Gregory thought that breakfast with the judges felt stilted, but he didn’t let it bother him as he ate.
“You’ve been remarkably calm about us keeping you from the competition,” Ruzi said between bites.
“What should I have done?” Gregory asked calmly. “Defied your collective wills? Thrown a tantrum? What would that have done for me or my men?”
“I know magus-tiered magi who would have done just that, or challenged us to duels,” Zhu snorted.
“That would only cause different problems, along with maybe getting me seriously injured or killed.”
“You barely spoke out about it,” Ironhand said. “Your men have been remarkably calm and collected, as well.”
“They know better than to act rashly,” Gregory shrugged.
“You didn’t even fuss when we wanted to spar,” Ruzi added.
“It allowed me to get in more training. Why would I fight something that benefits me, especially when you agreed to my request in return?”
“You do not speak or act like a fringer. It is decidedly odd, considering you come from Alturis,” Zhu cut in.
“I am who I am. I’ve grown since I became a magi. Part of that is learning, though some of it is my wives helping me. I’ll always claim my village as my home. I’m not ashamed of where I came from.”
“Unlike others?” Ironhand asked with a hint of an edge.
“Sir, I’ve met a magus in your own clan who flatly told me he did his very best to distance himself from his home. It was easier than dealing with the shit others started with him when he joined the academy just for being from the fringe. I don’t look down on him in any way for doing so. He was a valued instructor, and possibly even a friend.”
“Hmm… I know who you speak of,” Ironhand nodded. “He’ll be taking over the academy section of the clan once he becomes a master. That will free up Chen to go back into the field, where he’d rather be.”
“I believe the magus in question would be all for that if he could continue to teach tactics, especially once Egil is done doing so.”
“He has requested just that already.”
“Which magus is this?” Ruzi asked.
“Paul Erichson,” Ironhand replied.
“Ah. He faced Krogga last time we had to respond to the border,” Ruzi nodded. “He did much better than the majority. Didn’t I give him a medal?”
“You did. He requested his posting to the academy, which I granted him, even if it did take a decade for me to do so.”
“I will advise Egil to have Erichson assist him with the knowledge that Erichson will step in after him, as he did this year. That means I’ll have to send a letter to the sage, not that he does much.”
Zhu snorted. “Oh, haven’t you heard? Sage Windfoot has asserted himself again. I hear his council will be dissolved and a new one will be appointed in the coming year.”
“Hmm…” Ruzi murmured as he tossed his napkin on the table. “He hasn’t done that in my lifetime. I wonder what prompted it?”
“The council turned blind eyes to clear murders when Pettit was a novice. That was the beginning. They then tried to fight him when he pushed for the healing enchantments that the damned arenas should have had all along. He finally stopped playing at being a sweeper, donning his robes to take action. About time.”
Gregory stayed quiet; he was sure there was more to it, considering who Laozi really was. The fact that it had all started after his novice year could make it seem like it wasn’t tied to him. Most of it could be tied back to Nick’s actions, Gregory mused. Add in the last mistake he’d made, and he wondered if Nick was even still alive.
“You will be with us in the stands all day,” Ruzi said as he stood up. “You will stay silent, no matter what happens. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Gregory said, bowing in his seat.
“I’ll see you all in an hour,” Ruzi said as he marched out of the room.
Zhu just kept eating his breakfast. “Yes, sir.”
Gregory continued to eat breakfast, as well. He considered the power dynamic he saw since he’d been in the manor. The two magi deferred to Ruzi— considering that Ironhand was an elder tiered magi, Gregory wondered why, but he wasn’t going to ask.
Ironhand was watching Gregory while he finished his last bite. “You find it odd we call him ‘sir’?”
“I was curious. Everything I’ve read says that magi are the leaders, and you’re an elder, sir.”
“Ruzi was appointed by the emperor. To believe that I outrank someone appointed by him would be questioning the emperor himself.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Ruzi has also never lost a war,” Zhu added. “Aether knows he’s won a few we should have lost. His tactics have never failed the empire.”
Gregory bowed in his seat. “Thank you for clarifying.”
“When he passes, the other nations will push us again,” Ironhand said. “Krogga, especially. They’ve raised up a new high champion this year. I’ve heard you asked for the Kroggian embassy to be your magus posting, Pettit.”
“I have sir.”
“That will be interesting,” Ironhand chuckled, then got to his feet. “Very interesting, indeed.”
Zhu laughed. “Agreed.”
That left just Gregory and Zhu in the dining room. After a few minutes, Gregory broached a topic he was curious about, “Sir, I’ve heard your two clans don’t get along, yet you two seem amiable.”
“Ironhand understands more than some of his subordinates,” Zhu replied. “If my clan wasn’t what it was, then our spot would be taken up by numerous other clans. No one uses other mercenaries because we have proven that we are true to our contracts.”
Gregory frowned, then slowly began to nod. “Which also always lets the empire know who is doing what, as your clan is well-known.”
“The only thing we don’t control is assassination. My clan doesn’t agree with the knife in the dark.”
“The Whispering Darkness took that role,” Gregory said.
“In the time of my father, yes. Since then, they’ve almost managed to take every new shadow magi into their fold. Your wife is one of the few who didn’t go with them. They hold a long grudge when they’re rejected.”
“I feel most magi do,” Gregory replied as he finished his meal.
Zhu chuckled. “True. Magi are very proud of their power. You are, too.”
Gregory was quiet as he thought about that. “I’m proud of being a magi. I’m proud when I use my power to help my friends, but I wouldn’t hold a grudge because someone walked away from me. That isn’t pride; that’s arrogance.”
“Too true, young magi,” Zhu laughed, then stood up. “Most of us are arrogant, too. I was upset when you bested me so easily the first time we fought, even though it was my own fault. Since we’ve sparred again, I’ve let my anger go. Why? Because you did nothing wrong. I lost because of hubris, a lesson I had forgotten. I am grateful to have it refreshed without it costing me my life.”
Gregory stood, then bowed respectfully to Zhu. “I’m happy to have helped and not have to look over my shoulder for reprisals, sir.”
Zhu bowed back just as formally. “I will keep my eye on your rise in power, Pettit, especially in Krogga. Oh, I wish I could be there to see them try to deal with you.” Laughing, he walked away.
Gregory exhaled slowly as he considered the idea that he’d be fighting a lot in Krogga. Shaking his head, he went to gather the few odds and ends still in his room.
~*~*~
Gregory sat in the judging box behind Ironhand and Ruzi. He had a clear view out across the obstacle course. It was complex, with the ability to make some truly dizzying paths. The first magi guard squad was Farin’s. Gregory silently wished him luck, as he’d been told not to talk. His lips pursed as he watched the few eurtik on the course. They would switch things around— even in the middle of a run— to redirect the units. This way, what the units thought would be the path would suddenly not be the path. He wondered how that would work with Glasson’s squad scouting ahead.
There were rules of engagement to be adhered to on the run. The magi couldn’t assist his men if he wasn’t running with them. Some obstacles were marked to denote that, if failed, the men were wounded, while others were marked that they’d be dead. On death, it was up to the unit to haul the dead out or leave them to lay there until the run ended.
Three squads of imperial foot were waiting in a large area. Gregory knew that clearly meant combat was going to be another obstacle to overcome. Farin wasn’t with his men, so he wasn’t allowed to cast magic to destabilize the waiting footmen. That cost him two full squads, who then had to be carried out by his remaining men.
The three judges spoke softly, pointing out things that should’ve been done differently as they made notes. Gregory agreed with the majority of what was said; his men had trained to overcome many of the flaws he’d heard discussed.
Gregory sipped at the water provided by the staff as each new unit came for their run. Few of the magi ran with their men, even though it wasn’t forbidden from doing so. That made Gregory wonder why. So many things would’ve been easier to overcome if the magi had gone with them. The ones that did run with their men never used their magic anywhere except on the waiting footmen, who were healed between each run.
He knew the last three units would be Yukiko’s, Jenn’s, and finally, his. With midday already gone, he knew that their time would be coming up soon.
