“That’s why I called you,” Ming said. “It’s a little urgent. Arek is gonna blow up.”

“I don’t know where you all got the idea that I’ve become explosive,” Arek said. He turned to Magus and raised his hand. “However, there is still a cause for worry. It appears the dungeon changed more than Ming’s eyes.”

“Explain,” Magus ordered. He coughed into his sleeve, but his inquisitive eyes didn’t leave Arek for a second.

It took a few moments for Arek to go over the history of his runes. Magus’s eyes narrowed once the orc had finished speaking. The pale mage shook his head with a disbelieving chuckle.

“You played me. When I asked if you were magical, you said not inherently. I suppose an external enchantment wouldn’t count. Very clever. Makes me even more curious about your past.”

“My past is not the immediate concern,” Arek said. “Can you look at the runes? We have already attempted to destroy them with an enchanted dagger, but they repaired themselves.”

Magus walked around the side of the table and peered closer at Arek’s claws. A thoughtful frown crossed his face as he scanned them.

“Interesting. Very interesting,” Magus said, rubbing his chin. “I don’t recognize these at all. They’re just like the runes in Ming’s eyes. However, if you’ve had problems controlling yourself in the past due to the runes, we can’t afford to delay like we can with Ming.”

“What can we do?” Belmont asked. “If we get a stronger weapon, we might end up chopping Arek’s fingers off. Besides, what if the runes are controlling him? If we don’t understand what they do, he could be under someone’s influence!”

“I don’t think someone else could have cooked like that,” Malissa pointed out. “I highly doubt whoever made the arches in the dungeon was also a professional chef.”

“That’s… a fair point, actually,” Belmont admitted. “That doesn’t mean they couldn’t somehow influence Arek in the future, though.”

“Belmont is correct,” Magus said. “However, I’m not aware of any method to remove the runes without completely chopping your hands off. We have no idea what they’ll do if faced with a powerful magical attack.”

“I find the removal of my hands to be a mild inconvenience,” Arek said.

Magus sighed and rubbed his forehead, as if Arek’s answer had greatly inconvenienced him.

“Very well. The first order of business is to run a field test. We need to find out if you are going to lose control of your abilities in a controlled environment.”

Magus raised his hands upwards. The air crackled and the group vanished, leaving behind nothing but the smell of ozone.

They snapped back into existance in a wide open field. Everyone other than Magus and Ming promptly fell to the ground as their chairs vanished from beneath them.

“Give us warning before you do that!” Malissa snapped.

“Sorry,” Magus said, but he didn’t sound particularly apologetic. “Now, Arek. Test your magic. Fear not, I will subdue you if you find yourself unable to control your abilities. We’re far enough away from the city, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Arek slowly rose to his feet. He glanced down at his travel bag, which had somehow teleported along with them. The flap was still slightly askew. He could make out the red patch within the small gap. The damn thing felt like it wanted to be seen.

“Are you sure this is wise?” Arek asked. “What if the desire to overuse my magic comes back the moment I cast a spell?”

“You claim to be a chef, but you’re still an adventurer,” Magus replied. His tone darkened and the air around him crackled with faint blue energy. “For the moment, it looks like the runes will be a part of you for the near future. When you inevitably get into trouble and your team needs your help, you’re going to use the runes. Now, what happens if you hold off now and go insane then? You become a liability to your own team. An uncontrolled weapon is no better than an enemy.”

“Hold on now,” Malissa said. “We contacted you for help, but you’re not going to be ordering anyone other than Ming around. Arek could go insane from using the runes! You have no place making that decision for him.”

“Logically, Magus is correct,” Belmont said slowly. He ignored the glare Malissa sent his way as Magus gave him an approving nod. “However… I believe I am going to side with Malissa. We’re talking about Arek’s life, not the outcome of a dice game.”

Magus rolled his eyes and turned to Ming.

“Have you also decided to become a philosopher?” He asked.

“Nah. I’ll just go with whatever Arek wants,” Ming said with a shrug. “I trust him.”

Arek felt a bead of sweat trail down the back of his neck. He swallowed and clenched his hands, setting his brow in stone and giving Magus a firm nod.

“Thank you, everyone. However, I think Magus is correct. I cannot progress without making sure I am not a threat to the party.”

A grin started to cross Magus’s face.

“I’m well aware that half the reason you want me to do this is because you want to see an orc use magic. It just happens to be the best course of action,” Arek said, wiping the smile straight off the man’s face.

“I am a scholar first and foremost,” Magus said with an unapologetic shrug. “Do not fear. If you lose control, I will subdue you without serious harm. These runes might be dangerous, but they will not permit you to stand against me.”

The man’s words were a mere statement of fact, not an insult. There was no doubt in Magus’s mind that he could stop Arek if worst came to worst.

“Best get your shields ready, Belmont,” Arek said, drawing a deep breath and walking several strides away from the party. “You might need them.”