Chapter 121: Gravity Rune [1]
Edgar returned to his house just as the late afternoon had begun.
The Fortress remained as busy as ever, but he ignored the sounds outside and quietly entered the main hall.
He sat down on the familiar sofa and looked toward the wooden table.
Several fresh stacks of parchment had already been placed there.
Gordon had brought them back from Soragon Bazaar during one of the earlier supply runs.
"...Good."
At least he no longer had to worry about running out of paper.
Beside the parchments rested the small glass bottle containing silver ink.
Edgar uncorked it carefully before dipping the tip of his quill inside. "...Let’s continue."
He slowly unfolded another sheet before placing one of the copied runes from the ancient stone door beside it.
This rune looked far more complicated than the strengthening rune.
The countless branches intertwined with one another, crossing and reconnecting several times before finally reaching the outer ring.
Simply looking at it for too long made his eyes feel uncomfortable. "...Whoever created these wasn’t normal."
From what he had gathered, these runes were made or at least used by the ancient elves and were passed down by them.
Edgar slowly began drawing, making sure to perfect all the parts that were choppy.
A single mistake could completely change the result. Several minutes later, Edgar scrapped the paper after getting stuck.
"...Wrong."
He sighed before placing the failed parchment aside.
One branch had moved farther than it should have. He immediately grabbed another sheet.
The second attempt lasted even longer than before.
Only after finishing the final stroke did he notice that two tiny pathways had been connected together by accident.
"...Again."
One sheet after another slowly piled beside him. Time quietly slipped away.
During the entire process, Edgar’s consciousness repeatedly entered the Soul Network for only brief moments.
He quietly adjusted and sent the message he wanted to pass to those whom he had saved.
He couldn’t afford to leave them completely unprotected.
Only after confirming everything remained peaceful did Edgar return his full attention to the rune.
Nearly an hour later, he finally leaned back. "...Done."
Edgar carefully compared every line against the original, and he didn’t find anything different.
"...Perfect." A faint smile appeared across his face.
He gently placed the completed parchment aside before stretching his stiff shoulders.
"I need a break."
Closing his eyes, Edgar once again connected himself to the Soul Network.
---
His vision shifted, and the world reappeared through the Human Soul Guardian’s pale azure eyes.
Night had gradually begun approaching, and several Unbroken Fires burned near the riverbank.
A makeshift wall had been built around them to give some semblance of protection.
The rescued people remained gathered together beneath the Guardians’ silent protection.
Although they no longer wore ropes, fear still lingered across every face.
Children hid behind their mothers while several elderly people constantly glanced toward the skeletal figures surrounding them.
Relief and fear. Both emotions existed together.
Standing at the very front of the group was a middle-aged man with weathered skin and broad shoulders.
Even though his clothes were torn and dirty, he calmly moved between the frightened people.
He comforted crying children and helped the elderly sit closer to the fire.
Whenever panic threatened to spread, he was always the first to calm everyone down.
’...They trust him.’
Edgar quietly observed him for several moments.
Without saying anything, he guided the Human Soul Guardian forward.
The sudden movement made several people instinctively retreat, but the skeleton ignored them.
It slowly knelt before the campfire before extending one finger toward the sand.
One careful stroke after another, words gradually appeared.
The Unbroken Fire will keep you safe from weaker Nightmares.
The middle-aged man slowly stepped closer.
His eyes carefully followed every letter while the skeleton continued writing.
We will deal with anything stronger. Just survive tonight.
Silence spread throughout the group.
Several people quietly looked at one another, unable to hide their dubious looks.
The middle-aged man slowly lowered himself onto one knee.
His voice carried both exhaustion and gratitude.
"...Whoever you are..." He bowed his head deeply. "...Thank you."
Behind him, many of the rescued people followed his example.
Even those still trembling quietly lowered their heads toward the silent skeleton.
The Human Soul Guardian simply stood there without reacting.
Moments later, Edgar withdrew his consciousness.
...
Back inside his house, he slowly opened his eyes. A quiet breath escaped his lips.
Those people had gone through a lot.
’It would be better if they could live a peaceful life.’
"Now that I am done with them..."
His gaze returned toward the completed rune. He picked up the bottle of silver ink before setting it aside.
"I hope this rune doesn’t explode."
Edgar placed two fingers against the metallic symbol.
The familiar warmth of his Solar Heart immediately answered.
Golden energy quietly flowed into the silver pathways.
"Hummm."
The response came almost instantly as every branch within the rune ignited at once.
Countless golden pathways lit up together before spreading throughout the entire parchment.
The sheet rapidly absorbed every trace of energy.
Edgar watched without blinking. "...It’s working."
The glow suddenly intensified, like an intense light was being passed through a small hole.
The parchment violently trembled inside his hand, and before Edgar could react--
THUD!!
The sheet slipped from his fingers.
The moment it struck the wooden floor--
BOOOM!!
A deep impact echoed throughout the room.
The floor beneath it instantly caved inward, and the wooden planks cracked apart.
A shallow crater nearly half a metre wide appeared around the silver sheet.
Edgar instinctively stumbled backward.
"...What?!"
He stared at the tiny piece of parchment lying motionless at the center of the depression.
Despite being no larger than his palm, it had become unimaginably heavy.
The wooden floor groaned beneath its weight.
Only a few seconds later, the golden glow gradually faded, and the enormous pressure disappeared.
The parchment quietly returned to its ordinary weight as though nothing had happened.
Edgar cautiously walked forward before picking it up again.
"...So that’s how it works."
He looked toward the copied rune beside the original.
A slow smile appeared across his face.
"This rune..." His fingers gently traced the countless branching pathways. "...belongs to gravity."