Klaus's attention returned to the book, his eyes scanning the pages as he lost himself in the history of the world. He was so absorbed that he barely registered the soft tap on his shoulder. Startled, he looked up to find Margaret standing before him, her hand outstretched.
"Ice barricade," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Klaus's gaze followed the faint blue glow that began to emit from Margaret's palm. The ethereal light grew brighter, and within moments, a spell circle materialised from her hand. He was captivated by the intricate design; it was different from the one he had seen earlier, with elegant blue symbols and lines etched onto its surface.
With rapt attention, he watched as Margaret chanted a spell, her eyes locked onto the circle. As she spoke, the symbols on the circle began to shimmer, and a frigid gust of wind swept through the room.
In an instant, a wall of ice erupted from the ground, rising higher and higher until it towered above them. Cold energy radiated from the barricade, making it seem as though the ice itself was alive.
Once the shield was fully formed, Margaret turned towards Klaus, her expression calm. "This is a Tier 2 defensive spell," she explained. "It's called Ice Barricade, and ice magic serves as the foundation for the spell."
Klaus slowly approached the barricade, his curiosity piqued. He placed his hand on the icy surface, feeling the chill emanating from it. His eyes widened in amazement, and he couldn't help but express his appreciation. "This is truly impressive."
Klaus was perhaps the only one in the entire world who would call a tier 2 spell 'nice, and as Keira and Thorne heard him, they simply flashed him a rough smile.
"It's a simple spell, but effective," Margaret said, her eyes fixed on Klaus. "And it can withstand even the strongest of attacks."
Klaus studied the ice barricade with a discerning eye. After a moment, he gave it an approving nod, then took a step back and turned towards Margaret.
With a casual flick of her wrist, the ice barricade vanished, revealing the spell circle that had given it life. "What do you think of the spell, Klaus? And how would you suggest improving it?" she asked, her tone expectant.
Time seemed to come to a halt after Margaret spoke, with Keira and Thorne staring at Klaus, not hiding how helpful they thought it would be if he were able to state the flaws in the spell circle and how to improve them like he had done with the tier 1 spell earlier.
A minute later, Klaus's mouth opened slightly, his curiosity piqued. He felt a strong urge to speak, but as his lips parted, they were suddenly seized by an inexplicable force. His eyes remained fixated on the spell circle before him, its surface adorned with intricate lines and enigmatic symbols.
Silence enveloped the room as Margaret, Keira, and Thorne exchanged meaningful glances, their eyes reflecting a mix of concern and anticipation. The air grew heavy with tension, and after a brief pause, Margaret broke the stillness.
"Do you mean the spell is flawless, or are you actually unable to see any flaws in the spell?" Keira asked.
Klaus turned towards Keira, his brows furrowing as he contemplated her inquiry. He shook his head slowly, a gesture of both frustration and acceptance. "There are flaws in the spell," he confessed, his voice carrying a hint of resignation. "I can feel it, but I can't see them."
A heavy silence settled over the room as the weight of Klaus's revelation sank in. The spell circle, with its intricate lines and symbols, held secrets and imperfections invisible to Klaus's discerning eyes.
"It's alright, Klaus," Margaret said. "You don't have to be tense about it.
Margaret placed her hand on her chin in deep thought, while Keira and Thorne sighed heavily. They had started to wonder if Klaus's earlier success had been nothing more than a fluke.
Then, without warning, Margaret extended her hand. "Ice cage," she murmured.
A cerulean spell circle flashed into existence before her, its design starkly different from its predecessor. Klaus's attention snapped to the new incantation.
He lifted his gaze from the book in his hand, and the moment his eyes fell on the spell circle, he began to speak. "There… there," He pointed out the flaws, an innocent smile painting his face.
Keira and Thorne, who had thought Klaus's pointing out the flaws in the spell was only a one-time thing and only appeared out of luck, were soon left astonished. Their lips were soon to curl into a smile as he pointed out the flaws in the spell.
"The foundation of the circle is firm, but..."
As Klaus began to point out the flaws in the spell, he also stated the ways it could be improved. He was completely oblivious to the fact that while he spoke, an astonished look was on both Keira and Thorne's faces.
Slowly, Keira and Thorne turned towards Klaus, demanding an answer from her. Just a moment ago, Klaus wasn't able to say a word concerning the spell circle, and now he was bursting out with several words about it.
Meanwhile, a smile was soon to form on Margaret's face. As she met Keira and Thorne's gaze, she spoke. "The answer is right in front of you; look at the spell closely."
Keira and Thorne redirected their attention to the intricately drawn spell before them, their eyes scanning its intricate patterns and symbols. As they studied it intently, a flicker of understanding began to light up Keira's eyes.
"This is a Tier 1 spell," Keira exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of astonishment and realisation. Her mouth opened slightly as she connected the dots in her mind.
Margaret nodded approvingly, confirming Keira's deduction. "Yes, that's correct."
The significance of Keira's revelation slowly sank in for Thorne as well, and he exchanged a glance of mutual comprehension with Keira. The realisation was dawning on them both.
"He's unable to see the flaws in a tier 2 spell," Thorne whispered, his voice tinged with amazement, "but he has no problem with tier 1 spells."
After speaking, Thorne placed his hand on his chin, paying extreme attention to Klaus and what he had to say about the spell. He watched as Klaus showered them with insight about the spell, which they hadn't considered.
"What do you think is the reason?" Keira asked her aunt.
Margaret took a deep breath, her expression pensive. "To be honest, I don't even know," she replied, her voice tinged with a mix of awe and frustration. "The power he has displayed and the depth of his knowledge... it's all a mystery to me.
After Margaret's words hung in the air, Keira shifted her gaze towards Klaus, her eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. The realisation that even her wise and knowledgeable aunt couldn't unravel the layers of mystery surrounding Klaus left her pondering deeply.
Who was he, truly?
As Keira's eyes locked onto Klaus, her heart quickened its pace, as if sensing that there was more to him than met the eye. She could feel an invisible energy emanating from him—an aura of intrigue and mystique that tantalised her senses.
"We may not have the answer now, but I won't stop searching. There's more to Klaus than meets the eye, and I intend to find out." As Margaret spoke, a flicker of determination and resolve ignited within her.
Meanwhile, Keira's heart raced as she stared at Klaus. There was something more extraordinary about him than just a youth sitting on top of a pile of beast corpses in a dungeon or someone able to read ancient magic and state ways to improve tier one spells; there was something else.
An intangible quality, an elusive essence that lingered beneath the surface, beckoning her to uncover the truth, and whatever secret lay beneath the surface, she fully intended on finding it out.
"If those flaws are amended, then this spell would be considered flawless," Klaus said, and slowly he sat on the chair beside the desk and delved back into the book in his hand.
As Klaus delved back into the thick book, he was completely oblivious to the two women staring at him with interest and curiosity written all over their faces.