After three months of lessons we finally ended the first quarter, it was time for another benchmark. We were all led into a room full of desks, each one isolated from the other. After two days of testing we got our results.
With my old scores in brackets, mine were:
Math: A+ [A+] (Top Student)
Eneruology: C+ [C-]
Physics: A+ [A+] (Top Student)
Enchantment: B- [D]
Spelling: A [B+] (Top Student)
Runic Language: C [F-]
Reading: B+ [B]
Aptitude: First Stage 72% (Top Student)
Devin said that his Math and Physics skills were still lacking but he finally managed to get the top student in Runic Language.
"Alright! Good for you! And if you need help with Math or Physics I can help you."
"That would be amazing, I suck at those subjects." Devin's expression changed from hopeful to accusing "What's the catch?"
"I want you to help me with Runic Language. I'm already getting extra lessons from Teacher, but it is so fundamental to everything else and I'm learning too slowly for my tastes."
Devin smiled "You've got yourself a deal! After break, we come back and study together."
After each quarter we are offered a 3-week break, of course, if your family wasn't well off you might just stay to save money. But my family wasn't poor, and my parents were probably missing me so I went home.
The professors set up a long carriage with enough seats to fit everyone who lived in my town of Gond. We arrived at the gates and the familiar cold of the tundra hit my skin and I felt at home. They let us off and I bid farewell to all the professors on my way to my house.
When I arrived I found my parents sitting on the porch like a retired couple, yet sipping drinks like they are still young. They noticed me after a moment and looked surprised.
"Ingen! You came back! We were expecting you to stay at the school." Mother looked rushed and flustered.
"Let's go play in the front yard, we were doing some work in the back so don't go there."
'Wow, she really knows how to pique my interest, doesn't she? Orin, you should go scout it out.'
Orin woke up from his nap, went into his smallest form, and hopped out of my shadow, he was barely bigger than my hand, and I'm seven. He ran under the backyard fence and saw that my parents were building a... shed?
'That is beyond boring, I guess I'll just play in the yard with mom.'
After a bit, I asked dad "Do you want to build some gadgets dad?"
"Sure kiddo, come into my workshop"
A door that had been locked up for a long time now was suddenly opened, both figuratively and literally. I stepped into the workshop and noticed some things. First, in this world, engineering usually revolves around enchanting since that is usually easier and more effective than mechanical, electrical, or any other type of engineering. The purpose of an enchanter is not to make new enchantments, but rather produce them for the public. Father had enchantment formulas all over his walls.
Second, father had the mindset of a real engineer, he made many unenchanted objects that humans could use such as efficient lamps, he even had plans for an artificial spirit core that could act as an Eneru battery. He led me to a table and handed me some tools.
"What would you like to make?"
"How about a grappling hook launcher?"
"Maybe start with something simpler?" Father was stunned at my suggestion.
"Nah, I can make one."
A while later I had a working prototype. I started to test it and found its hook was terrible at catching anything that didn't have a walled ledge.
To solve this, Father and I enchanted a magnet that sticks to anything. After fixing that we had one more hurdle: it was huge! The magnet took up too much space and the launcher needed miniaturization. Of course, we tried miniaturizing the magnet, but it just was impossible, if you decreased the size of the magnet, it wouldn't support enough weight.
So we threw that out in favor of a hook that would seek a place to grip, if you shot it at a wall, it would find a weak spot and dig in, if you shot it at a rock face, it would find a ledge, etcetera. This one worked, and after two days of work, we had made a grapple gun.
I figured I should go see John since I hadn't for three months.
John and I met up in the park and played Tana for a while, then we started to talk.
"When do you go to school John?"
"I don't, I landed an apprenticeship with the blacksmith though so I guess it's close. What is school like anyway."
I stroked Orin's fur and spoke
"School is ok, you mostly study, go to class, go back to your dorms to study again, and so on."
"Sounds boring, what do you do in your spare time."
"Study, and or play with my natural friends."
"That's cool, most of the other humans think I'm weird for wanting to play with the naturals so I focus on my work."
After chatting for a bit I went home and started practicing enchantment, I didn't need to use a pen because the ink was Eneru-conductive and I could manipulate it flawlessly. I built a box and enchanted it to slow the rotting of food. I would have to infuse it with Eneru once a day, but it would be invaluable soon, plus it's good practice.
I figured that was enough schoolwork for a break and relaxed. For the first two weeks, that's all I did. During the last week, I decided to forage for food, I had enough of the school's food. All said and done, I had a two-week supply of edible berries and leafy greens and I stored them in my box.
I still had half a week so I had mom teach me to cook the things I had gathered. She complied and gave me some lessons and at the end, on the last day, right before I was to go back, my parents brought me to the back yard.
"Open your eyes Ingen."
I saw the shed from before, and my father standing next to it.
"Surprise! This is your workshop!" Father put my small hand on the shed and the rune that had been carved into my soul was engraved on my new workshop.
"No one but you and me can enter now without permission, and watch this." Father put his hand on the shed and it shrunk to the size of a trinket. He handed the miniature shed to me along with a case. It was very heavy.
"Have fun at school, and don't you go and grow up too fast." Mother looked proud of both her husband and her son.
I embraced my parents when I heard the long carriage rolling up in front of my house.
"Gotta go, love you!" I said as I ran to the abnormal carriage
"Love you too!" My parents said in unison.