The Runic Alchemist

"A sword that summons lighting..!! Goddamn lightning Maximus !! Isn't this exactly what I need for that elec-trnsinty thingy..?" Sam shouted excitedly in their room at the inn with the list in his hand. He was reading it for the 10th time now and Damian was very close to air tornado him out of the window.

"Yes.. Yes.. I know.. I saw it too.." Damian said annoyed.

"2500 credits.. Can I do that..? Can we really do that..?"

"Don't worry about it.. We will find a way.." Damian said to shut him up and let him focus on his runes.

"Now that's what I am talking about!! I knew I could trust you my brother.." Sam came really close behind him almost inches away from hugging him when Damian grabbed his face and threw him away on his bed.

"I am your brother now...?"

"Names are useless Maximus.. You waste too much time on semantics..." He said making a wise sagely face.

"Where did you even learn that word...?"

Damian focused on his research and ignored the overly happy fool. He may not know it but if they were to really aim for this Damian will work him like a rented mule. 2500 credits were not few at all. And of course there was the question of how they distributed the credits or who takes note of their achievement in such a busy and widespread war.

Even if they had a goal now, they couldn't make an efficient plan without having more information and facts. Damian continued doing his research long into the night even after Sam had finally tired out and fallen asleep. He was still hugging the list though and murmuring in his dreams as if it would get lost or something. Damian just sighed then smiled and just continued working some more.

For the rest of the week Sam and Damian did not go outside the city walls or follow any other kind of money making business related idea at all. Damian just strictly researched in his room and trained his spear and swordsmanship once he got too bored or too frustrated with certain problems. Damian had started to teach the overly excited fool some basic swordsmanship techniques and forms.

He might have leaned a spear better but considering the future when he would have to wield his lightning sword Damian taught him swordsmanship.

Once they were too bored and bruised of practicing or studying and writing they would go outside and explore the city of Pyrone. It was really big city and Damian and Sam had yet to see even 40% of it. There were no great historic sights or infamous structures about the city that were memorable except their unique style of housing but that thing was common in all of Eldoris kingdom.

The highlight if one could call it of this city was the huge hollow sea gate that was built on two nearby land points to trap the sea inside like an artificial lake, making it possible for the big ships to come near to the city and do trade with the rest of Eldoris.

And so just like that a whole week was gone and the day had finally come for them to enlist in the Eldoris royal army. Damian and Sam prepared themselves for the selection trial of the first ranker training camp and walked out of the main city gate. They had been here few days before too but now it looked completely unrecognizable.

Big camps were prepared here and there, a wide parameter was set all around the camp made of wood and vines on the white snow covered land and many smaller camps and other necessary temporary establishments were built and ready to use inside it.

There was also some use of the infamous wood style and some of the abandoned empty buildings which were here before were transformed into main offices and storage rooms and other important places. Some new wooden buildings were also created. If Damian knew this was going on here for the past week he would have come here to steal their wood style way earlier.

Well it wasn't too late, sooner or later they will need new buildings or some structural changes, he would have plenty of chances to steal at those moments.

Damian and Sam entered the camp through the guarded entrance and let one of the soldier in light clothes write their names and class. Sam had after a discussion between them decided to pretend he had spellsword class, since only difference in status was his Esper title, hiding his real status. Damian on the other hand also did not reveal his true class as Rune shaper and told them it was Spellsword.

They were told to gather in one part of the camp where other kids older or similar age as them were already standing in a group. They were rarely talking though, many had a guardian or adult with them, many were alone like Damian and Sam both of whom found a corner and just observed the knights, soldiers and many other civilians and workers going about their business in the huge army camp.

Finally after an hour or so they stopped taking any more names for today and gathered all of them around without their guardians.

A rough looking warrior in shiny armor and helmet came out of one of the camps with one Eldorian royal colored robe wearing mage guy and one amazingly fit looking woman who had minimum armor on giving more room to flexibility.

There were other assistants and workers too but these three were the main people here Damian guessed since all three were of second rank and the knight was even higher in that second rank standings. A pretty high leveled one, at least that's what his mana level indicated. He could be wrong though, just like he had been before.

The armored warrior stepped forward and spoke up loudly pointing at himself and outside of the camp where an organized pile of same sized stone slabs were gathered. Damian had already guessed what their tasks would be.

"Brave children of Eldoris! I am Valoris of house Kiyama, and with me are my companions Royce the golden mage and Mira the fierce warrior of our royal Eldoris army. You can address us as captains of these newly formed unit. I admire and encourage you for coming for this recruitment trial today. In this trial you will be given three simple tasks.

Whoever lasts till the end and clears them with speed will be selected in this unit and will be trained in the ways of war as part of the permanent royal army. Whoever wished to not serve can already leave right now. The three tests are created in keeping your first ranker status in mind.

So without further delay for your first task grab a stone of your choice and be ready, once the soldier gives you sign you lift them up or whatever you want with them but it has to be transported to the city gate and back. The selection for the next round will be based on speed and performance. First 100 who come back will go for the next round unquestioned. Now go."

The task was simple, just had to transport the stone. Damian and Sam walked near the pile and tried lifting each one up. Damian easily succeeded, it was heavy but not heavier than lifting two handed large sword or three crates full of potions. The pugilist kids lifted it like it weighed nothing and stood ready to just run. Many were having difficulties though, some of which were Spellswords.

Mages of all kinds mostly used some kind of spell to make it move. The most used spell was the golem one, the task was simple and one directional so that was the most optimal choice one just had to handle the mana thread.

Damian noticed his assistant besides him missing so he looked back with the stone block in hand and found Sam trying to lift the stone up with all the power he had and failing miserably. He was too weak and skinny to do it. Damian just sighed. The knight did not say anything about helping each other out so Damian walked besides him put down his own stone on top of his and lifted them both up easily.

Looking at Sam while shaking his head Damian also got ready to walk towards the wall.

"I could have done it easily.." Sam said walking while pouting besides him.

"Oh yeah..? Want it back..?"

"Uhm.. Since you have gone through the troubles I guess you can keep it.."

"Drama queen..."

"Shut up !!"

Everyone tried their best in lifting it up or using some type of spell to move the stone along but the fastest and most efficient were the pugilists. This was their natural field, one dimensional mindless job. Those who used spells to lift it realized half way that they could not power the spell for the whole way back and tried everything in their desperation.

Spellswords were still strong enough to lift it with some effort or drag it with some breaks in between but for mages it was very annoying and nightmarish task. Still there were some brilliant ones who used golem spell which was one time summoning kind of spell and then you just had to guide it.

Some other mages had tried using water whip to drag it behind them or water ball to let the stone inside and move the whole water ball. Of course it was a giant waste of mana and almost all lost their spells before even finishing 3/4 of the distance to the wall.

Damian and Sam on the other hand just strolled through the struggling aspirants like it was no one's business while looking at others and in Sam's case whistling and laughing at some people who couldn't lift it up. People were really pissed at them. Damian swore, his dumb assistant had some inherit anger inducing qualities and a very annoying punchable face.

He himself wanted to punch the guy in the face for making unnecessary enemies.