Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson [631]
A figure stood in doorway, head bowed. Sazed’s candlelight reflected the polished marble walls, the silvery inlayed murals, and the spikes in the man’s eyes.
“Marsh?” Sazed asked, shocked. “Where have you been?”
“What are you doing, Sazed?” Marsh whispered.
“I’m going to Vin,” he said, confused. “She has found the Well, Marsh. We have to get to her, stop her from doing anything with it until we’re sure what it does.”
Marsh remained silent for a short time. “You should not have come here, Terrisman,” he finally said, head still bowed.
“Marsh? What is going on?” Sazed took a step forward, feeling urgent.
“I wish I knew. I wish…I wish I understood.”
“Understood what?” Sazed asked, voice echoing in the domed room.
Marsh stood silently for a moment. Then he looked up, focusing his sightless spikeheads on Sazed.
“I wish I understood why I have to kill you,” he said, then lifted a hand. An Allomantic Push slammed into the metal bracers on Sazed’s arms, throwing him backward, crashing him into the hard stone wall.
“I’m sorry,” Marsh whispered.
58
Alendi must not reach the Well of Ascension….
“Lord ruler!” Elend whispered, pausing at the edge of the second cavern.
Vin joined him. They had walked in the passage for some time, leaving the storage cavern far behind, walking through a natural stone tunnel. It had ended here, at a second, slightly smaller cavern that was clogged with a thick, dark smoke. It didn’t seep out of the cavern, as it should have, but billowed and churned upon itself.
Vin stepped forward. The smoke didn’t choke her, as she expected. There was something oddly welcoming about it. “Come on,” she said, walking through it across the cavern floor. “I see light up ahead.”
Elend joined her nervously.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Sazed slammed into the wall. He was no Allomancer; he had no pewter to strengthen his body. As he collapsed to the ground, he felt a sharp pain in his side, and knew he had cracked a rib. Or worse.
Marsh strode forward, faintly illuminated by Sazed’s candle, which burned fitfully where Sazed had dropped it.
“Why did you come?” Marsh whispered as Sazed struggled to his knees. “Everything was going so well.” He watched with iron eyes as Sazed slowly crawled away. Then Marsh Pushed again, throwing Sazed to the side.
Sazed skidded across the beautiful white floor, crashing into another wall. His arm snapped, cracking, and his vision shuddered.
Through his pain, he saw Marsh stoop down and pick something up. A small pouch. It had fallen from Sazed’s sash. It was filled with bits of metal; Marsh obviously thought it was a coin pouch.
“I’m sorry,” Marsh said again, then raised a hand and Pushed the bag at Sazed.
The pouch shot across the room and hit Sazed, ripping, the bits of metal inside tearing into Sazed’s flesh. He didn’t have to look down to know how badly he was injured. Oddly, he could no longer feel his pain—but he could feel the blood, warm, on his stomach and legs.
I’m…sorry, too, Sazed thought as the room grew dark, and he fell to his knees. I’ve failed…though I know not at what. I can’t even answer Marsh’s question. I don’t know why I came here.
He felt himself dying. It was an odd experience. His mind was resigned, yet confused, yet frustrated, yet slowly…having…trouble…
Those weren’t coins, a voice seemed to whisper.
The thought rattled in his dying mind.
The bag Marsh shot at you. Those weren’t coins. They were rings, Sazed. Eight of them. You took out two—eyesight and hearing. You left the other ones where they were.
In the pouch, tucked into your sash.
Sazed collapsed, death coming upon him like a cold shadow. And yet, the thought rang true. Ten rings, embedded into his flesh. Touching him. Weight. Speed of body. Sight. Hearing. Touch. Scent. Strength. Speed of mind. Wakefulness.
And health.
He tapped gold. He didn’t have to be wearing the metalmind