The Runic Alchemist

"His Highness Godflame would be more welcoming if we weren't in rags and covered in injuries," the baron commented offhandedly.

"Our men desperately need rest, too. Dragging them into another intense situation and unsafe warring land doesn't sit right with me," Lord Silas said.

"Okay then… The Highswords don't want you guys here. I can send you back to Dawnstar right now," Damian concluded. "Rest and recuperate for a few days. It would be better if you could gather more lords, and even Duke Asborne, to meet your king."

Then, remembering something, he added, "I'll have to ask you to take care of the Empire's prisoners as well, Lord Marcus, for a while. You can leave them with the Spellmaster once we get there. I'll cover their expenses."

"No need for expenses. I'll do it," the baron said. "You just have to say the word."

Lord Silas smiled and added from beside his friend, "Yes. I doubt we small nobles can do much for you, but just ask anytime."

Many others echoed words of favor and thanks again.

Damian also smiled. "Don't worry, I'll come to collect the debt one day. The baron knows I'm a fair guy."

The look the baron and his daughter gave him was amusing. The others smiled or chuckled, understanding the reference. Most of the northern lords had seen him when he was at the baron's villa. His appearance might have changed a little, but he was still easily recognizable.

Even Reize and the others had heard the name they were using for him. Maelor had said it before, and no one had even reacted. He didn't care much about it anymore, but he still wanted to tell Reize himself once it was all over. Guess this is what he gets for delaying it for so long.

They woke everyone and gathered them together. The giant steel cube with the waygate spell was in bad shape, but surprisingly, it looked like it could be used one more time before it melted so much that the runic etchings and internal mana nodes were damaged.

It was early morning already—maybe around 4 or 5 AM. Almost half of the third-ranker Highswords had come out to see the spell in action, as he had promised them. All three section leaders, their closest allies, and even the Silverspell were there.

Damian was disappointed to see him unscathed. Why didn't Voidshaper send the guy into a lava pit?

Jokes aside, Damian was truly impressed by Voidshaper's spell. Space-time mages were rare, and there was almost no information on higher research into wormhole and waygate spells. Everyone had simply accepted that they couldn't be changed. And now, on a small island, there were two people who could do it.

He was aided by his Eye skill, but Voidshaper was just that talented. Guess he lives up to his name. That spell might not even be much to him. Damian wondered if the guy had any useful spells that could help his miniature generator storage idea—or maybe some other type of spatial rift spell.

Using liquid mana from Dreamlight's storage container, Damian filled the giant cube with enough mana to activate the spell. He had already explained to the baron what needed to be done. The spell was unpredictable, and the waygate could open anywhere, potentially injuring nearby people. That was why the baron had chosen an old soldier from his barony, someone who lived alone on the outskirts, to connect the waygate to.
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It worked.

The spell activated before hundreds of people gathered in the dark of night, a giant portal shimmering sky-blue, washing everyone in its glow. The energy inside looked like swirling, glowing liquid.

The baron and some of his people crossed the waygate first, explaining the situation to the most likely terrified, injured soldier. When they came back and the lines of people began walking through, the Highswords stirred.

Hellseeker, Gravebreaker, and one of Sunkeeper's section members crossed and returned before the hundreds in line were fully through, confirming the spell's travel destination.

The whispering and murmuring among the Highswords proved how bizarre—how borderline impossible—the spell was. In the end, even Sunkeeper and Worldscribe went through, took a look around, and returned. Every once in a while, people glanced at Damian, who was keeping the spell stable.

The sheer amount of mana coursing through him and being used to sustain the spell was clear to all the mages and spellswords. More than the waygate itself, many were entranced by that fact. The way Silverspell was looking at Damian gave him the creeps.

At last, when everyone was through, the baron, Grace, and Lucian approached him. The others near Damian gave them space to talk privately.

"You'll come in a week, right? Before the academy starts?" Lucian asked.

"Yes, I have a few things to take care of. Once that's done, I'll come to Dawnstar before heading to Ashenvale," Damian confirmed.

Grace nodded. "We're going too, in that case. It's a chance to meet our family. I need to talk to my father."

Damian looked at Lucian, who nodded in agreement. With that, the two walked into the waygate and disappeared to northern Dawnstar.

"You'll close it behind me?" the baron asked.

"No, I'll cross too. I have something to do there for a minute," Damian replied.

The people were fine, but Damian wanted a strong tree in Dawnstar that he could use as a waygate point in the future. He still couldn't change the spell's target from humans and that being a close person requirement thing, but after some modifications, hopefully it should be possible. That would come in handy in future.

Using the mana container to stabilize the spell, Damian stepped through the waygate with the baron. Once inside, he saw Lucian and the other lords leading the rescued people back toward the baron's villa.

Damian walked to the nearest tree and collected its ID using his spell. The baron and the injured soldier watched him, utterly confused, but neither said anything.

Once he was done, the baron spoke up. "Damian.. your family.."

"What about them?" he asked.

"I know they have absolutely no right over you, but they're still…" The baron trailed off.

Damian already knew what he was trying to say.

"Keep them alive if you can. Nothing more than that," Damian replied simply.

The baron nodded and gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "You saved Lucian, and now even me. Whatever your reasons for that maybe; always remember—whether you consider it as such or not—we will always see you as part of our family."

With that, the baron walked away. Damian also stepped back into the waygate and finally closed the spell.