The first day of travel was rough for Gregory— he’d answered a lot of questions from Rafiq about his magic during the tournament, including ones about the time he was guarding Claudia. True to his word, the crocodilian eurtik let Gregory know which questions he could opt out of. Gregory was glad that Rafiq was the archivist that had been sent with him, as that was very helpful.
Egil and Willof had questions for him as well, and Gregory answered the majority of them. Most of theirs were about the precautions he took to prevent an easy assassination attempt, like setting up the dummies. They agreed that his logic was sound, and it might’ve stopped another more casual attempt.
~*~*~
Done with bathing and dinner, the family retired to their large room at the inn. Gregory felt drained after the informal interrogation he’d been through. His wives could clearly see he was tired, so they hadn’t asked him about it earlier.
“Greg,” Yukiko asked softly, “did you want to talk about it?”
He gave his pale-haired wife a smile; her cyan eyes showed her concern for him. “Basically, just what I’d told all of you, but with me having to edge around the things I didn’t want to be said. I have something I want to do tonight, though.”
“Oh?” Jenn asked with a grin.
Gregory laughed at her obvious thought. “I’m sure we’ll get there, too, our dear fighter.” He snagged his shortest wife, hugging her to him. “I was thinking of finally taking the time to find out what Lightshield left in this ring for me.”
“That’s a good idea,” Mindie added, her red-furred fox ears twitching slightly.
“Agreed,” Yukiko nodded. “After that, we can help our heart unwind from his long day.”
“Yes, please,” Jenn snickered and kissed Gregory’s chest.
“We’ll make sure we all get what we love most, too. It’s at least a week to where we’re going,” Gregory said. “They did tell me that. Oh, let me fill you in on what I was told is waiting for us.”
His explanation didn’t take long, and while he did that, they settled in around the table. None of them were surprised by what Gregory had been told. Neither Jenn nor Yukiko asked questions about it— they knew they couldn’t change anything about what was coming.
“Now to focus on the ring,” Gregory murmured, then lightly meditated on the ring he’d been given. “Besides the things I added, there are other enchanted items in it… a few dozen books— mostly journals, I think— some loose documents and scrolls; a chest full of vela… no idea how much, though; and a lot of alchemical supplements.”
“Are we being observed?” Yukiko asked softly.
Gregory came out of his meditation to use aether sight, then looked around the room. No shadows were collected, nor were there any wind mages listening in. “No.”
“We can bring it all out to look over, then,” Jenn said.
“Might be for the best. I’ll take the books out first,” Gregory said, keeping aether sight up. “I’ll also have to keep an eye on the room.”
“What do you mean?” Mindie asked.
“Oh, right. We didn’t get to tell you everything.” Gregory started having books materialize from the ring onto the table. “I can see raw strands of aether because of who I am.”
“Really?” Mindie’s eyes went wide.
“I call it…” Gregory hesitated, “call it ‘aether sight.’ It’s technically true, but saying it out loud makes it sound stupid. Every person weaves their aether differently. When Yuki was training with Inda, I could make out whose aether was whose. I’m looking for gathered shadows for listening or wind mages having made a tunnel to listen through.”
“And you’re really… Aether?” The question was barely a whisper.
“Pretty sure. Darkness called me that. Add in all of us walking three paths, my affinity with the naginata, and how I’ve been able to get items from altars in his temples… yeah.”
“I feel it to be true,” Yukiko said as she looked over the books. “All of these are Lighthand’s journals.”
“Items from the temples?” Mindie asked.
Yukiko summoned the dagger Gregory had found in Buldoun, and he produced the medallion. “Waterrock’s temple gave me this, and Buldoun’s temple had the tanto. This stores aether; we think it has at least a sage’s aether in it, and it can be used to refill other charged enchantments. The knife can break aether-made barriers. Darkness said it belonged to my shadow magi wife in the past,” Gregory said.
“Oh…” Mindie said slowly, her ears twitching more.
Gregory was sure if she’d had a tail, it’d be moving, too. He met her eyes, again fascinated by the divided red and blue star shapes of her irises.
“You like my eyes, don’t you?” Mindie flushed.
“They’re captivating.”
“They really are,” Jenn agreed. “With you and Yuki, I feel plain a lot of the time. I’m just black-haired and hazel-eyed while you two have very distinctive features.”
“You’re far from plain,” Yukiko murmured, staring at Jenn. “We find you every bit as beautiful as you find us.”
“She’s right,” Mindie nodded. “You’re so much fitter than me. I feel… soft compared to you.”
“You’re all lovely just the way you are,” Gregory said as he put the books and medallion back in the ring, “as are our other friends.”
Soft smiles came to the trio of women.
“Well said, dear one,” Yukiko murmured, taking the tanto back into her ring.
“Scrolls and papers,” Gregory said once he’d had another look around the room.
The collection of written odds and ends took up the table. One of them was notable to them, as it was a scroll with Gregory’s name on the outside. His hands trembled when he picked that one up.
“We’ll give these a quick scan while you read it,” Yukiko told him.
Exhaling slowly, Gregory untied the single blue ribbon holding the scroll closed. With a deep, long, slow inhale, he unrolled it to read.
Gregory,
You are probably reading this on your first night after leaving Buldoun. There are other times you might be, but this is the most likely future. No one looks in on you tonight, so feel free to explain things to your newest wife. Mindie loves you deeply and will be just as loyal as your other wives, both current and future. I have seen many things, but if I tell you about them, the future will shift, so I will apologize for not saying more about that.
The papers are many and varied, but all of them can be useful at the right time and place. It will take you time to read through them all, and I’m sure your wives will also find value in them.
As for the odds and ends in the ring, my family has gathered everything we could that tied directly to Aether. These range from the rings— which you gave your promised wives and will give to others later— to the larger items you will no doubt be surprised to find. Just do what you think is best with them; do not overthink it.
I know you have a heavy heart. I saw it in your eyes when I saw the future. Please do not lament my death. I died doing what my family has always wished to do: serving Aether. You will see bright times and the darkest of life. My final words should be heeded. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made. Those are the moments you will need your wives to help you the most. I cannot say more, as it would endanger what you want.
Bishop will do all she can. Those you truly trust in your heart will not fail you. When in doubt, follow your resonance. Remember that life is never without cost. Your mother knew what seeing the future meant, as do I, and as you will in time. We believe in you, Gregory. Not because of who you were, but because of who you are. I have no doubts that even when you grow and rise up to lead, you will always be the same humble man you are today.
The vela is yours to do with as you see fit. It was my own personal funds, so do not worry that it was from the clan. I know you will find the right way to spend it in time.
For Aether, his guard, and the future.
Linus Lightshield
Gregory swallowed when he set the scroll down. Wiping his eyes, he glanced up to see his wives watching him. With a sniffle, he handed the scroll to Jenn on his left.
“The papers cover many topics,” Yukiko said to help distract Gregory.
“He told me to read them, and that you all should, too. It covers a lot of topics to help cover eventualities.”
“Ah, very well. We can start on them while we travel. Maybe put them back for now?”
Gregory began collecting the documents back into the ring while Jenn sniffled, then handed the scroll to Yukiko. His heart was heavy; he could still vividly see the peace on Lightshield’s face as he was about to die. I’ll find out who and make sure they pay for his death. It might be what he accepted, but I won’t let it go unanswered, Gregory promised himself as he cleaned the table off.
Mindie sniffled once she’d read through the scroll. It was clear Lightshield had known more than he’d let on and had done all he could for Gregory. She handed it back to Gregory, who let it slip into his spatial ring.
“We know we’ll face sacrifices in the future,” Yukiko said softly, “possibly even one of us or our friends and future wives. All of us will accept that if it means we can do what we’ve set out to do.”
“Even as it tears our hearts out,” Jenn nodded.
“We’ll heal the hurt as best we can,” Mindie hiccupped, on the verge of tears.
“He didn’t say, because knowing ahead of time would’ve been worse,” Gregory said. “I won’t accept that it will happen. I know it’s possible, but I won’t just allow it to happen.”
“We’ll help as much as we can and be here for you if it does,” Yukiko said, reaching across the table to take his hand.
Jenn and Mindie both reached out and clasped their hands, too.
Gregory wiped his face, then looked around the room. “The items… we should see them.”
“Go ahead, dear one,” Yukiko said. They all let go so he had the table again.
Rings, necklaces, armbands, boots, gloves, a chestguard, a pair of pants, a coif, and other odds and ends took up the table. Gregory picked up the leather chestguard and looked at it. The black leather had small glimmering threads woven through it. The pants Jenn picked up had the same materials, as did the coif Yukiko had taken to examine.
“A full set, with some extra,” Gregory murmured. “Of course, he knew.”
“What are they?” Mindie asked uncertainly.
Gregory set the armor down, then peeled off one of his invisible gloves. Mindie’s mouth fell open as she watched a glove appear when he pulled it off.
“My boots and gloves are the same as these,” Gregory said. “All of them have ryuite woven into them. We know that if you use intent, it can shed aether, from Jenn’s punches to Yukiko’s shadows. Earth isn’t affected, which we found odd when testing them, but anything held together by aether, like wind or shadow, breaks apart.”
“A full set,” Yukiko said slowly, then she turned to look at Mindie. “Dear one, I have an idea.”
Gregory nodded. “I was thinking that, too.”
“We’re agreed,” Jenn said.
“What?” Mindie asked.
“This armor will keep you safe from almost all aether,” Gregory said. “All of it will change to look however you want it to. My boots, for instance; I’ve worn them for a year. They never pick up debris, so you can just make them look like slippers when you enter a home. The gloves never became soiled, either. We know that aether has to touch the armor itself to be sapped of the aether, too. Put your clothing on, then the armor. You can have it copy your clothes, and then put on your over-robe.”
“Me?” Mindie asked with wide eyes.
“Our healer needs to be safe,” Yukiko said. “The three of us have armor for when we fight. You do not, and your survival is important to all of us. If you’re alive, you can keep us alive.”
“The gloves and boots that are left over, Yuki and I can take. I’ll take the gloves; sapping another physical magi of their aether while I hit them at full strength would change fights quickly in my favor,” Jenn said.
“I’ll agree,” Yukiko smiled.
Mindie sat there, stunned, as they talked casually about these amazing enchanted items. “But…!”
“They were made by Aether’s wife, designed to keep his loved ones safe,” Gregory said softly. “We’ll find more pieces eventually, but for now, this set is yours. Just put it in your ring.”
Mindie did as he said, still trying to understand why they’d picked her. She was the last of them, and not as important as any of them. Gregory should have it first, then Yukiko so she could move unimpeded. Jenn would make more sense, as she was their fighter, but not her.
“We all agree, dear healer,” Yukiko smiled at Mindie. “We know you have trouble seeing your worth the way we do. I think we all have those moments of self-doubt, but trust us.”
Mindie exhaled, nodding. “I do. I’ll do my very best to live up to what you all see in me.”
There were more promise rings, which Gregory put back in his ring. Aether had more wives than Gregory ever wanted to have, and Lightshield had enough rings from Aether’s wives that he was a little intimidated by the number of them.
The other enchanted items had small tags attached to explain what each did. There were twenty-four fire resistant rings, some like the ones Gregory had given Mindie, but also some older. The ten oldest were even better; they made the wearer completely resistant to fire and were recharged by the person instead of bane cores, but the note said they should wait until magus-tier to use them. Gregory still had the others take them for later. It turned out the majority of the enchantments had notes, telling them to wait until magus-tier at the earliest to use them. Apparently, they were all aether-intensive enough to warrant that.
Going through them one by one, the group made notes on the tag as to who would be best served by them when they could be used. Once that was done, they all went back into Gregory’s ring.
Elaborately decorated with a shield surrounded by light, the chest looked old. It was also massive and packed full of vela. Yukiko estimated— after a quick look at the size of the container and because all the money inside consisted of five-hundred vela coins— that it held a few tens of millions. Gregory was daunted at the very thought of that number; he was suddenly richer than he’d ever dreamt of being. He had each of them take a couple big scoops out of the chest before putting it back in his ring, knowing he’d have to actually count it at some point.
The last thing Gregory pulled out were the alchemical supplements, and when they read the descriptions on them, they were shocked. Gregory had only taken out some of them, as the rest were for adept and magus years.
“These will help us when we all get together again in Krogga,” Yukiko said. “Lightshield planned well ahead for us. I wonder what the tag meant by ‘you will know when you get to the Embassy’?”
“He was playing with the future…” Gregory said. “I’m sure it’ll be clear when we get there.”
Mindie let out a small yawn. “Oh, excuse me.”
“It is late, and we should get our normal routine in before leaving,” Yukiko said. “Time for bed.”
“Bed, and after some fun, sleep?” Jenn asked.
“As my hearts wish,” Gregory smiled, standing up.
