Aether's Apprentices

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “No, sir,” Elkit said as he stared at Egil’s command tent.

  Gin stepped back and nodded to Egil, who moved forward. “We are also ready,” Egil said.

  “Very well,” Pan smiled. “We will begin the game. First turn.”

  ~*~*~

  Gregory was smirking when he was proven right and Elkit had his whole army begin to cross the plains. The cavalry was in front of the magi units, but they didn’t go directly across— they were angling to go for the command tent.

  Egil, Gin, and Paul conferred as the first turn came to a quick end. After a moment, they sent two sets of the pikemen and one set of archers to the command tent, and the others slowly moved that way, as well.

  The second turn let the cavalry get just outside striking distance of the command tent. Egil’s pikemen formed up and readied to break the charge, and the bowmen were ready to fire when the cavalry charged, which would thin their numbers. The other units of Krogga were still moving, but they weren’t going to be there in time.

  A murmur came from the class. They were surprised by Elkit’s very aggressive tactics, and disappointed in how the defenders had been arranged— it was clear that they wouldn’t get there in time to stop the slaughter of the command.

  Turn three started the way Gregory thought it would. Ashon and Barlz both tapped their magi to the brink, but created a firestorm powerful enough to cover the distance. The pikemen for Krogga were caught in the sudden blaze, and the archers wouldn’t be able to fire through the storm’s high winds.

  Egil conferred with his helpers again, looking grim. As he did, Pan’s hand suddenly snapped down and his eyes locked on Barlz.

  “Magus Barlz, using wind magic to hear their private discussion is against the rules of the game,” Pan said, staring at the magi.

  Barlz swallowed, as the pressure that was radiating off Grandmaster Pan was intense. “I… sorry, sir. Reflex.”

  Pan stopped exuding power and nodded. “I will allow that. Many wind magi have gotten used to bringing them snippets of conversations. However, if you do it again, I will expel you from this game.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Barlz!” Elkit snapped. “Do not cheat. We have no need.”

  Barlz blinked once in confusion, then bowed his head. “Sorry, sir.”

  Gregory’s lips pursed as he made a few more notes.

  “We can’t stop the firestorm, obviously,” Egil said. “The archers will hold and fire point-blank. They will not break, as magi are on the field.”

  Pan nodded. “Very well. The cavalry has just enough movement to ride through and get to them, but not to the tent this turn. Let’s tally losses. The cavalry will also be hurt as they charge through the firestorm.”

  “Acceptable losses,” Elkit said with an evil smile.

  A few of the apprentices shifted uncomfortably at the idea that Elkit was willing to kill his own men in that way. Others nodded, agreeing with the tactic— losing men was part of war. It was fine if you caused the loss, as long as you won.

  When the damage was tallied up, the archers and pikemen were slaughtered to the last man. The cavalry had also been badly damaged. Half of them had been killed between the pikemen that survived the fire, the archers, and the firestorm itself.

  As the turn was over, it was clear to the class that Elkit’s team had an overwhelming advantage. Killing the command of Krogga wouldn’t break the army, but it would leave them much easier for the magi to mop up.

  Gregory looked at Egil and didn’t see the old man upset over what had happened. If anything, there was a hint of a smile on his lips. Gregory looked at the board again and tried to understand why Egil might be happy.

  His pikemen are too slow to make it anywhere quickly, and the archers won’t be close enough to do anything for another turn, at least. His command will fall next turn, so what does he see? Gregory questioned.

  Pan called the turn over, and everyone saw the end coming far sooner than they’d ever considered possible. Elkit pushed his cavalry to the tent and the magi units turned to the approaching pikemen.

  “We slaughter anyone in the tent. No quarter is being given,” Elkit laughed. “The adepts will create minor firestorms on the first two units to get in range.”

  Pan nodded. “Very well. Magi-killer?”

  Egil smiled as he placed the paper from earlier on the table in front of him. “Now, we spring the trap. Erichson?”

  Paul placed a card on the table. “Tactic shift. The pikemen approaching them drop their pikes, turning them into light infantry.”

  Gin placed a card on the table. “Breaking rush. Krogga rarely allows a heavy loss to break their morale. When a heavy loss is suffered, the rest of their army can cover distances faster.”

  Egil smiled at Elkit as he placed another card on the table. “Death to the magi. The men will fight to the very end to bring down the magi.”

  “What?! They can’t issue commands to their men if they’re being attacked!” Elkit spat.

  Egil tossed the paper at Elkit. “We had plans. Go ahead.”

  Elkit snatched the paper and read it, his face going red. Crumpling it up, he threw it back at Egil. “Fine!” He slapped a card of his own on the table. “Hasty retreat. We leave a single wind adept back to buy time. The rest of the magi pull back.”

  “Sir?” Hayworth called out, raising a hand. “What just happened?”

  Pan nodded. “Magi-killer told me at the start that their command units aren’t in the tent. His commanders are among three specific units, one of which is about to hit the adept. It outlined this exact attack.”

  “How would he know?!” Nick snapped.

  Pan turned his head to look at Nick. “Did you have a question, Apprentice?”

  “How would Magi-killer know what Magus Elkit had planned?” He looked at Gregory. “Unless he had help.”

  All eyes went to Gregory, who snorted. “I can’t see that far into the future. Besides, I don’t think three of the most experienced fighters inside the academy walls would need my help.”

  “According to knowledgeable sources, as an apprentice, he’d at most be able to see a few minutes into the future,” Pan said, “which is why he can’t play in the tournament. But he clearly wouldn’t have been able to see what the magi had planned and tell the other team.”

  “We planned for it because his men were set to make a sudden rush,” Erichson said. “He has no defensive units, only quick offense and magi. That left only one possible plan for them— a quick crushing of our forces.”

  “Which works for most, but against Krogga… it’s not the best tactic,” Gin added. “Elkit has obviously never seen a real battle with Krogga. What we are doing is exactly what we’ve seen done.”

  “Can we finish the turn?” Egil asked idly. “The tide is already turning.”

  “Does anyone else have anything to add?” Pan asked. When no one else spoke up, he nodded. “Very well. The cavalry finds a tent with just a few older men and women of Krogga discussing tactics. They were placed here in case the wind magi decided to listen via the air. They would hear tactics being discussed, giving the impression that the commanders were in the tent.”

  Egil nodded. “The elderly of Krogga are still a threat, Apprentices. They will gladly lay down their lives for their country, even more so if it’s against the empire.”

  “Now, let’s see what damage is done to the lone adept and the retreating units,” Pan smiled.

  ~*~*~

  The game continued, but from that point on, the magi units were in a constant state of retreat. They took chunks out of the Krogga army, which had to slaughter the cavalry, but once they managed to knock it down to a tenth of its original size, the unit broke apart.

  Paul’s commander was taken out during the next few turns, but he pulled down Ashon’s magi as he died. With the better fire magi off the board, the Krogga units could close the distance without as many losses.

  On turn ten, Egil smiled and placed a new unit on the
field. “The champion has arrived.”

  Pan nodded. “Yes, he has.”

  Elkit’s jaw was clenched as he stared at the new unit. “Our reinforcements also get here this turn.”

  “They do,” Pan nodded. “I believe that empties your war chest.”

  “It won’t matter,” Elkit replied as he placed the new units.

  “Two more turns until you get resupply from the empire,” Gin said. “Morale will decline over those turns.”

  Elkit just set his new units on the field right next to his magi, who had run back to the last row of tiles on the board.

  “Apprentices, if you haven’t played with a champion before— and it’s likely you haven’t— you need to be aware of two things. They are monsters. The champion will buff his men, and their morale will not drop now. The opposite is also true. The morale for the enemy side drops at three times the speed.”

  Barlz grimaced. “Three times?”

  “Yes,” Gin smiled. “That morale loss is about to become a problem.”

  “The champion will gather the small broken units and forge them into a single unit under his command,” Egil said. “Erichson, you’re back in here.”

  “Gladly,” Paul smiled as he took the stat sheet for the champion.

  Barlz shook his head. “This is going to end badly. I’d normally ask for terms at this point.”

  Elkit’s jaw clenched. “We can still win this.”

  “Let’s move on,” Egil said. “We might wrap this up before dinner.”

  ~*~*~

  The seventeenth bell was chiming when the game ended.

  “That is the end. Magi-killer’s side has won. Magus Elkit, you are removed from this class. We will need another assistant to take his place,” Pan said.

  “Barlz,” Egil said, “do you want to fill that role?”

  Elkit’s face was flushed red, and Barlz looked uncertain.

  “You knew what to do,” Egil said. “I’d also like to show that I have no hard feelings over being challenged. Do you accept or not?”

  “Yes, he does!” Elkit snapped. “Ashon, we leave now. Eternal Flame, move.”

  “Hold,” Pan said simply.

  Everyone stopped moving as the air seemed to grow heavy around them.

  “We were going to give the class the day before the solstice off,” Pan said. “I will extend that. The class is out until the day after the solstice, when the tournament starts. Your clan or dormitory will be informed if you have a game. Do well. The council will be watching.” With that said, there was a swirl of air and Pan was gone.

  “Eternal Flame,” Elkit snapped again, “move out!”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Waking with a smile, Gregory silently thanked Grandmaster Pan for giving them the extra day off. They’d finished off their other day with a normal schedule— yesterday had been a full day of training with the clan, and Gregory had sent messages to arrange what he wanted to do today.

  Jenn stirred, blinking slowly as she came awake. Her lips quirked into a smile when she saw Yukiko still asleep across from her. She glanced up and found Gregory looking down at her. With a wink, she shifted enough to kiss him.

  Gregory kissed her back, glad to have her with them, marveling at how lucky he was that Yukiko had accepted Jenn. “Good morning,” he whispered. “Are you ready for today?”

  “Yes. The gifts are at the manor already,” Jenn nodded. “Velma told me last night.”

  “Good.”

  “I’m sad we don’t get to spend the night at the manor,” Jenn sighed. “We’ve already been told we have to return tonight.”

  “Is it time to wake?” Yukiko mumbled as she kissed Gregory’s chest.

  “It should be,” Gregory replied, kissing the top of her head in return. “Happy birthday, my heart.”

  A pleased sound came from Yukiko as she kissed his chest again. “Thank you, dearest.”

  “Happy birthday, my dearest friend and wife,” Jenn said, leaning in and kissing Yukiko.

  “A good birthday, indeed.” Yukiko sighed contentedly when Jenn pulled away.

  “We should get up,” Gregory said. “There are things to do today.”

  “Hmm... you two have kept it a secret from me, but I’ll be upset if we don’t see the children,” Yukiko said as she stretched.

  “We all want to see them,” Jenn said. “Besides, the novices will be going there to train today.”

  “There is that,” Yukiko said, getting out of bed.

  Gregory watched his beautiful wife walk away, her naked body nearly shining in the pale moonlight coming through the window. That view was briefly obstructed by Jenn as she climbed over him, sliding her nude body against his. She gave him a knowing smile when she felt his interest, but she didn’t stay to tease him. Exhaling a deep breath, he watched his smaller wife follow Yukiko.

  “Dearest, are you just going to lay there and ogle us?” Yukiko giggled. “Your problem will only become harder to ignore if you do.”

  “Can’t get much harder...” Gregory mumbled as he got out of bed.

  “Might be right. I did tease him a little when I got out,” Jenn winked at him, her eyes dipping to see him standing proud.

  “We’ll make sure to repay that tonight,” Yukiko said as she opened the armoire and pulled out her clothing for the day.

  Gregory took a deep breath as he went to dress.

  ~*~*~

  The group was excited as they left the clan hall. Ling and Clover were smiling just as broadly as the novices, happy they’d been invited.

  “We still study first?” Ling asked as they walked to the archive.

  “Yes. We study as often as we can right now. Our chances to study will be limited next year and beyond,” Yukiko said. “The Peaceful Fist will help keep the other two paths steady and moving. Books will be much harder to come by regularly.”

  “Even for those of us with storage items,” Jenn said. “Yuki, we should see about stocking up before the end of the year.”

  “I was planning on it,” Yukiko replied.

  “That’s a good idea,” Nessa said. “We should see about setting aside more of our stipends for that.”

  “Agreed,” Victoria nodded.

  “Without storage, books will be a problem,” Daciana pointed out.

  “Yeah, it would be. Space and weight,” Clover agreed.

  “We’ll have to see what the end of the year brings,” Yukiko said, wondering if Lightshield had seen this far ahead.

  As they approached the archive, Gregory saw Walun standing outside the building. “Good morning, Walun.”

  “Good morning,” Walun said, bowing his head to them, his eyes on Daciana.

  Daciana’s smile slipped and she looked at Nessa, who gave her a small nod.

  “Yuki?” Nessa asked.

  “Yes, of course,” Yukiko said. “Greg, we’re going straight upstairs today.”

  Gregory looked at Walun, then at Daciana, before nodding. “Okay. Have a good day, Walun.”

  “Thank you,” Walun said, glad that the older magi weren’t going to be sitting with them today.

  Gregory and the others greeted Simon, declining new books as they went to their tables. Simon was surprised when the apprentices went straight upstairs, but quickly motioned another archivist over to make sure their books were delivered.

  Taking a seat on the second floor, Gregory looked over. Yukiko had selected a table that would let them look over the railing and see the novices. “Are they going to tell him today?”

  “If he’d shown up yesterday, they would’ve done it then,” Yukiko said. “He didn’t come yesterday, so yes, today is likely the day.”

  “I was surprised when Daciana told us what she was planning,” Ling said. “Do you think he’ll accept it?”

  “It depends on if they have to do the last step,” Clover said as she worked on her Magi Squares.

  “There is that,” Ling sighed and took her eyes off the novices.

  “Looks like the
y’re going to do their Magi Squares, first,” Jenn said as she pulled out her blank and started working on it.

  “That gives us time,” Yukiko said.

  Gregory watched a minute longer, then started on his puzzle.

  ~*~*~

  Leaving the archive, Gregory noted that Walun wasn’t there again. “Breakfast with his clan?”