The First Mark: Breaking Limits

The peace of the Violet Lagoon was over. Whatever was causing the Murkwalkers to emerge, it was only the beginning.

Evan stood silently, watching Cedric collect the rune fragments he had pointed out moments before. His mind raced, the weight of urgency pressing down on him like never before. He knew what had to be done, but explaining it wouldn't be enough. Cedric needed more than words—he needed a push, even if it hurt.

Clearing his throat, Evan broke the silence. "Now that you've got the fragments, answer me something."

Cedric paused, turning toward him with a curious look. "What?"

"Do you trust me?" Evan's tone was calm but edged with an intensity that caught Cedric off guard.

Cedric hesitated, his brow furrowing. "Of course, I trust you. Why are you even asking that?"

Evan stepped closer, his voice low and steady. "Then take off your shirt and turn around."

"What?" Cedric's confusion deepened, but something in Evan's tone left no room for argument. Slowly, he pulled off his shirt, exposing his back. "Alright, but—what are you—"

"Stay still," Evan interrupted, his core pulsing as he summoned the power of Runic Forging. A translucent, glowing rune appeared above his right hand, its lines incandescent with heat. The temperature around them spiked, and the faint smell of ash filled the air.

Cedric tensed. "Evan... what the hell are you doing?" he asked, his voice tinged with unease as sweat began to bead on his brow from the heat.

Evan's eyes were fixed on the rune. Activating Inserir, his core projected the runic design onto Cedric's back, mapping how the lines would interact with his skin and energy flow. Adjustments were necessary—some lines needed thickening, others required refinement. Evan's mind worked with precision honed through countless sessions in the Shadowed Palace.

"Hold still," Evan said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Cedric opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say anything, Evan made the final adjustment. The rune hovered, ready. With a swift, decisive motion, Evan pressed the flaming mark onto the left side of Cedric's back.

The smell of searing flesh filled the air as Cedric let out a guttural roar of pain, collapsing to the ground. The glowing rune seared into his skin, its intricate patterns shimmering before fading to a darkened mark. Evan quickly dissipated the flaming rune in his hand, dropping to his knees beside Cedric, who clutched at his back, panting heavily.

"Cedric, hold on," Evan said, his voice urgent as he grabbed his friend's shoulder to steady him. Cedric's body trembled, his face pale with shock and pain.

"What the hell did you do to me?!" Cedric rasped, his voice filled with fear and anger. "What was that?"

Evan kept his grip firm. "Listen to me, Cedric. Conjure a nail. Right now."

"What?" Cedric snapped, glaring at him. "I need to get this burn treated—"

"Now," Evan interrupted, his tone sharp. "You need to be ready for what's coming. This camp isn't safe anymore. If you can't protect yourself, you won't survive. Conjure the biggest nail you can."

Cedric hesitated, his body still trembling. "Evan, I don't—"

"Do it!" Evan barked.

Reluctantly, Cedric extended his hand, summoning a projection. A nail, no more than twelve centimeters long, appeared in his palm. He held it up weakly, his expression a mix of anger and confusion.

Evan placed a hand near the mark on Cedric's back, causing Cedric to flinch and pull away. "Don't touch me!"

"Just focus," Evan urged. "Channel some energy into the mark. Trust me."

Cedric glared at him, but something in Evan's eyes made him relent. Taking a shaky breath, he closed his eyes and funneled a small amount of energy toward the burning ache on his back. The moment he did, his core surged, and a wave of heat coursed through his body. Cedric gasped, stumbling forward as the sensation overtook him.

"What... what the hell is this?" he muttered, his voice shaking.

Evan stepped back, his expression calm but expectant. "Conjure the biggest nail you can. Now."

Still reeling from the sudden rush of energy, Cedric extended his hand again. This time, something entirely different happened. A massive nail—no, a stake—materialized in his grip, nearly a meter long and far thicker than anything he had ever conjured. The weight of it surprised him, and it slipped from his hands, thudding heavily onto the ground.

Cedric stared at the massive nail that had just slipped from his hand, its size and weight entirely unlike anything he had ever conjured before. His jaw dropped, and he took a stumbling step back, his eyes darting between the nail and Evan.

"Holy shit!" Cedric exclaimed, his voice shaking with disbelief. "What... what just happened? What did you do to me?"

Evan crossed his arms, his expression calm but with a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "I told you, your core was holding you back. Now, try something else."

Cedric hesitated for only a moment before extending his hand again. This time, he aimed to summon a hammer—something familiar. What appeared, however, was far from ordinary. A massive hammer, nearly the size of his torso, materialized in his grip. Its head gleamed as though made of solid iron, and its weight forced him to adjust his stance to hold it steady.

"No way!" Cedric shouted, his voice cracking with excitement. "Are you seeing this? This is insane! I feel like I could smash through a wall with this thing!" He laughed, his excitement bubbling over as he lifted the hammer with both hands and took an experimental swing, the weight of it thudding heavily into the ground.

"Keep going," Evan urged, gesturing for him to try again.

Cedric's grin widened as he dropped the hammer and spread his hands, summoning a new construct. This time, a spiked mace appeared, its shaft thick and sturdy, the spiked head glinting menacingly. He stared at it for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"This is nuts!" Cedric yelled, holding up the mace. "I feel like a goddamn dragon! Is this even real? Am I dreaming?" He spun in a circle, gripping the mace tightly, then let it drop to the ground with a loud clatter. "It doesn't even feel heavy! How is this not draining me?"

Evan watched silently, his arms still crossed. Cedric's energy flow had transformed entirely. The constructs, despite their size and complexity, barely seemed to register as a strain on his core. Instead, Cedric looked exhilarated, more alive than Evan had ever seen him.

"Alright, one more," Cedric said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. He extended both hands this time, focusing with a dramatic flair. "Let's see what happens when I go all out."

A massive shield began to form, its surface intricate with decorative grooves and reinforced edges. When it finally solidified, it was almost as tall as Cedric himself, the sheer weight of it forcing him to brace against the ground. His eyes widened as he leaned into it, marveling at the construct.

"Okay, this is ridiculous!" Cedric shouted, his face splitting into a grin. "I feel unstoppable. I'm summoning stuff that should crush me, but it's like—" He paused, trying to find the words. "It's like my core is laughing! Like it's finally doing what it's supposed to do! Evan, this is insane!"

Evan allowed himself a small smile. "That's because it is finally doing what it's supposed to do. The mark fixed your energy flow, made it efficient. You're not fighting your core anymore—it's working with you."

Cedric dropped the shield, which hit the ground with a heavy thud, and turned to Evan, his face lit up with pure excitement. "Evan, you're a genius. No, seriously. This is like—I don't even know how to describe it! I feel like I just walked out of some epic story. What's next? Do I breathe fire now?"

Evan chuckled softly. "Not quite. But if you keep this up, you'll be ready for whatever's coming."

Cedric nodded, his grin unwavering as he began summoning smaller constructs—daggers, tools, even a spear—all larger and sturdier than anything he had conjured before. "Man, this is incredible. I'm not even tired! I could do this all day!"

Watching Cedric's newfound energy and confidence, Evan felt a surge of pride. The risks he'd taken, the effort he'd put into designing the runic set—it had all been worth it. For the first time, he felt like they stood a chance against the challenges ahead.