Winter 4987, 28 Ginmoth

Five long bells rang out the morning, and the other Squires rushed out to join Shon in the courtyard to stand in formation for their morning run. Both Monks were already there, chatting by the gates after joining him for their drills, but Lily only showed up after Master Daunas and the Paladins came out to start the morning exercise.

Like before, she stood to the side of the formation and turned with a yawn when the boys made their sharp right face and started marching. She ran with them as before, but they all knew it would be the last time.

The formation made it halfway around the fortress for their first lap when the Monks caught up and passed them at what looked like a full sprint. Ryuuko flew as fast as it could to keep up with them but soon fell back to fly beside Shon as he jogged. "There's no way they can keep that up..." Rerves panted, watching as Masters Velona and Veon-Zih rounded the side of the fortress ahead of them.

They could, and they did. Lapping the boys a total of fifteen times as the Squires ran their standard ten rounds. As the boys gasped, trying to catch their breath and retrieving their weapons, Shon distinctly heard Veon-Zih say to Velona, "Maybe next time we can make a race out of it."

"You mean actually push ourselves?" Master Velona asked, stretching her legs after the run and not even sweating.

Veon-Zih laughed and quoted a lesson he often shared with Shon in his childhood, "The only way to move past our limits is to push them." he stretched out his arms -cracking his knuckles- then presented a hand to Velona, "Care to dance before you go m'lady?"

Velona laughed and called to Lily, who had her arm stuck to the elbow in her small belt pouch, "Hold my staff, Lily. You can use it for drills if you want." the lady Monk's eyes never left Veon-Zih as she tossed her staff to Lily, then drew her short curved sword from the small of her back and bowed.

It was very difficult for any of the Squires to concentrate on their drills as the Monks sparred. It truly did look like a dance. A beautiful and deadly dance. The moves were fast enough that there was no way the Squires were catching all the nuances. Shon had never seen Veon-Zih moved like that before. And though he'd always known he had a long way to go to even be close to his Master, he hadn't really realized how much the Monk had held back for him. And though Master Velona matched Veon-Zih's every move with one just as quick and impressive, neither stopped smiling. As if -to them- it really was only a dance...

"Impressive, isn't it?" Master Danaus shouted to the boys. The Squires all jumped in surprise and tried to start their drills again. The Weaponmaster just laughed, "That's what a lifetime of dedicated discipline and practice looks like boys, remember it and always push yourself to be better tomorrow than you are today."

Shon could hardly pull his eyes away and Danaus laughed again, "And never forget not to underestimate someone just because they seem to be unarmed or armored. It very well might be the last thing you do."

Rerves managed a laugh of his own and called out, "We learned that last unit, sir." which made Shon finally shake his head. Clearly, he was nothing compared to his Master. But that didn't mean he would ever stop trying.

The Monks' match ended in a draw, and the boys and Lily were finally able to finish their drills without distraction before making their way back into the fortress for breakfast.

Lily ran ahead of them all and waited in the middle of the Squire table with her full plate. From his corner, Shon heard her say her goodbyes to all of them.

"Don't you four dare forget to tell me where you're stationed! I really am going to send you gifts next year," she told the seniors.

To the second years, she said, "Keep working hard, you're almost halfway there, and you've already grown so much in just one year!"

To the youngest -the ones that hadn't known her before- she said, "It was great to meet all of you, do your best, and you'll be even better than these guys eventually."

To Thom and Rerves, she said with a grin, "You guys will be the seniors soon, so no slacking off, you're on the home stretch now, and I'm never going to stop writing, so I'll know if you do."

"What about Shon?" Zihler huffed, "You're not going to tell him to work hard and do his best or anything?"

Lily grinned down the table at Shon for a moment, then looked at Zihler with a wicked smile, "Shon works hard at everything, and that's why he's already the best."

"Ouch..." Rerves called out, "Whoever said she needs fire to burn?" Lily just snicked an exaggerated evil snicker as if she'd been joking, but also shot a wink toward Shon.

At the officer's table, Velona stood, taking her plate to the food table before heading for Lily and the Squires. "Ready?" she asked.

"Almost," Lily said, though she too stood and dropped off her plate as the bells began to ring.

She waited by the door and, as the Squires started their single-file march towards the chapel, stepped out to block their path, taking a moment to hug each and every one of them before letting them go. The officers didn't stop her, though the Major General shook his head, and Master Danaus barked out a laugh.

As usual at mealtimes, Shon was last in line, but as Lily reached for him, Ryuuko slithered between them, hanging from Shon's sword strap to nuzzle Lily's cheek. He let the pseudodragon do it, but when it didn't seem about to stop anytime soon, he grabbed it by the neck, pulling it off of him and dropping it to the side so Lily could step in and wrap her hot arms around his neck.

He'd meant to just give her a quick hug -like the others- but as she sighed, the rest of the world dropped away. He wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the cinnamon scent of her hair and wanting to hold on for all eternity.

"I'll let you know where we're going, so you know where to forward your letters," Lily whispered to him.

Shon nodded against her neck, running his hands up her back. It seemed as if time were standing still, but all too quickly, Ryuuko clawed its way up his leg and back to reach his shoulder, its talons digging in with every step. He flinched, sucking in a pained breath at the scratches. Still, it was the Major General clearing his throat that finally had him stepping away.

"To the chapel Squire, you've said your goodbyes."

Snapping to attention, Shon saluted the officers, not looking back as he marched down the hall and towards the chapel.

Lily was going to be following her dream, and with a Master Monk who would make sure she worked hard to perfect her staff art as much as Veon-Zih had done for Shon before coming here. She was dedicated and a hard worker, and she seemed to think he was too. He did work hard, even in his free time, and that was why he was the best... Except for one thing...

Shon stopped outside the chapel doors and turned to wait for the officers. Paladins exchanged looks as they passed him, but he stood at attention until Masters Danaus and Veon-Zih came into view with Major General Selibra just behind. Once they were in range, Shon saluted, waiting to be acknowledged by the command.

Danaus' voice faltered, and Selibra studied the Squire for a moment before asking, "What is it, Squire?"

"I have a request, Sir," Shon stated clearly.

"Well, spit it out," Master Danaus barked while Master Veon-Zih arched a silent eyebrow.

Shon took a deep breath, "I want to train in armor."

The three men exchanged looks, and Danaus started, "After lessons..." but he faltered when Shon began shaking his head.

"I mean all the time, sir. From the morning run to lights out."

Danaus leaned forward, blinking at Shon -who maintained his strict attention- then looked to Veon-Zih, "Was this your idea, old man?"

The Monk could only shake his head, looking his student over with a critical eye.

The Weaponmaster turned to the Major General, "Selibra?"

"It isn't a bad idea," the Major General conceded, addressing Shon, "You will spend your final evening break scrubbing your armor and showering thoroughly. There is no reason we should have to suffer your stench for your discipline, no matter how admirable."

"Sir." Shon saluted, going into the chapel only after being dismissed. Veon-Zih had told him at his first lesson that he needed to work his weakest side twice as hard as his strongest. Well, he had put it off long enough, and for the last year of training, he would work his weakness into a strength.

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***

It would take Velona and Lily four days to walk from Hamerfoss to Smilnda. Though Velona could make it in half the time if she wanted to, she now had to consider her new charge. She watched as Lily kept looking over her shoulder at the fortress until it finally disappeared behind the curtain of trees when they reached the forest road that would take them to the city. There, they would report to Rasnah and the Mages and buy some supplies for the journey that would take at least two years to complete.

"You'll see them again," Velona reassured Lily as the girl sighed, finally focusing her eyes forward.

The girl, young woman really, nodded then smiled wide, "And I'll have so many stories to tell when I do! I can hardly believe this is really happening."

Velona chuckled, moving her staff to tap Lily's bruise and adding, "And by the time I'm done with you, they will all learn not to go easy on you in a sparring ring."

Though she started rubbing her sore arm, Lily was laughing by the time her new Master finished, "I can't wait! Do you think there's a way I can use my magic while fighting too? You know, blend them together like Han does?"

"Han?" Velona asked, "Battlemage Han, in Tarorn?"

"Yep! He mixes spells and fighting, or at least that's how they described it. He never really showed me."

Velona hummed, shooting glances at Lily out of the corner of her eye as they walked. Even from a few feet away, Velona could feel the girl's heat fluctuating with her emotions. Not unusual for a Sorcerer, but it was also an indication of her fine-tuned control in general.

"Possibly, Lily, but first you need to learn to control your ki, so you can use that before attempting to add fire into the mix." The Monk explained.

Lily sprinted ahead, then spun around to walk backward, tilting her head at Velona and asking, "Key? I left it with the Guild..."

Velona shook her head, "Not that kind of ki. The ki I'm talking about is your energy. Your life force. Everything has it, and yours is..."

"Is what?" Lily asked curiously, patting her chest at Velona's hesitation, "Is there something wrong with it? Am I going to die?"

Velona stopped at Lily's tone more than her question. She'd spoken as though it wouldn't be all that unexpected if she did drop dead at any moment. "No, Lily. Why would you think that?"

To add to her worry, the girl just shrugged, taking a few steps back and explaining, "All the other subjects died early. Ran and Brom said they couldn't handle the magic in their blood, and I have the same magic, so I always thought it was a possibility."

"You mean the Warlocks?"

Lily nodded, continuing, "They said I was different because I'm a Sorcerer, but I don't have a familiar like other Sorcerers, and the Mages think there's something strange about me. That's why they always want so many samples. Is there something wrong with my..." she looked for the word, then said instead, "... life energy?"

Velona shook her head quickly, "Not at all, Lily. It's just untrained. I don't think there's anything wrong with it."

Lily pivoted on her toes and started walking away, "That's good. I really don't want to die yet. I still have to meet Shon after he graduates." Velona shook her head and caught up quickly. Once she did, Lily continued, "Are you sure I need to train my energy before I can use my magic in fighting? I already use a bit, just for fun, because it's pretty."

There would be plenty of time in their upcoming journey for Velona to better explore what Lily had said about the Warlocks, so she decided to save that for later and focus on this impromptu lesson, "You certainly can, but it won't be nearly as effective until you have better control of your energy. That's what really sets Monks apart from other fighters and why we're able to do what we do."

Once again, Lily ran forward to walk backward so she could beam at Velona, her face lit up with excitement and even awe, "You mean like your match with Veon-Zih? That was amazing! I've never seen anyone fight like that before. Do you think I could ever do that?"

That made Velona laugh, "Master Veon-Zih and I are Masters of our respective schools and have been practicing for many years. Though if you work hard long enough, you too could do that and more."

"How old are you guys anyway?" Lily asked, tilting her head at the Monk.

Velona rolled her eyes and snickered. There was absolutely no hesitation in the question. Lily obviously didn't have the same social norms that would make others nervous about asking a woman her age. Velona answered the girl with a question of her own, "How old do you think I am?"

Lily hummed, looking Velona over and even walking around her before returning to her front as they continued on their way, "Late forties? Maybe?"

The Master Monk laughed loudly at that, which made Lily shift her tilted head to the other side, "I'm nearly seventy years old, Lily," Velona explained, "Though it isn't unusual for Monks to show slowed symptoms of aging."

"Oh wow!" Lily gasped, "Is that because of the energy thing too?"

Velona nodded, "That's one of the theories, though staying fit is also a big part of it."

Lily turned so she could walk beside her new teacher as she continued, "So how do I start working with my energy?"

"I'll give you your first lesson at lunch," Velona explained, "But before that, let me explain how it's tied to your magic..."

For the rest of their walk, Velona explained how ki worked and how spellcasters used theirs to direct and shape their magic -focusing on Mages and divine spellcasters before moving on to Sorcerers. "For Sorcerers like you and Shon, your magic is part of you, so it's tied directly to your ki. When you create and manipulate fire, you are doing it by manipulating and using your ki. That's why you, and all other spellcasters, get fatigued if you do too much."

"But I already have control of my magic..." Lily said, following Velona off the path to one of the campsites where they would have their lunch.

"Yes and no," Velona explained, and Lily scowled. She opened her mouth to argue, but Velona interrupted, "I don't doubt your basic control, Lily. You earned your clearance, so that shows me you have enough control not to let your magic run wild with your strongest emotions. What I'm talking about is much more subtle."

She took a kneeling seat in the clearing and pat the ground in front of her to signal Lily should do the same, "I can tell by your body heat, and just from years of experience training apprentices, that your control is only surface level. It's perfectly normal and not meant as an insult, so please don't take offense."

Lily plopped down on the ground, still seeming annoyed, "But everyone says I'm hot because I'm a fire Sorcerer, even the Mages. And that I'm hotter than others because I have more fire power than they do."

"This is true," Velona answered, "But can you honestly tell me that you don't get even hotter when you're particularly excited or angry? Even now, I can feel that your temperature has gone up."

"I..." Lily faltered, and Velona continued,

"And you've been using your power subconsciously to heat the air around you to keep warm, which is why you don't need a cloak."

"The cold doesn't bother me. It's soothing," she actually grinned, looking away, as if at a memory, "Refreshing..."

"I don't doubt it. But you're still doing it. It's normal. People without heat magic shiver when they're cold. It's their body's way to try and keep them at an optimal temperature. Your optimal temperature is just much higher than most people and you have magic instead of sivers. But can you honestly tell me that you didn't get more tired than normal on your walk through the winter snow to Hamerfoss? Almost like you used too much magic throughout the day?"

"I... I just hadn't ever walked so far before. Of course I'd be tired." Lily tried to argue.

"Yes, but that's a different kind of tired. You were also using your magic the entire time to keep warm without the right winter clothes."

"But..." Lily bit her lip, looking back towards Hamerfoss and nearly whispering her concern, "Does this mean I'll get tired like that from touching Shon? He's naturally cold, and I can feel my magic on my skin when he touches me... It tingles..."

Velona smiled softly. So that was what had the girl arguing so fervently, "No Lily, your magic is merely responding to his. You aren't using any energy in that case. If anything, it might give you a little boost. Since you obviously like touching him so much."

Lily grinned again, a slight blush rising on her cheeks, "I do... more than anything."

Velona rolled her eyes and shook her head. Young love. Then got back to the point, "But if you take control of your energy and thus your magic on this fundamental level, your body temperature should stay regulated, and you might even be able to touch others for longer than usual without burning them."

Bouncing in her seat, Lily shifted her legs to mimic Velona's kneeling position, "How do I do it."

Velona cupped her hands in her lap, right hand in left, thumbs touching, "With a lot of practice and hard work. We will start with meditation." she took a deep breath, in through her nose and out through her mouth. Lily mimed the posture and motion. "Calm your breathing, count your breaths, and with that, calm your mind and then your heart." she took another deep breath, "Feel the energy in your body and focus it, bringing it to your centerline. You want to hold it there," Lily's face scrunched, and Velona shook her head, "Not hard, hold it loosely. Right now, your energy is like a candle flame in wind, flickering wildly. If you try to hold it too tightly, it will dim and flicker as though about to die, you want to steady it, a still calm flame reaching for the sky and unwavering."

Lily's face relaxed, but a few minutes later, she scrunched up again and opened her eyes, "How long do I have to do this?"

Velona grinned, "We will do it for half an hour mornings, afternoons, and evenings. Eventually, the goal is for you to be able to maintain being centered at all times without trying, so even when we aren't meditating, I will have you check your center throughout the day."

Lily whined, but Velona just closed her eyes again, "I told you it would require a lot of work."

A few minutes later, Lily asked, "But you don't have magic. What do you use ki for?"

Velona sighed at the interruption but looked around for a way to demonstrate. Finding a dead tree a short way into the woods, she stood smoothly and walked towards it. Lily scrambled to her feet to follow.

Gesturing to the tree, Velona ordered, "Try to knock it down."

Lily looked from the Monk to the tree and back again, then shrugged and pushed against it, straining to push it over.

"Try hitting it." Velona offered. Lily did, and a few twigs fell on their heads, but the trunk didn't move. Lily shook her hand out in pain.

Velona grabbed Lily's shoulder, pulling her back and taking her place, "Let me show you." she said. Closing her eyes, Velona took a moment to breathe deep and check her center. Opening her eyes again, she dropped into a fighting crouch and struck, directing her energy through the trunk. Birds from the surrounding woods took flight, and the tree groaned. A crack formed around the trunk and -standing straight- Velona pushed the entire tree over with just her finger.

As it crashed into the underbrush, the Monk turned back to the clearing, leaving Lily to stare in awe at the broken stump. Velona knelt and pat the ground before her again, "It all starts here. If you work hard enough..."