Salor took a glance at Spirito’s attire. The boy was outgrowing his clothes daily. And now he reached higher than Salor’s hip. What was Yilta feeding him? 

“Where are we going? To see Shasis?” Spirito looked up at his Da walking beside him. 

Gazing into the distance once more, Salor shook his head. The city loomed with residential roads picking up with early morning traffic of wagons, and even hover skimmers, although they were more for the affluent visitors, usually. The city was becoming a central hub for off-world visitors. “No. Today we are visiting the Proev’l Grounds. It is time to take your tour.”

“The war school,” Spirito gulped. “Where you and Shasis trained?”

Agreeing, Salor nodded. “And Uncle Oberian, and Granda Sergie, and Great-Granda Soulon, as well as four of my cousins. We are a highly traditional family. Proev’l Grounds is a place built on tradition. The entire royal family too, attended training there. Prince Tanue will be attending.”

Spirito looked on with eyes widened.

Staring forward, Salor caught sight of the tall spires of the gate corners reaching towards the sky. He remembered the school fondly, mostly. Although alongside the fertile grounds, bitter seeds were sown. Salor snorted at the thought of his wife saying just that phrase. 

The boy’s voice broke through, as though he were in tune with Salor’s troubled thoughts. “Did you like it?” 

“Regrettably, my memory is not as good as I think for those days so long ago. I remember being taught many things by the Doha masters. They seek those who have natural skills in such things as fighting, and strategy, those with instincts that are highly sought as leadership. And I was one such as this.” Salor let Spirito understand.

Nodding, the boy confirmed his understanding. “Like Valerian?”

Salor tilted his head slowly from side to side. He could not begin to compare himself to Valerian in good standing. He remembered the stunning marble statue, its colossal form resting in the snow field copes of trees. They’d stood just next to it as they crossed those terrible storm lands of the Skaveen. Valerian held the majority of attributes of a warrior, fitting the canid fighter as a role model. And Salor was not even close to that notable. However, he then remembered the other statue, the exotic Gias. That was the one he didn’t know as much about, but looking at his curious son, he had an irresistible wish to include. “Those of Gias, the warrior of peace, are also provided.” He looked at Spirito to make sure he remembered that one as well. “There are many studies offered that allow those with such interests to gain more skills. The school has master’s that train those in seven of the eight ways. Do you remember the one way your fighting instructor taught?”

With rapid nodding, Spirito recited verbatim his teacher’s words. “Fac is the path of the fighting master. It is the primary action of one who trains to study the movement of strike and defense.” Spirito made the small symbolic paw movement of his paw cutting down.

Salor pressed on. “Very good. You may find an interest in mastering the skills of the Fac. Shasis is well into her upper levels for those talents. But there are eight ways.” He listed them out. “Chu for strength, Cen for spirit, Eyas for death, Fac for fighting, Fuad for wisdom, Tao for growth, and Sune for peace. Here at the school, the Doha instructors teach them all.

As he spoke, his paws followed and went through a sequence of symbols for each. A fist for strength, a rising paw for spirit, bringing his hands pressed together in the opposite direction for death, the sharp cut of his paw through the air straight downward for fighting, three digits forming a W pressed against his brow for wisdom, lifting one paw from low to high for growth, and finally two closed digits held against his chest for peace where motioned. For a few, his movements displayed power and fluidity, while others exhibited chopped brevity. 

The school introduces these ways, providing both a beginning and medium level of training based on the pupil’s abilities. I was very studious with Fac and Chu and earned my mid-level badges while attending, which is why I can offer training to you at home, for those. Shasis has earned her higher mid-level Fac, as well. She studied only one way, but this allows her to increase the speed at which she will gain mastery.

“What of the eighth way?” Spirito asked.

Salor blinked. “Oh, um…the final way is Nul, a master of all ways.” He clasped both paws together, digits intertwined, and dewclaws folded across each other.

Spirito’s mouth formed an ‘O,’ his eyes widening.

To keep up with his bright pup, Salor added that he had no knowledge of any canid who had attained Nul status.

Upon hearing the news, Spirito’s shoulders dropped in disappointment. But then he straightened. “Maybe it’s only Nul when many canids are together who have mastered the other seven?”

Salor pondered the possibilities. “Could be. Could be.”

After crossing the last road, they arrived at the open gates. The shiny black spires were well above their head. Now that he looked, Salor found them quite similar to the characteristics of the Skaveen gates. A shiver crossed his spine and made his tail twitch. Why hadn’t he noticed that before?

Loosely standing in a group, just outside, were a handful of other parents of boy and girl students. Salor moved toward them. Spirito followed and smiled at a couple of boys, who stood together. One was short and chubby, the other as tall as Spirito, but lean. With Salor keeping an eye on them, Spirito waved and joined them without any difficulty.

“Pups have no judgments of each other since they are innocent. I find it amazing. We walk into this school all free and end up being broken down, only to rise focused.” A familiar woman’s voice spoke nearby.

Salor turned, grinning. “Why, Misty Volk, I would have never guessed you’d return to these halls.” He stood amazed at seeing an old classmate from his graduating class. She’d been a fierce competitor in the challenge games. And to find she went into politics with the distant regions, becoming well known for her persuasive tactics, was no surprise.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Salor Deshik. It has been several years since I’ve returned to the capital, and now that I’m back, I’ve had the pleasure of running into you. What a pleasant surprise.” Her dark eyes widened, the same sparkling dry humor she once gave in school. She looked around the group. “Is Yilta here?” Then shook her head. “Oh, that’s right, she refuses to have anything to do with this…what did she call it ‘disreputable torture game facility.” 

Groaning, Salor recognized that same phrase he had heard earlier this morning before leaving with Spirito. His wife’s propensity to want everything to take place at its natural pace would immediately ban any establishment that forces education outside the accordance with the nature of the child. He knew she had a problem with Shasis enrolling in Proev’l, but she was also highly approving of traditions. So, he made a strong front, using traditional training for the protectorate to convince her it was tolerable. But with Spirito, she seemed completely unwilling and unable to shut down her concerns. He listened to her long diatribe about drifting seeds to alight on the perfect fertile ground, and something about boundaries, and then she’d gotten into the fact their son was just a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. She was frightened he might mature into an adult too swiftly, shedding the old skin of naivety and innocence to emerge with warped wings. 

Salor couldn’t fight her logic, either. This school had a reputation for breaking children down to transform them into adults, discarding their childhood facade. He reminded her Spirito would have to spread his wings and navigate the complexities of adulthood at some time in his life. She’d turned away, shoulders slumped. Salor hated to cause her vibrant eyes to dull with the heavy weight of sorrow. Though he tried to mask his doubts with a faint smile, her knowing look betrayed his success at hiding the turmoil within. In the silence that engulfed them, his refusal to give in spoke louder than any words. 

Distracting his sober thoughts, Misty pointed to a small-sized girl pup who was observing the busy courtyard of the school proper and witnessing other youths in dark blue uniforms moving about in an engaging game of tag. “My youngest is thinking of entering this year, with her father’s expectation to outclass them all. Although I might hold her close another year to let her height catch up with her spirit.”

With her white and gray pelt noticeably lighter in comparison to his family of brown and coal black mottling, the little girl was incredibly adorable. Salor smiled. Yet, internally, he agreed. She was extremely small. That she truly met the minimum age wouldn’t make a difference if she was unable to execute the physical aspects that came with certain challenges.

Despite our reservations, she has decided to take the tour. Perhaps it will assist her in focusing on where she might be headed.
With a nod, Salor directed his finger toward Spirito. “My youngest is touring today, as well.”

Observing the boy, the older woman shrugged. “Looks like the familiar tail swing of his father.” 

With pride, Salor inhaled deeply. “We will see. He has shown pretty impressive skills in his martial arts already.”

Misty nodded to Salor. “I’ll make sure to check his records as he moves along.”

Salor sniffed, his nose rising in the air. Her considerate remarks were already assured Spirito would be accepted into the academy, quite easily. 

“Attention, attention. Those arriving for the tour can gather here.” A male canid with matching long braids of hair on either of his face, waved his arms to capture the group’s gaze. He was not overly tall but had a quick eye as he glanced over at the children present. 

Salor didn’t recognize him, but he might have been from a different class or of a different path, one he had not followed. The process all seemed slightly familiar though, since Shasis took her tour just a pawful of years ago. He stood back and let the children gather in front of the teacher. “I am Doha Sobie, master of the halls. To provide directions and show the various paths other masters have taken, I will walk with you today in our academy. I am not here to help you decide. That is for you to choose. Those of you who sense the inclination to follow a path, you may do so, today. This is the first test of the Proev’l Grounds. It is your moment of decision that your truth will be found.”

Salor clenched his paws when he saw his son tilt his head. There was nothing to be nervous about, right? Spirito was a Deshik. He would find his way. Nothing could harm him on a tour.

“They say the parting ways is the most difficult of this parenting. I find myself flat-out scared for her. But this is not your first child, Salor? How do you do it?” Misty’s tail tip flicked back and forth. He remembered that nervous tell from so many years ago, and it made him smile.

He turned to look at the back of his little boy’s head, tufted ears perked high as he listened, and shook his head. “If you don’t like that, you are certainly not going to like this next part, at all.”

Doha Sobie lifted both hands palms down asking for quiet. “All parents are to return to the gate no later than dusk. You will meet your cadet only upon their completion of their visit of the halls.”

An instant grumble from the parents rose in a chorus of disbelief. Salor looked at Misty’s wide eyes and feral snarl. No, she was not going to like it in the least. Spirito glanced back at him, his short tail swishing a little fast. But his eyes were sparkling along with his toothy grin. Salor didn’t mention to him he would take the tour alone, but the boy knew. He must have discussed it with Shasis.

“You’d better say goodbye for the day. You won’t get another chance.” He commented to Misty, before moving closer to Spirito.

“Da, should I ask you any questions?” Spirito wiped a paw over one ear.

Salor tilted his head. “What? Shasis didn’t give you the complete story?”

Spirito ducked his head. “Daaa. She only tells the short ones. You know that.”

Salor agreed. His daughter had the extreme ability to stay tight-lipped. She only told you the surface of the information, if at all. Still, on this day, Spirito would find his path and begin his own story. Salor thought for a moment and put his paw on his son’s shoulder. “The best you can do is listen to your heart. Don’t let others pull you with them. Guide yourself with your senses. Sometimes you should make decisions based on enjoyment, even if they are not practical or smart. I’ll repeat what your mother said but don’t tell her I did so. The truest heart is the voice within that speaks easily.’”He touched his free paw to the boy’s chest where his heartbeat was beneath. “If you follow yours today, you will find where you need to be.”

Spirito’s mouth was open his tongue lolling out, as he stared at Salor. “Okay, Da.”

Salor nodded and squeezed Spirito’s shoulder before releasing it. He backed away from him and let the other parents spend a few moments with their pups. He declined, for a change, to have any sense of remorse when it came to sharing his wife’s teachings. His son needed to understand his life today, which was a conscious choice. It was his turn to choose the protectorate way. 

“Let the future cadets enter and follow me.” Doha Sobie spoke, ambling along the wide concrete path leading toward a nearby three-story building.  

 “Bye, Da. See you later.”

Salor waved a paw and smiled, the warmth never reaching his eyes. He’d smiled the same when Shasis entered, too. He remembered smiling at his father, who smiled at him when he had been dropped off. And he would smile when the day was done. It didn’t mean his smile was sincere.

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