“I agree,” Gregory said. “We care about each other. One of Steva’s sons moved all the way out to Alturis. He’s been accepted into my home village and has been doing well, from what I’ve heard. He thought because of how I was, it might let him live without some of the prejudice he’s known all his life.”
“Hmm… That’s true. The villages right on the edge are more open to people,” Williams said.
Gregory started stripping down. “I’d never seen a eurtik before I was on my way to the academy. We’d only ever heard snippets of talk about people who had some animal features. It was surprising to me to see one for the first time, and they were partial-eurtiks, like you two,” he said, looking at William and Samuel. “They were just people to me. I had no idea the prejudices the empire as a whole has toward them.”
“I’ve considered moving out to the fringe just for that reason,” William said. “Retiring out on the edge, helping a village as I can, and just living a peaceful life.”
“Little young for that, aren’t you?” Samuel asked him.
“Maybe a bit,” William agreed. “I should make sure I have enough vela to never have to worry about working before I do that.”
“Or maybe go to a village that has work you could do easily?” Gregory asked.
“Hmm... I could easily help build homes,” William said.
“My village has a mine,” Gregory said. “It employs most of the village. Not that long ago, it looked like the mine was going to run dry of ore until they found a new seam. I was thinking of how an earth magi could help direct them, or perhaps help with keeping the tunnels shored up.”
“That would be doable and not as intensive as trying to extract the ore myself,” William said, placing the last of his dirty clothes into a basket. “I’ll have to give that some thought.”
“If you do, let me know,” Gregory said. “My best friend’s father is the foreman of the mine. I can write a letter to make the introduction smoother.”
“And the clan helps those who help it,” Hemet chuckled lightly.
“It does seem to be a theme,” Samuel said.
When they entered the bathroom itself, they found Gin lounging in the tub. “Good evening to you all,” he greeted them. “Excited for tomorrow, Gregory?”
“Training with Egil? Yes.”
“You might regret that,” Gin laughed. “Egil will drive you hard.”
“Hard paths make the best magi, sir,” Gregory replied. “Bishop told me that when I was tested on my age day.”
“If they survive,” Hemet added.
“She did add that, yeah,” Gregory nodded.
“It’s an old clan adage,” Hemet said. “It’s said that Lionel Lighthand used to tell that to those under his command.”
“Bishop will be there to help him during training,” Gin said, bringing the conversation back on topic. “She’ll be his helper as he works with you. He told me he’ll be getting at least three matches a day out of you.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” Gregory said. “Facing more skilled opponents is a great way to learn, and Egil is an armsmaster of the naginata.”
“Naginata, su yari, and guandao,” Gin corrected Gregory. “The naginata is the one he feels most comfortable with.”
“He’s a three-time armsmaster?” Gregory asked.
“He is,” Gin nodded. “He studied the others when people started forbidding him from using the naginata in some duels.”
“Will he work with me on those weapons?” Gregory asked.
“Undoubtedly. Those will be the bulk of what he works on with you. He already knows your skill with the naginata.”
“Maybe I can beat Klim if I spar with her again, then,” Gregory said.
“Perhaps,” Gin said. “Ah, well, I’ve soaked long enough. Enjoy the bath.”
“We will,” Hemet replied.
~*~*~
Dinner was as delicious as ever, and when it was over, instead of going to the war room for the night, they retired to Gregory’s room. Taking seats at the table, Yukiko was the one to broach the topic of discussion.
“The conversation from the bath needs to be finished,” Yukiko said.
Clover, Ling, Nessa, and Daciana looked a little nervous. Victoria looked pleased, and was watching Yukiko while the others looked away.
“We told you what might happen in Waterrock if we’re there with you after this year,” Jenn said. “Now, we’re asking how you feel about that happening.”
“I’m fine with it,” Victoria said. “I am not ashamed of you two or Gregory seeing me naked.”
Daciana glanced at Victoria, then looked up, her eyes going to Gregory briefly before landing on Yukiko. “I’ll be fine. Not sure he wants to see me, though.”
“Oh, I’m in,” Clover said quickly. “I thought…” She trailed off and her face bloomed bright red.
“I couldn’t do that,” Ling said quickly, her own embarrassment coming up. “Bathing… bathing I can do.”
Nessa took a slow deep breath, then looked directly at Gregory. “Is this okay with you?”
Gregory met her green eyes with his own. “Makes me nervous as hell.” He took a deep breath and decided to say it plainly. “I’m not opposed to the idea. As I told Yuki and Jenn, if even one of you doesn’t want it to happen, it won’t happen. I value your friendships too much to make you uncomfortable.”
Seven sets of eyes softened at his words, all of them happy he was the man he was.
“You don’t mind us having eurtik blood at all?” Ling asked.
Gregory met her light green eyes and gave her a smile. “No. It will never bother me. You’re all special just as you are.”
Ling blinked for a few seconds before she looked away, swallowing hard. “I see.”
“But it might not happen at all,” Daciana sighed.
“We might not end up with you three in Waterrock. That is true,” Yukiko said. “We wanted to clarify with you all now, though, so we can make arrangements if it does happen.”
All of them looked at Gregory before saying they would be okay with it if he was.
Gregory’s face burned and he swallowed, his eyes darting to the five women staring at him. “I…” He broke off, licking his lips before blurting out, “I’m not against it.”
“You’re as embarrassed as we are?” Daciana asked.
“Yeah,” Gregory admitted.
That admission helped. They relaxed, seeing that he was as equally embarrassed, but interested in the idea.
“With that out of the way,” Yukiko said, “I thought we’d discuss how each of you feels you are doing on the three paths.”
“Clover and I are starting to get more comfortable with the cavern,” Ling said. “We’ve been in it most of the time during the Peaceful Fist lately.”
“We see the embers burning the channels open, too,” Clover added.
“As for the mind path, how do we tell?” Ling asked.
“Are the Magi Squares getting easier? Is your aether flame staying the same, or slowly growing in size?” Jenn asked her back.
“Yes, and possibly yes? The flame isn’t shrinking at all.”
“Then yes, it’s working,” Yukiko smiled.
“We’re the same on all three paths,” Nessa said. “We were curious when we could start trying to expand some.”
“We made these up and just hadn’t gotten them to you yet,” Yukiko said, pulling out a single page for each of them. “This is what we’ve done and when. You should not, under any circumstances, try to rush ahead.”
Daciana lowered her head slightly. “I won’t.”
“That was aimed at all of you,” Jenn said, “but you’re the one who wants to run off ahead of the others. Temper yourself and your dream can come true. If you hurt yourself trying to push too hard too fast…”
Daciana swallowed, then bowed slightly at the waist. “I will do as you say, Jenn.”
“Using the cavern for Magi Squares?” Clover asked. “How?”
> “The fire will make the board and numbers for you, filling them in as you think of them,” Gregory said. “I’m not sure how it all works, but it does.”
“Larger Magi Squares,” Nessa said, looking over the sheet. “Like the ones you use?”
“Yes,” Jenn nodded.
“Resonance?” Ling asked.
“That’s a way to push the spirit path forward,” Yukiko said seriously. “It’s difficult to find, and when you do, it’s painful. That alone could take a whole study period to discuss.”
“Maybe tomorrow?” Ling asked.
“Perhaps,” Yukiko said. “We’ll have to see how we feel after Egil teaches us.”
“The Magi Squares and Empire’s Gambit replay in the cavern,” Victoria said. “Those are the spirit and mind path combining, aren’t they?”
“They are,” Gregory replied. “It’ll help them as much as the Peaceful Fist does. If you look down, you see you can combine all three. We have.”
Five sets of eyes scanned the page, which listed at what advancement levels they’d had their breakthroughs.
“You have other ideas listed here, but no tiers or ranks for them,” Clover said.
“We’ll be trying them after we reach the initiate tier,” Gregory said. “We haven’t tried, yet. We’ve been told how difficult or dangerous they are.”
“Polishing your channels by holding aether?” Daciana asked.
“That one, especially,” Jenn said. “Bishop warned us repeatedly against trying that until we’re stronger. She had me test it just once… I’ve never felt so much pain before.”
Daciana drew back slightly. “I’ll wait.”
“Good.”
“We’ll explain what we’ve done and how it worked for us tonight, and maybe be able to expand on the resonance tomorrow,” Yukiko said. “Are you ready to listen?”
Chapter Thirty-nine
The novices were sad they weren’t going to be able to train with their friends, but they understood. They were slightly upset when Dia told them that Egil had banned everyone but himself, Bishop, and the apprentices from the arena.
Sixth bell chimed as the five apprentices walked out of the tunnel and onto the sands of the blue arena. Bishop, Egil, and Mindie stood in the center, chatting amiably with each other. As the sixth bell died away, Egil turned from the conversation to face the approaching group.
Roshana came sprinting out of the preparation area, breathing hard as she got into line. She glanced at the others, then at Egil with worry.
“Apprentices, I expect you to be here and lined up, ready to go, when the sixth bell begins to chime for the rest of the week. Understood?” Egil addressed them with a commanding tone.
“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison.
“Good. Bishop will be helping me demonstrate and to push you. I’ll get each of you started, then work with you one by one. At the end of each day, Bishop and I will spar against you, one after the other. Adept Laka will be here to heal you if any accidents happen.”
Mindie gave them all a smile and bowed her head to them.
“I’ll start with Roshana, first, then Clover, Ling, Yukiko, Jenn, and Gregory, in that order. I will be using your given names to eliminate the confusion of Pettit, Pettit, and Pettit. Any questions?”
“Sir, what weapon will I be working on?” Gregory asked.
“Today, the guandao. You need more work on it than the su yari. You don’t need instruction on the naginata, but I’ll be fighting an extra match against you every day just with that weapon.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Go exchange your weapon, then come back out,” Egil told Gregory, who had brought a naginata out with him. “Bishop, get them limbered and ready for me. Roshana, step over here with me.”
“Yes, sir,” Roshana said, clearly nervous as she moved to where Egil had pointed. She was holding a pair of sai in her hands.
Mindie stepped back, staying on the sands. She didn’t expect to have to help any of them soon, but it was better safe than sorry.
~*~*~
Minor injuries did happen throughout the day— a missed block that bruised a wrist, a twisted ankle when backpedaling away from Egil, a bruised rib from an attack, and a few others.
Gregory caught bits and pieces of his friends going up against Egil as he tested each of them, then started them on specific routines for attacking and defending. Being the last one Egil got to didn’t mean he had nothing to do, though. Bishop made him work through the kata Gin had taught him for the guandao.
It was nearing midday before Egil got to Gregory. “Gregory, I’ve heard this is not your best weapon. Let me see what you can do with it.”
The resulting match was far from what Gregory would’ve liked. Egil controlled and led the entire fight. It ended when Egil disarmed him, then tapped his helmeted head.
“Not the worst I’ve seen, but nowhere close to your skill with the naginata. You fight yourself when using this weapon. Your body wants to flow like you do with the naginata, but the guandao is a stronger weapon. It’s designed to keep moving and deliver punishing hits.”
“Yes, sir,” Gregory said.
“Follow along with what I do. Mirror me,” Egil told him. He led Gregory through a simple, but lengthy, kata. “Now show it back to me,” Egil said once he’d finished.
Gregory took a single deep breath, then started the kata. Egil watched impassively, nodding when he’d finished.
“Good. Now practice that while I go back to Roshana.”
“Yes, sir,” Gregory said as he reset and started the kata again.
By the time Egil made it back to Gregory, he felt that he could walk through the kata in his sleep.
“When I say, begin the kata and do not stop no matter what,” Egil said simply as he put a helmet on and stood opposite Gregory. “Begin.”
Gregory did as he was instructed— Egil attacked Gregory and was blocked by the kata routine, then had to block when Gregory’s attack came around. When the kata ended, Egil nodded.
“The kata is a simple one, so you can shift when needed, but it’s versatile and easy to change when chaining different katas together,” Egil said.
“It felt fluid, sir, almost like how I feel with the naginata.”
“That’s the point. You don’t use kata when you fight with the naginata, you use the forms. They aren’t rigid. They’re fluid. We will go again, but I will be shifting so you’ll have to adapt to the changes.”
“Yes, sir.”
Gregory felt the match flow and felt more confident, even when Egil stopped him cold and crushed him after a few minutes. Mindie was there to check him when he found himself on his back.
“He’s fine, now, sir,” Mindie said.
“Remember that the weapon is moving, so the butt is also useful,” Egil told Gregory as he sat up.
“Yes, sir,” Gregory replied.
“Okay, everyone, step back!” Egil boomed.
Mindie helped Gregory up. “You looked much better before he clubbed you.”
“Thanks,” Gregory chuckled wryly. “And thank you for again being here for us.”
Mindie smiled at him before she backed away.
“Roshana, to the center. You’ll face Bishop, then myself. You won’t win, but do your best.”
“Yes, sir,” Roshana said as she put her helmet on and went to the center of the arena.
The fights went by quickly, with each person fighting Bishop, then Egil. No one won a single fight, though Jenn came close against Bishop. Gregory didn’t do any better when he fought them, but he felt confident after he lost the second fight.
“Gregory, take the naginata from Adept Laka and come back to face me.”
Gregory turned to find Mindie holding a training naginata out to him. He traded weapons with her before going back to face Egil. He felt a peacefulness settle over him as he turned toward the armsmaster.
“Bow to your opponent,” Bishop said.
Gregory did as commanded. They’d
cut down the bowing during training to be just to their opponent. When he stood up from the bow, he took the first stance and waited.
When Bishop called for them to start, both Gregory and Egil rushed forward. The clacking of the training weapons crossing came hard and fast for a half-minute before they both backed away.
Aether's Apprentices Page 30
