AR10 Ch14

Chapter Fourteen

Gregory grinned as he stopped meditating. It was known to the family that their watchers never showed up until breakfast. Since they were with Verka and Ragnar, they’d opted to meditate instead of truly sleep, but they’d made it look like they were going to sleep. That was why, at midnight, Ragnar and Verka came out of their shared room in the family home. The women had managed to convey the plan when hugging Verka good night.

As the siblings came into the room, the others stopped meditating, too. Without anything being said, they got dressed, then slipped out of the house and into the yard. Ragnar beckoned them to follow him as he walked around the home. The soft moonlight was enough for everyone to navigate by. Their destination was a fire pit, where Ragnar was swiftly getting things ready to make a fire. It would be welcome because, even bundled up for the cold, it was still chilly. The log benches around the pit were soon filled with the family and siblings, with hot tea being poured from kettles that’d been kept in rings. Ragnar had the fire lit a minute later and joined his sister on a bench, taking the tea that Ling offered him with a smile.

“Your empire is a suspicious lot,” Ragnar said.

“It’ll only get more intense as I grow in power,” Gregory said softly. “Jenn doesn’t have people watching at the honor fights all the time, but I do.”

“It’s mostly directed at our husband, but some of us also get scrutiny, too. It’s been me and Mindie, but it’s usually a single spy periodically as opposed to the near omnipresent eyes and ears that Greg endures,” Yukiko said.

“I don’t get anyone watching me unless I’m with them,” Clover added.

“Same with me,” Ling said.

“And me,” Roshana said.

“We’ve had them on and off since I started making a name for myself, but ours are friendly,” Ragnar said. “Stenson suspects me, I believe, but has made no overt comments. My sister healing as well as she does while also producing strong barriers caught his eye, too.”

“His comments about you two being the pride of Krogga felt more pointed than just being about your victories,” Gregory said. “A couple of our seniors in the clan suspect me.”

“They’re trustworthy,” Yukiko said. “I don’t accept threats to our soul.”

“As long as the number is kept low, the risk is minimal,” Verka said. “Our parents don’t know.”

“Neither of them have aether,” Clover said softly.

“No, they don’t,” Verka said sadly. “It’ll be painful when they pass, but we all have family that will die before we truly grow in power.”

“Yes,” Mindie agreed with sorrow.

“My parents and siblings,” Jenn nodded, putting her arm around Mindie’s waist.

“It’s why I’ll never marry,” Ragnar sighed. “Even just having the lovers I did was painful enough.”

“My death was the catalyst for Aether…” Verka murmured.

“It was,” Gregory agreed. He’d come to know that much, even if most of his old life was lost to him.

“I wasn’t the first wife who died, though. Not all of our wives were powerful.”

Gregory winced as memories tickled his mind, but failed to materialize. “I don’t remember, but it feels right.”

Yukiko rubbed his back. “You don’t have to remember, Greg.”

“I know, but I feel like there are some memories I’ll need.”

“Undoubtedly,” Ling said, “but you don’t need all of them. Darkness can likely help you set aside the ones that aren’t as important.”

“Maybe…”

“We won’t have many days or nights to talk freely,” Ragnar said. “This was a good idea.”

“Thank you,” Yukiko smiled. “There was something I wanted to discuss that impacts all of us.”

“The pretense of the marriage,” Verka said.

“Correct. We’ve been tasked to not let you have a child unless we could get you to love us and come to the empire. This is something we should plan out so we don’t stumble too much, especially being watched as we are.”

“I want the love. A child can wait until we have dealt with Toja.”

“So we’ll make sure we discuss it where we can be overheard that we’re going to make you wait for us to have children first.”

“That’s fine. I can let it be known on my side, as well… though I feel bad for my parents. Unless Brother gives a lover of his a child in the next few years.”

Ragnar shrugged. “Where would this hypothetical person come from?”

“Lita,” Mindie said. “But… maybe not. She isn’t sure she can share like we do.”

“She’s a good woman, and I’d be proud to give her a child if she asked,” Ragnar said. “She isn’t open to others at all. I see her frown when I flirt with anyone else. It wouldn’t be a happy relationship for her. We can consider my romance options later, though, can’t we?”

“Fine,” Verka chuckled, “but we’ll get back to it.”

“Most of our families might go without seeing any grandchildren from us,” Ling said softly. “We’ll be split apart across the empire or nations for many years after this posting.”

“I don’t want our children to grow up without Greg, Jenn, Yuki… everyone,” Clover whispered, her lip quivering. “They’d miss all the love.”

“It’d be sad for them and us,” Roshana said. “That doesn’t even include the potential troubles that having children might bring later. Some of our enemies would have no qualms targeting our family, including any children we have.”

“We’d gut them first,” Jenn said tightly.

“Agreed. They would find knives in their hearts quickly if they tried that,” Yukiko said. “But Roshana’s point stands. Are we making an agreement to put off children until after the emperor is dealt with?”

Silence fell as they all considered the question. Ragnar stayed quiet— he wasn’t involved in this discussion, though he looked at Gregory, wondering what his brother felt. Gregory was also silent as he considered what was asked. It was a big step to have children or to deliberately put them off for a century. In the end, it came down to how he’d feel if his wives had children while he was years away at other postings, without time to live with or even visit them.

“I’d wait,” Mindie said first. “I want children someday, but I want to have them with at least one or two of you beside me. Without the assurance of that… I’ll wait.”

“Yeah,” Clover whispered. “I’d love them, but knowing they’d miss knowing all of you, too… I don’t like that. I can just imagine them reaching their age day and never knowing you, or being a full adult when you finally get to meet them.”

The others nodded at Clover’s explanation. Eventually, they all looked to Gregory, as he’d been quiet. He met their eyes, one by one, before he exhaled slowly. “Some day, I want children with all of you. It’ll be a time full of love, and our children will never know a day without that love. Roshana and Clover made points that I agree with. They’d be in danger because of our enemies, some of whom would have no compunction about hurting them, killing them, or using them as hostages. I want them to only know the love that they should have.” He paused before he cleared his throat. “But if any of you come to me and ask, I’ll give you what you want. Just know that it’ll tear at me when we have to go separate ways.”

“I think we all agree that it would not be what we want. Not right now, at least,” Yukiko said. “We keep the pretense that Verka has to wait for us to have children first while also showering her in love to show us trying to sway her to the empire.”

“I’ll embrace all the love,” Verka smiled. “I’ll also be doing my best to sway all of you, but Gregory especially, to consider Krogga as his home over the empire.”

“Playing both sides,” Ragnar chuckled.

“Exactly,” Yukiko smiled.

“Since we have a few hours, can we go over the different variations of the Peaceful Fist again?” Jenn asked. “It’ll help me as I slowly adapt to be closer to Ragnar’s style.”

“The Forceful Fist,” Ragnar laughed.

“Not saying that,” Jenn snorted.

“We can do the Calming Hand,” Mindie said to Verka. “It’s even better than the Peaceful Fist.”

“Gladly,” Verka smiled.

The group stood to step back from the benches to train.

~~~

It was still hours from the time they’d normally wake up when they finished the Peaceful Fist. When they sat back down, Gregory broached a topic he wasn’t sure he should touch on, “Verka, is the priest in the temple always the same one?”

“It’s normally a senior priest. Why?” Verka asked.

“Because I seem to have left things behind in the temples,” Gregory said. “The first was this amulet.” Gregory pulled it out of his soul space where it’d rested with his armor.

Both of the siblings sat forward to see it in the firelight. “Your amulet… I’m glad it survived our battle. I wasn’t sure it had,” Ragnar said.

Gregory winced as the memory of it being torn from his neck came to him. He’d collected it after the battle, having to repair the chain that’d been broken in the fight. “The chain is newer.”

“You used it often in battle and out,” Verka said softly. “It was a key enchantment for you.”

Head aching, Gregory exhaled slowly, focused on his breathing. Yukiko rubbed his back as the pain slowly ebbed. “I know it can hold at least a sage’s level of aether.”

“It could hold half of your aether when it was empty,” Verka clarified.

“I doubt it has that much in it right now…” Gregory murmured.

“It and your naginata worked in tandem,” Ragnar said. “You’d direct the aether used against you down your weapon, up your armor, and into your necklace, which is why so many aether users fell to your blade. None of them could fight without their aether to help them.”

“One of our wives used it as the basis for the family armor,” Verka added, her eyes going to Yukiko. “A truly special enchanter.”

“Wait, do you know what magics we all used before?” Clover asked with wide eyes.

“Not entirely, not yet, but I’m sure I will. Yuki’s ability to puzzle out consequences made placing her easy.”

“Aww, okay,” Clover sighed in disappointment.

“It is nice to know who I was, but who we are now is what truly matters,” Yukiko smiled back.

“Agreed,” Verka nodded.

“Yeah, but I’d still like to know,” Clover pouted.

“One day, we might,” Ling murmured, rubbing her back.

“Sometimes, we have to wait for what we want,” Jenn smiled at Clover. “It’s always better when we do get it, right?”

Clover giggled and nodded. “Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Jenn. I feel better about it now.”

“You said the first… there are others?” Ragnar asked, dragging the topic back to what it’d been.

“The other was a knife,” Gregory said, then glanced at Yukiko, who produced it.

“It cuts through aether,” Yukiko said, holding the tanto up. “Force barriers pop, shadows are sliced through, and anything not held together by aether is the only trouble. An earth wall will stop it, but a water wall will become a puddle.”

“Your shadow wife used it,” Verka said. “Your hidden hand to kill those who moved against you in the dark.”

“Which makes sense that Yuki has it now,” Ragnar said. “Have you used it yet?”

“No. I’ll only use it when absolutely necessary,” Yukiko said as it vanished back into her ring. “We can’t let it be known it exists. If it gets out, I’d be hunted by far more powerful magi to get it.”

“You would,” Verka agreed. “Best to keep them…” She trailed off as she stared at Gregory. “You don’t know what’s in the temple in the city, do you?”

“No. It’s protected by my aether. We can’t get inside when the doors are closed, and when they’re open, a priest is always there,” Gregory said. “I feel it’s even more dangerous than these two items if it became known.”

“Best to leave it for now, then,” Ragnar said. “Once I reclaim my axe, you should easily be able to collect it.” His brow furrowed as a thought came to him. “Did you leave it after my death?”

Gregory groaned as he crumpled off the bench. Yukiko grabbed him to keep him from falling into the fire pit. The commotion around him wasn’t even heard as a memory hammered into him.

~~~

Standing behind the altar, Aether stared at the axe and message. “I’m sorry, Brother. I know now that the corruption is too entwined with my soul. None of us sensed how bad it was becoming… we never do. As I accept my death, I realize it has to be far worse than I thought it could be. I’ll be coming back, but… I won’t remember most of this life. I couldn’t think of another place that would safeguard my biggest treasure. Your priests will be fanatical in their protection of your axe.” He glanced at the dead priest near the doors. “Even more fanatical… that is. I hope that our fight is a distant memory for us both when we meet again.”

Turning from the axe, he knelt and touched the emblem on the altar, opening it. With a deep breath, he focused on his soul space and summoned his treasure. The artificial core blazed with aether as he held it in his hand. He could feel the sorrow from Flame as he stared into its depths. Frozen for a long moment, he teetered on the edge of not sealing the core away, but with a heavy breath, he set it into the hole, then sealed the altar. The feeling of the core vanished from his aether senses, perfectly sealed inside the altar.

Standing back up, he leaned on the altar for a moment. “It’s past time. They’re all gone now, and the world is already crumbling without me and you to keep it in order, Brother. The Traveler vanished after our fight, and when I go, only Mortum will remain. Even he said he will not last the decade. Our age is done… the world will turn without us until we come once again. Maybe this time, we’ll make things better…”

Shaking his head, Aether reached out to rip open a spatial portal. He had two last things to do before he lay down for his last night. He would tear down his home so none could claim it as theirs. The world had many futures where people tried rising up to claim to be divine, and he refused to give them his home. Then, he’d place his weapon in the safekeeping of old friends. His wife had designed the enchanted ring to keep it bound until he came to claim it before she passed. They’d been laid out and only waited for him to entomb the blade inside. His aether protections covered the buildings where it would be housed. This way, it would be waiting for him.