Published at 16th of February 2024 2:20 pm

Chapter 13. Wolfhammer's Howl

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"The City of Ygg is small. It's location leaves it vulnerable to all sides. The walls might be enchanted but an army of siege mages can rip through it with little trouble. And the prize? Don't get me started about the prize. Who wouldn't want the world tree's endless mana under their control? We can't risk it, though. The Woodson line nurtures Yggdrasil's daughter, and keeps our future alive. We need the world tree to ensure our future generations continue growing stronger and the dungeon lords remain in their domain. We need the damned druids as much as their tree." -Emporer Oliver Morraine

Dean Myrina’s Shaping class was four hours long, lasting all afternoon, but it passed in a blur. She didn’t stop at the introduction and had everyone start basic Shaping exercises. Then she hobbled around the classroom, noting everyone’s skill level and stage. The dean adapted the drills accordingly and provided everyone with basic guidance.

Nox struggled with the exercises more than expected. He created clear crystals out of the mana in his core and attempted to shape them into geometrical shapes, but all of his attempts failed. The mana obeyed him in its raw form, following his will. However, he needed help finding the same success with crystalized essence.

“Shaping, like Manipulation and Reinforcement, is mastered through repetition and practice. Your mind and mana circuits must get used to the exercises and patterns. The fact that you can already do it with raw mana is amazing. It won’t be long before you can repeat it with essence glass.”

Nothing changed before the end of the lesson, but Nox felt a familiar tingle around his left bicep. It was the Sigil of Artisan. The tattoo sensed his intent and was helping him with his Shaping. He recalled similar sensations when actively nurturing the Sigil of Immunity by exposing himself to alchemically brewed toxins. The new sigil was helping him with his Shaping endeavor. The dean had called it a tool for building, so he understood why the sigil made the same connection. He hoped it would accelerate his progress.

After the class, he met Lillin for an early dinner. She had found Beginner Manipulation just as challenging. They were both mentally exhausted. Their mana circuits burned from trying to form new channels, too. Nox felt extra discomfort in his arms, especially around the mana burns. Then they shopped for gems to power the portable alchemy kit and the vents before calling it a night.

It felt as if barely a minute had passed before the manameter’s alarm function forced him out of his hammock. However, eight hours had passed since he went to bed. He dressed and ascended the stairs to the sub-basement, hoping Lillin was up, too. She wasn’t. Nox had no choice but to poke her awake. The young woman slept like the dead, and it took considerable effort.

“Leave me alone,” Lillin said. “I’ll eat you.”

“The same threats mean little after eighteen years,” Nox replied. “C’mon. You’re going to make us late.”

“What is it?” She hissed. “I know you like to wake up at the ass crack of bloody dawn, but I need my rest.”

“Combat class begins in an hour. We need to freshen up and eat.”

Lillin groaned, sitting up. “We should’ve never come here. You and I could’ve gone to the Imperium or joined a free city guild, worked up the ranks, and—

“You know that would’ve taken too much time.” Nox prodded her harder. “We can’t give up just because it's difficult. I failed at Shaping worse than you did at Manipulation. Don’t you want to relieve all that pent-up stress by humiliating some young masters?”

“That does sound fun.” She sighed, sitting up. “I want to see more of your bow, too.”

“I doubt I can consistently reproduce whatever I did against the Cloud Hunter. It’ll probably take at least a Shaping planetoid before I can produce full essence glass projectiles.”

“Fine. I’ll just settle for humiliating spoilt young masters and ladies.”

The apartment only had one washroom. They took turns relieving themselves and washing up before heading to the nearest cafeteria for breakfast. The smells of grilled sausages, thick-cut and honey-drizzled bacon, and eggs beckoned Nox. It pained him to resist, but he couldn’t afford to stuff himself too much before a physically intensive lesson. So, he settled for porridge with chopped nuts and sliced preserved peaches. On his way to a table, he saw a stall with soft-boiled eggs and gave in. He joined Lillin with two on his plate.

Unlike Nox, she had a plate piled high with meat and sweet treats. She shoveled the food into her mouth with gusto. The upcoming combat class didn’t deter her. Lillin stuffed herself and went back for seconds. The vendors gave her the stink eye, but Nox had learned long ago that she didn’t care what others thought of her. That was his job. He often wondered whether she used spatial magic to expand her stomach’s capacity so that she could engorge herself. However, Lillin’s stomach didn’t swell, no matter what she ate.

The university's clock tower struck six just after they reached the large, rune-lined terrace that would serve as their classroom. It sat on the Dungeon Studies department's roof, overlooking the sprawling city below. Ygg's rough trunk bordered one side, and only a railing protected them from the drop on the other. Sun lamps floated above the training area, bathing it in warm light despite the giant tree's shadow and the thick canopy above.

Several pairs of eyes glared at the duo. The group of ten wore better clothes than the rest, and their weapons appeared of better quality, too. At first, Nox chalked it up to Edward's presence, but then he spotted a similar-looking slender figure. It was Louis. Nox couldn't help but feel surprised by his half-brother's presence. He was only eighteen and didn't just have a well-developed mana system but enough skill for the apparently rigorous intermediate combat course. Some part of Nox felt envious and wondered whether he'd have achieved similar feats at the age if he benefited from the same resources. Then he bottled down the thoughts while telling himself that his brothers had no freedom. Queen Mercer had long decided their futures, and they needed to live as per her whims.

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"Before we get started, I want to get something straight," a harsh-faced tiny man said, marching onto the terrace. "I'm Battlemage Aaron Wolfhammer, and I believe a good deal of you don't deserve to be here." He faced the side of the terrace with Edward and Louis. Besides the obvious noble scion and gold-rich individuals, several common-looking students stood in the area too. "You lot entered this course in the appropriate manner. You completed the beginner course and proved your mettle." Then he faced the side with Nox. More than half the class stood scattered around him. "Meanwhile, the dean, your mentors, guild leaders, and commanding officers forced me to accept your lot, singing praises of your exploits.

“It's not that I don't want you here, but as far as I'm concerned, you're not worthy of this class or the privileges accompanying it. Sure, you might have fought brigands or hunted magical beasts, but only a fool would think that makes them ready for dungeon delving. In a fallen god’s domain, everything is out to kill you. Besides the obvious beasts, you need to deal with their followers and the dungeon itself as they all try to kill you simultaneously. However, since you have practical combat experience, I'm willing to give you a chance to prove yourselves. I will be harder on you than the others, and sometimes it might feel like torture. I assure you, conditions in dungeons will often be worse. Talk to me if you can't handle it, and I'll move you to the beginner course."

A heavy silence hung over the courtyard following the short speech. Smiles dominated Edward and his cronies' faces. Meanwhile, Louis appeared passive and uncaring. His eyes had long moved on from Nox.

"What are you lot waiting for? Start your laps. I want five from the beginner course graduates and ten from the rest of you. No arcane reinforcements or empowerments allowed."

The laps weren't just around the giant terrace as Nox had hoped. Instead, his siblings, their entourage, and the other veteran students took off along the university's roof. The long, wide path went all around Ygg's trunk. The rest of the class hesitantly looked between them and Professor Wolfhammer before following.

After the second lap, the flask hanging from his belt tempted him. A combination of Feline Grace and Runner’s High would make the task a breeze. It was unlikely the professor’s mana sense would detect their presence. However, Nox refused to fall short of his step or half-brother. It would be embarrassing if he got caught, too, and would probably delay his dungeoneering license.

Lillin jogged next to Nox, unaffected by the exertion despite the volume of greasy food in her belly. Each lap took the class’s veteran members eight minutes, and the pair successfully kept pace with them. By the third lap, sweat soaked his clothes, and maintaining the same speed grew difficult, yet Nox kept pushing himself until they finished and remained on the terrace for further instruction from Professor Wolfhammer. Edward and his cronies tried to body-block Nox, but he weaved through them effortlessly.

A friend with spatial magic proved invaluable, like always. When Nox got too hot, he removed his shirt and coat and dropped them in a pocket dimension. She did the same with her clothing, leaving only a vest to cover her torso.

When the duo finished their tenth lap, hushed voices spoke of the pair. Some stared, and others stuck to quick glances. Nox heard whispers talking about the warped skin on his forearms and the tendrils extending from them. Others accused Lillin of using magic since not a single bead of sweat clung to her.

“Good,” Professor Wolfhammer said. “I expected more of you to quit.” Anyone that gave up had already left the terrace. Nox imagined they were demoted to the beginner class. “At least everyone here has decent tenacity.” He shot curious glances at Nox and Lillin, too. “Next, I’d like a demonstration of power from all newcomers. You can work alone or in groups of up to three.”

“What would you like us to do?” A young woman asked. She stood a head shorter than Nox, had a frizzy mane of light brown hair, and striking green-grey eyes. He recognized her from Beginner Shaping despite her disheveled form. Dean Myrina had relied on the young woman to pass around handouts and take notes. Now that he got a better look, Nox noticed similarities between the two women. They shared several facial features. Unlike the dean, her cheeks carried some fat, but the chin, nose, and brow were near identical. “My magic excels at defense.” She nodded at the dummies and targets lining the terrace’s sides. “These won’t give you an accurate impression of my capabilities.”

“I have a solution for that,” Professor Wolfhammer said. “Everyone that completed the beginner course had to fight a magical beast to pass the course. You’re going to do the same now.”

“Where—”

Floating spell forms solidified around Professor Wolfhammer. Six-limbed wolves grew out of them. Nox had never heard or read about the giant creatures. Four legs stayed on the ground like that of a regular canine. It was the human torso growing out of the neck and shoulders that made them odd. The creature had two furry arms ending in giant hands with monstrous claws and wolf-like heads.

“He’s a summoner,” Nox whispered, struggling to hide his amazement.

The wolf-centaurs stood seven feet tall, and each of them carried a war hammer as long as their torsos. One side had a meat tenderizer-like hammerhead, while the other featured a pick.

“Each group will face one of my beautiful beasties.” The professor grinned. “To pass my test, you must either defeat your opponent or survive five minutes against them. My babies won’t hold back. They’ll avoid fatal blows, but that doesn’t mean your limbs are safe. If you’re not careful, you might end up crippled or maimed.”

“What if we fail?” A man asked. The wet hair and sweat-soaked clothes made him look half a decade older than Nox. “Will you demote us to the beginner class?”

“It all comes down to your performance,” Professor Wolfhammer replied. “If I sense your mentors and backers exaggerated your capabilities, I won’t have a choice but to demote you. That’s the entire point of this exercise. If you fight well and still can’t defeat my summons, you’ll repeat this exercise every lesson until you do.”

“And if we defeat them?” Nox asked. He left his shirt and coat off but had pulled on the glove accompanying Ratra’s bow while the professor spoke.

Professor Wolfhammer grinned. His eyes narrowed as he studied Nox and Lillin. “You’ll enjoy the same privileges as them.” He nodded at the half of the class standing around the training dummies. “That means only five laps, custom training plans, and a fair bit of freedom with delving party creation. These are the weakest of my summons, but defeating them on the first try will also win you privileges. I’d suggest you not get overconfident. They’re not easy opponents.” His eyes scanned the newcomers. “Who’d like to go first?”

Five hands shot into the air. Nox, Lillin, and the young woman from Beginner Shaping were among them.

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