Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

Chapter 1: Oranges with a Side of Demon

An explosion caused the whole marketplace to shudder. Screams pierced the previously peaceful blue afternoon sky.

Seiren paused, raising her eyes for a moment to see passersby exchange panicked looks, before resuming her assessment of oranges again, humming to herself.

Uh, shouldn't we see what's going on? said Madeleine in her head.

She ignored her and picked up a particularly juicy orange, prodding its bouncy skin with her long fingers, and then deposited it into her basket.

Not any of our concern, she said internally.

Seiren, you left graduation almost as soon as the dean stopped talking. What if there were important announcements? What if it was this?

Seiren rolled her eyes. What if people wanted to hug and cry and reminisce about the good old days? What if pigs could fly? What if I could spurt fire out of my ass—

No need to be crass.

I don't want to stick around a bunch of snivelling kids and old people saying those pompous and inane pleasantries to each other just to hold up a sick façade. It's laughable.

Seiren paid for the four oranges; the shopkeeper was so harried, closing her shop, she didn't even check if Seiren had the right change. Seiren tucked her arms beneath her black cloak again and wandered on, eyes darting on the faces passing her. She felt for the reassuring weight of the chalks and rune papers in her inner pockets. All of the citizens nearby were concerned about the explosion just now. A few were also shutting their shops early. She hummed to herself, keeping an ear out for anything salient.

"My niece was just saying how good the sunflowers..."

"...right time of the year for..."

"...that's what she said..."

"...pretty sure it was a demon..."

She whipped round at the last speaker. It was a middle-aged, white-faced man clutching at an unimpressed-looking military soldier. The soldier crossed his arms over his chest, beneath the medals that decorated the left breast of his vomit-green uniform, and pursed his lips, his head cocked.

"You do realise we don't have demons in Karma, right?"

"I know it sounds crazy!" said the middle-aged man, wringing his hands. "But I know what I saw! It was huge, just south of the marketplace, and it had all this glittery dust around it."

Seiren's breath caught in her throat. It couldn't be.

Seiren, we shouldn't--

Seiren was off and running, her boots pounding against the stone-paved ground, short blonde hair bobbing in the air. Her oranges bumped against her hip in the outside cloak pockets. Her heart raced.

Summoner's dust, Madeleine! It had to be!

Even if it is, it's a terrible idea to jump straight into the path of a Hannan demon summoner! Seiren, listen to me!

Seiren paid her sister no heed. She flew past all the people heading in the exact opposite direction. Tall stone buildings lined her left and meat sellers stood on her right, although all those stores were now shut. The ground shook again, making her stumble. Windows slammed shut. People screamed, now pushing past each other in haste to get away from the source. Dust became dislodged from the roofs and showered onto the crowd. Seiren fought against the current, grim determination on her face, her lips pressed so tightly together they disappeared. A thin film of sweat coated her forehead.