Rune mage

Chapter 6: Learning

Every teacher I have ever had said I always had to learn the hard way.

I picked myself up from the dirt on the arena floor and dusted off my hands.

Some teachers had even suggested I would never learn.

Fighting class for example. I usually ended up in the dirt. Even when active magic was not allowed, I was inevitably paired with students beyond my ability to defeat. They were faster, stronger, and better trained. Most had been training physically since they could walk, tutored by highly paid experts. I had only had a pastel of older siblings willing to beat on me until I could figure out how to block and attack. In a no rules fight I could probably win. But then again, in a no rules fight the fire mage would simply roast me.

Instead we had to use preselected movements to hit and kick and block and throw and the heartbeat it took for me to remember the proper movement always cost me in the end.

And I landed in the dirt.

"Just stay down," growled the current fire mage student I had been paired with. He wasn't a bully like others. But he was a rule follower. He would fight me at his best and not provide any help learning because that was what he did: he followed instructions to the letter.

I rolled over again and stood. "What would you say, if I told you I had a rune to suppress fire?"

That got him to pause. "Suppress it, or make it less likely to catch, like your shirt?"

I raised my brows. The only way he would know my shirt was unlikely to catch fire with ease would be if he had attempted to light it on fire.

He shrugged, "other fire mages talk."

I sighed out, then ducked the coming blow. We couldn't be seen to be talking idly after all. "Suppression," I replied. I wasn't being entirely honest. I had been playing around with combining runes since the web and braid had worked so well.

"I would ask you to prove it," he said before slamming me into the ground. Again. But for all that his words had sounded aggressive, there was a hint of hope in there. Did fire mages fear their own magic?

I was never one to consider risks before speaking so I rolled away from him and staggered to my feet. "I'm testing it out and need a fire mage for the next step. I could either prove or disprove it to you...if you're interested."

This was the tricky part. Fredric was a high level final year fire mage student. His need to follow rules was well known, and I was guessing made him a target to the ones less concerned with consequences. I needed an ally to help with the testing.

"When?" He said before beginning the next attack. This time I managed to defend and block well enough that it was several moments before I hit the dirt hard.

"After the dinner bell, before study hall," I said once I could breath easily. "In the winter garden." Because there was a large section of rocks that I had already marked with a fire suppression rune system, and nothing terribly flammable if it failed.

The professor rang the bell to signal the end of fighting. "I'll be there." Fredric said before walking away.

I avoided the after class ambush, they were getting predictable, really, and made it to the ethics course. I hated this class but it was required every year and taught by everyone's least favorite professor, professor Lutsel.

He would lock his door the moment class was to start and anyone late would miss the days work and information. If they didn't have friends in the class to help them, they would have no way to know what was learned.

I sat in my usual seat. It was not in the far back, out of sight. Or along the wall. The professor had assigned me a seat the first year, right in the first row, and I had volunteered to sit there since.

Not just because my indifference annoyed him. Hidden under the desk, not in the desk itself, but under the stones that made up the floor was a rune that would boost attention and recall for anyone who sat over that stone. He must have suspected something because over the years he would randomly change the seat and desk. But never the location because it gave him a clear view of everything I was or was not doing. He would have to dig up the stone and flip it over to see the runes; More work than he would consider doing.

On the chalk board there was a scenario. Your lover is over here in this place, a dozen women and children here. You can save only one location from destruction. Who do you save and why?

It felt like a first year question. It might have been. It would be something he did to save time; give everyone the same question.

He entered the room and locked the door. His expression was one of disappointment when he saw that every desk was full. No one was late for him to complain about.

"Mr. Lofe. In the front where I can keep an eye on you, I see."

"Sir, I would be happy to move if you'd prefer."
It was an empty sentiment because there were no empty seats, and besides he wanted me up front.

"Stay where you are. Only, I'll scan you for active magics. Anyone who is using magic to help them in the classroom is in violation, I'm sure you remember this rule."

I looked at him blankly. The advantage of being a rune mage was most of my magic was passive. He could scan me all day and not find active magic. "I have nothing to fear sir," I replied.

"Stand up."

"Yes, sir." I stood. He used a detecting square to scan me. Not because he needed it but because he had wanted everyone to see the results. So sure he was of my using magics to succeed.

The square didn't light up.

He growled and ordered another student to stand. He was not as lucky. The square glowed faintly of blue.

"A stimulant spell of some sort. Leave my classroom and report to the healers. Stimulant use is an addiction and cannot be tolerated."

That was a better outcome than I would have gotten, I was sure if it.

"Maybe his rune magic doesn't show up?" One of the students suggested. One of the ambush students I was sure of it, though I didn't turn to look.

The professor glared at the intrepid student, then at me. "Go on. Use some of your rune magics."

"The rules state," I started.

"I am in charge of this classroom and I am telling you to use your magic." He growled.

"Disobeying a direct order is Against the rules unless the order is against the rules," I countered. Because this felt more like a test than the question in the board.

"I will have you flogged." The professor snapped.

I bowed my head to show reverence that as far as I was concerned wasn't due, but did not use my magic. "I must decline unless a second person of equal rank has given me the same order."

There was a long silence and then Lutsel huffed. "Leave this class and come back tomorrow!" He then turned to the next person and scanned them. I heard him ordering the poor girl to use her magic. I was lingering outside the door to see if my suspicion was correct.

She came out and closed the door with shaky hands. Then she met my eye.

I shrugged and began walking.

"Do you think that was a test? And if so, did we pass or fail?"

"I read ahead," I said by way of explanation. "I work nights so to keep up with the assignments I read ahead for everything. In the second week there is a whole chapter on intimidation and following orders even when you know it's wrong. The example from the book was on torturing prisoners."

She walked with me a moment more. "We've had classes together before, but I don't think we have met properly. I'm Isa."

I nodded. "Nice to meet you Isa." I stopped for a moment. "Are you a water mage?"

She blinked and then nodded.

"How would you like to take part in an experiment? Since we don't have class right now?"

She raised her brows. "Is that some slick way of trying to have sex with me?"

"No."

She smiled. "Too bad, that might have worked. What did you have in mind?"