Rune Meisters

An annoying buzz filled Shannon’s ear. She flinched. Why did mosquitoes always aim for the ears when people are trying to sleep? She shook her head, and a terrible throb erupted at the back of her skull. Where did that come from? When did she fall asleep anyway? The last thing she remembered was… leaving home earlier in the evening? Wait… Where was she? Shannon strained to open her eyes. It felt like pins and needles pricked around her sockets. And that stupid buzzing pestered her left ear. She went to swat at it, but her hand didn’t move. Or rather, it couldn’t. It took a moment, but she realized something restrained her at the wrist. She could feel wide fabric or something itchy tightly wrapped around her skin. Shannon pulled and tried rotating her wrist, but nothing gave. “What—” she rasped and then coughed. Her throat was very dry and—now—scratchy. When was the last time she had a drink? What in the world happened? “What took ya?” a gruff voice asked. Gingerly, she turned her head aside. Through squinted eyes, she watched a man stand from a chair placed near the apparent cot she lay on. As he stepped closer, she could make out his older, weathered visage and the mix of gray and russet messy strands covering his head. A grateful smile grew across Shannon’s face. He drew closer and placed his rough palm against her forehead. Silent seconds later, he wiped moisture from her brow. “Yer still warm. Stubborn fever ain’t breakin’.” He walked out of sight. Metal objects rattled in his direction. Though Shannon couldn’t completely turn her head to view him again, she didn’t have to. She’d been in this room several times over the years, and knew it better than her own attic. He’d begun rifling through the medicine cabinet for one of his many aspirin bottles, no doubt. In any moment, she’d hear the cabinet door squeak as he slammed it shut. To her surprise, what she heard first was that buzzing in her ear again. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. Terrible mistake. It felt like a sledgehammer started playing volleyball with her dome. The pain nearly sent her swimming. Trying to clear her throat, she rasped, “I need—” “Shaddup!” he interrupted loudly. A squeak. The cabinet door slammed shut. Shannon jumped regardless. She should have been used to his outbursts by now. The man barked at everybody. He stepped back into her view with a small, striped cup in one hand and a round, white pill in the other. “Open it!” he demanded. She leaned forward as far as she could, which didn’t help her head a bit, and opened her mouth. He dropped the pill on her tongue, then brought the rim of the cup to her lips. Cool water washed over her tongue and submerged the small pill, making it easier to slide down the back of her throat in a single swallow. The man withdrew the cup and placed it on a thin, metal tray next to the bed. She almost pouted. The water was so refreshing, and her throat needed all the help it could get. But by the time she cleared it again to speak, he was already heading back to his chair. Her eyes burned. That buzzing assaulted both ears. She grunted, pulling at her restraints. “Could you untie me?” “No,” he said flatly while sitting back down. “Ya might try sumthin’ stupid like get up.”

She sighed and gently rested her head on the pillow. So she wasn’t going anywhere yet. At least it would give her a minute to figure out how she ended up here… and why her head hurt so much. Did she get hit by something? It was so hard to focus with all this buzzing! Where was this stupid bug?! It was so going to die the moment she got loose! She looked from side to side, trying her best to spot it flitting about. Then Shannon blinked. She slowly turned her head and looked around the room. No matter how she shifted her point of view, she couldn’t see any mosquito and the buzzing stayed the same. She frowned. There was no bug? Then what was causing this sound? Did she have a concussion? Inhaling slowly and deeply, she closed her eyes. Exhaling slowly through her lips, she whispered, “What happened to me?” Several moments passed before Shannon recalled the dark warehouse she’d trespassed. That’s right! She had gone after the rune, but that other meister had knocked her out! That explained the headache. Maybe the buzzing too? Shannon sighed, then muttered, “Guess I failed.” Krysta wouldn’t be too happy about that. Actually, Shannon didn’t imagine any of the oracles would be too thrilled with her actions. Losing a rune to another sect wasn’t a good way to show competence as a rookie meister. Well… soon-to-be meister, if given another chance to prove herself. “Does Krysta know I’m here?” “Oracle Krysta,” the man brusquely corrected, “is the one who had you retrieved.” How did she even know where—? Shannon rolled her eyes. Krysta is an oracle for a reason. But if they retrieved her, maybe they also got the rune before that shadow guy! “Th-there was another meister who attacked me!” Shannon stammered. “Don’t know if it was a man or—” “Shut yer yap!” the man interrupted. “Yer s’posed ta be restin’. Keep flappin’ them lips, and I’ll give ya the gas ta make ya sleep.” Shannon sulked. She could almost feel an involuntary pout creep into her lips. But her frustrations soon overrode sulking. If nothing else, she wanted to know what happened to the rune… and that meister. Guaranteed those answers couldn’t be found laid up on a cot here. The old man wasn’t the type to concern himself with matters outside of medicine. And since he wasn’t the most flexible person to deal with, she would have to get free on her own. Shannon sighed. This was one of those times she wished she had an active rune power. She squinted her eyes as the buzzing continued to pester her and the ache in her head throbbed. Was this really how a concussion felt? It sucked horribly. Why did she have to end up like this her first time out in the field as a rune meister? And now, she couldn’t focus completely on slipping out of her restraints. Shannon tried twisting her wrists to get some slack between her skin and the itchy fabric but after a couple attempts, no progress. Grunting in frustration, she squeezed her eyes shut and pulled as hard as she could. Did the buzzing get louder? When she opened her eyes again, the lights in the room seemed dimmer. And now it sounded like wasps flew next to both ears, making them tremble. “Hey, old man! Do something about these bugs! It’s not like I can swat the annoying pests away!” “Ain’t no friggin’—” The man’s words suddenly cut short. A moment passed. She abruptly heard his heavy footsteps stomping across the floor. In the next instance, his face popped back into view, washed with more concern than she expected. He leaned over her, staring into her eyes. His eyes narrowed. What was he looking for? When he pressed his thumb into her cheek, Shannon winced from how much pressure his rough skin caused. It didn’t exactly hurt, but it was very uncomfortable. She started to ask what he was doing, but when he pushed the flesh of her cheek towards her eye, Shannon screamed! A quick, sharp pain cut through her eye! Why was half her vision now covered in red?!

“What did you do?!” Shannon shouted while feeling his hands fumble at her right wrist. “What’s wrong with me?!” The man released her restraint and then reached across her body for the other one while answering, “Yer dyin’!” “I’m what?!” After completely loosing her from the restraints, the old man roughly lifted her into his arms and loudly barged out of the room. Where was he taking her? He was the head doctor around here. He even sounded like he understood what was going on. But if he couldn’t help her, who could? Kicking open the clinic’s main entrance, the old man surged out into the warm sunlight. Even though the rays beat down on her face, the light somehow seemed darker than it should have despite the partial red haze. Shannon wiped her eye as her body shook from the old man racing down the worn, granite steps to the cobblestone courtyard. “Outta my way!” he belted out. She pulled her hand away and blinked rapidly to clear her vision as much as possible. When she tried focusing again, she noticed the wide, red smear across the back of her fawn-skinned hand. “I’m really dying…?” she whispered right before the buzzing intensified so much that her head trembled. She worriedly stared at the old man. The last time she’d seen his jaw clenched so tight was when… Shannon’s eyes widened. She swallowed hard. She really was dying. Her heartbeat kicked up another notch. Where had he been running to? She looked aside, realizing they neared the grand temple. Why? Krysta wasn’t a healer. “Open the chamber!” he shouted, still not breaking stride. “This girl’s bein’ drained!” Drained? What did he mean? The guards at the entrance immediately pushed open the large, rust-colored stone doors to let them pass. They clearly understood something she hadn’t learned yet. Why couldn’t she remember what it could have been? It felt like a cloud was spreading throughout her mind. Her eyes started to feel heavy as well. “What is the meaning of this?!” a new voice echoed. Shannon couldn’t even will her sluggish head to turn in its direction. “She needs binding!” the old man shouted. “Now!” Even his voice echoed. Another echoing tone chimed in, but it was too far away to make out clearly. Maybe she could hear them better after a nap. Yeah… When it wasn’t so dark, she could…

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.”

Krysta’s hands were cool to the touch, but her words seemed to reverberate through Shannon’s mind. While gazing at those gray eyes, Shannon was able to slowly inhale and exhale deep breaths. When Krysta smiled, Shannon realized her right shoulder blade felt completely fine. Shannon peered down at her hands. Her fingers and nails had returned to normal, and she could bend them easily without that weird sensation. “You fixed it,” she said with a smile. Slightly shaking her head, Krysta mysteriously responded, “Fixed?” And a moment later, the softness in her eyes sharpened. “Shannon, what do you remember?” Her head tilted. Taking a silent moment to collect her thoughts and gaze at the sai-shaped symbol on the back of her left hand, Shannon carefully answered, “The old man carrying me in here.” Shaking her head again, Krysta stood back up. “Before that. Before the clinic…” It took another moment to understand what Krysta was getting at. “The warehouse!” Shannon blurted out loudly. “Another rune hunter was there and knocked me out before I could get the rune.” She blinked, then stared at her hands again. “Wait. Did that guy do this to me? My hands and this buzzing in my head?” Yeah, the buzzing was still there even though her back felt better. When Shannon looked back up at Krysta, the woman’s face was filled with deep confusion. Krysta even looked back at the old man and her guards for a moment. They shook their heads. And in that moment of silence, Shannon finally realized several of Krysta’s assistants were also present, each carrying liquid-filled vials or housing stones. An uneasy feeling dropped into Shannon’s stomach. “Wait… What’s…?” Krysta’s head whipped back around, her sky blue hair flailing outward. While gesturing for Shannon to stand, she asked, “You didn’t get the rune?” Shannon quickly got to her feet. After a quick glance at the back of her right hand, she held it up for them all to see that it was still clear. “My Seek Rune did find it, but I couldn’t reach it fast enough.” The guard growled. “Which is why fledgling meisters are not allowed in the field solo!” Shannon could swear that guy had a personal grudge against her. He wouldn’t stop glaring even though Krysta seemed to completely disregard his words this time. Krysta brusquely grabbed Shannon by her shoulders and forced her to turn around. “H-Hey!” Shannon shouted. “It’s not burning anymore!” “That’s no longer a concern,” Krysta responded flatly. She sighed heavily, then ordered, “Come with me.” The hasty clack of her heels echoed before Shannon could even turn back around. “Keria,” Krysta spoke to one of her assistants, “fetch Drummond at once.” A redheaded girl carrying a housing stone swiftly bowed to Krysta before dashing towards the exit. Krysta’s agitated guard followed close on her heels as they headed toward a long hallway lined with various paintings and mirrors. When Shannon moved to tail them, the old man joined her side. “What’s going on?” she whispered to him. “I screwed up,” he angrily answered. “Shoulda checked ya out fully before I treated ya.” This was probably the lowest Shannon had ever heard him speak, but she could also tell there was more than anger behind his words. “Dunno how I missed it.” Frowning, Shannon shook her head. “Missed what?” The old man stopped her in front of one of the hall’s mirrors and turned her back to it. He tugged at the tear in her shirt just as she looked back over her shoulder. Her eyes widened upon seeing the black mark partially hidden by her bra and shirt. “I got the rune?!” Part of the foreign pattern rested below her right shoulder blade, but she could tell it wasn’t shaped like her Seek Rune. Also, her flesh around the edges of the rune appeared red and irritated. Feeling that uneasy sensation in her stomach again, she looked back at the old man. “What’s happening?” He urged her down the hall. “We gotta get that rune off ya.”