Part 71 (1/2)

”But you're considering it now?” Sazed asked, frowning. ”I do not understand. Simply because of the way that the mists are acting?”

”The mists are the body of Preservation, Keeper,” Haddek said. ”This is a very very portentous event.” portentous event.”

”We have been listening to our children discuss it all morning,” another said. ”And it troubles us. They do not know all the mists represent, but they are aware of their importance.”

”Rashek said that we'd know,” another said. ”He told us. 'The day will come when you have to remove your Blessings. You'll know when it arrives.' ”

Haddek nodded. ”He said that we'd know. And . . . we are very worried.”

”How can we order the deaths of all of our people?” another asked. ”The Resolution has always bothered me.”

”Rashek saw the future,” Haddek said, turning. ”He held the power of Preservation and wielded it. He is the only man ever to have done so! Even this girl of whom the Keeper speaks did not use use the power. Only Rashek! The Father.” the power. Only Rashek! The Father.”

”Where, then, are the mists?” another asked.

The room fell silent again. Sazed sat, pen held in his hand, yet not writing anything. He leaned forward. ”The mists are the body of Preservation?”

The others nodded.

”And . . . it has disappeared?”

Again, a nod.

”Does this not mean, then, that Preservation has returned?”

”That is impossible,” Haddek said. ”Preservation's power remains, for power cannot be destroyed. His mind, however, was all but destroyed-for this was the sacrifice he made to imprison Ruin.”

”The sliver remains,” another reminded. ”The shadow of self.”

”Yes,” Haddek said. ”But that is not Preservation, just an image-a remnant. Now that Ruin has escaped, I think we can a.s.sume that even it has been destroyed.”

”I think it is more,” another began. ”We could-”

Sazed held up his hands, getting their attention. ”If Preservation has not returned, then has, perhaps, someone else taken up his power to use in this fight? Is that not what your teachings say will happen? That which has been sundered must again begin to find its whole.”

Silence.

”Perhaps,” Haddek said.

Vin, Sazed thought, growing excited. Sazed thought, growing excited. This is what it means to be the Hero of Ages! I am right to believe. She This is what it means to be the Hero of Ages! I am right to believe. She can can save us! save us!

Sazed took a piece of metal paper, beginning to scribble down his thoughts. At that moment, however, the doors to the Trustwarren burst open.

Sazed paused, turning with a frown. A group of rock-boned Fifth Generationers clomped into the room, followed by the willowy members of the Second Generation. Outside, the cavern hallway was empty of its earlier crowd.

”Take them,” KanPaar said furtively, pointing.

”What is this!” Haddek exclaimed.

Sazed sat where he was, pen held in his fingers. He recognized the urgent, tense posture in the figures of the Second Generationers. Some looked frightened, others determined. The Fifth Generationers moved forward quickly, their movements enhanced by the Blessing of Potency.

”KanPaar!” Haddek said. ”What is this?”

Sazed slowly stood up. Four Fifth Generationers came over to surround him, bearing hammers as weapons.

”It's a coup,” Sazed said.

”You can no longer lead,” KanPaar said to the First Generation. ”You would destroy what we have here, polluting our land with outsiders, letting the talk of revolutionaries cloud kandra wisdom.”

”This is not the time, KanPaar,” Haddek said, the members of the First Generation crying out as they were prodded and grappled.

”Not the time?” KanPaar asked angrily. ”You spoke of the Resolution! Have you no idea the panic this has caused? You would destroy everything everything we have.” we have.”

Sazed turned calmly, looking at KanPaar. Despite his angry tone, the kandra was smiling slightly through translucent lips.

He had to strike now, Sazed thought, Sazed thought, before the First Generation said more to the common people-making the Seconds redundant. KanPaar can stuff them all away somewhere, and then prop up dummies in the alcoves before the First Generation said more to the common people-making the Seconds redundant. KanPaar can stuff them all away somewhere, and then prop up dummies in the alcoves.

Sazed reached for his pewtermind. One of the Fifths snapped it away with a too-quick grab of the hand, and two others took Sazed by the arms. He struggled, but his kandra captors were inhumanly strong.

”KanPaar!” Haddek yelled. The First's voice was surprisingly strong. ”You are of the Second Generation-you owe obedience to me. We created you!”

KanPaar ignored him, directing his kandra to bind the members of the First Generation. The other Seconds stood in a cl.u.s.ter behind him, looking increasingly apprehensive and shocked at what they were doing.

”The time for the Resolution may indeed be here!” Haddek said. ”We must-” He cut off as one of the Fifths gagged him.

”That is exactly why I must take leaders.h.i.+p,” KanPaar said, shaking his head. ”You are too unstable, old one. I will not trust the future of our people to a creature who could, at a whim, order them to kill themselves.”

”You fear change,” Sazed said, meeting the kandra's eyes.

”I fear instability,” KanPaar said. ”I will make certain the kandra people have a firm and immutable leaders.h.i.+p.”

”You make the same argument as many revolutionaries,” Sazed said. ”And I can see your concern. However, you must must not do this thing. Your own prophecies are coming to a head. I understand now! Without the part the kandra are to play, you could inadvertently cause the end of all things. Let me continue my research-lock us in this room if you must-but do not-” not do this thing. Your own prophecies are coming to a head. I understand now! Without the part the kandra are to play, you could inadvertently cause the end of all things. Let me continue my research-lock us in this room if you must-but do not-”

”Gag him,” KanPaar said, turning.

Sazed struggled, with no success, as his mouth was bound and he was pulled from the Trustwarren, leaving the atium-the body of a G.o.d-behind, and in the hands of traitors.

I've always wondered about the strange ability Allomancers have to pierce the mists. When one burned tin, he or she could see farther at night, looking through the mists. To the layman, this might seem like a logical connection-tin, after all, enhances the senses.

The logical mind, however, may find a puzzle in this ability. How, exactly, would tin let one see through the mists? As an obstruction, they are unconnected with the quality of one's eyesight. Both the nearsighted scholar and the long-sighted scout would have the same trouble seeing into the distance if there were a wall in the way.

This, then, should have been our first clue. Allomancers could see through the mists because the mists were, indeed, composed of the very same power as Allomancy. Once attuned by burning tin, the Allomancer was almost part of the mists. And therefore, they became more translucent to him.

76.