Single post in Rune Meisters

Shannon screamed at the top of her lungs! A searing hot pain assaulted her upper back! She rolled over on the bricked floor, trying to extinguish whatever burned her flesh. “Get it off!” she shrieked while frantically attempting to sit up and simultaneously pat down her right shoulder blade where it hurt most! She didn’t feel anything on her other than the shirt and bra strap beneath. Then why was her skin so hot?! “Bare it through!” Her head whipped around. The old man’s voice was unmistakable, but she couldn’t clearly make out his figure among several blurs standing around her. Why weren’t they helping?! They could at least dump a tub of freezing water on her back! She hysterically clawed at her shoulder blade, her nails digging through the fabric of her shirt. A very audible rip sounded in her ears when she yanked back her hand. Frayed, white threads covered her fingertips. How in the world did her shirt tear so easily? And the threads weren’t singed. But her back still burned! The rest of her shirt fell slack from her shoulder, with the new hole allowing the cool air to directly brush across her skin. It helped. It helped her skin a lot! She dizzily slumped over, planting her trembling hands against the hard floor as her unsteady breathing gradually slowed. The fierce burning gradually died down. Even her blurry vision started to clear. It took an extra moment before she spotted a change beyond how her body felt. Her brow creased with curiosity. Shannon carefully pushed up, balancing the full of her weight on her knees. But her eyes… they became fixated on her hands. Her hands? The scraggly digits before her face didn’t look like they belonged to her hands. Each finger appeared to have grown an extra inch. Their nails had done the same as well, each slightly curved and sharpened to a fine point. With words failing her, Shannon attempted to pick the frayed threads from her left hand as best she could. However, her new fingers curled weirdly as she tried… like they’d sprouted an extra joint she couldn’t manipulate accurately. “Shannon.” Turning in the direction of the soft voice, Shannon could finally begin to make out one of the blurs surrounding her. “Krysta…?” The armored guard standing next to Krysta struck the stone floor with the end of his staff. “You will show respect to the oracle!” he commanded. Krysta calmly waved him back while keeping her gray eyes locked on Shannon. “Is the pain gone?” The burning? She could barely feel that anymore, but… “My hands…” Tightening her thin, peach lips, Krysta walked toward Shannon, the clack of her hidden heels echoing throughout the open room as her long, silver gown produced the illusion of her gliding across the floor. Once she’d gotten close enough, Krysta knelt down and extended her ivory skinned right palm. When Shannon took it in hers, Krysta gently rested her left hand on top of Shannon’s and continued to stare into Shannon’s eyes. “Steady your breathing,” Krysta softly spoke, “and focus on how your hands normally look.”