Chapter 52: Inscription

Instructor Victoria strode to the front of the classroom, her violet robes swirling with every step.

The room fell silent as her gaze swept through the gathered students. She paused for a moment raising her brows in mild surprise as she mentally counted everyone present.

"Well," she said, clasping her hands behind her back. "It seems I've underestimated y'all a lot. Not a single one of you has dropped yet. I guess you're more determined than I thought."

A murmur rippled through the room, as the students felt proud and recognized their will to still remain here.

Instructor Victoria stepped forward, her mouth widening as she continued.

"Now, before we move on, I need to know— did you all manage to draw the basic runes like I said? Or should I start sending you packing out of here by myself?"

Several heads nodded in response, affirming that they had done so.

"Good," Victoria said with a slight smile. "I'm pleased."

She began walking down the rows, stopping to check each student's work one by one.

Her sharp eyes scrutinized the drawn runes, making sure the students had drawn it almost perfectly.

Once Victoria finished her inspection, she returned to the front of the room, standing tall and proud.

"Well then," she began. "Now that you've all successfully drawn the basic runes, it's time we move forward. Drawing runes is an essential skill, but it's only the beginning. Today, we'll take the next step. You'll learn how to make runes— how to truly inscribe them so they can channel function."

She paused, letting her words sink before continuing, "To do that, you'll need something special. The basic rune drawing you've been practicing is nothing more than an outline.

To make real runes, you should use an inscription pen." Victoria held up a sleek, slender pen-like tool, its tip was lustrous and looked extremely sharp and pointed as well.

"This is an inscription pen. Unlike regular pens or markers, this tool adds depth to the lines and curves of your runes. Depth is key because it provides the necessary channels for mana to flow through."

She tapped the pen against her palm. "It's not compulsory to use an inscription pen. Any tool capable of inscribing, carving, or even creating holes on a surface can be used to make runes. However, the pen makes the process far more efficient, and it offers better control, especially for beginners like yourself."

Kyle paid close attention. He knew this was bound to be more challenging, unlike the drawings. He had never carved before and was eager to try it out.

He used the side of his eyes to glance at Lora who sat beside him, as expected she was taking notes already, scribbling in her magnificent handwriting.

'I wonder what she's writing,' Kyle thought, focusing his attention back on the Instructor.

"To demonstrate," Victoria continued, walking to the far end of the classroom where a large, plain white wall stood. "I'll show you the difference."

The class watched as she approached the wall, her inscription pen held firmly in her hand.

She raised it to the surface and began to draw slowly, the room was soon filled with the soft, steady sound of the pen scratching against the wall's surface.

Kyle's eyes followed the lines she was drawing, recognizing the familiar shape of the fire rune, but this time, it was different.

The rune was being carved into the wall, not just drawn. The lines weren't flat but had a slight depth, like shallow grooves etched into the surface. Sёarch* The nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Victoria worked slowly enough for everyone to observe... But her slowness was impossibly fast for the students, and she stepped back from the wall after a moment, admiring her work.

"Now, come take a closer look."

The students moved to the front of the classroom, gathering around to inspect the rune.

Kyle could immediately see what she meant—the lines had some depth, barely a few millimeters, but enough to make a difference. The rune wasn't just a drawing; it had substance.

"You'll notice the grooves," Victoria said, pointing to the etched lines. "That depth allows the rune to hold something. And that something is—?"

"Mana!" the students completed her sentence, proving that they were paying attention.

Kyle leaned closer, fascinated. The fire rune was right when drawn on paper, but seeing it inscribed in this way made it feel more powerful— like it was ready to come to life.

"Yes, Mana," Victoria nodded her head, confirming their answer. "For a rune to work, it needs mana. Mana is the fuel that powers the rune's effect. When inscribed properly, these grooves or pathways act as channels for mana to flow through, activating the rune."

She turned back to the rune on the wall and raised her hand. "Watch closely."

The room fell silent as Victoria placed her palm against the rune. Kyle could feel the energy shift in the air as she channeled her mana to it.

Slowly, the rune began to glow—a faint, warm red at first, but quickly growing brighter. The warmth spread through the room, and Kyle could feel the heat radiating from the rune.

The fire rune had come alive.

Victoria turned to face the class, her hand still pressed against the glowing symbol.

"Notice the glow, the warmth. This is what happens when mana is channeled through a properly inscribed rune.

The intensity of the effect—the heat, the light—depends on several factors: the type of rune, the size of the rune, the material it's inscribed on, and most importantly, the quality of the mana used to activate it."

She stepped away and disabled the Rune, letting its glow slowly fade until the room returned to its previous temperature.

"For now," Victoria said, breaking the silence in the class. "Your task is to learn how to channel mana through runes like this one. Mana is the lifeblood of all rune work. Without it, a rune is just an empty symbol. You can use a mana core too, but it is too expensive and you haven't reached that level yet. But for today's lesson, I'll show you how to channel your mana into a rune."

The students listened intently as Victoria went into detail, explaining the process of controlling their mana flow, directing it toward the rune, and ensuring the pathways in the rune were properly filled. It wasn't just about dumping mana into the rune— it required precision and balance.

"Channel too much mana," she warned. "And the rune will overcharge, either burning out or exploding in the worst-case scenario. Too little, and the rune won't activate at all."

Kyle nodded, absorbing the information. He was eager to try it for himself, but he knew it wasn't going to be easy.

Drawing runes had been one thing. Inscribing them would be another thing.

She dismissed the class after giving everyone an Inscription pen, leaving them with her words.

"The Rune inscriptions won't be a hassle for you, once you've known how to draw them. But for channeling your mana, I want you to practice.

Trial and error is key to learning, find the perfect balance of mana and what you've drawn. I'll see how far you go tomorrow."