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That's the difference, he thought Whatever is in those pouches, could it be the way Jastes controls the creatures?

There was no way to know, save begging one of the pouches off a koloss--and he doubted they would let theo

As he walked, he noticed another oddity: so Before, he'd seen them only in loincloths, as Sazed had reported Yet, many of these koloss had pants, shirts, or skirts pulled onto their bodies They wore the clothing without regard for size, and ht they had torn Others were so loose they had to be tied on Elend saw a few of the larger koloss wearing garments like bandanas tied around their arms or heads

"We are not koloss," the lead koloss suddenly said, turning to Elend as they walked

Elend frowned "Explain"

"You think we are koloss," it said through lips that were stretched too tightly to work properly "We are humans We will live in your city We will kill you, and ill take it"

Elend shivered, realizing the source of the e that the koloss had attacked, the one whose refugees had trickled into Luthadel This appeared to be a new develop Or, had it always been there, repressed by the Lord Ruler? The scholar in Elend was fascinated The rest of hiuide paused before a sroup of tents, the only such structures in the ca Elend's horse Elend fought to keep hishim as the koloss ju to pule The lead koloss, however, did not

Elend cli the beast on the neck as the victimized koloss pulled his sword from the chest of his former leader The survivor--who now bore several cuts in his skin that hadn't co--bent down to harvest the pouches tied to the corpse's back Elend watched with a muted fascination as the koloss stood and spoke

"He was never a good leader," it said in a slurred voice

I can't let theseHe pulled his horse forward, turning his back on the koloss as he entered the secluded section of ca men in uniforms Elend handed his reins to one of them

"Take care of this forforward

"Wait!" one of the soldiers said "Halt!"

Elend turned sharply, facing the shorterto both level his spear at Elend and keep an eye on the koloss Elend didn't try to be harsh; he just wanted to keep his own anxiety under control and keep lare probably would have impressed even Tindwyl

The soldier jerked to a halt

"I am Elend Venture," Elend said "You know that name?"

The man nodded

"You et to the tent before I do"

The youngup to the tent, where other soldiers stood hesitantly

Whatsurrounded by koloss, so terribly outnu a stab of pity, he didn't try to bully his way in He stood with faux patience until a voice called frouards and threw open the tent flap

The months had not been kind to Jastes Lekal Somehow, the feisps of hair on his head looked far more pathetic than complete baldness would have His suit was sloppy and stained, his eyes underlined by a pair of deep bags He was pacing, and juhtly when Elend entered

Then he froze for ahand to push back hair he didn't have "Elend?" he asked "What in the Lord Ruler's name happened to you?"

"Responsibility, Jastes," Elend said quietly "It appears that neither of us were ready for it"

"Out," Jastes said, waving to his guards They shuffled past Elend, closing the tent flap behind them

"It's been a while, Elend," Jastes said, chuckling weakly

Elend nodded

"I re in your den ora drink with Telden We were so innocent, weren't we?"

"Innocent," Elend said, "but hopeful"

"Want so toward the roo in the corner of the room They were all empty Jastes removed a full bottle from the desk and poured Elend a small cup, the size and clear color an indication that this was no simple dinner wine

Elend accepted the small cup, but did not drink "What happened, Jastes? How did the clever, thoughtful philosopher I knew turn into a tyrant?"

"Tyrant?" Jastes snapped, downing his cup in a single shot "I'm no tyrant Your father's the tyrant I' at the center of a koloss army doesn't seem to be a very realistic position to me"

"I can control thee they slaughtered?"

Jastes wavered "That was an unfortunate accident"

Elend looked down at the drink in his hand, then threw it aside, the liquor splashing on the dusty tent floor "This isn't er I will call no ainst my city What happened to your honor, Jastes Lekal?"

Jastes snorted, glancing at the spilled liquor "That's always been the problehteous"