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

CHAOS MAGE Chapter 25: The Hannan Sandsea

The sight of the mining rigs came into view not long into the third day of their horseback travel. Large, cylindrical structures made of rusted metal sat about four or five storeys high, all interconnected with sky bridges reaching over more stretches of sand. As Seiren neared, it was obvious why the sandsea was so-called. As Martel had said, it was indeed like the sea beneath the rigs and they ebbed and flowed like waves of water. The horses paused, eyeing it with suspicion. There were no animals nearby. The surface of the sandsea melted from parchment yellow to brick red to dirt brown, blending into each other like a kaleidoscope of sand.

They slid off, both of them groaning but somewhat more adjusted to the aches and pains from riding. Seiren found herself swaggering as she walked, legs spread as if her hips had remolded themselves after the fifty miles spent on the back of a galloping horse. They fed the horses one last time and removed the water bottles and human food, sliding them into their own backpacks. Seiren peered up through the slit in her veil. Wilted trees and dislodged rocks peppered their surroundings. A corrugated metal ramp led from their path not too far ahead up to the balcony of the nearest rig.

Madeleine paused to bid her horse goodbye before catching up with Seiren. Sand slid beneath her feet, making it more of an effort to make an onward journey than Seiren would have liked. Swinging her arms to help propel herself, Seiren swaggered up the incline, a deep ache spasming across her buttock with every step, Madeleine moving in close behind her.

Dry sand raked across Seiren's exposed hands. The air was so desiccating every breath made her feel like she was about to have a nosebleed. The path wound around the metal cylinders like a platform for sightseers. As far as the eyes could see, there were nothing but sandsea and more connecting rigs. With the compass now pointing east once they reached the rig, as Martel instructed, Seiren led the way. The raised platform beneath her boots groaned with every step, making her breath hitch. If they plummeted into the sandsea now, their bodies would never be found and their quest would be over.

Madeleine appeared to have come to the same thoughts, keeping close to Seiren and suppressing a squeal every time the metal joints squeaked. Flakes of rust floated from the thin barrier to their left. Mechanical noises emanated from deep within the wide metal cylinders to the right, occasionally releasing a shudder that reverberated through the entire structure. Their progress slowed right down now they moved on foot, but Seiren kept a firm eye on the compass, pushing doubts and worries out of her mind.

Madeleine's breaths became more laboured as the hours passed. Seiren could probably still power on for another two hours, but she'd had to stop and wait for her sister increasingly frequently. Every wobble and break took longer to recover from and her face was increasingly pale behind the veil. They couldn't speak much as they moved; Martel had warned them occasionally animals prowl the sandseas from below and human noises could attract unwanted attention and attacks.

"Shall we have a break?" Seiren whispered. Madeleine nodded, silent, sliding to her knees with a sigh of relief. Seiren helped her out of her backpack and brought out her bottle of water. Sipping her own, moistening her lips to keep the thirst satisfied but also rationing the water, Seiren gazed across the mobile sandsea surface. If she stayed still, she could see occasional ripples, which she hadn't noticed before. Beneath the surface, the occasional protrusion would flash past before tunnelling beneath the sand again. A fin? A spine? When their father used to take them to Throwley to the seaside in the south of Karma, occasionally there were shark warnings and they couldn't go swimming.

She wasn't sure she was ready to face a Hannan sandsea shark, no matter how many runes she had. She took another sip. The rest of the water would have to be saved.

Her hand drifted to her side, feeling the familiar rustle of rune paper in her pockets. The chalk were in her left breast pocket on the inside, in a cushioning compartment for shock absorption. It was an odd experience, being unable to use rune magic despite the celestial energy flowing through her body. Magic had defined her so much that when it left her for the few weeks after Madeleine returned, Seiren hadn't known what to do. It was as if a part of her identity had been ripped away and her purpose in this world was... gone.