Mistborn #03 The Hero of Ages

his brother dismounted and joined the group. "Not that there was much to hold it against. Still, it was good for my men to practice fortifying a camp."
    Indeed, the army's camp beside the canal was surrounded by heaped earth and spikes—a considerable feat, considering the army's size.
    "You did well, Demoux," Elend said, turning back to look over the townspeople. "Our mission was a success."
    "I can see that, my lord," Demoux said, smiling. "That's a fair pack of koloss you picked up. I hope the Inquisitor leading them wasn't too sad to see them go."
    "Couldn't have bothered him too much," Elend said. "Since he was dead at the time. We found the storage cavern as well."
    "Praise the Survivor!" Demoux said.
    Vin frowned. At his neck, hanging outside his clothing, Demoux wore a necklace that bore a small silver spear: the increasingly popular symbol of the Church of the Survivor. It seemed odd to her that the weapon that had killed Kelsier would become the symbol of his followers.
    Of course, she didn't like to think about the other possibility—that the spear might not represent the one that had killed Kelsier. It might very well represent the one that she herself had used to kill the Lord Ruler. She'd never asked Demoux which it was. Despite three years of growing Church power, Vin had never become comfortable with her own part in its doctrine.
    "Praise the Survivor indeed," Elend said, looking over the army's supply barges. "How did your project go?"
    "Dredging the southern bend?" Demoux asked. "It went well—there was blessed little else to do while we waited. You should be able to get barges through there now."
    "Good," Elend said. "Form two task forces of five hundred men. Send one with barges back to Vetitan for the supplies we had to leave down in that cavern. They will transfer the supplies to the barges and send them up to Luthadel."
    "Yes, my lord," Demoux said.
    "Send the second group of soldiers north to Luthadel with these refugees," Elend said, nodding to Fatren. "This is Lord Fatren. He's in command of the townspeople. Have your men respect his wishes, as long as they are reasonable, and introduce him to Lord Penrod."
    Once—not long ago—Fatren would probably have complained about being handed off. However, his time with Elend had transformed him surprisingly quickly. The dirty leader nodded gratefully at the escort. "You . . . aren't coming with us then, my lord?"
    Elend shook his head. "I have other work to do, and your people need to get to Luthadel, where they can begin farming. Though, if any of your men wish to join my army, they are welcome. I'm always in need of good troops, and against the odds, you succeeded in training a useful force."
    "My lord . . . why not just compel them? Pardon me, but that's what you've done so far."
    "I compelled your people to safety, Fatren," Elend said. "Sometimes even a drowning man will fight the one who tries to save him and must be compelled. My army is a different matter. Men who don't want to fight are men you can't depend on in battle, and I won't have any of those in my army. You yourself need to go to Luthadel—your people need you—but please let your soldiers know that I will gladly welcome any of them into our ranks."
    Fatren nodded. "All right. And . . . thank you, my lord."
    "You are welcome. Now, General Demoux, are Sazed and Breeze back yet?"
    "They should arrive sometime this evening, my lord," Demoux said. "One of their men rode ahead to let us know."
    "Good," Elend said. "I assume my tent is ready?"
    "Yes, my lord," Demoux said.
    Elend nodded, suddenly looking very tired to Vin.
    "My lord?" Demoux asked eagerly. "Did you find the . . . other item? The location of the final cache?"
    Elend nodded. "It's in Fadrex."
    "Cett's city?" Demoux asked, laughing. "Well, he'll be happy to hear that. He's been complaining for over a year that we haven't ever gotten around to conquering it back for him."
    Elend smiled wanly. "I've been half convinced that if we did, Cett would decide that he—and his soldiers—didn't need us anymore."
    "He'll stay, my lord," Demoux said. "After the scare Lady Vin gave him last year . . ."
    Demoux glanced at Vin, trying to smile, but she saw it in his eyes. Respect, far too much of it. He didn't joke with her the way he did with Elend. She still couldn't believe that Elend had joined that silly religion of theirs. Elend's intentions had been political—by joining the skaa faith, Elend had forged a link between