Vin paused. "And you have all of these religions memorized?""As much as is possible," Sazed said. "Their prayers, their beliefs, their mythologies. Many are very similar -- break-offs or sects of one another.""Even still, how can you remember all of that?""I have...methods," Sazed said."But, what's the point?"Sazed frowned. "The answer should be obvious, I think. People are valuable, Mistress Vin, and so--therefore--are their beliefs.

Sometimes Vin imagined she was like the ash, or the wind, or the mist itself. A thing without thought, capable of simply being, not thinking, caring, or hurting. Then she could be...free.

Men are more resilient than that, I think. Our belief is often strongest when it should be weakest. That is the nature of hope.