Samuel parried the man’s strike to the side and tried to thrust in at him. The man was too quick, his shield turning to take Samuel’s sword. The wood of the shield was tough and didn’t seem to be very damaged. He rotated on the spot, his sword swinging in from the other side. Samuel blocked that with a quick barrier, and created another large blast of air.

The man gave Samuel no time to think, his shield coming up and standing firm against the strong wind. He didn’t move back at all, and quickly returned to the attack. Then, out of nowhere, he gave a grunt of pain, and fell to the wooden boards of the wall, completely still. Standing a few feet behind him was a tall man in white robes with reddish-silver hair.

“Welcome back to Milagre, Samuel,” Erik Kiinor said calmly, as if they’d just met over tea. “I trust your time with the Wild Mages was fulfilling?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Samuel said, leaning against the wall, panting with the sudden exhaustion. “Thanks for the help.”

“No need to thank me,” Erik said with a slight smile. “You fall back for now. I will assist with the repulsion of the invaders.”

And so saying, Erik pulled a red gem from the sleeve of his robe, brought it to his mouth, and muttered something that Samuel couldn’t hear. He threw the gem high, over the invading rebels, and the gem broke into hundreds of little pieces. Fire rained down in all directions, peppering the warriors below. Then he gestured to three approaching mages, directing them to Samuel.

“Take Archmage Bragg to his tower to recuperate,” Kiinor commanded the mages. “Grab his apprentice from below as well.”

The mages nodded at once, and moved to help Samuel to his feet. But the young mage wasn’t ready to retire just yet. He allowed them to help hm rise, then shook their hands off, turning to look below, where Tobi was being healed.

“I’m not going to my tower,” he said firmly. “Help me get Tobi to Issho-Ni. That’s closer, and I can form a plan with Shigeru.”

The healers had hoisted Tobi to his feet. Samuel was pleased to see that the apprentice was awake and alert, and only moving a little stiffly. There was no trace of the wound he’d sustained before, save for the red blood on his robes. But he grinned easily up at Samuel as he approached, and when Samuel told him they were going to Issho-Ni, he nodded in understanding. It was a good call to join up with his father, who was doubtless gathering his men to run to the defenders’ aid.

It came as no surprise when they entered the dojo to find men rushing back and forth, strapping on armor and weapons. The only two figures not moving were towards the back. Shigeru and Longfang the great white wolf were settled in their usual, comfortable area, their heads down and eyes closed. In spite of the panic and chaos around them, they projected peace and calm. Samuel immediately felt a little more confident, just looking at them.

Tobi moved before his father, but made no noise to interrupt or distract him. He sat before Shigeru, in the same pose, allowing his own head to dip, and his eyes to close in concentration. Samuel lingered a few steps away, not sure what to do, but not wanting to interfere. The father and son could almost have been praying, though he suspected it was closer to a ritual of meditation than communion with a god.

Finally, Shigeru opened his eyes to see his son before him, and Samuel leaning against a pillar, a respectable distance way. He stood to embrace his son, then moved over to Samuel, his hand extended in the universal sign of friendship. Samuel took it and quickly embraced his oldest friend, noting the hard leather armor that Shigeru was wearing.

“Don’t tell me you intend to fight, Shigeru,” Samuel said, pulling away to study the armor. It was a simple breastplate, nothing more. “Surely you should stay back and command from afar.”

“You know that is not my style,” Shigeru said with a warm but firm smile. “I lead my men by example, and I’ll hear no complaints on the issue.”

“Are we ready to move, Father?” Tobi asked. He’d quickly pulled off the traveling robe he’d worn and was wearing something new. It was a long robe, with shortened sleeves, and made of stiff material. The shoulders flared out slightly, and there was a black wolf’s crest on the white material.

“Yes,” Shigeru said simply. “The elder Moran is on the wall, and Rainhall is overseeing the evacuation of the citizens from the Common District.”

“You think they’ll make it past the wall?” Samuel asked, picking idly at the hem of his white Archmage’s robe. “You don’t think we can hold them off?”

“It is possible,” Shigeru replied, his face thoughtful. “But it is unlikely. They are determined, and they outnumber the City Guard four to one.”

“It is a low wall,” Tobi added. “It was never designed for proper defense. It is just one of many fallback points, so that the citizens can have time to escape to the Central District, or even the Crown’s District, if necessary.”

The Crown’s District, Samuel knew, was located at the direct center of the city. It was home to the palace, where the Royal family of Gorteau lived, and also where all government offices were located. The entire district, measuring half a kilometer across, was protected by a much thicker and taller wall. Furthermore, it was a true defensive position, with massive ballista and fortifications from which boulders and boiling oil could be poured onto attackers below.

“Alright,” Samuel agreed. “But we should at least see if we can’t do something first.”

Shigeru nodded his agreement, and the three of them, followed quickly by half a dozen other Issho-Ni members, moved towards the front of the door. They were about to exit, when Shigeru grabbed his upper arm and pulled him to the side.

“Samuel,” he said gravely. “I know you care little for your appearance.”

“What?” Samuel asked, wondering where this had come from. “I’m about to go into battle. Why should I care?”

“It is important that you look the part,” Shigeru said, looking down at the blood that had been splattered on his Archmage robes. “It gives heart to the men that you lead. If you look inspiring, they will be better for it.”

Samuel pondered that for a moment. He had to admit, that as little as he cared, the point was valid. He glanced down at his robes himself now. They’d previously been perfectly clean, if a little wrinkled, safely stored in his satchel. But now, blood was flecked across his chest from fighting, and dirt was smeared along the fabric from his rough landing on the cobbles. With a deep sigh, he decided that Shigeru was right. Nothing new there, he thought.

He waved his hand in a complicated little gesture, forming a net of mana in the air over his head. Then he slowly lowered his hand, and formed the mana into draping fabric that covered his body. It took a physical form, despite being made of mana. The white Archmage’s robe was gone. In it’s place was a tight-fitting tunic of dark blue, with white sleeves and hems. Intricate gold trim was worked all along the seams, sparking faintly, and though he couldn’t see it, he knew that the sigil of Arcana would be imposed on the back in silver thread.

He continued the spell down to his feet, where loose and comfortable breeches of a thick dark blue fabric appeared.They too were hemmed in white, with golden thread running up the sides. They were cinched in at the ankles and waste, to assure that they wouldn’t become snagged on anything. To finish the look, a broad leather belt appeared, holding the tunic tight, and sporting a buckle for his blade, which he clipped on now.

Shigeru and Tobi looked him over for a moment, then nodded in approval. Tobi in particular grinned. “It must be nice, being able to invent clothing at a whim.”

Samuel rolled his eyes at him. “I assume this is sufficient? Can we get a move on now?”

The huge white body of Longfang disappeared from behind Shigeru, dissolving into a blur of white energy that flew to Shigeru’s hand. It formed into the greatsword that Samuel had only seen once but looked especially deadly in Shigeru’s capable hands. He carried it as if it were a feather, and the Issho-Ni members around them, Tobi included, seemed to straighten a little, holding their heads higher. It was a perfect example of how just the image of their leader could strengthen their resolve and inspire them.

Samuel noted the effect, then glanced at Shigeru, who was regarding him with a sidelong look. Samuel held eye contact for a moment, then nodded, letting Shigeru know he understood. The older man nodded in his own turn, satisfied, then stepped out of the door. Tobi exited immediately after him, with Samuel bringing up the rear. They had just left the main dojo and stepped onto the street when they heard the explosion.

With an earth-shattering boom, the wall had been blasted inward. Large rocks and chunks of wood flew into the city, slamming into men and smashing them to the ground. Flinching at the noise, Samuel looked over just in time to see the dust clear and spot the eight foot hole that had been blasted open. On the other side was a tall thin man in wizard’s robes, lowering his hand. And behind Shigeru and Samuel, a mere thirty feet away, citizens were still clumped together, trying to clear the ground before the fighting began.