# The Grand Master of Sarthas Chapter 23

Author: Ceberune
Tags: Character Development, Dragon, M/F, Phoenix, Plot Development, Wolf

#2 of The Grandmaster of Sarthas

The morning meditation was a habit the wolf had yet to shed.&nbsp; He technically no longer needed to beseech the Void for his power.&nbsp; But the chat was nearly always calming and it helped him focus as the day wore on.&nbsp; This morning differed however.&nbsp; The Void spoke to him of an approaching presence.&nbsp; Female by her aura, but she gave off no scent that his mundane senses could detect.&nbsp; That pegged her as an Elite Amarokine female, or dragon trained.&nbsp; An Amarokine female does not know how to protect herself from detection via channels through the Void.&nbsp; This approaching female could protect herself, at least temporarily from a Void master, as he was.&nbsp; His ears caught the flutter of clothing and feathers as she turned and sat next to him silently.&nbsp; Despite his tight control, he could not help but smile at her familiarity.&nbsp; "Chiko-san.&nbsp; I am glad you have arrived and happy you are safe and healthy here on my Estate."&nbsp; He said.&nbsp; She chuckled, her giggling a well cultured tinkling of bells.&nbsp; Her voice carried the honey and sincerity of a courtier, with the added tone of warmth and friendship as she spoke.&nbsp; "You are a Grandmaster Ceberune-sama.&nbsp; The Void masks my sensei taught me were meant to last days against Grandmaster inquiries."&nbsp; She stated with amusement.&nbsp; He bristled slightly at the honorific she added to his name.&nbsp; "You show me more respect than I deserve Chiko-san"&nbsp; he said humbly.&nbsp; She laughed at this as she answered.&nbsp; "Do I?&nbsp; Here you are, a Grandmaster of the elements.&nbsp; Two elementals at your beck and call, bleachers erected around your training area, and a unit of Kitsune mercenaries that refuse to spar against you, even all at once." She said with amusement again.&nbsp; "So either you are showing false humility or your sincerity lessons need to be resumed."&nbsp; She teased.&nbsp; He chuckled.&nbsp; "I was never one for courtly crafts Chiko-san.&nbsp; I always left that up to you and Bianca.&nbsp; You are the voice of honey to soothe tempers.&nbsp; She is the mistress of courtly webs.&nbsp; Able to weave her own or unravel another's.&nbsp; I fear I can only recognize threats.&nbsp; Stopping them is beyond my ability short of violence."&nbsp; He said.&nbsp; She chuckled again.&nbsp; "Violence is a very effective countermeasure.&nbsp; Most courtly intrigue can be stopped cold with a well placed blade.&nbsp; It is the ones that survive that event that have a tendency to cause problems."&nbsp; He chuckled.&nbsp; "Hence the reason why I did not kill Bianca after that little unpleasantness with Kado."&nbsp; She laughed.&nbsp; "You would never harm her, even if she had meant for you to be there for that duel." &nbsp;She said.&nbsp; He shook his head.&nbsp; "Not now...But then I was impatient.&nbsp; I knew what needed to be done, but was heedless of the price to be paid."&nbsp; She smiled as he opened his eye to gaze on her after years away.&nbsp; She had matured greatly in those years.&nbsp; Though about the same height as Bianca, she lacked the bunny's substantial breasts.&nbsp; They were still more than a pawful if the wolf had decided to fondle them, and risk her possible wrath.&nbsp; As with all of her race, her plumage started with a bright white at her stomach, and as the eye moved further from it, her plumage became yellow, orange and finally red.&nbsp; Her family had picked up much brighter plumage than most, lacking the darker reds and possessing more white and yellow.&nbsp; Some say that the brighter plumage represented their loyalty to the Emperor.&nbsp; The Akahoshi family had been one of the first and most loyal families to serve the empire.&nbsp; Hers had been so when he knew her back in school.&nbsp; Her maturity, or perhaps her training as a Ghost Hunter had darkened her plumage to that of a more average coloring.&nbsp;

"See something you like Ceberune-sama?"&nbsp; she teased.&nbsp; He chuckled.&nbsp; "A friend and sexy avian sparring partner?"&nbsp; She had meant to embarrass him as such questions had back in school.&nbsp; His swift answer however caused her to blush, and without her courtly fan, she could not hide it from him.&nbsp; He chuckled as she turned from him in embarrassment.&nbsp; "Blame Bianca for my comeback speeds.&nbsp; I was forced to deal with her insults, jabs, and wit for too long.&nbsp; Once I had a good grasp on language in school, I worked hard to be able to fire back off the cuff as often as possible."&nbsp; He said.&nbsp; She smirked and turned back to him.&nbsp; "Then what you said was in jest?"&nbsp; she asked with ice in her honey voice.&nbsp; "No, it was truth to the letter..."&nbsp; He responded and suddenly realized his error as she opened the front of her kimono, shamelessly displaying her sex and breasts to the stunned wolf.&nbsp; "Then perhaps the lord of the estate would prefer a better view."&nbsp; She said with a mischievous tone in her voice.&nbsp; He chuckled.&nbsp; "Only if you are looking for me to spoil your Awakening."&nbsp; He teased back.&nbsp; The young phoenix smiled.&nbsp; "Tempting..."&nbsp; she commented.&nbsp; "But I do believe you may be correct."&nbsp; She said and covered herself back up.&nbsp; "You know, now that I know you do not have anything on underneath that kimono, it would be so easy to..."&nbsp; he said and she interrupted.&nbsp; "Find the message I have for you?&nbsp; It is right here."&nbsp; She said, smirking as she pulled the scroll from her obi and offered it to him.&nbsp; He gave her a sideways glance then opened the scroll, deftly catching a few things that fell from it as it was unrolled.&nbsp; He spent a moment looking it over then shook his head briskly a moment before his eye glowed bright blue.&nbsp; Chiko chuckled.&nbsp; "I should have warned you that it used an elemental cipher."&nbsp; She said.&nbsp; He looked her and growled playfully as he read the missive quickly and rolled it back up.&nbsp; He smiled at Chiko who looked at him expectantly.&nbsp; "Have you eaten yet Chiko-san?"&nbsp; he asked.&nbsp; She clapped her talons together and looked at him joyfully.&nbsp; "You learned our greeting at last Ceberune-sama!"&nbsp; she said with amusement.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Keep it up lovely bird, and you may find your way to the sparring ring yet..."&nbsp; he teased.&nbsp; "A spar you say?&nbsp; Physical or verbal?"&nbsp; she continued to tease.&nbsp; "I believe the verbal part is over, unless you can embarrass me as much as I did you."&nbsp; He fired back quickly.&nbsp; She pouted playfully.&nbsp; "Very well.&nbsp; Where is your ring?"&nbsp; she asked.&nbsp; He smiled and led her to a large rectangular area.&nbsp;

There were several spars in progress, however the participants quickly stopped when they saw the approaching lord and moved off to the nearby bleachers to watch.&nbsp; "This area seems a bit excessive in room."&nbsp; Chiko commented.&nbsp; Most of the sparring rings she saw in the east were small affairs, no more than ten meters in diameter, often much less.&nbsp; This ring was easily one hundred meters by about fifty meters.&nbsp; The wolf smiled.&nbsp; "This is more than just a sparring ring.&nbsp; It acts as an all-purpose training area.&nbsp; Long enough for the archers to ply their trade, spacious enough for most of the magi and druids to practice casting, and nearly big enough for training drills.&nbsp; And the perfect size for two dragon trained to test their skills."&nbsp; He said.&nbsp; They walked to the middle of the ring faced each other and sat in a lotus position.&nbsp; "What are the terms of this spar?"&nbsp; Asked Chiko in a respectful tone.&nbsp; "No weapons, save those granted us by nature.&nbsp; No direct elemental attacks, but enhancement is allowed.&nbsp; The match continues until one of us is out cold, or yields."&nbsp; She nodded.&nbsp; "And flight?"&nbsp; she asked.&nbsp; "Allowed, but should you take flight, I am allowed direct elemental attacks as you have moved beyond my range."&nbsp; Another nod.&nbsp; "Very good."&nbsp; She said and stood, as did he.&nbsp; They took two steps back from each other and bowed, taking their preferred styles stances.&nbsp; Chiko knew the wolf's stance well.&nbsp; It was widely known to be slow and ponderous, using muscle over speed and finesse.&nbsp; Chiko remembered well what her Sensei had taught her about the style.&nbsp; "Remember that any starting stance your opponent shows you is deception.&nbsp; A true master of hand to hand will be able to switch styles and even more frighteningly, improvise.&nbsp; Our beloved Emperor teaches his students how to win.&nbsp; Honor has no place in his teachings.&nbsp; You achieve victory through any means.&nbsp; All dragonstudents are taught along a similar vein.&nbsp; Here the honorable teachings of your family will be erased and replaced with the desire to win.&nbsp; This school however will not remove your honor, simply redirect it to a useful end.&nbsp; You have been chosen to take up one of the most difficult positions in the world Chiko-san.&nbsp; A Ghosthunter's life is always sacrifice.&nbsp; People will fear you and hate you because of that fear.&nbsp; Your title is whispered about in legends and myths.&nbsp; You will likely live a lonely life.&nbsp; Few can walk beside us knowing what we do."&nbsp; Her sensei had said.&nbsp; She had found those that can, and do walk beside her as she squared up with the Amarok.&nbsp; She smiled grimly as her arms burst into flames and the winds whipped through her clothing and feathers as the elements she was trained in moved to assist her.&nbsp; The few in the audience who weren't paying attention were now riveted with runners being sent to get the rest of the unit to watch.&nbsp; The Amarok smiled.&nbsp; "It would seem your preference for flash still has not dissipated Chiko-san.&nbsp; Now that I have had some years to catch up, allow me to reciprocate."&nbsp; He said as he stomped the ground under paw.&nbsp; She shifted nervously as the earth beneath her rumbled.&nbsp; Her eyes grew wide with surprise as the wolf put out his arms, palm up and parallel to the earth below.&nbsp; Then she watched as his forearms were covered in stone and crystal.&nbsp; Her eyes grew wider as the wolf was suddenly draped in a cloak of starlit shadow shortly thereafter.&nbsp; "Earth as offense and Void as defense?&nbsp; The only one who has ever used Void as defense was..."&nbsp; He smiled.&nbsp; "My sensei;&nbsp; and he abandoned it because he did not have the speed to capitalize on its strengths."&nbsp; The wolf interrupted.&nbsp; Chiko smiled grimly as the wolf's stance changed to something more familiar and fitting for his style of fighting.

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Part of the series The Grandmaster of Sarthas
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