The three days passed by rather quickly for Izo. He kept his decision or any hint of his decision to himself, even after Mother sat down and discussed it with him. She told him he could put off university if he wanted to, but she did not prefer it. Father said nothing, but went harder in their training. Izo figured it was because Ice Master was watching them while they trained. Brother was shy about a stranger being in the castle, asking often about who he was and why he was here.

On the third day, in the morning, Ice Master approached him again, asking him once more to be his apprentice.

Izo answered him, "I want to see you fight first." Ice Master was mildly shocked by his answer. "If you truly are a master of ice and leader of the shinobu ninjas now, prove it by letting me watch you fight."

Izo knew his words were bold, border line disrespectful, but Ice Master responded by cracking a smirk. "When and where would you like to fight?" he asked. His chest puffed up in pride.

Izo shook his head, "oh, I don't want to fight you," he told Ice Master. "I want to watch you fight my father."

Ice Master's smooth confidence seemed shaken at that. His eyes got a little wider when he realized what Izo had actually requested. "Fine then," he replied smooth as glass. Izo found that he liked the confidence Ice Master had.

Father was easy to find and convince to do spar with Ice Master, seemed almost excited at the idea. Izo felt like an itch was in his soul at the idea of watching the two of them fight. Mother interest seemed peaked as well at the idea of watching them.

The four of them went outside to the area of the forest Father used to often train Izo and Sister. Izo smiled sadly at the memory of Sister and how his missed seeing her everyday. He missed sparring with her.

Father and Ice Master stood across from each other on the training field. Izo felt a thrill in his chest at the idea of watching this spar. Father would not hold back against Ice Master, which would reveal how strong he was.

Izo watched in antsy anticipation for them to start fighting. Mother, Hotaka, and a few others from the castle stood nearby, watching with him. Mother seemed to never blink as she looked between the two of them.

Mother threw her hand up in the air and down again, announcing, "begin."

Ice Master wasted no time in plummeting the temperature of the air around all of them. Father and Izo remained unaffected, but the rest of people in the area were. The staff members backed away, shivering almost instantaneously. Mother, who was next to Izo, threw her arms around herself, shivering violently. Izo heard her teeth and breath chatter unbelievably loudly. She dropped to her knees, shaking. The temperature grew more frigid still.

Father took his eyes off Ice Master, demanding Izo, "move her."

Izo knelt down next to Mother and picked her frozen form up. Her breath came out in short, frosty bursts. He wanted to watch the fight, but wanted to get Mother away more. She protested, but he still walked with her at a brisk pace.

The cold seemed to follow them. Father was seething. "Pull it back! Away from her. Away from all of them," he demanded to Ice Master.

Izo felt the cold disappear as rapidly as it had appeared. The frost on the ground receded until it was just around Father and Ice Master.

"So you certainly do love her, in spite of what happened," Ice Master stated. "Every demon has a weakness. Some are more unique than others."

After hearing those words, even his use of mercy, Izo made his decision as to whether or not he would go with Ice Master after this fight. He set Mother back down on her feet. She was still shivering, standing quite close to him in the desire for warmth.

Father charged Ice Master, growling in anger. His sword was out. He swung it speedily in an arc towards Ice Master. Ice Master used his right arm to block, forming his own ice sword over it.

The two of engaged in a sword fight, Father most certainly not holding back, as Izo expected. He was using his quick silver speed against Ice Master. Father hacked the ice sword in half just above Ice Master's hand. With the ice sword gone, Father held his sword against Ice Master's neck.

"Dead," Father pronounced. He backed away from Ice Master, sheathing his sword.

Father had won, which was not a complete surprise. Izo stepped away from Mother and over to Ice Master, proffering his hand. "Yes, I will be your apprentice."

He felt a bit guilty when he heard the sound of Mother gasping in surprise.