Not only did the runes need to be carved all at once, the lines needed to be sufficiently deep, straight and consistent. The slightest deviation in width, depth or length would lead to suboptimal performance at best and complete failure at worst. With basic materials this is fine, as the metal can be reused. Gaeldir however did heavily reinforce the fact that better, stronger materials can rarely be reused without loss in some way, ensuring he knew the importance of sufficient care.
It took Ryke half an hour alone to finish the first rune on the dagger, to which his Instructor quickly tossed it in the trash, citing it took too long for such a basic rune and he still failed; ignoring that Ryke didn’t even know what the rune was. He carved the rune again, and again, and then again. Not once did he do it sufficiently fast enough for Gaeldir, and when he was fast enough he plainly made too many mistakes. His face was pale by the time their session was over for the day. Only at the end was he told the rune meant ‘Durable’. It was mixed with many different lines simply meant for carrying vitality, which is why he didn’t recognize it.
Every rune also needed a supply of vitality to function and the more ‘storage’ runes one can fit within other runes would increase the amount it can store and handle- whilst also increasing the strength of the rune. Eventually, Ryke learned, storage runes were often carved within the metal which allowed more runes on its surface. Why this was a common practice, was something he didn’t know.
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“So.. why are we going to the armoury?”
Lycus, Caius and Ofrir all groaned as Ryke asked yet another question, giving eachother looks of dismay as they tried to figure out who would answer it this time. They had been told by older candidates that at any point in time, one can redeem a suit of armour from the Ludus for their training years. Most just didn’t know or didn’t have a reason to go get their own, but Lycus immediately made a point of grabbing their suit before going underground when Ryke told him.
Of course, Ryke told his other acquaintances too, trusting that they wouldn’t send the whole First Year into a panic and letting them get a headstart in their preparations. He just didn’t understand why they all wanted their armour so early.
“Because we need armour?” An exhausted Caius replied, fiddling with his tower shield as he begged for help with his eyes. It was his turn to explain.
“But we have a couple months!”
“Yes, to learn how to fight with armour on.”
“It’s different than fighting without?”
“Yes.”
They pushed open the large, ash grey wooden doors of the armoury and exposed themselves to the heavy scent of rust and iron, mixed in with charcoal and oil. A few young men scattered around on the inside, carrying weapons and armour wrapped in cloth to different places in the hall, as well as many rooms and hallways down the side. Echoes of hammers against metal rang down the halls and the heat seared their skin; an assault on all their senses.
Inside the hall itself was a very pleasant environment. Many exquisite suits of armor and weapons were encased in glass and the especially expensive ones seemed encased in resin. A few older students were present talking about the legends behind each piece, while some apparently were negotiating with what looked like a shopkeeper.
It was all very loud and clustered, the youths standing there stunned at the sight. No other place within the Ludus seemed so busy. Everywhere else felt so strict, harsh and unyielding. Dull greys and lifeless sand in nearly every room. The armoury seemed so lively that they couldn’t quite believe it. It didn’t take long for a boy only slightly older than themselves to come by and introduce himself.
“Good evening. Have you all come by to make a selection?”
Caius nodded whilst looking around, a little nervous at the prospect of taking these high quality items. Instead, he looked down at the boy and asked if they had anything a little lower in standard. An expression of understanding appeared on the shophand before he led them down another side hall to a warehouse filled to the brim and a lot less orderly than the main hall.
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An incredible amount of armour lied within. Tossed on the floor in piles like junk. Some of the pieces here might be life saving for ordinary legionnaires, but they were nearly unusable for Centurions. There were lone breastplates, whole suits of leather armour, chainmail and plate mail. It was really up to whatever the user wanted- which Ryke had never thought about. The rest had been talking the whole time about their thoughts- Lycus wanted something lightweight but metal, something that would probably be classified between light and heavy armour. Caius, the fortress that he was, wanted the sturdiest plate he could find. It was just Ofrir that wanted something light if he could find it.
The group dispersed to look for their respective choices which left Ryke to wander through the warehouse alone, picking up pieces and checking them out as he did. Light armour was out of the question, but he didn’t want something so heavy and so encompassing that his movements weren’t still flexible- Sigmar engraved that into his mind. He needed to be flexible. But he was also strong, and vitality only capitalised on that so he wanted something that made use of his strength.
Eventually he found a set of armour he quite liked. It was plate, but it wasn’t bulky and actually rather sleek. The joints would be protected by chain mail and he wouldn’t have to worry about being weighed down or constricted by it. The only issue was it didn’t fit. He grinned when the shophand told him he could get a similar set made custom fit for only a few Argent.
Deciding to spend some money on himself, he used some of the extra cash he made recently and quickly found himself in a wild process of being measured. The smith in charge even had the forethought to account for future growth in height. It was only after a few minutes of profuse thanks did they finally manage to remove Ryke from the armoury, his good mood unstoppable.
For now.
“You chose your armour already?”
Ryke was unsettled by the grin that quickly spread across Sigmar’s face. He had been excited to get his own custom fit armor, and quickly told both instructors. Gaeldir didn’t seem to care much, but he Lanista..
“Great! I can add something new to the training.”
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It didn’t take long for Ryke to receive his new armour, and he quickly figured out what Sigmar meant by ‘something new’. He was forced to run around in the armour to get used to the weight, whilst also having to resist his Instructor’s blows. The man wanted him to shift and maneuver with the armour on in ways to deflect the blows the most efficiently- but most of the time he’d simply get so hard he was sent tumbling to the ground in a pile of metal.
“Deflect it!”
A staff came piercing towards his stomach and he pivoted his leg and turned. The weapon connected but slid along the slightly curved surface of the breastplate, allowing Ryke to redirect most of the force into the ground beneath him. Sweat rolled down his face and into his mouth as he breathed, stinging his eyes. The boy struggled to breath within his helm, and the heat from the outside air threatened to meld the armour to his skin permanently.
He had barely seen the nod of approval from Sigmar when the other end of the staff came around and smashed the side of his head, rattling the helmet and knocking him flat on the ground. His head was dazed, nausea filled his stomach and vomit threatened to pour from his mouth.
A familiar taste burned through his mind after he felt a bottle pressed to his lips and the pain went away within a minute, opening his eyes to the sight of Sigmar once again feeding him some weird thing.
“W-what’s in that bottle?”
He only received more of the substance in response, a rare moment of respite and relaxation whilst under the Lanista’s tutelage. Soon after, he was pulled back to his feet feeling as good as new. Ryke even felt better than he did before getting his head nearly knocked clean off.
“You could call it an Elixir.”
“An elixir?”
“Made by herbalists, yes.”
Sigmar quickly closed the bottle, visibly worried leaving it open would somehow damage it, and put it back on his belt. It was valuable enough to treat carefully,but evidently not too valuable as to not carry it around wherever he went.
“You students will each get a lesser bottle when you enter the Aenebra, but that is the only time you will receive something similar for free.”
“Is it rare?”
“It can be.”
Ryke didn’t have the time to ask another question, the end of a staff speeding towards him once more as his Instructor started the lesson once again, doing his best to maximize the efficiency of this hellish training. The youth swore he could see a manic smile on the man’s face as he took hit after hit for the rest of the day. He went home covered in bruises and muscle aches, his only comfort being the stone Taura in his arms.