Return of the Runebound Professor Chapter 945: Keep up

“Have some faith,” Vivian said. “The Executioner is my Hand. There are few mages in this Empire more dangerous than he is. So long as the Apostles are trying to stay low, they won’t dare start anything with him present. And Maria is a Rank 8 Mage. One with eyes everywhere. There are few better sources for information than her, and she can more than hold her own in a fight. These two will ensure you’re perfectly safe from the Apostles should a fight break out.”

“Right,” Noah said. He sent a sidelong glance in Maria’s direction and repressing the urge to sigh again. “Dying. A terrifying prospect. Especially when compared to bad company.”

Vivian’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t need your sarcasm right now, Noah. The party will be starting shortly. Maria has already arranged to make sure that you’ll appear nearby the Apostles. It’ll be up to you to figure out how to worm your way in from there. I trust you can manage that.”

“And what am I supposed to do with this guy?” Noah asked, looking to the Executioner. “He isn’t exactly conspicuous.”

“I’m sure you three will figure something out. I need to go prepare.” Vivian rose from her chair. “While you’re dealing with the Apostles, I will be dealing with the rest of the circling hyenas. I trust that you will uphold your part of the bargain, . Don’t let me down.”

Then she vanished, leaving Noah standing there with his mouth partially open in preparation for a response that would never reach the right ears.

He groaned.

“Fuck’s sake.”

“Are you to be offensive?” Maria asked through thinned, shadowy lips. “Because you are very successfully conveying the feeling that you do not believe us to be competent enough to work with.”

“Look. We’ve already spoken,” Noah said, pointing at Maria. “And I don’t think I like you much more now than I did then. It’s nothing personal. I just have a very particular way of dealing with things. Especially things I don’t like. And it does not tend to involve shadow ladies or creepy semi-mute mummies.”

“Yes. Your ways do seem quite… unique,” Maria said coldly. “Which is why Vivian has seen fit to assign you babysitters. The fact that she is giving you this much freedom already concerns me. You are a loose cannon. This is a matter that requires a much finer hand than yours.”

“Well, you should have told that to Vivian before she dumped you two on me,” Noah said. He pinched the bridge of his nose in thought for a few moments. Then he let his hand drop and shook his head. “But it hardly matters now. I agreed to help, and I dislike the Apostles enough to be more than happy to screw over whatever plan they happen to be working on. I’ll infiltrate their ranks. But you sure as hell won’t.”

“They will not even know I am present,” Maria said. “Their Prophet is present, but he is not participating in the tournament. He will not be at the party. Without him, none of them are powerful enough to detect me.”

“That’s great,” Noah said. “I don’t particularly care, though. You sitting around and spying on them won’t really help. I’ve got something else I need you to do. Figure out which Apostles are actually here. I need to know which of them I’m up—”

“Kyyle, Crone, and Audren,” Maria said immediately. “Along with the Prophet. Those are the ones I’m certain are here.”

“Okay,” Noah said. He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Give me a moment to think. The main goal here is to determine if the Apostles are working with the Truthseekers, right? And if they are, to stop them?”

“Yes,” Maria said.

“And if they aren’t?” Noah asked. “It doesn’t really matter too much what happens after that point… right?”

“So long as you follow Vivian’s instructions, yes.”

Noah nodded slowly. There was no way he’d be able to just sneak into the Apostles group and somehow convince them that he was friendly enough to spill all their plans to. Not directly, at least.

But he knew the Apostles.

And these three… well, Crone was Crone was a moron. A huge one at that. Noah wasn’t too concerned about him. Audren was a bit more of a problem. The huge man was the largest of the Apostles in stature, and had seemed rather uninterested in bullshit as a whole back during the competition for their disciples that Noah had been kidnapped for.

Kyyle… well, he was Kyyle. He was an arrogant bastard. One who quite liked Noah’s clothes. Something told Noah that he’d actually be fairly easy to manipulate so long as he approached things from the right angle.

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Crone would likely end up following whatever Kyyle did. Audren was going to be be the wild card. But if Noah managed to convince the other two that he was on their side, then he doubted Audren would do anything to really question it.

The trick would just be figuring out exactly what it was he could do to make them convinced he was on their side.

And then he paused.

His brow furrowed.

Except revealing his identity would also tell Kyyle who he was. And, unfortunately, Kyyle hated his guts. He was probably more likely to successfully infiltrate the Apostles if they didn’t have the faintest idea who he was.

And then another idea struck Noah.

His head tilted slightly to the side.

He couldn’t be himself. But he couldn’t be , either. The Apostles needed a reason to trust him.

And there was one reason that would be quite convincing. It was a reason that, quite conveniently, also got rid of Maria.

“Okay,” Noah said. He nodded to himself. “I think I’ve got it. I know what we’re going to do.”

The Executioner nodded. “Inform me of your request.”

Noah blinked. He’d nearly forgotten the unsettling, bandaged man was still standing there. He coughed into his fist.

“Uh… you can be a coat-rack. A very suspicious one. Out of the way.”

“A coat rack,” Maria repeated.

“Yes,” Noah said. “Nobody will ever suspect the Executioner-shaped coatrack to be the real Executioner. And he stands so still. It’s perfect.”

The Executioner didn’t even blink. He didn’t nod either, for that matter. The man just stood there. Noah was pretty sure that was basically the same as agreement.

He was certainly willing to take it as such.

“That is less than convincing,” Maria said. “What use could a coat rack possibly have to any plan at all?”

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand,” Noah said. “There’s a reason Vivian has me in charge of this instead of you. It’s my specialty.”

“Your specialty,” Maria repeated. She did not sound amused. “And exactly what would your specialty be?”

“You’ll see,” Noah replied. “Don’t worry. I’ve got a role for you as well. A much more active one.”

“Do you, now?” Maria asked. It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or not. “Then please, tell me. I am very curious to hear what you’ve come up with.”

“Well, it depends on one thing,” Noah said. He cleared his throat as the hints of a grin crawled across his lips. “You know how Vivian said we can’t cause too much of a commotion?”

“Yes,” Maria said. “I do believe that was her main command.”

“Right,” Noah said. His lips twitched into a faint smile. There was no reason he couldn’t have a little bit of fun with this. “So… could you give me a general range on exactly what quantifies as ?”

***

Noah swept through the party, his dark clothes rippling in his wake as he slipped through the crowds of combatants. It wasn’t hard for him to find the Apostles. Maria had indeed set him down just a short distance away from them. And fortunately for him, Kyyle’s face was rather memorable — in a punchable manner. The others were there as well. Crone and Audren, just like Maria had said.

Noah made straight for them.

He didn’t try to disguise his approach at all, and Kyyle spotted him coming immediately. His eyes widened slightly, then narrowed a moment afterward.

“How curious,” he said as Noah drew up to them. “I did not think I would be seeing you again. What a coincidence.”

The tone of his voice made it very, very clear that he didn’t suspect any manner of coincidence whatsoever.

“Coincidence had nothing to do with it,” Noah said flatly. “I hope you enjoyed our previous little display. That was the only free show you’re getting. You’ll have to work for the rest of them.”

“What are you on about?” Crone asked with a scowl. “You take a hit to the head?”

“You know what I’m talking about,” Noah said.

“I don’t believe we do,” Kyyle said. His lips curled. “But I have to admit that you made an impression the last time we met. Frying that demon—”

“He was far more than a demon,” Noah said with a thin smile that only barely made its presence known through his cloth mask. “But I think you already know that. We’re ready.”

“I’m afraid you’re losing me,” Kyyle said. His eyes narrowed slightly. “What are you talking about?”

“Come on,” Noah said, letting out an annoyed sigh. “You’re going to make me spell it out? We’ve already redirected Vivian’s attention. She’s focused on Og. We can put things into motion properly now that she’s distracted.”

Crone glanced at Kyyle as the faintest hint of surprise passed through his features. It wasn’t much. Barely more than a flick of the gaze. But that was enough to tell Noah that he wasn’t far off his target. They definitely knew Og.

“Focused on Og?” Kyyle asked. “Last I saw, you fried Og. I don’t think anyone’s focused on him anymore.”

Noah let out a small bark of laughter. “You think he would have gone down that easily? Come on. He’s perfectly fine. I barely hurt him. It just had to be convincing enough for the idiots here to fall for it.”

“What are you saying?” Audren asked.

Noah shook his head. “Look. I came to give you the courtesy. Plans have changed. We’ve decided to get things started a bit earlier. Vivian is distracted. It’s the perfect moment to have a little fun. So either join in… or don’t.”

“I don’t think I have the slightest idea as to what you’re talking about,” Kyyle said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

His eyes flicked to a patch of darkness lingering beneath a table to their side. “Well, have it your way. More for me. Just don’t come whining when you miss out.”

An icy cold presence swept through the room.

And then, with a cold hiss, every single light in the banquet hall snuffed out.

“No, you idiot!” Kyyle hissed. “Stop! It isn’t time yet! You’re going to ruin everything!”

Noah’s grin grew wider.

“I don’t think I ever asked for permission,” Noah said with a chuckle. He let chaos magic crackle across his fingertips as the roar confused conversation flooded the room all around them. “Keep up.”

And then he was gone, racing through the darkness, and the Apostles were right on his heels.