BXBX NOVEL Chapter 40: Rune Structure
"Raise your hands if you do!"
Few hands sprung up from the seats, a lot fewer than those who had nodded before.
"Hmm. Only seven out of thirty are ready for this class, huh?"
"..."
Her question was met with silence, as no one dared to say something that would provoke her.
"Okay, I\'ll pardon you this once. Provided it doesn\'t repeat itself, will it?"
Everyone shaked their head to refute, some muttering out \'thank yous\'.
"For those with the textbook, I need your rapt attention. As for the rest, make sure you take notes."
Victoria concluded and went to the board on the wall and drew something on it. It didn\'t take her five seconds before she was done.
She moved away, allowing the students to have a glimpse of what she had drawn. It was a symbol.
"This, you see here, is a rune. The fire rune to be exact." Instructor Victoria said, gesturing her hands to the circle on the board.
"A rune is more than just a symbol. It is a condensed form of magic, an encoded language that allows mages to store, channel, and release energy."
Victoria continued. "Runes are used in various ways. They can be inscribed on weapons to enhance them, and etched into scrolls for casting spells. They\'re even some on your uniform responsible for defense, and self-cleaning."
"The importance of Rune crafting is very obvious compared to spell casting, as it makes magic more permanent, allows spells to stay active for longer periods and can only be triggered when needed."
"But of course, for every action, there\'s an equal and opposite reaction," she said with a smile. "This applies to rune making as well. Who can tell me some of the disadvantages of rune making?"
The room remained silent for a few moments but was soon followed up with a few raised hands. Kyle who had already formulated this thought on his head while studying the book also raised his, in an attempt to give it a try.
Victoria\'s eyes immediately locked onto him from the front. "Yes, Name, Affinity, and Answer?"
Kyle stood up, gathering his thoughts before speaking. "Kyle Lin, Lightning."
"Okay. Your thoughts, Kyle?"
"Rune making can be incredibly powerful, but it comes with significant limitations. One of the main disadvantages is its permanence. Once a rune is etched, it becomes a part of the object or surface it\'s inscribed on. That means, if you make a mistake, it\'s not easy to correct. And you could end up with a failed or dangerous effect."
Victoria nodded, clapping her hands lightly, before signaling for him to sit. "Good. Anyone else?"
This time a girl from the back seat stood. "Lora Ings. Light affinity," she said with a timid voice.
"Uhm, another disadvantage is the amount of mana it consumes. Depending on the complexity of the rune, it can drain a mage\'s reserves quickly. A single rune may seem harmless, but a series of them can leave you vulnerable if you\'re not careful. You have to balance power with sustainability."
Lora said quickly and sat down.
"Very good, the two of you," Victoria remarked. "I\'m impressed with your preparedness. A round of applause for the two of them."
She faced the class and continued.
"To draw an effective rune, stable surfaces are key.
Runes require a solid foundation to anchor the magic they contain. The most common materials are solid matter, as they offer the most stable molecular movements, unlike liquid and gas.
Do note that a skilled inscriptionist can draw runes on any type of surface, by forcefully stabilizing their molecules."
She moved on. "For now, we\'ll work with something far more reliable— a runic paper. This is a specially treated material designed to hold magic in a stable state.
It allows beginners to practice inscribing runes without worrying about the surface affecting the outcome. You\'ll each receive some today for your exercises, but can buy from the Academy\'s mall at a cheap price."
She obtained a stack of Runic papers from thin air, shocking the students.
\'First the Dean, now her. I knew I was not the only one with an inventory,\' Kyle thought with a sad smile.
Victoria began to distribute the Runic papers to each student, 5 to all those with a textbook, and 3 to the others.
"To those who received five, consider it my reward for being disciplined."
\'I\'m with seven. I wonder if it was a mistake,\' Kyle thought but refrained to say.
"Kyle, Lora, you got seven. Keep making contributions for more rewards," Victoria added, leaving Kyle with a proud smile.
Victoria walked to the front of the class. "Let\'s begin with understanding the core structure of a rune. Runes are made up of f three parts: the base, the conduit, and the trigger."
She drew a simple shape in the air. It looked like a small circle with two lines extending outward. "This is the base. It holds the magic. Without a strong base, the rune will collapse."
She added a zigzag line between the two extending lines before continuing: "This is the conduit. It channels the magic from the base to the point where it will be used."
Finally, she drew a small triangle at the end. "This is the trigger. It\'s the part of the rune that determines how the magic is released—whether it\'s by touch, mana, or even a spoken word.
Do note that the location of these parts varies with the Rune you have drawn.
"Let\'s now move on to the fundamental rune symbols— the building blocks. Each of these symbols represents an element and channels its unique energy.
Understanding these runes is important before you can move on to more complex inscriptions."
Let\'s start with a Fire rune," she said as she sketched a simple, angular design with three intersecting lines. "This channels heat and flame, a source of destruction and raw energy. This rune can ignite objects or enhance fire-based spells, based on how it\'s applied."
She stepped back, letting the students absorb the image. The rune was dormant, as it was not yet activated.
Her hand moved once again, this time slower, as she began the next symbol.
"This is the Water Rune," she said after drawing. "It represents the fluidity and adaptability of water. Water magic is about balance, not force."
Victoria paused, ensuring the students were following along, before proceeding to draw the remaining runes— earth and air.
When she was done, she stepped back, inspecting the four runes she had drawn.
"Now, I want you all to attempt drawing these runes on your runic paper, one after the other. A single paper is large enough to contain all four, don\'t waste it."
Kyle nodded his head along with the rest, smirking and saying internally:
\'Drawing some symbols from the board. How hard could that be?\'