The passing of Thenya didn't create a rift between Thorfinn and Layla; quite the opposite, they grew closer. Just as Thorfinn had promised, Layla truly began to see him as her own kin.
However, when it came to learning magic, Layla now bore the greater responsibility of teaching Thorfinn. Thankfully, Thenya had already imparted the most crucial, core knowledge to Thorfinn. All that remained were the various spells, and Layla was proving to be a good teacher.
Thorfinn's companionship gradually helped Layla emerge from the grief over Thenya's death. Layla's affection for the young man also deepened. She not only became more attentive and responsible in her teaching, but she also took greater care of him in their daily life.
In the old spot in the woods, Thorfinn practiced archery as usual, but this time, he wasn't alone.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The arrows shot out, reaching their target in an instant. The high-speed shafts sliced through the air with a sharp sound, followed by the rapid thud of impacts hitting the target. In a short span, Thorfinn had loosed all his arrows. His rate of fire had improved, and the sheer power behind his shots grew with Thorfinn's maturation each day.
Thorfinn caught his breath, then collected the arrows from the target. Layla, who had been watching from the side, ran up and stretched out a small hand to wipe away the negligible sweat on Thorfinn's brow.
Layla: "Here, have a bite. I made a delicious hot pie, though it's gone cold now. It still tastes good, though! You should eat some before you continue your practice."
Thorfinn placed the arrows back into his quiver, looking at the cracked target. "A good idea. It looks like these targets have finally earned their retirement."
Layla skipped over to a bundle wrapped in animal hide and pulled out the still-warm pie. She smiled as she handed it to Thorfinn, her eyes full of anticipation.
With such a fair maiden by his side, Thorfinn didn't stand on ceremony and took a large bite. The meat was tender, complemented by the spice of onion and the chewiness of smoked bacon—it was truly exquisite. The flavor lingered on his tongue, stimulating Thorfinn's already healthy appetite. He devoured the food in his hands in just a few quick bites.
"Mmm… I'd wager that's a pigeon pie, Layla. Your cooking is simply… wonderful."
Thorfinn was full of praise for the little witch's culinary skills. Layla beamed at the compliment. Living alone these past few months, she was overjoyed every day that she still had family.
Gazing at Thorfinn's handsome face, she was momentarily lost in thought. She had long since accepted that even without a blood tie, he was still her kin.
In such a cold world, an unintentional kind word can often have a profound effect on others. Layla knew how rare such gentle courtesy was in the frozen lands beyond the Wall. So, sometimes she would think: It is a blessing that Thorfinn and I are not blood relatives, or the Gods would surely never forgive. Yet, every time the thought crossed her mind, her cheeks would flush.
Thorfinn finished Layla's pigeon pie and, completely satisfied, found a comfortable spot to sit down. It was then that he noticed Layla's face was bright red.
Thorfinn: "Layla, Layla? Are you feeling unwell? Your face is quite red."
Layla snapped out of her daze. "Uh, no. I was just… distracted. Yes, that's it."
Thorfinn understood. "By the way, why don't you take this time to teach me some more chanted spells? It's no good to sit idle with nothing to do."
Layla nodded. "Very well, let's begin. Most of these incantations are quite abstract and terribly hard to memorize. You'll have to feel your way through them. The old woman went to great lengths just to teach them to me."
The mastery of magic is not achieved overnight. Thenya had taught Thorfinn the most essential principles, but casting magic is more complex than simply releasing power. A complete spell has three components: first, the source of power; second, the guidance of that power; and third, the incantation.
The first step is the most critical.
The second and third steps, in truth, have no distinct boundary. The incantations, aside from some praises to the so-called gods, are essentially aids to guide and express the magical power.
However, what sounds simple is incredibly difficult to execute. Thorfinn has yet to cast a single complete spell, while the little witch Layla has already found her stride.
Thorfinn had personally witnessed Layla cast a fairly straightforward spell: a Blood Magic healing technique. It consumed a bit of the injured person's blood to accelerate wound recovery. It was quite practical for minor cuts and scrapes or fevers and chills, and it was this spell that had earned Thenya her reputation as a healer. Beyond that, Layla's specialty, her signature skill, remained divination, as her mastery of other arts was limited.
Regardless of Layla, Thorfinn was quite indifferent to the magic of prophecy. In Thorfinn's view, the future is only interesting if it remains unknown; to be overly fixated on it is a lesser pursuit. How can a few fleeting words truly dictate a person's life?
As for the rest, Thorfinn and Layla could only rely on mutual support. The little witch, after all, lacked practical experience in many areas, and such knowledge must be gained firsthand. In short, Thorfinn realized that with magic, knowledge is easy, but action is hard. Much of it comes down to trial-and-error experience, and systematic magical lore had long been severed in the lands beyond the Wall, this place known as the 'Home of the Wicked.'
Thorfinn could only feel his way across the river, one stone at a time. This approach had its advantages, though, in that it led to a deeper understanding of magic. Thorfinn's first line of study was the research on the soul that Thenya had left behind. Thanks to his own soul's unique nature, coupled with Thenya's life's work, Thorfinn was able to quickly process and absorb the knowledge.
Through diligent exploration, Thorfinn finally cast his first spell. Appropriately, his debut was a soul-based spell that he dubbed The Mending Mind. This was a spell Thorfinn had created himself based on the theoretical knowledge of the soul. Its principle was to infuse the brain with magical power, stimulating the soul to temporarily enhance its mental strength.
Thorfinn had tried casting this spell on a few animals, but the effect was negligible. However, after ensuring there were no harmful side effects, Thorfinn tested it on Alpha and used the unique connection between the master and his monstrous companion to gauge the results.
The sensation was one of coolness. Everything before him became clearer, his spirit was invigorated, his senses sharpened, and his mind and thoughts became more lucid. Things he hadn't understood before suddenly made perfect, blinding sense. Even his physical movements became noticeably more agile. All these were the changes brought by The Mending Mind. As the name suggests, Alpha's intellect had been boosted.
In short, it was a status-altering spell designed to increase intelligence.
Thorfinn, ecstatic from successfully researching his first spell, excitedly shared the news with Layla. Layla was equally thrilled, though her joy was soon overshadowed by curiosity. Thorfinn explained the spell's principle and demonstrated it many times, but Layla still couldn't learn it. This feeling of defeat left the little witch quite dejected.
Thorfinn consoled her, "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Perhaps my soul is simply powerful by nature. Once you grow stronger, you'll naturally be able to use it." Thorfinn then realized just how stringent the requirements for the soul were for this spell; without a powerful soul as a foundation, it was truly difficult to cast.
Layla pouted, displeased. "You really are a monster, Thorfinn! No wonder the old woman said it wouldn't take you long to surpass me. You developed a new spell in such a short time, and I can't even learn it!"
Thorfinn smiled slightly, puffing out his chest. "That's just the kind of extraordinary talent this young lord possesses!"
Layla gave a dismissive sniff. "And whose teaching made that talent possible, little brother?"
Thorfinn smiled gently. "We each have our strengths, don't we? Look, I can't match you in Blood Magic. Not only am I worse at the blood-healing spell, but I can't even master divination."
Layla finally cracked a smile. "Oh, I know you, you just don't want to learn divination. I can't fathom where all that dislike comes from, you big-eyed little turnip."
Thorfinn said, "I simply don't care for that type of magic. A man's true pursuit should be power. Battle is a man's true romance!"
Layla: "…"
During the study of magic, Thorfinn's unbridled imagination was fully unleashed. His endless stream of eccentric ideas provided Layla with considerable inspiration, completely shattering the little witch's worldview. This allowed Layla to open a new door to the world, gradually emerging from Thenya's stiff, by-the-book style of instruction.
Since successfully developing his first spell, Thorfinn embarked on his own path of magical exploration. He ran countless experiments with various novel spells, failing many, many times, but he actually managed to develop two incantation-less spells:
Magic Missile: Launches a fist-sized magical projectile at an enemy. This spell consumes little power, can be fired continuously, and causes a significant blunt-force impact. Thorfinn's estimate is that an unarmored commoner would be gravely wounded by a single, unguarded strike.Magic Shield: Defends against both physical and magical damage. It consumes power over time, with the duration depending on the caster's reserves. It is excellent for when the caster finds themselves in a tight spot, but it is extremely taxing on power, so an escape must be secured before the caster is completely drained.
Thorfinn's creations were all spells cast without incantation. Inspired by various tales and legends, his spells—the Magic Missile that actively causes a magical disturbance, and the Magic Shield built upon a stable, three-dimensional geometric construction—were reliable and practical techniques. Though upon closer inspection, they were merely singular applications of raw magical power.
Despite this, Layla was utterly amazed, believing them to be works of genius. Thorfinn brought her so many delightful surprises. When he showed the little witch what he had discovered through his own research, she was deeply flattered. In her own words: "These two spells, while not exceedingly refined in technique, are truly ingenious. It is not wise to casually display such magic to others."
Thorfinn simply replied, "It doesn't matter. There are no 'others' between us. We are family, after all, my dear sister."
Layla was so charmed by Thorfinn's words that she implicitly accepted his statement. Life settled into a gentle rhythm, a quiet before the storm. Thorfinn , like a dry sponge, eagerly soaked up the knowledge Thenya had left behind, converting it into hard-earned strength, while he and Layla improved together through mutual discussion.
The path of magic—knowledge is easy, but action is hard. Thorfinn could only continue his journey, walking and singing as he went...