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

CHAOS MAGE Chapter 35: Hanna

Portendorfer and Marya parted, one heading for Magus and Fautos, the other for Eleia, Soleus, and Oerse Gulmore. Rowan and Seiren hurried straight ahead to Kristen, who appeared so far oblivious to the Karman reinforcement that had descended the ancient Hannan tomb.

"Stay calm, don't let her manipulate you," Rowan said in her ear as they broke into a run. Seiren didn't need him to tell her twice. She'd had enough altercations with Kristen to know she wouldn't hesitate to manipulate emotional ties but would discard those close to her without a blink of the eye.

"I wouldn't give her the chance!" Seiren's last words ended in a shout. She slammed her hands together. The irritation and fear that had built up so far condensed down her arms into a ball of pure energy. Her core energy fell to a dangerously low level; exhaustion would soon make her magic useless. Rowan's arms crackled with his flash magic as well.

A daemon's tail, as thick as Seiren was tall, lashed out of nowhere. Rowan grabbed Seiren's arm; both of them were too slow to evade the attack.

Eleia's daemon dived in from the skies, sinking its teeth into the yellow and white flesh, penetrating the scales, and yanked the other daemon into the air amidst its screams. The shrieks increased in volume, rattling through Seiren's skull and echoing around the chamber in a relentless onslaught.

Seiren threw her ball, her aim straight and true. Rowan released his charge at the same time.

Seiren's ball of white flash magic and Rowan's lightning both struck an invisible wall. The surface rippled and almost gave way. Their flash wore out, fizzled into nothing, and the invisible barrier knitted back together, resealing itself.

Seiren swore. The same magic that protected the royal palace in Benover. She should have known. There must be a rune, still active but hidden with an invisible sigil, sitting around Kristen giving her the protection. But she shouldn't have magic. This couldn't be possible. Seiren grabbed a loose stone from nearby and threw it as hard as she could. It bounced off the invisible wall and clattered on the ground. Kristen looked up at the sound and caught Seiren's eyes – and smiled.

"You b—"

Kristen stepped back. The sarcophagus glowed white – as did Kristen's hands. The light pooled at the base of the stone box before shooting outwards in three different directions. Rowan grabbed her by the waist and yanked her back, out of the way of the streak of light. "Watch out!" he yelled over his shoulder, the volume making Seiren's right ear ring. The reinforcement's heads raised, catching sight of the light. Eleia took to the skies on Apollinon again, leaving behind the eviscerated corpse of Fautos's daemon, and Portendorfer stumbled back, his great belly heaving and sweat dripping down his face. Oerse Gulmore spun around and was struck by the light – no, it was as if the light aimed specifically for her. Her lips curled up in a triumphant smile as the light devoured her. It branched off and then hit Soleus, who froze, his hair standing on end. He, too, bore a great grin before the light swallowed him whole.

The second streak of light shot past Seiren and Rowan towards where Madeleine lay.

"Watch out!" Seiren screamed.

Dent grabbed Madeleine, but the light wasn't heading for her. Instead, it struck Cazadia's still body, engulfing her in a pure white light. It branched off, tearing up the stone steps to where Tylene subdued Ravin between the open double doors. Tylene leapt on top of one of the statues, her gun still pointed at the unconscious Ravin. The corridor behind the doors lit up – the light continued its journey out of the auditorium.

"What was that?" Seiren said, breathless. "A spell?"

"We're too late." Marya Bonneville's voice was hollow.