Rune mage

Chapter 8: Experiments with fire

Fredric was waiting, as was Isa. They looked comfortable with each other. Maybe Isa had been right and alliances were being made.

"I'm here," I said, startling then.

"You didn't have to have Isa come along. I wouldn't kill you." Fredric said.

"Oh she invited herself after my water experiment failed. I have about thirty minutes before I need to head to work. Can you pull fire without a source or do we need to get a flame going?"

Fredric's response was to create a fire ball in his hand.

"Alright then." I activated the runes and the flame disappeared.

Fredric jumped and looked around.

"That worked nicely. Great. Fantastic. Fire suppression is possible." I paused, thinking. "At least on this scale. Would it work on a larger scale?"

"What just happened?" Fredric growled. "It felt like I was...like my power was suffocating, and then suddenly...there was nothing. The fire was gone."

I studied him. He was nervous but that was understandable. I had just sucker punched his powers. "Let's try starting a fire while the runes are still active."

Fredric frowned at his hands for a long time, his focus clear. Finally he sent up a pillar of fire that nearly touched the sky but then quickly disappeared under the suppression runes.

Fredric panted and put his hands on his knees. "It's possible, but not for anyone lower than me."

I powered down the runes. Then I studied the design. How would I make this easier to place down? Where would be the best placement for it?

"Could you...make it smaller?" Isa asked softly.

"Portable?" Fredric added.

I studied the design. "Sometimes I can make things smaller. But sometimes doing so makes the power explode. Been there. Had to replace half of Steph's kitchen because of it."

And she never let me forget it.

"I could make it half this size if the space is still mostly circular. Although it could be a square shaped space if you don't care if someone sees the runes."

Fredric ran his hands through his hair. "I have a younger brother. He is ten. His fire magic..."

Isa put her hand on Fredric's arm. She was comforting him. Obviously I had missed the news that water and fire mages actually got along.

"Do you live far? Does your family live far?" I asked. Ten was a hard enough age without magic causing problems.

"The family home is along the west wall," Fredric answered. "We had to send Isaiah away because his nightmares almost burned down the house."

I frowned. I had to head to work and the west wall was in the opposite direction. When could I possibly find the time...

Wait. Before I started getting overwhelmed...

It would also take more time than I could give in one day. I would need to break it up. Or maybe develop something portable...

"I have to be at work, and I need some time, but I think this is something I could do over the course of three days, before the first breakfast bell. Starting next week. Would that work?"

Fredric stared at me a long moment, his eyes most definitely not wet with tears. "That's... that works. We will, the whole family will owe you a debt."

I waved my hands away. "No. No debts. It leaves it open to things sexual or immoral."