Runic Apprentice, page 14
part #1 of The Rune Mystic Series
Another benefit to being a rune mage is he didn’t have to be as powerful as his opponent. A life or death spell of less power would blow right through an earth shield for instance. Of course, even then, he wouldn’t be taking down master mages anytime soon, unless he got lucky with his sword. It was the logical opposite of the advantage of being able to cast all six protection spells.
After scribing down the spells, and verifying them by how they felt to him, they felt right when he looked at them, so he knew they were. He found himself at loose ends again. He sighed, and walked over to the bookshelves, might as well dive into learning if he wasn’t allowed to have a life.
Chapter Seventeen
The late evening sun felt good on his face, and he took a deep breath to try and temper his excitement. He was right outside the tower, and he was expecting Lia at any moment, she’d communicated with him earlier to say she was back in the city and she’d be at the tower shortly.
Those two weeks Lia was gone, he’d doubled his time in the library in the afternoons and evenings and took to his education with a vengeance, just for a distraction. It’d worked to a certain point, but he’d thought of her often in the quiet moments before and after sleep.
Their conversations over the last two weeks had been sporadic at best. After the second time he’d used the spell, where she’d had to end their conversation quickly because of duties on the road, he’d suggested she call him instead, since she knew his schedule and when he’d be free. She did, every day, but sometimes only for a quick hello.
Regardless, he was pretty sure she was at least interested in him, and he reminded himself it was too soon for anything like promises. By tradition, courting was a yearlong proposition, before any promises, oaths, or marriage could take place. Of course, he’d have to slightly bypass tradition anyway, while it was the woman that had to approve and accept a man’s desire to court her, before that happened, he was supposed to get permission to ask her from her father.
That would be impossible, because he wasn’t going to wait another eight months until her parent’s tour on the border was done.
He also suspected his feelings were so strong because she’d also been his absent best friend, and in a lot of ways his only close friend. He’d have picked her anyway, he truly believed that it wasn’t just availability, but at the same time he knew that also had an impact.
He’d never been a loner, and the rules of the tower chafed, but never more so than the last two weeks. He knew it wouldn’t be the last time, two weeks was a relatively short assignment, and after a brief time at the tower she’d go out again. Almost enough to the point he could see Tanner’s point of view, even if he’d never agree with it. Mages didn’t need to rule, but he believed they did need some basic freedoms the commoners had that they were denied.
The traditions and customs of the towers were stifling and far too controlling.
Of course, he realized those rules weren’t nearly as impactful on the other towers, not with over a hundred mages in each of the four element towers, and over fifty in both the life and death mage towers. No one was going to make demands of the crown because he personally was feeling lonely some of the time.
All thoughts fled his mind, as he saw a smiling face heading his way, with gorgeous shining blonde hair waving in the breeze, and lovely blue eyes staring back at his. He felt a surge of emotions that shocked him, a visceral physical reaction at her presence, and the sense of her aura and magic was like a blow.
There was an awkward moment, where they just stared at each other, then he moved and gave her a brief and chaste hug, an act he’d never dared before. It was somewhat of a relief, when she didn’t stiffen against him for taking the liberty, but melted against him with a sigh of contentment, for a moment.
“I might’ve missed you, a little,” he admitted when he finally stepped back.
She snickered, “You were pining, admit it.”
He dodged, “Dinner and a show?”
She smiled, “I’d love to, but tomorrow, right after your class. I’ve been using magic to keep my robes and body this pristine on the road, but I really need a hot bath, and a night in.”
He laughed, she’d had the opposite problem as he did. It was a thing, mages were known for being well groomed in almost any situation, and on the road using magic for it was almost a must. It was a reputation they had to maintain. Plus, who liked being grimy and dirty?
There were some spells that were universal to all, such as detecting magic, and basic cleaning spells weren’t sphere specific either.
“You look fantastic.”
She blushed, but thanked him for the compliment, another thing he’d never done before either.
It was pretty clear to him she was either open to the idea, or she’d completely missed the obvious and had no idea how he felt about her. He really didn’t think it was that second one, but that didn’t stop him from feeling anxiety about asking. However, he didn’t answer the question in her eyes, he wanted to ask her about it while they were out, not when he was ambushing her outside the tower after she’d been on a horse for fourteen days with a brief respite halfway through. Still, he was content enough with her presence, and their banter continued as they moved back into the tower.
It was still a good night, and they didn’t run out of things to talk about, as she told him all about her stint to the south and how good it was to see her parents.
The sun was falling behind the horizon the next evening, and they’d just enjoyed a dinner out with each other. He’d taken her to her favorite tavern, where they always had a minstrel for live entertainment and good food. They were also heading toward a playhouse.
His stomach was filled with anxiety, and he was more than a bit nervous, but her smiles, laughter, and even teasing throughout the night told him he was being a chicken by putting it off. He reached out and took her hand before they reached the playhouse, and he stopped walking and turned so they were face to face.
She turned to him with a smile, and a question in her eyes. She really was stunningly beautiful, and it hit him hard in that moment, but when he thought of her that wasn’t what was on his mind. Well, not just that, but he was a healthy eighteen-year-old male after all.
He said, “Lia, I’ve never met anyone like you before. I admire and care for you very much. You’re everything I could ask for in a partner, and more. I know I’m slightly flouting tradition, but I’d very much like your permission to court you.”
She blushed, and for the first time in his experience, she was completely speechless.
He grinned teasingly, which snapped her out of it.
She bit her lip, “Are you sure? All teasing aside, I know how much you missed me with just Cassandra in the tower. When you’re a mage you’ll meet a lot of women, as you travel. I don’t want to be the consolation prize.”
He knew that was one of her worries, he’d had similar thoughts given their unique situation.
“You could never be mere consolation. You’re as bright as the sun, Lia. Brave, and more than my equal in all ways. I could ask you the same question? It was part of the reason I didn’t ask until after your first mission.”
She smirked, “I did have another choice, so I already know I wouldn’t be settling, would never settle, or I’d have been taken before you arrived in my life. It’ll be difficult with me gone so much, but if we decide to move forward after a year that won’t be a problem anymore.”
He nodded, “Married couples are assigned together, like your parents on the border. I might’ve done a little research in that joint non-magical library you’re always touting.”
She snickered.
He noted calmly, “You never did answer the question.”
She tilted her head, and asked in mock confusion, “Question? I can’t remember a question, what was it you wanted to know?”
She sighed softly a moment later, gave an apologetic look for her tease, and he froze as she went up on her toes, and kissed his cheek lightly, but lingeringly. Then she said, “I’d like that very much, Olin. If you’re sure. Obviously, no promises yet on turn outs, but I won’t have my heart played with either, and I care about you very much.”
He replied, “I grew up outside the tower, remember? My choice might be temporarily limited, but I grew up around a lot of options before I found out I was a mage. I’ve never been surer, and I’ve never met anyone like you before. I’m also aware things won’t be easy, but when you’re at the tower we’ll be together almost constantly, more than enough time to equal a year of dating with anyone else only seen on occasion.”
No one was perfect, not her or him, and it would be hard at times, but he also knew it’d be worth it. She was worth the risk. They were already best friends, and if the look in her eyes was any indication then they wouldn’t be having problems on the intimacy and romantic front either.
She smirked, “That makes sense, and is good to know. So, admit it, you pined.”
He shook his head and laughed, a release of excited tension, and he was feeling on top of the world in that moment. It wouldn’t be perfect, they’d already been at odds a few times as friends, it might not even work out, but it was promising. That was enough, for the moment.
“There might’ve been yearning, perhaps some moping, but pining is up for debate.”
She giggled, “Yearning?”
“Quit while you’re ahead, woman.”
She snickered, “The play, we’re already running late,” then added, “Not that I mind, considering the reason.”
He nodded, and they headed that way at a quick walk, but he hadn’t released her hand, and she didn’t seem to mind. Hand holding, and brief kisses were permissible during courting, but anything past that was frowned upon. He got why, marriage was a serious thing, and the temptation of youth and the flesh could cause bad decision making, but his Lia was extremely tempting.
Chapter Eighteen
Life went on for Olin, the next three months seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. While Lia was at the tower his life very much revolved around wooing and courting her, when she was gone, he as usual, hit the books with a vengeance.
There’d been a few bumps, but nothing that put them off each other. Lia was as stubborn and strong as she was beautiful, which is to say a lot, but they didn’t hold grudges and always made up before she left on even a brief mission.
He wondered if he was the only one to ever know every spell in the library, except that he hadn’t received permission to crack open the advanced books yet. Of course, he decided he wasn’t, at least in the past the other mystics would’ve had a complete understanding of rune magic. He had a good idea what his equipment would look like, and what spells he favored. He just wasn’t sure about the final setup with the advanced spells and links, he’d have to learn those first, then work on his final design, and he still had time.
But he knew the advanced offensive spells would go on his weapons. He’d also been able to determine the two large bracers would be enough for all the spells he’d picked for offense, defense, and defensive enhancement, or rather enhancements that would aid him in battle. His rods with convenience magic most likely wouldn’t change at all, and he’d just keep the ones he already had made. Although, there were groups of convenience spells he used a lot at the same time, so he considered he might want to tie them together with consecutive links. Point being, it was only the configuration of those basic spells he wasn’t sure about yet.
The wards were a good thing, but what if he wanted to activate his shield and enhancement spells manually for some reason, would that cause feedback? Did that mean he’d have to scribe a starburst and six defensive spells twice on his bracers, one for manual, and one that was prefaced by a ward rune, or could he manually trigger that ward somehow, or bypass it? It was questions like that he needed answered before he could design his final spell setup as a mage, which would be in the advanced part of the library.
He was ahead in his studies, far ahead of the norm, but his magic was far too weak for mage status still. Power was one of the major considerations of being a mage, as was fighting experience, and he still had seven months to go in an average apprenticeship as a rune mage to meet those two requirements.
Of course, it was all relative, it just meant he could cast larger spells, which would tire him out as quickly, it also meant he could put more magic into his protection spells, so he’d last longer.
His channeling was also more than reflex now, he no longer even needed to think of it when he cast his spells, no more than he had to think about breathing to stay alive. He continued his daily practice though, if only to exercise his magic so it would continue to grow.
He’d also been a part of four competitions with the fifth coming up in a few days, so he already had a good idea of the usual tactics employed by mages of the other six disciplines and how to counter them. He’d done a little better in each competition, lasted longer, and had taken down more foes.
His power had continued to grow at the fast rate, though no faster than anyone else. He was at the point he could even win a straightforward fight if necessary, against all but master mages with years of experience and growth. Of course, he’d been avoiding that, since there were over a hundred competitors to deal with, not just one.
At the moment, Lia was on another mission, another simple trip, this time to the eastern border. With the troop movements in Vemor triggering their own in Reton, the kingdom of Dreston had also started moving troops in response to them. Needless to say perhaps, the tension between the three kingdoms were slowly but surely ramping up. The Vemor empire was the major aggressor in the equation, but they couldn’t ignore the possibility of a preemptive attack from Dreston either, if the Dreston king feared they had their eyes eastward.
There were also two more assassination attempts that he’d heard about, but the mage guards and royal guard were able to thwart them, and Queen Delphine and her two children were safe for the moment.
He was a little late to afternoon class, but that was okay, since he’d shared the late lunch with Cassandra, and she was walking at his side. He went in and took a seat, as she rounded her desk.
Cassandra said, “I noticed you haven’t brought me any spells lately.”
He cleared his throat, “Well, the truth is I’ve exhausted the possibilities of the apprentice level books.”
She raised an eyebrow, “There are four times the amount of spells you’ve brought me, if admittedly in a shorter time than the usual student.”
He replied, “I’ve studied them, understand them, but they seem superfluous, or so specific in purpose they won’t be needed day to day. Point is though, I know of their existence if I ever need them, and can scribe them at that time, on a rod, or something. There seemed to be very little reason to bring them to you, if I had no intention of inscribing them on my bracers, or a rod.”
Her eyes widened slightly with surprise, then narrowed. He could practically see her squash the curiosity that showed in her eyes, still avoiding asking that direct question that could endanger her student.
He was more than grateful for that, and for his mistress.
She sighed, “Alright, you still have seven months of growth before I can even consider making you a mage. You’ve never made a mistake with a rune, and you seem trustworthy enough that way as well. I trust you won’t get lazy and make any mistakes, but I still want to see the end results until you’re a mage.
“Given that, I’m going to allow you to access the advanced library. Though most of the spells will be beyond your capability, there are some advanced techniques, such as the rune connectors and multiple rune spell types, that you can adapt and take advantage of. I expect given seven months, and the advanced library’s smaller size, that you’ll be the most prepared nascent mage ever.”
He nodded, “I won’t let you down.”
She bit her lip, and said, “There’s something else I want to talk to you about, something that we normally don’t interfere in at all. I want you to change your tactics in the upcoming competition.”
He frowned, “Why?”
She sighed, “Because mages are not assassins. I understand the reason for your tactics, it’s probably one of the only chances, outside of blind luck, of you placing in the top ten at some point. It also gives you the best assignments, which is the impetus we’ve added to make people excel.
“The truth however, and the more important reason for the competitions, is to teach you how to survive when you face an enemy mage one day who will want you dead, and who will truly try to kill you. In such a confrontation, your current tactics won’t help you for the most part. The dirty tricks you employ to gain the upper hand and surprise are fine, it’s the hiding and lurking I want you to forego.
“When you do face your first true enemy mage, he’ll be attacking you, because we don’t go around starting fights as a rule. Attacking a true enemy from the shadows just won’t even be an option. That defeats the spirit of the purpose of the competitions. You should be powerful enough now to stand toe to toe in a few fights before you’re taken out.”
He frowned, he could see her point, but it seemed like suicide. Of course, it wasn’t true death, and the purpose of it was to train him to fight someone who would not only see him coming, but who would also be starting the fight itself.
He smirked, “Why not, even my stealth tactics won’t let me get far enough, not until I’ve matured my magic fully. Or at least, when the growth in magic starts to level off, and it takes a year to double my power instead of a week. Until then, I’ll stop playing the assassin striking from the shadows, fair enough?”
She nodded, “Yes, you also may want to team up with Lia, she should be back before the competition starts this month since she missed the last two. If your courting is successful, you’ll need to learn how to fight together as you’ll always be paired for missions, learn how to complement each other and not get in each other’s way. The competition is a better place to learn from missteps, than a true life and death threat.”
