The Everburn Mage

26. Master vs. Apprentice

In the middle of a grassy, verdant sea the locomotive arrived at a gradual stop.

Passengers panicked much like they tended to do whenever their established schedules were obstructed by semblances of the unknown. As such, the inside of the train had come to foster a tsunami of shouting and criticisms. 

No matter how she sliced it, something was definitely wrong. Ebony sharpened her gaze, aiming her crimson eyes at various locations around the train cart. Sitting across from her, Rune looked to be one edge. He must have sensed it as well. The wafting sensation of dread.

"Apologies, passengers," spoke the conductor, his deep voice pouring out of the speakers suspended over their heads. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, all trips to the capital have been terminated. Once again, we apologize for any difficulties this might cause you, however, we value your safety more than anything else. For the time being, we ask that you remain in your seats."

"I thought this would happen."

Taunted by frustration, Ebony actively fiddled with the radio in her lap. "I can't get through to Major Griffin or the others. They should have updated me on the situation by now."

"Another of his missions going off script? Well, at least it wasn't my fault this time." Rune rose out his seat, releasing an assortment of silent mutters underneath his breath.

Unprompted, the fire mage did the exact opposite of the conductor's instructions. Though at this point, it hardly surprised her. "Rune, where are you going?" Ebony asked, watching her teammate push his way past the crowding passengers and hastily proceed to the back of the car. 

Ebony frowned, it was obvious he'd no intention of providing her with even the slightest ounce of context. Ultimately, she had no choice but to follow his lead.

She too plunged inside of the rambunctious herd, men and women, children and elderly. Everyone radiated solidified clouds of anxiety. Had she not possessed the gift from Ryas, she suspected she would've behaved in a similar manner. 

Luckily, she held the power to change not only her fate but theirs as well. Reaching the rear of the crowded car, Ebony pushed open the door and stepped outside. Greeted with intense summer rays upon her pale skin, she now found herself standing midway between two train cars. 

At first, she'd suspected Rune to have retreated further down the confines of the locomotive. That was until she sensed it, a powerful, blistering essence signature that exploded to life. It originated from above.

Locating a ladder stationed on the side of the car, the girl swiftly made her way to the train's roof. Crawling over the ledge, her eyes flashed in surprise. With his tome floating in front of him and surrounded by incubated ribbons, Rune shouted, "Regaleo!" as cascading streams of smoke grunted out the soles of his boots. Glancing over his shoulder, he extended his hand toward her and said, "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go."

"Wh...What?"

"We can't depend on the train to take us to the capital, so we're just going to have to get there ourselves." He shaded his vision with his hands, gazing off into the distance. Approximately two hundred meters ahead, Ebony could clearly identify the outline of the enormous, capital city. Its large buildings were shrouded in a vortex of the summer's hot air. Can he really make it that far?

As if responding to her mental inquiry, Rune would go on to mention, "Hopefully, I have enough essence to last the trip."

"Rune, are you sure about this?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "Then again, it's not like we're high on our number of options. If you got any brighter ideas, I'm all ears."

"No!" Ebony denied. "It's fine."