Aether's Guard

by Schinhofen, Daniel

  “Thank you, Nessa,” Yukiko said. “What’re we having?”

  “Cherry bane fowl with sides of cherry rice and lightly sautéed vegetables,” Nessa replied. She placed plates down in front of them both. “I’ll be back to check on you. Please, enjoy.”

  When the door closed behind Nessa, Yukiko nodded. “That explains the cherry incense. It was making me hungry for cherries.”

  “Vana made excellent food for us before,” Gregory said. “I’m sure this will be no different.”

  “I agree,” Yukiko said. “Thank you for this birthday meal, my heart.”

  “It’s my pleasure to make you happy, my heart,” Gregory replied.

  ~*~*~

  Nessa came back to check on them as they were finishing the last bites on their plates. “Did you enjoy it?”

  “Your mother is a great cook,” Yukiko said.

  “Everything was perfect,” Gregory added.

  “I’ll let her know,” Nessa beamed. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

  “Two bitter beans, with butter and sugar on the side,” Gregory said, “and the dessert.”

  Nessa collected the empty dishes. “I’ll bring them right back.”

  “Dessert?” Yukiko asked when Nessa left. “If it’s too big, I might not be able to go anywhere.”

  “I’m positive Vana will make sure it isn’t too much,” Gregory chuckled.

  “That’s true. She seems to know how much her guests can handle.”

  The dessert was cherry tarts, which they both devoured with glee. With the meal ended, Nessa thanked them for their patronage. Gregory pulled out most of what was left of his stipend, making sure he paid before they finished their bitter bean.

  “Thank you again, dear one,” Yukiko said as they got up to leave. “It was wonderful. Another bite and I might not have been able to walk.”

  “I could carry you,” Gregory said, “but I’m sure that would be frowned upon.”

  “Not by me,” Yukiko said.

  “Come on— your final gift awaits you,” Gregory said as he opened the door. “Dinner tonight is from everyone.”

  As they entered the taproom, they found a small gathering of eurtiks, who gave them wide smiles and greeted them. One of them was Mumisa, Murium’s mother. Yukiko guided them to her table, giving the woman a smile.

  “Hello, again,” Mumisa smiled. “My daughter told me that she is employed by a clan now to care for their archive. Your clan.”

  “Aether’s Guard,” Yukiko said softly. “That’s the clan we joined, but it isn’t our clan. We’re the youngest members of it.”

  “Only for this year,” the same wolf-eurtik who had spoken to them last time said. “My daughter will be an adult next year. If Aether smiles, she’ll be going to the academy, and if she does, she’ll be joining your clan.”

  “I wish the best for her, Mister…” Gregory trailed off.

  “I’m Gufta Lyall,” the wolf-eurtik introduced himself. “My daughter is Daciana.”

  “I wish the best for Daciana,” Gregory said.

  “Thank you,” Gufta grinned.

  “If you’ll excuse us, we have places we need to be,” Gregory said.

  “Of course,” Gufta said.

  “I’m ready, Greg. Sorry for the delay,” Yukiko said, having finished her conversation with Mumisa.

  “It’s fine. I was talking to Gufta. A good day to you all,” Gregory said to the room as a whole.

  “The rickshaw is ready,” Nessa said, coming in the front door.

  “Thank you, Nessa,” Yukiko smiled. “Have a good day, and thank you for your excellent service.”

  Nessa gave them a smile. “Thank you for your patronage.”

  ~*~*~

  When they arrived at Gin’s old home, Gregory asked the rickshaw driver to return an hour before sundown, making sure the man was given a little extra to assure it. With their ride secured for later, he led Yukiko to the front door.

  “The last gift is here,” Gregory grinned as he knocked on the door. “It’s a little odd, but I hope you like it.”

  “I’m sure I will, dear one.”

  The door opened a moment later, revealing an older woman that could have easily been related to Dia. “Ah, you’ve arrived. Good. Your guests are waiting for you.”

  “Thank you,” Gregory said as they stepped inside and exchanged shoes for slippers. “Hopefully they haven’t waited too long?”

  “Not too long,” the woman replied. “I’ll show you the way.”

  “Thank you, Miss…?” Yukiko fished.

  “I’m Baylyss. You know my sister, Dia,” she replied.

  That statement hit Gregory like a battering ram. He knew that magi aged much slower, but it was driven home in that moment. Based on her appearance, Baylyss looked like she would have been Dia’s mother or grandmother.

  His thoughts were shelved when they reached the room. Inside, three people were sitting at a table with a few decks of cards and dice, along with Shogi and Go boards. Gregory watched Yukiko, who examined the room.

  “To help us learn the games for our third year?” Yukiko guessed.

  “That was my thought. It seemed like a good idea to have some practice with them. It’s a learning experience, which is good for us and relaxing.”

  Yukiko gave him a smile. “This is a good idea, Greg. You’re thinking well ahead, and that makes me happy.”

  Gregory’s brow furrowed slightly. “You already know how to play them all well?”

  “Go, yes. Shogi, I’m not good at. Cards, I’ve tried my hand in a number of variants, and dice... I think I know the basics. Gin and Lin didn’t let me play with the men often, so my knowledge there is very spotty.”

  Gregory sighed, “Oh.”

  “Greg,” Yukiko said, turning to face him, “this is a good gift. It’s good for both of us, and I’m happy with it. I will not lie to you.”

  Seeing her honesty, Gregory felt his lips twitch upward. “Okay. You say it, so I believe it, Yuki.”

  “Where did you want to start?” one of the men at the table asked.

  “I’d like to start with dice. That’s my biggest weakness,” Yukiko said, drifting over to the table.

  “That’s where we’ll start, then,” the man smiled.

  ~*~*~

  The sun was just starting to set when they arrived back at the academy and followed a couple of other novices through the postern gate. The initiate on duty at the gate checked their medallions, his eyebrows shooting up when he saw the seven rings glowing with power.

  “Novices, names?”

  “Pettit and Warlin,” Gregory said.

  “Ah, the champion and runner-up? That makes sense. A good day to you both.”

  “You, too, sir,” Gregory replied. Putting their medallions away, they headed for the clan hall.

  A couple of minutes later, after taking some of the lesser-traveled paths, Yukiko spoke up, “He was surprised about our rank until he knew who we were. I wonder what that’ll be like in another month.”

  “When we’re up another rank? I’d say incredulousness. When we break into apprentice before the end of the year, that’s when we’re likely to get scrutinized.”

  “Yes, that sounds right,” Yukiko said. “Tomorrow is the new year and I find myself looking forward to it for the first time in a long time.”

  “You weren’t looking forward to this new year?”

  “It would have meant me going to Bouldin to marry,” Yukiko said softly.

  “Wouldn’t that have stopped you from following in your father’s footsteps?”

  “For a few years, at least, but I would’ve forced my way into that role in my husband’s house. I had to give up that dream when I became a magi. It would’ve taken longer to reach it... first, my duty to the empire, then to my husband. Things changed when I arrived here, though. I met my heart and my old dreams vanished like ephemeral mist before the sun. I now dream of being beside you for ages to come.”

  “Toge
ther.” Gregory gave her hand a brief squeeze before releasing it.

  “Together.”

  When they reached the clan hall, Dia was sitting on the porch, smoking her pipe. “Evening, Dia,” Gregory greeted her.

  “Evening to you both. Yukiko, your mother’s gifts to me and the previous staff arrived today. She was most generous. Please give her my thanks the next time you send her a missive.”

  “I’ll do so, Dia.”

  “Good. Tomorrow, there are no classes, as it is the solstice and time for the new year. It will be a clan day— everything’s closed inside the walls of the academy, even the archive. Sleep in, and I’ll come rouse you when the festivities are ready. Every meal is a set feast, and there will be things for you to do. Oh, and don’t take any extra additives for the day. No powder, pills, or leaves.”

  “Understood, Dia,” they said, bowing to her.

  “Good. Once you two have bathed, we’ll be ready for dinner.”

  “We’ll go now,” Gregory said.

  “I’ll let the cooks know,” Dia said, taking a long draw on her pipe.

  “Dia, a question before we go,” Yukiko said. “It’s been bothering me... we advanced three rings over the five months we’ve been at the academy. How possible is it for a novice to reach the apprentice tier by the end of the learning cycle?”

  Dia’s eyes sparkled and she smiled. “That’s a very good question. As you undoubtedly saw, most of your contemporaries made two rank advancements, and some made three. Gregory managed four. You’d expect, then, that over the rest of the year, the others would get two or perhaps three more rings by the end of the year. That would leave most of your class at the eighth rank, and the ones who started out higher could reach the ninth or tenth rank. A few will be in the first rank of the apprentice tier.”

  “Yes,” Gregory said when Dia paused to take another pull on her pipe.

  “However, most students won’t reach the initiate tier by the start of their third year. The ranks indicated by your medallion are to help you gauge your growth, but your tier and title while at the academy are determined not by your actual tier, but by the years you complete. Most adepts are still in the initiate ranks when they are sent off to their postings. Most fresh magus are just brushing at adept ranks. To advance to master, you must have the power to match that tier, and for each tier thereafter, it is the same. This is why reaching master and beyond is not easily accomplished.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t known that,” Yukiko said.

  “The magi don’t advertise it,” Dia said. “The perception of power is normally enough to curtail any major issues with the populace.”

  “We’ll be making it to initiate before the end of our apprentice year,” Gregory said.

  “I don’t doubt it,” Dia smiled. “You and Yukiko have been the fastest rising stars of the academy in ages. The aether required to break into the next rank, and especially the next tier, is higher than the previous. That means the growth rate slows down. There are ways to help that— early on— for novices, apprentices, and initiates.”

  “The leaves, powders, pills, and other alchemical supplements,” Yukiko nodded.

  “Yes. They help a great deal for the lower tiers, but the higher tiers require more potent ingredients to get a helpful boost. Powdered cores are some of the best supplements for those of higher tiers.”

  “My thanks, Dia,” Yukiko said. “If we were into the apprentice ranks by the second tournament, would it cause problems?”

  “It’ll cause a stir,” Dia smiled. “Your contemporaries will be even more inclined to try removing you from the tournament and academy, as you’ll outshine them. For the clan, your ascension in that way will bring prestige. Because of that, we’d be more inclined to do even more for you.”

  “I see. Thank you, Dia. We’ll go bathe now.”

  Dia looked down at the bowl of her pipe before starting to clean it out. “Things will be ready for when you finish.”

  Bathing didn’t take them too long, but the sun had finished setting by the time they were done. Everyone was already in the dining room waiting for them. A feast was laid out on the table, and the scent of food filled the air.

  “Now that the birthday girl has arrived, we may begin,” Dia said.

  Jenn grinned at Yukiko. “How was your day?”

  “It was good,” Yukiko said, taking the seat beside Jenn. “Gregory had this made for me.” She showed off the wrist cuff.

  Jenn tapped the cuff lightly. “I don’t think it’s silver.”

  “Cobalt,” Yukiko said. “It’s a tougher metal, so I should be able to wear it in all circumstances.”

  “The heart is two stones?”

  “My birthstone, and Greg’s,” Yukiko replied.

  “Ah, that makes sense,” Jenn said, pulling her hand back.

  “Let the feast be served,” Dia said. “Yukiko, it’s your birthday, so you get the first serving.”

  “Thank you,” Yukiko said, making sure to include the cooks in her statement.

  Dinner was a lively affair with everyone excited. Since tomorrow was the solstice, most of the conversations were about the festivities being planned. Jenn looked a little sad that the morning routine was being changed for the day, but didn’t gainsay it.

  When dinner finally came to an end, finished off with orange tarts, everyone at the table was full. Dia wished everyone goodnight and reminded the novices once more that their normal schedule would be changed for tomorrow.

  The three novices retired to Jenn’s bedroom for an hour of studying.

  “What else happened for you today?” Jenn asked.

  “We had some instruction on various gambling games,” Yukiko said, “as well as strategy games.”

  “The instructors were amenable to coming back next week,” Gregory said. “We’re likely going to spend days off at Gin’s home, learning more.”

  “Ah.”

  “You can come with us,” Yukiko said. “Today… Greg wanted to make it special for me, since it was my birthday. He had a special brunch made, and gave me this gift.”

  “Oh. Okay... I thought that maybe you didn’t want me around on the days off.”

  “No,” Gregory and Yukiko said together.

  “No,” Gregory said again. “It was just a special day, is all. You’re more than welcome to join us for days off.”

  “He’s right,” Yukiko said, placing her hand on Jenn’s. “I’m sorry we gave you that impression. You’re a friend and our compatriot. We enjoy having you learn beside us.”

  Jenn’s lips twitched up, and she looked down at Yukiko’s hand. “Okay... Thank you both. I do want to go and learn. Speaking of, I’d like to learn more economics.”

  “Yes,” Yukiko said. “Where had we been?”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Greg woke with the third bell, as he had become accustomed to doing. With a sigh, he lay there, his mind drifting. Have to stay here until Dia comes for us. She said to sleep in, but that’s just not something we do. Shrugging, he got up and started to dress. No reason to not be ready.

  It didn’t take long to dress, leaving him with the exact same problem he’d had before. Exhaling and feeling a bit of frustration, Gregory took a seat. He slowed his breathing down and tried to quiet his mind.

  The aether cavern appeared for him. The channels in the stone were much easier to see than they had been when he’d first visited. The fire had grown, but not as much as it would have if he’d been solely on the mind path. The spirit path training helped keep the flames dense and burning brightly, but he never felt any heat from it.

  Settling down on the ground, he pulled up a mental image of Magi Squares and began to solve them. As he worked, the image wavered, replaced with the fire taking on the form of the Magi Squares. He chuckled— glowing embers hovered in the air to mark the numbers, each one appearing in its appropriate place.

  Gregory wasn’t sure how long he sat with his fire making burning numbers dance in the air, but the knock
on his bedroom door pulled him from his meditation. “Yes?”

  “Novice, it’s time to wake and break your fast,” Dia said from the other side of the door. “Come to the dining room.”

  “On my way,” Gregory said as he stood up. Leaving his room, he saw Yukiko and Jenn in the hall. “Morning to you both.”