After the pack allies and parents drove off, it was time for combat training.

Allison and Lydia paired off first. Allison was clearly displaying over double her previous strength. Her speed and agility were flawless. She clearly had also been doing serious training with Chris, as she was displaying increasingly advanced combat maneuvers. Lydia was moving with speed that was hard to keep up with. She had clearly lost strength though. Lydia eked out a victory after a long fight. Derek said, "Allison, not many can hold their own against a fae proper. I'm impressed."

Allison blushed at the compliment.

Next, Jackson went up against Ken. Ken's movements were still wild and unpredictable in lizard form, and he easily overpowered Jackson. It also was clear that Ken had significantly more real combat experience.

Then Isaac went up against Stiles. Stiles seemed prepared for Isaac's lightning speed strikes and hit-and-run tactics. He clearly wasn't expecting Isaac to combine in a submission grab that he couldn't escape from. Stiles conceded quickly, snarking, "Well, you are now ex-military. You better win."

Derek went up against Scott. Scott's strength was greatly increased, but so was Derek's, and Derek's life of experience made it easy for him to beat Scott. Scott took the defeat in his typical good nature.

Derek pitted Isaac against Ken just to get a better idea of their relative skills. They both were built for relative speed. Ken wasn't as used to fighting an equally fast enemy. Neither of them seemed to be able to get the upper hand for a long time. The fight ended only because Isaac momentarily forgot to keep an eye on the tail of Ken.

The group went into the house for food, took turns showering, then curled up for a dog pile. As they were curling up, Derek really looked at the pack bonds.

Derek felt Scott, and through him, everyone else was an echo. This bond felt like absolute respect given more so than any other. Derek felt Isaac, the bond doubled through Camden. Derek felt Stiles, and through him, a bond with Ken that was complicated. Derek felt Lydia, now full of strange sensations. Derek felt Allison, a bond that was similar to a traditional pack bond, but not the same. Derek's bond to Danny was mostly the same as he would expect from a Gamma wolf. Derek could feel Ken directly, and that connection was tenuous and less developed. Derek could feel the Nemeton, but it was a vague entity, with significantly different concepts of everything.

The pack slept for a few hours, then everyone went to their respective homes.

The next day, Danny went to the Nemeton, the kupua, at 10:45 AM. Despite being early, he saw that Dr. Deaton had already arrived. Lydia, Allison, Stiles, Derek, Ken, and Angela were also there.

Stiles explained to Danny's questioning look, "We wanted to see this. And then Derek wants to do the emissary bonding afterwards."

Danny nodded. It made sense to get all these bonds sorted away.

Dr. Deaton said, "Everyone else, I will tolerate witnesses, but you must maintain absolute silence until we are complete." There was a murmur of agreement. He touched the stump of the Nemeton. Danny came up and followed suit. Dr. Deaton said, "First, ask permission to touch the spirit of the land."

Danny asked aloud, "Kupua of Beacon Hills, may I connect with you?"

Danny felt a response. A wave of the kind of comfort you only feel when at home, the kind of sense memory that was like the smell of baking bread, flooded him.

Dr. Deaton said, "Ask if you may be its protector."

Danny asked slowly, "Kupua of Beacon Hills, may I be your mortal protector and voice?"

Danny felt power surge through him, as a definitive yes connected him to the living spirit of the land.

Dr. Deaton said, "I believe you are completely bonded. Your preexisting connection to Beacon Hills made this easier for you, Daniel. I am now going to sever my connection." The veterinarian closed his eyes and his magic sparked. "It is done. All of you, feel free to contact me whenever you have a question. While I must move on, you will always be an ally." He got into his car and drove off.

Derek asked, "Angela, are you ready?"

Angela responded, "As I'll ever be." Angela moved towards the Nemeton stump. Derek followed questioningly. Angela said, "Witches call this a Ley Convergence. We are preparing to do deep magic, doing it here will be easier."

Derek slowly extended his claws. "Do you promise to protect the pack, within and without?"

Angela said, "For as long as you wish me to."

Derek scraped one claw against Angela's skin. "Do you promise to protect the territory?"

Angela responded, "For as long as you wish me to." Derek scraped his claw on her again.

Derek said, "Do you promise to keep me in check?"

Angela said, "Yes." Derek scraped her skin one last time, barely drawing blood. Magic surged alpha red between them. Angela immediately took a single drop of blood and said, "This bond is sealed by the Convergence." The drop landed on the Nemeton stump.

Derek said, "I will leave you to your training. Thank you, Emissary." Derek drove off.

Angela said, significantly less formally, "Now that most of the ritual stuff is done, I would like to cast a spell on each of you to get an idea of your magic. Gives me a basic idea of how to train you."

The pack nodded. The spellcasters looked at each other and Danny stepped forward. Angela took his hand and said, "Revela." A spiral of magic surrounded him, with minor apparitions appearing around him. The spiral dissipated after 30 seconds. Angela said, "I haven't met a spirit talker quite like you, but your magic isn't entirely different from Vodun or Djinn binding. Different spirits, obviously, less contract based, more respect. Also a decent divinatory ability. Not your primary power, but always useful."

Danny nodded. "Nothing too surprising." He stepped back. Allison stepped forward and took Angela's hand.

Angela said, "Revela." A bare shimmer of silver surrounded Allison for 15 seconds. "Not much magic, unfortunately. And it's focused in a way I've never seen before: enchanting items. Pairs well with your archery skills, making shots hit harder if you want. Not the most impressive, but it is a new caster type from a new line, so I'm not too surprised."

Allison looked slightly disappointed. "First of my kind and all." She stepped back and Lydia stepped forward.

Angela took her hand and said, "Revela." Purple wisps of energy trailed downwards for 40 seconds. "Nothing I wasn't expecting from a banshee. Nature magic, focusing on the balance of life and death. A more powerful caster, but you going against the nature of your magic will have consequences. Free will is a luxury you have to be more careful about. Also, you need a court. Your magic is too powerful to not be bound. The pack is helping, but it won't be enough."

Lydia stated, "My ancestor promised a decade."

Angela said, "I don't like the consequences if you don't choose a court within a year and a day."

Lydia nodded. She stepped back and Stiles stepped forward. He excitedly took Angela's hand. Angela said, "Revela." A rainbow of magic flooded upwards nearly 10 feet for 90 seconds. As it stopped, Angela looked at Stiles in stunned wonder. "That's impossible!"

Danny said, "Stiles loves being impossible."

Angela took a calming breath. "Stiles, you are a wizard. There hasn't been a confirmed wizard in at least a millennium. You don't ask magic or tell magic, you demand it. You can do…basically anything you want. You can do a decent job mimicking other casters tricks. Divination is the only thing you aren't good at, because you have to actively focus to do any magic. Gods below and above bless me."

Stiles seemed uncertain. "Sorry? I don't mean to be?"

Angela said, "It's a good thing you have a familiar. And a pack. It's keeping magic from overwhelming you." Angela took several moments to gather herself. "So, Witches have a special ability called Coven. We can bond a group of spellcasters into a collective, helping training and boosting power. I would like to ask permission to form one with you."

Stiles said, "We would need to ask Derek first."

Angela said, "I anticipated that. I did already ask his permission. He wants your training to go smoothly as possible."

The pack looked at each other. Danny nodded. Then Allison. Followed by Lydia. Stiles shrugged. Ken shrugged as well.

Stiles said, "We agree."

Angela said, "Everyone, circle around the Convergence. Even you, Ken."

Angela stood at the north of the stump. Ken stood to her right. Next to him, Danny. Then Stiles. Then Lydia. Then Allison completed the circle. Angela said, "Cross your arms and take each other's hands

Angela said, "Coven made of friends this day, promising of learning and sharing. We declare we walk together this way, showing our yearning."

Golden energy weaved its way around each of Angela's hands, then flowed to each person in the circle. Then fuschia energy went from Angela, to Lydia and Danny, then from Danny and Lydia towards each other. From Stiles came rainbow energy, going towards Ken and Allison, then connecting Ken and Allison. From the stump came a strings of green energy, touching each of the Coven's hands. The light ended suddenly.

The bonds between them doubled, adding Angela to the web of connections of the pack. Danny was hit by a wave of power from the Kupua.

Angela said, "I wasn't expecting that. Coven magic must have meshed with pack bonds. Combined with the Convergence joining us, and me binding as an Emissary, magic acted strangely. More so than I was counting on, we can share magic. And since one of our number is a wizard, and another the Convergence, limits are very far away from your abilities."

Stiles said, "Cool, cool, cool. Quick question: can the stump have any one name? Like, I don't care which one, I just want everyone to stop calling it something different."

Angela said, "That's fair. As its guardian, I'll let Danny decide."

Danny said, "Since it's based out of a tree, I wish for it to be named Lā`au."

The ground trembled slightly. Angela shouted, "Get down!" The pack immediately followed the command. Splinters exploded everywhere as the stump immediately was replaced with a twenty foot tall tree.

Angela said, "Names are powerful. kapua, Nemeton, convergence, those are all all over the place. You named this particular one something, and now that is a fact."

Danny said, "Oops. Sorry. I just wanted it to have a real name."

Angela said, "I think we are done for today. I'm going to spend the week getting an understanding of how to help you harness your magic individually."

The pack separated out.