Runemaster: The White Witch Pt. 01

Hello readers.

First things first I'd like to thank a few people.

JasonT and Paladianheart for the editing they provide that make my stories far less error filled. Deal42 for being a valuable beta reader and proving impressions on the story you all are about to read.

Finally, a big thank you to fuckasaurus. Without your input this story would not exist as it is at all.

With that out of the way a small explanation for everyone else. I've been suffering some writers block with my other story The McCallister Curse and rather than just idly waste time I worked on something else instead.

This is that tale. It is set in the same world and city as the McCallister Curse and is set after the events of McCallister Curse Part 3. if you've read that you will recognise some names and mentions. It however is a very different style of story and something I hope you will enjoy as its own distinct tale.

Finally, a few more things.

This story is intended to be a continuing longer form story. There will be more.This part of the story has fighting, violence and death. It is not hugely graphic but some of you may not be interested in having that as part of the stories you like to read.This part of the story is purely female/male, it features deepthroating and some Dom/Sub vibes as part of the sex. If that isn't what you are looking for then the sex part of this story probably won't be for you.

Please continue to vote and comment. All the feedback I get only helps me get better and definitely makes the endeavour much more rewarding. I will do my best to get back to you!

I hope you all enjoy.

Part 1

Rafe Newark was an ordinary man, or at least he liked to pretend to be one. An ordinary guy just shy of thirty with an ordinary job and an ordinary life

This was unfortunately for him, a colossal lie.

He may have looked completely average, short black hair, olive skin, a neatly trimmed beard, and solid dependable brown eyes.

He may have had a completely average job as an accountant at a tiny firm called Northside Accounting and Taxation.

He may have even had a completely average single bedroom apartment on the second floor of Northside Grandview Apartments.

But all of these were simple yet carefully crafted lies. A layer of mundanity designed to obscure the truth and protect him from the real world. The world that ninety percent of the planet didn't even know existed. A world full of angels, demons, magic, and eldritch power.

A world that was currently trying quite hard to end his life.

It had started with a girl. Because why wouldn't it?

Sure, the girl was the last of her bloodline, cursed by ancient magic to go mad and generally destined for a fate worse than the one currently barrelling towards him, but it had still started with a girl.

The last of the McCallisters.

Now if you were an ordinary guy, that wouldn't mean much to you at all unless you were a Steelhaven history nerd. And that probably means you aren't ordinary anyway. Steelhaven didn't exactly have a normal history.

But if you were like Rafe, a very unordinary man, and a part of the magical society that nestled itself just below the surface of everyday life, then that name meant a hell of a lot more.

It meant power.

It meant danger.

It meant you were out of your freaking mind if you got involved.

Unfortunately, he hadn't had a choice on getting involved. No one denied a call from Lord Grey in Steelhaven, not even someone like himself, not if you wanted to live. Some fights just were not worth the cost.

He wished he had fought now, even if it wouldn't have made much of a different to the end result.

Fight Lord Grey and the vast sprawling empire that was his family? Death.

Find the last McCallister, inform his boss and then become witness to the massacre of an entire abbey full of nuns and his daughters' betrayal? Death.

He'd said he would find the girl, not knowing who she was at first and when he did find out it was far too late.

So now he was on the run. His imaginary ordinary life left in tatters behind him.

It was time to embrace the magic, time to remember who and what he had been in his youth. Who he really was underneath all of his masks. It was the only way he would survive what was coming.

The first thing he had done when he realized that the Greys intended to kill him was run. Not to his shabby poorly furnished apartment, not to his little office in Northside, but to his home. His real home.

It had been a mechanics shop at one point, then a warehouse for storing car parts. He had bought it another two short lived business ventures later.

Above ground it still maintained the appearance of a dilapidated failed business. But below, below it was his haven. A safehouse ready and waiting for this very eventuality.

He wouldn't be able to stay long, there was an almost certain chance that the Grey's knew of its existence. Getting anything done in Steelhaven without them knowing was almost as impossible as finding a wizard without a ridiculous beard.

He was sitting outside it now in his rundown old jeep. Scanning the streets for anyone that looked out of place or for signs that the Greys had made a move on it already.

When he was certain that it was safe, Rafe entered quickly and quietly, checking corners, his wards and keeping a wary eye out for anything else that could be lurking in wait.

A quick surge of power and then the runes around his eyes lit up, a bright sky-blue pattern of lines etched into his skin. They allowed him to see better, further and in the dark. Quite a handy thing to have when you needed to do some less then legal sneaking.

Satisfied that he was alone in the building, Rafe quickly moved to the hidden entrance of his underground bunker. A set of runes covered the stone slab that marked the portal downwards, jagged crisp lines carved into the dark heavy stone. It was a nasty surprise for anyone within the building and probably for anyone on the street outside as well if it went off. Rafe really didn't like people messing with his stuff.

Another surge of power to bypass the lock and disarm the wholly over the top trap and he was free to lift the stone clear, the meter square piece of stone shifting easily as he lifted it out of the way.

Putting it to one side, Rafe took one last look around the old warehouse, eyes darting around the interior, checking the shadowed depths and the high windows with the same ease, needing to be certain that he hadn't yet been found.

Getting trapped underground in his own bunker was not how we wanted to spend the rest of his possibly short life.

Satisfied that he wasn't being watched, Rafe carefully made his way down the newly revealed ladder. It wasn't a long drop, just over six feet and he knew he could have easily leapt in without danger. But that wasn't him. Not if he had the option. Safe, practical, and logical. That was him. Unnecessary risk was a killer in his line of work.

Well, his actual line of work, not the accounting, then again, he wasn't sure he'd count the IRS out completely from going that far.

Moving into the main area of the bunker took but a moment, separated from the ladder only by a short passage Rafe didn't have to travel far to be in the heart of his temporary sanctuary.

Stalking forward with purpose he gave only a cursory sweep of his surroundings as he headed towards a row of cupboards and drawers stacked along the far wall. Nothing looked disturbed, his desk was still scattered with paperwork, several cameras, and other tools of his magical trade. Bed still empty, and his fridge and cupboard were both still standing open and as empty as his bed. He really needed to stop eating so much takeout.

Thinking frantically Rafe tried to order what he needed to collect and organize before he abandoned his home. That thought struck him still, the idea that he would have to abandon his haven was not something he had really thought about in his rush to get back there. He hadn't slowed since discovering word was that the Greys wanted him dead. But now with a small moment to consider it, he really didn't want to. This was his home. It wasn't much to look at, but this was his home. Giving it up wasn't right. Even if it was a literal hole in the ground. It was still his and what right did they have to force him out?

Besides the fact that Lord Grey basically controlled the city.

And had a legion of magic nullifying minions to call upon in his quest to root him out and end his life.

Still, he wasn't some normal investigator. Not some low level mook or minion that blindly followed those with power. He was the only Runemaster in Steelhaven and he had power of his own, one that the city really wasn't equipped to deal with.

If Lord Grey's actions had attracted the wrath of the Church which he was fairly damn certain they would, add that to a rogue McCallister on the streets, and the other families starting to move when they discovered that fact, then Lord Grey was going to have his hands full and maybe he had a chance at surviving this manhunt.

Rafe stood still, eyes traveling over the dark walls, taking in everything that surrounded him, the spaces and the things that constituted his home. The bunker was dark, he didn't need a lot of light with his rune boosted eyesight but there were several overhead lights, he just hadn't bothered to turn them on in his rush.

The bunker consisted of one main room that held everything he held dear, which admittedly wasn't much, some posters of old detective and action movies framed and hanging from the brick walls, and a few other odds and ends that had a personal history to them. There was a couch and a tv but mostly it was taken up by a variety of tables, benches, and other means of storage that he used for work or kept the tools of his trade in.

His bed was in an alcove off that room hidden behind a curtain for the extremely rare circumstance that anyone else was in the bunker. Next to that was small kitchen he had installed and then there was a small adjoining bathroom in its own little room.

The final thing was the trap door. Made of old oak and iron bands it was locked tightly and engraved with even more runes of warding and protection. It could be used as an alternate exit if things went really wrong which to be fair to his current circumstances that was rapidly becoming a real possibility, but it's true purpose was as Rafe's personal entry into Undertown, the hidden magical side of Steelhaven. Most cities had their own district for the supernatural, but Undertown was unique to Steelhaven, the necessity of being away from the influence of the Grey family's magic nullifying aura forcing its denizens below ground and away from its debilitating effects.

It was pretty hard to hide the fact you weren't human behind an illusion or glamour when there are a couple of dozen walking, talking, anti-magic fields going around that could reveal you at any moment.

So Undertown had been founded. A place where those of the different races; anyone who practiced magic, who didn't have the ability to hide themselves away or simply didn't want to. They could live in peace away from the humans above.

And if he wanted to take a stand, to keep this place, and stay in Steelhaven then Undertown was where he needed to go.

Some things were worth taking a risk for. It wasn't logical and it certainly wasn't safe but the more he thought about it, the more certain he became. He would stay. He would fight. If he ran the Greys would only follow. He knew enough of Lord Grey to be certain of that, there would be no escape from that man's wrath. So, if he was going to be hunted, if he was going to fight back, then it made sense for him to do it on turf he knew. Steelhaven may belong to the Greys, but they weren't the only ones who knew its streets and what lurked in their shadows.

It was settled, Rafe nodded to himself, his decision firming and he squared his shoulders as resolve filled him. He would fight.

Changing direction away from the cabinets, Rafe headed towards the alcove that acted as his bedroom. Flinging aside the curtain further, he headed straight for the safe that sat against the wall near the end of his bed. Quickly thumbing in the code for the lock, Rafe swung the door open and reached inside.

Pulling out his gun, a simple Ruger revolver, Rafe checked it was unloaded before tucking it into the waist and in small of his back for a moment. Reaching in again he pulled out several cases of ammunition and threw them onto the end of his bed.

He had his magic and his runes of course if he got in trouble, but with the Greys involved, a normal weapon for protection would be invaluable not to mention having some spare silver bullets on your person was never a bad thing when you were heading to Undertown. Living in peace away from humans didn't make it safe. There was always crime when groups came together, and monsters needed places to hide as well.

Pulling it from his waist and loading his revolver with silver, Rafe ensured he packed some normal ammunition into a couple of speed loaders to go on his belt before digging around for his shoulder holster and strapping it on. Grabbing a light jacket, he put it on and hid the pistol from view.

Moving to the bathroom, he checked himself in the mirror, ensuring the dark blue jacket was concealing the weapon and matched the rest of his outfit. A white shirt, faded black jeans and well-worn boots, he was dressed in his street clothes that he used when working for Lord Grey rather than one of the suits he usually wore when he was working his accounting job.

It would do.

He had to get moving, the faster he could get his wards strengthened the better chance he had at surviving. If he did it right, it would take Lord Grey himself coming down from his estate to get into his home.

However, that meant going to see her.

And he was sure as he was a dead man walking that bringing her back into his life was going to bring a whole load of trouble along for the ride.

Grimacing slightly at himself in the mirror, Rafe shook his head. She was the best witch he knew and one that probably wouldn't instantly sell him out to the Greys when the word spread he was wanted as well. Or at least he hoped she wouldn't. They had a history, hopefully it still meant as much to her as it did to him.

Checking himself over one last time, Rafe left his bathroom and went to the trap door and began the process of getting it open, funnelling power into the runes engraved in the wood and disengaging the wards that protected it.

It was a routine use of his power, and the process barely took him any time at all. When it was done, he flooded the runes tattooed along his arms with power and lifted the hefty door open all the way until it rested against the stone floor. Ducking his head into the pitch-black hole that he had just revealed below, Rafe scanned for any waiting enemies or creatures lurking in the dark. It had happened before, there was a reason the door was so heavily engraved. He wanted nothing getting through it without his invitation.

Spotting nothing, Rafe climbed down into the dark abyss, his rune powered eyes having no trouble piercing the depths and revealing its secrets. Not that there really were any. Just a long corridor of stone and a vast array of pipes covering its ceiling. No monsters, no gun wielding goons, not even a single rat, just damp stone and miles and miles of pipes.

Setting off at a quick jog, Rafe followed the corridor, dodging plumes of steam, dripping pipes and piles of various debris as he made his way along.

It only took a slightly cramped ten minutes for Rafe to make it to the entrance to Undertown proper. He emerged from his tunnel into a much larger one. It was well lit, paved, and clean. Off to his right was the surface and the illusion that acted as this particular entry into Undertown. A maintenance entrance for one of the underground train lines that kept the city functioning, it wasn't a particularly busy entrance, but it saw enough traffic that it wasn't a challenge for him to deactivate his rune-enhanced sight, slip amongst the crowd and move with the steady flow into the heart of magical society in Steelhaven.

The crowd was still mostly human, but he could see a few elves walking along, their distinctive ears and ethereal grace making them stand out from the crowd even amongst a group such as this. There were a few other non-humans in the passage, a few goblins, on orc and even a dwarf.

Moving with the flow, Rafe allowed himself to drift along, steadily making his way towards Undertown proper. He didn't rush, but he didn't take it slow either, his head on a swivel, constantly watching the area around him. Damn Greys had him more paranoid than usual.

Undertown itself was both what you would expect of a town beneath the earth and what you wouldn't. It was a melting pot of cultures, aesthetics, and philosophies. Human ingenuity alongside dwarven craftsmanship and elven elegance. The town was a tapestry of wonders woven together with magic and purpose.

It was said that when the founding families had originally settled in Steelhaven, the magic users and nonhumans amongst the population had settled on the surface with them, the five families welcoming them among them, realizing that they could be stronger together.

But then the McCallister's had betrayed the other families and started on the journey that ended with their infamous curse. Steelhaven grew on and without the steady influence of the diplomatically gifted McCallisters, the balance of power shifted amongst the families, the alliances forged with the other races became strained before eventually breaking. Fighting, crime and hatred had flared, xenophobia and fear had spread. Anything nonhuman or different had been forced out, magic regarded with suspicion and fear rather than respect and awe.

Rather than allow full blown fighting to break out, the other races had left, the magic users not affiliated with the families following them. Forging a pact they moved underground, not willing to abandon the place they called home, they founded Undertown.

And it had flourished.

Rafe finally reached the heart of Undertown and once more it took his breath away as he gazed into the abyss.

This was not some simple hole in the ground.

He had entered into a large ring, roughly the size of a football stadium, the entire circumference dotted with shops, markets, and other business, swooping bridges of elven design crisscrossed the gap between each side, others floating gracefully upward to other levels or sloped gently downwards, coiling like snakes to the lower levels.

Moving forwards and out of the walkway, Rafe leant on one of the stone rails that encircled the inside of the ring and took in the sights.

The crowds were thicker here, more diverse. Humans, elves, dwarfs, goblins, orcs, ogres, and Fae. All of them mixing and moving, a kaleidoscope of cultures bustling about their lives. There was even a few Were's walking amongst the crowd, taking advantage of the fact they didn't have to hide their bestial forms within the sanctuary of Undertown.

Dwarven stonework stood like bulwarks against the crushing weight from above, colossal columns strengthened by the finest of deep earth magic forming the frame on which all of Undertown rested.

High Elven magics lit up the air, facsimiles of sunlight providing light even in the very depths of the shaft, breezes designed to cool or warm depending on the floor even scents artfully contrived to mimic the world above and mask and unpleasant odours from below.

Mile after mile of cabling snaked its way along and through it all, human invention and ingenuity making its mark with electricity, internet and water all making their way through the entirety of Undertown.