Return of the Runebound Professor

It took every scrap of self-control that Aylin had to keep his eye from twitching. Today was just one thing going wrong after the other without so much as a breather in between them.

Is Spider the Archdemon of Bad Luck or something? How can so many problems even exist? The most important thing I’ve ever had to deal with was getting enough food.

It wasn’t like he could run, though. Retreating from a challenge was the same as admitting he had been defeated — and that would mean he was no longer the streetlord. There was no way Spider would let him or any of the others live if they didn’t have any worth.

Streetlords could always have their second fight in their place if a fight wasn’t worth their effort, but the closest thing he had to a second right now was Robon. At Rank 2 and down a hand, Aylin was pretty sure the large demon somehow had even less of a chance against Vrith than he did.

“Did you want a weapon?” Robon repeated, the stress in his voice evident. “We don’t have much time before Vrith arrives.”

I don’t know how to use a damn weapon. What good would one do me?

“No need,” Aylin forced out with a shake of his head. “I’m fine as is.”

Robon inclined his head. The crowd around them murmured.

“He thinks he can beat Vrith without a weapon? How strong did Spider make him?” one demon muttered.

“The boy is a street rat,” another demon said. “He just has no idea what he’s up against. Vrith is just going to take care of this for us and Spider will put someone more competent in charge.”

Aylin tuned them out. Nothing they had to say would be of any use. Violet leaned close and lowered her voice to whisper into his ear.

“Can you fight someone like that?”

No. Spider didn’t make me that strong. And even if he did, I’m not immortal. I’ve barely ever been in a proper fight. Experience is going to count for more than anything else.

“I don’t know,” Aylin muttered back. His mind raced and blood thumped in the back of his head, threatening to drown out the whisper of the streets. He could do nothing but shake his head.

Spider definitely wasn’t going to interfere. Really, he couldn’t. If Spider wanted Aylin to have any semblance of proper respect as a streetlord, he couldn’t step in to kill every single threat that cropped up.

Aylin swallowed. Then he set his jaw. At the very least, he didn’t want to fight Vrith here. Not where Torick and Edda could see. There was the very small chance that he could come out on top if he managed to catch Vrith off guard.

He had no choice but to try and take it.

“Take Torick and Edda back to the tent,” Aylin said to Violet, speaking with as much confidence as he could muster. “I’m going to go deal with Vrith. I’ll be back soon.”

It would be really embarrassing if I get killed after saying something like that, but it’s not like I can be embarrassed after I’m dead.

Violet’s lips pressed thin. She definitely didn’t want to agree to his request, but one look at the crowd and the panic on the other two demons’ faces was enough to force a nod from her.

“Be careful,” Violet said.

Aylin just nodded. The crowd parted before him and he set off in the direction that Vrith was coming from, his back as stiff as a rod. He was pretty sure that his performance wasn’t fooling anyone. It didn’t matter.

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If he fought Vrith away from the others, there was always the miniscule chance that Spider would pull one more string to protect his investment. Aylin was pretty sure that was the only actual chance he had to win the fight against another Rank 3, even with the element of surprise on his side.

He strode away from the square and soon broke line of sight with the market square. A part of him was almost thankful for it. At least he wouldn’t have a huge audience. There would doubtlessly still be spotters watching the fight, but there was nothing he could do about that.

I need to find a way to survive this. I don’t want to leave Violet and Torick and Edda behind. They’re counting on me. If Vrith kills me, then who knows what Spider or the other demons will do to them.

But what can I do?

Aylin nearly missed a step as he heard footsteps coming toward him. He drew to a stop as he spotted a woman approaching from the far end of the street. She wore black leathers plated with metal around her vitals and bore two wicked looking short swords at her sides.

He wet his lips, picking up on her taste. It was difficult to read the demon. There was bitterness and strength, mixed with iron determination and… fear? Aylin’s brow furrowed. That couldn’t have been right. He didn’t have time to wonder further.

That’s definitely Vrith.

Aylin remained locked in place as she approached. Despite his desperation to succeed, his legs wouldn’t let him walk any farther toward her. The Rank 3 demon moved with the deadly grace of a sandsnake slithering across the Wastes. Vrith was beautiful in the manner which only a predator could be — the last thing that countless demons had likely seen before they’d been sent into the great beyond. Aylin’s heart sank even further.

A large part of him had expected her to be a hulking beast like Golon. He’d been hoping to rely on being faster than Vrith. Even if she’d been strong, it wouldn’t have mattered if she couldn’t hit him. That didn’t look like it would be the case. Vrith’s figure was lean and her movements were practiced. She was probably faster than him.

Should I try to attack before she’s ready? Can I even catch someone like that off guard?

Before Aylin knew it, Vrith stood across from him. His ears twitched as he picked up on movement on the rooftops above them. Unfortunately, they weren’t there to help. They were spotters. Maybe from his own gang, maybe from another one coming to see what was going on.

“You are from Spider’s gang,” Vrith said, the words dripping venom as they rolled from her lips. She wasn’t asking a question. “Take me to your streetlord.”

“I —” Aylin’s voice broke and he coughed. It was a small mercy that Violet wasn’t there. She never would have let him live that down, even as she accompanied him straight into the afterlife when Vrith killed them both. “I am the streetlord.”

Vrith stared down at Aylin. He’d grown slightly since reaching Rank 3, but she was still a full head taller than him. Her dark eyes sparkled with incredulity. “You?”

“Yes,” Aylin said, setting his jaw. This was it. At the very least, he refused to die like a sniveling cub. He shifted his stance and drew on his Rune, letting the heat pumping through his body intensify.

The temptation to strike before Vrith could built, but he crushed it. That was the move of a weakling. A vision of Spider killing Golon flashed through Aylin’s mind.

If I manage to live long enough, that’s what I want to be like. And if I don’t… then the only thing I can do is choose to die like that. Not a coward, but a real Rank 3 demon. I won’t die while failing to get a cheap shot off.

“I’m the streetlord. Spider selected me to lead Golon’s gang.” Aylin locked eyes with Vrith and crushed the fear swirling in his chest with even more power. He drank from his rune and prepared to burst into motion.

His ears twitched as a footstep caught his attention in an alley beside them. He didn’t dare take his eyes from Vrith, but he tasted the sea of blood that was Lee as she emerged from the darkness.

“That’s him,” Lee said cheerfully. “You found him even faster than I did! That may have been because I stopped for a snack break, though. Whoops. Sorry, Aylin.”

The apology makes it pretty clear that she and Spider aren’t about to help me out. I’m on my own.

“It’s fine,” Aylin said through gritted teeth. The longer this dragged on, the more the anticipation ate away at his stomach. “If you’re here to challenge me, then I’m prepared to take your challenge.”

Will Vrith even give me the respect of a proper challenge? How is she going to attack? Her swords are sheathed. A kick? Her claws?

Vrith shifted. Aylin flinched, raising his hands — only to find that Vrith hadn’t drawn her weapons or gone to strike him. She’d dropped to her knees before him. As Aylin watched in abject disbelief, the terrifying demoness pressed her forehead to the ground.

“My deepest apologies. My name is Vrith. Vroth, the former streetlord of the Ravager gang, is dead at my hand. I have taken his place.” Vrith lifted her gaze to meet Aylin’s once more. “And I have come to pledge fealty to you, as per Spider’s command.”

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