Location: Starforge Nexus - Multiple Training Areas | Luminari Artifact Dimensional Fold
Time: Month Two, Week Four (Day 57 of Training)
The workshop felt different this morning.
Green had rearranged everything. The usual workbenches were pushed against the walls, creating empty floor space in the center. Strange materials were laid out on a side table—crystallized essence shards, powdered metals, what looked like dried herbs, and small carved stones that hummed faintly when Jayde got close.
(This doesn't look like Sparkcasting or Runeinfusion setup.) Jade's voice was wary. (What're we doing?)
Unknown configuration. Materials suggest ritual preparation. Recommend observing before engaging.
"Good morning," Green said. She stood in the cleared space, wearing her usual flowing green robes, but today her ash-blonde hair was bound with what looked like golden wire. Runic patterns glowed faintly along the wire's length. "Today we begin Forgeweaving—the third magic school. Sit."
Jayde sat cross-legged at the edge of the cleared space. Her Crucible Core hummed quietly—145 Ember Qi, fully regenerated from yesterday's perfect drill. The Inferno essence inside felt eager, waiting.
"You've learned two schools," Green began, pacing slowly. "Sparkcasting projects essence externally. Instant effects. Fast, efficient, combat-focused. Runeinfusion binds essence into objects. Semi-permanent effects. Patient work, lasting results."
She stopped, fractured emerald eyes intense.
"Forgeweaving is different. It's about sustaining essence flow. Maintaining continuous channeling to create effects that last minutes, hours, sometimes longer. It's powerful—more powerful than Sparkcasting for sheer scale—but it's exhausting, vulnerable, and demands absolute focus."
Sustained operations doctrine. High resource consumption. Limited by operator endurance rather than ammunition supply.
(So like... holding a technique instead of throwing it?)
"Essentially, yes." Green gestured at the materials. "Where Sparkcasting is a bullet—fired and gone—Forgeweaving is a flamethrower. Continuous output. Massive effect. But you're defenseless while maintaining it, and it drains you dry if held too long."
She knelt, pulling several crystallized essence shards toward her. They were small, each about the size of Jayde's thumb, glowing with dull red light—Inferno essence trapped in physical form.
"Forgeweaving has three components," Green said, arranging the shards in a circle. "First: the foundation pattern. Like Runeinfusion's runes, but temporary—drawn in essence or chalk, not carved. Second: physical anchors to stabilize the weave. Third: your sustained Qi channeling to maintain the effect."
Multi-component system. Preparation phase followed by execution phase. Similar to establishing firebase before sustained engagement.
Green's fingers traced lines between the shards. Where she touched, golden light followed—not the brief flash of Sparkcasting, but steady lines that remained, connecting the shards in geometric patterns. A circle within a square within a triangle. Precise. Deliberate.
"Foundation pattern," she said. "This one's basic—simple healing formation. Single essence, single effect, designed to last about thirty seconds at beginner level."
The pattern completed. The shards hummed louder, resonating with each other.
"Physical anchors." Green placed the carved stones at specific points around the pattern. "These stabilize the weave. Keep the essence from dispersing too quickly. Without them, even a simple formation collapses in seconds."
The humming changed pitch. Steadied.
"And now—" Green extended her hands over the pattern, palms down. Her Crucible Core flared. Emerald light poured from her hands into the formation. The geometric lines brightened. The shards glowed brighter. The stones began to pulse in rhythm. "—sustained channeling."
Continuous essence output. Estimated expenditure: 5 Qi per second. Total drain would exhaust reserves in under three minutes at this intensity.
The formation was beautiful. Golden and emerald light swirled together, creating a dome of shimmering energy about a meter wide. The air above it wavered with heat—not burning, but warm, alive, pulsing with healing power.
"This is a basic Inferno healing formation," Green said. Her voice was steady, but Jayde could see the concentration in her fractured eyes. "It accelerates natural healing. Closes minor wounds. Restores stamina. At higher tiers, it can regenerate lost limbs, cure diseases, even bring someone back from near-death."
(That's incredible.)
Tactical value: Extreme. Field hospital capability. Force multiplication factor: Significant.
"It's also," Green continued, "exhausting as hell, leaves you completely vulnerable, and fails catastrophically if your focus breaks."
She lifted her hands. The light dimmed. Faded. The formation dissolved, leaving only chalk lines and cooling shards.
Green stood, and Jayde noticed the slight tremor in her hands. The way her breathing had deepened.
"That was thirty seconds," Green said. "Cost me about 150 Ember Qi. And I'm vastly more skilled than you. When you attempt this, expect ten-second durations and total Qi exhaustion."
Unsustainable for extended operations. High risk during combat scenarios. Strictly support application.
"Why learn it then?" Jayde asked. "If it's so impractical?"
Green's smile was sharp. "Because 'impractical' doesn't mean 'useless.' Bladeguards focus on Sparkcasting and Runeinfusion—quick attacks, enhanced weapons, and combat efficiency. Forgeweaving is for Runeminds primarily. They're support cultivators. Healers, barrier specialists, ritual masters. But—" She gestured at Jayde. "—basics help everyone. A simple healing formation after a hunt could save your life. A basic barrier during an ambush could buy escape time. You won't master this school. But you'll understand it."
Strategic flexibility. Expanded operational capabilities. Acceptable resource investment for survival enhancement.
(Okay. So where do we start?)
"By failing repeatedly," Green said cheerfully. "Come on. The workshop's too small for practice. We're going to the garden."
***
The garden sanctuary was perfect for ritual work.
Open space. Soft earth for drawing patterns. Natural essence flowing thick enough to taste. Green led Jayde to a clear area near the crystallized tree—the same tree that had shown her eight essence visions.
"First," Green said, handing Jayde a piece of white chalk, "you need to draw the foundation pattern. Exactly as I showed you. Circle within square within triangle. Precise proportions. If the geometry's wrong, the formation collapses immediately."
Technical drafting. Federation training included engineering schematics. Geometric precision is achievable.
Jayde knelt, studying the cleared earth. She visualized the pattern Green had drawn—circle first, then square aligned to cardinal points, then triangle connecting specific intersection points.
The chalk felt strange in her hand. Too soft. Too imprecise compared to runecarving tools.
(Just draw it perfectly. How hard can it be?)
Overconfidence detected. Unknown skill domain. Expect a learning curve.
She drew the circle. It looked round enough. Then the square—four straight lines, trying to keep them equal length, aligned properly. Then the triangle, connecting points that seemed right but maybe weren't quite—
"Stop," Green said. "Look at your square."
Jayde looked. The square was... well, squarish. Sort of. One side was definitely longer than the others. And the corners weren't quite ninety degrees.
"Geometry matters," Green said. "The pattern channels essence flow. Wrong proportions mean wrong flow, which means unstable formation, which means explosion in your face. Try again."
Recalibrating standards. Precision requirements are higher than initially assessed.
Jayde erased the attempt with her hand, smoothing the earth. Drew again. Circle, square, triangle. Slower this time. More carefully.
"Better," Green said. "But your circle's slightly oval, and the triangle's vertices don't align with the square's corners properly. Again."
(This is harder than it looks.)
Correct. Visual precision without measurement tools requires practice. The Federation had laser guides. You have chalk and eyeballing.
Third attempt. Fourth. Fifth.
By the eighth try, Green finally nodded. "Acceptable. Not perfect, but stable enough for beginner work. Now the anchors."
She handed Jayde four of the carved stones—small, warm, humming gently with stored essence. "One at each cardinal point of the square. Not the triangle vertices—common mistake. The square corners."
Jayde placed them carefully. North, south, east, west. Each stone settled into place with a faint click, like they were magnetized to specific spots.
"And the essence shards." Green handed over six crystallized Inferno shards. "Circle vertices. Evenly spaced."
Six points equidistant around the circumference. Sixty-degree intervals. Geometric placement is critical.
Jayde positioned them, using her fingers to measure approximate distances. Close enough, she hoped.
"Good," Green said. "Now comes the hard part. You need to channel Ember Qi continuously into the formation. Not a burst like Sparkcasting. Not a single infusion like Runeinfusion. Continuous flow. Like... opening a tap and leaving it running."
Sustained output rather than burst fire. Requires different Crucible Core manipulation.
"How do I—"
"Feel your core," Green interrupted. "Feel the Ember Qi inside. Now, instead of gathering it for a technique, just... let it flow. Steady stream. Hands over the pattern's center. Don't overthink it. Just flow."
(Don't overthink. Right. Easy.)
Attempting sustained output mode.
Jayde extended her hands over the formation's center. Closed her eyes. Felt her Crucible Core—warm forge deep in her belly, 145 Ember Qi swirling inside, Inferno essence eager and hot.
Instead of gathering for Flame Spark, she just... opened the connection. Let it flow out through her meridians, down her arms, out her palms.
The formation flickered.
Golden light traced the chalk lines. The shards glowed. The stones pulsed once—
And everything died.
"Too weak," Green said. "You're trickling. You need a stream. More Qi. Steady flow, but stronger."
Adjusting output parameters. Increasing flow rate.
Second attempt. More Qi this time. The formation flared brighter—lasted three seconds before her concentration wavered, and it collapsed.
"Better. Again."
Third attempt. Five seconds. The warmth was incredible—healing energy radiating up, making her skin tingle. But her Qi was draining fast, maybe 10 per second, and keeping it steady while the formation drank greedily was like trying to pour water at exactly the same rate forever.
Unsustainable. Current reserves would deplete in fourteen seconds at this output.
It collapsed at seven seconds.
"Again."
Fourth attempt. She managed eight seconds before her hands started shaking, and she lost focus.
"Again."
Fifth attempt. Six seconds. Worse than before.
(I'm getting tired.) Jade's voice was frustrated. (Why's this so hard? Sparkcasting was easier.)
"Because Sparkcasting is instant," Green said, not unkindly. "One burst, done. This requires sustained focus. Mental endurance. It's not about power—it's about consistency. Again."
Fatigue accumulating. Qi reserves: 85/145. Recommend rest interval.
"Can I—"
"No," Green said. "Not yet. You need to feel exhaustion. Need to understand the cost. Again."
Sixth attempt. Four seconds. Her head was starting to hurt.
Seventh attempt. Five seconds. The formation was drinking her Qi faster than she could regulate, and maintaining the exact flow rate was like juggling while running.
Eighth attempt. Three seconds. She was panting now, sweat on her forehead.
Qi: 42/145. Significant depletion. Motor control degrading. Mental fatigue is evident.
"Enough," Green said. "Sit. Recover."
Jayde collapsed backward onto the grass, breathing hard. Her Crucible Core felt hollow—not empty, but drained, weak, like a battery at 15 percent.
(That was awful.)
Affirmative. Forgeweaving operational costs exceed predicted parameters. Sustained channeling requires discipline beyond current capability.
"You did well," Green said, sitting beside her. "Most students can't maintain any formation on their first day. You managed eight seconds. That's actually impressive."
"It felt terrible."
"It is terrible. That's why Runeminds specializes in it—they train for years to build the mental stamina. Bladeguards like you?" Green shrugged. "You'll learn basics. Enough for a quick healing formation after injury. Maybe a simple barrier in an emergency. But you won't be doing hour-long rituals or city-scale effects."
Specialization trade-off. Combat effectiveness versus support capability. Acceptable limitation.
"What about in the Dark Forest?" Jayde asked. "Will this healing formation actually help?"
Green's expression turned serious. "Yes. Imagine you're injured—deep claw wound, bleeding badly. You find shelter. You can Sparkcast fire to cauterize, sure. But this?" She gestured at the formation pattern, still faintly visible in the dirt. "This accelerates healing. Thirty seconds of channeling could close a wound that would take days naturally. It could mean the difference between infection and recovery. Between mobility and death."
Tactical medical application. Field treatment capability. Survival probability enhancement: Significant.
(Okay. So I need to get good at it.)
"You need to get competent at it," Green corrected. "Good comes later. Maybe never. But competent? That's achievable. Three weeks of practice. An hour each day. By then, you should manage thirty-second formations consistently."
Three weeks of intensive training. 21 hours total investment. Resource allocation: Acceptable for the capability gained.
Jayde's Qi was creeping back up slowly—regenerating naturally at maybe 2 per minute. It'd be half an hour before she was full again.
"Rest for fifteen minutes," Green said. "Then we try something different. I'll show you a barrier formation—simpler, less Qi-intensive, but also useful. Forgeweaving isn't one technique. It's a whole school of sustained effects. Healing, barriers, area damage, and environmental manipulation. Each requires different patterns, different anchors, different channeling methods."
(There's more?)
"Much more." Green's smile was wicked. "But don't worry. We'll stick to absolute basics. Just enough so you don't die stupidly."
Encouraging. Death minimization remains the primary objective.
Jayde lay in the grass, feeling her Crucible Core slowly refill, staring up at the Pavilion's impossible sky, and wondered how many more ways cultivation could find to exhaust her.
(At least it's not White hitting me.)
Silver lining identified. Physical trauma absent. Mental trauma compensating.
Fair point.
Three hours later, Jayde had learned several things:
One: Forgeweaving was brutal.
Two: Every formation had its own pattern, its own anchors, its own channeling method.
Three: She was terrible at all of them.
Green had shown her four basic formations:
- Healing (Inferno): Accelerated recovery
- Barrier (Terracore essence borrowed from Green): Protective dome
- Flame Field (Inferno): Area denial burning
- Essence Sight (Radiance essence borrowed): Enhanced perception
Jayde had managed ten seconds maximum on any of them. Her best was still the healing formation—eight seconds of sustained channeling before collapse.
Progress: Minimal. Skill acquisition: Glacial. Frustration level: Elevated.
(I hate this.) Jade was sulking. (Sparkcasting was fun. This is torture.)
"That's because you're built for combat, not support," Green said. They were back in the workshop now, surrounded by chalk-drawn patterns that had all failed. "Bladeguards excel at quick, aggressive magic. Runeminds excel at patient, sustained magic. You're learning the wrong specialty for your temperament."
"Then why learn it?"
"Because survival requires versatility." Green was cleaning up the materials, storing essence shards carefully. "In the Dark Forest, you won't always have time for careful Runeinfusion. You won't always have space for elaborate formations. But occasionally—" She met Jayde's eyes. "—you'll have five minutes of safety, and a healing formation could save your life. Or a barrier could protect while you rest. Or enhanced perception could spot an ambush. These basics? They're insurance. Not primary tools."
Risk mitigation strategy. Expanded operational flexibility. The insurance metaphor is accurate.
"Will I get better?" Jayde asked.
"Yes. Slowly. With practice." Green's expression softened slightly. "Three weeks, one hour daily. By then, thirty-second formations. Six months, maybe two-minute durations. A year, perhaps five minutes. But you'll never match true Runeminds. They can maintain formations for hours. That's not you."
(Good. Don't want to.)
Agreed. Combat specialization preferred. Support capabilities as backup only.
"Tomorrow," Green said, "we continue. Same formations. Repetition builds muscle memory—not just physical, but spiritual. Your Crucible Core needs to learn sustained output the same way your body learned combat stances. Through exhausting, boring, repetitive practice."
Standard training methodology. Effective despite unpleasantness.
"After three weeks?" Jayde asked. "What then?"
"Then we integrate." Green's smile returned—sharp, anticipating. "Combined operations. Sparkcasting while maintaining a barrier. Runeinfused weapons while channeling healing. White's going to love testing that. Multiple simultaneous magical operations under combat stress."
(Of course he will.)
Predicted. White excels at creative sadism.
"But that's future pain," Green said cheerfully. "Today's pain is enough. Go rest. Recovery bath. Qi regeneration meditation. Tomorrow, we do this all over again."
Repetition for skill acquisition. Sustainable training cycle. Acceptable.
Jayde left the workshop, her Crucible Core still feeling hollow despite being nearly full again. The sensation of sustained channeling—that constant drain, that mental focus required—was different from anything else she'd learned.
(I still like Sparkcasting better.)
Noted. Preference logged. Combat specialization confirmed.
Through the Pavilion corridors. Past the training grounds where White was probably designing new tortures. Past the garden sanctuary, where those chalk formations were already fading in the wind.
The recovery room door opened.
Medicinal bath waiting—not for physical injuries this time, but for spiritual exhaustion. The kind of tiredness that came from pushing your Crucible Core past comfort, draining it repeatedly, forcing it to learn new tricks.
Forgeweaving school analysis complete. Conclusion: Powerful but impractical for primary combat role. Valuable as a support capability. Training investment justified for survival enhancement.
(Think we'll ever actually use this in the Dark Forest?)
Probability: Moderate. Situations requiring sustained formations are rare. But when they occur, having the capability versus lacking it means survival versus death.
(So more torture now for maybe survival later.)
Correct summary.
Jayde sank into the bath.
Liquid fire soothed her exhausted meridians.
And planned for tomorrow's hour of patient, boring, exhausting ritual practice.
Because Green was right about one thing:
Sometimes the insurance you never wanted to buy was exactly what kept you alive.
One day down. Twenty more to go. Then we can go back to hitting things.
(Can't wait.)