----Page 10----
Two days had passed since the chaos at the mana spring. The smoke had long faded, yet the scent of scorched mana still clung faintly to the wind. The world felt quieter now, too quiet almost, like the land itself was holding its breath after witnessing something ancient awaken.
Tauren sat perched proudly on my shoulder, his small, ember-lit body flickering like a living coal. Every few seconds, he flicked his stubby tail and sent harmless sparks drifting into the air. Lysera and Nivara walked nearby, their steps steady and graceful, contrasting Tauren's restless energy.
A few moments later, Arin spotted something approaching from the distance. He jabbed a finger toward the horizon. "Master! Master!"
Seraphine followed his gaze, brushing a loose curl from her face. "Looks like the goddess of luck is with us." She let out a small laugh, the tension of the road easing slightly from her shoulders.
"Yes… we are terribly fortunate," Lysera said, folding her arms as she squinted toward the approaching figure.
Sure enough, a kind traveling merchant named Golvert appeared on the road, drawn by the strange light still lingering over the horizon. He guided his wagon carefully, the wooden wheels creaking and rattling along the uneven road path. Seeing our exhausted state, he slowed and gave a friendly wave. "Need a lift?"
We exchanged quick glances and nodded. Tauren perched on my shoulder, flicking his stubby tail and sending harmless sparks drifting into the air. I stepped forward, brushing dust from my cloak as I approached the wagon.
Seeing our exhausted state, he offered us a ride, and we gratefully accepted. Now, the merchant's old wooden wagon creaked and rattled along the uneven path, pulled by a beast unlike any I had seen before.
I leaned against the side rail, watching the dust swirl in the morning light. The rhythmic motion of the wagon and the warmth from Tauren's embers almost lulled me into calm.
"Golvert," I said after a moment, glancing toward the front, "before we move on to the next town, could you ask around? Maybe see if anyone's seen something strange lately, rogue agents, or anyone tied to the Tyrant's Hand?"
The merchant's weathered face twisted into a thoughtful smile. "Aye, I can do that, lad. But don't expect much more than rumors. These days, the truth travels slower than lies."
My grip on the wagon tightened. Even rumors are better than silence.
Tauren snorted, puffing a little flame that floated off into the wind. "Dangerous times, huh? Please. I'm dangerous!"
Arin groaned from the back, rubbing his temple. "You're a fireball on legs. Try not to let those sparks get out of control, yeah?"
Nivara, seated quietly beside me, turned her gaze toward Tauren. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly beneath her hood. "Even a spark can ignite catastrophe, Master. The spring taught us that. Its mana is coveted. There will be others."
I frowned, the weight of her words sinking in. "Then how do we defend it next time?"
Nivara's expression softened. She raised a finger to my lips gently. "Do not worry, Master. I've already prepared an appropriate solution, drawing upon knowledge from the Codex itself." Her voice was calm, almost teasing, but her eyes carried an unreadable glint, something between wisdom and warning.
I wanted to press for more, but she only smiled faintly and looked away, her gaze fixed on the horizon as if listening to distant whispers.
The quiet rhythm of travel carried on for a while until a sound broke the stillness, a delicate chime like wind bells swaying in unseen hands. Then came the soft thud of hooves on earth.
I blinked as the creature pulling the wagon came into view. It was breathtaking. A Sunwing, a rare beast of radiant plumage, no larger than a small pony. Its feathers shimmered in hues of sunrise, pink and gold shifting with every movement, and faint bioluminescent light pulsed along its neck and wings.
I leaned forward, eyes wide. "What... what is that?"
Golvert chuckled, giving the reins a light tug. "That, my boy, is a Sunwing. Gentle creatures, loyal too. Pulled this old wagon for me all the way from Sunveil."
I couldn't help but smile. "It's beautiful..."
Arin leaned back, crossing his arms. "Master Kinon, you look like a kid seeing snow for the first time."
Nivara's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "Ah, Master. Your wonder never fails to amuse me. Those wide eyes of yours, they reflect more than curiosity. They reflect hope."
Tauren puffed indignantly. "Hey, what about me? I'm adorable and powerful!"
Arin rolled his eyes. "You're a walking torch with an ego problem."
I laughed softly, patting Tauren on the head. "You fit right in, honestly."
Tauren puffed up proudly, tail flicking. "Of course I do! Maybe next time, I'll teach Arin some respect, with fire!"
"Please don't," Arin muttered, leaning away as a spark popped near his boot.
Lysera, who had been quiet most of the trip, finally spoke. "At least the fire spirit's in good spirits again." She looked at me meaningfully. "That's a good sign."
Nivara folded her hands atop the Codex. "Even in miniature form, Tauren's spirit remains fierce. But remember, Master, power without control is destruction waiting to happen. The Frenzy spell is proof enough."
Arin's tone turned uneasy. "Yeah. What if someone else uses the spring's mana for evil again? What if that happens somewhere we can't reach?"
I turned my gaze toward the horizon, the distant crater still visible in my mind's eye. "Then we'll be ready," I said quietly. "Together, we're enough."
By dusk, we reached a small border town, a place of simple huts, flickering lanterns, and the smell of baked bread wafting through the air. Golvert pulled the wagon to a stop outside an old inn and stretched his arms. "We'll rest here till morning. My old back needs it."
He disappeared into the tavern, leaving us to our own thoughts. Seraphine and Arin went to buy supplies, Tauren fluttered off toward a nearby water trough (only to hiss when the water steamed around him), and I stayed behind with Lysera and Nivara near the inn's cobblestone wall.
I sat down, laying my battered sword across my knees. The blade was heavily damaged, the edge chipped and marred by the battle at the spring. "This sword won't last another fight in this condition."
Lysera knelt beside me, examining it closely. "It's suffered too much for steel this young. You'll need more than a simple repair."
Nivara traced her fingertips over the glowing Codex. "Perhaps now is the time to awaken what lies within the Chronicle itself. The ancient spirit's blessing still lingers, Master. You only need to call upon it."
I looked between them. "Then, what should I do?"
Lysera's eyes softened. "We summon Rynveil."
I blinked. "Rynveil?"
"The Runeforge Pageborn," Nivara explained. "A craftsman of divine skill. He forges through runes, binding soul to steel. His summoning cost, however, is immense."
I nodded once, resolute. "Then I'll do it."
The Codex hummed as I laid my hand upon it. Nivara and Lysera channeled their mana into the book, runes spiraling into the air around us. The symbols glowed with fire, light, and metal, melding together in a rhythm that made the air itself vibrate.
I read aloud the runes as they appeared on the page: "Through runes I bind, through fire I temper, through steel I wield the forge breathes power into the weapon. From here forth, I summon Rynveil, Pageborn the Grand Master of Runeforge!"
The air thickened with heat and magic. Sparks floated like fireflies, and the faint scent of molten metal filled the alley.
A deafening stomp shook the ground. Rynveil materialized not with a polite bow or flash of light but in mid-swing, hammer raised high, muscles taut, veins glowing faintly with magic.
Everyone's eyes met, then silence.
"Oi! What the?!" Rynveil shouted, spinning to glare at Lysera and Nivara. "Do you have any idea what I was dealing with? I'm in the middle of perfecting my Forgecrafting, and you just zap me here?!"
He sighed heavily, then stomped his left foot on the cobblestone as the ground trembled with the emergence of a magical forge. "Fine, fine. Let's get this over with."
The forge erupted around him instantly, molten fire and magical flames spinning, hammers hovering midair, anvils floating on heat-waves. Sparks cascaded in every direction, colliding with the walls and floor, leaving fleeting scorch marks on the stone.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
His hammer fell repeatedly on the floating blade, each strike sending arcs of molten metal and fire dancing across the alley. As he continued banging a sword with his mystical rune hammer, runes carved glowing brighter with every hit on the blade, absorbing the energy like it had a heartbeat of its own.
Rynveil raised an eyebrow at Lysera. "So what now? Why did you call me out here and whose this weak-looking lad?" He jabbed, pointing at me using his hammer.
"Oy! You damn smith! Watch your mouth! Don't you dare mock Master Kinon in front of us!" Lysera shouted, drawing her rapier, stance sharp.
Nivara's hands blazed faintly with controlled fire, her eyes narrowing.
"It's okay, both of you," I said, stepping forward calmly.
"Huh?!" Rynveil replied, confused.
I approached the floating blade, embers flickering on my shoulders. "I'm Kinon, the new keeper of the Codex," I said, voice steady.
Rynveil's hammer rose and fell again with perfect rhythm, arcs of fire leaping like miniature lightning strikes, sparks flying. "Hmph… very well. Let's see if this lad can handle the energy of the forge without getting himself fried or crushed. Focus, heat, runes… precision… power. That's the dance of creation!"
I held the Codex close, watching Rynveil hammer the floating blade, absorbing every spark, every strike. I have to keep up… I have to learn. This is perfection in motion.
Rynveil glanced at Lysera and Nivara, a teasing edge in his voice despite the fury in his eyes. "You two summoned me at the worst possible moment. You enjoy watching me sweat and curse at the same time, huh?"
Lysera held her ground, smirking faintly. "We merely knew the forge would demand your full attention. It is why we called you, Master Rynveil. Kinon is ready to wield this weapon."
Rynveil's hammer rose and fell repeatedly, each strike echoing with metallic clang, hissing molten sparks, shaping the blade as if breathing a soul into it.
Finally, Rynveil paused, hammer resting on his shoulder, sweat and soot streaked across his face. He surveyed me and the floating blade. "Alright, lad. You may call yourself the new keeper of the Codex… but this forge doesn't forgive mistakes. Treat it and me with respect. Now… let's see what you can do."
I gripped the hilt of the blade, heat and power radiating through my arms. Tauren flicked his stubby tail, glowing brighter with each pulse of the runes. Lysera's eyes gleamed with approval, and Nivara's lips curved into a faint, satisfied smile.
The forge crackled and roared around us. The pulse of power, steel, and magic was alive. And so was the journey ahead.
But as the last echoes of the forge faded, a new sound cut through the night air. A sharp, panicked voice.
"What in the blazes was that?!"
A stout woman with fiery red hair, her face smudged with soot, stormed into the alley. It was Elaina, the owner of the inn we met earlier before. Her eyes darted between the remnants of the magical forge, Rynveil, and our group. "I saw it all from my window! A giant forge just appeared in my backyard! What have you done to my inn?!"
Lysera's hand instinctively went to the hilt of her rapier. Nivara's expression remained serene, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
I, still gripping the reforged blade, felt a surge of anxiety. This was not how we needed to start our stay in this town.
"Well?" Elaina demanded, her voice rising. "Someone better start explaining before I call the guards!"
I looked at Lysera and Nivara, a silent question in my eyes. What should we do? How could we explain the unexplainable without causing more trouble?