Difference between revisions of "Waxillium Ladrian"

Against his better judgement, and under the disapproving eye of his butler, Tillaume, Wax begins to piece together the history of the Vanishers, hoping to discover the reason for their unorthodox targets as well as the secret behind the way they commit their crimes. Realizing the distraction this has created for his house duties, Waxillium endeavors to put away this new obsession and attend the Yomen-Ostlin wedding dinner with Sterris, marking their public debut as a couple.{{book ref|mb4|3}}

After the wedding is interrupted by the arrival of bandits from the Vanishers gang, who proceed to rob the lords and ladies in attendance at gunpoint, Wax initially refuses Wayne’s insistence that he take up a pistol, convincing himself that the Elendel constabulary will be able to handle the disturbance with far less bloodshed. When the gang goes too far, killing a man and taking Sterris as a hostage, Wax admits that he cannot stand idly by, and attacks the gang with his backup pistols and the full fury of his steel-pushing.{{book ref|mb4|5}}

In the ensuing gunfight, Wax, Wayne, and, surprisingly, Steris’ cousin Marasi work together to subdue the majority of the attackers, while successfully minimizing civilian casualties. When Marasi is suddenly held at gunpoint by one of the gang, in the same fashion as Lessie a year ago, Wax nearly freezes up again. Marasi struggles and stuns the Vanisher holding her, momentarily opening up the shot for Wax and forcing him to make a choice to overcome his fear to pull the trigger and save her. As the robbers retreat, Waxillium is surprised to discover the identity of the Vanishers’ leader, Miles “Hundredlives” Dagouter, another former lawman from the Roughs.{{book ref|mb4|6}}

With Steris kidnapped, Wax re-doubles his efforts into his previous investigation. Having obtained one of the Vanishers’ aluminum guns, Wax pours himself into researching its makeup and possible origin as well as working to uncover the mystery of the Vanishers’s ultimate goal.{{book ref|mb4|7}} In the middle of his investigation, Wax, Wayne, and Marasi are caught up in an explosion in his study, set off by his butler in a botched attempt to assassinate him.{{book ref|mb4|9}}

Eventually discovering the location of the Vanishers’ hideout and confirming Hundredlives’ involvement, Wax begins forming a plan to take down the unbeatable, former lawman.{{book ref|mb4|10}} Focusing his attention on puzzling out the Vanishers’ peculiar robbery methods, Wax is taken by surprise when the Vanishers attack his train en route back to Elendel.{{book ref|mb4|12}}

Wounded in the attack and shaken by Hundredlives’ claim that the real evil in the world is the corruption of Elendel itself{{book ref|mb4|13}}, Waxillium escapes to Ranette’s house, where he obtains [[Hazekiller]] bullets and a new prototype revolver, [[Vindication]].{{book ref|mb4|14}}