Rune mage

Chapter 13: overworked

My days were starting well before the sun rose. I was spending time before breakfast either meditating on my own or learning to fight from Fredric, who turned out to actually be a decent teacher.

Then I would skip breakfast to work on runes, head to the arena to eat dirt, and then bumble my way through my classes. After classes I would grab something to eat and head to the tavern, where I helped serve and between tasks I worked either on my own work or I helped Lu.

After the last patron would leave I worked on the net for the blacksmith. When I knew the blacksmith was gone, I would sneak over and lay down a web, so his runes would be powered. If I got two hours of sleep a night I was lucky.

The blacksmith's net was finally ready to put up, and I took a risk and asked Fredric and Noav to help put the wires in place. With me and Lu and Noav and Fredric, the net went down very fast. As they laid it down, I tacked it into place and finished the runes.

Then we worked together to make sure the threshing covered everything. As I tucked the final piece into place, I discreetly lined it up with the power web and activated both.

The whole net glowed briefly, sending shadows into the night. Then it was dark again.

"Is this similar to what you did for my home?" Fredric asked as I climbed from the roof.

I nodded. "Yes."

Lu hopped down from the roof and dusted his hands. "What did you do for his home?"

"I'll tell you about it when I think you will keep the knowledge safely. I don't mean keep it secret." I shook my head to forestall objections. "I know you are trustworthy. The design I laid upon his home could have blown me I to unrecognizable pieces."

Fredric frowned deeply at that.

"But it didn't, because I have mastered control of my powers. Mostly."

I had just earlier that day embarrassed myself in front of the magic theory class because as a rune mage I couldn't fling spells on the fly. Instead I had to use what I had already carved, and had accidentally activated two opposing runes at once, causing no small amount of unpleasant feelings for everyone around me. Three classmates threw up and one almost passed out.

Not exactly the battle magic we were intended to pull forth. In my defense, I was very tired.

"Isa wanted to know if the water project was working well." Fredric said as the group of us walked back towards the school.

I stopped abruptly and swore. "Damn. Damn damn damn. I forgot about it."
I threw my hands up in the air and let them drop angrily. "Just when I was thinking I could get more than two hours sleep a night."

"What is this? Can I help?" Lu asked.

I sighed and rubbed my face. "How do you feel about being covered in muck?"

Lu made a face.

"Me too." I kicked at a bit of dirt. "I thought maybe I could etch stones and leave them in place, but flowing water is the best way to power the design and that would disrupt the locations. I have to carve into the tunnels. In the dark." I groaned again. It had seemed like quite an adventurous accomplishment until I had thought of the dark and putrid tunnels.

"I need a way to see down there," I said, thinking.

"Don't want open flame around that much muck. Can blow up." Fredric said.

I hummed a little. "I wonder if I could combine the suppression rune design with a containment rune design and create a sphere of fire that isn't flammable?" I wiggled my fingers while I thought. "It would need to be stabilized. Not something you would do Lu. You'll blow yourself up."

"If it were doable, you could be rich," Noav said. "Imagine never being in darkness again." He put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "But don't try it if he says it's not safe. I don't want to explain to mom why you are in pieces."

I heard them exchange a few more thoughts but frankly was lost in ideas. I could create a suspended light if I could capture a small piece of a fire mage's power, and have the ability to adjust the strength of the power. The power itself shouldn't be flammable... I blinked a few moments in silence and then sighed. "I will lay down the first runes tomorrow night. I can't wait. The rains will come any day."

I was lost in thought as I walked with the group to the school. If I worked through the night I could get the designs perfected by touch. I wouldn't be able to see what I was doing but it wasn't the runes themselves that were tricky, but rather the design needed to get everything connected and powered by the very water it was directing. If I worked through the night I could practice making the runes blind, and then lay the runes the next night.

"Logan!"

I stopped and looked at Noav. He had used just enough of his magic to pull me completely out of my thoughts. I looked at him.

"You haven't heard a word we said. You can't keep this up. You're so exhausted you would have walked into a carriage of I hadn't stopped you."

I looked around. That would have been a disaster. "I have some awake runes I can activate between classes, so no one will notice I've used them, better than any tea or potion. I can't use them for more than three days in a row, but our down day is coming soon and I can sleep the day away. I'm sure Steph will understand."

Fredric chuckled. "Steph has been threatening to knock you out. You just haven't noticed. You need to sleep."

"Once the rains start it may be too late. I need to apply the runes now."

"Are They explosive?" Lu asked.

I shook my head. "The runes are simple, the design is complex. Unlike the web or net designs which are flexible, this relies on two rigid designs, a feather and a snowflake overlaid."

"You can overlay two designs?" Lu gasped.

I held up my hand. "As I said, it's complex."

The four of them shared a look. Then Noav shook his head. "Logan. Go. To. Sleep."