Return of the Runebound Professor Chapter 919: Dangerous Talk

There was a very brief instant of complete and utter stillness. Rake’s empty gray stare bore into Noah like he was trying to dig into the depths of his soul. But if he was looking for something, he didn’t find it. The Faction’s Head’s eyes narrowed.

“You surpassed my domain,” he said. It seemed to be more an observation than anything else. But deep within his flat tone was something more. The very faintest hint of surprise. Rake’s eyes flicked to Vivian. “Is this true?”

Noah looked as well. He’d played his cards. She’d played hers. Now it was time to see whatever game she was playing at here. If he’d read her wrong and she called him out on his bullshit… well, he wasn’t going to be in for a good time.

The Faction Head of the Coral Empire stood as stiff as a rod. Her jaw was set and her lips thin in displeasure. She was a hell of a lot angrier than Noah had expected her to be. But then again, Faction Heads were among the most powerful mages in Obsidia. He didn’t get the feeling that someone pulled a fast one over them often and got away with it. For a moment, Noah half expected her to just blast him into the next dimension and be done with it. But then, slowly, she inclined her head.

“Yes,” Vivian said with terse, measured words. Each one fell from between her lips with enough force to punch through steel. “It is. Spider requested that I cover for his attendance. Given that he has weakened this body to an acceptable level, I saw no reason not to grant him his request. He is not a Faction Head, of course. He had no place among us. So I felt that this was an acceptable route to grant his request… especially as it was a personal favor. I’m sure you’re aware that I wouldn’t have bothered going through the effort for no reason.”

Noah suppressed a wince at that. She definitely wasn’t going to let him get away with this lying down. Anything that constituted a favor generally involved paying said favor back — which was not something he had any real desire to do. But either way, she was playing along.

And that meant they were stuck in the same ship together. Neither of them could go and start poking holes in their hull without sinking them both.

“This is why you were so insistent?” Rake asked.

“What do you think?” Vivian replied. She let out a sharp breath of air. “Do you really think I would have gone through all this effort for a random mortal? I was trying to spare us both the hassle, Rake. How was I to know you’d be so determined to find what you thought to be a way to screw with me?”

“It had absolutely nothing to do with you,” Rake said flatly. “I saw potential. Though… that potential very well could have been ability. No Rank 5 could have surpassed my domain. Ridiculous. I cannot believe you would allow a Rank 8 to enter your tournament.”

“He’s not a Rank 8,” Vivian said. “He’s a Rank 5. Only his real body is Rank 8.”

“That is a fool argument,” Rake spat. “And I know you to be more intelligent than that, Vivian. The sheer difference in soul and experience between someone who has lived long enough to reach Rank 8 and a fledgling Rank 5 are insurmountable.”

“I’m not bringing my soul to bear against anyone in this tournament,” Noah said with a dry laugh. “Nor am I abusing it for an advantage. The body I am using is fragile. It’s well within what you could expect to be present within this bracket of the tournament.”

Rake’s lips thinned. “And what is it you truly seek? Do you truly have nothing better to be doing with your time than infiltrating a tournament to bully children?”

“Isn’t that what you were just doing?” Noah asked with a wry smile. “Why do you think I called Vivian?”

“You,” Rake said. His eyes narrowed. “That’s how she knew I was here so quickly?”

“Why else would I intervene?” An arc of angry magic crackled between the stones floating behind Vivian’s back. “Do you really think I was concerned?”

Rake was silent for several long seconds. Then the corner of his lips curled.

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“You are a better liar than I thought, Vivian.”

“I won’t tell the others,” Vivian said. “Despite your best attempts to get in my way, you’ve done no harm… so long as you refrain from dropping your illusion. If you do, I will be forced to explain exactly what happened.”

Rake watched Noah for a few moments longer before he responded.

“That will not be necessary. Spider spoke truly. We have no need of a master. And a Rank 8… useless. There is nothing more for me here. I will seek elsewhere among the tournament. I too will not speak of this to the others. It will remain between us.”

“Then return to your place in the crowd,” Vivian said. She nodded to Rake’s stolen body. “Free this one from your influence. Adapt the illusion to fit reality and then drop it once I have also departed.”

Rake inclined his head. “Well played. It will be as you say. And… we will be in touch, Vivian. Perhaps you are not so naïve as the others believe you to be. There may be opportunity for us to work together yet.”

And then the man’s pale gray eyes changed. The darkness seeped out of them like oil as bright blue returned. Noah resisted the urge to draw in a deep breath as he felt the bindings around his magic abruptly release. Relief slammed into him. He could feel his Runes again.

Vivian glanced to Noah’s opponent.

Then she flicked a finger.

The man launched backward, slamming into the wall of the arena before crumpling to the ground in a heap of limbs.

“Damn,” Noah said. “That was cold. And also definitely breaking at least a few rules. I’m pretty sure that I was the one meant to be doing that.”

“Don’t play coy with me, ,” Vivian ground out. “That mage will be compensated for his loss. He won’t know why, and he’ll never ask. Trust me, he won’t be complaining.”

“Good to hear,” Noah said. He glanced toward Rake, who still stood in the crowd, looking down at them. Then he cleared his throat. “Well. This was nice. Glad we had a chance to chat.”

“As am I,” Vivian said. She leaned closer, her eyes practically burning holes into his skull. “But I don’t think we’ve quite finished. As a Rank 8, there are a few things I need to update you on. Some circumstances have changed. I’m sure you’ll be keen to hear about it.”

“That’s kind,” Noah said. “But I think I’d rather concentrate on—”

“I wasn’t asking,” Vivian hissed. “Keep your hand on that badge, Spider. And if you take it off… I’ll tear this arena apart to find you. After all, I can’t let a Rank 8 mage wander around Aqua Terra without being aware of the ordinances I’ve changed.”

Noah grimaced.

He wasn’t going to be getting out of this one. There was no way he could let Vivian go hunting for him. She’d be led right to Moxie, Lee, and Brayden. He couldn’t afford that. Even his bullshit could only go so far.

“I’ll do that,” Noah said.

“Good,” Vivian replied. “I’ll be looking forward to it, .”

Rake had been quite wrong. Vivian was a terrible liar. Noah didn’t get the feeling that she was looking forward to their chat at all.

Then she was gone, a blur hurtling into the sky.

Noah resisted the urge to crane his neck back and watch her vanish. He didn’t let himself look back over at Rake either. The illusion would probably be dropping at any—

A huge cheer rolled out from the crowd. The entire arena erupted into excited chatter. Even though Noah couldn’t hear any of it, the result was clear enough. It seemed Rake had removed his magic. Nobody sounded confused about the fight.

Whatever the Rank 8 had done had clearly been quite convincing.

“And just like that, we have our winner!” Baun called, his voice booming through the air. “But we’re still early on in the tournament, folks! Let’s not dally!”

Noah felt a wave of energy roll over him. He briefly considered ignoring Vivian’s instructions. It was clear that the creepy Mistress lady and Vivian were somehow working together if she wanted him to be keeping a hand on the badge. But it wasn’t like there was much choice.

He’d already dug himself a hole. It was too deep to climb back out of — but he sure as hell wasn’t about to stop digging now. That would just be sitting and waiting for death. So he’d have to take the other option. Start digging sideways and keep going until he found a new way out.

Noah unwrapped his badge and grabbed onto it with his bare hand.

Then the cheering was gone, and the arena with it.

The world shifted.

Sudden silence washed over him. Noah found himself standing in a large but plainly decorated room, across from a chair and a bed. There really wasn’t much in the way of personalization at all. It could have been a hotel room for all he knew.

But Noah was a little bit more concerned with who was sitting in the chair.

Vivian’s gaze bore into Noah, and now, she wasn’t even trying to hide the anger in her features. The shadows behind her seemed considerably deeper and darker than they should have been. That didn’t help the ominous feeling hanging in the air one bit.

“Nice place,” Noah said.

“Spare me the bullshit,” Vivian said, her tone clipped. “Renewal knows you’ve laid enough of it today to sow an entire farm.”

“Right,” Noah said. “With pleasure. We’ll speak plainly, then.”

“Somehow, I doubt that,” Vivian said. She leaned forward, her gaze somehow getting even sharper. Noah’s skin prickled as he felt her domain roll across him. Even though she was clearly suppressing it, the immense amount of Rune Force within Vivian had no trouble making itself known. “But I’ll grant your wish. Alright, Spider. Let’s .”