The Exam: A Legend of the Artificer Side Story

Chapter 7

"Well, at least I know what this is actually for now," Chee muttered as he set down the paper, "and our time is almost up. So, Artificer Tibalt, now for the final question."

"Yes, I'm ready," Tibalt said and straightened up.

"How fast can you create a new charm and put it on something?" Chee asked and Tibalt blinked at the question.

"If it's simple, three seconds. I timed it."

All five stared at him, and he stared back defiantly. They were not about to throw a fit about that.

"That's not possible."

"Yes, it is," he insisted.

"No, it's not," Annika cut in and Tibalt irritably yanked off his glove, dropped the glamor, and shoved out his hand.

"Yes," he insisted as he showed off the complex golden enchantment for all to see, "I can."

"... What is that?"

"I was informed tattoo ink isn't reliable for enchantments, due to oil not being able to hold magic well, and the deterioration over time, so I solved the problem," he replied simply, because he was tired, and had never done well with teachers in general.

"I'm sorry, is that gold?" Annika asked in something between horror and awe.

"Yes. I did a pain nullification charm, and then a healing one, and then I just went from there," he replied, probably a tad too smugly.

"You put gold into your skin?"

"Yes."

"Do you know we have an ethics committee?"

"It doesn't count as unethical if I do it to myself, and I wasn't licensed at the time of doing it, so I didn't fall under your purview, as I was also not a student of the academy," Tibalt retorted sharply, because they were not about to put their rules on him. "But I can place any charm or enchantment anywhere with this enchantment. It burns in. And I can make them on the fly, provided the simplicity. I can demonstrate."

"That is not necessary, Artificer Tibalt," Undaile said sharply, but Tibalt wasn't cowed. "While your study was unorthodox, that's not an excuse to take unnecessary risks."

"I don't consider any risk unnecessary, just weighed," Tibalt replied stiffly, "and I weighed the risks and decided it was worth it. Also, I was bored."

"You put metal in your body because you were bored?" Kylle asked in abject horror and Tibalt smiled thinly.

"Molten, for the record."

"You have no intentions of being even remotely repentant, do you?" Undaile asked and he tilted his chin just so, in a clear sign of defiance.

"No, so you can stop there. I promise I won't do it to anyone else." Trade secrets and all.

"Well, that does complicate things," Undaile said and sat back in her seat, rubbing at her chin. "The ability to craft a spell and fire it in six seconds or less is the mark of a savant. The ability to do it in three..."

"Makes me a savant?" Tibalt asked cheekily and she studied him.

"Technically, yes, but there is no official ranking for artificer savants, due to them not existing."

"And I assume that can't be made?"

"Only the council at the capital can do so," Undaile said and folded her hands. "In light of this, we will give you the title master and write to the council."

"We shouldn't make him a savant," Annika said sharply. "He's wild and undisciplined and reckless, without a single concept of ethics, and can't even properly do a charm."

"But I can do them improperly," Tibalt pointed out with the slightest twitches of his lips into a pseudo-smile. "And I've met savants far worse on the ethical scale than me, which is saying a lot, considering up until two weeks ago, I was a shut-in and had only met five people in my entire adult life."

"Just because the mages at Sorncrest value power over reliability doesn't mean we hold our mages to the same standard, Artificer Tibalt," Annika almost snarled, and oof, that had to be a sore point. "I do not recommend writing a letter to the high council. Give him the rank of master and send him on his way. Perhaps you can consider a savant position when your charms and enchantments are actually useful and able to be replicated easily."

"Annika, in the interests of professionalism, let's not debate this in front of Artificer Tibalt. You can make your case at a later date," Undaile said and smoothed down her robes with a deliberate stroke of both palms. "Artificer Tibalt, you may be considered Master Tibalt as of today, and the status of Savant will be shelved for later consideration. I believe that concludes this exam. Walk me to the door."

"Yes, ma'am," Tibalt answered immediately and rushed to the edge of the table to offer his arm as he tried to shove the grimoire into the bag at his side. The various professors gathered up their things, a distinct feeling of discontent weighing heavily in the air, and Undaile took his arm gracefully and led him towards the door. It felt a bit like he had lost, though he did earn his badge, and he pushed the door open.

He had been too much of an asshole, and he knew that.

"You can collect your license and certificate at the end of the day," she said as the door shut behind them, and he stared at the dancing reflections on the floor.

"I was expecting pushback," he said out loud, "but I didn't realize what I was doing was so wrong."

"Annika has to worry far more about perceptions of artificers than any other professor here," Undaile said as they walked over the moving animations. "Even you would reflect on her as an artificer from Vengyll. Her concerns are valid, and her personality is something that doesn't bend easily."

"I'm sorry for being such an ass," he said, almost feeling genuine about it, and Undaile just smiled.

"I've heard a few reports on your behavior. I think you could have been worse, but even so, it was an exam, and very few people go into an exam ready to fight."

Tibalt thought back to that old history teacher and how much he had cared for her, despite her abrasive personality. Maybe he should send Annika an apologetic fruit basket or something. She probably was right.

"Your charms were not entirely incomprehensible. It was very clear how they worked, but I myself speak about seven languages, so that may have been a factor," Undaile continued, "but the average artificer doesn't have access to the higher education required to learn multiple languages. While it's true that being a polyglot makes any kind of magic easier and perhaps more complex, you do have to factor in other people when you make spells."

"I wasn't really planning on selling them in a book form," Tibalt admitted. "That's not why I do it."

"And that's understandable, but you still need to meet the standards of other artificer masters. And the vast majority of master artificers use their training and knowledge to sell their creations."

"I understand," Tibalt said, but he felt stiff. So what did an artificer savant do? He knew he was on the level of other savants. That much was clear from his battles with Innes and Jamison. But if there were no artificer savants, where did that put him, exactly?

"I find the easiest way to learn to make your work comprehensive is to be a teacher yourself," Undaile said and came to a halt at the wide double doors leading outside, "and I believe learning doesn't stop once you're old."

"... What?" Tibalt was not following.

"Master Tibalt," Undaile said, "I think I've taken a liking to you. Will you be my teacher in the art of artificing?"

Tibalt stared at this ancient, timeless eldar and his brain descended into white haze.

"I beg your pardon?"