The Well Of Ascension Chapters 15-17
Entry posted by Child Bahkbar
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I'm back with three more chapters of my Well of Ascension readthrough. Yay!
Part 2
Chapter 15
This one's another Sazed chapter, which basically means it's gonna be either really short or really awesome.
It begins with Sazed awakening from slumber to find himself completely alone. He and Marsh have apparently been traveling for eight days so far. I wonder what would cause Marsh to just up and leave after more than a week of traveling. I mean, if he had a different destination from Sazed, why not just split up the first day instead? He left his blankets behind too. It's almost as if he just got up in the middle of the night and walked off. Sazed follows his tracks for a little while, then returns to the camp to wait for him. He washes his robes, eats a measly breakfast, walks the dog, shaves his head...wait. Shaves his head? Sazed is bald!? The way it's written here makes it seem like shaving is something he does regularly. How in the world did I miss that. I suppose descriptions of the characters aren't given very often, but still...
Anyway, Marsh doesn't return, so Sazed decides to continue on his way to Luthadel, thinking Marsh will be able to catch up. Oh, come on, Sazed. Don't be stupid. It's pretty obvious that he's abandoned you and moved on to something more important. Now you need to do the same.
After walking for a while, Sazed finds a city. He draws some information from his coppermind to figure out where exactly he is. Apparently when he puts information into a coppermind, he is literally putting it in the coppermind, so he immediately forgets it. Also, the more he draws from a coppermind, the more muddled the information becomes, so he has re-memorize certain portions occasionally to keep the information fresh. Makes sense, I guess. Seems like kind of a pain, though.
The index from his metalmind describes the city as "picturesque", which we all know actually means "horribly precipitous", or simply "troublesome". As he nears the city, he notices that there are goats and other cattle roaming around freely. Sazed tries to be optimistic, considering that perhaps the skaa here are so prosperous that they can allow their animals to roam around like this. Of course, I know by now that he's almost always wrong about these things. The reason the animals are all out here is because the people in the city are all dead. That's just the way these things work.
As he draws closer and closer to the city, he smells something...odd. He uses his tinmind to enhance his sense of smell, and, sure enough, it is the stench of rotting corpses. The skaa here are all, in fact, dead. My first guess is that the Inquisitors came here and slaughtered everyone, but it turns out that wasn't the case. Upon studying the bodies, Sazed is unable to find any specific cause of death on any of the bodies. These people have been dead for a while as well. Several days, at least. I guess the mists must have done them in/ Kind of like Jed.
Sazed enters one of the hovels to find it filled with dead bodies. He observes that these people died from starvation and dehydration. How could they have starved to death with so much cattle just outside the city? There definitely is something seriously wrong here. Or was, anyway.
After studying the bodies, Sazed leaves the hovel and, using his tinmind to weaken his sense of smell, checks out the other buildings as well. They're all the same as the first one, littered with corpses. In some he found gnawed human remains. These people had even begun to eat themselves before the end? What could have driven them to something so extreme?
While inspecting one of the hovels, Sazed finds a single survivor. The man is still strong enough to speak, but he is obviously not in his right mind any more. He has apparently been feeding on the rotted corpses of the other skaa to survive, though he denies this fervently. Sazed questions the man, and he explains what happened here. The mists appeared in the city one day, and remained for several weeks, day and night. Apparently some of the skaa found the courage to step out into the mists after a while. The mists took some of them--shook them like Jed, but others it allowed to go free. I'll bet that all of the survivors were mistings. It never has been explained what allomancy has to do with the mists, but the names imply that there is some sort of connection.
Anyway, the man rises from his resting place and prepares to...feed. Sazed offers him some of his own food, but it seems the man would rather eat rotting bodies. Sazed doesn't allow him to, though, and uses his pewtermind to forcibly draw the man outside. The moment he sees the sun, the mad man just runs off, and Sazed lets him go. there's not much he could have dome for the poor guy anyway.
The chapter ends when, realizing that there is definitely something horribly wrong happening to the world, Sazed draws speed from his steel mind and hurries to Luthadel.
Well, that was a pretty awesome chapter, just as I expected. Now on to the next one!
Chapter 16
This chapter starts with Vin, and what'd'ya know, she's actually doing some research for once. She's studying Alendi's logbook. Or, well, I'm pretty sure it's his, anyway. Oreseur is with her, although he's not providing much help--most likely because she didn't ask. Vin is just too secretive sometimes...all the time.
She's searching the logbook for mentions of the Mistwraith, or, as I like to call it, "The Terrifying Misty Death"(TMD for short), in the journal. She has actually found a few occurrences. The Alendi wrote about a dark mist creature that followed him the same way it follows her. He was also the only one who could see it--possibly the same as her. Eh, I see the connection, and I'm not sure I like it.
Anyway, Vin still actually thinks this might be an illusion, but she reads in the logbook that Alendi was also beginning to doubt his sanity. The Mist-spirit stabbed a man named Fedik, though, so he decided it had to be real, because if it wasn't, that would mean it was he who attacked his companion, and he didn't want to believe that he'd do such a thing. Following his example, Vin decides to believe in the monster as well. Indeed, she'd have to be quite mad indeed to have completely fabricated her encounters with the creature.
It's written that Fedik was stabbed in the chest. Uh.. am I... missing something? I was under the impression that chest wounds were generally, y'know... fatal. Especially when you're traveling up a mountain at the chull-end of no where with no doctors or magical beings capable of healing such things. Although, Rashek was a keeper, so perhaps he was able to mend Fedik's chest wound. Doubtful, though.
Anyway, Alendi wrote that the TMD could not harm him, for some reason. Well, it could definitely harm Vin, I think. Rashek, of course, believed that Alendi tried to kill Fedik. Yeah, an invisible creature that can harm everyone but yourself sounds like a pretty flimsy defense. Somehow I don't think that excuse would hold up in court. Yet another reason for Rashek to want to make a corpse of Alendi, I guess.
Here it switches to Elend's PoV. He's standing atop the Luthadel walls, watching to two armies lead by the two kings who have come to remove him as head of the city, and remove his actual head as well. They're doing exactly what he expected them to; trying to use the canals to resupply their armies. What he didn't expect, though, was for Cett to be serving his armies canned goods. I didn't even know they had invented the cannery in this world yet. I guess this means Cett probably wont be having much trouble keeping his men fed, now, will he?
Clubs walks up onto the roof with Elend, and remarks that they've got a real siege on their hands now. Yeah, thanks for the input, Einstein. That totally isn't something your average retard could tell at this point. He states the obvious again, telling Elend that he's the "focal point", and that if he's not up to the task they're all dead. Really? I had no idea! This somehow brings the Terris woman to Elends mind, so he asks Clubs if he thinks he's a good king. Clubs just replies that he's "Not the worst". Seriously? Elend is just getting crapped on by everyone these days. Next thing you know, Vin's gonna show up and tell him she's tired of him, and she's leaving him to be with Spooks. Then this cycle of shame will have finally completed itself.
Clubs tells Elend that the Pits of Hathsin were what made Kelsier into the man he was. "Will this be your pits of Hatsin?", he asks. What does he mean by that? Is he asking if Elend will be put through twelve months of hell, lose everything dear to him, and watch his own wife beaten to death in front of his very eyes? I certainly hope not.
Anyway, Clubs tells him that the REAL reason he came up here was to inform Elend that it's time for his lessons with Tyndwyl. Yay, more humiliating degradation. Sounds like so much fun.
When Elend meets up with Tyndwyl, she immediately begins grilling him on pretty much the same things she corrected him about before--I'd have thought he'd have at least learned to stand up straight by now. She tells him his clothes are slovenly. She seems to quite enjoy using that word, "Slovenly". I can understand why; it has quite a nice ring to it. Yes.
Tyndwyl proceeds to force him to change from his clothing into a brand new uniform she's had prepared for him. A kingly uniform, complete with a cape and crown. She claims she also intends to have him taught how to fight and command armies. Both very kingly, and, more importantly, manly skills. It is indeed very important that he become a manly-man that all the other manly-men in the kingdom can look up to. That's, like, the first and most important rule of being a king.
Tyndwyl has his hair cut as well. Elend checks himself in the mirror afterward and, instead of the weakling he saw before, he sees a king. He thanks Tyndwyl for her help, thinking this is the end of his training, but she assures him that his transformation from slovenly pig to dignified king has only just begun. Sweet.
Tyndwyl is starting to give me some small measure of hope for Elend. Thanks to her teaching, he might not end up dying after all. Either that, or her training will directly result on him finding to bravery to die an honorable death on the battlefield!
Once the king's transformation is complete, captain Demoux arrives--I just now remembered who he is! He's the young captain from the first book! The one who stoop up to that dissident in The Final Empire. Golly, I have no idea how I could have forgotten him so entirely.
Anyway, Demoux says a messenger has arrived from Elend's father, so Elend says he'll go find Vin. Why does he need her with him? It's not like he'll be in any real danger. He's just going to meet with a messenger, and he'll have plenty of other guards around anyway.
Before he leaves, he asks Tyndwyl what she believes makes a good king. Her answer is "trust". She says a kign that is deserving of the trust of his people is a good king indeed. Elend thinks this is the proper answer--not that his opinion means much.
The chapter ends as Elend rushes out to find Vin and meet with Straff's messenger.
Chapter 17
We're back to Vin now, and she's still studying that logbook. She has progressed from simply reading to taking notes as well. Elend arrives shortly after she begins painstakingly writing her notes on a sheet of paper...on the floor. She doesn't recognize him when she first sees him, and the change in his appearance shocks her so much that, before she can stop herself, she flares pewter and throws her pen straight through his eye, killing him instantly. Once she realizes what she's done she rushes over and cries out for help as she holds his lifeless body in her arms... Yeah, that's not what happened. She's surprised, but she, once again, does not harm him. It seems that Elend will live to see another day. His time is coming, though. I can smell it.
Anyway, she studies his new appearance, and is quite impressed. The outfit is practically perfect. It doesn't have any metal on it, and the cape comes off easily. Yes, Tyndwyl did an admirable job fixing up his outward appearance. Too bad he's the same little bi--uh, wuss on the inside.
Elend tells Vin about the messenger, so she abandons her notes and goes with him, taking Oreseur with her. Vin enters the meeting room and--what the devil?! It's him! The messenger is the bloody Watcher! He wasn't lying when he told her he was the enemy. He's been working for Straff Venture all along! Vin warns Elend that the messenger is Mistborn, but she doesn't mention that she knows him. For once, Elend takes her warning seriously and keeps his distance.
The Watcher introduces himself. Assuming he's not lying, his name is Zane. He says Straff has replied to Elend's offer for an alliance, and that he would very much like to meet with him. There's a catch, though. He claims Straff fears assassination attempts if they meet in a neutral tent, so Elend will have to meet him in his own camp. Is he serious? This is almost as ridiculous as the message he sent to Elend when he first arrived. Elend tells the messenger that he'll "think about it". Which, I hope, actually means "no way in hell, you ugly, ugly man.". Elend, the king of a besieged city, wouldn't honestly consider going straight into the midst of an enemy camp, would he? Even with guards it would just be be too risky.
Also, what's up with this Zane guy? Why would Straff use a Mistborn to deliver a simple message? He's acting kind of weird, too. I mean, he was constantly shooting glances at Vin during the conversation. And he comments that he's heard reports of the "Beautiful Mistborn who accompanies the Venture heir." What does that have to do with the matter at hand? She's taken, by the way, so he should keep his nasty opinions to himself. Creepy bastard.
Anyways, once the message has been delivered, Zane bows, meeting Vin's eyes one more time, and walks away.
The book skips forward a few hours to Vin's nightly vigil. She's sitting on the Venture rooftop with Oreseur like she does every night--it's got to be getting old by now, right? She's thinking about Zane, of course; wondering if he'll show up again now that she knows who he is. The way her thoughts are going it almost seems like she's been sparring with him regularly. Say it isn't so!
Oreseur asks her why she's just sitting around, and she replies that she's just watching for assassins and spies like she always does. This obvious lie doesn't fool him, though, and he asks her why she hasn't told Elend about her meetings with the Watcher. Why hasn't she told her boyfriend that she's been having "sparring sessions" with a strange man in the dead of night? It is indeed a mystery. She says she hasn't told Elend because she just doesn't want to worry him. Another blatantly obvious lie.
Vin burns her bronze--feeling for the watcher, I bet. She feels the pulsing coming from the Misty Death, but she doesn't even go near it. Heh, I guess she learned her lesson last time. She also feels the Watcher burning metals out there. He must not care much that she now knows his identity. She leaves Oreseur and runs out to find the man. This can only end in disaster. Telling lies...meeting with strange men in the night.
She finds Zane on an abandoned street, and they begin there sparring match right away. They have a relatively lengthy(and epic) fight. It's really close, but the Watcher manages to best her thanks to his brilliant ingenuity. Could he be even better than Vin? That's a troubling thought.
After Vin's loss, they speak to each other. He asks her why she allows herself to be used. He says Elend has made her a slave. He tells her that she doesn't belong with her friends, but out here with the mists....with him? Yeah, I see his game--sleazy bastard. She's all denial, of course, saying she belongs with those who love her. Indeed, she does. But how does she know they even love her in the first place? He asks if they understand her--how can they love what they don't understand. Wow. He knows a lot about her and her buddies for a complete stranger. How in the hell could he know how they feel towards her? He's coming off as kind of a cocky bastard, I think. She should tell him to piss off. She doesn't, though. In fact, she seems to even be taking his words into consideration. Come on, Vin, don't you already have enough trust issues to begin with?
Zane leaves her with those words, and Vin starts wondering if she can maybe turn him against Straff. Either way, she says she'll definitely have to continue sparring with him.
Yup. This can only end in disaster.
End of Chapter 17
In the post-chapter note entries from these chapters, Kwaam says Alendi convinced the whole word that he was the hero, despite any doubts he himself may have had. Why did he find the need to do this? The deepness wasn't around at this point, was it? Because he doesn't mention the deepness until the chapter 17 notes, saying it was what truly drove the people to rally behind Alendi. hmm, fascinating, truly.
Kwaam also wishes that the belief in Terris prophecies hadn't spread beyond their people. Why not? Unless he was also convinced that the whole Terris religion was a lie.
I still have no idea what the revelation from the notes in this book will be, but I'm sure it'll be huge.
Out of curiosity, I just put this post through a word counter and found that it's over 3000 words! Woah! If anyone had told me just 2 months ago that I'd ever be writing that much simply for fun I'd have said they were crazy, but here we are. I do think I should probably try to cut the length a bit, though. 
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