book?” Aithnea asked.
“ Yes, but it gives me such a horrible headache that it becomes difficult for me to understand the images,” Tom said.
“ It would seem that the book is enchanted. Is there a way that we could read it by using a spell?” Aithnea asked.
“ This magic is old. I can feel it. I imagine that those spiders you encountered the other day were also from that same magic. I wonder if the man that you called Nicolas in your dream was the one who cast a spell to protect this room,” Kristiana said.
Tom, feeling better, walked to the bookshelves and looked at the volumes of books that were placed neatly on the shelves. The books looked so old that Tom did not dare touch them and many of them had already started to fall apart.
“Karman, when was this cottage built?” John asked.
Karman pulled on his beard, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m not right sure.” He stopped pulling on his beard and looked at the skeleton. “But I do know that it has stood on these grounds for well over a hundred years. If I remember right there was an old man who owned it and then sold it to Archelaus.”
“I think it’s best if we continue reading this book at a later time. We need to start training you in all aspects of magic so that you can learn to control it better. You will be of no use if you lose control and hit your own, or...” looking at Aithnea, “…become too frightened during battle to remember your spells,” Kristiana said.
Aithnea bowed her head and put her hands behind her back.
Tom looked at Aithnea and gave a sympathetic smile. “Yes ma’am,” he said.
Chapter 11:
Training was long and hard for Tom. He found it extremely difficult to learn the simplest of cantrips that Aithnea could perform with little thought. At first he was excited to learn the simple cantrips. He loved the feeling of energy that would build up in the pit of his stomach and then materialize before him in the form he wanted. But when Kristiana began to teach him the more advanced spells he made little to no headway and began to doubt his ability. He would perform the movements perfectly and recite the words as directed but the energy wouldn’t materialize.
Aithnea was always there by his side, giving him encouragement to continue trying. She would point out small movements that he would miss or help him with the correct pronunciation of difficult words. He grew closer and closer to Aithnea as the winter months began to turn into spring. He enjoyed being around her and learning about her past.
Cody was also there, helping Tom with his swordplay. He would push him harder and faster than he thought possible. Where he was failing in magic he was making up double in swordplay. He would learn the maneuvers easily and was able to perform counterattacks without a thought. He was still far behind Cody and knew that he would never match his skill. But he still felt good about making Cody sweat on occasion.
Tom loved watching John and Cody duel. It was like watching a magnificent dance with swords flying in every direction. John would feint with his long sword and then twist his dagger bringing it toward Cody’s arm or leg. Cody would deflect the blow and at the same time make a counterattack. John in turn would either block it with his sword or dodge it entirely causing the weapon to go past him, hitting only air.
The dance would sometimes go on for hours as the two men became so enthralled that they would lose track of time. Karman was always there yelling in suggestions and giving further direction to Cody as he tried to contend with the much greater skill of John. Tom would watch and mimic their moves, learning to parry and quickly counterattack.
On Tom’s fourteenth birthday, the first of three that he spent at the cabin, Karman stayed up late with him next to the warm fire. They talked about how when Karman was younger he had trained John in everything that he knew. He smiled and laughed as he talked about
“ Yes, but it gives me such a horrible headache that it becomes difficult for me to understand the images,” Tom said.
“ It would seem that the book is enchanted. Is there a way that we could read it by using a spell?” Aithnea asked.
“ This magic is old. I can feel it. I imagine that those spiders you encountered the other day were also from that same magic. I wonder if the man that you called Nicolas in your dream was the one who cast a spell to protect this room,” Kristiana said.
Tom, feeling better, walked to the bookshelves and looked at the volumes of books that were placed neatly on the shelves. The books looked so old that Tom did not dare touch them and many of them had already started to fall apart.
“Karman, when was this cottage built?” John asked.
Karman pulled on his beard, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m not right sure.” He stopped pulling on his beard and looked at the skeleton. “But I do know that it has stood on these grounds for well over a hundred years. If I remember right there was an old man who owned it and then sold it to Archelaus.”
“I think it’s best if we continue reading this book at a later time. We need to start training you in all aspects of magic so that you can learn to control it better. You will be of no use if you lose control and hit your own, or...” looking at Aithnea, “…become too frightened during battle to remember your spells,” Kristiana said.
Aithnea bowed her head and put her hands behind her back.
Tom looked at Aithnea and gave a sympathetic smile. “Yes ma’am,” he said.
Chapter 11:
Training was long and hard for Tom. He found it extremely difficult to learn the simplest of cantrips that Aithnea could perform with little thought. At first he was excited to learn the simple cantrips. He loved the feeling of energy that would build up in the pit of his stomach and then materialize before him in the form he wanted. But when Kristiana began to teach him the more advanced spells he made little to no headway and began to doubt his ability. He would perform the movements perfectly and recite the words as directed but the energy wouldn’t materialize.
Aithnea was always there by his side, giving him encouragement to continue trying. She would point out small movements that he would miss or help him with the correct pronunciation of difficult words. He grew closer and closer to Aithnea as the winter months began to turn into spring. He enjoyed being around her and learning about her past.
Cody was also there, helping Tom with his swordplay. He would push him harder and faster than he thought possible. Where he was failing in magic he was making up double in swordplay. He would learn the maneuvers easily and was able to perform counterattacks without a thought. He was still far behind Cody and knew that he would never match his skill. But he still felt good about making Cody sweat on occasion.
Tom loved watching John and Cody duel. It was like watching a magnificent dance with swords flying in every direction. John would feint with his long sword and then twist his dagger bringing it toward Cody’s arm or leg. Cody would deflect the blow and at the same time make a counterattack. John in turn would either block it with his sword or dodge it entirely causing the weapon to go past him, hitting only air.
The dance would sometimes go on for hours as the two men became so enthralled that they would lose track of time. Karman was always there yelling in suggestions and giving further direction to Cody as he tried to contend with the much greater skill of John. Tom would watch and mimic their moves, learning to parry and quickly counterattack.
On Tom’s fourteenth birthday, the first of three that he spent at the cabin, Karman stayed up late with him next to the warm fire. They talked about how when Karman was younger he had trained John in everything that he knew. He smiled and laughed as he talked about
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