“You’re welcome,” Gregory said to the empty room.
It was less than a minute later when Yukiko found him, still standing there. “Greg, the bath is open now.”
“Okay. Uh, Yuki?”
“What is it, dear one?” Yukiko asked, moving to his side.
“I had a vision of Elsa.”
Fear hit her stomach and she grabbed his arm. “Yes?”
Gregory explained what had happened, and as he did, Yukiko exhaled, her fear ebbing. “So I told her yes, if she keeps doing as she is.”
“And I agree with you,” Yukiko said. “Jenn will, too.”
“Okay. I just worry that she’s trapping herself with us.”
“She will make her own choices, but you gave her hope. That will drive her to do the best she can. It is still many years away, as you know. There’s a chance she will be a magi or that she’ll find something else.”
“Yeah...” Gregory exhaled.
“Go bathe. After you’re done, we need to get back to the clan hall,” Yukiko said, kissing his cheek. “I’ll tell Jenn what happened.”
“Okay,” Gregory said, kissing her cheek before leaving the room, putting the conversation with Elsa behind him.
~*~*~
When they arrived back at the clan hall, they were surprised that Dia wasn’t outside smoking. As they exchanged footwear for slippers, Ravol found them. “Ah, you’re back. Did you already bathe?”
“We did before we came back,” Yukiko said.
“Good. I’ll let Dia know that you’re ready for dinner, then. We were mostly waiting on you.”
“We’re sorry to delay the meal,” Gregory said. “We’ll go to the dining room.”
“Okay,” Ravol said as he hurried away.
Entering the dining room, they saw Bishop already there, speaking with Elder Lightshield. Bishop looked up as they entered and smiled. “Welcome back, Apprentices.”
“Thank you,” Gregory replied to her before turning his attention to Lightshield. “Elder, it’s good to see you again.”
Lightshield gave them a smile as they sat. “It is good to see you three again, as well. I hear that we are likely to have five more join us before the solstice.”
“We’ve spoken with five magi that are interested,” Yukiko replied. “Three are waiting for the tournament to end.”
“I will be speaking to all five,” Lightshield said. “We will hold off on inviting any of them until after the tournament, though, for their safety.”
“We were concerned about that,” Jenn said.
“As you should be, for friends,” Lightshield replied. “Tell me, do you think they will uphold the clan ideal?”
Gregory had been looking the elder over while the conversation went on. He felt a pang in his chest, as Lightshield was obviously fading. His skin was duller, with more wrinkles near his eyes, and his beard was a starker white than it had been.
“Yes,” Yukiko said without hesitation.
Jenn nodded. “Ling is the only one I have concerns for, but I believe she’ll be as dedicated as the others.”
Gregory thought about it, aware of all the eyes on him, waiting for his answer. “True belief is hard to know...” he said slowly. “I think all three novices are dedicated to joining the clan and helping it grow. Clover and Ling...” he hesitated, then spoke on, “that’s a little trickier. Both of them deeply wish to see things change for the better. If they join the clan, I feel as if they’ll be as staunch a defender of the clan as Dia or Bishop.”
Bishop’s eyebrows went up, but didn’t gainsay him.
Lightshield nodded slowly. “All three of you believe in them? Very well. I will speak with them. Dia sent letters to all five letting them know we are considering them, but that we will be waiting until after the tournament to invite those we wish to join us.”
“You’re waiting to make sure they’re as safe as they can be,” Gregory said.
Lightshield nodded. “Yes.”
Before Gregory could reply, Dia and the others showed up, and conversation was set aside for dinner.
~*~*~
Once dinner was over, Lightshield spoke up, “Just a few more things to tell you before you can go study. For the next six days, you will be training here, from the hour after your morning study period until dinner.”
“Yes, sir,” they replied.
“The day before the tournament is yours to do with as you wish, but I am sure that will be spent seeing family,” Lightshield smiled.
“Thank you, Elder,” Yukiko said.
“As for the tournament,” Lightshield went on, “the first few days, I would ask that you be present for the novice tournament. Some of them could use your support, after all. Once the matches are finished, you are free to your own diversions. On the nights of your fights, I ask you to return at a reasonable hour so that you will be refreshed for your own matches. The last night of the tournament will be the celebration feast. Your family is invited,” he said, looking at Yukiko.
“I’ll inform them, Elder.”
“I know you spent the day after the tournament with your family before, but I ask that you are here to welcome our new members this time. We will be having a celebration event to welcome them. Sadly, that is after the tournament, so neither your family nor theirs will be allowed inside the walls.”
“We understand, sir,” Gregory said.
“Those are the requirements of the clan for the tournament,” Lightshield said, pushing himself to his feet slowly, using his cane to support him. “Ah, I have also made sure that an auction house box is set aside for the clan during the tournament. Your family is free to use it.”
“I’ll tell my father. Thank you, Elder.”
Lightshield looked at the three of them with a smile on his lips. “I am very proud of you all, and I know you will show the academy how strong you all are again. Have a good evening.”
“Good evening, Elder,” all three replied, bowing their heads to his back.
Chapter Fifty-one
Six days of training flew by for them. They studied with the novices in the mornings— Daciana was growing more and more excited with each passing day. Nessa seemed calm, but it was obvious she felt nervous as the week had gone on. Victoria focused on studying, throwing herself into something she could do instead of thinking about what was to come.
Their group training reinforced their communication, and they won more than half of their fights against their instructors. Gin pushed them hard during those fights, making sure they would be ready for the tournament.
Magic training had sharpened Yukiko’s ability to form perfect hands from shadows, reinforcing her ability to grab people and allowing her to hinder them in more ways than just a formless morass. Jenn’s control over using her aether in bursts had grown. Bishop said that Jenn could likely outlast any two other physical enhancement apprentices in the academy if she fought them back-to-back. Gregory hadn’t seen any vast improvement over his ability to use foresight, but his aether sight had developed to the point he could at least get an idea of what type of magic was being used.
Their training with unarmed and weapons combat had all of them honed to an edge that Gin approved of. He told them he was confident they were the best weapon-trained apprentices inside the academy walls. Gregory had gone three days without losing a single fight to Gin when he used the naginata, but still lost over half the time with any other weapon. Yukiko and Jenn were starting to hold their own against Inda and Indara, but were beaten by Bishop every time, though she did say they were making her work for it.
Outside of those periods, they practiced the Peaceful Fist with Dia, Bishop, Inda, Indara, and Elder Lightshield. They spent an hour every day working on combat dissection for the mind path— Gregory could hold three segments in his mind all at once. Another hour was spent on simple meditation where they touched their resonance, getting a better feel for it. Their last training every day was spent discussing Empire’s Gambit and different strategies they
could use depending on their nation and their opponents.
~*~*~
Gregory smiled as he looked at the inky corner of the room. “Dear one, it’s good to not see you again.”
“That is terrible,” Darkness giggled. “I might have been hurt if I was not able to read your mind.”
“But you can and you laughed, which is what I’d hoped for.”
“You grow closer to being an initiate, as do our wives. I am very happy.”
“I had a question for you, regarding Clover and Ling.”
“I am aware, dear one. Yes, they will be joining the clan at this point. There is no road, besides you flatly telling the elder not to, that will keep them from the clan. The same is true for the novices.”
“Do they all truly believe in Aether returning?”
“That depends on how one views their belief,” Darkness said with a hint of laughter. “I will be nice, though. They will fully support the clan from the day they join until they can no longer draw breath. Those five would sooner cut off their own hand than turn on Aether’s Guard once they are invited and begin to train beside you. The only reason they would turn against the clan is if you push them away.”
Gregory exhaled. He could feel the small pieces of doubt he had fading. “I know I spoke strongly for them with Lightshield, but I felt a pang of worry.”
“There is another who is strongly thinking of joining the clan, but that is not set yet,” Darkness said. “Until they firm their resolve, I do not wish to say more.”
Gregory nodded slowly. “That’s probably for the best. I know it isn’t Farin, since he went to the Iron Hand.”
“He will harbor goodwill for you and your wives for years. A few others of that clan see the goodness you do and feel strongly in your favor.”
“Klim and Erichson?”
“That is some of them,” Darkness said. “Leave it for now, dear one. I do want to warn you against complacency— Shun and his clan will try to remove you entirely. Do not hesitate if you face them. Do not hold back, please.”
Moved by the emotion in her voice, Gregory shifted so he sat facing the corner. “I won’t hold back. I hear your worry, and that means our wives are in danger. For that alone, I would do all I can, but I will do even more since you’ve told me.”
Darkness was quiet for a second before she exhaled loudly. “Thank you, dear one. They themselves will be the worst of it, but you must still be ready for anything in every other fight. They will not be the only ones intent on stopping you, only the worst of them.”
“Understood.”
“Sadly, it is time for me to go. I will see you again soon,” Darkness said.
“The solstice,” Gregory smiled, already figuring out her meaning.
Delighted laughter came from the void. “Indeed, dear one, when forced growth is natural. I will be happy to speak with you then, as well. Until then, go. There is family to see and friends who need your support.”
“I’ll go,” Gregory said, “but there’s something I must do. Something I will try every time I see you and am not distracted by our wives.”
“Yes,” Darkness purred happily as he launched himself into the shadows to get to her.
~*~*~
Gregory smiled at his wives as they all got dressed. “Seventh rank... I believe that we’ll make quite the impression on our peers when they find out.”
“Indeed, we will,” Jenn grinned.
“Sadly, we can’t keep it a secret until the tournament,” Yukiko sighed. “We’ll have to show our medallions when we leave and come back.”
“Right.” Jenn gave a similar sigh. “Too bad. It would have been nice to shock them.”
“If wishes were horses,” Gregory said.
“We’d all own a stable,” Jenn finished for him.
“Breakfast, study, Peaceful Fist with the children and our friends, then off to see my parents?” Yukiko asked.
“That sounds right to me,” Gregory said.
They made it down to breakfast and saw Dia and Bishop talking while Quilet cooked. “Morning Dia, Bishop, Quilet,” Gregory greeted them.
“Good morning to you three,” Dia smiled. “Oh, Gregory, we got word last night that the items you wanted are ready for you to pick up.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Dia.”
Jenn and Yukiko gave Gregory piercing looks before sharing a glance. “He set something up and kept it from us, Yuki. I’m mildly impressed.”
“As am I. Well done, dear one.”
Gregory chuckled. “Thanks.”
“What are your plans for today?” Bishop asked.
“Studying, seeing the children at Gin’s, then it was supposed to be spending some time with my parents,” Yukiko said. “I think there will be another stop before returning here.”
“A brief one, yes,” Gregory agreed.
“You won’t be training with your friends?” Bishop asked.
“Not today. I want to spend as much of today as I can with my parents,” Yukiko said.
“We’ll let Indara know when she wakes,” Dia said. “She was uncertain if you would or not.”
“We’ll be doing the Peaceful Fist with the children and them, but not sparring,” Jenn clarified.
“Hmm... we will let her know she can spend a little more time here, then,” Dia said.
“Breakfast is ready,” Quilet said, coming over with food. “It’ll be nice to start cooking for even more people after the tournament. The five of us have felt a little superfluous at times.”
Dia gave Quilet a grin. “A half year for all of them, then back to three again, but don’t worry. There will be more after them. In time, we’ll have to hire even more to help us care for all the new members.”
“We’ll be happy to care for as many as the clan wishes us to,” Quilet said.
“I hope you don’t regret those words later,” Dia chuckled. “I believe that before a decade passes, this hall will be full again.”
“That would be good,” Gregory said. “It’ll mean people are ready to believe again.”
“It will start in the next year or two,” Dia said, “when it’s shown that our novices and apprentices are some of the most advanced the academy has ever produced.”
Yukiko coughed lightly and pulled her medallion out. “Because of things like this?”
Bishop’s eyebrows went up. “Seventh rank? Before the tournament? I’m not sure that’s been done before.”
“Hmm... I’d ask Lightshield, but he isn’t here,” Dia said.
“The elder left?” Jenn asked.
“He had to take care of a debt, he said,” Dia replied. “Now, let’s eat before the food grows cold.”
~*~*~
“We got letters!” Daciana said excitedly, keeping her voice down as she reached the table. “Letters from Elder Lightshield.”
Gregory grinned at her. “What did they say?”
“He’s invited us to come speak with him tonight after sunset about joining the clan.”
“We all got one,” Nessa smiled as she reached the table. “We’ve sent back word that we will be there.”
“Uhm...” Victoria looked uncertain. “Will you all be there, too?”
“We should be back around that time,” Yukiko said. “Though it will depend on when dinner ends tonight with my parents.”
“Can you ask my father if he or my mother will be here for the tournament?” Nessa asked her.
“And mine?” Daciana added quickly.
“Daciana, I don’t think wild horses would keep your father from being there to cheer you on,” Jenn said.
Daciana grinned. “Probably, but I’d like to know for certain.”
“If I see your father, I’ll ask him, Daciana. Nessa, I’d be happy to ask yours. I do wonder… I’ve only seen him and your mother, so who would run the place if they went to the tournament?”
“My aunt could fill in for my mother,” Nessa said. “I don’t know about Father, though.”
Grego
ry could see the sadness in Victoria’s eyes. “My father didn’t make it until the second tournament, and only because Yuki went well beyond what I could ever ask for to arrange it. Your friends, including us, will be there to support you.”
Victoria’s head snapped up and she met his green eyes before looking away, her cheeks lightly dusted pink. “You’ll be there?”
Magi's Path Page 40
