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The Well Of Ascension Chapter 37-38


Child Bahkbar

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Two more chapters down.

Part Three

Chapter 37

Sazed has been studying all night with Tindwyl, who seems to have become quite dedicated to expanding his research now that she's finally taken a look at it. Good for her.

They've apparently spent some time studying together before. I guess this is to be expected, with them both being keepers. Sazed actually used to be member of synod before his rebellious phase, so the responsibility fell on him to share with Tindwyl the thirty-or so years worth of knowledge that she'd missed out on during her decades of labor. This comes as a bit of a shock to me. Tindwyl actually had to be...taught...? Well, I mean, of course she did, but still...

Their study of the deepness has drawn them to the biography of some King named Wednegon, who was one of the last significant people to oppose the Lord Ruler. In his biography, they find a passage that convinces them that the deepness was actually just mist. Demented mists, true, but mists none the less. Okay, awesome. They now know what it is, but they're unfortunately no closer to finding out how to stop it. How does one defeat the mist? How does one even go about trying to fight mist?

Sazed says that this may very well be the end of them, but Tindwyl insists that they don't have any hard evidence that the mists have become hostile again. Maybe she doesn't, but Sazed has definitely seen enough to be convinced. Despite this, he doesn't bother countering her claim. He's just too meek.

Tindwyl points out this rather uncommon flaw in Sazed's character. She claims that Sazed was cast from the Synod because he wouldn't argue on his own behalf. He was right to take a stand against the Lord Ruler, and, according to Tindwyl, the Synod would have listened to him had he been a bit more assertive. His reply is self demeaning, as it often is. He says that he's not like the men from her beloved biographies. That he, in fact, isn't really a man at all. Does this mean he was lying to Vin when he told her that he was no longer bothered by his... inadequacy?

Tyndwyl chooses this moment to announce that she is planning on leaving to tutor the enemy kings. Seriously? After all they've been through together. How could she sort-of betray them like this?

As it turns out, she doesn't actually want to leave. She's wants an excuse not to go, and she's looking to Sazed to give her one. Shes trying to get him to stand up for what he wants, for a change. Unfortunately, he suffers from an acute case of unmanliness, so she has to make it a bit easier for him, stating exactly why she needs to stay. All she requests is that he tell her that he wants her to remain here with him. He reluctantly obliges, and she consents. Aww, good for them.

It's time for Elend to spend some more time the book's spotlight. He makes his way to the city wall top, where he beholds that the witless King Jastes Lekal, in a savage attack of witlessness, has brought his savage army of savage savages to increase the over all sense of doom hovering over Luthadel. Yes, King Lekal has joined the siege, and it is a very stupid and unfortunate thing.

Thankfully, he seems to have enough control over his koloss to keep them from engaging in spontaneous attacks on the enemy camps. Although it's doubtful that he has had any success in keeping the from savaging one another. Elend should be at least a little grateful for that. If they can hold out for long enough, maybe the koloss will just kill each other off eventually. I'm joking, of course. They're all dead.

Ham joins Elend on the city wall. As they talk, he admits to Ham that he wants to be king. He actually wants to be in charge. He says this desire is arrogant, but what is arrogance, if not self confidence turned on it's head. I'm paraphrasing, of course. There's no way in hell that Elend would be caught using Cett's catch phrase.

As Elend and Ham the walk along the wall, they notice a group of Straff's and Cett's men skirmishing in the distance, which is apparently not such a rare event these days. Things are growing more and more heated. If only he had more time, maybe he actually could get the two armies to destroy one another. Well, he doesn't, so there's no use crying over spilled blood and lost lives. Oh wait, yes there is.

The elections are only a day away, and there seems to be nothing more Elend can do to prepare. Tindwyl taught him in their last lesson that there is no single mold for Kingship, so he decides at this moment that he'll win the throne by being himself, by accentuating his strengths, which are his philosophical leaning, and, most importantly, his love for the skaa. Really? That's his master plan? There's no way he's going to win the throne if that's all he has up his sleeve. Didn't the Assembly just depose him? Why would they elect him again if he's just planning on being his same old self?

Elend continues to walk the wall. Thinking. Always thinking. Then it hits him. A plan arises from the warm, fuzzy heights of his imagination. He knows what must needs do to stand a fighting chance in this race. He announces right away to Ham that he has a plan. Great. Let's hope it's a decent one this time.

End of Chapter 37

Bag to Kwaan's writing. He's getting to the point, just as he promised. He says that the problem with Alendi was that he may have fit the signs too well? What? What the hell's that supposed to mean? He's the Hero of Ages! He's supposed to fit the signs perfectly...isn't he?

Chapter 38

At last, the day has arrived for the Assembly to chose their new king. Vin and Elend were the first to show up for the meeting, so they engage in a bit of romantic reminiscence while they wait for everyone to enter and be seated. Elend has taken note of the fact that they've been spending less and less time together recently, so he promises to spend more time with her once this is all over. Aww, isn't that sweet? He's completely oblivious to seeds of treachery that she harbors deep within her marred, distrustful soul.

Elend notices that Vin is a bit jumpy, and he asks her if there's anything he's missing. Missing? He's missing the fact that Straff's kooky bastard has been ordered to kill her, and he still hasn't quite made up his mind weather or not he's going to do it. Vin doesn't tell him this, of course. Instead she just says that she "doesn't know", which, as it turns out, is actually the truth. So, she is not at all bothered by the fact that Zane could be here in this packed room, right now, waiting to carry out his father's orders? That doesn't bother her even a little?

Apparently not. She just feels that something is...wrong. Just a hunch, then? Unfortunately for her, her hunches are often times spot on. Honestly, is there anyone in the real world whose hunches are even almost always correct? When I have a hunch, if I bother to tell anyone about it, I usually just make a fool of myself.

Anyway, Elend tells Vin that he's got a little something up his sleeve, and, as it so happens, his plan involves her. Or, more accurately, her reputation. He says it's not a big deal, and that it doesn't change anything between them. He meant to tell her before, but things were just moving to fast. Wait, wait, wait. Let me get this straight. He devised a scheme, one that directly relates to Vin, but didn't bother to consult with her, or even to inform her about it at all? Does he not see anything wrong with that?

As Vin wrestles with her feelings of confusion and betrayal, Penrod begins with the proceedings. Cett seems to have the edge. He only needs two thirds of vote, and he already has the merchants on his side. Honestly, wouldn't it be a bit more fair for them to need two thirds of the votes plus at least one vote from each group? That way none of them get completely left out of the voting.

Once Penrod finally finishes his overly long opening speech, he gives the contestants one last chance to have their say before the voting begins. During this time, Vin notices that Ham is off away from his usual seat next to Vin, he's chosen to hang out with Demoux and some Survivorists instead. From this little hint, Vin is able to deduce that Elend joined the Church of the Survivor. Ingenious, but also detrimental to their already shaky relationship. As Elend rises to begin his speach and announce to the world that he is now a Survivorist, Vin realizes that Zane was right. She is just a tool to them.

While struggling with this rather brash and untrue revelation, Vin notices a few suspicious men edging around the room towards them. Straff's misting bastards? This would be as good a time as any to make their move. Just as Elend finishes his speech, one of the men, a thug, strikes at him, and the chaotic skirmish begins.

There are six mistings; three of them are thugs. It's doubtful that even Vin can take this many while protecting Elend as well. She tries anyway, of course.

During the ensuing battle, Vin unwisely burns duralumin and squanders her pewter to take down two of the mistings, screwing herself over in the process. Thanks to her trusty hound Oreseur's timely arival, his selfless sacrifice, and his hidden vial of metals, she's able to put an end to the mistings with very little injury to herself. Or so it seems at first.

It just so happens that she forgot to finish off one of the thugs. He sneaks up on her, pins her to the ground and begins to choke the life out of her. As Vin's awareness begins to fade, she realizes that she knows this thug from somewhere. Just before everything fades to black, she saves her own life by burning her duralumin and, to Elend's horror, using a super-powered headbutt to pop the man's head like an overgrown zit. So much for identifying the poor bastard later on.

Elend is having a little trouble coping with what he's just seen. His adorable little girlfriend just slew six men right before his eyes. One of them quite grotesquely. To make matters worse, she collapsed right afterwards. She'll live, but this battle, especially the ending, will most likely stay with him for the rest of his short life.

The aftermath is brutal. Blood and matter everywhere. Not to mention the six corpses that some poor unfortunate soul is going to have to dispose of. The assassins had targeted Cett and Elend. Vin as well, of course, but no one here knows that.

Ham didn't even get to join the fray, which stinks because I've been waiting to see him do battle. From he and Elend's discourse, it becomes apparent that Vin has been keeping duralumin a secret from even them. I don't believe it!

Their chat is interrupted by the arrival of a messenger. He says that the voting will proceed at Penrod Manson. It's a bit cruel to continue right away after all that just happened, but apparently if they don't choose a leader today Elend gets to keep his seat. They really cut it close. Could they not have scheduled it just a few days earlier to make room for surprise events like the one they had today? Lord Ruler! What kind of incompetent fool waits till the very last minute for things like this?

Elend goes to the meeting, now void of Vin's precious protection. The voting commences with Penrod voting for himself, of course. In a surprise turn of events, the merchants turn cloak and vote for Penrod, leaving Cett with a grand total of two votes. Elend manages to get enough votes to win by default, but the two traitors who voted for Cett decide to change their votes, and Penrod wins.

The chapter ends as Elend, rejected, takes the walk of shame out of the voting room. What did Penrod promise the merchants in exchange for their votes, what will he do with his new found authority, and what happens to Elend now. This could be either end up being "pretty okay", or "a total fudging disaster" Only time will tell.

End of part 3

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Actually, Vin kind of has a point for keeping Duralumin secret. After all, she's the only person on their team who can burn it, and spreading the knowledge could eventually lead to other Mistborn realizing that more metals exist.

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I suppose that may be a decent reason not to tell Ham, but Elend is a different matter. Sure, besides perhaps setting his mind at ease, the information wouldn't be of much use to him, but the implications of keeping so much from him... If she can't trust him with even a bit of sensitive information, why are they even together in the first place? How can there really be a relationship with no trust?

Besides, as long as Elend doesn't know how exactly the metal is actually made, I see no harm in telling him.

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