Aether’s Apprentices (Aether’s Revival Book 4)

Gregory gave Ling and Clover a grin as they walked toward tactics class together. “You’ve been smiling more this morning.”

“Yeah!” Clover beamed. “We’re all a unit now. Clan and friends.”

“I agree with her,” Ling nodded. “We’re happy that we’re part of the clan and, if not truly equal with you, we’re at least closer.”

“That’s true,” Yukiko smiled. “I’m happy that my friends are with us more often, too.”

“Friends make it better,” Jenn agreed.

“I wonder what we’ll be doing today?” Gregory mused. “If he felt the need to call off class and warned them that we’ll be here longer, that means we should expect over a full day.”

“Which is why Velma packed us snacks,” Jenn said. “It was a good idea to mention it to her, Ling.”

Ling’s smile grew. “Thank you. It seemed prudent. I find my attention shaken by hunger during the longer games. Your storage ring makes having food on hand trivial.”

“I like how we thought to bring Farin something to eat, too,” Clover said. “He’s been good. Not like Chucky.”

Gregory nodded. “He’s been quick to learn, and eager to do so. If the Iron Hand hadn’t taken him in, I was going to suggest him to Dia. Maybe it’s for the best this way. He’s been really happy since he joined them.”

“Good morning,” Farin Wood called out, breaking away from his clan members coming down a different path. “I know what we’re doing today.”

“Erichson told you?” Gregory asked with disbelief.

“No,” Farin chuckled. “They told me.” He motioned to the other Iron Hand apprentices he’d left behind. “They had a match against another class.”

“Ahh, must be a chance to get us used to how the tournament will run,” Yukiko nodded. “That makes sense. It also means we’re a day behind the others.”

“Was it all six?” Ling asked.

“No,” Farin said. “Only four of the six played. They were going to tell me more, but Erichson told them to stop.”

“He must want to explain it to us himself,” Jenn said. She glanced at Gregory for a moment. “I think I have an idea as to why.”

Gregory considered the implication. “That would cut it down to five, not four.”

“Oh, because of foresight?” Clover asked. “That might give you a way to cheat…” She paused for a moment. “But you never use it against us.”

“I can’t learn if I cheat,” Gregory replied. “Every win you’ve had against me has been your skill eclipsing mine.”

Ling and Clover both looked happier as they walked. Jenn and Yukiko exchanged a small smile when they saw how happy the pair were.

“And me?” Farin asked.

“You, too,” Gregory nodded as they entered the building. “Oh, and Farin? Thanks for not being a pain like Chucky was. We’ve been very glad to have you in the class with us. Seeing the same drive to learn and excel in you makes it easier to strive.”

Farin smiled. “I should say the same to all of you. When I was with Shun’s group… well, it wasn’t good. Magus Harrison did his best, but I couldn’t get clear answers to my questions. Anytime Harrison had to pause to explain things, he had to reprimand someone because they would complain about how slow the clanless are.”

“Yeah, that’s Nick,” Gregory snorted.

“When I joined your group, I was a little leery,” Farin admitted as they climbed the stairs. “The rumors about you three being elitists and hating others are floating around, but that first day in class, I had doubts about them. The next time we had class together, you gave me a book to help me learn faster. Since then, I’ve made sure to tell the others who mentioned the rumors how helpful you were. It caused a few debates, but after some back and forth, they had doubts about the rumors, too.”

“Thank you,” Yukiko said. “The rumors would have been Nick’s group. If you can’t beat someone head-on, try to undermine them. It’s a common tactic.”

“And you three keep beating them,” Ling snickered. “There’s a reason why they hate you, more than just their normal prejudices.”

“I remember when you used to line up with them during the first half of the novice year,” Clover interjected. “Then I saw the separation and figured it was because of…”

“My bloodline,” Yukiko said when Clover trailed off. “Part of it was, though they were still trying to recruit me the entire time.”

“Because shadow magi are useful for information gathering and assassination,” Farin said. “But would they have really taken you?”

“They have eurtik in their clan,” Yukiko said a little tightly. “They restrain them with servant pacts so they do whatever the clan wants.”

“Nick tried to get me to trick Yuki into joining them,” Gregory said. “He even went so far as to promise me the handler position for her.”

Jenn blinked in disgust— she hadn’t heard that before. Ling and Clover looked horrified at the idea of being chained to a clan they hated. Farin’s lips pursed in thought as they started down the hall to their classroom.

“Is that legal?” Farin finally asked.

“As long as the person joining the clan is doing so willingly, there’s nothing to stop it,” Yukiko said, then paused. “Though I wonder how many were truly willing and how many were drugged.”

“Drugged?” Clover asked with wide eyes.

Gregory exhaled slowly. “Nick suggested a powder that could be mixed into a drink. It would make her susceptible to suggestions. They’d have a magus on hand to apply the pact once she’d agreed.”

“That’s reprehensible!” Ling hissed, eyes narrow and ears twitching.

“Disgusting,” Clover said, her tail much bushier than normal.

“We went too lightly on them,” Jenn said tightly, her hands clenched.

“Has this been made public?” Farin asked.

“It would do no good,” Magus Paul Erichson answered, having been following them for the last few minutes. “It would be impossible to prove, and you can bet that the Eternal Flame would fight it. It would drag their clans into an open war with each other.”

“That’s why we haven’t tried,” Yukiko said. “The risks outweigh the gains… for now, at least.”

Erichson nodded. “You are very good at balancing the risks and rewards. As much as the idea revolts all of us, there is nothing we can do to curtail it. At this time at least.”

“Sometimes, you lose men to wait for a better opportunity,” Farin said.

“Exactly. Now, everyone to class. We have a busy day ahead of us.”

All of them took their seats and looked at him expectantly.

“Today, we will be having a game with another class,” Paul told them. “It’ll be a four-on-four match. Normally, you get to decide which four, but,” he looked at Gregory, “you’ve been banned from playing.”

“I understand, sir. I’m sure that people worry I would use foresight.”

“That’s what was said, yes. Even my word that you haven’t used it in class— that you’ve been winning and losing as much as the others— was brushed aside.” Paul’s lips were thin when he finished, clearly upset that his assurance on Gregory had been ignored. “Magi-killer agreed with the instructors who raised the objection to you playing.”

“I understand, sir. Thank you for trying.”

“The two who aren’t playing have different tasks. One is kept as a reserve. If you get a magi reinforcement, your extra will take the field. The other one, in our case, Gregory, will be the coordinator for the classes.”

“Sir?” Farin asked. “What does that mean? Aren’t we playing them in the same room?”

“No,” Paul replied. “Your men will be set, and any information you get on them will be added to your board.”

“So even more than us keeping our reinforcements back?” Yukiko asked.

“Yes, as when you do get pikemen, instead of keeping them off the board with a notation of where they are, you will have to have them on the board.”

Ling nodded slowly. “Scouts will be needed… a lot of scouts.”

“What about messages?” Clover asked.

“You will hand the message to Gregory. If it gets intercepted… well, maybe you’ll still get it.”

Jenn inhaled slowly. “Shared camps don’t need messages?”

“Correct.”

“Gregory will be speaking to their coordinator?” Farin asked.

“And if they have a disagreement, their instructor and I will both be called out to decide what it means. Like war, this will be chaotic. What you think you know might be wrong, even more so because the pieces on the board are just the last information you had.”

“We play until we are finished?” Yukiko asked.

“There will be a four-hour break every night so you can all get some sleep and maybe a real meal.” Paul smiled. “You can give your commanders a rest, as well, but they’ll be unable to order their men during that time. You can leave standing orders with your men— they will act only if those orders are met, and morale will influence that. If the morale is low, I will bring in the other instructor, as they will decide what your men do.”

“Need to do our best to keep them happy,” Yukiko said. “I would normally, anyway, but it’s even more imperative now.”

“Who are we facing first?” Gregory asked.

“The Han clan,” Paul replied.

“Hmm… this might be tough,” Yukiko said.

“Okay, I need to confer with the other instructor about the board. Each of you gets your own magi. No picking differently.”

“Sir?” Farin asked.

“Yes?”

“What does that mean for me?”

“You can play either magi type.”

“I see. Thank you, sir.”

“Gregory, you’re with me,” Paul said. “Let’s go see who your counterpart is and get this game started.”