The Runic Alchemist

One of the first things Damian checked was what would happen if the origin of a spell—whether animal or monster—died while the mimicry skill remained active on another target. Naturally, he tested this on weaker, unranked monsters since higher-ranked ones were rare in the forest, and the spell didn't always work on them without him beating them up.

The unique aspect of bestowal-type magic was that it required the target's compliance; the target could either accept or reject the spell. Most monsters, cowed by his aura, accepted it without much resistance, but stronger creatures fought back. It was not a fighting type spell, well unless he used the support features for tracking the enemy or he could find something really interesting feature of a monster that he could copy which would help strengthen his body, but direct application on the enemy with this spell was not possible.

Damian had even attempted to replicate the glowing power core of Toph, yet their physiology was too dissimilar for it to work. Still, he felt he could potentially transfer Toph's ability to other mana-filled elephants if he tried, it was just a feeling though which he was eager to try out. More than empowering himself, Damian was intrigued by the possibilities this skill opened up and the fascinating effects it had on a target's body. It captivated him.

During times without monsters around, he and Toph simply walked or rode together. Damian used this downtime to make strange modifications to his spell, though few succeeded. After initial changes to a few fixed sections, he found it increasingly challenging to decipher or modify anything further. Nonetheless, those initial changes were enough to keep his mind engaged with the wide range of spells he had collected. His primary goal was to understand the runes and the effects they invoked, searching for patterns. Some were unique, while others were slight variations with similar effects, particularly among fire and elemental spells. This wasn't always the case, though; the wood-style runes in the runic circle, for instance, were a particular headache to figure out.

To make real progress, he needed a relaxed environment and ample supply of paper for notes. Reading more on traditional runes would also help, he thought. Although he recognized the English letters and numbers in the runic circles, even they carried some strange implications. Some letters seemed randomly inserted within the rune web, making no sense, but others appeared to act as parameters or represented specific parts of spell control.

When they reached Pyron, the city looked entirely different from what Damian remembered. The cold, chilly air lingered, but without everything blanketed in snow, the city was strikingly beautiful—and more crowded. The army set up camp outside its walls as Vidalia and the nobles entered to occupy the Pyron Lord's seat. While Aramis was the rightful heir, it was up to Vidalia and the queen whether they'd appoint him as the new lord of Pyron or replace the ruling house, though that would require a compelling reason. Damian doubted they'd make such a change. Since Aramis was a transcendent seed and the apprentice of Bonecrusher—a figure somewhat distanced from the queen's circle—replacing him might be seen as an act of conflict. Given the centuries that had passed, it was natural for some differences to arise among the kingdom's third-rankers, yet betrayals were infrequent, most remained loyal to the land despite their grievances, like a large dysfunctional family.

Most people from Pyron and nearby villages had returned to their homes, and Damian no longer felt the need to stay in the army camp either. Vidalia had sent a messenger informing him they'd depart for the capital in two days, so he planned to spend the next two nights in a warm, comfortable bed.

"Let's go," Damian announced as he and his friends gathered to bid Yovan farewell as he was returning back to his home.

"Go where?" Einar asked.

"What do you mean, 'where'? We are finally in the city.. I demand a warm bed and a lot of well cooked meat! And a bath too!"

"Wheee!"

Sam explained better than he ever could, Toph also agreed, even though he didn't know what he was agreeing to. Toph had really taken liking to all of his friends who praised him to no end, but he was especially fond of Sam with his loud personality and dazzling him with electric displays which Toph reacted to by making his own stomach glow pinkish red. They had a weird way of communication. At the moment, he was resting happily in Sam's hands.

"Yes, let's go. We're getting the best inn and the best meat in the city—my treat!" Damian said, eager to splurge his newfound wealth. The pugilist cousins' eyes sparkled at the mention of a free feast, and even Einar seemed more excited than she was a minute ago.

"Oh yeah! That's the captain I like!" Sam cheered loudly, which prompted Toph to wiggle and trumpet looking at Damian, as if he understood the excitement. Damian wasn't sure how much the little munchkin comprehended, but Toph certainly loved to make noise when others got loud.

Damian just smiled as they all followed Yovan into Pyron. Their first stop was a hearty meal; they ate as if they hadn't seen food in days, even Toph eagerly devouring a steak. Damian wasn't sure if it was good for him, but seeing how happy he was chewing away, he didn't have the heart to stop him. They all ate so much that their bellies noticeably swelled.

Afterwards, Damian rented five rooms in a reputable inn. Collapsing onto a soft bed, Toph bounced around him in glee.

"Wheeee!"

"Yes, Toph, this is the life…" Damian murmured with a contented groan.

Before sleep claimed him, however, Damian forced himself up to take a bath with Toph. The inn staff merely exchanged amused glances at the sight of the glowing creature but didn't protest his presence, of which Damian was grateful of. After that, both Damian and Toph slept like beasts, utterly relaxed and unbothered by the world.

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