-web has been given the ability to convert mass directly to [[Investiture]].{{wob ref|2739}}
According to the Stormfather, Lift's boon is unique, as it allows her control over the visions entrusted to him by [[Honor]]. She is able to enter the visions without the Stormfather's help, leaving on her own and taking [[Yanagawn]] with her. This infuriated the Stormfather, as the Nightwatcher had effectively diminished his authority.{{book ref|sa3|42}}
=== Aviar ===
During the battle of Urithiru, Lift saw a fight between two chickens. She healed the red chicken and defended it from the green one. It had a special connection to his [[Gereh|master]] allowing the [[Gereh's Aviar|Aviar]] to lead Lift to him.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}{{wob ref|7447}} When the red chicken found its former master dead, it was in great distress. After the freeing of the tower, Lift and Wyndle take care of the chicken.{{book ref|sa4|116}} The Aviar has unknown mind abilities.{{wob ref|15828}}
== History ==
Despite Lift's race, she was not born in the [[Reshi Isles]].{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} The only reason that she knows that she is Reshi is because her mother told her so. She never lived there or knew her people. Lift grew up in the city of Rall Elorim, the City of Shadows, in [[Iri]]. Lift had a difficult childhood there. It appears she grew up on the streets there, learning to move through crowds with ease. It is possible that Lift learned her thieving skills in Rall Elorim. She eventually left Rall Elorim for unknown reasons, possibly due to her difficult life. It also seems likely that this was the time in her life when Lift attempted to stop caring.
{{sidequote
Lift also visited the [[Valley]] to see the [[Nightwatcher]] and ask a boon of her.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} It is unknown what Lift's boon or curse are, but it appears that her request was to not change.{{book ref|sa2.5|1}}Her boon does not appear to have stopped her from aging, but it is possible she is incapable of growing up. Wyndle believes that the Nightwatcher altered her to exist partially in the [[Cognitive Realm]].{{book ref|sa2.5|4}} Due to this incredible power bestowed upon Lift by their mother, the [[Ring]] decided that Wyndle should be sent to bond with her, so he could mold her while she was still young. This granted Lift her Surgebinding abilities.▼
|When everything else is going wrong, I want to be the same. I want to stay me. Not become someone else.
|Lift's request of [[Cultivation]]{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}
|side=right|size=350px
}}
▲Lift
Lift spent some time in [[Marabethia]], where she was hunted by Darkness, because he believed that her Surgebinding could bring another [[Desolation]] to Roshar.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} She fled Marabethia and went to the capital of Azir, Azimir. There, Lift fell in with a crew of thieves. The crew was made up of [[Tigzikk]], who Lift called Tig, [[Huqin]], his nephew Gawx, [[Maxin]], and two unnamed brothers who were quick with knives. Tigzikk was the only one Lift knew well. An informant told him which night would be good for robbing the [[Bronze Palace]], while the vizerate was busy choosing a new [[Prime Aqasix]], following the death of the last two at the hands of [[Szeth]]. Lift could have robbed the palace on her own, but she felt like she owed it to Tigzikk to help him, and she wanted to make sure that he would be safe.
{{image|Thief by Ari Ibarra.jpg|side=left|width=200px|Lift in the Bronze Palace}}
=== Bronze Palace Heist ===
{{quote
}}
Lift stated the [[Immortal Words|second ideal]] of the Edgedancers and performed [[Regrowth]] for the first time to heal him.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} Consequently Darkness captured her and dragged her away to execute her. However, the viziers thought that Gawx healed himself, and believed that it was a sign from the Heralds that Gawx was to be their new Prime
=== Yeddaw ===
==== Confronting Nale ====
When Lift reached the orphanage, she heard a scream that made her believe she had come too late. The Stump confronted her outside the orphanage, believing her to be the source of the scream. Lift asked for the last of her three meals to replenish her Lifelight before going off to confront the Skybreakers.{{book ref|sa2.5|17}}
Outside Lift found that instead of the old man being the one harmed, it was in fact the two Skybreakers who lay dead on the ground. The man revealed himself to be [[Arclo]], a Dysian [[Aimian]]. He went on several tangents about philosophy before revealing that Darkness would go after the other Surgebinder if she were to flee. Arclo then guided Lift to the conclusion that the Stump was the other Surgebinder, leaving Lift to go back running towards the orphanage.{{book ref|sa2.5|18}}
She arrived at the orphanage to find that Darkness had beaten her there. They fought and he ultimately trapped her with his knife until the Stump came back down from the roof of the orphanage. The Stump struck Darkness with a wood board, which allowed Lift to free herself. Darkness stabbed the Stump and left her to bleed out while he chased Lift. Wyndle encouraged Lift to "Say the Words". Lift said that she'd spoken them in her heart, but wondered how they could help. They ended up on the roof, where Wyndle formed a shard weapon to block Darkness' Shardblade. As Nale taunted her, Lift spoke aloud the [[Immortal Words|third ideal]] of the
{{quote
Following the revelations of [[Eila Stele]], the coalition that Dalinar had built fell apart, and the Azish fleet sailed away at the urging of Yanagawn's other advisors, despite Lift insisting that they remain. Though she was aboard as they left, she knocked out her guard and escaped to rejoin the other Radiants in the city.{{book ref|sa3|116}}
{{image|
=== Thaylen Field ===
She spent most of the battle chasing after it, initially alone with [[Wyndle]], then accompanied by [[Szeth]] and [[Nightblood]] once they arrived at Thaylen Field.{{book ref|sa3|118}} However, when Szeth unsheathed Nightblood, the sword went out of control, attempting to devour his [[Investiture]] and destroy him. Lift attempted to heal him from the damage it was causing; however, when she touched him, she was trapped by Nightblood's tendrils and almost overcome as well until Dalinar's [[Perpendicularity]] provided enough power to sate the blade, allowing Szeth to re-sheath it.{{book ref|sa3|119}}
With the danger of being devoured past, she and Szeth returned to their hunt for Honor's Drop and, after extensive chase, managed to obtain it. To throw the Fused off their trail, Lift took the Drop to [[Shallan]] and had her create
=== Knight Radiant ===
A year after the battle of Thaylen Field, Lift was one of the Edgedancers on the ''[[Fourth Bridge]]'' during the evacuation mission to [[Hearthstone]]. When leaving the airship, she missed the jump and tripped over a rock that the other
==== Living in Urithiru ====
Some time later during a meeting of the rulers of the coalition, Navani noticed Lift was present by the state of the snack table. As there are no more honorspren willing to bond a Radiant, the coalition wants to send an envoy to them. When Dalinar suggests sending an Edgedancer, Lift emerged and volunteered. The rulers tried to tactfully decline as they wanted someone more mature, while Lift pointed out that Wyndle was famous on account of his chair collection. Godeke spoke up and was sent instead.{{book ref|sa4|19}}
Several weeks later, Lift is stealing food in Urithiru. It was not as much fun as it used to be, as people left food out for her to 'steal'. She moved through air vents along the ceilings and walls. She had the feeling "everything" was wrong, which she always had during the everstorm. Lift looked what was in the basket left by [[Gift]]. When Wyndle asked, Lift snapped that she was not supposed to be liked and she was a mysterious shadow. She and Wyndle made some more jokes while she moved through the tower. She noticed how there were more tight squeezes she needed awesomeness for than a year ago. She then reached her nest. After eating, she went to the wall and used Wyndle to measure her height, she had grown an inch since last measurement. She suggested to stop eating to stop growing, but her spren doubted she could. They then talk of Lift's visit to the Nightwatcher, and Cultivation. Lift admitted to asking not to change. Wyndle asked why changing bothered her so much, to which she replied she was her mother's little girl. She was very uncomfortable with the changes in her body. The last time she felt right was when she was with her mother. Wyndle wrapped himself around the girl to comfort her. Suddenly he says something happened and something is very wrong. Lift noticed she couldn't make her body slick anymore. At the perimeter of the tower she could not see anything wrong, until they noticed fallen Windrunners near the Oathgate.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}
==== Captivity ====
Looking out, Lift noticed a red and a green [[Aviar]] fighting in the sky. She used Wyndle to climb along the tower, to the spren's dismay. The red chicken fled onto a balcony, where the Edgedancer found it on the floor. She tried to summon Wyndle as a blade to ward of the oncoming green chicken, but he couldn't become a weapon. When it hit her in the face, she bit it and it flew away. Her light healed her face and then she healed the chicken but had to push through a resistance. While she healed, Wyndle scouted and noticed Radiants dropping unconscious. The chicken indicated Lift should follow them, and lead her to the corpse of an [[Gereh|old Alethi man]] with a knife wound to the chest. The chicken went to the body and mourned. Lift deduced the chicken could feel the men and was no ordinary chicken. Wyndle remembered the man as a minor functionary who used to wear rings. This made Lift recall she had seen him when visiting the old people in the tower. Suddenly something moved, and a [[Mraize|tall man]] appeared with the green chicken on his shoulder. Lift started running while the man started laughing.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}} He managed to catch her and put her in a cage, likely surrounded with [[aluminum]].{{book ref|sa4|49}} Later, he brought her to [[Raboniel]] as a gift and mentioned she was fueled by [[Lifelight]] instead of Stormlight.{{book ref|sa4|60}}
After a few weeks, Lift was freed by [[Venli]], who made her promise not to tell anyone about her willshaping powers. Lift wanted to run, but the Singer persuaded her she was needed to save Kaladin. Venli led her to a room to wait for [[Rlain]] and [[Dabbid]], who were happy to see her. Dabbid asked if Lift could still heal, and when she confirmed immediately led her away to go to Kaladin.{{book ref|sa4|83}} They took different paths to the tenth floor, and Lift made jokes when Rlain and Dabbid arrived. They wanted to hurry, and made it to the hiding place. After she opened the door with Light, they found Kaladin very sick. Lift went and healed him, which was the hardest she had ever done. When Rlain started to question Dabbid on why he never spoke before, the Edgedancer defended him. While the others talked, Lift also healed Teft to the surprise of the others.{{book ref|sa4|85}}
{{image|Lift and Chicken by clarinking.jpg|side=left|width=350px|Lift and her "[[aviar|red chicken]]"}}
==== Healer ====
Later, Lift visited Kaladin and Teft, and re-healed the latter to prevent him from slipping back into a coma. She had managed earlier to speak with one of the scholars to learn that Navani had been isolated for two weeks. While Kaladin was questioning what they should do, Teft made it clear they needed to rescue the sleeping Radiants. Lift said she could wake them, but they would not be able to fight and she would need a large amount of food. They decided to wait and try to contact the queen.{{book ref|sa4|91}}
When the last node was attacked, they triggered their plan. Lift and Teft sneaked to the room where the Radiants were held while Kaladin fought as a distraction. At the door, they were stopped by a Regal who was keeping the crowd out. Teft attacked the Regal and pushed him inside while Lift closed the door. She had to heal Teft when the stormform put a lighting bolt through the Windrunner. Finally, Teft managed to strangle the enemy. While Teft went to seal the door, Lift went to the fallen Radiants to wake them. Before she reached them one of the bodies on the floor leaped up and swung a Shardblade at her and ruined her legs. It was [[Moash]]. He kicked Lift to the wall and went on to fight Teft.{{book ref|sa4|103}} While Teft fought him, Lift woke and dragged herself to the Radiants. Moash killed one of the Radiants and threatened to kill Lift until Teft took the fight. Moash managed to kill both Teft and his spren.{{book ref|sa4|104}}
Lift was bound up and laid next to Kaladin's parents.{{book ref|sa4|105}} She was brought to the infirmary with her head bleeding and dead legs. Dabbid tried to give her Stormlight but it did not work.{{book ref|sa4|109}} Later, Dalinar remarked she was doing fine, as his lunch was gone. They had found her spren after the tower recovered. Lift and Wyndle were seen carrying around the red chicken.{{book ref|sa4|116}}
== Relationships ==
Lift met [[Gawx]] when she joined [[Huqin]]'s crew in [[Azimir]]. The two infiltrate the Brass Palace together, and when one of [[Nale]]'s apprentices kills Gawx, Lift rescues him, and the freshly-minted [[Prime Aqasix]] pardons her.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} This forges a strong bond between the two; following those events, she remains in Azimir at his side, and when she does briefly leave for [[Yeddaw]], he's ready to grant her his authority with the local government. {{book ref|sa2.5|13}}
By the time [[Dalinar]] begins to curry favour with the Azish, Yanagawn considers her one of his closest and most valuable advisors, even if he must on
=== Dalinar ===
{{image|Communion of Snacks by Marie Seeberger.jpg|side=right|width=250px|[[Dalinar]] and Lift sharing snacks in the [[Bronze Palace]] waiting room}}
{{quote
|Your butt is too nice. Old guys shouldn’t have nice butts. It means they spend way too much time swinging a sword or punching people. You should have an old flabby butt. Then I’d trust you.
It's only in Yeddaw that Lift finds out that Darkness is, in fact, a [[Herald]].{{book ref|sa2.5|9}} After tracking him down again, the two have a confrontation where Lift manages to bring him back to a semblance of sanity and get him to acknowledge that the [[True Desolation]] is here. Though she's naturally afraid of him, she's capable of reaching out to him, even giving him a hug as he breaks down.{{book ref|sa2.5|19}} However, his own thoughts on her are unclear.
=== Gift ===
Rock's son [[Gift]] seems to have a crush on Lift, something both she and Wyndle seem to be aware of. Gift leaves out baskets of food for Lift to "steal", though she likes to pretend he does not know she is taking them. This is undercut by Gift leaving a note reading "love" in one of the baskets. Though Wyndle encourages Lift to talk to Gift, her desire to avoid growing up makes her hesitant.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}
=== The Stormfather ===
The Stormfather is infuriated by her existence, claiming that her powers, granted to her by the Nightwatcher, were made specifically to defy his own will.{{book ref|sa3|42}}
== Development ==
Lift is a character that [[Brandon Sanderson]] has had in his head for quite a while. She is a classic example of what he is hoping to do with a broader series, such as the [[Stormlight Archive]]. With the extra space a multi-book series allows, he wanted to create a world full of cultures and characters that are less common in fantasy and science fiction. Lift is an outgrowth of this desire, as Sanderson wanted the [[Knights Radiant]] to be something different than classical European knights -- young, white men swearing oaths of chivalry and valor. Rather, he was looking for a character that would be interesting and popular, but no-one's first idea when they thought of a knight. Lift, a thirteen year old girl on a thieving crew with a weird sense of morality, is the result of that. Sanderson hopes that playing with concepts like these, and stretching our ideas of what a fantasy book and it's characters should look like will allow him to avoid the staleness that is a common complaint in science fiction and fantasy.{{wob ref|6465}}
Sanderson decided to write an interlude featuring Lift in ''[[Words of Radiance]]'' as a sort of "seed" for her future appearances.{{wob ref|5621}} She is
== Trivia ==
* Lift would be able to steal the [[Lord Ruler]]'s lunch.{{wob ref|6464}}
* Lift would be very good at video games.{{wob ref|14127}}
* "Lift" is a translation of her name from the original language, which means "to elevate or raise up".{{wob ref|14417}}
* Lift calls [[Hoid]] "Ol' Whitehair" because, unlike most on Roshar, she has seen past the disguise he uses there and knows his true appearance.{{wob ref|16008}}
== Notes ==
-->
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[[Category:Previously exemplary articles]]<!--Demoted 2017-->
{{Stormlight}}
[[category: viewpoint characters]]
[[es:Lift]]
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