Chapter 359: The Hound

Chapter 359: The Hound

If Father had been looking for the exact set of words that would have made Noah happy, he found them. Noah nearly let a grin slip across his face before he caught it mid-formation, settling for a mildly uninteresting nod in its place.

He should prove beneficial. I have one more question before I leave, then. Do you mind?

Youd ask it whether I said yes or not, Father said wryly. Ask. I do not guarantee a response.

What will Wizen do if I go around killing his clones? Unless hes obscenely powerful, he cant have all that many of them. So when they all get squished, Id imagine hell be mad. Is he going to lose it entirely?

Youre asking if hell be baited into a stupid decision or revealing himself, yes? Father tilted his head to the side, considering the question. Its hard to say. Wizen is a man who often has many layers to his work. I respect him for it, but it makes him a rather difficult opponent. It would be ill advised to believe he will fold after you inconvenience him.

I figured that was too much to ask, but it was worth a shot, Noah said. Thats actually everything, then. I dont suppose youve got anything else for me?

Fathers response was to reach under the desk and pull out another slip of paper with a Rune on it, sliding it across the desk to Noah.

Just to contact me should you find more information of any degree of interest. I am quite curious to see how you will end up doing against Wizen. Curious enough that I may be willing to lend more aid than normal, should the situation prove appropriate.

Which is another way for you to say youll do more if it gets me into your debt and really screws either me or Wizen in the long term. I was wondering why Father was being so open with the information, but I think the answer is staring me right in the face.

Father is pitting two people he wants taken out against each other. Even if he isnt working with Wizen directly, I cant assume he isnt feeding him any information. Thats why he stopped me from telling him what Im going to do. Son of a bitch.

Is something amiss? Father asked.

Nothing at all. There wasnt anything else, was there?

There was not.

Noah nodded and stepped through the portal. He didnt bother bidding Father farewell, and Father returned the favor. With a fizzling hiss and a pop, Noah found himself standing back in his room.

I wonder if I should have asked to stick around in the Linwick Estate so I could try to find Jalen, but that might have been a bad idea. I dont think Father knows about my ties to Jalen yet, so I shouldnt overplay my hand.

As the room took form around Noah, he spotted Moxie and Lee standing behind the shrinking portal, watching it warily. Neither of them relaxed until the portal had completely faded away.

Well? Moxie asked. Howd it go?

About as well as I expected. And, if Im willing to risk divine retribution for getting too cocky, I might even say it went better than I had been hoping for.

Right then. Where exactly are you getting stuck? Noah asked.

Mostly in keeping the pattern around after I start to picture it, Moxie said. Getting started isnt too difficult, but the moment I start trying to hold the pattern in place, I find that it slips away.

Can you demonstrate? Noah asked. If I see what youre doing, I should be able to hopefully point you in the right direction.

Moxie nodded, closing her eyes to concentrate, and they got to work.

***

Rafael stood before the towering walls of the enormous Bastion, their shade blocking out the sun overhead. The Inquisitors hand tightened around his rosary as he drew in a deep breath, letting the myriad of scents in the air filter through his mind.

He could feel it. The demon that had killed his men the one that bore the answers that he sought it was close. It was so close that he could almost feel it, but the musk of the city obscured his power.

There were so many people, so many forms of magic churning and twisting, all striving to block his sight. To block him. They would not. Rafael had the scent, as muddled and faded as it was.

Hed never had a demon scent this elusive before, and he didnt know what it meant but if anything, that only drove him even harder. Rafael let his free hand brush against the dog head carved into the hilt of his sword.

Clear energy rang through him, pushing away the feelings of fear and confusion. It shoved back the concern of failure and magnitude of the task before him. All that remained was completing his duty. There was something of value here. Not just to him, but to the Inquisition.

Whoever this demon was had done a great job of hiding themselves, and that meant figuring out how theyd done it would then unveil countless ways to discover other demons that lurked amongst humans.

I cannot fail. The lives of countless people all rely on this singular hunt. The trail is faint, but it is there nonetheless.

Running a thumb along the beads of his rosary, Rafael stepped into Arbitage. A tingle ran down his spine as he strode down the busy streets. There were powerful beings in Arbitage. Some of them might have been allies should he seek them out, but others most certainly would not have been.

It didnt matter one way or the other. Rafael didnt dare risk the missions for something as paltry as fear. The demon couldnt have advanced much since its fight against Inaros and Johan, so it was unlikely it would be able to properly challenge him.

The demons ally may be difficult, but demons are fickle creatures. The chances of the ally sticking around the demon this long after the initial fight is relatively low. I cant discount it, of course. I will strike quickly and end the fight before it can properly begin.

His Runes churned within his chest, emanating pressure as they worked to track the demon. Blood magic was difficult to control and using it when there were so many competing sources of information all vying for his attention was even harder.

The blood in the vial and all the years of skill under his belt were the only things that gave him a lifeline to hang onto. And, in the vortex of competing energy that sought to confuse his powers, a thin strand held firm. It was so faint that most Inquisitors would likely have lost it by now, but Rafael was not most inquisitors.

He was the Hound, and the Hound followed until its duty was done.