Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson [621]
Not all Terrismen were Feruchemists; in fact, very few were. The Keepers—people like Sazed and Tindwyl—had been forced into hiding long ago by the Lord Ruler. His paranoia that Feruchemical and Allomantic lines might mix—thereby potentially producing a person with his same powers—had led him to try and destroy all Feruchemists.
“I’ve known Keepers, friend,” Elend said softly. “I find it hard to believe that they could have been easily defeated. Who did this?”
“Steel Inquisitors, my lord,” the old man said.
Elend shivered. So that’s where they’ve been.
“There were dozens of them, my lord,” the old man said. “They attacked Tathingdwen with an army of koloss brutes. But, that was just a distraction, I think. Their real goal was the Synod and the Keepers themselves. While our army, such as it was, fought the beasts, the Inquisitors themselves struck at the Keepers.”
Lord Ruler… Elend thought, stomach twisting. So, what do we do with the book Sazed told us to deliver to the Synod? Do we pass it on to these men, or keep it?
“They took the bodies with them, my lord,” the old man said. “Terris is in ruins, and that is why we are going south. You said you know King Venture?”
“I…have met him,” Elend said. “He ruled Luthadel, where I am from.”
“Will he take us in, do you think?” the old man asked. “We have little hope anymore. Tathingdwen was the Terris capital, but even it wasn’t large. We are few, these days—the Lord Ruler saw to that.”
“I…do not know if Luthadel can help you, friend.”
“We can serve well,” the old man promised. “We were prideful to declare ourselves free, I think. We struggled to survive even before the Inquisitors attacked. Perhaps they did us a favor by casting us out.”
Elend shook his head. “Koloss attacked Luthadel just over a week ago,” he said quietly. “I am a refugee myself, Master Steward. For all I know, the city itself has fallen.”
The old man fell silent. “Ah, I see,” he finally said.
“I’m sorry,” Elend said. “I was traveling back to see what happened. Tell me—I traveled this way not long ago. How is it that I missed you in my journey north?”
“We didn’t come by the canal route, my lord,” the old man said. “We cut across country, straight down, so that we could gather supplies at Suringshath. You…have no further word of events at Luthadel, then? There was a senior Keeper in residence there. We were hoping, perhaps, to seek her counsel.”
“Lady Tindwyl?” Elend asked.
The old man perked up. “Yes. You know her?”
“She was an attendant at the king’s court,” Elend said.
“Keeper Tindwyl could be considered our leader now, I think,” the old man said. “We aren’t certain how many traveling Keepers there are, but she is the only known member of the Synod who was out of the city when we were attacked.”
“She was still in Luthadel when I left,” Elend said.
“Then she might live still,” the old man said. “We can hope, I think. I thank you, traveler, for your information. Please, make yourself comfortable in our camp.”
Elend nodded, rising. Spook stood a short distance away, in the mists near a pair of trees. Elend joined him.
The people kept large fires burning in the night, as if to defy the mists. The light did some good in dispelling the mists’ power—and yet the light seemed to accentuate them as well, creating three-dimensional shadows that bewildered the eye. Spook leaned against the scraggly tree trunk, looking around at things Elend couldn’t see. Elend could hear, however, some of what Spook must be inspecting. Crying children. Coughing men. Shuffling livestock.
“It doesn’t look good, does it?” Elend said quietly.
Spook shook his head. “I wish they’d take down all these fires,” he muttered. “The light hurts my eyes.”
Elend glanced to the side. “They aren’t that bright.”
Spook shrugged. “They’re just wasting wood.”
“Forgive them their comfort, for now. They’ll have little enough of it in the weeks to come.” Elend paused, looking over at a passing squad of Terris “soldiers