The Hero of Ages m-3

by Brandon Sanderson

  Breeze shrugged. "He seems to be doing well so far. Remember how young Vin was when she killed the Lord Ruler."

  "Yes," Sazed whispered, "but this situation is different. Spook seems. . odd, lately. He is certainly hiding things from us. Why is he so determined to take this city?"

  "I think it's good for the boy to show a little determination," Breeze said, sitting back in his chair. "That lad has been far too passive for most of his life."

  "Do you not worry about his plan? This could easily collapse around us."

  "Sazed," Breeze said. "Do you remember our meeting a few weeks back? Spook asked me why we couldn't just topple Quellion like we did the Lord Ruler."

  "I remember," Sazed said. "You told him the reason we couldn't was because we didn't have Kelsier anymore."

  Breeze nodded. "Well," he said softly, pointing his cane toward Spook, "my opinion has been revised. We don't have Kelsier, but it's looking more and more like we have something similar."

  Sazed frowned.

  "I'm not saying the lad has Kelsier's force of personality. His. . presence. However, you've heard the reputation the boy is gaining among the people. Kelsier succeeded not because of who he was, but because of who people thought he was. That's something I didn't believe we could replicate. I'm starting to think I was wrong."

  Sazed wasn't as easily convinced. Yet, he kept his reservations to himself as he turned back to his research. Spook must have noticed them looking over at him, for a few minutes later he made his way to Sazed's table. The boy blinked against the lantern-light, soft though it was, and pulled up a chair. The fine furniture looked odd to Sazed, contrasted against the rows of dusty, utilitarian shelves.

  Spook looked fatigued. How long has it been since he slept? Sazed thought. He's still up whenever I bed down, and awake before I rise.

  "Something doesn't feel right here," Spook said.

  "Oh?" Breeze asked. "Other than the fact that we're chatting beside an underground lake in a storehouse built by the Lord Ruler underneath an Inquisitor fortress?"

  Spook gave the Soother a flat look, then glanced at Sazed. "I feel like we should have been attacked by now."

  "What makes you say that?" Sazed asked.

  "I know Quellion, Saze. The man's a bully after the classical style. He came to power through force, and he keeps control by giving the people plenty of alcohol and tiny freedoms, like letting them go to bars at night. At the same time, however, he keeps everyone on the edge of fear."

  "How did he take charge, anyway?" Breeze asked. "How did he get control before some nobleman with a good set of house guards could do it?"

  "Mists," Spook said. "He went out in them, and declared that anyone faithful to the Survivor would be safe in them. Then, the mists started killing, and gave a handy confirmation of what he'd said. He made a big deal about the mists killing those who had evil in their hearts. The people were so worried about what was happening that they listened to him. He managed to make a law that required everyone to go out in the mists, so that they could see who died and who didn't. The ones who survived were-he declared-pure. He told them they could set up a nice little utopia. After that, they started killing nobility."

  "Ah," Breeze said. "Clever."

  "Yeah," Spook said. "He completely glossed over the fact that the nobility never got taken by the mists."

  "Wait," Sazed said. "What?"

  Spook shrugged. "Hard to confirm now, but that's what the stories say. The nobility seemed immune to the mistsickness. Not skaa who had noble blood, but actually nobility."

  "How odd," Breeze noted.

  More than odd, Sazed thought. Downright strange. Does Elend know about this connection? As Sazed considered it, it seemed unlikely that Elend did. Their army and allies were all made up of skaa. The only nobility they knew were those back in Luthadel, and they had all chosen to stay inside at night, rather than risk going into the mists.

  "Either way," Spook said, "Quellion's a bully. And bullies don't like anyone in their turf who can challenge them. We should have had some kind of attempt on our lives by now."

  "The lad has a point," Breeze said. "Quellion's type doesn't kill just in fancy executions. I'd bet that for every person he throws into one of those buildings, there are three dead in an alley somewhere, slowly being buried in ash."

  "I've told Goradel and his men to be particularly careful," Spook said, "and I've prowled our perimeter. However, I haven't caught any assassins so much as spying on us. Quellion's troops just sit out there, watching us, but not doing anything."

  Breeze rubbed his chin. "Perhaps Quellion is more afraid of us than you assume."

  "Perhaps," Spook said, sighing. He rubbed his forehead.

  "Lord Spook," Sazed said carefully, "you should sleep."

  "I'm fine," Spook said.

  If I didn't know better, I'd say he was burning pewter to stay awake, Sazed thought. Or, am I just looking for signs to confirm what I worried about before?

  We never questioned when Vin or Kelsier manifested powers beyond what even normal Allomancers were capable of. Why should I be so suspicious of Spook? Is it simply because I know him too well? Do I focus on my memories of the boy when he has obviously become a man?

  "Anyway," Spook said, "how goes the research?"

  "Rather well, actually," Sazed said, turning around several of his diagrams so that Spook could see them. "I am about ready to begin work on the actual construction."

  "How long will it take, do you think?"

  "A few weeks, perhaps," Sazed said. "A rather short time, all things considered. Fortunately, the people who drained the canals left behind a large amount of rubble, which I can use. In addition, the Lord Ruler stocked this storehouse quite well. There is timber, as well as some basic carpentry supplies, and even some pulley networks."

  "What was that creature preparing for?" Breeze said. "Food and water, I can understand. But, blankets? Timber? Pulleys?"

  "Disaster, Lord Breeze," Sazed said. "He included everything that a people would need in the event that the city itself was destroyed. He even included bedrolls for sleeping and infirmary supplies. Perhaps he feared koloss rampages."

  "No," Spook said. "He prepared for exactly what is happening. Now, you'll be building something to plug the water? I kind of thought you'd just collapse the tunnels."

  "Oh, goodness no," Sazed said. "We don't have the manpower or equipment to cause a cave-in. Also, I wouldn't want to do anything that would risk bringing the cavern down upon us. My plans are to build a wooden blocking mechanism that can be lowered into the current. Enough weight, along with the proper framework, should provide reinforcement to stop the flow. It's actually not unlike the mechanisms used in the locks of canals."

  "Which," Breeze added, "he'll be happy to tell you about. At length."

  Sazed smiled. "I do think that-"

  He was cut off, however, as Captain Goradel arrived, looking a fair bit more solemn than usual.

  "Lord Spook," Goradel said. "Someone is waiting for you above."

  "Who?" Spook asked. "Durn?"

  "No, my lord. She says she's the Citizen's sister."

  "I'm not here to join with you," the woman-Beldre-said.

  They sat in an austere audience chamber in the Inquisition building above their cavern. The room's chairs lacked any sort of cushioning, and steel plates hung on the wooden walls as decoration-to Sazed, they were uncomfortable reminders of what he had seen when he had visited the Conventical of Seran.

  Beldre was a young woman with auburn hair. She wore a simple, Citizen-approved dress, dyed red. She sat with hands in lap, and while she met the eyes of those in the room, there was a nervous apprehension to her that weakened her position considerably.

  "Why are you here then, my dear?" Breeze asked carefully. He sat in a chair across from Beldre. Allrianne sat at his side, watching the girl with an air of disapproval. Spook paced in the background, occasionally shooting glances at the window.

  He thinks this is a
feint, Sazed realized. That the girl is a distraction to throw us off before we get attacked. The boy wore his dueling canes, strapped to his waist like swords. How well did Spook even know how to fight?

  "I'm here. ." Beldre said, looking down. "I'm here because you're going to kill my brother."

  "Now, where did you get an idea like that!" Breeze said. "We're in the city to forge a treaty with your brother, not assassinate him! Do we look like the types who would be very good at that sort of thing?"

  Beldre shot a glance at Spook.

  "Him excluded," Breeze said. "Spook is harmless. Really, you shouldn't-"

  "Breeze," Spook interrupted, glancing over with his strange, bandaged eyes, spectacles hidden underneath and bulging out from the face just slightly under the cloth. "That's enough. You're making us both seem like idiots. Beldre knows why we're here-everyone in the city knows why we're here."

  The room fell silent.

  He. . looks a little bit like an Inquisitor, wearing those spectacles beneath the bandages, Sazed thought, shivering.

  "Beldre," Spook said. "You honestly expect us to think that you came here simply to plead for your brother's life?"

  She glanced at Spook, defiantly meeting his eyes-or, rather, his lack thereof. "You can try to sound harsh, but I know you won't hurt me. You're of the Survivor's crew."

  Spook folded his arms.

  "Please," Beldre said. "Quellion is a good man, like you. You have to give him more time. Don't kill him."

  "What makes you think we'd kill him, child?" Sazed asked. "You just said that you thought we would never harm you. Why is your brother different?"

  Beldre glanced down. "You're the ones who killed the Lord Ruler. You overthrew the entire empire. My brother doesn't believe it-he thinks that you rode the Survivor's popularity, claiming to be his friends after he'd sacrificed himself."

  Spook snorted. "I wonder where your brother got an idea like that. Perhaps he knows someone else who's claimed to have the Survivor's blessing, killing people in his name. ."

  Beldre blushed.

  "Your brother doesn't trust us," Sazed said. "Why do you?"

  Beldre shrugged. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I guess. . men who lie don't save children from burning buildings."

  Sazed glanced at Spook, but couldn't read anything in the young man's hard expression. Finally, Spook spoke. "Breeze, Sazed, Allrianne, outside with me. Goradel, watch the woman."

  Spook pushed his way out into the hallway, and Sazed followed with the others. Once the door was closed, Spook turned to regard the rest of them. "Well?"

  "I don't like her," Allrianne said, folding her arms.

  "Of course you don't, dear," Breeze said. "You never like competition."

  "Competition?" Allrianne huffed. "From a timid little thing like that? Honestly."

  "What do you think, Breeze?" Spook asked.

  "About the girl, or about you insulting me in there?"

  "The first," Spook said. "Your pride isn't important right now."

  "My dear fellow," Breeze said, "my pride is always important. As for the girl, I'll tell you this-she's terrified. Despite what she says, she's very, very frightened-which means that she hasn't done this sort of thing very often. My guess is that she's noble."

  Allrianne nodded. "Definitely. Just look at her hands-when they're not shaking from fright, you can see that they're clean and soft. She grew up being pampered."

  "She's obviously a bit naive," Sazed said. "Otherwise she wouldn't have come here, expecting that we'd just listen to her, then let her go."

  Spook nodded. He cocked his head, as if listening to something. Then he walked forward, pushing open the door to the room.

  "Well?" Beldre asked, maintaining her false air of forcefulness. "Have you decided to listen to me?"

  "In a way," Spook said. "I'm going to give you more time to explain your point. Plenty of time, actually."

  "I. . don't have long," Beldre said. "I need to get back to my brother. I didn't tell him I was leaving, and. ." She trailed off, apparently seeing something in Spook's expression. "You're going to take me captive, aren't you?"

  "Breeze," Spook said, turning. "How do you think the people would respond if I started spreading the rumor that the Citizen's own sister has turned against him, fleeing to our embassy for protection?"

  Breeze smiled. "Well now. That's clever! Almost makes up for how you treated me. Have I mentioned yet how rude that was?"

  "You can't!" Beldre said, standing, facing Spook. "Nobody will believe that I've deserted!"

  "Oh?" Spook asked. "Did you speak to the soldiers outside before you came in here?"

  "Of course not," Beldre said. "They'd have tried to stop me. I ran up the steps before they could."

  "So, they can confirm that you entered the building of your own will," Spook said. "Sneaking around a guard post."

  "Doesn't look good," Breeze agreed.

  Beldre wilted slightly, sitting down in her chair. By the Forgotten Gods, Sazed thought. She really is naive. The Citizen must have expended a great deal of effort in sheltering her so.

  Of course, from what Sazed had heard, Quellion rarely let the girl out of his sight. She was always with him, being watched over. How will he react? Sazed thought with a chill. What will he do when he learns we have her? Attack?

  Perhaps that was the plan. If Spook could force an outright attack on the Citizen's part, it would look bad. Especially bad when Quellion was turned back by a few soldiers-he couldn't know how well fortified their position was.

  When did Spook get so clever?

  Beldre looked up from her seat, a few tears of frustration gleaming in her eyes. "You can't do this. This is deceitful! What would the Survivor say if he knew what you were planning?"

  "The Survivor?" Spook asked, chuckling. "I have a feeling he'd approve. If he were here, actually, I think he'd suggest that we do this very thing. ."

  One can see Ruin's craftiness in the meticulousness of his planning. He managed to orchestrate the downfall of the Lord Ruler only a short time before Preservation's power returned to the Well of Ascension. And then, within a few years of that event, he had freed himself.

  On the time scale of gods and their power, this very tricky timing was as precise as an expert cut performed by the most talented of surgeons.

  50

  The door to the cavern opened.

  Vin immediately downed her last vial of metals.

  She jumped, tossing a coin behind herself, leaping up onto the top of one of the freestanding shelves. The cavern echoed with the sound of stone on stone as its door opened. Vin threw herself forward-Pushing off the coin-to shoot toward the front of the room. A crack of light outlined the door, and even this small amount of illumination hurt her eyes.

  She gritted her teeth against the light, blinking as she landed. She threw herself up against the wall just to the side of the door, clutching her knives, flaring pewter to help herself deal with the sudden pain of light. Tears crept down her cheeks.

  The door stopped moving. A solitary man stepped into the cavern, bearing a raised lantern. He wore a fine black suit and gentleman's hat.

  Vin ignored him.

  She slipped around the man and ducked through the door, entering the small chamber beyond. A group of startled workers shied back, dropping ropes which were connected to the door's opening mechanisms. Vin ignored these men as well, other than to shove her way through them. Dropping a coin, she Pushed herself upward. The wooden ladder's rungs became a blur beside her as she soared up and slammed into the trapdoor in the ceiling.

  And bounced off it with a grunt of pain.

  She desperately caught rungs of the ladder as she began to fall, ignoring the sudden sting in her shoulder from hitting so hard. She flared pewter and pushed down on a rung with her legs, then slammed her back up against the trapdoor, trying to force it up and open.

  She strained. Then, the rung broke beneath her feet, sending her toppling down again. She cursed, Push
ing off her coin to slow her fall, and hit the floor in a crouch.

  The workers had backed into a huddle-uncertain whether they wanted to venture into the dark cavern, but also uncertain whether they wanted to remain in the small room with a Mistborn. The suited nobleman had turned. He held his lantern high, illuminating Vin. A bit of broken ladder rung fell free and cracked to the stone floor beside her.

  "The trapdoor is well secured with a very large rock on top of it, Lady Venture," the nobleman said. Vin vaguely recognized him. He was a bit overweight, but was kempt, with very short hair and a thoughtful face.

  "Tell the men up above to remove the stone," Vin said quietly, raising a dagger.

  "That is not going to happen, I'm afraid."

  "I can make it happen," Vin said, stepping forward. The workers pulled back even further.

  The nobleman smiled. "Lady Venture, let me assure you of several things. The first is that you are the only Allomancer among us, and so I have no doubt that you could slaughter us with the barest of efforts. The second is that the stone above is not moving anytime soon, so we might as well sit down and have a pleasant chat, as opposed to brandishing weapons and threatening each other."

  There was something. . disarming about the man. Vin checked with bronze, but he wasn't burning any metals. Just to be certain, she Pulled a bit on his emotions, making him more trusting and friendly, then tried to Soothe away any sense of guile he might have felt.

  "I see that you're at least considering my offer," the nobleman said, waving to one of the workers. The worker hastily opened his pack, pulling out two folding chairs, then arranging them on the ground before the open stone door. The nobleman placed the lantern to the side, then sat down.

  Vin crept a little closer. "Why do I recognize you?"

  "I'm a friend of your husband," the nobleman said.

  "Telden," Vin said, placing him. "Telden Hasting."

  Telden nodded. She had seen him at the ball a few weeks back, the first one they had attended. But, she'd known him from someplace earlier than that. He'd been one of Elend's friends in Luthadel, before the Collapse.