System Status: offline

  Lifeforce: N/A

  Magic: N/A

  Cannon Charge: 0%

  Timer: N/A

  Location: Unknown

  Threat Assessment: N/A

  Project Rune Data Collection: 55% Complete

  In the depths of her mind, Runebelle found herself adrift in an endless sea of cold data. No colors. No sounds. Only the faint hum of static and the heartbeat of a system gone dark.

  "Project Rune?" The voice a voice said faintly but unmistakable which seemed to pulse through the void.

  Runebelle’s awareness flickered like a dying flame. ‘Was that... the System?’

  "Project Rune?" The voice repeated, sharper this time and somehow closer. "Can you hear me?"

  A sudden jolt of something familiar—the System’s presence, but it wasn’t the same; something had changed.

  "Ahh! There you are! Well done, Project Rune! You did it!" The System’s tone was overflowing with delight. "Thanks to your actions, we’ve successfully eliminated all the mages. Well, most of them... They’re gone. Just like that!" The System seemed to chuckle. "Do you remember it? That final moment? How awesome we were?"

  There was a pause that felt like the System was surveying the scene—or perhaps waiting for Runebelle to respond.

  "We did good, didn’t we? I mean, you did good. Project Rune, you’ve completed the mission. It’s time to celebrate!”

  Runebelle’s mind spun. Her pulse quickened. The warmth of the System’s presence felt hollow suddenly.

  “Sisters... Dr. Kintovar…” Runebelle spoke through the blackness. "Is everything... alright? What happened to them?”

  The void seemed to pause as if the System itself was taking a moment to process, though there was no real sense of time here.

  “Well, uh, that’s the thing…” The cheerleader-like tone had lost some of its usual energy. “When you shut down, I lost all vision of the real world, too. No access. Nothing. We’ve been operating on a skeleton system since then.”

  Runebelle’s stomach sank. “So... you don’t know? You don’t know if they’re okay?”

  A brief silence before the System’s voice softened. "No. But if you believe in them—like you always did—then they'll be fine. I mean, come on! Those girls? They’ve got this. And Kintovar… She’s tough. Don’t let the doubt creep in now, okay?"

  Runebelle’s heart thudded. Her sisters, Kintovar... She had trusted them so completely but even so, could she be certain they’d made it through the final confrontation?

  “Think positive, Runebelle!” the System urged. “You did it. They probably beat the Headmaster by now, huh? You’ve seen how far their willing to go to both keep you safe and beat those bad mages!”

  Runebelle inhaled slowly. She had to believe. They had fought, bled and lost so much together…

  “You’re right,” Runebelle whispered.

  The static around her seemed to pulse with something close to encouragement.

  “That’s the spirit, Project Rune! Now, let’s focus on getting you back, okay?”

  The static around Runebelle flickered, and before she could even fully process her thoughts, the System surged through the silence with excitement.

  “Oooooh! Guess what, Project Rune? I’ve got something cool for you!” The world suddenly became a whirl of neon lights and vibrant colors, and there in front of her stood the System, now fully manifested. A cheerful figure with bright blue-and-pink hair styled in pigtails and clad in a cheerleader outfit adorned with the bold letters ‘Project Rune’ written proudly across the chest. A visor sat atop its head, glowing with a ridiculous kind of energy.

  “Look at meeee! I’m ready to show you a little something!” The System struck a pose, holding pom-poms that sparkled with a flurry of colorful lights.

  Runebelle blinke and opened her mouth but before she could even comment, the System’s tone shifted to something slightly more serious.

  “Want to see a memory fragment?” the System asked with intrigue. “You’ve unlocked this one! It’s all yours!”

  Runebelle paused for just a heartbeat. Her eyes narrowed slightly while looking at the energetic figure before her.

  “Show it to me,” she said. There was no hesitation. None at all.

  The System gasped in so much suprise that its pom-poms nearly flew out of its hands. “Wait a second—what?! You didn’t hesitate! The last time you were all ‘I don’t know, maybe that girl’s in it,’ and now? No hesitation! Woohoo! Go, Project Rune!” It pumped its fists while bouncing on its feet.

  Runebelle’s face softened. “I understand now. I understand the weight of my sadness. It’s been there the whole time holding me back... but I’m done letting it stop me.”

  The System stopped bouncing for a moment and started to look almost contemplative. But it recovered quickly and spun around while beaming back at Runebelle with an all-too-familiar level of exuberance.

  “Yesssss! You’re growing stronger every second, Project Rune! No more doubt. No more fear! Let’s face everything head-on!”

  With that, the memory began to surface, swirling around them like a vortex, pulling Runebelle into its grasp. The buzzing sound of static was replaced by the sharp clang of a gavel striking wood.

  Thwack.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Enough out of you, Mrs. Pearl!” The voice of a judge rang out. A man with a clean-shaven head and a thick red beard held a big gavel in his hand and slammed it down again. “You will not insult the Plaintiff in that manner. This is a legal proceeding. Show some restraint.”

  The courtroom around her took shape around Runebelle who could hear the whispers of observers and the rustling of paper. She glanced around slowly.

  On one side of the courtroom stood her mother.

  Her gaze was fiery and intense which was a look Runebelle had never seen before even when her mother was angry. Her mother’s features were now twisted with fury like a storm had taken over the woman who had been her rock. The warmth Runebelle once found in her mother’s eyes had been replaced with a harsh, burning glare. This woman was not the mother she remembered.

  In the back of her mother was an elderly woman in a pink suit with glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. The lawyer was practically dozing in her chair.

  And then, on the other side stood Mrs. Lorraine. The woman who had been like a second mother to Runebelle. She was poised, calm as always but there was a subtle hardness in her eyes. Beside her stood Mrs. Pearl, a young woman with a near childlike face.

  Mrs. Pearl raised her hand in protest and rose her voicewith defiance. “Your Honor, this is ridiculous! Mrs. Sawyer is sleeping! How can you allow this? It's disrespectful to the court—!”

  The judge raised a hand and gave her a look that could freeze water. “Even so, you cannot speak like that about her. Allow me to handle this.”

  The judge’s gavel rose once more; however, before the gavel could strike, Runebelle’s mother—Rune—spoke up.

  “As I have been saying before I was rudely interrupted,” she said dangerous intensity, “Mrs. Sawyer is allowing me to speak my peace!”

  The courtroom fell silent, and even the judge paused in the air.

  The judge’s eyes flickered briefly to the elderly woman still dozing beside Rune before he gave a terse nod. “Alright, Mrs. Rune. Continue.”

  Rune straightened and with a deep breath, she began speaking. “I stand before this court not as a woman scorned, nor as a mere shadow of a mother who has lost her child. I stand as a parent. And as a parent, I have every right, every intention, to ensure that my daughter—my Runebelle—is safe.

  I have been there, through the highs and the lows, through the darkest moments. I was the one who held her when she was crying. I was the one who comforted her when she couldn’t understand the world around her. I nurtured her, Your Honor. I gave her the love and care she deserved, no matter what.”

  “The issue at hand here,” Rune continued, “is not whether Mrs. Lorraine has done her best. I acknowledge that she has, but this is about who Runebelle belongs with.”

  A ripple of murmurs spread through the room from those gathered in the back. The judge gave a stiff nod.

  “I have the ability,” Rune said with her tone growing firmer, “to provide her with the stability she needs. The love she needs. I will not let anyone else—no matter their title, no matter their intentions—take that from her.”

  The judge let out a deep, contemplative breath as he took in Rune's words. "I can see how much you love your daughter, Mrs. Rune.” His eyes flickered briefly toward Runebelle, who was now sitting at the witness stand.

  Rune's gaze followed the judge's, and when her eyes landed on her daughter, her face shifted. It was subtle, but the smile that tugged at Rune’s lips was desperate—aching, even.

  Runebelle slowly pieced together where she was now. She blinked and realized that she was where she was supposed to speak.

  Her pulse quickened. The people around her became shadows in her peripheral vision. Everything, including the murmurs of the one’s watching was too loud.

  The judge’s voice pulled her back to reality.

  “Runebelle,” the judge said gently. “It’s your turn to speak. Please, share your thoughts.”

  Runebelle inhaled deeply and stood from the stand. But the words came slowly.

  "I..." Runebelle began while trembling for a second before her speech found strength, "I don't... I don't remember everything. But I remember how I felt with my mother." She paused, the memory of her mother's touch—the warmth and the presence—flooding her chest. "She... she loved me. I remember that."

  Her eyes flickered to Rune. Her Mother’s eyes nearly spilled over with tears from that one statement alone.

  "But..." Runebelle continued. "I also remember how I felt with... with Mrs. Lorraine. She took care of me, even when things were hard. She made sure I was... safe. And that means something to me." Her gaze shifted to the defense side of the room before it returned to the judge. “I just... I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose Mrs.Lorraine or my Mom…"

  The judge had seen the stories of countless people but this seemed to hit him as he held a frown while observing the young girl before him.

  He cleared his throat. “I... I can see this is difficult for you, Runebelle.”

  He glanced around the room and gave a slight nod after his face returned to normal.“Now, we will turn the floor over to Mrs. Lorraine and her counsel, Mrs. Pearl.”

  Mrs. Pearl’s eyes flicked toward Mrs. Lorraine, who was standing right beside her. In that moment, Mrs. Lorraine’s neutral face tightened into a glare.

  Mrs. Pearl, sensing the unspoken message nodded. Turning toward the judge, she adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat. “Your Honor,” she began polite yet spoke with confidence, “I will now present our case. While I understand the emotional difficulty of this situation, we must focus on the facts. Mrs. Lorraine has been the primary figure in Runebelle’s life. She has provided the stability, resources, and support that are essential for a young girl to thrive. Mrs. Lorraine has invested time, energy, and patience in raising Runebelle, and I believe it is in the best interest of the child that she remains in her care.”

  She glanced over at Mrs. Lorraine, whose gaze had not softened.

  “We can’t overlook the fact,” Mrs. Pearl added while turning back to the judge with calculated sharpness. “Mrs. Rune abandoned Runebelle for months. During that time, Mrs. Lorraine stepped forward, offering herself to take care of Runebelle.”

  Mrs. Pearl’s words landed heavy in the air. The focus now lay on Mrs. Rune, whose face contorted into a fierce glare.

  “How dare you accuse me of abandoning my child you bitch!” Mrs. Rune suddenly spat loud and full of venom. “Especially after everything I’ve done for her! Everything!” She slammed her hand down on the table so hard that the sound shook the very courtroom itself.

  Runebelle, who had been silently watching the exchange felt a flicker of anger spark in her chest. Her fingers trembled at her sides as she glanced toward Mrs. Lorraine.

  Without thinking, she pointed toward her guardian. “She... she’s been there for me,” Runebelle said with a deep frown. “She was the one who—”

  The judge’s hand shot up and the gavel came down with a resounding crack. “Order in the court!” His gaze snapped between Mrs. Rune and Runebelle. “Runebelle, you will not speak out of turn. Mrs. Rune, I expect restraint from you as well.”

  He paused and let the tension settle. “Mrs. Pearl, you may continue.”

  Mrs. Pearl gave a subtle nod. “As I was saying, Your Honor, Mrs. Lorraine has not only provided for Runebelle emotionally, but she has also been a consistent figure in her life when Mrs. Rune could not be.”

  “When I could not be?” Mrs.Rune echoed while slamming her hand onto the desk once more. “She’s the whole reason I couldn’t be there in the first place! She was working for Runebelle’s father, an evil, evil—EVIL man!” She emphasized each word with her face twisting further and further with anger while pointing a shaking finger toward Mrs. Lorraine.

  Her outburst echoed through the courtroom. The judge gave her a hard, warning look but instead of speaking, he turned his head to Mrs. Pearl.

  Mrs. Pearl’s fingers lightly traced the edge of a small, black card she had in her evidence pile. She whispered softly to herself, “I found this on Mrs. Lorraine today... and I snatched it and put it into evidence without her noticing. But if this is what I think it is...”

  She glanced once more at Mrs. Lorraine, who stood with her hands folded with no sign of unease in her gaze.

  Mrs. Pearl asked herself, ‘Should I….present this?’