The morning went by without issue— Elsa was awake on time, and brought them their breakfast as they worked on Magi Squares. It was the same soup as the day before, but with beef and noodles instead. Breakfast was followed by Gregory reading more on the Resonant Mind before they lapsed into resonance meditation. Afterward, they practiced the Peaceful Fist, which Elsa joined them for.
They stopped with the eighth bell to get bathing in before their fights. Gregory had watched Elsa walk off with Mindie and Roshana to bathe, smiling that she’d fully accepted his newest friends.
It was just before ninth bell when they gathered by Lightshield’s tent, all wearing their clan-embroidered kimonos. Gregory glanced to the side to see where Klim was gathering the Iron Hand. They wouldn’t be fighting, but he was sure she wanted good seats.
Hemet came out of the tent, giving them a nod. “I’m here to escort you all to the arena. The fighters will be in the preparation area with the other academy fighters. The rest of us will be taking seats in the stands, a portion of which have been set aside for us.”
“Won’t there be problems in the waiting area?” Clover asked, the worry clear in her tone.
“Armsmaster Magi-killer will be in the room with them, along with Rafiq so he can document how each fighter prepares,” Hemet said. “I am also to warn you, per the overseer, of what he expects.” Clearing his throat, Hemet spoke gravely, “Anyone who hurts another of our contingent will face his wrath. It matters not which clan you are with, nor whom you happen to be related to.”
“That seems pointedly directed,” Yukiko smiled. “We have heard the overseer’s words and will heed them.”
“Very good.” Hemet looked to the side. “Magus Klim, are you ready?”
“We are.”
“We will not match you for precision, but we will follow,” Hemet said. “Two lines, Apprentices. Mindie and Gregory in front.”
Yukiko glanced back as they left, giving Elsa a smile. Elsa drew herself up into a formal posture and watched them go. The moment they were out of sight, she went to get her job done. “Aether, please watch over them…” she prayed as she hurried about her tasks. She wanted everything to be perfect when they returned.
~*~*~
Gregory walked at the same pace as Hemet. He watched the Iron Hand march in front of them and knew that they would give a solid impression for the Empire’s Gambit tournament. Might want to work on that a little. It really does give the impression of unity, he thought.
The crowds were larger than they’d been the past few days, but they all made way for the magi. Gregory could pick out the people from the empire from those of Buldoun easily enough, even beyond their clothing. The people from the empire watched them with respect-filled eyes, while fear or hatred was more prevalent in those from Buldoun.
The majority of the crowd was going in through a couple of massive archways, but Klim led them off to the side, where guards from the empire and Buldoun stood near a single entryway. The empire guards saluted as they approached, stepping aside. The Buldoun guards looked unhappy as they stepped aside, but they still saluted, if stiffly.
They stepped into a hallway that split to the left and right. The left had more guards near a set of stairs, and the right led to a closed door. Klim took her entire clan to the left, but Hemet paused at the split.
“Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn to the right. The rest of us will go left. Fight well.”
The trio bowed formally to him. When the others left, Gregory turned with his wives toward the door. It wasn’t far and, upon opening it, he found Egil, Rafiq, Hayworth, and his two clanmates waiting.
“Aether’s Guard, come in and prepare yourselves,” Egil said. “Fights will be announced to everyone at the tenth bell.”
“Yes, Armsmaster,” Gregory said.
He shut the door behind his wives and glanced at Egil again. The man was wearing full armor, his face covering dangling by the strap on the left side of the helm. He held a sheathed naginata in his left hand, clearly another warning that he would intercede in a non-lethal fashion if needed.
Rafiq sat at a desk in the far corner of the room with a book in front of him. He gave them a nod, then started scribing, noting who had shown up and what they wore or carried.
“If it isn’t the Pettits,” Hayworth grinned. “Nine fights before we get to see what our groups can do. It feels more relaxed than the tournament at the academy, doesn’t it?”
“I think it’s the atmosphere,” Yukiko said as she crossed to an open spot, Jenn and Gregory beside her. “Everything here screams ‘display of power’ instead of a fight for dominance.”
Hayworth blinked a few times, then laughed. “Well put. I will concur with that statement. Buldoun wants to show that they have the ability to match the empire. I hear that tomorrow, the arena will display a double-shot crossbow. It only slows reloading by a fraction, but gives you twice as much firepower.”
“Hmm… that’s new,” Yukiko said.
“Supposedly, they were invented last year. I would bet it was a couple of years ago, and a stockpile was made.”
“That’s more in line with Buldoun,” Yukiko agreed.
“Single fights will allow some of us to show off more than the clan battles or the final,” Kang said. “I wonder what kind of magic users they have to face us?”
“Or how strong they are?” Binder added. “They don’t measure magi the same way we do.”
“So we might fight stronger or weaker opponents?” Jenn asked.
“It’s possible,” Hayworth shrugged. “Harrison thought it would be likely to run up and down that scale. A few above, a few below, but mostly in our range. I’m far more interested in how the healing enchantments on the arena will work. Our physical enhancement magi could kill their opponents outright if an accident happens.”
“A fully-empowered blow to the head or heart,” Jenn nodded. “The same will be true if they have physical enhancement mages.”
“True,” Hayworth conceded.
The door opening got everyone to turn and see Nick leading Jason and Parks inside. All three glared at Aether’s Guard, but they stayed silent while Egil told them what he’d told Gregory’s clan.
Nick and his friends took seats on the bench closest to the door. Hayworth shrugged, but moved his clan to stand near the bars giving a view into the arena. With nothing but waiting left to do, Gregory looked at his wives.
Jenn stood up and took the first stance of the Peaceful Fist. Yukiko nodded, staying quiet as she mirrored Jenn. Gregory smiled as he formed a triangle on the far side of the room. As a single unit, they began to follow the patterns.
Nick snorted, muttering snide comments about the useless, slow movements. Jason laughed at the comments, adding in a few of his own. Parks debated throwing a shield up that might injure Gregory, but a glance at Egil made him reconsider. Instead, he joined the others in mocking the Peaceful Fist.
Hayworth and his two clan members turned to watch with interest. Lips pursed, Hayworth started making mental notes, noticing how each pose would stretch out specific muscles, or was an attack or block done at a very slow speed. Both of his clan members glanced at the Eternal Flame, then studied Gregory’s group for another minute before looking out at the arena and the slowly filling stands.
Egil watched the room with an impassive gaze. He had his orders from the academy overseer, and he would follow them. He was sure that nothing would happen today, though— even the Eternal Flame knew how to bide their time.
Rafiq continued to make his notes, his gaze darting from group to group as he worked. The Eternal Flame was damaging their own name in this moment that was being recorded, but they didn’t seem to understand nor care. The indifference of the Swift Wind clan would not see them praised nor diminished. The Aether’s Guard group, clearly preparing themselves for the fights as if they were critically important, was being noted, as well.
When the tenth bell chimed, the noise in the arena dimmed. Gregory and his wives finished the kata they were on, then grinned at each other.
“Ladies, gentlemen, children, and esteemed guests from the Velum Empire, we welcome you,” a pleasant male voice announced. “Today, we see the first of a nine-fight rotation. Each of Buldoun’s students and the apprentice magi of the empire will clash. They will be given a day off between fights to rest, recover, and plot for the next match.”
The crowd cheered, and the announcer let them for a moment or two.
“On behalf of the royal family, we welcome the overseer of the Magi Academy. Overseer?”
Laozi walked calmly into the middle of the arena, accepting the glowing metal disk that acted the same as the one from the academy, amplifying his voice. “On behalf of the Velum Empire, we are grateful for the invitation. We hope for many long years of peaceful, diplomatic relations with Buldoun. Let this display of our youth strengthen our ties.”
“Thank you, Sage Windfoot.”
Laozi nodded, staying where he was.
“And now, a word from the royal mage himself, Archmage Timothy Aliminus.”
Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn went to stand near Hayworth’s clan, eager to see the archmage.
The man who walked out was bedecked in glittering jewelry. The sun reflected off the rings, necklaces, and circlet he wore. Each piece was made of mythrum, and his black robes had mythrum thread making up the pattern— a silver dragon breathing flames. Long, flowing, white hair hung loose down his back while his pure white beard went to the middle of his chest. Serious dark-gray eyes scanned the arena briefly as he crossed to the middle.
Accepting the disk from the announcer without looking, the archmage locked eyes with Laozi. “We welcome the magi of the Velum Empire.” His gaze drifted away from the sage. “We shall be watching what our younger mages can do with interest. If any of them can truly shine, I might take them as an apprentice. Fight well, mages of Buldoun. The world will be watching.”
Handing the disk back to the announcer, the archmage stepped back and bowed slightly from the waist, as was the custom in Buldoun. Laozi bowed formally, his left hand cupping his right fist, showing respect for the mage.
“Thank you, gentlemen,” the announcer said, his voice straining. Sweat was beading on his head as he stood between the two powerful men.
As one, the pair turned and walked away with slow, measured steps, showing that neither was afraid of turning their back on the other.
Exhaling roughly, the announcer laughed as best he could. “Not where anyone would want to be, if those two disagreed.”
The crowd laughed and the announcer used that time to mop his brow with a handkerchief.
“Now, the fights. Let us get to the first match of the day.”
