Return of the Runebound Professor

“You know Wizen,” Noah said.

It wasn’t a question.

The perfectly clean throne room was silent for a long second. Belkus sat in his towering throne made of bone, features unreadable once more, his massive form looming over them. He was a patch of white in a sea of red. Belkus looked down on the group of demons and Noah.

“I do not know him,” Belkus allowed. “But I do know of him. What relation do you have to him?”

“I came here in pursuit of him,” Noah replied. It wasn’t technically a complete lie. He had come in pursuit. He’d followed Wizen into the Damned Plains. It just hadn’t been entirely intentional. “Once I have a way to deal with him, I have nothing more I seek from this area. You will not find me in Treadon again.”

“Your answers have done more to pique my curiosity than if you had said nothing.” Belkus leaned forward, his features tightening. “What relation do you have with Wizen, Spider?”

“Enemies,” Noah replied without an instant of hesitation. “I seek his life.”

Belkus’ posture relaxed. The massive demon let himself lean back in his chair, then grimaced as the sharp bone dug into his back and shifted his position once more. He interlaced his fingers together.

“Good. Then perhaps you are correct,” Belkus allowed. “There may be something we can aid each other with. I want you gone from my city, Spider. I do not want you in a location in which you can aid the Rising Moon in her plots against me.”

“I think I would be amiable to that,” Noah said. He wasn’t so sure that would actually do anything to Yoru’s plans. After all, if she was actually using her powers, she’d have already calculated that this was the most likely outcome of the meeting.

She’d chosen to leave, which meant that she didn’t think that the results of what happened here would hurt her. Either that or she was actually holding off on using her magic. There was a small — a very small — chance that Yoru actually didn’t know what Belkus was offering.

Noah wasn’t about to bet on it.

If she’s let things get to this point… I get the feeling Belkus might not be fighting what he thinks. Her idea of victory and Belkus’ might be completely different from each other. Either that or I just have absolutely no idea what she’s gunning at. Maybe a mixture of the two.

“Then I will give you what you desire,” Belkus said. “Wizen resides within the Golden City.”

That name again. The place near the Black Reaches?

…the one with Sievan?

“He does?” Zath asked, his armored head tilting to the side in surprise. “That’s a surprise. I didn’t expect him to be so direct. It looked like he was planning on taking a far more roundabout manner. He must be moving quickly.”

Noah looked back at Zath. “You’re aware of him as well?”

“I am. Wizen sent a challenge to Lord Sievan some short time ago,” Zath replied with an offhand shrug. “But Sievan does not accept duels. He has no reason to. There is no demon that resides within the Damned Plains that could ever hope to defeat him. Pointless challenges are nothing but a waste of time to him — but I must say, Wizen had a rather persuasive way of sending word.”

“And what way was that?” Noah asked.

“He sent a Demon Lord,” Belkus said, a dangerous edge forming in his voice.

“Skolas,” Zath said with a nod. Some of the easygoing air that had enveloped the intimidating demon slipped away as a cold aura seeped out from him and prickled against Noah’s skin. “And Skolas delivered quite a message. I must say, Spider, I now find myself more interested in you. What history do you have with Wizen?”

“A lot,” Noah replied. He forced himself to avoid swallowing. Wizen had managed to use his Mind Runes on a Rank 7 Demon Lord. If he got to more of them… the fight was just over. His whole plan had been to build an army that could match Wizen’s. If Wizen had the Demon Lords from the Damned Plains under his thumb, the fight would be impossible. “More than I care to go through now. Are you telling me that Wizen is controlling a Demon Lord?”

“Not exactly,” Zath replied. He studied Noah’s expression for a moment. “It would be easier to show you. Do I have your permission, Lord Belkus? I would not draw on my power in your castle without it.”

“I did not take you for a polite one,” Belkus said dryly.

“It is not politeness. I would inconvenience Lord Sievan if I were to kill you.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Belkus let out a snort, but there was more than a little displeasure in it. He waved a hand irritably. “Use your power. The sanctity of this meeting has already been violated enough. It may as well be put down like a sick animal.”

“With pleasure,” Zath said. He clapped his hands together, and an echo resounded through the room. Noah’s ears pulsed. A low hum filled the air as the huge demon pulled his gauntleted hands apart.

Strands of black lightning crackled between his palms. Smoke poured out from the churning energy and spilled across the floor in a wave. It rolled past Noah, chilling as it passed by his skin. The dark smoke climbed up the walls and rose over their heads, forming a rumbling storm above them.

Shapes started to form in the smoke. Walls of twisting, misty black magic rose to stand in the center of the room. Figures took shape in the darkness, initially nothing more than faint blobs, but quickly gaining detail.

Pressure roared around Noah — but it didn’t crush him. It was if the power came from every direction, competing against itself and preventing it from becoming oppressive. That was no coincidence.

The demon was holding his power back.

Noah’s hair stood on end. A demon powerful enough to use this much external magic at this level would have been powerful enough.

The scene continued to paint itself. Detail appeared in the walls to the point where he could make out the minor imperfections of the pitch black wall across from him. It was like someone had taken a video in black and white, then tossed Noah right into its center.

A shadow passed over his head.

Noah turned, then stepped back.

A fifteen-foot tall demon clad in destroyed armor loomed above him. He was made up of shadows and devoid of any color but black and gray, but the detail was so intricate that Noah could have plucked a hair from his chin had he been so inclined.

The shadow passed right through Noah. His figure parted into trails of smoke as he passed through Noah, then reformed just beyond him.

“Sievan!” the figure roared, his words tearing through the room and making Noah flinch. He hadn’t expected the shadow to actually speak.

A demon peered over the top of the towering wall. His face was a flat pool of shadow, devoid of any defining features or shapes. He moved as if he were yelling something back, but no sound emerged from him.

“I was the Demon known as Skolas,” the massive Demon Lord continued, entirely unperturbed by whatever the guard had called down to him. His voice echoed through the room like roaring thunder. The demon pounded a fist against his destroyed armor. “I bear a Challenge for you, Lord of Death, on behalf of Wizen the Lifeweaver. I seek your life. Meet me in battle, or I will rip your city apart brick by brick.”

Skolas raised a hand, then plunged it straight into his chest with a crunch and a squelch. Shadows splattered out like blood as the Demon Lord ripped his own heart clean free of his ribcage.

Rivers of darkness poured down his chest and arm. The Demon Lord lifted the heart into the air. He held it aloft like a torch, staring defiantly up at the city, and spoke no more.

“He died standing,” Zath provided. He flicked his hand and the shadows vanished, pouring back into his body. “Wizen made quite a statement. This is far from the first time a Demon Lord has been killed. It’s not even the most brutal way it’s happened… but I have to say, a death like that leaves quite an impression.”

“Is Sievan going to take him up on the challenge?” Noah asked.

“No idea,” Zath replied with a shrug. “Sievan does not keep me partial to all his goings. I doubt it. He rarely accepts challenges. Killing a single Rank 7 does not make you strong enough to draw his attention… but if Wizen keeps at it, well, it’s possible. I do believe he’s currently attempting to draw Sievan’s attention by making his way through the City of Gold and killing some of the Denlords that reside beneath it.”

“He is powerful,” Belkus said. “And you possess a way to stop Wizen, Spider?”

No.

“Yes.”

I figure killing him should do the trick. Pulling it off might be the hard part.

Why is Wizen able to mow through demons like this? He was strong back in the mortal realm… but not like this. Could it have something to do with Mind Runes and how demons have linked souls and bodies? Or is it something else entirely?

“Either way, sending him over to Sievan will get him out of your city,” Zath said cheerfully. “Seems like a win to me.”

“You just want to end the audience so you can complete your task,” Belkus said, his eyes narrowing.

“Correct,” Zath said. “This has been interesting, but my time is not infinite. I have things to do — and kill.”

Hopefully he’s not doing both to the same thing.

“It seems I have a solution worked out before me. One that has laid itself out quite well,” Belkus said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Perhaps too well. You will leave Treadon?”

Noah almost nodded, but caught himself right before he could. A thought struck him and he had to fight a smile off before it could take form.

Maybe I can get a bit more out of this.

“Eventually, yes. I can’t defeat him as I am now. I need more power. Once I have amassed the strength I need, I will seek Wizen out. This meeting with Sievan is for unrelated reasons. He wants something I possess.”

Belkus’ lips thinned. “And if I were to want you to leave immediately?”

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” Noah said slowly, as if he were turning the idea over in his mouth. “I am not an unreasonable man. You want me gone. I want Wizen dead. Perhaps we could meet in the middle. I will not say why, but my method to defeating Wizen involves a large number of Runes. Specifically, Mind Runes. I had been planning to amass them over some time, but if you were willing to expedite the process…”

“You are attempting to blackmail me with the promise of your own departure,” Belkus said. He did not sound impressed.

“Correct,” Noah said.

“Were you not with Yoru, I would have crushed you on the spot… but I fear that may be exactly what she desires.”

Noah shrugged. “Maybe. Getting crushed would be mildly annoying, but death holds no grasp on me. I would be back, Belkus. I always come back.”

“Death demons,” Belkus growled, the words rumbling in his chest like a curse. He squinted at Noah. The corner of his lips curled up in something between a smile and a sneer. “Cockroaches, more like. Very well. Perhaps we can come to an agreement.”

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