The Runesmith

"How in the blazes does it move like that?"

"Aye, it's leagues better than the old models... Ye tellin' me Master Wayland made it all on his own?"

"Well, o' course! The Boss is the best smith alive, figured it all out himself - though, mind ye, I did lend a hand!"

"Ye reckon... it could take the place of an eye?"

"An eye? Ahh, not so sure 'bout that... but it'd sure do better than that ol' peg leg ye've got!"

A group of dwarves huddled around Bernir, examining his runic prosthetic arm. Several days had passed since they began working on the runic power armor. Eventually, they noticed that, while his arm was fully mechanized, it moved no differently than a regular arm. Typical golem-hand replacements were slow, usually only capable of clamping down on objects.

"Hey, are you done resting?"

The group's chatter was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Roland, fully dressed in his mage robes. In his right hand, he carried a suitcase that previously contained all his workshop tools and apparatuses. Clearly in a hurry, he didn't wait for the dwarves to respond before setting it down and letting it unfold. The exoskeleton of the power armor was finished, though it still lacked most of its outer shell.

"We're ready, Boss,"

Bernir called out while putting back the glove he covered his metallic hand behind.

"Great. Follow the schematics. I'll be back later."

The internals of the power armor hovered in the air for a moment before being relocated onto the ground plate. The dwarves watched as it sank into the metal floor, folding back into the shape of the briefcase. Roland swiftly grabbed the case and hurried out of the workshop as he needed to collect data from his brother, Robert.

'Bernir seems to be getting along with the dwarves at least.'

It didn't go unnoticed that the small group of craftsmen appreciated his assistant's expertise. Despite being only half-dwarf, years of working alongside a runesmith had made him the perfect helper. Initially, they were skeptical and some even reluctant to follow his orders. However, after spending time with him and witnessing his skills firsthand, they accepted him into their group.

They couldn't help but marvel at his runic prosthesis, especially since some of them were missing body parts as well. This sparked a question: could his technology replace other types of organs? While crafting a prosthetic limb was one thing, something as complex as an eyeball was another matter entirely. After that came other organs like the heart or lungs, would something like that be feasible? It probably wasn't impossible, but it would require quite a lot of further research, research he had no time for at the moment.

'I should focus on Roberts's issue first, I didn't expect those bastards to use something like that, could it really be those things?'

It didn't take him long to reach the De Vere estate. Since he had taken on the role of Robert's squire, he was granted permission to visit him. Robert was allowed to train and even temporarily leave his cell. Those in higher positions were sometimes allowed to leave entirely, with the condition of appearing on the date of their duel. Failure to appear would result in an automatic loss and immediate conviction. However, after several individuals fled to avoid punishment, the rules were changed. Now, prisoners could only train in sealed-off locations, like underground dungeons, with all exits guarded and secured.

'That's the location? They are keeping him hidden…'

As he was let through the main gate and escorted toward Robert's holding cell, Roland glanced into the distance. One of his hidden golems, stationed far away, was monitoring a certain knightly individual. The knight's movements were swift, his swordsmanship precise. He was sparring with the Grand Commander in preparation for his duel with Robert. At first, nothing seemed unusual, but Roland quickly noticed something was off as the knight's movements were far too refined for someone of his level.

' Blood crystals, huh? I didn't expect to see them here, let alone used by knights'

It appeared that Count Graham wasn't leaving anything to chance. He had allowed one of his men to use the forbidden blood crystals, notorious black-market items that heightened a person's skills without the need for training. They were rare and frowned upon by most, but undeniably effective.

'His movements are much better now than before. This is going to be tricky.'

Roland's runic power armor was still largely untested, and he had no idea how it would perform against a true tier-3 opponent. To make matters worse, the knight's active and passive skills had been significantly boosted by the blood crystal, even though his overall level remained the same. While Roland wasn't sure about the side effects, one thing was clear - the knight would be a far tougher opponent than he'd originally anticipated.

'They are cheating, but not like I'm doing things fair either.'

Even though this was a dire matter, it didn't mean that things wouldn't go his way. Even now, his golems were constantly recording the man's movements. In Roland's mind, the person who came best prepared would be victorious. The armor he created for Robert was just one piece of the puzzle; gathering information about the knight in question was the other. He would record the knight's movements and patterns, then develop a battle plan. This plan would complement the MPU and enable Robert to anticipate his opponent's every move.

Eventually, he arrived at Robert's new holding facility, something that was a lot more fitting for a noble. The large metal door creaked open to reveal a spacious, though sparsely furnished, chamber. Robert Arden stood in the center, engaged in a series of rigorous exercises, his movements fluid and precise. In his hands was a large blunt iron sword, far too light for someone of his stature to use for training.

"Sir. Robert."

Roland called out, his voice echoing through the chamber. Robert paused and turned to face Roland, his face that was previously quite serious going soft.

"R… Mister Wayland, it's good to see you, did you know that they use this place to train their guards, the monster blood on the walls hasn't even dried up, it reminds me of home…"

After glancing around, Roland also noticed that this area was similar to the little underground training facility in the Arden estate. It was there that he had to fight Goblins when not even ten years of age. It seemed that all nobles had similar places hidden away. Some were just used to torment their children in hopes of them getting battle classes and it usually worked. From all of the boys in the Arden family, all of them ended up with battle classes.

"I see, I'm glad that you seem to be in high spirits, Sir. Robert. We don't have much time, so we should begin with your training but first…"

Roland could see multiple dots around this area, some even belonging to mages that were watching them. While Graham needed to give them a place to train, it didn't mean that he couldn't place his people around them. His ability to sense hidden spells was great, so he was sure that people from outside were listening in. To alleviate this problem he just took out a metallic plate and placed it on the ground. After a moment it exuded a hard to see pulse that shifted into a shroud of darkness that engulfed the entire room.

"To the mages outside, don't worry, this is not an attempt to escape, you should recognise this spell and that it's just for privacy."

Before the barrier of shadow took shape he made sure to speak out loudly to the people observing them from outside. They weren't doing anything against the law by blocking out their presence, only if they tried to escape would they be violating the rules. The mages' presence was undeniable but they did not rush into the cell to stop them, they knew the rules as well and were probably ordered by someone above them to stand down.

"This barrier… is something wrong?"

Robert asked, his eyes widening at the swirling shadows on the edges of the cell. The light around them began to dim, and he found himself encased in a half-dome of swirling black dust. The walls were no longer visible, but Roland was there to reassure him.

"It's to ensure our conversation remains private, Sir Robert. It would be best if our outside acquaintances didn't discover what I'm about to show you, and make sure not to mention it either."

"Ah, sure."

Robert wiped the sweat from his brow, eyeing the strange suitcase as it was placed on the ground. He noticed that Roland was still maintaining the facade of his Institute identity, a role he clearly intended to keep up. While the spell they had cast might block out most of what they were doing, it wasn't foolproof. Robert knew of certain spells that could uncover past truths and long-forgotten conversations. His brother was being cautious, and he wouldn't risk revealing his secrets.

Once the case was set down, it unfolded on its own, revealing a hidden suit of armor inside - or rather, an exoskeleton designed to be worn. Robert was taken aback by the sight of the human-shaped apparatus before him. Before he could inspect it further, Roland handed him a bulky helmet.

"Put this on and get into the suit. We don't have much time,"

Roland instructed, his intent clear: he needed to capture all of Robert's movement data. While their bodies were similar, Roland couldn't use himself as the basis for the armor. He needed to have Robert perform all of his sword skills and other various abilities. Then the program would need to be adjusted to his needs, strengths, and weaknesses.

Robert stared at the exoskeleton in awe. It was unlike any armor he had ever seen. Despite his years of training and experience, this thing - no, this machine looked more like a magical golem than traditional armor. Though Roland had asked him to put it on, the exoskeleton lacked the usual components of plate armor, making it feel alien and unfamiliar.

"Put it on? But how do I wear this thing?"

"Don't worry, I'll help you later if we have time. I might even come up with an easier, more automated way to get you in. But for now, we need to move quickly. Time is running out."

Only five days remained until the fight, and they needed to get everything right. After gathering movement data here, they would reassess the runic operating system and customize it to fit Robert's body perfectly. Then, they'd have to familiarize him with the MPU and finally encase the exoskeleton fully, transforming it into a true suit of armor that would enhance its wearer's power.

Robert nodded and stepped forward, following his brother's instructions to enter the suit. It was a tight fit, but with a few adjustments, he managed to slip inside. Once he was in, the helmet was carefully placed over his head. To his surprise, the interior was comfortable, the padding molding to his skull as if it had been custom-made. Though his vision was mostly obscured, a screen activated inside the helmet, revealing various runes flashing before him, along with some readable words.

"Runic Frame Operating System? What's that supposed to mean?"

Robert asked, puzzled.

"Well, Arion wanted me to give the system a name, so we went with that. I guess he wants his work to stand apart from the Runic Power Armor."

"Runic Power Armor? Is that what this is called?"

"It will be, once it's finished. But for now, let's focus on getting you moving. Once you're ready, try taking a few steps. After you've familiarized yourself with the movements, we'll use that training sword over there for practice. Now focus, we don't have all day!"

"Ah, sure…"

Robert felt strange taking orders from his younger brother. It was as if he were interacting with someone much older, as though Roland were the elder sibling, not him. The screen before him displayed strange indicators and flashing lights he couldn't decipher. Yet, once he started moving, everything began to make sense.

Initially, the weight of the suit was overwhelming. It felt as if rocks were strapped to his limbs whenever he tried to move. However, after a few flashing lights and a nod from Roland, everything changed. Suddenly, he felt lighter. It was a completely new sensation - there was almost no weight to the suit now, as if the armor was moving with him instead of against him. The heaviness faded as the mana-infused joints and runes responded to Robert's movements, enhancing his strides and making his motions feel almost unnatural.

"How does it feel?" Roland asked.

"It's... strange. It's like I'm not even doing the movements and this armor is doing them for me."

Robert replied, still trying to comprehend the technology. Ordinary armor felt like nothing more than heavy clothing that weighed a person down. It provided knights like him with some protection and enchantments but usually restricted their movement. This exosuit, on the other hand, felt weightless, allowing him to move faster than he had ever imagined. However, this didn't stop him from tripping several times as he was having trouble maintaining balance.

"Good. That's the idea. But there still seems to be a slight delay, especially when you are using the legs, we will have to address that but first, why don't you take this and do a few practice swings."

At first, Roland intended to use the practice sword Robert had been given, but a single glance revealed it was too small. The suit he had created was quite large, and the frame's hands would be too big to wield it effectively. Instead, it was better to give him a larger sword, and fortunately, Roland had just the right one - the sword he had earned from the Emmerson fight.

Normally, he would have been hesitant to lend it out in such an official manner. The weapon was quite recognizable and could likely be traced back to Albrook. However, at this point, it didn't matter. His identity as Wayland was already partially exposed and would probably become even more apparent after everything was over. There was no better weapon for this fight, and it fit perfectly into the large mitts of the rune frame.

Robert accepted the large sword with a sense of awe, feeling the weight of the weapon in his hands. Despite its heft, the suit's enchantments made it feel as though it were almost weightless. It was a weapon fit for a Knight Commander and he was just given it like it was nothing. At this point, he wasn't sure what to think of his brother but one thing was clear, he was someone that was probably a genius.

He began executing forward slashes, leveraging his skills to their fullest. His current best class was the Noble Blade, a knight class known for wielding swords, often two-handed ones. It boasted high attack power and speed but had limited defensive options - something this armor might help address. If he could forgo all defense and allow his opponent to land a few hits, then with one well-placed strike, victory would be his.

As Robert continued practicing, the armor's runic inscriptions continued to glow softly. However, suddenly he noticed an increase in heat close to his thigh. When glancing down he could see a part of this exoskeleton glowing brightly. He could do nothing but to stop, his body clung around this machine and if nothing was done, then his leg would probably be burned.

"That's enough…"

Luckily he wasn't alone here, his brother quickly noticed the issue and deactivated the armor. Once the runes stopped glowing the heat started to diminish.

"Six minutes and twenty-three seconds… We'll have to do something about that… Perhaps make a safety suit for the frame user…"

Roland shook his head around while glancing at the heated rune that almost ate through the metal lining. It was clear that this apparatus was not yet fit for the field but with only five days left, they would be cutting it close.

"I guess this will have to do."

Robert took a deep breath as Roland began disassembling the exoskeleton. The armor had potential, but the overheating issue was troubling. It was evident that the runes were working beyond their intended capacity. The enhancements to Robert's speed and strength were impressive, but that wouldn't matter if it burned his flesh while he was wearing it. Soon, the armor was back in the briefcase, and the shrouding spell was undone. Half of the allotted time had been used up, and the prototype was still not ready. Time was working against all of them but potential success was almost around the corner.