Mistborn #02 The Well of Ascension

nobleman—religion wasn't forbidden to you. What did the Ministry teach about the Deepness and the Lord Ruler?"
    Elend shrugged. "Not much, really. Religion wasn't forbidden, but it wasn't encouraged either. There was something proprietary about the Ministry, an air that implied they would take care of religious things—that we didn't need to worry ourselves."
    "But they did teach you about some things, right?"
    Elend nodded. "Mostly, they talked about why the nobility were privileged and the skaa cursed. I guess they wanted us to understand how fortunate we were—though honestly, I always found the teachings a little disturbing. See, they claimed that we were noble because our ancestors supported the Lord Ruler before the Ascension. But, that means that we were privileged because of what other people had done. Not really fair, eh?"
    Vin shrugged. "Fair as anything else, I guess."
    "But, didn't you get angry?" Elend said. "Didn't it frustrate you that the nobility had so much while you had so little?"
    "I didn't think about it," Vin said. "The nobility had a lot, so we could take it from them. Why should I care how they got it? Sometimes, when I had food, other thieves beat me and took it. What did it matter how I got my food? It was still taken from me."
    Elend paused. "You know, sometimes I wonder what the political theorists I've read would say if they met you. I have a feeling they'd throw up their hands in frustration."
    She poked him in the side. "Enough politics. Tell me about the Deepness."
    "Well, I think it was a creature of some sort—a dark and evil thing that nearly destroyed the world. The Lord Ruler traveled to the Well of Ascension, where he was given the power to defeat the Deepness and unite mankind. There are several statues in the city depicting the event."
    Vin frowned. "Yes, but they never really show what the Deepness looked like. It's depicted as a twisted lump at the Lord Ruler's feet."
    "Well, the last person who actually saw the Deepness died a year ago, so I guess we'll have to make do with the statues."
    "Unless it comes back," Vin said quietly.
    Elend frowned, looking at her again. "Is that what this is about, Vin?" His face softened slightly. "Two armies aren't enough? You have to worry about the fate of the world as well?"
    Vin glanced down sheepishly, and Elend laughed, pulling her close. "Ah, Vin. I know you're a bit paranoid—honestly, considering our situation, I'm starting to feel the same—but I think this is one problem you don't have to worry about. I haven't heard any reports of monstrous incarnations of evil rampaging across the land."
    Vin nodded, and Elend leaned back a bit, obviously assuming that he'd answered her question.
    The Hero of Ages traveled to the Well of Ascension to defeat the Deepness , she thought. But the prophecies all said that the Hero shouldn't take the Well's power for himself. He was supposed to give it, trust in the power itself to destroy the Deepness .
    Rashek didn't do that—he took the power for himself. Wouldn't that mean that the Deepness was never defeated? Why, then, wasn't the world destroyed ?
    "The red sun and brown plants," Vin said. "Did the Deepness do that?"
    "Still thinking about that?" Elend frowned. "Red sun and brown plants? What other colors would they be?"
    "Kelsier said that the sun was once yellow, and plants were green."
    "That's an odd image."
    "Sazed agrees with Kelsier," Vin said. "The legends all say that during the early days of the Lord Ruler, the sun changed colors, and ash began to fall from the skies."
    "Well," Elend said, "I guess the Deepness could have had something to do with it. I don't know, honestly." He sat musingly for a few moments. "Green plants? Why not purple or blue? So odd. . .."
    The Hero of Ages traveled north, to the Well of Ascension , Vin thought again. She turned slightly, her eyes drawn toward the Terris mountains so far away. Was it still up there? The Well of Ascension?
    "Did you have any luck getting information out of OreSeur?" Elend asked. "Anything to help us find the spy?"
    Vin shrugged. "He told me that kandra can't use Allomancy."
    "So, you can find our impostor that way?" Elend said, perking up.
    "Maybe," Vin said. "I can test Spook and Ham, at least. Regular people will be more difficult—though kandra can't be Soothed, so maybe that will let me find the spy."
    "That sounds promising," Elend said.
    Vin nodded. The thief in her, the paranoid girl that Elend always teased, itched