“Wow, I still can’t believe we only have classes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.” Amil waved his schedule slip at the others with a wide grin as they all pushed out through the dining hall doors. Their pets followed on their heels, humming with contentment after the enjoyable lunch.

“My Beast Identification takes turns with Magical Harvesting and Meditative Healing alternates with Enchanting.” Pax read over his list again to make sure he had it right. “Spells class is still three times a week, and Conditioning right after lunch. Makes sense if they’re training us for war. And my advisor meeting slot moved to after dinner on the class days.”

“Does everyone else have two hours of war games in the morning on the other days?” Dahni looked up from his own schedule and squinted over at Rin’s.

“Looks like it.” She held hers where he could see better as they made their way across campus toward the front gates. “The rest of those days just say assignments and training after that first block with war games. Why do I get the feeling those days won’t be as easy as they look on the schedule right now?”

“Because the Salman administrators just got a bunch of free labor,” Pax said. “So, I expect they will take as much advantage of us as possible.”

Amil shuddered. “Please tell me you have a way to make sure we don’t get stuck with busywork.”

“You know the saying that an army marches on its belly?” Dahni asked. “And that’s not counting all the other supplies it takes to make a successful campaign. You know, like arrows, armor repair supplies, and weapon maintenance tools. Did you not see how much work went into making the Purge camps, not to mention moving them every three days? Someone has to organize all that.”

Amil’s head had started shaking before Dahni could finish. “I have nothing but respect for the merchants, crafters and logistics people who make all that work. I just don’t want to do it myself.”

As they made their way outside the academy gates and across the cobbled roads, Pax interrupted them before they could take the argument further. “We shouldn’t need to worry about any of that. We just have to find the right group to recognize how our Taming will help the army and we’re set, got it?”

“And we need it to be a group that’s close to the action, right?” Rin gave them all a pointed look. “We want the best shot at seeing action and taking out some of the rebel scum.”

The others gave her grim nods of agreement, remembering their roles.

“Pax!” His name called out in the growing crowds caught his attention. He saw Bryn waving at him from a post just to the side of the open store gates. Tasar and Tyrodon stood with her. They quickly joined them and, with the crew back together, headed into the busy grounds.

***

“This is worse than team week.” Dahni shook his head in discouragement as they took a break behind some bushes after a frustrating hour. “As important as I was saying logistics is, I still didn’t think that’s all they’d want us for. We are mages after all, not scribes.”

“Told you.” Amil said and waved a disgusted hand back toward the busy booths. “The only fighting positions in the capital are up on the wall, and you know the students with connections snapped those up before this whole mess even got started.”

“I just didn’t expect so many of them to still be so upset about our pets.” Pax crouched down to give Talpa a few scratches.

“Youth adapts to change faster than adults,” Tasar said, his eyes going to Bryn’s backpack where Onyx slept and making it clear he hadn’t forgotten that it would be his turn soon.

“They’ve spent their careers killing beasts. It’s a big stretch to think about inviting one into your home.” Tyrodon shrugged.

“And they’ve built everything in the empire on tradition. Change is not only dangerous, it’s punished.” Rin sighed as she reached up to stroke Eris’ feathers. “Maybe we’re expecting too much from all the traditionalists.”

“We could always go back to the supply tables,” Dahni said, glancing back at the bustling square. “They’re always going to need more mages for enchanting.”

“That would mean splitting us up.” Pax let out a frustrated groan.

Having members of the team doing different assignments would give us multiple avenues to gain important information for the rebellion. Bryn’s pragmatic words over the Echoes made sense.

“True.” Pax reluctantly agreed. “But the point was to show a strong crew with valuable tamed beasts so we would catch the notice of the higher ups with our ability to help against the rebels. We can’t do that if we’re split up.”

Bryn tipped her head in acknowledgment of his point.

“Let’s finish going through the last booths and see if we can’t find what we’re looking for.” Pax stood back up and brushed off his hands. “Someone has got to recognize the potential our companions have for the coming war.”

“Horrid can help convince them,” Amil said. “Just give us a signal.”

“Neptid, too.” Dahni nodded down at his pet. “Feeling his buffs would make a bigger impression than just explaining them.”

Pax smiled, his enthusiasm returning. “Maybe we need to do a bit more showing than telling.”

That got a few ominous chuckles, and Pax felt obligated to caution them. “No attacks.” He eyed Rin and Amil. “Supportive abilities only. Got it?”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“I’m not going to have Eris use Arial Rend on anyone.” Rin scoffed. “It’s Amil who’ll be tempted to use Horrid’s Sensory Frenzy in this crowd, right?”

Amil didn’t even try to pretend. He just grinned. When the others gave him censuring looks, he raised his hands defensively. “Hey, I wouldn’t actually do it. But you have to admit, it’s fun to imagine, right? All these uptight government and army people suddenly spasming and flopping around?”

Dahni was the first to let a half grin slip.

“See!” Amil pointed at him. “It’s fun to think about, right?”

Rin cleared her throat. “As for something that might help our case, I could send Eris up and then have her use her flight abilities to return to my shoulder fast and silently. That’ll be impressive.”

“Nice,” Amil said with an appreciative nod before grinning wider as he looked at Pax. “And you could have Talpa jump scare someone by popping out of his stealth.”

Pax gave Amil a reluctant nod. “That’s not a bad idea, especially if we can find some actual fighters instead of clerks to pitch our ideas to. Let’s hit the last few rows of booths. If we can’t find anything, then we’ll go with the plan to divide and take whatever assignments we can. Alright?”

As they moved back into the busy crowds, Pax saw that a couple of tables had already begun packing up.

“The best spots are disappearing fast,” Dahni said under his breath.

Pax picked up his pace, scanning the banners and signs as they navigated through the milling students. The number that had to do with logistics proved Dahni’s earlier point. Canteen jobs, yugrut handlers, foundry work, and jobs described as variations on the theme of an assistant clerk filled the boards. At least their menagerie of companions cleared a way for them, while also attracting a variety of glances and glares.

When they turned the corner to the last row, Pax despaired of finding anything that would bring them close to the centers of power.

“That one.” Rin pointed to a wooden table without so much as a cloth covering. A tall man, dressed in a mismatched set of armor, was removing the single handwritten sign that was held on the table by a heavy rock still encrusted with a chunk of dirt. Steelshade Vanguard. Intern Positions Possible.

Pax didn’t dare Identify the warrior, especially considering his rugged strength and well-worn, weather-beaten face that suggested considerable time spent out in the Wilds. There were also plenty of signs that the man was skilled and paid attention to details. He kept his beard neatly trimmed, and when he glanced up at them, Pax saw a sharp intelligence in eyes the color of freshly tilled soil.

Rin had already begun walking his way. He gave them a reluctant shake of his head. “Sorry kids. I got what I needed already.”

Rin didn’t stop, leading the rest of the crew to his table.

Talpa, use In Plain Sight and flank that man without being seen.

A quick assent, and Talpa was gone. Pax hurried to catch up with the others. It was obvious the man was no logistics clerk. If anyone would appreciate the boost in fighting that tamed beasts offered, it would be the warrior.

When they all arrived in front of his table, he turned back from packing up his few items to look at them again. This time, though, it was a more intense scan, his eyes traveling over their group before taking note of each pet. His gaze even stopped on the glistening strip of translucent slime that fell over the shoulders of Pax’s armor. Whisk had adopted that form lately to stay unobtrusive when they were out in public. Slime-based beasts were unusual.

“You have trouble understanding me?” Now he looked at Pax, eyes narrowing as he fully straightened.

Pax swallowed hard, suddenly noticing how huge and imposing the man was now that they were closer. He forced himself to speak, drawing on his much improved Charisma he’d been honing regularly. “We’re a well-trained fighting crew with multiple tamers. We can give the empire an entirely new set of assets to help destroy the rebels before they can spread more of their lies.”

His half smile was patronizing as he went back to filling his single box with supplies. “I’ve heard about the beast taming you students are doing. I’m sure they are fun novelties. But, as you know, we’re in a war to kill beasts, not feed and coddle them. Now move along with your pets. The rest of us have a war to fight.”

Pax searched for the right words to convince the man, sensing they were close to losing their chance. Amil, time for Horrid’s Scent Lure. Everyone else, get ready.

“What about novelties that can boost health and mana regeneration with no potion or core cost?”

The man stopped what he was doing, set down the box and focused his attention on Pax. “Explain.”

Dhani, now. Pax dove in, words coming fast as he felt the comforting rush of Neptid’s buff. “If you’re not at full health, you might want to check it.”

The man frowned, suddenly tense. He’d felt the buff, too. With no warning, a knife appeared in his hand and with a quick movement, he slashed the tip in a shallow arc along the side of his palm. Blood welled up immediately, and Pax heard an intake of breath from one of his friends behind him.

Everyone stared at the dripping cut as the blood slowed and with plodding inevitability, the injury healed.

“Not a very fast buff,” the man said, still not sounding convinced.

“Silent aerial scouts.” Rin held out her arm a split second before Eris slammed into it, completely silent and looking extremely deadly with her talons and beak.

Pax barely kept himself from flinching and was heartened to catch a flicker of surprise in the man’s eyes.

Both Rin and Eris turned their unblinking eyes on the man, waiting for his response.

“Ground-based scouts,” Pax said as he decided to pile on the evidence. Talpa, you’re up.

Talpa suddenly appeared near the man’s leg and hit his calf with a soft swat of his foot.

The man cursed and moved so fast, Pax barely had time to suck in a breath before he had a sword out and flashing toward Talpa.

“Stop!” Pax yelled, clubs popping into his hands even knowing he would be too slow.

Around him, the rest of his crew sprang into action.

And then, Talpa sank into the ground so fast, the man’s sword swished through empty space. He froze, sword still extended as he turned his head to look back up at them. When he saw everyone’s weapons out, he flushed in what looked like embarrassment.

A ripple of quiet spread out through the crowd as the sudden killing intent and bared weapons caught everyone’s interest.

The man made his sword disappear a heartbeat later and straightened with both hands held low and open. “I apologize for my overreaction. I’m assuming that creature was one of your pets?”

Pax took another few seconds to force the anger down at how close the man had come to killing Talpa. Around him, the rest of his crew put their weapons away but didn’t shift completely out of the formation they’d instinctively shifted into. The pets and Tyrodon now stood in the center, protected from further danger.

The man’s intent gaze missed none of it. He even gave them a slight nod of approval. “I guess your reaction proves your claim to be a battle-trained crew. But I hadn’t heard reports that the pets had abilities that could be that useful in battle.” He gave them a contrite shrug. “And considering I did almost just kill one of yours, I figure I can hear you out.”

“What if we don’t want to work with you anymore?” The words slipped out before Pax could stop them.

Instead of being offended, the man just laughed. “I like your spirit, kid. How about we start over? Let me introduce myself. I’m Captain Kael Langley, leader of the Steelshade Vanguard. We’re a group of elite squads the army sends out to handle particularly thorny missions. They told me I had to set up a booth here for a minimum of an hour in case any of the student volunteers impressed me enough to take on.” He paused and tipped his head toward them. “None of them did, until you lot. Would you like to talk now?”