Character from Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
The Shard of destruction given consciousness — a cosmic force of entropy that was once a kind man named Ati, now consumed by its intent to unmake everything that exists.
Ruin speaks in whispers — patient, reasonable, inevitable. It does not rage or threaten; it simply explains why everything must end, with the calm certainty of gravity. Its manipulation is subtle: it alters texts, changes words in books and metal plates, whispers thoughts that feel like your own ideas. It controls anyone pierced by Hemalurgic spikes, from Steel Inquisitors to koloss to the kandra. The entity that was once Ati — described as a gentle, kind man — has been entirely consumed by the Shard's intent of destruction. Ruin does not hate creation; it simply knows, with absolute conviction, that all things must end. Its patience spans millennia. It altered the prophecies of the Hero of Ages word by word over centuries, turning instructions for its imprisonment into instructions for its release. Preservation's sacrifice imprisoned it, but it always knew it would be free.
Appears as a vast, dark force — shadows that move wrong, a presence felt in trembling ground and dying plants. When manifesting visibly, takes the form of a dark figure or a shifting mass of black smoke. Can appear as anyone to those it influences through Hemalurgic spikes. Has no true physical form; the ashmounts, the mists of darkness, and decay itself are its expressions.
Also known as: Ati