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

Chapter 55: Rune-Defying

Seiren's eyes flew open. A stomach-twisting and familiar scent of cinnamon reached her nose. She snapped up in bed and threw her covers off. Dawn had barely broken; the bell signalling the end of curfew mustn't have rung yet. Before her bare feet even hit the icy stone ground, the city's emergency alarm rang. Maura and the other mage bolted up, ready to engage.

"What was that?" said the other mage.

"Hannans," snarled Seiren. She took a split second to hurl her night dress off, shove her tunic over her head, stamp her feet into her boots and, ensuring her pockets were full of chalk and paper, sprinted out. She barely made it up the spiralling stone steps before an animalistic screech pierced the sky, making her wince and cover her ears. Footsteps and authoritative orders echoed along the stone corridor before she burst into the courtyard. The sun wasn't even up. The sky was mostly deep navy, extending and morphing into rice yellow and bright orange in the far distance. Dark shapes moved in the sky, wings flapping. Seiren couldn't make out any details.

Until something sparked and an explosion of fire shot straight at her.

Her body locked up. Her mouth fell open. She could only watch as the inferno raced down, the blindingly white centre opening its jaws to devour her body.

Move! Seiren! Madeleine shrieked in her head. Seiren was numb. Her limbs would not obey her.

Her vision engulfed in white.

There was a single clap of hands. A rush of water streaked past her and rose in a wall. The flames collided, releasing acrid smoke in all directions, knocking her almost off her feet. Stumbling, she inhaled a lungful of the stench; she retched, her eyes watering.

A short figure darted in front of her and clapped again, sending it colliding against another streak of fire tearing down from the skies.

"Move it!" hollered Rowan over his shoulder, not glancing at her. Seiren sucked in a breath and dashed towards the nearest stone arches. She coughed and wiped away tears and saliva, squinting up at the skies. Bits lit up as streaks of fire ripped through the clouds, followed by wide wings. Shouts echoed from all four corners of the spacious courtyard. Explosions of light followed burst and flash magic shooting straight for the summoned demons dominating the air. Rowan clapped, summoning wall after wall of water to block off further fire attacks, protecting the fleeing citizens.

A shape darted down from the sky. Wings stretched wider than the length of one train cart, its crimson red eyes glared down at the people and its mouth opened, preparing a devastating attack.

There was another clap behind Seiren. All she heard was a crackle. Lightning shot past her and struck the huge demon squarely in the chest. The world became bathed in stark black and white. The creature emitted a squeal, its eyes rolling. With a ground-shaking rumble, it crashed onto the floor, bringing nearby people to their knees.

A tall man wearing a wide-brimmed black hat strode past Seiren, clapping and generating more attacks -- not lightning, but explosions so fine and white-hot they resembled bolts of lightning -- that hurtled into the sky, changing directions in pursuit after the remaining demons. Seiren's mouth fell open. Tahir Portendorfer's hand stretched upwards; the flash was wholly under his control. The arrow of white light struck another demon. For a split second, its body lit up. Blood vessels appeared dark against its ignited body. Webbed wings burst into flames against lanky arms. Its puffed out chest smoked at its point of contact with the flash magic. It screamed and spiralled downwards, landing beyond the wall.

The scene sent shivers down Seiren's spine. What immense power and destructive potential, far outstripping anything she could do with burst or rune magic.