I didn’t know what to expect from enchantments class, but all four of my roommates had taken it, and apart form Ellaazi who gave nothing of her feelings away, they all seemed to enjoy it.

  We entered a more traditional classroom, with rows of tables and benches rather than an auditorium for a lecture. I followed the four of them to their customary seats at the back of the class, and we chatted while the class filled up.

  Once every seat in the room was taken, a surprisingly unkempt Archon entered the room. He looked about as disheveled an Archon as I’d ever seen.

  Name: Linus Mornar

  Title: Master of Enchantments Irala Academy

  Level: 35

  Class: Mage /Tradesman

  “Morning class,” he said, dumping the bags and satchels he carried onto the table. “Late night in the lab last night, so if you will, excuse my appearance.”

  “What were you doing, Master Mornar?” one of the Archons asked with unusual formality.

  He smiled at the student. “You know I can’t say, Rohan. But if the Xeo do make a return, then we have a few new surprises lined up for them. Now, I believe we have a new class member joining us today.” He scanned the room, looking along the back row until his eyes landed on me.

  “Ah, Mr. Henshaw! Would you care to introduce yourself to the class? I know you’ll have already done so in a few of the other classes by now, but this is one of the more heavily attended, and I’m sure we’re all intrigued to hear a little about you.”

  Funny how I could step in a ring to fight and feel very little fear, yet the thought of introducing myself in this den of snakes had my heart sinking and my stomach doing cartwheels. As all those Archon heads turned to stare at me, my skin crawled. But what choice did I have now?

  “Hello, everybody, I’m Adam Henshaw. Nice to meet you all.”

  “Is that it?” the teacher asked. “Surely even an unknown from a dross portal can do better than that.”

  “What would you like to know?”

  “Where are you from? How did you work your way into our fine institution. What are your hopes and dreams?”

  “I’m a trained fighter and more recently a soldier from the planet Earth. Unalaran Hunters attacked our planet and I was kidnapped. They decided that I had base stats that would allow me to become a Warrior Mage, so they sold me to the House of Garazal, so here I am. My dream is to go back home, but as the portal only opens once every fifty years and only for about sixty days, I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.”

  “Oh no!” he said, jovially slapping the desk. “It will be a long time before you see your home again, so it’s good to seeing you immerse yourself in our academy. I believe you are the first Earther I have ever taught.” He rubbed his chin and looked off into the air wistfully. “Perhaps the first I’ve ever met. Though if you say we only have limited access to your world every fifty years, then I suppose that’s not too surprising.”

  “I suppose not,” I agreed, wishing the conversation would end.

  “Good.” It was abrupt, but it sounded as though the ordeal was almost over. “It is a great honor to serve an Archon house, and House of Garazal is one of the strongest, and vital for the safety of the Union as a whole.”

  “Would you find it a great honor to be kidnapped and taken away from your home? To fight in somebody else’s war?” I don’t know why I said it. I was supposed to be smiling and keeping my head down. Stupid mouth!

  The veneer of bumbling professor disappeared to be replaced with the classic Archon sneer, full of arrogant superiority. “It’s hardly the same thing. We are Archons. We are the most powerful race in the universe. With that title comes a certain amount of responsibility and expectation. We are the ones that raise others up.”

  “Raise others up,” I repeated. I didn’t know what else to say.

  Thankfully, he took my reply as the answer he was looking for, as people often do when they’re self-obsessed assholes. Then with a few lingering stares from Archon classmates, the lesson finally got underway.

  It began with a box from under his desk which he handed to the student on the far left at the front. “Take one and pass it on.”

  I watched carefully as the student dug his hand into the box and took out a small metal rod. He slid the box to the next Archon and so on until the box landed on my desk. I fished out another of the identical metal rods—completely smooth, dark gray metal that was cool to the touch, and tingled a little when I held it.

  “For those of you who don’t know,” the teacher said as the box reached Yoru. “Namely you, Adam. The rod in front of you is a Syphon rod. It’s core is made of electrum and is highly receptive to magical energy. The outer skin is made from bismuth, essential for containing said energy. I don’t expect you to etch today, but pay attention. Familiarize yourself with the Syphon rod and learn your runes and sigils.”

  I nodded, partially relieved that I wouldn’t be pushed straight in at the deep end. That was at least one plus for Master Mornar.

  “Our process in this class is as follows. We have a list of enchantments that you must learn. You will learn it first by studying the written form, then by reproducing the form exactly. Once achieved, you may attempt to etch the form on this rod.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  He turned from mainly focusing on me to taking in the whole class with a sweeping gaze. “Could everyone please remove your drawing pads and your copy of the Runes and Rituals Grimoire from your desks. Turn to page sixty-three.”

  A symphony of drawers sliding open and slamming shut filled the room.

  “Today’s lesson will be centered on Radiant Glow. An excellent enchantment with multiple purposes. This enchantment will produce a bright light and considerable warmth, if required. Study the rune for a few moments to allow it to marinate in your minds. Once you are certain you have acknowledged its form with your eyes and your mind, begin to illustrate its form.”

  Page sixty-three had two runes. The first was of light, with three small spirals and five straight lines stretching out like the rays of the sun. The warmth glyph consisted of four vertically inscribed wavy lines, encapsulated by a circle.

  Ressa, Torma, and Yoru got straight to work copying the symbol. Ellaazi stared a hole into the diagram as if it had done her personal harm.

  Should probably get on with your own work, I scolded internally and set pencil to paper.

  No sooner as I started copying the runes than heads across the class began to rise from their bowed concentration.

  A glance to my right showed Torma and Ressa both already finished, and to my left, Yoru with a beautifully drawn rune of Warmth. Ellaazi was still scribbling furiously, but for some reason, that didn’t make me feel any better.

  How long had it been since I’d drawn anything? I’d probably been about ten at best and had never been great. This class was starting to look as though it would be hell for me.

  A few minutes later, the whole class, bar me and Ellaazi were finished, and the Master cleared his throat.

  “Perfect. I think we’re ready to start inscribing our focus sigils.” He looked at me. “Adam. I must apologize for the overload of information as you attempt to catch up. Focus sigils are a small set of runes etched into either side of the Syphon rod. They act as both a conduit and key. They dictate who is able to activate the enchantment and transmit the required mana from the user.”

  I nodded, so many questions in my mind but unwilling to ask any and make myself the center of attention once again. Luckily, he liked the sound of his own voice and continued.

  “We will be making the Radiant Glow rods with open runes which allow anyone to use them.” He tapped his own copy of the grimoire. “You will find those on page five. I do not expect you to master all of this today, but please copy the runes as best you can and take them with you to study.”

  I leafed back to page five and read what it had to say.

  ‘Open Focus sigil. Designed for enchantments and equipment with a low mana requirement.’

  It meant very little to me, and I found myself listening to the Master again.

  “Can everyone else please remove the powdered Moonstone and fill up your etching pens. Remember, once you start, focus on your intent and force your will into the runes as you inscribe them. The stronger your will, the more effective the enchantment will be.”

  I saw the etching pens, like chunky fountain pens, made with a metal that shone all the colors of the rainbow. Each student poured a glittering white dust from a small ceramic pot with spout. I wanted to be involved. This was starting to look cool.

  After twenty minutes and a half dozen attempts at drawing the focus sigil, my attention wandered over to where Ressa worked.

  Her hands moved with mesmerizing confidence. Using swift, precise movements, the dull gray rod was turning into a thing of beauty with the delicate white details now engraved in the surface.

  I checked on Torma next, and had to do a double take. He had already finished his and was cleaning the pen. To my other side, Yoru was still busy. He had a long way to go still but his movements, while slow, were meticulous and inevitable.

  Ellaazi was even further back than Yoru, and the only inevitable thing I saw in that terrified mess was coming failure as she tried to carve the first rune of the focus sigil.

  “Okay,” the teacher announced. “It appears that over ninety percent of the class is finished, and I hardly think it’s fair you have to wait longer for the incompetence of others. So for you fine students, we will begin to imbue your runes. Choose your activation words for each function, and allow them to be used independently of each other and with a thought.”

  “What are you supposed to do here?” I asked Ressa, curious about what they were doing.

  She ignored me, clearly trying to focus on her work. I felt guilty for interrupting her, but was soon distracted by Torma slamming his rod down.

  “What’s the matter? Did it not work?”

  “Of course it bloody worked,” he snapped. “I’d be outcast from the Grunir race if I couldn’t enchant a simple little Syphon Rod with heat and light.”

  I eyed the detailed rod with envy, wanting to see what it did and doubly wanting the skills for myself. He obviously wasn’t going to show me though as he sat bolt upright and stared at the front in stark contrast of his demeanor in Siege Craft.

  Before long, almost everyone had imbued their rods with energy, meaning it was time for the teacher to walk around and inspect their work.

  I saw as each rod flared to life, with a bright, white light at the teacher’s command. I probably should have been practicing drawing still, but I was intrigued. And then I was burning.

  All had been calm, so where the blast of heat had come from I didn’t know. And once I realized my arm was on fire, I didn’t care. Ellaazi screamed, Torma roared, Yoru fell off his chair, and Ressa’s hands glowed. Blue magic spilled from them and washed over my arm like cool water, but without the wet.

  Master Mornar was shouting and marching toward the back of the class. “Ellaazi! What are you doing back there?”

  “I don’t know what I did wrong!” she shouted back. Fear turned to anger and embarrassment. “I copied them exactly. I just...” She looked at her big hands. “I just don’t think I’ve got the dexterity for this.”

  “What kind of attitude is that, girl? If you haven’t got the dexterity, then you develop the dexterity. You need to practice, practice, practice. This weekend, in the free study time, I want to see you here, carving and carving the focusing sigil and the runes for Radiant Glow. I will leave a stack of paper, a box of pencils and 30 Syphon rods for you to practice on, and you shall not leave this room until you have perfected the enchantment. Do you understand?”

  Her head dropped, all trace of anger gone. “Yes, Master. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. Just get it right, girl. Did everyone else get it right?”

  A cascade of affirmatives answered him.

  “Perfect. I look forward to moving to our next lesson.” His eyes landed on me, and he picked up my drawings. His face soured, and he shook his head as he leafed through them.

  I wanted to explain that the earlier ones were obviously not as good, but then I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he’d understand that without it being explained. I hoped.

  He finally passed them back. “Your focusing glyphs are acceptable, if barely, but they would work. Your fire rune is also bordering on adequate. But your light rune would never hold.”

  He paused and rubbed his chin. “It might be a good idea for you to join Ellaazi on free day. I will leave Syphon rods for you too. Work on all the runes, but especially the fire rune, and hopefully by next lesson, you can keep up with the class.”

  “I’d be happy to,” I replied. The truth was that I wanted to learn to enchant in case Ressa’s portal fell through and I had to learn how to make my own. “But sadly, I’m already booked out on my free day from my martial arts class.”

  “I see. And was there a time specified for how long you needed to train?”

  “Three hours,” Aeloria said from the front of the class. “Starting right after breakfast. He will be available for enchantments after that.”

  “Good, good,” the teacher said. Then he looked to Ellaazi. “It might be better if you come when Adam comes on free day, so you can confer notes.”

  She nodded. “Yes, Master, of course.”

  He set off back to the front of the classroom, looking pleased with himself. “Well done everyone else. As always, perfect, Torma. The sooner we have you in the enchantment rooms of the Union, the better, I think. That is all for today. I will see you same time next cycle.”