“Greg, I’ll be waiting for you,” Jenn said as she and Yukiko made it back to the waiting area.
“Really went all-out, didn’t you?” Gregory asked, seeing both of them unsteady on their feet.
“They’re both on the edges of aether fatigue,” Mindie said. “Warlin’s ribs are healing, but she shouldn’t have any vigorous activity for at least a day, and Bean’s fine. She had a mild concussion, but it’s been taken care of.”
“Thank you,” Gregory told Mindie. “We’ve been very glad to have a pair of such skilled healers on hand.”
Mindie’s lips thinned for a moment. “Of course.”
“He means it,” Yukiko said softly, breathing slowly. “Greg doesn’t falsely flatter like others.”
“She’s right about him,” Jenn added.
“Both of you are so sure about him,” Mindie said.
“I’ll be marrying him after the tournament,” Yukiko said. “I wouldn’t do so if I wasn’t sure.”
“He’s always been honest and forthright with me,” Jenn added. “He’s the greatest friend, besides Yuki, that I could have hoped for.”
“We’ll be waiting for you, dear one,” Yukiko said, touching his face briefly. “Win it for us.”
Staring into her cyan eyes, he felt like he was falling into them. A cough snapped him out of the moment, and he turned his head to find Jenn standing there. “Sorry.”
“I want my rematch. I didn’t push myself to the brink just to have you lose before we get to fight,” Jenn said, but there was trepidation in her gaze.
“My heart told me to win,” Gregory told Jenn, “so I can do nothing but win, and I wouldn’t want to deprive you of your long sought-after rematch.”
Jenn’s lips turned upward at the corners. “Good.”
“We’ll head up together,” Yukiko told him. “Clear your mind, and fight to your fullest.”
Gregory watched them go until they vanished from his sight. Exhaling slowly, he turned to find Mindie leaning near the stairs to the arena, watching him. “Sorry, is it time?”
“Thankfully, not yet,” she said. “You have a moment to collect yourself.”
Gregory gave her a thankful smile as he closed his eyes and sought to calm his mind. “I’ve been wondering… why are you not wearing an orange kimono?”
“Since I have been all but removed from my year in the academy, it was deemed that wearing the healer kimono better suited me.”
“I see. Thank you. I hope you find a good posting next year.”
“I do, as well. I’ve applied to stay here, but I won’t know until after the tournament.”
“I hope Aether blesses you,” Gregory said on reflex. He blinked, realizing what he had just said.
“Thank you. I do, too. I just want to heal people… it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“Since you were a child?” Gregory asked as he slipped back into meditation.
“Two years before my age day, my mother became ill,” Mindie said, her voice thick. “She would have survived if the healer in town had come, but he didn’t.”
“I’m sorry,” Gregory said. “My mother passed before my age day, too. The loss of one’s mother is always hard.” Gregory coughed, as his throat felt tight by the time he finished speaking.
“Yes,” Mindie said, seeing in him the same pain of loss that she felt. She looked around, then moved a few steps closer and lowered her voice, “I hope you win.”
Gregory recalled their previous conversation about the Eternal Flame. “I hope it doesn’t hurt as much as it did last time.”
“Yes, it would be nice if we didn’t have to piece you together again,” Mindie giggled. “It should be about time.”
“Let’s see what I can do,” Gregory said as he started up the stairs.
~*~*~
Walking out onto the sands of the arena floor, Gregory had the naginata resting on his shoulder. Parks came the other way with an evil smile on his face and his maul balanced on his shoulder.
“Pet-tit, I’ve been told I’ll reap many rewards for taking you down here,” Parks said when they got close enough.
“And how much face will you and your clan lose when I win?” Gregory asked with a grin.
“Novices, save the chatter for the fight,” Yunlo said sternly. “You know the rules. Bow to the council.”
Gregory shifted into an attack stance when Yunlo raised his hand. Parks grinned as he adjusted his position.
“Fight!” Yunlo snapped as soon as his hand came down.
Gregory didn’t use foresight; he knew he’d run out of aether much too fast for it to be useful against someone who could conjure shields to stop his strikes. His plan was more simple: he would use his mastery of the naginata for the fight, using his aether sight to spot where the shields would form.
Both young men shot forward. Gregory’s first strike was pushed away by Parks’ maul, which pivoted off the block and came back at him. Gregory spun the naginata through a complex pattern and had it back around to knock the maul aside.
Parks grimaced— he knew that this fight was going to be harder than his others. His raw strength, along with his ability to use aether to summon barriers had let him easily defeat every other opponent. Gregory had perfect control of his weapon, using his reach to slide the heavy attacks aside and not be overwhelmed by them.
Gregory’s face was creased in concentration as he fought. Parks knew the way to use his weapon was to keep it moving, and he did. I have to find a way to negate his momentum and strike. Before he could, Gregory saw the aether strings going behind him and snorted. Giving up his reach, he lunged inside the range of both weapons, surprising Parks. The aether wall that had been forming dropped, and a shell of aether sprang up around Parks. Gregory didn’t strike when he saw the barrier covering the other man, instead pushing past it before spinning around and lashing out with sharp thrusts.
Parks backpedaled, letting his shell protect him as he got his feet back under him. His confusion was clear when he regained his balance. “You can’t use foresight forever!” Parks snapped.
Gregory grinned as he stepped back and fished his medallion out of his kimono, showing him the two glowing, sunflower-yellow rings that were lit up. “I think I can do more than you think.”
Parks’ eyes widened slightly at the sight of Gregory’s status, but he sneered. “Nick is rank one, only one rank dow…” Parks trailed off, his eyes going wider as he watched the medallion change.
Gregory saw Parks’ reaction and looked down; the third ring was filling in as he watched. “Sorry, what were you saying?” Gregory laughed.
Yunlo’s eyebrows twitched when he saw the ring energize in the middle of the fight. Glancing toward the council box, he saw an animated discussion taking place amongst those watching.
Parks rushed Gregory, intent on crushing him. Gregory changed his stance, wearing a smile on his face as he deflected the onslaught of attacks using nothing more than just his skill with the naginata. Parks was in a near frenzy— that frenzy grew as he tried time and again to use small shields of aether to trip Gregory up, only to have him sidestep, leap over, and avoid each one. He constantly had to use shields to block Gregory’s attacks that made it past the maul, making him realize he was bleeding his aether faster than he wanted to.
Gregory kept a smile on his face as he went with the flow of combat. Having used only his aether sight the entire fight, he’d been able to keep up with Parks, but it was starting to diminish under the constant use. When Parks wrapped himself in a shell of aether, Gregory wasn’t sure what he had planned, but he didn’t expect what Parks did.
Dropping his maul, Parks slammed into Gregory, making him drop the naginata to defend himself. They both hit the ground and, with the two of them unarmed, they rolled around, exchanging elbows, knees, and fists.
When they finally separated, Gregory was sporting a black eye and a split lip, and Parks had a broken nose. Getting back to their feet, they both settled into unarmed fighting stances.
“I’m going to break you!” Parks spat, a glob of blood landing near Gregory’s foot.
“Haven’t yet,” Gregory replied as he extended a left hand and beckoned him. “Come on.”
Parks gritted his teeth and rushed Gregory. Gregory let go of aether sight, pulling up his foresight for a couple of seconds. With the knowledge of the future in his mind, Gregory followed the pattern he’d seen until he changed direction.
Parks howled in pain and staggered back, his broken and bleeding nose gushing again after Gregory headbutted him. Clutching at his now flattened nose, Parks was in no place to defend against Gregory’s follow up attack.
Gregory caught Parks in a clinch, snaking his arms around Parks’ neck. “Tap out,” Gregory said as he clamped his arms tight.
Parks tried to throw Gregory over his back, but Gregory dropped his weight and further stressed Parks’ neck. Gasping as he tried to get airflow back, Parks reached out with his aether, attempting to form a shield between his skin and Gregory’s arm in desperation.
A sharp pain flared in Gregory’s left arm. He shouted, pushing off the other man, right before Yunlo was suddenly beside them. “Healers!”
Gregory looked down to see his bicep gashed almost to the bone, blood welling from the deep wound. Hissing in pain, he looked at Parks and saw Yunlo pressing his kimono to the novice’s neck.
Mindie was at Gregory’s side a moment later, checking his arm. She began to wrap a bandage around the wound. “Apply pressure,” she said when she finished.
Klim was kneeling beside Parks, her face grim as she touched his forehead and chest. “It’s like a knife went through his neck…” she was telling Yunlo.
Mindie dropped to her knees beside Yunlo and poured her aether into helping Klim. “Same with Pettit’s arm.”
Yunlo rose, no longer needed since the healers were there. He moved to Gregory with an unreadable expression. “A knife?”
“No, sir. I don’t know what happened,” Gregory replied, feeling a little faint as his healing ring and aether tried to stabilize him. “I had his neck with my arm, then felt a sharp pain and let him go.”
Yunlo exhaled, sadness crossing his features for a moment. “He tried to insert a shield between you two… Fool. That’s advanced, and takes years of practice.” Pulling out the disk, he announced Gregory the winner.
Gregory bowed to Parks, wondering if the other novice would survive, before bowing to Yunlo, and finally, the council’s box. Walking slowly, Gregory saw the bandage was already stained red and figured he should see the healers soon.
He’d barely made it to the hallway outside the waiting area before Dia was suddenly in front of him. “Drink,” she said firmly, handing him a flask.
Gregory took the offered flask and drank it without question. The pain in his arm faded, and he felt a little less woozy. “Thank you, Dia.”
“Greg?” Yukiko, Jenn, and the rest were heading his way.
“My arm was gashed badly,” he said. “I should go see the healers.”
“What happened?” Hao asked.
“Parks tried to put a barrier between my arm and his neck,” Gregory replied. “It sliced us both.”
“Will he survive?” Adolphus asked.
“Mindie and Klim were working on him,” Gregory said. “I think he’ll survive.”
“Unwrap the bandage,” Dia said. “I’ll salve your arm.”
“You brought those items with you?” Yoo-jin asked.
“Elder Lightshield gave them to me when I was leaving this morning,” Dia replied.
“He has impressive foresight,” Gregory muttered.
“He sees many things,” Dia agreed. “I’ll be quick about it, then you can go on with your evening.”
