The Runesmith

"What's aw this fuss aboot?"

"It's the new Assistant Professor, Chief. He said he didn't want to be bothered. I reckon it ain't a guid idea to..."

"A guid idea? Hae they forgotten who's the head honcho o' this Forge? Why'd ye numbskulls let this slip by? Ah step out for a couple o' weeks and this is whit Ah come back to?"

"Chief, ye were gone for more than two months..."

“Shut yer trap.”

“Aye, Chief…”

An old dwarf was berating one of the other Runesmiths present here. The old dwarf, known simply as Chief among the Runesmiths, was a grizzled veteran of the craft. His presence commanded respect but on this peculiar day, his authority was being questioned. A strange black barrier had been erected in his private crafting area, preventing him from entering.

"What's wi' this barrier here?"

"The Assistant Professor is doin his experiments there, Professor Arion said no' to disturb em."

The old dwarf, Chief, grunted in irritation, his bushy white eyebrows furrowing deeply. He was not accustomed to being barred from any part of the forge, especially not by someone he deemed as a mere assistant.

"Assistant Professor, ye say? Hmph! He's no more than a greenhorn! An' he's barricadin' himself in ma forge? Not on ma watch!"

With determined strides, Chief approached the barrier, his thick hands clenched into fists. He wasn't about to let some upstart scholar dictate the use of his workshop.

"Stand aside, lads! Chief's comin' through!"

The other Runesmiths exchanged nervous glances but knew better than to challenge their Chief's authority. Many received some bruises from those large first of his. They hastily stepped back, giving the determined dwarf space to approach the mysterious barrier. However, before the man could approach the black barrier something strange transpired.

This strange black barrier was taking up quite a bit of space but suddenly, it started to expand to the sides. At first, it looked like a balloon being slowly inflated, but eventually, the surface started to ripple and expand chaotically. Chief halted his advance, his eyes widening in surprise as the barrier expanded before him.

"What in the blazes...? Lads… Get back!"

It didn’t take long for him and the others to realize that something wasn’t right here. While they weren’t mages they could feel a tremendous amount of magical energy leaking out. Whatever was happening inside was going to erupt and they needed to escape. With a chorus of hurried footsteps, the Runesmiths scrambled to retreat to a safe distance and quickly grabbed various protective tools that would shield them from magical explosions.

The barrier continued to swell and distort, its inky blackness pulsating with an otherworldly glow. Then, just as suddenly as it had expanded, the barrier popped. A surge of magical energy erupted upwards and collided with the forge’s ceiling. The Chief and the other Runesmiths stumbled backward, shielding themselves from the debris that scattered in all directions.

A shockwave was sent in all directions and rippled through the workshop. Luckily, most of the magical force was aimed up into the air where no living being resided. Chunks of stone and metal rained down upon the workshop as the magical explosion shook the very foundations of the building. The Chief stood his ground through the chaos, his rugged features showing a scowl.

As the dust settled and the echoes of the explosion faded away, the Runesmiths cautiously emerged from their makeshift shelters. What they beheld left them dumbfounded. Where once stood a black barrier and an enclosed workspace, now there lay a gaping hole in the ground, surrounded by scorched earth and twisted metal.

In the epicenter of the explosion stood a lone man. His clothes had all been burned by the magical eruption but a few metallic parts remained, like the strange runic helmet that he wore. His whole body was covered by black soot and some strange runes emanated from the armor parts he was wearing.

"Wha... What in the name of the Forge is goin' on here?"

Chief exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief and anger. The other Runesmiths murmured amongst themselves, exchanging bewildered glances as they tried to make sense of the spectacle before them. None could comprehend how the man had survived such a powerful explosion unharmed, let alone caused it in the first place.

“I uh… Sorry?”

……

"I want ye to kick this man oot o' the institute, did ye see whit he did to mah poor forge?"

A few hours later Roland found himself in the Vice-Headmasters office, with the Forge Master of the Institute. The man was an older dwarf with a long white beard and a stern expression. Roland felt a hint of guilt and apprehension after his experiment had gone awry. It seemed that experimenting with dimensional runes and rifts was quite volatile. While he had succeeded in creating a prototype, he had gone overboard with a few settings, causing a magical meltdown.

“Forge Master please calm down, from what I heard it was an unfortunate accident.”

“An unfortunate accident? There's a hole in mah forge big enough to fit a dragon through!”

Roland decided to remain silent for the time being as he was unsure of what to say. He couldn't deny his responsibility for the massive explosion inside the man’s forge, but fortunately, no one had been hurt. In a way, it was also this man’s fault for taking such a long break. As someone responsible for the forge, he seemed to be absent far too often.

‘Well, it doesn’t really matter if they kick me out now, I’ve gotten what I came for, an explosion like that will not happen again.’

He thought to himself while the man continued to shout. With this breakthrough, a lot of capital could be made. There were no working magical prosthetic limbs that could work for non-magicians out there. It would take some time to refine it but now that he worked out all the theory, implementing it would be easy.

It was evident that this breakthrough in runic engineering, as confirmed by his newly gained title, held great potential. There was a strong possibility that this was groundbreaking technology, with potential applications beyond mechanical limbs. While initially intended for such prosthetics, Roland could envision its use in various other fields. Having devices react to a person’s movements hinted at the possibility of creating another technology that he had been pondering over.

‘Well, before I do that, I’ll have to get out of here… but they might have me pay for the damages to their forge…’

His budget was large but he wasn’t sure if they gave him a fair price. The technology he created would probably take some time before it was implemented on a wider scale. However, he did make a mistake and it was normal for the Master Runesmith to be angered. His mind was made up and Roland decided to take responsibility for the accident that he caused.

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"Forge Master, I apologize for the damage caused to your forge. It was indeed unfortunate, and I take full responsibility for it. I assure you, I did not intend for things to escalate to this extent, and I am fine with reimbursing you for all the damages."

The Forge Master grumbled, clearly still upset, and quickly responded.

"Ye mages are aw the same, thinkin' ye can fix aw yer problems wi' gold!"

It seemed that the Forge Master was unwilling to relent and sought a different form of punishment, likely involving Roland's dismissal from the Institute. Under normal circumstances, he would be fine taking it but the situation with his sister made it an unacceptable option.

“Now now, Forge Master. Please calm yourself. I’ve noted your complaints, how about you let me chat with Assistant Professor Wayland for now?”

Before he could come up with a good enough rebuttal, the Vice Headmaster decided to intervene. The old mage was a good listener and seemed to be neutral about his situation. Soon, the angry dwarven craftsman was instructed to leave the office, allowing Roland to have a private conversation with the Vice Headmaster. Roland knew that according to the rules, this man and the Headmistress had the power to make a decision. Then if things escalated further, another hearing was also a possibility.

"Assistant Professor Wayland, I understand that the incident in the forge was unintentional, but it cannot be denied that it resulted in great damage. The Forge Master is adamant about taking disciplinary action against you and I’m afraid that I also agree. Luckily, no one got hurt but what if they were?”

It appeared that the Vice-Headmaster intended to indict Roland for the potential danger he had caused to the workers, rather than focusing solely on the actual damages that had transpired in the forge. He had to acknowledge the seriousness of this situation. Roland expected this much as the magnitude of the explosion was great. Losing himself in his research and forgetting about the people around him was his mistake and he needed to face the consequences for it.

"I take full responsibility for what happened, Vice Headmaster. I am willing to accept any punishment deemed appropriate.”

"I appreciate your willingness to take responsibility, Assistant Professor. Thus, I’ll have to propose … Hm?”

From the words the Vice-Headmaster was forming, it seemed that he was going to get expelled. However, before he could judge him someone intervened. A strange leaf floated from the open window on the side and transformed into something that looked like an official piece of parchment, which Master Rathos quickly read through.

‘What could that be?’

Master Rathos, who usually looked jolly, seemed to be confused and even slightly angered for some reason. Roland couldn't help but wonder what news had prompted such a reaction. Had something unexpected occurred within the institute, or was it related to his current predicament? After a few moments of silence, the Vice-Headmaster lowered the parchment and regarded Roland with a more thoughtful expression.

“It seems that you have earned a promotion, Assistant Professor Wayland…or should I call you, Deputy Professor Wayland now?”

“Deputy Professor?”

Roland had gone extensively through the laws of the institute and knew what this peculiar position entailed. It was quite special as the Deputy Professor was someone who only answered to the Institute leader, which in this case would be Headmistress Yavenna. This spot had remained vacant for a while and for some reason, he was given it.

“It seems so, it would be better if you report to the Headmistress with this issue. As the Vice-Headmaster I’m unable to punish a Deputy Professor, that is something only the Headmistress can decide now. However, do keep in mind that this promotion comes with added responsibilities and expectations. You will be expected to maintain a higher standard of conduct and professionalism from now on.”

Roland nodded, still processing the sudden turn of events. A promotion to Deputy Professor was not something he had anticipated, especially not in the midst of a disciplinary issue.

“I understand, Vice-Headmaster. I will make sure to fulfill my responsibilities to the best of my abilities.”

For the time being he decided to stay calm, this allowed him to avoid punishment while also granting him a higher position within the Institute. This unexpected turn of events could help him keep his sister safe and gave him some perks. These would probably come at a cost as there was probably a reason why he was promoted.

‘Everything comes with a price and the Deputy Professor role is a bonafide secretary for the Headmistress…’

He had apparently become the assistant to the Headmistress without agreeing to it. While normally he would have declined the offer instantly, at this juncture it allowed him to get away with his little mishap. The Vice-Headmaster seemed slightly angered as one of his eyes was twitching around but he could do nothing about it.

“Well then… Excuse me…”

Roland left the Vice-Headmaster's office while still trying to process the situation. The Master Runesmith that he had angered was luckily not waiting for his arrival so he could make his way towards the Headmistress’ mage tower. This needed to be dealt with as he wanted to plan his departure. Now that he was able to read the mana phantom, he needed to go back home and the only thing holding him back was Lucienne.

As Roland made his way to the mage tower where the Headmistress resided, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. He wasn’t sure what that woman wanted from him but he wasn’t sure if refusing was an option. If he declined, the Vice-Headmaster would likely follow through with the punishment, making this potentially the only remaining option for him to return to the Institute later on.

Just like twice before, Roland ascended the spiral stairs all the way up into the Headmistress office. This time around she wasn’t lazing around in the library but sitting behind her desk. Her gaze was rather lax and she seemed to be examining his robe that he borrowed from Arion after the accident transpired.

“Good, take this. I’ll call you when I need your assistance, so keep it on you at all times.”

“Um…”

She gestured towards him with a finger, conjuring mana that soon materialized into a floating object heading his way. As it drew closer, Roland realized it was a new badge, replacing the old one. It signified his new position and likely granted access to areas previously off-limits. With this new emblem, he could potentially enter all the mage towers in the institute and even assert authority over department heads if he desired. His new position was indeed special, and it seemed his new boss had no obvious immediate demands. Something that was quite odd and suspicious.

In addition to the new emblem, Roland was also rewarded with a brand-new mage robe. Unlike the ones worn by regular enforcers, this one came in a striking crimson color, marking his distinct status. Various enchantments had been placed on it through means that he wasn’t familiar with.

"Thank you, Headmistress. I will make sure to fulfill my duties to the best of my abilities, but… Could you give me an explanation? Why did you chose me for the Deputy position and what are you expecting from me?”

While he was talking with a scary tier 4 class holder and didn’t want to pry too much, he also needed an answer. There was a reason why he was given this opportunity and a clue was all that he needed. The Headmistress responded to his inquiry with a cryptic smile, her eyes glinting with a hint of amusement.

"You've shown promise, Assistant… Oh pardon me, Deputy Professor Wayland. As for what I expect from you... Let's just say, I have a few tasks in mind that could benefit from your unique talents."

Roland couldn’t help but feel some apprehension at the vague response he received from the Headmistress. It seemed there was more to this promotion than met the eye and that all the perks would come at a price. He wasn’t sure why she was so trusting, if he left the institute now there was no proof that he would ever come back. Was his connection to his sister discovered?

"Understood, Headmistress. I will await your instructions. I’ll take my leave then…"

With a dismissive wave of her hand, the Headmistress indicated that their conversation was at an end. After making his way back to his quarters, Roland pondered his next steps. He needed to tread carefully, especially now that he held a position of higher authority within the institute. Whatever tasks the Headmistress had in mind for him, he had to approach them with caution and ensure that they didn't compromise his current goal of protecting his sister, which was now the crux of his problems.

Upon leaving this place, Lucienne would be left alone with no protection. His brother Robert was not responding and he had no idea if his father even knew about the situation here. He could only hope that the nobles would leave her alone after the two disastrous incidents but life was not that simple.

Roland stood at a crossroads with two paths. One led him home, away from this institute and all the trouble the nobles residing there brought to him. The other pointed him in the direction of his family members and his responsibilities as Deputy Professor, entwining him further into the complex web of politics and intrigue within the institute. He knew that whichever path he chose, there would be consequences.

‘I need to decide now… What path should I take?’

He pondered the potential future outcomes of his decision. Returning home to perfect his prosthesis was the safest choice, but he had already initiated a course of action for which he needed to take responsibility. A strange sense of duty towards his sister continued to tug at his heartstrings. Lucienne’s safety was his responsibility now and leaving her vulnerable to the whims of the nobles was not something he could accept…

‘I guess it’s not much of a decision but, how should I go about this?’

A decision had been made and a plan needed to follow soon after. If he was given this new position, he was determined to use it to his advantage. Perhaps this Headmistress already knew about his desire to go against the nobility and had just given him the means to do so…