Return of the Runebound Professor

Chapter 541: An Audition

Noah stood by Yoru and Aylin in the center of the market square as he waited for Commander Zorin to arrive. Vrith stood several paces behind them in the shadows, shifting from foot to foot nervously. She looked painfully uncomfortable. Noah didn’t blame her.

He wasn’t all that keen about the whole waiting bit either. As a general rule, Noah didn’t like waiting. He especially disliked waiting for anything that he didn’t actually want.

But in this particular scenario, waiting hypothetically worked to his advantage. The longer it took Zorin to arrive, the closer he got to getting his magic back and the more time he had to come up with bullshit.

“So,” Noah said, his eyes scanning the sky in search of a demon flying in their direction. “Anybody know anything about what we’re up against?”

“He’s strong,” Aylin provided, somewhat unhelpfully.

“Thank you, Aylin. I had guessed that part,” Noah said. He glanced over to Yoru. “And you?”

“Yes,” Yoru said. “I am aware of Zorin.”

“Perhaps it’s something you’d like to share with the class?”

“It is not.”

“And why would that be?” Noah asked as he rifled through his pockets and scanned their surroundings, having just remembered that his face wrappings had been somewhat ruined during his fight with Axil.

It’s not like having face wrappings actually matters when I’m in the Damned Plains. Nobody knows who I am and I’m well past the point where I need to pretend to be weak. I’ve got a reputation, and having a fully human form can lend itself to that. But the wrappings are basically my calling card by now. It would feel disappointing if I show up without them. Like finding a certain magical mouse in a specific “happy” place on earth without any large, circular ears.

“Because I have not examined the outcome of this interaction with regard to you,” Yoru said. “I do not plan to interfere, so it is shrouded from me.”

“Maybe I should expand my question to ask why you are choosing to be useless,” Noah grumbled.

“I have been testing your suggestion and limiting the use of my abilities,” Yoru replied with a small shrug. “Zorin does not pose me any threat. I have already seen the future in which our goals align, and we have taken steps on that path. No significant weights should have shifted, so my desired future remains in place. I do not need to check on it any further, so I can avoid looking at specifics while I follow your and Violet’s advice with regard to my powers.”

Noah’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t speak for Violet, but I was saying that you need to start thinking for yourself and stop letting your magic completely control you.”

“Correct.”

“But you already believe you know the future we’re in right now,” Noah pointed out. “Just because you haven’t looked recently doesn’t mean you didn’t look. The whole point of that advice was to occasionally take life as it was. You’re only technically not using your magic — and this feels like a scenario where your magic would actually be smart to use.”

“Technically correct is still correct. And I do not need to use my magic. I will survive.”

“How do you know that I won’t just start blasting things the moment Zorin shows up? That could screw your plans up, and I’ve just decided to do it at the last moment.”

“You won’t,” Yoru said with complete confidence.

Noah wouldn’t. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. “Has anyone ever told you how annoying that magic is? It’s just probabilities, right? Not guaranteed futures?”

“Statistics can be manipulated. My desired goal can always be achieved when approached with sufficient alternative angles. Are you requesting that I change my plans to ensure that I properly weigh the approaching future to ensure an ideal victory for you? That would involve using my magic and placing you in my debt — a deal I would be willing to accept.”

Noah studied Yoru for a second. Her posture seemed less confident than normal. Despite her decision to only suspend her use of magic on a scenario she mostly had control over, there was still a “technically” involved. She didn’t actually perfectly know what would happen.

Yoru was trying to get control of herself back from her magic. Small steps were a vast improvement over no steps at all — and while Noah suspected he could have made an argument that she owed him at least a little bit for housing and staying in his camp, he was more than aware that argument wasn’t going to fly.

I’m not going to be the reason she falls off the veritable wagon. If it looks like Zorin is going to go around trying to murder everyone, I still have at least one usage of Sunder I can get off right when I die. It’ll do some serious damage to my body, but I don’t think Zorin is just going to come swinging.

You don’t send a Commander to execute a thorn in your side. He’s probably coming here to bargain with or threaten me. I can handle both of those situations without Yoru pulling on everyone’s strings like little puppets.

“You know what? I think I’ll be fine,” Noah said. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

Yoru inclined her head. “You are welcome. Aylin, stop trying to eat my energy. It tickles.”

“Sorry,” Aylin said, his cheeks blushing a bright purple. “I’m not trying to. You’re just really interesting. I also understand so little about how your magic works that everything you say triggers my Runes and I get hungry.”

“You will get hurt if you continue that path.”

Aylin’s features paled. “Is that a future you saw?”

“No,” Yoru replied. “It is because I will flick you very hard, and it will hurt. I do not need to weigh the futures to know that outcome.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The threat sounded laughable until Noah remembered that Yoru was an incredibly highly ranked demon, and her flick was probably strong enough to kill the average demon on the spot. He doubted she would actually murder Aylin out of annoyance, but Yoru was still an immensely powerful demon. It wasn’t a complete impossibility.

“There will be no flicking,” Noah said firmly. He glanced at Aylin out of the corners of his eyes. “And you really should get that power under control.”

“I’m working on it,” Aylin said. He coughed into a fist. “I wasn’t done about Zorin, though. I know more. He’s a Rank 6 demon, 104 years of age. He’d done a good job of hiding his exact abilities, but he prefers to fight at range with a bone bow. It’s been a while since he’s had to use it. His reputation is usually enough to end most fights.”

Noah blinked. That was a lot of information.

“When did you figure all of this out? Is it common knowledge?”

“No,” Aylin replied with a shake of his head. “Given you were going after someone who has some ties to Lord Belkus, I suspected it would be prudent to direct the information network that you had the Web set up in Belkus’ direction. It wasn’t hard. He likes flaunting his strength.”

“What else?” Noah asked. He and Aylin both paused as they spotted a black spot in the sky.

“I think—”

“He’s not here yet,” Noah said promptly, eyeing the approaching demon. There was still some time before they would arrive. “Come on. Most important stuff first, if there’s anything left.”

“I have a lot of general information, but I don’t know how much of it will be immediately relevant beyond his abilities,” Aylin said, almost falling over his own words in his haste to get them out. “From the stories I gathered, I think Zorin is known to follow Belkus’ orders very closely. You won’t be able to bribe or distract him. He’s reported to be incredibly single-minded. If you need to convince him of something, it can’t go against what Belkus ordered. Anything else is likely to fail.”

The approaching demon was close enough in the sky that Noah could make out alabaster white armor covering his red form. He didn’t let his eyes leave the demon as he gave Aylin a curt nod. That was information he could work with. As it turned out, leaving a Knowledge Demon in charge of finding out information was pretty effective.

If only I could take credit for being a genius instead of just getting lucky that I located the one demon that happened to feast on information.

A frown flickered across Noah’s face.

Actually, now that I think about it, isn’t that a bit too convenient? How did I land the one Knowledge Demon out of sheer, dumb luck?

He didn’t get a chance to consider it any further.

Huge wings snapped out from the back of the demon — who Noah could only assume to be Zorin. Wind buffeted Noah’s hair back as Zorin alighted on the stone before him. His wings folded in to hang around his shoulders like a cloak.

The commander was not at all what Noah had been expecting. Despite Aylin’s mention of using a bow, Zorin appeared to be unarmed. Aside from the heavy looking white armor covering his body, he was entirely without equipment. Zorin actually stood just slightly shorter than Noah, with the lean build of a runner. His features were flat, but not aggressive.

He seemed more like a scholar in armor than —

“Spider,” Zorin said, staring straight at Aylin.

Okay. Maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed.

“Wrong one,” Noah said.

Zorin turned to him, entirely unperturbed. “Spider.”

Was he planning on doing that to everyone he saw until somebody said yes? I kind of want to know what would happen if I say I’m not Spider either… but it’s probably not worth antagonizing Zorin when he hasn’t done anything yet. Might as well hear out what he has to say.

“Pleasure,” Noah said. “And you would be Zorin.”

“Correct.”

“Why have you come?” Noah asked, tilting his head to the side. He meant the question — he’d done enough to annoy Belkus by this point that he genuinely didn’t know what the answer was.

“Belkus calls you to audition.”

“…for what?”

What, is he trying to start a demon dance troupe?

“Not for. To speak. Lord Belkus demands your presence.”

“Ah.” Noah’s eyes lit up. “That kind of audition. Sounds interesting enough. He’s welcome to swing by. I’ll make time for him.”

Commander Zorin stared at Noah, confusion playing across his face. “You… will make time for him?”

“I know, it’s pretty gracious of me,” Noah said magnanimously. “But I believe making his acquaintance would be a worthy expenditure of my time. I’ll have a chair prepared for him. A soft one. We have some nice chairs.”

“You will go to him,” Zorin said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Lord Belkus is not at your beck and call.”

Yeah, but I’m really not keen on strolling into enemy territory. That’ s a great way to get yourself executed, and I can’t even blow myself up right now. I’m not going on a playdate with Belkus until I can blow myself up. Being able to detonate your skull in case of emergencies should be the bare minimum standard for any date, really.

“Beck and call? He’s the one that wants to see me,” Noah said with a frown. “I don’t go around demanding people visit me just because I want to see them. It’s rude. There are much better ways to get what you want.”

Zorin’s brow furrowed — and then he paused. For the first time, he spotted Yoru. The demon took a step back, his hand going to his side for a weapon that wasn’t there. A flicker of fear passed through his eyes.

“Why is Yoku the Rising Moon in your camp, Spider?”

“What?” Noah blinked in apparent confusion. “That’s Yoru.”

Zorin hesitated. His head tilted to the side. “…the Rising Moon?”

“No. Yoru. She’s a stray child that I ended up picking up,” Noah said.

The commander’s eyes narrowed. He studied Yoku for several long seconds. Then he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Are you Yoru?”

“I have been called that.”

“Oh,” Zorin said. He scratched the back of his head. “I see. That’s no issue, then. Your allies may accompany you. Belkus will provide sufficient compensation for your time as well as diplomatic immunity for the duration of your stay.”

Noah almost missed a beat. Out of everything he’d been expecting, an entirely civil meeting offer had been at the bottom of the list. It almost felt wrong.

“What does diplomatic immunity cover?” Noah asked.

“Your life. Most of your limbs.”

Eh. Fair enough. That’s actually a decent offer. Might as well see what Belkus has to say. Maybe he’s reasonable.

Noah opened his mouth to answer — and a crackle of energy split the air. Everyone spun as a purple blade carved free of the air to Noah’s side and sliced through it, peeling reality apart like it was a chunk of butter to form a wide portal. Purple smoke poured out from the churning hole, rolling across the ground.

A black sabaton crashed down on the stone as a towering, gray-skinned demon emerged from within the portal. The demon stood easily two times as tall as Noah. He was clad from head to toe in spined black armor, an imposing helm of solid metal covering the entirety of his face. A thin gap full of glowing purple ran across its eyeline. On the demon’s back hung a massive broadsword. It was chipped and cracked, but its material was the exact same one that had gone into Axil’s axe.

Pressure slammed into Noah like a punch to the gut. His stomach clenched and he staggered. Aylin and Vrith both slammed to the ground with such force that they cracked the cobblestone beneath them.

Yoru’s head tilted to the side.

Zorin’s muscles tensed.

For an instant, there was silence. The intruder looked over them, face and expression concealed by his helm.

“Who are you?” Zorin demanded.

“I am Zath. Harbinger of Sievan. The Cracked Blade, the Breathless End,” the demon intoned, drawing his sword and driving it into the ground before him with a single hand. The weapon sliced into the stone like nothing was there. With his other hand, Zath pointed at Noah. “Spider. You killed my subordinate. We have business.”