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

Chapter 21: Origin of Chaos

"It's mages attacking mages, isn't it, Rummage?"

Kommora crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. Rummage's face drained of blood. She dressed in her brown, skirted mage's off-duty uniform, but it was rumpled as if she hadn't paid much attention to her appearance for once. Even her usually shiny, flawless hair wasn't brushed and she had dark smudges of sleeplessness beneath her eyes, which flew to the door in a panic.

"Relax. Liore and Ash are keeping guard outside. There's nobody that can hear us here. You can talk. Sit."

Rummage perched on the edge of the chair, her hands clasped on her knees. Her eyes scanned the windows and she visibly relaxed when she spotted the violet runes gleaming on the glass. She swallowed and nodded.

"It's three cases now. The same person?"

"I don't know. The style of magic isn't quite the same, and the first case was a burst magic kill, so I dare say it's at least three mages gone rogue. Those aren't simple runes but it's nothing I've seen before. This one's a triple blend: two reds and an orange. The destruction's unbelievable." Rummage ran a hand through her hair. "These are some very experienced mages and it's frightening to think they're after state mages. You and I could be next. There was evidence that Denerin put up a fight."

"No shit, Rummage. I think the two rows of burned down houses from burst magic was very much Raynott's doing. I'd like them to take me on, ha!" Kommora placed her feet on her table, almost upending her pile of books. "I can't say even I can pull off a triple blend, though, and on the go?"

"No, it was pre-meditated. The attacker planned to kill Denerin. It was only a matter of getting closer to him and, well, they succeeded."

"There are hundreds of state mages. It would be near impossible to even sieve through the records. But Raynott was the only state mage in Keycol, wasn't he? They purposefully went all the way to that godforsaken place just to kill him? But Raynott wasn't anything special, just another runt who thinks he's something 'cos he's done some time in the military. Him and Domic bloody Butterworth."

"Domic Butterworth... I'm surprised he even showed up. There's nothing for him to see there."

"But you did, though." Kommora raised an eyebrow.

"The advanced runes – I could only see what they used to be like with chaos magic. The life essence from Denerin allowed me to visualise the remnants, but I don't think any rune or other magic could unearth them. Even with the most advanced tracker rune, it would be difficult. The rune on Denerin blasted a hole clear through his chest. He was dead on the spot."

So when Kommora found her, Rummage was already just salvaging the clues. Interesting that she hadn't volunteered this information to Butterworth.

"This – the fact that it was advanced rune magic and by mages – who have you told?"

"Nobody. Just you and Rowan."

"Oh, the runt is involved, too?"

Rummage gave a small smile, still twisting the front of her uniform. "He'll freak out if he hears you call him that. He used to head the investigation into Gyan Carla's death."

"Got taken over by a king's mage though, didn't it?"

"Zor Jarsdel took over not long after Ro arrived in Reculver. He wouldn't even let Ro see the body, said it was the king's instructions for Jarsdel to take charge and he no longer needed Ro's assistance."

"Just like Butterworth did last week."

"Yes. You think there's something more going on?"

"What gave it away? The fact that they're taking over investigations into the cases? Or the fact that they aren't willing to tell state mages what's going around killing us and they get edgy if you press them? The people are worried. They see our presence as a promise of safety and assistance, but if we can't even keep ourselves safe we can hardly guarantee theirs."