Rumble Runes Novels & Stories

Explosive runes glowed faintly on the ice, spreading out in a circle that surrounded them both. “You’re going to take us both down?” Annabel demanded, shifting back into her human form. “How does that help you?” The rogue wolf’s grin widened. “You misunderstand. This isn’t for me. It’s for you.” With a sudden, deafening crack, the runes activated. Annabel tried to leap clear, but the ice shattered, plunging them both into the darkness below. She hit the ground hard, her body jarred by the impact. Above her, the faint glow of the cavern’s entrance seemed impossibly far away. She groaned, trying to move, but pain lanced through her leg—broken.

Storm asked her softly. The girl nodded. “Yes, Miss.” “Okay. Let’s go.” Storm squeezed the girl’s hand before standing back up. Storm met Galen’s eyes before turning around to lead the pack into the forest. I watched them for a moment, wondering if Storm was going to tell Galen about her racing thoughts. Sometimes, I really loved this little basin. It gave me access to thoughts, memories, and links. Right at the moment, Storm was in full panic mode, while her cat purred and rubbed herself against her mind. At the back of the large group, Galen’s thoughts were racing just as much.

They don’t strike Aithon, not at all. Instead, they gather at the base of one of its horns. I freeze. “Is that… a rune? Are they trying to activate it?” My mind races back. The pamphlets had mentioned return runes, carved into every challenger before they entered the dome. Could it be activated remotely? Is that why they’re clustered around the horn, waiting, not attacking? Then it happens. Light bursts. The rune responds. “It worked,” I breathe, shoulders sagging with relief. But the feeling shatters instantly as Aithon thrashes, more violent than before. The beast isn’t retreating, it’s enraged.

Focus. Around us, the rune glowed brighter, feeding off our energy. The wards overhead steadied, though faint cracks still spiderwebbed across them. It was working. But the strain was heavy. My arms burned, sweat stung my eyes. I pushed harder, striking with everything I had. Ari met me every time, his expression unreadable. Then…..CRACK. The rune surged, flaring dangerously bright. The heat was overwhelming, like standing inside a furnace. I staggered, gasping.

One after another, runes appeared and filled the space, wrapping Philip up. The moment the runes appeared, buzzing sounds filled the space. Philip was surprised when he saw the runes because this was a very ancient spell that was nearly lost to time and rarely seen. Looking at the runes that appeared around him, a chimera imprint suddenly appeared on Philip's forehead as his energy surged. With one punch, the air filled with flames. He punched the runes, but to Philip’s surprise, his fist shadow was swallowed up by the rune in an instant.

I had specifically asked not to know who it was so I could keep my guard up more easily, but that only made me question the loyalty of every single person I encountered, a false sense of hope rising up with each new face. This kid, though, she was a rogue. Rogues always had a very particular smell. The smell had been explained to me as the smell of the death of a bond. Old, decaying, rotting. Whether it was the bond and link to a pack, your mate, or even your own humanity. The smell of death followed you, alerting everyone that you had lost something.

Rune. He spun Kael around and slammed his fist on his jaw, the crack echoing like thunder. Kael staggered, blood blooming on his lip, but Rune didn’t stop, his icy blue eyes blazing with rage. “Stay the fuck away from her,” Rune growled, his voice low and lethal, his silver hair wild, his pale face flushed with fury. Kael recovered fast, his green eyes narrowing, fist cocking back for a counterpunch. “You think you can—”

with a vengeance. Major Darwen Kirly watched as his subordinate hardly patted the big dark blue tool on their right while looking downward with absolute satisfaction. The Major’s blue orbs then glanced at the runes he had placed on the tool. The runes were glowing light blue and circling the big jar, signing they were still going strong. “These runes will last until the race is over, right?” his subordinate asked. The Major turned his head downward, watching the participants running and shivering under the water pour. His face was expressionless.

The beasts attacked, and their nature chilled my blood. As I faced them, I discerned the source of their power: a Rune of Corruption glowed with a faint coppery color on each creature's dark skin, just above the shoulder blade. The rune was common, then I realized it was Aldric's rune. The same rune I had found on his computer, the one he used for his attack spells. “The beasts have runes!” I shouted, channeling my energy through my hands to create a barrier of white light that crackled upon contact with the first beasts.

Without saying a word to her daughter, Salem gently took the poultice and was about to place it beneath Jade's head when she head urgent cries of help. She stood up abruptly, her mind working frantically. Were they under attack? Who would dare enter the village without the rune? "Mother look," Mary called out to her. Salem looked at the rune her daughter held and it was glowing brightly, a deep sapphire glow. She instantly brought out her own rune from the pouch tied around her waist and the sapphire glow illuminated her eyes. "I think everyone's rune is glowing," Mary whispered. "It can't be," Salem said unbelievably. She rushed outside the temple, Mary following right behind her.