Runes. Milo was thinking about runes.

His valiant scouts had saved him from being stuck in the infirmary for three days. It had been a close race, barely getting him to safety before Gendifur investigated his latest mishap. It had been a bumpy and painful journey, but now he was in his favorite spot and could nap, read, and think about things while he recovered. Laying in a bed in the infirmary would have driven him insane with boredom, and like any sane person, he wanted distance between himself and the healer's needles.

When he napped, he got things done in the real world, and when he slept in the pod, he read in the little library at the top of the tower. Tea and snacks appeared as needed, and he was comfortable as long as he didn't move around much. The mace had fried him good on the inside.

He suspected the screwdriver was the mace, just different forms of the same handy tool. It was a mystery that he wanted to solve. That someone had used powerful magic and Ancient Runes to make a weapon was expected. In a world where creatures still fought in hand-to-hand combat, there would always be a call for sharper swords and maces that crushed skulls. But this one turned into a screwdriver...

A screwdriver made of an unknown metal by someone who understood Ancient Runes was a frightening and exciting thought. A mace was boring; you just killed people. But a screwdriver was a tool for working on machinery, putting things together, making adjustments, or fine-tuning a mechanical system. A mace was boring; it was the screwdriver that was dangerous. Milo wanted to see a mechanical system that used ancient runes. He wanted to work on it and find out its secrets. The screwdriver might be a clue to finding such a thing.

Or it might lead to getting his body deep-fried again. He needed to be careful. The threat of the large nurse tying him down until he healed was always there. He wouldn't do more than observe the odd tool until he fully recovered. Even looking at it gave him a headache. The runes in the device were more active. They were a mix of Ancient Runes and the more modern runes governed by the system. He identified a dwarven engineering rune that governed the rotation of a shaft. It was appropriate for a screwdriver but linked to other runes he didn't understand. The pain in his head convinced him that he should take a break. His danger sense was also tingling...or maybe that was his nerves regenerating after being fried?

His system-based skill for Identification worked poorly on the strange tool. It only told him what he saw or what the system thought the item's history was. In the case of the mace, it had told him it was a weapon used in many wars. His skill told him, 'Old, magic screwdriver for turning old screws.' Milo didn't need to be told that it was old and, like the great beasts, predated the system. He had a theory that the system didn't understand the older runes he'd found in the bones of the Great Beasts. It simply referred to them as Ancient Runes and didn't work with them well. He suspected that was why it had been so hard to inscribe a Velocity Rune onto Captain Pike's Harpoon and what caused the feedback that had injured him.

The ordeal of breaking his magic had been painful. And being caged by the slaver mage had infuriated him. One of the benefits (not least of which was blowing the asshole up) of surviving the situation was gaining an understanding of the Ancient Runes. Or at least being able to see them. Understanding might take time and study. Luckily, he had a perfect spot for it in the library and access to many materials.

Since he had the time, Milo decided to do an in-depth study of the runes he had access to. He knew very few Ancient Runes, but each was quite potent.

Swift-Swimming was very similar to the Velocity rune. He wondered about the differences and how they changed the rune. Velocity had come from Volat-Repat. Milo was sure the amazingly fast-flying beast utilized the rune for movement in the void. His huge body couldn't be held aloft by the six tiny wings. Most likely, they were used for stability and direction.

Hard-Bones and Sharp-Claws had a lot in common. Both increased the density of parts of his body. Likewise, Sundering and Destruction had common pieces. Milo's theory was that the Ancient Runes were built with machine code representing fundamental forces of the world: Friction, density, velocity, acceleration, and energy. This made them much more potent than the runes that the system oversaw. Also, much more dangerous to deal with.

Newer runes, which he considered System Runes, came in many styles. At first, he had thought the differences were just superficial, like using a different language, but the more he researched, the more he doubted that early theory. His research in the Engineering Outpost, The Tower of Strife, and Cichol's Arcane Library revealed many different types of runes used by the System. He wasn't happy with how many different ways the word 'Rune' was used. This was no way to run a magic system. He liked each word to have a definition and each definition to have a word. But he found examples of writing in 'Elder Elvish Runes' that looked pretty but weren't magical at all, and the book with the writing turned out to be a torrid dwarf/elf romance. Many of the 'Runic scripts' were just fancy ways of saying 'the old alphabet with no magical uses.

Dwarves had several types of magical runes and a more straightforward non-magical script called 'runic.' He appreciated that they separated their runes into different categories. There were Weapon Runes to put on weapons, Armor Runes on armor and shields, and Engineering Runes for war machines and industrial machines. The most tightly guarded runes were those used in the magic-tech devices some engineers delved into. He thought he would return to the Outpost if things were settled in the Hollow. There was a lot of rebuilding, and with everything torn up, he could see examples of how they used runes in the construction. Milo was happy to see that dwarves differentiated and defined their system so that it made sense.

He had examples of Elvish Runic Script. Arlothe had said it was used to record rituals and long spells, the flowing runes giving the knowledge to use a spell correctly, including pronunciation of each syllable and how to sing the notes. Without more information, the elvish spells would be disastrous, so they were set aside for now. Draconic Runes were mentioned in two books, with three examples: Fire, Desolation, and Gold. The Draconic Runes had a primal potency to them. The book had dire warnings not to attempt to use them and some nice pictures of burning wizards who had tried. The Draconic Fire Rune had a chapter all to itself and a lovely full-page example printed in red inks and gold leaf. He almost felt the rune in his mind as if it wanted to leap off the page. The book had a warning about only studying part of the rune at a time, but of course, that was in the back of the book, in the end notes. How typical. Milo shut the book. He wasn't going to risk burning his favorite chair.

But it did remind him of something. He had a Ruby in his chest that was described as a Live Gem. He retrieved it and examined it again. The lights and fire in the gem moved in patterns, forming and re-forming. He pulled a tattered copy of Berkhauser's Compendium of Magical Oddities from a high shelf. He'd seen something in it before. The illustration was of a diamond, but the description mentioned many gems. Sadly, someone had torn out some of the images. '....phires being the most common. And from the Planes of Fyre and Smoke, Elven Wind Ships have brought back living gems imbued with the essence of fire. They are ideal for some purposes, their energies easily holding sympathetic runes. Care must be taken not to....' Milo cursed the book defiler. He would have to find a complete copy of the book somewhere. Elven Wind Ships? He wanted to see one. Would Onyx know about them? He was an elf that flew airships? Could they go to other planes? He had thoughts about the Draconic Rune and the Live Gem, but they could wait until he was healed and could get ahold of a Dwarven Environmental Suit.

Cremona had been kind enough to give him a book of heavy parchment sheets that could be used to copy runes from other sources. It took careful study, first to memorize the rune and then hours of painstaking work to copy each line while holding the magical construct within your mind. Once the rune was copied to his book, she instructed him to clear his mind, wipe away the rune, or use it in a spell. Too many runes could put a strain on a mage's mind. The two Master Mages were generous with their knowledge and passed on to him a collection of runes they had collected. Some of them were small concepts meant to be used to construct spells and larger runes. Others mirrored a type of magic. Poison, Spark, Lux, Tenebrae, Fire, and Lightning were the ones he dealt with first. The differences between Spark and Lightning were interesting. He could see that the structure of Spark appeared several times in Lightning. Arlothe also presented him with a Storm Rune but cautioned him to first practice with more minor runes. Storm was another step up from the rune of Lightning and needed a steady and experienced hand to copy it. He promised that if Tallsqueak found it beyond him, he would copy it to the book himself when he had a few hours free. He also presented Tallsqueak with a book. Basics of Runic Lore and how to construct your first staff.

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Milo noticed that the author was Arlothe himself. "This is a basic text I give to all of our students. All of them want a wand or staff, and this way, they can at least make something that probably won't explode the first time they use it. A bit of cut glass with the Spark Rune carved into it, and a stout bit of gnarl root gives them a basic tool to wave around. Most of them immediately start asking questions and experimenting further. Saves me a lot of time teaching the basic class later on when they learn things themselves."

Later, as Milo was thinking about simple ways to use runes, he thought back to Arlothe's words, and he became curious about how each student had constructed their early wands and where they had gone from there. He needed more information...

Two brave scouts were dispatched to find paper, paint, and brushes. Milo made a dozen posters the scouts put up in different parts of the tower.

Extra Credit Research Project!

Assist Professor Tallsqueak in an exciting project on staff construction! All students are encouraged to bring their staves to Professor Tallsqueak and show him their construction and how they incorporated one or more runes into their designs. There are no wrong answers-Just different ways to do things!

All students in the project will be given a token for an extra dessert prepared by Cheese Master Smiley! At the end of the study, Professor Tallsqueak will hold a seminar on staff construction. Refreshments will be served.

A few students were suspicious, and all the rest laughed at them. Easy extra credit, free snacks, and a discussion on how to make better staves from one of the best duelists in the tower? What could be bad about all that? Students began lining up in the tower to sit down one by one with the Professor to show him their work. Many hadn't realized how many injuries the Professor had taken in the battle against the invaders. His assistants were happy to tell them the story and exaggerate their part.

Each student got some time with the Professor, who seemed interested in looking at even the most basic work a student had done. He sketched their work, examined their runes, and asked interesting questions. A dozen 3rd and 4th-year students were asked to return so the Professor could look at their most advanced work. They eyed the piles of notes and books and noted the gleam in the Professor's eyes. They all volunteered when he mentioned testing new theories in a few days. Not wanting to miss out, Arlothe brought in his collection of over a dozen staves and happily shared his memories of his days as a student when he had constructed them. He also was thrilled at the idea of some experiments.

Late in the night, with many thoughts whirling in his head, Milo took a small skull from his chest along with his carving tools. Moray of Clan Emerald Wyrm was watching intently. Patsy from Clan Puffyfur passed Moray a cookie. She'd brought the professor tea and cookies and stayed for the late-night class on rune carving. Working from the inside, Milo carved one Rune of Destruction. Then, on the outside of the skull, he wrote the rune for Ring in the looping script of the Elves. Interwoven with the Elvish rune, he carved three runes of Spark. Finally, he added a dwarven Engineering Rune of Controlled Explosions that was used to moderate the energy of explosions in a Type IV Blast Generator.

When he was done, he stopped to rest and explained what he was doing to the two students. He carefully omitted the description of the Rune of Destruction, referring to it as a Dwarven Blasting Rune. Which it could have been, but that would make his new spell far less effective. System runes just weren't as powerful as the Ancient Runes. The two students followed as best they could, nodding and trying not to ask questions as Professor Tallsqueak calmly talked about mixing different magics. The two shared a look of excitement. Many students had wanted to stay late, but the Professor had kept just the two of them, owing to the small library's size. His weary scouts had been sent to bed after a long day.

Patsy could barely hold her excitement. "But what will it do, Professor?"

The professor smiled. "That's why we experiment: to find out."

Milo wondered himself. "Moray? Can you check the window? Is anyone around the dueling grounds? And how difficult would it be to throw a small object down to that area?"

Moray opened the window. No one was near the five targets, dueling at night being against the rules. Several of the older professors needed their sleep if they were going to deal with the younger students the following day. "No one is there, professor, that I can see."

Professor Tallsqueak looked thoughtful. "Let's send down a warning shot then." He picked up another skull and carved a different set of runes. "This is a little tamer, with some of the same effects. Patsy? Would you please focus on hitting one of the targets? Feed a little magic to the central rune, and toss this down. Thank you."

Patsy took the skull and pushed an end table up to the window to stand on. She was a foot shorter than Moray and needed the height. "Like casting a spark spell, Professor?" Milo nodded. "Just like that." Patsy concentrated for a moment and then tossed the skull. It bounced on the ground, rolled to a post, and detonated. A small explosion blew some splinters from the post, and a glowing ring of sparks expanded from the center, going out ten feet before disbursing. Two students in the shadows jumped up with cries of surprise and raced for the tower door. Moray rolled his eyes. Patsy chuckled. Both had recognized Cordelia and Cutthroat.

Tallsqueak was making a quick sketch and taking notes. "A nice experiment and that should have cleared the area. Now for the real test. Take this skull, Moray, and feel for the central rune; it will be slightly different from what you are used to. It's fully charged and only needs a nudge to trigger it. You'll have three seconds to throw it. Patsy and I will stand by the door, just in case."

Moray swallowed hard but took the skull. Testing a new spell was a great honor, and his Clan was known for their bravery. He felt for the rune. A little different was an understatement. The rune was strange and complex, and he could barely recognize that it was there. What the hell was this? He made ready to throw and triggered the rune. The amount of power he held in his hand nearly made him drop the skull. He threw as quickly as he could. Patsy and the Professor raced to the window to observe. Moray's targeting was perfect, hitting the top of the center post. A loud explosion destroyed two feet of the post, leaving the rest of the area a smoking ruin. From the post, a ring of electrical energy rolled out, lighting up a quarter of the Hollow. The blast stopped at thirty feet and dispersed.

The two students stood still, stunned. Moray was glad he had thrown the skull as fast as he had. He liked having both hands. Professor Milo was writing and making a sketch. "I think that's enough excitement for the night. I'm sure both of you understand what to say to the Master Healer if she stops by?"

Patsy nodded. "Watched you eat the milk and cookies, and I slipped the sleeping powder into your milk."

Moray agreed. "He was snoring like a baby when someone from Clan Manticore tossed fireworks out a window."

Professor Tallsqueak settled himself into his comfy chair and nodded. "Thanks. You both were very helpful. I've got a lot more ideas we can test. I think this is just the start of something."

Something else agreed...as Milo faded off to sleep, a notification was added to his list. He'd find it the next day after he was done adding two new recipes to the food processor and repairing the air compressor that ran the pneumatic tube system for section E.

Professor Tallsqueak has rediscovered a part of The Unified Theory of Runic Magic.

Lore Skill: Ancient Rune Lore has reached Level 10

Skill: Runic Carving has reached Level 10

Lore Skill: Rune Lore has reached Level 7

Skill: Bone Carving has reached Level 10

Skill: Spell Construction has reached Level 3

Skill: Demolitions has reached level 5

Runic Spell: Minor Spell of Sparking Runed Skull has been discovered.

Ancient Runic Spell: Sparking Runed Skull has been discovered.

Two students stopped in the hallway beyond the library as both saw the same notification about gaining experience.

You have gained 500 experience in the Lore Skill: Rune Lore and 500 experience in INT.

You have gained 200 experience in the Skill: Spell Construction and 200 experience in INT.

Followed by a Tower Wide message.

Moray has earned Clan Emerald Wyrm 20 points for bravery in the face of impending doom.

Patsy has earned Clan Puffyfur 20 points for keeping Professor Tallsqueak from exerting himself.

Clan Manticore is fined 10 points for throwing fireworks at night.