Solo The Gift

[Elias Caldera]

61st Day of Spring
514 AV

The door clicked shut behind him with a distinct snap. For the first time since he arrived, Elias was alone. Undoubtedly nervous, he surveyed the room, taking in the lab he had been assigned to with a trained eye for particular details. Shelves and cabinets of old magical tomes and arcane texts lined the far walls, no doubt for easy reference to those pesky details that proved too illusive for the pondering mind alone. A number of basins along with a trough of water sat nearby, its contents shimmering with the infused power of the glyphs that covered each one. They were meant for dousing the item, as Elias already knew, but he suspected the trough was for emergencies given its almost ridiculous size. Runaway magic however, was no laughing matter, and despite his first reaction upon seeing the thing he eventually found himself grateful for it. Truth be told, he was grateful for any and all of it. The tongs, the mirrors and scopes, the hammers and books. Just being back in a lab like this, basic as it was, so filled him with excitement and hysterical happiness he could barely stop himself from bursting out into dance. He loved to magecraft, and finally, he was being given a chance to do it again.

The most interesting and most important item, of course, was waiting for him on the pedestal at the center of the room. The patient, the blank canvas, whatever you wanted to call it, to Elias, it was more than just a straight edged dagger. By the time he was done with it, it would be a work of art. He took a step closer, inspecting the marble pedestal it was placed upon with a scrutiny he had adopted from the professors back in Zeltiva. He was satisfied with the blackened glyph work etched into the white stone, noting how it traversed more than just the flat slab the weapon lay upon, but also snaked all the way down to the base as well. Pedestals were a common sight in most labs, but they weren't particularly necessary in the least bit. Convenient, yes, but they were simply a glyphed work station for the magecrafter to toil away upon, meant for those who weren't as inclined as a poorer mage was to getting on their hands and knees every time they needed to create something. With some chalk and a little bit of elbow grease, Elias could whip up a drawing on the floor that could very literally accomplish the same thing, but if he said he wasn't glad he didn't have to, it would have been a lie.

He refrained from touching the simple weapon and moved past it, careful not to disturb anything else in even the slightest. He inspected the hammers next, thrilled to see there was more than just one set, and that each were comprised of half a dozen different metals each. He had one himself, it had been something he had simply refused to leave Zeltiva without, even despite the grim undertaking that bogged down his thoughts upon his leaving the port city. He turned from the hammers with a smile, taking just a moment to breath deep of his new lab. The air of anticipation was sweet, and he found himself barely able to contain his eagerness anymore.

Lazarin was meant to be here with him, but that was about a bell or two from now. Elias had arrived much earlier, too animated by the prospect of crafting again to even sleep properly the night before. The man may have despised him and thought him nothing better than a traitor, but even he had seen the folly in simply discarding Elias when instead he could have used him. That was why he was here, he wanted to impress his professor before they even began. Perhaps then the two could become more cordial, and in turn, their academic relationship could bestow even more upon Elias than the occasional scowl he was getting now. The young mage knew more than a little about this world magic, and if he was meant to learn even more from this man, he was determined to win him over. If nothing else, at least he could work off some of this excitement while he waited.

Moving over to the cabinets, the novice found himself a jar of inscribing paint and a few brushes to go along with it. In the next chime he was on his hands and knees, wielding the two as fiercely as a gladiator in the pit wielded sword and shield. Thick, powerful strokes signified the barrier meant to keep out the ambient djed. Most mages preferred to work in a sterile environment, completely barren and void of the natural magical energy that permeated the very air. In the beginning Elias had been much the same, but as his studies advanced and his understanding of what he was doing began to excel beyond simple comprehension, he quickly realized while a charged arena was dangerous, a contained one was superior. Instead of dismantling and dissipating the djed, it was much better to have that whirling energy directed straight into his work, guided to his will to better enhance the djed of the item and whatever else was required.

It felt good doing something he knew, something he understood and could control. There would be much more to complete before he was anywhere near ready, but no matter how much his aching knees complained, the novice wizard was just too excited to stop.

[Elias Caldera]

After a while the essential premise of his circular construct had taken shape, but with glaring gaps here and there that might have seemed peculiar to anyone looking on in curiosity. The barrier, a simple circle for all intents and purposes, remained unfinished for the time being as Elias continued his painting. He would create a number of focuses for the ambient djed, and then even more focuses for the disturbingly expensive reagents that were needed to power and infuse the dagger. Rare gems, plant parts, exotic animal extracts, things that on their own were a fortune, but in the hands of a magecrafter were merely a stepping stone to even greater riches. Once he was done, he set these things in there appropriate sigils that lined the edge of the barrier, and like the barrier, their glyphs too remained incomplete. He was only making sure everything slid into place for the now.

As of that moment, the only thing he could truly do was drain the environment of ambient djed and guide it all towards the pedestal. This was something that, to be safe, required at the very least a day to adequately see done. So, he focused on finishing the guiding paths from the outside of the barrier to the pedestal, and then tasked himself with finishing the barrier along with the focuses within it that would collect all the latent arcana. In essence, both the ambient djed from inside and outside the barrier would be absorbed and guided into the dagger. The former would clear the air and sterilize the station, the latter would only further invigorate the natural djed he could work with when the time came.

By the time he was done, a sprawling and complex network of patterns stained the lab floor, a system of blocks and gates and channels so dizzying it grew a tad bit complicated even to Elias now that he stood and looked at it wholly. It had been a rough and laborious task, and one born from the intricate and painstaking study of numerous glyphic setups. With a deep breath, he began examining every last iota of the inscribed arrangement, checking tirelessly for any single mistake he could have made. To have this all fizzle up and go 'poof' in the middle of everything was just unthinkable, almost as unthinkable as having all his work go to waste in the end.

His knees hurt so bad he could barely hobble over to his mistakes.

Time passed, a mind numbing relay of painstaking brushwork, correcting and adapting glyphs to the principal pathways he required until the floor was covered in an intricate tapestry of ink that was more than just confusing, but correct. When he finally allowed himself to stand up right again, a cacophony of cracks and groans erupted across his back. He let out an unbecoming groan of his own as he tried to stretch the aches away and only succeeded in making them all the more worse. It was then, and only then, did he notice Thadeus Lazarin standing by the door, looking at him.

Elias went wide eyed and rigid, a thankful alternative to leaping out of his boots and unto the ceiling at the sudden and unwelcome shock. The old mage did not stir from his glaring. "Master Lazarin I... I've completed the glyphwork for us, sir." His black robes ruffled and he stepped closer to inspect the pattern on the floor with equally dark eyes. He made a considerate and throaty sound. "I see." He said simply. "Now erase it and do it again." Elias chuckled awkwardly at the older professor's jest, and it was quite funny for all of a tick, then he saw the man's stern face. His jaw practically hit the floor.

"I expect punctuality and initiative from all my students, and if it had been anyone else I would have likely praised them for their work and forethought, but it wasn't anyone else, it was you. I'll be very clear about this boy, the next time you take it upon yourself to sneak into one of my labs again, or work using this institute's equipment and wares without my consent, you'll find me much less lenient in your punishment next time. Now, Mr. Caldera, erase it and start again. This time we'll make certain someone who can be trusted to actually know what they're doing is present."

[Elias Caldera]

What was meant to be a joyous moment had turned bitter and rotten in his mouth. The man hated him, hated the very fact he even existed in the same world as he. As a loyal soldier of the ebonstryfe, for anyone to have abandoned the order must have seemed as heretical and disgraceful as spitting in the eye Rhysol himself. He hated him, and yet not even Lazerin would not throw him away so idly. Elias took a moment to appreciate the artistry that had gone into the creation of his glyphs. It was indeed his second attempt, one his professor had impatiently observed and studied every tick he worked on it. When it had finally finished again, he bid Elias leave, just like that, no 'good job' or 'well done.' All he had said was "This will do." Then kicked him out until tomorrow. Now the two of them stood staring at the thing together, Elias fuming as fiercely as he had yesterday. He kept his mouth shut for fear something foolish would slip out.

The old warlock was clearly employing the use of magic to look upon the ink, and Elias – despite his lack of skill in the art – used his own auristic ability to study the flow of magic. Immediately he could make out the general shape of the conduits he'd painstakingly painted, seeing the tangled knots his embarrassingly amateur glyphs had produced as bright tangled swirls of color in the mosaic tapestry. He suppressed a sigh. There was no way he could trust himself to do this accurately without a lens, magecrafting simply called for too much attention to detail his neophyte grasp of auristics could not be tasked with. It was a useful teaching tool though, even if all it did was show him exactly how much he was lacking. By the time he had gone over to the counter to pick up a lens he heard Thadeus declare "This will do." Angrily, and for little reason this time other than habit at this point, Elias stopped and turned around to face the man. "I suppose you began work without even waiting to be told what it was you were to do, didn't you?"

The novice shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet the man's unnervingly black eyes for longer than a sentence. "No, professor." He admitted.

"Well, lucky for you, its something simple and mundane enough that I felt even you could not muddle." That sparked another fire of infuriation. It was a damned fact that he was the most advanced one in the man's class. He had spent more time and practical study on Magecrafting than any two others in the class combined. It wasn't that he was smarter or faster than the other, it was just that he had learned and absorbed all the basics already, so of course he wasn't going to screw it up! "The commission asks for the weapon to be bound to the owner as well as create great bouts of fire. Now, how many principles will its construction cover?" Elias didn't even have to think about it.

"Two, master. Behavioral to bind by blood, and magical to incorporate the fire reimancy into the weapon... Do you have the blood of the commissioner?"

"His son's actually." Thadeus responded, pulling free a small vial from the gaping caverns of his robe's sleeves. "Its meant to be a coming of age present apparently." Elias pondered for a moment, quietly considering if he could produce the detailed qualities needed to differentiate between father and son? Wasn't one's blood the same as the other? He didn't share his doubts with the Lazarin however, and simply nodded. Part of him was -well a large part of him- was deeply disappointed the request was such a simple pittance of a thing. Bound and fireballs? Come on, give me a challenge, he thought. He had to admit though, he was eager to show off his newly acquired fire reimancy, that, and he had always been curious of how blood could be incorporated into the craft. Though he had never seen it done like he had bonding, blood could also apparently be used to inflict the opposite affect, turning the item into a particularly nasty bane for whatever creature or person it belonged to.

He grimaced. It always came down to the blood, didn't it.

[Elias Caldera]

He permitted himself a small, satisfied smile at the sight of his magecrafting setup, the complex, borderline convoluted network of glyphs was almost inspirational. Djed flowed steadily like a river from the four pathways that encroached from the outskirts of the barrier. Within the barrier itself no arcane remnants lingered what so ever, all magic was instead limited solely to the canals he had instituted. The result was a blazing sun of djed whirring around the dagger and its resting place. The bells of painstaking work had paid off, now the area inside his sigils were isolated and full to brimming with purified, concentrated djed, just waiting for the final chimes and strokes of a mage's tools to put it all to use. It was enough to make a magesmith's magical breeches tighten a little in glorious appreciation, but Elias didn't have the time. Lazarin allowed him none.

He placed the optic ring down and focused instead on the more mundane visuals and thoughts. With only two principles being applied, both of which were innately simple in their application, the dagger would not require a catalyst to complete. Again, disappointing, but at the same time a small relief. Catalysts weren't just something one could find lying around just anywhere -Well that wasn't entirely fair seeing as none of a magesmith's arsenal was either- but catalysts, by definition, were so powerful and rare they were akin to the sacrificed souls of hundreds. It was both an alluring and a troubling thought to be working with such magnificent and dynamic artifacts.

It was now or never he supposed. Elias settled himself inside the primary circle, breathing deep and slow and regular, clearing his mind of the racing thoughts that always battered him down when he was smiting with magic. The very foundation of the dagger would, because of the bloodline binding, have the binding magic weaved into almost every aspect of the weapon. It was a central connection that would be more heavily instilled into the dagger than any other. After that came the magical assimilation of the fire the blade would also require. That was likely why Thadeus had chosen him in the first place, he mused, slightly miffed.

Holding his breath, he took a step closer until he was hovering above the unassuming weapon, lens in one hand, blood in the other, and a hammer set wrapped around his waste. And as always, Lazarin's beady eyes burning holes into his back. The man seemed content to simply allow the student to continue without his instructions. He was waiting for Elias to admit ineptitude and request his help, he knew it. Well he also knew that whoever wasted thousands of mizas worth of ingredients on a failed experiment was going to get more than just a stern talking to about responsibility. He wouldn't be surprised if the stryfer was just sitting back and counting the ticks until he could pin the blame all on 'that Caldera kid.' Well he wouldn't give the petcher the satisfaction, nor would he be stupid about it either

Closing his eyes, he drew out his hammer, took a deep relaxing breath, and brought it down upon the steel. As the hammer fell, it struck a note of such resonating beauty, it was unlike anything else Mizahar had to offer. It was the sound the dagger's djed, bristling to life as they were opened to the world. It forced a state growth onto the existing, minute conduits while also preparing them to receive further djed connections. That was the elegance of a magesmith's tools; no matter how hard they were struck against an item, there was never any true physical force, just surges of expanding, contorting energy at the very instant of contact. The dagger sang as he brought the hammer down once more, and he hummed right along with it.

[Elias Caldera]

One, two, three, the conduits shuddered and shook, cracking free of their molds and pulsing with reverberating drones and djed. It was a new day and a new hour, the thrum of his work now like clockwork to the mage. The jagged fissures of astral energy glowing with untapped potential as Elias worked to grow and nurture them beyond what they were, and into what he demanded them to be. Great. Better. Legendary.

Izurdin, master of the forge and lord of the mountain. He mentally whispered as he worked. Grant me the patience I require and the resolve I need. He shifted positions to better angle himself against the slithering fractures. He brought the hammer down again, its contact ringing out in chimes and notes incomparable. Give me the strength to build. Another blow, his hands more swift and sure now, always striking just where he wanted it to. He focused his next blow on the hilt, where connections clustered thick and tightly, untapped. His sudden presence sent ripples all across the dagger as mounting forces crammed into one spot sprang out across the entirety of the weapon. To shatter and shape... Elias switched hammers now, his mind racing to recognize the subtly changing needs of his djed pathways. His hand found the recognizable slickness of copper at his waste and he plucked it free. To create. He hummed one last tone as the channels of inherent magic finally gave way fully to him.

With a smile, he stepped back, wiping the exaggerated amount of sweat and tension that had taken form on his forehead. He turned to his side and to Lazarin working on the glyphs, which, to his shame, had admittedly grown weak and wary over time. Not all was as infinite as magecrafting, he reminded himself as he exited the sigil and set about rebuilding the glyphs alongside his irritable teacher. The two made no conversation unless to curtly alert the other of their required assistance. 'Get me this', or 'take over here', it was all very informal though, considering their past exchanges. Now however, Thadeus looked at the dagger from his spot on the floor.

"Its ready."

Elias nodded pridefully.

"It is."

The dark eyed tyrant showed a moment of disapproval, surprisingly enough, not aimed at his student. Instead it was directed at the failing glyphs littering the stone beneath his feet. Elias quickly spotted a chance he had to take. "I can, if you'd like, erect a shield to superimpose over the glyphs. It would at the very least help us with the barrier." Lazarin turned to him then, studying the younger apprentice for a moment as a hand went to his comely beard. "No. I will introduce the blood myself."

"I can-"

The man cocked a questioning eyebrow at his insolence, it was enough to shut Elias up. He simply bowed. Lazarin soon took up the mantle of shaper and smith, eliciting a response from the djed with a precision tap of his tool upon the weapon. Though he was unable to bind the blood to the weapon himself, Elias was apparently still allowed to stay and watch. How courteous. He wasn't going to desert the opportunity to sit and watch out of spite however, so he quietly set himself to the side and studied Lazarin work. The old wizard proceeded immediately to uncorking the vial of blood, he simply poured the crimson liquid unto the dagger, the less than generous portion falling entirely on the steel of the weapon. The djed shivered and glowed, blood seeping unnaturally into the crevices of the conduits as if drawn there by a magnet. It seemed almost a crude way of applying something considering the usual complexities that went along with forging djed, but Elias wasn't adverse to simplicities where he could find them. Eventually the blood seeped entirely into the weapon, disappearing mostly into the hilt where it's connection would determine if it's wielder was compatible or not. To his magically enhanced vision, the blood impacted the aura of the blade with distinct but thin trails of red aura that interlaced with the weapon at the most base of levels. He assumed anyway, he couldn't exactly see that in depth with his skill.

As the bells dragged on, Thadeus continued to meld the blood and the blade into one, fusing them until they were completely indiscriminate from one another. He switched from the heavy handed gold to more subtle and gentle copper numerous times as he chased loose strands around like a tireless shepard hound herding together its flock into one. It was draining work just watching it, but all the while Elias's hand ached to do more than watch.

[Elias Caldera]

The dirty red color of the djed had permeated every conduit and strand by the next day. As he had still been denied even touching it, Elias had simply taken to observing the artifact and its magical workings for as long as he could before the strain grew too much. He had spotted only a few straying lay lines, their paths diverging from their clearly defined growth routes subtly but surely. Working with djed conduits was like playing with a snake, as Elias liked to think of it. With the strike of the hammer you would block its path one way and drive it down another. The result was a vibrant motif of the snake's body as it was skilfully maneuvered about the item, flowing into other serpents or back unto it's own tail where it would take hold and form a pattern that had no clear beginning or end. It was almost like glyphing if he thought about it, save this was the manipulation of pure djed, not simply chalk or ink. There must have been something the gods found particularly amusing about patterns, the young mage mused.

The general concept, now that the blood was infused, would primarily concern the ability to stockpile the fire reimancy as well as utilize it in a manner that didn't set the wielder on fire at the very least. Finally Lazarin seemed to tire of his consistent pounding and finagling of magic. He stepped aside and handed Elias the tools he had been greedily holding unto for a while now and the young mage practically snatched them out of the man's hands before he had a chance to reconsider. The paladin frowned. "I've established the pathways, all you need do is make sure the conduits flow where they must. I trust you can at least take care of that much." The Caldera shrugged off the wizard's stab with measured calmness and confidence, unwilling to fall any further into his own anger for the man. Somehow that felt like he was letting Lazarin win if he did so.

The design meant to hold the fire sat dead center on the spine of the dagger. Numerous interlocking diamonds each folding into and out of the other in intricate knots. Elsewhere, djed lines spiraled out towards towards the precipice of the steel, many of which did not end until they fell of the edge. These were meant to channel the flames outwards once expelled from the center, guiding them away from the handle and towards whatever unlucky petcher had the misfortune of standing in the way. The technique was a simple one that lacked the attention to detail he would have never expected someone as proud and experienced as Lazarin would allow. Many lesser pathways were still left woefully untasked and unassigned, left to run wild simply because of their small and inconsequential impact on the over all item. Elias bit his lip and glanced over his shoulder to where Lazarin knelt, checking the pools of djed rich items and their sigils. At that point many of the piles of objects, rare and powerful, had turned to indistinct piles of dust and ash, drained so completely of their magic had they been. If he strained his eyes and squinted, perhaps he could see a twig here or the glitter of a sapphire there, but all in all, it meant the dagger had very nearly absorbed all the djed it was going to need. All the djed they could offer it.

It seemed implausible to put a price on magic, but mankind had, and today it was nearly two thousand gold mizas worth. Not an amount you wanted to toy with irresponsibly. Seeing as the old man had preoccupied himself with sorting through the mess of reagents, Elias took it upon himself to make the best out of the situation. Why leave any loose ends untied, it would only manifest into a less that perfect result, and now that he had the hammer, he had the will too. Hammer met steel and one by one Elias sorted through the sloppy, disheveled mess of lesser strands, combing and enticing them into place so they would either mesh with the larger, more dominate conduits, or accentuate them at the very least. Unfortunately, this took a great deal of time, as unlike a master who was far more involved and immediate in their interaction, Elias was merely a beginner, as much as he disliked calling himself as much. His influence was weak and unfettered of the discipline required. It meant he had to usher the djed where he wanted it angle by angle, point by point, then sit back and wait until it decided to fold or bend or twist just the way he wanted it to. Like playing with a snake.

By that time Lazarin had taken interest in his incessant pounding and was now studying the dagger over his student's shoulder suspiciously. He didn't say anything for a while, as Elias had grown unnervingly used to, but when the man simply 'Hmmm'd' and walked away, the young mage wasn't sure what to think. Was that a good 'Hmmm." or a bad 'Hmmm?'

[Elias Caldera]

Elias took a long, measured moment to stare at the dagger through the judgmental optic, examining exhaustively the patterns of djed he had become to grow deeply familiar with over the past few days. There was the primary, as he had taken to referring to it, the thick, pulsating runes of crimson djed that interlocked along the bridge and spine of the blade like powerful chains, meant to capture the essence of fire, then exude it just as fiercely. Then there was the secondary, thinner, more meticulous pathways that faded into the background, twisting and spinning about one another like embroidery upon a fine dress. They formed a complex and symmetrical pattern that pulsed with its own steady hum of power. Because of his thoroughness, they also now fed into the primary, harnessing every last scrap of djed within the dagger.

Flexing his hand and arm cautiously, Elias winced as the muscles protested to anymore strain. He may not have been beating on metal like a regular smith, but that was a fact that did little to comfort his sore joints and aching biceps. He set the hammer down and let out an explosive sigh. As far as he could tell, nothing had yet to go wrong with the project, which was a tantalizing relief, especially with Lazarin now taking to breathing down his next at every stage. The wizard had refrained himself from stepping in when he didn't have to though, and it was something his apprentice was thankful for... once he finally noticed. He had been switching in and out of using the lenses and mirrors provided by the lab, instead trying to hone his perception through his own djed and eyes. Oftentimes this left him unstable and frustratingly weak when he prolonged it too long. It was downright annoying how difficult auristics was proving to -not master- but simply control. How was it that he could fling a fireball or sink boat with his reimancy, but to stare too long and a pretty pastel of swirling colors threatened to comatose him every tick he dared to look. Kneading his eyes until they were dry and absent of the small agonies they plagued him with, he turned back and way from the pedestal only once he was finished fine tuning any remaining pathways. In all honesty, his comprehensiveness at that point had descended into pointlessness. There was very little else that he could do, or that needed to be done anymore. The regents had all turned to fine, molted dust within their glyphs, the magic within each and every single one utterly gone now, all used to fuel the dagger and its power. All that was left was to breath fire and life into it.

Content to simply stand back and watch, Thadeus must have recognize the tell tale shuffling and unsure glances he was receiving as a sign that his student was done. He stepped over the artifact, studying it carefully for a long while. With a harrumph, he seemed satisfied. "You know of Areesa Tallshade, I presume?" Elias furrowed his brow and gazed at the professor, not sure what to say other than yes. She was the creator of the anvil of souls, perhaps the most powerful magecrafted artifact to date. That wasn't even to mention the half a dozen other infamous legends she forged over the course of her life. "You are no Areesa Tallshade, Mr. Caldera, and I strongly suggest you discard any notion you are even relatively near her level. I say this because obviously you must think yourself some master crafter to have done what you did. Your attempts at detailing the finer threads have created a pretty and tangled mess out of the latent conduits. Where do you believe that magic will flow first? I'll answer that since you are clearly incapable. It flows into the first path it comes upon. With the numerous conduits you have tied into the main, how do you suspect the djed will move then? You were lucky I noticed and interjected when I did before they could take root."

He was flabbergasted, unsure what to do nor did he even have time to respond. "Silence. Your incompetence has annoyed me. Obviously you were not ready for this. Unfortunately, I still require you."

Elias simply stood there, stunned. "I... Yes, master Lazarin." He shuffled over to the pedestal, djed flowing from his core sluggishly until it reached his arms. He tore it away as one would tear apart dough to roll bread, kneading the separated pieces into a thick, jelly like substance that became his res. He kept taking and taking from his pool until finally he was wielding a sizable orb before him. For a brief moment he considered turning it on the professor, just to see what he thought about his reimancy. He may not have been the next Tallshade, but he at least new his way around a fireball. He shook the thought from his mind, focusing himself entirely on the res. He couldn't deny the man's words and insight had shaken him. He hadn't even considered the folly in what he had done, something that only made it all the more worse. Two layers, one to ignite... The ball burst into the flames. he directed it at the dagger, unleashing a jet of flame upon the creation, stepping steadily closer with each passing tick. How could I have been so stupid? The heat of the flames licked at his skin. Why hadn't I even realized what was amiss? He was standing right over the blade now, his hands hovering inches over the steel as he poured more and more flames into it. I'm an idiot, that's why. Gods damn it!

The dagger glowed with a confirming light that no aurist was needed to see. With a start, he let go of the fires, allowing them to die out as his res did so as well. He looked back at Thadeus sheepishly, who in turn shooed him away with a dismissive and impatient flick of his wrist.

[Elias Caldera]

From then on, Elias was barely allowed into the lab, let alone to work on the dagger anymore. He was bid to clean up the mess, put away the tools, redo the no longer necessary glyphs, and read the books and tomes within the lab while someone who knew what they were doing actually worked. For the next few days Thadeus threaded and retreaded countless stitches of djed over and over again, displaying his own eye for detail that his student had scoffed at the lack of earlier. On occasion the young mage would snatch a magical glimpse at the creation, trying desperately with either his own eyes, or that of the lenses to spot the details and mistakes his own patterning had reaped. It was embarrassing, and for every day since it remained so. He thought himself better than simple oversights like flow control. He blamed the old wizard. He was no teacher, he was just an ass watching as a student he was meant to train crashed and burned in his own incompetence. It had reignited a fury Elias had believed buried in the excitement of his work.

Strengthening conduits, weaving and tying djed, it went on for bells, and Elias could only watch on in disappointing fascination. It dawned on him then how much of a test this had all really been. Of his skills, of his demeanor and attitude towards the arcane. As it did so, he too recognized how much he had failed, not only Lazarin, but also himself. The bitter ebonstryfer was one thing, but he had let his own foolishness and desire to impress and outshine the man lead him astray. Tolerable in some things, but never this. Never magecrafting. It sullied his passion with a negativity that should never have been there in the first place. So for a long time Elias did as he was bid, and like a mere slave, he cleaned and he sorted glyphs and equipment until the lab was back to its original dapper.

The hum and palpable taste of magic in the air had long since faded to quiet contemplation. The two of them waited, Elias more strenuously than his counterpart, but waited none the less. The pathways and conduits were fully formed, all the djed was in place along with all the required principles as well. Now it was just time to cool it off. Lazarin had returned then from wherever he had disappeared to and instantly made for the tongs. Elias shot out a halting hand as cordially as possible. The man glared at him. "Please, master Lazarin, allow me at least this much?" The man stepped around him with a sharp grunt to show what he thought of that. Elias intercepted him once more and the dark wizard's eyes flared with anger. "How will I learn if you refuse to teach me. Please, master Lazarin, look past my mistake, help me redeem myself and I can be the student who serves the stryfe again, with this, right here, the same great work that you do." he waved his hand at the lab, fighting back the anger he felt at the old petcher's stubbornness.

He grumbled under his breath, exasperated with Elias's ranting. "There is... potential in your work, however slight and pathetically poor it may be." The Caldera beamed, the suddenly happiness in his face repulsing Lazarin hilariously. He moved over to the tongs the magesmith was aiming for and grabbed them, even as his teacher spoke on. "I will allow you to remain within my class should I deem you salvageable. Clearly your Zeltivan instructors were too busy coddling you to instruct you properly." Elias carefully handled the tong as he gently took hold of the dagger from the pedestal with it. "You will listen, you will learn, and you will obey my instructions as and when I say them." Elias nodded vigorously, tongue peeking out over his bottom lip as he steadily brought the dagger over to the basin. He dropped the item serenely in the awaiting waters and watched enraptured as it began to fizz and bubble angrily. The glyphed water worked to cool the djed pathways, in a sense hardening them into place, almost like a real blacksmith after he's finished with his wares. The young man turned back to Lazarin and bowed.

"Thank you, professor."

[Nemesis]

Elias Caldera

Knowledge :

Skills

Skill	XP
Auristics	+3
Cleaning	+1
Drawing	+1
Glyphing	+2
Magecrafting	+3
Meditation	+1
Observation	+4
Organisation	+1
Reimancy	+1

Lores

*A Chance At Redemption
*Magecrafting: Tools of the Trade
*Magecrafting: Blood that Binds
*Magecrafting: Reagents
*Magecrafting: A Hefty Price to Pay
*Magecrafting: Shaping Djed
*Magecrafting Principle: Behavioral
*Magecrafting Principle: Magical
*Thadeus Lazerin: Hates Me

Micellaneous :

Injuries

*None

Loot/Expenses

*None
*

____________________________________________

Notes

*Magic is complicated o.O
*Good thread, like how you portray the relationship between Caldera and Thadeus

Feel free to PM me with questions, comments, or concerns, if you have any.
Also, remember to either delete your grade request or edit it as 'graded'.
Thank ye!