The Final Empire m-1

by Brandon Sanderson

  Vin paused. “Ham, how are we going to get in there?”

  “Don’t worry,” he said, stopping beside her. “I’m known to the Garrison. Besides, it’s not as bad as it looks – the Garrison members just put on an intimidating face. As you can imagine, they aren’t very well liked. Most of the soldiers in there are skaa – men who have, in exchange for a better life, sold out to the Lord Ruler. Whenever there are skaa riots in a city, the local garrison is usually hit pretty hard by malcontents. Hence the fortifications.”

  “So… you know these men?”

  Ham nodded. “I’m not like Breeze or Kell, Vin – I can’t put on faces and pretend. I’m just who I am. Those soldiers don’t know I’m a Misting, but they know I work in the underground. I’ve known many of these guys for years; they’ve consistently tried to recruit me. They generally have better luck getting people like me, who are already outside mainstream society, to join their ranks.”

  “But, you’re going to betray them,” Vin said quietly, pulling Ham to the side of the road.

  “Betray?” he asked. “No, it won’t be a betrayal. Those men are mercenaries, Vin. They’ve been hired to fight, and they’ll attack friends – even relatives – in a riot or rebellion. Soldiers learn to understand these kinds of things. We may be friends, but when it comes to fighting, none of us would hesitate to kill the others.”

  Vin nodded slowly. It seemed… harsh. But, that’s what life is. Harsh. That part of Reen’s teaching wasn’t a lie.

  “Poor lads,” Ham said, looking at the Garrison. “We could have used men like them. Before I left for the caves, I managed to recruit the few that I thought would be receptive. The rest… well, they picked their path. Like me, they’re just trying to give their kids a better life – the difference is, they’re willing to work for him in order to do it.”

  Ham turned back to her. “All right, you wanted some tips on burning pewter?”

  Vin nodded eagerly.

  “The soldiers usually let me spar with them,” Ham said. “You can watch me fight – burn bronze to see when I’m using Allomancy. The first, most important thing you’ll learn about Pewterarming is when to use your metal. I’ve noticed that young Allomancers tend to always flare their pewter, thinking that the stronger they are, the better. However, you don’t always want to hit as hard as you can with each blow.

  “Strength is a big part of fighting, but it’s not the only part. If you always hit your hardest, you’ll tire faster and you’ll give your opponent information about your limitations. A smart man hits his hardest at the end of a battle, when his opponent is weakest. And, in an extended battle – like a war – the smart soldier is the one who survives the longest. He’ll be the man who paces himself.”

  Vin nodded. “But, don’t you tire slower when you’re using Allomancy?”

  “Yes,” Ham said. “In fact, a man with enough pewter can keep fighting at near-peak efficiency for hours. But pewter dragging like that takes practice, and you’ll run out of metals eventually. When you do, the fatigue could kill you.

  “Anyway, what I’m trying to explain is that it’s usually best to vary your pewter burning. If you use more strength than you need, you could knock yourself off balance. Also, I’ve seen Thugs who rely on their pewter so much that they disregard training and practice. Pewter enhances your physical abilities, but not your innate skill. If you don’t know how to use a weapon – or if you aren’t practiced at thinking quickly in a fight – you’ll lose no matter how strong you are.

  “I’ll have to be extra careful with the Garrison, since I don’t want them to know I’m an Allomancer. You’ll be surprised at how often that’s important. Watch how I use pewter. I won’t just flare it for strength – if I stumble, I’ll burn it to give me an instant sense of balance. When I dodge, I might burn it to help me duck out of the way a little faster. There are dozens of little tricks you can do if you know when to give yourself a boost.”

  Vin nodded.

  “Okay,” Ham said. “Let’s go, then. I’ll tell the garrisoners that you’re the daughter of a relative. You look young enough for your age that they won’t even think twice. Watch me fight, and we’ll talk afterward.”

  Vin nodded again, and the two of them approached the Garrison. Ham waved to one of the guards. “Hey, Bevidon. I’ve got the day off. Is Sertes around?”

  “He’s here, Ham,” Bevidon said. “But I don’t know that this is the best day for sparring…”

  Ham raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  Bevidon shared a glance with one of the other soldiers. “Go fetch the captain,” he said to the man.

  A few moments later, a busy-looking soldier approached from a side building, waving as soon as he saw Ham. His uniform bore a few extra stripes of color and a few gold-colored bits of metal on the shoulder.

  “Ham,” the newcomer said, stepping through the gate.

  “Sertes,” Ham said with a smile, clasping hands with the man. “Captain now, eh?”

  “Happened last month,” Sertes said with a nod. He paused, then eyed Vin.

  “She’s my niece,” Ham said. “Good lass.”

  Sertes nodded. “Could we speak alone for a moment, Ham?”

  Ham shrugged and let himself get pulled to a more secluded place beside the complex gates. Vin’s Allomancy let her make out what they were saying. What did I ever do without tin?

  “Look, Ham,” Sertes said. “You won’t be able to come spar for a while. The Garrison is going to be… occupied.”

  “Occupied?” Ham asked. “How?”

  “I can’t say,” Sertes said. “But… well, we could really use a soldier like you right now.”

  “Fighting?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Must be something serious if it’s taking the attention of the entire Garrison.”

  Sertes grew quiet for a moment, and then he spoke again in a hushed tone – so quiet that Vin had to strain to hear. “A rebellion,” Sertes whispered, “right here in the Central Dominance. We just got word. An army of skaa rebels appeared and attacked the Holstep Garrison to the north.”

  Vin felt a sudden chill.

  “What?” Ham said.

  “They must have come from the caves up there,” the soldier said. “Last word was that the Holstep fortifications are holding – but Ham, they’re only a thousand men strong. They need reinforcements desperately, and the koloss will never get there in time. The Valtroux Garrison sent five thousand soldiers, but we’re not going to leave it to them. This is apparently a very big force of rebels, and the Lord Ruler gave us permission to go help.”

  Ham nodded.

  “So, what about it?” Sertes asked. “Real fighting, Ham. Real battle pay. We could really use a man of your skill – I’ll make you an officer right off, give you your own squad.”

  “I… I’ll have to think about it,” Ham said. He wasn’t good at hiding his emotions, and his surprise sounded suspicious to Vin. Sertes, however, didn’t appear to notice.

  “Don’t take too long,” Sertes said. “We plan to march out in two hours.”

  “I’ll do it,” Ham said, sounding stunned. “Let me go drop off my niece and get some things. I’ll be back before you leave.”

  “Good man,” Sertes said, and Vin could see him clap Ham on the shoulder.

  Our army is exposed, Vin thought in horror. They’re not ready! They were supposed to take Luthadel quietly, quickly – not face the Garrison straight out.

  Those men are going to get massacred! What happened?

  25

  No man dies by my hand or command except that I wish there had been another way. Still, I kill them. Sometimes, I wish that I weren’t such a cursed realist.

  KELSIER TOSSED ANOTHER WATER JUG into his pack. “Breeze, make a list of all the hideouts where you and I recruited. Go warn them that the Ministry might soon have prisoners who could give them away.”

  Breeze nodded, for once refraining from making any witty remarks. Behind him, apprentices scrambl
ed through Clubs’s shop, gathering and preparing the supplies that Kelsier had ordered.

  “Dox, this shop should be secure unless they capture Yeden. Keep all three of Clubs’s Tineyes on watch. If there’s trouble, head for the bolt-lair.”

  Dockson nodded in acknowledgment as he hurriedly gave orders to the apprentices. One had already left, bearing a warning to Renoux. Kelsier thought that the mansion would be safe – only that one group of barges had left from Fellise, and its men had thought that Renoux wasn’t in on the plan. Renoux wouldn’t pull out unless absolutely necessary; his disappearance would require removing both himself and Valette from their carefully prepared positions.

  Kelsier stuffed a handful of rations into his pack, then swung it onto his back.

  “What about me, Kell?” Ham asked.

  “You’re going back to the Garrison, like you promised. That was clever thinking – we need an informant in there.”

  Ham frowned apprehensively.

  “I don’t have time to deal with your nerves right now, Ham,” Kelsier said. “You don’t have to scam, just be yourself and listen.”

  “I won’t turn against the Garrison if I go with them,” he said. “I’ll listen, but I’m not going to attack men who think I’m their ally.”

  “Fine,” Kelsier said curtly. “But I sincerely hope you can find a way not to kill any of our soldiers, either. Sazed!”

  “Yes, Master Kelsier?”

  “How much speed do you have stored up?”

  Sazed flushed slightly, glancing at the numerous people scurrying around. “Perhaps two, three hours. It is a very difficult attribute to collect.”

  “Not long enough,” Kelsier said. “I’ll go alone. Dox is in charge until I get back.”

  Kelsier spun, then paused. Vin stood behind him in the same trousers, cap, and shirt she had worn to the Garrison. She had a pack like his slung over her shoulder, and she looked up at him defiantly.

  “This is going to be a difficult trip, Vin,” he said. “You’ve never done anything like this before.”

  “That’s fine.”

  Kelsier nodded. He pulled his trunk out from beneath the table, then opened it and poured Vin a small pouch of pewter beads. She accepted it without comment.

  “Swallow five of those beads.”

  “Five?”

  “For now,” Kelsier said. “If you need to take some more, call to me so we can stop running.”

  “Running?” the girl asked. “We’re not taking a canal boat?”

  Kelsier frowned. “Why would we need a boat?”

  Vin glanced down at the pouch, then grabbed a cup of water and began to swallow beads.

  “Make sure you have enough water in that pack,” Kelsier said. “Take as much as you can carry.” He left her, walking over to lay a hand on Dockson’s shoulder. “It’s about three hours before sunset. If we push hard, we can be there by noon tomorrow.”

  Dockson nodded. “That might be early enough.”

  Maybe, Kelsier thought. The Valtroux Garrison is only three days’ march from Holstep. Even riding all night, a messenger couldn’t have gotten to Luthadel in under two days. By the time I get to the army…

  Dockson could obviously read the worry in Kelsier’s eyes. “Either way, the army is useless to us now,” he said.

  “I know,” Kelsier said. “This is just about saving those men’s lives. I’ll get word to you as soon as I can.”

  Dockson nodded.

  Kelsier turned, flaring his pewter. His pack suddenly became as light as if it had been empty. “Burn your pewter, Vin. We’re leaving.”

  She nodded, and Kelsier felt a pulsing come from her. “Flare it,” he ordered, pulling two mistcloaks from his trunk and tossing one to her. He put on the other, then walked forward, throwing open the back door to the kitchen. The red sun was bright overhead. Frantic crewmembers paused for a moment, turning to watch as Kelsier and Vin left the building.

  The girl hurried forward to walk at Kelsier’s side. “Ham told me that I should learn to use pewter only when I need it – he said it’s better to be subtle.”

  Kelsier turned to face the girl. “This is not a time for subtlety. Stay close to me, try to keep up, and make absolutely certain you don’t run out of pewter.”

  Vin nodded, suddenly looking a bit apprehensive.

  “All right,” Kelsier said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

  Kelsier took off down the alleyway in a superhuman dash. Vin jumped into motion, following him out of the alley and onto the street. Pewter was a blazing fire within her. Flared as it was, she would probably go through all five beads in barely an hour.

  The street was busy with skaa workers and noble carriages. Kelsier ignored the traffic, bolting out into the very center of the street, maintaining his ridiculous speed. Vin followed, growing increasingly worried about what she had gotten herself into.

  I can’t let him go alone, she thought. Of course, the last time she’d forced Kelsier to take her with him, she’d ended up half dead in a sickbed for a month.

  Kelsier wove between carriages, brushing past pedestrians, charging down the street as if it were meant only for him. Vin followed as best as she could, the ground a blur beneath her feet, people passing too quickly to see their faces. Some of them called out after her, their voices annoyed. A couple of these, however, choked off immediately, falling silent.

  The cloaks, Vin thought. That’s why we’re wearing them – that’s why we always wear them. Noblemen who see the mistcloaks will know to stay out of our way.

  Kelsier turned, running directly toward the northern city gates. Vin followed. Kelsier didn’t slow as he approached the gates, and the lines of people began to point. Checkpoint guards turned with surprised faces.

  Kelsier jumped.

  One of the armored guards crumpled to the ground with a cry, smashed down by Kelsier’s Allomantic weight as the crewleader passed overhead. Vin took a breath, dropped a coin to give herself a bit of lift, and jumped. She easily cleared a second guard, who looked up with surprise as his companion squirmed on the ground.

  Vin Pushed against the soldier’s armor, throwing herself higher into the air. The man staggered, but stayed on his feet – Vin was nowhere near as heavy as Kelsier.

  She shot over the wall, hearing cries of surprise from the soldiers on top of it. She could only hope that nobody recognized her. It wasn’t likely. Though her cap flew free as she soared through the air, those who were familiar with Valette the courtgoing lady would probably never connect her to a Mistborn in dirty trousers.

  Vin’s cloak whipped angrily in the passing air. Kelsier completed his arc before her and began to descend, and Vin soon followed. It felt very strange to use Allomancy in the sunlight. Unnatural, even. Vin made the mistake of looking down as she fell. Instead of comfortable swirling mists, she saw the ground far below.

  So high! Vin thought with horror. Fortunately, she wasn’t too disoriented to Push against the coin Kelsier had used to land. She slowed her descent to a manageable level before thumping against the ashen earth.

  Kelsier immediately took off down the highway. Vin followed him, ignoring merchants and travelers. Now that they were out of the city, she had thought Kelsier might slow down. He didn’t. He sped up.

  And, suddenly, she understood. Kelsier didn’t intend to walk, or even jog, to the caves.

  He planned to dash all the way there.

  It was a two-week trip by canal. How long would it take them? They were moving fast, horribly fast. Slower than a galloping horse, certainly, but surely a horse couldn’t maintain such a gallop for very long.

  Vin didn’t feel fatigue as she ran. She relied on the pewter, only passing a little of the strain onto her body. She could barely feel her footsteps hitting the ground beneath her, and with such a large reserve of pewter, she felt that she could maintain the speed for a decent length of time.

  She caught up to Kelsier, falling into place beside him. “This is easier than I th
ought it would be.”

  “Pewter enhances your balance,” Kelsier said. “Otherwise you’d be tripping over yourself right now.”

  “What do you think we’ll find? At the caves, I mean.”

  Kelsier shook his head. “No use talking. Save your strength.”

  “But, I’m not feeling weary at all!”

  “We’ll see what you say in sixteen hours,” Kelsier said, speeding up even more as they turned off the highway, running onto the wide towpath beside the Luth-Davn Canal.

  Sixteen hours!

  Vin fell behind Kelsier slightly, giving herself plenty of space to run. Kelsier increased their speed until they were going at a maddening pace. He was right: In any other context, she would have quickly missed her step on the uneven road. Yet, with pewter and tin guiding her, she managed to stay on her feet – though doing so required increasing attention as the evening grew dark and the mists came out.

  Occasionally, Kelsier threw down a coin and launched himself from one hilltop to another. However, he mostly kept them running at an even pace, sticking to the canal. Hours passed, and Vin began to feel the fatigue that he had implied would come. She maintained her speed, but she could feel something underneath it – a resistance within, a longing to stop and rest. Despite pewter’s power, her body was running out of strength.

  She made certain to never let her pewter run low. She feared that if it ever went out, the fatigue would come upon her so powerfully that she wouldn’t be able to get started again. Kelsier also ordered her to drink a ridiculous amount of water, though she wasn’t that thirsty.

  The night grew dark and silent, no travelers daring to brave the mists. They passed canal boats and barges tied up for the night, as well as the occasional camp of canalmen, their tents huddled closely against the mists. Twice they saw mistwraiths on the road, the first one giving Vin a terrible start. Kelsier just passed it by – completely ignoring the terrible, translucent remnants of the people and animals who had been ingested, their bones now forming the mistwraith’s own skeleton.