Although Ezequiel only nodded in response to Zatiel's words, he felt something inside him loosen—like a tightly wound cord finally released. The crushing weight of self-doubt that had been pressing on him for days seemed to vanish, replaced by a renewed determination that burned even brighter than before. His resolve to continue along the arduous path of magical crafting had solidified into something unshakable.
Zatiel, sensing the change, gave a small approving nod. But he hadn't come here just to bolster his apprentice's confidence.
"I've completed my runes," he said without preamble, his voice tinged with the satisfaction of a craftsman whose work had gone exactly as planned. "They're functioning perfectly in my body, so I've brought a set to transfer into yours."
Ezequiel blinked in surprise. "Master… you've already finished them?" His voice carried genuine astonishment.
From what little he'd learned about rune crafting, even the most talented individuals could take a week or more to produce a single high-quality rune—especially if it was something complex and finely tuned. Yet here was his master, telling him that not only had he crafted runes for himself, but also for Ezequiel, in the span of just four days.
If Zatiel had been working on basic, throwaway runes, that speed might be believable. But Ezequiel knew better. His master did not deal in mediocrity.
"Of course," Zatiel said with a smirk. "Who do you think your master is?" He clearly enjoyed the way Ezequiel kept nodding along, almost like a bird pecking at grain, and drew the moment out for his own amusement.
"The runes are called Aerial Walk and Secondary Consciousness," Zatiel continued, his tone shifting to businesslike precision. "The names should give you a basic idea of their functions. You'll understand them more fully once you use them. The first will be embedded in your legs, the second in the upper section of your spine. Now—prepare yourself."
"Yes, Master!" Ezequiel replied at once, pulling back his clothing to expose the areas where the runes would be inscribed. He steadied his breathing, forcing himself into a calm, focused state.
Even with his limited knowledge, he understood that embedding a rune was not a gentle process. It wasn't merely about marking the skin—the design had to bond with the body's energy network, fusing itself into both flesh and aura. Pain was inevitable.
Zatiel began with Aerial Walk. He pressed the rune parchment—crafted from treated magical beast hide—against Ezequiel's legs. Then, placing one palm over the parchment, he began to channel his energy into it.
The effect was immediate. The parchment pulsed faintly before the inked rune seemed to melt, its lines sinking beneath the skin as though alive. They wove themselves into Ezequiel's flesh, tracing burning paths through muscle and nerve.
The boy's eyes narrowed as pain flared, sharp and relentless, spreading from his thighs to his calves. It felt as if molten metal were being poured into his bones. But he neither flinched nor shifted, holding perfectly still until the process was complete.
Minutes later, Zatiel stepped back. Dark lines now formed a stylized mark along Ezequiel's legs, glowing faintly with restrained energy.
"Test it," Zatiel instructed. "Before we move to the next."
Ezequiel nodded, eager despite the lingering ache. He directed his abyssal aura down into his legs, and the rune responded instantly, a subtle warmth spreading through the new channels.
When he took a step, he found himself walking upward—onto nothing at all. It was as though invisible stairs hung in the air beneath his feet. He moved higher, then forward, then sideways, each step effortless and sure.
For a moment, the sensation overwhelmed him. He'd always admired the freedom of birds wheeling in the sky; now, in a small way, he shared it.
A laugh escaped him—rare, unrestrained, and genuine. "Hahaha! This is… amazing!"
He leapt into motion, bounding around the room, never touching the floor. Zatiel, arms folded, watched with quiet satisfaction. The boy was usually so composed, even reserved, but right now his joy was plain.
When Ezequiel finally landed back before him, the air of quiet discipline had returned—but not entirely. There was something looser in his posture now, a spark in his eyes that hadn't been there before.
"Thank you, Master," he said simply.
"Hah! No need to get sentimental, little brat." Zatiel patted him on the shoulder. "Now let's start the second one."
"Yes." Ezequiel stripped off his upper robe, exposing his back.
"This one," Zatiel warned, "will hurt more. It's close to the nerves. Brace yourself."
The parchment for Secondary Consciousness was placed directly against the upper spine, and the moment Zatiel began channeling energy into it, white-hot pain shot through Ezequiel's body. His vision blurred, his teeth clenched, but he refused to make a sound.
Finally, the rune's lines settled into place, forming a complex sigil between his shoulder blades, pulsing faintly like a second heartbeat.
"Activate it," Zatiel said.
Ezequiel complied. His eyes widened slightly as an odd awareness filled his mind—a second vantage point, a second self. It was smaller, simpler, but utterly focused. While his primary mind took in the room normally, the secondary consciousness began replaying details of his magical crafting notes from memory, organizing them without distracting his main thoughts.
At first it was unsettling, but the more he tested it, the more he realized its potential. "This… will help me a lot in my experiments," he said, already planning how to use it.
"Good," Zatiel replied. "You're using it correctly. Remember—it's as valuable outside of battle as in it. Now, we're done here. Let's head to the first floor. Time to draw a little attention."
Old Hal was slouched at his desk on the first floor of the tower, eyes half-closed. His duties were simple enough that most days he alternated between light paperwork and long naps. Long ago, he'd given up the dream of advancing to Rank 1, preferring the comfort of quiet routine.
That quiet ended when Zatiel and Ezequiel appeared before him.
"Hey, old man," Zatiel said casually, "I've got something to discuss."
Hal straightened slightly. "It's you two. What can I do for you?"
"I want to spread word through the tower about some items I'm selling," Zatiel said.
Hal shook his head. "Not interested in playing middleman."
"Are you sure?" Zatiel's tone turned sly. "These items are worth more than you think. You could even take a percentage." He set two rune parchments on the desk.
Hal barely glanced at first—he'd seen plenty of shoddy apprentice work before—but when his eyes truly focused on the markings, his brows shot up.
"These… these are peak Rank 0 runes!" His voice was almost incredulous. "It hasn't even been a week since you asked for rune crafting equipment, and you've already made something of this quality?"
"What can I say?" Zatiel replied with mock modesty. "I'm good at what I do."
Hal stared, trying to reconcile what he was seeing. Zatiel had survived an encounter with Arthur's team and now appeared to be a prodigy-level runemaster as well.
"I don't mean to doubt you," Hal said cautiously, "but I'm no rune expert. How can I be sure about their quality?"
Zatiel smiled faintly. "Little EZ."
On cue, Ezequiel activated Aerial Walk and began moving across the room—up into the air, sideways along invisible platforms, gracefully weaving between columns. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the other apprentices watching.
When Ezequiel landed back beside Zatiel, Hal no longer looked doubtful—only stunned. "Yes, yes… I'm convinced! My apologies for questioning you."
Zatiel's eyes flicked over the crowd, noting their expressions. The seeds of curiosity were already planted. This was exactly why he'd chosen Hal to act as his promoter—the man's connections and knowledge of the tower's social currents would ensure the right people heard about these runes.
"Keep them," Zatiel said. "Just make sure word gets out. The selling price matters less to me than the attention."
With that, he turned to leave, Ezequiel following at his side. He doubted Hal would try to cheat him, and even if he did, it would cost Zatiel nothing more than a few days' work.
They were nearly at the exit when a voice rang out from behind them.
"Wait!"