Rune mage

Chapter 21: New schedule

The first day back to school was more than a little challenging.

My entire schedule had changed. I now had two classes in the arena, two classes on applied magic, and a class that was labeled "advisory" at the end of the day.

When I picked my schedule up, and with confusion asked about the changes, the administrator smiled at me and said that these changes were made by the board.

When I arrived in the arena, I was met by an older man who had clearly been a soldier. His hair was almost gone along the top but grey at the sides. He had a full beard also grey trending toward silver. He bore the scars that marked his youth as hard spent, and carried his body like he was always ready for a fight. He looked me up and down and sighed. "Start by running."

So I ran. From time to time he would ask me to go full speed. When he complained about how slow I was, I stopped. "I can go faster if I release my protection runes. But I want to be able to hold them for longer."

At that he paused, his face a blank. "Explain."

I looked around for something to hit, but there wasn't really anything. "I figured out how to make myself unbreakable like stone. I don't know how much you know about rune mages, but traditionally we have no offensive magics. After recent events I decided I would not be vulnerable, and figured out how to take on the properties of a boulder. But it weighs as much as a boulder. I've been keeping it active to build up my strength. I spared with my friend yesterday and was able to hold it through half the time we set aside."

He studied me, then without warning, punched my chest. With the rock rune up and running, I didn't even step back.

And his hand definitely had at least a cracked bone or two.

He looked at his hand and then me. "Good. Keep the rune up any time you are in the arena. Including these meditation times I have heard about."

I looked at his hand. "Do you..." I paused, unsure. If I offered to place a rune of well being on him I could be accused of unsanctioned magic. I didn't know who had hired him to teach me or why. "Do you need to go to the healer?"

He shook his head. "I did not introduce myself. My name is Fa Mai. I have been brought here by royal order."

I know my expression was shocked. I had hoped maybe Petre had arranged for a proper trainer. "Royal order?"

His tight smile was so much like Steph's I wondered if they had learned it in some warrior school. "You have made a number of friends, and impressed a large number of people who suddenly found themselves wondering how a final year student arrived to this point with little to no actual training. I was sitting in my retirement, very happy with my life, when I was offered this opportunity."

The way he emphasized the word offered made me think there was no turning it down.

I decided to take a risk. "Would you like the cracks in your hand healed?"

"Are you also a healer, Logan Lofe?"

I shook my head. "No sir. But I have a rune of well-being. I can...and have...placed it on skin to help my friend heal after we spar, and I have also placed it down as an ongoing rune in a poorer part of town. Anyone who passes through will have a boost of sorts to their healing."

He held out his hand. "Demonstrate."

I reached up and pulled out the braid that held the healing stamp. It was a small thing, no larger than a knuckle, and easily disappeared into my hair. "It will sting as I apply it." I warned him.

He nodded and didn't flinch when I pressed it on his wrist, close to but not on top of the injury.

As I tucked the stamp back into my braids, he waved at me with his other hand and said, "continue running one more lap."