The Hero of Ages

that outpaced the natural drainage.

The result was an aquifer of good size. Some machinery in a side cave proved to be a mechanism for plugging the outlets at the bottom-presumably so that one could keep the water reserve from escaping, should something happen to the incoming supply. Unfortunately, there was no existing way to block off the inlets.

Before the Lord Ruler's creation of the reservoir, only a small amount of the water had passed into the cavern. The rest flowed instead into what were now the streets, filling the canals. So, Sazed assumed, if he could stop the water from entering the cavern, it would refill the canals.

I'll need to know more about water pressure, Sazed thought, so I can provide enough weight to plug those inlets. He thought he'd seen a book on the subject inside his metalmind.

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his metalmind. Memory blossomed inside his head as he withdrew a section of text: an index he'd made listing the titles of books he had in his storage. As soon as he pulled the text out, the words became as clear to him as if he'd just read and memorized them. He scanned through the list quickly, seeking the title he needed. When he found it, he scribbled it on a piece of paper. Then, he placed the list back inside his coppermind.

The experience was odd. After replacing the list, he could recollect having drawn the material out-but, he had no memory whatsoever of what the index had contained. There was a blank in his mind. Only the words scribbled on the paper explained things that he'd known just seconds before. With that title, he could draw the appropriate book into his mind in its entirety. He selected the chapters he wanted, then stuck the rest back into the coppermind, lest they decay.

And, with those chapters, his knowledge of engineering was as fresh as if he'd just read and studied the book. He easily figured out the proper weights and balances he'd need to craft barriers that would, he hoped, return water to the streets above.

He worked alone, sitting at a fine stolen desk, a lantern lighting the cavern around him. Even with the knowledge provided by his copperminds, it was difficult work, with many calculations-not exactly the kind of research he was accustomed to. Fortunately, a Keeper's copperminds were not limited to his own interests. Each Keeper kept all of the knowledge. Sazed could vaguely remember the years he'd spent listening and memorizing. He'd only needed to know the information well enough to remember it for a short time, then he could dump it into a coppermind. In that way, he was both one of the smartest and most ignorant men who had ever lived-he had memorized so much, but had intentionally forgotten it all.

Regardless, he had access to texts on engineering as well as religion. Knowing such things did not make him a brilliant mathematician or architect-however, it did give him enough competence to make him a good deal better than a layman.

And, as he worked, he was finding it more and more difficult to deny that scholarship was something at which he excelled. He was not a leader. He was not an ambassador. Even while he served as Elend's chief ambassador, he'd spent much of his time looking through his religions. Now, when he should be heading the team in Urteau, more and more he found himself letting Spook take the lead.

Sazed was a man of research and of letters. He found contentment in his studies. Even though engineering wasn't an area he particularly enjoyed, the truth was, he'd much rather study-no matter what the topic-than do anything else. Is it such a shameful thing, he thought, to be the man who likes to provide information for others, rather than be the one who has to use that information?

The tapping of a cane on the ground announced Breeze's arrival. The Soother didn't need a cane to walk; he just preferred to carry one to look more gentlemanly. Of all the skaa thieves Sazed had known, Breeze did by far the best job of imitating a nobleman.

Sazed quickly jotted down a few more notations, then returned the chapters on water pressure to his coppermind. No need to let them decay while speaking to Breeze. For, of course, Breeze would want to talk. Sure enough, as soon as Breeze sat at Sazed's table, he scanned the diagrams, then raised an eyebrow. 'That's coming along nicely, my dear man. You may have missed your calling.'

Sazed smiled. 'You are kind, Lord Breeze, though I fear an engineer would find this plan unsightly. Still, I think it will be sufficient.'

'You really think you can do it?' Breeze asked. 'Make the waters flow as the lad asked? Is it even possible?'

'Oh, it is quite possible,' Sazed said. 'My expertise-not the plausibility of the task-is the item in question. The waters once filled those canals, and they can do so again. In fact, I believe that their return will be far more spectacular than the original flow. Before, much of the water was already diverted into these caverns. I should be able to block most of that and return the waters above in force. Of course, if Lord Spook wishes to keep the canals flowing, then we will have to let some of the water escape down here again. Canal works generally don't have much of a current, especially in an area where there are many locks.'

Breeze raised an eyebrow.

'Actually,' Sazed continued, 'canals are far more fascinating than you might expect. Take, for instance, the methods of transforming a natural river into a canal-making it what is called a navigation-or perhaps look at the methods of dredging used to remove silt and ash from the depths. I have one particular book by the infamous Lord Fedre, who-despite his reputation-was an absolute genius when it came to canal architecture. Why, I've had to. .' Sazed trailed off, then smiled wanly. 'I apologize. You're not interested in this, are you?'

'No,' Breeze said, 'but it's enough that you are, Sazed. It's good to see you excited about your studies again. I don't know what it was you were working on before, but it always bothered me that you wouldn't share it with anyone. Seemed like you were almost ashamed of what you were doing. Now, however-this is like the Sazed I remember!'

Sazed looked down at his scribbled notes and diagrams. It was true. The last time that he had been so excited about a line of study was. .

When he'd been with her. Working on their collection of myths and references regarding the Hero of Ages.

'In truth, Lord Breeze,' Sazed said, 'I do feel somewhat guilty.'

Breeze rolled his eyes. 'Sazed. Do you always have to be feeling guilty about something? Back in the original crew, you felt you weren't doing enough to help us overthrow the Lord Ruler. Then, once we killed him, you were distraught because you weren't doing what the other Keepers told you to. Do you want to tell me exactly how you go about feeling guilty for studying, of all things?'

'I enjoy it.'

'That's wonderful, my dear man,' Breeze said. 'Why be ashamed of that enjoyment? It's not like you enjoy killing puppies or something like that. True, I think you're a bit crazy, but if you want to enjoy something so particularly esoteric, then you should feel free. It leaves more room for those of us who prefer more common delights-such as getting drunk on Straff Venture's finest wines.'

Sazed smiled. He knew that Breeze was Pushing on his emotions, making him feel better, but he did not rebel against the emotions. The truth was, he did feel good. Better than he had in some time.

Though, still. .

'It is not so simple, Lord Breeze,' Sazed said, setting down his pen. 'I feel happy being able to simply sit and read, without having to be in charge. That is why I feel guilty.'

'Not everybody is meant to be a leader, Sazed.'

'No,' Sazed said, 'but Lord Elend did put me in charge of securing this city. I should be planning our overthrow of the Citizen, not letting Lord Spook do it.'

'My dear man!' Breeze said, leaning down. 'Have I taught you nothing? Being in charge isn't about doing anything-it's about making certain that other people do what they're supposed to! Delegation, my friend. Without it, we would have to bake our own bread and dig our own latrines!' Then, Breeze leaned in. 'And, trust me. You don't want to taste anything I've had a hand in baking. Ever. Particularly after I've cleaned a latrine.'

Sazed shook his head. 'This isn't what Tindwyl would have wanted of me. She respected leaders and politicians.'

'Correct me if you must,' Breeze said, 'but didn't she fall in love with you, not some