Forged Destiny [Book 8: Ch. 1; Book 9: Ch. 16, Ch. 17]

In answer, I etched the Rune I'd put on Raven's weapon onto the sword in my hand. The image took shape quickly, recreated from memory without a single fault. Nothing happened as I engraved it into the metal, but when I touched my fingers to it to activate the Rune, it flashed blue.

The sword cracked, splintered and then exploded in my hand.

I'd been expecting it, so I'd angled the sword away and turned my head slightly, deflecting all the shrapnel down and away from me. It pinged violently off the floor, the Lodge's walls and the forge itself, some chunks splashing into the water barrels and more impacting the wood with a dull thunk and becoming stuck there.

Ruby, who had ducked behind her barrel the instant the sword cracked, stood up and waved her arms wildly. "Jaune! Are you okay!?"

"I'm fine." I tossed the ruined weapon aside with a sigh. Another failure; not that I'd expected it to change suddenly, but this marked the fifth one. One hundred per cent in other terms. I just couldn't put the Rune, which I'd come to call `Salem's Rune` onto any weapon.

—Forged Destiny [Book 8: Ch. 1]



The scythe was made from Ironwood, that much I could tell.

[...]

With that in mind, I strode forward and gripped the haft between Ruby's hands.

[...]

My eyes closed. Blue light filtered out from the bottom of my lid as a Rune was etched onto the blade. Familiar and simple, one I'd seen more than any other, even if I hadn't realised so long back that it had been a Rune at all. My Runesight was engaged and I looked at it. Seal, it read. No other information.

—Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 16]



On my sword, just above the cross guard, a `Seal` rune glowed faintly. I'd added it as a last-ditch insurance.

—Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 17]