Restart Again: Volume 2 by Adam Scott (hardest books to read txt) 📕

Val turned her head back to us. “Ready,” she said, her body sinking into a low stance with her shield held out before her.

Lia looked up at me in distress. “I’m not sure…”

I placed my hands gently on her shoulders and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “You are the strongest person out of the three of us right now. You can absolutely do this.” My remaining mana flowed down through my fingertips and across the surface of her body. “Imagine that the crossbar is your sword, and you’re going to suffuse it with energy the same way you’ve done a thousand times.”

There was a tingle in my fingertips as her mana began to move, and I followed it out through the doors to the metal beam that secured them closed. “Focus on the metal in your mind. Look at every fold, every crack, every imperfection in its creation: those are the weaknesses you can exploit. Picture what you want to happen, and then say the word.” With a soft breath of exertion, I closed my eyes and tried to impart my memories of using the spell onto her.

“Shatter,” she intoned under her breath. There was a quiet moment of hesitation where I assumed the spell had failed, but the silence was broken by a jarring explosion that rocked the heavy wooden door on its hinges. Lia turned to look at me excitedly, but I placed a firm hand on her shoulder and shoved her down as Val reared back and kicked the door open. From somewhere inside the room a chorus of crossbows whirred angrily, and I heard a bolt swish past my face.

Val charged forward without hesitation, taking the remaining crossbow bolts on her outstretched shield. Her vicious battle cry seemed to refocus Lia, and she sprang up from her forced crouch to sprint out from behind Val’s bulk towards her assigned guards. While the one-sided combat played out around me, I straightened and paced forward into the chamber with a well-practiced nonchalance. Lia’s assessment had been accurate; apart from the dwindling guard force at the door, the only remaining people in the room stood behind a large, half-crescent table opposite us.

The Strategist met my gaze, and a smirk curled the corner of his mouth. To my left and right, the noise of combat faded out, and my companions joined me in our procession down the center aisle. The Council chamber was a long stone room, large enough to hold a meeting with hundreds of nobles at once. Every wall of the chamber was decorated in gorgeous tapestries depicting various historical events, each with a small inscription at the bottom describing the scene above. Heavy wooden benches ran halfway down the aisle on either side of us, leaving a large open space for gatherings or demonstrations in front of the Council table, which was raised up on a low platform.

“I was wondering when you would make your appearance, Valandra,” the Strategist called out warmly, as if speaking to an old friend. “Though I have to say, your choice of company is unexpected. Has the Trinity Guard become the Quintet Guard? Or perhaps, this is all that remains of your most recent batch of recruits? They’ve certainly gained my respect for making it all the way here.”

“Your hold on Attetsia ends tonight,” Val replied, ignoring his prodding. “You will send your fleet away, disband your army, and accompany me back to Yoria as my prisoner to answer for your crimes against Kaldan.”

He let out a flowing, melodious laugh. “I don’t think that I will, unfortunately.” He pulled out the large, center chair of the council table and sat down, kicking his feet up on the edge of the table. “You appear to be woefully uninformed of the situation here, Commander. Did your King send you off on a noble quest without an explanation of what you were walking into?”

Val glared at him, but said nothing in return. He leaned forward, his eyebrows raising in surprise. “He did!” The Strategist clapped his hands and rocked back in his chair. “That Virram is more clever than I gave him credit for. Don’t you think so, General?” He turned to the older man standing beside him. The General stared straight ahead, seemingly uninterested in the conversation. There was an awkward pause before the Strategist waved at him dismissively and turned to the woman in white. “Wasn’t that a clever move, dear?”

“Yes, sir,” the woman responded obediently, “I underestimated King Virram.”

“That’s right!” he said with a smile. “I didn’t expect him to be so...thorough.” He bridged his hands in front of his face and rested his chin on his thumbs. “Valandra, what do you think is truly happening in Attetsia? Why do you think you’re here?”

Silence was all he received as a response, though Val’s rigid stance and clenched jaw spoke volumes for her. “Come now, Commander. This won’t be any fun if you don’t play along.”

Val took a single step forward, and the whole room shifted in response. The white-robed woman flicked her wrist forward, and a sparkling diamond orb rolled down into her hand; The General shifted from his statue like post, placing a hand down on the table before him and leaning forward in preparation to vault across should the need arise; and the Strategist’s smug smile returned, clearly displaying his pleasure in getting beneath Val’s skin.

Lia stepped up before the tenuous parley broke into a brawl, shifting out from behind Val’s shield to point her sword at the Strategist. “Stop pretending this is a game! We’re here because you and the rebels took over the city, and are planning to attack Kaldan!”

“Such passion!” the Strategist exclaimed. “Is this who you’ve chosen to take on as your apprentice, Commander? I can see why; her fighting spirit clearly matches yours.” He chuckled with self-satisfaction. “You’re very observant, young lady; you’ve seen exactly what I wanted you