The Everburn Mage

20. The Mage of the Woods

Rune had heard talks and whispers of the man named Jacob Andrew, and somehow he still fell victim to astonishment. The Arbor Mage's aura was enough to make him forsake his wits.

He stood in front of his cabin, one arm raised in front of him, as his cinnamon-colored hair was toyed with by the forest breeze. He looked to be a bit taller than the average gentleman, or maybe Rune himself was just too small. 

Green-tinted eyes blinded by hatred targeted his unwanted intruder. A mere glance from the mage was enough for Rune to regret ever heeding Max's crazy advice. Though, he couldn't necessarily just leave. Especially after the lengths he'd taken getting here.

Rune breathed in and out, in a feeble attempt to tame his electrified nerves. What was there to be afraid of, he thought. Jacob was an incredible magic user but, at one point, he'd worked with the military. He wouldn't try to harm someone who had no intention of fighting back, would he? This line of reasoning Rune adopted granted him enough courage to, ever so slowly, rise to his feet, raising both his arms in the air. 

"I'm humbled to be in your presence, Colonel Andrew," Rune started, albeit hesitantly. "My name is Rune, and I came here to..." Poor Rune never was able to complete his introduction, not if Jacob had his way about it. 

Before the rest of his words could depart his tongue, the mage launched his arm at him. Responding to his commands, two massive tree roots crashed out of the earth, scattering bits of dirt and grass across the forestry basin.

Rune, against his will, extinguished a yelp before jumping away from the pair of earthen anacondas. Unfortunately, they were persistent. Wherever he went, they weren't too far behind. 

They honed in on his location like missiles lusting after the scent of heat. It quickly became obvious that he wouldn't be able to outrun them forever, he was only a human child whilst they were serpents puppeteered by a mage and enhanced by the properties of magic. What chance did he have? Cocking his eyes backward, his vision focused on Jacob who had yet to leave his position.

"Please, I'm not your enemy! I only want to speak with you!" Rune leaped over a log and veered to his right, the aggressive roots hot on his trail.

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say. Do yourself a favor, boy! Leave this place before you make me even angrier."

"I can't!" Rune shouted in refusal.

He circled the forested arena with reinforced speed, hopping from one place to the next like an anxious frog attempting to escape the clutches of its reptilian adversaries. Mere inches from piercing the rear of his calf, one of the roots penetrated the ground behind him, a shockwave of wind and dirt propelling him forward. Rune was unwillingly flung towards a nearby tree. Lacking the opportunity to alter his trajectory, he accepted his situation for what it was. Tightening his leg muscles, the boy bolted full speed ahead, jumped into the air, and in one well-executed and swift motion, used the tree as a springboard. His feet slammed onto the bark and, inhaling gusts through his nose, Rune jetted off the towering seedling like a ricocheting bullet and landed back onto the ground in a crouched position.

The verdant spells weren't so graceful. They chose not to avoid the tree as much as they favored merely demolishing it. The unforgiving roots purged it from existence, severing it in two with the upper half flying into the air and its lower portion collapsing into the trees behind it. What remained was only a disheartened and pathetic stump. Rune shivered at the thought of what would have happened if they got ahold of him. However, he was now presented with an opportunity. He turned to Jacob by the cottage. With the branches extended someplace else, it meant he was completely defenseless. Rune had no intention of attacking the man though, if he wouldn't listen to reason, then perhaps he'd be more interested if a famous and powerful mage such as himself bested in a duel, and by a novice, no less.