Ebusuku gathered the Celestials present in the Domain while Amdirlain called Solveiga and O’Nai back from their patrol groups. The lack of interruptions among the gathering allowed Eubusuku to quickly run down the list, even with explaining details. Hands were swiftly raised to offer help on items that Amdirlain could delegate as Ebusuku ran through her copy.

“You’re not leaving me anything to do!” protested Amdirlain, and the gathered group chuckled lightly.

“Not true. Ebusuku needs a sparring partner,” Pip retorted. “I’ll still be here with you. Sage says I’m grounded. Even though I’m flying, go figure.”

The Lantern Archon darted over, and her meshwork touched down on Amdirlain’s shoulder opposite Torm.

“Yes, because it’s only going to be you and Ebusuku minding Amdirlain, Pip,” yelled Whisper, only to be gently shushed by those nearest.

“Also, you need to help me with instructing the Archons,” replied Farhad.

Sage gestured back in the settlements’ direction. “Plus, talk Malnar out of building a moat.”

“I swear she’s going to drive me crazy. Why a moat?” asked Amdirlain, not knowing what drove the architect to fixate on having fortifications.

Sage shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. She doesn’t want a wall, just a water-filled trench. Defensive without being overly intrusive? Bridges provide control points for ground approaches without actually being obstructive, not that it helps against flying foes. But from the brief talk we had, she seems very ground focused.”

”She’s also not thinking that the Domain is still expanding,” Torm sighed. “But the moment it does, I’ll wager she’ll be asking to build a castle outside the valley.”

“I have more energy I can pour in the Domain now,” cautioned Amdirlain.

Torm chuckled and pointed to a completed item towards the top of her list—send Aggie a message. “And depending on Aggie, it might grow in leaps and bound, let alone the ex-slaves once they’ve settled in. You said you were showing more followers already.”

“The fact we’re in a valley makes a moat completely impractical, even if the Domain didn’t increase in size. Any ground enemy would attack from uphill where the moat wouldn’t obstruct. You picked a bad defensive spot, Amdirlain,” noted Farhad flatly, the slightest twitch of his mouth the only clue to it being in jest.

“Have her build a colosseum, past the Domain’s edge,” suggested Ebusuku. “If she set it up with controllable openings and perches for archers, it could be a defensive fall-back position for incoming patrols. When we’re not entertaining whatever invader she’s expecting, you can use it as a training ground—it might settle her down.”

“I’ll guard a Temple or Shrine. I’d prefer one that has lots of children around?” Hook offered, his deep rumble almost quiet as if he was expecting a refusal.

Amdirlain glanced up from her list, trying to remember if he’d asked about anything since the gathering had started. “I’m sure we can sort that out, Hook. Any particular reason?”

Hook, all two metres tall, muscular, and dangerous looking, ducked his head bashfully. “Giving children horsey rides sounds like fun.”

“Can I have a ride?” Pip squealed excitedly, and Hook laughed gruffly and shifted into a giant hound. One moment Pip was on her shoulder, the next resting on the middle of his back, and Hook started around the group.

Sage watched them for only part of a circuit before he returned his attention to the discussion. “Now, you just need to keep the to-do list under control.”

“I won’t be turning a blind eye to those needing help,” warned Amdirlain.

Torm gave her side-eye even as he snorted. “I’m certain I only finished telling you not to change who you are a little while ago. How about this as a suggestion: when you find people that need help, you let us know? That way, you’re not feeling like you’re dealing with it alone.”

“Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do, help you help others; so they can find hope and freedom?” Mirage asked curiously.

O’Nai nodded and smiled at Amdirlain. “I told you I gained an understanding of you. It seems I’m not the only one.”

“Alright, we’ll work it out together,” Amdirlain said, raising her hands in mock surrender. “Can I ask one thing?”

“We’re listening,” Sage replied, eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Why is Pip grounded?”

“She went chasing after a bear eating honey,” Sage said, “Wanted it for herself of all the silliness.”

“No, it wasn’t mine,” protested Pip. “The brewer said he needed more honey for my apple project. I wasn’t going to hurt him; I just needed to shoo him along.”

Mirage’s sigh was heavy was exasperation. “Then why were you insisting it was your honey?”

“It was mine for the brewer, silly!” Pip exclaimed, ignoring Tickles giggling as Hook passed behind her.

Solveiga rubbed her face and Amdirlain saw her straining to keep a straight face. “So we focus on training for the tasks we’re taking on and rotate with yourself to get combat experience? When they’re better able to take care of themselves and others you’ll send messages to Priests to arrange their summoning?”

“Correct,” confirmed Amdirlain. “In the meantime, focus on your training. Please tell us if the class you expressed interest in for initial focus isn’t what you thought, we can look to switch things up. Remember though secondary classes will give you a variety to learn and potentially shift things quite dramatically. Those who are focusing on the Monk Class, Master Farhad will be your primary trainer. Hook, and Iris; Torm and some Vargr Drangijaz will handle your training as Rangers. Mirage, sorry, but I’m going to hand you over to Ebusuku for Wizard training. I give you my condolences; she’s bossy and demanding.”

“I’m not the one that will be continually finding work for us,” retorted Ebusuku.

Amdirlain gave Mirage a wink. “Yep, I’ll find all the fun stuff.”

“You’re a goof when you’re happy, aren’t you?” asked Solveiga seriously.

“You need to ask?” Farhad enquired.

Amdirlain gave him a mock, hurt look. “That’s harsh. I let you stick around to training them, and then you agree with me being a goof. I’ll have you know I’m just very light-hearted at present.”

“No fair, I’ve no arms so I can’t hug you better,” announced Pip sadly, completely missing Amdirlain’s tone. “Why didn’t I get arms like everyone else?”

“You were the youngest by far, Pip. The next youngest was Tickles, and she’s the smallest of the Hound Archons,” Sage said, sweeping Pip up off Hook’s back and cradling her lightly in his hands.

“Do any of you remember why you were there?” Amdirlain asked, curious the Domain had shared a sense of their history but nothing prior to the Maze.

“There was pain,” murmured Pup, and moved to hover above Sage’s head.

“For me there was singing, but it stopped. Then the sky went dark, and I found myself behind my waterfall,” replied Mirage.

Sage’s expression was so sorrowful that Amdirlain regretted asking. “I remember being near a herb garden, I think. I know there were lots of herbs, but not what they smelt like. Just the knowledge they were around me even before I was in the maze.”

“It’s okay, we’re all here now. We’ll make memories together,” Solveiga stated, slipping past the Sage’s wings and hugging him lightly.

“We need a waterfall for Mirage, and-” Pip said firmly, but paused in mid-thought. “But then her fur would get wet.”

* * *

“Owie,” Amdirlain muttered, even before Torm hit the ground.

Torm rested his forehead against the grass for a moment before he climbed to his feet. “I’m stronger yet you still toss me like a rag doll.”

“I don’t feel guilty about it one bit, you wanted to spar,” retorted Amdirlain.

“Willpower is a Monk’s armour, buckler, and weapons. Strength means much less without skill and a properly guided will,” Farhad stated. “You’ve combined your sword techniques and the fighting style I taught you well. However, it just means you are more vulnerable without a sword in hand. Again?”

“Nope, my turn,” Ebusuku said, overriding Torm’s nod. “Take a seat junior, let the ladies have room to play.”

Amdirlain waved Solveiga to take her place. “You’re obviously talking about Solveiga, I swear far too much to be considered a lady.”

“Stay right where you are,” ordered Ebusuku, ignoring Amdirlain’s pout.

Solveiga waved her hands in protest. “I’m not swapping.”

Amdirlain’s pout disappeared as quick as it appeared. “Protean?”

“Just sparring in normal forms for now,” said Ebusuku.

“No auras-”

Amdirlain cut off, trying to get away from Ebusuku’s blur of motion. Neither Precognition nor Danger Sense fail, rather her reactions to their warnings are too slow.

Torm offers her a hand up after she lands sprawling at his feet. “Owie?”

“Bite me,” grumbled Amdirlain.

Ebusuku’s laughter draws a smile from Amdirlain, and an answering smile lights up Torm’s face.

“You got through my Defence like it was nothing,” protested Amdirlain.

The shrug that Ebusuku gave in reply was smug in the extreme. “You rely on it like a brute force wall, learn finesse and save your energies. Your Ki gets you past a foe’s defence so you don’t look to get around them. Your Ki hardened flesh and auras block the attack, so you don’t focus on angling them away enough. You couldn’t block my attacks since I’m faster than you, but your positioning made getting through your defence easy. Look to find and leverage weaknesses in your foes. Then your attack power can apply to a foe’s vulnerable spots, and you don’t spend Ki to blast through protections.”

“I go for vulnerable spots,” Amdirlain protested.

She went to add more, only to be stopped short by Ebusuku’s snort. “No, you’ve gone for vulnerable spots in particular situations. Jumping into something’s mouth is a very extreme version of seeking vulnerabilities. You were punching a Dragon on its paw and flank. What about trying to stab it in the eye, before you roll around in its mouth where it could use its breath weapon on you? Seeking weak spots should be your default. There will always be someone tougher. Fight smarter, not harder and that goes for all of you.”

The smile that Ebusuku directed back at Amdirlain wasn’t mocking, but reassuring. “You’re worried about Sírdhem, and the others fighting with their reduced attack power. Don’t be. Their skills will let them apply what power they have like knives against soft fruit, not hammering rocks.”

Ebusuku’s gaze captures the attention of the Archons, and Angels.

“You all have strength you didn’t have before, but except for Solveiga and O’Nai, you’ve never fought. A stranger came, the monsters came, and you hid or you died. It’s going to be tempting to go fight something to use your new strength and powers. Even a baby Archon is stronger than a Mortal, faster, tougher, it’s all part of their nature. Don’t go in with just your instincts. Fight smart, watch, and always be learning. Tactics that will work against Demons or near mindless elementals, will leave you vulnerable to Devils. You all have Greater Teleport, including you Amdirlain. Why weren’t you using it sparring? Too busy having fun?”

Amdirlain’s ruefully smile drew amused laughter from the gathering.

“I couldn’t see the attacks either of you made, and the others are slow to me,” Pip said, and Ebusuku nodded.

“Thank you, Pip; I’ll slow things down. You are all either stronger or faster than either Amdirlain or I were to begin with. Pip is far faster than three of you put together. Learn what I have to teach you and stay alive to help others. The best way to defend yourself, don’t be where they are attacking, shift about the battlefield. You should never stand still to receive a blow unless moving is going to get someone else killed. Now you’ve all asked about involvement in different things. Does anyone believe the different training will take the same amount of training?”

Amdirlain was glad to see that none of them raised their hands.

“Mirage wants to learn to be a Wizard. That’s going to be useful in so many ways, but to train properly will take years or even decades, depending on how she goes. We will not shortcut her training because we need something handled. Amdirlain can tell you about one bad habit she almost got in trouble with because of shortcuts. Hook, you want to learn to protect Temples, and bodyguarding. That’s good, but it requires a very different skillset to Iris who wants to be out scouting for dangers.”

“But we’ll all be learning to fight, right?” asked Berry, her tone concerned.

“Yes, there will be some crossover between your training sessions, and you’ll practice against each other. Also, others of the Norse Celestials will help in the training. Oili, who some of you have already met, will help us when she’s in the Domain, and she is a newly promoted Celestial as well. She’s undertaken training to earn a patrol spot; it wasn’t just given out. While she looks similar to a Hound Archon, she isn’t. Your abilities are different, but you have things in common and can learn from each other’s perspectives,” stated Amdirlain.

Ebusuku motioned everyone to stand and gestured for Amdirlain to join her. “We’ll break into the groups for some initial planning around the primary Class and related role you are interested in. We will shift about for training relative to the additional classes you select. If you want to develop particular skills or focus on an area that interests you more, let us know. If you have a feeling there is something you want but have no Class option in your profile for it, let us know. In general any questions you have…”

“Let us know.”

The words came as a chorus from among the Archons and Ebusuku shooed them away as Amdirlain and Mirage joined her.

* * *

“Have you thought of any classes you want besides Wizard?” asked Amdirlain, once the three of them were sitting under an apple tree.

Mirage gave a shy smile. “I enjoyed putting my fingers in the waterfall and feeling its flow. Wizard sounds like the Mana would be like the waterfall’s energy. I’d also like to make things, to help or protect people even if I wasn’t there. What focus did you follow Ebusuku?”

“You don’t have to follow in my footsteps Mirage, there was an initial set of classes my Mother forced me to take. After that I took a variety of advanced base classes that built from Fighter and Wizard. The Prestige Classes I took from my own choices were Spellblade, and Ascended Spellblade. If you want to make things anyone can use, I’d suggest considering Artificer or Alchemist. I’d still like you to take at least one combat Class, but even advancing your species will give you more combat abilities.”

[Ascended Spellblade:

Ascended Spellblade Prestige Class is available to those who have already acquired Spellblade. This Class continues expanding on the combination of magic into the individual’s fighting style. Progressing the core aspects of this Class requires rigorous training in both physical and intellectual areas. ]

“I don’t have either Artificer or Alchemist among my options to pick,” replied Mirage.

Amdirlain smiled reassuringly and patted her shoulder. “It’s okay. I know some folks that can help with that. The question isn’t what it offers you at the moment; rather, the options you need us to help you unlock. This same discussion is happening with all the groups, I’m just here to help you with some initial Affinities. You said the Profile offered you Wizard, what Affinities does it list?”

“Just Water,” admitted Mirage quietly.

“That’s a good starting point,” Amdirlain said, and Mirage went wide-eyed. “Water has lots of uses, both inside and outside combat. Look at fire, it’s good for combat and… well, starting campfires if you have control. It doesn’t have a lot of options in its primary spells lists besides blowing stuff up. I learnt Fire Law, for using Fire, after the first few spells that taught me to boil water and heat solids, it’s one combat Spell after another.”

Ebusuku’s wink relaxed Mirage, and she gave her a one-armed hug. “Since it sounds like you want to do more than fight, it a useful first Affinity. Though don’t underestimate it in combat situations. It has some Spell lists beyond the basic Water Law for delivering some very potent combat options. We can get grimoires around whatever aspects you’d like if you want to explore Water to its fullest. That said, Amdirlain will teach you all the first Tier Affinities and we’ll start on basics of Mana Manipulation after that.”

“Now, it doesn’t matter if your eyes are closed or not. Important thing is to relax and let yourself feel the energy flows,” said Amdirlain.

“The Titan spoke in my mind after we got through the flames,” stated Mirage. “You asked what happened before we got to the Maze. When he was asking me what I wanted to do, he called me failed one. I didn’t like that, but he didn’t even explain my failure. I don’t want to fail again..”

“Mirage, I know it sounds easy to say but know that everyone fails. Some people believe we learn more from our failures than from successes. We’ll always be here to help you,” reassured Amdirlain.

Mirage nodded and Ebusuku squeezed her and, releasing her, pulled a bag from a storage amulet. “If you want to start your trick with Affinities. Then I’ve got a few books Mirage can start on while we speak.”

Fire proved the most difficult for Mirage to get a grasp of, but Amdirlain guided her through the flows of its energies until everything clicked.

Ebusuku passed her two slim volumes, the first with a cover that looked like drifting clouds, while brown suede covered the second. “I figured these texts in Celestial might be handy, just as well I grabbed them. These have more pages than they seem until you open them. The white covers fundamentals of Mana Manipulation, the other contains the first tier of the base Wizard Spell lists.”

“Pip told me there were twenty-seven others besides her. Do you know what happened to the last?” Amdirlain asked as Mirage started reading Ebusuku’s book.

Mirage stopped and smiled at Amdirlain before she gave a rueful shrug. “I wouldn’t ask Pip to give you an accurate count once it gets beyond ten—she gets distracted easily. Someone to cheer you up if she’s not upset herself—but nothing that involves counting.”

“There were twenty-seven children that Sage knew about, including Pip, so they’re all accounted for,” assured Ebusuku.

“Knew about?”

Ebusuku’s haunted gaze had Amdirlain hugging her without thinking, and her stomach twisted at the pain in Ebusuku’s soft explanation. “I saw scores of chambers like those home to the children. When we passed through one, I thought I saw something in the corner of my eye, but we couldn’t find anyone. I had no access to spells, nor powers that could investigate. Telepathy I had in fits and starts, but it gave me nothing. I wasn’t sure if it was my wounds or real, so we moved on, but it felt real. Sage said there were hundreds of places like those they’d found.”

“You did what you could, Ebusuku, that’s all we can do. I’m so glad you made it out, and it’s unbelievable you rescued so many others.” Amdirlain said.

“Don’t put me on a pedestal; I almost didn’t, Amdirlain,” cautioned Ebusuku. “There were moments that I thought my choice was going to destroy me, especially right towards the end. But I couldn’t let Sage be destroyed for trying to help me and the others.”

“Not going to put you on a pedestal, it would be harder to give you hugs,” retorted Amdirlain before giving her another friendly squeeze.

“Does touching us hurt you like Torm mentioned?” Ebusuku asked, glancing at Amdirlain.

“Yeah, I feel itching from contact with any of you,” Amdirlain admitted ruefully.

Ebusuku tapped her nose and considered her seriously. “What are we going to do with you?”

“I’m sure I’ll grow on you like any fungus. So did you want the other affinities you’re missing?” asked Amdirlain cheekily.

“Yes please,” replied Ebusuku. “Though I have a few I’ll avoid using now.”

“Abyssal and Infernal that you still have, they’re painful to me when I use either. I don’t want to know what a Celestial would feel.”

Ebusuku snapped her hands outwards in a sharp gesture. “Boom!”

“Please don’t use them then,” Amdirlain said, giving Ebusuku a mock-stern glare. “No going boom.”

Ebusuku gave her a smug look. “How about explosive orgasms?”

“It was a fun reunion, then? I’m honestly surprised you were back so quickly,” teased Amdirlain.

“I may have slightly broken the bath, so nothing to relax in post celebrations,” admitted Ebusuku.

Amdirlain looked at her curiously with the solid spa-sized bath fresh in her memory she had to know. “How did you break the bath?”

“Really, you’re actually asking? How many details do you want? I noticed how fast you fled last time, which makes complete sense now.” stated Ebusuku dryly. “Things were getting fun when the bath jumped across the room and redecorated its way through a window. The building’s wards stopped it from falling, but it was crushed and hanging through the window. End result, one small penthouse balcony. Unfortunately, Farhad draws the line at semi-outdoor celebrations with witnesses, so we freshened up and came here. Maintenance will fix the exterior and bill my account.”

Mirage laughed at Ebusuku explanation. “That counts as slightly?”

“I broke it slightly. The wards finished it, but since I didn’t establish those. What they did isn’t my fault,” explained Ebusuku.

“That’s some interesting logic you have there,” remarked Amdirlain, picturing a cascade of water spraying over the fliers.

The smile that Ebusuku gave had Amdirlain narrowing her eyes. “I know, but I’m serving a Power that’s not focused on Order or Law, I think I’m going to be fine.”

“Are Petitioners going to be joining our lessons as well?” asked Mirage, distracting Amdirlain from Ebusuku’s teasing.

Following the direction of Mirage’s gaze, Amdirlain spotted Runa with the others arrayed before Master Farhad. Analysis showed Runa didn’t have any Class, but she looked focused.

“If she can learn even the unarmed techniques, I’ll not stop her,” replied Amdirlain.

Mirage nodded and settled down to her reading. Amdirlain nodded before she settled into Harmony and started Ebusuku through the rest of the Affinities.