“Apprentices, good morning to you,” Lightshield greeted them as they came down for breakfast. “It is best if you skip seeing your fights posted. You are the first fight at the thirteenth bell. There will be some demonstrations after that, then the other apprentices’ fight. More demonstrations will follow, including our own clan magi. Your friends will finish out their tournament, with even more demonstrations after them. At sixteenth bell, the third-place fight will take place. This normally does not happen, but the academy needs to know who is third to go to the event.”
“Hopefully it’ll be Swift Wind,” Gregory said.
Lightshield’s lips twitched. “Confident. Good. After that fight, there will be a challenge… Something to look forward to. When that is over, the championship for the apprentices will begin.”
“We’ll take that spot, Elder,” Jenn said.
“I am sure you will strive with everything you have,” Lightshield replied. “Facing the Eternal Flame takes planning and determination.”
“We have plans in place, sir,” Yukiko said.
“Then I am sure you will do wonderfully. After the tournament, the celebration feast will be held here with your families present.”
“We hope to make it a celebration of a championship, sir,” Gregory said.
“That would add an extra reason to celebrate,” Lightshield smiled. “Make sure to say goodbye to your families then, as the following night we will be welcoming the new clan members. It will start at high sun and continue through the evening.”
“Yes, sir,” they all said.
“Good. I will be leaving the academy again after the tournament. There are things to get in order before next year. Bishop will be taking over as the leader of the clan inside the walls of the academy, but Dia will still be in charge of the clan hall. Meet us here at seventh bell. We will be going as a group to get seats again. Are there any questions?”
“Would you like breakfast now?” Zenim asked.
When no one else spoke, Lightshield nodded. “Yes, let us begin the day.”
~*~*~
“Good morning to you, Apprentices,” Rafiq greeted them. “I wish you luck in your fights today.”
“Thank you,” they each replied.
“Is there anything we can do for you?”
“Has the academy had events with Buldoun or the other nations before?” Yukiko asked.
“A few times, but not in many years,” Rafiq replied. “I believe the last was with Limaz. It ended up being a simple culture exchange at the border. The academy sent five apprentices and three novices. Limaz had a fair so they could see and experience their culture… It ended badly.”
“May I see some accounts of that and the other events?” Yukiko asked.
“Of course,” Rafiq nodded.
“Do you have anything on the magi of Buldoun?” Jenn asked.
“That would be the second floor. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” Jenn said.
“What about you, Gregory?” Rafiq asked.
“I’m fine with my current book, Rafiq. Thank you.”
“Very well. I will make sure the books are ready for you on the second floor when you get there.”
They thanked him again and headed for the table in the back. They hadn’t made it before Daciana caught them.
“Today is going to be a good day,” she said with a wide grin.
Gregory chuckled. “What if Nessa wins?”
“I’ll celebrate her and beat her next time,” Daciana said.
“And I will do the same,” Nessa said, having to walk quickly to catch up to them.
“I’m already planning how to beat both of them next time,” Victoria added, “and I will do it unless they can keep up with me.” She gave her friends a smirk, as if daring them.
“Big talk for the one who lost,” Daciana replied. “If anyone will be trying to keep up, it’ll be you as I go running ahead.”
“Says second place after today,” Nessa giggled.
The friends all choked on their laughter as they took their seats.
“Okay, ladies, enough,” Yukiko said. “Your friendship makes me happy. No hard feelings, and you’re pushing each other to do more… That’s the way we improve. When you and the apprentices join us, remember to treat them the same way.”
“We will,” Nessa said. “Friends of yours will be friends of ours. We’ll do our best to treat them like you treat us.”
“I like Clover,” Daciana grinned. “She’s fun.”
“Ling is calmer and a little more intellectual,” Victoria said. “I think she’ll get along with us very well.”
“What about your fights today?” Daciana asked suddenly. “Do you have plans now?”
“We do,” Yukiko smiled. “You’ll have to watch the fights though.”
Daciana frowned and Nessa snickered. “She hates being left out. Daciana, they have to play it safe.”
“Yeah, I know. After tomorrow, it won’t matter,” Daciana said. She glanced at Yukiko. “After we join the clan, will you tell us about training all three paths as we’ve been doing?”
Yukiko met Daciana’s eyes, holding them until she looked away. “Daciana, we’ll tell you as much as we can, but part of it is… special. We see all three of you as friends— good friends— but some of what we do is kept even from our families.”
Daciana looked up, opening her mouth to speak, but Jenn spoke over her, “We have Magi Squares and studying to get to before we fight.”
Nessa nodded. “We understand. We’ll join the clan first and do our very best.”
“Our very best,” Victoria agreed.
“Fine,” Daciana said. “First, we join the clan.”
“Let’s get working,” Yukiko said.
Gregory watched them thoughtfully for a moment longer. You’re imagining it… daydreams and desires. Don’t be an idiot, Greg.
“Dear one?” Yukiko asked when he didn’t pull a paper out.
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry. I was just thinking,” he apologized, flushing a little as he considered what he had been thinking.
Yukiko’s lips pursed, but she didn’t push him. Instead, she started working on her Magi Squares.
~*~*~
They’d been in the arena for hours, watching the various displays of magic from different magi and clans. The one that impressed Gregory most was the light magic demonstration— the man had been able to disappear from sight and conjure different images that moved as he wished.
“It is more rare than shadow magic,” Lightshield said when Gregory mentioned how amazing it was. “It is prized by many clans for its ability to misdirect, as the magi showed us. He went invisible as a copy of him kept walking.”
Gregory fought to keep his aether sight off, knowing he’d need all of his aether for later, but he really wanted to see the magic in use. “Can they spread it to cover a unit of men?”
“They can, indeed,” Lightshield smiled, “though it does nothing about sound.”
“That would make it difficult to hide a lot of men, since their equipment would still make noise,” Yukiko said.
“Wouldn’t give you an exact position, but it would be enough to cause them trouble,” Jenn nodded.
“Thinking of how to apply it to the battlefield is good. Hopefully, you will never need to, but life takes paths we would rather not trod at times,” Lightshield said. “Now, you should all go to get ready. Your fight is not far off.”
“Yes, sir,” they said.
They were on their way down to the waiting area under the arena when Gregory caught sight of Hayworth and the Swift Wind apprentices. Pausing just above the steps, Gregory gave Hayworth a nod. “Hayworth.”
“I see you made it here first,” Hayworth said. “We’ll circle around to the other one, then. I knew we should have come sooner.”
“Wanted to take some shadows away from us?”
“Of course. Best tactical decision.”
Gregory looked at the two apprentices behind Hayworth. “Lost some more?”
“They’re not fully recovered, and we’ll have another fight one way or another,” Hayworth said. “Things might have been different if we hadn’t lost Kang to the earth trap the other day.”
“I can’t argue that,” Gregory said. “You’d have had an easier time with your last fight, at the very least.”
“Exactly. We’ll see you on the sands. Good luck.”
“You, too,” Gregory nodded to the apprentices. “We’re looking forward to a good fight. A loss does mean not facing the Eternal Flame, though, so maybe a loss is better overall.”
Hayworth snorted. “If you really thought that, you’d forfeit the match before it started.”
“And give Nick the satisfaction of not fighting us? I can’t do that.”
“Fair. Either way, he’ll have to earn it.”
“Good, though I don’t want him to earn it. I want him to fail, again.”
Hayworth laughed. “So do I.” He turned to walk away. “Come on, we have to circle around.”
Making it down the stairs, Gregory found his wives waiting for him. “Is everything okay?” Jenn asked.
“Yeah, just making small talk. It’s just going to be Hayworth and two others. I hinted that a loss means not facing the Eternal Flame. The two with him seemed to hear that.”
“Trying to get them to back out?” Yukiko giggled. “Hayworth wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m not so sure,” Jenn said. “He just needs to finish in the top three. If they go all out against us, we might cost them more, and then Nick will roast them. What good does it do to get there, then get cooked or killed?”
“That’s a good point,” Yukiko said. “He played smart during the Empire’s Gambit challenge. I’ll consider it a possibility, but I won’t hold my breath.”
“Best that you don’t,” Gregory chuckled.
“They’ll be ready for you in a few minutes,” Mindie said from the tunnel.
“At least we know we’re in good hands if things go badly,” Jenn said. “How are you, Mindie?”
“Well, but I’m worried about today,” Mindie admitted. “The Eternal Flame has been burning so many… Some of the flames have been tempered this time, but the number of burns has gone up. With the bad will between your clans, if you face them… I worry it won’t be just mild burns.”
“We have plans,” Yukiko said, “but thank you. We’ll do our best to not get incinerated, if they even make it to the finals.”
Mindie exhaled slowly. “You have to win to face them, too.”
“Yes,” Gregory said. “Have you heard anything about your posting?”
Mindie shook her head. “Nothing yet. I might hear something after the solstice. I’ve applied to stay here for my five years, but I’m sure they’ll post me somewhere else. I have no clan to fight for me, so I’ll be posted at the whim of whoever decides.”
“Because a clan can help influence that,” Yukiko nodded. “Why not join a clan, then, and ask them to get you a spot you’d like?”
“Because…” Mindie trailed off and shook her head.
“Because none of them understand or care to change the things that should be changed,” Yukiko finished for her.
Mindie blinked, then smiled softly. “Of course you’d understand… Yes.”
“Have you considered speaking with our elder?” Gregory asked, seeing where Yukiko was going.
Mindie just stared at them for a long moment. “I… considered it briefly.” Her head whipped around, and she exhaled. “They’re calling for you.”
The three picked up their helmets and weapons. Walking up the stairs and down the hall, Gregory was in the back with Mindie trailing him by a step.
“Think about it,” Gregory said. “You’ve been a good person to us, and we can always use more friends who share the same views. It just requires the belief that Aether will eventually return. Anyone can leave the clan at any time, so unlike the others, you’d never be stuck and unable to leave.”
Mindie stopped a few feet short of the exit. “I’ll consider it. Good luck.”
Gregory gave her a smile before slipping his helmet on. “Thank you. I hope you don’t need to heal us.”
Mindie smiled. “Me, too.”
