As they finished the Peaceful Fist, Egil came out of the inn. “Pettit, I would like to spar.”
Gregory glanced at Lightshield. The elder held out his hand, and the cane beside the door shot through the air to him. With a tired exhale, Lightshield gave Gregory a smile. “The choice is yours. I am heading to the baths. It takes me longer to use them now.”
“I’ll come with you, old friend,” Hemet said, walking with Lightshield.
“Armsmaster,” Yukiko asked, “would you be willing to spar with all of us?”
Egil chuckled as he looked over the assembled crowd. “A single match each, if he agrees.”
“I agree,” Gregory said. “We’ll spar last.”
“Umm…” Mindie gave a nervous look around. “Do we have sparring weapons?”
“Yes,” Rafiq said before extending a hand. “I have a selection of them on me. I know I have staves, wakizashis, and naginatas, at least.”
“I always keep a training katana with my things,” Egil said, holding the wooden sword loosely in his left hand.
“Those weapons cover most of us,” Yukiko said. “Mindie, what weapon did you prefer?”
“I don’t prefer any of them,” Mindie said softly, “but my limited time training showed me that the staff is best suited to me.”
“Like us,” Clover grinned.
“Ling, would you like to start?” Yukiko asked. “Mindie, why don’t we talk?”
Rafiq was suddenly holding a staff in his hand, and he held it out to Ling. “Fight well.”
Gregory shifted over to stand by Rafiq while everyone else cleared the yard for Ling and Egil. The crocodilian eurtik gave him a knowing smile. “You can use aether, Rafiq?”
“I’ve never been formally trained, as I am a pure-blooded eurtik,” Rafiq said as he watched the two face off, “but yes, I have some aptitude for physical enhancement, not that I’m allowed to use it much.”
“Because of your enslavement?” Gregory asked softly as Egil and Ling clashed.
“My brand doesn’t let me use it for anything other than self-preservation, and never against a magi. That is the way it is for all eurtik of the empire.”
“I had no idea…”
“It isn’t in any of the texts you’ve read. I would’ve been surprised if you knew.”
“But you can use your aether?”
Rafiq’s gaze darted from the fight to Gregory, then back. “I have trained my mind, much as you have. It is not ideal for a physical enhancement magi, but perfectly ideal for one of the archive.”
“You have a spatial enchantment?”
“I have one for the books, scrolls, and resources that I need for my time outside of the academy.”
“Only magi can use them… or is that wrong?”
Rafiq’s smile grew wider. “I’ve never seen a spatial enchantment that a non-magi could use.”
Gregory considered his wording as he watched Egil work Ling over. Egil wasn’t going for a quick win— he was obviously showing Ling her flaws.
“Can my questions bring you trouble?” Gregory asked when he saw Egil change from teaching to ending the fight.
“It’s possible, depending on the questions.”
“If I ask one that will, please let me know so I might better phrase it?”
Rafiq clapped when Egil won, but asked Gregory, “Worried for me?”
“I always care for friends,” Gregory replied.
Ling went to Clover, handing off the staff. “Do your best.”
“I will,” Clover grinned as she went to face Egil.
“Yes… you do cherish your friends,” Rafiq murmured. “I’m constrained on what I can and cannot do, but I will do my best. Please do not hold my task against me.”
“I don’t, but you also know my likely avenue of assisting.”
Rafiq chuckled as Clover and Egil bowed. “It’s obvious. Master Damon still hopes that you will be as forthcoming as possible.”
“Lightshield told me what will happen after the tournament,” Gregory said. “How long after that will you be my shadow?”
“That will depend on what the academy overseer wishes.”
“I see. Thank you.”
Rafiq just smiled as he watched the fights.
Egil did the same with Clover that he had with Ling— he exposed some flaws she had, then beat her.
Clover turned to Mindie, who shook her head. Clover hesitated, then returned the staff to Rafiq. “Thank you, Rafiq.”
“You’re welcome,” Rafiq replied, taking the weapon.
Jenn stepped forward, having finished removing her sheath from her belt. She’d tied the hilt and sheath together, making it impossible to draw the weapon. “I’ll fight you now, Armsmaster.”
“With your sheathed sword?”
“I need practice with it,” Jenn smiled as she moved to stand across from him.
Gregory grinned. He knew what she was up to, and he knew she also wasn’t wrong— she hadn’t had enough practice with her new weapon. Rafiq looked at Gregory curiously, but didn’t ask what the surprise was, though he knew there was one.
“Very well,” Egil said before bowing.
Jenn bowed back, then took a defensive posture.
Egil considered what the trick might be for a few seconds, then rushed Jenn. He was sure there was something, which is why he didn’t aim to attack. Instead, he feinted, trying to draw the trick out, but Jenn saw the feint for what it was. When Egil pulled up suddenly to stop his attack and dropped into a defensive posture, she slipped to the side, darting in for a simple thrust.
Egil managed to parry the attack, but had to pivot with her, as Jenn had gone to slip past him. When he found a katana instead of a wakizashi suddenly coming for his head, the surprise was evident in his eyes, but he still slipped away from the strike and gained ground. “Intriguing,” was all he said as he reset his stance.
Jenn held the katana steady, but it was clear that she was a little frustrated. She attacked Egil, her blade drawn back for a hard thrust. Egil wondered why she was telegraphing the attack, and was ready to parry and riposte. When Jenn stopped short of where she needed to be, Egil was briefly puzzled— that nearly cost him when an odachi suddenly came at him. Egil abandoned his plan and parried, giving ground again.
Jenn tsked as she reset her sword to a wakizashi. “Almost, twice.”
“Yes. Your blade is very interesting,” Egil said. “I can see where you would need to train with it. I’m now ready for what you’ve shown me.”
The match took longer than the previous two combined, and in the end, Egil still won. Breathing a little roughly, Egil bowed his head to Jenn. “Your skill is impressive, as I knew it was. If you keep focusing on the basics, you will eclipse most swordsmen. With your aether, you will be a tough opponent for nearly anyone. If you get used to your sword… You will be a surprise for anyone you face.”
Jenn bowed formally to him. “Thank you for the instruction, Armsmaster.”
Roshana stepped forward with two training sai in hand. “Armsmaster, I cannot give you the same fight, but I would still love to learn.”
Egil nodded. “Just give me a moment. I’m not as young as I used to be.”
Mindie went to his side, her energy rushing into him. Egil grimaced for a moment before he nodded. “Thank you, healer. Do you not wish to train?”
“I do not cause harm, sir. I withdrew from all the fighting in the academy,” Mindie said softly.
“I see. Did you not even learn to defend yourself?”
“I trained the basics, sir.”
“Very well. I hope you never have to use your limited knowledge.”
Mindie bowed before moving away.
Roshana bowed and set herself to defend against Egil.
Egil did what he had with Clover and Ling, testing her and showing her weaknesses before eventually defeating her. Roshana grimaced and went over to Mindie to heal the bruised rib she’d collected.
“I’m glad there’s a healer here,” Egil said.
“We all are,” Yukiko said, giving Mindie a smile. “Rafiq, might I borrow your training wakizashi?”
“Of course,” Rafiq said, holding that out to her, then a practice naginata to Gregory. “I am glad to assist.”
Yukiko took the weapon and went to stand opposite Egil. “Armsmaster, thank you for your tutelage.”
“I am not teaching. I am merely paying the price for what I asked for,” Egil said formally. “If I was to teach you, I am sure I would be tasked with doing it for others.”
“Ah. I apologize for my words,” Yukiko said, bowing.
“Accepted,” Egil replied, bowing back to her.
The fight with Yukiko wasn’t as long as Jenn’s, but it also didn’t have the same feel as when he’d fought the other three. It was clear that he was focused on winning, not teaching.
Yukiko bowed when the fight ended. “Thank you for the match, Armsmaster. I will work on my weaknesses.”
“If you do, I will have a harder time winning next time,” Egil said, clearly showing respect.
Gregory exhaled, then moved to take up the open spot as Yukiko walked by him. He could feel all eyes on him as he bowed to Egil. “I am ready, sir.”
Egil bowed back, then took up a ready stance. “As am I. Come now, show me your skill again.”
Everyone watched, fascinated, as the pair fought. Rafiq was the only one who hadn’t seen it before, his eyes wide as he followed the clashing of wooden blades.
Both Egil and Gregory were grinning as the match went on and on. The thrill of fighting their hardest, of actually being challenged, made them both laugh. Gregory managed to nick Egil’s arm after a triple riposte combo. Egil hissed as he let his right hand drop off the naginata. It was only a few seconds later when Gregory used his superior leverage to completely disarm Egil.
“Yield!” Egil panted.
Gregory grinned broadly. “Accepted. Thank you, Sensei.”
Egil shook his head. “If this fight was recorded, you would gain a lot of attention. Luckily, it wasn’t official in any way, but I wish for one more fight.”
Gregory hesitated, as Egil was clearly still winded. “Sir?”
“Healer, please.”
Mindie refreshed Egil, then stepped well back as Roshana handed Egil his naginata.
“Use your foresight, Pettit. I want to see how I can do against everything you have.”
Gregory swallowed. They’d never crossed weapons one-on-one with Gregory using foresight. “As you wish, sir.”
Egil bowed and set himself to defend. “This is a learning moment.”
Gregory bowed back to Egil, set himself to attack, then triggered his foresight. The fight was even more fluid than the last. It was clear during the first exchange that Gregory was leading the dance, and Egil was barely able to keep up. Seconds ticked by as Gregory tried again and again to breach Egil’s defenses. The armsmaster had decades of practice with his preferred weapon and he’d fought countless opponents, so even though he could only defend, he held Gregory off with his skill alone. It was still less than a minute later when Gregory slid his wooden blade against the side of Egil’s neck when the older man just missed a parry.
Egil backed off and bowed. “Did you learn?”
Gregory stared at Egil for a long moment, then bowed low. “Thank you, Armsmaster.”
“Good. Now it’s time to bathe.”
Rafiq went inside with Egil, leaving Gregory with the practice weapon and his friends.
“Greg?” Yukiko asked, as Gregory was still standing where he’d been when he’d finished the fight.
“Sorry… making sure I remember it all,” Gregory said, turning to look at his wives and friends. “I need to study it again and again, but Egil showed me his best defense.”
“Oh…” Jenn exhaled. “The cavern?”
“Yes. I will be able to replicate what he just showed me.”
“Do you need any healing?” Mindie asked softly.
Gregory blinked as he let the weapon vanish into his ring. “No, I’m fine. Mindie, when was the last time you sparred?”
“The first half of my novice year,” Mindie admitted, not meeting their eyes. “I can’t…”
“It’s okay,” Clover said, hugging her. “We all have things that make us us.”
“I will worry for you, but I would never ask you to go against your beliefs,” Ling said.
“We’ll just have to keep you safe,” Jenn said.
“Our friend needs us to guard her so she can guard us,” Yukiko said, touching Mindie’s shoulder. “We will, if you let us.”
Gregory exhaled. “I won’t speak against you, Mindie. Like everyone said, we’ll do our best to keep you safe.”
Mindie sniffled, then looked up at them. “Thank you.”
All of them hugged her, leaving Mindie in the middle of the warmth of her friends. She’d been so afraid that they would sneer at her as so many others had, calling her weak or pathetic. Instead, they embraced her, speaking comfortingly and promising to help her. She felt her care for them grow even more.
After a few minutes, Yukiko cleared her throat. “We should bathe. After that, we can see about meditation until dinner. Some of you are still working on your resonance.”
With agreement from all of them, they trooped inside. The night was far from over.
