Marsh was the first to break the stillness. He moved to the newly formed spike and picked it up. He held it to his face, rolling it in his fingers, inspecting it. Once thoroughly inspected, he put it in a pouch at his side.
Kelsier was the second one to break the stillness. He moved towards Marsh and the Anchor.
Marsh put a hand on Kelsier's chest before he could retrieve the Anchor. “Leave it Kel,” he said.
Kelsier swatted his brothers hand from his chest. “Out of my way Marsh. That Anchor is coming with me,” he replied.
“No. It stays here.”
The two brothers stood, locked in a one eyed stare down. Neither one budging. Neither one happy. What a delightful family reunion.
I found a nice bench to park my bottom and sat down to relax. All things considered, it felt like a well deserved respite.
“It’s okay Marsh,” I said. “He can’t take the Anchor. I have combined their tones into one. Which means the Anchor and this planet are now intrinsically linked. They can no longer be separated. That metaphorical link has just become literal. Wouldn’t you say?”
They both turned to look at me as I stretched out my legs. I saw confusion in Marsh’s expression, and anger in Kelsier’s.
I waggled my Shardflute in front of them. “Don’t look so angry Kelsier. It was never the plan to let you take the Anchor for yourself. That’s why Harmony sent me here with you. Sazed had faith you would stop Autonomy from taking the Anchor. But he also knew you would try to take it for yourself.”
Judging by the look in Kelsier’s eye, he was not happy with me. “We are here to stop Autonomy from taking the Anchor. End of story,” he said.
“No Kelseier. Don’t you understand? I’m not here to stop Autonomy from getting the Anchor, that was your job. I’m here to make sure you didn’t take the Anchor for yourself. I’m Harmony’s insurance policy. So to speak.”
Kelsier moved towards me. Puffs of dust formed around his feet with each step, as if to emphasize his anger. Marsh moved between us, preventing Kelsier from doing anything rash. Which The Lord of Scars was fond of doing.
“Let it go Kel,” Marsh gently said. “Is it not enough to get your brother back?”
Kelsier looked at Marsh, conflicted. I could see the war in his mind play out on his face. Getting his brother back. Losing the Anchor. Being fooled by Harmony. The days events were colliding in his mind. And from the looks of it, his day had been as literal as my own. I could only hope he would choose end it on a metaphorical high.
Keslier let out a held breath. “Its good to see you brother,” he said, choosing to take the metaphorical high road for once. “Me and Sazed were worried about you. I think Sazed was more worried than I was. But I suppose it would be hard to lose your only friend. He will be glad to see you. To know you’re okay.”
Marsh grabbed Kelsier’s shoulder and attempted to smile. Nope. He really didn’t know how to smile. “It’s good to be back brother,” he said. Then turned his spiked gaze towards me. “Why you Drifter? Why did Sazed choose you? It seems very unlike him.”
“Desperation perhaps? I’m sure he would have asked you Marsh, but you were missing. There was no one else he could turn to. No one else he could trust. I understood the consequences of the Anchor being taken. The destruction it would have caused this planet, and the potential threat to the Cosmere. He knew I would do everything in my power to ensure the Anchor remained on this planet.” I twirled the Shardflute in my fingers before letting it vanish into a cloud of mist. “And on this planet it shall stay.”
“Regardless,” Death said, “thank you for helping free me from Autonomy.” He turned his spikes to Kelsier. “Me and my brother have some catching up to do.”
With that, they turned and left me alone with the Anchor.
As I sat alone I thought about why I was there and what Harmony had said to me. He had said, “I know you well enough to know; you will do everything in your power to help protect the Cosmere. It is who you are.”
Kelsier was the second one to break the stillness. He moved towards Marsh and the Anchor.
Marsh put a hand on Kelsier's chest before he could retrieve the Anchor. “Leave it Kel,” he said.
Kelsier swatted his brothers hand from his chest. “Out of my way Marsh. That Anchor is coming with me,” he replied.
“No. It stays here.”
The two brothers stood, locked in a one eyed stare down. Neither one budging. Neither one happy. What a delightful family reunion.
I found a nice bench to park my bottom and sat down to relax. All things considered, it felt like a well deserved respite.
“It’s okay Marsh,” I said. “He can’t take the Anchor. I have combined their tones into one. Which means the Anchor and this planet are now intrinsically linked. They can no longer be separated. That metaphorical link has just become literal. Wouldn’t you say?”
They both turned to look at me as I stretched out my legs. I saw confusion in Marsh’s expression, and anger in Kelsier’s.
I waggled my Shardflute in front of them. “Don’t look so angry Kelsier. It was never the plan to let you take the Anchor for yourself. That’s why Harmony sent me here with you. Sazed had faith you would stop Autonomy from taking the Anchor. But he also knew you would try to take it for yourself.”
Judging by the look in Kelsier’s eye, he was not happy with me. “We are here to stop Autonomy from taking the Anchor. End of story,” he said.
“No Kelseier. Don’t you understand? I’m not here to stop Autonomy from getting the Anchor, that was your job. I’m here to make sure you didn’t take the Anchor for yourself. I’m Harmony’s insurance policy. So to speak.”
Kelsier moved towards me. Puffs of dust formed around his feet with each step, as if to emphasize his anger. Marsh moved between us, preventing Kelsier from doing anything rash. Which The Lord of Scars was fond of doing.
“Let it go Kel,” Marsh gently said. “Is it not enough to get your brother back?”
Kelsier looked at Marsh, conflicted. I could see the war in his mind play out on his face. Getting his brother back. Losing the Anchor. Being fooled by Harmony. The days events were colliding in his mind. And from the looks of it, his day had been as literal as my own. I could only hope he would choose end it on a metaphorical high.
Keslier let out a held breath. “Its good to see you brother,” he said, choosing to take the metaphorical high road for once. “Me and Sazed were worried about you. I think Sazed was more worried than I was. But I suppose it would be hard to lose your only friend. He will be glad to see you. To know you’re okay.”
Marsh grabbed Kelsier’s shoulder and attempted to smile. Nope. He really didn’t know how to smile. “It’s good to be back brother,” he said. Then turned his spiked gaze towards me. “Why you Drifter? Why did Sazed choose you? It seems very unlike him.”
“Desperation perhaps? I’m sure he would have asked you Marsh, but you were missing. There was no one else he could turn to. No one else he could trust. I understood the consequences of the Anchor being taken. The destruction it would have caused this planet, and the potential threat to the Cosmere. He knew I would do everything in my power to ensure the Anchor remained on this planet.” I twirled the Shardflute in my fingers before letting it vanish into a cloud of mist. “And on this planet it shall stay.”
“Regardless,” Death said, “thank you for helping free me from Autonomy.” He turned his spikes to Kelsier. “Me and my brother have some catching up to do.”
With that, they turned and left me alone with the Anchor.
As I sat alone I thought about why I was there and what Harmony had said to me. He had said, “I know you well enough to know; you will do everything in your power to help protect the Cosmere. It is who you are.”
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