Mistborn #02 The Well of Ascension

thrown, their beasts tripped by their shoes, and soldiers sprayed backward from her in a circle of several dozen yards. Men screamed.
    She downed another vial, restoring both steel and pewter. Then she jumped up, seeking out generals and other officers to attack. As she moved, her koloss troops hit the front ranks of Straff's army, and the real carnage began.

    "What are they doing?" Cett asked, hurriedly throwing on his cloak as he was placed and tied into his saddle.
    "Attacking, apparently," said Bahmen, one of his aides. "Look! They're working with the koloss."
    Cett frowned, doing up his cloak clasp. "A treaty?"
    "With koloss?" Bahmen asked.
    Cett shrugged. "Who's going to win?"
    "No way to tell, my lord," the man said. "Koloss are—"
    "What is this!" Allrianne demanded, riding up the snowy incline, accompanied by a couple of abashed guards. Cett had, of course, ordered them to keep her in the camp—but he had also, of course, expected that she'd get past them eventually.
    At least I can count on her to be slowed down by getting ready in the morning , he thought with amusement. She wore one of her dresses, immaculately arranged, her hair done. If a building were burning down, Allrianne would still pause to do her makeup before escaping.
    "Looks like the battle has begun," Cett said, nodding toward the fighting.
    " Outside the city?" Allrianne asked, riding up next to him. Then she brightened. "They're attacking Straff's position!"
    "Yes," Cett said. "And that leaves the city—"
    "We have to help them, Father!"
    Cett rolled his eyes. "You know we're going to do nothing of the sort. We'll see who wins. If they're weak enough—which I hope they will be—we'll attack them. I didn't bring all of my forces back with me, but maybe. . ."
    He trailed off as he noticed the look in Allrianne's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could do so, she kicked her horse into motion.
    Her guards cursed, dashing forward—too late—to try and grab her reins. Cett sat, stunned. This was a little insane, even for her. She wouldn't dare. . .
    She galloped down the hill toward the battle. Then she paused, as he had expected. She turned, looking back at him.
    "If you want to protect me, Father," she yelled, "you'd better charge!"
    With that, she turned and started galloping again, her horse throwing up puffs of snow.
    Cett didn't move.
    "My lord," Bahmen said. "Those forces look almost evenly matched. Fifty thousand men against a force of some twelve thousand koloss and about five thousand men. If we were to add our strength to either side. . ."
    Damn fool girl! he thought, watching Allrianne gallop away.
    "My lord?" Bahmen asked.
    Why did I come to Luthadel in the first place? Was it because I really thought I could take the city? Without Allomancers, with my homeland in revolt? Or, was it because I was looking for something? A confirmation of the stories. A power like I saw on that night, when the Heir almost killed me .
    How exactly did they get the koloss to fight with them, anyway?
    "Gather our forces!" Cett commanded. "We're marching to the defense of Luthadel. And somebody send riders after that fool daughter of mine!"

    Sazed rode quietly, his horse moving slowly in the snow. Ahead of him, the battle raged, but he was far enough behind it to be out of danger. He'd left the city behind, where Luthadel's surviving women and elderly watched from the walls. Vin had saved them from the koloss. The real miracle would be to see if she could save them from the other two armies.
    Sazed didn't ride into the fight. His metalminds were mostly empty, and his body was nearly as tired as his mind. He simply brought his horse to a halt, its breath puffing in the cold as he sat alone on the snowy plain.
    He didn't know how to deal with Tindwyl's death. He felt. . .hollow. He wished that he could just stop feeling. He wished that he could go back and defend her gate, instead of his own. Why hadn't he gone in search of her when he'd heard of the northern gate's fall? She'd still been alive then. He might have been able to protect her. . .
    Why did he even care anymore? Why bother?
    But, the ones who had faith were right , he thought. Vin came back to defend the city. I lost hope, but they never did .
    He started his horse forward again. The sounds of battle came in the distance. He tried to focus on anything but Tindwyl, but his thoughts kept returning to things he had studied with her. The facts and stories became more