Half a year of constant training had finally brought Arran the beginning of a foundation in magic, and with that first step behind him, he found that the difference it made already surpassed his expectations.
Without a proper foundation, he had been much like a swordsman with bad posture, wasting effort and energy on even the simplest techniques. And that was something no amount of advanced training could fix.
There was only one way to address it, which was to start from the beginning and properly learn the basics.
Arran had made a start in doing so, and now, using magic felt entirely different from before. No longer did he struggle to command Essence. Now, he could wield both Fire and Shadow with little more effort than it took to wield his sword.
Yet he wasn't done yet.
