Mistborn #03 The Hero of Ages

the ground, with tops like bright-colored leaves. They were shaped like upside-down bells, with long straight stalks, the petals at the top open toward the sun. As if reaching for its light and gaping to drink it in.
    "Beautiful . . ." Beldre whispered.
    Spook stepped forward, moving among the plants. Flowers, he thought, recognizing them from the picture Vin had carried. Kelsier's dream finally came true.
    At the center of the flowers, he found two people. Vin lay wearing her customary mistcloak, shirt, and trousers. Elend was in a brilliant white uniform, complete with cape. They were holding hands as they lay amid the flowers.
    And they were both dead.
    Spook knelt beside them, listening to Ham and Breeze cry out. They examined the bodies, checking for vital signs, but Spook focused on something else, almost hidden in the grass. He picked it up—a large leather tome.
    He opened it, reading the first page.
    I am, unfortunately, the Hero of Ages, read the delicate, careful letters. Spook thought he recognized the handwriting. As he flipped through the book, a slip of paper fell free. Spook picked it up—one side had a faded drawing of a flower, the very picture he'd been thinking about moments before. On the other side was a note scrawled in the same handwriting as the book.
    Spook, it read. I tried to bring them back, but apparently fixing the bodies doesn't return the souls. I will get better at this with time, I expect. However, be assured that I have spoken with our friends, and they are quite happy where they are. They deserve a rest, I think.
    The book contains a short record of the events that led up to the world dying and being reborn, along with some musings I have made about the history, philosophy, and science of recent occurrences. If you look to your right, you will find a much larger group of books in the grass. These contain all of the knowledge—repeated verbatim—that was contained in my metalminds. Let the knowledge of the past not be forgotten.
    Rebuilding will be difficult, I think—but likely far easier than living beneath the Lord Ruler or surviving Ruin's attempt to destroy the world. I think you'll be surprised at the number of people who fled to the storage caverns. Rashek planned very well for this day. He suffered much beneath Ruin's hand, but he was a good man, who ultimately had honorable intentions.
    You did well. Know that the message you sent via Captain Goradel saved us all, in the end. The people will need leadership in the years to come. Likely, they will look to you. I'm sorry that I cannot be there in person to help you, but know that I am . . . about.
    I have made you Mistborn, and healed the damage you did to your body by flaring tin so much. I hope you don't mind. It was Kelsier's request, actually. Consider it a parting gift from him.
    Watch over them for me.
    P.S. There are still two metals that nobody knows about. You might want to poke about and see if you can figure out what they are. I think they'll interest you.
    Spook looked up, staring at the strangely empty, blue sky. Beldre came over and knelt beside him, looking over his paper, then giving him a quizzical look.
    "You look troubled," she said.
    Spook shook his head. "No," he said, folding up the little slip of paper and putting it in his pocket. "No, I'm not troubled. In fact, I actually think everything is going to be all right. Finally."

ARS ARCANUM
1. Metals Quick Reference Chart
2. Names and Terms
3. Summaries of Previous Books
    You can also find extensive annotations of every chapter in the book, along with deleted scenes, a very active blog, and expanded world information at www.brandonsanderson.com .

    METALS QUICK REFERENCE CHART

METAL
ALLOMANTIC POWER
FERUCHEMICAL POWER
HEMALURGIC POWER
Iron
Pulls on Nearby Sources of Metal
Stores Physical Weight
Steals Human Strength
Steel
Pushes on Nearby Sources of Metal
Stores Physical Speed
Steals Allomantic Physical Powers
Tin
Increases Senses
Stores Senses
Steals Human Senses
Pewter
Increases Physical Abilities
Stores Physical Strength
Steals Feruchemical Physical Powers
Brass
Soothes (dampens) Emotions
Stores Warmth
Steals Feruchemical Mental Attributes
Zinc
Riots (enflames) Emotions
Stores Mental Speed
Steals Human Emotional Fortitude
Copper
Hides Allomantic Pulses
Stores Memories
Steals Human Mental Fortitude
Bronze
Allows One to Hear Allomantic Pulses
Stores Wakefulness
Steals Allomantic Mental Powers
Aluminum
Destroys All of the Allomancer's