Week 34: He Who Carries His Burdens on His Arms

Part 3/3

Kelsier breathed a sigh of relief as he and Doxtun finally headed away from the guardhouse. Their escape had gone quiet well, everything happening to work out for them as if some divine force had suddenly decided to be merciful just this once.

Doxtun had stripped out of the guard's armour when they had gone to pick up the sacks of food, leaving the pieces and the spear stashed by the fallen iron bars that had belonged to the window the food had been thrown through.

Both Kelsier and Doxtun now walked together heading past the tents, each one wary of the onlookers who eyed them however none made a move, not knowing what was in each of the bags the two were carrying. One look at Doxtun's confident demeanor dissuaded any curiosity that they might have had.

Kelsier had asked as they had headed over to pick up the bags why Doxtun was acted differently, the way he was seemed almost unnatural in a place like this.

The big man had just looked at him and said, "I guess I feel like I'm finally free. Like I've finally gotten some control back over my life, that I can finally let go of my past."

Yet, even with how easy it had been to get away Kelsier was still had the feeling something was wrong. He looked up at Doxtun, the big man's eye calm and collected. His words still echoled in the thief's mind.

"No killing, no fighting. Leave that to me."

The ease that he had killed the guard, he had known what he was doing. Was even comfortable with it. Something about what he had seen was different, felt different like it was wrong. That this man that had been trying to help him let go of his past should not have been able to take that man's life so quickly, so easily. Questions came to mind, but one really plagued his consciousness. How much did he really know about Doxtun? How much did he really know about anyone who was here?

"Something bothering you?" Doxtun asked, seeing the thief lost in thought.

"No." Kelsier replied offhanded, however quickly changed his mind. "Yes." Confused, Kelsier struggled to form the right words, how did you ask your friend why you suddenly felt…and then Kelsier managed to identify what emotion he was feeling at the heart of it all; scared. Something felt familiar but very wrong.

"How could you kill him?" Kelsier asked.

Why are you asking him that? You of all people want every single nobleman dead and that guard was clearly a noble.

"I had too." Doxtun replied, "He would have alerted everyone. You should understand that I'm sure you-"

"Exactly, I know why I would, but how could you." Kelsier cut in. "Alex was a guard, I spent my life breaking into places, the same with Mare. Kar was a guard, I'm sure quite a few people have learned here but I've never seen you…and that manner, that experience. That isn't something you just pick up really quickly, not here. You start off thinking how it would happen first before it becomes reflex. You…" The words died as they left his mouth as Kelsier began to think.

"Remember that kid, Bren was his name I think." Doxtun said.

Kelsier just nodded.

"There are things I've come to understand and accept these past few days. Not everyone here deserves to be here, that's what you said and you're right. That kid for one does not belong here. But you know, there are some that do. You're a thief, I know how you and your crew went on jobs. I was hoping you could take on a job for me. It would be different then what you're used to."

Doxtun's words didn't do anything to help Kelsier's confusion, instead it made it worse.

"What you mean?" The Thief asked.

"Our friends." Doxtun replied. "Alex, Lin. Even that woman Kiana. Leisha, Bren…and Mare. The people that don't belong here. That are different. That aren't like… that deserve better. You were good at getting out of the most impossible of situations. I want you to find a way out of here, for all of them."

I can finally let go of the past.

Some people here actually do belong here.

Leave it to me.

I'm finally free.

I want you to find a way out of here, for all of them.

For all of them.

Them.

Everything clicked.

"You didn't find a geode." The words came out by themselves, spoken more to himself then to the man he was speaking too. Kelsier stared at the rocky ground before him as silence overtook the two friends.

"I had my sixteenth memory this morning." The words broke the silence and Kelsier looked up at the man who spoke them. There was no remorse, no fear, and no anger. Only acceptance.

Lin was the one who responded, "It always happens to newcomers, the first time you come to the pits it has an effect on you, the next day you have to survive against your memories, your past." Then almost silently she added, almost talking to herself, "Then the next time it happens, I can feel it coming for me."

Alex shook his head, "No one's ever survived a year here. It's like they say, before you die your life seems to flash before your eyes. Sixteen is the number, sixteen memories before you die."

"So you're just going to give up." Kelsier asked suddenly getting angry. "After all that's happened you're just going to die? You don't deserve to die here! You're no monster like Kar, Wraden, those Task Masters-"

The image of Doxtun plunging the blade into the guard's throat flashed within in his mind. The feeling of danger that seemed to radiate around him send shivers down Kelsier's spine.

"Are you?" Desperate words from a desperate Thief unsure of what to believe.

"Do you ever wonder why everyone feels the same?" Doxtun responded after a while. "Why most of the people you see no longer seem all that unique? We all live in this place, we all experience the same thing every day and all we want to do is survive. We're like dogs in a kennel, only caring whether or not we can live another day, not thinking past our next meal. It happens to everyone after a while, you either become a dog or you end up dying. Except for you Kelsier, for some reason you're still here. You've struggled, you're still struggling but there's something about you that makes you stand out. Something within you that seems to make you want to help people no matter how hard things get. It's different from Alex, different from Lin, Mare, myself. It's not like they are all bad people, they were just forced into it because of what they needed to do to survive. Each and every one of them succumbed except for you."

"Why do you keep saying them Dox?" Kelsier asked with dread.

"I have to thank you Kell." Doxtun continued. "I wasn't sure about myself before I met you, I'd forgotten what was right and what was wrong. Everything I had done before, I had carried on my shoulders. A burden that I ended up forgetting about because of where I was. I thought to myself, in the pits everyone is a killer, everyone is going to die here. What does it matter, compared to everyone else I have done no wrong. I could leave my past behind me because no one cared."

"No one does care Doxtun." Kelsier interrupted, hastily. However it was hard for the thief to believe his own words. He was worried where this was going. Was this man someone that had taken pleasure in murdering others?

"I care…" Doxtun responded. "Alex was a guard who wanted to protect his family, now his brother is dead. Ragg was a servant for a noble house and his father died for a crime he didn't commit. Lin accidently broke a vase in a Noble's house, all of these people don't deserve this place. They just wanted to make the best of the life that they had been forced into. But me-"

"Dox! Tell me what you mean! What did you do?" Kelsier wanted shout, they were free, and they had the food. What was going on? It was over wasn't it? It was then Kelsier saw another side of Doxtun he had never seen before.

Two wet lines ran down the big man's face, then another, two more followed, tears following tears, like a miniature waterfall before Doxtun wiped them away leaving only the shining trails behind.

"Leave your past behind Kelsier." Doxtun said as he was leaving. "It can't harm you here. Everything you knew is a clean slate. In this place, we're all scum to the Lord Ruler." Doxtun had said those words to him the day after he had first arrived. Before he had just thought they were words meant to move on, now Kelsier heard them far more differently.

"I loved her." Doxtun began, pain evident in the voice. "I just wanted to show her that I did? I wanted to prove to her that I was as good as any noble. She was a noblewoman you see, Lady Clarissa Valmoux. A young innocent woman, she always smiled at me while I worked. She gave me special treats, complimented me. She made me feel like I was someone more then what every other noble had said. Every single one that had come by before had referred to me as an object, a monster that could not be trusted. Not her, she never did."

Doxtun's fist clenched together has the words began to pour forth. "One day I saw a nobleman try and court her, I got jealous of course. Lady Clarissa was someone special to me. After he had left, I confessed to her. I hoped my feelings would dissuade her from courting him, after all she had already acted affectionately towards me, who was I to know that it was just the way she thought the world should be. She told me too, I'm her favourite skaa, but she can't return those feelings because I was a skaa. She wanted to treat both nobles and skaa the same way but she couldn't love a skaa. It was not possible."

"I was heartbroken and yet, everything seemed to go back to normal after that. She still smiled and waved at me, except now I got angry instead of happy. The Noble kept coming over and over and I would hear her laugh as she spoke with him. One day Lady Clarissa was out of the manor at the time and he came by. He kept on commenting on how she should leave with him, leave all of us behind. Called us docile, obedient…neutered. The next thing I had known I had a knife in my hand and he was lying in a pool of his own blood, eyes wide in surprise as this docile creature took away the life he flaunted."

"You killed a noble?" Kelsier remarked, his breathing becoming irregular. Please tell me that is all he did. "We've all done that, that doesn't-"

"Then she walked in." Doxtun added, and Kelsier's mouth froze.

"She saw the blood, she saw me and the look of horror on her face, an expression till that day I had never seen her use. I kept telling her I loved her, even afterwards, I kept on telling myself that I loved her but that was a lie wasn't it. I loved the idea of her, but I never really cared for her. If I did, I would have been able to stop myself. I would have ended myself before anything else happened."

An ice cold pit formed in Kelsier's stomach, he wanted to put his hands to his ears. Please don't-

"I raped her." Doxtun choked out. "I raped the only woman to show me kindness. She tried to scream but I stopped her. She tried to escape but I wouldn't let her. I kept telling her to give me a chance, to show her how much I cared." Doxtun let his words drift away into silence before continuing. Slower, yet every word still as painful. "After it was over she hung herself. The guards found her staring with her empty lifeless eyes at me and I couldn't move. Frozen as if her gaze had petrified me. They just thought I had killed her."

Kelsier was at a loss for words. What did you say after hearing something like that? Doxtun looked upon his friend with sorrow filled eyes, emotion, pain, regret, it was hard to believe that this man was capable of what he had just said.

"I might as well have done it, I wanted to put an end to myself." Doxtun continued. "It was disgusting what I had done, after all I'd just proven them right. What they had said all along, and the scary thing is, I had forgotten about it. I had just let it sink behind me into a pool of forgotten memories. Until today, today I had to relive it. The horrible thing isn't in actually committing the act, it's knowing that it's coming and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Still you try, but you know it's useless. I had to watch myself rape her, listen to her screams, I had to bear witness to the one thing I had only wanted but in the worst possible outcome, and this time. I was fully aware of what I was doing to her. I heard every single scream, saw every single movement, and witnessed every single moment."

"There are some people here who truly deserve to be here. Some that actually deserve to die in this place. For their payment Kelsier, for the escape of our friends, this new…family. I offer my life. While it doesn't have much value anymore, tainted with all these sins, I hope you'll find it worth it."

"Dox-!" Kelsier tried.

"I deserve to die." Doxtun said. That was all.

"I'm glad you agree." Another voice called from off to the side.

Kelsier and Doxtun both spun simultaneously to face Kar and Mear as they approached them.

"I'm afraid this time you're all alone." Kar said as he walked up to the two, towering over Doxtun, the giant grinned as he looked at the two friends.

"Kelsier?" Another voice called out cautiously.

Kelsier peeked behind him to see Bren standing amidst a few tents staring at them.

"Run Kelsier." Doxtun muttered under his breath.

Kelsier just stood there. Out of the corner of his eyes Kelsier saw guards coming, armed with spears and swords. The look on their faces provided no reassurance for the thief.

"I said, run!" Doxtun shouted and shoved his bag along with Kelsier back before charging towards Kar.

Kelsier stumbled backwards under the sudden weight of the second bag of food and saw Doxtun collide with the giant. From the start it was easy to see that it was not an even fight. Bren stood still watching and Kelsier cursed at his hesitation. Mear looked at him, the female lackey with short brown hair smiled as she cracked her knuckles.

"Bren!" Kelsier called as he moved towards the frozen boy. He thrust the two sacks of food into his arms, the boy stumbled barely able to support himself underneath the weight of the sacks. "Find Haden or Kianna and take these to my tent. Now!" Kelsier shouted cutting off any attempt of refusal. He emphasized his words with a large shove away from the fight. Bren caught himself as he began to fall and soon his legs began to work by themselves as he broke into a run.

Fire began to surge through Kelsier's left arm again as he turned back to help Doxtun. His wounds felt like they had fully reopened and his vision began to blur. He could see Doxtun clenching his chest, wheezing as he tried to take a few steps back away from Kar.

I have to help him.

The pain in his arm intensified and Kelsier felt legs give way. His right hand tried to take hold of his left arm, but his fingers refused to move.

"You can't help him Kelsier." The voice of Kelsier's mother whispered in his ears.

"I can try." Kelsier heard himself spit out.

You can't help him. He deserves to die, would you really help a monster like him?

"Rest my son." His mother tried to sooth him but the words didn't hold any warmth.

"He's my friend."

"And I am your father." Kelsier looked up to see Lord Tristing standing before him. His figure a blur but there was no mistaking that face. The face that had been forever burned into Kelsier's memory.

"You would call your own father a monster." He said.

"Filthy Nobles!" Kelsier shouted back savagely.

And yet he took care of you and your brother.

He turned on us!

You can't save them Kelsier! You can't trust anyone! You can't love anyone!

Stop telling me what I cannot do!

Kelsier's vision began to clear, he saw the ash on the ground mixed with blood. His body hurt all over but the sharp pain his arm was gone, at least for now. There was no signs of the mysterious image of his father he had seen before. He had to help Doxtun, they could still get away.

Struggling to rise, Kelsier began to get to his feet. Pushing against his hands on the ground. The fingers in his right hand screamed out as each finger simultaneously roared in pain. They're may have been sounds of bones cracking but his mind could not comprehend anything outside of his own mind. His knees were weak shaking as they tried to bear his weight, still somehow Kelsier managed to rise. He could not give up!

He stood on unsteady legs, the strength to his muscles slowly returning. There wasn't much but maybe it would be enough to make a difference. Kelsier looked up at Doxtun, struggling to breath. He focused his eyes on his friend, and took a step forward. A pair of arms wrapped around Kelsier's body holding him in place.

"Kelsier don't do it." A female voice cried.

"Mom?" Kelsier's head snapped over his shoulder to look at who was constraining him.

Lin stood behind him pressed against his back with her arms wrapped around his torso in an attempt to stop him from moving. Her face was buried into his back, a mass of tattered brown hair covering her scarred face.

"What are you doing?" Kelsier demanded in alarm.

"You are going to die!" Her words muffled as she shouted into his ragged shirt was enough to make Kelsier take a closer look at the situation.

Mear stood ahead of the both of them watching them with an amused expression. Behind her guards had gathered watching as Kar stood with his foot on Doxtun's back. Their friend was bleeding from numerous wounds on his face and body and Kar stood atop him with disappointed look on his face.

"I want to help him too!" Lin cried, her own desperation brought Kelsier back to reality. "He's my friend too, but you can't save him. Not by yourself. You'll only end up killing yourself. You can't do anything!"

It was true Kelsier thought, he couldn't stop them. The guards were there and if they wouldn't stop it then there was nothing he could do. Even now in his current condition, Mear would probably kill him if he took another few steps closer. He could feel himself becoming lightheaded, probably from all the blood that was seeping out through his reopened wounds. All he could do was stand and watch his friend die like he had told him. Why didn't the guards do anything!

Kar looked up over at Kelsier, his lips curved into a sick smile as he stared at the thief. The giant man's gaze never left his own as he threw a swift kick into Doxtun's side forcing him over onto his back. Dox groaned, unable to utter more than a few soft incomprehensible sounds.

Kar's gaze taunted him, Kelsier could hear the giant's voice as if it was right next to him. "What are you going to do?" the gaze said. "Come. Try."

"Pathetic." Kar said, his eyes still locked on Kelsier as he rested his foot on Doxtun's neck. Finally he turned back to look at the poor skaa on the ground before him, pressing down on his neck causing Doxtun to choke.

"Well Kelsier?" Mear taunted, her hands outstretched before her, wide open as if inviting him to come. "Are you going to stand there?"

One foot moved forward, and Kelsier felt himself stop. "No!" Lin uttered. "No!" She pulled and the sudden force caused his already unsteady legs to collapse once again. Kelsier went to his knees, not feeling anything, his mind slowly loosing focus. Dizziness slowly creeped over him and Mear cocked her head to one side. Seeing him on the ground she began to walk towards him, taking her time, like a predator ready to finish off its wounded prey.

Suddenly her gaze shifted and her eyes went wide. It happened for the briefest of seconds but it was there. Something had caused her to panic. A blur rushed past from behind Kelsier and launched itself at the female lackey.

Desperately Mear tried to defend herself, lifting her arms up to protect herself. Her attacker collided with her knocking her off balance. Their tackling savior's feet hit the ground after ramming his shoulder into Mear, ending up facing with his back towards his enemy. In a swift motion, he grabbed one of her arms as she fell backward and spun around her, pulling at the same time causing her to tumble forward instead.

Kelsier's eyes began to clear once more as Mear fell. The blur, Alex swung one leg up and onto Mear's left shoulder as she fell. Together the two hit the ground, Mear face down on the bottom, Alex on top, his right leg on Mear's left shoulder with both hands on her left arm. The moment she hit the ground, Alex straightened Mear's arm and then yanked it back, keeping the arm straight and breaking the bone.

"Alex." Lin whispered hopefully beside Kelsier, the both of them together watching the dark skinned man leave Mear on the ground and run towards Kar. No one noticed him until he was right upon them. Alex leaped into the air as he approached Kar, both legs pulled in before kicking out and hitting the giant man with both feet.

The guards surrounding the area pulled back in order to watch, for some reason they were acting more like spectators. But why?

Alex hit the ground on his back after his kick, however he used the momentum from his fall to roll himself onto his hands and then propel himself up onto his feet. Kar who had taken the kick to his side had stumbled backwards, but was still standing. The giant rubbed his side, wincing from the pain.

"Alex." Kar said, one thick hand scratching his dark bushy beard. The giant walked up to Alex, one eyebrow rising in amusement, lips forming a smile once again.

"Kar." Alex responded, brushing aside some of his black hair that had gotten in front of his eyes.

The two stared at each other, and for the first time in forever Kelsier saw the two side by side. The last time he had seen them like this had been his first day here. Kar stood at least two heads taller than Alex however the short man didn't seem to notice. Their gazes were locked on each other, neither one moved. For once there was silence as these two titans challenged each other to a death match.

"I was hoping you would be stupid enough to show up." Kar's spoke in a soft voice, however his deep voice carried in the silence. "Now I get to kill you too."

"You won't be killing anyway today." Alex retorted.

"Shall we make a wager then?" Kar responded chucking. "Something along the lines of, your life?"

"Die." Alex replied.

Alex's body twitched and Kar's right arm flew out, his hand wrapping itself around Alex's neck in a blur, faster than his large body should have been able too. Slowly Kar lifted the smaller man up with one hand, his obnoxiously large muscles bulging as his grip tightened.

"You were saying?" Kar asked arrogantly as he brought his opponent up to eye level.

Alex smiled. It happened so quickly Kelsier almost didn't catch it. Alex swung both legs up, his left leg wrapping around the arm of the giant's hand grabbing him. His right leg kicked straight out, planting his foot right in the giant's face before pulling it back to hook around his left arm. Both of Alex's hands came up to the fingers around his neck, his left hand grasping Kar's middle finger, his right hand grasping the thumb. Togther they pulled, the force combined from the sudden kick to the head and Alex's swift movement with his head allowed him to break the strong man's grip on his neck.

Hooking both legs around the giant's right arm Alex let his upper body fall, letting momentum carry him in an arc before releasing his grip. Alex landed before Kar, who was just recovering from the kick to the head. Crouching to avoid Kar's eyes as he searching for his opponent at eye level, Alex used the distraction to deliver three quick jabs in succession to his opponent's stomach.

Kar unable to see Alex, hadn't tightened the muscles in his chest beforehand. The sudden strikes caused Kar to recoil and step back with his left leg. Alex wasted no time, springing forward as he saw Kar move back. The giant moved forward, head gazing directly at his opponent as he pulled his arm back into a fist.

Using Kar's right knee as a stepping stone Alex leaped up with his left foot, pushing off and bringing his right knee up at the same time, colliding his knee with the big man's mouth right below his nose. As his momentum slowed and he reached the peak of his jump above Kar, Alex unfolded his right leg and planted it on his enemies left shoulder. Using as much force as he could, Alex twisted as he pushed off against Kar and brought his left leg across in a powerful kick, smashing against Kar's cheek.

Alex's momentum carried him into a full spin before landing on his feet, crouching one hand palm down slamming into the ground to help steady himself. Kar stumbled backwards, his upper body twisting to his left from the force of the kick. His left hand went up to his face as the big man turned his head back towards Alex.

Dashing forward once again, Alex ran towards Kar's right hoping to stay in the big man's blind spot. Kar's face contorted in rage, roaring as he swung his right arm in a powerful backhand towards Alex's oncoming face. The nimble fighter however seemed to have predicted it, dashing in close before pivoting on one foot and leaping into the air bending his body into a front flip.

Kar's arm made contact with the back of Alex's legs as he flipped upside down, the blow pushed his legs over allowing Alex to straighten out with his legs barely managing to come out before him in time to catch him as he landed face perpendicular to the giant.

The moment his feet touched the ground Alex dashed in close to his opponent, leaping off with his left foot, he planted his right foot into Kar's stomach, and kicked with his left. The flat of his foot pounded onto the giant's chest however this time Kar barely budged. Instead his hands flew out catching Alex's legs.

With a heave, Kar spun around, spinning Alex with him before throwing him straight towards the ashen ground. Like a ragdoll, Alex slammed against the mixture of assorted rocks and ash, bouncing once, twice, before rolling across the ground and coming to a stop.

Slowly Alex put his hands out below him and began to push himself up. Kar nose flared as he saw his opponent beginning to rise. Blood ran down from his nose, his left cheek had a large gash across it, letting even more blood join the downpour running down his face. The nose appeared to be broken, however the giant didn't seem to notice, consumed by is rage he had eyes on one person, and one person only.

Kar charged forward, his hulking body travelling with each large stride he took. Alex rose to his feet still slightly disoriented from the throw. Numerous smaller cuts decorated his face along with a few new tears in his clothing.

Giant like muscles bulged as Kar launched a powerful punch with his right arm. Alex ducked barely avoiding the fist. Immediately a second fist followed the first, Kar's left arm swung from the side forcing Alex to leap to his left to avoid the punch. Unrelenting, Kar followed up with his right knee. Alex barely landing from his leap was unable to dodge, instead he brought his arms up taking the blow on his elbows, buying the briefest of moments he needed to gain his footing and retreat.

Unfortunately it was all a part of Kar's plan. His right leg came down along with his right arm, granting him the ability to quickly close the distance once again between Alex and himself. Alex moves his arms up to block the hammer like fist falling down upon him. Kar's gigantic muscled arm collided with Alex's skinnier muscular ones, and one leg gave way beneath Alex's body causing him to drop to one knee. His arms collapsed underneath the sheer power of the giant man's right arm and his fist slammed into Alex's shoulder.

Strong fingers grabbed hold of the smaller man's shirt and quickly, Kar yanked up, throwing Alex back into the air in front of him. For a few seconds Alex was in the air, unconstrained, only the wind to brush by his skin. Then he fell, his arms began to outstretch, right before his stomach met Kar's left fist in a power left uppercut. The force of Kar's fist going up and Alex going down caused the smaller man's body to conform to the blow. Alex's eyes popped open as his air left his body, mouth yanked apart as a sudden splash of blood burst out from within.

Slowly Alex began to slide off of the giant's fist, but Kar was not finished yet. Using his fist, he lightly pushed out causing Alex's legs to act instinctively to catch himself. They hit the ground and for the briefest of moments Alex was standing upright. Before Kar lashed out with a brutal right hook to the man's head.

Alex fell.

Kelsier knelt along with Lin staring at what had just occurred. Alex had seemed to have the advantage and then all so suddenly, he was down.

"Alex…" Lin whispered, her fear was contagious. If Alex couldn't help, then they were doomed.

"I've had enough of you Alex." Kar growled at the downed man. "Still alive? I would be disappointed if you weren't."

Alex's head slowly rotated, his arms tried to move but everything seemed to slow, sluggish.

Kar turned around and walked back over to Doxtun, still lying in a pool of his own blood. He was still breathing, that much Kelsier could see but his was in very serious shape. Why didn't the guards to do something, they had always intervened before on prisoner fights. Even if it was to just stab both parties.

"I want you to watch me kill your friend in front of your eyes." Kar said as he knelt down next to Doxtun. "Then I'm going to kill you in front of those other two. That girl you keep looking at, her eyes always so distant and lost. She'll be that way forever after you go, after she sees your lifeless eyes staring back at her. But I'll be merciful, for your sake, after all you are one of the three titans of Hathsin. I'll kill her after you, she'll only have to live for a few more moments after your death. But I'll kill her in front of that other one, Kelsier. Then I'm going to find that black haired wench and gut her in front of him too. How does that feel Alex?"

Alex's fingers twitched, his arms moved ever so slowly but they were moving. His legs slowly pulled in, trying to reorient themselves. Alex's head rotated upwards, his lower face was covered in blood, and his left eyes was red with blood around bleeding out from various places along his face. Still Alex pursed his lips together and tried to move. Somewhere, somehow the smaller man began to rise, placing his arms and legs out below him and slowly pushing himself up.

"How?" Kelsier asked, lost in bewilderment.

"There are three titans of Hathsin Kelsier." Lin replied. "You should have heard about them by now. The titans, they say are the most powerful prisoners in the pits. Second only to the Warden, and the monster of Hathsin."

Alex stood up straight, his entire body still distorted had trouble keeping balance his entire body began to shift around, legs having to fly out to catch himself before he fell over. Still, the titan slowly began to move towards Kar.

"Can you feel it Kell?" Lin asked, her fear began to be replaced by something else. Satisfaction?

Strangely enough Kelsier could feel something. It was different, yet very vaguely familiar.

"He only gets like this when someone really pisses him off." Lin said. "Kar is known as the juggernaut, but this, this is why Alex is known as the Cold Reaper."

Reaper? These words, titles. Kelsier had never heard of them before.

Alex ran on unsteady legs, as he grew closer, his stumbling decreased, his limp began to fade, and his body straightened. The pain was still evident on his body, but for the time being, his body appeared to have just forgotten about the beating he had just taken.

Kar stood still baffled as he watched his opponent charge at him. His right hand tightened back into a fist as his lips twisted into a sneer. Alex kept on running, his eyes taking note as the giant before him pulled back his right arm, both of the fighters paying close attention to the rapidly dwindling distance remaining between them.

Then as if in unison they both attacked. Kar threw his right hook in anticipation, Alex instead of attempting to dodge leapt forward, raising his left knee. His leg took the blow from Kar's fist and too Kelsier's surprise it didn't seem to make much of an impact.

Alex's jump followed through as his knee impacted with the center of Kar's torso. The blow lacked power, receiving no reaction from its target. The knee however had been a means of closing the distance. Alex followed up with both hands slamming them down as he fell, both hands palms inward against both of Kar's ears.

The giant's hands reflexively went to his ears, and it seemed for a few moments that his eyes seemed to mist over. He didn't seem to feel Alex's flurry of punches to his stomach as he dropped down, however his body still reacted. Knees buckling beneath him Kar wheezed as he tried to breath. Alex however would not relent.

The reaper balled up his fist and struck the giant's face. Once, twice, three times, four, he would not stop. Alex's fist stopped in midflight as he punched again. Kar's gigantic hand finally intercepted the flying fist, taking hold of the smaller man's entire fist in his enclosed hand. Blood dripped from the trapped man's fist as Kar began to squeeze.

Alex stared at the giant before him, his expression cold and unchanging. The lack of emotion forced Kar to gamble, throwing out his other arm he moved in for a grab. Alex was ready, quickly shifting his hands causing Kar's arms to intercept each other and allowed Alex to break free. Quickly grabbed hold of Kar's head in both hands Alex slammed his knee into the giant's nose. Even at a distance, Kelsier heard the soft crack of breaking cartilage.

Kar swayed in place, blood gushing from his freshly broken nose. Alex turned and walked a short distance before looking over his shoulder at the juggernaut on his knees. His expression the same cold expression that made seemed almost alien on the man's dark skin.

Kelsier stood staring at the two before him. The field was silent as both guards and prisoners watched the two titans of the pits. The outcome before them seemed clear and yet, there was something off about it.

Kar moved, and Kelsier's eyes widened in shock. Slowly Kar lifted one knee and planted a foot in the ground. Using that foot as an anchor, the giant slowly began to rise. The towering giant seemed about to collapse at any moment and yet still he managed to rise. Head slumped over, it seemed to be out of instinct rather than conscious thought. Still the sight of his enemy somehow managing to rise, causing a flash of rage to wash over Alex's face.

The reaper charged forward once again, death was clear in his eyes. Alex's mouth moved, muttering something as he charged. Kelsier could have sword he heard him say, "For my brother."

Kar's head began to rise, his eyes slowly coming into focus as he stood trembling legs. Alex pulled back his arm, summoning all of the emotions in his body and pouring them into his next strike. He leaped into the air and Kar saw the reaper coming for his life. Vengeance had come.

A whip lined with miniature steel spikes unfurled from out of nowhere and wrapped itself around Alex's neck. Blood spurted as steel bit into flesh, sparkling jewels of ruby sparkled as the rained down upon the dry ash.

Alex flew back towards the ground, wheezing as blood dripped from cuts along his neck. A figure walked past Kelsier barely sparing a glance at the half-skaa thief.

"Alex!" Lin shouted, suddenly their positions were reversed. Lin's arm unwrapped themselves from around Kelsier and the shaken prisoner scrambled to her feet. Kelsier barely had time to react, his own arms sprang forward of their own accord as he attempted to restrain Lin.

"Rules were created for a reason, and as such, they must be upheld." The newcomer said as he strode forth, in one hand he fingered the handle of his steel whip that was wrapped around Alex's neck.

Something hit Kelsier mentally. Powerful as if this newcomer radiated an aura of his own that seemed to dwarf that of any one else Kelsier had ever met here.

The newcomer walked as if he was the head of one of the great houses. Confident, powerful, but most importantly arrogant. He was dressed in a similar fashion to the taskmasters, an assortment of knives, and other sharp objects decorated various sheaths and pouches around his bare torso. His head had been cleanly shaved and when he smiled you could see two of his teeth had been filed into sharp pointed daggers.

It was none of these things that were the reason Kelsier felt the most terrified he had been since he had come here. What was responsible was the two spikes that had been driven point first through each of the man's shoulder blades. Something only seen done to Steel Inquisitors.

Kelsier and Lin could only lay still as the taskmaster slowly closed the distance between Alex and himself.

"I believe introductions are in order." The taskmaster said, passing by Alex and heading over to Doxtun who has propped himself on all fours.

"You may address me as Hathsin." The taskmaster pronounced. His head turned to meet Kelsier's, and their eyes met for a moment. Hathsin's black eyes were like a pit of darkness that wanted to swallow those who looked upon them.

"I am the warden of the pits." The words Hathsin uttered struck horror into Kelsier's heart.

The warden turned back to look at Doxtun. "This is him I presume?" He asked.

"Yes." Kar said his voice coming out in muffles as he feel back to his knees.

"Yemo!" Hathsin called, pointing to Doxtun.

A man rushed forward dressed as an obligator with a stack of papers in hand. He stopped by Doxtun and hesitated. In response Hathsin lifted a foot and pushed Doxtun. The obligator knelt down beside Doxtun's foot and inspected the iron ring around his foot. Then after a moment he turned back to his papers and started sifting through them.

A dozen seconds passed before the obligator looked up from his papers and nodded to the Warden.

"Doxtun Carrio." The taskmaster proclaimed, the ends of his lips curving up into a smile. "You arrived here approximately twelve months ago, and failed to submit a geode this week."

Doxtun turned his eyes to look upon the warden. His face was covered in welts, his eyes barely able to be held open.

Hathsin continued. "Here for the murder of a young female noble, and to add to such you went ahead and stole food from our storehouses. You are aware that this shift in balance cannot be permitted. Those responsible for such an action, must be punished." The warden turned his head to look over at Kelsier, as if he knew everything.

But how? We managed to escape, flawlessly. There was no one following us. How did he know?

"I have witnesses directly state that you were stealing food."

"Your witness is wrong." Doxtun coughed out.

"Oh?" Hathsin replied amused.

"I was alone. I… acted alone."

Hathsin stared at Doxtun in silence, cocking an eyebrow in amusement. Finally he spoke.

"The sixteenth memory." He said quietly. "You've had it, haven't you?"

The warden turned away from the fallen man and began walking away.

"Wait!" Kar shouted. "What about him?"

"He's a dead man." Hathsin said, having lost his interest. "But you may kill him as payment."

Even with a bloodied face and a broken nose Kar was still able to grin as he limped forward.

Alex roared, springing to his feet only to immediately be halted. His eyes bulged as he came to a stop and then slammed into the ground. He tried to rise but Hathsin places a foot on his back forced him back down.

"Alex, the Cold Reaper, as I have heard. You turned in a geode for this week, you did not strike a guard and while fighting between prisoners is frowned upon, I frankly don't give a damn. These rules have not been broken, therefore your life still has some shred of purpose that remains."

Hathsin glanced over at Kelsier, his eyes narrowing as if thinking.

"Wait Kar." The warden held up a hand.

Kelsier felt a pressure from behind him, as if something was trying to escape within his shirt. Suddenly he was pulled forward by the force of his shirt being pushing up by some invisible force. The knife that had been sheathed and tucked inside his shirt spring out, the blade flashing as it flew through the air into the outstretched hand of the taskmaster.

"A weapon in the possession of a prisoner." Hathsin said. "Your friend here cannot shield you from this. But…"

The warden let his words trail off as he smiled once more. A wicked smile as he glanced over at Kar standing over Doxtun and proceeded to toss the knife over to the prisoner.

"Use this." He said.

Kar picked up the weapon, examining the polished blade in the dying light. He knelt down next to Doxtun and began tracing the tip of the blade over his bruised and broken body.

Alex tried to get up, but he was tired. The beating he had taken from Kar coupled with the steel whip around his neck was taken its toll on the prisoner's body. He still couldn't give up, not yet. His arms were trembling as he used them to slowly lift himself off the ground once more.

Hathsin shook his head as he watched Alex try and rise. Then he pulled on the whip, tightening the grip around the fallen titan's neck.

"There is nothing you can do Alex." The warden taunted. "You are permitted to live now, but please. Continue struggling."

"No." Lin whispered, shaking. "Alex please no. Kelsier please…let me go. Let…" Lin coughed, "let me go. Let me go!" No matter how much she pleaded, Kelsier refused.

"You can't save him." Kelsier heard himself say. "I can't save him." His arms tightened around Lin as she struggled to break free.

Hathsin pulled harder on his whip pulling Alex's upper body up. The titan's hands went to the whip around his neck, his hands gripping the steel blades and trying to pry them apart as he choked. Blood poured out from fresh cuts along his hands, however Alex's face still remained determined and unrelenting.

"Please." Hathsin mocked. "Give me a reason to end your pathetic life."

"Alex." Lin choked out between sobs.

Alex's hands tightened even further, turning white from the strain he was placing on his body. Eyes squeezed shut as he struggled, mouth open as he gasped for breath, trying to fill his lungs with air as he was being strangled.

Kelsier felt something wet drop against his hands. Lin was trembling in his arms, tears ran uncontrollably down his cheeks as she watched Alex being strangled. Suddenly she broke free, throwing off Kelsier's arms, but they grabbed hold of her moment later stopping her once more.

"Alex!" Lin screamed, her voice horse and desperate, echoing in the silence.

Alex's eyes flew open, the mask he wore upon his face cracked revealing the look of a desperate man. He stared at his friend being propped up by Kar, the tip of the knife tracing circles around Doxtun's neck. Small lines of reds decorated the areas of his flesh where Kar had pressed a just hard enough to draw blood.

Fingers loosened and his arms fell to his side as Alex stopped struggling. A beat later Hathsin relaxed his arm and Alex slumped forward, his eyes forever locked on his friend's as they looked into each other's eyes.

With a flick of his wrist Kar reverse the blade of the dagger in his hand and plunged it directly into Doxtun's throat. Both Kar and Alex's eyes widened at the same time, and together they closed as they fell, Alex hitting the ground first followed by Doxtun a moment later.

Alex!" Lin cried, this time Kelsier did not bother trying to restrain her. The frightened woman scrambled forward through the dirt and ash towards the fallen man, the slight rising of his shoulders from his breath, was the only indication Kelsier could see that Alex was still alive.

Lin slid to her knees as she approached Alex, numerous rocks and other objects scattered aside whatever cuts or injuries they were causing went unnoticed by the panicking woman. Her hands flew across Alex's body, her trembling fingers shaking as they touched his skin. It was like the very act of feeling the warmth of his skin against her own was enough to reassure her and cause her hands to steady. Tears still streaming down her face, Lin lifted up one of Alex's arms and slipped underneath it, curling up into a ball against the fallen man not caring about anything else around her. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

"Pathetic." Kar said.

Blood seeped out from Doxtun's neck, coating the rocks beneath him with fresh blood. Kar chuckled as he stared at the dead man who had momentarily been in his hands. The blade Doxtun had given Kelsier dripped red tears in hand.

"Only the strong survive." The giant man said in disgust. "Weaklings like her provide no value at all."

Something about Kar's words made Kelsier speak up.

"She's stronger then you!" Kelsier yelled, there was something wet against his face. Tears? They couldn't be tears, he hadn't shed tears for a long time.

"Shall we test that then?" Kar challenged. The juggernaut began moving towards the couple lying on the ground, his footsteps heavy and unsteady, Alex's beating was still evident in the way the giant man moved.

"Prisoners are not permitted to carry weapons." Hathsin's sharp voice cracked through the air. Kar kept moving however he tossed the knife to the side, the weapon having lost its value held no interest to the killer. Instead it seemed like Kar was happier. Bringing his hands together, he cracked his knuckles in anticipation.

"Prisoners are also not allowed to kill other prisoners." The warden's voice came once more.

This time Kar did stop. He looked up at Hathsin, as if ready to ignore him anyway.

"You will obey where I command." Hathsin articulated. "I let you have one, due to the information that you provided me from your source. However, the rules still stand. Or do I need to remind you, why I am in charge."

Kar's face twisted in anger as he was forced to take the threat. At that moment, Kelsier could see that both Kar and Hathsin knew, that the juggernaut was powerless against him. At the very least, Hathsin was a lurcher with his ability to pull the dagger from where Kelsier had hidden it.

"This is not the end." Kar growled.

"Yes, it is." Hathsin stated.

The juggernaut turned on his heel and stomped away, fuming, not even sparing a glance at Mear who lay on her back with her broken arm.

Hathsin watched the titan leave, his eyes emotionless as he turned to face Kelsier.

"I suggest you behave." The taskmaster said. "Everyone here will die, whether you choose to rush to your death is entirely up to you. However, ask yourself this. Is it really worth spending your last few moments throwing your life away for some foolish fantasy that is bound to fail?"

"You seem very confident." Kelsier replied. "You think that no one can survive it?"

"No one has." Hathsin replied. "I have been the warden since the creation of the pits. I know all about your Kelsier the thief. If you keep this act of yours up, everyone you know is going to die. Then again, maybe that is what you truly wish for deep down inside. In the end, maybe all you are is just a monster. No different than monster here that eats the bodies of the dead."

Kelsier's eyes flickered over to Alex and Lin, lying together. The two of them seemed lost to the world. Doxtun's words came back to his mind.

Not everyone deserves to die here.

For this new family. I offer my life.

My life.

Kelsier stared at the two, memories of Mare and himself alone together creeping back into his mind. Tristan, Price, Alex, Lin, Conrad, Raisor. So many people who never belonged here. They shouldn't have to die here. A place where hope dies, a place like that should never exist.

"Would you like to make a wager?" Kelsier found himself asking.

"A wager?" Hathsin laughed. "Very well then. No prisoner has ever survived sixteen months here in the pits. The memory attacks always signal their death, it can never be escaped. In the event however that you do manage to survive the entire year since you first arrived. Then I shall concede the victory to you. In the event that you fail…"

"Then I'll be dead."

"Indeed." The warden replied amused.

"I accept." Kelsier said staring the warden in his eyes.

I accept your job Doxtun.

We will survive.

A.N. Thank you to those of you who have continued to read this story. Sorry it took a while to update as I wasn't really expecting this chapter to actually end up being long enough that I decided to split it into 3 parts. For those of you curious, this chapter alone spanned 56 pages with around 25k words which is half of what the word count on this story was before. If you liked or didn't like something, want to read more of some parts or just have an opinion please feel free to review or message me as they do help me as I write this out. Thank you for your time ladies and gentlemen. Hopefully the next chapter won't take another year to be released. Fingers crossed.