Atticus walked through the camp towards the Runes division. The camp encouraged trainees to join as many divisions as they could, wanting them to explore everything and eventually choose what suited them best. However, upon joining the camp, they were required to choose at least one division.
The Rune division, situated near the Emporium building on the western side of the camp, soon came into view. It was notably smaller and more modest in design compared to the Emporium.
As he approached, Atticus noticed the area around the building was utterly deserted, but this lack of activity didn't surprise him. 'Not many people can become runesmiths,' he pondered.
To become a runesmith, one had to have exceptional intelligence and unwavering willpower, attributes not easily attained by many.
In the first years, only Lucas could be considered a true runesmith, with the entire camp boasting only a handful of these skilled individuals.
Upon entering the building, Atticus found the interior equally plain and unoccupied. Not a single trainee was in sight.
His eyes fell upon a lone counter in the middle of the hall, where a man rested his head, seemingly asleep.
Atticus decided to get the man's attention. "Hello," he uttered.
But got no response. He raised his voice a notch, repeating, "Hello."
The man stirred, slowly sitting upright, and indulged in a long stretch, followed by a yawning session. Eventually, he opened his eyes, and to his surprise, discovered Atticus standing before him.
Hastily, he got to his feet, rubbing his eyes, and regarded Atticus with a noticeable hint of shock. Most of the camp had witnessed Atticus's battle with Aurora, and the man couldn't help but wonder, 'Why is he here?'
Shaking off his bewilderment, he quickly regained his composure, cleared his throat, and asked, "How may I assist you?"
Atticus couldn't help but notice the eye bags under the man's eyes, a clear sign that he hadn't been getting much sleep.
"I'd like to sign up for the Runes division," Atticus stated.
The man's reaction was one of shock. He was well aware of Atticus's strength and talent. Runesmiths weren't known for their physical prowess; their trade demanded dedication and time, leaving little room for intensive training.
Although some managed to maintain their physical strength while pursuing runesmithing, not everyone could achieve this balance.
"Are you sure?" the man ask. Without hesitation, Atticus replied, "Yeah."
Hearing this, the man couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. 'Another hot-blooded youth who thinks he can do anything, eh?' he thought, not that it truly bothered him. He couldn't help but envy Atticus's talent and the potential that might go to waste.
The man shrugged and decided not to interfere, proceeding to explain the process. "Okay then. Since the first three months of the free period for first years are over, you'll have to pay 100 points for each class session, and this needs to be paid before each class."
He looked at Atticus, who nodded in understanding, and continued, "The classes run from 9 AM to 12 PM, except on weekends when you can attend at your convenience, for as long as you need. If you feel you've learned enough, you can stop attending the classes or simply not request them. Nothing will be provided for you; you'll need to purchase all the books, equipment, and materials since the three-month grace period is over."
Atticus couldn't help but find it a bit annoying to miss out on the free resources, but there was no going back on his decision to delve into runes. 'I should have joined earlier,' he berated himself silently.
"Now, if you're still interested, you can book a session for tomorrow," the man advised.
"Yeah, I'd like to do that," Atticus responded.
The man proceeded to type some information on the holographic display in front of him and prompted Atticus to scan his device. Atticus followed the instructions and received a notification that 100 points had been deducted.
"I also sent the materials you'll need for the classes; you should get them before tomorrow," the man added.
With a nod of acknowledgment, Atticus turned to leave. He headed straight to the Emporium to acquire the necessary supplies, a task that took him less than ten minutes. Afterward, he returned to his room.
Among the items he had acquired, Atticus purchased books on runes. He decided to start by reading about runes before his upcoming lesson.
Lying on his bed with his body facing up, he held a book titled "Beginner Runesmiths" and opened it, beginning to read. It didn't take long for him to finish reading the book; completing it in just two minutes.
From what he read, Atticus discovered that there were five grades of runesmiths. In the first grade, one would be able to engrave simple, straightforward runes, such as a shield or a fireball rune and this can only be done on rune slates.
This grade wasn't particularly difficult to achieve, as long as you meet the necessary requirements, anyone could become a first-grade runesmith.
However, for the second grade, you need to be able to engrave more complex runes and even add your own variations to them.
Achieving the second grade was much harder; one had to reach a specific threshold to be able to engrave these runes.
This threshold or requirement that need to be met involved two stats, both intelligence and willpower.
The first was straightforward, essentially measuring how smart you were and how much information your brain could handle. The higher your intelligence the more control you would have over your body.
The second, however, was more complex, taking into account everything you had experienced in your life, especially the challenging or adverse experiences.
It was because of this that runesmiths often sought out tough situations to help strengthen their wills.
