Free Alcatraz vs. the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson

discord and dismay."
    "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
    Bastille looked at me. I could tell from her expression that she blamed me for upsetting everything. That was probably fair, since I'd not only been the one to suggest the plan but the one to ruin it by picking up the Librarian's gun.
    "How absolute the knave is," Bastille said, tapping me on the chest.
    "This above all," I said, shrugging and smiling wryly, "to thine own self be true."
    And with that, we entered Tuki Tuki.

 

     
     

CHAPTER A+
     
     
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    . . .
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    The Mokian soldiers ushered us through the glass doorway, several of them keeping watchful guard at the army behind. Inside the glass shield, a ten-foot-high wooden wall surrounded the city. The wall was battered and broken, burned in places, and looked like it had seen a lot of fighting before the glass shell had been put in place.
    As soon as we were through the door, several soldiers slammed it shut. One of the soldiers called up toward the wall. "Smedrys have arrived! A Crystin is with them! Lady Aydee has returned!"
    Others picked up the shouts, passing them along the line of ragged defenders standing atop the wall. The men around me lost their suspicion and began to look hopeful.
    "Lord Smedry," one of them said. "You are an advance force? How many troops is Nalhalla sending us?"
    “Are there any others with you?" another asked hopefully.
    "Are the Knights of Crystallia mobilized?" yet another asked. "When will they arrive?"
    "Er," I said, taking off my Bestower's Lenses as more questions swarmed me.
    "We're alone," Bastille said curtly. "We didn’t bring any more help, the knights aren't mobilized, and we really don’t have time to talk about it."
    Everyone fell silent. Bastille has a talent for killing conversations. Basically, Bastille has a talent for killing anything.
    "What she means," I said, shooting a glare her direction, "is that we're here to help, and we hope more will follow. But we're it for now."
    The soldiers seemed crestfallen.
    "I'm sorry we didn't let you in more quickly, Lord Smedry," said one of the men. "It seemed like you had young Aydee captive there, and we weren’t sure what was going on."
    Oh, right, I thought. It probably would have made sense to have her approach first, since she's from the city. Ah well. You can't expect me to think of everything, particularly considering how stoopid I am.
    You haven't forgotten that, have you? Don’t make me start spelling things wrong to prove it to you.
    In the distance, a gate opened in the wooden wall and a contingent of Mokians came out carrying spears that were alight with fire in the night. The soldiers around us made way for the newcomers, and I could tell they respected the man at their lead. He was tall, with long black hair pulled into a ponytail and tied with a beaded string. His face was painted with black lines. He had a powerful, muscular chest and - like most of the other Mokians - wore a simple wrap around his waist, colored red and blue. For some reason, he looked vaguely familiar to me.
    "So it is true," he said, stopping before us, burning spear held to the side. "Welcome, Lord Alcatraz Smedry, to our doomed city. You have picked an interesting time to visit us. Lady Bastille, your sister will be pleased to see you, though I doubt the circumstances will make her happy. Lord Kazan, you are welcome - as always – in Tuki Tuki."
    "Do I know you?" Kaz said, narrowing his eyes.
    "I'm general of the city guard in Tuki Tuki," the man said. He had a commanding, deep voice. "I have seen you many times, though I doubt I was worth your notice. Likely, you have seen my face, but we have never been introduced." He looked to Aydee and nodded to her. "Child, your brave