A dozen different ideas rose and died within Noah’s thoughts in an instant. He couldn’t be the one to go fight Carmen. It would be completely pointless. In fact, it would be worse than pointless. Fighting Carmen would be the one thing that would actually help Alice. That, of course, was the exact opposite of Noah’s goals.

He wanted that rune for himself. But if he just told Alice to kick rocks, then she’d probably kill him on the spot. There would be no reason for her to want to leave him at her back. Attacking him would become a win-win situation for her. If Noah had been telling the truth about being stronger than he appeared, then he’d be a threat. She couldn’t leave him unattended. And if he’d been lying — which he had — then he would be dealt with and out of the way.

And it’s not like I can actually fight Carmen. She’ll probably end up killing me just as easily as Alice would.

Dying here isn’t exactly the end of the world. I don’t have my gourd, after all. It’s still back in Moxie’s room. Don’t have my Grimoire either. There aren’t many tools open to me… but there’s no way I’m passing up on a whole ass Rank 6 Rune. That’s 7 Rank 5’s. It would be invaluable. Not just to me, but to any of the students or Moxie or Lee. It doesn’t matter what that rune is. There’s no way I can leave without doing everything I can to get my hands on it.

“Sure thing,” Noah said, realizing that his time to stand around like a doofus was running out. Doing nothing would be about as bad as outright refusing to help Alice. “I’d be happy to. I do hope you’ve got a good idea on how to unwind that Rune from its cage quickly, though. I’m still a disciple. One down an arm. Carmen is going to hand my ass to you on a silver platter.”

“What?” Alice’s eyes narrowed. “Wasn’t the whole point of you coming here to help me? And now you’re saying you can’t even hold Carmen off?”

Across the arena, Carmen eyed them all warily. A part of Noah wondered if it was common for half the members of the test to all show up in one group. He couldn’t imagine it was. That was a good thing. The more hesitant she was, the more likely he could find a way to wiggle out of this situation on top.

“It would have been considerably easier if you hadn’t been so stubborn on testing me,” Noah replied with a one-shouldered shrug.

“Maybe you should have used some of that strength you claim to have to prove you can fight instead of letting me just cut your arm off,” Alice said sarcastically.

“Why would I do that?” Noah tilted his head in confusion. “I did make myself clear, didn’t I? I don’t care what happens to you. I don’t care if you win or not. I’m only helping as a favor. No part of me has a vested interest in actually seeing you succeed or not. Why would I interfere with you shooting yourself in the foot?”

It was a weak argument. One that definitely wouldn’t hold up under much scrutiny. Fortunately for Noah, Alice didn’t exactly have time to pick through his words. Carmen was slowly making her way toward them.

The caution wouldn’t hold the other disciple back forever. And, if she was the reason Kyyle had blackmailed Noah to help, then she wasn’t going to be anywhere near an easy fight. Alice had to know that. The pressure from Carmen growing closer would be perfect to force her hand. As long as she had to focus on Vaugh’s disciple—

“Carmen,” Cyn said, stepping forward. “I would like to fight you. I have been waiting for this since our previous meeting. Will you engage me?”

Goddamn it. Seriously? Why now? And why is this guy the literal opposite of his teacher? I swear Audren could barely even string a few sentences together without sounding like a caveman. Why is Cyn so well-spoken? Aren’t students meant to mirror their masters? Or was that dogs?

“As long we keep it short. I have no plans of letting Alice win this,” Carmen replied, rolling her neck. She clapped her hands together with a resounding crack.

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A wave of energy rolled past Noah’s face even from where he stood across the arena. And, as Carmen pulled her hands apart, a shimmering golden halberd materialized in the air before her. It burned with such intensity that he was forced to squint.

Carmen grabbed the halberd and spun it in the air before slamming it down on the ground before her. Cracks raced through the stone, letting golden light spill free like the sun itself were trapped beneath her feet.

Then she exploded into motion.

Noah could barely even track her movement. Even the increased reaction speed that the Fragment of Self gave him was just enough to keep up with her speed. Cyn blurred as well, but his speed was far easier for Noah to follow.

The two of them met just under a dozen feet away from where Noah and Alice stood. Gray wind twisted around Cyn an instant before Carmen’s halberd blurred into him. The glowing weapon slammed into the wind with a grating shriek. A wave of runic pressure slammed into Noah, sending him skidding a step back from its sheer intensity.

Holy shit. These are some crazy Rank 6s. I don’t think Evergreen ever mustered magic like this. Were her runes just a steaming pile of shit?

“Go,” Alice said. “Help Cyn deal with her. That will buy me the time I need to figure out how to break the rune out of whatever this cage is.”

Well, shit. Now I really am out of good excuses. I don’t think she’s going to think much of wanting to let them have an honorable round of combat.

Another wave of pressure tore through the maze as Carmen’s halberd slammed into the wind surrounding Cyn. The armored disciple skidded back, forced away by the magical energy burning within the woman’s weapon.

Huh. That’s kind of a similar fighting style to what Isabel uses now that I think about it. Maybe I can get some pointers for her somehow.

“Now! Buy me time,” Alice snapped, striding toward the pillar in the center of the arena.

Gah. What do I do?

There was only one good piece of information. Alice didn’t know how to get the rune free. She needed Noah to keep Carmen off her back… which meant it would probably take at least a little time for her to figure out how to free the rune.

If her attention stays off me, then I should be able to kind of just lurk in the corner while Cyn and Carmen fight. With any luck, I’ll then be able to swoop in and yoink the rune out from under Alice’s nose at the last second. Either that or I find a way to accidentally let Carmen slip past me and get on Alice’s ass.

Noah’s hair blew back as another wave of force slammed in to him. Carmen was practically a streak of light as she danced around Cyn. Echoing crashes rolled through the air of the maze and the air flashed with impacts of golden light.

It was all Noah could do to follow the afterimages of Carmen’s halberd slamming into the swirling mist surrounding Cyn. He couldn’t even tell if the armored disciple was fighting back. Cyn just seemed to be standing there and taking the hits.

Alice arrived at the pillar and reached out, placing her hands on either side of the black energy binding the Rank 6 Rune. Her expression tightened and concentration creased her features.

Even though Noah couldn’t see any magic, the dark strands of energy started to bubble and shift. They didn’t look like they were going anywhere soon… but she was doing something. It was probably only a matter of time before Kyyle’s apprentice got what she was looking for.

Hopefully just a little bit less time than it takes Carmen to beat—

A form blurred through the air above Noah.

He glanced up just in time to watch Cyn sail through the sky and vanish over the wall of the maze above him, coils of twisting golden energy enveloping his entire body as if he’d been transformed into the world’s most glamorous meteor.

Goddamn it. Today is an unlucky day, isn’t it?

You know what? New plan. I’m just going to do shitall and let Carmen go right for Alice. After seeing that last fight, there’s absolutely no way that Alice is strong enough to both go after me and hold her own against Carmen.

Noah turned —

And he found a pair of molten green eyes about an inch away from his own.

Carmen was standing right in front of him. He hadn’t even heard her move. She’d just appeared. The disciple’s control over both her body and soul had to be incredible. Even Cyn had made some noise when he’d arrived, and he hadn’t been glowing like a runaway Christmas tree.

Rune Force slammed down on Noah’s shoulders like a ten ton hammer. It took everything he had to keep himself standing. Surprise twisted through him. Carmen wasn’t a Rank 7 — but she still had Rune Force.

Carmen was, without a doubt, the strongest Rank 6 that Noah had ever seen.

Yup. Today is unlucky. I knew it.