Completed Rupture

Rhidian nodded, "Since I was a boy. I wanted to be like my father. Like my sister." He lifted his gaze to look at Alistair for a moment.

"It felt like the Vaughn legacy, y'know? I wanted to be part of it..." Nothing else interested him back home. "Felt like... glory I could achieve with determination and practice. I thought about making Captain at least, marry a girl I fancied, and stay in Vel Hetren." Rhidian chuckled, as it was quite the normal ideal. "Guess I have to think of a new goal to work towards. Small steps. I... would like to thank you again, Alistair. If we had not met that day, I would be a worse off about now."

He managed an appreciative smile.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair simply nodded in understanding. In a way. Rhidian's circumstances could almost be considered more cruel than his own. When Alistair was pulled from his family, he already had the suspicion that his father was an awful human being thanks to the engravings he scratched into Alistair's skin. However, Rhidian had a nice life before coming here, so it would hurt all the more when he lost it.

"There is still glory to be found...as for your goals. I would not throw them away so casually, after the Academy, you can still make the rank of Captain or higher...and you can still find love."

Rhidian's goals were not so different from many of the other initiates, including Alistair's own when he resided in these hallowed halls.

"The facts are, this Academy will change you. You won't be able to stop it. The trick is to find so few things that you are not willing to give up, and hold onto them very tightly."

Rhidian
 
Rhidian snorted. "Maybe. I have shit taste in partners." But his mother always said the right person will find him. Or that he will suddenly realise that person might have been there all this time. His sister? Told Rhidian he had an ugly face and no person would love it.

But the advice of what to expect of the Academy was welcomed. "I made some friends here. Good ones. I like training with you, too. I look forward to what we can achieve with my magic, I really do." A new weapon to master. It was his, and he wasn't going to be known as the boy who only detonates. He wanted to be known as the Initiate that shouldn't be rifled with, that not only his sword mastery was superior, but his magic giving him a dangerous advantage.

"My friend Silas can control frequencies and all that kind of shit. I haven't asked him yet, but maybe he could do something with my magic? Add on to what I can bring to light? But, of course, I should get better control of my magic first." He was behind many in his class.

Alistair Krixus
 
"That isn't a horrible idea."

Alistair was aware of Silas and his abilities and in theory, their magics could work well together. However, just as easily the two of them could make the perfect bomb.

"However, remember that when you experiment, you need to take all variables out of the equation. Do it in a safe space with no one to hurt and a healer on standby. Your body might only be accustomed to one frequency, so if Silas does not get that right then it will turn you into a bigger bomb than you were before."

The strongest Dreadlords always ended up being the ones who could learn how to work well with others. They might not be as famous as the ones that take down armies with a wave of the hand, but they were often more efficient.

"I also enjoy our training. While it primarily benefits you, the more magic I can see with these new eyes of mine, the stronger my understanding of the arcane becomes."

Rhidian
 
Rhidian doubted the Proctor Perrine Urahil would want to witness himself and Silas blow shit up.

He would need to find another that knew how to heal... and that may be difficult.

"Oh, if that was to happen down the line, I would put minimal magic into it. Would not want to become an enemy in one burst." Rhidian grinned, knowing his pun was poor, but it made the Initiate chuckle some.

"So... can I ask what happened that you ended up..." He gestured with his hand, hoping Alistair could see him do so with his magic.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair nodded in satisfaction, understanding that if Rhidian was like him, he would do something like that no matter what, so it was better just to trust him. He wandered over to his sheath and put away the blade he wielded in his hand.

The next question was one he had been expecting and was surprised it had taken this long for the young man to ask him. While he could see the hand, he did not need to know what was being asked. After all, what was really the only visually striking thing about him?

"I suppose if I can not learn from the lesson then maybe you can...I partnered with an acquaintance to explore an area out in the Savannah where strange magical fluctuations had been detected. We were surprised to find a lost city underground. The place...it was unlike anything I had ever seen."

Alistair grew an almost wistful look as he remembered the amazing mix of magic and engineering that he had seen, all the more bittersweet knowing that those were some of the last images he would ever see without the assistance of magic.

"The city was called Luminore, and as we descended, imagine our surprise to find someone had beat us there. This strange man was turning the entire city into a bomb that would have caused irreparable harm to nearly the whole plains and also damaged the very foundations of the weave with such a blast..."

His shoulders tensed and his eyes grew angry as he remembered the next events

"In my hubris, I believed that I could control the enormous nexus of magic and divert it back into the city. When I connected to the energy...the things I saw...were amazing. I was able to slow down the energy and stop the explosion. I learned so much, but there was a price to be paid. The price would have been for my life if not for the quick work of Kasim...In the end, we stopped the disaster, and thankfully I only had to pay for my hubris with my sight."

Alistair released a long sigh as his story came to an end. It was not something he spoke about often, and to remember all the details made him want to hit himself over the head with that Tyrian rod. He had been so foolish, so overconfident.

Rhidian
 
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Rhidian stiffened at the mention of a catastrophic bomb, his thoughts instantly turning to that dark idea of himself being deployed as a detonator. Alistair paid a price, what would Rhidian pay over time?

"And then... your rune magic helped you see. Is that right?" Rhidian had seen the change in Alistair's eyes, but he had been kind enough to not question it so quickly. Rhidian was not known to pry, but he felt he was working well with the older male that he felt it wouldn't be a question in poor taste. "Can I do rune magic, or does it take a special kind of power to do so?"

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair smirked ruefully before lightly tapping his head where his eyes were, "Not entirely, while I paid a price, I was given a small respite. Even without the runes, the magical nexus did something to my eyes or my brain. I can see magical auras and energy. That's why I can see you for the most part, even without the runes."

"The runes were added as my way to truly see how I am accustomed to, but it takes energy."

He had always found it ironic, that back during his Academy days one of the first original runes was a way to look through magical eyes that he could put around the building or on himself. At the time, he had thought its uses would be spying or in battle. He never would have guessed he would need them just to see.

"Rune magic does not require any special magic, but it is rather...esoteric. It requires a lot of study and careful formulas for nearly any form, but its adaptability and utility is second to none."

Rhidian
 
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Rhidian grimaced at the idea of so much work. He decided it was truly something he would consider for him self, but he also did not need to apply so much thought to much if he did wasn't to pursue other routes of magic.

"Let's see a basic one then. Something harmless." Because he sure didn't need access to anything more powerful.

He was never this eager in his lessons, but Alistair was shaping into a figure he could respect, learn from, and talk to just like this. He wasn't affiliated with the Academy as others were presently, and it made him feel as if he had the sole attention to grow his progress.

Alistair Krixus
 
Oh, Alistair was not expecting to be put on the spot. So, he took a moment to think. Before nodding satisied as an idea popped into his head.

"So most runes are typically engraved, carved, or drawn onto a material. A lot of rune mages like to have tattoos."

Alistair pulled up his sleeve to show that although his face was clean with no sign of a beard or any markings, most of his body that was covered by clothes was also covered in runic tattoos.

"Although, be careful with those, your body is the material making the runes strong but the kickback can be dangerous."

He moved over to his back and revealed an old dagger that he often kept on his belt. The weapon was engraved with a single rune.

"This is one of the first runes I was ever taught at the Academy. A simple thing used to increase the velocity behind a projectile."

With a fluid and swift motion, Alistair threw the knife at the wall while activating the rune. The weapon sped through the air, half way through its trajectory the knife was suddenly propelled forward by a delayed burst. The increase in speed allowed the knife to leave a small dent in the reinforced wall.

Rhidian
 
Rhidian stood tall, alert, and whistling at the impressive movement of the knife.

"Fuck. That is a handy rune." It require little strength, only a true aim. "Nah, I changed my mind. Can you teach me some?"

In the Initiate's mind, this was a new style of combat he could set his mind to and master. Much like his magic that needed to be practiced and controlled, Rhidian was always operating best by doing something. Granted, he expected some not so fun portions to such lessons, but he always endured it. It made him almost a perfectionist, as he insisted on doing something right and not be seen as sloppy.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair had been expecting more physical activities today, but he could at least get Rhidian started. It would take time for Rhidian to try anything too expansive in the art.

"I can show you a bit, but the Academy I believe has a proctor on the..." No that wasn't true. That guy had died a while back. They must have hired a new one since then.

"Well, they have a lot of books on the subjects, so self-study will be just as important as my tutelage."

He went over and grabbed his walking can moving back and drawing a few simple runes that would cause gusts of wind, bright flashes, and loud bangs. Next, he added some materials like clay, ground flower petals, and seawater to the runes.

"So, the hardest thing about rune magic for most mages, but one of the most important basics, is that very few runes allow for all-out bursts of emotional energy. By that I mean, you can not just scream loud and then use all of your energy to shoot a blast of fire at someone. Every formula is carefully crafted, which means it requires just the right amount of mana. Too much and you overwhelm the formula. Then, it could become inert or change in chaotic ways."

Rhidian
 
He listened with rapt attention, watched as cane created specific strokes to bring a rune to life. The materials were then set down, and Rhidian came to terms on the true way to wield these runes.

Control. Surely he could manage that.

"And how will you know the right amount of energy required? What are the indicators to look for?"

He would try reading a book, maybe rope in a friend or two to motivate him to stick with it.

Alistair Krixus
 
So that was a bit harder to explain. Technically, there was a technical term for units of magic energy, but it felt different to every person, and one could only calculate that by hand after a lot of time and practice. Try to explain it would be nearly impossible for Rhidian.

There were expensive machines that were capable of measuring magical output by units, but Alistair did not have one...maybe he could convince the Academy to buy one.

The training habits at the Academy, when Alistair was here, had not been any better. They just made him keep trying until it stopped blowing up in his face.

"Hmm? Well, I would say if it starts to feel...weird. That's probably bad. For these simple runes, think about it as if it was a quick gasp of energy. It should not be much."

Yeah, none of that sounded helpful.
 
Rhidian's face moved into confusion, trying his best to follow Alistair's explanation.

"Just like I would with my magic?" Too much of it would have been not as he had been instructed to wield.

"I know it is different to rune magic... perhaps if you demonstrate?" Rhidian crossed his arms over his broad chest. He was determined to learn something at least today, even if it was how to draw a rune. Something was better than nothing to him.

Alistair Krixus
 
"I would say even less than your own magic...Also, try not and think about your magic as its typical volatile self. Aim for a more neutral form, if you can."

Frankly, that was wishful thinking. Alistair knew full Dreadlords that could not change the characteristics of their mana on a whim.

To appease Rhidian, Alistair held his hand over the rune and let his magic flow into the rune. It was a lot like adding the right amount of coal to a forge. The actual mold and metal were already laid out, they just needed to provide the energy.

Without a little fanfair, a light gust of wind extended from his hand and blew into Gideon's face.

"This is something that can be done easier with other forms of magic, but it is a good way to start to learn the basics of rune magic."

Well...it was one of the ways.

Rhidian
 
Rhidian did not know such different magic could be so available to him... or he had been too blind to see the opportunities.

He had been too focused on himself that he did not expand his vision to other pursuits open to those at the Academy.

"Well... that might be difficult." He concluded with a frown. "When I call on my magic, it's quite a force already..." Rhidian looked to Alistair, shrugging.

"But can't hurt to try." Except that it very could hurt.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair nodded in understanding of his concerns. In truth, Alistair had never had any of these problems. He had been a perfect candidate for rune magic as soon as he was born. While born with magical energy, his was about as close to neutral as a living person could get.

"I've never had this problem, but I have met plenty that have. Some have mentioned that it helps to imagine that you are using magic from a different source in your body. Technically, it all comes from the same place, but that type of thinking can be helpful for visualization. Imagine that the source is not like your current one. Non-volatile, the opposite of your present magic."

It wasn't easy, but he could contain any major explosions. Then, if they hit a roadblock, Alistair would just give him a book and tell him to study. That had worked on him.

Rhidian
 
Rhidian relaxed his arms to his sides and took a breath. He took a moment to concentrate, to get a sense of his energy before trying to reach it with a spiritual hand. Felt those fingers curl around it and slowly pry it forward.

And then his magic came to life, at his chest.

"Huh... this may be hard." Rhidian shook out his hands and tried again.

The same result.

Rhid set his jaw and tried to not get frustrated so easily.

"Can you see what I am doing wrong?" He asked of Alistair.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair could see, but it was difficult to call what Rhidian was doing wrong. It was more that Rhidian's magic had such a definitive and distinct characteristic that it was really hard to subdue that character. Alistair pursed his lips in thought before finally waving his hand to motion for a stop.

"This isn't going to work like that...We will need to try something different."

There was one other option, but Alistair was hesitant to do it. Runic tattoos were carved into a person's body, so when it was activated the person was able to intrinsically feel how the rune process was working. It was how Alistair had learned when his father had first carved a set of runes down his spine.

The only concern was that Rhidian's magic may have powerful results given its nature, but that meant the drawbacks could do some really harmful things. When Alistair was younger, the drawback to his eye runes had been bleeding from his eyes and blurry vision. With Rhidian's magic, the eyes were just as likely to pop out of his head.

Rhidian
 
The way Alistair had tried to change tactics on approach made Rhidian scrunch his face. He wasn't cut out for this, was he? He had gotten excited and jumped straight in, but only now did he realise he had no knowledgeable grasp on even his own magic.

"Let's... leave that to another day. Plenty of time isn't there?" He chuckled half-heartedly. And he had been so adamant on learning! Now he looked foolish giving up the way he was.

"Tell me more about how we go about fashioning a Tyrian weapon for myself?" That he could be excited about, truly.

Alistair Krixus
 
"No."

Alistair shook his head resolutely, not willing to drop the subject. Now, Rhidian's problem was his own and he was going to figure it out.

He wiped his foot through the runes in the ground before moving back over to his back and furiously digging in the side.

"Rune magic is a skill that all can learn with study. We just have to take a different approach given your mana characteristics."

If the problem at the moment was that Rhidian's magic was too volatile, then Alistair would create a situation where that would be a good thing.

He moved over to the wall and began to carve a series of runes with a look of concentration. Alistair would not be able to spend much time on this with Rhidian, but he was determined to give the initiate a taste of what it was like. After a few short moments of carving, Alistair finished the series and then rubbed what looked like some sort of paste into the grooves.

"Here, drive your mana into this...and don't stand in front of it. That should do."

Rhidian
 
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Rhidian grimaced but stepped up to do as instructed. Off to the side, he angled himself to face the rune but not stand directly before it. He exhaled slowly before drawing out power with an inhale, a slow burn of what he'd hope was the mana Alistair spoke of.

Slow and in control, Rhid tried to make sure he wasn't filling the rune too quickly, knowing the nature of his magic to be violent.

He fed it morsel by morsel, ready to cease if Alistair so instructed.

Alistair Krixus
 
The rune Alistair had crafted would not be what he called a beginner rune. It was designed to create a thunderous boom that could be used in large-scale battles. To power this rune, the mana that was typically empowering it was volatile and explosive. It was perfect for Rhidian. There would be no need to completely change any of the mana's natural characteristics.

Alistair could see the energy flowing into the rune, and just when he saw the magic begin to activate the rune, he called out to Rhidian.

"Now stop, back up."

Within a few seconds, the rune released a deep reverberating boom that shot out and slammed into the other wall before dissipating. Alistair looked to Rhidian expectantly with a big smile on his face.

"So, how did it feel?"

Rhidian
 
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If Alistair was good at reading people and their magic, then he knew exactly how to get Rhidian on board.

"Fucking phenomenal."

He grinned, looking to his mentor and chuckling. "Show me again."

Alistair Krixus
 
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