Moving back to the middle of the room, Gregory knelt again, resting on his shins, as Yukiko moved to the last weapon box. She joined him a moment later, kneeling as he did.
“What weapons felt right to you, Yu?” Gin asked.
“The shuriken, tonfa, and wakizashi felt right to me. The katana was close.”
“And you, Gregory?”
“The bo and su yari felt good, but they were far overshadowed by the warmth of the naginata.”
Gin’s eyebrow went up, but he merely nodded. “I see. Inda, you’ll be taking Yukiko and teaching her the art of the blade. Have your sister drill her on the shuriken.”
“As you wish, master,” Inda bowed to him.
“I will be teaching Gregory the way to properly wield a naginata. We will pause for midday as normal,” Gin said. “Make sure to spend the first two hours on unarmed combat.”
“Yes, master,” Inda replied. “Yukiko, follow me.”
“Indara, return the cases to the vault,” Gin said, and the door opened to admit her.
“As you wish, master,” Indara said, moving to close and secure the cases before she started to move them out of the room.
“Let us begin the training,” Gin said, getting to his feet.
~*~*~
When the sparring was over, Gregory was dripping sweat, but he was not exhausted like he had been months before. What surprised him more was the fact he had landed a couple of clean hits on Gin— not enough to stop the flow of combat, but still more than he would have ever managed months before.
Training with the naginata began in a similar manner that the unarmed training had; with stances. Gin drilled the five basic stances into him, nothing more than each stance and flowing from stance to stance as each was called out.
Gin watched the young man handle the practice naginata, his face carefully blank, as he kept calling out the forms. Gregory felt as if the weapon was part of him as he moved from form to form.
When Gin suddenly called out a stance he did not know, Gregory’s body moved into a form Gregory was not familiar with, but felt correct. When he finished the attack, Gregory stopped and blinked. “Huh? What happened there?”
“That should be my question,” Gin muttered. “You are moving as if you’ve held a naginata for years. I’ll see what you can do now.” Gin took another practice naginata and two helmets off the rack, then stepped onto the mat. “Debilitating strikes stop the bout,” he said, tossing a helmet to Gregory.
Gregory fumbled the helmet for a second, but caught it. “Understood.” Getting the helmet on, he took up the standard ready posture that Gin had taught him.
Gregory breathed slow and deep as he waited for Gin to start. The nerves he felt when normally sparring were missing. He felt at peace in the moment, even though he was standing across from an armsmaster.
“Fight,” Gin announced.
Gregory shot forward, the naginata lashing out. The clack of wood on wood came fast as Gregory pressed the attack and Gin defended, giving ground and circling as he went.
With the masks on, Gregory could not see Gin’s expression, so he could not see the surprise written across the old man’s face. The fact that he was pressuring the armsmaster did not register as Gregory kept the attack going, his naginata continuously in motion as the fight continued.
The seconds became minutes as the two moved back and forth across the room. Gin was finally able to press his own attack, forcing the younger man to defend. Deep laughter bubbled up from Gin as he felt a rush of exhilaration at having someone keep pace with him. Gregory laughed as well and the moment stretched out between them.
The minutes seemed to elongate as the pair flowed across the floor. Gin knew he had to end it, and with a win, or he would lose respect from Gregory. Forced to act, Gin gave up two minor hits, wincing when each connected, but that gave him the positioning to drop his weapon and grab Gregory. Before the young man could react, he found himself flying across the room. Landing with a thud, Gregory gasped as the breath was knocked from his body.
Gin was above him a handful of seconds later, his wooden blade tapping Gregory’s prone body. “Finished.”
“You… dropped… your weapon?” Gregory gasped out.
“To secure the victory, yes,” Gin said, pulling off his helmet. “If it had been more than just you, it would have been too risky to do. Since it was just us, it was worth it to win.”
“I didn’t think… to try using unarmed… as well,” Gregory admitted, trying to catch his breath.
“If you had, I might have lost,” Gin admitted. “You are a savant when it comes to the naginata. You are my equal with that weapon in hand. It is either instinctual, or perhaps you are a reincarnated soul who used one extensively in the past.”
“I haven’t felt like a reincarnated soul,” Gregory said as he sat up, finally getting his breath back. “If I was, I don’t think I’d make so many mistakes.”
Gin chuckled, “If that were true, we’d know easily who was and who wasn’t. There is nothing I can do to train you with a naginata, though we will spar at least an hour every week.”
“Thank you, Sensei. I will do my best to not disappoint you.”
“We’ll see,” Gin grunted. “Take the weapons and helmets back. Pick up a bo and come back to the mat.”
~*~*~
When they stopped for lunch, Gregory was humbled by how badly he used the bo, especially compared to the naginata. Gin had been even tougher on him. Gregory did his best to learn, aware that much the same thing should have happened with the naginata as well.
Indara served small snacks and tea in the stone garden. The two novices had learned how to eat and meditate at the same time, which let them get all their training in for the day. The down side was that neither heard the conversation held by Gin and Inda.
After the break, they all returned to the training room Gin had been using with Gregory. For the next two hours, Gregory and Yukiko sparred with each other in unarmed combat. Yukiko was impressed by how much Gregory had improved. She would have been hard pressed if she had not improved as well, but even then, their sparring was now more even than it had been in the past.
Gin and Inda commented, pointing out their errors and flaws after each round. Gregory and Yukiko took the information in, doing their best to improve during the hours they sparred. Gin made them stop and wash up before sending them back to the academy. Watching them leave, Gin looked pensive.
“Indara, bring me paper and ink. I feel the need to write a few letters.”
“As you wish, master,” Indara said, appearing behind him.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Gregory and Yukiko walked side by side, crossing the grounds of the academy to the mess hall. Gregory was still musing on his ability to wield a naginata with such ease. Yukiko broke the companionable silence after a few moments.
“Greg, you’ve improved so rapidly. If it wasn’t for Inda’s training in shadow entanglement, I’m not sure I could win as often as I do against you.”
“You’re still winning half or more,” Gregory replied. “Gives me something to keep striving for.”
“You’ll easily surpass me by the end of the year,” Yukiko sighed. “I’m not sure I’ll be a partner at that point.”
“Yuki, you’re improving fast, too. Remember how you did yesterday? You led Nick the entire time you sparred. You didn’t do that the first time.”
Yukiko nodded slowly, “You’re right. It just feels like I’m losing ground compared to you.”
“Or I’m finally becoming your equal?” Gregory suggested another way to view it.
Yukiko’s frown became a smile. “Equal. Yes, I want you to be.”
“I’m trying, Yuki, I am.”
“Food, then studying, yes?” Yukiko asked.
“That is the plan,” Gregory chuckled as they reached the mess hall.
~*~*~
With dinner done, the two friends headed back to the dormitory. “Our increased aether makes it
easier to eat,” Gregory said. “I barely have to slow down anymore.”
“Yes, and after another circle or two, we’ll be able to eat more quickly. That’ll give us even more time in the morning and evening.”
“More time for studying,” Gregory grinned.
The front room was noisy when they entered the dormitory. Shaking his head as he changed his boots for slippers, he wondered if the happy sounds would continue after next week. They had only taken a couple of steps when Dia’s door opened.
“Novices, a moment,” Dia said as she left them at the doorway. She returned a moment later with a scroll and a small wooden box. “These came for you.” Handing Gregory the scroll and Yukiko the box, she smiled. “I wish you both a good evening.”
“Thank you, Keeper,” they said in unison, bowing to her.
They glanced from the scroll, to the box, and finally at each other before quickly going upstairs to find out what they had. Sitting down at the table in Gregory’s room, Yukiko set the box in front of her. “You first?”
“Okay,” Gregory said, opening the scroll. He glanced at the first few lines, “It’s a letter from Gunnar.” He rolled it back up. “What about you?”
“You’re not going to read it?” Yukiko asked.
“Later. It’ll be mostly gossip about what’s going on back home. I’m more interested in what that box contains.”
“Okay, but after we know, you should read the letter.”
“Deal.”
Yukiko pulled the box to her and shook her head. “Too much, Father.” With a sigh, Yukiko took out her knife and pricked her thumb, pressing it to the front of the box. There was a distinctive click before Yukiko lifted the lid.
“How was that locked?” Gregory asked.
“A blood-lock. Only those who are blood-related by a single degree can open it. They are norm…” Yukiko began to explain as she pulled a scroll out of the box first, setting it beside her, but she trailed off as she stared into the box.
“What is it?” Gregory asked.
Yukiko shut the box, shaking her head. “My father is insane.”
Gregory chuckled, “What is it?”
“Money. More than he should have sent. It explains the blood-lock.”
“Is it that bad?” Gregory asked puzzled. “It means you can get more things to help, right?”
“Possibly,” Yukiko said slowly. “I need to read the scroll.”
“I’ll read mine, too,” Gregory said, picking his up off the table. “Study afterward?”
“Yes,” Yukiko replied distractedly as she picked up the scroll, broke the seal, and unrolled it.
Gregory worried for her, but followed his own suggestion and began to read the scroll from Gunnar.
Greg, we were surprised to hear from you. How is the academy? I’m sure things have happened since you wrote us. I’m not sure how to break the news to you so, I’m going to be blunt.
Ria is married to Stan. Two days after you left, she went to him and demanded he court her, and married him a week after that. I was pissed off, but El explained it to me; told me that you told Ria find a good husband. Still beat on him a bit, but I didn’t break anything. I think she could have picked better if she had just waited a bit first, but both her and El have shouted me down over that repeatedly.
Your father is working for the good of the village as a servant. He hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol since you left. He moved in with my family and gave us your old house in return. Said a growing family needs a home. Don’t worry, I made sure your room was cleaned before El stepped foot in it.
The village had a visit from a trader named Lagrand about a week after you left, and he has entered a deal with Ria to purchase clothing from the Delarosas. Not sure what the deal is, but everyone seemed happy about it.
Not much else has happened here— you know as well as I that Alturis doesn’t change. Oh, well, not true. Today, we found a new vein of ore, so the mine is still good for the next decade, at least. I’m working alongside both of our fathers, so I’ll be able to keep a good eye on him for you.
Now for the best news: El is pregnant. Ria turns out to be pregnant, too. Before you go thinking that Ria’s kid is yours, she wanted me to tell you that the timing is not right. Wish it was your kid, but that wouldn’t be right to Ria. Keep your chin up, and we hope to hear back from you after the tournament. You damn well better show them what an Alturis man can do.
Oh, and you don’t owe us anything. If you hadn’t been there, we all know what would have happened. Just do your best, and maybe visit us if you ever get the chance.
Gunnar, El, and family.
Gregory felt drained, and his heart ached unexpectedly. Ria… I hope he is good to you... I hope your child is as beautiful as you. Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths to control the emotional turmoil that swirled inside of him.
“Greg?” Yukiko asked softly.
“Sorry, village gossip. Everything is fine,” he said, but he could not force a smile to his lips.
“Something is bothering you,” Yukiko said, shifting around the table to sit beside him. “I’m here if you want to talk.”
Gregory slid the letter over in front of her, “Go ahead and read it.”
Yukiko picked up the scroll, reading it slowly, before she set it back down. “They are moving on with their lives, and that bothers you?”
“Yes and no,” Gregory sighed. “I don’t know. I always wanted to be here and I knew things would change after I left, but I guess I also hoped they would still be the same.”
Yukiko leaned into his side gently, “I’m jealous, myself. Your friends obviously still care about you. It must be nice.”
Gregory’s arm went around her waist without thinking, holding her like he used to with Ria. “You have a friend— a true friend— in me, Yuki. I’ll always care about you.”
“Promise?” The word was a bare whisper leaving Yukiko’s mouth.
“Promise, Yuki. I’ll always care for you.”
They sat there for a while before Yukiko sighed, “We need to study.”
“Yeah,” Gregory agreed, but he did not move.
“Maybe in a bit?” Yukiko said softly.
“In a bit is fine with me.”
The pair stayed that way until the next bell rang the nineteenth hour. Yukiko was the first to move, letting out a regretful sigh. “We have an hour before we need to sleep.”
Letting her go, Gregory exhaled sadly, “Yeah, work to do.”
Yukiko shifted back to her side of the table and put her scroll back in the box, setting it on the floor beside her. She did not look up at Gregory, “Grab your papers. We’ll get in what we can.”
“Yuki,” Gregory said gently, waiting for her to look up, “thanks.”
She gave him a soft smile, “Just as you’ll always care for me, I’ll always care for you, Greg. My word on that.”
The moment stretched as he stared into her cyan eyes and felt something he had not ever felt before. Heart beating faster and his mouth going dry, he just stared into her eyes.
“Greg?” Yukiko asked when he continued to sit there.
“Huh? Oh, um, yeah,” he stuttered. He got up awkwardly and went to retrieve his notes so she could teach him more on trade.
~*~*~
The hour felt like it passed too quickly for Gregory. “Guess it’s time for bed,” he sighed as the twentieth bell chimed.
“Tomorrow comes early, and we have more studying to do. That scroll needs our attention; if we can combine two of the paths, we’ll grow even faster. Since we’ll have at least one of the great clans upset with us, it would be best if we do all we can.”
“You’re right,” Gregory said. “You never told me what your letter said.”
“It was from my mother,” Yukiko said hesitantly. “She’ll be coming with Father to the tournament. She’s making arrangements to meet the day before the tournament starts. You’re asked to come, but you don’t have to if—” Yukiko started to s
peed up at the end, but Gregory cut her off.
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