Mistborn: The Well of Ascension

Plot summary

In the previous book, Mistborn: The Final Empire, the Lord Ruler was killed by Vin, a Mistborn girl. In Mistborn: The Well of Ascension, The Final Empire is in turmoil, with various regions disintegrating into anarchy because of the Lord Ruler's death and the disappearance of the Steel Ministry, the Final Empire's religious and government body. These two events leave the capital city, Luthadel, in chaos despite Elend Venture claiming the crown and attempting to restore order. However, three armies lay siege to Luthadel because of its rumored wealth of Atium and political influence. The first army is led by Straff Venture - head of Luthadel's House Venture, and Elend's father - who is intent on ruling Luthadel and The Final Empire. The second army is led by Ashweather Cett, one of many who have declared themselves as King of the Western Dominance. The third army consists of Koloss, creatures similar in form to humans but with bodies that keep growing until their hearts can no longer support their size, led by Elend's former friend Jastes - who is buying the Koloss' obedience with counterfeit coins.

Vin, Elend and Kelsier's crew are the only ones who know that the Lord Ruler had been a Terrisman with Feruchemical and Allomantic abilities that allowed the Lord Ruler to create an illusion of mythical powers and immortality. However, they face another problem; a Kandra impostor that has taken the form and identity of one of Kelsier's crew, to spy on their hidden strategies.

Vin becomes suspicious of the mists, while Sazed has come across suspicious deaths that appear to be caused by the mists. However, Sazed is tracked down by Marsh - Kelsier's brother and a Steel Inquisitor - to accompany him to a Ministry stronghold called The Conventical of Seran, where the Steel Inquisitors and High Obligators of the Lord Ruler's religion had retreated after the Collapse. They discover the Steel Inquisitors and High Obligators murdered all of their servants at the Conventical, as well as a Terris journal engraved into steel that was authored by the Terrisman who had claimed that Alendi was the Hero of the Ages.

Elend's idealism for an equal society is hampered by his gentle and scholarly manner until Sazed's friend Tindwyl arrives. A Terris Keeper who specialises in biographies of successful leaders, she mentors Elend, teaching him that his studies of political theory are less valuable than the psychological and physical aspects of great leaders that lived. However, politics begin to cripple Luthadel as the Assembly votes to depose Elend and elects Lord Penrod as their new king, using the laws written by Elend. During this, Vin struggles with her growing fame as The Heir of The Survivor of Hathsin; and Zane, the son of Straff Venture and Elend's half brother, who is revealed to be a powerful Mistborn and mentally unstable. Zane seemingly obeys Straff, but secretly spars with Vin nightly while trying to both seduce her and convince her to leave with him.

Misting assassins attack Elend at an Assembly meeting where Vin kills them in front of Elend causing their relationship to deteriorate. Despite being the most powerful Mistborn alive, Vin feels helpless against the besieging armies and, at Zane's urging that the assassins worked for Cett, seeks revenge by killing hundreds of Cett's soldiers at his temporary Luthadel mansion. Convinced that Cett is a Mistborn, she stops herself from killing him upon learning that Cett is not Mistborn. Cett decides to leave the city and abandon his siege after the loss of his soldiers. Convinced she should leave with Zane, Vin changes her mind to stay and support Elend with her trust. Zane is enraged and tries to kill her, while revealing he is the real Contract owner of Vin's kandra, the imposter of Elend's inner Council, TenSoon impersonating the dead OreSeur. To save Vin while keeping his Contract, TenSoon warns Zane that Vin had learned the Kandra's secret weakness. Reminded of her discovery, she uses Allomancy to take control of TenSoon's body, and is able to kill Zane. Freed from her own and Zane's negativity, Vin accepts Elend's longstanding marriage proposal. Sazed and the rest of the crew scheme to get Elend and Vin out of the city, with Sazed creating a fake map to the Well of Ascension, where Vin is convinced she must go.

Straff Venture withdraws his forces to allow the koloss army to attack Luthadel, planning to rescue the city after the koloss have destroyed most of it and suffered casualties. Vin returns to Luthadel just in time to save Sazed. She also realizes that she is able to control the koloss using her allomancy, realising this was how the Lord Ruler kept them in check. She stops the slaughtering and pillaging that they were doing, and with the rest of the human army from Luthadel, attacks Straff Venture's army. Vin kills Straff and his generals as Cett decides to ally himself with Luthadel. Vin tells the armies that Elend is their new emperor, and Cett, Penrod and the last general of Straff's army can be kings under him.

Vin realizes that the Well of Ascension is in Luthadel, and finds a previously unknown doorway in the Lord Ruler's former dwelling, that leads down to a series of caves. She finds the Well of Ascension, but is urged to "release" the power for the good of the world. She decides not to try to use the power to heal the dying Elend or fix anything else, but to release it. The moment she releases it, an entity shouts out that it is now free. Vin then feeds Elend a small piece of Lerasium that makes him a Mistborn, allowing Elend to save his life with Allomancy.

Characters

Vin - a half-skaa street urchin who becomes the most powerful Mistborn alive. Protagonist.

Elend - A nobleman, estranged son of Straff Venture. He is the new leader of the Crew and King of the Central Dominance.

Dockson, or "Dox" - Crewmember. He is in charge of operations and administration for the Crew and Luthadel, not an Allomancer, but seems much more intelligent than the rest of the crew gives him credit for.

Hammond, or "Ham" - Crewmember, and a Pewter Thug. Ham enjoys philosophical bouts, especially when the receiver of his wisdom is Breeze.

Ladrian, or "Breeze" - Crewmember, and a Soother. Breeze likes his wine. Almost as much as he likes himself.

Cladent, or "Clubs" - Crewmember. He is the Smoker, and he along with the rest of his apprentices are able to shield their hideouts from the Ministry's Allomancers.

Lestibournes, or "Spook" - Crewmember. Clubs' nephew, one of his apprentices, and a Tineye. Youngest member of the crew. Clubs saved Spook, just as his father was about to kill him. Kelsier said Lestibournes was too difficult and named him "Spook". In Eastern street slang, Lestibournes is "Lefting I'm born", for "I've been abandoned".

Marsh - Crewmember. A Steel Inquisitor who is the brother of Kelsier.

Sazed - A Terrisman from the Northern Dominance of Terris. He is a Keeper, and specializes in religions.

Tindwyl - A Terriswoman from the Northern Dominance of Terris. She is a Keeper, and specializes in political leaders.

OreSeur - A Kandra. He is bound to Vin by a Contract.

Straff Venture - Elend's father and a Tineye. King of the Northern Dominance. He and his army lay siege to Luthadel.

Ashweather Cett - King of the Western Dominance. He and his army lay siege to Luthadel.

Zane - a Mistborn who considers himself insane. The illegitimate son of Straff Venture.