Runic Innovation and the Mystery of the Lagoon

As his core began cycling through potential designs, Evan leaned back and closed his eyes. He allowed his consciousness to slip into the Shadowed Palace.

In the Shadowed Palace, the orb representing Runic Forging pulsed softly, casting faint light across the dark expanse. Evan approached it, his mind calming as he focused on the patterns within. The orb didn't provide answers, but it allowed him to immerse himself fully in the essence of Runic Forging, sharpening his intuition and revealing subtle connections he hadn't noticed before.

He visualized Cedric's struggles: unstable projections that flickered under stress, energy that surged unevenly, and constructs that collapsed when pushed beyond their limits. With each thought, the orb seemed to pulse in rhythm with his core, guiding him toward deeper insights.

"Cedric's core isn't weak," Evan realized. "It just lacks refinement. If I can align my runes with his strengths, I can amplify his potential without changing his essence."

Evan emerged from the Shadowed Palace hours later, his mind brimming with ideas. The core had completed hundreds of simulations during his meditation, and Evan reviewed the results. Several designs showed promise, particularly those that balanced Energy Efflux with Material Resonance, ensuring Cedric's constructs could stabilize without draining his core.

Evan adjusted the parameters of the simulations, incorporating insights gained from his meditation. He instructed his core to focus on combinations that emphasized efficiency and scalability, then returned to the Shadowed Palace to refine his understanding further.

This cycle of simulation and meditation continued for the better part of a day. Each iteration brought the frameworks closer to perfection, with Evan fine-tuning the balance between power, speed, and stability.

After hours of relentless focus, Evan completed two distinct frameworks. Each was designed to enhance Cedric's abilities in a specific way:

1. Runic Set of Potential

Focused on stability and power, this set allowed Cedric to create large, durable constructs:

- Dynamic Scaling: Amplifies the size and complexity of projections without destabilizing them.

- Anchor Stabilization: Reinforces the edges of constructs, preventing flickering and collapse.

- Energy Circulators: Ensures consistent energy flow, reducing strain during prolonged use.

This set was perfect for defensive barriers or large-scale tools that required resilience under pressure.

2. Runic Set of Velocity

Prioritizing speed and adaptability, this set was ideal for rapid projection and combat scenarios:

- Quick Bindings: Reduces stabilization time, allowing constructs to form almost instantly.

- Energy Streamlines: Optimizes energy flow for fast, efficient projection.

- Lightened Resonance: Lowers the energy cost of smaller constructs, ensuring sustainability during rapid deployment.

This set allowed Cedric to react quickly, creating precise tools or small barriers in the heat of battle.

Evan leaned back, exhaling slowly. The frameworks were complete, their designs tested and refined through countless simulations. They weren't just theoretical—they were practical, optimized tools that Cedric could integrate seamlessly into his core.

"The next step is to test them with Cedric," Evan thought. "If these sets work as I expect, he won't just improve—he'll transform."

The glow of the Runic Forging orb lingered in his mind as he prepared for rest. The journey to create these frameworks had been intense, but it had reinforced his belief in the power of Simulate and meditation. Together, they had allowed him to bridge the gap between theory and practice, creating something truly meaningful.

Tomorrow, he would share the frameworks with Cedric. But for now, Evan let himself rest, his core steady and sharp, ready for whatever came next.

The morning sun barely pierced through the dense mist lingering over the camp as Evan stepped out of his tent. The air was charged with an unusual tension, and the hum of conversations between apprentices buzzed louder than usual. Groups of novices gathered in tight circles, whispering animatedly, their faces betraying concern or frustration. Something was definitely off.

Evan made his way through the paths between the tents, his boots crunching against the damp ground. He was looking for Cedric. The runic sets he'd spent so much effort designing were ready, and he wanted to share them with his friend as soon as possible. However, as he approached the mission square, he hesitated. Jonas, the last person Evan wanted to deal with, often lingered there, overseeing mission assignments with an air of arrogant authority. Instead of risking an encounter, Evan veered off, deciding to ask around.

Spotting a group of novice apprentices gathered by a training area, he approached them. "Hey," he called out, his tone steady but curious. "Have any of you seen Cedric?"

One of them, a lanky boy adjusting the straps of his satchel, looked up. "Cedric? Yeah, I think he went to collect rune fragments," he said casually, gesturing toward the eastern forest. "With all these weird missions flooding in, most of the repair jobs got suspended. Only these low-tier collection tasks are left."

Evan frowned, puzzled. "Weird missions? What do you mean?"

The boy raised an eyebrow as though Evan had just asked if water was wet. "You know... the fish missions."

"Fish?" Evan repeated, his confusion deepening.

Another apprentice, a shorter girl with her arms crossed, let out a frustrated groan. "Malditos peixes," she muttered, punctuating her words with a sharp smack of her fist into her palm, the sound echoing in the air.

Evan blinked. "What are you talking about? Can someone explain?"

The group exchanged uncertain glances before the tall boy squinted at Evan, clearly perplexed. "Where have you been the last three days? All the missions got updated—most of them are about dealing with those cursed fish coming from the lagoon. You seriously don't know?"

Evan shook his head. "I've been busy. What fish? What lagoon?"

The shorter girl rolled her eyes and reached into her satchel, pulling out a crumpled mission sheet. She shoved it toward Evan, who took it and scanned the contents:

Mission: Create 50 Poisoned Arrows

Objective: Prepare defensive equipment for repelling creatures from the lagoon.

Reward: 20 Contribution Coins

Another apprentice stepped forward, holding out their own mission sheet. Mission: Collect 10 Units of Toxic Moss stared back at him in bold text. Below it, there was a note about the moss being critical for crafting anti-lagoon creature salves.

A third apprentice chimed in, "My mission? Sabotage the northwest road—something about funneling the fish to a specific area."

Evan furrowed his brow, bewildered. "Sabotaging roads? This doesn't make sense."

"Tell me about it," the short girl added, crossing her arms again. "I heard a group of intermediates picked up a mission to hunt down three of the fish directly. They've been gone since yesterday."

Evan shook his head, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. "This is ridiculous. What's happening at the lagoon?"

"Your guess is as good as ours," the tall boy replied with a shrug. "But hey, if you're looking for Cedric, he's probably in the eastern forest by now. That's where the rune fragments are."