They’d met the witch in a courtyard out the back of her shop. It was well taken care of but looked more like it was a community garden than a practice area. Four walls hid it from the outside, though it was still warm. Ratface noticed that the ice had been very intentionally removed from this spot to let the sun in.

  Ratface hadn’t known what she expected from the armour that was made from a witch. She had some idea what a rune knights armour should look like of course, she literally had Abigail.

  Her armour was not like that. It looked like chainmail with faint charms sewn into it. She wouldn’t have thought it would be quiet, and it wasn’t when she first put it on. It felt heavy and clanked against her. She looked at the witch unimpressed and the witch rolled her eyes and grabbed the core off of Kryssa to slot into the armour. The core broke itself apart and flowed into the shards. Ratface looked in alarm and Amber chuckled.

  “Don’t think of the core as a physical object but a magical one. A live core isn’t restricted by a physical form. So long as you can give it something to flow through it’ll be able to stay in this ether form.”

  Now that it had the core in it, the armour adjusted itself to fit her better. The shards moulded onto her existing armour. Ratface imagined it would fit any other clothing or armour she put it over. It also had the nice effect of covering her neck seamlessly so she wouldn’t have to worry about someone slipping into the gap on her helmet. It refused to join with the helmet itself though and Ratface resolved not to let herself get hit in the face. Not something she’d planned on doing in general, but extra now. She moved around it and found that it made her quieter as well.

  Those of them with no theoretical magical knowledge looked at it with interest but Ratface could tell how useful it actually was by Abigail’s appraising look. Amber walked around it with obvious pride.

  “Currently, the armour has water and lightning magic attuned to it. For a normal mage that would be impressive enough. Lucky for you then, you have a witch.” She held her hand out and a faint rune hovered in the air. She pushed it towards the armour, and it sucked it up greedily. Ratface felt something in the armour change, it was more ordered. She felt like she could direct it if she was capable of touching mana.

  “I just attuned it to runic spell work,” the witch explained, “the armour can grow as it gains more attunement. There’s a catch of course.”

  Ratface had been watching the mana, so she had an idea, but it was Abigail that confirmed it.

  “It has to be freely given,” she said.

  “From someone powerful as well,” said Amber.

  That explained why the witch had got her to ask Fulgora. Ratface couldn’t think of anyone more powerful than someone that could change the sky.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “The other problem is of course that you need someone to operate it. Thankfully you have your glamour to help with that. Shall we give it a try?”

  Ratface shrugged. Kryssa didn’t say anything, just went limp. A moment later and Ratface could feel the glamour in the armour with her. It was like having her in her head again. Kryssa wasn’t saying anything though and Ratface frowned.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

   thought Kryssa. Her words whispered into Ratface’s head, and the goblin nodded. It wasn’t quite the same as being stuck in her head again, but it was close enough as to remind them both. Ratface was surprised to find she didn’t mind it as much either.

   though Ratface. She flashed the glamour a grin,

  “Ready girls?” asked Amber, jolting them both out of their distraction. Ratface nodded and she felt Kryssa nod once in her head before remembering no one could see her. Ratface tried not to laugh.

  “Fantastic, let’s start with something easy. The water is going to be the way you stop impact. I want you to make a water bubble around you. It should be easier with the rune attunment.”

  Ratface felt Kryssa concentrate and then she was wrapped up in a water bubble. She swallowed some water when it hit her head. She hadn’t thought the glamour would cover all of her. The witch came and swung at fist at them experimentally. It slowed from the drag and she nodded. Kryssa let go of the bubble and Ratface hit the ground spluttering.

   Ratface asked.

   thought Kryssa. Ratface could literally feel the smug grin the girl was giving her. Ratface grumbled but she didn’t push.

  “Next up is lightning. You’re not going to be able to pull off tricks like the outcasts, but you still will get a little hit. Give it a go.”

  Ratface held her hand out in front of her and a short spark came out. It wasn’t as flashy as what Fulgora had done but she wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it.

  The witch clapped to see it done.

  “Fantastic, last check is movement. For this you’re going to put a faint trickle of water in the direction you want to go, then let the lighting run through. The way the armour is made it should pull you through to it.”

  Ratface lifted a foot experimentally as the armour grew out to cover her lower body. She didn’t sacrifice covering elsewhere which was nice.

  Kryssa sent out an experimental trickle of water, followed by a spark of lightning. Ratface had just enough time to register the glamours panic before she was sent hurtling into the wall. A bubble of water wrapped around her and cushioned her. At least she knew the defence worked now.

  “I thought that would happen,” muttered Amber. She shrugged, “well even with that, I still consider it a successful test.”

  “It’s just a question of the two of you practicing now,” interjected Abigail. Amber walked away from them and sat down with a book in hand. The knight stood in front of them, her hands clasped behind her back. Teacher mode then.

  “Your armour is different from mine, but the theory of learning how to use it is the same. You need it to become so natural that the two of you use it without thinking. That also means you have to be on the same page when using it.” The knight smiled. “So today we’re going to spend the day putting you through your paces. We’ll use the drills I learnt when I was first learning how to use mine.

  She shivered in fear and felt a similar shiver from Kryssa. Ratface had to admit, Abigail’s teaching methods were effective.

  It had only been a moment and already the two of them were unified in their dread of whatever Abigail had planned.