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

Chapter 57: Saving Acrise, My Sweet

Bursts of fire shot from the rune's outlets, tearing across the rain-soaked balcony surface and hitting each demon squarely in the face. The fire burned white hot and caused blisters to erupt over their scaly skins and raindrops to sizzle into water vapour before they even made contact. Dent followed up with his runed gun, piercing their skin with ease once the thick armour was compromised. Seiren sketched and sketched, her arm aching and fingers becoming slippery and numb from the downpour and trembling from the constant snapping. One rune could only hit one demon -- if it even hit, that was. They moved fast and she had to wait till they were within striking distance before she could activate the runes. If only she could sketch faster. A blue flame could down them in one hit. But there were too many, and some of them had found their way onto the ground beneath them.

She snapped her fingers again. The orange rune glowed and expelled fire forward, skimming by the demon closest to them and scorching its shoulder. It snarled, its thick blue tongue lashing out, but didn't get deterred.

Her heart pounding and each breath freezing her lungs, Seiren fumbled with the chalk for another rune. She couldn't feel her fingers. The chalk, although runed to be waterproof against the rain from dissolving it, slipped from her soaked hand. She swore and fished for another one.

A screech caught her attention. Dent fired his last shot and reached behind to reload. The bullet struck the demon in the shoulder. Its tongue lashed out. Seiren's mind was a tornado of thoughts, half-formed and incoherent. Her body locked up from the cold and shock. The roar of rainfall mixed with the drumming in her ears.

Use Burst!

Seiren tore Madeleine off her neck -- her numb hands seared with pain as they strained against the freezing metal -- and stuffed her in a pocket. Her mind emptied. She clapped her hands and threw the magical energy from her mind.

She imagined the roar of flames and a blast of heat. But all that came out was a puff of smoke, promptly killed by the rain. Water trickled between her fingers. Dent fired again, knocking the demon between the eyes. Its head snapped back but it didn't die. Seiren leapt back, rubbing her hands together, conjuring more energy in a mind she desperately stilled. There was too much panic and distractions.

Her foot slipped with a squelch. The wood groaned beneath. The creature lurched towards them. Her balance pitched forward.

Suddenly there was no ground beneath her right foot.

The ground beneath her other foot lurched. The wooden support beneath her part of the balcony gave way with several cracks. She yelled, throwing her arms out for something, anything. Her elbow knocked against something hard but she couldn't get a hold. Everything slid from her grasp. Blood roared in her ears.

Dent saw her fall out of the corner of his eye. He turned, almost in slow motion, a shout on his lips. But Seiren heard nothing. The wind howled, rushing from all directions. The edge of the balcony became smaller as the distance between them increased.

Her back hit the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting agony and then darkness, but to her surprise the surface gave way. There was a squelch like the squeezing of fresh sea produce. Seiren's eyes popped open, a gasp at her throat. She stared up into the disapproving blue-green eyes of Maura Woodbead. The rising sun shed light behind her, bathing her head in a halo. Her black hair remained sleek and smooth and her lips remained downturned.

"If you have time to lounge in battlefield, Nithercott, I suggest you get back onto your feet and set these little bastards alight," she said, her nostrils flaring.

"Th-thank you," said Seiren, breathless. Maura only scoffed and marched ahead again, setting off blast after blast of white-hot flames from her runes. From afar, she looked almost like Portendorfer, efficient and deadly.