The Ember Engine: Building Progress

Evan stared at the pulsating 3D structure in his mental space. It was alive, dynamic, and undeniably powerful. Every few moments, it emitted the [Smoldering Concept], a subproduct that had once eluded him. It was an incredible breakthrough, yet Evan knew it was only the beginning. This process, subproduct by subproduct, was painstakingly recreating the functionality of Kael's [Ember Veil].

The realization struck him like a spark igniting dry wood: this structure wasn't just generating subproducts—it was becoming something more. It was mimicking the core of Kael itself, concept by concept, piece by piece. Evan smirked, a flicker of pride flashing in his eyes.

"I'll call it The Ember Engine," he murmured, the name resonating with the object's pulsing presence in his mind.

He took a step back, figuratively, and observed the entirety of his mental space. The Ember Engine sat at one side, tirelessly testing hundreds of combinations to refine the next subproduct. Across from it, a collection of runes he knew floated freely, waiting for him to test new patterns and combinations. Nearby, the three books he had recorded glowed faintly, their pages etched perfectly into his mind. The runic pattern of his first magic, Flame Spark, sat nearby, more complete than ever, its structure evolving as new layers of understanding were added. Scattered around were the accumulated simulations of past battles and encounters, each one waiting to be revisited and dissected at any moment.

It was a vast, organized chaos—a reflection of Evan's relentless pursuit of mastery. Yet, as he attempted to interact with something else in the mental space, he felt resistance. His nucleus, preoccupied with processing the combinations for the next subproduct, wouldn't allow him to divide his focus further without halting the process.

"Fine," Evan muttered, opening his eyes. "I'll let it work."

Stepping outside his tent, Evan decided to seek answers elsewhere. The thought of Arvid's uncanny prediction during the arena battle lingered in his mind. He headed toward the central square, asking around for Arvid, but the apprentices informed him that Arvid was away on a mission.

Frustrated but curious, Evan ran into Cedric near the training grounds and asked him about Arvid.

"Arvid?" Cedric repeated, adjusting his satchel. "He's one of the strongest intermediates in the camp. People say he's skilled enough to hold his own against an advanced apprentice in battle. That's no small feat."

"That's impressive," Evan admitted, though his curiosity only grew. "What else do you know about him?"

Cedric scratched his head. "Not much, to be honest. He's part of The Gilded Shade—that's the group he's with. They're... well, they're a big deal around here."

Evan frowned. "The Gilded Shade? Who leads it?"

Cedric shrugged. "Don't know much about him. Just his name—Theron Vayne. And the rumors, of course."

"What kind of rumors?" Evan pressed.

Cedric sighed. "People say Theron's... well, terrifying. He's ridiculously powerful, even by advanced standards. Some of the exaggerators around here claim he knows every spell in the library."

"Every spell?" Evan asked, incredulous.

Cedric smirked. "I know, it's absurd. But you know how rumors are. What's more realistic—and maybe even more impressive—is that people say he's Master Ardan's favorite."

Evan blinked, genuinely taken aback. "Master Ardan's favorite? That's… a big deal."

Cedric nodded. "It is. I've never seen Theron fight, but if even half the rumors are true, he's on a completely different level."

Evan mulled over Cedric's words, his mind already racing with possibilities. The idea of someone being both a prodigy and favored by Master Ardan left him deeply impressed—and wary.

"Thanks," Evan said, filing the information away. He decided to leave the mystery of Arvid and Theron simmering for now. With the Ember Engine still processing in the back of his mind, Evan headed toward the mission boards. If nothing else, it was time to find something useful to do while his nucleus continued its relentless work.

Evan stood before the mission board, carefully scanning the list of tasks available to apprentices like him. Each assignment offered a modest reward in contribution coins, designed to support the Arcane Camp's day-to-day operations. Unlike the more dangerous external missions reserved for intermediates and advanced apprentices, these were limited to the camp grounds. He read through the options:

Material Collection: Gathering herbs, wood, or other resources from within the camp.

Warding Patrol: Checking the stability of magical barriers, especially in low-risk areas.

Laboratory Delivery: Transporting items or research materials between different sections of the camp.

Storage Organization: Sorting supplies in the central tower or near the barracks.

Boundary Scouting: Inspecting areas near the camp's edges for unusual activity.

Evan's eyes paused on one task: Southern Ward Patrol – Inspect the wards for irregularities. Reward: 10 contribution coins.

The description mentioned the southern boundary, an area where newly arrived apprentices from the surrounding villages typically entered the camp. It was a quiet, generally safe area, which was likely why it was deemed suitable for novices like him.

"This will work," Evan muttered. If necessary, he could pause the Ember Engine briefly to run a simulation, but otherwise, it wouldn't require heavy magic use or focus.

The path to the southern wards was well-trodden, lined with sturdy wooden posts and faintly glowing runic markers. The barrier itself was maintained by a series of large obelisks, each etched with a complex pattern of runes to channel and stabilize the protective magic. These wards kept out wandering creatures and unstable magical energy, ensuring the camp remained safe.

Evan walked slowly, his eyes scanning the obelisks and their surrounding structures. He didn't see magical energy flows; his perception came entirely from the runes. Each obelisk was like a towering lattice of symbols, all interconnected to form a seamless network. The patterns were familiar, almost soothing in their order—until he spotted something out of place.

One section of the barrier, just a few paces ahead, didn't match the rest. The runes in that area were slightly misaligned, the pattern subtly broken. Evan narrowed his eyes and stepped closer, studying the structure carefully. It was a tiny flaw, but as he traced the pattern in his mind, he noticed what looked like a small fission—a gap in the barrier's integrity.

"A breach," he murmured. It wasn't large enough to pose an immediate threat, but it was enough to catch his attention.

Evan knelt beside the obelisk, tilting his head to examine the fractured runes more closely. It was remarkable how minor the issue was; most apprentices would have missed it entirely. Yet, a small gap in the pattern could lead to bigger problems if left unchecked.

Instead of trying to fix it himself, Evan made a mental note of the location and turned back toward the mission board. The task didn't involve repairing the wards—only reporting irregularities so that a more skilled apprentice or staff member could handle the issue.

Upon reaching the board, Evan filled out the mission report form, carefully detailing the small breach he'd found. The apprentice overseeing the board raised an eyebrow when reading Evan's notes.

"You caught that? Most people miss things that small," the apprentice said, clearly surprised. "Good eye."

The apprentice handed him his reward—a pouch containing 15 contribution coins, 5 more than the original mission promised. "You earned a bonus for reporting a potential vulnerability. Nice work."

Evan nodded, accepting the coins and tucking them into his satchel. He felt a small surge of pride. The task had been simple, but his attention to detail had made a difference. Someone would be dispatched to correct the flaw, ensuring the camp's safety remained intact.

As Evan made his way back toward his tent, the rhythmic pulse of the Ember Engine resumed in the back of his mind. It had been a small distraction, but it reminded him of the importance of accumulating resources—every coin brought him closer to his next step.

The southern wards might not have posed much of a challenge, but they'd given Evan a sense of progress without disrupting his nucleus's work. Tomorrow, he'd look for another mission or, if the Ember Engine was ready, begin integrating the next subproduct into his growing mastery of magic. For now, he allowed himself a moment of quiet satisfaction as he walked through the dimly lit camp, his focus sharp and his resolve unshaken.