Restart Again: Volume 1 by Adam Scott (pocket ebook reader TXT) 📕

call ya something, someday.” He reappeared before me and handed me my bread and ale.

“How rude of me, missing introductions.” I smiled pleasantly. “You can call me Lux. Happy to be of service to you, Sherman.”

“Lux. Lux.” He tested the name out loud a few times. “Alright, Lux. When yer all prepared, head on down here tomorrow and we’ll have a chat.”

“I look forward to it.” I held up my stein in thanks and headed to the staircase. I ate the bread, just a nibble at first, but growing in voracity as I climbed the stairs. It’s certainly not the best thing I’ve ever eaten, I thought to myself, but something about that...journey leaves you hungry. At the top of the stairs I found a single hallway running straight ahead with doors lining both sides. Four doors down, the hallway turned 90 degrees to the right and ran down to a dead end.

As I reached the end of the hallway, I pulled out the wooden block Sherman had given me. A badly faded symbol on the block matched the small metal engraving hammered into the door. The lock was simple: A single hole for a key and a small metal latch below it to lift. The key turned hard, and the door seemed to stick after the latch had given way. I put my shoulder to it, opening the door at the cost of some spilled ale. I grimaced, now short on drink and slightly sticky.

The room was unimpressive, but standard as far as my experience with inns had been in the past. One small chest of drawers. A single, long bed with a well-worn mattress and sheets. Wooden, unadorned walls save for a single small window at the back of the room. A nightstand with a candle, almost completely melted to the base. Overall, a passable room for the price.

After locking the door behind me I crossed the room, set my ale down on the nightstand, and flopped down on the bed in relief. I sighed, more of an exasperated yell from the volume, and rubbed my face. “Again, again, again...again.” I allowed myself a minute to wallow in my depression. Get it out now. Feel pitiful, you deserve it. I stretched out, eyes closed, every breath another deep sigh. Minutes passed as I slowly began to destress, my sighs becoming less comically loud and the rubbing of my face less aggressive. Alright, time to get to work.

***

3. JOG MY MEMORY

I sat up, stretched my arms out above my head, and hopped to my feet. Time for an in-depth analysis. Up first....magic systems. Running my hand across my bandolier, I pulled a silver globe from its resting place and turned it slowly in observation. Still intact. Honestly, surprising for a mana construct. From the top of the bandolier I withdrew a well-hidden silver pin. The bottom was a slender hollow shaft, leading up to an intricately ornamented mechanism on top. Thin silver filigree wove around delicately to create what looked like a rose bulb, in the center of which sat a small button.

Taking the globe in one hand and pin in the other, I quickly punctured the surface. Although it looked and felt like a solid silver sphere, aside from its near weightlessness, the pin passed through with almost no resistance. Alright, moment of truth. I pressed the button in the device’s center and immediately determined it was working at full efficiency; the dull tugging at the edge of my mind and draw on my stamina was an unmistakable feeling. It stopped after only a moment as I released the button and removed the needle, but I couldn’t stop a smile from coming to my face, feeling relieved. Mana still works the same as it has before. Excellent.

The globe began to warm in my hand and glowed a faint orange against the growing shadows in my room. It swelled quickly, growing to about the size of a softball. The matte silver exterior became translucent and I could see a shining orange liquid under the surface. I spun it lazily, admiring the pleasant glow. Time for an efficacy test. Setting the orb down on the bed next to me, I held the silver needle to my palm and pricked the skin. Blood slowly began to well up where the tip had pierced my flesh. Ouch.

I returned the needle to its secure location at the top of my bandolier and retrieved the orange globe. Balancing it on my bleeding palm I clenched my fingers closed around it, bursting it like a water balloon. The liquid spilled out over my hand, sending a tingling rush up through my arm. The excess fluid ran between my fingers, misting away in moments where it landed on the wooden floorboards beneath my feet. In just a few moments my hand was dry, and the room looked exactly as it had before with no signs of orange liquid anywhere. I poked at my palm gently and was pleased to find the flesh perfectly repaired with no hint of an injury.

“Complete success, alright!” I jumped up from the bed, pumping my fist in victory. After the moment passed, I felt rather silly standing and celebrating by myself, and sat back down quickly. Through absent minded muscle memory, I ran my hand along the bandolier and found the empty slot from which I had taken the silver orb. On the opposite side of the clasp, I depressed a small switch. I felt the slight drain of mana use as a new silver orb grew out from the bandolier, replenishing my stock to the max of four.

No need to test the other three now. The concept is proven...and I’m getting tired. As if to punctuate the thought I yawned, bringing a tear to my eye. “Aaaalright, one more test, and then sleep.” I wiped my eyes and stood up again, unslinging the empty scabbard from my back. Nothing flashy, proof of concept, and that’s it. I held the