Return of the Runebound Professor

With their conversation finished, Noah brought Yulin back to rejoin the others. She stood around near the treeline for a few moments before slipping away to stand in the shade of a large tree.

It didn’t look like she was quite ready to start properly mingling with everyone else. Noah was pretty sure she was still trying to process everything that had happened in the past few days.

He didn’t blame her. It was a lot to take in. She’d get used to it eventually. The only thing he cared about was that she wasn’t going to go around spilling their secrets to their enemies, and as far as he could tell, she was definitely on their side. There was always the option of using a Rune Oath, but those were so finicky and dangerous that Noah dismissed the idea on the spot.

Oaths were a trap. They were a double edged sword unless someone used an intermediary, and he had absolutely no plans of keeping someone around just to get them killed when an oath shattered.

No, normal promises were enough for him. Yulin had done enough to prove that she wasn’t just in this to betray them. Between Aylin and Alexandra, Noah was pretty confident she would fit right in.

She’d just have to get used to… everything.

That made Noah wince. There was a lot of everything to get used to. Yulin was going to be in for a rough time. Things had been weird for his students for a while, but they were about to get a whole lot weirder once the noble families realized their somewhat covert attempt to wrest Isabel’s Master Rune from her had failed.

His hands clenched at his sides. His Rank 4 Runes put him well ahead of the average Rank 4, to the point where he couldn’t even be compared to anyone else of his rank on the mortal plane. He wasn’t worried about himself… but if the nobles got really serious and started sending more than a few people, his students would be in danger.

Noah’s face darkened. He couldn’t allow for that to happen. The moment he returned to Arbitage, a timer started. A timer that counted down the seconds Isabel had left to live in peace — and Noah didn’t know how long it would take to hit zero.

He was so focused on his thoughts that he didn’t notice Jalen approaching until the other man stood directly in front of him.

“That’s a stormy look you’ve got in your eyes there, Vermil,” Jalen said. “Not the expression I was expecting from someone who just ripped his way out of the Damned Plains with a host full of friendly demons.”

“I’m wondering how many people I’m going to have to kill,” Noah said. “And how many of them I can kill.”

“Always a good hobby to have.” Jalen nodded sagely. “The same thought passes through my mind at least once a week, especially when I’m standing in a particularly long line at a restaurant.”

“I’m being serious here, Jalen. You know why all this shit is happening, don’t you?”

Jalen arched an eyebrow and waved his hand around the clearing. “There’s so much shit happening here that I genuinely don’t know which shit you’re referring to. Is it the fact that you’re the only human in known history to go to the Damned Plains? The fact you ferried a bunch of powerful demons back along with you? Is it the the monster in your book that was torturing Jakob to death, or perhaps the fact that Todd killed Marley before you killed both of the other professors? Or is it—”

“It’s Isabel.”

“Ah. I was getting to her. Eventually. As I said, a lot of shit,” Jalen said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “The Master Rune.”

“Yes,” Noah said. His jaw tightened. “The Master Rune.”

“Don’t worry. I have no interest in it. I’m too old to care about toys like that. Now, if you’ve got any demon women that are in search of something fun — older ones, mind you — I’d appreciate an introduction. That’s something interesting. I’ve heard horrible things about what they do to people.” ṝ𝔞ΝÒВÊŝ

Noah’s eye twitched, and he couldn’t keep himself from letting out a small chuckle. Jalen’s brain was so melted by age that it was hard to tell when the half-mad man was actually being serious. There was a genuine tossup as to whether he actually wanted to be introduced to an eligible demon bachelorette or if he was just bored and flapping his mouth.

“One topic at a time,” Noah said. “I’m a little more concerned about Isabel than I am about your love life.”

“Ouch. That hurts. Much like the majority of my love life.”

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“Which is entirely your fault. I’m getting serious here, Jalen. The nobles are going to make a move. They already have, but now that they know the cat is out of the bag, they really will. And I can’t let that happen.”

The smile slipped away from Jalen’s lips as his expression turned flat. “Yes. I am aware. You want me to interfere.”

“Yes.”

“I will not.” Jalen raised a hand to forestall Noah before he could say anything else. “But it is not because I do not want to. I have grown… attached to your students. They amuse me.”

“So why won’t you help? You of all people could.”

“And in doing so, I would cast the kingdom into war.”

“War? For squashing a few bugs?”

A corner of Jalen’s lips pulled up in a cold smile. “I see the Damned Plains have hardened you if you’re referring to powerful mages as nothing more than bugs. You are correct. I could squash a few bugs without issue — but do you really think the families will be sending bugs? No. They will send the strong. Their best. Isabel’s Master Rune is one that has been more desired than any other. The Soul Rune… its power is enormous. Our Souls are the most core and powerful parts of our being. If Isabel masters it, she could be the greatest mage that this kingdom has produced since the Long Night — and that potential passes to anyone who takes it from her.”

“What are you implying here?”

“That you will not be faced with Rank 4 mages,” Jalen said. “It will be strongest members of the families, bar their heads. Rank 5 mages at the peak of their potential. Rank 6 ones that have lurked within the shadows, waiting for opportunity to grow beyond the limits of their abilities. Every single one of them will come for Isabel.”

“All the more reason for you to—”

“If I interfere, then the nobles will send their Family Heads. One head cannot act without the others noticing. There will be war.”

“Fuck,” Noah said.

“Not nearly as much as I would like, unfortunately. I’ve been far too busy as of late.”

Noah ignored Jalen. The man had been serious for a few sentences. That was more than what he could normally ask for, and he’d had a good point. Jalen couldn’t act without making all the other powerful Rank 6 mages throw their lot in as well — and as powerful as he was, he couldn’t win a war singlehandedly.

“And if you don’t interfere? If it’s just me and the others?”

“Bird can’t help either. It would jeopardize her position with the King family — and she cares far too deeply about Otto and her position working under him. They are close. I would not attempt to get in their way… and she is not nearly powerful enough to make a significant difference in a fight.”

“Just my group, then. And possibly Silvertide.”

“Then you would face the Rank 5 and 6 mages, but not the family heads. They would make up rumors. Accuse you of everything under the sun and rip your reputation to shreds while attempting to kill you and making themselves out to be the heroes. They would continue until they ground you to a paste.”

“It’s lovely to hear you’re optimistic about our chances.”

“I am realistic,” Jalen said. He was silent for several long seconds before he spoke again. “The only thing the noble families hate more than one of them getting more power is when an outsider gets it. You are capable, but do you believe you could defeat a legion of rank 5 and 6 mages?”

If I had the full strength of everyone here… I think we could hold them off. The rank 5s, at least. Maybe the 6s if Yoru was using her power, but forever? Probably not. I’d get tired or I’d die at some point. And when I do, it’s all over.

“No,” Noah said. “Not as I am now.”

“As I thought. You are a uniquely fantastic mage, Vermil. And I do not say that lightly.” Jalen turned to look at the students and demons gathered in the center of the clearing. “But if you stay this course, you are going to die.”

I’ve died more times than you can count — though, given who I’m speaking to, probably isn’t all that high. I’ll die a thousand more times if that’s what it takes… but dying isn’t going to solve my problems here.

“As I am now, you’re right,” Noah said grimly. “Which just means things have to change.”

“Slapping shoddy runes together will not change much,” Jalen warned. “You will buy yourself a scrap of power at the cost of an ocean. If you wish to survive, you should run. Take the students and leave the school.”

“As if the noble families wouldn’t track us.”

“They would, but it would be harder. You would have a chance to escape.”

Noah was already shaking his head. “No. That only delays the problem.”

“So does brute forcing your way up a rank. You will be no stronger than the Nobles whose parents feed them all their power.”

But that’s not true at all, is it? I’m not combining runes blindly. I’ve been taking things slow and steady for long enough now. I’ve been trying to make sure that I don’t draw too much of the wrong attention — even though that hasn’t exactly always gone to plan.

But I think the time for that is over. If I’m this strong at Rank 4… then at Rank 5, I might be able to challenge Rank 6 mages.

Noah’s features set.

“Made a decision?” Jalen asked.

“Something like that,” Noah said quietly. “I’m going to need some favors.”

“Are they going to make things interesting?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Then they are yours. What do you want?”

“Some Catchpaper. Enough to hold some Demon Runes — and entrance to the biggest auction in the near future that you can get me.”

Jalen arched an eyebrow. “Your plan is to go to an auction?”

“Me? No. As far as the rest of the mortal plane is concerned, Vermil Linwick is still dead. I’m changing my plans to keep it that way for a little while longer. I can’t go back to Arbitage yet. That’ll buy us time. A few days at most, but a few days can go a long way.”

“So if you’re not going, then who is?”

Noah smiled.

“Spider.”