The Runic Artist Chapter 7: Chapter 325 - True Paths

Read chapter 7 of The Runic Artist by Ellake on NovelPedia.

Chapter 325 - True Paths A note from Ellake Blackflame Mage When isekai’d healer-turned-saint Eric Mercer dies watching his world crumble under the hand of a godlike titan, he expects peace or oblivion. Instead, he wakes up fifteen years in the past, Summoned once more into the world of Elyndor: his memories intact and the apocalypse inevitable. Now stripped of his strength and starting again at level one, Eric must rebuild everything—alliances, power, and trust—before the end returns. Healing? Protection? Those won’t be enough to stop the end of the world. He must abandon the sanctity of his old magic and embrace something far darker. Every choice reshapes fate. And every decision he makes draws him closer to redemption . . . or ruin. When Ankh’aris had said he intended to test the others, Nate had thought they would at least be given a chance to settle in. Instead, literally the moment they had flown the Solaris in through the gaping maw of the mountain building, Ankh had told them all to get out. Nate wanted to ask Ankh about what to do now that his Vessel had reached its capacity and refused to grow any further, but he was patient enough to wait his turn. Instead, he sat off to the side and continued to use Runic Reality inside of his Created Space to carve a prison facility into his mostly barren inner world. With his focus split, he was projecting himself inside of his Created Space so that he could guide the work with an incredibly close eye. His attention to detail was partially just because that was the kind of person he was, but also because a being with Vicoli’s Skills would likely slip through any little gap in the protections. The entire process would have been simpler if Nate knew the Sigil for Void, but as he didn’t, he needed to make a far more over-engineered solution to the problem that the Greater Divinity presented. Thankfully, Divine-tier Close, Space, and the recently advanced Shape Sigils should be enough as Nate used them to erase layers of space around the prison. If it worked as intended, there would be no void for Vicoli to flee into. After all, Nate’s Created Space was his inner world and he made the rules here. Space without layers seemed a good one, at least for now. He could always add more later. As Nate worked, Kiri sat next to him. Nate chose to ignore the Golden Tide Mythics who started showing up carrying in furniture, but Kiri stood immediately. Patting him on the shoulder, she whispered, “I’ll make sure we get the best rooms.” Then she was off, likely sorting out what furniture went where and figuring out the room situation. That left the grand show taking place all for Nate. Frick and Luci might have enjoyed it as well, but the pair had vanished into the next room, likely to continue fighting each other. “You first,” stated Ankh, pointing at Wulfgar. Wulfgar stepped forward and Nate didn’t miss the quiver of fear in the old warrior’s movements. Ankh leaned forward, the dragon’s head dwarfing Wulfgar to the point where Nate saw the Bloodborne Executioner flinch as though he were about to be eaten. “What is your Path, your Embodiment?” “Blood and Death,” whispered Wulfgar. Ankh shook his head and snorted. “Half right only. Blood lays thick on you. Thicker with the artifact you wear. I see Nathaniel has been being generous again. But death? You have killed people. That does not make your path one of Death. Perhaps Kali’terra granted you some Skills that benefited from killing. But Death is not your Path.” “You are old. You have seen much, lived through much. Fear has taken root in your bones. So, you stand at a crossroads. Do you wish to find the other half of your Path, or do you wish to leave? I will ask only once. If you stay, you may die. If you survive, I will show you the true Path, your true Path. Decide.” Wulfgar quivered for a moment, glancing towards the door, to those around him, then back to Ankh’aris. “I… I will stay. If I die… I’ll die grasping for more.” “Prepare yourself then