Alcatraz vs. the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson Page B
Authors: Brandon Sanderson
Tags: Fantasy
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assassins.
This was actually war. People were actually dying. Suddenly all of this didn't seem very funny any longer. Unfortunately, fate had a pretty good joke waiting for me in the very near future.
"They're alive," Bastille said, kneeling with the soldiers beside the king and queen. "They're still breathing. They don't look to have been hurt, even.”
"The Librarian weapons," one of the Mokians said, “will often knock people unconscious. They're trying to conquer Mokia but don't want to exterminate us. They want to rule over us. So they use guns that put us into comas."
Another of the men nodded. “We know of no cure - our stunner blasts work differently and have their own antidote. Those wounded can only be awakened by the Librarians, once the war is over. They'll wake us up in small, controllable batches, and brainwash us to forget our freedom."
"I've heard of this," Kaz said, kneeling down beside the king. When had Kaz come back? "They did it when conquering other kingdoms too. Brutally effective tactic – if they knock us into comas, we still have to feed and care for those wounded, which drains our resources. Makes it easier to crack us. Far more effective than just killing."
One of the soldiers nodded. “We have thousands of wounded who are sleeping like this. Of course, many of the Librarians lie comatose from our stun-spears as well. The antidote for one does not work on victims of the other."
We stood back as a Mokian doctor approached. Surprisingly, he was dressed in a white lab coat and spectacles. He carried a large piece of glass, which he held up, using it to inspect the king and queen. "No internal wounds. Just Librarian Sleep."
"I would have expected a witch doctor," I said quietly to Kaz.
"Why?” Kaz said. "The king's not a witch, and neither's the queen."
"Take them to their chambers," the doctor said, standing. “And place double guards on them! If the Librarians know they're down, they'll want to kidnap them."
Several soldiers nodded. Others, however, stood up, looking around with confusion. Outside, the Librarian robots began to hurl their boulders. One smashed against the glass covering, making the entire city seem to shake.
"Who is in charge now?" I asked, looking around.
"The captain of the watch fell earlier today,” one of the soldiers said. “And the last remaining field general before him."
"The princess rules," another said.
"But she's outside the city."
"The council of Kings will need to ratify a succession,” another said. "There's no official king until then. Acting king would be the highest person of peerage in the city.”
The group fell silent.
"Which means?" I asked.
"By the spire itself,” Bastille whispered, eyes opening wide. "It can't be. No . . ."
All eyes turned toward me.
"Wait," I said, nervous. "What?”
"The Smedry Clan is peerage," Bastille said, "accepted as lords and ladies in all nations belonging to the Council of Kings. Your family gained that right when they abdicated; all recognized that the Smedry Talents could have led you to conquer the Free Kingdoms. But because of that, a direct heir to the Smedry line ranks equal with a duke in most kingdoms. Including Nalhalla and Mokia."
“And a duke is . . . ?" I asked.
"Just under a prince," Aydee said.
The warriors all fell to one knee before me. "What are your wishes, Your Majesty?" one of them said.
“Aw, pelicans ,” Kaz swore.
CHAPTER 24601
Many of you in the Free Kingdoms have heard about the day I was crowned king of Mokia. It’s become quite the legend. And legends have a habit of being exaggerated.
In a waft a legend is like an organism - a virus or a bacteria. It begins as a fledgling story, incubating in just a couple of people. It grows as it is passed to others, and they give it strength. Mutating it. Enlarging it. It grows grander and grander, infecting more and more of the population, until it becomes an epidemic.
The only cure for a legend is
This was actually war. People were actually dying. Suddenly all of this didn't seem very funny any longer. Unfortunately, fate had a pretty good joke waiting for me in the very near future.
"They're alive," Bastille said, kneeling with the soldiers beside the king and queen. "They're still breathing. They don't look to have been hurt, even.”
"The Librarian weapons," one of the Mokians said, “will often knock people unconscious. They're trying to conquer Mokia but don't want to exterminate us. They want to rule over us. So they use guns that put us into comas."
Another of the men nodded. “We know of no cure - our stunner blasts work differently and have their own antidote. Those wounded can only be awakened by the Librarians, once the war is over. They'll wake us up in small, controllable batches, and brainwash us to forget our freedom."
"I've heard of this," Kaz said, kneeling down beside the king. When had Kaz come back? "They did it when conquering other kingdoms too. Brutally effective tactic – if they knock us into comas, we still have to feed and care for those wounded, which drains our resources. Makes it easier to crack us. Far more effective than just killing."
One of the soldiers nodded. “We have thousands of wounded who are sleeping like this. Of course, many of the Librarians lie comatose from our stun-spears as well. The antidote for one does not work on victims of the other."
We stood back as a Mokian doctor approached. Surprisingly, he was dressed in a white lab coat and spectacles. He carried a large piece of glass, which he held up, using it to inspect the king and queen. "No internal wounds. Just Librarian Sleep."
"I would have expected a witch doctor," I said quietly to Kaz.
"Why?” Kaz said. "The king's not a witch, and neither's the queen."
"Take them to their chambers," the doctor said, standing. “And place double guards on them! If the Librarians know they're down, they'll want to kidnap them."
Several soldiers nodded. Others, however, stood up, looking around with confusion. Outside, the Librarian robots began to hurl their boulders. One smashed against the glass covering, making the entire city seem to shake.
"Who is in charge now?" I asked, looking around.
"The captain of the watch fell earlier today,” one of the soldiers said. “And the last remaining field general before him."
"The princess rules," another said.
"But she's outside the city."
"The council of Kings will need to ratify a succession,” another said. "There's no official king until then. Acting king would be the highest person of peerage in the city.”
The group fell silent.
"Which means?" I asked.
"By the spire itself,” Bastille whispered, eyes opening wide. "It can't be. No . . ."
All eyes turned toward me.
"Wait," I said, nervous. "What?”
"The Smedry Clan is peerage," Bastille said, "accepted as lords and ladies in all nations belonging to the Council of Kings. Your family gained that right when they abdicated; all recognized that the Smedry Talents could have led you to conquer the Free Kingdoms. But because of that, a direct heir to the Smedry line ranks equal with a duke in most kingdoms. Including Nalhalla and Mokia."
“And a duke is . . . ?" I asked.
"Just under a prince," Aydee said.
The warriors all fell to one knee before me. "What are your wishes, Your Majesty?" one of them said.
“Aw, pelicans ,” Kaz swore.
CHAPTER 24601
Many of you in the Free Kingdoms have heard about the day I was crowned king of Mokia. It’s become quite the legend. And legends have a habit of being exaggerated.
In a waft a legend is like an organism - a virus or a bacteria. It begins as a fledgling story, incubating in just a couple of people. It grows as it is passed to others, and they give it strength. Mutating it. Enlarging it. It grows grander and grander, infecting more and more of the population, until it becomes an epidemic.
The only cure for a legend is
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