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Before dawn reflections on the sun, Dockson buries grief for Kelsier by executing the rebellion’s logistics. He meters resources, secures food and water, and plans a coordinated assault. Goradel, a palace guard who switched sides, reports that Vin was carried to the dungeons. Ham confirms Keeps Elariel’s fall and Lekal’s resistance. Rebels bring in Elend Venture, who pleads for a truce and urges Dockson to spare the nobility and focus on the Ministry. Dockson partly agrees, and Elend learns Vin is imprisoned.

Below, Inquisitor Kar throws Vin into a cell, taunting that Reen died under torture insisting Vin was dead, and threatens to torture Sazed—dragged in, beaten and bound—to force Vin’s cooperation. Once alone, Sazed reveals calm readiness. He weakens himself, then expands with stored strength, snaps his bonds, and tears open Vin’s cell, admitting he swallowed metal to fuel his Feruchemy.

They attempt escape, but Sazed’s strength wanes and guards converge. Vin refuses to abandon Sazed and attacks without Allomancy, felling a few men before being overwhelmed. Elend arrives with six men, including Goradel, trying to extract her, but they are outnumbered. As the melee begins, Vin finds her mistcloak and a hidden vial, drinks, and reignites her Allomancy.

Empowered, Vin blasts through the room, disarming and scattering the guards with Steelpushes and brutal efficiency. The skirmish ends in her favor. She embraces Elend, stunned that he returned for her; Sazed revises his opinion of the nobleman. Elend, flustered, explains that Dockson and Goradel led him there. Vin dresses and regains composure.

Planning the next moves, Vin instructs Sazed to escort Elend to safety and to the rebels. She tasks Elend with seizing the Lord Ruler’s atium treasury to fund the coming government. Despite their protests, Vin declares she must confront the Lord Ruler; the Eleventh Metal showed her something she believes is key. She steels herself against his Soothing and departs, telling Elend she thinks she knows how to kill the Lord Ruler.