Shadow’s Inferno

She had her arrow, poised towards four hourglasses intertwined with streaks of opal and amber. The woman adorned a bold but faded tattoo on her lower arm - it read, ‘Sanguis et Ignis in aeternum regnant’. Blood and Fire will rule for all of eternity. A chill ran down my spine. She pulled the bowstring taut, perfectly aimed towards the fragile hourglasses, and took a breath, waiting for the right moment to release her arrow. Strike. The cords of essence magic within the hourglasses began to fray. The ends curled into strands of blackened magic – the most feral kind. Gradually, wisps of the black magic disappeared through the top of the hourglasses and floated to the blanket of autumn leaves. A small spark danced across the leaves, engulfing them in an amber glow. The fire spread outwards in bursts of blue, white, yellow, green and red: the colours of the elements. The flames lapped at the woman’s heels as she stepped back. ‘Let the fire burn.’