Chapter Forty-Five

Summary

• In the past fifty years, the individuals who once relied solely on the Barrens have started recruiting others to misuse magic, leading to an imbalance.
• Captain Lera Dorrell’s quote implies that mankind often compromises their souls for power.
• Major Devera reads out a roll of casualties, now including active combatants and not just cadets, reflecting the growing losses in the battle along the Stonewater River.
• The protagonist is anxious about a friend named Mira and feels powerless away from the front lines.
• The chapter illustrates the high death toll among soldiers, with the protagonist worried about the safety of loved ones.
• The protagonist has a moment of relief when they do not hear Mira's name on the death roll, indicating she is still alive.
• The protagonist shows frustration with an opponent named Cat, who is spiteful and holds a personal grudge.
• Some characters like Sloane and Ridoc express emotions openly, while the protagonist wrestles with the desire to be both strong and humane.
• Professor Trissa introduces the group to runes, explaining they are geometrical patterns woven into items to conduct specific magic.
• Trissa demonstrates by tempering a rune with her power and placing it on a wooden board to create a heating effect, surprising the group.
• Runes were once controlled by the Tyrrish and banned due to their potential to equalize magical power between riders and non-riders.
• The protagonist realizes runes are similar to a logosyllabic language and connects it to prior knowledge of Old Lucerish and Morrainian.
• The group is tasked with learning how to separate a thread of their power and weave a simple unlocking rune before sunset.
• The chapter ends with trial and error as the group attempts to weave runes, with Cat successfully accomplishing the task without incident.