CH31 Hope and Responsibility
***
The second Rune Tattooing session took place the following day.
The air between them still carried the same charged tension, but Alex found it easier to maintain focus now that he was more accustomed to the scenery. That said, the soft fleshy mounds and their firm pointy peaks remained no less breathtaking.
Alex slipped into his focused state, his mind narrowing until only the Rune existed. Zora, meanwhile, watched him with the same quiet intensity she'd shown the day before.
A couple of hours passed.
The Rune was nearly complete. Only the final embellishments remained—minor touches that wouldn't affect the functionality but would enhance the structure's integrity and symmetry.
Even before those touches were added, Zora noticed something.
The Mana around her shifted.
It was subtle—imperceptible to most—but she felt it clearly. The flow, the resonance… something fundamental within her had changed.
