The next day saw Arran depart from the House of Swords well before dawn, some weariness in his steps as he made his way along the dark road. It wasn't the early hour that bothered him — with his Shadowsight, he could easily find his way even during the darkest night.
Rather, what made him feel weary was the prospect of spending another two days studying magic.
The previous four days hadn't been nearly as bad as he feared. If anything, they had been more productive than he initially expected. Reasonably speaking, he had absolutely no reason to complain, and plenty of reason to be excited.
Yet despite his encouraging results, he found that studying magic left him more tired than practicing swordsmanship ever had.
Physical exercise drained his body, but afterward, he'd always feel satisfied with the results. Magic, however, drained his mind. And if there was any satisfaction to be had from his progress, he was too exhausted to enjoy it.
