Carving runes

Laenor POV

Exiting the courtyard, my muscles ached, and bruises marked where my uncle had struck me. Yet, glancing back at him, sporting his own bruises and panting slightly, I smirked. ADHD may be taxing mentally, but its advantages are undeniable. I often anticipated my uncle's moves. He wasn't among Westeros' finest fighters, but he is skilled knight of the realm, nonetheless. However, predicting and countering his moves felt like a personal triumph. Given my progress in swordsmanship, I believe I'll master more than just swords before the Dance begins, as a sword isn't the best choice for war. My goal is to become proficient with at least one more weapon suitable for battle in the war.

There is also my hydro kinesis which is improving quite steadily. Although I can't progress much more in single day from day one, I progressed. Although there are also many other abilities which I haven't tested out yet. But it has been not many days since I have been thrown here and although I'm very happy to be here. That does not mean I do not have my problem adjusting here. But I would try my best to master or at least become proficient in all abilities that is bestowed upon me. 

I walked to my chambers at a leisurely pace, pondering whether dragon eggs would interact with magical runes and if the runes would function properly. According to what I've learned from books, magic began to fade from this world following the doom of Valyria. Despite its darkness and cruelty, Valyria was the last bastion of magic in these realms. Even though some magic persisted post-doom, it was not as prevalent as before. This decline could also be attributed to Valyria's destruction of nearly all civilizations that had some mastery over magic, with the Rhoynar being the most notable example.

*****

I am presently heading to the seashore, followed by servants who are carrying a block of Dragon glass. I was capable of carrying it myself, yet my father has given explicit instructions for them to transport the block. He also instructed them to depart once they have placed it at my desired location. Thus, I complied with his orders and allowed the servants to carry it. A Valyrian steel dagger rests at my hip, and I hold the Dragon eggs in my hands, which are the sole items too hot for the servants to handle.

I resolved to first carve the runes I had contemplated onto the block before proceeding with anything else. Drawing the Valyrian dagger from its sheath, I couldn't help but admire the beauty of its rippled steel pattern. I attempted to discern any runes or sense any magic emanating from it, but despite multiple efforts, I met with no success. Subsequently, I inspected the box to determine the best areas for rune carving, noting that its large size offered ample space for this task. The box also featured two deep, cavernous holes, seemingly the perfect size to house spherical dragon eggs. In every respect, it was a testament to fine craftsmanship.

I opted to add three runes initially; I could have chosen seven, but I wanted to start with fewer to understand the process. I began carving the runes and, after a few minutes, completed the task on the dragonglass. I had anticipated it taking longer because dragonglass requires careful handling due to its fragility. Too much force could break it or cause irreparable damage, and I couldn't risk that since crafting another would take an additional two days. The runes I engraved on the dragonglass are "Release," "Awaken," and "Resurgence"—simple and to the point, just the way I prefer.

I then added the final runes, which I am eager to see in action: "absorb" and "transfer" magic. After crafting and checking it at least three to four times, I made a cut on my palm and smeared blood on the runes. As a considerable amount was applied, a dim light appeared on the two runes, and then gradually, the three side runes also began to glow. I promptly placed the dragon eggs in the designated space for them. I could neither feel nor see whether the magic was properly transferring to the eggs. I needed to check the progress after two days to determine if it had accelerated or decelerated. Then, I picked up the block and dove into the sea, as the next step would be to transfer life-force with the magic that was already flowing into it.

Upon reaching the seafloor, I positioned the block and entered a meditative state to prepare my body and mind as a conduit for the life-force. Minutes later, I laid my hands upon the block, channelling the potent energy that surrounded me. A minute passed, and upon opening my eyes, I noticed the carved runes on the block glowing brighter than before. The light was not intense, but it could only be because of life-force or magic was reacting to the potent energy of the sea. The increasing glow of the runes suggested a greater transfer of magic. I ceased to ponder further, knowing that without proper focus, my body could suffer permanent harm.

I have reached the limit for transferring the life-force, so I am now practicing my Hydro kinesis. I repeated the same thing I did on the first day, except that now the Dragon eggs are not just sitting on the seafloor without anything happening to them. The magical runes are working great, and I am eager to see the results of the runes and magic. When I feel that it is safe to transfer the life-force again, I will not waste another minute and will start to transfer life-force from the sea to the Dragon eggs. I will do this more than on the previous day, which means almost double. Because when I came out on the surface of the sea, I saw the position of the sun and today I have spent much more time in the sea than the previous two days combined. But I will only stop when the Dragon eggs start to stop taking the life-force. The runes are still glowing, so I will leave them be. Today I have more residual life-force than before, so I will also be practicing more than before.

After doing all I could to better myself until evening, I proceeded to bathe in the sea before returning to my chambers. This bath was meant to provide relief, and it served its purpose well. Having secured the eggs on the shore, I plunged into the sea a third time to deposit the Dragon glass block on the ocean floor. I prefer this to the daily ordeal of cutting my palm, especially since I am unsure how to deactivate the still dimly glowing runes. Placing it on the seafloor seemed the best solution, and I plan to utilize it when I visit during this lunar cycle. Emerging from the sea, I made my way to my chambers, contemplating the day's schedule, which I intend to maintain for the week unless circumstances change.

One Week Later

I dissolved the water shield that I have been marinating for a few minutes. I'm facing a challenge with hydrokinesis. However, the other things are going great, and the petrified dragon eggs are no longer petrified. The stone part of the eggs has been replaced with dragon scales, and they are now hot to the touch, which indicates that life inside is ready to come out. But I'm not satisfied yet, though. I want these dragons to be the peak of their kind, and I want to make sure they reach that level when they hatch. So far, I've only carved runes for awakening and resurgence. Now I'll carve runes for evolving and vitality, as the vitality from magic and the life-force of the sea will fuel their evolution to be the peak of their kind. I also have something special planned for their hatching, and I can't wait to see what changes they will be born with.

If you're enjoying this Fic and would like to support me or are interested in reading ahead, here is my Patreon link.

patreon.com/Daeranyx_Drakonar

Your support is greatly valued as it inspires me to write more. I welcome direct interactions, or you can text me to share your expectations of my work. However, please don't feel obliged to join; I won't keep chapters behind a paywall indefinitely.