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  “I could have done with one of these on Tyranus,” I said mostly to myself.

  “Link it with the rune on your hand,” Max said, and I thought he mustn’t have heard me.

  I fired up the prot-belt’s power and allowed its scanner to read my palm rune. My details filtered into the new belt’s holographic interface which projected itself from the belt’s buckle. Besides this advanced interface and a few additional functions, the buttons were all in the same place.

  The belt linked with the rest of my equipment, and the activation sequence scrolled down the holo menu. My preferred technique I called a speed sequence showed at the bottom. I’d relied on the synergy between my leg armor and my boots to get off Tyranus, so I was glad this prot-belt wouldn’t have any compatibility issues.

  I went over a few of the other functions and almost choked when I read the time. Less than two hours before the Stalwart was scheduled to leave.

  This was a massive upgrade when compared with my old belt, and probably expensive. I smiled at the item bitterly. I was about to ask the enchanter the price so I could get the disappointment over with and leave for the Stalwart when he thrust a heavy chest piece into my arms.

  “You’re a big lad, so you’ll need armor large enough to cover your vitals.”

  The chest armor was a cuirass with outer guards dropping from the main piece and flanking the hips. I was excited to try it on, but I’d just been slammed with major disappointment in The Silver Rune. I didn’t want to get my hopes up with Max’s equipment. I sighed and rested the cuirass on a bench.

  “Listen, Max. I don’t have a lot of Kingdom Points.”

  Max’s thick eyebrows bunched together. “How much?”

  “3000 total, but I need 1000 for my mom.”

  “Helping out your mother, are you?” The enchanter gave me a proud smile. “We don’t get many Outlanders finishing from the Academy. Let alone being called a hero to the Caledonian Kingdom. You’ve done us all proud. So I want you to keep the belt, the armor, and then take a weapon from this pile. You can give me 800 KPs for the lot if you leave me your gladius, old prot-belt, and chest piece. I’m losing a bit of money, but helping you is like helping our people.”

  I couldn’t remember the last time someone had been so nice to me, and it made my chest swell. Three years at the Academy had made me forget how Outlanders tended to stick together since I was the one in the whole institution. Maybe our camaraderie was one of the reasons the Pure-Bloods thought we were problematic.

  Max scanned my prot-belt and my balance readout updated.

  Current Kingdom Balance: 2,200

  Total Kingdom Points Earned: 0

  I hadn’t earned the KPs the duke gave me, so my total earned was still zero.

  “Thanks,” I said to the enchanter.

  “Don’t mention it,” Max said.

  I scanned the cuirass with my new prot-belt.

  Armor type: Cuirass of Triumph

  Absorption rating: Standard

  Power class: Squire

  Armor effect: Battery - an ionic supply source used to replenish a prot-belt’s forcefield.

  Runes inscribed: Enhance

  Rune class: Squire

  Rune effects: Added ionic prot-field recharge rate of 15%

  The cuirass was a good defensive item that synergized well with my new belt. Together they’d make a great starting kit if I wanted to advance in the shield knight role. I hadn’t thought much about my progression because I’d been so intent on finishing at the Academy. Seeing all these weapons piled up made me realize there were so many paths I could take.

  It was a little overwhelming.

  I wanted to see how a weapon felt while I was wearing the cuirass, so I unequipped my light armor and slipped on the new chest piece. Max helped me tighten it until it was snug around my chest and waist.

  “Looks good on you,” the enchanter said as he stepped back.

  I started sorting through the weapons pile for something to synergize with the cuirass and prot-belt. Thankfully most of the items were scabbarded so I didn’t worry about slicing my hands. I didn’t have time to sort them all, and I definitely didn’t have time to scan them one by one. I’d have to use my gut to choose something that wasn’t too unfamiliar.

  There were single-bladed axes with short handles, double-bladed axes with long handles, and combinations of both. I pulled out what looked like a staff, only to find a massive spiked ball chained to it. I’d seen some cadets use similar weapons in the Academy’s battle rooms. I imagined crushing a Grendel’s lizard skull beneath the iron ball and smiled.

  “Good flail, that one,” Max said as he indicated the weapon in my hand.

  I scanned the item.

  Weapon type: Two-handed Flail of Crushing Detection

  Additional damage: None

  Power class: Squire

  Weapon effect: Changes color when in proximity to high Arcane Dust items.

  Runes inscribed: Greater Gravity

  Rune class: Squire

  Rune effects: Spiked ball magnifies in gravity when swung, granting 20% more weapon damage and ignoring lesser armor.

  The flail was more offensive than weapons I’d wielded in the past, but I couldn’t use a shield with it. The ability to find powerful Dust items was useful, although I wasn’t sure how much use it would get on my current assignment. I thought about using the big flail in combat and my smile widened. The massive ball on the end would probably crush most Grendel warriors with one hit. I could almost hear the sounds of their armor breaking with the might of my imaginary attacks.

  “What about this one?” I asked as I set the flail down, grabbing a short-handled axe with a single-edged head instead. After I gave it a few swings, I scanned it.

  Weapon type: Short-Axe of Fortification

  Additional damage: None

  Power class: Squire

  Weapon effect: None

  Runes inscribed: Fortify

  Rune class: Squire

  Rune effects: When the short-axe strikes successfully, prot-field recharges at a rate of 1% per second for three seconds.

  The axe didn’t have any weapon effects, but the rune effect was so powerful it didn’t need them. Unlike the flail, there was synergy with my new belt. With the cuirass’s increased recharge rate, my prot-field would have almost constant uptime. The axe was also one-handed, so I could carry a shield in my off-hand, or even wield a second weapon. These weapons were the kinds berserker knights used. I imagined myself wading into a crowd of Grendels while the axe spun in my hand. I would be able to laugh off their attempts to take down my prot-field.

  “Not a bad choice,” the enchanter said. “You could go either way, really. Mind if I make a suggestion?”

  “Sure,” I said. Both the axe and the flail were excellent items, so I was hoping the weapon Max was about to suggest would make my decision easier.

  The enchanter handed me a longsword from the pile. It looked unremarkable compared to the flail and the axe, but the twinkle in the man’s eye made me think it held many secrets.

  The sword fit well in my grip, and I made a few gentle sweeping movements to test its weight. The blade was only a little heavier than I was accustomed to, unlike the flail, but it was still much heavier than the axe. I attached the scabbard to my belt and ran through a few forms while the enchanter watched.

  The longsword reminded me a lot of the gladius I’d used on Tyranus, except this sword was wielded with two hands. Satisfied with the blade’s balance and weight, I scanned the item and watched its details manifest on the projection.

  Weapon type: Longsword of Propulsion

  Additional damage: None

  Power class: Squire

  Weapon effect: None

  Runes inscribed: Forcewave

  Rune class: Squire

  Rune effects: [Unknown]

  I couldn’t determine any synergy with the cuirass because the longsword’s rune effects were unknown. I could try activating the Forcew
ave rune, but without knowing its function, I was asking for trouble. I restarted the prot-belt in case there had been a glitch, but when it rebooted the information was the same.

  “What’s this Forcewave rune?” I asked Max. “I haven’t seen it before, and the kingdom database doesn’t have a description for its effect.”

  “That’s because it’s non-regulation.”

  “Is it safe?”

  The intense way Max looked down at me, made me feel like I was being scolded. “You think I’d put it on the pile if it wasn’t?” he asked. “I’m not some kind of sick bastard who gets his kicks--“ He stopped and sighed. “I invented the Forcewave myself. It was meant to be for grand knights, but then King Justinian died, rest his soul. With all the drama in the hierarchy while Princess Catrina became Queen Catrina, my patent wasn’t approved. I tried again, and it was rejected. So I did some reworking. Made a less powerful iteration which would work with Squire runes. The new version is the one on this longsword.”

  I stared at the glowing sigil on the sword’s handle. “What does it do?”

  “Projects the prot-field from your belt out through the sword. Initiate the rune, and you can give it a try.”

  Waves of excitement rolled over me when I thought about the term forcewave. Sending out my prot-field via the longsword would cause it to deplete, but with the cuirass and rune effects increasing my forcefield’s recharge rate, it wouldn’t be so big of a trade off.

  A part of me wanted to put the longsword back on the pile and find something with less potential for dangerous malfunctions. Max looked like a trustworthy guy, but the kingdom had regulated runes for a reason. But I figured I’d try the sword out before deciding against it. The rune was unlikely to malfunction while I was standing next to its inventor.

  I summoned my inventory, selected the Longsword of Propulsion, and activated the Forcewave rune. Nothing happened. After a little thought, while Max smirked at me, I activated my prot-field. The weapon thrummed in my hand as the link between belt and sword finalized.

  “Go on,” Max said, now grinning. “Try it out.” He pointed toward a stack of iron boxes ten meters away.

  The sword trembled with active power while I held it in front of me. A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead. I’d never wielded such a powerful magical weapon before so I was a little nervous about using it.

  I brought the sword above my head and slashed downward so its tip touched the ground. The movement didn’t produce anything, and I turned to the enchanter with a look of disappointment.

  “You gotta end the movement with a twist,” Max said.

  I slashed the sword again, but this time I twisted my wrist a little. The action produced a loud thrum as a wave of energy pulsed from the blade. The iron crates slammed together and bounced apart. A few of them rolled the length of the workshop, clattering to a halt at the feet of some of the workers.

  The enchanter chuckled behind me, and I got the feeling he was laughing at my attempt.

  “Did I do it wrong?” I frowned at the Longsword of Propulsion. It definitely seemed like projecting my prot-field into a concussive force was the intention.

  “It was damned near perfect,” Max said. “Maybe a little less power next time. You’re trying to usher your forcefield forward with the blade, not slice someone’s head off.”

  “Got it,” I said. “Anything else?”

  “If you do decide to take the weapon, you’ll need to make sure you have plenty of room between you and whatever you want to hit. Otherwise, you’ll find your prot-field will backfire. And that won’t be pretty.”

  “How far?” I asked.

  “At least four meters.”

  I committed the needed distance to memory and tested the weapon some more. Every time I thrust my sword forward, my prot-field dimmed. On my next swing, I changed the angle as I bought the weapon down in a slash, and my forcefield didn’t weaken. Different maneuvers seemed to produce forcewaves of varying strength, whereas others acted like regular attacks, leaving my prot-field intact. Each forcewave used a little of my prot-field’s power, with variations depending upon how much kinetic force I invested into a strike.

  “It projects a blunt force,” Max said after I’d finished. “The potential changes depending on the prot-belt you’re wearing. With the Squire one I gave you, it’s not particularly powerful without using almost all of your forcefield. But lower strength attacks will generate enough room for you to use the longsword as it was intended.”

  Throwing forcewaves made me feel like a god. The only thing stopping me from hollering with glee were my doubts about the rune’s reliability.

  I was stuck with the choice between three equally good weapons. Well, the longsword might have been better, but I worried about it malfunctioning.

  With the flail, I’d be smashing Grendels in single hits. A few months wielding it and I’d gain a few kilos of extra muscle. It was a fighting style I could get used to.

  The axe would satisfy my penchant for diving headfirst into enemies. I imagined leaping into a group of Grendel Elites and whirling around like a cyclone. Rapid attacks would make me nearly invulnerable as long as I kept mowing the lizards down. Berserker knights had always fascinated me. This axe would give me plenty of practice in the role before I ascended to full knighthood.

  But the longsword provided something unique. Since the forcewave wasn’t technically a projectile, regular prot-fields wouldn’t be able to stop it. One heavy swing and I’d be able to crush reptilian armor like a tin can. Except I didn’t really know what specialist role would best suit this weapon.

  Three options, and I could only choose one.

  Except it wasn’t really an option.

  “I like the longsword,” I said to the enchanter.

  “Of course you do!” Max gave me a wink, and he pulled out his tablet and punched a few keys.

  The shop suddenly quieted. The workers all stopped, and their machines ground to a halt.

  The iron doors opened at the entrance, and a rotund man entered the workshop, flanked by two men holding glowing assault rifles.

  Calling the man rotund was just me being polite; he was probably the fattest man I’d ever seen. The frills around his collar and sleeves, along with the sheer size of his linen shirt, made it look like he’d stripped a bed to clothe himself. When he moved, every part of him jiggled, and the protective runes along his clothes shimmered. He wore high-powered Runetech, which meant he was someone important. And dangerous.

  His guards were both wearing black doublets, and if it weren’t for the faintest glow along the seams, I wouldn’t have noticed the garments were laden with runes.

  These men were prepared for a fight.

  “Better put that away, lad,” Max said as he nodded at the longsword, and I sheathed the weapon. “Gregory is all sorts of scum. Let me do the talking and don’t do anything heroic.”

  Chapter 5

  “Maximillian,” the fat man said as he approached between his two thugs. “It’s been a while.”

  “I don’t have anything to sell to you, Gregory,” Max said. “Bad enough the nobles come around asking me for equipment, but at least they don’t use my gear to kill children.”

  “You heard about that, did you? I don’t suppose you’ll believe me if I said those casualties were unavoidable?” Gregory grinned, and his chins multiplied. “It’s only a matter of time before the Pure-Bloods get their way and there’s none of us Outlanders left. We need to help ourselves before it’s too late. That’s gonna take some casualties on the Caledonian side before they realize they can’t push us around.”

  “How long do you think it’ll be before Caledonian officials iron out your little uprising? You think they don’t know about you guys hiding out in the Business Spire? I give it a few months before you’re all hanging from the parapets like every other rebel who ever fought against the kingdom.”

  “You have so little faith in our operation. Our numbers are growing by the day,” Gregory
said. “Why delay in joining us?”

  I was wondering how long this conversation could go on. I had to get to the Stalwart. Neither man seemed like they were going to budge. I knew how arguments like these tended to end, and it wasn’t in a group hug.

  “No Caledonian has ever done me harm, and the Pure-Bloods are a tiny faction. They’re unlikely to ever get the influence to organize a kingdom-wide genocide,” Max spat. “I don’t want any part in the little war your boss is cooking up.”

  “What makes you think you have a choice? You’re an Outlander. You have to do your part for our people.”

  “What the fuck do you think it is I’m doing in this enchantry? I earn my keep, and what I don’t need I give to others. I’ve done more to help our folk than all you thugs put together.”

  “Listen, Maximilian.” Gregory paused to sigh loudly like he was explaining something to a child. “We can spend all day debating the nature of our respective charitable works or we can get down to business.”

  “What about ‘I have nothing to sell you’ do you not understand? You’re a fucking slimeball.”

  “Now, now, there’s no need to be like that. I’m only trying to help you out. The boss has other, less tactful members he could have sent to your workshop.”

  “Tell him to send them. My men have their own firepower, and I can tell you they’re better than those peashooters the enchantry down the street manufactures.”

  The air was tense, and the other workers on their benches armed themselves with rifles of their own. I wondered how long it’d be before guns started firing. Max’s crew outnumbered Gregory and his men four to one, but there’d be casualties on both sides if it came to a gunfight. Gregory didn’t seem like the smartest guy in the galaxy, so maybe he’d take the gamble.

  At least my forcefield was still up from before. I could probably jump over one of the workbenches and use it for cover. I might get hit with a few bullets on the way, but my prot-field would easily protect me from them. Plus I’d be able to use Max’s longsword to wreak some havoc.