—----------
The next day?
—-----------------
I awoke, feeling different.
Everything was mostly pitch-black. Not even the sun was cresting over the horizon. The moonlight was even less apparent.
I started to get up until I felt the enchanted wood quiver at my movement. Like it couldn’t handle the weight pressing down on it, threatening to break if my weight shifted too much.
Cerys was next to me, still sleeping but stirring at the noise. I focused on some metal plates I put on the other side of the room, manipulating them and making them carry me off the bed.
I felt heavy.
As I got vertical and touched down, a soft clink sounded out as my bare feet touched the carpet. My mind went back to the few times I heard father move around without his mobile cog.
I moved like a hunter stalking his prey. Toes first, then roll onto the ball of the foot, then the outer ridge, lastly the heel. A grinding sounded out, one of metal against marble as I tried to walk quietly. Grooves showed up in the carpet where I used that scouting walk, the marble slightly seeable.
I shook my head, opting to float my way over to the washroom. Straining my eyes, I used my will to open the door as quietly as possible. The washroom door glided silently like a ghost on its hinges as I made it do so. Satisfied, I then floated into the washroom, almost slamming my head on the headboard for the door. As I made it into the room, I closed the door behind me and lit up a magical node of electricity.
‘I surely did change,’ I noted inwardly as I observed myself in the mirror. The metal plated chest was really only the truly unchanged part of me. My black hair was lighter and more lustrous. Anywhere that wasn’t my chest also gained a more pale complexion with near metallic sheen, but not quite. As though only a certain amount of my skin cells were made of a metallic substance. The soles of my feet, plated but still flexible. I was also an inch or two taller. At first, 6' 2'”, now likely ~6’ 5”. I felt heavier, more complete. My body felt healthier than it ever had.
I focused inwardly, feasting my eyes on my magical cogs. A triumphant grin appeared on my physical face.
Sixth cog. Steelblood metal attunement.
I could feel the difference. One more step towards the future that awaited me.
‘Time to start the day.’ I thought inwardly with an uplifting feeling in my chest.
—------------
~2-4 hours later
—-------------------
I spent my time in the washroom, in the massive magi-steel tub. It was now bent here and there, dented in other places. It would be best to repair it after I finished using it, for reasons apparent. I was truly heavy. My weight and strength hit new heights that had me treating everything like they were made from poorly made ceramic teacups.
‘How did he do it?’ I asked myself in my incorporeal form as I continued to rotate my cogs with newfound vigor. That man, Kaziks Steelblood was far more powerful than I, a man walking around with now sixteen cogs. My father walked into that dining room without damaging a single tile, sat in that great steel oak chair without demolishing it as he touched it.
‘Another learning point.’ I told myself with a focus and commitment.
I felt a will tug at mine, hot but loving. I left my mind palace to see a proud but less-decent Cerys staring at me.
“Would it be safe to take a shower, or would I end up like the bath and carpet?” She asked with a hint in her green eyes that glowed with warmth.
I shook my head, disappointed in myself. “I don’t have enough control, I’m glad I didn’t wake up with you in my arms, all things considered.” I looked into her eyes with resolve, “that sentiment won't last long though, please wait a bit.” I then floated myself up with my trusty three metal plates and left the washroom, closing the door behind me. Making sure the damage I had made upon the fixtures in the washroom were ready for her use, I thought to myself.
I thought of how I would dress myself. The academy uniform wouldn’t work. No way it would survive the day. I then looked at the trusty workout outfit. I put it on with difficulty. The fabric was sturdy and possibly magically imbued, but it wasn’t nearly enough for my uncontrolled newfound strength.
Cerys left the washroom as I was slowly going through stretches and moves that I would use in daily life.
“That outfit won't last, you may need to ask Mary to create you an outfit.” She advised, a good natured smirk on her face.
“For sure, I can’t really move much more than this without turning it into wasted fabric.” I confessed, feeling slightly frustrated.
“Breakfast will be here in a bit, how about you and I work through some ordinary things while we wait?” Cerys asked with a now serious look in her ever green-red iridescent eyes.
“That would be best, but try not to get too close, we need repairs to certain facilities in our suite due to me.” I advised with a slight worry. I feared hurting her so much.
She took a cup and pitcher from the bedside table, handing it to me.
I took the cup first, letting it balance on the palm of my hand, while I used my middle finger and thumb to hook around the silver arm of the pitcher. Cerys let out a delightful giggle, then a full body-bending laugh at the stunt I just pulled. My annoyed expression started to wane, then crack and finally join her in the reverie as my laugh boomed through the room.
CRINKLECRUCH
I looked at the cup in my left hand, now a ball of compressed silver. I felt ashamed.
It only made Cerys laugh harder, tears in the corner of her eyes.
I couldn’t feel bad for long, opting to join her.
—---------
Half an hour later
—---------------------
Breakfast was delivered to our door, punctual as ever. I manipulated the cart to enter as the door opened once again without any operator. Terror-rex boiled eggs with orc-bacon and mandrake hashbrowns with apple cider and water on the side. Truly a hearty meal.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
The trick to eating with an uncontrolled strength, was not using that strength for now. My will moved the fork and knife on the now halved rex egg with precision as I skewered another piece of orc-bacon with my fork. Cerys was watching me with a slightly disappointed expression, like she wanted to watch me fail at eating breakfast.
I shook my head, amused at how entertaining my blunders were to her.
As I finished up my last bite of hashbrowns, I thought just how I would get by in the day.
—------------
~1 hour thirty minutes later
—------------------
Desmond looked at me with shock, then amusement. I floated all the way there, gaining plenty of attention as I did. The act didn’t even budge my magical energy reserves, feeling topped up.
“That didn’t take long.” He said with a humored grin that was threatening to widen into a smile. “You’re improving too fast, my friend.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” I admitted with a double meaning.
“For starters, we are for sure going to have to refit you an entire wardrobe, you barely fit the standard back then, but now you just don’t” He said with mirth, his body showing just how much entertainment he was having at my expense.
His deceptively old right hand moved to his chin, he looked thoughtful for a moment. “You should already have someone who will do that by now.” He advised, sure of himself.
“You should walk there, never mind any damage to your wardrobe or the academy, I will deal with it.” He promised, his left hand moving to his heart.
I shook my head, but steeled my resolve. I chuckled, thinking of the pun I just inadvertently used.
Desmond’s right whitening eye-brow raised, bidding me to speak my mind.
“Oh, just thinking of the apparent irony of ‘steeling my resolve’ at a time like this.” I admitted, openly cringing at my joke as I turned away, a few inches off the ground. I then slowly let myself touch down.
Clink
‘Okay, slow but meaningful steps.’ I reassured myself.
Desmond snorted behind me.
—-----------
Thirty minutes later
—------------------
CRUNCH
CRACK
‘hottest-hell-rust-attuned mess of a life’ I swore in my head, sacrificing another of the previously perfect marble tiles.
I made it to my destination. A few students watched from afar, interested at the near-steel backed buffoon walking around, destroying tiles of expensive marble here and there, most of them, shaving an amount of material from the top.
The shirt I wore was now tearing apart at the seams, barely holding on. My pants, much in the same state.
My shoes had long since lost their soles and were just the top and fastening material.
I started to feel a tad hungry, but opted to not risk eating just yet, lest more poor tools and items be sacrificed to my chagrin. That Headmaster would be unhappy with me if he found out I ate with my powers.
The metal door shuddered as I pushed it out of the way, almost exploding off its hinges as I almost pushed it past the move-point.
I continued, using an awkward march-step movement to walk. Slow, but better at distributing weight and percussion.
I moved past all the ‘materials’, stopping at the cog-vault-door and grasped onto the crank.
‘Couldn’t have let me use my will?’ I asked with an annoyance in my head.
I slowly turned the cog shaped crank cog-wise as I focused hard, trying to not break the surely strong material.
The crank stopped, I pushed it no further. Then, slowly and with a focus that could spiderweb glass if given physical weight, I pulled.
The crank stayed on.
The door slid on its grooves outward.
Mary was in the middle of the main room, turning to me when her eyes went wide.
“Looks like your day was rough.” She observed with a serious look, uncharacteristic of her.
“Come in, Erec, we have much to get through.” Mary said with a professional tone.
—-----------
~five hours later
—---------------------
“That does it, how do you feel?” Mary asked, with a tired but satisfied tone.
I moved like I normally would, the earth drake leather outfit felt snug and sturdy to my movements, unrestrictive as well.
“You’re incredible, thanks Mary.” I complemented, feeling ecstatic after hours of trying new materials and watching Mary work them into a proper outfit much alike the academy uniform.
“The earth drake hide material should hold in there and distribute most of your weight, especially with the enchantments I poured into the lining.” Mary informed me with a complete look on her face.
“Superb, no more shattered, crushed or dusted marble tiles.” I let out a sigh as I admitted to my path of destruction that I made coming here.
My stomach growled, letting me know once again that I was hungry.
“Would you like to join Cerys and I for supper?” I asked her in an attempt to thank her for her work.
Mary waved me away, shaking her head, “I don’t need your thanks, go eat.” She said as she turned to her workplace, starting to clean it up.
—--------
~Ten minutes later
—----------------------
As I walked back to the suite, I noticed my path of destruction was already mended, likely by an earth or stone attuned individual. Far more common, but much less potent on the field of battle than the metal attunement.
I had been inadvertently pardoned by the Headmaster to spend the day dealing with my newfound strength and getting used to living life as I always had.
That’s when I thought of an idea: the library. Surely people of certain attunements that increased weight and strength as they got stronger would have written books that may help me to path out a clearer approach forward.
I changed course as I made up my mind.
—--------
~five minutes later
—--------------------
As I slowly opened the front door to the massive main library, I was once again amazed at just how many books were stored here. The building was enormous, but even bigger on the inside, as there was a spacial realm constantly active to support the ever increasing number of physical books. It was unknown exactly who or whom had done this, but it was likely someone of house Severance, or many people from said noble house. Judging by the fact that the imperial academy has been here for hundreds if not thousands of years, it is likely no one would know.
The fact of the matter was, the person or persons who opened this pocket dimension could even be alive still. Such is the reality in a world of magical beings capable of living for an indefinite amount of years if they continue to grow their power and not get killed off suddenly.
As I finished that thought, I moved up to the main desk where the ‘librarian’ was seated, still surrounded by multiple books and scrolls.
“What can I do for you today, Your Eminence?” The suspicious woman asked with an indifferent tone. Her face was also indifferent until she focused on me, taking her gaze from a book at the desk to my eyes.
Her eyes widened slightly, almost imperceptibly. “Ah, congratulations on another milestone towards your ultimate goal of becoming a weapon, Your Eminence.” She said with a formal but reverential tone.
“Your congratulations are appreciated, due to my constitution, I would like to read any book describing good ways to deal with a strong and heavy body.” I advised in a manner belying slight agitation.
The shock absorbing and weight distributing outfit Mary crafted for me was performing perfectly, but I needed to be able to touch and manipulate things without annihilating them.
‘Just how much stronger will my body be when I finally break through to the seventh cog?’ I wondered inwardly, getting more focused on the future.
“Second floor, third aisle, shelf four through seven.” The Librarian rattled off in a professional manner. “I would like to suggest the works of ‘Life with a heavy body' by Sir Issac Steelblood,” her eyes widened and gained a quality of understanding as she saw my expression spread across my face at the mention of that name. But she continued nonetheless.
“And the ‘guide to slow but sure living’ by Sir Evander the earthen tide.” She finished, recommending two books that could surely help me, her eyes looking down at my hands, which were grinding the poor air inside the fists I was making.
“Thank you, Librarian, I will go and take a look.” I said with an almost indifferent but slightly icy tone.
That damn man who I couldn't quite call a brother was now haunting me from the grave.
I shook my head, preparing to put more effort into my carefully curated mask.
I lifted off with the use of my metal plates and specially crafted outfit which also had steel wool lining here and there to help with flight.
As I did so, I thought quick and hard, remembering many of the things my brother did- or rather- didn't do.
He was an ‘old man' by the time I was born, many years old compared to I. But a brother he was. Not that he ever did anything to deserve that title. He was even more withdrawn than the barely human Kaziks Steelblood, even back then. He was also rarely around, going with my former father on campaigns to the north to keep the frost orc hordes in check. Now that he is dead, I may yet gain something from him. Which is a sad thought, for this would probably be the first thing I ever truly learned of the man.
As I arrived at the second floor, I spied the steel cogs studding the shelves on each ending shelf.
Four…… three. There.
I moved slowly through the air, landing with a slight clink against the beige carpet covered marble.
Moving with practiced confidence, I walked past a slightly interested student who had just picked a book from the shelf. I gave him a quick look of greeting and continued to the fourth shelf.
As I found the fourth shelf, denoted by four steel cogs at the top of the three meter high, dark stained wood shelf, I started to look at the many books.
Neither of the recommendations were present, but I saw a few interesting books that I marked in my head for possible retrieval at a later time. Should the aforementioned recommendations be unsatisfactory.
—-------
Ten minutes later
—---------------------
I finally found the later mentioned book, the guide by Evander. I kept it under my left arm as I scoured the sixth shelf for my former brother's book.
Not seeing it, I moved onto the seventh shelf and continued my search.
A puzzled look appeared on my face as I got to the last book on the shelf, not seeing it there.
‘Why would the Librarian recommend to me a book already checked out?’ I wondered with a slight annoyance festering in my right eyebrow.
I shook my head, turning to move to the opening of the library to exit when I noticed who stood there, watching me.
He was holding a book with a stylized silver great steel oak on the back.
“I was looking for that, Agent Seer, would you mind handing it over?” I asked with a hastily restrained anger.
“You’re a weapon without a hand, a blade without a sheaf.” The black hooded, mesh faced man accused without budging, his gravelly voice holding a warning. “Remove whatever is stopping me from seeing you, or you will never read this book.” He continued, a monolith to the world, motionless.
I stared at him for a good few moments. “That is not a decision I am able to make without massive repercussions” I said, a grim and angry look forming on my face.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, looking down at the book in his grasp in a manner that might have been contemplation.
“Whatever that item is you are using, you must understand that you aren't safe from a future of servitude to Her Imperial Majesty.” He spat, rageful and serious. “There are other ways than the future which we can use to keep you in check.” He threatened.
I glared into his featureless face with resolve and anger.
“Did you just use Cerys, again?” I stated more than asked, already getting prepared to kill the man.
He couldn't know much about my intentions, but he could see my body language. He stepped back once.
“Do you remember one of the most important codex verses in the Steelblood tome?” I asked, my voice growing further grim and icy, my eyes gaining a murderous glint.
“Power will not panic.” I answered for him.
He flinched back as I stepped forwards once, without keeping my strength from spiderwebbing the floor beneath the carpet.
“Clearly, you hold no power over me right now.” I observed, my magical will flowing out.
