Return of the Runebound Professor

Bixx’s tongue ran along her lips as she stalked down the moonlit street. The world was silent around her, bar the footfalls of the two demons flanking her sides. They swept down the street like they were the shadows themselves, untouched by the light and unseen by all.

Several times, they came so close to a human passerby that Bixx could have extended a clawed finger and slit their throat with a lazy flick. The urge to kill welled in her stomach like hot lead — but she bit it down.

There would be no distractions tonight. The Greaters orders had been abundantly clear. Tonight was an opportunity. A path into the ranks of the True — to stand by the Herald himself. There were dozens of them who had been given the blessing to partake in this glorious opportunity.

Only few would succeed. The base desires of the world would swallow the rest. The demons who could not control themselves, those who failed to keep the True at the forefront of their minds, those who could not follow the only path of salvation; they would crumble away.

Bixx was not one of them.

Her dagger felt heavy in her hand. It was no illusion. The blade had always borne more weight to it than a normal one. Far too long had passed since the last time she had fed it. If it were not watered soon, then its fang would turn against her.

But that would be of no concern. Her fasting had ended. Tonight, her blade would drink. The True had given Bixx’s team their targets. She had been given their names, appearances, and location.

And that was it. She did not know the identities of the fellow Truthseekers that traveled alongside her, nor did she care to. They were irrelevant. Even the identities of the Greaters did not matter.

Those who truly walked along the path of the True knew only the Herald. He was the only one who needed to be seen within the masses. So long as his grace extended to Bixx, then she would stand alongside the ranks of any who he saw fit to bless.

Her targets.

A small group of fools that dared to rise up against the Herald with a false prophet. The sheer arrogance of such a foolish ideal was astounding. It was one thing to attempt standing before the path of the True. All such fools would die.

But to claim that the True Herald was the False, and the False was True — that was spitting in the eye of God.

Their blood will absolve their sins. Their death will pave the way to the True. Their life will be spent in purchase of my future, and their death will earn them theirs.

Bixx came to a stop. Her gaze lifted to the building rising before her. It was silent, windows devoid of light. Dozens of little mortal forms slept within it. Their necks were wide open in beg of Bixx’s blade — but she would not let it feast upon them today.

The True did not have space for a ravenous fool. She would eat the course served to her and no more. Her hand trembled as her fingers tightened around the hilt of the dagger. It was starving, now.

Her eyes lifted to a room on the third floor. From the information the True had given her, one of their targets slumbered within it. They were blissfully unaware of the salvation approaching them, lambs who would pass from this life into the next in peace.

Bixx envied them. A gentle passing into the arms of the Herald. There were few who were granted such mercy. Those who knew of his grace were dutybound to bring others to what they could only possess themselves through immense suffering.

But such is our role. I will carve my way to stand before the Herald, and I will join those whom I send to him today.

The two Truthseekers at her sides waited patiently. She knew they hungered just as much as she did — but the Greater had put her in charge of this mission. Hers was the blade that would cut first.

Responsibility weighed upon her shoulders. Even though she did not know their identities, their future laid upon her. Her faith in the Herald would be what granted them victory or failure.

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I will not let our souls down. We will bear witness to the Herald and rip the False Herald from the vile throne of lies he has crafted.

Bixx took a step toward the building, preparing to leap into the air. Clearing the distance between herself and the window would be a simple matter. There were enough rough surfaces in the cracks of the stone for her to find purchase in.

Silence was her greatest ally. Not a single noise could be allowed to purposelessly—

A soft, almost gentle, thud to Bixx’s side drove into her ears like a spike. Her head snapped to the side.

One of the Truthseekers that had accompanied her lay on the ground, sprawled as if in a deep sleep. Not so much as a trace of movement remained within their body. It was perfectly and utterly still.

They were dead.

An attacker. One of the False Prophet’s soldiers must be awake. Did they see us coming? No. Impossible.

Bixx shifted her stance. She drew on every one of her senses, focusing intently on her surroundings as she joined up with the other Truthseeker, each using the other to protect their back.

Her tongue flicked through the air.

Then her eyes narrowed.

A patch of air before her was wrong. Magic tainted it like a vile, sickly poison.

“Damn,” a male voice said, weariness dripping from his words like honey. “That easily? What a pain.”

The air rippled as a young human took form before her, stepping out from the nothingness and running a hand through his messy hair. His eyes bore the exhaustion of a being ten times his age and he walked with a hunch as if he’d just been forced out of bed.

Bixx knew him.

This was one of the False Prophet’s soldiers.

The one she’d expected to see least.

This is the one known as James. He is supposed to be asleep… and he was not supposed to have any ability of worth beyond being invisible. Why is he awake? And what manner of magic did he use to kill the other Truthseeker?

Bixx’s hand tightened around the grip of her dagger. None of her questions mattered. A target walked before her.

The target would die.

“I don’t suppose we could do this some other time?” James asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was feeling a bit motivated earlier, but getting spotted really kind of just killed my vibe.”

Bixx blurred into motion. The Truthseeker at her back joined her in the charge as they dashed out in a pincer formation, each diving at James at the exact same time.

Her blade found nothing but air as it passed through James. His form rippled like a mirage in the lake, blowing away and fading from view.

Bixx spun as James reformed behind her. She raised her dagger, preparing for a counterattack, but they boy didn’t even try to press his advantage. He just stood back, watching the demons with exhausted eyes.

His control of light is considerably more significant than what was reported. No matter. I am not so weak as to be fooled by mere illusions. Whatever technique he used to kill the other Truthseeker will not work now that we are prepared.

“Seriously,” James said. “Look, maybe I can go find my professor for you. Then he can kill you nice and fast, save us both the trouble. How’s that sound? Won’t take long at all.”

A thin smile pulled at Bixx’s lips.

James’ voice wasn’t coming exactly from the location of his mouth. It actually arose from slightly to the side by about a foot. He might have been able to bend light, but sound gave him away.

The boy might have been more skilled than expected, but he was still nothing but a mewling pup trying to stall for time — and a foolish one at that. Failing to retrieve help the moment the fight had started had been the only mistake he would make tonight.

Bixx exploded into motion. She closed the distance between herself and the location that James’ voice came from in a split second, bringing her dagger slamming home.

Her efforts were rewarded with a hefty thump and a strangled, pained wheeze. Hot blood spilled across her palms and the air before her rippled. James materialized within a shimmer of light, his eyes bulging.

He clutched at his stomach as Bixx ripped her dagger free. The boy’s lips worked as he tried to muster a word, but the strength didn’t reach his lips. He pitched forward and landed on the ground with a thump.

A moment later, he was still. Bixx flicked the blood from her blade and turned up toward the building behind them. Precious seconds had been wasted, but one of her targets was dead. The night would not wait for her. There were still more lives to herd into the True.

The corners of Bixx’s lip twitched down into the faintest frown. She glanced at the body lying at her feet. It didn’t so much as budge.

She’d barely even registered the kill. The boy hadn’t seemed that weak… but his blood was so worthless that it hadn’t even fed her dagger.

“Pathetic,” Bixx murmured.

But the Herald would give no lenience for any more burned time. It did not matter how powerful her targets were. All that mattered was that they drew breath no more when the sun rose.

She exchanged a sharp nod with the other Truthseeker before darting back into motion.

And, at her side, her dagger grew only heavier still.