“Well, kid”, Cyrun said and motioned his hands at Kaden to show his abilities. “Nelsen says you have some basic ability and would like to access military formation tomes, yes? I get to decide whether you can do that freely or pay quite a bit for it.”

Kaden turned to look at Nelsen. “Captain, odd way to support geniuses? But whatever...”

“All things must be earned”, Nelsen pointed out.

Kaden shrugged and took out his gauntlet. “This is what I showed to Nelsen”, Kaden said to Cyrun. “First actual thing I have made. I have very little experience otherwise. I mostly still look at formations when I see them. As for smithing, I learned that from my father, who was not even nearly at Channel Opening, but he did know some theory.”

“Nelsen did explain me some of your background, but lets see what you have made”, Cyrun said and took the gauntlets.

He looked at them quietly, turning them around and poking a few times. A couple murmurs later Cyrun gave glance to Kaden.

“Amateurish at best”, Cyrun said. “I’m not even sure what you have used to craft these formation lines. I assume these function?”

“They do”, Kaden replied.

“Show me”, Cyrun handed the gauntlets back to Kaden.

Then Kaden showed his claws. “They are supposed to gather whatever mana leaks from this magic I use. Then release it once I strike.”

“I guess no one else would bother using those”, Cyrun nodded. “By the time someone else can use them, its already worthless piece of trash to them. It only works because you crafted the formations with your mana and is more sensitive to you. See those lines? They are uneven depth and widness. Lets not even get to talk about the wideness! They are about a wide one would need for an exo armor to conduct enough mana to run it. Nelsen did say you have pretty dense mana and I can see it. Congratulations. You have created an item that no one else can or even would use.”

Cyrun clapped hands a bit sarcastically.

“I understand you should have found some tools? Why is your creation of this level?” Cyrun questioned Kaden some more.

“Like I know how to use them”, Kaden started explaining. “I even tried to, but most of them I didn’t even understand. I couldn’t control them.” Kaden took out the tools he had never really used and put them on the table.

“Hmmm, these are really good stuff”, Cyrun said as he looked at them. “Even I don’t have something like these yet. Do you want to sell these perhaps?”

“No”, Kaden replied. He had plans to see, if he could use them in the future. “If I sell them now, then in the future, I’ll have to spend wealth to get them back.”

Indeed, in his mind he had no questions about reaching such heights. He didn’t even think of the possibility that he wouldn’t get that far.

“Fine, but if you ever feel otherwise, come to me”, Cyrun said. “Then what tools do you use?”

“For smithing, ordinary tools”, Kaden replied. “I have yet to run into metal that I can’t forge, but I’m aware that I have only used very basic materials. As for formations...”

Kaden removed the gauntlet and fired up his claw again.

Cyrun snorted. “Makes sense why your formation lines are so messy. I’m even more shocked now that you could create anything. It has some advantages, but those are burried in long list of disadvantages.”

“Its not like I could use the tools”, Kaden replied. “I spent pretty long time ago until my practice rocks stopped exploding. I guess...”

“You use rocks!? Hahahaaha”, Cyrun broke into laughter. This continued for a while. “No really… I’m impressed. Rocks. Hehe.”

Kaden frowned.

“Don’t feel angry”, Cyrun replied trying to still stop laughing. “Rocks. You learned to control that mana claw well enough with rocks? Now thats impressive. Usually we go through quite a large number of training plates for new apprentices. Its hard to begin with and where most fail and can’t take even the first step. Maybe you aren’t worthless.”

“I’m not saying there weren’t difficulties, but I read from the journal I had found that formation masters can make formations even in thin air, so I figured a rock would be fine to start with”, Kaden explained.

Cyrun had a laughter again. Shorter this time. “Perhaps I could do it on small scale and such formations are always temporary. Its better to craft a formation on a plate or even a dedicated formation holder, if you are thinking of using it more than once. Artificers like me use metals. Those who concentrate on just formations and researchers most often embed it into something else. Making it in the air needs preparations and resources for anything bigger and smaller ones are basically combat magic anyway so you fire and forget them afterwards. It is still faster than preparing solid base first.”

Around at this point, it seemed that Cyrun had acknowledged Kaden. Apparently it had been good that Kaden brought up his training with rocks. It was harder and probably not a good way, but if one was able to, it meant one had potential.

Cyrun started explaining Kaden in detail of his faults and positives. He mostly insisted that Kaden start learning to use tools. In fact, Kaden did not disagree, but he was pretty certain his control was problem again. He did have some and he could forcibly train himself to do specific things with precision, but this always took time and effort. Where a formation master’s carving tool was made for precision and required the same from mana used through it, Kaden claw was instead a forcefull tool that could technically do the same, but any mistake would quickly appear. Kaden was banking on his movements becoming more precise as his strength grew. He wasn’t sure, if he could ever use a tool properly.

As for the other tools, such as the ones used for measurements and other support tasks, those Kaden listened about with great interest! He finally understood what some of the things he had even were and indeed would allow him to construct more advanced formations! A tool that could measure mana ‘presure’ in different parts? Tool used for layering formations upon another? All sorts of things. Now he had a general idea!

It was not even all about formations. Cyrun was clearly far better smith than his father, Aden, had ever been. This wasn’t a suprise since Cyrun was at latter parts of Formation stage. Then again Aden had had some very good basics and Cyrun gave some accepting nods as he questioned Kaden about his smithing abilities. More so when he found out that Kaden been taught to inspect metals. That was something that apparently many artificers missed or knew only haphazardly and then he told Kaden to continue doing so.

“I’ll clear you to freely look lower tier books and crystals”, Cyrun finally said. “But don’t expect to get any more until you can actually produce something worthwhile. That gauntlet of yours is fine enough contraption for you, but it clearly shows the problems you have which is understandable due to not having an actual teacher. I also hear you don’t want to be a crafter, but a figher. I can understand that, but it will limit what is acceptable unless you personally decide to progress that way later. Oh, and don’t expect to get any materials either, if you aren’t planning on being artificer full time.”

This was good! Kaden didn’t show it outside, but he was rejoicing once again. Truly perfect! Where had his luck been until now! He had been within short time introduced to some extremely important things from techniques to formations and smithing. How wonderful!

That reminded him to quickly ask about something! He quickly went through the idea and felt it fit well enough with the backstory he had created for himself. He then pulled out a schematic taken from Trohin’s lab. It was the last thing he had not yet used.

“I don’t want to seem presumptuous, but I have a question”, Kaden said carefully. “Perhaps the knowledge is available from what I can now go view, but now that I’m here perhaps an experienced artificer could clear some matters to me.”

“Hmmm? What is it?” Cyrun asked and noticed the schematic Kaden had in his hands.

“I took this from a necromancer’s lab where I did get quite a few useful things”, Kaden offered the schematic forward. “I was originally planning on making this item, it seems like a blade intended to suck out mana and life, just like a spell I have. I think they were supposed to work together. Yet, its primary function seems to have very little to do with formations and I do not understand the mechanic behind it?”

“Nasty people those necromancers”, Cyrun muttered as he looked at the schematic.

Truly, it was a sensible reasoning that Kaden gave. He wasn’t entirely certain, if the blade was supposed to work with Devour, but it was passable assumption. At any rate that was not what he wanted to do with the schematic. From the study materials he had acquired before, he had some idea of different kinds of mana and their uses. Even the somewhat nastier ones.

A thought had come up in his mind already quite a while ago.

“What will I do when I reach the true actual targets that must die! They should suffer! Why should I let them off with a simple death! Even if I can’t consign them to eternal torment in hell, I must do that in life and allow only broken, torn apart souls reach whatever realms gods have reserved for the dead!”

This had been a question and Kaden had come up with a plan. He had eventually found some passing mentions of right kind of mana. Mana related to concept of vengeance!

It made sense! How else would he bring about the true form of vengeance as he ended his targets pathetic lives!

This idea had finally come together as Kaden had studied the schematic. He really did not undertand how it worked, but it was supposed to siphon mana and flesh. Trohin had likely intended to mix Devour and the blade was supposed to store mana and flesh in it, but why not mana of vengeance? Even the siphoning method was strange. It wasn’t a formation. Kaden believed he should have understood enough if he saw such a formation. It was relatively basics. There was none of that. There didn’t even seem to be too much of a limit for storing the gathered mana and flesh as long the blade was reinforced with personal mana. The descriptions were vague, just Trohin’s own notes, yet use was possible to decipher.

What would he be able to do as he gathered vengeance mana in such blade? The blade itself would become a vessel of vengeance. The torment he could bring upon those who had wronged him...

“This is enchanting”, Cyrun said as Kaden was thinking.

“What is enchanting?” Kaden asked. He was truly curious.

“It predates the use of formations”, Cyrun explained. “Its not even obsolete way, but personally I find it too unpredictable. Formations are always crafted the same way and you can expect same result. Enchanting is more like casting a spell. Yet each item crafted in ways of enchanting will require right conditions and rituals. They tend to go slightly different way each time. The end result compared to formations are more wide, but formations are more mass proceable and not necessarily weaker either. Therefore most objects, weapons or tools, are made with formations and not by enchanting. It is used when you want something...wild. Formation will require you to structure everything you want it to do. Enchanting? You infuse a concept to a weapon. Things will come along that you might not have thought of, but you will not have to create it all.”

“I see, is this something I can find in the books and crystals you just cleared me for?” Kaden asked curiously.

“There is. I still recommend concentrating on formations, but some dabbling is always good”, Cyrun added. “As for this particular blade, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make.”

Kaden decided he had to study enchanting some. He did not specifically need the blade that Trohin had designed so he had to adjust it for his purposes. Still, he had other things he had to make. His personal mana system being one. What about his core? It had to finish evolving too. Reaching Formation stage too?

So many things to do. Not that Kaden lacked time. He just had to put things in order.