The answer to all of his questions lay in Reaver, the estoc that Orion had forged for Phloria back when he had crafted War for Lith.
Lord Ernas had enchanted his daughter's blade with the ability to hold spells on its own. Reaver relieved Phloria from the mental burden that keeping several spells at the ready required and prevented them from dissipating in the case she lost her focus.
Unlike a magic holding ring, the estoc didn't have a limit to the number of spells it could store, but it couldn't maintain them for more than two minutes. It was the perfect weapon for a fake mage, allowing its wielder to pack the same assault prowess of a small unit on short notice.
To an Awakened who could cast spells with their mind and use Invigoration to replenish their mana at will, however, Reaver granted the same power of an army. Phloria had now at her fingertips two full minutes of casting, allowing her to relentlessly attack while she kept refueling the estoc.
