“You did well, Jal!” Sage Elvan praised it. “Another eight-win and no- loss standing! One more and you’ll be moved up to Level Four.”

“Thanks, Jan. That was fun. Well, except for the cut.” Jal’s opponent in the last round had made a fast slash with her broadsword across its back, cutting through the fabric of Jal’s protective gear.

“Does it still hurt?”

“Yes.” Jal swallowed another healing potion, collected its gear and followed Sage Elvan to the open area between the fighting zones. Jal eagerly moved with the crowd to the displays that showed who was fighting in the upper levels.

“Where are you going?” Sage Elvan called after Jal.

“To watch!”

“Who are we watching?”

“Whoever’s fighting,” was the response. They stood behind a group of parents at a zone where the Level Four matches were taking place. “Wow,” Jal muttered under its breath, “That little gal is fast. How can she do that?” The fighter nearly flew across the zone after her opponent, backing him up to the boundary line. As she swung her backsword, he leaped sideways and bashed her sword with all the power he could muster. The swords clanged and bounced off one another. Again, she aggressively forced him backward across the zone.

“He’s really intimidated,” Jal thought. It began to consider possible responses to her offense.

After each of the following rounds, Sage Elvan and Jal discussed the moves and responses of the fighters. They talked about using their height and ability to make great leaps to gain the advantage over an opponent.

As they left the auditorium, Jal followed Sage Elvan to one of the shops nearby. Jal listened interestedly as Sage Elvan collected on its bets and picked up a schedule for the upcoming tournaments.

“Does that list the fighters who are registered?”

“It does.”

“So, if I studied each person’s style, I could figure out how to beat him or her?”

“Possibly. But your best bet is to have a wide collection of skills.”

***

Jal and Luk studied the map on the table. “If you can take us on the easiest route through the mountains, that would be best,” Jal said. “Which passes have you been through?”

Luk drew his finger along a route. He explained that it would be an easy start and a fairly steady incline the second day. “I’ve been through these mountains, and from your map, if we go straight west, we’ll hit the hardest climb at the end of the first week. It looks to me like we can stay at the lower elevations and go around the highest points. Once we get onto the forested hills of the far side, it will be easier.”

“Let’s practice here. I’ve trained groups on this route,” Luk went on. “Sali and her partner usually train over here.” Jal’s tablet dinged. “I’ve created a possible schedule for climbs with you, based on what you gave me for a calendar. If you can get these four weekends free, you’ll be better equipped to help your team.”

Jal looked at the dates. “I don’t know,” he sighed. “The rest of the year is going to be insanely busy. I had no idea that the last year of school would be so nuts. Now we’re talking about applications to universities and the interviews to get in. I knew I would need to do these things, but had thought I’d put that all off until we returned. Sage Elvan is insistent that I do it before we go.”

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“He thinks you’re going to drop out of the expedition?”

“Maybe. But I have no intention of that happening. Now, tell me what equipment I need.” They went through a list that Luk had brought. “Are you sure that will all fit in my pack?” Jal looked at Luk doubtfully.

“It will. I’ll help you. I know a few tricks.” As Jal picked up its pack, Luk stopped it. “How does this transportation magic thing work, Jal?”

“You have to be at least level six on your character board and doing level four magic.” When Luk said he didn’t know what a character board was, Jal showed him how to access it. Jal taught him how to change the class setting, and they looked at the options that were available. “Look! You have the option of being an ‘Outdoorsman!’ You have a lot of skills and attributes. It seems to me that you’re close to the next level. What do you need to do to advance?”

It took them several minutes to figure out that Luk needed to work on his communication and preparation skills. “I think that’s a matter of having things organized before I start something,” Luk remarked. “I often pick up a project and start doing it without planning things out. And then I screw things up. I’ll try to be in contact with you more, Jal. Maybe we can help each other out?”

“Sure.” Jal looked at his board. “I’ll talk to Eiske about the next level of training for medical emergencies. I don’t know who to talk to about Crisis Management.”

“Maybe Sage Elvan would know?” Luk suggested.

“I’ll ask,” Jal decided. “I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

***

One moon was at the horizon when Jal arrived at the base of the hills where it was going hiking with Luk. A brisk breeze pushed the leaves apart and the second moon was visible through the branches. Jal had managed to get everything into its pack.

An irregular hum echoed, and Jal wondered what would make such an odd noise. Luk appeared to be driving the oldest speeder on the planet and the monstrosity coughed to a rough stop. “What is that?” Jal laughed as Luk jumped out.

“I use this when I come out here. No one will try to take it! It’s so ancient and beat up that no one will even think that it runs. I saved it from the junk heap on the edge of the village.” Luk put a few more things into its pack before lifting it to his shoulders.

“Let’s go this way,” Luk led Jal to a small grove of trees. “There’s a path here. We’ll just go out for a few hours hiking today.”

When they stopped two hours later, Luk looked at Jal. “We need to rest.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve not trained for this.”

“I have. I go on thirty-kilometer runs three days a week. We haven’t gone even a third of that.”

“Thirty-kilometers?” Luk looked at Jal doubtfully. “With a full pack?”

“It’s about half of this. I also have my rifle and a hatchet.”

“So, you know how to run with a pack on?” When Jal told him yes, he said, “Show me.”

Jal ran in a wide circle, slowly picking up speed. It took several minutes before it reached the pace that it usually went, and Luk stood wide-eyed when Jal came zooming toward him. It stopped less than a meter in front of him.

“What the hell? How can you do that, Jal?”

“That is how a Stafriez runs, Luk.”

“A Stafriez? You’re one of the ‘Wise Ones’ that Uncle Ulrik always talked about?”

“Yes. I thought you knew.”

“I hadn’t really thought about it. I need a short break, Jal.” Over the rest of the day they would walk for a few hours then take a break.

As the sun began to descend, Jal wondered when they would stop for the night. Finally, it said, “Isn’t it time to make camp?”

“It will only take a few minutes to set up the tents.”

“Are we finding food in the dark?”

“Did you bring the supplies on the list?”

“Of course. But I thought we might fish or hunt for our dinners.”

“I usually heat up a dehydrated meal.”

“Would you rather have fresh food?” Jal asked.

“What would you suggest?”

“Spring plantain, Poor Man’s Cress, and Speckled Swinnies in a salad. There are orange spuds over there,” Jal pointed. “We could cook them over a fire. And there are rabbits all around us.”

“There are?”

“I could rig a trap,” Jal proposed.

“All right. I’ll find a spot to set up the tent.”

Later, as they sat by the fire, Jal asked Luk whether he preferred the dehydrated foods. “No. I usually don’t want to think about cooking. My goal is to get people up a trail to a certain point, teach them a skill or two, and then rest.”

“We’ll have to pace ourselves on the trail,” Jal observed. “Or everyone will be exhausted by the third or fourth day.”

“You’re right.” Together they made a plan that would get them through the first three weeks. “We should be through the mountains by that point,” Luk said. “I’m interested to see what kind of shape these people are actually in.”