Flameruner

Memoirs 309 - A teacher's farewell

For a time, Scarlett walked through an empty expanse, each step resonating with a strange, weightless gravity. The air was thick yet hollow, pressing against her like an unseen presence. Shadows flickered at the edges of her vision — wavering mirages that gradually coalesced, shaping themselves into something familiar. A wide, open space took form—Freymeadow’s square—its periphery dissolving into an encroaching abyss. At its heart, indistinct figures of children played, their laughter...

Memoirs 308 - Baptism

Arlene regarded Scarlett in silence, her expression neutral. “You’re here to learn from me?”

“…Yes. That is correct,” Scarlett said, studying her closely.

For a moment, Arlene’s eyes narrowed, as if peeling back layers of meaning in Scarlett’s words. Then her expression eased slightly, and she gestured to the open space before the porch. “Show me what you can do.”

Scarlett watched her for a second longer before lifting her hand with practiced ease. Dozens...

Memoirs 307 - A forgotten meadow

Scarlett couldn’t explain how she knew, but Arlene had left a trace — a faint, almost intangible connection that pulled at her like a whispered call. It was startlingly easy to follow, a subtle current weaving through the incorporeal spaces that touched the Hall of Echoes. Using the power borrowed—or stolen—from a fragment of her enemy, Scarlett’s flames tore through the immaterial barriers separating her from her destination. The path yielded, parting as though granting passage. 2024-11-10 23:29:34 +0000 UTC View Post

Memoirs 306 - A teacher's help

Scarlett did not see what happened to the Anomalous One. The sky, the landscape, the entire Memory were engulfed in Arlene’s blinding inferno, rendering it nearly impossible to see beyond the raging flames. She could only make out how every ember and flare seemed to converge upon the Anomalous One’s massive form, crackling with thunderous bursts and ominous booms that echoed through the air.

The blazing spectacle lasted several seconds, intensifying as fires spiralled forward, paint...

Memoirs 305 - Past and to the future

As the world around them twisted, Scarlett felt the air thicken, as if bracing for some profound upheaval. The stone chamber where they had stood began to dissolve at the edges, its walls bending, splintering, and re-forming until an entirely new landscape stretched out before them. They now stood atop a tall hill, overlooking a vast valley with a sprawling city at its heart.

The city was a labyrinthine array of towering buildings carved from white marble and cold grey stone. Arched bri...

Memoirs 304 - Doubles

“Am I to take that as a threat?” Scarlett asked sharply as flames flickered at her feet, casting a fiery glow that danced in the rising heat.

The other Scarlett regarded her impassively. “No. Not from me, at the very least. As I have said, I am scarcely capable of posing a threat to you.” She paused, as if assessing her. “…It is regrettable that we could not find common ground. Despite our differences, I do believe we could have forged an effective alliance. Yet, if you are ...

Memoirs 303 - Anomaly

The other Scarlett’s eyes lingered on Scarlett, her expression unreadable as she slowly rose from her seat. Around them, the scene of the office began to dissolve, its edges fading into a dim expanse of dusky, twilit sky, shrouded in heavy grey mist creeping from the horizon. Endless rifts of white void spread through the space, leaving Scarlett standing on a raised platform. She glanced around, taking in the abrupt shift in her surroundings.

This was, she was fairly certain, where sh...

Memoirs 302 - Meet the Hartfords

“Scarlett… Scarlett!” A faint, youthful voice pierced the fog of Scarlett’s consciousness as the world around her gradually sharpened into focus. From the indeterminate haze, vague shapes began to form, her senses slowly returning.

“Scarlett!”

She blinked, lowering her gaze to the young girl standing directly in front of her. The child’s soft auburn hair barely brushed her shoulders, freckles dotted her nose, and wide amber eyes glimmered with a hopeful gleam. In her...

Memoirs 301 - Facing off against the villainess

The oppressive air in the chamber hummed with burgeoning magic as the freshly-formed echoes wasted no time casting their spells. Gaspar’s eyes narrowed dangerously, quickly assessing the situation.

“Penney,” he barked, turning to the magister. “Handle those echoes with the others. I’ll deal with the Baroness’ echo.”

The portly man gave a curt nod, already beginning his own spellcasting alongside the junior wizards. Moments later, the chamber erupted in a chaotic stor...

Memoirs 300 - Noble echoes

As a whole, Gaspar did not know what to make of the Hall of Echoes’ inner sections. Their purpose eluded him entirely. Like many of the remnants left behind by the ancient Zuver, deciphering the creators’ intentions felt much like chasing shadows. Yet the Zuver had designed these chambers with formidable defences, suggesting their importance far exceeded what they had discovered so far.

Those defences were, perhaps not unsurprisingly, exceptionally frustrating to overcome. Gaspar ha...

Memoirs 299 - Vail

Scarlett’s eyes locked on Vail, her mind racing with questions. This woman wasn’t supposed to be part of this Memory. So how did she appear here? And what was the deal with those rifts that seemed to follow behind her?

Arlene stood motionless across from Vail, tension thick in the air. Vail tilted her head, studying Arlene like a predator sizing up prey. “You’re still injured,” she remarked, tone flat. “Disappointing.” She stepped forward, and with that singl...

Memoirs 298 - Burning nights

Scarlett stepped into the village square, her gaze fixed on the flames ahead. They hadn’t yet spread to consume all of Freymeadow, but from the many times she had witnessed this scene, she knew it was only a matter of time.

Her eyes shifted to the wooden platform at the center of the square. Atop it stood a familiar black pedestal, crafted from an unnaturally dark stone etched with intricate patterns. It was a Sanctumbrum.

It felt strange seeing it like this, intact. She was use...

Memoirs 297 - Standards

Scarlett hadn’t known what to expect inside Arlene’s house, but even so, she felt a twinge of disappointment. She had never entered this place in the game or in Freymeadow, yet it was as unremarkable as one might expect from a rural village like this. Sparse, worn furniture filled the space, carrying a faint musty smell. Scattered toys and small objects tucked in the corners hinted at the occasional use, but overall, there wasn’t much to the place.

It made sense, of course. This w...

Notice - Chapter will be out tomorrow

Somewhat late head's up that tonight's chapter will be delayed to tomorrow (again). As mentioned last time, I prefer to avoid delaying chapters when possible, but sometimes it's the best option, and your understanding is very much appreciated. Though I will have to see what I can do to make up for it.

Memoirs 296 - New-old meadows

“What happened to you?”

Scarlett’s question lingered as they made their way through the dense forest, pushing aside the thick underbrush. Arlene leaned heavily on her, one arm draped over Scarlett’s shoulder for support. Although Scarlett had given her healing potions, they hadn’t been enough for Arlene to fully recover. Despite her general aversion to physical contact, Scarlett had offered her help, knowing the woman might collapse otherwise.

“I do not recall any mons...

Memoirs 295 - Battlefields

Scarlett took in her surroundings, careful not to inhale too much of the smoke swirling under the dark orange glow of the setting sun. The ruined settlement ahead might have once been a simple fortification of some kind, with partially broken stone walls scattered throughout and the charred remains of what appeared to be watchtowers sagging precariously in various places. The plains circling the area were sodden and thick with mud, as though it had rained only hours ago, turning much of the s...

Memoirs 294 - Conversations with oneself

Scarlett stared down at the young girl beside her, a cocktail of wariness and incredulity coiling tightly within her. The younger Scarlett was back. She hadn’t expected her to reappear now, and certainly not in a memory tied to Arlene.

Her gaze darted around the room. Arlene and the others were still deeply engrossed in their talks, none of them so much as batting an eye at the small girl who had seemingly materialised out of thin air. Not even a flicker of recognition passed across t...

Memoirs 293 - Army hearings

Scarlett frowned.

Her gaze lifted to the vast expanse of blue sky above, the sun’s bright rays blinding as they filtered through a few wispy clouds. It was hard to believe all of this wasn’t real, but going by what The Gentleman told her, it had to be fake one way or another. Interstitial spaces usually weren’t as big as they appeared to be.

Not that she was entirely sure if she could consider this an interstitial space. The Gentleman had described it as a crossroads between...

Notice - Chapter tomorrow

Due to some scheduling conflicts, today's chapter is postponed will be postponed until tomorrow. I prefer not to delay chapters when possible, but sometimes it's far preferable over the alternative. My apologies, but also thanks for understanding (if you bothered doing that).

Memoirs 292 - Whatever does she feed them?!

Gaspar’s eyes widened as he stared at the sight before him. He had witnessed countless arcane occurrences throughout his life and was intimately familiar with most all contemporary barriers and defensive spells. There were few that the Rising Isle’s wizards did not have in their vast repertoire. Unless it was one of the Zuverians’ forgotten magics, he hadn’t thought anything could surprise him anymore.

Yet what he saw now made him question his own eyes. A vortex of dark energy s...

Memoirs 291 - Extrications

Scarlett looked down at the cat before her, locking eyes with its deep amethyst irises, its pupils reflecting the dim light like polished glass.

“Hello, Empress,” she finally said.

Empress cocked her head to the side, her gaze unwavering as she studied Scarlett, tail moving lazily behind her.

Scarlett’s brow furrowed. Did the cat not recognise her? If this was just another memory or a construct… Then perhaps this Empress was not the Empress that she knew. But if that...

Memoirs 290 - The other end

Gaspar scowled, his grip tightening on his staff as he surveyed the narrow hallway before them. Behind him, the murmurs of his junior wizards and colleagues formed the dull hum of discussion and half-formed theories. Though he was more than loath to admit it, having the Baroness here might have been advantageous.

At the corridor’s end stood a lone figure, its features obscured by flickering robes that rippled spectrally in the ambient light. The air around it thrummed with mana, thick...

Memoirs 289 - What you find in the mirror

Scarlett’s gaze swept across the courtyard. Unlike the parlour, this place was unmistakable, no matter what year it was. It looked almost exactly as it had before the Cabal’s attack and the ashenwraith dragon’s appearance. At its heart stood a fountain, surrounded by four meticulously manicured grass mounds separated by stone pathways. Along the mansion walls, vibrant flowerbeds added a touch of extra colour to the sight.

She turned slowly, scanning for any sign of life, but the c...

Memoirs 288 - Relations

Scarlett’s gaze darted between Arlene and the woman’s two siblings. Had she been transported to another point in time? Into another memory, or whatever this was?

Her eyes moved across the room, noting the opulent furnishings and the ornate paintings lining the walls. The parlour boasted several large windows that offered a view of what appeared to be extensive estate grounds, complete with a manicured garden and winding paths.

A small crease formed on Scarlett’s brow. Why di...

Memoirs 287 - Payback

Scarlett stared at the girl before her, struggling to process what she saw. This was Arlene, but younger — a teenage version of the woman she knew.

Her gaze shifted to the two youths seated beside Arlene as she took them in. To Arlene’s left was an older girl, perhaps in her late teens, with sharp features and long black hair spilling down her back. She wore a simple yet elegant dress, strangely out of place in the forest, though Scarlett herself wouldn’t have hesita...

Memoirs 286 - An...unfamiliar meadow?

Gaspar’s eyes widened as the Baroness vanished in a brilliant burst of light, illuminating the chamber with a momentary blaze. The sudden radiance left afterimages dancing before his eyes, and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision.

“Scarlett!” Rosa, the bard, cried out. Gaspar had barely registered her exclamation before a blur streaked past him. Fynn, the white-haired youth always at the Baroness’ side, dashed across the chamber with preternatural speed to the spot whe...

Memoirs 285 - The Hall of Echoes

“Is this the state in all the chambers?” Scarlett asked gravely.

Gaspar’s reply was equally somber. “In every chamber of the Hall that we have managed to explore, yes.”

Before them loomed an immense doorway, flanked by colossal doors carved out of thick stone, each inscribed with innumerable arcane symbols and ancient Zuverian script. Most of the symbols were familiar to Scarlett, marking the threshold of the Hall of Echoes. Beyond lay the first chamber, a vast, elongate...

Notice - brief break

Hello good folk. Apologies for the short notice, but I wanted to inform all of you that I'll be away this coming week and as such won't be releasing any chapters during it (I meant to post this notice last time, but it kind of got lost among everything else).

The releases will return to the normal schedule next week (so the Thursday after the coming Thursday). If any of you are feeling the effects of cliffhanger syndrome after one of the latest chapters, my deepest apologies—but I ta...

Memoirs 284 - Echoing warnings

Scarlett arched an eyebrow as she regarded Yamina’s strange form — a shimmering blue projection that flickered faintly at the edges. “That is quite the unusual appearance, Miss Ward,” she remarked. “If memory serves, you were considerably less…ethereal during our last meeting.”

A tickled smile played across the wizard’s translucent lips as she inclined her head. “Don’t mind me. This is merely the result of an artifact I discovered in the Forgotten Tower. It’s an av...

Memoirs 283 - Remunerations

A sharp, impressed whistle pierced the air beside Scarlett, prompting her to turn her head slightly.

“Now that’s what I’d call a dragon’s hoard worth its salt,” Rosa said in approval. “Well, a small dragon’s hoard, maybe, but it still counts.”

Before them, in the center of the room, lit by the soft glow of green crystals embedded in the walls, lay an impressive display of wealth and magical artifice. Tables were laden with chests, exotic...