Aether's Guard

by Schinhofen, Daniel

  When magic training was done, they were given free time to study or meditate. Normally, they used the time to meditate with the Peaceful Fist technique. They left meditation feeling rested and would get an aether-infused snack from the kitchen staff afterward. Once they had eaten, they met with Gin, Indara, and Inda for sparring and weapons training. The mandatory bath would help them recover from their grueling workout, and the meal that followed helped their aether.

  Finally done with the training that was mandated for the day, they would retire to one of their rooms for studying, Magi Squares, or another intellectual pursuit before collapsing and repeating it all over the next day.

  ~*~*~

  Waking to the sound of the third bell, Gregory started to dress out of habit before remembering it was their day off. As he was reaching for his door, he chuckled when there was a soft knock.

  “Morning, Yuki,” he greeted her.

  “Morning to you, too, Greg,” she replied with a smile. “Might I come inside for a moment?”

  Gregory let her in, shutting the door behind her. The moment it clicked shut, the two of them were embracing and kissing. They weren’t wild passionate kisses, but soft, deep, and loving ones. They were interrupted a minute later by another soft knock on his door. Sighing, they parted, and Gregory gave Yukiko a moment to fix her hair before answering it.

  “Morning, Jenn,” Gregory said. “We were just about to come get you.”

  Jenn looked away from him. “Of course. I’ll go let them know we’re awake.”

  “We can all go,” Yukiko said, stepping past Gregory. “You’re coming with us today, right?”

  Jenn chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment. “I… I don’t want to intrude,” she finally said.

  “You wouldn’t be,” Yukiko told her. “We three are training together, even if today is our day off. We’d both welcome you to come with us.”

  “Yuki’s right,” Gregory said. “It’ll still be training in a way, but it’ll also be fun.”

  Jenn glanced from one to the other, but didn’t see guile or deception in their gazes. Lips twitching upward, she nodded. “If you’re sure.”

  Yukiko took her arm. “We are. Greg, we’ll see you downstairs. Make sure to get your supplements for today, too. We’ll be out until just before sunset.”

  Gregory took the hint. “Oh, right! Can’t believe I almost forgot them. See you both in a bit.”

  Giving them a couple of minutes, Gregory double-checked that he had the aether-increasing items he wanted before making his way down to breakfast. He arrived just as Ravol, the weasel eurtik, finished cooking, and greeted him as he took a seat with the women at the table.

  “What are you planning for the day?” Ravol asked while he served them.

  “Our normal routine,” Yukiko replied. “Some quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of the academy.”

  Ravol laughed. “I find that hard to believe.”

  “She’s not lying,” Gregory chuckled, “but she might be stretching the truth a bit. We’re supposed to enjoy our days off, after all.”

  “The elder did seem concerned that you might not take days off,” Ravol said. “We were encouraged to nudge you to do so when we were brought in as staff.”

  “We won’t be doing nearly as much as we normally do,” Yukiko said. “We hear and heed your advice, Ravol.”

  “My wife says things just like that before she does whatever she wanted to do to begin with,” Ravol snorted. “I wouldn’t try to tell a woman what she should do.”

  “Wise,” Jenn said. “You’ve already learned the most important lesson a man can learn.”

  Ravol laughed and glanced at Gregory. “Good luck. With both of them going with you, you’ll be at their mercy.”

  “I don’t find this a bad thing,” Gregory replied as he picked up the soup. “I’ve learned to trust my heart.”

  “Very well said,” Yukiko smiled broadly.

  Ravol shook his head as he left them to their breakfast. “I’ll have your snacks ready in a moment.”

  ~*~*~

  “Greetings, Novices,” the mouse eurtik, Simon, said when they entered the archive. “Did you need new books?”

  “I’d like to start on the Buldoun conflicts today,” Jenn said.

  “I’m still working through Aether’s myths,” Gregory sighed.

  “The book I was reading on eurtik history is sufficient,” Yukiko smiled. “It’s been very interesting.”

  “I’ll make sure they are provided,” the eurtik replied. “Thank you for saying so, Novice Warlin. It’s not often any take an interest, much less a novice.”

  “I find it fascinating,” Yukiko said.

  “We’ll be at the table,” Gregory said.

  “Don’t let me delay you,” the eurtik said quickly. “Knowledge must be passed on.”

  The three of them took seats at their table, working on Magi Squares while they waited for their books to come. Today was a little different, in that they each made a fresh puzzle before passing it to the right for the other person to solve. Once they finished, they set aside the answers and started to read.

  A set of eyes watched them from a deep patch of shadows at the end of a bookshelf. After a few minutes, the shadow lessened until it vanished entirely.

  When the bell rang the sixth hour, they closed their books. Gregory stretched, feeling his muscles flex as he did so. “I’m starting to get a better feel for the myths. It’s easier to identify whether it’s a parable or if it might be something more.”

  “This one is dense,” Jenn sighed. “The conflicts with Buldoun are not straightforward...”

  “Not surprising,” Yukiko said. “Buldoun isn’t a nation run by an unaging emperor, but a nation run by a monarchy. Change happens with regularity there.”

  Jenn nodded slowly as they got up from the table. “That makes sense. They have aether users, though, don’t they?”

  “They do.”

  “Then why hasn’t one of them taken over the country?”

  “The way they handle people with aether is markedly different than the way our empire does. Not everyone is tested for aether there. It’s a choice each person can make. The only similarity is that they’re mandated to serve the country for a span of time.”

  “How odd,” Jenn said.

  “Have a good day,” the eurtik by the door said as they passed by him.

  “Oh!” Jenn stopped suddenly. “Can you arrange to get a book about Buldoun’s magi for me next time, please?”

  “I will check,” the eurtik said slowly. “I believe that’s a book reserved for more advanced years.”

  “Oh, I understand,” Jenn said, bowing to him. “If not, I’ll continue with my current book.”

  “Understood. Have a good day.”

  “We will. Thank you,” Gregory said. “A pleasant day to you, as well.”

  As the three of them left the archive behind, the eurtik watched them go with a small frown on his face. “The chief will never allow that...” he muttered.

  “I wouldn’t allow what?” Sarinia asked from behind him.

  Stiffening, the man inhaled sharply. “Chief! I didn’t—”

  “Easy, Simon. Now, answer the question,” Sarinia said.

  “The new one asked for a book about Buldoun’s Magi,” Simon replied.

  “Hmm... Not now. Let’s see if she stays beside them, first.”

  “Yes, Chief.”

  “Oh, and Simon? Next time, don’t try to evade the question. I can have you go back to your other duties, if needed.”

  “No, Chief! Yes, Chief!” Simon said rapidly. Swallowing, he took a deep breath. “Chief, is it true? The... rumor?” When no one answered, he looked back to find he was alone. “It’s so frustrating when she does that...”

  Simon never saw the eyes watching him from the second floor, nor the feline smile, before they vanished into the shadows again.

  ~*~*~

  Leaving the academy behind, Gregory looked a
t Yukiko. “Run to the park instead? Three is too many for the normal rickshaw.”

  Yukiko’s eyes glittered, her lips twitching as she fought a grin. “I’m sure we could find a way for it to work. Though it might be improper, for instance, if I sat on your lap.” Gregory’s face heated and Jenn let out a small sound of surprise. Yukiko shook her head. “That wouldn’t happen, of course. It would mar my family name.”

  “We should run,” Jenn said firmly. “Where are we going?”

  Gregory exhaled a deep breath. “A park where we can train in peace.”

  “This way,” Yukiko said, taking off at a good clip.

  Jenn was right behind her, clearly intent on not falling behind. Gregory hesitated before he followed them, a certain dread rising in him. She was just trying to be funny... she wouldn’t actually do that, he tried to tell himself.

  Because they were burning aether to move faster, it didn’t take them long to reach the park. It was as empty as it usually was in the morning. Making their way to the gazebo, Yukiko explained how they normally started training on their day off.

  “The Peaceful Fist,” Jenn nodded. “I keep feeling like I’m on the cusp of something and failing, though.”

  “Maybe today is the day?” Gregory offered. “You have to believe and want it.”

  Jenn met his eyes. “I want it, and I do believe.”

  “Then you’ll get there,” Yukiko said. “Together, we’ll help you.”

  Jenn pulled her eyes away from Gregory, her cheeks showing the faintest dusting of a blush. “Okay. Today is the day.”

  ~*~*~

  Two hours passed as they went through the meditation. When the bell chimed the eighth hour, they all came to a slow stop. Jenn was wearing a large smile and was nearly vibrating in place. Gregory and Yukiko shared a knowing glance.

  “It worked!” Jenn almost shouted. “I saw it! I saw the cavern.”

  “Congratulations,” Yukiko said, stepping over and taking Jenn’s hands in hers. “I knew you could do it.”

  “How was it?” Gregory asked.

  “Odd. The fire was smaller than I thought it would be, and the channels you told me about are almost as large as my wrists.”

  “Because of your previous training,” Yukiko said. “The more we study, the more the mind path enhances the aether, helping it grow larger.”

  “Thank you,” Jenn said, suddenly hugging Yukiko. “Thank you.”

  Yukiko froze. She was not used to having friends, much less one hugging her like this. “You’re welcome,” she said after a few seconds, unable to return the hug with her arms trapped at her sides.

  “With the warm-up done, we should move on to the next part,” Gregory said.

  Jenn stiffened. Letting go of Yukiko, she stepped away from her. “Sorry! I just—”

  “It’s fine,” Yukiko said. This time, she was the one to step forward and hug Jenn.

  Gregory gave Yukiko a puzzled glance as she looked at him over Jenn’s shoulder. She made a small shooing motion, so he stepped quietly away. Wonder why she wants a moment? Wandering to the edge of the park, Gregory waited, the question stuck in his mind.

  “Greg,” Yukiko called out, “we’re going to Gin’s next?”

  “Yeah. The majority of today is going to be learning the games again,” Gregory said, turning to face them.

  “We need to stop along the way,” Yukiko said, her hand on Jenn’s forearm. “We can meet you there. Okay?”

  Gregory started to ask why before he caught the silent plea in Yukiko’s eyes. “Oh, uh... sure. No problem. I’ll see you both there.”

  Thank you, Yukiko mouthed silently to him. “We’ll catch up as soon as we can.”

  “Okay,” Gregory said before turning and taking off at a jog. Must be the herbalist thing, he thought as he left them behind.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  “The other two have arrived,” Baylyss announced as she led Yukiko and Jenn into the room. “Do you require additional refreshments?”

  “We’re good, ma’am,” one of the instructors said. “We’ll be looking forward to the midday snack, though. It was good last week.”

  “Thank you,” Baylyss said. “Novices, do you require anything?”

  “We’re fine, thank you,” Yukiko said.

  “I thought we’d play a few of each of the card and dice games,” Gregory said. “After that, we can each choose something to focus on.”

  “That sounds good,” Yukiko smiled. “Sorry to keep you waiting for us.”

  “It’s fine. I’ve been clarifying some questions about Shogi while I waited.”

  “We’re learning different games?” Jenn asked.

  “The three most popular types of cards and dice,” Yukiko replied. “It’ll help us in the third year. We’re also learning Shogi and Go to help us with classes next year and beyond.”

  “I see. Looks like I’ll be learning a lot today.”

  “With help,” Yukiko said, her hand brushing Jenn’s where the mind path ring rested on her finger. “We’ll be starting with bones. Ask as we play. All of the instructors here are patient.”

  “We’ll be joining the games to give you an idea of what you’ll likely see in a couple of years,” one of the men said. “Most of them will have four or more players.”

  “That’d be for the best,” Gregory said. “Learning in a bubble is fine, but learning by doing is better.”

  Once everyone was seated, the instructor teaching them dice began to explain how to play to Jenn. High Point was the first game, and it was easy to understand: throw two dice, and whoever had the highest toss wins the pot. If any players tied, they had to bet again and throw until a single winner emerged.

  “As you can see, it’s a quick and simple game, so you probably won’t see it much,” the instructor shrugged. “Still, it sets a base for Hazard, the next game. There are two dice, and the player declares what total they want to roll. If they hit that number through any combination of the two dice, they win. If not, their chosen number becomes the losing number and whatever total they did roll becomes the next winning number.”

  “That sounds easy enough,” Jenn said.

  “That’s just the start. Depending on the number designated to win after the first toss, the players can bet on the next number to be thrown, at set odds. This game works best with a set banker, but can still work if the banker position moves around from player to player. It’s the most complicated variant played by soldiers.”

  “What are the odds by number?”

  “We’ll get to that,” the instructor chuckled. “The last game is Dice Pass. This is a popular game, mostly played amongst soldiers. The person being the banker shifts around the players, and if you play, you have to be the bank at least once. The thrower has to score a total of ten or more on three dice. If he does, everyone wins double their bet. If he doesn’t, the banker gets the bets. Once the thrower has lost three times, the dice move down to the next player.”

  “Okay,” Jenn said, “I’m ready.”

  “We’re using these chips in place of money, since we’re just instructing you and not trying to bankrupt you,” the instructor said as one of the others divided up the chips. “High Point to start. We’ll play ten times to make sure you understand.”

  It didn’t take long to play through the dice games, though Hazard ran the longest of the three. When they got to Dice Pass, they understood why it was the most played variant: its simple rules and quick play were refreshing after Hazard.

  ~*~*~

  “Now that we’ve finished with his specialty, we’ll be moving onto mine,” the next instructor said. “Cards are more diverse than dice.”

  “Vexlin,” the first instructor sighed, “we promised not to start this argument again...”

  “Then don’t argue, Lon,” Vexlin smirked. “We’ll be discussing the two games most often played by officers, and a third game that is just generally well-regarded in the empire.”

  “Which games are those?” J
enn asked.

  “We’ll start with Trade and Barter,” Vexlin replied. “It’s both complicated and simple at the same time. Knowing your opponents helps a great deal with it. I’ll explain the other games as we get to them, so there’s no confusion.”

  The chips were separated and divided out again as Vexlin shuffled the deck of cards. Gregory felt good about the game— he’d played it a few times already, but he was humbled when they finished. Yukiko had the second most chips at the table, behind Vexlin.