Realm of the Runes: Blood Right

Chapter XXIII

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Dennis had meandered down to the basement room with the globes in it. Something about the quiet space and the glowing blue and green orbs soothed his frenzied nerves. Besides, nobody would disturb him down here, and he could just fall asleep in the chair if he got tired. 

Screw going back to the Palladium. 

He wanted the books.

He opened his text again - The History of White Magic - and settled down in the chair by the big desk. 

So… I’m to be a magician, am I?

He grinned. 

If the topics are any indicator of ‘who-does-what’ when we’re back on earth, I’m quite happy to be the resident wizard. Gandalf the Grey, version 2.0...

A rueful smirk hovered on his lips.

Quite a change of heart, considering that a week ago I would've laughed my head off if someone told me that magic was real...

He snorted, eyeing the charts that described the powers and meanings of different symbols, and began memorizing them.

Runes, they call these. I wonder how they work?

He wished the aether to give him some parchment, and once it drifted down to him, he began copying the runes meticulously onto the parchment with bold strokes of his quill.

The pile beside him began to grow, and as he was placing a finished sheet of parchment beside him, he noticed the slight glow coming from the rune he’d just drawn. It slowly grew brighter and brighter, and he frowned. 

Uh… not sure if that’s supposed to happen.

“Aether?” he queried, hoping it was just the aether.

The rune swelled and glowed a bright golden yellow, lifting from the page and hovering in the air.

Uh... not the aether, I don't think. That yellow isn't very blue...

Dennis glanced at the page he’d just copied. 

The rune of light. Hmm. Must be the only one I've copied perfectly. 

He watched it floating a few inches away from his face, fascinated by its solid, three-dimensional appearance. It was about the size of his palm.

Luckily for me, it wasn’t the rune of fire, he frowned. Last thing I want to do is burn down the Athenaeum.

He reached out to grab the rune, and felt a slight jolt as his fingers made contact with the object. It hummed with energy, and he shivered a little.

How do I turn it off?

He waved it around, and then let go. It hovered it the air, and he pointed his finger to the wall, hoping it would follow his direction.

Nothing.

Uh… Okay… 

He frowned and glared at it, willing it to move away. 

It shifted a little. 

“Hah!” he crowed victoriously.

He frowned as he concentrated on lifting it up to the aether. It ascended slowly, gaining momentum as he got the hang of telekinesis.

The moment it touched the blue aether, the golden light died, and the black frame of the rune dropped to the floor with a clatter. Dennis hurried over and picked it up, examining it worriedly.