Six days of training flew by for them. They studied with the novices in the mornings— Daciana was growing more and more excited with each passing day. Nessa seemed calm, but it was obvious she felt nervous as the week had gone on. Victoria focused on studying, throwing herself into something she could do instead of thinking about what was to come.
Their group training reinforced their communication, and they won more than half of their fights against their instructors. Gin pushed them hard during those fights, making sure they would be ready for the tournament.
Magic training had sharpened Yukiko’s ability to form perfect hands from shadows, reinforcing her ability to grab people and allowing her to hinder them in more ways than just a formless morass. Jenn’s control over using her aether in bursts had grown. Bishop said that Jenn could likely outlast any two other physical enhancement apprentices in the academy if she fought them back-to-back. Gregory hadn’t seen any vast improvement over his ability to use foresight, but his aether sight had developed to the point he could at least get an idea of what type of magic was being used.
Their training with unarmed and weapons combat had all of them honed to an edge that Gin approved of. He told them he was confident they were the best weapon-trained apprentices inside the academy walls. Gregory had gone three days without losing a single fight to Gin when he used the naginata, but still lost over half the time with any other weapon. Yukiko and Jenn were starting to hold their own against Inda and Indara, but were beaten by Bishop every time, though she did say they were making her work for it.
Outside of those periods, they practiced the Peaceful Fist with Dia, Bishop, Inda, Indara, and Elder Lightshield. They spent an hour every day working on combat dissection for the mind path— Gregory could hold three segments in his mind all at once. Another hour was spent on simple meditation where they touched their resonance, getting a better feel for it. Their last training every day was spent discussing Empire’s Gambit and different strategies they could use depending on their nation and their opponents.
~*~*~
Gregory smiled as he looked at the inky corner of the room. “Dear one, it’s good to not see you again.”
“That is terrible,” Darkness giggled. “I might have been hurt if I was not able to read your mind.”
“But you can and you laughed, which is what I’d hoped for.”
“You grow closer to being an initiate, as do our wives. I am very happy.”
“I had a question for you, regarding Clover and Ling.”
“I am aware, dear one. Yes, they will be joining the clan at this point. There is no road, besides you flatly telling the elder not to, that will keep them from the clan. The same is true for the novices.”
“Do they all truly believe in Aether returning?”
“That depends on how one views their belief,” Darkness said with a hint of laughter. “I will be nice, though. They will fully support the clan from the day they join until they can no longer draw breath. Those five would sooner cut off their own hand than turn on Aether’s Guard once they are invited and begin to train beside you. The only reason they would turn against the clan is if you push them away.”
Gregory exhaled. He could feel the small pieces of doubt he had fading. “I know I spoke strongly for them with Lightshield, but I felt a pang of worry.”
“There is another who is strongly thinking of joining the clan, but that is not set yet,” Darkness said. “Until they firm their resolve, I do not wish to say more.”
Gregory nodded slowly. “That’s probably for the best. I know it isn’t Farin, since he went to the Iron Hand.”
“He will harbor goodwill for you and your wives for years. A few others of that clan see the goodness you do and feel strongly in your favor.”
“Klim and Erichson?”
“That is some of them,” Darkness said. “Leave it for now, dear one. I do want to warn you against complacency— Shun and his clan will try to remove you entirely. Do not hesitate if you face them. Do not hold back, please.”
Moved by the emotion in her voice, Gregory shifted so he sat facing the corner. “I won’t hold back. I hear your worry, and that means our wives are in danger. For that alone, I would do all I can, but I will do even more since you’ve told me.”
Darkness was quiet for a second before she exhaled loudly. “Thank you, dear one. They themselves will be the worst of it, but you must still be ready for anything in every other fight. They will not be the only ones intent on stopping you, only the worst of them.”
“Understood.”
“Sadly, it is time for me to go. I will see you again soon,” Darkness said.
“The solstice,” Gregory smiled, already figuring out her meaning.
Delighted laughter came from the void. “Indeed, dear one, when forced growth is natural. I will be happy to speak with you then, as well. Until then, go. There is family to see and friends who need your support.”
“I’ll go,” Gregory said, “but there’s something I must do. Something I will try every time I see you and am not distracted by our wives.”
“Yes,” Darkness purred happily as he launched himself into the shadows to get to her.
~*~*~
Gregory smiled at his wives as they all got dressed. “Seventh rank… I believe that we’ll make quite the impression on our peers when they find out.”
“Indeed, we will,” Jenn grinned.
“Sadly, we can’t keep it a secret until the tournament,” Yukiko sighed. “We’ll have to show our medallions when we leave and come back.”
“Right.” Jenn gave a similar sigh. “Too bad. It would have been nice to shock them.”
“If wishes were horses,” Gregory said.
“We’d all own a stable,” Jenn finished for him.
“Breakfast, study, Peaceful Fist with the children and our friends, then off to see my parents?” Yukiko asked.
“That sounds right to me,” Gregory said.
They made it down to breakfast and saw Dia and Bishop talking while Quilet cooked. “Morning Dia, Bishop, Quilet,” Gregory greeted them.
“Good morning to you three,” Dia smiled. “Oh, Gregory, we got word last night that the items you wanted are ready for you to pick up.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Dia.”
Jenn and Yukiko gave Gregory piercing looks before sharing a glance. “He set something up and kept it from us, Yuki. I’m mildly impressed.”
“As am I. Well done, dear one.”
Gregory chuckled. “Thanks.”
“What are your plans for today?” Bishop asked.
“Studying, seeing the children at Gin’s, then it was supposed to be spending some time with my parents,” Yukiko said. “I think there will be another stop before returning here.”
“A brief one, yes,” Gregory agreed.
“You won’t be training with your friends?” Bishop asked.
“Not today. I want to spend as much of today as I can with my parents,” Yukiko said.
“We’ll let Indara know when she wakes,” Dia said. “She was uncertain if you would or not.”
“We’ll be doing the Peaceful Fist with the children and them, but not sparring,” Jenn clarified.
“Hmm… we will let her know she can spend a little more time here, then,” Dia said.
“Breakfast is ready,” Quilet said, coming over with food. “It’ll be nice to start cooking for even more people after the tournament. The five of us have felt a little superfluous at times.”
Dia gave Quilet a grin. “A half year for all of them, then back to three again, but don’t worry. There will be more after them. In time, we’ll have to hire even more to help us care for all the new members.”
“We’ll be happy to care for as many as the clan wishes us to,” Quilet said.
“I hope you don’t regret those words later,” Dia chuckled. “I believe that before a decade passes, this hall will be full again.”
“That would be good,” Gregory said. “It’ll mean people are ready to believe again.”
“It will start in the next year or two,” Dia said, “when it’s shown that our novices and apprentices are some of the most advanced the academy has ever produced.”
Yukiko coughed lightly and pulled her medallion out. “Because of things like this?”
Bishop’s eyebrows went up. “Seventh rank? Before the tournament? I’m not sure that’s been done before.”
“Hmm… I’d ask Lightshield, but he isn’t here,” Dia said.
“The elder left?” Jenn asked.
“He had to take care of a debt, he said,” Dia replied. “Now, let’s eat before the food grows cold.”
~*~*~
“We got letters!” Daciana said excitedly, keeping her voice down as she reached the table. “Letters from Elder Lightshield.”
Gregory grinned at her. “What did they say?”
“He’s invited us to come speak with him tonight after sunset about joining the clan.”
“We all got one,” Nessa smiled as she reached the table. “We’ve sent back word that we will be there.”
“Uhm…” Victoria looked uncertain. “Will you all be there, too?”
“We should be back around that time,” Yukiko said. “Though it will depend on when dinner ends tonight with my parents.”
“Can you ask my father if he or my mother will be here for the tournament?” Nessa asked her.
“And mine?” Daciana added quickly.
“Daciana, I don’t think wild horses would keep your father from being there to cheer you on,” Jenn said.
Daciana grinned. “Probably, but I’d like to know for certain.”
“If I see your father, I’ll ask him, Daciana. Nessa, I’d be happy to ask yours. I do wonder… I’ve only seen him and your mother, so who would run the place if they went to the tournament?”
“My aunt could fill in for my mother,” Nessa said. “I don’t know about Father, though.”
Gregory could see the sadness in Victoria’s eyes. “My father didn’t make it until the second tournament, and only because Yuki went well beyond what I could ever ask for to arrange it. Your friends, including us, will be there to support you.”
Victoria’s head snapped up and she met his green eyes before looking away, her cheeks lightly dusted pink. “You’ll be there?”
“We all will,” Yukiko said. “We’ve planned on it since the year began.”
“Friends support each other,” Jenn nodded.
“We have to win all our fights,” Daciana said. “Greg went undefeated, and Yukiko and Jenn only lost a single fight each. Jenn might even have won everything if she hadn’t fought Greg in the final eight.”
“I might have, but it would’ve been tough to deal with the fires of the Eternal Flame,” Jenn grinned. “Never think you have a fight assured.”
“We won’t,” Nessa said.
“Good,” Yukiko smiled. “Let’s get our studying in. The tournament will be here soon.”
“Twenty-eight hours,” Daciana grinned, earning muted laughter from the others.
