They had lunch to fill their bellies but were back at it right after.

Zan was happy. For today, at least, he felt like the old Jiehong had returned to him. The friend he had met when he was little and seemed so composed and put together. The Jiehong who could do anything when he put his mind to it. A far cry from the Jiehong he had known lately who did hardly anything other than argue and drink.

“A strategy session, then?” Zan asked of everyone.

“I think a strategy council is good,” Jiehong replied.

Already inside the war room, they got to it right away.

“Am I correct in assuming this strategy meeting is an update to the one we had previously?” Sigma-Prime said.

“Correct,” Zan replied. “Previously, we had decided we would search the south in an effort to locate a translator for the Old Tongue Script. We found none in Feathervale. We only discovered there tensions between a rebel faction and the pro-king royalists. We encountered Whiskey again — she has sided with the rebels. I attempted to recruit her to our cause, but she refused. To this end, I and Jiehong joined with the rebels to raid an automotron construction site. The mission was successful. However, at its end, we heard word of scouts discovering a series of Expanse bases further near the Western Way.”

Jiehong stepped in and talked of the rest concerning horse riding and the bikes.

“So my thoughts,” Zan continued. “Was to use these bikes to take part in their raid. If Jiehong and I leave now, we should still make it in time.”

“What about the script translation? Is this not a focus for the time being?” the Screen Master asked.

“Not right now. No. It is on my mind. I will keep my ears open. We gotta be realistic, though… we will not stumble by an expert in this language by searching town after nobody town. These defensive bunkers Mac told us about need to be uncovered. What can we do, though, when the knowledge is lost? I figure focus on the war for the moment, then resume the search.”

“Wise words, Zan. I will trust your judgement in this matter. Every Order begins with an uncertain future. This is the nature of Ranger-Knights, of the Shiv,” the Screen Master replied. “Considering your goals, I would suggest a familiarization period with your new bikes. You do not want to learn on the fly in a live-fire scenario.”

Like a flame igniting, the idea to practice using the bikes before the missions was beautiful. Zan had not thought of it because, in his mind, he knew how to ride a regular peasant bike. Therefore, why wouldn’t he know how to ride this fancy-smancy bike?

“An excellent idea, Warden,” Jiehong said. “Shall we take this outside?”

“Before you leave, take these,” the Screen Master said, a portion of the wall opening to reveal… something.

“What are these?” both boys asked at the same time.

“Those are called elbow and knees pads. They will protect your bones should you fall off the bikes at high-speeds,” Sigma-Prime explained.

Removing the pads from the extended drawer, Sigma-Prime told the boys how to put on the strange looking and stranger feeling protective gear. Zan was no stranger to wearing protective layerings when he rode his peasant bikes, informal as they were. Tightly bound layers of cloth and cotton didn’t provide the best protection, but it still was better than scraping half your leg off in a bad collision. These pads, though, they looked like bulbous ticks hugging his limbs once Sigma told them how to wear them.

Zan and Jiehong took the bikes to the outside of the camp’s perimeter defenses.

“People are starting to live beyond the boundary?” Jiehong asked, seeing some basic tents erected near the forest’s treeline.

“I guess so,” Zan replied, wondering if they should allow such practices with the war unpredictable in its spread.

Chiming in, Jiehong said, “I don’t think we should worry about it. We have enough on our plates as is. If they need to spread out a bit, fine. I’ve noticed more people have come lately. Few, but more. We should allow the refugees free rein as long as it doesn’t interfere with our projects or the social peace.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“I agree,” Zan said. “Besides, how many of them are likely to listen to a couple of kids?”

“We’re hardly normal kids anymore, Zan. We’ve taken part in battles, helped end sieges, and you’ve grown magical powers outside of the norm. They would listen.”

“I guess you’re right. Amazing how much has changed in so little time.”

“Yeah. I wrestle with it every day. I don’t think we should dwell on this. The refugees know their limits. And will be gone when the situation improves. We need to try out the new bikes the Wardens gave us. You really think they are going to keep up with horses?”

“Only one way to find out, eh?” Zan said, already unfolding his bike.

Jiehong unfolded his bike, the same as Zan.

Fully unfolded, Zan did not have to click into place any levers or mechanisms to ensure the bike remained folded properly while in use. All he had to do we unfold each piece systematically and pull until he heard a click. Zan straddled his bike. “Let’s see what this baby can do!”

Kicking himself off to a flying start, the force was too great and Zan fell headlong into the earth.

“Ouch…” Jiehong said to his back.

Getting himself up from the ground, Zan saw Jiehong laughing. “I’m glad my pain amuses you, bud…” Zan said, looking his body over to ensure nothing was out of joint.

“Oh, it was. Highly amusing!”

Learning from his mistake, Jiehong put only a little pressure on the handles. What he could not account for, however, was his own oversized body. Being naturally of a larger disposition than the average man, let along for a youngster, Jiehong took a single pedal and fell similar to Zan. Face met the earth. Gravel met tastebuds.

Now it was Zan who laughed. “Miss something?” he said.

“Laugh it up, buddy. Laugh it up!”

Zan took Jie’s advice and laughed it up. Verily up!

Although the joviality was a much-welcomed change of pace compared to their usual dull and grim epic adventure of late, it was time to get down to business.

Each boy began testing pedal pressure, where to put their weight — how to allocate their weight while on the bike — and a flurry of other variables, such as terrain, speed, and turning ability.

Hours passed. Something caught Zan’s eye above — the Slipstream!

Zan’s magic from the previous Slipstream appearance already dissipated from his body. He reached toward the sky and uttered the holy prayer. Soon, Zan’s body filled with divine energy.

“Jie! The Slipstream! Magic!” he yelled.

Looking up, causing another wipeout, Jiehong repeated Zan’s process. His body filled with divine energy momentarily.

Testing out more ways to use the bikes, the boys met for a snack and water break. Grapes, cheese.

“I think it is time we try the ways the bikes interact with magic. We both just fully restored our mana reserves, so when would be a better time than now?” Zan asked.

Jiehong complied and thought their present training session was the best possible time as well. “It is already half-noon,” Jiehong said. “Considering our lack of mastery, maybe we should depart tomorrow? Give ourselves more time before the big mission.”

“I only worry we would be too late…” Zan replied, eating several bunches of grapes.

“Don’t worry about it. You said, Whiskey said, it is going to take them a while before they find cohorts willing to attack so many enemy outposts. It’s only been, what, a day and a half?” Jiehong said, shoveling another couple of cheese slices into his mouth.

“You’re right on that… and I imagine it will take Colonel Winters some time before he arrives with his men. He, too, said he had to find some willing to undertake an unusual mission. So we can continue training today. Maybe even part of tomorrow. Break. Then shove off. Sound good?” Zan asked.

“I love it! Okay!” Jiehong said, taking a huge gulp of warmed water. “Let’s get back to it and bend these bikes to our will!”

The boys returned to their training.

In the setting sun, the cooling heat allowed the boys to continue to practice with their new tools without interruption. Sweat and exertion may have eroded their energy, but they continued at it for many hours. When the sun crested the horizon and each boy returned to the command center, Zan thought they had accomplished a lot.

“How do you think we did today?” Zan asked as he and Jiehong shared a bath in the overly large communal pool.

“Not bad. It was rough going at first. I won’t lie. I wasn’t expecting these bikes to be so… tricky. Finicky. Powerful, even, I guess. At a point today I even thought maybe I wouldn’t get the handle of it,” Jiehong said.

“I felt the same,” Zan replied. “It was like… I dunno how to describe it. It was like riding a bike while running, while also acting like a messenger? If that makes sense.”

“I think it does.” Jiehong poured water over his back and scrubbed vigorously. He liked a clean back, Zan noticed. “While riding, you have to look ahead of yourself a certain space because the bike goes so fast, so you are like a messenger riding long distances. Running makes sense, simply speaking, because your legs are constantly in motion.

Really, it is more analytical than I would have figured. I never felt this way with a regular, simple bike. Do you think the magic makes it easier?”

“It makes riding easier, I think. Magic. I using the bikes is brain-heavy, too. Which is why we shouldn’t allow magic to sway as into using magic on the bikes by default. We should strive to master as much as we can, using our own muscles, bodies, and minds. Magic is a last resort or a strategic advantage,” Zan explained.

“I agree. Fully. I’m surprised we’re on the same wavelengths about this,” Jiehong said. He turned around now to wash his privates. And Zan did the same.

Conversation died down once the magic usage as a topic broached and the youths focused on cleaning themselves with the dainty smelling soaps provided.

With towels around their waists, Zan felt great as he and his friend returned to their respective quarters for the rest of the evening.

Tired, wanting bed, and ready for nothing else other than rest, it was, of course, then when Luxley spoke in Zan’s ear.