The Second Mark: Speed and Precision

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.

Cedric let out a triumphant laugh, holding up a massive sword he'd just summoned. "Alright, Murkwalkers, come at me! I'm ready for you now!"

Evan shook his head, his smirk deepening as he watched Cedric summon yet another massive construct, the excitement radiating from him like heat. But there was more to be done.

"I need you to turn around again," Evan said, his voice calm but insistent.

Cedric froze mid-motion, blinking at him. "Again? Why? What are you—" He stopped himself, realization dawning, and his face broke into a grin. "Alright, alright!" Without hesitation, Cedric jumped and spun around, his back facing Evan once more, almost as though he was eager for whatever was coming next.

Evan chuckled softly at Cedric's enthusiasm but quickly summoned his focus. He extended his hand, and once again, the air grew warmer. A glowing, translucent rune materialized above his palm, pulsing with the same fiery intensity as before. The temperature spiked, and the faint smell of ash returned.

Cedric, still facing away, didn't flinch this time. "I don't care what this one does—just do it!" he said, his tone brimming with curiosity.

Evan stepped closer, activating Inserir to project the rune onto Cedric's right shoulder blade. The patterns shifted slightly as he adjusted the thickness of lines, refining the design for perfect interaction with Cedric's energy flow. When everything was ready, Evan pressed the glowing mark firmly onto Cedric's skin.

The smell of searing flesh filled the air once again, but Cedric didn't even flinch this time. Instead, he turned his head, his expression curious. "Do I breathe fire now? Or maybe lightning? Please say lightning."

Evan couldn't help but laugh. "Not quite. Focus your energy again, but this time, pull it away from the first mark and into this one. Then try summoning something."

Cedric did as instructed, closing his eyes for a moment as he redirected the energy. When he extended his hand to summon, the result was instantaneous. A dagger appeared in his palm—not slowly materializing, but suddenly, as if it had always been there.

Cedric stared at the blade, his mouth falling open. "What the hell?" he muttered, turning it over in his hand. "It's just... there? Like, boom? No buildup, no delay?"

"Try something else," Evan said, stepping back to give Cedric room.

Cedric grinned, his excitement returning tenfold. He waved his hand and summoned another dagger, this one appearing just as quickly. Then he tried for a small shield, which appeared in an instant as well. He alternated between the marks on his back, pulling energy from one and then the other, testing the differences.

"It's like... it's like magic on speed!" Cedric exclaimed, summoning a spear that popped into existence without warning. "This is insane! I don't even feel like I'm doing anything. It's just there, like my thoughts are skipping straight to the result."

Evan nodded. "That's the point. The second mark is built for speed. It channels energy more efficiently for rapid creation."

Cedric laughed, tossing the spear aside as he summoned a hammer next. "Evan, this is crazy! I feel like—I feel like I'm cheating! Like I've got some kind of protagonist cheat skill!" He summoned a small set of throwing knives, their edges gleaming. "What's next? Do I summon a house?"

"Careful, you'll exhaust yourself," Evan warned.

But Cedric ignored him, alternating between the marks and conjuring a variety of items: a staff, a chain, another massive nail. Each appeared almost instantly, their weight and complexity no longer a concern. Finally, though, Cedric staggered, sweat dripping from his forehead as he dropped a small axe to the ground.

"Okay," he panted, "I might've overdone it a bit."

Evan stepped forward, placing a hand on Cedric's shoulder. "You need to focus, Cedric. Not just on testing your limits, but on training. You can't just rely on raw power—you need to sharpen your skills. We're in a crisis, and if you're not strong enough to take on an intermediate apprentice, you won't survive."

Cedric nodded, his expression growing serious as he reached for his shirt and slipped it back on. "You're right. No more messing around. I'll train, hard. With these marks, I'm not useless in a fight anymore. Hell, I could probably start taking on some of the riskier missions, earn bigger rewards. That'll give me more time to train, too."

Evan smiled faintly. "That's the idea. You've got the tools now. Use them."

Cedric straightened, rolling his shoulders as if testing the marks on his back. "Evan... thanks. I mean it. I don't know what you did to me, but I feel like a whole new person. No, scratch that—I feel like I've finally become who I was supposed to be."

Evan clapped him on the back, his tone light. "Then don't waste it. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

Cedric grinned, his confidence palpable. "I'll make you proud, Evan. You just watch."

As they made their way back toward the camp, Cedric couldn't help but occasionally summon another dagger or hammer, testing the speed and precision of his new abilities. Evan let him enjoy the moment, knowing that the real challenges were still to come. For now, Cedric had the power—and the will—to face them.

Evan sat cross-legged in his tent, his mind torn between multiple projects demanding his focus. The runic set he envisioned for absorbing ambient energy was still in the early stages of simulation, with his nucleus cycling through endless combinations to refine its structure. He knew it would take several days of careful adjustments to finalize, much like the process of mastering a new spell. For now, his nucleus was entirely occupied with these simulations, leaving him to focus on Fire Wave.

The spell, though deceptively simple in concept, demanded far more precision and control than Flame Spark. Its wide reach and sustained intensity relied on an intricate balance of ignition, flow, and stabilization. After integrating it with the Ember Engine, Evan had started to see promising results, but the spell still required significant refinement before it could become a reliable part of his arsenal.

Evan activated the Ember Engine, letting its steady hum fill his mental space as he prepared to simulate Fire Wave. The engine's unique structure, inspired by Kael's core, was designed to handle the subproducts necessary for flame-based magic. He mapped the spell's runes—Ignition Nodes, Flow Spreaders, and Burn Stabilizers—onto the engine's framework and began his first test.

The results were impressive. The Ember Engine amplified the initial ignition of the flames, feeding the wave with a steady flow of energy that prevented it from losing intensity as it spread. The combination felt natural, almost effortless. Watching the simulation unfold, Evan couldn't help but marvel at how well the engine complemented the spell.

"This magic fits the Ember Engine perfectly," Evan muttered, a flicker of admiration in his tone. "No wonder Kael is so strong. His core doesn't just support fire—it thrives on it."

The seamless integration of the engine and spell gave Evan a newfound respect for Kael. The intermediate apprentice's mastery over fire wasn't just about raw power; it was about the natural harmony between his core and his magic. It was no wonder he was so respected among his peers.

Still, the spell wasn't perfect. While the Ember Engine stabilized the energy flow, Evan noticed subtle inefficiencies in how the wave propagated. The Flow Spreaders struggled to maintain even distribution across larger distances, leading to uneven patches in the fire's spread. He paused the simulation and made a mental note to revisit the issue later.