Fuzz's Cognitive Self?

[Duxredux he/him]

When Ati died he appeared in the Cognitive Realm long enough to get decked by Kelsier before moving to The Beyond. Where was Leras in the Cognitive Realm? Did his gambit to sacrifice his mind and create Ati's prison actually destroy his mind enough to not leave a Cognitive Shadow? Alternately, did he just show up in the Cognitive Realm briefly at the same spot that his corpse appeared where he encouraged Elend, and Kelsier our viewpoint wasn't there to see it?

If it's the first, my respect for Leras has gone up again.

[Treamayne]

50 minutes ago, Duxredux said:

When Ati died he appeared in the Cognitive Realm long enough to get decked by Kelsier before moving to The Beyond. Where was Leras in the Cognitive Realm? Did his gambit to sacrifice his mind and create Ati's prison actually destroy his mind enough to not leave a Cognitive Shadow? Alternately, did he just show up in the Cognitive Realm briefly at the same spot that his corpse appeared where he encouraged Elend, and Kelsier our viewpoint wasn't there to see it?

If it's the first, my respect for Leras has gone up again.

Here's that scene from Secret History.

Spoiler

Secret History Ch 6-4

Whatever the reason, Kelsier felt the end like a long, drawn-out sigh. It sent a chill up his spine, and he scrambled to find a thread of Preservation. They had been all over the ground earlier in his trip, but now he found nothing.

“Fuzz!” he screamed. “Preservation!”

Kelsier . . . The voice vibrated through him. Goodbye.

“Hell, Fuzz,” Kelsier said, searching the sky. “I’m sorry. I . . .” He swallowed.

Odd, the voice said. After all these years appearing for others as they died, I never expected . . . that my own passing would be so cold and lonely. . . .

“I’m here for you,” Kelsier said.

No. You weren’t. Kelsier, he’s splitting my power. He’s breaking it apart. It will be gone . . . Splintered. . . . He’ll destroy it.

“Like hell he will,” Kelsier said, dropping his pack. He reached inside, gripping the glowing orb filled with liquid.

It’s not for you, Kelsier, Preservation said. It’s not yours. It belongs to another.

“I’ll get it to her,” Kelsier said, taking up the sphere. He drew in a deep breath, then used Nazh’s knife to smash the orb, spraying his arm and body with the glowing liquid.

Lines like threads burst out from him. Glowing, effulgent. Like the lines from burning steel or iron, except they pointed at everything.

Kelsier! Preservation said, his voice strengthening. Do better than you have before! They called you their god, and you were casual with their faith! The hearts of men are NOT YOUR TOYS.

“I . . .” Kelsier licked his lips. “I understand. My lord.”

Do better, Kelsier, Preservation commanded, his voice fading. If the end comes, get them below ground. It might help. And remember . . . remember what I told you, so long ago. . . . Do what I cannot, Kelsier. . . .

SURVIVE.

The word vibrated through him, and Kelsier gasped. He knew that feeling, remembered that exact command. He’d heard that voice in the Pits. Waking him, driving him forward.

Saving him.

Kelsier bowed his head as he felt Preservation fade, finally, and stretch into the darkness.

Then, full of borrowed light, Kelsier seized the threads spinning around him and Pulled.

To me, it implies that Leras is in the Cognitive somewhere, but because he still holds the power he can still communicate Kelsier. Which is another good point - Though Leras still holds the power here up until he fades, Ati has dropped the power by the time his cognitive self shows up.

Spoiler

Secret History Chapter 6-8

Vin crashed her power against Ruin’s, suffocating him. Kelsier stepped up to the top of the hill, watching, feeling a familiarity with that power. A kinship that warmed him deep within as Vin performed the ultimate act of heroism.

She brought destruction to the destroyer.

It ended in an eruption of light. Wisps of mist, both dark and white, streamed down from the sky. Kelsier smiled, knowing that at long last it was finished. In a rush, the mists swirled in twin columns, impossibly high. The powers had been released. They quivered, uncertain, like a storm brewing.

Nobody is holding them. . . .

<snip>

Nearby another figure had coalesced from the power, but Kelsier ignored him. He stepped closer to Vin. “I . . .” What did he say? Hell, he didn’t know.

<snip>

Ruin stood up nearby, blinking. Or . . . no, it wasn’t Ruin any longer. It was just the Vessel, Ati. The man who had held the power. Ati ran his hand through his red hair, then looked about. “Vax?” he said, sounding confused.

“Excuse me,” Kelsier said to Vin, then released her and trotted over to the red-haired man.

Whereupon he decked the man across the face, laying him out completely.

 

[Eternal Khol he/him]

Brandon usually describes dying in the Cosmere as a 2 step process. 2 deaths. Shadows happen after the first death and before the second(moving to the Beyond)

I believe Leras had already kinda gone through the first step/"death" by sacrificing his mind to imprison Ruin/Ati so by the time wee see him, he is already effectively a Shadow. When he dies in Secret History he just moves on to the Beyond, finishing that 2-step process of dying.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Eternal Khol
Typos