Casting Runes Part 7

She was torn between her sense of duty and her insatiable curiosity.

“I…cannot follow you, I have my duties.”, Jordis said with hesitation, but nevertheless full of determination. It was right to refuse his offer, even if every single emotion in her was in turmoil as soon as her words were spoken.

She really did not want to look up and meet Liam’s undoubtedly intense and crestfallen gaze, but she forced herself to do so nonetheless. But she had been wrong. He was not just upset, he seemed completely gutted. The pain and hurt disbelief in his eyes made her stomach clench, but still she repeated: “I have to go ad receive my consecration. Only then will I be fully accredited.”

It was the right decision, Jordis knew this. But why, by the runes, did it hurt so bad to say it?

“Fine.”, Liam responded furiously and blinked his eyes more than he would normally do, “Then go. Caster.”

This last word he spat as if it was an insult. Before Jordis could respond anything, he was gone, simply dashed through the shop’s door and as soon as she reached to street, Liam was nowhere to be seen.

“Shit.”, she cursed to herself and the surprise that hit her was only ever so light. After meeting him again, nothing would surprise her anymore, of that she was sure.

Having met him and lost within not even an hour, left a blunt and still painful ache in her heat, but Jordis brushed that sentimental nonsense off and headed back to the Inner Wall which she could see from here, at least. So it was not too difficult to find the way.

“Good day.”, she greeted the guardsmen at the gates of the Inner Wall and was shocked at hearing the toll. The three coins of copper at the Outer Gates were normal, but here she had not expected more than six coins. But instead, she was asked for two coins of silver.

Jordis had the strong urge to stare at the guardsman, but she struggled against it and paid the toll in silence. She did not ask for the way to the castle, because it was no difficulty to find Castle Caellowell as it could be seen from here. So Jordis made her way through the Inner City, but could not fight the urge to let her eyes wander in shock.

Nobody was here. There were some shopkeepers, some city guards, but no peasants whatsoever, no one to deliver goods, no nobles taking a stroll. The Inner City of Caellowell was more a ghost town than anything else.

Jordis shivered unpleasantly and hastened her steps to reach the castle as soon as possible. Throughout her apprenticeship all she had been able to think of had been this moment, going to the castle knowing that the Grand Caster would welcome her and consecrate her handmade clasp, but right now…she just wanted to get it over with and leave this ghostly place, see her parents…see Liam.

She squared her shoulders in anger on herself and forbade these silly thoughts while moving on.

Soon she had reached the castle and the guards only needed to see her runes to let her pass without a word. As much as Jordis had preferred the books in the monastery over the other apprentices, as the books did not talk to her if she did not want to listen, right now she wished for someone to talk to her, just speak one word. But no, not a single person spoke anything, as she was welcomed by a peasant girl half her age and led upstairs, until the servant finally knocked on a door.

In the silence that had reigned, this knock made Jordis jerk unintentionally and her heart pounded in her chest as the door opened with a quiet creak and she was wordlessly asked to enter the room.

As she did so, Jordis realised that this had to be the Grand Caster’s office, as she recognised tools and materials for runes. A rune caster as experienced and old as him, how many runes could he possibly have?

Jordis was alone in the room as the door was shut from outside and she looked around until another door opened. She immediately stiffened simply out of respect as the Grand Caster entered the room. He was older than she had thought, well in his eighties, if her estimation did not betray her and he used a cane to support his weak steps. The curved head of this cane was furnished with a ring of stone form which seven Runes dangled. He was the Grand Caster, so he was the only rune caster to wield seven runes at the same time and from the fact that his clasp was made from marble, Jordis knew that he was specialised in neither offensive nor defensive runepowers, but instead something in between.

A caster as experienced and powerful as the Grand Caster who stood before her…he could do almost anything.

“Another accredited rune caster, very well.”, the Grand Caster said with a quiet and raspy voice that made Jordis shiver, but then she lowered her head in respect and answered: “Yes, Mylord Grand Caster, I am Jordis Farlan and I am here to ask your consecration.”

Jordis did not dare to look up as something tingled in her neck and she thought that it would be unbecoming to meet the Grand Caster’s eyes directly. Or was it?

“Well then, give me your clasp. Or do you not have it ready, runecaster?”, the Grand Caster asked threateningly and Jordis’ head flung up, as she stammered: “O-of course I have it, right here, Mylord!”

With these words she scrambled the neatly packed clasp from her pack and unwrapped the silver clasp from the three layers of soft leather she had transported it in.

“Here, Mylord.”, she said respectfully and handed her clasp over to the Grand Caster, although she was suddenly unwilling to part with it. Jordis brushed this thought off and pacified herself by thinking that it was only due to all the time she had spent crafting it.

But as the slightly coolish hands of the Grand Caster took the clasp from her own, she shivered, even more so as she saw the greedy look on his face as he murmured: “A fine clasp indeed.”

“Thank you, Mylord.”, Jordis replied, but had to completely stiffen in order not to shiver and shake. What was wrong?

Suddenly, faster than she had ever expected, the Grand Caster awoke the power of a rune, so fast, that Jordis did not even find the time to flinch. The rune was made of stone, but Jordis could not see the symbol on it. The rune radiated a greenish glow that seemed to seep into her clasp and she could feel the power filling the room. It was tremendous.

“Here. Welcome to the fully accredited rune casters.”, the Grand Caster said and handed the clasp over to her.

She had not anticipated this consecration to be so short and…mundane.

As she had departed from the monastery, Jordis would have sworn every oath that she would immediately remove the cord from her belt ad put her runes onto the clasp instead, but now she just wanted to leave. But the Grand Caster asked her: “Will you not put your clasp on?”

The way he spoke was…odd and it caused unease in Jordis. So she gulped as silently as she could and then managed to say: “I will, Mylord, but I do not want to waste anymore of your time. Thank you, I will take my leave.”

Jordis again lowered her head in a silent goodbye, but as soon as she turned the Grand Caster spoke coldly: “No. You will not take any step further.”

In absolute confusion, Jordis turned around. She tried to, but she failed, because she was completely frozen, she could not even move her eyes.

“You will stay, caster, and I shall have your runes, your clasp and your powers. So many just accredited rune casters disappear on their Journey and are never to be found again…”, the Grand Caster said in a tone that gruesomely mocked sympathy.

Jordis’ heart raced away in her chest, but she was unable to do anything as the Grand Caster moved slowly closer. She was as good as dead…

“Get away from her, bastard!”