Mistborn #03 The Hero of Ages

beat it—and, it sent us this handy koloss army."
    "And how many humans did we lose trying to capture this force?"
    Elend didn't need to speak the answer. Too many . Their numbers were dwindling. The mists—the Deepness—were growing more powerful, choking the life from random people, killing the crops of the rest. The Outer Dominances were wastelands—only those closest to the capital, Luthadel, still got enough daylight to grow food. And even that area of livability was shrinking.
    Hope, Elend thought forcefully. She needs that from me; she's always needed that from me . He tightened his grip on her shoulder, then pulled her into an embrace. "We'll beat it, Vin. We'll find a way."
    She didn't contradict him, but she obviously wasn't convinced. Still, she let him hold her, closing her eyes and resting her head against his chest. They stood on the battlefield before their fallen foe, but even Elend had to admit that it didn't feel like much of a victory. Not with the world collapsing around them.
    Hope! he thought again. I belong to the Church of the Survivor, now. It has only one prime commandment .
    Survive .
    "Give me one of the koloss," Vin finally said, pulling out of the embrace.
    Elend released one of the medium-large creatures, letting Vin take control of it. He still didn't quite understand how they controlled the creatures. Once he had control of a koloss, he could control it indefinitely—whether sleeping or awake, burning metals or not. There were many things he didn't understand about Allomancy. He'd had only a year to use his powers, and he had been distracted by ruling an empire and trying to feed his people, not to mention the wars. He'd had little time for practice.
    Of course, Vin had less time than that to practice before she killed the Lord Ruler himself . Vin, however, was a special case. She used Allomancy as easily as other people breathed; it was less a skill to her than an extension of who she was. Elend might be more powerful—as she always insisted—but she was the true master.
    Vin's lone koloss wandered over and picked up the fallen Inquisitor and the spike. Then, Elend and Vin walked down the hill—Vin's koloss servant following—toward the human army. The koloss troops split and made a passage at Elend's command. He suppressed a shiver even as he controlled them.
    Fatren, the dirty man who ruled the city, had thought to set up a triage unit—though Elend wasn't very confident in the abilities of a group of skaa surgeons.
    "Why'd they stop?" Fatren asked, standing in front of his men as Vin and Elend approached across the ash-stained ground
    "I promised you a second army, Lord Fatren," Elend said. "Well, here it is."
    "The koloss?" he asked.
    Elend nodded.
    "But they're the army that came to destroy us."
    "And now they're ours," Elend said. "Your men did very well. Make certain they understand that this victory was theirs. We had to force that Inquisitor out into the open, and the only way to do that was to turn his army against itself. Koloss become afraid when they see something small defeating something large. Your men fought bravely; because of them, these koloss are ours."
    Fatren scratched his chin. "So," he said slowly, "they got afraid of us, so they switched sides?"
    "Something like that," Elend said, looking over the soldiers. He mentally commanded some koloss to step forward. "These creatures will obey orders from the men in this group. Have them carry your wounded back to the city. However, make certain not to let your men attack or punish the koloss. They are our servants now, understand?"
    Fatren nodded.
    "Let's go," Vin said, eagerness sounding in her voice as she looked over at the small city.
    "Lord Fatren, do you want to come with us, or do you want to supervise your men?" Elend asked.
    Fatren's eyes narrowed. "What are you going to do?"
    "There is something in your city we need to claim."
    Fatren paused. "I'll come, then." He gave some orders to his men while Vin waited impatiently. Elend gave her a smile, then finally Fatren joined them, and the three walked back toward the Vetitan gate.
    "Lord Fatren," Elend said as they walked, "you should address me as 'my lord' from now on."
    Fatren looked up from his nervous study of the koloss standing around them.
    "Do you understand?" Elend said, meeting the man's eyes.
    "Um . . . yes. My lord."
    Elend nodded, and Fatren fell a little behind him and Vin, as if showing an unconscious deference. He didn't seem