The storm was at its peak now, 8:00 PM and the violet lightning was striking every few seconds, Temperature had dropped to 12°C and Alucent's frock coat was soaked through from the weird acidic rain, His blue eyes kept reflecting the purple flashes as he stared out the cottage window.
This isn't just weather anymore, it's like the sky itself is angry.
Outside the cottage, they could see other people moving through the storm, Families from the damaged Steamcottages were heading toward what looked like the center of the clearing, carrying Glowroses and other glowing things, moving with purpose despite the dangerous lightning.
"Where are they all going?" Alucent asked, wiping condensation off the window.
"Stormgathering" Sir Vorn said, his monocle fogged up from the temperature change "Old tradition, When a Runestorm strikes, the community comes together to strengthen the Runeforce defenses"
Raya was wringing water out of her cloak, the fabric completely drenched and her scar looking stark in the Forgepit light "We should join them" she said "A Stormgathering requires as many participants as possible to be effective"
Tavin was shivering in the corner, still clutching his Runetoken tight, The carved stone was pulsing faster now, in rhythm with the lightning outside "The visions say it's important" he said "We need to be part of this, or something bad will happen"
Something bad is already happening, but I guess it could get worse.
"Right then" Gryan said, his mechanical arm steaming from the moisture in the air "Let's join the locals, My arm's been acting up anyway since the storm started, Maybe the group ritual will help stabilize it"
They gathered their gear and stepped out into the storm, The violet lightning was really intense now, striking the damaged Runepaths every couple seconds and making them blaze with corrupted energy, The wind was howling at maybe 80 km/h, strong enough to knock a person over if they weren't careful.
Alucent's coat flapped around him as they walked toward the center of the clearing, where about thirty people were gathering around a massive Runewell, This one was way bigger than the others they'd seen, maybe 5 meters across and probably worth 400 Silverweaves if it was working normal.
But it wasn't working normal, The well was surging with unstable energy, the runes around its rim flickering between amber and that sickly purple color, Like the storm was trying to corrupt it the same way it had corrupted everything else.
"Welcome, travelers" an older woman called out as they approached, She was wearing robes marked with Thread 3 inscriptions, probably the local magical authority "We can use all the help we can get tonight"
Thread 3, she's way more advanced than me, Hope she knows what she's doing.
The Stormgathering was already in progress, People arranged in circles around the Runewell, each holding offerings of Glowroses, Runetokens, and other magical items, Their combined energy was flowing toward the well, trying to stabilize it against the storm's corruption.
"Stand there" the woman pointed to a spot in the inner circle "Your Runeforce is strong, we need Thread 2 practitioners close to the well"
Alucent took his position, feeling the power flowing from all the gathered people, It was like being part of a huge magical circuit, everyone's energy combining to fight against the storm's influence, But even with all these people helping, the Runewell was still struggling.
I think I can help with this, that amplification technique from the borrowed memories might work here.
"Sir Vorn" he said over the wind "I might be able to amplify the well's output, boost what everyone's contributing"
"Amplification work during a Runestorm?" Sir Vorn looked concerned "That's extremely dangerous, The Runeforce currents are already unstable"
"But if it works, we could really help these people" Alucent said, getting out his Runequill "And maybe learn something about fighting this corruption"
The pattern he needed was even more complex than the sealing rune, about 8 square centimeters of intricate lines that would need to be etched on something connected to the well, He looked around and saw a large Glowrose growing right next to the well's base, its stem thick enough to hold the inscription.
That'll work, but I need to be really careful with the timing.
He knelt down next to the Glowrose, starting the amplification rune on its stem, The borrowed memories were guiding him again, showing him how to weave the pattern so it would boost the well's output instead of disrupting it, As he worked, he could feel his Runeforce building to dangerous levels.
The warmth in his chest was becoming actual heat now, and he could sense the Shadowcage Taboos getting closer, Heart palpitations were one of the risks if he pushed too hard, but the storm was getting worse and these people needed help.
Just a few more lines, almost got it.
The amplification rune started glowing gold as he completed each section, and when the final line connected, the whole pattern blazed with bright light, The Runewell responded immediately, its output surging and the purple corruption getting pushed back by pure amber energy.
"Extraordinary work" the older woman said with approval "You've given us the edge we needed"
The crowd around the well cheered as the amplification took effect, their combined offerings now flowing through the boosted system with way more power, The storm was still raging overhead, but the corrupted energy was being held back by their united effort.
Actually feels good to help people like this, Maybe this magic stuff isn't just about fighting after all.
But their success was interrupted by a loud crash from across the clearing, A tall brass Lanternpost, maybe two meters high, had been struck by lightning and was falling straight toward where Tavin was standing, The kid was too focused on his visions to notice the danger.
"Tavin!" Raya shouted, but she was too far away to reach him in time.
The amplification rune was still connected to Alucent's Runeforce, and through it he could feel the enhanced power of the Runewell, Without thinking, he directed some of that energy toward the falling post, creating a barrier of amber light that deflected it away from Tavin, The whole thing took maybe 5 seconds from start to finish.
The Lanternpost crashed into the ground where it would have been safe, leaving Tavin standing there confused and unhurt, "What happened?" he asked "I felt like something was falling, but then it wasn't"
"Alucent saved your life" Raya said, looking at him with something like respect "Quick thinking with that amplification rune"
Sir Vorn was helping coordinate the crowd, his cane glowing with its own inscriptions as he directed people to strengthen weak points in their defensive circle, "Well done" he called over the wind "But the storm's building to something bigger, I can feel it"
The violet lightning was striking constantly now, and through the flashes Alucent could see more red glows moving in the forest, Way more than the six Shadebinders from before, maybe dozens of them, all drawn by the storm's power.
We're like a beacon in all this chaos, Every corrupted thing in the forest probably knows exactly where we are.
Gryan was helping shield some of the older participants from flying debris, his enhanced mechanical arm working perfect despite the magical interference, "The storm's not natural" he called out "Someone's controlling it, shaping it"
"Eloha" Tavin said, his voice carrying over the wind despite being quiet "I can see him in the visions now, He's standing in front of something huge and dark, conducting the storm like it's an orchestra"
Conducting the storm, that means he's probably been watching this whole ritual, waiting for something.
The older woman leading the ceremony raised her staff, Thread 3 inscriptions blazing along its length "Focus your offerings" she called to the crowd "The well needs everything we can give it"
People started placing their Glowroses and Runetokens directly on the well's rim, and Alucent could feel the amplification rune working harder, channeling all that combined energy through the enhanced system, But even with the boost, the purple corruption was fighting back, trying to overwhelm their defenses.
"It's not enough" the woman said, strain showing in her voice "The corruption is too strong"
Maybe I can do more, push the amplification harder.
Alucent focused on the gold-glowing rune, pouring more of his Runeforce into it, The pattern blazed brighter, and the Runewell's output doubled, then tripled, finally pushing back the purple energy and restoring the well's natural amber glow.
But the effort was taking its toll, His heart started beating irregular, those palpitations the Shadowcage Taboos warned about, and his vision was getting a little blurry around the edges.
Pushed too hard, but it worked, the well is stable now.
"Remarkable" the older woman said as the Runewell settled into steady operation "You've not only amplified our efforts, you've purified the corruption, That's Thread 3 level work"
Thread 3? But I'm only Coppermark level, how did I manage that?
"The storm amplifies magical ability" Sir Vorn explained "During a Runestorm, practitioners can sometimes reach beyond their normal limits, It's dangerous, but powerful"
The crowd was dispersing now, the immediate crisis over, People were heading back to their cottages, grateful for the restored magical defenses, Several of them stopped to thank Alucent personally, and one old man pressed 20 Silverweaves into his hand.
"For saving the well" the man said "Community owes you a debt"
Twenty more Silverweaves, that brings me up to 55 total, Not bad for a night's work.
As the crowd thinned out, Alucent could see the full extent of what they'd accomplished, The Stormgathering Plaza, maybe 0.4 square kilometers, was now protected by a network of glowing Runepaths, all connected to the amplified well, The Glowroses were pulsing with renewed energy, and even the air felt cleaner.
"You did well tonight" Raya said, walking up beside him "That amplification work was inspired, You saved more than just Tavin"
Is she actually complimenting me? That's definitely new but I like it.
"Just being practical again" Alucent said, though he was smiling "These people needed help, seemed like the right thing to do"
"Indeed" Raya said "Though I notice your definition of practical keeps expanding"
Before he could respond, Tavin made that choking sound again, his eyes rolling back as another vision took hold, But this time was different, stronger and more vivid than before.
"Rune-Armors" he said in that distant voice "Dozens of them, marching through the storm, They're coming here, coming for the well we just saved"
Dozens? We can barely handle one of those things.
"How long do we have?" Sir Vorn asked.
Tavin's eyes focused again, but he looked scared "Maybe an hour, maybe less, They're using the storm to mask their approach"
The older woman who'd led the ceremony came over, her robes still glowing with residual Thread 3 energy "If Rune-Armors are approaching, we must evacuate" she said "This plaza cannot withstand a direct assault"
"What about the people?" Alucent asked "All these families, where will they go?"
"There are shelters in the deep forest" she replied "Old places, warded against corruption, But they're a day's travel from here"
A day's travel with families and old people, in the middle of a corrupted storm, that's not going to work.
"There might be another way" Alucent said, looking at the amplified Runewell "What if we could use this well as a weapon instead of just a defense?"
Sir Vorn raised an eyebrow "Weaponizing a Runewell? That's theoretical at best, and incredibly dangerous"
"Everything we're doing is dangerous" Alucent pointed out "But if it works, we could take out the Rune-Armors before they reach the plaza"
Gryan was listening to their conversation while checking his Steamcart "The boy's got a point" he said "My cart can't carry everyone to safety, but if we can make a stand here, maybe we don't need to run"
The storm was still raging overhead, violet lightning turning everything purple and weird, but Alucent could feel something changing in the magical currents, The amplification rune was still active, still connected to his Runeforce, and through it he could sense the well's massive potential.
I think I can do this, but it's going to take everything I've got.
"I'll need more materials" he said "Brass plates, Weavefibers, anything that can hold complex inscriptions"
"I've got supplies in my cottage" the older woman said "Thread 3 materials, worth considerable coin, but if you can use them to protect the plaza"
She led them to her cottage, which was bigger than the one they'd sheltered in and filled with magical supplies, Rolls of Silverweave thread worth maybe 50 Silverweaves, brass plates of various sizes, even some rare Glowcrystals that pulsed with inner light.
"Use what you need" she said "Maeva's the name, and I've been protecting this plaza for twenty years, Not about to stop now"
Alucent started gathering materials, planning out the most complex inscription he'd ever attempted, A network of connected runes that would turn the Runewell from a passive source into an active defense system, But the work would require perfect timing and more Runeforce than he'd ever channeled before.
This could kill me if I mess it up, but these people are counting on us.
"I'll need everyone to help channel energy into the system" he said "Sir Vorn, can you coordinate the other practitioners?"
"Aye, though I warn you, attempting such work during a Runestorm could trigger severe Shadowcage Taboos" Sir Vorn said "Heart failure is not uncommon when pushing Thread 2 abilities to their limit"
Heart failure, great, that's exactly what I wanted to hear.
But before he could start the inscription work, Raya grabbed his arm "Wait" she said "Let me help, I know some inscription techniques too, Thread 1 level, but it might be enough to share the load"
"You know Rune Path work?" Alucent asked, surprised.
"Basic defensive inscriptions" she said "Marcus taught me before he disappeared, Said it might save my life someday"
Her brother again, even here she's thinking about him.
"Alright" Alucent said "You handle the stabilization runes while I work on the amplification network, Between us we might be able to pull this off"
They got to work, Alucent etching the main amplification pattern on a large brass plate while Raya inscribed smaller stabilization runes on brass discs, The patterns had to connect perfectly when they placed them around the well, creating a unified system.
The storm outside was getting worse, if that was even possible, and through the cottage windows they could see shapes moving in the lightning flashes, Dark figures that could only be the approaching Rune-Armors, still distant but getting closer.
"They're coming" Tavin said, his voice tight with fear "I can see them in the visions, Maybe forty of them, all carrying those Voidshard weapons"
Forty Rune-Armors? This is insane, we're going to get slaughtered.
"How long until they reach the plaza?" Sir Vorn asked.
"Thirty minutes, maybe less" Tavin replied "They're marching in formation, like a real army"
Alucent and Raya finished their inscription work and ran back out into the storm, The rain was coming down harder now, each drop leaving little scorch marks where it hit, They placed the inscribed plates around the Runewell, connecting them with lines of Runeforce that glowed through the ground.
"Everyone needs to channel their energy into the system now" Alucent called to the remaining people in the plaza "All at once, on my mark"
About twenty people were still there, the ones too old or too stubborn to evacuate, They formed a circle around the enhanced Runewell and started channeling their Runeforce into the network, Alucent could feel the power building, way more than he'd ever handled before.
The amplification runes blazed gold, the stabilization runes glowed silver, and the whole system started working like he'd hoped, The Runewell's output increased dramatically, creating a dome of amber energy over the entire plaza.
It's working, the defensive barrier is actually working!
But the strain was incredible, His heart was beating irregular again, and he could feel the Shadowcage Taboos pressing at the edge of his consciousness, Vision getting blurry, hands starting to shake, all the signs that he was pushing way past his limits.
Just need to hold it together a little longer.
The first Rune-Armor appeared at the edge of the plaza, then another, then dozens more, all marching in perfect formation despite the storm, Their brass armor gleamed in the violet lightning, and each one carried weapons that crackled with Voidshard energy.
"Here they come" Gryan said, his enhanced mechanical arm ready for battle.
The lead Rune-Armor raised some kind of staff weapon and fired a bolt of corrupted energy at their barrier, The amber dome absorbed the attack, but Alucent felt the impact through his connection to the amplification network, like getting punched in the chest.
This is really going to hurt, but we're committed now.
More Rune-Armors joined the attack, firing bolt after bolt at the defensive barrier, Each impact sent shock waves through the system, and Alucent could feel his control starting to slip, The heart palpitations were getting worse, and his vision was starting to go dark at the edges.
"I can't hold it much longer" he said through gritted teeth.
"You must" Maeva called out "If the barrier fails now, we're all dead"
Raya moved closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder "Channel through me" she said "Share the load, like we did with the inscriptions"
She's right, if we combine our Runeforce, maybe I can handle the strain.
Alucent opened his connection to include Raya's energy, and immediately the pressure lessened, Her Thread 1 ability wasn't as strong as his, but it was enough to stabilize the network, The barrier solidified, holding firm against the Rune-Armor assault.
"That's better" he said, breathing easier now "We might actually survive this"
But even as he said it, something changed in the storm, The violet lightning started focusing on a single point above the plaza, and in that convergence of energy, a shape began forming, Bigger than the other Rune-Armors, more complex and way more dangerous.
"Elite unit" Sir Vorn said grimly "Eloha's personal guard, That's Thread 4 level enhancement"
Thread 4? We're so screwed.
The elite Rune-Armor dropped from the storm like a falling star, landing in the plaza with enough force to crack the ground, It was huge, maybe 2.5 meters tall, and its armor was covered in inscriptions that hurt to look at, In its hands was a weapon that looked like it was made from pure Voidshard energy.
"Surrender the amplification network" it said, its voice echoing from inside the helmet "Eloha offers mercy to those who serve willingly"
"Tell Eloha he can take his mercy and shove it" Alucent said, pouring more power into the barrier.
The elite Rune-Armor raised its weapon, and Alucent knew their defensive barrier wouldn't stop whatever was coming, This thing was operating on a completely different level from the scouts they'd fought before.
But just as it prepared to attack, something unexpected happened, The sealed Voidshard in his pack started pulsing, responding to the elite unit's presence, and through that connection, Alucent suddenly understood something important.
The shards aren't just surveillance, they're control nodes, If I can disrupt them all at once...
"Tavin" he called out "Can your visions show you where all the Voidshards are? All of them in the network?"
Tavin's eyes went distant again, then snapped back with urgent clarity "Seventeen shards" he said "Scattered through the forest in a pattern, all connected to that elite unit"
"Seventeen connection points, if I could seal them all simultaneously"
"That's impossible" Maeva said "Sealing seventeen shards would require Thread 5 mastery, Goldmark level, No one's achieved that in decades"
"What if we didn't seal them individually?" Alucent asked "What if we used the amplification network to send a sealing pulse through all of them at once?"
"That would require more power than this well can generate" Sir Vorn said "Even amplified, it's not enough"
"What about the storm itself?" Alucent asked "All that violet lightning, that's corrupted Runeforce, What if we could turn it back on itself?"
Raya looked at him like he'd lost his mind "Channel a Runestorm? That's not just dangerous, it's suicidal"
Maybe, but it might be our only chance.
The elite Rune-Armor was advancing on their position, its weapon charging with dark energy, and the regular Rune-Armors were intensifying their attack on the barrier, Cracks were starting to show in the amber dome, and Alucent could feel the amplification network straining under the assault.
"I have to try" he said "If this network falls, everyone in the plaza dies anyway"
He started etching new runes on the brass plates, connection patterns that would link the amplification network to the storm's energy, It was the most complex work he'd ever attempted, requiring him to channel Runeforce through unstable currents while maintaining the defensive barrier.
The borrowed memories were flowing faster now, showing him techniques that felt ancient and dangerous, ways to bind storm energy that came with warnings about the price of such power, But with the elite Rune-Armor closing in, he didn't have much choice.
This is either going to work perfectly or kill me, probably no middle ground.
As he completed the storm-binding inscriptions, the violet lightning above them suddenly changed direction, striking down toward the amplified Runewell instead of random targets, The energy flowed through his network, and for a moment he felt connected to the entire storm system.
Through that connection, he could sense every Voidshard in the forest, all seventeen of them pulsing with corruption, all connected to the elite unit standing just outside their barrier, And in that moment of perfect clarity, he understood exactly what needed to be done.
"Now" he said "Everyone channel everything you've got into the well"
The crowd responded, pouring their combined Runeforce into the amplified system, and Alucent directed that massive surge of energy outward, through the network of corrupted shards, turning their own connection against them.
Seventeen sealing pulses fired simultaneously, each one carrying enough power to contain a Voidshard, The effect was immediate and dramatic, All across the forest, the red glows of corrupted creatures suddenly went dark as their power sources were cut off.
The elite Rune-Armor staggered as its connection to the network severed, its weapon flickering and dying, Without the support of the smaller shards, even its advanced systems couldn't maintain stability.
"Impossible" it said, but its voice was weaker now "The network cannot be broken"
"Apparently it can" Alucent said, though he was swaying on his feet from the effort "And we just proved it"
The elite unit looked around at its disabled forces, then back at the glowing barrier protecting the plaza "This victory is temporary" it said "Eloha's reach extends far beyond these simple shards"
With that, it launched itself back into the storm, using some kind of flight enhancement to disappear into the violet lightning, The other Rune-Armors followed, their systems failing one by one as the severed network left them powerless.
We actually did it, we beat them, I can't believe that worked.
The storm was starting to weaken now, the violet lightning becoming less frequent, and the acidic rain was turning back to normal water, Whatever power source had been feeding the corruption was diminished, at least for now.
"Seventeen shards sealed in one stroke" Maeva said with amazement "I've never seen anything like it, You've given us a real victory tonight"
Alucent looked around at the saved plaza, the restored Runewell, the grateful faces of the people they'd protected, It felt good, really good, to use magic for something positive instead of just fighting.
Maybe there's hope for stopping this corruption after all.
But even as he thought it, he noticed something troubling, In the distance, where the elite Rune-Armor had disappeared, there was a new shape forming in the storm clouds, Bigger than anything they'd faced before, and definitely heading their way.
"Sir Vorn" he said "I think we've got another problem"
The weave leader followed his gaze and went pale "Siege-class Rune-Armor" he said "Eloha's not taking this defeat lightly"
The silhouette in the storm was massive, maybe 4 meters tall, and it was surrounded by crackling energy that made the air itself seem to bend, This wasn't just another soldier, this was something designed to level entire cities.
And it was coming straight for them.
As the Runestorm began to fade and the true magnitude of what approached became clear, Alucent realized their real battle was just beginning, The seventeen shards had been just the opening move in a much larger game.
Time to see if Thread 2 mastery is enough to face whatever that thing is.