Aether's Guard

by Schinhofen, Daniel

  “We came to wish you good luck,” Murium said.

  “Not that you need luck,” Steva said.

  “We’ll have a victory meal waiting for you,” Velma said.

  “With your favorite dessert,” Quilet added.

  Jenn smiled. “I’ll look forward to it. Thank you, all of you.”

  “We are off,” Dia said.

  The group left, the staff members waving them goodbye. As they walked, Dia fell into step with Jenn.

  “You seem tense,” Dia said.

  “What if I fail?” Jenn asked.

  “Then you will undoubtedly need a healer.”

  “That isn’t what I meant.”

  “The clan will have a small loss of face, but with you three, it won’t be much of a loss for long. Don’t worry about how it’ll affect us. If you do your best, it won’t come to that.”

  Jenn took a deep, slow breath. “Thank you, Dia.”

  “No thanks are needed. We will be there to console you or celebrate with you.”

  ~*~*~

  They paused to see Jenn off when they reached the stairs of the waiting area under the blue arena.

  “He’ll be aggressive and strong, which means you need to be elusive,” Gin said. “I look forward to seeing you go all out.”

  “He favors his right,” Inda said, giving Jenn a nod.

  “He moves badly to the left,” Indara added.

  “How do you know that?” Jenn asked them.

  “We went and watched his sparring earlier today,” Inda smiled.

  “You’ll do fine,” Dia said. “We’ll be waiting for you.”

  “Jenn, you’ll be fine,” Gregory said. “Just do what Chen told you to do. Bleed his aether, then win.”

  Yukiko embraced Jenn. “We have faith in you.” Lowering her voice, she whispered to Jenn, before stepping back and saying in her normal voice, “Go win.”

  Jenn swallowed as she looked at them. Placing her right fist into her left palm and cupping her hand, she bowed to them. “For Aether’s Guard.”

  “For Aether’s Guard,” Dia replied, bowing back formally.

  The others copied Dia, having been caught off guard.

  Heading for the stands, Gregory and Yukiko ended up at the back of the group. “Everything okay with you and Jenn, Yuki?”

  “Yes. Why do you ask?”

  “You’ve been whispering to her on and off, so I wasn’t sure.”

  “We’re fine, Greg,” Yuki smiled. “It’s nice to hear that you’re concerned about us getting along.”

  “Okay.” Gregory lowered his voice as he broached the next topic, “What are you and Darkness planning to thank her for the dream?”

  Yukiko’s cheeks heated slightly. “You want me to ruin the surprise, dear one?”

  Gregory thought about it before shaking his head. “I withdraw the question, just as long as you’re okay with it.”

  “I am.”

  The stands for the arena were filled with more people than Gregory had anticipated. It looked like most of the novices were present, as well as representatives from most of the clans.

  “How did they all find out?” Gregory asked rhetorically.

  “I informed them of the challenge,” Magus Paul said from nearby. “When Master Chen told me, it seemed prudent to let the class know that they might have help with the challenges they’re facing.”

  A small gust of wind ruffled Gregory’s kimono. “And I informed the clans,” Pan said, having arrived behind Gregory. “A challenge between two of the final eight is a worthwhile event.”

  “Grandmaster,” Gregory bowed to the older man.

  “It’s almost time,” Pan said. “I do wonder how this will play out. Can you see it?”

  Gregory pursed his lips as he tried to focus on the outcome of the fight. His aether began to stir, but settled back in place. “I cannot.”

  “A pity. Keep trying to push your magic, Novice.”

  “Yes, Grandmaster.”

  A displacement of air was the only warning Gregory got that Pan had left. Shaking his head, he joined the rest of his clan at the seats that had been set aside for them.

  “What did the grandmaster want?” Dia asked.

  “To know if I could see the outcome. I can’t.”

  “We’ll all know that answer soon enough,” Dia said.

  Grandmaster Pan came walking out onto the sands of the arena floor. Going at a sedate pace to the center of the arena, he stood there patiently. He didn’t have to wait long before Jenn and Franco came out of the two tunnels on either side.

  “Magi, today, we have an unusual challenge,” Pan said, his voice carrying to the entirety of the arena. “Novice Franco Ichor has challenged Novice Jenn Bean. Novice Ichor asked that the conditions for this challenge be that the same rules are in place as the first tournament, and waived any other reward for winning. Novice Bean placed a single condition on Ichor: if she wins, he takes the mantle of champion for any novice if he is asked. Novices, do you wish to set aside this challenge?”

  Both Jenn and Franco shook their heads, staring at each other.

  “So be it. Bow to the audience.” Pan walked them through the bowing, and stepped back a dozen paces before telling them to fight.

  As soon as the fight started, Franco’s legs were coated in aether as he rushed Jenn. She dodged to the side, her legs coated in aether for a single second only. Franco spun, rushing back at her, but a touch slower than the first time. Jenn waited for a moment before her legs were again engulfed in blue flame, but just long enough for her to dash to the side.

  “Too afraid to stand and fight?” Franco laughed.

  “Not at all. I’m just not a bull that only knows how to charge.”

  Franco let the aether on his legs vanish. “Fine. I’ll go a little slower so you can keep up.”

  Jenn just stood there, waiting for him. When he finally got close enough, she darted the two steps forward, cutting the distance drastically. Her arms were coated in aether, as were Franco’s as he tried to pummel her. Jenn blocked his attacks before slamming her forearms into his chest and pushing off, creating distance again.

  Franco grunted. He was upset he hadn’t landed a clean strike, but neither had Jenn. “Dance, dance, dance! I should’ve figured that’s all you were good for. Well, maybe not the only thing.” His snicker gave a clear idea of what he was referring to.

  Jenn stood still, set in a defensive posture without a hint of aether on her. Gregory smiled from the stands. He could see the aether strings that wrapped her body, dim and just waiting to come forth.

  Franco came forward at the same pace as last time for the first few feet, but between his third and fourth step, his legs were covered in aether again and he sprang forward. Jenn knew she wasn’t going to be able to dodge in time and, calling forth her aether, she shifted enough to deflect the first couple of punches that came her way. When Franco’s aether-covered leg shot up, Jenn grimaced and managed to get her aether to her torso just before his leg connected.

  The crowd let out a surprised sound when Jenn was flung back like a ragdoll. Yukiko took a deep breath, her hand finding Gregory’s arm and squeezing. Gregory didn’t comment, as he’d seen the strings brighten right before the kick landed.

  “She’s okay,” Gregory murmured.

  True to his word, Jenn came back up to her feet just before Franco was on top of her. Rolling to the left, she felt Franco’s leg graze her again and used that bit of momentum to buy her some distance again.

  The fight became a near blur as Franco pushed his aether to make him faster, Jenn using hers to keep pace with him. Minutes ticked by as the two clashed over and over. Grandmaster Pan barely moved as he watched the fight, but he could see the momentum shifting as the fight went on.

  When the fight came to a lull, the crowd was surprised. Franco looked nearly unblemished, but he no longer had aether covering his limbs. Jenn was sporting bruises and a little blood from where she hadn’t managed to deflect some of t
he hits enough to rob them of their power.

  “It’s almost over,” Franco laughed. “I’ll finish you with this next pass.”

  Jenn stayed quiet. She held her defensive stance and extended her left hand a little more, beckoning him.

  Franco’s eyes narrowed. “You think you can win? You haven’t even touched me yet.”

  Jenn’s lips curled up at the edges, and she beckoned him again.

  Snarling, Franco’s whole body became coated in aether. There was a blue blur where Franco had been as he rushed Jenn. Jenn’s body was engulfed in aether when he reached her.

  The crowd was on edge as the two clashed again, the excitement ratcheting up. When the aether died away, the two fighters were separated by a dozen feet. Jenn was clearly in pain, breathing shallowly as she looked at Franco. He looked pissed off as a trickle of blood came from his lip.

  “I broke at least two ribs,” Franco laughed. “Next time, I’ll break one of your legs, then maybe your arms.”

  Jenn stood upright and took a deep breath. “I doubt it. I feel fine as it is.”

  Franco growled and clenched his fists tightly. “I’ll keep breaking you until you can’t heal.”

  “No, the fight will be over before you can manage it.”

  “We’ll see about that!” Franco spat. Summoning his aether, he felt a moment of worry. His flames were dimmer than they had been and he could feel his power waning.

  Jenn smiled as she let her aether coat her body, the flames just as bright as they had been at the start of the fight. “Now, how many of your bones do I break?”

  Franco felt a sudden panic, realizing that he’d burned his aether when he didn’t need to, and Jenn used it for brief moments only to stop him from crushing her. His eyes narrowed as he steeled himself to go down fighting.

  They clashed again, and when they separated, Franco’s aether was spluttering. A dark circle ringed his right eye, his nose was dripping blood, and both of his lips were split. Jenn grimaced, favoring her left leg.

  “You didn’t break it,” she said. “Running out of energy?”

  Franco spat some blood to the side. “You didn’t break any of mine, or even crack them.”

  “I needed to see what you had left in you. Now, I’ll finish this challenge.”

  Jenn let her aether blaze and rushed Franco. Franco summoned what he had left and braced to meet her. Less than a minute later, Jenn dropped Franco to the ground and stepped back.

  “The challenge is over,” Pan said. “The winner is Bean. Healer, come and check them.”

  Mindie, the fox-eurtik healer, came rushing forward from the tunnel under the arena. She checked Franco first, as he was the one on the ground. After a few moments, she stood up. “He’s alive, but will need to be seen by the healers. He has a few slight breaks. Before I work on him further and have him taken to the senior healers, I’ll check her.”

  “Thank you,” Jenn said, grunting and making a pained face as she balanced most of her weight on a single leg.

  Mindie knelt in front of Jenn and lightly touched her leg. “Cracked twice, but not completely through... Give me a moment.”

  Jenn breathed in sharply as she felt her leg bone shift. She let out a sigh of relief when the pain faded. “Thank you.”

  “You have a number of other minor problems, but a few days of sleep should take care of them,” Mindie said as she rose to her feet. Lowering her voice, she leaned in a little, “He deserved worse, considering what he did in the tournament.”

  “I did what I could,” Jenn replied. “My aether isn’t burning bright right now.”

  “But it’s still better than his,” Mindie smiled. “Have a good night.”

  “Well fought, Bean,” Pan said. “I look forward to what you manage during the second tournament.”

  “Thank you, Grandmaster,” Jenn said, bowing to him.

  “Your clan is waiting for you. Go enjoy your victory.”

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  The next week came and went as quickly as some of the others. Jenn was thanked several times by some of the other novices, who were looking forward to having someone else fight for them. The new novices for next year’s class had started to trickle into the academy— they wore novice white, but with red armbands so everyone would know at a glance they were not with the last class.

  Leaving the archive, the trio was engaged in conversation about the books they were reading. The Empire’s Gambit book had been given up, since they were all reading it and learning the game together at the clan hall.

  “I’m almost done with the rules and regulations for troops, Greg,” Yukiko told him.

  “I’ll be glad to set the law books down,” Gregory said. “I’ve stuck with it because I want to see the first laws of the empire, but some of them are hard to parse.”

  “The tea ceremonies are interesting,” Jenn said. “I had no idea that a single clan controlled everything about them.”

  “Yes, it was interesting in a few ways,” Yukiko nodded. “I’m going to start reading about import and export items for each country next. I think I know them, but it never hurts to make sure.”

  “I was thinking about looking into my grandfather’s history,” Jenn said. “I’ve never delved into dwarven lore before.”

  “I did with the eurtik,” Yukiko said. “Some of it was quite surprising.”

  “Excuse me... can I speak with you, honored novices?”

  All three of them stopped, surprised by the young woman behind them. Her eurtik blood was strong; enlarged canines, wolf ears, bright yellow eyes, and a slowly wagging tail told them of her heritage.

  “How might we help you?” Yukiko asked, noticing the red armband on her white kimono.

  “You are Warlin and Pettit, right?”

  “I am Yukiko, he is Gregory, and she is Jenn, but yes, we’re the ones you think we are.”

  Tailing wagging faster, she smiled widely. “Oh, I was hoping I could speak with you. I’m sorry, where are my manners? I am Daciana Lyall. You’ve spoken with my father, Gufta, at Stabled Hunger before.”

  “Yes. How is your father?” Yukiko asked.

  “Father is good. He was beside himself when I tested as a magi.”

  “I remember him. He said that you’d be joining Aether’s Guard when you can,” Gregory said. “You don’t need to do th—”

  “I will!” Daciana said forcefully, cutting Gregory off. “I’ve heard that those of eurtik blood are accepted in your clan. Not merely allowed, but welcomed as equals.”

  “That’s true,” Yukiko said. “I would caution you to not tell others what clan you hope to join. We’ve made some powerful enemies, and I don’t think they’d worry about squashing you before you’ve even had a chance to learn.”

  Daciana nodded. “I will heed your words, Yukiko. I wanted to know what’s required to join Aether’s Guard.”

  “I’m not sure,” Yukiko said.

  “Dia never said anything,” Gregory added.

  “Nothing that we can think of, but being strong in your chosen magic is a powerful first step. What magic did you test with at the Blade?” Jenn asked.

  “Earth. The master said it appeared to be strong.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have any problems.” Jenn smiled. “It’s going to be several months before you can officially join the clan. You might have better offers by then, or change your mind. If you don’t, though, I’m sure that you’d be welcomed.”

  Daciana shook her head. “No other clan could offer me enough to change my mind. I have my sights set already, and I do not waver once I have my goal in sight.”

  “One needs to have strong conviction to make it,” Yukiko smiled. “Hold to your goal, but be prepared for a bitter road. We do have somewhere to be, so if you’ll excuse us?”

  “I didn’t mean to delay you,” Daciana said, bowing formally to them. “Thank you for your time. Will I be able to converse with you again?”

  “Probably,” Yukiko said. “We’d need to c
heck what’s allowed for magi of different years.”

  “I understand,” Daciana said. “Have a good day.”

  They said goodbye to Daciana and continued toward the postern gate.

  “That was odd,” Gregory said.