“Begin!”

Tobi’s shouted instruction spurred the two fighters into action. Samuel was the first to move, which took both Tobi and his opponent, Jakob, by surprise. Over the past two years, Samuel had been through enough grueling training with his sword to know his strengths, and more importantly, his weaknesses. His experience in battle paled in comparison to Jakob’s so he had to rely on his other, natural gifts to stand a chance.

First and foremost was his longer arms. He’d been a good deal taller than most everyone else he’d known in his life, and this translated into his reach. He could, with proper timing and movement, attack his enemies from a longer range than normal, and hammed down their guard safely. Of course, this was a technical duel, so he wasn’t allowed to use any of the magic he’d mastered.

He cut twice, forehand and backhand, two blows that Jakob parried patiently. He transferred the momentum smoothly into a long thrust, and Jakob jumped to the side with a deft movement. He was too light on his feet, Samuel thought with frustration. I have to find a way to pin him down. Before he could begin to think of a plan, however, Jakob recovered his own momentum and darted forward, his sword swinging low for the legs.

Samuel intercepted Jakob’s wooden sword with his own, stopping the weapon in its tracks. He reached out with his free hand to try and grapple the shorter warrior, but he was too nimble, dancing out of reach in an instant. Samuel pursued him, leading with his sword, cutting down in an execution stroke. Jakob knocked his blade aside again, but it had been a feint. With a powerful twist of his wrist, Samuel attacked from a new angle, whacking Jakob on the shoulder of his sword arm.

“Point!” Tobi called, and the two fighters separated. A ripple of polite applause spread throughout the dojo from the spectators. It wasn’t the first time that Samuel had scored a point against Jakob, of course, but it was still worth celebrating. Tobi lifted his hand again, and the crowd fell silent. Then, after making sure that they were ready, brought it down once more.

This time, it was Jakob that started events. He took two quick steps forward, channeling the speed of the dash, the strength of his right arm, and the power of his lunging body into a powerful thrust. It nearly caught Samuel by surprise, but the mage managed to sway out of the way just in time, slipping his own weapon under Jakob’s and flicking it up. Before Jakob could recover, Samuel cut back-handed, whacking Jakob in the chest.

“Point!” The gathered spectators gave shouts of surprise that nearly drowned out Tobi’s call. A few of them even jumped up and down, letting out whoops of laughter. Catcalls rained out among the cheers. Two points in a row was definitely a first for Samuel. Jakob rarely made mistakes in his duels, and even rarer was an opponent able to take advantage of them fast enough.

Jakob walked back to his starting position, his eyes narrowed in thought. He hadn’t expected Samuel to be able to dodge that last blow. There were precious few warriors who could manage such a feat, as his thrust was one of the fastest in Issho-Ni. But the undeniable evidence of the forming welt in his chest proved that he’d been mistaken. Samuel had grown a great deal in the last two years, he thought. In fact, he was willing to bet that the two of them were as close to equal as it was possible to be.

“Next point wins it,” One of the spectators muttered. “Looks like Samuel might just manage it.”

Samuel ignored the chatter around him, of course, keeping his mind sharply focused on Jakob before him. He regained his ready position, sword lifted at a slight angle, Jakob’s own head just visible over the tip. Then, inexplicably, he angled the sword down more. Now it was held at a level, the point aimed for Jakob’s chest. His leg muscles tightened, and he crouched slightly.

Tobi glanced at Samuel to see if he was ready, and he frowned slightly. That wasn’t a stance he’d taught Samuel before, nor any that he could have picked up from members of Issho-Ni. It was vaguely similar to the way that the tourney fighters of Welsik held their thin thrusting swords, he thought. He chose to avoid making a comment on it. He had an inkling that if he said anything, he’d shatter the intense focus that Samuel had mustered.

For Samuel, his mind, while focusing on the coming call to action, was also drifting back, to the time when his first and greatest teacher had been lecturing him. Mind, Body, and Soul. These three must work in harmony, or you are only part of yourself. It was an insignificant point that Master Astori had brought up in his early years. It had been thrown out during one of his study groups, where abstract ideas were brought up, in an attempt to discover something new.

Little did Master Astori know that, over a hundred years later, Samuel would take that odd phrase and turn it into an actual idea. Not only that, he would channel the very idea into his own personal fighting style, and give birth to it for the first time in a sparring match against his friend. Of course, the ideas weren’t firmly linked in Samuel’s mind, but he did have a strong sense of certainty with the change in his posture. Something deep inside him said that this was the right move.

He didn’t even hear Tobi give the call to begin again. He did see Jakob jump forward two or three strides to the side, jumping back in with a powerful slash. Samuel turned to face him as he moved, and, stepping back to avoid the very tip of the practice weapon, he channeled his body, mind, and soul forward in a powerful counterattack. He moved faster than he could have believed possible, striking with the speed of a snake.

Jakob saw the thrust coming and felt the powerful intent behind it. He knew at once that it would hit, and that, if he remained unprotected, it would do quite a bit of damage. His only hope of emerging from that unscathed was to employ an emergency defense spell, which he did now, bringing his Ki to life in the blink of an eye. Then the tip of the wooden sword hit him squarely in the chest. The combination of Samuel’s powerful attack and the strength of his own barrier was too much for the wooden stick, which shattered.

The force behind it still registered, however, and Jakob was sent flying back. He slammed into the wall of the dojo with enough force to crack it. If he’d been unprotected, that would have been a critical injury. As it was, he slid down from the wall, too stunned to stand, and dropped to his knees. Then he hit the padded floor face-first, his vision black as his lungs tried to refill themselves.

Samuel blinked, appearing to become aware of his action for the first time. He stared at the useless hilt he was holding in his hand, and then down at his friend, who was stirring feebly on the ground. He immediately dropped what was left of the weapon, and ran forward, dropping to his knees beside Jakob.

“Jakob!” He said, his voice louder than intended. “Damn! I don’t know what came over me. I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

His friend seemed to be gasping for air, so he put one hand to his back, feeling throughout his body with mana. His lungs were slightly concave, he noticed. With a quick burst of mana, Samuel forced air back into his lungs. Jakob let out a retching cough, then drew in another lungful of air, this time under his own effort. Samuel grimaced as he felt some of the pain reflected back at him.

“Damn!” He said again. “I don’t know what just came over me. I didn’t mean to use a spell, I swear.”

“Y- you,” Jakob was having trouble forming words, but Tobi, who had also hurried over, finished the thought for him. “You didn’t use a spell.”

“What?” Samuel exclaimed, looking up at Tobi. “What do you mean? How the hell could I do this with just a stick?”

Tobi could only shrug. Apart from the familiar starting stance, he’d never seen anything like what Samuel had just managed. But this was also the mage, he reminded himself, who had created over a hundred spells himself, and who was regarded as the man who had advanced the arcane arts a century or more just on his own. He had the body of an Ancient too, so it only made sense that he could create new effects with his body as well.

“I’m sure you’ll learn in time,” Jakob finally managed to speak, pushing himself into a sitting position and shooing Samuel away. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Well done, Samuel.”

Samuel frowned in slight confusion as he got back to his feet, helping Jakob rise. “What are you talking about? I don’t-” Then his mind caught up with him, and he glanced around to see the spectators, expert fighters of Issho-Ni, all gaping at him in silence.

“Oh,” he said slowly, dragging the sound out. “Wait. Did I just win? For the first time?”

As if they’d been waiting for him to ask, the other warriors finally broke their silence. They started letting out more whoops of laughter and loud cheers, and the most senior moved forward to clap him on his back. The shouts of congratulations and incredulity nearly deafened him, making him protect his ears against the sudden explosion of noise with a bit of mana.

“You’ve been hiding your real talent!”

“Poor Jakob didn’t see that coming!”

“The way you shattered that sword! By the gods, you’re a force to be reckoned with!”

Samuel grinned shiftily at the praise, ducking his head in thanks and trying not to look too pleased with himself. Now that he was sure Jakob was fine, the immensity of today’s achievement had finally settled in. In addition to a challenge spar between the two of them, this had also been considered as Samuel’s final test. Just weeks prior, Tobi had told him this day was coming, the day where he’d be tested fully to see if he was worthy of mastery.

“Nice work, Samuel,” Tobi said. “You picked up that sword much faster than I would have expected.”

“Not that fast,” Samuel said modestly. “It took me over two years, after all.”

Tobi let out a loud laugh as he threw an arm around Samuel’s ribs, embracing his friend. “Trust me, that’s faster than most. Definitely faster than I learned psionics, to be true.”

“Oh please. You’re already recognized as a Master in the College. You learned how to use those properly ages ago.”

They walked as a small group, just Samuel, Tobi, Jakob, and a few of the oldest Masters in the dojo, to the verandah outside. They talked and joked with each other amicably, discussing the fight and Samuel’s new skill with enthusiasm. Samuel tried to explain the thought process that had gone into it, but couldn’t quite put the words together. Truth be told he wasn’t quite sure himself how it had happened. He vaguely remembered something about his old teacher Sean Astori.

They took a quick meal together outside in the fresh air after cleaning themselves up, then dressed in their nicest, most official clothing. Today was Temple Day, the last day of the week when the residents of Milagre went to pay their respects to the gods and give tributes to receive favor. But today was a Temple Day unlike any other.

“They just finished the construction yesterday, didn’t they?”

“Yes,” Tobi said, quieter and reserved than usual. Samuel could hardly blame him. Today would be the first time he set foot in the new, and in fact, the first Temple ever constructed in his father’s name. It was a momentous occasion, not to mention their first opportunity to commune with the late warrior since his death of two years prior.

“Don’t be nervous,” Samuel said with a grin, punching Tobi lightly on the shoulder. “He’ll be pleased to speak to you.”

“But what if he disapproves of how I’ve been managing Issho-Ni in his absence?” Tobi asked, turning to face Samuel, his face twisted in a nervous grimace. “What if he doesn’t condone what I’ve made?”

“Tobi.” Samuel’s voice was still gentle, but firm. “You are his true successor. I didn’t know him as well as you, but I’m certain that he’s been watching you all this time, and he’s proud of you. Mark my words, you’ll see that he has nothing but nice things to say.”

Tobi’s eyes shined a little brighter, and he glanced skyward. “I hope you’re right. All I want is to make him proud.”

There was a faint pop, and the two of them looked around. A short wild-haired boy was there, walking alongside them. He had slightly darkened skin, and he was clad in tribalistic clothing. Tobi looked slightly unnerved at the sudden appearance, not to mention the aura of absolute power that cloaked the figure, but Samuel only grinned again.

“Glad you could join us, Grimr,” he said. “Does he know you’re coming to visit?”

“Of course he does,” The small ancient said. He flashed a mouth full of sharp teeth in his own grin. “I assume you’re going to help welcome him as well.”

“Of course,” Samuel replied smoothly. “He’s my oldest friend. I wouldn’t miss the chance for anything.”

When they turned onto the wide street that passed through the majority of the Temple District, they paused. Just over two hundred yards away, a large white building had been constructed. Its location and size were in honor to the man for whom it had been built, the greatest protector that the city had ever known. Large pillars of dark wood were ranged across the front of the structure, with lighter wood forming beautiful walls. There was no gold or precious gems, but the simple beauty of the structure shined for it.

A sizeable crowd had already gathered in front of the temple, though none had entered. It was traditional when greeting a new Divine, for the closest living follower of the deity to enter first and call their blessing upon the structure. As Shigeru had only one heir, the person selected for this task was obvious. Tobi took several deep breaths as he saw the size of the crowd, taking a moment to steady himself.

Samuel grinned at his friend’s hesitation, and gave him a none too gentle shove to propel him forward, much like Shigeru had done when he faced the terrifying moment of approaching Arcana. It was strange, he thought, how, in just a few years, he’d transformed from a newling student to advisor and teacher. Tobi glanced back at him, and, after receiving a reassuring nod, started pacing forward, keeping his eyes locked forward.

The crowd saw Tobi coming and hurried to part before him, forming a narrow path for him to walk uninterrupted. He kept his chin high as he passed through the crowd, not glancing behind him to make sure Samuel and Grimr were following. They kept a respectable distance as they watched the young man climb the steps to the Temple, coming free of the crowd to stand, alone, in the greatest monument to his father’s life. Samuel saw his shoulders lift and fall as he took another steadying breath.

Tobi knelt before the doors, placing his forehead to the cool smooth stone at the base of the door. The crowd, including Samuel and Grimr, all followed his suit. The Mother’s Embrace, the oldest and most sacred method of honoring life. In the silence, Samuel’s sharpened ears could pick up a faint mumble from Tobi as he made a silent prayer for his father. Then he stood, gripped the handles of the large double doors, and pulled them open. Then, after glancing back at the expectant crowd, he turned and stepped inside.

As Samuel and Grimr rose gracefully back to their feet, a faint golden light began to emanate from the inside of the temple. It bathed them all in a soft sort of warmth, evoking feelings of peace and safety. He was here, Samuel realized. He strode up the steps, Grimr at his side, and together, they spoke in the Ancient tongue. They spoke of Shigeru’s life, his accomplishments, and his death. They commended him as the greatest of his kind. And then they called him home.

The golden light had continued to build in intensity as they spoke, growing until it was blinding. Then, just as the citizens were forced to look away, the light vanished completely. They looked back, nervously muttering amongst themselves, to see Tobi kneeling at the entrance, staring up at the specter of a man. He looked exactly the same as when he’d ascended. Shigeru Tokuawa no Yama, God of War, had manifested in his temple.

“Welcome home, Father,” Tobi said, no longer trying to hide the tears streaming down his face. “Please, speak to your people.”

Shigeru seemed to take a moment to gather his bearings. He looked down at his body and hands, flexed his fingers, then turned to stare at Samuel and Grimr, who were grinning broadly at him. He then gazed out at the crowd, who all bowed once more in veneration, whispering their echoed welcome. He bowed in return, in the manner of his homeland, returning their honor.

“I must confess,” he said, his voice booming out with more volume than he’d ever possessed in life. “I find it as surprising as any of you to be standing before you, a new type of being. I am stronger with your love and devotion. I am stronger for my convictions, and the efforts of those who came after me.”

“I hereby command my followers, and those who remain faithful of me, to never use their power to harm the innocents of the world. In battle, they must be protected above all else. To those who would break this law, they will be hunted down and imprisoned for their crimes.”

The crowd muttered in shock and surprise. It was the first commandment of its kind. Previously, members of the Divine race remained as distant figures, speaking only to the most devout of their followers. They had never issued a command to the world at large. In future years, this moment would be remembered forever, as the creation of the first Divine Law, a set of rules that everyone was bound to, even the Kings and Queens of the world. Shigeru would demonstrate himself, and with the help of his followers, what happened to those who decided to ignore the edicts of the Divine.

“I, Shigeru Tokugawa, name my son, Tobito Tokugawa, as my Champion and successor. May my divine will be bestowed upon him and his descendants in the years to come, and may he draw strength from my protection.”