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

Chapter 97: The Avenger

The fire burst magic, intensified by funnelled wind, struck the sealed palace front doors. The explosion rocked the ground and shattered the high archway; rubble cascaded over the main entrance. Karis Bonneville slowed, bursting into laughter.

"Man, you sure are persistent!" she said over her shoulder, spinning round, her loose sleeve flapping. "I wouldn't have pegged such a short--"

Her words were cut off. Rowan's next bout of burst magic forced her to summon a sheet of ice, which cracked on contact with his fire. A series of gunshots, missing by centimetres, forced her into the corner. She scowled, a dark look on her fair face, the tousled silvery white hair glistening in sunlight. She kept her one hand outstretched, her flash magic ready. Wall after wall of ice burst forth from the ground with every shot, shattering on impact and knocking the bullets off their trajectory. Tylene and Dent reloaded from afar, atop a balcony, keeping a keen eye and their distance from the flash mage.

Rowan strode forward without a strategy in mind, rage shrouding a calm mind that still allowed burst magic. Bonneville fired ice at his aides, but he swept them out of the sky with one lazy wave of his hand.

"I'm your opponent, you bitch!" he roared.

The magic throbbed at his fingertips, the flames turning crisp and white. The burst extended into streaks of white-hot flames along his forearms. He swung at her, the magic elongating and forcing her to bring up shields of ice, which shattered on impact. Bonneville gritted her teeth, showering him with spikes of ice with every punch. Rowan's flames increased in temperature, melting the ice before they could reach him. His fury poured like magma, fuelling his magic. Loren's face, her smile, her kind words, her innocent enthusiasm -- all destroyed because of this despicable human being.

Rowan's usual calm demeanour turned to ashes under his inferno for revenge, consuming his reasoning and compassion. The burst danced across the surface of his hands, faint and almost blue.

Bonneville was taller, faster, and her flash magic was deadly despite her only having one arm, but that didn't deter her. Rowan sprang forward, the magic crackling in his hands. They clashed, her ice smashing against his burst. The ice splintered, showering them both with shards. Bonneville threw her hand forward. The shards paused and pelted at Rowan, but he brought his arms across himself, releasing a burst of heat that turned them into water.

Behind them, one of the aides fired. The bullet skimmed by Bonneville's cheek, drawing blood. She flinched with a snarl.

"Leave her! She's mine!" Rowan thundered. His bloodlust turned into liquid lava boiling from his mind and coursing down his body. His magic reserve was down to half, but he had no qualms about unleashing everything he had. She deserved every injury he could inflict.

Bonneville scowled and blasted ice at him. At the same time, Rowan roared, utilising that fury he'd pent up and unleashing it down his arms, concentrating at his fingertips. The magic emitted chirping, like the sound of birds, and a blast of white lightning exploded towards Bonneville.

The aim was off. Rowan hadn't expected such intense energy to come from him. It struck two storeys above the spot where Bonneville stood, tearing chunks out of the structure and leaving a lethal crater in the front wall of the palace. The dust showered upon her, forcing her to abandon her next attack to shield her face.

Was that... flash magic? Rowan stared at his hands, stunned, but Bonneville didn't let him spend long processing. Aim. Aiming was the issue. Bonneville usually savoured her moments, especially of victory or of pain. But that strike just now would have taken her life, so she wouldn't want to spend too long parrying his hits.