Aether's Apprentices

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Hey!” Yukiko laughed, but Gregory was walking away.

  “He’s special,” Elsa murmured, not realizing she was speaking.

  “Yes, he is,” Jenn said. “More than most will know.”

  Yukiko took the seat across from Elsa. “But you’ll know just how special in time. Those who stand beside us and believe... they’ll know.”

  Elsa swallowed at the intensity in Yukiko’s gaze, but she didn’t look away. “I will be honored to be there, Yuki. I just hope I’m worthy.”

  Gregory didn’t hear the exchange— he was already across the room, taking a seat next to the youngest two children.

  ~*~*~

  It was hard to go, but when Rufous showed up, they said their final farewells. All of them hugged Elsa— even Roshana— which had Elsa crying again, but she wore a smile as she watched them go.

  Gregory climbed up onto the bench after he helped everyone into the carriage. He chuckled to himself, thinking about Roshana sitting on Ling’s lap.

  “Good visit?” Rufous asked as he lightly flicked the reins to get the carriage moving.

  “Painful, but good,” Gregory said, his smile drifting away. “Saying farewell to the kids.”

  Rufous nodded slowly. “Had to say goodbye a few times, myself.”

  “Never gets easier, does it?”

  “It hasn’t for me,” Rufous said. “For some, it might. I think you might care too much for it to get easier for you.”

  “Probably,” Gregory agreed.

  “Care to take the reins?” Rufous asked.

  “Thanks,” Gregory smiled as he accepted the offer. “I enjoy learning.”

  The trip back to the academy was calm. The guards on the gate had them pause so they could verify there were no armed people inside the carriage. They would have asked to see their medallions, but because it was a clan carriage, the rules were slightly different. The guard motioned to the wall, and the gate slowly opened for them. Gregory had given the reins back to Rufous so the guards wouldn’t cause problems.

  A minute later, Rufous pulled them into the stable yard, then set the brake so they could all get out. “Have a good night,” Rufous told Gregory as the magi jumped down.

  “We will. Thank you, Rufous.”

  Gregory helped the women out of the carriage, one by one. Once they were all out, Roshana licked her lips. “I’d like to visit the clan hall, please.”

  Yukiko smiled. “Wish to let them know of your interest?”

  “Yes.”

  “Right this way,” Gregory said.

  ~*~*~

  When they passed under the arch into the clan hall grounds, Gregory’s lips twitched upward. Dia and Lightshield were seated beside the door, looking at them as they crossed the yard.

  “Elder, we brought a classmate who wanted to inquire about the clan,” Gregory said as they closed the distance.

  “Roshana Arnab,” Lightshield greeted the apprentice. “We thought you might ask to join the clan. You took the longest of the paths, but the one that caused us the least trouble.”

  “I follow my soul, Elder,” Roshana replied, bowing formally. “I wanted to spare the clan any complications, which is why I’ve waited until now to visit.”

  “That speaks well for you,” Lightshield said. He turned and directed a question to the group, “How do you all feel about this?”

  Daciana spoke before anyone else could, “She’s a friend.”

  “I like her,” Clover said right on Daciana’s heels.

  “Roshana has shown intelligence and cunning,” Ling said. “She will be an asset.”

  “We approve,” Nessa said, Victoria nodding along with her.

  “It feels right, Elder,” Yukiko added.

  “I believe she will be very faithful,” Jenn smiled.

  Lightshield turned to Gregory, who hadn’t spoken, and Gregory bowed his head. “Roshana has proven herself a friend in word and deed, Elder.”

  “Unanimous,” Lightshield nodded slowly. “Very well. First, Roshana, we will show you a typical evening in the clan. If you are still interested afterward, you will need to do a single thing to be accepted. I would ask if you believe Aether will return, but we both know the answer to that already, don’t we?”

  Roshana stared at the elder with wide eyes. She bowed deeply to him. “Elder, I am honored. My family has always believed Aether will return, much as your family has. It was just in the last few generations that we felt the pull to the empire. I believe deeply that Aether will show himself in my lifetime.”

  Lightshield sighed wistfully. “Ah, I recall that passion and certainty. Very well. Welcome into our home tonight. If you do join the clan, we will exclude you from fighting. You wouldn’t be able to train enough with the others for a solid cohesion.”

  “That’s fine, Elder. I want to aid the clan, not hinder it.”

  “On the day before the clan leaves, Dia will come to you. She will take you to see about your faith. If it proves true, then on the day we leave, you will join us.”

  “I will not fail Aether,” Roshana said, bowing deeply.

  “No, no you won’t,” Lightshield smiled. “Dia, if you will take our guest in tow and show her the clan hall? The rest of you can accompany her, if you wish.”

  They thanked him before following Dia inside.

  “Gregory,” Lightshield said his name, motioning him to sit beside him. “They will end up in the bath, and that isn’t a place for you.”

  Gregory blushed and took a seat. “Yes, Elder.”

  “Even though you’ve already shared that with them,” Lightshield chuckled softly.

  Gregory’s face burned as he looked away.

  “Do you feel she is their equal?” Lightshield asked after a moment.

  “She is,” Gregory replied. He hesitated, wondering if he should tell the older magi about who he was.

  “I won’t pry and ask why you are certain, because I am, too. A tough thing, having so many who view you so highly. Can you shoulder their feelings and belief in you?”

  Gregory hesitated more— the question felt like it held many other questions, and not all of them were simple. After a few seconds, he spoke slowly, “I worry that I won’t be able to. Anyone would fear disappointing those they love. All I can do is my best and hope that I can. Hurting them… even the thought pains me.”

  “Even the gods were mortal,” Lightshield said softly. “If they hadn’t been, they’d be here still. They were never all-powerful or all-knowing. The stories make that clear, but many still believe they were. I see nothing wrong with anyone admitting their fears.” Exhaling softly, Lightshield looked into the distance. “I fear I will pass before Aether returns. It has weighed on me more over the last few years, but my hope will never die, not until I do.”

  Gregory swallowed. He again thought that he should speak up, but before he could, Lightshield leveraged himself to his feet.

  “Now, why don’t we head to the baths? We do not want to be the ones keeping dinner waiting, do we?”

  “No, sir,” Gregory said as he stood up. “Do you need my arm, sir?”

  “Perhaps. Let’s see if I am that unsteady,” Lightshield said, then started a slow shuffle into the clan hall.

  Chapter Forty-eight

  “Roshana enjoyed herself,” Jenn smiled as she pulled on her clothes.

  “She was very happy to be with all of us,” Yukiko agreed. “I think she’ll fit right in with the rest of us.”

  “I’m glad the others have accepted her.”

  “Me, too,” Gregory said, tying his obi. “We’ll only see her for the next month or two, then we’re all being split up.”

  Yukiko and Jenn slowed down, remembering what Lightshield had said about the next couple of years for them. Gregory finished dressing as they stood there, barely moving.

  “Maybe we’ll get to see each other more frequently than we fear we will,” Jenn said.

  “Maybe...” Yukiko sighed.

  “We’ll just have to
hope while we wait to see,” Gregory said. “Ready?”

  Both women blinked at him, then finished getting dressed. Gregory waited for them, watching as they grabbed their haori and put them on. With them ready, he led the way out of the room.

  Clover and Ling were waiting for them on the stairs. The two groups greeted each other, but didn’t pause to talk— they went right down to gather up the others. Daciana was waiting at the stairs while Nessa and Victoria were coming closer.

  Daciana smiled happily. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning,” Gregory replied. “Are you allowed to come watch us train after your class?”

  “How did you know?” Daciana asked.

  “Because you’re smiling,” Ling said, “which means good news.”

  “And that was the most likely good news,” Jenn added.

  “Right after class, we get to come and watch you train,” Nessa said, making it to them. “We’ll train magic when you do, too. It means no Empire’s Gambit this week, but that’s fine.”

  “We’d rather spend the time with you,” Victoria said, then quickly added, “all of you.”

  Gregory’s cheeks heated, but he met her gaze. “Clarifying is good.”

  Face going red, Victoria didn’t look away. “I do want to spend time with all of you.”

  “We know,” Yukiko said, placing a hand on Victoria’s shoulder. “Just keep your faith in your dreams being realized.”

  “We all are,” Nessa said.

  “Maybe we should go before Dia finds us,” Gregory said.

  “Yes,” Clover said as she led the way downstairs.

  They trooped downstairs, following Clover’s bushy tail that bobbed slightly side-to-side as she walked. Gregory realized that, with Roshana added to the mix, half of his friends would have tails and half wouldn’t. Clover’s bushy squirrel tail, Nessa’s horse tail, and Daciana’s energetic wolf tail were visible to him now, and he could imagine Roshana’s small, white, fluffy bunny tail alongside theirs. He wondered what Ling’s tail would have looked like if she’d had one.

  “Good morning,” Lightshield greeted them as they entered the room.

  All of them greeted the elder back, bowing before taking their seats. Bishop, Dia, Hemet, and Leah were already sitting at the table.

  “The night before our apprentices leave for their tournament,” Lightshield began once everyone was seated, “we will have a feast. It is to see them off, but also to introduce some new members of the clan. I believe you know them, but a welcome feast is always welcome. All of them will be going with Dia that morning to the tea house. Those that are true will be here for the evening meal.”

  The friends wondered who, besides Roshana, was joining the clan, but none of them asked as they waited for Lightshield to continue.

  “Clover, Ling, I am going to ask both of you to sit out of the fighting tournament,” Lightshield said.

  They bowed to him, and Ling said, “Sir, if you say it is for our safety, we will step back.”

  “There are still many ways it could go,” Lightshield said. “In most of them, though, one or both of you end up badly injured. You don’t die, but the injuries… can leave marks, and not just physical.”

  Clover glanced at Gregory and his wives before looking back to Lightshield. “What about them, sir?”

  “They will also experience pain, but each of them has ways to avoid or mitigate the worst of it.”

  “Very well, sir,” Ling said. She’d seen the twitch on Gregory’s face when Lightshield had mentioned Clover and Ling getting hurt.

  “You did tell us we would be going based on our own merits,” Clover said after a moment, “and we managed that.”

  “You certainly did,” Lightshield smiled. “I heard about the tournament and how each of you contributed. All of you did the clan proud. You, as well, Gregory.”

  “Sir? I didn’t play.”

  “No, you didn’t, but the way you comported yourself spoke well for the entire clan. We had a couple of people fighting to join your subgroup, I heard.”

  “I heard that from Roshana, sir.”

  “I believe we might have a couple more join the clan shortly after the tournament group leaves. They are being given a chance to see if their stated goals match their beliefs.”

  “I had no idea, sir.”

  “You, Gregory, have shown time and again that your simple, humble, honest way is one that brings people in. You might not feel like you are charismatic, but I think your friends would agree with me.”

  All of his friends nodded in agreement.

  “I will do my best to never disgrace the clan, sir.”

  “You would have to deliberately try to manage it,” Lightshield chuckled. “Also, let Roshana know she can sit in the stands to watch.” His gaze went to Quilet. “You may serve now.”

  “As you wish, sir,” Quilet said, pushing the cart to the table.

  ~*~*~

  After breakfast, they went to the archive, where Simon was on duty. A few questions let them know Rafiq was not going to be on duty again until he returned to the archive after the tournament. Roshana met them at the archive, and they had her join them in Magi Squares and studying. When they invited her to watch them train, she hesitated, but accepted.

  The novices had to go to their economics class, but promised to get to the arena as soon as they could. Roshana went with the others to the blue arena, wishing the novices a good day as they split apart.

  They’d almost made it to the stairs to the waiting area under the arena when Bishop came up them. “Apprentices,” Bishop greeted them. “I will take your friend, and you two,” she motioned to Clover and Ling, “to the stands.”

  “You don’t fight with them?” Roshana asked Clover.

  “Our elder has elected to have them stay out of the fighting tournament,” Bishop told her.

  Roshana bowed formally. “I understand, ma’am. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was questioning anyone.”

  “Questions are fine. They’re even encouraged,” Bishop smiled. “And while the three of you can fight, you can’t hold a candle to these three.” Bishop motioned to Gregory and his wives at the end.

  “Understood, ma’am.”

  “Now, get your helmets and weapons, then head up,” Bishop told Gregory. “Fight well.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” they replied, bowing to her.

  Bishop shook her head in amusement before leading the other three away.

  It didn’t take more than a few minutes to get their helmets and training weapons. As they made their way up to the arena, they all smiled upon seeing a familiar person standing in the tunnel.

  “Apprentices, it is good to see you again,” Mindie beamed.

  “Mindie, a pleasure, as always,” Gregory replied. “How have you been?”

  “Mostly good. I heard rumors that I was going to be posted to a position outside of the academy. I’m not sure if they are true or not, but I have hope that an idea of mine might work out.”

  “I hope it does,” Yukiko said.

  “Any extra information on the rumor?” Jenn asked.

  “Nothing specific,” Mindie sighed. “Just that one of the senior healers here thought I spent too much time helping… a specific clan.”

  “Us?” Gregory asked, and Mindie dipped her head. “But you’d help anyone that asked.”

  “Even the Eternal Flame,” Mindie agreed. “Unfortunately, the senior healer in question is friends with Grandmaster Yunlo. I’m sure that she’ll get her way.”

  “Can we do anything to help?” Yukiko asked.

  “Maybe...” Mindie said with hesitation. “Do you think your elder would accept me?”

  “Yes,” Yukiko said instantly.

  Jenn nodded along with Yukiko. “He will.”

  Gregory agreed with his wives, surprised at how quickly and eagerly they had spoken. Then again, he’d said his desires had shown her, too. He wasn’t sure that was the only reason, though, and he knew he’d have to t
ry to remember to ask Yukiko.

  Mindie looked relieved. “I worried that I might have taken too long.”

  “I wonder...” Gregory murmured, looking into the distance.

  “What?” Mindie asked.