Mistborn #03 The Hero of Ages

wrinkled with intricate tattoos, mostly black, one stark red. And, of course, there were the spikes driven point-first through its eyes. One of the spikes had been pounded in farther than the other, crushing the socket around the spikehead. The creature's face, twisted by an inhuman sneer, had once been familiar to Vin.
    "Marsh?" Vin whispered in horror.
    "My lord," Yomen said, spreading his hands out. "You have finally come! I sent messengers, searching for—"
    "Silence," Marsh said in a grating voice, striding forward. "On your feet, obligator."
    Yomen hastily stood. Marsh glanced at Vin, smiled slightly, but then pointedly ignored her. He did, however, look directly at Ruin and bow his head in subservience.
    Vin shivered. Marsh's features, even twisted as they were, reminded her of his brother. Kelsier.
    "You are about to be attacked, obligator," Marsh said, sweeping forward, throwing open the large window at the other side of the room. Through it, Vin could see over the rocky shelves to where Elend's army camped beside the canal.
    Except, there was no canal. There were no rocky shelves. Everything was just a uniform black. Ash filled the sky, as thick as a snowstorm.
    Lord Ruler! Vin thought. It's gotten so bad!
    Yomen hurried over to the window. "Attacked, my lord? But, they haven't even broken camp!"
    "The koloss will attack in surprise," the Inquisitor said. "They don't need to form up ranks—they will simply charge."
    Yomen froze for a second, then turned to his soldiers. "Hasten to the defenses. Gather the men on the forward rises!"
    Soldiers scuttled from the room. Vin stood quietly. The man I know as Marsh is dead, she thought. He tried to kill Sazed, now he's fully one of them. Ruin has . . .
    Has taken control of him. . . .
    An idea began to spark in her mind.
    "Quickly, obligator," Marsh said. "I did not come to protect your foolish little city. I've come for the thing you discovered in that cache."
    "My lord?" Yomen said, surprised.
    "Your atium, Yomen," the Inquisitor said. "Give it to me. It cannot be in this city when that attack comes, just in case you fall. I shall take it someplace safe."
    Vin closed her eyes.
    "My . . . lord?" Yomen finally said. "You are, of course, welcome to anything I possess. But, there was no atium in the storage cache. Just the seven beads I had gathered myself, held as a reserve for the Canton of Resource."
    Vin opened her eyes. " What? "
    "Impossible!" Marsh roared. "But, you told the girl earlier that you had it!"
    Yomen paled. "Misdirection, my lord. She seemed convinced that I had some wealth of atium, so I let her think that she was right."
    " NO! "
    Vin jumped at the sudden yell. However, Yomen didn't even flinch—and a second later, she realized why. Ruin was the one who had screamed. He had become indistinct, losing Reen's form, his figure blossoming outward in a kind of tempest of whirling darkness. Almost like mist, only far, far blacker.
    She'd seen that blackness before. She'd walked through it, in the cavern beneath Luthadel, on her way to the Well of Ascension.
    A second later, Ruin was back. He looked like Reen again. He folded his arms behind his back, and didn't look at her, as if trying to pretend that he had not lost control. In his eyes, however, she could see frustration. Anger. She edged away from him—edging closer to Marsh.
    "You fool!" Marsh said, walking away from her, speaking to Yomen. "You idiot!"
    Damn, Vin thought in annoyance.
    "I . . ." Yomen said, confused. "My lord, why do you care for atium? It is worthless without Allomancers and house politicians to pay for it."
    "You know nothing," Marsh snapped. Then, he smiled. "But you are doomed. Yes . . . doomed indeed. . . ."
    Outside, she could see that Elend's army was breaking camp. Yomen turned back to the window, and Vin edged closer, ostensibly to give herself a better look. Elend's forces were gathering—men and koloss. Most likely, they had noticed the buildup of city defenses, and had realized that they'd lost any opportunity for surprise.
    "He's going to ravage this city," Ruin said, stepping up beside Vin. "Your Elend is a good servant, child. One of my finest. You should be proud of him."
    "So many koloss . . ." she heard Yomen whisper. "My lord, there is no way we can fight so many. We need your help."
    "Why should I help you?" Marsh asked. "You who fail to deliver to me what I need?"
    "But I've remained faithful," Yomen said. "When all others abandoned the Lord Ruler, I have