Mistborn Trilogy

by Sanderson, Brandon

  What would it take to set them all off at once? And…what kind of a disaster would they cause if that happened? He nervously revised his earlier thoughts. No, the koloss had not been maligned. The stories he had heard—stories of koloss running wild in the Farmost Dominance, causing widespread destruction and death—were obviously true.

  But something kept this group marginally reined in. The Lord Ruler had been able to control the koloss, though no book explained how. Most writers simply accepted this ability as part of what had made the Lord Ruler God. The man had been immortal—compared with that, other powers seemed mundane.

  His immortality, however, was a trick, Sazed thought. Simply a clever combination of Feruchemical and Allomantic powers. The Lord Ruler had been just a normal man—albeit one with an unusual combination of abilities and opportunities.

  That being the case, how had he controlled the koloss? There was something different about the Lord Ruler. Something more than his powers. He did something at the Well of Ascension, something that forever changed the world. Perhaps his ability to control the koloss came from that.

  Sazed’s captors ignored the occasional fights around firepits. There didn’t appear to be any female koloss in the camp—or, if there were, they were indistinguishable from the males. Sazed did, however, notice a koloss corpse lying forgotten near one of the fires. It had been flayed, the blue skin ripped free.

  How could any society exist like this? he thought with horror. His books said the koloss bred and aged quickly—a fortunate situation for them, considering the number of deaths he had already seen. Even so, it seemed to him that this species killed too many of its members to continue.

  Yet they did continue. Unfortunately. The Keeper in him believed strongly that nothing should be lost, that every society was worth remembering. However, the brutality of the koloss camp—the wounded creatures who sat, ignoring the gashes in their skin, the flayed corpses along the path, the sudden bellows of anger and subsequent murders—tested this belief.

  His captors led him around a small hillock in the land, and Sazed paused as he saw something very unexpected.

  A tent.

  “Go,” the lead koloss said, pointing.

  Sazed frowned. There were several dozen humans outside the tent, carrying spears and dressed like imperial guards. The tent was large, and behind it stood a line of boxy carts.

  “Go!” the koloss yelled.

  Sazed did as he was told. Behind him, one of the koloss indifferently tossed Sazed’s pack toward the human guards. The metalminds inside clinked together as they hit the ashy ground, causing Sazed to cringe. The soldiers watched the koloss retreat with a wary eye; then one picked up the pack. Another leveled his spear at Sazed.

  Sazed held up his hands. “I am Sazed, a Keeper of Terris, once steward, now teacher. I am not your enemy.”

  “Yes, well,” the guard said, still watching the retreating koloss. “You’re still going to have to come with me.”

  “May I have my possessions back?” Sazed asked. This hollow appeared free of koloss; apparently, the human soldiers wanted to keep their distance.

  The first guard turned to his companion, who was perusing Sazed’s pack. The second guard looked up and shrugged. “No weapons. Some bracelets and rings, maybe worth something.”

  “None of them are of precious metals,” Sazed said. “They are the tools of a Keeper, and are of little value to anyone but myself.”

  The second guard shrugged, handing the bag to the first man. Both were of standard Central Dominance coloring—dark hair, light skin, the build and height of those who’d had proper nutrition as children. The first guard was the older of the two, and was obviously in charge. He took the bag from his companion. “We’ll see what His Majesty says.”

  Ah, Sazed thought. “Let us speak with him then.”

  The guard turned, pushing aside the tent door and motioning for Sazed to enter. Sazed stepped from red sunlight into a functional—if sparsely furnished—tent room. This main chamber was large, and contained several more guards. Sazed had seen perhaps two dozen so far.

  The lead guard walked forward and poked his head into a room at the back. A few moments later, he waved Sazed forward and pulled back the tent door.

  Sazed entered the second chamber. The man inside wore the pants and suit jacket of a Luthadel nobleman. He was balding—his hair reduced to a few struggling wisps—despite his youth. He stood, tapping the side of his leg with a nervous hand, and jumped slightly when Sazed entered.

  Sazed recognized the man. “Jastes Lekal.”

  “King Lekal,” Jastes snapped. “Do I know you, Terrisman?”

  “We have not met, Your Majesty,” Sazed said, “but I have had some dealings with a friend of yours, I think. King Elend Venture of Luthadel?”

  Jastes nodded absently. “My men say the koloss brought you. They found you poking around the camp?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Sazed said carefully, watching as Jastes began to pace. This man isn’t much more stable than the army he apparently leads, he thought with dissatisfaction. “How is it that you have persuaded the creatures to serve you?”

  “You are a prisoner, Terrisman,” Jastes snapped. “No questions. Did Elend send you to spy on me?”

  “I was sent by no man,” Sazed said. “You happened to be in my path, Your Majesty. I meant no harm by my observations.”

  Jastes paused, eyeing Sazed, before beginning to pace again. “Well, never mind. I’ve been without a proper steward for some time now. You will serve me now.”

  “I apologize, Your Majesty,” Sazed said, bowing slightly. “But that will not be possible.”

  Jastes frowned. “You’re a steward—I can tell that from the robes. Is Elend so great a master that you would deny me?”

  “Elend Venture is not my master, Your Majesty,” Sazed said, meeting the young king’s eyes. “Now that we are free, the Terrismen no longer call any man master. I cannot be your servant, for I can be no man’s servant. Keep me as prisoner, if you must. But I will not serve you. I apologize.”

  Jastes paused again. Instead of being angry, however, he simply seemed…embarrassed. “I see.”

  “Your Majesty,” Sazed said calmly, “I realize that you commanded me to ask no questions, so I will instead make observations. You appear to have placed yourself in a very poor position. I know not how you control these koloss, but I cannot help but think that your grip is tenuous. You are in danger, and you appear intent on sharing that danger with others.”

  Jastes flushed. “Your ‘observations’ are flawed, Terrisman. I am in control of this army. They obey me completely. How many other noblemen have you seen gather koloss armies? None—only I have been successful.”

  “They do not seem very much under control, Your Majesty.”

  “Oh?” Jastes asked. “And did they tear you apart when they found you? Pummel you to death for sport? Ram a stick through you and roast you over one of their fires? No. They don’t do these things because I commanded them otherwise. It may not seem like much, Terrisman, but trust me—this is a sign of great restraint and obedience for koloss.”

  “Civilization is no great achievement, Your Majesty.”

  “Do not try me, Terrisman!” Jastes snapped, running a hand through the remnants of his hair. “These are koloss we speak of—we can’t expect much from them.”

  “And you bring them to Luthadel?” Sazed asked. “Even the Lord Ruler feared these creatures, Your Majesty. He kept them away from cities. You bring them to the most populated area in all of the Final Empire!”

  “You don’t understand,” Jastes said. “I tried overtures of peace, but nobody listens unless you have money or an army. Well, I have one, and I’ll soon have the other. I know Elend’s sitting on that stash of atium—and I’m just come to…to make an alliance with him.”

  “An alliance where you take over control of the city?”

  “Bah!” Jastes said with a wave of his hand. “Elend doesn’t contro
l Luthadel—he’s just a placeholder waiting for someone more powerful to come along. He’s a good man, but he’s an innocent idealist. He’s going to lose his throne to one army or another, and I’ll give him a better deal than Cett or Straff will, that’s certain.”

  Cett? Straff? What kind of trouble has young Venture gotten himself into? Sazed shook his head. “Somehow I doubt that a ‘better deal’ involves the use of koloss, Your Majesty.”

  Jastes frowned. “You certainly are smart-mouthed, Terrisman. You’re a sign—your entire people are a sign—of what has gone wrong with the world. I used to respect the Terris people. There’s no shame in being a good servant.”

  “There’s often little pride in it either,” Sazed said. “But, I apologize for my attitude, Your Majesty. It is not a manifestation of Terris independence. I have always been too free with my comments, I think. I never made the best of stewards.” Or the best of Keepers, he added to himself.

  “Bah,” Jastes said again, resuming his pacing.

  “Your Majesty,” Sazed said. “I must continue to Luthadel. There are…events I need to deal with. Think what you will of my people, but you must know that we are honest. The work I do is beyond politics and wars, thrones and armies. It is important for all men.”

  “Scholars always say things like that,” Jastes said. He paused. “Elend always said things like that.”

  “Regardless,” Sazed continued, “I must be allowed to leave. In exchange for my freedom, I will deliver a message from you to His Majesty King Elend, if you wish.”

  “I could send a messenger of my own at any time!”

  “And leave yourself with one less man to protect you from the koloss?” Sazed said.

  Jastes paused just briefly.

  Ah, so he does fear them. Good. At least he’s not insane.

  “I will be leaving, Your Majesty,” Sazed said. “I do not mean to be arrogant, but I can see that you don’t have the resources to keep prisoners. You can let me go, or you can give me to the koloss. I would be wary, however, of letting them get into a habit of killing humans.”

  Jastes eyed him. “Fine,” he said. “Deliver this message, then. Tell Elend that I don’t care if he knows I’m coming—I don’t even care if you give our numbers. Be sure you’re accurate, though! I have over twenty thousand koloss in this army. He can’t fight me. He can’t fight the others, either. But, if I had those city walls…well, I could hold off both other armies for him. Tell him to be logical. If he gives over the atium, I’ll even let him keep Luthadel. We can be neighbors. Allies.”

  One bankrupt of coin, the other bankrupt of common sense, Sazed thought. “Very well, Your Majesty. I will speak with Elend. I will need the return of my possessions, however.”

  The king waved a hand in annoyance, and Sazed withdrew, waiting quietly as the lead guard entered the king’s chambers again and received his orders. As he waited for the soldiers to prepare—his pack thankfully returned to him—Sazed thought about what Jastes had said. Cett or Straff. Just how many forces were working on Elend to take his city?

  If Sazed had wanted a quiet place to study, he’d apparently chosen the wrong direction to run.

  20

  It wasn’t until a few years later that I began to notice the signs. I knew the prophecies—I am a Terris Worldbringer, after all. And yet, not all of us are religious men; some, such as myself, are more interested in other topics. However, during my time with Alendi, I could not help but become more interested in the Anticipation. He seemed to fit the signs so well.

  “This is going to be dangerous, Your Majesty,” Dockson said.

  “It’s our only option,” Elend said. He stood behind his table; it was, as usual, stacked with books. He was backlit by the study’s window, and its colors fell upon the back of his white uniform, dyeing it a brilliant maroon.

  He certainly does look more commanding in that outfit, Vin thought, sitting in Elend’s plush reading chair, OreSeur resting patiently on the floor beside her. She still wasn’t sure what to think of the changes in Elend. She knew the alterations were mostly visual—new clothing, new haircut—but other things about him seemed to be changing as well. He stood up straighter when he spoke, and was more authoritative. He was even training in the sword and the cane.

  Vin glanced at Tindwyl. The matronly Terriswoman sat in a stiff chair at the back of the room, watching the proceedings. She had perfect posture, and was ladylike in her colorful skirt and blouse. She didn’t sit with her legs folded beneath her, as Vin currently did, and she’d never wear trousers.

  What is it about her? Vin thought. I’ve spent a year trying to get Elend to practice his swordsmanship. Tindwyl’s been here less than a month, and she already has him sparring.

  Why did Vin feel bitter? Elend wouldn’t change that much, would he? She tried to quiet the little piece of her that worried about this new confident, well-dressed warrior of a king—worried that he would turn out to be different from the man she loved.

  What if he stopped needing her?

  She pulled down into the chair just a little bit farther as Elend continued to speak with Ham, Dox, Clubs, and Breeze.

  “El,” Ham said, “you realize that if you go into the enemy camp, we won’t be able to protect you.”

  “I’m not sure you can protect me here, Ham,” Elend said. “Not with two armies camped practically against the walls.”

  “True,” Dockson said, “but I’m worried that if you enter that camp, you’ll never come out.”

  “Only if I fail,” Elend said. “If I follow the plan—convince my father that we’re his allies—he’ll let me return. I didn’t spend a lot of time politicking in the court when I was younger. However, one thing I did learn to do was manipulate my father. I know Straff Venture—and I know that I can beat him. Besides, he doesn’t want me dead.”

  “Can we be sure of that?” Ham asked, rubbing his chin.

  “Yes,” Elend said. “After all, Straff hasn’t sent assassins after me, while Cett has. It makes sense. What better person for Straff to leave in control of Luthadel than his own son? He thinks he can control me—he’ll assume that he can make me give him Luthadel. If I play into that, I should be able to get him to attack Cett.”

  “He does have a point…” Ham said.

  “Yes,” Dockson said, “but what is to keep Straff from just taking you hostage and forcing his way into Luthadel?”

  “He’ll still have Cett at his back,” Elend said. “If he fights us, he’ll lose men—a lot of men—and expose himself to attack from behind.”

  “But he’ll have you, my dear man,” Breeze said. “He wouldn’t have to attack Luthadel—he could force us to give in.”

  “You’ll have orders to let me die first,” Elend said. “That’s why I set up the Assembly. It has the power to choose a new king.”

  “But why?” Ham asked. “Why take this risk, El? Let’s wait a bit longer and see if we can get Straff to meet with you in a more neutral location.”

  Elend sighed. “You have to listen to me, Ham. Siege or no siege, we can’t just sit here. If we do, either we’ll get starved out, or one of those armies will decide to break the siege and attack us, hoping to take our walls, then turn and immediately defend against its enemies. They won’t do that easily, but it could happen. It will happen, if we don’t begin to play the kings against one another.”

  The room fell silent. The others slowly turned toward Clubs, who nodded. He agreed.

  Good job, Elend, Vin thought.

  “Someone has to meet with my father,” Elend said. “And, I need to be that person. Straff thinks I am a fool, so I can convince him that I’m no threat. Then, I’ll go and persuade Cett that I’m on his side. When they finally attack each other—each one thinking we’re on their side—we’ll withdraw instead and force them to fight it out. The winner won’t have enough strength left to take the city from us!”

  Ham and Breeze nodded their heads. Dockson, however, shook his. “The plan is good in t
heory, but going into the enemy camp unguarded? That seems foolish.”

  “Now, see,” Elend said. “I think this is to our advantage. My father believes strongly in control and domination. If I walk into his camp, I’ll essentially be telling him that I agree he has authority over me. I’ll seem weak, and he’ll assume that he can take me whenever he wants. It’s a risk, but if I don’t do this, we die.”

  The men eyed each other.

  Elend stood up a little straighter and pulled his hands into fists at his sides. He always did that when he was nervous.

  “I’m afraid that this isn’t a discussion,” Elend said. “I’ve made my decision.”

  They’re not going to accept a declaration like that, Vin thought. The crew were an independent lot.

  Yet, surprisingly, none of them objected.

  Dockson finally nodded his head. “All right, Your Majesty,” he said. “You’re going to need to walk a dangerous line—make Straff believe that he can count on our support, but also convince him that he can betray us at his leisure. You have to make him want our strength of arms while at the same time dismissing our strength of will.”

  “And,” Breeze added, “you need to do so without him figuring out that you’re playing both sides.”

  “Can you do it?” Ham asked. “Honestly, Elend?”

  Elend nodded. “I can do it, Ham. I’ve gotten much better at politics this last year.” He said the words with confidence, though Vin noticed that he still had his fists clenched. He’ll have to learn not to do that.

  “You may, perhaps, understand politics,” Breeze said, “but this is scamming. Face it, my friend, you’re dreadfully honest—always talking about how to defend the rights of skaa and the like.”

  “Now, see, you’re being unfair,” Elend said. “Honesty and good intentions are completely different. Why, I can be just as dishonest as—” He paused. “Why am I arguing this point? We admit what has to be done, and we know that I’m the one who has to do it. Dox, would you draft a letter to my father? Suggest that I would be happy to visit him. In fact…”