Rune mage

Chapter 32: Fate

Isa set her hand on my arm, then walked away.

Fredric grasped my arm in the way of soldiers. "Well done."

Then he too walked away.

The students sprawled in the dirt were carried away by healers, who dared not look at me.

The students in the audience were directed to leave.

It was like watching a play from within the stage and not having any directions. It might have been uncomfortable.

But I had had practice by then, so I sat and meditated. I sough out the parts of my web that weren't working, as the explosions had done some damage to a few runes. Since I couldn't fix the runes, I diverted power around them.

I let myself be calm and in control and as relaxed as I could get.

Someone sat next to me on one side. I opened my eyes just as Fa Mai was joined by Lee.

Neither said anything.

A moment later, Steph appeared and sat.

The general approached slowly, his eyes studying our small group. He lifted the corner of his lips briefly as if he wanted to approve but also had to make a show of being unbiased.

"Iagio," he said, calling for one of his underlings.

A man jogged up to him, "sir."

"What is the precedence on rune mages?"

Iagio replied sharply, "sir, rune mages are not offensive by nature. They rarely are used in battle because they must make preparations for their magic, such as drawing runes on stone or wood. Unlike all other mages, who can simply access their magic at speed." There was a definite sneer going on there in Iagio's tone.

"Then someone better explain to me why the top mage student this year is a damn rune mage." The general growled.

He seemed to be glaring at Fa Mai and Lee. But they didn't respond.

I was surprised when one of the professors did. It was Petre, "whatever success Logan has had, it has not been from instruction provided prior to this year. I have sent many messages regarding the school's failure to prepare him, and was silenced repeatedly."

The general titled his head in acknowledgment. I almost missed his expression of displeasure, still considering Petre's words. He had sent messages about my lack of instruction!

"Captain Lessinger,"

"Former captain," Steph corrected.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to make sure it's known how much Logan has done for the citizens living close to this school. You should have a message from the commander of the return company healer as well."

The general frowned. "A claim that runes have made a quarter of the soldiers there nearly ready to return to battle seems... extravagant."

I pulsed magic through the wellness runes located around the arena. You couldn't see them, I had learned how to avoid making things glow, but there was a feeling that came with being washed by the magic. It didn't cost me any power and provided a sense of peace despite the tension.

I was still pulling power in, though delicately. I didn't want to overflow and had already filled all my stores.

But I did want to be prepared if I had to fight.

"And what exactly has he done for the citizens?" The general asked.

I half listened as Steph outlined all the projects I had told her about. Fa Mai added a few he had learned about. Lee showed off her healing hair barrette.

I chuckled as they all looked to me to see if I had anything to add to the list. "I also added strengthening runes to a lot of Buildings around the arena. Just in case."

"In case of what?" The general asked.

His tone implied he thought I was thinking too highly of myself.

I blinked a few times. "General, do you know what happens when you let loose power that belongs to a hundred mages?"

At the general's side Iagio choked on his spit. "A hundred?"

I squinted at the arena. "Well. Possibly more. I've got stores on my person and in the arena. Let's just stick with 100. If that power is abruptly released...say...by my death...it would likely reduce this building in its entirety to rubble. I provided protection runes to Fa Mai and Lee and Steph, and to Isa and Fredric. The runes I set down in front of the officers however wouldn't help much with a collapsed building."

The general considered me a moment. "How would the runes you gave them protect them if you're dead? I'm assuming their runes would lose your power."

I smiled. "It wouldn't help them for long, true. But it would keep them alive until help came. Same with the runes on the buildings...they would last just long enough to withstand an initial blast created by my death."

I finally stood. I had stayed seated so that I would be in the vulnerable position. I was done with being vulnerable.

I could see the general thinking- if he killed me, the destruction would be catastrophic. But could he control me?

"Do you always carry that much power?" The general asked.

I shrugged off my shirt and turned around, then sent power through the nearly invisible runes on my back so that they could see the web design. I knew the web design was intricate and showy, and caught the impressed flash of emotion over the General's face before he locked himself back down. I glanced at my arms and legs and let those runes glow briefly too, then everything faded back to being nearly invisible. "Rune mages are known for their limitations, but I discovered there isn't much I can't do with a little planning."

Some subtle communication happened between the General and Iagio, because Iagio punched me.

Well.

He tried. I hadn't let down any of my defenses, so not only did he meet with the resistance of a boulder, but there was a nasty lightening charge that came with it. He was thrown backwards.

Then I pulsed the webs and held him there where he landed. I was a spider and he my prey. He struggled a moment to get up, but then lay still.

"Sir?" Iagio said, voice wobbly, "I am not able to rise at this time."

The general looked at me.

I looked at him.

"I could kill you. You're an unknown and more powerful than any one man should be. You don't take orders well, or you would have been well trained by now,"

"I object to that," Fa Mai said calmly. He dusted off some dirt from his hands. "given reasonable orders the lad does as well as any other his age."

Lee cleared her throat, "In fact, he exceeds when given broad directions and time to come up with a creative solution. He made resetting caltrops, general. They deployed and then returned to their original position."

"He is a rogue," Tulimire said, startling me. I hadn't realized he was there. "He nearly killed two air mages and came close to depleting the fire mage."

"Fredric volunteered for the experiment," I said, "and the air mages were attacking me unprovoked. They tried to kill me and I doubt any of you would stand by idly if the same happened to you."

There was a long stretch of silence.

"Who do we have at Fort Timoran?" The general asked, then growled. "Let Iagio up off the dirt."

I released him without delay.

Iagio stood and shook his limbs. He frowned a little, then shook his head to clear it. "Harper."

The general nodded. "He's overdue for replacement. Pack your bags, your reward for this display is an assignment practically made for a rune mage. After all, it's in the Dragonback ridge and surrounded by rocks. I'm sure you can figure something out." He paused. "Maybe you'll even survive. One out of three don't."