Some time passed since the rematch with Devin, and now Professor Pei'ye had declared that it was finally time for the class to start practicing effectless short imbuement to prepare us for actual imbuement. Ironically, we started practicing short imbuement in this class after we started the actual short-imbuement part of Expanded Casting Types.
"This is so dumb! I can already do short imbuement!" One student complained.
"Yeah! Why do we have to do it now?" Another added.
"Ugh, I finally understand why the last teacher quit. This form of short imbuement is different, why do you think I've been making you practice perceiving the flow for so long?"
I understood "So it's kinda like a blood glyph then? Super similar to runes but not quite?" I asked
"Yes, the short-imbuement we will be using will also involve metal weaving and flow manipulation. This is because you will have to do all three at once to do a permanent imbuement."
He explained some intricacies of the process, but for the layman, it goes something like this: First, you would put the thing you wanted to imbue in the imbuer, the infuser-looking thing with a slot for a core I saw when I first came to class. Second, you would put the spirit core on the imbuer and use flow manipulation to establish a mind-link with it, during which you would establish a contract or force it to your will. Last you would guide the spirit along the path of least resistance and do the equivalent of metal weaving on the thing you were imbuing, whether it conducted Eneru or not.
"Now, begin your training," Pei'ye commanded and the class obeyed, they had learned better than to question Pei'ye's logic.
A while more and we were finally giving effects to our short-imbuements in expanded casting types.
"Ingen, your turn." Professor Pei'ye proclaimed
"Yessir" I said in a distracted tone, I was hyperfocused on my plan in case short-imbuement went wrong.
I started to guide Spirit into the quarterstaff I had crafted and willed it to power.
White energy not unlike my first attempts at flow manipulation started to form around the quarterstaff, but this time I felt that this time it was different, and the energy was stable. I tried to manipulate the energy but I found that I was being rejected, and it remained an aura around the weapon.
"What does it even do? It should be effectless and I haven't made progress in Expanded casting types on effective short-imbuement." I asked, swinging the quarterstaff around haphazardly.
"Let me try." Professor Fesine, who was an assistant teacher for this class, sent a weak spell at me "Block it."
I put the quarterstaff between me and the slow-moving bolt of fire and it started to siphon Eneru off of the spell as it got closer, eventually making it disappear.
"Congratulations, you seem to be able to control negative Eneru. I think that's the nature of your flow manipulation too."
Several plans started to float around in my head.
"How can I amplify the dampening effect?"
"How should I know? You're the one who has the ability, figure it out."
And so I spent a lot of time doing experiments, the second semester ended and Pei'ye let us imbue our first item, I decided to imbue a shield to catch fire in a similar way to Laura's short-imbuement, the school took the shield to recoup the costs of the spirit cores.
I also switched weapons from the quarterstaff to a spear, it was a sharp weapon with a long reach, and I didn't have to give up all of my previous training because the spear forms were similar to the quarterstaff ones. Some more time passed, and during break, I noticed that my dad wasn't home the entire time.
"It's finally time to learn more about blood glyphs! Devin learned about them before I had the chance cause it was first in his Expanded Casting Types cycle."
'First, you need to go to sleep, you've been up for three days studying.' Spirit informed me
'Get off my ass, I don't need sleep.'
'Are you sure? Judging by that burning cylinder, you seem to be losing your edge.'
"Ah! Fire!" I used matter manipulation to rob the fire of its oxygen and let it die.
'Ok, so you might be right. I guess I'd better sleep.' my head hit my desk and I snored until my glasses beeped, signaling morning.
"Ahhh!" I groaned as I stretched out the body parts that I had slept on wrong.
I went to dueling class and checked on the duel leaderboard.
1) Laura of Gond: 14 wins 2 losses
2) Ben of Werande: 13 wins 3 losses
3) Justin of Werande: 10 wins 6 losses
I looked for my position
16) Ingen of Gond: 7 wins 9 losses
"Yup, still garbage in a fight."
I lost another duel that day, but it didn't faze me because I was going to get to learn a new subject that might help me in fulfilling my oath or completing the mission from the gods.
"I'm here Teacher!" Headmaster Larry taught the lessons on Blood Glyphs because Professor Fesine had a rare condition that made her blood pressure low.
"I'd be glad you were here if you weren't ten minutes late!" Headmaster Larry was genuinely indignant. "I thought I taught you to be punctual."
"I'm sorry sir, I was held a little longer in dueling, Professor Unda wanted to go over my mistakes in the last fight."
"Give me your excuse and take a seat."
I handed him a small sheet of paper signed by Professor Unda and sat down.
"Let's get started, we left off on the identity of each glyph."