The way the runes were arranged and set up were unique, which also contributed to its effectiveness. The only down side was that because the barrier was conjured by runes built in a way similar to building blocks, it was easy to find its core— even easier than the maze game at the back of The Explorer's™ Breakfast Cereal box.
In no time at all, Baiyi was already standing before the core rune.
It was placed inside a well beside the townsquare, stuck onto its walls. The sinister red glow from the rune escaped from the dark, unlit well, which was only uncovered by Baiyi's detailed psychic scanning.
Just as he was about to dispose of the central rune, the Scholar suddenly spoke from the Void, "Halt your intention, Sir Hope. I dont think we should act rashly. I have to admit that a large number of these runes are alien to me, and with the constricted timeframe, I won't be able to understand half of the essential functions of the runes. Therefore, I surmised that these runes were built using a whole new… scheme. "
Wait, did you just admit that…? Baiyi retracted his hand from the runes, his voice did not conceal his shock. The Godsfall cult might have surprised him a few times but it was nothing compared to the shock that The Scholar's admission gave him.
Runes were a set of writing system that aimed to simplify and compile the preceding magic formations. As a writing system or language, to be exact, theoretically it had millions of ways to build its grammar and schema. In a modern Earthling context, runes were similar to C++ and Java. Yet to really build an entirely new language was as much of an uphill battle as any other encyclopedic endeavors. It required extensive knowledge and intensive trial-and-errors and equally knowledgeable people to improve and correct them.
Even the Scholar, who was known as the Great Sage of the Doors of Conundrum, could only spent her entire life purely on enhancing the foundations left behind by her predecessors.
Magic had evolved throughout centuries in this realm, yet the only language derived from the runic system was the standard one. Many scholars and mages had tried their luck in building their own throughout the years, but they all ended with failure. It was no wonder that the majority, including even the Voidwalkers, thought that the standard language was the only way.
That was why the Scholar's words had shocked Baiyi along with all the other Walkers. They were all staring at her with cold sweat…
"W-what are you all thinking?" The Scholar hurriedly exclaimed, a little bit bashfully. She poked Baiyi in his consciousness. "Of course the foundational scheme of these runes did not stray from the well-accustomed standards! The nuances are in the finer structure. I did not suggest these runes to be completely new!"
F*ck, you fucking shot me in the heart there! I really thought we'd crossed another fucking deity! Baiyi cursed internally. But then again, you and your loquacious words are confusing even to yourself!
"Excuse me? C-can you stop being so odious? Start. Copying. These. Runes. For goodness sake!" The Scholar replied with uncharacteristic bluster, obviously embarrassed by her own blunder.
Oh, can I at least say bye-bye-see-you-next-time to those bad guys? Baiyi retorted, crossed. The were to many runes in the townsquare. If he was to copy them all, the caravan would be long gone by then.
"Your shortsightedness astounds me. Once the barrier is lifted, the runes would expire!" She argued. "Must I spell it out for you? These runes, altogether, is one of their tour de force; they are by leaps and bounds more informative than hostages who would burst into flames without a moment's notice!"
Although she was being odious, Baiyi had to agree that she was right. The secrets behind the enemies' power and magic structure would give them more clues to what they were up against compared to the words from tortured captives.
He retrieved a Scribing Parchment— one of the very few things in his storage pouch that was prepared just for himself.
Just as he was about to move the parchment to face the runes with his mana, it suddenly burst into flames. When he picked it back up, only soot was left.
"Damn, I knew it wasn't going to be easy," Baiyi commented in mild dismay.
"Such edifying display of acumen! Even preventive measures are included!" The Scholar cried out as well. "To encrypt runes in such a way is not easy, and yet these rudimentary folks had so easily placed it here within this well!"
Another key difference between runes and magical formation was that runes themselves were not a singular unit, but a sequence of smaller subparts of other atomic runes. Such were the nature of advanced runes that annoyed the Walkers. Only a keen observer would be able to isolate the subparts.
In comparison, magical formations were so much more direct in their approach, since the glyphs were as blatant and direct as they could be.
If only these runes were built completely based on standard schema! Baiyi would have been able to quickly piece together their function through his experience with runic appearance and their energy vibration. Now the only way they could decipher the runes were through actual, careful study.
"We have been denied participation in worldly affairs for so long that there's so much evolution in magic," The Scholar paused for a while, before sighing. "Ostensibly the foundation and result of the spell is still within our ken, yet to fully understand it, we might have to pick up a book once again and learn..."
She hesitated before speaking slowly, "It may not be pleasant to hear but perhaps… We never had sufficient grounds for the complacency we have displayed since the beginning?"
We haven't been displaying complacency. What we have been showing is pride, Baiyi retorted indignantly as he crouched by the side of the well, scanning the rune with his Psychic Energy. What we 'ken' are the essence— the basics of magic. This thing we're seeing now is nothing but a parlor trick. We just need a little bit more time to get used to it and break it apart— you'll see, It's just another child's play. You really don't have to lose confidence over such a trivial thing.
"I see. Understood."
That's why people say a woman who spends all her life reading books with no actual life experiences would always be melodramatic. Just a little something they have never seen before and immediately it's 'Woe to me! Woe to us!' Baiyi thought. You should know that these two hands I have… can make the Fists of Truth! No matter how complicated these runes are, they have no chance against Forbidden Spells or Void energy!
Very quickly, Baiyi demonstrated why the Voidwalkers' pride was never misplaced. He had already successfully solved the internal structure of the rune.
Its construction was truly different from the standard language, but the structure itself was not as complicated as initially observed. There were only two defensive measures within them: a flame spell that ignited the Scribe Parchment and a self-detonating mechanism, triggered by touch.
That self-destruct button was hidden very well within a very small atomic rune. If it was left for the average men to find, it would essentially be invisible.
Although the actual construction of the rune still required extensive research, Baiyi was fine with just delegating the job to that bunch of slackers in the Void. After all, that research was probably going to take a long time.
Once the construction method was decoded, the rest of the job would be easier. All he had to do was just sense the signature energy vibration of the rune to other parts of the complex.
It was just like using a mathematical formula to solve a complex equation— no matter how many variables were thrown into it, it had still lost that edge and air of mystery...
"Aha! Proof that runes are inflexible, amirite?" The Archmage commented. "It's always about those few combinations. No matter how much fancy-schmancier you've made them, it's still always going to be within that window. That's why, magical formation is always the smarter choice!"
My respected teacher… There is a time and place for academic debates, okay? Baiyi quietly whispered to the Archmage in the Void. In reality, he was already beginning his scribing work.
To prevent the two protective measures from activating, he had split his Mana over and over again into fine bristles to be injected into the rune's internal structure, disrupting its detection.
The detection mechanism seemed to rely on its sensitivity towards energy vibration to work which explained why the Scribing Parchment had triggered it, because the Mana in it had caused a ripple in the energy. However, there was still a limit to its sensitivity.
And that was what Baiyi was depending on to counter the trigger. He refined his Mana again, so that the ripples caused by them would be even weaker than the ones that emanated from the Scribing Parchment. Then, he moved those nanite Mana closer to that specific atomic runes.
Then, as for Plan B, he exhausted a bit more Mana to enclose the self-destructive rune. If he made a wrong move and accidentally set it off, he planned to force-break the energy vibration channel between the trigger and it. That would of course destroy the completeness of the rune, but it would prevent chain reactions— which is critical, considering how the rune is central to the entire rune complex. Baiyi still had no idea what the rest of the runes in the complex would do so he couldn't afford to set off any domino effect.
Proud as he was, Baiyi admitted that his opponent was too sly and calculating to be looked down on. Care had to be exercised.
However, it was soon apparent that Baiyi was being too cautious. The designer of the atomic rune did not expect anyone to master such fine control of their Mana to disrupt their rune this way, so when the nanite mana got close, the rune had no reaction at all.
That made everything easier. He bent his nanite Mana and enclosed them around the trigger rune so that not a single energy vibration could escape from it. With that taken care of, Baiyi easily copied the writings unto his parchment.
After he was done, he used Mana to cut off the channel between the trigger rune and its receiving runes. The rune's green glow immediately went out.
Phew. Damn, that was like a bomb disposal— without an EOD 1 equipment! Baiyi exhaled a sigh of relief. He peered at the Scribe Parchment and studied the pale aqua writings that were as fine as hair— no doubt about it, it was the internal circuit within the rune.
After sharing what he saw to the Scholar, he decided to delegate the analysis of the runes to his fellow Walkers. Meanwhile, he had kept the parchment back into his pouch and scanned the surrounding of the square.
He then extended his Psychic Energy to the barrier. It was still as calm and normal as if nothing had happened. He had performed his task perfectly.
What's next? He set his eyes on the other runes of the complex.
The complex might be made out of hundreds of runes, but upon closer inspection, it was revealed that they were basically repetitive. There were only seven varieties, so all Baiyi had to do was just copy the other six.
If he was quick enough, he could still catch up to the caravan…
Explosive ordnance disposal