Amelia exhaled, setting aside the calibration runes now dimmed after James's final successful test. "You've proven you can control your arcane power with precision," she said. "Now comes the real challenge—inscription mastery."
She reached for a wooden case near her workbench, unlatching it with practiced ease. Inside, a collection of rune etching tools lay neatly arranged, alongside aged parchment covered in carefully inked sigils.
James leaned forward, studying the markings. Each rune glowed faintly, energy bound into their design in ways he hadn't seen before.
Amelia placed a single sheet before him. "These are basic-tier inscription techniques," she explained. "But before we begin, there's something you need to understand."
She lifted her gaze, eyes sharp—warning him before he even asked.
"These techniques aren't meant for public circulation," she said. "The Blackwell family has spent generations refining rune mastery. If you share what I teach you with outsiders—if you misuse it or let the wrong people gain access—my family will come for you."
James didn't flinch. He already knew the consequences of dangerous knowledge falling into the wrong hands.
"I'm not reckless," he replied. "I wouldn't spread something I barely understand myself."
Amelia watched him for a long moment before nodding. "Good. Then we begin."
She took up a fresh rune stone, pressing it into his palm.
"Your first lesson—inscribing power through direct application," she said. "Forget channeling energy like before. This time, you're carving the pathways that allow it to flow correctly."
James felt the weight of the stone, its surface smooth but waiting to be marked. This was different—it wasn't just about control anymore. This was about crafting something permanent.
And failure meant wasting energy or worse—destabilizing the inscription entirely.
---
Amelia wasn't going to let James ease into rune inscription like a slow learner. Instead, she reached for a small hourglass, setting it down beside the rune stone she had given him.
"You have three minutes to inscribe a functioning rune onto this stone," she said. "No hesitation, no second attempts. If you don't get it right, the energy will fade, and you'll have to start from scratch."
James stiffened—the pressure was immediate. Not just to succeed, but to do it fast.
Amelia flipped the hourglass. Sand began to fall, marking his limited time.
James didn't waste a second. He picked up the etching tool, scanning the reference parchment before him for a simple, functional rune that wouldn't require advanced layering.
The lines had to be precise, the energy flow consistent—he had learned this during stabilization exercises. But doing it under a time constraint was another beast entirely.
His hand moved quickly, carving the rune's pattern into the stone, letting his arcane power seep into each stroke.
The first mark shimmered, the rune beginning to take shape.
The second mark—the lines blurred slightly, causing James to grit his teeth. Too much energy was flooding in at once.
"Adjust," Amelia warned, watching closely. "If you destabilize it now, it's over."
James forced himself to breathe, pulling back on his output, refining his strokes.
Thirty seconds left.
He etched the final sigil, channeling the last bit of arcane power needed to activate it—the stone pulsed.
Then—a glow.
The rune held.
Amelia flipped the hourglass over just as the last grains of sand fell. She inspected his work, fingers tracing the lines.
"Not perfect," she said. "But usable. Which means you passed."
James exhaled sharply—relief and exhaustion mingling in his chest. His first successful rune inscription.
Amelia smirked. "Now let's see if you can do it under actual combat stress."
---
Amelia wasn't about to let James grow complacent after a single successful inscription. "You made the rune work under pressure," she said, arms crossed. "Now let's see if you can actually use it when your life is on the line."
She turned sharply, grabbing her bow and stepping toward the open area behind the orphanage—a space used for training but rarely for actual fights. James followed, tension growing with every step.
Claire was already waiting there, standing near a summoning rune carved into the ground, her expression unusually serious. "You're putting him in a live test already?" she asked.
"He doesn't have time to waste," Amelia answered, rolling her shoulders. "He wants to master rune inscriptions—he'll learn best when he's forced to use them in a real fight."
Claire hesitated but eventually activated the summoning rune.
From within its glowing edges, a shadow beast began to take form—its sleek, wolf-like frame emerging, dark mist curling around its body. Not lethal, but fast. Aggressive.
James instinctively reached for his bow, heart hammering, but Amelia raised a hand.
"Use your runes first," she instructed. "If you can't use them in battle, they're worthless."
James gritted his teeth, taking a step back as the beast 'snarled'. His fingers brushed over his arrows, reaching for one—and then, without hesitation, he etched the rune onto its shaft, his arcane power stabilizing within the mark.
The beast charged.
James fired.
The arrow streaked forward, the inscribed rune activating mid-flight, enhancing its speed—but the beast dodged, barely avoiding a direct hit.
James cursed. The rune worked—but his timing was off. He had to adapt, faster.
Amelia smirked. "You've got one shot left before it reaches you. Make it count."
---
James didn't have time to hesitate—the shadow beast was closing in fast.
He snatched another arrow, working quickly. His fingers moved with instinct rather than careful precision, carving the second rune beside the first, layering inscriptions in a way that normally required experience and mastery.
The risk was clear—two runes meant double the power, but also double the instability. If they clashed, the energy might not enhance his attack—it might detonate outright.
He forced himself to 'stay focused', ignoring the thundering steps of the beast as it lunged toward him.
Inscription complete.
James drew his bow, letting his arcane power thread into the arrow. The first rune activated instantly, stabilizing the projectile's trajectory.
The second rune flickered, uncertain—but James forced his energy through it, willing it to stabilize.
The arrow hummed, pulsing between power and collapse.
Now or never.
James released the arrow just as the beast leapt toward him.
The projectile tore through the air, both runes igniting at once—one for speed, the other for force. The energy collapsed inward for a brief moment, threatening to spiral into instability—but then it synchronized.
The arrow struck true, hitting the beast dead center.
For a split second, the creature froze—and then, in an explosion of kinetic force, the runic energy detonated on impact, sending the shadow beast crashing backward, its form shattered into mist.
James stood there, breath ragged, heart hammering in his chest.
Silence.
Amelia exhaled, lowering her bow slightly. She smirked. "Risky—but effective."
Claire blinked, impressed. "I thought it was going to explode in his hands."
James dragged a hand through his hair. "Honestly? So did I."
Amelia crossed her arms, nodding. "You've proven you can layer runes—but it was luck as much as skill. Next time, we refine that technique properly—so you're not relying on pure instinct."
James grinned. He had survived—and more than that, he had won.
But this was just the beginning.
---