Back to Jason, goodbyes.

The first time might have been a coincidence, but the second time Jason's father could have dropped him and he pulled his strike enough not to break a bone Jason knew something was up. He stopped mid block, and though his father could have easily struck him in the chest his fist stopped short.

"Is something the matter son? I don't remember calling a break." Richard questioned.

"Why are you holding back? You never hold back like this." Jason narrowed his eyes and realized that Dean was the only one watching their sparring match.

"Where's Mom?"

Dean's laughter rang out after Jason's question. "Less than 3 hits, just like you said. Kids observant and quick, no doubt about it."

Shooting a look at Dean that screamed 'well duh' Richard responded to Jason's question. "She got called in to work, some sort of emergency situation at the hospital." He nodded to Dean, who tossed them both swords.

"Since she isn't here for 'first to 5', how about... First blood?" Jason just smiled and nodded, then flourished his sword and charged his dad.

They ended up dueling to "first blood" several times, until they had drawn a crowd of just about the whole shift worth of guild guard that were on the estate this morning, until Jason felt a new group of people through his shadow, three of which he had never met before.

'feeling things' through his shadow was a relatively new experience for Jason, but one his father had been hoping to see him manifest. He could actually see and hear everything that occured with about ten feet of his shadow, and it had an eerie 6th sense that identified other people based on their own shadows. His father had explained it as since the shadow is a reflection of ones soul, so could his shadow identify someone based upon their unique shadow. Jason categorized it as somewhere between or a combination of touch and taste. Odd, but useful once he had gotten used to it. Once he felt the four newcomers approach and one, a female based on the voice muttered something about the estate, he blocked one last halfhearted low-right slash from his dad and they both turned to face the newcomers, his father standing straight-backed, holding his sword in front of him with the point facing down, and Jason flourished it a bit before swinging it behind him and holding it blade up, with his hand pressed to the small of his back.

The one member of the group, Frank, the unofficial leader of the guild guard stationed at the estate, swing his hand out to point towards Jason and his father. "Might I introduce," he started with a smile, "The 6 time back-to-back Elderis tournament champion and Crawford's newest mage college student, Jason Elpis Natus Exumbra, and his father, Richard Feron Black, more commonly known as 'The Darkblade'."

'He's just throwing that right out there, isn't he?' Jason thought as one of them (the same one that has spoken before) muttered under her breath, but outwards he just smiled and gave a small bow, using it as a chance to investigate the new comers. Two were female, one older, maybe about Dean's age with brown hair up in a bun, while the other was somewhere between Jason and the other two age wise, but with light red hair, and a nice hourglass figure. Both of them were dressed similarly to Dean, marking them as Justicars, but the third was an older gentleman who was dressed... well, magely. He had long robes that must have been excruciatingly hot in the summer heat, and hair shaved close to his head.

"Councilman Derillio." Dean walked up to the older man and shook his hand, giving him a warm smile as he spoke. "your early, something wrong?"

"No, just normal 'keep people guessing stuff'. You know how the council is." The man shrugged in response, before turning to Jason and his father. "I suppose introductions are in order, but we will have to be quick, the powers that be have us on a short timetable. Can we walk and talk?" Before Jason could decide who the councilman was talking to his father answered.

"No need, let me say good bye and then you can be off." He turned to Jason. "Looks like you wont be getting a packed bag after all." He joked, pulling Jason in for a hug. "Remember, no matter what happens, you will always have a place here with your mother and I."he kissed Jason's forehead and smiled while Jason rolled his eyes and rubbed it off.

"Geez dad come-on, I'm not a kid anymore." Jason complained, even though he pulled him in for another hug. "Give this one to Mom" he mumbled under his breath, so only his dad could hear.

"I will, along with your present, as soon as she gets home. Meanwhile, I have something for you. Two things, actually." He pulled a small pouch and a ring out of his pocket, handing them to Jason. "The pouch has some spending money, I'm told the guild takes care of most basic expenses, but I figured you might want something for yourself, considering your leaving with nothing. And this i made for you last night." He held up the ring, made of a similar crystal that reminded Jason of his mother's arcane creations. But while the ring he enhanced for his mother last night had a ribbon of shadow flowing around and around, the one his father was handing him seemed like it had been packed to overflowing with shadows, a dark void contained within it's tiny crystal prison. "It will work similarly to the one you made for your mother, except I added a few extras, just in case." His father smiled as Jason slid it onto his left forefinger.

"Thanks dad, I love you." Jason said, holding back tears.

"I love you too son, now go learn some magic and make your mother and I even more proud of the man you are becoming." Jason nodded, and turned to the councilman and the justicars.

"Well, suppose we should get on with it, before I start crying and embarrass myself even more." He joked, getting a chuckle from everyone except the older female Justicar, who seemed to be glanced everywhere as the group slowly closed around Jason and started walking back towards the guardhouse.