Flameruner

Memoirs 282 - Tropical Isle returns

Scarlett and her companions materialised in a spherical chamber within the Chamber of Conjunction on the Rising Isle. The polished stone floor was intricately carved with arcane symbols, pulsing with veins of magical energy. Nearby, a Kilnstone hovered in the air, its grey surface faintly shimmering. In the chamber’s corner, several wizards stood silently, observing their arrival.

Three familiar figures approached, their grey robes adorned with varying numbers of ornate gold lines at ...

Memoirs 281 - Taking off again

“—those of my agents who are available have been diligently investigating Duchess Swail’s activities in Silverborough, following the leads you provided. However, given our current priorities, it may take some time to yield concrete results.” Beldon’s voice echoed from the intricately carved bluebird figurine on Scarlett’s desk. The base of the carving pulsed with a soft blue light in time with his speech, casting flickering shadows across the polished wood.

“The situation ...

Memoirs 280 - Overdue hellos

Scarlett rose from her seat and exited the parlour. Garside was waiting outside in the hallway, bowing respectfully as he held the door for her.

“I trust the meeting went well, my Lady?” he asked, his gaze flicking briefly to the now-empty room behind her without further comment.

“Indeed,” Scarlett replied, a hint of amusement in her voice at the man’s unflappable demeanour. He didn’t seem the least bit fazed by the fact that Kat had somehow just disappeared. “Would ...

Memoirs 279 - Catching up with the Hartfords

Scarlett crossed her arms, studying Kat intently. “Is that so? And what, exactly, do we need to talk about?” she asked, her tone now measured.

“Well, I’m sure you’ve got some idea,” Kat said. “I never knew you to be the type to get caught with your pants down.”

A slight frown creased Scarlett’s brow. “I would appreciate if you refrained from such…crude colloquialisms.” She leaned her head to the side, a strand of hair falling across her face. ...

Memoirs 278 - Who are you, again?

Scarlett’s brow furrowed in concentration, her gaze fixed on the thick, square piece of parchment resting on her lap. Slowly, meticulously, she traced intricate patterns across its surface using her pyrokinesis, leaving behind faint, burnt lines as a complex array of intersecting sigils and runes gradually took shape under her careful guidance.

After far too long, she finally finished, allowing herself a moment to relax as she leaned back to inspect her work. With a flick of her wrist...

Memoirs 277 - Heated recaps

Scarlett’s remaining time in Elystead passed in a relatively leisurely fashion, marked by very few notable events. She accompanied Lady Withersworth on several visits to the older noblewoman’s acquaintances and her daughter at the Ustrum Assembly, but beyond that, Scarlett only occupied herself with minor matters until it was time to return home.

The journey back to Freybrook proper was short and uneventful. Kilnstone travel had been reserved for the nobles and dignitaries who had a...

Memoirs 276 - And the list grows

Scarlett studied Raimond closely.

He was right.

She had been underestimating him, it seemed. Only a little over a month had passed since she’d disclosed the existence of the Tribute of Dominion and Beld Thylelion’s impending opening to him, yet he had already made remarkable progress. In fact, his deductions were uncannily accurate.

Beld Thylelion was near Elystead.

That he had somehow pieced this together was beyond impressive, especially considering...

Memoirs 275 - Two deacons in one

When Scarlett awoke to the golden rays of dawn filtering through the blinds, the previous day’s exhaustion still clung to her like a stubborn mist. A flicker of annoyance sparked within her at the sun for daring to disturb her rest, but its brightness told her she’d likely overslept.

With a tired sigh, she ran her fingers through her tousled hair and sat up, the silken sheets rustling against her skin. Her eyes drifted to the window, tracing the vague outlines of the world beyond th...

Memoirs 274 - Conclusions

Using the armillary sphere in Mistress’ office, Scarlett reappeared in the restroom where she had first initiated her vanishing act. She smoothed her dress, checked her reflection in the mirror, then returned to the Emperor’s Forum. As she entered the vast chamber, she noted that most of the guests had already returned, but she wasn’t the last to arrive. Both the emperor and several key figures at the central table were still absent.

Lady Withersworth and Duke Valentino’s wife g...

Memoirs 273 - This princess is in the right castle

“Regina…?” The young princess’ voice sounded out, soft and confused, as she blinked sleepily in the dim light. Her face was still slack with drowsiness, the fog of sleep slow to clear, but gradually, she seemed to register that the figure before her wasn’t who she had expected.

A stretched silence fell over the room, and Scarlett found herself rooted to the spot, caught between conflicting instincts. One part of her urged to bow, to show the reverence expected when facing a me...

Memoirs 272 - Some slight trespassing

Scarlett stepped towards the armillary sphere, her fingers momentarily hovering above its cool, metallic surface. Then, with a deliberate touch, she activated it. The artifact hummed in response, but instead of returning to Mistress’ hidden underground chamber, she allowed her consciousness to slip outward. Her awareness expanded, extending from the confines of the Imperial Advisor’s office.

Soon, the halls of Dawnlight Palace unfolded beneath her mental gaze. Servants hurried along...

Memoirs 271 - Crowning achievement

Scarlett edged back towards the chamber’s entrance as Mistress got to work at the heart of the forge. Thanks to Thainnith’s legacy, Scarlett knew exactly what she was looking at: an Empyreal Crucible — a relic from the days of the Zuver, priceless beyond measure and beyond the skill of any contemporary craftsman.

She watched with slight fascination as Mistress began feeding the Crucible with the assortment of rare and exotic materials floating through the air. Each new material fe...

Memoirs 270 - Unexpected concerns

The [Firefox Charm] activated, and in a brief swirl of flames, the Fire Emberling materialised between Scarlett and Mistress. The fiery fox’s luminous eyes fixed upon Scarlett, devoid of curiosity.

Mistress regarded the fox, her masked visage tilting slightly in what almost seemed to be a blend of laughter and hunger, strangely enough. “My, my. Have you brought me a treat? It’s been an age since I’ve sampled an Etherialias, and I must admit, I am feeling rather famished.”

Memoirs 269 - Behind the mask

Leaving the gallery, Scarlett wove her way through the bustling crowd as she exited the Emperor’s Forum with the weight of numerous gazes pressing upon her. The attention was far more palpable than what she’d experienced during the banquet, but that wasn’t particularly surprising given her recent brief role as the centerpiece of the proceedings. As she began navigating the extravagant corridors of Dawnlight Palace, the throng of people gradually dispersed around her, with most returning...

Memoirs 268 - Motioning

Scarlett returned to her seat in the galleries, where Lady Withersworth and Duchess Valentino awaited her. The former greeted her with a knowing smile as she settled down.

“For a moment there,” Lady Withersworth remarked, her voice low and tinged with amusement, “I half-expected Count Hayden to spontaneously combust before the entire conclave. But it seems my concerns were unfounded. Though it seems you did not have to do much yourself, you handled the situation with admirable gra...

Memoirs 267 - Questioning

The gathered assembly’s attention was split between Scarlett and the central table, hushed murmurs rippling through the crowd. Scarlett’s eyes narrowed into a withering glare aimed at the baroness who’d dared to call her out, though the woman pretended not to notice.

Presumably, Marquis Delmon had set her up for this. That the man still had it out for Scarlett was hardly surprising, but this maneuver felt incredibly shortsighted. Unless he foolishly expected her to literally be ap...

Memoirs 266 - Ugh, politics

Deacon Solnate excused herself from Scarlett’s side with a slight nod, her red robes rustling as she strode towards the table at the center of the Forum. Several eyes around the vast chamber followed the woman as she took her seat among the assembled individuals there. Scarlett’s gaze, meanwhile, drifted to the raised galleries lining the edges of the room. Her eyes locked onto Lady Withersworth’s familiar figure, and she began making her way towards her.

As she walked, Scarlett s...

Memoirs 265 - Connections new and old

The grand banquet hall began to empty as attendants gently ushered guests towards the exit. Scarlett wove her through the thinning crowd towards Trista, the knight’s steely gaze briefly locking onto her before dismissively turning away, refocusing on her duties.

That did irk Scarlett somewhat, though she imagined the woman had her reasons for disliking her. Unfortunately for Trista, Scarlett lacked both the tact and the inclination to let the woman’s animosity dissuade...

Memoirs 264 - The *mingling*

As Scarlett and Lady Withersworth approached the cluster of opulently dressed nobles, their animated chatter dwindled to a hushed murmur. Curious eyes turned towards the pair, and though Lady Withersworth walked with an air of casual elegance, her mere presence subtly shifted the atmosphere, commanding attention without much effort.

“Good evening,” Lady Withersworth greeted warmly, her voice carrying across the group. The assembly comprised a diverse mix of men and women, some surpr...

Memoirs 263 - Imperial banquets

With the conclave drawing near, Scarlett and her companions returned to the mansion in the Eastgate district, the red-tinted light of sunset casting long shadows across the elegant facades. Raimond and Rosa excused themselves, retreating to one of the parlours for their private chat, while Scarlett, her mind already racing with preparations, instructed to ready another guest room for their priestly guest.

Apparently, Raimond intended to stay in the capital for a few more days, and citin...

Memoirs 262 - Talkative priests

“The one and only!” Raimond announced with a flourish, his entrance accompanied by what Scarlett hoped was merely an imagined shimmer in the air. His priestly robes rustled as he glided across the room, a radiant smile plastered across his face.

Scarlett’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly. “…I was not expecting to see you here, Father.”

Raimond’s gaze swept across the group, a cocktail of amusement and inquisitiveness swirling in his eyes. “Nor I you, Baro...

Memoirs 261 - Be thou my flame

Scarlett paused before the grand obsidian altar inside the Sanctuary of Flames, her eyes fixed on the colossal flame burning with a blinding white-hot intensity at its core. Fierce heat radiated from the flame, creating shimmering waves that distorted the air and cast an unearthly, dancing glow on the obsidian beneath. Statues of the fire goddess encircled the altar, their own fires reflecting the central flame’s brilliance, filling the space with an aura of faint divinity.

At this di...

Memoirs 260 - Multi-faceted foes

The party sprang into action as the [Lava Hydra] loomed before them. One of its fiery heads lunged downward, flaming jaws agape, but Fynn was ready. He leaped into the air, his form wreathed in a swirling green tempest. Their clash sent a sweltering shockwave rippling through the chamber.

Shin charged forward, his sword held high, its blade gleaming with an otherworldly light. Meanwhile, Allyssa’s hands moved with practiced efficiency, retrieving a handful of vials from her bandolier....

One (final) delay

Hi, good folk. Just letting you know that tonight's chapter will be up tomorrow instead as I had to take some extra time finishing things up on my end. Sorry about that, but I appreciate everyone's patience! Can also inform you that this'll be the departure from schedule for a while.

Memoirs 259 - The House of Fire

The hidden passage within the House of Fire plunged Scarlett and her companions deeper than anticipated, guiding them to the entrance of what looked to be an underground temple, its smooth, darkened stone walls bearing the marks of unknown craftsmanship.

Upon reaching the temple’s threshold, the group paused to retrieve their equipment from the [Bag of Juham] and readied themselves for combat. A single, long corridor stretched out before them, its far end punctuated by a faint, flicke...

Memoirs 258 - Pit-stops

As their carriage emerged from the large structure housing Elystead’s Kilnstones, Scarlett and the others found themselves in a vast, snow-dusted plaza. To the north, the Ustrum Assembly stood proudly before an expansive artificial lake, its waters seemingly unaffected by the frigid January temperature.

Scarlett leaned against the windowsill, her chin resting on her hand as she surveyed the scene. A strange mixture of pride and nostalgia washed over her, like echoes of the original’...

Memoirs 257 - Arrayed for success

Despite her expectations, Scarlett found herself in Freymeadow more than once in the week following the Hallowed Cabal and the Tribe of Sin’s attacks on the empire. Though the anticipated busywork back home wasn’t absent, Lady Withersworth’s timely presence and guidance in the relief efforts proved invaluable, freeing up Scarlett’s time for other matters. These included addressing barony-related issues, engaging in recurring discussions with Beldon, exchanging the occasional ...

Delayed chapter (again, it seems)

Sorry for the late notice, but I'll have to postpone today's chapter to tomorrow (once more). I generally try to keep to my schedule, but, well... Things have been hectic lately and will continue to be so for roughly another week or two. Any backlogs I once was fortunate enough to have are currently dried up unfortunately (oh how I do miss them) so there might be one or two more delays in that period, but I'll still be releasing two chapters every week. I appreciate everyone's patience, and I...

Memoirs 256 - Don't quit the grind

Scarlett and Rosa walked along a well-worn dirt path cutting through a wide forest clearing. The bard’s fingers cranked away at the klert Scarlett had gifted her, its melodious twangs mingling with Rosa’s cheerful humming. As they neared the outskirts of Freymeadow, the quaint village came further into view, its low stone walls offering meager protection against its surroundings.

Rosa’s tune trailed off as the woman’s eyes swept over the cluster of buildings ahead. “You know,�...

Memoirs 255 - Left in the attic

The soft glow of lanterns cast dancing shadows across the leather-bound tomes lining the Hartford mansion’s library. In a secluded corner, Scarlett sank deeper into a plush armchair, her eyes poring over an old text. A teacup, filled with half-steaming brew prepared by Garside, sat within easy reach on the crowded table before her as she pulled a thin pelt tighter around her shoulders to ward off the evening chill.

Her head was weary after a long day. Her morning had been consumed by ...